Kṛṣṇa says also in the Bhagavad-gītā, nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25): "I am not visible to everyone because there is a curtain which is covering the eyes of the ordinary persons, yoga-māyā," just like the cloud covering the eyes to see. One cannot see the sun in complete or in full vision when there is cloud. Similarly, māyā, yoga-māyā, has created a cloud on account of which we cannot see God.
But the same eyes can be also, I mean to say, purified. The same eyes. Just like you have got cataract, you cannot see, you become blind. But if the cataract is operated, then your vision is again revived. So you can see. Ordinarily, you cannot see God, either inside or outside. Alakṣyaṁ sarva-bhūtānām antar bahiḥ (SB 1.8.18). Although we say that God is there within, God is outside, but why you cannot see? Because we are not devotees. But as soon as you become a devotee, you become a lover of God, or Kṛṣṇa, then you can see.
Kṛṣṇa is present everywhere. He says, antar bahir avasthitam. The Brahma-saṁhitā says:
- premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena
- santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti
- yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpaṁ
- govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
- (Bs. 5.38)
Premāñjana-cchurita. By prema . . . prema means love. The ointment of love, when it is smeared over the eyes, then those who are devotees, santaḥ, saintly persons, they can see always Kṛṣṇa within his heart. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti. Antaḥ.
And bahiḥ, so far experience, that he sees everything. One who is lover of God, he can see Kṛṣṇa in everything. Whatever he sees, he sees Kṛṣṇa there, because he knows that "This thing is produced out of Kṛṣṇa's energy." Take for example a flower. A devotee sees a flower produced by Kṛṣṇa's energy. He sees the beauty of flower, appreciating Kṛṣṇa's artistic sense. When he hears the sweet voice of a bird, he immediately understands that "Kṛṣṇa is speaking so nicely through this bird." This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everywhere he sees. Antar bahiḥ.
So if one comes to this platform to understand Kṛṣṇa or to see Kṛṣṇa within and without . . . (break) . . . by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One who will see Kṛṣṇa within and without always, twenty-four hours. Nothing; he will see nothing. The others, they will simply say, "Where is God? God is dead. Can you show me God?" Such persons will never be able to understand what is God, because they want to see God by challenging. That is not possible. God is not visible by challenge; simply by love and surrender. Then God can be seen. Alakṣyaṁ sarva-bhūtānām antar bahir avasthitam (SB 1.8.18).