BY: GADADHARA DAS
Dec 22, 2011 — CALIFORNIA, USA (SUN) — Before I begin this article I would like to make one thing clear. I do not write articles with the intent to offend anyone. If I do offend anyone, whether they are sincere Vaishnavas, or even the lowest of mankind, or even “non-Vaishnavas”, I do apologize and offer my most humble obeisances and ask for forgiveness. I also ask them to not take offense, but rather see my purpose and join in the discussion with forthright action.
The articles that I write are meant as constructive critiques. They are meant to encourage EVERYONE to read authentic books (like the ones Srila Prabhupada approved of and authored, the pre-1977 books). I write articles with great determination to see that these books, and ONLY these books (not impostor books) once again are printed and distributed.
I also write to encourage the aspiring devotees in the Krishna Consciousness movement to adopt Srila Prabhupada’s legal documents; documents like “The Direction of Management”, wherein it is stated that the leaders and keepers of siddhanta are to be “elected”. [1]
I recognize that there are sincere devotees in the Krishna Consciousness movement that may be misguided by (as it is stated in the [1] Caitanya-caritamrta[1] Madhya 1.220) non-Vaishnavas dressed as devotees. [2]
I write so that these sincere devotees may have a chance get freed from the shackles of their slave keepers, the impostors, the non-elected, and get on the road to preaching Real Krishna Consciousness as directed by its “Transcendental Autocrat”, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Srila Prabhupada brought the Krishna Consciousness Movement to the West in a concentrated form. Those who took the concentration became “independently thoughtful” deputies. [2] They carried the concentration out to the nooks and crannies of the world. And all credit goes into their transcendental bank accounts. [3] But after some time, not reaching the desired Krishna Conscious level, not following the prescription that their Spiritual Master gave them, e.g. leaving their proper sadhana (regulatory principles) or leaving their proper siddhanta (irrefutable facts given by the Acharyas), their consciousness became polluted by the material atmosphere. “The person in material consciousness is convinced by false ego that he is the doer of everything.” (Srila Prabhupada purport to Bhagavad-gita As It Is, 1972 ed. 3.27). Just as it is very dangerous to play with powerful chemicals, it is also very dangerous to play with powerful siddhanta. Once having it and seeing what it can do, and then leaving it, can become catastrophic.
This brings us to a point that Rocana Prabhu has touched on a few times. Although I remember reading them, I cannot at the moment find those specific articles. It is the point that the elder Srila Prabhupada initiates who have fallen away from sannyasa or left their service (whatever it was in the beginning) do not have any remorse for their failings. They parade around the intimate PAST services they did for Srila Prabhupada and use this to dominate newcomers and replace proper siddhanta with their allegiance to their authorities, e.g. the GBC of West Bengal, or some other authority besides their Guru. In other words, they play the bureaucratic game in order to keep their status. And this goes for most of Srila Prabhupada’s initiates, not just the ones in so-called “Guru” positions, or even initiates necessarily in any particular position in the corporation. Rocana Prabhu writes in an article entitled, “Physician, Heal Thyself“:
“For example, he [Pusta Krishna Prabhu] lets us known that he supports Hari Vilasa, who we read about just yesterday in the Seattle Durga puja report. On one hand, Pusta Krishna says that the GBC should be putting a stop to worshipping demigods, but at the same time he’s supporting a GBC who personally engages in it. As a GBC, Hari Vilasa dasa has free reign to do anything he wants, and the other GBC’s will never step in to deal with him.”
Another example of this bureaucracy is Bhakti Vikasa Swami. He apparently was criticizing certain Godbrothers like Radhanatha Swami on account of their factual and obvious departure from siddhanta, but because a proper electoral system was not instated as Srila Prabhupada directed (many times), Bhakti Vikasa Swami had to withdraw this criticism, depart from siddhanta, and issue an apology. [5] Balakrsna das write an excellent article about this. Therefore Bhakti Vikasa is a “Transcendental Bureaucrat” and not a “Transcendental Autocrat”. No bona fide Guru in the disciplic succession has ever been a bureaucrat.
Patita Pavan Prabhu writes that I have committed Vaishnava aparadha because I have pointed out the bureaucratic system in which the so-called “ISKCON” society is currently running, but how does the society become corrected if no one stands up to say anything?
In the Real ISKCON, the one Srila Prabhupada created AS IT IS, there is a place to bring out misconceptions, concerns, and yes, even criticism. It is called istaghosti. Ideally it happens face-to-face, but since Srila Prabhupada’s temples do not run according to his desire (no Direction of Management and no Genuine Books) then the Internet is the virtual istaghosti. It’s not ideal, but it is there.
Is it not true that deleting and replacing the words in Srila Prabhupada’s books IS a vaishnava-aparadha? Is it not true that “refraining from speaking the truth” is a vaishnava-aparadha, because it violates siddhanata? [6] Is it not true that Srila Prabhupada said not to make his movement “a bureaucracy”, and therefore isn’t THAT vaishnava-aparadha? [3]
Bhagavad-gita As It Is 1972 ed. (19.42) :
samo damas tapahsaucam
ksantir arjavam eva ca
jsanamvijsanam astikyam
brahma-karma svabhava-jam
“Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, wisdom, knowledge, and religiousness – these are the qualities by which the brahmanas work.”
Bhakti Vikasa Swami:
“However, apart from the longstanding factors of bureaucracy etc., a more recent one has convinced me not to print with the BBT.” (“On Publishing Exclusively with BBT“)
Bhakti Vikasa seems to care more about his own books and how they are handled after his demise than he does about Srila Prabhupada’s books. Bhakti Vikasa Swami states:
“The GBC Resolution calling for footnoting Srila Prabhupada’s books was withdrawn, but there is no telling what will happen in future. I will continue to publish via a trust whose deed specifies that my books may not be altered after my passing. The BBT affords no such security.”
So here we find that Bhakti Vikasa Swami plays a huge role in what he calls in his article, “factors of bureaucracy”. In a bureaucracy, politics are dominant and he takes part in the politics, as many other Swamis do. They do not fully support the changes to Srila Prabhupada’s books, so they appeal to the non-elected (therefore illegitimate) GBC to “footnote” them, while at the same time they personally promote them and have their disciples distribute them as well. So the question is then: is it proper for a bona fide Guru to take part in politics and bureaucracy? Does not a bona fide Guru speak the truth in ALL circumstances just on the SOLE basis that he does not compromise his Guru’s instructions?
Srila Prabhupada’s books have been completely mutilated. Seventy-seven percent of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is is changed, against Srila Prabhupada’s orders. In the following conversation, Srila Prabhupada sites the rule of arsha-prayoga, that nothing can be changed after the disappearance of the author (especially the Acharya):
Radha-vallabha: “He wasn’t changing any of the words. He was just…
Prabhupada: Nothing of the… This of should be strictly forbidden.
Radha-vallabha: So no corrections. That makes it simple.
Prabhupada: They can divide the synonyms. That’s all.
Radha-vallabha: Synonyms. So even…
Prabhupada: That is his tendency, to correct. That’s very bad. He should not do that.
Radha-vallabha: So I’ll just forget this, then.
Prabhupada: The system is: whatever authority has done, even there is mistake, it should be accepted.
Radha-vallabha: Oh.
Prabhupada: Arsha-pray… That is ha… He should not become more learned than the authority. That is very bad habit.”
A Bona fide Guru Does Not Change the Instructions of Krishna:
“A guru must be a direct representative of Krishna who distributes the instructions of Krishna without any change. Thus only the most fortunate persons come in contact with the guru.”
(Srimad-Bhagavatam Purport 5.17.11)
We cannot change Krishna’s Words:
“So our this Krishna consciousness movement is very bona fide because we say the same thing as Krishna says. We don’t make any addition, alteration. Not like big scholars like, “It is not to Krishna…” Krishna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65], and the scholar interprets, “It is not to Krishna.” Just see (the) foolishness. Krishna directly says, “unto Me.” He says, “Not to Krishna.” Misleading. Such misleading guru will not help you. So therefore to find out a bona fide guru means that he does not change the words of Krishna. That is his position. He places everything as it is, and he has understood thoroughly the science.”
(Srila Prabhupada, London, September 3rd, 1973)
Guru Is as Good as Krishna, Therefore We Cannot Change His Words:
“So therefore guru is considered as good as Krishna. Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastraih. In all the sastras, the guru is respected as Krishna is respected. Saksad-dharitvena. Haritva. Hari means Lord. Samasta, in all the scriptures, guru is accepted as Krishna. But he never says that I, he is Krishna; neither he is Krishna. Then what is his position? Kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya: he is the most confidential servant of Krishna.”
(Srila Prabhupada, Los Angeles, December 20th 1973)
Srila Prabhupada’s Disciples Read Srila Prabhupada’s Approved Books (pre-1977):
“Just like these boys who are in Krishna, they are muktas, because they are not interested with any material activities. They are not interested to read in the morning any newspaper. No. They cannot waste their time in that way or take part in politics. No. They are simply interested in chanting Hare Krishna mantra and reading these books.”
(Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, New Delhi, November 8, 1973)
A Devotee Doesn’t Love Krishna for a Political Purpose:
“Therefore these are the tests to understand. A politician may pose himself that he is very advanced in spiritual life, but when we see that he is more interested in politics than in Krishna, then we can understand what is his position. These are the tests. Or politics or sociology or anything, a pure devotee is always interested how Krishna would be satisfied. Just like Arjuna. Of course, when one is interested in that way, all other things, subordinate things, they come within. Just like Arjuna was a great devotee of Krishna, but at the same time he was a politician also. So, but the first interest is to become Krishnaized, how to satisfy Krishna, not that “For political purpose I love Krishna.” No. You love Krishna, and your all problems, political, social and other things, will be solved. This is Krishna consciousness.”
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.20, Vrindavan, October 31, 1972)
It is evident that for the “Bona fide Guru”, there is no question of politics. Bhakti Vikasa Swami doesn’t approve of the changes to Srila Prabhupada books because he would not consider printing his own books with them because they “afford no security” of not changing his books, like they have done with Srila Prabhupada’s books. He cleverly plays the political game. So one might ask, does he distribute the original books Srila Prabhupada approved and printed? If not, why not? After all, he doesn’t want to print with the BBT(I) because they might edit his books like they did Srila Prabhupada’s books. Does he tell his disciples to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s approved unadulterated books? He does, however, mildly complain about the BBT(I) and the book changing routine, and then at the end of the article he writes, “As I see it, overall the BBT devotees are doing tremendous service, and this note should not be construed as an attack on them.” If that is not an example of bureaucracy, what is?
“The materialistic demeanor cannot possibly stretch to the transcendental autocrat who is ever inviting the fallen conditioned souls to associate with Him through devotion or eternal serving mood. The phenomenal attractions are often found to tempt sentient beings to enjoy the variegated position which is opposed to undifferenced monism. People are so much apt to indulge in transitory speculations even when they are to educate themselves on a situation beyond their empiric area or experiencing jurisdiction. The esoteric aspect often knocks them to trace out immanence in their outward inspection of transitory and transformable things. This impulse moves them to fix the position of the immanent to an indeterminate impersonal entity, no clue of which could be discerned by moving earth and heaven through their organic senses.”
(Forward to the Brahma-samhita by Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada)
So we can plainly see the difference between what it’s like to be a “transcendental bureaucrat” and a “transcendental autocrat” in today’s disenfranchised international Hare Krishna society.
Srila Prabhupada’s books, the ones that He actually approved of (pre-1977, and even in some cases only the first editions!), have potency to create full-time successful Sankirtana devotees. We can plainly see that Srila Prabhupada’s disciples’ books and the phony adulterated (post-1977) “so-called” Prabhupada books do not have the same potency. Therefore one can conclude that they are all useless.
“It is not possible for a common man to write books on bhakti, for his writings will not be effective. He may be a very great scholar and expert in presenting literature in flowery language, but this is not at all helpful in understanding transcendental literature. Even if transcendental literature is written in faulty language, it is acceptable if it is written by a devotee, whereas so-called transcendental literature written by a mundane scholar, even if it is a very highly polished literary presentation, cannot be accepted. The secret in a devotee’s writing is that when he writes about the pastimes of the Lord, the Lord helps him; he does not write himself. As stated in the Bhagavad-gita (10.10), dadami buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te. Since a devotee writes in service to the Lord, the Lord from within gives him so much intelligence that he sits down near the Lord and goes on writing books. Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami confirms that what Vrndavana dasa Thakura wrote was actually spoken by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and he simply repeated it. The same holds true for Sri Caitanya-caritamrta. Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami wrote Sri Caitanya-caritamrta in his old age, in an invalid condition, but it is such a sublime scripture that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja used to say, “The time will come when the people of the world will learn Bengali to read Sri Caitanya-caritamrta.” We are trying to present Sri Caitanya-caritamrta in English and do not know how successful it will be, but if one reads the original Caitanya-caritamrta in Bengali he will relish increasing ecstasy in devotional service.”
(Srila Prabhupada, Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila 8.39 Purport)
Srila Prabhupada did want his disciples to write (don’t get me wrong), a fool could find proof of that. But do this as Srila Prabhupada had it done before his samadhi. Most of the books his disciples wrote, including The Scientific Bases for Krishna Consciousness (1973 by unknown publisher, reprinted in 1980 by BBT) by Bhakti Swarup Damodara Maharaj, were not originally printed by the BBT until after Srila Prabhupada’s samadhi. Another book NOT published by the BBT but authored by a Srila Prabhupada disciple, and before Srila Prabhupada went into samadhi, is Satsvarupa’s, Readings in Vedic Literature: The tradition speaks for itself (1976 by Assoc. Publishing Group) and Srila Prabhupada did appreciate it. He wrote that it was “expert”. And Yogeshwar, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada wrote, Krishna, The Cow Heard Boy and Srila Prabhupada even approved of the printing by the BBT’s presses, although it is not really clear if that book was ever finished. We also don’t know if this book was going to be “published by the BBT”, or if they were going to just use the “presses”, as Srila Prabhupada stated.
Of course, there were song books and cook books like the one Kirtanananda did, and another by Krishna devi that were not authored by Srila Prabhupada, but printed by the BBT before his samadhi. But these are “recipe” type instruction booklets. They are meant to learn how cook or learn a song. That type of book, of course, it seems Srila Prabhupada allowed to be printed by the BBT. Even then, there is some controversy over the song book by Achyutananda Swami. Apparently he printed it first and then showed it to Srila Prabhupada. Achyutananda also added two verses to the Gaura Arti prayers that Srila Prabhupada did not originally teach. Even though those verses were written by Bhaktivinoda Thakur, for whatever reason, Srila Prabhupada left them out. Srila Prabhupada’s editing and teaching this song is perfect! Enough said!
But before even writing anything at all, first read and distribute the transcendental UNALLOYED books that the Acharya wrote. Then after the printing and distribution is going on in a grand way, write some books! And THOSE books will be effective. How can a disciple write anything effective if they take part in changing their Guru’s words? This is a great offense! One cannot make spiritual advancement if they are offending their Guru.
When rain falls through the atmosphere before it hits the ground, it is crystal clean and possesses unalloyed vital properties needed to nourish the body. Similarly, the Acharya’s words, when they are UNALLOYED, posses vital properties that are able to produce a change of heart in the willing participants. This change of heart is so powerful that it can produce a universal revolution in society. As George Harrison famously wrote in his glorification of the Krishna Book, “the proof of the pudding is in the eating”.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Numbers 2 and 3 of “The Direction of Management”:
2) “His Divine Grace will select the initial 12 members of the GBC. In the succeeding years the GBC will be elected by a vote of all Temple presidents who will vote for 8 from a ballot of all Temple presidents, which may also include any secretary who is in charge of a Temple. Those 8 with the greatest number of votes will be members for the next term of GBC. Srila Prabhupada will choose to retain four commissioners. In the event of Srila Prabhupada’s absence, the retiring members will decide which four will remain.
3) “The commissioners will serve for a period of 3 years, and they may be re-elected at the end of this period.”
[2] “Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, Kali-cela. He indicates that there are other Vaishnavas, pseudo-Vaishnavas, with tilaka on their nose and kunti beads around their neck. Such a pseudo-Vaishnava associates with money and women and is jealous of successful Vaishnavas. Although passing for a Vaishnava, his only business is earning money in the dress of a Vaishnava”. (Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya 1.218-220 Purport)
[3] “Krishna Consciousness Movement is for training men to be independently thoughtful and competent in all types of departments of knowledge and action, not for making bureaucracy. Once there is bureaucracy the whole thing will be spoiled. There must be always individual striving and work and responsibility, competitive spirit, not that one shall dominate and distribute benefits to the others and they do nothing but beg from you and you provide.” (Srila Prabhupada Letter to Karandhara, Bombay, December 22, 1972)
[4] Prabhupada: “If a man comes, follows the regulative principle even for some time and again he falls down, so so long he has followed, that asset is permanent. Anything, spiritual asset, that is never lost. So little, little, little, when it is complete, cent percent, then you become liberated. Spiritual asset is never lost. So even a person comes to the temple and follows the regulative principle for some time—again he falls down—he’s not loser; he’s gainer.” (Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 2.12, Mexico, February 12, 1975)
[5] Letter of Topmost Urgency (July 22nd, 1974): “There shall be a Governing Board Committee of trustees appointed by the Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad according to the document Direction of Management dated July 28, 1970.”
“According the “Direction of Management” the GBC cannot change the President but only by vote can it be done.” (Srila Prabhupada Letter to Mukunda, September 29, 1974)
Regarding replacing Abhirama and Damodara I refer to the “Direction of Management” as follows: “Removal of a Temple President by GBC requires support by the local Temple members.” Therefore you should take a vote of the Temple members and do the needful. (Srila Prabhupada Letter to Rupanuga, November 7, 1974)
“Anyway I have already written you that the local members must agree for him to be removed by you, according to the “Direction of Management”. ( Srila Prabhupada Letter to Rupanuga, November 8, 1974)
[6] “A wise person should not enter an assembly if he knows the participants there are committing acts of impropriety. And if, having entered such an assembly, he fails to speak the truth, speaks falsely or pleads ignorance, he will certainly incur sin.” (Srimad-bhagavatam 10.44.10)
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