Who is spiritually advanced? Not someone who just gives sermons nicely. Anyone can speak the scriptures nicely if they have good education. But a spiritually advanced person is someone who not just speaks sermons but also lives according to the principles of scriptures (like seeing every living being with an equal vision), who is genuinely concerned for the welfare of others. One must understand that anyone who is sacrificing his/her life or anyone who accepts the instructions of God or His bonafide representatives – such persons are beyond all the designations of the world because they no longer see according to the designations of the world. One who discriminates according to a particular person’s designation has material consciousness. But one who no longer sees according to these sections of society, one who sees the equality of all living beings by his/her own vision, he/she is transcendental to all those designations. Such a person is spiritually advanced. The saintly personalities live by these principles.
-Radhanath Swami
