Shloka 25
Pṛthu Mahārāja Meets the Four Kumāras: Bhakti as the Boat Across Saṁsāra
हरेर्मुहुस्तत्परकर्णपूर गुणाभिधानेन विजृम्भमाणया । भक्त्या ह्यसङ्ग: सदसत्यनात्मनि स्यान्निर्गुणे ब्रह्मणि चाञ्जसा रति: ॥ २५ ॥
harer muhus tatpara-karṇa-pūra- guṇābhidhānena vijṛmbhamāṇayā bhaktyā hy asaṅgaḥ sad-asaty anātmani syān nirguṇe brahmaṇi cāñjasā ratiḥ
The devotee should steadily cultivate devotional service by repeatedly hearing the transcendental qualities of Śrī Hari, which are ornaments for the ears of the bhaktas. By such bhakti one rises beyond the material guṇas, becomes detached from the unreal non-self, and easily attains firm loving attachment to the nirguṇa Brahman—Śrī Bhagavān Himself.
This verse is especially mentioned to substantiate the devotional process of hearing the subject matter. A devotee does not like to hear anything other than subjects dealing with spiritual activities, or the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We can increase our propensity for devotional service by hearing Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from realized souls. The more we hear from realized souls, the more we make advancement in our devotional life. The more we advance in devotional life, the more we become detached from the material world. The more we become detached from the material world, as advised by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the more we increase in attachment for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, a devotee who actually wants to make progress in devotional service and go back home, back to Godhead, must lose interest in sense enjoyment and associating with persons who are after money and sense gratification. This is the advice of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu:
FAQs
This verse says that repeatedly hearing descriptions of Lord Hari’s qualities expands devotion, which produces detachment from the temporary non-self and leads easily to loving attraction for the Absolute.
In Canto 4, Chapter 22, Prithu instructs his citizens on righteous spiritual life; he emphasizes devotion expressed through hearing and glorifying Hari as the practical means to become free from bodily identification and attain the Supreme.
Make consistent time to hear or read Hari’s qualities (Bhagavatam talks, recitation, study), and observe how it reduces compulsive attachment to fleeting identities and strengthens steady spiritual attraction.