Be careful -- don't be a sahajiya

[Guest guest]

Arjuna is an eternal devotee, so on the higher platform the devotee is so

intimately related that he forgets Krsna is the Supreme Personality of

Godhead. But, in the lower stage of devotional service Krsna is looked upon

with awe and veneration. When Arjuna saw the virata murti of Krsna, actually

he came down one step below his position. Therefore he asked for forgiveness

from Krsna. So this is a teaching to the common man that we should not take

Krsna immediately as intimately as the gopis, cowherds boys, and other

advanced devotees treated Him. In the beginning we must treat the Lord with

awe and veneration. Later one when we are perfectly on the spiritual

platform, we treat Krsna more intimately, and therefore we forget the

exalted position of Krsna. But, we never imitate the Brijbasis from the

beginning as do the sahajiyas. In the beginning a devotee must follow

strictly viddhi-marga or regulated principles. When one is on the swarupa

siddha stage, the devotee can treat Krsna on an equal level or sometimes he

becomes even higher than Krsna. Just like Mother Yasoda treated Krsna a

being completely dependent upon her. So these stages are appreciated in many

advanced stages of devotional life.

 

Srila Prabhupada's Letter to: Acyutananda : -- New Delhi 1 November, 1973