Srila Gurudeva: We have heard the sloka:
satam prasangan mama virya-samvido
bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah
taj-josanad asv apavarga-vartmani
sraddha ratir bhaktir anukramisyati
Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.25.25)
[In the exalted association of pure devotees, the recitation and discussions of My glorious pastimes become a rejuvenating elixir for both the heart and the ears. By such cultivation one quickly becomes liberated from the ignorance of material bondage. He then progressively attains sraddha (sadhana-bhakti), rati (bhava-bhakti) and bhakti (prema-bhakti) unto Me.]
This sloka has been quoted from Bhagavatam, a very important sloka. Satam prasangan mama virya-samvido. When two devotees, who are at least at the stage of madhyama-adhikari, madhyama-uttama or uttama-kanistha or madhyama-madhyama, when they meet together, then they will discuss with each other about the very powerful pastimes of Krsna or Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Like when Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami used to meet in Ter Kadamba or Radha-kunda or anywhere in Nandagaon, anywhere, they used to talk with each other not about worldly things, but were always absorbed in hearing and talking about the pastimes of Krsna, the very powerful pastimes of Krsna.
The pastimes of the Krsna are non-different from Krsna Himself. They are even more powerful than Krsna. If anyone will hear all these pastimes, then Krsna will enter into that devotees heart through his ears. Then these pastimes, Krsna Himself in the form of His pastimes, will clear all the doubts, all the anarthas, all kinds of offenses, weakness of heart, asat-trsna (thirst for material enjoyment), svarupa-brahma (illusion about spiritual identity) and all other kinds of anarthas. Then knowledge of Krsna-tattva, bhakti-tattva, jiva-tattva, maya-tattva, everything will come.
And Krsna, being in the heart, He will rest there because then the devotees heart will be purified. He will not require anything from Krsna, “Krsna, give me this, give me that.” No worldly desire will be there. Then Krsna will happily sleep there. So the pastimes of Krsna are so strong, so powerful. If anyone has no taste in hearing these pastimes, then he is like zero. He may be chanting the holy name, worshiping, and doing all activities, but in Srimad-Bhagavatam it has been said:
dharmah svanusthitah pumsam
visvaksena-kathasu yah
notpadayed yadi ratim
srama eva hi kevalam
Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.8
[The occupational activities a man performs according to his own position are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Personality of Godhead.]
After some time, if you are not hearing hari-katha from bona-fide Vaisnavas, then you will give up chanting the holy name. Then Krsna will not enter your heart. No purification will take place, nothing. If you are doing arcana but there is no taste in hari-katha, then you will eventually give up arcana and all other activities. If you are not hearing hari-katha, you will have so many doubts about your Guru. But by hearing hari-katha, your chanting will be stronger. Your service to Gurudeva will be stronger. All your devotional activities will be stronger if you are hearing hari-katha.
[Spoken by Srila Gurudeva on April 29th, 1998, France, published as part of the Bhakta Bandhav Anthology, Volume 27]
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