TRICK OF MAYA

     Finding fault with devotees is a trick of Maya. She uses many tricks to "distract." It is a distraction, that is all. I see how my mind will fight tooth and nail to keep a grip on it. I can hear it running around like a little rat in the corner with this reason and that rationalization about how I should keep this distraction. To focus on the faults of another distracts me from focusing on Krishna. It is the most powerful distraction and opens the door to hell. 

     The only hope is that by experiencing a higher taste the taste for this distraction will be rejected. The association of devotees is essential to root out this sinful habit.

     Fault finding is a sinful activity that must be given up completely as we progress. Up to a certain point we can get away with it, as long as we externally follow the 4 regulative principles and chant a prescribed number of rounds. It is the dirty thing in the heart that is not visible just as the 4 sinful activities (meat eating, illicit sex, intoxication and gambling) are dirty things that are visible. 

     So there are actually 5 regulative principles total when all 9 devotional practices SB 7.5.23-24 are activated and there are 2 stages to bhakti. SB 4.28.30

     The first stage is when the 7 practices of vaidi bhakti are in effect; hearing, chanting, remembering, offering worship, offering prayers, rendering transcendental loving service and serving the lotus feet of the Lord. At this stage the 4 sinful activities that are prohibited are no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling and no illicit sex and on the positive side a prescribed number of rounds. That's the bare minimum to ensure at least human life and some foundation for Krishna consciousness..Just by doing this one can be engaged in brahminical activities. 

     When the remaining two practices of the 9 processes of devotional service... making friends with the Lord and surrendering everything... are in effect the stage of bhakti is raganuga and the 5th regulative principle becomes dominant: no fault finding is the prohibition with chanting, hearing and remembering ceaselessly on the positive side.