I had just made a very major decision about the whole situation regarding Prabhupada's position and the false platform of our new gurus. . . . . I now plan to move ahead with major changes. . . . . Actually things have reached a point in my own realization that they simply can't wait any longer, for myself and for the society as well. I know that this unilateral action will be met with great criticism but there's no question of waiting, discussing and watering down things anymore. I hope you will be kind and pray for me in this humble endeavor, as I'm expecting to really get smashed for this one. . . . . I'm still completing my research and will formulate my conclusions in a written paper based strictly on Prabhupada's books. This paper will be presented to my temple presidents at an emergency zonal presidents meeting in two days, and after everything is analyzed by all of us thoroughly we will proceed immediately implementing the changes. . . . . I'm going to be completely truthful in this regards.
THE SCIENCE OF SELF REALIZATION pg. 65:
The self realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth. The first process is that of surrender. We have to find an exalted person and willingly surrender before him. The sastras enjoin that before we take a guru we study him carefully to find out whether we can surrender to him. We should not accept a guru suddenly out of fanaticism. That is very dangerous.
Srila Prabhupada Lecture Tape on BHAGAVAD-GITA 3.13-16, Summer of 1966, New York:
Srila Prabhupada: Don't accept blindly. God has given you power of reasoning, power of argument. . . . . Don't argue falsely. . . . . You have to surrender... Where? Where you will find a person, that here is clearly the person where I can surrender. Then that means that you have to make a little test, where to surrender. That much knowledge you must have. Don't surrender to any nonsense. You have to know how that intellectual nonsense can be found out. That is also mentioned in the sastra.
The Nectar of Instruction Vs. 5
PURPORT
In this verse Srila Rupa Goswami advises the devotee to be intelligent enough to distinguish between the kanistha-adhikari, madhyama-adhikari and uttama-adhikari. The devotee should also know his own position and should not try to imitate a devotee situated on a higher platform. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has given some practical hints to the effect that an uttama-adhikari Vaisnava can be recognized by his ability to convert many fallen souls to Vaisnavism. One should not become a spiritual master unless he has attained the platform of uttama-adhikari. A neophyte Vaishnava or a Vaishnava situated on the intermediate platform can also accept disciples, but such disciples must be on the same platform, and it should be understood that they cannot advance very well toward the ultimate goal of life under his insufficient guidance.
Teachings of Lord Kapila Vs. 36
PURPORT
The spiritual master is supposed to be in the most advanced stage, but for preaching purposes, he descends to the intermediate stage. The uttama-adhikari, the most advanced devotee, does not discriminate between devotees and nondevotees. He sees everyone but himself as a devotee. The truly advanced devotee sees that he is not a devotee but that everyone else is a devotee. . . . . The madhyama-adhikari is a devotee who worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the highest object of love, makes friends with the Lord's devotees, is merciful to the ignorant, and avoids those who are envious by nature.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta [Madhya-lila, Ch. 24 TEXT 330]
PURPORT
The guru must be situated on the topmost platform of devotional service. There are three classes of devotees, and the guru must be accepted from the topmost class. . . . . Only such a person is eligible to occupy the post of a guru.
Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 23 TEXT 18]
PURPORT
The spiritual master is addressed as "Prabhupada" because he is a completely self-realized soul.
Back To Godhead, October 10, 1968, Seattle Washington:
Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out
Disciple: Srila Prabhupada, is there any way for a Christian in this age - without the help of a spiritual master - to reach the spiritual sky through reading the words of Jesus Christ in the Bible and trying to follow his teachings.
Srila Prabhupada: When you read the Bible you are following the spiritual master. How can you say, "Without a spiritual master?" As soon as you reads the Bible that means you are following the instruction of Lord Jesus Christ. That means you are following the spiritual master. So where is the opportunity of being without the spiritual master?
Disciple: I was referring to a living spiritual master.
Srila Prabhupada: There is no question of whether the spiritual master is living. The spiritual master is eternal. Now your question was what to do without the spiritual master. Without the spiritual master you cannot be at any stage of your life. You may accept this spiritual master or that spiritual master. That's a different thing. But you have to accept. When you say, "reading the Bible," that means you are following the spiritual master, represented by some priest or some clergyman in the line of Lord Jesus Christ. So in any case you have to follow the spiritual master. There cannot be any question of without the spiritual master. Is that clear?
Disciple: I mean, for instance, we couldn't understand the teachings of Bhagavad-gita without your help Srila Prabhupada, without your presentation.
Srila Prabhupada: Similarly, you have to understand the Bible with the help of Christ and the priest in the church.
Disciple: Yes, but is the priest receiving a good interpretation from his disciplic succession or his bishop? Because there seems to be some kind of discrepancy in the interpretation of the Bible. There are many different sects of Christianity that interpret the Bible in different ways.
Srila Prabhupada: Of course there cannot be any interpretation of the Bible. . . . . So when someone makes some misrepresentation he's not a bona fide spiritual master. Reject such a spiritual master immediately. That intelligence you must have: Who is a pseudo spiritual master and who is a real spiritual master? Otherwise you'll be cheated. And that is being done. Everyone is interpreting in his own way. . . . . There is no question of interpretation. Then the authority is gone. As soon as you interpret, there is no authority. . . . . Unnecessary interpretation is not required, and that is not bona fide. And those who are interpreting unnecessarily - they should be rejected immediately. Immediately without any consideration.
BHAGAVAD-GITA 2.5
PURPORT
According to scriptural codes a teacher who engages in an abominable action and has lost his sense of discrimination is fit to be abandoned.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta [Madhya-lila, Ch. 8 TEXT 129]
PURPORT
If a person has all the qualities of a spiritual master, he should be accepted.
WHERE THE RITVIK PEOPLE ARE RIGHT by Jayadvaita Swami:
Fact: ISKCON gurus in good standing have fallen.
Fact: The ISKCON GBC has supported even fallen gurus and tried to paper over their falldowns.
Fact: ISKCON gurus have opposed, oppressed and driven out many sincere godbrothers and godsisters.
Fact: ISKCON have usurped and misused money, and diverted other ISKCON resources for their own personal prestige and sense gratification.
Fact: ISKCON gurus have had illicit sexual intercourse with both women and men, and possibly children as well.
Fact: Some ISKCON gurus still in good standing have had such serious personal difficulties that the GBC has been obliged to suspend them from initiating.
Fact: Other ISKCON gurus have snapped back into line only after "narrow misses."
Fact: Some ISKCON devotees have felt obliged to accept a new guru twice or even three times over. . . . . And when it comes to the subject of gurus, who trusts the spiritual guidance of the GBC? First the GBC gave us the "eleven pure devotees appointed by Srila Prabhupada," each deserving the fealty of his godbrothers and destined to be your guru if you joined the Hare Krsna movement in his zone. Then the GBC told us the gurus were never appointed. Or rather, members gave us at least two different stories, some GBC men declaring emphatically that Srila Prabhupada never appointed anything more than ritviks, others sure, to this day, of having been appointed "regular gurus."
Atma Magazine:
Srila Prabhupada appointed eleven gurus.
WHERE THE RITVIK PEOPLE ARE RIGHT by Jayadvaita Swami (contd.)
The GBC itself then appointed new gurus--or did it? The word "appointed" is never used. But there are "candidates for initiating guru," votes are taken and those who make it through the procedures become "ISKCON approved" or "ISKCON authorized" gurus. . . . . One might perhaps be forgiven for thinking that for all the laws and resolutions the role of guru is still a perplexity even for the GBC. . . . . We must honestly face the underlying issue. . . . . Who is a bona fide spiritual master? What qualifications must he have? Are the gurus in ISKCON factually qualified--all of them, some of them, or any of them? If all or any of them are less than fully fit, what implications does this have for their disciples and for ISKCON? In ISKCON today, how can one be sure that the spiritual master to whom one is surrendering is genuine and infallible? . . . . The spiritual leaders of ISKCON ought to recognize the importance of these questions and deal with them honestly, openly, sincerely and deeply.
Srila Prabhupada Letter to Rupanuga Maharaja, April 23, 1974:
I do not wish to discuss the activities of my godbrothers, but it is a fact they have no life for preaching work. All are satisfied with a place for residence in the name of a temple, they engage disciples to get foodstuff by transcendental devices and eat and sleep. They have no idea or brain how to broadcast the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. . . . . In the latter days my guru-maharaja was very disgusted. Actually he left this world earlier, otherwise he would have continued to live for more years. Still he requested his disciples to form a strong governing body for preaching the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He never recommended anyone to be acarya of the Gaudiya-Math. . . . . If guru-maharaja could have seen someone who was qualified . . . he would have mentioned. . . . . His idea was acarya was not to be nominated amongst the governing body. . . . . His idea was that amongst the members of the GBC who would come out successful and self effulgent acarya would be automatically selected. . . . . Now everyone is claiming to be acarya even though they may be kanistha-adhikary with no ability to preach. In some of the camps the acarya is being changed three times in a year. Therefore we may not commit the same mistake in our ISKCON camp.
BHAGAVAD-GITA (A Note About the Second Edition)
Although in most respects the two editions are the same, the editors of the BBT have gone back to the oldest manuscripts in their archives to make this second edition even more faithful to Srila Prabhupada's original work. The new American disciples who helped Srila Prabhupada ready the manuscript for publication struggled with several difficulties. Those who transcribed his taped dictation sometimes found his heavily accented english hard to follow and his sanskrit quotation strange to their ears. The sanskrit editors were hardly more than beginners in the language. So the english editors had to do their best with a manuscript spotted with gaps and phonetic approximations. For this second edition however, Srila Prabhupada's disciples had the benefit of having worked with his books for the last fifteen years. The english editors were familiar with his philosophy and language.In places the translations although already correct have been revised to come closer to the original sanskrit and to Srila Prabhupada's original dictation. In the Bhaktivedanta purports many passages lost to the original edition have been restored to their places.
Sri Isopanisad Mantra 1, Sri Isopanisad Mantra 1,
Copyright 1972 Copy sold in the ISKCON
San-Diego Temple gift
shop, March 16, 1997
PURPORT PURPORT
The Vedic knowledge is Vedic knowledge is
infallible because it comes infallible because it comes
down through the perfect down through the perfect
disciplic succession of disciplic succession of
spiritual masters beginning spiritual masters beginning
with the Lord Himself. The with the Lord Himself. Since He
Vedic knowledge is received spoke the first word of Vedic
from the transcendental sources knowledge, the source of this
and the first word was spoken knowledge is transcendental.
by the Lord Himself. The words The words spoken by the Lord
spoken by the Lord are called are called apauruseya, which
apauruseya, not delivered by indicates that they are not
any person of the mundane delivered by any mundane
world. A living being of the person. A living being who
mundane world has four defects, lives in the mundane world has
which are 1. that he must four defects 1. he is certain
commit mistakes. 2. he must to commit mistakes. 2. he is
sometimes be illusioned. 3. he subject to illusion. 3. he has
must try to cheat others and 4. a propensity to cheat others
he is endowed with imperfect and 4. his senses are
senses. With these four imperfect. No one with these
principals of imperfection one four imperfections can deliver
cannot deliver perfect perfect knowledge. The Vedas
information in the matter of are not produced by such an
all-pervading knowledge. The imperfect creature. Vedic
Vedas are not known like that. knowledge was originally
The Vedic knowledge was imparted by the Lord into the
originally imparted into the heart of Brahma, the first
heart of Brahma, the first created living being and Brahma
created living being, and in his turn disseminated this
Brahma in his turn disseminated knowledge to his sons and
the knowledge to his sons and disciples who have handed it
disciples, who have continued down throughout history.
the process down through
history.
Question: Do the following quotes apply?THE SCIENCE OF SELF REALIZATION pg. 61 & 62:
Whatever Vyasadeva wrote was originally spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Srila Vyasadeva did not give his own opinion. Consequently Srila Vyasadeva is a guru. He does not misinterpret the words of Krsna, but transmits them exactly as they were spoken. If we send a telegram, the person who delivers the telegram does not have to correct it, edit it, or add to it. He simply presents it. That is the guru's business.
Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 2, Ch. 9 TEXT 7]
PURPORT
As already stated, Brahma is the original spiritual master for the universe, and since he was initiated by the Lord Himself, the message of Srimad-Bhagavatam is coming down by disciplic succession, and in order to receive the real message of Srimad-Bhagavatam one should approach the current link, or spiritual master, in the chain of disciplic succession. After being initiated by the proper spiritual master in that chain of succession, one should engage himself in the discharge of tapasya in the execution of devotional service.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
PURPORT
It is our duty to seek out bogus propagandists, challenge them and defeat them.
As we know, Srila Prabhupada apologized to his godbrothers for any offenses he may have committed, however, he also pointed out that when preaching, sometimes one has to make offenses.
Have I committed any offenses,
taken any quotes out of context,
made any mistakes, and/or
done anything I shouldn't have?
If so, I'm sorry.
Aspiring to be the sincere
servant of the servant,
Yours Truly,
Gauranga Prema Dasa
Hare Krsna
---------------------------------------------
Dear Prabhus
Please accept my respectful obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I would just like to mention here, that I am not now,
nor have I ever been a supporter of the ritvik issue.
By approaching any pure devotee and inquiring submissively,
this ritvik issue could be resolved immediately. That is, if we
are willing to accept the vani or instructions of the pure
devotee.
For anyone who doesn't know what this ritvik issue is all about, it basically entails the fact that Srila Prabhupada appointed some of his disciples to perform the ceremony of initiation on his behalf. A person designated to perform this ceremony is referred to as a ritvik priest. When he passed on, those performing this ceremony began initiating their own disciples. Whether or not they were qualified, and/or authorized, to do so, is the subject of this issue.
Have I committed any offenses,
made any mistakes, and/or
done anything I shouldn't have?
If so, I'm sorry.
Aspiring to be the sincere
servant of the servant,
Yours Truly,
Gauranga Prema Dasa
Hare Krsna
Dear Halayudha Prabhu
Please accept my respectful obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
My question to you, regarding this ritvik issue, is how much endeavor have we made to make sure there isn't a bona fide, physically present, maha-bhagavata, uttama-adhikari, pure devotee on the planet at the present time. Of course, you might wonder what the need for seeking out such an individual is, because we have Srila Prabhupada. However, regardless of whether you belong to the ritvik camp, or if you claim to be a disciple of a currently, physically present, initiating spiritual master, or even if you are an initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada, my test question is the same, and that is, how does Krsna specifically want me to be engaged? Does he want me for example, in the editorial department, in the cooking department or out on book distribution etc.? Does he want me to perform the duties of a ksatriya or a brahmana etc.? Does he want me in America, India or some other place? I don't know of any reason why anyone who has a bona fide link to the disciplic succession, wouldn't be able to find out the answers to these questions. My question for anyone who cannot answer these questions, regardless of which guru [or so-called guru, as the case may be] they claim to be a disciple of, is what is the use of their philosophy?
You might also point out that there may not appear to be any bona fide spiritual masters, who are presently accepting disciples. To this, I ask about the qualification of all those who are not presently initiating disciples. In other words, how can we be so sure that the pot washer, for example, isn't a bona fide guru, and if he is, and he tells me that Prabhupada wants me in, lets say for example, India, right now, and I tell him that I don't have to listen to him, because I have Srila Prabhupada, then would I not be guilty of misunderstanding the principle of the guru is one? We know, based on the example of the majority of Srila Prabhupada's life, that just because someone may not presently be recognized as such, doesn't necessarily mean that they are not a bona fide acarya.
Another question I have, for those who believe that Srila Prabhupada is the last initiating spiritual master during Lord Caitanya's ten-thousand year reign, is what other explanation would there be for why Srila Prabhupada spent so much time talking about his disciples becoming qualified to initiate other disciples in the future? Surely, he knows past, present and future, and wouldn't dream of wasting his time, talking about something that is never supposed to happen.
And, my last question for now, is do you believe that Srila Prabhupada did not succeed in making even one pure devotee?
Have I committed any offenses,
made any mistakes, and/or
done anything I shouldn't have?
If so, I'm sorry.
Aspiring to be the sincere
servant of the servant,
Yours Truly,
Gauranga Prema Dasa
Hare Krsna
On 2 Oct 1999, Halayudha dasa wrote:
> Hari Bol Prabhu:
> Dandavats. Jaya Sri Sri Guru Gauranga!
> Thanks for your e-mail. Personally I don't wish to get into any kind
> of a debate with anyone on this issue of guru.
THE SCIENCE OF SELF REALIZATION pg. 228:
Prof. Kotovsky: The difficulty is that our approach is that we do not believe in anything without argument. We can believe only things based on argument.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, that is allowed. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita [4.34]. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya. Pariprasna, argument is allowed - but not in the challenging spirit, but rather with the spirit to understand. Argument is not denied.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta [Adi-lila, Ch. 8 TEXT 15]
PURPORT
Those who are actually inquisitive to understand the philosophy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu through logic and argument are welcome. Please put Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy to your crucial test.
Narada Bhakti Sutra 5.74
PURPORT
A sincere student should not neglect the discussion of such conclusions (concerning the philosophy of Krsna consciousness), considering them controversial, for such discussion strengthens the mind. Thus one's mind becomes attached to Krsna.
> He is your guru whom you accept as such. However there are
> different levels and kinds of gurus although the principle
> of guru is one.
THE SCIENCE OF SELF REALIZATION pg. 79 & 80:
Gentlemen, the offering of such an homage as has been arranged this evening to the Acaryadeva is not a sectarian concern, for when we speak of the fundamental principle of gurudeva, or acaryadeva, we speak of something that is of universal application. There does not arise any question of discriminating my guru from yours or anyone else's. There is only one guru, who appears in an infinity of forms to teach you, me, and all others. . . . . Absolute Truth is one, about which we think there is no difference of opinion, the guru also cannot be two.
Regarding the different levels of gurus, I understand that although one may accept a kanistha or madhyama-adhikari as a guru, the Nectar of Instruction makes it quite clear that you would have to be a fool to do so, for such a guru could only, as stated, offer "insufficient guidance." And furthermore, to accept such a guru, prior to making a sincere, serious endeavor to seek out an uttama-adhikari, especially after thoroughly understanding this instruction, would be, at the very least, bordering, on offensive. By the way prabhu, you are aware that I am not a supporter of this ritvik issue, aren't you?
> As far as whether you should do this or that with your
> personal life: if your guru is physically present he may
> direct you in these intimate matters, but when he leaves
> the planet and you no longer have such immediate,
> face-to-face and intimate access to him, there is
> nothing wrong in taking shelter of your more
> advanced god-brothers.
> Your humble servant,
> Halayudha dasa
Personally, I am not very interested in debating the subject of the ritvik issue either, mainly because I don't consider it all that important. Which form the spiritual master manifests is obviously not nearly as important as what the instructions of the guru are. We know that Srila Prabhupada ordered the introduction and establishment of varnasrama-dharma, which ironically would solve this and practically, if not all, other problems as well, by putting everyone in their proper place, and in this way, enable us all to see, who is who and what is what. So, as you can see, although I don't place much importance on this ritvik issue, I do consider the guru issue to be extremely important and urgent. I also know that this ritvik issue could be easily resolved by simply approaching any pure devotee, and inquiring submissively, then co-operatively submitting to the authority of that pure devotee.
As far as resorting to taking shelter of more advanced god-brothers, I have no objection, as long as they can say for certain what Krsna wants, or if not, are at least willing to refer to a bona fide link in the disciplic succession, rather than their own concocted speculation, which would obviously result in cheating. Wouldn't you agree, that if someone doesn't know for certain what Krsna wants, yet instructs you all the same, and then has the nerve, the gaul, and the audacity to to attach consequences to disobedience of their instruction [ie. banning one from the temple ect.], that this is no different from slavery?
PS. Are you aware that I posted my response to your last letter on the VNN News Forum website? I will also be posting this one.
By the way, I am very interested to learn what ever became of the Prabhupada Dream book.
Have I committed any offenses,
taken any quotes out of context,
made any mistakes, and/or
done anything I shouldn't have?
If so, I'm sorry.
Aspiring to be the sincere
servant of the servant,
Yours Truly,
Gauranga Prema Dasa
Hare Krsna