—json {
"name":"Cc. Madhya 8.248", "h1":"Cc. Madhya 8.248", "label":"Text 248", "title":"Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 8.248", "description":"Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked, \"Of all kinds of distress, what is the most painful?\""
} —
'duḥkha-madhye kona duḥkha haya gurutara?'
'kṛṣṇa-bhakta-viraha vinā duḥkha nāhi dekhi para'
duḥkha-madhye—among the miserable conditions of life; kona—what; duḥkha—misery; haya—is; gurutara—more painful; kṛṣṇa-bhakta-viraha—separation from the devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa; vinā—besides; duḥkha—unhappiness; nāhi—there is not; dekhi—I see; para—other.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked, “Of all kinds of distress, what is the most painful?”
Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya replied, “Apart from separation from the devotee of Kṛṣṇa, I know of no unbearable unhappiness.”
Concerning this, the Lord states in the Vedic literature:
mām anārādhya duḥkhārtaḥ
kuṭumbāsakta-mānasaḥ
sat-saṅga-rahito martyo
vṛddha-sevā-paricyutaḥ
“A person who does not worship Me, who is unduly attached to family and who does not stick to devotional service must be considered a most unhappy person. Similarly, one who does not associate with Vaiṣṇavas, or who does not render service to his superior, is also a most unhappy person.”
There is also a statement given in the Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta (1.5.51):
sva-jīvanādhikaṁ prārthyaṁ
śrī-viṣṇu-jana-saṅgataḥ
vicchedena kṣaṇaṁ cātra
na sukhāṁśaṁ labhāmahe
“[King Yudhiṣṭhira said:] 'Out of all kinds of desirable things experienced in the life of a living entity, association with the devotees of the Lord is the greatest. When we are separated from a devotee even for a moment, we cannot enjoy happiness.' ”