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A devotee is naturally very good man, but when he acts just like a bad man on behalf of Krsna, he does not fall down. He still remains a pure devotee

Expressions researched:
"A devotee is naturally very good man, but when he acts just like a bad man on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, he does not fall down. He still remains a pure devotee"

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

People may think that, "Oh, Arjuna is not very good man. He is killing his grandfather, he is killing his, what is called, nephews, and devastating the whole family. Oh, he is not a good man." Sometimes comment . . . people comment like that. But Kṛṣṇa says, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3): "You are My very dear friend." Just try to understand. In the estimation of the material world he is a very good man, er, he is not a good man, because he is killing his own kinsmen. But in the estimation of Kṛṣṇa, he is dear friend and devotee.

So that is the difference between a devotee and good man of this world. A devotee is naturally very good man, but when he acts just like a bad man on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, he does not fall down. He still remains a pure devotee.

A good man is not a liberated man. Good man is also conditioned soul. He is bound up by good condition. Just like to become a brāhmaṇa, that does not mean that . . . he has acquired the good qualities, but that does not mean that he is a devotee. You will find in this prayer. You will find many good men, but you will find rarely a pure devotee. So good man is not a devotee. Try to distinguish. Good man is good for this material existence, but devotee is different from good man.

A devotee . . . just like Arjuna. Arjuna is killing, engaged in killing. People may think that, "Oh, Arjuna is not very good man. He is killing his grandfather, he is killing his, what is called, nephews, and devastating the whole family. Oh, he is not a good man." Sometimes comment . . . people comment like that. But Kṛṣṇa says, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3): "You are My very dear friend." Just try to understand. In the estimation of the material world he is a very good man, er, he is not a good man, because he is killing his own kinsmen. But in the estimation of Kṛṣṇa, he is dear friend and devotee.

So that is the difference between a devotee and good man of this world. A devotee is naturally very good man, but when he acts just like a bad man on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, he does not fall down. He still remains a pure devotee.

So here it is said that yad uttamaśloka-guṇopalambhaka. We have to . . . just like there are some sahajiyas. They think that, "Kṛṣṇa's rasa-līlā is very nice, but Kṛṣṇa's fighting with the demons and killing of the demons, that is not very nice." But they do not know the Absolute Truth, that Kṛṣṇa is as good in any circumstances, either He is enjoying the company of the gopīs or He is killing the demons. That is the Absolute Truth.

Page Title:A devotee is naturally very good man, but when he acts just like a bad man on behalf of Krsna, he does not fall down. He still remains a pure devotee
Compiler:Soham
Created:2023-12-26, 11:13:44.000
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1