View source for The ability to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead or to see Him or talk with Him depends on one's advancement in devotional service, which is called bhakti

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{{terms|"the ability to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead or to see Him or talk with Him depends on one's advancement in devotional service, which is called bhakti"}}
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[[Category:Ability]]
[[Category:Understanding God]]
[[Category:Supreme Personality of Godhead]]
[[Category:Seeing God]]
[[Category:Talking with God]]
[[Category:Depend On]]
[[Category:Advancement]]
[[Category:Devotional Service to God]]
[[Category:Which Is]]
[[Category:Is Called...]]
[[Category:Bhakti - Devotional Service to God]]
[[Category:Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 07 Chapter 04 Purports - Hiranyakasipu Terrorizes the Universe]]
[[Category:Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 07 Purports]]
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<h2>Srimad-Bhagavatam</h2>
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<h3>SB Canto 7</h3>
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Sometimes people are very much eager to see God. In considering the word mad-darśanam, "seeing Me," which is mentioned in this verse, one should note that in Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). In other words, the ability to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead or to see Him or talk with Him depends on one's advancement in devotional service, which is called bhakti.
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[[Vanisource:SB 7.4.25-26|SB 7.4.25-26, Translation and Purport]]
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The voice of the Lord vibrated as follows: O best of learned persons, do not fear! I wish all good fortune to you. Become My devotees by hearing and chanting about Me and offering Me prayers, for these are certainly meant to award benedictions to all living entities. I know all about the activities of Hiraṇyakaśipu and shall surely stop them very soon. Please wait patiently until that time.
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Sometimes people are very much eager to see God. In considering the word mad-darśanam, "seeing Me," which is mentioned in this verse, one should note that in Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti ([[Vanisource:BG 18.55 (1972)|BG 18.55]]). In other words, the ability to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead or to see Him or talk with Him depends on one's advancement in devotional service, which is called bhakti. In bhakti there are nine different activities: śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam/ arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam ([[Vanisource:SB 7.5.23-24|SB 7.5.23]]). Because all these devotional activities are absolute, there is no fundamental difference between worshiping the Deity in the temple, seeing Him and chanting His glories. Indeed, all of these are ways of seeing Him, for everything done in devotional service is a means of direct contact with the Lord. The vibration of the Lord's voice appeared in the presence of all the devotees, and although the person vibrating the sound was unseen to them, they were meeting or seeing the Lord because they were offering prayers and because the vibration of the Lord was present. Contrary to the laws of the material world, there is no difference between seeing the Lord, offering prayers and hearing the transcendental vibration. Pure devotees, therefore, are fully satisfied by glorifying the Lord. Such glorification is called kīrtana. Performing kīrtana and hearing the vibration of the sound Hare Kṛṣṇa is actually seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly. One must realize this position, and then one will be able to understand the absolute nature of the Lord's activities.
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