Part Three - Prayojana-tattva-nirupana - Description of the Final Goal
Chapter Five - Sampatti-prakarana - The Supreme Good Fortune
Sutra 130
purusha-ceshta hy adrishta-janany atha sadhavah sarvatmana sevyah
purusha-of a person; ceshta-the activities; hi-indeed; adrishta-of destiny; janani-the mother; atha-therefore; sadhavah-saintly devotees; sarvatmana-with all one's heart; sevyahs-hould be served.
A person's actions are the mother of his future destiny. Therefore with all one's heart one should serve the saintly devotees.
Commentary by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
In the Brihad-aranyaka Upanishad it is said:
sa va ayam purusho jayamanah sariram abhisampadyamanah. papmabhih samsrijyate sa
utkraman mriyamanah papmano vijahati.
"Taking birth, the soul enters a material body. Here he has a choice. He may commit sins, or he may, on dying, leave all his sins behind."
In the Prasna Upanishad (6.8)) it is said:
tvam hi nah pita yo 'smakam avidyayah param param tarayasiti. namah parama-rishibhyo
namah parama-rishibhyah.
"(After hearing the answers to all their questions, the students) worshiped the sage
and said, 'You are our father. You have taken us to the farther shore of this ocean of
ignorance. We offer our obeisances to the great sages. We offer our obeisances to the
great sages."
In the Padma Purana it is said:
aradhananam sarvesham
vishnor aradhanam param
tasmat parataram devi
tadiyanam samarcanam
"My dear Devi, although the Vedas recommend worship of demigods, the worship of
Lord Vishnu is topmost. However, above the worship of Vishnu is the rendering of
service to Vaishnavas, who are related to Lord Vishnu."*
na sudra bhagavad-bhaktas
tesham bhagavata narah
sarva-varneshu te sudra
ye na bhakta janardane
"The devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are never to be considered s
udras. The word sudra can be applied only to they who are not devotees of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead."
In Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.5.2) it is said:
mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes
tamo-dvaram yoshitam sangi-sangah
"One can attain the path of liberation from material bondage only by rendering service
to highly advanced spiritual personalities. For those who are not interested in such
activities, who associate with people fond of women and sex, the path to hell is wide
open."*
In Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.18.13) it is said:
tulayama lavenapi
na svargam napunar-bhavam
bhagavat-sangi-sangasya
martyanam kim utasishah
"The value of a moment's association with the devotee of the Lord cannot even be compared to the attainment of heavenly planets or liberation from matter, and what to speak of worldly benedictions in the form of material prosperity, which are for those who are meant for death."*
In Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.2.29) it is said:
durlabho manusho deho
dehinam kshana-bhangurah
tatrapi durlabham manye
vaikuntha-priya-darsanam
"For the conditioned souls, the human body is most difficult to achieve, and it can be
lost at any moment. But I think that even those who have achieved human life rarely
gain the association of pure devotees, who are dear to the Lord of Vaikuntha."***
In the Narada-bhakti-sutra it is said:
nasti tesham jati-vidya-rupa-kula-dhana-kriya-vibhedah.
"Differences of birth, education, beauty, family, wealth, and good deeds do not apply
to they who are devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 22.54) explains:
sadhu-sanga sadhu-sanga sarva sastra kaya
lava matra sadhu-sange sarva siddhi haya
"The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment's association with a pure devotee one can attain all success."*
Srila Balarama dasa explains:
bhaire sadhu-sanga kara bhala haiya
sa bhava tariya jabe mahananda sukha pabe
nitai caitanya guna ganya
"O brother, please associate with the saintly Vaishnavas. In this way you will cross the
ocean of repeated birth and death. Please chant the glories of Lord Caitanya and Lord
Nityananda. In this way you will become filled with bliss.
caurasi laksha-janma kariya srama
bhalai durlabha deha panya
mahater daya-diya bhakti-paye na caliya
janma jaya akarane bhaiya
"After a great labor of many thousands of births you have attained this rare human body. By the mercy of the great souls please engage in devotional service. Then you will put an end to repeated birth and death.
mala mudra kari besa bhajanera nahi lesa
phiri ami loka dekhaiya
makhalera phala lala dekhite sundara bhala
bhangile se deya phelaiya
"I do not have any of the garlands, rings, or garments of devotional service. I am only a huckster. I have thrown away all that is beautiful.
candana tarura kache jata briksha lata ache
atma sama kare bayu diya
hena sadhu-sanga sara nai balarama chara
bhava-kupe rahilan padiya
"I am like a vine born among sandal trees. Balarama dasa did not attain the treasure of
association with saintly devotees. That is why he remains in this blind well of birth
and death."
This concludes Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur's Sri Amnaya-sutra (1890 A.D.), comprised of 130 sutras based primarily on the Upanisads. Translation by Srima Kusakratha dasa.
