To understand a devotee is not easy. Even devotees have been sometimes unable to decipher the glories of other devotees, what to speak about ordinary conditioned souls like us? By seeing a devotee engaged in something “material”, we cannot always understand his or her spiritual stature. Therefore, the darshan of a devotee has to be done through the eyes of scriptures, and through the eyes of advanced devotees.
Candrashekhara Could Not Recognize Sanatana
When Sanatana Goswami came to Varanasi after escaping the custody of Nawab Hussain Shah, he was in a totally disheveled state. Lord Caitanya asked Candrashekhara Acarya to get Sanatana Goswami, a very elevated devotee, who he told was sitting outside. Candrashekhara came out, and went back to Mahaprabhu saying that he could not find any devotee.
Mahaprabhu asked, “Is there anyone outside?”
Candrashekhara said, “Yes, there is a Muslim mendicant outside.”
Mahaprabhu asked Candrashekhara to get him in. As soon as they both met, Mahaprabhu tightly embraced Sanatana, and with tears in His eyes, inquired about his well being. Candrashekhara was unable to understand who this person was. He could not see Sanatana as a devotee from the external viewpoint.
Nabadwipa Devotees Could Not Recognize Ishwara Puri
When Ishwara Puri first came to Nabadwipa, he sat outside the house of Advaita Acarya. No one was able to recognize him. Ishwara Puri was in a simple dress, and hardly possessed any belongings. Advaita Acarya then devised a means to reveal his glories to everyone. He told Mukunda to sing kirtan. As soon as the kirtan started, Ishwara Puri went into trance and his body was decorated with all ecstatic emotions. This is when all devotees came to understand the true glories and the highly exalted stature of Ishwara Puri.
Gadadhar Pandit Could Not Recognize Pundarika
When Gadadhar Pandit saw Pundarika Vidyanidhi for the first time, he saw the lavish, opulent surroundings of Pundarika, and he thought Pundarika to be a materialist. Seeing the doubt arise in the mind of Gadadhara, Mukunda started singing a verse. As he recited the verse, Pundarika lost all composure, went into a state of ecstasy, broke several valuable things in the house, and his ecstasy lasted for a period of six hours. When Gadadhar Pandit understood his mistake of externally judging Pundarika, he decided to take initiation from Pundarika to atone for his offense.
Lord Caitanya says about Lord Nityananda,
yadyapi nityānanda sūri bari jaya
tathāpi sei amara nityānanda rāya
Even if Nityananda goes to a wine shop, I will never consider Him contaminated.
Mahaprabhu taught us how to have the darshan of a Vaishnava. A devotee means one who responds positively and enthusiastically to a spiritual stimulus. That is the only thing we must observe in a Vaishnava. All other considerations are external.
Many a times, we may judge devotees on how they appear from material viewpoint. They may not respond to any material stimulus, but they may be materially well off. That does not debar one from being a Vaishnava. We had some of the biggest kings living in the most royal palaces being the best devotees of Krishna. Prabhupada disciples built so many palaces for him, but he wasn’t attached to them at all. He was the same person when he had 40 Rs. and boarded the Jaladuta, and when ISKCON had 40 crores worth property, he didn’t change even a bit.
Seeing a Devotee’s HEART
Therefore, one must see the heart of a devotee.
Externally, one may be a pounds and shillings man, but at heart one may be a Vaishnava.
Externally, one may be engaged in many material things, but at heart one may always be thinking about Krishna.
Externally, one may look a very simple person, but at heart, one may possess the valuable jewel of devotion.
Externally, one may even not have the marks of a Vaishnava, but his or her heart may be marked with the Holy Names of Krishna.
Spiritual response to a spiritual stimulus is the hallmark of a devotee. When one receives Lord’s grace, he or she is able to have this darshan of a devotee.
