Who is actually a vaisnava?

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Who is actually a vaisnava?

 

(Thakura Bhaktivinoda in Vaisnava Seva. Sajjana Tosani 6/1)

 

Q. Who is a vaisnava, madhyama vaisnava & uttama vaisnava?

 

A. Till the time namaparadha is present in one's chanting, the real name

does not actually manifest. The result of namabhasa is that the sinful

reactions are finished. When the sins are finished, the mind and heart

become pure. When the mind and heart become pure, at that time there is no

chance for commiting namaparadha. Thus someone comes to stage of chanting

the name regularly without aparadha, he is to be called a 'vaisnava'. In the

same if the chanting of name without aparadha becomes continuous then he

comes to the stage of 'madhyama vaisnava'. And when there is the

manifestation of hladini-sakti in the heart of the devotee due to chanting

he is to be considered the 'uttama vaisnava'.

 

(Thakura Bhaktivinoda in his commentary on the Manah Siksha, Mantra 10)

 

Q.What is the speciality of the definition of these three kinds of vaisnavas

given in Sri Caitanya-caritamrita?

 

The vaisnava who is suddha nama-parayana (taken shelter of chanting the pure

name without offenses is actually famous as a 'vaisnava'. The regular

culivator of the holy name without offenses is known as a 'vaisnava'. The

constant cultivator of the holy name without offenses is the madhyama

vaisnava. And simply by whose presence, the pure name manifests in one's

mouth is the topmost vaisnava. Constant association with such devotees is

the prime duty of every living entity.

 

(Thakura Bhaktivinoda in Sadhu-ninda, Chp 4, Hari-nama-cintamani)

 

Q. To what one is a Vaisnava?

 

A. To the amount one has developed rati (attraction) for chanting of

Krsna-nama, to that extent one is a vaisnava.

 

(Thakura Bhaktivinoda in Caitanya-sikshamrita 6/4)

 

Q. Who is actually qualified to engage in nama-bhajana?

 

A. A madhyama-vaisnava is actually qualified to engage in nama-bhajana.

 

(Thakura Bhaktivinoda in Sadhu-ninda, Chp 4, Hari-nama-cintamani)

 

Vaisnavabhasa, prakrtavaisnava, vaisnavapraya o kanistha-vaisnava-

Eisakala ekai kotha

 

Vaisnavabhasa, prakrta-vaisnava, vaisnava-praya and kanistha-vaisnava are

different names for the neophyte devotee.

 

Sadhu-sevahina arcca loukika sraddhaya.

Prakrta vaisnava haya vaisnavera praya..

 

The neophyte devotee (kanistha Vaisnava) displays a faith that is formal and

worldly. He worships the Deity but has no service attitude towards the

devotees of the Lord.

 

Vaisnava-abhasa sei, nohe ta' vaisnava.

Kemane paibe sadhusangera vaibhava..

 

He is almost a Vaisnava (Vaisnava-praya), but is not a real Vaisnava yet;

hence, he is not able to take full advantage and understand the glories of

sadhu-sanga.

 

Ataeva kanistha madhyete ta're gani.

Ta're krpa koribena vaisnava apani..

 

Such a neophyte will have to receive the blessings of a real vaisnava to

advance further.

 

(Thakura Bhaktivinoda in Jaiva-dharma, Chapter 8)

 

Young Nityananda dasa asked, "Saintly babaji, what kind of Vaisnava am I? Am

I a neophyte Vaisnava or an intermediate Vaisnava? An advanced Vaisnava I

certainly am not."

 

Saintly Hari dasa Babaji smiled and said, "Can a person who accepts the name

Nityananda dasa not be an advanced Vaisnava? Our Nityananda is very

merciful. Even when He is beaten, He gives love in return. How can words

properly glorify a person who chants Lord Nityananda's name and becomes His

servant.

 

Nityananda dasa: I would like to know truthfully what my position is.

Hari dasa: Son, tell me all about yourself. If Lord Nityananda gives me the

power to say, I will tell you.

 

Nityananda dasa: I was born in a lowly family in a village on the bank of

the Padmavati. I was married at a young age. I did not learn how to be

wicked. When my wife died, thoughts of renunciation came to my mind. In

Baragachi I saw many Vaisnavas who had renounced family life. Everyone was

respectful to them. Desiring to be honored like that, and inspired by the

temporary feeling of renunciation my wife's death brought, I accepted the

garments of a Vaisnava renunciant. After some days wickedness came into my

mind. My Vaisnava friend was a very good person. Now he stays in Vraja. He

gave me good advice, protected me with his good association, and kept my

mind pure. Now my mind no longer wants to leave the right path. It likes to

chant a hundred thousand holy names every day. I understand that the Supreme

Personality of Godhead and His holy name are not different. Both are

perfectly spiritual. I observe ekadasi according to the scriptures and I

water tulasi. When the Vaisnavas sing the holy names together, I jn in the

singing. I drink the nectar water that has washed the Vaisnava's feet. I

read Sri Caitanya-mangala. I do not desire opulent food and clothing. I do

not like to hear gossip. When I see how the Vaisnavas are filled with

ecstatic love, I also become ecstatic and I roll in the dust that has

touched their feet. In spite of all this, to a certain extent I still desire

fame. Now please tell me: To what class of Vaisnava do I belong? How should

I behave?

 

Showing a little smile, Hari dasa Babaji said to Vaisnava dasa, "You say. To

what class of Vaisnava does Nityananda dasa belong?"

Vaisnava dasa: From what I have heard he has left the neophyte stage and

become an intermediate devotee.

 

Hari dasa: I also think that.

 

Nityananda dasa: Good. From the mouth of a great soul I now know my true

position. Please give your mercy to me so I may gradually become an advanced

devotee.

 

Hari dasa: When you first accepted the garments of a sannyasi, you desired

material fame. That inappropriate desire meant that you were still fallen.

In spite of that, the mercy of the Vaisnavas brought auspiciousness to you.

Nityananda dasa: I still have a slight desire for fame. In my mind I think,

"Bewildered by the tears in my eyes and many other symptoms of ecstatic

love, the people will worship me."

 

Hari dasa: You should struggle to renounce those thoughts. Don't keep

thoughts like those. There is the danger they will diminish your devotional

service. If you allow them to diminish your devotion, you will again become

a neophyte devotee. Even after lust, anger, and other vices have left, the

desire for fame may stubbornly stay with a Vaisnava. It does not go away

very easily. A single drop of sincere love for the Lord is better than an

elaborate pretense of that love.

 

Touching the dust of Hari dasa Babaji's feet, Nityananda dasa Babaji said,

"Please have mercy on me." Hari dasa at once embraced him and made him sit

down. How wonderful is the result attained by a Vaisnava's touch! Tears

streamed from Nityananda's dasa's eyes. Taking a blade of grass between his

teeth, he said, "I am very fallen and lowly. I am very fallen." Hari dasa

Babaji embraced him and wept. How wonderful it all was! Nityananda dasa had

attained the true goal of life. After a short time, when all the symptoms of

ecstatic love had subsided, in his heart Nityananda dasa accepted Sri Hari

dasa as his spiritual master. Then Nityananda dasa asked a question.

 

(Thakura Bhaktivinoda in Jaiva-dharma, Chapter 8)

 

"The second of these qualities is that one is friendly to the devotees, who

are surrendered to the Supreme Lord. Any person in whom pure devotional

service is manifested is considered a devotee surrendered to the Supreme

Personality of Godhead. NEOPHYTE DEVOTEES ARE NEITHER PURE DEVOTEES NOR ARE

THEY SURRENDERED TO THE LORD. THEIR TENDENCY IS TO DISRESPECT THE TRUE PURE

DEVOTEES. THEREFORE ONE SHOULD MAKE FRIENDSHIP WITH INTERMEDIATE AND

ADVANCED DEVOTEES ONLY. In answering a Kulina-grama devotee's question, Sri

Caitanya Mahaprabhu described the neophyte, intermediate, and advanced

devotees. He explained that the intermediate and advanced devotees are

counted among the true Vaisnavas, whereas the neophyte devotees, who do not

know anything beyond worshipping the Deity, are not yet true Vaisnavas. The

true holy name of Lord does not appear on the mouths of such worshippers of

the Deity. The name that appears on their mouths is only the shadow of Lord

Krsna's holy name (chaya-namabhasa). Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhordered the

intermediate (madhyama) householder devotees to serve all three classes of

devotees, the three classes being: 1. a person on whose mouth the holy name

of Lord is heard even only once, 2.a person on whose mouth the holy name of

Lord Krsna is heard always, and 3. a person the sight of whom inspires one

to chant the holy name of Lord Krsna. One should serve a Vaisnava who chants

only a shadow of Lord Krsna's holy name. One should serve only a Vaisnava

who takes shelter of the pure holy name of Lord Krsna. As there are

different kinds of Vaisnava, so there are different kinds of service to

Vaisnavas. The "making friendship" includes associating with Vaisnavas,

conversing with them, and serving them. The moment one sees a pure Vaisnava

one should greet him, honor him, and offered both a sitting place and

conversation. One must serve him in all these ways. One should never hate,

envy, or insult him. One should not disrespect him if his body is ugly or if

he suffers from some disease.

 

(Thakura Bhaktivinoda in Jaiva-dharma, Chapter 25)

 

Vijaya-kumara: Please explain what benefit namabhasa brings and what benefit

it does not bring?

 

Babaji: Sense pleasures (bhukti), liberation (mukti) and the eighteen yogic

perfections are included among the benefits namabhasa brings. However, pure

love for Lord Krsna (krsna-prema) which is the highest goal of life, is not

granted by namabhasa. If a person whose chanting is on the level of

namabhasa associates with a pure devotee (suddha-bhakta), then the chanter

can come to the level of a madhyama-Vaisnava (intermediate devotee). From

that status he can become further elevated, attain pure devotion, chant the

holy name purely, and finally attain pure love for Lord Krsna (krsna-prema).

 

[Note: After studying the above definitions, I came to the conclusion that

there are four stages:

 

FOUR STAGES:

 

VAISNAVA-PRAYA: Kanishtha-vaisnava who chants in namabhasa without much

faith in the name and sadhu-sanga.

 

VAISNAVA : Between kanishtha and madhyama vaisnava, who regularly

chants the name without offenses.

 

MADHYAMA- : Intermediate stage when one constantly

VAISNAVA chants the name without offenses.

 

UTTAMA- : Perfected stage when one chants the pure name in love of God

VAISNAVA and simply by whose presence others start chanting the pure

name. Very rare according to TBV.

 

So from these most beautiful explanations by Thakura Bhaktivinoda, anyone

can very easily understand his own position on the devotional ladder. For

example, I came to the conclusion that I am not even a 'vaisnava-praya' what

to talk of being a 'vaisnava']

 

Your aspiring servant, Bhaktiratna Sadhu Swami

(Earlier: Nayana-ranjana das brahmacari)

 

Preeminent Siksha-guru: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Diksha-guru : Param Pujyapada Bhaktisastri Sri Parampada Prabhu

Sannyasa-guru : Param Pujyapada Sri Bhakti Kumud Santa Maharaja

 

(All three are godbrothers and disciples of Om Visnupada Srila

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. My diksha and sannyasa gurus have given

me full blessings to completely dedicate my life to follow the teachings and

the instructions of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada as

given in his books, lectures, letters, conversations etc.)