We are all happy to see the arrival of Gaura Purnima again on March 18, 2003.

Some of us will be fortunate enough to do parikrama of all the holy spots of Sri Navadvipa Dhama, gathering much needed sukriti, others will have to perform it in their mind. One thing should be noted though that is extremely disappointing and disheartening to see after it has come and gone is the yearly neglect of nitya-lila pravista Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami's appearance and disappearance days listed on the Vaisnava pancaka or calendar of the Vaisnavas by  a few important Gaudiya Vaisnava branches: ISKCON and Sri Caitanya Saraswata Math. It would certainly be nice to see all Vaisnava  societies recognize the founder-acaryas of other MathsÉ

Vaisnavism is the only dharmic group that boldly preaches a non-sectarian attitude in this age of quarrel and hypocrisy amongst various religious groups. It stresses a daiva varnasrama system not an adaivic varnasrama system.  But because of the various disciplic spiritual masters that have begun from the line of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura and due to the influence of Kali, sectarianism has begun to rear its ugly, party-spirited head up. The most recognizable symptom is within the yearly Vaisnava calendar.

It is understandable and permissible that each Math or society has its own spiritual leaders and the observance of their particular appearance and disappearance days. We can see this in every branch of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada's disciples.   No harm, that is inevitable. But I see a growing defect in our Vaisnava culture that should be corrected as soon as possible. On one hand, it appears to be a  minor oversight, but on the other hand, it is the glaring seed of a growing sectarianism that is beginning to pervade many of our Vaisnava societal branches. I feel that it is one of the weeds that have to be removed in our harmonious, non-partisan presentation of bhakti. Above all else, we should recognize that Vaisnavas are form-breakers, moreso than form-makers. We are living in the land of exploitation, therefore illusory forms and misconceptions are daily appearing and must be shatteredÉ

ISKCON's present position with its Vaisnava calendar

First, I shall look at ISKCON's present position. Since the departure of nitya-lila pravista Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, so many leaders have appeared to carry on the innermost desire of Srila Prabhupada. Whether they are qualified or not is another controversial point, but all have no quarrels over observing the appearance and disappearance of their founder-acarya Srila Prabhupada. Even many other Gaudiya maths observe his disappearance day with great honor and respect during the auspicious time of Kartick. Every Gaudiya Vaisnava that has come to the West has shown him honor and respect, honoring him as their siksa or instructing gurus in the line of his remarkable preaching efforts. But the neglect of his sannyasa guru, nitya-lila pravista Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, has become a glaring thorn within their organization. In fact, I don't think they recognize any other Gaudiya Math godbrother other than their own guru, Srila Prabhupada. Why? Perhaps, it is because of the confusion over relative and absolute instructions, to be hard-line and neither to go to their spiritual uncles for advice nor listen to them from afar. This has obsessed and blinded their organization to the diversity of their own spiritual uncles. It is a sad and precarious position to assume. Carried to the extreme we can see it in the following manner.

ISKCON neglects its own founder-acarya's Sannyasa-guru

ISKCON puts out an elaborate and beautiful calendar each year. Last year I was surprised to again notice that Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja's appearance and disappearance days were not there. It does not make much spiritual common sense at all. To omit and neglect Srila Kesava Maharaja is like saying Srila Prabhupada did not need to take his sannyasa from him. Why do they ignore him? Is it because of the connection with Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja, one of his foremost disciples? Even if they do disagree with Srila Narayana Maharaja's style of preaching or his deep, illuminating spiritual insights, still it does not make much spiritual sense to ignore the sannyasa-guru of their own guru. The reason this is a rediculous stance is the stress Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada himself laid on the sannyasa order. Was it not one he employed to vanguish the sahajiyaism that was beginning to spread into an out-of-control blazing fire?

The fact of the matter is that many problems will creep in by this seemingly insignificant omission. I, for one, knew very little about the glories of Srila B.P. Kesava Maharaja until I took shelter of Srila Narayana Maharaja in 1990 as my siksa-guru. I am so fortunate and happy I did, because I have learnt so much from him about Srila B.P. Kesava Maharaja. Personally, I think that those Vaisnavas that have not read and studied his wonderful book, Mayavadera Jivana, "The Life Story of Impersonalism", are missing out on one of the most helpful classics in Vaisnava literature. And furthermore, to neglect reading the biography recently published by Srila Narayana Maharaja and the Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti is not to understand Srila Kesava Maharaja's remarkable character in depth. Once, Srila Narayana Maharaja remarked to another person, "Why did your Srila Prabhupada take sannyasa from my guru maharaja? Because he was his intimate friend."

This is a valuable insight to always cherish and remember. A friend is higher than formalities. Being a friend of Srila Kesava Maharaja, he gave him the name Swami Maharaja and the sannyasa-mantra. The few times that Srila Prabhupada expressed such tears of lamentation was on the disappearance day of Srila Kesava Maharaja. Nobody knows how close they were, except maybe Srila Narayana Maharaja who was present with them both in Mathura for a good amount of time. Could this be one of the reasons that Srila Prabhupada himself asked Srila Narayana Maharaja to perform his samadhi? Other than the innumerable Vaisnava qualifications of Srila Narayana Maharaja, it is certainly apparent if one stops to think deeply about Srila Prabhupada's relationship with Srila Kesava Maharaja also, that it was a very clear-minded, intentional choice to appoint Srila Narayana Maharaja, the intimate disciple of his godbrother friend and sannyasa-guru-godbrother also! From these few facts alone it is amazing to see the omission of  Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava from the ISKCON calendar. To me, I see it is as one type of aparadha, a neglect of guru, and a misunderstanding of the plurality of guru. How can a spiritual Vaisnava society call itself non-sectarian with such an obvious neglect of other prominent Vaisnavas?

Even the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti, the society founded by Srila Bhakti Prajana Kesava Maharaja itself honors the disappearance day of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja Srila Prabhupada with a grand festival during Kartick (usually held at Varsana) that sometimes runs on to several days of glorification. They make the bold and loud claim that Swami Maharaja is one their own also, not just the sole property of ISKCON. What is the harm for another Vaisnava society to honor the godbrother and sannyasa-disciple of their own guru? It seems it would do more good than harm obviously. To neglect honoring Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja is definitely a serious neglect of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja Prabhupada's innermost desires. We should honor all Vaisnavas, and even moreso, those who have helped us in our progress towards the goal of prema. 

Sri Caitanya Saraswata Math also omits Srila Kesava Maharaja

This one is even more difficult to accept. Every year Sri Caitanya Saraswata Math puts out a pictured calendar of Vaisnava dates. It is a nice presentation except again for the omission of nitya-lila pravista Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja. It is nice to see Srila Hrdaya Bon Maharaja pictured with his appearance and disappearance days; and it is even more wonderful to see Srila Krsnadasa Babaji Maharaja also listed. And Srila Bhakti Pramoda Puri Maharaja also. Even the appearance days of  the four main Vaisnava acaryas are listed ! And even a picture of Buddha is displayed and mentioned! Of course, it must be noted that the appearance day of Buddha is not the actual appearance day, but only the appearance day of Gautama Siddhartha Buddha, not the lila-avatara of Krsna. So in the face of all this, it is a great disappointment to see one of the principle sannyasi initiates of Srila Bhakti Raksaksa Sridhara Maharaja, that is, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja, to be omitted. Why? Again, we may look to the dispute of the present leaders. Perhaps, it is something between them. But we see Sri Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti certainly honors their founder-acarya, nitya-lila pravista Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Deva Gosvami. They honor him by holding a grand appearance festival during Kartick every year. It is wonderful to observe. Last year one of Srila Kesava Maharaja's disciples, Sripada Sadhu Maharaja led the ceremony, along with Sripada Premananda Prabhu also.

So, again I say, at least, is it proper to neglect the recognition of Srila Kesava Maharaja from their yearly calendar? Did not Srila Kesava Maharaja receive sannyasa from Srila B.R. Sridhara Maharaja? Of course he did, he was the one of a principle group of senior brahmacaris that gathered together along with Srila Sridhara Maharaja to try to initiate a new Gaudiya Math and who accepted sannyasa from Srila Sridhara Maharaja. In their efforts to form that new society, there were some differences that arose and they all went their separate ways, all forming their own organizations. Still, I say, should Sri Caitanya Saraswata Math, which I honor highly because Srila Sridhara Maharaja was one of my siksa-gurus, stoop to the yearly omission of Srila Kesava Maharaja. It was certainly not Srila Sridhara Maharaja's mood. He showed honor and respect to all Vaisnavas. He was the first that I heard glorify Srila Bon Maharaja so respectfully and to be honored accordingly. Later, I learned that it was Bon Maharaja himself that recommended him so highly for sannyasa, telling Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada that "he was not just a canvasser but a good preacher above all elseÉ" Both Srila Kesava Maharaja and Srila Sridhara Maharaja's Maths are close by in Koladvipa, aparadha-bhajana-pat, the place where all aparadhas are removed. It is befitting to see a co-operative spirit a least amongst the two Maths.

Still, why should Sri Caitanya Saraswata Math continue yearly to omit the glorious name of one of their prominent sannyasis. Again, it does not make much spiritual common sense. By recognizing Srila Kesava Maharaja, they also glorify Srila Sridhara Maharaja. Both should be honored highly.  Here, Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti's English magazine called the Rays of the Harmonist, yearly honors Srila Sridhara Maharaja with one of his articles in each magazine. What is the ultimate reason for an article by Srila Sridhara Maharaja? Because they are in the same family. It is not that ISKCON or Sri Caitanya Saraswata Math be seen as different Vaisnava sects. We are all part of the same rupanuga line. It is ludicrous to omit the glories of another Vaisnava.

Therefore, Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja instructed his own disciples to honor all Vaisnavas like Narada Muni was doing in the Brhad-Bhagavatamrta, not to ignore any Vaisnava; Siva, Prahlada, Pandavas, and finally the gopis were all honored. For example, we honor Siva as the "greatest of Vaisnavas", not that he is a guna-avatara of Krsna but as an exalted Vaisnava. Here, the word Vaisnava should be stressed not "greatest".  Srila Sanatana Goswami is our sambhanda-tattva acarya; he shows us how to honor our relationships with other Vaisnavas accordingly.

Ultimately, the final straw is given in the omnipresent mood of the trnad api sunicena verse of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Here, in the third line, it says amanina manadena: Giving up all desire for prestige and always ready to offer all respect to others. The word sada, always, is implied here This is applicable especially to Vaisnavas. Therefore, it is possible to always chant the holy names of the Lord. Otherwise, without that proper respect to the Vaisnavas, then it is never possible, past or future, to chant the holy names continuously with a pure, whole heart and full submission.

Conclusion

We can see by all this, that is, a slight omission of the glories of a Vaisnava on the calendar, it can easily turn into a Vaisnava aparadha. Therefore, all Vaisnava societies who put out a calendar should be careful to honor Vaisnavas accordingly. Even the Vaisnava calendar has spiritual significance and must be done with utmost honor and care. Though a relative publication, it has its absolute!

One glaring example is once, Srila Sridhara Maharaja recognized a misprint in the calendar. He mentioned that the appearances of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati and Sri Visnupriya Devi were reversed. He remarked that "How can Krsna-sakti appear on a dark moon night?" The purport was the Vyasa-puja day was off and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati was so pleased by this observation that he called Srila Sridhara Maharaja, "sastra-nipuna", expert in analyzing the sastric imports.

Maybe, just maybe, this would be one giant step in all Vaisnava societies working together in a more co-operative spirit. Dasyaya te mama raso'stu raso'stu satyam: Always desiring to be the servant of the Vaisnavas, yours truly...