How does Krishna glorify the association of devotees? And how much value does He give just to the darshan of a devotee? Let us see from the scriptures.
Krishna mentions to Manigriva and Nalakuvera the reason for their deliverance – glance of Narada Muni.
sādhūnāṁ sama-cittānāṁ
sutarāṁ mat-kṛtātmanām
darśanān no bhaved bandhaḥ
puṁso ‘kṣṇoḥ savitur yathā
When one is face to face with the sun, there is no longer darkness for one’s eyes. Similarly, when one is face to face with a sādhu, a devotee, who is fully determined and surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one will no longer be subject to material bondage. SB 10.10.41
Because Nalakuvera and Manigriva committed some offense, therefore it took some time for them to get delivered. Else, a favorable glance would have become the cause of their instant deliverance.
Krishna says in SB 10.84.11 to the sages,
na hy am-mayāni tīrthāni
na devā mṛc-chilā-mayāḥ
te punanty uru-kālena
darśanād eva sādhavaḥ
Mere bodies of water are not the real sacred places of pilgrimage, nor are mere images of earth and stone the true worshipable deities. These purify one only after a long time, but saintly sages purify one immediately upon being seen.
Even in the Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna mentions service to devotees as the cause of getting freed from sin, and practicing determined devotional service.
BG 7.28 states,
yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ
janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām
te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā
bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ
Here, Baladeva Vidyabhusana states that punya-karma means activities pleasing to great souls. When one pleases great souls, that results in freedom from sinful life. Shrila Prabhupada quotes SB 5.5.2 in the purport and says – “if one actually wants to be liberated he must render service to the devotees”.
Service to devotees frees one from all materialistic conceptions and places one in the vicinity of the Lord.
Krishna has given the authorization of giving His bhakti to His devotees. He Himself is highly appreciative of His devotees. Not only He appreciates, but He worships His devotees. When Narada visited 16,108 palaces of Krishna, Krishna washed his lotus feet and worshipped him in all the palaces. When Sudama visited Krishna, He made Sudama sit on His own bed and offered him the highest worship.
If Krishna shows such high regard for His devotees, how much should we?
