A person’s nature is shaped by association. Whoever associates with a particular type of person gradually develops a corresponding disposition. The nature that a jīva acquires through the karma of previous lives – karma itself being a type of association – is often altered by the associations of the present life. Hence, association is the very foundation of human character. Thus it has been said:

yasya yat saṅgatiḥ puṁso maṇivat syāt sa tad-guṇaḥ
(Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya 8.51)

“A crystal gem reflects the colour of anything situated nearby. Similarly, the qualities of those with whom one associates become manifest within oneself.”

The Bhāgavata (3.23.55) states:

saṅgo yaḥ saṁsṛter hetur asatsu vihito ‘dhiyā
sa eva sādhuṣu kṛto niḥsaṅgatvāya kalpate

“By associating with worldly persons (asat-jana), one obtains the dreadful result of continued entanglement in material existence. Even without carefully considering who is saintly and who is unholy, the effects of association inevitably arise. Conversely, association with sādhus produces the result of detachment from material entanglement.”

Concerning the effects of bad association, it is especially said:

satyāṁ śaucaṁ dayā maunaṁ buddhiḥ hrīḥ śrīr yaśaḥ kṣamā
śamo damo bhagaś ceti yat-saṅgād yāti saṅkṣayam
tveṣvaśānteṣu mūḍheṣu khaṇḍitātmasv asādhuṣu
saṅgaṁ na kuryāc chocyeṣu yoṣit-krīḍā-mṛgeṣu ca
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.31.33-34)

“Truthfulness, purity, compassion, thoughtful restraint in speech, intelligence, modesty, beauty, good reputation, forgiveness, tranquillity, self-control, and prosperity – all these qualities are diminished through bad association. Thus, knowing such association to be deeply harmful, one should completely abandon the company of those who are not sādhus, the restless, the foolish, and those absorbed in sensual pleasures. One should never associate with those who are envious, unrestrained, foolish, devoid of spiritual understanding, unsaintly, pitiable, or with those who are like beasts captivated by sensual enjoyment and attachment to women.”

However, merely avoiding bad association is not sufficient. It is our duty to carefully cultivate good association. The characteristics of those sādhus whose company should be sought are described as follows:

titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām
ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.25.21)

sadāśrayāḥ kathā mṛṣṭāḥ śṛṇvanti kathayanti ca
tapanti vividhās tāpā naitān mad-gata-cetasaḥ
tatra te sādhavaḥ sādhvi sarva-saṅga-vivarjitāḥ
saṅgas teṣv atha te prārthyaḥ saṅga-doṣa-harā hi te
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.25.23-24)

Kapiladeva said – “O Mother! Those who are tolerant, compassionate, the well-wishers of all embodied beings, free from enmity toward anyone, peaceful, and saintly – such qualities are the ornaments of the sādhus. The hearts of such devotees are fixed upon Me. Therefore, they do not subject themselves to the many severe hardships associated with pursuits of mere jñāna or aṣṭāṅga-yoga. Their hearts become purified naturally by taking shelter of Me. They delight in discussing My topics amongst themselves, hearing and speaking narrations about Me. Because their minds are absorbed in Me, the various miseries of material existence do not afflict them. O virtuous lady! Such sādhus are free from all worldly attachments. You should earnestly seek their association, for they remove the faults and contaminations that arise from material association.”

We should not determine that a person is a sādhu merely by seeing a particular dress. Even if a person refrains from gossip and criticism of others, we should not accept him as a sādhu unless we observe the aforementioned characteristics. In the age of Kali, discrimination regarding who is a sādhu is practically disappearing. It is a matter of regret that, seeing anyone’s external dress, we associate him as a sādhu, and thus we ourselves are gradually becoming affected by hypocrisy.

We should always bear this in mind – sādhus are not found in great numbers. Nowadays the number of sādhus has become so small that, even after travelling through many places and searching for a long time, it has become rare to find even one genuine sādhu.

Mahādeva said to Devī – “O Bhagavatī! Among thousands upon thousands of mumukṣus (those desiring liberation), scarcely one attains the symptoms of liberation. Again, among thousands upon thousands of mumukṣus, scarcely one attains perfection (siddhi). And again, among millions upon millions of perfected and liberated souls, scarcely one, by the accumulated merit of saintly association, becomes devoted to Nārāyaṇa as a pure devotee. Such a person is fully dedicated to Nārāyaṇa and possesses a peaceful heart. Therefore, he is exceedingly rare.”

Now consider this – if a pure devotee of Nārāyaṇa situated in the mood of dāsya-rasa is so rare, then how much more rare must be a devotee of Kṛṣṇa situated in mādhurya-rasa! What can be said of such rarity?

A pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa endowed with the aforementioned qualities alone is, for us, the supreme sādhu. Association with Kṛṣṇa’s devotees is absolutely essential for us. Brahmā has described the benefit we obtain by such association:

tāvad rāgādayas stenās tāvat kārā-gṛhaṁ gṛham
tāvan moho’ṅghri-nigaḍo yāvat kṛṣṇa na te janāḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.14.36)

“Our attachment (rāga) and aversion (dveṣa), which are by nature absorbed in sense objects, are stealing away all our good qualities and spiritual wealth. Our home has become a prison-house. We are constantly bound by the fetters of delusion fastened to our feet. What a miserable condition is ours!
O Kṛṣṇa! From the day that affection for You awakens within us through the association of Your pure devotees, from that day we become fit to sit amongst Your own people. From that day, our tendencies such as attachment and aversion no longer behave like thieves. Rather, acting like intimate friends, they become absorbed at the feet of Your devotion. From that day, our household life becomes transcendental and bestows eternal bliss. From that day, our delusion itself becomes merely a servant of bhakti and contributes to our spiritual elevation.”

Therefore Brahmā again prayed:

tad astu me nātha sa bhūri-bhāgo
bhave ‘tra vānyatra tu vā tiraścām
yenāham eko ‘pi bhavaj-janānāṁ
bhūtvā niṣeve tava pāda-pallavam
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.14.30)

“O Kṛṣṇa! Whether I remain in this birth as Brahmā, attain another birth, or even become a beast or bird, this is my prayer – that I may attain that good fortune by which I become one amongst Your devotees and serve Your lotus feet.”

It is only through association with pure devotees of Kṛṣṇa that the jīva attains his true and unlimited welfare. Hence, it is extremely necessary to understand what actually constitutes sādhu-saṅga.

Many people think that if someone has been recognised as a sādhu, then by serving his feet, offering obeisance to him, drinking his caraṇāmṛta, honouring his prasāda, and giving him some money, one has thereby attained sādhu-saṅga. Certainly, such activities constitute honouring a sādhu, and some benefit is undoubtedly obtained from them. However, that alone is not what is meant by sādhu-saṅga.

The manner in which sādhu-saṅga is actually to be performed is described in the following verse:

te vai vidanty atitaranti ca deva-māyāṁ
strī-śūdra-hūṇa-śabarā api pāpa-jīvāḥ
yady adbhuta-krama-parāyaṇa-śīla-śikṣās
tiryag-janā api kim u śruta-dhāraṇā ye
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 2.7.46)

“The phrase adbhuta-krama means Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The pure devotees of Śrī Kṛṣṇa are devoted to that adbhuta-krama. Whoever, with special care, learns the śīla of those devotees – in other words, their nature and good character – he alone can certainly know Bhagavān’s māyā-śakti. No one else can know it. He alone is capable of completely crossing the ocean of māyā. Any woman, śūdra, Hūṇa, Śabara, other sinful jīva, or beast and bird who is able to learn the nature of a devotee of Kṛṣṇa will easily cross the ocean of material existence. Then what doubt can there be that learned scholars, knowledgeable in the scriptures, will easily cross the ocean of worldly existence by following the conduct of the guru?”

The explanation is this – even after acquiring much śāstrika knowledge, one cannot overcome the power of māyā. Even if one obtains birth in a high caste, no ultimate benefit is achieved thereby. Even if one adopts dry renunciation through deliberation upon the śāstra, one cannot cross over material existence. Nor is that attainment achieved through wealth or beauty. Only by carefully investigating the nature and good character of pure devotee-sādhus, and then sincerely following them without hypocrisy, can one attain pure kṛṣṇa-bhakti.

After offering obeisance to a sādhu, worldly-minded persons often say, “O compassionate one! Please bestow your mercy upon me. I am most poor and fallen. How will my materialistic mentality be removed?”

Such statements by a worldly-minded man are merely words of hypocrisy. In his mind he knows only the acquisition of wealth as gain, and the accumulation of worldly objects as the purpose of life. In his heart, the pride of wealth is constantly awake. There is only a desire to gain prestige. “May my worldly possessions not be diminished by the curse of the sādhus!” – due to fear of this, feigned humility and feigned devotion come and present themselves before the sādhu.

If that sādhu were to bless him by saying, “O sir, may your desire for worldly enjoyment be removed, and may your wealth and followers perish” – then immediately that worldly-minded person would say, “O Sādhu Mahārāja! Please do not bless me in this way! Such a blessing is nothing but a curse! That statement is always harmful!”

Now see – such behaviour toward sādhus is nothing but deceit. In the course of life, we may meet many sādhus, but because of our hypocritical dealings, we obtain no result from sādhu-saṅga. Therefore, if with simple faith and sincerity we are able to carefully and constantly emulate the good character of sādhu-mahātmās who come into our association, then through sādhu-saṅga we achieve spiritual advancement.

Always keeping this principle in mind – we should approach a genuine sādhu and become acquainted with his nature and character. Then we should make a special effort to mould our own nature and character in the same way.

This is the teaching of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata-śāstra.

(‘Analysing the Method of Associating with Sādhus – Sādhu-saṅgera Praṇālī Vicāra – was originally published in Sajjana-toṣaṇī, Vol. 15, Issue 2, in 1903 and translated into English by Swami Bhaktivijñāna Giri)