Highest devotees

Expressions researched:
"highest devotee" |"highest devotees" |"highest of devotees"

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

These verses are considered to be most important jewels by the devotees of the Lord in disciplic succession, and by virtue of these famous verses Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya has become known as the highest of devotees.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 26:

The Lord then requested Bhaṭṭācārya to go to Jagannātha temple again, and Bhaṭṭācārya started out for the temple accompanied by Jagadānanda and Dāmodara, two principal associates of Lord Caitanya. After seeing Jagannātha temple, Bhaṭṭācārya returned home and brought with him much prasāda purchased from the temple. He sent all this prasāda to Lord Caitanya through his brāhmaṇa servant.

He also dispatched two verses written on palm tree leaves and requested Jagadānanda to render him a favor by delivering them. Thus Lord Caitanya was offered the prasāda and the verses on the palm leaves. However, before reaching the Lord, Mukunda Datta, who had also undertaken the delivery of the verses, had copied the verses in his book. When Lord Caitanya read the verses on the palm leaf, he tore them to pieces, for He never liked to be praised by anyone. The verses only survive because they had been copied by Mukunda Datta. These verses praised the Lord, the Supreme Original Personality of Godhead who had descended as Lord Caitanya to preach detachment, transcendental knowledge and devotional service to the people in general. Lord Caitanya was praised as the original Personality of Godhead and was compared with an ocean of mercy. "Let me surrender unto that Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu," the verses stated. "The Lord, seeing that devotional service was absent, descended Himself in the form of Caitanya Mahāprabhu to preach devotional service. Let us all surrender unto His lotus feet and learn from Him what devotional service actually is." These verses are considered to be most important jewels by the devotees of the Lord in disciplic succession, and by virtue of these famous verses Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya has become known as the highest of devotees.

Nectar of Instruction

The uttama-adhikārī, or highest devotee, is one who is very advanced in devotional service.

Nectar of Instruction 5, Purport:

In order to intelligently apply the sixfold loving reciprocations mentioned in the previous verse, one must select proper persons with careful discrimination. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī therefore advises that we should meet with the Vaiṣṇavas in an appropriate way, according to their particular status. In this verse he tells us how to deal with three types of devotees—the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī and uttama-adhikārī. The kaniṣṭha-adhikārī is a neophyte who has received the hari-nāma initiation from the spiritual master and is trying to chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. One should respect such a person within his mind as a kaniṣṭha-vaiṣṇava. A madhyama-adhikārī has received spiritual initiation from the spiritual master and has been fully engaged by him in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. The madhyama-adhikārī should be considered to be situated midway in devotional service. The uttama-adhikārī, or highest devotee, is one who is very advanced in devotional service. An uttama-adhikārī is not interested in blaspheming others, his heart is completely clean, and he has attained the realized state of unalloyed Kṛṣṇa consciousness. According to Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, the association and service of such a mahā-bhāgavata, or perfect Vaiṣṇava, are most desirable.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

So this is Kṛṣṇa. So the highest devotees, they..., Kṛṣṇa, they, Kṛṣṇa accepts because He is playing the part of human being.

Lecture on SB 1.8.33 -- Mayapura, October 13, 1974:

Now these American and the European boys, they are after me. They are after this for the last six, seven years. Had it been an artificial thing, they could not stay. That is not possible. It is not artificial. It is already there, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-bhakti nitya-siddha. It is already there. By the process of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, I am simply trying to awaken that kṛṣṇa-bhakti. That's all. That is the duty of guru. Cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena. He opens the eyes, that "Why you have forgotten Kṛṣṇa? Here is Kṛṣṇa. You love Him. You'll be happy." This is guru's business. Not that he is giving artificially something which is known as kṛṣṇa-bhakti. Kṛṣṇa-bhakti's already there. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya, śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte. Simply by this process, hear about Kṛṣṇa. That we have introduced. In our so many centers this process is going on: hear about Kṛṣṇa, chant about Kṛṣṇa. Simply "Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa." Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Then Kṛṣṇa will help you.

So this is Kṛṣṇa. So the highest devotees, they..., Kṛṣṇa, they, Kṛṣṇa accepts because He is playing the part of human being. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). Those who are mūḍhas, they cannot understand, but those who are intelligent, they know that Kṛṣṇa is perfectly playing as a human being. As a human being takes birth in the womb of his father and mother by the father and mother, similarly, Kṛṣṇa also appeared, accepting Vasudeva as His father, Devakī as mother. But actually Kṛṣṇa is not born. That is being repeatedly explained by Kuntīdevī, that apare, apare vasudevasya devakyām: "They say like that." What is that? Devakī-nandana... There is a verse, that "It is a saying only. Nobody can become Kṛṣṇa's father or mother, but they get the reputation as father and mother. That is a concession to the devotee." Therefore, Kuntīdevī says, apare: "Others say like that." Somebody says like this; somebody says like that; somebody says like this. This is going on. But actually, Kṛṣṇa remains aja always. Because if we do not understand that Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa, then we'll misunderstand Him, that "He is also born. He is also born, so how He can become?" The Māyāvādīs say that "Kṛṣṇa is also having a body of the material body, māyā. Therefore real spiritual identity (is) impersonal. As soon as He assumes the body, it is material." That is called Māyāvāda. "Māyā. The Kṛṣṇa's body is māyā. The ultimate Absolute is no body, impersonal." That is their theory. Therefore we call them Māyāvādī.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

We have got our educational institution in Dallas, Gurukula. From small children we are educating to become highest devotee.

Room Conversation -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:

Prabhupāda: This picture is of Los Angeles, our Los Angeles temple. That is Los Angeles Deity, and this is Paris Deity here.

Swiss Man (1): (French conversation, prasādam is served)

Yogeśvara: Right there. The young man behind you. (French)

Young man: How well the devotees know the scriptures, in fact, because when you go to...

Yogeśvara: He says one thing, one thing is very impressive, to see how well your disciples know the scriptures.

Prabhupāda: Yes, they have been educated in that way. For education we have so many books. If from child up to the age of eighty years, if one is educated, we have got sufficient stock to give him education.

Yogeśvara: (translates)

Prabhupāda: We have got our educational institution in Dallas, Gurukula. From small children we are educating to become highest devotee.

Swiss Man (1): (French)

Guru-gaurāṅga: (French) This gentleman says we had difficulties with the police in the beginning. And I said, "Yes, but then I went, and I gave him all your books, and he read them, and then there were no more difficulties."

Prabhupāda: Yes, on account of our books we are being appreciated everywhere. In the beginning they might have thought that "Some of the hippies," like that.

Swiss Man (1): Have you been in connection with Aurobindo?

Yogeśvara: Have we been in contact with Aurobindo, Śrī Aurobindo?

Prabhupāda: Why? Why I shall be in contact, Aurobindo?

Swiss Man (1): Because he's... We know in (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: He does not know better than Kṛṣṇa. So one association is sufficient. There is no need of going this Aurobindo, Saurobindo. We never... Why should we waste our time? We have got sufficient education in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. First of all let us finish these hundred books of four hundred pages. Then we shall see what Aurobindo writes. We don't think anyone can speak better than Kṛṣṇa. That is admitted.