What is consciousness?

Prabhupada: When you are in full knowledge of things, that is consciousness. It is not difficult to understand. Sometimes teachers say to the student, “Do it conscientiously, with attention.” When our full attention is there, full absorption, full concentration of the mind, that is consciousness. And another way of consciousness is the feeling which is spread all over your body. Just like I pinch over your head or any part of your body, you feel — that is consciousness. But when this body is dead or when you are out of this body, if I chop up your body, there is no consciousness. That is the distinction between consciousness. When you leave this body this consciousness goes to another body. Just like the air passes, the flavor the air carries, from one garden to another place, similarly, this consciousness will carry you to another body after your death. Just like we are changing our consciousness also from childhood consciousness to boyhood, boyhood to youthhood, and the old age. The consciousness is carrying me although the body is changing. Similarly, when you change this body, the consciousness will carry you to another body. That consciousness is always living. It is never dead.>>> Ref. VedaBase => Lecture at Harvard University Divinity School– May 7, 1969, Boston