Uttama Adhikari Is Giving Honor To Everyone

by His Divine Grace Shrila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj

October 18, 1999, Mauritius

We are the devotees of Lord Krishna and we are trying to practice Krishna consciousness as possible by us. But here some obstacles are coming to us through offense to the Vaishnava. Actually we are the followers of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu with humility, tolerance and giving honor to others, trying to practice our religion. Within there some disturbance also we are feeling. That is offense to the Vaishnavas. Actually there are three kinds of Vaishnavas stated in the Chaitanya Charitamrita by Mahaprabhu. One is the kanishtha adhikari: ordinary Vaishnava. Another some special kind: madhyam adhikari Vaishnava. And uttama adhikari Vaishnava (topmost).

The general standard is that everyone is offering very much obeisance to the Lord and is attached with the worshiping of the Lord, but not so much attached with the devotee. "Archayam eva haraye pujam yah sraddhayehate, na tad bhaktesu chanyesu sa bhakta prakrtah smrtah." That kind of devotee is attached with Krishna, worshiping Krishna everything fine, but not so much attached with the devotee and their great connection. That kind of mood is giving us some chance of offense to them. Actually in the Scriptures always we are seeing, only the association of the Vaishnava is rescuing us from this illusory environment.

"Lava matra sadhu sangha sarvva siddhi haya", but if not there attachment with sadhu then one channel, what is always a mercifull channel we can consider, that will be disturbed and closed and that is not good anyway for our practicing life. Then who is pakrita, means ordinary Vaishnava, he needs upliftment from that stage to a higher level and that will come through the association of the Vaishnavas, and also a good person, their association will be helpful for the service. But who will be considered by ourselves a devotee, may be below standard, lower standard, not below standard - lower standard. We must try to uplift ourselves from a lower standard to a higher standard. That is madhyam adhikari. What is the quality of the madhyam adhikari? Shrimad Bhagavat said, "He has love for his Lord and much attachment with the Lord, affection for the Lord and friendship with the devotees. Who is unqualified, we must be mercifull to him to give him Krishna consciousness affectionately. But who is against Krishna consciousness, we not will take his association." This is the standard of madhyam adikari.

The uttama adhikari Vaishnava, they are always seeing Krishna everywhere, everything is flowing by the will of Krishna. He is living with all the entities and he is giving honor to everyone. This is uttama adhikari Vaishnava. He is always seeing everywhere the will of Krishna working, and Krishna living everywhere. Then good or bad anything that comes in his life he can harmonized very happily with that situation. Our practitioners' difficulty is that, we cannot differentiate who is a higher Vaishnava and who is a lower standard Vaishnava, and who is the highest standard of Vaishnava.

And also some ego is coming to us, " I am also Vaishnava, I know better than others." This type of ego is disturbing our situation, practicing life disturbing. We must be careful about that. Fortunately what we are getting by the grace of Krishna, that is association of good Vaishnava, and we will choose some, as my mental situation allows, a good Vaishnava and try to understand what is my situation and what is good for me. If that way we will try to proceed in our practicing life then a safe position we will get. Otherwise we will be disturbed with our situation and sometimes we must make some offense to the Vaishnava and that is a very great obstacle in our spiritual life. About this matter it is necessary to discuss more and more. Details also, if we go into details that will be more good. Anything we will try to discuss, try to discuss with an expert Vaishnava. Until that, we must be careful for our situation and give honor to everyone. That will be very good. And where we will see some light there we will give our respect as madhyam adhikari Vaishnava. Then our position will be safe and we can practice happily with others.

When we are trying to do congregational chanting there also some ego is coming and attacking us. That also we can avoid with some honorable Vaishnava's guidance. If we get some good guidance of honorable Vaishnava there, that will be good for us. We will try to consider, " I am trying and everyone will try to help me that way." If we want to get any help from others we must be submissive, we must be submissive with humility then the attention will come to me from others. Otherwise we will be ignored and our position will be worse. The association of a good Vaishnava is very essential. Then we will be promoted to madhyam adhikari. We can do good for us and do good for others. It can only be done in madhyam adhikari: good for others. Until getting that position we will try to promote ourselves with humility, with tolerance and giving honor to others.

Anyhow we cannot stop our practicing life and process. Only we will be alert about our situation and try to avoid the obstacles in the line of devotion.

Jai Guru Maharaja.

October 18, 1999

Mauritius