HEARING THE SPIRITUAL MASTER

JUST LEND YOUR EAR...

HEARING IS SO IMPORTANT

This is Caitanya Mahaprabhus recommendation, that You remain in your position. It doesnt require to change, because you are grhastha [householder], or you are engineer, you are doctor or you are washerman. It doesnt matter. You remain in your position But lend your ears for aural reception of Krsnas message... Sruti mean this ear. Allow this much, the message of Krsna, to enter your ears. That will help you
Then if you are conscious, deliberate, then, if you try to implement and practice in your life.... First of all hearing. Unless you hear.... Just like Krsna is speaking. You have to hear

So in this way, hearing, hearing You dont require to go to the college and school.
Even in college and school, there is percentage of attendance, hearing. All of you know that unless one has attended class of the professor seventy-five percent, he is not allowed for the examination. So hearing is so important.
And that is also in the case of spiritual Hear from whom? Hear from whom?... Hear from guru. Who is guru?... Guru means who knows God and fully engaged in His service. That is guru And he has also heard from his guru. This is both, hearing. Therefore Vedas are known as sruti. Formerly it was learned simply by hearing. There was no books. And there was no need of noting down. The merit was so perfect that simply by hearing from guru, he would understand everything.

But in the Kali-yuga because gradually we are losing the potency of our brain, therefore we require in writing books. Vyasadeva was very kind. He knew that in the Kali-yuga there will be no sharpened brain They are made by nature; by the influence of Kali-yuga, they are all very slow or very bad and they have got, manufactured some ideas which is not standard to the Vedic ideas and unfortunately, they cannot accept. (Bg Lecture 4/12/74 Bombay)

HEARING FROM THE BONA FIDE GURU, SRILA PRABHUPADA
BY KAPINDRA SWAMI

The Way to Come to the Real Guru

How to begin to understand that I need a bonafide spiritual master to guide me to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, for my deliverence from material existence:

The first prerequisite is that I am fed up with this material world. I am not happy . I am also inquisitve to learn about the soul and God. I want to be happy.

If we are fortunate we come in contact with the bonafide spiritual master, or God's representative , and hear submissively from him the ancient Vedic scriptures.

After hearing from him or reading his books, we will realize that this person is not like anyone I've ever heard or read before. We will feel more enthusiasm to hear or read when we meet his representative disciples. We can learn from them how to proceed further, receiving guidance from the bonafide spirutual master.

So, the way we come to know the real guru or the bonafide spirutual master is to simply hear him or read his books. The more one hears and reads the words of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the more he will realize that Prabhupada can deliver me from this material existence. Therefore, let me associate with his proper representative disciples and learn more how I can accept Srila Prabhupada as my spirituyal master.

tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam jnaninas tattva-darsinah
"Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him subissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth."

--Bhagavad-gita As It Is , Chapter 4 verse 34

Coming to Srila Prabhupada--The Bonafide Spiritual Master by Associating with Devotees

One can come to the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada by associating with his representative disciples. By learning from bonafide disciples who present Srila Prabhupada as the jagat guru and the initiating spiritual master of everyone, a sincere soul is automatically connected to Srila Prabhupada.

There is no difference between Srila Prabupada and his instructions. Anyone who is always carrying out the instructions of Srila Prabhupada in the association of devotees will always feel Srila Prabhupada's presence.

"Always fallow my instructions and my example. This should be your life and soul."

--letter 10-07-74

"Never think that I am absent from you. Physical presence is not essential. Therefore presence by message (or hearing) is real touch.

Lord Krishna is present by His message which was delivered 5000 years ago. We always feel the presence of our past Acaryas simply by their innumberable instructions."

--letter 08-02-6