By Yamuna Devi Dasi, Montreal, August 16, 1968:
nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhutale srimate bhaktivedanta svamin iti namine
I am offering my repeated, humble obeisances unto my spiritual preceptor, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. Please try to understand that everything that we are learning here in Krishna consciousness is received through the ears. And unless one does not listen submissively, one cannot hear transcendental message.
This is the opening of the Srimad-Bhagavatam. It states that at the reading of the Srimad-Bhagavata, the forest of Naimisaranya, many sages were present, and it was so quiet that the dropping of a pin could be heard on the sand. So the science of Krishna consciousness must be received submissively.
Our spiritual preceptor has brought Krishna consciousness to the Western world, in the hopes that the people here will sincerely take to this process of practicing bhakti-yoga, or the yoga of devotional service and love unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna. This is not a sect. This is for people of the world who understand one premise, that “I am not this body; I am pure spirit soul,” that this body is simply a dress.
Just like you wear clothes. But what is it that keeps you alive that is eternal? This is spirit soul. This is so simple that even a child at the age of five years can understand this. If it’s from a bona fide source, he can understand this.
We are requesting to you that you please come to the practices of Bhagavata. Come to kirtana. By chanting,
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
you at once are elevated into the spiritual platform, and our contaminated material senses may become purified simply because of this association of the names of God. These names are absolute.
They are not material. If you chant “water, water, water, water,” your thirst will not be quenched. But if you cry, “Krishna, Krishna, Krishna,” you may find your position in this world, where you came from, why are you here, what are you doing, where are you going.
These questions man must answer, or he’s not making use of his ability of man. He’s simply living an animal life, eating, sleeping, mating, defending. It does not matter if you are man, you are woman, you are a child, you are Indian, you are American.
You simply must ask these questions. And when one comes upon a bona fide source one must take advantage of that source and not pass it up. Krishna consciousness, or the practice of the Srimad-Bhagavatam and the Srimad Bhagavad-gita, are open to all, and we invite you to please come. Chant Hare Krishna. Feel the sublime ecstasy. Thank you very much.
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