Questions on Srila Prabhupada's purport

[Guest guest]

Who is a vaisnava?

 

A few days ago, I read an article from Srila Dasa on Chakra called “A Vaisnava

Speaks the Truth without Criticizing Others”.* I made some comments on it to

elucidate his idea and asked the question: Who is a vaisnava?** Then,

Kavicandra Swami, on COM, answered it by quoting His Divine Grace. Below you

will find it; it is a nice and important purport. Still, I am unable to

understand the devotees’ mind on the subject; neither can I clearly understand

Srila Prabhupada’s purport. On the passing away of George Harrison, devotees

have written so many letters in regard to his involvement with Iskcon. I don’t

want to hide it, but I was quite surprise at such wonderful reactions from

devotees. I mean, why George Harrison is getting so much praise when many

devotees around the world have been and still are looked down because of their

independance and weakness in following a strong sadhana? Anyway, this is not

the prime matter of this posting. What I did below, I used George Harrison to

try to understand Srila Prabhupada’s purport. You could help me resolve my

dilemma, by reading it and answering the questions. Thank you, Hare Krsna.

 

Madhya lila 15.105

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "Without cessation continue chanting the holy

name of Lord Krsna. Whenever possible, serve Him and His devotees, the

Vaisnavas."

 

Upon hearing this, Satyaraja said, "How can I recognize a Vaisnava? Please let

me know what a Vaisnava is. What are his common symptoms?"

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "Whoever chants the holy name of Krsna just

once is worshipable and is the topmost human being.

 

Purport by Srila Prabhupada : Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says

that a person who simply chants the holy name of Krsna once becomes perfect

and should be regarded as a Vaisnava. [---] With such faith in the holy name

one may begin a life of Krsna consciousness. But an ordinary person cannot

chant the holy name of Krsna with such faith. One should accept the holy name

of Krsna to be identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead,

Transcendence Himself. [---]

 

When one is situated on the neophyte platform, one cannot understand the

devotional ingredients of a pure, unalloyed devotee. However, when the novice

engages in devotional service -- especially in Deity worship – and follows the

order of a bona fide spiritual master, he is a pure devotee.

 

My question: George Harrison never practice devotional services, like Deity

worship, was he a pure devotee?

 

Purport: Anyone can take advantage of hearing about Krsna consciousness from

such a devotee and thus gradually become purified.

 

Question: did hearing George Harrison purify people?

 

Purport: In other words, any devotee who believes that the holy name of the

Lord is identical with the Lord is a pure devotee, even though he may be in

the neophyte stage.

 

Question: Is Srila Prabhupada answering my question? George was a pure

devotee?

 

Purport: By his association, others may also become Vaisnavas. One is known as

a materialistic devotee if he simply worships the Deity of Hari with faith but

does not show proper respect to the devotees and to others. This is stated in

Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.2.47):

 

Question: By the association of George Harrison, others become vaisnavas?

 

Purport: "A person who has attained firm faith is a real candidate for

advancing in Krsna consciousness. According to the faith, there are

first-class, second-class and neophyte devotees. One who has preliminary faith

is called a kanistha-adhikari, or a neophyte. The neophyte, however, can

become an advanced devotee if he strictly follows the regulative principles

set down by the spiritual master.

 

Question: From what I know, George did not follow the regs. And from what I

understand here, you can be a pure devotee even if you are a neophyte. Right?

That means of course that you don’t follow the regs strictly but you are still

a pure devotee. Correct me if I am wrong. I don’t mind being just a regular

devotee to the devotees’ eyes, a vaisnava if possible.

 

Purport: Therefore it is on the basis of faith and attachment to Krsna that

one can judge who is a madhyama-adhikari or an uttama-adhikari." (Cc. Madhya

22.64, 69, 71)

 

Question: Narayana Maharaja is definitely a great devotee. An uttama-adhikari?

 

Purport: It is thus concluded that even a neophyte devotee is superior to the

karmis and jnanis because he has full faith in chanting the holy name of the

Lord.

 

Question: Superior… in what? In devotional service? Of course. In something

else also?

 

Purport: A karmi or a jnani, regardless of his greatness, has no faith in Lord

Visnu, His holy name or His devotional service. One may be advanced

religiously, but if he is not trained in devotional service, he has very

little credit on the transcendental platform. Even a neophyte devotee engaged

in Deity worship in accordance with the regulations set forth by the spiritual

master is in a position superior to that of the fruitive worker and

speculative philosopher.

 

Question: That is on the transcendental platform. Like Narayana Maharaja? Can

we say therefore that there are differences that we should take in account

when addressing material or spiritual perfection? I mean, should we start

making differences between material and spiritual qualifications? And give to

Cesar what pertains to Cesar and to God what goes to Him? That is a circular

argument.

 

* http://www.chakra.org/articles/2001/12/06/speak.the.truth/index.htm Chakra,

6 December 01

 

**Akhiles: “Who is a vaisnava?” ask Srila Dasa on Chakra. Then he gives a

narrow definition of a vaisnava.* Elitist. What about all the other ones?

 

Another of his deliberate limitation he attributes to aspirant devotees: “A

Vaisnava is therefore a freethinker, not a group-thinker.” Why can’t a

vaisnava be a group-thinker? Why can’t a vaisnava be a no-thinker, a “sudra”

like your guys like to call them? Or like Mahesvara calls them: “sub-humans”.

In my sense, even a “sub-human” can be a vaisnava if he like to chant Hare

Krsna; if he likes the devotees’ association.

 

Then Srila Dasa gives us a recommendation: “Better to err on the side of

caution. Therefore, in the scriptures, it is recommended a devotee or

spiritual aspirant practice restraint, maunam, silence.” But he don’t mind, in

the same breath, to enlighten us with what he hopes to be “a ray of light”.