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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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!

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.

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

True Guru is free from Material desires

Haribol dear devotees and friends

Last night the Pietermaritzburg
devotees met at the weekly Nama
Hatta.We begun with Arati to their
Lordships Sri Sri Radha Vinodhe
Bihariji and then bhajans.

Then we had a lecture,and
discussion about Sri Guru
since all the devotees here
had the Great oppurtunity
to meet our beloved Srila
Gurudeva ,and we discussed
that the true Guru is free
from material desires,especially
from the desire for marriage,mundane
tv movies and films and the True
Guru is always immersed in bhajan
and enthuses his disciples and all the people
where ever he goes.

All the devotees were glorifying our
beloved Srila Gurudeva Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta
Narayan Maharaja and how fortuanate that such
a Pure Vaishnava came here many so called sadhu`s
come but i`ve seen how they are attached to movies,tv
and the desire to get marriage,how unfortuanate
for those followers who are getting cheated
we are lucky that we have been saved by our
Srila Gurudeva.

Durban Nama Hatta

All Glories to Srila Gurudeva Sri Srimad
Bhaktivedanta Narayan Gosvami Maharaja

Yesterday by the Mercy of our Srila Gurudeva
Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayan Gosvami
Maharaja the Durban devotees started the
Durban Nama Hatta at Atul Krsna prabhu`s
house.Durban has so nice sincere souls.
Srila Gurudeva on his first ever visit
to Durban has inspired so many of these
wonderful Vaishnava`s.I was thinking
whilst i was at the programe yesterday
that all the devotees gathered only
by Srila Gurudeva`s mercy and that Gurudeva
is in the centre and all his children are
circumambulating him by serving his mission
and studying his books and hearing his Divine
Hari Katha by which he captures everyones hearts.

Johannesburg devotees also have plans for a
Nama Hatta which is headed up by Ujjvala
prabhu the senior Srila Gurudeva`s disciple
in the Johannesburg area.It all looks auspicious
and and positive now,the preaching will definetely
be taken to new heights.Pietermaritzburg preaching
also is going to new heights,with new devotees
who attended Srila Gurudeva`s programmes in the
Aryan Hall in Pietermaritzburg are now coming
forward enquiring about Krsna Consciousness.

Successfull festivals with our Beloved Srila Gurudeva

Wow!is all i can say our beloved Srila Gurudeva
has come and captured the hearts of many South
African`s.We had successfull preaching in Pietermaritzburg,
Durban and in Johannesburg,Benoni and Lenasia.

You know the strangest thing happened during us
preparing for our Srila Gurudeva and during the
festivals with our Srila Gurudeva.Iskcon
had programmes on the same day as us in the
same city.They have tried to oppose our
preaching and in this way have dissapointed
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Bhaktivedanta
Svami Maharaja Prabhupada.None the less we continued
our programmes and were very successful.Many sincere
souls came and heard Pure Hari Katha which was lacking
since 1975 since Srila Prabhupada came to South Africa.

Also a devotee by the name of Bhakti Caitnaya Swami
wrote some very untrue comments on his website.
he described the preaching as a phenomona and has
this idea that Srila Gurudeva`s disciples go to
Iskcon devotees homes and pull them away.
He also said that some of Srila Gurudeva`s disciples
preached strongly to the youth to join Srila Gurudeva.
I wonder which century this devotee Bhakti Caitanya
has his facts all wrong.He also accused us of taking
away a family that has been in Iskcon for the last
25 years ,tell me Maharaj who took these devotees away.

Do you want these devotees to follow the GBC?
The same GBC that elected 11 so called Maha Bhagvats
and brought shame to your society and the effects are
still felt today.The same Gbc makes sanyassis that
had illicit relations with women and keep them as
retired sanyassis?do you want devotees to follow this
system?You do not have the face to come face to face
with our Srila Gurudeva and tell him all of these things.

Do you want to know why i left one of your so called
Iskcon Guru`s?Be carefull of Vasihnava Aparadha.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Gosvami Maharaja arrives in South Africa Tomorrow

We`ve all waited patiently and finally
our beloved Srila Gurudeva will arrive
on South African soil for the very first
ime tomorrow and the entire African continent
will now be blessed.The devotees have worked
tirelessly to prepare for this historic event.

Now we are so fortuanate aa Pure Maha Bhagvat
will step on South African soil.Also Pietermaritzburg
is so fortuanate that Srila Gurudeva will be coming
here first where his preaching mission began only 2 years
ago.Sripad Sajjan Maharaja was the pioneer preacher in South
Africa and also he is also personally present to witness
this Great Maha Bhagvat Vaishnva our very Beloved Srila
Gurudeva come and bless this entire land.

Tent programmes "Festival of Devotion"

The tent programmes and other preaching activities
have started i must say very successfully.In Pietermaritzburg
we had programmes for 3 day`s and also we had to deal with
the rain,in spite of all that we managed to deliver the
message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and also spread the Holy
Names.Everone in the tent were clapping their hands and singing
along to the very sweet Bhajans of Sudevi and Kishori Mohan prabhu.

On the last day in Pietermaritzburg we had the most number of
attendees.The last day was Ekadasi,which made it more special
and auspicious,Sripad Damodara Maharaja and Ashram Maharaja`s
led the preaching efforts,and all were listening with rapt attention.

The following week we were in Tongaat,It rained throughout the day
and night and the ground became soaked and to make matters worse
there was no power this is all from a material point of view,the
spiritual side was a grand success.One devotees from Iskcon Deva
Deva prabhu who leads the Tongaat Nama Hatta and his wife attended.
They were so happy and excited about our programmes there ,they actually
took out photgraphs and his wife also with her cell phone was recording
the lecture that Sripad Damodara Maharaja was giving,this really
made us happy that our brothers and sister from another Gaudiya
Vaishnava family came and gave us support and appreciated so much
Maharaja`s lecture.

Then on the 8th December we had a tent programme in Greytown.
Greytown is about an hour`s drive from Pietermaritzburg.
Keshore prabhu actually arranged both the Tongaat and Greytown
programmes,he actually put the tents up on his own and also supplied
the sound and prasadam.In Greytown we had a full house and so many
people enjoyed the Bhajanas by Kishori Mohan and Sudevi didi.

This weekend we will conduct the tent programme in Phoenix,
north of Durban with the second largest Indian population
in South Africa.I`ll let you all know what happens after
this programme.

Preaching kicks off in South Africa

Dear devotees,friends and well wishers
Please accept my dandavat pranams
All Glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga

On wednesday the 18th November 2009
Sripad Damodara Maharaja and his team
of devotees i.e.Kishori Mohan,Sudevi,
Savitri,Nandini and Krsna Prem prabhu
arrived in South Africa and next week
Sripad Ashram Maharaja will be arriving
for almost 2 months intense preaching.
Firstly we will start with our tent campaigns
in Pietermaritzburg the City of Choice for
Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaj`s Gaudiya
Matha preaching activities.

Also Srila Gurudeva(Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaja
will be in Pietermaritzburg first to speak His
Transcendental sweet Hari Katha)then we move to Durban.
The tent campaigns also will move in the same manner
with a few more area`s to create awareness of Srila
Gurudeva`s historic visit to South Africa and also
to give the people Krsna Consciousness.

So please join us in these transcendental
preaching activities starting from the 26th
to the 28th November 2009.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaja Initiates the Modern Day Prakashananda Saraswati

Srila Gurudevas China Preaching Tour


After Gaura Purnima, on March 29th 2009, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami Maharaja Srila Gurudeva left from New Delhi for Guanghouz, China. Before Srila Gurudeva left for his first world preaching tour in 1996, he made an oath to never, under any circumstance, give up his sannyasa robes. Krsna is bhakta-vatsala, ever affectionate to His devotees, so He protected Srila Gurudeva’s vow and, although it is forbidden, we were allowed entrance without changing out of our sannyasa robes by being classified as Indian monks.

Srila Gurudeva’s preaching in China has some special features. First, Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja Srila Prabhupada spread Sriman Mahaprabhu’s message all over the world. Although he never personally traveled to mainland China, but to Hong Kong where he established an ISKCON center, by his unlimited mercy and by the causeless mercy of Srila Paramgurudeva OM Visnupada Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja – Srila Gurudeva, in Indian sannyasa dress, engaged in extraordinary preaching in China. Another special feature of Gurudeva’s preaching in China was that Weng Sho Qin was finally able to receive harinama and diksa from Srila Gurudeva, which he had wanted for so long. Although Weng Sho Qin was being hospitalized, the doctor reluctantly allowed him to take the two and a half hour flight to meet Srila Gurudeva. Weng Sho Qin’s initiated name is Krsna-dasa. What is so special about this patient that he was able to compel the hospital to let him leave in such poor health?

Krsna-dasa is an extraordinarily famous Buddhist guru. He has forty thousand direct disciples, so he is
greatly honored by everyone, including the doctors. He has already constructed a beautiful mandira, with seventy rooms, and begun the process of registering it with the government. Buddhist gurus are very highly respected in China. Once Krsna-dasa completes the registration process, the Chinese government will lift the present ban against Indian monks in China, and Srila Gurudeva will personally install deities there. Srila Gurudeva has named the first Gaudiya Matha in China Sri Syama-brahma Mandira.
How wonderful was Srila Gurudeva’s preaching tour in China!

Only someone who has the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Sri Radha Krsna and the previous Acharyas can accomplish such a preaching feat. Srila Narayan Maharaja has now brought the modern day Prakashananda Saraswati into the Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya. Srila Narayan Maharaja has received the direct Mercy of Srimati Radhika who personally arranged for Him to receive Her Maha Prasadam from the rasa dance in Seva Kunja by telling the pujari in dream to bring it to Him, just like Sri Gopinathaji arranged for khira to go to Madhavendra Puri. Srila Narayan Maharaja brought Srila Prabhupada to external consciousness from ecstatic samadhi the way Sri Swarupa Damodara did to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Again and again the Supreme Lord and the previous Acharaya's are indicating by their mercy and the arrangement of his extraordinary pastimes who the most exalted personality amongst our present day Gaudiya Sampradaya actually is:
Vaishnava Sarvabhouma Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami Maharaja Srila Gurudeva

Only the envious and the ignorant will refuse his association. Only those who are Kali Chelas will blaspheme Him. You should stay in whatever sanga or organization you are in and continue to serve there with love and affection and happiness. However you should offer all respect and honor to this great personality Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami Maharaja Srila Gurudeava and never ever blaspheme him. Those who do are doing so at their own risk.

I the most unfortunate beggar at the lotus feet of the previous acharya's pray that all the vaishnava devotees will soon embrace in Vaishnava Prema as per the desire of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura.

Aspiring to be the servant of the servant
B.V. Bhagavat Maharaja

Peace and Prayer

Peace and Prayer
by Tridandiswami B.V. Vana Maharaja
Material sense gratification should not be the main aim of human life. One should lead a simple existance and use one's valuable time to inquire into the absolute truth. There is no meaning what-so-ever in endless material activities.
All mankind inquires after complete peace and happiness, therefore the Vedas explain:


"natalpa sukham bhumeva sukham"
This world is called the 'incomplete creation,' therefore no one can fulfil all their own desires, but still everyone searches after happiness. Scripture gives evidence about the happiness of the transcendental world only. This transcendental world is called the 'complete creation.' Krishna told Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita:

tam eva saranam gaccha sarva-bhavena bharata
tat prasadat param santim sthanam prapsyasi sasvatam
"O Bharata, surrender exclusively to that Isvara in every respect. By His grace, you will attain transcendental peace and the supreme eternal abode."
(18.62)
Attempts are made from time to time to make the kingdom of heaven descend on earth. Those attempts are of different natures. One type is to bring about world peace.
Peace-makers have been glorified at different tiimes. The political history of the world has seen many. Their extrordinary qualities of heart and mind bring them into promanancy and even among their peers they are noteworthy. This enables them to control the minds of millions who, in their eagerness to have peace, gather round ready to work under their dictation. Very soon these exalted personalities succeed in establishing an era of 'world peace.' But soon after, people realise they have been cheated. The peace they attained is just the seed of more unrest ready to sprout at any moment. The reputation of those great peace-makers soon becomes degraded and they are forced to give up their position. Somebody else is then pushed into that position to carry on. Such is the fate of every human conception of peace.

There are two types of jivas that manifest from the Lord, the bound and the liberated. The liberated souls always remain in the transcendental world and the bound souls live in this material world. Those who are bound in this world are of two types: pious and impious. The pious jiva who is situated in the material body is controlled by eating, sleeping and sensual activities, as his material sense desires dictate. In order to enjoy material comforts he engages in a variety of activities that are born from his material desires. Performing the purifying ceremonies prescribed in the Vedas, his intention is to gather pious credits so that he can enjoy material pleasures by taking birth in a high class family in this world and after attain godly pleasures in the higher planets. Thus he undertakes the path of karma.

In contrast, impious souls take shelter of irreligion and enjoy sense gratification by performing various types of sinful activities. The conclusion is that the aim and object of both types of jivas, pious and impious, is sense gratification, but the Srimad Bhagavatam explains that we should give up gratifying our own senses to gratify the senses of Lord Krishna.

In His Siksastakam Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (who, appearing in this age of kali-yuga, is non-different from Lord Krsna,) declared:


na dhanam na janam na sundarim
kavitam va jagadisa kamaye
mama janmani janmanisvare
bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi
"O Jagadisa ! I do not desire wealth, followers such as wife, sons and friends and relatives, or mundane knowledge expressed in poetic language. My only desire is that in birth after birth I may have pure devotional service unto your lotus feet."
(no.4)
World peace is only possible when we stop identifying our real selves with this material world, and when the mundane happiness of this world stops being our aim and object.
Vaisnavaism deals with the religion of the soul as distinguished from the body or the mind. Neither the body nor the mind is eternal, only the soul, and therefore it is the religion of the soul that is eternal. Vaisnavaism is the eternal religion of the soul. The object of the pursuit of other religions is one of the following four things: virtue, wealth, desire and salvation. But Vaisnavas have nothing to do with any of these things as none of them is the real object of the soul. Vaisnavaism begins with distinguishing between temporary and permanant things. Both the body and the mind are noticed by the Vaisnavas to be subject to birth and death and therefore temporary, but the soul is eternal as we can see in the Bhagavad Gita: " The soul is eternal and not born or destroyed with the distruction of the body." (2.20)

The Srimad Bhagavat discourses on who is the greatest benefactor in this world:


tava kathamrtam tapta-jivanam
kavibhir iditam kalmasapaham
sravana-mangalam srimad atatam
bhuvi grnanti ye bhuri-da janah
The gopis of Vrindavan declare "The nectar of your words and the discriptions of your activities are the life and soul of those suffering in this material world. These narrations, transmitted by learned sages, eradicate one's sinful reactions and bestow good fortune upon whoever hears them. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Certainly those who spread the message of Godhead are most munificent."
(10.31.9)
We must hear the dictation of the soul in this matter. Soul is all love, and hence peace established on the principles of soul is what is real peace. The soul loving God loves all. It is all accommadating.
Teachers of this devine love are genarally misunderstood; people who are unaccustomed to the study of things without reference to flesh and blood, see disturbance of all social and moral ettiquette in their teachings. Addressing such an assembly Christ said, "Think not that I come to send peace on earth. I come to set a man against his father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." (New Testament) He meant to say that love built on the stands of blood relationships is no love. A God loving son is sure to go against his father who does not love God. Here, in going away from one's father there is peace. There is peace in rebellion against all the social and moral conventions, if that is prompted by Devine Love. There is peace when Prahlad disobeyed his father Hiranyakasipu who pleaded with him not to worship Lord Krsna. There is peace when Arjuna commanded by Lord Krsna, killed in the battle of Kuruksetra his relatives including Bhisma, his own grandfathers step-brother. There is peace when Christ, crucified alive, prayed to God saying "father forgive them they no not what they do". There is peace in peace as well as in disturbance. God knows how to maintain peace, even if it appears apparently harmful to its cause it is in fact favourable.

Some are karmins (performers of fruitive actions), some are jnanins (followers of the path of knowledge), but we are the servants of the true devotees of Hari. One who cultivates a bonafide spiritual process for cleansing his heart and mind and prepering for the hereafter, is considered to be an intelligent person and knows the real goal of life. Bhakti-yoga or devotional service to Krsna, is the fastest means of achieving happiness and real security for the future. In this age of chaos and confusion, known as kali-yuga, the easiest method recommended is the hearing and chanting of the sublime names of God, the Supreme person, Krsna.


Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
These 16 names are all that is required to deliver one from the darkness of ignorance and situate him or her on the highest platform of God-realisation. Krsna is not an Indian God, or the head of the "Hindu" religion. "Hare" is the vocative or spoken word used to address the supreme Lord "Hari." Krsna is an address we use for the Lord, asking him to please deliver us from the maya of material existence. And when we say "Rama" we are requesting the Lord to please sport with us. We humbly request every one to take this sublime procces of bhakti-yoga and become truely happy in this life.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------









Contemporary Disciples Page








Material sense gratification should not be the main aim of human life. One should lead a simple existance and use one's valuable time to inquire into the absolute truth. There is no meaning what-so-ever in endless material activities.
All mankind inquires after complete peace and happiness, therefore the Vedas explain:


"natalpa sukham bhumeva sukham"
This world is called the 'incomplete creation,' therefore no one can fulfil all their own desires, but still everyone searches after happiness. Scripture gives evidence about the happiness of the transcendental world only. This transcendental world is called the 'complete creation.' Krishna told Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita:

tam eva saranam gaccha sarva-bhavena bharata
tat prasadat param santim sthanam prapsyasi sasvatam
"O Bharata, surrender exclusively to that Isvara in every respect. By His grace, you will attain transcendental peace and the supreme eternal abode."
(18.62)
Attempts are made from time to time to make the kingdom of heaven descend on earth. Those attempts are of different natures. One type is to bring about world peace.
Peace-makers have been glorified at different tiimes. The political history of the world has seen many. Their extrordinary qualities of heart and mind bring them into promanancy and even among their peers they are noteworthy. This enables them to control the minds of millions who, in their eagerness to have peace, gather round ready to work under their dictation. Very soon these exalted personalities succeed in establishing an era of 'world peace.' But soon after, people realise they have been cheated. The peace they attained is just the seed of more unrest ready to sprout at any moment. The reputation of those great peace-makers soon becomes degraded and they are forced to give up their position. Somebody else is then pushed into that position to carry on. Such is the fate of every human conception of peace.

There are two types of jivas that manifest from the Lord, the bound and the liberated. The liberated souls always remain in the transcendental world and the bound souls live in this material world. Those who are bound in this world are of two types: pious and impious. The pious jiva who is situated in the material body is controlled by eating, sleeping and sensual activities, as his material sense desires dictate. In order to enjoy material comforts he engages in a variety of activities that are born from his material desires. Performing the purifying ceremonies prescribed in the Vedas, his intention is to gather pious credits so that he can enjoy material pleasures by taking birth in a high class family in this world and after attain godly pleasures in the higher planets. Thus he undertakes the path of karma.

In contrast, impious souls take shelter of irreligion and enjoy sense gratification by performing various types of sinful activities. The conclusion is that the aim and object of both types of jivas, pious and impious, is sense gratification, but the Srimad Bhagavatam explains that we should give up gratifying our own senses to gratify the senses of Lord Krishna.

In His Siksastakam Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (who, appearing in this age of kali-yuga, is non-different from Lord Krsna,) declared:


na dhanam na janam na sundarim
kavitam va jagadisa kamaye
mama janmani janmanisvare
bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi
"O Jagadisa ! I do not desire wealth, followers such as wife, sons and friends and relatives, or mundane knowledge expressed in poetic language. My only desire is that in birth after birth I may have pure devotional service unto your lotus feet."
(no.4)
World peace is only possible when we stop identifying our real selves with this material world, and when the mundane happiness of this world stops being our aim and object.
Vaisnavaism deals with the religion of the soul as distinguished from the body or the mind. Neither the body nor the mind is eternal, only the soul, and therefore it is the religion of the soul that is eternal. Vaisnavaism is the eternal religion of the soul. The object of the pursuit of other religions is one of the following four things: virtue, wealth, desire and salvation. But Vaisnavas have nothing to do with any of these things as none of them is the real object of the soul. Vaisnavaism begins with distinguishing between temporary and permanant things. Both the body and the mind are noticed by the Vaisnavas to be subject to birth and death and therefore temporary, but the soul is eternal as we can see in the Bhagavad Gita: " The soul is eternal and not born or destroyed with the distruction of the body." (2.20)

The Srimad Bhagavat discourses on who is the greatest benefactor in this world:


tava kathamrtam tapta-jivanam
kavibhir iditam kalmasapaham
sravana-mangalam srimad atatam
bhuvi grnanti ye bhuri-da janah
The gopis of Vrindavan declare "The nectar of your words and the discriptions of your activities are the life and soul of those suffering in this material world. These narrations, transmitted by learned sages, eradicate one's sinful reactions and bestow good fortune upon whoever hears them. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Certainly those who spread the message of Godhead are most munificent."
(10.31.9)
We must hear the dictation of the soul in this matter. Soul is all love, and hence peace established on the principles of soul is what is real peace. The soul loving God loves all. It is all accommadating.
Teachers of this devine love are genarally misunderstood; people who are unaccustomed to the study of things without reference to flesh and blood, see disturbance of all social and moral ettiquette in their teachings. Addressing such an assembly Christ said, "Think not that I come to send peace on earth. I come to set a man against his father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." (New Testament) He meant to say that love built on the stands of blood relationships is no love. A God loving son is sure to go against his father who does not love God. Here, in going away from one's father there is peace. There is peace in rebellion against all the social and moral conventions, if that is prompted by Devine Love. There is peace when Prahlad disobeyed his father Hiranyakasipu who pleaded with him not to worship Lord Krsna. There is peace when Arjuna commanded by Lord Krsna, killed in the battle of Kuruksetra his relatives including Bhisma, his own grandfathers step-brother. There is peace when Christ, crucified alive, prayed to God saying "father forgive them they no not what they do". There is peace in peace as well as in disturbance. God knows how to maintain peace, even if it appears apparently harmful to its cause it is in fact favourable.

Some are karmins (performers of fruitive actions), some are jnanins (followers of the path of knowledge), but we are the servants of the true devotees of Hari. One who cultivates a bonafide spiritual process for cleansing his heart and mind and prepering for the hereafter, is considered to be an intelligent person and knows the real goal of life. Bhakti-yoga or devotional service to Krsna, is the fastest means of achieving happiness and real security for the future. In this age of chaos and confusion, known as kali-yuga, the easiest method recommended is the hearing and chanting of the sublime names of God, the Supreme person, Krsna.


Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
These 16 names are all that is required to deliver one from the darkness of ignorance and situate him or her on the highest platform of God-realisation. Krsna is not an Indian God, or the head of the "Hindu" religion. "Hare" is the vocative or spoken word used to address the supreme Lord "Hari." Krsna is an address we use for the Lord, asking him to please deliver us from the maya of material existence. And when we say "Rama" we are requesting the Lord to please sport with us. We humbly request every one to take this sublime procces of bhakti-yoga and become truely happy in this life.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------









Contemporary Disciples Page

Rays of The Harmonist

Welcome to





Welcome to
Rays of The Harmonist

Monthly On-line Edition – Year 2



By the causeless mercy of Śrī Śrī Guru Gaurāṅga, the Rays of The Harmonist team would like to welcome you to this monthly on-line edition, which features some of Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s discourses.

The domain name of this email address, sarasvatī-vinoda, has a special meaning. Sarasvatī is the name of transcendental knowledge herself and also the embodiment of transcendental knowledge Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda, and vinoda means “spiritual bliss” or more particularly “one who increases Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s transcendental bliss”. In other words, vinoda refers to Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s illustrious disciple Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī, later known as Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja. Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja is the sannyāsa guru of Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja and the spiritual master of Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja.

If the souls suffering in this world receive this transcendental knowledge with faith, they will experience spiritual bliss. At the same time, the aim of distributing this transcendental knowledge is to enhance the vinoda of Sarasvatī Prabhupāda.

We hope these articles nourish you. In this way we may all increase the bliss of Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda.

Aspiring for the service of Śrī Śrī Guru Gaurāṅga,
The Rays of The Harmonist team
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda (right) and Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī (second from left).



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


śrī śrī guru gaurāṅga jayataḥ!

Year-2, Issue 10
Posted: 7 November 2009

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dedicated to
nitya-līlā praviṣṭa oṁ viṣṇupāda

Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja


Inspired by and under the guidance of

Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Ārohavāda – The Ascending Process

by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda






Editor’s note: The words ārohavāda and avarohavāda literally mean the ascending (āroha) path and the descending (avaroha) path. The former refers to depending on one’s own abilities to elevate oneself to a higher stage of existence, while the latter refers to depending on help from above to become elevated.


Question 1: What is ārohavāda, or the ascending process?

Answer: The policy of ārohavāda is, like Rāvana, to attempt to construct a stairway to reach Heaven. That kind of uphill work is most puzzling.* In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it has been prescribed that this ‘uphill work’ – namely trying to construct a stairway to heaven – be abandoned.

_____________________
* The underlined phrase appeared in English in the original article.

On one end of the spectrum is attempting to force the sun to become visible at night by using lanterns, and on the other end is prayerfully waiting for sunrise and then viewing the sun by way of its own rays of light. If we hanker for temporary objects of enjoyment we are bound to become followers of the path of ārohavāda, compelled to endeavour to acquire jñāna, or perform karma or yoga.

But endeavours on the path of ārohavāda will always remain incomplete. A twenty year-old civilization shall surely prove to be deficient and fault-ridden in comparison to a one hundred year-old civilization, and the knowledge and culture of a two-hundred year old civilization shall at once be rejected in favour of the knowledge and culture of a one-thousand year old civilization. In fact intelligent men do not pursue the ascending path (ārohavāda) in any of their activities; rather they are avaroha-panthi, followers of the descending process.


Question 2: Can the mentality of inductive reasoning (ārohavāda) be permanently relinquished?

Answer: As long as someone maintains the mentality that he can fully depend on his own strength and abilities, his own self-confidence and his own understanding, he will be unable to surrender unto the lotus feet of Śrī Bhagavān. And he will have great regard for the notion of argument and reasoning (ārohavāda) as long as the notion of surrender has not manifested in his heart.

Only when someone realizes the insignificance of his own ability to support himself, the worthlessness of his proud self-conception and the ineffectiveness of his own endeavours, can he surrender himself and accept the path of receiving help from above (avarohavāda).

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam recounts the history of Gajendra, the king of the elephants. Once, Gajendra was passionately engaging in water sports within a lake, along with all his wives. Due to his wild stamping, he was a threat to all the other living beings in the lake who lived in constant fear of being trampled to death by him.

But then, a very powerful crocodile suddenly appeared from within the lake and caught hold of the leg of the intoxicated Gajendra. A fierce fight ensued between the elephant and the crocodile. It was so severe that it continued to rage even after a thousand years had passed, since they were both trying to display their might by overpowering the other. Gradually, however, Gajendra’s strength began to diminish. As he lost his power his madness, bravado and self pride also began to wane. When Gajendra, who was hopelessly trapped by the crocodile, saw that there was no way for him to escape, he realized that the most beneficial course of action for him was to accept the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord.

Like the proud elephant, as long as the jīva considers his insignificant existence to be important, he follows the path of ārohavāda, but when the glories of surrendering unto the lotus feet of Śrī Bhagavān manifest within his heart, he accepts the path of surrender, or avarohavāda. All the sādhus preach only the path of surrender. They never instruct us to adopt ārohavāda (the ascending process). However great a person may be, if he follows the path of ārohavāda, considering it to be auspicious, he is bound to fall down. Kṛṣṇa is the sole shelter of all. The belief that anyone else can provide us shelter can never protect us.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate

Bhagavad-gītā (3.27)

All aspects of material activity are performed by the modes of material nature, yet he whose intelligence has become bewildered by false ego considers himself to be the doer.

Due solely to their false ego, the intelligence of dull-minded people is inclined towards mundane goal-oriented activities. These elevationists are of course followers of ārohavāda.

Likewise, the jñānīs, who seek emancipation, want to attain greatness solely by their own endeavours: “jñānī jīvan-mukta-daśā pāinu kari’ mane – the jñānīs falsely consider that they have attained the stage of liberation” (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 22.29). The jñānīs wish to become brahma (the Supreme Absolute). This longing of one who is utterly insignificant to become the most prominent of all is called ārohavāda. The yogīs wish to become only a litte greater than they already are by acquiring some supernatural power and opulence, or else they desire liberation by merging with the existence of brahma. All these endeavours are nothing but ārohavāda.

We should simply remain in our own station, whatever it may be. We should never become a jñānī and follow the path of ārohavāda, nor should we engage in the ill-minded endeavours of a karmī or yogī on the path of ārohavāda. We should not be influenced by the desire for the attainment of monistic emancipation (mokṣa) or enjoyment (bhoga). Rather, surrendering our body, mind and words , we should hear hari-kathā from the mouths of sādhus. Then, only, shall the unconquerable and unattainable Śrī Bhagavān be conquered by us.


* * *

It does not matter whether one is a scholar or a fool. Whatever and wherever someone is, from his own position, it is essential that he simply engage in hearing transcendental hari-kathā from the lips of the sādhus. That hari-kathā has descended from Vaikuṇṭha. At present we remain in a veiled condition within this realm of kuṇṭha, or anxiety. Therefore, if we start analyzing the scriptures through mental speculation, we will be deprived. When our deliberation on the scriptures is motivated by the desire to enjoy or the desire to attain liberation, it is tantamount to attempting to make the scriptures subordinate to ourselves, but the scriptures are the direct, non-different manifestation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Kṛṣṇa has said:

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñānīnas tattva-darśinaḥ

Bhagavad-gītā (4.34)

Acquire this knowledge by offering prostrated obeisances to a guru who imparts transcendental knowledge, by asking relevant questions from him and by rendering service to him. Those who have seen the truth, the tattva darśīs, who are expert in the imports of śāstra, and the jñānīs, who have realized Absolute Reality, will enlighten you with that knowledge.

Endeavours to become the Lord are actually just karma-khaṇḍa. When someone is overpowered with the intoxicating desire to become the Lord, his pretentious display of accepting the instructions of the scriptures leaves him deprived of their actual import, which never manifest for him. The real meaning of the scriptures only manifests for surrendered souls. It is written in the Vedic literature:

yasya deve parā bhaktir
yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
prakāśante mahātmanaḥ

Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (6.23)

The meaning of this verse is that all the deepest meanings of the scriptures become manifest for those who have, equally, the same implicit faith in and devotion for the spiritual master as they do for the Lord.

Śrīman Mahaprabhu has given the instruction, tṛṇādapi sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ. In other words, hari-kīrtana is only possible when one considers oneself to be lower than a blade of grass. If one harbours the desire to become even slightly distinguished, his desire will compel him to bid his performance of kīrtana farewell.



Translated from Śrīla Prabhupadera Upadeśāmṛta
Questions re-numbered for this on-line presentation

Posted by the Rays of The Harmonist team

_____________________
Śrīla Prabhupadera Upadeśāmṛta is a compilation of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda’s instructions in question-and-answer form.






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Special On-line Edition: On the disappearance day of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda, 5 December 2009
Next Issue - Year 2, Issue 11: “The One Absolute – Part II”, 6 December 2009
Visit Rays of The Harmonist Monthly On-Line Edition at purebhakti.com for a complete list of articles.
Or click here to download PDFs of the Rays of The Harmonist yearly magazine.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rays of The Harmonist On-line; Year 2, Issue 10, "Ārohavāda – The Ascending Process", by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License to ensure that it is always freely available.

You may redistribute this article if you include this license and attribute it to Rays of The Harmonist. Please ask for permission before using the Rays of The Harmonist banner-logo.




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Monthly On-line Edition – Year 2



By the causeless mercy of Śrī Śrī Guru Gaurāṅga, the Rays of The Harmonist team would like to welcome you to this monthly on-line edition, which features some of Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s discourses.

The domain name of this email address, sarasvatī-vinoda, has a special meaning. Sarasvatī is the name of transcendental knowledge herself and also the embodiment of transcendental knowledge Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda, and vinoda means “spiritual bliss” or more particularly “one who increases Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s transcendental bliss”. In other words, vinoda refers to Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s illustrious disciple Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī, later known as Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja. Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja is the sannyāsa guru of Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Mahārāja and the spiritual master of Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja.

If the souls suffering in this world receive this transcendental knowledge with faith, they will experience spiritual bliss. At the same time, the aim of distributing this transcendental knowledge is to enhance the vinoda of Sarasvatī Prabhupāda.

We hope these articles nourish you. In this way we may all increase the bliss of Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda.

Aspiring for the service of Śrī Śrī Guru Gaurāṅga,
The Rays of The Harmonist team
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda (right) and Śrī Vinoda-bihārī Brahmacārī (second from left).



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


śrī śrī guru gaurāṅga jayataḥ!

Year-2, Issue 10
Posted: 7 November 2009

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dedicated to
nitya-līlā praviṣṭa oṁ viṣṇupāda

Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja


Inspired by and under the guidance of

Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Ārohavāda – The Ascending Process

by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda






Editor’s note: The words ārohavāda and avarohavāda literally mean the ascending (āroha) path and the descending (avaroha) path. The former refers to depending on one’s own abilities to elevate oneself to a higher stage of existence, while the latter refers to depending on help from above to become elevated.


Question 1: What is ārohavāda, or the ascending process?

Answer: The policy of ārohavāda is, like Rāvana, to attempt to construct a stairway to reach Heaven. That kind of uphill work is most puzzling.* In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it has been prescribed that this ‘uphill work’ – namely trying to construct a stairway to heaven – be abandoned.

_____________________
* The underlined phrase appeared in English in the original article.

On one end of the spectrum is attempting to force the sun to become visible at night by using lanterns, and on the other end is prayerfully waiting for sunrise and then viewing the sun by way of its own rays of light. If we hanker for temporary objects of enjoyment we are bound to become followers of the path of ārohavāda, compelled to endeavour to acquire jñāna, or perform karma or yoga.

But endeavours on the path of ārohavāda will always remain incomplete. A twenty year-old civilization shall surely prove to be deficient and fault-ridden in comparison to a one hundred year-old civilization, and the knowledge and culture of a two-hundred year old civilization shall at once be rejected in favour of the knowledge and culture of a one-thousand year old civilization. In fact intelligent men do not pursue the ascending path (ārohavāda) in any of their activities; rather they are avaroha-panthi, followers of the descending process.


Question 2: Can the mentality of inductive reasoning (ārohavāda) be permanently relinquished?

Answer: As long as someone maintains the mentality that he can fully depend on his own strength and abilities, his own self-confidence and his own understanding, he will be unable to surrender unto the lotus feet of Śrī Bhagavān. And he will have great regard for the notion of argument and reasoning (ārohavāda) as long as the notion of surrender has not manifested in his heart.

Only when someone realizes the insignificance of his own ability to support himself, the worthlessness of his proud self-conception and the ineffectiveness of his own endeavours, can he surrender himself and accept the path of receiving help from above (avarohavāda).

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam recounts the history of Gajendra, the king of the elephants. Once, Gajendra was passionately engaging in water sports within a lake, along with all his wives. Due to his wild stamping, he was a threat to all the other living beings in the lake who lived in constant fear of being trampled to death by him.

But then, a very powerful crocodile suddenly appeared from within the lake and caught hold of the leg of the intoxicated Gajendra. A fierce fight ensued between the elephant and the crocodile. It was so severe that it continued to rage even after a thousand years had passed, since they were both trying to display their might by overpowering the other. Gradually, however, Gajendra’s strength began to diminish. As he lost his power his madness, bravado and self pride also began to wane. When Gajendra, who was hopelessly trapped by the crocodile, saw that there was no way for him to escape, he realized that the most beneficial course of action for him was to accept the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord.

Like the proud elephant, as long as the jīva considers his insignificant existence to be important, he follows the path of ārohavāda, but when the glories of surrendering unto the lotus feet of Śrī Bhagavān manifest within his heart, he accepts the path of surrender, or avarohavāda. All the sādhus preach only the path of surrender. They never instruct us to adopt ārohavāda (the ascending process). However great a person may be, if he follows the path of ārohavāda, considering it to be auspicious, he is bound to fall down. Kṛṣṇa is the sole shelter of all. The belief that anyone else can provide us shelter can never protect us.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate

Bhagavad-gītā (3.27)

All aspects of material activity are performed by the modes of material nature, yet he whose intelligence has become bewildered by false ego considers himself to be the doer.

Due solely to their false ego, the intelligence of dull-minded people is inclined towards mundane goal-oriented activities. These elevationists are of course followers of ārohavāda.

Likewise, the jñānīs, who seek emancipation, want to attain greatness solely by their own endeavours: “jñānī jīvan-mukta-daśā pāinu kari’ mane – the jñānīs falsely consider that they have attained the stage of liberation” (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, 22.29). The jñānīs wish to become brahma (the Supreme Absolute). This longing of one who is utterly insignificant to become the most prominent of all is called ārohavāda. The yogīs wish to become only a litte greater than they already are by acquiring some supernatural power and opulence, or else they desire liberation by merging with the existence of brahma. All these endeavours are nothing but ārohavāda.

We should simply remain in our own station, whatever it may be. We should never become a jñānī and follow the path of ārohavāda, nor should we engage in the ill-minded endeavours of a karmī or yogī on the path of ārohavāda. We should not be influenced by the desire for the attainment of monistic emancipation (mokṣa) or enjoyment (bhoga). Rather, surrendering our body, mind and words , we should hear hari-kathā from the mouths of sādhus. Then, only, shall the unconquerable and unattainable Śrī Bhagavān be conquered by us.


* * *

It does not matter whether one is a scholar or a fool. Whatever and wherever someone is, from his own position, it is essential that he simply engage in hearing transcendental hari-kathā from the lips of the sādhus. That hari-kathā has descended from Vaikuṇṭha. At present we remain in a veiled condition within this realm of kuṇṭha, or anxiety. Therefore, if we start analyzing the scriptures through mental speculation, we will be deprived. When our deliberation on the scriptures is motivated by the desire to enjoy or the desire to attain liberation, it is tantamount to attempting to make the scriptures subordinate to ourselves, but the scriptures are the direct, non-different manifestation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Kṛṣṇa has said:

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñānīnas tattva-darśinaḥ

Bhagavad-gītā (4.34)

Acquire this knowledge by offering prostrated obeisances to a guru who imparts transcendental knowledge, by asking relevant questions from him and by rendering service to him. Those who have seen the truth, the tattva darśīs, who are expert in the imports of śāstra, and the jñānīs, who have realized Absolute Reality, will enlighten you with that knowledge.

Endeavours to become the Lord are actually just karma-khaṇḍa. When someone is overpowered with the intoxicating desire to become the Lord, his pretentious display of accepting the instructions of the scriptures leaves him deprived of their actual import, which never manifest for him. The real meaning of the scriptures only manifests for surrendered souls. It is written in the Vedic literature:

yasya deve parā bhaktir
yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
prakāśante mahātmanaḥ

Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (6.23)

The meaning of this verse is that all the deepest meanings of the scriptures become manifest for those who have, equally, the same implicit faith in and devotion for the spiritual master as they do for the Lord.

Śrīman Mahaprabhu has given the instruction, tṛṇādapi sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ. In other words, hari-kīrtana is only possible when one considers oneself to be lower than a blade of grass. If one harbours the desire to become even slightly distinguished, his desire will compel him to bid his performance of kīrtana farewell.



Translated from Śrīla Prabhupadera Upadeśāmṛta
Questions re-numbered for this on-line presentation

Posted by the Rays of The Harmonist team

_____________________
Śrīla Prabhupadera Upadeśāmṛta is a compilation of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda’s instructions in question-and-answer form.






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Special On-line Edition: On the disappearance day of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda, 5 December 2009
Next Issue - Year 2, Issue 11: “The One Absolute – Part II”, 6 December 2009
Visit Rays of The Harmonist Monthly On-Line Edition at purebhakti.com for a complete list of articles.
Or click here to download PDFs of the Rays of The Harmonist yearly magazine.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rays of The Harmonist On-line; Year 2, Issue 10, "Ārohavāda – The Ascending Process", by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License to ensure that it is always freely available.

You may redistribute this article if you include this license and attribute it to Rays of The Harmonist. Please ask for permission before using the Rays of The Harmonist banner-logo.




--

If you do not want to receive any more newsletters, follow this link
To update your preferences and to unsubscribe visit this link
Forward a Message to Someone by following this link

powered by phplist v 2.10.9, © tincan ltd

__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4580 (20091106) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

http://www.eset.com