July 05 2011 — As all our articles in this section, the one below has also been first published in the IRM’s official magazine Back To Prabhupada. BTP is being distributed for free to ISKCON devotees and people interested in Srila Prabhupada’s teachings worldwide. If you would like to receive BTP at your home, simply send us your full name and street address via the following email address: irm@iskconirm. com.
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Thank you & Hare Krishna
Readers’ questions and challenges
“Please will you be kind enough to tell us if there is another precedent in this parampara system where any spiritual master advocated the ritvik system that you claim Srila Prabhupada changed to.”
– Neil & Sarah Pike, Lincolnshire, England
Editor replies: Unless Srila Prabhupada has taught that there has to be an historical precedent before an acharya can act, the question is meaningless. It is no different than asking if there is any example of a government approving the ritvik system. Since Srila Prabhupada has not taught that an acharya must always follow historical precedent or the government, such questions are irrelevant. On the contrary, Srila Prabhupada has taught that the action of an acharya may indeed differ from what has occurred previously:
“I sometimes take part in getting boys and girls married, although in the history of sannyasa no sannyasi has personally taken part in marrying his disciples.”
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Cc. Adi 7.37, purport)
“Every acarya has a specific means […] the method of one acarya may be different from that of another, but the ultimate goal is never neglected.”
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Cc. Adi 7.37, purport)
Further, even ISKCON accepts that historical precedence is not necessary:
“Whereas ISKCON is an unprecedented worldwide Gaudiya Vaisnava mission […]” (GBC resolution 316, 2009)
“This is the first time in Vaisnava history that we see a functioning worldwide institution with a committee in charge. We are in uncharted waters!” (HH Trivikrama Swami, “Dandavats” website, June 18th, 2007)
So from every angle, the question asked has no relevance.
“I wanted to understand what it is like when you cannot meet your guru personally. What does the relationship with the guru mean in this case? How does this work? He inspires his disciples via meditation? In the articles, I read that this happens through the books?”
– Dénes Mezei, Hungary (translated from Hungarian)
Editor replies: Yes, the Guru guides and inspires through his teachings, which he is able to make `alive’ and communicate to the recipient. This is the Guru’s mystic potency. And the proof of this is the thousands of disciples who practiced Krishna consciousness after reading Srila Prabhupada’s books, even though they never saw or met him personally! In fact, Srila Prabhupada has already answered your question, as we see below:
Paramahamsa: “My question is, a pure devotee, when he comments on Bhagavad-gita, someone who never sees him physically, but he just comes in contact with the commentary, explanation, is this the same thing?”
Srila Prabhupada: “Yes. You can associate with Krsna by reading Bhagavad-gita. And these saintly persons, they have given their explanations, comments. So where is the difficulty?”
(Morning Walk, June 11th, 1974)
Srila Prabhupada: “Even a moments association with a pure devotee – all success. […] ”
Revatinandana: “Does that apply to reading the words of a pure devotee?”
Srila Prabhupada: “Yes.”
Revatinandana: “Even a little association with your books has the same effect?”
Srila Prabhupada: “Effect. Of course it requires both things. One must be very eager to take it.”
(Room Conversation, December 13th, 1970)
“How you are all doing your Spiritual Duties without the presence of a Spiritual Master? Do you have any proof that Srila Prabhupada said that he was the LAST initiating Spiritual Master?”
– Olaf Hendriksen, Leiden, The Netherlands
Editor replies: When Srila Prabhupada was on the planet, many of his disciples never even met him. They went on by executing his instructions. So we are doing the same.
Srila Prabhupada would only need to state he is the “last” diksa Guru of ISKCON, if it is already assumed that there will be other diksa gurus after him. But this is the very assumption which is being debated, and one cannot assume that which needs to be proven. Rather:
a) if it can be shown that Srila Prabhupada is the diksa Guru for ISKCON;
b) and there is no evidence that Srila Prabhupada authorized any diksa gurus to succeed him, then automatically Srila Prabhupada is the first, second, middle and last diksa Guru of ISKCON, and there would be no requirement for Srila Prabhupada to say he will be the “last” spiritual master.
No one disputes that Srila Prabhupada established himself as ISKCON’s diksa Guru in 1966. And even the GBC now accept that we have to just assume that it was Srila Prabhupada’s “implicit intention” that he wanted successor diksa gurus, because he did not actually order this (please see BTP 17, “GBC Bombshell: `We have no guru order'”). So the absence of this succession order from Srila Prabhupada is alone proof that Srila Prabhupada is ISKCON’s “last” diksa Guru. Additionally, many extra levels of proof are given in the BTP Special Summary issue and The Final Order (please see back page to order a free copy).
“We are desirous of placing advertisements in your Back to Prabhupada magazine. Kindly tell us about the advertisement tariffs along with details of your magazine’s circulation.”
– Rahul Jain, Agra, India
Editor replies: Thank you for your offer to place advertisements in our Back to Prabhupada magazine. The magazine has an international circulation of over 10,000, but our research based on reply cards received indicates that each issue is passed on multiple times and read by up to 5 persons.
Its reader feedback is also the highest of any similarly circulated magazine, receiving over 300 letters and replies per issue.
Please note, however, that we do not allow any advertisements in the magazine, paid or otherwise, in line with the following policy decreed by the Founder-Acarya of ISKCON, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who said in reference to his Back to Godhead magazine that:
“Regarding advertisements in Back To Godhead, I am not at all in favor of it. […] We cannot accept advertisement from anyone and everyone, rather it will be our motto to avoid advertisements.”
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, February 5th, 1969)
“So far as ads are concerned, only our own books should be advertised; nothing else.” (Srila Prabhupada Letter July 1st, 1969)
Back to Prabhupada is funded entirely by voluntary donations from devotees who wish to see the truth about Srila Prabhupada’s glorious position disseminated as widely as possible.
In the book ‘The Science Of Self-Realization’, during the interview with Bill Faill in the ‘Meditation And The Self Within’ chapter Prabhupada is asked a question about ‘mystics through the ages’, he replies after asking ‘what is a mystic’ with, ‘We dont use the word mystic. Our reality is God realization…..’
Yet in the Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Chapter 10, Text 17 Arjuna says: O Krsna, O supreme mystic…..
Why would he say such a thing if it is written in the Gita that Arjuna used this word refering to our Lord as the supreme mystic?
I have not been able to get a straight answer on this, can you help?
Right, a search says that the term “mystic” is used approx 800 times in lectures, letters, conversations.
However, it seems that Prabhupada realized that people engrossed on the bodily platform have a different understanding about the meaning of this word.
Short before the mystic question, Mr. Faill says: “How about drugs? Can they help in the process of God realization?”
Prabhupada detecting his level of consciousness therefore asks, “What do you mean by “mystic”?
Mr. Faill: It’s just a name given to people who have had an experience of another level of reality.
When hearing the answer Prabhupada understands that at this state of consciousness Mr. Faill is unable to understand the true meaning of mystic.
When Prabhupada says, “We don’t use the word mystic”, he obviously wants to say, we don’t use the word mystic in that way how you think what mystic is.
At least thats how I understand it, one has to see it in context of the conversation with an individual, Mr. Faill.
Thankyou so much Prahbu Paul,
that makes perfect sense. You have set my mind at ease now as it was just a bit confussed but now im at ease. Hare Bol
Please let me know why the higher officials of iskon is titled as ‘ maharaj’ at the end of their official iskon name ? actually i think vaishnab is the simpliest person who lives only on madhukari i.e. unexpected viksha where as the word maharaj bears huge oisharya similar to that of a king. Do vaishnab want to be king ?
Srila Prabhupada introduced this “Maharaja” title into ISKCON as a means of respect to those who have accepted the renounced order of life. However through time it became apparent to him that his disciples were unable to maintain the standards required of renunciates.
“And to me, which I didn’t know at the time, that some of the criticisms of the, of these sannyasis were quite right on, on the other hand sannyasis also began to have a great deal of problems following the rules and regulations of their own ashrama.”
(Ravindra Svarupa, TRUE HISTORY OF ISKCON 1 -5)
Yet initially he let it continue despite all the problems which were brought to his attention with the following reasoning:
Prabhupada: No, you should always remember that either grhastha or brahmacari or sannyasi, nobody can strictly follow all the rules and regulations of them. In the Kali-yuga it is not possible. So if I find simply fault with you, and if you find fault with me, then it will be factional, and our real business will be hampered.
(Morning Walk — March 10, 1976, Mayapur)
However by 1977 the situation deteriorated further and Srila Prabhupada decided that he wanted to end this farcical situation.
“If you talk in the modern society they will laugh: “What nonsense this man is… ‘By sex life one becomes conditioned.’ “ They cannot understand. Hare Krishna…This should be strictly outlawed, no more sannyasis. And those sannyasis who have fallen, you get them married, live like a… No more this showbottle, cheating. It is very ludicrous. Even there is a promise that “We shall not fall down again,” that is also not believable. What is the use?” […]
“And this kind of hypocrisy–they have taken sannyasa and mixing with woman. This is not to be allowed. If you want woman you get yourself married, live respectfully. We have no objection. But this hypocrisy should be stopped. There have been so many fallen down. First of all there will be no sannyasi anymore. I have got very bad experience. And at least, we are not going to create new sannyasis. And those who have fallen down, let them marry, live like respectable gentlemen. I have no objection. […] Get one wife and live like a gentleman. Similarly woman. Live with one husband fastidiously, with children. What is the wrong there? We have so many grhastha devotees. […] But what is this nonsense that you take sannyasa and make relation with…? This should be completely stopped.”
(Srila Prabhupada Conversation, 7/1/77)
The governing body committee (GBC) seems to have noted these instructions and taken them to heart as there were no recommendations for the sannyasa ashram that year.
“And we discussed the sannyasa recommendations. […] And for next year no recommendations were made.”
(Room Conversation GBC Members, 2nd and 3rd March, 1977)
However, after Srila Prabhupada’s physical departure in November 1977 the GBC soon neglected these instructions and continued the farcical situation. Such that, an ex- GBC chairman has commented:
“The renounced order of life has come to be called the denounced order of life-we hear that all the time.” (Ravindra Svarupa, 2000)
There are many different kinds of vaisnavas, some as you have stated. Srila Prabhupada has defined vaisnava’s as “the devotees of the Lord” (Adi 1.20, synonyms).
So, there are also vaisnava’s who are emperors, why not? Srila Prabhupada explains:
“From Nabhaga was born Ambarisa, the most powerful and celebrated devotee. Maharaja Ambarisa was the emperor of the entire world, but he considered his opulence temporary. Indeed, knowing that such material opulence is the cause of downfall into conditional life, he was unattached to this opulence. He engaged his senses and mind in the service of the Lord. This process is called yukta-vairagya, or feasible renunciation, which is quite suitable for worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because Maharaja Ambarisa, as the emperor, was immensely opulent, he performed devotional service with great opulence, and therefore, despite his wealth, he had no attachment to his wife, children or kingdom. He constantly engaged his senses and mind in the service of the Lord. Therefore, to say nothing of enjoying material opulence, he never desired even liberation.”
(SB 9.4 Summary)
from sri chaitanya charitamrita it is evident that mahapravu advocates raganuga vakti through which gopi vab can be attained . sri chaitanya charitamrita says sai gopivabamrite zar loav hoy / beda dharma lok tyaji sai krishne bhojoy / raganuga marge tare bhoje jai jon / sai jon pai broje brojendranondan. again says bidhi marge na pai broje krishna chandra ( madhya lila astam pari ).so many times mahapravu tells only ragvakti is required. then why present day vaishnabjan practise bidhi vakti. i dont understand. you may say by doing bidhi vakti, rag vakti can be attained. but that does not hold good because mahapravu says there are two types of vakta one is rag vakta and another is bidhi vakta. the four pillar of vakti are there in rag vakti also like sraban,kirtan,smaran seban. bajya antar ehar duita sadhan / bajya sadhak dehe kare sraban kirtan / mone nij sidhya deha karia bhavan / ratri dine kare broje krishner seban ( madhya lila dabinsa pari ) mahaprav’s dharma roser dharma ( madhurjya ras ) where is ras in bidhi vakti only niyams .