So if we engage ourself in hearing about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller, the supreme master, the all-pervading . . . there are so many subject matter about hearing, about the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Bhagavad-gītā is the Supreme Personality of Godhead speaking personally; you can hear. Bhāgavata is spoken about the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Caitanya-caritāmṛta. So you do not forget this business of śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). Viṣṇu is of the . . . we should always engage ourselves in hearing and talking. Talking is also chanting. Therefore I began with this, śrī-viṣṇoḥśravaṇe parīkṣid abhavad vaiyāsakiḥ kīrtane (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.265). So kīrtana does not mean always that we have to chant loudly with drums and kartālas or musical instruments. Kīrtana, this kind of talking about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this kind of talking about our self-realization, that is also kīrtana. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23).
There are nine methods—the hearing, the chanting . . . that this is also chant, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ. If it is about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then it is kīrtana. Otherwise it is useless, nonsense talk, waste of time. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Smaraṇaṁ: and remembering what we hear. If you remember, that is very, very beneficial. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido (SB 3.25.25). In good association we hear about the Supreme Lord, Supreme Person, and it becomes very pleasing to the heart, to the ear. Taj-joṣaṇād: and if we again remember them, then the benefit is there.
- satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido
- bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ
- taj-joṣaṇād
- (SB 3.25.25)
If we again cultivate by remembering, that "Swamījī was speaking about this thing . . ." You have to apply you reason. Try to understand. If you cannot understand, then ask some superior student or somebody else to clear. In this way, taj-joṣaṇād āśu. Then if we make progress like this, hearing and chanting and thinking, and applying our knowledge, and try to understand, then the result will be āśu—"very soon." Apavarga-vartmani—on the path of liberation we shall increase our faith, śraddhā, our devotion, bhakti, anukramiṣyati. It will come gradually, and our life will be successful and we shall be able to go back to home, back to Godhead.