association
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Imported quote 13226 In order to avoid contradiction, botheration and unfavorable situations created by materialistic persons, a great saintly person like Jaḍa Bharata or Utkala remains silent. The less intelligent consider such saintly persons to be mad, deaf or dumb. Factually, an advanced devotee avoids speaking with persons who are not in devotional life, but to those who are in devotional life he speaks in friendship, and he speaks to the innocent for their enlightenment. For all practical purposes, the whole world is full of nondevotees, and so one kind of very advanced devotee is called bhajananandi. Those who are gosthanandi, however, preach to increase the number of devotees. But even such preachers also avoid opposing elements who are unfavorably disposed towards spiritual life.
(More...) Imported quote 14718 The Pracetas pray for an opportunity to hear of the glories of the Lord in every form of life (bhave bhave). A living entity transmigrates from one body to another. The devotee is not particularly eager to stop this process. Caitanya Mahaprabhu prays, mama janmani janmanisvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi: "My dear Lord, life after life may I be fixed in Your pure devotional service." Out of humility, a devotee considers himself unfit to be transferred to the spiritual world. He always thinks himself contaminated by the modes of material nature. Nor is there any need for a devotee to ask to be freed from the modes of material nature. Devotional service itself is in the transcendental position; therefore there is no question of asking for this special facility. The conclusion is that a pure devotee is not anxious to stop the repetition of birth and death, but is always eager to associate with other devotees who are engaged in chanting and hearing about the glories of the Lord.
(More...) Imported quote 19127 So our aim of life should be how to associate, how to keep association with devotee. Then everything will be possible. And as soon as we give up the association and we associate with maya, then our life is finished. Always remember this. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was enquired by a devotee that "What is the business of a devotee? How he will make progress without any difficulty?" So Caitanya Mahaprabhu said in two lines that asat-sahga-tyaga, ei vaisnava-acara [Cc Madhya 22.87]: "A Vaisnava should always avoid asat, materialistic person, always avoid the association." Asat-sahga-tyaga. But matter is asat, not permanent. So those who are attached to the material world, they are called asat. Satam prasahgat: one should associate with sat, means those who are in spiritual advancement. They are called sat. And those who are interested in material advancement, they are called asat. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised, "Don't associate with persons who are trying to be advanced in material way." Asat-sahga-tyaga, ei vaisnava-acara. And how we can understand this person is materialist? That is stated next line: asat eka stri-sahgi. Those who are too much attached in sex, they are asat, materially, and Krsna, those who are not devotee of Krsna. That's all. If you can find out these two persons, then you understand who is asat and who is sat. And sat-just the opposite. Sat means he is no more interested in material enjoyment. That is sat. And those who are interested in material enjoyment, they are asat.
(More...) So if we keep our association with persons who are materially interested, then we cannot make progress. If you keep our company always with persons who are spiritually interested, then you make progress.
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