Avoiding the association of some devotees
Philosophy · asked by user [] · 2007-10-19 · 2 answers
We always say association of devotees is very important, Prabhupada is always repeating it, that serving the Vaishnavas should be our goal BUT...
"Devotional service executed by a person who is envious, proud, violent and angry, and who is a separatist, is considered to be in the mode of darkness."
Purport:
"uc0u346 ru299 la Viu347 vanu257 tha Cakravartu299 Thu257 kura advises that a Vaishnava who is not of good character should be avoided. A Vaishnava is one who has taken the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the ultimate goal of life, but if one is not pure and still has motives, then he is not a Vaishnava of the first order of good character. One may offer his respects to such a Vaishnava because he has accepted the Supreme Lord as the ultimate goal of life, but one should not keep company with a Vaishnava who is in the mode of ignorance."
http://srimadbhagavatam.com/3/29/8/en3
So...
"Devotional service executed by a person who is envious, proud, violent and angry, and who is a separatist, is considered to be in the mode of darkness."
Purport:
"uc0u346 ru299 la Viu347 vanu257 tha Cakravartu299 Thu257 kura advises that a Vaishnava who is not of good character should be avoided. A Vaishnava is one who has taken the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the ultimate goal of life, but if one is not pure and still has motives, then he is not a Vaishnava of the first order of good character. One may offer his respects to such a Vaishnava because he has accepted the Supreme Lord as the ultimate goal of life, but one should not keep company with a Vaishnava who is in the mode of ignorance."
http://srimadbhagavatam.com/3/29/8/en3
So...
user [2] · 2007-10-20
Avoiding could mean a smile and a quick exit or avoiding revealing the mind. As it says in your quote, proper respect must be always there. And that also not because of retaliation, envy, hate or similar, just because life is very short and time needs to be used for our maximum good
user [154] · 2008-01-01
From the same lecture by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati in 1932:<cite>
Do not think that astakaliya-lila smarana is the property of the sahajiyas. Actually it is out affair. It has to be retrieved from the hands of the sahajiyas. Our Sri Guru-pada Padma heard these things from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. That is why he used to tell us various confidential things.
We have heard the last instructions from our Sri Gurudeva. He said, "Living in Radha-kunda would be pleasant if you can deliver it from the hands of eleven immoral men."
Now, perhaps, eleven has increased to one hundred and eight.</cite>
I think his words above are quite clear on the quality of the association requirements.