Pure devotional taste for Krishna consciousness develops through serving advanced devotees and hearing His glories with complete faith.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.16 — October 27, 1972, Vṛndāvana 721027SB-VRNDAVAN [38:27 Minutes] SB-01.02.16_721027SB-VRNDAVAN Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [leads chanting of verse] [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat] śuśrūṣoḥ śraddadhānasya vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ syān mahat-sevayā viprāḥ puṇya-tīrtha-niṣevaṇāt [SB 1.2.16] [break] [leads chanting of synonyms] śuśrūṣoḥ—one who is engaged in hearing; śraddadhānasya—with care and attention; vāsudeva—in respect to Vāsudeva; kathā—the message; ruciḥ—affinity; syāt—is made possible; mahat-sevayā—by service rendered to pure devotees; viprāḥ—O twice-born; puṇya-tīrtha—those who are cleansed of all vice; niṣevaṇāt—by service. [03:10] Translation: "O twice-born sages, by serving those devotees who are completely freed from all vice, great service is done. By such service, one gains affinity for hearing the messages of Vāsudeva." Prabhupāda: Hmm. śuśrūṣoḥ śraddadhānasya vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ syān mahat-sevayā viprāḥ puṇya-tīrtha-niṣevaṇāt [SB 1.2.16] So our purpose is, as described in the previous verses, how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Our present consciousness is absorbed in so many external subject matter. One is self-centered, bodily conscious; some of them are family-wise, family conscious. Some of them community conscious, society conscious, nation conscious or international conscious. Utmost.
No more; finish their business. But still, you have to extend more and more. "International" means within this u..., within this planet. But what is this planet?
It is only insignificant spot within the universe. So if you increase your consciousness more and more, then it may be interplanetary consciousness. But what is this interplanetary? This universe contains millions of planets. That's all right.
But there are millions of universes also. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi [Bs. 5.40]. Not only one universe. This universe which we are seeing, this is only one of them. Caitanya Mahāprabhu compared this universe...
One devotee, he requested Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "My Lord, You have come. Please liberate all the people of this universe. And if they are sinful, so all their sins I may take, but they may be delivered." This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. "Others may be delivered by the grace of the Lord; I may rot in the hell.
That doesn't matter." Not that "First of all I go to the heaven, and others may rot." This is not Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Vaiṣṇava philosophy is, "I may rot in the hell, but others may be delivered." Patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ [Maṇgalācaraṇa 9]. Vaiṣṇava is meant for delivering all the fallen souls. Just like a very good example: Lord Jesus Christ. According to the Christian idea, he took all the sins of all people and he sacrificed his life.