There are no two different kinds of uttamas?

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In a message dated 7/28/2002 5:20:37 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

Sadhu.Swami (AT) pamho (DOT) net writes:

 

> It is also falsely said that there are two kinds of uttama-adhikaries

> described in Prabhupada's books. But I don't agree with this for the

> following five reasons:

>

 

Haribol,

 

In response to Ryan Prabhu's original question, the kanistha and madhyama

adhikaris of faith don't seem to fit the definition of BG 4.34 very well. The

madhyama of the rati-prema, being situated in nistha, however does correspond

with it.

 

 

 

The five reasons given for identifying the two different types of uttama

adhikari as a single one cannot bear much scrutiny:

 

 

> (1) No acarya or scripture has ever said that there two ways of defining or

> are two kinds of uttama-adhikari.

 

In the CC Madhya passage, Krishnadasa Kaviraja clearly states that one is

defined in terms of a gradation of sraddha (22.64) and the other in terms of

a gradation of rati-prema (or advanced attachment).(22.71). The words

sraddha-anusari and rati-prema-taratamya indicate two different grading

systems.

 

 

> (2) Prabhupada does not mention anywhere in this purport that the

> uttama-adhikari he is describing in NOI purp is different from that

> mentioned in Bhagavatam & Cc who is firmly situated in pure of God.

> Prabhupada based his commentary on the commentary of his guru and that of

> Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. No one them says that this uttama is different

> or lower than that mentioned in the SB 11th canto and Cc. Infact they state

> (as shown below in their commentaries) that the uttama in this verse also is

> the same uttama who is the topmost rasika and who has entered the

> asta-kaliya lila of Radha and Krsna as mentioned in SB and Cc.

>

 

The uttama-adhikari of Faith is at least on the nistha stage (having past the

anartha-nivritti stage) and is therefore qualified to practice raganuga

bhakti in which one starts concentrating on the eight-fold daily pastimes of

the Lord. The uttama-adhikari of Rati-Prema is beyond the practice of

raganuga bhakti and may even be said to be on the platform of ragatmika

bhakti wherein one fully realizes his own nature (svarupa) and participates

in it in Krishna lila. The "rasika" quotes to Upadeshamrta 5 of BSST and BVT

point to the greatness of the high-faith-uttama-adhikari who can tolerate

urges and save the entire world.

 

 

 

> (3) All the acaryas who have commented on text 5 of Upadeshamrita have

> described the the uttama-adhikari mentioned in this verse to be one on the

> topmost platform of KC because of being engaged in serving Radha-Krsna in

> Their asta-kaliya-lila in terms of rati.

>

 

This is not at all evident the the quotes of BSST and BVT provided. Serving

Radha Krishna in raganuga bhakti is a preliminary function done by sadhakas

on the levels of nistha-ruci, which is very different from the stage of the

prema-bhaktas.

 

 

 

> (4) If one studies the commentaries of the Sripad Visvanatha Chakravati

> and Sripad Jiva Goswami to the Bhakti-Rasamrita-Sindhuh, one finds that the

> uttama, madhyama and kanishtha described in the earlier past of BRS

> depending upon their faith and knowledge are three subdivisions of the broad

> kanishtha level. That is they are uttama-kanisthas, madhyama-kanishthas and

> kanishtha-kanishthas. I don't have the time now to dig up the commentaries

> or to go into details but I can do so at some other time.

 

This sounds agreeable to my position. The three levels are described in

relation to **Sadhana**bhakti. Therefore, *by definition*, the uttama

adhikari of NOD is different from the uttama of Srimad Bhagavatam. The

uttama of NOD closely matches the uttama of NOI.

 

 

 

 

> (5) Prabhupada or any other acharya never says or comments that there are

> two kinds of uttamas described in CC Madhya chp 22. Infact in Jaiva Dharama

> it is discussed how all the definitions in CC talk about the same platform.

>

 

As in the response to (1), the presentation of Madhya CC cery clearly

indicates two distinct systems.

 

Apart from these five reasons, the two most striking contraditions one runs

into are (1) that the prema-uttama-adhikari doesn't preach and the sraddha

uttama does.

(2) the sraddha-uttama has material urges and the prema-uttama does not.

 

Additionally, any neophyte's claim to being able to recognize a

prema-uttama-bhakta can only be an exercise of his imagination, since he

doesn't even have the basic tools to do so. Therefore the supposed injunction

to seek out a prema-uttama to *begin* spiritual life is very awkward and

unreasonable.

 

 

Furthermore in regards, to BG 4.34, prema-bhakti has not been discussed.

Therefore to equate the wisdom or truth mentioned therein exclusively with

prema would not make sense. Rather, the truth of the seers mentioned more

accurately refers to the wisdom of the application of methods of sacrifice

which would be within the domain of the experience of the uttama adhikari of

faith.

 

>There is a deviation which has percolated among the Vaishnava circles that

>the uttama-adhikari which Prabhupada talks about in this NOI purport (and

>also the one described in NOD) are different from the uttama-adhikari who

>has achieved Krsna-prema and sees the Lord everywhere.

 

It is difficult to see how the understanding of two models of uttama-adhikari

can be a deviation when it has not been shown to run into any logical

contradtions, whereas the alternative proposition does.

 

ys

Gerald Surya

[Guest guest]

In the Narada purana, one can find descriptions of three types of uttama

adhikaris, three types of madhyama adhikaris, and three types of kanistha

adhikaris, in accordance with each mode. I regret being unable to give an

exact reference.

 

ys

d