Question: Sometimes we feel strong in Krsna consciousness, sometimes weak and sometimes we feel Krsna is with me and sometimes Krsna is not with me. How to remain strong in Krsna consciousness?

Jayapataka Swami: One of the anarthas is called thick and thin. Sometimes one’s devotional service is very strong and thick. Sometimes it is thin, it is patla (hindi for thin). So this is one of the anartas. So that is one of the stages of advancement, which is called anarta nivritti. There are many other anartas, this is one of them. If you continue with your devotional service you will cross over this anartha nivritti stage and reach the stage of nista which means being fixed. What is the next stage from nista? Ruci. You have a taste. How many would like a taste of devotional service? Haribol! Haribol! Then when you get a taste then you get attached to that, that is called aasakti. When you reach that stage, the next stage is to have ecstatic love for Krsna. Of course we already said from bhava you get to Prema, which is pure love. In bhava you have the eight ecstatic symptoms. Tears falling from your eyes, hairs standing on end, sometimes uncontrollable laughter, sometimes the voice gets choked up, sometimes you get stunned, like that there are eight ecstatic symptoms. Who would like to experience the ecstatic symptoms of ecstatic love for Krsna? Haribol! Haribol! Haribol! So if you are already on the stage of anarta nivritti, then you are half way there! Haribol!
11-JUNE-2019 ISKCON HYDERABAD, INDIA