One should never associate with materialists, those devoted to satisfying their genitals and their appetites. By following them, one falls into the deepest darkness, like a blind man following another blind man. An intelligent person should reject all evil associations and instead return to union with the holy devotees (the holy servants of God), whose words sever the excessive attachment of the mind. My faithful devotees fix their minds on Me and are dependent on nothing material. They are always peaceful, possessing an even outlook, and free from possessiveness, false ego, duality, and greed. In union with these holy devotees, there is constant discussion about Me, and those who participate in this singing and listening to My glories are certainly purified of all their sins. Whoever hears, sings, and takes to heart these matters concerning Me becomes faithfully dedicated to Me and thus fulfills My devotional service. What remains for the perfect devotee to accomplish, who serves me with love and devotion—I, the Absolute Supreme Truth, whose qualities are countless and who embodies all ecstatic experience?
Just as cold, fear, and darkness are eradicated for one who has approached the sacrificial fire, so too are gloom, fear, and ignorance destroyed for one who is committed to serving the Lord’s devotees. The Lord’s devotees, peacefully fixed in absolute knowledge, are the refuge of ultimate life for those who repeatedly rise and fall in the terrifying ocean of material existence. These devotees are like a sturdy boat that comes to the rescue of those who are about to drown.
Just as food is the life of all creatures, just as I am the ultimate refuge for those in distress, and just as religion is the wealth of those who die in this world, so too are my devotees the only refuge for those who fear falling into a miserable existence. My faithful devotees grant divine vision, whereas the sun only allows outward sight, and only when it rises in the sky. My devotees are our true, beloved deities and our true family. They are themselves, and ultimately, they are no different from Me.
Let us never associate ourselves with unbelieving materialists.
The harmful actions of the materialist, and their resulting consequences.
In truth, foolish materialists remain incapable of understanding that they are simply wasting their time striving to produce material goods, since these are all destined for annihilation under the influence of time. This waste of energy stems from the ignorance of the masses of human beings, who are unaware of their eternal existence and their eternal purpose. They do not know that the duration of their existence in a given material body represents but a flash in their eternal journey. Ignoring this fact, they consider this brief glimmer of existence as the only reality, and waste their time improving their economic situation.
Krishna, God, the Supreme Person, continues his teaching:
Just as a mass of clouds is unaware of the wind's force, so too does the being absorbed in material consciousness ignore the formidable power of time that sweeps it away. Whatever the materialist produces at the cost of much torment and effort in pursuit of a supposed happiness, the Supreme Lord, in the form of time, destroys it; this is why the conditioned soul grieves. The misguided materialist is unaware that their body is temporary, and that the attraction to home, land, and wealth, linked to the body, is also ephemeral. Ignorance alone leads them to believe that everything is permanent. Whatever species they are born into, the distinct being (distinct from God) finds a particular kind of satisfaction, so that they are never dissatisfied with their condition.
The conditioned being is content with their lot, whatever species they belong to. Misled by the influence of the illusory energy that clouds his vision, he is hardly inclined to relinquish his body, even if he lives in hell, for he revels in the basest pleasures.