Who is a real saint?

[Guest guest]

From Subjective Evolution of Consciousness

by Srila Sridhar Maharaja:

 

 

Once, Bhaktivinoda Thakura had a dream in which he was wandering

in the sky chanting the holy name. He came upon the court of

Yamaraja, where Yamaraja himself was sitting with Brahma, Narada,

and others discussing a point from a verse in Bhagavad-gita (9.30):

api cet suduracaro

bhajate mam ananya-bhak

sadhur eva samantavyah

samyag vyavasito hi sah

The generally accepted meaning of this verse is: "Even if one

commits the most abominable action, if he is an ananya-bhak devotee

who worships Me alone in devotional service which is free from

karma and jnana, he is to be considered saintly because his endeavors

are completely on My behalf and his determination is fixed."

Here, Krsna says, "Whatever he has done, if he is exclusively given to

Myself, he should be considered as My devotee. Samyag vyavasito hi

sah. And whatever he is doing is cent percent right." But then the next

passage says ksipram bhavati dharmatma: "very soon he will be a man

of righteousness; he will become dharmatma - dutiful."

As Yamaraja, Brahma, and Narada discussed this point, a question

came up. Krsna says, bhajate mam ananya-bhak - "one who is My

exclusive devotee." The question arises, "what is exclusive devotion

or ananya-bhajana?" Krsna says "give up all other religious

conceptions and surrender to Me alone": sarva dharman parityajya,

mam ekam saranam vraja. That is exclusive devotion. But if one is

practicing exclusive devotion, then he is already dharmatma, he is

already righteous. How is it then that in the very next verse, Krsna

says "soon he becomes dharmatma"? How are we to adjust this? Krsna

says:

ksipram bhavati dharmatma

sasvac-chantim nigacchati

kaunteya pratijanihi

na me bhaktah pranasyati

"He soon becomes righteous (dharmatma) and attains lasting peace. O

son of Kunti, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes."

This is the general meaning of this verse. Krsna tells Arjuna, "He soon

becomes dharmatma. My devotee is never ruined. Go and declare this

to the public." Krsna says that after the devotee became ananya-bhak -

that is, he gave up all sorts of duties and surrendered to Krsna - then

again he will be a dutiful man.

As Brahma, Narada, and Yamaraja discussed this point, they saw

Bhaktivinoda Thakura walking in the sky and taking the holy name.

Then one of them suggested, "There is a pure devotee. He should be

able to give the real meaning." Then Bhaktivinoda Thakura was

invited in their midst and was asked, "How shall we adjust these

points? Krsna has said that this person is an exclusive devotee, that he

has renounced all sorts of duties and surrendered to Krsna. And yet, in

no time it will be seen that he is very dutiful. How can we understand

this?"

Bhaktivinoda Thakura explained that "he quickly becomes righteous"

refers not to the exclusive devotee, but to one who considers the

exclusive devotee pure in all circumstances. "Even if he performs

some abominable act, he is really a sadhu, a saint" - one who can think

of an exclusive devotee in that way will soon become dharmatma.

This was Bhaktivinoda Thakura's explanation.

[Guest guest]

therefore, we should be very careful not to condemn devotees for some worldy defects.

more important is their proper conception to represent the teachings of Srila Prabhupada correctly.

 

As Srila Prabhupada said "You can be rascal number one and still you can be guru. How? You simply repeat exactly what you have heard from your spiritual master and then you are guru".

 

Therefore, smearing the shortcomings of a devotee in his face is very sinful.

 

It is a different thing if one is presenting some bogus hodgepodge concoction in the name of Saraswata siddhanta.

Then that is worse than ordinary sins.

 

If the disciple repeats without adulteration the instructions of Srila Prabhupada, then he is guru even if he has committed some abominable acts from a moral point of view.

 

If someone tries to present something foreign as the teachings of Srila Prabhupada, then that is more serious than committing ordinary sins of the senses.