Hare Krsna,
Kamsa’s conduct in this pastime clearly proves that just having good transcendental knowledge is useless if it doesn’t lead to association with good devotees. In his conversation with Devaki and Vasudeva, Kamsa was apologetic to them, and understood the philosophical difference between immediate cause and remote, ultimate cause. It appears from his talks with Vasudeva and Devakī that he knew all about the laws of nature. The better side of him made him decide to release Devakī and Vasudeva from the prison, and he admitted before them the wrongness of his atrocities. Falling at the feet of Devakī and Vasudeva, he begged their pardon and tried to convince them that because the events that had taken place were destined to happen, they should not be unhappy for his having killed so many of their children.
But as soon as he returned back to his ministers and advisors, Kamsa got influenced by their demoniac ill-advise. Kamsa had jnana but not vijnana (practical realized knowledge). Such vijnana can come only from guru, sadhu and sastra. Unless one associates with advanced devotees for prolonged time, one’s material and selfish consciousness will continue to exist. Bad association is extremely dangerous. Look at Kamsa! He had pure devotees Vasudeva and Devaki as his nearest relatives. Devaki was his sister. He saw and spoke with Goddess Durga face to face. He associated with Narada Muni. He also had devotees like Akrura in his council of ministers. Despite all these good fortunes, he still got easily influenced by his crooked ministers. This shows that even if we have met the Supreme Lord or His pure devotees directly, we are still susceptible to fall down if the people around us are evil. Unless we have bhakti (or desire for bhakti) in our hearts for the Supreme Lord, we will not understand the value of devotee association. In Ramayana, we have seen Mother Kaikeyi’s ears poisoned by maid servant Manthara. We all know what followed after that. On the other hand, Prahlada was born in a demoniac family. But still he ended up being a pure devotee (and one of the twelve Mahajanas) totally surrendered to the Supreme Lord because he had pure love and devotion for the Lord.
In essence, association can make or break a person. Good association will elevate us spiritually. Bad association will take us down. Therefore, our scriptures repeatedly glorify sadhu sanga. HDG Srila Prabhupada was clearly cognizant of this factor as a necessary ingredient in our progress in bhakti. Therefore, he established ISKCON temples throughout the world through which devotees can find real shelter in the association of devotees. Mayadevi is very strong. We cannot avoid her and what to speak about fighting her. We need association with armies of devotees to stay out of her influence and control.
Therefore the Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 22.54) says:
‘sādhu-saṅga,’ ‘sādhu-saṅga’ — sarva-śāstre kaya
lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya
If one desires his real welfare, he must associate with devotees and saintly persons and in this way rectify the material condition of his life.
Srimad Bhagavatam and Sri Caitanya Caritamrta are replete with examples of where devotees earnestly pray for the mercy and association of pure devotees.
Vrtasura prays: “O my Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, will I again be able to be a servant of Your eternal servants who find shelter only at Your lotus feet? O Lord of my life, may I again become their servant so that my mind may always think of Your transcendental attributes, my words always glorify those attributes, and my body always engage in the loving service of Your Lordship?” (SB 6.11.24)
Prahlada Maharaja prays: “O my Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, by engaging in Your transcendental loving service in the association of devotees who are liberated souls [haṁsas], I shall become completely uncontaminated by the association of the three modes of material nature and be able to chant the glories of Your Lordship, who are so dear to me. I shall chant Your glories, following exactly in the footsteps of Lord Brahmā and his disciplic succession. In this way I shall undoubtedly be able to cross the ocean of nescience.” (SB 7.9.18)
This should be our mood. We should desire pure bhakti and association of saintly devotees in our life. As they say in English, better be alone than in bad company. Similarly we should prefer living alone in solitude rather than associate with materialistic people who are dangerous in my journey back home, back to Godhead. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.4.18) it is stated that even the lowest, who are called caṇḍālas (dog-eaters), can be purified by association with a pure devotee. Therefore devotional service and the guidance of a pure devotee are so strong that there is no discrimination between the lower and higher classes of men; anyone can take to it. The simplest man taking shelter of the pure devotee can be purified by proper guidance. In his previous life Nārada Muni was the son of a maidservant, but by good association with pure devotees he became enlightened in devotional service, and in the next life he became a perfect man comparable with himself only.
SB 3.25.25: In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Krsna Katha 