Gurukrpa das speaks on ISKCON History
Interview with Gurukripa dasa on the History of Iskcon, by Bhakta dasa:
Dear Prabhus: Gurukrpa is here with me and on his behalf I am writing here.
Question to GK: What happened the final months of SP’s appearance in connection with the process of initiating new devotees?
Answer: Nothing happened. In the beginning SP did the disksa, the yajna and the name giving. As the numbers increased, he authorized GBC, and senior sanyassis to pick names and chant on the beads, etc. In 1977 during the months of May, June, July 1977 I was in Vrindaban with Srila Prabhupada, giving him his massage in his bed between 1 AM and mangala aratik. During the day, many letters would arrive. Satsvarupa Swami was the secretary and we decided that only letters that would give joy to Srila Prabhupada would be read. Like numbers of books sold, etc. A maximum of five letters daily were read to SP.
After some weeks like this, there were stacks and stacks of letters, all relating to initiation. Hundreds of people were panicking that SP would leave the planet before they were given initiation. At this time, this situation was brought before SP in his room by Satsvarupa, Tamal, myself, and maybe some others. Up until this time it was a very simple matter that we were doing the initiations, but we first had to ask permission. SP NEVER refused any recommendation from his senior men. And personally, I would sometimes argue with some GBC that they were giving it too easily.
At this meeting, SP basically said, “From here on, if you feel they are ready, then you may give the initiation on my behalf.” I understood this for what it was, simply extending the authority a little further than it had been. Tamal Krsna Swami, began to say, “But who will do it?. Which devotees will do this?” Srila Prabhupada said, “The nearest one will do it. Whoever is closest.” Tamal said, “Can Bhavananda do? Can Jayapataka do?” Thus these eleven names came out.
Question: Why were you not on the list of eleven?
Answer: Because it did not matter. Srila Prabhupada said whoever was closest. I was already doing and Srila Prabhupada never told me or anyone else not on the list to stop. For myself, it was not very relevant because I was working in Japan and did not have any new devotees to initiate.
Tamal Krsna Swami, made these list of names himself and SP signed the letter. But they were only priests to act on behalf of SP. Tamal asked about Bhavananda who was not a TP or a GBC at that time. And everyone new well of his homosexual tendencies. But, Tamal pushed his name, because he was already planning how to take over when Srila Prabhupada was gone. –
Question: How did Tamal Krsna Swami become so influential at this time?
Gurukrpa: Tamal’s original service was as GBC in India. He left that service without permission and arrived in America. Within one year the temple presidents made a huge complaint to SP that he was disrupting the temples by taking important men. I was in the room when SP told Tamal to go to China. Hari Sauri’s memory of this incident is not accurate. Either way that is another story.
Tamal went to New York to prepare to go to China. And in May 1976, he showed up in a suit in Honolulu, a broken man. He could not get a visa to China, he had no service to do in India, and he could not go back to America, so he was quite depressed. Approximately a day or two later, SP called for Tamal and me at about 12:30 AM. He said, “My feet are swelling, my teeth are getting loose, I am passing urine too frequently. These are the first signs that death is coming.” Then he sent us back to bed. The next day TKG volunteered to be SP’s secretary, as the service was vacant at that time. From this position he could control and manipulate the environment around Srila Prabhupada. I can write many more stories that will shock people about TKG’s ambitious nature and his desire to take SP’s seat..
After SP left, in November 1977, I stayed in Vrindaban till Gour Purnima 1978 and there was no discussion of guru during these three or four months, because SP’s last instruction, or as the ritvics call it, “The final order”, was that “Now we have build a framework. There is no need to try and expand more. If we can just maintain our men and increase the chanting and hearing that is sufficient. We should sit down now and chant and hear.”
There was NO TALK about initiations that I heard either in Vrindaban or in Mumbai during these months. If SP has appointed these eleven as spiritual masters, why did they not start initiating at once? Because they all knew very well they were never appointed! We knew the philosophy what is tattva darshi and what is Saksad Hari…but behind closed doors there was a plot simmering. In the GBC meeting of 1978 the initiation issue was brought up and it appeared they had already concluded that they were going to go ahead and say that they were appointed. I asked Harikesh sitting next to me, ‘how are you going to let people call you a paramahansa? You are not a realized soul, you are a piece of shit. He turned to me with a smrik on his face, and said “What are you going to do about it?” That is basically what happened, none of us could do anything after that.
In 1978, Janmastami, TKG came to Vrindavan to give Sannyasa diskha to Bhagavan. I was the GBC at the time in Vrindavan. TKG called from Delhi and demanded flower garlands and a large reception greeting at the temple with vyasasana’s for them to sit on. I told them this is Prabhupada’s temple and everybody can sit on the floor. When they came I gave them no such reception, and the next morning in Bhagavatwam, Bhagavan brought his politics into the class. I went and told him, if you ever do this again, bringing politics into Bhagavatwam class you will never speak again in any temple I manage. That day, Bhavananda, TKG,and Bhagavan asked me to meet them in the guest house for a meeting. When I came, they said, why are you making waves? Just stop making trouble about this appointment of gurus and we’ll make you the 12th guru at the next Mayapur meeting. I told them, Prabhupada did not make anyone guru’s, you have to be a realized soul. They said there was some talk about you in Japan doing some things, therefore Prabhupada did not name you. I told them you are now believing your own lies. They were silent. Bhavananda tried to speak. I told him to shut his mouth because he was a homosex and he had never done service and had been living off the money I collected and sent to Mayapur for construction.
Question: So how did everyone become guru’s, if Prabhupada did not make them gurus?
Gurukrpa: Had SP seen one of us as being capable, he would have named that person or persons, but he did not mention that anyone was fit. His Divine Grace B.V. Puri Maharaja, who SP said “is the only god Brother who is not envious of me”, ask SP “Please stay another 8 or 10 years with these boys.” SP’s answer was, “They are all hard headed, I have done all that I can do.”
Prabhupada said, “I can stay 100 years” many times, but he left after 81 plus a few months. In the GBC meeting of 1978, they shouted me down and they had already decided the fix was in. This was how the future of ISKCON was going to go.
Question: Is the GBC absolute since they are named as the ultimate managing authority?
Gurukrpa: Prabhupada said the GBC would be the ultimate managing authority. But that does not mean they are perfect, and they have perfect vision. The process of the GBC meetings during the years, we would have the meeting and report the days minutes of the meeting nightly to Prabhupada. Usually it would take 5 days. Prabhuapda said if you people were competent, you people would be done in 30 minutes. In 1977, Prabhupdad told us, just have your meetings and after 5 days give me all your resolutions. After 5 days of meetings, the GBC filed in his room, sat down and read the resolutions; and one after another. Srila Prabhupada said, ‘No I do not want that, no that is not what I wanted’. He vetoed almost all the resolutions. So to say the GBC is the ultimate authority is correct, but that does mean that it is absolute. As you can see by how many guru’s have fallen down, and how many GBC’s have had difficulties.
Guru means one who has no other interest but to realize the absolute truth, Krishna. The guru, must have first realized the Name is non-different than Krishna. When I first joined the movement, we spent 9 to 10 hours a day chanting in the street. These present GBC’s do not spend that in a year. Hari nama eva kevalam, in this age only the Holy Name, only the Holy Name. Your bureacuracy and your mangagement is not the process. The elitisim being shown by the GBCs putting themselves up on a platform, above all their god brothers is absolute arrogance and the greatest sin of pride, the opposite of the humble blade of grass. Krishna is the one giving all directions for those who can hear him.
Must of us are now hitting 60 or more, we’ve made successful businesses, won some, lost some, raised our families, and personally I have gone to 25 straight Kartiks’ in Vrindavan. We have been excluded from SP’s movement, it started in the GBC meeting of 1978. Still today, the people who have appointed themselves for life have had very little result. Rabindra Svarupa, the GBC of Hawaii, has come once in 6 years, and he will not give up the position. Kavicandra in Japan has done nothing there in 25 years. Even one of these GBC guru’s does not wear neck beads, tilak, sikah, or have any faith in the name is still a member in good standing. In the west, most of the temples have more deities than devotees. Most of the devotees are being paid, pujari’s being paid, cooks being paid temple presidents are being paid, and they have to bring Indian devotees just to keep the bare minimum going.
I have witnessed over all these years how the elitist mentality of the GBC’s and guru’s have excluded all their god brothers. They have put themselves on a high pedestal. They have no taste for staying in the holy dhama’s of Mayapur and Vrindavna, and they run back to their comfort zones soon as they finish the meetings. In 1977, during the rainy season, all the GBC’s showed up in Vrindavan.. SP said, we should go in a room and make out his will for him. I.e., who would manage what properties and so forth…Kirtananda and everyone was there, and they were going on saying someone will do this, and someone will do that…I noticed how they totally left me out. So I just went to the Yamuna and took my bath and came back to find them still dividing everything up. When they were finished, it was brought into SP room and read to him as he laid on his bed. After they finished reading the will, the first question SP asked was, ‘Where is Guru-krpa’s name’? I had already opened a dozen temples and collected the most money in ISKCON history, up to that point, and they totally left me out. But SP noticed it right away. So now, although I am the first executor in his will, and he told me to develop Hawaii and other places, (you made read the will), they also have totally neglected that order. Giriraj even came and asked me if I would resign from the will. I told him, ‘How can I give up the order of the guru’? It is not as easy for me as you people.
There is no new blood in this organization, things have become stagnated and dry, not dynamic and the offense of neglecting all their god-brothers by excluding them from their spiritual birthright, they will have to answer to SP for this apparadha.
Question: What is your idea of how the guru – disciple relationship should now be handled in ISKCON? Love can not be insituationalized. I feel in love with SP the second I saw him. That is why I could surrender to the depth that I did, to get the insurmountable service I did at that time. Once in Mayapur, Kirtananda came to me, and said “Why are you giving all that money to Prabhupada. You should give it to me, in America we are protected. The communist one day will come and take these buidlings away.. Prabhupada is making a big mistake.” I was shocked by what I just heard. At that time, Kirtananda was considered by Satsvarupa to be the greatest of the great, and the most divine of the divine. My answer was, I do not care what he does with the money. He can flush it down the toilet, for all I care, I just love to give it to him.
Its a matter of the heart. According to one’s state of the heart, if one has many material desires, he may say he loves Bhagavan Sai Baba, the Pope, Charles Manson. Its according to one’s sukriti. Krishna is sitting in one’s heart, He knows exactly what our intentions are. Before anyone has a right to ask a question, you must first enter the class. The price is surrender. Those who have not fully surrendered can not understand those who have surrenedered. Those who have surrendered can understand about everyone.
SP initiated thousands, he told me once in his room in Vrindavan, he said “My guru ordered me to go to the west, and I did that. My main service was to translate these books and I did that. I have a personal desire to build these temples in India. That is my personal program. But they (his disciples) will not give me money and my head is getting hot. I have to translate these books, write many letters, and I am thinking how to raise the money to build these temples because my disciples have their own programs and will not give me money.” So, seeing SP like this, I told him that from today forth, you just translate the books peacefully, and I will take the headache and go and get the money. When I walked out of the room, I could not believe what I just said. So to think all the GBC are 100% surrendered souls, and the gurus are 100% surrenderd souls with no self interest, and their only interest is to serve SP mission, they did not even care during his time(SP time). SP said he would be happy, if he could get one moon. To get one disciple who would be perfect, out of many thousands. How rare is a personality of SP character.
The GBC’s duty is to see that SP standard is being maintained. That standard is based on chanting and hearing, also becoming a lover of Krishna. If SP said I bless you, I give you a benediciton, it will manifest. He has the right, the adhikari to do that. If someone else says I am your guru, I am giving you diskha, can he give you Krishna? Can he give you the holy name? Can he take you to Vaikanthua? Have you been there, has the guru been there? SP told me in the car in New Zealand, he turned to me in the car, and said, while you were building Krishna Balarama temple in Vrindavan. Krishna was building you a house in Goloka. I have seen it, it is very nice. That is why you can only surrender to the depths, to one who is from that place, and who can you give you that place, who wants that place, otherwise it is just a big show. Whistels and bells with no substance.
My view of seeing this organization, it is croniyism. Most of the leaders, their hearts are still, steel framed, they are self interested. They are not self-less. They have stopped somewhere on this road back to Godhead; they are satisfied with their easy lifestyle, food, respect, honor, travelling all at the expense of the community and the younger devotees who go on the street. Its a long way from chant, dance and be happy.
Question: Then how did it come about that immediately after SP was not present physically, these eleven became worship able as paramahamsas of the highest order?
Gurukrpa: Because it is the cheaters and the cheated. People are basically sudras who want a master tell them what to do. They do not have sufficient intelligence, or spiritual knowledge,therefore they accepted; and the more realized devotees left , after trying to correct things. They were told to leave because they were disturbing the faith of the new disciples.
Because they could not take it any more any more they left. Now it has become like the Pol Pot regime, “accept our way, or die.” Devotees never die, KRSNA is always in their hearts. They are the losers for losing the association of their brothers & sisters. The senior men can do something, other wise the new men cannot do without the association of the older devotees.
Most of the older devotees now also do not have the missionary spirit. SP said, as a group we can’t be broken, but alone we are all easily broken.
The leaders have never cared for the God Brothers/sisters. They are happy when the see their brother get victimized by Maya, and never come to try and rescue them. Do you think SP is happy to see the present leader’s disciples at his temples and not his own disciples???? They talk of love of God, but they do not care one bit for their own family members, unless the family agrees to accept everything they say. They have no peers around them that may object to anything.
I AM A VERY FALLEN SOUL. I AM NOT BASICALLY A FAULT FINDER, WHICH IS WHY I DID NOT SPEAK UP FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS. SO MANY PEOPLE ASK ME TO WRITE A BOOK, BUT I HAVE NOT. I HAVE LIVED VERY NICELY BY SRILA PRABHUPADA’S GRACE. I WILL BE VERY HAPPY TO SEE THE GBC ACTUALLY BECOME REAL GBC AND GENUINE LOVING COMPASSIONATE VAISNAVAS.
That is the end of this session. If anyone has questions, comments, they can send them and Gurukrpa can answer.
OM TAT SAT PARAM VIJAYATE SRI KRSNA SAMKIRTANAM….
—— THE END ——
COMMENTS
Nalini says
I can confirm all of his statements and accept in toto what GK Prabhu has spoken. I have been a confidante and conselor to tens of thousands of devotees for the past 35 years and have experienced personally , and heard from all other devotees who speak with me, the same truths. Establish the truth by consulting Srila Prabhupada’s exact words and the scriptures—-not be the joint decisions of “managers.” Srila Prabhupada told me in 1976 that “the problem with our movement is that 95% of the leaders are not even following the regulative principles.” So one year later, we all become self-appointed realized gurus and dictators? How sad. Nalinikanta das
Ray says
How much evidence is needed? The proof that the GBC is bogus has been there all along. The current GBC is not the original in any case for the simple reason that the original fell down. There is nothing to be done other than formal legal prosecution and where will that get you? If the new devotees are so uninformed and unintelligent to realize that gurus are not created by institutional appointment, even after reading Prabhapada’s books, then they deserver the cheaters. The true ISKCON needs to be reconstituted by sincere disciples from the ground up
Madhudvisa dasa says
Hare Krishna Bhakta Rupa Prabhu. You are not alone. About ten thousand devotees joined ISKCON and took initiation from Srila Prabhupada prior to 1977 and since then tens of thousands more sincere souls have joined ISKCON temples and preformed full time devotional service living in the temples but somehow ISKCON have not been able to properly guide them and they have practically all left. ISKCON temples, for the most part, are empty buildings now, with a group of Indians coming on Sunday. So that is maybe 50,000-100,000 sincere souls like yourself who surrendered completely to Srila Prabhuapda and Krishna and gave their whole lives, 24 hours a day 7 days a week to the service of Krishna, and they are practically all gone now, all driven out of ISKCON for one reason or another.
The current leaders of ISKCON have transformed it into something like the Catholic church that I left. Now they do not encourage people to actually surrender to Srila Prabhuapda and Krishna and dedicate their lives to serving Krishna. Nowadays the ISKCON preaching to the Indians that come to their temples is basically, “don’t join the temple,” “keep living the life you are living,” “keep your job,” “continue associating with the non-devotees,” “and come to the temple on Sundays and give us big, big donations…” And they have adjusted everything to suit the Indian congregation.
Although this has created a very good business for many ISKCON temples, and a few “fat cats” in ISKCON are getting fatter, this is so far distant from the purpose and goals of the ISKCON Srila Prabhupada established that today’s ISKCON has practically no resemblance to Prabhuapda’s ISKCON at all. So there is no wonder that you and practically all the other devotees who surrendered to Srila Prabhuapda’s ISKCON have left today’s ISKCON.
Because today’s ISKCON it is not what we are looking for. We want Prabhuadpa’s ISKCON, not the monstrosity that today calls itself “ISKCON.”
And what is the main preaching that ISKCON presents to a new devotee, a sincere soul who appears at their door, enlivened and enthusiastic after discovering Srila Prabhuapda and Krishna by reading Srila Prabhuadpa’s books? Who naturally thinks that Prabhuapda is his guru? Immediatly ISKCON jump on the poor unfortunate devotee that and demand that he surrender to the idea that “Prabhupada is dead, you need a living guru…” If he will not accept this they brand him as a “dirty stinking ritvik” and kick him out of the temple.
To “rub salt into the wound” ISKCON quite openly admit that, at least for the most part, their “living gurus” are all conditioned souls completely entrapped in the network of maya. But they claim “It doesn’t matter if the guru is in maya!” “As long as he is approved by the GBC you should take initiation from him!” And they say, “It doesn’t matter if your guru falls down, we have plenty of gurus, you can take re-initiation from another one…” They do not realize that once being cheated by one bogus guru it is practically impossible for the unfortunate disciple to surrender again. And what is the point of going from one bogus ISKCON guru to another bogus ISKCON guru?
In this sense today’s ISKCON are far worse than the Christians. At least the Christians don’t say “Christ is dead… surrender to me instead…”
So they have created such an offensive, poisonous atmosphere that it is better to stay well clear of ISKCON.
They have no intention of connecting anyone to Prabhuapda. Their intention is to connect people to their “living gurus” who they openly admit are conditioned souls. And anyone who is even faintly familiar with the philosophy of Krishna consciousness as it is taught by Srila Prabhuadpa will know that it is pointless to accept a spiritual master who is a conditioned soul as he will not be able to guide the disciple out of the clutches of maya, because he is in the clutches of maya himself! This is such a simple basic point, if a man is drowning and another man wants to save him but he can’t swim then, even though it is a nice sentiment, it would be insanity for him to dive into the water and try and save the drowning man. They would simply both drown. And that is what is happening in ISKCON. Many of the “gurus” are sincerely trying to save their disciples but they can’t swim, so we see it happining time and time again in ISKCON, both the gurus and the disciples go under the water of maya and everyone drowns… Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Krishna Shakha dasa says
Thank you very much for this interview. I’ve told to some friends that beside the written and recorded material, there is a big gap between us and Shrila Prabhupada just because about 95% of the Prabhupada’s disciples had to leave the movement. The 5% who stayed are compromissed with so many things that spoil the connection in many cases. That’s why I think that Gurukrpa Prabhu can make a big service to the humanity writing his memories, I’d be able to beg him this. I’d like to know more details about that episode he comments that Hari Sauri doesn’t cover accurately, about TKG being ordered to go to China. Thank you very much. YS Krishna Shakha dasa (Brazil)
Tamal’s Chinese Conspiracy – Part I
Tamal’s Chinese Conspiracy – Part II
Open Letter to Tamal Krsna Goswami
A Letter To Tamal Krishna from China
Tama Krishna’s Chinese Episode:
In TKG’s book, A Hare Krishna at Southern Methodist University, there is a chapter entitled The Perils of Succession wherein many of the controversial episodes of ISKCON history are clinically described, usually omitting the true details of Tamal’s own role in or orchestration of such controversies. One such event was the Radha Damodar travelling parties which Tamal controlled in 1976. Srila Prabhupada became so upset with Tamal’s conduct of creating great disturbance in the USA ISKCON centers that His Divine Grace relieved Tamal of all services and responsibilities, ordering him to go to China. Tamal resisted and Srila Prabhupada became angry with him, and held fast to Tamal’s “banishment” behind the Yellow Curtain. It was clear that by this event, Tamal was disgraced, humiliated, and severely chastised before the entire assemblage of devotees at the annual Mayapur festival, 1976. Adi Keshava agrees that the affair made Tamal very resentful towards Srila Prabhupada.
After the 1976 Mayapur festival, Tamal and Dristadyumna studied about China and prepared a report for Srila Prabhupada. In a meeting with Srila Prabhupada in Hawaii on May 4, 1976, Tamal submitted the bleak report and described how the only method of distributing books in China would be to throw sealed, floating bags of books into the ocean, hoping they would wash ashore and be found by coastal residents. Dristadyumna and Tamal attended a book publisher’s convention undercover on mainland China for a few days. Tamal reported to Srila Prabhupada that there was absolutely no way to preach in China, “maybe in fifty years (from now).” Srila Prabhupada excused Tamal of the order to go to China, and returned Tamal to his former position as head of the Radha Damodar bus program. Tamal soon afterwards assumed the GBC position for New York zone as well. Adi Keshava described Tamal’s return to New York as pompous and triumphant.
While in New York, Tamal wrote and supervised the production of a play done by Sudama Swami and the devotee actors. It was an obvious indulgence in TKG’s personal and emotional history of banishment and chastisement by Srila Prabhupada. The play was entitled “The Emperor and His Chief Counselor.” The counselor created havoc in the emperor’s kingdom, is chastised, and realizing his mistake, repented and became re-situated properly in the service of the emperor once again. Adi Keshava, however, thought the play was frightening and bizarre, being all about court intrigue, pride, power, and how Tamal had been wrongly chastised because although he had overstepped his bounds with abuse of the counselor’s position, he had done so with only good intentions.
Srila Prabhupada then came to Rathayatra in New York in July 1976, staying for about a week as Tamal Krishna Goswami’s guest. At this time Srila Prabhupada’s health began to decline, although Tamal claims it began earlier with a “cold” in New Vrindaban. His Divine Grace’s strength and digestion decreased while in New York, to the point where many GBC’s asked Srila Prabhupada to stay and wait for recovery before travelling to India. Srila Prabhupada left nevertheless; on the plane and upon arrival in London only hours after leaving New York, He experienced a severe “illness” with vomiting, weakness, mucus, and lack of energy. Unfortunately, the symptoms appear very similar to those during the severe illness of 1977. Coincidence? The detailed description of this illness, accompanied by heart palpitations, is contained in Volume 4 of Hari Sauri’s Transcendental Diary.
Appendix 9 contains several unverified and alleged accounts of Tamal’s past actions and statements, which may shed some light on how to accept the veracity of his diary’s accounts of Srila Prabhupada’s illness. Nara Narayan posted an essay on VNN on 12.3.97, in which he claimed the following: “I personally overheard a private conversation between Shyamasundar das and Tamal Krishna Goswami in the Colaba Post Office flat of Mr. Kartikkeya Mahadevia. Tamal was angrily blaming Srila Prabhupada for trying to keep the Juhu Beach land. He said, ‘He is old. Old and senile. He is simply attached to that land! We will never be able to build on that land. He is simply old and attached.'” The known facts in this incident are that Tamal sold the Juhu land without permission, causing Srila Prabhupada to become extremely angry and to personally re-negotiate the land’s purchase.
Prabhus and Matajis, (Prabhupadanugas), I am just now reading Gurukripa’s interview. I was in Vrndaban during Srila Prabhupada’s last days. I got a report from Upendra das (now departed) who was in Prabhupada’s quarters and heard a very telling exchange between Tamal and Prabhupada. The gist of it was that Prabhupada actually said,”Outwardly, you are begging me to stay, bur inwardlt, you are wringing your hands, thinking ‘When wil this old man die, so we can take over the funds!” Upendra was weeping, and I am weeping NOW, remembering the heartache that ensued when our beloved Srila Prabhupada left and the conspriacy took over. I was in NY temple when the “announcement” was made the Prabhupada had left his body and 11 were appointed. I KNEW this was BOGUS. I was in Berkeley temple when Srila Prabhupada told a reporter that his “successor” would NOT be an appointment, but that in time a qualified devotee would be revealed by his (or her?) QUALITIES. I agree with Gurukripa, entirely. I had his association, breifly, when he and I uncovered a safe that had been stolen and left in the jungle of Mt Tamalpais, on Oahu. A devotee (Nadia das) who joined WITH me, traveled with the Nam hatas in Japan. Gurukripa was and probably is not perfect, but it was abundantly clear that he absolutely LOVED Srila Prabhupada. Of that, I have no doubt! Good on you, Gurukripa, pranbhu. for setting the record straight! Accept, please, my humble obeisances! yrs, Vatsara das
Gurukrpa: Had SP seen one of us as being capable, he would have named that person or persons, but he did not mention that anyone was fit. His Divine Grace B.V. Puri Maharaja, who SP said “is the only god Brother who is not envious of me”, ask SP “Please stay another 8 or 10 years with these boys.” SP’s answer was, “They are all hard headed, I have done all that I can do.”
Mahesh: the actual word used is PERHAPS this indicates uncertain:
” Perhaps you are my only Godbrother who has appreciated my humble service to the cause of Guru Gauranga. All my other Godbrothers are very much envious, as I can understand from their behavior.”
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/letters/bombay/december/02/1970/puri_maharaja
Note: “It is NOT His Divine Grace B.V. Puri Maharaja,” Just to point out : B V Puri maharaja was a CONDITIONED soul NOT His Divine Grace. Divine Grace is not a title of CONDITIONED soul.
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Srila Prabhupada’s Godbrothers
BY: MAHESH RAJA
Dec 6, UK (SUN) — A Reply to Brahma das prabhu – Part One.
I read Brahma das’s comments to my article, “Analysis of Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Rupanuga”. I wish to reply to his points in parts so as to allow readers to examine in detail the discussion and judge for themselves. So this is Part One.
Brahma das prabhu wrote:
“Taking into consideration all that he wrote and said about Sridhara Maharaja, this judgment contradicts what Srila Prabhupada explicitly expressed about the transcendental position of B.R. Sridhara Maharaja. Apart from his guru, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, there is no associate that Srila Prabhupada spoke of so highly.”
Srila Prabhupada did NOT at any time say Sridhara Maharaja was in a *transcendental* position. What contradiction? One only has to refer to the Vedabase and he will find the Sridhara Maharaja’s ACTUAL disposition towards Srila Prabhupada. Since we are dealing with the spiritual philosophy you can NOT water it down. You say Srila Prabhupada spoke of Sridhara Maharaja “highly”. Srila Prabhupada asked his disciples to respect his godbrothers and THAT was ALL. This is about BEHAVIOUR not philosophy. The etiquette is on behaviour. But so far as **philosophy** goes there is no compromise.
Lord Buddha we respect – but his teachings we do NOT accept.
REGARDING BHAKTI PURI, TIRTHA MAHARAJA, THEY ARE MY GOD-BROTHERS AND SHOULD BE SHOWN RESPECT.
BUT YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY INTIMATE CONNECTION WITH THEM AS THEY HAVE GONE AGAINST THE ORDERS OF MY GURU MAHARAJA.”
Brahma das prabhu has misrepresented facts by using words like Srila Prabhupada spoke of “highly” in order to give Sridhara Maharaja a palatable approach. This is to dupe one into a trap of accepting the bogus philosophical conclusion.
Bhagavad-gita 10.4-5 Purport – The Opulence of the Absolute
“Satyam, truthfulness, means that facts should be presented as they are for the benefit of others. Facts should not be misrepresented. According to social conventions, it is said that one can speak the truth only when it is palatable to others. But that is not truthfulness. The truth should be spoken in a straight and forward way, so that others will understand actually what the facts are. If a man is a thief and if people are warned that he is a thief, that is truth. Although sometimes the truth is unpalatable, one should not refrain from speaking it. Truthfulness demands that the facts be presented as they are for the benefit of others. That is the definition of truth.”
We suggest the truth is Brahma das prabhu has infatuation with Sridhara Maharaja. Being **sentimental** does not give the correct conclusion.
Please study below:
SRILA PRABHUPADA’S GODBROTHERS
Srila Prabhupada’s Room Conversation, January 19, 1976, Mayapur
Bhavananda: “People are attracted by the Westerners coming to the matha. So if we’re up at that matha, any of us, and then they say, “Just see.” They say in Bengali, “Just see. They are coming. To see our guru maharaja, they are coming.”
Prabhupada: THAT WAS THE POLICY OF MADHAVA MAHARAJA AND SRIDHARA MAHARAJA, THAT “ALTHOUGH BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI IS PROPAGATING THROUGHOUT, HE IS SUBORDINATE TO US, UNDER OUR INSTRUCTION.” SO ALL THESE THREE.”
Viraha Astaka 1958
(Note: Ananta Vasudeva was the THIRD above mentioned)
“2) Your so-called disciple, the jackal named Ananta Vasudeva, disobeyed your final instructions to keep the mission united, and thereby created a scandalous fiasco.
The result of this philosophical deviation is evident to this day as imitative sahajiyas are being worshiped as gurus in your temples.
3) Is there a single temple to be found where your instructions are still being followed? As it is said: “punar musiko bhava”- Everyone has “again become a mouse.”
4) The lion’s food has been stolen away by the deceptive tricks of the jackal Now caught in Maya’s mighty clutches everyone is reduced to wailing and weeping.”
Srila Prabhupada’s Room Conversation, February 3, 1976, Mayapur
Prabhupada: “At least historically it be proved. (break) …cause of envy of my Godbrothers. I was known. Although they knew that Prabhupada liked me very much, because I am grhastha, I was known as paca-grhastha. PACA-GRHASTHA MEANS A ROTTEN GRHASTHA. And now they say, “This grhastha has come out more than us? What is this?” (break) Sridhara Maharaja’s chief disciple…?
Bhavananda: Gaura.
Prabhupada: HE ALWAYS USED TO SAY TO SRIDHARA MAHARAJA THAT “YOU ARE SEEING ABHAY BABU AS GRHASTHA, BUT HE IS MORE THAN MANY YOGIS.” HE WAS TELLING.”
Srila Prabhupada’s Room Conversation, April 22, 1977, Bombay
Prabhupada: “He cannot make any comment. These are facts. Two parties there were. One party, to use guru as their instrument for self-aggrandizement, and another party left guru. So both of them are offenders. This Kunja Babu, this Tirtha Maharaja’s party, he wanted to enjoy senses through guru. And the Bagh Bazaar party, they left.
Tamala Krsna: Vasudeva.
Prabhupada: So both of them are severe offenders.
Tamala Krsna: What about Sridhara Maharaja?
Prabhupada: SRIDHARA MAHARAJA BELONGED TO THE BAGH BAZAAR PARTY. And I was living aloof. My Guru Maharaja approved. He said, “It is better that he is aloof from them.”
Tamala Krsna: He could understand that his disciples were not…
Prabhupada: No, he was very sorry. AT THE LAST STAGE HE WAS DISGUSTED.”
Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Gaurasundara, August 26, 1972
“All along I HAVE BEEN DISCOURAGED IN EVERY WAY BY MY GODBROTHERS, but still I have stuck to my duty, keeping my Spiritual Master always in front.”
Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Krsna dasa, September 9, 1972
“MY GODBROTHERS ALWAYS DISCOURAGED ME BUT I DID NOT GIVE UP, I am doing my duty and always keeping my spiritual master in front. Even there is some difficulty or hardship, or even my godbrothers may not cooperate or there may be fighting, still, I must perform my duty to my spiritual master and not become discouraged and go away, that is my weakness.”
Srila Prabhupada’s Room Conversation, June 18, 1976, Toronto
Prabhupada: Daily night. And he was shocked. ONE OF MY GAUDIYA MATHA GODBROTHERS, BIG, HE BECAME THE HEAD OF THIS BHAG BAZAAR GAUDIYA MATHA. So his wife was debauched, and she was bringing new paramour, and the child protested.
Pusta Krsna: New?
Prabhupada: Paramour. And the boy, he was ten years or twelve years old, he could understand: “Who is this man?” So he protested and said, “I shall tell all these things to my father.” And he was killed.
Pusta Krsna: The boy was killed?
Prabhupada: By the mother.
Hari-sauri: She murdered him?
Prabhupada: Yes. Killed means given poison. And the father, that is, my Godbrother, seeing this, he also took poison. This is the end of Gaudiya Matha scandal. He was also one of the trustees. This Tirtha Maharaja was a trustee, and another Godbrother and this man. In the beginning, they were made trustees. In the beginning, Prabhupada was to undergo surgical operation. So he was a little nervous, that “I may die.” So he made a scrap paper, that “In case I die, these three disciples will be trustees of the Gaudiya Matha Institute.” That’s all. So this Kunja Babu kept this. There are many long histories. SO ONE OF THE SO-CALLED TRUSTEES WAS THIS VASUDEVA. So he died, his end was like this.
Pusta Krsna: His son was killed, isn’t it?
Prabhupada: His wife was a regular prostitute, and she killed her child, and on this shock, he took poison and died.
Pusta Krsna: He killed himself, oh.
Prabhupada: Naturally, he became shocked, that “This is my family life–the wife is prostitute and son is killed. What is the value of my life?” This was his spiritual realization. Just see. (laughs) AND HE WAS MADE THE CHIEF, AND ONE OF THE SUPPORTER WAS SRIDHARA MAHARAJA.
Pusta Krsna: Vasudeva Sridhara?
Prabhupada: No, no. He was made chief. Guru Maharaja did not make him chief. But after his passing away, some of our Godbrothers voted him chief.
Pusta Krsna: Am I mis…? You had told me once, I’m not certain. Maybe I made a mistake. YOU SAID THAT VASUDEVA, IT WAS KNOWN FACT THAT HE WAS HOMOSEX?
Prabhupada: Yes.
Pusta Krsna: Vasudeva.
Prabhupada: HE WAS HOMOSEX AND SEX, EVERYTHING.
Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Pradyumna, February 17, 1968
“REGARDING THE BOOK LIST: “LORD GAURANGA” BY S.K. GHOSE AND VEDER PANCHAYA BY BON MAHARAJA ARE USELESS AND YOU MAY NOT GET THEM. The other books and the Gaudiya paper are acceptable. If you have free use of Xerox machine you may make copies, of some of the smaller works. REGARDING BHAKTI PURI, TIRTHA MAHARAJA, THEY ARE MY GOD-BROTHERS AND SHOULD BE SHOWN RESPECT. BUT YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY INTIMATE CONNECTION WITH THEM AS THEY HAVE GONE AGAINST THE ORDERS OF MY GURU MAHARAJA.”
Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Niranjana, November 21, 1972
“If you are serious to be an important assistant in our Society you should fully engage yourself in translation work, AND DO NOT MIX YOURSELF WITH MY SO-CALLED GOD-BROTHERS. AS THERE ARE IN VRINDABAN SOME RESIDENTS LIKE MONKEYS AND HOGS, SIMILARLY THERE ARE MANY RASCALS IN THE NAME OF VAISNAVAS, be careful of them. And do not dare to question imprudently before your Spiritual Master. Further talks we may discuss when we meet.”
Srila Prabhupada’s Room Conversation, September 21, 1973, Bombay
Prabhupada: Yes. If by the dress of sannyasi, you take some money and eat and sleep, then it is transcendental fraud. (SP laughs) (Hindi) Just like others are toiling, and we are getting money by some dress. That’s all. They are getting money by laboring hard, and we are getting money… In India, mostly the sannyasis, they do that. The priests also, they do that. This is our profession, just… My Guru Maharaja said that thakura dekhiye paya rasta karache, rastaye ‘yandiya jivika badram karam bhari (?). Instead of earning livelihood by showing the Deity in the temple, it is better to take the profession of a sweeper in the street and live honestly. He said like that. The sweeper is working hard toiling and getting some money and living. This is honest living. But just like in Vrndavana, all the Goswamis. They have got their Deity. People are coming, contributing. Typical example, Gauracanda Goswami. Thakura dekhiye paisa rasta. (?) All the sevaites, they are meant for… Our Kunja Babu also planned like that. He thought, “By cheating all the God-brothers, I have got now Caitanya Matha. And people will come to see Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s birthplace, and I will get good income. And it will be distributed amongst my brothers and sons and myself. That’s all.” That is his scheme.
Tamala Krsna: Perfect material plan.
Prabhupada: Yes. It is another way of earning money. And he was always after Guru Maharaja only for this purpose. Guru Maharaja took that “Oh, this man is helping me.” But he had no such plan, to help Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. He had the plan, “Keep Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati in front, earn money, and put it in my pocket.” That was his very beginning. He was taking money like anything. But he was a good manager. Other God-brothers complained, sannyasis. Guru Maharaja used to say that “Why you are complaining? You cannot reform him, your God-brother? And if I would have to keep expert manager like him, I would have to pay something. Suppose he is taking something, why do you grudge?” (Prabhupada laughing) He would say like that. So nobody could say anything. But after the demise, everything burst out. “Kunja Babu must be driven out.” That was the whole plan of Gaudiya Matha breakdown. The grudge was against Kunja Babu.
Tamala Krsna: Who is Kunja Babu?
Prabhupada: That Tirtha Maharaja. His name is Kunja Vihari Sar. So that was boiling in everyone’s heart. So as soon as Guru Maharaja passed away, so that burst out. And the whole plan was how to get out this Kunja Babu.
Tamala Krsna: Not how to preach.
Prabhupada: No. This was the cause of breakdown. This was suppressed by Guru Maharaja under his influence, but the rebellious was there during his lifetime. And it burst into… Therefore he advised that “You make a governing body and Kunja Babu should be allowed to remain manager.” This was directly spoken. He never asked anybody to become acarya. He asked that “You form a governing body of twelve men and go on preaching, and Kunja Babu may be allowed to remain manager during his lifetime.” HE NEVER SAID THAT KUNJA BABU SHOULD BE ACARYA. NONE, NONE OF THEM WERE ADVISED BY GURU MAHARAJA TO BECOME ACARYA. HIS IDEA WAS “LET THEM MANAGE; THEN WHOEVER WILL BE ACTUAL QUALIFIED FOR BECOMING ACARYA, THEY WILL ELECT. WHY I SHOULD ENFORCE UPON THEM?” THAT WAS HIS PLAN. “LET THEM MANAGE BY STRONG GOVERNING BODY, AS IT IS GOING ON. THEN ACARYA WILL COME BY HIS QUALIFICATIONS.” But they wanted that… Because at heart, they were, “After demise of Guru, I shall become acarya.” “I shall become acarya.” So all the acaryas began fight. One side, that Vasudeva Acarya and Sar Kunja Babu Acarya. And Paramananda, he thought that “Whoever will be powerful, I shall join them.” (laughing) He only thought. But Guru Maharaja never asked that these three men should be trustees. He wanted governing body. So the rebellion broke out immediately after his passing away. And then fight in the High Court. And Kunja Babu, he is very intelligent man. So from the very beginning he knew that “There will be fight after the demise of Guru Maharaja. So fight will be in the High Court. So at the expense of Guru Maharaja, let my brother and sons become attorneys and barrister so I will have not to pay all these things.” It was a planned thing. And that is being done. He was a clerk, it was not in his power to make his brother and sons attorneys and barristers. They were all made at the cost of Gaudiya Matha to fight with (indistinct) in favor of Tirtha Maharaja. These were the planned things. But I was a rotten grhastha. I did not join any one of them. (Prabhupada laughs) I was rotting in my household life. That’s all. But I was planning how to make, how to make this. That was my desire from the very beginning, since I heard it. But I was never with them, either this party or that party. And Guru Maharaja also recommended, apnader tasturi tublia thaki bhavan. Takhona (?). “When there will be need, he will do himself. There is no need of living with you. It is better to live apart from you.” When I was recommended by Goswami Maharaja to live in the Matha, that “He is so nice.” Sometimes he recommended. In Bombay, here in this Bombay. That house. Yes. He (Guru Maharaja) said “Yes, he is very expert. He can do. So it is better to live apart from you. And he will do everything when there is need.” He said. I could not understand. Although I was apart from them, a grhastha. In this Bombay I was doing business.” (people talking outside)
Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Gurudasa, August 29, 1972
“Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 23, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. Do not be depressed. ALL ALONG MY GODBROTHERS GAVE ME ONLY DEPRESSION, REPRESSION, COMPRESSION–BUT I CONTINUED STRONG IN MY DUTY.”
Srila Prabhupada’s Discussion on the Evolutionists
“UNLESS YOU SURRENDER, WHERE IS THE COOPERATION? Where is the cooperation? Just like all my disciples, because they have surrendered, so there is cooperation. Therefore this movement is increasing.”
Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Tirtha Maharaja, November 8, 1965
“Kindly accept respectful obeisances at your lotus feet. Since I have come to the United States of America I had several correspondence with Sripada Govinda Maharaja. While I was in Calcutta at that time as well as in our different exchange of letters there was some hint from Sripada Govinda Maharaja, I should work in cooperation with your holiness and in my last letter I have already expressed my readiness to cooperate with your holiness and I had to ask from Govinda Maharaja as to the basic principle of that cooperation. BEFORE I TOOK SANNYASA PERHAPS YOU WILL REMEMBER IT THAT I PROPOSED TO JOIN YOU IF MY PUBLICATIONS WERE TAKEN UP. BUT SOME HOW OR OTHER IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE AND WE MISSED THE CHANCE.”
Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Jayapataka, August 23, 1971
“SO FAR AS COOPERATING WITH MY GODBROTHERS IS CONCERNED, THAT IS NOT VERY URGENT BUSINESS. SO FAR UNTIL NOW MY GODBROTHERS HAVE REGULARLY NOT COOPERATED WITH ME AND BY THE GRACE OF MY SPIRITUAL MASTER, THINGS ARE STILL GOING AHEAD. SO COOPERATION OR NON-COOPERATION, IT IS THE DESIRE OF BHAKTIVINODE THAKURA TO PREACH THE CAITANYA CULT ALL OVER THE WORLD AND IN 1875 HE PREDICTED THAT SOMEONE WOULD COME VERY SOON WHO WOULD INDIVIDUALLY PREACH THIS CULT ALL OVER THE WORLD. SO IF HIS BENEDICTION IS THERE AND MY GURU MAHARAJA’S BLESSINGS ARE THERE, WE CAN GO AHEAD WITHOUT ANY IMPEDIMENT BUT ALL OF US MUST BE VERY SINCERE AND SERIOUS. We have been a little inflicted by public criticism that we Godbrothers do not work together. My Guru Maharaja wanted also us to work together but some how or other it hasn’t happened up until now. So your program of cooperating with Madhava Maharaja is not so important. Best thing is that all we Godbrothers work together. Then the criticism will stop, otherwise even we join together, criticism will go on. So this has been going on for the last 24 years, but everyone of us is doing his best keeping Lord Caitanya in the center. We should be satisfied so much.”
Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Acyutananda, June 08, 1974
“You should not write anything to Madhava Maharaja’s camp. You may have talked many things with Mangala Niloy but why write him in black and white. The letter must not be sent. THEIR POLICY HAS BEEN ALL ALONG TO SUPPRESS ME AND TAKE CREDIT FOR HIMSELF. THEIR PROPOSAL FOR COOPERATION IS A MYTH. THEY HAVEN’T DONE ANYTHING WHICH IS COOPERATIVE. YOU KNOW IN A RECENT ARTICLE THEY MANAGED TO WRITE IN SUCH A WAY THAT MADHAVA IS DOING THE WORLD MOVEMENT AND WE ARE HIS SUBORDINATE. FROM THE BEGINNING THAT HAS BEEN THEIR MENTALITY. SO THERE IS NO POSSIBILITY OF COOPERATION WITH THEM. RATHER YOU SHOULD AVOID STRICTLY MEETING WITH THEM. THEY ARE NOT AFTER PREACHING BUT MATERIAL GAIN AND REPUTATION AND ADORATION. OTHERWISE WHY THEY ARE NON COOPERATING WITH ME? SO NO COOPERATION IS POSSIBLE. Do not think or indulge in loose talks. Be careful always. Let us do the duty of propagation sincerely and seriously on our own principles. Krsna and Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura are our only hope and they and helping us. If anything thing has to be done it is to be talked on the higher level between Madhava Maharaja and myself, but I know his mentality is different and there is no possibility of cooperation.”
Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Pradyumna, February 17, 1968
“Regarding the book list: “Lord Gauranga” by S.K. Ghose and Veder Panchaya by Bon Maharaja ARE USELESS and you may not get them.”
Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Sukadeva, November 14, 1973
“Regarding the Gaudiya Math books being circulated there, who is distributing? Who is sending these books? The Gaudiya Math does not sell our books, why we should sell their books. Who has introduced these books? Let me know. THESE BOOKS SHOULD NOT AT ALL BE CIRCULATED IN OUR SOCIETY. BHAKTI VILAS TIRTHA IS VERY MUCH ANTAGONISTIC TO OUR SOCIETY AND HE HAS NO CLEAR CONCEPTION OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE. HE IS CONTAMINATED. ANYWAY, WHO HAS INTRODUCED THESE BOOKS? YOU SAY THAT YOU WOULD READ ONLY ONE BOOK IF THAT WAS ALL THAT I HAD WRITTEN, SO YOU TEACH OTHERS TO DO LIKE THAT. You have very good determination.”
Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Visvakarma, November 09, 1975
“Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 3, 1975 with the enclosed statement about Van Maharaja. So I have now issued orders that all my disciples should avoid all of my godbrothers. THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY DEALINGS WITH THEM NOR EVEN CORRESPONDENCE, NOR SHOULD THEY GIVE THEM ANY OF MY BOOKS OR SHOULD THEY PURCHASE ANY OF THEIR BOOKS, NEITHER SHOULD YOU VISIT ANY OF THEIR TEMPLES. PLEASE AVOID THEM.”
Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Rupanuga, April 28, 1974
“You are right about Sridhara Maharaja’s genuineness. But in my opinion he is the best of the lot. He is my old friend, AT LEAST HE EXECUTES THE REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE. I do not wish to discuss about activities of my Godbrothers but it is a fact they have no life for preaching work. All are satisfied with a place for residence in the name of a temple, they engage disciples to get foodstuff by transcendental devices and eat and sleep. They have no idea or brain how to broacast the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. My Guru Maharaja used to lament many times for this reason and he thought if one man at least had understood the principle of preaching then his mission would achieve success. In the latter days of my Guru Maharaja he was very disgusted. Actually, he left this world earlier, otherwise he would have continued to live for more years. Still he requested his disciples to form a strong Governing body for preaching the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. HE NEVER RECOMMENDED ANYONE TO BE ACARYA OF THE GAUDIYA MATH. BUT SRIDHARA MAHARAJA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DISOBEYING THIS ORDER OF GURU MAHARAJA, AND HE AND OTHERS WHO ARE ALREADY DEAD UNNECESSARILY THOUGHT THAT THERE MUST BE ONE ACARYA. If Guru Maharaja could have seen someone who was qualified at that time to be acarya he would have mentioned. Because on the night before he passed away he talked of so many things, but never mentioned an acarya. His idea was acarya was not to be nominated amongst the governing body. He said openly you make a GBC and conduct the mission. So his idea was amongst the members of GBC who would come out successful and self effulgent acarya would be automatically selected. So Sridhara Maharaja and his two associate gentlemen unauthorizedly selected one acarya and later it proved a failure. THE RESULT IS NOW EVERYONE IS CLAIMING TO BE ACARYA EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY BE KANISTHA ADHIKARI WITH NO ABILITY TO PREACH. IN SOME OF THE CAMPS THE ACARYA IS BEING CHANGED THREE TIMES A YEAR. THEREFORE WE MAY NOT COMMIT THE SAME MISTAKE IN OUR ISKCON CAMP. ACTUALLY AMONGST MY GODBROTHERS NO ONE IS QUALIFIED TO BECOME ACARYA. SO IT IS BETTER NOT TO MIX WITH MY GODBROTHERS VERY INTIMATELY BECAUSE INSTEAD OF INSPIRING OUR STUDENTS AND DISCIPLES THEY MAY SOMETIMES POLLUTE THEM. This attempt was made previously by them, especially Madhava Maharaja and Tirtha Maharaja and Bon Maharaja but somehow or other I saved the situation. This is going on. We shall be very careful about them and not mix with them. This is my instruction to you all. They cannot help us in our movement, but they are very competent to harm our natural progress. So we must be very careful about them.”
Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Subala, October 15, 1974
“This is the motto of our spiritual life: yasya prasadad bhagavata prasadao. MY OTHER GODBROTHERS THEY ARE CONCERNED WITH LITIGATIONS, POLITICS, AND DIPLOMACY, SO WHAT IS THE PRACARA? AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED I HAVE THE BLESSINGS OF MY GURU MAHARAJ. I DO NOT NEED ANYTHING ELSE. That is how I went to your country, just to try to carry out his order. By his blessings it has come out successful.”
Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Gangamayi, October 18, 1974
“YOU ARE RIGHT THAT POLITICS SHOULD BE AVOIDED. IN MY PERSONAL LIFE I DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE POLITICAL DIPLOMACY OF MY GOD-BROTHERS. I WAS SIMPLY THINKING HOW TO FULFILL THE ORDER OF MY GURU MAHARAJ. HE GAVE ME HIS BLESSINGS, AND I WAS SAVED FROM ANY IMPLICATION. NOW I AM TRYING TO CARRY OUT HIS INSTRUCTIONS STRICTLY, AND IT HAS COME OUT SUCCESSFUL.”
Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Mukunda, March 26, 1968
“In meantime, I have also received one letter which is very depressing from Hrsikesa. I understand that he has been induced by Bon Maharaja to be initiated by him for giving him shelter, and this foolish boy has accepted his inducement. This isn’t very happy news, and I have replied Hrsikesa’s letter in the following words, which please take note, and in the future, we shall be very cautious about them. “My Dear Hrsikesa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of March 14, 1968, and I am greatly surprised. I AM GREATLY SURPRISED FOR BON MAHARAJA’S INITIATING YOU IN SPITE OF HIS KNOWING THAT YOU ARE ALREADY INITIATED BY ME. SO IT IS DELIBERATE TRANSGRESSION OF VAISNAVA ETIQUETTES AND OTHERWISE A DELIBERATE INSULT TO ME. I DO NOT KNOW WHY HE HAS DONE LIKE THIS BUT NO VAISNAVA WILL APPROVE OF THIS OFFENSIVE ACTION. I very much appreciate your acknowledgement of my service unto you and you will always have my blessings, BUT YOU MUST KNOW THAT YOU HAVE COMMITTEE. A GREAT BLUNDER. I do not wish to discuss on this point more elaborately now, but if you are desirous to know further about it, I shall be glad to give you more enlightenment. Mukunda is not here. He has gone to L.A. Hope you are well.” If Hrsikesa writes you letter I think you may avoid reply. I DO NOT APPROVE BOTH HRSIKESA’S AND BON MAHARAJA’S THIS OFFENSIVE ACTION. Hoping you are both well.”
Hare Krishna!
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!
http://www.harekrsna.com/sun/editorials/12-07/editorials2260.htm
Clearly, the Krishna Balaram Temple in Vrindavan only exists due to the efforts of Gurukripa Prabhu’s love for Srila Prabhupada and his selfless dedication and surrender culminating in liberation of Laxmi on a massive scale by the mercy of The Supreme Lord. This genuine love for Srila Prabhupada is the real key!
Similarly Sridhama Mayapur would not have developed without the massive amount of Laxmi collected in the Australian Yatra over many years, but unfortunately all of these centres worldwide, have been usurped and commandeered by selfish bureaucrats and lack-lustre, brain-dead, envious neophytes.
I remember sharing a room with Gurukripa Prabhu, Mahasringa Prabhu (then Swami) and Pancharatna Prabhu (TP Jaipur) in Bombay back in the 90’s. In those days and in the 80’s also I was a ‘mediocre picker’ and would be lucky to collect a ‘grand’ in a week, but happily went out 7 days ‘collecting!’ as these big centres were being built. Pancharatna Prabhu (who I sometimes travelled with) would easily collect 10 times what I did, as did also my ex-wife Shyamasakhi Devi Dasi………I couldn’t get my head around that!, it was staggering!
I was wearing saffron when I was 30 and everything I owned would fit into one small suitcase. Now I’m living isolated in the burbs’ and thinking “how did I end up here?”…..I’m sure many devotees will have a similar experience. Gurukripa Prabhu’s account and recollections of what happened are most definitely accepted by me as HE HAS NO ALTERIOR MOTIVE! and his complete disgust at being offered a ‘position’ as 12th “guru” AND TURNING DOWN SUCH A LUDICROUS OFFER IS PROOF OF THIS!
I haven’t seen Gurukripa Prabhu for many years so I don’t know his particular situation other than to say (based on his above account) that his love for Srila Prabhupada and his uncompromising and steadfast adherence to the honest principals of Guru Tattva, coupled with his selfless determination to please His Divine Grace, leaves me awestruck!