Please accept my humble obeisances! All
Glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I am very happy to hear of all these
activities that you wrote in previous emails but did not reply due to certain
reasons enumerated below. But before that I would like to convey my happiness
in seeing the gurukul coming forth as per Srila Prabhupada's instructions. And instruction
specifically to you. Madhava now must be feeling relieved. I think it
is 4 years after we used to talk about it that a Gurukul is required and that
you ought to take it up that it has finally come forth!
Most happy to hear that your allopathic
medicines are nil and other medicines are only 10%.
As for me, I am struggling as always to try
to keep up with the instructions of Srila Prabhupada, still do not feel I can
offer him any tangible fruits or results of services that he has ordered. Even
the service attitude is not there, so I do not know what is going to happen to
me - na gatih kuto api. Only thing I can do is keep trying every new day. To
chant nicely and reading and to keep his specific instructions in focus,
however painful that is. Hopefully he will see my endeavor and take that at
least, as he is manifestation of Lord Caitanya's mercy.
The only external development has happened is
that Lord Krishna after taking me through a hard purification process to properly
respect and utilize Shrimati Laxmidevi for expanding His and His pure devotee’s
Glories and service of His devotees ONLY, He has started blessing with some
gradually. Maybe now the various services to Srila Prabhupada that have been
instructed to me would be able to be manifest.
As for the reason I did not write back to
you. It was partly due to very hectic schedule (traveling in Europe) but mostly
due to the direction you and the center were going as I found it then (in
March).
After reflecting on the day’s talk when I was
last at the center in March, and then various devotees telling me about different
activities and advices of Murali Mohan Prabhu, sometimes officially propagated
by you, I came to become concerned with both his spiritual life and the
devotees future there. But after last
time’s almost blind angry confrontational attitude from you (1st
time in our close relationship of almost 20 years!), as well as your
propagating to various devotees that “Nimai is in Maya”, “He is sahajiya etc.”,
I thought it is not my duty to do anything about the situation currently. I am
not the teacher or anybody, and as I told you last time I am not going to take
the position to advise anyone at your center anymore. Lord Krishna is the
Supreme Controller and when He desires then He would guide you. Hence I have
been completely silent.
Since then you keep writing to me and asking
me to respond, and many more devotees have begun to feel similarly and bringing
their complaints to me, and requesting me to do something. Especially as
earlier I used to intervene with you and advise some of them. Moreover Srila
Prabhupada’s instructions to me regarding developing Varnasrama College and
seeing that you have started feeling the need for it too, makes me wish that we
cooperate for the benefit of so many current/future devotees, so in combination
of so many things I thought I will endeavor to clear all these
misunderstandings etc. to please Srila Prabhupada. Moreover, I miss my dear
friend Dayalu Nitai Prabhu. Hence I specifically made my schedule such that I
can come to Jaipur and stay for some days and try to see what can be done.
I request Prabhu that you organize an Istagoshti at the Center, in front
of the Deities, Srila Prabhupada, and all concerned Vaisnavas. Maybe on Srila
Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day. After nice kirtan, in a cordial and mutually
respectful atmosphere, let us discuss all issues one by one---from your side,
from my side, and from other devotee’s side. This is the way Srila Prabhupada
has prescribed for resolving issues among Godbrothers. We need to discuss
everything, letting all speak-air their views/complaints, and reply as per
reference to Srila Prabhupada’s teachings. I have seen many times that most of
the issues get resolved by following this instruction of Srila Prabhupada. We
have all a lot to do, can all benefit from each other’s mutual cooperation, and
moreover we need to go back to the spiritual world to be situated in our
original position of service, so let us get all the hindrances out of the way
and carry on.
To facilitate that, I am writing below in
detail the main issues from my side. Hope this can give better clarity to you
so that you can prepare accordingly for the Istagoshti. I will also reply in
another email to your issues of me. Hopefully thereby the issues can be
resolved much easier given the time limitations that we all have.
Issues with you:
1.
Taking the center/devotees away from Srila Prabhupada by:
a.
Elevating Murali Mohan Prabhu falsely to be “an
advanced devotee” beyond his qualification by your words and actions
b.
Designating him as a “true brahmana” etc.
without his proper brahmacari training taking place
c.
Propagating that “we cannot approach or
understand Srila Prabhupada directly”, that we need “guidance of “others”,
“more advanced vaisnavas” etc. etc.
–i.e. Murali Mohan Prabhu!
d.
Preaching that we cannot understand Srila Prabhupada’s
books without the guidance of “senior devotees” – i.e. Murali Mohan Prabhu!
e.
Preaching that we need to understand the letter
and the “spirit” when related to Srila Prabhupada’s statements. And for
understanding the “spirit” one needs to hear from senior devotees – i..e Murali
Mohan Prabhu!
f.
Many devotees say that earlier you used to
preach often that take shelter of Srila Prabhupada’s books, hear from him,
inquire from him, he will guide etc.—which was difficult but inspiring, but now
you propagate the above---basically to take guidance of “advanced devotee” i.e.
Murali Mohan Prabhu, as we cannot approach Srila Prabhupada directly.
g.
Gradually accepting some of his past karma kandiya
background viewpoints in lieu of parampara viewpoint of Srila Prabhupada which
are more detailed below.
It is my impression now that devotees at the Center
have become so bewildered by your forceful preaching about the “exalted
position” of MMP that even they do not question common sense wise that:
How can a devotee brahamcari who has not had proper training in Lord
Caitanya’s sankirtan mission, however much clean his background may be, can be
considered as advanced as you are propagating him to be?
Proper training includes---
a.
Attentive chanting –
“A brahmacārī hears only words concerning Kṛṣṇa consciousness; hearing is the basic principle for understanding, and therefore the pure brahmacārī engages fully in harer
nāmānukīrtanam—chanting and hearing the glories of
the Lord. He restrains
himself from the vibrations of material sounds, and his hearing is engaged in the transcendental sound vibration of Hare
Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa.” (BG 4.26)
Many devotees keep telling me that Mmp sleeps during chanting regularly.
I have not seen this myself so admittedly I may be wrong. But on inquiring from
many devotees specifically on this point, those who regularly chant or have
regularly chanted in the temple room vouch for it-that he sleeps regularly and that he is rarely seen chanting
attentively.
You may not have noticed this as due to your illness you are not there
in chanting time most days. And now that you have lifted up Mmp so much that
other devotees dare not even question it for long in their minds even if they
have noticed it as they may fear “offenses!” or disturbance in their spiritual
life that questioning something opposite to what their leader and siksha guru
is propagating. But if you call some devotees at your center and in your
congregation who are still left whom you know they do not just follow what you
say and can think independently, so they may not be afraid of telling you
fearing you may not like it, then if you ask them, they will tell you about
this in truth.
Otherwise in the Istagoshti it will come about. I am sure there are some
intelligent devotees there who will not be afraid to point it out. I have hope
for Mmp also that when asked he will admit to you honestly as what I am writing
here and want to accomplish is to help him as well as the center.
If it is true, then 1st
as per above statement of Srila Prabhupada in BG (4.26), how is/has he been undergoing
a high level of brahmcari training himself?
Someone who is not
experiencing and taking shelter of the Holy Name, who is not feeling the
minimum taste in chanting in Holy name so as to stay awake, how can he be an advanced
devotee, or a “true brahmana”? How is he different from any other young brahmcari
at your center who is also struggling to chant and hear? As far as I had seen,
most brahmcaris used to chant well, only few used to sleep. So how is he more
elevated then other senior devotees there? How is he being touted as the person
to take guidance from for everyone?
How can he guide Lord
Caitanya’s devotees whose main purpose is to propagate the Holy Name????!
Sleeping during chanting is regular for most neophyte devotees, so it is
no criticism of Mmp. The criticism is of you for elevating him inspite of
observing this yourself! Nor are devotees criticizing Mmp, at least to me. They
are questioning your defense of him and elevation of him inspite of visible
symptoms of his still being a neophyte.
“Instead of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, the neophyte
will simply sleep soundly.” (Cc Madhya 11.176)
Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: In order to chant the holy name
purely, is it necessary to have feelings of separation?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Provided he has got the taste for chanting.
Otherwise he'll sleep. That's all. (Morning Walk, June 13, 1974, Paris)
Prabhupāda: That means he is
not chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Because if he is actually chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, he must be
enthusiastic to serve Kṛṣṇa more and more. This is an excuse. Utsāhān dhairyāt tat-tat-karma-pravar... He must be very enthusiastic.
Therefore we have limited. If you are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, if you are so
advanced, then chant Hare Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours. But he will sleep. (makes snoring noise)
(laughter) So in the name of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, you will sleep. And if you are actually chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, you will be
enthusiastic, "Oh, I shall
serve. I shall..." That is effect. Phalena paricīyate. We have to see by
the result. He should be enthusiastic more and more.
(Lectures : Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.15 --
Auckland, February 22, 1973)
Arguably these statements of Srila Prabhupada are in the context of
someone trying to chant whole day but the teaching is unmistakable nevertheless
that someone who sleeps during chanting is a neophyte.
One needs to regularly chant the Holy name with respect and reverence trying
to take shelter of the Holy Name to be considered an advanced devotee. If one
does not chant attentively, what to speak of sleeping, then instead of “being
advanced” one will continue to be bound up by the modes of nature as per our
past modes– even if it is predominately in mode of goodness due to past karma.
This can happen differently every day as per our daily attentive chanting or
not.
māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa guṇān samatītyaitān
brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
TRANSLATION
One who engages in full devotional
service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the
modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.
(BG 14.26)
daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī
mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante
māyām etāṁ taranti te
TRANSLATION
This divine
energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult
to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily
cross beyond it. (BG 7.14)
Surrender means to first of all surrender to the
below instructions of Lord Caitanya and Srila Prabhupada -
Then the Bhaṭṭācārya asked Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "Which item
is most important in the execution of devotional service?" The Lord
replied that the most important item was the chanting of the holy name of the
Lord.
PURPORT
There are nine
items to be executed in devotional service. These are enumerated in the
following verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.5.23):
śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ
smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ
sakhyam ātma-nivedanam
Hearing the glories of the Lord,
chanting, remembering, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering worship in
the temple, offering prayers, becoming a servant of the Lord, becoming the
Lord's friend, and sarvātma-nivedana, offering oneself fully at the lotus feet of
the Lord-these are the nine devotional processes. In The Nectar of Devotion,
When Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya asked the Lord which item was most important, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately answered that the most
important item is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord-Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. He then quoted
the following verse from the Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa (Thirty-eighth
Chapter, verse 126) to confirm His statement.
(Cc Madhya
6.241)
Devotee (3): Śrīla Prabhupāda, it's very
difficult to control my mind when I chant. It wanders.
Prabhupāda: So what is the
controlling of mind? You have to
chant and hear, that's all. You have to chant with your tongue, and
the sound you hear, that's all. What is the question of mind? (Morning Walk, February 3, 1975, Hawaii)
By regular inattentive/sleeping chanting one will
continue to be lost in the modes one was in from earlier---even if one had been
lifted up earlier----
“If you
become conscious of Me, you will pass over all the obstacles of conditional
life by My grace. If, however, you do not work in such consciousness but act
through false ego, not hearing Me, you will be lost.”
(BG 18.58)
We are
all in this boat. Any of us can
advance above the modes or remain in past modes, generally depending on our
endeavor and effort we put in trying to get to attentively hear, on a daily
basis. As you personally know this so well having depended on chanting well
to even keep yourself sane on daily basis.
This is the religion of this age. Harer namaiva
kevalam.
“As for the common man, if he is a good
soul, then there is a chance for
advancement by hearing. This hearing process is very important. Lord
Caitanya, who preached Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the modern world,
gave great stress to hearing because if the common man simply hears from
authoritative sources, he can progress, especially,
according to Lord Caitanya, if he hears the transcendental vibration Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.”
(BG 13.26)
Hence there can be no doubt that primarily by attentive chanting
regularly, one becomes advanced or not.
One can actually become engaged in Lord Caitanya’s service only by
hearing the vibration and praying to Him.
“Simply by vibrating the Hare Krsna
Mahamantra sixteen rounds daily one advances to the stage of sadacara or
good habits and when he is pure in consciousness by devotional service, he
advances to the stage of ecstatic love of Krsna. We should always pray to Lord Caitanya simply to be engaged in His
confidential service by chanting Hare Krsna mantra always. That will
purify us and give the strength needed to infuse others with Krsna
consciousness.”
(Letter to: Vaikunthanatha -- Allahabad
12 January, 1971)
And without being engaged in service of Lord Caitanya, how does one get
realization about His mission?
How can one be getting much realization if the service of Lord Krishna
–that starts with attentive hearing of the Holy Name is not going on well, or
going on offensively ---“It is also an offense to be inattentive while
chanting”!
ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi
na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ
sevonmukhe hi jihvādau
svayam eva
sphuraty adaḥ
TRANSLATION
" 'Therefore material senses cannot appreciate Kṛṣṇa's holy name, form, qualities and pastimes. When a conditioned soul is awakened
to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and renders
service by using his tongue to chant the Lord's holy name and taste the
remnants of the Lord's food, the tongue is purified, and one gradually comes to understand who Kṛṣṇa really is.
PURPORT
This verse is recorded in the
Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.234).
(Cc Madhya 17.136)
Hence by observing just
this symptom of regular sleeping during chanting japa and not chanting
attentively you ought to have understood that Murali Mohan Prabhu is not an
advanced devotee/brahmana but he looks pure, is
austere, has good qualities due to good amount of sattva guna from past karma
and upbringing. You ought to have been able to see that he is able to
understand many aspects of devotional service as he is performing jnana bhakti,
cultivating jnana by which he is able to perform devotional practices. He is
coming from that direction.
That is highly recommended in BG 7th chapter 16-19 by Lord
Krishna but one should be able to see that he is currently on an intellectual
platform primarily, combined with past upbringing of karma kandiya knowledge, hence the subsidiary components of
devotional service that are based on jnana, like the chapters of BG till the 6th
Chapter, he will be good at, but
as his viewpoints are contaminated by these infections, his guidance in Lord
Caitanya’s mission, his understanding of actions of devotees ought not to be
taken seriously currently as these neophyte devotees are not able to understand
these aspects properly at this stage. He ought to be treated as a young
nice potential brahmacari devotee who needs guidance in preaching service to
his spiritual master, the representative of Lord Caitnaya, thereby he can get
blessings of Srila Prabhupada to be able to develop devotional realizations and
develop taste in chanting first of all.
“The Lord is so kind to us that He can be present before
us personally in the form of transcendental sound, but unfortunately we have no taste for hearing and glorifying the
Lord's name and activities. We have already discussed developing a taste
for hearing and chanting the holy sound. It is done through the medium of
service to the pure devotee of the Lord.”
(SB 1.2.17)
“Caitanya Mahāprabhu has
recommended that everyone chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra just to cleanse the dust from the heart. If the dust of the heart is cleansed away, then one can actually
understand the importance of the holy name. For persons who are not
inclined to clean the dust from their heart and want to keep things as they
are, it is not possible to derive the transcendental result of chanting the
Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. One
should, therefore, be encouraged to develop his service attitude toward the
Lord, because this will help him to chant without any offense. And so, under the guidance of a spiritual master, the
disciple is trained simultaneously to render service and at the same time
to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. As
soon as one develops his spontaneous service attitude, he can immediately
understand the transcendental nature of the holy names of the mahā-mantra.”
(NoD 13: The Maha-mantra)
That is how he will develop more taste in chanting, more understanding
of extreme importance of chanting whereby he can transform from intellectual
austere platform to bhagavat school.
Moreover, he ought to desist from commenting about senior devotees
engaged in Lord Caitanya’s mission and their activities at his current stage as
understanding them from his current viewpoint and then commenting/criticizing
them, his offenses could create lack of taste too.
“As attachment can be invoked by the
association of pure devotees, so
attachment can also be extinguished by committing offenses at the lotus feet of
pure devotees. To be more clear, by the association of pure devotees
attachment for Kṛṣṇa can be aroused, but
if one commits offenses at the lotus feet of a devotee, his shadow attachment
or parā attachment can be extinguished. This extinguishing is like the waning
moon, which gradually decreases and at last becomes darkness. One should
therefore be very careful while associating with pure devotees to guard against
committing an offense at their lotus feet.
Transcendental attachment, either shadow or parā, can be nullified by different degrees
of offenses at the lotus feet of pure devotees. If the offense is very serious, then
one's attachment becomes almost nil, and
if the offense is not very serious, one's attachment can become second-class or
third- class.” (NoD 18)
“The offenses against the chanting of
the holy name are as follows: 1) To blaspheme the devotees who have dedicated their lives for propagating the holy name of the
Lord.” (NoD 8: Offenses to Be Avoided)
These are not describing only a ripe Mango
pure devotee Srila Prabhupada but also unripe mango pure devotees who have
taken initiation from a ripe mango pure devotee and under his direction are
trying to become pure and simultaneously are dedicating their lives to
spreading the Holy name under Srila Prabhupada’s leadership.
Discrimination based on scriptures and other
evidences (which is desirable) is different from making assumptions and
criticizing without proper understanding based on one’s pride that he already
understands them and their activities. I pointed out to him when we met in
March that he needs to inquire from the devotees more, maybe associate with
them more, to hear and understand from all sides and various viewpoints before
criticizing based on imperfect understanding. But I heard after I left of a few
more of his misunderstanding based criticisms. So that could also be a reason
of his apparent lack of taste in hearing apart from just dust of various
desires (subtle desires, weeds) that all of us neophytes have to different
degrees which determines our degree of taste, service attitude and advancement.
It is nothing to do with externals or past background.
(I have covered this more in my letter to
him)
As chanting attentively is of utmost importance, Srila Prabhupada’s
primary and 1st instruction for performing devotional service is
this. A few statements to purify all of us.
“Another point established in this
verse is that meditation should be carried on with the chanting of a mantra.
Chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is the easiest process of meditation in
this age. As soon as one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, he sees the forms of Kṛṣṇa, Rāma and Their
energies, and that is the perfect stage of trance. One should not artificially
try to see the form of the Lord while chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, but when the chanting is performed
offenselessly the Lord will automatically reveal Himself to the view of the
chanter. The chanter, therefore, has
to concentrate on hearing the vibration, and without extra endeavor on his
part, the Lord will automatically appear.” (SB 4.8.53)
“Generally a human being is interested
in religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation, but love
of God is above all these. A bona fide spiritual master chants the holy
names-Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare-and
the transcendental sound vibration
enters into the ear of the disciple, and if a disciple follows in the footsteps of his spiritual master and chants
the holy name with similar respect, he actually comes to worship
the transcendental name. When the transcendental
name is worshiped by the devotee, the name Himself spreads His glories
within the heart of a devotee.” (TLC 18)
“Chanting japa should be done early in
the morning with full concentration preferably during the Brahma Muhurta time. Concentrate fully on the sound vibration
of the mantra, pronouncing each name distinctly and gradually your
speed in chanting will increase naturally.”
(Letter to: Radhavallabha -- Bombay 6
January, 1972)
“When Hare Krishna Mantra is vibrating on your tongue and you are
hearing attentively, then your consciousness becomes clear or Krishna
consciousness and there is no question of maya or hazy consciousness.”
(Letter to: Rupa Vilasa (Robert
McNaughton), Candrika (Carol McNaughton), Bhavatarini (Debbie Watt), Bhanutanya
(Debra Wolin) -- : 72-06-20)
“The best purpose of Vedic culture is served, however, by chanting the
holy name of the Lord, as recommended by Lord Caitanya, the deliverer of all
fallen souls. When Lord
Caitanya was asked by a great Vedic scholar, Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, why He, the
Lord, was chanting the holy name of the Lord like a sentimentalist instead of
studying Vedānta philosophy, the Lord replied that His spiritual master found Him to be a
great fool, and thus he asked Him to chant the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa. He did so, and
became ecstatic like a madman. In this age of Kali, most of the population is
foolish and not adequately educated to understand Vedānta philosophy; the best purpose of Vedānta philosophy is served by inoffensively
chanting the holy name of the Lord. Vedānta is the last word in Vedic wisdom, and the
author and knower of the Vedānta philosophy is Lord Kṛṣṇa; and the highest Vedantist is the great
soul who takes pleasure in chanting the holy name of the Lord. That is
the ultimate purpose of all Vedic mysticism.” (BG 2.46)
b.
Attentive hearing in SB Class: Many
devotees similarly tell me that Mmp regularly sleeps (sometimes soundly) during
your daily SB classes or used to till you elevated him more to give daily SB
classes to Gurukul children. Again, I had not seen this myself so admittedly I
may be wrong. But again I have no reason to doubt it as different devotees say
the same. If it is true, then someone who is not feeling the minimum taste and
desire in hearing the Bhagavat katha, spiritual topics, so as to stay awake,
how can he be an advanced devotee, or a “true brahmana” and guide in the
Bhagavat Philosophy?
“Then
what is the use of sitting if you don't control your attention? Then you are
simply wasting time. Why do you come? That is understood. When you come to hear, that means you
must hear with attention. But this is a concession, that even if you
don't hear with attention, you become purified. But if you do it, it is very
nice. You make progress. You get the result very quickly….
…..So this is the process for purifying
the heart. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. This is the process. So one should take advantage of this process, how to purify the mind,
how to purify the heart. Then you will be a perfect personality, perfect
man. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. So we don't say that "You change your
profession, you change your position or occupation," no. Please come and
hear. Please... If you don't chant, please hear. That hearing process also will
cure you. Śravaṇam kīrtanam.”
(Room Conversation -- July 16, 1968,
Montreal)
It is a similar disease as the earlier less taste in chanting problem. Similar cause and solution-Service to
Spiritual master’s mission.
I recommend you and Murali Mohan Prabhu re-read the very important
verses and Srila Prabhupada’s purports of verses SB 1.2.17-21 to understand the
position of actual brahmana, what do these symptoms signify, and how to advance
as per the Bhagavat Philosophy and as especially given focus to by our Gaudiya
Sampradaya starting from Lord Caitanya. I have quoted only a few pertinent
statements from those verses below but a whole reading is highly recommended-
for all of us. These are the verses Srila Prabhupada quoted when he wrote the
poem in Boston harbor on first arriving in USA!
“Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality
of Godhead, who is the Paramātmā [Supersoul] in everyone's heart and
the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment
from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages,
which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.
PURPORT
Messages of the Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa are nondifferent
from Him. Whenever, therefore, offenseless hearing and glorification of God are
undertaken, it is to be understood that Lord Kṛṣṇa is present there
in the form of transcendental sound, which is as powerful as the Lord
personally. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, in His Śikṣāṣṭaka, declares clearly that the holy name of the Lord has all
the potencies of the Lord and that He has endowed His innumerable names with
the same potency. There is no rigid fixture of time, and anyone can chant the holy name with attention and reverence at
his convenience. The Lord is so kind to us that He can be present
before us personally in the form of transcendental sound, but unfortunately we have no taste for hearing and glorifying the
Lord's name and activities. We have already discussed developing a taste
for hearing and chanting the holy sound. It is done through the medium of
service to the pure devotee of the Lord.”(SB 1.2.17)
“It should be noted that by such sincere association of
the Bhāgavatas one is sure to receive transcendental knowledge very
easily, with the result that he becomes fixed in the devotional service of the
Lord. The more progress is made in devotional
service under the guidance of the Bhāgavatas, the more
one becomes fixed in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.”
(SB 1.2.18)
“The soul's activity becomes adulterated in
contact with matter, and as such the diseased activities are expressed in the
form of lust, desire, hankering, inactivity, foolishness and sleep. The effect of devotional service becomes manifest by complete elimination
of these effects of passion and ignorance. The devotee is fixed at
once in the mode of goodness, and he makes further progress to rise to the
position of Vāsudeva, or the state of
unmixed sattva, or śuddha-sattva.” (SB 1.2.19)
“Perfection of
human life is attained when one can understand that he is not the product of
matter but is in fact spirit. And as soon as one understands that he has
nothing to do with matter, he at once ceases his material hankerings and
becomes enlivened as a spiritual being. This attainment of success is possible when one is above the modes of passion
and ignorance, or, in other words, when one is actually a brāhmaṇa by qualification.”
(SB 1.2.20)
c.
Sankirtan activities – As far as my knowledge
is concerned, Mmp does not and has not gone on regular sankirtan activities
except maybe for a few days. This Sankirtan is the “bread and butter “of Lord
Caitanya’s mission, especially for training as a brahmacari, as a devotee, what
to speak of training for a brahmana. If he has not done regular Hari Naam
sankirtan, regular book distribution to non-devotees for a few years, how can
he understand Lord Caitanya’s mission in truth? How can he understand Lord Caitanya’s unique mercy to the non-devotees?
How can he understand empowerment from Lord Caitanya to His Sankirtan devotees?
Partially yes, but how will he get the mercy to understand Lord Caitanya’s
mission to deliver the fallen souls of Kali Yuga in modes of passion and
ignorance and how they rise up by chanting and hearing backed by deity worship,
and varnasrama so as to be guide these kind of souls appropriately, and so as
to understand those who are trying to do the same? How will this understanding
get ingrained in him? To understand the mission and preaching instructions of
Srila Prabhupada takes theoretical and practical preaching service to make it
vijnana.
ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ
śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam
ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ
sarvātma-snapanaṁ paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam
“Glory
to the Śrī Kṛṣṇa saṅkīrtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust
accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of
repeated birth and death. This saṅkīrtana movement is the
prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the
benediction moon. It is the life of
all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental
bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always
anxious.”
(Sri Siksastaka,
Verse 1)
“Therefore
the saṅkīrtana movement contributed by the
Supreme Personality of Godhead as Lord Caitanya is the direct and easiest
process for coming to the purest form of consciousness—Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the platform on which the Supreme
Personality is fully realized. Directions for performing different types of
yajñas are specifically arranged for the highest realization of the
Supreme Lord, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā by the Lord Himself. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (Bg. 4.11). The Supreme Personality of Godhead is realized according to the
proportion of one’s surrender. Full surrender, however, occurs when a man is
perfectly in knowledge. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate.” (SB 4.21.35)
“The activity most recommended by Krsna
and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu for taking oneself to the perfectional stage in
this age of Kali-yuga is this sankirtana or preaching mission.”
(Letter to:
Vaikunthanatha -- Bombay 29 December, 1972)
“Of course it is very difficult for the
western people to understand this philosophy of being cent per cent dependent
on the mercy of God. Therefore, the
easiest method for us is to popularize the Sankirtana movement everywhere,
and that will pave the path of spiritual understanding.”
(Letter to: Krsna dasa -- Los Angeles
13 February, 1969)
HOW CAN HE THEN GUIDE,
INSPIRE, TEACH, COMMENT UPON, CRITICIZE OR HAVE MUCH SAY IN TEACHING/TRAINING
FUTURE SANKIRTAN DEVOTEES, OR IN THE CENTER’S DIRECTION WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO
TRAIN SANKIRTAN DEVOTEES? ISN’T THIS COMMON SENSE?
Unless one has sufficiently imbibed the sankirtan
mood by hearing, practice and preaching, how can one implement the Varnasrama
principles which are subservient and to assist the sankirtan devotees?
“The Lord has said that the varṇāśrama-dharma is not properly executed in this Age
of Kali; therefore He ordered Rāmānanda Rāya to go further
into the matter. Rāmānanda replied with this
verse from the Bhagavad-gītā (9.27), which instructs that while remaining in the system of varṇāśrama-dharma one may offer the results of his
activities to Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa in loving
service. Naturally Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was asking Rāmānanda Rāya about the
execution of devotional service. Rāmānanda Rāya first enunciated
the principle of varṇāśrama-dharma in consideration of materialistic
people. However, this conception is not transcendental. As long as one is in
the material world, he must follow the principles of varṇāśrama-dharma, but devotional service is transcendental.
The system of varṇāśrama-dharma refers to the three modes of material
nature, but transcendental devotional service is on the absolute platform. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu belonged to the spiritual world, and His methods for propagating the saṅkīrtana movement were
also imported from the spiritual world. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung: golokera prema-dhana, hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana, rati na janmila kene tāya. This states that the saṅkīrtana movement has
nothing to do with this material world. It is imported from the spiritual
world, Goloka Vṛndāvana. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura laments that
mundane people do not take this saṅkīrtana movement
seriously. Considering the position of devotional service and the saṅkīrtana movement, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu deemed the system of varṇāśrama-dharma to be material, although
it aims at elevation to the spiritual platform. However, the saṅkīrtana movement can
raise one immediately to the spiritual platform. Consequently it is said that varṇāśrama-dharma is external, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu requested Rāmānanda Rāya to proceed deeper
into the matter and uncover the spiritual platform.
…..
In order that viṣṇu-ārādhana not be
misunderstood, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu requested that Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya proceed further
and clear up the issue. Rāmānanda Rāya quoted the verse
from the Bhagavad-gītā stating that the results of one's
occupational duty may be offered to Lord Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.8) it is also said:
dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ
viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ
notpādayed yadi ratiṁ
śrama eva hi kevalam
"If one
executes the occupational duties of varṇāśrama-dharma but does not cultivate his dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
his activities are futile. His occupation simply becomes unnecessary
labor." (CC Madhya 8.60)
Without
understanding the sankirtan’s relation to Varnasrama Dharma, one would have a
tendency to get stuck into the pit of the material Varnasrama Dharma rather
then the Daivi Varnasrama dharma that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur and our Acaryas
want to establish and which we, following in their footsteps and instructions
and guidance, for their pleasure, are trying to establish. Basic principle of
Daivi Varnasrama is that all are servants of Krishna and the best way to lift
and keep people on transcendental platform is by engaging in Bhagavat/Sankirtan
activities – directly or by supporting those activities. Thereby one is designation
less Servant of the servant of Krishna. But as one cannot perform Sankirtan/bhagavat
services like hearing and chanting all the time, there is chance of falldown
into modes, hence sinful activities. This is where SOME components of the
material varnasrama system are being incorporated, as per time and
circumstances, so that there is security from Varna and Ashrama. We are not
trying to establish the Varnasrama System which is not possible to do so in
Kali Yuga, with fixed social designations etc. Kali Yuga already has shown that
how brahmanas have become so proud of their being birth brahmana and hence try
to lord over others. Similarly, if primarily these Sankirtan activities are not
incorporated into every part of our lives, as the goal and purpose, then there
is tendency to fall into the material varnasrama designations and hence
pride-among Brahmanas. [I would have loved to substantiate this with Statements
of Srila Prabhupada, but due to lack of time I am not able to do so. But if
there is confusion or challenge to this understanding, then I would do so]
I hear that it is
being propagated at your center that “brahmanas” do not go out to preach. Only
devotees in rajo guna need to go out! “Actual “brahmanas” sit and chant and
hear and teach”- like Mmp!
Preaching is not just for people in Rajo guna. It
is very relishable and all devotees of Lord Caitanya feel great pleasure in
seeing the spread of the Glories of Lord Krishna to the non-devotees, to make
them interested in Krishna, to make them surrender to Krishna-goshtianandi. Specifically,
one of main qualification of a Brahmana is that he preaches to non-devotees!
The Vedas are My
eternal transcendental sound incarnation. Therefore the Vedas are śabda-brahma. In this world, the brāhmaṇas thoroughly study all the Vedas, and because they
assimilate the Vedic conclusions, they are also to be considered the Vedas
personified. The brāhmaṇas are situated in the supreme transcendental mode of nature—sattva-guṇa. Because of this,
they are fixed in mind control [śama], sense control [dama], and truthfulness [satya]. They describe the Vedas in their
original sense, and out of mercy [anugraha] they preach the purpose of the Vedas to all conditioned
souls. They practice
penance [tapasya] and tolerance [titikṣā], and they realize the position of the
living entity and the Supreme Lord [anubhava]. These are the eight qualifications
of the brāhmaṇas. Therefore among all living
entities, no one is superior to the brāhmaṇas.
PURPORT
This is a true description of a brāhmaṇa. A brāhmaṇa is one who has
assimilated the Vedic conclusions by practicing mind and sense control. He
speaks the true version of all the Vedas. As confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (15.15): vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ. By studying all the Vedas, one should
come to understand the transcendental position of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. One who actually assimilated the essence of
the Vedas can preach the truth. He is compassionate to conditioned souls
who are suffering the threefold miseries of this conditional world due to their
not being Kṛṣṇa conscious. A brāhmaṇa should take pity on the people and preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness in order to elevate them. Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, personally descends into this universe from the
spiritual kingdom to teach conditioned souls about the values of spiritual
life. He tries to induce them to surrender unto Him. Similarly, the brāhmaṇas do the same thing. After assimilating the Vedic instructions, they
assist the Supreme Lord in His endeavor to deliver conditioned souls. The brāhmaṇas are very dear to
the Supreme Lord due to their high sattva-guṇa qualities, and they also engage in welfare activities for all
conditioned souls in the material world.
(SB 5.5.24)
“So whether one is
a brāhmaṇa or a śūdra, he has to satisfy the Supreme Lord by
his activities. This is also confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by a verse which
reads: "Everyone must be engaged in his particular duty, but the
perfection of such work should be tested by how far the Lord is satisfied with
such activities." The injunction
herein is that one has to act according to his position, and by such activities
one must either satisfy the Supreme Personality or else fall down from his
position.
For example, a brāhmaṇa, who is born out of the head of the
Lord has as his business to preach the transcendental Vedic sounds, or śabda-brahman. Because the brāhmaṇa is the head, he has to preach the transcendental sound, and he also has to eat on behalf of
the Supreme Lord. According to Vedic injunctions, when a brāhmaṇa eats it is to be
understood that the Personality of Godhead is eating through him. It is not,
however, that the brāhmaṇa should simply eat
on behalf of the Lord and not preach the message of the Bhagavad-gītā to the world. Actually, one who preaches the message of the Gītā is very dear to Kṛṣṇa, as is confirmed in the Gītā itself. Such a preacher is factually a brāhmaṇa and thus, by feeding him, one feeds
the Supreme Lord directly.” (Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 2)
“In other words,
everyone should engage in preaching, following in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. In this way one will be very much appreciated
by Lord Kṛṣṇa and will quickly be recognized by Him.
Actually a devotee of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu must engage in preaching in order to increase the followers of the
Lord. By thus preaching
actual Vedic knowledge all over the world, one will benefit all mankind.” (CC Madhya 7.153)
One can
argue that preaching means giving classes at the center, preaching to students
and devotees at the center. Why does one need to go out of the center to be
considered “preaching”!
Answer to that is that before one can start
preaching to people, one needs to become thoroughly imbibed in the
understanding that “the best preaching is book distribution” i.e. giving Srila
Prabhupada and the opportunity of his guidance to all. As Srila Prabhupada said,
“what will your three minute preaching do”. That does not mean that we do not
preach and only give out books. No. We need to preach, but under the guidance of Srila Prabhupada, as an assistant of Srila
Prabhupada, as postman, servant of the master, the Guru, the Acharya Srila
Prabhupada who is ready and willing to be the Guru of all conditioned souls
on the planet in this Kali Yuga. So all our preaching is with the aim of
bringing souls to Srila Prabhupada, for his shelter, for his masterful
guidance, for his causeless mercy. This cannot be understood and imbibed
without trying to preach to conditioned souls, trying to make them devotees,
for a few years, seeing their progress, their difficulties, going through the
austerity of mistakes and failures or anger from them…so many things one needs
to learn about the process to make and keep one a devotee and advancing under
Srila Prabhupada’s guidance BEFORE one can start preaching only to devotees.
(again I would have loved to substantiate it well with Srila Prabhupada’s
quotes, but am running out of time, but if more clarification required, would
substantiate it too).
One should also consider that those who engage in the missionary
activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness are
under the guidance of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. They are not actually beggars; their real business is to deliver fallen
souls. Therefore they may go from door to door just to introduce a book about Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that people can become enlightened by
reading. Formerly brahmacārīs and sannyāsīs used to beg from door to door. At the
present moment, especially in the Western countries, a person may be handed
over to the police if he begs from door to door. In Western countries, begging
is considered criminal. Members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement have no business begging. Instead, they work
very hard to introduce some books about Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that people can read them and be benefited. But
if one gives some contribution to a Kṛṣṇa conscious man, he never refuses it. (CC Madhya 8.39)
This is what Mmp
ought to be doing currently. Otherwise he will continue to think that this “they work very hard” is rajo guna or
only for people in rajo guna! “Hence we the brahmanas who are in or are
supposed to be in sattva guna ought not to engage in this, it is only the
people in rajo guna who ought to go out and preach to non-devotees, distribute
books, raise funds”, etc.
BG 3rd
Chapter lays out clearly the distinction between action and inaction.
I am curious to know that did no one bring
these symptoms up, his lack of hearing attentively, his sleeping during
chanting and SB classes, his lack of sankirtan interest/activities, etc. when
you started propagating about the “brahminical” purity of Mmp and his “advanced
devotee status” and that “all should take his guidance” etc. ?
I had thought that by emphasizing on hearing
from Srila Prabhupada and studying his books at your center, I would ensure
that these kind of future deviations would be caught by someone in the center.
ISKCON history is full of deviations by leaders, putting up some common devotee
on a pedestal without spiritual qualification when one gets bewildered by some
material quality, and mostly they are not caught if the devotees at the local
temple or region have not heard sufficiently from Srila Prabhupada. Hence I was
thinking that if I ensure that all devotees at your center hear regularly from
Srila Prabhupada and his status is established as unquestionably pure and
coming from Spiritual world, then the regular hearing and studying would clear
up these confusions from mind of at least some intelligent devotees at the
center. When eventual deviations do take place so a self-correcting method is
put in place. I was feeling secure about it till this year. So it will be very
useful for me to try to understand how did this deviation was allowed to take
place at this Srila Prabhupada’s center by the senior devotees at the center
even when they have been hearing from Srila Prabhupada regularly for years. Are
they not studying his books? Is it that you give class, and Mmp gives class and
apart from that the hearing and studying of books is not happening enough? Or
is it that most of your residents are becoming blind followers of you so that
whatever you say - goes, without checking for its veracity with
scriptures/Srila Prabhupada’s teachings, thinking independently? Or what else
is the reason?
As you
will see down as you continue reading, I have compared Srila Prabhupada’s
statements with what Mmp and hence you have been preaching about a few topics
to see how your center under his direction is deviating. I am not privy to
much of what he is preaching, so only a sample has been pointed out. My hope is
that you would bite the bullet and honestly hold an open Istagoshti to clear up
these deviations. It is never too late nor shameful or embarrassing to come in
line with the instructions of Srila Prabhupada.
I even heard that, which I find it hard to
believe, that once Mmp fell down from his small bike while riding as he nodded
off but you were trying to justify that he did not sleep but that he went into
meditation etc.!
Maybe none of these are true, and I hope so, so let it all come out in
the Istagoshti. I will be more than happy to apologize to you in front of all
if it is not true.
As stated earlier, due to the improper
training, Mmp would find it hard to get rid of his certain past karma kandiya viewpoints
of what spiritual life is, how to practice spiritual life, how to practice
brahmacarya, how to control one’s senses and mind, who is what in Lord
Caitanya’s mission, what are the relative positions of brahmacari/grhastha etc.
on Lord Caitanya’s mission, how to prioritize various aspects of spiritual life
or daily dealings with the main mission to preach the Holy Name, design courses
for gurukul—what to speak of Varnasrama College!!! He would be carrying his
narrow, exclusive viewpoint of brahmacari/sannyasi as the No. 1 and denigrating
all other social statuses. How can he understand the Daivi Varnasrama concept
with this viewpoint where all ashrams and varnas are designed to be on same
platform by serving the Holy Name?
Transcendentalists contaminated with these Vedic ritualistic or
impersonalistic way of practicing spiritual life:
a.
Cannot appreciate various preaching services to non-devotees which is the bread and butter of Lord Caitanya’s mission, intimate
service to Him- they do not practice, preach, encourage, show by example book
distribution, fund raising etc. considering them activities in the sphere of
material modes. Sometimes they think or
propagate that Sankirtan activities, book distribution /preaching to
non-devotees is for neophytes, or for people whose senses are not controlled,
or who are in rajo guna etc. At least in their classes or talks they give
more importance to other activities like cultivating knowledge, discrimination
using intelligence, deity worship, austerities, etc. by which these preaching
activities are considered less important. (eg. Narayan Maharaja used to say
Book distribution is for neophytes, that Srila Prabhupada went to the west to
preach to the Hippies, but which pacca sanyasi would want to associate with
these kind of people, Srila Prabhupada comments many times in CC about
sahajiyas who were preaching against writing books and distribution etc.).
There are varieties of contaminated viewpoints gotten with the original misunderstanding
of Lord Caitanya’s preaching movement.
It is continuing on from this below historical misconception, albeit to
a small degree:
TEXT 41
sannyāsī ha-iyā kare gāyana, nācana
nā kare vedānta-pāṭha, kare saṅkīrtana
TRANSLATION
"Although a sannyāsī, He does not take interest in the
study of Vedānta but instead
always engages in chanting and dancing in saṅkīrtana.”
PURPORT
Fortunately or
unfortunately, we also meet such Māyāvādīs who criticize our method of chanting
and accuse us of not being interested in study. They do not know that we have
translated volumes and volumes of books into English and that the students in
our temples regularly study them in the morning, afternoon and evening. We are writing and printing books, and our
students study them and distribute them all over the world. No Māyāvādī school can present as many books as we
have; nevertheless, they accuse us of not being fond of study. Such accusations
are completely false. But although we study, we do not study the nonsense of
the Māyāvādīs.
Māyāvādī sannyāsīs neither chant nor
dance. Their technical objection is that this method of chanting and dancing is
called tauryatrika, which indicates that a sannyāsī should completely avoid such activities and engage his time in the
study of Vedānta.
Actually, such men do not understand what is
meant by Vedānta. In the Bhagavad-gītā (15.15) Kṛṣṇa says, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham: "By all the Vedas I am to be
known; indeed I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the
knower of the Vedas." Lord Kṛṣṇa is the actual
compiler of Vedānta, and whatever He
speaks is Vedānta philosophy.
Although they are lacking the knowledge of Vedānta presented by the
Supreme Personality of Godhead in the transcendental form of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the Māyāvādīs are very proud of their study.
Foreseeing the bad effects of their presenting Vedānta philosophy in a
perverted way, Śrīla Vyāsadeva compiled Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as a commentary
on the Vedānta-sūtra. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is bhāṣyo 'yaṁ brahma-sūtrāṇām; in other words, all the Vedānta philosophy in the
aphorisms of the Brahma-sūtra is thoroughly
described in the pages of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Thus the factual propounder of Vedānta philosophy is a Kṛṣṇa conscious person
who always engages in reading and understanding the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and teaching the purport of these books to
the entire world. The Māyāvādīs are very proud of having monopolized
the Vedānta philosophy, but
devotees have their own commentaries on Vedānta such as Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and others
written by the ācāryas. The commentary of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas is the Govinda-bhāṣya.
The Māyāvādīs' accusation that devotees do not
study Vedānta is false. They do not know that chanting, dancing and
preaching the principles of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, called bhāgavata-dharma, are the same as studying Vedānta. Since they think that reading Vedānta philosophy is the only function of a sannyāsī and they did not find Caitanya Mahāprabhu engaged in such direct study, they criticized the Lord. Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya has given special stress to the
study of Vedānta philosophy: vedānta-vākyeṣu sadā ramantaḥ kaupīnavantaḥ khalu bhāgyavantaḥ. "A sannyāsī, accepting the renounced order very
strictly and wearing nothing more than a loincloth, should always enjoy the
philosophical statements in the Vedānta-sūtra. Such a person in the renounced order
is to be considered very fortunate." The Māyāvādīs in Vārāṇasī blasphemed Lord Caitanya because His behavior did not follow
these principles. Lord Caitanya, however,
bestowed His mercy upon these Māyāvādī sannyāsīs and delivered them by means of His Vedānta discourses with Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. (Cc Adi 7.41)
b.
Hence they cannot understand the devotees who are engaged in the Sankirtan mission.
In a very small way, this thinking is continuing in the same vein as Savabhauma
Bhattacharya below, showing how people with impersonalistic/Vedic ritualistic
infections cannot understand the devotees of Lord Caitanya hence they find
fault with them:
“A viṣayī is one who is attached to family life and is interested only in wife,
children and worldly sense gratification. The senses can be engaged either in worldly
enjoyment or in the service of the Lord. Those who are not engaged in the service of the Lord and are interested
only in material sense gratification are called viṣayī. Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya was engaged in
government service, and he belonged to the karaṇa class. He was
certainly not a sannyāsī in saffron cloth, yet he was in the
transcendental position of a paramahaṁsa householder. Before becoming Caitanya Mahāprabhu's disciple, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya considered Rāmānanda Rāya an ordinary viṣayī because he was a householder
engaged in government service. However, when the Bhaṭṭācārya was actually
enlightened in Vaiṣṇava philosophy, he could understand the exalted transcendental position of Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya; therefore he referred to him as adhikārī. An adhikārī is one who knows the transcendental science of Kṛṣṇa and is engaged in His service; therefore all gṛhastha devotees are
designated as dāsa adhikārī.” (CC Madhya 7.63)
"I could not
realize when I first spoke with Rāmānanda Rāya that his topics
and endeavors were all transcendentally uncommon. I made fun of him simply
because he was a Vaiṣṇava."
PURPORT
Anyone who is a
not a Vaiṣṇava, or an unalloyed
devotee of the Supreme Lord, must be a materialist. A Vaiṣṇava living according to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's injunctions is certainly not on the materialistic platform. Caitanya means "spiritual force." All of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's activities were carried out on
the platform of spiritual understanding; therefore only those who are on the
spiritual platform are able to understand the activities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Materialistic
persons who cannot are generally known as karmīs or jñānīs. The jñānīs are mental
speculators who simply try to understand what is spirit and what is soul. Their
process is neti neti: "This is not spirit, this is not Brahman." The jñānīs are a little more advanced than the dull-headed karmīs, who are simply
interested in sense gratification. Before
becoming a Vaiṣṇava, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was a mental speculator (jñānī), and being such, he always cut jokes with Vaiṣṇavas. (CC Madhya 7.66)
c.
Method of KC sense control/developing detachment--- they primarily desire and propagate sense control from will power, daily
routine, austerities, physical detachment AND then KC practice, rather then
practice and preach that sense control and detachment will automatically and
primarily come by yukta vairagya- by using sense objects in Krishna’s service,
specifically in Lord Caitanya’s sankirtam mission. Then the root desire for
sense gratification itself will be burned off and the senses will be like
serpents with broken teeth.
The working senses
are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is
still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even higher than the
intelligence.
PURPORT
The senses are
different outlets for the activities of lust. Lust is reserved within the body,
but it is given vent through the senses. Therefore, the senses are superior to
the body as a whole. These outlets are not in use when there is superior
consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In Kṛṣṇa consciousness the soul makes direct connection with the Supreme
Personality of Godhead; therefore the bodily functions, as described here,
ultimately end in the Supreme Soul. Bodily action means the functions of the senses, and
stopping the senses means stopping all bodily actions. But since the mind is
active, then, even though the body may be silent and at rest, the mind will
act—as it does during dreaming. But, above the mind there is the determination
of the intelligence, and above the intelligence is the soul proper. If, therefore, the soul is directly engaged
with the Supreme, naturally all other subordinates, namely, the intelligence,
mind and the senses, will be automatically engaged. In the Kaṭha Upaniṣad there is a passage in which it is said
that the objects of sense gratification are superior to the senses, and mind is
superior to the sense objects. If,
therefore, the mind is directly engaged in the service of the Lord constantly,
then there is no chance of the senses becoming engaged in other ways. This
mental attitude has already been explained.
If the mind is engaged in the transcendental service of the Lord, there is no
chance of its being engaged in the lower propensities. In the Kaṭha Upaniṣad the soul has been described as mahān, the great. Therefore the soul is above all—namely, the sense objects, the senses,
the mind and the intelligence. Therefore,
directly understanding the constitutional position of the soul is the solution
of the whole problem.
[Notes: This Katha Upanishad method is
primarily jnana yoga method of controlling senses]
With intelligence one has to seek out
the constitutional position of the soul and then engage the mind always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That solves the
whole problem. A neophyte spiritualist is generally advised to keep aloof from
the objects of senses. One has to strengthen the mind by use of intelligence. If by intelligence one engages one's mind
in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by complete surrender
unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then, automatically, the mind becomes
stronger, and even though the senses are very strong, like serpents, they will
be no more effective than serpents with broken fangs.
[Notes: As stated above, This Katha
Upanishad method is primarily jnana yoga method of controlling senses. This is
also a method of controlling senses but…]
But even though
the soul is the master of intelligence and mind, and the senses also, still, unless it is strengthened by association
with Kṛṣṇa in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is every chance of falling down due
to the agitated mind.
(BG 3.42)
[Notes: This is the Bhagavat method of
controlling senses, whereby chanting Hare Krishna and hearing and chanting the
SB/BG, if done with attention and reverence, the soul comes directly in touch
with Krishna in these forms, by which he gets strengthened and thereby all the
senses starting from intelligence, mind and working and knowledge gathering
senses get purified, strengthened and controlled. This is how Lord Caitanya is lifting
so many fallen souls from lowest of modes to shuddha sattva so soon.]
That is the real secret of Sankritan mission
of Lord Caiatnya, His causeless mercy. He first of all gives the taste in chanting
the Holy Name of the Lord. [direct association of Krishna]. And then
automatically all other things follows. But jnanis come from the 1st
process described above from Katha Upanishad, i.e. use of intelligence to
surrender (BG 7.19) bahunam janmana ante, jnanavan mam prapadyate. And thereby
strengthen the mind and intelligence. So that is also a way and quite highly
recommended in BG. But the prescribed
method and the general method is directly and by any trick to engage people in
the Sankirtan mission. To use the knowledge aspect by studying discussing
etc. but as a subsidiary method to help and keep the intelligence fixed in
chanting and hearing and having prasadm and preaching, which is the most
recommended method for Kali Yuga by Lord Caitanya.
If spiritual
potency and strength is there, then material intelligence will automatically
follow. We must have a solid foundation of chanting and following the
regulative principles. Then one is fit to lead others. I hope you will
understand this point.
Letter to:
Jagajivana: -- Vrindaban 6 September, 1974
This program of
chanting and following the rules and regulations will give you spiritual
intelligence for understanding the Bhagavad gita and our other scriptures also.
Letter to:
Sucandra -- Los Angeles 19 February, 1970
Please push our
Sankirtana movement and improve the program of Deity worship as the centers of
your activities, and see that all the devotees remain steady in their execution
of daily chanting of sixteen rounds of beads and strict adherence to the four
principles of spiritual life and all other regulative principles, this will
keep them strong in Spiritual power. And you may note that when these
regulative duties are performed, and the devotee becomes fully absorbed in
Krsna activities, Krsna as Supersoul will dictate from within the answers to all
questions and will give the needed intelligence to progress more and more in
Krsna Consciousness.
Letter to:
Jagadisa -- Los Angeles 27 February, 1970
d.
They try
to create a class of bramacaris/Sanyasis as superior to grahasthas / matajis
not considering their devotional attitude which actually defines the
superiority/inferiority in Lord Caitanya’s movement and not the external
designation of Ashrama and Varnas.
Covered in detail later
below.
e.
Due to practicing jnana and austerities (by will
power) components of devotional service as more or less primary way of
devotional service rather then subsidiary or giving undue importance to them,
generally their heart becomes hard
as Srila Rupa Goswami explains in NOD.
“It is the opinion of expert devotees
that mental speculation and the artificial austerities of yoga practice may be favorable for becoming
liberated from material contamination, but they will also make one's heart
harder and harder. They will not help at all in the progress of devotional service. These
processes are, therefore, not favorable for entering into the transcendental
loving service of the Lord. Actually, Kṛṣṇa
consciousness-devotional service itself-is the only way of advancing in
devotional life. Devotional service is absolute; it is both the cause and the
effect. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the cause and effect of all that
be, and to approach Him, the absolute, the process of devotional service-which
is also absolute-has to be adopted.”
(NoD 14)
Many devotees around them get hurt, they loose sensitivities,
sensibilities-as has been happening in ISKCON all these years especially after
Srila Prabhupada disappeared.
f.
They invariably preach or give out the
impression that without their association one cannot possibly advance, as
basically this impersonalistic thinking has very subtle envy to Krishna as its
basis.
g.
Because of all these reasons, internally they
are quite proud, even though maybe externally due to sattvik residues, they may
appear quite humble and non-envious. Their
pride is evident from the symptom to find fault with others higher then them or
more advanced so as to appear in their and other’s eyes to be better.
Seeing Mmp’s background and potential, since
2009 when he used to associate with me, I was advising him to focus on studying
Srila Prabhupada’s books while staying at his home and continue his pujas for
monetary sustenance for the time being. And then also advised him to distribute
books, preach in colleges nearby etc. I also sent him the sat kriya dipika
translation by which he can make his smarta pujas as per Bhakti School. I was
hoping that in time he would get to understand Lord Caitanya’s philosophy in
theory and in practice by preaching and past impersonalistic /karma kandiya
infections would be washed off to certain extent. Then I was hoping that he
would travel and preach and also go abroad to preach a few months at a time, so
that he would experience different situations, different senior devotees,
experience the history of ISKCON first hand etc. which will give him a valuable
perspective in Lord Caitanya’s mission. Then I was hopeful that at that time he
would be a brahmana teacher in the Varnasrama College, BIVC.
But you seem to have elevated him
prematurely, without the needed purification, hence I am not surprised to see
his past infections now gradually coming into your preaching and direction of
the center.
These subtle deviations as well as different incidences that show these symptoms
let them all come out in the Istagoshti. Hence an Istagoshti is so important,
where clarity will come to all, including myself as I admit I may have made
errors in understanding the situation.
2nd Issue :
You are spoiling the good potential of this very nice devotee – Mmp by
putting him on a pedestal – by following his almost
every instruction, telling all others at the Center to do the same, telling all
others to take his guidance, giving him a room apart from the other brahmacaris,
letting him stay in the temple during day time “to read and hear as he is a
“brahmana”!”, letting him do karma kandiya pujas while staying at the temple as
a brahmacari(now I hear he has stopped doing that recently), letting him wear
white—unlike all other brahmcaris—what is his status—is he a brahmacari or not?
If he is then why not treat him like a normal brahmacari and let him not feel
special?
If his training can continue as is instructed
by Srila Prabhupada – regular sankirtan and thereby brahmacari training in
begging, handling various material circumstances, diff modes of innocents and
envious people, handling them on his own on Sankirtan, emphasizing his own
sadhana especially chanting Hare Krishna Mantra attentively and also SB class
hearing attentively, as we would do to any other good brahmacari, some more and
some less, and also then sending him out on traveling sankirtan to experience
different situations……he would come out a very good devotee in time. He needs
to totally clear off all misconceptions from his karma kandiya background
before he can think of guiding the preaching mission or you to be taking his
advise almost in toto on the preaching mission. He has some good realizations
about sense control and mind control, like all devotees have some nice
qualities and each one benefits from other’s good qualities, but that does make
him an exalted devotee to be taken guidance about the preaching mission, about
the future of center, direction of training of other devotees etc. for which he
needs training in the Sankirtan mission.
I am writing a letter to him too explaining
the same to him. He is very dear to me and I have high hope that he would do
good to many many souls in the future including to me.
3rd Issue – Denigrating grhasthas and matajis and designating a superior status to
Brahmacaris.
This is a normal standard impersonalistic
attitude practiced as per some Vedic regulations by the Impersonalistic schools
who practically think only Brahmcaris and Sanyasis can become successful in
spiritual life. All others can basically try to make the best use of the bad
bargain and are meant to serve these superior people!
Just see what Lord Caitanya and Srila
Prabhupada are saying-
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked the Bhaṭṭācārya to bless Him
while he engaged in the devotional service of Lord Kṛṣṇa at home, so that
by Sārvabhauma's mercy the Lord could return to Jagannātha Purī.
PURPORT
The word kariha āśīrvāde means
"continue to bestow your blessings upon Me." Being a sannyāsī, Caitanya Mahāprabhu was on the
highest platform of respect and adoration, whereas Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, as a
householder, was on the second platform. Therefore a sannyāsī is supposed to offer blessings to a gṛhastha. Now Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by His practical
behavior requested the blessings of a gṛhastha. This
is the special significance of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching. He gave equal status to everyone, regardless of material
considerations. His movement is thoroughly spiritual. Although apparently a gṛhastha (householder), Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was unlike the so-called karmīs interested in sense gratification. After being initiated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Bhaṭṭācārya was perfectly
situated in the spiritual order; therefore it was quite possible for him to
offer blessings even to a sannyāsī. He was always engaged in the service of the
Lord even at home. In our disciplic line we have the example of a perfect
householder paramahaṁsa-Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. In his book Śaraṇāgati, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura stated: ye-dina gṛhe, bhajana dekhi', gṛhete goloka bhāya (Śaraṇāgati 31.6). Whenever a householder glorifies the Supreme Lord in his home,
his activities are immediately transformed into the activities of Goloka Vṛndāvana, spiritual
activities taking place in the Goloka Vṛndāvana planet of Kṛṣṇa. Activities
exhibited by Kṛṣṇa Himself at Bhauma Vṛndāvana, the Vṛndāvana-dhāma existing on this
planet, are not different from His activities on the planet Goloka Vṛndāvana. This is proper
realization of Vṛndāvana anywhere. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness
movement we inaugurated the New Vṛndāvana activities,
wherein devotees are always engaged in the transcendental loving service of the
Lord, and this is not different from Goloka Vṛndāvana. The conclusion is that one who acts
strictly in the line of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is competent to offer blessings to sannyāsīs, even though he be a gṛhastha householder. Although he is in
an exalted position, a sannyāsī yet must elevate himself to the
transcendental platform by rendering service to the Lord. By his actual behavior, Caitanya Mahāprabhu begged the
blessings of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. He set the example of how one should
expect blessings from a Vaiṣṇava, regardless of his social position. (CC Madhya 7.69)
In the Bhagavad-gītā (9.32) the Lord says:
māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya
ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās
te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim
"O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though
they be of lower birth-women, vaiśyas [merchants], as well as śūdras [workers]-can
attain the supreme destination."
The word pāpa-yonayaḥ means "born of lower-caste women." The vaiśyas are merchants,
and the śūdras or workers are servants. According
to Vedic classifications, they belong to a lower social order. A low life
means a life without Kṛṣṇa consciousness. High and low positions in society were
calculated by considering a person's Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A brāhmaṇa is considered to
be on the highest platform because he knows Brahman, the Absolute
Truth.
[Notes:
Harer Nama Harer Nama..eva kaivalam, kalau nasti eva… explains that in Kali Yuga the ONLY way of
developing KC is by Sankirtan activities centered around the Holy Name – Hari
Naam.
“The activity most recommended by Krsna
and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu for taking oneself to the perfectional stage in
this age of Kali-yuga is this sankirtana or preaching mission.”
(Letter to: Vaikunthanatha -- Bombay 29
December, 1972)
That is how one can know the Supreme
Brahmana----i.e. without undergoing the requisite Sankirtan activities, also by
chanting japa well, respecting the Holy name offenselessly how is it possible
for one to be designated as a “Brahmana”……? It is ludicrous.]
The second caste, the kṣatriya caste, also know Brahman, but not as well as the brāhmaṇas. The vaiśyas and śūdras do not clearly understand God consciousness, but if they take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master, they do not remain in the lower castes (pāpa-yonayaḥ). It is clearly stated: te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim.
[Notes: I.e. In Lord Caitanya’s mission,
one needs to be respected by their development of KC which is symptomized by
seeing how well they have been applying the chanting of the Holy name in their
lives, how much enthusiastic they are to perform sankirtan activities
themselves---this is the criteria in Kali Yuga to judge the higher lower etc.
and not artificial designation of Brahmana/Ksatriya/Brahmcari/grhastha.
Nor do women
remain a “Stri”. The soul in women’s body can be likewise elevated by chanting/hearing
activities and also by assisting her Sankirtan devotee husband / other
devotees, as you will see later Srila Prabhupada implementing. Thereby she
could become more elevated than a brahamcari or sanyasi or a brahmana, however
much difficult it is to understand by smarta brahmanas! This point is explained
more below by Srila Prabhupada in this puport.]
Unless one has
attained the highest standard of life, one cannot return home, back to Godhead.
One may be a śūdra, vaiśya or woman, but if one is situated in the service of the Lord in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one should not be considered strī, śūdra, vaiśya or lower than śūdra. Though a person may be from a lowborn
family, if he is engaged in the Lord's service he should never be considered to
belong to a lowborn family. The Padma Purāṇa forbids: vīkṣate jāti-sāmānyāt sa yāti narakaṁ-dhruvam. A
person goes to hell quickly when he considers a devotee of the Lord in terms of
birth.
[Notes: Hence considering a devotee of the Lord
in women’s body lower then a brahmcari due to her birth is naaraki buddhi. “One may be a śūdra, vaiśya or woman, but if one is situated in the service of the Lord in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one should not be considered strī, śūdra, vaiśya… A person goes to hell quickly when he
considers a devotee of the Lord in terms of birth]
“Although Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya supposedly took
birth in a śūdra family, he is not
to be considered a śūdra, for he was a great advanced devotee.
Indeed, he was on the transcendental platform. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore
embraced him. Out of spiritual humility, Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya presented himself
as a śūdra (rāja-sevī viṣayī śūdrādhama). Even though one may engage in government
service or in any other pound-shilling-pence business-in short, in
materialistic life-he need only take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is
a very simple process. One need only
chant the holy names of the Lord and strictly follow the principles forbidding
sinful activity. In this way one can no longer be considered an untouchable, a viṣayī or a śūdra.” (CC Madhya 8.36)
Hence if one is a
properly initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada, trying to strictly follow the
regulative principles and chant 16 rounds offenselessly, he is not to be
considered a materialist or stri, just because of their body (like women) or
occupation or social status like grhastha.
“And so far our
three sticks are concerned, we take it for granted that we have dedicated our life, for Krishna's service in 3 ways, namely, in
our body, in our mind, and in our words. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura has
sung in a poetry that my mind, my body,
and my home is surrendered unto You. So
a Grhastha or householder like you, you are also tridandi. Because you have
sacrificed everything, your life, your home, and your child, so you are a
tridandi sannyasi, in fact. So continue this attitude seriously and
sincerely, so you will be also as good as a sannyasi even though you are in
the dress of a Grhastha.”
(Letter to:
Rupanuga -- Montreal 30 August, 1968)
“Brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsī—this is compulsory. Every child should be
trained up as brahmacārī. Then, when he is completely trained up, if
he still likes to get into married life or householder life, which is a
concession for sex life... It is not required. According to Vedic civilization
it is not required. You'll find, therefore, many naiṣṭika-brahmacārīs. Naiṣṭika means never any
connection with woman. That is called naiṣṭika-brahmacārī. And upakurvaṇa-brahmacārīs. Upakurvaṇa-brahmacārī means he is married, but not for enjoying. He is married and to beget nice children under
the order of his spiritual master. He is also brahmacārī. If a gṛhastha abides by the
order of a guru, he is also brahmacārī.”
(Lecture
Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.12.6 -- Bombay, April 17, 1976)
“I do not know
what you mean by cooperation with Kirtanananda Maharaja. In our society everyone, either a brahmacari or sannyasi or grhastha,
who has dedicated his life and soul for this movement, they are all on the
same level of sannyasi. For the present moment, nobody can claim an extra honor from his Godbrothers. Everyone
should treat his Godbrothers as Prabhu. But nobody should try to claim any extra honor on account of an official
position. I do not know why Kirtanananda Maharaja says that his authority
overrides yours.”
(Letter to:
Brahmananda -- Hamburg 30 August, 1969)
This misconception seems to be taking your
center in some of the following wrong directions:
a.
Offending properly following
or trying to follow Grhastha preachers in Lord Caitanya’s mission thereby
harming spiritual life of brahmacaris and others in your center. You seem to have
basically branded most of the senior devotees who have and were helping you and
the devotees there in “Maya”!
In the Istagoshti, I hope all this comes out and we all can get to the
bottom of the actual truth and clear these up.
b. These offenses also makes the center more and more isolated from hearing
good advise from those devotees, thereby becoming insulated, accentuating the
decline in consciousness, narrow mindedness, fanaticism and eventually cult
like behavior. (Hence I am not very hopeful in this state of mind you would
allow an istagoshti to clear these issues nor would want to share this email
with others-senior devotees at your center and also outside. But I hope Sri
Govindadev as the original Siksha Guru, sitting in your heart will give you
good advise and strength to continue pursuing the Absolute Truth).
This denigrating grhasthas and women have happened
in ISKCON history many times, so this is NOT NEW AT ALL. It happened even in
Srila Prabhupada’s physical presence, the result was that Srila Prabhupada
banished Tamal Krishna Goswami as the leader of that preaching “Brahmacari/Sanyassi
as superior” to China! You can read about the whole episode in Hari Sauri’s
Diary. Attached are the GBC resolutions from 1976 where you can see the
resolutions no 1,2,3,10 that were later stuck down when Srila Prabhupada
intervened. This gives only a brief understanding.
March 15, 1976:
ISKCON Organization:
1. Since several resolutions under
"ISKCON Organization" passed at the March 9, 9 a.m meeting, caused a
great disturbance among the temple presidents and thus with our spiritual
master, the GBC acknowledges that they were mistaken proposals and hereby
rejects them. This was ordered by Srila Prabhupada, and refers specifically to
resolutions 1, 2, 3, and 10.
c. Making devotees in Mataji bodies to be dispirited due to denigrating
their status and bodily covering. Since 1974 onwards, the almost equal position
of service for Matajis was systematically removed by the same sanyasi and his
group mentioned previously. Attached is a 1st hand report from a
devotee from that times.
Not that all are happening at your center, but in the Istagoshti when
this 1st hand report is read and discussed and Matajis and other
Prabhus allowed to freely voice their views and incidences about various
happenings and statements passed at the Center, I will not be surprised if some
of these actions have taken place at the Center too.
I have heard that you even preach under the
instruction of Mmp that those who take the side of matajis are kamis! Let him
then explain below how Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya are also “kamis”:
“The
wife is maya but at the same time a great friend. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu remarked that the wife is the goddess of
fortune somewhere and somewhere she is a witch. Anyway, you are very strong and an ideal grhastha
and therefore instead of being influenced by your wife, you have influenced her
to take to Krishna Consciousness. I expect every one of my students to come
to your standard and remain steadfast in pushing on this movement of Krishna
Consciousness. Mandali Bhadra has
changed his wife because he was also being deviated by his former wife and
I hope he will stand on this point steadily.”
(Letter to: Rupanuga -- Gorakhpur 19
February, 1971)
As a fort
commander very easily conquers invading plunderers, by taking shelter of a wife
one can conquer the senses, which are unconquerable in the other social orders.
PURPORT
Of the four orders of human society—the
student, or brahmacārī order, the householder, or gṛhastha order, the
retired, or vānaprastha order, and the renounced, or sannyāsī order—the householder is on the safe side. The bodily senses are
considered plunderers of the fort of the body. The wife is supposed to be the commander of the fort, and therefore
whenever there is an attack on the body by the senses, it is the wife who
protects the body from being smashed. The sex demand is inevitable for
everyone, but one who has a fixed wife
is saved from the onslaught of the sense enemies. A man who possesses a
good wife does not create a disturbance in society by corrupting virgin girls.
Without a fixed wife, a man becomes a debauchee of the first order and is a
nuisance in society—unless he is a trained brahmacārī, vānaprastha or sannyāsī. Unless
there is rigid and systematic training of the brahmacārī by the expert spiritual master, and unless the student is obedient, it
is sure that the so-called brahmacārī will fall prey to the attack of sex. There are so many instances of falldown, even
for great yogīs like Viśvāmitra. A gṛhastha is saved, however, because of his faithful wife. Sex life is the cause of material
bondage, and therefore it is prohibited in three āśramas and is allowed
only in the gṛhastha-āśrama. The gṛhastha is responsible
for producing first-quality brahmacārīs, vānaprasthas and sannyāsīs. (SB
3.14.20)
I have covered later the “Unless there is rigid and systematic
training of the brahmacārī by the expert spiritual master, and unless
the student is obedient, it is sure that the so-called brahmacārī will fall prey to the attack of sex.”
“An acarya who comes for the service of the Lord
cannot be expected to conform to a stereotype, for he must find the ways and
means by which Krishna Consciousness may be spread. Sometimes jealous persons
criticize the Krishna Consciousness movement because it engages equally both
boys and girls in distribution of love of Godhead. Not knowing that boys and
girls in countries like Europe and America mix very freely, these fools and
rascals criticize the boys and girls in Krishna Consciousness for intermingling.
But these rascals should consider that one cannot suddenly change a community's
social customs. However, since both
boys and girls are being trained to become preachers those girls are not
ordinary girls but are as good as their brothers who are preaching Krishna
Consciousness. Therefore to engage both boys and girls in fully
transcendental activities is a policy intended to spread the Krishna
Consciousness movement... The results of this are wonderful. Both men and women are preaching the gospel
of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Krishna with redoubled strength…Therefore
it is a principle that a preacher must strictly follow the rules and
regulations laid down in the shastras yet at the same time devise a means by
which the preaching work to reclaim the fallen may go with full force.” (Cc Adi
7.32 & 38)
d. Designing direction of center and training of devotees keeping in mind
the main goal of keeping new devotees to be brahmacaris rather then to make
them preachers!—whether then they need to get married for preaching or not for
their services. Lord Caitanya wants us to preach and make more preachers as the
best way for our own development of KC. Everything can be used in service for
this goal. Grhastha life or any other life can all be utilized for LC’s service
without or less obstruction.
“Just like Krsna, He is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, He has no work, neither He has anything to do, still He
comes here to teach us this lesson. He accepts not only His occupational duty
as cowherd boy, royal prince, but also He accepts married life, He enters
politics, He is philosopher, He is even chariot driver during a great battle,
He does not give example of Himself avoiding His occupational duty. So if Krsna Himself is exhibiting by His
own conduct what is the perfection of existence, then we should heed such
example if we are intelligent. Even supposing there is wife at home, with children, that does not
matter, that is no hindrance to our spiritual life. And once
we have accepted these things, occupational duties, we should not lightly give
them up. That is the point. Of course, our
occupational duty is as preachers of Krsna consciousness. So we must stick to
that business under all circumstances, that is the main thing. Therefore
married, unmarried, divorced, whatever condition of life, my preaching mission
does not depend on these things.”
Letter to: Madhukara -- Bombay 4
January, 1973
Later, we will read how Srila Prabhupada
implemented this.
e. It is commendable that you are thinking of training gurukul students for
preaching in the west. My obeisances to you and all your teachers including mmp
for that.
But due to the faulty association of Mmp’s
past karma kandiya Vedic viewpoint, you are designing your training and the
direction of the center/gurukul such that the students can remain Brahmacaris
for life! Preaching in the west and brahmacari! Opposite of what Srila
Prabhupada, the Acharya of ISKCON and the foremost preacher of KC in the western
world has designed.
Best
understanding is from Cc Adi 7.32 & 38 as quoted above. Additionally:
“In our various centers (26) everywhere
there are at least 30 to 40 devotees. Some of them are householders and some of
them are Brahmacaris. I don't encourage
very strictly increasing the number of Brahmacaris and Sannyasis because in
this country men and women are very freely intermingling. Therefore I am
encouraging householder's life strictly restraining them from sinful
activities principally based on the following four points: 1) no eating of
meat, fish, or eggs 2) no illicit sex-life 3) no taking of any kind of
intoxicants including coffee, tea, and tobacco 4) no gambling. So this scheme appears to be successful,
and in most cases the Grhasthas are preaching very satisfactorily.”
Letter to: Turya Shramy Maharaja -- Los
Angeles 8 April, 1970
[Notes: So he does not
encourage but one still is foolish enough to go for primarily Brahmacari/Sanyassi
then what can be done. He will sanction that too, but then one needs to also
reap the results!]
“Your plan of the Buffalo Temple is
very nice. Please develop it more and more for serving the Lord. It is a very
good house. The picture in which your
wife and child are engaged in preaching work—it is simply wonderful. You are ideal householder and you
are teaching the world how to live with wife and children as a householder. My
Guru Maharaja generally used to make a Sannyasi from Householder, but I have
created householders for preaching work and your example is proving my attempt
successful.”
(Letter to: Rupanuga -- Bombay 13
November, 1970)
I have later covered this topic in more
detail quoting Lord Caitanya and Srila Prabhupada so that you could see what Their
stated actual plan is in more detail.
There was an incidence with Srila Prabhupada
of a Brahmacari who was instructed by him to go to Middle east and preach. He
was refusing as then he said he would end up marrying. So Srila Prabhupada
famously told him “So marry”! Executing the instruction of the spiritual master
is more important then remaining brahmachari.
f. You are
thinking that you can train the children in Gurukul such that they can remain
Brahmacari for life. It is commendable hope. But I do not know if you are
really understanding the environment required for their whole duration of
training.
“So if you keep the children aloof from this
sex-life society, he will remain a brahmacārī. There is many instances. That is the Vedic civilization. The children
are immediately, as soon as four, five years old, he is sent to the gurukula,
and under the discipline he forgets sex life, practically. But still if he has
little, that is natural when he is young man, so a guru sees that still
tendency for sex life, he is allowed, "Go on, marry and become a gṛhastha." Otherwise, if he is perfectly controlled over sex
life, he becomes a sannyāsī, vānaprastha, the whole life. Just like my Guru Mahārāja, he was never
married. So he could..., that can be trained. Why he is saying the child is?
Child can be trained. Even without sex
he can live throughout whole life without any disturbance. That can be
trained up. It is a question of education.”
It is a commendable endeavor to try to get a
Gurukul place that is 1-2 hours away from Jaipur in a rural area. And try to
create an environment where the children do not see, hear or interact with
sex-life society.
“So if you keep the children aloof from this
sex-life society, he will remain a brahmacārī”
But the question is can such environment be
actually created in practice? The young students will not come to even Jaipur
for 20 years, which is just 1-2 hours away and which is also now bubbling with
promotion of sex-life! They will not see an untrained and not fully covered woman-even
among the residents there and their adolescent daughters! There will not be talks
or interactions with local villager boys who go to schools and are rife with
cinema talk, girl talks, pornography on mobiles etc.! The workers, laborers
will not have mobile phones where they have easy access to pornography! Visiting
devotees will not bring these contaminated “Sex-life society” impressions to
the gurukul young men! You will not be taking them to Vrindavan and Mayapur and
other Holy places which are rife with prostitute like women, even so-called
devotee women! They will not be going for sankirtan in nearby villages, towns
or cities, where while doing sankirtan, they are bound to see so many instances
of “sex-life society”! The western children who come to join gurukul will not
be carrying with them the “sex-life society” contamination! The western
children will not go back to their homes abroad every summer time, and the
western devotee parents will not want their children home for summers as even
Srila Prabhupada recommended they do. Hence they will not carry back the
contamination from the “Sex-life society” back with them each year! How would
most of the even well trained brahmacaris not get ensnared by women once they
are in the West, as is the example of Ajamila, a well trained Brahmacari in
Vedic times as they will see that kind of contamination ALL meaning all the
time. Otherwise where will they preach? Whom will they preach to?!
In
summary, how will it be possible to totally isolate them from the “sex-life
society” around your gurukul in these times? This is just wishful thinking in
my opinion in these times.
The basis of my opinion is above stated
arguments + as Srila Prabhupada says in Kali Yuga Brahmacaris and Grahasthas
are not properly trained.
“It is not
advisable in this Age of Kali to leave one's
family suddenly, for people are not
trained as proper brahmacārīs and gṛhasthas.”
(CC Madhya 7.127)
And your wishful thinking will have far
reaching consequences for these children who in trying to give them ideal
training and trying to keep them brahmacari whole life to avoid unnecessary
trouble, and maybe suit your
organizational and preaching goals, you may end up giving them more trouble
in form of not being prepared to be strong grhastha preachers by education,
culture and occupation, that ought to be taught in the Gurukul first and then
in Varnasrama College. This has been the case of ISKCON gurukuls creating weak,
frustrated, mentally disturbed devotees, many of whom have committed suicide.
That is
why I am hoping that Kuva Prabhu attends the Istagoshti so that he can narrate
to you, many times from first hand experience and from interactions with close
friends, about the various aspects of training of children in ISKCON gurukuls.
The ideal training is desired and ought to be
given as I am sure you are quite capable to organize, but not to expect ideal
result as per your thinking i.e. that all or most would remain brahmacari. No. Some
may remain brahmacari honestly so they will have no problem in the future to
continue. But as most would become grhastha preachers, in whichever Varna they
would be, hence they ought to be given training like that! Certainly not train them to think of Grhastha preacher life as an
abomination, a fall down, a lower status, in Maya etc. That all women are maya,
even devotee women!
“since both boys and girls are being trained to
become preachers those girls are not ordinary girls but are as good as
their brothers who are preaching Krishna Consciousness”
Then why would they want to enthusiastically
train/educate themselves as responsible grhastha preachers for Lord Caitanya
and Srila Prabhupada? Occupation wise and thinking wise. Why would they want to
go the west and preach as it would be propagated that “it is a culture
ingrained with illicit sex and rarely if ever any brahmacari graduate from this
gurukul gone to the West to preach has not fallen down to grhastha
abomination”!
This is the recommendation of Lord Caitanya
as you will see later and as Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur is recommending.
g. Discouraging devotees to go and open new centers, especially alone, as
then one would not be able to remain “brahmacari” without association! Instead
of helping set up the mainly Grahastha preachers in independent centers/villages
as Srila Prabhupada desired and as we had discussed, planned, and were working
towards.
“I also understand that you do not want
to get married now, but if you marry at all, you should marry now. Because
after the age of 30, marriage is not so pleasing. Practically I am giving in charge of the different centers to the
Grhasthas. If you decide to marry, there are many devotee girls, and
one of them may be a very nice companion for your devotional life. You prefer to be free, but a devoted wife
is as good as freedom. The Grhastha disciples, just like Syamasundara.,
Mukunda, and Gurudasa, with their wives, are doing very nicely in London.
Similarly Dayananda and his wife Nandarani are doing very nicely here.
Similarly Satsvarupa and his wife Jadurani are doing very nice in Boston.
Another Grhastha, Gaurasundara, has gone to Hawaii, and his wife may go there
also, and he will organize the Pacific Region.”
(Letter to: Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 8
November, 1968)
“There are many grhasthas who are
earning and spending for a particular center. Similarly you also can open a center, live separately as president and
maintain the temple nicely. But if you don't do anything and simply remain
grhastha, then what is the use of criticizing others? The whole movement is
meant for rendering service.”
(Letter to: Umapati -- Los Angeles 9
July, 1971)
Especially for organizing Gurukul, Srila Prabhupada wanted them to be
organized by Grahasthas, as has been done via ages down.
18 November, 1971
My Dear Paramananda,
Please accept my
blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of November 2, 1971, and I am
pleased that you have returned to New Vrindaban to develop it nicely. I wanted from the beginning that
schoolhouse for teaching our children Krishna Consciousness. Now
it seems that Krishna has fulfilled our desire and that Mr. Coffield may now
sell it to us. Purchase it immediately
and we shall construct there a model school for molding children in the perfect
way of life. I know that you are the fit person for carrying out his plan, so I
am entrusting you to see that everything is done very nicely and up to
standard. This project of opening a school for young children may be expanded to
include inviting children of respectable families for some tuition fee to come
there for an ideal education including the basic requirements of reading
and writing, but giving them also real spiritual knowledge of how to live
perfectly—what other school of learning can offer such wonderful educational
opportunity? There has also been suggestion of a kind of summer camp for
children from crowded cities. What do you think?
I am pleased to
note the birth of your second son. Now kindly deliver him to Krishna and your
life will be perfect. Actually, you are
an ideal householder couple, and I want that such grhastha couples should manage things as they have a tendency to
organize and manage, and so I am confident that you will help me deliver these
children back to Home, back to Godhead. Yes, you may call your son Madhavendra das.
I hope this meets
you and your good wife Satyabhama in strong health
and cheerful mood.
Your ever
well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami
“I am very, very
glad to hear of your desire to return to Gurukula school and apply yourself to
developing that place. I am so glad to hear this good news. Only a few weeks
back I had got a letter from Satsvarupa wherein he has informed me that Stoka
Krishna has left Dallas and that he must go there to take charge himself. But
he is sannyasi and he should travel and preach, and he has not much taste for
watching after so many things. So I had
suggested him to get a full-time manager, some grhastha, nice husband and
wife together, to manage the things, and that he shall expect that such
person will stay tightly and develop it and make that his life work. It is the
most important preaching work, to train our children in Krishna Consciousness
education of life. And I think that you are just the right man to do it.
Krishna has given you the right idea, just see!”
…
If you become Head
Master of the Gurukula that is more important than going to South America. This is the most important post in
pushing on this movement, practically, because you shall create our
preachers of the future, many, many of them. That will be your great credit and
contribution. May Krishna give you His all blessings more and more for this
task.
Letter to:
Mohanananda -- Ahmedabad 11 December, 1972
So here Srila Prabhupada is giving a “fallen”
grhastha the service to “the most
important post in pushing on this movement, practically”- gurukul, as Srila
Prabhupada is giving you too, a responsible grhastha preacher! How do you
explain this?
h. Instead of imbibing their spiritual being with an adventurous missionary
zeal of preaching for Srila Prabhupada, depending on the Holy Name and Srila
Prabhupada’s books, opening centers anywhere in the world and preaching far and
wide, there is every likelihood that the desire to perform devotional
service/preach to remain a brahmacari may replace it. I may be making it too
much here, but it is only my pain that is speaking here so please forgive me
for these emotions. But I have experienced this mentality a lot in various
ISKCON temples and was myself into this mentality unfortunately so I sense that
this is what may be happening in some of the brahmacari’s minds due to it being
made such a high focus in your talks. I hear that practically in every class you
bring this up-about remaining brahmcari, grhastha fallen etc.
This “preaching to remain brahmcaris” is not
how brahmacaris have ever remained brahmacaris for life nor will they ever
remain. They can remain actual brahmacaris by the following method as
enumerated so vividly in the falldown of Ajamila:
In the beginning
this brāhmaṇa named Ajāmila studied all the
Vedic literatures. He was a reservoir of good character, good conduct and good
qualities. Firmly established in executing all the Vedic injunctions, he was
very mild and gentle, and he kept his mind and senses under control.
Furthermore, he was always truthful, he knew how to chant the Vedic mantras,
and he was also very pure. Ajāmila was very
respectful to his spiritual master, the fire-god, guests, and the elderly
members of his household. Indeed, he was free from false prestige. He was
upright, benevolent to all living entities, and well behaved. He would never
speak nonsense or envy anyone.
PURPORT
…..In other words,
Ajāmila followed the rules and regulations of
celibacy as a perfect brahmacārī and was very softhearted, truthful, clean and pure. How he fell down in spite of all these
qualities and thus came to be threatened with punishment by Yamarāja will be described in the following verses.
(SB 6.1.56-57)
Once this brāhmaṇa Ajāmila, following the
order of his father, went to the forest to collect fruit, flowers and two kinds
of grass, called samit and kuśa. On the way home,
he came upon a śūdra, a very lusty,
fourth-class man, who was shamelessly embracing and kissing a prostitute. The śūdra was smiling,
singing and enjoying as if this were proper behavior. Both the śūdra and the
prostitute were drunk. The prostitute’s eyes were rolling in intoxication, and
her dress had become loose. Such was the condition in which Ajāmila saw them.
PURPORT
While traveling
along the public way, Ajāmila came upon a
fourth-class man and a prostitute, who are vividly described here. Drunkenness
was sometimes manifest even in bygone ages, although not very frequently. In this age of Kali, however, such sin is to be seen
everywhere, for people all over the world have become shameless. Long ago, when he saw the scene of
the drunken śūdra and the
prostitute, Ajāmila, who was a perfect brahmacārī, was affected. Nowadays
such sin is visible in so many places, and we must consider the position of
a brahmacārī student who sees such behavior. For such a brahmacārī to remain steady is very difficult
unless he is extremely strong in following the regulative principles. Nevertheless, if
one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness very seriously, he can
withstand the provocation created by sin. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness
movement we prohibit illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. In Kali-yuga, a drunk, half-naked woman embracing a
drunk man is a very common sight, especially in the Western countries, and
restraining oneself after seeing such things is very difficult. Nevertheless,
if by the grace of Kṛṣṇa one adheres to the regulative
principles and chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, Kṛṣṇa will certainly protect him. Indeed, Kṛṣṇa says that His
devotee is never vanquished (kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati). Therefore all the disciples practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness should obediently follow the regulative
principles and remain fixed in chanting the holy name of the Lord. Then there need be no fear. Otherwise one’s position is very
dangerous, especially in this Kali-yuga.
(SB 6.1.58-59)
As far as possible
he patiently tried to remember the instructions of the śāstras not even to see a woman. With the help of this knowledge and
his intellect, he tried to control his lusty desires, but because of the force
of Cupid within his heart, he failed to control his mind.
PURPORT
Unless one is very
strong in knowledge, patience and proper bodily, mental and intellectual
behavior, controlling one’s lusty desires is extremely difficult. Thus after
seeing a man embracing a young woman and practically doing everything required
for sex life, even a fully qualified brāhmaṇa, as described above, could not control
his lusty desires and restrain himself from pursuing them. Because of the force
of materialistic life, to maintain self-control is extremely difficult unless one is specifically under the
protection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead through devotional service.
(SB 6.1.62)
Because his
intelligence was pierced by the lustful glance of the prostitute, the victimized brāhmaṇa Ajāmila engaged in sinful
acts in her association. He even gave up the company of his very beautiful
young wife, who came from a very respectable brāhmaṇa family.
…..How did this
happen? He was victimized by the dangerous lustful glance of a prostitute.
(SB 6.1.65)
1st
point to note is that even a perfectly trained brahmacari, in
a bygone age, not even in Kali yuga, fell down on seeing “sex-life society”
behavior—only once! Lust is so strong!
2nd
point is that he was a grhastha but he is being described
as a brahmacari.
Ajāmila followed the
rules and regulations of celibacy as a perfect brahmacārī…
Ajāmila, who was a perfect brahmacārī, was affected.
As he was a dradha vrta, following all Vedic
injunctions (as we saw earlier Srila Prabhupada mention upakurma brahmacari).
“Śrīla Vīrarāghava Ācārya comments that dhṛta-vrata means dhṛtaṁ vrataṁ strī-saṅga-rāhityātmaka-brahmacarya-rūpam. In other words, Ajāmila followed the
rules and regulations of celibacy as a perfect brahmacārī and was very softhearted, truthful,
clean and pure.”
In the word to word translation –
“dhṛta-vrataḥ—fixed in the execution of the Vedic
injunctions;”
“Upakurvaṇa-brahmacārī means he is married, but not for
enjoying. He is married and to beget nice children under the order of his
spiritual master. He is also brahmacārī. If a gṛhastha abides by the
order of a guru, he is also brahmacārī.”
Here the “abides by the order of a guru” is the same as dhṛta-vrataḥ—fixed
in the execution of the Vedic injunctions.
Hence Ajamila, as he was fixed in carrying
out the Vedic injunctions, he was a perfect brahmacari even though in Grhastha
ashrama.
3rd
point even though he had a wife, still he fell down, what to
speak of being situated in a brahmacari ashram or sanyaas ashram.
4th
point is that being perfectly trained as a brahmacari or being
situated in grhastha ashram is no guarantee that one will not fall down.
5th
point is that none of the instructions of the Vedas about
proper sadachar stood in his mind when lust overcame it. So what then will
happen to the “instructions” that “women are maya”, “grhastha life is
abomination” etc when one is pierced by the lusty glance of a women or sees
some “normal” abominable behavior in the “sex-life society” of Kali Yuga?
6th
point is that only by strict adherence to the 4 regulative
principles and fixed chanting of 16 rounds (i.e. trying to make it offenseless
under the instruction of Srila Prabhupada) one can escape the lusty desires
even after coming in occasional or regular interaction with the “sex-life
society”. In others words not by hearing or remembering the instructions of
celibacy, “brahmacari is better, women are maya, grhastha life is difficult or
abominable”, etc. Only if the soul is coming in direct and offenseless regular
contact with Krishna, especially in the form of His Name, harer namaiva
kevalam, can one remain a brahmacari.
Only a rare person
who has adopted complete, unalloyed devotional service to Kṛṣṇa can uproot the
weeds of sinful actions with no possibility that they will revive. He can do
this simply by discharging devotional service, just as the sun can immediately
dissipate fog by its rays.
(SB 6.1.15)
One can remain a
brahmacari either by past karma, if that desire is completely gone from last
life or by practice of unalloyed devotional service in this life under a
bona-fide spiritual master.
My dear King, if
a sinful person engages in the service of a bona fide devotee of the Lord and
thus learns how to dedicate his life unto the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, he can be completely purified. One cannot be purified merely by
undergoing austerity, penance, brahmacarya and the other methods of atonement I
have previously described.
PURPORT
Tat-puruṣa refers to a
preacher of Kṛṣṇa consciousness,
such as the spiritual master. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has said, chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā nistāra pāyeche kebā: “Without serving a bona fide spiritual
master, an ideal Vaiṣṇava, who can be
delivered from the clutches of māyā?”
…….The word kṛṣṇa-rpita-prāṇaḥ refers to a devotee who dedicates his
life to serving Kṛṣṇa, not to being
saved from the path to hellish life. (SB
6.1.16)
“Of course, restraint is very
difficult, but it is quite possible if one fully surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, since all these abominable habits gradually become
distasteful for a Kṛṣṇa conscious person. If illicit sex is allowed to increase
in a society, however, the entire society will be condemned, for it will be
full of rogues, thieves, cheaters and so forth.” (SB 6.1.22)
So the only way to
keep brahmacaris for life is to make them naturally fixed in sadhana bhakti
under Srila Prabhupada as a preacher compassionately serving the conditioned
souls, whether brahmacari or grhastha.
7th
point is that – not mentioned here but extrapolated from other
ref, that even though Grhastha is equally as prone to fall down in Kalu Yuga as
a brahamacari, he has 2 advantages over the other stages:
i.
a controlled grhastha has as a fort commander
with him (trained devotee wife) to assist in protection (as quoted above - SB
3.14.20) so that the chances of falldown are reduced.
ii. even
if a grhastha is not able to control his senses and performs unregulated sex
with his wife, then even though it is sinful, but still the act:
a.
Does not spoil other women in the society
b.
There is no scandal in the society of a
brahmacari/sanyasi performing sex
c.
No permanent public scar on a grhastha
devotee thereby he can keep performing his devotional activities at least.
By
continuing to perform the sankritan activities and sadhana bhakti, these
temporary falldowns of the grhastha will also cease, as the method is so
powerful, as long as the endeavor to become pure is there.
Hence Srila Bhaktivonda recommends Grhastha
ashram in Kali Yuga:
“But in this age of kali Bhaktivinode Thakura recommends that is is better to cultivate Krishna
Consciousness as a householder.”
(Letter to: Mandali Bhadra, 2 November, 1969)
Srila Prabhupada did not implement just
becoming grhastha as a solution for Kali Yuga against unregulated falldowns. He
asked devotees to preach with full vigor, energy and resources, engaging the
wife in assisting in the sankirtan/support activities for the pleasure of Lord
Krishna(yat karosi---) in His form of Lord Caitanya, and thereby the desire
seed of enjoyment will gradually vanish.
But it is true that if the grhastha does not
engage in preaching or supporting the preaching mission by giving 50% of
income, then the chances are high that he will fall down in the grhamedhi andha
kupam, which one is saved from by remaining a brahmacari. But advising brahmacaris
to remain so for this reason is not taking the right solution as given by Srila
Prabhupada. For them to remain brahmacaris,
they have to develop a genuine affection for Krishna centered around Sankirtan
activities, taking shelter of the Holy name and following the regulative
principles. Not by denigrating the grahasthas, women, etc.
But as shown above, the right and long term
safe solution for training them is grhastha preachers as you will see in
sastric detail later below.
Hence without understanding this intelligent
plan and recommendation of Lord Caitanya and Srila Prabhupada for the grhastha
ashram in Kali Yuga, Mmp and you for whatever reason are going away from these
instructions.
j. This different –superior/inferior statuses of Brahmacari/Grhastha
creates divisions in society. Lord Caitanya’s mission creates different
statuses not superior/inferior. If there has to be a superior/inferior status,
according to the Vedic order, Sanyasi is the highest, followed by Vanaprastha,
followed by Grahastha, and then the brahmacari. Brahmcari is the lowest status
in Ashrams, Not the higher then Grahastha. So even philosophically it is wrong.
“Being
a sannyāsī, Caitanya Mahāprabhu was on the highest platform of respect and adoration, whereas Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, as a householder, was on the second platform.
Therefore a sannyāsī is supposed to offer blessings to a gṛhastha.”
(CC Madhya
7.69)
k. Brahmacari and gurukul children are first of all to be trained in
humility and simplicity.
śrī-nārada uvāca
brahmacārī guru-kule
vasan dānto guror hitam
ācaran dāsavan nīco
dāsa-vat—very humbly, like a slave; nīcaḥ—submissive, obedient; gurau—unto the spiritual master
TRANSLATION
Nārada Muni said: A student should practice completely controlling his senses. He
should be submissive and should have an attitude of firm friendship for
the spiritual master. With a great vow, the brahmacārī should live at the guru-kula, only for the benefit of the guru.
(SB 7.12.1)
With all these talks of superior/inferior
etc. based on bodily designation and material varnasrama externals, they most
certainly be trained to feel better then others, proud.
Instead
they need to be trained to become the servants of all ashrams, all varnas(daivi
varnasrama’s), as servants of ALL devotees, as submissive and inferior to all
devotees, to respect all devotees(das das anudas), whether women or worker or
grhastha devotees. That is the only way they have even a possibility to remain
brahmacari. As if one is becoming proud, then one will not feel the need to
take complete shelter of Krishna, and then his chanting will suffer, due to
which protection from maya will suffer. So by preaching this superior/inferior
you are ironically ensuring that the brahmacaris will definitely become
grhasthas, if they are honest to themselves.
l. Brahmacari is supposed to be a child of Grhasthas. Brahmacari ought to
respect and pay obeisances to properly following Grhathas. That is what you
ought to be preaching. It is only if the
brahmacari takes sannyasa or he shows after many many years of practicing good
brahmacarya that he is to be respected for his purity and KC that he is to be
given respect by all even by Grhasthas. Otherwise setting up artificial respect
structure for Brahmacaris over Grhsthas, what is the logic? Generally, as per
Kali Yuga, the same brahmacari in saffron will become grhastha in a few years
as he is under training currently so what is the point of getting him more
respect then grhasthas?
m. You ought to be preaching that Brahmacari is for a few years of good training
so that one can live a restrained life of a preacher Grhastha much more easily
after that training. If someone is clean enough to remain brahmacari whole
life, and is trained properly from childhood, he will not marry at all even
after being asked to marry.
When Srila Prabhupada is preaching about ideally remaining Brahmacari he
is talking mostly about the principle in Vedic times, the value system of
trying to give up sex life in Vedic times, to show the ideal social structure
of Vedic times and the ideal training desired. But then seeing the Kali Yuga
and especially the situation in the west whether one is born there or goes
there to preach, he is encouraging Grahastha Ashrama.
He is also with the statements of naisthika brahmcari giving solace and
inspiration to these few devotees who repel in their minds thinking of marriage.
To those who are finding it difficult to remain brahmacari while their brahmacari
training is going on these “ideal is brahmacari” instructions give added
inspiration to continue and finish their training responsibly and then take to
regulated grhastha life.
The SB instructions about the abominality of married life are describing
the danger for a grhastha where it is easy to start using the regulated license
for sense gratification for sense enjoyment rather then for Krishna’s service,
Lord Caitanya’s service and thus become a grhamedhi. So how much one needs to
be careful being in this ashram not to fall into andha kupam. Hence one should
with vigor take the instructions of Srila Prabhupada for preaching as a
grhastha, for chanting and hearing while being a grhastha, of getting up early
morning in Brhama muhurta as a grhastha etc. Then one would be able to remain a
grhastha and not a grhamedhi.
When you take all of Srila Prabhupada’s instructions and teachings in
his books on this matter, this is what you would start noticing.
But not understanding this wholesome viewpoint, seeing some instructions
about “remain brahmacari” from Srila Prabhupada and under the influence of
Mmp’s karma kandiya vedic viewpoint of “only brahmacari/sanyasi can practice
spiritual life”, and also maybe for your organizational goals (easier to
maintain brahmacaris) and preaching goals(“people in India get effected more by
saffron dress”) you are trying to create a class of Brahmacaris and not a
designation less class of preachers – whether
brahmacari or grahastha or vanaprastha or sanyasi as Lord Caitanya and Srila
Prabhupada are instructing us. Why don’t you try to understand the letter and
the spirit of these instructions of Srila Prabhupada?
Remaining Brahmacari is not an option. I
repeat, remaining brahmacari is not an option. If someone is struggling between
whether to remain brahmacari or Grahastha, then he should know he ought to
marry. (Ref: Srila Prabhupada incidence in 1976 in Mayapur morning walk as
explained in Hari Sauri’s diary). If someone is, after solid brahmacari training,
especially undergone from childhood, repelled at the idea of marriage
naturally, honestly, without pretense, peacefully, without finding the need to
denigrate others or other ashrams, for the purpose of serving others more, then
he will remain brahmachari whether someone tells him to marry or encourages
grahastha ashrama or whatever.
Lord Krishna’s direct instruction on this
matter should settle all issue for all.
“After receiving
the brāhmaṇa nicely, and
seating him on His own cushioned bed, Lord Kṛṣṇa said, "My
dear brāhmaṇa friend, you are a
most intelligent personality, and you know very well the principles of
religious life. I believe that after you finished your education at the
house of our teacher and after you sufficiently remunerated him, you
must have gone back to your home and accepted a suitable wife. I know very well that from the beginning
you were not at all attached to the materialistic way of life, nor did you
desire to be very opulent materially, and therefore you are in need of money.
In this material world, persons who are not attached to material opulence are
very rarely found. Such unattached persons haven't the least desire to
accumulate wealth and prosperity for sense gratification, but sometimes they are found to collect money just to exhibit the
exemplary life of a householder. They
show how by proper distribution of wealth one can become an ideal householder
and at the same time become a great devotee. Such ideal householders are to be
considered followers of My footsteps. I hope, My dear brāhmaṇa friend, you
remember all those days of our school life when both you and I were living
together at the boarding house….
… "My dear friend, I am Paramātmā, the Supersoul present in everyone's
heart, and it is My direct order that human society must follow the principles
of varṇa and āśrama. As I have stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, the human society should be divided,
according to quality and action, into four varṇas. Similarly,
everyone should divide his life into four parts. One should utilize the first
part of life in becoming a bona fide student, receiving adequate knowledge and
keeping oneself in the vow of brahmacarya, so that one may completely
devote his life for the service of the spiritual master without indulging in
sense gratification. A brahmacārī is meant to lead a life of austerities
and penance. The householder is meant to live a regulated life of sense
gratification, but no one should remain a householder for the third stage of
life. In that stage, one has to return to the austerities and penances formerly
practiced in brahmacārī life and thus relieve himself of the
attachment to household life. After being relieved of his attachments to the
materialistic way of life, one may accept the order of sannyāsa.
"As
the Supersoul of the living entities, sitting in everyone's heart, I observe
everyone's activity in every stage and order of life. Regardless of which
stage one is in, when I see that one is engaged seriously and sincerely in
discharging the duties ordered by the spiritual master, and is thus dedicating
his life to the service of the spiritual master, that person becomes most dear
to Me.
[Notes:
I hope this puts an end to all these higher/lower statuses and grahsthas are in
Maya talk!]
As far as the life
of brahmacarya is concerned, if one can continue the life of a brahmacārī under the direction of a spiritual master, that is extremely good; but
if in brahmacārī life one feels sex impulses, then he
should take leave of his spiritual master, satisfying him according to the guru's
desire.
[Note: This is the
criteria to remain brahmacari or not. As I was pointing out earlier, remaining
brahmacari or not is not an option. If one feels sex impulses, then marriage
ashram. If one is naturally, without much endeavor, honestly and without hate,
feeling NO SEX IMPULSES THEN no marriage. Sex impulse also means desire for
having a female companion, feeling disturbed/moved by being near women, feeling
impulse to impress women, regular remembrances of past conjugal encounters etc.
as these are all different mating impulses.
So as Lord
Caitanya and Srila Prabhupada are saying as quoted later, and as Srila
Bhaktivinoda states below, in Kali Yuga it is rare to find a properly trained
and purified brahmacari hence grahastha ashram is recommended preferably after
good brahmacari training.
“Krishna Consciousness is not limited within any circle. Brahmacari, grhastha or sannyasi: everyone is
eligible for cultivating Krishna Consciousness. There are these stages for
gradual development of control of the strong senses in the material
environment. But any order of life suitable for a particular person in which he
can most favorably execute his Krishna Consciousness is the best position to
take up. Generally, if one can remain a brahmacari, it is very convenient,
and from brahmacari one can take sannyasa. But in this age of kali Bhaktivinode Thakura recommends that is is better to cultivate Krishna
Consciousness as a householder.” Letter to: Mandali Bhadra, 2 November, 1969
This also shows that changing social
status from brahmacari to grahastha is not a fall down as mmp/you seem to think
and preach. It is the next stage of life honestly seeing the most conducive
status.]
…According to the
Vedic system, a gift is offered to the spiritual master, which is called guru-dakṣiṇā. Then
the disciple should take to householder life and accept a wife according to
religious rites."
These instructions given by Lord Kṛṣṇa while talking with His friend the
learned brāhmaṇa are very good for the guidance of human society.
[Note:
Hence these are the guidance we ought to take not of upstarts who dare to go
against the guidance of Lord Krishna.]
A system of human
civilization that does not promote varṇa and āśrama is nothing but
polished animal society. Indulgence
in sex life by a man or woman living single is never acceptable in human
society. A man should either strictly follow the principles of brahmacārī life or, with the permission of the spiritual master,
should get married. Single life with illicit sex is animal life. For the animals there is no marriage
institution.
[Notes:
A man should either strictly follow the principle of Brahmacari life…this is
the criteria. No sex impulse. Strictly follow the principle of Brahmacari life.
There are 7 ways to follow brahmacari. No talking to women, no intermingling,
no looking at women lustily, no looking at pictures of women what to speak of
naked/half naked women….in the West and now even in India to a lesser extent which
Brahmacari will be able to strictly follow the brahmcari principles and have no
sex impulse? Why do you think Lord Caitanya is recommending Grahastha Ashrama,
as you will see later on?]
Modern society
does not aim at fulfilling the mission of human life. The mission of human life
is to go back home, back to Godhead. To fulfill this mission, the system of varṇa and āśrama must be followed.
When the system is followed rigidly and consciously, it fulfills this mission
of life. When it is followed indirectly,
without guidance of superior order, it simply creates a disturbing condition in
human society, and there is no peace and prosperity.
[Notes:
You can see various times in ISKCON there has been disturbance by fall down of
sanyasis etc.]
(Krishna Book, Chapter 2-25 Meeting of Lord Krishna with Sudama
Brahmana)
“I am very glad
that you have decided to become a Grhastha member of our Society. That is the way of civilized and upright
human life. After practicing brahmacarya and training under the guidance of
a Spiritual Master the Vedic system is prescribing the asrama of Grhastha for
those who are still desiring to enter into married family life. The so-called
institution of free love marriage is ruining the human society and it is our
duty therefore to reestablish the correct procedure of human life in the
matter of encouraging our disciples who wish to marry to enter into a contract of spiritual wedlock. Such contract is
made on the basis of compatible service of the Lord because such mutual
cooperation in serving the advancement of Krsna Consciousness minimizes the
illusion of material compatibility and incompatibility. We are seeing practically that our householder couples are setting an
example for all persons that the perfection of happy family life is not based
on sense-gratification, but on sincere service to the Lord.”
(Letter to: Gaura
Hari -- Bombay 20 November, 1970)
n. Most brahmacaris as they cannot control senses in kali Yuga, as Lord
Caitanya Himself is indicating later below, their natural and honest position
is a responsible, grhastha preacher – as we hear from Srila Prabhupada that
Srila Bhaktivindoa is advising – “in this
age of kali Bhaktivinode Thakura
recommends that is is better to cultivate Krishna Consciousness as a
householder”
But as you have created an artificially high status of a Brahmcari, so
even when devotees are feeling like they should marry, some would be peer
pressured to continue to be in brahmacari dress, falsely claiming to continue
to receive honor and facilities of a brahmacari. Isn’t ISKCON history of last 40 years a sufficient guide to you?
o. This would create a class of pretender brahmacaris/sanyasis, with
eventual scandals destroying the faith and mission. Have you considered
carefully the trap and danger you have placed yourself in? Have you not
carefully studied the history of ISKCON?
When it is followed indirectly, without
guidance of superior order, it simply creates a disturbing condition in human
society, and there is no peace and prosperity.
(Krishna Book, Chapter 2-25 Meeting of
Lord Krishna with Sudama Brahmana)
The mixture of frustrated and pretentious
brahmcaris accompanying a gurukul is a recipe for a huge disaster in the
future, as has the history of ISKCON gurukul system showed very tragically. I
cannot believe that you have been so ignorant of the ISKCON history to not
learn this basic teaching from it.
dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ
saṅgas teṣūpajāyate
saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ
kāmāt krodho 'bhijāyate
TRANSLATION
While
contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them,
and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises. (BG 2.62)
When some of the brahmacaris are disturbed by
lust they will either honestly contemplate about it and try to increase their
hearing and chanting and plan for marrying responsibly. Or they will get
frustrated, pretentious and then the lust will force them to satisfy it with
whichever object is easily available nearby.
In the nearness of gurukul case, they are the
young children who many look upto the brahmcaris and are unprotected from their
parents, hence they could be coerced into satisfying the brahmacaris illegal
desires. This has happened hundreds of times in the KC movement itself so we are
not talking about some theoretical subject. One may think that only western
brahmacaris can do this, and not Indian. For them it may be good to know that
in Vrindavan and Mayapur gurukul many of the teachers were Indians who were engaged
in this activity.
When the brahmacari is not engaging in these
abominable activity but he is artificially trying to control, then anger arises
- and from lust anger
arises.
And then the urge to beat children into submission arises.
This heartrending activity has also happened
in Gurukuls of ISKCON thousands of time. Maybe Kuva Prabhu can bring up courage
to tell you of the many severe beatings and sexual abuses his friends from
ex-gurukulis have been subject to by frustrated teachers. A couple of personal testimony as well as well as a survey from 1988
are attached for your kind through perusal. Good to go through them Prabhu.
I am implying that these are happening at the
Gurukul there. But these are the future dangers to be aware of given that you
are trying to make the center a worshipper of brahmacaris!
It is a severe warning to you Prabhu that it is no more an option for
you to continue your mode of preaching at your center the way it is has been
going on last 1 year. Better change this as soon as possible and take immediate
but thought out remedial measures before you as a manager also get involved in
these abominable and thoroughly despicable activities. Srila Prabhupada has mercifully given you this service of taking care
of young children in his gurukul. Please become very very beware of these
dangers to them learning from his gurukuls in Vrindavan and Mayapur and other
places.
I would like to assist you in this regard if you would like to sincerely
know and implement. I would know this by first of all knowing that you are desisting
and apologizing for denigrating matajis and grhastha ashram compared to
brahmacari ashram as explained in detail in the above sections as that will be
the root of many major problems in coming years in the gurukul as well as in your
center.
Additionally, you ought to be making /
designing / supporting independent sources of income for the Grhastha Preachers,
training them for the future Grhastha life and preaching using that ashram so
that without fear and enthusiastically they can take that step after brahmacari
training.
“To become dependent on
another’s maintenance is very degrading; therefore, according to the Vedic system,
everyone should live independently. Only the śūdras are unable to live independently. They are
obliged to serve someone for maintenance. It is said in the śāstras: kalau śūdra-sambhavāḥ. In this age of Kali, everyone is dependent on another’s mercy for the
maintenance of the body; therefore everyone is classified as a śūdra.” (SB 5.13.6)
The direction of the preaching center then
turns in a different direction.
Below is Lord Caitanya’s express opinion and direction on these points
established in CC which is the PHD study of all Vedic Scriptures hence there
can be no doubt about their final conclusion as applicable in Kali Yuga. Hence
I have quoted them last after going through the other books first. You will see
how Lord Caitanya has taken all the Vedic scriptures and given us the essence
of what should generally be followed in Kali Yuga.
Srila Prabhupada’s purports and later letters describe in detail how he
wants to implement these instructions of Lord Caitanya and what we ought to be
doing in ISKCON and at your Center. It may do good to imbibe these instructions
and also discuss them in our Istagoshti.
From CC Madhya 7.126-7.130
The brāhmaṇa begged Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "My dear
Lord, kindly show me favor and let me go with You. I can no longer tolerate the
waves of misery caused by materialistic life."
PURPORT
This statement is
applicable for everyone, regardless of how rich or prosperous one may be.
Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has confirmed
this statement: saṁsāra-viṣānale, divā-niśi hiyā jvale. He states that the materialistic way
of life causes a burning in the heart. One cannot make any provisions for the
troublesome life of the material world. It is a fact that one may be very happy
as far as riches are concerned and one may be very opulent in every respect,
yet one has to manage the viṣayas to meet the demands of the body and of so
many family members and subordinates. One has to take so much trouble to
minister to others. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura therefore
prays: viṣaya chāḍiyā kabe śuddha habe mana. Thus one must become freed from the
materialistic way of life. One has to merge himself in the ocean of
transcendental bliss. In other words, one cannot relish transcendental bliss
without being freed from the materialistic way of life. It appears that the brāhmaṇa named Kūrma was materially
very happy, for he expressed his family tradition as janma-kula-dhana. Now, being glorious, he wanted to leave all
these material opulences. He wanted to travel with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. According to the
Vedic way of civilization, one should leave his family after attaining fifty
years of age and go to the forest of Vṛndāvana to devote the
rest of his life to the service of the Lord.
TEXT 127
prabhu kahe,--"aiche bāt kabhu nā kahibā
gṛhe rahi' kṛṣṇa-nāma nirantara laibā
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe—Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said; aiche bāt—such words; kabhu—at any time; nā kahibā—you should not speak; gṛhe rahi'-staying at home; kṛṣṇa-nāma—the holy name of
the Lord; nirantara—always; laibā—you should chant.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied,
"Don't speak like that again. Better to remain at home and chant the holy
name of Kṛṣṇa always.
PURPORT
It is not
advisable in this Age of Kali to leave one's
family suddenly, for people are not
trained as proper brahmacārīs and gṛhasthas. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised the brāhmaṇa not to be too
eager to give up family life. It would
be better to remain with his family and try to become purified by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra regularly under
the direction of a spiritual master. This is the instruction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. If this
principle is followed by everyone, there is no need to accept sannyāsa. In
the next verse Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu advises everyone to become an ideal householder by offenselessly
chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and teaching the
same principle to everyone he meets.
TEXT 128
yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa
āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa
SYNONYMS
yāre—whomever; dekha—you meet; tāre—him; kaha—tell; kṛṣṇa-upadeśa—the instruction
of the Bhagavad-gītā as it is spoken by the Lord or of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which advises one to worship Śrī Kṛṣṇa; āmāra ājñāya—under My order; guru hañā—becoming a spiritual master; tāra'-deliver; ei deśa—this country.
TRANSLATION
"Instruct
everyone to follow the orders of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa as they are given
in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way
become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land."
PURPORT
This is the sublime mission of the
International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Many people come and inquire
whether they have to give up family life to join the Society, but that is not
our mission. One can remain
comfortably in his residence. We simply request everyone to chant the mahā-mantra: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. If one is a little literate and
can read the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that is so much the better. These
works are now available in an English translation and are done very
authoritatively to appeal to all classes of men. Instead of living engrossed in
material activities, people
throughout the world should take advantage of this movement and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra at home with
their families. One should also
refrain from sinful activities-illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and
intoxication. Out of these four items, illicit sex is very sinful. Every person
must get married. Every woman especially must get married. If the women
outnumber the men, some men can accept more than one wife. In that way there
will be no prostitution in society. If men can marry more than one wife,
illicit sex life will be stopped. One can also produce many nice preparations
to offer Kṛṣṇa-grain, fruit,
flowers and milk. Why should one indulge in unnecessary meat-eating and maintain
horrible slaughterhouses? What is the use of smoking and drinking tea and
coffee? People are already intoxicated by material enjoyment, and if they
indulge in further intoxication, what chance is there for self-realization?
Similarly, one should not partake in gambling and unnecessarily agitate the
mind. The real purpose of human life is
to attain the spiritual platform and return to Godhead. That is the summum
bonum of spiritual realization. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to elevate human
society to the perfection of life by pursuing the method described by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His advice to the brāhmaṇa Kūrma. That is, one should stay at home,
chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and preach the
instructions of Kṛṣṇa as they are given
in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
TEXT 129
kabhu nā bādhibe tomāra viṣaya-taraṅga
punarapi ei ṭhāñi pābe mora saṅga"
SYNONYMS
kabhu—at any time; nā—not; bādhibe—will obstruct; tomāra—your; viṣaya-taraṅga—materialistic way
of life; punarapi—again; ei ṭhāñi—at this place; pābe—you will get; mora—My; saṅga—association.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu further advised
the brāhmaṇa Kūrma, "If you
follow this instruction, your materialistic life at home will not obstruct your
spiritual advancement. Indeed, if you follow these regulative principles,
we will again meet here, or, rather, you will never lose My company."
PURPORT
This is an opportunity for everyone. If
one simply follows the instructions of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, under the guidance of His
representative, and chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, teaching everyone as far as possible
the same principle, the contamination of the materialistic way of life will
not even touch him. It does not matter whether one lives in a holy place like Vṛndāvana, Navadvīpa or Jagannātha Purī or in the midst of European cities, where the
materialistic way of life is very prominent. If a devotee follows the instructions of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he lives in the
company of the Lord. Wherever he lives, he converts that place into Vṛndāvana and Navadvīpa. This means that materialism cannot touch
him. This is the secret of success for one advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
TEXT 130
ei mata yāṅra ghare kare prabhu bhikṣā
sei aiche kahe, tāṅre karāya ei śikṣā
SYNONYMS
ei mata—in this way; yāṅra—of whom; ghare—at the home; kare—does; prabhu—Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; bhikṣā—accepting prasāda; sei—that man; aiche—similarly; kahe—says; tāṅre—unto him; karāya—does; ei—this; śikṣā—enlightenment.
TRANSLATION
At whosoever's
house Śrī Caitanya accepted His alms by taking prasāda, He would convert
the dwellers to His saṅkīrtana movement and
advise them just as He advised the brāhmaṇa named Kūrma.
PURPORT
The cult of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is explained here very nicely. One
who surrenders to Him and is ready to follow Him with heart and soul does not
need to change his location. Nor is it necessary for one to change status.
One may remain a householder, a medical practitioner, an engineer or whatever.
It doesn't matter. One only has to follow the instruction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and instruct relatives and friends
in the teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. One
has to learn humility and meekness at home, following the instructions of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and in that way one's life will be spiritually successful. One should
not try to be an artificially advanced devotee, thinking, "I am a
first-class devotee." Such thinking should be avoided. It is best not to accept any
disciples. One has to become purified at home by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and preaching the principles enunciated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Thus one can
become a spiritual master and be freed from the contamination of material life.”
Smartas, impersonalists and others, who have not understood the
philosophical and compassionate directions of Lord Caitanya nor who have full
faith in Srila Prabhupada do not / cannot take these instruction very
seriously. This is His program to flood
the entire planet with His Holy Name! Spreading of Sankirtan via this method.
And this is exactly how Srila Prabhupada implemented it in spreading his
movement in and from the West.
“Therefore to engage both
boys and girls in fully transcendental activities is a policy intended to
spread the Krishna Consciousness movement...
The results of this are wonderful. Both men and women are preaching the gospel
of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Krishna with redoubled strength...” (Cc Adi 7.32 & 38)
This is
substantiated in Vedic literatures:
“Pleased to see their wives back home, the brāhmaṇas executed the performances of sacrifices by
sitting together, as it is enjoined in the śāstras. According
to Vedic principle, religious rituals must be executed by the husband and wife
together.”
(Krishna Book, Chapter 23)
In Kali
Yuga, the Vedic Sacrifice prescribed is Samkirtan Jayna, for the pleasure of
Lord Caitanya.
It is said in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa that by offering sacrifice to Viṣṇu one can gradually be liberated. The
whole target of life, therefore, is to please Lord Viṣṇu. That is yajña. Any person
who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness has dedicated his life for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, the origin of all Viṣṇu forms,
and by offering worship and prasāda daily, he becomes the best performer of yajña. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is clearly stated that in this age of Kali
the only successful performance of yajña, or sacrifice, is yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyaiḥ: the best type of sacrifice is simply to chant
Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. This yajña
is offered before the form of Lord Caitanya, as other yajñas are offered
before the form of Lord Viṣṇu. These recommendations are found in the Eleventh Canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Moreover, this yajña performance confirms
that Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Viṣṇu Himself. As Lord Viṣṇu appeared at the Dakṣa yajña long, long ago, Lord
Caitanya has appeared in this age to accept our saṅkīrtana-yajña.
SB 4.7.41
Hence this Sankirtan, preaching, serving
together husband and wife is how Yajna is performed in the Kali Yuga. Hence
this is a Vedic principle.
Lord Caitanya’s principle is opposite to the
impersonalistic Vedic viewpoint which wants to encourage Brahmacari / sannyasis
not knowing how to use Yukta Vairagya to convert the home and grhsatha life and
wife all for use of Lord Caitanya’s mission and thereby purify everything
around in a stable strong safe manner just suitable for Kali Yuga.
Please read below how Srila Prabhupada implemented this principle.
“The boys and
girls in London are doing very nicely. My Guru Maharaja sent one sannyasi,
Swami Bon Maharaja, to preach Krishna Consciousness in London, sometimes in
1933. Although he tried for three years and at the expense of my Guru Maharaja,
he could do not do any appreciable work. So Guru Maharaja, being disgusted,
called him back. In comparison to that situation, our 6 young boys and girls
are neither very much advanced in their study of Vedanta nor any other Vedic
literature, neither are they sannyasis. But still they are doing more tangible
work than what Bon Maharaja could do there 35 years ago. This very fact
confirms the statement of Lord Caitanya that a preacher or teacher may be a
householder, a sannyasi, a brahmana, a sudra, or anyone, provided he knows the
science of Krishna. And to know the
science of Krishna means to serve Krishna under the directions of a bona fide
Spiritual Master. When we serve Krishna in this way, Krishna is pleased to
reveal Himself. So we should follow strictly the Vedic principle that anyone
who has unflinching faith in Krishna and the Spiritual Master, to him only the
science of Krishna Consciousness becomes revealed. Then when we are fully
conversant in revelation of Krishna Consciousness, we can meet any opposing elements
and come out victorious.”
(Letter to:
Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 31 January, 1969 )
“The activity most recommended by Krsna
and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu for taking oneself to the perfectional stage in
this age of Kali-yuga is this sankirtana or preaching mission. So if you will be able to form
yourself into the first-class preacher, that will be best for you and for
others also. Your wife may also assist you in your important activities of
spreading Krsna consciousness. She is a very nice painter and artist, and
she is very sincere and serious also, so
you may together utilize your spot-life as preachers of Krsna consciousness,
that will be the better occupation. There
is no harm for having children, that is no impediment for preaching endeavor.
But too much attachment for children, home and work will spoil your opportunity
to get very quickly the mature benefit of Krsna consciousness or
self-realization. “
(Letter to:
Vaikunthanatha -- Bombay 29 December, 1972)
So far as Trivikrama is concerned, he is a super
first-class brahmacari. His service
attitude, his submission is very nice although he is still a new member. The thing is that he had the association of
Rupanuga who is an ideal householder devotee. I am feeling very much proud personally because my so many
householder devotees are preaching Krishna Consciousness so nicely. Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not make any distinction between
the so-called brahmacari, householder, or sannyasi. He specifically stressed that these
designations are superficial, pertaining to bodies. Krishna Consciousness is
the function of the soul, jivatma. In the Vedas it is said that the
spirit soul is without any touch of material contamination, but when he forgets
Krishna he thinks himself as a material product. That is called Maya. But
in any position, if one can understand the science of Krishna Consciousness, he
can deliver many, many fallen souls. So it is my request to you all that you
establish an exemplary character and show how householders can be the first
class transcendentalists. When I feel that my householder disciples are
preaching so nicely I actually feel very much proud.
(Letter to: Mukunda, 28 July, 1969)
My Dear Bhagavan das,
Please accept my
blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 26, 1969.
It is very encouraging that from the very beginning of your center you are
successfully executing your entrusted duties. Krishna will be very much pleased
upon you and your wife, Krishna Bhamini. In
our society we want to see some ideal householders as you are, so that
preaching may go on with great speed. From the very beginning of this
movement the associates of Lord Caitanya were all householders. All four of the
principal associates; namely Advaita Prabhu, Nityananda Prabhu, Srivasa Prabhu, Gadadhara Prabhu, and even Lord Caitanya Himself—They were all householders. So
we are not impersonalists or voidists. Our program is to enter into the
association of Krishna. But we cannot enter within this association without
being completely disinfected from the contamination of material sinful life. It
is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita by Lord Krishna Himself that only
those who are absolutely cleansed of all dirty sins can be engaged in Krishna
Consciousness in full swing. In other words, those who are fully in Krishna
Consciousness can be free from material contamination and thus enter into
association of Krishna. There will be
no botheration for you of family life, provided it is carried on in full
Krishna Consciousness. Follow this idea and you will be happy. The Western
world needs this help, so try to do this welfare work for the human society.
(Letter to: Bhagavan, 9 November, 1969)
You have now seemed to turn away from this
direction that we had discussed and observed in detail the problems in not
following this direction. We had observed personally in Bangalore and we had
discussed what has happened in ISKCON with so many devotees and leaders when
they were trying to implement false brahmacari focus and not understanding Lord
Caitanya’s principle. Hence I have been trying to establish, propagate and
encourage this principle in 1st encouraging you to have your own
preaching and an independent center, not depend on other centers or other
brahmacaris for preaching (back in 2002-2005). This is how you yourself started
with your strong wife’s support. And then further in training your devotees and
for our preaching strategy in Rajasthan. More about this later in another
email.
4th Issue- You have started preaching that all devotees preaching in and around
Jaipur should just work with you and under your direction for your big project,
giving the standard arguments – “why not combine energies”, “one should live in
association of devotees”, “one should not be independent” “need guidance of
devotees”----All the similar arguments
hurled your way in 2004-05 when Akshaya Patra started in Jpr! Have you
forgotten how you were and maybe still are considered unauthorized and
separatist as you were not ready to work under the direction of AP and had
dared to form an “independent center”!!! Now that other devotees are doing the
same you are turning into another AP for them! You are blaming me and accusing
me of encouraging them, inspite of knowing full well that I similarly
encouraged you all those years to stand on your own 2 feet and preach as per
your capacity and desire but to try to work cooperatively with AP if possible!
That is also another way to combine one’s energies together! To work together
by having cooperative independent centers!
“I wish that each and every Branch shall
keep their independent identity and cooperate keeping the Acarya in the
centre. On this principle we can open any number of Branches all
over the world.”
(Letter to:
Kirtanananda -- San Francisco 11 February, 1967)
Instead of disempowering
them by discouraging their independent endeavors by citing the above arguments,
you as a leader and their siksha guru ought to
be encouraging and
supporting them as Srila Prabhupada encourages it.
5th Issue- You have turned your
direction of the center, agreed with me for all these years, to train devotees
for a few years as preachers so that then they can be independent spiritually
and also materially and then start their own centers, possibly in different
villages or if better qualified then going out of the country to preach, to a
large centralized project where devotees are being taught to become dependent
on you materially and spiritually(to Mmp) being advised not to go out boldly on
their own.
Result being that more independent minded devotees who can be leaders in
Srila Prabhupada’s mission, but not remain followers for long in a center,
would start feeling suffocated, as has
happened in ISKCON for all these years, and then either fight with you, leave
the mission in frustration or after having a falling out with you, open another
center in animosity with you. A devotee called me after leaving your center
recently and he said he felt like committing
suicide!
When I asked him to talk to you clearly to
sort out things, you it seems then told him to come and beg forgiveness from
all devotees for having a big ego and to serve others humbly! This has become your attitude towards
independent minded devotees! Is this how Srila Prabhupada would want us to
encourage training of future leaders?
Instead of encouraging them and empowering
them to do independent preaching for Srila Prabhupada’s mission, as Srila
Prabhupada himself did and he encouraged leaders to do to train leaders, you it
seems are following the footsteps of Blr leaders of 15 years back when the
person would be made to believe the only place to practice KC is in Blr temple,
under the direction, guidance and association of Mpp/Cpp, that anywhere else to
practice would not work even outside the temple or as a grahastha, and if you have
any objections or difficulties then it is your problem, and not of the
authorities! That unless one follows the direction of the authorities, even if
one has another viewpoint and enthusiasm to execute, one should follow them otherwise
one is branded a egoistic proud person! Mostly
for the purpose of achieving “organizational goals”!
Of course for people like these, their mind
will start going crazy trying to suppress their natural thoughts and their
abilities! Result being that some may think of committing “suicide” or leave!
Then gradually you end up with an army of followers!
I have seen similar mind problems and
problems in spiritual life (that I saw in that devotee ) in other devotees who finally
left Blr temple like Dayalu Nitai Prabhu, Vedavitt Prabhu, Nimai Pandit Das, and
Srivas Prabhu. Many more. Now he is being vilified for “leaving his service in
the middle”! Did anyone show gratitude
for his having served very hard for so many years! Or express regret for not
being able to guide and engage him adequately. Or express regret for pushing him
into becoming crazy like and then leaving to save his sanity?? Instead of trying
to rectify one’s mode of working or instructions to him and others, he is being
painted as fallen and irresponsible!
Have you forgotten the way
Mpp looked at you, or not look at you and turned his face away from you and
continue working on his laptop in anger, when you came to say goodbye in 1998,
against his wishes, after serving him for so many years as you just could not
go on in that situation! The dayalu nature feeling
for the pains, frustrations and desires of devotees serving under you, who do
not exactly follow what you want, is becoming covered over, as far as I have
experienced hearing and experiencing from some of these devotees.
A very nice Morning Walk in Hawaii in 1976 is very pertinent to this
topic. I have attached it here.
Hopefully I and all of us
will get clarity on this topic in the Istagoshti. This is one of the most
important topic to discuss. All big projects and all big endeavors may amount
to nothing if this kind of behavior is being generated towards new devotees
especially leader material, for whose purpose we are trying to do all these
services.
I have a lot more to say on this subject, but desist from it for now as
I have hope that once the above topics are discussed, then the old thoughts
will come back to you.
You are by nature a very sensitive person, much more sensitive now after
so many diseases and problems. So I am surprised to hear all these dealings.
You have been able to give shelter to so many devotees and make so many
souls turn towards Krishna that it is amazing to behold. So you have been
blessed with that potency from Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya. What I am
sad to see in this regard is the environment being created for leader material
devotees.
“Our leaders shall be careful not to kill
the spirit of enthusiastic service, which is individual and spontaneous and
voluntary. They should try always to
generate some atmosphere of fresh challenge to the devotees, so that they will
agree enthusiastically to rise and meet it. That is the art of management:
to draw out spontaneous loving spirit of sacrificing some energy for Krishna.
But where are so many expert managers? All of us should become expert managers
and preachers. We should not be very much after comforts and become complacent
or self-contented. There must be always some tapasya, strictly observing the
regulative principles—Krishna Consciousness movement must be always a
challenge, a great achievement to be gained by voluntary desire to do it, and
that will keep it healthy. So you big
managers now try to train up more and more some competent preachers and
managers like yourselves. Forget this centralizing and bureaucracy.”
(Letter to:
Karandhara -- Bombay 22 December, 1972)
As you
well know, we need to prioritize our endeavor and environment at the centers
such that we are creating it beneficial to train Leaders and not focus on
training followers, following the below instructions of Srila Prabhupada.
“It is not that we
should compromise to attract the mass—we are after the class.”
(Letter to: Lalita
Kumar -- Delhi 15 November, 1971)
I like this idea
of distributing books and preaching, that is Lord Caitanya's plan, and because
you are doing it so nicely you are already making the greatest contribution, so
what need there is for some special
instruction from me? But if you want, I must give, because you are serving
Krishna so nicely, so in that case my
request to you is that you enter into the universities and colleges wherever
possible and preach there with a view to recruiting some first-class
devotees for helping me manage and push on this movement all over the
world. Overall there is shortage
of first-class, experienced men to manage things just to the highest standard,
as you are doing. Therefore I am calling upon you the big leaders to
push this idea forward, namely, to attract some educated men to join us. The idea is that they will only agree to
join us if we ourselves conduct ourselves intelligently by the preaching
approach.
(Letter to:
Sukadeva -- Ahmedabad 13 December, 1972)
So you know this
art, how to attract and engage men, so
aim yourself at the top-class of men and give them every opportunity and
facility to become convinced of our philosophy and engage themselves to
their satisfaction. That will be the best contribution. Now
spread this idea also to the other leaders. So now I do not think there
will be any difficulty for you to fill your Seattle centre with the best
devotees in our Movement, and then I shall be very glad to come there at next
opportunity to give them all my personal instruction. In this way, appeal yourself to the high class of men, not the mass.
Mass, too, we do not eliminate anyone, but if best men are there to run on
things, mass will follow later.
(Letter to:
Sukadeva -- Ahmedabad 13 December, 1972)
Slow but sure, that is our motto—and
class, not mass.
(Letter to: Lalita
Kumar, Jambavati -- Vrindaban 27 November, 1971)
6th Issue –
You have started thinking that Murali Mohan
Prabhu cured you of your problems. You do not seem to consider that all through
the years Krishna had actually sanctioned the suffering that was coming from
past sin/offenses-a token if it or created the severe mind trouble for you to
develop devotional qualities and dependence on Him and to clear your past
life’s offenses. This disease or any problem for that matter is sanctioned or
even created only by Krishna once we come and surrender to Him by taking
shelter of His representative.
“In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated: tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣyamaṇo. Whenever a devotee is in distress or has fallen
into difficulty, he thinks that it is the Lord's mercy upon him. He thinks:
"Thanks to my past misdeeds I should suffer far, far greater than I am
suffering now. So it is by the mercy of the Supreme Lord that I am not getting
all the punishment I am due. I am just getting a little, by the mercy of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead." Therefore he is always calm, quiet and
patient, despite many distressful conditions. “ Bg
12.13-14
When a devotee is put into hellish conditions, he
accepts them as Kṛṣṇa’s mercy: tat te ’nukampāṁ
susamīkṣamāṇaḥ (Bhāg. 10.14.8). He does not protest, “Oh, I am such a
great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Why have I been put into this misery?” Instead he thinks, “This is
Kṛṣṇa’s mercy.” Such an attitude is
possible for a devotee who engages in the service of Kṛṣṇa’s representative. This is the secret of success. SB 6.1.16
So that is very interesting verse that vipada, calamities, danger, that is very good if such
danger and calamities remind me of Kṛṣṇa. That is very good. Tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam [SB 10.14.8]. A devotee, how he receives dangerous
position? Danger must be there. Danger... Because this place, this material
world is full of dangers….. Therefore a devotee, either in opulence or in
danger, he is not disturbed. He knows
both these things are Kṛṣṇa. Either in dangerous position... "Now Kṛṣṇa has appeared before me
as danger."
(SB lecture 1.8.25 LA April 17, 1973)
All
these years Krishna was sending different people/devotees to help you along in
spiritual realization and confidence in Krishna and understanding of these
problems and to correct you of the errors in realization of Him. Otherwise do you think Krishna is impotent
or hard hearted that He could not/did not cure you of the problems earlier? You
are turning the whole philosophy on your head by proclaiming that because of
Mmp’s fantastic guidance your problem got fixed!
“But as far as Vedic śāstras are concerned, as we find in the pages of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the ultimate
sanction for all success rests in the hands of the Supreme Lord. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira admits this truth in his personal success, and it behooves one to
follow in the footsteps of a great king and devotee of the Lord to make life a
full success. If one could achieve success without the sanction of the Lord
then no medical practitioner would fail to cure a patient. Despite the most advanced treatment of a suffering patient by the most
up-to-date medical practitioner, there is death, and even in the most hopeless
case, without medical treatment, a patient is cured astonishingly. Therefore
the conclusion is that God's sanction is the immediate cause for all
happenings, good or bad. Any successful man should feel grateful to the
Lord for all he has achieved. SB
1.14.9
At
the time when Murali Mohan Prabhu came to the center you had already gone
through the requisite advancement that was needed from this misery.
Therefore Mahārāja Parīkṣit desired the calamity to fall on him alone. By suffering personally he would be restrained from future sins, and
at the same time the sin which he had committed would be counteracted so
that his descendants would not suffer. That is the way a responsible
devotee thinks. SB 1.19.2
And after so
much suffering and purification, were more ready to surrender fully to Krishna
internally.
“By surrendering unto the Lord, one is happy and
liberated, but by surrendering unto material nature the living entity suffers. So the end of all suffering means
surrendering unto the Lord because the surrendering process itself is bhava-cchidam
(liberation from all material miseries), svasty-ayanam (perception of
all happiness), and sumaṅgalam (the source of everything auspicious).”
SB 2.6.36
At
that time the advise of Mmp for tight schedule, regulated thoughts and action,
and jnana based control of senses was what you needed AT THAT TIME to take your
over the last hurdles in your consciousness. Do you seriously think that if it was
told to you to do even 2 years back, you would have picked it up and the
problems would have disappeared? For acting as Krishna’s instrument you ought
to be grateful to him, but by deifying him and his purity you are feeding him
poison.
Sense
control and mind control as per KC practice and as per Srila Rupa Goswami
happens primarily by engaging in hearing/chanting activities(as cited earlier
from BG 3.42). You yourself used to cite the Srila Prabhupada advise to a crazy
person in NY to “Just chant, I have no other advise”.
“Hearing
of the transcendental activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa is
therefore expert treatment for the mad mind, and eating the foodstuff offered to Kṛṣṇa is
the appropriate diet for the suffering patient. This treatment is the process
of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.” (BG
6.35)
The spiritual
master, by his words, can penetrate into the heart of the suffering person
and inject knowledge transcendental, which
alone can extinguish the fire of material existence. (SB 1.7.22)
The
sadhana practice and Varnasrama components give us the backing needed when not
performing hearing/chanting. But no
sense and mind control can happen without first hearing to clear the heart of
multitude of anarthas/desires as well as sinful results—this is the
prescribed method that you followed by focusing on hearing most day in day out at
least from 4 years back when we stayed with you. You have forgotten that, and
now think that this jnana based thoughts and external tight schedule and
service control has helped control your mind. Without Krishna purifying the
heart of so many desires, by extreme hardships last 15 years, by hearing about
Him, by consciously clearing your heart of so many anarthas, by preaching, by
serving Srila Prabhupada, by trying in so many ways to serve devotees, by
showing to Krishna that inpsite of the extreme sufferings you still want to
know about Him, want the Absolute Truth, want to love and serve Srila
Prabhupada…. you could not have been allowed to control your mind by these external
methods and using knowledge.
Without
understanding this philosophy, you have deified the advise of Mmp and thereby
giving him undue credit and thereby you have become submissive to him for all
other advises even which are not under his purview yet-preaching services and
mission of Lord Caitanya.
You
ought to be grateful to him and to all others who have helped you throughout
such a big trial in your life, but in
this below manner:
His Divine Grace
Bhaktiprajñāna Keśava Mahārāja's
Disappearance Day Lecture,
(Śrīla Prabhupāda's Sannyāsa Guru)
—
Seattle, October 21, 1968
Prabhupāda: One has to accept
the renounced order from another person who is in renounced order. So I never
thought that I shall accept this renounced order of life. In my family life,
when I was in the midst of my wife and children, sometimes I was dreaming my
spiritual master, that he's calling me, and I was following him. When my dream
was over, I was thinking. I was little horrified. "Oh, Guru Mahārāja wants me to
become sannyāsī. How can I accept sannyāsa?" At that
time, I was feeling not very satisfaction that I have to give up my family and
have to become a mendicant. At that time, it was a horrible feeling. Sometimes
I was thinking, "No, I cannot take sannyāsa." But again I saw the same dream.
So in this way I was fortunate. My Guru Mahārāja (Prabhupāda begins to cry, choked voice) pulled me out from this material life. I have not lost anything. He was so kind upon me. I have gained. I
left three children, I have got now three hundred children. So I am not loser.
This is material conception. We think that we shall be loser by accepting Kṛṣṇa. Nobody is loser.
I say from my practical experience. I
was thinking that "How can I accept this renounced order of life? I cannot
accept so much trouble." So... But I retired from my family life. I was
sitting alone in Vṛndāvana, writing books. So this, my Godbrother, he insisted me,
"Bhaktivedanta prabhu..." This title was
given in my family life. It was offered to me by the Vaiṣṇava society. So he insisted me. Not he insisted me.
Practically my spiritual master insisted me through him, that "You
accept." Because without accepting the renounced order of life,
nobody can become a preacher. So he wanted me to become a preacher. So he forced me through this Godbrother,
"You accept." So unwillingly I accepted. And then I
remembered that he wanted me to go to the Western country. So I am feeling now very much obliged to my, this Godbrother, that
he carried out the wish of my spiritual master and enforced me to accept this sannyāsa order.
“So I
am feeling now very much obliged to my, this Godbrother, that he carried out
the wish of my spiritual master and enforced me to accept this sannyāsa order.”
So this ought to be your attitude of
gratefulness to a godbrothers like Mmp. Seeing the desire and action of your
spiritual master behind any help, knowing that “when the time was right, and my
heart was sufficiently purified, my spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, removed
my suffering which he had sanctioned in the first place. For that purpose he
sent one of his disciples to help me.”
As per me, other then this thinking is sentimental,
ungrateful to Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krishna and poisonous to other helper
Godbrothers. It is not the Absolute truth. With this sentimental
misunderstanding of the help given by Mmp combined with your misjudgment of his
position in devotional service and his contaminated viewpoints, your have
become submissive to him thereby the direction of the center is going in some wrong
directions. Also as you are telling the whole world how “great Mmp is”, “how a
pure brahmana he is”, “how everyone ought to take his advise” etc. so as the evidence
points to it that he could be becoming proud by which his devotional service is
becoming slackened.
Other personal issues:
These are not urgent but for you to
contemplate on as these I have received feedback on.
7th Issue -
You sometimes tend to become aggressive and angry when someone questions
you or you are trying to convince someone and they are not agreeing to your way
of seeing or doing things. I observed this myself in March when you became
extremely aggressive, the first time I have seen you likewise. So generally
devotees feel afraid or disinclined to bring up contentious topics to you and
just officially agree to what you are saying or keep quiet.
8th Issue –
Things told to you in confidence are being shared with others at the
center, thereby devotees are feeling that we cannot reveal our hearts in
confidence. Also because of that the attitude of other devotees changes towards
the one who revealed his problem in confidence. I do not know how pervasive
this is but a few devotees tell me this.
9th Issue:- You regularly use your daily SB class to bang devotees. Pulpit bashing.
SB classes are not meant for that purpose. It creates fear. SB class ought to
be a discussion of what is stated by Srila Prabhupada in SB from various
viewpoints. It is hard to resist but only in a tasteful, learning manner one
can comment on the mistakes, not to bash people into submission by speaking it
publicly from the SB class giving seat where they cannot defend from an equal
level.
I know that I may have made
many mistakes in the above assessment, as I have not been in personal touch
with you last few months. Hence would like to correct them in the Istagoshti.
My advise for this situation Prabhu is:
1. Stop glorifying Mmp so much as a karta. He is a nice devotee but not a
brahmana till now.
2. Please request him to go out for daily book distribution for some hours
with other brahmacaris, and learn from them how they are doing books and fund
raising and when he becomes proficient in it himself, then he teaches them
first SANKIRTAN YAJNA.
3. Stop his karma kandiya pujas. He needs to wear saffron as all
brahamcaris and stay with other brahmcaris, not in a separate room.
4. Consult with other senior devotees about him. You are free to share this
email with any senior devotee and these proposed solutions.
5. After 1-2 years of Sankirtan in Jaipur and then traveling in India
preaching, please send him to West or other countries on and off (for a few
months/year each time) keeping his base as Jaipur. So that he can come back to
his base and recover if any problems and he has security. This is as per LC and
Srila Prabhupada’s instructions for Indians.
If you think he is exalted and advanced then
he should more so take the advise of Lord Caitanya (Janma Sarthak Kari) and go
to the West and preach! You cannot have it both ways. You preach that he is
advanced, but then he does not go to the West as per LC’s advise to go preach
out of India for “janma sarthak kari” devotees! What is the logic of it?
How can he be a teacher in Gurukul trying to
train young children to go the West to preach, when he himself has never been
there! How can he guide them? What to speak of him, none of the teachers in
your gurukul have been out of India, or preached out of even Rajasthan, except
you have been to US once for 3 months, working a job, 20 years back. At least
that is better then nothing. But is that sufficient understanding, experience,
knowledge, for designing courses for children so that they can be trained to
preach in the West!!? Survive in the West?
Point is to send mmp and other potential devotees to the West and not a
criticism or discouragement for designing courses.
6. After a few years doing that and getting exposure, association of many
senior devotees, different situations, different kinds of preaching projects,
meeting different varieties of devotees, tackling various philosophies, raising
his own funds for traveling, trying to train western devotees as per Srila
Prabhupada’s desire let him then come back and be in the position that you are
prematurely situating him in.
If you do not agree to my proposal of a
istagoshti meeting as given by Srila Prabhupada to resolve
differences/philosophy deviations, I would like to inquire if you have a GBC
whether informally or formally, whom you will ask in this matter? And whom I
can contact. Do you have a group of senior devotees in your association whom
you are still listening to, whom I can approach? To whom, when devotees at your
center have difficulty with you, can contact? Whom does Murali Mohan Prabhu
take personal guidance from?
Dayalu Nitai Prabhu, I feel that by
organizing an open Istagoshti, you would let Srila Prabhupada work through his
instruction through all the devotees. I fear that if you do not take any action
now, that your center is in the danger of gradually becoming like other ISKCON /
Gaudiya Math centers under the “merciful guidance” of the particular Guru of
that region- in your case Mmp! It may not remain for long a Prabhupadanuga
center. You may have to start justifying Mmp’s lack of qualification and
actions even when they are going opposite to Srila Prabhupada’s directions as
you have set yourself up where your own credibility is linked to his continued “advanced
“stature. So how will you be able to correct him, what to speak of publicly? How
will you be able to justify his failings other then to preach to devotees to
ignore and justify his failings like his sleeping in classes, his sleeping in
chanting, his sleeping while driving, etc.
Prabhupadanuga Brahmanas and devotees will
not like to come/remain to Mmp’s guidance and forced “advanced status”, inexperienced
direction and divisive advises at his current stage. You may then end up with a
“successful” project with lot of simple devotees, followers as has happened all
over ISKCON but the leader kind devotees, intelligent devotees would stay away
or will be/are being pushed away. And I can then only guess at your
consciousness, and your sincere endeavor of last more than 20+ years.
Of course most Prabhupadanuga parents will
not send their children to your gurukul hearing of these fanatic cult-like
brahmacari talks. Most have seen enough in the West this kind of talk in
ISKCON, especially earlier years, and have seen first hand the massive effect
of it, so I will be quite surprised if you get many children coming from
Prabhupadanugas from out of India.
As I said to you earlier, if you do not wish
to hold an Istagoshti, I do encourage you to forward this email to any senior
devotees whom you have still left in your association, whom you have not
offended, burnt off, or branded them in Maya. Maybe you would listen to advises
from them.
Please forgive my mistakes and offenses in
writing the above. I hope you will take it as another attempt of this foolish
disciple of Srila Prabhupada to please him and to serve his devotees, however
faultily done.
I am sending you other emails addressing your
issues with me, a letter to Murali Mohan Prabhu and also my thoughts on how we
can cooperate in preaching in Rajasthan.
Your servant and friend,
Nimai Pandit Das
For Part 3: CLICK HERE
For Part 4: CLICK HERE
For Part 1: CLICK HERE
For Part 5: CLICK HERE
For Part 6: CLICK HERE
For Part 7: CLICK HERE
For Part 3: CLICK HERE
For Part 4: CLICK HERE
For Part 1: CLICK HERE
For Part 5: CLICK HERE
For Part 6: CLICK HERE
For Part 7: CLICK HERE