Therefore try to understand Kṛṣṇa. How you will understand Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is so great. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa by these blunt material senses. That is not possible. You have to purify it. You have to purify it. Tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Simply by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, all your senses will be purified. This is the process. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. And you can begin service with your tongue.
Blunt (Lec, Conv, & Letters)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Lecture on BG 1.44 -- London, July 31, 1973:
Happiness is different thing. Sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriya-grāhyam (BG 6.21). If you want to feel happiness by your these blunt material senses, that is not happiness. Happiness is beyond your material senses. Ātyantikam. That is real happiness. Real happiness means it will never end, and you will never feel satiation, that "I no more want." That is real happiness. Material happiness, there is no such thing. That you will feel immediately satiation. After enjoying any material happiness a few minutes, you will feel "Again another, again another, again another." So therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tat (BG 6.21). So real, what is real happiness, that is not felt by these blunt material senses. So what is that sense? That is purified senses. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). When our senses are purified, tat-paratvena, for the sake of Kṛṣṇa, when our senses are employed for the sake of Kṛṣṇa, that is purified senses. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate. That is wanted.
So here, in the beginning, Arjuna, he's thinking in terms of his blunt senses. But the same thing he will do. Ātyantikam, atīndriya, purified senses. Just try to understand. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Lecture on BG 2.3 -- London, August 4, 1973:
Special senses means you have to pluck your eyes and you have to put another eyes? No. You have to purify. Tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Just like if you have got some disease in the eyes, you apply medicine, and when it is clear, you can see clearly everything; similarly, with these blunt senses, we cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). As śrī-kṛṣṇasya nāmādau, Kṛṣṇa's name, form, quality, etc., is not understand by these blunt senses, so how it is to be done? Now, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. Again jihvādau, beginning from the tongue, controlling the tongue. Just see it is something peculiar, that you have to understand Kṛṣṇa by controlling the tongue? This is something wonderful.
Lecture on BG 2.13 -- New York, March 11, 1966:
Just see. That they say, that the point has no length and breadth. Similarly, the soul has everything, length and... Within that point it has got his head, leg, everything, consciousness, everything there. And because it is beyond the calculation of our human knowledge, therefore they are disappointed: "Nirākāra, nirākāra, nirākāra." Not nirākāra. It has ākāra. But we are so, our senses are so blunt that we cannot calculate.
Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Pittsburgh, September 8, 1972:
Within the subtle body, the soul is there. Now, when this gross body becomes useless or unworkable, then the subtle body carries me to another gross body. This is called transmigration of the soul. But we do not see the subtle body. Every one of us, we know that we, we have got mind, but we cannot see the mind. Neither we can see intelligence, neither I can see what is my ego. But they are existing. So it is not necessary that everything you have to see with your blunt eyes. The eyes, they are not perfect. Just like the other side of this hall is dark, I cannot see you. Although I have got the eyes. So even though we have got eyes, it is very imperfect. It cannot see in all circumstances.
Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Pittsburgh, September 8, 1972:
You take cow dung and apply anywhere, you'll find it is pure. Immediately purified. So this is Vedic injunction. They are perfect knowledge. We... Instead of wasting time arguing and putting forward false prestige, if you simply accept the perfect knowledge, as they are stated in the Vedic literature, then we get perfect knowledge and our life is success. Instead of making experiment on the body to find out where is the soul... The soul is there, but it is so small that it is not possible to see by your these blunt eyes. Any microscope or any machine, because it is stated it is one ten-thousandth part of the top of the tip of the hair. So there is no machine. You cannot see. But it is there.
Lecture on BG 2.18 -- Hyderabad, November 23, 1972:
Although the soul and the Supersoul both are situated within the heart, and the heart is the center of all vitality, energy of this body... That is accepted. But we have no eyes to see the soul or the Supersoul because these material eyes are blunt, imperfect. You cannot see so many things. I cannot see even my eyelids, the nearest, and I cannot see which is far, far away, distant place.
Lecture on BG 2.18 -- Hyderabad, November 23, 1972:
So all our senses are imperfect. By imperfect senses, you cannot see the spirit soul. You cannot see even the spirit soul. How you can see the Supreme Soul, God? That is not possible. You have to purify your senses. Then you can see. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). The present blunt senses, material senses, all are imperfect. Even we hear the Lord's name, nāmādi, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi... Just like we are chanting. One who is spiritually advanced, he's enjoying this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's name. But those who are blunt, they will see, they will think, "What these people are chanting?" Because he has no power to hear. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. But realization of Śrī Kṛṣṇa begins by hearing. That is the method.
Lecture on BG 2.18 -- London, August 24, 1973:
With these material senses, you cannot experience directly what is the form of the Lord, what is His quality, what does He do. So many things we want to know about the Supreme. But śāstra describes the qualities of the Lord, the form of the Lord, the activities of the Lord. You can learn. Śāstra-yonitvāt. Yoni means source, source. Śāstra-yonitvāt. Śāstra-cakṣus. Your eyes should be the śāstra. Not these blunt eyes. Everything we also experience by śāstra, by book.
Lecture on BG 2.25 -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:
So in so many different ways, Kṛṣṇa is convincing how the spirit soul is immortal. In different ways. Avyakto 'yam. It is not manifest to the blunt material eyes. We cannot see, Because as we have explained several times, the magnitude of the soul is one ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair, very small. I think, smaller than the atom. That spirit soul is everywhere. Sarva-ga. Sarva-gata. Everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). And wherever the spirit soul is there within this material world, he has got a body and there is heart, and within that heart, Kṛṣṇa is also there. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Both of them, living there. Therefore aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān. Kṛṣṇa can become greater than the greatest and the smaller than the smallest. This is God.
Lecture on BG Lecture Excerpts 2.44-45, 2.58 -- New York, March 25, 1966:
Therefore it is a fact that the soul, soul is different from this body. So long the soul is there, the body acts. And we, with our blunt senses, our gross senses, we cannot see the soul. Therefore we deny it. Because our imperfect senses cannot see this. We cannot see so many things. So many things. Just like we are seeing this place is vacant, the outer space, but there are instruments. If you see with those instruments, you will find they are full of germs. Full of germs. Take a drop of water, as clear as possible. But if you see with microscope, you will see, "Oh, it is full of germs." So imperfect vision of existence, of the existence of the soul, does not mean that there is no soul. The soul is there. Soul is there, and we can feel the presence of the soul by the symptom of consciousness. Consciousness. And that's a clear fact.
Lecture on BG 4.1 and Review -- New York, July 13, 1966:
And the fourth imperfection is that our senses are blunt. We acquire knowledge by our senses. Just like we acquire knowledge by seeing. Everyone will say, "Can you show me God?" But the answer is "Can you see God?" How you can see God? You have no eyes to see God. Even I show you God, you cannot see. Our senses are so imperfect. Just like take for example the eyes. The eyes, it is seeing under certain condition. As soon as you put off this light, you cannot see. So what is the use of having this eyes? So therefore, we have got our imperfect senses.
Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Delhi, November 10, 1971:
Devotee means servant—not paid servant—but servant by affection. Just like, these boys, European boys, American boys, and some of the Philippines boys, they are trying to serve me, but they are not paid servant. They are servant by affection. Just like father and mother becomes the servant of the sons. The son, the small child, passing stool, and the mother cleansing. That does not mean the mother has become sweeper. The mother is mother, but out of affection she is giving service. Similarly, when we give service to the Lord in affection, in love, then God reveals, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). God's name, God's form, God's quality, God's pastimes, activities, are not understandable by our, these blunt material senses. We cannot see God with these eyes. God is present everywhere. God is present within your heart, God is present within this universe, God is present within the atom.
Lecture on BG 4.2 -- Bombay, March 22, 1974:
Just like we cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa, what is God, general people. They do not know, because they have got blunt senses, material senses. Even in material world, we are seeing the sun every day, but we do not know how big it is. Or even if we see this motorcar... A child sees: he sees that it is automatically going, without any horse. He's amazed. But one who can see, he knows that there is machine, there is brain. So this is our position. Even to understand material things we are not perfect. Our senses are not perfect. How we can understand God? That is not possible, because we have got defects. Our senses are not perfect: I cannot see perfectly. I cannot smell perfectly. I cannot touch perfectly. I cannot hear perfectly. So many defects. I commit mistake. I become illusioned. I accept something for something. In this way, our position is very imperfect.
Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Bombay, March 29, 1974:
This is very important verse. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti. Our problem is this transmigration of the soul, one body to another. This is going on. Because you do not know how to get out of it, modern education they do not know even what is soul, what is this body, how the transmigration of the soul taking place. All blunt. There is no educational institution all over the world to understand this science. Although it is the most important science for the human being. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). No more transmigration of the soul.
Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Bombay, March 29, 1974:
As you serve Kṛṣṇa, you understand Kṛṣṇa. You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa otherwise, unless you render service. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). If you simply exact your senses, your nice brain, "Kṛṣṇa is like this, Kṛṣṇa is like that," but if you are not a devotee, Kṛṣṇa will not reveal Himself. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). The rascal's mental speculation will not help him to understand Kṛṣṇa, what He is. That is not possible. His all activities are divyam, transcendental. We cannot understand with our material blunt senses. That is not possible. Therefore, the śāstra says, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. These blunt senses, you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Or Kṛṣṇa means His name, His form, His quality, His activities, His pastimes, so many things.
Lecture on BG 4.24 -- Bombay, April 13, 1974:
Therefore we have to see through the śāstra, not by our blunt eyes and senses. That is useless. Adhaksic(?) Those who are bringing spiritual matter to be subjected to the experimental knowledge, it is not possible. Experimental knowledge is defective. Therefore we have to understand spiritual subject matter: śāstra-yonitvāt. The Vedānta-sūtra says, we have to learn from the śāstra.
Lecture on BG 4.27 -- Bombay, April 16, 1974:
Now, what is śravaṇam? Chanting. If there is chanting or there is some speaking, then we can hear. That is recommended by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that simply hear. There are many places, recommended, that "Hear." So but it is said, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). These present blunt senses, material senses, cannot receive even this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. They say, "This is nuisance." Bhagavān says in the Bhagavad-gītā, catur-vidhā bhajante mām: "Four classes of men who begins bhagavad bhajana," sukṛtina, "those who are pious..." But the modern leaders, they say, "This bhajana nuisance." This is our misfortune. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). These are the explanation in the Bhagavad-gītā.
Lecture on BG 4.27 -- Bombay, April 16, 1974:
Therefore it is said, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. The blunt senses, material senses, they cannot receive. Nāmādi. Not only name, they cannot see Lord Kṛṣṇa's form. Because hearing and seeing and smelling and tasting and touching... We have got so many senses. So These senses being materially contaminated, it cannot hear what is Kṛṣṇa's holy name. Ataḥ (śrī) kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Then how to understand Kṛṣṇa? That is recommended. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. You have to engage your tongue first of all in the service of the Lord. The Kṛṣṇa realization begins from the tongue.
Lecture on BG 6.21-27 -- New York, September 9, 1966:
This requires little intelligence, that "Where is the enjoyment for the dead body?" The dead body no more can enjoy. Suppose if a man is offered a dead body of a beautiful woman, will he accept? Or a woman is offered the dead body of a beautiful man, will she accept? No. Because that enjoying spark is moved now. That requires intelligence. Who is enjoying? Who is enjoying? The enjoying, the enjoying spirit. The spirit is enjoying, not this body. That requires intelligence. Then again... Now, if that spirit is enjoying, then the spirit must have enjoying senses also. Otherwise how it can enjoy? If you have no enjoying sense organ, then how you can enjoy? A blunt cannot enjoy.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Auckland, April 15, 1972:
We, in the material world, we cannot measure the length and breadth of point. Therefore those who are mathematicians, they say, "Point has no length, no breadth." But actually that is not a fact. You have no eyes to see the length and breadth of a point. You are so blunt, your senses are so limited, imperfect, that you cannot imagine that a point can have length and breadth. But we get information from Vedic literature, not only the point, but one ten-thousandth part of the point is measured. Keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya ca, jīvo bhāgaḥ sa vijñeyaḥ (CC Madhya 19.140). Because we have no imagination, we have no instrument, neither we have sufficient knowledge what is the length and breadth of the form of the living entity, therefore Vedic literature gives you an idea that you just try to imagine one ten-thousandth part of the point, and that is the measurement. Keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya ca, jīvo bhāgaḥ sa vijñeyaḥ sa cānantyāya kalpate (CC Madhya 19.140). So living entities, spiritual spark, that measurement is given there. Whenever there is measurement, there is form.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, August 22, 1976:
Don't differentiate, that "This is a stone statue of Bhagavān." No. He is Bhagavān. He is Bhagavān, arcā-mūrti, arcā-vigraha. Because we cannot see Bhagavān with our present eyes—ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). With the present blunt senses we cannot see Bhagavān. Therefore Bhagavān, out of His causeless mercy, has appeared in a form which you can see. Not that He's different. He's not different. Because Bhagavān is everything. That will be explained. So He can appear in any form. So He has appeared in a form which you can see. That is Bhagavān's mercy. Not that He is statue. Arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara-matir vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhir nārakī-buddhiḥ. If we consider that "Here is a stone statue," arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīḥ. No śilā. No, it is not. Bhagavān is everything. By the advancement of knowledge, we'll understand Bhagavān, "Here is Bhagavān."
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, August 22, 1976:
Simply you come daily. If you can, offer patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam (BG 9.26), and offer obeisances. You'll increase your attachment. And that attachment, mayy āsakta-manāḥ—this yoga, if you practice, then what will... Asaṁśayaṁ samagram. Gradually, God, Kṛṣṇa, will reveal. You cannot understand God without revelation. So on account of your attachment He reveals Himself. So sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). If you want to see by your blunt material eyes, that is not possible. We have to purify. You'll see God with these eyes when it is purified. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). When the eyes will be nirmalam, without any designation, then you'll see Him.
Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:
In our present position, with blunt material senses, with four defects, it is not possible to understand what is God. We have got four defects in this material condition. We commit mistake, every one of us; we are illusioned; we accept something for something for something. So to commit mistake, illusioned, and our senses are imperfect. The knowledge we gather through our senses, that is imperfect because our senses are imperfect. Just like we see every day the sun with our eyes, but because our senses are imperfect, we see the sun like a disc, although it is fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than this earth. In this way, if we analyze our senses, it will be found that our senses are imperfect. By the imperfect senses speculating, that is not perfect. Therefore all the speculators, they, so-called scientists, philosophers, they put forward theories: "Perhaps," "It may be," like that. That means it is not perfect knowledge. But if we receive knowledge from the supreme perfect God, that it is actually perfect. Our process is like that.
Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Vrndavana, August 9, 1974:
In the Western world we have seen even old men, seventy-five years old, eighty years old, they are going to the naked dance club, the sex ānanda. Because in the material world there is no ānanda except this. But in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriya-grāhyam (BG 6.21). What is real ānanda, that you have to taste by your transcendental senses, not these senses, blunt senses. This is blunt senses, covered senses. There is no question of tasting ānanda with these senses. There is no possibility. Ānanda is described. Just like it is said, ramante yoginaḥ anante. (CC Madhya 9.29) Yoginaḥ, those who are transcendentalists, above this material world, they also seeking after ānanda or tasting ānanda. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa. That is satyānanda.
Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Bombay, February 19, 1974:
That jīva, ananta, unlimited. That is our magnitude. They cannot find out one ten-thousandth part of the upper portion of the hair. There is no machine, no microscope which. Therefore these foolish people, because they cannot see the dimension, length and breadth, of the soul, they say the soul is nirākāra. It is not nirākāra. It has ākāra, but you cannot see with the blunt eyes. "Then how can I understand?" Śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). You have to learn by hearing. There is no other process. The Vedas says, the śāstra says, "This is the magnitude of the soul."
Lecture on BG 7.8 -- Bombay, February 23, 1974:
If you become Kṛṣṇa conscious in this way, the profit is very, very great. Because the more you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, the more Kṛṣṇa becomes revealed to you. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Realization, revelation, that... With the blunt senses you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, you cannot realize Kṛṣṇa. But if you purify... Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Our present senses are blunt senses because it is covered by forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa, or māyā. Therefore it has to be purified. Or the nature of forgetfulness has to be removed. That's all. This is the process. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8). If you follow this process, that "Here is drinking water, the taste is Kṛṣṇa," that means some percentage of your forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa is removed.
Lecture on BG 7.28-8.6 -- New York, October 23, 1966:
Because our receptive power of knowledge is very limited... We are not perfect. Our senses are not perfect. Therefore whatever we acquire by these blunt senses, they cannot be perfect. The direction is, therefore, tarkaḥ apratiṣṭhaḥ: "If you want to reach to the ultimate conclusion simply by arguments and speculation, that is not possible." Because argumentative power is a special gift. Suppose you can argue very nicely. That's all. I cannot. But somebody may come—he's more powerful in arguments. He can defeat you. So don't depend on your speculative function or arguments. Don't depend on that. They're all imperfect. Tarkaḥ apratiṣṭhaḥ. These are the directions of higher authorities.
Lecture on BG 7.28-8.6 -- New York, October 23, 1966:
One philosopher is putting some theory, another philosophy is putting another doctrine or theory. So we are puzzled, which of them has to be accepted. Śrutayo vibhinnā nāsāv ṛṣir ya... Because in the mundane philosophers, mundane scholars, they want to give his own interpretation of everything. That is their habit. They don't accept the interpretation of the higher authority. They want..., each and every one of them want to become the higher authorities. So our this principle, this devotional principle, is not like that. We don't pose ourselves as the higher authority. We just try to follow the higher authority. We don't pose ourself. We never... We'll never say that "In my opinion, it should be like this." Oh, what opinion I have got? What value I have got of my opinion? What is my value? I am a blunt man. I cannot acquire any knowledge perfectly.
Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Calcutta, March 9, 1972:
Stone is also Kṛṣṇa, because bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4). So one who knows the art, by worshiping stone also, he can worship Kṛṣṇa. By worshiping stone also. It is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Because at the present moment, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). By your blunt senses, you can not understand what is Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa's name, what is Kṛṣṇa's form, what is Kṛṣṇa's activity. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, by His causeless mercy, has come before us in the form of stone so that we can see Him. Because we cannot see beyond stone. We cannot see beyond wood. And wood and stone is also not beyond Kṛṣṇa. That is also Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa has given us the facility to worship Him in the way as we can understand.
Lecture on BG 9.11-14 -- New York, November 27, 1966:
Simply, this bhakti-yoga is the process of purifying, purifying. As soon as you purify your power of seeing, power of hearing, power of tasting, power of touching, all these... We have got our senses to taste, to acquire knowledge. But if the senses are blunt, then we cannot understand what is God. But therefore you require regulative principles to understand what is God. That regulative principle must be undertaken. And the easiest regulative principle is this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa. If you regularly chant with devotion, without any offense, then this very simple process will help you to purify your senses and you will appreciate presence of God, and God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness will develop in you.
Lecture on BG 10.2-3 -- New York, January 1, 1967:
Let them remain in their own position but adopt this principle. What is that? The principle is that jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. Give up this nonsense speculation, volumes of books. The world is producing every year volumes of books, and they're useless. After six months that is useless, thrown. So don't take to that speculative process, this way and that way, this way and that way, because our senses are limited. How you can have the Supreme Truth known by these imperfect blunt senses?
So my senses, my speculative power may be greater than you, and another person's speculative power may be greater than me, but nobody can... Here it is clearly stated, na me sura-gaṇāḥ viduḥ. What you are? You are human being. Even the sura-gaṇāḥ and the great sages, they cannot.
Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Bombay, December 29, 1972:
Just like eating meat or drinking intoxication. This is not good, either for health or for my spiritual advancement. But because my tongue wants it, I have become my servant of my tongue. I want should be satisfied. This is the material condition. Because I, I don't want to serve Kṛṣṇa, I want to serve my tongue. Tā'ra madhye jihwā ati, lobhamoy sudurmati tā'ke jetā kaṭhina saṁsāre. We have got different senses. Out of all the senses, this tongue is very strong. Tongue is very strong. Therefore śāstra says: ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). By these blunt senses, we cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. We cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa. What is Kṛṣṇa's name, what is Kṛṣṇa's fame, what is Kṛṣṇa's form, what is Kṛṣṇa's quality... We cannot understand.
Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Bombay, December 29, 1972:
So śāstra says that it can be made easy. It can be made easy. How? Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). If you simply engage your tongue in the service of the Lord. This one method. Simply engage your tongue in the service of the Lord. God will be revealed. (aside:) Come on. God will reveal Himself. You cannot see God. You cannot see Kṛṣṇa. But when He reveals Himself... Just like at night you cannot see the sun. But when the sun reveals himself, it is not by your effort. In due course of time, sun will arise in the morning. You can see the sun, you can see yourself, you can see the whole world. So try to reveal Kṛṣṇa. Don't try to see Kṛṣṇa. Because with your eyes. with your senses, these material blunt senses we cannot see.
Lecture on BG 13.15 -- Bombay, October 9, 1973:
Therefore we have to make our eyes cleansed so that we can see. Just like sometimes we cannot see the smallest particle, but when we see with, what is called? Telescope? or Microscope. Microscope, we can see; it is magnified. So we have to make our eyes fit to see. Otherwise everything is there. Therefore the śāstra says, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). These blunt senses, those who are depending on the blunt senses, they can say nirākāra, because he cannot see. He has no eyes to see what is that ākāra, what is that form. Because he cannot see, therefore he says nirākāra. Nothing is nirākāra. Neither God is nirākāra, nor you are nirākāra. We have got ākāra. The ākāra is also mentioned in the śāstra. What is that? One ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair. You know the point of the hair. If you divide into ten-thousand parts, that one part is the magnitude of the soul.
Lecture on BG 13.15 -- Bombay, October 9, 1973:
So we do not know actually in truth what is God; therefore with our material conception we think that God is nirākāra. God is not nirākāra. He has ākāra, but we have no power to see Him. And because we have no power to see Him, therefore God takes the form like this. He's God, He's not different from God, but He's visible to our blunt eyes. Therefore we say sometimes, "It is idol." He's not idol. We are not worshiping idol, stone. Just like some rascal says that "If by worshiping stone, God is available, then I can worship the mountain." Pathar pūjā ke hari mile meita puje pahar(?). So this rascal does not know that this is not worship of pathar. It is worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead personally, but to show us mercy, because we cannot see the Supreme Personality of Godhead with these blunt eyes, He has assumed the form of a stone. This is called arcā-mūrti. It is His mercy.
Lecture on BG 16.6 -- Hawaii, February 2, 1975:
The doctors are daily operating, heart operation, and so many finer, finer surgical operation, but they cannot find out where is the soul. But soul is there. That we can perceive. When the soul goes away from the body, we can understand, "Now the soul has gone; the body is dead." So you can perceive; you cannot see. It is not understandable by speculating your gross senses. You cannot... If you want to see what is mind, what is intelligence, what is soul, what is Supersoul, that is not possible to see by your these blunt eyes, conditional eyes. Everyone is very proud of his senses. Somebody says, "Can you show me God?" But have you got the power to see God first of all? So these things are not very intelligent questions and answer. You have to practice according to the direction of the śāstras.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 17, 1971:
So this is the process. That we are serving here Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is also very kind. Because if Kṛṣṇa in His spiritual form, He is present... Of course, there is no difference. For Kṛṣṇa, there is no difference, material and spiritual, because everything is spiritual ultimately. But still, taking it accepted that we cannot see spiritual form at the present moment. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Because our senses are not blunt, we cannot see the spiritual form of Kṛṣṇa at the present moment. Therefore because we cannot see Kṛṣṇa with your present eyes, because we cannot serve Kṛṣṇa with our present hand, therefore Kṛṣṇa appears in a way so that we can see, we can touch. That is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa can appear in any way. He is all-powerful.
Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- Rome, May 26, 1974:
Kṛṣṇa says, "Anyone who comes under My shelter, never mind he is the lowest of the low, lowborn..." The striyo vaiśyāḥ... Formerly, even the woman and the mercantile community and śūdras, they were also considered as pāpa-yoni. Pāpa-yoni means whose brain is not very developed. That is pāpa-yoni. Blunt-headed.
Lecture on SB 1.2.3 -- Rome, May 27, 1974:
This is the position. These rascals, they have become godless, and suffering day and night threefold miseries-adhyātmika, adhidaivika, adhibhautika. Still, they are not coming to their senses. So blunt, so dull-headed, that "We are..." This is intelligence. When one comes to this understanding, that "I don't want all this sufferings. Why they are forced upon me?" then you can become a gentleman.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:
We cannot understand God by mental speculation, that is not possible. Realization God means when God reveals unto you. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). By our these blunt senses, speculating, we cannot understand what is God. Therefore His name is Adhokṣaja, beyond material speculation. And still you have to apply your bhakti, devotion. Just try to understand. He is beyond our sense perception, but still we have to search Him out and employ our feelings of devotion, love. Therefore, yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. One side is beyond the perception of senses and another side you have to love Him.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:
Yes, that I have already explained. That Adhokṣaja, God, cannot be seen by your these blunt senses, but when you develop pure senses sarvo... (end)
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, July 23, 1973:
You don't do anything. If you simply come here... We are holding class. If you simply come and hear, you will advance in spiritual consciousness. Simply by aural reception. Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). We cannot understand God, Kṛṣṇa, by our present senses. Therefore His name is adhokṣaja. Here this is the verse, it is said, yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. Adhokṣaja. Adhokṣaja. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Adhokṣaja. Akṣaja means direct perception. Just like somebody says, "I want to see." This is called akṣaja. Akṣa means eyes or senses. So He is not perceived by these blunt material senses. Therefore He is known as Adhokṣaja. Adhah-kṛta akṣaja-jñānaṁ yatra, where this direct experimental knowledge is defeated. You cannot understand God by your this blunt material experience. No. That is not possible. Therefore we have to submit. We have to surrender.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Hyderabad, April 18, 1974:
Therefore it is stated here, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). Adhokṣaje, the Supreme Lord, cannot be seen by these eyes. He cannot be understood by these eyes. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Indriya, our present senses, are blunt senses. By these senses, we cannot understand what is the meaning of Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. But it is so powerful, if you go on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, even without understanding, you will be purified, and one day you will understand. This is our movement. Otherwise how these Europeans and Americans... They never heard what is Kṛṣṇa, but why they have left everything? They are young boys, young girls. They could enjoy life in their county very nicely. But the name is so powerful. I started this movement simply by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:
God cannot be touched with our material hand. Therefore his name is Adhokṣaja. Adhaḥ kṛta akṣaja jñānaṁ yatra, with our material eyes, material hands, material senses, we cannot understand what is God. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). (aside:) Don't make sound. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi, God's name, God's form, God's quality, God's pastime, God's paraphernalia, and so many things, na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. Indriya means senses. Our present senses are blunt, imperfect. They are defective with so many faults.
Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:
The spark is very minute small and the big fire is very great. But this... You can study, by studying yourself that because I am spirit soul, I have entered into this lump of matter, therefore this body has developed, this body is moving, the body is working, it is so important, Mr. such-and-such professor's body or scientist's body, but as soon as that spiritual spark is over, it is nothing but a lump of matter, you can kick it out. So God is everywhere, simply we have to make our these blunt eyes... Just like education. I am seeing a motor car but a advanced motor engineer, he sees also the car, the difference of seeing. If there is some defect in the car, I cannot do it. But one engineer, one who knows, a mechanic, he knows, immediately touches and the car runs. Similarly, we should know that by education, by culture, by knowledge we can understand God. Not by fictitious, by concoction, "Oh, I accept this God. I accept that God." So that education can be very quickly done. Otherwise it is very difficult to understand God.
Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:
Try to hear about Kṛṣṇa in meek and humble attitude. Then gradually, everything will be revealed. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). By simply speculation you cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa, what is His name, what is His form, what is His quality, what is His pastimes. We cannot. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. By these blunt senses we cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. But if you engage yourself in His transcendental loving service, beginning with the tongue, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau... So hearing by the ear and chanting by the tongue is the supreme method recommended by all authorities. This is śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam.
Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Delhi, November 16, 1973:
So here also it is said, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. So if we want to know the tattva, the Absolute Truth, then we have to go through the process. That process is simply to engage oneself in the loving service of the Lord. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). By these blunt senses, materially blunt... Just like with blunt instrument you cannot take any benefit, it must be sharpened; similarly, these senses, you utilize these senses to understand the Absolute Truth, but it must be purified, sharpened. Just like a knife. When it is sharpened it cuts very nicely. If it is blunt, it does not.
Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973:
We cannot understand God with these blunt senses. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). The present senses, they are simply after material gratification. So how they can understand Kṛṣṇa? That is not possible. Therefore it is said, jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā (SB 1.2.12). You can understand after jñāna. Jñāna means brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20), one who understands ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am not this material body; I am spirit soul." So brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). Now we are designated by this bodily relationship: "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am black," "I am white," "I am strong," "I am weak," "I am fatty," "I am thin," so many. These are all designation. So one has to become free from the designation. That is jñāna. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). Upādhi. This upādhi. The bodily conception of life is called upādhi.
Lecture on SB 1.2.22 -- Los Angeles, August 25, 1972:
So for the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, we must stick to the principle. Gradually, everything will be revealed. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). In the beginning, because we have got blunt material senses, we cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa's service. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi... What is Kṛṣṇa's chanting of name. We are thinking that this is chanting, just like we chant so many vibrations, this is also like that. We cannot understand. But if we take up all this devotional service in right earnestness to serve the Lord, then everything will be gradually revealed. That is required. But if we become slack in following the rules and regulations, then we remain the third class. We cannot raise ourself to the second class, first class position. Therefore all doubts remain. This is the position.
Lecture on SB 1.3.16 and Initiation -- Los Angeles, September 21, 1972:
We cannot see perfectly, so we should not believe in our seeing power. So therefore śāstra says, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ: "You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa and God by your present imperfect senses. That is not possible." Na bhaved grāhyam, "You cannot accept or you cannot receive by your blunt senses." That is not possible. Then how it is possible? "I have... My only asset is these blunt senses. How can I understand God?" Yes. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. If you engage in devotional service, then God will reveal to you, "Here I am. Here I am. I am like this." Just like Arjuna saw Kṛṣṇa. He understood God. So if we take the position of Arjuna, submissive... Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7), surrender, then God, by kindness, because you have surrendered, He will reveal to you.
Lecture on SB 1.7.13-14 -- Vrndavana, September 12, 1976:
So we have to wait for that opportunity when Kṛṣṇa reveals. How that revelation is possible? Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). By sense perception or sense speculation you cannot. Nāmādi. Even the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra you cannot understand. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. Nāma, rūpa, līlā, parikara, vaiśiṣṭya..., everything. You cannot understand with these blunt senses. Then how? Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. When you engage your senses, purified senses. Sevonmukhe. Purified senses means when the senses are engaged in the service of the Lord—everything—then you can understand Kṛṣṇa. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Kṛṣṇa is not your servant: "Kṛṣṇa, I want to see You." No. That you cannot see. Svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. When He's pleased, when He sees that "Here is a pure devotee," then He reveals.
Lecture on SB 1.7.25 -- Vrndavana, September 22, 1976:
It is not that I am imagining. Face to face, sākṣāt. Sa-akṣa. Akṣa means eyes or senses. With senses. Kṛṣṇa cannot be seen with these material senses. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). It is not possible to experience Kṛṣṇa by our, these material blunt senses. It is not possible. We have to make purified. How it is purified? Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. When you engage yourself in the service of the Lord, sevonmukha—"Kṛṣṇa, I want to serve You"—this much wanted, qualification. No educational qualification, no Ph.D. degree, or to take birth in very high family or to become rich. Nothing. Simply a true feeling, desire: "Kṛṣṇa, so long I remained forgetting You. Now, somehow or other, I've come to the sense that You are everything. By hearing from my guru or the spiritual master or from the śāstra..." Sādhu-śāstra.
Lecture on SB 1.7.34-35 -- Vrndavana, September 28, 1976:
You cannot approach Kṛṣṇa by material sense perception. It is not possible. Therefore His name is adhokṣaja. Still you have to offer your service to the Supreme. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). Adhokṣaje. This is the idea, that unless we approach the adhokṣaja, Kṛṣṇa... And Kṛṣṇa... Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Those who are trying to study Kṛṣṇa by these blunt senses, they'll never understand Kṛṣṇa. They'll never understand.
Therefore Kṛṣṇa is regretting, that "This rascal, they consider Me as human being." Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). They have been described as rascals. One who estimates Kṛṣṇa from material point of view, material vision, he is mūḍha. Therefore he cannot surrender to Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Chicago, July 4, 1974 :
We are Kṛṣṇa's part and parcel, all living entities, but we do not see each other. You cannot see me, I do not see you. "No, I see you." What you see? You see my body. Then, when the soul is gone from the body, why you are crying "My father is gone"? Why father is gone? Father is lying here. Then what you have seen? You have seen the dead body of your father, not your father. So if you cannot see the particle of Kṛṣṇa, the soul, how you can see Kṛṣṇa? Therefore śāstra says, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). This blunt material eyes, he cannot see Kṛṣṇa, or cannot hear Kṛṣṇa's name, nāmādi. Nāma means name. Nāma means name, form, quality, pastime. These things cannot be understood by your material blunt eyes or senses. But if they are purified, sevonukhe hi jihvādau, if they are purified by the process of devotional service, you can see Kṛṣṇa at all times and everywhere. But for ordinary person, alakṣyam: not visible.
Lecture on SB 1.8.36 -- Mayapura, October 16, 1974:
We cannot understand even that why they are chan... Just like yesterday this man was asking, "Why this chanting?" Because blunt senses, they cannot understand what is the meaning of chanting and why chanting. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. It is not possible. But sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. When we take to the service spirit... Here we are training people how to render service. Then, gradually, he will be able to understand what is this name of Kṛṣṇa, what is the form of Kṛṣṇa, what is the activities of Kṛṣṇa. And that is explained here.
Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Los Angeles, May 4, 1973:
By service Kṛṣṇa is very satisfied. Kṛṣṇa does not require anyone's service; He's perfect Himself. But if you give Him service wholeheartedly, sincerely, then by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, you'll make advancement. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). God will reveal. You cannot see God by your these blunt eyes. That is not possible. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva (Bs. 5.38). You have to smear your eyes with the ointment of love. Then Kṛṣṇa will reveal. Kṛṣṇa will come in front of you. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja was undergoing tapasya and he was meditating upon Viṣṇumūrti within his heart. All of a sudden the Viṣṇumūrti disappeared. So his meditation broke, and immediately opened his eyes. He saw the Viṣṇumūrti in his front. He's there. So similarly, you think of Kṛṣṇa always, always think of, when you will be perfect, you'll see Kṛṣṇa in your front, talking with you. This is the process. You'll see one day. But you should not be very much hasty.
Lecture on SB 1.15.33 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1973:
You cannot approach the Supreme by your these blunt material senses. That is not possible. Therefore His name is Adhokṣaja. Adhah-kṛta akṣaja-jñānaṁ yatra. The adhokṣaja means... Jñāna means experimental knowledge. Just like these modern scientists, they believe in experimental knowledge. But they are so rascal, in their own case, they will say, "Yes, we are trying. In future it will be successful." Why not experimental knowledge now? If you say that life is generated from matter... You are writing so many books and getting Nobel Prize. Why not by experimental knowledge prove that "Here are some matters and chemicals and here is life"? That they say, "We are trying." This is their escape. But actually, science means two things: observation and experiment. If you do not experiment practically in the laboratory, simply observation is not sufficient. That is not science. That is theory.
Anyway, this experimental knowledge is not very helpful in the matter of understanding the Supreme. Experimental knowledge there is, but not by these blunt senses.
Lecture on SB 1.15.33 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1973:
That devotion in any circumstances. It doesn't matter whether Kṛṣṇa is personally... Kṛṣṇa is present, but because we want to see with our material eyes, therefore we claim this, that "I want to see Kṛṣṇa." He does not accept that he has no eyes to see Kṛṣṇa. But with his blunt eyes, he wants to see Kṛṣṇa. Therefore His name is Adhokṣaja. Kṛṣṇa is there. The sun is there in the sky, but the person who is in darkness at night, he wants to see sun. He is in darkness. Otherwise one who can fly from this country to other country, he can see immediately the sun is there. Sun is everywhere. But my eyes are, being covered by māyā, I cannot see. Therefore He is called Adhokṣaja, Adhokṣaja.
Lecture on SB 1.16.16 -- Los Angeles, January 11, 1974:
By our these diseased senses, blunt senses... Diseased means blunt condition. So ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. Simply I speak, "Kṛṣṇa is God," and you hear, it will not be appreciated. It will not be appreciated. "Eh, why Kṛṣṇa God?" You will make so many protests. So... But actually, Kṛṣṇa is God.
So Kṛṣṇa... Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. Not only Kṛṣṇa, to accept Kṛṣṇa as God, to hear about His name also. Just like we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's name. So this name, Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's quality, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, Kṛṣṇa's entourage, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi... Nāmādi means "beginning from name." Nāma ādi. Ādi means beginning. So we can understand Kṛṣṇa from the name. When name is perfectly chanted, then the form, the pastimes, the quality and all other things in relation to Kṛṣṇa becomes revealed. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). But these blunt senses cannot appreciate what is Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Delhi, November 6, 1973:
That's all right. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. (aside:) That's all right. Why you are bothering? Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. In these blunt material senses you cannot understand what is this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. It requires purification of the senses, when you will understand what is Kṛṣṇa's name, nāmādi, what is Kṛṣṇa's form, what is Kṛṣṇa's quality, what is Kṛṣṇa's entourage, what is Kṛṣṇa's pastime. You cannot understand. How you will be understanding? Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. When you are engaged in the loving service of the Lord, beginning with your tongue, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau, by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and taking prasādam, in this way, gradually, when you will be purified, you will understand what is Kṛṣṇa. He will reveal. Kṛṣṇa reveals. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). For others, He is covered with yogamāyā's curtain, but for the devotees, He is open.
Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 14, 1972:
And if you become blunt, and you eat meat by killing any animal, then how you will understand? The finer tissues given in the human form of life for understanding spiritual things... You cannot. Vinā paśughnāt. Therefore Parīkṣit Mahārāja says, vinā paśughnāt. Nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānād bhavauṣadhāc chrotra-mano-'bhirāmāt uttamaśloka-guṇānuvādāt (SB 10.1.4). Uttamaśloka, Kṛṣṇa, guṇānuvādāt, glorifying His activities, who can be bereft of this opportunity, vinā paśughnāt, unless he is an animal killer? Unless he is animal killer, nobody will deny to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Because the animal killers, they have lost their brain. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy is so great that even who has lost his brain, he can be revived by hearing Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Yes, in this age everyone is fallen. But he can be, I mean to say, elevated to the position of nice brain. How? By paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. Simply by chanting. So in this age everyone is blunt-headed, animal-killer.
Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 14, 1972:
Just like Atreya Ṛṣi was speaking that government is embarrassed how to solve the question of intoxication, LSD taking. They could not. Huge amount they are spending. But here is the remedy. They will not take. Why? Paśughnāt, killing, animal killers. So animal cannot take it. Vinā paśughnāt (SB 10.1.4). Vinā means without. Unless one is animal killer, he cannot give up this opportunity of hearing about Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we forbid, "No meat-eating." This is the qualification. Unless you stop meat-eating, you cannot understand. Blunt head. So the hog has been especially mentioned because he has no discrimination of food. Our Ramakrishna Mission, they say, "What is there in food? Whatever you like, you can eat . It has nothing to do with spiritual life." Nonsense. You see? Āhāra, śuddha āhāra.
Lecture on SB 2.3.20-21 -- Los Angeles, June 17, 1972:
Just like a chaste woman has got good reputation, similarly, a chaste tongue... Chaste tongue means... Chaste tongue and ear. Jihvādau. Our spiritual life begins from tongue. Jihvādau. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). These senses—these mundane, blunt senses—they cannot receive or understand what is Kṛṣṇa; what is Kṛṣṇa's name; what is Kṛṣṇa's form; what is Kṛṣṇa's pastimes; what is Kṛṣṇa's paraphernalia; so many things Kṛṣṇa's... what is Kṛṣṇa's word. Na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. These senses cannot do it. But when the one sense, the tongue, is engaged in devotional service... The tongue is engaged in devotional service means chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. This tongue is especially given to you. The dog, the cat cannot chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, but you can. Because God has given you the opportunity. So just like chaste woman means he is meant for her husband, similarly, chaste tongue means which is meant for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is chaste tongue. And tasting kṛṣṇa-prasādam.
Lecture on SB 2.9.4-8 -- Tokyo, April 23, 1972:
But we have to know actually from authentic śāstra what is the actual thing. Śāstra-cakṣusā. You don't see with your, these blunt eyes, rascal eyes We see through the śāstras. That should be. That is real knowledge. What is our capacity of these eyes, these senses? They are all imperfect. So whatever knowledge you gather, the so-called scientists, they are all imperfect. Real perfect knowledge is here, Veda. Vedaiś ca sarvaiḥ. Therefore you should see through the Vedic version what is actually the fact. So the living entities, sarva-ga. Sarva-ga means a living entity can enter anywhere, and the material function is there. Just like we say "The point has no length, no breadth." Why? But I can see point. Why length and...? "I have no instrument to measure it." That you say. You cannot say there is no length and breadth. You have no instrument to measure what is the length and breadth of the point.
Lecture on SB 3.25.14 -- Bombay, November 14, 1974:
This is the statement of śāstra, that with our these blunt material senses it is not possible to appreciate or to understand śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi, Kṛṣṇa, His name, His form, His quality, His pastimes, His paraphernalia, His abode, so many things. Kṛṣṇa is not alone, but Kṛṣṇa begins from the name. Then there is form. Generally, for the beginners, neophytes, these two things are essential: to hear the name, to hear the qualities, and see the form of the Lord, to offer worship. That is the instruction of Kṛṣṇa personally.
Lecture on SB 3.25.26 -- Bombay, November 26, 1974:
Unless one is advanced in kṛṣṇa-prema, love of Kṛṣṇa, he cannot see. He cannot understand. There is another verse in the Śrīmad... Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). So these blunt senses... By these blunt senses even we cannot understand what is the name of Kṛṣṇa, why these people are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. We cannot understand. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nām... Because Kṛṣṇa realization begins from the name. Therefore name, Kṛṣṇa's name, and Kṛṣṇa is not different, absolute, but we cannot realize. But the practice, if you practice chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, then you will realize. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. When you actually, in devotional attitude, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra... Therefore it is advised that you should avoid the offenses in chanting. Then you will... By simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, you will realize. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (CC Madhya 17.136). Jihvādau. Now, kṛṣṇa-bhakti begins from jihvā, from the tongue. People will be surprised, "How is that?" Yes. You can utilize your tongue simply by chanting and tasting kṛṣṇa-prasādam. Then you will become kṛṣṇa-bhakta.
Lecture on SB 3.25.30 -- Bombay, November 30, 1974:
We have to please the spiritual master, the teacher, by service. This whole bhakti process depends on service attitude. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. I have several times explained this verse. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Our present material senses are blunt. By these present senses it is not possible to understand the transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa, His name, His form, His quality, His pastimes. Everything of Kṛṣṇa, they are all divyam, divine. Janma karma ca me divyam (BG 4.9). So divyam, transcendental subject matter, is not possible to understand by these material blunt senses. Therefore one has to purify it. That is bhakti-mārga. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). One has to purify the senses, and when the senses are purified, then, with that purified senses, hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate. When our senses are purified, then we can serve Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanam. Bhakti means to serve Kṛṣṇa, the master of the senses, by our senses. But these present senses, they cannot be fit for serving Kṛṣṇa. It has to be purified.
Lecture on SB 3.25.33-34 -- Bombay, December 3, 1974:
So we have no eyes to see. So we cannot see even the soul, minute soul, and how we can see God in these blunt eyes? And still we want to see God. We cannot see even you; you cannot see me. We are part and parcel of God. And how you can see God? Therefore it is said, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ: (CC Madhya 17.136) "The present senses is incapable of seeing God." Or seeing you and me. There is no spiritual vision. But we can perceive. Just like after death we can understand there was something which has gone away: "Now, the body which I was seeing is neither my father nor my friend. It is a lump of matter, that's all." This is knowledge.
Lecture on SB 3.26.6 -- Bombay, December 18, 1974:
There is some haunting of ghost, and when a man is ghostly haunted, he speaks so many nonsense. Māyā-grasta. Piśācī pāile yena mati-cchanna haya. Similarly, under the spell of māyā we defy everything, "Where is God? Can you show me God?" He is seeing every step God. God is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, how you can see God in every step, if you learn how to see God. That is taught in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). God is teaching that "You try to see Me in this way." What is that? "When you taste the water of, the taste of the liquid, water or anything," raso 'ham apsu kaunteya, "that taste is I am." So you want to see God, but you are tasting so many liquid thing. Why don't you think that "Here is God. The taste is God"? God is teaching. You learn how to see God. Your this blunt eyes, how you can see God now? You try to see God in this way, as God says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8).
Lecture on SB 3.26.42 -- Bombay, January 17, 1975:
Mango is sweet, tomato is sour, chili is pungent. But these things are required, varieties. Although the source is one. Source is one—the earth—but the earth contains all other five elements. Kṣitir āp tejo vāri mṛd vyoma. Everything is there in the earth. Everything is there, and by the expert handling of the prakṛti and behind the prakṛti, Kṛṣṇa, varieties of things are coming. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, how things are coming by the handling, expert handling of Kṛṣṇa. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10).
The blunt scientists, they are seeing, simply prakṛti is the cause of these varieties. But that is not the fact. The fact is it is the Kṛṣṇa's manipulation, mixture, mixing of the elements, and different varieties are coming out.
Lecture on SB 3.26.45 -- Bombay, January 20, 1975:
So this purificatory process means this devotional service. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Vāsudeva reveals. You cannot... By your force, you cannot see Him. But He is pleased, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau, when you accept to serve Him by your tongue, beginning with tongue, kīrtanam. You glorify Kṛṣṇa. You taste Kṛṣṇa's prasādam with devotion and service. Then you realize Vāsudeva very easily. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). These blunt senses, they cannot realize. But when the senses are purified, hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170).
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the process by which you can purify, sanctify your senses. And then, when your senses are engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, beginning with the tongue, then your life becomes perfect.
Lecture on SB 3.28.20 -- Nairobi, October 30, 1975:
So this arca-vigraha which you are worshiping, it is recommended by sādhu, by ācārya, by śāstra. It is not poetic imagination. Don't think that Kṛṣṇa's form has been carved by the sculptor by some poetic imagination. No. Sādhu śāstra guru vākya. It is confirmed by the sādhu, by śāstra, by ācārya. So why? To give us facility. Give us facility. We cannot see God by this blunt, materialistic eyes. Materialistic eyes means everything we think in the, with reference to our sense gratification. That is materialistic eyes. "Everything belongs to God"—that we cannot believe or neither we have got the power to understand it. Kṛṣṇa says, God says, sarva-loka-maheśvaram: (BG 5.29) "Everything belongs to Me."
Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Hyderabad, April 15, 1975:
So many things they have created. These are described here. Gṛheṣu jāyātmaja-rātimatsu. Ātmaja-rātimatsu na prīti-yuktā yāvad-arthāś ca loke. Neither neglectful as far as possible, yāvat-arthāḥ, not too much overwhelmed, because after all this is temporary. Our so-called society, friendship, love, in this material world, they are all, they are called illusory, phenomenal. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya said, jagan mithyā. He says little bluntly, but actually it has no meaning, because this social condition of life is existent so long this body is there. As soon as I change my body, even in this country... We are very much fond of our country, janani janma-bhūmiś ca svargād api gariyasi, but the country is so ungrateful. Suppose there are many vivid examples. Mahatma Gandhi, he worked so much for his country. The result was that he was killed by his countrymen.
Lecture on SB 5.5.17 -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1976:
Simply all fourth-class, fifth-class men, how the society will improve? That is not possible. And therefore, kas taṁ svayaṁ tad-abhijño vipaścid avidyāyām antare vartamānam. And one who is actually educated in the Vedic knowledge, how he can say that "You are all right"? He cannot say. He gives chance for being trained to be free from the avidyā. Avidyāyām antare. Śarīra avidyā-jāl. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, śarīra avidyā-jāl. This material body is a network of avidyā, ignorance. Śarīra avidyā-jāl, jaḍendriya tāhe kāl. On account of this body of avidyā, ignorance, the blunt senses are simply... They have been described sometimes as kāla-sarpa. Kāla-sarpa indriya-paṭalī durdānta-indriya-kāla-sarpa paṭalī. So therefore yoga system is recommended to control this kāla-sarpa, the indriyas.
Lecture on SB 5.5.30 -- Vrndavana, November 17, 1976:
They have tried to explain in so many ways how that something... But they could not practically explain. We have to understand it by the śruti process, Vedic knowledge. That is real understanding. And understanding from the right person, Kṛṣṇa or His representative. And it has to be understood simply by hearing. There is no other process. You cannot see; it is so small particle. Keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya ca (CC Madhya 19.140). So in these material eyes we cannot see even the spiritual spark within the body. How you can see the Supreme Spirit? It is not possible. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). These blunt senses cannot see. But we can perceive. This much concession is there, and one can become completely free from bodily conception of life.
Lecture on SB 5.6.7 -- Vrndavana, November 29, 1976:
Who is not a Vaiṣṇava, don't hear from him at least Gītā, Bhāgavatam. Or any śāstra, don't hear," because they do not know what is actually the position. Kṛṣṇa also says, nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samā... (BG 7.25). Here it is said, yogamāyā-vāsanayā. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). These blunt senses, they cannot appreciate what is Kṛṣṇa. Yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ. He's covered. To the nondevotees, He is covered. To the devotees—sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva—He reveals: "Yes, I am here like this." So do not think... Caitanya Mahāprabhu has warned, prakṛta kariya mane viṣṇu kalevara, aparādha nāhi āra iṅhāra upara(?). So long we are aparādhī, offender, there is no possibility of understanding Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 6.1.31 -- Honolulu, May 30, 1976:
So you have to understand from the śāstra, śāstra-cakṣuṣa. The Vedas say that you have to see through the śāstra, through the authoritative śāstra. With these blunt eyes what can you see? You're so much anxious. Everyone says, "Can you show me God?" What you can see? What is the power of your eyes? You cannot see even your eyelid. The eyelid is attached to the eye. Can you see? So how you can see God? You're so imperfect. Just like if there is some particle within the eyelid, we become embarrassed. But the eye is attached. Why not see and take it away? This is practical. So what is the power of your eyes? You cannot see the nearest and you cannot see distant place. You cannot see in darkness. So many conditions. So you're always under the conditions, and you declare "Independent." How foolishness it is. Your senses are all imperfect. No senses are perfect. You can use the senses under certain condition only. I'm claiming "This is my hand," and as soon as there is some nervous disability it is paralyzed, finished.
Lecture on SB 6.1.31 -- Honolulu, May 30, 1976:
So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and from this verse we can understand that the ātmā, the soul, is within the heart. Why they are searching the soul? So the... If you want to find out where is soul, and if you dissect the heart, then soul is gone. (laughter) That is another danger. (laughs) Better understand from the authority. That is knowledge. Śāstra-cakṣuṣā. Śāstra... From authoritative statement of śāstra you'll see. Don't see by your blunt eyes, rascal, this consciousness. Then you'll never find the actual fact. Śāstra-cakṣuṣā, authority. Just like here. Śāstra says, "Here is the soul." The Yamarāja is snatching, dragging the soul, not his leg or hand. There's no business. As soon as the soul is gone, the leg and hand and everything becomes a lump of matter. That's all.
Lecture on SB 6.1.42 -- Los Angeles, June 8, 1976:
So how he can see the father? Through the ear, not with the eyes. That is not possible. The mother says, "My dear child, here is your father," and you see through the eyes: "Here is my father." So therefore real eyes—the ear, not these eyes. Real eyes. That is real seeing. Therefore śāstra says, Vedic knowledge, that śāstra-cakṣuṣāt, paśyati jñāna-cakṣuṣāt: "One can see by the eyes of knowledge," not by these blunt eyes. This is useless. They cannot see. And how you can see through the śabda? Śāstra means śabda. Through the ear... My Guru Mahārāja used to say, "Don't try to see a saintly person by your eyes. You see a saintly person by the ear." Because if you hear from the saintly person and if he is speaking from the experience which he has heard from the, another saintly person—this is called guru-paramparā—then the knowledge is perfect.
Lecture on SB 6.1.50 -- Detroit, June 16, 1976:
Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to understand Kṛṣṇa, His name, His form, His pastimes, His paraphernalia, so many things. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. How much we have to learn about Him, just imagine. So all these things cannot be understood by these blunt senses engaged in material sense enjoyment. That is not possible. Therefore we have to control the senses. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Our indriyas... We are now habituated to use this indriya for material sense enjoyment. Therefore these indriyas, senses, is not fit for understanding Kṛṣṇa. It has to be purified. The senses, you cannot stop the activities of the senses, but you have to purify. That is recommended. That purification of the senses begins from the tongue.
Lecture on SB 6.2.11 -- Vrndavana, September 13, 1975:
Your blunt nonsense senses, if you utilize, you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore people are not understanding Kṛṣṇa, neither they understanding the value of hari-nāma. Because their senses are blunt, contaminated with these māyic qualities, they cannot understand. But this is the only way—ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). Because you have to be purified, so this is the only method. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then you will be gradually purified. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). If you hear, if you chant about Kṛṣṇa, Uttamaśloka, as it is said, tad uttamaśloka-guṇopalambhakam, so many benefits are there. So the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is so important that everyone should take it very seriously.
Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:
The house does not come automatically, although the ingredients are there. It has to be handled by a living entity, and then the house is appearing as one of the product of this material world. Similarly, we have to consider that this big cosmic manifestation is not creation of blunt material energy. No. That is not possible. There must be. How one can deny God? There is no possibility of denying God.
So Yamarāja is explaining that "He is above me, the supreme controller, and He is the..., He is such controller that He creates, He maintains, and He annihilates also."
Lecture on SB 7.6.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:
We do not know whether I am this body or I am the proprietor of this body. That knowledge is also lacking. Big, big professors, they do not know. I was talking in Moscow, one big professor, Professor Kotofsky, he said: "Swamijī, after this body's finished, everything is finished." This is their knowledge. Blunt knowledge. No, it is not finished. We get from the Vedic literature, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Nityo śāśvato yaṁ na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit. The soul is eternal. Soul is eternal and soul does not take birth. The body, we get a new body, that is called birth. And when this body is annihilated, that is called death. So birth and death is in reference with the body, not with the soul.
Lecture on SB 7.6.5 -- Toronto, June 21, 1976:
Our spiritual identity is that we are ten-thousandth part of the top of the hair. It is like a very small, we divide it into ten thousand part, and one, that is our identity. And that small identity is within this body. So where you'll find it? You have no such machine. Therefore we say nirākāra. No, there is ākāra, but it is so minute and small, tlat it is not possible to see with this material eyes. So we have to see through the version of Vedas. Śāstra cakṣuṣa. That is the Vedānta version. We have to see through the śāstra. Not by these blunt eyes. That is not possible.
Lecture on SB Lecture -- Melbourne, May 19, 1975:
Kṛṣṇa, His name, His form, His activities, His qualities, we cannot understand with these blunt material senses. It is not possible. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. "Then? We have got this only possession, indriyas. How we shall understand?" Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. If you engage your senses in the service of the Lord, svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ, then Kṛṣṇa will reveal to you that "Here I am." This is the process. Now this word is very significant. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. Jihvā means tongue. If you simply engage your tongue in the service of the Lord, you will gradually develop.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972:
Now our point was that how to see Kṛṣṇa in everything? Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). By these blunt, material senses, we cannot appreciate, or we can see, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It has to be purified. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). One must be relieved from all designations. So long one thinks that "I am Hindu. I am Christian. I am Muhammadan. I am this. I am brāhmaṇa. I am śūdra. I am kṣatriya. I am man. I am woman. I am black. I am white." These are all designations. One has to become free from all these designations. That is called sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972:
Kṛṣṇa is covered by yogamāyā. He's not revealed to any, anyone, except to the devotees. There are many other instructions in the śāstras. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). That I explained. Kṛṣṇa is not approachable by our these blunt senses, material senses, with designation. Unless one is freed from all designations. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu instructs, "I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not a śūdra, I'm not a kṣatriya, I'm not a brahmacārī, I'm not a gṛhastha, but I am the servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa, who is the maintainer of the gopīs." Gopī-bhartur pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsa (CC Madhya 13.80). So Kṛṣṇa is not visible to the atheist class of men.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972:
Unless one becomes very, very much eager to follow the path of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, he cannot understand what is the love affairs of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Without following the principles of Rūpa Gosvāmī, if we wants to understand what is Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, then we shall understand a boy, ordinary boys' and girls' affairs. That is not Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Therefore in the śāstra it is said, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Do not try to understand Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa with these blunt eyes and senses; try to understand through the instructions of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:
So as Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, he first of all engaged his mind in Kṛṣṇa. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18). By fixing up his mind in Kṛṣṇa, then he could use all other senses, namely the tongue... Actually bhakti begins with the tongue. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. Beginning from tongue, Kṛṣṇa-bhakti begins. It may be very awkward to hear, that "By tongue, how bhakti begins?" But that is the statement in the śāstras. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Our present senses, blunt, materially covered, it cannot taste what is Kṛṣṇa's name, what is Kṛṣṇa's form, what is Kṛṣṇa's quality, what is Kṛṣṇa's pastime, what is Kṛṣṇa's paraphernalia. Senses, they taste. But... Just like in, when one is suffering from liver disease, or jaundice, he cannot taste the sugar candy. The sugar candy is sweet, but a jaundiced patient, if he's given sugar candy, he'll taste it is bitter. Similarly, our senses being covered with material consciousness, we cannot at the present moment taste what is Kṛṣṇa's form, what is Kṛṣṇa's name, what is Kṛṣṇa's quality, what is Kṛṣṇa's pastime, what is Kṛṣṇa's paraphernalia, so many things. It is not possible.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:
You cannot see God, you cannot see Kṛṣṇa by your, these blunt senses, but if you purify your senses, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. That purification begins from tongue. That purification, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. So by the tongue we can do two things. We can taste foodstuff and we can vibrate sound. So if you engage your tongue for vibrating this transcendental sound, Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare/Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare, and do not take anything except prasādam of Kṛṣṇa, then your spiritual life immediately begins. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau, svayam eva... Then gradually, as you advance in spiritual life, Kṛṣṇa reveals Himself to you, "Here I am." You cannot see Kṛṣṇa, but by being satisfied with your service, Kṛṣṇa sees you. Just like you cannot see sun at night. But when the sun sees you, you can see the sun and yourself, both. Similarly, when Kṛṣṇa sees you, being satisfied with your service, then you can see Kṛṣṇa, you can see yourself and you can see the whole world.
Now, whatever you are seeing, this is all illusion. You are not seeing, or we are not seeing. Because our senses are blunt to see things as they are.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:
One who has got the eyes to see, he does not see that "Here is a learned brāhmaṇa, and here is a dog." He sees both the learned brāhmaṇa and the dog in equal vision. Because he does not see the dress. He sees the spirit soul within the brāhmaṇa and within the dog. That is called brahma-darśana. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). When one has got that vision, transcendental vision, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhakti, then the devotional service begins. Not that with blunt eyes and senses one can serve God, devotional service.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 9, 1973:
Don't mislead others, nonsense. You go to hell. That is another thing. But why you are pushing others to the hell? That is our protest. That is our protest. You go to hell. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram eva yoniṣu (BG 16.19), Kṛṣṇa says. Because they are krūrān, they are envious of Kṛṣṇa. They know, Kṛṣṇa is describing Himself like this, still he says Kṛṣṇa is unknown. This is cruel, hiṁsā. So in this way, you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. We must understand Kṛṣṇa by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). The, Kṛṣṇa cannot be understood by these blunt senses. It is not possible. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). When one becomes purified after being freed from all kinds of designations, that is the beginning.
Sri Isopanisad Lectures
Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, April 29, 1970:
When you are purified, you'll see God. Not that immediately, in your present position. But God is so kind, Kṛṣṇa is so kind, even in your present position He is present, arcā-vigraha. He's open to be seen by everyone, whether he knows and whether he does not know what is God. This arcā-vigraha is not idol; it is not imagination. They are... The knowledge is received from the superior ācāryas. Brahma-saṁhitā: veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣam (Bs. 5.30). The description is there. So God realization, if you follow that... Immediately, by your blunt senses, either God, His form, His name, His quality, His paraphernalia cannot be perceived. The present senses are blunt. Therefore in the present situation or the civilization they have become godless, because naturally they have no power to understand God, neither they are guided by some persons who can make them understand what is God.
Sri Isopanisad Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, July 8, 1971:
You know Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya's name. So because he said that "He is Supreme Personality..." He did not ask any storekeeper, but he asked a learned brāhmaṇa who knows things. So similarly, we have to accept in that way. In each and every case, if we want to research, it is not possible, because our senses are blunt senses. What you can do? Acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā na tāṁs tarkeṇa yojayet. The śāstra says that "Things which are beyond your conception, beyond your mental speculation"—avāṅ-manasā gocaraḥ—"neither you can express by words, neither you can think of."
Festival Lectures
Nrsimha-caturdasi Lord Nrsimhadeva's Appearance Day -- Boston, May 1, 1969:
So in the material condition of our life, our eyes are blunt. Not only eyes, every sense. Especially eyes. Because we are very proud of our eyes, and we say, "Can you show me God?" You see. But he does not think that whether his eyes are competent to see God. That is atheism. He does not consider his position, "In what position I am." Even one cannot see a big man like President Nixon, and he wants to see God without qualification. That is not possible. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "I am not exposed to everyone. There is a curtain of yogamāyā." The yogamāyā will not allow to see God. Just like we have our condition that if anyone wants to see here in the temple, we ask him that "First of all take your shoes." Just like a little condition. Similarly, to see God, there must be some condition.
General Lectures
Lecture -- Montreal, October 26, 1968:
When you are advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you'll be able. Because everything will be revealed. Spiritual knowledge cannot be acquired by these blunt senses. It is not possible. Just like people do not take much interest in our movement because they cannot understand. The senses are so blunt that they are not receptive. Just like a child. A child, it is not receptive; therefore it is in its own business, crying or something want, talking. Similarly, our senses, our present senses, they are incapable of understanding what is God or what is God's kingdom. They cannot understand. It is not possible. The senses are blunt, ignorant. Ignorance and passion, the covering. But if you come out of this ignorance and passion, you come to the platform of goodness, then you can understand a little. Not fully. Then again you have to surpass, transcend the platform of goodness, which is called śuddha-sattva, without any tinge of material qualities. That position.
Engagement Lecture -- Buffalo, April 23, 1969:
The Vedic process is different. Vedic process is that our research work is not complete because the instruments and the means by which we make progress in research work are blunt and imperfect. We are conditioned. At this stage of our material existence, we are conditioned by so many laws of nature. Under the circumstances, every conditioned soul has four defects. Just like to commit mistake. There is no man, even great man, who does not commit mistake. More or less, he commits mistake. Just like in our country there was Mahatma Gandhi. He was supposed to be a very great personality, mahātmā, but he also committed mistake because when he was killed, five minutes before his coming to the meeting, he was warned by his confidential associates not to go to that meeting, but he persisted, and as soon as he entered the meeting hall he was killed.
Lecture -- Gorakhpur, February 17, 1971:
The whole thing, the basic principle of understanding Kṛṣṇa consciousness is surrender. Nobody can understand except one who has fully surrendered him... Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. Sevonmukhe. One whose attitude is to serve, not to challenge, to him only, Kṛṣṇa is revealed, not to others. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). These blunt senses, material senses, they cannot understand śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi, beginning from Kṛṣṇa's name. Because devotional service begins from this chanting of Kṛṣṇa's name. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). Not of others, only of Viṣṇu.
Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 6, 1971:
These, our present senses, are very blunt, imperfect. It is to be purified by sevonmukha, being eager to serve Lord Kṛṣṇa. Then our senses will be purified. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Nirmalam means without any contamination. At the present moment our senses are contaminated. I am thinking in so many different consciousness. I am thinking in consciousness of nationality, community, society, friendship—so many ways—but without Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore our consciousness is impure. We have to be freed from all the designated consciousness. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, "I am not a brāhmaṇa. I am not a kṣatriya. I am not a sannyāsī. I am not a brahmacārī. I am not a gṛhastha." In this way He denied His identity to all these eight kinds of forms and stages, varṇāśrama. Then He said that gopī-bhartur pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ: "I am the servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa, who is maintainer of the gopīs."
Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 5, 1972:
There are many other symptoms of the living entity. They are described in the Bhagavad-gītā very nicely, positively and negatively. In some of the verses, the definition is being given in negation: "It is not this." Because with our blunt material eyes, we cannot find out where is the soul in this body; therefore Kṛṣṇa is describing the characteristic of the soul in a negative way in several verses. And you know that sometimes it is required, according to logic, that definition by negation: "It is not this." I cannot express for the time being a thing, what it is, but I can distinguish what it is not. So similarly, at the present moment, everyone is under ignorance.
Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 5, 1972:
Similarly, because the soul is there, therefore the body has developed, according to the desire of the soul. But it is very, very minute. With our, these blunt eyes and blunt senses, we cannot capture. But there is. We have to conceive it from the authoritative statement of higher knowledge, knowledgeable person. Just like we are trying to learn from the Bhagavad-gītā as it is. It is being taught by Kṛṣṇa. So things which are beyond your perception, you have to know it from authority. Just like the example: Who is my father? We cannot make any experiment. We cannot apply experimental knowledge to find out who is my father. That is not possible. But how we can know? The know it, I can know from the authority of the mother. The mother says, "This gentleman is your father," we have to accept.
Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:
So Vedic knowledge means ultimately to become a brāhmaṇa. That means to know God. That is Vedic knowledge. And the summary of Vedic knowledge is here in the Bhagavad-gītā, because here God directly is instructing about Himself. Therefore it is the essence of all Vedic knowledge. The ultimate goal of Vedic knowledge is to know God. But we cannot know God. We have blunt senses. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). With these material senses, blunt senses, imperfect senses, we cannot understand God. That is not possible. But if we can please God by your service, by our love, He reveals Himself, revelation. That is the process.
Public Lecture -- Konigstein, Germany, June 19, 1974:
These blunt senses, you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa's name, Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's qualities, Kṛṣṇa's activities—you cannot understand. Then I have got this... This is my, in possession. How can I understand Kṛṣṇa? That is said, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. When you engage your tongue in the service of the Lord. Now, this is also another peculiar thing, that to understand by the tongue, not by the mind. Tongue. Tongue means we have got two businesses we perform with the tongue. One is tasting foodstuff and vibrating voice. So you use the tongue vibrating Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and eat Kṛṣṇa prasādam-bas. Then you understand Kṛṣṇa. You don't understand, but He reveals.
Lecture at St. Pascal's Franciscan Seminary -- Melbourne, June 28, 1974:
So ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Indriya means senses. We cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa, or God—His name, His form, His attributes, His pastimes... We cannot understand by these blunt material senses. Then how it is to be understood? After all, this human life is meant for understanding God. That is the only business of human life. The nature, material nature, gives us this opportunity to have this human form of life. The facility of this life, of this form of life, is given to us just to understand God.
Philosophy Discussions
Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:
Śyāmasundara: Just like they say that the rate of disintegration of the atomic particles of an element is constant. But it may not be constant; perhaps in earlier times it was faster or slower, there are so many possibilities.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So the so-called scientists and philosophers who do not follow the system of (sic:) ascending knowledge, knowledge received from higher authorities, they are not perfect. They cannot have any perfect knowledge, either research work with the blunt imperfect senses. They will not... So whatever they say, we take it as imperfect-dream. And when Kṛṣṇa says that "I enter into the universes," viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam ekāṁśena sthito jagat (BG 10.42). Now the weightlessness of the planets, the scientists describe in so many ways, but that is not very perfect.
Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:
Prabhupāda: God has made the law so perfect that one after—one cause affects something, and that affects another thing, another thing, one after another, so many things, ultimately. So we do not know so many things. We see the fruit, but how the fruit is growing, under which law, we simply explain nature. But it is not nature. There is a law. It is not only growing, the apples are having this nice color outside the skin, they have been painted; everything is perfectly being done by the laws, by the energy of Kṛṣṇa. Just like if you want to make a beautiful fruit, you paint it yellow or red, you take so much time. You apply your energy. The same energy is being applied there. Otherwise why, wherefrom you get the idea that a nice fruit can be painted like this? God is dictating that "You want to make a fruit, paint, you do like this, do like that." So similarly He is doing. But my doing takes so much time, because my energy is so blunt and limited. But His energy is so perfect that immediately (indistinct). The same example, just like Telex. There are so many methods, now this is latest. Immediately type here, immediately there. So before that, one could not believe that how is it I type here and five thousand miles away the type striking. So there is a law. It is not that it is magic.
Purports to Songs
Purport to Parama Koruna -- Atlanta, February 28, 1975:
So what is the value of your seeing? You cannot see what is behind the wall. Still, you are proud of seeing—"Can you show me? Can you show me God?" And what power you have got to see? That he does not consider. He thinks, "I have got seeing power." Similarly, you study every sense—they are all imperfect, blunt. So any knowledge you acquire by gymnastic of the senses-useless. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching. Not Caitanya Mahāprabhu's, it is the Bhāgavata's teaching and Caitanya Mahāprabhu's the same. So we have to give up this nonsense idea, that "I can attain to the perfect knowledge by speculation, manodharma, by speculation, manodharma, mental gymnastic." This will not help us.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- December 12, 1971, Delhi:
Prabhupāda: According to time... Deśa-kāla-pātra. That kind of forceful, does not act very nicely. One should know the science, but the class of men to whom Jesus Christ said, they are not very much advanced. Under the circumstances, the fearfulness of hell is quite appropriate for them. Actually, one who does not go back to home, back to Godhead, he is put into the hellish condition of life. That is fearfulness, but we are so blunt that we do not take care. It is fearful. Just like Prahlāda Maharaja said that "Nṛsiṁha-deva, I am not afraid of your this fierce feature of Narasiṁha, but I am very much afraid of this materialistic way of life." Saṁsāra. Saṁsāra means this material world. So, it is actually very fearful.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course -- May 13, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Anyway, they say all... Yes. The bodily functions, intelligence...,
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Blunt, intelligence becomes blunt.
Prabhupāda: Yes, blunt. When the knife is sharp, it can cut, but if it is become blunt, then you cannot cut.
Paramahaṁsa: Or worn by age.
Prabhupāda: Yes. They have all been described as māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ: (BG 7.15) "Their real knowledge is taken away by māyā." Therefore we don't give any credit to all these rascals. Although we are very small, but we don't give any credit. We frankly say, "These are rascals, fools."
Room Conversation with Sir Alistair Hardy -- July 21, 1973, London:
Prabhupāda: Simply by becoming Sanskrit scholar or Latin scholar, it is not sufficient. He must be God-realized, purified. Then it is possible. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ: (Brs. 1.2.234) "By your these blunt senses it is not possible to understand what is God, what is His form, what is His name, what is His quality, what is His kingdom, what is His paraphernalia." These things are to be understood. God means... Just like when we speak of "king." King does not mean alone. King means he has got his queen, he has got his kingdom, he has got his secretary, he has got his minister, he has got his palace, he has... so many things, king, royal. When we speak of Queen, we immediately remember the Buckingham Palace, his (her) bodyguards and so many, so many other things. Similarly, God means He has got His entourage also, everything. He's not alone. To understand God means to understand everything of God—His name, His fame, His līlā, His pastimes. So nāmādi. With all these blunt senses, how can we... We cannot understand even the Personality of Godhead, what to speak of other things? "God is a person:"—it is a very difficult subject matter for ordinary man to take it, very difficult subject. That is stated in the... Even the demigods they cannot understand. That is... Because he's thinking materially that "This cosmic manifestation, then creation, is so big, and it is created by a person. How it is possible?" But... Because they do not know what is that person. Simply by the word "person," he is afraid: "Oh, oh, oh, oh."
Morning Walk -- December 4, 1973, Los Angeles:
Hṛdayānanda: If someone is Kṛṣṇa conscious, then...
Prabhupāda: Yes, because he learned from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam, na jāyate na mriyate vā..., na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). So we are... Kṛṣṇa consciousness means you are taking what Kṛṣṇa says. Therefore... (break) And then you judge in your own way, you'll find, "Yes, it's all right." Avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. At the present moment, because your, these blunt eyes cannot see the soul, you have to learn it by appreciation. Avagama. It is called avagama.(?) Appreciation. Just like Kṛṣṇa says that tad viddhi, that, that thing which is spreading consciousness, that is soul. Now you can perceive there must be something which is now absent, otherwise why there is no consciousness? Where is the difficulty? If you do not see, you can't understand it. Just like the same example, when good aroma is carried. So somebody says, "This good aroma is coming because the air passing through a flower garden, therefore this aroma." Now this is a fact, but you cannot see the aroma or the air. But you hear from an experienced man. That is the way of understanding which is beyond your sense perception. But these rascals, simply they are depending on their blunt senses, these stupids, so-called scientists. Therefore they're stupids. They simply believe on their eyes. They do not know how much defective these eyes and senses are, incomplete. That they do not know. They believe on their defective senses. Akṣaja. Akṣaja, akṣ... Experiment. Everything experimented. Veda says don't try to explain which is beyond your sense. How you will explain? It is not possible. Acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā na tāṁs tarkeṇa yojayet. It is acintya, it is beyond your conception.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation with Robert Gouiran, Nuclear Physicist from European Center for Nuclear Research -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:
Prabhupāda: What is that instrument if this instrument is blunt or what is the use of that instrument? Simply possessing one instrument is sufficient? It must work, but if it does not work? You cannot stop death, you cannot stop birth, you cannot stop old age, you cannot stop disease.
Robert Gouiran: So you think that all healers are fool?
Prabhupāda: I don't say fool, there will be intelligent, but they cannot heal. If you see they cannot heal, still they are very nice, that is your business. We say that he cannot heal. If you say that in spite of his being unable to heal, still he's intelligent, that is your business. I say that he cannot heal. What do you think?
Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: You cannot heal, you cannot stop death.
Prabhupāda: Yes, you cannot heal. How you can say that you can stop old age, you can heal disease? How you can say? You cannot... You can't stop death, you can't stop birth. You cannot do this.
Room Conversation with devotees about Twelfth Canto Kali-yuga, and Conversation with Guest -- June 15, 1974, Paris:
Yogeśvara: He says, "But God reveals Himself to us."
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is fact. If you are actually devotee, then God will reveal. That is... That is stated in the Vedic language, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ: (Brs. 1.2.234) "You cannot understand the form, name, attributes, pastimes of God by these blunt senses." These senses, present (the ten) senses, cannot realize. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. Indriya means sense. Then how to realize? Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. When you begin service with your tongue, then gradually God reveals. So tongue means you can do two business with the tongue. One is talking, and one is eating. So if you engage your tongue in glorifying God, and if you eat God's prasādam, then you realize God. Therefore these young boys and girls from Europe and America, they have been, they are being taught, "Use the tongue for Kṛṣṇa. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and eat Kṛṣṇa prasādam." And as practical result, although they are very young, still, they have realized God, Kṛṣṇa, far advanced than anyone else. They have forgotten all material things: illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication, gambling. They are simply devoted in the service of Kṛṣṇa. So because they have engaged their tongue in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, they have forgotten all kinds of intoxication, meat-eating. The American Government spent millions of dollars to stop their LSD habit. They could not stop even one man. But as soon as they come to Kṛṣṇa conscious, immediately give up.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:
Yoga student: God is seen in the form of the saints.
Prabhupāda: That is another. That is secondary. But God has got form. That is the conclusion. But we cannot see with our present eyes. That is described, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grahyam indriyaiḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). By your these blunt senses... The same thing. Just like I see you. What I see you? Your body. You see me—my body. And when the body is there and the soul is not there, then it is lump of matter. You kick it out and nobody will protest. If a dead body you smash with your legs and boots, nobody will say that "Why you are doing this?" But so long the soul is there, if somebody is smashed like that, immediately there will be protest from all side, "Why you are doing this?" So the people have no knowledge about the real form. Therefore they say formless.
Morning Walk -- April 5, 1975, Mayapur:
Tripurāri: They say that our enjoyment is subtle sense gratification. We feel we're saving the world. Therefore we get some pleasure from that.
Prabhupāda: Yes. If you say sense gratification, senses are there, and senses want satisfaction, but you can know the proper way of satisfaction. That we are teaching. We do not say that "Make your senses blunt." But you enjoy properly. That is stated, tapo divyaṁ yena śuddhyet sattva hy asmad brahma-saukhyam anantam (SB 5.5.1). You are wanting sense gratification, but it is being checked up on account of your diseased condition of life. Therefore you purify yourself. Then you enjoy senses perpetually. This is the injunction. We are not stopping sense gratification. But you are trying to gratify senses in your diseased condition. Just like if you are feverish, you cannot enjoy to eat a rasagullā. It will be not tasteful. So cure yourself and enjoy rasagullā. That is our program.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walks -- January 22-23, 1976, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: My guru mahārāja used to say—I think I have explained many times—that "Don't try to see God. Do in such a way that God will see you." Similarly, don't try to advise God, but follow the advice of God. That is our way. Because Bhagavān... (Bengali) This is also command. (Bengali) Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. If you are fully engaged in the service, then He will come: "Please see Me." Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). And if we want to see God with our these blunt eyes, it is not possible. Na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. This said... Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). (Bengali) Or in the material world if our mind is always disturbed for sense gratification it is not possible. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. Even you cannot understand what is this chanting, śrī-kṛṣṇa... Because God worship begins from the chanting of name, therefore it is said, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. Nāma, līlā, form. Begins from nāma. So na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. If you keep your senses blunt, then it is not possible. Purify. And what is that? Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). Hṛṣīka means senses. When you engage all your senses in the service of the Lord, then you become nirmala. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate. Tat-paratvena nirmalam.
Morning Walk -- February 6, 1976, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: Why?
Jagadīśa: Because our eyes are not so..., are blunt.
Hṛdayānanda: They say because the light rays...
Prabhupāda: No, no. If the sun is fixed, so why our eyes will change? If we see in the beginning, as you see, it is red, and it is fixed, it should remain red.
Hṛdayānanda: They say the atmosphere changes.
Jagadīśa: The light of the sun filters through the...
Prabhupāda: Atmosphere changes? Where is atmosphere changes? It is the same atmosphere. We saw in red and the atmosphere same.
Room Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:
Richard: Right. That is because I am physically limited by my body.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the point. That is the point.
Richard: But I still don't see that as an affirmation nor as a denial.
Prabhupāda: Therefore this verse is explained to you, sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriyaṁ grāhyam (BG 6.21). So we have to understand through supersenses, not this blunt senses.
Room Conversation with Mother and Sons -- June 13, 1976, Detroit:
Prabhupāda: That is their.... Therefore we say these are all rascals. Therefore generally I say this very strong word, but that is the only word to be used for them. Rascals, simply rascals. We have no business with them that we have to flatter. "No, no, sir," you have to be saying "a great scientist." We say you are rascals. That's all. Straight, blunt. Four annas worth. (break)
Hari-śauri: I saw a lot of Indians walking around this morning even.
Prabhupāda: In our garden? Yes, they have found a good place, temple.
Hari-śauri: It's a fact. This is the best place in all of Detroit.
Prabhupāda: And if you purchase that land, it will be very beautiful.
Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: You have to see from the book. Seeing from the book is real seeing. What you can see with these blunt eyes? I have seen in these navigators. They see in the different plans and books, and they direct their ship or airplane accordingly. How can he see where we are going?
Hari-śauri: Just like they land an airplane.
Prabhupāda: Yes. They have got all plans and direction, and altitude, latitude, which direction is going on(?) in front of the pilot. So everything is there. In what position the plane is there, how high it is and how low it will be, where it is, everything. On that direction they can fly. Otherwise, what they can see with the eyes? At most ten miles, and it is running at six hundred miles? What ten miles will do them? So śāstra-cakṣuṣā. Authoritative literature should be the eyes, not these blunt eyes. What is the value of these eyes? Here is authority: nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ. You should go to the school, colleges, and from Bhagavad-gītā give them rascal knowledge. The whole world is in darkness, and these rascals are guiding them.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Prabhupāda: What is this scientific presentation? (laughs) It is simple thing. Kṛṣṇa is giving the example, the dehāntara. A child is changing body to boyhood, boyhood... Very simple thing. But the brain is so dull, they cannot understand.
Rāmeśvara: It is too subtle for them to see or measure with their blunt senses, so therefore they do not accept it. They think of it as just...
Prabhupāda: That is for less intelligent. We accept it, even we do not understand thoroughly. But Kṛṣṇa says, authority, śruti; we believe it.
Correspondence
1967 Correspondence
Letter to Subala -- Delhi 29 September, 1967:
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of the 13rd instant as also the press report dated 17th instant and I am so pleased to have them. You have nicely done some service to the Lord by opening this grand branch and certainly Krishna will bestow upon you His blessings. Krishna Consciousness is a transcendental science which can be revealed to a sincere devotee who is prepared to render service to the Lord. Krishna Consciousness is not achieved by dry arguments or by academic qualifications. Our senses are all blunt in the matter of receiving transcendental subject matter, but they are purified in due course of time by constant engagement in the service of the Lord. So yours and Krishna Devi's sincere effort to open a branch in Santa Fe is crowned with success by the Grace of the Lord.
1975 Correspondence
Letter to Hiranyagarbha -- Bombay 4 January, 1975:
No one can understand Krishna as He is by the blunt material senses but He reveals Himself to the devotees, being pleased with them for their transcendental loving service unto Him. So, keep everyone engaged 24 hours and everything will be all right.
Letter to Dr. Jagadisa Bhardawaj -- Vrindaban 3 September, 1975:
"No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, quality, and pastimes of Sri Krishna through his materially contaminated senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord are the transcendental name, form, quality, pastimes of the Lord revealed to him." Krishna cannot be known by the materially blunt senses. When you utilize your tongue in the service of the Lord then Krishna reveals Himself. You cannot order Krishna please come and I will see you.
1977 Correspondence
Letter to VARIOUS -- Unknown Place Unknown Date:
I do not know how these doubts have come upon you. Why bother about all these things? They are not very important. Everything is explained in Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, why you are still asking? If you believe whatever the material so-called scientists are saying, that is your business, but I do not believe any of their so-called observations in outer space by the blunt material senses can be true without any doubt. So why you doubt Vedas and not scientists. I cannot even see into the next room, how I can see anything very surely so many millions of miles distant? But if someone who has been there tells me, then I can know everything about that place.
| Page Title: | Blunt (Lec, Conv, & Letters) |
| Compiler: | SunitaS, Mayapur |
| Created: | 03 of Aug, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=108, Con=14, Let=4 |
| No. of Quotes: | 126 |