Category:Association of Nondevotees of God
Theme Analysis
A central pillar of Vaiṣṇava behavior is the careful regulation of one's social environment. Śrīla Prabhupāda warns that for a neophyte practitioner, the association of nondevotees of God (jana-saṅga or asat-saṅga) is incredibly dangerous. Because a beginner is not yet firmly convinced or strongly situated in transcendental knowledge, interacting with materialistic people can easily awaken dormant lust and greed. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that such bad association causes one to break the regulative principles, unleashing the "maddened elephant" of the mind, which uproots the delicate creeper of devotional service.
However, Śrīla Prabhupāda makes a crucial distinction between casual interaction and intimate association. A preacher must naturally talk to nondevotees to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but this does not constitute intimate mixing. True association involves the six loving exchanges defined by Rūpa Gosvāmī: giving and receiving gifts, revealing one's mind in confidence, inquiring confidentially, and eating or offering food. A pure devotee strictly avoids these six exchanges with those who are not devoted to Kṛṣṇa. When Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was asked to summarize the duty of a Vaiṣṇava, He immediately replied, "asat-saṅga-tyāga"—the renunciation of nondevotee association. To remain safe from the onslaught of material energy, one must seek shelter in the society of pure devotees, constantly keeping Kṛṣṇa within the heart.
- The Risk of Falldown: Neophyte devotees are highly susceptible to the influence of materialists, and mixing with them inevitably leads to the breaking of regulative principles.
- Defining Intimacy: Talking for business or preaching is allowed, but intimate mixing—characterized by eating together, exchanging gifts, and revealing the heart—must be strictly avoided with nondevotees.
- The Supreme Standard: Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu explicitly stated that the foundational characteristic of a Vaiṣṇava is the complete rejection of asat-saṅga (the association of nondevotees).
- The Safest Refuge: The only practical way to avoid bad association is to actively immerse oneself in the purifying company of pure devotees and the transcendental service of the Lord.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Association of Nondevotees of God - The Danger of Asat-saṅga.
Subcategories
This category has the following 18 subcategories, out of 18 total.
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Pages in category "Association of Nondevotees of God"
The following 31 pages are in this category, out of 31 total.
A
- A devotee of the Lord does not like to associate with nondevotees, although he has no enmity with them. He desires association with the devotees of the Lord
- A neophyte may fall down by associating with nondevotees because he is not firmly convinced and strongly situated
- A Vaisnava should behave in such a way as to never associate with nondevotees or materialists. One can avoid such association simply by always remembering Krsna within his heart
- Although he received the body of a brahmana, he was still very much afraid of his relatives and friends who were not devotees. He was always very cautious of such association because he feared that he would again fall down
- Although he was the brother of Dhrtarastra, Vidura was completely different. By the grace of Lord Krsna, he was not foolish like his brother, and thus his brother's association could not influence him
I
- If one lives in the association of devotees, there is little chance of associating with nondevotees
- Instead of associating with nondevotees, if you associate with these devotees, then you get that sunshine, or the light and heat from Krsna. That is the process. Same way: if you somehow or other you go up the cloud, then you get this full sunshine
- It is the verdict of all sastras and great personalities that service to a pure devotee is the path of liberation. By contrast, association with materialistic people who are attached to material enjoyment and women is the path of darkness
O
- One is advised to associate with the holy devotees of the Lord and carefully avoid the association of unholy nondevotees. Those who are pure devotees of Krsna are very careful to keep aloof from the two types of nondevotees
- One is elevated to the platform of devotional life by the mercy of a Vaisnava, the bona fide spiritual master, and by the special mercy of Krsna. On that platform, one gives up all material desires and the association of unwanted people
- One Vaisnava householder asked Caitanya Mahaprabhu what the duty of a householder is, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu immediately replied, asat-sanga-tyaga-ei vaisnava-acara: "Don't associate with nondevotees, but search out a sadhu." - CC Madhya 22.87
- One who is advanced in spiritual life should not associate with nondevotees - namely men in government service and men engaged in materialistic activity for sense gratification or in the service of others. Such men are considered materialistic
P
- Prahlada Maharaja prays to the Personality of Godhead that he may avoid the association of nondevotees attached to the materialistic way of life. If he must be attached to someone, he prays to be attached only to a devotee
- Prajalpah, unnecessary gossiping. Just like people are wasting time taking one newspaper and talking for hours. These things should be avoided. And to associate with nondevotees. And greediness. These things should be avoided
S
T
- Ten additional regulations are as follows: (1) one should try to avoid offenses in the service of the Lord and in chanting the holy names; (2) one should avoid the association of unholy nondevotees; (3) one should not attempt to have many disciples
- The association of pure devotees, the mercy of Krsna and the rendering of devotional service - all these help one give up the association of nondevotees and the material opulence awarded by the external energy, maya
- There are six principles favorable to the execution of pure devotional service - (5) Abandoning the association of nondevotees, and (6) following in the footsteps of the previous acaryas
- To talk with a person is not mixing. You see? Mixing means, intimate mixing, there are six symptoms. When you eat, when you call him to eat, when you give, when you take, when you talk your heart, when you hear his heart. These are called intimate mixing
W
- When a person shows love for God and friendship for devotees, displays mercy towards the innocent and is reluctant to associate with nondevotees, he may be considered a pure devotee
- When asked by a householder devotee what the behavior of a devotee should be, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu immediately replied: A Vaisnava, a devotee, should simply discard intimate association with nondevotees
- When one associates with nondevotees, the maddened elephant is set loose. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said, asat-sanga-tyaga, - ei vaisnava-acara
- Whereas I once associated with the disciples of logic, all nondevotees, I am now merged in the waves of the nectarean ocean of the association of devotees
- Within he was always thinking of the lotus feet of the Lord and chanting the Lord's glories, which save one from the bondage of fruitive action. In this way he saved himself from the onslaught of nondevotee associates
- Association
- Nondevotees of God
- Six Principles Unfavorable to the Execution of Pure Devotional Service to God
- Categories With Theme Analysis
- Devotees of God - Umbrella Category
- Association with Devotees of God - Umbrella Category
- Nondevotees of God - Umbrella Category
- Impediments for Devotees of God - Umbrella Category
- All Categories - Vaniquotes