definition

 
Imported quote 13579
The simple definition of "Vaisnava" is given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: a person who immediately reminds one of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is a Vaisnava. In this verse, both Vaisnavas and brahmanas are mentioned. A Vaisnava is a learned brahmana and is therefore designated as brahmana-vaisnava, brahmana-panḍita or as a Vaisnava and brahmana. In other words, a Vaisnava is supposed to be a brahmana already, but a brahmana may not be a pure Vaisnava. When a person understands his pure identity, brahma janati, he immediately becomes a brahmana. In the brahmana stage, one's understanding of the Absolute Truth is mainly based on the impersonal view. When a brahmana, however, rises to the platform of personal understanding of the Supreme Godhead, he becomes a Vaisnava. A Vaisnava is transcendental even to a brahmana. In the material conception, the position of a brahmana is the highest in human society, but a Vaisnava is transcendental even to a brahmana. Both the brahmana and Vaisnava are spiritually advanced. A brahmana's qualifications are mentioned in Bhagavad-gita as truthfulness, mental equanimity, control of the senses, the power of tolerance, simplicity, knowledge of the Absolute Truth, firm faith in the scriptures, and practical application of the brahminical qualities in life. In addition to all these qualifications, when one fully engages in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, he becomes a Vaisnava. Prthu Maharaja warns his citizens who are actually engaged in the devotional service of the Lord to take care against offenses to the brahmanas and Vaisnavas. Offenses at their lotus feet are so destructive that even the descendants of Yadu who were born in the family of Lord Krsna were destroyed due to offenses at their feet. The Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot tolerate any offense at the lotus feet of brahmanas and Vaisnavas. Sometimes, due to their powerful positions, princes or government servants neglect the position of brahmanas and Vaisnavas, not knowing that because of their offense they will be ruined.    (More...)
Imported quote 15210
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."    (More...)
Imported quote 15288
Wherever there is light, there cannot be darkness. When a living entity becomes Krsna conscious, he is immediately relieved of all material lusty desires. Lusty desires and greed are associated with rajas and tamas, darkness and passion. When one becomes Krsna conscious, the modes of darkness and passion immediately vanish, and the remaining mode, sattva-guna (goodness), remains. When one is situated in the mode of goodness, he can make spiritual advancement and understand things clearly. This position is not possible for everyone. When a person is Krsna conscious, he continuously hears about Krsna, thinks about Him, worships Him and serves Him as a devotee. If he remains in Krsna consciousness in this way, the darkness of maya certainly will not be able to touch him.    (More...)
Imported quote 15294
"Devotees are always merciful, humble, truthful, equal to all, faultless, magnanimous, mild and clean. They are without material possessions, and they perform welfare work for everyone. They are peaceful, surrendered to Krsna and desireless. They are indifferent to material acquisitions and are fixed in devotional service. They completely control the six bad qualities-lust, anger, greed and so forth. They eat only as much as required, and they are not inebriated. They are respectful, grave, compassionate and without false prestige. They are friendly, poetic, expert and silent.    (More...)
Imported quote 15295
" 'Devotees are always tolerant, forebearing and very merciful. They are the well-wishers of every living entity. They follow the scriptural injunctions, and because they have no enemies, they are very peaceful. These are the decorations of devotees.'    (More...)
Imported quote 15871
The Bhagavad-gita was spoken to Arjuna, not to any Vedantist philosophical speculator. In the beginning of the Fourth Chapter, you will note that Krsna says, "I am speaking to you that ancient system of yoga." It is stated, "Unto you." Arjuna was a ksatriya, a fighter. He was a householder, not even a sannyasi, not a renouncer-but these are not qualifications to understand Krsna. Suppose I say I have become a sannyasi mendicant-this is not a qualification, that I can now understand Krsna. Then what is the qualification? This: "One who has developed the service spirit, with love and devotion, can understand Me." No other. Not the big scholars and mental speculators; but a child can understand Krsna, if he has full faith in Him. So faith and devotion qualify one.    (More...)
Imported quote 16035
A Vaisnava is always thinking about how the fallen conditioned souls can be delivered and is always involved in making plans to do so. The Gosvamis, the chief disciples of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, were such Vaisnavas, and were thus described by Srinivasa Acarya :    (More...)
Imported quote 16043
Sukadeva Gosvami and Maharaja Pariksit discussed this subject, and Pariksit Maharaja was anxious to know how the conditioned souls could be saved from their hellish lives. It is the natural desire of a Vaisnava to save suffering humanity. Generally others do not care whether people suffer or not, but a Vaisnava, a devotee of the Lord, is always thinking of how to alleviate the fallen condition of the people. Christians believe that through His crucifixion Lord Jesus Christ assimilated all the sinful activities of the world's people. A devotee of the Lord is always thinking of how to assimilate the sufferings of others. A similar devotee was Vasudeva Datta, who was Lord Caitanya's associate. He told the Lord: "Now that You have come, kindly deliver all people on this earth and take them to Vaikuntha, the spiritual world. And if You think that they are so sinful that they cannot be delivered, please transfer all their sins unto me. I shall suffer for them." This is a Vaisnava's mercy. However, it is not that Jesus Christ or Vasudeva Datta should make a contract for our sins and that we should go on committing them, for this is a most heinous proposal. A Vaisnava or devotee may suffer for all humanity, but the human race or a particular devotee's disciples should not take advantage of this facility and continue to commit sins. One should, rather, realize that since Lord Jesus Christ or Vasudeva Datta suffered for him, he should stop committing sins.    (More...)
Imported quote 24184
"I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Gosvamis, namely Sri Sanatana Gosvami, Sri Rūpa Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami and Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, who are very expert in scrutinizingly studying all the revealed scriptures with the aim of establishing eternal religious principles for the benefit of all human beings. Thus they are honored all over the three worlds, and they are worth taking shelter of because they are absorbed in the mood of the gopis and are engaged in the transcendental loving service of Radha and Krsna."    (More...)

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