Jaiva Dharma

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Download Jaiva Dharma free at http://www.purebhakti.com/libraryBabaji: When his association with bhaktas becomes prominent and his association with the inimical becomes minimal, his advancement is rapid. Nityananda dasa: What is the nature of the kanistha-adhikari’s inclination towards sinful and pious activities? Babaji: In the preliminary stage, his inclination for sinful and pious activities will be like that of the karmis and jnanis, but as he progresses in bhakti, these propensities will be dispelled, and his inclination to please Bhagavan will become prominent. Nityananda dasa: Dear master, I have understood the situation of kanistha-adhikaris. Now kindly describe the primary symptoms of the madhyama-adhikari bhaktas. Babaji: The madhyama-bhakta has ananya-bhakti towards Krsna. His friendship with the bhaktas consists of four attitudes: he considers bhaktas to be more dear than his very self

(atma-buddhi); he feels great possessiveness towards them (mamata-buddhi); he considers bhaktas as worshipable (ijya-buddhi); and he considers them to be a place of pilgrimage (tirtha-buddhi). The madhyama-bhakta also bestows mercy on those who are ignorant of spiritual truth, and he neglects the inimical. These are the primary characteristics of the madhyama-bhakta. When one develops sambandha-jnana and practices bhaktisadhana, which is the means (abhidheya), one attains the goal of prema (prayojana). This is the methodology of the madhyamabhakta. It is generally observed that madhyama-bhaktas perform harinama, kirtana, and other such activities in the association of bhaktas, free from any offense. Nityananda dasa: What are the secondary symptoms of the madhyama-bhakta? 200 • JAIVA-DHARMA CHAPTER 8 Babaji: The secondary symptom of the madhyama-bhakta is the way in which he lives his life.

His life is completely surrendered to the will of Krsna, and is favorable to bhakti. Nityananda dasa: Can he still commit sins or offenses? Babaji: Some tendency to commit sins or offenses may remain in the beginning stage, but gradually these will disappear. Whatever sins or offenses are still present at the beginning of the madhyama stage are like chick-peas that are just about to be ground to a pulp; they are still seen as small lumps, but within a few moments they will be crushed and will cease to exist. Yukta-vairagya (appropriate renunciation) is the life and soul of the madhyama-bhakta. Nityananda dasa: Does the madhyama-bhakta have any trace of karma, jnana or extraneous desires? Babaji: In the initial stages a faint trace of these things may remain, but finally they are uprooted. Whatever vestiges of karma and jnana remain in the beginning of the madhyama stage occasionally make themselves visible, yet

these gradually fade into oblivion. Nityananda dasa: Do such bhaktas even desire to live, and if so, why? Babaji: Actually, they have no desire to live or die, or to attain liberation. They desire to live only to attain consummation of their bhajana. Nityananda dasa: But why don’t they long for death? What happiness can come from remaining in this gross material body? When they die, will they not obtain their spiritual forms and identities by Krsna’s mercy? Babaji: They have no independent desires. All their desires are solely dependent on Krsna’s will, because they are firmly convinced that everything is happening by His will and that whatever happens is only because of His desire. They have, therefore, no need to aspire for anything independently. Nityananda dasa: I have understood the symptoms of the madhyama-adhikari. Now, please tell me about the secondary sympNITYA-DHARMA & VAISNAVA

BEHAVIOR• 201 toms of the uttama-adhikari. Babaji: Their secondary symptoms are their bodily activities, but even these cannot actually be viewed separately as secondary symptoms, because they are so much under the control of prema, which is beyond all influence of the material modes. Nityananda dasa: Prabhu, there is no provision in sastra for the kanistha-adhikaris to renounce household life, and madhyamaadhikaris may live either as householders or renunciants. Is it possible that some uttama-adhikaris may live as householders? Babaji: One’s level of eligibility cannot be determined by whether one is a householder or a renunciant; the only criterion is one’s advancement in bhakti. There is certainly no harm if an uttamaadhikari bhakta remains a householder. All the grhastha-bhaktas of Vraja were uttama-adhikaris. Many grhastha-bhaktas of our Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu were uttama-adhikaris; Raya Ramananda is

the foremost example of this. Nityananda dasa: Prabhu, if an uttama-adhikari bhakta is a grhastha, and a madhyama-adhikari bhakta is in the renounced order, how should they behave towards each other? Babaji: The person who is less qualified should offer dandavatpranama to the person who is more qualified. This stipulation is only for the benefit of the madhyama-adhikari, because the uttamaadhikari bhakta does not expect respect from anyone. In all living beings he sees the presence of Bhagavan. Nityananda dasa: Should one bring many Vaisnavas together and hold festivals for distributing bhagavat-prasada? Babaji: From the spiritual point of view, there is no objection if many Vaisnavas gather together for some particular occasion and a madhyama-adhikari grhastha-bhakta wants to honor them by distributing the bhagavat-prasada. However, it is not good to make a pompous display of serving the Vaisnavas, for then

this activity will become adulterated with the mode of passion. One should distribute prasada to the assembled Vaisnavas with great care and 202 • JAIVA-DHARMA CHAPTER 8 attention. This is one’s duty. If one wishes to serve the Vaisnavas in this way, he should only invite pure Vaisnavas. Nityananda dasa: A new caste has emerged in Baragachi consisting of people who refer to themselves as descendants of Vaisnavas. Kanistha-adhikari householders invite them and feed them in the name of Vaisnava seva. How is this to be viewed? Babaji: Have these descendants of Vaisnavas taken up suddhabhakti? Nityananda dasa: I don’t see suddha-bhakti in any of them. They only call themselves Vaisnavas. Some of them wear kaupinas (loincloths). Babaji: I cannot say why is this type of practice is in vogue. It should not be done. I can only surmise that it is going on because kanistha Vaisnavas have no ability to recognize

who is a true Vaisnava. Nityananda dasa: Do the descendants of Vaisnavas deserve any special regard? Babaji: Honor is due for those who are actually Vaisnavas. If the descendants of Vaisnavas are pure Vaisnavas, they should be honored in proportion to their advancement in bhakti. Nityananda dasa: What if the descendant of a Vaisnava is only a worldly man? Babaji: Then he should be considered as a worldly man and not as a Vaisnava; he should not be honored as a Vaisnava. One should always remember the instruction given by Sriman Mahaprabhu (Siksastaka 3): trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih One can chant sri-hari-nama in a humble state of mind, thinking himself more insignificant than the straw in the street and more tolerant than the tree. One should be devoid of all sense of false prestige, and ready to offer all respects to others. In such a state

of mind, one can chant sriNITYA-DHARMA & VAISNAVA BEHAVIOR• 203 hari-nama constantly. One should be free from pride and should offer appropriate respect to others. One should offer Vaisnavas the respect due to a Vaisnava, and he should offer those who are not Vaisnavas the respect that befits any human being. If one does not offer respect to others, he does not acquire the necessary qualification to chant sri-nama. Nityananda dasa: How can one be free from pride? Babaji: One should not proudly think, ”I am a brahmana,” ”I am wealthy,” ”I am a learned scholar,” ”I am a Vaisnava,” or ”I have renounced family life.” People may well offer respect because one has such qualities, but one should not want to be honored by others out of such egoistic pride. One should always think oneself to be worthless, insignificant, destitute, and lower than a blade of grass. Nityananda dasa: It seems from

this that one cannot be a Vaisnava without humility and compassion. Babaji: That is quite true. Nityananda dasa: Then does Bhakti-devi depend on humility and compassion? Babaji: No, bhakti is completely independent. Bhakti is the personification of beauty and she is the supreme ornament; she does not depend on any other good quality. Humility and compassion are not separate qualities, but are included within bhakti. “I am a servant of Krsna,” “I am destitute,” “I have nothing,” “Krsna is my all-in-all‚” – the bhakti that is expressed in these attitudes is itself humility (dainya). The tenderness of heart experienced towards Krsna is known as bhakti. All other jivas are servants of Krsna, and tenderness of heart towards them is compassion (daya). Therefore, compassion is included within bhakti. Ksama (forgiveness) is the bhava situated between humility and compassion. “When I am so wretched and

insignificant myself, how can I inflict punishment upon others?” – when this attitude is 204 • JAIVA-DHARMA CHAPTER 8 combined with compassion, forgiveness automatically appears. Forgiveness is also included in bhakti. Krsna is satya, real. The fact that the jivas are servants of Krsna is also real, as is the fact that the material world is only a boarding house for the jivas. That means that bhakti is also real, because these truths are based on the jivas’ relationship with Krsna, which is itself bhakti. Truth, humility, compassion, and forgiveness are four special qualities that are included in bhakti. Nityananda dasa: How should a Vaisnava behave towards the followers of other religions? Babaji: The instruction of Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.26) is: narayana-kalah santah bhajanti hy anasuyavah Those who are free from the propensity to slander others and

who are fully peaceful worship Sri Narayana and His plenary portions. There is no dharma other than vaisnava-dharma. All other dharmas that are or ever will be propagated in the world are either steps on the staircase of vaisnava-dharma, or else distortions of it. Those dharmas that are steps leading to bhakti should be respected in proportion to their degree of purity. One should not bear any malice towards dharmas that are distortions of bhakti, but one should focus exclusively on the cultivation of one’s own devotional truths. One should not maintain any animosity towards the followers of other religions. When the time is ripe, the followers of various other dharmas will become Vaisnavas easily. Of this there is no doubt. Nityananda dasa: Is it our duty to preach Vaisnava dharma or not? Babaji: Certainly it is. Our Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given

everyone the responsibility of spreading this dharma: naco, gao, bhakta-sange kara sankirtana krsna-nama upadesi’ tara’ sarva-jana Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila (7.92) NITYA-DHARMA & VAISNAVA BEHAVIOR• 205 Dance, sing, and perform sankirtana in the association of bhaktas. You should deliver everyone by instructing them to chant sri-krsna-nama. ataeva ami ajna dilun sabakare jahan tahan prema-phala deha’ yare tare Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila (9.36) Therefore, I am ordering everyone to distribute the fruits of prema wherever they go and to whomever they meet. However, one must remember not to give sri-krsna-nama to unqualified people. Such people should first be given the necessary qualification; only then can they be given hari-nama. Furthermore, these statements of Sriman Mahaprabhu do not apply when neglect (upeksa) is appropriate, for

instance, when dealing with inimical people. Trying to enlighten such people only presents obstacles to one’s preaching. When Nityananda dasa had heard Haridasa Babaji Mahasaya’s ambrosial words, he rolled on the ground at his feet in great love. The grove reverberated with the Vaisnavas’ loud exclamations of sri-hari-nama, and everyone offered dandavat-pranama to Babaji Mahasaya. The day’s meeting in that secluded grove came to an end, and everyone returned to their respective places. THUS ENDS THE EIGHTH CHAPTER OF JAIVA-DHARMA, ENTITLED “NITYA-DHARMA & VAISNAVA BEHAVIOR” 206 • JAIVA-DHARMA CHAPTER 8 CHAPTER 9Nitya-Dharma, Material Science & Civilization Lahiri Mahasaya lived in the association of Vaisnavas in Sri Godruma for three or four years, and thus his heart became fully pure. At all times he chanted hari-nama: while eating, walking, and

sitting; before sleeping; and after rising. He wore simple clothes and did not even use shoes or sandals. He had relinquished his pride in his caste so completely that as soon as he saw a Vaisnava, he would offer him dandavat-pranama, and forcibly take the dust from his feet. He would seek out pure Vaisnavas in order to honor the remnants of their meals. His sons came to him from time to time, but when they understood his mood, they departed quickly, not daring to propose that he should come home with them. To look at Lahiri Mahasaya now, one would certainly take him to be a Vaisnava Babaji.

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