These things are very nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. That is the preliminary study of spiritual life. And if we are actually convinced of the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā, then we surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wants that. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That He wants. When we actually take to this process, this is called śraddhā. Śraddhā. That has been explained by Kavirāja Gosvāmī, what is the meaning of śraddhā.
- śraddhā-śabde viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya
- kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya
- (Cc. Madhya 22.62)
This is called śraddhā. Śraddhā means firm faith. What is that firm faith? Firm faith means that... Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). When you take this conclusion, "Yes, by surrender to Kṛṣṇa, by surrendering unto the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, everything is done very nicely," this is called śraddhā. And the more you increase this śraddhā, the more you become perfect.
This is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, beginning with this śraddhā. Ādau śraddhā. If you don't believe... You are reading Bhagavad-gītā three hundred years but don't believe that "I have to surrender to Kṛṣṇa," then what is the use of reading Bhagavad-gītā? All these rascals, they are reading Bhagavad-gītā but they have no concern with Kṛṣṇa, forget Kṛṣṇa. This is reading of Bhagavad-gītā useless waste of time. Useless waste of time. If you do not understand the meaning of Bhagavad-gītā, why you are...? Śrama eva hi kevalam.