Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that this body is the network of ignorance, simply sense gratification, "I shall eat this. I shall eat that. I shall hear this. I shall . . ." The ear is engaged in hearing nice cinema songs, and the tongue is engaged going to the restaurant, so many so-called palatable dishes. Similarly, other senses, they are engaged. So the . . . according to bhakti-yoga system, the first control is recommended to the tongue. That is said that, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Now, we receive knowledge through the indriyas, but if the indriyas are impure—senses, they are impure—they cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. Na, beginning. Because beginning is śravaṇam. Bhakti-mārga begins by hearing.
Now, what is śravaṇam? Chanting. If there is chanting or there is some speaking, then we can hear. That is recommended by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that simply hear. There are many places recommended that "Hear." So . . . but it is said, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. These present blunt senses, material senses, cannot receive even this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. They say: "This is nuisance." Bhagavān says in the Bhagavad-gītā, catur-vidhā bhajante mām: "Four classes of men who begins bhagavad bhajana," sukṛtina, "those who are pious . . ." But the modern leaders, they say: "This bhajana nuisance." This is our misfortune. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). These are the explanation in the Bhagavad-gītā. Saintly person, mahātmā, they are engaged in chanting satatam, always. Satataṁ kīrtayanto mām (BG 9.14). Kīrtayantaḥ, glorifying. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ.
- tṛṇād api sunīcena
- taror api sahiṣṇunā
- amāninā mānadena
- kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
- (CC Adi 17.31)
This is the recommend . . . recommendation of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that you should glorify the holy name of Hari. Hari means Kṛṣṇa. So that is the recommendation. But we are meeting so many obstacles because they think, "This chanting is nuisance. This bhajana is nuisance. This is Kali-yuga. Not the Kali-yuga; even every yuga. So ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). A devotee is hearing, he is enjoying, and the nondevotee is thinking, "It is nuisance."