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livingentity

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The following three verses from Nectar of Instruction very clearly bring out the importance of Devotee association in making spiritual advancement

 

TEXT 3

utsahan niscayad dhairyat

tat-tat-karma-pravartanat

sanga-tyagat sato vrtteh

sadbhir bhaktih prasidhyati

 

TRANSLATION

There are six principles favorable to the execution of pure devotional service: (1) being enthusiastic, (2) endeavoring with confidence, (3) being patient, (4) acting according to regulative principles [such as sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam--hearing, chanting and remembering Krsna], (5) abandoning the association of nondevotees, and (6) following in the footsteps of the previous acaryas. These six principles undoubtedly assure the complete success of pure devotional service.

 

TEXT 4

dadati pratigrhnati

guhyam akhyati prcchati

bhunkte bhojayate caiva

sad-vidham priti-laksanam

 

TRANSLATION

Offering gifts in charity, accepting charitable gifts, revealing one's mind in confidence, inquiring confidentially, accepting prasada and offering prasada are the six symptoms of love shared by one devotee and another.

 

TEXT 5

krsneti yasya giri tam manasadriyeta

diksasti cet pranatibhis ca bhajantam isam susrusaya bhajana-vijnam ananyam anya-

nindadi-sunya-hrdam ipsita-sanga-labdhya

 

TRANSLATION

One should mentally honor the devotee who chants the holy name of Lord Krsna, one should offer humble obeisances to the devotee who has undergone spiritual initiation [diksa] and is engaged in worshiping the Deity, and one should associate with and faithfull serve that Pure devotee who is advanced in undeviated devotional service and whose heart is completely devoid of the propensity to criticize others.

 

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Yes, satsanga is very important. Unless we learn to associate with other devotees and share our hopes, desires, feelings etc., we cannot make headways in the spiritual path. But constant practice should not be forgotten either, it is more important.

 

Luv,

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Vedic scriptures say that no amount of pious activity can generate feelings of devotion for God in a person. Devotion can only be received from one who already has devotion in him, namely a devotee. The most important aspect of devotional advancement is to seek out the association of other devotees and pray for their causeless mercy.

 

Adi Purana; Laghu-bhagavatamrta 2.6

ye me bhakta-janah partha

na me bhaktas ca te janah

mad-bhaktanam ca ye bhaktas

te me bhakta-tama matah

 

TRANSLATION

Lord Krsna told Arjuna, 'Those who are My direct devotees are actually not My devotees, but those who are the devotees of My servant are factually My devotees.'

 

Padma Purana, Laghu-bhagavatamrta 2.4

aradhananam sarvesam

visnor aradhanam param

tasmat parataram devi

tadiyanam samarcanam

 

TRANSLATION

Lord Siva told the Goddess Durga, 'My dear Devi, although the Vedas mention the worhship of the demigods, the worhsip of Lord Vishnu is topmost and is ultimately recommended. However above the worship of Lord Vishu is the rendering of service to Vaisnavas who are related to Lord Vishnu.

 

Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.13

tulayama lavenapi

na svargam napunar-bhavam

bhagavat-sangi-sangasya

martyanam kim utasisah

 

TRANSLATION

The value of a moment's association with the devotee of the Lord cannot even be compared to the attainment of heavenly planets or liberation from matter, and what to speak of worldly benedictions in the form of material prosperity, which are for those who are meant for death.

 

Sri Vaisnava Pranama

vancha-kalpatarubhyas ca

krpa-sindhubhya eva ca

patitanam pavanebhyo

vaisnavebhyo namo namah

 

TRANSLATION

I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaisnava devotees of the Lord. They are just like desire trees who can fulfill the desires of everyone, and they are full of compassion for the fallen conditioned souls.

 

 

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a "guest": But constant practice should not be forgotten either, it is more important.

 

Constant practice includes association with devotees. Out of all the processes of bhakti which Mahaprabhu explained to Sanatana Gosvami, He pointed out five devotional activities as the most important, the most potent. The first of those is sadhu-sanga. The others are congregational chanting of Krishna's holy names, etc.; hearing about Krishna from the Bhagavatam and other sacred literatures; living in a holy dhama; and serving the Lord in His Sri Murti with attention and faith.

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