“Journey Home” Issues
Published April 24, 2013
By His Holiness Bhakti Vikasa Swami | OneIskcon.com
And another question about this “I come across newer devotees who are more attracted to reading such and such a book, autobiography instead of Prabhupada’s books. This happened to me and I ended up discrediting that book and telling devotee to avoid such books and instead read Prabhupada’s book.
First, I have not read it, nor do I intend to, nor do I have the time but I have seen some excerpts in which so and so swami claims to receive the Hare Krishna mantra from the river Ganges before he met Srila Prabhupada. This looks very strange and sounds like self aggrandizement. Do you think it is wrong to openly discredit such a works in your devotees?”
“JOURNEY HOME” WILL NOT GIVE PROPER UNDERSTANDING OF KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS
Actually it’s not an issue but what happens is people come newly and they are given this book, which I say is an act of violence, to give people this book. They should give people Prabhupada’s books. If they get this book first they are going to be … it’s going to be very difficult for them to have a proper understanding of Krishna Consciousness either. He gets started in the wrong way but on the other hand what can we do.
HOW TO STOP IT?
1. Inform local temples to promote Prabhupada’s books
I would take it up with the local ISKCON authorities and tell them, that look, we should promote Srila Prabhupada’s books.
2. Tell them to read Prabhupada’s biography
Or you could tell them if you like to read biographies read Prabhupada’s biography. It’s a lot more Krishna Conscious. But you know what happens people come new and then there is this whole hype going on and they get carried away and new people how much they can understand philosophy.
3. Show people the difference in quality between “Journey Home” and Srila Prabhupada’s books
You can may be tell them, “Ok that’s very good. But if you actually want to understand what is Krishna Consciousness and get instructions and then read Prabhupada’s books.” And you could maybe read a little bit with them and just show them what is the difference in quality.
MY EXPERIENCE OF READING SRILA PRABHUPADA’S BOOKS
I mean I remember when I first started reading Prabhupada’s books… then and now also even after so many years I was just astounded by the quality of Prabhupada’s books. This is something … I read so many books by so many intelligent people, so many insights and religious books and scriptures, translation of scriptures but reading Prabhupada’s books was just really a revelation. Very clear that Srila Prabhupada is a person in touch with reality, actual reality. He is not speaking from this plane at all. He is completely different from anything else. Every word is just full of spiritual meaning.
It doesn’t appeal to the mind, to the senses, the ego, or even the mundane intelligence, completely from the spiritual platform. So you could just sit down and read … especially I often mention that first verse of Srimad Bhagavatam that just that one verse … ofcourse it’s a long verse but there is so much in there.
That one verse of Srimad Bhagvatam has got more actual spiritual substance then all the Bible, Koran and Buddhist books and even all the Upanisads, and everything put together and then you read verse 2 and … the first three verses of the Bhagavatam are just … actually the first two verses especially … The third verse can be especially appreciated by very advanced devotees but the first two verses, they are just revelatory. So you could try doing that but don’t expect to have too much luck.
MAKE PROPER POLICY TO DISTRIBUTE SRILA PRABHUPADA’S BOOKS
You could say to the local ISKCON authorities that they should … just you could appraise them of your concerns about this and then some policy could be made that we distribute Prabhupada’s books. Actually as I said before Prabhupada himself didn’t say that we should only distribute his books but some temples like to do that because it makes it easy because then you don’t have to sort out all the good books from the not so good books written by others apart from Prabhupada.
The problem with that is that some of them are very good and should be distributed while some of them are not at all good and shouldn’t be distributed. But if you make such a distinction then out of sentiment some people get upset. And then you get some temples where you can’t even find Prabhupada’s books for sale. There are all kind of other books for sale, even books by non-devotees, there are karmi translations of sastra, all kind of strange books. And time to … or may be its not time, may be you have to wait for the time to offer ISKCON back to Prabhupada.
source: http://www.oneiskcon.com/journey-home-issues-2/
The Trust Has Been Abandoned.
Below is the BBT site that explains in depth the changes. There is no book available that one can have to study the changes from only an online study. It cannot be ordered. The BBT can spend money printing changed books but somehow cannot find the money to print a book that explains the changes. I suggest that the BBT print up a book or books to explain all the changes as they go forward into the 21st century changing Srila Prabhupadas original books. In this way all scholars may work with real paper books as they study. I would prefer this myself. However, now that the world has a complete analysis of the Gita changes from the BBT will the world get a complete analysis of the changes to all the other books they are changing once those changed books are in print? It took the BBT some 20 years after the changed Gita to come out before they posted an explanation of the changes on line. This was only due to the diligence of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples. It is the direct responsibility of the BBT to provide a complete analytical study of the differences between the original works that they are changing and the original works themselves. Otherwise how will the world understand what they are missing? Or does the BBT have a long term hidden agenda? Those analytical studies of those differences must be in book form, we demand that. Everyone of the books that they are changing should have a complete original counter part in order for the world to understand the changes in true context. Anything less than that is theft of the original works left to the world by Srila Prabhupada and an abandonment of the Trust itself. Hasti Gopala Dasa
http://www.bbtedit.com/node/198#MGRE_Intro2
http://bookchanges.com/bhagavad-gita-changes-complete-list/
pamho agtACBSP
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.13.15)
Srimad-Bhagavatam is the essence of all Vedanta philosophy. One who has fully tasted the nectar of Srimad-Bhagavatam, will never be attracted to any other literature.
The Srimad-Bhagavatam is the ripen fruit of all Vedic literatures because it is identical with Sri Krsna. Unless we become identical with Krsna in spiritual quality nobody can become attracted by His message.
Srila Prabhupada is successfully attracting the whole world through the divine SRIMAD-BHAGAVATAM – amalam puranam yad vaisnavanam priyam – because Prabhupada is pure Vaishnava, very dear to Lord Krishna
By spreading the message of Srimad-Bhagavatam as SRILA PRABHUPADA did, we become most dear to the Lord.
In this way we can get full suprasidati (prasidati means “becomes satisfied,” and su means “very much.” ) or transcendental happiness, and therefore there is no experience of material distresses. This transcendental happiness is called eternal bliss.
Almost everyone is forced to retire in the own bhajan kutir or place of chanting to reach the ultimate goal of life – sanatana dharma.
At the present moment there is pollution almost everywhere even in the so called temples. SRILA PRABHUPADA once answered to a devotee question in Venezuela, tell me a place where there is not maya and i go there immediately.
(Caracas, February 21, 1975)
Therefore the only solution is to be engaged in the service full time otherwise maya (illusion) will catch us at once by deviating from the real dharma.
Only hope is to surrender to SRILA PRABHUPADA by meditating all life long on his sublime vani seva (executing the instruction) and become completely freed from duality and upadhi, fake reflections.
(Delhi, November 18, 1973)
agtSP ys
a.c seva das
haribol
Now the Ganga initiated mayavada hugger, is hugging with Russell Brand…From Wikipedia.. “His drug use, alcoholism and promiscuity have influenced his comedic material and public image”, although to his credit he does have Krsna playing flute tatooed on his arm, hallelujah!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Brand
The real problem is that the author of this rubbish book Journey Home, has an exalted position in the GBC (Greedy Boys Club)!
See article posted in Sampradaya Sun…
“Message from Srila Prabhupada to the Mayavadi Huggers”
http://www.harekrsna.com/sun/editorials/11-12/editorials9313.htm
Article by BVKS falls in the category what Prabhupada calls, “a thorn is taken out with another thorn”. One deviant attacks another deviant in order to diminish the burden of the earth…..
Right there should be indication of source. But it was written from begin with: By His Holiness Bhakti Vikasa Swami | OneIskcon.com
To also post direct url path to that article might indicate that we adore BVKS to be a genuine diksha-guru uttama adikari pure devotee appointed by Prabhupada?
Also kind of irritating, “marriage ceremony” between Russell Brand and Katy Perry performd by RS. Agreed they are divorced already (very good function as role models for people in general) but how a sannyasi and spiritual master of renowned Madhava Gaudiya sampradaya would hold a marriage ceremony with all those strict principles of devotional discipline for people who are not even Vaishnavas?
So whole staging backfired and as things look right now, neither Russell Brand nor Katy Perry were ever disciples of RS, nor do they follow any Vaishnava rules and regulations. Might be rather vice versa, not that Russell Brand donated any guru daksine, RS paid these actors for a false flag.
Both Bhakti Vikas and Radhanatha are CONDITIONED SOUL HYPOCRITES – neither of them are Diksa Guru as per Srila Prabhupada’s CC Madhya Lila 24.330
NoD 8 Offenses to Be Avoided
The offenses against the chanting of the holy name are as follows: (3) To disobey the orders of the spiritual master.
Madhya 24.330 The Sixty-One Explanations of the Atmarama Verse
MAHA-BHAGAVATA-srestho
brahmano vai gurur nrnam
sarvesam eva lokanam
asau pujyo yatha harih
maha-kula-prasuto ‘pi
sarva-yajnesu DIKSITAH
sahasra-sakhadhyayi ca
na guruh syad avaisnavah
((The guru MUST be situated on the topmost platform of devotional service. There are three classes of devotees, and the guru MUST be accepted from the topmost class. The first-class devotee is the spiritual master for all kinds of people. ….When one has attained the topmost position of MAHA-BHAGAVATA, he is to be accepted as a guru and worshiped exactly like Hari, the Personality of Godhead. Only such a person is eligible to occupy the post of a guru.))
Note The word DIKSITAH refers to Diksa and ONLY Maha Bhagavata is the one mentioned WHO give this BY DEFINITION.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Note: When we read Srila Prabhupada’s books you get KNOWLEDGE for instance I wanted to understand about Karma. If we are involved in Karma then HOW can we go BACK to Godhead? There are three modes of nature Sattva guna(goodness) , Rajo guna (passion) , Tamo guna (ignorance) . This means we have to TRANSCEND these modes in order to get out of FRUITIVE ACTS (Karma) otherwise EVEN one in the mode of goodness (Brahmana) is still going to be in the material world higher planets – there just is no
escape UNLESS we FOLLOW STRICTLY and SURRENDER to Srila Prabhupada OUR BONAFIDE DIKSA GURU. Karma means we have to go pay our obeisances to the Judge Yamaraja at death and get our NEXT bodies .THERE IS NO ESCAPE . AS LONG AS WE ARE SUBJECT TO KARMA WE ALL WILL HAVE TO BE PUNISHED FOR OUR SINFUL ACTS.
So these fools who want to pretend to be Diksa guru by usurping Srila Prabhupada’s Diksa guru position are going to pay a VERY VERY VERY HEAVY PRICE in bodies of Jackals. lizards, monkeys, snakes.
Their followers are ALSO going to meet the same end for going against the Ritvik System Srila Prabhupada gave us July 9th 1977 ORDER:
SB 6.7.14 Indra Offends His Spiritual Master, Brhaspati.
A stone boat would be unable to float and would sink in the water with its passengers. SIMILARLY, THOSE WHO MISLEAD PEOPLE GO TO HELL, AND THEIR FOLLOWERS GO WITH THEM.
Note: here is HOW karma means PUNISHMENT.
For those who are SINCERE they SURRENDER to Srila Prabhupada OUR BONAFIDE DIKSA GURU. We have to TRY and rise ABOVE the material modes of nature:
SB 6.1.42 T The History of the Life of Ajamila
suryo ‘gnih kham marud devah
somah sandhyahani disah
kam kuh svayam dharma iti
hy ete daihyasya saksinah
SYNONYMS
suryah–the sun-god; agnih–the fire; kham–the sky; marut–the air; devah–the demigods; somah–the moon; sandhya–evening; ahani–the day and night; disah–the directions; kam–the water; kuh–the land; svayam–personally; dharmah–Yamaraja or the Supersoul; iti–thus; hi–indeed; ete–all of these; daihyasya–of a living entity embodied in the material elements; saksinah–witnesses.
TRANSLATION
The sun, fire, sky, air, demigods, moon, evening, day, night, directions, water, land and Supersoul Himself all witness the activities of the living entity.
PURPORT
The members of some religious sects, especially Christians, do not believe in the reactions of karma. We once had a discussion with a learned Christian professor who argued that although people are generally punished after the witnesses of their misdeeds are examined, where are the witnesses responsible for one’s suffering the reactions of past karma? To such a person the answer by the Yamadutas is given here. A conditioned soul thinks that he is working stealthily and that no one can see his sinful activities, but we can understand from the sastras that there are many witnesses, including the sun, fire, sky, air, moon, demigods, evening, day, night, directions, water, land and the Supersoul Himself, who sits with the individual soul within his heart. Where is the dearth of witnesses? The witnesses and the Supreme Lord both exist, and therefore so many living entities are elevated to higher planetary systems or degraded to lower planetary systems, including the hellish planets. There are no discrepancies, for everything is arranged perfectly by the management of the Supreme God (svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca). The witnesses mentioned in this verse are also mentioned in other Vedic literatures:
aditya-candrav anilo ‘nalas ca
dyaur bhumir apo hrdayam yamas ca
ahas ca ratris ca ubhe ca sandhye
dharmo ‘pi janati narasya vrttam
SB 6.1.43 T The History of the Life of Ajamila
etair adharmo vijnatah
sthanam dandasya yujyate
sarve karmanurodhena
dandam arhanti karinah
SYNONYMS
etaih–by all these (witnesses, beginning from the sun-god); adharmah–deviation from the regulative principles; vijnatah–is known; sthanam–the proper place; dandasya–of punishment; yujyate–is accepted as; sarve–all; karma-anurodhena–with consideration of the activities performed; dandam–punishment; arhanti–deserve; karinah–the performers of sinful activities.
TRANSLATION
The candidates for punishment are those who are confirmed by these many witnesses to have deviated from their prescribed regulative duties. ***EVERYONE ENGAGED IN FRUITIVE ACTIVITIES*** IS SUITABLE TO BE SUBJECTED TO PUNISHMENT ACCORDING TO HIS SINFUL ACTS.
SB 6.1.44 The History of the Life of Ajamila
sambhavanti hi bhadrani
viparitani canaghah
karinam guna-sango ‘sti
dehavan na hy akarma-krt
SYNONYMS
sambhavanti–there are; hi–indeed; bhadrani–auspicious, pious activities; viparitani–just the opposite (inauspicious, sinful activities); ca–also; anaghah–O sinless inhabitants of Vaikuntha; karinam–of the fruitive workers; guna-sangah–contamination of the three modes of nature; asti–there is; deha-van–anyone who has accepted this material body; na–not; hi–indeed; akarma-krt–without performing action.
TRANSLATION
O inhabitants of Vaikuntha, you are sinless, but those within this material world are all karmis, whether acting piously or impiously. Both kinds of action are possible for them because they are contaminated by the three modes of nature and must act accordingly. One who has accepted a material body cannot be inactive, and sinful action is inevitable for one acting under the modes of material nature. Therefore all the living entities within this material world are punishable.
PURPORT
The difference between human beings and nonhuman beings is that a human is supposed to act according to the direction of the Vedas. Unfortunately, men manufacture their own ways of acting, without reference to the Vedas. Therefore all of them commit sinful actions and are punishable.
SB 6.1.45 T The History of the Life of Ajamila
yena yavan yathadharmo
dharmo veha samihitah
sa eva tat-phalam bhunkte
tatha tavad amutra vai
SYNONYMS
yena–by which person; yavan–to which extent; yatha–in which manner; adharmah–irreligious activities; dharmah–religious activities; va–or; iha–in this life; samihitah–performed; sah–that person; eva–indeed; tat-phalam–the particular result of that; bhunkte–enjoys or suffers; tatha–in that way; tavat–to that extent; amutra–in the next life; vai–indeed.
TRANSLATION
In proportion to the extent of one’s religious or irreligious actions in this life, one must enjoy or suffer the corresponding reactions of his karma in the next.
PURPORT
As stated in Bhagavad-gita (14.18):
urdhvam gacchanti sattva-stha
madhye tisthanti rajasah
jaghanya-guna-vrtti-stha
adho gacchanti tamasah
Those who act in the mode of goodness are promoted to higher planetary systems to become demigods, those who act in an ordinary way and do not commit excessively sinful acts remain within this middle planetary system, and those who perform abominable sinful actions must go down to hellish life.
SB 6.1.46 T The History of the Life of Ajamila
yatheha deva-pravaras
trai-vidhyam upalabhyate
bhutesu guna-vaicitryat
tathanyatranumiyate
SYNONYMS
yatha–just as; iha–in this life; deva-pravarah–O best of the demigods; trai-vidhyam–three kinds of attributes; upalabhyate–are achieved; bhutesu–among all living entities; guna-vaicitryat–because of the diversity of the contamination by the three modes of nature; tatha–similarly; anyatra–in other places; anumiyate–it is inferred.
TRANSLATION
O best of the demigods, we can see three different varieties of life, which are due to the contamination of the three modes of nature. The living entities are thus known as peaceful, restless and foolish; as happy, unhappy or in-between; or as religious, irreligious and semireligious. We can deduce that in the next life these three kinds of material nature will similarly act.
PURPORT
The actions and reactions of the three modes of material nature are visible in this life. For example, some people are very happy, some are very distressed, and some are in mixed happiness and distress. This is the result of past association with the modes of material nature–goodness, passion and ignorance. Since these varieties are visible in this life, we may assume that the living entities, according to their association with the different modes of material nature, will be happy, distressed or between the two in their next lives also. Therefore the best policy is to disassociate oneself from the three modes of material nature and be always transcendental to their contamination. This is possible only when one fully engages in the devotional service of the Lord. As Krsna confirms in Bhagavad-gita (14.26):
mam ca yo ‘vyabhicarena
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
“One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down under any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the spiritual platform.” Unless one is fully absorbed in the service of the Lord, one is subject to the contamination of the three modes of material nature and must therefore suffer from distress or mixed happiness and distress.
SB 6.1.47 The History of the Life of Ajamila
vartamano ‘nyayoh kalo
gunabhijnapako yatha
evam janmanyayor etad
dharmadharma-nidarsanam
SYNONYMS
vartamanah–the present; anyayoh–of the past and future; kalah–time; guna-abhijnapakah–making known the qualities; yatha–just as; evam–thus; janma–birth; anyayoh–of the past and future births; etat–this; dharma–religious principles; adharma–irreligious principles; nidarsanam–indicating.
TRANSLATION
Just as springtime in the present indicates the nature of springtimes in the past and future, so this life of happiness, distress or a mixture of both gives evidence concerning the religious and irreligious activities of one’s past and future lives.
PURPORT
Our past and future are not very difficult to understand, for time is under the contamination of the three modes of material nature. As soon as spring arrives, the usual exhibition of various types of fruits and flowers automatically becomes manifest, and therefore we may conclude that spring in the past was adorned with similar fruits and flowers and will be so adorned in the future also. Our repetition of birth and death is taking place within time, and according to the influence of the modes of nature, we are receiving various types of bodies and being subjected to various conditions.
Concerning The Journey Home by Radhanath Swami:
http://www.amazon.com/Journey-Home-Radhanath-Swami/dp/1601090560
As of today, the book has 107 reviews on Amazon.com. The average rating of these 107 reviews is a highest possible 5 stars. Bhakti Vikasa Swami should publish review #108 (the first negative one?) so as to try to prevent people from being misguided.
Very nice…interesting…provocative and worth writing about. Has anyone noticed the silence from the average college and university students, from any local politicians, on going ISKCON temple presidents, independent writers, play writes, or even the BBT? Nope! Silence means that what is here is truth. Does the BBT and isKcon really give a dam about those mentioned above? From my experience from this on going discussion…NOPE! Why? Don’t bother to ask them because even they have no idea. That they have no input or idea means that the truth has been spoken. Avoid the BBT and isKcon of you want real discussion about Srila Prabhupadas books with Srila Prabhupada and you want to help everyone go back to Godhead.
Pratyatosa Dasa (ACBSP) says: Concerning The Journey Home by Radhanath Swami:…Bhakti Vikasa Swami should publish review #108 (the first negative one?)
I was wrong. 4 out of the 107 reviews are negative. Here’s the most thoughtful of the 4:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A3V9150907ZP82
From reading this review, I get the distinct impression that Radhanath Swami is a pathological liar/exaggerator, constantly lying or, at the very least, stretching the truth in order to make himself look better, even at the expense of others. Not a very admirable trait.
Somehow today in the early morning hours google reported that the editor of OneIskcon.com removed article above from their website. No explanation, no comment. Capriciousness? Mental imbalance? GBC notice?
In any case, BVKS is a GBC approved ISKCON guru who wrote article above. If one week later he figures writing such an article was wrong then what is the value of his writing?
Prabhupada: You cannot expect perfect knowledge from imperfect person. (San Francisco, February 13, 1967)
Bhakta Gordon says: Somehow today in the early morning hours google reported that the editor of OneIskcon.com removed article above from their website. No explanation, no comment. Capriciousness? Mental imbalance? GBC notice?
I’ve heard that Radhanath Swami hired a company to make his search engine results as free from negative publicity as possible. Perhaps they threatened a lawsuit against OneISKCON.com’s hosting service (GODADDY.COM in California) if the article was not removed. Such a scenario in lawsuit-crazy America is a very real possibility.
BTW, I’m surprised that my pro-ritvik comment was published on OneISKCON.com:
http://bit.ly/YlmKKS
Now let us wait and see whether or not my reply to the reply gets published:
Pratyatosa Dasa (ACBSP) says: Now let us wait and see whether or not my reply to the reply gets published…
My reply was published (http://bit.ly/18MDQmq) and replied to by the site’s webmaster, “Raya Nitai Dasa Vanacari,” apparently a disciple of Danavir Swami (See: http://www.oneiskcon.com/contact-us/), but was met only with name-calling!
Now let us wait and see whether or not my reply to the reply to the reply gets published: