Hari, a yogiswara, and son of Rishbaha Deva, tells King Nimi how bhagavatas behave. Hari lists many qualities that a bhagavata has, said P.T. Seshadri in a discourse. One quality of a Bhagavata is that he never treats another Bhagavata disrespectfully just because he does not hail from a sacred place. Suppose two devotees call upon a bhagavata — one from a pilgrim centre and the other from an ordinary town. The bhagavata will treat both with the same respect.
Sometimes it happens that a relative of ours may be a great bhagavata, but because he is related to us, we do not think highly of him. A bhagavata will never think thus. Jnanis do not seek fame or popularity. A bhagavata does not mock them because of this. Each of us gives to the Lord according to our capacity. No offering is rejected by the lord when it is given with bhakti. But we tend to think that when we give expensive things, we are more important than someone whose offerings are more modest. A person may pluck flowers from the plants in his garden and offer these flowers to God. Are these flowers inferior to the gold that a rich man offers? Certainly not, and a bhagavata will never mock a man because his offerings are simple.
Each of us has a profession or an occupation. No honest way of making money is wrong, or to be looked down upon. A man can resort to legitimate means to fulfil his duties towards his family. A true bhagavata will not think that the man who earns a lot deserves more respect, than a man who earns much less. To a bhagavata, no man is inferior because of his profession or the work he does. We come across accounts about the Lord’s devotees in Itihasas and Puranas. A bhagavata will never make fun of these devotees.
ADVERTISEMENT