Verse Text
atha sa-jātīyāśaya-snigdha-śrī-bhagavad-bhakta-saṅgo, yathā prathame--
tulayāma lavenāpi na svargaṁ nāpunar-bhavam |
bhagavat-saṅgi-saṅgasya martyānāṁ kim utāśiṣaḥ ||228||
Translation
Association with like-minded, affectionate devotees (verse 91), illustrated in the First Canto: The value of a moment’s association with the devotee of the Lord cannot be compared even to the attainment of heavenly planets or liberation from matter. What, then, to speak of worldly benedictions in the form of material prosperity, which are meant for those who are destined to die. SB 1.18.13
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
This verse explains how much we should speak of the glories of the great ocean of association with such great devotees who have become visible in front of us. We should not compare a moment’s association with devotees who are attached to the Lord, with Svarga, the result of karma, or liberation, the result of jṣāna. We cannot compare at all that association with the worldly blessings of men in this world, such as a kingdom. That is because by the association of devotees, the sprout of bhakti, which is very rare, appears. We should not even compare the complete results of karma or jṣāna with a moment’s association with a devotee or with a small particle of sādhana-bhakti. What then to speak of devotee association of long duration, or even more, what to speak of the bhakti which results from that association! Even more, what can we say about attaining prema which is the result of bhakti? These comparisons are suggested in the verse. The imperative form of the verb is used for supposition. Since it is used in the negative, the meaning is that we should not even imagine a comparison between devotee association and the other items, just as one could never compare Mount Meru to a mustard seed. The verb is in the plural number, in order to suggest that it is not possible for anyone to disprove this statement, since it is the opinion of many. The importance of association with the devotees who are attached to the Lord may be explained in terms of the following verse:
na tathāsya bhaven moho bandhaś cānya-prasaṅgataḥ
yoṣit-saṅgād yathā puṁso yathā tat-saṅgi-saṅgataḥ
The infatuation and bondage, which accrue to a man from attachment to any other object, is not as complete as that resulting from attachment to a woman and even more from attachment to the fellowship of men who are fond of women. SB 3.31.35
Just as those who associate with persons attached to women are criticized more than those who associate with a woman, association with a person attached to the Lord is praised more and is more desirable than association with the Lord Himself.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Bhagavat-saṅgi-saṅga means association with persons who are attached to the Lord. Saṅga means attachment, and he who constantly has that attachment to the Lord is called saṅgi. Even a moment’s association with such a person cannot be compared to attaining the heavenly planets. In praising association of devotees, the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya show that they have also a similar desire for the association of devotees. The verse is used here as an example since it acts as a good instruction for others. The affectionate nature of devotees (snigdha) should be implied from the verse. One should also see a similar verse in the Fourth Canto:
kṣaṇārdhenāpi tulaye na svargaṁ nāpunar-bhavam
bhagavat-saṅgi-saṅgasya martyānāṁ kim utāśiṣaḥ
If one, by chance, associates with a devotee, even for a fraction of a moment, he no longer has any attraction for the results of karma or jṣāna. What interest, then, can he have in the benedictions of the demigods, who are subject to the laws of birth and death? SB 4.24.57
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
Associating with Advanced Devotees
The importance of discussing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the society of pure devotees was explained by Śaunaka Muni during the meeting at Naimiṣāraṇya, in the presence of Sūta Gosvāmī. Sūta Gosvāmī confirmed that if someone is fortunate enough to associate with a pure devotee of the Lord even for a moment, that particular moment is so valuable that even those pious activities which can promote one to the heavenly planets or give liberation from material miseries cannot compare to it. In other words, those who are attached to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam do not care for any kind of benefit derived from elevation to the higher planetary kingdoms, or for the liberation which is conceived of by the impersonalists. As such, the association of pure devotees is so transcendentally valuable that no kind of material happiness can compare to it.