Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.18.11
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesHearing About Kṛṣṇa Cleanses the Heart
“By associating with persons for whom the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Mukunda, is the all in all, one can hear of His powerful activities and soon come to understand them. The activities of Mukunda are so potent that simply by hearing of them one immediately associates with the Lord. For a person who constantly and very eagerly hears narrations of the Lord’s powerful activities, the Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead in the form of sound vibrations, enters within his heart and cleanses it of all contamination. On the other hand, although bathing in the Ganges diminishes bodily contaminations and infections, this process and the process of visiting holy places can cleanse the heart only after a long time. Therefore who is the sane man who will not associate with devotees to quickly perfect his life?”
What the purport teaches
- By associating with devotees and hearing the Lord’s powerful activities, we directly associate with Him. The Supreme Lord within the heart personally cleanses the listener’s mind.
- The great teachers of devotional service strongly recommend hearing about the Supreme Lord. Hearing the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra purifies the heart and helps us advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
- Regularly hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and serving a pure devotee establish steady loving service to the Lord. As material attachment diminishes, attraction to Kṛṣṇa’s name, form, qualities and activities increases.
Try this today
Spend five minutes chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, carefully hearing each name.
Ask yourself
How can I give more eager attention to hearing about Kṛṣṇa?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.