Lower or higher? Who is really in a position to know? One time in Vrindavan, bearing in mind what they'd heard Srila Prabhupada say about sahajiyas, the devotees forcibly ejected one old babaji from Krishna Balarama mandir. Not only was he rolling on the floor in front of the deities but he didn't really look very clean. He definitely didn't seem too satvic. However, when Srila Prabhupada found out what they'd done, he told the devotees they'd committed a big offense at the lotus feet of a pure devotee. He told them to find that old babaji and fall at his feet and beg for forgiveness. Fortunately they were able to find him and do that. How can we know? I was in Mayapur in '76 when a big group of GBCs, sannyasis and assorted important devotees all approached Srila Prabhupada about two men who were playing shenais out by the gate. They told Prabhupada about it, mentioned that the shenai players were muslims and expectantly waited for Prabhupada's response. Srila Prabhupada said their music was coming directly from the spiritual world. Instead of chasing them away we all came to appreciate their musical offering and now temples play those ragas worldwide.
Everyone within this material world is engrossed in the modes of passion and ignorance. One must promote himself to the platform of goodness, satva-guna, by following the instructions of Rupa Goswami, and then everything concerning how to make further progress will be revealed.------
From Purport of ‘ Bhagavad-Gita As it Is’ Text 16.1-3
Now, according to Vedic rites, activities in the mode of goodness are considered auspicious for progress on the path of liberation, and such activities are known as daivi prakriti, transcendental in nature. Those who are situated in the transcendental nature make progress on the path of liberation.
For those who are acting in the modes of passion and ignorance, on the other hand, there is no possibility of liberation.
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From Preface of ‘ Nectar of Instruction’
Everyone within this material world is engrossed in the modes of passion and ignorance. One must promote himself to the platform of goodness, satva-guna, by following the instructions of Rupa Goswami, and then everything concerning how to make further progress will be revealed.------
From Purport of ‘ Bhagavad-Gita As it Is’ Text 16.1-3
Now, according to Vedic rites, activities in the mode of goodness are considered auspicious for progress on the path of liberation, and such activities are known as daivi prakriti, transcendental in nature. Those who are situated in the transcendental nature make progress on the path of liberation.
For those who are acting in the modes of passion and ignorance, on the other hand, there is no possibility of liberation.