Vaisnava Behavior- The Twenty-Six Qualities of a Devotee

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FIVE HUNDRED YEARS AGO, under the personal direction of Lord Caitanya, Sanātana Gosvāmī wrote all about Vaisnava be- havior in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, and Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī wrote Bhak- ti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. In modern times, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhak- tivedanta Swami Prabhupāda has given us the essence of Vaisnava behavior throughout his writings, especially The Nectar of Devo- tion and The Nectar of Instruction. And Śrīla Prabhupāda's person- al activities exemplified the highest standard of Vaisnava behavior. Why then, should I write more about Vaisnava behavior?

One reason is for my own purification; another is for others' purification. Because I am writing under orders from my spiritual master, Śrīla Prabhupāda, my readers will receive authorized teach- ings about Lord Krşņa; and faithful hearing of such teachings will help them on the path back to Godhead. Certainly, as the Age of Kali worsens, the need for Kṛṣṇa conscious literature increases. In this age a person has almost no chance of rising to the standard of Vaisnava (or even human) behavior. Most people, totally disre- garding basic laws for humanity as directed in the genuine scrip- tures and exemplified in the lives of saintly persons, are behaving even worse than the animals, Blind, materialistic leaders guide the blind masses, and everyone is falling into the ditch of repeated birth and death. Therefore, we need authorized, Kṛṣṇa conscious books to offset the propaganda of nescience.

WHILE TOURING INDIA as a sannyāsī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became ecstatic when he met a certain brāhmaṇa at the birthplace of Lord Krsna in Mathura. The brāhmaṇa was a disciple of Madhavendra Purī, whom Lord Caitanya knew to be a highly advanced pure devotee of Rādhā-Krsna. (Madhavendra Puri was also the spiritual master of Iśvara Puri, Lord Caitanya's guru.) Lord Caitanya and the brāhmaņa spontaneously danced and embraced, crying out, "Chant the holy names of Hari and Krsna!" And they both began praising Mādhavendra Purī's pure love of God. Then Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu uttered these highly important words:

dharma-sthapana-hetu sādhura vyavahāra puri-gosāñira ye ācaraņa, sei dharma sāra "A devotee's behavior establishes the true purpose of re- ligious principles. The behavior of Madhavendra Puri Gosvāmī is the essence of such religious principles."

(Cc. Madhya 17.185).

In his purport to this verse, Śrīla Prabhupāda describes many kinds of persons who are not mahājanas (exemplary authorities), even though they may be great leaders in certain spheres of influence. "