Text 33]
Fundamental Principles of Material Nature
1099
one can transform them. If we want to build a very high skyscraper, this does not mean that we have to create it. The materials for the skyscraper—wood, metal, earth, etc.—are already there, but we make our intimate relationship with those already created material elements by hearing how to utilize them. Modern economic advancement for creation is also a product of hearing, and similarly, one can create a favorable field of spiritual activities by hearing from the right source. Arjuna was a gross materialist in the bodily conception of life and was suffering from the bodily concept very acutely. But simply by hearing, Arjuna became a spiritualized Kṛṣṇa conscious person. Hearing is very important, and that hearing is produced from the sky. By hearing only can we make proper use of that which already exists. The principle of hearing to properly utilize preconceived materials is applicable to spiritual paraphernalia as well. We must hear from the proper spiritual source.
TEXT 33
अर्थाश्रयत्वं शब्दस्य द्रष्टुर्लिङ्गत्वमेव च । तन्मात्रत्वं च नमसो लक्षणं कवयो विदुः ॥३३॥
arthāśrayatvam śabdasya draṣṭur liṅgatvam eva ca tanmātratvam ca nabhaso lakṣaṇam kavayo viduḥ
artha-āśrayatvam —that which conveys the meaning of an object;  śabdasya —of sound;  draṣṭuḥ —of the speaker;  liṅgatvam —that which indicates the presence;  eva —also;  ca —and;  tanmātratvam —the subtle element;  ca —and;  nabhasaḥ —of ether;  lakṣaṇam —definition;  kavayaḥ —learned persons;  viduḥ —know.
TRANSLATION
Persons who are learned and who have true knowledge define sound as that which conveys the idea of an object, indicates the presence of a speaker screened from our view and constitutes the subtle form of ether.
PURPORT
It is very clear herein that as soon as we speak of hearing, there must be a speaker; without a speaker there is no question of hearing. Therefore the Vedic knowledge, which is known as  śruti , or that which is received by