Srila Prabhupada describes that to see God, we have to purify our senses
and our desires, and follow in the footsteps of Srila Rupa Goswami.
 

Srila Prabhupada

The atheistic men say, "Can you show me God?" Even a sannyasi demanded from his spiritual master "Whether you can show me God?" God cannot be seen by such demand. In the sdstras it is said, atah sri krsna namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. Sri Krsna is present by His name, by His form, by His pastimes, by His paraphernalia, by His qualities. Anything about Krsna is non -different. Krsna and Krsna's name, it is the same. There is no difference. In the materialistic view, th ere is diffe rence between the substance and the name. Just like water. If you are thirsty, simply if you chant, "Water, water, water," it will not quench your thirst. You require the substance, water. Similarly, a person's photograph or a statue is diffe rent from the person. If there is a photograph of a certain gentleman and if you want to do business with the photograph , it is not possible. You'll have to seek for the actual person. But in case of Krsna, it is not like that. Krsna, the person , and Krsna's name, Hare Krsna, are the same thing. It is not that we are chanting " Krsna, Krsna and this Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is different. No. Nama rupe krsna avatara. The name of Krsna and Krsna , the person , are identical. 
 
Just like we are worshiping the form of Radha-Govinda, Radha-Madhava, Radha-Damodara. The atheists will say that "This is statue." But a theist person , who knows Krsna, he will see this form of Krsna non different from the original person , Krsna . Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu, when He entered the Jagannatha temple, He immediately fainted, "Here is My Lord." Others who are going in the Jagannatha temple, they are seeing something made of wood. Therefore sastra forbids, arcyesila-dhir gurusu nara-matir Vaishnave jati buddhir sa eva narakah. Arca-murti, the form worshiped in the temple, if somebody thinks it is made of wood, it is made of stone, that is naraki-buddhih. No devotee will say so. Only the nondevotee, atheist class of men will say that "They are worshiping wood. They are worshiping stone ." But a devotee knows that His worshipable Lord is present here personally. It is a question of revising, of reforming this perception. The whole Krsna consciousness process is reforming or purifying the senses. Bhakti means to purify the senses. 
 
SEEING KRSNA IN EVERYTHING 
 
premanjana cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena 
santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti 
yam syamasundaranam acintya-guna svarupam 
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami 
[Bs. 5.38] 
 

An Advanced Devotee Sees Everyone and Everything in Relation To Krsna

Real devotees, santah, saintly persons, their eyes are purified by the ointment of love of Godhead. They are seeing Krsna or his worshipable God … Krsna has many forms. Ramadi-murtisu. Krsna has His form as Lord Ramacandra, as Varaha, as Kurma, as Nrsimha. Ananta-koti. Innumerable forms He has got. All of them are Krsna. So a devotee, on account of his eyes being smeared with the ointment of love of God, sees Krsna twenty-four hours within his heart. That is the vision of the devotee. 
 
In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said, sthavara jangama dekhe na dekhe tara murti [Cc. Madhya 8.274]. A devotee, maha-bhagavata, highly advanced devotee, he sees trees, but he does not see the tree. He sees Krsna. How? Has he gone mad? No. Actually he sees. But wh at is this tree? The tree, outwardly, is Krsna's energy. Your body, my body, the tree's body, the dog's body, the eat's body. What are these bodies? The bodies are made of the external, material energy. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca, bhinna me prakrtir astadha [Bg. 7.4]. The material elements, they are simply Krsna's external energy. So, as soon as a devotee sees anything material , he sees immediately the energy of Krsna, and along with the energy of Krsna, he actually sees Krsna, immediately . 
 
Just like you are reading some portion of a book. As soon as there is some reference, immediately you see the person . Suppose you are talking on telephone with somebody. As soon as you hear his sound, immediately you see your friend. It is not very difficult to understand . Simply one has to know the person or one must have his knowledge. Sthavara jangama dekhe na dekhe rara marti. 
 
Sthavara means "not moving," and jangama means "moving". There are two classes of living entities. Some of them are moving and some of them non -moving. So whether a devotee sees a moving living entity or a non -moving living entity, he does not see the outward covering, but he sees within, the spirit soul, part and parcel of Krsna; and without, the material body, he sees as Krsna's energy. And because everything is in reference with Krsna, therefore he sees Krsna only and nothing else. In the Bhagavad gita it is confirmed, 
 
vidya-vinaya-sampanne 
brahmane gavi hastini 
suni caiva sva-pake ca 
panditah sama-darsinah 
[Bg. 5.18] 
 
Panditah, those who are actually learned, they see everyone on an equal level. He sees a brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog, a dog eater, the lowest of the human kind, but he's sama-darsinah; he sees everyone of them as spirit soul, and the body as Krssna's energy. Therefore he has no different vision for different persons. This is called Brahman realization vision. Brahman realization of God. 
 
brahma-bhutah prasannatma 
na socati na kanksati 
samah sarvesu bhutesu 
mad-bhaktim labhate psram 
[Bg.18.54] 
 
This is brahma-bhutah vision. Actually, when one becomes learned scholar, a pandita, he becomes Brahman realized. That is the meaning of brahmana. Brahmana is one who has realized the Brahman. 
 
So before beginning of pure devotional life , one must be Brahman realized. That is pure bhakti. That is actually the platform of devotional service. It means one must be above the bl'ahminical qualifications, and be a Vaisnava. 
 
There are three stages of devotional life. 
 
arcayam eva haraye 
yat pujam sraddhayehate 
na tad-bhaktesu canyesu
sa bhaktah prakrtah smrtah 
 
A person who concentrates his mind on the arca-murti, the Deity form of the Lord, and worships the Deity with all regulative principles, but does not know how to respect a devotee, … na tad bhaktesu canyesu, nor does he know how to elevate other persons, sa bhaktah prakrtah smrtah; such kind of devotee is to be considered as material, prakrtah. Gradually, one has to become apakrtah. Thus there are different stages of devotional service. 
 
Now our point was that how to see Krsna in everything? atah sri-krsna namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. By these blum, material senses, we cannot appreciate, or see the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The senses have to be purified. 
 
DESIGNATIONS BLOCK SPIRITUAL VISION 
 
Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. One must be relieved from all designations. So long one thinks that "I am Hindu. I am Christian. I am Muhammadan. I am this. I am brahmana. I am sudra. I am ksatriya. I am man. I am woman. I am black. I am white." These are all designations. One has to become free from all these designations. That is called sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam. If you see God, Krsna, from the Hindu angle of vision, if you see God from Christian angle of vision, then you cannot see God. That is not seeing God. You have to become freed from all these designations. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught us, naham vipra na ca nara-patir na yatir va. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, "I am not a brahmana. I am not a ksatriya. I am not a vaisya. I am not a sudra. I am not a sannyasi. I am not a grhastha. I am not a brahmacari." Then "What You are?" Because we are living within these eight categories. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, "I don't belong to all these categories. Gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasadasanudasah [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. I am the servant of the servant of the servant of the se rvant of Krsna, the maintainer of the gopis." 
 
So unless you come to this stage, free from all designations, you cannot serve Krsna. Krsna accepts service from the devotee. Bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55 ]. Patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati [Bg. 9.26]. Krsna is not beggar, that He has come to your place and is asking some food from you. No. But Krsna accepts your food, provided you are a devotee. That is Krsna. You can offer Krsna patram puspam phalam toyam. You do not require to become very rich man. The poorest of the poor can offer Krsna something. What is that? Patram puspam phalam toyam. A little flower, a little fruit, a little leaf and little water. Everyone can collect a little flower, a little water. And from any part of the world. Not that Krsna can be worshiped in India alone. Krsna can be worshiped in Vrndavana. Wherever Krsna is worshiped, that is Vrndavana. Otherwise, if Krsna is not worshiped, that is not Vrndavana. So how Krsna is worshiped? Krsna says, "Anyone who offers Me these things with bhakti, with devotion, with love," tad aham asnami, "then I eat it." Not that an abhakta will offer something and Krsna will accept. No. 
 
sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam 
tat paratvena nirmalam 
hrsikena hrsikesa
sevanam bhaktir ucyate 
[Cc. Madhya 19.170] 
 
This is the definition of bhakti in the Narada Pancaratra, that when one is freed from the designations. "Sir, I am a brahmana. Therefore I can offer You something." No. Krsna is not exposed to anyone except to the devotees. Naham prakasah sarvasya yogamaya samavrtah [Bg. 7.25]. Krsna is covered by yogamaya. He's not revealed to anyone except to the devotees. 
 
FOLLOWERS OF SRILA ROPA GOSWAMI
 

Srila Rupa Gosvami

Above this material universe, there is another spiritual sky, paravyoma. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita, paras tasmat tu bhavah anyah 'vyakta 'vyaktat sanatanah [Bg. 8.20]. There is another nature. As this is material nature, there is spiritual nature. And in that spiritual nature there are innumerable spiritual planets. They are called Vaikuntha planets. And the highest Vaikuntha planet is called Krsnaloka, or Goloka Vrndavana. This Vrndavana is replica of that original Vrndavana. When Krsna comes to this planet or within this universe, He comes in this Vrndavana. This is called Bhauma-Vrndavana. Of course, there is no difference between BhaumaVrndavana and Paravyoma-Vrndavana. To see Krsna, we should be free not only from designations but from all kinds of desires. 
 
We Gaudiya Vaisnavas, Madhva Gaudiya Vaisnavas, are followers of Srila Rupa Goswami and others, Sad-Goswami. 
 
sri-rupa-sanatana-bhatta-raghunatha 
sri-jiva-gopala-bhatta-dasa -raghu natha 
ei chay gosai yara tara mui dasa 
tan-sabara pada-renu mora panca-gras 
 
Unless one has followed strictly the path of the Sad- Goswamis, we cannot accept him as guru. Because Narottama Dasa Thakura says, ei chay gosai yatra tara mui dasa. Rupa Goswami lived very simply, like a mendicant, wearing a small lo incloth and sleeping underneath a tree. But simply by imitating his loincloth one does not become Rupa Goswami One has to follow the principles of Rupa Goswami. Then he's called rupanuga. Unless you become rupanuga, you cannot understand the Gaudiya philosophy. This is called parampara system. Evam paramparapraptam imam rajarsayoh viduh [Bg. 4.2J. lf you follow the path of Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami, you must follow in principle all the rules and regulations given by them. 
 
anyabhilasita-sunyam 
jnana-karmady-anavrtam 
anukulyena krsnanu- 
Silanam bhaktir uttama 
[Brs. 1.1.11] 
 
This is the definition given by Srila Rupa Goswami in his Bhakti-rasamrta- sindhu. So one must be freed from all material desires. You cannot earn your livelihood by showing the Deity. This was not the business of Rupa Goswami. Rupa Goswami did not do any business by showing the Deity. Therefore you have to follow strictly the principles of Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami. And Narottama Dasa Thakura says, "One who is following the principles of Rupa Srila Rapa Goswami Goswami and Sanatana Goswami, tara mui dasa, I accept him as spiritual master.". 
 
ei chay gosai yabe braje kaila vasa 
radha-krsna nitya-lila karila prakasa 
 
By writing hundreds of books, Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami, and especially Jiva Goswami… Nana-sastravicaranaika-nipunau sad-dharma samsthapakau lokanam hita-karinau. They wrote books for the benefit of the whole world. Lokanam hitakarinau. They did not write books only for the Hindus or for the persons who are in India or in Vrndavana. They were very, very expert. You'll find in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, wherever Srila Rupa Goswami has stated something, immediately he has given reference from the sastras. He did not manufacture anything which is against the sastras. So in order to see God, in order to serve God, we have to follow in their footsteps. Sri Narottama dasa Thakura has said, rupa-raghunatha pade haibe akuti kabehama bhujhaba se yugala-piriti 
 
Unless one becomes very, very much eager to follow the path of Srua Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami, he cannot understand what are the love affairs of Radha and Krsna. Without following the principles of Rupa Goswami, if we want to understand what is love between Radha and Krsna, then we shall understand it as merely ordinary boys' and girls' affairs. But it is not so. Therefore in the sastra it is said, atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Cc. Madhya 17.136J. Do not try to understand Radha and Krsna with these blunt eyes and senses; try to understand through the instructions of Srila Rupa Goswami, Srila Sanatana Goswami 
 
NECTAR OF DEVOTION 
 
Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, which we have translated into English, Nectar of Devotion, is very important book. It is the science of devotional service. If you want to be engaged in devotional service, then you must read the Bhaktirasamrta- sindhu. And then we shall be able to see God. By following the rules and regulations and the direction laid down in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, we shall be gradually elevated to the platform of loving God. Srila Rupa Goswami therefore says, adau sraddha. First of all, have faith. That is the basic principle. And this word, sraddha, has been described in the Caitanya-caritamrta by Kaviraja Goswami, 
 
sraddha sabde visvasa sudrha niscaya 
krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya 
[Cc. Madhya 22.62] 
 
This is called sraddha, that "If I surrender to Krsna, then all business of my life is done." Not that sometimes I worship Lord Krsna, sometimes Lord Siva, sometimes goddess Kali, sometimes this, sometimes that. That is not sraddha. Sraddha means sudniha niscaya visvasa. What is that visvasa? Krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya.lf I worship only Krsna, then all other duties are performed. Automatically. The example is just like if you pour water on the root of the tree, the transmission of the water is automatically done to the other branches, leaves, and everything. If you supply food to the stomach, then the energy is distributed automatically to the eyes, ears, and other parts of the body. Similarly, if you simply offer Krsna surrender and worship Him, sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], then you worship all other demigods. You don't have to exert yourself for worshiping other demigods. That is automatically done. Therefore the whole concentration should be given to Krsna. 
 
SIGNIFICANCE OF VRNDAVANA 
 
That is the specific Significance of Vrndavana.ln Vrndavana, simply Krsna is worshipped. Aradhyo bhagavan vrajesatanayah tad-dhama vrndavanam. That is the vision of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that aradhya, worshipable Deity, worshipable God, is vrajesatanayah, the son of Nanda Maharaja, Krsna. As Krsna is worshiped, similarly His place, Vrndavana, is also worshipable. Ramya kacid upasana vrajavadhu vargena kalpita. There is no more better form of worship than was conceived by the damsels of Vraja. Srimad-bhagavatam amalam puranam. And the book, authoritative literature, to understand Krsna and His service is Srimad-Bhagavatam. Sri-caitanya mahaprabhu or matam idam. This is the mission of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And Krsna consciousness movement is exactly following the principles of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna.