aula, baula, kartabhaja, neda. daravesa, sani sahajiya, sakhibeki, smarta, jata-gosani ativadi, cudadhari, gauranga-nagari tato kahe, ei terara sanga nahi kari
One of these apa-sampradayas is called ativadi, which means too great. Can you please explain how those who are ‘too great’ have become an apa-sampradaya? Narasingha Maharaja: If the quality of humility is the crest-jewel of the Vaisnavas, and indeed it is, then undeniably its antithesis is pride. If one is falsely proud due to his greatness, or falsely proud due to his scholarship then one becomes an ativadi, too great.
To chant the Holy Name without offense, one must first become free from dambhika, or pride. A dambhika-brahmana is one who is proud of his scholarship and thus becomes offensive to the humble Vaisnavas. A true Vaisnava is always meek and humble. He sees every living entity as constitutionally a servant of Krsna and he never mistreats others, or looks upon them as his inferior.
In the words of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, “One who thinks he is the highest is actually the lowest and one who thinks himself the lowest is actually the highest.”
Real humility can only be attained by strictly adhering to the instructions of Sri Guru and by preaching the glories of the Holy Name. However, a hypocrite in the guise of a Vaisnava (kapota-vaisnava) sometimes makes a show of his learning simply to attain cheap adoration and followers. Such persons are known as ativadi, too great.
The first pseudo sect of Vaisnavas to be known as Ativadi was founded by one Oriyan brahmana named Jagannatha Dasa. This Jagannatha Dasa lived during the time of Sri Caitanya. Jagannatha Dasa came from a tradition of professional Bhagavatam reciters and due to his sweet voice he attracted many followers. Jagannatha Dasa claimed to be a disciple of Srila Haridasa Thakura, but he later broke his connection with Haridasa and began to preach his own concocted philosophy.
Initially Jagannatha Dasa resided in an asrama donated to him by Maharaja Prataparudra, but after his rejection of Thakura Haridasa the king took the property back and Jagannatha Dasa and his followers founded their own matha called the Sat-lahiri Mandira. This story has been narrated in a Gaudiya Matha publication compiled by one of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’s disciples.
Jagannatha Dasa once approached Mahaprabhu without getting permission from the Lord’s personal servant. Jagannatha Dasa had written his own translation of the Bhagavatam and desired to recite it for the Lord. This translation was in Oriyan and happened to contain five new chapters of the author’s own invention. In order to avoid hearing this concocted creation of Jagannatha Dasa, the Lord told him, “A fallen jiva such as Myself is not worthy to hear the Bhagavatam composed by a poet like you. You have become too great, ativadi. An insignificant soul like Me can have nothing to do with you.”
Being covered by false pride Jagannatha Dasa and his many followers took Mahaprabhu’s sarcastic statement to be one of praise rather than condemnation. The followers of Jagannatha Dasa then propagated his Bhagavatam throughout Orissa. The true followers of Sri Caitanya, however, reject the Bhagavatam by Jagannatha Dasa.
If one examines the cult of Jagannatha Dasa, it becomes quite clear why Mahaprabhu shunned his association. Jagannatha Dasa and his followers among other things claimed that Jagannatha Dasa was the incarnation of Srimati Radharani, that he was the personification of Srimati Radharani’s laughter. Certainly such a claim could hold no bearing over the followers of Sri Caitanya.
Another reason why Sri Caitanya rejected Jagannatha Dasa was because Jagannatha Dasa contradicted the original text of Vyasadeva and he sometimes leaned towards mayavadi impersonalism.
Later, after being rejected by Sri Caitanya, Jagannatha Dasa began mixing freely with women. His melodious singing attracted many unsuspecting women folk to hear his Bhagavatam recitations and serve him in various ways such as massaging his body. Eventually this came to the attention of Maharaja Prataparudra and Jagannatha Dasa was arrested and interrogated by the King. When the King asked him about his behavior Jagannatha Dasa replied, “I see no difference between men and women.” Maharaja Prataparudra then had Jagannatha Dasa imprisoned for some time.
The Ativadi sect also claims that Lord Jagannatha reveals to them secret revelations of apocalyptic visions of the end of the world. It is indeed amusing that in recent times these Ativadi prophecies have even duped some western Vaisnavas to travel to Orissa to have a glimpse of the future from an Ativadi priest known as the Copper-plate Baba. This Copper-plate Baba has been consulted numerous times by some western gurus and sannyasis in ISKCON. Little do they know that the Copper-plate Baba is the representative of Jagannatha Dasa and the Ativadi sect.
Unfortunately, in olden times the ativadi mentality also entered other Gaudiya Vaisnavas and caused their fall down from pure devotional service. During the seventeenth century a man from the Surma valley in Assam entered the Vaisnava communities of Bengal and Vrndavana. Eventually he took diksa from Sri Krsna-carana Cakravarti and became known as Rupa Kaviraja. This Rupa Kaviraja studied Srimad Bhagavatam under Sri Mukunda Dasa, a well known Vaisnava of the time. The residents of Radha-kunda felt great happiness to see Rupa Kaviraja engaged thus. Gradually though he became proud of his learning.
Soon after the disappearance of Sri Mukunda Dasa, Rupa Kaviraja made a grave offence to the great Vaisnavi Srimati Krsna-priya Thakurani. One day, all the Vaisnavas assembled to hear Rupa Kaviraja recite the Bhagavatam. Before he began, Krsna-priya Thakurani arrived and the devotees offered her all respects. Rupa Kaviraja however, did not show her any respect. During his recital, Rupa Kaviraja noticed that she was chanting and he became disturber at this. With anger, he asked Krsna-priya Thakurani, “ How is it possible to be doing two things simultaneously? It is very disturbing to see how you are chanting while I am reciting the Bhagavatam.” With great humility, the Thakurani replied, “It is simply the habit of my tongue to chant continuously – it doesn’t impede my hearing at all.” Hearing this, Rupa Kaviraja sat back and fumed in anger. From this moment he was ruined. He offended Krsna-priya Thakurani, then later he made offences to his guru, his parama-guru and other Vaisnavas. Then Rupa Kaviraja became more and more proud of his learning and was ultimately robbed of the results of his spiritual advancement.
Since that time the Gaudiya Vaisnavas have referred to Rupa Kaviraja as being an Ativadi, one who is too great or knows too much.
Later on Rupa Kaviraja published a manuscript supporting the sahajiya conceptions and claimed that it had been written by Srila Rupa Gosvami. For all of his outrageous activities, the daughter of Sri Srinivasa Acarya, Srimati Hemalata Gosvamini tore the kanti-mala from his neck and ostracized him from the Vaisnava community. After this, the followers of Rupa Kaviraja began to wear only one strand of tulasi-beads since he was only left with one strand after they were broken by Hemalata.
According to the false doctrine of Rupa Kaviraja, known as Sauromya, one should imitate the gopis of Vraja in ones sadhaka-deha in order to gain entrance into the confidential lilas of the Divine Couple. Rupa Kaviraja was also against the worship of Tulasi and Salagrama and the following of ekadasi-vrata since the damsels of Vrndavana do not follow these vidhis. In time the luster of Rupa Kaviraja disappeared and he soon contacted leprosy which spread rapidly throughout his entire body. Reduced to a decaying wretch, Rupa Kaviraja fled to Bengal and tried to gain entrance into his guru’s asrama pretending that everything was normal. But the Vaisnavas of Bengal had already heard of his offenses and he was forced to leave Bengal. He then traveled to Orissa and stayed in the village of Khuriya-grama. There his body became thoroughly eaten up with leprosy and in great pain he slowly died. It is said that he became a ghost who would haunt those who committed Vaisnava-aparadha.
The following paragraph is from an article by Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura on the life of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti which appeared in The Harmonist (Vol.18, No.18. 1922):
To chant the Holy Name without offense, one must first become free from dambhika, or pride. A dambhika-brahmana is one who is proud of his scholarship and thus becomes offensive to the humble Vaisnavas. A true Vaisnava is always meek and humble. He sees every living entity as constitutionally a servant of Krsna and he never mistreats others, or looks upon them as his inferior.
In the words of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, “One who thinks he is the highest is actually the lowest and one who thinks himself the lowest is actually the highest.”
Real humility can only be attained by strictly adhering to the instructions of Sri Guru and by preaching the glories of the Holy Name. However, a hypocrite in the guise of a Vaisnava (kapota-vaisnava) sometimes makes a show of his learning simply to attain cheap adoration and followers. Such persons are known as ativadi, too great.
The first pseudo sect of Vaisnavas to be known as Ativadi was founded by one Oriyan brahmana named Jagannatha Dasa. This Jagannatha Dasa lived during the time of Sri Caitanya. Jagannatha Dasa came from a tradition of professional Bhagavatam reciters and due to his sweet voice he attracted many followers. Jagannatha Dasa claimed to be a disciple of Srila Haridasa Thakura, but he later broke his connection with Haridasa and began to preach his own concocted philosophy.
Initially Jagannatha Dasa resided in an asrama donated to him by Maharaja Prataparudra, but after his rejection of Thakura Haridasa the king took the property back and Jagannatha Dasa and his followers founded their own matha called the Sat-lahiri Mandira. This story has been narrated in a Gaudiya Matha publication compiled by one of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’s disciples.
Jagannatha Dasa once approached Mahaprabhu without getting permission from the Lord’s personal servant. Jagannatha Dasa had written his own translation of the Bhagavatam and desired to recite it for the Lord. This translation was in Oriyan and happened to contain five new chapters of the author’s own invention. In order to avoid hearing this concocted creation of Jagannatha Dasa, the Lord told him, “A fallen jiva such as Myself is not worthy to hear the Bhagavatam composed by a poet like you. You have become too great, ativadi. An insignificant soul like Me can have nothing to do with you.”
Being covered by false pride Jagannatha Dasa and his many followers took Mahaprabhu’s sarcastic statement to be one of praise rather than condemnation. The followers of Jagannatha Dasa then propagated his Bhagavatam throughout Orissa. The true followers of Sri Caitanya, however, reject the Bhagavatam by Jagannatha Dasa.
If one examines the cult of Jagannatha Dasa, it becomes quite clear why Mahaprabhu shunned his association. Jagannatha Dasa and his followers among other things claimed that Jagannatha Dasa was the incarnation of Srimati Radharani, that he was the personification of Srimati Radharani’s laughter. Certainly such a claim could hold no bearing over the followers of Sri Caitanya.
Another reason why Sri Caitanya rejected Jagannatha Dasa was because Jagannatha Dasa contradicted the original text of Vyasadeva and he sometimes leaned towards mayavadi impersonalism.
Later, after being rejected by Sri Caitanya, Jagannatha Dasa began mixing freely with women. His melodious singing attracted many unsuspecting women folk to hear his Bhagavatam recitations and serve him in various ways such as massaging his body. Eventually this came to the attention of Maharaja Prataparudra and Jagannatha Dasa was arrested and interrogated by the King. When the King asked him about his behavior Jagannatha Dasa replied, “I see no difference between men and women.” Maharaja Prataparudra then had Jagannatha Dasa imprisoned for some time.
The Ativadi sect also claims that Lord Jagannatha reveals to them secret revelations of apocalyptic visions of the end of the world. It is indeed amusing that in recent times these Ativadi prophecies have even duped some western Vaisnavas to travel to Orissa to have a glimpse of the future from an Ativadi priest known as the Copper-plate Baba. This Copper-plate Baba has been consulted numerous times by some western gurus and sannyasis in ISKCON. Little do they know that the Copper-plate Baba is the representative of Jagannatha Dasa and the Ativadi sect.
Unfortunately, in olden times the ativadi mentality also entered other Gaudiya Vaisnavas and caused their fall down from pure devotional service. During the seventeenth century a man from the Surma valley in Assam entered the Vaisnava communities of Bengal and Vrndavana. Eventually he took diksa from Sri Krsna-carana Cakravarti and became known as Rupa Kaviraja. This Rupa Kaviraja studied Srimad Bhagavatam under Sri Mukunda Dasa, a well known Vaisnava of the time. The residents of Radha-kunda felt great happiness to see Rupa Kaviraja engaged thus. Gradually though he became proud of his learning.
Soon after the disappearance of Sri Mukunda Dasa, Rupa Kaviraja made a grave offence to the great Vaisnavi Srimati Krsna-priya Thakurani. One day, all the Vaisnavas assembled to hear Rupa Kaviraja recite the Bhagavatam. Before he began, Krsna-priya Thakurani arrived and the devotees offered her all respects. Rupa Kaviraja however, did not show her any respect. During his recital, Rupa Kaviraja noticed that she was chanting and he became disturber at this. With anger, he asked Krsna-priya Thakurani, “ How is it possible to be doing two things simultaneously? It is very disturbing to see how you are chanting while I am reciting the Bhagavatam.” With great humility, the Thakurani replied, “It is simply the habit of my tongue to chant continuously – it doesn’t impede my hearing at all.” Hearing this, Rupa Kaviraja sat back and fumed in anger. From this moment he was ruined. He offended Krsna-priya Thakurani, then later he made offences to his guru, his parama-guru and other Vaisnavas. Then Rupa Kaviraja became more and more proud of his learning and was ultimately robbed of the results of his spiritual advancement.
Since that time the Gaudiya Vaisnavas have referred to Rupa Kaviraja as being an Ativadi, one who is too great or knows too much.
Later on Rupa Kaviraja published a manuscript supporting the sahajiya conceptions and claimed that it had been written by Srila Rupa Gosvami. For all of his outrageous activities, the daughter of Sri Srinivasa Acarya, Srimati Hemalata Gosvamini tore the kanti-mala from his neck and ostracized him from the Vaisnava community. After this, the followers of Rupa Kaviraja began to wear only one strand of tulasi-beads since he was only left with one strand after they were broken by Hemalata.
According to the false doctrine of Rupa Kaviraja, known as Sauromya, one should imitate the gopis of Vraja in ones sadhaka-deha in order to gain entrance into the confidential lilas of the Divine Couple. Rupa Kaviraja was also against the worship of Tulasi and Salagrama and the following of ekadasi-vrata since the damsels of Vrndavana do not follow these vidhis. In time the luster of Rupa Kaviraja disappeared and he soon contacted leprosy which spread rapidly throughout his entire body. Reduced to a decaying wretch, Rupa Kaviraja fled to Bengal and tried to gain entrance into his guru’s asrama pretending that everything was normal. But the Vaisnavas of Bengal had already heard of his offenses and he was forced to leave Bengal. He then traveled to Orissa and stayed in the village of Khuriya-grama. There his body became thoroughly eaten up with leprosy and in great pain he slowly died. It is said that he became a ghost who would haunt those who committed Vaisnava-aparadha.
The following paragraph is from an article by Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura on the life of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti which appeared in The Harmonist (Vol.18, No.18. 1922):
“Srinivasa Acarya’s famous daughter, Srimati Hemalata Thakurani, rejected an envious disciple named Sri Rupa Kaviraja from the Vaisnava society. This Rupa Kaviraja is counted amongst the deviant sub-branch of the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya known as Ativadi — he spread his own concocted philosophy (against Gaudiya tradition), stating that only a person in the renounced order of life is capable of acting as acarya. He claimed that it was not possible for a householder to become a spiritual master. Fully disregarding the vidhi-marga, or path of devotional rules and regulations, he also tried to preach a philosophical path of raga-marga, or spontaneous devotion, which was completely unregulated and undisciplined. He also claimed that smarana (remembrance) was possible without the help of sravana and kirtana (hearing and chanting). Thus, Rupa Kaviraja propagated a path that was contrary to the path shown by the Gosvamis. Therefore, Srila Cakravarti Thakura has refuted these false conclusions in his Sarartha-darsini commentary on the third Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. Actually, this refutation is a rendering of the truths outlined in Srila Jiva Gosvami’s Bhakti Sandarbha.”
One may be very learned in the scriptures, one may be adept at quoting many slokas, one may have some understanding of the Vaisnava siddhanta and be proficient in explaining its subtle details, but if one is devoid of the quality of true humility then all these attributes are simply like decorations on a dead body. Srila Rupa Gosvami has explained in Bhakti-rasamrta-Sindhu that a devotee should not read too many books (bahu-sastra-vyakhya-vivadi tyagah, or renouncing the study of many scriptures in order to make novel explanations and arguments). This point is also mentioned by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself in the Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 22.118)
bahu-grantha-kalabhyasa-vyakhyana varjiba
“One should not partially study many scriptures just to be able to give references and expand explanations.”
Nowadays there are some pretentious devotees that deem themselves as very learned, traveling here and there, they speak on so-called high topics and compete for the cheap admiration of people who are ignorant in these matters. These so-called devotees expertly speak novel interpretations to the scriptures and sweet illustrative stories, but such discussions simply fall on the deaf ears of the unqualified audiences having only the impact of aranya-rodana-nyaya, crying out in the wilderness.
Learning alone does not qualify one as an advanced Vaisnava, especially if by one’s learning one becomes proud and offensive to other Vaisnavas. Study, or svadhyaya, is meant only to cultivate devotion to the Supreme Lord. Too much learning, even of a good thing, may sometimes cause one to become puffed up and proud. Great learning must therefore be balanced by great Vaisnava humility, otherwise one becomes an Ativadi, too great.
Learning alone does not qualify one as an advanced Vaisnava, especially if by one’s learning one becomes proud and offensive to other Vaisnavas. Study, or svadhyaya, is meant only to cultivate devotion to the Supreme Lord. Too much learning, even of a good thing, may sometimes cause one to become puffed up and proud. Great learning must therefore be balanced by great Vaisnava humility, otherwise one becomes an Ativadi, too great.
comment: Lord Caitanya taught we must chant Hare Krishna in humility and give up all the 10 offences to the holy name ,he advised we chant
100.000 names daily ,64 rounds in all humility trinad api sunicena,
trnad api suniicena taror iva sahisnuna amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih
"One who thinks himself lower than a blade of grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor yet is always prepared to give all respect to others, can very easily constantly chant the holy name of the Lord with attachment."
and beg for the presence of Krsna.
The goal of pure devotional service is explained in Bhakti Rasamrta sindhu:
atha harer-ati-prasadotthah
harer-ati-prasado ‘yam sanga-danadir atmanah || 9 ||
Translation: Next, PREMA-BHAKTT caused by extraordinary Grace of Lord Hari:
To offer His Personal Company is known as extraordinary Grace of Lord Hari. –9-
Commentary: Shri Visvanatha Cakravarti says that the action on the part of Lord Hari to allow His own Company etc. is truly exceptional Grace of the Lord, and hence it is called Atiprasada
When this Humility appears and the offences to Sri Nama Prabhu goes away can the devotee enter Vraja Mandal in the mood described in Padyavali, of Srila Rupa Goswami:
"Oh! Where shall I be blessed to roam about in the Mathuramandala when tears of joy will trickle down my chest while drinking with my ears the torrential ambrosia of the words flowing from the mouth of the elderly inhabitants of Mathura who will point out to me-‘Look! Here was the House of the Gopa-king Nanda, here the Cart was broken or the Demon Sakata was killed by Krishna, here was Damodara (Krishna) who, even though He cuts asunder the bondage of all, was Himself tied with a roper by Yasoda!"
Srila Prabhupada has cautioned us to follow the lotusfootsteps of Sri Prahlada Maharaja:
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 7.9.8
sattvaikatāna-gatayo vacasāḿ pravāhaiḥ
SYNONYMS
śrī-prahrādaḥ uvāca — Prahlāda Mahārāja prayed; brahma-ādayaḥ — headed by Lord Brahmā; sura-gaṇāḥ — the inhabitants of the upper planetary systems; munayaḥ — the great saintly persons; atha — as well (like the four Kumāras and others); siddhāḥ — who have attained perfection or full knowledge; sattva — to spiritual existence; ekatāna-gatayaḥ — who have taken without diversion to any material activities; vacasām — of descriptions or words; pravāhaiḥ — by streams; na — not; ārādhitum — to satisfy; puru-guṇaiḥ — although fully qualified; adhunā — until now; api — even; pipruḥ — were able; kim — whether; toṣṭum — to become pleased; arhati — is able; saḥ — He (the Lord); me — my; hariḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ugra-jāteḥ — who am born in an asuric family.
TRANSLATION
Prahlāda Mahārāja prayed: How is it possible for me, who have been born in a family of asuras, to offer suitable prayers to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Even until now, all the demigods, headed by Lord Brahmā, and all the saintly persons, could not satisfy the Lord by streams of excellent words, although such persons are very qualified, being in the mode of goodness. Then what is to be said of me? I am not at all qualified.
PURPORT
A Vaiṣṇava who is fully qualified to serve the Lord still thinks himself extremely low while offering prayers to the Lord. For example, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, the author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, says:
Thus he considers himself unqualified, lower than the worms in stool, and more sinful than Jagāi and Mādhāi. A pure Vaiṣṇava actually thinks of himself in this way. Similarly, although Prahlāda Mahārāja was a pure, exalted Vaiṣṇava, he thought himself most unqualified to offer prayers to the Supreme Lord. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. Every pure Vaiṣṇava should think like this. One should not be falsely proud of his Vaiṣṇava qualifications. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has therefore instructed us:
taror iva sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena
"One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly." Unless one is meek and humble, to make progress in spiritual life is very difficult.
aspiring for the dust of the lotusfeet of pure devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
your servant
Paramananda das
Srila Prabhupada has made many important statements:
SB 2.3.24 THE BHAVA STAGE IS MANIFESTED BY EIGHT TRANSCENDENTAL SYMPTOMS, NAMELY INERTNESS, PERSPIRATION, STANDING OF HAIRS ON END, FAILING IN THE VOICE, TREMBLING, PALENESS OF THE BODY, TEARS IN THE EYES AND FINALLY TRANCE. The Nectar of Devotion, a summary study of Srila Rupa Gosvami’s Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, explains those symptoms and vividly describes other transcendental developments, both in steady and accelerating manifestations. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has very critically discussed all these bhava displays in connection with some unscrupulous neophyte’s imitating the above symptoms for cheap appreciation. Not only Visvanatha Cakravarti ,but also Srila Rupa Gosvami treated them very critically. SOMETIMES ALL THE ABOVE EIGHT SYMPTOMS OF ECSTASY ARE IMITATED BY THE MUNDANE DEVOTEES (PRAKRTA-SAHAJIYAS), BUT THE PSEUDO SYMPTOMS ARE AT ONCE DETECTED WHEN ONE SEES THE PSEUDODEVOTEE ADDICTED TO SO MANY FORBIDDEN THINGS. EVEN THOUGH DECORATED WITH THE SIGNS OF A DEVOTEE, A PERSON ADDICTED TO SMOKING, DRINKING OR ILLEGITIMATE SEX WITH WOMEN CANNOT HAVE ALL THE ABOVE-MENTIONED ECSTATIC SYMPTOMS. But it is seen that sometimes these symptoms are willfully imitated, and for this reason Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti accuses the imitators of being stonehearted men. They are sometimes even affected by the reflection of such transcendental symptoms, yet if they still do not give up the forbidden habits, then they are hopeless cases for transcendental realization.
NoD 28 Sometimes it is found that a nondevotee WHO HAS PRACTICALLY NO TASTE FOR KRSNA AND WHO FOLLOWS NO RULES OR REGULATIONS CAN, BY PRACTICE, MAKE A SHOW OF DEVOTIONAL SYMPTOMS, EVEN CRYING IN AN ASSEMBLY OF DEVOTEES. This shedding of tears is not actually an ecstatic loving expression, however. It is done simply by practice. Although there is no need to describe these reflections of ecstatic love, Rupa Gosvami gives some instances where there is no actual devotional service and such expressions are manifested.
70-06-03 Letter: Makhanlal The transcendental symptoms of ecstasy certainly are auspicious, BUT THEY ARE NOT FOR ADVERTISING TO OTHERS. ONE SHOULD NOT ADVERTISE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY THAT ONE IS FEELING LIKE THIS. THEY SHOULD BE CHECKED. OTHERWISE ONE WILL GRADUALLY BECOME SAHAJIYA OR ONE WHO TAKES SPIRITUAL ADVANCEMENT AS SOMETHING MATERIALLY MANIFEST.
NoD 28 When there are manifestations of ecstatic symptoms in the body of a nondevotee, these are called dried-up symptoms of ecstatic love. The nondevotees ARE ACTUALLY MATERIALISTIC, BUT IN CONTACT WITH SOME PURE DEVOTEE, THEY SOMETIMES MAY MANIFEST SOME SYMPTOMS OF ECSTASY. DEVOTIONAL SCHOLARS CALL THESE DRIED-UP SYMPTOMS.
NoD 28 Rupa Gosvami says that the impersonalists’ symptoms are simply reflections of ecstatic love, NOT THE REAL THING.
Antya 20.28 THE PRAKRTA-SAHAJIYAS EXHIBIT THESE SYMPTOMS TO ADVERTISE THEIR SO-CALLED ADVANCEMENT IN LOVE OF KRSNA, BUT INSTEAD OF PRAISING THE PRAKRTA-SAHAJIYAS FOR THEIR SYMPTOMS OF TRANSCENDENTAL ECSTASY, PURE DEVOTEES DO NOT LIKE TO ASSOCIATE WITH THEM. It is not advisable to equate the prakrta-sahajiyas with pure devotees. WHEN ONE IS ACTUALLY ADVANCED IN ECSTATIC LOVE OF KRSNA, HE DOES NOT TRY TO ADVERTISE HIMSELF. INSTEAD, HE ENDEAVORS MORE AND MORE TO RENDER SERVICE TO THE LORD.
NoD 40 One should NOT ARTIFICIALLY try to establish some relationship. In the premature stage IT IS SOMETIMES FOUND THAT A LUSTY, CONDITIONED PERSON WILL ARTIFICIALLY TRY TO ESTABLISH SOME RELATIONSHIP WITH KRSNA IN CONJUGAL LOVE. THE RESULT OF THIS IS THAT ONE BECOMES PRAKRTA-SAHAJIYA, OR ONE WHO TAKES EVERYTHING VERY CHEAPLY. Although such persons may be very anxious to establish a relationship with Krsna in conjugal love, their conditioned life in the material world is still most abominable. A person who has actually established his relationship with Krsna can no longer act on the material plane, and his personal character cannot be criticized.
SB 4.24.45-46 WITHOUT SERVING KRSNA ACCORDING TO THE VIDHI-MARGA REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES OF THE PANCARATRIKA-VIDHI, UNSCRUPULOUS PERSONS WANT TO JUMP IMMEDIATELY TO THE RAGA-MARGA PRINCIPLES. SUCH PERSONS ARE CALLED SAHAJIYA. There are also demons who enjoy depicting Krsna and His pastimes with the gopis, taking advantage of Krsna by their licentious character. These demons who print books and write lyrics on the raga-marga principles are surely on the way to hell. Unfortunately, they lead others down with them. Devotees in Krsna consciousness should be very careful to avoid such demons. ONE SHOULD STRICTLY FOLLOW THE VIDHI-MARGA REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES IN THE WORSHIP OF LAKSMI-NARAYANA, ALTHOUGH THE LORD IS PRESENT IN THE TEMPLE AS RADHA-KRSNA. RADHA-KRSNA INCLUDES LAKSMI-NARAYANA; THEREFORE WHEN ONE WORSHIPS THE LORD ACCORDING TO THE REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES, THE LORD ACCEPTS THE SERVICE IN THE ROLE OF LAKSMI-NARAYANA. In The Nectar of Devotion full instructions are given about the vidhi-marga worship of Radha-Krsna, or Laksmi-Narayana. Although there are sixty-four kinds of offenses one can commit in vidhi-marga worship, in raga-marga worship there is no consideration of such offenses because the devotees on that platform are very much elevated, and there is no question of offense. But if we do not follow the regulative principles on the vidhi-marga platform and keep our eyes trained to spot offenses, we will not make progress.
NoD 16 THE SIDDHA-PRANALI PROCESS IS FOLLOWED BY A CLASS OF MEN WHO ARE NOT VERY AUTHORIZED AND WHO HAVE MANUFACTURED THEIR OWN WAY OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE. THEY IMAGINE THAT THEY HAVE BECOME ASSOCIATES OF THE LORD SIMPLY BY THINKING OF THEMSELVES LIKE THAT. This external behavior is not at all according to the regulative principles. The so-called siddha-pranali process is followed by the prakrta-sahajiya, a pseudosect of so-called Vaisnavas. In the opinion of Rupa Gosvami, such activities are simply disturbances to the standard way of devotional service. SRI RUPA GOSVAMI SAYS THAT LEARNED ACARYAS RECOMMEND THAT WE FOLLOW THE REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES EVEN AFTER THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPONTANEOUS LOVE FOR KRSNA.
74-04-29 Letter: Bhurijana THOSE WHO THINK THEY HAVE ALREADY ATTAINED SUCH PERFECTION AND GIVE UP THE REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES ARE CALLED SAHAJIYA, OR THOSE WHO TAKE THINGS CHEAPLY AND SIMPLY IMITATE. This early rising, holding classes, going out regularly for sankirtana, worshiping the deity are THE VERY SUBSTANCE of devotional life.
Madhya 4.147 Sometimes a SAHAJIYA PRESENTS HIMSELF as being void of desires FOR REPUTATION (PRATISTHA) IN ORDER TO BECOME FAMOUS AS A HUMBLE MAN. Such people cannot actually attain the platform of celebrated Vaisnavas.
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