SB 4.9.11: Dhruva Maharaja continued: O unlimited Lord, kindly bless me so that I may associate with great devotees who engage in Your transcendental loving service constantly, as the waves of a river constantly flow. Such transcendental devotees are completely situated in an uncontaminated state of life. By the process of devotional service I shall surely be able to cross the nescient ocean of material existence, which is filled with the waves of blazing, firelike dangers. It will be very easy for me, for I am becoming mad to hear about Your transcendental qualities and pastimes, which are eternally existent.
Purport by Srila Prabhupada
The significant point in Dhruva Maharaja’s statement is that he wanted the association of pure devotees. Transcendental devotional service cannot be complete and cannot be relishable without the association of devotees. We have therefore established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Anyone who is trying to be aloof from this Krishna Consciousness Society and yet engage in Krsna consciousness is living in a great hallucination, for this is not possible. From this statement by Dhruva Maharaja it is clear that unless one is associated with devotees, his devotional service does not mature; it does not become distinct from material activities. The Lord says, satam prasangan mama virya-samvido bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah (SB 3.25.25). Only in the association of pure devotees can the words of Lord Krsna be fully potent and relishable to the heart and ear. Dhruva Maharaja explicitly wanted the association of devotees. That association in devotional activities is just like the waves of an incessantly flowing river. In our Krishna Consciousness Society we have full engagement twenty-four hours a day. Every moment of our time is always busily engaged in the service of the Lord. This is called the incessant flow of devotional service.
A Mayavadi philosopher may question us, “You may be very happy in the association of devotees, but what is your plan for crossing the ocean of material existence?” Dhruva Maharaja’s answer is that it is not very difficult. He clearly says that this ocean can be crossed very easily if one simply becomes mad to hear the glories of the Lord. Bhavad-guna-katha: for anyone who persistently engages in hearing the topics of the Lord from Srimad Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam and Caitanya-caritamrta and who is actually addicted to this process, just as one becomes addicted to intoxicants, it is very easy to cross the nescience of material existence. The ocean of material nescience is compared to a blazing fire, but to a devotee this blazing fire is insignificant because he is completely absorbed in devotional service. Although the material world is blazing fire, to a devotee it appears full of pleasure (visvam purna-sukhayate).
The purport of this statement by Dhruva Maharaja is that devotional service in the association of devotees is the cause of the development of further devotional service. By devotional service only is one elevated to the transcendental planet Goloka Vrndavana, and there also there is only devotional service, for the activities of devotional service both in this world and in the spiritual world are one and the same. Devotional service does not change. The example of a mango can be given here. If one gets an unripe mango, it is still a mango, and when it is ripe it remains the same mango, but it has become more tasteful and relishable. Similarly, there is devotional service performed according to the direction of the spiritual master and the injunctions and regulative principles of sastra, and there is devotional service in the spiritual world, rendered directly in association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But they are both the same. There is no change. The difference is that one stage is unripe and the other is ripe and more relishable. It is possible to mature in devotional service only in the association of devotees.
Purport by Niranjana Swami
So, yesterday Bhakti Caitanya Maharaja brought us to the point in his introduction to this topic of how Dhruva Maharaja began to speak here in these verses. Now we are hearing in these verses a very important point about the necessity to associate with devotees.
It is interesting to note that Dhruva Maharaja here has association with the Lord, but still what is he asking the Lord for? He is asking for the association of devotees. We oftentimes hear such requests from devotees in the presence of the Lord. Upon achieving darshan of the Lord and the opportunity to obtain a benediction from the Lord, the devotee asks for the opportunity to always be in the association of His devotees.
In the presence of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Haridasa Thakura requested the Lord for a benediction. Not only did he ask for association of the devotees, but he also begged the Lord to forgive him for asking something further from Him. He said, “Please Lord, I beg that you simply give me the opportunity to take the remnants of foodstuffs from your devotees.” He said, “I know that I am not deserving of such a benediction, and forgive me for my arrogance for asking something so great from You. But I know nothing else.” He expressed that desire to the Lord.
In other words, from these examples… the request made by Haridasa Thakura, this prayer of Dhruva Maharaja, and the prayers of so many others devotees who have achieved the darshan of the Lord, they demonstrate by their own example, what they consider to be most important to them. Bhaktivinoda Thakura even prays that better than to take birth as Lord Brahma is that he be given an opportunity to take birth as an insect in a house of the devotee. Therefore, we can appreciate from these examples just how great and important it is to obtain the benediction of the association of the Lord’s devotees. But what is that association? What is Dhruva Maharaja asking for in this verse? He says, “I want to be in association of those devotees who are constantly engaged in describing Your transcendental glories. I am begging from You the opportunity to always hear from these devotees.”
In the Srimad Bhagavatam, Fourth Canto, Narada Muni, in his instructions to King Pracinabarhisat, explains what takes place when one has the opportunity to be in the association of devotees who are possessed of this quality. He says, “In a place, where pure devotees meet, following the rules and regulations, and who are purely conscious, because they are always hankering and eager to discuss and hear about the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which are like a continuous flow of nectar from their mouths… In that place, if one gets a chance to hear the flow of nectar, one will forget about all necessities of life such as hunger and thirst, and one will become free from all kinds of illusion, lamentation and fear.“ Narada Muni is explaining what takes place when devotees come together.
Prabhupada also speaks about that here in the commentary. He alludes to it in some places, and in some places he is very specific. He is saying that our Krishna consciousness society has been established for this constant flow of devotional activities. He says that association in devotional activities is just like the waves of an incessantly flowing river. In our Krishna consciousness society we have full engagement 24 hours a day. Every moment of our time is always busily engaged in the service of the Lord. This is called the incessant flow of devotional service. Prabhupada is explaining just what one should be looking for when one attains association of devotees. One should be looking for that opportunity, as Prabhupada says here also in this commentary, to make progress on this path. He quotes the verse
satam prasangan mama virya-samvido
bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah
taj-josanad asv apavarga-vartmani
sraddha ratir bhaktir anukramisyati
SB 3.25.25
In the association of devotees discussions of the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead become very pleasing to the ear and enter into the heart. As one advances along that path, then what happens? Gradually he loses his attraction for material things and increases his attachment for Krishna. In that state the real devotion and devotional service begins.
He quotes that verse in the commentary, saying that the symptom of real devotional service is when there is attachment for Krishna. That same attachment has to be there for Krishna’s devotees.
prasangam ajaram pasam
atmanah kavayo viduh
sa eva sadhusu krto
moksa-dvaram apavrtam
SB 3.25.20
Every learned person knows that attachment for material things is the cause of bondage for the living entity. But, when that same attachment is applied to self-realized devotees – moksa-dvaram apavrtam – the gate to liberation has become widely open.
Prabhupada also speaks about this in the commentary. He said, “Mayavadis may ask, oh yes, you are very happy now, you have the association of the devotees, but what is your plan for liberation? You are enjoying now, yes that is very nice, but do you have any plan?” Prabhupada says, “Dhruva Maharaja has a very clear answer to this question of the mayavadis. Yes, my plan is to become attached to hearing the pastimes of the Lord.” Because once one becomes attached to hearing the pastimes of the Lord, everything else naturally follows. Simply by becoming attached…
Prabhupada even says, “Like a person, a drug addict becomes addicted to drugs.” The word used in this verse is mattah. Mattah means mad, nunam pramattah, Lord Rishabhadeva explains, mad after sense gratification. He describes the characteristics of persons who are mad after sense gratification. They become addicted to all kinds of sinful activities. Or Prahlada Maharaja also describes the symptoms of such persons who are mad after sense gratification. He says that they make progress towards hellish conditions of life and repeatedly chew that which has already been chewed. They make progress too. Everybody makes progress, when you become mad after something. You become mad after sense gratification? Prahlada Maharaja says, “Yes you can make progress towards hellish conditions of life. And you can go on chewing that, which you always had been chewing before and it lost its taste.” He says, “Their inclination towards Krishna is never aroused even by their own efforts, by the efforts of others or by a combination of both.”
Therefore Prabhupada explains (he uses this word mattah, which is also presents in this verse in a different way) that in answer to those impersonalists, those mayavadis, who say, “What is your plan?”, the response is, “My plan is to become mad after hearing the topics of Krishna, to become addicted to hearing about Krishna.”
In the Tenth Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, Sukadeva Goswami says to Pariksit Maharaja. He describes characteristics of paramahamsas, who accepted the essence of life, and who are attached to Lord Krishna within the core of their hearts, and He is the only aim of their life. He says, “It is their nature to speak about the topics of Krishna at every moment, as if they are newer and newer. They are attached to discussing topics of Lord Krishna in the same way as materialists are attached to discussing the topic of women and sex.”
This is the example that Sukadeva Goswami gives. They are addicted, just like a materialist is addicted to sense gratification. Why? because they are always absorbed in these things within the core of their hearts. And because they are always absorbed in these things, whatever they see immediately creates a stimulus for such thoughts. If the heart is filled with lusty desires, there is so much stimulus for lusty thoughts. And from lusty thoughts come lusty topics, from lusty topics come lusty actions.
So, he explains that they are addicted. Such persons, who are addicted to such topics, mundane topics, they are always discussing these things. But “paramahamsas, who have accepted the essence of life, are attached to having Lord Krishna within the core of their hearts, and He is the aim of their life.” That is the characteristic of a devotee of the Lord. For the devotee of the Lord, his aim in life, his progress is “How much am I proceeding along the path to achieve that goal. Am I making progress in spiritual life? Am I actually associating with devotees?”, because association is more than just simple physical proximity. In fact, we are going to talk about this later today.
We started speaking about it yesterday in our talk about “sanga tyaga”. We were explaining what is bad sanga, but Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura also explains, what is sanga. He says that sanga is not simply physical proximity. There is more to sanga than physical proximity. He gives a beautiful definition of sanga. He quotes Rupa Goswami’s verse from Upadesamrta, dadati pratigrhnati guhyam akhyati prcchati, which means that love is exchanged between devotees by accepting gifts, giving gifts, inquiring confidentially, revealing one‘s mind in confidence, accepting prasadam and giving prasadam.
It‘s not possible to go on to analyze his use of this verse in relationship to association within the few minutes we have left. Nonetheless, he emphasizes the point that sanga begins when these activities are performed with affection. That is sanga, when these activities are performed with the symptoms of love. Symptoms of love and loving exchanges cannot be understood by non-devotees. They can only be understood by devotees; devotees whose aim in life is to please the Supreme Lord.
Just as we were explaining yesterday, the jnanis cannot be considered devotees. Why? Because the jnanis are not interested in the mercy of the Lord. Jnanis are thinking, “By my own intelligence, by my knowledge I will achieve perfection. Just as the Supreme has achieved perfection by knowledge, I will achieve the same position.” Therefore they always keep themselves independent from the Supreme, because they think, “I can do it myself.” They keep themselves independent from the mercy of the Lord and the mercy of His devotees, although they may display some small interest in mercy for some time.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura gives the example. He says, “They may say ‘Yes, give me some mercy’, but their only interest is to achieve their impersonal realization and to deny the personal existence of the Supreme, to merge into the oneness.” So they take it and then they give it up afterwards. “I don‘t need it anymore.”
We gave that example of Prabhupada, when he was walking across the ditch. He accepted the hand of the devotee, and then devotee helped him to cross, and then Prabhupada pushed him away. He said this is the mentality of the impersonalists. Impersonalists think, “Yes, let me get mercy from the spiritual master, and then I don‘t need it anymore.” But a devotee is one who knows he is always dependent on mercy. When he gets the mercy of the Lord, what does he ask for? He asks, “Please, give me Your mercy and always keep me in the association of Your devotees. They are the receptacles of Your mercy.” It‘s not that I‘ve achieved the Lord and now it‘s just the Lord and me. No, Prabhupada says, “Devotional service here and devotional service in the spiritual world is the same.” If we want to go to the spiritual world, we better be prepared to associate with devotees.
Of course, the Lord reciprocates in such a way that the devotee sometimes thinks, it‘s only Him and the Lord. But the point is that a devotee understands that “As long as I am here, in this world, I am fully dependent upon Your mercy manifesting in the form of Your devotees. Therefore, please give me the association of those devotees who have this nectar constantly flowing. If I can get caught up in this constant flow of nectar, I may be able even for a few minutes to forget how hungry I am. I may be able to forget how thirsty I am, I may even forget about necessities of life. I may even become free from illusion, temporarily; lamentation, temporarily; fear, maybe temporarily. Therefore, I need that association constantly. I am always dependent.” That is Vaishnava. The Vaishnava knows that he is incessantly, constantly, continuously and always dependent upon the mercy of the Lord and the mercy of the Lord’s devotees.
What happens when he becomes greedy, mad? He becomes the receptacle of that mercy. So, Dhruva Maharaja says, “That‘s my plan. You asked me, what my plan is? That‘s my plan. My plan is to always keep myself in the association of Krishna‘s devotees. That‘s all I need.”
Thank you all very much for your association. Hare Krishna.
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