A mother tells her child to drink the milk. However, the child does not heed her instruction because he is engaged in watching cartoons on the television. He responds by saying, “Keep the milk on the table and I will take it.” The mother comes back after ten minutes only to see that the glass of milk has not been touched. She inquires again, “Didn’t you promise to consume that glass of milk?” And the child responds, “O certainly I will take it.” So after five minutes she returns to discover, yet again, her child has not consumed the glass of milk. Then the mother quips, “Alas my child just doesn’t listen to me.” Does that imply that the child is deaf or can’t hear? He has heard his mother’s instruction clearly and even reciprocated by saying, ‘I shall drink it later’.
Finally, she takes the remote and switches off the television and the boy is taken aback, “Why did you switch off the TV?” The mother explains, “I came twice and told you to drink the milk.” Despite hearing his mother, the boy says, ‘O! When? I did not listen’ or ‘You never told me so’. So, what he claimed earlier was useless.
Unless we sincerely attempt to practice what we have heard from the lotus mouth of the sādhus and reflect upon their teachings in our conduct, such hearing doesn’t constitute as hearing. And that is the reason why unless we become nirmatsara [pure-hearted], we cannot enter the path of Bhāgavata dharma.
—Śrīla Bhakti Vijñāna Bhāratī Mahārāja