वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम् · The world is one family

Follow In This Way

Try to learn Vaisnava etiquette, follow properly, and honor all. Honor even those who are kanistha, and especially give honor to the madhyama, madhyama-uttama, and uttama-adhikari. Give honor to all, according to their development in…

Inspiration will always come to him. Bhakti will always pursue those who have guru-nistha (strong faith in guru), because guru-nistha is the backbone of bhakti. You should know all siddhanta (established truths), be very humble, and honor everyone. If you are not giving proper honor to others, and instead you are thinking, "I know more than anyone," then you may even challenge your gurudeva. You may challenge Krsna, Mahaprabhu, and Rupa Gosvami. When you speak, you will take credit for yourself rather than giving credit to our acaryas. Don't do this. Gurudeva is very, very humble and always says, "Oh, I have heard this from my Gurudeva, and I am only explaining to you what he has said." This humility should always be there. Give proper respect, even to kanistha-adhikaris. Srimati Radhika even gave great honor to the deer. Dhanyah sma mudha-gatayo 'pi harinya eta (SB 10.21.11). She would say, "I want to be harina, a deer (because they can easily get the darsana of Krsna, whereas I cannot)." Such humility was exhibited by Her. Always be trnad api sunicena, more humble than a blade of grass. Persons with this quality will develop their Krsna consciousness. On the other hand, if one has false ego and thinks, "I know everything. Why should I honor all these bogus persons?" he will deviate. Try, therefore, to learn Vaisnava etiquette, follow properly, and honor all. Honor even those who are kanistha, and especially give honor to the madhyama, madhyama-uttama, and uttama-adhikari. Give honor to all, according to their development in bhakti: krsneti yasya giri tam manasadriyeta diksasti cet pranatibhis ca bhajantam isam susrusraya bhajana-vijnam ananyam anya- nindadi-sunya-hrdam ipsita-sanga-labdhya ["One should mentally honor the devotee who chants the holy name of Lord Krsna, one should offer humble obeisances to the devotee who has undergone spiritual initiation (diksa) and is engaged in worshiping 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." (Sri Upadesamrta,  text 5)] Follow in this way.

Holland, June 8, 2001

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