Crookedness in Devotional Service by Srila Jiva Goswami
— Bhakti-Sandarbha, anucchedas 153 and 154. Adapted from the English translation of Satya Narayan Das. Jiva Institute. Vrindavan. 2005. Sanskrit text taken from Gaudiya Grantha Mandira.
Due to the presence of many offenses, the Lord does not accept service from the crooked, even if they offer him many valuable items. This was seen when Krishna went to the capital of Duryodhan as a messenger on behalf of the Pandavas. Although Duryodhan tried to win Krishna over with a royal reception and great opulence, Krishna rejected Duryodhana’s hospitality because of Duryodhana’s offensive attitude towards Krishna’s devotees. At present, there are many people who make a show of devotion and who, in spite of having studied the scriptures, maintain an offensive mentality which causes them to disrespect the Lord, the spiritual master, and other devotees. The external worship offered by such persons is nothing but crookedness.
Therefore, sästra describes that even foolish people who are nonetheless free from crookedness attain perfection even by a semblance of bhakti, whereas he crooked cannot even practice bhakti. This is eidenced in a statement by the great sage Parashar from the Skanda-Puräna: na hy apuëyavatäà loke müòhänäà kuöilätmanäm bhaktir bhavati govinde kértanaà smaraëaà tathä In this world, impious, foolish and crooked people do not attain devotion to Lord Govinda, and they cannot chant about or remember the Lord. In consideration of this, the Viñëu-dharma states: satyaà çatena vighnänäà sahasreëa tathä tapaù vighnäyutena govinde nèëäà bhaktir niväryate The attempt of such crooked people to become truthful is obstructed by a hundred impediments, whereas their attempts to perform penances is obstructed by a thousand and their attempts to perform loving devotional service to Lord Govinda is obstructed by ten thousand impediments. Therefore, Sri Suta-Goswami says in Srimad Bhägavatam (3.19.36): taà sukhärädhyam åjubhir ananya-çaraëair nåbhiù kåtajïaù ko na seveta durärädhyam asädhubhiù
What grateful soul is there who would not render loving service to such a great master as the Personality of Godhead? The Lord can be easily pleased by spotless devotees who resort exclusively to him for protection, though the unrighteous man finds it difficult to propitiate him.
Similarly, the devotees of the Lord also bless those who are simple-hearted yet ignorant, but not those who are learned yet crooked, as the sage Sri Chamas told King Nimi in Çrémad Bhägavatam (11.5.4-5): düre hari-kathäù kecid düre cäcyuta-kértanäù striyaù çüdrädayaç caiva te ’nukampyä bhavädåçäm vipro räjanya-vaiçyau vä hareù präptäù padäntikam çrautena janmanäthäpi muhyanty ämnäya-vädinaù
There are many persons who have little opportunity to take part in discussions about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, and thus it is difficult for them to chant his infallible glories. Persons such as women, südras, and other fallen classes always deserve the mercy of great personalities like yourself. On the other hand, brahmins, members of the royal order, and vaisyas, even after being allowed to approach the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord by receiving the second birth of Vedic initiation, can become bewildered and adopt various materialistic philosophies. In the first of these two verses, the sage Chamas declares that out of the various divisions of human beings, those who are ignorant should be favored by devotees like King Nimi. But by the second verse, he intends to say that those who are proud of petty knowledge are incurable and should thus be avoided. ·
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And within Srila Prabhupadas purports there are numerous warnings and teachings
for the aspiring Transcendentalists of who he or she should and should not
associate with. Please consider the following purport and verse….
SB 3.29.17 P Explanation of Devotional Service by Lord Kapila … Friendship should be cemented between persons with mutual interests and understanding. Such persons are said to be sva jati, “of the same caste.” The devotee should avoid a person whose character is not fixed in the standard understanding; even though he may be a Vaisnava, or a devotee of Krsna, if his character is not correctly representative, then he should be avoided. One should steadily control the senses and the mind and strictly follow the rules and regulations, and he should make friendship with persons of the same standard.
SB 1.2.17 Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma [Supersoul] in everyone’s heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.
Hare Krsna
Damaghosa das
