The Nectar of Instruction Text 3, Part 3
SangaTyaget:
It is interesting that something is revealed by not what is stated but in what
context it is stated. In the brihadnaradiyapurana it is stated
harernamaharernama
harernamaevakevalam
Kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva nasty
evagatiranyatha.
It may seem there is repetitionof thoughts but the repetition is meant to
emphasize the point since this is very important. So here we see Sango tyaget
which is repeated by RupaGoswami in earlier verse aswel, the reason been the
association plays a key role in one’s devotional life.
Giving up bad association will cause the development of devotional service. It
implies that it is such an important principle that it cannot be neglected. Bad
association can pollute our desires, intelligence and faith and good association
does it other way around meaning it strengthens our desires, intelligence and
faith. In this verse with all the positive point(utsaha, nishaya, dhairyaetc), why
is a negative point of giving up bad associationadded? This also signifies the
importance SrilaRupaGoswami is giving to association.
There are 2 ways material desires comes. One is from our own memory of the
past and the other is from outside, from the culture. Those which come from
inside we have to individually fight and those which come from outside we
have to minimize by avoiding those people who carry those desires. When we
avoid non devotee association that doesn’t mean we look down at them, we
have to respect everyone but we recognize that we have to protect ourselves.
When a person is in an area where there is epidemic he needs to be protect
himself by being cautious similarly we should protect ourselves by being
careful of bad association.
There is compromised principle and there is principled compromise. Say for
example Grahastaand brahmacharyaashrama have their principles in serving
1
The Nectar of Instruction Text 3, Part 3
Krishna. Both are valid paths in serving Krishna. The principles are relaxed a
bit for Grahasta, because a Grahasta has other family duties to perform in the
service of Krishna. This is principled compromise. But if someone says there is
not much glamour in Grahasta so let me give up devotional service then that is
compromised principle. We cannot give up the principles of devotional
life.The principles need to be applied according to time, place and
circumstance.
The Sangatyagat principle also needs to be applied based on time, place and
circumstance as to how much we can avoid the association of non devotees.
There can be association of 3 types:
1. Devotional association
2. Non devotional association
3. Anti devotional association
A madhyamaadhikari makes friends with devotees (devotional association),
helps innocent people (non devotional) with their bhakti and avoids people
who are against bhakti(Anti devotional).
Sangatyagethere refer to giving up anti devotional association which makes
practice of our devotional life very difficult. When there is attack on our faith
that is harmful to our devotional service and that should be avoided. How to
avoid it – is to come in association of devotees. We are social creatures and we
need association. If we don’t have association of devotees we will try to find
some other association. If we find a group whose values I respect and if they
also respect us such a group is wonderful. SrilaPrabhupada established
ISKCON just for having devotees come together and help eachother go closer
to Krishna.
How do we do this in our individual lives – we do it primarily by making
circles of association. I create a circle of my closest associates, then closer
associates, then formal associates, then people with whom sparks happen. The
innermost circle should be devotees who can help us get closer to Krishna.
2
The Nectar of Instruction Text 3, Part 3
Our behavior or misbehavior can attract or take people away from Krishna. By
being in association of devotees we don’t have time for asatsanga. Sri
ChaitanyaMahaprabhu gave so much importance to this principle,.he said
asatsangatyaga, yeivaishnavaachar – which is what SrilaRupaGoswami quotes
here.
It is interesting how SrilaRupaGoswami led his life. RupaGoswami actually
lived in the association of Nawab on his terms. The Nawab was so atrocious he
was always looking to plunder others riches and expand his territory. Since he
had to expand his territory he required good administrators. Rupa and
SanatanaGoswami who were SaraswataBrahmans, chose to become the
ministers under the Nawab so that they can provide safe enclave for the
devotees who wanted to practice Krishna Bhakti as no one else could directly
oppose the Nawab.
Did they take bad association? Although they were in the association of
Nawab, they were not affected by that association because in their hearts they
were relishing Krishna bhakti and they were writing letters to
ChaitanyaMahaprabhu as to when will they be able to join him. So their heart
was not at the feet of Nawab they were at the feet of Krishna always.
Even if one has gone to the non-devotee association he should keep practicing
the principles of devotional life and eventually he will be able to associate
with devotees and make spiritual advancement.
Sato Vretteh:Vretteh means inclination. Sata means devotee. Sato vretteh
means the tendency of those who perceive higher truth in life.
Everyone has their own desires but those who know everything is temporary
their desires change. Those who are asat, they donot perceive that is eternal
and their vertteh is tamasic in nature. Sato vetteh means inclination towards
higher values of life towards honesty, integrity, etc. That is the direction that
saints inspire us to perceive. The Guru is the one who knows the way, goes the
3
The Nectar of Instruction Text 3, Part 3
way and stays the way. He is the one who has the satovretteh and we should
look to follow his way.
How much we can follow is based on time, place circumstance. We should not
worry about what is not possible for us. We have to understand in spiritual
life there are stars and there are stairs. We should follow the stars through
their stairs.
Asour vretteh becomessata, even if the mind is left alone it will gravitate
towards Krishna. There are certain times it is difficult to get the right
association so whenever we are in devotee association if we are watchful we
can learn from devotee association and can apply it when we don’t have
association.
Those who donot take association of sata however hard they may try they
cannot make spiritual advancement. Unless we have become adequately
internally motivated in spiritual life we cannot avoid association of devotees.
Not all devotees are equally committed, so we have to find out which are the
devotees who exhibit satovretteh and in that association our satovretteh
increases. We should associate with those whose values we admire then we
can advance quickly.
Vrettehalso refers to tendency of mind which has to be cultivated since it
cannot happen just immediately. It needs to be practiced by following the
footsteps of pervious acharyas.
Lets look at Utasha, nischaya, dhairyat through a chart.
Enthu patience strong faith pure goodness
Enthu patience faith goodness
Enthu no patience passion
No enthu no patience no faith ignorance.
4
The Nectar of Instruction Text 3, Part 3
When there is enthusiasm, patience and faith then we are moving towards
goodness and to transcendence. Actually there are obstacles which avoids us
from committing towards Bhakti. But if we commit ourselves than that is most
auspicious.
There aredevotees with different levels of satovretteh, some of the
devoteesare higher, othersare at lower so we try to associate with those who
have higher satovretteh that way we can make spiritual advancement.
There can be times in our office work that we may have people who are anti-
devotional in such circumstances we can become official, just be formal be
courteous but don’t become emotional. The bond between people happens by
sharing emotions i.e.: joy and sorrow together. In the association of
materialistic people we can get infected by their association which is like
drinking poison so we have to be careful but we shouldn’t be rude. As
devotees we want to care for everyone because they are connected to Krishna.
We care for our relationship with Krishna and if associating with someone is
harming our relationship with Krishna then keeping distance from them is
important for building our relationship with Krishna.
Non devotees do not practice any spiritual life and when we associate with
them we feel why we are practicing this spiritual life that way our spiritual
progress gets hampered while when we associate with devotees we see how
they are practicing spiritual life and we look to also improve in our spiritual
practices. Also we are not looking to do just asatsangatyag we are also looking
to do satovrettehie: follow in the foot steps of those who are seriously trying
to please Krishna in that way we grow in our spiritual life.
