Dear Devotees and dear Friends,
please accept our dandavatspranams and receive heartly blessings from SrilaGurudeva. All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga and all glories to Sri SriRadhaVinodeBihariji.
Today, Sri KrsnaNavamiTithi, the 29thof December, on the most auspicious day of the appearance of nitylilapravistaomvishnupada Sri SrimadBhaktivedantaVamanGosvami Maharaja, our most beloved Gurudeva, Sri SrimadBhaktivedanta Narayan Gosvami Maharaja has entered the eternal pastimes of Sri SriRadha and Krsna at 03.00 AM in Sri JagannathKsetraDham, the transcendental residence of Sri Jagannath Deva, Sri Baladeva and SrimatiSubhadra.
We are making arrangements to bring SrilaGurudeva’s transcendental body to Sri NavadvipDham and place it in Samadhi.
More news will follow.
Vaisnavadasanudasa& aspirant for the service of Sri Guru and Vaisnavas
Swami B.V. Madhava&Brajanath das
One should understand Krishna in truth, and this one can do only byserving a pure devotee.
SrimadBhagavatam, 7.9.24
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Ekadasi: Mother of Prema-Bhakti
Ekadasi: Mother of Prema-Bhakti
by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja
February 1997: Murwillumbah, Australia
Today is Ekadasi-vrata, and I think that most of you have observed it. To observe Ekadasi fully, like Ambarisa Maharaja, is very rare. We should try, but we are influenced by this present age, Kali-yuga.
Maharaja Ambarisa lived in Satya-yuga, and he was so strong that he could have fasted for one year, without sleep, standing on one leg, without even drinking water or breathing air. In Kali-yuga we are neither strong nor advanced; but we are fortunate. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has explained that on Ekadasi if we are hungry, we may take some fruit, juice, or milk. We should not eat continually. It is not that we drink a liter of one type of juice, and half an hour later another type of juice, and again within half an hour we take boiled potatoes and other vegetables, then after half an hour a large drink of water, a pound of paneer with sugar, and another half liter of rabari. We should eat only as much as is needed to allay sleep and idleness.
Remaining awake day and night, we should spend Ekadasi chanting and remembering Sri Krsna, as Ambarisa Maharaja did. He was the emperor of the whole world, a householder, and he was externally entangled in material attachments. Durvasa Muni was a brahmana and a realized yogi. He could curse someone to die, and also bring a dead man back to life. He was a brahmarsi, a brahmavadi with great powers. He thought: “I am born in a brahminical family and am in the dynasty of Sankara (Siva). I am a manifestation of Sankara, the son of Atri and Anasuya, who are highly learned uttama-bhakta Vaisnavas. My parents gave so many teachings to Sita-devi, who is Laksmi herself, when She and Rama visited my parents’ cottage. I am the greatest and most powerful man in this world; I can do anything within a moment.” However, Durvasa Muni never observed Ekadasi.
Once, in his palace in Madhuvana, Mathura, Ambarisa Maharaja observed maha-dvadasi, neither drinking water nor sleeping. He absorbed himself throughout the day and night in chanting, remembering, serving the Deities, and praying. The next day, after worshipping Sri Krsna, when he was almost ready to break his fast, Durvasa Muni arrived at his palace.
Durvasa was like a god, a realized brahmavadi, but he had not observed Ekadasi. Ambarisa Maharaja requested him to break Ekadasi by taking maha-dvadasi parana, after which he himself would honor prasada. Durvasa Muni replied, “Yes, but first I will take bath nearby in the Yamuna River. I won’t be very long.”
He delayed for such a long time, however, that only a few minutes were left before the auspicious time for breaking Ekadasi would be over. Ambarisa Maharaja wondered what to do. He thought, “A brahmana-rsi, a siddha maha¬yogi, has come to my door. He is not an ordinary person. I should respect him by offering him maha¬prasada before I myself take it. Otherwise, I will be neglecting Indian culture, and I may possibly go to hell. On the other hand, I must observe my Ekadasi-vrata, which is not a worldly activity. It is transcendental, and if I fail to observe it by not taking maha-prasada at the proper time, I may lose my bhakti. Should I honor this brahmana, or honor bhakti?”
After careful consideration, he chose to honor bhakti. “I cannot act against bhakti in any way, even if I lose some material prosperity or go to hell. I will not disrespect Ekadasi; I will break it within the prescribed time.” He then drank a drop of water that had been used in the worship of Sri Krsna, called caranamrta.
If one observes Ekadasi without taking juice or water, he can break the fast by taking caranamrta. But if water, fruit, juice, milk, or vegetables have been taken, one will have to break it by taking some grain; otherwise his Ekadasi is not complete.
Ambarisa Maharaja thought, “I have not taken even water during my observance of Ekadasi , so I can take caranamrta. In this way, because I will not have taken any grains, I will also be respecting the brahmana.”
After taking a drop of caranamrta, Durvasa Muni returned. “I know you, He shouted. “You are only a so-called bhakta. I am a siddha (perfect mystic) brahmana. You know my parentage. You know of my great powers, and yet you have dared to dishonor me. I will immediately burn you to ashes.”
He took one dreadlock from his hair, dashed it to the ground, and ordered it to become a burning fire. The fire demon then ran towards Ambarisa Maharaja in an attempt to burn him to ashes. At that moment the Sudarsana cakra appeared there. Sri Krsna had ordered His cakra to always protect the Vaisnavas, persons who have taken shelter of Him, so Sudarsana burned to ashes the fiery demon and then moved toward Durvasa rsi, who fled, ‘taking his legs on his head.’ [*Endnote 2] Durvasa Rsi then cried out, “Save me! Save me! Save me!”
When the fire demon had approached Ambarisa Maharaja, the king chanted and was fearless. He thought, “Whether I live or die depends on Sri Krsna.” He depended fully on Sri Krsna, and Sudarsana cakra saved him. Durvasa Muni, however, though a powerful brahmana and realized yogi, feared death and fled. He tried first to take shelter of his father, Lord Siva; but seeing him approach, Lord Siva called out to him, “Don’t come here. Go from here! I know why you are running. You are in this predicament because you have dishonored a Vaisnava. I know how influential Vaisnavas are and I fear offending them. If I give you shelter, Sudarsana will also attack me.”
Durvasa Muni then went to Lord Brahma, who also refused to help him. After that he approached Lord Visnu and prayed, “O Visnu! O Visnu! Save me from Your weapon. I am taking shelter of You.”
Lord Visnu said, “I am powerless to protect you. I have no freedom. I am bound to My bhaktas. They have given their hearts to Me, and I have given Mine to them. I am in no way independent of My devotees.”
sri-bhagavan uvaca
aham bhakta-paradhino
hy asvatantra iva dvija sadhubhir
grasta-hrdayo bhaktair
bhakta jana-priyah
[“The Supreme Personality of Godhead said to the brahmana: “I am completely under the control of My devotees. Indeed, I am not at all independent. Because My devotees are completely devoid of material desires, I sit only within the cores of their hearts. What to speak of My devotee, even those who are devotees of My devotee are very dear to Me.”
[Srimad-Bhagavatam, 9.4.63]
If someone gets a thorn in his foot, that thorn cannot be removed from his head. It must be removed from his foot. So Lord Visnu is saying, “The Vaisnavas are everything to Me. It is My vow to protect them. If you want to be saved, you must go at once to Ambarisa Maharaja. Do not see him as a family man or an ordinary ksatriya king. Do no think ‘Oh, he is nothing.’ He is My heart. Offer him your obeisances.”
Worldly persons tend to think, “I am so learned, rich, and powerful. These bogus Vaisnavas are useless and only chant Hare Krsna, doing nothing of value.” Do not behave like this. Rather, become an actual, sincere Vaisnava. Then, Sri Krsna will protect you and bestow upon you krsna-prema.
On the Lord’s order, Durvasa Rsi immediately returned to Maharaja Ambarisa. Durvasa begged, “Please save me from the Sudarsana cakra. His heat is burning me.” Ambarisa then prayed, “O Prabhu, O Lord, if I have ever performed devotional service to Sri Krsna, then please save this brahmana.” No sooner were these words spoken then the Sudarsana cakra became cool and returned to Lord Visnu.
Ever since Durvasa Rsi had begun fleeing from the Lord’s weapon one year earlier, Ambarisa Maharaja had not eaten anything. In fact, when he finally came before Ambarisa Maharaja, the king apologized to him with great humility. He said, “I am nothing—I am not a devotee. I have neglected and dishonored you by breaking my fast.” Durvasa Muni fell flat at the lotus feet of Ambarisa Maharaja, who embraced him.
Ambarisa Maharaja asked him to be merciful and honor maha-prasada. Durvasa then expressed his new realization, that bhaktas are more powerful than Krsna Himself. Krsna has given all of His power to the Vaisnavas. But they hide this and ‘cheat’ others, presenting themselves as fallen persons. Trnad api sunicena. Although they are extremely powerful, they are also meek and humble, generous and polite.”
Durvasa Rsi gladly took maha-prasada, after which Ambarisa Maharaja also honored prasada along with his whole family.
So be like that: humble, with strong faith in devotional service to Sri Krsna and Ekadasi. We can give our head, life, and soul to observe Ekadasi. Ekadasi will protect us, for she is the mother of prema-bhakti.
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has written: madhava tithi bhakti janani jatane palana kori. Ekadasi is madhava-tithi, Krsna Himself. Holy days like Ekadasi are bhakti janani, the mother of prema-bhakti. We should try to follow it as purely as possible, not eating and drinking many times throughout the day.
If possible, observe it without even drinking water (nirjala), or take a little prasada once in the day if this is not possible. Many old people, who are lean and thin, can observe nirjala Ekadasi ; so why not those of you who are young and strong? Try to observe it like this. However, if by such fasting your head pains and you go to sleep, then what is the use? Try to remember Krsna, associate with Vaisnavas, read the Vedic scriptures, and offer prayers day and night.
One such prayer is:
he krsna karuna sindhu
dina bandho jagat pate
gopesa gopika kanta
radha kanta namo 'stu te.
[“I offer my unlimited obeisences unto You, O Krsna! You are the ocean of mercy, friend of the fallen, Lord of creation, and master of the cowherd community. You are Gopi-kanta, beloved of the gopis, and above all You are Radha-kanta, the beloved of Srimati Radhika!”]
Observing Ekadasi gives even more spiritual power than brahma-jnana (realization of spirit as separate from matter) and brahma-yoga-samadhi (absorption in the impersonal aspect of God).
[*Endnote 1: “O learned one, in this iron age of Kali men have but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed.”]
Endnote 2: “Taking his legs on his head” is a Hindi expression to illustrate one who flees at lightning speed.”]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Srila Narayana
Maharaja Page
by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja
February 1997: Murwillumbah, Australia
Today is Ekadasi-vrata, and I think that most of you have observed it. To observe Ekadasi fully, like Ambarisa Maharaja, is very rare. We should try, but we are influenced by this present age, Kali-yuga.
Maharaja Ambarisa lived in Satya-yuga, and he was so strong that he could have fasted for one year, without sleep, standing on one leg, without even drinking water or breathing air. In Kali-yuga we are neither strong nor advanced; but we are fortunate. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has explained that on Ekadasi if we are hungry, we may take some fruit, juice, or milk. We should not eat continually. It is not that we drink a liter of one type of juice, and half an hour later another type of juice, and again within half an hour we take boiled potatoes and other vegetables, then after half an hour a large drink of water, a pound of paneer with sugar, and another half liter of rabari. We should eat only as much as is needed to allay sleep and idleness.
Remaining awake day and night, we should spend Ekadasi chanting and remembering Sri Krsna, as Ambarisa Maharaja did. He was the emperor of the whole world, a householder, and he was externally entangled in material attachments. Durvasa Muni was a brahmana and a realized yogi. He could curse someone to die, and also bring a dead man back to life. He was a brahmarsi, a brahmavadi with great powers. He thought: “I am born in a brahminical family and am in the dynasty of Sankara (Siva). I am a manifestation of Sankara, the son of Atri and Anasuya, who are highly learned uttama-bhakta Vaisnavas. My parents gave so many teachings to Sita-devi, who is Laksmi herself, when She and Rama visited my parents’ cottage. I am the greatest and most powerful man in this world; I can do anything within a moment.” However, Durvasa Muni never observed Ekadasi.
Once, in his palace in Madhuvana, Mathura, Ambarisa Maharaja observed maha-dvadasi, neither drinking water nor sleeping. He absorbed himself throughout the day and night in chanting, remembering, serving the Deities, and praying. The next day, after worshipping Sri Krsna, when he was almost ready to break his fast, Durvasa Muni arrived at his palace.
Durvasa was like a god, a realized brahmavadi, but he had not observed Ekadasi. Ambarisa Maharaja requested him to break Ekadasi by taking maha-dvadasi parana, after which he himself would honor prasada. Durvasa Muni replied, “Yes, but first I will take bath nearby in the Yamuna River. I won’t be very long.”
He delayed for such a long time, however, that only a few minutes were left before the auspicious time for breaking Ekadasi would be over. Ambarisa Maharaja wondered what to do. He thought, “A brahmana-rsi, a siddha maha¬yogi, has come to my door. He is not an ordinary person. I should respect him by offering him maha¬prasada before I myself take it. Otherwise, I will be neglecting Indian culture, and I may possibly go to hell. On the other hand, I must observe my Ekadasi-vrata, which is not a worldly activity. It is transcendental, and if I fail to observe it by not taking maha-prasada at the proper time, I may lose my bhakti. Should I honor this brahmana, or honor bhakti?”
After careful consideration, he chose to honor bhakti. “I cannot act against bhakti in any way, even if I lose some material prosperity or go to hell. I will not disrespect Ekadasi; I will break it within the prescribed time.” He then drank a drop of water that had been used in the worship of Sri Krsna, called caranamrta.
If one observes Ekadasi without taking juice or water, he can break the fast by taking caranamrta. But if water, fruit, juice, milk, or vegetables have been taken, one will have to break it by taking some grain; otherwise his Ekadasi is not complete.
Ambarisa Maharaja thought, “I have not taken even water during my observance of Ekadasi , so I can take caranamrta. In this way, because I will not have taken any grains, I will also be respecting the brahmana.”
After taking a drop of caranamrta, Durvasa Muni returned. “I know you, He shouted. “You are only a so-called bhakta. I am a siddha (perfect mystic) brahmana. You know my parentage. You know of my great powers, and yet you have dared to dishonor me. I will immediately burn you to ashes.”
He took one dreadlock from his hair, dashed it to the ground, and ordered it to become a burning fire. The fire demon then ran towards Ambarisa Maharaja in an attempt to burn him to ashes. At that moment the Sudarsana cakra appeared there. Sri Krsna had ordered His cakra to always protect the Vaisnavas, persons who have taken shelter of Him, so Sudarsana burned to ashes the fiery demon and then moved toward Durvasa rsi, who fled, ‘taking his legs on his head.’ [*Endnote 2] Durvasa Rsi then cried out, “Save me! Save me! Save me!”
When the fire demon had approached Ambarisa Maharaja, the king chanted and was fearless. He thought, “Whether I live or die depends on Sri Krsna.” He depended fully on Sri Krsna, and Sudarsana cakra saved him. Durvasa Muni, however, though a powerful brahmana and realized yogi, feared death and fled. He tried first to take shelter of his father, Lord Siva; but seeing him approach, Lord Siva called out to him, “Don’t come here. Go from here! I know why you are running. You are in this predicament because you have dishonored a Vaisnava. I know how influential Vaisnavas are and I fear offending them. If I give you shelter, Sudarsana will also attack me.”
Durvasa Muni then went to Lord Brahma, who also refused to help him. After that he approached Lord Visnu and prayed, “O Visnu! O Visnu! Save me from Your weapon. I am taking shelter of You.”
Lord Visnu said, “I am powerless to protect you. I have no freedom. I am bound to My bhaktas. They have given their hearts to Me, and I have given Mine to them. I am in no way independent of My devotees.”
sri-bhagavan uvaca
aham bhakta-paradhino
hy asvatantra iva dvija sadhubhir
grasta-hrdayo bhaktair
bhakta jana-priyah
[“The Supreme Personality of Godhead said to the brahmana: “I am completely under the control of My devotees. Indeed, I am not at all independent. Because My devotees are completely devoid of material desires, I sit only within the cores of their hearts. What to speak of My devotee, even those who are devotees of My devotee are very dear to Me.”
[Srimad-Bhagavatam, 9.4.63]
If someone gets a thorn in his foot, that thorn cannot be removed from his head. It must be removed from his foot. So Lord Visnu is saying, “The Vaisnavas are everything to Me. It is My vow to protect them. If you want to be saved, you must go at once to Ambarisa Maharaja. Do not see him as a family man or an ordinary ksatriya king. Do no think ‘Oh, he is nothing.’ He is My heart. Offer him your obeisances.”
Worldly persons tend to think, “I am so learned, rich, and powerful. These bogus Vaisnavas are useless and only chant Hare Krsna, doing nothing of value.” Do not behave like this. Rather, become an actual, sincere Vaisnava. Then, Sri Krsna will protect you and bestow upon you krsna-prema.
On the Lord’s order, Durvasa Rsi immediately returned to Maharaja Ambarisa. Durvasa begged, “Please save me from the Sudarsana cakra. His heat is burning me.” Ambarisa then prayed, “O Prabhu, O Lord, if I have ever performed devotional service to Sri Krsna, then please save this brahmana.” No sooner were these words spoken then the Sudarsana cakra became cool and returned to Lord Visnu.
Ever since Durvasa Rsi had begun fleeing from the Lord’s weapon one year earlier, Ambarisa Maharaja had not eaten anything. In fact, when he finally came before Ambarisa Maharaja, the king apologized to him with great humility. He said, “I am nothing—I am not a devotee. I have neglected and dishonored you by breaking my fast.” Durvasa Muni fell flat at the lotus feet of Ambarisa Maharaja, who embraced him.
Ambarisa Maharaja asked him to be merciful and honor maha-prasada. Durvasa then expressed his new realization, that bhaktas are more powerful than Krsna Himself. Krsna has given all of His power to the Vaisnavas. But they hide this and ‘cheat’ others, presenting themselves as fallen persons. Trnad api sunicena. Although they are extremely powerful, they are also meek and humble, generous and polite.”
Durvasa Rsi gladly took maha-prasada, after which Ambarisa Maharaja also honored prasada along with his whole family.
So be like that: humble, with strong faith in devotional service to Sri Krsna and Ekadasi. We can give our head, life, and soul to observe Ekadasi. Ekadasi will protect us, for she is the mother of prema-bhakti.
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has written: madhava tithi bhakti janani jatane palana kori. Ekadasi is madhava-tithi, Krsna Himself. Holy days like Ekadasi are bhakti janani, the mother of prema-bhakti. We should try to follow it as purely as possible, not eating and drinking many times throughout the day.
If possible, observe it without even drinking water (nirjala), or take a little prasada once in the day if this is not possible. Many old people, who are lean and thin, can observe nirjala Ekadasi ; so why not those of you who are young and strong? Try to observe it like this. However, if by such fasting your head pains and you go to sleep, then what is the use? Try to remember Krsna, associate with Vaisnavas, read the Vedic scriptures, and offer prayers day and night.
One such prayer is:
he krsna karuna sindhu
dina bandho jagat pate
gopesa gopika kanta
radha kanta namo 'stu te.
[“I offer my unlimited obeisences unto You, O Krsna! You are the ocean of mercy, friend of the fallen, Lord of creation, and master of the cowherd community. You are Gopi-kanta, beloved of the gopis, and above all You are Radha-kanta, the beloved of Srimati Radhika!”]
Observing Ekadasi gives even more spiritual power than brahma-jnana (realization of spirit as separate from matter) and brahma-yoga-samadhi (absorption in the impersonal aspect of God).
[*Endnote 1: “O learned one, in this iron age of Kali men have but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed.”]
Endnote 2: “Taking his legs on his head” is a Hindi expression to illustrate one who flees at lightning speed.”]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Srila Narayana
Maharaja Page
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
SRILA GURUDEVAS PROGRESS!!
SRILA GURUDEVAS PROGRESS!!
by Bhagavat Maharaja on Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 4:11am
Over all Srila Gurudeva is progressing well. He is eating and drinking more by mouth and not the tube. He drank a whole cup of soup with his mouth on his own yesterday. He walks a little everyday and goes around in his wheel chair. His voice his stronger and clear. He speaks with people everyday and gives instructions. He talks about how he will get cured and recover. He spends less time in deep samadhi and more time consciously present with his surroundings. He wants to be active and take a more active part in what is going on. He asked to go to Delhi to the dentist. So he wants to get out and about and move here and there. He does not always sleep well at night due to some minor inconveniences to his body. However it does not seem to affect his progress during the day except he needs to nap more because he is tired. He continues to take his Massage therapy and physio therapy.He gave initiation yesterday to many devotees and gave all of them darshan.
Dr Ray is coming tonight and he will be working on Srila Gurudeva tomorrow. I am not sure about this but it appears that since Srila Gurudeva is stronger that Dr. Ray will now begin the cancer therapy. Of course Srila Gurudeva is the one who will cure the cancer, as he has said a few times already that he can cure himself at any moment. Srila Gurudeva is just using Dr. Ray to remove the cancer from his spiritulized body the way Krishna used Arjuna to remove the cancer of the Kauravas on the earth . Srila Gurudeva engages us in his service and accepts our service to help us become more attached to him and to the process of developing love for Sri Sri Radha Vinode Bihari.
Srila Gurudeva Ki Jaya!!!!!!!!
Your Uncle
B.V. Bhagavat Swami
by Bhagavat Maharaja on Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 4:11am
Over all Srila Gurudeva is progressing well. He is eating and drinking more by mouth and not the tube. He drank a whole cup of soup with his mouth on his own yesterday. He walks a little everyday and goes around in his wheel chair. His voice his stronger and clear. He speaks with people everyday and gives instructions. He talks about how he will get cured and recover. He spends less time in deep samadhi and more time consciously present with his surroundings. He wants to be active and take a more active part in what is going on. He asked to go to Delhi to the dentist. So he wants to get out and about and move here and there. He does not always sleep well at night due to some minor inconveniences to his body. However it does not seem to affect his progress during the day except he needs to nap more because he is tired. He continues to take his Massage therapy and physio therapy.He gave initiation yesterday to many devotees and gave all of them darshan.
Dr Ray is coming tonight and he will be working on Srila Gurudeva tomorrow. I am not sure about this but it appears that since Srila Gurudeva is stronger that Dr. Ray will now begin the cancer therapy. Of course Srila Gurudeva is the one who will cure the cancer, as he has said a few times already that he can cure himself at any moment. Srila Gurudeva is just using Dr. Ray to remove the cancer from his spiritulized body the way Krishna used Arjuna to remove the cancer of the Kauravas on the earth . Srila Gurudeva engages us in his service and accepts our service to help us become more attached to him and to the process of developing love for Sri Sri Radha Vinode Bihari.
Srila Gurudeva Ki Jaya!!!!!!!!
Your Uncle
B.V. Bhagavat Swami
Monday, November 15, 2010
SRILA GURUDEVA IS SO MERCIFUL!!!!
SRILA GURUDEVA IS SO MERCIFUL!!!!
by Bhagavat Maharaja on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 at 2:32am
The night before Srila Gurudeva slept deep and well with only a couple of wakings. I gave a detailed report on the Darshan he gave us at the door in the morning. He repeated that Darshan in the evening to the joy and happiness of all the devotees. He is eating and digesting well retaining what he eats. He is actually eating food chewing with his teeth and swallowing. Kitchdie for lunch a few spoons and Dalia (cracked wheat) for dinner. Taking spoon in hand He eats this himself. The Physio Therapist reports he is more active and does his exercises. The Chinese Massage therapist says he is progressing well and very compliant with the treatment. He is walking up and down in the room with assistance and holding up his body on occasion and standing on his own. So by all signs he is demonstrating more strength vitality.
This has just come to me now. Srila Gurudeva woke up in the night and called Madhava Maharaja to him. He embraced Madhava Maharaja with great affection. He repeated this pastime again later and then called for Madhusudana Maharaja (formerly Symasundar) at 1:30 in the morning. At that time he held Madhusudan Maharaja's hand and told him "you sit with me for some time. Why you are not coming to see me everyday? You should come and see me." So Madhusudan Maharaja sat with Srila Gurudeva for an hour or so holding his hand. Such sweet and loving pastimes Srila Gurudeva is enacting with his intimate disciples.
This is Srila Gurudevas mercy and love for his devotees how fortunate we are to be witnesses of this outpouring of love and affection that Srila Gurudeva has for his disciples. Srila Gurudeva loves all of his disciples and he embraces all of us with his love and hold our hands and leads us to the sweet service of the Divine Couple Sri Sri radha Vinode Bihari.
SRILA GURUDEVA KI JAYA!!!!!!!!!!!
Your Uncle
B.V. Bhagavat Swami
by Bhagavat Maharaja on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 at 2:32am
The night before Srila Gurudeva slept deep and well with only a couple of wakings. I gave a detailed report on the Darshan he gave us at the door in the morning. He repeated that Darshan in the evening to the joy and happiness of all the devotees. He is eating and digesting well retaining what he eats. He is actually eating food chewing with his teeth and swallowing. Kitchdie for lunch a few spoons and Dalia (cracked wheat) for dinner. Taking spoon in hand He eats this himself. The Physio Therapist reports he is more active and does his exercises. The Chinese Massage therapist says he is progressing well and very compliant with the treatment. He is walking up and down in the room with assistance and holding up his body on occasion and standing on his own. So by all signs he is demonstrating more strength vitality.
This has just come to me now. Srila Gurudeva woke up in the night and called Madhava Maharaja to him. He embraced Madhava Maharaja with great affection. He repeated this pastime again later and then called for Madhusudana Maharaja (formerly Symasundar) at 1:30 in the morning. At that time he held Madhusudan Maharaja's hand and told him "you sit with me for some time. Why you are not coming to see me everyday? You should come and see me." So Madhusudan Maharaja sat with Srila Gurudeva for an hour or so holding his hand. Such sweet and loving pastimes Srila Gurudeva is enacting with his intimate disciples.
This is Srila Gurudevas mercy and love for his devotees how fortunate we are to be witnesses of this outpouring of love and affection that Srila Gurudeva has for his disciples. Srila Gurudeva loves all of his disciples and he embraces all of us with his love and hold our hands and leads us to the sweet service of the Divine Couple Sri Sri radha Vinode Bihari.
SRILA GURUDEVA KI JAYA!!!!!!!!!!!
Your Uncle
B.V. Bhagavat Swami
Saturday, November 13, 2010
update on Srila Gurudeva`s health
News from Govardhan, November 13th
Dear devotees,
Please accept my dandavat pranams. All glories to Srila Gurudeva and Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga. All glories to Sri Sri Radha-Vinodehariji.
Yesterday, Srila Gurudeva"s condition was stable after a restful night. Devotees commented that in the morning, he interacted with devotees more than the previous day. However, during the day, he had difficulty digesting his prasad. In the evening I was invited to attend the daily meeting of doctors and devotees involved in Srila Gurudeva"s treatment. It was a full house - about fifteen devotees. The topic was simply digestion and nutrition: how to give Srila Gurudeva the nutrition he needs, and how to help him digest prasad better. It was very detailed. Srila Gurudeva is being given very considered and expert treatment.
In the evening, when devotees returned from parikrama, there was a very quick darshan on the large screen.
Last night, Srila Gurudeva rested, but he had some difficulty. There was a brief darshan on the large screen. Pujyapada Madhava Maharaja came in while Srila Gurudeva was resting during the morning program. He said that we should have a positive mood, and pray to Giriraja Govardhan for Srila Gurudeva"s health, because Giriraja fulfills the desires of his devotees. This morning Srila Gurudeva had about 40 minutes of full physiotherapy, and then rested.
It is becoming more and more clear that everything depends on Srila Gurudeva"s desire. It is not so clear at the moment to most devotees here what Srila Gurudeva"s desire is.
Aspiring for service Sri Hari, Guru and Vaishnavas,
B V Nemi
Dear devotees,
Please accept my dandavat pranams. All glories to Srila Gurudeva and Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga. All glories to Sri Sri Radha-Vinodehariji.
Yesterday, Srila Gurudeva"s condition was stable after a restful night. Devotees commented that in the morning, he interacted with devotees more than the previous day. However, during the day, he had difficulty digesting his prasad. In the evening I was invited to attend the daily meeting of doctors and devotees involved in Srila Gurudeva"s treatment. It was a full house - about fifteen devotees. The topic was simply digestion and nutrition: how to give Srila Gurudeva the nutrition he needs, and how to help him digest prasad better. It was very detailed. Srila Gurudeva is being given very considered and expert treatment.
In the evening, when devotees returned from parikrama, there was a very quick darshan on the large screen.
Last night, Srila Gurudeva rested, but he had some difficulty. There was a brief darshan on the large screen. Pujyapada Madhava Maharaja came in while Srila Gurudeva was resting during the morning program. He said that we should have a positive mood, and pray to Giriraja Govardhan for Srila Gurudeva"s health, because Giriraja fulfills the desires of his devotees. This morning Srila Gurudeva had about 40 minutes of full physiotherapy, and then rested.
It is becoming more and more clear that everything depends on Srila Gurudeva"s desire. It is not so clear at the moment to most devotees here what Srila Gurudeva"s desire is.
Aspiring for service Sri Hari, Guru and Vaishnavas,
B V Nemi
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Open letter to the GBC
From www.backtobhakti.com
Dear GBC Members, or whoever wrote that ingenious presentation:
Please accept my humble obeisances and prayers for your eventual liberation from this type of thinking. Please know: I am a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, a very senior one and also one who spent much time with His Divine Grace. I am not a member of Srila Narayana Maharaja’s sanga. And I do not usually get involved in these GBC political skirmishes since they are never-ending, and always changing. In this case, however, I feel it is my duty to Srila Prabhupada to say something.
Whether you like the preaching efforts of Srila Narayana Maharaja or not, this is not the issue. The issue is that he is a senior Vaishnava, respected all over the world, and was indeed a close friend of Srila Prabhupada. Please do not embarrass Srila Prabhupada in this way. It is not our jurisdiction to judge or criticize those who are superior to us in age or experience, as he is.
Please, my dear Godbrothers, it is an embarrassment for you to behave in this way. If you could just be honest and say truthfully, “We don’t want Narayana Maharaja around because he is so much our senior, so charismatic, so transcendentally inspiring that we feel threatened; we worry that our disciples (who are already noted for having a three-year shelf life) may leave us and go to him,” then at least your honesty could be appreciated. But with this long, drawn out he-said-this, he-said-that, bull—-, (and distorted facts as well), it is hard to feel anything but embarrassment at your transparency. Everyone sees through this mask, you know.
Unfortunately, fanaticism runs in all religious circles, and sometimes new converts, in their overzealousness, can seem abrasive, obnoxious and downright offensive. This could be said of both sides. But to criticize a sadhu who is senior to us by age, by diksha, by experience, and by a long-term relationship with our Srila Prabhupada, that is reprehensible. Even if you don’t like how he preaches, it is still not your place to criticize him. Prabhupada could criticize his own Godbrothers, but he never allowed us to do so. It is a matter of Vaishnava etiquette.
The really sad thing is that many of you are sincere and dedicated disciples of Srila Prabhupada. You all started out with the sincere desire to serve Srila Prabhupada, and to learn to serve Krishna. You took a few wrong turns when you tried to wear Daddy’s shoes prematurely, but he is forgiving and still loves you. He loves us all, even those who have gone astray and who have ended up in very unfortunate situations.
Whenever I have visited some of the Narayana Maharaja programs, I am amazed by the great number of Prabhupada’s disciples who are there, chanting and dancing and preaching and doing the things Srila Prabhupada taught us to do. I am also astounded at the vast numbers of enthusiastic youth, some Gurukulis, some new devotees, all jumping and dancing and chanting just as we were in our youth. They are truly inspired. As Prabhupada used to say: The proof of the pudding is in eating it.
I question whether you are eating much of the transcendental pudding these days, as you are so busy criticizing, picking apart, and comparing notes, that you have no time. In America, the land of defunct and disabled gurus, Srila Prabhupada’s temples are empty, folding, or falling apart—or maintained by Indians who don’t have the same appetite for such pettiness as this.
There’s truth to the saying that you can’t teach old dogs new tricks. But old dogs die, and new pups come in with their youth and enthusiasm. That’s what’s happening in the Narayana Maharaja sanga, but you refuse to see it. Instead, you choose to cling to your pedantry and pride. But please don’t expect everybody else to do this with you.
Have you thought of what history will say? It may read something like this:
“After the demise of the world-famous Spiritual Leader His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, a handful of his young disciples prematurely declared themselves his successors, and wrecked havoc to his mission. These imitation gurus misled hundreds of spiritual aspirants, created disaster for the institution that Swami Prabhupada built, and left a trail of angry, injured disciples, many of whom left spiritual life completely.”
I don’t know about you, but I sure wouldn’t want that on my resume!
Then history will declare,
“When the situation became intolerable for both the sincere disciples of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, as well as the hopelessly discouraged new disciples of these false gurus, another great personality appeared on the horizon. That personality was a God-nephew of Srila Prabhupada, who was known to him for many years, and who even performed the great Swami Bhaktivedanta’s last rites. He was known as Sri B.V. Narayana Maharaja, and he was a senior member of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti, an organization begun in 194l by his Gurudev, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Goswami Maharaj. This Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti was actually established by Swami Bhaktivedanta along with this Godbrother Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaj. It was from the hand of this beloved Godbrother that Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami received his sannyas initiation.”
It may conclude:
“By the sincere efforts of Sri B. V. Narayana Maharaja, hundreds and thousands of fortunate souls were rescued from the spiritual holocaust that took place in Iskcon after Srila Prabhupada’s departure. Srila Narayana Majaraja took it upon himself to travel the globe again and again, despite the frailty of old age and ill health, in an effort to insure that the mission of Srila Prabhupada was continued in an authentic manner, one in keeping with the Vaishnava traditions of the Gaudiya Sampradaya. The Dark Ages of Iskcon were ended by the Renaissance of the world-wide preaching work of Sri B. V. Narayana Maharaja, who worked tirelessly even in his old age, to print books, establish temples and ashrams, and heal the hearts of so many sincere souls.”
Like it or not, this is very likely what history is going to say. No one will want to remember you or the tragedy you brought about in Srila Prabhupada’s Iskcon.
But the worst part is that you are offending this great personality who has really done you no wrong. He is traveling and preaching, inspired by a vision of world-wide unity. He is translating spiritual texts constantly, putting out more and more of the Goswami literature. He has thousands of Indian disciples in India, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and in Europe, South Africa, Australia etc. Westerners make up only a small part of his sanga. He is just doing what Acharyas do: traveling and preaching, building ashrams for their devotees, building temples, installing Deities, teaching the masses, inspiring the surrendered souls. He has all the markings of an Acharya. Yet you choose to criticize him and make offense? I think you are really headed down a dark road.
Our Srila Prabhupada loves us all, even those who are stubborn, deviant, and rebellious. But he will correct you rather sternly on this one. Not only is Narayana Maharaja your senior in every respect, he is a close spiritual relative of Srila Prabhupada. Do you really believe our Srila Prabhupada wants you to behave like jealous spoiled children, and offend someone of this caliber?
I was with Srila Prabhupada from the very early days, before the GBC existed. During the early times, it is undeniably true that Prabhupada had an ongoing correspondence with Narayana Maharaja, who sent him instruments, Deities, as well as Ayurvedic medicine. All the old devotees know this. In those days, communication between the US and India was cumbersome and near impossible. Prabhupada was always delighted when he would receive the big packages of Barailaich (sp?) and other Ayurvedic medicines from Narayana Maharaja. It is important to understand that Prabhupada had a life before he came to the U.S., with many friends and supporters. He would not be happy to witness your embarrassingly offensive behavior toward Narayana Maharaja. Prabhupada had respect for and communication with many various saintly persons, it is impossible to limit him in this way.
So far as the “monkey disciple” part, if you read through his books you will see there are times when Prabhupada does call his Western disciples monkey disciples. That does not mean he loves us any less, just that we are sadly lacking in brahminical qualifications.
Considering what you have done to our Spiritual Master’s Iskcon, “monkey disciples” may be viewed as a kindness, while “robber barons” would be more appropriate.
Please don’t publicly embarrass the rest of us Prabhupada disciples in this way. Those of you who have facility should go out and preach, as is Narayana Maharaja, instead of sitting at home writing this type of stuff on your computers, or chasing after Hindus for money to build monuments.
You took over all the assets and temples; now do something with it. Don’t let Prabhupada’s temples rot in a state of decay—both materially and spiritually. And if you are unable to do something worthwhile, then at least don’t decry those who are—those who are sacrificing their lives and doing the austerity of traveling and preaching all over the world.
We are proud of such Godbrothers as Indradyumna Swami, Radhanatha Maharaj, Govinda Swami, Giriraja Swami—there are others too numerous to mention. And I’m sure they are far too busy with their preaching programs to take time out to write critiques on Narayana Maharaja. Maybe you GBC’s should follow their example. That would be most pleasing to Srila Prabhupada. At least don’t be an embarrassment to our beloved Spiritual Master, by disrespecting someone who had a life long relationship of friendship with him. A simple letter of apology and honor would be very much in order.
Whether you like it or not, Sri Narayana Maharaja has Vaishnava siddhis that make him a very powerful preacher. He is blessed by Lord Chaitanya, is making devotees all over the world, and is doing his part in spreading the Holy Name to every town and village. Only a very small percentage of these devotees are coming from Iskcon. He is our senior in every respect, so even if we don’t agree with him, it is not our place to criticize him. It is serious Vaishnava aparadha.
And what if, by chance, he has, in fact, been sent in by Srila Prabhupad to clean up the mess you’ve made of his Iskcon? Think how many spiritual aspirants have been disillusioned, devastated, and spiritually destroyed, especially after being “initiated” three to five times by Iskcon so-called gurus! Do you really think you have no responsibility for these disasters?
Just like the Catholic church, you have covered up atrocities and clung to your posts of power, drinking every last drop of the intoxication called pratistha. Srila Prabhupada warned us about personal ambition many times. Please don’t let your own ambitions destroy your chances at bhakti marg; Vaishnava ninda is very serious. Even Krishna does not forgive it. Only the Vaishnava you have offended can mitigate it.
Please, my dear GBC godbrothers, please beg forgiveness of this great Vaishnava whom you have wrongfully criticized and maligned. That is your only hope. He is old and will not be here too many years more; I pray you will find the intelligence to beg his forgiveness and make amends before he leaves this world, else your future is very, very dark.
Your servant in the service of Srila Prabhupada,
Prabhupadadasanudasa
N.B. There were times when Srila Prabhupada was totally disgusted with the GBC, and even at least one occasion when he told all the rest of Iskcon to ignore them. I think this is one of those times.
" This open letter to the GBC criticizing their treatment of Srila Narayan Maharaj was written by Prabhupadadasanudas. This is not to be confused with Prabhupada Das Brahmachari."
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Dear GBC Members, or whoever wrote that ingenious presentation:
Please accept my humble obeisances and prayers for your eventual liberation from this type of thinking. Please know: I am a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, a very senior one and also one who spent much time with His Divine Grace. I am not a member of Srila Narayana Maharaja’s sanga. And I do not usually get involved in these GBC political skirmishes since they are never-ending, and always changing. In this case, however, I feel it is my duty to Srila Prabhupada to say something.
Whether you like the preaching efforts of Srila Narayana Maharaja or not, this is not the issue. The issue is that he is a senior Vaishnava, respected all over the world, and was indeed a close friend of Srila Prabhupada. Please do not embarrass Srila Prabhupada in this way. It is not our jurisdiction to judge or criticize those who are superior to us in age or experience, as he is.
Please, my dear Godbrothers, it is an embarrassment for you to behave in this way. If you could just be honest and say truthfully, “We don’t want Narayana Maharaja around because he is so much our senior, so charismatic, so transcendentally inspiring that we feel threatened; we worry that our disciples (who are already noted for having a three-year shelf life) may leave us and go to him,” then at least your honesty could be appreciated. But with this long, drawn out he-said-this, he-said-that, bull—-, (and distorted facts as well), it is hard to feel anything but embarrassment at your transparency. Everyone sees through this mask, you know.
Unfortunately, fanaticism runs in all religious circles, and sometimes new converts, in their overzealousness, can seem abrasive, obnoxious and downright offensive. This could be said of both sides. But to criticize a sadhu who is senior to us by age, by diksha, by experience, and by a long-term relationship with our Srila Prabhupada, that is reprehensible. Even if you don’t like how he preaches, it is still not your place to criticize him. Prabhupada could criticize his own Godbrothers, but he never allowed us to do so. It is a matter of Vaishnava etiquette.
The really sad thing is that many of you are sincere and dedicated disciples of Srila Prabhupada. You all started out with the sincere desire to serve Srila Prabhupada, and to learn to serve Krishna. You took a few wrong turns when you tried to wear Daddy’s shoes prematurely, but he is forgiving and still loves you. He loves us all, even those who have gone astray and who have ended up in very unfortunate situations.
Whenever I have visited some of the Narayana Maharaja programs, I am amazed by the great number of Prabhupada’s disciples who are there, chanting and dancing and preaching and doing the things Srila Prabhupada taught us to do. I am also astounded at the vast numbers of enthusiastic youth, some Gurukulis, some new devotees, all jumping and dancing and chanting just as we were in our youth. They are truly inspired. As Prabhupada used to say: The proof of the pudding is in eating it.
I question whether you are eating much of the transcendental pudding these days, as you are so busy criticizing, picking apart, and comparing notes, that you have no time. In America, the land of defunct and disabled gurus, Srila Prabhupada’s temples are empty, folding, or falling apart—or maintained by Indians who don’t have the same appetite for such pettiness as this.
There’s truth to the saying that you can’t teach old dogs new tricks. But old dogs die, and new pups come in with their youth and enthusiasm. That’s what’s happening in the Narayana Maharaja sanga, but you refuse to see it. Instead, you choose to cling to your pedantry and pride. But please don’t expect everybody else to do this with you.
Have you thought of what history will say? It may read something like this:
“After the demise of the world-famous Spiritual Leader His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, a handful of his young disciples prematurely declared themselves his successors, and wrecked havoc to his mission. These imitation gurus misled hundreds of spiritual aspirants, created disaster for the institution that Swami Prabhupada built, and left a trail of angry, injured disciples, many of whom left spiritual life completely.”
I don’t know about you, but I sure wouldn’t want that on my resume!
Then history will declare,
“When the situation became intolerable for both the sincere disciples of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, as well as the hopelessly discouraged new disciples of these false gurus, another great personality appeared on the horizon. That personality was a God-nephew of Srila Prabhupada, who was known to him for many years, and who even performed the great Swami Bhaktivedanta’s last rites. He was known as Sri B.V. Narayana Maharaja, and he was a senior member of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti, an organization begun in 194l by his Gurudev, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Goswami Maharaj. This Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti was actually established by Swami Bhaktivedanta along with this Godbrother Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaj. It was from the hand of this beloved Godbrother that Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami received his sannyas initiation.”
It may conclude:
“By the sincere efforts of Sri B. V. Narayana Maharaja, hundreds and thousands of fortunate souls were rescued from the spiritual holocaust that took place in Iskcon after Srila Prabhupada’s departure. Srila Narayana Majaraja took it upon himself to travel the globe again and again, despite the frailty of old age and ill health, in an effort to insure that the mission of Srila Prabhupada was continued in an authentic manner, one in keeping with the Vaishnava traditions of the Gaudiya Sampradaya. The Dark Ages of Iskcon were ended by the Renaissance of the world-wide preaching work of Sri B. V. Narayana Maharaja, who worked tirelessly even in his old age, to print books, establish temples and ashrams, and heal the hearts of so many sincere souls.”
Like it or not, this is very likely what history is going to say. No one will want to remember you or the tragedy you brought about in Srila Prabhupada’s Iskcon.
But the worst part is that you are offending this great personality who has really done you no wrong. He is traveling and preaching, inspired by a vision of world-wide unity. He is translating spiritual texts constantly, putting out more and more of the Goswami literature. He has thousands of Indian disciples in India, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and in Europe, South Africa, Australia etc. Westerners make up only a small part of his sanga. He is just doing what Acharyas do: traveling and preaching, building ashrams for their devotees, building temples, installing Deities, teaching the masses, inspiring the surrendered souls. He has all the markings of an Acharya. Yet you choose to criticize him and make offense? I think you are really headed down a dark road.
Our Srila Prabhupada loves us all, even those who are stubborn, deviant, and rebellious. But he will correct you rather sternly on this one. Not only is Narayana Maharaja your senior in every respect, he is a close spiritual relative of Srila Prabhupada. Do you really believe our Srila Prabhupada wants you to behave like jealous spoiled children, and offend someone of this caliber?
I was with Srila Prabhupada from the very early days, before the GBC existed. During the early times, it is undeniably true that Prabhupada had an ongoing correspondence with Narayana Maharaja, who sent him instruments, Deities, as well as Ayurvedic medicine. All the old devotees know this. In those days, communication between the US and India was cumbersome and near impossible. Prabhupada was always delighted when he would receive the big packages of Barailaich (sp?) and other Ayurvedic medicines from Narayana Maharaja. It is important to understand that Prabhupada had a life before he came to the U.S., with many friends and supporters. He would not be happy to witness your embarrassingly offensive behavior toward Narayana Maharaja. Prabhupada had respect for and communication with many various saintly persons, it is impossible to limit him in this way.
So far as the “monkey disciple” part, if you read through his books you will see there are times when Prabhupada does call his Western disciples monkey disciples. That does not mean he loves us any less, just that we are sadly lacking in brahminical qualifications.
Considering what you have done to our Spiritual Master’s Iskcon, “monkey disciples” may be viewed as a kindness, while “robber barons” would be more appropriate.
Please don’t publicly embarrass the rest of us Prabhupada disciples in this way. Those of you who have facility should go out and preach, as is Narayana Maharaja, instead of sitting at home writing this type of stuff on your computers, or chasing after Hindus for money to build monuments.
You took over all the assets and temples; now do something with it. Don’t let Prabhupada’s temples rot in a state of decay—both materially and spiritually. And if you are unable to do something worthwhile, then at least don’t decry those who are—those who are sacrificing their lives and doing the austerity of traveling and preaching all over the world.
We are proud of such Godbrothers as Indradyumna Swami, Radhanatha Maharaj, Govinda Swami, Giriraja Swami—there are others too numerous to mention. And I’m sure they are far too busy with their preaching programs to take time out to write critiques on Narayana Maharaja. Maybe you GBC’s should follow their example. That would be most pleasing to Srila Prabhupada. At least don’t be an embarrassment to our beloved Spiritual Master, by disrespecting someone who had a life long relationship of friendship with him. A simple letter of apology and honor would be very much in order.
Whether you like it or not, Sri Narayana Maharaja has Vaishnava siddhis that make him a very powerful preacher. He is blessed by Lord Chaitanya, is making devotees all over the world, and is doing his part in spreading the Holy Name to every town and village. Only a very small percentage of these devotees are coming from Iskcon. He is our senior in every respect, so even if we don’t agree with him, it is not our place to criticize him. It is serious Vaishnava aparadha.
And what if, by chance, he has, in fact, been sent in by Srila Prabhupad to clean up the mess you’ve made of his Iskcon? Think how many spiritual aspirants have been disillusioned, devastated, and spiritually destroyed, especially after being “initiated” three to five times by Iskcon so-called gurus! Do you really think you have no responsibility for these disasters?
Just like the Catholic church, you have covered up atrocities and clung to your posts of power, drinking every last drop of the intoxication called pratistha. Srila Prabhupada warned us about personal ambition many times. Please don’t let your own ambitions destroy your chances at bhakti marg; Vaishnava ninda is very serious. Even Krishna does not forgive it. Only the Vaishnava you have offended can mitigate it.
Please, my dear GBC godbrothers, please beg forgiveness of this great Vaishnava whom you have wrongfully criticized and maligned. That is your only hope. He is old and will not be here too many years more; I pray you will find the intelligence to beg his forgiveness and make amends before he leaves this world, else your future is very, very dark.
Your servant in the service of Srila Prabhupada,
Prabhupadadasanudasa
N.B. There were times when Srila Prabhupada was totally disgusted with the GBC, and even at least one occasion when he told all the rest of Iskcon to ignore them. I think this is one of those times.
" This open letter to the GBC criticizing their treatment of Srila Narayan Maharaj was written by Prabhupadadasanudas. This is not to be confused with Prabhupada Das Brahmachari."
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Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Part Two of My Refutation of the GBC Paper “The Last Conversation”
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The Truth for the Record
Posted on28 April 2010.
Part Two of My Refutation of the GBC Paper “The Last Conversation”
by BV Bhagavat Maharaja
In this second part of my refutation of the GBC paper “The Last Conversation” I will establish that the GBC are purposely misleading in their presentation, harboring what is obviously willful intent to make a pure unalloyed devotee of the Lord a great Mahabhagavat, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami Maharaja appear as if he were the one giving misinformation.
The GBC body published this paper titled “The Last Conversation”. The fact is stated at the very top of the second part right after the transcription of the conversation:
“Issued by the Governing Body Commission of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness 24 March 2010”
Thus it is absolutely clear that the issued paper is comprised of their collective words. This means that every GBC member is held accountable for the offense committed in their shameful misrepresentation.
It is in the second paragraph after this heading that the GBC makes the first of its false statements.
“On the 8th of the month, Srila Prabhupada asked his attendant disciples to arrange for several of his Godbrothers to come and meet with him. That afternoon, Bhakti-caru Swami, Bhakti-prema Swami, and Sridhara Swami went to Mathura to consult with Prabhupada’s Godnephew H.H. B.V. Narayana Maharaja; they were to get directions for the conduct of last rites for a great soul. That same evening, Narayana Maharaja, accompanied by a few men, arrived at Krsna-Balarama Mandir to see Prabhupada in person. Srila Prabhupada and Narayana Maharaja conversed at some length, almost entirely in the Bengali language; their words were recorded. This would prove to be their final conversation—one that took place not on Prabhupada’s ‘last day,’ as Narayana Maharaja frequently states, but over a month before.”
Note for the record, what the GBC body states in this official paper regarding the October 8th conversation: This would prove to be their final conversation—one that took place not on Prabhupada’s “last day,” as Narayana Maharaja frequently states, but over a month before.”
So, practically from the beginning of their paper, they have made a false statement and a false accusation. They clearly state that the October 8th conversation “would prove to be their final conversation.” In the first part of my refutation, I pointed out that according to the Veda Base record of conversations I arrived in Vrndavan on the 8th of October and I personally saw Srila Narayana Maharaja come and meet with Srila Prabhupada at least twice after that date. My godbrother Pita Das has also given testimony that he saw Srila Narayana Maharaja speaking with Srila Prabhupada and Bon Maharaja only a day or so before Srila Prabhupada left. Subsequent to the publication of my first refutation, another godbrother Damodara Pandit Prabhu has stated that after October 8th he was told that Srila Prabhupada requested to see Srila Narayan Maharaja. He was then asked to pick up Srila Narayan Maharaja in the car and bring him to see Srila Prabhupada. Therefore based on the authority of the above mentioned eyewitnesses who saw Srila Narayan Maharaja have meetings with Srila Prabhupada and engage in conversations with him after the October 8th conversation we can conclude that the statement in the GBC paper: “This would prove to be their final conversation” is totally false.
The second transgression is the false accusation against Srila Narayan Maharaja that he did not communicate with Srila Prabhupada on his last day. This is based on the false statement that the October 8th conversation was the last conversation.
Contradictory to false GBC propaganda, when Srila Narayana Maharaja states that he spoke to Srila Prabhupada on his last day, he does not refer to the October 8th conversation but a later conversation altogether. As confirmed by numerous eyewitness accounts, Srila Narayan Maharaja did in fact have a conversation with Srila Prabhupada most likely the day before Srila Prabhupada departed from this earth. Furthermore, although Srila Narayana Maharaja did not have an extended conversation with Srila Prabhupada on the last day he verbally communicated with Srila Prabhupada and received a blessing in response sometime within the last five hours of Srila Prabhupada’s manifest presence when no one else was able to communicate with Srila Prabhupada.
Seeing both a false statement and false accusation in the second paragraph of the paper we can understand that the entire document is based on a false premise with the willful intent to mislead people into thinking that Srila Narayan Maharaja has not been honest in his descriptions of his relationship with Srila Prabhupada.
In the beginning of the third paragraph, the GBC make the following statement: “In subsequent years, Narayan Maharaja has often referred to this last conversation.” The GBC then present a cut and paste selection of quotes from Srila Narayan Maharaja and subsequently claim that these statements by him are not reflected in the above conversation. Because the October 8th conversation is not actually “The Final Conversation” between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayan Maharaja this entire approach is willfully misleading. Several people presently on the GBC were there in the room with Srila Prabhupada during the months of October and November 1977. They know very well that October 8th 1977 was not the last conversation between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayan Maharaja. However they allowed this paper to be published with blatantly false statements. This clearly indicates their willful intent to mislead the public.
The GBC provide five quotes they have selected to convince the devotees that Srila Narayan Maharaja is misleading people about the timing and content of his meeting with Srila Prabhupada. If we examine these five quotes carefully, we will note that only once does Srila Narayan Maharaja say “on the last day.” He says “in his last days” and “in the last days” and “at the time of his departure” in 3 of the other five and makes no mention of timing at all in one of them but only about content. These general statements indicate that, as the eyewitnesses have confirmed, there were several meetings between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayan Maharaja between October 8th and November 14th and that Srila Narayan Maharaja is speaking about a recurring request by Srila Prabhupada to him during the course of several conversations over the last five weeks “in his last days” and “in the last days” and “at the time of his departure”.
According to Pita Das, he personally heard Srila Prabhupada ask Srila Narayan Maharaja to please take care of his disciples and guide them in a meeting that took place in mid-November. Pita Das recalls that this meeting took place around the 10th or 11th of November. In the Veda Base conversations we find not mention of this. However, Pita Das mentions that Srila Bon Maharaja was also in the room during that meeting and the Veda Base conversations has Bon Maharaja in the room with Srila Prabhupada on November 13th the day before he left this world, hence the oft made statement by Srila Narayan Maharaja “the night before he entered Nitya Lila”. Although there is no tape recording of Srila Narayan Maharaja in the room on that day the tape recording we have obviously picks up in the middle of the conversation and the Archives has over 500 sound files that it has not published yet. It appears that since we have a witness placing Srila Narayan Maharaja in the room with Srila Bon Maharaja on that day that the sound file is missing.
By starting the paper on the false premise that “this would prove to be their last conversation,” The GBC has tried to create the illusion that Srila Narayan Maharaja is the one making false statements about the timing and content of his conversations with Srila Prabhupada. However, the quotes themselves make it clear that Srila Narayan Maharaja is speaking about several conversations over the course of the last five weeks “in the last days”, “in his last days”, and this is corroborated by witnesses. Therefore, as I already stated, it is clear that this paper has been concocted with the willful intent to mislead devotees about the timing and the content of the conversations as well as the relationship between these two great Mahabhagavats.
Thus far, I have been recapping in detail what I spoke about broadly in the first part of my refutation. Now I would like to address some of the insinuations made by the GBC in their interpretation of the first part of this conversation between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayan Maharaja.
To begin, let us first consider a conversation between Srila Prabhupada and his disciples regarding the arrangements for Srila Prabhupada’s Samadhi ceremony. Srila Narayan Maharaja’s participation in that ceremony is discussed. For the record, here is the conversation.
Tamala Krsna Maharaja: I think it [parikrama] would be difficult. Better that we go parikraming around our temple, Krsna-Balarama Mandira. That’s a little easier. Don’t you think that’s better?
Srila Prabhupada: Hmm.
Tamala Krsna Maharaja: If you get a little stronger, then it may be possible. That will depend on Krsna. So Krsna Das, we should bring him here. Anyone else you want to see? Narayana Maharaja?
(Srila Prabhupada confirmed with his head)
Tamala Krsna Maharaja: Yes. We went to see him just to inquire about the necessary ceremony, and he gave us instruction. I sent Bhakti-caru Maharaja and Bhakti-prema Maharaja, and they wrote down everything. But Narayana Maharaja was very concerned. He said he’s going to try to come to see you tomorrow. That’s all right, isn’t it? So Krsna Das can be called for. Anytime? Okay. He stays at Radha-kunda? Does he stay at the Gaudiya Matha here? He does—we’ll inquire.
Srila Prabhupada: Narayana Maharaja comes, then everything will be all right.
Tamala Krsna Maharaja: So if I call Narayana Maharaja, is there any need for Krsna Das to come?
Srila Prabhupada: He can arrange.
Tamala Krsna Maharaja: Narayana Maharaja. Actually, he wanted to do that. He gave us instructions, but he also wanted to take part. So better I call Narayana Maharaja, then Krsna Das. Okay. I’ll send the car for him tomorrow morning. He was saying he would like to come tomorrow, so I’ll send a car and say that Prabhupada requests that you come this morning, if it’s convenient. Is that all right? Jaya, Srila Prabhupada.
Regarding this conversation, the GBC makes the following insinuation:
“It is important to note that the central concern here is how to conduct the samadhi ceremony, and Prabhupada thinks that it will not be necessary to confer with Krsna Dasa Babaji if Narayan Maharaja is consulted for directions: “Everything will be all right,” and, “He can arrange.” Tamala Krsna Maharaja then observes that Narayan Maharaja is not only eager to be consulted but to personally participate as well: “Actually, he wanted to do that. He gave us instructions, but he also wanted to take part.” Thus, it appears that the idea of Narayana Maharaja’s participation in the ceremony originates from Narayana Maharaja himself, not from Srila Prabhupada.”
Here the GBC endeavors to make it look like Srila Narayan Maharaja invited himself to participate in the Samadhi ceremony. However, if we listen to the conversation that occurs prior to this and after this, as well as examine the structure and sequence of all these conversations, we will readily see yet another willful attempt made by the GBC to mislead the public.
First of all, this conversation begins at 37:36 on the MP3 sound file that accompanies the paper sent out by the GBC. Just prior to this, at around 36:20, we can hear Tamal Krsna ask Srila Prabhupada, “So should we bring Krsna Das?” So, Tamal Krsna initiates this discussion asking if he should bring “Akinchana Krsna Das Babaji”, who is Srila Prabhupada’s godbrother. After a lapse of approximately one minute the conversation provided above begins. Again, Tamala Krsna asks about making arrangements to bring Krsna Das Babaji to see Srila Prabhupada. If we listen to the tape we notice that Srila Prabhupada has failed to respond to both inquiries of Tamal Krsna to bring Krsna Das Babaji. In contrast, the first time Tamala Krsna mentions Srila Narayan Maharaja’s name he immediately responds with a nod of his head, giving approval to the idea of bringing Srila Narayan Maharaja.
Tamal Krsna recognizing Srila Prabhupada’s desire then explains that he sent two sannyasis to learn about the Samadhi Ceremony from Srila Narayan Maharaj. The truth is that Srila Prabhupada had ordered them to go to Srila Narayan Maharaja to learn about the ceremony. This alone demonstrates Srila Prabhupada’s desire to involve Srila Narayan Maharaja in the ceremony. Tamal Krsna then informs Srila Prabhupada about Srila Narayan Maharajas mood when the sannyasis were learning from him. He states: “But Narayan Maharaja was very concerned. He said he’s going to try to come to see you tomorrow. That’s all right, isn’t it?” This statement does not indicate that Srila Narayan Maharaja had a desire to perform the ceremony but rather that he was concerned for Srila Prabhupada’s well being.
Srila Prabhupada has sent them to learn about the Samadhi ceremony from Srila Narayan Maharaja and has immediately responded by saying yes with a nod of his head when Tamal Krsna asks if he should call for Srila Narayan Maharaja to come. Srila Prabhupada has not responded to two requests for Krsna Das Babaji to come. Yet for some reason Tamal Krsna again brings up the idea of bringing Krsna Das for a third time. In response to this request Srila Prabhupada emphatically states, “Narayana Maharaja comes, then everything will be all right.” Srila Prabhupada makes this favorable statement after three inquiries by Tamal Krsna to bring Krsna Das and only one inquiry to bring Srila Narayan Maharaja. All of this is ample proof that Srila Prabhupada was placing his trust in Srila Narayan Maharaja not Krsna Das Babaji.
Moreover, Srila Prabhupada further reinforces his desire when Tamal Krsna says: “So if I call Narayana Maharaja, is there any need for Krsna Dasa to come?” Srila Prabhupada then replies: “He can arrange.” Tamal Krsna then wants to clarify whom Srila Prabhupada meant when he said “He” can arrange, so Tamal Krsna asks in a questioning voice “Narayan Maharaja”. We do not hear any response but based on Tamal Krsnas immediate response in his next statement we get the idea that Srila Prabhupada has nodded yes, indicating that it is Srila Narayan Maharaja to whom he was referring when he made the statement “he can arrange”.
Thus it is clear at this point in the conversation that it is Srila Prabhupada’s desire and choice that Srila Narayan Maharaja that he not only instruct his disciples about the Samadhi Ceremony but that Srila Narayan Maharaja comes to see him and that he also arranges the ceremony. Most importantly Srila Prabhupada has not yet heard from Tamal Krsna that Srila Narayan Maharaja actually wanted to participate in the ceremony. The statement by Tamal Krsna about Srila Narayana Maharaja’s interest in performing the Samadhi ceremony happens subsequently to Srila Prabhupada’s statement that “he can arrange”. Tamal Krsna asks about Krsna Das Babaji coming three times and mentions Srila Naryana Maharaja only once. However, Srila Prabhupada not only requests that Srila Narayan Maharaja should come, instead of Krsna Das Babaji, but that “he can arrange” the ceremony as well. It is at this point that Tamal Krsna responds by confirming the earnest request of Srila Prabhupada with the statement that: “Actually, he wanted to do that. He gave us instructions, but he also wanted to take part. So better I call Narayana Maharaja, then Krsna dasa.” Hence Tamal Krsna is now confirming by this statement that Srila Prabhupada’s desire to have Srila Narayan Maharaja not just teach them the ceremony but to actually come and do the Samadhi Ceremony is in fact Srila Narayan Maharaja’s desire as well.
At time 49:21 on the MP3 that has been provided with the paper by the GBC Srila Prabhupada again asks if Srila Narayan Maharaja is coming to see him. The conversation is as follows:
Srila Prabhupada: [Speaks to Tamal Krsna Maharaj:] Narayana Maharaja –he’ll come tomorrow?
Tamal Krsna Maharaja: [First discusses with Bhakti-Caru Maharaja, then speaks as follows:] If we pick him up, he’ll come tonight. If we go just now with the car, if Bhakti-Caru goes just now with the car, he may come tonight –Narayana Maharaja.
Srila Prabhupada: Hu. [Go on Kirtan]
Tamal Krsna has not yet arranged to bring Srila Narayan Maharaja to see Srila Prabhupada. So again Srila Prabhupada asks him, “Narayan Maharaja—he’ll come tomorrow”. Here we see that Srila Prabhupada has an earnest desire to see Srila Narayan Maharaja–a desire which the GBC is trying to tell you did not exist by willfully misleading the reader with false statements and innuendos that have nothing to do with the actual facts of the conversation.
Finally in the main conversation that is the topic of this paper there is a section in which Srila Prabhupada gives a direct order to his disciples to follow the instructions of Srila Narayan Maharaja in terms of performing the Samadhi Ceremony and also to “let him do” the ceremony.
Hari-Sauri: Jaya Srila Prabhupada. Tamala Krsna.
Prabhupäda: You have consulted with Narayana Maharaja?
Tamala Krsna: Yes. This morning Bhakti-caru Swami, Bhakti-prema Swami and Sridhara Swami went to see him, and Narayana Maharaja described the ceremony for the departure of a Vaishnava, great Vaishnava soul.
Narayana Maharaja: I have told them everything that is needed to be done. I told them, “Whenever you need me, I’ll come here.” I would do all, being personally present.
At this point in the conversation Srila Prabhupada has only asked his disciples if they have consulted with Srila Narayan Maharaja. This proves that he had instructed them to go in the first place to learn how to do the Samadhi Ceremony from Srila Narayan Maharaja. Therefore Srila Prabhupada is checking up on them to make sure that they have followed his instructions. This begs an important question: Srila Prabhupada has so many god brothers there in Vrndavan who are technically senior to Srila Narayan Maharaja but he has chosen Srila Narayan Maharaja to teach them the ceremony, why? The answer is because of the intimate siksha guru-siksha disciple relationship between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayan Maharaja which is made apparent in the body of the October 8th conversation that is presented in the GBC paper.
However, getting back to the immediate part of the discussion at hand, after Srila Prabhupada checks to see that his disciples have consulted with Srila Narayan Maharaja as he has asked them to, there is some discussion on the location of the Samadhi, covering the body with salt, and saving flowers for a Pushpa Samadhi in Mayapur. Then, the following conversation takes place wherein Srila Prabhupada orders Srila Narayana Maharaja to be present and instructs his disciples to let Srila Narayan Maharaja perform the ceremony because he knows:
Srila Prabhupada: Apni dariye theke
Srila Prabhupada: You be present there.
Srila Narayana Maharaja: Ami thakba okhane. Apanara amake khabar diben.
Srila Narayana Maharaja: Yes, I will be there. You all should notify me.
Srila Narayana Maharaja: [Speaks to Tamal Krsna Maharaja in English] You should call me, and I will come.
Tamal Krsna Maharaja: Yes. He described the entire ceremony in detail, Srila Prabhupada.
Srila Prabhupada: So he knows. When you are ready, let him have it.
MY NOTE: I spent a considerable amount of time reviewing this statement on the sound file. I had the sound file cleared of some background noise and had the voices enhanced by a recording specialist. What I obtained from this was as follows:
Srila Prabhupada: Hmm so he knows– when I reach the time.
Tamal Krsna: yes
Srila Prabhupada: “he will reach let him do” (Please click here to listen.)
This statement is referring back to his order to Srila Narayan Maharaja “you be present there” and Srila Narayan Maharaja’s response “yes I will be there, you should all notify me” in Bengali and then in English Srila Narayan Maharaja says “Your should call me, and I will come” So Srila Prabhupada is now recapping the conversation and giving the final instructions on the matter “So he knows—when I reach the time, he will reach—let him do” this is a clear instruction by Srila Prabhupada to his disciples that Srila Narayan Maharaja should perform “let him do” the Samadhi Ceremony. Even if you are to accept the version of the conversation as given by the GBC “So he knows. When you are ready let him have it.” It is again crystal clear that Srila Prabhupada is instructing them that Srila Narayan Maharaja “knows” so “when you are ready” or “when I reach the time” you should let Srila Narayan Maharaja “have it”, that is perform the Samadhi Ceremony.
Considering all of these points, it is very clear that Srila Prabhupada wanted Srila Narayan Maharaja to not only instruct his disciples about the Samadhi Ceremony, Srila Prabhupada actually wanted Srila Narayan Maharaja to participate in and to perform the Samadhi Ceremony. In fact it appears that this was Srila Prabhupada’s intention all along by sending his disciples to learn from Srila Narayan Maharaja in the first place. Knowing that his disciples were not capable of doing the Samadhi Ceremony themselves he sends them first to learn from Srila Narayan Maharaja and then instructs them to ‘let him do”. Furthermore, we have witnesses that saw Srila Narayan Maharaja in the room with Srila Prabhupada receiving further instructions about caring for his disciples and no doubt further instructions about performing the Samadhi Ceremony. As these conversations were mostly in Bengali and/or Hindi only parts of the conversations were available to the English speaking witnesses.
Therefore when the GBC makes the statement: “Thus, it appears that the idea of Narayana Maharaja’s participation in the ceremony originates from Narayana Maharaja himself, not from Srila Prabhupada” they are again willfully misleading the devotees who are reading their official GBC paper into wrongly believing that Srila Narayan Maharaja’s participation in the ceremony came from himself. Even though Srila Narayan Maharaja had earlier expressed his desire to participate in the Samadhi Ceremony, Srila Prabhupada was not informed of Srila Narayan Maharaja’s desire to participate in the ceremony until after he expressed his own earnest desire to have Srila Narayan Maharaja perform the ceremony by the statement “he can arrange”. Srila Prabhupada later confirms this by saying “So he knows when I reach the time he will reach let him do”
The GBC has demonstrated their willful intent to mislead the readers into believing that it was Srila Narayan Maharaja, who initiated the desire in Srila Prabhupada to have him do the Samadhi ceremony, by use of false accusations, insinuations, and innuendos. This false conception is manufactured by the GBC writers to make the reader believe that a great Mahabhagavat is ambitious and untruthful. Actually, it has been historically demonstrated that within the GBC body there have been many members who were most unfortunately decorated with the above mentioned qualities of material ambition and falsehood. In fact, as I have proven in this paper they are speaking falsely even now. The GBC’s woeful misbehavior in this regard has been a matter of past public record in their consistent abuse of power, fiscal malfeasance, exploitation of women and children, and inappropriate behavior with senior Vaishnava’s.
This ends part two of my refutation. In part three, I will further expose the hypocrisy of the statements the GBC has made in this paper about Srila Prabhupada’s request to preach together with his godbrothers and their complete and utter failure to follow this instruction.
Bhakti is for Sharing:
6 Responses to “The Truth for the Record”
ramananda das says:
April 28, 2010 at 2:38 AM
Crystal clear Maharaj
Reply
Das soham says:
April 28, 2010 at 4:30 AM
Reply
Damodara dasa says:
April 28, 2010 at 5:15 AM
Thanks Maharaj,
I’m glad to see the record set straight on Srila Bv Narayan Maharaja’s close relationship with Srimad A.C. Bv Swami Prabhupad. I’m looking forward to part 3 of your refutation of the GBC paper.
Reply
Jayanta Dasa says:
April 28, 2010 at 6:03 AM
Dear Sripad Bhagavat maharaja,
Dandavat pranams ! Sri Guru Gauranga Jayatah!
On behalf of all Srila Gurudeva’s loving disciples, we highly commend you on the second part of your refutations against these
maha-maha aparadhis ! These GBCs are the true “poster children”
of the four defects of conditioned life, 1) tendency to cheat and fool others 2) sure to commit mistakes 3) imperfect senses and
4) sure to be illusioned . We can see that these maha-maha aparadhis
all fit everyone of the four defects of conditioned life ! How can
they think that they will win against a Pure Devotee of the highest caliber as our most beloved , Srila Gurudeva ? It is simply their false ego, false prestige (pratista)that have gotten the best of their senses ! Do they honestly think that a Maha-Maha Bhagavat with the highest caliber and highest degree of Prema Bhakti, Dearmost
Servant of Srimati Radhika,who controls Lord Sri Krsna, would stoop so low as they have demonically stated in their “official GBC” statements ? NEVER ! Fie on these impudent maha-rascals ! History has shown all of us the nature of these maha apardhis and the numerous mistakes that they have consistently made. It seems that they are a bunch of lemmings jumping off the cliff ! Blind leading the blind ! More than three times, Maha-Bhagavats, have tried to steer these “monkeys” in the right directions, first by Nitya-lila Sri Srimad Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhardeva Maharaja, secondly by Nityalila Sri Srimad Srila Acharya Thakur Gour Govinda Maharaja and third by our most beloved, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja Gurudeva, our present day Srila Prabhupada, the successor to Srila Swami Maharaja Prabhupada ! And everytime, they’ve resisted ! Why ? Because their false egos do not want to let go of their pratista ! They do not want to lose their positions, fame, adulations and money that they receive from their disciples on their birthdays (NOT Vyasa-puja)! History will show, on the other hand, that our most beloved Srila Gurudeva is without blemish and has never ever forgotten Their
Lordships , Sri Sri Radha Krsna, not even for a trillionth of a split second ! Jaya Srila Gurudeva ! Jaya Srila Prabhupada ! Hare Krsna ! Jaya, Jaya Sri Radhe !!!
A lowly, but loving son of my Guru Maharaja,
Jayanta das
Reply
Krishna Das says:
April 28, 2010 at 6:36 AM
Dear Maharaja,
Thank you for your two very clear responses Maharaja. However, in all the refutations I noticed that no one mentioned that it is, or was, common knowledge among Srila Prabhupada’s disciples that Srila Prabhupada at least once told his disciples that if they have any questions when he is no longer with us, they can go to Srila Sridhara Maharaja and Srila Narayana Maharaja to resolve them. That is why so many of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples went to Srila Narayana Maharaja in the first place. I heard that Urukrama Prabhu (now Padmanabha Maharaja) and others were present in the room, that’s why he went to both Srila Sridhara Maharaja and Srila Narayana Maharaja for siksa.
Even if the moderator chooses not to post this comment, I think it would be useful to at least mention the essence of this point maybe in part three of your refutation because for some strange reason, no one mentions this point any more. It would be nice to also see the transcript where Srila prabhupada is making this point as well.
Reply
shashikala dasi says:
April 28, 2010 at 6:55 AM
PRANAMS AND THANK YOU MAHARAJI,
Those rascals are so shameless.
Our so imcomparable merciful Beloved Srila Gurudeva may forgive them, but the dust from His Divine Lotus Feet, NEVER WILL FOR SURE!!
How My Srila Prabhupada had to deal so closely with all those rakshashas, gives pain in my heart forever.
Even if i can never be a dust from the Divine Lotus Feet of My Most Worshipable Divine Masters , still i’ll never never ever forgive those DEMONS ….
JAYA PRABHUPADA JAYA GURUDEVA!
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The Truth for the Record
Posted on28 April 2010.
Part Two of My Refutation of the GBC Paper “The Last Conversation”
by BV Bhagavat Maharaja
In this second part of my refutation of the GBC paper “The Last Conversation” I will establish that the GBC are purposely misleading in their presentation, harboring what is obviously willful intent to make a pure unalloyed devotee of the Lord a great Mahabhagavat, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami Maharaja appear as if he were the one giving misinformation.
The GBC body published this paper titled “The Last Conversation”. The fact is stated at the very top of the second part right after the transcription of the conversation:
“Issued by the Governing Body Commission of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness 24 March 2010”
Thus it is absolutely clear that the issued paper is comprised of their collective words. This means that every GBC member is held accountable for the offense committed in their shameful misrepresentation.
It is in the second paragraph after this heading that the GBC makes the first of its false statements.
“On the 8th of the month, Srila Prabhupada asked his attendant disciples to arrange for several of his Godbrothers to come and meet with him. That afternoon, Bhakti-caru Swami, Bhakti-prema Swami, and Sridhara Swami went to Mathura to consult with Prabhupada’s Godnephew H.H. B.V. Narayana Maharaja; they were to get directions for the conduct of last rites for a great soul. That same evening, Narayana Maharaja, accompanied by a few men, arrived at Krsna-Balarama Mandir to see Prabhupada in person. Srila Prabhupada and Narayana Maharaja conversed at some length, almost entirely in the Bengali language; their words were recorded. This would prove to be their final conversation—one that took place not on Prabhupada’s ‘last day,’ as Narayana Maharaja frequently states, but over a month before.”
Note for the record, what the GBC body states in this official paper regarding the October 8th conversation: This would prove to be their final conversation—one that took place not on Prabhupada’s “last day,” as Narayana Maharaja frequently states, but over a month before.”
So, practically from the beginning of their paper, they have made a false statement and a false accusation. They clearly state that the October 8th conversation “would prove to be their final conversation.” In the first part of my refutation, I pointed out that according to the Veda Base record of conversations I arrived in Vrndavan on the 8th of October and I personally saw Srila Narayana Maharaja come and meet with Srila Prabhupada at least twice after that date. My godbrother Pita Das has also given testimony that he saw Srila Narayana Maharaja speaking with Srila Prabhupada and Bon Maharaja only a day or so before Srila Prabhupada left. Subsequent to the publication of my first refutation, another godbrother Damodara Pandit Prabhu has stated that after October 8th he was told that Srila Prabhupada requested to see Srila Narayan Maharaja. He was then asked to pick up Srila Narayan Maharaja in the car and bring him to see Srila Prabhupada. Therefore based on the authority of the above mentioned eyewitnesses who saw Srila Narayan Maharaja have meetings with Srila Prabhupada and engage in conversations with him after the October 8th conversation we can conclude that the statement in the GBC paper: “This would prove to be their final conversation” is totally false.
The second transgression is the false accusation against Srila Narayan Maharaja that he did not communicate with Srila Prabhupada on his last day. This is based on the false statement that the October 8th conversation was the last conversation.
Contradictory to false GBC propaganda, when Srila Narayana Maharaja states that he spoke to Srila Prabhupada on his last day, he does not refer to the October 8th conversation but a later conversation altogether. As confirmed by numerous eyewitness accounts, Srila Narayan Maharaja did in fact have a conversation with Srila Prabhupada most likely the day before Srila Prabhupada departed from this earth. Furthermore, although Srila Narayana Maharaja did not have an extended conversation with Srila Prabhupada on the last day he verbally communicated with Srila Prabhupada and received a blessing in response sometime within the last five hours of Srila Prabhupada’s manifest presence when no one else was able to communicate with Srila Prabhupada.
Seeing both a false statement and false accusation in the second paragraph of the paper we can understand that the entire document is based on a false premise with the willful intent to mislead people into thinking that Srila Narayan Maharaja has not been honest in his descriptions of his relationship with Srila Prabhupada.
In the beginning of the third paragraph, the GBC make the following statement: “In subsequent years, Narayan Maharaja has often referred to this last conversation.” The GBC then present a cut and paste selection of quotes from Srila Narayan Maharaja and subsequently claim that these statements by him are not reflected in the above conversation. Because the October 8th conversation is not actually “The Final Conversation” between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayan Maharaja this entire approach is willfully misleading. Several people presently on the GBC were there in the room with Srila Prabhupada during the months of October and November 1977. They know very well that October 8th 1977 was not the last conversation between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayan Maharaja. However they allowed this paper to be published with blatantly false statements. This clearly indicates their willful intent to mislead the public.
The GBC provide five quotes they have selected to convince the devotees that Srila Narayan Maharaja is misleading people about the timing and content of his meeting with Srila Prabhupada. If we examine these five quotes carefully, we will note that only once does Srila Narayan Maharaja say “on the last day.” He says “in his last days” and “in the last days” and “at the time of his departure” in 3 of the other five and makes no mention of timing at all in one of them but only about content. These general statements indicate that, as the eyewitnesses have confirmed, there were several meetings between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayan Maharaja between October 8th and November 14th and that Srila Narayan Maharaja is speaking about a recurring request by Srila Prabhupada to him during the course of several conversations over the last five weeks “in his last days” and “in the last days” and “at the time of his departure”.
According to Pita Das, he personally heard Srila Prabhupada ask Srila Narayan Maharaja to please take care of his disciples and guide them in a meeting that took place in mid-November. Pita Das recalls that this meeting took place around the 10th or 11th of November. In the Veda Base conversations we find not mention of this. However, Pita Das mentions that Srila Bon Maharaja was also in the room during that meeting and the Veda Base conversations has Bon Maharaja in the room with Srila Prabhupada on November 13th the day before he left this world, hence the oft made statement by Srila Narayan Maharaja “the night before he entered Nitya Lila”. Although there is no tape recording of Srila Narayan Maharaja in the room on that day the tape recording we have obviously picks up in the middle of the conversation and the Archives has over 500 sound files that it has not published yet. It appears that since we have a witness placing Srila Narayan Maharaja in the room with Srila Bon Maharaja on that day that the sound file is missing.
By starting the paper on the false premise that “this would prove to be their last conversation,” The GBC has tried to create the illusion that Srila Narayan Maharaja is the one making false statements about the timing and content of his conversations with Srila Prabhupada. However, the quotes themselves make it clear that Srila Narayan Maharaja is speaking about several conversations over the course of the last five weeks “in the last days”, “in his last days”, and this is corroborated by witnesses. Therefore, as I already stated, it is clear that this paper has been concocted with the willful intent to mislead devotees about the timing and the content of the conversations as well as the relationship between these two great Mahabhagavats.
Thus far, I have been recapping in detail what I spoke about broadly in the first part of my refutation. Now I would like to address some of the insinuations made by the GBC in their interpretation of the first part of this conversation between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayan Maharaja.
To begin, let us first consider a conversation between Srila Prabhupada and his disciples regarding the arrangements for Srila Prabhupada’s Samadhi ceremony. Srila Narayan Maharaja’s participation in that ceremony is discussed. For the record, here is the conversation.
Tamala Krsna Maharaja: I think it [parikrama] would be difficult. Better that we go parikraming around our temple, Krsna-Balarama Mandira. That’s a little easier. Don’t you think that’s better?
Srila Prabhupada: Hmm.
Tamala Krsna Maharaja: If you get a little stronger, then it may be possible. That will depend on Krsna. So Krsna Das, we should bring him here. Anyone else you want to see? Narayana Maharaja?
(Srila Prabhupada confirmed with his head)
Tamala Krsna Maharaja: Yes. We went to see him just to inquire about the necessary ceremony, and he gave us instruction. I sent Bhakti-caru Maharaja and Bhakti-prema Maharaja, and they wrote down everything. But Narayana Maharaja was very concerned. He said he’s going to try to come to see you tomorrow. That’s all right, isn’t it? So Krsna Das can be called for. Anytime? Okay. He stays at Radha-kunda? Does he stay at the Gaudiya Matha here? He does—we’ll inquire.
Srila Prabhupada: Narayana Maharaja comes, then everything will be all right.
Tamala Krsna Maharaja: So if I call Narayana Maharaja, is there any need for Krsna Das to come?
Srila Prabhupada: He can arrange.
Tamala Krsna Maharaja: Narayana Maharaja. Actually, he wanted to do that. He gave us instructions, but he also wanted to take part. So better I call Narayana Maharaja, then Krsna Das. Okay. I’ll send the car for him tomorrow morning. He was saying he would like to come tomorrow, so I’ll send a car and say that Prabhupada requests that you come this morning, if it’s convenient. Is that all right? Jaya, Srila Prabhupada.
Regarding this conversation, the GBC makes the following insinuation:
“It is important to note that the central concern here is how to conduct the samadhi ceremony, and Prabhupada thinks that it will not be necessary to confer with Krsna Dasa Babaji if Narayan Maharaja is consulted for directions: “Everything will be all right,” and, “He can arrange.” Tamala Krsna Maharaja then observes that Narayan Maharaja is not only eager to be consulted but to personally participate as well: “Actually, he wanted to do that. He gave us instructions, but he also wanted to take part.” Thus, it appears that the idea of Narayana Maharaja’s participation in the ceremony originates from Narayana Maharaja himself, not from Srila Prabhupada.”
Here the GBC endeavors to make it look like Srila Narayan Maharaja invited himself to participate in the Samadhi ceremony. However, if we listen to the conversation that occurs prior to this and after this, as well as examine the structure and sequence of all these conversations, we will readily see yet another willful attempt made by the GBC to mislead the public.
First of all, this conversation begins at 37:36 on the MP3 sound file that accompanies the paper sent out by the GBC. Just prior to this, at around 36:20, we can hear Tamal Krsna ask Srila Prabhupada, “So should we bring Krsna Das?” So, Tamal Krsna initiates this discussion asking if he should bring “Akinchana Krsna Das Babaji”, who is Srila Prabhupada’s godbrother. After a lapse of approximately one minute the conversation provided above begins. Again, Tamala Krsna asks about making arrangements to bring Krsna Das Babaji to see Srila Prabhupada. If we listen to the tape we notice that Srila Prabhupada has failed to respond to both inquiries of Tamal Krsna to bring Krsna Das Babaji. In contrast, the first time Tamala Krsna mentions Srila Narayan Maharaja’s name he immediately responds with a nod of his head, giving approval to the idea of bringing Srila Narayan Maharaja.
Tamal Krsna recognizing Srila Prabhupada’s desire then explains that he sent two sannyasis to learn about the Samadhi Ceremony from Srila Narayan Maharaj. The truth is that Srila Prabhupada had ordered them to go to Srila Narayan Maharaja to learn about the ceremony. This alone demonstrates Srila Prabhupada’s desire to involve Srila Narayan Maharaja in the ceremony. Tamal Krsna then informs Srila Prabhupada about Srila Narayan Maharajas mood when the sannyasis were learning from him. He states: “But Narayan Maharaja was very concerned. He said he’s going to try to come to see you tomorrow. That’s all right, isn’t it?” This statement does not indicate that Srila Narayan Maharaja had a desire to perform the ceremony but rather that he was concerned for Srila Prabhupada’s well being.
Srila Prabhupada has sent them to learn about the Samadhi ceremony from Srila Narayan Maharaja and has immediately responded by saying yes with a nod of his head when Tamal Krsna asks if he should call for Srila Narayan Maharaja to come. Srila Prabhupada has not responded to two requests for Krsna Das Babaji to come. Yet for some reason Tamal Krsna again brings up the idea of bringing Krsna Das for a third time. In response to this request Srila Prabhupada emphatically states, “Narayana Maharaja comes, then everything will be all right.” Srila Prabhupada makes this favorable statement after three inquiries by Tamal Krsna to bring Krsna Das and only one inquiry to bring Srila Narayan Maharaja. All of this is ample proof that Srila Prabhupada was placing his trust in Srila Narayan Maharaja not Krsna Das Babaji.
Moreover, Srila Prabhupada further reinforces his desire when Tamal Krsna says: “So if I call Narayana Maharaja, is there any need for Krsna Dasa to come?” Srila Prabhupada then replies: “He can arrange.” Tamal Krsna then wants to clarify whom Srila Prabhupada meant when he said “He” can arrange, so Tamal Krsna asks in a questioning voice “Narayan Maharaja”. We do not hear any response but based on Tamal Krsnas immediate response in his next statement we get the idea that Srila Prabhupada has nodded yes, indicating that it is Srila Narayan Maharaja to whom he was referring when he made the statement “he can arrange”.
Thus it is clear at this point in the conversation that it is Srila Prabhupada’s desire and choice that Srila Narayan Maharaja that he not only instruct his disciples about the Samadhi Ceremony but that Srila Narayan Maharaja comes to see him and that he also arranges the ceremony. Most importantly Srila Prabhupada has not yet heard from Tamal Krsna that Srila Narayan Maharaja actually wanted to participate in the ceremony. The statement by Tamal Krsna about Srila Narayana Maharaja’s interest in performing the Samadhi ceremony happens subsequently to Srila Prabhupada’s statement that “he can arrange”. Tamal Krsna asks about Krsna Das Babaji coming three times and mentions Srila Naryana Maharaja only once. However, Srila Prabhupada not only requests that Srila Narayan Maharaja should come, instead of Krsna Das Babaji, but that “he can arrange” the ceremony as well. It is at this point that Tamal Krsna responds by confirming the earnest request of Srila Prabhupada with the statement that: “Actually, he wanted to do that. He gave us instructions, but he also wanted to take part. So better I call Narayana Maharaja, then Krsna dasa.” Hence Tamal Krsna is now confirming by this statement that Srila Prabhupada’s desire to have Srila Narayan Maharaja not just teach them the ceremony but to actually come and do the Samadhi Ceremony is in fact Srila Narayan Maharaja’s desire as well.
At time 49:21 on the MP3 that has been provided with the paper by the GBC Srila Prabhupada again asks if Srila Narayan Maharaja is coming to see him. The conversation is as follows:
Srila Prabhupada: [Speaks to Tamal Krsna Maharaj:] Narayana Maharaja –he’ll come tomorrow?
Tamal Krsna Maharaja: [First discusses with Bhakti-Caru Maharaja, then speaks as follows:] If we pick him up, he’ll come tonight. If we go just now with the car, if Bhakti-Caru goes just now with the car, he may come tonight –Narayana Maharaja.
Srila Prabhupada: Hu. [Go on Kirtan]
Tamal Krsna has not yet arranged to bring Srila Narayan Maharaja to see Srila Prabhupada. So again Srila Prabhupada asks him, “Narayan Maharaja—he’ll come tomorrow”. Here we see that Srila Prabhupada has an earnest desire to see Srila Narayan Maharaja–a desire which the GBC is trying to tell you did not exist by willfully misleading the reader with false statements and innuendos that have nothing to do with the actual facts of the conversation.
Finally in the main conversation that is the topic of this paper there is a section in which Srila Prabhupada gives a direct order to his disciples to follow the instructions of Srila Narayan Maharaja in terms of performing the Samadhi Ceremony and also to “let him do” the ceremony.
Hari-Sauri: Jaya Srila Prabhupada. Tamala Krsna.
Prabhupäda: You have consulted with Narayana Maharaja?
Tamala Krsna: Yes. This morning Bhakti-caru Swami, Bhakti-prema Swami and Sridhara Swami went to see him, and Narayana Maharaja described the ceremony for the departure of a Vaishnava, great Vaishnava soul.
Narayana Maharaja: I have told them everything that is needed to be done. I told them, “Whenever you need me, I’ll come here.” I would do all, being personally present.
At this point in the conversation Srila Prabhupada has only asked his disciples if they have consulted with Srila Narayan Maharaja. This proves that he had instructed them to go in the first place to learn how to do the Samadhi Ceremony from Srila Narayan Maharaja. Therefore Srila Prabhupada is checking up on them to make sure that they have followed his instructions. This begs an important question: Srila Prabhupada has so many god brothers there in Vrndavan who are technically senior to Srila Narayan Maharaja but he has chosen Srila Narayan Maharaja to teach them the ceremony, why? The answer is because of the intimate siksha guru-siksha disciple relationship between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayan Maharaja which is made apparent in the body of the October 8th conversation that is presented in the GBC paper.
However, getting back to the immediate part of the discussion at hand, after Srila Prabhupada checks to see that his disciples have consulted with Srila Narayan Maharaja as he has asked them to, there is some discussion on the location of the Samadhi, covering the body with salt, and saving flowers for a Pushpa Samadhi in Mayapur. Then, the following conversation takes place wherein Srila Prabhupada orders Srila Narayana Maharaja to be present and instructs his disciples to let Srila Narayan Maharaja perform the ceremony because he knows:
Srila Prabhupada: Apni dariye theke
Srila Prabhupada: You be present there.
Srila Narayana Maharaja: Ami thakba okhane. Apanara amake khabar diben.
Srila Narayana Maharaja: Yes, I will be there. You all should notify me.
Srila Narayana Maharaja: [Speaks to Tamal Krsna Maharaja in English] You should call me, and I will come.
Tamal Krsna Maharaja: Yes. He described the entire ceremony in detail, Srila Prabhupada.
Srila Prabhupada: So he knows. When you are ready, let him have it.
MY NOTE: I spent a considerable amount of time reviewing this statement on the sound file. I had the sound file cleared of some background noise and had the voices enhanced by a recording specialist. What I obtained from this was as follows:
Srila Prabhupada: Hmm so he knows– when I reach the time.
Tamal Krsna: yes
Srila Prabhupada: “he will reach let him do” (Please click here to listen.)
This statement is referring back to his order to Srila Narayan Maharaja “you be present there” and Srila Narayan Maharaja’s response “yes I will be there, you should all notify me” in Bengali and then in English Srila Narayan Maharaja says “Your should call me, and I will come” So Srila Prabhupada is now recapping the conversation and giving the final instructions on the matter “So he knows—when I reach the time, he will reach—let him do” this is a clear instruction by Srila Prabhupada to his disciples that Srila Narayan Maharaja should perform “let him do” the Samadhi Ceremony. Even if you are to accept the version of the conversation as given by the GBC “So he knows. When you are ready let him have it.” It is again crystal clear that Srila Prabhupada is instructing them that Srila Narayan Maharaja “knows” so “when you are ready” or “when I reach the time” you should let Srila Narayan Maharaja “have it”, that is perform the Samadhi Ceremony.
Considering all of these points, it is very clear that Srila Prabhupada wanted Srila Narayan Maharaja to not only instruct his disciples about the Samadhi Ceremony, Srila Prabhupada actually wanted Srila Narayan Maharaja to participate in and to perform the Samadhi Ceremony. In fact it appears that this was Srila Prabhupada’s intention all along by sending his disciples to learn from Srila Narayan Maharaja in the first place. Knowing that his disciples were not capable of doing the Samadhi Ceremony themselves he sends them first to learn from Srila Narayan Maharaja and then instructs them to ‘let him do”. Furthermore, we have witnesses that saw Srila Narayan Maharaja in the room with Srila Prabhupada receiving further instructions about caring for his disciples and no doubt further instructions about performing the Samadhi Ceremony. As these conversations were mostly in Bengali and/or Hindi only parts of the conversations were available to the English speaking witnesses.
Therefore when the GBC makes the statement: “Thus, it appears that the idea of Narayana Maharaja’s participation in the ceremony originates from Narayana Maharaja himself, not from Srila Prabhupada” they are again willfully misleading the devotees who are reading their official GBC paper into wrongly believing that Srila Narayan Maharaja’s participation in the ceremony came from himself. Even though Srila Narayan Maharaja had earlier expressed his desire to participate in the Samadhi Ceremony, Srila Prabhupada was not informed of Srila Narayan Maharaja’s desire to participate in the ceremony until after he expressed his own earnest desire to have Srila Narayan Maharaja perform the ceremony by the statement “he can arrange”. Srila Prabhupada later confirms this by saying “So he knows when I reach the time he will reach let him do”
The GBC has demonstrated their willful intent to mislead the readers into believing that it was Srila Narayan Maharaja, who initiated the desire in Srila Prabhupada to have him do the Samadhi ceremony, by use of false accusations, insinuations, and innuendos. This false conception is manufactured by the GBC writers to make the reader believe that a great Mahabhagavat is ambitious and untruthful. Actually, it has been historically demonstrated that within the GBC body there have been many members who were most unfortunately decorated with the above mentioned qualities of material ambition and falsehood. In fact, as I have proven in this paper they are speaking falsely even now. The GBC’s woeful misbehavior in this regard has been a matter of past public record in their consistent abuse of power, fiscal malfeasance, exploitation of women and children, and inappropriate behavior with senior Vaishnava’s.
This ends part two of my refutation. In part three, I will further expose the hypocrisy of the statements the GBC has made in this paper about Srila Prabhupada’s request to preach together with his godbrothers and their complete and utter failure to follow this instruction.
Bhakti is for Sharing:
6 Responses to “The Truth for the Record”
ramananda das says:
April 28, 2010 at 2:38 AM
Crystal clear Maharaj
Reply
Das soham says:
April 28, 2010 at 4:30 AM
Reply
Damodara dasa says:
April 28, 2010 at 5:15 AM
Thanks Maharaj,
I’m glad to see the record set straight on Srila Bv Narayan Maharaja’s close relationship with Srimad A.C. Bv Swami Prabhupad. I’m looking forward to part 3 of your refutation of the GBC paper.
Reply
Jayanta Dasa says:
April 28, 2010 at 6:03 AM
Dear Sripad Bhagavat maharaja,
Dandavat pranams ! Sri Guru Gauranga Jayatah!
On behalf of all Srila Gurudeva’s loving disciples, we highly commend you on the second part of your refutations against these
maha-maha aparadhis ! These GBCs are the true “poster children”
of the four defects of conditioned life, 1) tendency to cheat and fool others 2) sure to commit mistakes 3) imperfect senses and
4) sure to be illusioned . We can see that these maha-maha aparadhis
all fit everyone of the four defects of conditioned life ! How can
they think that they will win against a Pure Devotee of the highest caliber as our most beloved , Srila Gurudeva ? It is simply their false ego, false prestige (pratista)that have gotten the best of their senses ! Do they honestly think that a Maha-Maha Bhagavat with the highest caliber and highest degree of Prema Bhakti, Dearmost
Servant of Srimati Radhika,who controls Lord Sri Krsna, would stoop so low as they have demonically stated in their “official GBC” statements ? NEVER ! Fie on these impudent maha-rascals ! History has shown all of us the nature of these maha apardhis and the numerous mistakes that they have consistently made. It seems that they are a bunch of lemmings jumping off the cliff ! Blind leading the blind ! More than three times, Maha-Bhagavats, have tried to steer these “monkeys” in the right directions, first by Nitya-lila Sri Srimad Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhardeva Maharaja, secondly by Nityalila Sri Srimad Srila Acharya Thakur Gour Govinda Maharaja and third by our most beloved, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja Gurudeva, our present day Srila Prabhupada, the successor to Srila Swami Maharaja Prabhupada ! And everytime, they’ve resisted ! Why ? Because their false egos do not want to let go of their pratista ! They do not want to lose their positions, fame, adulations and money that they receive from their disciples on their birthdays (NOT Vyasa-puja)! History will show, on the other hand, that our most beloved Srila Gurudeva is without blemish and has never ever forgotten Their
Lordships , Sri Sri Radha Krsna, not even for a trillionth of a split second ! Jaya Srila Gurudeva ! Jaya Srila Prabhupada ! Hare Krsna ! Jaya, Jaya Sri Radhe !!!
A lowly, but loving son of my Guru Maharaja,
Jayanta das
Reply
Krishna Das says:
April 28, 2010 at 6:36 AM
Dear Maharaja,
Thank you for your two very clear responses Maharaja. However, in all the refutations I noticed that no one mentioned that it is, or was, common knowledge among Srila Prabhupada’s disciples that Srila Prabhupada at least once told his disciples that if they have any questions when he is no longer with us, they can go to Srila Sridhara Maharaja and Srila Narayana Maharaja to resolve them. That is why so many of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples went to Srila Narayana Maharaja in the first place. I heard that Urukrama Prabhu (now Padmanabha Maharaja) and others were present in the room, that’s why he went to both Srila Sridhara Maharaja and Srila Narayana Maharaja for siksa.
Even if the moderator chooses not to post this comment, I think it would be useful to at least mention the essence of this point maybe in part three of your refutation because for some strange reason, no one mentions this point any more. It would be nice to also see the transcript where Srila prabhupada is making this point as well.
Reply
shashikala dasi says:
April 28, 2010 at 6:55 AM
PRANAMS AND THANK YOU MAHARAJI,
Those rascals are so shameless.
Our so imcomparable merciful Beloved Srila Gurudeva may forgive them, but the dust from His Divine Lotus Feet, NEVER WILL FOR SURE!!
How My Srila Prabhupada had to deal so closely with all those rakshashas, gives pain in my heart forever.
Even if i can never be a dust from the Divine Lotus Feet of My Most Worshipable Divine Masters , still i’ll never never ever forgive those DEMONS ….
JAYA PRABHUPADA JAYA GURUDEVA!
TAMAL KRISHNA MAHARAJA'S; Pyramid house confessions, December 3rd 1980Share.. Monday, April 19, 2010 at 11:15pm
TAMAL KRISHNA MAHARAJA'S; Pyramid house confessions, December 3rd 1980Share.. Monday, April 19, 2010 at 11:15pm
PYRAMID HOUSE CONFESSIONS December 3rd 1980
Tamala Krishna Maharaja: "I've had a certain realization a few days ago.(...) There are obviously so many statements by Srila Prabhupada that his Guru Maharaja did not appoint any successors.(...) Even in Srila Prabhupada's books he says guru means by qualification.(...)
The inspiration came because there was a questioning on my part, so Krishna spoke. Actually Prabhupada never appointed any gurus. He appointed eleven ritviks. He never appointed them gurus. Myself and the other GBC have done the greatest disservice to this movement the last three years because we interpreted the appointment of ritviks as the appointment of gurus.
What actually happened I'll explain. I explained it but the interpretation is wrong. What actually happened was that Prabhupada mentioned he might be appointing some ritviks, so the GBC met for various reasons, and they went to Prabhupada, five or six of us. (This refers to the meeting of May 1977,). We asked him, "Srila Prabhupada, after your departure, if we accept disciples, whose disciples will they be, your disciples or mine?"
Later on there was a piled up list of people to get initiated, and it was jammed up. I said, "Srila Prabhupada, you once mentioned about ritviks. I don't know what to do. We don't want to approach you, but there's hundreds of devotees named, and I'm just holding all the letters. I don't know what you want to do".
Srila Prabhupada said, "All right, I will appoint so many..." and he started to name them. He made it very clear that they are his disciples. At that point it was very clear in my mind that they were his disciples. Later on I asked him two questions, one: "What about Brahmananda Swami?". I asked him this because I happened to have an affection for Brahmananda Swami.(...) So Srila Prabhupada said, "No, not unless he is qualified". Before I got ready to type the letter, I asked him, two: "Srila Prabhupada is this all or do you want to add more?". He said, "As is necessary, others may be added."
Now I understand that what he did was very clear. He was physically incapable of performing the function of initiation; therefore he appointed officiating priests to initiate on his behalf. He appointed eleven, and he said very clearly, "Whoever is nearest can initiate". This is very important because when it comes to initiating, it isn't whoever is nearest, it's wherever your heart goes. Who (you) repose your faith on, you take initiation from him. But when it's officiating, it's whoever is nearest, and he was very clear. He named them. They were spread out all over the world, and he said, "Whoever your nearest, you just approach that person, and they'll check you out. Then, on my behalf, they'll initiate." It is not a question that you repose your faith in that person - nothing. That's a function for the guru.
"In order for me to manage this movement", Prabhupada said, "I have to form a GBC and I will appoint the following people. In order to continue the process of people joining our movement and getting initiated, I have to appoint some priests to help me because(...) I cannot physically manage everyone myself."
And That's all it was, and it was never any more than that, you can bet your bottom dollar that Prabhupada would have spoken for days and hours and weeks on end about how to set up this thing with the gurus, because he had already said it a million times. He said: My Guru Maharaja did not appoint anyone. It's by qualification." We made a great mistake. After Prabhupada's departure what is the position of these eleven people?(...)
Prabhupada showed that it is not just sannyasis. He named two people who were grihastas, who could at least be ritviks, showing that they were equal to any sannyasi. So anyone who is spiritually qualified - it's always been understood that you cannot accept disciples in the presence of your guru, but when the guru disappears, you can accept disciples if you are qualified and someone can repose their faith. Of course, they (prospective disciples) should be fully appraised at how to distinguish who is a proper guru. But if you are a proper guru, and your guru is no longer present, that is your right. It's like a man can procreate(...) Unfortunately the GBC did not recognise this point. They immediately (assumed, decided) that these eleven people are the selected gurus. I can definitely say for myself, and for which I humbly beg forgiveness from everybody, that there was definitely some degree of trying to control(...) This is the conditioned nature, and it came out in the highest position of all, "Guru, oh wonderful! Now I am guru, and there is only eleven of us"(...).
I feel that this realization or this understanding is essential if we are to avoid further things from happening, because, believe me, it's going to repeat. It's just a question of time until things have a little bit faded out and again another incident is going to happen, whether it's here in L.A. or somewhere else. It's going to continuously happen until you allow the actual spiritual force of Krishna to be exhibited without restriction.(...) I feel that the GBC body, if they don't adopt this point very quickly, if they don't realize this truth. You cannot show me anything on tape or in writing where Prabhupada says: "I appoint these eleven as gurus". It does not exist because he never appointed any gurus. This is a myth.(...) The day you got initiated you get the right to be come a father when your father disappears, if you are qualified. No appointment. It doesn't require an appointment, because there isn't one.
PYRAMID HOUSE CONFESSIONS December 3rd 1980
Tamala Krishna Maharaja: "I've had a certain realization a few days ago.(...) There are obviously so many statements by Srila Prabhupada that his Guru Maharaja did not appoint any successors.(...) Even in Srila Prabhupada's books he says guru means by qualification.(...)
The inspiration came because there was a questioning on my part, so Krishna spoke. Actually Prabhupada never appointed any gurus. He appointed eleven ritviks. He never appointed them gurus. Myself and the other GBC have done the greatest disservice to this movement the last three years because we interpreted the appointment of ritviks as the appointment of gurus.
What actually happened I'll explain. I explained it but the interpretation is wrong. What actually happened was that Prabhupada mentioned he might be appointing some ritviks, so the GBC met for various reasons, and they went to Prabhupada, five or six of us. (This refers to the meeting of May 1977,). We asked him, "Srila Prabhupada, after your departure, if we accept disciples, whose disciples will they be, your disciples or mine?"
Later on there was a piled up list of people to get initiated, and it was jammed up. I said, "Srila Prabhupada, you once mentioned about ritviks. I don't know what to do. We don't want to approach you, but there's hundreds of devotees named, and I'm just holding all the letters. I don't know what you want to do".
Srila Prabhupada said, "All right, I will appoint so many..." and he started to name them. He made it very clear that they are his disciples. At that point it was very clear in my mind that they were his disciples. Later on I asked him two questions, one: "What about Brahmananda Swami?". I asked him this because I happened to have an affection for Brahmananda Swami.(...) So Srila Prabhupada said, "No, not unless he is qualified". Before I got ready to type the letter, I asked him, two: "Srila Prabhupada is this all or do you want to add more?". He said, "As is necessary, others may be added."
Now I understand that what he did was very clear. He was physically incapable of performing the function of initiation; therefore he appointed officiating priests to initiate on his behalf. He appointed eleven, and he said very clearly, "Whoever is nearest can initiate". This is very important because when it comes to initiating, it isn't whoever is nearest, it's wherever your heart goes. Who (you) repose your faith on, you take initiation from him. But when it's officiating, it's whoever is nearest, and he was very clear. He named them. They were spread out all over the world, and he said, "Whoever your nearest, you just approach that person, and they'll check you out. Then, on my behalf, they'll initiate." It is not a question that you repose your faith in that person - nothing. That's a function for the guru.
"In order for me to manage this movement", Prabhupada said, "I have to form a GBC and I will appoint the following people. In order to continue the process of people joining our movement and getting initiated, I have to appoint some priests to help me because(...) I cannot physically manage everyone myself."
And That's all it was, and it was never any more than that, you can bet your bottom dollar that Prabhupada would have spoken for days and hours and weeks on end about how to set up this thing with the gurus, because he had already said it a million times. He said: My Guru Maharaja did not appoint anyone. It's by qualification." We made a great mistake. After Prabhupada's departure what is the position of these eleven people?(...)
Prabhupada showed that it is not just sannyasis. He named two people who were grihastas, who could at least be ritviks, showing that they were equal to any sannyasi. So anyone who is spiritually qualified - it's always been understood that you cannot accept disciples in the presence of your guru, but when the guru disappears, you can accept disciples if you are qualified and someone can repose their faith. Of course, they (prospective disciples) should be fully appraised at how to distinguish who is a proper guru. But if you are a proper guru, and your guru is no longer present, that is your right. It's like a man can procreate(...) Unfortunately the GBC did not recognise this point. They immediately (assumed, decided) that these eleven people are the selected gurus. I can definitely say for myself, and for which I humbly beg forgiveness from everybody, that there was definitely some degree of trying to control(...) This is the conditioned nature, and it came out in the highest position of all, "Guru, oh wonderful! Now I am guru, and there is only eleven of us"(...).
I feel that this realization or this understanding is essential if we are to avoid further things from happening, because, believe me, it's going to repeat. It's just a question of time until things have a little bit faded out and again another incident is going to happen, whether it's here in L.A. or somewhere else. It's going to continuously happen until you allow the actual spiritual force of Krishna to be exhibited without restriction.(...) I feel that the GBC body, if they don't adopt this point very quickly, if they don't realize this truth. You cannot show me anything on tape or in writing where Prabhupada says: "I appoint these eleven as gurus". It does not exist because he never appointed any gurus. This is a myth.(...) The day you got initiated you get the right to be come a father when your father disappears, if you are qualified. No appointment. It doesn't require an appointment, because there isn't one.
Sri Sri Radha-PurusottamaJagannatha Puri, India: August 4, 2004
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Purusottama Month in Puri
Wednesday, 04 August 2004
Sri Sri Radha-PurusottamaJagannatha Puri, India: August 4, 2004
Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja
[Under the guidance of Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja, the month-long Kartika parikrama, inauguration of the newly built Sri Sri Giridhari Gaudiya Matha, and installation of Sri Sri Radha-Vinodabihariji, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the divine murti of Srila Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja was successfully performed. Please excuse us that, due to the art marathon taking place throughout the parikrama, we were not able to send out many lectures. By the mercy of Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga we can now begin the process of transcribing and editing those lectures, and soon you will be receiving them. In the meantime, please accept the first of the lectures given by Srila Narayana Maharaja during the previous parikrama, in Jagannatha Puri:]
Srila Maharaja speaking in Puri{Every evening, when the devotees returned from the day’s Jagannatha Puri parikrama, Srila Maharaja spoke at the Sri Krsna-Caitanya Gaudiya Matha. This temple is the home of Sri Sri Radha Nayana-mani and Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadraji, as well as the holy birth place of Sri Srimad Bhaktsiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada. It is located on the same road as the famous Sri Jagannatha Mandira and is only a five-minute walk from there. The acarya of the temple is Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Gosvami Maharaja, a prominent disciple of Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura. (About 700 devotees from all over the world were in attendance for Srila Narayana Maharaja’s lectures. Many of the parikrama pilgrims were living in the guesthouse of that temple, and others had rooms in nearby hotels.)
The following was Srila Narayana Maharaja’s introductory lecture wherein he welcomed all the international pilgrims and explained to them the significance of their being in Puri at that sacred time.}
I offer pranama to the lotus feet of my guru-padapadma, nitya-lila pravistha om visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, and also to my siksa-guru, Paramapujyapada nitya-lila pravistha om visnupada Sri Bhakti Dayita Madhava Gosvami Maharaja, who established this temple.
We are all very supremely fortunate to have come here to Purusottama-ksetra Jagannatha Puri-dhama, and stay so close to Purusottama-deva Sri Jagannatha Himself. We are especially fortunate to be here in this month called Purusottama-masa and to perform Purusottama-vrata (the auspicious vows taken on this month). We are even more fortunate to have the shelter of this particular place – the divine appearance place of nitya-lila pravistha om visnupada Sri Srimad Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada and the bhajana kutira of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura.
In chapter fifteen of Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krsna describes three types of personalities: ksarah, aksarah and purusottama. Ksarah means fallible, and it refers to those living entities who have forgotten Krsna. By constitution, all living entities are the eternal servants of Krsna. Those living entities who are bereft of the knowledge of their own spiritual identity and nature, and whose nature is now hidden by the material energy, are called ksarah-purusa. They are called fallible living entities or conditioned souls.
There is another type of living entity and Lord Krsna calls them aksarah, infallible. They are the liberated souls. They are fully aware of their identity as His eternal servants.
After describing the ksarah-purusa and aksarah-purusa, Krsna explains that above both categories of souls is the Supermost Personality. He is superior to all the living beings and is therefore called Purusottama, the Supreme Person. Sri Krsna says, “I am that Purusottama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
Purusottama month comes in the leap year – every thirty-two months. Previously this month was known as mala-masa. Mala means unclean, contaminated and suitable for being rejected. This was considered the “rejectable” month, because about it sastra says: “You should not perform any ritualistic activities, such as getting married or receiving sacred thread according to the principles of varnasrama-dharma.” All of these materially auspicious activities are stopped during this month. No one is permitted to perform any of them, and so this month was known as Mala-masa, the contaminated month. The personification of this month approached Sri Krsna and said to Him: “Oh my Lord, all despise me and condemn me in this world, because they cannot perform any auspicious fruitive activities in my presence. I take complete shelter of You and surrender to you. What should I do?”
Krsna explains in the Gita:
sarva dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah
[“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” Bhagavad-gita 18.66)]
Give up all types of material religiosity and surrender to Me unconditionally. I will take away all reactions to your sinful activities; do not fear. Lord Krsna replied to Mala-masa, “I will take away all your contamination, because you are surrendered unto Me. I myself will become the predominating deity of this month. From now on the people will not call you Mala-masa. Instead they will call you Purusottama-masa. During this month they will observe Purusottama-vrata, the very auspicious activities of devotional service in Purusottama-ksetra.”
This month should be observed by following the rules and regulations one follows during Kartika month. Srimati Radhika is the predominating deity in the month of Kartika, and Krsna is the predominating deity of Purusottama-masa.
One should not perform any material pious activities (subha-karma) in this month. Instead of being derailed into material activities, one should become one-pointed and do one-pointed vows – for the happiness of Krsna. Only perform service to Hari-Guru and Vaisnavas, chant harinama and stay near Purusottama-deva. For those who observe this vow, it is certain that all their desires will be fulfilled. All so-called auspicious activities of this world, such as performing duties within varnasrama-dharma and getting married, will have no value if one does not perform bhajana and if Lord Krsna is not pleased. Therefore, all the devotees who have assembled here to observe Purustottama-vrata in Purusottama-ksetra, at the birthplace of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, are supremely fortunate.
Those who reside in foreign countries such as Holland and here and there, but whose ancestors are originally from India, are allowed to enter Sri Jagannatha Mandira and Sri Gundica Mandira. For others, Jagannatha-deva is causelessly merciful. Every year during the Ratha-yatra festival He comes to the Gundica temple and all can see Him. I request you to follow the principles of Srila Haridasa Thakura, Srila Sanatana Gosvami and Srila Rupa Gosvami. Srila Haridasa Thakura never tried to enter the Jagannatha temple, but at the time of the car festival no one could check him. He used to dance here and there with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So you are also very fortunate; you can follow in that way.
All the devotees should come here for mangala-arati. After mangala-arati all devotees can sit down and sing kirtana, as we do during Kartika-vrata. Then there can be a short class, and at 6.30 all devotees should leave for parikrama. We will then go to Sri Gambira and Radha-kanta Matha, and from there we will go to Siddha-bhakula, the place of Srila Haridasa Thakura. We will then go to Svargadvara and the house of Srila Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, and after that all the devotees will go to the Jagannatha Mandira. Those who have taken birth in Western countries, who are not of Indian ancestry, should not try to enter the Jagannatha temple. They should stay outside and take darsana of Patita-pavana Jagannatha outside.
Today is the day before we begin our parikrama, and during this parikrama I will explain Raya Ramananda Samvad. As an introduction to Raya Ramananda Samvad, you will need to hear an explanation of how Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu first heard about Raya Ramananda from Sri Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya.
Sri Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was living here in Jagannatha Puri, and he was teaching and following the Advaita Vedanta of Sankaracarya. He was so learned, such a great philosopher and so influential that great sannyasis would come to him. They would even receive from him saffron cloth again, as well as the sannyasa reformatory process again. They would thus receive what was considered by the mayavadis to be a more elevated sannyasa community or sampradaya. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu met with him He had respect for him, but He was of a completely different opinion regarding philosophical conclusions.
Sri Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya wanted to teach Advaita Vedanta to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, so he began to explain the theory of Sankaracarya and his explanation of all the sutras of Vedanta. He explained that the Absolute Truth is indescribable, beyond the description of words – because it is impersonal.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was sitting before Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya as he explained his philosophy, all day and night for seven days in a row. Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya was struck with wonder because Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu didn’t move, He didn’t ask a question, and there was no expression on His face. Therefore, it wasn’t clear to him whether or not Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu could understand his explanation. He asked, “Do you understand my explanation or not?”
Previous to this, Gopinatha Acarya had spoken with him and tried to convince him that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Gopinatha Acarya was his brother-in-law and he knew that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was that original Supreme Person, Krsna Himself, adorned with the sentiments and complexion of Srimati Radhika.
Although Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was very learned and an incarnation of the demigod Brhaspati (chief priest of the heavenly kingdom and spiritual master of the demigods headed by King Indra), he could not understand the advice and explanations of Gopinatha Acarya. The Bhattacarya had explained to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu that God has no form, no qualities and no pastimes. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, “O Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, the sutras (verses containing volumes of meaning) of Vedanta are self-effulgent and self-evident like the sun, but your explanation is just like a black cloud covering the sun.” “My dear sir, I can understand the meaning of the sutras like janmady asya yatah , sastra-yonitvat, and athato brahma jijïasa of the Vedanta-sutra, but when you explain them in your own way it becomes difficult for Me to follow them. The purpose of the sutras is already explained in them, but your explanations are covering them with something else. You do not purposely take the direct meaning of the sutras but indirectly give your own interpretations.” When Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya heard this, he said: “Until today, no one has been able to refute my commentaries; so I want to hear your explanation.” Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then began to explain all the Vedanta-sutras of Vedanta. First of all:
janmady asya yato 'nvayad itaratas carthesv abhijnah svarat
tene brahma hrda ya adi-kavaye muhyanti yat surayah
tejo-vari-mrdam yatha vinimayo yatra tri-sargo 'mrsa
dhamna svena sada nirasta-kuhakam satyam param dhimahi
”O my Lord, Sri Krsna, son of Vasudeva, O all-pervading Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. I meditate upon Lord Sri Krsna because He is the Absolute Truth and the primeval cause of all causes of the creation, sustenance and destruction of the manifested universes. He is directly and indirectly conscious of all manifestations, and He is independent because there is no other cause beyond Him. It is He only who first imparted the Vedic knowledge unto the heart of Brahmaji, the original living being. By Him even the great sages and demigods are placed into illusion, as one is bewildered by the illusory representations of water seen in fire, or land seen on water. Only because of Him do the material universes, temporarily manifested by the reactions of the three modes of nature, appear factual, although they are unreal. I therefore meditate upon Him, Lord Sri Krsna, who is eternally existent in the transcendental abode, which is forever free from the illusory representations of the material world. I meditate upon Him, for He is the Absolute Truth. (Srimad Bhagavatam) 1.1.1)”
Brahma (the Supreme Spirit) is that from which everything is emanated. Sriman Mahaprabhu gave evidence from the Vedas: ‘yato va imani bhutani.’ Everything has emanated from Brahma, everything is resting in Brahma and everything enters into Brahma. How can it be that the source of all forms and personalities has no form or personality? This is not possible. God is sat-cit-ananda vigraha, He has a form of eternity, knowledge and bliss, as explained in Vedanta-sutra.
Arupa-vat eva hi tat pradhanatvat. This is one of the sutras (verses full with meaning) of Vedanta-Sutra. Arupavat means "apparently without a form." "Rupa” means “form”, “a” means “not” and “vat” means “like”, or “in comparison”. This word, therefore, also means “it is not like the form.” The suffix “vat”, meaning “like” or “in comparison”, is also used in the word "naravat-lila, meaning Sri Krsna’s human-like pastimes. His pastimes appear LIKE those of a human being, but they are not those of a human. “Nara” means “human”, and Krsna’s pastimes (lila) are described as “naravat” meaning “like those of a human”. So the meaning of arupa-vat is: “It is not that God’s form as the Deity is LIKE Him. Rather it IS Him. He IS that very form. The arca-vigraha (Deity in the temple) is not a symbolic representation. It is directly Vrajandra-nandana Syamasundara Himself. By the process of worshipping that Deity, one can directly see Him. I may say “the painting of me is like my form”, but this is not the case with Lord Krsna.
Arupa-vat. It is not that God has no form. His Deity (vigraha) is not a symbolic representation of Him. The Deity is directly God Himself. Mahaprabhu explained from the Vedas, “He has no hands, but He accepts offerings.” This means He has no material hands; He has a transcendental form. Sriman Mahaprabhu also explained from Srimad Bhagavatam:
atmaramas ca munayo
nirgrantha apy urukrame
kurvanty ahaitukim bhaktim
ittham-bhuta-guno harih
[“All different varieties of atmaramas [those who take pleasure in atma, or spirit self], especially those established on the path of self-realization, though freed from all kinds of material bondage, desire to render unalloyed devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead. This means that the Lord possesses transcendental qualities and therefore can attract everyone, including liberated souls.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.7.10)]
‘Ittham-bhuta-guno harih’ means that God has so many wonderful qualities. ‘Nirgrantha’ means those personalities who are completely liberated from this material world, like the four Kumaras (Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Sanat-kumara), Srila Sukadeva Gosvami and others. Though previously absorbed in nirvisesa-brahma, when they heard about the qualities of Sri Krsna, they became attracted, because His qualities are transcendental. They are abheda, non-different from Him.
Explaining the verses in this way Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu defeated all the explanations of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya and established the actual philosophical conclusions.
He then allowed Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya to see His Sad-bhuja rupa – His six-armed form. This six-armed form has two bluish arms of Krsna holding a flute, two greenish arms of Ramacandra holding a bow in one hand and an arrow in another, and two arms of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu holding a danda in one hand and a water pot in the other. In this way, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was completely transformed.
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya previously taught ‘sarvam hy etad brahma’, meaning‘everything is ultimately impersonal Brahma.’ One should perform pancha upasana: the worship of Durga, Suryadeva, Ganesha, Siva and Visnu, but actually, everything is that impersonal Spirit. He had been teaching this, but after his meeting with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu he became completely transformed.
The next morning Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave him some prasadam, and he immediately accepted it without taking bath or performing any morning duties. The Bhattacarya then gave evidence from the injunction of Vedic scriptures. In the scriptures it is stated: “Whether you are pure or not, you should take mahaprasadam immediately, even if it has fallen from the mouth of a dog.” In this way we can see how Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu transformed his personality.
One day, Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya quoted a verse from Srimad Bhagavatam:
tat te ’nukampam susamiksamano
bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam
hrd-vag-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
jiveta yo mukti-pade sa daya-bhak
[“My dear Lord, one who earnestly waits for You to bestow Your causeless mercy upon him, all the while patiently suffering the reactions of his past misdeeds and offering You respectful obeisances with his heart, words and body, is surely eligible for liberation, for it has become his rightful claim.”(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.8)]
This verse says, ‘mukti-pade sa’, but he changed it to ‘bhakti-pade sa’. Now that his personality had been changed so greatly, he could not bare to hear the word, ‘mukti-pade’. He was thinking, “Those who tolerate all the difficulties and problems of life, thinking that the difficulties are coming as the fruits of their own karma, those who thus engage their body, mind and words in praying to the Supreme Lord – will get mukti?” He did not like this, so he changed the verse to ‘bhakti-pade sa daya-bhak’.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told him, “There is no fault in Srimad Bhagavatam; you should not change the verse. ‘Mukti-pade’ is perfect.” It refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose lotus feet are served by those living entities who are completely liberated from this world. Srimad Bhagavatam gives the correct conclusion – that those who are addicted to the transcendental service of the Supreme Lord, even if they are offered liberation, will not accept it.
Thus, while living in Jagannatha Puri, Sri Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was completely transformed into a pure Vaisnava by the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is from Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu first heard about Sri Raya Ramananda, after which He decided to search for him and have his association.
Tomorrow I will explain how Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu met with Raya Ramananda, and what subject matter they discussed.
--
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Last Updated on Monday, 26 April 2010
Purusottama Month in Puri
Wednesday, 04 August 2004
Sri Sri Radha-PurusottamaJagannatha Puri, India: August 4, 2004
Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja
[Under the guidance of Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja, the month-long Kartika parikrama, inauguration of the newly built Sri Sri Giridhari Gaudiya Matha, and installation of Sri Sri Radha-Vinodabihariji, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and the divine murti of Srila Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja was successfully performed. Please excuse us that, due to the art marathon taking place throughout the parikrama, we were not able to send out many lectures. By the mercy of Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga we can now begin the process of transcribing and editing those lectures, and soon you will be receiving them. In the meantime, please accept the first of the lectures given by Srila Narayana Maharaja during the previous parikrama, in Jagannatha Puri:]
Srila Maharaja speaking in Puri{Every evening, when the devotees returned from the day’s Jagannatha Puri parikrama, Srila Maharaja spoke at the Sri Krsna-Caitanya Gaudiya Matha. This temple is the home of Sri Sri Radha Nayana-mani and Sri Jagannatha, Baladeva and Subhadraji, as well as the holy birth place of Sri Srimad Bhaktsiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada. It is located on the same road as the famous Sri Jagannatha Mandira and is only a five-minute walk from there. The acarya of the temple is Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Gosvami Maharaja, a prominent disciple of Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura. (About 700 devotees from all over the world were in attendance for Srila Narayana Maharaja’s lectures. Many of the parikrama pilgrims were living in the guesthouse of that temple, and others had rooms in nearby hotels.)
The following was Srila Narayana Maharaja’s introductory lecture wherein he welcomed all the international pilgrims and explained to them the significance of their being in Puri at that sacred time.}
I offer pranama to the lotus feet of my guru-padapadma, nitya-lila pravistha om visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, and also to my siksa-guru, Paramapujyapada nitya-lila pravistha om visnupada Sri Bhakti Dayita Madhava Gosvami Maharaja, who established this temple.
We are all very supremely fortunate to have come here to Purusottama-ksetra Jagannatha Puri-dhama, and stay so close to Purusottama-deva Sri Jagannatha Himself. We are especially fortunate to be here in this month called Purusottama-masa and to perform Purusottama-vrata (the auspicious vows taken on this month). We are even more fortunate to have the shelter of this particular place – the divine appearance place of nitya-lila pravistha om visnupada Sri Srimad Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada and the bhajana kutira of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura.
In chapter fifteen of Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krsna describes three types of personalities: ksarah, aksarah and purusottama. Ksarah means fallible, and it refers to those living entities who have forgotten Krsna. By constitution, all living entities are the eternal servants of Krsna. Those living entities who are bereft of the knowledge of their own spiritual identity and nature, and whose nature is now hidden by the material energy, are called ksarah-purusa. They are called fallible living entities or conditioned souls.
There is another type of living entity and Lord Krsna calls them aksarah, infallible. They are the liberated souls. They are fully aware of their identity as His eternal servants.
After describing the ksarah-purusa and aksarah-purusa, Krsna explains that above both categories of souls is the Supermost Personality. He is superior to all the living beings and is therefore called Purusottama, the Supreme Person. Sri Krsna says, “I am that Purusottama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
Purusottama month comes in the leap year – every thirty-two months. Previously this month was known as mala-masa. Mala means unclean, contaminated and suitable for being rejected. This was considered the “rejectable” month, because about it sastra says: “You should not perform any ritualistic activities, such as getting married or receiving sacred thread according to the principles of varnasrama-dharma.” All of these materially auspicious activities are stopped during this month. No one is permitted to perform any of them, and so this month was known as Mala-masa, the contaminated month. The personification of this month approached Sri Krsna and said to Him: “Oh my Lord, all despise me and condemn me in this world, because they cannot perform any auspicious fruitive activities in my presence. I take complete shelter of You and surrender to you. What should I do?”
Krsna explains in the Gita:
sarva dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah
[“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.” Bhagavad-gita 18.66)]
Give up all types of material religiosity and surrender to Me unconditionally. I will take away all reactions to your sinful activities; do not fear. Lord Krsna replied to Mala-masa, “I will take away all your contamination, because you are surrendered unto Me. I myself will become the predominating deity of this month. From now on the people will not call you Mala-masa. Instead they will call you Purusottama-masa. During this month they will observe Purusottama-vrata, the very auspicious activities of devotional service in Purusottama-ksetra.”
This month should be observed by following the rules and regulations one follows during Kartika month. Srimati Radhika is the predominating deity in the month of Kartika, and Krsna is the predominating deity of Purusottama-masa.
One should not perform any material pious activities (subha-karma) in this month. Instead of being derailed into material activities, one should become one-pointed and do one-pointed vows – for the happiness of Krsna. Only perform service to Hari-Guru and Vaisnavas, chant harinama and stay near Purusottama-deva. For those who observe this vow, it is certain that all their desires will be fulfilled. All so-called auspicious activities of this world, such as performing duties within varnasrama-dharma and getting married, will have no value if one does not perform bhajana and if Lord Krsna is not pleased. Therefore, all the devotees who have assembled here to observe Purustottama-vrata in Purusottama-ksetra, at the birthplace of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, are supremely fortunate.
Those who reside in foreign countries such as Holland and here and there, but whose ancestors are originally from India, are allowed to enter Sri Jagannatha Mandira and Sri Gundica Mandira. For others, Jagannatha-deva is causelessly merciful. Every year during the Ratha-yatra festival He comes to the Gundica temple and all can see Him. I request you to follow the principles of Srila Haridasa Thakura, Srila Sanatana Gosvami and Srila Rupa Gosvami. Srila Haridasa Thakura never tried to enter the Jagannatha temple, but at the time of the car festival no one could check him. He used to dance here and there with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So you are also very fortunate; you can follow in that way.
All the devotees should come here for mangala-arati. After mangala-arati all devotees can sit down and sing kirtana, as we do during Kartika-vrata. Then there can be a short class, and at 6.30 all devotees should leave for parikrama. We will then go to Sri Gambira and Radha-kanta Matha, and from there we will go to Siddha-bhakula, the place of Srila Haridasa Thakura. We will then go to Svargadvara and the house of Srila Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, and after that all the devotees will go to the Jagannatha Mandira. Those who have taken birth in Western countries, who are not of Indian ancestry, should not try to enter the Jagannatha temple. They should stay outside and take darsana of Patita-pavana Jagannatha outside.
Today is the day before we begin our parikrama, and during this parikrama I will explain Raya Ramananda Samvad. As an introduction to Raya Ramananda Samvad, you will need to hear an explanation of how Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu first heard about Raya Ramananda from Sri Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya.
Sri Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was living here in Jagannatha Puri, and he was teaching and following the Advaita Vedanta of Sankaracarya. He was so learned, such a great philosopher and so influential that great sannyasis would come to him. They would even receive from him saffron cloth again, as well as the sannyasa reformatory process again. They would thus receive what was considered by the mayavadis to be a more elevated sannyasa community or sampradaya. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu met with him He had respect for him, but He was of a completely different opinion regarding philosophical conclusions.
Sri Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya wanted to teach Advaita Vedanta to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, so he began to explain the theory of Sankaracarya and his explanation of all the sutras of Vedanta. He explained that the Absolute Truth is indescribable, beyond the description of words – because it is impersonal.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was sitting before Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya as he explained his philosophy, all day and night for seven days in a row. Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya was struck with wonder because Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu didn’t move, He didn’t ask a question, and there was no expression on His face. Therefore, it wasn’t clear to him whether or not Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu could understand his explanation. He asked, “Do you understand my explanation or not?”
Previous to this, Gopinatha Acarya had spoken with him and tried to convince him that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Gopinatha Acarya was his brother-in-law and he knew that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was that original Supreme Person, Krsna Himself, adorned with the sentiments and complexion of Srimati Radhika.
Although Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was very learned and an incarnation of the demigod Brhaspati (chief priest of the heavenly kingdom and spiritual master of the demigods headed by King Indra), he could not understand the advice and explanations of Gopinatha Acarya. The Bhattacarya had explained to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu that God has no form, no qualities and no pastimes. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, “O Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, the sutras (verses containing volumes of meaning) of Vedanta are self-effulgent and self-evident like the sun, but your explanation is just like a black cloud covering the sun.” “My dear sir, I can understand the meaning of the sutras like janmady asya yatah , sastra-yonitvat, and athato brahma jijïasa of the Vedanta-sutra, but when you explain them in your own way it becomes difficult for Me to follow them. The purpose of the sutras is already explained in them, but your explanations are covering them with something else. You do not purposely take the direct meaning of the sutras but indirectly give your own interpretations.” When Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya heard this, he said: “Until today, no one has been able to refute my commentaries; so I want to hear your explanation.” Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu then began to explain all the Vedanta-sutras of Vedanta. First of all:
janmady asya yato 'nvayad itaratas carthesv abhijnah svarat
tene brahma hrda ya adi-kavaye muhyanti yat surayah
tejo-vari-mrdam yatha vinimayo yatra tri-sargo 'mrsa
dhamna svena sada nirasta-kuhakam satyam param dhimahi
”O my Lord, Sri Krsna, son of Vasudeva, O all-pervading Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. I meditate upon Lord Sri Krsna because He is the Absolute Truth and the primeval cause of all causes of the creation, sustenance and destruction of the manifested universes. He is directly and indirectly conscious of all manifestations, and He is independent because there is no other cause beyond Him. It is He only who first imparted the Vedic knowledge unto the heart of Brahmaji, the original living being. By Him even the great sages and demigods are placed into illusion, as one is bewildered by the illusory representations of water seen in fire, or land seen on water. Only because of Him do the material universes, temporarily manifested by the reactions of the three modes of nature, appear factual, although they are unreal. I therefore meditate upon Him, Lord Sri Krsna, who is eternally existent in the transcendental abode, which is forever free from the illusory representations of the material world. I meditate upon Him, for He is the Absolute Truth. (Srimad Bhagavatam) 1.1.1)”
Brahma (the Supreme Spirit) is that from which everything is emanated. Sriman Mahaprabhu gave evidence from the Vedas: ‘yato va imani bhutani.’ Everything has emanated from Brahma, everything is resting in Brahma and everything enters into Brahma. How can it be that the source of all forms and personalities has no form or personality? This is not possible. God is sat-cit-ananda vigraha, He has a form of eternity, knowledge and bliss, as explained in Vedanta-sutra.
Arupa-vat eva hi tat pradhanatvat. This is one of the sutras (verses full with meaning) of Vedanta-Sutra. Arupavat means "apparently without a form." "Rupa” means “form”, “a” means “not” and “vat” means “like”, or “in comparison”. This word, therefore, also means “it is not like the form.” The suffix “vat”, meaning “like” or “in comparison”, is also used in the word "naravat-lila, meaning Sri Krsna’s human-like pastimes. His pastimes appear LIKE those of a human being, but they are not those of a human. “Nara” means “human”, and Krsna’s pastimes (lila) are described as “naravat” meaning “like those of a human”. So the meaning of arupa-vat is: “It is not that God’s form as the Deity is LIKE Him. Rather it IS Him. He IS that very form. The arca-vigraha (Deity in the temple) is not a symbolic representation. It is directly Vrajandra-nandana Syamasundara Himself. By the process of worshipping that Deity, one can directly see Him. I may say “the painting of me is like my form”, but this is not the case with Lord Krsna.
Arupa-vat. It is not that God has no form. His Deity (vigraha) is not a symbolic representation of Him. The Deity is directly God Himself. Mahaprabhu explained from the Vedas, “He has no hands, but He accepts offerings.” This means He has no material hands; He has a transcendental form. Sriman Mahaprabhu also explained from Srimad Bhagavatam:
atmaramas ca munayo
nirgrantha apy urukrame
kurvanty ahaitukim bhaktim
ittham-bhuta-guno harih
[“All different varieties of atmaramas [those who take pleasure in atma, or spirit self], especially those established on the path of self-realization, though freed from all kinds of material bondage, desire to render unalloyed devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead. This means that the Lord possesses transcendental qualities and therefore can attract everyone, including liberated souls.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.7.10)]
‘Ittham-bhuta-guno harih’ means that God has so many wonderful qualities. ‘Nirgrantha’ means those personalities who are completely liberated from this material world, like the four Kumaras (Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Sanat-kumara), Srila Sukadeva Gosvami and others. Though previously absorbed in nirvisesa-brahma, when they heard about the qualities of Sri Krsna, they became attracted, because His qualities are transcendental. They are abheda, non-different from Him.
Explaining the verses in this way Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu defeated all the explanations of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya and established the actual philosophical conclusions.
He then allowed Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya to see His Sad-bhuja rupa – His six-armed form. This six-armed form has two bluish arms of Krsna holding a flute, two greenish arms of Ramacandra holding a bow in one hand and an arrow in another, and two arms of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu holding a danda in one hand and a water pot in the other. In this way, Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was completely transformed.
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya previously taught ‘sarvam hy etad brahma’, meaning‘everything is ultimately impersonal Brahma.’ One should perform pancha upasana: the worship of Durga, Suryadeva, Ganesha, Siva and Visnu, but actually, everything is that impersonal Spirit. He had been teaching this, but after his meeting with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu he became completely transformed.
The next morning Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave him some prasadam, and he immediately accepted it without taking bath or performing any morning duties. The Bhattacarya then gave evidence from the injunction of Vedic scriptures. In the scriptures it is stated: “Whether you are pure or not, you should take mahaprasadam immediately, even if it has fallen from the mouth of a dog.” In this way we can see how Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu transformed his personality.
One day, Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya quoted a verse from Srimad Bhagavatam:
tat te ’nukampam susamiksamano
bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam
hrd-vag-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
jiveta yo mukti-pade sa daya-bhak
[“My dear Lord, one who earnestly waits for You to bestow Your causeless mercy upon him, all the while patiently suffering the reactions of his past misdeeds and offering You respectful obeisances with his heart, words and body, is surely eligible for liberation, for it has become his rightful claim.”(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.8)]
This verse says, ‘mukti-pade sa’, but he changed it to ‘bhakti-pade sa’. Now that his personality had been changed so greatly, he could not bare to hear the word, ‘mukti-pade’. He was thinking, “Those who tolerate all the difficulties and problems of life, thinking that the difficulties are coming as the fruits of their own karma, those who thus engage their body, mind and words in praying to the Supreme Lord – will get mukti?” He did not like this, so he changed the verse to ‘bhakti-pade sa daya-bhak’.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu told him, “There is no fault in Srimad Bhagavatam; you should not change the verse. ‘Mukti-pade’ is perfect.” It refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose lotus feet are served by those living entities who are completely liberated from this world. Srimad Bhagavatam gives the correct conclusion – that those who are addicted to the transcendental service of the Supreme Lord, even if they are offered liberation, will not accept it.
Thus, while living in Jagannatha Puri, Sri Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was completely transformed into a pure Vaisnava by the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is from Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu first heard about Sri Raya Ramananda, after which He decided to search for him and have his association.
Tomorrow I will explain how Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu met with Raya Ramananda, and what subject matter they discussed.
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Last Updated on Monday, 26 April 2010
By BV Bhagavat Maharaja (ACBSP)
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My Response to the GBC Paper – The Final Conversation
Posted on13 April 2010.
PART ONE
When I was asked to look at the report that the GBC has recently published concerning the conversation that took place between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayana Maharaja I immediately understood that they were going to try and present this in a way which would minimize Srila Narayana Maharajas importance in the Samadhi ceremony and his intimate relationship with Srila Prabhupada. Therefore I was not surprised at what I saw but deeply disappointed. However upon examining the document with a Native Bengali speaker and comparing it to the sound file they provided I was shocked that they would be so bold as to make so many changes, omissions, and even additions to the conversation and still provide us with the original tape now highly digitally restored. I am not sure what they were thinking when they were doing this but it was obvious that they felt confident that they could get away with it.
In the early 90’s the followers of Srila Narayana Maharaja made a translation and transcription of this conversation which was published in the book called “Their Lasting Relationship”. The title of the article itself is “Prabhupada’s Final Order: On ISKCON and Srila Narayana Maharaja.” Based on the digitally restored file that I listened to with the Bengali translator there are also numerous errors in this presentation as well. However the translation work by Srila Narayana Maharaja’s disciples was done in the early 90’s off of a cheap cassette tape and not a digitally restored tape with all the background noise removed. I spoke to the person who listened to the cassette tape and did the translation for that book. He explained how he had to listen to it numerous times just to make out the basic words in the conversation and still he was not absolutely sure about some things but did the best he could under the circumstances. So considering the obstacles he had to face it is understandable that there would be errors in the presentation.
I am not sure what the excuse is for ISKCONS recent presentation, however, in commenting on their presentation I would first like to address the issue of the intimate relationship between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayana Maharaja as it concerns this and other conversations which I and other devotees witnessed. If you go to the Veda Base folio and look at the conversation where Tamal Krishna and others are discussing Srila Narayana Maharaja coming on October 8th 1977 you will see that right after the conversation where Srila Prabhupada says: ”Narayana Maharaja comes; then everything is all right” the following conversation ensues after a break:
Prabhupada: When you have come back?
Bhagavat: I just came just now, a half hour before, from America.
Upendra: And he’s real skinny, Srila Prabhupada. He’s skinny.
Prabhupada: Why?
Bhagavat: Because I am following caturmasya. I have reduced to 160 pounds. Before I was 260. Now I am 160.
Prabhupada: Very nice.
Bhagavat: Shall I chant?
Prabhupada: Yes. (kirtana begins)
So here is the evidence that I was in Vrindavan at this time and witnessed Srila Narayana Maharajas intimate relationship with Srila Prabhupada.
Not only was I present for several meetings between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayana Maharaja but others were present also. Here is a copy of a post made on face book by one of my god brothers Pita Das:
“GBC says that NM last Conversation with SP is Oct 8 1977. I was present Nov 10 or 11the when Srila Prabhupada met NM and Swami Bon. First in English I heard SP ask NM to watch over his disciples. Then there was a Bengali Hindi conversation lasting at least 20 minutes. Don’t know if it was taped. Many tapes of 1977 have disappeared Sankarshan Prabhu was duplicating them in Houston naming them by content. He now says they never existed”
This leads us to another question. Where are the tapes? In the folio there are no taped conversations listed from August 18th to October 1st. Why Is that? Where are the conversations? Srila Prabhupada was Silent for 6 weeks? Here we have a devotee who was a witness to a conversation only 1 to 3 days before Srila Prabhupada left where this devotee heard Srila Prabhupada say in English to Srila Narayana Maharaja please take care of my disciples. Where is that tape? Why is the ISKCON GBC saying there is no such conversation when we have witnesses that there was? This same devotee says that Sankarshan Prabhu was making copies of those tapes. I have received an email from Sankarshan Prabhu where he states that he had tapes of Srila Prabhupada but he never had any tapes from Vrndavan in 1977. Are the tapes in the archives? Let’s see what Ekanath Prabhu has to say about that.
I took the following excerpt from a letter posted to the Sampradaya Sun on February 5th 2010 titled “Setting the Record Straight on Srila Prabhupada’s Audio” written by Ekanath Prabhu the director of the BBT Archives. The following except reveals just how much audio of Srila Prabhupada has not been published:
PS. Ongoing progress chart as of 02-05-2010:
•Audio ready for transcribing - 47
•Bengali proofreading in progress - 4
•Digital cassette transfers to be indentified - 249
•English proofreading completed–Stage 1 - 110
•English proofreading in progress–Stage 1 - 62
•English proofreading in progress–Stage 2 - 16
•English transcribing in progress - 66
•Hindi transcribing in progress - 15
•Bengali ready for transcribing - 15
•Ready for Folio– Veda Base ® - 10
•Hindi ready for transcribing - 54
•Sanskrit ready for proofreading - 50
•Reels to be digitized and to be indentified - 161
•Sanskrit proofreading in progress - 26
•Transcripts ready for English proofreading–Stage 1 - 44
•Conservative estimate of new audio files forthcoming – 500
In this recently produced paper the GBC tries to make it look like Srila Narayana Maharaja has misrepresented himself when he says that he was there on the last day. However we have two witnesses that saw him on the last and next to last day. On the next to last day Srila Prabhupada had a conversation with Srila Narayana Maharaja which it appears was either taped and the tape is missing or was not taped and is only in the memory of the witness. On the last day Srila Narayana Maharaja communicated with Srila Prabhupada in a very powerful spiritual way which no other disciple of Srila Prabhupada could. Furthermore there are eyewitness accounts where it appears that there were times when Srila Narayana Maharaja went to visit Srila Prabhupada and he was not communicating with anyone else. Furthermore there is a video on You Tube in which Bhakti Caru Maharaja is speaking at the Devananda Gaudiya Matha in front of Srila Narayana Maharaja, Tamal Krishna and Giriraja Maharaja and many ISKCON devotees. He says the following words I quote:
“Although junior to Srila Prabhupada (pause in speech) Srila Prabhupada used to treat him like his intimate friend, of course in those days none of us were in Krishna Consciousness. But later on when Srila Prabhupada was in Vrndavan in 1977 preparing to leave this planet and go back to Krishna’s eternal pastimes. Srila Prabhupada displayed what an intimate relationship he had with His Divine Grace Srila Narayana Maharaja. Narayana Maharaja used to come and see Srila Prabhupada quite often and they used to discuss about various things very intimately.”
Here is the video:
Here we have a GBC/GURU from ISKCON, who is presently holding both those positions, who is contradicting in the present paper issued by the GBC body his previous statements of the frequency and intimacy of the relationship between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayana Maharaja. These eyewitness accounts clearly indicate that Srila Narayana Maharaja is not exaggerating as the GBC contends but that rather the GBC is minimizing the frequency and intimacy of the relationship Srila Prabhupada had with Srila Narayana Maharaja and minimizing the position of Srila Narayana Maharaja in relation to ISKCON.
However the intimacy of the relationship between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayana Maharaja does not start in 1977 in Vraja during Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance pastimes as Bhakti Caru Maharaja points out, but starts 30 years earlier when they first met. Here is an excerpt from a letter written by Srila Prabhupada to Srila Narayana Maharaja on September 28th 1966:
“Our relationship is certainly based on spontaneous love. That is why there is no chance of us forgetting one another…..From the first time I saw you I have been your constant well wisher. At first sight of me, Srila Prabhupada also saw me with such love. It was in my very first darshan of Srila Prabhupada that I learned how to love.” (Excerpt from a letter by Srila Prabhupada to Srila Narayana Maharaja dated September 28th, 1966)
This letter makes it clear in Srila Prabhupada’s own words that Srila Prabhupada had very intimate feelings for Srila Narayana Maharaja from the moment they met. Some devotees may say that Srila Prabhupada has expressed similar sentiments to various disciples. However the extent to which Srila Prabhupada is comparing the intimacy of his feelings for Srila Narayana Maharaja with his own spiritual master’s feelings for him has, to the best of my knowledge, never been expressed to any of his disciples quite the way he is expressing it here to Srila Narayana Maharaja. ISKCON’s attempt to diminish the intimacy of the relationship between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayana Maharaja based on gerrymandering this one conversation and juxtaposing it against selected and various statements of Srila Narayana Maharaja is in my opinion a shameful exhibition that offends both Acharya’s.
The claim of the GBC is that they are doing this to protect Srila Prabhupada’s movement. However it was Srila Narayana Maharaja who really saved Srila Prabhupada’s movement from being given to Madan Mohan De, who is Srila Prabhupada’s son from his previous ashram, by the courts.
In this court case brought against ISKCON after Srila Prabhupada departed, Madan Mohan De proposed that Srila Prabhupada was not a Brahmin and therefore could not take sannyas. According to presentation to the court this meant that Srila Prabhupada was in fact a business man and that ISKCON was his business enterprise and that it legally belonged to the blood relations, meaning him, the hereditary son. Srila Narayana Maharaja went to court in Bombay at least 6 times at his own expense to serve as a witness on behalf of ISKCON in this case. He quoted extensive shastric evidence proving that a person was a Brahmin by qualification not by birth. That any Vaishnava was equal to and greater than a Brahmin and therefore was qualified to accept the Tridandi sannyas order. He quoted extensive evidence about the history and authority of the tridandi sannyas order and its validity according to shastra. He further explained that it was the order of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, the authorized Acharya in the Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya and the line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that any person who is a Vaishnava by qualification, no matter what their birth lineage is in fact a qualified Brahmin and that person could and should take sannyas at the appropriate time. He explained that his Guru, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Goswami who was Srila Prabhupada’s God brother was an authorized sannyasi in the line from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura and was qualified to award the sannyas diksha and mantras. In this way Srila Narayana Maharaja gave evidence that played a crucial role in the case to save ISKCON. Evidence that in fact no one at that time in ISKCON was qualified to give. So what is Srila Narayana Maharaja’s reward for helping Srila Prabhupada’s disciples to protect ISKCON from the court case of his son? What is his reward? He is banned from ISKCON.
If we look at the character of Srila Narayana Maharaja we see first of all that he came to the lotus feet of his Guru as a young man, leaving behind a wife and child and forsaking the orders of his father and mother. This may be no big deal in America but in India this is a serious breach of historical and Vedic social and moral customs. He took to the practice of Bhakti in 1946 and never left the practice of devotional service nor did he disregard its principles at any time in his devotional career. He took Sannyas in 1952 before most of us were even born and he never deviated from his Sannyas ashram vows in 58 years. He has always chanted a minimum of 100,000 holy names every day since the very beginning of his practice of Bhakti which is nearly 65 years. He has demonstrated his elevated position by remaining conscious and chanting Hare Krishna while under anesthesia during heart surgery. Only someone who is completely on the transcendental platform and whose soul is completely free from the encumbrance of the false ego and hence the entire subtle body could perform such a feat because his soul directly inhabits the body and is not affected by anesthesia. One morning during this past Kartik while we were listening to Srila Narayana Maharaja give his morning dissertation the priest from Seva Kunja came into our temple. He was carrying with him the Maha Prasadam and garlands from the previous nights Rasa Lila activities in Seva Kunja. The priest said that he was ordered by Srimati Radhika in a dream to bring the Maha Prasada to her dear sakhi who is known in this world as Narayana Maharaja. Srila Narayana Maharaja is the Mahabhagavat who is dearly beloved of Srimati Radharani and Srila Prabhupada.
In contrast to this picture of ideal and transcendental devotional behavior and spiritual intimacy with the Supreme Lord we have a plethora of persons in ISKCON calling themselves Gurus and Spiritual leaders who are not even able to follow the most basic adjusted principles of Bhakti like following the 4 regulative principles and chanting 16 rounds every day. Out of the so called original eleven Gurus, eight of them have admittedly fallen from the principles of Bhakti. There are numerous others who were made gurus later who have also fallen. Some devotees have been initiated and reinitiated as many as five times. The GBC as a body has written and rewritten one contradictory philosophical and theological position paper after another in order to protect its institutional conceptions only to change them later on. The GBC has admitted to committing serious aparadhas against Srila Sridhara Maharaja and then apologized later on after realizing their mistake. The GBC has admitted to committing serious aparadhas against their own exalted God brother Srila Gaur Govinda Maharaja and then apologized when realizing their mistake later on. They tried to obfuscate that they wanted to ban only Srila Narayana Maharaja from ISKCON in 1995 by making a ban on all of Srila Prabhupada’s God Brothers from visiting the temples. Then they broke their own policy and invited both Bhakti Pramode Puri Maharaja and Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Maharaja to ISKCON Vrndavan demonstrating that it was really an exclusive policy against Srila Narayana Maharaja. Devotees in the institution of ISKCON up to its highest levels repeatedly committed physical and sexual abuses against children and women and then the GBC systematically covered it up for years.
This same GBC body is now saying that Srila Narayana Maharaja was not with Srila Prabhupada on the last day, did not meet with him numerous times and have intimate conversations with him, and did not receive instructions to guide and help his disciples. I have shown you in this article that we have witnesses Pita das and Myself, that were present when Srila Narayana Maharaja was with Srila Prabhupada on the next to last and last day. We have witnesses, including a standing member of their present GBC body, Bhakti Caru, who have seen Srila Narayana Maharaja visit Srila Prabhupada numerous times, besides the October 8th conversation, and have intimate spiritual discussions with him. We have witnesses like Pita das who have heard Srila Prabhupada ask Srila Narayana Maharaja to guide and protect his disciples and his mission and we have demonstrated in this article how he has performed this task by saving the entire society. Yet this same GBC Body who has made so many mistakes in the past are now trying to tell us that the Mahabhagavat, a person of great integrity and unblemished character who has lived a true and exceptional devotional life is misrepresenting the facts about his relationship Srila Prabhupada.
I have now shown you in this the first part of my refutation how the GBC have contradicted themselves on the points that they have tried to establish in their paper the Final Conversation. Now in the second part of my refutation I will present a new commentary on the conversation based on the accurate translation of the digitized audio of the October 8th conversation and demonstrate yet again how they have mistranslated the words and meanings of Srila Prabhupada’s words in order to minimize the intimacy of his relationship with Srila Narayana Maharaja and Srila Prabhupada’s instructions to him to take care of his society and his disciples.
Bhakti is for Sharing:
9 Responses to “My Response to the GBC Paper – The Final Conversation”
B.V. Bhagavat Maharaja says:
April 14, 2010 at 11:25 AM
I received an email today from Sankarshan Prabhu who says that he had tapes of Srila Prabhupada but not those tapes from Vraja in 1977. So I reported what Pita Das told me and now Sankarshan Prabhu says that he has none of those tapes. I accept his statement.
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Das soham says:
April 14, 2010 at 12:36 PM
Thank you Uncle Bhagavat.
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Admin says:
April 15, 2010 at 12:03 PM
Here are some comments collected from Facebook:
Jayadvaita Dasa April 14 at 4:36am
Hare Krsna Maharaja please accept my dandavat pranams all glories to Sri guru and Gauranga.Just a quick message thanking you for your response to the gbc paper. The facts are very clear and the potency of the Mahabhagavata does and always will shine through regardless of what others say or do.It’s a great service you are doing thanks. your servant jayadvaita dasa Wales.
P.s are you planning on coming to wales this year as your association was really nice last year?
Tulsi Krishna April 13 at 10:31pm
Thank you so much Maharaj for such a very extensive presentation of facts. And more so, because you yourself was there, talking now on first hand account . Indeed Krishna is so merciful that He will always arrange in such a way that what Srila NArayan MAharaj told us is substanciated by wisnesses such as yourself. With your exposition, the deeper my love became to our beloved Srila Narayan Maharaj.
I did not meet Srila Prabhupad personally , although I’ve been a devotee since 1970 because the one incharge here in our place has some personal motive.He did not let any of us write a letter to Srila Prabhuapad. I cried when Srla PRabhupad left Nov.14th 1977. . But when I visited his samadhi last 1988, I was there crying at the back of his murti , hiding so no one will see me, and praying to please show me the person he favors to lead me to Krishna. Then the next day, , I met Srila Narayan MAharaj. I still have to this day a photo I took on that event.
Since I was the personal servant of Tamal Krishna Maharaj then, I was not able to have so much association of Srila Narayan Maharaj. I followed Srla NArayan Maharaj in some parikrams. Tamal KrishnaMaharaj noticed my behaviour towards Srila Narayn Maharaj that he took my passposrt and forwarded it to Gopal Krishna Maharaj in Bombay just to remove me from Vrindaban.
So I went back here in Philippines broken hearted. But 10 years later 1n Feb 8 1999, Srila Narayan Maharaj came here in our country with the help of Radha Kanta Prabhu. I was able to serve Srila Narayan Maharaj then more personally and ask him to take me as his disciple. ISKCON banned me upon knowing this, but I AM VERY HAPPY because Srila Prabhupad answered my prayer for he sent Srila Narayan Gurudev even to this very far place of asia!!!
Jonathan Glass April 13 at 2:40pm Report
Dear Bhagavat Maharaja,
dandavat pranams. thankyou so much this clarity. I pray all devotees will read. very illuminating!
your servant
Nimai Caitanya das
Szymon Potynski April 13 at 10:46am
Maharaja, Thank you so much for writing the response. Really appreciate it. It’s so sad for me that ISKCON become so heartless, while the essence of bhakti is a deep heart connection. Thank you for all your work. Radhe Syam.
Sakhya Rasa das
Bhagavan Das April 13 at 12:26pm
Good work my friend. I’m glad you are still alive! The Great Body of Calcifides is not porous enough to allow love or truth to permeate the membrane of the mind or heart.
Bruce Slayman April 13 at 10:39am
Dandabats maharaja. Sri Sri guru gauranga jayatah!
I just posted Shyamarani didi’s paper athttp://bvml.org/contemporary/JD_p3f.html Will post your today or tomorrow. I am on my way to India to perform Chardhama yatra.
Ys,
BBd
Śrī Rādhā Vallabha Dear Sripada Bhagavat Maharaja, my pranams to you!
thank you for your wonderful publication!
Hari Saran Das
Many thanks Maharaj for writing this response to the GBC. As usual, you always surprise us with interesting historic facts, which in this case it is helpful to clarify those misunderstandings regarding the -spotless- relationship between Srila BV Narayna Maharaj and Srila BV Swami Prabhupada.
Santosh Lalgith
THIS is real clarification. Thank you Uncle Bhagavat.
Gita Dasi
I am certain that many persons are shaking in their wooden platform sandles after hearing this mighty roar of Bhagavat Maharaja.
Kishori Mohan
My favorite line is: ISKCONS attempt to diminish the intimacy of the relationship between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayan Maharaja based on gerrymandering this one conversation and juxtaposing it against selected and various statements of Srila Narayan Maharaja is in my opinion a shameful exhibition that offends both Acharya’s.
Thanks! Excellent Rebuttal!
Narayanashram Austria
Please keep on publishing like this, and spread it ALL around, as it will give healing to the wounded hearts of thousands!
Przemek Premananda Pawelczak
Thanks You very much Bhagavat Maharaja!. This presentation give me so much reliefe. Just pasted it on polish forum “vrinda” and tomorrow start to translate. topmost urgency for truth!
Molly Carano
Thank you Bhagavat Maharaja! This letter is so needed and healing! you shared your beautiful and sweet memories…who can argue with that?!! Truth will out indeed!
Jaya Sri Saci-nandana Gaurahari! “He is absorbed in vraja-rasa. As the trascendental Kamadeva, He chastises the evil-minded and destroys deceit. As Radha-ramana Rama, He nourishes His pure devotees, drives away dry impersonalism, and removes all imitations of bhakti”, this is from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s wonderful bhajan ‘Kali Kukkura Kadana’
All Glories to Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja
Who is the embodiment of all auspiciousness and who bestows al spiritual perfection and happiness!
Patita Pavana Gurudeva!
Kilimba G Alvarez
Thank you, Sripad Bhagavat Maharaj, for standing tall above the sea of apathy around this vitally important issue. As an initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada, diksa disciple of Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Maharaj and a heartfully connected siksha disciple of Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja, I would very much like to see Truth prevailabout the actual harmony and unity among the higher Vaisnavas. There is so much potential for sharing what we’ve been given by these maha-bhagavata pure devotees with the world. Imagine if we could show by combined behavior how powerful this Love really is..
Chiranjib Boyd
As a diksha disciple of Srila Prabhupada and a siksha disciple of Srila Gurudeva [BV Narayana Goswami Maharaja] I very much appreciate your efforts to defend the glory of their intimate relationship. I eagerly await your presentation of part two. I hope to get your association again at Badger Festival.
Bv Suddhadvaiti Swami
What a wonderful rebuttal letter in the face of these villains! What a splendid piece! Thank you so much, Maharaja.
Tracy Tabler Boyd
wow, this is so amazing, thank you for sharing this Maharaja, all glories to you!
Bv Damodara
You buried them so deep, they will need to dig with earth movers for the next 100 years to ever see the sunlight again……Thankyou Maharaja
Sudevi Dasi
Lol! Damodar Maharaj ! That really says it all…and more…
Guru Gauranga Das
As someone who doesn’t know Narayan Maharaja very well. And after reading both the GBC and your documents. I feel that I have gained more appreciation for Narayan Maharaja as a result of reading your document than I have gained doubts about him from the GBC document. It is always best to keep Vaisnava relationships strong. You must publish this on other sites. It will go along way to giving a balanced understanding of the situation.
There tends to be an understanding of them and us from the ISKCON camp. The GBC document is written to increase this feeling among their followers.The light of Bhakti is not trapped in the realm of any institution. And since when did ISKCON institutionalize Radha and Krishna, they are never bound. To imply that NM had a material agenda in regards to his relationship with SP is an insult. If they are not implying that, then what are they implying?
What is the logicical reason that the advanced devotees in ISKCON do not rise up against such blasphemy? The logic is that they are eating in the house of Duryodhana. And who is the Duryodhana of ISKCON? The Duryodhana is the internal personal pride and ambitions of the individual GBC and Guru’s. What is the reason that they maintain this internal Duryodhana of pride? Their reason is that they are protecting SP ISKCON. What does protection mean to them? Protection to them means to maintain a system that has proven to convert simple Vaisnava’s into disciple and money hungry businessmen! How is this maintained? By a system of exclusive Knitehood into their GBC based on exclusive boys club. Let us hope that creating a GBC in the NM camp does not end in the same way.
I pray that the salve of Bhakti will mend the hearts of those who have taken any position to lead any group of Vaisnavas. May Mahaprabhu bless everyone with his causeless Mercy!
Abhay Khurana
Thank you for this Maharaja. It’s wonderful to see false statements challenged quickly with the truth like this. All glories to your service.
Bankebihari Dasa
I agree with Sriman Guru Gauranga dasa that any “camp” spirit has been manufactured by the so called leaders of ISKCON in the wake of the coup-de-tat which hijacked an external manifestation of Srila Prabhupad’s beautiful bhakti wave. I haven’t seen any divisive camp spirit anywhere else. Institutionalism certainly cannot contain the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His pure maha-bhagavat representative on earth. Let the dogs bark, the caravan shall pass.
Ram-Chandra Das
Thank you so much Maharaj! the great research work to reveal the hidden truth!
Jaga Mohan Flood
Very well written and thought out.
Reply
Laksmidevi dasi says:
April 17, 2010 at 7:06 PM
Mahalo from Hawaii. Dandavats Bhagavat Maharaja! I pray every senior devotee of Srila Prabhupada’s who understands the truth you are speaking will also come forth with their stories as to why they left ISCON after their beloved Srila Prabhupada left. There are many, many who have their unpublished stories to fortify the truth about the GBC guys.
They need to say what they know while they are still on the planet.
I feel so sorry for those innocent devotees in ISCON who are bewildered by GBCON nonsense. When I was in Alachua they told me “Don’t ever call yourself a disciple of Srila Prabhupada.” I wept to the bone, my heart hurt so much. Even tho’ I read all of his books, I went to his temples, I associated with those actually initiated by Srila Prabhupada. He was so in my heart. I prayed to him to find me a Guru like him. I left Alachua on Radhastami, praying & chanting all the way back to California. Immediately I met a devotee who took me straight to Srila Narayana Maharaja. HARIBOL!!!!!! Jaya Gurudeva! Jaya Srila Prabhupada! Jaya Radhe!! Jaya Krishna!
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Acyutananda Dasa says:
April 18, 2010 at 5:13 AM
I wrote this on facebook, but it has not yet shown up here.
I want to share my thoughts on this issue, but I just hope this does not get taken the wrong way.
The issue between the GBC and our sanga stems not from an ideological dispute perse. Rather, it is being masqueraded as such to prevent the public from being concerned with the real issue at hand. The problem clearly is the attachment of a few select members (perhaps of the GBC) to their material assets (viz. followers, temples, property, prestige etc.) To think there will be some progress made at the legislative level (within ISKCON) by debating over the legitimacy of Gurudeva’s presence within their institution is an exercise in futility, because no matter how right you are, the problem is not an ideological one, but a material one.
‘Loyalty’ to Prabhupada in essence becomes a tool in manipulation to protect their vested interests, deceive the masses, and maintain some sort of doctrinal equilibrium. I do appreciate the articles that Syamarani didi, Swami BV Bhagavat and Swami BV Damodara have composed as it just continues to reveal ISKCONs ideological fallacy and reinforce our understanding of the true situation. But the issue is deeper, and I think that no matter how much we nail in these points, there’s always going to be something else they will manufacture to protect their assets. My real sympathy goes to all those who are currently being deceived into thinking that this type of attitude and behavior from the GBC is representative of Prabhupada’s innermost intention. Not only are they being materially deprived, but so much more so spiritually. In the political world this type of activity is termed ’spin’.
I beg forgiveness from my heart if I have offended anyone in this message, I just wanted to offer my perspective on the situation.
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Jayanta Dasa says:
April 18, 2010 at 6:22 PM
Dear Sripad Bhagavat maharaja,
My dandavat pranams. Sri Guru Gauranga Jayatah !
I just wanted to offer my heartfelt appreciations to you, Srimati Syamarani didi and Sripad BV Damodar maharaja for the most wonderful shastric refutations defending our most beloved Srila Gurudeva against these maha, maha aparadhis ! Who are these blasdphemous rascals ? What are their qualifications ? What are their lives histories ? What are their motives and modus operadhis ? We will find that they are all nitya baddhas and never free from the four defects 1) tendency to fool and cheat others 2) sure to commit mistakes 3) sure to be illusioned 4) always has imperect senses.
It is their false egos alone that causes them to “use Srila Prabhupada’s name and fame” for their malicious intent. The very fact that they are nitya baddhas and not free from there four defects make them totally ineligible to be believed in anything they say. Does any of them chant pure Nama ? How can they if they disobey the first offence and that is not “to blaspheme the Pure Devotees who have given their whole lives for propagating this Krsna Consciousness” ! Srila Prabhupad himself has stated there will demons
who will be masquerading as devotees in our Krsna Consciousness movement. They are surely detected as soon as they open their mouths ! On the other hand, our most beloved Srila Gurudeva is a Nitya Siddha, free from the four defects, whose most glorious character is sung throughout the vedic scriptures and all the three worlds ! I’ve been silent for along time but now I feel compelled
to throw my little pebbles just like the squirrels did along side of Hanumans to please and protect our “Lord Ramachandra” against these most wicked Ravanas ! We must not be silent and make the mistakes in the Mahabharat, just like Grandfather Bhismadeva ! We all must speak up against these nitya baddhas who will always have the four defects of conditioned souls and are of this material world whereas the Nitay Siddhas whom they have offended, such as our most beloved Srila Gurudeva, our beloved Nityalila Sri Srimad Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Maharaja, our beloved Nityalila Sri Srimad Srila Gour Givinda Maharaja and others, are not of this material world but from Goloka Vrndaban, just to help conditioned souls like them, but they are blinded by their material ambitions and politics and lead others into a hellish condion with themselves ! Who would you believe, the nitya baddhas or the Nitya Siddhas ? The answer is
obvious and without doubt for all the simple hearted real devotees ! Hare Krsna ! All glories to Srila Gurudeva ! All glories To Srila Prabhupada ! Jaya, jaya Sri Radhe !
Aspiring for the mercy of Hari, Guru and Vaisnavas,
Jayanta das
Reply
Devarsirat das (ACBSP 1976) says:
April 18, 2010 at 9:14 PM
About The GBC Statement about Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja
Dear Sripad Bhagavat Maharaja,
Please accept my dandavats pranams
All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.
All glories to Sri Sri Radha Vinode Bihariji
I also like to offer my deep appreciations to You, Srimati Syamarani didi and Sripad BV Damodar Maharaja for defending our wonderful Srila Gurudeva.
In a huge list of truth distortions by the GBC, the recent GBC paper, is one of the worst, because it shamelessly attempts to direct the reader away from Srila Prabhupadas final wishes and instructions. I just feel sorry for the many devotees in Iskcon, who are misled by such interpretations and go to hell because of the resulting offences they are bound to make against Krishnas pure devotee, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja.
When will everyone understand, that the GBC was not meant to be spiritual authority, but just a managing (money estates businesses e.g.) group of directors. Voting gurus in, Is not Vaisnava practice. Voting in a manager, yes, but not a genuine spiritual master. I was there when Srila Prabhupada passed away and when the managers suddenly became “divine graces;” Today, most of them have fallen down.
Why? Because at that time, their personal guidance from Srila Prabhupada stopped when He left for Goloka Vrindavan and they never took up to finish their training with Srila Narayana Maharaja.
They did not accept genuine Vaisnava Guidance from then until now, which is a huge gap in time and that explains the many disasters in Iskcon, we have all experienced or heard about. Everyone knows that Srila Prabhupada did not think these men were qualified and for them to have represented themselves as HDG Gurus immediately after Srila Prabhupada went into Samadhi, was disgusting and showed that they were not trained completely, otherwise they could have never done that. Srila Prabhupada knew their mentalities and for that reason He only made then managers. He wanted what He had begun, to be completed by HDG Srila Narayana Maharaja and this is the undistorted truth which the GBC members (which seem to process no shame doing so) try to distort by all means. To them it does not seem to matter, that they are misleading their disciples and all new comers wholesale.
Still what they began in those days, continues to this day, the idea of what a real guru is, has been watered down, with the only difference being, that this time there is no HDG title and the “Vyasasan” is a little lower. Today it is accepted in Iskcon that the Guru can fall down at any time…. GBC gurus give initiation and accept guru positions, without having had proper direct and complete training by a pure Vaisnava Spiritual master as directed by Srila Prabhupada.
Over and over again, some Iskcon voted in Guru has accepted disciples and they have accepted him, trusting this flawed voting system, thinking him to be very high, only later discovering to their despair (after they have given all their heart and so much money and service for years) that their “voted in” guru was not a highly advanced devotee after all and behind their back had sex with the wife of a disciple, or stole money, took drugs or was corrupt in some other way.
To make matters worse,the GBC,Instead of offering his lost disciples proper guidance, directing them to a real spiritual master as it is the system, handed them over to yet another so called spiritual master, who then later also fell down for some stupid reason.
In this way some devotees in Iskcon have had 3 or so called spiritual masters and this is going on to this day. Now they have the audacity, to criticise our beloved Srila Gurudeva whose record is completely unblemished and free from all faults.
Similarly to voters who believe that this time the next president or prime minister will be the big saviour of the country, Iskcon GBC also made their followers believe, that a guru can fall down and that the system is to surrender to yet another guru coming from the same unauthorised system. This is a grand deception and even so materially workable, spiritually it is like suicide.
Why was he voted in in the first place? GBC leaders have either no interest at all in promoting a genuine society of Vaisnavas and have no real mercy for the fallen souls Lord Chaitanya came to save, or they have completely misunderstood Guru tattva from the very beginning.
The existence of big buildings, lots of cash, opulent deity worship big positions and charismatic leaders (at least to the outside) does not automatically mean, that everything is pure bhakti and genuinely spiritual. Karmis and mayavadies also have big buildings and places for their practices and they also experience some bliss, but are we really so gullible to think, that the existence of wealth and marble, means there must also be real devotional substance?
If the genuine pure devotees direct personal guidance and direction is missing and another pure devotee is being rejected, is it really real?
Srila Prabhupada writes in the
Bhagavad Gita 4.42 Purport
One is therefore advised to study Bhagavad-gita, or any other scripture, under a bona fide spiritual master, with service and surrender. A bona fide spiritual master is in the disciplic succession from time eternal, and he does not deviate at all from the instructions of the Supreme Lord as they were imparted millions of years ago to the sun-god, from whom the instructions of Bhagavad- gita have come down to the earthly kingdom. One should, therefore, follow the path of Bhagavad- gita as it is expressed in the gita itself and beware of self-interested people after personal aggrandizement who deviate others from the actual path. The Lord is definitely the supreme person, and His activities are transcendental. One who understands this is a liberated person from the very beginning of his study of Bhagavad- gita.
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Gour Govinda das says:
April 22, 2010 at 1:42 AM
Dandavats B.V. Bhagavat Maharaja;
Glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayana Maharaja
The Glorious Disciplic Succession will always be established in all Yugas and in all times. Nothing and I mean nothing can stop the progressive march of Lord Chaitanya’s movement.
Banishment is actually a sure sign that one is on the right track. The Pandavas were banished. Lord Rama was banished. The smartas tried to kill Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Maharaja. Haridas Thakura was beaten twenty-one times. Jesus was crucified. What little discomfort we my experience in the service of our beloved Gurudeva is nothing in comparison. These hindrances are merely meant to hone our skills in defeating all avaishnava philosophies. Actually without these trials we would become complacent in our sadhana. We have to delve deep within our hearts to extract the pure desire to serve the true Vaishnavas. Krishna would want nothing less than full surrender. That is where the nectar lies.
To remove all material obstacles is not easy. We need to just sit and deeply meditate on the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva and that is where we will find the strength to go on. Gurudeva’s words are full of such sweet nectar. His devotion is so very deep and his spiritual strength knows no bounds. To have a moments association with a pure devotee of the Lord is all that is necessary for making solid progress on the path of spiritual realization. The barking dogs offer up nothing but noise. They too shall pass into the annals of history as nothing more than sign posts towards a dead end.
Thank you Sripad Bhagavat Maharaja for bringing the light of truth into the dark and cold cellar of misconceptions. No one can touch the powerful pure devotees of the Lord.
Gour Govinda das
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Sudarsana Das Vanachari says:
April 25, 2010 at 7:10 PM
All glories to Srila Gurudeva!
It is most wonderful that Sripad Bhagavat Maharaja, Sripada Damodara Maharaja and Srimati Syamarani didi have come to the defence of our beloved Srila Gurudeva and our beloved Srila Prabhupada in what can only be described as a devious and calculating ploy by those on the GBC, who by attepting to distort the truth are simply cheating others and themselves.
In the eyes of The Lord these personalities by their actions, are ”irrelevent” and their misdeeds will not go unpunished.
It is most heartening and enlivening to read all the comments of all the wonderful vaisnavas also who have certainly been blessed by our beloved Gurudeva.
This old verse I found in a book of “Quotations” and although “anonomous” rings true…….
For want of me the world’s course will not fail
When all its work is done, the lie shall rot
The TRUTH is great and shall PREVAIL
Where non cares whether it prevail or not!
Sudarsana Das Vanachari
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My Response to the GBC Paper – The Final Conversation
Posted on13 April 2010.
PART ONE
When I was asked to look at the report that the GBC has recently published concerning the conversation that took place between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayana Maharaja I immediately understood that they were going to try and present this in a way which would minimize Srila Narayana Maharajas importance in the Samadhi ceremony and his intimate relationship with Srila Prabhupada. Therefore I was not surprised at what I saw but deeply disappointed. However upon examining the document with a Native Bengali speaker and comparing it to the sound file they provided I was shocked that they would be so bold as to make so many changes, omissions, and even additions to the conversation and still provide us with the original tape now highly digitally restored. I am not sure what they were thinking when they were doing this but it was obvious that they felt confident that they could get away with it.
In the early 90’s the followers of Srila Narayana Maharaja made a translation and transcription of this conversation which was published in the book called “Their Lasting Relationship”. The title of the article itself is “Prabhupada’s Final Order: On ISKCON and Srila Narayana Maharaja.” Based on the digitally restored file that I listened to with the Bengali translator there are also numerous errors in this presentation as well. However the translation work by Srila Narayana Maharaja’s disciples was done in the early 90’s off of a cheap cassette tape and not a digitally restored tape with all the background noise removed. I spoke to the person who listened to the cassette tape and did the translation for that book. He explained how he had to listen to it numerous times just to make out the basic words in the conversation and still he was not absolutely sure about some things but did the best he could under the circumstances. So considering the obstacles he had to face it is understandable that there would be errors in the presentation.
I am not sure what the excuse is for ISKCONS recent presentation, however, in commenting on their presentation I would first like to address the issue of the intimate relationship between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayana Maharaja as it concerns this and other conversations which I and other devotees witnessed. If you go to the Veda Base folio and look at the conversation where Tamal Krishna and others are discussing Srila Narayana Maharaja coming on October 8th 1977 you will see that right after the conversation where Srila Prabhupada says: ”Narayana Maharaja comes; then everything is all right” the following conversation ensues after a break:
Prabhupada: When you have come back?
Bhagavat: I just came just now, a half hour before, from America.
Upendra: And he’s real skinny, Srila Prabhupada. He’s skinny.
Prabhupada: Why?
Bhagavat: Because I am following caturmasya. I have reduced to 160 pounds. Before I was 260. Now I am 160.
Prabhupada: Very nice.
Bhagavat: Shall I chant?
Prabhupada: Yes. (kirtana begins)
So here is the evidence that I was in Vrindavan at this time and witnessed Srila Narayana Maharajas intimate relationship with Srila Prabhupada.
Not only was I present for several meetings between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayana Maharaja but others were present also. Here is a copy of a post made on face book by one of my god brothers Pita Das:
“GBC says that NM last Conversation with SP is Oct 8 1977. I was present Nov 10 or 11the when Srila Prabhupada met NM and Swami Bon. First in English I heard SP ask NM to watch over his disciples. Then there was a Bengali Hindi conversation lasting at least 20 minutes. Don’t know if it was taped. Many tapes of 1977 have disappeared Sankarshan Prabhu was duplicating them in Houston naming them by content. He now says they never existed”
This leads us to another question. Where are the tapes? In the folio there are no taped conversations listed from August 18th to October 1st. Why Is that? Where are the conversations? Srila Prabhupada was Silent for 6 weeks? Here we have a devotee who was a witness to a conversation only 1 to 3 days before Srila Prabhupada left where this devotee heard Srila Prabhupada say in English to Srila Narayana Maharaja please take care of my disciples. Where is that tape? Why is the ISKCON GBC saying there is no such conversation when we have witnesses that there was? This same devotee says that Sankarshan Prabhu was making copies of those tapes. I have received an email from Sankarshan Prabhu where he states that he had tapes of Srila Prabhupada but he never had any tapes from Vrndavan in 1977. Are the tapes in the archives? Let’s see what Ekanath Prabhu has to say about that.
I took the following excerpt from a letter posted to the Sampradaya Sun on February 5th 2010 titled “Setting the Record Straight on Srila Prabhupada’s Audio” written by Ekanath Prabhu the director of the BBT Archives. The following except reveals just how much audio of Srila Prabhupada has not been published:
PS. Ongoing progress chart as of 02-05-2010:
•Audio ready for transcribing - 47
•Bengali proofreading in progress - 4
•Digital cassette transfers to be indentified - 249
•English proofreading completed–Stage 1 - 110
•English proofreading in progress–Stage 1 - 62
•English proofreading in progress–Stage 2 - 16
•English transcribing in progress - 66
•Hindi transcribing in progress - 15
•Bengali ready for transcribing - 15
•Ready for Folio– Veda Base ® - 10
•Hindi ready for transcribing - 54
•Sanskrit ready for proofreading - 50
•Reels to be digitized and to be indentified - 161
•Sanskrit proofreading in progress - 26
•Transcripts ready for English proofreading–Stage 1 - 44
•Conservative estimate of new audio files forthcoming – 500
In this recently produced paper the GBC tries to make it look like Srila Narayana Maharaja has misrepresented himself when he says that he was there on the last day. However we have two witnesses that saw him on the last and next to last day. On the next to last day Srila Prabhupada had a conversation with Srila Narayana Maharaja which it appears was either taped and the tape is missing or was not taped and is only in the memory of the witness. On the last day Srila Narayana Maharaja communicated with Srila Prabhupada in a very powerful spiritual way which no other disciple of Srila Prabhupada could. Furthermore there are eyewitness accounts where it appears that there were times when Srila Narayana Maharaja went to visit Srila Prabhupada and he was not communicating with anyone else. Furthermore there is a video on You Tube in which Bhakti Caru Maharaja is speaking at the Devananda Gaudiya Matha in front of Srila Narayana Maharaja, Tamal Krishna and Giriraja Maharaja and many ISKCON devotees. He says the following words I quote:
“Although junior to Srila Prabhupada (pause in speech) Srila Prabhupada used to treat him like his intimate friend, of course in those days none of us were in Krishna Consciousness. But later on when Srila Prabhupada was in Vrndavan in 1977 preparing to leave this planet and go back to Krishna’s eternal pastimes. Srila Prabhupada displayed what an intimate relationship he had with His Divine Grace Srila Narayana Maharaja. Narayana Maharaja used to come and see Srila Prabhupada quite often and they used to discuss about various things very intimately.”
Here is the video:
Here we have a GBC/GURU from ISKCON, who is presently holding both those positions, who is contradicting in the present paper issued by the GBC body his previous statements of the frequency and intimacy of the relationship between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayana Maharaja. These eyewitness accounts clearly indicate that Srila Narayana Maharaja is not exaggerating as the GBC contends but that rather the GBC is minimizing the frequency and intimacy of the relationship Srila Prabhupada had with Srila Narayana Maharaja and minimizing the position of Srila Narayana Maharaja in relation to ISKCON.
However the intimacy of the relationship between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayana Maharaja does not start in 1977 in Vraja during Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance pastimes as Bhakti Caru Maharaja points out, but starts 30 years earlier when they first met. Here is an excerpt from a letter written by Srila Prabhupada to Srila Narayana Maharaja on September 28th 1966:
“Our relationship is certainly based on spontaneous love. That is why there is no chance of us forgetting one another…..From the first time I saw you I have been your constant well wisher. At first sight of me, Srila Prabhupada also saw me with such love. It was in my very first darshan of Srila Prabhupada that I learned how to love.” (Excerpt from a letter by Srila Prabhupada to Srila Narayana Maharaja dated September 28th, 1966)
This letter makes it clear in Srila Prabhupada’s own words that Srila Prabhupada had very intimate feelings for Srila Narayana Maharaja from the moment they met. Some devotees may say that Srila Prabhupada has expressed similar sentiments to various disciples. However the extent to which Srila Prabhupada is comparing the intimacy of his feelings for Srila Narayana Maharaja with his own spiritual master’s feelings for him has, to the best of my knowledge, never been expressed to any of his disciples quite the way he is expressing it here to Srila Narayana Maharaja. ISKCON’s attempt to diminish the intimacy of the relationship between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayana Maharaja based on gerrymandering this one conversation and juxtaposing it against selected and various statements of Srila Narayana Maharaja is in my opinion a shameful exhibition that offends both Acharya’s.
The claim of the GBC is that they are doing this to protect Srila Prabhupada’s movement. However it was Srila Narayana Maharaja who really saved Srila Prabhupada’s movement from being given to Madan Mohan De, who is Srila Prabhupada’s son from his previous ashram, by the courts.
In this court case brought against ISKCON after Srila Prabhupada departed, Madan Mohan De proposed that Srila Prabhupada was not a Brahmin and therefore could not take sannyas. According to presentation to the court this meant that Srila Prabhupada was in fact a business man and that ISKCON was his business enterprise and that it legally belonged to the blood relations, meaning him, the hereditary son. Srila Narayana Maharaja went to court in Bombay at least 6 times at his own expense to serve as a witness on behalf of ISKCON in this case. He quoted extensive shastric evidence proving that a person was a Brahmin by qualification not by birth. That any Vaishnava was equal to and greater than a Brahmin and therefore was qualified to accept the Tridandi sannyas order. He quoted extensive evidence about the history and authority of the tridandi sannyas order and its validity according to shastra. He further explained that it was the order of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, the authorized Acharya in the Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya and the line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that any person who is a Vaishnava by qualification, no matter what their birth lineage is in fact a qualified Brahmin and that person could and should take sannyas at the appropriate time. He explained that his Guru, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Keshava Goswami who was Srila Prabhupada’s God brother was an authorized sannyasi in the line from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura and was qualified to award the sannyas diksha and mantras. In this way Srila Narayana Maharaja gave evidence that played a crucial role in the case to save ISKCON. Evidence that in fact no one at that time in ISKCON was qualified to give. So what is Srila Narayana Maharaja’s reward for helping Srila Prabhupada’s disciples to protect ISKCON from the court case of his son? What is his reward? He is banned from ISKCON.
If we look at the character of Srila Narayana Maharaja we see first of all that he came to the lotus feet of his Guru as a young man, leaving behind a wife and child and forsaking the orders of his father and mother. This may be no big deal in America but in India this is a serious breach of historical and Vedic social and moral customs. He took to the practice of Bhakti in 1946 and never left the practice of devotional service nor did he disregard its principles at any time in his devotional career. He took Sannyas in 1952 before most of us were even born and he never deviated from his Sannyas ashram vows in 58 years. He has always chanted a minimum of 100,000 holy names every day since the very beginning of his practice of Bhakti which is nearly 65 years. He has demonstrated his elevated position by remaining conscious and chanting Hare Krishna while under anesthesia during heart surgery. Only someone who is completely on the transcendental platform and whose soul is completely free from the encumbrance of the false ego and hence the entire subtle body could perform such a feat because his soul directly inhabits the body and is not affected by anesthesia. One morning during this past Kartik while we were listening to Srila Narayana Maharaja give his morning dissertation the priest from Seva Kunja came into our temple. He was carrying with him the Maha Prasadam and garlands from the previous nights Rasa Lila activities in Seva Kunja. The priest said that he was ordered by Srimati Radhika in a dream to bring the Maha Prasada to her dear sakhi who is known in this world as Narayana Maharaja. Srila Narayana Maharaja is the Mahabhagavat who is dearly beloved of Srimati Radharani and Srila Prabhupada.
In contrast to this picture of ideal and transcendental devotional behavior and spiritual intimacy with the Supreme Lord we have a plethora of persons in ISKCON calling themselves Gurus and Spiritual leaders who are not even able to follow the most basic adjusted principles of Bhakti like following the 4 regulative principles and chanting 16 rounds every day. Out of the so called original eleven Gurus, eight of them have admittedly fallen from the principles of Bhakti. There are numerous others who were made gurus later who have also fallen. Some devotees have been initiated and reinitiated as many as five times. The GBC as a body has written and rewritten one contradictory philosophical and theological position paper after another in order to protect its institutional conceptions only to change them later on. The GBC has admitted to committing serious aparadhas against Srila Sridhara Maharaja and then apologized later on after realizing their mistake. The GBC has admitted to committing serious aparadhas against their own exalted God brother Srila Gaur Govinda Maharaja and then apologized when realizing their mistake later on. They tried to obfuscate that they wanted to ban only Srila Narayana Maharaja from ISKCON in 1995 by making a ban on all of Srila Prabhupada’s God Brothers from visiting the temples. Then they broke their own policy and invited both Bhakti Pramode Puri Maharaja and Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Maharaja to ISKCON Vrndavan demonstrating that it was really an exclusive policy against Srila Narayana Maharaja. Devotees in the institution of ISKCON up to its highest levels repeatedly committed physical and sexual abuses against children and women and then the GBC systematically covered it up for years.
This same GBC body is now saying that Srila Narayana Maharaja was not with Srila Prabhupada on the last day, did not meet with him numerous times and have intimate conversations with him, and did not receive instructions to guide and help his disciples. I have shown you in this article that we have witnesses Pita das and Myself, that were present when Srila Narayana Maharaja was with Srila Prabhupada on the next to last and last day. We have witnesses, including a standing member of their present GBC body, Bhakti Caru, who have seen Srila Narayana Maharaja visit Srila Prabhupada numerous times, besides the October 8th conversation, and have intimate spiritual discussions with him. We have witnesses like Pita das who have heard Srila Prabhupada ask Srila Narayana Maharaja to guide and protect his disciples and his mission and we have demonstrated in this article how he has performed this task by saving the entire society. Yet this same GBC Body who has made so many mistakes in the past are now trying to tell us that the Mahabhagavat, a person of great integrity and unblemished character who has lived a true and exceptional devotional life is misrepresenting the facts about his relationship Srila Prabhupada.
I have now shown you in this the first part of my refutation how the GBC have contradicted themselves on the points that they have tried to establish in their paper the Final Conversation. Now in the second part of my refutation I will present a new commentary on the conversation based on the accurate translation of the digitized audio of the October 8th conversation and demonstrate yet again how they have mistranslated the words and meanings of Srila Prabhupada’s words in order to minimize the intimacy of his relationship with Srila Narayana Maharaja and Srila Prabhupada’s instructions to him to take care of his society and his disciples.
Bhakti is for Sharing:
9 Responses to “My Response to the GBC Paper – The Final Conversation”
B.V. Bhagavat Maharaja says:
April 14, 2010 at 11:25 AM
I received an email today from Sankarshan Prabhu who says that he had tapes of Srila Prabhupada but not those tapes from Vraja in 1977. So I reported what Pita Das told me and now Sankarshan Prabhu says that he has none of those tapes. I accept his statement.
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Das soham says:
April 14, 2010 at 12:36 PM
Thank you Uncle Bhagavat.
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Admin says:
April 15, 2010 at 12:03 PM
Here are some comments collected from Facebook:
Jayadvaita Dasa April 14 at 4:36am
Hare Krsna Maharaja please accept my dandavat pranams all glories to Sri guru and Gauranga.Just a quick message thanking you for your response to the gbc paper. The facts are very clear and the potency of the Mahabhagavata does and always will shine through regardless of what others say or do.It’s a great service you are doing thanks. your servant jayadvaita dasa Wales.
P.s are you planning on coming to wales this year as your association was really nice last year?
Tulsi Krishna April 13 at 10:31pm
Thank you so much Maharaj for such a very extensive presentation of facts. And more so, because you yourself was there, talking now on first hand account . Indeed Krishna is so merciful that He will always arrange in such a way that what Srila NArayan MAharaj told us is substanciated by wisnesses such as yourself. With your exposition, the deeper my love became to our beloved Srila Narayan Maharaj.
I did not meet Srila Prabhupad personally , although I’ve been a devotee since 1970 because the one incharge here in our place has some personal motive.He did not let any of us write a letter to Srila Prabhuapad. I cried when Srla PRabhupad left Nov.14th 1977. . But when I visited his samadhi last 1988, I was there crying at the back of his murti , hiding so no one will see me, and praying to please show me the person he favors to lead me to Krishna. Then the next day, , I met Srila Narayan MAharaj. I still have to this day a photo I took on that event.
Since I was the personal servant of Tamal Krishna Maharaj then, I was not able to have so much association of Srila Narayan Maharaj. I followed Srla NArayan Maharaj in some parikrams. Tamal KrishnaMaharaj noticed my behaviour towards Srila Narayn Maharaj that he took my passposrt and forwarded it to Gopal Krishna Maharaj in Bombay just to remove me from Vrindaban.
So I went back here in Philippines broken hearted. But 10 years later 1n Feb 8 1999, Srila Narayan Maharaj came here in our country with the help of Radha Kanta Prabhu. I was able to serve Srila Narayan Maharaj then more personally and ask him to take me as his disciple. ISKCON banned me upon knowing this, but I AM VERY HAPPY because Srila Prabhupad answered my prayer for he sent Srila Narayan Gurudev even to this very far place of asia!!!
Jonathan Glass April 13 at 2:40pm Report
Dear Bhagavat Maharaja,
dandavat pranams. thankyou so much this clarity. I pray all devotees will read. very illuminating!
your servant
Nimai Caitanya das
Szymon Potynski April 13 at 10:46am
Maharaja, Thank you so much for writing the response. Really appreciate it. It’s so sad for me that ISKCON become so heartless, while the essence of bhakti is a deep heart connection. Thank you for all your work. Radhe Syam.
Sakhya Rasa das
Bhagavan Das April 13 at 12:26pm
Good work my friend. I’m glad you are still alive! The Great Body of Calcifides is not porous enough to allow love or truth to permeate the membrane of the mind or heart.
Bruce Slayman April 13 at 10:39am
Dandabats maharaja. Sri Sri guru gauranga jayatah!
I just posted Shyamarani didi’s paper athttp://bvml.org/contemporary/JD_p3f.html Will post your today or tomorrow. I am on my way to India to perform Chardhama yatra.
Ys,
BBd
Śrī Rādhā Vallabha Dear Sripada Bhagavat Maharaja, my pranams to you!
thank you for your wonderful publication!
Hari Saran Das
Many thanks Maharaj for writing this response to the GBC. As usual, you always surprise us with interesting historic facts, which in this case it is helpful to clarify those misunderstandings regarding the -spotless- relationship between Srila BV Narayna Maharaj and Srila BV Swami Prabhupada.
Santosh Lalgith
THIS is real clarification. Thank you Uncle Bhagavat.
Gita Dasi
I am certain that many persons are shaking in their wooden platform sandles after hearing this mighty roar of Bhagavat Maharaja.
Kishori Mohan
My favorite line is: ISKCONS attempt to diminish the intimacy of the relationship between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayan Maharaja based on gerrymandering this one conversation and juxtaposing it against selected and various statements of Srila Narayan Maharaja is in my opinion a shameful exhibition that offends both Acharya’s.
Thanks! Excellent Rebuttal!
Narayanashram Austria
Please keep on publishing like this, and spread it ALL around, as it will give healing to the wounded hearts of thousands!
Przemek Premananda Pawelczak
Thanks You very much Bhagavat Maharaja!. This presentation give me so much reliefe. Just pasted it on polish forum “vrinda” and tomorrow start to translate. topmost urgency for truth!
Molly Carano
Thank you Bhagavat Maharaja! This letter is so needed and healing! you shared your beautiful and sweet memories…who can argue with that?!! Truth will out indeed!
Jaya Sri Saci-nandana Gaurahari! “He is absorbed in vraja-rasa. As the trascendental Kamadeva, He chastises the evil-minded and destroys deceit. As Radha-ramana Rama, He nourishes His pure devotees, drives away dry impersonalism, and removes all imitations of bhakti”, this is from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s wonderful bhajan ‘Kali Kukkura Kadana’
All Glories to Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja
Who is the embodiment of all auspiciousness and who bestows al spiritual perfection and happiness!
Patita Pavana Gurudeva!
Kilimba G Alvarez
Thank you, Sripad Bhagavat Maharaj, for standing tall above the sea of apathy around this vitally important issue. As an initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada, diksa disciple of Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Maharaj and a heartfully connected siksha disciple of Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja, I would very much like to see Truth prevailabout the actual harmony and unity among the higher Vaisnavas. There is so much potential for sharing what we’ve been given by these maha-bhagavata pure devotees with the world. Imagine if we could show by combined behavior how powerful this Love really is..
Chiranjib Boyd
As a diksha disciple of Srila Prabhupada and a siksha disciple of Srila Gurudeva [BV Narayana Goswami Maharaja] I very much appreciate your efforts to defend the glory of their intimate relationship. I eagerly await your presentation of part two. I hope to get your association again at Badger Festival.
Bv Suddhadvaiti Swami
What a wonderful rebuttal letter in the face of these villains! What a splendid piece! Thank you so much, Maharaja.
Tracy Tabler Boyd
wow, this is so amazing, thank you for sharing this Maharaja, all glories to you!
Bv Damodara
You buried them so deep, they will need to dig with earth movers for the next 100 years to ever see the sunlight again……Thankyou Maharaja
Sudevi Dasi
Lol! Damodar Maharaj ! That really says it all…and more…
Guru Gauranga Das
As someone who doesn’t know Narayan Maharaja very well. And after reading both the GBC and your documents. I feel that I have gained more appreciation for Narayan Maharaja as a result of reading your document than I have gained doubts about him from the GBC document. It is always best to keep Vaisnava relationships strong. You must publish this on other sites. It will go along way to giving a balanced understanding of the situation.
There tends to be an understanding of them and us from the ISKCON camp. The GBC document is written to increase this feeling among their followers.The light of Bhakti is not trapped in the realm of any institution. And since when did ISKCON institutionalize Radha and Krishna, they are never bound. To imply that NM had a material agenda in regards to his relationship with SP is an insult. If they are not implying that, then what are they implying?
What is the logicical reason that the advanced devotees in ISKCON do not rise up against such blasphemy? The logic is that they are eating in the house of Duryodhana. And who is the Duryodhana of ISKCON? The Duryodhana is the internal personal pride and ambitions of the individual GBC and Guru’s. What is the reason that they maintain this internal Duryodhana of pride? Their reason is that they are protecting SP ISKCON. What does protection mean to them? Protection to them means to maintain a system that has proven to convert simple Vaisnava’s into disciple and money hungry businessmen! How is this maintained? By a system of exclusive Knitehood into their GBC based on exclusive boys club. Let us hope that creating a GBC in the NM camp does not end in the same way.
I pray that the salve of Bhakti will mend the hearts of those who have taken any position to lead any group of Vaisnavas. May Mahaprabhu bless everyone with his causeless Mercy!
Abhay Khurana
Thank you for this Maharaja. It’s wonderful to see false statements challenged quickly with the truth like this. All glories to your service.
Bankebihari Dasa
I agree with Sriman Guru Gauranga dasa that any “camp” spirit has been manufactured by the so called leaders of ISKCON in the wake of the coup-de-tat which hijacked an external manifestation of Srila Prabhupad’s beautiful bhakti wave. I haven’t seen any divisive camp spirit anywhere else. Institutionalism certainly cannot contain the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His pure maha-bhagavat representative on earth. Let the dogs bark, the caravan shall pass.
Ram-Chandra Das
Thank you so much Maharaj! the great research work to reveal the hidden truth!
Jaga Mohan Flood
Very well written and thought out.
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Laksmidevi dasi says:
April 17, 2010 at 7:06 PM
Mahalo from Hawaii. Dandavats Bhagavat Maharaja! I pray every senior devotee of Srila Prabhupada’s who understands the truth you are speaking will also come forth with their stories as to why they left ISCON after their beloved Srila Prabhupada left. There are many, many who have their unpublished stories to fortify the truth about the GBC guys.
They need to say what they know while they are still on the planet.
I feel so sorry for those innocent devotees in ISCON who are bewildered by GBCON nonsense. When I was in Alachua they told me “Don’t ever call yourself a disciple of Srila Prabhupada.” I wept to the bone, my heart hurt so much. Even tho’ I read all of his books, I went to his temples, I associated with those actually initiated by Srila Prabhupada. He was so in my heart. I prayed to him to find me a Guru like him. I left Alachua on Radhastami, praying & chanting all the way back to California. Immediately I met a devotee who took me straight to Srila Narayana Maharaja. HARIBOL!!!!!! Jaya Gurudeva! Jaya Srila Prabhupada! Jaya Radhe!! Jaya Krishna!
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Acyutananda Dasa says:
April 18, 2010 at 5:13 AM
I wrote this on facebook, but it has not yet shown up here.
I want to share my thoughts on this issue, but I just hope this does not get taken the wrong way.
The issue between the GBC and our sanga stems not from an ideological dispute perse. Rather, it is being masqueraded as such to prevent the public from being concerned with the real issue at hand. The problem clearly is the attachment of a few select members (perhaps of the GBC) to their material assets (viz. followers, temples, property, prestige etc.) To think there will be some progress made at the legislative level (within ISKCON) by debating over the legitimacy of Gurudeva’s presence within their institution is an exercise in futility, because no matter how right you are, the problem is not an ideological one, but a material one.
‘Loyalty’ to Prabhupada in essence becomes a tool in manipulation to protect their vested interests, deceive the masses, and maintain some sort of doctrinal equilibrium. I do appreciate the articles that Syamarani didi, Swami BV Bhagavat and Swami BV Damodara have composed as it just continues to reveal ISKCONs ideological fallacy and reinforce our understanding of the true situation. But the issue is deeper, and I think that no matter how much we nail in these points, there’s always going to be something else they will manufacture to protect their assets. My real sympathy goes to all those who are currently being deceived into thinking that this type of attitude and behavior from the GBC is representative of Prabhupada’s innermost intention. Not only are they being materially deprived, but so much more so spiritually. In the political world this type of activity is termed ’spin’.
I beg forgiveness from my heart if I have offended anyone in this message, I just wanted to offer my perspective on the situation.
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Jayanta Dasa says:
April 18, 2010 at 6:22 PM
Dear Sripad Bhagavat maharaja,
My dandavat pranams. Sri Guru Gauranga Jayatah !
I just wanted to offer my heartfelt appreciations to you, Srimati Syamarani didi and Sripad BV Damodar maharaja for the most wonderful shastric refutations defending our most beloved Srila Gurudeva against these maha, maha aparadhis ! Who are these blasdphemous rascals ? What are their qualifications ? What are their lives histories ? What are their motives and modus operadhis ? We will find that they are all nitya baddhas and never free from the four defects 1) tendency to fool and cheat others 2) sure to commit mistakes 3) sure to be illusioned 4) always has imperect senses.
It is their false egos alone that causes them to “use Srila Prabhupada’s name and fame” for their malicious intent. The very fact that they are nitya baddhas and not free from there four defects make them totally ineligible to be believed in anything they say. Does any of them chant pure Nama ? How can they if they disobey the first offence and that is not “to blaspheme the Pure Devotees who have given their whole lives for propagating this Krsna Consciousness” ! Srila Prabhupad himself has stated there will demons
who will be masquerading as devotees in our Krsna Consciousness movement. They are surely detected as soon as they open their mouths ! On the other hand, our most beloved Srila Gurudeva is a Nitya Siddha, free from the four defects, whose most glorious character is sung throughout the vedic scriptures and all the three worlds ! I’ve been silent for along time but now I feel compelled
to throw my little pebbles just like the squirrels did along side of Hanumans to please and protect our “Lord Ramachandra” against these most wicked Ravanas ! We must not be silent and make the mistakes in the Mahabharat, just like Grandfather Bhismadeva ! We all must speak up against these nitya baddhas who will always have the four defects of conditioned souls and are of this material world whereas the Nitay Siddhas whom they have offended, such as our most beloved Srila Gurudeva, our beloved Nityalila Sri Srimad Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Maharaja, our beloved Nityalila Sri Srimad Srila Gour Givinda Maharaja and others, are not of this material world but from Goloka Vrndaban, just to help conditioned souls like them, but they are blinded by their material ambitions and politics and lead others into a hellish condion with themselves ! Who would you believe, the nitya baddhas or the Nitya Siddhas ? The answer is
obvious and without doubt for all the simple hearted real devotees ! Hare Krsna ! All glories to Srila Gurudeva ! All glories To Srila Prabhupada ! Jaya, jaya Sri Radhe !
Aspiring for the mercy of Hari, Guru and Vaisnavas,
Jayanta das
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Devarsirat das (ACBSP 1976) says:
April 18, 2010 at 9:14 PM
About The GBC Statement about Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja
Dear Sripad Bhagavat Maharaja,
Please accept my dandavats pranams
All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.
All glories to Sri Sri Radha Vinode Bihariji
I also like to offer my deep appreciations to You, Srimati Syamarani didi and Sripad BV Damodar Maharaja for defending our wonderful Srila Gurudeva.
In a huge list of truth distortions by the GBC, the recent GBC paper, is one of the worst, because it shamelessly attempts to direct the reader away from Srila Prabhupadas final wishes and instructions. I just feel sorry for the many devotees in Iskcon, who are misled by such interpretations and go to hell because of the resulting offences they are bound to make against Krishnas pure devotee, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja.
When will everyone understand, that the GBC was not meant to be spiritual authority, but just a managing (money estates businesses e.g.) group of directors. Voting gurus in, Is not Vaisnava practice. Voting in a manager, yes, but not a genuine spiritual master. I was there when Srila Prabhupada passed away and when the managers suddenly became “divine graces;” Today, most of them have fallen down.
Why? Because at that time, their personal guidance from Srila Prabhupada stopped when He left for Goloka Vrindavan and they never took up to finish their training with Srila Narayana Maharaja.
They did not accept genuine Vaisnava Guidance from then until now, which is a huge gap in time and that explains the many disasters in Iskcon, we have all experienced or heard about. Everyone knows that Srila Prabhupada did not think these men were qualified and for them to have represented themselves as HDG Gurus immediately after Srila Prabhupada went into Samadhi, was disgusting and showed that they were not trained completely, otherwise they could have never done that. Srila Prabhupada knew their mentalities and for that reason He only made then managers. He wanted what He had begun, to be completed by HDG Srila Narayana Maharaja and this is the undistorted truth which the GBC members (which seem to process no shame doing so) try to distort by all means. To them it does not seem to matter, that they are misleading their disciples and all new comers wholesale.
Still what they began in those days, continues to this day, the idea of what a real guru is, has been watered down, with the only difference being, that this time there is no HDG title and the “Vyasasan” is a little lower. Today it is accepted in Iskcon that the Guru can fall down at any time…. GBC gurus give initiation and accept guru positions, without having had proper direct and complete training by a pure Vaisnava Spiritual master as directed by Srila Prabhupada.
Over and over again, some Iskcon voted in Guru has accepted disciples and they have accepted him, trusting this flawed voting system, thinking him to be very high, only later discovering to their despair (after they have given all their heart and so much money and service for years) that their “voted in” guru was not a highly advanced devotee after all and behind their back had sex with the wife of a disciple, or stole money, took drugs or was corrupt in some other way.
To make matters worse,the GBC,Instead of offering his lost disciples proper guidance, directing them to a real spiritual master as it is the system, handed them over to yet another so called spiritual master, who then later also fell down for some stupid reason.
In this way some devotees in Iskcon have had 3 or so called spiritual masters and this is going on to this day. Now they have the audacity, to criticise our beloved Srila Gurudeva whose record is completely unblemished and free from all faults.
Similarly to voters who believe that this time the next president or prime minister will be the big saviour of the country, Iskcon GBC also made their followers believe, that a guru can fall down and that the system is to surrender to yet another guru coming from the same unauthorised system. This is a grand deception and even so materially workable, spiritually it is like suicide.
Why was he voted in in the first place? GBC leaders have either no interest at all in promoting a genuine society of Vaisnavas and have no real mercy for the fallen souls Lord Chaitanya came to save, or they have completely misunderstood Guru tattva from the very beginning.
The existence of big buildings, lots of cash, opulent deity worship big positions and charismatic leaders (at least to the outside) does not automatically mean, that everything is pure bhakti and genuinely spiritual. Karmis and mayavadies also have big buildings and places for their practices and they also experience some bliss, but are we really so gullible to think, that the existence of wealth and marble, means there must also be real devotional substance?
If the genuine pure devotees direct personal guidance and direction is missing and another pure devotee is being rejected, is it really real?
Srila Prabhupada writes in the
Bhagavad Gita 4.42 Purport
One is therefore advised to study Bhagavad-gita, or any other scripture, under a bona fide spiritual master, with service and surrender. A bona fide spiritual master is in the disciplic succession from time eternal, and he does not deviate at all from the instructions of the Supreme Lord as they were imparted millions of years ago to the sun-god, from whom the instructions of Bhagavad- gita have come down to the earthly kingdom. One should, therefore, follow the path of Bhagavad- gita as it is expressed in the gita itself and beware of self-interested people after personal aggrandizement who deviate others from the actual path. The Lord is definitely the supreme person, and His activities are transcendental. One who understands this is a liberated person from the very beginning of his study of Bhagavad- gita.
Reply
Gour Govinda das says:
April 22, 2010 at 1:42 AM
Dandavats B.V. Bhagavat Maharaja;
Glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayana Maharaja
The Glorious Disciplic Succession will always be established in all Yugas and in all times. Nothing and I mean nothing can stop the progressive march of Lord Chaitanya’s movement.
Banishment is actually a sure sign that one is on the right track. The Pandavas were banished. Lord Rama was banished. The smartas tried to kill Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Maharaja. Haridas Thakura was beaten twenty-one times. Jesus was crucified. What little discomfort we my experience in the service of our beloved Gurudeva is nothing in comparison. These hindrances are merely meant to hone our skills in defeating all avaishnava philosophies. Actually without these trials we would become complacent in our sadhana. We have to delve deep within our hearts to extract the pure desire to serve the true Vaishnavas. Krishna would want nothing less than full surrender. That is where the nectar lies.
To remove all material obstacles is not easy. We need to just sit and deeply meditate on the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva and that is where we will find the strength to go on. Gurudeva’s words are full of such sweet nectar. His devotion is so very deep and his spiritual strength knows no bounds. To have a moments association with a pure devotee of the Lord is all that is necessary for making solid progress on the path of spiritual realization. The barking dogs offer up nothing but noise. They too shall pass into the annals of history as nothing more than sign posts towards a dead end.
Thank you Sripad Bhagavat Maharaja for bringing the light of truth into the dark and cold cellar of misconceptions. No one can touch the powerful pure devotees of the Lord.
Gour Govinda das
Reply
Sudarsana Das Vanachari says:
April 25, 2010 at 7:10 PM
All glories to Srila Gurudeva!
It is most wonderful that Sripad Bhagavat Maharaja, Sripada Damodara Maharaja and Srimati Syamarani didi have come to the defence of our beloved Srila Gurudeva and our beloved Srila Prabhupada in what can only be described as a devious and calculating ploy by those on the GBC, who by attepting to distort the truth are simply cheating others and themselves.
In the eyes of The Lord these personalities by their actions, are ”irrelevent” and their misdeeds will not go unpunished.
It is most heartening and enlivening to read all the comments of all the wonderful vaisnavas also who have certainly been blessed by our beloved Gurudeva.
This old verse I found in a book of “Quotations” and although “anonomous” rings true…….
For want of me the world’s course will not fail
When all its work is done, the lie shall rot
The TRUTH is great and shall PREVAIL
Where non cares whether it prevail or not!
Sudarsana Das Vanachari
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