09/12/1998 - 2205

RE: Copyrights of Transcendental Literature and Other Topics

Editorial (VNN) - by Sri Rama das

Dear Swami B.A. Paramadvaiti,
 Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 I want to reply to your "Copyrights of Transcendental literature andOther Important Topics"--though maybe not for the reasons you might expect.

 I'm not a representative of the BBT nor GBC. I used to be the Secretaryof the BBTI until Harikesh das engineered my removal six or seven years ago.When I reply to an article it's usually because I see the facts are notpresented accurately.

 I'll stick by my original points, for the most part, because they arebasic and specific principles laid down be Srila Prabhupada. You'll noticein my previous article, I didn't mention "the GBC said this" or the "BBTtrustees said that."

 In your article, you did not seem to attack the principles I mentioned,but rather the application of those principles by the current management.When I understood who are were, I realized my statement "who is stopping youfrom buying books and distributing them?" was incorrect.

 The know the BBT does not usually sell books to non-ISKCON organizations.Since Srila Prabhupada stated the BBT is to "act for the benefit of ISKCON,"I think that's a reasonable position.

 Now, I have no intention of being drawn into the argument "Who is ISKCONand who is not." I think any thinking devotee, who is not addicted to powerand adoration, would like to see the problem solved. This is not a simpleissue of BBT policy. It is just another facet of our leadership problem:

 1) The GBC has lost the confidence of many, many devotees. According toPrabhupada, the GBC is the ultimate managing authority for ISKCON. This hasto be resolved.

 2) The guru question: because of the abuse of the position and falldowns, no one knows what to do. Mirage theories like "ritvik" appear.

 3) Prabhupada's Godbrothers, et. al., have suddenly come to our *rescue*.It puts the Society in a difficult position. Accepting these advanceddevotees, we directly disobey our own guru. A similar situation arose withSridhar Maharaja, where everyone came out with spiritual loss.

 Prabhupada wanted a united ISKCON under the GBC. This means sacrificesfor everyone. Lack of qualified leadership and gurus are driving all thesederivative complaints. Solve the basic issue and the other issues will goaway.

 But who has the plan to get us out of the quagmire?

Your servant,
Sri Rama das
[mailto:sri_rama@earthlink.net]

PS: I got a message on Sunday. I not sure who wrote it, Vyasapada or HariSauri, because the header was confusing. I think it suggests a practicalpoint of view toward solving at part of our problem. I include it here, Ihope with their blessings:

On 6 Sep 1998, Hari Sauri wrote:
>Srila Prabhupada stated that as long as one strictly follows he can
> be guru or acarya. But that means one has to be extremely careful in the
> execution of one's duties. Srila Prabhupada has used the example ofshaving
> with a razor -- a moment's inattention and you can make a bloody mess.

Thankyou for the post prabhu:....just wondering though....Srila Prabhupadadidstate that there are certain qualifications before one becomes guru. Hestressed one must be qualified.

What are those qualifications?:

Srila Prabhupada also gives us information from his books about the variousgrades or levels and types of guru. He states a guru from the kanisthaandmadhyama stage are not fixed and therefore can fall down. But an uttamaadhikari never falls down.

For a guru to be addressed as His Divine Grace or other exhaultedtitle,........for a guru to be respected as good as God,........have hisfeetwashed..........sing his praises and glories.........offer him Gurupuja.........Vyasa puja........put his picture on the altar..........offerfoodstuffs to his picture........this type of Guru to my understanding isonesituated on the top most Uttama Adhikari plateform. The plateform of thefirst class devotee, the Mahabhagavata, the plateform from which it isimpossible to fall down from.

Srila Prabhupada was such a Divine Grace. He was a transperant via medium,through which we experienced the grace of God, and inspiration to want tojoinsuch a mission, and voluntarily give up sinful life.

Prabhupada has mentioned it is a great offence to worship a person on such aplateform, if they are not qualified . It is like putting a dog on thethrone. For when the bone of sense gratification is thrown, the crown fallsoff and the dog, jumps down to devour the bone.

I have nothing against people being teachers, preachers, or being calledgurus, or having students. But to call oneself Acharya, His Divine Grace,while still in the conditioned state, is cheating. And to accept dicipleswhen one has not as yet freed oneself, or come to the plateform ofliberationis also cheating. I have read so much information on the subject ofsannyasa, and guru that it is impossible for me to accept anylonger, theillusion, that the Acharya positon, is so cheaply granted. Out of thousandsamong men, one may endevour for perfection, and out of those who haveachieved perfection, hardly one knows ME IN TRUTH..........So many areguru..........but who is a real Acharya, or one who teaches by example.?

We have been taught many wonderful lessons here in Iskcon, by the example ofBhavanda, Jayatirtha, Hamsadhutta, Bhagavan, etc. and there areothers.......,we have been taught............don't accept a positon you are not qualifiedfor. Don't wear shoes that are too big. Beware of pride, prestige, thetrapof woman, and money. Beware of adoration, profit and distinction. Beware ofthe last snare of Maya , which is to think oneself GOD.

I believe one needs Divine permission from God, and from one's previousAcharya, to become an Uttama Adhikari, or qualified diksa guru. I believetobe a bonafide Acharya, one must be able to have direct communication withtheSupreme Personlity of Godhead, as our Srila Prabhupada did.Otherwise, why not just admit in full honesty our level of God realizationandact from there?. No big show.........then there will be no big fall.Can'ta guru, preach, teach and show by example without all the fan fare?

Thank you