| Canto 11: General History | Chapter 2: Mahārāja Nimi Meets the Nine Yogendras |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.2.44
śrī-rājovāca
SYNONYMS
śrī-rājā uvāca — the King spoke; atha — next; bhāgavatam — about the devotee of the Personality of Godhead; brūta — please tell me; yat-dharmah — having what duties; yādriśah — having what nature; nrinām — among men; yathā — how; ācarati — he behaves; yat — what; brūte — he speaks; yaih — by which; lińgaih — visible symptoms; bhagavat-priyah — (he is known as) one dear to the Supreme Lord.
TRANSLATION
Mahārāja Nimi said: Now please tell me in greater detail about the devotees of the Supreme Lord. What are the natural symptoms by which I can distinguish between the most advanced devotees, those on the middle level and those who are neophytes? What are the typical religious activities of a Vaishnava, and how does he speak? Specifically, please describe those symptoms and characteristics by which Vaishnavas become dear to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
PURPORT
The great sage Kavi has informed King Nimi about the general external symptoms of a devotee of the Lord, namely his appearance, personal qualities and activities. But now King Nimi asks how to make further distinctions among the servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead so that the first-class, second-class and lower-class Vaishnavas can be clearly identified.
According to Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, krishneti yasya giri tam manasādriyeta: "One should mentally honor any devotee who chants the holy name of Lord Krishna." (Upadeśāmrita 5) Any living entity who is faithfully chanting the holy name of Krishna is to be considered a Vaishnava and at least within the mind is to be offered respect. But for practical advancement in Krishna consciousness one should associate at least with a second-class devotee. And if one can receive the mercy of a first-class devotee of the Lord, one's perfection is very easily guaranteed. Thus Nimi Mahārāja is humbly inquiring, "What are the character, behavior and speech of devotees?" The King wants to know the particular symptoms of body, mind and speech by which the different categories uttama-adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī and kanishtha-adhikārī are clearly identified. In response to the King's inquiry, another of the nava-yogendras, namely Havir, will give a further elaboration of the science of Krishna consciousness.
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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
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