Thereafter Muktãnand Swãmi asked, "Is the cause of such a nãstik attitude one's past karmas or the influence of evil company?"

Shriji Mahãrãj explained, "The sole cause of the development of such a nãstik attitude is listening to the scriptures of nãstiks and keeping the company of one who has faith in those scriptures. Furthermore, lust, anger, avarice, arrogance, egotism and jealousy also cause such a nãstik attitude to develop. Why? Because if a person possesses any one of those swabhãvs, then he will not be able to believe the talks of even sãdhus such as Nãrad and the Sanakãdik.

"When is such a nãstik attitude overcome? Well, when one listens to talks of the divine actions and incidents of God, such as the creation, sustenance and dissolution of the cosmos as described in ãstik scriptures like the Shrimad Bhãgwat, and also understands the greatness of God and the Sant, such a nãstik attitude is overcome and an ãstik attitude develops."
 

[Gadhadã I-68]