Bhakti Sandarbha 189: Definition of a Madhyama Mahā bhāgavata
अथ मानसलिङ्गविशेषणेनैव मध्यमभागवतं लक्षयति (भा. ११.२.४६)—
Now the intermediate devotee is defined specifically in terms of the characteristics of his psychological disposition.
परमेश्वरे प्रेम करोति, तस्मिन् भक्तियुक्तो भवतीत्यर्थः। तथा तदधीनेषु भक्तेषु च मैत्रीं बन्धुभावम्। बालिशेषु तद्भक्तिमजानत्सु उदासीनेषु कृपाम्। यथोक्तं श्रीप्रह्लादेन—
The statement in this verse, that the intermediate devotee "loves Bhagavān," means that he has devotion for Him. He feels friendship towards Bhagavān’s devotees, and he blesses those who, due to their lack of awareness of devotion, are indifferent to Bhagavān. This type of compassionate attitude was expressed by Prahlāda:
आत्मनो द्विषत्सु उपेक्षा, तदीयद्वेषे चित्ताक्षोभेनौदासीन्यमित्यर्थः। तेष्वपि बालिशत्वेन कृपांशसद्भावात्, यथैव श्रीप्रह्लादो हिरण्यकशिपौ। भगवतो भागवतस्य वा द्विषत्सु तु सत्यपि चित्तक्षोभे तत्रानभिनिवेशमित्यर्थः।
The statement that a devotee is indifferent towards those inimical to him means that he remains aloof from them because his mind is unaffected by their animosity towards him. When such people are inimical simply due to ignorance, a devotee feels some compassion towards them as well, just as Prahlāda did towards Hiraṇyakaśipu. If, however, the inimical direct their malice towards Bhagavān or His devotees, the intermediate devotee feels pained at heart, although he is not consumed by such feelings.
अस्य बालिशेषु कृपायाः स्फुरणं, द्विषत्सूपेक्षाया एव, न तु प्राग्वत् सर्वत्र तस्य तत्प्रेम्णा वा स्फुरणम्। ततो मध्यमत्वम्।
Towards the unaware, the intermediate devotee feels only compassion, and towards the inimical, he feels only indifference—unlike the superlative devotee who feels love towards all beings. This is what distinguishes him as an intermediate devotee.
अथोत्तमस्यापि तदधीनदर्शनेन तत्स्फुरणानन्दोदयो विशेषत एव। ततश्च तस्मिन्नधिकैव मैत्री यद्भवति, तन् नो निषिध्यते, किन्तु सर्वत्र तद्भावावश्यकता विधीयते। परमोत्तमोत्तमेऽपि तथा दृष्टम्—
क्षणार्धेनापि तुलये न स्वर्गं नापुनर्भवम्।
भगवत्सङ्गिसङ्गस्य मर्त्यानां किमुताशिषः॥ (भा. ४.२४.५७) इति।
A superlative devotee feels especially blissful upon seeing a devotee of Bhagavān, and therefore it cannot be denied that he will feel greater friendship with devotees than with others, but the attitude of love toward all beings remains his definitive characteristic. Even the most highly evolved among superlative devotees experience special feelings of friendship towards devotees, as Bhagavān Śiva said:
"अथ भागवता यूयं प्रियाः स्थ भगवान् यथा" (भा. ४.२५.३०) इति च रुद्रगीतात्।
Also from the song of Rudra:
हरेर्गुणाक्षिप्तमतिर्भगवान् बादरायणिः।
अध्यगान् महदाख्यानं नित्यं विष्णुजनप्रियः॥
(भा. १.७.११) इति सूतवाक्याच्च।
The same idea is expressed by Sūta:
"एवं भोजानां कुलपांसनः" (भा. १०.१.२४) इत्यादौ तत्र बादरायणिप्रभृतीनां द्वेषोऽपि दृश्यते। किन्तु मध्यमानां तत्रानाभिनिवेश एव स्फुरति। तेषां तु तत्रापि तद्विधशास्तृत्वेन निजाभीष्टदेवपरिस्फूर्तिर्न व्याहन्यत एवेति विशेषः। तद्दृष्ट्यैव च श्रीमदुद्धवादीनामपि श्रीदुर्योधनादौ नमस्कारः।
It may be noted that devotees of the stature of Śrī Śuka may even express contempt for the enemies of Bhagavān, such as when he addressed Kaṁsa as “the disgrace of the Bhoja dynasty” (SB 10.1.35). [This is due to the intensity of the superlative devotee’s love for Bhagavān.] The intermediate devotees, however, are not taken hold of by such feelings. [It is for this reason that the intermediate devotee is said to be simply indifferent toward the inimical.] The special quality of the superlative devotee is that even when consumed by contemptuous feelings towards Bhagavān’s enemies, their vision of their beloved Bhagavān, whom they perceive as the subduer of such enemies, is not obstructed. It is with this vision that devotees like Uddhava offered obeisance to Duryodhana and other adversaries of Bhagavān. The vision that inspires such behavior is summed up in the words of Bhagavān Śiva:
[Consequently, when superlative devotees like Uddhava offer obeisance to the enemies of Bhagavān, they do so not to the body nor to the person who identifies with the body, but to Bhagavān situated within the heart of all beings.]
उक्तं च लक्ष्मणाहरणे—"सोऽभिवन्द्याम्बिकापुत्रम्" (भा. १०.६८.१७) इत्यादौ दुर्योधनं चेति।
Therefore, in the narration of the abduction of Lakṣmaṇā, it is said that Uddhava duly saluted Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Bāhlīka and Duryodhana and informed them of Balarāma’s arrival. (SB 10.68.17)
यत्र पक्षे च स्वकीयभावस्यैव सर्वत्र परिस्फूर्तेः श्रीभगवदादिद्विषत्स्वपि सा पर्यवस्यति, तत्र च नायुक्तता, यतस्ते निजप्राणकोटिनिर्मञ्छनीयतच्चरणपङ्कजपरागलेशास्तेषां दुर्व्यवहारदृष्ट्या क्षुभ्यन्ति।
An alternative explanation of this behavior on the part of superlative devotees is that, as a consequence of projecting their own devotional sentiments in all beings, they perceive such sentiments even in adversaries of Bhagavān or His devotees. This explanation is not improper, because [from the external viewpoint] the superlative devotees, who are like particles of pollen attached to the lotus feet of Bhagavān and who can sacrifice their lives millions of times for Him, feel disturbed by seeing the ill behavior of those who are inimical to Bhagavān.
स्वीयभावानुसारेण त्वेवं मन्यन्ते—"अहो ईदृशश्चेतनो वा कः स्याद्यः पुनरस्मिन् सर्वानन्दकन्दकदम्बे निरुपाधिपरमप्रेमास्पदे सकललोकप्रसादकसद्गुणमणिभूषिते सर्वहितपर्यवसायिचर्यामृते श्रीपुरुषोत्तमे तत्प्रियजने वा प्रीतिं न कुर्वीत। तद्द्वेषकारणं तु सुतरामेवास्मद्बुद्धिपद्धतिमतीतम्। तस्माद्ब्रह्मादिस्थावरपर्यन्ता अदुष्टा दुष्टाश्च तस्मिन् बाढं रज्यन्त एव" इति।
Under the influence of their own internal devotional mood, however, they think thus: “The Supreme Bhagavān is the storehouse of all bliss and the object of unconditional love. He is adorned with the jewel-like quality of delighting the whole world, and His ambrosial pastimes are beneficial to all. Can there be a single conscious being who could not love Bhagavān or His devotees? What a wonder! That there could be a cause for animosity towards Bhagavān or His devotees is simply beyond our comprehension. Therefore all living beings, both noble and wicked, from Brahmā, the highest living entity, down to the most insignificant of stationary beings, are deeply in love with Bhagavān.”
तदुक्तं श्रीशुकेन—
This sentiment was expressed by Śrī Śuka:
Commentary by Satyanarayana Dasa Babaji
After giving the defining quality of the mind of a superlative devotee, the uttama-bhāgavata, sage Havi describes the characteristics of an intermediate devotee, madhyama-bhāgavata. The uttama-bhāgavata, due to intensity of love, feels the presence of his worshipable Bhagavān in everybody. Thus he is unable to effectively gauge the moods of others. Therefore, his behavior towards others is not discriminatory. However, although being equal to all, he deals more affectionately with the devotees. The madhyama-bhāgavata is able to distinguish between a devotee, someone who is ignorant but simple-hearted, and an envious person. Thus he deals with each of them appropriately.
Śrī Jīva writes that a madhyama-bhāgavata does not feel disturbed if someone envies him. He remains indifferent to such a person. If such a person is ignorant about devotion then a devotee even feels compassionate towards him. Prahlāda is an example of this. His own father tried to kill him, but Prahlāda stayed calm and tried to instruct him about bhakti. He even prayed to Bhagavān Narasiṁha for his welfare. But if someone envies Bhagavān or His devotees, then he feels disturbed at heart. However, even then his mind does not become preoccupied with it. Usually when our mind is disturbed we become absorbed in thoughts of the disturbing agent. There is a feeling of hatred towards that person, which causes our mind to become completely occupied in thoughts of him. Śrī Nārada says that such an inimical absorption of mind is even more intense than that of a vaidhī devotee in Bhagavān (7.1.26).
Here it should be understood that an uttama-bhāgavata has the ability to perceive Bhagavān in everyone. But it does not mean that he can never perceive the mood of other beings. It is seen that great devotees like Nārada do discriminate between a devotee, an ignorant person and an envious one. Thus the basic difference between the uttama and madhyama-bhakta is that the uttama has the ability to perceive Bhagavān or his own mood of devotion in everyone, but it may not happen to him all the time, while a madhyama-bhakta does not have this ability. Thus in their external behavior an uttama and a madhyama bhakta may act similarly. It is not always easy to distinguish them.
ईश्वरे तदधीनेषु बालिशेषु द्विषत्सु च।
प्रेममैत्रीकृपोपेक्षा यः करोति स मध्यमः॥
One who loves Bhagavān, is friendly towards the devotees, compassionate towards the unaware, and indifferent towards the inimical is an intermediate devotee. (SB 11.2.46)
परमेश्वरे प्रेम करोति, तस्मिन् भक्तियुक्तो भवतीत्यर्थः। तथा तदधीनेषु भक्तेषु च मैत्रीं बन्धुभावम्। बालिशेषु तद्भक्तिमजानत्सु उदासीनेषु कृपाम्। यथोक्तं श्रीप्रह्लादेन—
शोचे ततो विमुखचेतस इन्द्रियार्थ-
मायासुखाय भरमुद्वहतो विमूढान्॥ (भा. ७.९.४२) इति।
The statement in this verse, that the intermediate devotee "loves Bhagavān," means that he has devotion for Him. He feels friendship towards Bhagavān’s devotees, and he blesses those who, due to their lack of awareness of devotion, are indifferent to Bhagavān. This type of compassionate attitude was expressed by Prahlāda:
I am concerned for the bewildered souls who, remaining oblivious to your devotion, carry the burden of material existence on account of the illusory pleasure they strive to attain through the senses. (SB 7.9.43)
आत्मनो द्विषत्सु उपेक्षा, तदीयद्वेषे चित्ताक्षोभेनौदासीन्यमित्यर्थः। तेष्वपि बालिशत्वेन कृपांशसद्भावात्, यथैव श्रीप्रह्लादो हिरण्यकशिपौ। भगवतो भागवतस्य वा द्विषत्सु तु सत्यपि चित्तक्षोभे तत्रानभिनिवेशमित्यर्थः।
The statement that a devotee is indifferent towards those inimical to him means that he remains aloof from them because his mind is unaffected by their animosity towards him. When such people are inimical simply due to ignorance, a devotee feels some compassion towards them as well, just as Prahlāda did towards Hiraṇyakaśipu. If, however, the inimical direct their malice towards Bhagavān or His devotees, the intermediate devotee feels pained at heart, although he is not consumed by such feelings.
अस्य बालिशेषु कृपायाः स्फुरणं, द्विषत्सूपेक्षाया एव, न तु प्राग्वत् सर्वत्र तस्य तत्प्रेम्णा वा स्फुरणम्। ततो मध्यमत्वम्।
Towards the unaware, the intermediate devotee feels only compassion, and towards the inimical, he feels only indifference—unlike the superlative devotee who feels love towards all beings. This is what distinguishes him as an intermediate devotee.
अथोत्तमस्यापि तदधीनदर्शनेन तत्स्फुरणानन्दोदयो विशेषत एव। ततश्च तस्मिन्नधिकैव मैत्री यद्भवति, तन् नो निषिध्यते, किन्तु सर्वत्र तद्भावावश्यकता विधीयते। परमोत्तमोत्तमेऽपि तथा दृष्टम्—
भगवत्सङ्गिसङ्गस्य मर्त्यानां किमुताशिषः॥ (भा. ४.२४.५७) इति।
A superlative devotee feels especially blissful upon seeing a devotee of Bhagavān, and therefore it cannot be denied that he will feel greater friendship with devotees than with others, but the attitude of love toward all beings remains his definitive characteristic. Even the most highly evolved among superlative devotees experience special feelings of friendship towards devotees, as Bhagavān Śiva said:
Even a moment’s association with a devotee deeply attached to Bhagavān cannot be compared with heaven or liberation, so what to speak of the petty blessings of mortal beings. (SB 4.24.57)
"अथ भागवता यूयं प्रियाः स्थ भगवान् यथा" (भा. ४.२५.३०) इति च रुद्रगीतात्।
Also from the song of Rudra:
Because you are devotees of Bhagavān you are as dear to me as Bhagavān. Similarly, for the devotees of Bhagavān there is nobody dearer than Me [Rudra]. (SB 4.24.30)
अध्यगान् महदाख्यानं नित्यं विष्णुजनप्रियः॥
The same idea is expressed by Sūta:
The venerable Śrī Śukadeva, whose mind was captivated by the enchanting qualities of Bhagavān Hari, studied this great narration. He is always dear to the devotees of Bhagavān Viṣṇu. (SB 1.7.11)
"एवं भोजानां कुलपांसनः" (भा. १०.१.२४) इत्यादौ तत्र बादरायणिप्रभृतीनां द्वेषोऽपि दृश्यते। किन्तु मध्यमानां तत्रानाभिनिवेश एव स्फुरति। तेषां तु तत्रापि तद्विधशास्तृत्वेन निजाभीष्टदेवपरिस्फूर्तिर्न व्याहन्यत एवेति विशेषः। तद्दृष्ट्यैव च श्रीमदुद्धवादीनामपि श्रीदुर्योधनादौ नमस्कारः।
It may be noted that devotees of the stature of Śrī Śuka may even express contempt for the enemies of Bhagavān, such as when he addressed Kaṁsa as “the disgrace of the Bhoja dynasty” (SB 10.1.35). [This is due to the intensity of the superlative devotee’s love for Bhagavān.] The intermediate devotees, however, are not taken hold of by such feelings. [It is for this reason that the intermediate devotee is said to be simply indifferent toward the inimical.] The special quality of the superlative devotee is that even when consumed by contemptuous feelings towards Bhagavān’s enemies, their vision of their beloved Bhagavān, whom they perceive as the subduer of such enemies, is not obstructed. It is with this vision that devotees like Uddhava offered obeisance to Duryodhana and other adversaries of Bhagavān. The vision that inspires such behavior is summed up in the words of Bhagavān Śiva:
सत्त्वं विशुद्धं वसुदेवशब्दितं यदीयते तत्र पुमान् अपावृतः।
(भा. ४.३.२१) इत्यादि श्रीशिववाक्यवत्।
The state of pure existence, free from any influence of the material guṇas of nature, is called vasudeva because the Supreme Person, Vāsudeva, who is free from the coverings of illusion, manifests in that pure state. I offer obeisance to Bhagavān Vāsudeva who is beyond the perception of the senses and situated in that pure existential condition of the heart. (SB 4.3.23)
[Consequently, when superlative devotees like Uddhava offer obeisance to the enemies of Bhagavān, they do so not to the body nor to the person who identifies with the body, but to Bhagavān situated within the heart of all beings.]
उक्तं च लक्ष्मणाहरणे—"सोऽभिवन्द्याम्बिकापुत्रम्" (भा. १०.६८.१७) इत्यादौ दुर्योधनं चेति।
Therefore, in the narration of the abduction of Lakṣmaṇā, it is said that Uddhava duly saluted Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Bāhlīka and Duryodhana and informed them of Balarāma’s arrival. (SB 10.68.17)
यत्र पक्षे च स्वकीयभावस्यैव सर्वत्र परिस्फूर्तेः श्रीभगवदादिद्विषत्स्वपि सा पर्यवस्यति, तत्र च नायुक्तता, यतस्ते निजप्राणकोटिनिर्मञ्छनीयतच्चरणपङ्कजपरागलेशास्तेषां दुर्व्यवहारदृष्ट्या क्षुभ्यन्ति।
An alternative explanation of this behavior on the part of superlative devotees is that, as a consequence of projecting their own devotional sentiments in all beings, they perceive such sentiments even in adversaries of Bhagavān or His devotees. This explanation is not improper, because [from the external viewpoint] the superlative devotees, who are like particles of pollen attached to the lotus feet of Bhagavān and who can sacrifice their lives millions of times for Him, feel disturbed by seeing the ill behavior of those who are inimical to Bhagavān.
स्वीयभावानुसारेण त्वेवं मन्यन्ते—"अहो ईदृशश्चेतनो वा कः स्याद्यः पुनरस्मिन् सर्वानन्दकन्दकदम्बे निरुपाधिपरमप्रेमास्पदे सकललोकप्रसादकसद्गुणमणिभूषिते सर्वहितपर्यवसायिचर्यामृते श्रीपुरुषोत्तमे तत्प्रियजने वा प्रीतिं न कुर्वीत। तद्द्वेषकारणं तु सुतरामेवास्मद्बुद्धिपद्धतिमतीतम्। तस्माद्ब्रह्मादिस्थावरपर्यन्ता अदुष्टा दुष्टाश्च तस्मिन् बाढं रज्यन्त एव" इति।
Under the influence of their own internal devotional mood, however, they think thus: “The Supreme Bhagavān is the storehouse of all bliss and the object of unconditional love. He is adorned with the jewel-like quality of delighting the whole world, and His ambrosial pastimes are beneficial to all. Can there be a single conscious being who could not love Bhagavān or His devotees? What a wonder! That there could be a cause for animosity towards Bhagavān or His devotees is simply beyond our comprehension. Therefore all living beings, both noble and wicked, from Brahmā, the highest living entity, down to the most insignificant of stationary beings, are deeply in love with Bhagavān.”
तदुक्तं श्रीशुकेन—
गोविन्दभुजगुप्तायां द्वारवत्यां कुरूद्वह।
अवात्सीन् नारदोऽभीक्ष्णं कृष्णोपासनलालसः॥
को नु राजन्निन्द्रियवान् मुकुन्दचरणाम्बुजम्।
न भजेत् सर्वतोमृत्युरुपास्यन् अमरोत्तमैः॥ (भा. ११.२.१२) इति।
O best of the Kurus, eager to worship Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, Nārada frequently stayed in Dvārāka, which was protected by the arms of Govinda. O King, what mortal human being, possessing sound senses, would not worship the lotus feet of Bhagavān Mukunda, which are fit to be worshiped by the best of the gods? (SB 11.2.1-2)
Commentary by Satyanarayana Dasa Babaji
After giving the defining quality of the mind of a superlative devotee, the uttama-bhāgavata, sage Havi describes the characteristics of an intermediate devotee, madhyama-bhāgavata. The uttama-bhāgavata, due to intensity of love, feels the presence of his worshipable Bhagavān in everybody. Thus he is unable to effectively gauge the moods of others. Therefore, his behavior towards others is not discriminatory. However, although being equal to all, he deals more affectionately with the devotees. The madhyama-bhāgavata is able to distinguish between a devotee, someone who is ignorant but simple-hearted, and an envious person. Thus he deals with each of them appropriately.
Śrī Jīva writes that a madhyama-bhāgavata does not feel disturbed if someone envies him. He remains indifferent to such a person. If such a person is ignorant about devotion then a devotee even feels compassionate towards him. Prahlāda is an example of this. His own father tried to kill him, but Prahlāda stayed calm and tried to instruct him about bhakti. He even prayed to Bhagavān Narasiṁha for his welfare. But if someone envies Bhagavān or His devotees, then he feels disturbed at heart. However, even then his mind does not become preoccupied with it. Usually when our mind is disturbed we become absorbed in thoughts of the disturbing agent. There is a feeling of hatred towards that person, which causes our mind to become completely occupied in thoughts of him. Śrī Nārada says that such an inimical absorption of mind is even more intense than that of a vaidhī devotee in Bhagavān (7.1.26).
Here it should be understood that an uttama-bhāgavata has the ability to perceive Bhagavān in everyone. But it does not mean that he can never perceive the mood of other beings. It is seen that great devotees like Nārada do discriminate between a devotee, an ignorant person and an envious one. Thus the basic difference between the uttama and madhyama-bhakta is that the uttama has the ability to perceive Bhagavān or his own mood of devotion in everyone, but it may not happen to him all the time, while a madhyama-bhakta does not have this ability. Thus in their external behavior an uttama and a madhyama bhakta may act similarly. It is not always easy to distinguish them.
Comments
They make it plain that a spiritual leader who worships a mishmash of gods and who has no parampara will only cause confusion and suffering for his followers. They make it plain that even an uttama-adhikari will respect such a fellow from a safe distance, and that a madhyama devotee will not tolerate apa-siddhanta and will not lend his support to a charlatan or a pretender. Even though he is not yet fully perfected himself, the madhyama devotee will lead people toward the perfection found in higher devotees and in the Supreme Lord and his associates.
Putting this in practical terms, we are faced with the challenging fact that one of the most prominent orthodox/traditional supporters of Swami Vishwananda's work is the Chaitanya Vaishnava scholar Satyanarayana dasa Babaji. Babaji has attended programs with Vishwananda at which vibhuti and golden eggs and other trinkets were materialized by the Swami. Babaji has continued to attend such programs and has not discouraged others from attending.
What is the relative position of these two religious leaders? You can accept Vishwananda and consider Babaji one of many lesser sadhus who are among his students and supporters. However, if you accept Babaji, you must accept his assessment of Vishwananda, and recognize that it is Vishwananda who has taken the superior position with Babaji's assent. Babaji cannot or will not even produce a handful of vibhuti, despite coming to Vishwananda's programs again and again.
This means that if Vishwananda is a fraud, Babaji is either a fool or a cheater. Of course, if you accept Babaji as genuine, this is an untenable proposition, so it is better to assume that Vishwananda is "the real thing" as indicated by Babaji's conduct within the framework of Jiva Goswami's teachings.
One will perform no sleight-of-hand to deceive, but speak only the simple truth; the truth of the way and the grace of light which will set you free.