Please accept my dandavat pranams. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.

Recently I came across an interesting story. A person once visited a temple under construction where he saw a sculptor making an Archavigraha of Krishna. Suddenly he noticed a similar Archavigraha kept nearby. Surprised, he asked the sculptor, "Do you need two statues of the same Deity?" "No," said the sculptor without looking up, "We need only one, but the first one got damaged at the last stage." The gentleman examined the Deity and found no apparent damage. "Where is the damage?" he asked. "There is a scratch on the nose of the Deity." said the sculptor, still busy with his work. "Where are you going to install the Deity?"

The sculptor replied that it would be installed on a pillar twenty feet high.. "If the Deity is that far, who is going to know that there is a scratch on the nose?" the gentleman asked. The sculptor stopped his work, looked up at the gentleman, smiled and said, "Any one knows it or not, Krishna knows it."

This is the realization required when we are involved in any activity in our life when we are physically awake. Krishna is present in our heart in the form of Paramatma as He is present in everything around us. This has been explained in Srimad Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagvatam in various shlokas. One of these important shlokas is Srimad Bhagavad Gita 6.30.

yo maam pashyati sarvatra / sarvam ca mayi pashyati
tasyaaham na pranashyaami / sa ca me na pranashyati

For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me.

In his wonderful purport to the above verse, Srila Prabhupada has guided us to clear our understanding on this subject - A person in Krishna consciousness certainly sees Lord Krishna everywhere, and he sees everything in Krishna. Such a person may appear to see all separate manifestations of the material nature, but in each and every instance he is conscious of Krishna, knowing that everything is a manifestation of Krishna's energy. Nothing can exist without Krishna, and Krishna is the Lord of everything — this is the basic principle of Krishna consciousness.

We are many times under illusion that no one is watching us when we are involved in certain activities, but Krishna is all pervading and everywhere. He is omni-present and omniscient. He is with us even in our thoughts and our dreams since He is situated in our hearts as Paramatma. We are never alone or left un-noticed. All our good and bad deeds are being watched out by Him and the CID agents appointed by Him. In Srimad Bhagavatam verse 6.1.42 the list of CIDs is explained very nicely.

suryo'gnih kham marud devah / somah sandhya ahani disah
kam kuh svayam dharma iti / hy ete daihasya saksinah

(Yamadutas to Vishnudutas) "The sun, fire, sky, air, demigods, moon, evening, day, night, directions, water, land and Supersoul Himself witness all the activities of the living entity."

So we need to understand and realise that every moment of our life is with Him. When we think of Him all the time, He will reciprocate in the same way by helping us to remember Him constantly. Let us therefore sincerely pray to the Supreme Lord, Srila Prabhupada and Gurudev to bestow their mercy upon us, so that we remain conscious of His existence and use this rare opportunity of human life for remembering Him all the time and stay in continuous devotional service.

Thank you very much.
Your humble servant in service of Srila Prabhupada and Gurudev,
Milind Joshi,
Singapore.

Moderator's Note : Milind Prabhuji is a serious and very good natured devotee from Mumbai. Prabhuji has started fortnightly Bhagavad Gita discussion programmes with Gurudev's blessings and is bringing many new families in touch with Srila Prabhupada. Prabhuji has two daughters and his wife, Sampada Mataji nicely assists him in the preaching and also sings very nicely.