seeing Him

The process of destruction is going on according to the law of nature. Nothing within this material world can be permanent, although scientists, philosophers, workers and everyone else are trying to make things permanent. One foolish scientist recently declared that eventually life will be made permanent through science. Some so-called scientists are also trying to manufacture living entities within the laboratory. Thus in one way or another everyone is busy denying the existence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and rejecting the supreme authority of the Lord. However, the Lord is so powerful that He destroys everything in the form of death. As Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita, mrtyuh sarva-haras caham: "I am all-devouring death." (Bg. 10.34) The Lord is just like death to the atheists, for He takes away everything they accumulate in the material world. Hiranyakasipu, the father of Prahlada, always denied the existence of the Lord, and he tried to kill his five-year-old boy due to the boy's unflinching faith in God. However, in due course of time the Lord appeared as Nrsimhadeva and killed Hiranyakasipu in the presence of his son. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam, this killing process is natural. Jivo jivasya jivanam: "One animal is food for another animal." (Bhag. 1.13.47) A frog is eaten by a snake, a snake is eaten by a mongoose, and the mongoose is eaten by another animal. In this way the process of destruction goes on by the supreme will of the Lord. Although we do not see the hand of the Supreme Lord directly, we can feel the presence of that hand through the Lord's process of destruction. We can see the clouds scattered by the wind, although we cannot see how this is being done because it is not possible to see the wind. Similarly, although we do not directly see the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we can see that He controls the process of destruction. The destructive process is going on fiercely under the control of the Lord, but the atheists cannot see it. (More...)

The appearance of an old friend in the form of a brahmana is very significant. In His Paramatma feature, Krsna is the old friend of everyone. According to Vedic injunction, Krsna is sitting with the living entity side by side. According to the sruti-mantra (dva suparna sayuja sakhayah), the Lord is sitting within the heart of every living entity as suhrt, the best friend. The Lord is always eager to have the living entity come home, back to Godhead. Sitting with the living entity as witness, the Lord gives him all chances to enjoy himself materially, but whenever there is an opportunity, the Lord gives good counsel and advises the living entity to abandon trying to become happy through material adjustment and instead turn his face toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead and surrender unto Him. When one becomes serious to follow the mission of the spiritual master, his resolution is tantamount to seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As explained before, this means meeting the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the instruction of the spiritual master. This is technically called vani-seva. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura states in his Bhagavad-gita commentary on the verse vyavasayatmika buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana (Bg. 2.41) that one should serve the words of the spiritual master. The disciple must stick to whatever the spiritual master orders. Simply by following on that line, one sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (More...)

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Paramatma, appeared before the Queen as a brahmana, but why didn't He appear in His original form as Sri Krsna? Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura remarks that unless one is very highly elevated in loving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one cannot see Him as He is. Nonetheless, if one sticks to the principles enunciated by the spiritual master, somehow or other he is in association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Since the Lord is in the heart, He can advise a sincere disciple from within. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita: (More...)

"If I am engaged in devotional service unto You, my dear Lord, then very easily can I perceive Your presence everywhere. And as far as liberation is concerned, I think that liberation stands at my door with folded hands, waiting to serve me-and all material conveniences of dharma [religiosity], artha [economic development] and kama [sense gratification] stand with her." (Krsna-karnamrta ) If one is very highly advanced in devotional service, he will have no difficulty in seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one engages in the service of the spiritual master, he not only sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead but attains liberation. As far as material conveniences are concerned, they automatically come, just as the maidservants of a queen follow the queen wherever she goes. Liberation is no problem for the pure devotee, and all material conveniences are simply awaiting him at all stages of life. (More...)

As indicated in verse 79, Narada Muni advised King Pracinabarhi to take to devotional service rather than waste time performing ritualistic ceremonies and fruitive activities. The vivid descriptions of the subtle and gross bodies in this chapter are most scientific, and because they are given by the great sage Narada, they are authoritative. Because these narrations are full of the glory of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they constitute the most effective process for the purification of the mind. As Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu confirmed: ceto-darpana-marjanam. The more we talk of Krsna, think of Krsna, and preach for Krsna, the more we become purified. This means we no longer have to accept a hallucinatory gross and subtle body, but instead attain our spiritual identity. One who tries to understand this instructive spiritual knowledge is delivered from this ocean of nescience. The word paramesthyam is very significant in this connection. Paramesthyam is also called Brahmaloka; it is the planet on which Lord Brahma lives. The inhabitants of Brahmaloka always discuss such narrations so that after the annihilation of the material world, they can be directly transferred to the spiritual world. One who is transferred to the spiritual world does not have to go up and down within this material world. Sometimes spiritual activities are also called paramesthyam. (More...)

Tattva-darsinah. Unless you have seen, how you can give information of the truth to others? So God is seen, not only seen in the history. In the history, when Krsna was present on this planet, the history of Battle of Kuruksetra where this Bhagavad-gita was spoken, that is a historical fact. So we can see through history also Bhagavan Sri Krsna and through sastra also. Sastra-caksusa. Just like at the present moment Krsna is not physically present, but we understand through sastra what is Krsna. (More...)

Prabhupada: You can see. You can hear the sound "Krsna." Are you not hearing Hare Krsna? So that is a question of realization. You go on hearing, hearing. The child cannot understand what is the sound. The sound is the same. The car is going on. But his father can understand that with this sound this car is going on. But child cannot understand. So you begin hearing, then gradually your ignorance will be cleansed, and then you understand that the sound is for car. Therefore you have to begin to hear the sound. Everyone is hearing, but those who are not experienced, they cannot understand that this sound is of the car. But the... One understands or not understands, that doesn't matter. But the sound is of the car, that's a fact. So those who are experienced, they are understanding; those who are not experienced, they do not understand. That is the difference. It is the difference of experience. But the sound is of the car-that is a fact. Similarly, the Hare Krsna sound is God. Those who are advanced, they can understand. And those who are not yet advanced, by hearing, hearing, they will understand. You want to see God. That is your idea? (More...)

So here the devotees, they are not impersonalists. They first of all see the lotus feet of Krsna, not that "No hand, no leg, no head." They means... Just like Upanisad, the Brahma-samaj, Rabindranath Tagore. So he addresses, "Ohe, tumi..." No, "Ohe tumi..." Who is that "Ohe," they do not know. Ohe. Impersonalist. Ohe tumi. In the Brahma-samaj, they pray, "Ohe." "Ohe." Why "Ohe"? If you know God, then you address Him by His name. Just like we say, he krsna karuna-sindho... We know what is God. We don't say, "Ohe." Ohe. Why...? No. We know, "He Krsna," directly address Krsna, he krsna karuna-sindho dina-bandho jagat-pate. So that is the benefit of the devotee. By this process, srnvanti gayanti grnanti, you immediately, acirena, very soon, the more you are sincere, you'll be able to see first of all the lotus feet of the Lord. Padambujam, the lotus feet of the Lord, you'll be able to see. (More...)

And that is the way of seeing. First of all, you have to see the lotus feet. Then, gradually, the thighs. And then, then... At last, the beautiful face. Therefore the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the First Canto, Second Canto are two lotus feet of the Lord. We have to read very carefully, because we have to see, first of all, padambujam. Don't go all of a sudden to see the face of the Lord, just like the sahajiyas did. Their reading of Bhagavata means rasa-lila. Rasa-lila is the smiling of Krsna, where Krsna is personally enjoying very sweet smiling. So you don't try to see the smiling of Krsna immediately. First of all see, try to see, the lotus feet of Krsna, padambujam. Then gradually rise. When you are accustomed to see, as soon as you close your eyes, immediately see Krsna's lotus..., then you go further, go further, go further, go further. And that is Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto, Second Canto, Third Canto, Fourth Canto. In this way, you have to go to the Tenth Canto. Then Tenth Canto means the head. And then, in the Tenth Canto, the chapters Twenty-nine through Thirty-five chapter, that is smiling. Don't try to see Krsna smiling immediately. Then you will be baffled. It requires qualification, and it requires time, but if Krsna is pleased, He can show His plea..., I mean, smiling immediately. That is special favor. But the general way is to see, first of all, the lotus feet of Krsna and make your endeavor perfectly done by this sravanam kirtanam visnoh, srnvanti gayanti [SB 7.5.23]. (More...)