The spiritually progressive and natural path .
Stages of progression.
Suspicion
Doubt
Knowledge
Faith
It’s natural to be suspicious of spiritual movements and the motivation of people within such movements, which is a good use of intelligence. As initial suspicions subside by further associations , still doubt remains , so further applications of intelligence are needed . A thorough enquiring process is recommended by Krishna, you should know the spiritual qualities and practices of persons who speak and teach about God , so much further understandings are most essential ,one must test initially persons a carefully watch them .
As those doubts clear, further understanding of the spiritual knowledge and its practical applications develop , and the beginnings of real and stronger faith develop . By hearing from authoritative sources and serving and by earnestly reading the writings of the param para acaryas while practising their teaching, faith begins to increase more and more . There is the faith of the beginner devotee , faith of the intermediate devotees , and faith of the advanced spiritualist . A natural progression takes place by services and enquiries and progressive intelligent submission to the Bhakti processes.
At no stage is our intelligence given up , nor do we give up referring to Sri Guru in his many forms as Siksa or Diksa . There are always established Sadhu’s , both current and of the past, and there is Sastra sanga ,i.e., the written words of the historic but fully present Gurus like Srila Rupa and Ragganatha das Goswami’s. Scriptures in the form of the Sruti and Smrit can never be neglected and must always be a reference point as checks and balances are never given up as our faith carries us further . Faith gets to the stage of unwavering and unreserved.
Faith carries one a long long way , and ultimately to unreserved faith , without any reservation , in matters of Bhava and Prema .
ŚB 1.2.20
एवं प्रसन्नमनसो भगवद्भक्तियोगत: ।
भगवत्तत्त्वविज्ञानं मुक्तसङ्गस्य जायते ॥ २० ॥
evaṁ prasanna-manaso
bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ
bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaṁ
mukta-saṅgasya jāyate
Synonyms
evam — thus; prasanna — enlivened; manasaḥ — of the mind; bhagavat–bhakti — the devotional service of the Lord; yogataḥ — by contact of; bhagavat — regarding the Personality of Godhead; tattva — knowledge; vijñānam — scientific; mukta — liberated; saṅgasya — of the association; jāyate — becomes effective.
Translation
Thus established in the mode of unalloyed goodness, the man whose mind has been enlivened by contact with devotional service to the Lord gains positive scientific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead in the stage of liberation from all material association.
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