CC Madhya 22.83 – Advancement in Krishna Consciousness Is Ninety Percent Association—Sadhu-sanga Retreat

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna. It is a great honor and privilege, blessing to be present with all you sādhu-saṅga retreat. His Holiness Indradyumna Swami requested that I speak on the subject of sādhu-saṅga. And this subject is so important and so deep and so broad that we could discuss it for hours and days. But under certain circumstances, I will just speak a little bit because we are here for sādhu-saṅga, we are here because of sādhu-saṅga and we will continue with Krishna consciousness with only sādhu-saṅga. Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta discusses sādhu-saṅga. And the verse that is somewhere. . . It is the first verse in this series, so we will recite that briefly and continue the discussion form there.

jaya jaya śrī-caitanya jaya nityānanda

jayādvaitacandra jaya gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

[CC Madhya 22.83]

kṛṣṇa-bhakti-janma-mūla haya ‘sādhu-saṅga’
kṛṣṇa-prema janme, teṅho punaḥ mukhya aṅga

TRANSLATION

“The root cause of devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa is association with advanced devotees. Even when one’s dormant love for Kṛṣṇa awakens, association with devotees is still most essential.

So, the first question of discussion in sādhu-saṅga is, who is a sadhu? And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, and other venerated scriptures in support of those scriptures, tell us that there are twenty-six or so qualities of a devotee, but out of them the most essential is kṛṣṇa eka śaraṇaṁ, to take exclusive shelter of Krishna. And if someone has that one qualification, he is considered to be sadhu, even if he doesn’t have all the other qualifications fully manifest. And it is understood that by that one qualification, by progressing in devotional service, the other qualities will erupt.

So, that is the main qualification we are looking for to determine if someone is a sadhu and consequently of we should see his association. As most of you know, in the chanting of the holy names, there are ten offenses to be avoided. And the first is sādhu-nindā: to blaspheme or to criticize devotees or sadhus. Our good friend Bhurijana Prabhu conducts seminars on the chanting of the holy name. And in one seminar, he gave devotees some homework. And the homework was to be mindful of precepts of devotee when you change the atmosphere. And the other is that you know what is right and you do what is right regardless of atmosphere.

He said, if you want to change the atmosphere, good luck because the atmosphere doesn’t want change. So, the better course is what to do and what not to do. So, this is a very important point and it follows to see you chant attentively and to please the holy name. So we met on Radha-kunda and he was discussing this point about sādhu-saṅga, associating with more advanced devotee. And he said, at the time when devotees, who thought that we have to go outside ISKCON to find more advanced devotee. And there could be different reasons why they thought that, at least from a certain perspective, we are all sort of similar age. They were sadhus, who born in India, and learned in Sanskrit. So, Sacinandana Swami was making the point that if we are in a humble mood, we will see our godbrothers or godsisters or people who are superficially similar to ourselves as being more advanced. And that would fulfill the condition of sādhau saṅga svato vare. He gave the example of two of us, that he was thinking that, Oh, Giriraj Swami is more advanced than I am. And then he said, Giriraj is thinking that, Oh, Sacinandana Swami is more advanced than I am and I have to learn from him. And in this mood, we will have sādhu saṅga.

Now, once His Holiness Niranjana Swami was staying with me at my small ashrama in Santa Barbara. And I knew that he had profound respect and appreciation for Srila Gaura Govinda Swami Maharaja. And I am not sure why, but I just asked him, “Do sometimes you pray to Srila Gaura Govinda Swami Maharaja?” He said, “Yes, I do every day and I pray to you today.” I said, “What? Do you really?” And he said, “Yes, I prayed to you numbers of times to godbrother to everyday.” Then I said, “Well, that is odd, because of I have perceived to be.” And he said, “Well, I don’t know how that works because I am getting whatever strength I have from all of you.”

So, this is the mood that we see others as Srila Prabhupada said us to call each other as prabhu. Prabhu means master to be served and that way we see ourselves as servants of all prabhus. Now sādhu-saṅga, of course there is a body and a vapuḥ, but of course we are here together in person. And so, actual physical proximity to a sadhu can also be very powerful. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who recommends that one chant the holy name in the association of devotees who have taste. And that helps us in our chanting. Once a devotee in Vrindavan, Archa Vigrha devi dasi passed away. So, we took the body to the Yamuna as she lives in Vrindavan. And then afterwards, after the cremation, we went to river Yamuna to bathe and do the ācamana. And for some reason, I was doing Gayatri in the water, standing near the His Holiness Bhakti Bringa Govinda Swami Maharaja. And that Gayatri was the most profound Gayatri I ever chanted. So, certainly, there is subtle point that I lost somewhere and then I saw Govinda Maharaja was walking out of the water. Then I realize that this is the Govinda Maharaja.

So, such a blessing, such a gift of sādhu-saṅga, it is one of the most many gifts which Srila Prabhupada gave. He did say that that advancement in Krishna consciousness it 90 percent association. But we should associate properly and careful to avoid a criticism of devotees. Sometimes we do it so casually that you are not even conscious of it but it creates the effect and we should be careful of that. There is a very striking verse in the Fourth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which states that the dust of the feet of the devotees can elevate one to the highest position. But the same dust, if offended, can push one down to the lowest regions. So, associating with devotees is the greatest boon, it is the greatest opportunity that we should associate with them in humble mood of appreciation. There is one story which I heard from Indradyumna Swami about the value of even a moment’s association with the devotee. There is a verse,

‘sādhu-saṅga’, ‘sādhu-saṅga’ — sarva-śāstre kaya
lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya

Just by association with the sadhu for a moment, and lava-mātra, lava is one eleventh of a second. That is one little association is enough. ‘sādhu-saṅga’, ‘sādhu-saṅga’ — sarva-śāstre kaya, all of the scriptures say that even by a moment’s association with the devotee, you can get all perfection. Because in that moment, you can get the seed of devotional service and then by that devotional service, one can get all perfection. So in this. . . I believe in the pastime, there was a drunk who was so degraded that he couldn’t even walk. And by chance the great sage Narada Muni along with Parvat Muni came upon him in that condition. And suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām, that sadhus are well-wisher of all living entities. So they saw this fellow and tried to preach to him to help him improve his life but he couldn’t really hear their instructions. And he was a little respectful, a little respectful, but he just was not interested at all.

So, Narada Muni said, “Well, at the time of death, the Yamadutas, the agents of the Yamaraja, the Lord of death who punishes the sinful, they will come to get you. And while they come, you should ask them one question. The question is, what is the value of a moment’s association with devotees? Just do that.” So, he basically continued his sinful life. And the time of death came, and fortunately he remembered that instruction of Narada Muni. And Yamadutas came to take him for punishment. And he said, “Before we go further, I just have one question. What is the value of a moment’s association of devotee?” So Yamadutas replied, “That is a very good question. I don’t think we can answer that. We will go to our master, Yamaraja will answer it.”

So they went to Yamaraja and ask the question. Yamaraja said, “That is a very good question. I don’t think I can answer that myself. Let us go to Lord Brahma and the question.” Lord Brahma said, “Very good question. I don’t think I can answer that myself, we will go to Lord Shiva.” He is like almost Lord Vishnu. They went to Lord Shiva and he was meditating. He said, “Better go to Lord Vishnu.” So, they went to Lord Vishnu, explained the whole situation, what is the value of a moment’s association of devotee? And Lord Vishnu replied, “You are here! Once having come here, you never return to material world.” So we are so blessed that we have that association and help other to give Srila Prabhupada’s association. He left India and came here and incorporated ISKCON so that people get association of devotee. But when Sri Prabhupada came, there were no devotees, at least they weren’t aware of it. So it seems that a touch stone like Narada Muni giving mantra. Parvat Muni said, “You are like touch stone who gives association to common people and make them devotee.” Srila Prabhupada was like the touch stone who make so many devotees.

[Unintelligable]