->

Vrindaban From Jaiva Dharma: A

January 2nd, 2001

Vrindaban

From Jaiva Dharma:

A madhyama-adhikari is characterized by four behaviors:

  • He worships God.
  • Makes friends with the devotees.
  • Preaches to the innocent.
  • Neglects those who are inimical.

The characteristics of those who are inimical are five:

  • An absence of faith in God.
  • The belief that God is nothing more than a natural potency which brings the results of all action.
  • The belief that God has no particular form.
  • The belief that the jivas are not eternally subordinate to the Lord.
  • The absence of mercy.

Bhaktivinoda Thakur?s definition of the neglect of the inimical reflects his thoughtfulness and practicality:

“The word upeksa, neglect, does not imply that one should abandon all social dealings normally exchanged between one human being and another. Neither does it mean that if an inimical person falls into difficulty or deprivation one should not endeavor to alleviate his distress. Grhastha Vaishnavas remain within society and thus have many types of relationships?such as dealing with relatives through marriage, with others through business dealings, through the maintenance of property and bringing up of animals, through endeavor to mitigate the suffering and ailments of others, and through their position of citizens of the state. Avoidance does not mean that one should at once give up all connections with inimical people, which these different social relations entail. One is obliged to conduct routine affairs and to interact with people who are indifferent to God, but one should not take their association when it comes to spiritual matters.” (Jaiva Dharma, p.165)

Comments are closed.