Is it proper to think of a non-devotee as a devotee???

[krsna]

SEEING NON-DEVOTEES AS DEVOTEES

 

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta SaraswatiThakur Prabhupada

 

Question: Is it proper to think of a non-devotee as a devotee?

 

Answer: No. Sri Gurudeva is namacharya; he is hari-nama-kirtana-kari, the chanter of the holy name. One who is an offender to the holy name should not be considered guru. A bona fide guru does not make provision for anyone’s sense gratification, nor does he say anything with the purpose of pleasing anyone. One who is on the path of pleasure does not like the words of those who are on the path of the highest goal. Such people are in search of some gratification; that is why they are deprived of what is beneficial.

 

To think of a non-devotee as a devotee and to think of false devotion as devotion is only self-deception. When one does not have the good fortune of serving or honoring a devotee, then he has this desire to accept a non-devotee as a devotee. But can a crow become a peacock by attaching some peacock feathers to its body? Can a disguised jackal become a lion, the king of beasts? How long can this deceitful trick be covered up?

 

The truth will always be manifest. Those who serve Krishna are not weak. They alone are strong and determined. Only by one’s good fortune can one understand that the highest thing is devotional service to Krishna, that only a servi-tor of Krishna is truly great. Due to attachment to the external, one can admire someone’s petty pride in money, or insignificant pride in education, or meaningless pride in beauty, and then one will be in great danger due to one’s indifference to the service and servitor of Krishna.

 

— Mandala Publishing Group. Prabhupada Saraswati Thakur,page 98-99. Eugene, Oregon. 1997.

[krsna]

STICKING TO THE

DUST OF VRINDAVAN

 

His Divine Grace A.C. BhaktivedantaSwami Prabhupada

 

 

What is the meaning of living in Vrindavan?

bhakta-sane vasa — To be in the society of devotees. One should come here for developing a devotional attitude, and not for making business or money. If anyone comes for that reason, he makes offense. It is called dhama-aparadha, of-fense to the holy dhama.

 

There are many kinds of aparadhas, offenses: dhama-aparadhas, nama-aparadhas and seva-aparadhas. That is described in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. Here in Vrindavan dhama, no one should do business. No one should try to satisfy his senses in Vrindavan dhama. Then his living in Vrindavan will actually be profitable. Of course, anyone living in Vrindavan dhama is fortunate because the dhama has its own power.

 

But anukulyena krsnanusilanam [Cc. madhya 19.167]— if we live in the dhama in an anukula way, a favorable way, then our achievement of ultimate success is very easy. If we commit offenses then it will be delayed. But still, anyone who is some way or other living in Vrindavan, sticking to the dust of Vrindavan, is certainly benefited.

 

— Lecture on Nectar of Devotion. Vrindavan. 13 November 1972.

[theist]

But from a different perspective can't we see every soul as a devotee of Krsna but yet asleep to that service?

 

Certainly not everyone is manifesting devotional characteristics but just as certain they are there just dormant.

 

We don't seek to hear from a microbe or a mayavadi but should we not still see all as equal souls?

[Guest guest]

We should accept where we are at. As kanisthas, we cannot see devotees from demons, therfore, we MUST submit to one who can show who is who, a madhyama adhikari shows us such distinction, and always tells us that demons are to be avoided and devotees should be accepted.

 

An uttama adhikari sees no distinction, and knows that ultimately, everyone is fixed up in service to Krsna, just temporarily sleeping. But uttama does not even see the sleeping, so in order to preach, an uttama accepts the madhyama position to help the kanistha in spuiritual guidance.

 

Theoretically, a kanistha must learn that all beings are devotees of krsna. There is no god versus the devil competition for the souls. God has no competitor. But theory is not yet realization, so we MUST make distinction. We must see duryodhana as agressive offender, we must see ravana as demon, even though shastra (theory for the unrealized) may confirm that Duryodhana was engaged in krsna consciousness in the rasa of chivalry and that ravana is actually a doorkeeper of Lord Narayana under a temporary curse.

 

a kanistha pretending to be uttama adhikari is a burden on society, better to accept that we dont know the difference between demons and devotees and submit to one who does and humbly take his advice. We dont have to be kanistha forever, someday we may clear up a bit to recognize spontaneously.

 

hare krsna, ys, mahaksadasa