Los Angeles SD Newsletter VOL. 3, ISSUE 26
VANCA KALPA…
LIFE-LONG PLAN
By Mahat Tattva Dasa
There are three types of devotees: uttama-adhikäré, madhyama-adhikäré and kaniñöha-adhikäré, or 1st, 2nd and 3rd class devotees. Kanistha-adhikari or the 3rd class devotee is the beginner, neophyte. His faith in the Lord is not very strong, his realizations not very profound and, because he is not strongly attached to spiritual life, he is not appreciating other devotees as 2nd and 1st class devotees are. Such a devotee engages only in temple Deity worship and is not very fond of preaching. But when such a devotee’s attachment to spiritual life increases, do to practicing the process of bhakti yoga, he becomes inimical toward everything that might be detrimental and he embraces everything that is favorable to his devotional life. At this stage, the devotee recognizes the value of devotee association and serves devotees with great delight. Upon reaching this point, the devotee is considered a madhyama-adhikari (2nd class), one who is inimical toward the demoniac and is a servant of devotees. A 2nd class devotee likes to preach and help innocent become devotees. This subject matter is elaborately explained in the 11th Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam.
The point we are trying to make here is that one cannot artificially become a preacher, one has to reach a certain level of purity and realization of Krishna.
Srila Prabhupada wanted his devotees to preach vigorously and make life long plans to preach, especially by distributing his books. In order to fulfill this order, one has to be serious about spiritual life.
Another point is that those who don't preach or don't have the desire to preach cannot be considered madhyama-adhikaris, but rather kanistha-adhikaris.
Kanistha-adhikari is a very dangerous position because one can slip away from the path of devotion very easy. Here is what Srila Prabhupada says about it in The Nectar of Instruction (Text 5)
One should not remain a kanistha-adhikari, one who is situated on the lowest platform of devotional service and is interested only in worshiping the Deity in the temple. Such a devotee is described in the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.2.47): "A person who is very faithfully engaged in the worship of the Deity in the temple, but who does not know how to behave toward devotees or people in general is called a prakrta-bhakta, or kanistha-adhikari." One therefore has to raise himself from the position of kanistha-adhikari to the platform of madhyama-adhikari.
Conclusion: Let us very seriously practice spiritual life in order to always be inspired to preach, distribute books of Srila Prabhupada and save our selves from the hell of material desires.
