How do you stop demanding respect and start giving respect?

[Guest guest]

jayaisvara here,

 

I was hoping someone here can clarify this issue. How does one stop demanding respect in any way from others and start showing them the proper respect?

[theist]

When we see every living being as part of Krsna we will give such respect naturally. Afterall everyone is a living temple of Krsna.

 

But we can never have this equal vision as long as we desire to exploit others.

[jayaisvara]

 

When we see every living being as part of Krsna we will give such respect naturally.

 

 

But don't we need to have a sense of respect that we must show Krsna in order to respect all other living entities? Is Krsna the only person to give us this sense?

 

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

 

The Faults You Find May Be Your Own

by

Bhakti Rakshaka Sridhara Maharaja

 

 

We go to judge in the case of others: "Why should he receive all this mercy? He has got so many defects, so many disqualifications, an opposing attitude. Why should he be accepted or given any chance?" But we want mercy for ourselves: "Don't come to judge me because then I have no hope, my Lord."

 

This is jnana-sunya-bhakti, "If you come to judge me, I have no hope. Please grant Your grace, then I can have hope. I approach You to offer myself to make progress towards You. Please be very lenient; do not find fault with me." But at the same time, in the same breath, we say, "Why should this disqualified man get any grace? Why will he get some mercy, some affection?"

 

That is hypocritical and it causes a great deal of difficulty within us. That is suicidal. It is vaisnava-ninda (criticizing devotees), and vaisnava-aparadha (offending devotees).

Those that are accepted by Him will gradually be purified, but we are very eager to point out faults in them. That is more dangerous for our own progress - suicidal. In my case, I want something higher, but in the case of others we can't tolerate the same behaviour of the Lord. That is a very difficult position. Generally that is the basis of vaisnava-aparadha. One has been accepted by the Lord, and is gradually purifying himself, yet we give much attention to the fault that is still left, the difficulties still left in him. These faults particularly come to our attention.

 

Then, the results is that those faults will be transferred to me. These are the realities of the experience in this line: That if I especially mark the fault of another devotee, that will be transferred to me. It happens; in our experience and also from the sastra we have seen this.

 

So, one must be very careful not to make any remark generally, about the practices and activities of another Vaisnava. Only in the Guru's case when he is empowered by the Supreme, he may correct his disciples. As the guardian, with a sympathetic eye, he can mark the defects in his disciple and help him to remove them.

 

There must be some affectionate heart within, not jealousy or anything of that type, but with good will he wants to remove the defects from the affectionate student. That is the sum of siksa-guru, or diksa-guru. From that position one may detect the fault of the students of this line, and help them sincerely, to get out of that. Otherwise, if we are attracted by those faults, they will come to us, and we shall have to pay for them, as a practical thing. This is based on reason, and scriptural advices.

 

We must be careful. We are also warned in the Vaisnava literature, that we must be careful about vaisnava-aparadha, which comes from the jealous spirit of competition or jealousy. It is very detrimental to our spiritual life, so, we all must be very careful, not to be especially attracted by any defect in others. If it comes to our eye, we may refer to the higher authority: "I doubt that this is the case with that gentleman, but please check this." If we make too much of it, either in opposition or in any other way, that effect will be transferred to us. "I am being devoured. My mind is coming in touch with that fault, and that fault is devouring me as food." It enters into the mental system of the critic, and it must get its satisfaction from there, as a reaction. This is a trade secret - this is also the secret of our devotional life. We must be aware, and we must be very careful about these practical difficulties in the path of our devotional life.

 

So, we have been cautioned, tat te 'nukampam susamiksamano. This calculative judgement has been discouraged. Our standard of measuring things won't stand there. So, jnana-sunya-bhakti, you are to learn a new alphabet here. In the devotional school, we will come in connection with the new alphabet; the old alphabet won't do. Jnana-sunya-bhakti, give up all the pride of your past experience; your knowledge from experience in the mortal world, won't do here, won't be applied here.

 

This is in the case of infinite, autocratic goodness, all these things. With our mouths, we speak all these big things - absolute good, absolute truth, all these things - but we do not know their characteristics. He may be revealing Himself, and we must carefully note His nature.

 

Jnana-sunya, give up the pride of your own experience, and judgement. It is not like that; there is a new law, here in the land of autocrat, and goodness. The first step is to give up all the pride of our previous experience and begin a new life - jnana-sunya-bhakti. The laws of the infinite, not the laws of this finite world, apply here.

 

As a subject I acquired, but I shall have to enter that domain as an object of the subject. He is the subject, I am the object there. Possessing a particle of the spirit there. And that is also at His sweet will. At any time I may be dispossessed. That is not a democracy, but a monarchy, a dictatorship. To live in the land of dictatorship, and not in the democratic law. Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva: and to try our best to find mercy, grace, kindness and pity everywhere, because, whatever the dictator is doing is all good. We are to be trained like that.

 

He is the highest dictator, without fault. We may or may not understand, but it must behelpful for us - whatever is commanded by the dictator. There is no law on which we shall base our judgement, and give remark.

 

Our remark is absolutely not only useless, but it is faulty, injurious. Such consciousness we are to acquire, and it is not unreasonable - jnane prayasa. Newton said, "I am collecting only pebbles on the shore of the ocean of knowledge." He was a man of this world. Still, he had the sincerity and courage for this statement: "Knowledge is an infinite ocean; and I am on the shore collecting some pebbles."

 

So, even in reference to the knowledge of this world, if it can be stated, what to speak of that knowledge of infinite, unknown and unknowable. Unknown and unknowable. We must have courage. Just like Columbus, he brought his ships to the shore of America. He had the courage. We have to float our little boat in the ocean of the unknown and unknowable. And the laws will be of that type. The laws of the higher ocean, that may not be applied in the strait, or in the local sea.

 

A thoroughly new thing we are to study - the revealed truth. If we go to measure the infinite with the law of the finite, then it will be hopeless for us to try. We are to invite, think purely of that land, that standard, of the unknown world. One devotee says, in Bhagavatam:

 

svayam samuttirya sudustaram dyuman

bhavarnavam bhimam adabhra-sauhrdah

bhavat-padambhoruha-navam atra te

nidhaya atah sad-anugraho bhavan

(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.2.31)

 

The saints have crossed that insurmountable ocean, that dreadful ocean with dreadful waves and so many aquatic animals. By Your grace they cross that ocean, then again send back that boat, the boat which is compared with the lotus feet of the Lord. By the help of Your lotus feet they cross that ocean, by the grace of Your holy feet. Again that boat they send back here, for others to cross the same ocean. They give us their experience about the ocean, how, and which way they crossed, and what difficulty they had, and where. Your devotees are so magnanimous, after using the boat of Your holy feet, to cross, they again send it back for us.

 

Because their friendship for the people is very clean and pure, You are always in favour of those devotees. So, my request, You can't refuse. You allow Your lotus feet again to come this side, and take others across.

 

Knowledge is our enemy, because knowledge in this world is misleading, the basis is misleading. However spacious it may be, it is a negligible part of the infinite. All misleading, misrepresentations we have collected, gathered, pushed in our brain, all full of maya, misunderstanding. They are our enemies, we have to clear them up, and replace them with fresh things, which are indented from the other world, by pure sources. But the theoretical thing is one, and the practical thing another.

Srila Rupa Goswami says in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.1.36),

 

jnanath sulabha muktir bhuktir yajnatipunyatah

seyam sadhana-sahasrair hari-bhakti-sudurlabha

 

By cultivating our knowledge of soul, we can easily attain mukti, that is, emancipation or liberation from this miscalculation. Though it is not so easy, still comparatively - easily one can renounce everything, considering the wicked nature of the environment. Elimination, elimination, elimination - all elimination. Then, just to reach a thing like sound sleep, that is mukti: permanent sound sleep. We can gather our objects of enjoyment by yajna - altruistic action. If we take altruistic action, then as a reaction, it will come back to us for our satisfaction, our pleasure.

 

But our real devotion to Hari is not so easy. Sadhana-sahasrair, a thousand types of aspirations and practices, still it is sudurlabha - may or may not be acquired. Because, that is friendship with the autocracy, the acquirement of friendship with the autocracy. Our enjoyment, that is labour and leave. If we give some labour, loan to another, that may come back to us. So, by the help of our labour, and the distribution of that labour, we can easily get future enjoyment.

 

And also by practicing our disgust, our sincere disgust with the present moral environment, we can encourage our ego towards salvation, towards complete renunciation, by cutting off all connection with the environment. Just like sound sleep, samadhi. But to have affectionate connection with the autocratic infinite, that is rarely acquired, hari-bhaktih-sudurlabha. And the gradual process of how one can acquire that, that is also traced in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu of Rupa Goswami:

 

klesaghni subhada moksa-laghuta-krt sudurlabha

sandrananda-visesatma sri-krsnakarsini ca sa

(Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.17)

 

If we come in the line of devotion proper, the first result we shall experience is klesaghni: that all the afflicting tendencies in our mind, gradually diminish. Then, subhada, so many things, the proposal of subtle, finer happiness will come, perhaps to deceive us from this path. Moksa-laghuta-krt: the third result we shall trace is that mukti, mere renunciation, the result of renunciation, that is, relief from the negative side, is being considered to be a very small achievement. The mere withdrawal from the negative side is not much. This consciousness will awake within you.

 

Sudurlabha, if we can only feel, or experience that the goal of renunciation is not much, of a lower order, then will we get bhakti? No, not for certain. There is no guarantee. It is still far from us.

 

Sandrananda-visesatma, then if somehow by chance we come in connection with that thing, with that reality, then we will find some fundamental awakening of happiness. That infinite happiness is approaching us, coming towards us. Sri-krsnakarsini ca sa. If we can continue our devotional activity in a proper line, then we will find, that He is coming to us as Krsna Himself. In the conception of Krsna consciousness, the Krsna concept, He is coming to you - as Krsna. Krsna means the embodiment of all desirable types of ecstasy, in full. That is approaching;. Or we are being allowed to have His nearer conception for the fulfilment of our devotional activities in life. In this way, things progress.

 

Die to live! Dive deep into reality! Jnana-sunya-bhakti - that is the world of surrender, the area, of surrender is so high, noble, great, and fulfilling. That can come; that only can take us to the plane of love, affection. We hope to see and to live in that plane of affection and love. Not only this mundane affection and love, but the love of the absolute. Then, complete surrender; at His disposal - at His mercy - complete surrender to His mercy is required.

 

The reaction comes as love. Your highest contribution of faith towards Him, then He will be awakened, and will come to accept you, in His lap. So, no risk - no gain. And risk towards the whole, devotion proper. Not the sum total of some activities, or some sort of studies, no. Practically it is concerned with the soul, the inner existence of us. Giving and taking must take place from the innermost part of our heart, to play with that thing. Not superficial knowledge, or this bodily labour, or mental labour. They are all superficial. The dealing of the heart-to-heart, and that is wholesale, because there is no immeasurable world, and no death: eternal.

 

So, jnane prayasam udapasya. Our moha, our mania for knowledge, and for worldly energy - bodily or mental energy, and the knowledge about so many falsified things, we are proud of that in this world. But He can withdraw everything. The scientist has discovered, invented a particular law, but if He will withdraw from there, it will be nowhere. It is backed by His will.

 

So many things are there. "Let there be water; there was water. Let there be light; there was light." If we can find some faith in this, then, what? Everything is designed and destined by Him. So, what is the utility of some provisional incident? He can make or mar. The law may be changed into opposite, by His sweet will.

 

The origin of the world is such an independent designer, like a great hallucination master, magician, or hypnotist. Hypnotism is also a very negligent part. The greatest hypnotist - everything depends on His mental strength. He can show anything and everything.

The blind Dhrtarastra ordered Him, "You remove my blindness; I'd like to see Your great, noble figure that others are seeing."

 

"No, no. Blindness is not necessary to be removed. Only I say it, and you will see Me." Without His removing the blindness, Dhrtarastra saw, by His will, He ordered: "Yes. You can see Me with blindness." Being blind he could see. Then, what sort of sight is He? So eyes are not indispensable to see Him. Or our mental preparation backing up the eye; that is also not needed. He ordered, "You see Me," and he (Dhrtarastra9 could see without eyes. Without the mentality of sight, he could see. He was janmandha, blind from birth. He had no idea of any colour, any figure; because he was janmandha - born blind. But still, he could see, by His order. His position is such.

 

And if we try to approach Him, then what sort of attitude, or mentality we should have? With earnestness we shall approach Him. What will be the fare to make journey towards that land? It is easy; it is difficult. Easy because it is our in-born tendency from within, it is home. But now we are far from home. It is home, my own thing; so there is hope that I may reach there one day. It is my home, I won't find satisfaction anywhere else, so, I have to go there - my home. But I am far from the home comfort. That is the difficulty: I have lost it. Any questions on this?

 

Jnane prayasam udapasya, scholarship is poison. Are you ready to admit this? What you have gathered that is all nonsense, plodding in the mud. It is all misrepresentation, knowledge of misrepresentation. The bag is not filled with money, but filled with some brick-bats. The brain is filled up with all misleading things. Are you ready to admit this? Not so soon. What do you say?

 

So much importance we have given. Many of us boast of our knowledge, our experience. But the bhakti-school is putting the hammer on the head of knowledge. Rather, ignorance is better than knowledge? Can you accept that?

 

 

Knowledge is more dangerous than ignorance. Because, educated people are comparatively proud; and they are more confident that they are holding a higher position, to remove them from that position is very difficult. Qualitatively in this world, they are in a higher position than the ordinary labourers. So, they are confident that "We are in a superior position." To remove them, from that proud position is more difficult, than to remove a man, an ordinary labourer, from his ignorance.

 

It is easy to educate an uneducated person, but to educate an educated person it is more difficult. He has firmly fixed himself there. "This is a superior thing." He won't budge an inch from that position easily.

 

Ordinary persons, misguided souls in the street, their company is a little better; but the company, the influence, of the so-called scholars is more dangerous. That sort of subtle poison, is very difficult to remove. They are proud, "I know I hold a higher position than the ordinary mass." That sort of ego, that fine ego, is very difficult to remove.

 

Ordinary persons think, "Yes, we are culprits." The ordinary religious man thinks, "Yes, I'm a religious man." It is very difficult to remove him from his so-called religion, so-called faith.

 

http://www.guardian-of-devotion../articles/faults.htm

[theist]

can speak that way. Such uncommon wisdom. So beautifully stated.

[theist]

But I am hoping that as we gradually gain a little more and then a little more realization of Krsna that such respect will naturally be born. Unless that what can we do? It is not a product of this world that can be manufactured or purchased.

 

As BR Sridhar Maharaja was saying we are in the world of competition. Everyone here is trying to step over the other to place themselves on top. That approach to life is incompatible with respecting others.

 

We can practice it even though it feels foreign and depend on Krsna within to grant us this realization.

 

I think that is our only option jayaisvara.

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

 

Bhakti Raksakha Sridhara Maharaja:

That is hypocritical and it causes a great deal of difficulty within us. That is suicidal. It is vaisnava-ninda (criticizing devotees), and vaisnava-aparadha (offending devotees). Those that are accepted by Him will gradually be purified, but we are very eager to point out faults in them.

 

 

Thiest Prabhu

can speak that way. Such uncommon wisdom. So beautifully stated.

 

 

 

After reading I thought do I preach to peoples because I want to help them or to just critisize them. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[theist]

I believe in that type of introspection. Some take it as being hard on oneself. But not so. We are really just trying to see through the games we play on ourselves that keep us bound to false identity.

 

But when we discover a false motive we still must continue only hopefully with a newer attitude.

 

The amazing thing is that we ever think we have a pure motive in the first place.

[jayaisvara]

By introspection, do we sort of prepare the ground for Krsna to mould us into His liking?

 

I am scared of this introspection because sometimes I get carried away and I think that just because I found 1 or 2 faults within myself, this means that I can find <font color="red">all</font color> the faults within myself. That is maya because she is making us think we are independent. What should we do if this is the case?

[krsna]

Here is a quintessential point

The very essence of spiritual advancement .

 

How can one be spiritual anything and be puffed.

Krsna don't like pride in His devotees.

 

"Don't you know who I amm? I'm a senior devotee/disciple of Swami ... !" These kind of thoughts are the death knells for humility. And yet we see so much of it in meself. How ghastly.

 

How can I chant the Holy Name in a humble state of mind,

thinking myself lower than a blade of grass and more tolerant than a tree when I keep demanding respect from others and not showing them the proper respect ???

 

I should take the verse "trnad api sunicena, taror api sahisnuna. amanina manadena, kirtaniya sada hari" and string it with the holy name and wear it around my neck and constantly remember it and take protection from it.

 

Yes,so thes are the hardcore questions one should be asking oneself and discussing in order to make genuine spiritual advancement.

Hare Krsna

[jayaisvara]

Sometimes I think myself mad because even after getting a glimpse of the terrible situation, I simply carry onto material enjoyment. Truly this is madness, yet I can't do anything. What can be done? If I knew how to beg the vaishnavas then I would. But it'll only be for my own selfish fulfillment most definitely. I am simply hating my ownself right now for my position. I was reading an article on Vaishnava Aparadha on Srila B.G.Narasingha Maharaja's site and this quote I found:

 

 

Not only a Vaishnava but the Supreme Lord Himself is also afraid of vaishnava-aparadha, <font color="red"> not for Himself</font color>but for the benefit of His devotees, and He therefore cautions His devotees accordingly.

 

 

 

The Supreme Lord is afraid of vaishnava ninda because He doesn't want to hurt His devotees. But I am afraid due to my own selfish benefit of not wanting suffer in hell. This I know to be my true position. My heart is indeed like metal. I don't know how it can be melted.

[krsna]

Introduction

The Heart of Krsna

 

 

(Vaishnava Aparadha &

The Path of Spiritual Caution)

 

 

by

His Divine Grace

Om Visnupad

Srila Bhakti Promod

Puri Goswami Maharaja

 

 

 

__

THE ETYMOLOGICAL development of the word aparadha is radhat arthat aradhanat- apagatah, which means "to be distanced from worship."

 

Offenses committed at the lotus feet of Vaishnavas, the Devotees, distance one from devotional service to the Supreme Lord. But in a higher sense it means to be removed from the service of Sri Radha. All divine service to Krishna is being conducted under her direction. To offend her servitors is to make one unfit for her divine service. The whole aim of Krishna consciousness is radha-dasyam, the divine service of Sri Radha, and offenses at the lotus feet of Vaishnavas make one unfit for such service.

 

The Lord is overly protective of his devotees (bhakta-vatsala ). He cannot tolerate any offenses against them. They have bhakti (devotion), and they can awaken it within us. Bhakti is the sole means to attract Krishna, who is a slave of devotion. The same is true of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The Caitanya-Bhagavata states:

 

A person can attain the shelter of Mahaprabhu only by the grace of a higher Vaishnava. Religious practices and even chanting the Holy Name without devotion is useless.

 

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada writes in his commentary:

 

Without developing a spirit of service, chanting the Holy Name is vain. Real devotion can only be cultivated when one receives the blessings of an unalloyed devotee.

 

Bhakti means devotion. Vrndavana dasa Thakur says:

 

If a person commits an offense at the lotus feet of a Vaishnava, even though he may have received Krishna's mercy, he will never attain divine love, prema. (Chaitanya-bhagavata Madhya-lila 22.8)

 

Srila Prabhupada writes:

 

Even if one is a Vaishnava, if he commits offenses to the Holy Name, he becomes unfit to render pure devotion. Although it may appear that he is still being shown favor by the Lord as he continues to make a show of chanting without difficulty, the Lord is actually very displeased with him because of his antagonism toward devotees. Therefore, to give up nama-aparadha we must first give up sadhu-ninda or finding fault with devotees.

 

Regarding the phrase krsna krpa hoileo ("even though he may receive Krishna's mercy"), Srila Saraswati Thakur comments:

 

People may think that because an offender appears to continue to chant without difficulty, the Lord must still favor him, but they are wrong. The Lord is not even slightly moved by their sham devotion.

 

The author of Sri Caitanya-bhagavata, Vrndavana dasa Thakur, says that these statements are not his alone; they are the verdict of the Vedas. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur did not tolerate any disrespect towards genuine Vaishnavas. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also emphatically denounced any insults directed at Vaishnava devotees. To understand the seriousness of vaisnava-aparadha, offending devotees, one must grasp the multi-faceted, multi-dimensional nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Mahaprabhu is the source of all incarnations in Kali-yuga and the savior of all souls. He is Krishna, the son of Maharaja Nanda, fully enriched with the mood and radiance of Sri Radha. Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami offers prayers to all of these manifestations in the preface of Sri Caitanya-caritamarta:

 

vande gurun isa-bhaktan

isam isavatarakan

tat-prakasams ca tac-chaktih

krsna-caitanya-samjnakam

 

I offer my obeisances unto all the gurus, the devotees, the Lord's avataras, his expansions, his saktis (energies), and the primeval Lord Himself, Sri Krishna Chaitanya. (Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 1.1)

 

In the same way that Mahaprabhu is Krishna, he expands as Nityananda Prabhu (prakasa ), who is Balarama. Balarama's partial expansion is Sadasiva, Maha-Vishnu Avatara, whose counterpart in Chaitanya-lila is Advaita Acarya. What is left of Sri Radhika after Krishna has plundered her emotions and lustre is Sri Gadadhara Pundit. Sri Gadadhara and Svarupa Damodara are his sakti (energies). Bhakta means Srivasa Thakur who is Sri Narada Muni in Krishna-lila. Isa, Divinity means Mahaprabhu Himself. The complete conception of Divinity must include the predominating moiety and the predominated moeity. The slightest disregard to any one of these is equal to disregrading the Supreme Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Himself. There are two aspects to the guru principle: the siksa or instructing guru, and the diksa or initiating guru. Both are represented in Srivasa Thakura.

 

In the beginning of the second chapter of the Antya-lila of the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja offers the following invocation:

 

vande ham sri-guroh

sri yuta-.-kamalam

sri-gurun vaisnavams ca

sri-rupam sagrajatam

saha-gana-raghunathan vitam tam sa jivam

sadvaitam savadhutam parijana-sahitam

sri-krsna-caitanya-devam

sri-radha-krsna-padan

saha-gana-lalita-sri-visakhanvitams ca

(Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 2.1)

 

I offer my obeisances unto the lotus feet of my Guru and to all the preceptors on the path of devotion. I offer my obeisances unto all the Vaishnavas and to Sri Rupa Goswami and his associates Raghunatha dasa, and Sri Jiva. I offer my obeisances to Advaita Acarya, Nityananda Avadhuta, Gadadhara Pundit, and to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu with all his devotees, headed by Srivasa Thakura. I then offer my obeisances to the lotus feet of Sri Radha and Sri Krishna, and all the gopis headed by Lalita and Visakha. (Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila 2. 1)

 

In the above invocatory prayers (mangala-carana ), the Vaishnavas are venerated. Kaviraja Goswami writes further:

 

Before beginning the narration of the pastimes of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, simply by meditating on Sri Guru, the Vaishnavas, and Divinity, I invoke their benediction. Such meditation destroys all detriments on the spiritual path, and helps one to fulfill all their desires.

 

We must note very carefully that the Vaishnavas have been included within the full conception of Divinity.

 

These writings describe the Vaishnava's extraordinary qualities, and the spiritual benefit resulting from serving them. There are also several warnings regarding the disastrous effects of vaisnava-aparadha.

 

The Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 19.156 states:

 

If a devotee commits vaisnava-aparadha, his offense is like a mad elephant uprooting and trampling his creeper of devotion; afterwards the creeper's leaves dry up and become lifeless.

 

There are three categories of Vaishnavas: kanistha (neophyte), madhyama (intermediate), and uttama (advanced) described in the Caitanya-caritamrta. Kaviraja Goswami states that to gain shelter of a Vaishnava, it is imperative to first receive the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu:

 

All of the Vaishnavas who live in Vrndavana are absorbed in singing the all-auspicious name of Sri Krishna. Sri Mahaprabhu and Nityananda are their life and soul. They do not know anything but devotion to Sri Radha and Krishna. My shelter at the Vaishnavas' lotus feet has been granted only by the mercy of Nityananda Prabhu.

 

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prahhupada corroborates this fact:

 

All of the Vaishnavas living in the holy dhama of Sri Vrndavana are very fortunate souls. They have taken shelter in the Holy Name of Krishna. Sriman Mahaprabhu and Nityananda are their life and soul. They know nothing but the eternal service of Sri Radha and Sri Krishna.

 

Krishna's mercy descends only through the Vaishnavas.

 

Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura, a nitya-siddha (eternal associate) of the Lord, instructs the devotees to pray to Mahaprabhu. He says that we should seek shelter in the shade of a Vaishnava's lotus feet, shed tears of remorse with total humility, submitting to him the plight of our material existence, which is the result of turning away from Krishna. The Vaishnava is an ocean of compassion and feels the pain of others. When he pleads on our behalf to the Lord, Krishna responds and kindly accepts us as the followers of his favorites. Krishna's mercy descends only through the Vaishnavas.

 

There is Krishna and karsna. Krishna's mercy is embodied in pure devotees, who are known as karsna. The lotus feet of a Vaisnava guru represents the mercy of the Lord. Krishna is the priceless treasure enthroned in Sri Guru's heart. The Lord can easily give this treasure to those who are surrendered to his devotees. There is no other way to receive Krishna's grace than to serve and take shelter at the lotus feet of a Vaishnava. Sri Kaviraja Goswami discusses the importance of honoring the Vaishnava's remnants, using the example of Sri Kalidasa, the uncle of Raghunatha Dasa Goswami:

 

Taking the food remnants of Vaishnavas is so potent, it forced Mahaprabhu to give his mercy to Kalidasa. Don't hesitate-eat the Vaishnava's remnants, and you will fulfill your heart's desire.

 

Food offered to Krishna is called maha-prasadam. After maha-prasadam is taken by a devotee, his remnants are glorified as maha-maha-prasadam. The dust of a pure devotee's feet, the water of his foot bath, and his food remnants are three extremely potent spiritual substances. By honoring these three, one will be filled with ecstatic love for Krishna. All the scriptures declare this again and again. My dear devotees, please hear me: believe in these three and honor them in a mood of service, and you will achieve the purpose of your existence-ecstatic love of Krishna. This is the greatest mercy of Krishna, and Kalidasa is living proof.

 

In Kalyana-Kalpataru, Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur writes:

 

When will Mahaprabhu shower his mercy upon me so I may have shelter in the shade of the Vaishnava's lotus feet? I will humbly stand before the Vaishnava holding a straw between my teeth, weeping I will tell him of my miserable life, and I shall give up all self-deception. I will admit that my life is one never-ending misery and beg him to put an end to all of this. The kind Vaishnava will beg Sri Krishna with all his might, and Krishna, moved by the Vaishnava's sincerity, will shower his divine grace.

 

And in Saranagati, Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur writes:

 

O Vaishnava, you are an ocean of mercy. Please shower your compassion upon me. Give me the shade of your lotus feet and purify my polluted heart. I am following you, begging-Sri Krishna is yours-you have the power-give him to me!

 

Narottama dasa Thakura sings a similar song:

 

I am so sinful; how can I possibly serve the Lord? I have no love for my guru. I have no love for the devotees and I am constantly deluded. I am so absorbed in material life that I have forgotten who I am. The witch Maya is waiting to hang a noose around my neck. I have no power to resist her on my own. I am helpless without your mercy. I know that you never see the faults of anyone, so I'm begging you-please save me." (Prarthana )

 

Narottama's songs are filled with wonderful glorification of Vaishnavas. They are treasured by all devotees as priceless instructions for increasing one's devotion. From his childhood, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada chose Narottama's songbook as his constant companion on the path of devotion. Vrndavana dasa Thakura considered himself to be the last direct servant of Nityananda Prabhu. He has glorified the Vaishnavas throughout his masterpiece Sri Caitanya-Bhagavata. In his introduction he writes:

 

I first offer my unlimited obeisances at the feet of Sri Krishna Chaitanya's dearest associates, the devotees. And then I pray to him, who appeared in Nabadwip and was also known as Visvambhara.

 

Sri Vrndavana dasa offers his humble obeisances unto Mahaprabhu's devotees, and then to Sri Mahaprabhu. He explains:

 

The Supreme Lord has boldly declared in all the scriptures that 'The worship of my devotees is higher than worshipping me.' By first glorifying the Vaishnavas, I am guaranteed success in writing my book. (This statement was made by Krishna to Uddhava in the Srimad-Bhagavatam.)

 

The next statement is from the Itihasa-Samuccaya :

 

If one wants God's mercy, he must first serve his devotees. Only this will satisfy the Lord; of this there is no doubt.

 

The following verse, from the Pausayana-Sruti, is quoted in Srila Madhvacarya's commentary on the Brahma-Sutra :

 

Worship the devotees, serve them, hear from them, and they will protect you.

 

The Mundaka-Upanisad states:

 

If you want the real treasure of liberation you must serve the Lord's pure devotee.

 

In his Govinda-Bhasya commentary, Baladeva Vidyabhusana quotes Srimad-Bhagavatam :

 

jnane prayasam-udapasya namanta eva

jivanti sanmukharitam bhavadlya-vartam

sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir

ye prayas'o 'jita jito'py asi tais tri-lokyam

(Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.3)

 

Brahma prayed to Krishna,

 

My dear Lord, those who have given up abstract thinking and armchair philosophizing, start hearing about you from devotees and begin divine service with their body, mind, and words. Although you are unconquerable and rarely attained, you are conquered by them.

 

In the Padma Purana, Shiva says to his wife Parvati:

 

O Goddess, higher than the worship of all the gods and goddesses is the worship of the Supreme Lord Vishnu. But higher still is the worship of everyone and everything that is dear to Him, including Ganga devi, Tulasi devi, the book Bhagavata and the devotee Bhagavata.

 

Vrndavana dasa cautions us against seeing Vaishnavas externally. Such superficial vision is condemned:

 

In order to teach us the absurdity of judging devotees externally according to race, color, family, or other considerations, the Supreme Lord arranged for Haridasa Thakura to take birth in the lowest section of society. All the scriptures emphasize that if a pure devotee appears even in the lowest social circumstances, he is still to be worshipped by everyone.

 

A Vaishnava may appear in any family or section of society, yet he is still the most elevated person by the decree of the scriptures.

 

God is the protector of all living entities, and he cannot tolerate insults and disrespect shown to his devotees. Extremely mindful of his dear devotee's well-being, he refuses to accept any worship from those who slight them. The Lord loves his devotees so much that he not only accepts food and gifts from them, but sometimes he even steals their offerings! Whereas he is repulsed by offerings from a non-devotees.

 

In one pastime, Krishna was very eager to eat plain chipped rice cooked by Vidura's wife, and ignored a royal feast set by Duryodhana. Similarly the Lord could not resist eating the few morsels of flat rice offered by Sudama. He told him:

 

O Brahmin! What wonderful things have you brought for me from your home? Even a small offering from a devotee is a grand feast for me, whereas a non devotee's feast cannot satisfy me in the least. Anything offered to me with love, I accept with love.

 

Sriman Mahaprabhu quotes from the Itihasa Samuccaya, recorded by Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja:

 

A person may learn all the Vedas, but if he has no devotion, how can he be my devotee? Whereas if a person born into the lowest section of society has devotion, he is very dear to me. All respect must be given to such an elevated soul. His offerings must be accepted by all, for he is as much worthy of worship as I am.

 

Mahaprabhu also quotes Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya:

 

A Brahmin's sins are burnt to ashes by the powerful fire of krsna-bhakti. Whereas if a Vedic scholar is an atheist, he is derided. Anyone devoid of devotion may take birth in a great family or nation, have extensive knowledge of the scriptures, perform austerities, or chant Vedic mantras, but such things are like ornaments on a dead body. Only fools will be impressed.

 

When Mahaprabhu went to embrace Haridasa Thakura, with all humility Haridasa said to him:

 

My dear Lord, please do not touch me. I am most fallen, the lowest of men. Mahaprabhu replied: I want to touch you just to purify myself. You are so pure, it is as if at every moment you are bathing in all the sacred rivers, visiting all the holy places of pilgrimage, and performing every sacrifice, austerity, and charity imaginable. You are more exalted than any Brahmin or sannyasi.

 

The Lord then recited this sloka from the Srimad Bhagavatam:

 

One who always chants your Holy Name, even though born in the worst circumstances, is a saint. We can understand that he must have performed all austerities and sacrifices, bathed in all the holy rivers, and mastered the Vedas. Therefore he is a true Aryan (one who is pure).

 

In the Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda, it is declared:

 

When a person is admitted into Vishnu's family, he is called a Vaishnava. It has been said that of all people, the Vaishnava is certainly the most exalted.

 

The Dvaraka-Mahatmya states:

 

A person who is devoted to Janardana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is a saint even if he is born into a low-class family; whereas if a person is born into an aristocratic family of noble lineage and is not a devotee of the Lord, he is of bad blood.

 

Any association with non-Vaishnavas or with Brahmins who lack devotion is categorically denounced. The Padma Purana states:

 

The association of meat-eaters is strictly prohibited because their lifestyle goes against scriptural regulations; in the same manner, contact with a non-Vaishnava Brahmin must be avoided. Whereas a Vaishnava-one who is initiated and who is affectionate to the Lord and his devotees--even if born into a low-class family, is capable of purifying all three worlds.

 

Vrndavana dasa says that intimate association with non-Vaishnavas, regardless of their parentage, is suicidal. According to the Padma Purana, the characteristics of a Vaishnava are as follows:

 

One who is dedicated to worshipping Vishnu, who has received initiation into a Vishnu-mantra, is classified as a Vaishnava by spiritual preceptors; all others are non-Vaishnavas." (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 1.55)

 

Those who are simply born into a Brahmin family but are non-Vaishnavas, and who are inimical towards Vishnu and Vaishnavas, are condemned. Vrndavana dasa cries out against these namesake Brahmins, citing the Varaha Purana:

 

In Kali-yuga, demons will be born in smarta Brahmin families to harass and torture the righteous devotees of the Lord. The demons choose Kali-yuga to be born in, so they can torment those rare persons who adhere to the path enunciated by the Vedas (sruti ). They viciously attempt to disrupt the devotee's service to the Supreme Lord.

 

These Brahmin impostors view Vaishnavas who have a bad background with contempt. They scoff at their spiritual practices, or when they see them receive honor and respect, they vainly try to expose the Vaishnava's background, and other mundane trivialities. The Brhad Aranyaka Sruti describes them, saying:

 

One who leaves the world fully understanding the Absolute Truth is honored as a Brahmin, but one who does not has wasted his life.

 

According to Sri Krishnadasa Kaviraja, not only should one not consider the form of God to be mundane, but the same is true of his devotees.As written by Srila Krishna-Dvaipayana Vyasadeva, the author of Srimad-Bhagavatam:

 

There is no greater blasphemy than to think that the body of Vishnu is material. And Mahaprabhu says: The Vaishnava's body is never mundane; it is supramundane, and supercharged with ecstasy. (Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila 7.155, Antya-lila 4.191)

 

The use of the term atmasama does not imply that pure devotees are equal to the Supreme Lord in every respect. The Supreme Lord is the only one who possesses transcendental qualities to an infinite degree. The jiva can only possess these qualities to a finite degree.

 

Mahaprabhu says: "The finite and the Infinite can never be considered equal, just as a tiny spark is never equal to a fire." The following verse is found in the Bhagavat Sandarbha and also in Sridhara Swami's commentary to the Srimad-Bhagavatam:

 

The Supreme Lord is the embodiment of etenality, knowledge, and bliss. Two of his multifarious spiritual energies are: hladini-sakti, the pleasure-giving potency, and samvit, perfect knowledge of the self and all other things, while the jivas are cocooned in ignorance, and deeply anchored in suffering.

 

Only by taking complete shelter of Sri Radhika and her serving group, the hladini sakti, can we realize our innate spiritual identity and service to the holy lotus feet of Sri Guru, Gauranga, and Krishna. Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja explains further why a pure Vaishnava's body is aprakrta, or supramundane:

 

At the time of diksa (initiation), the devotee surrenders to Krishna with body and soul. In reciprocation, Krishna accepts him, elevating him, body and soul, to a status equal to his own. The Lord transforms the Vaishnava's body and makes it a repository of transcendental emotions." (Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila 8. 192-193)

 

He then quotes the Srimad-Bhagavatam:

 

When people reject materialism and conduct their lives under my direction, they attain immortality. They become eligible to be with me and share spiritual emotions (rasa ) with me in their spiritual identity." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.29.34)

 

But what is meant by surrender, Srila Saraswati Prabhupada writes in his Anubhasya commentary:

 

Although one who has completely renounced the world (akincana ) and one who is completely sheltered in Krishna (saranagatah ) may appear to be the same externally, the devotee who has given up the world has also offered his soul. At the time of initiation, the devotee gives up material conceptions while he begins to understand sambandha-jnana, one's eternal relationship with God and those who are part of the family of God. When the devotee gives up the shelter of maya, he takes shelter of Krishna and is Krishnized. At this stage, the devotee's delusion as enjoyer of material pleasures dissipates, and his real self merges with his new identity as an eternal servant of Krishna. The devotee attains his spiritual body (sac cid ananda svarupa )and his eternal service to Krishna, serving him in his own transcendental form. The pure devotee's ecstatic service is an elevated stage of devotion which is often misinterpreted and misunderstood by those unacquainted with the science of devotion. For this kind of aparadha one is deprived of the shelter of a Vaishnava guru." (Anubhasya, Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya 4.193)

 

Mahaprabhu taught everyone that a Vaishnava's transcendental body is unlike that of an ordinary person, or even an extraordinary person. The Lord did not view personalities like Haridasa Thakura, who took birth in a low-class family, or Sanatana Goswaml, whose body was diseased, or Vasudeva Vipra, who was suffering from acute leprosy, as social outcasts or disease ridden beggars. Instead he embraced them, proving that a pure devotee's body is never impure. The pure devotee's body is transcendental, infused with spiritual bliss, and best suited to serve Krishna. As the Lord himself says:

 

mad-bhakta-pujyabhyadhika

sarva-bhutesu man-matih

 

The worship of my devotees is the real worship of me. In fact it is higher than worshipping my very self. (Bhag. 11.19.21)

 

My dear devotees, please read and listen carefully to the divine stories and instructions that follow, and pray to the Supreme Lord and his devotees-the Vaishnavas-that we may always worship and adore them, and thereby enter The Heart of Krishna.

[theist]

These darker characteriatics that we come to uncover are not our eternal characteristics. We by nature are eternal, knowledgeable and blissful.

 

So when some mental state that we observe that is against service to Krsna is shown in us and after the intial shock wears off, we can be thankful that the Lord has shown us this particular obstacle that is blocking our path back to Him. Then we work on it by becoming aware and taking corrective action.

 

Our present false pride is like a normal healthy person falling ill. During the illness he suffers and must take proper steps to correct the situation. When that is successful he finds himself back in the normal healthy and happy condition which is his true state. I see it as something like this.

 

Developing an introspective nature is important for us but is not the totality of the path. That is the chanting of Hare Krsna.

 

We must becareful because the false ego is very smooth, tricky and seemingly agreeable. We realize we must become honest with ourselves and others and the false ego just say" Yes we must become honest". It just goes right along for the ride. But it will also implant the poisonous thoughts of,

"Just see how honest I am, I admit my faults. That is what real devotees do, not like the others who are all blind to their our shortcomings.I must be special" lol

 

It really is rather hopeless to think we can rearrange our thinking and feeling activities to be fit for presentation to Krsna.

[jayaisvara]

I read that article krsna prabhu, but I couldn't digest it fully.Prabhus, will it be helpful if I keep all my faults in my head at all times so that the magnitude of thoughts about criticism that come to my head will be at least reduced to some extent?

[theist]

No man is an island they say and its true. Repression is no cure. Restraint can be helpfull but stuffing things within and bottling them up there only postpones dealing with them.

 

You should bring such subjects up. How else could I tell you that I think you are worried too much and for little reason. It's the people who are so absolutely sure they make no offenses to others that we need to keep an eye on.

[jayaisvara]

I can't thank you enough for telling me some wisdom and maybe someone else will benefit from this too. Again, I thank you so much for this wisdom. I worry for my selfish wants, that is true. Also, I think that just because I have an ideal, which is to become a devotee, I think my ego blinds me. For example just because I have an ideal, it doesn't mean that I am already that ideal and thus criticize others. It's a bad habit from I don't know how many life times. But most of what I say is ignorance, but thanks again prabhus for your wisdom and consideration of this thread.

[krsna]

Caitanya-caritamrita (Adi-lila 1.49):

 

Such pure devotees, always merged in knowledge of Krishna and absorbed in Krishna consciousness, exchange thoughts and realizations as great scientists exchange their views and discuss the results of their research in scientific academies. Such exchanges of thought in relation to Krishna give pleasure to the Lord, who therefore favors such devotees with all enlightenment.