One should follow, not imitate:Context: In the context of this part of Bhagavatham, this instruction refers to the pastime

of Srila Narada Rsi, giving shelter to a woman, Kayadu mother of Prahlad maharaj who at that time was in her womb.It is generally prohibited for sanyasis for look at, talk or associate with woman, including their own, mother, daughter or even a wooden doll. However, Narada Rsi allowed a woman to stay in his ashram and accepted services from her. It is said, vaishnavera kriya mudra vijneha na bujhaya even a very intelligent man cannot understand the activities of a pure Vaishnava. Thus, common men should not try to judge or understand certain activities which seemingly look contrary to the vedic principles and injunctions. And, thus taking this as an example, should not try to imitate the same activity, because these are exceptions that only a highly elevated personalities perform, surpassing all the regulations of the Vedas. It is said that whatever acts the great man perform, the common man follow mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. Thus, to set right example the Mahajanas, including Lord Krishna observed the religious principles regularly to set right example for common man. So the example of Krishna performing evening rites, rising early in the morning, performing meditation and acting as the ideal grihastha - all these activities are meant for setting an example to common people. He is the supreme Lord, He appeared like that, in that role He is playing, and He is performing certain activities which are meant for ordinary people to follow. Some activities that cannot be imitated:One should never imitate Krishnas extraordinary activities even though one should follow Krishnas example in certain activities. But in certain other extraordinary activities which He performs, one should not imitate Krishna. For, example the lifting of Goverdhana Hill for seven days to protect the inhabitants of Vrindavan, performing Rasa Lila with the cowherd girls in the dead of the night. Similarly, the sastras describe numerous extraordinary activities performed like, Lord Shiva drinking an ocean of poison: Lord Siva drank an ocean of poison and kept it in his throat, not swallowing it or allowing it to go down to his stomach, and thus his throat became blue. Since then he has been known as nilakantha, or blue throated. The reason that Lord Siva drank an ocean of poison was for others' benefit. When the ocean was churned by the demigods and the demons, the churning at first produced poison, so because the poisonous ocean might have affected others who were not so advanced, Lord Siva consumed the whole poision.Some foolish people try to imitate this pastime but, instead of drinking poison, they take ganza and opium, which certainly ruins their physical and spiritual life. Lord Reshabdev after giving up his kingdom and instructing his sons, left his comfortable kingdom and travelled around, taking up the role of a avadhuta.At one point he adopted the ajara vritti, the python pose and did not move from a place,
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passing urine and stool at the same place. Of course, a common man should not and cannot imitate this pastime, because while Lord Reshabdev passed stool and urine, it produced a wonderful fragrance in the vicinity and the aroma of which was spread over forty miles. Srila Haridas Thakur was practicing nirjan bhajan and in the middle of a night was tested twice. Once by a prostitute appointed by an envious person called Ramachandra Khan to defame the reputation and another time by Maya Devi herself. On both the occasions, Haridas Thakur because of his purity and taste for chanting the holy name incessantly could very easily win over the maya, by turning the prostitute into a vaishnavi and by calling Mayadevi as Mother. This again is a extraordinary pastime which cannot be imitated by common men. That is why performing Nirjan bhajan is strictly prohibited where there is no scope of association of devotees and there is a great danger of the practioner falling pray to the mundane material and lower modes of nature. Even a highly elevated personality like Bharata Maharaj who was actually on the platform of Bhava, fell down in his devotional life by becoming attracted to a deer and constantly thinking about it.

The fate of ones who try to imitate: Unscrupulous people, who try to imitate Lord Krishnas pastime of Rasa Lila dance, become victims of lustful propensities. Because, their heart is still contaminated and impure, instead of developing rasa or sweet mellows develop Virasa, become lustier and their spiritual life is destroyed. They become pretenders, cheaters or mythyacharis, whose minds dwell on sense objects. The examples of this are the prakriti sahajiyas, Gauranga- nagaris etc, cheap pseudo-devotees who try to imitate the intimate pastimes of Lord Krishna and Gopis and involve in all sorts of illicit sex and breaking the rules and regulations. Conclusion: As Sastras explain Sadhu-marganugamanam. We have to follow the footprints of great saintly persons, devotees, mahajana. One should not imitate Krishnas mountain lifting or dancing with the gopis. These are not to be imitated; these are not to be followed. But if Krishna is performing His evening rites, that is to be followed. We should perform our prescribed duties. Krishna performed some activities as if He was a kshatriya, as if He was a grihastha. But He is neither a kshatriya nor a grihastha. He is the supreme Lord, He appeared like that, in that role He is playing, and He is performing certain activities which are meant for ordinary people to follow. As stated in the Srimad Bhagavatham 6.3.20, Svayambhur naradah sambhuh kumarah kapilo manuh prahlado janako bhismo balir vaiyasakir vayam
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These are the twelve mahajanas, and we have to follow these mahajanas. We cannot come to right conclusions by philosophical speculation or dry arguments or following different methods like, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Sankhya etc. We have to simply follow the footprints of great saintly persons, devotees, mahajanas and not try to imitate them.

Yamuna Jivan Das

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