There are no two different kinds of uttamas?

[Guest guest]

> Now the question is: what is an uttama adhikari? The word uttama merely

> means "higher".

>

> The spectrum of spiritual advancement is described in two ways:

> (1) in terms of attachment (rati) in the Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.45-47

> (2) and also in terms of faith (sraddha) in Nectar of Devotion.

>

> Both of these sets of definitions are repeated in CC Madhya 22 and are

> distinct. If one tries to merge these two sets of definitions into a

> single model, then one runs into a number of logical difficulties.

 

I diagree.

 

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 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:

 

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

are two kinds of uttama-adhikari.

 

(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.

 

(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.

 

(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.

 

(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.

Again I don't have time to go into it at present.

 

>From "Anuvritti" commentary of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada:

on Upadeshamrit Verse 5:

 

"The topmost Vaisnava (uttama or maha-bhagavata) is he at the mere

sight of whom others automatically begin chanting krsna-nama.Knowing the

uttama Vaisnava to be the topmost devotee who is established in the

particular mood of service to Sri Radha-Krsna for which one aspires and to

be affectionately disposed towards oneself, one should serve him with great

love. Because the maha-bhagavata devotees see everything as being related to

Krsna, they see all living entities with equal vision.Like madhyama-adhikari

devotees, they are intent on performing bhajana, and like kanistha-adhikari

devotees, they are devoted to chanting harinama."

 

>From "Piyusa-varsini-vritti" commentary of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

on Upadeshamrit Verse 5:

 

"The topmost devotee ( uttama-bhakta) sees all living entities with equal

vision. Therefore, he doesn't discriminate between devotees and

non-devotees. The intermediate devotee ( madhyama-bhakta) is one who

sincerely endeavours to perform bhajana. This fifth verse indicates how

madhyama devotees should behave towards the topmost class of devotees."

 

>From "Upadesa-Prakasika" commentary on text 5 of Sri Radha-Ramana dasa

Gosvami who was a pure devotee and one who introduced Baladeva Vidyabhusana

to Gaudiya Vaisnavism and sent him to Vrindavana to learn under Srila

Visvanatha Chakravarti:

 

"This verse gives instruction on svarupa-siddha-bhakti.We should

respectfully offer pranama to those who have accepted initiation from a

qualified guru. In all ways we should lovingly serve those who perform

exclusive bhajana of Sri Krsna by manasa-seva and who are expert in the

procedure of worshipping Krsna's as a-kaliya-lila, knowing them to be the

most desirable association. The meaning of "exclusive bhajana" is to be

solely devoted to the worship of Sri Radha-Krsna in Vraja, without

attachment for Laksmi-Narayana or other incarnations of Bhagavan. It says in

the Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu that amongst the exclusive devotees of the

many different incarnations of hagavan, those whose hearts have been stolen

by Sri Nanda-nandana are the best because even the favour of the master of

Laksmi, Sri Narayana, cannot attract their minds. Because such exclusive

devotees are forever alert to cultivate bhakti in the company of those

topmost devotees who are expert in relishing devotional mellows (rasika), as

well as being like-minded and affectionate, their hearts are always free

from contaminations such as the tendency to criticise others. Knowing these

topmost devotees to be the most desirable association, one should respect

them mentally, offer pranama unto them and render service to them

with great love."

 

"One who is conversant with the science of bhajana as described in the

Srimad-Bhagavatam and other Vaisnava scriptures and who performs exclusive

bhajana of Sri Krsna is a maha-bhagavata devotee. Due to his undeviating

absorption in Krsna, the pure heart of such a devotee is free from faults

such as the tendency to criticise others. He is expert in bhajana, meaning

that he mentally renders service ( manasa-seva) to Sri Radha-Krsna's

pastimes which take place during the eight segments of the day

(asta-kaliya-lila). Knowing him to be a topmost devotee whose heart is

established in the particular mood of service to Sri Radha-Krsna for which

one aspires and who is affectionately disposed towards oneself, one should

honour him by offering dandavat-pranama (pranipata), making relevant inquiry

(pariprasna) and rendering service (seva) with great love."

 

The descriptions of the uttama-adhikari by Srila Prabhupada in the purport

to text 5 are as follows:

 

1. Advanced in undeviated devotional service.

2. An uttama-adhikari is not interested in blaspheming others.

3. His heart is completely clean.

4. Has attained the realized state of unalloyed Krishna consciousness.

Realizes himself to be an eternal servitor of Krsna.

5. Seriously engaged in the service of the Lord. Loses interest in

everything but Krsna's service.

6. Strictly following all the regulative principles.Always thinking of

Krsna.

7. Chanting the prescribed number of rounds on japa beads.

8. Always thinking of how to expand the Krishna consciousness movement.

9. Understands that there is no difference between the Lord and His name.

10.Can be recognized by his ability to convert many fallen souls to

Vaisnavism.

 

So it is very clear that the conclusion is that the uttama-adhikari talked

about here by Srila Prabhupada is the same uttama-adhikari who has described

by the above acharyas commentary to the same Upadeshamrit verse and also he

is same to the uttama-adhikari described in the Bhagavatam 11th canto, Cc &

the acaryas as being on the topmost platform of Krsna prema, having

mantra-siddhi and engaged in direct Radha-Krsna seva in the spiritual world.

And only such an uttama-adhikari can factually act as a Sadguru or Acharya

and accept disciples all over the world.

 

Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada states in his classic

essay 'Diksha' that:

 

"The devotee who has not achieved aprakrta-gyana-mantra-siddhi (perfection

in chanting the mantra ie seeing the Lord face to face in His Abode and the

full knowledge about his own constitutional position in relation to Krishna)

is not qualified to act as Guru. In the absence of such a fully

self-realized Sadguru, if the diksha is conducted by a non self-realized

person who is just acting as a Guru, then the diksha process is just for

namesake or eyewash and is not performed properly. Even after undergoing

such a diksha, there will no difference between the so-called disciples

initiated in this way and those who have not been initiated. Infact the

disciples who have taken Diksha from a non-fully self-realized Guru will

gradually develop a lack of faith (doubts) in the Guru as well the mantra

given by the "Guru (thus the process of devotional service)."

[...]

"The actual result of accepting diksha from a sadguru (100% mahabhagavata)

is that the disciple becomes very powerful and he considers the material

kshatriya strength to be totally insignificant compared to the strength he

had received from the Sadguru during diksha. Gurudeva is actually directly

Balasanchari (the infuser of strength) Baladeva Himself for the disciple.

This is real Sadguru. By getting empowered with the strength of the Sadguru

the soul gets the strength or becomes qualified to conquer the whole

universe. What to speak of the universe, he will then be able to conquer

even the Supreme Lord Ajita Himself. After accepting the Sadguru, whatever

lack of faith one has towards Guru and Shastra will be destroyed and the

forest-fire of material existence is permanently extinguished and one will

sing while dancing and dancing:

 

vishvam purna sukhayate vidhi mahendradhis ca kitayate...sah gaurameva

stumah.

 

After accepting initiation from a Sadguru, all one's deficiencies will be

permanently filled up and one will dance beholding that the whole world has

become a happy place for him."

[...]

 

"The real Gurudeva is not a soul of this material world or a soul encaged in

a material body like most of us. Therefore he does not take birth in this

material world like how all the remaining conditioned souls do? The real

Gurudeva is completely non-different from Bhagavan and is an eternally

liberated associate of the Supreme Lord."

 

That is Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta says in another article: "The disciple

retains the right of renouncing his allegiance to the preceptor the moment

he is satisfied that the preceptor is a fallible creature like himself."

 

GURU MUST BE ACCEPTED FROM THE TOPMOST CLASS

 

Purport by Shrila Prabhupada Cc Madhya 24.330:

 

In the Padma Purana, the characteristics of the guru, the bona fide

spiritual master, have been described:

 

maha-bhagavata-srestho brahmano vai gurur nrnam

sarvesam eva lokanam asau pujyo yatha harih

maha-kula-prasuto 'pi sarva-yajnesu diksitah

sahasra-sakhadhyayi ca na guruh syad avaisnavah

 

***************************************************************************

The guru must be situated on the topmost platform of devotional service.

There are three classes of devotees, and the guru must be accepted from the

topmost class. The first-class devotee is the spiritual master for all kinds

of people.

****************************************************************************

 

It is said, gurur nrnam. The word nrnam means "of all human beings." The

guru is not limited to a particular group. It is stated in the Upadesamrta

of Rupa Gosvami that a guru is a gosvami, a controller of the senses and the

mind. Such a guru can accept disciples from all over the world. Prthivim sa

sisyat. This is the test of the guru.

 

Bhag. 5.5.18:

 

Srila Rsabhadeva advised His sons, gurur na sa syat. .. na mocayed yah

samupeta-mrtyum: "One should not take up the post of spiritual master unless

he is able to lead his disciple from the cycle of birth and death."

 

DON'T ACCEPT ANYONE EXCEPT A PURE DEVOTEE AS YOUR GURU

 

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura confirms this in Hari-nama-cintamani:

 

suddha-bhakta vyatita anyera guru karibe na

guru varanera purvai guru o'sisyera pariksha sastra nirdesa kariyachena

suddha-guru PARIKSHA kariya varana karibe...

 

Don't accept anyone except a pure devotee as your guru.

Accept a pure devotee as guru after testing him. This is the instruction of

the sastra.

 

Why? Because

 

bhajiya ayogya guru sisya haya panda

 

Worshipping an unqualified guru the disciple becomes useless or ineffectual.

 

ATAEVA PRATHAME VISESA YATNA KARI SUDDHA BHAKTA LAIBENA GURURUPE VARI

 

AND THAT IS WHY WITH GREAT ENDEAVOUR IN THE VERY BEGINNING TRY TO SEEK OUT

THE SUDDHA BHAKTA AND THEN ACCEPT HIM AS YOUR GURU.

 

Because one who disobeys the order of the sadguru, he is the most sinful

offender in the whole world.

 

Srila Prabhupada says in NOI Verse 5 purp: "THEREFORE A DISCIPLE SHOULD BE

CAREFUL TO ACCEPT AN UTTAMA-ADHIKARI AS A SPIRITUAL MASTER."

 

I would like to conclude with this message from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta which

confirms all the statements above:

 

GURU SHOULD BE WHOLLY GOOD

 

The Harmonist, December 1931, vol. XXIX No.6

 

"No one is a good preceptor who has not realised the Absolute. One who has

realised the Absolute is saved from the necessity of walking on the worldly

path. The good preceptor who lives the spiritual life is, therefore, bound

to be WHOLLY* good. He should be wholly free from any desire for anything of

this world whether good or bad."

 

"If a preceptor accepts as his disciple one who refuses to be wholly guided

by him, or if a disciple submits to a preceptor who is not wholly good, such

preceptor and such disciple are, both of them, doomed to fall from their

spiritual state."

 

"The disciple retains the right of renouncing his allegiance to the

preceptor the moment he is satisfied that the preceptor is a fallible

creature like himself. Nor does a good preceptor accept any one as his

disciple unless the latter is prepared to submit to him freely."

 

"As soon as we are fully convinced of the necessity of submitting

unambiguously to the good preceptor it is then and only then that he is

enabled to show us the way into the spiritual world in accordance with the

method laid down in the shastras of that purpose which he can apply properly

and without perpetrating a fatal blunder in as much as he himself happens to

belong to the realm of the spirit."

 

Dasanudaso'smi, Tridandi Bhikshu Bhaktiratna Sadhu.

(Ealier Nayan-ranjan das brahmachari)