This is the mahātmā. They are under the daivī-prakṛti. Daivī-prakṛti . . . there are two kinds of prakṛtis, we have studied in Bhagavad-gītā: aparā-prakṛti, parā-prakṛti. So parā-prakṛti, or nature, transcendental nature, that is called daivī-prakṛti.
Just like we are trying to be under the guidance of Rādhārāṇī, daivī-prakṛti. Prakṛti means woman, and daivī, transcendental woman. And those who are materialists, they are under the mahā-māyā, material energy, Goddess Kālī, Durgā. They are the symbolic representation of material energy.
So those who are materialist, they take shelter of the material energy, and those who are transcendentalist, they take shelter of the transcendental nature. So those who are mahātmā, they take shelter of the transcendental prakṛti. So we have to render service to such person who is in . . . under the protection of the transcendental nature. That is called mahātmā. A mahātmā, this word you have heard. A mahātmā's description is mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). Mahātmā has nothing to do with this material world; he is simply under the care of the transcendental prakṛti.
So śuśrūṣoḥ, śuśrūṣoḥ śraddadhānasya (SB 1.2.16). Those who are engaged in hearing with faith, śraddadhāna . . . ādau śraddhā. Without faith, you cannot make any progress. This is the beginning of spiritual life. Ādau śraddhā. "Oh, here is . . . Kṛṣṇa consciousness is going on. It is very nice. They are preaching nice." People still, they are praising our activities. If we keep our standard, then they will appreciate. So this is called śraddhā. This appreciation is called śraddhā, śraddadhānasya. Even he does not join, if one says: "Oh, it is very nice, it is very . . . these people are good . . ." Sometimes they, in papers they say that, "These Hare Kṛṣṇa people are nice. We want more of them." They say.
So this appreciation is also an . . . also a lift for such person. If he doesn't hear, doesn't come, simply one says: "It is very nice." Yes. Just like small children, a baby, he's also appreciating, trying to stand up with his cymbal. Appreciating. From the very beginning of life, appreciating, "It is nice." He knows or does not know, it doesn't matter. Simply appreciation is giving him a touch of spiritual life. It is so nice. Śraddhā. If they do not go against, simply appreciate, "Oh, they are doing nice . . ." So development of spiritual life means development of this appreciation, that's all. But degrees, there are appreciation.
So śuśrūṣoḥ śraddadhānasya vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ. In the previous verse it has been explained, yad anudhyāsinā yuktāḥ. One has to be engaged always thinking. This is the sword. You have to take this sword of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you become free. The knot is cut by this sword. So . . . now how we can get this sword? That process is described here that you simply, with faith, you try to hear. You'll get the sword. That's all. Actually, our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spreading.
We are getting the sword one after another, simply by hearing. I started this movement in New York. You all know. I had no actually any sword. Just like in some religious principles, they take the religious scripture in one hand and another hand, sword: "You accept this scripture; otherwise, I cut your head." This is also another preaching. But I had also sword, but not that kind of sword. This sword—to give chance people to hear. That's all. Vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ.
So as soon as he gets a ruci . . . ruci, ruci means taste. "Ah, here is Kṛṣṇa talks, very nice. Let me hear." This very much you get the sword, immediately. The sword is in your hand. Vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ. But the ruci comes to whom, this taste? Because, as I have several times explained, the taste, just like the sugar candy. Everyone knows it is very sweet, but if you give to a man who is suffering from jaundice, he'll taste is bitter. Everyone knows sugar candy is sweet, but the particular man who is suffering from disease, jaundice, he will taste the sugar candy as very bitter. Everyone knows it. That's a fact.
So ruci, the taste for hearing vāsudeva-kathā, kṛṣṇa-kathā, this materially diseased person cannot taste. This ruci, taste. To get this taste there are preliminary activities. What is that? First thing is that appreciation: "Oh, it is very nice." Ādau śraddhā, śraddadhāna. So śraddhā, the appreciation, this is the beginning. Then sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). Then mixing: "All right, these people are chanting and talking of Kṛṣṇa. Let me go and sit down and let me hear more." This is called sādhu-saṅga: those who are devotees, to associate with them. This is second stage.
Then third stage is bhajana-kriyā. When one is associating nicely, then he will feel, "Why not become a disciple?" So we receive application, "Prabhupāda, if you'll kindly accept me as your disciple." This is the beginning of bhajana-kriyā. Bhajana-kriyā means to be engaged in the service of the Lord. This is the third stage.
Then anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. As soon as one is actually doing bhajana-kriyā . . . bhajana-kriyā means chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and observe the regulative principle. To observe the regulative principle means anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Anartha means all rascal habits are immediately vanquished. Just like we say: "No illicit sex." So this is only a rascal habit, illicit. "You can marry a boy or girl. If you like, you can have sex." No. They'll not agree. They will agree to that rascal habit, illicit sex. "You want sex? All right. Take a wife, take a husband." But no, they want illicit, without marriage. Married wife left aside; another illicit. This is anartha, rascaldom.