Association of Devotees - an essential subject

The process of advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service is that one must seek the association of persons who are already Kṛṣṇa conscious and who engage in devotional service. Without such association one cannot make advancement. One must give up the association of materialistic persons and seek the association of devotees because without the association of devotees one cannot understand the activities of the Lord. Association with devotees means association with the Lord. The devotee who makes this association develops the consciousness for rendering service to the Lord, and then, being situated in the transcendental position of devotional service, he gradually becomes perfect.

Srila Prabhupada's books, lectures, conversations and letters offer a comprehensive presentation of this essential subject as seen in the Vaniquotes Association of Devotees category. An introduction from his books is given below in the following 12 quotes.

Quotes from Srila Prabhupada's books


vanipedia.org 		A pure devotee, who is attached to the activities of devotional service and who always engages in the service of My lotus feet, never desires to become one with Me. Such a devotee, who is unflinchingly engaged, always glorifies My pastimes and activities. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.25.34)



vanipedia.org 		All three types of jñānīs are called mokṣākāṅkṣīs, those desiring liberation. By associating with devotees, such people give up the mumukṣu principle and render devotional service. The real cause for this change is the association of devotees. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant to attract all types of men, even those who desire things other than the Lord's devotional service. Through the association of devotees, they gradually begin to render devotional service. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.124)



vanipedia.org 		A neophyte disciple begins by hearing and chanting, associating with devotees and practicing the regulative principles, and thus he vanquishes all of his unwanted bad habits. In this way he develops attachment for Kṛṣṇa and cannot forget Kṛṣṇa even for a moment. Bhāva is the almost successful stage of spiritual life. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 7.83 )



vanipedia.org 		By association with devotees, dirty things within the heart of a materialistic man are gradually washed away by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As silver becomes shiny by being polished, the heart of a materialistic person is cleansed of lusty desires by the good association of devotees. Actually the living being has no connection with this material enjoyment nor with lusty desires. He is simply imagining or dreaming while asleep. But by the association of pure devotees, he is awakened, and immediately the spirit soul is situated in his own glory by understanding his constitutional position as the eternal servant of the Lord. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.22.20)



vanipedia.org 		When one searches for a devotee and fortunately gets a devotee's association one actually begins to study and understand Bhagavad-gītā. By advancement in the association of the devotee one is placed in devotional service, and this service dispels all one's misgivings about Kṛṣṇa, or God, and Kṛṣṇa's activities, form, pastimes, name and other features. After these misgivings have been perfectly cleared away, one becomes fixed in one's study. Then one relishes the study of Bhagavad-gītā and attains the state of feeling always Kṛṣṇa conscious. (Bhagavad-gītā 8.28)



vanipedia.org 		Devotional service in the association of devotees is the cause of the development of further devotional service. By devotional service only is one elevated to the transcendental planet Goloka Vṛndāvana, and there also there is only devotional service. Devotional service does not change. There is devotional service performed according to the direction of the spiritual master and the injunctions and regulative principles of śāstra, and there is devotional service in the spiritual world, rendered directly in association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But they are both the same. The difference is that one stage is unripe and the other is ripe and more relishable. It is possible to mature in devotional service only in the association of devotees. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.9.11)



vanipedia.org 		Due to faith a person associates with pure devotees, and by such association he develops devotional service. As devotional service develops, his misgivings diminish. Then he is situated in firm conviction, and from that conviction he develops a taste for devotional service and advances to the stage of attachment for Kṛṣṇa, whereby he follows the regulative principles of devotional service spontaneously. After that point he makes still further progress and attains the state called bhāva, which is permanent. Such love of God becomes deeper and deeper, until it reaches the highest stage of love of Godhead. (Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 13)



vanipedia.org 		Everyone in the human form of life should be induced to associate with devotees. By rendering a little service, even by eating prasādam, what to speak of chanting and dancing, everyone can be promoted to Vaikuṇṭhaloka. It is therefore requested that all our devotees in the ISKCON community become pure Vaiṣṇavas, so that by their mercy all the people of the world will be transferred to Vaikuṇṭhaloka, even without their knowledge. Everyone should be given a chance to take prasādam and thus be induced to chant the holy names Hare Kṛṣṇa and also dance in ecstasy. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 1.32)



vanipedia.org 		There are three kinds of impersonalists—the mumukṣu (those desiring liberation), the jīvan-muktas (those liberated in this life) and the prāpta-svarūpas (those merged in Brahman realization). All three types of jñānīs are called mokṣākāṅkṣīs, those desiring liberation. By associating with devotees, such people give up the mumukṣu principle and render devotional service. The real cause for this change is the association of devotees. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant to attract all types of men, even those who desire things other than the Lord's devotional service. Through the association of devotees, they gradually begin to render devotional service. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.124)



vanipedia.org 		Unless one is associated with devotees, he cannot cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Nirjana-bhajana—cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness in a solitary place—is not possible for the neophyte, for he will be disturbed by the bodily necessities (eating, sleeping, mating and defending). Being so disturbed, one cannot cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We therefore see that devotees known as sahajiyā, who make everything very easy, do not associate with advanced devotees. Such persons, in the name of devotional activities, are addicted to all kinds of sinful acts—illicit sex, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.29.41)



vanipedia.org 		To understand the personal activities of the Lord, one has to seek the association of devotees, and by such association, when one contemplates and tries to understand the transcendental activities of the Lord, the path to liberation is open, and he is freed. One who has firm faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes fixed, and his attraction for association with the Lord and the devotees increases. Association with devotees means association with the Lord. The devotee who makes this association develops the consciousness for rendering service to the Lord, and then, being situated in the transcendental position of devotional service, he gradually becomes perfect. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.25.25)



vanipedia.org 		One cannot live outside the society of devotees; one must live in the association of devotees, where there is constant chanting and hearing of the glories of the Lord. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is started for this purpose, so that hundreds of ISKCON centers may give people a chance to hear and chant, to accept the spiritual master and to disassociate themselves from persons who are materially interested, for in this way one can make solid advancement in going back home, back to Godhead. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.22.23)


Association of Devotees - explore more within this category.

Vanipedia has now over 903 introductory articles compiled from Srila Prabhupada's books under the series titled Essential Subjects. All these articles can be seen in the Table of Content on the right side of this article and also here in this Umbrella Category. Browse through them to relish the breadth and depth of Srila Prabhupada's teachings - There is a subject for everyone.


   
 

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