Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 4: “The Creation of the Fourth Order”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Twenty-one
SB4.21.31
TEXT 31
yat-pada-sevabhirucis tapasvinam
asesa-janmopacitam malam dhiyah
sadyah ksinoty anvaham edhati sati
yatha padangustha-vinihsrta sarit
SYNONYMS
yat-pada—whose lotus feet; seva—service; abhirucih—inclination; tapasvinam—persons undergoing severe penances; asesa—innumerable; janma—birth; upacitam—acquire; malam—dirtiness; dhiyah—mind; sadyah—immediately; ksinoti—destroys; anvaham—day after day; edhati—increasing; sati—being; yatha—as; pada-angustha—the toes of His lotus feet; vinihsrta—emanating from; sarit—water.
TRANSLATION
By the inclination to serve the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, suffering humanity can immediately cleanse the dirt which has accumulated in their minds during innumerable births. Like the Ganges water, which emanates from the toes of the lotus feet of the Lord, such a process immediately cleanses the mind, and thus spiritual or Krsna consciousness gradually increases.
PURPORT
In India, one can actually see that a person who takes a bath in the Ganges waters daily is almost free from all kinds of diseases. A very respectable brahmana in Calcutta never took a doctor’s medicine. Even though he sometimes felt sick, he would not accept medicine from the physician but would simply drink Ganges water, and he was always cured within a very short time. The glories of Ganges water are known to Indians and to ourselves also. The River Ganges flows by Calcutta. Sometimes within the water there are many stools and other dirty things which are washed away from neighboring mills and factories, but still thousands of men take baths in the Ganges water, and they are very healthy as well as spiritually inclined. That is the effect of Ganges water. The Ganges is glorified because it emanates from the toes of the lotus feet of the Lord. Similarly, if one takes to the service of the lotus feet of the Lord, or takes to Krsna consciousness, he is immediately cleansed of the many dirty things which have accumulated in his innumerable births. We have seen that in spite of the very black record of their past lives, persons who take to Krsna consciousness become perfectly cleansed of all dirty things and make spiritual progress very swiftly. Therefore Prthu Maharaja advises that without the benediction of the Supreme Lord, one cannot make advancement—either in so-called morality, economic development or sense gratification. One should therefore take to the service of the Lord, or Krsna consciousness, and thus very soon become a perfect man, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (ksipram bhavati dharmatma sasvac chantim nigacchati). Being a responsible king, Prthu Maharaja recommends that everyone take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus be immediately purified. Lord Sri Krsna also says in Bhagavad-gita that simply by surrendering unto Him one is immediately relieved of all sinful reactions. As Krsna takes away all the sinful reactions of a person immediately upon his surrender unto Him, similarly the external manifestation of Krsna, the representative of Krsna who acts as the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, takes all the resultant actions of the sinful life of the disciple immediately after the disciple’s initiation. Thus if the disciple follows the principles instructed by the spiritual master, he remains purified and is not contaminated by the material infection.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore stated that the spiritual master who plays the part of Krsna’s representative has to consume all the sinful reactions of his disciple. Sometimes a spiritual master takes the risk of being overwhelmed by the sinful reactions of the disciples and undergoes a sort of tribulation due to their acceptance. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore advised that one not accept many disciples. SB4.21.32 TEXT 32 vinirdhutasesa-mano-malah puman asanga-vijnana-visesa-viryavan yad-anghri-mule krta-ketanah punar na samsrtim klesa-vaham prapadyate SYNONYMS vinirdhuta—being specifically cleansed; asesa—unlimited; manah-malah—mental speculation or the dirt accumulated in the mind; puman—the person; asanga—being disgusted; vijnana—scientifically; visesa—particularly; virya-van—being strengthened in bhakti-yoga; yat—whose; anghri—lotus feet; mule—at the root of; krta-ketanah—taken shelter; punah—again; na—never; samsrtim—material existence; klesa-vaham—full of miserable conditions; prapadyate—takes to. TRANSLATION When a devotee takes shelter at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is completely cleansed of all misunderstanding or mental speculation, and he manifests renunciation. This is possible only when one is strengthened by practicing bhakti-yoga. Once having taken shelter at the root of the lotus feet of the Lord, a devotee never comes back to this material existence, which is full of the threefold miseries. PURPORT As stated by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu in His Siksastaka instructions, by the chanting of the holy name of the Lord—Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare—or by the process of hearing and chanting of the glories of the Lord, one’s mind is gradually cleansed of all dirt. Due to our material association since time immemorial, we have accumulated heaps of dirty things in our minds. The total effect of this takes place when a living entity identifies himself with his body and is thus entrapped by the stringent laws of material nature and put into the cycle of repeated birth and death under the false impression of bodily identification. When one is strengthened by practicing bhakti-yoga, his mind is cleansed of this misunderstanding, and he is no longer interested in material existence or in sense gratification. Bhakti, or devotional service, is characterized by vairagya and jnana. Jnana refers to understanding that one is not his body, and vairagya means disinterest in sense gratification. These two primary principles of separation from material bondage can be realized on the strength of bhakti-yoga. Thus when a devotee is fixed in the loving service of the lotus feet of the Lord, he will never come back to this material existence after quitting his body, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita by the Lord (tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so ’rjuna [Bg. 4.9]). In this verse the word vijnana is specifically important. Jnana, the knowledge of spiritual identity that one attains when he does not consider himself to be the body, is explained in Bhagavad-gita as brahma-bhuta, the revival of spiritual realization. In the conditioned state of material existence one cannot be spiritually realized because he identifies himself materially. The understanding of the distinction between material existence and spiritual existence is called jnana. After coming to the platform of jnana, or the brahma-bhuta state, one ultimately comes to devotional service, in which he completely understands his own position and the position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This understanding is explained here as vijnana-visesa. The Lord says, therefore, that knowledge of Him is vijnana, science. In other words, when one is strengthened by scientific knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his position of liberation is guaranteed. In Bhagavad-gita (9.2), the science of devotional service is described as pratyaksavagamam dharmyam, direct understanding of the principles of religion by realization. By practicing bhakti-yoga, one can directly perceive his advancement in spiritual life. In other practices—like karma-yoga, jnana-yoga and dhyana-yoga—one may not be confident about his progress, but in bhakti-yoga one can become directly aware of his progress in spiritual life, just as a person who eats can understand that his hunger is satisfied. Our false appetite for enjoyment and lordship of the material world is due to a prominence of passion and ignorance. By bhakti-yoga these two qualities are diminished, and one becomes situated in the mode of goodness. Gradually surpassing the mode of goodness, one is situated in pure goodness, which is not contaminated by the material qualities. When thus situated, a devotee no longer has any doubts; he knows that he will not come back to this material world. SB4.21.33 TEXT 33 tam eva yuyam bhajatatma-vrttibhir mano-vacah-kaya-gunaih sva-karmabhih amayinah kama-dughanghri-pankajam yathadhikaravasitartha-siddhayah SYNONYMS tam—unto Him; eva—certainly; yuyam—all you citizens; bhajata—worship; atma—own; vrttibhih—occupational duty; manah—mind; vacah—words; kaya—body; gunaih—by the particular qualities; sva-karmabhih—by occupational duties; amayinah—without reservation; kama-dugha—fulfilling all desires; anghri-pankajam—the lotus feet; yatha—as far as; adhikara—ability; avasita-artha—fully convinced of one’s interest; siddhayah—satisfaction. TRANSLATION Prthu Maharaja advised his citizens: Engaging your minds, your words, your bodies and the results of your occupational duties, and being always open-minded, you should all render devotional service to the Lord. According to your abilities and the occupations in which you are situated, you should engage your service at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead with full confidence and without reservation. Then you will surely be successful in achieving the final objective in your lives. PURPORT As stated in the Eighteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, sva-karmana tam abhyarcya: one has to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead by one’s occupational duties. This necessitates accepting the principle of four varnas and four asramas. Prthu Maharaja therefore says, gunaih sva-karmabhih. This phrase is explained in Bhagavad-gita. Catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah: “The four castes (the brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras) are created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead according to the material modes of nature and the particular duties discharged in those modes.” A person who is situated in the mode of goodness is certainly more intelligent than others. Therefore he can practice the brahminical activities—namely speaking the truth, controlling the senses, controlling the mind, remaining always clean, practicing tolerance, having full knowledge about one’s self-identity, and understanding devotional service. In this way, if he engages himself in the loving service of the Lord as an actual brahmana, his aim to achieve the final interest of life is attained. Similarly, the ksatriya’s duties are to give protection to the citizens, to give all his possessions in charity, to be strictly Vedic in the management of state affairs and to be unafraid to fight whenever there is an attack by enemies. In this way, a ksatriya can satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead by his occupational duties. Similarly, a vaisya can satisfy the Supreme Godhead by properly executing his occupational duties—engaging himself in producing foodstuffs, giving protection to cows, and trading if necessary when there is an excess of agricultural production. Similarly, because sudras do not have ample intelligence, they should simply engage as workers to serve the higher statuses of social life. Everyone’s aim should be to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead by engaging his mind in thinking always of Krsna, his words in always offering prayers to the Lord or preaching about the glories of the Lord, and his body in executing the service required to satisfy the Lord. As there are four divisions within our body—the head, the arms, the belly and the legs—similarly, human society, taken as a whole, is divided into four classes of men according to their material qualities and occupational duties. Thus the brahminical or intelligent men have to execute the duty of the head, the ksatriyas must fulfill the duty of the arms, the vaisya class must fulfill the duty of the belly, and the sudras must fulfill the duty of the legs. In executing the prescribed duties of life, no one is higher or lower; there are such divisions as “higher” and “lower,” but since there is actually a common interest—to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead—there are no distinctions between them. The question may be raised that since the Lord is supposed to be worshiped by great demigods like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and others, how can an ordinary human being on this planet serve Him? This is clearly explained by Prthu Maharaja by the use of the word yathadhikara, “according to one’s ability.” If one sincerely executes his occupational duty, that will be sufficient. One does not need to become like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, Indra, Lord Caitanya or Ramanujacarya, whose capabilities are certainly far above ours. Even a sudra, who is in the lowest stage of life according to the material qualities, can achieve the same success. Anyone can become successful in devotional service provided he displays no duplicity. It is explained here that one must be very frank and open-minded (amayinah). To be situated in a lower status of life is not a disqualification for success in devotional service. The only qualification is that whether one is a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra, he must be open, frank and free from reservations. Then, by performing his particular occupational duty under the guidance of a proper spiritual master, he can achieve the highest success in life. As confirmed by the Lord Himself, striyo vaisyas tatha sudras te ’pi yanti param gatim (Bg. 9.32). It does not matter what one is, whether a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra or a degraded woman. If one engages himself seriously in devotional service, working with body, mind and intelligence, he is sure to be successful in going back home, back to Godhead. The Lord’s lotus feet are described here as kama-dughanghri-pankajam because they have all power to fulfill the desires of everyone. A devotee is happy even in this life because although in material existence we have many needs, all his material needs are satisfied, and when he at last quits his body, he goes back home, back to Godhead, without a doubt. SB4.21.34 TEXT 34 asav ihaneka-guno ’guno ’dhvarah prthag-vidha-dravya-guna-kriyoktibhih sampadyate ’rthasaya-linga-namabhir visuddha-vijnana-ghanah svarupatah SYNONYMS asau—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; iha—in this material world; aneka—various; gunah—qualities; agunah—transcendental; adhvarah—yajna; prthak-vidha—varieties; dravya—physical elements; guna—ingredients; kriya—performances; uktibhih—by chanting different mantras; sampadyate—is worshiped; artha—interest; asaya—purpose; linga—form; namabhih—name; visuddha—without contamination; vijnana—science; ghanah—concentrated; sva-rupatah—in His own form. TRANSLATION The Supreme Personality of Godhead is transcendental and not contaminated by this material world. But although He is concentrated spirit soul without material variety, for the benefit of the conditioned soul He nevertheless accepts different types of sacrifice performed with various material elements, rituals and mantras and offered to the demigods under different names according to the interests and purposes of the performers. PURPORT For material prosperity there are recommendations in the Vedas for various types of yajna (sacrifice). In Bhagavad-gita (3.10) it is confirmed that Lord Brahma created all living entities, including human beings and demigods, and advised them to perform yajna according to their material desires (saha-yajnah prajah srstva). These performances are called yajnas because their ultimate goal is to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu. The purpose of performing yajnas is to get material benefit, but because the aim is to simultaneously satisfy the Supreme Lord, such yajnas have been recommended in the Vedas. Such performances are, of course, known as karma-kanda, or material activities, and all material activities are certainly contaminated by the three modes of material nature. Generally the karma-kanda ritualistic ceremonies are performed in the mode of passion, yet the conditioned souls, both human beings and demigods, are obliged to perform these yajnas because without them one cannot be happy at all. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura comments that these karma-kanda ritualistic ceremonies, although contaminated, contain touches of devotional service because whenever there is a performance of any yajna, Lord Visnu is given a central position. This is very important because even a little endeavor to please Lord Visnu is bhakti and is of great value. A tinge of bhakti purifies the material nature of the performances, which by devotional service gradually come to the transcendental position. Therefore although such yajnas are superficially material activities, the results are transcendental. Such yajnas as Surya-yajna, Indra-yajna and Candra-yajna are performed in the names of the demigods, but these demigods are bodily parts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The demigods cannot accept sacrificial offerings for themselves, but they can accept them for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, just as a departmental tax collector of a government cannot collect taxes for his personal account but can realize them for the government. Any yajna performed with this complete knowledge and understanding is described in Bhagavad-gita as brahmarpanam, or a sacrifice offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Since no one but the Supreme Lord can enjoy the results of sacrifice, the Lord says that He is the actual enjoyer of all sacrifices (bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram [Bg. 5.29]). Sacrifices should be performed with this view in mind. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (4.24): brahmarpanam brahma havir “A person who is fully absorbed in Krsna consciousness is sure to attain the spiritual kingdom because of his full contribution to spiritual activities, in which the consummation is absolute and that which is offered is of the same spiritual nature.” The performer of sacrifices must always keep in view that the sacrifices mentioned in the Vedas are meant to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Visnur aradhyate panthah (Visnu Purana 3.8.9). Anything material or spiritual done for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord is understood to be an actual yajna, and by performing such yajnas one gets liberation from material bondage. The direct method of getting liberation from material bondage is devotional service, comprising the nine following methods: sravanam kirtanam visnoh This ninefold process is described in this verse as visuddha-vijnana-ghanah, or satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly by transcendental knowledge concentrated on the form of the Supreme Lord, Visnu. This is the best method for satisfying the Supreme Lord. One who cannot take to this direct process, however, should take the indirect process of performing yajnas for the satisfaction of Visnu, or Yajna. Visnu is therefore called yajna-pati. Sriyah patim yajna-patim jagat-patim (Bhag. 2.9.15). The Supreme Personality of Godhead’s deep scientific knowledge is concentrated to the supreme point. For example, medical science knows some things superficially, but doctors do not know exactly how things happen in the body. Lord Krsna, however, knows everything in detail. Therefore His knowledge is vijnana-ghana because it does not have any of the defects of material science. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is visuddha-vijnana-ghana, concentrated transcendental knowledge; therefore, even though He accepts karma-kandiya materialistic yajnas, He always remains in a transcendental position. Therefore, the mention of aneka-guna refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s many transcendental qualities, for He is not affected by the material qualities. The different kinds of material paraphernalia or physical elements are also gradually transformed into spiritual understanding because ultimately there is no difference between material and spiritual qualities, for everything emanates from the Supreme Spirit. This is realized by a gradual process of realization and purification. One vivid example of this is Dhruva Maharaja, who took to meditation in the forest to achieve material benefit but ultimately became spiritually advanced and did not want any benediction for material profit. He was simply satisfied with the association of the Supreme Lord. Asaya means “determination.” Generally a conditioned soul has the determination for material profit, but when these desires for material profit are satisfied through performance of yajna, one gradually achieves the spiritual platform. Then his life becomes perfect. Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.3.10) therefore recommends: akamah sarva-kamo va Everyone—whether akama (a devotee), sarva-kama (a karmi) or moksa-kama (a jnani or yogi)—is encouraged to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead by the direct method of devotional service. In this way one can get both material and spiritual profit simultaneously. SB4.21.35 TEXT 35 pradhana-kalasaya-dharma-sangrahe sarira esa pratipadya cetanam kriya-phalatvena vibhur vibhavyate yathanalo darusu tad-gunatmakah SYNONYMS pradhana—material nature; kala—time; asaya—desire; dharma—occupational duties; sangrahe—aggregate; sarire—body; esah—this; pratipadya—accepting; cetanam—consciousness; kriya—activities; phalatvena—by the result of; vibhuh—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vibhavyate—manifested; yatha—as much as; analah—fire; darusu—in the wood; tat-guna-atmakah—according to shape and quality. TRANSLATION The Supreme Personality of Godhead is all-pervading, but He is also manifested in different types of bodies which arise from a combination of material nature, time, desires and occupational duties. Thus different types of consciousness develop, just as fire, which is always basically the same, blazes in different ways according to the shape and dimension of firewood. PURPORT The Supreme Personality of Godhead constantly lives with the individual soul as Paramatma. The individual soul has awareness in accord with his material body, which he attains by virtue of prakrti, or material nature. The material ingredients are activated by the force of time, and thus the three material modes of nature are manifested. According to his association with the three modes of nature, the living entity develops a particular type of body. In animal life, the material mode of ignorance is so prominent that there is very little chance of realizing the Paramatma, who is also present within the heart of the animal; but in the human form of life, because of developed consciousness (cetanam), one can be transferred from ignorance and passion to goodness by the results of his activities (kriya-phalatvena). A human being is therefore advised to associate with spiritually advanced personalities. The Vedas give the direction tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] in order to reach the perfection of life or to understand the real constitutional position of the living entity, one must approach the spiritual master. Gurum evabhigacchet—one must; it is not optional. It is imperative that one approach the spiritual master, for by such association one proportionately develops his consciousness toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The highest perfection of such consciousness is called Krsna consciousness. According to the body given by prakrti, or nature, one’s consciousness is present; according to the development of consciousness, one’s activities are performed; and according to the purity of such activities, one realizes the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is present in everyone’s heart. The example given herein is very appropriate. Fire is always the same, but according to the size of the fuel or burning wood, the fire appears to be straight, curved, small, big, etc. According to the development of consciousness, God realization is present. In the human form of life it is recommended, therefore, that one undergo the different types of penances and austerities described in Bhagavad-gita (karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, dhyana-yoga and bhakti-yoga). Like a staircase, yoga has different steps for reaching the topmost floor, and according to one’s position upon the staircase, he is understood to be situated in karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, dhyana-yoga or bhakti-yoga. Of course, bhakti-yoga is the topmost step on the staircase of realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In other words, according to one’s development in consciousness, one realizes his spiritual identity, and thus when one’s existential position is purified fully, he becomes situated in brahmananda, which is ultimately unlimited. Therefore the sankirtana movement contributed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Lord Caitanya is the direct and easiest process for coming to the purest form of consciousness—Krsna consciousness, the platform on which the Supreme Personality is fully realized. Directions for performing different types of yajnas are specifically arranged for the highest realization of the Supreme Lord, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita by the Lord Himself. Ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham (Bg. 4.11). The Supreme Personality of Godhead is realized according to the proportion of one’s surrender. Full surrender, however, occurs when a man is perfectly in knowledge. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate (Bg. 7.19). SB4.21.36 TEXT 36 aho mamami vitaranty anugraham harim gurum yajna-bhujam adhisvaram sva-dharma-yogena yajanti mamaka nirantaram ksoni-tale drdha-vratah SYNONYMS aho—O all of you; mama—unto me; ami—all of them; vitaranti—distributing; anugraham—mercy; harim—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; gurum—the supreme spiritual master; yajna-bhujam—all the demigods eligible to accept yajna offerings; adhisvaram—the supreme master; sva-dharma—occupational duties; yogena—by dint of; yajanti—worship; mamakah—having a relationship with me; nirantaram—incessantly; ksoni-tale—on the surface of the globe; drdha-vratah—with firm determination. TRANSLATION The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the master and enjoyer of the results of all sacrifices, and He is the supreme spiritual master as well. All of you citizens on the surface of the globe who have a relationship with me and are worshiping Him by dint of your occupational duties are bestowing your mercy upon me. Therefore, O my citizens, I thank you. PURPORT Maharaja Prthu’s advice to his citizens to take to devotional service is now concluded in two ways. He has repeatedly advised persons who are neophytes to engage themselves in devotional service according to the capacities of the different orders of social and spiritual life, but here he specifically thanks those already engaged in such devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is actually the enjoyer of all sacrificial ceremonies and who is also the supreme teacher as antaryami, or Paramatma. There is specific mention of the word gurum, which indicates the Supreme Personality as caitya-guru. The Supreme Godhead in His Paramatma feature is present in everyone’s heart, and He is always trying to induce the individual soul to surrender unto Him and to engage in devotional service; therefore He is the original spiritual master. He manifests Himself as spiritual master both internally and externally to help the conditioned soul both ways. Therefore He has been mentioned herein as gurum. It appears, however, that in the time of Maharaja Prthu all the people on the surface of the globe were his subjects. Most of them—in fact, almost all of them—were engaged in devotional service. Therefore he thanked them in a humble way for engaging in devotional service and thus bestowing their mercy upon him. In other words, in a state where the citizens and the head of state are engaged in devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they help one another and are mutually benefited. SB4.21.37 TEXT 37 ma jatu tejah prabhaven maharddhibhis titiksaya tapasa vidyaya ca dedipyamane ’jita-devatanam kule svayam raja-kulad dvijanam SYNONYMS ma—never do it; jatu—at any time; tejah—supreme power; prabhavet—exhibit; maha—great; rddhibhih—by opulence; titiksaya—by tolerance; tapasa—penance; vidyaya—by education; ca—also; dedipyamane—upon those who are already glorified; ajita-devatanam—Vaisnavas, or the devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kule—in the society; svayam—personally; raja-kulat—greater than the royal family; dvijanam—of the brahmanas. TRANSLATION The brahmanas and Vaisnavas are personally glorified by their characteristic powers of tolerance, penance, knowledge and education. By dint of all these spiritual assets, Vaisnavas are more powerful than royalty. It is therefore advised that the princely order not exhibit its material prowess before these two communities and should avoid offending them. PURPORT Prthu Maharaja has explained in the previous verse the importance of devotional service for both the rulers and the citizens of the state. Now he explains how one can be steadily fixed in devotional service. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, while instructing Srila Rupa Gosvami, has compared the devotional service of the Lord with a creeper. A creeper has a feeble stem and requires the support of another tree to grow, and while growing, it requires sufficient protection so that it may not be lost. While describing the system of protection for the creeper of devotional service, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has especially stressed protection from offenses unto the lotus feet of Vaisnavas. Such offenses are called vaisnava-aparadha. Aparadha means “offense.” If one commits vaisnava-aparadhas, all of his progress in devotional service will be checked. Even though one is very much advanced in devotional service, if he commits offenses at the feet of a Vaisnava, his advancement is all spoiled. In the sastras it is found that a very great yogi, Durvasa Muni, committed a vaisnava-aparadha and thus for one full year had to travel all over the universe, even to Vaikunthaloka, to defend himself from the offense. At last, even when he approached the Supreme Personality of Godhead in Vaikuntha, he was refused protection. Therefore one should be very careful about committing offenses at the feet of a Vaisnava. The most grievous type of vaisnava-aparadha is called gurv-aparadha, which refers to offenses at the lotus feet of the spiritual master. In the chanting of the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this gurv-aparadha is considered the most grievous offense. Guror avajna sruti-sastra-nindanam (Padma Purana). Among the ten offenses committed against the chanting of the holy name, the first offenses are disobedience of the spiritual master and blasphemy of the Vedic literature. The simple definition of Vaisnava is given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: a person who immediately reminds one of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is a Vaisnava. In this verse, both Vaisnavas and brahmanas are mentioned. A Vaisnava is a learned brahmana and is therefore designated as brahmana-vaisnava, brahmana-pandita or as a Vaisnava and brahmana. In other words, a Vaisnava is supposed to be a brahmana already, but a brahmana may not be a pure Vaisnava. When a person understands his pure identity, brahma janati, he immediately becomes a brahmana. In the brahmana stage, one’s understanding of the Absolute Truth is mainly based on the impersonal view. When a brahmana, however, rises to the platform of personal understanding of the Supreme Godhead, he becomes a Vaisnava. A Vaisnava is transcendental even to a brahmana. In the material conception, the position of a brahmana is the highest in human society, but a Vaisnava is transcendental even to a brahmana. Both the brahmana and Vaisnava are spiritually advanced. A brahmana’s qualifications are mentioned in Bhagavad-gita as truthfulness, mental equanimity, control of the senses, the power of tolerance, simplicity, knowledge of the Absolute Truth, firm faith in the scriptures, and practical application of the brahminical qualities in life. In addition to all these qualifications, when one fully engages in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, he becomes a Vaisnava. Prthu Maharaja warns his citizens who are actually engaged in the devotional service of the Lord to take care against offenses to the brahmanas and Vaisnavas. Offenses at their lotus feet are so destructive that even the descendants of Yadu who were born in the family of Lord Krsna were destroyed due to offenses at their feet. The Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot tolerate any offense at the lotus feet of brahmanas and Vaisnavas. Sometimes, due to their powerful positions, princes or government servants neglect the position of brahmanas and Vaisnavas, not knowing that because of their offense they will be ruined.
brahmagnau brahmana hutam
brahmaiva tena gantavyam
brahma-karma-samadhina
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma-nivedanam
moksa-kama udara-dhih
tivrena bhakti-yogena
yajeta purusam param