A young girl gets pimples all over her face, and she is embarrassed to face people. Desperate to find a solution, she approaches her friend, who recommends a cream that can cure this problem. The friend was facing a similar problem earlier, but after applying this cream all her pimples were gone. The girl had observed this, and so she develops confidence in this treatment. She gets the cream and starts applying it on her face. Gradually, she notices that the pimples on her face were going away and her face was regaining its original beauty. Soon all her pimples are gone and she is convinced about this treatment. Now whenever she meets anyone with pimples, she immediately recommends this cream for best results.
Hearing from the right sources, observing serious practitioners, living by the process, experiencing the results, and then sharing the message — these are the sequence of actions that gradually lead to the development of faith in any subject matter.
Our progress in devotional service follows a similar pattern, something that I call the H-O-L-E-S formula. It starts with hearing (Sravana) from a self-realized soul, observing the lives of other devotees, living by the principles of Krishna consciousness, experiencing the wonderful effects of devotional service, and then sharing this rare gift with others.