Raganuga - 2.3: Eligibility for Hearing Lila-katha

We shall now take the question one step further, examining the nature of those deeds, namely hearing about and seeing the object of one's desires, which provoke the aforementioned spiritual greed.

satAM prasaGgAn mama vIrya-saMvido |
bhavanti hRt-karNa-rasAyanAH kathAH ||
taj-joSaNAd Azv apavarga-vartmani |
zraddhA ratir bhaktir anukramiSyati || (bhag. 3.25.25)

"In the association of saints, discussing the narrations of My wonderful deeds acts as the life-giving elixir for the heart and the ears. Being thus satisfied, one quickly proceeds on the path of liberation, as faith, attraction and devotion gradually appear."

The glory of hearing about the loving sports of Sri Krishna is narrated everywhere in the scriptures.

vikrIDitaM vraja-vadhUbhir idaM ca viSNoH |
zraddhAnvito yaH zRNuyAd atha varNayed vA ||
bhaktiM parAM bhagavati parilabhya kAmaM |
hRd-rogam Azv apahinoty acireNa dhIraH || (bhag. 10.33.39)

"One who faithfully hears or describes the loving sports of Sri Krishna and the young maidens of Vraja will quickly drive away the heart-disease of lust, become sober, and attain supramundane devotion of the Lord."

However, is everyone eligible for hearing such confidential topics, which may invoke thoughts of mundane sexuality in the eyes of an ignorant spectator?

kintu rahasya-lIlA tu pauruSa-vikAravad indriyaiH pitR-putra-dAsa-bhAvaiz ca nopAsyA svIya-bhAva-virodhAt | rahasyatvaM ca tasyAH kvacid alpAMzena kvacit tu sarvAMzeneti jJeyam || (bhakti-sandarbha 338)

"However, these secret sports are not to be worshiped by those who experience male transformations in their senses, or by those who are in the moods of father, son and servant, for it would be contrary to their moods. Confidentiality is understood according to the partial or complete touching of limbs."

Thus the individual who desires to absorbe himself in narrations of the Lord must himself assess his own eligibility and aspire to hear narrations in accordance with his capacity. However, such confidential topics should never be narrated to antagonistic individuals who are likely to disrespect the supremely sacred human-like sports of the Lord.

azraddadhAne vimukhe 'py azRNvati yaz copadezaH ziva nAmAparAdhaH || (padma-purana, brahma-khanda 25.15-18)

"One who describes the auspiciousness of the Name unto those who are faithless, opposed and unwilling to hear, is an offender against the Holy Name."

Hence the aforementioned verse (Bhag. 10.33.39) lays emphasis on hearing such narrations with faith. Faith in the divinity and the purifying nature of the deeds of the Lord awakens through associating with faithful saints, as one learns about the scriptural conclusions regarding the supramundane status of the Lord from them.

For the faithful people, whether pure or impure in heart, hearing narrations of the deeds of the Lord is recommended. The immense potency of the nectarine pastimes of Sri Krishna is praised in the Govinda Lilamritam, one among the original texts narrating the eight-fold daily pastimes of the Lord.

yat pItaM zrutivAG manobhir anizaM tRSNApradaM tvadbhutaM |
saMsArAmaya hAryapi praNayajonmAdAndhya mohAdikRt ||
zazvac carvitam eva bhUri rasadaM dehAdi hRt puSTidaM |
taj jIyAd amRta spRhA haram idaM govinda lIlAmRtam || (gl 1.5)

"Glory to the immortal nectarine pastimes of Sri Govinda, which defeat the nectar of the demigods and the desire for liberation, which constantly bestow a wonderful thirst to the ears, words and mind whenever it is drunk, which cure the disease of material life, yet producing delusions and blindness of loving intoxication, and give inexhaustible relish, even if they are consumed again and again, nourishing even the body."

Indeed, who could fail to be attracted by such beauty and sweetness?

ko nirvRto hari-kathAsu ratiM na kuryAt || (bhag. 2.3.12)

"Who is there who has no taste for absorption in narrations about Hari?"

nivRtta-tarSair upagIyamAnAd |
bhavauSadhAc chrotra-mano-'bhirAmAt ||
ka uttamazloka-guNAnuvAdAt |
pumAn virajyeta vinA pazughnAt || (bhag. 10.1.3)

"Description of the qualities of the Lord who is praised with the best of verses is sung and relished in the minds of those whose thirst for the mundane is quenched, and it is the remedy for material existence as well. Who else than a butcher could keep himself away from hearing such descriptions?"

Thus a faithful person desirous of attaining the ultimate goal of life, having heard of the scriptural conclusions regarding the truths about the Lord and His infinite potencies, should engage himself in hearing narrations depicting the sweet, love-laden pastimes of Sri Krishna and His Vraja-associates.