devÄḥ ká¹£etrÄṇi tÄ«rthÄni
darÅ›ana-sparÅ›anÄrcanaiḥ
Å›anaiḥ punanti kÄlena
tad apy arhattameká¹£ayÄ
devÄḥ - temple deities; ká¹£etrÄṇi - pilgrimage sites; tÄ«rthÄni - and sacred rivers; darÅ›ana - by being seen; sparÅ›ana - being touched; arcanaiḥ - and being worshiped; Å›anaiḥ - gradually; punanti - purify; kÄlena - with time; tat api - the same; arhat-tama - of those (brÄhmaṇas) who are most worshipable; Ä«ká¹£ayÄ - by the glance.
One can gradually become purified by seeing, touching and worshiping temple deities, places of pilgrimage and holy rivers. But one can attain the same result immediately simply by receiving the glance of exalted sages.
Rather than remaining in seclusion and concentrating on their own perfection, Vaiṣṇava brÄhmaṇas of the highest order dedicate their lives to sharing the benediction of the Lord’s devotional service. In the words of the sons of King PrÄcÄ«nabarhi:
teá¹£Äá¹ vicaratÄá¹ padbhyÄá¹
tÄ«rthÄnÄá¹ pÄvanecchayÄ
bhītasya kiṠna roceta
tÄvakÄnÄá¹ samÄgamaḥ
“Dear Lord, Your personal associates, Your devotees, wander all over the world to purify even the holy places of pilgrimage. Is not such activity pleasing to those who are actually afraid of material existence?†(BhÄg. 4.30.37) And PrahlÄda MahÄrÄja says:
prÄyeṇa deva munayaḥ sva-vimukti-kÄmÄ
maunaá¹ caranti vijane na parÄrtha-niá¹£á¹hÄḥ
naitÄn vihÄya ká¹›paṇÄn vimumuká¹£a eko
nÄnyaá¹ tvad asya Å›araṇam bhramato ’nupaÅ›ye
“My dear Lord Ná¹›siá¹hadeva, I see that there are many saintly persons indeed, but they are interested only in their own deliverance. Not caring for the big cities and towns, they go to the HimÄlayas or the forest to meditate with vows of silence [mauna-vrata]. They are not interested in delivering others. As for me, however, I do not wish to be liberated alone, leaving aside all these poor fools and rascals. I know that without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, without taking shelter of Your lotus feet, one cannot be happy. Therefore I wish to bring them back to shelter at Your lotus feet.†(BhÄg. 7.9.44)
