90 The Nectar of Devotion

In the Fourth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, 29th Chapter, 37th
verse, the importance of hearing of the pastimes of the Lord is stated
by Sukadeva Gosvami to Maharaj Pariksit: “My dear King, one
should stay at a place where the great dcaryas [holy teachers] speak
about the transcendental activities of the Lord, and one should give
aural reception to the nectarean river flowing from the moonlike
faces of such great personalities. If someone eagerly continues to hear
such transcendental sounds, then certainly he will become freed from
all material hunger, thirst, fear and lamentation, as well as all illu-
sions of material existence.”

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also recommended this process of hear-
ing as a means of self realization in the present age of Kali. In this age
it is very difficult to follow thoroughly the regulative principles and
studies of the Vedas which were formerly recommended. However, if
one gives aural reception to the sound vibrated by great devotees and
acaryas, that alone will give him relief from all material contamina-
tion. Therefore it is the recommendation of Caitanya Mahaprabhu
that one should simply hear from authorities who are actually devo-
tees of the Lord. Hearing from professional men will not help. If we
hear from those who are actually self realized, then the nectarean
rivers, like those which are flowing on the moon planet, will flow into
our ears. This is the metaphor used in the above verse.

As is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, ‘A materialistic person can give
up his material hankerings only by becoming situated in Krsna con-
sciousness.”” Unless one finds a superior engagement he will not be
able to give up his inferior engagement. In the material world every-
one is engaged in the illusory activities of inferior energy, but when
one is given the opportunity to relish the activities of the superior
energy performed by Krsna, then he forgets all his lesser pleasures.
When Krsna speaks on the battlefield of Kuruksetra, to the material-
istic person it appears that this is simply talk between two friends,
but actually it is a river of nectar flowing down from the mouth of
Sri Krsna. Arjuna gave aural reception to such vibrations, and thus
he became freed from all the illusions of material problems.
