Even it is a little offensive, still these rascals should be taught a lesson

Even it is a little offensive, still these rascals should be taught a lesson.
At least you must expose all these rascals. That will be very much appreciated by Kṛṣṇa.

Below we have a few statements made by Srila Prabhupada where he explains that as his disciples one of our duties is to expose the rascals- fake gurus, charlatan leaders, etc– This is NOT Vaisnava aparadha, but “That will be very much appreciated by Kṛṣṇa” as Srila Prabhupada says. He was undoubtetly the greatest critic, even exposing his own bogus so called god-brothers.

Srila Prabhupada: The fact is that I am the only one in India who is openly criticizing, not only demigod worship and impersonalism, but everything that falls short of complete surrender to Krsna. My Guru Maharaja never compromised in His preaching, nor will I, nor should any of my students. We are firmly convinced that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and all others are His part and parcel servants. This we must declare boldly to the whole world. (Letter 72-01-03)

NO, IT IS NOT CRITICIZING. IT IS OPENING YOUR EYES

Srila Prabhupada in his lectures and morning walks talks about criticizing, which is essentially what he was doing non-stop on many of these morning walks — criticizing rascals and fools, bogus gurus, kali-cela devotees and people who deny the existence of God or try to minimize God. Srila Prabhupada’s response to Hridayananda’s question is very important:

Hrdayananda: Sometimes, Prabhupada, when we expose them, their argument is, “Oh, you are a saintly person. Why are you criticizing me?”

Prabhupāda: No, it is not criticizing. It is opening your eyes. You are blind, you are thinking yourself as very big, so we are opening eyes. You are not big. You are not even pig or fig. That is… ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā. You are blind with ignorance, so we are trying to open your eyes. See things as they are. It is favoring you. It is not criticizing you. [break]…words, vibhu, the great, and aṇu, the small. So these rascals, they do not understand these two important words, “God is great; I am small.” They think, “I am as good as God.” This is the folly. [break] …English proverb? “Where angels dare not, the fools rush in.” Eh (Conversations Morning Walk — February 6, 1976, Mayapura)

Prabhupāda: Unnecessarily we do not want to criticize anyone. But when there is necessity, because we are preacher, it may be sometimes you’ll be faced with opposite elements, so we have to criticize in that respect. Generally we don’t praise or eulogize somebody or criticize somebody. That is not our business. Our business is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, God consciousness, always thinking that we are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. (General Lecture, 26 July 1968, Montreal)

Prabhupada: When you become actually preacher of God consciousness, you cannot make any compromise. You must call the spade a spade. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja is one of the mahājanas. Out of the twelve mahājanas, he’s one of them. Because he was very bold. He was not afraid of his demonic father. He chastised him in so many ways. But he was never afraid. (Lecture on SB 1.2.5 — Vrndavana, October 16, 1972)

Prabhupāda: Yes. That we want. They have become unnecessary authorities and misleading people. That we want to expose. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a challenge to all the rascals and fools, that’s all. So those who have taken this movement very seriously, they should be very sober and understand at least you must expose all these rascals. That will be very much appreciated by Kṛṣṇa (Room Conversation — July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.) 

SO WE HAVE TO EXPOSE THEM. THEY ARE NOT LEADER; THEY ARE JACKALS

Prabhupada: “So we have to expose them. They are not leader; they are jackals”. “Now they are talking nonsense. We can detect that “Here is a jackal.” So we have to expose them. They are not leader; they are jackals. So jackals cannot anymore rule over. That should be our propaganda. They should be all kicked out. They should be replaced by Kṛṣṇa consciousness.”

Prabhupada: No, it is Sanskrit. And in Bengal it is called vane asiya raja.(?) “In the forest a jackal has become king.” They are like that. Nila-varna-srigalavat.(?) When… There is big story about this jackal. I will tell you some. A jackal came in the village and he fell in the tub where, what is called, the water? No, no. The water man keeps the water for dipping, making little bluish. For coloring. That blue, blue. So the washerman kept the dye water in a big tub, and the jackal fell in it. So jackal fell in it; he became blue, all blue. So he fled away, and all the animals said, “What is this animal? What is the animal? What is that animal? Oh?” All, even lion became surprised. “We have not seen this.” “So who are you, sir?” “I AM SENT BY GOD TO RULE OVER YOU.” “OH?” SO THEY BEGAN TO WORSHIP HIM AS GOD, AS LEADER. Then one day other jackals, they were crying, “Wa, wa,” but the jackals cannot stop. If others jackals cry, the jackal cannot stop. So he also began to “Wa, wa.” Oh, then, they, oh, this rascal is a jackal. Yavat kincin na bhasate. That these rascals are jackals. Now they are talking nonsense. We can detect that “Here is a jackal.”

SO WE HAVE TO EXPOSE THEM. THEY ARE NOT LEADER; THEY ARE JACKALS. SO JACKALS CANNOT ANYMORE RULE OVER. THAT SHOULD BE OUR PROPAGANDA. NOT ONLY SCIENTIFIC, ALL POLITICAL THINGS, SOCIAL THINGS, EVERYTHING. THEY SHOULD BE ALL KICKED OUT. THEY SHOULD BE REPLACED BY KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS. THEN PEOPLE WILL BE HAPPY. THIS SHOULD BE OUR PROGRAM. Our, this propaganda means to make people happy. It is not a business, to make business and take some money. And so many jackals have been arrested and resigned in your… You know that? Many jackals have been obliged to resign their post in the government. (730503mw.la Conversations)

CHALLENGING ALL OF THESE SO-CALLED SWAMIS AND GURUS

I am very glad that you are challenging all of these so-called swamis and gurus. My Guru Maharaja appreciated devotees who boldly present our Vaisnava philosophy. We must take advantage of every opportunity to defeat these rascals and drive them away, so please continue this strong attitude. (Vrindaban 30 November, 1971 SPL:Bahulasva)

“So you all write very strongly vehemently. Even it is a little offensive, still these rascals should be taught a lesson. Yes. They’re misleading. Godlessness.” (Conversations April 19, 1973)

OF COURSE TO CALL A THIEF A THIEF IS NOT FAULTFINDING

Apaiśunam means that one should not find fault with others or correct them unnecessarily. Of course to call a thief a thief is not faultfinding, but to call an honest person a thief is very much offensive for one who is making advancement in spiritual life. (BG 16.1-3, Pp)

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. (Bg 10.4-5 P The Opulence of the Absolute)

Prabhupāda: All thieves, they are cousin brothers, “Don’t expose me and I’ll not expose you. Let us keep peace.” Two thieves, he knows he is a thief, but if he wants to reveal a thief, then his business will be suffer.

“…one who is mischievous, he is culprit. But one who tolerates mischievous activity, he is also culprit. If you are mischievous, you are criminal. But if you tolerate mischievous activities that is also criminal.” (Conversations of May 3, 1973, Los Angeles)

“Our business is to point out who is not a saint.” (Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, 10/4/1975)

“That is our duty, to disturb them. And that is the greatest service. Just like a man is sleeping. And somebody is coming to kill him, and other friend, “Mr. such and such, wake up! Wake up! Wake up!” So he may say, “Why you are disturbing me?” But that is the greatest service, he’ll be saved.” (Srila Prabhupada Lecture, 30/12/1968)

PSEUDO VAISNAVAS AND DISCIPLES OF KALI-YUGA

Of course the Srimad Bhagavatam clearly states, that one should never criticise a Vaishnava or devotee of the Lord. But unfortunately many nephyte devotees do not discriminate between a real Vaishnava and a Kali-Chela-Devotee. Actually there are two types of devotees: a real devotee and a Kali-chela devotee, who looks the same and has the same appearance. Unfortunately these ISKCON IDIOTS cannot discriminate between these two types of devotees, the real one and the fake one, but Bhaktivinoda Thakura clearly warns us, that Kali-Chela devotees have to be completely rejected.

Srila Prabhupada states that there are many false Vaisnavas in ISKCON: “There are many jealous people in the dress of Vaisnavas in this Krsna consciousness movement, […] Such a pseudo Vaisnava associates with money and women and is jealous of successful Vaisnavas. Although passing for a Vaisnava, his only business is earning money in the dress of a Vaisnava. Bhaktivinoda Thakura therefore says that such a pseudo Vaisnava is not a Vaisnava at all but a disciple of Kali-yuga, and they should be completely neglected.” (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 1:218 and 1:220, purports)

Prabhupāda: That Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, eiṭa eka kalira chelā, nāke tilaka, galaya mālā: “Here is another follower of Kali. He has got tilaka and mālā.” Sahaja bhajana kacen māmu, saṅga laiyā pārera wala: “He is worshiping, bhajana, taking another’s wife.” Sahaja bhajana kacen māmu, saṅga laiyā pārera wala, ei ṭa eka kalira chelā: “Here is a servant of Kali. Simply he has changed his dress with tilaka and mālā.” Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says. If you take tilaka and mālā and do all nonsense things, then you are not a devotee. You are Kali-chelā. To become a devotee is not so easy thing. To become devotee is not a cheap thing. You don’t think that because you have got a tilaka you have become devotee. Why do you think like that? (1976 Conversations and Morning Walks)

MISUNDERSTANDINGS BASED ON TERMINOLOGIES

For example critical means both destructive and negative criticism and then there is constructive / positive criticism and so they think that any form of critical assessment of a personality is necessarily negative and destructive. However we are a society of Brahmins need to be able to differentiate between the two. Certainly we should not engage in negative or destructive criticism.

The other term that is largely misunderstood is judging. The idea that one must not judge someone’s behavior or actions is another misunderstanding in our society; yet we need to understand what is right and what is wrong according to shastra. After all when one is on the madhyama adhikari level of realization one must discriminate between what is right and what is wrong for their spiritual advancement. There is no compromise, there is right or wrong according to shastra so this is judging or adjudication.

Modern thinkers or speculators desire to believe that there are shades of gray in our lives, however, this is a misconception. There is only right and wrong. We have choice in every circumstance and in every instance of our lives. Sure there are times when we have limited choice but we still have choice – to do good or bad according to guru sadhu and shastra.

The idea that someone who calls a thief a thief or reports any wrongdoing is being critical or making judgments on others is not something that we as aspiring Vaishnavas should allow to be acculturated into our Vaishnava society as you know. Being critical as I have said above is making an informed judgment on something that affects our lives, we do this every day in every thought, emotion or action we take.  Srila Prabhupada teaches us to make judgments on the people in our life, especially who we associate with or who we take association from. We have to judge or else we will be cheated as we do exist in the kali-yuga where there is only the cheaters and the cheated. A devotee is no fool, we have to become independently intelligent in all our thoughts feelings and deeds.

SOMETIMES THE TRUTH IS UNPALATABLE, ONE SHOULD NOT REFRAIN FROM SPEAKING IT

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 straightforward 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. [BG.10.4-5]

FAULTFINDING

Apaiśunam means that one should not find fault with others or correct them unnecessarily. Of course to call a thief a thief is not faultfinding, but to call an honest person a thief is very much offensive for one who is making advancement in spiritual life. Hré means that one should be very modest and must not perform some act which is abominable.[BG.16.1-3]

JUDGE / JUDGING

Prabhupāda: No, judgment is there everywhere. Unless there is judgment, how you can discriminate, “This is spiritual; this is material”? Judgment must be there for intelligent person. Otherwise how you can distinguish? We are distinguishing every moment–“This is good. This is bad”–in the relative world. So there is judgment. So God–the supreme judge. So as soon as there is question of judgment, then what is our position? There must be good and bad, so that if we have lived a very nice, good life, then by the judgment of God we get better position. And if we have not done so, then you get degraded position. Therefore, for human being it is very sanguine to understand how we are going to be judged by the Supreme. So if we are following the rules and regulation given by God, then the judgment will be better. And if we are not following the laws, the judgment will not be in favor. This is natural to conclude. Then we have to judge what is sin, what is piety, how to be pious, how one becomes sinful. So many things will come. [Room Conversation with Yoga Student March 14, 1975, Iran]

KILLING THE GURU WITHOUT PROTESTING

Srila Prabhupada: “Suppose if I am here and somebody kills me, and if you do not protest, is it a very good business? People will be surprised that “So many disciples are there, and this man is being killed, and nobody do anything?” (75 41027SB.MAY Lectures)

OPINION AND JUDGMENT

As aspiring Vaiṣṇava devotees of the Lord we are required to form our opinion and make decisions based on sound judgments according to guru sādhu and śāstra in our daily lives. It is a simple black and white process of decision making. A simple easy decision / judgment to make for a sincere intelligent aspiring Vaiṣṇava is;

1.    My sannyāsa guru was caught having illicit relations with a non devotee woman – therefore he has broken the regulative principle of illicit sex and his sannyāsa vow and so I cannot in good faith and intelligence accept him as my guru.

2.   My guru resigned from his position as a ISKCON Guru – Therefore he is no longer my guru and so I must:

a) Accept that he has been exposed for wrongdoing and hence reject him as my guru
b) Take down his pictures from my altar
c) Stop all worship of him
d) Take shelter of Śrīla Prabhupāda

The sincere and intelligent person will be able to easily make such a change in their lives for they will easily understand that the person that they had accepted as a pure devotee of the Lord cheated them, and the institution cheated them by offering the gurus to the newcomer as if they were bona fide gurus.

However in our unhealthy society they are being taught that we must not judge their guru as being engaged in any wrongdoing no matter how heinous it may be, even if they admit to it, – for to form an opinion of them, even though it is based on indisputable factual evidence, is sinful and offensive. They are taught that any decision of the GBC to accept their guru as a dīkṣā gurus / sannyāsīs is law and supersedes any sastral quote / evidence to the contrary or teachings of Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Under this disingenuous logic / illogical process; the exposed / resigned / blooped former guru must be given all credit for services rendered and they must never be criticized or rebuked in any circumstance even up to decades after their exposure and/ or leaving the association of devotees.

MUNDANE MORALITY

The defense that is now being incorporated in our society by the GBC and Rubber Stamped Gurus attempting to find excuses for why their Rubber Stamped Guru system is failing to provide genuine dīkṣā gurus what to speak of anyone who is on the madhyama adhikāra platform of spiritual realization is – no one can apply mundane morality onto a Rubber Stamped Guru.

The terms – critical / criticize / judge / fault find etc can be used intelligently where there is no negative connotation or they can be used in the derogatory sense which is the language of the less intelligent. The choice is ours to make. A thief sees others and thieves. It is all about perception.

How to kill Krishna Consciousness? The easiest way to do it is to organise movement in such a way that truth can not be spoken. You kill the truth by making it illegal. And that is exactly what GBC body did. Nonsense best grows in silence. If we are not willing to publicly oppose nonsense and fight for Prabhupada that makes us a traitor. But we can not do it in ISKCON because it is forbidden under the pretext of aparadha and faultfinding.

The use of fear or terror to gain conformity is a very common tactic of authoritarian fascist regimes and must not be allowed to continue to be acculturated into our Vaiṣṇava community. Governments especially Zionist led Marxist Communist Governments, use fear and terror to subjugate and rule the people of their respective countries. People under this form of authoritarian regime live in fear of speaking out against any corruption, person, policy or program of the state.

Fear and terror has been so well acculturated into our ISKCON society that most devotees fear to perform even a rudimentary assessment of their guru’s behavior or level of spiritual advancement. They fear hearing any evidence that suggests that their guru is engaged in any wrongdoing for to hear any evidence no matter how conclusive, may lead them to question their guru’s qualification which in their minds is a cardinal sin.

The peer pressure is so great within the various guru groupie clubs of our society that disciples are held tightly in the neutralizing psychological and emotional restraints of peer pressure which forces them into social conformity simply by the misapplication of terms…

However these terms have been used in a pejorative sense in other words to criticize or judge is bad or evil. Devotees believe that critical analysis or forming judgments on others is evil / bad / offensive and therefore they must put aside their intelligence and common sense and listen / hear and accept what their institutionally given authority teaches or what their ‘guru groupie peers’ has instilled in them in order to be a ‘good’ disciple.

To question or doubt this means that you are a ‘bad’ devotee and subjected to peer pressure aimed at conformity to the guru groupie club at the expense of their intelligence, moral value system, common sense and in many cases overwhelming evidence.

There is no fear for the sincere intelligent devotee to call a snake a snake and a rope a rope, or a thief a thief. The intelligent devotee does not seek to use śāstra in order to justify their ignorance or their bad decisions. They use śāstra to help them and others in becoming more conscious of Kṛṣṇa.

The intelligent devotees learn how to discriminate so that they won’t be cheated in a world full of cheaters whether they be the GBC, Rubber Stamped Gurus or their apologist disciples…

(Photo/ Graphic: courtesy of Atmavidya das
Article summary: courtesy of Urdhvaga das)