Lord Krishna says to Uddhava, “Even those who observe twelve Yamas1 and 12 Niyamas2 and practice many sadhanas do not get the path to my supreme abode, but if they take shelter in virtuous persons and go to the door of saints, be sure they have come to my abode. I am attained by such a tradition.”
Satsanga (association with saints) is not like other sadhanas. It destroys association with others, and certainly leads to my attainment. Devotees who do satsanga for attaining Me do not depend on anything else. Just as a worm by the contact of a black bee undergoes a metamorphosis (becomes a black bee itself) similarly, devotees by the company of saints undergo a transformation and attain to my true Nature.
The useless trees having no fragrance grown in the vicinity of a sandalwood tree become fragrant and costly in the company of the latter. Those inert (insentient) pieces of wood sit on the heads of gods and Brahmins in the form of sandalwood. Even the wealthy need them. Even the king considers them worthy of salutation. In the same way, devotees attain to my state by doing satsanga and finally they become adorable for me too. How can their glory be described? O Uddhava, without satsanga there is no any other excellent means to attain my State quickly. Believe this the truth.
Countless are the people who have attained Me without resorting to any sadhana only by association with the wise and the righteous. I shall tell you about them. Though they were born in Rajasic, tamasic, deluded and inert species, they could attain Me through strong association with the wise. Daityas, Danavas, demons (evil spirits), beasts and birds, Gandharvas, Apsaras, Nagas, Siddhas, Charanas, Vidyadharas, poisonous serpents, Guhyakas (a class of Gandharvas) all of them attained to My state. If the beasts, birds and serpents could attainMe, then man is excellent among them. Even the outcastes, who are of the lowest birth in society, have attained Me. Not only this, even gods and Brahmins salute them. The fame of such saints is incomparable.
Association with the wise makes even despicable persons worthy of salutation. Uddhava, you are truly sinless. Hence do satsanga. If the gold of excellent quality and purity gets studded with gems it becomes all the more precious and enhances the beauty of the crown. In the same way when a virtuous person gets satsanga he obtains infinite bliss, God of the gods salute Him; and even Lord Shiva and other gods come to see Him. Yamas and Dharma (Yama and Niyama) lie at His feet. And even the places of pilgrimage desire to get the water with which His feet are washed. Man gets so much benefit by doing satsanga with devotional attitude.
