We need to convert our material emotions into spiritual emotions. Like in the material world we admire and “follow” our role models for the chosen material bhava, in the spiritual world we have to follow our chosen role models there.

We need to hear about those role models in the spiritual world and then we will feel the need to develop that same emotions of our spiritual role models.

tat tad bhavadi madhurye srute dhir yad apekshate |
natra sastram na yuktim ca tal lobhotpatti lakshanam ||
BRS. 1.2.292

“When one hears about the sweetness of their feelings and so forth, and a desire for attaining the same awakens in the consciousness without dependence on scripture and logic, this is a symptom of the awakening of greed (lobha).”

“If one thinks: ‘Let me attain such sweet feelings also’, after hearing about feelings such as the transcendental erotic feeling towards Kṛṣṇa of His associates (the gopīs) in Vraja, then one need not wait for favorable sanctions from the revealed scriptures or logical arguments.”
(Srila Vishvanatha Cakravartipada, Raga Vartma Chandrika)

kṛṣṇaṁ smaran janaṁ cāsya preṣṭhaṁ nija-samīhitam |
tat-tat-kathā-rataś cāsau kuryād vāsaṁ vraje sadā ||BRS 1.2.294||

“Remembering the Vṛndāvana form of Kṛṣṇa and His dear associates who have inclinations for service similar to one’s own, absorbing oneself in hearing topics related to them, one should always live in Vraja.”

tat-tat-kathā-rataś cāsau – “being always engaged in hearing and chanting about Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes.” Because Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the stories about him are identical in nature, Śrī Kṛṣṇa himself enters the heart of the sādhaka through his ears in the form of kṛṣṇa-kathā from the mouth of a sādhu-bhakta. Then he cleanses the sādhaka’s heart and mind by driving away impurities in the form of desires and inclinations.

This has been clearly described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.17:

śṛṇvatāṁ svakathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ |
hṛdy-antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām ||

“Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is situated in the hearts of all, is the friend of the virtuous. He drives away all inauspiciousness from those who listen to his stories, which bestow merit upon anyone who hears or recites them.”

Without practicing limbs of bhajana such as hearing and chanting within the external sādhaka body, the sādhaka cannot attain perfection in either destroying māyā, becoming free from vices in his own bhajana or in his allegiance to the people of Vraja. With hearing and chanting is meant following as much as possible the 64 items of bhajana, starting with taking shelter of a guru, that Śrīmat Rūpa Gosvāmī has mentioned in his Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu grantha.