Has Every Person Seen God

“A true yogi observes Me in all beings, and also sees every being in Me. Indeed, the self-realized man sees Me everywhere.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 6.29)

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सर्व-भूत-स्थम् आत्मानं
सर्व-भूतानि चात्मनि
ईक्षते योग-युक्तात्मा
सर्वत्र सम-दर्शनः

sarva-bhūta-stham ātmānaṁ
sarva-bhūtāni cātmani
īkṣate yoga-yuktātmā
sarvatra sama-darśanaḥ

“I know that in the Vedic tradition a natural tendency after learning of the qualities, features and kindness of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is to try to search for Him. Gain a meeting. Face-to-face. The Sanskrit word is darshana.

“I also know the teachings of His Divine Grace Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura that encourages the reverse. That is to say instead of actively searching after God, work in such a way that He will notice you. Follow pious behavior. Be kind to others. Learn of the difference between spirit and matter. Exhibit true compassion by explaining the same to anyone who is in illusion.

“The idea is that one day a person will surely see God, as He will notice their devotional efforts. The question I have relates to the present condition. Have we already seen Him? Does that apply to every person? In other words, are we desperately searching for a vision that we have already received or can receive at any moment of the day?”

It is interesting to see that the Sanskrit word for time also applies to death. Just one word, and it can have either meaning. Kala is time, which is the powerful agent of change. When the news media reports the latest accurate death toll from a particular pandemic, they attribute the loss of life to a specific disease.

“That brings the death toll to such and such in this country. Worldwide the number is this. The mortality rate is such and such. Be safe out there. Wash your hands and practice social distancing.”

In truth, every death can be attributed to one source: kala. Time has worked its magic. It was already hard at work prior to death, noted especially in the transformations of old age and disease. As soon as a person takes birth, the countdown clock starts. On the other side, when the time fully elapses, death awaits.

जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्
ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च
तस्माद् अपरिहार्ये ऽर्थे
न त्वं शोचितुम् अर्हसि

jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyur
dhruvaṁ janma mṛtasya ca
tasmād aparihārye 'rthe
na tvaṁ śocitum arhasi

“For one who has taken his birth, death is certain; and for one who is dead, birth is certain. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your duty, you should not lament.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.27)

Kala is one face of the Almighty. The staunch atheist will receive the vision at the end, when quitting the body. This was the case for the powerful Daitya king named Hiranyakashipu. He refused to believe, despite the logical case presented by his son, Prahlada. At last, it was the kala in its most gruesome form, an angry and attacking Narasimha, proving the existence of Divinity.

Every person has already seen kala. As this birth is the renewal of a cycle just completed, there was death prior. That death is one vision of the Supreme Lord. We do not remember the incident, but memory is not an accepted basis for absolutely establishing truth.

श्री-भगवान् उवाच
बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि
जन्मानि तव चार्जुन
तान्य् अहं वेद सर्वाणि
न त्वं वेत्थ परन्तप

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
bahūni me vyatītāni
janmāni tava cārjuna
tāny ahaṁ veda sarvāṇi
na tvaṁ vettha parantapa

“The Blessed Lord said: Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of them, but you cannot, O subduer of the enemy!” (Bhagavad-gita, 4.5)

The wise person sees Bhagavan everywhere and in every time period. In the Bhagavad-gita, there is confirmation, where Shri Krishna explains how the yogi sees Him everywhere. Though Krishna is a distinct person, who at that moment was seated on the chariot of the bow-warrior Arjuna, the Supreme Lord is inside of every person.

When I look at the cat, I can see the presence of God. The same applies when viewing the dog, the elephant, the wise scholar, the state administrator, or the bird flying in the sky. As everyone already sees Krishna all the time, there should be no urgency for a special meeting.

Rather, appreciate His presence, serve Him with love, and spend the duration of this lifetime in bliss through activities like chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Already seeing through time,
And witnessing activities of mine.

As soul of existence in the cat,
In dog, mouse and also the bat.

Vaishnava eagerly in devotion set,
Not so much for vision to get.

Since Krishna already all-around,
Seen clearly also through sound.