What are the three categories of Devotees?
Bhagwad
Puran mentions three levels of worshipers of God. Knowledge of these
distinctions will help a devotee to strive for higher stage of devotion.
Once
Nārada arrived at the home of Vasudeva ( father of Lord Krishna), who worshiped
him according to proper etiquette, greeted him respectfully and requested to
hear about pure devotional service.
Nārada
gave instructions in bhāgavata-dharma to the faithful and inquisitive
Vasudeva by recounting a conversation between between the nine Yogendras
(saints), who were sons of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, and Mahārāja Nimi, the King of
Videha.
Presented
here is the exact translation of the questions and answers that describe three
levels of worshipers of God.
During
the conversation Maharaj Nimi asked the following questions:
SB 11.2.44 — Mahārāja Nimi asked: Now please tell me in greater detail about the devotees of the Supreme Lord. What are the natural symptoms by which I can distinguish between the most advanced devotees, those on the middle level and those who are neophytes? What are the typical religious activities of a Vaiṣṇava, and how does he speak? Specifically, please describe those symptoms and characteristics by which Vaiṣṇavas become dear to God.
Śrī Havir one of the nine saints gave the following answer.
1. DEVOTEE
AT THE LOWEST POSITION
SB 11.2.47 — A
devotee who faithfully engages in the worship of the Deity in the temple but
does not behave properly toward other devotees or people in general is called a
prākṛta-bhakta, a materialistic devotee, and is considered to be in the lowest
position.
(He considers God to be great and
himself also to be a great devotee and but does not recognize others position nor has
the ability to judge them.)
2. DEVOTEE AT THE
INTERMEDIATE POSITION
SB11.2.46 — An intermediate
or second-class devotee, called madhyama-adhikārī, offers his love to God, is a sincere
friend to all the devotees of the Lord, shows mercy (by preaching) to ignorant
people who are innocent and disregards those who are envious of God.
3. DEVOTEE AT THE
ADVANCED POSITION
SB 11.2.45 — The
most advanced devotee sees within
everything the soul of all souls i.e. God. Consequently he sees
everything in relation to the Supreme Lord and understands that everything that
exists is eternally situated within the Lord.
SB 11.2.48 — Even
while engaging his senses in contact with their objects, one who sees this
whole world as the energy of Lord is neither repelled nor elated. He is
indeed the greatest among devotees.
SB 11.2.49 — Within
the material world, one’s material body is always subject to birth and decay.
Similarly, the life air [prāṇa] is harassed by hunger
and thirst, the mind is always anxious, the intelligence hankers for that which
cannot be obtained, and all of the senses are ultimately exhausted by constant
struggle in the material nature. A person who is not bewildered by the
inevitable miseries of material existence, and who remains aloof from them
simply by remembering the lotus feet of the Lord, is to be considered bhāgavata-pradhāna,
the foremost devotee of the Lord.
SB 11.2.50 — One
who has taken exclusive shelter of the Supreme Lord, Vāsudeva, becomes free
from fruitive activities, which are based on material lust. In fact, one who
has taken shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord is freed from even the desire
to enjoy material sense gratification. Plans for enjoying sex life, social
prestige and money cannot develop within his mind. Thus he is considered bhāgavatottama, a
pure devotee of the Lord on the highest platform.
SB 11.2.51 — Birth
in an aristocratic family and the execution of austere and pious activities
certainly cause one to take pride in himself. Similarly, if one enjoys a
prestigious position within society because his parents are highly respected
members of the social system, one becomes even more infatuated with himself.
But if despite these excellent material qualifications one does not feel even a
tinge of pride within himself, he is to be considered the dear-most
servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB 11.2.52 — When
a devotee gives up the selfish conception by which one thinks “This is my
property, and that is his,” and when he is no longer concerned with the
pleasures of his own material body or indifferent to the discomforts of others,
he becomes fully peaceful and satisfied. He considers himself simply one among
all the living beings who are equally part and parcel of the Supreme God. Such
a satisfied Vaiṣṇava is considered to be at the highest
standard of devotional service.
SB 11.2.53 — The
lotus feet of the Supreme God are sought even by the greatest of devtas,
such as Brahmā and Śiva, who have all accepted the Personality of God as their
life and soul. A pure devotee of the Lord can never forget those lotus feet in
any circumstance. He will not give up his shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord
for a single moment — indeed, not for half a moment — even in exchange for the
benediction of ruling and enjoying the opulence of the entire universe. Such a
devotee of the Lord is to be considered the best
of the Vaiṣṇavas.
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