Who is qualified to engage in Nama-bhajan ?

krsna · January 13, 2005

(Thakura Bhaktivinoda in Sadhu-ninda, Chp 4, Hari-nama-cintamani)

Q. To what one is a Vaisnava?

A. To the amount one has developed rati (attraction) for chanting of Krsna-nama, to that extent one is a vaisnava.

(Thakura Bhaktivinoda in Caitanya-sikshamrita 6/4)

Q. Who is actually qualified to engage in nama-bhajana?

A. A madhyama-vaisnava is actually qualified to engage in nama-bhajana.

(Thakura Bhaktivinoda in Sadhu-ninda, Chp 4, Hari-nama-cintamani)

Vaisnavabhasa, prakrtavaisnava, vaisnavapraya o kanistha-vaisnava- Eisakala ekai kotha

Vaisnavabhasa, prakrta-vaisnava, vaisnava-praya and kanistha-vaisnava are different names for the neophyte devotee.

Sadhu-sevahina arcca loukika sraddhaya.

Prakrta vaisnava haya vaisnavera praya..

The neophyte devotee (kanistha Vaisnava) displays a faith that is formal and worldly. He worships the Deity but has no service attitude towards the devotees of the Lord.

Vaisnava-abhasa sei, nohe ta' vaisnava.

Kemane paibe sadhusangera vaibhava..

He is almost a Vaisnava (Vaisnava-praya), but is not a real Vaisnava yet; hence, he is not able to take full advantage and understand the glories of sadhu-sanga.

Ataeva kanistha madhyete ta're gani.

Ta're krpa koribena vaisnava apani..

Such a neophyte will have to receive the blessings of a real vaisnava to advance further.

(Thakura Bhaktivinoda in Jaiva-dharma, Chapter 8)

Young Nityananda dasa asked, "Saintly babaji, what kind of Vaisnava am I? Am I a neophyte Vaisnava or an intermediate Vaisnava? An advanced Vaisnava I certainly am not."

Saintly Hari dasa Babaji smiled and said, "Can a person who accepts the name Nityananda dasa not be an advanced Vaisnava? Our Nityananda is very merciful. Even when He is beaten, He gives love in return. How can words properly glorify a person who chants Lord Nityananda's name and becomes His servant.

Nityananda dasa: I would like to know truthfully what my position is.

Hari dasa: Son, tell me all about yourself. If Lord Nityananda gives me the power to say, I will tell you.

Nityananda dasa: I was born in a lowly family in a village on the bank of the Padmavati. I was married at a young age. I did not learn how to be wicked. When my wife died, thoughts of renunciation came to my mind. In Baragachi I saw many Vaisnavas who had renounced family life. Everyone was respectful to them. Desiring to be honored like that, and inspired by the temporary feeling of renunciation my wife's death brought, I accepted the garments of a Vaisnava renunciant. After some days wickedness came into my mind. My Vaisnava friend was a very good person. Now he stays in Vraja. He gave me good advice, protected me with his good association, and kept my mind pure. Now my mind no longer wants to leave the right path. It likes to chant a hundred thousand holy names every day. I understand that the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His holy name are not different. Both are perfectly spiritual. I observe ekadasi according to the scriptures and I water tulasi. When the Vaisnavas sing the holy names together, I jn in the singing. I drink the nectar water that has washed the Vaisnava's feet. I read Sri Caitanya-mangala. I do not desire opulent food and clothing. I do not like to hear gossip. When I see how the Vaisnavas are filled with ecstatic love, I also become ecstatic and I roll in the dust that has touched their feet. In spite of all this, to a certain extent I still desire fame. Now please tell me: To what class of Vaisnava do I belong? How should I behave?

Showing a little smile, Hari dasa Babaji said to Vaisnava dasa, "You say. To what class of Vaisnava does Nityananda dasa belong?"

Vaisnava dasa: From what I have heard he has left the neophyte stage and become an intermediate devotee.

Hari dasa: I also think that.

Nityananda dasa: Good. From the mouth of a great soul I now know my true position. Please give your mercy to me so I may gradually become an advanced devotee.

Hari dasa: When you first accepted the garments of a sannyasi, you desired material fame. That inappropriate desire meant that you were still fallen.

In spite of that, the mercy of the Vaisnavas brought auspiciousness to you.

Nityananda dasa: I still have a slight desire for fame. In my mind I think, "Bewildered by the tears in my eyes and many other symptoms of ecstatic love, the people will worship me."

Hari dasa: You should struggle to renounce those thoughts. Don't keep thoughts like those. There is the danger they will diminish your devotional service. If you allow them to diminish your devotion, you will again become a neophyte devotee. Even after lust, anger, and other vices have left, the desire for fame may stubbornly stay with a Vaisnava. It does not go away very easily. A single drop of sincere love for the Lord is better than an elaborate pretense of that love.

Touching the dust of Hari dasa Babaji's feet, Nityananda dasa Babaji said, "Please have mercy on me." Hari dasa at once embraced him and made him sit down. How wonderful is the result attained by a Vaisnava's touch! Tears streamed from Nityananda's dasa's eyes. Taking a blade of grass between his teeth, he said, "I am very fallen and lowly. I am very fallen." Hari dasa Babaji embraced him and wept. How wonderful it all was! Nityananda dasa had attained the true goal of life. After a short time, when all the symptoms of ecstatic love had subsided, in his heart Nityananda dasa accepted Sri Hari dasa as his spiritual master. Then Nityananda dasa asked a question.

(Thakura Bhaktivinoda in Jaiva-dharma, Chapter 8)

"The second of these qualities is that one is friendly to the devotees, who are surrendered to the Supreme Lord. Any person in whom pure devotional service is manifested is considered a devotee surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

NEOPHYTE DEVOTEES ARE NEITHER PURE DEVOTEES NOR ARE THEY SURRENDERED TO THE LORD. THEIR TENDENCY IS TO DISRESPECT THE TRUE PURE DEVOTEES. THEREFORE ONE SHOULD MAKE FRIENDSHIP WITH INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED DEVOTEES ONLY.

In answering a Kulina-grama devotee's question, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu described the neophyte, intermediate, and advanced devotees. He explained that the intermediate and advanced devotees are counted among the true Vaisnavas, whereas the neophyte devotees, who do not know anything beyond worshipping the Deity, are not yet true Vaisnavas. The true holy name of Lord does not appear on the mouths of such worshippers of the Deity. The name that appears on their mouths is only the shadow of Lord Krsna's holy name (chaya-namabhasa). Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu ordered the intermediate (madhyama) householder devotees to serve all three classes of devotees, the three classes being:

1. a person on whose mouth the holy name of Lord is heard even only once,

2.a person on whose mouth the holy name of Lord Krsna is heard always, and

3. a person the sight of whom inspires one to chant the holy name of Lord Krsna.

One should serve a Vaisnava who chants only a shadow of Lord Krsna's holy name. One should serve only a Vaisnava who takes shelter of the pure holy name of Lord Krsna. As there are different kinds of Vaisnava, so there are different kinds of service to Vaisnavas. The "making friendship" includes associating with Vaisnavas, conversing with them, and serving them. The moment one sees a pure Vaisnava one should greet him, honor him, and offered both a sitting place and conversation. One must serve him in all these ways. One should never hate, envy, or insult him. One should not disrespect him if his body is ugly or if he suffers from some disease.

(Thakura Bhaktivinoda in Jaiva-dharma, Chapter 25)

Vijaya-kumara: Please explain what benefit namabhasa brings and what benefit it does not bring?

Babaji: Sense pleasures (bhukti), liberation (mukti) and the eighteen yogic perfections are included among the benefits namabhasa brings. However, pure love for Lord Krsna (krsna-prema) which is the highest goal of life, is not granted by namabhasa. If a person whose chanting is on the level of namabhasa associates with a pure devotee (suddha-bhakta), then the chanter can come to the level of a madhyama-Vaisnava (intermediate devotee). From that status he can become further elevated, attain pure devotion, chant the holy name purely, and finally attain pure love for Lord Krsna (krsna-prema).

January 13, 2005

Every soul is basically qualified to do Hari Naama Bajana. There is no discrimination in this regard. Afterall every soul is His creation and in the process of evolution towards reaching Him. Sometimes its better not to debate or self conspiring about our position as a devotee or ask others about 'what is my position' or many more comparisons. I guess the ideal would be to just keep the mind fixed directly on Lord chanting His Holy name and thats sufficient than breaking the head with too many scriptures and comparing with people. None really knows how many of the devotees who considered themselves or by others as great devotees, have actually reached Lord, or if they have taken any other births in some other planets or on earth itself, only that Govinda knows. So why to break the head on this aspect. Is there anything called perfect other than Lord Himself?

R