GURU REFORM NOTEBOOK
Satsvarūpa dāsa Goswami
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Gītā-nāgarī Press
Washington, D.C.
“Every disciple must consider himself completely unaware of the science of Kṛṣṇa and must always be ready to carry out the orders of the spiritual master to become competent in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A disciple should always remain a fool before his spiritual master.”
—from the Bhaktivedanta purports to Caitanya-caritāmrta, Ādi-lilā, 7.72
CONTENTS
1 • GURU REFORM NOTEBOOK
2 • QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
3 • APPENDIX AN EXCERPT
4 • FROM MĀDHURYA-KĀDAMBINĪ
PREFACE
This is one man’s confession and public apology. In Harināma Cintāmani, by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, public confession is recommended to counteract offenses against the holy name. For example, if one commits the offense of interpreting the holy name, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura advises:
He should humbly go before an assembly of Vaiṣṇavas who engage in discussions about Kṛṣṇa and reveal his offenses at their feet, begging sincerely forgiveness. The devotees of the Lord, conversant with all the glories of the holy name, will mercifully forgive him and embrace him. The offense of interpreting or concocting will not occur again.
Similarly, while discussing what to do to be forgiven for the offense of giving the name to the unfaithful, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura writes as follows:
if by misfortune or accident a guru gives the name and instructions to a faithless person, he should have great fear. He should confess in front of a Vaiṣṇava assembly and give up that disciple. If the guru does not do this, he himself by the offense will become devoid of bhakti, worthless, wandering in illusion.
My intention is not to accuse others of misdeeds, but mostly to point out my own. In the name of reform, I do not want to commit further offenses by criticizing Vaiṣṇava spiritual masters. If by my statements anyone is offended, I beg their forgiveness. We may each present our realizations, based on the authority of guru, śāstra, and sādhu, and then we may decide together what is right and what should be done.
Speaking for myself, I desire to express my wrongs and take right action. Recently, by association with my Godbrothers in Vṛndāvana-dhāma during the month of Kārttika, I have come to realize my participation in a grave error. Since Śrīla Prabhupāda’s disappearance, I have allowed myself to be worshiped and regarded on the level of a mahā-bhāgavata paramahaṁsa, far above my “non-guru” Godbrothers. As a result, I have slighted and offended my Godbrothers—and Śrīla Prabhupāda—in various ways. And I have mistrained my disciples in these matters.
For years, while I was not aware of these mistakes, I thought my critics were my enemies. Now I see them as my friends. I am hopeful to regain the approval of ISKCON Vaiṣṇavas and join with them to rid ISKCON of false ego and the quest for power, wherever it may appear. I have barely begun my “guru reform,” but I think this is the right direction. Only now do I get an inkling of the meaning of Prabhupāda’s words, “Your love for me will be shown by how much you cooperate to keep this institution together after I am gone.”
December 1986 Satsvarūpa dāsa Goswami
What follows are excepts from my diary, which will appear in Journal and Poems, Book 4.
October 29, Krishna-Balaram Mandir
I spoke tonight with Dāmodara Paṇḍita dāsa about completing the construction of Prabhupāda’s samādhi. He feels that unless we complete it within three years it may never be completed. Dāmodara Paṇḍita said, “in fighting against māyā, the best defense is a good offense.” He says it is discouraging to simply wait and brace ourselves for the falldown of a leader or some other catastrophe about to happen in ISKCON. He said we should be like the losing baseball team which suddenly defeats a very formidable opponent. So if we can be successful in completing Prabhupāda’s samādhi, “Everyone will be encouraged.”
November 4
Talked with Jayādvaita Swami. He says some G.B.C. members and gurus are proud, spending too much money on themselves, accepting too much worship, not reforming, not leading—and all leaders bear the shame of not finishing Śrīla Prabhupāda’s samādhi. He’s right. Some say that for all their mistakes, the G.B.C. members should resign.
A disciple writes me:
Lately with the falldown of certain gurus it seems difficult to understand how we are supposed to view our guru. I personally feel that you are representing Sola Prabhupāda and I know that whatever instructions you give must be absolute because of this fact. From śāstras we hear that guru is as good as God. Yet now because of all the falldowns some devotees say that only Prabhupāda is absolute. So what are we supposed to do? From within we have faith that our guru is absolute, yet outwardly do we have to say that he isn’t? I’m confused—not because of lack of faith, but in regards to how we are supposed to make advancement if we can’t think that guru is as good as God.
I replied:
Although some Godbrother gurus have fallen down, that does not mean we can change the philosophy of the guru-disciple relationship. You have to look up to the spiritual master as a representative of Kṛṣṇa. I have explained my own limitations; I do not pretend to be a mahā-bhāgavata. But as long as I can follow the rules and regulations strictly and chant sixteen rounds and preach in paramparā about Kṛṣṇa as I have heard from Prabhupāda in his books, there is no reason why you should not have full faith in me as your spiritual master. No one should impose upon you the attitude that you should not have absolute faith in your guru. To say “guru is as good as God” doesn’t mean that he is God. Neither does it mean that your guru claims that he is equal to a great mahā-bhāgavata like Sola Prabhupāda. It is unfortunate that this state has come about in our Society, due to misbehavior, falldowns and adversary reactions, but you should keep faithful and in a noncontroversial way assert the philosophy of guru-disciple as found in Prabhupāda’s books.
More conversation—with Yaśomatinandana Prabhu—about the need for reform by the leaders. The Godbrothers I have talked with take a positive attitude; they say the G.B.C. has made serious mistakes, but they are hopeful that we can rectify. They still get inspired when we take right action. But we have much to overcome now. I feel ready to do the needful to help overcome corrupt leadership, of which I have been a part, if sometimes only by silently condoning. As a member of the leadership, I am implicated. The second rank of leaders are loyal to ISKCON, and they also want to be loyal to the G.B.C., but they demand reforms. So we have to be willing to clean it up and not turn away from the job.
Complete article continued here: >>>>
http://www.iskcon-truth.com/satsvarupa/Guru-Reform-Notebook_Satsvarupa.html
Please also see: DEVIATIONS OF THE GURU REFORM NOTEBOOK
Aw shucks, I made a mistake. I thought I was as good as God.
Oh well, everyone makes mistakes.
LW Prabhu, you want to know the really funny side? They had a *Guru REFORM Committee* in 1986. Yes!—– it is TRUE.
These people ACTUALLY have no brains for understanding spiritual life – at all. Now, just think!!! Diksa Guru is on TRANSCENDENTAL platform. He gives DIVYA(TRANSCENDENTAL) Jnana (knowledge). So the COMMON-SENSE question is: HOW does Guru need REFORMING? And— since THEIR “gurus” are a faulty lot and NEED reforming HOW can they give TRANSCENDENTAL Knowledge?
HOW can their bogus “gurus” GIVE something that they THEMSELVES do NOT have in the first place?
Their “gurus” can NOT see Krsna, Krsna does NOT talk to them BUT—— they are REPRESENTATIVES of Krsna, HOW?
Since their bogus “gurus” NEED REFORMING then HOW are they supposed to be Krsna’s REPRESENTATIVE?
Guru can COMMUNICATE DIRECT with Krsna , can SEE Krsna. Guru is TRANSPARENT Via Media. So HOW do their “gurus” NEED reforming?
Lord Krsna is the SUPREME Personality of GODHEAD but —- He sent a batch of faulty products to REPRESENT Him——by mistake?
ALL these Anti Ritviks are soooooo ENVIOUS of Srila Prabhupada: they want to REPLACE Srila Prabhupada as Diksa Guru.
This is WHY we can say boldly: THESE ANTI RITVIKS(Anti Srila Prabhupada) ARE ALL MAD MEN.
Satsvarūpa dāsa : You have to look up to the spiritual master as a representative of Kṛṣṇa. I have explained my own limitations; I do not pretend to be a mahā-bhāgavata
Mahesh: REPRESENTATIVE of KRSNA? NOT a maha-bhagavata? So HOW can he give DIKSA on a stage of OFFENSIVE chanting of Holy name by DISOBEYING Srila Prabhupada:
NoD 8 Offenses to Be Avoided
The offenses against the chanting of the holy name are as follows: (3) To DISOBEY the orders of the spiritual master.
Madhya 24.330 The Sixty-One Explanations of the Atmarama Verse
MAHA-BHAGAVATA-srestho
brahmano vai gurur nrnam
sarvesam eva lokanam
asau pujyo yatha harih
maha-kula-prasuto ‘pi
sarva-yajnesu DIKSITAH
sahasra-sakhadhyayi ca
na guruh syad avaisnavah
((The guru MUST be situated on the topmost platform of devotional service. There are three classes of devotees, and the guru MUST be accepted from the topmost class. The first-class devotee is the spiritual master for all kinds of people. ….When one has attained the topmost position of MAHA-BHAGAVATA, he is to be accepted as a guru and worshiped exactly like Hari, the Personality of Godhead. ONLY SUCH A PERSON is eligible to occupy the post of a guru.))
Note The word DIKSITAH refers to Diksa and ONLY Maha Bhagavata is the one mentioned WHO give this BY DEFINITION.
75-08-04. Letter: Madhudvisa:
The GBC should all be the instructor gurus. I AM IN THE INITIATOR GURU, and you should be the instructor guru by teaching what I am teaching and doing what I am doing. This is not a title, but you must actually come to this platform. This I want.
“I AM THE SPIRITUAL MASTER OF THIS INSTITUTION, AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY, THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO BE MY DISCIPLES. They follow the rules and regulations which I ask them to follow, AND THEY ARE INITIATED BY ME SPIRITUALLY.”(Srila Prabhupada Radio Interview, 12/3/1968)
“Guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete koriya aikya, ara na koriho mane asa. Don’t think of any nonsense. Simply execute what your guru has said. That is success.”
(28th January, 1977, Room Conversation)
Here is more on Satsvarupa das – of who the man actually is:
http://www.harekrsna.org/pada/themes/satsvarupa-sanatorium.htm
Satsvarupa das:Similarly, while discussing what to do to be forgiven for the offense of giving the name to the unfaithful, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura writes as follows:
if by misfortune or accident a guru gives the name and instructions to a faithless person, he should have great fear. He should confess in front of a Vaiṣṇava assembly and give up that disciple. If the guru does not do this, he himself by the offense will become devoid of bhakti, worthless, wandering in illusion.
Mahesh: MANIPULATIVE Satsvarupa begins by quoting Bhaktivinode Thakura —–THEN considers HIMSELF AND HIS ASSOCIATE BUNCH OF CROOKS to be SPIRITUAL MASTERS and writes:
Satsvarupa das: My intention is not to accuse others of misdeeds, but mostly to point out my own. In the name of reform, I do not want to commit further offenses by criticizing Vaiṣṇava spiritual masters. If by my statements anyone is offended, I beg their forgiveness. We may each present our realizations, based on the authority of guru, śāstra, and sādhu, and then we may decide together what is right and what should be done.
Mahesh: Jugglery of words and cunning manipulation. First of all these guys are NOT Spiritual Masters. They are MANIPULATIVE MONEY SCREWING SLAVERY MAKING GOONS. They USE Bhaktivinode Thakura’s words to cunningly give THEMSELVES some credibility. These CROOKS object is to MANIPULATE the Acarya’s like Bhaktivinode Thakura’s words for boosting their OWN BOGUS GURUSHIP POSITIONS.
This is why it is important to make devotees aware of their MANIPULATIVE jugglery of words.
The FACT is BECAUSE Srila Prabhupada did NOT give these bunch of ASSES Diksa guru position they want to MISINTERPRET Bhaktivinode Thakura’s words to give credibility to their bogus spiritual master business. Here is what Srila Prabhupada says:
Srila Prabhupada’s Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam, December 8, 1973, Los Angeles:
“You cannot imagine what my spiritual master said. Or even if you read some books, you cannot understand UNLESS YOU UNDERSTAND IT FROM ME. This is called parampara system. YOU CANNOT JUMP OVER TO THE SUPERIOR GURU, NEGLECTING THE NEXT ACARYA, IMMEDIATE NEXT ACARYA.”
73-12-25.Letter: Gurukrpa , Yasodanandana
Whatever is to be learned of the teachings of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura can be learned from our books. THERE IS NO NEED WHATSOEVER FOR ANY OUTSIDE INSTRUCTION.
74-11-22. Letter: Bahurupa
In MY BOOKS the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness is explained FULLY so if there is anything which you do not understand, then you simply have to read again and again. BY READING DAILY THE KNOWLEDGE WILL BE REVEALED TO YOU AND BY THIS PROCESS YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE WILL DEVELOP.
Note: Since Srila Prabhupada did NOT give them ORDER to be Diksa guru they want to BY FORCE be recognized as Diksa guru:
Srila Prabhupada IS Diksa Guru
http://www.prabhupadanugas.eu/news/?p=43094#more-43094
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Only Maha-Bhagavata is Diksa Guru
http://www.prabhupadanugas.eu/news/?p=41422#more-41422
http://www.prabhupadanugas.eu/news/?p=46518#comment-45721
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Srila Prabhupada THE ONLY CURRENT ETERNAL DIKSA GURU for ISKCON for AS LONG AS ISKCON EXISTS – NO COMPROMISE!
http://www.prabhupadanugas.eu/news/?p=44113#more-44113