Text 53]
Brahmā Stealing the Boys and Calves
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engagement in the service of Vāsudeva, one very quickly renounces material life. The members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, for example, being engaged in  vāsudeva-bhakti , very quickly come to the stage of being nice Vaiṣṇavas, so much so that people are surprised that  mlecchas  and  yavanas  are able to come to this stage. This is possible by  vāsudeva-bhakti . But if we do not come to the stage of  sattva-guṇa  in this human life, then, as Narottama dāsa Thākura sings,  hari hari viphale janama goṇāinu —there is no profit in gaining this human form of life.
Śrī Vīrarāghava Ācārya comments that each of the items mentioned in the first half of this verse is a cause for material entanglement.  Kāla , or the time factor, agitates the modes of material nature, and  svabhāva  is the result of association with these modes. Therefore Narottama dāsa Thākura says,  bhakta-sane vāsa . If one associates with  bhaktas , then one's  svabhāva , or nature, will change. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant to give people good association so that this change may take place, and we actually see that by this method people all over the world are gradually becoming devotees.
As for  saṁskāra , or reformation, this is possible by good association, for by good association one develops good habits, and habit becomes second nature. Therefore,  bhakta-sane vāsa : let people have the chance to live with  bhaktas . Then their habits will change. In the human form of life one has this chance, but as Narottama dāsa Thākura sings,  hari hari viphale janama goṇāinu : if one fails to take advantage of this opportunity, one's human life is wasted. We are therefore trying to save human society from degradation and actually elevate people to the higher nature.
As for  kāma  and  karma —desires and activities—if one engages in devotional service, one develops a different nature than if one engages in activities of sense gratification, and of course the result is also different. According to the association of different natures, one receives a particular type of body.  Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu  (Bg. 13.22). Therefore we should always seek good association, the association of devotees. Then our life will be successful. A man is known by his company. If one has the chance to live in the good association of devotees, one is able to cultivate knowledge, and naturally one's character or nature will change for one's eternal benefit.