20210528 Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Teaches the Symptoms of a Vaiṣṇava to the Inhabitants of Kulīna-grāma - Part 2

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on May 28th, 2021 in Śrī Dhāma Māyāpur, India.

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Hare Kṛṣṇa! Dear Devotees! Today we will continue with the compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book, today's chapter is entitled:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Teaches the Symptoms of a Vaiṣṇava to the Inhabitants of Kulīna-grāma - Part 2 
Under the Section: The Lord’s Attempt to Go to Vṛndāvana

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 16.69

satyarājādira pūrvavarṣavat prabhuke svakarttavya-jijñāsā:— 
kulīna-grāmī pūrvavat kaila nivedana
“prabhu, ājñā kara,—āmāra kartavya sādhana”

Translation: As in the previous year, one of the inhabitants of Kulīna-grāma submitted a petition to the Lord, saying, “My Lord, kindly tell me what my duty is and how I should execute it.”

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 16.70

prabhura uttara:— 
prabhu kahe,—"vaiṣṇava-sevā, nāma-saṅkīrtana
dui kara, śīghra pābe śrī-kṛṣṇa-caraṇa”

Translation: The Lord replied, “You should engage yourself in the service of the servants of Kṛṣṇa and always chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. If you do these two things, you will very soon attain shelter at Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet.”

Haribol!

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 16.71

satyarājādira prabhuke ‘vaiṣṇava’-lakṣaṇa-jijñāsā:— 
teṅho kahe,—"ke vaiṣṇava, ki tāṅra lakṣaṇa?”
tabe hāsi’ kahe prabhu jāni’ tāṅra mana

Translation: The inhabitant of Kulīna-grāma said, “Please let me know who is actually a Vaiṣṇava and what his symptoms are.” Understanding his mind, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu smiled and gave the following reply.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 16.72

prabhura ‘madhyama-vaiṣṇava’-lakṣaṇa-nirddeśa:— 
“kṛṣṇa-nāma nirantara yāṅhāra vadane
sei vaiṣṇava-śreṣṭha, bhaja tāṅhāra caraṇe

Translation: “A person who is always chanting the holy name of the Lord is to be considered a first-class Vaiṣṇava, and your duty is to serve his lotus feet.”

Purport: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura says that any Vaiṣṇava who is constantly chanting the holy name of the Lord should be considered to have attained the second platform of Vaiṣṇavism. Such a devotee is superior to a neophyte Vaiṣṇava who has just learned to chant the holy name of the Lord. A neophyte devotee simply tries to chant the holy name, whereas the advanced devotee is accustomed to chanting and takes pleasure in it. Such an advanced devotee is called a madhyama-bhāgavata, which indicates that he has attained the intermediate stage between the neophyte and the perfect devotee. Generally a devotee in the intermediate stage becomes a preacher. A neophyte devotee or an ordinary person should worship the madhyama-bhāgavata, who is a via medium.

In his Upadeśāmṛta (5) Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī says, praṇatibhiś ca bhajantam īśam. This means that madhyama-adhikārī devotees should exchange obeisances between themselves.

The word nirantara, meaning “without cessation, continuously, constantly,” is very important in this verse. The word antara means “interval.” If one has desires other than a desire to perform devotional service — in other words, if one sometimes engages in devotional service and sometimes strives for sense gratification — his service will be interrupted. A pure devotee, therefore, should have no desire other than to serve Kṛṣṇa. He should be above fruitive activity and speculative knowledge.

In his Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.1.11), Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī says:

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ
jnāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam
ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-
śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā

This is the platform of pure devotional service. One should not be motivated by fruitive activity or mental speculation but should simply serve Kṛṣṇa favorably. That is first-class devotion.

Another meaning of antara is “this body.” The body is an impediment to self-realization because it is always engaged in sense gratification. Similarly, antara means “money.” If money is not used in Kṛṣṇa’s service, it is also an impediment. Antara also means janatā, “people in general.” The association of ordinary persons may destroy the principles of devotional service Similarly, antara may mean “greed” — greed to acquire more money or enjoy more sense gratification. Finally, the word antara may also mean “atheistic ideas,” by which one considers the temple Deity to be made of stone, wood or gold. All of these are impediments. The Deity in the temple is not material — He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. Similarly, considering the spiritual master an ordinary human being (guruṣu nara-matiḥ) is also an impediment. Nor should one consider a Vaiṣṇava a member of a particular caste or nation. Nor should a Vaiṣṇava be considered material. Caraṇāmṛta should not be considered ordinary drinking water, and the holy name of the Lord should not be considered an ordinary sound vibration. Nor should one look on Lord Kṛṣṇa as an ordinary human being, for He is the origin of all viṣṇu-tattvas; nor should one regard the Supreme Lord as a demigod. Intermingling the spiritual with the material causes one to look on transcendence as material and the mundane as spiritual. This is all due to a poor fund of knowledge. One should not consider Lord Viṣṇu and things related to Him as being different. All this is offensive.

In the Bhakti-sandarbha (265), Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī writes:

“In the verse beginning nāmaikaṁ yasya, we find the word pāṣaṇḍa [‘godlessness’]. The word literally indicates misuse of one’s body or property, but in that verse it implies the ten offenses against the Lord’s holy name, since each of these leads to such godless behavior.”

The Māyāvādīs look on Viṣṇu and Vaiṣṇavas imperfectly due to their poor fund of knowledge, and this is condemned.

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.46), the intermediate Vaiṣṇava is described as follows:

“The intermediate Vaiṣṇava has to love God, make friends with the devotees, instruct the innocent and reject jealous people.” These are the four functions of the Vaiṣṇava in the intermediate stage.

In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 22.64) “One who is faithful is a proper candidate for devotional service. In terms of one’s degree of faith in devotional service, one is a first-class, second-class or neophyte Vaiṣṇava.”

“One who has attained the intermediate stage is not very advanced in śāstric knowledge, but he has firm faith in the Lord. Such a person is very fortunate to be situated on the intermediate platform.” (Cc. Madhya 22.67)

rati-prema-tāratamye bhakta-taratama

“Attraction and love for God are the ultimate goal of devotional service. The degrees of such attraction and love distinguish the different stages of devotion — neophyte, intermediate and perfectional.” (Cc. Madhya 22.71) An intermediate devotee is greatly attracted to chanting the holy name, and by chanting he is elevated to the platform of love. If one chants the holy name of the Lord with great attachment, he can understand his position as an eternal servant of the spiritual master, other Vaiṣṇavas and Kṛṣṇa Himself. Thus the intermediate Vaiṣṇava considers himself kṛṣṇa-dāsa, Kṛṣṇa’s servant. He therefore preaches Kṛṣṇa consciousness to innocent neophytes and stresses the importance of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. An intermediate devotee can identify the nondevotee or motivated devotee. The motivated devotee or the nondevotee are on the material platform, and they are called prākṛta. The intermediate devotee does not mix with such materialistic people. However, he understands that the Supreme Personality of Godhead and everything related to Him are on the same transcendental platform. Actually none of them are mundane.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this qualification of a madhyama-adhikārī or intermediate devotee is given very elaborately in this purport and such a pure devotee is to be accepted according to Lord Caitanya, and this instruction was given to residents of Kulīna-grāma

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 16.73

pare punarāya tāṅhādera ‘vaiṣṇava’-lakṣaṇa-jijñāsāya prabhura uttara:— 
varṣāntare punaḥ tāṅrā aiche praśna kaila
vaiṣṇavera tāratamya prabhu śikhāila

Translation: The following year, the inhabitants of Kulīna-grāma again asked the Lord the same question. Hearing this question, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu again taught them about the different types of Vaiṣṇavas.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 16.74

prabhura ‘uttamādhikārī vā mahā-bhāgavata’-lakṣaṇa-nirddeśa:— 
yāṅhāra darśane mukhe āise kṛṣṇa-nāma
tāṅhāre jāniha tumi ’vaiṣṇava-pradhāna’

Translation: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “A first-class Vaiṣṇava is he whose very presence makes others chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa.”

Purport: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura says that if an observer immediately remembers the holy name of Kṛṣṇa upon seeing a Vaiṣṇava, that Vaiṣṇava should be considered a mahā-bhāgavata, a first-class devotee. Such a Vaiṣṇava is always aware of his Kṛṣṇa conscious duty, and he is enlightened in self-realization. He is always in love with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, and this love is without adulteration. Because of this love, he is always awake to transcendental realization. Because he knows that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the basis of knowledge and action, he sees everything as being connected with Kṛṣṇa. Such a person is able to chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa perfectly. Such a mahā-bhāgavata Vaiṣṇava has the transcendental eyes to see who is sleeping under the spell of māyā, and he engages himself in awakening sleeping conditioned beings by spreading the knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He opens eyes that are closed by forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa. Thus the living entity is liberated from the dullness of material energy and is engaged fully in the service of the Lord. The madhyama-adhikārī Vaiṣṇava can awaken others to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and engage them in duties whereby they can advance.

It is therefore said in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya-līlā, chapter six, verse 279):

One cannot understand the value of touchstone until it turns iron into gold.” One should judge by action, not by promises. A mahā-bhāgavata can turn a living entity from abominable material life to the Lord’s service. This is the test of a mahā-bhāgavata. Although preaching is not meant for a mahā-bhāgavata, a mahā-bhāgavata can descend to the platform of madhyama-bhāgavata just to convert others to Vaiṣṇavism. Actually a mahā-bhāgavata is fit to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but he does not distinguish where Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be spread from where it should not. He thinks that everyone is competent to accept Kṛṣṇa consciousness if the chance is provided. A neophyte and an intermediate devotee should always be eager to hear the mahā-bhāgavata and serve him in every respect. The neophyte and intermediate devotees can gradually rise to the platform of uttama-adhikārī and become first-class devotees. Symptoms of a first-class devotee are given in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.45):

“The most advanced devotee sees within everything the soul of all souls, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Consequently, he sees everything in relation to the Supreme Lord and understands that everything that exists is eternally situated within the Lord.”

When teaching Sanātana Gosvāmī, the Lord further said:

“One who is expert in the Vedic literature and has full faith in the Supreme Lord is an uttama-adhikārī, a first-class Vaiṣṇava, a topmost Vaiṣṇava who can deliver the whole world and turn everyone to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.” (Cc. Madhya 22.65) With great love and affection, the mahā-bhāgavata observes the Supreme Personality of Godhead, devotional service and the devotee. He observes nothing beyond Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa consciousness and Kṛṣṇa’s devotees. The mahā-bhāgavata knows that everyone is engaged in the Lord’s service in different ways. He therefore descends to the middle platform to elevate everyone to the Kṛṣṇa conscious position.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, he showed this level of mahā-bhāgavata. Simply by seeing him people started to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and he descended to the madhyama-adhikārī level in the sense that he was preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But he would preach to everyone, he saw everyone eligible to serve Kṛṣṇa. So we are very fortunate to be under his shelteṛ

Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 16.75

prabhukarttṛka trividha adhikāre vaiṣṇava-lakṣaṇa-nirddeśa:— 
krama kari’ kahe prabhu ‘vaiṣṇava’-lakṣaṇa
‘vaiṣṇava’, ‘vaiṣṇavatara’, āra ‘vaiṣṇavatama’

Translation: In this way, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught the distinctions between different types of Vaiṣṇavas — the Vaiṣṇava, Vaiṣṇavatara and Vaiṣṇavatama. He thus successively explained all the symptoms of a Vaiṣṇava to the inhabitants of Kulīna-grāma.

Jayapatākā Swami: Since the devotees of Kulīna-grāma wanted to know the different levels of Vaiṣṇava, finally Lord Caitanya told, who is a Vaiṣṇava, who is neophyte, who is a madhyama and who is an uttama! So anyone who chants Hare Kṛṣṇa is a Vaiṣṇava. But someone who is more advanced, who is always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and has love for the Supreme Person, he is a madhyama, and someone who simply by seeing him, others are inspired to take up chanting or take up Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and is very expert in the philosophy, and he doesn’t get confused or bewildered about his duties to Kṛṣṇa, so like that he is uttama-adhikārī,. But He may descend to the madhyama level to preach, so we need to have people advance. Śrīla Prabhupāda said that, his devotees are pure devotees. They are all mangoes, but some are green, some are ripening and some are fully ripe. So, like that everyone is a Vaiṣṇava and everyone is pure, but their purity may increase as their faith ripens.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Teaches the Symptoms of a Vaiṣṇava to the Inhabitants of Kulīna-grāma - Part 2. 
Under the Section: The Lord’s Attempt to Go to Vṛndāvana.