Hari-jana-kanda part 2

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We will now describe the divisions of Hari-janas. Indian historians have

collected from various scriptures twelve categories of Hari-janas such as

satvata, bhakta, bhagavata, Vaisnava, pancaratrika, Vaikhanasa, and

karma-hina. But at present all of these categories are practically lost,

leaving a rough division of two categories. Those who are devotees of Hari

can still discern the two paths of arcana and bhava, (pancaratrika and

bhagavata)

 

The glories of the Vaisnavas mentioned in the Padma Purana, Uttara khanda,

refer only to the followers of the pancaratrika-arcana-marga.

 

tatra mahattvam

tapadi panca-samskari navejya-karma-karakah

artha-pancaka-vid vipro maha-bhagavatah smrtah

 

"The characteristics of the uttama acording to the arcana-marga are as

follows: A brahmana who has undergone the five kinds of samskaras, or

purificatory processes like tapa, who has executed the rituals of worship,

and who has understood the Artha-pancaka is called maha-bhagavata."

 

madhyamatvam

tapah pundram tatha nama mantro yagas ca pancamah

ami hi panca-samskarah paramaikanti-hetarvah

 

"The characteristics of the madhyama according to the

pancaratrika-arcana-marga are as follows: The five kinds of samskaras are

tapa, pundra, nama, mantra, japa. According to the pancaratrika teachings,

one who performs these five activities is called a madhyama-bhagavata."

 

tatra kanisthatvam

sankha-cakrady-urdhva-pundra- dharanady-atma-laksanam

tan-namaskaranam caiva vaisnavatvam ihocyate

 

"The characteristics of the kanistha according to the

pancaratrika-arcana-marga are as follows: One who marks his body with the

four signs of Visnu - the conchshell, cakra, club, and lotus - and who

offers obeisances to other Vaisnavas whose bodies are marked with these

signs is called a kanistha."

 

Apart from the pancaratrika system, we are now presenting the mental

symptoms of a maha-bhagavata according to the bhava-marga, as stated in the

Srimad Bhagavatam (11.2.45)

 

sarva-bhutesu yah pasyed bhagavad-bhavam atmanah

bhutani bhagavaty atmany esa bhagavatottamah

 

"Sri Havir said: The most advanced devotee, or maha-bhagavata, sees within

everything the soul of all souls, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri

Krsna. Consequently he sees everything in relation to the Supreme Lord and

understands that everything that exists is eternally situated within the

Lord."

 

SB (11.2.46)

 

isvare tad-adhinesu balisesu dvisatsu ca

prema-maitri-krpopeksa yah karoti sa madhyamah

 

"An intermediate or second-class devotee, called madhyama-adhikari, offers

his love to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is a sincere friend to all

the devotees of the Lord, shows mercy to ignorant people who are innocent

and disregards those who are envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

 

SB (11.2.47)

 

arcayam eva haraye pujam yah sraddhayehate

na tad-bhaktesu canyesu sa bhaktah prakrtah smrtah

 

"A devotee who faithully engages in the worship of the Deity in the temple

but does not behave properly toward other devotees or people in general is

called a prakrta-bhakta, a materialistic devotee, and is considered to be in

the lowest position."

 

Although the followers of Ramanuja and Madhva (being followers of

pancaratra-marga) have remained distinct from the Sankara-sampradaya, whose

followers are known as pancopasakas, or worshipers of five gods, the

Gaudiya-sampradaya of North India was unable to remain aloof from the

pancopasakas' influence and took to the service of such people, who are

averse to Vaisnavas. Actually the arrangament for arcana in the path of

bhava is not completely in agreement with that found in the pancaratrika

system. The kanistha -adhikaris in the bhava-marga explained in the Srimad

Bhagavatam are practically equal to the maha-bhagavatas of the

pancaratrika-arcana-marga, although there is some difference.

 

In the process of ascertaining who is a Vaisnava, many people misidentify

one who is almost a Vaisnava as areal Vaisnava. (...) When one gives up the

materialist mentality of being covered by the conceptions of whimsical sense

enjoyment, karma, and jnana and favorably cultivates attraction to Krsna,

this is called pure devotional service. One whose heart is naturally fixed

in this principle is a pure devotee.

 

Citing the authority of the Pancaratra-agamas in his Bhakti-sandarbha, Sri

Jiva Goswami Prabhu has stated:

 

divyam jnanam yato dadyat kuryat papasya sanksayam

tasmad dikseti sa prokta desikais tattva-kovidaih

 

"Diksa is the process by which transcendental knowldedge is awakened and all

reactions caused by sinful activity are vanquished. Learned persons who are

expert in the study of the revealed scriptures declare this process to be

called diksa."

 

A spiritual master who gives mantra, assists one in spiritual realization

rather than increasing one's material knowledge, and is able to destroy all

illicit endeavors for sinful activities is a real initiating spiritual

master, and those who take shelter of him are his initiated disciples. (...)

Unless one becomes qualified as a sacrificial brahmana in the sacrifice of

chanting the holy names, the name of Krsna does not manifest.

 

A madhyama-adhikari should mentally show respect to the kanistha-adhikari

who is properly initiated and engaged in chanting the holy names of Krsna.

One who has surpassed the stage of kanistha-adhikara through the process of

chanting the holy names and who engages in worshiping the Supreme Lord with

transcendental realization, such a madhyama-adhikari should be offered

respectful obeisances and his guidance should be followed. And one who is

constantly engaged in worshiping Krsna with transcendental realization, who

has comletely given up aversion to Hari, and who does not condemn even those

who are envious of Hari - such a maha-bhagavata should be respectfully

served with the conviction that his association is most desirable.

 

The sastras that enjoin one should take initiation from a qualified

transcendentalist who has perfected his life by chanting mantras. There is

no possibility of receiving transcendental knowledge from an unqualified

person who is bound by the false ego of high birth and greed for money.

Therefore those who desire their own welfare should give up the

materialistic, proud, so-called guru and take proper initiation from a

Vaisnava guru. One should give up the so-called guru who is envious of the

Vaisnavas, knowing him to be a nondevotee.