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Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta
[Madhya-līlā, Ch. 15]
śraddhāvān jana haya bhakti-adhikārī 'uttama', 'madhyama', 'kaniṣṭha'—śraddhā-anusārī
yāhāra komala-śraddhā, se 'kaniṣṭha' jana krame krame teṅho bhakta ha-ibe 'uttama'
rati-prema-tāratamye bhakta-taratama
“A person who has attained firm faith is a real candidate for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. According to the faith, there are first-class, second-class and neophyte devotees. One who has preliminary faith is called  kaniṣṭha , or a neophyte. The neophyte, however, can become an advanced devotee if he strictly follows the regulative principles set down by the spiritual master. The pure devotee whose faith advances becomes a  madhyama-adhikārī  and  uttama-adhikārī .” (Cc. Madhya 22.64,69-70)
It is thus concluded that even a neophyte devotee is superior to the  karmīs  and  jñānīs  because he has full faith in chanting the holy name of the Lord. A  karmī  or a  jñānī , regardless of his greatness, has no faith in Lord Viṣṇu, His holy name or His devotional service. One may be advanced religiously, but if he is not trained in devotional service, he has very little credit on the transcendental platform. Even a neophyte devotee engaged in Deity worship in accordance with the regulations set forth by the spiritual master is in a position superior to that of the fruitive worker and speculative philosopher.
TEXT 107
“এক কৃষ্ণনামে করে সর্ব-পাপ ক্ষয় ।
নববিধা ভক্তি পূর্ণ নাম হৈতে হয় ॥ ১০৭ ॥
“eka kṛṣṇa-nāme kare sarva-pāpa kṣaya nava-vidhā bhakti pūrṇa nāma haite haya
SYNONYMS
eka kṛṣṇa-nāme—one holy name of Kṛṣṇa; kare—can do; sarva-pāpa—of all sinful reactions; kṣaya—destruction; nava-vidhā—nine processes; bhakti—of devotional service; pūrṇa—complete; nāma haite—simply by chanting the holy name; haya—are.
TRANSLATION
“Simply by chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, one is relieved from all the reactions of a sinful life. One can complete the nine processes of devotional service simply by chanting the holy name.