“One must give aural reception to any knowledge one wants to receive, either material or spiritual. Therefore shrotram is very important. The Vedic knowledge is called shruti; knowledge has to be received by hearing. By hearing only can we have access to either material or spiritual enjoyment.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 3.26.32 Purport)

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“What should be the behavior of someone who is already familiar with shastra? What if they already know many of the verses from Bhagavad-gita, for instance? They can recite the Sanskrit, translate into the language of the local area, and also elaborate as to the meaning.

“They maintain fidelity with the tradition. That is to say, they do not speculate. They do not introduce anything new, manufactured, concocted, distorted, twisted, or otherwise devious into the equation. They present the material as it is, with suitable adjustments for time and circumstance.

“For such a person, what should their approach be to the hearing process? Is it still necessary for them? They no longer require convincing. Though they may not admit it, they are beyond the stage of vaidhi-bhakti. They will follow devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, irrespective of outside opinion.”

In such cases, the tendency is to have an even greater affinity towards hearing. The allegiance is such that there will likely be a routine attached. If I can simply read five or six pages a day, in a steady manner, I will have consumed an entire book in a short amount of time.

That dedication will only strengthen my resolve. It will further enhance my knowledge. If I am actively paying attention, then my intelligence will also be refined. A principle I may have heard several times before suddenly makes sense. I have a new angle into the truths based on my own reality, which has shifted due to the constant of change in the material world.

A likely more important reason for continuing with shrotram is to help and support others. They may need guidance and reassurance. They may feel down on their luck, despondent and hopeless over miseries associated with faulty spiritual leaders, criminal behavior, and breaches of trust towards dependents.

If I am able to consistently hear, then others can share in the process. This is the purpose to association in the bhakti culture. In the case of sense gratification, the same association in hearing will have limits. There is a ceiling which can be reached.

In addition, that kind of hearing can cause an abrupt shift in interest. As an example, I am stuck in the car one day, on a long journey, where traffic will not move. I finally capitulate and turn on the radio. Only one station has reception, and the hosts of a particular show are talking about an incident which took place in professional sports the night before.

It is a topic for debate. Is the behavior of a noteworthy player acceptable? Or did it cross the line? Listeners call in and offer their opinions. They support their opinions with references to incidents from the past. There is comparison to the way other athletes showing similar behavior were later treated.

Suddenly, I am left contemplating the issue. It is all I think about for the rest of the journey. Upon reaching my destination, I bring up the incident with my friends. I introduce the issue with a certain expectation in my mind. My friends better agree with my opinion on the matter; otherwise they are in for an intense debate.

This all took place through an innocent interaction with hearing. Imagine, then, what can happen if we make hearing from shastra a systematic process. If I even casually listen to an explanation from a verse from Bhagavad-gita, for instance, I might reference it later on. I do so without conscious thought. It is just something I remembered, and now I see that it applies to my situation.

ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंसः सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते ।
सङ्गात्सञ्जायते कामः कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते ॥

dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ
saṅgas teṣūpajāyate
saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ
kāmāt krodho ’bhijāyate

“While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.62)

Since shastra is both descriptions of the Supreme Lord and words directly spoken by Him, the principles will always be applicable. There will always be something I can apply to my challenges in life. Moreover, I get help in overcoming the greatest challenge of all: reaching the other side of the material ocean of miseries, samsara.

In Closing:

When wisdom in memory clear,
Through many times to hear.

With pronunciation precise,
At any time can recite.

Then attention to practice more,
To assist others for.

Like a daily dose of relief,
From world of suffering and grief.

Categories: questions

Tags: hare krishna, hearing, katha, poem, poems, poetry, shastra, vedas