Hearing Srimad Bhagavatam

It is a rigid principle in every temple of our Kåñëa consciousness movement that there must be a daily class for hearing and chanting.

In Nectar of Devotion Çréla Prabhupäda writes:

The beginning of Kåñëa consciousness and devotional service is hearing, in Sanskrit called çravaëam. This hearing is very important for progressing in Kåñëa consciousness. It cleanses the heart of the contaminated soul so that he becomes quickly qualified to enter into devotional service and understand Kåñëa consciousness. [NoD]

Anyone who hears Çrémad-Bhägavatam attentively from its bona fide reciter is sure to become a sincere devotee of the Lord. [SB 2.1.10 Purport]

How to hear Çrémad-Bhägavatam?

With great respect and attention, one should receive the message and lessons imparted by the Çrémad-Bhägavatam. [SB 1.1.3 Purport]

Simple hearing is not all; one must realize the text with proper attention. Süta Gosvämé drank the juice of Bhägavatam through his ears. That is the real process of receiving Bhägavatam. … One should hear with rapt attention from the real person, and then he can at once realize the presence of Lord Kåñëa in every page. No one can give rapt attention who is not pure in mind. No one can be pure in mind who is not pure in action. No one can be pure in action who is not pure in eating, sleeping, fearing and mating. But somehow or other if someone hears with rapt attention from the right person, at the very beginning one can assuredly see Lord Çré Kåñëa in person in the pages of Bhägavatam. [SB 1.3.44 Purport]

Sleeping in Çrémad-Bhägavatam Class

Çréla Prabhupäda instructs:

Anyone who sleeps more than six or seven hours, he is a Kumbhakarëa. So at least I think that one should not sleep more than seven hours utmost. That is sufficient. So you can sleep six hours at night and one hour to rest in daytime. That is sufficient. But if you sleep more than that, then you are Kumbhakarëa. [Lecture: Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.3.18, Gorakhpur, February 11, 1971]

If somebody dozes, it gives me too much pain. It disturbs me too much. When I speak & if somebody dozes, better not to sit. Sleep twenty-four hours, but don’t make a show like that. If six hours’, seven hours’ sleep is not sufficient, sleep thirteen hours, fourteen hours. But don’t doze like this. [Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.3.18-19, Gorakhpur, February 12, 1971]