344 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta ([Madhya-lila, Ch. 19

The unwanted creepers have been described by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
Thakura. He states that if one hears and chants without trying to give up offenses,
one becomes materially attached to sense gratification. One may also desire
freedom from material bondage like the Mayavadis, or one may become attached
to the yoga-siddhis and desire wonderful yogic powers. If one is attached to won-
derful material activities, one is called siddhi-lobhi, greedy for material perfection.
One may also be victimized by diplomatic or crooked behavior, or one may asso-
ciate with women for illicit sex. Others may make a show of devotional service
like the prakrta-sahajiyas, or one may try to support his philosophy by joining
some caste or identifying himself with a certain dynasty, claiming a monopoly on
spiritual advancement. Thus with the support of family tradition, one may be-
come a pseudo guru or so-called spiritual master. One may become attached to
the four sinful activities —illicit sex, intoxication, gambling and meat eating, or one
may consider a Vaisnava to belong to’'a mundane caste or creed. One may think,
“This is a Hindu Vaisnava, and this is a European Vaisnava. A European Vaisnava is
not allowed to enter the temples.” In other words, one may consider Vaisnavas in
terms of birth, thinking one a brahmana Vaisnava, a stidra Vaisnava, a mleccha
Vaisnava and so on. One may also try to carry out a professional business while
chanting the Hare Krsna mantra or reading Srimad-Bhagavatam, or one may try to
increase his monetary strength by illegal means. One may also try to be a cheap
Vaisnava by chanting in a secluded place for material adoration, or one may desire
mundane reputation by making compromises with nondevotees, compromising
one's philosophy or spiritual life, or one may become a supporter of a hereditary
caste system. All these are pitfalls of personal sense gratification. Just to cheat
some innocent people, one makes a show of advanced spiritual life and becomes
known as a sadhu, mahatma or religious person. All this means that the so-called
devotee has become victimized by all these unwanted creepers and that the real
creeper of bhakti-lata-bija has been stunted.

TEXT 161

Bacqs Srritig sacq cara |
Sod Here AAW’ Ata FRAT Nr sw

prathamei upasakhdara karaye chedana
tabe mGla-sakha badi’ yaya vrndavana

SYNONYMS

prathamei—from the very beginning; upasakhara—of the unwanted creepers;
karaye—does; chedana—the cutting away; tabe—then only; mdla-sakha—the
