birds of a feather flock
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Every conditioned soul is influenced by a particular mixture of the modes of material nature. As such, the conditioned soul is attracted to certain types of activity which he is forced to perform because he is completely under the influence of material nature. Here Prthu Maharaja is compared to such a conditioned soul, not because he was a conditioned soul but because he was so anxious to receive the Kumaras that it was as if without them he would have lost his life. The conditioned soul is attracted by the objects of sense gratification. His eyes are attracted to see beautiful things, his ears are attracted to hear nice music, his nose is attracted to enjoy the aroma of a nice flower, and his tongue is attracted to taste nice food. Similarly, all his other senses-his hands, his legs, his belly, his genitals, his mind, etc.-are so susceptible to the attraction of the objects of enjoyment that he cannot restrain himself. Prthu Maharaja, in the same way, could not restrain himself from receiving the four Kumaras, who were bright by dint of their spiritual progress, and thus not only he himself but also his officers and associates all received the four Kumaras. It is said, "Birds of a feather flock together." In this world, everyone is attracted by a person of the same category. A drunkard is attracted to persons who are also drunkards. Similarly, a saintly person is attracted by other saintly persons. Prthu Maharaja was in the topmost position of spiritual advancement, and as such, he was attracted by the Kumaras, who were of the same category. It is said, therefore, that a man is known by his company.
(More...) And, on the other hand, na tad vacas citra-padam harer yaso pragrnita kar..., na pragrnita karhicit, tad vayasam tirtham [SB 1.5.10]. To the devotees, a literature, a so-called literature, very nicely written, with decorated words, metaphorism and these things... Tad-vag-visargo, na tad vacas citra-padam, very nicely, literally very nicely decorated, na tad vacas citra-padam harer yaso na pragrnita karhicit, but there is no mention about Krsna and His glories... Just like especially in the Western countries you have got newspaper, big, big bunch of newspaper, but not a single line is there about Krsna. Not a single. So for the devotees this kind of literature is compared with the garbage. Tad vayasam tirtham. Just like vayasam, crows. The crows gather together where? Where everything nuisance thrown away, they gather together. You will find. That is the nature amongst the class of bird. Where all nasty things are thrown away, the crows will gather. The another bird, swans, they will not go there. The swans will gather in a very nice garden with clear water, lotus flower, and birds and singing. They will gather there. As there are... By nature, there are different classes of animals, even in the birds, beasts. "The birds of the same feather flock together." So where the crows go, the swans do not go. And where the swans go, the crows have no access.
(More...) All persons who had joined the side of Duryodhana must have been birds of the same feather It was an open secret that Duryodhana wanted to usurp the kingdom of the Pandavas by evil plans, in collaboration with his father, Dhrtarastra. Therefore, all persons who had joined the side of Duryodhana must have been birds of the same feather. Arjuna wanted to see them in the battlefield before the fight was begun, just to learn who they were, but he had no intention of proposing peace negotiations with them. It was also a fact that he wanted to see them to make an estimate of the strength which he had to face, although he was quite confident of victory because Krsna was sitting by his side.
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