'In the Association of Pure Devotess''

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The lives of sadhu-vaişnava-mahājanas, great personalities, are not just ordinary memoirs. Their lives are supra-mundane as they are not from this material world, and therefore their activities are also not material. They come with an eternal message for the maya-baddha jīvas - the eternally conditioned lost souls of this mortal world.

As described in the Padma Purana: na karma-bandhanam janma vaişnavānām ca vidyate vişnur anucaratvam hi mokşam āhur manīşinah

"A Vaişņava does not take birth under the jurisdiction of karmic law. His birth and disappearance are transcendental. The wise have declared that the servants of Vişnu are eternally engaged in the liber- ated service of the Lord and hence are free from the laws of material nature."1

Upon seeing the suffering conditioned souls, the heart of a pure devotee bleeds, and thus they descend to the material world bringing with them the great message of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣņa. They impart tattva-jñāna, knowledge about love of Godhead, to the jīvas. The conditioned souls can only speculate on the nature of the eternal soul. They have no knowledge regarding the goal of life nor of how to capture the Supreme Lord within the core of their materialistic hearts.

The sad-gurus descend with prema-bhakti-sūtra, the rope of prema. Krşņa becomes bound up with that rope of love, the bhakti-sūtra. One end of that rope is firmly attached to the lotus feet of Krsna, and those who are Krsna's very dear, intimate devotees, the premi-bhaktas, descend here with the other end of that rope, and if they cast their merciful glance on some conditioned soul, then the end of that rope will go to that fortunate soul.

Thus these true Vaisnavas freely give the message of love of Sri Krsna to one and all. Śrī Śrimad Gour Govinda Swami mentioned that, "...it is a thankless task..."

The personal association of pure Vaisnavas, who are krsna-krpā- śrī-mūrti - the embodiment of Krsna's mercy is of utmost importance. They are svarupa-śakti-puşta-parikara eternal associates of Krsna who are eternally nourished by the svarupa sakti (the internal energy of the Lord). They are the magnanimous gift of the Supreme Lord upon the conditioned souls. Therefore, all opportunity should be taken to develop greed for sadhu-sanga. The personal association of such a rare personality should be treasured and greatly revered.

As conditioned souls, we have imperfect senses. Therefore, we often cannot recognise the Lord's dear devotees. Thus we should be very cautious not to hinder, vilify, denigrate, or offend a sadhu in any way. To hinder the preaching of a exalted and rare soul is to commit a grievous offence, and if one does so he should immediately repent from the core of one's heart.