httpv://youtu.be/WdvO0jcuQ_M
video: Memories of Srila Prabhupada by GOVINDA DASI
BY: GOVINDA DASI
Aug 5, 2013 — HAWAII (FACEBOOK) — This is very sad, very unfortunate, as Mahanidhi Swami is indeed a great soul. Sometimes those who are very great, or in their last birth, are tested in various ways, and in this way, sometimes Krishna removes more quickly any remaining desires or impurities. But it is sad for those of us who are attached to the enlivening devotional association of such personalities. In any case, the most important this is to pray that Krishna will protect him, and that Srila Prabhupada will guide him safely along the way.
Also, it is very important that we not condemn or criticize, as if we are somehow better, or above any such falldowns. When one devotee left us in 1968, Srila Prabhupada commented that “It is not surprising that he has left, rather it is more surprising that one is able to remain in Krishna consciousness. After all, this is Krishna’s Maya, and His Maya is Divine.” So it is only by His Mercy, and the mercy of the Spiritual Master that anyone is able to travel this path–it is a razor’s edge.
The slightest offense, or anartha, can cause one to tumble down from even the highest place. But all is not lost; Srila Prabhupada always taught us to get up, brush ourselves off, and try to go forward. He did not condemn, criticize or humiliate even a sanyasi who fell down; rather, he tried to inspire and encourage. We should all follow that example–especially in this case, in the case of such a devotee as Mahanidhi Swami, who has rendered so much service in his lifetime.
So many years ago, around 1976, there was a very famous sanyasi who had opened up a whole continent (name withheld). He was much loved by Srila Prabhupada, and he fell from his sanyas with a young woman. Since I was good friends with him, I know very much how difficult it was for him, as he also loved Srila Prabhupada very very much.
Around that time, I was preparing to go to India to meet Srila Prabhupada in Vrindaban, and this former sanyasi helped me with travel guidance etc. A couple of months later, when I was in Bombay with Srila Prabhupada, and I told him I had been in touch with this sanyasi just before leaving America, he immediately asked me for his address and phone contact information. Srila Prabhupada was genuinely concerned for his welfare, almost anxious. He immediately wrote a letter to this sanyasi, saying you simply marry and live peacefully and execute Krishna consciousness. He sent the letter that day. Then, I learned the next morning that Srila Prabhupada had also sent a telegram that night as well. He was so much eager to get in touch with that young man, and so concerned for him.
However, some of my other godbrothers criticized and humiliated that former sanyasi, making it very difficult for him to come back to the movement. Srila Prabhupada was quite angry at them for this, and exclaimed, “Now, you have made it impossible for him to come back! This is not good, this is not the proper way.” From this experience I learned just how loving and forgiving is our Grand Acharya Srila Prabhupada. He doesnt see these falldowns as the end of the road; only ditches along the way.
He encouraged us to climb out of our ditches, whatever kind they were, and never to give up devotional service. Our service may change, it may be up and down, but the most important thing is to “always remember Krishna and never to forget Krishna” at any time. These lives are tiny and short; these falldowns are also very temporary. For one who has sincerely begun this path of Krishna bhakti, there may be some temporary fall downs along the way, but Krishna never lets the soul go away–it only seems that way, for a few moments.
Every one of Mahanidhi Swami’s disciples must be very upset, and heart broken, that is natural. This is the underlying problem of the Iskcon guru system, as it has happened so many times in past, and probably will happen so many times in future.
We must place our hearts at Srila Prabhupada’s lotus feet, for he is truly from the Spiritual World, and will not disappoint us. That does not mean that we dont accept gurus, guides, and teachers; we do. We need teachers, guides and gurus–but we have to always bear in mind that not all gurus are equal. Some are greater, some are lesser, and if they are still conditioned souls, even very great devotees, but still conditioned souls, there is always the chance of temporary falldown.
This is the missing element in our teachings and this should be stressed, otherwise this sort of heartbreak is inevitable. This is not adequately expressed in our present day Iskcon structure, but hopefully in future it will be. It can save so much anguish if this is just presented honestly with all humility.
Srila Prabhupada is eternally liberated, nitya siddha. He is our example of perfection, it is to him that we give our hearts, safely. Not to anyone else, no matter how great, how famous, how important, or how politically successful they are. It is not that others are bad; they have much to give us in the matter of teaching and training.
But we must always remember that Srila Prabhupada is the Grand Acharya and this planet is in his jurisdiction. He has been sent by Krishna to spread the teachings of Lord Chaitanya in this Kali Age, to write some books, and to give souls an opportunity to receive Krishna bhakti. All others are subordinate to him, and are working under his guidance to spread his mission. And they are indeed glorious. There is no question of that. But again, there is always that remote chance of falldown due to some past life mistake, or some offense. It does not mean that they are evil or completely useless. It only means they have some more purification to undergo. The fault does not lie with them; it lies with the misunderstanding of their position–by themselves, and in their presentation to their disciples.
The disciple will feel robbed of his faith only if he has placed his full faith in the conditioned soul–no matter how great that soul may be. The disciple will never feel robbed of his faith if he places his heart safely at the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada. That is the safest path to Krishna’s lotus feet.
In this article Prabhupada is said to be the “Grand” spiritual master. This generally implies that Prabhupada is not the current initating spiritual master for ISKCON. Govinda mataji states that the underlying problem in ISKCON is that there is not enough understanding given to there being different levels of gurus, and some who are conditioned souls may still fall down. I would have to say that the missing point here is that conditioned souls should never be promoted to the position of initiating disciples. Prabhupada has taught us that yes, there may be many gurus, but the initiating guru is the “real guru” . He is the one who takes the karma of the disciples, and whom the disciple formally accepts as good as God, and worships as good as God. To vote men into such a position and have them be worshiped as good as God, this is the real problem. Falldown must be inevitable if someone takes on such a position prematurely.
It is most amazing that such a system is unanimously accepted in ISKCON. It doesn’t matter how many falldowns there are, the system continues to be accepted by majority. Let us simply accept that Prabhupada is the initiator, only give formal worship to Srila Prabhupada, and let other advanced devotees be respected as preachers and sisksa gurus. Any devotee may certainly accept anyone they feel inspired by to be their siksa guru, there just will not be any formal ceremonial acceptance or worship. A devotee may honor that siksa guru and worship them in their heart out of great respect by the inspiration received by that siksa guru. But if such a siksa guru later falls, there is no cause for despair.
Yes, no one should be criticized for a falldown, especially those who have dedicated themselves. However, this is not really the issue. It is the fact that persons artificially take a position to be worshiped and mislead people into a false situation – this is what must be criticized. Prabhupada very much was outspoken about cheaters. It is only rightful if there is a cheater misleading people into accepting himself to be worshiped as good as God, while inside he is still impure, with false ego and material desires, and at the same time accepting praise, worship, honor, position and followers. – well that should be exposed and criticized. Anyhow, all of these things have been said over and over and over and over again and again. But still only very few seem to see it this way. So what can be done ? People will accept someone who is not what they thought they were, and will inevitably be disappointed when that person is exposed.
Hari bol,pamho,agt Srila Prabhupada.
I have recieved a few e-mails from a friend and godbrother who lives in India. He has told me that another voted in, bogus Iskcon guru has fallen down. No suprise there huh? I’ll keep this short, i just want to get the word out there for the devotees to see, as i’m sure the gbc is in either cover up or major damage control at this moment. I was asked to do a little editing so i’ll just give highlights from the letters.
“Hare Krsna ********** prabhu,
PAMHO.. AGTSP..
It is with great sadness that I report that it is 100% confirmed that HH Mahaniddhi Swami has fallen down and has been doing so for quite some time. As it turns out she is an older married lady ……. Her name may be ******** but more data is coming in.
It seems he had about 60 disciples whom he confided in which the majority have rejected him. What is exceptionally heart rendering is that 12 basic families from around the world sold their houses, land or other assets to build homes near MnS near Radha Kunda and now have been cut adrift. They are heart broken, confused and have thrown away his CD;s and burned his books.
He did take Babaji initiation from one, RamKrsnadas babaji and had his picture on his alter next to Srila Prabhupada.
A GBC named Tomohara praabhu, from Alachua visited him in the last few days but wouldn’t be surprised if damage control has taken president over honest and transparent information.
One disciple’s name is ********* who has come forward but should have much more information in a couple of days.
Apparently he’s stopped initiating but a group of ladies are still approaching him in hopes of becoming part of his lila or pastimes.
Not sure how many more of these the ISKCON world is going to have before they seriously realize voting in Gurus isn’t the way to go……”
End
I asked if i could send this around to others devotees and some websites to which he replied……
“Hare Krsna ****** prabhu,
PAMHO. AGTSP.
Amazing as it may seem last Saturday was x holiness MN prabhu’s birthday and some of his fanatical “disciples” had a helicopter fly over Radha Kunda dropping flowers. And Kirtananda loyalists are working on his samadhi. This is the beginning of Kali Yuga so let’s get the hell out.
You can send it out to whomever you want …….
I should have some more info if the Swami living at RK sends me.
Hope all is well.”
End
It is very hard to believe that so many are still buying into the vapu-vadi philosophy that iskcon puts out, especially after sooooo many of iskcons voted in guru have grossly fallen down. Isn’t this guru fall down the third in twelve months?
So anyway do what you want with this, i’m just acting as the messenger and trying to prevent a cover up.
Hari bol,pamho,agt Srila Prabhupada.
I just got this update on Mnswami(x).
Hare Krsna Prabhus,
Please accept my humble obeisance’s. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I’m hesitant to share this information because devotees should be shown compassion when they are having difficulties but if the devotee offends Srila Prabhupada, is dishonest and willingly wants to cheat and exploit people destroying their spiritual lives then I’m feeling the truth must be told.
Mahanidhi prabhu has rejected Srila Prabhupada, Iskcon and resigned from preaching the Sankirtan mission His Divine Grace taught us. It seems he was one of the original Gopi Bhav club members along with TKG, Giriraja Swami, Dhanodhara Swami, BB Govinda Maharaja, Radhanatha Swami, Locanatha Maharaja, Sacitananda Swami, Bourijan prabhu and a few others. MNd has decided to become more in touch with the babajis at Radha Kunda and plans to give Sidha Pranali initiation to a group of women he’s been intimate with and have been following him for a while.
This is an accurate account from people very close to him, and know these explanations are true, and are first hand explanations and experiences from devotees who lived at Radha Kunda. With lacs coming from his books sales and admirers donating throwing money at his “lotus” padas he won’t be going hungry anytime soon.
Srila Prabhupada told us in 1971 when we went to Vrndavana, that we cannot live in Radha kunda (we can only visit there temporarily). He said if we try to live there and do “nirjana bhajana” we will simply think of sex life, and we will not be in Radha Kunda — but Narakah kunda (hell). A fact recently proven.
He also firmly ordered us, that we must never associate with these Radha Kunda babajis, who live there. He said these babajis are very contaminated people with many wrong ideas. It seems Mahanidhi swami ignored these instructions?
Worse, some of these babajis tried to “re-initiate” (hi-jack) Srila Prabhupada’s disciples — even way back then! The babajis said we need to accept them — to get the real rasika teachings. It is amazing that all these direct orders are being ignored. And the unfortunate result of ignoring these direct orders is: that some of the people who went to Radha Kunda to live there — ended up — thinking of women and sex life, just as he warned us — would happen! Srila Prabhupada said we need to be preachers and not artificial “nirjana bhajana in Radha Kunda babajis.”
Until 2002 Aindra prabhu was best friends with Mahanidhi, and Aindra used to come and meet Mahanidhi every day at Radha kunda. But when Aindra came to know about Mahanidhi’s so many re-initiations he questioned Mahanidhi Maharaj and they had a big argument and fight about this issue. Maharaja was an eye witness to that fight. Aindra prabhu told Mahanidhi that from now onwards he will have nothing to do with him until he repents and apologizes to Srila Prabhupada.
Maharaja, who wishes to remain anonymous, was the one who built Mahanidhi swami’s ashram in Radha kunda in 2001. He was going to take initiation from him, and was his right hand secretary and assistant, but in 2003 he came to know about his affair with a woman (who was about 26 years old at the time) and so he rejected him. He then told some of the other ISKCON GBC leaders at that time about Mahanidhi’s female association scandal problem, and that the woman had got a divorce to be with Mahanidhi, but they didn’t listen. Damodar was his best friend and first disciple of Mahanidhi swami at the time.
Maharaja knew about his connection to women all along, and much, more about Mahanidhi swami’s problems, for example that he has taken 5 re-initiations and all the GBC in ISKCON knew about this problem, but no one wants to question him — as he has been built up in the first place by these iskcon leaders as ISKCON’s (rasika guru) ANSWER TO NARAYAN MAHARAJ.
Worse, in 2003 the Swami saw him make the grossest of offences when he kicked the SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM ON HIS VERANDA. And he also said the Bhagavad Gita of Srila Prabhupada contains no nectar, its dry.
MAHANIDHI also gave him so-called SIDDHA PRANALI initiation AND he told him to do SMARANAM and YOGA PITHA UPASANA. Mahanidhi’s first re-initiation was from Narayan maharaj, then Puri maharaj, then Krsna dasa babaji of Goverdhan, then Ananta dasa pandit of Radha kunda and finally from this Rama krsnadasa babaji.
Mahanidhi told maharaja and many others in 2003, that Srila Prabhupada is not a pure devotee and he has made many mistakes, so these were all the various reasons for Mahanidhi’s rejecting Srila Prabhupada as his guru. Mahanidhi also used to allow meat eaters to hear his rasa lila pastimes talks and also to read books like Govinda lila-amrita and Krsna bhava-amrita — asta kaliya lila. Only those who had enough money could become his disciples, the rest he rejected, or he just kept them waiting for his so called causeless mercy — which he never gave to them, lucky for them.
Radhanath swami called his book “The Art of Chanting,” the “Bible” of ISKCON, and Sacidananda swami called this book a master piece. But maharaja knew his book was simply a word for word translation of Ananta dasa pandit’s book, which is written in Bengali. Nearly all his books and lectures are a copy and paste of Ananta dasa pandit’s books and lectures. Ramesh baba — the guru in Barsana. He is a sahajiya. And that is why Sacinandan swami and Radhanatha dance like these sahajiyas, they follow these people. This Ramesh baba is the siksha guru of Mahanidhi and “diksha guru” of Sacidananda swami, Radhantha and Lokanath swami and also Radha Govinda maharaja.
They all took re-initiation from Ramesh baba but very secretvly.
Until 2003, maharaja was a part of this inner circle, the nexus, from the outside it looks that they all are in gopi bhava, but once you get in the inner circle you realize it is a horror show. Watch Radhanth, Lokanath, Sacidananda, Mahanidhi closely when they dance or do kirtan, and you will see that how closely they resemble these babajis. Very few know that just before Srila Prabhupada made these negative statements about people taking sannyasa, Mahanidhi swami had approached Srila Prabhupada for sannyasa.
And Srila Prabhupada rejected him saying you are not qualified for sannyasa —: SRILA PRABHUPADA : “And this kind of hypocrisy—they have taken sannyasa and mixing with woman. This is not to be allowed. If you want woman you get yourself married, live respectfully. We have no objection. But this hypocrisy should be stopped. There have been so many fallen down. First of all there will be no sannyasi anymore. I have got very bad experience. And at least, we are not going to create new sannyasis. And those who have fallen down let them marry, live like respectable gentlemen. I have no objection. […]
“Get one wife and live like a gentleman. Similarly, woman. Live with one husband fastidiously, with children. What is the wrong there? We have so many grhastha devotees. […]
” But what is this nonsense that you take sannyasa and make relation with…? This should be completely stopped.”
(Srila Prabhupada Conversation, 7/1/77).
Then Mahanidhi took sannyasa from Satsvarupa Maharaj and Mahanidhi is the real one responsible for the bogus Lila-amrita, he did all the interviews and compiling for Satsvarupa. This fall down will really shake the other GBC’s / gurus, since Mahanidhi swami is the siksha guru to many , like Radhanath & Sachinanda swamis, Banu swami, Lokanath, BB Govinda swami, Gopal krsna maharaja etc etc. Soon we will see the GBC / gurus try to cover it all up, as they have since 2003 already.
On his Vyasa puja this year, Mahanidhi’s disciples hired a helicopter and threw flower petals on Radha Kunda. Three days later — he was gone. Maharaja was told that his disciples pleaded with him not to leave Radha Kunda and sort his problems out. They asked him to leave the association of the old lady (75 years old?). Mnd told them to leave if they wanted but he would not give up her association.
Maharaja spoke with Damodara dasa (Mahanidhi swami’s first disciple) and he confirmed the news of maharaja’s affair with a 30 yrs old R*** r****** dasi . Maharaja was caught with her red handed 2 months back. Radhanath swami and Gopla Krsna Maharaja are arranging a meeting to somehow cover it all up. They will soon be going to meet with mahanidhi and help him “rectify.” THIS MATAJI WAS MARRIED TO A GUY AND MAHARAJA GOT HER DIVORCED FROM HIM IN 2006. This is the same mataji whom in 2003 I saw with Maharaja in his closed room in a much compromised position.” *
Honesty and transparency must come from the top to the bottom otherwise a rotten mentality of one will eventually spoil the whole barrel…..
Madhavananda prabhu is right here, sorry Mataji is 100% wrong, it is true we should not criticize a mere devotee, however here Maharaj was simply on gung ho cheating others by giving them hope that he is a pure devotee and lured them, giving them initiation.
Yes no question he has done great service however a great offense is to lure innocent soul into surrendering unto him— mere sentimentalism is wrong. She says, yes, there has to be gurus and yes there will be many falldown. Fanatics.
Yes, mataji here is saying that the problem in ISKCON is that devotees need to be better taught to accept that their guru is not perfect, and not a pure devotee like Srila Prabhupada. Actually, this way of thinking, what she is proposing is actually part of the problem not the solution. Mataji is perpetuating the problem by saying that everyone should better learn to accept a conditioned souls as their initiating guru, and accept the process of voted in gurus. It all sounds flowery and as if it’s glorifying Prabhupada, but bottom line here is that she’s saying Prabhupada is the “grand spiritual master” – in other words he cannot be everyone’s initaiting spiritual master, so everyone – you have to settle for less. It’s a disappointment because I thought I had heard that Govinda mataji was pro ritvik, apparently not. So many Prabhupada disciples it seems are just against the idea that others can still become his direct disciples. There seems to be so much attachment to the honor and distinction of being one of the special chosen few – a Prabhupada disciple. It all seems very selfish – “I can have a mahabhagavata pure devotee as my initiating guru, but you cannot – you’ll have to just settle for less, sorry. ” If Srila Prabhupada is the one and only whom everyone accepts as a pure devotee, and we have plenty of evidence and reason to accept the ritvik system, then why not just share Prabhupada with everyone and encourage devotees to also become his disciple and be a family of Godbrothers and Godsisters. But no, Kali yuga is such that people don’t want that – they prefer their position, prestige, cliques, groups, followers, etc, etc. What can be done ? This is Kali yuga where fast food religion (cheap & immediately gratifying) is the most attractive.
Dear Prabhu’s and Mataji’s All Glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga, All Glories to Srila Prabhupada
Prabhu’s It’s Short and Simple, Back to Prabhupada. Stop the Bogus Guru Gravy train No More Bogus Guru Worship and Replace all of the Bogus Sannyasi’s with GOOD HONEST Siksa Guru’s to act as Srila Prabhupada’s representatives or RITVIK”S
The Rascals of the OLD Gard cannot help them Selves when They are confronted with the Truth of Srila Prabhupada’s FINAL ORDER. IT’S TIME They STEPPED DOWN and Returned all the Properties BACK to SRILA PRABHUPADA The REAL DIKSA GURU of ALL ISKCON. HARE KRISHNA
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