SB 3.28.7 – Stay in the Association of Pure Devotees

Giriraj Swami:

[SB 3.28.7]

etair anyaiś ca pathibhir
mano duṣṭam asat-patham
buddhyā yuñjīta śanakair
jita-prāṇo hy atandritaḥ

TRANSLATION

By these processes, or any other true process, one must control the contaminated, unbridled mind, which is always attracted by material enjoyment, and thus fix himself in thought of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

PURPORT by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada

The general yoga process entails observing the rules and regulations, practicing the different sitting postures, concentrating the mind on the vital circulation of the air and then thinking of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His Vaikuṇṭha pastimes. This is the general process of yoga. This same concentration can be achieved by other recommended processes, and therefore anyaiś ca, other methods, also can be applied. The essential point is that the mind, which is contaminated by material attraction, has to be bridled and concentrated on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It cannot be fixed on something void or impersonal. For this reason, so-called yoga practices of voidism and impersonalism are not recommended in any standard yoga-śāstra. The real yogi is the devotee because his mind is always concentrated on the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the topmost yoga system.

COMMENT

The central point in the yoga practice is the mind. When Lord Krishna spoke Bhagavad-gītā to Arjun also, he emphasized the control of the mind because if we cannot control the mind and the senses, we cannot make advancement in any type of yoga practice. Therefore, the first step is to follow the rules and regulations, yam and niyam. We must follow the do’s and the don’ts and gradually learn to concentrate the mind on the Lord by hearing first, then by chanting, and finally by remembering the pastimes of the Lord. When Lord Chaitanya instructed Rupa Gosvami on the process of devotional service, he said that after the devotee receives the seed of devotional service, he should plant the seed within the heart and take care of the seed like a gardener. A gardener takes care to water the seed and the seed will sprout and the gardener continues to water the plant. The gardener also has to take care to see that there are no weeds come up around the plant. If there are weeds, then the gardener must immediately pull them out. Otherwise, the water which is meant for the plant will be taken by the weeds, and the roots of the weeds can also expand and choke the plant. So we always have to see that there are no weeds, and if any weeds come up, we must immediately recognize them and pull them out.

Furthermore, Lord Chaitanya has stated that one should be aware of mad elephants. The mad elephant is the vaiṣṇava-aparādha, or offense against the Vaishnava, which especially means violation of the regulative principles. So Lord Chaitanya has advised us how we can protect ourselves from breaking the regulative principles, and he said the way is by fencing the devotional creeper on all sides. And what is the fencing? The fencing is the circle of pure devotees. We always have to keep ourselves in the association of pure devotees. Then there will be no chance for the wild elephants to be set loose. The maddened elephant is very dangerous because within a very short time, he can enter the garden and he can completely uproot and break and destroy all of the plants that have been cultivated for a long time with much effort. Therefore, in order to protect ourselves from the mad elephant or from breaking the regulative principles, we have to stay within the circle or the protection of pure devotees.

Now, the mind, as stated in the verse, is attracted to material sense gratification, and if the mind gets the chance, then the mind may drag the soul with the senses into activities which are against the rules and regulations. So the mind has to be controlled and the main way to control the mind is by chanting and hearing about Krishna, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam. But here again, the crucial point is association. If we associate with pure devotees who are engaged in chanting and hearing about Krishna, then we will also become engaged in chanting and hearing about Krishna. But if we associate with non-devotees or mixed devotees, they may engage us in talks about sense gratification, which will not help us. So here, sense gratification or the path of sense gratification is called asat. Asat means temporary material enjoyment, and therefore Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has advised us asat saṅga tyāga that we have to give up the association of ordinary people who are interested in material things, asat-saṅga-tyāga, ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra [Cc. Madhya 22.87]. That is the first principle of Vaishnava behavior, to give up the association of ordinary people. And who are ordinary people?

Lord Chaitanya mentions two categories; asat-saṅga-tyāga, — ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra ‘strī-saṅgī’ — eka asādhu, ‘kṛṣṇābhakta’ āra So those who are attached to women and sense gratification are one category, and those who are not devotees of Krishna are another category. In other words, even if someone is a devotee of Krishna, but if he is attached to the association of women for the purpose of sense gratification, then we should also avoid association with him. That is called astri saṅgī. Stri means woman saṅgī means one who is associated with. 

Now, someone may ask that we can understand, a man can understand why he should not associate with a woman, but why should he not even associate with a man who’s attached to a woman or women? The answer is that the man who is attached to the association of women for sense gratification will have many ideas about sense gratification, and if we associate with him, he will give us some ideas on how to enjoy sense gratification with women. Therefore, the Bhāgavatam says in the Third Canto that associating with men who are attached to women is actually more dangerous than associating with women, because one may associate with a woman and not have such bad ideas, but if he associates with a man who’s attached to women, he can get more bad ideas than by associating with a woman directly. Therefore, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has warned that asat-saṅga-tyāga, ‘strī-saṅgī’ asādhu, ‘kṛṣṇābhakta’ āra. That we should not associate with asat, with materialistic people, either those who are attached to women or those who are not devotees of Krishna. And Bhaktivinoda Thakura has further analyzed that Krishna-bhakta. Those who are not devotees of Krishna into three categories:

One is the impersonalists (Mayavadis aparādhis) The impersonalists are the greatest offenders against the Lord because they consider the form of the Lord to be material. They consider the deity to be material. They consider the process of devotional service to be material. They consider everything maya except brahman, impersonal brahman, they consider everything maya. So we should avoid the association of impersonalists. Lord Chaitanya had one associate who took interest in impersonal discussions, and Lord Chaitanya rejected him. He said, “I do not want to see his face. He cannot come into my association ever.”

Then the next category is the materialist who worships demigods and wants material elevation and material facility. And the next category is the pretender. The pretender is the person who dresses like a devotee and pretends to be a devotee but is not actually a devotee. He may either be a mental speculator, impersonalist, or a fruitive worker. Generally, he is a fruitive worker or a cheater, not really a fruitive worker even, but he is a materialist who wants to get material facilities by adopting the guise of devotional service. So he dresses like a devotee and acts like a devotee, but his real purpose is to solve his economic problems, to solve his material problems. So all three classes of non-devotees should be avoided, and then even the devotees who are attached to sense gratification, to illicit gratification, they should also be avoided. Then, if we avoid bad association and stay in the association of pure devotees, there is no chance of breaking the regulative principles, which is compared to the mad elephant that completely destroys the devotional creeper.

So, asat-patham, to control the mind which is attracted to asat-patham, we have to avoid the association of asat people in all of the four categories and associate with pure devotees. Now, what is the definition of a pure devotee? What is the difference between a pure devotee and a mixed devotee? A pure devotee is one who has full faith in the process of devotional service and he does not see any need to adopt any other process like fruitive work or mental speculation or yoga. But he is firmly convinced that just by engaging in devotional service, just by serving Krishna, he will achieve everything that he wants and he doesn’t have to engage in any other process. So he continuously engages in devotional service only for the pleasure of Krishna as Krishna wants. And the mixed devotee is someone who has some inclination towards devotional service but at the same time he has other inclinations towards material enjoyment or towards impersonal liberation. And he engages in ordinary work, in personal speculation to get what he wants.

Now, Lord Chaitanya has specifically advised that we should associate with pure devotees. We should stay in the circle of pure devotees as the fence that will protect us from the mad elephant. Mixed devotees means at one moment they are chanting Hare Krishna and at the next moment they are doing nonsense. And for us to associate with them is not very strong protection because when they are chanting Hare Krishna they are very nice but when they are doing nonsense or speaking nonsense they become dangerous. So specifically Lord Chaitanya has advised that we should stay in the circle of pure devotees to be protected. Now, the next question is how to associate with pure devotees. And here also Rupa Gosvami has advised in Nectar of Instruction that when we can identify a devotee we should reciprocate with him in six ways. One is that we should offer something to him, some gift, and if he offers something to us we should accept it. Now, generally there are different grades of devotees so the lesser devotee will offer some gifts to facilitate the service of the more advanced devotee and the more advanced devotee will offer Krishna consciousness. He will offer the holy name, he will offer Krishna, he will offer the spiritual instructions that the person requires. Then, guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati one should reveal one’s mind in confidence. In other words, there should be no secrets. But if one has any doubt or any question or any difficulty, the lesser devotee should disclose it to the superior devotee and the superior devotee should reciprocate and reveal his mind. In other words, give the proper direction that will help the other devotee to advance in Krishna consciousness. When Srila Vyasadeva felt despondent even after compiling all of the Vedic literatures and other things, by chance his spiritual master Narada Muni came there. So Srila Vyasadeva addressed him because he was in difficulty. In spite of compiling the Vedas and everything else, he still did not feel happy. So he wanted to know, “What is the reason that I don’t feel happy?” So when his spiritual master came, he addressed him that, “You are like the sun which can enter into every place. So please enter into my heart and tell me what is wrong?”

Then Narada detected the defect that he had not fully glorified the pastimes of the Lord and therefore he was not satisfied. And in the previous verse we read also by constant recitation of the Lord’s pastimes, Vaikuntha lilaya that we have to become absorbed in the pastimes of the Lord. That is the purpose of meditation, that is the goal of samadhi, to be absorbed in the pastimes of the Lord. So Narada Muni saw that he had not fully described the pastimes of the Lord, he was not feeling fully satisfied. And receiving the instruction from his spiritual master, Vyasadeva immediately he accepted it and compiled Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. This is the proper relationship. The disciple does not want to keep anything hidden from the spiritual master but he actually wants the spiritual master to know what is in his heart so that he can guide him. And then whatever instruction the spiritual master gives should be accepted. That was Vasudeva’s response. So, guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati, the neophyte devotee should disclose his mind and inquire confidentially and the experienced devotee should respond and give appropriate instructions, bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva. One should offer prasāda with love and one should be prepared to accept prasāda which is offered with love.

So these are the six exchanges of love that are shared among devotees. Associating with devotees doesn’t just mean living in the same building as them or working in the same building. It actually means to reciprocate with them in the appropriate way. Otherwise, there is no real association. Although one may be living very close to another person, there is no real intimacy. So these are the prescriptions given by the scriptures, given by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu given by Srila Rupa Gosvami himself. Now, what happens if somehow or other someone has not been so careful to avoid bad association? Someone has not been so careful to stay in the circle of pure devotees and consequently has fallen down. What is the position? So I will read one incident from Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

When Lord Chaitanya toured the holy places in South India, he took one brahmachari named Kala Krishnadasa with him. This is Madhya-līlā Chapter Nine,

TEXT 224.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu went to a place known as Mallāra-deśa, where a community of Bhaṭṭathāris lived.

PURPORT

The bhattataris outwardly they take up the dress of sannyāsīs, but their real business is stealing and cheating. They allure others to supply women for their camp, and they cheat many women and keep them within their community. In this way they increase their population.

TEXT 226

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was accompanied by His servant, Kṛṣṇadāsa. He was a brāhmaṇa, but he met with the Bhaṭṭathāris there.

TEXT 227

The Bhattataris allured the brahmana Krishnadas who was simple and gentle. By virtue of their bad association, they polluted his intelligence. So here we can see the beginning that although he was a brahmana and simple and gentle, by the bad association of the Bhattataris, his intelligence became polluted.

TEXT 228-230

The allured Krishnadas went to their place early in the morning. Just to find him out, the Lord also went there very quickly. He tried to sneak away from Lord Caitanya to visit them. Lord Caitanya immediately detected that Krishnadas was going and he followed him. Upon reaching their community, Lord Caitanya said, “Why are you keeping my brahmana assistant? I am in the renounced order of life and so are you. You are purposefully giving me pain. I do not see any good logic in this.”

TEXT 231

Upon hearing Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, all the Bhattataris came running with weapons in their hands, desiring to hurt the Lord.

COMMENT

Srila Prabhupada says, “If you give a fool good instructions, he will become angry.” So they not only became angry, they became violent. However, their weapons fell from their hands and struck their own bodies. When some of the Bhattataris were thus cut to pieces, the others ran away in the four directions. While there was much roaring and crying at the Bhattatari community, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu grabbed Krishnadasa by the hair and took him away. Then, after completing the tour, Lord Chaitanya returned to Jagannatha Puri. He met with some of the devotees who were there to meet him and then he called for Krishnadasa and spoke to him. This is Madhya-līlā Chapter Ten,

TEXT 62

Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya then asked all the people to leave. Afterward, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu called for Kālā Kṛṣṇadāsa, who had accompanied the Lord during His South Indian tour.

TEXT 63

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “My dear Bhaṭṭācārya, just consider the character of this man who went with Me to South India.

TEXT 64

“He left My company to associate with the Bhaṭṭathāris, but I rescued him from their company and brought him here.

TEXT 65

“Now that I have brought him here, I am asking him to leave. Now he can go wherever he likes, for I am no longer responsible for him.”

COMMENT

You see, Lord Caitanya didn’t even speak directly to Krishnadas but in the presence of Krishnadas, He spoke to Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya and said, “Just see, just consider the character of this man. He left my company to associate with Bhattatharis. Now, he can do whatever he likes. I take no more responsibility for him.”

PURPORT

Kālā Kṛṣṇadāsa was influenced and allured by nomads or gypsies, who enticed him with women. Māyā is so strong that Kālā Kṛṣṇadāsa left Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s company to join gypsy women. Even though a person may associate with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he can be allured by māyā and leave the Lord’s company due to his slight independence. Only one who is overwhelmed by māyā can be so unfortunate as to leave Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s company, yet unless one is very conscientious, the influence of māyā can drag one away, even though he be the personal assistant of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And what to speak of others? The Bhaṭṭathāris used to increase their numbers by using women to allure outsiders. This is factual evidence showing that it is possible at any time to fall down from the Lord’s association. One need only misuse his little independence. Once fallen and separated from the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s association, one becomes a candidate for suffering in the material world. Although rejected by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Kālā Kṛṣṇadāsa was given another chance, as the following verses relate.

TEXT 66

Hearing the Lord reject him, Kālā Kṛṣṇadāsa began to cry. However, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, not caring for him, immediately left to take His noon lunch.

TEXT 67

After this, the other devotees — headed by Nityānanda Prabhu, Jagadānanda, Mukunda and Dāmodara — began to consider a certain plan.

PURPORT

Even though a person is rejected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the devotees of the Lord do not reject him; therefore the Lord’s devotees are more merciful than the Lord Himself. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura thus sings, chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā nistāra peyeche kebā: one cannot be relieved from the material clutches without engaging in the service of pure devotees. The Lord Himself may sometimes be very hard, but the devotees are always kind. Thus Kālā Kṛṣṇadāsa received the mercy of the four devotees mentioned above.

TEXT 68

The Lord’s four devotees considered, “We want a person to go to Bengal just to inform Śacīmātā about Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s arrival at Jagannātha Purī.

TEXT 69

“After hearing news of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s arrival, devotees like Advaita and Śrīvāsa will certainly come to see Him.

TEXT 70

“Let us therefore send Kṛṣṇadāsa to Bengal.” Saying this, they kept Kṛṣṇadāsa engaged in the service of the Lord and gave him assurance.

PURPORT

Because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu rejected him, Kālā Kṛṣṇadāsa became very, very sorry and began to cry. Therefore, the Lord’s devotees took compassion upon him, gave him assurance and encouraged him to continue to engage in the Lord’s service.

COMMENT

So if by chance some devotee deviates and falls down, he has no other necessity except to remain engaged in the service of the Lord-fully engaged in the service of the Lord as far as possible. There are processes of atonement mentioned in the Vedas and other scriptures, but Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, they all say that if the devotee falls down, he needs have nothing to do with processes of atonement but he should simply remain fully engaged in the service of the Lord and the purity and the potency of devotional service itself will be sufficient to reinstate the person properly. Therefore, the devotees of Lord Chaitanya knew the process and they simply wanted to keep Krishnadasa engaged in the service of the Lord. They knew that if he remained engaged in the service of the Lord, he would be alright.

So Bhagavad-gītā also says, “Of course, there is another question that I am engaged in devotional service; I haven’t fallen down, but some other devotee has fallen down. So how should I see the other devotee? What is the position of the devotee who fell down?” Here Lord Krishna explains in Bhagavad-gītā 9.30

api cet su-durācāro

bhajate mām ananya-bhāk

sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ

samyag vyavasito hi saḥ

“Even if one commits the most abominable action, if he is engaged in devotional service, he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated in his determination.”

Of course, this does not exactly refer to a mixed devotee; it really refers to a surrendered soul who by chance falls down or by accident. But actually, the surrendered soul may also fall down, and how he falls down is explained in the purport. Consequently, what we have to do to protect ourselves from falling down is also explained.

PURPORT

The word su-durācāraḥ used in this verse is very significant, and we should understand it properly. When a living entity is conditioned, he has two kinds of activities: one is conditional, and the other is constitutional.

COMMENT

This we also have to understand because in one sense although every activity in relation to Krishna’s service is spiritual, there is some distinction for conditioned souls between conditional activities and constitutional activities. For example, even as devotees, we have certain necessities that relate to the body which we have to perform; they are conditional activities. But then again, we have other activities like chanting and hearing about Krishna, which are constitutional activities. So even in the mood of devotion, if we engage too much in conditional activities and not enough in constitutional activities, we can become weak and fall down. Just like, say, any service, even sewing for the deities. Somebody has to sew for the deities, and there is only so much time until Janmashtami. So the devotee starts to work day and night, sewing for the deities, but due to neglecting the constitutional activities of chanting and hearing, the person can become weak even while sewing for the deities, and the person can fall down. So we have to understand the distinction and take care.

PURPORT (continued)

As for protecting the body or abiding by the rules of society and state, certainly there are different activities, even for the devotees, in connection with the conditional life, and such activities are called conditional. Besides these, the living entity who is fully conscious of his spiritual nature and is engaged in Krishna consciousness, or the devotional service of the Lord, has activities which are called transcendental. Such activities are performed in his constitutional position, and they are technically called devotional service. Now, in the conditioned state, sometimes devotional service and the conditional service in relation to the body will parallel one another. But then again, sometimes these activities become opposed to one another. As far as possible, a devotee is very cautious so that he does not do anything that could disrupt his wholesome condition.

COMMENT

So on the most basic level we have bodily demands like eating, sleeping, and sex and defence. The animals have the same activities, and we also have the same activities, but we have to engage in those activities moderately according to certain regulative principles. For example, we don’t say that you can’t eat, but we say eat only kṛṣṇa-prasāda, eat food cooked by devotees, offered with love to the deity, and distributed as prasāda. If we take kṛṣṇa-prasāda, then by eating we will not become degraded. But if we take food cooked by non-devotees, even vegetarian food, if we take food cooked by materialistic persons, then again we come in violation of the original principle of asat sanga tyaga. We should not associate with materialistic persons, even if the person is some sort of devotee but if the person is materialistic, attached to women and sense gratification, then we should not associate with them intimately, and we shouldn’t take food cooked by them.

One thing I should mention, I think you all understand, but said that when the scripture says women, that’s for the men. But the same thing should be translated as men for the women. In other words, actually, we should not take food cooked by materialistic persons, even if they are some sort of devotee and vegetarian. Otherwise, our minds may become polluted by their consciousness. So, eating, sleeping. Again, we should sleep for six hours or at most seven hours and get up early in the morning, and so on. If we sleep moderately at regulated times, and get up early for maṅgala-ārati time, then although sleep is a waste of time, we won’t become degraded by sleeping in moderation at the right time. And mating? The question will arise only in marriage for the sake of having children.

And defense? Defense means we need some place to stay, but generally, a devotee or a brahman should live simply. Otherwise, if he wants to get more and more material facilities, he will become diverted from the constitutional activities of chanting and hearing. So even though we need some place to stay, we can’t imitate the Gosvamis and live under trees, but we should live moderately. We shouldn’t try to acquire more and more material facility because to acquire more and more material facility means we have to give more and more energy to it. Then again, our wholesome condition may be disturbed. Instead of thinking about Krishna, we are thinking about money. Even if we try to chant for a few minutes, even while we are chanting, we are thinking about money.

Therefore, we have to make sure that our wholesome condition is not disturbed by maintaining the proper proportion in the constitutional activities and the conditional activity. As far as possible, a devotee is very cautious so that he does not do anything that could disrupt his wholesome condition. He knows that perfection in his activities depends on his progressive realization of Krishna consciousness. Sometimes, however, it may be seen that a person in Krishna consciousness commits some act which may be taken as most abominable socially or politically, but such a temporary fall-down does not disqualify him. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it is stated that if a person falls down but is wholeheartedly engaged in the transcendental service of the Supreme Lord, the Lord, being situated within his heart, purifies him and excuses him from that abomination. So the Lord is within the heart of the devotee. He is the well-wisher of the devotee, and if the devotee is fully engaged in the service of the Lord, even if the devotee accidentally falls down, the Lord from within the heart of the devotee will purify the devotee and excuse him from his mistake. He purifies the devotee in two ways. One is, he allows the devotee to suffer because naturally if the devotee engages in some sinful activity, he will have to suffer. The Lord allows the devotee to suffer because the suffering will help the devotee to become detached and will help the devotee to realize the gravity of the mistake. But at the same time, the Lord within the heart will give good direction to the devotee on how to save himself, how to rectify himself.

The material contamination is so strong that even a yogi fully engaged in the service of the Lord sometimes becomes ensnared. But Krishna consciousness is so strong that such an occasional fall down is at once rectified. Both are strong: maya is strong, and Krishna consciousness is strong. Maya is so strong that even someone fully engaged in yoga can be ensnared by mind. But devotional service is so strong that even if someone becomes temporarily deluded, he can very quickly be reinstated in Krishna consciousness. Therefore, the process of devotional service is always a success. Now here Krishna comes to the other point that how should we see some devotee who has fallen down? No one should deride a devotee for some accidental fall down from the ideal path. For as explained in the next verse, such occasional fall-downs will be stopped in due course as soon as a devotee is completely situated in Krishna consciousness. Therefore, a person who is situated in Krishna consciousness and is engaged with determination in the process of chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, should be considered to be in the transcendental position even if by chance or accident he is found to have fallen.

PURPORT (continued)

The words sādhur eva —he is saintly—are very emphatic. They are a warning to the non-devotees that because of an accidental fall down, a devotee should not be derided. He should still be considered saintly even if he has accidentally fallen down. The word mantavyaḥ is still more emphatic. If one does not follow this rule and derides a devotee for his accidental fall down, one has disobeyed the order of the Supreme Lord. The only qualification of a devotee is to be unflinchingly and exclusively engaged in devotional service.

In the Nṛsiṁha Purāṇa the following statement is given:

bhagavati ca harāv ananya-cetā

bhṛśa-malino ‘pi virājate manuṣyaḥ

na hi śaśa-kaluṣa-cchabiḥ kadācit

timira-parābhavatām upaiti candraḥ

The meaning is that even if one fully engaged in the devotional service of the Lord is sometimes found engaged in abominable activities, these activities should be considered to be like the spots that resemble the mark of a rabbit on the moon. Such spots do not become an impediment to the diffusion of moonlight.

COMMENT

On the other hand, ok now, if someone falls down by accident, how should we see him? If he is fully engaged in devotional service, we should see him as a devotee and we should not deride him because of a mistake. But what should the devotee think? Srila Prabhupada explains further.

PURPORT (continued)

On the other hand, one should not misunderstand that a devotee in transcendental service can act in all kinds of abominable ways. This verse only refers to an accident due to the strong power of material connections. Devotional service is more or less a declaration of war against the illusory energy. As long as one is not strong enough to fight the illusory energy, there may be accidental fall-downs. But when one is strong enough, he is no longer subjected to such fall downs. No one should take advantage of this verse and commit nonsense and think that he is still a devotee. If he does not improve in his character by devotional service, then it is to be understood that he is not a high devotee.

COMMENT

And the next verse more or less says the same thing but it does summarise some of the discussion.

TEXT 31

kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā

śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati

kaunteya pratijānīhi

na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati

COMMENT

Here, Krishna is talking about the fallen devotee.

TRANSLATION

He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kunti, declare boldly: one who is not a devotee of the Lord has no good qualifications whatsoever.

COMMENT

The question remains then, how can a person engaged in abominable activities, either by accident or by intention, be a pure devotee? This question may justly be raised. The miscreants, as stated in the Seventh Chapter, who never come to the devotional service of the Lord, have no good qualifications, as it is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In other words, Lord Krishna has already stated that if someone is mischievous, if someone is sinful, he is not to be considered a devotee but he is to be considered a miscreant.

na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ

prapadyante narādhamāḥ

māyayāpahṛta-jñānā

āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ Bg 7.15

He is not a devotee; he is a nonsense. So then the question arises: if a devotee engages in sinful activities, how can he be considered a devotee?

So Now Srila Prabhupada explains. Generally, a devotee who is engaged in the nine kinds of devotional activities is engaged in the process of cleansing all material contamination from the heart. He puts the Supreme Personality of Godhead within his heart, and all sinful contaminations are naturally washed away. Continuous thinking of the Supreme Lord makes him pure by nature. According to the Vedas, there is a certain regulation that if one falls down from his exalted position he has to undergo certain ritualistic processes to purify himself. But here there is no such condition, because the purifying process is already there in the heart of the devotee, due to his remembering the Supreme Personality of Godhead constantly.

So again because God is Absolute, so His name His form, His qualities, His pastimes, all are the same as Him. By chanting and hearing and remembering, if we allow the Lord to enter into our hearts, then the presence of the Lord within the heart will automatically purify us and cleanse us of sinful material desires. The purifying process is already there in the heart of the devotee due to his remembering the Supreme Personality of Godhead constantly. Therefore, the chanting of Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare should be continued without stoppage. This will protect a devotee from all accidental fall downs. He will thus remain perpetually free from all material contamination. So, are there any questions or comments?

Devotee: (Inaudible)

Giriraj Swami: The Bhāgavatam says, srti saṅgī, we should not associate with men who are attached to women and that the suffering that comes to one who associates with men who are attached to women is the greatest. And as we discussed, associating with a man who is attached to women may be more harmful than associating with women because the man who’s attached to women can give you worse ideas than you might get just by associating with a woman.

So similarly, the Bhāgavatam also says bhagvat saṅgī sangata that we should seek the association of persons who are associated with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just as associating with men who are attached to women is more harmful than associating with women themselves, similarly associating with persons who are attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is more beneficial than associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. We see the perfect demonstration in the story of Kala Krishnadas. He was associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and deviated, and therefore he was rejected by the Supreme Person. But the devotees who were associated with the Supreme Person were more merciful to him than the Supreme person Himself. They gave him instructions on how to engage in devotional service, which the Lord Himself did not give. So the comment is very appropriate.

Devotee: In this case, it seems to be acting in the role as. . .

Giriraj Swami: Lord Chaitanya was acting as a sanyasi or as an Acharya and as an Acharya He had to maintain the standard. If he doesn’t maintain the standard, then the other devotees or the other followers will take advantage and deviate and become fallen. Lord Chaitanya was very strict when junior Haridasa, who was in the renounced order, looked with lust at some woman. Lord Chaitanya also rejected him, but he was acting as the Acharya and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati comments that acting as the Acharya, Lord Chaitanya had to maintain the highest standard because if he didn’t maintain the highest standard by dealing strictly with junior Haridasa, then people in the future would take advantage of Lord Chaitanya’s leniency and break the principles. So here he is acting as the acharya.

Devotee: (Inaudible)

Giriraj Swami: You should have no other engagement besides devotional service. You should not speak of anything except devotional service. You should not think of anything except devotional service. You should be fully engaged in the service of the Lord with body, words, and mind.

Devotee: (Inaudible)

Giriraj Swami: You say that if we take food prepared by materialistic persons in the mood of preaching and delivering them, then we will be protected?

Well, if we are engaged in the service of the Lord, we can expect that the Lord may be merciful to us and protect us. But we cannot take for granted that the Lord will be merciful and free us from the bad effects of eating the food of the materialistic person. In other words, there is some risk involved. Just like the spiritual master takes responsibility for the sinful reactions of the disciples. Now, because he is acting on behalf of Krishna to save the fallen souls, Krishna may show mercy and relieve the spiritual master. But it’s not necessarily so that Krishna will relieve the spiritual master of all of the sinful reactions of all of the disciples. So when the spiritual master or any preacher attempts to deliver some soul and therefore comes in contact with the person, comes into association with the person, he takes some risk.

And we should be aware of the risk that we are taking. We shouldn’t just blindly go into the situation and think, “Oh, we can eat anything cooked by anyone, but because we are preaching, Lord Chaitanya will absorb all the contamination and we won’t have to.” That’s not devotional service. Devotional service means that I knowingly take some risk in the service of the Lord. Now, if Krishna or Lord Chaitanya wants to give special mercy and save me from the reaction, He may. And if he doesn’t want to save me from the reaction, He may. And if he doesn`t want to save me from the reaction. That is surrender. Then we place conditions that, “Okay, God, I am preaching on your behalf. I am eating food prepared by materialistic people. Now you have to take the contamination, not me.” That is not devotion. Devotion means that I am doing service on behalf of the Lord and I am taking some risk. Now, the Lord can do with me whatever He wants. That is surrender. And of course, the Lord is merciful, so He does help the spiritual master preacher. But if He makes you suffer, that is also his mercy because you were foolish. You associated with someone that you shouldn’t have associated with.

Srila Prabhupada gives the example of Jagai and Madhai. Lord Nityananda approached Jagai and Madhai to deliver them. He felt confident, “I can deliver them.” So when you approach some conditioned soul, you have to know, do you have the capacity or the capability to deliver this person? Srila Prabhupada says: yes, as preachers, we have to show mercy, but we have to be able to distinguish where to show mercy and where it is foolishness. But certainly, if the candidate is eligible for devotional service and for the sake of bringing the candidate to Krishna consciousness, we take some risk, then the Lord will appreciate it. But if the person isn’t really so qualified to accept devotional service but either because we are foolish and we can’t distinguish, or because we are motivated and we like their association and we want to eat their food or want to sit in their house, then we may have to suffer some punishment at the hand of the Lord. And the Lord will allow us to suffer, but there is also the mercy of the Lord to purify us so that we are not so foolish in the future.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.