Verse 3.9.387

Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 3.9.387:

অধিকারি-বৈষ্ণবের না বুঝি’ ব্যবহার যে জন নিন্দযে, তার নাহিক নিস্তার ॥ ৩৮৭ ॥

अधिकारि-वैष्णवेर ना बुझि’ व्यवहार ये जन निन्दये, तार नाहिक निस्तार ॥ ३८७ ॥

adhikāri-vaiṣṇavera nā bujhi’ vyavahāra ye jana nindaye, tāra nāhika nistāra || 387 ||

adhikari-vaisnavera na bujhi’ vyavahara ye jana nindaye, tara nahika nistara (387)

English translation:

(387) If one criticizes an exalted Vaiṣṇava without understanding his behavior, one can never be delivered.

Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:

In the Bhagavad-gītā (9.30) it is stated:

api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi saḥ

“Even if one commits the most abominable action, if he is engaged in devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated in his determination.”

In the Upadeśāmṛta (6) it is stated:

dṛṣṭaiḥ svabhāva-janitair vapuṣaś ca doṣair na prākṛtatvam iha bhakta janasya paśyet

gaṅgāmbhasāṃ na khalu budbuda-phena-paṅkair brahma-dravatvam apagacchati nīra-dharmaiḥ

“Being situated in his original Kṛṣṇa conscious position, a pure devotee does not identify with the body. Such a devotee should not be seen from a materialistic point of view. Indeed, one should overlook a devotee’s having a body born in a low family, a body with a bad complexion, a deformed body, or a diseased or infirm body. According to ordinary vision, such imperfections may seem prominent in the body of a pure devotee, but despite such seeming defects, the body of a pure devotee cannot be polluted. It is exactly like the waters of the Ganges, which sometimes during the rainy season are full of bubbles, foam and mud.

The Ganges waters do not become polluted. Those who are advanced in spiritual understanding will bathe in the Ganges without considering the condition of the water.”