There is no hopelessness. Anyone can attain the spiritual perfection. Satam prasangan mama virya-samvidah. (SB 3.25.25) [“In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin.”]
Therefore Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended,
sadhu-sanga, sadhu-sanga—sarva-sastre kaya
lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya
[“The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment’s association with a pure devotee, one can attain all success.”] (Cc Madhya 22.54)
So our aim of life should be how to associate, how to keep association with devotees. Then everything will be possible. As soon as we give up the association and we associate with maya, our life is finished. Always remember this. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was asked by a devotee, “What is the business of a devotee? How will he make progress without any difficulty?” Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said in two lines, asat-sanga-tyaga, ei vaisnava-acara (Cc Madhya 22.87): “A Vaishnava should always avoid asat, materialistic persons, always avoid the association.” Asat-sanga-tyaga. Matter is asat, not permanent. So those who are attached to the material world, they are called asat. Satam prasangat: one should associate with sat, those who are in spiritual advancement. They are called sat. And those who are interested in material advancement, they are called asat. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu advised, “Don’t associate with persons who are trying to be advanced in a material way.” Asat-sanga-tyaga, ei vaisnava-acara. And how we can understand if a person is a materialist? That is stated in the next line: stri-sangi—those who are too much attached to sex are asat, materialist, and those who are not devotees of Krishna (krsna-abhakta). That’s all. If you can recognize these two persons, then you understand who is asat—and who is sat. Sat is just the opposite. Sat means one who is no more interested in material enjoyment. That is sat. And those who are interested in material enjoyment, they are asat.
If we keep our association with persons who are materially interested, then we cannot make progress. If you keep your company always with persons who are spiritually interested, then you make progress.
—Srila Prabhupada, talk on Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.25, July 9, 1975, Chicago
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