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A Deliberation on the Methodology of Sädhu-saìga by Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura [NOTE: This page uses Balarama font (available here) for better transliteration of Sanskrit into English. Click here for a version without Balarama font.]
Association is the basis of one’s
nature A person’s nature is shaped by the
company he keeps. In other words, a
person develops a nature similar to that of whomever he associates with. The jéva’s association
with the fruitive activities he performed in his past life moulds his nature,
and this nature is transformed by the company he keeps in his current life.
Thus, association is the root cause in forming a person’s character. It has
therefore been said: yasya yat saìgatiù puàso maëivat syät sa tad-guëaù Çré Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya (quoted in Çré Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu 1.2.229) The quartz crystal assumes the colour of any object in its
proximity, regardless of the hue of that object. Similarly, a person acquires
the qualities of whomever he joins company with. Sädhu-saìga is the path
to liberation Çrémad-Bhägavatam (3.23.55) states: saìgo yaù saàsåter hetur asatsu vihito ’dhiyä sa eva sädhuñu kåto niùsaìgatväya kalpate By associating with worldly-minded materialists, a person is
bound to undergo severe suffering in material existence. He will certainly have
to bear the consequences of his association, even if he cannot distinguish
between good and bad. By associating with saintly persons, however, a person
attains niùsaìgatva, complete freedom from worldly attachments. Relinquishing unfavourable
association is essential Regarding bad association,
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (3.31.33–34) affirms: satyaà çaucaà dayä maunaà buddhiù çrér hrér yaçaù kñamä çamo damo bhagaç ceti yat-saìgäd yäti saìkñayam teñv açänteñu müòheñu khaëòitätmasv asädhuñu saìgaà na kuryäc chocyeñu yoñit-kréòä-mågeñu ca Worldly association destroys all one’s virtues like
truthfulness, cleanliness, mercy, gravity, intelligence, shyness, prosperity,
reputation, forgiveness, control of the mind, control of the senses, good
fortune and opulence. One should utterly reject the company of a person who is
not a sädhu, considering such association to be extremely miserable, for
such a wicked and restless fool is but a dancing dog in the hands of a woman
and is thereby simply bent on annihilating himself. The symptoms of a sädhu, and the
necessity of sädhu-saìga We do not, however, attain the desired goal merely by renouncing
bad association. We must earnestly engage in sädhu-saìga. The
symptoms of a genuine sädhu, one whose association must be
sought, have been outlined in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (3.25.21,23–24): titikñavaù käruëikäù suhådaù sarva-dehinäm ajäta-çatravaù çäntäù sädhavaù sädhu-bhüñaëäù mad-äçrayäù kathä måñöäù çåëvanti kathayanti ca tapanti vividhäs täpä naitän mad-gata-cetasaù ta ete sädhavaù sädhvi sarva-saìga-vivarjitäù saìgas teñv atha te prärthyaù saìga-doña-harä hi te Lord Kapila said, “O Mother, the sublime ornaments of a sädhu are that he is tolerant, merciful
and a well wisher and friend to all living entities. He considers no one his
enemy, is peaceful and abides by the scriptures. These qualities comprise the
nature of all pure devotees. “Since the minds of such
personalities are fully absorbed in Me, they do not perform the arduous endeavours
of those lured by the paths of karma, jïäna or añöäìga-yoga. Rather,
they engage themselves simply in speaking and hearing harikathä, their minds having been easily cleansed by narrations of My pastimes.
O virtuous lady, these devotees, who are completely free from all worldly attachments,
counteract the harmful effects of a person’s material bondage. You should pray
for their association.” A sädhu is very rare and not to
be judged by external dress We should not identify a sädhu by his external garb. Even if someone has
completely given up criticising
others and engaging in idle gossip, he must clearly possess the above-mentioned virtues before we can recognise him as a sädhu. In this Age of Kali, knowledge of what makes a real sädhu is
vanishing. It is a
matter of grave concern that anyone and everyone who dresses himself as a sädhu is acknowledged as one. We should be ever mindful that by associating with such false sädhus we become duplicitous ourselves. There are few genuine sädhus. They are currently
so rare that a person would be lucky to discover one after intently searching far and wide for a very long time. Kåñëa-bhakti
influenced by mädhurya-rasa is especially uncommon Mahädeva (Lord Çiva) once said to Devé (Pärvaté), “O Bhagavaté, among thousands upon thousands of persons desiring
salvation, perhaps one exhibits the characteristics of a liberated soul. Among
thousands upon thousands of such persons, maybe one actually achieves spiritual
realisation and perfection. And among millions and millions of perfected and liberated
souls, perhaps one, on the strength of his past virtuous activities (sukåti) and good association (sat-saìga), is devoted to Lord Näräyaëa. Just see, the devotees of Lord
Näräyaëa are self-satisfied, and therefore they are extremely rare. But look
here. If the pure devotee who serves Lord Näräyaëa in däsyarasa, the mood of servitorship, is so rare, how much more uncommon
is he who serves Çré Kåñëa in mädhurya-rasa, the mood of
amorous love.” The devotee of Lord Kåñëa is the
topmost sädhu,and the fruit of associating with him is the highest Only Çré Kåñëa’s pure devotee, who possesses all the symptoms
mentioned previously, is to be considered the best of sädhus, and his association is highly desirable for us. Çré Brahmä describes
the benefit we receive from this association: tävad rägädayaù stenäs tävat kärä-gåhaà gåham tävan moho ’ìghri-nigaòo yävat kåñëa na te janäù Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.14.36) Çré Brahmä says, “The attachment and hatred that arise from
spontaneous absorption in the objects of sense gratification are robbing us of
our true nature. Our homes have become nothing but prison houses and we are
constantly bound by the foot-shackles of material affection (moha). What a miserable condition we are in. O Çré Kåñëa, only when
possessiveness (mamatä) towards You awakens in my heart by associating with Your pure
devotees, shall I be counted among Your associates. From that day, the various
propensities of my mind, such as attachment, shall no longer act like thieves
but like beloved friends, by allowing me to engage in pure devotional service
to You. Only then will my home become transcendental and bestow eternal bliss;
only from that day will my power of affection become favourable for devotional
service and actually advance the cause of my soul.” Lord Brahmä offered further prayers: tad astu me nätha sa bhüri-bhägo bhave ’tra vänyatra tu vä tiraçcäm yenäham eko ’pi bhavaj-janänäà bhütvä niñeve tava päda-pallavam Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.14.30) “O Çré Kåñëa,” he entreated, “my earnest prayer is that in this
life as Brahmä, or in any other species of life, even as an animal or a bird, I
may attain the fortune of being counted as one of Your devotees and engage in devotional
service to Your lotus feet.” One achieves this exalted position only by
associating with a pure devotee of Çré Kåñëa. Sädhu-saìga misconceived What activities comprise sädhu-saìga? This is a matter
of great importance. Generally people think that sädhu-saìga
is performed when one identifies a sädhu and massages his feet, offers obeisances to him, honours his caraëämåta, takes his remnants or donates some money to him. It is true
that a person honours a sädhu by these activities and thereby derives some benefit, but it is
incorrect to deem these activities sädhu-saìga. RAYS OF THE HARMONIST • 13 The methodology of associating
with sädhus Çrémad-Bhägavatam (2.7.46) describes how to engage in sädhu-saìga: te vai vidanty atitaranti ca deva-mäyäà stré-çüdra-hüëa-çabarä api päpa-jéväù yady adbhuta-krama-paräyaëa-çéla-çikñäs tiryag-janä api kim u çruta-dhäraëä ye The word adbhuta-krama denotes Çré
Kåñëa, whose pure devotees are adbhuta-krama-paräyaëa, or dedicated
to Him. Only those who make a great endeavour to seek training and instruction
from the çéla, or nature and spotless character, of such pure devotees can
understand the illusory potency of the Lord. They alone become capable of fully
crossing the ocean of mäyä. Even
souls who are born as women, çüdras, hüëas1, çabaras 2 or other sinful kinds of human beings, or as animals and
birds, can learn from the character of a kåñëa-bhakta and thereby effortlessly cross the ocean of birth and death.
Thus, what doubt can there be that scholars with profuse knowledge of the
scriptures will not also easily cross the ocean of material bondage by
following the spotless conduct and character of a pure devotee. In conclusion, one cannot transcend the power of mäyä even after acquiring knowledge
from many scriptures. No great benefit is achieved from birth in a high-class
family, and one is unable to cross the material ocean of birth and death even
after practicing the dry renunciation enjoined in çästra. Nor can worldly opulence and
physical beauty render this favour. One achieves unalloyed, transcendental devotional
service to Çré Kåñëa only by very carefully investigating the nature and
character of the pure devotee, who is a true sädhu, and then by
honestly following him. The materialist’s humility and
appeals for mercy are utter hypocrisy Materialistic persons offer obeisances to a sädhu and pray to him, “O benevolent one, I am extremely fallen.
Please bestow your mercy upon me and explain how my attachments to this world
may be removed.” But their words are hollow. In the depths of their heart, they
are convinced that accumulating wealth is real gain, and amassing objects for
sense enjoyment is life’s only goal. An infatuation for money burns in their
hearts day and night. The materialist hankers to be recognised by the sädhu and fears that the sädhu’s curse may destroy his prospects for sensual pleasure. Therefore,
he displays false humility and devotion before him. If the sädhu were to bless such a person by
saying, “May your desire for sense gratification be extinguished, your opulence
destroyed and your relatives taken away”, the materialist would at once cry, “O
sädhu-mahäräja, be kind! Don’t bless me like this. Your favour is a curse and
definitely harmful for me.” Just see! Such behaviour with a sädhu makes a mockery of sädhu-saìga. Duplicity deprives one of the
real fruits of sädhu-saìga In the course of life, we may encounter many sädhus, but our deceitful natures check
us from receiving the real benefit of their association. Our souls will make
spiritual advancement if, with simple faith, we carefully and continuously
assimilate the spotless character of a genuine sädhu – that
is, a mahätmä, great soul. Keeping this in mind, we should associate closely
with a sädhu. By doing
so, we will become conscious of his nature and character and make a focused
endeavour to develop such a nature and character ourselves. This, indeed, is
the teaching of Çrémad-Bhägavatam. 1 a hill tribe originating from Eastern Germany and part of
Russia 2 a tribe of hunters who keep and sell pigs
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