Myth: “Ritvik initiation system is mayavada”
Anti Ritvik Myths debunked (#44)
Myth: “Ritvik initiation system is mayavada”
Truth: Srila Prabhupada’s ritvik system has nothing to do with mayavada, but the anti-ritvik doctrine has lots of real similarities with it.
Some people argue that Srila Prabhupada’s instructions on initiations (branded as “ritvik theory” for the sake of distraction) are supposedly hidden mayavada, or impersonalism. For example, this is emphasized in Jayapataka’s propaganda book “100 Deviations of Ritivikism”. The reader is relentlessly pushed to accept the idea that “ritvikvada is mayavada”. This is a manifestation of mode of ignorance- white is called black, and black is called white. Such false accusations of Mayavada are a characteristic feature of Kali yuga (as stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam, 12.2.6, in the age of Kali, “one who is audacious will be accepted as truthful”). A reasonable and sincere person, provided he/she is well informed of Srila Prabhupada’s instructions, will not even think that Srila Prabhupada’s instructions (including on ritvik initiations) are Mayavada.
1. Actually there is no such authorized “ritvikvada-mayavada” term. This is a newly minted propaganda cliché. The word “Mayavada”, which has a negative connotation in Vaisnava circles, is taken, and an artificial, baseless connection of Srila Prabhupada’s instructions on ritviks with this negative Mayavada word, is pushed into minds of people so that just by hearing the word “ritvik” people would immediately reject this topic and don’t try to thoroughly understand it’s importance and conclusions. Srila Prabhupada’s disciples who accept his instructions on initiations do not add anything principally new that was not established by Srila Prabhupada himself in ISKCON even during his physical presence. [Read More…]
Myth: “If we can accept Srila Prabhupada now then we can instead accept some previous acarya as our guru”
Anti Ritvik Myths debunked (#43)
Myth: “If one can take shelter of Srila Prabhupada now, then one can become a diksa disciple of some previous acarya like Rupa Gosvami or Narada Muni”
Truth: Srila Prabhupada didn’t sanction this, and it’s he who is the current acarya.
One teacher of maya-ISKCON’s Mayapur Institute wrote against Srila Prabhupada’s ritvik system, “If I was to be given a choice to get diksa from a guru not present on the planet, then I would probably accept Srila Rupa Gosvami”. Another person wrote, “Then what is the difficulty to accept initiation directly from Caitanya Mahaprabhu? Or from Brahma, Narada? What is the hindrance?” From ‘100 Deviations of Rtvikism’ book (issued by maya-ISKCON guru Jayapataka Swami and his team):
“Rtvik-maya vadis jump over the guru […] If you can jump over one generation of the disciplic succession you can jump over so many.”
(100 Deviations of Rtvikism, point 27)
“It fosters the idea that one can take diksa from any previous acarya.”
(100 Deviations of Rtvikism, point 107)
There are many similar statements from those who don’t accept Srila Prabhupada’s instructions regarding initiations in ISKCON. But this argument can easily be defeated as follows:
1. Although it’s potentially possible to get darsana (spiritual audience) of any previous acarya, as they are eternal souls, still there is general rule: one must take initiation from the spiritual master who is current link of bona fide Vaisnava guru parampara (disciplic succession of spiritual masters). Srila Prabhupada, not any previous acarya, is the current bona fide link after Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati in the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya sampradaya. And Srila Prabhupada didn’t authorize any guru successor(s) but he said that he would continue as ISKCON’s initiating guru and the formal part of initiations would be assisted by ritvik representatives. Some quotes: [Read More…]
Sri Madhavendra Puri’s Devotional Service
Prabhupada, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 4: In his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura gives the following summary of the Fourth Chapter. Passing along the path of Chatrabhoga and coming to Vrddhamantresvara, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu reached the border of Orissa.
On His way He enjoyed transcendental bliss by chanting and begging alms in different villages. In this way He reached the celebrated village of Remuna, where there is a Deity of Gopinatha. There He narrated the story of Madhavendra Puri, as He had heard it from His spiritual master, Isvara Puri. The narration is as follows.
[Read More…]
Lecture by Srila Prabhupada on Sri Nrsimha-caturdasi (Appearance Day)
Lecture on Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva’s Appearance Day
Bombay, May 5, 1974
Download Audio MP3
Prabhupāda: …boys who have played the Prahlāda-caritra, Hiraṇyakaśipu-vadha. Today is the appearance day of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva. It is called Nṛsiṁha-caturdaśī. So I am so pleased that within such a short time these boys have nicely learned how to play, and especially I have to thank Mr. Hiraṇyakaśipu. (applause) (laughs) Mr. Hiraṇyakaśipu has played his part very nicely.
So this is very instructive struggle between the atheist and the theist. This story of Prahlāda Mahārāja is eternally true. There is always a struggle between the atheist and the theist. If a person becomes God conscious, Kṛṣṇa conscious, so he will find many enemies. Because the world is full of demons. What to speak of the devotee of Kṛṣṇa, even Kṛṣṇa, when He personally came, He had to kill so many demons. There was His maternal uncle, His mother’s brother, very keenly related. Still, he wanted to kill Kṛṣṇa. As soon as any son was born to Devakī, immediately he killed, because he did not know who will be Kṛṣṇa. The prediction was that the eighth child of his sister will kill Kaṁsa. So he began to kill all the children. At last, Kṛṣṇa came. But he could not kill Kṛṣṇa. He was killed by Kṛṣṇa.
So nobody can kill God. The demons, godless society, they simply want to kill God. But actually, God is never killed, but the demon is killed by God. That is the law of nature. This is the instruction from Prahlāda Mahārāja’s life. We can understand that as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham [Bg. 10.34]. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that “I am also death in the shape of taking away everything, whatever you possess.” We are very much proud of possessing material things, material acquisition, but when Kṛṣṇa comes… Just like Mahārāja, Prahlāda Mahārāja saw Hiraṇyakaśipu. His father also saw Nṛsiṁhadeva. This Hiraṇyakaśipu was very clever as the materialists, scientists, are very clever. Cleverly they are inventing so many things. What is the idea? The idea is “We shall live forever and enjoy sense gratification more and more.” This is called atheistic advancement of civilization. So Hiraṇyakaśipu was typical materialist. Hiraṇya means gold, and kaśipu means soft bed, cushion. So materialist persons, they are very much fond of gold and enjoying sex. That is their business. So Hiraṇyakaśipu is the typical example of this materialistic person. And Prahlāda Mahārāja, prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa āhlāda. Āhlāda means transcendental bliss. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ [Bs. 5.37]. Living entities’ real identification is prahlāda, blissfulness. But on account of material association, we are in miserable condition of life. So… (aside:) Stop these children.
So this Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted to become immortal, and he underwent penances, severe penances, so much so, the whole universe became trembled. So that Brahmā, Lord Brahmā, had to come to pacify him, “What do you want?” So he wanted to become immortal. Lord Brahmā said that “Although I have got very long duration of life,…” The duration of life of Brahmājī is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, sahasra-yuga-paryantam arhad yad brahmaṇo viduḥ [Bg. 8.17]. Sahasra-yuga, one group of yugas-Satya, Treta, Dvāpara, Kali—it becomes about forty-three lakhs of years. And multiply these forty-three lakhs of years by one thousand, that duration of time is Brahma’s twelve hours, one day. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam arhad yad brahmaṇo viduḥ. So that Brahmā who lives for millions of trillions of years—still, he has to die. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānu-darśanam [Bg. 13.9]. Wherever you go within this material world, either in the Brahmaloka or in the Patala-loka, you have to die. That is the problem. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, “Real problem is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi, birth, death, old age and disease.” Just try to… So Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted to solve these in a materialstic way, but that is not possible. So in a negative way he wanted that “I shall not die on the (indistinct). [Read More…]
prabhupadanugas
- Factual Analysis of Tusta Krsna Letter in Detail
- Myth:”There is no need to get authorization from one’s own guru to become the next diksa guru”
- Heliograph
- Myth: “Ritvik system disrupts guru-disciple relationship and ongoing supervision by guru”
- “I”nternal Documents
- Disappearance day of Sri Vrindavana dasa Thakura (tirobhava tithi)
- Myth: “There is strict sampradaya history of accepting only physically present gurus”
- Sastra-caksus
- Reply to ERIC JOHANSON
- Myth: “You are imposing disciples and their karma on Srila Prabhupada after his departure”
- Prabhupada originally coined ‘FISKCON’
- Detected
- Myth: “Srila Prabhupada books cannot be understood unless they are explained by a living diksa guru”
- Sri Rama Navami
- What we can learn from the Iran conflict regarding simple life in a village
- Sacred Appearance Day of Sripada Ramanuja Acarya
- Myth: “Audio recordings do not contain spiritual sound energy sabda brahma”
- Spoken Authority
- Myth: “If one can’t talk to guru directly then he must at least get letters from him”
- Consortium Contracts
- Myth: “Not possible to become doctors by simply reading textbooks, same is with Srila Prabhupada’s books”
- No Poly Tricks
- Sri Gaura-Purnima – Appearance Day of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
- Lord Caitanyas Appearance – Blessings and Benedictions!
- Myth: “We can’t approach and inquire from SP and get the dust from his lotus feet”
- A Very Temporary Existence
- Myth: “New followers have no physical association with Srila Prabhupada so they cannot be his disciples”
- War Machination
- Myth: “Srila Prabhupada is not living anymore so new living gurus are necessary”
- Present
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