Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 6
Sādhu-saṅga, the Gopīs’ Prema, and the Veda’s Culmination in Exclusive Surrender
सत्सङ्गेन हि दैतेया यातुधाना मृगा: खगा: । गन्धर्वाप्सरसो नागा: सिद्धाश्चारणगुह्यका: ॥ ३ ॥ विद्याधरा मनुष्येषु वैश्या: शूद्रा: स्त्रियोऽन्त्यजा: । रजस्तम:प्रकृतयस्तस्मिंस्तस्मिन् युगे युगे ॥ ४ ॥ बहवो मत्पदं प्राप्तास्त्वाष्ट्रकायाधवादय: । वृषपर्वा बलिर्बाणो मयश्चाथ विभीषण: ॥ ५ ॥ सुग्रीवो हनुमानृक्षो गजो गृध्रो वणिक्पथ: । व्याध: कुब्जा व्रजे गोप्यो यज्ञपत्न्यस्तथापरे ॥ ६ ॥
sat-saṅgena hi daiteyā yātudhānā mṛgāḥ khagāḥ gandharvāpsaraso nāgāḥ siddhāś cāraṇa-guhyakāḥ
सत्संगामुळेच रज-तमोगुणांत अडकलेले जीवही युगोयुग माझ्या भक्तांची संगत मिळवून माझे परम पद प्राप्त करतात. दैत्य, राक्षस, पशु-पक्षी, गंधर्व-अप्सरा, नाग, सिद्ध, चारण, गुह्यक, विद्याधर; तसेच मनुष्यात वैश्य, शूद्र, स्त्रिया व अन्य—अनेक जण माझ्या धामास पोहोचले. वृत्रासुर, प्रह्लाद इत्यादी; वृषपर्वा, बलि महाराज, बाणासुर, मय, विभीषण; सुग्रीव, हनुमान, जांबवान, गजेन्द्र, जटायु, तुलाधार, धर्म-व्याध, कुब्जा, व्रजातील गोपी आणि यज्ञ करणाऱ्या ब्राह्मणांच्या पत्नी—सर्वांनी सत्संगाने सिद्धी मिळवली.
The Lord has mentioned devotees such as the gopīs in Vṛndāvana and also demons like Bāṇāsura to illustrate how He comes under the control of those who surrender to Him. It is understood that devotees like the gopīs and others mentioned here obtained pure love of Kṛṣṇa, whereas the demons generally obtained only salvation. Many demons were purified by association with devotees and came to accept devotional service to the Lord as the most important among the various activities in their lives, but the exalted devotees like Prahlāda and Bali Mahārāja know nothing except devotional service, which they accept as their very life. Still, the reformed demons are also mentioned so that readers of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam will understand the enormous benefits one may achieve by associating with devotees of the Lord.