128
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 5, Ch. 3]
“sādhu-saṅga”, “sādhu-saṅga” sarva-śāstre kaya lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya
and Madhya 22.51:
mahat-kṛpā vinā kona karme ‘bhakti’ naya kṛṣṇa-bhakti dūre rahu, saṁsāra nahe kṣaya
If one is serious about escaping  māyā ’s influence and returning home, back to Godhead, one must associate with a  sādhu  (devotee). That is the verdict of all scriptures. By the slight association of a devotee, one can be freed from the clutches of  māyā . Without the mercy of the pure devotee, one cannot get freedom by any means. Certainly a pure devotee’s association is necessary in order to obtain the loving service of the Lord. One cannot be freed from  māyā ’s clutches without  sādhu-saṅga , the benediction of a great devotee. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.5.32) Prahlāda Mahārāja says:
naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṁ spṛśaty anarthāpagamo yad arthaḥ mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-’bhiṣekaṁ niṣkiñcanānāṁ na vṛṇīta yāvat
One cannot become the Lord’s pure devotee without taking the dust of a great devotee on his head ( pāda-rajo-’bhiṣekaṁ ). A pure devotee is  niṣkiñcana ; he has no material desire to enjoy the material world. One has to take shelter of such a pure devotee in order to attain his qualities. The pure devotee is always free from the clutches of  māyā  and her influence.
TEXT 15
यदु ह वाव तव पुनरदभ्रकर्तरिह समाहूतस्तत्रार्थधियां मन्दानां नस्तद्यद्देवहेलनं देव- देवार्हसि साम्येन सर्वान् प्रतिवोद्धमविदुषाम् ॥१५॥
yad u ha vāva tava punar adabhra-kartar iha samāhūtas tatrārtha- dhiyāṁ mandānāṁ nas tad yad deva-helanaṁ deva-devārhasi sāmyena sarvān prativoḍhum aviduṣām.