to

ps
Ste

S u bm
issive
He aring
 s o f
S te p rin g
7 H e a
s siv e
b m i
S u

Based on the Teachings of

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Srila Prabhupada
 ep
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Understanding
1 the Purpose of
Hearing

Discussion
Purpose of Hearing
• Association of Pure
devotees (vani)
• Purification of Heart
• Cultivating Sambandha
Jnana
• Develop attraction for
performing loving
devotional service to The
Supreme Lord, in disciplic
succession
 SB 1.2.17
śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi
vidhunoti suhṛt satām
Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of
Godhead, who is the Paramātmā
[Supersoul] in everyone's heart
and the benefactor of the truthful
devotee, cleanses desire for
material enjoyment from the heart
of the devotee who has developed
the urge to hear His messages,
which are in themselves virtuous
when properly heard and chanted.
SB 2.8.5
praviṣṭaḥ karṇa-randhreṇa
svānāṁ bhāva-saroruham
dhunoti śamalaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ
salilasya yathā śarat
The sound incarnation of Lord
Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Soul [i.e.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam], enters into
the heart of a self-realized
devotee, sits on the lotus flower of
his loving relationship, and thus
cleanses the dust of material
association, such as lust, anger and
hankering. Thus it acts like
autumnal rains upon pools of
muddy water.
 Result of Hearing
BG 13.26
anye tv evam ajānantaḥ
śrutvānyebhya upāsate nārāyaṇa-
te ’pi cātitaranty eva parāyaṇaḥ
mṛtyuṁ śruti-parāyaṇāḥ SB 6.14.5

āḥ
rāy -
pa ruti
Again there are those who,

aṇ
although not conversant in

ś
spiritual knowledge, begin to
worship the Supreme Person upon
hearing about Him from others. kāma-
Because of their tendency to hear krodha-
from authorities, they also parāyaṇāḥ
transcend the path of birth and BG 16.12
death.
 ep
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2 Act of Hearing
Ø Simple hearing is not all;
Ø one must realize the text with proper
attention. The word niviṣṭa means that
Śukadeva Gosvāmī drank the juice of
Bhāgavatam through his ears. That is the real
process of receiving Bhāgavatam.
Ø One should hear with rapt attention from the
real person, and then he can at once realize
the presence of Lord Kṛṣṇa in every page.
Ø The secret of knowing Bhāgavatam is
mentioned here.
Ø No one can give rapt attention who is not
pure in mind. No one can be pure in mind who
is not pure in action. No one can be pure in
action who is not pure in eating, sleeping,
fearing and mating.
Ø But somehow or other if someone hears with
rapt attention from the right person, at the
very beginning one can assuredly see Lord Śrī
Kṛṣṇa in person in the pages of Bhāgavatam.
(SB 1.3.44 Purport)
 Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
(BU 2.4.5)
The Self, my dear Maitreyi should be realized – should be
heard of (sharavana), reflected on (manana), and meditated
upon (nididhyasana). By the realization of the Self, my dear,
through hearing, reflection and meditation, all this is known.
Edger Dale : Model of Learning
How much we remember Nature of Learning
after 2 week?
10% of What we READ
20% of What we HEAR Verbal Receiving

30% of What we SEE

50% of What we SEE &

HEAR

70% of What
we SAY
90% of What we
SAY & DO
 Incarnation
of Lord
SB 1.3.43

As a
service to Mood of Submission
Guru & Hearing BG 4.34
Krsna

Process of
Knowledge
Receiving With great respect and
(BG 13.8-12) Not Pursuing attention, one should
receive the message and
SB 1.1.3p
lessons imparted by the
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
(SB 1.1.3 p)
Example
 ep
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3 Contemplate
To look at attentively &
thoughtfully; meditate;
consider deliberately; reflect
deeply on a subject
 2 5 satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido

.2 5. bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ

3 taj-joṣaṇād āśv apavarga-vartmani
SB śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati

The process of advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service

is described here. The first point is that one must seek the association of
persons who are Kṛṣṇa conscious and who engage in devotional service.
Without such association one cannot make advancement. Simply by
theoretical knowledge or study one cannot make any appreciable
advancement. One must give up the association of materialistic persons
and seek the association of devotees because without the association of
devotees one cannot understand the activities of the Lord.

To understand the personal activities of the Lord, one has to seek the
association of devotees, and by such association, when one
contemplates and tries to understand the transcendental activities of
the Lord, the path to liberation is open, and he is freed. One who has
firm faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes fixed, and his
attraction for association with the Lord and the devotees increases.
Association with devotees means association with the Lord. The devotee
who makes this association develops the consciousness for rendering
service to the Lord, and then, being situated in the transcendental
position of devotional service, he gradually becomes perfect.
 How to
Contemplate?

In Previous
Individual association Acharya’s
of devotees Thoughts or
Vision
 How to Contemplate
on my own?

• Introspection (seeing connections) by asking questions like : How?

Why? When? Where? etc
• How is this message applicable in my personal life?
• Rephrasing in language more accessible.
• Visualization (Powerful tool)
• Repeated Recollection (seeing past connections)

Caution
• Mind has tendency to speculate, think autobiographically etc
• Perception and Reality could be completely opposite, Hence…..
Contemplate in
Association of
devotees

Discussion…
Previous Acharya’s Commentaries
 ep
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Knowledge to
Realization
 BG 9.1
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
idaṁ tu te guhya-tamaṁ pravakṣyāmy anasūyave
jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitaṁ yaj jñātvā mokṣyase ’śubhāt

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear

Arjuna, because you are never envious of Me, I shall
impart to you this most confidential knowledge and
realization, knowing which you shall be relieved of
the miseries of material existence.
BG 9.2
rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ pavitram idam uttamam
pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ su-sukhaṁ kartum
avyayam

This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of

all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives
direct perception of the self by realization, it is the
perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully
performed.
Realization is a 2 Step Process
Self endeavor
This knowledge is the king of
education, the most secret of all
secrets. It is the purest
knowledge, and because it gives
direct perception of the self by
realization, it is the perfection of
religion. It is everlasting, and it
is joyfully performed.
Revelation
The Supreme Personality of
Godhead said: My dear Arjuna,
because you are never envious of
Me, I shall impart to you this
most confidential knowledge and
realization, knowing which you
shall be relieved of the miseries of
material existence.
Ways to acquire Knowledge
 Reconciling Shabda with Pratyaksa using
Anumana

Pratyaksa Pratyaksa
Unacceptable

Mental
Speculation

using
Anumana Realization Reconciling Anumana

Vichar
Manana

Acceptable Concepts
Shabda Shabda
One has to approach a bona
fide spiritual master to
receive the knowledge. Such
a spiritual master should be
accepted in full surrender,
One must be able to pass the test
and one should serve the of the spiritual master, and when
spiritual master like a menial
he sees the genuine desire of the
servant, without false
disciple, he automatically blesses
prestige. Satisfaction of the the disciple with genuine
self-realized spiritual master
spiritual understanding. In this
is the secret of advancement verse, both blind following and
in spiritual life. Inquiries and
absurd inquiries are condemned.
submission constitute the
Not only should one hear
proper combination for submissively from the spiritual
spiritual understanding.
master, but one must also get a
Unless there is submission clear understanding from him, in
and service, inquiries from
submission and service and
the learned spiritual master
inquiries. A bona fide spiritual
will not be effective. master is by nature very kind
toward the disciple
 5
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Purification
Transformation of Heart

• To comprehend completely or correctly

• To accept what is Real to be Real
Purification
Of Heart
 Bg 2.61 purport
The word mat-para is most
significant in this connection.
How one can become mat-para is
described in the life of Mahārāja
Ambarīṣa. Śrīla Baladeva
Vidyābhūṣaṇa, a great scholar
and ācārya in the line of the mat-
para, remarks, mad-bhakti-
prabhāvena sarvendriya-vijaya-
pūrvikā svātma-dṛṣṭiḥ su-labheti
bhāvaḥ. "The senses can be
completely controlled only by the
strength of devotional service to The Yoga-sūtra also prescribes
Kṛṣṇa." Also, the example of fire meditation on Viṣṇu, and not
is sometimes given: "As a blazing meditation on the void. The so-
fire burns everything within a called yogīs who meditate on
room, Lord Viṣṇu, situated in the something other than the Viṣṇu form
heart of the yogé, burns up all of simply waste their time in a vain
the impurities." B 1.2.17 search after some phantasmagoria.
Ref S
 on
s i
lI lu ust er
L ng ed
A re e
G ri d
P vy
E n

Gradually diminishing
 Transformation of Heart

Redirects our love from matter to Krsna

 Transformation of Heart
arjuna uvāca
kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtir labdhā
pṛcchāmi tvāṁ dharma-sammūḍha-cetāḥ tvat-prasādān mayācyuta
yac chreyaḥ syān niścitaṁ brūhi tan me sthito ’smi gata-sandehaḥ
śiṣyas te ’haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam kariṣye vacanaṁ tava

Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure

because of miserly weakness. In this condition I am asking You to Arjuna said: My dear Kṛṣṇa, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I
tell me for certain what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, have regained my memory by Your mercy. I am now firm and free from
and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me. (BG 2.7) doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions. (BG 18.73)

re d
Extrinsic nde r
rre rio
Worrier Su war
 ep 6
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Satisfaction
na śocati na kāṅkṣati
 BG 10.9
mac-cittā mad-gata-prāṇā
bodhayantaḥ parasparam
kathayantaś ca māṁ nityaṁ
tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca

The thoughts of My pure devotees

dwell in Me, their lives are fully
devoted to My service, and they
derive great satisfaction and bliss
from always enlightening one
another and conversing about Me.
 BG 18.54
brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
na śocati na kāṅkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

One who is thus transcendentally

situated at once realizes the Supreme
Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He
never laments or desires to have
anything. He is equally disposed toward
every living entity. In that state he
attains pure devotional service unto Me.
 SB 11.2.42

bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir

anyatra caiṣa trika eka-kālaḥ
prapadyamānasya yathāśnataḥ syus
tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣud-apāyo ’nu-ghāsam

Devotion, direct experience of the

Supreme Lord, and detachment from
other things—these three occur
simultaneously for one who has
taken shelter of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, in the same
way that pleasure, nourishment and
relief from hunger come
simultaneously and increasingly,
with each bite, for a person engaged
in eating.
 ep
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Teach others

Share Your realization

Ø Books are the
Basis
Ø Purity is the Force
Ø Utility is the
Principle
Ø Sharing is the
essence
 CC Adi 9.41
bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya janma yāra
janma sārthaka kari’ kara para-upakāra

One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of
India [Bhārata-varṣa] should make his life successful and work
for the benefit of all other people.
 KR SNA
R TO
D E ARE
G
BEC OMIN

a ṁ g uhyaṁ
id a ṁ param hidhāsyati
ya
a k te ṣv ab kṛtvā
a d - b h p a r ā ṁ
m i
h a k t iṁ may asaṁśayaḥ
b y
v aiṣyat e
mā m e
s e cr et to th at
h is su preme anteed, and
a ins t guar
e w h o e x p l
a l s e r vic e is
. ( B G 18.68)
For on re devotion back to Me
vote e s, pu w il l come
de d he
the en m a n uṣyeṣu
asmān maḥ
na ca t e priya-kṛtta ād
m m
kaścin na ca me tas vi
ā u
bhavit riya-taro bh
anyaḥ
p
to M e than
d m o r e dear G 18.69)
t in t h is worl ore dear. (B
is n o servan ver be one m
There il l t h ere e
rw
he, no
Deliver Message AS IT IS
Personal realization does not mean
that one should, out of vanity,
attempt to show one's own
learning by trying to surpass the
previous ācārya. He must have full
confidence in the previous ācārya,
and at the same time he must
realize the subject matter so nicely
that he can present the matter for
the particular circumstances in a
suitable manner. The original
purpose of the text must be
maintained. No obscure meaning
should be screwed out of it, yet it
should be presented in an
interesting manner for the
understanding of the audience.
This is called realization. (SB
1.4.1p)