This yoga practice begins simply by hearing. You have got these ears. You simply just lend your ears and you become yogi

Expressions researched:
"This yoga practice begins simply by hearing. You have got these ears. You simply just lend your ears and you become yogi"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

This yoga practice begins simply by hearing. You have got these ears. You simply just lend your ears and you become yogi. And as soon as you become experienced in hearing, you become a preacher—kīrtanam.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, March 12, 1970:

Prabhupāda: Yes. There are nine different forms of devotional service:

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ

smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam

arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ

sakhyam ātma-nivedanam

(SB 7.5.23)

These nine. So the first principle is śravaṇam, it is said. Śravaṇam means hearing, that's all. The first principle of practicing this yoga, bhakti-yoga, beginning, "practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me." This yoga practice begins simply by hearing. You have got these ears. You simply just lend your ears and you become yogi. And as soon as you become experienced in hearing, you become a preacher—kīrtanam. Immediately. One who has heard nicely, he will try to become a kīrtanīya, or preacher. That is natural. That is natural. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. And śravaṇam means hearing, and kīrtanam means preaching or chanting. Then śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. "Oh, I... People are hearing so many things daily. They are going to the college, schools, and meetings and assembly and association. They are all hearing, śravaṇam. They are practicing yoga?" No. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ: you have to hear and preach and chant of Kṛṣṇa, nothing more. Not that simply by hearing any nonsense things you become yogi.

Here it is said, "Practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, Kṛṣṇa." So you have to hear of Kṛṣṇa; you have to speak of Kṛṣṇa. Then your yoga practice is nice. It clearly says, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). Not any other way. There are so many rascals, they say, "You can hear of any demigod, any man. That's all right." No. Any man, any demigod, is not Kṛṣṇa. That is are misunderstanding. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). If any person goes to worship any other demigod, he is persuaded by lust. But those who are worshiper of Kṛṣṇa, they are not persuaded by lust. They are persuaded by love. That is the difference. Therefore those who have got lust within their mind, they can worship many other demigods. But those who are freed from all lusty desires, simply wants to love Kṛṣṇa, they can attain this śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, chanting and hearing.