Chapter 11
Jai: You said we can know a little bit about God. Is it possible for people to see God, Grandma?
Grandma: Yes, Jai. But not with our physical eyes. God does not have hands and legs like we have in our world. But when God is pleased by our selfless service (Seva) and devotion, He may appear in a vision in dream. He can show Himself in any form, or in the form of one’s personal god (IshtaDeva).
Jai: Is there any other way to see God?
Grandma: The best way to see God is to feel His presence in everything because everything is part of God. Yogis see the whole world as God’s expansion. Everything is just another form of God. Knowing this, we can see God all around us. The entire universe is God, and we are His children and tools. (Gita 11.33) God uses us to do His work. He is within all of us.
Here is a story about God being always with us, but we cannot see Him with our physical eyes. (Gita 11.08)
14. God Is with You
A man wanted to smoke and went to a neighbor’s house to get fire to light his charcoal. It was in the dead of night, and the householder was asleep. After he had knocked and knocked, the neighbor finally came down to open the door.
At the sight of the man he asked, “Hello! What’s the matter?”
The man replied, “Can’t you guess? You know I am fond of smoking. I have come here to get fire to light my charcoal.”
The neighbor said, “Ha! Ha! You are a fine neighbor, indeed! You took the trouble to come and do all this knocking at the door in the dead of night! Why? You have a lighted lantern already with you!”
What we seek is very near and all around us. Everything is God in different forms. Everything in creation is within His gigantic form!
Another way to see God is to develop devotion and good qualities. Lord Krishna said if we have no attachment, selfish desires, hatred, enmity, or violence towards any being, we can reach and see God. (Gita 11.55)
Jai: Has anybody seen Krishna as God?
Grandma: Yes, many saints and sages have seen Lord Krishna in various forms. Mother Yashoda saw Krishna’s cosmic form. Arjuna also wanted to see Krishna as God. Because Arjuna was a great soul and a very dear friend of Krishna, Lord showed him His cosmic form. What Arjuna saw is described in great detail in Chapter 11 of the Gita.
Here is a brief description of the cosmic form of Krishna that Arjuna saw. He saw the whole world with all gods, sages, Lord Shiva, as well as Lord Brahma, seated on the lotus in the body of Krishna. Lord had many arms, mouths, stomachs, faces, and eyes. His body had no beginning or end. Bright light was shining all around Him. Arjuna also saw all his cousins, along with many other kings and warriors, quickly entering into Lord’s fearful mouths for destruction. This cosmic form of Krishna was very frightful to see, so Arjuna wished to see Krishna in the four-armed Vishnu form with a crown, holding a conch, discus, club and lotus in His hands. Krishna then showed His four-armed Vishnu form to Arjuna.
Afterwards, Krishna showed His beautiful human form and comforted Arjuna, who was afraid. Then Arjuna became peaceful and normal again. Lord Krishna said that He can be seen in this four-armed form only through devotion. (Gita 11.54)