So while Lord Caitanya was residing at Benares, that Tapana Misra and Candrasekhara submitted with great regret that "Sir, the other party, the Mayavadi sannyasins, they are criticizing Your activities. Because You are chanting and You do not give much attention to the reading of Vedanta philosophy, they are criticizing that 'What kind of sannyasi is He? He does not take part in the matter of studying Vedanta philosophy, and on sentiment He is chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, and some innocent people are following Him.' So in this way they are criticizing."

It is the duty of devotees not to tolerate blasphemy. So they are presenting before the Lord that "The criticism by the other party has become unbearable. So something must be done. Otherwise, we shall die or commit suicide."

There are three kinds of devotees: kanistha-adhikari, madhyama-adhikari and maha-bhagavata, bhagavata, or those who are in the lower status, those who are in the middle status, and those who are in the highest status. Those who are in the lower status are beginners. Devotees, for them, the description is that,

"In the lower stage, a devotee goes to the temple or to the church or to the mosque, with great devotion and faith offers prayers to the Lord, but he has no knowledge about other devotees," na tad-bhaktesu canyesu, "and he does not know the duty to others." A devotee should not be satisfied simply by elevating himself in spiritual advancement. He has got other duties also. What is that other duties? That those who are innocent, those who are not interested... Everyone is interested, but there are persons who have forgotten his relationship with God. Therefore it is the duty of the devotee to enlighten others. That is required. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he also preached the sense of God, or Krsna consciousness. It is the duty of devotee. It is the duty of good son of God, but the..., those who are in the lower status, they have not developed such consciousness that "I have to preach the philosophy of God consciousness or Krsna consciousness to others." They are simply satisfied themselves. They go to the church or mosque or temple, offer their prayers in devotion. That's all.

"A person who knows what is God, and knows also who is a devotee, and knows also who is innocent, and knows also who is atheist..." There are four kinds of people. So atheist, innocent, devotee, and er, here, three classes, and God. God, God's devotee. One, God; second, God's devotee; third, innocent persons; and fourth, atheists. So a person who has elevated himself to the second stage of Krsna consciousness, he has got four kinds of dealings. First thing is, because he knows God, therefore he loves God, prema. His only lovable object is God, or Krsna. And the second is the..., he makes friendship with the devotees of God. First thing is, because he loves God, therefore he makes friendship with the devotees of God. But God is the center. If you love God, then you can love others also very perfectly. For example... Of course, in your country I do not know, but in our country, suppose a girl is married to a boy, and the boy has got father, mother, brothers, and so many other relatives. As soon as the girl comes to the house of her husband, the father of the husband becomes the father-in-law, or the mother of the husband becomes mother-in-law. So he has got..., she has got some duty to the father-in-law, to the mother-in-law, to the brother-in-law, but before marriage, she had no connection with these, all these people. Similarly, as soon as you make your connection revived... The connection is permanent. Your relationship with Krsna, or God, is eternal, but we have forgotten. So as soon as it is revived, "Oh, I am the part and parcel of the Supreme," or "I am son of the Supreme," then your relationship with other sons of God becomes clear. That is universal brotherhood.

Because, unless one is conversant with logic, arguments and Vedic literature, it is very difficult to defend. The more you can defend from the attacks of atheist, the more you should understand you have advanced in Krsna consciousness. The atheists, generally, they will attack you, undoubtedly. But you have to defend yourself. So that is the business of the persons who are in the intermediate position.

Eka vipra milila asiya. Now, while they were talking, Lord Caitanya and His two devotees, Tapana Misra and Candrasekhara, so two, one brahmana came to invite Lord Caitanya.

The brahmana came and fell down on the feet of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and requested Him that "I have come to beg one thing from You. Please be kind to agree to this."

Caitanya Mahaprabhu, although He was in the renounced order of life, sannyasi, still, He was avoiding the company of the Mayavadis, who are impersonalists. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is personalist. So generally, that is the system still. The impersonalists, as soon as they see some personalist, they begin to attack by argument. So those who are not very highly developed, they avoid. But those who are conversant, they argue, so on. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu, while He was staying at Benares, He was not very enthusiastic to mix with this Mayavadi class of sannyasis. Therefore this man who invited all the sannyasis for a dinner, he also came to Caitanya Mahaprabhu and asked Him that "I know that You do not associate Yourself with the Mayavadi sannyasis. Still, I have come to invite You. Please accept my request."

"I know that You avoid the association. Still, I am requesting You. If You kindly accept this request."

So although previously He did not associate with the Mayavadi sannyasis, still, to please His devotees, who were very sorry to hear the criticism, He accepted the invitation so that He could meet them and talk with them.

"And so the invitation was accepted, and the meeting date was also accepted."

"The next day the Lord went to the house of that person who invited, that brahmana, and He saw there were many other Mayavadi sannyasis sitting together."

Now, just see the behavior of Lord Caitanya. Although He was not in agreement with the other party, still, because they were sannyasis, renounced order of life, Caitanya Mahaprabhu offered His respect by bowing down before them. It is the duty of everyone, not only between the sannyasi and sannyasi. It is the custom of Vedic system. As soon as one would see a sannyasi, at once he should offer his respect. If he does not offer his respect, then it is enjoined that he should fast one day as punishment. He should not eat. "Oh, I saw a sannyasi, but I did not offer my respect. Therefore the penance should be that I should fast one day." This is the injunction. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu, although He was God Himself, but His behavior and His etiquette was excellent. At once He saw the sannyasis, He offered His respect. Pada praksalana kari vasila sei sthane. And it is the system that when one comes from outside, he has to wash his feet before he enters room, especially for the sannyasis. So He washed His feet and sat down outside where the other sannyasis were sitting, a little off, just the place where He washed His feet.

And while He was sitting in that place, He was so nice and beautiful. He was only twenty-four years old, and, or twenty-five years old, and very beautiful, very fair complexion, and He has accepted the sannyasa order, the saffron cloth, and with tilaka. Everything looked so very nice that other sannyasis became attracted, "Oh, very nice." Prabhave akarsila saba sannyasira mana: "The other sannyasis who were sitting, they were all attracted, 'A very nice boy sannyasi.' " So uthila sannyasi saba chadiya asana: "Automatically they were so pleased that they stood up to show Him respect, Lord Caitanya."

"Now, offering respect to Lord Caitanya, he began to say..."

"O my dear Sir, why You are sitting so distant place and a filthy place? Please come here. Sit with us."

"So I am not fit to sit with you," Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied.

He was learned man, Prakasananda Sarasvati. He could understand the hint given by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He himself personally went to receive Caitanya Mahaprabhu and caught His hand: "Please come here. Sit with us. Why You are sitting here?"