tulayÄma lavenÄpi
na svargaá¹ nÄpunar-bhavam
bhagavat-saá¹…gi-saá¹…gasya
martyÄnÄá¹ kim utÄÅ›iá¹£aḥ
tulayÄma - we make equal; lavena - with one instant; api - even; na - not; svargam - heavenly planets; na - nor; apunaḥ-bhavam - merging into the existence of the Supreme; bhagavat-saá¹…gi-saá¹…gasya - of the association of devotees who are always associated with the Supreme Personality of Godhead; martyÄnÄm - of persons destined to die; kim uta - what to speak of; ÄÅ›iá¹£aḥ - the blessings.
This is a quotation from ÅšrÄ«mad-BhÄgavatam (1.18.13). This verse concerns the Vedic rites and sacrifices performed by the great sages of Naimiá¹£Äraṇya, headed by Åšaunaka Ṛṣi. The sages pointed out that association with a devotee for even less than a second is beyond comparison to a thousand Vedic rituals and sacrifices, elevation to heavenly planets or merging into the existence of the Supreme.