PRABHUPADA NEWS

Myth: “Audio recordings do not contain spiritual sound energy sabda brahma”

21. March 2026 By Prabhupada News Leave a Comment

Anti Ritvik Myths debunked (#37)

Myth: “One should hear instructions and initiation mantras only from lotus lips of the guru, we can’t just read books or hear tapes since audio tapes do not contain spiritual sound energy sabda-brahma”

Truth: Srila Prabhupada used his audio tapes for initiating into Gayatri mantra, for producing his books, etc., since his books and tapes fully contain sabda-brahma.

From “Myth-busters: The Guru and initiation myth” (Back to Prabhupada #5, Autumn 2004):

MYTH: “We must hear the gayatri mantra, and spiritual knowledge in general, from the lips of the spiritual master. Therefore the Guru must be physically present in order to initiate disciples.”

BUSTED: This idea comes from quotes such as the following:

“When one’s knowledge of mantras is received from the lips of the bona fide spiritual master, one’s mantra is considered pure…”
(Hrdyananda dasa Goswami’s translation and purport, Srimad Bhagavatam 11.21)

As we saw Srila Prabhupada instruct above: “First of all you must secure one tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra.” [SP Letter to: Danavir — Nairobi, 27 September, 1971]

So, whilst no one is denying that hearing directly from the lips of a pure devotee would be good, we can also conclude that listening to a tape must be sufficiently potent, or else why would Srila Prabhupada have sanctioned this as part of general initiation procedure within ISKCON?

Srila Prabhupada also placed great emphasis on the distribution of his books, and equated “reading” such books with “hearing” directly from the spiritual master: [Read More…]

Myth: “If one can’t talk to guru directly then he must at least get letters from him”

14. March 2026 By Prabhupada News 2 Comments

Anti Ritvik Myths debunked (#36)

Myth: “If one can’t talk to guru directly, then he must at least get letters from him”

Truth: There are already thousands of Srila Prabhupada’s letters, and it was instructed to ISKCON in the 1970s to minimize and then to stop sending letters to Srila Prabhupada.

A maya-ISKCON guru challenged Srila Prabhupada’s disciples in 1990:

“DURING the recent debate in San Diego, the North American GBC Chairman, Ravindra Svarupa, issued an unusual challenge to the editors of VVR. He stated that if Srila Prabhupada was still present as we claimed, then why didn’t we write him a letter and let him straighten out the whole guru affair once and for all? He added that Srila Prabhupada was not present in the way that he had been previously and that his absence was certainly the cause of our many difficulties. This challenge shocked us by its seemingly bald cynicism and faithlessness. Although we agree that the perceived absence of Srila Prabhupada is the cause of our difficulties, still Srila Prabhupada is in no way absent, as he can and does answer our entreaties and questions if we place them sincerely before him. We may also mark how Srila Prabhupada wrote a letter to Jayananda Prabhu after his departure, and further note how predecessor acaryas have written prayers addressing other great departed souls, fully expecting reciprocation. Many of our devotees write feelingly to Prabhupada every year in the very personal letter format. Are their sincere expressions made in vain? We gave the matter serious consideration and composed a letter to Srila Prabhupada. Unlike Ravindra we do not doubt that we will receive an answer, although it may not come in the conventional format. Liberated associates of Krishna like Srila Prabhupada are all-powerful, and they can and do act wonderfully. So to expect Srila Prabhupada to act wonderfully and answer our questions is an expectation which will be fulfilled.” (Vedic Village Review #12, March 1990, pg. 8)

1. Although Srila Prabhupada is present spiritually, in unmanifested, inanimate way (in general bodily sense, but he continues to be available in his forms of murtis, images, etc), he still responds to requests and questions in various ways: both in his books (which, as he said, would remain lawbooks for 10 thousand years), letters, VedaBase (which is a great boon that wasn’t there during Srila Prabhupada’s manifested presence), through his sincere disciples, and in a more miraculous way. [Read More…]

Myth: “Not possible to become doctors by simply reading textbooks, same is with Srila Prabhupada’s books”

7. March 2026 By Prabhupada News 1 Comment

Anti Ritvik Myths debunked (#35)

Myth: “Srila Prabhupada said that one cannot become medical practitioner simply by reading textbooks, so we cannot become devotees by reading his books”

Truth: Srila Prabhupada said, “Not necessarily that you have to contact with the author always… To study from a medical man, I never said you have to study from the author.

One follower of Narayana Maharaja, a “guru” of a Gaudiya Matha offshoot group, made an argument: you cannot become a doctor just by reading textbooks; you need to study at college to become a real medical practitioner. Similarly, it’s imperative to associate with a physically present guru. And he quoted the following verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.1.8):

idaṁ bhāgavataṁ nāma
purāṇaṁ brahma-sammitam
adhītavān dvāparādau
pitur dvaipāyanād aham

At the end of the Dvāpara-yuga, I studied this great supplement of Vedic literature named Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is equal to all the Vedas, from my father, Śrīla Dvaipāyana Vyāsadeva. [Read More…]