Revatīnandana: Faith begins from the association of devotees?
Prabhupāda: And that, that faith becomes stronger by association; by association of the devotees, the faith becomes stronger. And the more your faith becomes stronger, you make progress. This is the way. Progress means the same faith becoming stronger, stronger, strongest. The same faith. The principle is the same, Kṛṣṇa. Then you know more about Kṛṣṇa. Then you become more faithful.
Revatīnandana: Is this faithfulness, is it a product of the mode of goodness?
Prabhupāda: Eh? Yes. Goodness helps. But not... Unless you take it seriously... Then it depends upon the person. Even if he's not in goodness... That, just like all these European and Americans. They were not in goodness. They were on the platform of ignorance. But still, they, because they took it, therefore they are coming, progressively.
Revatīnandana: Sometimes the... Kṛṣṇa says you can understand all behavior in terms of the modes of nature, the three modes. I'm trying to understand why...
Prabhupāda: No, I'm... That is generally. Unless one becomes in goodness... But bhakti-mārga is transcendental. It does not depend on the qualities of this material nature. Ahaituki apratihatā. Ahaituki. Apratihatā. Nothing can check bhakti-mārga. Even one is in the platform of ignorance, it cannot check. It cannot check. Ahaituki apratihatā. Because it is purely spiritual. It does not depend on material conditions. It does not depend on material... These goodness, passion, ignorance, they are material conditions. So bhakti does not depend on material conditions.
Revatīnandana: Why is it then, that one person accepts it and another rejects it?
Prabhupāda: That is his choice.
Revatīnandana: That is from a spiritual position, his basic disposition?
Prabhupāda: That is his choice, yes. We have got this independence, to accept or not to accept.
Guest (10): So does faith develop from accepting?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Faith means acceptance. When you accept, then your faith begins. If you have got hesitation, then the faith has not begun. Or it is on the hazy state. (pause) Get the lights on.
Revatīnandana: So in the human life the distinguishing feature is that his spiritual independence can show itself; whereas the animal is completely under the modes, but the human being, the modes' influence is reduced sufficiently so that he can make this decision, from, whether to accept or reject Kṛṣṇa?
Prabhupāda: Animals also can be delivered, provided he follows a devotee.