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Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.25.25
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A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 25
- satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido
- bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ
- taj-joṣaṇād āśv apavarga-vartmani
- śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati
satāmof pure devotees — of pure devotees; prasaṅgātthrough the association — through the association; mamaMy — My; vīryawonderful activities — wonderful activities; saṁvidaḥby discussion of — by discussion of; bhavantibecome — become; hṛtto the heart — to the heart; karṇato the ear — to the ear; rasapleasing-ayanāḥpleasing — pleasing; kathāḥthe stories — the stories; tatof that — of that; joṣaṇātby cultivation — by cultivation; āśuquickly — quickly; apavargaof liberation — of liberation; vartmanion the path — on the path; śraddhāfirm faith — firm faith; ratiḥattraction — attraction; bhaktiḥdevotion — devotion; anukramiṣyatiwill follow in order — will follow in order.
In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin.
Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahūti, Text 25
The process of advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service is described here. The first point is that one must seek the association of persons who are Kṛṣṇa conscious and who engage in devotional service. Without such association one cannot make advancement. Simply by theoretical knowledge or study one cannot make any appreciable advancement. One must give up the association of materialistic persons and seek the association of devotees because without the association of devotees one cannot understand the activities of the Lord. Generally, people are convinced of the impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth. Because they do not associate with devotees, they cannot understand that the Absolute Truth can be a person and have personal activities. This is a very difficult subject matter, and unless one has personal understanding of the Absolute Truth, there is no meaning to devotion. Service or devotion cannot be offered to anything impersonal. Service must be offered to a person. Nondevotees cannot appreciate Kṛṣṇa consciousness by reading the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or any other Vedic literature wherein the activities of the Lord are described; they think that these activities are fictional, manufactured stories because spiritual life is not explained to them in the proper mood. To understand the personal activities of the Lord, one has to seek the association of devotees, and by such association, when one contemplates and tries to understand the transcendental activities of the Lord, the path to liberation is open, and he is freed. One who has firm faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes fixed, and his attraction for association with the Lord and the devotees increases. Association with devotees means association with the Lord. The devotee who makes this association develops the consciousness for rendering service to the Lord, and then, being situated in the transcendental position of devotional service, he gradually becomes perfect.