In contact with a pure devotee

Expressions researched:
"contact with a pure devotee" |"contact with pure devotees" |"contact with the pure devotee" |"contact a pure devotee" |"meet a pure devotee"

BG Chapters 7 - 12

But even some of them, by chance, when they come in contact with a pure devotee, also become pure devotees

BG 7.16, Purport: When these four kinds of persons come to the Supreme Lord for devotional service and are completely purified by the association of a pure devotee, they also become pure devotees. As far as the miscreants are concerned, for them devotional service is very difficult because their lives are selfish, irregular and without spiritual goals. But even some of them, by chance, when they come in contact with a pure devotee, also become pure devotees.

There are innumerable living entities traveling throughout the different planets of the universe, and out of them there are a few who are fortunate enough to meet a pure devotee and get the chance to understand devotional service

BG 10.9, Purport: There are innumerable living entities traveling throughout the different planets of the universe, and out of them there are a few who are fortunate enough to meet a pure devotee and get the chance to understand devotional service. This devotional service is just like a seed, and if it is sown in the heart of a living entity, and if he goes on hearing and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, that seed fructifies, just as the seed of a tree fructifies with regular watering.

SB Canto 7

If the living entity comes in contact with a pure devotee and is intelligent enough to take instructions from the pure devotee regarding the process of devotional service, he can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead

SB 7.6.20-23, Purport: The living entity in the material condition wanders through many varieties of life and many varieties of circumstances, but if he comes in contact with a pure devotee and is intelligent enough to take instructions from the pure devotee regarding the process of devotional service, he can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the origin of Brahman and Paramātmā, without difficulty.

CC Adi-lila

Their ecstatic tears will of course help them in the long run, for as soon as they come in contact with a pure devotee their lives will become successful

CC Adi 8.22, Purport: The prākṛta-sahajiyās who chant nitāi-gaura rādhe śyāma have very little knowledge of the Bhāgavata conclusion, and they hardly follow the Vaiṣṇava rules and regulations, and yet because they chant bhaja nitāi-gaura, their chanting immediately evokes tears and other signs of ecstasy. Although they do not know the principles of Vaiṣṇava philosophy and are not very much advanced in education, by these symptoms they attract many men to become their followers. Their ecstatic tears will of course help them in the long run, for as soon as they come in contact with a pure devotee their lives will become successful. Even in the beginning, however, because they are chanting the holy names of nitāi-gaura, their swift advancement on the path of love of Godhead is very prominently visible.

CC Madhya-lila

When such a person comes in contact with a pure devotee, he can actually become liberated from material bondage and engage in the Lord’s service

CC Madhya 22.21, Purport: One cannot attain liberation simply by speculative knowledge. Even though one may be able to distinguish between Brahman and matter, one’s liberation will be hampered if one is misled into thinking that the living entity is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Indeed, one falls down again onto the material platform because considering oneself the Supreme Person, the Supreme Absolute Truth, is offensive. When such a person comes in contact with a pure devotee, he can actually become liberated from material bondage and engage in the Lord’s service.

When such persons come in contact with the pure devotee, they give up their fruitive activity and fully engage in the service of the Lord

CC Madhya 24.214, Translation: “Those who are in the bodily conception mainly engage in fruitive activity. Those who perform yajñas and ritualistic ceremonies are also considered in the same category. However, when such persons come in contact with the pure devotee, they give up their fruitive activity and fully engage in the service of the Lord.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

If, by chance, a living entity comes in contact with a pure devotee, he becomes actually liberated from the clutches of material energy

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 11: In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.51.54) it is stated by Mucukunda:

bhavāpavargo bhramato yadā bhavej

janasya tarhy acyuta sat-samāgamaḥ

sat-saìgamo yarhi tadaiva sad-gatau

parāvareśe tvayi jāyate matiḥ

"My dear Lord, while traveling in this material world through different species of life, a living entity may progress toward liberation. But if, by chance, he comes in contact with a pure devotee, he becomes actually liberated from the clutches of material energy and becomes a devotee of Yourself, the Personality of Godhead."

When such persons come in contact with a pure devotee, they engage in the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa and abandon the idea of liberation

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 16: It is corroborated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.26) that those who actually desire liberation abandon worship of the demigods, and, without envy, concentrate their minds in the worship of Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When such persons come in contact with a pure devotee, they engage in the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa and abandon the idea of liberation.

Even if such yogīs come in contact with pure devotees, they also render causeless devotional service to the Lord

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 16: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.87.18) describes the two classes of yogīs (sagarbha and nigarbha) as follows: "The yogīs begin their practice of yoga by worshiping the abdomen, and they try to concentrate their attention on their intestines. Gradually their meditation rises to the heart and concentrates on the mind and the heart. Then their attention rises to the top of the head, and one who can rise to that position is understood to have become perfect and to be no longer subjected to birth and death." Even if such yogīs come in contact with pure devotees, they also render causeless devotional service to the Lord.

However, when they come in contact with a pure devotee, they also engage in the transcendental service of the Lord

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 16: The word ātmā also means "this body." The yogīs who practice bodily exercises, considering the body to be the self, are also elevated to the transcendental service of the Lord if they associate with pure devotees. There are many people who believe the body to be the self, and they are engaged in many fruitive activities, including bathing rituals and ordinary worldly activities. However, when they come in contact with a pure devotee, they also engage in the transcendental service of the Lord.

Nectar of Devotion

The purport of this statement is that as soon as one is fortunate enough to contact a pure devotee, one must be anxious immediately to hear about Kṛṣṇa

Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 13: Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has similarly described the transcendental nature of relishing topics which concern Kṛṣṇa. A devotee once said, "It is very astonishing that since I have seen this Personality of Godhead, who is washed by the tears of my eyes, there is shivering of my body, and He has made me a failure in executing my material duties. Since seeing Him, I cannot remain silently at home. I wish to go out to Him always." The purport of this statement is that as soon as one is fortunate enough to contact a pure devotee, one must be anxious immediately to hear about Kṛṣṇa, to learn about Kṛṣṇa, or, in other words, to become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious.

If an impersonalist can, however, come in contact with a pure devotee, his transcendental position can be changed for greater elevation

Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 35: The impersonalistic commentary on Bhagavad-gītā is therefore disastrous, because without understanding the transcendental pleasure of the Gītā, the impersonalist wants to interpret it in his own way. If an impersonalist can, however, come in contact with a pure devotee, his transcendental position can be changed for greater elevation. Great sages are therefore recommended to worship the form of the Lord in order to achieve that highest transcendental pleasure.

When a liberated soul comes in contact with a pure devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa and submissively accepts the teachings of Lord Kṛṣṇa without misinterpretation, he becomes situated in this neutral stage of devotional service

Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 35: This stage of śānta-rasa can be attained by the impersonalists only when they are in association with pure devotees. Otherwise it is not possible. After Brahman realization, when a liberated soul comes in contact with a pure devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa and submissively accepts the teachings of Lord Kṛṣṇa without misinterpretation, he becomes situated in this neutral stage of devotional service. The best example of saintly persons situated in the śānta-rasa are Sanaka, Sanātana, Sananda and Sanat-kumāra, the Kumāra brothers.

Nectar of Instruction

When by good fortune one comes in contact with a pure devotee and hears from him patiently, one begins to follow the path of devotional service

Nectar of Instruction, text 3, Purport: The material world is a place of confinement for the living entities who are by nature ānandamaya, pleasure-seeking. They actually want to be free from the confinement of this world of conditional happiness, but not knowing the process of liberation, they are bound to transmigrate from one species of life to another and from one planet to another. In this way the living entities are wandering throughout the material universe. When by good fortune one comes in contact with a pure devotee and hears from him patiently, one begins to follow the path of devotional service. Such an opportunity is offered to a person who is sincere. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is giving such a chance to humanity at large. If by fortune one takes advantage of this opportunity to engage in devotional service, the path of liberation immediately opens.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

When, therefore, the conditioned soul comes in contact with a pure devotee and takes to devotional service, he gradually becomes freed from the contamination of material existence.

Krsna Book, Chapter 86: Thus from the beginning of the conditioned soul’s entering into the material world, You are his constant companion. When, therefore, the conditioned soul comes in contact with a pure devotee and takes to devotional service, beginning with the process of hearing Your transcendental pastimes, glorifying Your transcendental activities, worshiping Your eternal form in the temple, offering prayers to You and engaging in discussion to understand Your transcendental position, he gradually becomes freed from the contamination of material existence.

Renunciation Through Wisdom

If one of these deluded demoniac impersonalists comes in contact with a pure devotee, then he can begin to understand that the pure devotees he offended are exchanging spiritual mellows with Lord Kṛṣṇa

Renunciation Through Wisdom, 2.13: The impersonalists and empiric philosophers consider the unalloyed devotees of the Lord sentimental fools, and thus they deride them. This is a big offense. Such offences cause the impersonalists and pseudo-devotees to slowly become demoniac. Having lost good sense and a stable mind, they gradually develop animosity toward the Supreme Lord and find all their life's endeavors reduced to suffering and futility. If one of these deluded demoniac impersonalists comes in contact with a pure devotee and by his mercy regains his lost insight, then he can begin to understand that the pure devotees he offended are exchanging spiritual mellows with Lord Kṛṣṇa and are thus forever free from ignorance and illusion. The impersonalists must understand that the Supreme Lord, acting from within as the Supersoul, removes all ignorance from the devotee's heart.

Narada-bhakti-sutra (sutras 1 to 8 only)

But when a fortunate living entity somehow comes in contact with a pure devotee of the Lord and engages in devotional service, he enters upon the path of perfection

NBS 4, Purport: The part-and-parcel living entities are entangled in the conditioned life of material existence. Because of their diverse activities they are wandering all over the universe, transmigrating from one body to another and undergoing various miseries. But when a fortunate living entity somehow comes in contact with a pure devotee of the Lord and engages in devotional service, he enters upon the path of perfection. If someone engages in devotional service in all seriousness, the Lord instructs him in two ways—through the pure devotee and from within—so that he can advance in devotional service. By cultivating such devotional service, he becomes perfect.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

When a devotee comes in contact with a pure devotee, he gives up all this nonsense

Lecture on SB 2.3.10 -- Los Angeles, May 28, 1972: So it is recommended here only that a devotee, even he's foolish in the beginning, to ask from Kṛṣṇa all material facilities. Still, when he's engaged in devotional... when he comes to the perfectional stage, or when he comes in contact with a pure devotee, he gives up all this nonsense, and as a pure devotee, he simply engages himself without any return, without any profit, in the service of the Lord.

Unless one comes in contact with a pure devotee, Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be developed

Lecture on SB 2.3.23 -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1972: Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be developed unless one takes the dust of the lotus feet of a pure devotee. This is these words, Prahlāda Mahārāja's remark. In other words, unless one comes in contact with a pure devotee, Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be developed. It is not possible. Therefore here it is recommended by Sūta Gosvāmī that jīvañ chavo bhāgavatāṅghri-reṇuṁ na jātu martyo 'bhilabheta yas tu. Reṇu, reṇu means dust. If one does not try to secure the dust of the lotus feet of bhāgavata... Bhāgavata means pure devotee of the Lord.

Festival Lectures

Yes, there is chance of deliverance. Yes. Even an animal. Because he'll hear Hare Kṛṣṇa from the pure devotee

His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971::

Devotee: Prabhupāda, you say that an animal has no chance for liberation. What would happen if an animal came in contact with a pure devotee?

Prabhupāda: Yes, there is chance of deliverance. Yes. Even an animal. Because he'll hear Hare Kṛṣṇa from the pure devotee. That will not go in vain. He'll give prasādam. He does not know, but the devotee out of compassion gives prasādam, chants Hare Kṛṣṇa. He also gets the opportunity of hearing. So he'll also be liberated.

General Lectures

If one is in contact with a pure devotee of the Lord, it should be understood, if he follows his instruction, then it is sure and certain that he is going to Kṛṣṇa without any fail

Lecture -- London, September 14, 1969:: So when one is in contact with such person, then the door of liberation is open. If one is in contact with a pure devotee of the Lord, it should be understood, if he follows his instruction, then it is sure and certain that he is going to Kṛṣṇa without any fail.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran: Prabhupāda: Someday, if they come in contact with a real devotee, they'll appreciate. Just like you are coming. So they have to meet some devotee, then they'll be benefited. With the present idea there will be very slow progress. Practically no progress, but even there is little progress, very slow. So unless they come in contact with a pure devotee... Then...

1968 Correspondence

If they are fortunate enough to meet a pure devotee of Krishna and if they are sincere in their search for the absolute truth, they will find Krishna Consciousness as the last resort of their philosophical researches

Letter to Janardana -- Los Angeles 21 January, 1968: There is no joy in voidness or Impersonalism and because such imperfect philosophers do not know of the association of Krishna which is full of bliss and knowledge, they will fall down repeatedly into voidness and Impersonalism with the result that they cannot stay there and they fall down to the material atmosphere. In Bhagavad-gita it is said by the Lord that these people, void and Impersonalist philosophers, are in great trouble. If they are fortunate enough to meet a pure devotee of Krishna and if they are sincere in their search for the absolute truth, they will find Krishna Consciousness as the last resort of their philosophical researches.