Srila Prabhupada, His Movement & You

By: 

 Sriman Hansadutta Prabhu

If one remains always a servant everlastingly of guru, then he is liberated. And as soon as he thinks that he is liberated, he’s a rascal. That is the teaching of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu…. You must be ready always to be chastised by guru. Then he’s liberated. And as soon as he thinks that “I am beyond this chastisement, I am liberated,” he’s a rascal…. Why this Gaudiya Math failed? Because they tried to become more than guru. He [Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura], before passing away, he gave them all direction and never said that “This man should be the next acharya .” But these people, just after his passing away, they began to fight, who shall be acharya . That is the failure. They never thought, “Why Guru Maharaja gave us instruction so many things, why he did not say that this man should be acharya? ” They wanted to create artificially somebody acharya, and everything failed. They did not consider even with common sense that if Guru Maharaja wanted to appoint somebody as acharya, why did he not say? He said so many things, and this point he missed? The real point? And they insist upon it. They declared some unfit person to become acharya . Then another man came, then another, acharya, another acharya . So better remain a foolish person perpetually to be directed by Guru Maharaja. That is perfection. –Srila Prabhupada, August 16, 1976, Bombay ( Conversations with Srila Prabhupada, Vol. 26, p. 59-60)

Guru Parampara

These are some last minute thoughts in continuing the first edition of Srila Prabhupada, His Movement and You.

During Tamal’s conversation at Topanga Canyon, Tamal Krishna Goswami admitted that “you cannot show me anywhere where Srila Prabhupada appointed gurus. He only appointed rittviks…. This appointment is a myth….”

Certainly Prabhupada made gurus! But seeing their immaturity, he qualified them as rittvik representatives of the Acharya. One certainly must have a guru, but to understand the calibre of one’s guru, the standard for judgment of measure is there in the person of the Acharya, Srila Prabhupada. Otherwise, why did Prabhupada say, “Ramanuja Acharya is there, Madhva Acharya is there, and their commentaries are there. You follow the Acharya; don’t follow any rascal”

First of all, neither Srila Prabhupada nor we say guru parampara should be abandoned. Rather, Srila Prabhupada has given specific instructions how it should be continued and its integrity preserved.

Secondly, should we think that Srila Prabhupada has thrown aside volumes of evidence to contradict his spiritual master and the disciplic succession? Tamal’s argument in ISKCON Journal (Vol. 1, No. 1) leads to that logical conclusion. It is Srila Prabhupada himself who has given the directive “Act as rittvik representative of the Acharya.” Not anyone else has concocted this system of rittvik representation. Certainly Srila Prabhupada did not leave it to anyone to concoct or speculate what should be done. He gave the clear, specific order in his letter of July 9, 1977. Those who have concocted are the very persons who have set his order aside and gone ahead to become guru-acharyas.

The guru parampara is broken not by following the acharya’s order, but by disobeying and neglecting it. Having totally disregarded Srila Prabhupada’s express wishes, ISKCON GBCs and guru-acharyas have effectively cut off ISKCON from its Founder-Acharya, Srila Prabhupada.

Srila Prabhupada pointed out in a lecture in Seattle, “One who follows the instructions of Jesus Christ under the guidance of some priest–he is a disciple of Jesus Christ.” Direct communication is possible with the Acharya by following the guidance of his empowered representative, the rittvik acharya (he is the link to the disciplic succession) or simply by reading Srila Prabhupada’s books. In the Bhagavatam Srila Prabhupada writes:

There are two types of Bhagavatas, namely the book Bhagavata and the devotee Bhagavata. Both the Bhagavatas are competent remedies, and both or them or either of them can be good enough to eliminate the obstacles.

Rittvik does not mean abandonment of guru parampara; it means continuance, but under his specific prescription–not under our erroneous, ambitious assumption.

Disciple’s Role to Support the Order of the Acharya

Srila Prabhupada said:
I don’t say I am liberated. I am conditioned. But because I am following the instructions of Bhaktisiddhanta, I am liberated. This is the distinction between conditioned and liberated: when one is under the direction of a liberated person.

So Srila Prabhupada’s direction was: “Act as representative of the Acharya, act as rittvik .” We should follow that order and be liberated and thus continue the disciplic succession. The rittvik is also a living guru .

In fact, every quote ISKCON brings forth to support their claim to full guru-acharya or to deny the rittvik system we also quote to support the rittvik system and to deny their full guru-acharya system. So what is the difference? Srila Prabhupada named eleven devotees to act as rittviks of the Acharya. They (ISKCON gurus) brush this aside and present quotations from shastras to contradict the order given by Prabhupada, saying it was never done before and if that is what Srila Prabhupada intended (for these 11 rittviks to continue after his departure), then “WHY DID HE NOT SAY SO?” By this challenging remark, they imply that he either forgot to say and therefore is depending on them to correct him or ad-lib for him or that he left it to all the neophytes to speculate and interpret his intentions. But we say that he made it clear and in writing, because he designated these 11 men to act as rittviks and did not indicate that after his departure they would be immediately empowered guru-acharyas. It must be accepted that rittvik representative was all the authority he saw them fit to handle. Discipline means if the guru forgets to ask the disciple to take food, the disciple should fast and not take food. That is disciplic succession.

By quoting endless shastric injunctions (often out of context), ISKCON gurus impudently suggest that Srila Prabhupada forgot or left it open to speculation and interpretation of all his neophyte disciples. Yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau, tasyaite kathita hy arthah prakasante mahatmanah: “One who has unflinching faith in the words of the spiritual master and Krishna–to him all the imports of Vedic knowledge are revealed.” His last written words were: “Act as rittvik representatives of the Acharya.” That is his order, his arrangement for the continuance of the disciplic succession. Even if it was never done before, he did it, and it will work. Those who have, without authority, taken the post of guru-acharya have failed. Six out of 11 have fallen, and the remaining five are in serious doubt, having supported and institutionalised major philosophical deviations and deviant behaviours.

“Ours is not to reason why! Ours is but to do or die!” Just follow the order, and become guru. Although Shankaracharya taught so many things, his last instruction was “Bhaja Govindam! Bhaja Govindam! Just worship Govinda!” But because it was not in line with what he taught before, his followers neglected it and continued to be Mayavadis.

Srila Prabhupada said he wanted all his students to become qualified gurus and often said it was simple: all one had to do was repeat what he had heard from his guru. When Srila Prabhupada was preparing to leave this world, he said, “Act as rittvik representative of the Acharya.” But no one follows this; therefore, how are they guru?! They do not repeat or follow this last important directive, but attempt to discredit Srila Prabhupada’s own order, saying, “There is no precedent. It was never done before.” They quote Srila Prabhupada to contradict Srila Prabhupada. They quote His Holiness Narayana Maharaja to contradict Srila Prabhupada. Why? A disciple’s duty is to find evidence to support his guru’s order–not to be over intelligent, quoting authorities to contradict his spiritual master’s orders.

Better to be Safe

Without being ordered, no one can become guru, just as a military officer cannot assume the rank of general or commander unless ordered to do so by higher authority (commander-in-chief). In time of emergency, one may assume the responsibility of commander, if one’s own commander is absent or killed. But still the official rank is conferred by higher authority. Only in the complete absence of authority can one assume the rank without sanction. Srila Prabhupada’s situation was like that. He simply had to assume the post, because there was no one to confer the acharya post on him. It was conferred by the Divine Authority, Krishna and the disciplic succession. But we should not EQUATE ourselves with him. That would be presumptuous and offensive. Better to be safe, remain as humble rittvik representatives of His Divine Grace, the Sampradaya Acharya.

Srila Prabhupada cautioned:
If one remains always a servant everlastingly of guru, then he is liberated. And as soon as he thinks that he is liberated, he’s a rascal. That is the teaching of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu…. You must be ready always to be chastised by guru. Then he’s liberated. And as soon as he thinks that “I am beyond this chastisement, I am liberated,” he’s a rascal…. Why this Gaudiya Math failed? Because they tried to become more than guru. He [Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura], before passing away, he gave them all direction and never said that “This man should be the next acharya .” But these people, just after his passing away, they began to fight, who shall be acharya . That is the failure. They never thought, “Why Guru Maharaja gave us instruction so many things, why he did not say that this man should be acharya? ” They wanted to create artificially somebody acharya, and everything failed. They did not consider even with common sense that if Guru Maharaja wanted to appoint somebody as acharya, why did he not say? He said so many things, and this point he missed? The real point? And they insist upon it. They declared some unfit person to become acharya . Then another man came, then another, acharya, another acharya . So better remain a foolish person perpetually to be directed by Guru Maharaja. That is perfection. –Srila Prabhupada, August 16, 1976, Bombay ( Conversations with Srila Prabhupada, Vol. 26, p. 59-60)

We always hear “rittvik is not in our tradition.” But we reply it is Srila Prabhupada’s order, and to assume he forgot to elaborate on it is impudence on the part of the disciple. So is the attempt to contradict Srila Prabhupada’s order by searching out quotations from Srila Prabhupada’s books, others’ books or other gurus. We have seen the result of neglecting Srila Prabhupada’s directive “Act as rittvik representative of the Acharya.” Six fell, five are under serious suspicion. There can be no harm in admitting that we do not know what is the tradition. All we know is the July 9th, 1977 letter is the last instruction Srila Prabhupada gave regarding initiations. We accept it literally, without question. So what harm can there be in that? What do we lose by accepting the order of the spiritual master verbatim, without addition, without subtraction? We tried the way of speculation, interpretation and concoction. What have we to lose at this point? Practically everything is already lost.
Even if we accept that Srila Prabhupada’s order breaks the tradition, are we so high that we can risk questioning Srila Prabhupada’s arrangement? Should we think Srila Prabhupada was unaware of the tradition? He needs us to correct him? And then again, is this apparent break of tradition all so important in consideration of his underlying intention? Should we think Srila Prabhupada’s discernment and intention were ill-motivated? Or under the influence of illusion, imperfect senses or cheating propensity or a mistake on his part?

If we accept Srila Prabhupada as the Sampradaya Acharya, then whatever he does becomes the law or becomes the standard. Why should we presume to know his intention? All these questions must be addressed.

Judging by the Result

Narayana Maharaja says there is no need to write a letter to give appointment. So why Srila Prabhupada wrote a letter? Interpretation is necessary when something is unclear. They assume/suggest Srila Prabhupada forgot to elaborate! Srila Prabhupada’s direction in the July 9th, 1977 letter was very clear. “Act as rittvik” was his order. That cannot be denied. ISKCON neglected this and took an alternative route. That has proved to be disaster. Now they want to concoct another alternative. Why not just follow the order?

Some say Srila Prabhupada intended rittvik only for the time being. Suppose we accept that premise, what was his intention for after his departure? And what did ISKCON actually do in the immediate aftermath of his physical departure? What was the result? And what are we doing now?

We tried to pull on as guru-acharyas. Six out of 11 failed. Five remaining are under serious suspicion. All other gurus are the creation of these original eleven, six of whom are fallen and five about to fall. If the root is rotten, how will the tree grow?

Everyone uses Srila Prabhupada’s translations and commentaries for preaching, but does not act as his representative. They utilise his ASSETS and LEGACY for personal PRESTIGE. Why Govinda’s camp, Tripurari’s camp? Gour Govinda, Tamal–all are competing for the post of the Acharya. NONE SUBMIT as menial servant of the Sampradaya Acharya. DISCORD, CHAOS.

If everyone just initiates, then there will be only a contradictory result. –Srila Prabhupada, Phalgun Krishna Panchami

Now there are 70 gurus. Srila Prabhupada was one guru. We know what he has done. In 16 years, what have all these 70 new gurus done? Have they done 70 times as much as Prabhupada? Have they done 10 times as much? Have they done twice as much? Have they done anything?!!!

What is the definition of guru? Monitor in the class? Is he perfect or imperfect?

Why did Srila Prabhupada appoint rittviks? Because he saw his disciples unfit, immature. So like a master may give an apprentice some limited responsibility, Srila Prabhupada made some gurus (rittviks ) with limited responsibility. In due course, the apprentice may become a master himself by obediently acting under his guidance.

The order is there: “Act as rittvik.” We are either obedient, or we are disobedient. Discipline means do not add, do not subtract. We should surrender to Srila Prabhupada’s order, act as rittviks . Do not try to figure out, “How will it work?” Just do it. Srila Prabhupada wanted to go to Govardhana Hill. Tamal and others argued with Prabhupada, as if he were feeble and in need of their guidance. We are either obedient–DISCIPLINED, or disobedient–UNDISCIPLINED.
One who has accepted the spiritual master has NOTHING LEFT TO THINK ABOUT. –Srila Prabhupada
MASTER and DISCIPLE–he orders, we follow. Adjustment, speculation and concoction are the cause of FAILURE.

Acharya Creates the Tradition

If Srila Prabhupada is shaktavesha avatar (which we do recognise that he factually is), he can do anything, and it becomes LAW. Because the fully liberated soul is always in touch with Krishna, whatever he does or says is shastra, law, absolute, non-different from Krishna. Because we do not understand does not mean it is incorrect.

“Except for God, no one can establish the principles of religion. Either He or a suitable person empowered by Him can dictate the codes of religion.”—purport, Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.3.43

Many things were never done before. Ramanujacharya engaged dacoits for collection, then had them killed. Madhvacharya pummeled his opponents. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu sang and danced in public–never done before by sannyasis . Buddha rejected the Vedas. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada created a GBC to manage his preaching mission, leaving no successor acharya , as was traditionally done. Srila Prabhupada made the same arrangement. In both instances, the order was disobeyed, and in both instances the result was the same–chaos, confusion and disintegration of the Acharya’s mission. Great acharyas like Srila Prabhupada do establish the principles of religion according to time, place and circumstances.

In Ravindra Svarupa’s “Cleaning House and Cleaning Hearts, Reform and Renewal in ISKCON,” Ravindra Svarupa admits that both Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur and Srila Prabhupada broke the Vedic tradition of appointing a successor acharya to take charge of their missions after their disappearance in favour of a modern institution of management known as the GBC (Governing Body Commission), a term and concept borrowed directly from the British management of the Indian railway system. Ravindra writes, “With its corporate form of organisation, ISKCON thus represents a modernisation of a religious tradition.” Ravindra then writes:

Upon the demise of his predecessor, the successor acharya would take the seat at the head of the institute. That successor acharya would be ritually elevated over all other disciples of his guru (his god-brothers), and all of them would bring new members to him for initiation.

ISKCON, however, represents a departure from this archaic form of organisation. Srila Prabhupada repeatedly stressed his intention that ISKCON would not, after his departure, be managed by a single acharya, but rather by the board of directors, the Governing Body Commission that he formed and began to train in 1970. Srila Prabhupada’s intention and his departure from the tradition of the institutional acharya is shown in a striking way in his will. Traditionally, it was in the first article of his will that an acharya named his successor, passing on his institution to his heir, as if it were his personal property. The first article of Srila Prabhupada’s will reads: “The Governing Body Commission (GBC) will be the ultimate managing authority for the entire International Society for Krishna Consciousness.”

Ravindra next writes the various suggestions and proposals for “Guru Reform” made in 1986. By that time it had become abundantly clear that the guru-acharyas and GBCs simply could not resolve the two conflicting concepts of absolute authority to which each felt they were entitled. The GBC, as ultimate managing authority of ISKCON, felt they should be the authority, and the guru-acharyas felt they were the absolute, divine authorities over not only their own disciples, but even over the god-brothers, including the GBC. The institution was disintegrating over the clash of absolute power each group claimed as its right.

Ravindra writes:
It was my conviction that we could retain in ISKCON the full-fledged position of guru, as delineated by the scriptures, a position that did not essentially involve being the autonomous, autocratic head of an institution, did not essentially disallow discussion, consultation, revision and adjustment and did not forbid collegial decision-making as a kind of lese majeste . [ Note: Does anyone know what lese majeste means? My guess is it means "to have your cake and eat it too." I'm open for reader response. ]

The zonal acharya position had asserted it was intrinsic to the position of guru to be absolute, and it professed that the gurus would voluntarily sacrifice that position for the sake of the movement. This implied that by working with a GBC the gurus were doing something unnatural or artificial, and of course their “voluntary sacrifice” seemed increasingly pro forma. To counter this conception of the guru, I argued that there was a significant way in which it was essential for the bona fide guru to be relative. After all, that there was a significant way in which it was the essential qualifying characteristic of a guru is that he strictly follow the order of Srila Prabhupada, who had decreed that all of us must serve co-operatively under the authority of the GBC. Accepting the authority of the GBC board was not a voluntary option. Because it was Srila Prabhupada’s order, it was necessary to guru-hood itself. [Note: What is guru-hood? Is it something like Robin Hood? Steal from the rich and give to the poor? Reader response requested. Help! ]

If Srila Prabhupada broke the traditional arrangement of appointing a successor acharya (as Ravindra Svarupa Prabhu has so clearly pointed out) by establishing a board of management (GBC) as the ultimate management authority of ISKCON, then it just stands to reason and is plain common sense that Srila Prabhupada would not create a competitive authority to clash with his ultimate managerial authority, the GBC, by appointing eleven guru-acharyas. If he did not want a single acharya, why would he appoint eleven acharyas? Rather, he again broke with tradition and appointed eleven rittvik representatives of the Acharya, who would continue initiating new disciples after his departure under the authority of the GBC (ultimate managing authority of ISKCON), just as they did for years in the presence of Srila Prabhupada and the GBC. Instead of accepting this completely self-evident, logical and authorised arrangement, Ravindra Svarupa Prabhu and other ambitious devotees continue to juggle words like reform and renewal in an attempt to maintain their mistakenly assumed postures and prestigious titles of “guru-hood”.

In other words, the fact that Srila Prabhupada so strongly stressed the GBC as the ultimate managing authority of ISKCON proves that Srila Prabhupada intended his rittvik arrangement to continue functioning after his departure exactly as it functioned so successfully under himself and the GBC while he was present.

This formula–Srila Prabhupada as the Sampradaya Acharya, the GBC as the ultimate managing authority of ISKCON and the rittvik representatives as initiators on behalf of Srila Prabhupada (Sampradaya Acharya)–is clear and perfect. It can be confusing only to those who have mistakenly assumed that after Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance ISKCON leaders must automatically become guru-acharyas in imitation of Srila Prabhupada (which is exactly what happened). Seventeen years later, everyone admits that this assumption was a colossal mistake. Instead of seeing the simple truth in Srila Prabhupada’s personal letter of July 9th, 1977, wherein he appoints eleven rittviks to initiate on his behalf, Ravindra Svarupa et al are still trying to find a way to “have their cake and eat it too”.

Ravindra Svarupa plainly admits Srila Prabhupada departed from the Vedic tradition. Why not simply surrender to the order of the spiritual master and stop all this wrangling, speculation, reform and renewal, which aims at nothing more than maintaining the mistakenly assumed posture of guru-acharya by men whom Srila Prabhupada authorised to act as rittvik acharyas? The Vedic tradition is created by the acharyas, and therefore Srila Prabhupada’s (the Sampradaya Acharya’s) arrangement for the GBC to act as head of the institution and consequently rittvik representatives of the Acharya for continuing the disciplic succession is perfectly in keeping with Vedic tradition. It is the acharyas who set the precedents which become the tradition, or it is the acharya who creates the Sampradaya; not the Sampradaya which creates the acharya. Just as the king creates the kingdom; not the kingdom creates the king. And the king can do no wrong.

The conclusion is if we accept Srila Prabhupada as the Sampradaya Acharya, pure devotee, shakti-avesha avatar and his writings as the law books for the next 10,000 years, then we should have no difficulty in accepting his arrangement of rittvik representatives, initiating on behalf of the Acharya, Srila Prabhupada.

Source: http://namhatta.com/2011/06/17/srila-prabhupada-his-movement-you/

His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada is the sole Founder Acarya of the Golden Age.

Forty-six years before the beginning of Kali-yuga, Visnucittha, one of the twelve great Vaisnava saints of the Sri Sampradaya predicted: "There will come a race which will tread the Earth with raised hands and vertical tilaka on their foreheads, who will chant the names of Hari; this will destroy the influence of Kali." (Divyaprabhanda 1:10).

Sripada Ramanuja predicted: "The pure devotion to Sri Hari devoid of karma and jnana will grow and grow like a banyan tree covering the whole world, teaching everyone who takes shelter." (Prapannamrta tarpana - last chapter).

It is interesting to note in this connection how Srila Prabhupada is preaching `jnana karmady anavrtam' to `jare dekho tare' in every town and village!

Sripad Madhvacarya predicted: "The real knowledge of the difference between jiva and Sri Hari and the service of Sri Hari will spread all over the world very shortly." (Anu madhva vijaya - last chapter).

Srila Prabhupada roared, "I am not God! You are not God! We are all servants of God, Krishna!"

 Srila Prabhupada is not just an acarya; not just the founder of a society; he is the Founder Acarya of the Krishna Consciousness Movement, which is a dynamic spiritual reality - the Yuga Dharma. Therefore, Srila Prabhupada is to be appreciated not merely as the acarya of a few intimate servants or even the acarya of a single generation of disciples. Rather, as the Founder Acarya of Iskcon, he established the standard of Krishna consciousness to be practiced by all sincere followers for ten thousand years to come.

The scriptures predict that although the present age is continually becoming more inauspicious, unfortunate and degraded, a `Golden Age' of Krishna consciousness will appear for a period of ten thousand years, following the advent of Sri Caitanya, despite the force of Kali Yuga.

Srila Prabhupada should not be limited by describing him as a founder within the drama or the one who started or only started the Iskcon. He was empowered by Krishna to do what no other spiritual master has ever done, or would ever do in the future - `na ca bhuto na bhavisyati sa ca pujyo Prabhupada: He is the Founder Acarya for spreading Lord Caitanya's sankirtan movement worldwide, for ten thousand years within the midst of Kali.

It is important to note that Srila Prabhupada himself, repeatedly emphasised that he was Founder Acarya. It is noted in the Lilamrta (IV-p93), that he became deeply annoyed when an Iskcon publication described him as "acarya of Iskcon", even though at that time there was no question at all of the existence of another acarya.

His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada is the sole Founder Acarya of the Golden Age.

Definition and Activities of a Great Founder Acarya.


The Founder Acarya is destinguished from all other acaryas and his qualities and activites are outlined in the sastras:



`tabhyas sarvajana trata sarvasrestatamo dhruvam

dina abhaya pradanartham visadikrtya bhutale'



"Among all acaryas, certainly he who is the deliverer of all people, who appears in this world for the purpose of removing the fears of the fallen souls (dina-abhaya) is the most perfect."



`gitacaryokta tatvartha caramartha prakasanam

rsiproktapramananam krtva vyakhyanamuttamam'



"He sheds light on the ultimate meanining of the philosophical conclusions spoken by Krishna, Who is the speaker of Bhagavad-gita. He also gives perfect purports to the evidences given by the rsis."



`divyaprabandhan lokebhya sarakopadibhi paryantam

arthopadesa paryantam vardhayaitva ca sasvatah'



"He propagates everywhere the meanings and purports of the songs of the previous acaryas."



`natharyadi gurunam ca satakopadi yoginam

ahrtya vyasa sutranam artham lokahitaya ca

sribhasyadi mahagrantham vidhaya karunarnaya

nirjitya sarvasamayan vadena sataso'subhan'



"He, the ocean of mercy, contributes great books for the welfare of the people that explain the meaning of Vedanta strictly in line with the previous vaisnava acaryas and devotees. In this way he conquers all, defeating hundreds of different kinds of inauspicious philosophies by his arguments."



`ityadibhir yatisresta karye lokahite rata

nathadidesike tebhya pradhano bhavati dhruvam'



"Because of engaging in the welfare of the people of the world, that perfect and topmost mendicant is certainly the most important Founder Acarya, (pradhana)." ...(Prapannamrta Tarpana - 62.47-53).

Srila Prabhupada exercised the basic principle of Krishna consciousness, as envisioned by Srila Rupa Goswami (somehow or other), to engage everyone in the Hare Krishna movement. The extent of his efforts are unprecidented in the history of vaisnavism. Thus he is the Founder Acarya who has accomplished the objectives of the `visva vaisnava rajya sabha', following in the footsteps of Srila Rupa Goswami.

In the Sri Caitanya Mangal by Locana das Thakur, Lord Caitanya speaks of a `senapati' (great general), who will come after Him to accomplish His mission. It is clear that Lord Caitanya's teachings were a preparation made by Himself for the use of another preacher, personally empowered by Him, who would launch His Sankirtana Movement on a global scale.

Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur yearned to see the day when fortunate non-Indian vaisnavas would perform Harinama Sankirtan in different cities of the world (Sajjana tosani 4\3,`nityadharma suryodoy'). In this article he announced that Mahaprabhu's prediction would shortly be fulfilled. He foresaw that all the vaisnava sampradayas will be unified. "In a short time, there will be only one sampradaya and that will be the Brahma sampradaya. All other sampradayas will find there conclusions in this sampradaya".

"All smaller dharmas will enter like rivers into the ocean of Hari Nama and there will be only one religion - chanting the Holy Name of Krishna"; (Vani Vaibhava Ch.6).

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur spoke of the arising of a self-effulgent acarya from among his disciples who would demonstrate his prominence by preaching in a grand style. It is obvious from the predictions of the previous acaryas mentioned above that Om Visnupada Paramahamsa Praivrajakacarya astottara sata Sri Srimad Abhaya Caranaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is that self-effulgent Founder Acarya of the Golden Age.

Srila Prabhupada - The Sampradaya Acharya

Srila Prabhupada - The Sampradaya Acharya

Srila Prabhupada: The Unique Acarya 
By Sri Yasodanandana Dasa 

The unique position of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada in the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya is supported as follows:
As the Acarya of his movement-
"I wish that each and every center shall keep the Acarya in the center and keep their separate identity" (1967 letter).
His unique position as the foremost spiritual authority for the golden age-
"My books will be the law books for the next ten thousand years"
(Srila Prabhupada statement in Los Angeles, 1976).
Statement by Locana das Thakura (middle of the 16th century)-
In the Caitanya Mangala the future appearance of a great senapati bhakta who would preach Krishna consciousness all over the world is predicted.
Statement by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu-
In the Caitanya-caritamrta the Lord Himself predicts "Prthivite ache yadi nagaradi grama, sarvatra pracara hoibe more nama" (translation: "My holy name will be chanted in every town and village"). Srila Prabhupada fulfilled that prediction by his factual accomplishments.
Predicted by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura (middle of the 19th century)-
The statement in the Sajjana-tosani of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura, regarding the future appearance of a great personality who would come to the west and preach the message of Lord Gauranga and fulfill the prediction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The following is a translation from the journal Vaisnava Tosani:
"Sriman Mahaprabhu did not descend with His associates to deliver a certain number of human beings in the land of India, but rather His purpose was to deliver and uplift all living beings in all countries of the world by preaching the eternal religion of all souls. He has personally said: ‘Prthivi-parjanta jata ache desa gram, sarvatra pracara hoibe more nama’ (translation: ‘My name will be preached in all the countries and towns that exist throughout the world’ (Caitanya Bhagavata, Antya 4.126). There are many kinds of religion in the world, and among all of them the highest development of religion is the congregational chanting of the Supreme Lord’s Divine Names. Of this there is no doubt.
Alas! When will that day come (emphasis added) when all greatly fortunate souls in countries such as England, France, Russia, Prussia and America will take up banners, kettle drums, mrdangas and karatalas and thus cause the ecstatic waves of Hari Nama Kirtan and the singing of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s holy name to rise in the streets of their towns and cities? O when will that day come, when pure and transcendental Krishna prema (love of God) will be the only religion of all souls and all tiny sectarian religions will meet in the unlimited and universal religion of devotional service to Krishna, as rivers merge into the great ocean? O when will that day come?"
(From the Sajjana-tosani of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura, late 1800s).
And who fulfilled that wish and prediction of Bhaktivinode Thakura? - SRILA PRABHUPADA.
Statement by Srila Prabhupada in New York in 1968:-
"After me there will be no more Acarya" (recounted by Rohini Kumar Swami in July 1989, November 1991 and February 1993).
He was to be the prominent acarya for the next 10,000 years (see quote re law books for ten thousand years). From the definition of shakti-avesha avatar - divinely empowered personality - we see that Srila Prabhupada was such a person. Only a super-empowered personality could do what Prabhupada has done.
Examples of the lives of the great Acaryas-
Shankaracarya took sannyasa at eight years old and travelled by foot throughout the whole of India and re-established Vedic principles while chasing Buddhism out of India. Sri Madhvacarya wrote 38 books and commentaries and established eight major monasteries in Udupi, and also made thousands of disciples.
He also travelled throughout India and preached strongly against the Mayavadi impersonalist philosophy. He established Vaisnava philosophy in many places throughout India. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally preached throughout South India. He started a spiritual revolution that is still felt today.
However, all these acaryas stayed in India. Their literature and temples were confined to the Indian subcontinent. Prabhupada is the first acarya of the Vedic lineage who has ever travelled out of India and made so many Vaisnavas. He has presented in his numerous purports the true essence of the teachings of all the Vaisnava sampradayas. Thus in one sense he is the greatest acarya, because he has accomplished what no one else has done, in a most difficult environment and very tenuous circumstances.
What Ramanuja is to the Sri sampradaya; what Madhvacarya is to the Brahma sampradaya; what Nimbarkacarya is to the Kumara sampradaya; what Visnusvami is to the Rudra sampradaya; what Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is to the Gaudiya sampradaya and to all sampradayas; what Srila Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami and Jiva Goswami were in their times after the departure of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, by their literary and devotional accomplishments; what Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and Sri Baladeva Vidyabhusana were in the 1700s; Srila Prabhupada is today their bona fide representative preaching the glories of Vaisnava philosophy all over the world through his books and teachings, and through his bona fide disciples and followers.
However, it should be noted that most of these acaryas took decades, if not their entire lifetimes, to accomplish their mission. But Srila Prabhupada in a short span of 11 years accomplished what no one else in the entire history of India had accomplished.
HE HAS FULFILLED THE PREDICTION OF SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU.
The position of the Adi-Guru of the sampradaya (from Harinama-Cintamani by Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura, chapter 6, text 22) "sadhu sampradaye acarya sakala siksa guru pratistha, adyacarya yini guru siromani puji’tanra yathocita": "Within the community of saintly persons, all are teachers and established as siksa gurus or instructing gurus (sakala guru pratistha). He who is the original guru (adi-acarya) of the sampradaya is the crest jewel amongst all gurus (guru siromani). Thus it is proper to give him worship."
Footnote by Bhaktivinode Thakura: "A community of Vaisnavas is a community of saintly persons. They are able to give instructions about the disciplic succession mantra, the absolute truth, and the practice of sadhus. One should choose a worthy guru from the Vaisnava sampradaya if he wants to escape from such unbonafide sampradayas such as mayavada, etc. The explanation of the first guru of the sampradaya should be respected for his particular instructions. Srila Ramanujacarya, Srila Nimbarka and Sri Visnusvami - these are the first acaryas of their own sampradayas. Sri Madhvacarya is our original acarya."
Just as the above-mentioned acaryas are the Adi-acaryas of their respective sampradayas,            
Srila Prabhupada is the Adi-acarya of the Bhaktivedanta sampradaya for the worldwide community of Vaisnavas.
He is not merely another acarya. HE IS THE CURRENT ACARYA OF THE GAUDIYA SAMPRADAYA. He has proven it and established it especially in three ways:
1. His numerous and voluminous bhasyas and tikas and profuse practical arrangements to distribute these literatures all over the world in all kinds of languages.
2. By his powerful preaching and immaculate purity he has made thousands of Vaisnavas all over the world.
3. He has practically created the framework for a universal house of worship and a sanctuary in the age of Kali-yuga by establishing 108 temples, ashrams, farms, gurukulas, etc. and given specific, practical directions on how to manage these institutions for preaching the message of Lord Caitanya.
Srila Prabhupada - the actual sampradaya acarya
One South Indian Ramanuja guru remarked in 1976 after viewing one of Srila Prabhupada’s books and witnessing the preaching of some of his young disciples: "This person is the summum bonum of all acaryas." Thus it is the foremost duty of any sincere disciple and follower of Srila Prabhupada to emphasize the unique and distinct position and accomplishment of Srila Prabhupada as the visva acarya, or the world acarya, the Jagat Guru, by his accomplishments, and not merely by a self-given title. He is the actual sampradaya acarya to be surrendered to and fully served by all Vaisnavas and all preachers and preceptors in the future. 
HE LIVES FOREVER BY HIS DIVINE INSTRUCTIONS AND THE FOLLOWER LIVES WITH HIM.

Snake Oil in Sampradaya Acharya bottle

By: 

Mukunda Dasa, Los Angeles, USA

Once again the leading internet pundit has boasted that he is preparing yet another article to again show how Srila Prabhupada "was" wrong to create the system for initiations Srila Prabhupada himself outlined in the July 9th letter.  After half a dozen "comprehensive" anti-Prabhupada essays and articles, this pundit feels there is need for yet another comprehensive essay.   We presume it will be a very lengthy article on why the Prabhupadanugas are wrong and Srila Prabhupada himself is wrong.   It will contain phrases like, "post-samadhi" and "Sampradaya Acharya" but after four or five hundred words, it will say nothing, and certainly "nothing new."  And it will not say the obvious, that Internet Pundit rejects Srila Prabhupada's instructions, plain and simple.  Although this pundit claims to be the only one who understands Srila Prabhupada's true position as a Sampradaya Acharya, what he is really saying is Srila Prabhupada is gone and unavailable now.  This is what Iskcon is saying.  Internet Pundit and Iskcon both say one cannot have Srila Prabhupada as guru, that they need a living guru.  Iskcon, unlike internet Pundit, says, "You need a living guru and we have some."  Internet Pundit says you need a living guru, but I cannot tell you where to find one, so you have to just wait.  When asked what Srila Prabhupada’s system for initiations was, internet Pundit says Prabhupada was purposefully vague.  This is how Internet Pundit wins the debate, by rejecting Srila Prabhupada and then claiming Srila Prabhupada was vague.  Beware of snake oil in the Sampradaya Acharya bottle.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada - The Acharya Now.