View source for The devotional service begins with the tongue. It is also another astonishment. Service with the tongue. Service with the tongue means if you chant this Hare Krsna mantra, that requires tongue. And if you simply take krsna-prasada, that requires tongue

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{{terms|"The devotional service begins with the tongue. Now, it is also another astonishment: service with the tongue. Yes. Service with the tongue means if you chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa ''mantra'', that requires tongue. And if you simply take ''kṛṣṇa-prasāda'', that requires tongue"}}
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[[Category:Beginning of Devotional Service to God]]
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[[Category:Devotional Service to God and the Tongue]]
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[[Category:Astonished]]
[[Category:Means]]
[[Category:If You]]
[[Category:Chanting Hare Krsna]]
[[Category:Hare Krsna Mantra]]
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[[Category:If Simply]]
[[Category:Take Prasadam]]
[[Category:Prabhupada Speaks - Lectures, 1966 - 1977]]
[[Category:Prabhupada Speaks - Lectures, 1973]]
[[Category:Prabhupada Speaks - Lectures, Bhagavad-gita As It Is]]
[[Category:Prabhupada Speaks - in India, Bombay]]
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<div id="Lectures" class="section" sec_index="4" parent="compilation" text="Lectures"><h2>Lectures</h2>
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<div id="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="0" parent="Lectures" text="Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures"><h3>Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures</h3>
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<div id="LectureonBG1315BombayOctober91973_0" class="quote" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" book="Lec" index="363" link="Lecture on BG 13.15 -- Bombay, October 9, 1973" link_text="Lecture on BG 13.15 -- Bombay, October 9, 1973">
<div class="heading">When one engages himself in the devotional service beginning with the tongue. The devotional service begins with the tongue. Now, it is also another astonishment. Service with the tongue. Yes. Service with the tongue means if you chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, that requires tongue. And if you simply take kṛṣṇa-prasāda, that requires tongue. With these two business of the tongue you can realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and take kṛṣṇa-prasāda, and gradually you'll understand what is God. Therefore this word is used, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Because by using the tongue you develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, love for Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 13.15 -- Bombay, October 9, 1973|Lecture on BG 13.15 -- Bombay, October 9, 1973]]: </span><div class="text" style="display: inline; "><p style="display: inline; ">
If you actually can understand Kṛṣṇa through devotional service . . . not by challenging, not by mental speculation, not by meditation, not by fruitive activities. No. If you actually become a devotee and develop the consciousness of love for Kṛṣṇa, then God will be appreciated, God will be seen. ''Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā'' ([[vanisource:BG 7.25 (1972)|BG 7.25]]). Otherwise He'll not be visible. He's not exposed to the nondevotees. He's simply exposed, He can reveal Himself, ''sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ'' (Brs. 1.2.234), when one engages himself in the devotional service beginning with the tongue.

The devotional service begins with the tongue. Now, it is also another astonishment: service with the tongue. Yes. Service with the tongue means if you chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa ''mantra'', that requires tongue. And if you simply take ''kṛṣṇa-prasāda'', that requires tongue. With these two business of the tongue you can realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and take ''kṛṣṇa-prasāda'', and gradually you'll understand what is God. Therefore this word is used, ''sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ''. Because by using the tongue you develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, love for Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

And Kṛṣṇa being satisfied with your love . . . because real thing is ''bhakti. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti'' ([[vanisource:BG 18.55 (1972)|BG 18.55]]). ''Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati'' ([[vanisource:BG 9.26 (1972)|BG 9.26]]). ''Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam''. Here we are offering a little food, little leaf, little flower. But what is the essence? What is the value of flower? Value, there is practically no value. But ''yo me bhaktyā prayacchati.'' The real value is that the flower is offered with devotion, the food is offered with devotion.

Therefore the devotee gradually realizing that, "Yes, I am offering this flower directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I am offering the food directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead." He is eating. He is perceiving. He is taking the ''prasādam''. He's advancing. He's chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa ''mantra''. It is self-evident. ''Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam.'' This devotional service is directly appreciated. You haven't got to take certificate from others. If you be engaged in devotional service, you actually realize. Therefore it is called ''pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam.'' Other things will remain in theoretical, but this is such a nice thing, devotional service, that you directly understand how much you are making progress, how much you have appreciated God, how much you have understood Kṛṣṇa. ''Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ su-sukham. Su-sukham.''

And also there is no trouble. Very easily and very happily it is performed. Just like the devotional service. One may be illiterate, one may be having no qualification, but the process is so nice, to prepare flower garland for Kṛṣṇa, to prepare food for Kṛṣṇa, for chanting Kṛṣṇa, for reading books for Kṛṣṇa, for hearing about Kṛṣṇa. You simply hear; you don't do anything. Simply if you hear, ''śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ'' ([[vanisource:SB 7.5.23-24|SB 7.5.23]]), you become devotee. Simply by hearing. ''Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ'' ([[vanisource:SB 10.14.3|SB 10.14.3]]). You remain in your place. It doesn't matter what you are, but if you simply hear about Kṛṣṇa, then you become devotee. It is so nice. You don't require any education. You don't require any money, don't require anything. You simply hear.