Advancement depends on our association , and what we do in that association.

What is the level of their faith, knowledge and practice (specifically with reference to the chanting of the
Holy Names), also specificially to their zeal for prooagating the Holy Names of the Lord

Before we even get to loving exchanges, we must know the art of respecting Vaisnavas with our body,
mind and words.

Classic song – kabe sri caitanya more pada daya

If I associate with kanistha adhikaris, then I will remain a kanishtha adhikaris; if I associate with
madhyama adhikaris

There is a saying in English – you are an average of five people whom you regularly associate with – their
svabhava and their kriti on average is y svabhava and kriti. So if I associate with average people, I
become further average.

Therefore, this verse talks about choosing our association, and respecting them with our body, mind and
words that we may advance.

Extra respect does not cause any loss – but the verse indicates the level required for these

Mentally offer respect to Kanistha adhikaris

One should recite the complete prayer – vancha kalpa taru bhayas ca – to an initiated devotee; to claim
an initiated devotee to madhyama adhikari is quite a claim, but it used to be the case previously.

Previously, someone just coming was treated as a kanistha adhikari, after being in the association with
those wonderful devotees, by the time he is initiated, he would be second initiated. By the time he is
qualified to worship the dieities he is madhyama adhikari; he would come in, with full and would
practice at level of madhyama adhikari, while his inner attitude matures.

There are two essential characteristics

Bhajana avijna – he has mastered the art of devotional service; master teacher

Nindadi sunya – ninda, and other things like that, his heart is devoid of these propensities; meaning adi
sunya refers to the other 9 offences, plus the 11 offence in chanting the Holy names

So we are supposed to experience this: shelter from the heat, and drizzle of nectar.

- Krsnayasya iti giri – one who is reciting with his vaca Shakti; one should offer him respect within his
mind; as soon as he recites the Holy Name of Krsna, we are supposed to offer him all respect
- Dikshasti cet bhajantam isam – offer respects physically, pananga; if it is a sannyasi, then dandavat
pranam
- Susrusaya: submissive hearing and service to an adhikari;
In my heart, I should be constantly desiring to obtain the association of such an uttama adhikari;

Homework: who is ready for initiation? Share your experience of an association with an advanced
devotee that had a transformational effect.

Purport:

Careful discrimination

Good:

1) Based on GSS, not personal view or agenda

2) Based on faith (steadiness), knowledge (speech); practice – specifically of chanting (observe
avoidance of 10 offences
a. Ability to give tailor made instructions – knowledge
b. Propogation of Krsna Consciousness (effectively) – balanced and sustainable
c. Attachment to krsna + tadiya – faith
d. He should not take bad association
3) Look for Vaisnava qualitites; not just skills – e.g. style of kirtan
4) Dealings with
a. Diety
b. Devotees
c. Non-devotees
d. Non-human

Bad:

1) Giving importance to superficialities like dress, post, beauty, no of disciples

2) To be hasty – scriptures recommend one year

The wrong type of discrimination is very dangerous, because it can lead you to Vaisnava aparad, in
dealing with a Vaisnava; I have to make sure that I do not have the slightest bit of disrespect or envy
towards any Vaisnava. Always remember that ISKCON is a hospital; therefore, that I am coughing and
another may have cancer, does not mean that I am better than them.

11.2.44-55 – description of these three categories of ad

Uttama adhikari:

- Very seriously engaged in the service of the Lord

- Strictly following all the regulative principles
- Chanting the prescribed number of rounds
- Always thinking of how to expand the Krsna consciousness movement
Some people say after diksha – don’t feel any different. How do you feel after diksha – I was an orphan
previously, now I feel like I have been adopted by a billionare family. This is what it means by atma-sama
– Krsna accepts us on his level; as his man – just like a member of the family is treated at the same level
as the rest of the family.

Diksha – guru goes to Krsna on our behalf, and petitions Krsna on our side; we promise to follow the
four rules, and chant the Holy Names, while the guru trains us in perfecting, and inspiring our practices
till their perfection.

The continuous process of hearing submissively and serving is known as diksha. One should not accept a
spiritual master just like that – one must e jijnasu, very much inquisitive to learn; lost interest in material
inquisitiveness; serious in following the instructions of guru, and seriously engages in the service of the
Lord – this is madhyama

As we go ahead in Krsna Consciuosness, we should be chanting more than 16 rounds of japa every day.
This reflects our seriousness to the practice of spiritual life. Kartavya ka mala, prema ka mala – if I feel
accomplished by chanting 16 rounds of japa, then I have not yet understood – I should gradually
increase the quantity of rounds.

Srila Prabhupada refers to the fact that advancement is made possible by chanting offenselessly.

Three definitions, according to the influence of their chanting

We can do these things even with a picture of their spiritual master – e.g. the disciples of HH bhakti
thirtha swmi is to write a letter to him everyday; they do this even now; this is an important aspect of
guhyam akhyati prcchati – the spirirutal master has the capacity to give his disciples tailor made
guidance from any part of the universe, in some way or the other.

Four conclusions

- Carefully distinguish
- Know your own position
- Become a spiritual master only on the platform of an uttama adhikari
- Accept only an uttama adhikari as a spiritual master

How can we maximize our hearing and service to our spiritual master under given conditions:

- Hearing from a self-realized soul as a matter of routine service

- Try and render physical service to the spiritual master by making his bed, cooking for him, etc – look
forward to this
- Try and follow his instructions as given in his lectures
- Try and please his representatives
- Dadati pratigrnati can continue by writing a letter of personal offering for the spiritual master
Verse 6:

Who is a Vaisnava? Jivera svarupa haya krsnera nitya dasa – everyone is a Vaisnava

What is Vaisnava aparadh?

- Disrespecting a potential Vaisnava

- JOKE BAD – the things that constitute Vaisnava aparadh
- Inattention – not in proper consciousness; pride; not understanding or realizing the importance of a
Vaisnava
o Srila Prabhupada said that “if you know who the people sitting next to you are, you will
faint”
- Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur speaks of 4 types of offences that we commit
o PLUS; Previous sins and habits; last traces of sin or bad habits; unintentional falldowns of a
devotee; Social background, or bodily features;
o If I criticize these things, then I am committing an offence.

- A pure devotee’s reactions are not because of karma- - it is an offense to think in this way.

- Fault Finding
- Results of committing Vaisnava aparadh – 10.4.46

- Reason for aparadh – bad association with materialists, or with materialistic Vaisnavas
- Material opulence

The primary thing is that one should not lose one’s respect towards any one towards being a Vaisnava.
This is super, super, super important. Our heart, in that situation should not become contaminated with
envy, malice before acting. This requires good chanting, reading this verse.

Anything which gives us good council is called mantra. Prepare for the situation beforehand and then go
there.

Example of HH Bhakti Tirtha Swami – “if you are affected by the words of those who are on the bodily
conception of life, then what is the difference between you and them?”
In our life, most of our problems are due to a materialistic vision. Therefore, in this verse, we are urged
to see everything spiritually in Vaisnava association. So seeking the essence means to perceive Krsna’s
presence when there apparently is none.

- This is the quality the causes a devotee to outshine in Krsna’s eyes

o Srila Prabhupada had this ability to see even in hippies; he brought out such gems amongst.
o Srila Prabhupada said that everything in God’s creation has a purpose – every root can be
made into a medicine, every syllable in Sanskrit can be made into the world, there is not
useless person in this world.
o If I am unable to see the particular use of a individual, it is my incapacity, not the
individuals.
- Example of Duryodhana, Yudhisthira finding someone superior and inferior to them respectively
o Shows how deeply rooted material, and spiritual visions are
- I am too sharp, too critical, too self-righteous in making snap shot decisions about others; if I learn
this, then I will become good at dealing with all others.
- By trying to see others and people transcendentally, by trying to rise above my conditioned vision,
not only do I get awayfrom my conditioning, but I also draw transcendental behavior from the other
person. By tryng to overcome my fault finding nature, I transcend the three modes of material
nature
- Additionally, pure devotees are not under the three modes of material nature. 6
- Antidote for envy is appreciation – HH RNS; Forgiveness – where our vision is changed about what
we like to see in devotional service.
- Celebrating diversity is the thing that will enable us to take over the world.

Srila Prabhupada was very protective of his disciples

Homework – 5.10.17; study the pastime of Rahugana and Jadabharat

As long as we are making a material evaluation of a devotee, it is not possible to have a spiritual vision;
and our relationship with Krsna remains covered. We can never understand the transcendental nature
of Krsna’s Names.

Realization means constant awareness that:

1) Everything and everyone in this creation is inherently divine (service contribution) – jiv daya
a. That everything and everyone can be employed in the service of the Lord
b. So we deal with everyone and everything very respectfully.
i. I wake up in the morning with a corrupt operating system, that prompts me to
act for my pleasure
ii. I want to uninstall this and install DOS – devotional operating system
2) Life is a loving partnership with God (Self development) / name-ruci
a. For every thought, word and action is based on someone else’s presence in our life. I
become the bride of the Lord – and His desires dominate my consciousness. What will
please Him.
 b. Relationship means to subordinate our feelings to our duties
3) Every moment is an opportunity to offer and receive love (service) – (loving relationships) /
Vaisnava seva
a. It is a real test to love people who challenge our ego – e.g. Haridas Thakur’s behavior
with the whippers
4) If anyone can do this, he is a realized person – and all these things come from the chanting of
Krsna’s Holy Names; when we attempt to chant our prescribed rounds attentively

When I start with the knowledge, that this is the realization I want, and then understand that if I want
this, I have to start dealing with people accordingly.

It is so necessary for me to do my homework, in dealing with people, building my relationship with the
Lord, and offering my service contribution nicely – then I can “perform”, by helping and serving others.

When I start dealing with anybody or anything, I should ask, is my faultfinding going to help me in my
self develoment

Before I do anything, I first need to rectify my attitude towards that devotee; and I need to have a very
clear idea – what do I want for myself, for that devotee, for the organization, and for their
interrelatonshiops – and then act accordingly. But have a plan, before you go; otherwise a lot of time
will go in justifying, and rejustifying after a significant amount of damage has been done. Best if these
things are done in a group; thus

Two questions: share a personal experience, where you understood the dangers of criticizing a devotee;
do you feel distressed about lack of taste in your chanting; observe your japa while following these four
details:

- Counting correctly – 16 times 108 maha-mantras

- Pronouncing clearly
- Mantras heard during a particular mala
- Time required for a particular round – so what is the average time required for a round of japa.
- Title “Becoming a japa scientist”

- Describe the three stages of chanting in your own words – nama-aparadha, nama-abhasa, suddha
nama;
- Disease – symptoms – cause – cure

Admit the offence; Repent for the mistake; offer a service rectification program