- Srimad Bhagavatam Class: SB 11.3.30
- Chapter Name: Liberation from the Illusory Energy
- Venue: Iskcon Newtown, Kolkata
- Day/Date: Saturday,24th May 2025
- Speaker: HG Sri Nitai Prabhu
“Become dear to near devotees.” This was the topic of today’s Srimad Bhagavatam class given by HG Sri Nitai Prabhu. Prabhuji spoke on SB 11.3.30.
ŚB 11.3.30
parasparānukathanaṁ
pāvanaṁ bhagavad-yaśaḥ
mitho ratir mithas tuṣṭir
nivṛttir mitha ātmanaḥ
Translation
“One should learn how to associate with the devotees of the Lord by gathering with them to chant the glories of the Lord. This process is most purifying. As devotees thus develop their loving friendship, they feel mutual happiness and satisfaction. And by thus encouraging one another they are able to give up material sense gratification, which is the cause of all suffering.”
Below article is based on the class given by prabhuji.
Two story about association
1. The fish eating couple
One couple was living in a city. They were very fond of eating fish. In fact, their life was devoted to eating fish. It was as if they could not survive without eating fish. Unfortunately, the place where they were staying did not have a big fish market. And because of this, they were not able to get different varieties of fish.
Once they heard that many kilometres away a big fish market is going to open. And this couple was so obsessed with eating fish, that they sold their house where they were staying and purchased a new house near that big fish market.
Now they were getting varieties of fish. They were so happy. Not just they, but even the people selling fish were happy with them because they were their loyal customer.
The good fortune
But fortunately, or unfortunately, this fish market was near an Iskcon temple. And this devotee couple one fine evening was walking down and they met some Iskcon devotees. It was the month of Kartik. Devotees asked them to offer diya to Lord Damodara. They liked the experience very much. The couple also liked the association of the devotees.
They began coming regularly to offer lamp to Lord Damodara. They even began chanting the names of Krishna. And because of taking to spiritual life, they gave up eating fish. The fish seller now no longer saw them in the market.
One of the big fish sellers was so disturbed that he came to Iskcon temple to complain. He saw that the couple has become a devotee. He went to the office of the temple President and started saying that you are spoiling our business.
This is how people get transformed by associating with devotees.
2. Searching a pure devotee in Mayapur
In Mayapur, few years back, I found a devotee who was from the same temple. He was carrying a book of Srila Rupa Goswami. And he told me that I am in Mayapur to search a pure devotee.
We see that sometimes, in the course of searching a pure devotee we fail to associate with near devotee.
We see two things here – One devotee is transformed from the association of devotee and other devotee from the same temple is not happy with the association and is searching for a pure devotee.
The saying goes that familiarity breeds contempt. Sometimes devotees staying close to us might be transforming the whole world but since we are staying close to them, we see his human aspect and we take him for granted.
We forget to associate with such devotees and look for pure devotees.
It is important to understand the glory of the near devotee with whom we are staying.
Three principles of association
Let us reflect upon three principles to understand the importance of associating with near devotees.
1st principle – In search of pure devotees we should not fail to associate with near devotees
Let us understand this principle from the life of Prataprudra Maharaja.
Prataprudra Maharaj was the king of Orissa. He was very pious and was a great devotee of Lord Jagannath. In his patronage, service of Lord Jagannath increased. He had such a big heart that he made all his childhood friends like Ramananda Ray, Gopinath Patnayaka and sons of Bhavananda Ray, kings of different regions.
When Lord Chaitanya came, Prataprudra Maharaja understood that he is the Supreme Lord. He wanted audience of Lord Chaitanya. When Lord Chaitanya heard this, he rejected the proposal. The Lord said, “It is better for me to take poison then associate with a king.” Devotees said he is a devotee king. But Lord Chaitanya said the word “king” is associated with it. Even one drop of poison can spoil the whole milk, similarly since he is a king he has become contaminated and if I associate I too will be contaminated.
Hearing this was painful to Maharaja Prataprudra. He wanted to leave the kingdom, but devotees convinced him to remain the king. He was a powerful king. During his regime Mughals could not enter Orissa. Devotees also wanted him to get the audience of the Lord.
Maharaja Prataprudra wins the heart of Lord Chaitanya
By that time Lord Chaitanya had gone for South India yatra and there he met Ramananda Ray. After meeting Lord Chaitanya Ramananda Ray was determined to give up his position of governor. He first went to Cuttack and gave his resignation letter to Maharaja Prataprudra and then came to Jagannath Puri.
Ramananda Ray informed to Lord Chaitanya that he has resigned from his post. He told to the Lord that when I told the king of my desire to serve you then the king allowed. He even said that you can continue getting the salary so that you do not have to worry about maintaining your family and you can serve the Lord without any worry.
The king further said that I am a useless person, I am not getting opportunity to have darshan of the Lord but you are getting the opportunity to serve the Lord. By allowing me to serve you, king thought that he is serving you.
Hearing this Lord Chaitanya said, “O Ramananda Ray, you are greatest among the devotees and since the king gave mercy to you, soon he will receive mercy of the Lord.”
Here we see that the king did not think that I am a king and Ramananda Ray is my subordinate. And I am a better devotee of Lord Jagannath. He did not become envious of Ramananda Ray. By serving Ramananda Ray, Maharaja Prataprudra, became qualified to get mercy of Lord Chaitanya. He also became dear to all the devotees.
2nd principle – Near devotees have been sent by Lord to make us pure devotees
In this verse it is mentioned, “As devotees thus develop their loving friendship, they feel mutual happiness and satisfaction. And by thus encouraging one another they are able to give up material sense gratification, which is the cause of all suffering.”
When one comes in the association of devotees and chant, sing and glorify the Lord then one gets transformed.
Staying close to devotee helps us – as they encourage one another to give up sense gratification. When we are struggling together then it becomes easy to give up things which is harming our spiritual life. By staying with devotees, we get hope.
Also, when we preach and see how people have given up sense gratification and have begun leading pure life then we also get inspired to lead pure life.
We should try to always meditate on the good qualities of near devotees.
3rd principle – Become dear to near devotees
It is the near devotee who will be us when we are passing away from this world. They will chant the name of Krishna for us. Also devotees will remember our good qualities.
Once when a devotee passed away in Mayapura then when I asked one of the devotees to tell something about the departed devotee, then while speaking about him, the devotee did not say that how big preacher he was, how many books he distributed but said that how nicely he was dealing with all the devotees and how he was dear to all.
We should also live in such a way that we are remembered for our good qualities. If we are good with other devotees then we will become dear to our near devotees.
