Association with pure devotees devoted to Narayana alone ensures fearless spiritual progress and highest knowledge.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.17 — June 30, 1975, Denver 750630SB-DENVER [27:18 Minutes] SB-06.01.17_750630SB-DENVER Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Nitāi: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.
[devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.] sadhrīcīno hy ayaṁ loke panthāḥ kṣemo 'kuto-bhayaḥ suśīlāḥ sādhavo yatra nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇāḥ [SB 6.1.17] [03:22] "In this material world, following the path of the pure devotees who are well behaved and completely endowed with first-class qualifications due to their having fully taken to the service of Nārāyaṇa as their life and soul is certainly the most auspicious, without any fear, and authorized by the śāstra." Prabhupāda: sadhrīcīno hy ayaṁ loke panthāḥ kṣemo 'kuto-bhayaḥ suśīlāḥ sādhavo yatra nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇāḥ [SB 6.1.17] So the śāstra says that the association of devotees... Nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇāḥ means devotees. Nārāyaṇa-para: one who has taken Nārāyaṇa as the ultimate goal of life. Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu—They are of the same tattva, viṣṇu-tattva.
So people do not know this, that to approach the platform of worshiping Nārāyaṇa or Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa, that is the most exalted and, what is called, assured platform. Just like we get insurance, this is assured. Assured by whom? Assured by Kṛṣṇa.
Kṛṣṇa is assuring, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi [Bg. 18.66]. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati [Bg. 9.31]. Api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa man... [Bg. 9.30].
So many assurances there. Nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa. Kṛṣṇa says personally that "I shall protect you." People suffer on account of sinful reaction, ignorance. Out of ignorance, they commit sinful action, and sinful action reacts.
Just like a child, ignorant, he touches blazing fire and it burns the hand, and he suffers. You cannot say that "Child is innocent, and the fire has burned." No. This is nature's law. Ignorance.
So sinful activities are done out of ignorance. Therefore one should be in knowledge. Ignorance of law is no excuse. If you go to the court and if you plead, "Sir, I did not know that I have to suffer, I have to go to imprisonment for six months because I have stolen.