The Acharya-Sampradaya methodology (Follow-Up 1)

In Shrimad Bhagavatam 10.2.31 Srila Prabhupada wrote clearly about the Acharya-Sampradaya Methodology specifically for devotees who come in the future when Srila Prabhupada is no longer physically with us.

The two presences of the Diksha Guru and Shiksha Guru.

“This is the last word in prayer. Some people complain that when they pray to God, they do not feel His presence. We should know that this is due to our incapacities, not God’s.
There are two conceptions of presence—the physical conception and the vibrational conception. The physical conception is temporary, whereas the vibrational conception is eternal. When we enjoy or relish the vibration of Kṛṣṇa’s teachings in Bhagavad-gītā, or when we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, we should know that by those vibrations He is immediately present.

He is absolute, and because of this His vibration is just as important as His physical presence. When we feel separation from Kṛṣṇa or the spiritual master, we should just try to remember their words of instructions, and we will no longer feel that separation. Such association with Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master should be association by vibration, not physical presence. That is real association. We put so much stress on seeing, but when Kṛṣṇa was present on this earth, so many people saw Him and did not realize that He is God; so what is the advantage of seeing? By seeing Kṛṣṇa, we will not understand Him, but by listening carefully to His teachings, we can come to the platform of understanding. We can touch Kṛṣṇa immediately by sound vibration; therefore, we should give more stress to the sound vibration of Kṛṣṇa and of the spiritual master—then we’ll feel happy and won’t feel separation.” Excerpted from Elevation to Krishna Consciousness by Srila Prabhupada chapter 4.

Srimad Bhagavatam 10.2.31.
O Lord, who resembles the shining sun, You are always ready to fulfil the desire of Your devotee, and therefore You are known as a desire tree [vāñchā-kalpataru]. When ācāryas completely take shelter under Your lotus feet in order to cross the fierce ocean of nescience, they leave behind on earth the method by which they cross, and because You are very merciful to Your other devotees, You accept this method to help them.
PURPORT
This statement reveals how the merciful ācāryas and the merciful Supreme Personality of Godhead together help the serious devotee who wants to return home, back to Godhead. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, in His teachings to Rūpa Gosvāmī, said:
brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja
(Cc. Madhya 19.151)
One can achieve the seed of bhakti-latā, devotional service, by the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa. The duty of the guru is to find the means, according to the time, the circumstances and the candidate, by which one can be induced to render devotional service, which Kṛṣṇa accepts from a candidate who wants to be successful in going back home, back to Godhead. After wandering throughout the universe, a fortunate person within this material world seeks shelter of such a guru, or ācārya, who trains the devotee in the suitable ways to render service according to the circumstances so that the Supreme Personality of Godhead will accept the service. This makes it easier for the candidate to reach the ultimate destination. The ācārya’s duty, therefore, is to find the means by which devotees may render service according to references from śāstra. Rūpa Gosvāmī, for example, in order to help subsequent devotees, published such devotional books as Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Thus it is the duty of the ācārya to publish books that will help future candidates take up the method of service and become eligible to return home, back to Godhead, by the mercy of the Lord. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, this same path is being prescribed and followed. Thus the devotees have been advised to refrain from four sinful activities—illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling—and to chant sixteen rounds a day. These are bona fide instructions. Because in the Western countries constant chanting is not possible, one should not artificially imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura, but should follow this method. Kṛṣṇa will accept a devotee who strictly follows the regulative principles and the method prescribed in the various books and literatures published by the authorities. The ācārya gives the suitable method for crossing the ocean of nescience by accepting the boat of the Lord’s lotus feet, and if this method is strictly followed, the followers will ultimately reach the destination, by the grace of the Lord. This method is called ācārya-sampradāya. It is therefore said, sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ (Padma Purāṇa). The ācārya-sampradāya is strictly bona fide. Therefore one must accept the ācārya-sampradāya; otherwise one’s endeavor will be futile. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura therefore sings:
tāṅdera caraṇa sevi bhakta sane vāsa
janame janame haya, ei abhilāṣa
One must worship the lotus feet of the ācārya and live within the society of devotees. Then one’s endeavor to cross over nescience will surely be successful.”

 

I counted 8 times here where Srila Prabhupada emphasized the word “Method.”

“In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, this same path is being prescribed and followed.”

Srila Prabhupada wrote this purport many many years ago. And so it should be common knowledge in our Krishna Consciousness Movement that we are following this Acharya-Sampradaya Method specifically for the devotees in the Future after Srila Prabhupada is no longer with us Physically. So i have conducted an unofficial Poll. Not one devotee had even heard of the Acharya-Sampradaya Methodology, what to speak of applying it in Iskcon specifically for all the devotees who come after Srila Prabhupada is no longer with us Physically. Even though He used the word “Method” 8 times in this one purport, which emphasizes its importance. Seems as though Iskcon again have missed their opportunity to follow Srila Prabhupada’s Words, over 50 years ago. Actually in all the years i have found out about this methodology i have not heard ONE devotee mention it here in the UK, what to speak of it being common knowledge in Iskcon or any other Iskcon camp.

 

your servant in the service of Srila Prabhupada,
Dusyanta dasa

 

Please see also: “Acarya-Sampradaya Methodology“)

 

Comments

  1. One only has to make a conscious, determined and sincere effort of studying and following the prescribed method/discipline that deals with the principles and techniques of scientific spiritual inquiry as instructed by Śrīla Prabhupāda in His transcendental teachings. The ācārya-sampradāya process is to read these Original Books, not just once but over and over and over again, in order to come to the right understanding of the ultimate, spiritual goal and the procedure for attaining it. These instructions are spoken, recorded and explained by all the Lord’s most stalwart Pure Devotees in the history this universe. These instructions for example in the Srimad Bhagavatam, include elaborations of the method of the ācārya-sampradāya method by Lord Brahma, Narada, Mahārāja Yudisthira, Queen Kunti, Sukadeva Gosvami, Jada Bharata, Vrtrasura and Lord Krsna himself to name a few.

    These great Devotees acknowledge the ācārya-sampradāya method as completely bonafide and speak constantly and always of no better path in order to attain the Supreme goal. Anyone who takes the time to study these Original Books in the association of these marvellous Devotees, again and again will sooner or later have to come to the right conclusion. Everything is explained in such great detail over and over again that even the last one in the dark room will eventually have to get it.

    The words spoken by the Lord and His Pure Devotees are meant for reclaiming the fallen souls. When a fallen soul listens and adopts these words and tries to follows through on these unchanged, unadulterated and perfectly planned out instructions or this ācārya-sampradāya path that is victory for the Lord, for He than reclaims these fallen souls. Lord Krsna and His Pure Devotees are always victorious. This ācārya-sampradāya method is in itself the victorious systhematic plan and is the victory for Śrīla Prabhupāda the actual Sampradaya Acharya and victory for all the Pure Devotees engaged in the service of reclaiming all the condemned souls. Whoever follows, no, even only tries once to follow it, is situated on this victorious path. There might be slowdowns and delays due to our individual complacency and anarthas to not follow the ācārya-sampradāya process strictly, still, there is no loss as the Supreme Lord and His Pure Devotees are ever victorious in their plans of reclaiming the poor souls out of the grip of Maya. The Pure Devotees and great souls have themselves traversed the ācārya-sampradāya path and by following it have attained the desired goal.

    By continuously studying and following the unchanged method and having acquired the necessary skills everyone can see for himself how far he has gotten (by seeing the result in feeling contented and satisfied in ones position and having developed a deep sense of gratitude, obligation to the Lord and His Pure Devotee). Some may have fallen away but many, many are all the more inspired and determined in their pursuit of the ultimate, transcendental goal after having followed, sometimes for many decades, the standard techniques, as advised by the Lord and His Pure Devotees, of attaining spiritual perfection by way of the bonafide Acharya-Sampradaya Method.

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lgWiYSZS8so&pp=ygUKYXRtYW5pLmNvbQ%3D%3D

Speak Your Mind

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.