Shri Rajagopala Deshika Charitam V Vol III Book X Chp 20 Shlokas 1 - 5
श्रीसद्गुरुरुवाच
न तीर्थयात्रया नृणां न च श्रीमूर्तिदर्शनात् |
साधूनां सङ्गमादेव मनःशुद्धिः प्रजायते ||
यदा सर्वेक्ष्वरो यं यमात्मन्याक्रष्टुमिच्छति |
तदैव तस्मै तस्मै च साधुसङ्गं प्रयच्छति ||
अन्यथा दुर्लभो लोके श्रीपतेः कृपया विना |
वैष्णवोत्तमसङ्गस्तु नृणां संसारिणामिह ||
तदेव गण्यं मन्येहं नृणामिह शतायुषाम् |
क्षणार्धमपि सत्सङ्गो लभ्यते यदि संसृतौ ||
यदृच्छयैव सत्सङ्गो लब्ध्वा सांसारिको नरः |
कामक्रोधविमुग्धोपि लभते नवजीवनम् ||
Shri Sadguru said
The mind gets purified only by the contact with the pious and devoted sadhus and not by pilgrimage or visit to temples and darshan of the mortis alone. Lord Sarveshwara blesses one with the association of sadhus only at that time when He decides to draw him to Himself. For the mundane people, sadhusangam is attainable only with the mercy of Lord Shripati and not in any other way. I believe that half a second of a man's life spent in the company of the sadhus is more valuable than his entire life even if it spans for a hundred years. A man may be completely enslaved by lust and anger. Yet, if he such a householder unexpectedly gains sadhusangam, he is rejuvenated and starts life afresh.
