Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


We must elevate ourself to the second class devotee position. To become first-class devotee, that is very difficult job. We can expect after executing devotional service as a madhyama-adhikari. Then we can be promoted

Expressions researched:
"we must elevate ourself to the second class devotee position. To become first-class devotee, that is very difficult job. We can expect after executing devotional service as a madhyama-adhikari. Then we can be promoted"

Lectures

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

So we must elevate ourself to the second class devotee position. To become first-class devotee, that is very difficult job. We can expect after executing devotional service as a madhyama-adhikārī. Then we can be promoted. But if we keep ourself simply on the lower stage of devotional service, then there is chance of falling down.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Because our suffering is due to association of the three guṇas. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). We are getting different types of body, either as a king or as a dog. Sat, asat. We think, "The king's body is very nice. Dog's body is not good." But whatever body we get, material body, that is not very good. Na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4). Any body, any type of body you get, you must suffer. It doesn't matter, European body, American body or Indian body or this body or that body. If we think, "Now we are Americans. We are very happy. You are Indians. You are poor..." No. Either poor or happy, it is all unhappiness. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa saṅgo 'sya sad-asad. That is, means association with the modes of material nature. But if you engage yourself twenty-four hours in Kṛṣṇa consciousness business, in devotional service, then sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26), immediately you are on the brahma-bhūtaḥ position, liberated position. So just like one man is suffering from disease. Some way or other, if he comes in the, what is called, convalescent stage? Means freed from the diseased condition. But if he keeps that convalescent stage rightly, he do not, what is called, again...?

Devotee: Relapse.

Prabhupāda: Relapse. If you do not relapse the disease, then you are nice. Similarly, to keep in Kṛṣṇa consciousness means you are not diseased condition, but do not allow the disease to relapse. That means do not deviate from the devotional service. Māṁ ca avyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate. Avyabhicāriṇi. Don't misuse the devotional service. Then you are all right. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). Then you keep yourself always in transcendental position, brahma-bhūtaḥ position. And then from brahma-bhūtaḥ position, you can elevate yourself to the parā bhakti, spontaneous. Parā bhakti means spontaneously, spontaneous devotional service. Automatically, you will be loving Kṛṣṇa.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
na śocati na kāṅkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
(BG 18.54)

The under, after being in the brahma-bhūtaḥ stage, that devotional service is very sound. Parā bhakti. Otherwise, if we stick to the devotional service of temple worship... Just like one is performing temple worship, regulative principles... That is also... We should go forward. This is kaniṣṭha-adhikārī. Sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ.

So we must elevate ourself to the second class devotee position. To become first-class devotee, that is very difficult job. We can expect after executing devotional service as a madhyama-adhikārī. Then we can be promoted. But if we keep ourself simply on the lower stage of devotional service, then there is chance of falling down. Sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ. Simply... Just like, generally, they keep in the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī stage. Of course, there is no loss. In any adhikāra, in any position, you are benefited because you have taken to devotional service. But our attempt should be from kaniṣṭha-adhikāra to madhyama-adhikāra. Madhyama-adhikāra means preacher. Unless one comes to the madhyama-adhikāra, he cannot preach. Because in the uttama-adhikāra there is no need of preaching, because uttama-adhikāra, he sees everything good. He does not think anyone is lacking Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He says everyone is Kṛṣṇa conscious, "Simply I am not Kṛṣṇa conscious." Just like Kavirāja Gosvāmī says, purīṣera kīṭa haite muñi sei lagiṣṭha (CC Adi 5.205). He sees himself lower than the worm in the stool... But he's not so, but he thinks like that. So uttama-adhikārī, it is not to be imitated. One must keep himself in the madhyama-adhikārī stage. Madhyama-adhikārī stage means that one knows what is Kṛṣṇa, īśvara, one knows who is Kṛṣṇa's devotee. Īśvare tad-adhīneṣu. And one knows who is innocent, neither devotee nor nondevotee, and he knows who is nondevotee. This is preaching. In kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, he knows simply how to worship the Deity. Arcāyām eva haraye śraddhayā pūjāṁ śraddhayehate.

So it is the duty of the spiritual master to promote the devotees from the kaniṣṭha-adhikāra to the madhyama-adhikāra. Not to keep them. My Guru Mahārāja, sometimes he used to lament because so many disciples he had, but nobody was coming out very nice preacher. He was lamenting, "So only kaniṣṭha-adhikārīs, we are keeping simply people in the kaniṣṭha-adhikāra and engaging them in the arcana-mārga." So that is not required. They should not... A kaniṣṭha-adhikārī does not know who is a devotee, na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu, what is the duty to others. He is very busy in temple worship for his personal interest. That is also good. But one has to promote further to become a madhyama-adhikārī and then analyze who is God, who is devotee, who is innocent, who is nondevotee, and behave in that way. So their business is to make friendship with devotee, to love Kṛṣṇa, and to the innocent, preach, to enlighten them in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And those who are atheists, to avoid them. These four principles. So in this way, we should execute our devotional service. Then our life will be viśvaṁ pūrṇaṁ sukhāyate. It will be very happy life. That is the heading, subject matter, "Relief from Material Distress." Immediately. If we actually keep ourself in devotional service according to the description given by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, then we keep ourself fit in devotional service and there is no question of material distress.

Page Title:We must elevate ourself to the second class devotee position. To become first-class devotee, that is very difficult job. We can expect after executing devotional service as a madhyama-adhikari. Then we can be promoted
Compiler:Visnu Murti
Created:04 of Nov, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1