Vaisnava Etiquette

1
Vaisnava Etiquette
2
(No Transcript)
3
(No Transcript)
4
Text 5 Nectar of Instruction

• One should mentally honor the devotee who chants
  the holy name of the Lord Krsna,
• One should offer humble obeisances to the devotee
  who has undergone spiritual initiation (diksa)
  and is engaged in worshipping the deity
• And one should associate with and faithfully
  serve that pure devotee who is advanced in
  undeviated devotional service and whose heart is
  completely devoid of the propensity to criticize
  others

5
Three Types of Devotees in Verse

• Kanistha neophyte
• Madhyama midway in devotional service
• Uttama first class, perfect devotee

6
The Kanistha The Neophyte

• Has harinama initiation from guru
• Trying to chant the holy name
• His faith is soft and pliable
• Faithfully worships deity in temple
• Doesnt know how to behave towards devotees or
  people in general
• If you are a kanistha, try to raise yourself

7
The Madhyama Middle Class Devotee

• Has initiation from guru
• Fully engaged by guru in Lords transcendental
  service
• Worships Krsna as the highest object of love
• Makes friends with Lords devotees
• Merciful to ignorant tries to raise them to KC
• Avoids the envious/atheistic

8
The Uttama The First Class Devotee

• Perfect devotee
• No tendency to criticize others
• Heart is clean
• Realised himself as an eternal servitor of Krsna
• Always thinking of Krsna
• Always devising means to spread holy name
• His only business is spreading the Krsna
  consciousness movement

9
(No Transcript)
10
Three Different Ways to Respect

• Kanistha honour him in your mind
• Madhyama offer humble obeisances
• Uttama
• associate with him according to 6
• processes
• - faithfully serve him
• - accept him as a spiritual master

11
Which Kind of Devotee Are You?

• Kanistha, Madhyama or Uttama?
• Important to know your own position
• Do not try to imitate a higher level

12
Becoming Qualified

• One becomes qualified as a devotee on the
  elementary platform, the intermediate platform
  and the highest platform of devotional service
• according to the development of his faith
• (Madhya 22.64)

13
What Is Faith?

• By rendering transcendental service to Krsna,
  one autonatically performs all subsidiary
  activities (Madhya 22.62)
• This firm faith, favourable to the discharge of
  devotional service is called sraddha.
• This faith is the beginning of Krsna
  consciousness

14
More on Faith

• Accepting Krsnas instructions as authoritative,
  without interpretation
• Abandon all varieties of religion and just
  surrender unto Me (BG 18.66)
• When one become completely faithful to this
  instruction basis for advancement

15
A Little More on Faith

• Krsna cannot be realized artificially
• Fully and faithfully engage in chanting the holy
  name, and Krsna will reveal Himself

16
From Kanistha to Madhyama

• Everyone starts as a kanistha
• To advance step-by-step
• Accept a guru
• Carefully chant 16 rounds every day

17
(No Transcript)
18
The Spiritual Master

• Be careful to only accept an uttama adhikari as
  guru
• A disciple can only reach the level of his
  spiritual master
• Practical hint an uttama can be recognised by
  his ability to convert many fallen souls to
  Vaisnavism (Bhaktivinoda Thakura)

19
Etiquette towards the Spiritual Master

• Do not accept guru without following his
  instructions
• Do not accept a guru to make a fashionable show
  of spiritual life
• Be very inquisitive to learn from him
• Inquiries should strictly pertain to
  transcendental science
• When one has lost interest in asking about
  mundane subjects, he is fit for initiation
• One should offer all he possesses to spiritual
  master

20
Etiquette Towards The Holy Name

• Avoid 10 offenses by practicing 10 defenses
• Be attentive
• Try to cultivate faith in holy name
• - try to chant constantly
• - associate with those who have taste

21
Practicalities!
22
How Wonderful Vaisnava Etiquette Is!

• Etiquette means external manners and conduct.
• Etiquette helps us become free from our original
  envy and desire to be enjoyers and controllers.
• A faultless etiquette increases ones fame,
  wealth, longevity, and destroys everything
  inauspicious.

23
(No Transcript)
24
Pointers to Remember!

• Learn how to properly offer obeisances and
  respect.
• Speech
• Never use unpleasant words.
• Never lie.
• Don't speak badly of others. We shouldn't look at
  the faults. We should try to see the good
  qualities in others.
• Don't laugh too loudly.
• Don't tease people who are dumb, mad, in need,
  ugly, lame or fallen.
• Don't reprimand anyone except your children or
  students.
• Don't blow your own trumpet.

25
Pointers contd

• AssociationDon't develop friendship with people
  who are envious, fallen, mad, debauched, liars,
  unscupulous, have illicit connection with the
  opposite sex, or with the unchaste.
• If someone insults you, leave the place quietly.
• We should always try to give service to the
  Vaisnavas. Worshiping Krishna must be accompanied
  by service to His devotees. Service to devotees
  is higher than service to Visnu.
• Never take sides in a dispute between devotees.

26
Pointers to Remember contd

• We are servants therefore we address others as
  prabhu (master).
• Everyone has something better than you you can
  always learn something from everyone.
• If you engage your godbrothers and godsisters as
  your servants, you will fall down.
• By offering obeisances one can get free from
  sinful reactions, one gets purified and can
  attain the lotus feet of Sri Hari.
• The godbrothers of the guru should be respected
  just as the guru himself.
• Devotee always looks for reasons to give respect
  to others.

27
Okwe need a breather!