How to increase our desire for hearing about Krsna?

We must hear the narrations about Krsna – about the person we wish to get to know. We are, after all, in the movement for Krsna consciousness. In order to increase your relationship with someone, you need to know more about the person. I think we all know this when we find a person distantly attractive. Say, we see a certain Vaisnava. We like his ways. We like his kirtans, perhaps. We have some distant liking, but we are not yet close. We really actually don’t know so much about the person. At that point, we want to get to know him more and we do so by hearing more about him.

I remember, when I was initiated by Srila Prabhupada, I was young and at first I only knew him from reading typed lectures, because I couldn’t understand his Bengali accent. I had a dictionary and I wrote all the pages full of the German words for the English words. At some point I thought ”I’m his disciple, shouldn’t I know a little bit more about what he thinks and what his instructions are?”  I became very interested in hearing about Prabhupada and started reading his Lilamrta. I did this because I felt that there was a need in my life. In the same way, Krsna katha is really interesting only for those who see they have a need for Krsna. ”I need to come closer to Krsna.” You need to first work on that point. Otherwise you will think Krsna katha is boring. Bhurijana Prabhu and myself, and many others, have seen this in ISKCON: when you talk about Krsna, devotees leave the room. But if you talk about the newest scandals… Often we know more about ISKCON. Because that’s what is immediately in our surrounding. Krsna is a little distant. But hearing and thinking about ISKCON will not help you. Don’t get me wrong. I am a member of ISKCON. ISKCON is the best I found – but it has a goal. It wants to bring us to Krishna consciousness. It is not the International Society for ISKCON. It is International Society for Krishna-consciousness. It’s about that. So you need realize: ”Well, I don’t really know so much about Krsna.” And you need to find within yourself the motivation. I would love to know a little bit about Him. And the moment you do that you will see where you can find further information. But Krsna is not interesting for those who are not interested in Krsna. However, as Rupa Gosvami says,

“The holy name, character, pastimes and activities of Krsna are all transcendentally sweet like sugar candy. Although the tongue of one afflicted by the jaundice of avidya [ignorance] cannot taste anything sweet, it is wonderful that simply by carefully chanting these sweet names every day, a natural relish awakens within his tongue, and his disease is gradually destroyed at the root.” (Upadesamrta, 7)

Three years ago I saw a small dragon. They live in a cave in Slovenia. They are born there and they are totally white. They never ever saw any light and they cannot digest any light. Therefore it was forbidden to take a photo of them. We are like them: there was no light for us we were born in the cave called the material universe. In the beginning our journey can be a little tough. But when you actually want to come to Krsna, it is not tough. You have to come to that part within you. That part is there. That part is perhaps crying since a long, long time.

Form a lecture by Sacinandana Swami at Radhadesh, Sep 15, 2023.

Srila Prabhupada: Take direction from the Supreme Lord

The Supreme Personality gives directions as to what is good and what is bad, and one simply has to act in Krsna consciousness to attain the perfection of life. No one can ascertain his destiny as the Supreme Lord can; therefore the best course is to take direction from the Supreme Lord and act. No one should neglect the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or the order of the spiritual master, who is the representative of God. One should act unhesitatingly to execute the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead—that will keep one safe under all circumstances.

From Srila Prabhupada’s purport to Bhagavad-gita, 18.59