Umāpati: I was reading the writings of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in Jaiva Dharma.

Prabhupāda: Ah.

Umāpati: And he is explaining the word "śraddhā," and he defines it in there as the tendency of the mind towards devotion without regard to jnāna or karma.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Yaśomatīnandana: Śraddhā.

Umāpati: Śraddhā. And I have heard it variously interpreted as meaning "faith" or "belief," which really falls short of that interpretation.

Prabhupāda: What is that interpretation?

Umāpati: Could you elaborate on the definition of śraddhā?

Prabhupāda: Śraddhā is explained in Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Śraddhā means firm conviction. That is śraddhā. Just like Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the Supermost." So if you have firm conviction in Kṛṣṇa's words, that is śraddhā.

Umāpati: Yes.

Prabhupāda: If you have doubts, then that is not śraddhā.

Umāpati: So therefore one can understand only if one is in śraddhā.

Prabhupāda: No, that śraddhā has to be increased.

Umāpati: How it is increased?

Prabhupāda: The beginning of śraddhā means firm conviction.

Umāpati: How is it śraddhā does not exist in one person, and it does exist…

Prabhupāda: No, śraddhā is there. It has to be awakened.

Umāpati: Śraddhā is in every person then.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore I say it is covered. It is covered. That covering has to be taken away. That is called culture.