Gita 18.71
Moksha Sanyasa Yoga
श्रद्धावाननसूयश्च शृणुयादपि यो नरः | सोऽपि मुक्तः शुभाँल्लोकान्प्राप्नुयात्पुण्यकर्मणाम् ||७१||
śraddhāvān anasūyaś ca śṛṇuyād api yo naraḥ | so 'pi muktaḥ śubhāl lokān prāpnuyāt puṇya-karmaṇām ||71||
In essence: Even one who simply listens with faith and without envy shall be liberated and attain the auspicious worlds of the righteous.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "This seems too easy. Just listening is enough for liberation?"
Guru: "Not 'just' listening - listening WITH FAITH and WITHOUT ENVY. These aren't minor qualifications. Real shraddha is profound openness; real non-envy means accepting truth even when it challenges your ego. Most people hear but filter through doubt and resistance. Genuine faithful, non-envious hearing is rare and powerful."
Sadhak: "What's the difference between this listener and the student of verse 70?"
Guru: "The student (adhyesyate) actively studies, contemplates, makes the teaching their own. The listener (shrinuyat) receives more passively - perhaps hearing in a discourse, or having someone read to them. Both are blessed, but with different depth. The student worships through jnana-yajna; the listener receives grace through receptivity."
Sadhak: "'Without envy' - what kind of envy might arise from hearing?"
Guru: "Many kinds: envy of Arjuna who received direct teaching, envy of those who seem to understand better, resentment at teachings that expose one's limitations, resistance to wisdom that requires change. 'Anasuyah' means approaching without these toxins - open rather than defensive, receptive rather than resistant."
Sadhak: "'Auspicious worlds of the righteous' - is this less than full moksha?"
Guru: "Different interpretations exist. Some say this refers to heavenly realms as a preliminary attainment before final liberation. Others interpret 'shubhan lokan' as the blessed state of the liberated - the 'world' of the wise. Either way, the faithful listener receives immense blessing, surpassing ordinary human attainment."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Cultivate the two qualities required: faith (openness to truth even before understanding) and non-envy (acceptance without resistance). Ask: 'Am I approaching today's experiences with shraddha and anasuyah? Can I receive what life offers without filtering through doubt and resentment?'
When you encounter spiritual teachings - in any form - practice the listener's attitude: faithful attention, non-envious reception. You don't need to understand everything immediately; faith-filled hearing creates the conditions for understanding to emerge.
Reflect: 'Did I hear anything today with real openness? Where did envy or resistance block reception?' The practice of faithful listening extends beyond scripture to all of life's teachings. Before sleep, listen to the silence with faith - even this can be 'shrinuyat,' sacred hearing.