Not ordinary devotees

Expressions researched:
"Not only ordinary devotees" |"not an ordinary devotee" |"not ordinary devotee"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

So Kṛṣṇa said to the young devotee that "How you are proposing that I shall go? Can a stone Deity, He can walk? Do you think?" He said, "Yes, if the stone Deity can speak, He can walk also." (laughter) So devotee is so strong. So Kṛṣṇa had to... "Yes, I'll go." First of all, He wanted to avoid. Then when He saw that "He's not ordinary devotee," He said, "All right, I'll go." So He came from Vṛndāvana to Kataka.

Lecture on BG 13.26 -- Delhi, September 22, 1974:

So because you cannot see Kṛṣṇa otherwise, therefore Kṛṣṇa has appeared before you just like a stone statue. Because you cannot see Kṛṣṇa, without His becoming a stone statue or wooden statue. That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. But that does not mean Kṛṣṇa is stone. Kṛṣṇa is everything. So mad-yājinaḥ. To accept your worship, Kṛṣṇa is here. Don't consider that "Here is a stone Deity." No, He's Kṛṣṇa. He has agreed. Because mad-yājinaḥ. Kṛṣṇa say "One who worships Me..." Now, ordinarily, where is Kṛṣṇa? We don't find. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is available in this form. Kṛṣṇa is so kind, that "You take Me. You offer Me service." Mad-yājinaḥ. "I will accept." We should worship Kṛṣṇa in that spirit, not that "We are worshiping a stone. He cannot see. Let me do all nonsense in the Deity room." No. He is seeing. Don't be so much cunning. He's more cunning than you. You see. He can see.

Just like in that story, the old brāhmaṇa and the young brāhmaṇa, Sākṣi-gopāla. Sākṣi-gopāla. So the young man came to Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana, "Sir, You have to go to give witness because the old man is not keeping his promise." So Kṛṣṇa said to the young devotee that "How you are proposing that I shall go? Can a stone Deity, He can walk? Do you think?" He said, "Yes, if the stone Deity can speak, He can walk also." (laughter) So devotee is so strong. So Kṛṣṇa had to... "Yes, I'll go." First of all, He wanted to avoid. Then when He saw that "He's not ordinary devotee," He said, "All right, I'll go." So He came from Vṛndāvana to Kataka.

So don't think that He's stone Deity. Sākṣād vrajendra-nandana: "Directly Kṛṣṇa." But He is available to my capacity of understanding Him. Not that He is different from the original Kṛṣṇa. (break) Kṛṣṇa's name, Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's quality, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, everything absolute. You're chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. It does not mean that it is a sound only. It is Kṛṣṇa personally. You are in direct touch with Kṛṣṇa when you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is realization. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So how one can learn? Therefore it is said here, anye, anyebhyaḥ...

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Kuntī is not ordinary devotee. She has become one of the relatives of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa has come to offer her respects. So Kuntī's not an ordinary devotee.

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Los Angeles, May 3, 1973:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave this concession to the fallen souls of this age, that "You simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, you'll be delivered." Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's special concession. Otherwise, a devotee... Kuntī is not ordinary devotee. She has become one of the relatives of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa has come to offer her respects. So Kuntī's not an ordinary devotee. Still, she says that "Kṛṣṇa, kindly help me to become detached from my, this family attachment. I am attached to two families, my father's family and my husband's family, vṛṣṇiṣu and pāṇḍuṣu." So the purpose is that one has to become detached from this so-called society, friendship, love. This will entangle us. One has to become free from this attachment. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). So long I shall think that "I belong to this family, I belong to this nation, I belong to this religion, I belong to this color, I belong to..." So many things we have created, there is no possibility of become Kṛṣṇa conscious. No. So long I shall think, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am African," then we are attached. So long I am thinking that "I belong to this family, that family," then I'm attached. So long I'm thinking, "I'm father of this, mother of this, husband of this, wife of this," that is attachment.

Mādhavendra Purī is not an ordinary devotee, he is a great devotee; otherwise how the Lord has stolen this pot for him?"

Lecture on SB 4.14.14 -- November 16, 1971, Delhi:

So Mādhavendra Purī was very old man at that time, and it is order of Gopālajī, so he started for Jagannātha Purī. On the way there is a Gopīnātha temple in Orissa, on the border of Orissa and Bengal in the district of Dantarn(?), that is called Danta(?). So he stayed there overnight and he saw that the Gopāla..., Gopīnāthajī was offered kṣīra, seven pots of kṣīra. So Mādhavendra Purī thought within himself, "If I could taste a little kṣīra, then I would also make such kṣīra to offer my Gopāla in Vṛndāvana." Then again he thought that "Oh, I am so stupid that before offering to the Deity I am thinking of eating it." He thought himself to be very much culprit, and he immediately left the temple, "No, I shall not. I am committing offense." It is an offense. Therefore, when you bring bhoga for the Deity, it should be covered so that we greedy men may not see it and try to taste it. Kaniṣṭha-adhikārīs, they sometimes do that. Sometimes they take away something before offering to the Deity. These are great offenses. So Mādhavendra Purī thought it that he was a great offender; he should not live in this temple, he should go outside. So he went outside, and underneath a tree he was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, just to pass over the night, then proceed toward Jagannātha Purī. So at night the Deity, Gopīnātha, was asking the pūjārī, the priest, that "I have kept one pot of kṣīra behind My back garment," pitavastra(?) "So you take this pot of kṣīra, condensed milk, to Mādhavendra Purī—he is sitting underneath a tree—and offer him." So the pūjārī wake up, and actually when he opened the door of the Deity room, he found that pot of kṣīra. So he could understand that "This Mādhavendra Purī is not an ordinary devotee, he is a great devotee; otherwise how the Lord has stolen this pot for him?" Since then, that Gopīnātha is famous as Kṣīra-corā Gopīnātha. Kṣīra-corā Gopīnātha, the Gopīnātha who stole the kṣīra for His devotee.

Prahlāda Mahārāja is mahā-bhāgavata, not ordinary devotee.

Lecture on SB 7.9.4 -- Mayapur, February 18, 1977:

Pradyumna: (reads synonyms) "Translation: Nārada Muni continued: O King, although the exalted devotee Prahlāda Mahārāja was only a little boy, he accepted Lord Brahmā's words. He gradually proceeded toward Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva and fell down to offer his respectful obeisances with folded hands."

Prabhupāda:

tatheti śanakai rājan

mahā-bhāgavato 'rbhakaḥ

upetya bhuvi kāyena

nanāma vidhṛtāñjaliḥ

(SB 7.9.4)

So Prahlāda Mahārāja is mahā-bhāgavata, not ordinary devotee. Arbhakaḥ. Arbhakaḥ means innocent child, five-years-old small boy. But mahā-bhāgavata. Not that because he is boy... Ahaituky apratihatā. A small child can become mahā-bhāgavata, and a very learned scholar may become a demon. Bhakti is so exalted that these are contradictory. Arbhakaḥ, arbha means foolish or childish, but at the same time mahā-bhāgavata. It is possible. Mahā-bhāgavata means... We must distinguish between different types of devotees. Kaniṣṭha adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī and mahā-bhāgavata, uttama adhikārī. Uttama-adhikārī.

We should always remember that Prahlāda Mahārāja is not ordinary devotee. He is nitya-siddha.

Lecture on SB 7.9.7 -- Mayapur, February 27, 1977:

Kṛṣṇa has appeared—Panca-tattva. Kṛṣṇa is īśa, and Nityānanda Prabhu, He is prakāśa, the first expansion of God. God has many expansion. Advaita acyuta anādi ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣam. He has got thousands and thousands exp... So first expansion is Baladeva-tattva, Nityānanda; and His incarnation, Advaita; and His spiritual potency, Gadādhara; and His marginal potency, Śrīvāsa. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu has appeared with pañca..., pañca-tattvātmakam. You cannot neglect anything. If you think that "I shall simply worship...," oh, that is a great offense, "...Caitanya Mahāprabhu or only Caitanya-Nityānanda" No. You must worship Pañca-tattva, pañca-tattvātmakaṁ kṛṣṇam, in full. Similarly, the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, sixteen names, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ (devotees chant) Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. So you cannot mix up. You must do according to śāstra. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). If you deviate from the śāstra, then you will never be successful.

yaḥ śāstra vidhim utsṛjya

vartate kāma-kārataḥ

na siddhim avāpnoti

na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim

(BG 16.23)

So if you want to approach the same level like Prahlāda Mahārāja, we should not immediately imitate him. We must follow the sādhana-bhakti, sādhana-bhakti, for general, and kṛpa-siddha, that is special. That is incalculable. If Kṛṣṇa wants, He can make immediately somebody very important. That is kṛpa-siddha. So there are three classes of devotees: nitya-siddha and sādhana-siddha and kṛpa-siddha. Prahlāda Mahārāja is nitya-siddha. He is not ordinary sādhana-siddha or of course, ultimately there is no difference, either sādhana-siddha or kṛpa-siddha or nitya-siddha. But we should always remember that Prahlāda Mahārāja is not ordinary devotee. He is nitya-siddha. Therefore immediately he developed the transcendental symptoms, aṣṭa-siddhi. Aṣṭa-siddhi, you have read in The Nectar of Devotion. So the ecstasies Ekāgra-manasā. Ekāgra-manasā, "with full attention." For us to bring that full attention may take hundreds and thousands of years, full attention. But Prahlāda Mahārāja, immediately. Immediately. Five-years-old boy. Because he is nitya-siddha. Always we should remember that we cannot imitate. "Now, Prahlāda Mahārāja has immediately ekāgra-manasā, and I shall become also." No. That is not possible. May be possible, but that is not the way.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, Pṛthu Mahārāja, they were kings, very opulent kings. Dhruva Mahārāja. So still they were great devotees. Not only ordinary devotees, mahājanas. So this bhoga-tyāga has no meaning. It has no benefit. One has to become devotee.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

Prabhupāda: That attractiveness is called rasa, mellow, taste. Go on.

Pradyumna: "...or a kind of mellow, or relationship whose taste is very sweet. Bhakti-rasa is a mellow different from the ordinary rasa enjoyed by mundane workers. Mundane workers labor very hard, day and night, in order to relish a certain kind of rasa which is understood as sense gratification. The relish or taste of the mundane rasa does not long endure, and therefore mundane workers are always apt to change their position of enjoyment. A business man is not satisfied by working the whole week; therefore wanting a change for the weekend, he goes to a place where he tries to forget his business activities. Then, after the weekend is spent in forgetfulness, he again changes his position and resumes his actual business activities. Material engagement means accepting a particular status for some time and then changing it. This position of changing back and forth is technically known as bhoga-tyāga, which means..."

Prabhupāda: Bhoga-tyāga. Bhoga and tyāga. Go on.

Pradyumna: "...which means a position of alternating sense enjoyment and renunciation."

Prabhupāda: Yes, their position is sense enjoyment. If, by bhoga, they are not satisfied, then tyāga. Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. Give it, give it up. Again, by tyāga, when he does not find any sense pleasure, then again comes back: All right, come to social service, open hospital, open the school. Why are you coming again? You have given it up, tyāga, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. Why you are coming to mithyā again, to open school? That, that is going on. That is going on. Sometimes this is brahma... Jagan mithyā, everything is mithyā, and Brahman is satya. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. But when they cannot get Brahman, cannot realize Brahman, then again come to this bhoga. Bhoga. Pendulum. Bhoga, tyāga, bhoga, tyāga, bhoga, tyāga. You know that pendulum works: (makes noise) kaut kaut kaut kaut. Bhoga, tyāga, bhoga, tyāga. So Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān pari... You have to give up this bhoga dharma and tyāga dharma. Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). You are now engaged in two kinds of dharma. Somebody, karmīs, they are bhoga, bhoga dharmī. They want to enjoy. And tyāgī, they want to renounce this bhoga. So both of these will not help you. Bhoga-tyāga. Then what? Sevā. You have to take the dharma of sevā. That is bhakti. Kṛṣṇa-sevā. For Kṛṣṇa, you can accept anything. That is It may appear bhoga. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, Pṛthu Mahārāja, they were kings, very opulent kings. Dhruva Mahārāja. So still they were great devotees. Not only ordinary devotees, mahājanas. So this bhoga-tyāga has no meaning. It has no benefit. One has to become devotee. Either in the bhoga field or in the tyāga field, it doesn't matter. Bhoga-tyāga is not required. Required service. That service, it may be on the platform of bhoga or service... Service is required, Kṛṣṇa's service. Kṛṣṇa has to be satisfied. Either in the bhoga platform or tyāga plat... He does not... Devotee's not concerned with bhoga-tyāga. Devotee's concerned with Kṛṣṇa's service.

Purports to Songs

Antaraṅga means not ordinary devotee. They are confidential devotee. And Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, gṛhe vā vanete thāke. "Such devotee, who is taking pleasure in the waves of Lord Caitanya's movement," because he has become a very confidential devotee of the Lord...

Purport to Gaurangera Duti Pada -- Los Angeles, January 6, 1969:

The gaura-maṇḍala means the place in West Bengal wherein Lord Caitanya had His pastimes. In Navadvīpa, during Lord Caitanya's birth anniversary, the devotees go and circumambulate different places of Lord Caitanya's pastimes. It takes nine days. So that portion of Bengal is called gauḍa-maṇḍala. So Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, "One who understands that there is no difference between this part of the country with Vṛndāvana," tāra haya vraja-bhūmi vāsa, "it is as good as one lives in Vṛndāvana." Then he says, gaura-prema rasārṇarve. Lord Caitanya's activities is just like an ocean of loving affairs of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore one who takes a dip into this ocean, gaura-prema-rasārṇave, sei taraṅga yebā ḍube. Just like we take a dip and bath, and we play, sport, in the waves of the ocean or sea. Similarly, one who takes pleasure, taking a dip and sporting with the waves of the ocean of Lord Caitanya's distribution of love of God, such a person becomes immediately a confidential devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Sei rādhā-mādhava-antaraṅga. Antaraṅga means not ordinary devotee. They are confidential devotee. And Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, gṛhe vā vanete thāke. "Such devotee, who is taking pleasure in the waves of Lord Caitanya's movement," because he has become a very confidential devotee of the Lord...

Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, "Such devotee, it doesn't matter whether he's in the renounced order of life or whether he is a householder." Gṛha. Gṛha means householder. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement does not say that one has to become a renounced order, sannyāsī. Just like Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, impersonalists, Śaṅkarācārya, they first, they put the first condition that "You take up the renounced order of life first, and then talk of spiritual advancement." So in Śaṅkara sampradāya nobody is accepted as bona fide impersonalist unless he has accepted the renounced order of life. But here, in Caitanya's movement, there is no such restriction. Advaita Prabhu, He was a householder. Nityānanda, He was householder. Gadādhara, He was also householder. And Śrīvāsa, he was also householder. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu also married twice. So it doesn't matter. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that to become in renounced order of life, or to remain in householder life, that does not matter. If he is actually taking part in the movements of Caitanya's saṅkīrtana activities and actually understanding what it is, he is taking sport in the waves of such devotional ocean, then such person is always liberated. And Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura is aspiring his association ever increasingly. That is the sum and substance of this song.