Just like illiterate, uncultured, animal-like man is trained up to come . . . to become civilized. By training, it is possible. Just like, by training, even cats and dogs and tigers, they are also become obedient. That is our practical experience. The tiger in the circus, they play obediently to the orders of the master. So by training, it can be possible.
But there are two kinds of training process. One process is scheduled: tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena ca damena ca (SB 6.1.13), undergoing tapasya, austerity; brahmacaryeṇa . . . brahmacaryeṇa means controlling sex indulgence or sex impulse. Brahmacarya means practically no sex life. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena, damena, by controlling the senses, by controlling the mind. Tyāgena, by giving up in charity.
So there are gradual process, but there is another process. Another process means this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Either you practice in this way . . . just like if you want to go up, there are two vehicles, or process. You go step by step, one step after another. Suppose you have to go one hundred steps, so you have to go step by step—tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena damena, practicing. The another process is . . . (someone making tapping sound)
(aside) Why you are making this sound? Stop it.
Another process is the lift. You go by step by step or take the process of lift. Within a second, you come up. So the bhakti-yoga process is like that. Bhakti-yoga process means if you take to this process, then immediately, very quickly, within a second, you come to the top floor. Otherwise, you have to go by step by step, one step, two step.
Although both the process leading to the target, to the topmost floor, the one is very slow and the other is very quick, immediate. Just like another example: if there is fog. You have got experience in your country, sometimes there is fog; you cannot see even a person one yard off from you. So there are so many processes to take precaution in the fog. But somehow or other, if the sun is little strong, immediately the fog is over.
So similarly, to purify ourself . . . this is the purification process: austerity, penance, controlling sex life, controlling the mind, controlling the senses, giving in charity whatever you possess, everything regulated. This is one process. And the other process is this bhakti-yoga.
- śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
- puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
- hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi
- vidhunoti suhṛt . . .
- (SB 1.2.17)
Simply by this process, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23), hearing about Kṛṣṇa. This is, we were discussing. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu, simply by hearing. Abhadreṣu, naṣṭa-prāyeṣu, all the dirty things within heart, being almost cleansed, you come to the stage of goodness.
There are three stages, three platforms—ignorance, passion and goodness. So simply by hearing about Kṛṣṇa, you are promoted immediately to the platform of goodness. And as soon as you come to the platform of goodness, then, tadā, at that time, rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ.