Vaisnava-tattva
Definition of a Vaisnava
3.1
grhita-visnudiksako visnu-pujaparo narah
vaisnavo 'bhihito 'bhijnairitaro
'smadavaisnavah
One who is initiated into the Vaisnava mantra and who is
devoted to
worshiping Lord Visnu is a
Vaisnava. One who is devoid of these practices is not
a Vaisnava. (Hari-bhakti-vilasa, 11, quoted from Padma Purana)
Different Kinds of Vaisnavas
3.2
dvedha hi
bhagavata-sampradaya-pravrttih.
ekatah samksepatah sri
narayanad-brahma-naradadidvarena.
anyatastu vistaratah sesat
sanat-kumara-sankhyayanadi-dvarena.
Vaisnavas are divided into different sampradayas according to their
inclinations. The first of
these has come from Narayana by way of Brahma,Narada
and so on. Another sampradaya comes from Sesa Bhagavan and
has been outlined
by the Sanat-Kumaras.
(Sridhara Svami's commentary on Bhag.
3.1.1)
Three Kinds of Devotees
Arcana-marga and Neophyte Devotees
3.3
sankha-cakra-dyurddha
pundra-dharanadyatmalaksanam
tan-namaskaranais caiva
vaisnavavatvamihocyate
In terms of the pancaratra-viddhi,
one whose body is marked with the conch,
lotus, disc, and club of
Visnu, who wears Visnu tilaka, and
who offers respect to
other Vaisnavas is known by
these symptoms as a kanistha-adhikari
Vaisnava.
(Padma-Purana)
Arcana-marga and the Intermediate
Devotees
3.4
tapah pundram tatha nama mantro yagasca
pancamah
ami hi panca samskarah
paramaikanti-hetavah
A madhyama-adhikari
Vaisnava in terms of pancaratrika-viddhi,
is one who
has been purified by the five
kinds of purificatory processes (panca-samskaras):
1) practicing austerity for
the sake of Visnu, 2) wearing Visnu tilaka,
3) receiving the holy name of
Visnu, 4) accepting initiation into the gayatri-
mantra, and
5) performing yajna for the sake of
Visnu. He must also have firm
faith in Visnu. (Padma Purana)
Arcana-marga and the Advanced Devotee
3.5
tadadi-panca-samskari navejyakarma-karakah
artha-pancakavid vipro mahabhagavatah smrtah
A spiritually developed person who has mastered the
above-mentioned five
processes of purification (panca-samskaras), who is absorbed in the
nine devotional
activities (deity worship, mantra, yoga, yajna, prayers, nama-sankirtana,
service,
and worship of both the
Vaisnavas and the Lord) and who understands the esoteric
meaning of these different
activities in full, is to be known as a maha-bhagavata,
a great devotee of Visnu, and
a topmost Vaisnava. (Padma Purana)
Three kinds of Devotees in Relation to
Krsna-prema
The Symptoms of a Neophyte Devotee
3.6
arcayam-eva haraye pujam yah sraddhayehate
na tad-bhaktesu canyesu sa bhaktah
prakrtah smrtah
Those who faithfully worship the Deity, but cannot treat
devotees properly
and cannot deal properly with
the people in general are known as prakrta-bhaktas,
materialistic or neophyte
devotees (kanistha-adhikari vaisnavas). (Bhag. 11.2.47)
Note: Srila Prabhupada comments on this verse in Caitanya-Caritamrta:
A prakrta-bhakta, or materialistic devotee, does not
purposefully study
the sastra and try to understand the actual standard
of pure devotional
service. Consequently, he does not show proper respect
to advanced devotees.
He may, however, follow the regulative principles,
learn from his
spiritual master, or from his family who worships the
Deity. He is to be
considered on the material platform, although he is
trying to advance in
devotional service. Such a person is a bhakta-praya, a
neophyte devotee,
or bhaktabhasa when he is a little enlightened by
Vaisnava philosophy.
Symptoms of a Madhyama-adhikari
3.7
isvare tad-adhinesu balisesu dvisatsu ca
prema-maitri-krpopeksa yah karoti sa
madhyamah
A madhyama-adhikari
Vaisnava shows love for the Supreme Lord, friendship
for the devotees, mercy
towards the innocent and ignorant, and is indifferent
towards the envious. (Bhag. 11.2.46)
3.8
krsna prema, krsna bhakte maitri-arcarana
balisete krpa, ara dvesi-upeksana
karilena madhyama-bhakta suddha-bhakta hana
krsna-name adhikara karena arjana
One who has love for Krsna, who makes friends with the
devotees, who
shows mercy to the neophytes and
ignorant people, and who avoids the envious
is a madhyama-bhakta and is considered a pure devotee, a suddha-bhakta.
He
is qualified to chant the
holy name of Krsna. (Harinama Cintamani,
Chapter 8)
Symptoms of an Uttama-adhikari
3.9
sarva-bhutesu yah pasyed bhagavad-bhavam
atmanah
bhutani bhagavaty atmany esa
bhagavatottamah
A person advanced in devotional service sees within
everything the soul of
souls, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. Consequently he always
sees Krsna everywhere and in
everything. He is an uttama-bhagavata, one
on the topmost platform of
devotional service. (Bhag. 11.2.45)
3.10
sthavara-jangama dekhe, na dekhe
sarvatra haya nija ista-deva-sphurti
The maha-bhagavata
certainly sees everything mobile and immobile, but
he does not exactly see their
forms. Rather, everywhere he immediately sees
manifest the form of the
Supreme Lord. (Cc. Madhya 8.274)
Further Symptoms of an Uttama-adhikari
3.11
grhitvapindriyair arthan yo na dvesti na
hrsyati
visnor mayam idam pasyan sa vai
bhagavatottamah
One who is so absorbed in love of God that he sees
everything as the
energy of Lord Krsna (even
while the senses perceive their objects), and who
therefore feels neither
attachment nor hatred towards the things of this world is
indeed the greatest among
devotees (bhagavatottama). (Bhag. 11.2.48)
3.12
dehendriya prana-mano-dhiyam yo
janmapyaya-ksud-bhaya-tarsa-krcchraih
samsara-dharmair avimuhyamanah
smrtya harer bhagavata-pradhanah
Within the material world, one's body, senses, mind, life
airs, and
intelligence are always
disturbed by birth, death, hunger, fear, and thirst. One
who is not bewildered by
these miseries of material existence, who always remembers
the lotus feet of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is considered bhagavata-
pradhanah, a
topmost devotee of the Lord. (Bhag.
11.2.49)
3.13
na kama-karma-bijanam yasya cetasi
sambhavah
vasudevaika-nilayah sa vai
bhagavatottamah
One who has taken exclusive shelter of the Supreme Lord
Vasudeva, whose
heart is freed from the seeds
of lust and karma is considered a bhagavatottama.
(Bhag. 11.2.50)
3.14
na yasya janma-karmabhyam na
varnasrama-jatibhih
sajjate 'sminn aham-bhavo dehe vai sa
hareh priyah
One who is free from pride about his good birth, pious
activities, exalted
varnasrama position,
and is free from bodily designations, and who serves the
Lord with humility is known
as a beloved devotee of the Lord. (Bhag.
11.2.51)
3.15
na yasya svah para iti vittesv atmani va
bhida
sarva-bhuta-samah santah sa vai
bhagavatottamah
A maha-bhagavata
is one who is free from the conception of "This is mine
and this is for others".
He thinks, "Everything is for Krsna". He sees all living
being as equally related to
Krsna, and he is peaceful, being filled with Krsna
consciousness. (Bhag. 11.2.52)
3.16
tri-bhuvana-vibhava-hetave 'py akuntha-
smrtir ajitatma-suradibhir vimrgyat
na calati bhagavat-padaravindal
lava-nimisardham api yah sa
vaisnavagryah
The lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, Krsna, are sought by
demigods such
as Brahma and Siva, who have
accepted Him as their life and soul. A pure
devotee can never forget
Krsna's lotus feet or give up their shelter for a moment,
even in exchange for the
three worlds. Such a devotee is known as a
maha-bhagavata.
(Bhag. 11.2.53)
3.17
bhagavat uru-vikramanghri-sakha-
nakha-mani-candrikaya nirasta-tape
hrdi katham upasidatam punah sa
prabhavati candra ivodite 'rka-tapah
How can the painful fever of material life befall those
who hold the cooling
lotus feet of Lord Krsna within their hearts?
By the power of Krsna's lotus feet
all the troubles in the heart
of His pure devotee are banished forever, for His
toenails are like gems whose
rays soothe the heart of His devotee and relieve
him from all trouble, just like
the rays of the moon cool the earth from the heat
of the summer sun. (Bhag. 11.2.54)
3.18
visrjati hrdayam na yasya saksad
dharir avasabhihito 'py aghaugha-nasah
pranaya-rasanaya dhrtanghri-padmah
sa bhavati bhagavata-pradhana uktah
One who chants the holy name of the Supreme Lord, Hari,
even
unconsciously, is freed from
all sins. When Lord Hari grants liberation from sin to
one who even unconsciously or
negligently chants is holy name, the position of
one who never abandons the
shelter of His lotus feet must be considered highly
exalted. Such a devotee can
never give up the association of the Lord, nor can
the Lord give up his
association. Krsna Himself dwells eternally within his
heart. Such a great soul is
known as a maha-bhagavata. (Bhag. 11.2.55)
The Paramahamsa Vaisnava
3.19
jnana-nistho virakto va mad-bhakto
vanapeksakah
sa lingan asramams tyaktva cared
avidhi-gocarah
The paramahamsa
is fixed in transcendental knowledge. He is free from
attachment to all sense
enjoyments and does not long for anything, including
moksa. Such a great soul has
renounced not only the duties of varnasrama,
but
also its external marks
including even the dress of a sannyasi.
Such a great soul
has given up all attachment
to previous conceptions of religion and duty, beginning
with dharma, artha,
for he has already surpassed
all Vedic injunctions and prohibitions. He is no
longer ruled by the
scriptures for he is spontaneously devoted to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead on the
highest platform of divine love. (Bhag.
11.18.28)
Description of the Three Kinds of
Devotees From Caitanya-caritamrta
3.20
sraddhavan jana haya bhakti-adhikari
'uttama,' 'madhyama,' 'kanistha,'
sraddha-anusari.
sastra-yuktye sunipuna,
drdha-sraddha-yanra
'uttama-adhikari' sei taraye samsara.
sastra-yukti nahi jane drdha, sraddhavan
'madhyama-adhikari' sei maha-bhagyavan.
yahara komala sraddha, se 'kanistha'
jana
krame krame teoho bhakta haibe 'uttama.'
A faithful devotee is a truly eligible candidate for the
loving service of
the Lord. According to one's
faith, one is classified as a topmost devotee, an inter-
mediate devotee, or an
inferior devotee.
One who is expert in logic, argument, and the revealed
scriptures and who
has firm faith in Krsna is
classified as a topmost devotee. He can deliver the
whole world.
One who is not very expert in argument, logic, and the
scriptures, but who
has firm faith, is considered
a second-class devotee. He also must be considered
most fortunate.
One whose faith is soft and pliable is called a neophyte,
but by following
the process gradually he will
rise to the platform of a first-class devotee.
(Cc. Madhya 22.64, 65, 67, 69)
Lord Caitanya Explains the Three Kinds
of Devotees An Ordinary Vaisnava
3.21
prabhu kahe, "yanra mukhe suni
eka-bara
krsna-nama, sei pujya, srestha
sabakara"
The Lord said: Whoever chants the holy name of Krsna just
once may be
considered a vaisnava. Such a person is worshipable,
and is the topmost human
being. (Cc. Madhya 15.106)
A
3.22
"krsna-nama" nirantara yanhara
vadane
se vaisnava-srestha, bhaja tanhara
carane
A person who is always chanting the holy name of the Lord
is a superior
Vaisnava, and your duty is to
serve his lotus feet. (Cc. Madhya
16.72)
The Topmost Vaisnava
3.23
yanhara darsane mukhe aise krsna-nama
tanhare janiha tumi 'vaisnava-pradhana'
The topmost Vaisnava is he whose very presence makes
others chant the
holy name of Krsna. He is
superior to all others! (Cc. Madhya
16.74)
Who is a Vaisnava
3.24
dusta mana! tumi kisera vaisnava?
pratisthara tare, nirjanera ghare,
tava "harinama" kevala
kaitava:
jadera pratistha, sukarera vistha,
jana na ki taha "mayara
vaibhava"
kanaka-kamini, divasa-yamini,
bhaviya ki kaja, anitya se saba:
tomara kanaka, bhojera janaka,
kanakera dvare sevaha
"madhava."
kaminira kama, nahe tava dhama,
tahara malika kevala "yadava."
pratisthasa-taru, jada-maya-maru
na pela "ravana" yujhiya
"raghava:"
vaisnavi pratistha, tate kara nistha,
taha na bhajile labhibe gaurava.
harijana-dvesa, pratisthasa klesa,
kara kena tabe tahara gaurava.
vaisnavera pache, pratisthasa ache,
ta'ta kabhu nahe
"anitya-vaibhava."
se hari sambandha, sunya-mayagandha,
taha kabhu naya "jadera
kaitava":
pratistha-candali, nirjanata-jali
ubhaye janiha mayika-raurava.
"kirtana chadiba, pratistha
makhiba,"
ki kaja dhundiya tadrsa gaurava:
madhavendra puri, bhava-ghare churi,
na karila kabhu sadai janava.
tomara pratistha, "sukarera
vistha,"
matsarata-vase, tumi jadarase,
majecha chadiya kirtana-sausthava.
tai dusta mana,
"nirjana-bhajana,"
pracharicha chale
"kuyogi-vaibhava"
prabhu sanatane, prabhu yatane
siksa dila yaha cinta sei saba
sei du'ti katha, bhula' na sarvatha,
uccaisvare kara "harinama-rava"
"phalgu" ara
"yukta," "baddha" ara "mukta,"
kabhu na bhaviha 'ekakara saba
"kanaka-kamini,"
"pratistha-baghini,"
chadiyache yare sei ta' vaisnava:
sei "anasakta," sei
"suddha bhakta,"
samsara tathaya paya parabhava
"yathayogya-bhoga," nahi tatha
roga,
"anasakta" sei, ki ara kahaba
"asakti rahita"
"sambandha-sahita,"
visaya-samuha sakali
"madhava."
se "yukta-vairagya, "taha ta'
"saubhagya,"
tahai jadete harira vaibhava:
kirtane yahara,
"pratistha-sambhara,"
tahara sampatti kevala
"kaitava."
"visaya-mumuksu,"
"bhogera bubhuksu,"
duye tyaja mana, dui
"avaisnava"
"krsnera sambandha," aprakrta
skandha,
kabhu nahe taha jadera sambhava"
"mayavadi jana," krsnetara
mana,
mukta abhimane se ninde vaisnava
vaisnavera dasa, tava bhakti-asa,
kena va dakicha nirjana-ahava
ye "phalgur-vairagi," kahe,
nije, "tyagi,"
se na pare kabhu haite
"vaisnava."
hari-pada chadi', nirjanata badi',
labhiya ki phala, "phalgu" se
vaibhava.
radha-dasye nahi chada bhoga-aki
pratisthasa nahe kirtanan-gaurave
kena va nirjana-bhajana-kaitava.
vrajavasi-gana, pracaraka-dhana,
pratistha-bhiksuka ta'ra nahe
"sava."
prana ache ta'ra, se hetu pracara,
pratisthasa-hina "krsna-gatha"
saba.
sri-dayita dasa, kirtanete asa,
kara uccaih-svare
"hari-nama-rava."
kirtana-prabhave, smarana haibe,
se kale bhajana-nirjana sambhava.
O wicked mind! What kind of Vaisnava are you? You go off
o chant in a
solitary place, but your
chanting is only for name and fame (pratistha).
It is
nothing but hypocrisy. Such
mundane name and fame is hog's stool. It is an
allurement of maya. Day and night you think of nothing
but women and money.
Why waste your time
meditating on things that are temporary? You think money
is the father of enjoyment,
but money is not meant for your pleasure. When
you claim wealth as your own,
it only creates within you a lust for enjoyment.
Your money should serve
Krsna, who is Madhava, the husband of the goddess
of fortune and the enjoyer of
all wealth.
Satisfying the desire of beautiful women is never your
domain; it is the
domain of their proprietor
Yadava. He alone can fulfill the hankering of their
heart. Ravana fought Rama in
order to achieve the highest prestige (pratistha),
but that prestige was only an
illusion. His hope for prestige had grown as mighty
as a great tree within the
forest of desires within his heart, but the soul can find
no cooling shade there, for
the "forest" is really only a mirage in the desert of
material illusion. Don't be
like Ravana, who wanted to enjoy the position of
Rama. Accept the position of
the servant of Visnu. Take your stand upon the
foundation of pure devotional
service, giving up all your hopes for false prestige,
and thus become a genuine Vaisnava.
If you don't worship the position of
the Vaisnava, you will be doomed.
Those who go to great trouble in hopes for prestige as
great devotees, are
envious of devotees and are
rewarded for their trouble with a hellish life. The
genuine fame that follows a Vaisnava is not the same as the
temporary fame that
follows pretenders. The fame
that follows a Vaisnava does not
stink of maya. It
has no trace of the treachery
of pretentious imposters. The self-promotion and
fame of a pseudo Vaisnava is
like a dog-eating whore: it is unchaste and unprin-
cipled. Their solitary bhajan is counterfeit. O mind, know that
both the artifi-
cial fame and bogus bhajana of pseudo-devotees is a hellish
phantasmagoria.
They think: "I shall
give up the kirtana of the holy name
and pray for fame and
position." But what is
the use of such "fame'"?
O mind, know for certain that Madhavendra Puri never
cheated himself in
this way by robbing himself
of his own internal treasure and proclaiming his
greatness to the world. O
mind, your fame is hog stool. No one shall ever be
the equal of Mahavendra Puri,
so why do you wish to compete with him for
fame? Under the control of
envy, you have drowned yourself in the ocean of
mundane rasa and material enjoyment. The only thing you have truly
renounced
is the sublime Krsna kirtana in the association of devotees.
O wicked mind! Your so-called solitary worship is
preached and practiced
by wicked imposters who
impersonate devotees for nefarious purposes. With
great care you should
consider what Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught Sanatana
Gosvami. Loudly chant the
holy name of Krsna. Never forget the two most
valuable things he taught
Sanatana: phalgu and yukta, "real and false
renunciation;
" and baddha and mukta, "freed and enslaved." Never mistake one for the
other, or think them to be
the same.
Money, women, and fame are like tigers. A Vaisnava gives
them up and
keeps them at a distance.
Such a devotee, who is without material attachments,
is a suddha-vaisnava. Such a devotee has conquered over the material
world
and its illusions of
enjoyment. Accepting only what is needed in the service of
the Lord, he remains free
from the diseased mentality of material enjoyment
and dedicates himself to the
Lord's service. Free from all false attachments he
sees everything in
relationship to Krsna, understanding that everything is meant
for the pleasure of Sri
Krsna. He knows that to engage everything in the service
of Krsna is real
renunciation. Because he understands that the true position of
renunciation is in dedicating
everything to Krsna, he is truly fortunate. Al-
though he lives within the
material world he dwells within the revelation of
Krsna's pastimes, and
experiences the extension of the spiritual world within
the material world.
On the other hand, one who chants the holy name of the
Lord for name
and fame is simply a
hypocrite and a cheater. His renunciation is false. O mind!
give up the association of
both those who want liberation and those who want
material enjoyment. They are
all non-devotees.
What is in connection with Krsna is aprakrta: non material and supra
mundane. The divine things in
relation to Krsna should never be seen as material.
By virtue of its divine
connection with Krsna a thing becomes transcendental.
It is therefore impossible
for it to be anything less than divine. The mayavadis
can never think of Krsna.
Proud of their piety, they think themselves liberated
and blaspheme the Vaisnavas.
O mind, your only prayer is to be the servant of the
devotees. Make this
prayer your only
contemplation. Why do you want to go off and leave the
devotees. A phalgu-vairagi does not understand that
the true meaning of re-
nunciation is devotion. In
the dress of a devotee, such an impostor calls himself
a tyagi, a great renouncer, but he is only a great pretender. He will
never be a
true Vaisnava. Giving up the
lotus feet of Sri Hari, he leaves the Lord's service
behind in order to perform
his "worship" in a solitary place. Having left the
service of Sri Krsna and the
association of devotees, what will he get by becoming
famous as a humble man? Those
who, in a false spirit of renunciation, give
up the service of Krsna, the
association of Vaisnavas and the
order of the guru to
execute solitary bhajana may sit in their hut and chant,
but the only fruit they
get is false. What is the use
of such foolishness?
O mind! Always engage yourself in the service of Sri
Radha, and keep
aloof from the snake of
material enjoyment. There is nothing glorious about
performing kirtana simply for name and fame. You
are the eternal servant of
Srimati Radharani. Why then
do you renounce her for the cheating process of
nirjana-bhajana?
Why do you run after false renunciation and so give up the
service of Sri Radha? The
residents of Vrndavana are the real object of preaching.
They do not aspire for false
prestige, nor are they devoid of life, as are the
false renunciates. Those who
have spiritual vitality can preach and instill spiri-
tual life in their audience.
Preaching is the symptom of vitality. One who
preaches the message of Krsna
consciousness is devoid of hopes for prestige.
Sri Dayita Dasa, (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta) the humble
servant of Sri Radha
and her beloved Krsna always
hopes for kirtana, and begs everyone
to sing the
holy name of the Lord aloud.
By the influence of such kirtana, one
may gradu-
ally come to the exalted
stage of smaranam, wherein one
constantly remembers
the pastimes of Krsna within
one's mind. Nirjana-bhajana is
conceivable only
after attaining this advanced
level of krsna-bhakti.
(Mahajana-racita Gita, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura.)
The Twenty-six Qualities of a Vaisnava
3.25
sei saba guna haya vaisnava-laksan
saba kaha na yaya, kari dig-darasana.
krpalu, akrta-droha, satya-sara, sama
nirdosa, vadanya, mrdu, suci, akincana.
sarvopakaraka, santa, krsnaika-sarana
akama, aniha, sthira, vijita-sad-guna.
mita-bhuk, apramatta, manada, amani
gambhira, karuna, maitra, kavi, daksa,
mauni.
All these transcendental qualities are the
characteristics of pure vaisnavas.
They cannot be fully
explained, but I shall try to point out some of the important
qualities:
Devotees are always merciful,
humble, truthful, equal to all, faultless, magnanimous,
mild, and clean. They are
without material possessions, and they perform
welfare work for everyone.
They are peaceful, surrendered to Krsna, and
desireless. They are
indifferent to material acquisitions and are fixed in devo-
tional service. They
completely control the six bad qualities: lust, anger, greed,
pride, illusion, and envy.
They eat only as much as required, and are sober.
They are respectful, grave,
compassionate, and without false prestige. They are
friendly, poetic, expert, and
silent, that is they do not speak whimsically.
(Cc. Madhya 22.77-80)
Vaisnavas see With Equal Vision
3.26
vidya-vinaya-sampanne brahmane gavi hastini
suni caiva sva-pake ca panditah
sama-darsinah
The learned devotee sees with equal vision (by dint of
true knowledge) the
brahmana,
the cow, the elephant, the dog, and the outcaste. (Bhagavad-gita 5.18)
3.27
mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes
tamo-dvaram yositam sangi-sangam
mahantas te sama-cittah prasanta
vimanyavah suhrdah sadhavo ye
Service to mahatmas opens the door to liberation. The
path to hell is wide
open for those who associate
with people fond of women and sex. The great
devotees are equipoised. They
do not see any difference between one living
being and another. They are
peaceful, and are fully engaged in devotional ser-
vice. They are devoid of
anger and they work for the benefit of everyone. They
do not behave in any
abominable way. Such persons are known as mahatmas.
(Bhag. 5.5.2)
3.28
ye va mayise krta-sauhrdartha janesu
dehambhara-vartikesu
grhesu jayatmaja-ratimatsu na
priti-yukta yavad-arthas ca loke
Those who are interested in reviving their Krsna
consciousness and in-
creasing their love of
Godhead do not like to do anything that is not related to
Krsna. They are not
interested in mingling with those who are busy maintaining
their bodies by eating,
sleeping, mating, and defending. They are not attached
to their homes, although they
may be householders. Nor are they attached
to wives, children, friends,
or wealth. At the same time, they are not
indifferent to the execution
of their duties. Such persons are interested in col-
lecting only enough money to
keep their body and soul together These are the
characteristics of a devotee.
(Bhag. 5.5.3)
The Lord is Conquered by Devotion
3.29
aham bhakta-paradhino hy asvatantra iva
dvija
sadhubhir grasta-hrdayo bhaktair
bhakta-jana-priyah
I am completely under the control of My devotees. Indeed,
I am not inde-
pendent. I sit within the
core of their heart. What to speak of My devotees
even those who are devotees
of my devotees are very dear to
3.30
sadhavo hrdayam mahyam sadhunam hrdayam tv aham
mad-anyat te na jananti naham tebhyo manag api
My pure devotees are always in my heart, and I am always
in their heart.
My devotees know nothing but
Me, and I know nothing but them. (Bhag.
9.4.68)
A Vaisnava is Supremely Merciful
3.31
bhavad-vidha bhagavatas tirtha-bhutah
svayam vibho
tirthi-kurvanti tirthani svantah-sthena
gadabhrta
Devotees are themselves the highest places of pilgrimage,
capable of giving
benediction to all, for they
always carry the Supreme Lord, Krsna, within
their heart. Thus they purify
the holy places of pilgrimage as well as those who
visit such places. (Bhag. 1.13.10)
3.32
yan-namam-sruti-matrena puman bhavati
nirmalah
tasya tirtha-padah kim va dasanam
avasisyate
If simply by hearing Sri Krsna's holy name one becomes
supremely purified,
who can imagine the purifying
power of chose who are constantly engaged in service
to His lotus feet? What is
impossible for such persons? (Bhag.
9.5.16)
The Glories of the Vaisnavas
3.33
sva dharma-nisthah sata-janmabhih puman
virincatam eti tatah param hi mam
avyakrtam bhagavato 'tha vaisnavam
padam yathaham vibudhah kalatyaye
One who perfectly follows his duty in varnasrama-dharma
for one hundred
births can attain the
position of Brahma. One who is more qualified can
attain the position of Siva.
A Vaisnava, however, is immediately
promoted to
the spiritual planets far
beyond even my abode. That transcendental position is
so difficult to realize that
I, Lord Siva, and the other gods can attain those
spiritual planets only after
the ultimate annihilation of the material world.
(Bhag. 4.24.29)
3.34
nayana bhariya dekha dasera prabhava
hena dasyabhave krsne kara anuraga
alpa hena na maniha
"krsna-dasa" nama
alpa-bhagye dasa nahi kare bhagavan
dasa-name brahma-siva harisa-antara
dharani-dharendra cahe dasa adhikara
[Lord Caitanya said] Just see the influence of the
servant of Krsna. With
such a mentality of service,
cultivate a deep attachment to Krsna. If, however,
you are devoid of a service
attitude and do not wish to call yourself "Krsna-dasa,"
you will be most unfortunate:
the Lord will never accept you as His servant.
Brahma and Siva, although
they are the masters of the universe, take endless
delight in the name
"Krsna-dasa" and pray for the qualification to become
servants of Sri Krsna. (C.Bhag.
3.35
kita janma hau yatha tuya dasa
bahir-mukha brahma-janme nahi asa
Let me take birth as a worm as Your servant. O Krsna, I
would forsake
a birth as Brahma, if that
birth was devoid of Your service.
(Saranagati, Bhaktivinode Thakura)
The glories of the Servants of the
Vaisnavas
3.36
maj janmanah phalam idam
madhu-kaitabhare
mat prarthaniya mad anugraha esa eva
tvad
bhrtya-bhrtya-paricaraka-bhrtya-bhrtya
bhrtyasya-bhrtyam iti mam smara
lokanatha
O Supreme Lord of all, slayer of the demons Madhu and
Kaitabha! Please
be merciful to me and grant
my prayer that You may remember me as a servant
of Your servant's servant, a
servant of such a servant of Your servant's
servant, a servant of a
servant of Your servant's servant, and a servant of Your
servant's servant servant.
Note: Srila Prabhupada sometimes alluded to this verse in his lectures by
stressing that a vaisnava aspires to become the
servant of the servant of
the servant of the Lord one thousand times removed.
Further Glories of Vaisnavas
3.37
sadhunam sama-cittanam sutaram
mat-krtatmanam
darsanan no bhaved bandhah pumso 'ksnoh
savitur yatha
When one is face to face with the Sun, there is no longer
darkness for one's
eyes. Similarly, when one is
face to face with a sadhu who is
fully determined
and surrendered to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, one will no
longer be subject to material
bondage. (Bhag. 10.10.41)
3.38
na hy am-mayani tirthani na deva
mrc-chila-mayah
te punaty uru-kalena darsanad eva
sadhavah
Water alone does not make a sacred place holy. Nor is it
earth nor clay
that composes the form of the
Deity. The waters of the
places, and the worship of
the Salagrama-sila purify one only after
a long time,
but saints like you purify
instantly by their very sight. (Bhag. 10.84.11)
Without Taking Shelter of a Vaisnava,
all Knowledge is Lost
3.39
thakura-vaisnava-pada, avanira
susuampada,
suna bhai! haina eka mana:
asraya laiya bhaje, tare krsna nahi
tyaje patha-bheda,
ara sava nare akarana
vaisnava-carana-jala, prema-bhakti dite
bala,
aro keho nane balavanta:
vaisnava-carana-renu, mastake bhusana
vinu
ara nahi bhusanera anta,
tirthajala-pavitra-gune, likhiyache
purane,
se saba bhaktira pravancana:
vaisnavera padadoka, sama nahe ei saba,
yate haya vanjita purana.
vaisnava-sangete mana, anandita
anuksana,
sada haya krsna-parasanga:
dina narottama kande, hiya dhairya nahi
vandhe,
mora dasa kena haila bhanga.
O brother, please hear my words with rapt attention: The
lotus feet of the
vaisnavas
are the most valuable treasure in the world. Those vaisnavas con-
tinually take shelter of Lord
Krsna and worship Him. They never abandon
their Lord, but they are
liberated from the cycle of repeated birth and death.
The water which has washed
the lotus feet of the vaisnavas
bestows devotional
service in pure love of
Godhead. There is nothing as effective in attaining this
divine love. I place the dust
from the lotus feet of the vaisnavas
upon my head.
I wear no other ornament. The
purifying power of the waters of the various
places of pilgrimage is
described in the Puranas, although
this is something of a
deceptive trick. Actually
there is nothing which is as purifying as the water
which has washed the lotus
feet of the vaisnavas. This water
fulfills all desires.
Moment after moment my mind
finds contant pleasure in the association of the
Vaisnavas. I always seek the
company of those devoted to Lord Krsna. The
poor-hearted Narottama dasa
Thakura cries, "I cannot maintain my composure
any longer. Why have I fallen
into such a low condition of life that I cannot
get the association of the vaisnavas?"
(Prarthana Narottama dasa Thakura)
Only Vaisnavas are Really Merciful to
the Fallen
3.40
ei baro karuna koro, vaisnava gosai
patita pavana toma bine keho nai.
jahara nikate gele papa dure jay
emona doyalu prabhu keba kotha pay.
gangara parasa hoile pascate pavan
darsane pavitra koro ei tomara guna.
hari-sthane aparadhe tare' hari-nama
toma-sthane aparadhe nahika paritrana.
tomara hrdoye sada govinda-visrama
govinda kahena, mora vaisnava
prati janme kori asa caranera dhuli
narottame koro doya apanara bali'.
O Vaisnava Gosvami, please be merciful to me. No one
except for you can
purify the conditioned souls.
Where does anyone go to find such a merciful
personality by whose mere
audience all sins go far away? After bathing in the
waters of the sacred
sight of you, fallen souls
are purified. This is your great power. The holy name
delivers one who has
committed an offense to Lord Hari, but if one commits an
offense to you, there is no
way of overcoming it. Your heart is always the
resting place of Lord
Govinda, and Lord Govinda says the Vaisnavas are always
in My heart. I desire the
dust of your holy feet in every birth I may take.
Please consider Narottama
dasa Thakura yours and be kind upon him.
(Prarthana Narottama dasa Thakura)
The Glories of Exclusive Vaisnavas
3.41
brahmananam sahasrebhyah satrayaji
visisyate
satrayaji-sahasrebhyah
sarvavedanta-paragah
sarva-vedanta-vit-kotya visnu-bhakto
visisyate
vaisnavanam sahasrebhyah ekantyeko
visisyate
Out of many thousands of brahmanas, one who performs sacrifice for Visnu
is best. Out of thousands of
such yajnika-brahmanas, one who knows
the meaning
of Vedanta is best. But of millions of such vedantists, a devotee of
Visnu is best.
And out of thousands of Visnu bhaktas, one who is an unalloyed devotee
of
Visnu is the best. (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 10.117 and Bhakti-sandarbha, 177)
3.42
na mayy ekanta-bhaktanam guna-dosodbhava
gunah
sadhunam sama-cittanam buddheh param
upeyusam
Material piety and sin, which arise from the good and
evil of this world,
cannot exist within My unalloyed
devotees, who, being freed from material hank-
ering, maintain steady
spiritual consciousness in all circumstances.
(Bhag. 11.20.36)
Vaisnavas are Very Rare
3.43
bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam
prapadyate
vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma su-durlabhah
After many, many births and deaths, one who is in
knowledge surrenders
unto Me, knowing Me
(Vasudeva) as the cause of all that is. Such a great soul
is very rare. (Bhagavad-gita 7.19)