So śuśrūṣoḥ śraddadhānasya vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ. In the previous verse, it has been explained, yad anudhyāsinā yuktāḥ (SB 1.2.15). 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 scriptures in one hand and another hand, sword: "You accept this scripture; otherwise, I'll 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 it's 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 the second stage. The 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.