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Do not try to see God

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "Don't try to see God. You work in such a way that God will see you. God will take care of you. Don't try to see God." This is the process.
Lecture on BG 8.14-15 -- New York, November 16, 1966:

Just in the Bhagavad-gītā we understand that ananya-cetāḥ, ananya-cetāḥ, without any deviation from this path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, without any deviation from the devotional service in submission, if anyone thinks always of Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa says, tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ. Sulabha means "I am very easily available for him." Tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha. "Why? Why You are so...? Why You become so cheap to this person?" Because nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ. "Oh, he is constantly... Twenty-four hours, he's engaged in My service. I cannot forget him." This is... This is the process. Just become submissive and attract the attention of God. Then you'll be successful. Just try to... My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "Don't try to see God. You work in such a way that God will see you. God will take care of you. Don't try to see God." This is the process. "I want to see God. Oh, God please come and stand before me," oh, just like He's my servant. God is no one's servant. You have to oblige Him by your love, by your service. That is the process. Here it is..., tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha. Anyone who is engaged in that way, in that submissive way, always, constantly, without any deviation, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, oh, for him, God is very cheap, although He's not..., He is unconquerable.

My spiritual master used to say that, "You do not try to see God. Just act in such a way that God will see you."
Lecture on BG 10.1 -- New York, December 30, 1966:

Similarly, here it is stated by the Supreme Lord that "Because you have become My dear..." We have to cultivate such practice in Kṛṣṇa consciousness that we may become dear to God. My spiritual master used to say that, "You do not try to see God. Just act in such a way that God will see you." Just try to understand. This is very nice. If I want to see God, and I make God as my order-supplier, that "Please come and I'll see You." So God is not so small that He, at once I call Him and He'll come. No. We have to qualify ourselves. We have to qualify ourselves. Therefore by the qualification, by your qualification, God will Himself come and see you.

My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "You don't try to see God." Just try to understand. "Just work in such a way that God may see you."
Lecture on BG 12.13-14 -- Bombay, May 12, 1974:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says who is devotee, real devotee. And not only real devotee, "Who is very dear to Me." Devotion means the activities...

My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "You don't try to see God." Just try to understand. "Just work in such a way that God may see you." This is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Everyone is busy to see God. Of course, it is not so easy to see God. But a devotee is not busy to see God, but he wants God to see him. Because just like if you are working in some establishment, if you are working very nicely, faithfully, than the proprietor will automatically see you. Don't try to see the proprietor. Work in such a way that the proprietor will be inclined, "Well, this man is working very nicely. Who is this man?" So that is our business.

Don't try to see Kṛṣṇa. Because with your eyes. with your senses, these material blunt senses we cannot see.
Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Bombay, December 29, 1972:

To understand Kṛṣṇa is not so easy. 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.

You try to see Kṛṣṇa as advised by Him. Don't try to see Kṛṣṇa in your own way. Then you will never find Him.
Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Tokyo, January 28, 1975:

Prabhupāda: You try to see Kṛṣṇa as advised by Him. Don't try to see Kṛṣṇa in your own way. Then you will never find, You try to see Kṛṣṇa... Why they say that "We have not seen God"? The God is represented in so many ways. You take God's advice and try to see Him as He advises. Then you will see God. That's a fact. I do not... Why do they say that "We have not seen God"? You are seeing always God. You are seeing the sunlight. You are seeing the moonlight. You are smelling the good flavor of flower. You are reading, if you are scholar, you are reading Vedas. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ... He says, "This om," praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu, "in the Vedic mantra, the oṁkāra is I am." Then, pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu. Any wonderful work, if somebody has done, that is Kṛṣṇa. So you have to see Kṛṣṇa in this way, as Kṛṣṇa advises. Then very soon you will see Kṛṣṇa.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "Don't try to see Kṛṣṇa; do something so that Kṛṣṇa may see you." That is wanted.
Lecture on SB 1.2.11 -- Vrndavana, October 22, 1972:

Even scholars like Dr. Radhakrishnan and others, they're committing so many mistakes. Because they do not go through tattva-vit. There are so many political leaders who are commenting on Kṛṣṇa's book without knowing Kṛṣṇa, without any knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. Just see their impudency. Without knowing Kṛṣṇa, they want to make trade with Kṛṣṇa. That is not very good. You cannot make trade commodity, Kṛṣṇa as trade commodity. You cannot handle Kṛṣṇa by your whims. Let you be handled by the Kṛṣṇa's whims. Then you'll be successful. Then... My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "Don't try to see Kṛṣṇa; do something so that Kṛṣṇa may see you." That is wanted. If Kṛṣṇa, if you can draw little attention of Kṛṣṇa, yat kāruṇya-katākṣa-vaibhavavatām, katākṣa-vaibhavavatām... Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī says... If you somehow or other you can draw little attention of Kṛṣṇa, your life is successful.

In the Tenth Canto, the chapters, Twenty-nine through Thirty-five chapter, that is smiling. Don't try to see Kṛṣṇa smiling immediately. Then you will be baffled. It requires qualification, and it requires time, but if Kṛṣṇa is pleased, He can show His smiling immediately.
Lecture on SB 1.8.36 -- Mayapura, October 16, 1974:

Don't go all of a sudden to see the face of the Lord, just like the sahajiyās did. Their reading of Bhāgavata means rāsa-līlā. Rāsa-līlā is the smiling of Kṛṣṇa, where Kṛṣṇa is personally enjoying very sweet smiling. So you don't try to see the smiling of Kṛṣṇa immediately. First of all see, try to see, the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, padāmbujam. Then gradually rise. When you are accustomed to see, as soon as you close your eyes, immediately see Kṛṣṇa's..., then you go further. Go further. Go further. Go further. And that is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, First Canto, Second Canto, Third Canto, Fourth Canto. In this way, you have to go to the Tenth Canto. Then Tenth Canto means the head. And then, in the Tenth Canto, the chapters, Twenty-nine through Thirty-five chapter, that is smiling. Don't try to see Kṛṣṇa smiling immediately. Then you will be baffled. It requires qualification, and it requires time, but if Kṛṣṇa is pleased, He can show His plea..., I mean, smiling immediately. That is a special favor. But the general way is to see, first of all, the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and make your endeavor perfectly done by this śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, śṛṇvanti gāyanti (SB 7.5.23). This is the process.

Don't try to see God. That is foolishness. Let God see you. This is our philosophy. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that, that "Don't try to see God, but try to do something so that God can see you."
Lecture on SB 1.15.51 -- Los Angeles, December 28, 1973:

So how to become very dear to God? Don't try to see God. Even if you see... You can find God everywhere if you have got eyes to see. But the real business is not to see. God wants to see you, what you are working for God. That He wants to see. To see God is not very difficult business. Anyone with eyes to see, he can see God. But to be seen by God, do something by which you can draw the attention of God and He can see you, "Oh, here is My devotee," that is wanted. Let God see you! Don't try to see God. That is foolishness. Let God see you. This is our philosophy. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that, that "Don't try to see God, but try to do something so that God can see you." This is the philosophy. And whom God will see? As soon as... Just like any business firm, any man who is working very sincerely, it comes to the notice of the master, "Oh, this man is doing very nice." That is wanted. That is wanted. So a devotee is not very much anxious to see God. God is there.

My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "Don't try to see Kṛṣṇa. Try to become being seen by Kṛṣṇa." That is wanted. You cannot see Kṛṣṇa as long as you got these material eyes, material senses.
Lecture on SB 6.1.42 -- Los Angeles, July 23, 1975:

He is seeing, but there are two kinds of seeing. When you act sinfully, that is also being seen by Kṛṣṇa, and when you are serving Him, that is also being seen by Kṛṣṇa. So we have to be seen by Him that we are actually acting for Him as His servant. Then we will be recognized. You cannot conceal Him. He is seeing. He can see everything. But when you act sinfully, then the māyā's curtain prohibits you not to see Kṛṣṇa. But when you actually surrender to Him, then you can see Kṛṣṇa is present. He is seeing everything. That is wanted. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "Don't try to see Kṛṣṇa. Try to become being seen by Kṛṣṇa." That is wanted. You cannot see Kṛṣṇa so long... Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). So long we have got these material eyes, material senses, we cannot hear... Others may chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, he is enjoying, and others, they are thinking disturbing, the same chanting. So because one has got this material ear, he is thinking it is disturbing, and one who has got spiritual ear, then he is enjoying, "Oh, here is Hare Kṛṣṇa chant." This is the difference.

"Don't try to see Kṛṣṇa. Try to become seen by Kṛṣṇa." That was my Guru Mahārāja's instruction.
Lecture on SB 6.3.16-17 -- Gorakhpur, February 10, 1971:

"If I can satisfy my spiritual master, then I understand that Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. And if I cannot satisfy my spiritual master, then I have no other way to approach Kṛṣṇa." These songs we sing every day. So my Guru Mahārāja used to say that "Instead of seeing Kṛṣṇa, you serve so faithfully that Kṛṣṇa will see you." That should be the process. Kṛṣṇa is omnipresent. He can see you, He can understand you, what are doing. So we have to execute devotional service in such a faithful way that Kṛṣṇa will see us. Then you will be successful. "Don't try to see Kṛṣṇa. Try to become seen by Kṛṣṇa." That was my Guru Mahārāja's instruction.

Don't try to see God, but act in such a way that God will call you, "Please come here." That is wanted. That is bhakti, not that "O God, please come. I will see you."
Lecture on SB 7.9.16 -- Mayapur, February 23, 1976:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja expecting, "When the Lord will call me?" That is real mercy. You cannot call God, or Kṛṣṇa, "Please come to me and save me." Kṛṣṇa is not your servant; He does not agree to be your servant. But when He's pleased, He says, He calls you, "Please come and surrender unto Me." Therefore we must expect, "When the master will call me?" Don't try to see God, but act in such a way that God will call you, "Please come here." That is wanted. That is bhakti, not that "O God, please come. I will see you." Why God will come to see you? He is very busy. What you have done that you want to see God? If you say, "O Indira Gandhi, please come here. I'll see you," she will come? Be qualified, and she will see you. Similarly, don't try... This is not bhakti. Nacia nacia aire gopāla.(?) No. Gopāla is not anyone's servant that He'll come dancing and dancing. You be qualified, and He'll see you. He'll call you, "Yes, come back. Come back home, back to home, back to Godhead."

Do not try to see Kṛṣṇa in His virāṭ form. Simply try to serve Him in humble position. Then your life will be successful.
Lecture on SB 7.9.36 -- Mayapur, March 14, 1976:

A pure Vaiṣṇava, he simply always expects, "When that time will come, Kṛṣṇa will be pleased to accept me?" Otherwise he is not very hasty. But he is interested with the service. That is pure Vaiṣṇava. A pure Vaiṣṇava can go to the hell for serving Kṛṣṇa, but he is not aspirant for his personal comfort. Any condition... Mama janmani janmanīśvare. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching. Janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi. Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). Āśliṣya va pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu māṁ marma-hatāṁ karotu vā. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very great movement, more valuable than the conception of Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā, because it is given by Kṛṣṇa personally, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So do not try to see Kṛṣṇa in His virāṭ form. Simply try to serve Him in humble position. Then your life will be successful.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "Do not try to see Kṛṣṇa. Render your service in such a nice way that let Kṛṣṇa see you." When Kṛṣṇa sees you, then your mission is perfect.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1972:

The example is given: just like the original person is decorated, in the mirror the reflection of the person is also decorated. Similarly, if you decorate the Deity gorgeously, you will feel happy. Kṛṣṇa has many devotees, or many things for being decorated. But if you, in the temple, if you offer Kṛṣṇa all nice things, all nice flowers, all nice dress, all nice food, everything, everything, all nice, then you will feel happy. That is your interest. Therefore pure devotional service is the only means to attract Kṛṣṇa. Attract Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa will be happy in this way, that you are doing so much for Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has everything, but your devotional service, that sincerity of purpose, will attract. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "Do not try to see Kṛṣṇa. Render your service in such a nice way that let Kṛṣṇa see you." When Kṛṣṇa sees you, then your mission is perfect.

Festival Lectures

The more you feel separation from Kṛṣṇa, you should understand that you are advancing. Don't try to see Kṛṣṇa artificially. Be advanced in separation feeling, and then it will be perfect. That is the teachings of Lord Caitanya.
Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- London, August 29, 1971:

Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, feeling the separation of Kṛṣṇa, He was falling down on the sea. He was coming out of His rest room or His bedroom and going out at dead of night. Nobody knew where He has gone. So that was His searching. This process of devotional service is taught by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Not that very easily, "We have seen Kṛṣṇa or seen Rādhārāṇī in rāsa-līlā." No, not like that. Feel the separation. The more you feel separation from Kṛṣṇa, you should understand that you are advancing. Don't try to see Kṛṣṇa artificially. Be advanced in separation feeling, and then it will be perfect. That is the teachings of Lord Caitanya. Because with our material eyes we cannot see Kṛṣṇa.

Don't try to see Kṛṣṇa. You cannot see Kṛṣṇa with your material eyes. Neither you can hear about Him with your material ears. But if you engage your tongue in the service of the Lord, then He'll reveal Himself to you.
Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- London, August 29, 1971:

Prabhupāda: Don't try to see Kṛṣṇa. You cannot see Kṛṣṇa with your material eyes. Neither you can hear about Him with your material ears. Neither you can touch. But if you engage your tongue in the service of the Lord, then He'll reveal Himself to you: "Here I am." That is wanted. So feel separation of Kṛṣṇa just like Rādhārāṇī, as Lord Caitanya teaches us, and engage your tongue in the service of the Lord; then, one day, when you are mature, you'll see Kṛṣṇa eye to eye.

General Lectures

If we don't try to see God during our lifetime, then there will be an incidence which is sure—"As sure as death."
Lecture at Art Gallery -- Auckland, April 16, 1972:

Of course, we approach everyone to preach this science of God consciousness, but it is very difficult. Those who have taken to this atheistic view, āsuri-bhāvam āśritāḥ... Āsuri... Just like we have got examples in our Vedic science, Vedic knowledge. There were many atheistic persons like Kaṁsa, Rāvaṇa, Hiraṇyakaśipu, Dantavakra, they never accepted existence of God. But they had to accept the existence of God at the time of death. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham, that "Death, which takes away everything from everyone, that is... That death I am." So if we don't try to see God during our lifetime, then there will be an incidence which is sure—"As sure as death." That death is God. So to the atheistic person death is God. And to the theistic person, they can see, premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Those who have developed love of God, oh, they are enjoying the transcendental pleasure in every moment by seeing the artistic work of Kṛṣṇa. So that is the position of a devotee.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

My guru mahārāja used to say that "Don't try to see God. Do in such a way that God will see you."
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.

Page Title:Do not try to see God
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Matea
Created:09 of May, 2009
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=16, Con=1, Let=0
No. of Quotes:17