# Hearing Process *On hearing as the primary process for spiritual advancement* --- ### Sincerely Hear About God > So the most important item is *śravaṇam,* or hearing. If you do not do anything else, if you simply sincerely hear about God, then gradually you will be God conscious. That is also true in the material science. The students go to the school, college, and hear from the professor, and gradually he becomes learned in that subject matter. Especially in this age, *śravaṇam,* or hearing, is very, very important. We are therefore opening different centers in different parts of the world, and their given, being given the chance of this *bhakti-yoga* system, *śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam*, like that. So all these devotees present here, they are not Indians. I have not brought them from India; neither I have bribed them here. But by hearing only, they are now coming to God consciousness, and devotees. Therefore this *śravaṇam* item, or hearing item, is very, very important. — [[spoken/1975/750222in.car|Initiation Lecture, Caracas, February 22, 1975]] --- ### The Ear Is Most Important > So if you all, ladies and gentlemen present here, take advantage of hearing about God from this institution, you will also become God conscious. They, we have got many sense organs, out of which the aural sense, or the hearing sense, is very important. Therefore, for spiritual understanding we have to use this ear. So therefore the Vedic literature is called *śruti. Śruti* means to receive the knowledge by hearing. So our process, or the Vedic process, is that *satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ.* If one lends his aural reception of spiritual knowledge through the authorized person, devotee, then he relishes taste in spiritual life. And when you cultivate that stage, then, gradually, he becomes a devotee; he understands what is God. — [[spoken/1975/750222in.car|Initiation Lecture, Caracas, February 22, 1975]] --- ### God Realization Begins from the Tongue > Anyone who does not utter the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, any man who does not discuss the glories, the glorious pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, *jihvā,* and these things are done by the tongue. *Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau*. "God realization begins from the tongue." — [[spoken/1971/710221sb.gor|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.3.28–29, Gorakhpur, February 21, 1971]] --- ### Hearing Purifies > Vyāsadeva... such a nice thing that *śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ*. Simply by hearing of the glorious words and vibration of Lord Kṛṣṇa one becomes purified and as he becomes purified progressively such, *naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu*. "Not completely purified but almost purified." Just like we are, it is not that we have been completely purified. We should always know that we are trying to be purified by this process. — [[spoken/1971/710223sb.gor|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.3.32–33, Gorakhpur, February 23, 1971]] --- ### Practically Experience Progress > So for this age, when people are so much fallen, no other process will be successful. This process is the only process. It is very easy and sublime and effective and practical, and one can realize oneself. *Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam*. In the *Bhagavad-gītā* it is said that you can practically experience. In other system, you do not practically experience how far you are making progress. But this system, if you follow for a few days, you realize, "Yes, I am making progress." Just like if you eat, you understand that your hunger is satisfied. Similarly, actually if you follow this principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, you'll see yourself that you are advancing in the matter of self-realization. — [[spoken/1969/690218bg.la|Bhagavad-gītā 6.25–29 [Sāṅkhya Yoga System], Los Angeles, February 18, 1969]] --- ### Smaraṇam Is the Third Stage > Then further. As soon as you become expert in hearing and chanting, then the next stage is *smaraṇam. Smaraṇam:* thinking of. Anything you speak or hear, later on you contemplate, you meditate, *smaraṇam.* So *smaraṇam* is the third stage. First of all, one must begin with hearing, *śravaṇam.* Otherwise what about, meditation? If you do not know the subject matter of meditation, where is the question of meditation? Therefore we must first of all hear about the subject matter of meditation. And that is chanting. *Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ.*. About Lord Viṣṇu. — [[spoken/1973/730428sb.la|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.8.36, Los Angeles, April 28, 1973]] --- ### Hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Gives Devotion > So if we want to get relief from this suffering, then it is recommended, *yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyām.* If we regularly hear *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,* this *sātvata-saṁhitā. Yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyām*. *Śrūyamāṇa* means simply hearing, *śravaṇam.* Then, by hearing, what will be the effect? The effect will be *kṛṣṇe parama-pūruṣe, kṛṣṇe parama-pūruṣe bhaktir utpadyate*: "The Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa, unto Him your devotional service will be increased." Because *anartha upaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje.* The remedy has been described that if you be engaged in the devotional service of Adhokṣaja. *Adhokṣaja* means the Supreme Person who is beyond your material experience. — [[spoken/1975/750423sb.vrn|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.7.6, Vṛndāvana, April 23, 1975]] --- ### Śravaṇam Is Very Essential > Therefore *śravaṇam* is very essential. *Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam.* So in all our centers, this process should be followed. We have got now so many books. Simply if we read books... Our Yogeśvara Prabhu is very enthusiastic to read books. So everyone should read books, and others should hear. That is very essential, *śravaṇam.* The more you hear... We have got so many books. Whatever is already published... Just like we are describing one verse daily. So at least... There are so many verses already in stock, you can go on speaking for fifty years. These books already published, you can go on. There will be no want of stock. — [[spoken/1974/740603sb.gen|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.13.12–14, Geneva, June 3, 1974]] --- ### Our First Principle Is Hearing > Our first principle is hearing, *śravaṇam.* Everyone should be given chance to hear about Kṛṣṇa then everything will be all right. One should hear properly about Kṛṣṇa and everyone should be given chance to hear about Kṛṣṇa. — [[spoken/1972/721008mw.ber|Morning Walk, Berkeley, October 8, 1972]] --- *9 verified verbatim quotes from Śrīla Prabhupāda on the hearing process*