Question : There are stories about Christian mystics who fell victims to demons while thinking that they communicate with God. For example, during deep prayers and austerities, some of them smelled heavenly fragrance and a divine being appeared to them, speaking seemingly about spiritual truths, but in fact that “angel” was misleading that ardent Christian mystic. Is something like that possible in Vaishnavism? How to recognize who is on the other side of the line?
Answer by Romapada Swami:
The science of God is very precise and when it is not properly executed, then there is all chance of being misled. Generally, when someone has somehow been influenced by tama guna (mode of ignorance) they are contacted by such spirits and beings. And this may happen even to an aspiring spiritualist if they are not under proper guidance concerning the spiritual science. One who is advanced in the mode of goodness can immediately distinguish such beings from divine ones.
In the teachings of Vaishnavism, one is always recommended to make a three-point check: guru, sadhu and sastra. One must take guidance from elevated saintly persons but one must make sure that their message or teaching is in consonance with the basic teachings of sastra and with previous saintly persons and acharyas. In order to do this, one must make the effort to familiarize oneself and be conversant with the standard teachings of the sastra, for example Bhagavad-gita.
We find in the descriptions of Caitanya caritamrita that even when Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was manifesting uncommon love of God and divine opulences, learned persons like Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya did not accept him blindly. When told that Lord Caitanya was an incarnation of Krishna, he analyzed based on sastra, where such incarnations are mentioned. If someone deviates from the basic principles of sastra (and such `spirits’ always do so) immediately they are to be rejected, whatever mystic miracles they may display.
Quite apart from this, a side point is that Vaishnavas in general are not obsessed with this kind of mystical communion with God. They are more interested simply in serving God and purifying their hearts. Their confidence is that the Lord will manifest Himself before them when they become qualified, drawn by their devotion. Even the six gosvamis, who were all pure devotees and liberated souls, and could enter into Krishna’s pastimes in meditation, never claimed that they saw Krishna. Rather, in a humble mood, they were always praying to the Lord, desiring for that day to come when they would be fortunate enough to see Krishna. Or, as one of our previous acharyas, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, would instruct: “Don’t try to see Krishna. Rather, you should conduct your life in such a way that Krishna will want to see you!”
