CC Madhya 22.55
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 55
- tulayāma lavenāpi
- na svargaṁ nāpunar-bhavam
- bhagavat-saṅgi-saṅgasya
- martyānāṁ kim utāśiṣaḥ
SYNONYMS
tulayāma — we make equal; lavena — with one instant; api — even; na — not; svargam — heavenly planets; na — nor; apunaḥ-bhavam — merging into the existence of the Supreme; bhagavat-saṅgi-saṅgasya — of the association of devotees who are always associated with the Supreme Personality of Godhead; martyānām — of persons destined to die; kim uta — what to speak of; āśiṣaḥ — the blessings.
TRANSLATION
"'The value of a moment's association with a devotee of the Lord cannot be compared even to the attainment of the heavenly planets or liberation from matter, and what to speak of worldly benedictions in the form of material prosperity, which is for those who are meant for death.'
PURPORT
This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (SB 1.18.13). This verse concerns the Vedic rites and sacrifices performed by the great sages of Naimiṣāraṇya, headed by Śaunaka Ṛṣi. The sages pointed out that association with a devotee for even less than a second is beyond comparison to a thousand Vedic rituals and sacrifices, elevation to heavenly planets or merging into the existence of the Supreme.