Category:Blunt Senses
Theme Analysis
Śrīla Prabhupāda frequently uses the term "blunt senses" to describe the incapacity of the material body to perceive spiritual reality. He explains that our present senses—eyes, ears, tongue, etc.—are covered by māyā and limited by imperfection. Therefore, it is impossible to see God, understand His name, or grasp His pastimes through direct experimental knowledge or mental speculation. The Sanskrit axiom often cited is ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ: "Material senses cannot appreciate Kṛṣṇa’s holy name, form, qualities, and pastimes." However, these blunt senses can be purified. The process of purification begins with the tongue (sevonmukhe hi jihvādau). By engaging the tongue in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and tasting kṛṣṇa-prasādam, the senses are gradually sharpened and spiritualized, allowing the devotee to see the Lord who is otherwise beyond sense perception (Adhokṣaja).
- The Limitation: Blunt material senses are defective. They cannot even perceive material things like air or bacteria directly, so how can they perceive the infinite Lord?
- Adhokṣaja: God is known as Adhokṣaja, meaning He is beyond the reach of material senses and experimental knowledge.
- The Solution: The only way to overcome this bluntness is through bhakti-yoga (devotional service). When the Lord is pleased by the sincere service of a devotee, He reveals Himself.
- The Process: Purification begins with the tongue. Controlling the tongue through chanting and eating prasādam is the key to unlocking spiritual vision.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Blunt Senses - The Obstacle to Seeing God.
Pages in category "Blunt Senses"
The following 73 pages are in this category, out of 73 total.
A
- Adhoksaja, God, cannot be seen by your these blunt senses, but when you develop pure senses, sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). When our senses are nirmalam, without any designation, you can see God
- Aksa means eyes or senses. So He is not perceived by these blunt material senses. Therefore He is known as Adhoksaja, adhah-krta aksaja-jnanam yatra, where this direct experimental knowledge is defeated
B
- Because our senses are limited. How you can have the Supreme Truth known by these imperfect blunt senses
- Because we have got blunt material senses, we cannot understand what is Krsna, what is Krsna's service; atah sri-krsna-namadi . . . what is Krsna's chanting of name. We are thinking that this is chanting, just like we chant so many vibrations
- Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.234: "No one can understand Krsna as He is by the blunt material senses. But He reveals Himself to the devotees, being pleased with them for their transcendental loving service unto Him"
- By our these blunt senses, speculating, we cannot understand what is God. Therefore His name is Adhoksaja, Adhoksaja, "beyond material speculation." And still you have to apply your bhakti, devotion
- By these blunt senses even we cannot understand what is the name of Krsna, why these people are chanting Hare Krsna. We cannot understand
- By these blunt senses we cannot understand what is Krsna. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah: but if you engage yourself in His transcendental loving service, beginning with the tongue
- By these blunt senses, materially blunt . . . just like with blunt instrument you cannot take any benefit - it must be sharpened - similarly these senses, you utilize these senses to understand the Absolute Truth, but it must be purified, sharpened
- By these blunt senses, we cannot understand Krsna. We cannot understand what is Krsna, what is Krsna's name, what is Krsna's fame, what is Krsna's form, what is Krsna's quality. We cannot understand
- By your blunt senses, you can not understand what is Krsna, what is Krsna's name, what is Krsna's form, what is Krsna's activity. Therefore Krsna, by His causeless mercy, has come before us in the form of stone so that we can see Him
- By your these blunt senses it is not possible to understand what is God, what is His form, what is His name, what is His quality, what is His kingdom, what is His paraphernalia. These things are to be understood
G
- Generally, neophyte devotees are anxious to see Krsna, or God, but God cannot be seen or known by our present materially blunt senses
- God's name, God's form, God's quality, God's pastimes, activities, are not understandable by our blunt material senses. We cannot see God with these eyes. God is present everywhere. God is present within your heart, God is present within this universe
I
- If you want to feel happiness by your these blunt material senses, that is not happiness. Happiness is beyond your material senses. Atyantikam. That is real happiness. Real happiness means it will never end
- In our present position, with blunt material senses, it is not possible to understand what is God. We have got four defects in this material condition. We commit mistake, illusioned, we accept something for something and our senses are imperfect
- In the beginning, Arjuna, he's thinking in terms of his blunt senses. But the same thing he will do. Atyantikam, atindriya, purified senses. Just try to understand. This is Krsna consciousness
- In these blunt material senses you cannot understand what is this Hare Krsna mantra. It requires purification of the senses, when you will understand what is Krsna's name, namadi, what is Krsna's form, what is Krsna's quality, what is Krsna's entourage
- It (the soul) is very, very minute. With our, these blunt eyes and blunt senses, we cannot capture. But there is. We have to conceive it from the authoritative statement of higher knowledge, knowledgeable person
- It is a fact that the soul, soul is different from this body. So long the soul is there, the body acts. And we, with our blunt senses, our gross senses, we cannot see the soul - therefore we deny it. Because our imperfect senses cannot see this
- It is not possible to experience Krsna by our these material blunt senses. It is not possible. We have to make purified
- It is not possible to experience Krsna by our these material blunt senses. No educational qualification, no Ph.D. degree or to take birth in very high family or to become rich. Nothing. Simply a true feeling, desire
- It is said, atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih. The blunt senses, material senses, they cannot receive. Namadi. Not only name; they cannot see Lord Krsna's form
K
- Krishna cannot be known by the materially blunt senses. When you utilize your tongue in the service of the Lord then Krishna reveals Himself
- Krsna's name, form, quality, etc., is not understood by these blunt senses, so how it is to be done? Now, sevonmukhe hi jihvadau. Again jihvadau: beginning from the tongue, controlling the tongue
N
- No one can understand Krishna as He is by the blunt material senses but He reveals Himself to the devotees, being pleased with them for their transcendental loving service
- No one can understand Krsna as He is by the blunt material senses. But He reveals Himself to the devotees, being pleased with them for their transcendental loving service unto Him. (Padma Purana). BG 1972 purports
- No one can understand Krsna as He is by utilizing the blunt material senses. However, the Lord reveals Himself to His devotees, being pleased with them because of their transcendental loving service rendered unto Him
- No one can understand Krsna by the blunt material senses. But He reveals Himself to the devotees, being pleased with them for their transcendental loving service unto Him - Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.234
O
- One cannot understand God's holy name, pastimes, form, qualities or entourage with one's blunt material senses. However, when the senses are purified by the constant rendering of service, the spiritual truth of the pastimes of Radha and Krsna is revealed
- Our present senses are blunt senses because it is covered by forgetfulness of Krsna, or maya. Therefore it has to be purified. Or the nature of forgetfulness has to be removed. That's all
- Our present senses, are blunt senses. By these senses, we cannot understand what is the meaning of Hare Krsna maha-mantra. But it is so powerful, if you go on chanting Hare Krsna maha-mantra even without understanding, you will be purified
- Our senses are all blunt in the matter of receiving transcendental subject matter, but they are purified in due course of time by constant engagement in the service of the Lord
S
- Sastra says, atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih (CC Madhya 17.136). These blunt senses, those who are depending on the blunt senses, they can say nirakara, because he cannot see. He has no eyes to see what is that akara, what is that form
- Sastra says, atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih: "You cannot understand Krsna by your present imperfect senses. That is not possible." Na bhaved grahyam, "You cannot accept or you cannot receive by your blunt senses." That is not possible
- Spiritual knowledge cannot be acquired by these blunt senses. It is not possible. Just like people do not take much interest in our movement because they cannot understand. The senses are so blunt that they are not receptive
- Stated in the sastras that it is not possible to appreciate or understand Krsna with our blunt material senses
T
- The holy name of Krsna, His body and His pastimes cannot be understood by the blunt material senses. They are manifested independently
- The holy name of Krsna, His body and His pastimes cannot be understood by the blunt material senses. They are manifested independently - CC Madhya 17.134
- The present blunt senses, material senses, all are imperfect. Even we hear the Lord's name, namadi, atah sri-krsna-namadi . . . just like we are chanting. One who is spiritually advanced, he's enjoying this Hare Krsna, Krsna's name
- The rascal's mental speculation will not help him to understand Krsna, what He is. That is not possible. His all activities are divyam, transcendental. We cannot understand with our material blunt senses. That is not possible
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna and His pastimes cannot be understood by blunt material senses. One has to purify the senses by rendering transcendental loving service unto the Lord
- The transcendental name, form, pastimes and entourage of the Lord cannot be appreciated by the blunt material senses; one has to engage himself in devotional service so that the senses may be purified and one can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- The Vedas state, atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih: (CC Madhya 17.136) the transcendental names, forms, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of the Lord cannot be understood by our blunt material senses
- These blunt senses, they cannot appreciate what is Krsna. Yogamaya-samavrtah. He's covered. To the nondevotees, He is covered. To the devotees - sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva (CC Madhya 17.136) - He reveals: Yes, I am here like this
- These mundane, blunt senses - they cannot receive or understand what is Krsna, what is Krsna's name, what is Krsna's form, what is Krsna's pastimes, what is Krsna's paraphernalia - so many things Krsna's . . . what is Krsna's word
- These present blunt senses, material senses, cannot receive even this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra
- These rascals, simply they are depending on their blunt senses, these stupids, so-called scientist. Therefore they're stupid. They simply believe on their eyes. They do not know how much defective these eyes and senses are
- This blunt material eyes, he cannot see Krsna, or cannot hear Krsna's name, namadi. Nama means name. Nama means name, form, quality, pastime. These things cannot be understood by your material blunt eyes or senses
- This practice is recommended, sastra, that by the our these blunt senses it is very difficult to understand Krsna
- Those who are elevated by virtue of experimental knowledge can only satisfy their blunt material senses either by gross bodily activities or by mental speculation
- Those who are mathematicians, they say: "Point has no length, no breadth." But actually that is not a fact. You have no eyes to see the length and breadth of the point. You are so blunt, your senses are so limited, imperfect, that you cannot imagine
- Thousands of books are printed and read, and after six months thrown away. This way and that - how can you know the Supreme by speculation on the information supplied by your blunt senses? Give up research - throw it away - just become submissive
- Try to reveal Krsna. Don't try to see Krsna. Because with your eyes, with your senses, these material blunt senses, we cannot see
U
- Unless one is advanced in krsna-prema, love of Krsna, he cannot see or understand. By the blunt material senses, we cannot even understand the name of Krsna
- Unless there is mercy of Krsna, there is no possibility of understanding Krsna. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih (CC Madhya 17.136). By your these blunt material senses you cannot understand what is the name of Krsna, namadi
W
- We cannot see air, radio waves, or sound, nor can we perceive minute bacteria with our blunt senses, but this does not mean they are not there
- We cannot understand God with these blunt senses. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih (CC Madhya 17.136). The present senses, they are simply after material gratification. So how they can understand Krsna? That is not possible
- We cannot understand what is Krsna, or God - His name, His form, His attributes, His pastimes . . . we cannot understand by these blunt material senses. Then how it is to be understood? After all, this human life is meant for understanding God
- We have power of seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and so on, but if these senses are blunt, we cannot understand God
- We have to please the spiritual master by service, and the entire bhakti process depends on the attitude of service. The transcendental nature of Krsna is not possible to understand with our blunt material senses
- What is real ananda, that you have to taste by your transcendental senses, not these senses, blunt senses. This is blunt senses, covered senses. There is no question of tasting ananda with these senses
- When one has got that vision, transcendental vision, samah sarvesu bhutesu mad-bhakti, then the devotional service begins. Not that with blunt eyes and senses one can serve God, devotional service
- With all these blunt senses, how can we... We cannot understand even the Personality of Godhead, what to speak of other things? "God is a person:" - it is a very difficult subject matter for ordinary man to take it
- With our blunt material senses it is not possible to appreciate or to understand sri-krsna-namadi - Krsna, His name, His form, His quality, His pastimes, His paraphernalia, His abode, so many things. Krsna is not alone, but Krsna begins from the name
- With the present blunt senses we cannot see Bhagavan. Therefore Bhagavan, out of His causeless mercy, has appeared in a form which you can see. Not that He's different. He's not different. Because Bhagavan is everything
Y
- You cannot see God, you cannot see Krsna by your, these blunt senses, but if you purify your senses, sevonmukhe hi jihvadau. That purification begins from tongue
- You cannot understand Krsna by these blunt material senses. That is not possible. You have to purify it. Tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Simply by Krsna consciousness, always thinking of Krsna, all your senses will be purified