VIVEKACHUDAMANI 335

बाह्यानुसन्धिः परिवर्धयेत्फलं 

दुर्वासनामेव ततस्ततोऽधिकाम् । 

ज्ञात्वा विवेकैः परिहृत्य बाह्यं 

त्मानुसन्धिं विदधीत नित्यम् ॥ 

bāhyānusandhiḥ parivardhayetphalaṃ 

durvāsanāmeva tatastato'dhikām | 

jñātvā vivekaiḥ parihṛtya bāhyaṃ 

svātmānusandhiṃ vidadhīta nityam || 

(Sankaracarya's Vivekachudamani 335)

 

Constant contemplation upon the external objects will only intensify their fruits in the form of evil propensities, which grow from bad to worse. Knowing this, through discrimination, one should leave the thoughts of external objects and constantly apply oneself to the contemplation of the Self. 

Pure devotion is as much infectious, in a good sense, as infectious diseases. A pure devotee is cleared from all kinds of sins. The Personality of Godhead is the purest entity, and unless one is equally pure from the infection of material qualities, one cannot become a pure devotee of the Lord. The bhakti-vedantas as above mentioned were pure devotees, and the boy became infected with their qualities of purity by their association and by eating once the remnants of the foodstuff taken by them. Such remnants may be taken even without the permission of the pure devotees. There are sometimes pseudo devotees, and one should be very much cautious about them. There are many things that hinder one from entering devotional service. But by the association of pure devotees, all these obstacles are removed. The neophyte devotee becomes practically enriched with the transcendental qualities of the pure devotee, which means attraction for the Personality of Godhead's name, fame, quality, pastimes, etc. Infection of the qualities of the pure devotee means to imbibe the taste of pure devotion always in the transcendental activities of the Personality of Godhead. This transcendental taste at once makes all material things distasteful. Therefore a pure devotee is not at all attracted by material activities. After the elimination of all sins or obstacles on the path of devotional service, one can become attracted, one can have steadiness, one can have perfect taste, one can have transcendental emotions, and at last one can be situated on the plane of loving service of the Lord. All these stages develop by the association of pure devotees, and that is the purport of this stanza. 

SB 1.5.25 P Narada's Instructions on Srimad-Bhagavatam for Vyasadeva