Becoming Eager to See Kṛṣṅa

A lecture by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda Founder-Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

tac chraddadhānā munayo jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā paśyanty ātmani cātmānaṁ bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā

"The seriously inquisitive student or sage, well equipped with knowledge and detachment, realizes the Absolute Truth by rendering devotional service in terms of what he has heard from the Vedic literature, Vedānta-sruti [Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.12]

People sometimes ask, "Have you seen God?" or "Can you show me God?" Sometimes we meet these questions. So the answer is "Yes, I am seeing God. You can also see God; everyone can see God. But you must have the qualification." Suppose something is wrong with a motorcar; it is not running. Everyone is seeing it, but a mechanic sees it differently. He's qualified to see it with greater understanding. So he replaces some missing part, and immediately the car runs. But although for seeing a machine we require so much qualification, we want to see God without any qualification. Just see the folly. People are such rascals, they are such fools, that they want to see God with their imagined qualifications.

Kṛṣṅa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ: "I am not exposed to everyone. My energy, yogamaya, is covering Me from their vision." So how can you see God? But this rascaldom is going on—this "Can you show me God?" "Have you seen God?" God has become just like a plaything, so that cheaters advertise some ordinary man by saying, "Here is God. Here is an incarnation of God."

Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ. Sinful rascals, fools, the lowest of mankind—they inquire like that: "Can you show me God?" What qualification have you acquired by which you can see God? Here is the qualification: tac chraddadhānā munayaḥ. One must first of all be faithful (śraddadhāna). One must actually be very much eager to see God. Not that one takes it as a frivolous thing—"Can you show me God?"—or as some magic. They think God is magic. No. One must be very serious and think, "Yes, I have been informed about God. So if there is a God, I must see Him.”

There is a story in this connection. It is very instructive, so try to hear. One professional reciter was publicly reciting the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and he was describing that Kṛṣṅa is very highly decorated with all kinds of jewels when He goes to tend the cows in the forest. So, there was a thief in that meeting, and he thought, "Why not go to Vṛndāvana and plunder this boy? He's in the forest with so many valuable jewels. I can go there and catch the child and take all the jewels." This was his intention. So he was serious. "I must find that boy," he thought. "Then in one night I shall become a millionaire."

The thief's qualification was his feeling: "I must see Kṛṣṅa! I must see Kṛṣṅa!" That anxiety, that eagerness, made it possible for him to actually see Kṛṣṅa in Vrindavana. He saw Kṛṣṅa in just the same way as the Bhāgavatam reader had described. Then the thief said, "Oh, You are such a nice boy, Kṛṣṅa." He began to flatter Him; he thought that by flattering Him he would easily take all the jewels. Then he proposed his real business: "May I take some of these ornaments? You are so rich."

"No, no, no," said Kṛṣṅa. "My mother will be angry! I cannot give them away." Kṛṣṅa was playing just like a child.

So the thief became more and more eager for Kṛṣṅa to give Him the jewels, but by Kṛṣṅa's association he was becoming purified. Then at last Kṛṣṅa said, "All right, you can take them." Then the thief became a devotee immediately, because by Kṛṣṅa's association he had been completely purified. So somehow or other you should come in contact with Kṛṣṅa. Then you'll be purified.

The gopīs are another example of great eagerness to see Kṛṣṅa. The gopīs came to Kṛṣṅa, being captivated by His beautiful features. They were young girls, and Kṛṣṅa was so beautiful. Actually they were lusty when they came to Kṛṣṅa, but Kṛṣṅa is so pure that they became first-class devotees. There is no comparison to the gopīs' devotion, because they loved Kṛṣṅa with heart and soul. That is the qualification. They loved Kṛṣṅa so much that they didn't care for family or reputation when they went out in the dead of night. Kṛṣṅa's flute was sounding, and they were all fleeing their homes. Their fathers, their brothers, their husbands all said, "Where are you going? Where are you going in this dead of night?" But the gopīs didn't care. They neglected their children, their family, everything. Their only thought was "We must go to Kṛṣṅa."

This eagerness is required. We must be very, very eager to see Kṛṣṅa. Many gopīs who were forcibly stopped from going to Kṛṣṅa lost their lives because of their great feelings of separation. So this eagerness is wanted; then you can see God. Whether you are lusty or a thief or a murderer or whatever it may be—somehow or other you must develop this eagerness, this desire: "I must see Kṛṣṅa." Then Kṛṣṅa will be seen.

The first thing Kṛṣṅa is looking for is how eager you are to see Him. Kṛṣṅa will respond. If you are actually eager to see Kṛṣṅa—whether you are lusty, or you want to steal His ornaments, or some way or other you have become attracted to Kṛṣṅa—then it is sure your efforts will be successful. But you must desire Kṛṣṅa only. In this connection, Rūpa Gosvāmī has written a verse:

smerāṁ bhaṅgī-traya-paricitāṁ sāci-vistīrṅa-dṛṣṭiṁ vaṁśī-nyastādhara-kiśalayām ujjvalāṁ candrakeṅa govindākhyāṁ hari-tanum itaḥ keśi-tīrthopakaṅṭhe mā prekṣiṣṭhās tava yadi sakhe bandhu-saṅge 'sti raṅgaḥ

The idea is that one gopī is advising another gopī, "My dear friend, there is one boy—His name is Govinda. He is standing on the bank of the Yamunā near the Kesi-ghata, and He is playing on His flute. He is so beautiful, especially during this full-moon night. If you have any intention to enjoy in this material world with your children, husband, or other family members, then please do not go there." Bhangi-traya: Kṛṣṅa always stands in a three-curved way with His flute. That is Kṛṣṅa's tri-bhanga form, bending in three places. So the one gopī says to the other, "If you think that you'll enjoy your life more in this material world, then do not go to see Kṛṣṅa. Do not go there." The idea is that if you once see Kṛṣṅa, then you'll forget all this nonsensical materialistic enjoyment. That is seeing Kṛṣṅa.

When Dhruva Mahārāja saw Kṛṣṅa, he said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce: "My dear Lord, I don't want anything else." Dhruva Mahārāja went to see Kṛṣṅa to get the kingdom of his father, and when he saw Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa offered, "Now, whatever benediction you want, you take." Dhruva said, "My dear Lord, I no longer have any desire." That is seeing Kṛṣṅa.

So, if you're eager to see Kṛṣṅa, regardless of whatever motive you have, somehow or other due to your eagerness you'll see Kṛṣṅa. That is the only qualification.

In another verse, Rūpa Gosvāmī says, kṛṣṅa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ krīyatāṁ yadi kuto 'pi labhyate. (I have translated the words Kṛṣṅa consciousness from kṛṣṅa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā.) So here Rūpa Gosvāmī advises, "If Kṛṣṅa consciousness is available, please purchase it immediately. Don't delay. It is a very nice thing." Yes, Kṛṣṅa consciousness is available. You can purchase it from this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. But what is the price? It is such a nice thing, but you have to pay the price. What is that? Tatra laulyam api mūlyam ekalam: simply your eagerness. That is the price. You have to pay this price. Then you get Kṛṣṅa, immediately. Kṛṣṅa is not poor, and the Kṛṣṅa-seller—the Kṛṣṅa devotee—he's also not poor. He can distribute Kṛṣṅa free. And he's doing that. You simply have to purchase Him by your eagerness.

Someone may say, "Oh, eagerness? I have eagerness." Ah-h-h . . . but it is not so easy. Janma-koṭi-sukṛtair na labhyate: this eagerness cannot be achieved even by executing pious activities for millions of births. If you simply go on performing pious activities, still this eagerness is not available.

So, this eagerness is a very important thing, but it can be awakened only by the association of devotees. Therefore we are giving everyone a chance to invoke that eagerness; then you'll see God, face to face. This life is meant for seeing Kṛṣṅa. It is not meant for becoming dogs and hogs. Unfortunately, the whole modern civilization is training people to become dogs and hogs. It is only this institution—this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement—that is teaching people how to see Kṛṣṅa. It is so important.

Tac chraddadhānā munayo jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā. By eagerness, you'll automatically be enriched with knowledge and detachment. Knowledge does not mean "Now we have discovered this atomic bomb." That is not knowledge. What knowledge is that? People are already dying, and you have discovered something that will accelerate death. But we are giving knowledge to stop death. That is Kṛṣṅa consciousness; that is knowledge. Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā. And as soon as you get this knowledge, automatically you become detached from all this nonsensical materialistic happiness.

Thank you very much.