The Power of Intent in Krishna Consciousness

What keeps us on the path is not inspiration alone, but purified intent guided by the right association.

By Rakesh Roshan

Recently, I met a devotee  who had once been  deeply immersed in Krishna Consciousness. He had served as a preacher in a youth group and practiced steadily for many years. But not anymore. He had turned to Christianity, despite being born into a Hindu family.

I felt sad—but not surprised.

This reminded me of the early days of ISKCON, when many devotees unexpectedly left. Some were shocked, but Srila Prabhupada brought clarity with one striking statement: “It is not surprising that people leave. The real surprise is that people stay.”

Maya Devi is extraordinarily powerful. She governs this world with two forces: prakshepatmika-sakti(that pushes us into illusion) and avaranatmika-sakti (that covers our true knowledge). With such forces at play, the real mystery is not departure—but perseverance.

The Question We Rarely Ask

I found myself wondering: What causes someone to leave a movement filled with joy, meaning, and spiritual ecstasy? Why didn’t this friend seek guidance before shifting faith?

Then came the real insight: The real question is not why someone leaves—but what keeps someone going in Krishna consciousness.

Is it hope? Faith? Love? Whatever the driving force may be, that force determines whether one remains for a lifetime, for a season, or not at all.

Intent: The Silent Architect of Devotion

Scriptures record many who approached Krishna consciousness for material motives—wealth, influence, marriage, or prestige. Many received what they wanted and then left. Rarely did they recognize the futility of such desires before it was too late.

Dhruva Maharaja began with the desire for a kingdom greater than his father’s. Yet after seeing the Lord, he confessed: “I was searching for broken pieces of glass, but I found a diamond.”

By contrast, King Pururava exhausted himself in austerities for sensual pleasure. No indulgence could satisfy him. He spent years chasing illusions—only to end in frustration.

These stories, side by side, reveal a simple truth: Right action matters — but only when it flows from right intent. Actions without pure intent may create ajnata-sukriti (unknowing piety), but they do not blossom into devotion. True devotion is right action born from right intent.

Where Does Intent Come From?

Intent seems spiritual, but it becomes mixed because the soul is covered by:

• the mind
  
• intelligence
  
• the false ego
  

Bhakti may be present in our heart, yet comfort, praise, and validation often sit beside it. Why? Because our intelligence is constantly shaped by impressions we feed into the mind. The subconscious mind holds memories from this and many past lives. These memories generate emotions—sometimes subtle, sometimes overwhelming—that silently steer our choices.

If left unchecked, the mind pulls us toward imagined pleasures and turns us away from spiritual fulfillment.

The solution is not suppression, but governance.

Purified Intelligence: The True Driver

Krishna explains in the Bhagavad-gita that lust resides in intelligence. When intelligence becomes impure, the mind misleads us—like a reckless charioteer losing control of the horses. A purified intelligence changes everything. Hearing and chanting the names and glories of Krishna do not merely inspire us—they purify intelligence.

Consider Mrigari the hunter. Once he took pleasure in half-killing animals. His logic seemed justified—until the words of Narada pierced his intelligence. His heart transformed instantly, and so did his life. Not through fear, but through awakened intent.

Association: The Critical Variable

In reflecting on my friend who left, I realized: perhaps if he had opened his heart to a pure devotee, or sought guidance at the right moment, he might still be practicing today. But the opportunity never came—or was never sought.

This experience drove home an essential truth: We do not remain in Krishna consciousness because we are strong. We remain because we are supported.

We need:

• mentors who correct us with compassion
  
• friends who nourish our intent
  
• guides who steady our intelligence during storms
  

Because in the end, it is not merely knowledge, not rituals, not even inspiration that keeps us going. It is purified intelligence — strengthened by the right association — guiding us to right action.

That is what makes one stay.

Rakesh Roshan has been practising Krishna Consciousness since 2007 and completed his VTA from ISKCON Chowpatty in 2018-19. He is currently working with AM/NS India as DGM – HR after doing his MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur and B Tech from NIT Jamshedpur.