So instead of worshipping material nature, we have to worship the spiritual energy of Krishna,i.e. Radharani, the pleasure potency of God.Actually, worshiping Radharani is better than worshiping Krishna. More precisely, one can best worship Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, through Srimati Radharani, His supreme pleasure energy. Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita, "If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it." (Bhagavad-gita 9.26) But rather than offer a flower directly to Krishna, better to offer the flower to Srimati Radharani, requesting, "My dear Radharani, please recommend me to Your Krishna." Krishna is the supreme controller, yet He is controlled by the pure devotion of Srimati Radharani. Krishna is therefore also known as the "property of Radharani." if one can please Radharani', therefore, one can very easily please Lord Krishna.
Srimati Radharani has the vision of a maha-bhagavata, the most highly elevated devotee. Thus She sees everyone equally, if anyone approaches Her to serve Krishna, even if he is the most fallen, She immediately bestows Her mercy upon him by recommending to Krishna, "Oh, Krishna, here is a devotee. He is better than Me." Because Srimati Radharani is always absorbed in thought of Krishna, She is very dear to Krishna. Therefore if one tries in this way to reach Krishna through Radharani, he will surely be successful.As living spiritual souls, we are originally spiritual energy, but somehow or other we have now fallen into this material world of birth and death. But when we come under the shelter of the supreme spiritual energy, Srimati Radharani, we come to our happy, normal position.Radharani is the potency who gives transcendental pleasure to Krishna. When the mercy of that potency is bestowed upon a living entity, he develops love of Godhead and thus attains the highest pleasure–and he can also distribute that pleasure to others. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has introduced this process of chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, “The chanting," he says, "is exactly like the cry of a child for its mother's presence. Mother Hara [Srimati Radharani] helps the devotee achieve the Lord Father's grace, and the Lord reveals Himself to the devotee who chants this mantra sincerely."
Ramkrishna was shakta but vaishnavas are suddha shaktas beacuse they worship the spiritual energy of Krishna, not the material. Therefore, only taking to Krishna Consciousness and worshipping spiritual nature can make us god-conscious because that is what our acharyas have preached. Following the path of Ramkrishna will not help.
About Ramakrishna Paramhamsa, I would like to say few words. There is no doubt that he was a great devotee of Kali and he was not interested in material activities. But when we speak of a devotee, the devotee has to be a devotee of God. Who is this God?? Now, the Vedas and Upanishads are replete with evidences that prove that Krishna is the Supreme God.
isvarah paramah krsnah
sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah
anadir adir govindah
sarva-karana-karanam
TRANSLATION
Krsna who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes.
Whoever knows Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without doubting, is the knower of everything. He therefore engages himself in full devotional service to Me, O son of Bharata.
And there are many such evidences, if I begin, I will not be able to complete. The key evidence is that the great sage, Parasar muni while making a scientific study of God has concluded---
1) Strength, 2) Fame, 3) Wealth, 4) Knowledge, 5) Beauty, and 6) Renunciation. Krishna exactly fits in this definition because He is full of six opulences. The very word, Krishna means "all-attractive", one whose beauty attracts the entire creation, both material and spiritual. Only God has the power to attract. So when it comes to the question of God, we mean the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna.
Kali is demigoddess. About worshipping demigods and demigoddesses, Krishna says in Gita--
Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet.
The results achieved by the demigods' benedictions are perishable because within this material world the planets, the demigods and their worshipers are all perishable. Therefore it is clearly stated in this verse that all results achieved by worshiping demigods are perishable, and therefore such worship is performed by the less intelligent living entity. Because the pure devotee engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in devotional service of the Supreme Lord achieves eternal blissful existence that is full of knowledge, his achievements and those of the common worshiper of the demigods are different. The Supreme Lord is unlimited; His favor is unlimited; His mercy is unlimited. Therefore the mercy of the Supreme Lord upon His pure devotees is unlimited.Reaching the planet of Vaikuntha, the devotee falls down again to the material world. Unless we attain Vaikuntha, we have to come back again and again to this material world.
According to Ramkrishna, since everything is God, maya is also God. So he worshipped Maya or Kali as God. But this totally a wrong process and against all scriptural injunction. Because the scriptures have repeatedly pointed out that only by surrendering unto the lotus feet of God can one overcome MAYA. Krishna Himself confirms in Gita---
This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead has innumerable energies, and all these energies are divine. Although the living entities are part of His energies and are therefore divine, due to contact with material energy their original superior power is covered. Being thus covered by material energy, one cannot possibly overcome its influence. As previously stated, both the material and spiritual natures, being emanations from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are eternal. The living entities belong to the eternal superior nature of the Lord, but due to contamination by the inferior nature, matter, their illusion is also eternal. The conditioned soul is therefore called nitya-baddha, or eternally conditioned. No one can trace out the history of his becoming conditioned at a certain date in material history. Consequently, his release from the clutches of material nature is very difficult, even though that material nature is an inferior energy, because material energy is ultimately conducted by the supreme will, which the living entity cannot overcome. Inferior, material nature is defined herein as divine nature due to its divine connection and movement by the divine will. Being conducted by divine will, material nature, although inferior, acts so wonderfully in the construction and destruction of the cosmic manifestation. The Vedas confirm this as follows: mayamtuprakritim vidyan mayinamtumahesvaram. "Although maya [illusion] is false or temporary, the background of maya is the supreme magician, the Personality of Godhead, who is Mahesvara, the supreme controller." (Svetasvatara Upanishad4.10)
Another meaning of guna is rope; it is to be understood that the conditioned soul is tightly tied by the ropes of illusion. A man bound by the hands and feet cannot free himself -- he must be helped by a person who is unbound. Because the bound cannot help the bound, the rescuer must be liberated. Therefore, only Lord Krishna, or His bona fide representative the spiritual master, can release the conditioned soul. Without such superior help, one cannot be freed from the bondage of material nature. Devotional service, or Krishna consciousness, can help one gain such release. Krishna, being the Lord of illusory energy, can order this insurmountable energy to release the conditioned soul. He orders this release out of His causeless mercy on the surrendered soul and out of His paternal affection for the living entity, who is originally a beloved son of the Lord. Therefore surrender unto the lotus feet of the Lord is the only means to get free from the clutches of the stringent material nature.
The words mameva are also significant. Mam means unto Krishna (Vishnu) only, and not Brahma or Siva. Although Brahma and Siva are greatly elevated and are almost on the level of Vishnu, it is not possible for such incarnations of rajo-guna (passion) and tamo-guna(ignorance) to release the conditioned soul from the clutches of maya. In other words, both Brahma and Siva are also under the influence ofmaya. Only Vishnu is the master of maya; therefore He alone can give release to the conditioned soul. The Vedas (Svetasvatara Upanishad3.8) confirm this in the phrase tamevaviditva. or "Freedom is possible only by understanding Krishna." Even Lord Siva affirms that liberation can be achieved only by the mercy of Vishnu. Lord Siva says, mukti-pradatasarvesham vishnur evanasamsayah: "There is no doubt thatVishnu is the deliverer of liberation for everyone."(contd.)
Hare Krishna!!! Opening hospitals, schools is very good, but loving God is something more sublime. We have to go beyond good and bad if we have to see God. Good work is an effect of sattva guna. But loving god is when we are situated in vishuddha sattva, which is beyond the three modes of material nature. There are four platforms, bodily, mental, intellectual and social. It's in the mental level that various philosophy about morality and ethics comes and we talk of opening hospitals and schools. But if we have to love god, we should be transferred to the spiritual platform. For that we should follow the words from the authority. Krishna in Gita that He is dear to one who always thinks of Him. To get ourselves to the spiritual platform, we need to take to devotional service. The process of devotional service has been elaborated in Srimad Bhagavatam----
Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of LordVisnu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words) -- these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Krsna through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.
The scriptures never speak of opening hospitals and schools. Once Prabhupada was asked why he has not opened hospitals His instant reply was-'So many friends advised me to open some hospitals, dispensaries. Oh, I flatly said that "We are not interested in the hospitals." There are so many hospitals. So people who are interested in hospitals, they can go there. Here is spiritual hospital. The disease is the other hospitals, they cannot stop death, but our hospital can stop death.'
As Krishna is situated in everybody's heart and in everything as the Supersoul , as He confirms in Gita-
(With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.), so if we love Krishna, we actually love the entire creation that also includes Nar-narayan. So we are actually doing Nar-narayan seva by loving Krishna. As Prabhupada said,'If you love God, you can love everybody but if you don't love God, you can't love anybody'. So the best thing to do is to love Krishna rather than engage ourselves in social activities. Only a god-conscious person can serve humanity.
“So if we tell people that, “You see, we’re helping people, you should donate because we’re building hospitals and schools, then we are, by not informing them that the actual welfare work for all living beings is to surrender to Krishna, and encouraging them to act in a manner which they already with, but which is maya*, we’re actually encouraging them to be in maya.”-HH Bhakti Vikas Swami
“This is very important point. People are very much interested in welfare activities for the human society. So they think that by feeding poor men or giving cloth or opening hospitals, schools, colleges – “These things are required. What is the use of hearing about Krishna?” That is their opinion. But these welfare activities are extended selfishness. [...] Yes. Without knowing what is the real self-interest. Therefore we find so many faults in such welfare activities. [...] So that kind of philanthropy is not accepted in the Srimad-Bhagavatam as very advancement of civilization.” (Srila Prabhupada Lecture, 19/10/1972)
“Pious activities bring about material opulence, but one cannot acquire devotional service by any amount of material pious activity, not by giving charity, opening big hospitals and schools or working philanthropically. Devotional service can be attained only by the mercy of a pure devotee.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 22.51, purport)
“To open hospital or to open a school or similar philanthropic activities are generally being done by persons who are embarrassed with this mithya* world [ ...] Because they found it better happiness by taking in politics and on political movements or opening school, hospitals. They found better happiness in these activities. Then why they say that this jagat mithya?* These are activities of the material world.”(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, 9/11/1972)
“If you become Krishna conscious [...] then all other duties are automatically done. There is no question of separate attempt – philanthropy, philosophy and nationalism, this “ism,” that “ism.” We have discovered so many things and diversion of the real duty.” (Srila Prabhupada Lecture, 15/11/11977)
“The so called philanthropy, altruism, humanitarianism, this ism, that …. Bogus…. Not bogus – useless. It will not help. They are pious activities. So, Caitanya-caritamrita says, pious or impious, both of them are impediments to Krishna consciousness. So we are not interested with pious activities or impious even. We are interested how to serve Krishna.” (Srila Prabhupada Conversation, 8/1/1977)
“There are, for the materialistic person, there are two varieties of self-interest. One is concentrated interest and other is expanded interest.[ ...] They think that I have extended my self-intent to my country, to my family, I have become a big man. And people also give him honor. This we have practical experience but that is extended self-interest. That is not actually philanthropy. Philanthropy is when one becomes interested in Krishna’s interest that is real philanthropy.” (Srila Prabhupada Lecture, 29/10/1976)
Hare Krishna, dear devotees!!! Let's see what our acahrya Srila Prabhupada says about seeing god-
On Seeing God
This discussion between His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and a reporter took place at ISKCON's center in Melbourne, Australia.
Interviewer: Your Divine Grace, is the purpose of human life to realize God?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes -- that is the only purpose.
Interviewer: Srila Prabhupada, have you realized God?
Srila Prabhupada: What do you think? What is your opinion?
Interviewer: I can't say.
Srila Prabhupada: Then if I say yes, what will you have understood? If you are not expert, then even if I say, "Yes, I am God-realized," how will you take it? If you do not know what God-realization is, then how can you ask this question, and how will you be satisfied by the answer? Therefore, you should not ask this question. It has no value -- unless, of course, you are prepared to accept whatever answer I give. Are you prepared?
Interviewer: Yes.
Srila Prabhupada: Then it is all right. I am seeing God every moment. [Pause] But unless you are prepared to take the answer, you should not ask such questions.
Interviewer: Your Divine Grace, is meditation a means to realize God?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Meditation is one means, but you cannot meditate now, because you do not know what God is. So how will you meditate? If you do not know what God is, upon whom will you meditate? First of all, you must know. We know God -- Krishna and Krishna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah: "Always think of Me." So we meditate upon Krishna. That is perfect meditation, because meditation means to think of God. But if you do not know what God is, how can you think of Him?
Interviewer: It is written in many scriptures that God is light.
Srila Prabhupada: God is everything. God is darkness, also. We say that God is that person from whom everything comes. So light comes from God, and darkness also comes from God.
Interviewer: Do you think that meditation is a way to see God inside yourself?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. That is the description of meditation. Dhyanavasthita tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah: by concentrating his mind, the yogi tries to see God within. So you must know what God is. Consider our ISKCON institution, for example. My disciples know what God is, so they can think of God. But if you have no idea of God, how will you think of Him?
Interviewer: This path of devotional yoga, bhakti-yoga -- is this the path for the present age?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, bhakti-yoga is the real yoga. You'll find that when the yoga system is described in Bhagavad-gita, the Lord says, "The first-class yogi is he who is always thinking of Me, Krishna, within himself." So our students are being taught to think of Krishna always, twenty-four hours a day, without stopping. That is first-class yoga.
Interviewer: If you are to think about something, you first have to see it. Do you show your devotees Krishna?
Srila Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Certainly.
Interviewer: Then what ... well ... what is Krishna? What does He look like?
Srila Prabhupada: See -- here is Krishna.
Interviewer: But that's a painting.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, it is a painting. But suppose a painting of you were there. Could I not say, "Here is Mr. such-and-such"?
Interviewer: Yes.
Srila Prabhupada: Then what is the wrong there? Is your picture not yourself?
Interviewer: Yes, it is.
Srila Prabhupada: Similarly, this is Krishna’s painting. But the difference is that we cannot talk with your picture but we can talk with Krishna’s picture. That is the difference.
Interviewer: But still, somebody must have seen Krishna to actually paint Him.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. When Krishna was present on this earth, so many people saw Him. And since then, there have been so many temples of Krishna’s Deity, Krishna’s form. The same form described in the Vedic literature appeared personally, and the devotees made statues. These forms of Krishna are being worshiped regularly. There are thousands and thousands of Krishna temples.
Interviewer: But has anybody actually seen Krishna?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, yes -- just as your father has seen your grandfather. You may not have seen him, but your father can describe him -- "My father was like this." What is the difficulty?
Devotee: He asked if anyone now has seen Krishna.
Srila Prabhupada: How can one see Him now? One has to see through the parampara, the disciplic succession. You have not seen your grandfather, so how do you know who he was?
Interviewer: Your parents tell you.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. So you have to receive knowledge about God from the authorities, from the parampara.
Interviewer: But supposedly Krishna is eternal, so surely He exists today.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, Krishna is existing. At night the sun is existing, but you have no eyes to see it. That does not mean the sun does not exist. It is your deficiency -- you cannot see.
Interviewer: So we need divine sight?
Srila Prabhupada: You require qualification. Krishna always exists, but you require the qualification to see Him. That is described in the Vedic scriptures. Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti: those who are saintly persons in ecstatic love with Krishna can see Him always, twenty-four hours a day. That is not very difficult to understand. If you love someone, you see him always. Is it not so? You need the qualification of love. Then Krishna will be visible twenty-four hours a day and talk with you. So you have to qualify yourself to hear Krishna, to see Krishna. But Krishna is always present.
God is there. We can see God in every moment. But if we deny to see God, then God will be present before us as the cruel death. There are different features of the Supreme Personality of Godhead because He is the original root cause of all cosmic manifestation. In the Bhagavad-gītā there is nice description how you can gradually understand and see God personally, face to face.
So it is the duty of every human being to understand his constitutional position, his relation with God, and understanding the relation, to act accordingly, and then our life becomes successful. This human form of life is meant for that purpose. We are missing the point. So long we are living, sometimes we challenge that "There is no God," "I am God," or somebody says, "I don't care for God." But actually this challenge will not save us. God is there. We can see God in every moment. But if we deny to see God, then God will be present before us as the cruel death. There are different features of the Supreme Personality of Godhead because He is the original root cause of all cosmic manifestation. In the Bhagavad-gītā there is nice description how you can gradually understand and see God personally, face to face. Just like the Personality of Godhead says therein that "I am the taste in water. I am the sunlight. I am the moonlight. I am the sound vibration in the sky and I am the supreme character of a great personality." So if we (are) actually serious to understand the science of God, if we try to follow the injunction given in the Bhagavad-gītā... Just like God is the taste of the water. Everyone is tasting water daily, not only once but several times. So if we remember this instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, that the taste of the water is God, then the God realization begins, becomes, begins. Similarly, it is said there that God is the light of the moon, God is the light of the sun. Every one of us has seen the sunlight and the moonshine, so how we can say that we have not seen God? Similarly, Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the sound vibration in the sky." So who has not heard the sound vibration of the cloud in the sky? So as soon as we hear the sound vibration in the sky, we can see God or we can hear God. At last, Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). If one does not see God, then, Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the death, cruel death, who takes away everything from everyone." The conclusion is that everyone sees God at every moment, but the atheist class, they do not accept that he is seeing God. He denies or telling lies that he is not seeing God. But a devotee of God, he sees God at every moment within his heart. So the difference of seeing God by a devotee and difference of, and denying, denial by the nondevotee, is this, that the atheist class or the atheist can see God at his last stage as death, whereas the devotee sees God by his devotional service every moment and every step of his life.
Oh Hare krishna I am so sorry I should have mentioned that this is a Quote from a lecture given by His DIvine Grace Srila Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami. I do not have any personal opinions I am a servant my duty is to simply repeat his message. Here is another Quote:
Viṣṇujana: "O son of Kuntī [Arjuna], I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras . I am the sound in ether."
Prabhupāda: Now, who is not drinking water? The taste of water is Kṛṣṇa, so who has not seen Kṛṣṇa? They say, "Can you show me God?" If you don't see God, then who will show you? Here is God. You are drinking water. Here is God, sunshine. Those who cannot see Kṛṣṇa is God... Because to see Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality God, it requires many, many thousands of years tapasya to understand Kṛṣṇa. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante BG 7.19 . After many, many births, one can understand Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is not so easy. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye BG 7.19 . Out of many thousands of men, one may be interested how to make this life perfect. And those who actually attain perfection, out of many thousands of them, one can understand Kṛṣṇa. So to understand Kṛṣṇa is not easy job, easy job. So one who has understood "Here is Kṛṣṇa with Rādhārāṇī; let me serve," that position is very exalted position. That is not ordinary position. But one who is unfortunate not to come to that position to understand Kṛṣṇa, for them Kṛṣṇa is giving the prescription you see here. You drink water, the taste, now just think, "Here is Kṛṣṇa." In this way, if you think of Kṛṣṇa in your daily activities, then one day you will be able to understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Actually, Kṛṣṇa is everything because whatever... This table is also Kṛṣṇa because it is a manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's energy. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ mano khaṁ buddhir eva ca BG 7.19 . What is the ingredient of this table? Earth, water, air, fire. Kṛṣṇa says, "That is My manifestation of My energy." Just like if the sun-god says, "I am everything of this matter," it is a fact, because through the sunshine everything is coming out. As soon as there is no sunshine, no more trees, no more foliage. Why? It is due to sunshine all these trees are existing. So if I say everything is sunshine, what is the wrong there? Because it is the sun's energy which is maintaining this material world. Similarly, it is Kṛṣṇa's energy that is manifesting everything. So if I say this is Kṛṣṇa, this is a fact. But Kṛṣṇa says, "Although everything is resting in Me, still I am not there." Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ BG 7.19 . The Māyāvādī philosopher says that "If Kṛṣṇa is here, then why shall I worship Kṛṣṇa in the temple?" That is his rascaldom. If Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, why He is not in the temple? But they will be minus, make minus this: "Kṛṣṇa is not in the temple, Kṛṣṇa is only somewhere else, that's all." That is the... Kṛṣṇa says that "I am in the temple, not anywhere else, although everything I am." So these things the foolish rascal people do no understand. Try to make them understand and go on preaching. The sannyāsīs are meant for preaching and the GBC's are meant for managing. In this way do it. Now you give me relief—I go on writing books, that's all. So Viṣṇujana Mahārāja, your preaching is going on nice?
Hare Krishna Please accept this quote as my humble offering to this discussion :
Similarly, it is said there that God is the light of the moon; God is the light of the sun. Every one of us has seen the sunlight and the moonshine, so how we can say that we have not seen God? Similarly, Krishna says that "I am the sound vibration in the sky." So who has not heard the sound vibration of the cloud in the sky? So as soon as we hear the sound vibration in the sky, we can see God or we can hear God. At last, Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita that mrtyuh sarva-haras caham [Bg. 10.34]. If one does not see God, then, Krishna says, "I am the death, cruel death, who takes away everything from everyone." The conclusion is that everyone sees God at every moment, but the atheist class, they do not accept that he is seeing God. He denies or telling lies that he is not seeing God. But a devotee of God, he sees God at every moment within his heart. So the difference of seeing God by a devotee and difference of, and denying, denial by the nondevotee, is this, that the atheist class or the atheist can see God at his last stage as death, whereas the devotee sees God by his devotional service every moment and every step of his life.
A person with average intelligence does not think the head and other parts of the body to be separate. Similarly, My devotee does not differentiate Viṣṇu, the all-pervading Personality of Godhead, from any thing or any living entity.
The Lord continued: One who does not consider Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva or the living entities in general to be separate from the Supreme, and who knows Brahman, actually realizes peace; others do not.
PURPORT
Two words are very significant in this verse. Trayāṇām indicates "three," namely Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and Lord Viṣṇu. Bhidām means "different." They are three, and therefore they are separate, but at the same time they are one. This is the philosophy of simultaneous oneness and difference, which is called acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. The example given in the Brahma-saḿhitā is that milk and yogurt are simultaneously one and different; both are milk, but the yogurt has become changed. In order to achieve real peace, one should see everything and every living entity, including Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva, as nondifferent from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. No one is independent. Every one of us is an expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This accounts for unity in diversity. There are diverse manifestations, but, at the same time, they are one in Viṣṇu. Everything is an expansion of Viṣṇu's energy.
from my understanding Prabhu, if Swami Vivekananda pointed a man as God, then he would have definitely pointed out to the soul/atma and not this material body. Swami Vivekananda was a Vendanti, I don't know what God they preach, but the time frame he was in there were man thriving for water, good health facilities, good education, etc.... so in this scenario it is correct to say " Nar Seva Narayan Seva ".
As Narayan resides in all serving others in need is itself serving Narayana.
i hope every religion says to serve mankind / nar. without that i guess even Narayan wouldn't accept the austerities/puja/offerings.
This is the most appropriate question, as a SAADHAK (seeker).....
the answer is, "Yes many devotees have seen God". I myself haven't seen God yet, but at times I've been intimate & felt as if the murti/dolls were real for some seconds. Those who see God have the most purest love for God, & act according to dharma. And for that, one has to qualify to see GOD.
As Lord Krishna says in Bhagavat Gita,
" yat karoshi, yat sanashi, yaj-ju hoshi dada siyat, yat tapasiya si kaunteya tat kurusva mad arpanam"
Which in simple words Lord Krishna asks Arjuna to dedicate his each and every task as an offering to Him (Lord Krishna) and this doesn't mean that you do adharma & offer it to Lord Krishna. We have to act according to DHARMA and with pure devotion only can we see the God and this is only the wish of Lord weather to give darshan/ appear in front of the devotee or not.
For a pure devotee, it is the greatest sin to say that "I did this....." or "I did that...." because he/she from inside knows that they are pure expansions of Lord & without His mercy their own birth on this planet wouldn't be possible. This is the type of devotion required.
Regarding one-self as a mere puppet & the Lord as the Master, this type of full devotion is needed for this purpose. Ego shouldn't be present within oneself. these are the characteristics of a pure devotee.
One great example is of Swami Vivekananda & RamKrishna Paramhansa. Narendra (before changing the name to Swami Vivekananda) was a very intelligent student and was always weather some-one have seen GOD or not. Ramkrishna Paramhansa on other side was an illiterate man.
Swami Vivekananda asked these question to many, but didn't get "yes" as an answer unless he met "Ramkrishna Paramhans". Ramkrishna Paramhansa said, "YES, I've seen GOD in the same way you are seeing me now". Then Swami Vivekananda tried to find out weather he is a honest man or a real GURU or not (because at that time there were many fake GURUs).
Paramhansa one said that he had some opposition/allergy form metal coins or currencies. And this gave a chance to Narendra (Swami Vivekananda) to check it the next time he met Paramhansa, so he quietly slipped some coins under the cushion of Paramhansa while every one was away. when Paramhansa came and as soon as he sat on the cushion, he jumped as if something poked him really hard. Then he realised that it would be only Narendra's idea & he explained that it was appropriate for him to do so because even if you by a cheap thing from the market, you check it before buying it. And when you are seeking a spiritual master it is even more important that you check the master first from whom you are going to receive knowledge.
This is how an illiterate man's (Paramhansa) devotion & love towards GOD made the most learned man (Narendra) his disciple. He also made Narendra see GOD. After that Narendra was called Swami Vivekananda.
There is a movie of Swami Vivekananda on youtube. please watch if you have time.
My advice is that, we should continue to develop love & devotion for God. And it is good & probably the best to find a real Guru (not the fake one), who is willing to give us some guidance on spiritual path. If you are very busy and can't find a Guru/spiritual master still develop love for GOD.
Hope my information has helped you see the right path of Bhakti. Forgive me for any mistakes I've made knowingly or unknowingly. All Glories to Lord Krishna.
Replies
So instead of worshipping material nature, we have to worship the spiritual energy of Krishna,i.e. Radharani, the pleasure potency of God.Actually, worshiping Radharani is better than worshiping Krishna. More precisely, one can best worship Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, through Srimati Radharani, His supreme pleasure energy. Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita, "If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it." (Bhagavad-gita 9.26) But rather than offer a flower directly to Krishna, better to offer the flower to Srimati Radharani, requesting, "My dear Radharani, please recommend me to Your Krishna." Krishna is the supreme controller, yet He is controlled by the pure devotion of Srimati Radharani. Krishna is therefore also known as the "property of Radharani." if one can please Radharani', therefore, one can very easily please Lord Krishna.
Srimati Radharani has the vision of a maha-bhagavata, the most highly elevated devotee. Thus She sees everyone equally, if anyone approaches Her to serve Krishna, even if he is the most fallen, She immediately bestows Her mercy upon him by recommending to Krishna, "Oh, Krishna, here is a devotee. He is better than Me." Because Srimati Radharani is always absorbed in thought of Krishna, She is very dear to Krishna. Therefore if one tries in this way to reach Krishna through Radharani, he will surely be successful.As living spiritual souls, we are originally spiritual energy, but somehow or other we have now fallen into this material world of birth and death. But when we come under the shelter of the supreme spiritual energy, Srimati Radharani, we come to our happy, normal position.Radharani is the potency who gives transcendental pleasure to Krishna. When the mercy of that potency is bestowed upon a living entity, he develops love of Godhead and thus attains the highest pleasure–and he can also distribute that pleasure to others. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has introduced this process of chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, “The chanting," he says, "is exactly like the cry of a child for its mother's presence. Mother Hara [Srimati Radharani] helps the devotee achieve the Lord Father's grace, and the Lord reveals Himself to the devotee who chants this mantra sincerely."
Ramkrishna was shakta but vaishnavas are suddha shaktas beacuse they worship the spiritual energy of Krishna, not the material. Therefore, only taking to Krishna Consciousness and worshipping spiritual nature can make us god-conscious because that is what our acharyas have preached. Following the path of Ramkrishna will not help.
About Ramakrishna Paramhamsa, I would like to say few words. There is no doubt that he was a great devotee of Kali and he was not interested in material activities. But when we speak of a devotee, the devotee has to be a devotee of God. Who is this God?? Now, the Vedas and Upanishads are replete with evidences that prove that Krishna is the Supreme God.
isvarah paramah krsnah
sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah
anadir adir govindah
sarva-karana-karanam
TRANSLATION
Krsna who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes.
Krishna Himself confirms in Gita-----
mattah parataram nanyat
kincid asti dhananjaya
mayi sarvam idam protam
sutre mani-gana iva
TRANSLATION
O conqueror of wealth, there is no truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread.
yo mām evam asammūḍho
jānāti puruṣottamam
sa sarva-vid bhajati māḿ
sarva-bhāvena bhārata
TRANSLATION
Whoever knows Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without doubting, is the knower of everything. He therefore engages himself in full devotional service to Me, O son of Bharata.
And there are many such evidences, if I begin, I will not be able to complete. The key evidence is that the great sage, Parasar muni while making a scientific study of God has concluded---
1) Strength, 2) Fame, 3) Wealth, 4) Knowledge, 5) Beauty, and 6) Renunciation. Krishna exactly fits in this definition because He is full of six opulences. The very word, Krishna means "all-attractive", one whose beauty attracts the entire creation, both material and spiritual. Only God has the power to attract. So when it comes to the question of God, we mean the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna.
Kali is demigoddess. About worshipping demigods and demigoddesses, Krishna says in Gita--
devān deva-yajo yānti
mad-bhaktā yānti mām api
Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet.
The results achieved by the demigods' benedictions are perishable because within this material world the planets, the demigods and their worshipers are all perishable. Therefore it is clearly stated in this verse that all results achieved by worshiping demigods are perishable, and therefore such worship is performed by the less intelligent living entity. Because the pure devotee engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in devotional service of the Supreme Lord achieves eternal blissful existence that is full of knowledge, his achievements and those of the common worshiper of the demigods are different. The Supreme Lord is unlimited; His favor is unlimited; His mercy is unlimited. Therefore the mercy of the Supreme Lord upon His pure devotees is unlimited.Reaching the planet of Vaikuntha, the devotee falls down again to the material world. Unless we attain Vaikuntha, we have to come back again and again to this material world.
According to Ramkrishna, since everything is God, maya is also God. So he worshipped Maya or Kali as God. But this totally a wrong process and against all scriptural injunction. Because the scriptures have repeatedly pointed out that only by surrendering unto the lotus feet of God can one overcome MAYA. Krishna Himself confirms in Gita---
daivi hy esha guna-mayi
mama maya duratyaya
mam eva ye prapadyante
mayam etam taranti te
TRANSLATION
This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead has innumerable energies, and all these energies are divine. Although the living entities are part of His energies and are therefore divine, due to contact with material energy their original superior power is covered. Being thus covered by material energy, one cannot possibly overcome its influence. As previously stated, both the material and spiritual natures, being emanations from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are eternal. The living entities belong to the eternal superior nature of the Lord, but due to contamination by the inferior nature, matter, their illusion is also eternal. The conditioned soul is therefore called nitya-baddha, or eternally conditioned. No one can trace out the history of his becoming conditioned at a certain date in material history. Consequently, his release from the clutches of material nature is very difficult, even though that material nature is an inferior energy, because material energy is ultimately conducted by the supreme will, which the living entity cannot overcome. Inferior, material nature is defined herein as divine nature due to its divine connection and movement by the divine will. Being conducted by divine will, material nature, although inferior, acts so wonderfully in the construction and destruction of the cosmic manifestation. The Vedas confirm this as follows: mayam tu prakritim vidyan mayinam tumahesvaram. "Although maya [illusion] is false or temporary, the background of maya is the supreme magician, the Personality of Godhead, who is Mahesvara, the supreme controller." (Svetasvatara Upanishad 4.10)
Another meaning of guna is rope; it is to be understood that the conditioned soul is tightly tied by the ropes of illusion. A man bound by the hands and feet cannot free himself -- he must be helped by a person who is unbound. Because the bound cannot help the bound, the rescuer must be liberated. Therefore, only Lord Krishna, or His bona fide representative the spiritual master, can release the conditioned soul. Without such superior help, one cannot be freed from the bondage of material nature. Devotional service, or Krishna consciousness, can help one gain such release. Krishna, being the Lord of illusory energy, can order this insurmountable energy to release the conditioned soul. He orders this release out of His causeless mercy on the surrendered soul and out of His paternal affection for the living entity, who is originally a beloved son of the Lord. Therefore surrender unto the lotus feet of the Lord is the only means to get free from the clutches of the stringent material nature.
The words mam eva are also significant. Mam means unto Krishna (Vishnu) only, and not Brahma or Siva. Although Brahma and Siva are greatly elevated and are almost on the level of Vishnu, it is not possible for such incarnations of rajo-guna (passion) and tamo-guna(ignorance) to release the conditioned soul from the clutches of maya. In other words, both Brahma and Siva are also under the influence ofmaya. Only Vishnu is the master of maya; therefore He alone can give release to the conditioned soul. The Vedas (Svetasvatara Upanishad3.8) confirm this in the phrase tam eva viditva. or "Freedom is possible only by understanding Krishna." Even Lord Siva affirms that liberation can be achieved only by the mercy of Vishnu. Lord Siva says, mukti-pradata sarvesham vishnur eva na samsayah: "There is no doubt thatVishnu is the deliverer of liberation for everyone."(contd.)
Hare Krishna!!! Opening hospitals, schools is very good, but loving God is something more sublime. We have to go beyond good and bad if we have to see God. Good work is an effect of sattva guna. But loving god is when we are situated in vishuddha sattva, which is beyond the three modes of material nature. There are four platforms, bodily, mental, intellectual and social. It's in the mental level that various philosophy about morality and ethics comes and we talk of opening hospitals and schools. But if we have to love god, we should be transferred to the spiritual platform. For that we should follow the words from the authority. Krishna in Gita that He is dear to one who always thinks of Him. To get ourselves to the spiritual platform, we need to take to devotional service. The process of devotional service has been elaborated in Srimad Bhagavatam----
sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma-nivedanam
iti pumsarpita visnau
bhaktis cen nava-laksana
kriyeta bhagavaty addha
tan manye 'dhitam uttamam
Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of LordVisnu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words) -- these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Krsna through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.
The scriptures never speak of opening hospitals and schools. Once Prabhupada was asked why he has not opened hospitals His instant reply was-'So many friends advised me to open some hospitals, dispensaries. Oh, I flatly said that "We are not interested in the hospitals." There are so many hospitals. So people who are interested in hospitals, they can go there. Here is spiritual hospital. The disease is the other hospitals, they cannot stop death, but our hospital can stop death.'
As Krishna is situated in everybody's heart and in everything as the Supersoul , as He confirms in Gita-
viṣṭabhyāham idaḿ kṛtsnam
ekāḿśena sthito jagat
(With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.), so if we love Krishna, we actually love the entire creation that also includes Nar-narayan. So we are actually doing Nar-narayan seva by loving Krishna. As Prabhupada said,'If you love God, you can love everybody but if you don't love God, you can't love anybody'. So the best thing to do is to love Krishna rather than engage ourselves in social activities. Only a god-conscious person can serve humanity.
“So if we tell people that, “You see, we’re helping people, you should donate because we’re building hospitals and schools, then we are, by not informing them that the actual welfare work for all living beings is to surrender to Krishna, and encouraging them to act in a manner which they already with, but which is maya*, we’re actually encouraging them to be in maya.”-HH Bhakti Vikas Swami
“This is very important point. People are very much interested in welfare activities for the human society. So they think that by feeding poor men or giving cloth or opening hospitals, schools, colleges – “These things are required. What is the use of hearing about Krishna?” That is their opinion. But these welfare activities are extended selfishness. [...] Yes. Without knowing what is the real self-interest. Therefore we find so many faults in such welfare activities. [...] So that kind of philanthropy is not accepted in the Srimad-Bhagavatam as very advancement of civilization.”
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, 19/10/1972)
“Pious activities bring about material opulence, but one cannot acquire devotional service by any amount of material pious activity, not by giving charity, opening big hospitals and schools or working philanthropically. Devotional service can be attained only by the mercy of a pure devotee.”
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 22.51, purport)
“To open hospital or to open a school or similar philanthropic activities are generally being done by persons who are embarrassed with this mithya* world [ ...] Because they found it better happiness by taking in politics and on political movements or opening school, hospitals. They found better happiness in these activities. Then why they
say that this jagat mithya?* These are activities of the material world.”(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, 9/11/1972)
“If you become Krishna conscious [...] then all other duties are automatically done. There is no question of separate attempt – philanthropy, philosophy and nationalism, this “ism,” that “ism.” We have discovered so many things and diversion of the real duty.”
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, 15/11/11977)
“The so called philanthropy, altruism, humanitarianism, this ism, that …. Bogus…. Not bogus – useless. It will not help. They are pious activities. So, Caitanya-caritamrita says, pious or impious, both of them are impediments to Krishna consciousness. So we are not interested with pious activities or impious even. We are interested how to serve Krishna.”
(Srila Prabhupada Conversation, 8/1/1977)
“There are, for the materialistic person, there are two varieties of self-interest. One is concentrated interest and other is expanded interest.[ ...] They think that I have extended my self-intent to my country, to my family, I have become a big man. And people also give him honor. This we have practical experience but that is extended self-interest. That is not actually philanthropy. Philanthropy is when one becomes interested in Krishna’s interest that is real philanthropy.”
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, 29/10/1976)
Hare Krishna, dear devotees!!! Let's see what our acahrya Srila Prabhupada says about seeing god-
On Seeing God
This discussion between His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and a reporter took place at ISKCON's center in Melbourne, Australia.
Interviewer: Your Divine Grace, is the purpose of human life to realize God?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes -- that is the only purpose.
Interviewer: Srila Prabhupada, have you realized God?
Srila Prabhupada: What do you think? What is your opinion?
Interviewer: I can't say.
Srila Prabhupada: Then if I say yes, what will you have understood? If you are not expert, then even if I say, "Yes, I am God-realized," how will you take it? If you do not know what God-realization is, then how can you ask this question, and how will you be satisfied by the answer? Therefore, you should not ask this question. It has no value -- unless, of course, you are prepared to accept whatever answer I give. Are you prepared?
Interviewer: Yes.
Srila Prabhupada: Then it is all right. I am seeing God every moment. [Pause] But unless you are prepared to take the answer, you should not ask such questions.
Interviewer: Your Divine Grace, is meditation a means to realize God?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Meditation is one means, but you cannot meditate now, because you do not know what God is. So how will you meditate? If you do not know what God is, upon whom will you meditate? First of all, you must know. We know God -- Krishna and Krishna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah: "Always think of Me." So we meditate upon Krishna. That is perfect meditation, because meditation means to think of God. But if you do not know what God is, how can you think of Him?
Interviewer: It is written in many scriptures that God is light.
Srila Prabhupada: God is everything. God is darkness, also. We say that God is that person from whom everything comes. So light comes from God, and darkness also comes from God.
Interviewer: Do you think that meditation is a way to see God inside yourself?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. That is the description of meditation. Dhyanavasthita tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah: by concentrating his mind, the yogi tries to see God within. So you must know what God is. Consider our ISKCON institution, for example. My disciples know what God is, so they can think of God. But if you have no idea of God, how will you think of Him?
Interviewer: This path of devotional yoga, bhakti-yoga -- is this the path for the present age?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, bhakti-yoga is the real yoga. You'll find that when the yoga system is described in Bhagavad-gita, the Lord says, "The first-class yogi is he who is always thinking of Me, Krishna, within himself." So our students are being taught to think of Krishna always, twenty-four hours a day, without stopping. That is first-class yoga.
Interviewer: If you are to think about something, you first have to see it. Do you show your devotees Krishna?
Srila Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Certainly.
Interviewer: Then what ... well ... what is Krishna? What does He look like?
Srila Prabhupada: See -- here is Krishna.
Interviewer: But that's a painting.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, it is a painting. But suppose a painting of you were there. Could I not say, "Here is Mr. such-and-such"?
Interviewer: Yes.
Srila Prabhupada: Then what is the wrong there? Is your picture not yourself?
Interviewer: Yes, it is.
Srila Prabhupada: Similarly, this is Krishna’s painting. But the difference is that we cannot talk with your picture but we can talk with Krishna’s picture. That is the difference.
Interviewer: But still, somebody must have seen Krishna to actually paint Him.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. When Krishna was present on this earth, so many people saw Him. And since then, there have been so many temples of Krishna’s Deity, Krishna’s form. The same form described in the Vedic literature appeared personally, and the devotees made statues. These forms of Krishna are being worshiped regularly. There are thousands and thousands of Krishna temples.
Interviewer: But has anybody actually seen Krishna?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, yes -- just as your father has seen your grandfather. You may not have seen him, but your father can describe him -- "My father was like this." What is the difficulty?
Devotee: He asked if anyone now has seen Krishna.
Srila Prabhupada: How can one see Him now? One has to see through the parampara, the disciplic succession. You have not seen your grandfather, so how do you know who he was?
Interviewer: Your parents tell you.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. So you have to receive knowledge about God from the authorities, from the parampara.
Interviewer: But supposedly Krishna is eternal, so surely He exists today.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, Krishna is existing. At night the sun is existing, but you have no eyes to see it. That does not mean the sun does not exist. It is your deficiency -- you cannot see.
Interviewer: So we need divine sight?
Srila Prabhupada: You require qualification. Krishna always exists, but you require the qualification to see Him. That is described in the Vedic scriptures. Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti: those who are saintly persons in ecstatic love with Krishna can see Him always, twenty-four hours a day. That is not very difficult to understand. If you love someone, you see him always. Is it not so? You need the qualification of love. Then Krishna will be visible twenty-four hours a day and talk with you. So you have to qualify yourself to hear Krishna, to see Krishna. But Krishna is always present.
God is there. We can see God in every moment. But if we deny to see God, then God will be present before us as the cruel death. There are different features of the Supreme Personality of Godhead because He is the original root cause of all cosmic manifestation. In the Bhagavad-gītā there is nice description how you can gradually understand and see God personally, face to face.
Speech at Olympia Theater -- Paris, June 26, 1971, (with translator):
So it is the duty of every human being to understand his constitutional position, his relation with God, and understanding the relation, to act accordingly, and then our life becomes successful. This human form of life is meant for that purpose. We are missing the point. So long we are living, sometimes we challenge that "There is no God," "I am God," or somebody says, "I don't care for God." But actually this challenge will not save us. God is there. We can see God in every moment. But if we deny to see God, then God will be present before us as the cruel death. There are different features of the Supreme Personality of Godhead because He is the original root cause of all cosmic manifestation. In the Bhagavad-gītā there is nice description how you can gradually understand and see God personally, face to face. Just like the Personality of Godhead says therein that "I am the taste in water. I am the sunlight. I am the moonlight. I am the sound vibration in the sky and I am the supreme character of a great personality." So if we (are) actually serious to understand the science of God, if we try to follow the injunction given in the Bhagavad-gītā... Just like God is the taste of the water. Everyone is tasting water daily, not only once but several times. So if we remember this instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, that the taste of the water is God, then the God realization begins, becomes, begins. Similarly, it is said there that God is the light of the moon, God is the light of the sun. Every one of us has seen the sunlight and the moonshine, so how we can say that we have not seen God? Similarly, Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the sound vibration in the sky." So who has not heard the sound vibration of the cloud in the sky? So as soon as we hear the sound vibration in the sky, we can see God or we can hear God. At last, Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). If one does not see God, then, Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the death, cruel death, who takes away everything from everyone." The conclusion is that everyone sees God at every moment, but the atheist class, they do not accept that he is seeing God. He denies or telling lies that he is not seeing God. But a devotee of God, he sees God at every moment within his heart. So the difference of seeing God by a devotee and difference of, and denying, denial by the nondevotee, is this, that the atheist class or the atheist can see God at his last stage as death, whereas the devotee sees God by his devotional service every moment and every step of his life.
Oh Hare krishna I am so sorry I should have mentioned that this is a Quote from a lecture given by His DIvine Grace Srila Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami.
I do not have any personal opinions I am a servant my duty is to simply repeat his message. Here is another Quote:
Viṣṇujana: "O son of Kuntī [Arjuna], I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras . I am the sound in ether."
Prabhupāda: Now, who is not drinking water? The taste of water is Kṛṣṇa, so who has not seen Kṛṣṇa? They say, "Can you show me God?" If you don't see God, then who will show you? Here is God. You are drinking water. Here is God, sunshine. Those who cannot see Kṛṣṇa is God... Because to see Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality God, it requires many, many thousands of years tapasya to understand Kṛṣṇa. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante BG 7.19 . After many, many births, one can understand Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is not so easy. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye BG 7.19 . Out of many thousands of men, one may be interested how to make this life perfect. And those who actually attain perfection, out of many thousands of them, one can understand Kṛṣṇa. So to understand Kṛṣṇa is not easy job, easy job. So one who has understood "Here is Kṛṣṇa with Rādhārāṇī; let me serve," that position is very exalted position. That is not ordinary position. But one who is unfortunate not to come to that position to understand Kṛṣṇa, for them Kṛṣṇa is giving the prescription you see here. You drink water, the taste, now just think, "Here is Kṛṣṇa." In this way, if you think of Kṛṣṇa in your daily activities, then one day you will be able to understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Actually, Kṛṣṇa is everything because whatever... This table is also Kṛṣṇa because it is a manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's energy. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ mano khaṁ buddhir eva ca BG 7.19 . What is the ingredient of this table? Earth, water, air, fire. Kṛṣṇa says, "That is My manifestation of My energy." Just like if the sun-god says, "I am everything of this matter," it is a fact, because through the sunshine everything is coming out. As soon as there is no sunshine, no more trees, no more foliage. Why? It is due to sunshine all these trees are existing. So if I say everything is sunshine, what is the wrong there? Because it is the sun's energy which is maintaining this material world. Similarly, it is Kṛṣṇa's energy that is manifesting everything. So if I say this is Kṛṣṇa, this is a fact. But Kṛṣṇa says, "Although everything is resting in Me, still I am not there." Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ BG 7.19 . The Māyāvādī philosopher says that "If Kṛṣṇa is here, then why shall I worship Kṛṣṇa in the temple?" That is his rascaldom. If Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, why He is not in the temple? But they will be minus, make minus this: "Kṛṣṇa is not in the temple, Kṛṣṇa is only somewhere else, that's all." That is the... Kṛṣṇa says that "I am in the temple, not anywhere else, although everything I am." So these things the foolish rascal people do no understand. Try to make them understand and go on preaching. The sannyāsīs are meant for preaching and the GBC's are meant for managing. In this way do it. Now you give me relief—I go on writing books, that's all. So Viṣṇujana Mahārāja, your preaching is going on nice?
Viṣṇujana: Yes, Prabhupāda.
Hare Krishna Please accept this quote as my humble offering to this discussion :
Similarly, it is said there that God is the light of the moon; God is the light of the sun. Every one of us has seen the sunlight and the moonshine, so how we can say that we have not seen God? Similarly, Krishna says that "I am the sound vibration in the sky." So who has not heard the sound vibration of the cloud in the sky? So as soon as we hear the sound vibration in the sky, we can see God or we can hear God. At last, Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita that mrtyuh sarva-haras caham [Bg. 10.34]. If one does not see God, then, Krishna says, "I am the death, cruel death, who takes away everything from everyone." The conclusion is that everyone sees God at every moment, but the atheist class, they do not accept that he is seeing God. He denies or telling lies that he is not seeing God. But a devotee of God, he sees God at every moment within his heart. So the difference of seeing God by a devotee and difference of, and denying, denial by the nondevotee, is this, that the atheist class or the atheist can see God at his last stage as death, whereas the devotee sees God by his devotional service every moment and every step of his life.
yathā pumān na svāńgeṣu
śiraḥ-pāṇy-ādiṣu kvacit
pārakya-buddhiḿ kurute
evaḿ bhūteṣu mat-parah
A person with average intelligence does not think the head and other parts of the body to be separate. Similarly, My devotee does not differentiate Viṣṇu, the all-pervading Personality of Godhead, from any thing or any living entity.
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.7.54
trayāṇām eka-bhāvānāḿ
yo na paśyati vai bhidām
sarva-bhūtātmanāḿ brahman
sa śāntim adhigacchati
TRANSLATION
The Lord continued: One who does not consider Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva or the living entities in general to be separate from the Supreme, and who knows Brahman, actually realizes peace; others do not.
PURPORT
Two words are very significant in this verse. Trayāṇām indicates "three," namely Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and Lord Viṣṇu. Bhidām means "different." They are three, and therefore they are separate, but at the same time they are one. This is the philosophy of simultaneous oneness and difference, which is called acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. The example given in the Brahma-saḿhitā is that milk and yogurt are simultaneously one and different; both are milk, but the yogurt has become changed. In order to achieve real peace, one should see everything and every living entity, including Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva, as nondifferent from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. No one is independent. Every one of us is an expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This accounts for unity in diversity. There are diverse manifestations, but, at the same time, they are one in Viṣṇu. Everything is an expansion of Viṣṇu's energy.
Haribol Prabhu,
from my understanding Prabhu, if Swami Vivekananda pointed a man as God, then he would have definitely pointed out to the soul/atma and not this material body. Swami Vivekananda was a Vendanti, I don't know what God they preach, but the time frame he was in there were man thriving for water, good health facilities, good education, etc.... so in this scenario it is correct to say " Nar Seva Narayan Seva ".
As Narayan resides in all serving others in need is itself serving Narayana.
i hope every religion says to serve mankind / nar. without that i guess even Narayan wouldn't accept the austerities/puja/offerings.
Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna Prabhu.
This is the most appropriate question, as a SAADHAK (seeker).....
the answer is, "Yes many devotees have seen God". I myself haven't seen God yet, but at times I've been intimate & felt as if the murti/dolls were real for some seconds. Those who see God have the most purest love for God, & act according to dharma. And for that, one has to qualify to see GOD.
As Lord Krishna says in Bhagavat Gita,
" yat karoshi, yat sanashi, yaj-ju hoshi dada siyat, yat tapasiya si kaunteya tat kurusva mad arpanam"
Which in simple words Lord Krishna asks Arjuna to dedicate his each and every task as an offering to Him (Lord Krishna) and this doesn't mean that you do adharma & offer it to Lord Krishna. We have to act according to DHARMA and with pure devotion only can we see the God and this is only the wish of Lord weather to give darshan/ appear in front of the devotee or not.
For a pure devotee, it is the greatest sin to say that "I did this....." or "I did that...." because he/she from inside knows that they are pure expansions of Lord & without His mercy their own birth on this planet wouldn't be possible. This is the type of devotion required.
Regarding one-self as a mere puppet & the Lord as the Master, this type of full devotion is needed for this purpose. Ego shouldn't be present within oneself. these are the characteristics of a pure devotee.
One great example is of Swami Vivekananda & RamKrishna Paramhansa. Narendra (before changing the name to Swami Vivekananda) was a very intelligent student and was always weather some-one have seen GOD or not. Ramkrishna Paramhansa on other side was an illiterate man.
Swami Vivekananda asked these question to many, but didn't get "yes" as an answer unless he met "Ramkrishna Paramhans". Ramkrishna Paramhansa said, "YES, I've seen GOD in the same way you are seeing me now". Then Swami Vivekananda tried to find out weather he is a honest man or a real GURU or not (because at that time there were many fake GURUs).
Paramhansa one said that he had some opposition/allergy form metal coins or currencies. And this gave a chance to Narendra (Swami Vivekananda) to check it the next time he met Paramhansa, so he quietly slipped some coins under the cushion of Paramhansa while every one was away. when Paramhansa came and as soon as he sat on the cushion, he jumped as if something poked him really hard. Then he realised that it would be only Narendra's idea & he explained that it was appropriate for him to do so because even if you by a cheap thing from the market, you check it before buying it. And when you are seeking a spiritual master it is even more important that you check the master first from whom you are going to receive knowledge.
This is how an illiterate man's (Paramhansa) devotion & love towards GOD made the most learned man (Narendra) his disciple. He also made Narendra see GOD. After that Narendra was called Swami Vivekananda.
There is a movie of Swami Vivekananda on youtube. please watch if you have time.
My advice is that, we should continue to develop love & devotion for God. And it is good & probably the best to find a real Guru (not the fake one), who is willing to give us some guidance on spiritual path. If you are very busy and can't find a Guru/spiritual master still develop love for GOD.
Hope my information has helped you see the right path of Bhakti. Forgive me for any mistakes I've made knowingly or unknowingly. All Glories to Lord Krishna.
Hare Krishna.
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