Prakrta-bhakta, or Kanistha-adhikari/Third Class devotee

The prakrta, or third-class devotees, are temple worshipers without specific knowledge of the Lord and the Lord’s devotees.

Third-class devotees: “One who offers prescribed worship with faith to the Deity of Lord Visnu but has no devotion for Vaisnavas and things related to Visnu is a materialistic devotee.

The third-class devotees, or the neophytes, who have no knowledge and are not detached from material association, but who are simply attracted by the preliminary process of worshiping the Deity in the temple, are called material devotees. Material devotees are more attached to material benefit than transcendental profit. Therefore, one has to make definite progress from the position of material devotional service to the second-class devotional position.

Even third-class devotees who have no literary knowledge or no time to read Srimad-Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita get the opportunity to hear about the pastimes of the Lord. In this way their minds may remain always absorbed in the thought of the Lord — His form, His activities and His transcendental nature. This state of Krsna consciousness is a liberated stage. Lord Caitanya, therefore, recommended five important processes in the discharge of devotional service: (1) to chant the holy names of the Lord, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, (2) to associate with devotees and serve them as far as possible, (3) to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, (4) to see the decorated temple and the Deity and, if possible, (5) to live in a place like Vrndavana or Mathura. These five items alone can help a devotee achieve the highest perfectional stage. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita and here in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. That third-class devotees can also imperceptibly achieve liberation is accepted in all Vedic literatures.

Even the third-class devotees are liberated souls.

Kanistha-adhikari Vaisnava

Kanistha-adhikari Vaisnava, he remains compact in temple worship, that’s all, to show the Deity and get some money and fill up the belly. The kanistha-adhikari, or neophyte devotee, is therefore advised to visit the temple every day and see the form of the Lord regularly. Thus the neophyte devotee can be freed from the bondage of fruitive activities.

According to Bhagavata a person who is attracted by the Arcana Marga without any knowledge of the science of Vaisnavism is called the Kanistha adhikari Vaisnava (one who simply engages in temple worship but does not see to the interests of the mass of people or cannot recognize devotees is called a kanistha-adhikari).

The thousands of karmis who have opened innumerable hospitals, old age homes, centers for the poor, and schools, and the thousands of jnanis who have engaged in meditation and undergone severe austerities are insignificant compared to a single kanistha-adhikari Vaisnava ringing the bell once before the Lord’s Deity. This is not sectarianism but plain truth.

The neophyte kanistha-adhikari does not know much about sastra but has full faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

One who has preliminary faith is called a kanistha-adhikari, or a neophyte.

“A person who is very faithfully engaged in the worship of the Deity in the temple but does not know how to behave toward devotees or people in general is called a prakrta-bhakta, or kanistha-adhikari.”

A prakrta devotee, or neophyte devotee, is still on the material platform. He certainly engages in worshiping the Deity, but he cannot appreciate the activities of a pure devotee. It has actually been seen that even an authorized devotee who is engaged in the service of the Lord by preaching the mission of Krsna consciousness is sometimes criticized by neophyte devotees. Such neophytes are described by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura: sarva-prani-sammananasamarthanam avajna spardhadimatam tu bhagavat-pratimaiva patram ity aha. For those who cannot properly appreciate the activities of authorized devotees, Deity worship is the only way for spiritual advancement. In the Caitanya-caritamrta (Antya 7.11) it is clearly said, krsna-sakti vina nahe tara pravartana: without being authorized by Krsna, one cannot preach the holy name of the Lord throughout the entire world. Nevertheless, a devotee who does so is criticized by neophyte devotees, kanistha-adhikaris, who are on the lower stages of devotional service. For them, Deity worship is strongly recommended.

A kanistha-adhikari also cannot tolerate such blasphemy, he is not competent to stop it by citing sastric evidences.