Sat-sanga and Asat-sanga can never go together

Gauḍīya Goṣṭhī Pati Śrī Śrīla Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda said that—

“Bhaktivinod dhara can never be stopped.”

Bhaktivinod dhara means rūpānuga-dhara which can never be followed by violating the śrauta pantha specially coming through Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Śrīla Prabhupāda very often used to say that— “We need to keep the flow of Bhaktivinod-dhara alive in our daily bhajan life (path) intact way”. For the protection of śrauta vani vaibhāva we should pay full attention to understand the basic difference between Bhaktivinod dhara and non-Bhaktivinod dhara, otherwise we will be deprived (cheated). Śrīla Prabhupāda used to say that— “There is no alternative way to get in touch with the aprākṛta jagat except taking shelter of śabda brahma.” Now point is that how we can realize the basic difference between śabda brahma (vaikuṇṭha vani) and śabda sāmānya (material sound) which is originated here in this material world and is confined within this material range of creation. Vaikuṇṭha vani (aprākṛta śabda brahma) coming down to us directly from apprākṛta jagat. Śuddha guru-vaiṣṇavas-ācāryas they have their apprākṛta vani svarūpa, actually they are the living embodiment of śabda brahma (vani svarūpa), only they can help us to open the ever-closed logic gate of devotional mood which is called as “ādau śraddhā” (at all the basic śraddhā). From Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta we can see the following ślokas like—

kṛṣṇa-bhakti-janma-mūla haya ‘sādhu-saṅga’

kṛṣṇa-prema janme, teṅho punaḥ mukhya aṅga              

(Cc Madhya 22.83)

“The root cause of devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa is the association with advanced devotees. Even in the way of one’s dormant love for Kṛṣṇa awakening, then also sādhu-saṅga is the most vital point.”

brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva

guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja                        

(Cc Madhya 19.151)

 “According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate can get an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. By the mercy of both Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.

‘sādhu-saṅga’, ‘sādhu-saṅga’ — sarva-śāstre kaya

lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya                      

(Cc Madhya 22.54)

“The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment’s association with a pure devotee, one can attain all success.

Also, from Srimad Bhagavatam 5.5.2 we know that—

mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes

tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam

mahāntas te sama-cittāḥ praśāntā

vimanyavaḥ suhṛdaḥ sādhavo ye                                          

(ŚB 5.5.2)

One can attain the path of liberation from material bondage only by rendering service to highly advanced spiritual personalities. One should render service to those mahatmas. Yoshit sanga (not only women but lava-puja-prathista sanga is also yosit sanga) is the gate way to hell. Those mahatmas-they are very perfectly peaceful due to their complete dedication unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, also they are having equal sight, they never become angry, always searching mangal for others without any interest.

Śrīla Prabhupāda used to say that two types of -medha (intellect) can be seen in this material world, one is gṛha-medha and the other is sankīrtan medha. Gṛha-medha can help us to increase material desire and enjoying mood. Fire can never be extinguished by adding fuel into the fire, the flame of fire can go on increasing which is called bhāva dāvāgni…. So, from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we can find the following śloka –

na jātu kāmaḥ kāmānām

upabhogena śāṁyati

haviṣā kṛṣṇa-vartmeva

bhūya evābhivardhate                              

(ŚB 9.19.14)

As adding ghee to a fire does not diminish the fire but on the contrary increases it more and more, likewise the endeavour to stop lusty desires by continual enjoyment can never be successful. [In fact, one must develop detachment for material enjoyment by the help of devotional service unto the Lotus feet of the Supreme Lord.]

By the help of sankīrtana medha we can gradually get the scope to enter into aprākṛta jagat. A direct feeling about the instability of this material creation can help us to develop detachment for material enjoyment, of course until and unless a strong attachment for sādhu saṅga not there than any amount of detachment can go in vain. Śrīla Prabhupāda used to say that— “Real sat-saṅga surely implies the absence of asat saṅga, because sat saṅga and asat saṅga cannot go together.”

Also, Śrīla Prabhupāda used to say that— “Śrīman Mahāprabhu ignited the flame of sankīrtana yajña agni at Śrīvas Angan (mandir), we Gauḍīyas must be ready to sacrifice our life and soul for the cause of this sankīrtana-yajña.” Actually, mind can never go vacant, something must be there, either positive or negative things. Negative means attachment to those material enjoyment, whereas positive means attachment for things related to that eternal world (nitya jagat). So, in this respect we can find one śloka from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam—

prasaṅgam ajaraṁ pāśam

ātmanaḥ kavayo viduḥ

sa eva sādhuṣu kṛto

mokṣa-dvāram apāvṛtam                             

(ŚB 3.25.20)

Those tattva jnanis are well aware about the fact that attachment for the material world is the greatest entanglement of the spirit soul. But that same attachment, if developed for those self-realized devotees–opens the door of liberation.

Also from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta we can see the following śloka –

asat-saṅga-tyāga, — ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra

‘strī-saṅgī’ — eka asādhu, ‘kṛṣṇābhakta’ āra                     

(Cc Madhya 22.87)

To avoid asat sanga—this is the most vital point in the way of shuddha vaishnava achar. Those who are doing women association they are not sadhu & those who are not devotees of Krsna- they are also not sadhu.

Actually, this is the fact that if one is doing sat-saṅga in true sense, then there cannot be any asat saṅga and at the same time if someone is doing asat saṅga then there cannot be any sat saṅga, because both at a time not possible. As an example, I can say that a man cannot put one leg in a boat whereas the other leg in another boat. Because then surely, he can fall down into water. That is why Śrīla Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī has written in his Manaḥ-śikṣā—

asad-varta-veshya visrija mati-sarvasva-haranih

O mind, give up friendship with non-devotees, which is nothing but like a prostitute who will steal the treasure (devotional service) of your heart—your desire to serve Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.

That means absorption in asat saṅga will plunder all our mati –our spiritual wisdom, and the ability for profound and deep thoughts regarding our Gauḍīya siddhanta vichar. So if we actually desire to get eternal benefit from śabda brahma, then it is our first and foremost duty to stay away from asat saṅga. That is the basic understanding regarding śabda brahma (transcendental sound or apprākṛta śabda).

For infinite period jivas are wondering around this fourteen world’s, life after life due to their material attachment, so surely overnight these dirty habits cannot be changed. Any amount of time is just not sufficient to change dirty habits, that is why from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta we can see the following śloka –

kṛṣṇa bhuli’ sei jīva anādi-bahirmukha

ataeva Māyā tāre deya saṁsāra-duḥkha                        

(Cc Madhya 20.117)

“Forgetting Kṛṣṇa jivas have been attracted by the mayamoye jagat from time immemorial. Therefore, the illusory energy [Māyā] giving them all kinds of misery in this material world.

Of course, if by chance due to some unknown luck (**look the footnote about this “unknown luck” meaning by Śrīla Jiva Gosvāmīpad) a jiva can get sādhu saṅga, then it is possible for the jiva to get “bhakti-latā-bīja”. So from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta we can see the following śloka—

brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva

guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja                    

(Cc Madhya 19.151)

 “According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. By the mercy of both Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.

Also from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta we can see the other śloka—

kṛṣṇa-bhakti-janma-mūla haya ‘sādhu-saṅga’

kṛṣṇa-prema janme, teṅho punaḥ mukhya aṅga           

(Cc Madhya 22.83)

“The root cause of devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa is the association with advanced devotees. Even in the way of one’s dormant love for Kṛṣṇa awakening, then also sādhu-saṅga is the most vital point.”

Without jumping into water who can learn swimming, to swim against the strong current flow of water in a river is really almost impossible, similarly it is almost impossible to swim against the current of Māyā in this material world. The whole world is overwhelmed by the magic spell of Māyā. Who want to get sat-saṅga from inside the heart—that is the most vital point at present? Only verbal approval of sat-saṅga cannot give us any maṅgal, because we are interested to get lābha- pūjā-pratiṣṭhā etc. in the name of sat-saṅga or hari-bhajan. But Śrī Hari is not such an object with which we can do nice business. So, we can see the following śloka from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam –

harir hi nirguṇaḥ sākṣāt

puruṣaḥ prakṛteḥ paraḥ

sa sarva-dṛg upadraṣṭā

taṁ bhajan nirguṇo bhavet                           

(ŚB 10.88.5)

Lord Hari, however, has no connection with the material modes. He is the witness of all and beyond the limit of this material world (prakriti). 

He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the all-seeing eternal witness, who is transcendental to material nature. One who worships Him becomes similarly free from the material modes.

By ignoring śrauta pantha (guru-paramparā and śabda brahma) which is flowing through our orthodox guru-paramparā—who can come out successful?

If we dare to ignore the original teachings of Śrīla Prabhupāda or Śrīla Bhaktivinod Ṭhākura to establish our own supremacy then what we can expect accept total destruction– which is the result visible at present in our devotional field all over the world. Nowadays it is almost next to impossible to recognize the original source of Bhaktivinod dhara to get absolute maṅgal. From Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta we can see the following śloka –

kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ

krīyatāṁ yadi kuto ’pi labhyate

tatra laulyam api mūlyam ekalaṁ

janma-koṭi-sukṛtair na labhyate                                  

(Cc Madhya 8.70)

“Such exalted devotee –who is in absorbing rasa-mood of Krsna bhakti is really very very rare, but by chance available  by the grace of the Lord –then do not do any delay, then immideatly try to buy , but any amount of payment is just nothing except your intense greed to abtain that invaluable object – which is just impossible to obtain even by the help of our sukriti accumulated in course of our crores of birth. “

Gaura Hari Hari Bol

Footnote: **unknown luck

yadṛcchayā mat-kathādau

jāta-śraddhas tu yaḥ pumān

na nirviṇṇo nāti-sakto

bhakti-yogo ’sya siddhi-daḥ           

(ŚB 11.20.8)

If somehow or other by good fortune one develops faith in hearing and chanting My glories, such a person, being neither disgusted with nor very much attached to material life, should achieve perfection through the path of loving devotion to Me.

Here this yadṛcchayā means—

kenapi-param-svatantra bhagavat bhakta sanga

tat kripa jata mangalodayena   

(From Bhakti Sandarba by Srila Jiva Gosvamipad)

Any such *parama svatantra Bhagavat Bhakta sanga if someone getting and there by (due to that association) mangal attended due to his causeless kripa.

*Parama svatantra means– due to absolute devotional mood unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord one kind of indifferent attitude towards worldly things develops, which externally looks like fanciful mood.