Text 278] Explanations of the Atmarama Verse 239
PURPORT

When a touchstone touches iron, it turns the iron to gold. Parvata Muni called
Narada Muni a touchstone because by his touch the hunter, who was lowest
among men, became an elevated and perfect Vaisnava. Srila Bhaktivinoda
Thakura said that the position of a Vaisnava can be tested by seeing how good a
touchstone he is—that is, by seeing how many Vaisnavas he has made during his
life. A Vaisnava should be a touchstone so that he can convert others to Vaisnav-
ism by his preaching, even though people may be fallen like the hunter. There are
many so-called advanced devotees who sit in a secluded place for their personal
benefit. They do not go out to preach and convert others into Vaisnavas, and
therefore they certainly cannot be called sparsa-mani, advanced devotees.
Kanistha-adhikari devotees cannot turn others into Vaisnavas, but a madhyama-
adhikari Vaisnava can do so by preaching. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised His
followers to increase the numbers of Vaisnavas.

yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa
dmara ajfhdya guru hafid tara’ ei desa
(Cc. Madhya 7.128)
It is Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s wish that everyone should become a Vaisnava and
guru. Following the instructions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His disciplic suc-
cession, one can become a spiritual master, for the process is very easy. One can
go everywhere and anywhere to preach the instructions of Krsna. Bhagavad-gitd is
Krsna’s instructions; therefore the duty of every Vaisnava is to travel and preach
Bhagavad-gitd, either in his country or a foreign country. This is the test of sparsa-
mani, following in the footsteps of Narada Muni.
TEXT 278
“ACE CCMA CHAT SAR TAT WAP(S |
TCHIRA AAC! CALS arr! afSapicw i” raw ti
“aho dhanyo ‘si devarse
krpaya yasya tat-ksandat
nico ‘py utpulako lebhe
lubdhako ratim acyute”
SYNONYMS

aho—oh; dhanyah—glorified; asi—you are; deva-rse—O sage among the

demigods; krpaya—by the mercy; yasya—of whom; tat-ksanat—immediately;
