52 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta [Madhya-lila, Ch. 15

sraddhavan jana haya bhakti-adhikari
‘uttama’, ‘madhyama’, ‘kanistha’—— sraddhd-anusari

yahara komala-sraddhd, se ‘kanistha’ jana
krame krame tenho bhakta ha-ibe ‘uttama’

rati-prema-taratamye bhakta-taratama

“A person who has attained firm faith is a real candidate for advancing in Krsna
consciousness. According to the faith, there are first-class, second-class and
neophyte devotees. One who has preliminary faith is called kanistha, 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-adhikari and uttama-
adhikari.” (Cc. Madhya 22.64,69-70)

It is thus concluded that even a neophyte devotee is superior to the karmis and
jfanis because he has full faith in chanting the holy name of the Lord. A karmi or a
jini, regardless of his greatness, has no faith in Lord Visnu, 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

“OS BHAA SCA ALAA WI |
aafaul Sie Ad ata Cacw Sa N09 I

“eka krsna-name kare sarva-papa ksaya
nava-vidha bhakti ptirna nama haite haya

SYNONYMS
eka krsna-name—one holy name of Krsna; kare—can do; sarva-paépa—of all
sinful reactions; ksaya—destruction; nava-vidha—nine processes; bhakti—of
devotional service; puirna—complete; nama haite—simply by chanting the holy
name; haya—are.

TRANSLATION

“Simply by chanting the holy name of Krsna, 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.
