Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Purify your senses

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 3

The mind is used to purify the senses, but when the senses are purified by meditation, there is no need to sit in a particular place and try to meditate upon the form of the Lord.
SB 3.28.34, Purport:

Here it is clearly mentioned that meditation, which is an action of the mind, is not the perfect stage of samādhi, or absorption. In the beginning the mind is employed in attracting the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but in the higher stages there is no question of using the mind. A devotee becomes accustomed to serving the Supreme Lord by purification of his senses. In other words, the yoga principles of meditation are required as long as one is not situated in pure devotional service. The mind is used to purify the senses, but when the senses are purified by meditation, there is no need to sit in a particular place and try to meditate upon the form of the Lord. One becomes so habituated that he automatically engages in the personal service of the Lord. When the mind forcibly is engaged upon the form of the Lord, this is called nirbīja-yoga, or lifeless yoga, for the yogī does not automatically engage in the personal service of the Lord. But when he is constantly thinking of the Lord, that is called sa

SB Canto 4

One cannot see the Supreme Personality of Godhead or a Vaiṣṇava with these material eyes. One has to purify his senses and engage in the service of the Lord.
SB 4.22.9, Purport:

When Sanātana Gosvāmī went to see Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he could not be recognized by Candraśekhara Ācārya. The conclusion is that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is situated in everyone's heart, and His pure devotees, the Vaiṣṇavas, are also traveling all over the world, but those who are under the modes of material nature cannot understand the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the source of this cosmic manifestation, or the Vaiṣṇavas. It is said, therefore, that one cannot see the Supreme Personality of Godhead or a Vaiṣṇava with these material eyes. One has to purify his senses and engage in the service of the Lord. Then gradually one can realize who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and who is a Vaiṣṇava.

To purify the senses one must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and engage the senses in the service of the Lord.
SB 4.28.20, Purport:

A person must work very hard, and when he attains the result of his hard work, he thinks himself happy. In the material world people do not know what real happiness is. Sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad buddhi-grāhyam atīndriyam (BG 6.21). Real happiness must be appreciated by one's transcendental senses. Unless one is purified, the transcendental senses are not manifest; therefore to purify the senses one must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and engage the senses in the service of the Lord. Then there will be real happiness and liberation.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Madhya-lila

The Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa and His pastimes cannot be understood by blunt material senses. One has to purify the senses by rendering transcendental loving service unto the Lord.
CC Madhya 9.126, Purport:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa and His pastimes cannot be understood by blunt material senses. One has to purify the senses by rendering transcendental loving service unto the Lord. When the Lord is pleased and reveals Himself, one can understand the transcendental form, name, qualities and pastimes of the Lord. This is confirmed in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad (2.23) and Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (3.2.3): yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute tanūṁ svām. "Anyone who is favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead can understand His transcendental name, qualities, form and pastimes."

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Nectar of Devotion

The holy name cannot be chanted offenselessly by one who has failed to purify his senses.
Nectar of Devotion 12:

"There is no difference between the holy name of the Lord and the Lord Himself. As such, the holy name is as perfect as the Lord Himself in fullness, purity and eternity. The holy name is not a material sound vibration, nor has it any material contamination." The holy name cannot, therefore, be chanted offenselessly by one who has failed to purify his senses. In other words, materialistic senses cannot properly chant the holy names of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. But by adopting this chanting process, one is given a chance to actually purify himself, so that he may very soon chant offenselessly.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

You have to purify the senses. How? By engaging the senses in the ser... (break)... tat paratvena. (break) Then you will be able to purify the senses, and with purified senses, when you are engaged in the service of the Supreme, that is called bhakti.
Lecture on BG 1.43 -- London, July 30, 1973:

You give the senses better engagement. Then you can control. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir uttamā. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena... (CC Madhya 19.170). (break) You have to purify the senses. How? By engaging the senses in the ser... (break)... tat paratvena. (break) Then you will be able to purify the senses, and with purified senses, when you are engaged in the service of the Supreme, that is called bhakti.

When you satisfy your senses, you become imperfect, illusioned. Because you cannot satisfy your senses. Therefore one has to purify the senses.
Lecture on BG 2.9 -- London, August 15, 1973:

Prema means to love Kṛṣṇa and do everything for satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. That is prema, love. And kāma means everything done for the satisfaction of my senses. This is the difference. The sense is the medium. Either you do it, satisfy your senses, or you satisfy Kṛṣṇa's senses. But when you satisfy Kṛṣṇa's senses, you become perfect, and when you satisfy your senses, you become imperfect, illusioned. Because you cannot satisfy your senses. That is not possible without Kṛṣṇa. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). Therefore one has to purify the senses.

You have to purify your senses. Then you can see.
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.

Sense control means to engage the senses in the service of Kṛṣṇa. Simply we have to purify the senses.
Lecture on BG 2.22 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:

You are going to restaurant to enjoy your tongue, but if you take kṛṣṇa-prasādam, then you'll forget going to restaurant. This is sense control. Sense control means to engage the senses in the service of Kṛṣṇa. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). Simply we have to purify the senses. The senses must be there. Otherwise, I am not a living being. I am stone. But at the present moment, I am misguided. I am using my senses for other purposes than Kṛṣṇa's. Therefore I cannot control. And as soon as you apply your senses for satisfying Kṛṣṇa, then they are controlled, automatically.

We have to purify our senses, not to use it for my satisfaction.
Lecture on BG 2.55-58 -- New York, April 15, 1966:

Arjuna's statement that "I shall not fight," that was his sense satisfaction. Because he was thinking in bodily relation, therefore that sort of thinking, that "I shall not fight," this mental state was his sense's satisfaction. But here, when he agreed to fight, that was not his sense satisfaction. That was the satisfaction of the Lord. Therefore we have to purify our senses, not to use it for my satisfaction, but to use it for the satisfaction of the Supreme. That's all. That is. That is our perfection.

The philosophical process does not purify the senses.
Lecture on BG 3.1-5 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "The indirect process is philosophical speculation by which gradually one may come to the point of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and the other process is by directly connecting with everything in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Out of these two, the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is better because the philosophical process does not purify the senses. Kṛṣṇa consciousness..."

Prabhupāda: Philosophical process... You can show by jugglery of words your academic qualification, but it will not take you to the right... We have seen many such philosophical speculators. They are simply talking in the meeting. But that's all. And if we take, study their private character it is less than ordinary man.

We have to purify our senses. These senses will give you opportunity to hear His transcendental name, to see His transcendental form, to understand His transcendental quality, and so many things.
Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

The name and the object is different. Water and the name "water" and the substance water—different. I cannot satisfy my thirst simply by chanting "water, water." But by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, I can realize God. That is the difference. Therefore we have to purify our senses. These senses will give you opportunity to hear His transcendental name, to see His transcendental form, to understand His transcendental quality, and so many things.

You cannot become progressive in spiritual life if you indulge in unrestricted sense gratification. Simply we have to purify the senses.
Lecture on BG 4.39-5.3 -- New York, August 24, 1966:

You cannot become progressive in spiritual life if you indulge in unrestricted sense gratification because sense gratification is the cause of our bondage in this material world. And the whole treatment, progressive in spiritual life, is regulated. Of course, we have got senses, and the senses require some satisfaction. That is all right. There is no question of stopping the senses. It is not possible. If you want to stop the work of the senses, that is not possible. Simply we have to purify the senses.

One has to purify the senses in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Lecture on BG 5.17-25 -- Los Angeles, February 8, 1969:

Yes. So achieving something pleasant... Generally we accept a thing pleasant when it satisfies our senses. We accept it as pleasant. But actually, satisfaction of my sense is not real pleasure because my senses are at the present moment diseased. Therefore as it is stated in the Nārada-pañcarātra, that tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). One has to purify the senses in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not to become void of the senses. The other philosophers, they say that "You don't desire." We say that we don't desire nonsense but we desire Kṛṣṇa. Desire is there, but as soon as desire is purified, then I shall desire Kṛṣṇa. When one is desiring only Kṛṣṇa, that is his healthy state. And if somebody is desiring something else, something other than Kṛṣṇa, then he is to be understood in diseased condition.

If you purify your senses, that purified sense will help you to see God.
Lecture on BG 6.6-12 -- Los Angeles, February 15, 1969:

By your sense speculation, because your senses are imperfect, how you can speculate on the supreme perfect? That is not possible. Then how it is possible? Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. If you train your senses, if you purify your senses, that purified sense will help you to see God.

So you require to purify your senses. Then you'll be able to understand what is the form of God, what is the name of God, what is the quality of God, what is the paraphernalia.
Lecture on BG 6.6-12 -- Los Angeles, February 15, 1969:

The Brahma-saṁhitā says that devotees whose eyes are anointed with the love of God ointment, such persons, within his heart, seeing God Kṛṣṇa, always, twenty-four hours. Not that... So you require to purify your senses. Then you'll be able to understand what is the form of God, what is the name of God, what is the quality of God, what is the paraphernalia. God as everything. These things are discovered in Vedic literature.

You have to purify your senses and you have to wait for the time when God will be pleased to reveal Himself before you.
Lecture on BG 6.6-12 -- Los Angeles, February 15, 1969:

You cannot understand by your own endeavor, but God reveals to you. Just like if you want to see just now the sun, it is now darkness. If you say, "Oh I have got a very strong torchlight. Come on, I shall show you the sunlight, sun." You cannot show. But when the sun rises out of its own will in the morning, you can see. Similarly you cannot see God by your endeavor because your senses are all nonsense. You have to purify your senses and you have to wait for the time when God will be pleased to reveal Himself before you. That is the process.

We haven't got to eradicate, get out of the sensual activities. No. We have simply to purify the senses.
Lecture on BG 7.2 -- San Francisco, September 11, 1968:

So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or devotional service, means purifying the senses. That's all. We haven't got to eradicate, get out of the sensual activities. No. We have simply to purify the senses. How you can get out of the senses? Because you are living entity, the senses are there. But the thing is that at the present moment, because we are materially contaminated, our senses are not getting full enjoyment. This is most scientific. So devotional service means purifying the senses. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Nirmalam means purification. How you can purify your senses? That is defined in Nārada-bhakti-sūtra. It is said that sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam. Purification of the sense means you have to be free from all kinds of designation. Our life is full of designation.

If you regularly chant with devotion, without any offense, then this very simple process will help you to purify your senses.
Lecture on BG 9.11-14 -- New York, November 27, 1966:

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.

As soon as you purify your senses, then you become in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness and become eligible for being transferred to the spiritual world.
Lecture on BG 10.4 -- New York, January 3, 1967:

So these are all material enjoyments: eating, sleeping, defending and mating. And spiritual enjoyment is just opposite. There is no sense enjoyment. There is self-realization, or purifying the senses. Spiritual enjoyment means purifying the senses. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). It is a purificatory process. And as soon as you purify your senses, then you become in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness and become eligible for being transferred to the spiritual world.

Bhakti-mārga means to rectify the senses, to purify the senses.
Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Hyderabad, April 20, 1974:

As Kṛṣṇa is full independent, we are not full independent. Kṛṣṇa is sva-rāṭ, fully independent. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ sva-rāṭ (SB 1.1.1). Sva-rāṭ means fully independent. But we are, being part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, we are also little independent. So by misusing our independence, instead of serving Kṛṣṇa, we are serving our senses. Therefore bhakti-mārga means to rectify the senses, to purify the senses. By purifying senses, we come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the definition of bhakti.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

If you purify these eyes, if you purify the senses, you can see God, you can talk with God, you can serve God.
Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Delhi, November 16, 1973:

Ust like a knife. When it is sharpened it cuts very nicely. If it is blunt, it does not. But you can use the same very knife. So you can use these very eyes. Now you cannot see God, or Kṛṣṇa. But if you purify these eyes, if you purify the senses, you can see God, you can talk with God, you can serve God, everything. That is possible. That is bhakti.

We have to purify the senses. Now I am thinking, "This hand is my hand". But actually, this hand belongs to Kṛṣṇa, and therefore this hand should be used for Kṛṣṇa's purpose, not for anything else.
Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Delhi, November 16, 1973:

We have to purify the senses. Now I am thinking, "This hand is my hand" or "This hand is my society's hand," "my family's hand" or "my nation's hand," "my community's hand." Upādhi, designation. But actually, this hand belongs to Kṛṣṇa, and therefore this hand should be used for Kṛṣṇa's purpose, not for anything else. That is called sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Purify.

What is the bhakti, Kṛṣṇa consciousness? That one has to purify the senses.
Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 13, 1969:

What is the bhakti, Kṛṣṇa consciousness? That one has to purify the senses. Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). Now I am claiming that "This hand is my hand. This is mine. This is my. This is I. This is my. This is..." This is the disease. Ahaṁ mameti janasya moho 'yam (SB 5.5.8). What is illusion? Illu... This is illusion: "my and mine."

If we purify the senses that "I am spirit soul. The Supreme Spirit Soul is Kṛṣṇa. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa; therefore it is my duty to serve Kṛṣṇa," then you become free immediately.
Lecture on SB 1.8.23 -- Los Angeles, April 15, 1973:

When your senses will be uncontaminated with all these designations, that is the beginning of bhakti. If I think, "I am American. Why shall I take Kṛṣṇa consciousness? It is Hindu God," that is foolishness. If I think "I am Muhammadan," "I am Christian," then you are gone. But if we purify the senses that "I am spirit soul. The Supreme Spirit Soul is Kṛṣṇa. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa; therefore it is my duty to serve Kṛṣṇa," then you become free immediately.

That purification method is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You purify your senses.
Lecture on SB 1.15.37 -- Los Angeles, December 15, 1973:

Just like if your tongue is diseased, or if you are diseased, then you cannot taste what is actually rasagullā taste. Because the tongue is distasteful, you cannot enjoy it. Similarly, so long your senses are diseased in condition, you cannot enjoy senses. You shall... It has to be purified. That purification method is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You purify your senses.

But to see real Kṛṣṇa, one has to purify the eyes, purify the senses.
Lecture on SB 1.16.16 -- Los Angeles, January 11, 1974:

When we engage our tongue... Kṛṣṇa consciousness begins from the tongue, not from the eyes. Some rascals want to see Kṛṣṇa. They will see that Guru Maharaj(-ji). You see? Such rascals will see that so-called Kṛṣṇa. But to see real Kṛṣṇa, one has to purify the eyes, purify the senses. Not that anyone comes, "I am Kṛṣṇa," and I can see and become perfect. No. Sevonmukhe. And how the senses will be purified? By sevonmukha, by rendering service.

We have to learn how to purify our senses. Then we can see God everywhere.
Lecture on SB 2.9.4 -- Japan, April 22, 1972:

So we have to learn how to purify our senses. Then we can see God everywhere. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena (Bs. 5.38). Brahma-saṁhitā. Premāñjana-cchurita. When we develop love of God, prema añjana, that ointment... Just like we apply some ointment to the eyes to make it clear—our vision becomes clearer—similarly, there is ointment which is called love of Godhead. If we develop that love of Godhead, so by that ointment, when our imperfect eyes will be cleansed, then we can see God. This is the process. Ātma-tattva.

We purify our senses... Senses you cannot destroy. That is not possible.
Lecture on SB 3.25.7 -- Bombay, November 7, 1974:

Bhagavad-gītā says, sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriya-grāhyam (BG 6.21). Atīndriya-grāhyam. Beyond the senses. Therefore these senses are to be purified. That is called tapasya. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). And... Yes. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). When we purify our senses... Senses you cannot destroy. That is not possible. Just like some, somebody said that "You become desireless." Desireless... Desire is the mental activities. So we cannot be desireless. That is not possible. We have to purify the desire. That is required.

Bhakti means that you are not required to destroy your senses, but you have to purify your senses.
Lecture on SB 3.25.7 -- Bombay, November 7, 1974:

Bhakti means that you are not required to destroy your senses, but you have to purify your senses. And when you purify your senses, then you can serve Kṛṣṇa. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam...nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170), senses; hṛṣīkeṇa, by the senses; hṛṣīkeśa-sevanam, serve Hṛṣīkeśa, the master of the senses. Kṛṣṇa's senses... We are just like part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Just like this hand or this finger are part and parcel of my body, similarly we are also senses, part and parcel of the spiritual body of Kṛṣṇa. So when we purify ourself, then we act in our original, constitutional position.

If we purify our senses, come to the spiritual platform, if we become purified, then when that senses are engaged, then that is real happiness.
Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Bombay, November 13, 1974:

Just like we are trying to be happy, trying to be very rich, get some money. That is not very easily obtained. We have to undergo so much distresses. So actually, it is distress, but with the hope of getting some false happiness, we accept this distress. Actually, there is no happiness. Sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriya-grāhyam (BG 6.21). So that atīndriya means spiritual senses. If we purify our senses, come to the spiritual platform, sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170), if we become purified, then when that senses are engaged, hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate, then that is real happiness. When we are engaged in the satisfying of the senses of Kṛṣṇa, not these material senses, then that is called ādhyātmika-yoga, or bhakti-yoga.

By bhakti-mārga one has to purify the senses.
Lecture on SB 3.25.30 -- Bombay, November 30, 1974:

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.

We have to purify our senses to understand the presence of Vāsudeva.
Lecture on SB 3.26.45 -- Bombay, January 20, 1975:

So mahātmā and Vāsudeva, there are two. The mahātmā realizing Vāsudeva, and Vāsudeva is everywhere. That is perfection of life. A person who realizes Vāsudeva in that way... Vāsudeva means everything lives on somebody. Vāsudeva. So Kṛṣṇa says, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ: (BG 9.4) "Everything is resting on Me, but still, it appears that I am not there." This is illusory energy. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), that's a fact. Vāsudeva is everywhere. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. Simply we have to purify our senses to understand the presence of Vāsudeva. That is required. And that is possible if we increase our loving tendency to love Kṛṣṇa.

The first business is how to purify the senses. Bhakti means that.
Lecture on SB 5.5.27 -- Vrndavana, November 14, 1976:

This body is the entanglement, and the senses are the instruments, and we are acting with the senses and we creating another type of body. This is going on. Śarīra avidyā-jāl, joḍendriya tāhe kāl. Therefore the first business is how to purify the senses. Bhakti means that. Bhakti, devotional service, means purifying the senses.

Because one has got this material ear, he is thinking it is disturbing, and one who has got spiritual ear, then he is enjoying. So we have to purify our senses.
Lecture on SB 6.1.42 -- Los Angeles, July 23, 1975:

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. So we have to purify our senses. Then we shall see Kṛṣṇa.

You have to purify your senses and be engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

You have to purify your senses and be engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa. We have to first of all see whether I am actually in my own function. That is the sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is the function. We have to give up all other functions. Simply to be engaged in Kṛṣṇa's function. That is my duty. So everyone's function is that. Candra's function, he is giving light under the order of Kṛṣṇa. He is servant of Kṛṣṇa.

Not that stop seeing, but clear the eyesight. Purify your senses.
Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 4, 1968:

The Brahma-saṁhitā says that those who have developed love of God and smeared the eyes with the ointment of love, but by that ointment the sight of your eyes, the material eyesight, will be clear. Just like you sometimes apply medicine on your eyes to see clear, similarly, there is a process to make your eyesight clear to see God. That's all. Not that stop seeing, but clear the eyesight. Purify your senses. That is called bhakti. Bhakti means the process of purifying the senses. That's all. And as soon as your senses are purified, transcendentalized, you see God face to face.

You had to purify your senses before you can see God.
Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 4, 1968:

Guest: Could you explain further, purification of the senses? You said that you had to purify your senses before you can see God.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like in a diseased condition of your eyes you cannot see. In diseased condition of your hands you cannot touch. In diseased condition of your legs you cannot walk. All your senses, in diseased condition, cannot work. Similarly, in material diseased condition you cannot understand what is God. You have to cure yourself from this diseased condition. Then you will see, you will touch, you will perceive, you will know, you will feel—everything.

Unless we purify our senses, we'll be disturbed by the demands of the senses.
Lecture on SB 7.9.40 -- Mayapur, March 18, 1976:

"These big, big leaders are big, big animals, that's all." Saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. So there are many instructive verses in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Therefore Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam should be your life and soul to remain constantly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, yes, the unique gift of Śrī Vyāsadeva. Kalau naṣṭa-dṛśām eva purāṇārkaḥ adhunā uditaḥ.

So therefore we have to purify our senses. Unless we purify our senses, we'll be disturbed by the demands of the senses—one side, the tongue; one side, the ear; one side, the eyes; one side, the nose; one side, the hand; one side, the leg.

Kṛṣṇa consciousness means that you have to purify your senses. That is the way.
Lecture on SB Lecture -- Melbourne, May 19, 1975:

The fact is that we are all sparks, spiritual spark, part and parcel of God. Somehow or other, we have come into this material world for sense enjoyment. In the spiritual world there is no sense enjoyment. There is sense purification. In the material world the senses are impure. They simply want to enjoy material things. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness means that you have to purify your senses. That is the way.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

We can touch, we can see, we can smell. That we shall do as we increase, as we purify our senses.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

Because our only business is yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, to increase our loving propensity for Kṛṣṇa, Adhokṣaja, who is beyond the reach of our senses. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Adhokṣaja, "beyond the reaches of senses." Anubhāva. We can perceive Kṛṣṇa's there, but not that by our senses. We can touch, we can see, we can smell. That we shall do as we increase, as we purify our senses. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Brs. 1.2.234). Not immediately. Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī. He was talking with his Deity. So as we make advancement in spiritual consciousness, Kṛṣṇa will talk with us directly. The Deity will talk with you.

Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to purify our senses from the designation and engage the senses in the service of the Lord.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to purify our senses from the designation and engage the senses in the service of the Lord. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). That is described here. That is wanted. It is called bhakti. "In our conditional state our senses are engaged in serving these bodily demands. When the same senses are engaged in executing the order of Kṛṣṇa, it is called bhakti." This is bhakti. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna served Kṛṣṇa by his talent. He was a soldier; he knew how to fight. So by, for his personal consideration, he was thinking not to fight, not to kill the other side, because the other side happened to be his kinsmen, his grandfather, his brother, his nephews. So he was thinking in terms of his own sense gratification, because "The other side, if they are killed, I'll be unhappy." That was his consideration. Therefore he was not willing to fight. And to induce him to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, the whole Bhagavad-gītā was explained.

We have to purify our senses. Then we can see Kṛṣṇa always.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1972:

Everyone knows that Deity is made of stone, but do we worship the stone? Do we construct so big, big temples for worshiping a piece of stone? No. Unless one has got this connection, that "Here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sākṣād brajendra-nandana..." Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw Jagannātha Temple and immediately fainted. He saw sākṣād brajendra-nandana Hari, Kṛṣṇa, immediately. So we have to learn how to see Vaiṣṇava and Viṣṇu. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That means we have to purify our senses. Then we can see Kṛṣṇa always.

Festival Lectures

So the whole process is to rectify, to purify your senses.
Lecture-Day after Sri Gaura-Purnima -- Hawaii, March 5, 1969:

You cannot stop your thinking, feeling, willing, working, because that is your original nature. You are living entities. If you have no thinking, feeling, willing, desire or working, then what is the difference between you and the stone? You are not stone. Some philosopher are trying to make you stone, but that is not possible. You cannot become stone. So the whole process is to rectify, to purify your senses. And the purified sense means instead of using the senses for this so-called material happiness, one has to utilize the senses for happiness of Kṛṣṇa. That is purified sense.

As soon as we purify our senses, then actually we can enjoy our spiritual sense enjoyment.
Ratha-yatra -- London, July 13, 1972:

Just like a fish, if it is taken from the water and put on the land, in any condition the fish will never feel joyfulness. Similarly, we are spirit souls. Somehow or other, we have come in contact with this material world. Therefore in this material world we cannot have joyfulness. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt. This material world is not befitting our spiritual self. Spiritual self requires spiritual joy. That is beyond these material senses. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for clearing or cleansing or purifying the senses. As soon as we purify our senses, then actually we can enjoy our spiritual sense enjoyment.

Initiation Lectures

You cannot make research to understand Kṛṣṇa science with these material senses. You have to purify your senses.
Initiation of Mrga-netri Dasi -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1970:

The service begins from the tongue. You chant. Therefore we are giving you the beads to chant. That is the beginning of service, chanting. If you chant, then svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. By hearing Kṛṣṇa's name, you will understand Kṛṣṇa's form, you will understand Kṛṣṇa's quality, you will understand Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, His omnipotency. Everything will be revealed. Svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Svayam means the Kṛṣṇa science becomes revealed. You cannot make research to understand Kṛṣṇa science with these material senses. You have to purify your senses,

General Lectures

If you purify the senses, they are not only kept back from rubbish engagement but also they become positively engaged in transcendental service to the Lord.
Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

Those who have taken to the most sublime bhakti-yoga system, this practice of devotional service in transcendental love of Kṛṣṇa can testify to how they are nicely enjoying its happy and easy execution. Yoga means controlling the senses, and bhakti-yoga means purifying the senses. When the senses are purified they are also automatically controlled. You cannot stop the activities of the senses by artificial means, but if you purify the senses, they are not only kept back from rubbish engagement but also they become positively engaged in transcendental service to the Lord. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not manufactured by us through mental speculation. It is the injunction of the Bhagavad-gītā which says that when we think in Kṛṣṇa, chant in Kṛṣṇa, live in Kṛṣṇa, eat in Kṛṣṇa, talk in Kṛṣṇa, hope in Kṛṣṇa, and sustain in Kṛṣṇa, we return to Kṛṣṇa without any doubt. And this is the substance of Kṛṣṇa consciousness."

Real yoga process means to purify the senses and purify the mind.
Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969:

That means he cannot change his sitting place. The same sitting place he should continue yoga system. Nāty-ucchritaṁ nāti-nīcaṁ cailājina-kuśottaram. There are skin, deerskins, and then straw mat, and then some soft clothing. In this way there is system of making your āsana, seat.

Then,

tatraikāgraṁ manaḥ kṛtvā
yata-cittendriya-kriyaḥ
upaviśyāsane yuñjyād
yogam ātma-viśuddhaye

"In that seat you have to concentrate your mind in order to purify your senses." That is the process. Real yoga process means to purify the senses and purify the mind.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

We have to purify the senses so that the senses may be engaged in the service of the master of the senses.
Room Conversation with Irish Poet, Desmond O'Grady -- May 23, 1974, Rome:

Prabhupāda: We have to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness because such consciousness will help us to be free from the contamination of these different types of material consciousness and save us from transmigrating from one body to another. So we accept this different association on account of our strong propensity for sense gratification. Therefore we have to purify the senses so that the senses may be engaged in the service of the master of the senses.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

What would be the mechanism or process to get this perfect knowledge and to purify our senses?
Room Conversation with Professors -- February 19, 1975, Caracas:

Professor (Hṛdayānanda): What would be the mechanism or process to get this perfect knowledge and to purify our senses?

Prabhupāda: First of all we have to accept this truth, that perfect knowledge can be received from the perfect person. Just like I have given the example, who is my father. You can understand it from the perfect person, mother. If somebody speculates, "This gentleman may be your father, this gentleman may be your father," that is not perfect knowledge. The perfect knowledge is with the mother. Mother says, "Here is your father." That is perfect knowledge.

Our senses are imperfect. If we purify the senses, then it will be possible to see God twenty-four hours.
Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:

Young man: But sharpening the senses, how does one sharpen one's senses?

Prabhupāda: Senses are imperfect. Just like we are very proud of our eyes to see, but you cannot see what is beyond the wall. Therefore it is conditioned. You cannot see without light. That, how you can be sure that your eyes are perfectly seeing? That is not possible, because the eyes can see under certain condition. So if it is conditioned, then it is not perfect. But the conditioned sight can be purified. Just like one is suffering from cataract. By surgical operation the cataract can be removed and he can see. Similarly, our senses are imperfect. If we purify the senses, then it will be possible to see God twenty-four hours. That purification process is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

We are not the Māyāvādīs, they finish the senses, make, become impersonal. That is not our program. We want to purify the senses.
Morning Walk -- April 7, 1975, Mayapur:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Why did God arrange for the pleasures of sense gratification if He wants us to go back to home, back to Godhead?

Prabhupāda: Yes, senses are meant for enjoyment. But if you want to enjoy your senses in diseased condition, that is your misfortune. You have to cure your disease, then you will enjoy. Just like the tongue, in diseased condition, even if you are given rasagullā, you will not taste it. Senses, we are not the Māyāvādīs, they finish the senses, make, become impersonal. That is not our program. We want to purify the senses. Sarvopādhi vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Purīfy. The diseased man, he cannot see. He has got some glaucoma disease. Cure it, and he will see very nicely. That is our program.

Correspondence

1967 Correspondence

In the material condition he does not know how to enjoy; therefore one should purify the senses being free of all material designation.
Letter to Mr. Taber -- New York 9 June, 1967:

A spirit soul is not impersonal, and because he is a person he has the latent desire for sense gratification; but in the material condition he does not know how to enjoy; therefore one should purify the senses being free of all material designation. In conditioned stage we are designated souls like "American," "Indian," "dog," "demigod," etc., but in pure consciousness or Krishna Consciousness, we are part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman. By Brahman realization, as you may have read in Bhagavad-gita: brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati (BG 18.54). So in our pure stage when we understand that we are eternal servants of Krishna there is no more distress. Therefore the devotee prays: "My Lord, when shall I be freed from all material desires and be completely engaged in your transcendental loving service. At the present moment I am forlorn and nobody is my master. When shall I have You as my Supreme Master; then shall I joyfully wander over the whole universe knowing that You are my master."

Page Title:Purify your senses
Compiler:Visnu Murti, ChandrasekharaAcarya, MadhuGopaldas
Created:14 of Nov, 2009
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=3, CC=1, OB=1, Lec=43, Con=4, Let=1
No. of Quotes:53