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Cannot see anything (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

You have to prepare your eyes. You'll see God, you'll see soul, everything. Everything will be visible. At the present moment it is invisible because we have got material eyes. With material eyes we cannot see anything spiritual. It is blocked.
Lecture on BG 2.20-25 -- Seattle, October 14, 1968:

Viṣṇujana: "It is said that the soul is invisible, inconceivable (BG 2.25)."

Prabhupāda: Yes, invisible. That is a fact. I am soul, you are soul, but I cannot see with these eyes. I am seeing your body. Just like I am seeing my son or husband or brother, and as soon as my son or husband or son, anyone, dies, "Oh, my son is gone." Where has your son gone? He's lying here. Why do you say gone? "No, he's gone. He's gone." Then what is that son? Have you ever seen him? That is the problem. He has never seen his son or husband. He has seen this body as husband or son or father. Therefore invisible. You cannot see even a small particle of soul which is spiritual, you want to see God immediately without preparing your eyes? Just see. They want to see God. They cannot see even the small particle of God, the soul, and they want to see immediately God. Yes, one can see God. But not immediately. You have to prepare your eyes. You'll see God, you'll see soul, everything. Everything will be visible. At the present moment it is invisible because we have got material eyes. With material eyes we cannot see anything spiritual. It is blocked. Go on.

Viṣṇujana: "Knowing this, you should not grieve for the body (BG 2.25)."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because we cannot see. Just like the same example. A man is dead, his relative is crying. He says he's gone. He's still seeing. The body is there. That means he has never studied who is his relative. Then... At least, he must know after death, that the body is not my relative. Something else beyond this body.

In the darkness, you cannot see anything. Suppose your room is closed and dark. You cannot see anything. But when you come to the light, you come to the sunlight, then you can see yourself and everything very nicely. So yoga, this word yoga, means to come in direct touch with the absolute light or Absolute Truth.
Lecture on BG 5.3-7 -- New York, August 26, 1966:

So study of, analytical study of this material world, they are not sufficient by themselves. You have to find out the spiritual power behind it. So sannyāsa means, generally, the sannyāsa, those who have taken up the renounced order of life, they search after the Supreme Truth and make an analytical study of this material world. That is called sāṅkhya-yoga. Kṛṣṇa says, sāṅkhya-yoga... Sāṅkhya and yoga. And yoga means direct connection with the Lord, direct connection with the Lord. Just like in the darkness. In dark, in the darkness, you cannot see anything. Suppose your room is closed and dark. You cannot see anything. But when you come to the light, you come to the sunlight, then you can see yourself and everything very nicely. So yoga, this word yoga, means to come in direct touch with the absolute light or Absolute Truth. That is called yoga. So by analytical, analytical study of this material world, that is not sufficient. Unless you come in direct touch with the Supreme Absolute Truth, this knowledge has no value. This knowledge has no value. If you want, you can study anything, any straw in the street. You can make a very analytical study of the straw. But that sort of knowledge has no value unless you come to the point of our spiritual existence. So sāṅkh... So Kṛṣṇa says... The idea of sāṅkhya-yoga, analytical study of this material world, means you have to find out the spiritual existence. And that spiritual existence you can have when you directly come to the spiritual life. So direct process is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa is just like the sun.

You cannot see the sun, you cannot see anything because the sun does not see you. Similarly the Upaniṣad says when Kṛṣṇa sees you or Kṛṣṇa sees, then you can see. Just like I have got these spectacles. The spectacle is not seeing, my eyes are seeing, therefore spectacle is seeing.
Lecture on BG 5.26-29 -- Los Angeles, February 12, 1969:

So you have to employ your senses in the service of the owner of the senses. Kṛṣṇa is the owner of the..., Hṛṣīkeśa, the lord of the senses. That people they do not know. I am thinking that this is my eye, these are my eyes. But actually these are explained in the Upaniṣads. Just like the sunshine. When the sun sees you, you can see the sun. Now at night the sun does not see you so you cannot see the sun. You cannot see the sun, you cannot see anything because the sun does not see you. Similarly the Upaniṣad says when Kṛṣṇa sees you or Kṛṣṇa sees, then you can see. Just like I have got these spectacles. The spectacle is not seeing, my eyes are seeing, therefore spectacle is seeing. Similarly, actually all the senses are acting because Kṛṣṇa is acting. As soon as Kṛṣṇa desires that these senses will not work, it will not work. So in spite of your claim that this is my hand, this is my eyes, this is my mouth, it will not work.

"Whatever changes and wonderful things, happenings, you are observing in this material nature, that is under My superintendence, under My superintendence." There is brain, not without brain. As you cannot see anything in this material world within your experience.
Lecture on BG 9.7-10 -- New York, November 25, 1966:

"Whatever changes and wonderful things, happenings, you are observing in this material nature, that is under My superintendence, under My superintendence." There is brain, not without brain. As you cannot see anything in this material world within your experience, so everything has got... Behind everything there is a good brain, anything. You cannot prove anything that "This thing has automatically being done without a brain behind it." Can you give us any solitary example that any wonderful thing has happened without a brain behind it? You cannot say. You cannot give even a single example within your experience. How we can say that this material nature, such wonderful things, manifestation... Thousands and millions of planets, they are floating in weightlessness in the air. There is no brain behind it? You throw one mechanical sputnik, and there are thousands of scientists working in the laboratory, electronics. They are pushing on the button, and everything is recorded. A plaything only. That sputnik is a plaything. If for such a plaything so many scientists, so many brain, are working, do you think such wonderful things are happening without any brain? This is called foolishness. Foolish people will say that they are taking (place) automatically. No. They are not taking place automatically.

So the Paramātmā cannot be seen with your naked eye. You cannot see anything with your naked eye. You are very much proud of your eyes, but you do not see things as they are.
Lecture on BG 18.45 -- Durban, October 11, 1975:

Indian man (3): Swamiji, I would like to ask you one question, and that is in this time of Kali-yuga, is it possible that a layman could see the Paramātmā with his naked eye? And if he can, what he has to do or what?

Prabhupāda: So the Paramātmā cannot be seen with your naked eye. You cannot see anything with your naked eye. You are very much proud of your eyes, but you do not see things as they are. Just like you are seeing daily the sun. You see it is just like a disk, but it is not a disk. It is fourteen hundred times, fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than this planet. So you cannot see God, Paramātmā, by these eyes, these material eyes. You have to create your eyes. That is said,

premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena
santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti
yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpaṁ
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

:(Bs. 5.38)

You can see God, or Kṛṣṇa, when you have developed love for Him. Otherwise you cannot see. This is the formula. You have to develop your... That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. In the Seventh Chapter I was speaking yesterday.

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha
yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ
asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ
yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu
(BG 7.1)

So this is practice how to see God. But in this Kali-yuga, as you have mentioned Kali-yuga, it is very simple thing. What is that? That simple thing is kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann hy asti eko mahān guṇaḥ. In the śāstra it is said this Kali-yuga is full of faults, so many faults. It is the ocean of faults. But there is a very nice thing, asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ, a very great quality. What is that? Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). If you simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then you become perfect. Is it very difficult? Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and you become perfect. But we are so unfortunate, we are not even prepared to chant. This is our position. So you have to make little determination that "I shall chant henceforward Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra." Then everything is all right.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

We cannot see anything subtle. Gross things we can see. Therefore we can understand by our thoughts what kind of form God has got.
Lecture on SB 1.2.1 -- New Vrindaban, September 1, 1972:

So God is not within the creation. In the Vedic literature, therefore, description of God's body is given as sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. Vigraha means form. Sac-cid-ānanda vigrahaḥ. Isvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). He is not formless. He has got His form, but it is a different form. How we can understand? Because we have got experience of this material world. We cannot see anything subtle. Gross things we can see. Therefore we can understand by our thoughts what kind of form God has got. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Sat means eternal, cit means knowledge, and ānanda means blissful. So if we compare with our body, then we can understand what is sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Sat means eternal. So if we compare with our body, this body is not eternal; it is destructible. It has got a history, it is produced at a certain period, it exists for a certain period, it grows, it gives some by-product, then it becomes older and older, and then vanquished, no more. That is our practical experience, we know. But God's body is eternal.

But as soon as it is dark, you cannot see anything. The mercy of sunshine, Kṛṣṇa's mercy, is there. Therefore you can see. You can enjoy.
Lecture on SB 1.2.3 -- Rome, May 27, 1974:

The material world is darkness. The so-called scholars and teachers, they are also in the darkness, and they are leading other people in the darkness. Because it is darkness, therefore we require sunshine, moonshine and this electricity. As soon as it is covered, the sun is covered, you can experience it is darkness. At night it is darkness. Actually, it is darkness. But by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, He has arranged the light. But there is another world where there is no need of, na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ (BG 15.6). There is another world where there is no need of these things lighting agent, either sunshine or moonshine. But God is so kind that in each and every universe, it is full of darkness. Now, you see how brilliant sun is there. This is His kindness. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭiḥ (Bs. 5.40). Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇām. Therefore the sun is described as the eye of all the planets. Because you have got very nice good planet, very nice city, Rome and London and America, this and that. That's all right. But as soon as it is dark, you cannot see anything. The mercy of sunshine, Kṛṣṇa's mercy, is there. Therefore you can see. You can enjoy.

The sun is the eye for all planets. We are very much proud of our eyes. "Can you show me?" What, nonsense, what can you see? Eh? You cannot see anything without sun.
Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- Los Angeles, August 20, 1972:

The sun is the eye for all planets. We are very much proud of our eyes. "Can you show me?" What, nonsense, what can you see? Eh? You cannot see anything without sun. You are so much proud of your eyes? You cannot see. Why do you say, "Can you show me?" First of all be qualified to see. Then you can see. But the rascals say, "Can you show me God?" They cannot see even ordinary things if there is no sunshine, and they want to see God. Just see. How much lunatic, crazy. You can see God, but you have to qualify the eyes. Then you can see.

It is said when Kṛṣṇa sees, then you can see. When Kṛṣṇa sees. So Kṛṣṇa is seeing with His eyes the sun. Then you can see. This is fact. You cannot see anything if Kṛṣṇa does not see.
Lecture on SB 1.8.39 -- Los Angeles, May 1, 1973:

Now you study this Vedic literature, what is this sun. The sun is described as the eyes of all the planets. Now you think over, meditate. Yes, it is a fact. Because unless there is sunrise, then you cannot see at night. That is not possible. And what is the sun? Sun is the eyes of the Lord. This is one... Moon is one eye, and the sun is one eye. And in Veda, in the Upaniṣad, it is said when Kṛṣṇa sees, then you can see. When Kṛṣṇa sees. So Kṛṣṇa is seeing with His eyes the sun. Then you can see. This is fact. You cannot see anything if Kṛṣṇa does not see. So you think over of the sun. Then what is the sun? Now it is the king of all planets, rāja. Rāja means king.

So the Māyāvādīs, they simply see the effulgence, something impersonal, effulgence. They cannot see anything more.
Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Los Angeles, May 4, 1973:

So the Māyāvādīs, they simply see the effulgence, something impersonal, effulgence. They cannot see anything more. Just like the sunshine. In the sunshine, there are so many things. Suppose in bright sunshine, you saw one airplane is gone up, but after some time you cannot see. You cannot see. You cannot see because due to the dazzling sunshine, although the airplane is there you cannot see. Similarly, simply if we try to see the effulgence, brahmajyoti, we are unable to see inside. The Īśopaniṣad, there is this statement that a devotee is praying to the Lord that "You wind up Your, this effulgence so that I can see You properly." So the Māyāvādī philosophers, they cannot see the personal activities or the planets where Kṛṣṇa is personally active. That they cannot see. Therefore Bhāgavata says anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. Because they neglected to see the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, therefore, despite their severe penances and austerities, on account of not seeing the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, they come back again to this material world. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32).

At night, darkness, dense darkness, you cannot see anything. I am walking in the dark, but I cannot see my hands and legs, where I am going. I am afraid: "Whether I shall fall into some ditch?" This is my position. Therefore it has to be purified.
Lecture on SB 2.9.4 -- Japan, April 22, 1972:

If we can understand "myself, what I am," then I can understand God also. Or if I can understand God, then I can understand me also. Just like if you see the sun, you can see yourself also. In the darkness you cannot see yourself, neither the sun. So that is called ātma-tattva. Light. At night, darkness, dense darkness, you cannot see anything. I am walking in the dark, but I cannot see my hands and legs, where I am going. I am afraid: "Whether I shall fall into some ditch?" This is my position. Therefore it has to be purified. Ātma-tattva-viśuddhy-arthaṁ yad āha bhagavān ṛtam: "Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality, as He says..." So therefore we have to cleanse ourself, viśuddhy-artha. In order to cleanse, we have to hear from Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is coming. Out His causeless mercy He is coming to reveal Himself, Kṛṣṇa: "It is like this. I am like this. You are like this." Both things.

The Supreme Absolute Truth; Kṛṣṇa, His eyes are not like this, that beyond this wall I cannot see anything. He can see everyone, what you are doing nonsense. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. As witness, He is seeing. He is within your heart. How you will hide it? Anumantā upadraṣṭā.
Lecture on SB 2.9.14 -- Melbourne, April 13, 1972:

Because in Upaniṣad the negating, that negation, negation of the material form... Therefore it is described in an impersonal form. These nonsense are sticking to that impersonal form. Impersonal—there is no form. Really, Veda says, apāni-pāda javano grahitā: "The Supreme Absolute Truth has no legs, has no hands, but He accepts whatever you offer." Now, how He accepts? He has no hand; then how He accepts? But they have no brain. They have no brain. When it is said that "He has no hand," it is said that "He has no hand like you." When he says that "He has no leg," it means that "He has no leg like you." If he has no hand, then how Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati tad aham aśnāmi bhakty-upahṛtam: (BG 9.26) "If I accept them"? If He is far away within the Goloka Vṛndāvana, goloka eva nivasaty akhilātmā (Bs. 5.37), but He has got such a hand-although He is living in Goloka Vṛndāvana, far, far away, He will immediately Whatever you offer, He will take. That kind of hand, not your three feet hand. If somebody offers me downstairs, "Prabhupāda, take this flower," but I am here. How can I take? But He can take. He can take. That is called apāni-pāda javano grahitā paśyaty acakṣuḥ. He can see. His eyes are not like this, that beyond this wall I cannot see anything. He can see everyone, what you are doing nonsense. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. As witness, He is seeing. He is within your heart. How you will hide it? Anumantā upadraṣṭā.

So to see God you have to make your eyes cleansed. Just like with cataractic eyes you cannot see anything. Everything is dark. But if you have operation, the cataract is taken away, then you can see.
Lecture on SB 3.25.8 -- Bombay, November 8, 1974:

So to see God you have to make your eyes cleansed. Just like with cataractic eyes you cannot see anything. Everything is dark. But if you have operation, the cataract is taken away, then you can see. Similarly, with these eyes, these material eyes, you cannot see God. Not only you see God, you cannot understand Him although His name is there. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. Nāmādi. To understand God means to understand first of all His name, nāmādi. Therefore... From the beginning with nāma. Therefore Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra means the name of God. God is not different from His name, absolute. "Kṛṣṇa" and the Kṛṣṇa person is the same. I have already explained that absolute means Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's name, Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's place, Kṛṣṇa's dress, Kṛṣṇa's throne, Kṛṣṇa's prasādam, everything Kṛṣṇa, they are not different. Advaya-jñāna. So Kṛṣṇa is there in the name, in the form, but because we have no love for Him, we cannot see. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38).

Just like with cataract you cannot see anything. You have to undergo surgical operation. Then you will see. That surgical operation process is bhakti.
Lecture on SB 5.5.19 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1976:

You do not know what is the form of the Lord because your present senses are imperfect. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam idriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136)—the Lord's name, His form, His pastimes—na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ—our present senses are unable to conceive. Just like the soul is there within the body but nobody can see where is that soul, similarly, God is also within this body but nobody can see. It is specifically mentioned, īśvaraḥ sarva bhūtānām hṛd deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). The Lord is situated in everyone's heart, but find out the heart, where is God. There is, but you cannot see. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Present senses are unable to see. You have to prepare your eyes. Just like with cataract you cannot see anything. You have to undergo surgical operation. Then you will see. That surgical operation process is bhakti.

sarvopādhi vinirmuktaṁ
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hṛṣīkena hṛṣīkeśa sevanaṁ
bhaktir ucyate
(CC Madhya 19.170)

Hṛṣīkena hṛṣīkeśa sevanam. If God has no form, how He is Hṛṣīkeśa and how we can serve with our senses? Hṛṣīkena hṛṣīkeśa sevanam. That is bhakti.

So how Kṛṣṇa opens the eyes? By jñānāñjana-śalākayā. Just like in the darkness we cannot see anything. But if there is matches or candle, if the candle is ignited, then we can see. Similarly, guru's business is to open the eyes. To open the eyes means to give him knowledge that "You are not puruṣa. You are prakṛti. Change your views."
Lecture on SB 6.1.55 -- London, August 13, 1975:

That is the business of guru. The guru opens the eyes.

ajñāna-timirāndhasya
jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena
tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

So how Kṛṣṇa opens the eyes? By jñānāñjana-śalākayā. Just like in the darkness we cannot see anything. But if there is matches or candle, if the candle is ignited, then we can see. Similarly, guru's business is to open the eyes. To open the eyes means to give him knowledge that "You are not puruṣa. You are prakṛti. Change your views." That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When one is in his original position that "I am not bhoktā. Kṛṣṇa is bhoktā. We are helping-beings for enjoyment of Kṛṣṇa. This is our actual position," this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore īśa-saṅgāt, "by association with Bhagavān." So in this condition when I am so much fallen, how I can associate with Kṛṣṇa? So that is īśa-saṅgāt. Īśa is absolute. Everything has emanated from Isa, God. So in that way everything is Īśa. There is nothing but Īśa, but we haven't got the eyes to see. Antar-bahir-avasthitaḥ. Kunti said, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are situated outside and inside. Still, we are so rascal, we cannot see You." We cannot see You. How we can see? Īśa-saṅgāt, association. Saṅgāt sanjāyate kāmaḥ.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa, out of His great kindness, He has appeared before you. You are thinking it is stone. It is not stone. Kṛṣṇa. But because you cannot see except stone, He appears like stone. This is called Deity worship. Kṛṣṇa is so kind that because you cannot see anything except stone and wood or something material.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 Excerpt -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

God is everywhere. Even within the atoms. But we have no eyes. The part of God, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). The little portion of God is there in you and me. The living force. But we cannot see that. So we haven't got eyes to see God. We cannot eyes to see my father, mother. We are seeing the body. When the father dies, we cry, "My father has gone." Where your father has gone? Here he's lying. But he has not seen ever who is his father. Therefore our present eyes are not fit to see spiritual thing. We are fit to see stone, wood, like that. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, out of His great kindness, He has appeared before you. You are thinking it is stone. It is not stone. Kṛṣṇa. But because you cannot see except stone, He appears like stone. This is called Deity worship. Kṛṣṇa is so kind that because you cannot see anything except stone and wood or something material... The material is also Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is everything. God is everything.

Just like darkness at night, you cannot see anything. That is tamo-guṇa. Then in between the darkness and sunlight, there is a period early in the morning, it is not completely illuminated. That is the mode of passion. Everyone gets up early in the morning and begins his work. And in the sunshine, one can work very nicely; he can see how nature is situated.
Lecture on SB 7.9.51 -- Vrndavana, April 6, 1976:

We should understand what is the difference between material and spiritual. Here in the material world, everything is polluted. What is this material pollution? Qualities, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Out of these three guṇas, sattva-guṇa is the best. If one is situated in sattva-guṇa, then there is chance of being promoted to the stage of nirguṇa. The sattva-guṇa is the (indistinct) and ignorance (indistinct) can be found in animals. This is tamo-guṇa. Pāpa-yoni, this is tamo-guṇa. Then if one is fortunate, he can be situated in the rajo-guṇa. Rajo-guṇa, at least there is some material interest (indistinct). So... But above that, there is sattva-guṇa, to understand things as they are. In this way, when you get full scope for understanding of things as they are, not falsely studying and speculating but proper (indistinct), that is called sattva-guṇa, (Sanskrit). Just like darkness at night, you cannot see anything. That is tamo-guṇa. Then in between the darkness and sunlight, there is a period early in the morning, it is not completely illuminated, but the darkness is not (indistinct). That is the mode of passion. Everyone gets up early in the morning and begins his work. And in the sunshine, one can work very nicely; he can see how nature is situated, how (indistinct). Similarly, one who is dominated by the tamo-guṇa, he is like animal. He is like animal. Taking this body as self, this is tamo-guṇa. Sa eva go-karaḥ. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

Twenty-four hours, he can see Kṛṣṇa. He cannot see anything but Kṛṣṇa. Just like the sunrise. As, as soon as the sun rises, you start your aeroplane, and you go on, towards the eastern, western side, you'll find always day. There will be no sunset.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 4, 1973:

Prabhupāda: "Everything is vacant because I cannot see Govinda." Just like if one's beloved son dies, he sees everything vacant. He no more sees that cars are running on the street or people are running. No. He sees everything vacant. Why? Due to love. Similarly, when we'll come to that position, we shall see everything vacant without Kṛṣṇa. Then that is the proper position to see Kṛṣṇa. Śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṇa me. Lord Caitanya says that "I am not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa." "Now, Sir, You are crying always for Kṛṣṇa." "That is simply to show, make a show that I am a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa." Then? "No, how we can understand that You are not...? We know You're..." "No. Because I am still living without Kṛṣṇa, that means I have no love for Kṛṣṇa. I should have died long, long ago." Caitanya Mahāprabhu says. So this much ecstasy, this much eagerness, when we come, then can see always. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilo..., santaḥ sadaiva. Twenty-four hours, he can see Kṛṣṇa. He cannot see anything but Kṛṣṇa. Just like the sunrise. As, as soon as the sun rises, you start your aeroplane, and you go on, towards the eastern, western side, you'll find always day. A practical... There will be no sunset. We have seen it while coming from Paris to London. Was it not? There was sunshine. We started from Paris at twelve o'clock and we reached London at three o'clock.

Śyāmasundara: Los Angeles.

Prabhupāda: Los Angeles. Yes. Los Angeles at three o'clock. It actually took eleven hours, but it appeared three hours. But there was no sunset. Actually so many hours have been passed. So this is a technique. So similarly, if you keep always yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa will not go away from your sight. He'll not go away from your sight. You must know the technique.

Ācārya does not invent anything. That is not ācārya. Ācārya simply points out, "Here is the thing." Just like in the darkness of night we cannot see anything perfectly or cannot see anything, but the, when there is sunrise, the effect of sunrise is that we can see things as they are.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1972:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given us... It is in the śāstra. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has pointed out... The ācārya's business... Everything is there in the śāstra. Ācārya does not invent anything. That is not ācārya. Ācārya simply points out, "Here is the thing." Just like in the darkness of night we cannot see anything perfectly or cannot see anything, but the, when there is sunrise, the sunrise, effect of sunrise is that we can see things as they are. The things are not manufactured. There is already... The things are al... The houses, the town and the everything is there, but when there is sunrise we can see everything nicely. Similarly, ācārya, or incarnation, they do not create anything. They simply give the light to see things as they are.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Our sinful activities has covered our heart just like a fog. We cannot see anything. But by bhakti-yoga, it can be immediately dissipated.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.91-2 -- Vrndavana, March 13, 1974:

So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu presented Himself as a fool number one before His Guru Mahārāja. He advised that "It will be difficult for You to study Vedānta-sūtra or practice tapasya, brahmacarya, śama, dama, titikṣa, tyāgena, śamena, damena, niyamena, yamena... (BG 18.42)" It is possible for a human being, but in this Kali-yuga all these functions, to do is difficult. Therefore this process is recommended, vāsudeva-parāyaṇa, bhakti-yogena. Nīhāraḥ. Nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ. Just like the, there is mist, fog, and as soon as the sun rises there, all fog is immediately disseminated. Otherwise, it requires so much arrangement. Your railway train cannot move. The ships in the sea, they cannot move. It is very difficult position. Similarly, our sinful activities has covered our heart just like a fog. We cannot see anything. But by bhakti-yoga, it can be immediately dissipated. So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was thus advised by His spiritual master to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and He got perfection.

Festival Lectures

When you actually see God, you cannot see anything except God. That is God-seeing.
Six Gosvamis Lecture, Sri Sri Sad-govamy-astaka -- Los Angeles, November 18, 1968:

Viṣṇujana: Lord Jesus Christ said that if you would see God, your eye must be single. Was he referring to that same statement that love of God is that single eye?

Prabhupāda: That means your one eye will be lost? What do you mean by that?

Viṣṇujana: Just he stated it that...

Prabhupāda: No, what do you understand by that? Your eyes will be single, is that the...? Then what do you mean? What do you understand by this statement?

Viṣṇujana: I understand that your attention would be one-pointed on God.

Prabhupāda: That's it! That's it. When you actually see God, you cannot see anything except God. That is God-seeing. That is stated in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, sthavor jaṅgam dekhe na dekhe tava mūrti. A highly-elevated devotee, first-class devotee, he sees trees or the animals are moving, nonmoving, so many varieties, but he does not see their form. Everywhere he sees Kṛṣṇa. That is a fact. Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayayaḥ yaḥ (BG 14.4). There are millions of varieties of forms of life, but I am the seed-giving father. So a devotee sees, "Oh, here is a son of Kṛṣṇa. Here is a son of Kṛṣṇa. Here is a son of Kṛṣṇa. Here is a son of Kṛṣṇa." So if you love somebody, as soon as you see his son, you immediately remember who's son he is.

General Lectures

You cannot see anything. Your power of seeing is so limited that you cannot see anything. Therefore you have to see through Kṛṣṇa, through Bhagavad-gītā.
Lecture -- Delhi, December 13, 1971:

Devotee (1): If our seeing is imperfect we can see the change of body but we cannot see change, the transmigration of the soul.

Prabhupāda: You cannot see anything. Your power of seeing is so limited that you cannot see anything. Therefore you have to see through Kṛṣṇa, through Bhagavad-gītā. You are seeing the sun, it is like a disc. But when you see through astronomy, then you will understand it is fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than this earth. So what is the power of your seeing? Why you are so much proud of seeing? This is nonsense. Why do you go to school? To learn how to see. Why you can sit down, anyone who hasn't got, never has gone to school and never taken an education, his seeing and a perfect MA, Ph. D. person's seeing, is that all right, the same thing? Then why you are proud of your nonsense seeing? This will be the answer. You have to prepare your eyes to see. You have these, these eyes have no value. Your argument on the imperfect experience of the senses has no value. Yes?

Page Title:Cannot see anything (Lectures)
Compiler:Labangalatika, MadhuGopaldas
Created:11 of Aug, 2009
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=22, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:22