TEXT 111
"ataeva yanra mukhe eka krsna-nama
sei ta' vaisnava, kariha tanhara sammana"
SYNONYMS
ataevatherefore; yanra mukhein whose mouth; ekaone; krsna-namathe holy name of Krsna; sei ta' vaisnavahe is a Vaisnava; karihaoffer; tanharato him; sammanarespect.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then finally advised, "One who is chanting the Hare Krsna mantra is understood to be a Vaisnava; therefore you should offer all respects to him."
PURPORT
In his Upadesamrta, Srila Rupa Gosvami states: krsneti yasya giri tam manasadriyeta diksasti cet. An advanced devotee should respect a person who has been initiated by a bona fide spiritual master and who is situated on the transcendental platform, chanting the holy name with faith and obeisances and following the instructions of the spiritual master. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura comments that serving Vaisnavas is most important for householders. Whether a Vaisnava is properly initiated or not is not a subject for consideration. One may be initiated and yet contaminated by the Mayavada philosophy, but a person who chants the holy name of the Lord offenselessly will not be so contaminated. A properly initiated Vaisnava may be imperfect, but one who chants the holy name of the Lord offenselessly is all-perfect. Although he may apparently be a neophyte, he still has to be considered a pure unalloyed Vaisnava. It is the duty of the householder to offer respects to such an unalloyed Vaisnava. This is Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's instruction.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/15/111

Previous: Madhya 15.110     Next: Madhya 15.112

If you Love Me Distribute My Books -- Srila Prabhupada