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Sadhu Sanga

Sadhu Sanga. TRANSLATION Dear Lord, unless one worships the lotus feet of great devotees , one will be conquered by the illusory energy, and his intelligence will be bewildered. Indeed, who has not been carried away by the waves of material

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Sadhu Sanga

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  1. Sadhu Sanga

  2. TRANSLATION Dear Lord, unless one worships the lotus feet of great devotees, one will be conquered by the illusory energy, and his intelligence will be bewildered. Indeed, who has not been carried away by the waves of material enjoyment, which are like poison? Your illusory energy is unconquerable. No one can see the path of this material energy or tell how it is working. SB 5.3.14

  3. PURPORT Maharaja Nabhi was inclined to performing great sacrifices for begetting a son. The son might be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but such a material desire -- be it great or insignificant -- is brought about by the influence of maya. A devotee does not at all desire anything for sense gratification. Devotion is therefore explained as devoid of material desires (anyabhilasita-sunya). Everyone is subjected to the influence of maya and entangled in all kinds of material desire, and Maharaja Nabhi was no exception. Freedom from maya's influence is possible when one engages in the service of the great devotees (mahac-carana-seva). Without worshiping the lotus feet of a great devotee, one cannot be freed from maya's influence. Srila NarottamadasaThakura therefore says, chadiyavaisnava-sevanistarapayechekeba: "Who has been freed from maya's clutches without serving the lotus feet of a Vaisnava?"

  4. Maya is aparajita, and her influence is also aparajita. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (7.14): daivihyesaguna-mayi mama mayaduratyaya "This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome." Only a devotee can surpass maya's great influence. It was no fault on Maharaja Nabhi's part that he wanted a son. He wanted a son like the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the best of all sons. By the association of the Lord's devotee, one no longer desires material opulence. This is confirmed in Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 22.54): "sadhu-sanga", "sadhu-sanga" sarva-sastrekaya lava-matrasadhu-sangesarva-siddhihaya and [Cc. Madhya 22.51]: mahat-krpavinakonakarme 'bhakti' naya krsna-bhakti durerahu, samsaranaheksaya

  5. If one is serious about escaping maya's influence and returning home, back to Godhead, one must associate with a sadhu (devotee). That is the verdict of all scriptures. By the slight association of a devotee, one can be freed from the clutches of maya. Without the mercy of the pure devotee, one cannot get freedom by any means. Certainly a pure devotee's association is necessary in order to obtain the loving service of the Lord. One cannot be freed from maya's clutches without sadhu-sanga [Cc. Madhya 22.83], the benediction of a great devotee.

  6. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.32) Prahlada Maharaja says: naisammatistavadurukramanghrim sprsatyanarthapagamoyadarthah mahiyasampada-rajo-'bhisekam niskincananamnavrnitayavat One cannot become the Lord's pure devotee without taking the dust of a great devotee on his head (pada-rajo-'bhisekam). A pure devotee is niskincana; he has no material desire to enjoy the material world. One has to take shelter of such a pure devotee in order to attain his qualities. The pure devotee is always free from the clutches of maya and her influence.

  7. Freedom from maya's influence is possible when one engages in the service of the great devotees (mahac-carana-seva). What is meant by ‘service’?

  8. “One should take shelter of a pure devotee, who has nothing to do with this material world but is simply engaged in devotional service. By serving him only, one can transcend the qualitative material condition. In this verse it is recommended (yogesvara-upasanaya) that one serve the lotus feet of the topmost yogi, or the devotee. To serve the topmost devotee means to hear from him about the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” SB 4.22.22

  9. What are the characteristics of the great devotees we must hear from?

  10. “The summary is that one has to, first of all, seek the association of pure devotees who not only are learned in the Vedanta but are self-realized souls and unalloyed devotees of Lord Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead.” SB 1.5.34

  11. Reporter (2): What will happen to the movement in the United States when you die? Prabhupada: I will never die.I shall live forever in my books, and you will utilize. Press conference ‘75

  12. “You may please me the most by reading my books and following the instructions therein and by becoming fully Krishna Conscious in this life time.” Letter to: Bahurupa -- Bombay 22 November, 1974

  13. “Unless one hears about the holy name, form and qualities of the Lord, one cannot clearly understand the other processes of devotional service.” SB 7.5.23-24

  14. “The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: One can get liberation by seriously discharging devotional service unto Me and thereby hearing for a long time about Me or from Me. By thus executing one’s prescribed duties, there will be no reaction, and one will be freed from the contamination of matter.” SB 3.27.21 verse

  15. ”We should hear again and again. There is no question of stopping: even if one has read these topics many times, he should go on reading again and again because bhagavat-kathā, the words spoken by Kṛṣṇa and spoken by Kṛṣṇa’s devotees about Kṛṣṇa, are amṛtam, nectar. The more one drinks this amṛtam, the more he advances in his eternal life.” SB 7.14.4 purport

  16. Be engaged always in reading Srimad-Bhagavatam, discussing amongst yourself. Then you'll make progress. Otherwise, if you take it as an official routine work... You should take as routine work, but with consciousness that "We have to learn something," not simply attending the class, but to learn something. In this way make your life successful. Lecture 1975

  17. How do we know if we are effectively rendering the service of hearing the Bhagavatam / Bhagavad Gita?

  18. “One should learn how to associate with the devotees of the Lord by gathering with them to chant the glories of the Lord. This process is most purifying. As devotees thus develop their loving friendship, they feel mutual happiness and satisfaction.And by thus encouraging one another they are able to give up material sense gratification, which is the cause of all suffering.” SB 11.3.30

  19. If a person is actually executing devotional service, then he must be happy. If he's not happy, then he's not doing properly. So first thing is this. He might be doing something in the name of devotional service. If he's actually rendering devotional service, then he must be feeling. Just like if you are eating actually, then you must feel strength and satisfaction of your hunger. You cannot say, "I'm eating, but I'm not satisfied of my hunger." That is impossible… Then he has to rectify the process of his service. Not to change but to rectify the process….If you are actually executing devotional service, you must feel happy. If you don’t feel happy, then you are not executing. There is some flaw.” Lecture 1968

  20. “May there be good fortune throughout the universe, and may all envious persons be pacified. May all living entities become calm by practicing bhakti-yoga, for by accepting devotional service they will think of each other’s welfare. Therefore let us all engage in the service of the supreme transcendence, Lord ŚrīKṛṣṇa, and always remain absorbed in thought of Him.” SB 5.18.9 verse

  21. ”By regularly hearing, chanting and meditating on the beautiful topics of Lord Mukundawith ever-increasing sincerity, a mortal being will attain the divine kingdom of the Lord, where the inviolable power of death holds no sway….”SB 10.90.50 verse

  22. ”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 Vāsudeva.” SB 1.2.16 verse

  23. “Those who are expert in giving knowledge, we should associate. Satamprasangan mama virya-samvidobhavantihrt-karna-rasayanahkathah [SB 3.25.25]. If we associate with saintly persons and hear from them Bhagavad-gita and other Vedic literatures, then hrt-karna-rasayanahkathah, it becomes appealing to the heart, hrt, and pleasing to the ear. Hrt-karna-rasayanahkathahtaj-josanad. And if you bring them into practical purposes, apply in your life, then sraddhabhaktirratiranukramisyati. Then gradually you'll become faithful to the Supreme. Sraddhabhaktir. You'll develop your natural instincts of devotional service. Sraddhabhaktirratir, attachment. Anukramisyati, one after another. This is the process” lecture on Bhagavad-gita 13.6-7 -- Bombay, September 29, 1973

  24. What is the danger if we do not improve the quality of our hearing?

  25. “In human society, aversion to the principles of understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the cause of all falldowns. That is the greatest offense of human life.” Bg 16.24 purport

  26. “Why they are going? They are busy in some other work? Eh? Ugra-karma. Without hearing, what he will do, nonsense? Sravanamkirtanam, this is our main business. Sravanam. If you don't hear, what you will do? You will do simply sense gratification. That's all. So this is difficulty, that we are not very much interested in hearing. And that is the main business. Our bhakti begins: sravanamkirtanamvisnoh [SB 7.5.23]. We have to hear and we have to speak. But if we are not interested in hearing and speak, then it will be the same thakura-bari(?), simply formula. That's all. And gradually it will be stopped. Unless there is life of sravanamkirtanam, these big, big buildings, temples, will become burden. So if we are, if we want to create burden for future, then we may give up this hearing and chanting and sleep very nicely. It will be burden. Galagraha. Not sri-vigraha, but galagraha. Galagraha. Sri-vigraha means worshipable Deity. So if we give up this sravanamkirtanamvisnoh, then it will be thought that "Our Guru Maharaja has given a burden in the neck, galagraha." This is the danger. So we must be very much alert in sravanamkirtanam. Otherwise all this labor will be futile. This building will be only the nest, nest for the doves and the pigeons. That is the danger. That is being done. Nobody is interested....”lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.19 -- Mayapura, September 29, 1974T

  27. Conclusion “…unless and until one istrained in the culture of good association, one cannot become good.” SB 3.3.6 purport

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