Stick to Krishna consciousness alone; all other topics blind one to the self and trap the soul in material illusion.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.1.1–4 — July 2, 1970, Los Angeles 700702SB-LOS ANGELES [17:37 Minutes] SB-02.01.01–04_700702SB-LOS ANGELES Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Everything all right?
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Chant. oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya śrī-śuka uvāca varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ kṛto loka-hitaṁ nṛpa ātmavit-sammataḥ puṁsāṁ śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ [SB 2.1.1] śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśa apaśyatām... [break] [SB 2.1.2] nidrayā hriyate naktaṁ vyavāyena ca vā vayaḥ divā cārthehayā rājan kuṭumba-bharaṇena vā [SB 2.1.3] dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati [SB 2.1.4] [01:30] Śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśa: "My dear king...," Śukadeva Gosvāmī is speaking to King Parīkṣit, that "there are many subject matters for the persons who are materialistic." What sort of... Why they are engaged in so many topics? Ātma-tattvam apaśyatām.
They do not see what is self-realization. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam [SB 2.1.2]. Apaśyatām... Generally, we do not know, we shall not see what is ātmā in these material eyes.
Therefore the material scientists, they say that there is no soul, because they cannot see. With their instruments or with their knowledge it is not possible. Apaśyatām. They do not see it. Therefore we cannot believe our eyes.
These eyes are not fit to see anything. It is under certain condition it gives us some impression. Otherwise... Therefore my Guru Mahārāja used to say that saintly persons should be seen not through the eyes, but through the ears.
There are different processes of seeing. Don't believe that eyes are sufficient to see everything. No. So ātma-tattvam. Those who are not interested what is self, for them there are different thousands and millions of topics. Śrotavyādīni rājendra.
Everyone is hearing. Somebody is talking, somebody is hearing... Even there is politics, conspiracy, there is also hearing and talking. But these talkings, thousands and thousands of talkings of different subject matter, for whom?