If the devotee is uttama adhikārī, he should take lessons from him. If he's equal, then he should make friendship with him. And if he's lower, then he should try to help him to become higher devotee. This is the business of devotee. Īśvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca. Īśvara, to love Kṛṣṇa, how to increase . . . yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). Simply to increase: "How I can better . . . render better service to Kṛṣṇa." This is one business.
The another business is to make friendship. Anyone who is devotee, to make friendship with him. And other, bāliśeṣu, those who are innocent, those who are not offender, but innocent persons—just like child, simple—they should preach amongst them Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because they are innocent. And those who are dviṣat, demons, simply against God, they should avoid them. Avoid them. Don't go there for preaching. Neither to love them. Of course, everyone should be loved, but according to the time and circumstances.
So for a preacher who is trying to do good to the innocent persons, who, one who does not know how to love God, what is God, a preacher's business is to teach him, and not to waste his time with the demons, one who is not interested in the matter of God.
But when you are raised to the highest platform of devotional service, then there is no more dviṣatsu. No more friend, no more dviṣat. Everyone, a mahā-bhāgavata sees that, "Everyone is engaged in the service of the Lord except myself." That is mahā-bhāgavata's vision. But we should not imitate that. Just like I was, I was giving the example of Caitanya-caritāmṛta author, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī. He's speaking that:
- jagāi mādhāi haite muñi se pāpiṣṭha
- purīṣera kīṭa muñi se lagiṣṭha
- (CC Adi 5.205)
He's not imitating or he's speaking falsely. He feels like that. A mahā-bhāgavata feels like that, that "I am the lowest."
Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, āmāra jīvana sada pāpe rata nāhika puṇyera leśa. He says like that, that "My life is always engaged in sinful activities. I've not a trace of pious activity." Āmāra jīvana sada ape rata nāhika puṇyera leśa. "I have given so much distress to all other living entities." He's representing common man, but he's feeling like that. It is not that artificially speaking. He's feeling like that.
Just like Rādhārāṇī. She thinks always Herself as the lowest of the devotees. She thinks always. She sees always that the gopīs, other gopīs, they are better qualified to serve Kṛṣṇa, and She is not qualified, so much qualified. Therefore in Vṛndāvana, you'll find the devotees approach Rādhārāṇī: "Jaya Rādhe," because if Rādhārāṇī advocates for him to Kṛṣṇa, it is very easily accepted. And Rādhārāṇī says . . . if Rādhārāṇī's pleased, then He (She) represents the devotee's case that, "Here is a devotee. He's better than Me. Kindly accept his service, Kṛṣṇa." So Kṛṣṇa cannot deny. So mahā-bhāva. Rādhārāṇī is mahā-bhāva.