Pleasure of the spiritual masters results in Krishna’s pleasure. When Shrila Prabhupada was asked what would please him, Shrila Prabhupada replied, “When you love Krishna.” Shrila Prabhupada wanted us all to develop love for Krishna.
HH Radhanath Swami says that to love Krishna means we take very seriously the process by which we can love Krishna. This means the nava-vidha bhakti. The primary processes of bhakti being shravanam and kirtanam, we need to eagerly take to the process of hearing and chanting.
A very similar example like that given by Srila Rupa Goswami is mentioned in the Srimad Bhagavatam by Sukadeva Goswami as well.
satām ayaṁ sāra-bhṛtāṁ nisargo
yad-artha-vāṇī-śruti-cetasām api
prati-kṣaṇaṁ navya-vad acyutasya yat
striyā viṭānām iva sādhu vārtā
Paramahaṁsas, devotees who have accepted the essence of life, are attached to Kṛṣṇa in the core of their hearts, and He is the aim of their lives. It is their nature to talk only of Kṛṣṇa at every moment, as if such topics were newer and newer. They are attached to such topics, just as materialists are attached to topics of women and sex. SB 10.13.2
When we engage our mind and senses in chanting about Krishna, hearing about Krishna, serving Krishna, then over a period of time, Krishna will surely manifest.
Along with engaging the senses, we need to consciously engage the mind and absorb the mind in thoughts of Krishna. When we were small, we would go for swimming. And we would also participate in the district and state level competitions. During the summer vacations, we would practice for around four hours – all for the final competition lasting only a few minutes (one-three min) at the maximum.
When we intensely hear and chant Krishna’s names, activities, pastimes etc. for long hours, it fits in the mind to some extent. We must try to surround oour life with hearing about Krishna. Prabhupada would many times talk about the importance of avyartha kalatvam. Actually, that is a stage attained by devotees at the level of bhava – where their mind and senses never divert even for a moment from the service of the Lord.
In a morning walk at Stowe Lake on March 23rd, 1968, Shrila Prabhupada mentions,
“Avyartha-kālatvam, that “My time may not be wasted.” He should be so careful, “Whether my time is being wasted?” And time wasted, the time we engage for our bodily necessities, that is wasted. Generally, conditioned souls, they are simply wasting their time. Only the period which we are engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is utilized. So we should be very much careful whether time is being wasted or being utilized.”
By practicing repeatedly, the anarthas in the heart will get purged and a devotee will be able to see Krishna’s mercy in his or her life.
When we take to the process of developing love for Krishna which is this sadhana-bhakti, gradually the name, form, pastimes of Krishna get revealed in the heart of the sincere aspirant.
