Lord Jesus Christ orders ritvik system and condemns fake gurus

Lord Jesus Christ orders ritvik system and condemns fake gurus

BY: Mahatma das (France)

Some like to argue that Srila Prabhupada’s ritvik order (initiations on Srila Prabhupada’s behalf by officiating acaryas or ritvik representatives) has no historical precedent. Yet 2000 years ago another nitya siddha shaktyavesa avatar and universal acarya (jagad guru), Lord Jesus Christ, envisioned the exact same system of disciplic succession or parampara for his future church.

They descend on different planets as messiahs by the order of the Lord to deliver the fallen souls. On the earth they come down and do good to the people of the world in different circumstances under different climatic influences. They have nothing to do in this world save and except reclaim the fallen souls rotting in material existence, deluded by material energy. (SB 1.19.23 purport)

The Shroud of Turin.
L: original imprint on shroud.  — R: photographic negative revealing the Christ

Guru Das: “Prabhupada, you’re laughing at your own books.”
Prabhupada: “I did not write these books, Krsna wrote them!”

Srila Prabhupadas Books

Reporter (2): What will happen to the movement in the United States when you die?
Prabhupada: I WILL NEVER DIE.
Devotees: Jaya! Hari bol! (laughter)
Prabhupada: I SHALL LIVE FROM MY BOOKS, AND YOU WILL UTILIZE.

“He lives forever by His Divine instructions and the follower lives with Him”
(Srimad Bhagavatam 1962. Srila Prabhupada’s dedication to His Spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur)

Some like to argue that Srila Prabhupada’s ritvik order (initiations on Srila Prabhupada’s behalf by officiating acaryas or ritvik representatives) has no historical precedent.
Yet 2000 years ago another nitya siddha shaktyavesa avatar and universal acarya (jagad guru), Lord Jesus Christ, envisioned the exact same system of disciplic succession or parampara for his future church.

New Testament. Matthew 23:1-12New King James Version (NKJV).
Woe to the Scribes and Pharisees
23 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, 2 saying:
“The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, [a] that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. 4 For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5 But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. 6 They love the bestplaces at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ 8 But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, [b] and you are all brethren. 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. 11 But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Christians  have remained faithful to this instruction of their spiritual master or Lord,  and the formality of ministers and priests officiating in the name and on behalf of Lord Christ has operated for nearly 2000 years, in all Christian churches and temples, throughout the world.

For century after century Lord Jesus Christ has remained the undisputed and sole diksa guru and savior for Christians around the world, by imparting divine knowledge -divya jnana- and delivering his faithful followers from their sins.

“Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī explains dīkṣā in his Bhakti-sandarbha (283):

divyaṁ jñānaṁ yato dadyāt/ kuryāt pāpasya saṅkṣayam
tasmād dīkṣeti sā proktā/ deśikais tattva-kovidaiḥ

“Dīkṣā is the process by which one can awaken his transcendental knowledge and vanquish all reactions caused by sinful activity. A person expert in the study of the revealed scriptures knows this process as dīkṣā.” (CC Madhya Lila.15.108)

Indeed there are countless saints in the history of the Christian church, but not one of them has ever dared to accept disciples or worship in the abiding living presence of their founder-acarya.

Is this great similitude to Srila Prabhupada’s ritvik order just a coincidence, a mistake of his apostles who were offensively acting against sastric or local rabbinical tradition? Or did the apostles and followers of Christ understand the immaculate essence, supernatural nature, and universal mission of their teacher and master?
After all they saw him rise from the dead.

On the other hand he was therefore not very much liked by those narrow minded family gurus , ambitious sahajyas and pretentious Pharisees who decided to  kill guru to become guru, and cruelly put him to death; indeed these unfortunate souls were blinded by His divine light which revealed the darkness and emptiness  of their hearts, and thus they could hardly comprehend what to speak of accept His pure, exalted and absolute position as savior of the whole world (jagat guru).

Yet ultimately their ignorance and deep seated envy  were powerless against the ressurection of Christ and the light of pure spiritual essence – sat cid ananda- shining from the world acarya; Christianity or the teachings of the living Christ  have spread all over the world.

Just as Lord Jesus Christ has resurrected and lives forever in His teachings and in the heart of his aspiring followers , similarly Srila Prabhupada lives eternally in his divine books and appears or is resurrected  in this world wherever and whenever  his servants hear, glorify, remember, print and distribute his original books or divine instructions.

Srila Prabhupada has personally carried Lord Krsna accross the seas in the form of Srimad Bhagavatam to rescue all people, and thus he has bestowed the greatest possible benediction on this world. Has anyone ever given a greater gift to suffering humanity?

SB 1.3.40 — This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the literary incarnation of God, and it is compiled by Śrīla Vyāsadeva, the incarnation of God. It is meant for the ultimate good of all people, and it is all-successful, all-blissful and all-perfect.

Srila Prabhupada is not the guru of a particular time place, family, generation, math, caste or creed. He is the universal acarya , nitya siddha and shaktyavesa avatar who has appeared in Kali yuga to rescue his sincere followers. Thus he is most compassionately offering them diksa initiation: divine knowledge in his books and deliverance from past sins through initiation. This is called second birth.

“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 March 1968, San Francisco)

One who understands Srila Prabhupada’s exhalted position as well as  his own fallen condition, will therefore follow this order of Srila Prabhupada for the deliverance of all fallen souls. This order was clearly given in Srila Prabhupada’s July 9th letter to all temples and GBCs. (please note Srila Prabhupada’s signature)

•   “…the process for initiation to be followed in the future.” (July 11th)
•   “…continue to become ritvik and act on my charge.” (July 19th)
•   “…continue to become ritvik and act on my behalf.” (July 31th)

By acting as an officiating acarya and initiating in Srila Prabhupadas name, on His behalf, and by His order one will stay humble and free of false pride and personal ambition; he will remain a true brother amongst his Godbrothers; thus one can actually become a real guru and a genuinely exalted representative of Srila Prabhupada in parampara.

“And Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā [Cc. Madhya 7.128].One who understands the order of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he can become guru. Or one who understands his guru’s order, the same paramparā, he can become guru. And therefore I shall select some of you. “(hums) (Vrindavan. May 28, 1977. Conversation):
https://vanisource.org/wiki/770528_-_Conversation_B_-_Vrndavana

By thus  being given  complete shelter at Srila Prabhupada ‘s lotus feet through initiation in ISKCON,  millions of future disciples of Srila Prabhupada will be enlightened with revealed knowledge and saved from their past sins as well as the sins or personal ambition , envy and false pride of others (fake gurus, pseudo uttama adhikaris etc..)

They will at last be true brothers and sisters safely sailing across the ocean of faults ( kali yuga) in the ISKCON boat, with Srila Prabhupada as their father snd captain and the good fortune winds  of the eternal vedic instructions revealed in Srila Prabhupada’s books as their mother.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur says:
“The effective silencing of the whole race of the pseudo-teachers of religion is the very first clear indication of the Appearance of the Absolute on the mundane plane. The bonafide teacher of the Absolute heralds the Advent of Krishna by his uncompromising campaign against the pseudo-teachers of religion.” (The Harmonist. May 1932)

Hanumān: One thing he’s saying, this gentleman, and I would like to know, is your successor named or your successor will…”
Srila Prabhupada: My success is always there. Yes. Just like the sun is there always. It may come before your vision or not— the sun is there. But if you are fortunate, you come before the sun. Otherwise, you remain in darkness. The sun is open to everyone. Our Krishna consciousness movement, Krishna, is open to everyone. But if you are fortunate, you come to the light. If you are unfortunate, you do not. That is your choice.” (Conversation, February 12,1975, Mexico City)

Appendix A:
Srila Prabhupada on initiation process in ISKCON
https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/15/108

Appendix B:
Srila Prabhupadas July 9th letter

Appendix C:
May 28th conversation
https://vanisource.org/wiki/770528_-_Conversation_B_-_Vrndavana