By Narasimha das
Srila Prabhupada did many things
that might be adjudged, by veda-vada-ratas,
Hindus or others, to be against Vedic traditions.
For instance, Srila Prabhupada
left India
as a sannyasi and traveled abroad. He
offered diksa and sannyasa to persons born in families of yavanas. He offered gayatri diksa to women and allowed women to be pujaris in public temples. As a sannyasi,
he allowed women to approach him and do personal service. As a sannyasi, he took part in marriage
ceremonies for his disciples. He established Deities and temple worship outside
of India.
He traveled in cars and planes, left India, and circled the globe 12
times, although Vedic tradition forbids such travel for sannyasis. He formally initiated thousands of disciples he had
never met. He did this through the agency of ritvik priests. He accepted disciples on the basis of
recommendations of other disciples without ever meeting them in person. Srila
Prabhupada accepted formal, public worship in Krishna’s temples while sitting
on a throne in front of the Deities, although this was apparently never done by
any previous Vaisnava acarya. In all
these ways, by his causeless mercy and the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he
quickly expanded the Krishna consciousness
movement all over the world and proved his unique position.
The argument that Srila
Prabhupada’s final order for ritvik
initiations was against Vedic tradition is fallacious. Paramahamsa Vaisnava acaryas
are always transcendental to tradition.
"No. Tradition,
religion--they are all material. They are also all designation."
(Conv., March 13, 1975)
"Our only
tradition is how to satisfy Vishnu." (Lecture, July 30, 1973)
In any case, no one can show--according
to sadhu, guru, shastra--that no other
Vaisnava acarya ever allowed ritviks to preside over the formalities
of diksa without the Acarya’s manifest presence. A liberated
personality is not limited by time, space or Vedic traditions. No one in the
GBC’s sampradaya has ever shown any
evidence indicating that “posthumous” ritvik
initiations on behalf of the Sampradaya
Acarya are forbidden by Vedic tradition. Unfortunately, many devotees have
been misled into the belief that Srila Prabhupada is an ordinary, temporary guru
limited by a physical form.
“The spiritual master is not a question of ...['living' or
'dead' ]. The spiritual master is eternal; the spiritual master is
eternal..." (Lecture, Seattle, Oct.
2, 1968.)
"The spiritual master is in the disciplic succession since
time eternal, and he does not deviate at all from the instructions of the
Supreme Lord." (Bhagavad-gita As It IS 4.42,
Purport.)
It is common sense to understand
that what Srila Prabhupada formally ordered in an official directive sent to
all ISKCON temples and leaders during his last weeks in 1977 takes precedence
over other things he may have privately said, insinuated or suggested prior. A
letter to a renegade disciple, for instance, who was not part of ISKCON is not
evidence for changing the entire system of initiations Prabhupada carefully
arranged in late 1977. In fact, the ritvik
system of initiations had been current in ISKCON for several years prior to
1977, and Prabhupada spoke about it at length right up until his departure in
November.
"I shall recommend some of you to act as officiating acaryas." (Conversation, May 28, 1977, Vrindaban.) "These
initiations. I have deputed my disciples. Is it clear or not?" (Conv.,
Oct. 18, 1977, Vrindaban.)
"I may say many things to you,
but when I say something directly to you, you do it. Your first duty is to do
that, you cannot argue: ‘Sir, you said to me to do like this before.’ No, that is not your duty. What I say to you
now, you do it. That is obedience. You cannot argue."
(Lecture, April 14, 1975, Hyderabad)
Srila Prabhupada never suggested arrangements for nominating or
approving successor acaryas or diksa-gurus. Nor did he authorize any
person, group, or organization to create such a system. Nor did Prabhupada
indicate that one may appoint himself as diksa-guru
or acarya simply by adopting the role
or status. Srila
Prabhupada spoke only of ritvik
initiations. He never suggested anything else. In 1977 he officially
reconfirmed the ritvik system and
made an adjustment to allow the system to continue without his personal
supervision. When he was specifically asked how initiations should be conducted
“in the future, particularly at a time
when you are no longer with us”, he spoke repeatedly only about ritvik initiations. If he had wanted his
disciples to begin initiating their own disciples, why didn’t he say so?
“They did not even consider with common sense—that if Guru Maharaja
wanted to appoint somebody as acarya,
why did he not say? He said so many things, and this point he missed? The real
point? And they insisted upon it. The declared some unfit person[s] to become acarya. Then another man came. And then
another—‘Acarya!’ Another – ‘Acarya!’…” (Conversation, Bombay,
August 16, 1976)
The GBC iskurus and their promoters are dead against Srila Prabhupada’s
orders for ritvik initiations. They
think it condemns them to remain forever as humble servants, denying them their
right to initiate their own disciples in Srila Prabhupada’s mission--denying them
the opportunity to receive guru dakshina,
prestige, worship and life-long indentured servants.
They have no problem, apparently,
with iskurus offering ritvik initiations, even though they may
be neophytes of questionable character. They have no problem with women
becoming elected diksa-gurus,
although this is clearly against Vedic tradition. They have no problem with sannyasis who associate with women. They
have no problem with concocted systems for electing gurus, although all this is
clearly against Vedic tradition. They have no problem ignoring the flamboyant
extravagance of dozens of their voted-in “gurus”. They have no problem closing
Prabhupada’s temples, selling his properties, selling his cows, changing his
books, and spending millions of dollars in court to fight his bona fide
disciples who are preaching successfully. They have no problem with the fact
that thousands of their Godbrothers disagree with their deviant policies.
They pose as diksa-gurus, they say, for preaching Krishna
consciousness. Yet they find it impossible to accept Srila Prabhhupada’s system
for ritvik initiations--even for the
sake of keeping ISKCON pure and united. They are horrified, thinking, “How will Prabhupada ever authorize us to be
gurus? Even if we become self-realized, how will he know it? How will he speak
to us now? He is dead and gone.”
Such is the foolishness of the GBC and their elected, upstart “Iskcon gurus”,
more aptly known as iskurus.
According to Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, our Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya guru parampara is based on the instructions of parmahamsas. (See Sri
Guru-Parampara, Verse 9, Songs of the
Vaisnava Acaryas.) This is the real tradition we follow. Our sampradaya is not based on the
formalities and rituals of the Vedas. Pure Vaisnavas are not bound by Vedic
traditions. Krishna points out in Bhagavad-gita that the Vedas deal mostly
with the three modes of material nature and are meant for those within the
jurisdiction of these modes. Lord Krishna advises Arjuna to rise above these
modes. (Bg. 2.45) The actual tradition of Krishna
consciousness teaches that only a paramahamsa,
a devotee on the topmost level of devotional service, is eligible to become guru. The real, eternal tradition asserts
that no one can become guru unless he is ordered to become guru by the paramahamsa Vaisnava acarya, or by Krishna Himself.
"When one
has attained the topmost position of maha-bhagavata, he is to be
accepted as guru and worshiped exactly like Hari, the Personality of Godhead.
Only such a person is eligible to occupy the post of guru." (Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya, 24.330, Purport, citing Padma
Purana.)
"A guru can become guru when he is ordered by his guru.
Otherwise nobody can become guru." (Conversation,
October 28, 1975, Nairobi.)
This
eternal tradition was perfectly illustrated by Sri Gadahara Pandita and Srila
Gaura Kishora Das Babaji. When Sri Vallabha Bhatta approached Sri Gadadhara
Pandita for initiation, the latter said,
“The work of
acting as a spiritual master is not possible for me. I am completely dependent.
My Lord is Gaurasundara, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. I cannot do anything
independently, without His order." (Caitanya-caritamrta,
Antya 150, 151.) When Srila Bhaktisiddhanta begged Srila
Gaura Kishora for initiation, the latter said the same thing, “I
must first ask Mahaprabhu!”
Yet self-appointed upstarts think
a majority vote from a vitiated ecclesiastical body is all they need to assume
the most exalted status of Gaudiya Vaisnava diksa-guru.
In defiance of Srila Prabhupada’s clear instructions in these matters, they
rely on the sanction of the bogus GBC for their authority to imitate Srila
Prabhupada, the real diksa-guru for
all of ISKCON. In spite of the chaos and division these illicit guru
enterprises have created in Srila Prabhupada’s mission and the lives of
thousands of devotees, they stubbornly insist--using concocted “scissor logic”--that their way is bona
fide and Srila Prabhupada’s system for “representatives of the Acarya” is bogus.
All this maya is due to a poor fund of knowledge, Hindu ideas, and the
original sin, namely false ambition. A statistical analysis will show that the job of iskuru is
one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, right up there with rodeo bull
rider, motorcycle stuntman, and front-line, war-time Marine. Foolish upstarts risk their lives,
the integrity of ISKCON, and the faith of thousands of followers for the sake
of false ambition, the original sin of all conditioned souls.
Additional References:
"One should not try to be an artificially advanced devotee,
thinking, 'I am a first-class devotee.' Such thinking should be avoided. It
best not to accept any disciples." (C.C.,
Madhya 7.130, Purport.)
"If everyone just initiates, there will only be a
contradictory result. As long as it goes on, there will only be failure."
(From the Palguna Krishna Pancami, a poem by Srila Prabhupada, 1961.)
"The bona fide spiritual master is in the disciplic
succession since time eternal, and he does not deviate at all from the
instructions of the Supreme Lord." (Bhagavad-gita
As It Is, 4.42, Purport.)
“Therefore a disciple should be careful to accept an uttama-adhikari
as spiritual master." (Nectar of Instruction, Text 5,
Purport.)
"...help can be given only by a spiritual master like
Krishna. Therefore the conclusion is that a spiritual master who is one hundred
percent Krishna conscious is the bona fide spiritual master, for he can solve
the problems of life." (Bhagavad-gita As It
Is, 2.8, Purport.)
“He reasons ill who says that Vaisnavas die, when Thou art
living still in sound.” (From a poem by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura.)
"However, one should not imitate the behavior of an advanced
devotee or maha-bhagavata without being self-realized, for by such
imitation one will eventually become degraded." (Nectar of Instruction, Text 5, Purport.)
"Srila Jiva Goswami advised that one not accept a spiritual
master in terms of hereditary or customary social and ecclesiastical
conventions. One should simply try to find a genuinely qualified spiritual
master for actual advancement in spiritual understanding." (Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 1.35, Purport)
"Why did this Gaudiya Matha fail? They wanted to create
artificially someone as acarya, and everything failed... They declared
some unfit person to become acarya. Then another man came. And then
another--'acarya!' Then another --'acarya!' ...” (Conversation, August 16, 1976, Bombay.)
“Srila Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhakura, He said that ' When our
men will be sahajiya, oh, they'll be more dangerous.' So our men are
becoming, some of them, sahajiyas. This very word He said, that 'When
our men will be sahajiyas he'll be more dangerous'.”
"As soon
as a foolish disciple tries to overtake his spiritual master and becomes
ambitious to occupy his post, he immediately falls down." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.12.14, Purport)
"And as soon as he learns that Guru Maharaja is dead, 'Now I am so advanced that I can kill my
guru and I become guru'... then he is finished." (Conversation, August 16, 1976, Bombay)
"Mundane votes have no jurisdiction to elect a Vaisnava acarya.
A Vaisnava acarya is self-effulgent, and there is no need of any court
judgment." (Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya
2.218.)
Please note: Srila Prabhupada replied in similar ways to related
questions such as "who will be the next acarya?" and "who
will be your successor?" Below are a few examples.
"Only Lord Chaitanya can take my place. He will take care of
the movement." (November 2, 1977, Vrindaban)
"After me, there will be no more acarya." (Conversation, New York, 1968)
"I will always be the spiritual master for the entire Krishna
consciousness movement--for anyone in this age willing to follow the principles
I have taught for the benefit of everyone." (Conversation, 1975, Ookala, Hawaii.)
"My success is always there. Yes. Just like the sun is there
always. It may come before your vision or not -- the sun is there. But if you
are fortunate, you come before the sun... The sun is open to everyone." (Conversation, February 12, 1975, Mexico City.)
"I will never die. I will live from my books and you will
utilize." (Interview, July 16, 1975,
Berkeley.)
Please note: Srila Prabhupada’s vani repeatedly describes the importance
of recognizing the bona fide spiritual master. For instance:
"Srila Jiva Goswami advised that one not accept a spiritual
master in terms of hereditary or customary social and ecclesiastical
conventions. One should simply try to find a genuinely qualified spiritual
master for actual advancement in spiritual understanding." (Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 1.35, Purport)
"I wish that each and every branch keep their independent
identity and cooperate, keeping the Acarya in the center. On this
principle we can open any number of branches all over the world." (Letter, February 11, 1967.)
"But if everyone
simply imitates your exalted status, there will be only a contradictory result.
As long as this pretense continues, there will only be utter failure." (From Vaisistya-Astaka, a poem by Srila Prabhupada, 1961)
"Oh, shame! shame! my
dear Godbrothers--aren't we embarrassed by what we are doing? In the manner of
mundane businessmen we deceptively increase the numbers of our own
disciples." (Vaisistya-Astaka,
1961)
“If one tries to mingle
the worship of yogamaya with mahamaya, considering them one and
the same, he does really show high intelligence.” (Cc. Madhya
8.90, Purport)
“Intermingling the spiritual with the material causes one to look
on transcendence as material and the mundane as spiritual. This is all due to a
poor fund of knowledge.” (Cc. Madhya 16.72, Purport)
"Presently people are so fallen they cannot distinguish
between a liberated soul and a conditioned soul." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.18.5, Purport)
"One who considers
the spiritual master an ordinary human being... is considered a naraki,
a candidate for hellish life." (Caitanya-caritamrta
Antya 6.294, Purport)
"As soon as a foolish disciple tries to overtake his spiritual
master and becomes ambitious to occupy his post, he immediately falls
down." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.12.14,
Purport)
"Why did this Gaudiya
Matha fail? ... They wanted to create artificially someone as acarya,
and everything failed... They declared some unfit person to become acarya.
Then another man came. And then another--'acarya!' Then another--'acarya!'
So better to remain a foolish [simple] person perpetually, to be directed by
Guru Maharaja. That is perfection. And as soon as he learns that Guru Maharaja
is dead, 'Now I am so advanced that I can
kill my guru and I become guru.' Then he is finished." (Conversation, August 16, 1976, Bombay.)
Please note: Srila Prabhupada repeatedly ordered that nothing be changed in ISKCON.
“So we follow that 'No Change
Policy'. Not that because I think I have become now advanced, I change this
to that. That means I am not advanced. My knowledge is imperfect. Therefore I
am changing.”
“Real law means there is no change. Just like day and night, it is
coming. The fortnight, the dark period and the light period, it is coming for
millions and millions and time immemorial. The same law is going...going on.
You cannot change. So as soon as you change, that means it is imperfect.”
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