View source for On the top stage there is no such thing as demon and devotee. The top stage, the devotee sees, "Everyone is engaged in Krsna's service. Simply I am not engaged." This is topmost devotee's vision, that, I am lacking Krsna's devotion

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[[Category:Top Stage Devotees of God]]
[[Category:There Is No]]
[[Category:No Such]]
[[Category:Such Things]]
[[Category:Demons and Devotees of God]]
[[Category:Devotees of God See]]
[[Category:Everyone Is]]
[[Category:Engaging in Devotional Service to Krsna]]
[[Category:Simply]]
[[Category:I Am]]
[[Category:This Is]]
[[Category:Vision of a Devotee of God]]
[[Category:Lacking Devotional Service to God]]
[[Category:Devotional Feelings for Krsna]]
[[Category:Pages Needing Audio - SHARMISTHA]]
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<h2>Lectures</h2>
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<h3>Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures</h3>
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When you are preaching, you have to come to the middle stage. Even if you are on the top stage, you have to come on the middle stage, because you have to discriminate: "Here is a devotee; here is a demon." On the top stage there is no such thing as demon and devotee. The top stage, the devotee sees, "Everyone is engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. Simply I am not engaged." This is topmost devotee's vision, that "I am lacking Kṛṣṇa's devotion."
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[[Vanisource:750208 - Lecture BG 16.13-15 - Honolulu|750208 - Lecture BG 16.13-15 - Honolulu]]
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Asau mayā hataḥ, thinking others are enemy . . . actually, in the higher status of life, a devotee does not think anyone as enemy. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām ([[Vanisource:BG 18.54 (1972)|BG 18.54]]). Samaḥ. He knows that "Nobody can become my enemy unless Kṛṣṇa desires. So why shall I think of him as my enemy? Kṛṣṇa has desired him to act as my enemy just to correct me, just to make me more advanced in spiritual life. So why shall I take any action upon him as enemy?" Of course, this stage is meant for very highly elevated devotee. That is not meant for ordinary devotee. But the fact is this: "How one can become my enemy? If I am Kṛṣṇa's servant, how one can become my enemy? If one is acting as my enemy, it is Kṛṣṇa's desire. I have got some defect, and He is correcting me." Therefore it is called samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām ([[Vanisource:BG 18.54 (1972)|BG 18.54]]). That is the topmost devotee's conception.

But when we are preaching, we have to come to the second stage. There are three stages of devotional life: the first stage, or the lower stage; the middle stage; and the top stage. So this kind of conception, that "Nobody is my enemy," that is on the topmost stage. That is not to be imitated. When you are preaching, you have to come to the middle stage. Even if you are on the top stage, you have to come on the middle stage, because you have to discriminate: "Here is a devotee; here is a demon." On the top stage there is no such thing as demon and devotee. The top stage, the devotee sees, "Everyone is engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. Simply I am not engaged." This is topmost devotee's vision, that "I am lacking Kṛṣṇa's devotion."

Just like Rādhārāṇī thinks that "All others, they are engaged in Kṛṣṇa's devotion, but I could not." Caitanya Mahāprabhu said . . . Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "I have not a pinch of devotion to Kṛṣṇa." Then if you say, "Why you are crying?" "That is to make a show." Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "I am crying for Kṛṣṇa just to advertise Myself that I have become a big . . . but actually I have not a pinch of devotion to Kṛṣṇa." "No, You are so great devotee. Everyone says." "No. Everyone may say, but I am not." "Why You are not?" "Now, because without Kṛṣṇa, still I am living. That is the proof that I have no love for Kṛṣṇa." This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's statement. "If I had any drop of love for Kṛṣṇa, how I could live so long without Kṛṣṇa?" Śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṇa me (Śikṣāṣṭaka 7).
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