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EDITORIAL June 13, 2000 VNN6018 Comment on this story Association With Saintly Persons BY MAHAVEGAVATI DASI EDITORIAL, Jun 13 (VNN) — Dear Assembled Vaisnavas, Hare Krsna. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Please accept my fallen obeisances. Due to my receiving the following email in response to my post concerning His Holiness Bhakti Vallabh Tirtha Maharaja's coming to NYC, I have decided to post some quotes from Srimad Bhagavatam, including both verses and excerpts from some purports so that devotees can read what Lord Kapiladev and Srila Prabhupada both say, as well as my making a little personal comment to the email. First, the email response to my previous post: "By accepting your socalled god cousin Bhakti Tirtha as your siksha guru is a further proof that you got more than what you deserved in this life. His guru Madhava was so fond of Srila Prabhupada to the extent that Prabhupada said that he might be killed by him for accepting the Title Prabhupada, but I guess your memory is very selective due to your hate of your so called guru, godbrothers and Krishna."For me as an individual, I am not going to pretend to understand the external dealings between Srila Prabhupada my Father, (with a capital "F"), and his Godbrothers. Obviously my Godbrother from whom I have received this response, is feeling that my writing as I did of Bhakti Vallabh Tirtha Maharaj "indicates" my "hatred" of Srila Prabhupada, (as well as the other foolish statements made concerning my "hate"). With regard to my so-called "hatred" of Godbrothers, I do not "hate" my Godbrothers, but I do hate those atrocities committed by them which have caused such misrepresentation of Srila Prabhupada himself, misrepresentation of Srila Prabhupada's instructions, and which have caused so much pain to so many devotees. Those atrocious acts committed by these Godbrothers, I do hate, but not the persons themselves.
With regard to the interactions between Srila Prabhupada and his Godbrothers, (the very LITTLE I have heard of them), I have contemplated these external dealings (all of whatever I am "familiar" with, being told to me by devotees - thus, I do not really know exactly what happened) from so many different angles, and have come to various conclusions. The most important being that I see all of these arrangements as being made by Krsna to glorify my eternal Father Srila Prabhupada, so much more for his service to Guru and Krsna, and the conditioned living entities in this material world. Sometimes children may not understand the interactions that go on between their parents and the siblings of their parents, and I will NOT pretend to even THINK that I understand them (although I do have some personal feelings). For me as an individual, I can make a separation in the family "differences of opinion" and I see the individual devotee as s/he is, and it is THAT on which I make my choice whether or not to take their association in whatever form that choice to take their association is made. And to my understanding, Srila Prabhupada has made various differing statements concerning his feelings with relation to his Godbrothers on various occasions. Thus, I personally am very careful when it comes to these matters. (I will also take the liberty to refer devotees to Srila Prabhupada's statements concerning the preaching efforts of his Godbrothers in Srila Prabhupada's purport to SB 4.28.31.) And I think devotees would do well to read the verses and purports contained in CC Adi lila 10.160 "From each branch of the tree have grown hundreds and thousands of sub-branches of disciples and grand-disciples." Purport: It was the desire of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu that His cult be spread all over the world. Therefore there is a great necessity for many, many disciples of the branches of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's disciplic succession. (Please note in Srila Prabhupada's OWN words, "many disciples of the branches." Srila Prabhupada is not saying just ONE branch, but MANY branches. Thus, we should recognize that ISKCON constitutes ANYONE who is accepting and practicing the Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy as has been given by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur and his bonafide followers. Adi lila 10.161,162 "Every branch and sub-branch of the tree is full of innumerable fruits and flowers. They inundate the world with the waters of love of Krsna. Each and every branch of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's devotees has unlimited spiritual power and glory. Even if one had thousands of mouths, it would be impossible to describe the limits of their activities." So we, as devotees, (of ANY "camp"), have to rid ourselves of this sectarian vision as we should at least recognize the COMMON goal. Granted, there may be some difference in detail, but those differences, (unless out and out deviations), are NOT going to make such major differences when we look at everything as a whole. And we also have to understand that any bonafide disciple of a bonafide guru will see his Guru Maharaj as being his Father, (his eternal spiritual savior, etc.). Thus, for the disciple to see his Guru Maharaj as the all in all, this IS perfect. We can NOT expect the disciples of other gurus in the line of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur to see our Srila Prabhupada exactly as we see him. Nor can we criticize any of these devotees for taking diksa from Srila Prabhupada's Godbrothers, and their being faithful to their diksa gurus. Do we REALLY expect these devotees to give up their diksa, and take intiation from the ITS GON gurus? (And if we don't, then HOW can we criticize such Vaisnavas when they are preaching the Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy and are LIVING it? And if an individual devotee is going to hear from them, accepting them to be an advanced or even pure devotee, (and more advanced than ones own Godsiblings), then how can one criticize that devotee for making such a choice)? Although I was told something about Madhava Maharaja's reactions to Srila Prabhupada's accepting the title, "Srila Prabhupada," I was also told that these things were later resolved, and upon Madhava Maharaja's hearing that Srila Prabhupada was leaving the planet, he cried with intense reaction to his being informed of Srila Prabhupada's departure. And if one can think about it objectively, one can understand why it is that Madhava Maharaj would have reacted as he did if he did not have a full understanding of the details of Srila Prabhupada's acceptance of such a title that was used by their Guru Maharaj. Just as Jesus Christ Himself explained that, "A prophet is not necessarily recognized by his own people," (paraphrased), so it may have been with Srila Prabhupada; that many of his own Godbrothers who knew Srila Prabhupada as Abhey Charan babu, (the grhastha disciple of their Guru Maharaj who would come to visit the math, etc.), did not at first see Srila Prabhupada as the empowered representative of Lord Nityananda and Lord Caitanya, meant to bring Krsna consciousness to the whole world. Thus, they related more in a "family" way towards Srila Prabhupada as their Godbrother. Within this material world, (even when it comes to the interactions between devotees), there is so much that we may not be able to understand as Krsna has His supreme plan, and uses His associates and devotees to fulfill His objectives. (Even at times, Krsna arranges for His devotee(s) to play the role of demons, as in the case of Jaya and Vijaya.) So from our seeing these things externally, we may not be able to understand these things in proper perspective. Thus, although I would naturally support my Father in everything, I am also very careful when it comes to making judgements in things that I know nothing about, especially when it comes to such senior devotees as Srila Prabhupada's Godbrothers. As far as Bhakti Vallabh Tirtha Maharaj goes, I have seen from him ONLY the qualities of a sadhu, and thus, I will glorify him as such. To hear from such a person is dictated in the sastra. And thus, I will go to hear from such a devotee, and will encourage others to do so as well. By my going to hear from someone, I am not necessarily accepting them as my siksa guru as was conjectured by my Godbrother who sent this email. I believe that due to my mentioning the reference to Srila Prabhupada's purport in CC Adi 1.35 with regard to diksa and siksa guru, this is what he assumed. (I referred to that purport so that devotees would understand that one is not simply restricted to one's diksa guru in terms of going to hear and/or take siksa from other devotees who one considers more advanced than one's own self.) The following words are those from the Srimad Bhagavatam, (Lord Kapiladev), and Srila Prabhupada himself: SB 3.25.15 - 20 "The stage in which the consciousness of the living entity is attracted by the three modes of material nature is called conditional life. But when that same consciousness is attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one is situated in the consciousness of liberation. When one is completely cleansed of the impurities of lust and greed produced from the false identification of the body as 'I' and bodily possession as 'mine,' one's mind becomes purified. in that pure state he transcends the stage of so-called material happiness and distress. At that time, the soul can see himself to be transcendental to material existence and always self-effulgent, never fragmented, although very minute in size. In that position of self-realization, by practice of knowledge and renunciation in devotional service, one sees everything in the right perspective; he becomes indifferent to material existence and the material influence acts less powerfully upon him. Perfection in self-realization cannot be attained by any kind of yogi unless he engages in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for that is the only auspicious path. Every learned man knows very well that attachment for the material is the greatest englement of hte spirit soul. But that same attachment when applied to the self-realized devotees, opens the door of liberation." Association with Saintly Persons: SB 3.25.21 "The symptoms of a sadhu are that he is tolerant, merciful, and friendly to all living entities. he has no enemies, he is peaceful, he abides by the scriptures, and all of his characteristics are sublime." Srila Prabhupada's purport (excerpt) "A sadhu means one who follows the principles of scripture and at the same time is a devotee of the Lord. One who actually follows the principles of scripture must be a devotee of God because all the sastras instruct us to obey the orders of the Personality of Godhead. Sadhu, therefore, means a follower of the scriptural injunctions and a devotee of the Lord. All these characteristics are prominent in a devotee." SB 3.25.22 "Such a sadhu engages in staunch devotional service to the Lord without deviation. for the sake of the Lord he renounces all other connections, such as family relationships and friendly acquaintances within the world." Purport (excerpt) "A person in the renounced order of live, a sannyasi, is also called a sadhu because he renounces everything - his home, his comfort, his friends, his relative, and his duties to friends and to family. He renounces everything for the sake of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." SB 3.25.23 "Engaged constantly in chanting and hearing about Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the sadhus do not suffer from material miseries because they are always filled with thoughts of My pastimes and activities." Purport There are multifarous miseries in material existence-those pertaining to the body and the mind, those imposed by other living entities and those imposed by natural disturbances. But a sadhu is not disturbed by such miserable conditions because hismind is alsways filled with Krsna consciousness, and thus he does not like to talk about anything but the activities of the Lord." SB 3.25.24 "O My mother, O virtuous lady, these are the qualities of great devotees who are free from all attachment. You must seek attachment to such holy men for this counteracts the pernicious effects of material attachment." Purport "Kapila Muni herein advises His mother, Davahuti, that if she wants to be free from material attachment, she should increase her attachment for the sadhus, or devotees who are completely freed from all material attachment. In Bhagavad-gita, 15.5 it is stated who is qualified to enter into the kingdom of Godhead. It is said there, nir-mana-moha jita-sanga-dosah. This referes to one who is completely freed from the puffed-up condition of material possessiveness. A person may be materially very rich, opulent or respectable, but if he at all wants to transfer himself to the spiritual kingdom, back home, back to Godhead, then he has to be freed from the puffed-up condition of material possessiveness, because that is a false position." SB 3.25.25 "In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and heart. By cultivating such knowlefte one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and therefore he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin." Purport "The process of advancing in Krnsa consciousness and devotional service is described here. the first point is that one must seek the association of persons who are Krsna conscious and who engage in devotional service. Without such association one cannot make advancement. Simply by theoretical knowledge of study one cannot make any appreciable advancement. One must give up the association of materialistic persons and seek the association of devotees because without the association of devotees one cannot understand the activities of the Lord." SB 3.25.26,27 "Thus consciously engaged in devotional service in the association of devotees, a person gains distaste for sense gratification both in this world and in the next, by constantly thinking about the activities of the Lord. This process of Krsna consciousness is the easiest process of mystic power; when one is actually situated on that path of devotional service, he is able to control the mind. Thus by not engaging in the service of the modes of material nature but by developing Krsna consciousness, knowledge in renunciation, and by practicing yoga, in which the mid is always fixed in devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one achieves My association in this very life, for I am the "Supreme Personality, the Absolute Truth." Later on in the Srimad Bhagavatam, (5.5.2), Lord Rsabhadev explains that one can attain the path of liberation from material bondage by rendering service to mahatmas, highly advanced spiritual personalities. Krsna Himself says that he is approached through His devotees. (There are so many verses.) Everything begins with hearing and that hearing comes by hearing from Krsna's pure and advanced devotees, (advanced meaning that they are following under the order of their spiritual master steadily and that they are NOT concocting anything different from what is in the sastras, and from what the previous sadhus have explained). Thus, I feel that Bhakti Vallabh Tirtha Maharaj is a Vaisnava of very high order, one from whom I would want to hear, and so, in this mood, I wrote my previous post, and urged others to do so as well. I personally feel that Bhakti Vallabh Tirtha Maharaj is a Vaisnava of such caliber, that if I go to hear from him, I will gain SO MUCH MORE, than if I go to any of the Godsiblings of whom I personally am aware. Incidentally, I am personally convinced that His Holiness Bhakti Vallabh Tirtha Maharaj is a PURE devotee. I remain your fallen servant, Mahavegavati Dasi Hare Krsna About the Author  Other Stories by this AuthorComment on this story Contact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
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