Who is a pure devotee?

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Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

Here Srila Prabhupada gives an interesing glimpse into who he considered a

pure devotee, despite the popular notion to identify a pure devotee

necessarily with mahabhagavata. [Emphasis in asterisks is mine. - Mmd]

 

CC Madhya 15.106

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "Whoever chants the holy name of Krsna just

once is worshipable and is the topmost human being.

 

PURPORT

 

***** A devotee who believes that the holy name of the Lord is identical

with the Lord is a pure devotee, even though he may be in the neophyte

stage. By his association, others may also become Vaisnavas. *****

 

One is known as a materialistic devotee if he simply worships the Deity of

Hari with faith but does not show proper respect to the devotees and to

others. This is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.2.47):

 

arcayam eva haraye

pujam yah sraddhayehate

na tad-bhaktesu canyesu

sa bhaktah prakrtah smrtah

 

"Anyone who engages with faith in the worship of the Deity of Hari but does

not show proper respect to the devotees and to others is known as a

materialistic devotee." However, by associating with a neophyte devotee who

believes that the holy name of the Lord is identical with the Lord, one can

become a devotee also. When Lord Caitanya was teaching Sanatana Gosvami, He

said:

 

sraddhavan jana haya bhakti-adhikari

`uttama', `madhyama;', `kanistha'--sraddha-anusari

yahara komala-sraddha, se `kanistha' jana

krame krame tenho bhakta ha-ibe `uttama'

rati-prema-taratamye bhakta-taratama

 

"A person who has attained firm faith is a real candidate for advancing in

Krsna consciousness. According to the faith, there are first-class,

second-class and neophyte devotees. One who has preliminary faith is called

kanistha, or a neophyte. The neophyte, however, can become an advanced

devotee if he strictly follows the regulative principles set down by the

spiritual master. ***** The pure devotee whose faith advances becomes a

madhyama-adhikari and uttama-adhikari."***** (Cc. Madhya 22.64,69-70)

 

It is thus concluded that even a neophyte devotee is superior to the karmis

and jnanis because he has full faith in chanting the holy name of the Lord.

A karmi or a jnani, regardless of his greatness, has no faith in Lord Visnu,

His holy name or His devotional service. One may be advanced religiously,

but if he is not trained in devotional service, he has very little credit on

the transcendental platform. Even a neophyte devotee engaged in Deity

worship in accordance with the regulations set forth by the spiritual master

is in a position superior to that of the fruitive worker and speculative

philosopher.

 

 

 

Adi 7.51-52

 

tomare nindaye yata sannyasira gana

sunite na pari, phate hrdaya-sravana

 

"The Mayavadi sannyasis are all criticizing Your Holiness. We cannot

tolerate hearing such criticism, for this blasphemy breaks our hearts."

 

PURPORT

This is a manifestation of real love for Krsna and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

There are three categories of Vaisnavas: kanistha-adhikaris,

madhyama-adhikaris and uttama-adhikaris. The kanistha-adhikari, or the

devotee in the lowest stage of Vaisnava life, has firm faith but is not

familiar with the conclusions of the sastras. The devotee in the second

stage, the madhyama-adhikari, is completely aware of the sastric conclusion

and has firm faith in his guru and the Lord. He, therefore, avoiding

nondevotees, preaches to the innocent. However, the maha-bhagavata or

uttama-adhikari, the devotee in the highest stage of devotional life, does

not see anyone as being against the Vaisnava principles, for he regards

everyone as a Vaisnava but himself. This is the essence of Caitanya

Mahaprabhu's instruction that one be more tolerant than a tree and think

oneself lower than the straw in the street (trnad api su-nicena taror iva

sahisnuna). However, even if a devotee is in the uttama-bhagavata status he

must come down to the second status of life, madhyama-adhikari, to be a

preacher, for a preacher should not tolerate blasphemy against another

Vaisnava. Although a kanistha-adhikari also cannot tolerate such blasphemy,

he is not competent to stop it by citing sastric evidences. *** Therefore

Tapana Misra and Candrasekhara are understood to be kanistha-adhikaris

because they could not refute the arguments of the sannyasis in Benares.***

They appealed to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu to take action, for they felt that

they could not tolerate such criticism although they also could not stop it.

 

 

iha suni rahe prabhu isat hasiya

sei kale eka vipra milila asiya

 

While Tapana Misra and Candrasekhara were thus talking with Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu, He only smiled slightly and remained silent. At that time a

brahmana came there to meet the Lord.

 

PURPORT

Because the blasphemy was cast against Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself, He

did not feel sorry, and therefore He was smiling. This is ideal Vaisnava

behavior. One should not become angry upon hearing criticism of himself, but

if other Vaisnavas are criticized one must be prepared to act as previously

suggested. **** Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was very compassionate for His pure

devotees Tapana Misra and Candrasekhara; therefore by His grace this

brahmana immediately came to Him.***** By His omnipotency the Lord created

this situation for the happiness of His devotees.