One Must Seek the Company of Sri Krishna's Pure Devotees

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Hare Krishna. Pranam to all Vaishnavas,

One Must Seek the Company of Sri Krishna’s Pure Devotees

How can human beings face the tough problems during their journey in life? Scriptures have provided various solutions, by far the best among them being, seeking the company of Krishna’s pure devotees and showing respect to them. At the same time, emphasis is laid on avoiding association, in any manner, with evil-minded persons.

Unprovoked opposition, cruel intentions, envy of good men and entering into vain arguments are the natural qualities of the wicked. Hence, though adorned with learning, such persons should be shunned. Is not a serpent, though bedecked with a jewel in its hood, dangerous .

No one will provide milk to a snake knowing that it will return only poison. The company of Krishna’s devotees removes the dullness of intellect, infuses truth into speech, bestows great honour, helps to get rid of sins, purifies the mind and generates moral strength.

A hymn says that bathing in the Ganga will wipe out sins. This is a firm belief of all devotees and a great scholar has sung that sinners will get chastened by adopting this step. Likewise, men can enjoy peace when the moon shines and spreads its coolness on the world. Similarly those who become prosperous will be only eager to give expression to their desires, sitting under the divine wish-yielding tree (kalpataru). But all the three - freedom from sin, happiness and wealth - can be obtained from one source viz. the ``sadhu'' or the pious. Such a

distinguished, pure and divine soul will be humble, extend his kindness and render selfless service to those who come to him. A pious man can be identified by his humility and eagerness to wipe out the tears of the distressed.

Educational attainments, wealth and power in the hands of the unscrupulous will be misused, to cause harm to others and to display their opulence through extravagant deeds.

On the other hand, holy men will use their academic distinctions to sharpen their knowledge, utilise the money they come to possess for charitable causes and the strength they gain, to help the downtrodden and the distressed.

The classic example of how Duryodhana attempted to demonstrate his bravery before the Pandavas while the latter were in the forest reveals the base thoughts of such men. Sri Krishna has revealed in the Bhagavad Gita that whenever religion is scoffed at or slandered, He would descend on the mundane plane in order to protect His ardent devotees, destroy the demons and to establish moral order. Krishna will be ever on the side of those who hold to His feet and those who uphold virtue .

Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1 , Chapter 2 says the following :

TEXT 6

sa vai puàsäà paro dharmo

yato bhaktir adhokñaje

ahaituky apratihatä

yayätmä suprasédati

(The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.)

TEXT 7

väsudeve bhagavati

bhakti-yogaù prayojitaù

janayaty äçu vairägyaà

jïänaà ca yad ahaitukam

(By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Çré Kåñëa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.)

TEXT 8

dharmaù svanuñöhitaù puàsäà

viñvaksena-kathäsu yaù

notpädayed yadi ratià

çrama eva hi kevalam

(The occupational activities a man performs according to his own position are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Personality of Godhead.)

TEXT 9

dharmasya hy äpavargyasya

närtho ’rthäyopakalpate

närthasya dharmaikäntasya

kämo läbhäya hi småtaù

(All occupational engagements are certainly meant for ultimate liberation. They should never be performed for material gain. Furthermore, according to sages, one who is engaged in the ultimate occupational service should never use material gain to cultivate sense gratification.)

TEXT 10

kämasya nendriya-prétir

läbho jéveta yävatä

jévasya tattva-jijïäsä

närtho yaç ceha karmabhiù

(Life’s desires should never be directed toward sense gratification. One should desire only a healthy life, or self-preservation, since a human being is meant for inquiry about the Absolute Truth. Nothing else should be the goal of one’s works.)

TEXT 11

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvaà yaj jïänam advayam

brahmeti paramätmeti

bhagavän iti çabdyate

(Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramatma or Bhagavan.)

TEXT 12

tac chraddadhänä munayo

jïäna-vairägya-yuktayä

paçyanty ätmani cätmänaà

bhaktyä çruta-gåhétayä

(The seriously inquisitive student or sage, well equipped with knowledge and detachment, realizes that Absolute Truth by rendering devotional service in terms of what he has heard from the Vedänta-Sruti.)

TEXT 13

ataù pumbhir dvija-çreñöhä

varëäçrama-vibhägaçaù

svanuñöhitasya dharmasya

saàsiddhir hari-toñaëam

(O best among the twice-born, it is therefore concluded that the highest perfection one can achieve by discharging the duties prescribed for one’s own occupation according to caste divisions and orders of life is to please the Personality of Godhead.)

TEXT 14

tasmäd ekena manasä

bhagavän sätvatäà patiù

çrotavyaù kértitavyaç ca

dhyeyaù püjyaç ca nityadä

(Therefore, with one-pointed attention, one should constantly hear about, glorify, remember and worship the Personality of Godhead, who is the protector of the devotees.)

TEXT 15

yad-anudhyäsinä yuktäù

karma-granthi-nibandhanam

chindanti kovidäs tasya

ko na kuryät kathä-ratim

(With sword in hand, intelligent men cut through the binding knots of reactionary work [karma] by remembering the Personality of Godhead. Therefore, who will not pay attention to His message?)

TEXT 16

çuçrüñoù çraddadhänasya

väsudeva-kathä-ruciù

syän mahat-sevayä vipräù

puëya-tértha-niñevaëät

(O twice-born sages, by serving those devotees who are completely freed from all vice, great service is done. By such service, one gains affinity for hearing the messages of Vasudeva.)

OM NAMO BHAGAVATE VASUDEVAYA!!!

 

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