Question: One of the things that caught my attention in yesterday’s Bhakti Vriksha class was your instruction that we should not develop attachment with other devotees in Bhakti Vrishka. How should I associate with other devotees without developing attachment and at the same time not offend them by seeming distant? Although I realize that associating without attachment is completely different from being distant, I’m concerned that as a neophyte devotee “associating without attachment” would manifest as “distant” in my actions. It seems like with Krishna in the center when associating with devotees, we will not develop any attachment. However, as a neophyte devotee Krishna is not always in the center when associating with devotees.
Answer by Romapada Swami: Progress in spiritual life is gradual. Until one becomes a mature devotee, one must cultivate bhakti properly. Rupa Goswami is one of our chief guides in knowing how to properly cultivate bhakti.
Rupa Goswami’s teaching is that DETACHMENT WHICH REJECTS THAT WHICH IS IN RELATION TO KRISHNA IS FALSE RENUNCIATION.
So, do not follow that path.
However, as you point out above, when in the neophyte stage one applies the yukta-vairagya principle, one’s conditioned tendancies result in attachment. The remedy is: strong regulation in sadhana and hearing + association with those who are detached + deliberate efforts to move willingly from one Krsna Conscious situation to another Krsna Conscious situation — cultivating attachment to Krishna instead of attachment to the externals, the temporary.
CLARIFICATION:
My advice was *not* to avoid becoming attached to other Bhakti Vrksa members. Rather, my advice was to willing to accept adjustments in the makeup of one’s present Bhakti Vrksa group — in favor of facilitating expanding the number of groups, so that newcomers will have good association too, within groups of a manageable size.
