Gita wisdom explains that we all are presently in a spiritually diseased condition. We are eternal spiritual beings, but are seeking pleasure in temporary material things. This misdirection of our desires is our disease. To be healed, we need to redirect our desires from matter to spirit, ultimately, to the supreme spiritual reality, Krishna, whose parts we are eternally.

The Bhagavad-gita’s thirteenth chapter, after analyzing the nature and interaction of matter and spirit, outlines various ways for spiritualizing our consciousness. The Gita (13.25) states that some spiritualists do dhyana (meditation), some do karma-yoga and some do sankhya (analysis). But then (13.26) it recommends a way by which everyone can become elevated and liberated: hearing. Everyone, even those unaware of metaphysical technicalities, can hear about Krishna. By such hearing, they become devoted to the Supreme and transcend death. The heart of their spiritual healing – the engine for their ultimate liberation – is their devotion to hearing (sruti-parayanah).

Why is hearing so potent? Because it makes accessible and relishable the supreme reality otherwise inaccessible to our senses. Krishna is beyond sense perception – to learn about him, we need to hear from scripture and from those well-versed in scripture. Significantly, hearing about him is not just informational, but also transformational.

Just as hearing an alarm awakens us physically, hearing Krishna-centered sound vibrations awakens us spiritually. Hearing activates our latent spiritual faculties and attracts divine grace, thereby making us aware of Krishna’s presence – indwelling, all-pervading and transcendent presence. The more we become tuned to his presence, the more we start perceiving and relishing his all-attractiveness, thereby propelling our consciousness from this world to him.

In fact, the Gita itself demonstrates healing through hearing. On hearing the Gita, Arjuna who was afflicted by overwhelming grief arising from material consciousness (02.01) became empowered with winning confidence emerging from spiritual consciousness (18.78).


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