His Holiness Haladhara Swami Maharaja

Vaisnavism and reputation

Dear readers,

By the mercy of Śrī Guru and Śrī Gaurāṅga, we are remembering the teachings of our guru-ācārya-paramparā. Today we are discussing the topics: fame or reputation. In the material world, people are

generally running behind two gross objects and one subtle object. The gross objects are kanaka (money) and kāminī (women) and the subtle object is fame. These three objects are essential for worldly people in this material world. Those who are bewildered by this material world are absorbed by five sharp arrows: sound, form, the touch of kanaka, taste, and the smell of kāminī. It is difficult to understand the real form of reputation or fame; it may seem formless, but in reality, the form is a subtle and very harmful weapon. Someone may ask why it is so harmful. The answer is that those who are hankering for outward fame might still be able to give up money and women, therefore it is difficult to recognize it. Generally, a sādhaka may be able to give up kanaka and kāminī, but fame (pratistha) is often more difficult to give up.

Fame (chandali) comes from different angles or directions and it covers the consciousness, regardless of whether one may be a karmī, jñānī, yogi, or a devotee, fame dances within everyone’s heart. Even for a devotee, it’s difficult to understand how fame is dancing within the heart. Sometimes we realize that our heart is hankering for fame, but identifying its source and counteracting it remains a difficult task for us. Sometimes we want to kick it out, but recognizing the different forms is impossible for us. By associating with fame, we forget that the qualifications we have are given by the mercy of Śrī Guru, and that by these qualifications we are performing services, including serving the spiritual master. However, sometimes we become proud, thinking that we are pleasing Śrī Guru ourselves. We want to serve Śrī Guru with our so-called qualifications like education, money and by our expertise, but our expectation is that the Guru should glorify me privately and publicly. In our daily service, our real source of inspiration is how to receive some reputation from Śrī Guru and Śrī Gaurāṅga, and from the Vaiṣṇavas.

Even for a devotee it’s difficult to understand how fame is dancing within the heart.

In our preaching we are always quoting, mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ. In public we are always glorifying the mercy of Śrī Guru but our actual mood is how to receive a reputation from other’s as guru-bhaktas. This is the top most form of crookedness. In this state, we fail to realize that all fame or reputation are meant for Śrī Guru and Śrī Gaurāṅga only. When we write poems or articles, which we want to present within the assembly of devotees, we always look towards the faces of the devotees, and wonder within our mind whether they are appreciating it or not. Even through the devotees we are inquiring about the feedback of our presentation. We are always desiring to add our name in an article or poem so that everyone will be aware of the great qualifications we have. Even sometimes by mistake, if our name is not mentioned in an article, we are becoming so upset in a way it looks like we have lost everything. At last, we are trying to pacify our minds so that by reading my article everyone can understand that it’s my writing. In this way, in a subtle form we are entrapped by reputation or fame. When we are collecting donations for Śrī Guru and Śrī Gaurāṅga, we are thinking that we have collected it, but in fact Śrī Gaurāṅga Mahāprabhu from His own hand has given this for His service. We are only acting as His servant but due to our false ego we are unable to understand that.

In Manu-saṁhitā it’s mentioned that one who is a brāhmaṇa, he should accept reputation as poison and disrespect as nectar. From this we can understand the qualification of a brāhmaṇa then what to speak about the vaiṣṇava-brāhmaṇa.

Also in Śrī Caitanya caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 4.147, we learn that when Mādhavendra Purī was being afraid of reputation he fled from Remuna. Reputation given through love of Godhead is so sublime that it follows the devotees, just as it did with Mādhavendra Purī. Instead of worrying about reputation we should serve Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa will arrange everything for us. Real reputation is establishing oneself as kṛṣṇa-dāsa.

In Śrī Caitanya caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 8.245, the concept of real reputation is explained.

In this verse, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired Rāmānanda Rāya about the most glorious activity among all glorious activities. Rāmānanda Rāya responded that a person who is reputed to be a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa enjoys utmost fame and glory.

In the purport of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.6.26 Śrīla Prabhupāda mentions that artificially advertising oneself to enjoy a so-called reputation is a form of conceit. Pṛthu Mahārāja was famous among the people due to his chivalrous deeds and he didn’t need to artificially advertise himself. One’s factual reputation can not be covered.

Reputation can be earned both through preaching and by staying in a solitary place. In Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 6.3.18 (Lecture - February 11, 1971), Śrīla Prabhupāda stated, ‘‘you can sit down and show people, ‘I have now become a very liberated soul,’ and chant and meditate. That means sleeping. This sort of business is condemned by my Guru Mahārāja. Pratiṣṭhāra tare nirjanera ghare tava hari-nāma kevala. This is simply cheating.’’

By serving Śrī Guru and Śrī Gaurāṅga with love and affection, by Their mercy, transcendental reputation will naturally come. This reputation won’t affect the heart of a devotee; rather, it will help them to become more humble. Thus, our only business is to engage in loving service to Śrī Guru and Śrī Gaurāṅga. By Their mercy, we may attain a transcendental reputation which helps us in our bhajana. As we see in Śrī Caitanya caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 4.145, even if one doesn’t like reputation, it will naturally come to him, ordained by providence. This transcendental reputation is known throughout the entire world.

We must be cautious of danger after receiving a reputation. In Śrī Caitanya caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 4.147 purport, Śrīla Prabhupāda mentions that within this material world most conditioned souls tend to be envious. Generally jealous people naturally turn against those who automatically gain reputation.

Thus, when a devotee is fit to receive a worldly reputation, they often face envy from people, this jealousy and envy is quite natural. When a person, out of humility, does not desire fame, people generally perceive them as truly humble and consequently give them various forms of fame. Actually, a Vaiṣṇava never hankers for fame or great reputation.

In conclusion, all our services should be performed only for the pleasure of Śrī Guru and Śrī Gaurāṅga, and not for the sake of reputation or fame. If, by Their mercy reputation comes to us, we must offer it back to Them. By offering it back we become pure and humble.

Dāsānudāsa,

Haladhara Swami

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