Hare Krishna
In Nectar of Devotion Ch-6 it's said "One should not instruct a person who is not desirous of accepting devotional service." desen't it conflict when we try to preach to non devotees?
Pranaam
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Thanks for your answers/
This is related to the concept of devotion as a special relationship to God, when a person gives himself to the service of God unconditionally and without the desire to receive anything in return. On the other hand, preaching, especially in the context of religious teachings, is often aimed at attracting new followers and spreading the faith. In practice, this may mean that you are addressing different audiences, including those who are not yet ready for full devotion. Better read the conflict resolution essay, I found https://studydriver.com/conflict-resolution-essay/ for that. It will be much more useful. It is important to remember that religious texts and philosophical teachings can have many interpretations, and their understanding can change depending on the context and interpretation. It shouldn't be taken too seriously either.
I don't think
Hare Krishna,
A kanishta adhikari is not knowing any philosophy himself and not strong enough to preach a non devotee, as he can be easily deluded from the path of bhakti himself if the other party argues and puts forth his scientific logical reasoning theories to disprove God's. a kanishta adikhari a neophyte devotee cannot be a preacher and he should refrain from preaching a non devotee.
A madhyama adhikari is strong and well into philosophy and read all the books and is convinced himself frist very well so he can argue and preach well even to a non devotee
Uttama adhikari rarely comes into preaching deparment, as for him a devotee and non devotee both are equal. He doesn't see any difference he sees all are god's part and parcel so, for him also there is no fear of losing anything when he preaches an atheist.
Only the rule is for kanishta adhikari's who are they themselves new in bhakti they should keep themselves away from trying to change a atheist.
But ya, you see.....even a great devotee will commit some vaishnava apradha unknowingly when we they argue with an atheist. because listening to the insulting speaches against guru maharaj or other vaishnavas and even god makes them fall down.
to instruct a faithless person one must have great qualification themseleves. like example -- Narada Muni instructs a tribal Ratnakar to Rama nama and he becomes later Valamiki. Now Narad Muni is a Mahajan and uttamo uttama adhikari. For such a great person if we instructs rama nama to some murderer also there isnt any personal loss to him.
One who really doesnt care for his personal loss of gain who is generous and who sees Lord in all creatures they can preach without doing any vaishnava aparadha. But uttama adhikari's and mahajans appear and preach and instruct those souls who are already having some punya karma done .. not all get oppurtinity to get instructed by uttama adhikari devotees and mahajans.
But kanishta adhikari's can preach but see.. one important thing I want to say is.
Devotee association is must if we lose devotee association we can easily get carried away by atheist's words. If a kanishta adhikari works under the guidance of a senior devotee he will get necessary support and also instuctions how to deal with non devotees and atheists so that he cannot get polluted by the atheistic ideas of the material people around him while preaching.
Look we are all normal people also as we are daily dealing in and out with materialistic people. We cannot cut down all relationships with people around us totally and sit and do bhakti we meet people and we try to tell them about KC if they accept fine, don't accept think okay its not yet time for them to get the divine knowledge and move one... if you keep on arguing u will also indirectly end up in doing vaishnava aparadh at some point... ..
but don't think or look down upon the atheists or materialists... as you were in that state few days back urself.
and more over understand every one is part and parcel of krishna.
Preaching someone you need to have urself solid unshakeable faith in Krishna urself. Like come what maybe.. No one change me what I held I am going to hold till the end of my breath. If you are so firm and having firm faith in guru and govind. then no one can change you.
uttama adhikari's are not a good preachers as they don't stoop low to fight with or argue with people for them all are Krishna's parts.
When a touchstone touches iron, it turns the iron to gold. Parvata Muni called Nārada Muni a touchstone because by his touch the hunter, who was the lowest among men, became an elevated and perfect Vaiṣṇava. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that the position of a Vaiṣṇava can be tested by seeing how good a touchstone he is—that is, by seeing how many Vaiṣṇavas he has made during his life. A Vaiṣṇava should be a touchstone so that he can convert others to Vaiṣṇavism by his preaching, even though people may be fallen like the hunter. There are many so-called advanced devotees who sit in a secluded place for their personal benefit. They do not go out to preach and convert others into Vaiṣṇavas, and therefore they certainly cannot be called sparśa-maṇi, advanced devotees. Kaniṣṭha-adhikārī devotees cannot turn others into Vaiṣṇavas, but a madhyama-adhikārī Vaiṣṇava can do so by preaching. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised His followers to increase the numbers of Vaiṣṇavas.
yāre dekha, tāre kaha "kṛṣṇa"-upadeśa
āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa
(cc.2:7:128)
There are three different kinds of devotees, namely kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī and uttama-adhikārī: the neophyte, the preacher and the mahā-bhāgavata, or the highly advanced devotee. The highly advanced devotee is one who knows the conclusion of the Vedas in full knowledge; thus he becomes a devotee. Indeed, not only is he convinced himself, but he can convince others on the strength of Vedic evidence. The advanced devotee can also see all other living entities as part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, without discrimination. The madhyama-adhikārī (preacher) is also well versed in the śāstras and can convince others also, but he discriminates between the favorable and the unfavorable. In other words, themadhyama-adhikārī does not care for the demoniac living entities, and the neophyte kaniṣṭha-adhikārī does not know much about śāstra but has full faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
(Srimad Bhagavatam----4:22:16----purport).
the mahā-bhāgavata or uttama-adhikārī, the devotee in the highest stage of devotional life, does not see anyone as being against the Vaiṣṇava principles, for he regards everyone as a Vaiṣṇava but himself.
Hare Krishna.
Hare Krishna Mataji
Thank you so much for explaining the whole thing so nicely.
Hare Krishna
In BG 18.64, Krishna said: "Because you are My very dear friend, I am speaking to you the most confidential part of knowledge. Hear this from Me, for it is for your benefit."
Then Krishna spoke verses 18.65 and 18.66.
Then in 18.67, Krishna said: "This confidential knowledge may not be explained to those who are not austere, or devoted, or engaged in devotional service, nor to one who is envious of Me."
So knowledge contained in BG 18.65 and BG 18.66 is secret knowledge which can be explained only to people who meet the qualification described in 18.67.
Hare Krishna Prabhu ji!
but there are so many great devotees preach to faithless people (like distribuiting bhagavad gita... how do we know whom are we talking to... or speaking harikatha, anyone could be sitting) even nityanand prabhu tried to preach to jagai and madhai. so if we are trying to follow nityanand prabhu by preaching then would we still get an offence? because everyone in the start is faithless so what to do?
Hare Krishna!
Hare Krishna Prabhu ji!
okay... I understood now. Thank you so much for explaining this prabhu ji.
Hare Krishna!
Hare Krishna Mataji
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