RISING ABOVE

THE BODILY CONCEPTION

 

TRANSLATION. My dear King, in the place where pure devotees live, following the rules and regulations and thus purely conscious and engaged with great eagerness in hearing and chanting the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in that place if one gets a chance to hear their constant flow of nectar, which is exactly like the waves of a river, one will forget the necessities of life--namely hunger and thirst--and become immune to all kinds of fear, lamentation and illusion.

PURPORT. The cultivation of Krsna consciousness is possible where great devotees live together and constantly engage in hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord. In a holy place like Vrndavana, there are many devotees constantly engaged in chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord. If one gets the chance to hear from pure devotees in such a place, allowing the constant flow of the river of nectar to come from the mouths of pure devotees, then the cultivation of Krsna consciousness becomes very easy. When one is engaged in constantly hearing the glories of the Lord, he certainly rises above the bodily conception. When one is in the bodily conception, he feels the pangs of hunger and thirst, fear, lamentation and illusion. But when one is engaged in hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord, he transcends the bodily conception.

The word bhagavad-gunanukathana-sravana-vyagra-cetasah, meaning "always eager to find the place where the glories of the Lord are being heard and chanted," is significant in this verse. A businessman is always very eager to go to a place where business is transacted. Similarly, a devotee is very eager to hear from the lips of liberated devotees. As soon as one hears the glories of the Lord from the liberated devotees, he immediately becomes impregnated with Krsna consciousness.

This is also confirmed in another verse:

satam prasangan mama virya-samvido bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah taj josanad asv apavarga-vartmani sraddha ratir bhaktir anukramisyati

"In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and to the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin." (SB. 3.25.25) In the association of pure devotees, one becomes attached to hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord. In this way one can cultivate Krsna consciousness, and as soon as this cultivation is advanced, one can become faithful to the Lord, devoted to the Lord and attached to the Lord, and thus one can very quickly attain full Krsna consciousness. The secret of success in the cultivation of Krsna consciousness is hearing from the right person. A Krsna conscious person is never disturbed by the bodily necessities--namely eating, sleeping, mating and defending.

(S.B. 4.29.40)

 

If you would like to obtain
 
THE COMPLETE SRILA PRABHUPADA TAPE LIBRARY
ON COMPACT DISK  + FREE VEDABASE
containing Srila Prabhupada's
original 1972 Bhagavad-gita. 
 
just send your address and cheque for
 
£70.00 or $118.00
 
(This price incudes postage) 
 
to
 
Prabhupada Sankirtana Society,
294, Lee Street, Oldham,
OL8 1BG, England
 
and we will mail you the CDs
 
 
 * Cheques will be acceptable from US banks.*
 
The small profit made will go towards
the printing of Srila Prabhupada's original books.
 
HARE KRISHNA !
 
ALL GLORIES TO SRILA PRABHUPADA !
 
If you have any inquiries please send to our e-mail addresses below.
 
THANKYOU !
 

If anyone would like a copy of ALL OF US SHOULD HEAR PRABHUPADA

which is a compilation of quotes from the teachings of Srila Prabhupada
on the importance of hearing from a self-realized soul,
then please contact us at:
 
 
Prabhupada Sankirtana Society. (Oldham)