From: (Bhakta) Ivar Verploegh (Antwerpen - B)

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Letter COM:2037084 (169 lines)

<ivar.verploegh (AT) com (DOT) bbt.se>

(Bhakta) Ivar Verploegh (Antwerpen - B)

22-Jan-99 11:52 -0500

(Krsna) Katha

Beware of the mundane man in the dress of a Vaisnava!

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Playing it Safe (by Kurma Rupa dasa)

 

In his discourse on sadhu-ninda, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains that if

one wants to progress in devotional service, he must avoid offences to

Vaisnavas. He writes, "To blaspheme a devotee of the Lord is the first

offense against the holy name, and it completely disrupts one's spiritual

life." Further along he says, "Anyone who criticizes a pure Vaisnava goes

directly to hell and suffers untold pains birth after birth. The doors of

bhakti are closed to such an offender."

 

No less grave is King Rahugana's statement to Jada Bharata, "My dear sir, I

am not at all afraid of the thunderbolt of King Indra, nor am I afraid of

the serpentine, piercing trident of Lord Siva. I do not care about the

punishment of Yamaraja, the superintendent of death, nor am I afraid of

fire, scorching sun, moon, wind, nor the weapons of Kuvera. Yet I am afraid

of offending a brahmana. I am very much afraid of this." When we ponder

these and other similar statements it is no wonder we stammer before

questioning the behaviour of, correcting, chastising, or looking critically

or even objectively at anyone wearing tilak. Wanting to play it safe, we

conclude it is better to assume everyone in Vaisnava dress worthy of worship

rather than risk committing the mad elephant offense. The purpose of this

essay is to examine this demeanor and determine if it is in fact secure.

 

In order to avoid sadhu-ninda, the Thakura explains, we must consider two

vital factors. First, we must precisely understand what a sadhu is and to

this aim he cites Sri Krsna's instructions to Uddhava regarding the

twenty-six qualities of a devotee. "The devotee is merciful, tolerant, equal

to all, and performs penance without injuring the body. He is truthful,

pure-hearted, compassionate, his intelligence is free from lust, and he is

master of the senses. He makes no claims of ownership, is gentle, clean,

peaceful, regulated in eating, and apathetic to materialism. He is patient,

steady, and takes Lord Krsna as his only shelter. The devotee is free from

illusion, is grave, has conquered over hunger, thirst, lamentation, envy,

old age and death; he does not expect honor, offers respect to others, is

expert; does not cheat and is knowledgeable."

 

Bhaktivinoda points out how twenty-five of these qualities are external, and

the remaining one-that Krsna is his only shelter-is the internal and most

essential. He then establishes that the only real sadhu is a devotee of

Krsna. It should be noted that offending one who has taken Krsna as his only

shelter results in the previously mentioned devastating results while

offenses to Vaisnavas of lesser caliber yield lesser negative reactions.

 

The second vital factor is that we must diligently avoid that activity which

invariably leads to sadhu-ninda or vaisnava aparadha. The Thakura declares

this to be asat-sanga-association with those absorbed in temporary or

materialistic activity. Asat-sangis are naturally offensive to vaisnavas so

their association must be strictly avoided. Indeed, renouncing the

association of materialists is a natural symptom of a Vaisnava-

asat-sanga-tyaga - ei vaisnav-acara (Cc. Madhya 22.87)

 

As Bhaktivinoda cites the symptoms of Vaisnavas he also clearly defines the

characteristics of the asat-sangis. In Harinama-cintamani, he divides them

in two broad categories: stri-sangis and non devotees. He describes

stri-sangis as those who have sexual connection with women other than their

wife, and those who are excessively attached to their wife. The non devotees

include Mayavadis, dharmadhvajis (pretenders), and atheists.

 

In Sri Bhaktyaloka, he allocates the asat-sangis into seven more specific

categories: (1) Mayavadis and atheists, (2) sense enjoyers, (3) those fond

of sense enjoyers, (4) women, (5) womanizers, (6) the hypocritically devout

(dharmadhvaji), and (7) the ill-behaved foolish outcastes.

 

Having defined in detail the sadhu and affirmed asat-sanga as the single

most detrimental activity, Bhaktivinoda has armed the sadhaka with the

scientific information required to effectively avoid sadhu-ninda. When we

find one with that essential quality, we inquire from and serve him, and

when we find one who fits in any of the seven categories, we offer our

respects from a distant place. Now this would be an easy task but for one

thing: Bhaktivinoda warns that the worst of the asat sangis, the

hypocritically devout, "wears the clothes of a devotee to accomplish

materialistic ends. He is a person who has no devotion or attachment in the

heart but makes a show of it externally." These illuminating words mean the

dharmadvaji has the external appearance of a Vaisnava, but lacks the

aforementioned essential internal symptom. Thus it is not a safe stance to

accept that all that glitters is gold.

 

This indeed poses a serious practical problem for the aspiring devotee. What

if in our attempt to "play it safe", we contact a dharmadvaji? Bhaktivinoda

even mentions that in Kali Yuga most people fall into this category so it is

not an unlikely proposal. Actually, it's safe to assume we will. So when we

do, and owing to donning Vaisnava-colored glasses, we engage in the six

loving exchanges with him/her, we are sure to be infected. Hitopadesa

explains, just as when a cloth is put in a solution of dye it takes on the

same color, so a person becomes colored by the company he keeps. Thus

Bhaktivinoda warns, "One should give up the association of dharmadvajis, the

hypocritically devout, with special care. Those who accept the external

signs of dharma but do not actually follow dharma are hypocrites and fools,

or the cheaters and the cheated. Better associate with sense enjoyers, for

in this whole world there is no worse association than the dharmadvaji."

 

<snip>

 

Dharmadvajis loom amongst both the cheaters and the cheated. If we allow

ourselves to be cheated we actually become implicated in cheating others.

Yes, the cheater is active and the cheated is passive, but that is of little

consolation. The cheated also cheat as they serve as decoys to allure others

who feel safe in numbers. The cheated increase the following of the cheaters

and hence their influence.

 

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Now, please do not accuse me of proposing there are no Vaisnavas anywhere. I

know there are. I want to encourage avoiding extremes. At the one end we

have the idea that everyone is a Vaisnava and at the other, that no one is.

Both extremes are undesirable and unsafe. We applaud something in

between--something that can be called healthy skepticism. Let this inspire

us to play it safe by honing our discrimination to the optimum and applying

it relentlessly. Yes risk is involved, but much less than in the popular

unsound proposal.

(Text COM:2037084) --------