Bhaktisiddhanta
Dasa (ACBSP) Speaks On His Memories Of Vrndavan
The following has been dictated by
Bhaktisiddhanta Dasa ACBSP (disciple of Srila Prabhupada)– who has resided in
Sri Vrndavan Dham for the last 34 years, and witnessed the whole fiasco taking
place.
Krsnacandra Dasa: Prabhu what can you tell us from your memory of the events
that took place around the departure of Srila Prabhupada in 1977.
Bhaktisiddhanta dasa: Yes. I was living in Vrndavan at the time when Srila
Prabhupada was leaving and spent my time mainly in his room. What I remember
about the ‘big guys’ was that they were running around having very intense
private meetings.
It was generally understood that
they were making plans for what would happen after Srila Prabhupada passed.
I was in the room when Srila
Prabhupada passed and I remember clearly the power that was present everywhere
around us. It was as if the Demigods were present at such a great event. The
mood built up to an incredible crescendo until the very moment our beloved
Srila Prabhupada passed. As soon as the moment passed it all came crashing
down. I distinctly remember feeling lost and destitute. The vibrant spiritual
energy that was constantly blasting from Srila Prabhupada was gone and only
emptiness remained.
Krsnacandra Dasa: Prabhu how soon after this amazingly glorious event did you
begin to understand that the eleven who had been appointed as rtvik-gurus
began to take control of the movement.
Bhaktisiddhanta dasa: We all knew it was coming, well we knew something was
coming and it would be like a hurricane. You have to remember that these guys
were heavy guys and they desperately wanted to be in charge and in control.
As soon as the devotees got wind of
the rtvik-gurus plans to appoint themselves as Zonal Acharya’s
who had divided the world into zones where they each acted as Acharyas
there were two petitions; one by Yasodanandana Dasa and one by Ayodyapati
Dasa were set in motion.
These eleven rtvik-gurus who
were now Acharyas of ISKCON(declared themself as acharya) were mad
as anything when hearing about the petitions by Yasodanandana Dasa and
Ayodyapati Dasa and all made their way back to Vrndavan with whatever disciples
they had to officially announce that they had taken over ISKCON and to smash
their dissenting god-brothers.
They held an Isthaghosti in the
Krsna Balaram Mandir Temple room in Vrndavan and it was at this Isthaghosti
that they began to smash all the devotees who had signed the petitions against
their self appointment as Acharyas. These eleven were seething angry at the
audacity of their God-brothers who objected to their self appointment as
Acharyas.
They dealt with Yasodanandana dasa
first (Bhaktisiddhanta Dasa was standing beside him in the Temple room while
this happened) and demanded that he give his reasons for organizing the
petition against them.
Yasodanandana dasa stated that he
has loved and served Srila Prabhupada and that he loved him very much, which
melted the hearts of all except for the eleven ambitious rascals. Then he threw
it back at them by saying that he has one question for them – Whether they
believed that they had become pure devotees over night?
Satsvarupa Goswami responded that
that was not a fair question to ask. After him Ramesvar blasted him and then
Hrydayananda Goswami read the riot act on how they were now in control of
managing the movement.
They then proceeded to smash all the
devotees who had signed the petitions and all of those who signed the
petitioned were terrified and feared for their lives.
Krsnacandra Dasa: What happened after this meeting? Did they leave or did
they stay and assert themselves as the Acharya’s of ISKCON.
Bhaktisiddhanta dasa: They stayed for a little while. After a few days they
brought out 11 wooden Vyasasanas and had them jammed into that small
area around Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasasana. You can imagine the chaos
during Srila Prabhupada’s guru-puja. Most of them were seated on their
Vyasasanas and some who seemed embarrassed stood (and had their disciple do guru-puja
to a picture of them) while their disciples began to offer each of them guru-puja
at the very same time as guru-puja was being held for Srila Prabhupada.
In order to fit everything and everyone in the Temple, the eleven had organized
miniature arati trays and paraphernalia.
It was a macabre scene to behold! We
all knew that Srila Prabhupada’s time ‘for the moment’ was over and that these
guys had forcefully taken control of our movement.
This event I believe set the
standard of worship for themselves in the movement. They were to be treated as
Acharya’s and Spiritual Masters and so to be worshiped as good as God and Srila
Prabhupada.
This ends the interview with
Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhu.**
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Srila Prabhupada:“ The first thing,
I warn Acytananda, do not try to initiate. You are not in proper
position to initiate anyone… Don’t be allured by such maya. "
Prabhupada: Then so siksa and
diksa-guru… A siksa-guru who instructs against the instruction of
a spiritual… he is not a siksa guru. He is a demon. Siksa guru,
diksa-guru means… Sometimes a diksa-guru is not present always.
Therefore one can take learning, instruction, from an advanced devotee. That is
called the siksa guru. Siksa guru does not mean he is speaking
something against the teachings of the diksa-guru. He is not a siksa-guru.
He is a rascal.
Woman Devotee 1: People are
instructing with these sessions?
Prabhupada: <Ignoring
question> Because that is offense. Guru avjna. First offense is guror
avajna, defying the authority of guru. This is the first offense.
So one who is offensive, how can he make advance in chanting? He cannot make.
Then everything is finished in the beginning… (Srila Prabhupada lecture
1974)
You cannot create mahatma by
rubber stamp or by votes.
Mahatma’s symptom is that he is fully surrendered unto the Supreme
Personality of Godhead and always engaged in glorifying His activities.
Satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-varatah. He’s always very much
careful about executing devotional service. Namasyantas ca mam. He’s
always offering obeisances, Tusyanti ca ramanti ca. I this way they
enjoy. Tusyanti, and they’re satisfied. These are the signs of mahatma.(Srila
Prabhupada General lectures 1969)
"Srila Prabhupada shall
be the supreme power with respect to all matters of the Society, and that
status shall not be occupied by or shared with any other individual, either
during his lifetime, OR AFTER HIS DEATH.” (Certificate of Incorporation:
Jan 12 1976)
“So there is nothing to be said new.
Whatever I have to speak, I have spoken in my books. Now you try to understand
it and continue your endeavour. Whether I am present or not present it doesn’t
matter.” (Śrīla Prabhupāda, arrival conversation, May 17th, 1977, Vṛndāvan
“The devotee Bhāgavata is a direct
representative of Bhagavān, the Personality of Godhead. So by pleasing the
devotee Bhāgavata one can receive the benefit of the Book Bhāgavata.” [Śrīmad
Bhāgavatam Canto 1: Chapter Two, Text 18]
Devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda when
you’re not present with us, how is it possible to receive instructions? For
example in questions that may arise…
Śrīla Prabhupāda: Well the
questions and answ…answers are there in my books.
(Śrīla Prabhupāda, morning walk, Los Angeles, 13/5/73)
(Śrīla Prabhupāda, morning walk, Los Angeles, 13/5/73)
“So utilize whatever time you find
to make a thorough study of my books. Then all your questions will be
answered.” (Śrīla Prabhupāda, letter to Upendra, 7/1/76)
“My books will be the law books for
the next ten thousand years”
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