Text 37

A madhyama-bhakta renders service to the three kinds of Vaiṣṇavas. Śrī Upadeśāmṛta (5) states:

कृष्णेति यस्य गिरि तं मनसाद्रियेत दीक्षास्ति चेत् प्रणतिभिश् च भजन्तम् ईशम्
शुश्रूषया भजन-विज्ञम् अनन्यम् अन्यनिन्दादि-शून्य-हृदम् ईप्सित-सङ्ग-लब्ध्या

kṛṣṇeti yasya giri taṃ manasādriyeta dīkṣāsti cet praṇatibhiś ca bhajantam īśam
śuśrūṣayā bhajana-vijñam ananyam anyanindādi-śūnya-hṛdam īpsita-saṅga-labdhyā

That person who utters Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s name by just once calling out “O Kṛṣṇa!” is a neophyte devotee (kaniṣṭha-adhikārī), and one should offer him respect within one’s mind. That person who fully understands the principle of dīkṣā, has accepted dīkṣā from a qualified guru and performs bhajana of the Supreme Lord in accordance with Vaiṣṇava conventions, is an intermediate devotee (madhyama-adhikārī). One should respect such a devotee, who is endowed with the correct understanding of reality and illusion, by offering obeisances unto him and so forth. That person who properly understands the science of bhajana, as described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and other Vaiṣṇava scriptures, and performs exclusive bhajana of Śrī Kṛṣṇa is a mahā-bhāgavata. Due to his undeviating absorption in Kṛṣṇa, the pure heart of such a devotee is free from faults, such as the tendency to criticise others. He is expert in bhajana, which means he is skilled in the method of remembering Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa’s eternal eightfold daily pastimes through mānasī-sevā, service performed within the mind. Knowing him to be a mahā-bhāgavata whose heart is established in the particular mood of service to Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa for which one aspires (svajātīya ) and who is affectionately disposed towards oneself (susnigdha), one should seek his association, considering it to be topmost. One should honour him by offering prostrated obeisances, making relevant inquiry and rendering service unto him with great love.

अकैतवे कृष्ण-नाम यार मुखे शुन
मनेते आदर तारे कर पुनः पुनः

akaitave kṛṣṇa-nāma yāra mukhe śuna
manete ādara tāre kara punaḥ punaḥ

भक्ति सम्प्रदाय लभि’ येइ कृष्ण भजे
आदर करह पडि’ तार पद-रजे

bhakti sampradāya labhi’ yei kṛṣṇa bhaje
ādara karaha paḍi’ tāra pada-raje

स्वीय पर-बुद्धि-शून्य अनन्य-भजन
याङ्हार, ताङ्हार सेवा कर अनुक्षण

svīya para-buddhi-śūnya ananya-bhajana
yāṅhāra, tāṅhāra sevā kara anukṣaṇa

Commentary: Bhajana-rahasya-vṛtti:

Because the mahā-bhāgavatas see everything as related to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, they look upon all with equal vision. They are devoted to kṛṣṇa-bhajana like the madhyama-adhikārī, and intent on chanting the holy name like the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī.

The madhyama-adhikārīs have prema for Śrī Kṛṣṇa. They offer appropriate respect to the three levels of devotees (by rendering service, offering obeisances and offering respect mentally). They always endeavour to turn the conditioned living entities towards Śrī Kṛṣṇa and they are indifferent to those who are averse to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. However, they do not possess equal vision like the uttama-adhikārī mahā-bhāgavata, and if they deceitfully imitate him they will very quickly fall down.

The kaniṣṭha-adhikārī knows that the name of Śrī Kṛṣṇa is supremely auspicious, and therefore he takes shelter of chanting the holy name. He does not understand, however, that the position of the madhyama-adhikārī is high and that he should strive to reach that level in the future. Sometimes the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī considers himself a guru and consequently falls down. Therefore, by carefully offering appropriate respect to those Vaiṣṇavas who are more advanced than he is, he should take shelter of the holy name.