Avoidance of a Devotee of God - The Art of Spiritual Protection
To advance in spiritual life, one must learn the vital art of rejection. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the behavior of a genuine Vaiṣṇava is heavily characterized by what they actively avoid—whether it be materialistic association, unoffered food, or false prestige. Yet, this principle of avoidance does not mean cowardly running away from one's prescribed duties. By understanding exactly what to reject and what to boldly face, a devotee remains completely protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Rejecting Materialistic Association
The foundational rule for protecting one's devotion is avoiding bad company (asat-saṅga). Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu defined a Vaiṣṇava primarily by their strict avoidance of those who are materially interested and devoid of God consciousness.
- When asked, "What is the behavior of a Vaisnava?" Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied - Vaisnava must avoid the company of an avaisnava - asat.
- Those who are interested in materialistic life are also called asat. When asked how a Vaisnava behaves, Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, asat-sanga-tyaga-ei vaisnava-acara - A devotee first of all avoids the company of asat those who are materially interested.
- In the Srimad-Bhagavatam (SB 5.5.3) Lord Rsabhadeva states that one who is determined to become a pure devotee avoids associating with the general mass of people, who are simply engaged in the animal propensities of eating, sleeping, defending, and mating.
- Factually, an advanced devotee avoids speaking with persons who are not in devotional life, but to those who are in devotional life he speaks in friendship, and he speaks to the innocent for their enlightenment.
Guarding Against Material Habits and Pride
A devotee must also police their internal habits and external actions. Śrīla Prabhupāda warns that one must completely avoid eating unoffered food, harboring false pride, and performing any activity tainted by the desire for temporary, material enjoyment.
- These practices (sańga-tyaga etc.) greatly help the devotee remain fixed on the path of devotional service and avoid the tendency to enjoy temporary, material things. Thus the activities of a devotee remain always pure and without any contamination of the material world.
- So, whether in social life or political life, or in the matter of eating, sleeping, mating, and defending, a devotee should avoid performing any action tainted by material attachment.
- It is incumbent upon all devotees of Krsna to avoid eating anything that has not been offered to the Supreme Lord. A devotee who does not strictly follow this principle is sure to fall down.
- If one thinks he is big devotee that is not good, thinking that he is first degree. We should not be puffed up, a devotee avoids it, remaining always in the second degree.
Duty Over False Excuses
While a devotee avoids sin, they never avoid their prescribed duties in the service of the Lord. Using Arjuna as the perfect example, Śrīla Prabhupāda illustrates that attempting to skillfully avoid responsibility under the guise of morality or nonviolence is a degraded path.
- He (Arjuna) wanted to skillfully avoid the fighting by using Krsna consciousness as an excuse. But as a sincere student, he placed the matter before his master and questioned Krsna as to his best course of action.
- Arjuna, being a saintly devotee of the Lord, is always conscious of moral principles and therefore takes care to avoid such activities (killing one's own brother, father, or mother).
- From both sides he is supposed to have a great heritage. A great heritage brings responsibility in the matter of proper discharge of duties; therefore, he cannot avoid fighting.
- By avoiding the discharge of his proper duty, he (Arjuna) would not be able to stop the death of his relatives, and he would be degraded due to his selection of the wrong path of action.
Avoiding Hindrances and Receiving Protection
The ultimate aim of avoidance is to protect the execution of pure devotional service. Whether avoiding the bad advice of a materialistic guru or avoiding harm to even a tiny ant, this carefulness attracts the ultimate protection of Kṛṣṇa, who can even help a devotee avoid death itself.
- Bali Maharaja decided that such hindrances (Sukracharya's putting forward a material argument to hamper this process of devotional service) should certainly be avoided.
- It is said by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura that even if one is a Vaisnava, if he is not of good character his company should be avoided, although he may be offered the respect of a Vaisnava.
- Jada Bharata was a qualified brahmana, highly elevated in spiritual knowledge, yet he was forced to carry the palanquin. He did not mind this, but while walking on the road, he could not forget his duty to avoid killing even an ant.
- A devotee is not under the laws of karma. Therefore even a devotee's scheduled death can be avoided by the causeless mercy of the Supreme Lord. God protects the devotee even from the extreme danger of death.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Śrīla Prabhupāda perfectly illuminates the dynamic balance a devotee must strike between action and avoidance. True spiritual advancement requires a fierce and uncompromising rejection of asat-saṅga, materialistic habits, and the subtle trap of false pride. By strictly avoiding unoffered food and carefully sidestepping unnecessary violence, a devotee keeps their consciousness uncontaminated. However, this philosophy of avoidance does not give one a license to abandon their practical responsibilities in the service of the Lord. As Arjuna learned on the battlefield, avoiding one's duty out of false compassion or material calculation only leads to degradation. Ultimately, when a pure devotee faithfully avoids the true hindrances to bhakti and diligently executes the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they transcend the laws of karma entirely, allowing the Lord to help them avoid even the greatest danger of all: the cycle of repeated birth and death.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Avoidance of a Devotee of God. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.