### CC Adi 8.25

> তদশ্মসারং হৃদয়ং বতেদং,\
> যদ্গৃহ্যমাণৈর্হরিনামধেয়ৈঃ ।\
> ন বিক্রিয়েতাথ যদা বিকারো,\
> নেত্রে জলং গাত্ররুহেষু হর্ষঃ ॥২৫॥

> tad aśma-sāraṁ hṛdayaṁ batedaṁ\
> yad gṛhyamāṇair hari-nāmadheyaiḥ\
> na vikriyetātha yadā vikāro\
> netre jalaṁ gātra-ruheṣu harṣaḥ

*tat*—that; *aśma-sāram*—as hard as iron; *hṛdayam*—heart; *bata*—O; *idam*—this; *yat*—which; *gṛhyamāṇaiḥ*—in spite of taking the chanting; *hari-nāmadheyaiḥ*—meditating on the holy name of the Lord; *na*—does not; *vikriyeta*—change; *atha*—thus; *yadā*—when; *vikāraḥ*—transformation; *netre*—in the eyes; *jalam*—tears; *gātra-ruheṣu*—in the pores of the body; *harṣaḥ*—ecstasy.

**"If one's heart does not change, tears do not flow from his eyes, his body does not shiver, nor his hairs stand on end as he chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, it should be understood that his heart is as hard as iron. This is due to his offenses at the lotus feet of the Lord's holy name."**

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, commenting on this verse, which is a quotation from *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* (2.3.24), remarks that sometimes a *mahā-bhāgavata,* or very advanced devotee, does not manifest such transcendental symptoms as tears in the eyes, although sometimes a *kaniṣṭha-adhikārī,* a neophyte devotee, displays them artificially. This does not mean, however, that the neophyte is more advanced than the *mahā-bhāgavata* devotee. The test of the real change of heart that takes place when one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra* is that one becomes detached from material enjoyment. This is the real change. *Bhaktir pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra ca* (*Bhāg.* 11.2.42). If one is actually advancing in spiritual life, he must become very much detached from material enjoyment. If it is sometimes found that a *kaniṣṭha-adhikārī* (neophyte devotee) shows artificial tears in his eyes while chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra* but is still completely attached to material things, his heart has not really changed. The change must be manifested in terms of one's real activities.