SP says even third class devotees are liberated
August 21, 2021 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa
Hare Krsna-below we have 4 verses and purports in which Srila Prabhupada
kindly explains the differences between conditioned souls, third class devotees who are liberated and what it takes to perform. pure devotional service. One may find these words valuable.
It is interesting to note that Tapana Misra and Chandrasekhara (Associates of Caitanya Mahaprabhu who would eat at their homes) were categorized as kanistha adhikari because their knowledge of sastra was not sufficient to defeat the mayavadi philosophers in Benares . However because of their great love for Mahaprabhu they could not tolerate the insults of the mayavadis.
So one can have great love for the Lord but because of deficient sastric knowledge is put in the category of third class devotee, kanistha adhikaris.
Therefore Srila Prabhupada says even the third class devotees are liberated souls or become imperceptibly liberated.
Hare Krsna
damaghosa das
SB 3.25.36–Upon seeing the charming forms of the Lord, smiling and attractive, and hearing His very pleasing words, the pure devotee almost loses all other consciousness. His senses are freed from all other engagements, and he becomes absorbed in devotional service. Thus in spite of his unwillingness, he attains liberation without separate endeavor.
PURPORT–There are three divisions of devotees—first-class, second-class and third-class. Even the third-class devotees are liberated souls.It is explained in this verse that although they do not have knowledge, simply by seeing the beautiful decoration of the Deity in the temple,the devotee is absorbed in thought of Him and loses all other consciousness. Simply by fixing oneself inKṛṣṇaconsciousness, engaging the senses in the service of the Lord, one is imperceptibly liberated.This is also confirmed inBhagavad-gītā.Simply by discharging uncontaminated devotional service as prescribed in the scriptures, one becomes equal toBrahman.InBhagavad-gītāit is said,brahma–bhūyāyakalpate.This means that the living entity in his original state isBrahmanbecause he is part and parcel of the SupremeBrahman. But simply because of his forgetfulness of his real nature as an eternal servitor of the Lord, he is overwhelmed and captured bymāyā.His forgetfulness of his real constitutional position ismāyā.Otherwise he is eternallyBrahman.
