I Want To See Krishna! Part two

Srila Prabhupada says one can see Krishna in his heart, in the Deity (archa-murti), in the Srimad Bhagavatam and face to face.

Srila Prabhupada also describes different factors leading to Krishna’s darshana i.e. eagerness, attitude, faith, humility, patience, mercy, seva, steadiness in bhakti bhajana, eagerness and prema or divine love. Now we will illustrate these points with quotes from Srila Prabhupada.

DEITY: “Who is a first-class yogi? It is he/she who is always trying to see Krishna within the heart. In our bhakti-yoga we can teach this art of seeing Krishna within the core of the heart in one minute. It is so simple. You are seeing Krishna here [as Deity]. You must try to keep that impression [of Radha-Krishna’s murti] within your heart always.” (folio 760312SB.MAY)

KRISHNA BOOK: “If you read Krishna Book [means Bhagavatam tenth canto] and if you believe, then you see Krishna. Krishna is not different from the book. (folio 760427CC.AUC)

ATTITUDE: “This sincere attitude [to be Krishna conscious] will make you more and more advanced, and one day Krsna will reveal Himself to you face to face!” (folio Letter 73-01-28)

PREMA: “We have to smear our eyes with the ointment of love; then Krishna will actually come in front of us.” (BTG #60 1973)

“Krishna is always present. When Krishna is pleased with your service and love, you will see Krishna, you will see yourself [siddha svarupa], you will see the whole world!” (folio 720911rc.arl)

“When we develop love of Krishna, we will immediately see Krishna and faint, saying, “Oh, here is my Lord!” (TLK 35 pur.)

PATIENCE: “Of course, it is good to be eager to see Krishna, but we should not become discouraged if we do not see Him immediately.” (BTG #60 1973)

SEVA: “My request is that you continue your devotional service very faithfully and rigidly. Then in this life you will be able to see Krishna face to face; that is a fact!” (folio SPL 7-10)

FAITH: “We must have firm faith that because we are engaged in Krishna consciousness we will see Krishna face to face. The time will come when we will see Krishna. There is no doubt about this.” (TQK 25 pur.)

MERCY: The ability to see Krishna depends on Krishna’s mercy. (JSD 2.2)

EAGERNESS:

This is the main factor in seeing Krishna. Do you ever even think, “With my eyes, I want to see Radha! I want to see Krishna!” Do you ever feel, “I don’t know how or when but I must, I have to in this very life get darshana of Radha Govinda Yugala?” Without it I can’t live.”

Do you ever pray, “Krishna, You must show Yourself to me. Please, I beg You while crying piteously. Otherwise, how can I live any longer?” Ever-pushing anxiety, exasperation, desperation, hope against hope and relentless enthusiastic endeavors in bhakti bhajana—this means eagerness.

Since eagerness to see Krishna is the main factor in attaining darshana of Sri Krishna, let’s see Srila Prabhupada’s many quotes about eagerness; its need, power and effects.

To illustrate the point, Srila Prabhupada once told the following story titled “Krishna and the Thief”. One day a thief heard a lecture describing a boy named Krishna who wanders in the forests of Vrindavana and who is adorned with gold and jeweled ornaments. The thief thought, “Why not go to Vrindavana and plunder this boy?”

Srila Prabhupada comments: “That thief was always thinking and feeling. “I must find that boy! I must see Krishna! I must see Krishna!” That anxiety, that eagerness, made it possible for him to actually see Krishna in Vrindavana.

“So we must be very, very eager to see Krishna. Somehow or other you must develop this eagerness, this desire: “I must see Krishna.” Then Krishna will be seen.” (folio JSD 2.2)

“One [a Krishna bhakta] must actually be very much eager to see God. One must be very serious and think, “Yes, I have been informed about God. So if there is a God, I must see Him.” (BTG #15-10 1980)

“Eagerness is very important thing, and it [develops] by the association of devotees. Then you will see God eye to eye. It is not difficult. Those who have developed that eagerness, faith, that ‘I must see Krishna in this life’ [they will see Krishna]. This life is meant for seeing Krishna.” (folio 720515SB.LA)

“If you are eager to see Krishna, regardless of whatever motive you have, you will see Krishna!” (JSD 2.2)

“We must be eager to see Krishna and talk with Him. He is actually waiting to see whether we are interested in talking with Him.” (TLK 35 pur.)

“When a devotee is very eager to see Krishna, Krishna is so kind that He comes. (TLK 38 pur.)

The Srimad Bhagavatam often mentions the eagerness of the Vrajavasis and especially Radha and the gopis to see Krishna with such phrases as, “the gopis’ eyes were very eager to see Shyamasundara, gopyah didrkshita drshah.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.15.42) By reading this and the following sastric quotes, one will increase his/her eagerness and enthusiasm to see Krishna NOW.

Sri Jayadeva Goswami says Radha’s eyes are always excessively restless looking here and there due to Her intense hankering to see Hari, sandarshana utkantha. (Gita Govinda V.32)

One day Kasturi manjari saw how Radharani turned to Her loyal friend Visakha and said in the madness of separation from Shyama, “Where is Krishna, who is so expert in rasa dancing? Oh, where is He, who can save My life? Kindly tell Me where to find Krishna, the treasure of My life and the best of My friends.

“O sakhi, where is Krishna? Kindly let Me see Him. My heart breaks at not seeing Krishna’s face even for a moment. Kindly show Him to Me immediately; otherwise I cannot live.” (Caitanya Caritamrita 3.19.35-37)

During His Jagannatha Puri lila, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited the topmost limit in hankering to see Krishna. Mahaprabhu would wail and weep, “Alas, where is Vrindavana? Where is Gopendranandana Sri Krishna? Where is that flute player, ha ha kahan vrndavana, kahan gopendra-nandana, kahan sei vamshi vadana?” (Caitanya Caritamrita 2.2.55) At another time, Mahaprabhu pined, “Where is Krishna, My life and soul? Please show Me Krishna, kotha krishna mora prana natha more krishna dekhao!” (Caitanya Caritamrita 3.16.81)

Summarizing it all, Srila Prabhupada perfectly said, “We simply have to prepare ourselves to see Krishna and understand Krishna. That is the purpose of Krishna consciousness.” (TQK 11 pur.)

So this is Krishna consciousness: wanting to, praying to and trying to see Krishna—Radha-Krishna Yugala in Vrindavana in the keli-kadamba kunjas along the Yamuna.

Being a Krishna devotee means that one wants to serve Krishna, to love Krishna and to SEE KRISHNA FACE TO FACE just like Gopa Kumara did in Brhad Bhagavatamrta.

And like the thief that Srila Prabhupada described, we must always think and feel, “I must find that boy! I must see Krishna! I MUST SEE KRISHNA!” This type of divine transcendental anxiety and eagerness will definitely bring us the greatest treasure (mahanidhi) of seeing Sri Krishna in Vrindavana one fine day.

Radha-Krishna sakshad darshana ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!