Thoughts On Sadhu-Sanga

A discussion on Vilasa-Kunja about Manindranath Guha's Nectar of the Holy Name is taking place. Minaketan Ramdasji spoke about his experiences with Guhaji:

"One piece of advice he had was that one should stay at home and not mix freely with the Vaishnavas, in order to avoid Vaishnava aparAdha."

To this, I responded:

"I will hold this on my head. This is my feeling too.

"But at the same time I am astounded at the irony. Sadhu-sanga is one of the major principles of our Vaishnavism. Nay, it is one of the top five! And so how ironic it is that sometimes the best way to avoid aparadha is not to associate with Vaishnavas. Oh, the irony!"

Any thoughts?

Guhaji's advice resonates with my own experience; it is sometimes better to avoid Vaishnavas in order not to take the risk of offending them. However there is a marked difference between "avoiding" and "freely mixing", and however you look at it it makes sense in a twisted way.

When this is so, then how to fulfil the principle of sadhu-sanga? This then brings up the topic of who is a sadhu and who is "not".

I will actually want to write my own thoughts on sadhu-sanga later.