rejecting
|
We have many instances in history illustrating Rsabhadeva's instructions. Sukracarya was rejected by Bali Maharaja due to his inability to save Bali Maharaja from the path of repeated birth and death. Sukracarya was not a pure devotee, he was more or less inclined to fruitive activity, and he objected when Bali Maharaja promised to give everything to Lord Visnu. Actually one is supposed to give everything to the Lord because everything belongs to the Lord. Consequently, the Supreme Lord advises in Bhagavad-gita (9.27):
(More...) Question 3, answer: Why Bali Maharaja is considered a Mahajana: Bali Maharaja is Mahajana because he wanted to serve Visnu by disobeying his non-bona fide spiritual master. As explained above, Sukracarya was hereditary spiritual master by seminic succession. But Bali Maharaja first revolted against this stereotyped seminic succession spiritual master, and therefore he is Mahajana. Srila Jiva Goswami has described in his Karamasandharvha that one should be anxious to accept a spiritual master who is bona fide in spiritual knowledge. And if need be one should relinquish the connection of hereditary spiritual master and accept a real bona fide spiritual master. So when Sukaracharya advised him contrary to his previous instructions, specifically, he checked Bali Maharaja in the matter of worshiping Visnu, and thus Sukaracharya became at once fallen down from the position of becoming a spiritual master. Nobody can become a spiritual master who is not a devotee of Visnu. A brahmana may be very expert in the matter of performing Vedic rituals, accepting charities, and distributing wealth-all these are exalted qualifications of the brahmanas, but the Vedic injunction is, in spite of possessing all these qualities, if somebody is against Lord Visnu, he cannot be a spiritual master. So when Sukaracharya advised Bali Maharaja against Visnu, he at once became unqualified for becoming a spiritual master. Bali Maharaja disobeyed such unqualified spiritual master, and therefore, he is accepted as Mahajana. Mahajana means a personality whose footprints should be followed. So, his exemplary behavior in rejecting a non-Vaisnava spiritual master being ideal to the bona fide students, he is considered a Mahajana.
(More...) Even by mistake you have come to a rascal who does not know how to become guru, you can reject him. Why should you stick to him? Reject him. And by mistake I have come to rascal. Why shall I continue to accept him as guru? Canakya Pandita said, tyaja durjana-samsargam bhaja sadhu-samagamam: "Give up all rascals. Associate with sadhus." If you do not do that, that is your fault. Tyaja durjana-samsargam bhaja sadhu-samagamam. We have to mix with sadhu. Sadhu means who are twenty-four-hours engaged in Krsna's service. Things are there. Why should you mix with asadhu? Then how can you understand? Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-saṅgah [Cc Madhya 23.14]. If you have got little faith, then next business is to associate with sadhus.
(More...) A teacher who engages in an abominable action and has lost his sense of discrimination is fit to be abandoned. According to scriptural codes, a teacher who engages in an abominable action and has lost his sense of discrimination is fit to be abandoned. Bhisma and Drona were obliged to take the side of Duryodhana because of his financial assistance, although they should not have accepted such a position simply on financial considerations. Under the circumstances, they have lost the respectability of teachers. But Arjuna thinks that nevertheless they remain his superiors, and therefore to enjoy material profits after killing them would mean to enjoy spoils tainted with blood.
(More...) According to revealed scriptures, a teacher or spiritual master is liable to be rejected if he proves himself unworthy of the position of a guru or spiritual master. Arjuna arrested Asvatthama knowing perfectly well that he was the son of Dronacarya. Krsna also knew him to be so, but both of them condemned the murderer without consideration of his being the son of a brahmana. According to revealed scriptures, a teacher or spiritual master is liable to be rejected if he proves himself unworthy of the position of a guru or spiritual master. A guru is called also an acarya, or a person who has personally assimilated all the essence of sastras and has helped his disciples to adopt the ways. Asvatthama failed to discharge the duties of a brahmana or teacher, and therefore he was liable to be rejected from the exalted position of a brahmana. On this consideration, both Lord Sri Krsna and Arjuna were right in condemning Asvatthama. But to a good lady like Draupadi, the matter was considered not from the angle of sastric vision, but as a matter of custom. By custom, Asvatthama was offered the same respect as was offered to his father. It was so because generally the people accept the son of a brahmana as a real brahmana, by sentiment only. Factually the matter is different. A brahmana is accepted on the merit of qualification and not on the merit of simply being the son of a brahmana.
(More...)
|