"Mix with such sadhu who are actually executing Krsna-bhajana"

by Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

This is the symptom of mahatma, one who has surrendered to Krsna fully. Sa mahatma sudurlabhah. So that is guru, mahatma, who knows vasudevah sarvam iti [Bg.7.19]. Such mahatma is guru. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah, bhajanty ananya-manasah [Bg.9.13]. The guru has no other business than Krsna-bhajana. So that you have to see.You have to learn. You have to appreciate with persons who are actually engaged in Krsna-bhajana. Then you'll understand. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah [Cc.Madhya23.14-15]. Sadhu means bhajate mam ananya-bhak sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg.9.30]. He's sadhu. Who? Who has no other business than Krsna. Mix with such sadhu who are actually executing Krsna-bhajana. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah. This is the description of the sadhu. Bhajate mam Anaya-bhak sadhur eva sa mantavayah [Bg.9.30]. These things are there. There is no question of being misled. But if you purposefully mislead yourself, who can check? In the beginning you may commit some mistake, but when you study Bhagavad-gita -- who is sadhu, who is mahatma, who is guru -- then why shall we make, commit mistake again? If you have done mistake -- you have gone to a rascal who is not Krsna conscious- then when you read Bhagavad-gita, you can understand. Why you are misled? Why you should be misled? If it is written on the road, "Keep to the left," why should you be misled and go to the right? Go to the left. Then you are not misled. So here it is said, mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah [Bg.9.13]. A mahatma means who is always engaged in Krsna consciousness. Why do you accept somebody as mahatma who does not speak about Krsna? Then you are misleading yourself. Sa mahatma sudurlabhah. Vasudeva sarvam iti [Bg.7.19]. Everything, direction, is there. Why you create your own mahatma? If you want to be cheated, who can check you? That is your fault. In Bhagavad-gita, it is clearly said,

bahunam janmanam ante
jnanavan mam prapadyate
vasudevah sarvam iti
sa mahatma sudurlabhah
[Bg.7.19]

That is mahatma. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakritim asritah, bhajanty ananya-manasah [Bg.9.13]. Sadhur Api cet suduracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak [Bg.9.30]. He's mahatma. He's sadhu. We shall go to him. Why shall we go to a rascal? Simple directions. So if you are mislead, if you are cheated, whose fault it is? But if you want to be cheated, who can check? Even though somebody by mistake has gone to a rascal, the book is there. As soon as you find out, "Here is a rascal who does not know anything about Krsna, and I have come to him," reject him. That is stated in the sastra.

Gurur apy avaliptasya karyakaryam ajanantah parityago vidhiyate. (?) Even by mistake. You have come to a rascal who does does not know how to become guru, you can reject him. Why you should stick to him? Reject him. And by mistake I have come to rascal. Why shall I continue to accept him as guru? Canakya Pandita said, tyaja durjana-samsargam bhaj sadhu-samagamam: " Give up all rascals. Associate with sadhus." If you do not do that, that is your fault. Tyaja durjana-samsargam bhaj sadhu-samagamam. We have to mix with sadhu. Sadhu means who are twenty-four-hours engaged in Krsna's service: Things are there. Why you should mix with asadhu? Then how can you understand? Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]. If you have got little faith, then next business is to associate with sadhus.

[Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation --- January 31, 1977 in Bhubaneshwar, India]

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