19810811 Who is a Vaiṣṇava?

The following is a class given by His Holiness Jayapatākā svāmī Mahārāja on August 11th, 1981 in Calcutta, India. The class begins with a reading from the ‘Vaiṣṇava Ke?’, texts 13 to 16.

Vaiṣṇava Ke?

Text 13 

se ‘yukta-vairāgya’, tāhā to’ saubhāgya,
tāhā-i jaḍete harir vaibhava
kīrtane jāhār, pratiṣṭhā-sambhār,’
tāhār sampatti kevala ‘kaitava’

Jayapatākā Swami: So, here two kinds of situations are discussed. The first is the devotee in the material world, who is engaging the material energy in the service of Kṛṣṇa. Because Kṛṣṇa is the all-perfect transcendental Lord of all energies, both material and spiritual; and because He is completely perfect and transcendentally situated; when the material energy is engaged in His direct service by devotees, that energy becomes spiritualized. So, for someone in the material world, engaging everything in the service of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the perfect way of becoming transcendentally situated. He is known as the yukta-vairāgi. As compared to someone… In the ordinary sense, vairāgi, someone who gives up the material energy. So some kinds of transcendentalists are giving up this material energy as being illusion,as being māyā, and they are simply renouncing the material energy without utilizing this material energy at all. Just like sometimes, when a new man joins the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness movement, he gives away all of his possessions to his relatives, friends… and comes without anything and says, “Now I am free from all this burden." But Rūpa Gosvāmī, one of the direct disciples of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, has personally shown what is the standard: by utilizing 50% of all his possessions in the service of Kṛṣṇa and different Vaiṣṇavas, giving 25% to his family members and keeping 25% for emergency.

In Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, at least 50% is to always be spent on Kṛṣṇa conscious activities and preaching the holy name. And ‘utility is the principle’. So something may be kept by householders for emergency sake. This is also not considered to be a material attachment. When such possessions are used actually in the service of Kṛṣṇa, work for practical purposes in devotional service, so, there is a yukta-vairāgya. So, even though it appears that such a person is having so many material possessions, because he’s utilising all the material possessions in Kṛṣṇa’s service, therefore actually he is a vairāgi. Even though he is there with the material energy, he is not using the material energy for his own sense gratification. So where is the question of contamination? All of the material energy, it is already spiritualized. So, when something is used to increase the service of Kṛṣṇa, how can it be considered to be māyā or an impediment? Only when something is used for sense gratification, for purposes which are obstructive to devotional service, then such an activity is considered to be illusory, or an obstacle for devotional service. So, one who uses this energy of Kṛṣṇa; even though it may be material energy, but uses in the service of Kṛṣṇa, he is already considered to be liberated. But he is chanting kīrtana to get some personal name and fame, he is doing some type of preaching to establish himself in a material, enhanced position. Just like there are so many professional kīrtana groups, but sometimes people, they have their desire to make their own name and fame and they go out and do some propaganda, which appears to be harināma preaching, but actually it is all personally motivated.

So here Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura… He says that such a kīrtana which is based upon the motivation of improving one’s own material position in terms of followers,wealth or sense gratification; that apparent spiritual opulence or possession is nothing but simply cheating, simply kaitava, or cheating. The very first verses of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam mention that this Bhāgavata-dharma, or process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is not a kaitava-dharma. It is not a cheating religious process. This is a pure process which requires that one give his mind, words and deeds in the service of Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. So here someone is apparently giving their body, apparently their words; but actually their intention, their mentality is to enjoy. Not to actually give service. Therefore this practice, in such a case, is known to be cheating. Someone else, who is actually in heart a devotee, having material possessions but using those possessions in the service of Kṛṣṇa, because his mind, words and his deeds all directed towards Kṛṣṇa. Even though apparently, they appear to be material type of activities. He is considered to be a yukta-vairāgi. He is considered to be liberated. Not the person who is externally showing that he is a great devotee, but internally he is polluted and filled with material dirt. He is simply cheating himself and others and he should be rejected. And his association should be avoided, until such time as he is purified.

So it goes on to text 14.

Text 14 

‘viṣaya-mumukṣu,’ ‘bhoger bubhukṣu,’
du’ye tyajo mana, dui ‘avaiṣṇava’ 
‘kṛṣṇer sambandha,’ aprākṛta-skandha
kabhu nāhe tāhā jaḍer sambhava

So, viṣaya-mumukṣu,’ ‘bhoger bubhukṣu du’ye tyajo mana, dui ‘avaiṣṇava’ - Oh my dear mind, I request you to give up the association of all non-devotees. My dear mind, the first non-devotee is one who wants liberation from material enjoyment. The second non-devotee is one who wants to enjoy this material world. Both of them are not connected with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore you should give up their association as undesirable. Kṛṣṇa… the transcendental service in relationship to Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is advanced, is a truly spiritual… is a part of the spiritual existence and has nothing to do with this material world of birth and death. Simply be attached to that transcendental relationship with Kṛṣṇa, avoiding all types of non-devotees - such as a desire for liberation or the desire for enjoying this material world.

So the mind should know what is favorable for devotional service and what is unfavorable for devotional service. Śrīla Rupa Gosvāmīpāda has instructed us to accept whatever is favorable for devotional service and to reject whatever is unfavorable. The enjoyment of this material world is very attractive for all the conditioned souls. Everyone is hankering for increasing personal wealth, personal position and sense gratification. It is very difficult to overcome these attachments. Sometimes, a person becomes frustrated trying to enjoy his material desires, and he desires to become liberated from birth and death. To merge into the existence of the Lord. But simple desire for liberation is not indicative of a direct relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Simply to desire to be liberated from material pain and pleasure, is simply a negation of this material world and also is an impediment for one who wants to advance to the highest perfection of life. One who wants to achieve the highest perfection of pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness, personal service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa in the spiritual sky, the simple desire for ending the present life of repeated birth and death in this material world, is rather an impediment, because it is distracting us from the higher goal. Even one gets out of prison, again due to misplaced activities, he may be put back into the prison house. But if one is already trained to act in a normal way in society, then the chances of going back in the prison house are practically nil. But if one is already trained to act in transcendental consciousness as an associate of the Lord,as a servitor of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, then there is no danger… that such a person will never fall back into the material world. Kṛṣṇa assures nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ samsiddhim paramām gatah (Bg. 8.15) One who is situated in His devotional service, surrendered at His lotus feet, never has to fear falling down again from that spiritual position back into this material world of birth and death

So the request is given to the mind to recognize the true enemies of devotional service. Desire for liberation and desire for material enjoyment, both should be given up. Both should be avoided; and one should rather take association with the pure devotees. So in relation to the mind, this is the way we should think. We should give up thoughts for desires for liberation and sense gratification, and we should be thinking how to engage our senses and relation to Kṛṣṇa. Knowing that such devotional service, even though it's employing this mind and this body, which are apparent material products, is actually transcendental. Because it is in connection with Kṛṣṇa. It is in relation with Kṛṣṇa. While the apparent giving up of material activities and going to a secluded place, or performing some type of secluded yoga practice is actually nothing to do but spiritual activity. It is the opposite to material activity and it is simply leading one on a very difficult path, to an incomplete form of liberation. To actually complete liberation is very easy for a devotee. Simply by engaging his mind-senses serving in Kṛṣṇa’s service, in the saṅkīrtana movement, congregational chanting of the holy names of Lord, immediately one is elevated to the transcendental platform. So, one should not have any doubt that these activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, of chanting, hearing, remembering, and serving have anything to do with this material world. They have nothing to do, not even a touch, with this material world. One is completely under the shelter of the transcendental potency when one is performing these spiritual activities.

His Divine Grace Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda has taken up the essence of these instructions of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. Therefore, all over the world, he has engaged in apparent material energy in the form of automobiles, Jets, PA equipment, printing presses and so many others… computers for our diorama exhibition. Everything conceivable has been utilized in the service of Kṛṣṇa, using the same basic principle. That when something is utilized in the direct service of the Lord, for helping the people to come back to the original constitutional position in pure God consciousness; that such utilization of energy is not contaminated with even an aroma of material pollution, but it is completely transcendental. So those who may criticize or may not understand why a sādhu or someone in the renounced order of life should utilize material things, does not know the secret of spiritual science.

Real spiritual activity is not to give up material things. That is false renunciation. Real renunciation, real Kṛṣṇa consciousness, real God consciousness, is to utilize all types of material things for expanding the saṅkīrtana or glorification of the Lord. And this has been perfectly exhibited in the life and activity of His Divine Grace Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, the Founder Ācārya of the International Society of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. Those who criticize, who do not understand, are doing so only out of ignorance of the actual science of pure devotional service of bhakti-yoga.

Text 15

‘māyāvādī jana,’ kṛṣṇetara mana,
mukta abhimāne se ninde vaiṣṇava
vaiṣṇavera dāsa, tava bhakti-āśa,
keno vā ḍākicho nirjana-āhava

So, ‘māyāvādī jana,’ kṛṣṇetara mana - The Māyāvadīs, those persons who have attached to liberation from material birth and death, who are impersonalists, their mentality is completely separate from Kṛṣṇa. They have no direct relationship with Kṛṣṇa. And because of their false pride, thinking themselves to be liberated, when actually they have missed the real point of what is real liberation. These very proud Māyāvadīs criticize the devotees, criticize the pure Vaiṣṇavas, in their ignorance. The servant of the Vaiṣṇavas, of the pure devotees of the Lord, are always desiring pure devotion or bhakti. So, why will they ever call one…. so why will I call others to such a solitary worship of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa?

So, the impersonalist… it is a very obvious illusion to the Vaiṣṇavas. Because anyone who considers what is this material world with its birth and death, old age and disease. What is the nature of this material body and mind? How this material body and mind are simply temporary coverings for the eternal spirit soul. And how one’s suffering in this material world, due to misidentification, thinking himself to be the body and mind. When he comes to that understanding, he will naturally want to be free from the bondage to that attachment to body and mind. This is a natural conclusion to anyone who is a thoughtful person. This is the proof that without the shelter of a bona fide spiritual master, it is not possible however, to achieve complete realization. The limit one can achieve through mental speculation is to come to the conclusion that this material world is a place of material suffering, and we shall immediately get out of this illusory bondage. But what is the real spiritual truth? What is the real spiritual existence that we are hankering for? That is waiting to be achieved. That… how can we achieve it by our mental speculation? That is not possible. So when a person is very proud of having come to the conclusion of this material world being false and thus he thinks himself to be liberated; when he sees the Vaiṣṇavas or the pure devotees of the Lord are riding in their cars, are doing their preaching work, are building temples and so many other activities, then they want to criticize that, “Oh, these are all material activities. These are motivated by material desire.” But this is not a fact.

○◦○◦○◦ (Altar Opens) Jaya Śrī Śrī Jagannātha Subhadrā Balarāma, Jaya Rādhā Govinda kī…! ○◦○◦○◦

Such a devotee has no business in desiring anything but devotional service. That is his only business. And what is his position? That he is the servant of other devotees of the Lord. A Vaiṣṇava does not say that, “I am the servant of Kṛṣṇa, I do not need any guru. I do not need to serve any other devotee. I am directly the servant of Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa!” This is not what a Vaiṣṇava says. This is what someone who is falsely proud says. Because a Vaiṣṇava knows that not only Kṛṣṇa but all those potencies, personalities, associates, in relation to Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead are all on the transcendental platform and are all worshipable. Therefore a Vaiṣṇava is a servant of a Vaiṣṇava. Chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava sevā nistāra peyeche kebā - One who has given up the service of the devotees of the Lord; when has such a person ever achieved deliverance? This is what Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura – a great ācārya in the line of Caitanya Mahāprabhu – has instructed. In other words, the mentality of a pure devotee of the Lord who is practicing bhakti-yoga is to be always engaged in the service of other devotees. Therefore, the question of being envious of other devotees never enters. The question of desiring a position possessed by another devotee never enters. Rather one's mentality is always to serve the pure devotee - who is one’s spiritual master - and other Vaiṣṇavas. So the question is given to the mind; so why would such a pure devotee ever call someone to go apart from the association of devotees? In other words, "Mind, why are you trying to call me to leave the association of devotees? Why are you are trying to point out critical points and make me lose this association of devotees? Why are you trying to bluff me? As if you are a pure devotee? Would a pure devotee have any motive for leaving the association of other devotees for?” So, in a nutshell, the different types of pitfalls that can attack one, as one is advancing in transcendental science: first, the pitfall of material sense gratification is most fallen in conditional life. Then one gives up sense gratification. But simply the dry desire for liberation, without having connection with Kṛṣṇa, is also a dangerous tigress that eats our spiritual life. Then, after one gives up that desire for liberation and sense gratification, enters into serving the Lord and His devotee; if one, due to immature understanding becomes suddenly involved and implicated in desires for personal improvement, in the society of devotees, therefore in a subtle way losing that service attitude and becoming envious and critical unnecessarily of other devotees; then one is driven out of the society of devotees by the power of the uncontrolled mind, and one is drawn into a situation, where by his own false ego, he thinks “Now I am more advanced than the other Vaiṣṇavas. I am chanting by myself. I have my own movement…”, or, “I have my own private worship. Therefore, I am more advanced than the other Vaiṣṇavas. They are discussing preaching, they are discussing spreading the saṅkīrtana movement, but I am always engaged in thinking of Kṛṣṇa, therefore I am more advanced.” That person is bewildered. Actually, he has been cheated by his mind. And due to false pride, he's become absorbed in the mentality of trying to become the best devotee.

Śrīla Prabhupāda, Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda said this is another māyā – to want to become the best devotee. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is His own best devotee. Śrīmatī Rādhāraṇī is the best devotee. No one can have that position. All we can try is to be a sincere devotee of other devotees. Best…."Best" idea is material idea. Another competitive mood. Trying to compete with Kṛṣṇa. When entering devotional service, I want to be the best devotee. One should try to do the best service one can to carry out the order of his spiritual master. But one does not, in performing that service, want to pull anyone else down, or want to obstruct anyone else. Nor is he envious of anyone else who is also doing good service. The more, the merrier. The more people are engaged in good service, that is giving more satisfaction to the devotees. He has no desire for exclusive good service. His only desire is that Kṛṣṇa may be satisfied. And if more people are serving Kṛṣṇa to his satisfaction, therefore that is giving multiple joy to the sincere devotee. This is known as goṣṭhi-ānanda– to see the association of devotees increase and to gain transcendental ecstasy from seeing so many devotees coming and serving the Lord in purified consciousness.

So when the mind becomes bewildered and loses this appreciation for devotional service… how could the mind ever have appreciation for devotional service? Once having such an appreciation, no one would sacrifice that ecstasy. This means that the minds has never yet become purified. If the mind had been purified, and even once tasted that pure ecstasy of devotional service, then it was not possible that it would easily give up such ecstasy and become absorbed in personal improvement. That means that the mind was not being surrendered; it was being held back. Externally, the practice was going on, but internally the mind was being withheld. from actually surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, for actually serving Kṛṣṇa and his devotees.

So controlling the activities and the words is external. That is purifying. But finally we have to face the mind and we have to shake up that mind and we have to purify it by engaging the mind in reading, in hearing and chanting these holy scriptures – the Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā, and in serving other devotees, and then in preaching the saṅkīrtana message, engaging in the saṅkīrtana movement. This is how we purify our mind. And we should be watching out every second that our mind has not become overcome by these materialistic associations and misled us. If we train our mind in this pure attitude of devotional service, the real saṅkīrtana mood, which is exactly following in the footsteps of the gopīs - the greatest devotees of Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana - the mood of dedicating everything in the service of The Lord and His devotees, then immediately we can experience this highest ecstasy of pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Text 16

je ‘phalgu-vairāgī,’ kahe nije ‘tyāgī’
se nā pāre kabhu hoite ‘vaiṣṇava’
hari-pada chāḍi’, ‘nirjanatā bāḍi,’
labhiyā ki phala, ‘phalgu’ se vaibhava

So one who is such a false renouncer, he tells everyone that, "I am a great tyāgi. I am a great renouncer. Or he tells himself that I am very renounced, I am very advanced, more so than others. But such a person, he can never be a Vaiṣṇava. He has given up the lotus feet of Śrī Hari - Kṛṣṇa. Instead, in his solitary place, He is practicing his so-called spiritual practices. But actually for that he gets no fruit. It is simply the influence of falsity that is all-pervasive in his activities. Thus, his activities are completely dissatisfying to the self.

So, Bhaktisiddhānta…… that was the translation of verse 16. The phalgu-vairāgī, or false renouncer, he has his satisfaction. Actually, that satisfaction is his own mental satisfaction that he is very renounced. He considers himself to be very renounced, that’s his satisfaction. In other words, his own pride is his satisfaction. “Look at me, I am able to chant so many rounds. I am able to do this particular thing. I am able to point out the defect in others. Therefore, I am better than others. I am very renounced, I am very advanced.” And by thinking in that way, that is his pleasure. But that's false pleasure. What does that have to do with Kṛṣṇa Consciousness ? What does that have to do with serving Kṛṣṇa and doing what Kṛṣṇa wants? Satisfying Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental senses? If Kṛṣṇa doesn’t want one to leave the association of devotees, if Kṛṣṇa doesn’t want one to chant unlimited number of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantras, if Kṛṣṇa doesn’t want one to point out defects in others; rather, if Kṛṣṇa wants that one stay in the association of devotees, if Kṛṣṇa wants that one serve his spiritual master, when Kṛṣṇa wants that one should spread His glories everywhere, when Kṛṣṇa wants that the conditioned soul to be delivered from birth and death and given the priceless jewel of pure devotional service; then why would one want to do anything other than what Kṛṣṇa wants, except for material reasons? And how can anyone get any fruit (other than material fruits) by giving up Kṛṣṇa’s… by neglecting the desire of Kṛṣṇa? So the transcendentalist who wants to achieve pure love for Kṛṣṇa in this life does not become misled by such hypocritical deceit, coming in the form coming in the form of mental poison. Doesn’t become misled by them. But he guards himself. Always.

In His Divine Grace Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda’s Kṛṣṇa book, he has described how mother Devakī – the mother of Kṛṣṇa – was feeling fearful that Kṛṣṇa might be killed by Kamsa. Being overcome by the yoga-māyā or internal potency of Kṛṣṇa, Devakī, the mother of Kṛṣṇa, forgot that Kṛṣṇa was the Supreme Personality of Godhead and considered Him to be dependent on her as her ordinary son. Therefore she became overwhelmed with fear and prayed to Kṛṣṇa to take the form as an ordinary baby. Because she thought if Kamsa sees him with his four arms, holding the wheel, discus (Sudarśana Cakra), the lotus flower, the club and the conch shell - symbols of Viṣṇu - immediately Kamsa will come and attack him and try to kill him. Of course, how can a demon like Kamsa can kill Kṛṣṇa who is unconquerable? But due to being overwhelmed by motherly affection, Devakī could make this mistake. So this fear of the devotee, fear against a demon like Kamsa, is described by Śrīla Prabhupāda, as actually a transcendental opulence. That a devotee should be afraid of the material energy, should be afraid of material illusion. This is the protection which keeps the devotee fixed in the transcendental consciousness. When someone becomes proud, that is the first symptom of fall down. When a person becomes proud and stops fearing the material energy, and starts to think oneself to be advanced in devotional service, then he falls down from the path of devotional service and becomes the victim of māyā. So this fear is our protection. The materialist fears are different kinds. The fear of the devotee is actually… the fear of this material nature helps one to always be clinging to the Lotus feet of the Lord. Thus a devotee is always secured, even in that apparent fear, because the shelter of Kṛṣṇa is never withheld from this pure devotee. But the materialist… like Kamsa, he was also afraid. He was afraid that at any movement Kṛṣṇa would come and kill him. Because he was such an envious snake, he was such a terrible demon, that he was simply causing destruction and pain to other living entities. Therefore at any movement, he knew, he just reward was to be killed. And he was afraid that Kṛṣṇa would be the agent of his death. Actually, in the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa describes that for the non-devotees, he appears as death. No one has ever escaped death. No scientist, no philosopher, no great king, politician, social worker – no one has ever escaped death in this material world. Everyone dies. No matter how powerful a demon, they die. So therefore, death appears before them as their God realization. Absolute realization. Because they cannot avoid death. So the materialist is always afraid of death. But the devotee, he is not afraid of death, because he knows death is Kṛṣṇa. To end this material body means to achieve our spiritual body and our eternal service to Kṛṣṇa. Where is the question of fear of death? For a devotee, death is like a great blessing. Rather the devotee fears this material nature and all of these subtle illusions, which try to make us forget Kṛṣṇa.

So this dry renunciation, especially the renunciation of the association of the service of pure devotees, is a great danger. Someone who falls under that illusion, he can never be a devotee. So one should be very careful not to give up the association of the Lord’s devotees. Not to give up the service which is approved of by Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Otherwise such type of false renunciation should be considered as simply based in illusion, having its result in illusion, and being all-pervaded with illusion and falseness. And nothing else.