Deserving desirable association
As often happens, there was a Facebook discussion where the issue of pure Vaishnava association came up. Though I have been known to disagree vehemently with “first deserve then desire” motto that circulates in the Gaudiya Math, I found myself saying, “The purer you chant, the more likely you are to find pure association. Remember, first deserve then desire.” The point, of course, is that you cannot expect to even recognize or appreciate good association if your mind has not been purified and prepared for it by bhajan. Rupa Goswami says desirable association is bhajana-vijña :: a person who is fully knowledgeable about and experienced in the path of bhajan ananya :: is entirely committed to the Divine Couple, i.e, exclusive anya-nindādi śūnya-hṛdam :: has a heart that is entirely free of the tendency to criticize others. If you cannot find someone who fits the bill exactly, try to get as close to this ideal as possible. And of course, one starts by trying to emulate the ...