The Uttama-adhikari guru as taught in Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu

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It seems to me that Samba's presentation wins in this debate. How can we

deny that some word should be used to discribe a devotee who is at the

platform of bhava and prema, unless someone out there can provide us with a

better word then "uttama adhikary", why not use it to discribe them.

 

My question for Samba and the others is what to do if there is no such

devotee currently active here on the earth planet? It certainly is a real

possibility given the rarity of such an exalted position.

Ys TS

 

 

> > There is no mention of his being a completely pure or unalloyed devotee

> > or entered Radha Krishna Lila or something like that. I think it fits in

> > with the uttama adhikari guru definition give by Prabhupada in NOI in

> > verses 1 & 5.

>

> Although we may find descriptions from Srila Prabhupada which describe

> lesser qualifications, why should we settle for the lowest common

> denominator as sufficient as the qualification for an uttama adhikary?

> Surely we should consider ALL of Srila Prabhupadas teachings before trying

> to establish any conclusions.

>

> In the Nectar of Devotion, chapter 17 'Ecstatic Love', Page 131 Srila

> Prabhupada says;

>

> "By the process of executing regulated devotional service, one is actually

> elevated unto the transcendental stage, beyond the material modes of

> nature. At that time ones heart becomes illuminated like the sun. The sun

> is far above the planetary systems, and there is no possibility of its

> being covered by any kind of cloud; similarly, when a devotee is purified

> like the sun, from his pure heart there is a diffusion of ecstatic love

> which is more glorious than the sunshine. Only at that time is the

> attachment to Krsna perfect. Spontaneously, the devotee becomes eager to

> serve the Lord in his ecstatic love. At this stage the devotee is on the

> platform of uttama adhikary, perfect devotion. Such a devotee has no

> agitation from the material affections and is interested only in the

> service of Radha and Krsna."

>

> In chapter 25, page 203 Prabhupada describes two kinds of devotees:

>

> " A person who is always absorbed in Krsna Consciousness is called a

> devotee of Krsna. Srila Rupa Goswami says that all the transcendental

> qualities discussed previously are also found in the devotees of Krsna.

> The devotees of Krsna can be classified into two groups: those who are

> cultivating devotional service in order to enter into the transcendental

> kingdom, and those who are already in the perfectional stage of devotional

> service.

>

> A person who has attained the stage of attraction for Krsna and who is not

> freed from the material impasse, but who qualified himself to enter into

> the kngdom of God, is called sadhaka. Sadhaka means one who is cultivating

> devotion in Krsna Consciousness. The description of such a devotee is

> found in the Eleventh Canto, Second Chapter, verse 46, of Srimad

> Bhagavatam. It is said there that a person who has unflinching faith in

> and love for the Personality of Godhead, who is in friendship with

> devotees of Krsna, and who is very merciful to the ignorant, raising them

> to the standard of devotional service, and who is uninterested in non

> devotees, is considered to be situated in the position of *cultivating*

> devotional service.(emphasis mine)

>

> When one is found shedding tears by hearing of the pastimes of the Lord,

> it is to be understood that the blazing fire of material existence will be

> extinquished by such watering. When there is shivering of the body and the

> hairs of the body stand up, it is to be understood that the devotee is

> *nearing* perfection.(emphasis mine) An example of a sadhaka cultivating

> devotional service is Bilvamangala Thakur."

>

> From Nectar of Instruction.

>

> Symptoms of a Kanishta adhikary:

> 1. Sraddha. Firm faith. A disinterest in material affairs and interest in

> spiritual advancement.

> 2, Sadhu sanga. Association with pure devotees.

> 3. Bhajana Kriya. performance of devotional service to Krsna (surrendering

> to the spiritual master and being encouraged by the association of

> devotees so that initiation takes place.

>

> Madhyama adhikary.

> 1. Bhajana Kriya (higher stage) one becomes fully engaged in devotional

> service and becomes detached from gross anarthas.

> 2. Anartha nivritti. Diminishing of anarthas both gross and subtle almost

> to nill, the clearing stage.

> 3. Nishta firm or perfect faith, irevocable devotional service, i.e. the

> brahma bhuta platform, liberated from the material platform.

> 4. Ruci, taste. An immense relish for hearing and chanting about the Lord,

> so much so that one practicaly cannot stop, and rendering service

> develops.

>

> Sadhana Raganuga Bhakti

> 5. Asakti. Attachment (loving inclination) the seed of bhava. One follows

> in the footsetps of one of the inhabitants of Vrindavan, develops a

> spiritual body, and his rasa with Krsna is revealed, last stage of

> Madhyama.

>

> Uttama Adhikary.

> 1. Bhava. Seed tree of Prema. Ecstacy develops. uttama adhikary begins at

> this stage. The minutest particle of Prema.

> 2.Prema. Pure love of Godhead. No falldown possible.

>

> Srila Prabhupada often equates an Uttama Adhikary as a first class devotee

> or pure devotee or mahabhagavata. From CC Madhya 16.74 Purport:

>

> The neophyte and intermediate devotees can gradualy rise to the platform

> of Uttama-adhikary and become first class devotees. Symptoms of a first

> class devotee are given in Srimad Bhagavatam (11.2.45)

>

> Srimad Bhagavatam (11.2.45)

> Purport.

> "... A devotee of the highest level of spiritual qualification is

> glorified for the expansiveness of his spiritual vision. For example, when

> the stalwart demon Hiranyakasipu questioned his self realised son Prahlada

> Maharaja as to the whereabouts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,

> Prahlada, being a maha bhagavata or pure devotee, answered

> straightforwardly that the Supreme Lord is everywhere. The demoniac father

> then asked if God was in the pillar of the palace. When Prahlada answered

> yes, Hiranyakasipu, being a bonafide demon, struck the pillar with his

> sword, trying to kill God, or at least disprove His existence. Then Lord

> Nrsimhadeva, the most ferocious form of the Supreme Lord, immediately

> appeared and finished forever the illicit program of Hiranyakasipu. Thus

> Prahlada Maharaja can be accepted as an uttama adhikari devotee.

>

> ... According to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, those who cannot

> properly distiunguish between devotees and nondevotees and who therefore

> never worship the pure devotees of the Lord are to be known as kanistha

> adhikaris, devotees on the lowest stage of devotional service. Such

> Kanishta adhikaris engage in the worship of the supreme Lord, especialy in

> the temple, but are indifferent to the Lords devotees.

>

> ..There are unfortunate living entities who are unable to understand the

> glory of a kanistha-adhikary within the realm of devotional service, have

> no praise for the more advanced state of intermediate devotion, and cannot

> even begin to understand the most exalted stage, that of the uttama

> adhikary.

>

> Sorry I missed the begining of this thread, but to try to promote an

> uttama adhikary as anything less than the most exalted pure devotee, must

> surely be a mistake? If Srila Prabhupada occaisionaly decides not to delve

> into ALL of the qualifications, in each an every text, we can be sure to

> find them elsewhere in his voluminous writings.