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When you hear the sound of the wind, 'Ohnnhnn Shaah Shaah', you say, 'Oh, today wind is very violently blowing'. You can feel, but you don't see the air. So don't stress on seeing only: Difference between revisions

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<div id="Lectures" class="section" sec_index="4" parent="compilation" text="Lectures"><h2>Lectures</h2>
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<div class="heading">When the air, wind passes very violently, you cannot see, but you can hear. But you get the experience. So seeing is not only experience, but hearing is also experience. When you hear the sound of the wind, "Ohnnhnn Shaah Shaah," you say, "Oh, today wind is very violently blowing." You can feel, but you don't see the air. So don't stress on seeing only. There are so many senses. You hear. We can perceive the presence of God, or Kṛṣṇa, by hearing. By hearing.
<div class="heading">When the air, wind passes very violently, you cannot see, but you can hear. But you get the experience. So seeing is not only experience, but hearing is also experience. When you hear the sound of the wind, "Ohnnhnn Shaah Shaah," you say, "Oh, today wind is very violently blowing." You can feel, but you don't see the air. So don't stress on seeing only. There are so many senses. You hear. We can perceive the presence of God, or Kṛṣṇa, by hearing. By hearing.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 9.2-5 -- New York, November 23, 1966|Lecture on BG 9.2-5 -- New York, November 23, 1966]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">"One who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then all his reactions of past sinful activities—gradually they become vanquished." There are different stages. Just like I have infected some (break) say, for cholera today. Immediately cholera does not take place. After two or three days the cholera appears. It takes some time. Just like if you sow a seed of a tree, immediately it does not become a tree and gives its fruits, delivers its fruit. It takes some time. Therefore, imperceptibly, or knowingly or unknowingly, we are doing so many sinful activities. So they are in the seedling stage, then growing stage. Then, when we suffer, that is called prārabdha. Prārabdha means, "Now receive the result." So in this way we are creating, we are sowing, some seeds. That will take its reaction, either in this body or another body. It takes time to fructify. So... But if we act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it is just like fried seed. Fried seed, if you sow in a land, it will not fructify, fried seed. So this fried seed...</p>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 9.2-5 -- New York, November 23, 1966|Lecture on BG 9.2-5 -- New York, November 23, 1966]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">"One who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then all his reactions of past sinful activities—gradually they become vanquished." There are different stages. Just like I have infected some (break) say, for cholera today. Immediately cholera does not take place. After two or three days the cholera appears. It takes some time. Just like if you sow a seed of a tree, immediately it does not become a tree and gives its fruits, delivers its fruit. It takes some time. Therefore, imperceptibly, or knowingly or unknowingly, we are doing so many sinful activities. So they are in the seedling stage, then growing stage. Then, when we suffer, that is called prārabdha. Prārabdha means, "Now receive the result." So in this way we are creating, we are sowing, some seeds. That will take its reaction, either in this body or another body. It takes time to fructify. So... But if we act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it is just like fried seed. Fried seed, if you sow in a land, it will not fructify, fried seed. So this fried seed...</p>
<p>Our activities can be made a fried seed by the fire of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So there will be no reaction. Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ susukhaṁ kartum avyayam ([[Vanisource:BG 9.2|BG 9.2]]). Susukham, very pleasant. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 7.5.23|SB 7.5.23]]). This devotional service is not very unpleasant. It is very pleasant. You very melodiously sing with instruments, and somebody will participate in hearing, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Of course, it must be in relationship with the Supreme Lord. Not ordinary music. We take the advantage of musical science. But we don't sing any ordinary song. We glorify the Supreme Lord. But we enjoy. Therefore it is happy. Then again, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam. Now, what you are hearing from Bhagavad-gītā, if you remember it at home, that "Swamiji was spoke, speaking like this, and how does it apply in my life?"... We should remember this. We should not forget just after leaving this place. And if there is any question, any doubt, we should place before this assembly. I am inquiring. I am inviting you for any question because we are trying to understand a very nice and great science.</p>
<p>Our activities can be made a fried seed by the fire of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So there will be no reaction. Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ susukhaṁ kartum avyayam ([[Vanisource:BG 9.2 (1972)|BG 9.2]]). Susukham, very pleasant. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 7.5.23-24|SB 7.5.23]]). This devotional service is not very unpleasant. It is very pleasant. You very melodiously sing with instruments, and somebody will participate in hearing, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Of course, it must be in relationship with the Supreme Lord. Not ordinary music. We take the advantage of musical science. But we don't sing any ordinary song. We glorify the Supreme Lord. But we enjoy. Therefore it is happy. Then again, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam. Now, what you are hearing from Bhagavad-gītā, if you remember it at home, that "Swamiji was spoke, speaking like this, and how does it apply in my life?"... We should remember this. We should not forget just after leaving this place. And if there is any question, any doubt, we should place before this assembly. I am inquiring. I am inviting you for any question because we are trying to understand a very nice and great science.</p>
<p>So it should be understood with all critical study. We don't request you to take it or accept it blindly. So śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam. And pāda-sevanam. Pāda-sevanam means to rise early in the morning, open the door of temple and wipe it out, all the dust, and give some light. The pāda-sevanam. Arcanaṁ vandanam.  Then there is foodstuff offered. It is cooked for Kṛṣṇa, and decorate with flower. So many things there are, arcana-vidhi. The Deity will look very nice, and you'll be pleased to see it. We, we want to see very beautiful things. When you see the beautiful Deity, the forms of Lord Kṛṣṇa, you'll forget to see anymore any other beauty. You see? These are the process, very nice, susukham. There is no trouble. Decorate with flower, with dress, with ornaments and see and hear and eat very... You offer very nice foodstuff to Kṛṣṇa and then partake it. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanam ([[Vanisource:SB 7.5.23|SB 7.5.23]]). Vandanam  means prayer. Of course, if you do not like, if you think, "This is Hindu system. We won't accept. We are Christian," all right, you go to church, sing there. You have got also songs of Bible. You can sing very nicely.</p>
<p>So it should be understood with all critical study. We don't request you to take it or accept it blindly. So śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam. And pāda-sevanam. Pāda-sevanam means to rise early in the morning, open the door of temple and wipe it out, all the dust, and give some light. The pāda-sevanam. Arcanaṁ vandanam.  Then there is foodstuff offered. It is cooked for Kṛṣṇa, and decorate with flower. So many things there are, arcana-vidhi. The Deity will look very nice, and you'll be pleased to see it. We, we want to see very beautiful things. When you see the beautiful Deity, the forms of Lord Kṛṣṇa, you'll forget to see anymore any other beauty. You see? These are the process, very nice, susukham. There is no trouble. Decorate with flower, with dress, with ornaments and see and hear and eat very... You offer very nice foodstuff to Kṛṣṇa and then partake it. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanam ([[Vanisource:SB 7.5.23-24|SB 7.5.23]]). Vandanam  means prayer. Of course, if you do not like, if you think, "This is Hindu system. We won't accept. We are Christian," all right, you go to church, sing there. You have got also songs of Bible. You can sing very nicely.</p>
<p>So smaraṇaṁ vandanam. So there is no difference between this process and that process. Simply we are teaching that "Become God conscious." God is neither Hindu nor Muslim nor Christian. He's God. And we are also not Hindu or Muslim or Christian. This is our bodily designation. We are all pure, part and parcel of the Supreme. As God is pure, so we are also pure. So we have fallen in this turmoil of this material ocean, and there is tossing of the waves. So we are suffering. We don't identify with the tossing of the waves because I have nothing to do with this tossing. I simply pray, "Kṛṣṇa, please pick me up from these tossing waves. Some way or other, I am fallen here."</p>
<p>So smaraṇaṁ vandanam. So there is no difference between this process and that process. Simply we are teaching that "Become God conscious." God is neither Hindu nor Muslim nor Christian. He's God. And we are also not Hindu or Muslim or Christian. This is our bodily designation. We are all pure, part and parcel of the Supreme. As God is pure, so we are also pure. So we have fallen in this turmoil of this material ocean, and there is tossing of the waves. So we are suffering. We don't identify with the tossing of the waves because I have nothing to do with this tossing. I simply pray, "Kṛṣṇa, please pick me up from these tossing waves. Some way or other, I am fallen here."</p>
:ayi nanda-tanuja kiṅkaraṁ
:ayi nanda-tanuja kiṅkaraṁ
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:kṛpayā tava pāda-paṅkaja-
:kṛpayā tava pāda-paṅkaja-
:sthita-dhūlī-sadṛśaṁ vicintaya
:sthita-dhūlī-sadṛśaṁ vicintaya
<p> (Cc. Antya 20.32, Śikṣāṣṭaka 5)</p>
:([[Vanisource:CC Antya 20.32|CC Antya 20.32, Śikṣāṣṭaka 5]])
<p>"O my dear Kṛṣṇa, somehow or other, I forgot You, and I am fallen in this..." As soon as I forget Kṛṣṇa this māyā or illusion, ocean of illusion is there. It at once captures me. That is my position. So anyway, Kṛṣṇa has prescribed this devotional service, very nice. You can very happily perform. Susukhaṁ kartum avyayam ([[Vanisource:BG 9.2|BG 9.2]]). Śravaṇādike apaśyamāne tasmin sa tad-viṣaye puruṣottamaḥ, aham ādir bhavāmi.</p>
<p>"O my dear Kṛṣṇa, somehow or other, I forgot You, and I am fallen in this..." As soon as I forget Kṛṣṇa this māyā or illusion, ocean of illusion is there. It at once captures me. That is my position. So anyway, Kṛṣṇa has prescribed this devotional service, very nice. You can very happily perform. Susukhaṁ kartum avyayam ([[Vanisource:BG 9.2 (1972)|BG 9.2]]). Śravaṇādike apaśyamāne tasmin sa tad-viṣaye puruṣottamaḥ, aham ādir bhavāmi.</p>
<p>It is said that Kṛṣṇa appears... When we chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa (Hare Hare), Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare, this sound is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, when you vibrate this sound, this means this sound, Kṛṣṇa, and the original Kṛṣṇa, the same, identical. So you are not only dancing, but Kṛṣṇa is also dancing with you. If you say that "Why don't you... Why do I not see Him?" Yes. Seeing is not... Why do you stress on seeing? Why not hearing? Seeing, hearing, tasting, touching—these our instruments for experience. That's all. Knowledge. Why you are so much, I mean to say, I mean to say, important about seeing? A devotee does not wish to see Kṛṣṇa. He simply... He's satisfied simply by hearing of Kṛṣṇa. As seeing is also experience, so hearing also experience. That I have explained many times. Seeing and hearing. Hearing also... Something you cannot see, you can hear only. Just like the, when the air, wind passes very violently, you cannot see, but you can hear. But you get the experience. So seeing is not only experience, but hearing is also experience. When you hear the sound of the wind, "Ohnnhnn Shaah Shaah," you say, "Oh, today wind is very violently blowing." You can feel, but you don't see the air. So don't stress on seeing only. There are so many senses. You hear. We can perceive the presence of God, or Kṛṣṇa, by hearing. By hearing. And He's there, present. He's there, present. He says, Kṛṣṇa says, that</p>
<p>It is said that Kṛṣṇa appears... When we chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa (Hare Hare), Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare, this sound is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, when you vibrate this sound, this means this sound, Kṛṣṇa, and the original Kṛṣṇa, the same, identical. So you are not only dancing, but Kṛṣṇa is also dancing with you. If you say that "Why don't you... Why do I not see Him?" Yes. Seeing is not... Why do you stress on seeing? Why not hearing? Seeing, hearing, tasting, touching—these our instruments for experience. That's all. Knowledge. Why you are so much, I mean to say, I mean to say, important about seeing? A devotee does not wish to see Kṛṣṇa. He simply... He's satisfied simply by hearing of Kṛṣṇa. As seeing is also experience, so hearing also experience. That I have explained many times. Seeing and hearing. Hearing also... Something you cannot see, you can hear only. Just like the, when the air, wind passes very violently, you cannot see, but you can hear. But you get the experience. So seeing is not only experience, but hearing is also experience. When you hear the sound of the wind, "Ohnnhnn Shaah Shaah," you say, "Oh, today wind is very violently blowing." You can feel, but you don't see the air. So don't stress on seeing only. There are so many senses. You hear. We can perceive the presence of God, or Kṛṣṇa, by hearing. By hearing. And He's there, present. He's there, present. He says, Kṛṣṇa says, that</p>
:nāhaṁ tiṣṭhāmi vaikuṇṭhe
:nāhaṁ tiṣṭhāmi vaikuṇṭhe
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:yatra gāyanti mad-bhaktā
:yatra gāyanti mad-bhaktā
:tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada
:tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada
:([[Vanisource:BG 9.2 (1972)|BG 9.2]])
<p>He says that "I, I am not actually in My abode, Kṛṣṇaloka; neither I am in the heart of the yogis who are meditating. But I am present in there where My pure devotees are singing, singing." Yes, Kṛṣṇa says that.</p>
<p>He says that "I, I am not actually in My abode, Kṛṣṇaloka; neither I am in the heart of the yogis who are meditating. But I am present in there where My pure devotees are singing, singing." Yes, Kṛṣṇa says that.</p>
<p>So you can feel the presence of Kṛṣṇa as we make progress in this line. Sutradi-vyapa-matram tulasī-patra ambuki-matra upakara ca. And it is very easy also. Arcanam. Arcanam. Now, Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that you have to offer something out of your love. Love means you must give something. You are taking something from Kṛṣṇa. Why not give something? Is it love, simply going on taking, taking, taking, and no offering? We are taking from Kṛṣṇa so much light. We are taking from Kṛṣṇa so much air, so much water. So many things Kṛṣṇa is supplying for our subsistence, fruits, grains. Without supplied by Kṛṣṇa, you cannot have. You cannot manufacture all these things. So you must admit that God is supplying us so many things. And why not offer something? Is it love? Therefore offering is required. Love means you take and you give also. Suppose if you love somebody... You simply take from him, but you don't give. Oh, do you think it is very good? No. It is not good. That is not love. That is exploitation. If I go on simply taking from you, and if I don't offer you anything, that is simply exploitation. So love means you must take, you must give. Dadāti pratigṛhṇāti bhuṅkte, bhuṅkte bhojayate. You must eat, and you must give to eat. Simply don't go on eating kṛṣṇa-prasāda, but give something to Kṛṣṇa for eating. So that...</p>
<p>It is a system in India that if somebody's invited to take prasādam, he takes something, some fruits, some sweetmeats, something, and offers to the Deity. Of course, that is distributed amongst the prasādam, but it is the system. When a, when a man goes to see a saintly person, or goes to a temple, he takes some fruit, as far as he, as he can acquire. So giving and taking, eating and feeding. Dadāti pratigṛhṇāti bhuṅkte bhojayate, guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati ca. Guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati. You have to hear Bhagavad-gītā and, if you have got any distress, you have got any confidential thing, you have to submit to Kṛṣṇa, "Kṛṣṇa, I am in suffering this way. I am fallen in this tossing ocean of material illusion. Kindly save me. I can understand now that I have no identification with this material world. I am simply put here." Just like if I am put into the Atlantic Ocean, I have no identification with the ocean, but I am subjected to the tossing waves of the ocean, similarly, we are spiritual spark, fragmental part of Kṛṣṇa. Some way or other, we put into this material ocean, and there is tossing. So I am being tossed. Don't identify. Don't try to solve the tossing. That is not possible. If you want to make solution of the tossing waves of the Atlantic Ocean when you are fallen there, it is useless foolishness. That is not possible. Don't be foolish in that way. That will go on. That is Atlantic Ocean's nature. You cannot stop it. You have to get out of it.</p>
<p>The foolish people, they are trying to adjust this world and be happy. That is not... That is a first-class foolishness. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā ([[Vanisource:BG 7.14|BG 7.14]]). They'll never be able to make a solution of this material world. (break) ...do not accept this principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness the result is that they do not go back to Godhead, but remain in this material world for continuous struggle for existence. Dharmasya iti, imaṁ bhakti-lakṣaṇaṁ dharmam. This... This Kṛṣṇa consciousness is also a principle of religion. Religion... Religion means which has connection with God. Without any connection with God, oh, that is not accepted as religion. Religion, generally understood—searching after God, understanding about God, relationship with God. This is religion. Atheism is not religion. Atheism not religion. Religion means...</p>
<p>So this is, Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Because persons who are acting for transcendental loving service of the Supreme Lord, they are called Kṛṣṇa conscious, so it has connection with God. Therefore it is religion, dharma. And how a religion is accepted? Religion accepted from authorized source. Just like Vedic religion, Bible religion. Because they have got source from authority. Śruti-pramāṇa. Śruti-pramāṇa religion. You cannot manufacture religion. It must be according to the Vedic rules or authorized scriptures. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: ([[Vanisource:SB 6.3.19|SB 6.3.19]]) "Dharma, religion, means it is the law of God." Just like state laws. You cannot manufacture any law. If you make some by-laws... Just like for your society you make some by-laws. That is to be sanctioned by this society registration under religious regulation, as we have registered. But you cannot make any law without any sanction. Similarly, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam ([[Vanisource:SB 6.3.19|SB 6.3.19]]). If you want to create some principle of religion, then it must be sanctioned by the Vedic authority.</p>
<p>So this Bhagavad-gītā is also religion. It is accepted by authorities, great authorities just like Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, and Lord Caitanya, all authorities of India, Śaṅkarācārya. Those who are accepted as the religious heads of Indian culture, all of them accepted this Bhagavad-gītā as principle of religion and Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So there is no doubt about it. And so far outsiders, they also take it, this book, as book of authority, book of knowledge, and they have studied very serious study of this book. They write commentaries, great scholars, great philosophers. So it is also a dharma. But, but there are persons, in spite of its acceptance by the ācāryas and scholars, they have no faith. They do not think that it is a book of authority or book of knowledge. Aśraddadhānāḥ. They have no faith. They think that it is simply aggravating or exaggeration or a person who is known as Kṛṣṇa and His principle. So therefore they have no faith. Dhīra vrsatvena tam bhinna mataḥ śruti-mātra eva. Śruti-mātra means it is simply praising some principle. That's all. In this way it is not accepted by everyone.</p>
<p>Kṛṣṇa points out them: aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā dharma, dharmasya asya ([[Vanisource:BG 9.3|BG 9.3]]). This principle of religion, those who do not accept it as authority, so the result is that they can never have any connection directly with Kṛṣṇa, and, as the, as such, aprāpya mām, because they do not have any access to Kṛṣṇa, therefore nivartante, they remain... Nivartante means remain. Where does, do they remain? Mṛtyu-saṁsāra, mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani, this life: birth, death, birth, death, birth, death.</p>
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Latest revision as of 16:56, 3 March 2021

Expressions researched:
"don't stress on seeing only"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

When the air, wind passes very violently, you cannot see, but you can hear. But you get the experience. So seeing is not only experience, but hearing is also experience. When you hear the sound of the wind, "Ohnnhnn Shaah Shaah," you say, "Oh, today wind is very violently blowing." You can feel, but you don't see the air. So don't stress on seeing only. There are so many senses. You hear. We can perceive the presence of God, or Kṛṣṇa, by hearing. By hearing.

Lecture on BG 9.2-5 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

"One who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then all his reactions of past sinful activities—gradually they become vanquished." There are different stages. Just like I have infected some (break) say, for cholera today. Immediately cholera does not take place. After two or three days the cholera appears. It takes some time. Just like if you sow a seed of a tree, immediately it does not become a tree and gives its fruits, delivers its fruit. It takes some time. Therefore, imperceptibly, or knowingly or unknowingly, we are doing so many sinful activities. So they are in the seedling stage, then growing stage. Then, when we suffer, that is called prārabdha. Prārabdha means, "Now receive the result." So in this way we are creating, we are sowing, some seeds. That will take its reaction, either in this body or another body. It takes time to fructify. So... But if we act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it is just like fried seed. Fried seed, if you sow in a land, it will not fructify, fried seed. So this fried seed...

Our activities can be made a fried seed by the fire of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So there will be no reaction. Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ susukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). Susukham, very pleasant. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). This devotional service is not very unpleasant. It is very pleasant. You very melodiously sing with instruments, and somebody will participate in hearing, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Of course, it must be in relationship with the Supreme Lord. Not ordinary music. We take the advantage of musical science. But we don't sing any ordinary song. We glorify the Supreme Lord. But we enjoy. Therefore it is happy. Then again, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam. Now, what you are hearing from Bhagavad-gītā, if you remember it at home, that "Swamiji was spoke, speaking like this, and how does it apply in my life?"... We should remember this. We should not forget just after leaving this place. And if there is any question, any doubt, we should place before this assembly. I am inquiring. I am inviting you for any question because we are trying to understand a very nice and great science.

So it should be understood with all critical study. We don't request you to take it or accept it blindly. So śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam. And pāda-sevanam. Pāda-sevanam means to rise early in the morning, open the door of temple and wipe it out, all the dust, and give some light. The pāda-sevanam. Arcanaṁ vandanam. Then there is foodstuff offered. It is cooked for Kṛṣṇa, and decorate with flower. So many things there are, arcana-vidhi. The Deity will look very nice, and you'll be pleased to see it. We, we want to see very beautiful things. When you see the beautiful Deity, the forms of Lord Kṛṣṇa, you'll forget to see anymore any other beauty. You see? These are the process, very nice, susukham. There is no trouble. Decorate with flower, with dress, with ornaments and see and hear and eat very... You offer very nice foodstuff to Kṛṣṇa and then partake it. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanam (SB 7.5.23). Vandanam means prayer. Of course, if you do not like, if you think, "This is Hindu system. We won't accept. We are Christian," all right, you go to church, sing there. You have got also songs of Bible. You can sing very nicely.

So smaraṇaṁ vandanam. So there is no difference between this process and that process. Simply we are teaching that "Become God conscious." God is neither Hindu nor Muslim nor Christian. He's God. And we are also not Hindu or Muslim or Christian. This is our bodily designation. We are all pure, part and parcel of the Supreme. As God is pure, so we are also pure. So we have fallen in this turmoil of this material ocean, and there is tossing of the waves. So we are suffering. We don't identify with the tossing of the waves because I have nothing to do with this tossing. I simply pray, "Kṛṣṇa, please pick me up from these tossing waves. Some way or other, I am fallen here."

ayi nanda-tanuja kiṅkaraṁ
patitaṁ māṁ viṣame bhavāmbudhau
kṛpayā tava pāda-paṅkaja-
sthita-dhūlī-sadṛśaṁ vicintaya
(CC Antya 20.32, Śikṣāṣṭaka 5)

"O my dear Kṛṣṇa, somehow or other, I forgot You, and I am fallen in this..." As soon as I forget Kṛṣṇa this māyā or illusion, ocean of illusion is there. It at once captures me. That is my position. So anyway, Kṛṣṇa has prescribed this devotional service, very nice. You can very happily perform. Susukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). Śravaṇādike apaśyamāne tasmin sa tad-viṣaye puruṣottamaḥ, aham ādir bhavāmi.

It is said that Kṛṣṇa appears... When we chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa (Hare Hare), Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare, this sound is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, when you vibrate this sound, this means this sound, Kṛṣṇa, and the original Kṛṣṇa, the same, identical. So you are not only dancing, but Kṛṣṇa is also dancing with you. If you say that "Why don't you... Why do I not see Him?" Yes. Seeing is not... Why do you stress on seeing? Why not hearing? Seeing, hearing, tasting, touching—these our instruments for experience. That's all. Knowledge. Why you are so much, I mean to say, I mean to say, important about seeing? A devotee does not wish to see Kṛṣṇa. He simply... He's satisfied simply by hearing of Kṛṣṇa. As seeing is also experience, so hearing also experience. That I have explained many times. Seeing and hearing. Hearing also... Something you cannot see, you can hear only. Just like the, when the air, wind passes very violently, you cannot see, but you can hear. But you get the experience. So seeing is not only experience, but hearing is also experience. When you hear the sound of the wind, "Ohnnhnn Shaah Shaah," you say, "Oh, today wind is very violently blowing." You can feel, but you don't see the air. So don't stress on seeing only. There are so many senses. You hear. We can perceive the presence of God, or Kṛṣṇa, by hearing. By hearing. And He's there, present. He's there, present. He says, Kṛṣṇa says, that

nāhaṁ tiṣṭhāmi vaikuṇṭhe
yogināṁ vā hṛdaye ca
yatra gāyanti mad-bhaktā
tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada
(BG 9.2)

He says that "I, I am not actually in My abode, Kṛṣṇaloka; neither I am in the heart of the yogis who are meditating. But I am present in there where My pure devotees are singing, singing." Yes, Kṛṣṇa says that.