Don't take sides, avoid avoid avoid Vaisnava-ninda!

[Guest guest]

Then, suddenly, a leper appeared in the assembly. Coming before Lord

Caitanya, he threw himself to the ground, groaning with pain. After getting

up, the leper raised his arms above his head and loudly wailed, "O merciful

Lord, You have risen like the sun to dissipate the miseries of material

existence. Your compassionate nature is always moved by the sufferings of

others, and so I have come to You. I am burning with pain due to leprosy.

Kindly tell me how I can gain relief."

 

In reply, the Lord spoke angrily with a thundering voice: "Go away from

here! Just by seeing you, one incurs sin! Even a very pious man- if he just

sees your face, the day will bring him only misery. You are a wretched

sinner and an offender of Vaishnavas. Much more suffering is in store for

you. You cannot even tolerate your present pain. How will live through all

the suffering that awaits you in the Kumbhapaka hell?"

 

"A Vaishnava is so pure that simply uttering his name can cleanse the entire

universe. One can easily attain the association of Lord Krishna simply by

serving a Vaishnava. Indeed, there is nothing superior to worshiping a

Vaishnava. In Shrimad-Bhagavatam it is said, (11.14.15) 'O Uddhava, My

devotees are dearer to Me than anyone. Although Brahma is My son, Shiva My

partial expansion, Sankarshana My brother, and Lakshmidevi My wife, they are

not so dear to Me as you are.' So, anyone who offends a Vaishnava and

criticizes him will have to suffer terrible consequences, life after life."

"A person's piety, education and austerities are rendered useless by

criticizing a Vaishnava. Lord Krishna refuses to accept worship from a

person who has offended a Vaishnava. Mother Earth feels blessed when

Vaishnavas dance on her, and when they lift their arms to the sky, all

misfortune in the heavenly planets is waved away."

 

"Such an elevated devotee is Shrivasa Pandita, and you are so demoniac that

you offended him. Your leprosy is just a reminder of your offenses. The

actual punishment is yet to come, meted out by Yamaraja, the lord of death.

Therefore, I do not even want to see you- what to speak of become your

deliverer."

 

The leper listened to this chastisement in silence. Then, with utmost

humility, he placed straw between his teeth and prayed, "Due to ignorance, I

have destroyed my own self! Being infected with the material disease, I have

offended a Vaishnava. For this abominable act, I deserve any amount of

pain."

 

"Now, My Lord, kindly consider how I can be delivered. It is the nature of

saintly personalities to heal the suffering of the wretched, and to forgive

the blasphemers. Therefore, I have taken shelter of You. If You turn me

away, who will save me? You know the proper penance for various sinful

activities. As a kind father, please tell me what penance You condone for my

offenses."

 

The Lord replied, "Leprosy is just the first punishment for such an offender

as you. Yamaraja has eighty-four lakh thousand types of excruciating

punishments waiting for offenders. You should go right now to Shrivasa

Pandita and throw yourself at his feet. It was he that you offended and so

it is by his mercy alone that you can be delivered. This is your only hope.

Shrivasa Pandita is very elevated and intelligent. If you beg for his mercy,

he will surely forgive you."

 

The devotees loudly expressed their approval of the Lord's perfect

instructions. The leper offered his obeisances to the Lord and the devotees,

and then hurried to see Shrivasa Pandita. Out of his causeless mercy,

Shrivasa Pandita excused the leper, thus saving him from a horrible fate.

If one sees two Vaishnavas quarreling, one should never think that there is

some fault or that there is enmity between them. In fact, such quarreling is

pleasing to the Lord and is transcendental. The arguments and abuse

exchanged by Rukminidevi and Satyabhama, although appearing to be serious

fights, are factually not so, because the two wives of the Lord are

eternally united in their common cause of serving the supreme master,

Krishna.

 

There is no enmity between Vaishnavas. The Lord Himself induces these

fights, due to His playful nature. If someone sides with one Vaishnava

against another, he is doomed because of his vaishnava-aparadha. Vaishnavas

are considered to be extensions of the Lord's limbs. How can one benefit by

rendering service to the Lord's hand, while inflicting pain upon His foot?

One who understands that Lord Krishna and His devotees are nondifferent, and

with this knowledge serves the Lord, can easily cross the ocean of

nescience.

 

For Purnaprajna Prabhu's upcoming book summary of Caitanya-bhagavata.

 

P.S. We should never speak or think loosely or critically about Vaisnavas.