Poniżej chciałbym podzielić się listem Prem Prayojana Prabhu do członków Misji Czaitanii. List ten został napisany około 10 lat temu w związku z odejściem (ucieczką) Mahabhava dasa z Misji Czaitanii, której był członkiem i uczniem harinama (Jagad Guru Siddhasvarupanandy). Był odpowiedzią na liczne pomówienia członków Misji Czaitanii i ataki na Śrila Narayana Maharadża. Mahabhava przyjął inicjację diksa (mantry diksa) od Śrila Narayana Maharadża oraz dostał imię Krsna Karunya. Z tego listu możemy się dowiedzieć o rzeczywistych faktach i okolicznościach tej całej sytuacji.
Prema Prayojan das brahmachari
Moi drodzy bracia i siostry z Misji Czaitanji,
Proszę przyjmijcie moje pokorne pokłony. Śri Śri Guru-Gaurangau jayatah!
Piszę ten list w odpowiedzi na liczne e-maile, które obecnie dostajemy od różnych członków Misji Czaitanji, takich jak Aczaria das, Mada Mohan dasa, Sukadeva dasi, Gopala dasi Tamayo, Yogesvar dasa, Lalita Gopala dasi, Paramahamsa dasa, i wielu innych. Celem tego listu jest wyjaśnienie pewnych nieporozumień, które pojawiły się w odniesieniu do rzekomej "agitacji" i "reinicjacji" Mahabhava dasa. Mam nadzieję, że wszelkie niepotrzebne sektariańskie (tworzące podziały) nastroje, które są wrogami postępu duchowego zostaną ostudzone, a co za tym idzie wszyscy zainteresowani, będą mogli znaleźć coś pozytywnego z tego pozornie niekorzystnego wydarzenia.
AGITACJA
Przede wszystkim, proszę pozwólcie mi przedstawić fakty odnoszące się do "agitacji" Mahabhava dasa. W grudniu ubiegłego roku, mój Paramaradhyata Gurupadapadma, Om Visnupada Śri Śrimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharadża odwiedził wyspę Cebu na Filipinach wraz z kilkoma uczniami włącznie ze mną, aby być w cichym i odludnym miejscu podczas tłumaczenia i pisania komentarzy do Śri Bhajana Rahasaya Śrila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Zatrzymaliśmy się razem w prywatnym daleko położonym ośrodku na wybrzeżu przez prawie miesiąc, rzadko wychodząc poza teren tego ośrodka. W tym czasie, na polecenie mojego Gurudeva, pracowałem samotnie w swoim pokoju, będąc zajętym tłumaczeniem arcydzieła Śrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura jakim jest "Jaiva Dharma". Wtedy usłyszałem pukanie do drzwi, ktoś kogo nigdy wcześniej nie widziałem wszedł po cichu do mojego pokoju, ofiarował swoje pokłony i pokornie poprosił czy może zadać kilka filozoficznych pytań. Odpowiedziałem, że byłem zajęty i mogę poświęcić mu tylko troszeczkę czasu. Po udzieleniu odpowiedzi na jego pytania, po pół godzinie czasu poprosiłem czy mógłbym kontynuować swoją służbę, wtedy on odszedł. Dwadzieścia minut później wrócił z powrotem z następnymi pytaniami. Wydawał się on bardzo uprzejmy i poważny, więc nie miałem nic przeciwko temu aby spędzić z nim jeszcze trochę czasu. Oczywiście, możecie się domyślać, że tą osobą był Mahabhava dasa. MY NIE CHODZILIŚMY DO NIEGO. Przybył z daleka, sam i Z WŁASNEJ WOLI. Powiedział, że był tu również w zeszłym roku i OD PONAD DWUCH LAT czytał wszystkie książki oraz wykłady Śrila Bhaktivedanty Narayana Maharadża na internecie i dlatego chciał kupić wszystkie nowe książki, które niedawno zostały wydrukowane. Miał wiele pytań. Był bardzo uprzejmy ale też bardzo wytrwały. Pomimo wszystkich tych okoliczności, ci którzy nieświadomi są rzeczywistych faktów, niesłusznie oskarżają Śrila Bhaktivedantę Narayana Maharadża i jego zwolenników, o agitację Mahabhava dasa. Nic nie może być dalej od prawdy niż to oskarżenie.
CZEMU MAHABHAVA ZBLIŻYŁ SIĘ DO NARAYANA MAHARADŻA?
Zamiast dokonywać fałszywych oskarżeń przeciwko Śrila Narayanowi Maharadżowi i przeciwko jego zwolennikom, bardziej szczerym było by zapytać, czemu Mahabhava Prabhu zbliżył się do Śrila Narayana Maharadża. Większość z was bardzo dobrze zna Mahabhava Prabhu. On jest bardzo trzeźwą, życzliwą, szczerą i oddaną osobą. Dlatego otrzymał tak wiele obowiązków w waszej organizacji (przyp. tłum. był prezydentem świątyni na filipinach) i dlatego darzony był dużym szacunkiem i miłością przez wszystkich wielbicieli.
Oto przypadki inteligentnych osób, które posiadają gorliwe pragnienia aby wejść głębiej w nauki Śri Czaitanji Mahaprabhu i Jego zwolenników takich jak Śrila Rupa Gosvami, Raghunata Das Gosvami, Visvanatha Cakravati Thakura, Gaudiya Vedantacarya Baladeva Vidyabhusana i inni. Czy takie pragnienie jest uzasadnione czy nie? Śrila Prabhupada napisał w Śri Czaitanija Caritamrta:
1) "Śri Sanatana Gosvami Prabhu, nauczyciel nauki o służbie oddania, napisał kilka książek, z których bardzo słynną jest Brhad-bhagavatamrta; KAŻDY, kto pragnie dowiedzieć się o sprawach dotyczących bhaktów, służby oddania i Kryszny, MUSI PRZECZYTAĆ TĘ KSIĄŻKĘ." (Adi-lila: Rozdział 5, tekst 203, znaczenie)
2) "Sanatana Gosvami również napisał specjalny komentarz do Dziesiątego Kanta Śrimad-Bhagavatam, znany jako Daśama-tippani, który jest tak wyśmienity, że jedynie poprzez czytanie go, można bardzo głęboko zrozumieć rozrywki Kryszny w Jego wymianie miłości." (Adi-lila: Rozdział 5, tekst 203, znaczenie)
3) "Podobnie, inni fałszywi bhaktowie sądzą, że studiowanie książek poprzednich aczarjów nie jest pożądane, niczym studiowanie suchych filozofii empirycznych. Ale Śrila Jiva Gosvami, podążając za przykładem poprzednich aczarjów, umieścił konkluzje pism świętych w sześciu tezach zwanych Sat-sandarbhami. Fałszywi bhaktowie, którzy posiadają bardzo niewielką wiedzę o takich konkluzjach, NIE OSIĄGAJĄ CZYSTEGO ODDANIA, gdyż brakuje im gorliwości, jeśli chodzi o przyjmowanie pomyślnych wskazówek dotyczących służby oddania udzielonych przez samozrealizowanych bhaktów." (Adi-lila: Rozdział drugi, tekst 117, znaczenie)
4) "'Kiedy rozwinę wielkie pragnienie studiowania książek pozostawionych przez sześciu Gosvamich? Wtedy będę w stanie zrozumieć małżeńskie rozrywki Radhy i Kryszny.' Czaitanja Mahaprabhu bezpośrednio upełnomocnił Śrila Rupę Gosvamiego i Śrila Sanatanę Gosvamiego. Podążając w ich ślady, pozostali z sześciu Gosvamich zrozumieli Śri Czaitanję Mahaprabhu i Jego misję." (Madhya-lila: Rozdział 25, tekst 271, znaczenie)
Z tego możemy stwierdzić, że pragnienie studiowania książek gosvamich jest nie tylko uzasadnione ale w rzeczywistości jest NIEZBĘDNE. Jeśli istnieje możliwość aby wypełnić tą potrzebę i jest ona aktualnie dostępna w waszej organizacji, dlaczego więc Mahabhava Prabhu zbliżył się do Śrila Narayana Maharadża oraz do jego uczniów? To jest po prostu kwestia ZDROWEGO ROZSĄDKU.
Chciałbym pokornie zapytać, kto w waszej organizacji studiował książki sześciu Gosvamich, pod przewodnictwem bona fide mistrza duchowego, który z kolei bezpośrednio studiował wszystkie te teksty od swojego mistrza duchowego? Takie przedsięwzięcie wymaga całego życia skrupulatnych studiów z pomocą wielu mistrzów duchowych (przyp. tłum. diksa i siksa guru). [...] Śrimad Bhagavatam:
"Mędrcy rzekli: Szanowny Suto Gosvami, jesteś całkowicie wolny od wszelkich wad. JESTEŚ OBEZNANY ZE WSZYSTKIMI ŚWIĘTYMI PISMAMI niezbędnymi do religijnego życia, jak również z Puranami i Itihasami (historiami), albowiem PRZESTUDIOWAŁEŚ JE POD WŁAŚCIWYM PRZEWODNICTWEM, a także wyjaśniłeś je." (Śrimad-Bhagavatam Kanto 1, rozdział 1, tekst 6)
TYLKO JEDEN GURU!
Członkowie Misji Czaitanji sprzeciwili się temu, że Mahabhava prabhu przyjął Śrila Bhaktivedantę Narayana Maharadża jako swojego diksa i siksa guru i na tej podstawie zakładają, że jest to deklaracją, że Jagad Guru nie jest bona fide, i że Misja Czaitanji nie jest bona fide. Dają oni wyraz idei, że posiadanie więcej niż jednego guru oznacza, że twój pierwszy guru nie jest kwalifikowany, jak również, że uczeń, który posiada więcej niż jednego guru musi być nieczysty i niepodporządkowany. Jeśli o to rzeczywiście chodzi mówiąc o przypadku Mahabhava prabhu, wtedy nasza cała guru-parampara musiała by być również winna nielojalności i braku podporządkowania.
a) Śrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura otrzymał harinama i Kurma mantrę od Śrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Później otrzymał mantrę diksa od Śrila Gaura-kisiora Das Babaji Maharadża.
b) Śrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura otrzymał diksa od Śri Vipina Bihari Gosvamiego. Wkrótce potem przyjął pełne schronienie u Śrila Jagannatha Das Babaji Maharadża jako swojego siksa-guru.
c) Narottama Das Thakura otrzymał inicjację od Lokanath Das Gosvami pomimo tego, że jeszcze studiował literaturę Gosvamich pod kierunkiem swojego siksa guru Śrila Jiva Gosvamiego.
d) Ragunath Das Gosvami otrzymał inicjację od Śri Yadunandana Aczarji. Niedługo potem zaakceptował Śri Swarupa Damodara Gosvamiego jako swojego siksa guru. Kiedy Śri Svarupa Damodara odszedł przyjął on schronienie Śri Gadadhara Pandita. Kiedy Gadadhara Pandit odszedł zaakceptował on Śri Sanatanę Gosvamiego a następnie Śri Rupę Gosvamiego jako swoich siksa guru.
e) Śrinivas Aczarja przyjął schronienie Śri Gadadhara Pandita jako swojego siksa-guru. Później otrzymał diksa od Śri Gopala Bhatta Gosvamiego. Ostatecznie stał się uczniem siksa Śri Jivy Gosvamiego.
W rzeczywistości, kiedy studiujemy życia wszystkich prawdziwych aczarjów zobaczymy, że każdy z nich miał kilku guru. Dlatego też we wstępie do Bhagavad Gity Taką Jaką Jest, Śrila Prabhupada cytuje werset: "vande'ham śri guruh ('guruh' to liczba pojedyncza, oznacza diksa guru) śri yuta pada kamalam śri gurun ('gurun' to liczba mnoga oznacza wielu siksa guru) vaisnavams ca."
Śrila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada osobiście otrzymał harinama i diksa od Śrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, pomimo tego utrzymywał, że Śrila Bhaktivedanta Śridhara Maharadża był jego siksa-guru, dowodem będą słowa z jego własnych wypowiedzi Śrila Bhaktivedanty Svamiego Prabhupady:
"To jest długa historia, zajmie to trochę czasu, ale miałem okazję związać się z Jego Świątobliwością [Śrila Bhaktiraksaka Śridhara Maharadżom]. Przez kilka lat miałem okazję by z nim asocjować. KRSNA I PRABHUPADA [Śrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura] CHCIELI MNIE PRZYGOTOWAĆ. Śridhara Maharadża żył jak...
Śridhara Maharadża: (bardzo źle słyszalne)
Prabhupada: (śmiech) ...w moim domu, niektórzy moga powiedzieć, kilka lat, więc naturalnie mieliśmy osobiste rozmowy i on był moim dobrym doradcą. PRZYJMOWAŁEM JEGO RADY, JEGO INSTRUKCJE BARDZO POWAŻNIE, ponieważ od samego początku wiedziałem, że jest on czystym Waisznawą i wielbicielem i chciałem z nim przebywać (asocjować) oraz próbować mu pomagać również na wiele sposobów. On również próbował mi pomagać, więc nasza relacja jest bardzo serdeczna. Po rozpadzie Gaudiya Matha chciałem utworzyć inną organizację, czyniąc Śridhara Maharadża zwierzchnikiem." (Rozmowa w pokoju, Majapur, 17 Marzec, 1973 r.)
"Więc jeśli na prawdę, szczerze chcesz przyjąć instrukcje od siksa guru, mogę wskazać ci tego, który jest najbardziej kompetentny ze wszystkich moich braci duchowych. Jest nim B.R. Śridhara Maharadża, którego uznaję jako swojego siksa guru, więc co tu dużo mówić na temat korzyści, którą możesz mieć z jego towarzystwa." (List do Hrsikesa, 69-01-09)
Ponadto Śrila Prabhupada został również inicjowany mantrą gopi-bhava od swojego sannyasa guru, Śrila Bhakti Prajana Keshava Gosvamiego, który również stał się diksa-guru i sannyasa guru Śrila Bhaktivedanty Narayana Maharadża.
Pierwsze dwa słowa Śri Caitanya Caritamrta brzmią: "vande gurun" (liczba mnoga), które oznaczają: "Modlę się do MOICH GURU." Więc nie potrafię sobie wyobrazić skąd członkowie Misji Czaitanji pobierali nauki o idei, że posiadanie więcej niż jednego guru jest nieczyste lub jest oznaką braku podporządkowania, lub że to oznacza, że czyjś guru nie jest kwalifikowany. Tej koncepcji z pewnością nie odnajdziemy nigdzie w śastrach ani w życiach naszych aczariów.
SPECJALIZACJA
W swoich listach niektórzy wielbiciele z Misji Czaitanji (tacy jak Sukadeva dasi, Sonia Alutaya i Siddha das Bernardo), którzy odwiedzili ośrodek nauczania Gaudiya Math w Manili, podczas naszej dyskusji sprzeciwili się jednej z analogii podanej przez Śriman Brajanatha dasa, ucznia Śrila Narayana Maharadża. On porównał guru do lekarzy mówiąc, że lekarze, którzy specjalizują się w różnych dziedzinach, mogą pomóc pacjentom w zależności od ich konkretnych kompetencji. Sprzeciw powstał na bazie faktu, że istnieje tylko jedna choroba - choroba materializmu. Dlatego też potrzebny jest tylko jeden guru i jeśli ktoś pójdzie do innego guru to oznacza, że pierwszy guru nie jest kwalifikowany. W tym miejscu chciałbym odwołać się do cierpliwości i wnikliwości moich szanownych czytelników, aby rozważyli bardzo piękną i słynną modlitwę Śrila Narottama Das Thakura, Gauranga Bolite Habe:
ara kabe nitaicander karuna hoibe
samsara vasana mora kabe tuccha habe
"O kiedy Nityananda Prabhu będzie miłosierny dla mnie, w ten sposób wszystkie moje materialne pragnienia staną się nieistotne."
Nityananda Prabhu jest Panem Balaramą osobiście, oryginalną guru-tattvą, dzięki którego łasce można zostać wyleczonym z choroby materializmu. Wszyscy kwalifikowani guru są bezpośrednimi reprezentacjami Pana Balaramy/Nityanandy. Jednakże bycie wolnym od choroby materializmu nie jest wystarczające. Jeśli ktoś chce osiągnąć służbę dla Radha-Krsna we Vrindavan wtedy pomoc specjalisty będzie niezbędna. Nityananda Prabhu jest Balaramą, mimo tego, że jest On starszym bratem Kryszny, Kryszna nie może spotkać się ze Śrimati Radhiką w Jego obecności. Oboje wpadliby w zakłopotanie. Dlatego w następnym wersecie Śrila Narottama Das Thakura modli się:
rupa-raghunatha pade hoibe akuti
kabe hama bhujabo se yugala piriti
"O kiedy zapragnę podążać za Rupą Gosvamim i Ragunathem Das Gosvamim. Tylko wtedy będę w stanie zrealizować miłość i uczucia Śri Radhy i Kryszny."
Tutaj jesteśmy informowani, że Rupa Gosvami i Ragunath Das Gosvami są specjalistami. W rozrywkach Kryszny, oni w rzeczywistości są bliskimi sługami Śrimati Radharani, znanymi jako Rupa Manjari i Rati Manjari. Oni mogą pomóc nam zrealizować te poufne rzeczy, do których nawet Pan Balarama nie posiada dostępu, z powodu jego usytuowania w relacji z Kryszną, która jest inna niż z pasterkami gopi. W tym samym czasie absurdem było by sugerować, że Balarama nie jest kwalifikowanym guru.
Podsumowując, na różnych etapach naszego duchowego życia, różni guru wysyłani są przez Krysznę aby pomóc nam na wiele różnych sposobów, stosownie od ich różnych specjalizacji. Przyjmując pomoc od jednego guru nie oznacza w żadnym przypadku, że inny guru nie jest kwalifikowany. Myślenie w ten sposób było by nieracjonalnym typem paranoi.
RZEKOMA REINICJACJA - FAŁSZYWY ALARM
Z setek e-maili, które otrzymujemy od wielbicieli z Misji Czaitanji oraz z osobistych rozmów z nimi, staje się oczywiste, że są oni zdania, iż diksa oznacza otrzymanie harinama od guru i jeśli ktoś później otrzyma mantrę Gopal i Kama-gayatri od innego guru, to oznacza to, że ta osoba została reinicjowana (przyp. tłum. inicjowana od nowa, anulując poprzednią inicjację). Wielu wyraziło opinię, że robienie rozróżnienia pomiędzy inicjacją harinama i mantrą diksa jest jak "dzielenie włosa na części" (Acharia das) oraz, że inicjacja harinama jest wystarczająca a mantra diksa jest tylko formalnością. O szlachetni Waisznawowie! Ci którzy posiadają prawdziwą miłość dla Śri Czaitanji Mahapranhu spróbują zrozumieć prawdę odwołując się do autentycznych pism naszych aczarjów [...]. Będziemy musieli zweryfikować wszystkie te idee na twardym gruncie śastr. Z pewnością każdy kto posiada chęć poznania prawdy będzie ożywiony w słuchaniu wszystkich tych wspaniałych konkluzji filozoficznych.
W Bhakti Sandharba Śrila Jiva Gosvamiego diksa została jasno określona.
divyam jnanam yato dadyat kuryat papasya sanksayam tasmad dikseti sa prokta desikais tattva-kovidaih
divyam jnanam hy'atra srimate mantra bhagavat svarupa jnana tena bhagavat sambandha visesa jnanam ca
"Ci, którzy są uczeni w siddhancie stwierdzają, że diksa jest procesem, w którym wszystkie grzechy są usuwane oraz divya jnana jest rozbudzana. Divya jnana obejmuje wiedzę na temat svarupa swojego czczonego bóstwa oraz wiedzę na temat swojej indywidualnej relacji z Panem, która jest przekazana w formie mantry." (Bhakti Sandarbha 283)
Mantra diksa jest absolutnie niezbędna. Hare Kryszna maha-mantra jest "sambodhana", bezpośrednio odnosi się do Śri Radha-Kryszna, natomiast diksa mantra ustanawia "sambandha", naszą relację z bóstwem mantry. Jest to przemyślaną opinią wszystkich aczarjów i śastr, że uwarunkowana dusza może intonować harinamę, ale dopóki nie zostanie usytuowana w sambandha-jnana, która wyrośnie z jego mantr diksa (przyp. tłum. mantr gayatri), jego intonowanie nigdy nie będzie czyste (suddha-nama). Nie będzie on nigdy wolny od nama-aparadha i od anarth. Tak więc pomimo tego, że wszelka doskonałość osiągana jest poprzez intonowanie harinama (przyp. tłum. maha mantry), powinno się podążać właściwym procesem ustanowionym przez naszych poprzednich aczarjów w celu czystego intonowania harinama. Poprzez guru-mantrę i guru-gayatri można zapoznać się ze Śri Czaitanją Mahaprabhu. Poprzez Gopal mantrę można rozbudzić swoją transcendentalną relację ze Śri Śri Radha-Krsna Yugala, poprzez moc Kama-gayatri można wejść do poufnych rozrywek boskiej pary.
Cytując werset "harer nama harer nama harer nama eva kevalam", kilku członków Misji Czaitanji przedstawiło ideę, że harinama jest wystarczająca do osiągnięcia sukcesu a mantra diksa nie jest niezbędna. W tym punkcie pokornie błagam czytelników tego listu aby zadali sobie następujące pytania:
Jeśli inicjacja diksa nie jest niezbędna, wtedy:
a) Dlaczego Śrila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabupada i wszyscy poprzedni aczarjowie dawali diksa-mantrę swoim uczniom?
b) Czemu Kryszna osobiście inicjował Pana Balarama mantrą Kama-gayatri?
c) Dlaczego Śrila Viśvatant Cakravati Thakura chciał popełnić samobójstwo, kiedy nie był w stanie zrozumieć znaczenia mantry Kama-gayatri?
d) Dlaczego Śrimati Radharani osobiście pojawiła się przed Śrila Viśvanatha Cakravati Thakurą we śnie i przekazała mu znaczenie Kama-gayatri?
e) Czemu Śri Ragunatha Das Gosvami napisał w Śri Manah Siksa: sva mantre sri namni vraja yuva dvandva sarane: "O mój drogi umyśle, proszę rozwiń niespotykaną miłość i uczucie dla twoich mantr harinama i diksa?
f) Dlaczego Ramananda Raya poinstruował Śri Czaitanję Mahaprabhu: kama-gayatri kama bija yanra upasana "Kryszna jest wielbiony poprzez intonowanie mantry Kama-gayatri z duchowym nasieniem Klim" (Śri Czaitanja Cartamrita Madhya 8.138)?
Jeśli harinama i diksa są takie same, w takim razie dlaczego Śri Rupa Gosvami wyjaśnił, że osobie intonującej harinama powinno się składać wyrazy szacunku w sercu, natomiast fizyczne pokłony do ziemi osobie, która otrzymała diksa mantry?
"Powinno się mentalnie oddawać szacunek wielbicielowi, który intonuje święte imię Pana Kryszny, powinno się ofiarować pokorne pokłony wielbicielowi, który przeszedł poprzez duchową inicjację [diksa] i jest zaangażowany w wielbienie Bóstw, jak również powinno się asocjować i z pełną wiarą służyć takiemu czystemu wielbicielowi, który jest zaawansowany w niezachwianej służbie oddania, i którego serce jest całkowicie pozbawione skłonności do krytykowania innych." (Śri Upadeśamrta, tekst 5)
Jak również, dlaczego Śri Rupa Goswami napisał w Śri Padyavali (tekst 29)
"no diksam na ca sat-kriyam"
Harinama może być przyjęta bez względu na to czy osoba posiada diksa czy nie.
NIEZMIERNIE WAŻNY ASPEKT DIKSA
Oczywiście, jeśli ktoś intonuje mantrę Gopal i Kama-gayatri przez lata i nie zrealizował rzeczywistego potencjału mantry, a mianowicie możliwości ujrzenia Śri Radha-Krsna, wtedy taka osoba może stracić wiarę wymyślając nową filozofię, w której diksa nie jest uważana za bardzo ważną. To może mieć miejsce, ponieważ czasem guru daje mantrę diksa uczniowi neoficie, który następnie myśli, "Jestem inicjowany. Teraz mogę dawać diksa innym." [...] Diksa nie pojawia się w jeden dzień. Diksa to proces, który może zająć lata a nawet życia. Proces rozpoczyna się, kiedy uczeń otrzyma diksa-mantrę, ale do osiągnięcia siddhi (doskonałości) w mantrze, uczeń będzie potrzebował przyjąć siksa-guru od procesu osiągnięcia siddhi w mantrze, od mantrartha-cintan, od prapati, i od innych sekretów, które guru wyjawia tylko swoim najbardziej drogim i kwalifikowanym uczniom:
bruyuh snigdhasya sisyasya guruvo guhyam apy uta (Śrimad-Bhagavatam Kanto 1: Rozdział 1, Tekst 8)
"Ponieważ jesteś łagodny i posłuszny, twoi MISTRZOWIE DUCHOWI (guravo - liczba mnoga) przekazali ci wszelkie sekrety (guhyam)."
Śrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura skomentował w swoim zasadniczym tekście "Śri Bhakti-tattva Viveka" (rozdział 2):
"Nawet dla Waisznawów, którzy są odpowiednio inicjowani w oryginalnej sampradaji, oświecenie o swojej wiecznej tożsamości wyrasta na bazie ich MANTR DIKSA, które otrzymali od swoich DIKSA GURU, jednakże oświecenie to nie pojawi się dopóki nie otrzymają svarupa-jnana dzięki łasce siksa-guru. Z powodu nieznajomości tej wiedzy nie mogą oni wejść do królestwa czystej bhakti i dlatego widoczne są u nich tylko bhakti-abhasa (pozory oddania)."
Dlatego zgodnie ze Śrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, ci którzy nie zrealizowali potencjału swoich mantr diksa, muszą sami skorzystać z asocjacji (towarzystwa) z siksa-guru, w przeciwnym przypadku nie będą oni mogli uczynić żadnych znaczących postępów.
Ten temat w szczegółach również był dyskutowany w osobistym komentarzu Śrila Sanatany Gosvamiego zatytułowanym Śri Bhrad Bhagavatamrta. Chciałbym zadać śmiałe pytanie, czy członkowie Misji Czaitanji przestudiowali tą książkę zanim ośmielili się napisać swoje listy, w których pouczali na temat diksa Ślila Bhaktivedantę Narayana Maharadża, który studiował tę książkę przez 54 lata?
Śrila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada nakazał:
1) "Śri Sanatana Gosvami Prabhu, nauczyciel w dziedzinie nauki o służbie oddania, napisał kilka książek, z których bardzo słynną jest Brhad-bhagavatamrta; KAŻDY, kto pragnie dowiedzieć się o sprawach dotyczących bhaktów, służby oddania i Krsny, MUSI PRZECZYTAĆ TĘ KSIĄŻKĘ." (Adi-lila: Rozdział 5, tekst 203, znaczenie)
Autentyczni zwolennicy Śrila Prabhupady spróbują wprowadzić w życie tak ważne polecenia pod przewodnictwem kwalifikowanego i doświadczonego nauczyciela. Z drugiej strony..
"Prakrta, czyli bhakta materialistyczny, nie studiuje wytrwale śastr i nie usiłuje zrozumieć RZECZYWISTEGO STANDARDU czystej służby oddania. Wskutek tego NIE OKAZUJE WŁAŚCIWEGO SZACUNKU ZAAWANSOWANYM WIELBICIELOM. Może jednak przestrzegać zasad regulujących, których nauczył się od swego mistrza duchowego lub od swej rodziny zaangażowanej w wielbienie Bóstwa. Należy uważać, że jest on na platformie materialnej, chociaż próbuje robić postęp w służbie oddania. Taka osoba jest bhakta-prayą [bhaktą neofitą], czyli bhaktabhasą, gdyż w niewielkim stopniu jest oświecona filozofią Waisznawa." (Madhya-lila: Rozdział 22, tekst 74)
Podsumowując, jest wyraźnie widocznym, że reinicjacja nie miała miejsca w przypadku Mahabhava prabhu. Raczej, po przyjęciu harinama (maha-mantry) poprzez inicjację rtvik, którą przyjął od Tusta Krsna Prabhu, który udzielił jej w imieniu Jagad Guru Siddha Svarupananda, Mahabhava prabhu następnie przyjął diksa (gopal-mantrę, kama-gayatri itd.) od Śrila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharadża, dzięki którym będzie on stopniowo mógł wkroczyć do służby dla Śri Radha-Krsna. Bez tych mantr, pisma zabraniają wielbienia bóstw Śri Radha-Krsna lub nawet ofiarowywania Im pożywienia. W ten sposób to wydarzenie jest niezmiernie pomyślnym i polecane jest przez wszystkie śastry i przez wszystkich aczariów.
MAHABHAVA POWINIEN BYŁ POPROSIĆ O POZWOLENIE
Teraz prawdopodobnie dojdziemy do ostatniej spornej kategorii problemu. Dlaczego Mahabhava Prabhu nagle w środku nocy zniknął, bez informowania kogokolwiek, włącznie z jego guru?
Byłoby w porządku powiedzieć, iż myślał, że jego koledzy nie zrozumieją jego zamiarów. Zamieszanie i zakłopotanie, które wywiązało się po tej sytuacji, potwierdza prawdziwość jego świadectwa w kwestii obaw. (Co najmniej jeden z jego braci duchowych groził mu osobiście użyciem przeciwko niemu przemocy fizycznej.)
Czy jednak na pewno powinien on poinformować swojego guru?
W celu zrozumienia tego, musimy pomodlić się i przyjąć schronienie u lotosowych stóp Śrila Ragunath Das Gosvamiego. Śrila Ragunath Das Gosvami również uciekł z domu w środku nocy, bez poinformowania kogokolwiek, włącznie ze swoim diksa-guru Śri Yadunandana Aczarji. Mimo tego, jego postępowanie było przez wszystkich gloryfikowane. Nawet jego Gurudeva Śri Yadunandana Aczarja był zachwycony nagłym odejściem młodego Ragunath Dasa, ponieważ Ragunath Das udał się do Jaganath Puri, gdzie przyjął przewodnictwo Śri Svarupa Damodara Gosvamiego. Śri Yadunandana Aczarja był w rzeczywistości czystym wielbicielem, kompetentnym guru i towarzyszem Pana Czaitanji Mahaprabhu. Jednakże Śri Svarupa Damodara był dla niego seniorem (waisznawą starszym rangą), ponieważ jest on inkarnacją najdroższej przyjaciółki Radhiki o imieniu Lalita Sakhi. Dlatego też, Śri Yadunandana Aczarja, był wolny od zawiści i zaborczości, był bardzo szczęśliwy wiedząc, że jego uczeń znalazł się w dobrych rekach.
Jest to kwestią etykiety waisznawa. Guru nigdy nie myśli, że jakikolwiek uczeń jest jego własnością. On po porostu służy Śri Czaitanji Mahaprabhu poprzez pomaganie takiej duszy w pokochaniu Śri Radha-Krsna. Jeśli jakikolwiek inny senior Waisznawa, który jest bardziej uczony lub doświadczony również pomaga takiej duszy, wtedy on staje się bardzo zadowolony. Jeśli zareaguje w jakikolwiek inny sposób, wtedy jest to rozumiane, że posiada on jakieś braki w swojej vaisnavata (koncepcji oddania). Zgodnie z etykietą waisznawa, senior (starszy) waisznawa jest zawsze darzony SZACUNKIEM i przyznawane jest mu PIERWSZEŃSTWO. Na przykład, w czwartym kanto, piątym rozdziale Śrimad Bhagavatam znajdujemy, że Vidura zbliżył się do Uddhavy chcąc zaakceptować go jako swojego mistrza duchowego. Jednakże widząc, że Maitreya Rsi był w pobliżu i był on starszym waisznawą, Uddhava zarekomendował, że Vidura powinien przyjąć instrukcje od Maitreya Rsi. To jest prawidłowa etykieta waisznawy.
W tej omawianej sytuacji każdy bezstronny obserwator dojdzie do wniosku, że Śrila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharadża jest dużo starszym waisznawą pod wszelkimi względami, dla wszystkich wielbicieli, których ta sytuacja dotyczyła. Więc obraźliwym jest nawet oferowanie rady takiemu waisznawie.
"Obrazą jest także uważanie upełnomocnionego waisznawy za obiekt jakichkolwiek działań dyscyplinarnych. Obrazą jest dawanie mu RAD czy pouczanie go. Neofitę od zaawansowanego waisznawy można odróżnić po jego czynnościach. Zaawansowany Waisznawa zawsze zajmuje pozycję mistrza duchowego, a początkujący bhakta jest zawsze uważany za ucznia. Mistrz duchowy nie może być przedmiotem rad swoich uczniów, ani też nie powinien przyjmować instrukcji od tych, którzy jego uczniami nie są." (Nektar Instrukcji, tekst 6)
Z natury i tonu wypowiedzi wielu listów, które otrzymaliśmy, możemy tylko wnioskować, że ich autorzy muszą być całkiem nieświadomi kim jest Śrila Narayana Maharadża i dlatego w tym miejscu dołączamy krótką historię.
Realia są takie, że Śrila Narayana Maharadża jest wielce szanowanym działaczem społeczności Gaudiya. Intonuje on co najmniej 64 rundy (czasami znacznie więcej) każdego dnia od wielu dekad.
Śrila Narayana Maharadża intonował harinama od 1920 r. Otrzymał diksa w 1947 r. od Śri Śrimad Bhakti Prajana Keśava Gosvamiego Maharadża. To była ta sama wspaniała osoba, od której Śrila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada również przyjął sannyasę w 1959 r. Przez ostatnie pięćdziesiąt trzy lata (przyp. tłum., ten list ma już około 10 lat, więc wyjdzie trochę więcej) Śrila Narayana Maharadża nigdy nie intonował mniej niż 64 rundy na dzień, czasem intonował 128 rund, i czasem podążał w ślady Namacaryi Śrila Haridasa Thakura intonując 192 rundy. Podczas tego okresu czasu służył on, zadowalał oraz otrzymywał błogosławieństwa wszystkich wybitnych uczniów Śrila Bhaktisiddhanty Sarasvatiego Thakury. Z perspektywy tych okoliczności wyraźnie widzimy, że świadomość Kryszny Śrila Narayana Maharadża znajduje się w innym wymiarze niż nasza.
Był wtedy rok 1947, kiedy Śrila Narayana Maharadża po raz pierwszy spotkał Śrila Bhaktivedantę Svamiego Prabhupada (od tego miejsca Śrila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Svami będzie z uczuciem nazywany "Śrila Prabhupada"). Od tamtego czasu na polecenie swojego diksa guru, rozpoczął służbę dla Śrila Prabhupada jako swojego siksa guru. W ten sposób Śrila Narayana Maharadża został PIERWSZYM UCZNIEM Śrila Bhaktivedanty Svamiego Prabhupady. W 1952 r., Śrila Narayana Maharadża przyjął sannyasę od swojego diksa guru. W ten sposób jest on duchowym bratem sannyasa Śrila Prabhupada, otrzymując ją od tego samego guru siedem lat wcześniej przed Śrila Prabupadem.
Przy tej okazji, kiedy Śrila Prabhupada przyjmował sannyasę, Śrila Narayana Maharadża był tą osobą, która przygotowała dla niego dandę sannyasińską, nałożył własnymi rękoma tilaki na dwanaście części ciała Śrila Prabhupada i przeprowadził właściwą ofiarę ogniową pod kierunkiem Śrila Bhakti Prajana Kesava Maharadża. Wielbiciele, którzy pozostawali w Math przypominają sobie, że kiedy Śrila Prabhupada tam przebywał, był on grobowo poważny w kontaktach z innymi, jednak kiedy odwiedzał Śrila Narayana Maharadża w jego pokoju śmiali się i żartowali razem.
Kiedy Śrila Prabhupada po raz pierwszy wyjechał do Ameryki, utrzymywał kontakty ze Śrila Narayana Maharadżem, który zrobił wszystko co konieczne by pomóc Śrila Prabhupadzie na wiele sposobów. Regularnie wysyłał transportem morskim duże paczki z książkami i często wyjeżdżał do Delhi aby załatwiać sprawy bankowe Śrila Prabhupada. Wysyłał mu również wiele innych parafernaliów niezbędnych do pełnienia służby oddania takich jak mrdangi, kartale, tilaki, zdjęcia z formami bóstw, Bóstwa, korale japa mala, ubrania, harmonium, pera (słodycze) itp.
Możemy zrozumieć miłość, którą Śrila Prabhupada darzył Śrila Narayana Maharadża poprzez przeczytanie listów, które jemu przysyłał:
"Nasza relacja z pewnością oparta jest na spontanicznej transcendentalnej miłości. Właśnie dlatego, nie ma żadnej szansy abyśmy zapomnieli o sobie wzajemnie. Dzięki łasce Guru i Gaurangi niech wszystko będzie pomyślne dla Ciebie. To jest moja stała modlitwa. Od pierwszego razu kiedy Cię ujrzałem byłem zawsze Twoim dobrze Ci życzącym. Od pierwszego spojrzenia na mnie, Śrila Prabhupada również patrzył na mnie z taką miłością. To był mój pierwszy darśan z Śrila Prabhupadem, na którym nauczyłem się miłości." (List od Śrila Prabhupada 28 września 1966r.)
"Myślę, że we wszystkich Gaudiya Matha Ty jesteś prawdziwym guru-sevaką, dlatego zawsze będę zwracał się do Ciebie i darzył Cię pełną miłością i uczuciem.
Jeśli nie myślałbym w ten sposób i nie pokładałbym w tobie tak wiele zaufania, nigdy nie wysłałbym ci moich kluczy i pieniędzy. Mam tak wiele miłości i wiary w Ciebie." (List od Śrila Prabhupada, Nowy Jork, 17 maj 1967 r.)
"Proszę ofiaruj moje pokłony Śrimad Narayana Maharadży. Od długiego czasu nie miałem od niego wiadomości. Proszę poproś go aby znalazł duży kawałek ziemi do kupienia, być może z domem, pomiędzy Mathurą a Vrndavaną. " (List S.P. 26 czerwca 1970 r.)
Do czasu kiedy Śrila Prabhupada odszedł z tego śmiertelnego świata, utrzymywał on bardzo bliskie i serdeczne stosunki ze Śrila Narayana Maharadżem. Śrila Prabhupada poprosił go ABY POPROWADZIŁ JEGO UCZNIÓW podczas jego fizycznej nieobecności, poprzez uczenie ich o koncepcji Śrila Rupy i Ragunath das Gosvamich. Zanim opuścił ten świat Śrila Prabhupada powierzył Śrila Narayanowi Maharadży bardzo zaszczytne i odpowiedzialne zadanie, aby złożył jego transcendentalne ciało w samadhi . Po odejściu Śrila Prabhupada kiedy jego synowie próbowali przejąć pasywa wystawiając oferty zakupu i licytować nieruchomości ISCKON, od rana do wieczora przez wiele dni, Śrila Narayana Maharadża bez wytchnienia zeznawał w imieniu ISKCON w sądach w Bombaju. To wszystko było bezinteresowną pomocą dla uczniów Śrila Prabhupady.
Konkludując na podstawie własnych oświadczeń Śrila Prabhupady, dojdziemy do wniosku, że Śrila Narayana Maharadża jest jego bliskim towarzyszem, z którym posiada on wieczną i transcendentalną relację. Dlatego też apelujemy do wielbicieli z Misji Czaitanji, by odnieśli korzyść poprzez próbę zrozumienia doskonałych działań Śrila Narayana Maharadża, zamiast wyniszczać się poprzez próby dawania mu rad.
INSTYTUCJONALIZM KONTRA WAISZNAWIZM
Nie przyszliśmy do tego świata aby zostać członkami jakiejkolwiek instytucji. Przyszliśmy tu aby osiągnąć Krsna-Bhakti-Rasa.
krsna bhakti rasa bhavita matih kriyatam yadi kuto'pi labhyate
"Krsna bhakti rasa może być zdobyta tylko za jedną cenę - którą jest ogromne pragnienie (chęć), by ją otrzymać. Jeśli GDZIEKOLWIEK jest ona osiągalna, należy ją nabyć BEZ ZWŁOKI." (Śri Czaitanja Caritamrta Madhya lila 08.70)
Jedyną metodą rozwinięcia tego ogromnego pragnienia (chęci) jest słuchanie o słodkich rozrywkach Śri Radha-Krsna bezpośrednio z ust raganuga waisznawy. Nie jest to osiągalne poprzez intonowanie, nauczanie, dystrybucję książek czy poprzez słuchanie tysięcy wykładów o tym, że nie jesteśmy tym ciałem, i o tym, że powinniśmy podporządkować się Krysznie. Nie zrozumcie błędnie tego punktu. Powinniśmy robić te wszystkie rzeczy, ale bez bezpośredniego słuchania i asocjowania z rasika waisznawami, którzy są pogrążeni w nastroju Śrila Rupy Gosvamiego, Ragunath Das Gosvamiego, Visvanath Cakravati Thakur i innych, nasze oddanie będzie nazywane VAIDHI BHAKTI. To jest uregulowana służba oddania, dzięki której można ewentualnie osiągnąć duchowe planety Vaikuntha, gdzie wszyscy wielbią Krysznę jako Boga. Jednak Kryszna w rzeczywistości nie jest usatysfakcjonowany miłością tych, którzy wiedzą, że jest on Bogiem.
"Znając Moje bogactwa, cały świat spogląda na Mnie z bojaźnią i szacunkiem. Ale oddanie osłabione przez taką cześć nie pociąga Mnie." (Czaitanja Cartamrita Adi 3.16)
Co więcej, vaidhi bhakti nie ma takiej mocy aby zabrać nas do Vrindavana:
"Wszędzie w tym świecie ludzie wielbią Mnie zgodnie z zaleceniami pism świętych. Jedynie przez przestrzeganie takich regulujących zasad nie można osiągnąć miłosnych uczuć bhaktów Vrajabhumi. (Czaitanja Cartamrita Adi 3.15)
We Vrindavan, dzięki wpływowi Yogamaji, nikt nawet nie podejrzewa, że Kryszna jest Bogiem. Oni posiadają tylko jeden rodzaj miłości, który sprawia, że Kryszna jest szczęśliwy, jest to naturalna miłość przyjacielska, rodzicielska lub miłość zakochanych. Tylko raganuga-bhakti prowadzi do Vrindavan. Nie ma innej drogi. Tak więc, kiedy pojawia się możliwość asocjacji (bycia w towarzystwie) z raganuga Waisznawą, wtedy musimy ją podjąć. Dzięki takiej asocjacji (towarzystwu) to ogromne pragnienie (chęć) może się pojawić i będzie można wejść na ścieżkę RAGANUGA BHAKTI. Nie jest prawdą że vaidhi bhakti ostatecznie przekształci się w raganuga bhakti. Raganuga bhakti powstaje tylko dzięki asocjacji (towarzystwu), dlatego prosimy nie miejcie złości na Mahabhava prabhu. To co on zrobił to był owoc wielu lat ciężkiej służby i odwagi. Możecie być z niego dumni.
Wszyscy jesteśmy jedną rodziną, rodziną Śri Czaitanji Mahaprabhu, dlatego więc nie powinno być między nami żadnych animozji ani strachu. Mam nadzieję, że w przyszłości, wszyscy razem będziemy współpracować w Misji Pana Czaitanji Mahaprabhu aby wyzwolić wszystkie uwarunkowane dusze z nieszczęść mayi i pomóc im zająć ich konstytucjonalną pozycję jako wiecznych kochających sług Kryszny. MISJA Śri Czaitanji Mahaprabhu jest bardzo podobna do systemu edukacyjnego, który ma placówki takie jak, przedszkola, podstawówki, gimnazja, licea, uniwersytety, czy studia podyplomowe (doktorskie). Wszystkie te wydziały nie są takie same ale powód ich istnienia jest ten sam, aby wykształcić wszystkich i każdego z osobna. Podobnie w świadomości Kryszny, najpierw musimy się nauczyć, że nie jesteśmy swoim ciałem, przynajmniej w teorii. I jeśli będziemy chcieli to zrealizować w praktyce będziemy musieli przestudiować nauki Bhagavad-Gity, Śrimad Bhagavatam, Śri Czaitanji Cartamrity, Jaiva Dharmy, Brhad Bhagavatamrty, Bhaktirasamrta-sindhu i Ujjvalanilamani, jak również podążać za nimi w swoim życiu. Następnie powinniśmy zrobić postęp w raganuga bhakti pod kierunkiem doświadczonego Rupanuga Aczarji i zrealizować nastrój miłości Gosvamich tak jak zostało to wyjaśnione w Śri Lalita Madhava, Śri Vidagdha Madhava, Stava-mala, Śri Vilap-Kusumanjali, Śri Krsna Bhavanamrta i innych. Pod kierunkiem naszych diksa i siksa guru powinniśmy robić szybki i równomierny postęp na ścieżce oddania, bez pozostawania złapanym w pułapkę tego samego poziomu przez długie lata.
Jeśli ktokolwiek chciałby napisać do Śrila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharadża lub do jego uczniów na jakikolwiek temat wspomniany w tym liście, postaramy się jak najlepiej odpowiedzieć na wszelkie pytania i wątpliwości. Więcej informacji jest również dostępne na naszej stronie internetowej: http://www.purebhakti.com (polska wersja jezykowa: http://www.purebhakti.pl). Książki i inne publikacje można ściągnąć z naszego serwera: http://www.purebhakti.com.
Jeśli zraniłem czyjeś uczucia swoimi słowami albo czynami, to błagam o wybaczenie. Mam nadzieję, że ogólny rezultat przyniesie wszystkim korzyść i ostatecznie będzie bardzo pomyślny dla wszystkich zainteresowanych.
Vaisnavadasanudas
Prema prayojan brahmacari
Tłumaczenie na j. polski: Kanhaiya Lal dasa
Prema Prayojan das brahmachari do członków Misji Czaitanii
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- Posty: 79
- Rejestracja: czw sie 07, 2008 11:46 am
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- Posty: 79
- Rejestracja: czw sie 07, 2008 11:46 am
Re: Prema Prayojan das brahmachari do członków Misji Czaitan
Prema Prayojan das brahmachari
My dear brothers and sisters of the Caitanya Mission,
Please accept my humble obeisances. Sri Sri Guru-Gaurangau jayatah!
I am writing this letter in response to the many e-mails which we are currently receiving from various members of the Caitanya Mission such as Acarya das, Madan Mohan dasa, Sukadeva dasi, Gopala dasi Tamayo, Yogesvar dasa, Lalita Gopala dasi and Paramahamsa dasa to name but a few. The purpose of the letter is to clarify some misunderstandings which have arisen regarding the alleged "canvassing" and "re-initiation" of Mahabhava Dasa. I hope that any unnecessary sectarian sentiments which are the enemies of spiritual progress can be abated and that all concerned can derive something positive from this apparently unfavourable incident.
CANVASSING
First of all, allow me to present the facts pertaining to the "canvassing" of Mahabhava Dasa. In December of last year, my paramaradhyata gurupadapadma, om visnupada sri srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja visited the island of Cebu in the Philippines with a few disciples, including myself, to be in a quiet solitary place while translating and writing a commentary on the Sri Bhajana Rahasya by Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura. We stayed together in a remotely situated private resort on the coast for almost a month, rarely setting foot outside the residential complex. During this time, I was sitting alone in my room engaged in translating Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's masterpiece,"Jaiva Dharma" on the order of my Gurudeva. There was a knock at the door, then a person I had never seen before tip-toed in, offered his obeisances and humbly begged to ask some philosophical questions. I said that I was busy but could spare a little time. After answering his questions for half an hour, I begged to continue with my service and he left. Twenty minutes later he came back again with more questions. He seemed very polite and serious, so I did not mind spending some time with him. Of course, you may have guessed that this person was Mahabhava Dasa. WE DID NOT GO TO HIM. He came a long way, alone and of HIS OWN ACCORD. He said that he had also come last year, that he had been reading all the books and lectures of Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja on the internet FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS and that he wanted to buy all the new books which had recently been printed. He had many questions. He was polite but very persistent. Despite all of these circumstances those who are ignorant of the actual facts are wrongly accusing Srila Narayana Maharaja and his followers of canvassing for Mahabhava, but nothing could be further from the truth.
WHY DID MAHABHAVA APPROACH SRILA NARAYANA MAHARAJA?
Instead of making false accusations against Srila Narayana Maharaja and his followers it would be more honest to ask oneself why did Mahabhava prabhu approach Srila Narayana Maharaja. Most of you know Mahabhava prabhu very well. He is very sober, thoughtful, sincere and dedicated. That is why he was given so many responsibilities within your organization and why he is held in high esteem and great affection by all the devotees. Here is a case of an intelligent individual with an ardent desire to enter deeply into the teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His followers such as Srila Rupa Gosvami, Raghunatha Das Gosvami, Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, Gaudiya Vedantacarya Baladeva Vidyabhusana and others. Is such a desire legitimate or not? Srila Prabhupada has written in Sri Caitanya Caritamrta:
1) "Sri Sanatana Gosvami Prabhu, the teacher of the science of devotional service, wrote several books, of which the Brhad-bhagavatamrta is very famous; ANYONE who wants to know about the subject matter of devotees, devotional service and Krsna MUST READ THIS BOOK." (Adi-lila: Chapter Five, Text 203, Purport)
2) "Sanatana Gosvami also wrote a special commentary on the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam known as the Dasama-tippani which is so excellent that by reading it one can understand very deeply the pastimes of Krsna in His exchanges of loving activities." (Adi-lila: Chapter Five, Text 203)
3) "Similarly, other false devotees think that studying books of the previous acaryas is unadvisable, like studying dry empiric philosophies. But Srila Jiva Gosvami, following the previous acaryas, has inculcated the conclusions of the scriptures in the six theses called the Sat-sandarbhas. False devotees who have very little knowledge of such conclusions FAIL TO ACHIEVE PURE DEVOTION for want of zeal in accepting the favorable directions for devotional service given by self-realized devotees." (Adi-lila: Chapter Two, Text 117, Purport)
4) "'When shall I become very eager to study the books left by the six Gosvamis? Then I shall be able to understand the conjugal pastimes of Radha and Krsna.' Caitanya Mahaprabhu directly empowered Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Sanatana Gosvami. Following in their footsteps, the other six Gosvamis understood Sri CAITANYA Mahaprabhu and His MISSION." (Madhya-lila: Chapter Twenty-five, Text 271, Purport)
From this we can conclude that it is not only legitimate to be eager to study the books of the gosvamis but actually it is ESSENTIAL. If the opportunity to fulfil this necessity is actually available in your organization then why did Mahabhava prabhu approach Srila Narayana Maharaja and his disciples? This is simply a matter of COMMON SENSE.
May I humbly ask who in your organization has studied the books of the six Gosvamis under the guidance of a bonafide spiritual master who has himself directly studied all these texts from his spiritual master? Such an undertaking involves a lifetime of careful study with the help of several spiritual masters. Yet the modern fashion is to immediately become a spiritual master after the disappearance of one's first guru, even though one is not sufficiently educated in the vast conceptions of Rupanuga vaisnavism. This is not condoned in the Srimad Bhagavatam:
"The sages said: Respected Suta Gosvami, you are completely free from all vice. YOU ARE WELL VERSED IN ALL THE SCRIPTURES famous for religious life, and in the Puranas and the histories as well, for YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH THEM UNDER PROPER GUIDANCE and have also explained them." (Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1: Chapter One, Text 6)
ONLY ONE GURU!
The members of the Chaitanya Mission have objected to the fact that Mahabhava prabhu has accepted Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja as his diksa and siksa guru on the grounds that it is tantamount to declaring that Jagad Guru is not bona fide and that the Chaitanya Mission is not bona fide. They have expressed the idea that having more than one guru implies that your first guru is not qualified and also that a disciple with more than one guru must be unchaste and unsurrendered. If this is actually the case then, what to speak of Mahabhava prabhu, our whole guru-parampara must also be guilty of unfaithfulness and a lack of surrender.
a) Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura received harinama and Kurma mantra from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Later he received mantra diksa from Srila Gaura-kisora Das Babaji Maharaja.
b) Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura received diksa from Sri Vipina Bihari Gosvami. Shortly afterwards he took full shelter of Srila Jagannatha Das Babaji Maharaja as his siksa-guru.
c) Narottama Das Thakura received initiation from Lokanath Das Gosvami yet he studied all the Gosvami literatures under the guidance of his siksa guru, Srila Jiva Gosvami.
d) Raghunath Das Gosvami received initiation from Sri Yadunandana Acarya. Shortly afterwards he accepted Sri Svarupa Damodara Gosvami as his siksa guru. When Sri Svarupa Damodara disappeared he took shelter of Sri Gadadhara Pandita. When Gadadhara Pandit disappeared he accepted Sri Sanatana Gosvami and finally Sri Rupa Gosvami as his siksa gurus.
e) Srinivas Acarya accepted the shelter of Sri Gadadhara Pandit as his siksa-guru. Later he received diksa from Sri Gopal Bhatta Gosvami. Finally he became the siksa disciple of Sri Jiva Gosvami.
In fact when we study the lives of every genuine acarya, we find that they had several gurus. Therefore in the introduction to Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Srila Prabhupada quotes the verse "vande'ham sri guroh ("guroh" is singular, meaning diksa guru) sri yuta pada kamalam sri gurun ("gurun' is plural indicating several siksa gurus) vaisnavams ca."
Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada himself received harinama and diksa from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, yet he claimed that Srila Bhaktiraksaka Sridhara Maharaja was his siksa-guru, as is evident from Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada's own words in the following quotations:
"Then, there are long history, it will take time, but I had the opportunity of associating with His Holiness [Srila Bhaktiraksaka Sridhara Maharaja]. For several years I had the opportunity. KRSNA AND PRABHUPADA [Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura] LIKED IT TO PREPARE ME. Sridhara Maharaja lived as a...
Sridhara Maharaja: (indistinct)
Prabhupada: (laughs) ...in my house, some may say, a few years, so naturally we had very intimate talks and he was my good adviser. I TOOK HIS ADVICE, HIS INSTRUCTION VERY SERIOUSLY, because from the very beginning I know he's a pure Vaisnava and devotee, and I wanted to associate with him, and try to help him also in so many ways. He also tried to help me, so our relationship is very intimate. After the breakdown of the Gaudiya Matha, I wanted to organize another organization, making Sridhara Maharaja head." (Room Conversation, Mayapur, March 17, 1973)
"So if you are actually serious to take instructions from a siksa guru, I can refer you to one who is most highly competent of all my god-brothers. This is B.R. Sridhara Maharaja, whom I consider to be even my siksa guru, so what to speak of the benefit that you can have from his association." (Letter to Hrsikesa, 69-01-09)
In addition to this, Srila Prabhupada was also initiated into gopi-bhava mantra from his sannyasa guru, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami, who also happens to be the diksa-guru and sannyasa guru of Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja.
The first two words of Sri Caitanya Caritamrta are "vande gurun"(plural) meaning: "I pray to my GURUS." So I cannot imagine where the members of the Chaitanya Mission have learnt this idea that to have more than one guru is unchaste or unsurrendered or that it implies that one's other gurus are not qualified. This conception is certainly not found anywhere in sastra or in the lives of our acaryas.
SPECIALIZATION
In their letters some devotees of the Chaitanya Mission (such as Sukadeva dasi, Sonia Alutaya and Siddha das Bernardo) who visited the preaching centre of the Gaudiya Matha in Manila objected to one analogy given by Sriman Brajanath dasa, a disciple of Srila Narayana Maharaja, during our discussion. He compared gurus to doctors saying that doctors who specialize in various fields can help patients according to their particular field of expertise. The objection raised was that there is only one disease, the disease of materialism. Therefore you only need one guru and if you go to another guru then it means that the first guru is not qualified. At this point I appeal to the patience and discerning faculty of my respectable readers to consider this very beautiful and famous prayer of Srila Narottama Das Thakura, Gauranga Bolite Habe.
ara kabe nitaicander karuna hoibe samsara vasana mora kabe tuccha habe
"When will Nityananda Prabhu be merciful to me so that all my material desires will become insignificant."
Nityananda Prabhu is Lord Balarama Himself, the original guru-tattva, by whose mercy one is cured from the disease of materialism. All qualified gurus are the direct representatives of Lord Balarama/Nityananda. However to be free from the disease of materialism is not enough. But if one wants to enter the service of Sri Radha-Krsna in Vrndavan then the help of a specialist will be required. Nityananda Prabhu is Balarama, yet because He is Krsna's older brother, Krsna cannot meet with Srimati Radhika in His presence. Both of them would become embarrassed. Therefore in the next verses Srila Narottama Das Thakura prays:
rupa-raghunatha pade hoibe akuti kabe hama bhujabo se yugala piriti
" O when will I be eager to follow Rupa Gosvami and Raghunath Das Gosvami. Only then will I be able to realize the love and affection of Sri Radha and Krsna."
Here we are informed that Rupa Gosvami and Raghunath Das Gosvami are the specialists. In Krsna's pastimes they are actually the close maidservants of Srimati Radharani known as Rupa Manjari and Rati Manjari. They can help us realize those confidential things to which even Lord Balarama has no access due to His being situated in a relationship with Krsna other than that of the gopis. At the same time it would be absurd to suggest that Balarama is not a qualified guru.
In conclusion, at various stages of our spiritual life, different gurus are sent by Krsna to help us in different ways according to their different specialities. Taking help from one guru does not at all imply that another guru is not qualified. To think so is just an irrational type of paranoia.
ALLEGED REINITIATION FALSE ALARM
>From the flood of e-mails we are receiving and from personally conversing with the devotees of the Chaitanya Mission it becomes apparent that they are of the opinion that diksa means to receive harinama from the guru and that if someone later receives Gopal mantra and Kama-gayatri from another guru then that person has been reinitiated. Many have expressed the idea that to make a difference between hari nama initiation and mantra diksa is "hair-splitting" (Acharya dasa) and even that harinama initiation is sufficient and mantra-diksa is a formality. O gentle vaisnavas! Those who have genuine love for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will try to understand the truth by referring to the authentic books of our acaryas and not by listening to the opinions of those who have never studied them under the guidance of diksa and siksa gurus. We shall have to verify all these ideas on the testing stone of sastra. Surely anyone who has a taste for the truth will become enlivened by hearing all these excellent philosophical conclusions.
In the Bhakti Sandarbha of Srila Jiva Gosvami diksa has been clearly defined.
divyam jnanam yato dadyat kuryat papasya sanksayam tasmad dikseti sa prokta desikais tattva-kovidaih
divyam jnanam hy'atra srimate mantra bhagavat svarupa jnana tena bhagavat sambandha visesa jnanam ca
"Those who are learned in the siddhanta conclude that diksa is a process whereby all sins are removed and divya jnana is imparted. Divya jnana consists of knowledge of the svarupa of one's worshipable Deity and of one's own individual relationship with the Lord which is imparted in the form of a mantra." (Bhakti Sandarbha 283)
This mantra diksa is absolutely essential. The hare krsna maha-mantra is "sambodhana", directly addressing Sri Radha-Krsna, whereas diksa mantras establish "sambandha", our relationship with the deity of the mantra. It is the deliberate opinion of all acaryas and sastra that a conditioned soul may chant harinama, but unless he is established in the sambandha-jnana arising from his diksa-mantras, his chanting will never be pure (suddha-nama). He will never become free from nama-aparadha and anarthas. Thus although all perfection is obtained by chanting harinama, one must follow the correct process ordained by our previous acaryas in order to chant harinama purely. By guru-mantra and guru-gayatri one becomes acquainted with the transcendental form of one's guru. By Gaura-mantra and Gaura-gayatri one becomes acquainted with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. By Gopal mantra one's transcendental relationship with Sri Sri Radha-Krsna yugal is awakened and by the power of Kama-gayatri one can enter into the confidential pastimes of the divine couple. Quoting the verse "harer nama harer nama harer nama eva kevalam", several members of the Chaitanya Mission have presented the idea that harinama is sufficient to attain success and that this mantra diksa is not necessary. At this point I humbly implore the readers to ask themselves;
If mantra initiation is not necessary then: a) Why did Srila A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and all previous acaryas give mantra-diksa to their disciples? b) Why did Krsna Himself initiate Lord Brahma into Kama-gayatri? c) Why did Srila Visvanath Cakravarti Thakura want to commit suicide when he was unable to understand the meaning of Kama-gayatri? d) Why did Srimati Radharani personally appear to Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura in a dream and instruct him in the meaning of Kama-gayatri? e) Why did Sri Raghunatha Das Gosvami write in Sri Manah Siksa : sva mantre sri namni vraja yuva dvandva sarane: "O my dear mind, please develop unprecedented love and affection for your harinama and also for your diksa mantras"? f) Why did Ramananda Raya instruct Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: kama-gayatri kama bija yanra upasana "Krsna is worshiped by kama-gayatri mantra with the spiritual seed klim"? (Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 8.138)
If harinama and diksa are the same then why has Sri Rupa Gosvami explained that one should honour the person who chants harinama within one's heart but one should also physically bow down to that person who has received mantra diksa?
"One should mentally honor the devotee who chants the holy name of Lord Krsna, one should offer humble obeisances to the devotee who has undergone spiritual initiation [diksa] and is engaged in worshiping the Deity, and one should associate with and faithfully serve that pure devotee who is advanced in undeviated devotional service and whose heart is completely devoid of the propensity to criticize others." (Sri Upadesamrta text 5)
And why has Sri Rupa Gosvami written in Sri Padyavali (text 29)
"no diksam na ca sat-kriyam"
that harinama can be received whether one has diksa or not?
A VITALLY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF DIKSA
Of course, if someone chants the Gopal mantra and kama-gayatri for many years and does not realize the actual potential of the mantra, namely to see Sri Radha-Krsna, then that person may lose faith and invent a new philosophy in which diksa is not considered to be very important. This may occur because sometimes a guru gives mantra-diksa to his neophyte disciple who then thinks, "I am initiated. Now I can give diksa to others." The foolish disciple has no idea that diksa does not occur in one day. It is a process that may take years or even lifetimes. The process begins when the disciple receives mantra-diksa, but to attain siddhi (perfection) in the mantra the disciple will need to receive siksa from a siksa-guru about the process to attain that mantra siddhi, about mantrartha-cintan, prapati and other secrets which a guru will only tell to his most dear and qualified disciples:
bruyuh snigdhasya sisyasya guruvo guhyam apy uta (Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1: Chapter One, Text 8)
"Because you are gentle and submissive your spiritual MASTERS (guruvo-plural) have imparted to you all secrets (guhyam)."
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has commented in his essential text "Sri Bhakti-tattva Viveka"(chapter 2):
"Even for vaisnavas who are duly initiated into the genuine sampradaya, the illumination of one's eternal identity arising from their DIKSA MANTRAS which were received from their diksa-guru will not appear until they receive svarupa-jnana by the mercy of a siksa-guru. Due to ignorance of such knowledge they cannot enter the realm of pure bhakti and hence only bhakti-abhasa (a semblance of devotion) is visible in them."
Therefore according to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, those who have not realized the potential of their diksa-mantras must avail themselves of the association of a siksa-guru otherwise they cannot make any substantial progress.
This topic has also been discussed in detail in Srila Sanatana Gosvami's own commentary on Sri Brhad Bhagavatamrta. Might I be so bold as to inquire whether or not the members of Chaitanya Mission had studied this book before daring to write letters giving advice about diksa to Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja who has studied this book for 54 years?
As Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has ordered:
"Sri Sanatana Gosvami Prabhu, the teacher of the science of devotional service, wrote several books, of which the Brhad-bhagavatamrta is very famous; ANYONE who wants to know about the subject matter of devotees, devotional service and Krsna MUST READ THIS BOOK. " (Adi-lila: Chapter Five, Text 203)
The genuine followers of Srila Prabhupada will try to carry out such important orders under the guidance of qualified and experienced teachers. On the other hand..
"A prakrta, or materialistic devotee does not purposefully study the sastra and try to understand the ACTUAL STANDARD of pure devotional service. Consequently HE DOES NOT SHOW PROPER RESPECT TO ADVANCED DEVOTEES. He may, however, follow the regulative principles learned from his spiritual master or from his family who worships the Deity. He is to be considered on the material platform, although he is trying to advance in devotional service. Such a person is a bhakta-praya [neophyte devotee], or bhaktabhasa, for he is a little enlightened by Vaisnava philosophy." (Madhya-lila: Chapter Twenty-two, Text 74)
IN CONCLUSION it is clearly seen that reinitiation has not occurred in the case of Mahabhava prabhu. Rather, after accepting harinama (maha-mantra) in a rtvik initiation from Tusta Krsna Prabhu on behalf of Jagad Guru Siddha Svarupananda, Mahabhava prabhu has now accepted diksa (gopal-mantra, kama-gayatri etc.) from Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja by which he can gradually become qualified to enter the service of Sri Radha-Krsna. Without these mantras it is forbidden by scripture to worship deities of Sri Radha-Krsna or even offer foodstuffs to Them. Thus this incident is thoroughly auspicious and supported by all sastra and all acaryas.
MAHABHAVA SHOULD HAVE ASKED PERMISSION
Now we arrive at perhaps the last category of contention. Why did Mahabhava prabhu suddenly disappear in the middle of the night without informing anyone, including his guru?
It would be fair to say that he thought that his colleagues would not understand his intentions. The turmoil and confusion which ensued is a testimony to the validity of that apprehension. (At least one of his godbrothers has threatened to resort to physical violence against him.)
But surely he should have informed his guru?
To understand this we will have to pray and take shelter of the lotus feet of Srila Raghunath Das Gosvami. Srila Raghunath Das Gosvami also ran away from home in the middle of the night without informing anyone, including his diksa-guru, Sri Yadunandana Acarya. Yet his activity has been glorified by all. Even his gurudeva, Sri Yadunandana Acarya, was delighted by the sudden departure of the young Raghunath Das because Raghunath Das went to Jagannath Puri and came under the guidance of Sri Svarupa Damodara Gosvami. Sri Yadunandana Acarya was certainly a pure devotee, a competent guru and an associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Still, Sri Svarupa Damodara was his senior because he is the incarnation of Srimati Radhika's dearmost friend, Lalita Sakhi. Therefore, Sri Yadunandana Acarya, being free from envy and possessiveness, was happy to know that his disciple was in good hands.
It is a matter of vaisnava etiquette. The guru never thinks that any disciple is his property. He is simply serving Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by helping that soul love Sri Radha-Krsna. If any other vaisnava who is senior, more learned or experienced also helps that soul, then he becomes very pleased. If he reacts in any other way then it is understood that there is something lacking in his vaisnavata (devotional conception). According to vaisnava etiquette the senior vaisnava is always RESPECTED and given PRECEDENCE. For example, in the third canto, fourth chapter of Srimad Bhagavatam we find that Vidura approached Uddhava and wanted to accept him as his spiritual master. However, seeing that Maitreya Rsi was nearby and that Maitreya was an elderly vaisnava, Uddhava recommended that Vidura should take instructions from Maitreya Rsi. This is proper vaisnava etiquette.
In the situation under discussion any impartial observer will conclude that Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja is far senior in all respects to all the devotees concerned. Thus it is an offense even to offer advice to such a vaisnava:
"It is also an offense to consider an empowered vaisnava an object of disciplinary action. It is offensive to try to give him ADVICE or to correct him. One can distinguish between a neophyte Vaisnava and an advanced Vaisnava by their activities. The advanced Vaisnava is always situated as the spiritual master, and the neophyte is always considered his disciple. The spiritual master must not be subjected to the advice of a disciple, Nor should a spiritual master be obliged to take instructions from those who are not his disciples." (Nectar of Instruction, text 6)
From the nature and tone of many of the letters we have been receiving, we can only conclude that their authors must be quite ignorant of who Srila Narayana Maharaja is, and therefore we are including some brief history here.
The fact is that Srila Narayana Maharaja is a highly respected member of the Gaudiya community. He has been chanting at least 64 rounds (and at times many more) daily for many decades.
Srila Narayana Maharaja has been chanting harinama since the 1920s. He received diksa in 1947 from Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. This was the same great personality from whom Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada also accepted sannyasa in 1959. For the past fifty-three years Srila Narayana Maharaja never chanted less than sixty-four rounds a day, sometimes one hundred and twenty eight, and sometimes, following in the footsteps of Namacarya Srila Haridasa Thakura, one hundred and ninety two rounds. During this time he has served, satisfied and received the blessings of all the prominent disciples of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. From these considerations alone, it is obvious that Srila Narayana Maharaja's Krishna consciousness is in another dimension from our own.
It was in the year 1947 that he first met Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada. (from hereon Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada will be referred to affectionately as simply "Srila Prabhupada") From that time, on the order of his diksa guru, he began to serve Srila Prabhupada as his siksa guru. Thus Srila Narayana Maharaja is the FIRST DISCIPLE of Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada. In 1952, Srila Narayana Maharaja accepted sannyasa from his diksa guru. Thus he is the sannyasa godbrother of Srila Prabhupada, having received sannyasa seven years before Srila Prabhupada from the same guru.
On the occasion that Srila Prabhupada took sannyasa, it was Srila Narayana Maharaja who made the sannyasa danda, applied tilak on the twelve parts of Srila Prabhupada's body with his own hand, and performed the actual fire ceremony under Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja's direction. Devotees who were staying in the Math at the time recall that when Srila Prabhupada stayed there he was very grave in his dealings, but he would visit Srila Narayana Maharaja in his room and they would laugh and joke together.
When Srila Prabhupada first went to America he kept in contact with Srila Narayana Maharaja, who went to great lengths to help Srila Prabhupada in many ways. He regularly sent large shipments of books by freight and used to go to Delhi to carry out Srila Prabhupada's banking business. He also sent him many other devotional paraphernalia such as mrdangas, karatalas, tilak, pictures, Deities, japa mala, clothing, harmonium, pera (a sweet) etc.
We can understand the love which Srila Prabhupada had for Srila Narayana Maharaja by reading the letters which he sent him:
"Our relationship is certainly based on spontaneous transcendental love. That is why there is no chance of us forgetting one another. By the mercy of Guru and Gauranga may everything be auspicious for you. This is my constant prayer. From the first time I saw you I have been your constant well-wisher. At his first sight of me, Srila Prabhupada also saw me with such love. It was in my very first darsana of Srila Prabhupada that I learned how to love." (Letter from Srila Prabhupada 28th September 1966)
"Because in all Gaudiya Mathas, I think that you are the real guru-sevaka, so I always correspond with you and I always give my full love and affection to you.
"If I was not thinking like this and putting so much trust in you, I would never have sent you my key and my money. I have so much faith and love for you." (Letter from Srila Prabhupada, New York, May 17th 1967)
"Please offer my obeisances to Srimad Narayana Maharaja. I have not heard from him in a long time. Please request him to find out a large piece of land perhaps with a house, between Mathura and Vrndavana, for purchasing." (S.P. letter 26/7/'70)
Until the time he passed from this mortal world, Srila Prabhupada maintained a very close and intimate connection with Srila Narayana Maharaja. Srila Prabhupada asked him to GUIDE HIS DISCIPLES in his physical absence by teaching them the concepts of Srila Rupa and Raghunath das Gosvamis. Before leaving this world, Srila Prabhupada entrusted Srila Narayana Maharaja with the great honour and responsibility of putting his transcendental body into samadhi. After Srila Prabhupada's disappearance, when his sons tried to stage a take-over bid of the ISKCON assets, from morning to evening for days, Srila Narayana Maharaja tirelessly testified on behalf of ISKCON in the Bombay courts. This was all done selflessly to help the disciples of Srila Prabhupada.
Thus we can conclude on the basis of Srila Prabhupada's own statements that Srila Narayana Maharaja is his intimate associate with whom he is eternally and transcendentally related. Therefore we appeal to the devotees of the Chaitanya Mission to be benefited by trying to understand the perfect activities of Srila Narayana Maharaja, instead of being ruined by trying to give him advice.
INSTITUTIONALISM VS. VAISNAVISM
We have not come to this world to be the members of any institution. We have come to attain Krsna-Bhakti-Rasa.
krsna bhakti rasa bhavita matih kriyatam yadi kuto'pi labhyate
"Krsna bhakti rasa can be obtain only by paying one price -that is the intense greed to obtain it. If it is available ANYWHERE, one must purchase it WITHOUT DELAY. " (Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya lila 8.70)
In order to develop greed the only method is to hear the sweet pastimes of Sri Radha-Krsna directly from the lips of a raganuga vaisnava. It is not available by chanting, preaching, distributing books or hearing thousands of lectures about how we are not the body and that we should surrender to Krsna. Don't misunderstand this point. We should do all of these things, but without also directly hearing from and associating with the rasika vaisnavas who are always absorbed in the moods of Srila Rupa Gosvami, Raghunath Das Gosvami, Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur and others, then our devotion will be called VAIDHI BHAKTI. This regulative devotional service will eventually take us to Vaikuntha where all worship Krsna as God. But Krsna is not really satisfied by the love of those who know that he is God
"Knowing My opulences, the whole world looks upon Me with awe and veneration. But devotion made feeble by such reverence does not attract Me." (Caitanya caritamrta Adi 3.16).
Moreover, vaidhi bhakti has no power to take us to Vrndavana:
"Everywhere in the world people worship Me according to scriptural injunctions. But simply by following such regulative principles one cannot attain the loving sentiments of the devotees in Vrajabhumi." (Caitanya caritamrta Adi 3.15).
In Vrndavan, by the influence of Yogamaya, no-one even suspects that Krsna is God. They have the only kind of love that makes Krsna really happy, that is natural love as His friends, parents and beloveds. Only raganuga-bhakti leads to Vrndavan. There is no other way. So when the opportunity arises to associate with a raganuga vaisnava then we must take that opportunity. By such association a greed may come and one can enter the path of RAGANUGA BHAKTI. It is not true that vaidhi bhakti eventually turns into raganuga bhakti. Raganuga bhakti arises only by association, so please don't be angry with Mahabhava prabhu. What he did was the fruit of many years hard service and a great deal of courage. You can be proud of him.
We are all in one family, the family of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, so there should not be any fear or animosity between us. I hope that in the future we will all cooperate together in the Mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu to deliver all the conditioned souls from the misery of maya and situate them in their constitutional positions as eternal loving servants of Krsna. The MISSION of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is similar to an education system which has facilities for kindergarden, primary school, secondary school, college, university and post graduate students. All departments are not the same but their purpose is the same, to educate one and all. Similarly in Krsna consciousness, at first we have to learn, at least theoretically that we are not this body. Then if we actually want to realize it we will have to learn the teachings of Bhagavad-gita,Srimad Bhagavatam, Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, Jaiva Dharma, Brhad Bhagavatamrta, Bhaktirasamrta-sindhu and Ujjvalanilamani, and also follow them practically in our lives. After that we should progress in raganuga bhakti under the guidance of experienced Rupanuga Acaryas and realise the loving moods of the Gosvamis as expressed in Sri Lalita Madhava, Sri Vidagdha Madhava, Stava-mala, Sri Vilap-Kusumanjali, Sri Krsna Bhavanamrta and others. Under the guidance of our diksa gurus and siksa gurus we should progress swiftly and smoothly on the path of devotion, without getting trapped on the same level for years and years.
If anyone would like to correspond with Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja or his disciples on any of the subjects mentioned in this letter, we will try our level best to answer any doubts or queries. More information is also available on our website: www.purebhakti.com; For downloading books try: www.purebhakti.com
If I have offended the sensibilities of anyone by my words or deeds then I beg for forgiveness. I hope that the overall result will be beneficial and ultimately auspicious for all concerned.
Vaisnavadasanudas
Prema prayojan brahmacari
My dear brothers and sisters of the Caitanya Mission,
Please accept my humble obeisances. Sri Sri Guru-Gaurangau jayatah!
I am writing this letter in response to the many e-mails which we are currently receiving from various members of the Caitanya Mission such as Acarya das, Madan Mohan dasa, Sukadeva dasi, Gopala dasi Tamayo, Yogesvar dasa, Lalita Gopala dasi and Paramahamsa dasa to name but a few. The purpose of the letter is to clarify some misunderstandings which have arisen regarding the alleged "canvassing" and "re-initiation" of Mahabhava Dasa. I hope that any unnecessary sectarian sentiments which are the enemies of spiritual progress can be abated and that all concerned can derive something positive from this apparently unfavourable incident.
CANVASSING
First of all, allow me to present the facts pertaining to the "canvassing" of Mahabhava Dasa. In December of last year, my paramaradhyata gurupadapadma, om visnupada sri srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja visited the island of Cebu in the Philippines with a few disciples, including myself, to be in a quiet solitary place while translating and writing a commentary on the Sri Bhajana Rahasya by Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura. We stayed together in a remotely situated private resort on the coast for almost a month, rarely setting foot outside the residential complex. During this time, I was sitting alone in my room engaged in translating Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's masterpiece,"Jaiva Dharma" on the order of my Gurudeva. There was a knock at the door, then a person I had never seen before tip-toed in, offered his obeisances and humbly begged to ask some philosophical questions. I said that I was busy but could spare a little time. After answering his questions for half an hour, I begged to continue with my service and he left. Twenty minutes later he came back again with more questions. He seemed very polite and serious, so I did not mind spending some time with him. Of course, you may have guessed that this person was Mahabhava Dasa. WE DID NOT GO TO HIM. He came a long way, alone and of HIS OWN ACCORD. He said that he had also come last year, that he had been reading all the books and lectures of Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja on the internet FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS and that he wanted to buy all the new books which had recently been printed. He had many questions. He was polite but very persistent. Despite all of these circumstances those who are ignorant of the actual facts are wrongly accusing Srila Narayana Maharaja and his followers of canvassing for Mahabhava, but nothing could be further from the truth.
WHY DID MAHABHAVA APPROACH SRILA NARAYANA MAHARAJA?
Instead of making false accusations against Srila Narayana Maharaja and his followers it would be more honest to ask oneself why did Mahabhava prabhu approach Srila Narayana Maharaja. Most of you know Mahabhava prabhu very well. He is very sober, thoughtful, sincere and dedicated. That is why he was given so many responsibilities within your organization and why he is held in high esteem and great affection by all the devotees. Here is a case of an intelligent individual with an ardent desire to enter deeply into the teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His followers such as Srila Rupa Gosvami, Raghunatha Das Gosvami, Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, Gaudiya Vedantacarya Baladeva Vidyabhusana and others. Is such a desire legitimate or not? Srila Prabhupada has written in Sri Caitanya Caritamrta:
1) "Sri Sanatana Gosvami Prabhu, the teacher of the science of devotional service, wrote several books, of which the Brhad-bhagavatamrta is very famous; ANYONE who wants to know about the subject matter of devotees, devotional service and Krsna MUST READ THIS BOOK." (Adi-lila: Chapter Five, Text 203, Purport)
2) "Sanatana Gosvami also wrote a special commentary on the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam known as the Dasama-tippani which is so excellent that by reading it one can understand very deeply the pastimes of Krsna in His exchanges of loving activities." (Adi-lila: Chapter Five, Text 203)
3) "Similarly, other false devotees think that studying books of the previous acaryas is unadvisable, like studying dry empiric philosophies. But Srila Jiva Gosvami, following the previous acaryas, has inculcated the conclusions of the scriptures in the six theses called the Sat-sandarbhas. False devotees who have very little knowledge of such conclusions FAIL TO ACHIEVE PURE DEVOTION for want of zeal in accepting the favorable directions for devotional service given by self-realized devotees." (Adi-lila: Chapter Two, Text 117, Purport)
4) "'When shall I become very eager to study the books left by the six Gosvamis? Then I shall be able to understand the conjugal pastimes of Radha and Krsna.' Caitanya Mahaprabhu directly empowered Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Sanatana Gosvami. Following in their footsteps, the other six Gosvamis understood Sri CAITANYA Mahaprabhu and His MISSION." (Madhya-lila: Chapter Twenty-five, Text 271, Purport)
From this we can conclude that it is not only legitimate to be eager to study the books of the gosvamis but actually it is ESSENTIAL. If the opportunity to fulfil this necessity is actually available in your organization then why did Mahabhava prabhu approach Srila Narayana Maharaja and his disciples? This is simply a matter of COMMON SENSE.
May I humbly ask who in your organization has studied the books of the six Gosvamis under the guidance of a bonafide spiritual master who has himself directly studied all these texts from his spiritual master? Such an undertaking involves a lifetime of careful study with the help of several spiritual masters. Yet the modern fashion is to immediately become a spiritual master after the disappearance of one's first guru, even though one is not sufficiently educated in the vast conceptions of Rupanuga vaisnavism. This is not condoned in the Srimad Bhagavatam:
"The sages said: Respected Suta Gosvami, you are completely free from all vice. YOU ARE WELL VERSED IN ALL THE SCRIPTURES famous for religious life, and in the Puranas and the histories as well, for YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH THEM UNDER PROPER GUIDANCE and have also explained them." (Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1: Chapter One, Text 6)
ONLY ONE GURU!
The members of the Chaitanya Mission have objected to the fact that Mahabhava prabhu has accepted Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja as his diksa and siksa guru on the grounds that it is tantamount to declaring that Jagad Guru is not bona fide and that the Chaitanya Mission is not bona fide. They have expressed the idea that having more than one guru implies that your first guru is not qualified and also that a disciple with more than one guru must be unchaste and unsurrendered. If this is actually the case then, what to speak of Mahabhava prabhu, our whole guru-parampara must also be guilty of unfaithfulness and a lack of surrender.
a) Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura received harinama and Kurma mantra from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Later he received mantra diksa from Srila Gaura-kisora Das Babaji Maharaja.
b) Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura received diksa from Sri Vipina Bihari Gosvami. Shortly afterwards he took full shelter of Srila Jagannatha Das Babaji Maharaja as his siksa-guru.
c) Narottama Das Thakura received initiation from Lokanath Das Gosvami yet he studied all the Gosvami literatures under the guidance of his siksa guru, Srila Jiva Gosvami.
d) Raghunath Das Gosvami received initiation from Sri Yadunandana Acarya. Shortly afterwards he accepted Sri Svarupa Damodara Gosvami as his siksa guru. When Sri Svarupa Damodara disappeared he took shelter of Sri Gadadhara Pandita. When Gadadhara Pandit disappeared he accepted Sri Sanatana Gosvami and finally Sri Rupa Gosvami as his siksa gurus.
e) Srinivas Acarya accepted the shelter of Sri Gadadhara Pandit as his siksa-guru. Later he received diksa from Sri Gopal Bhatta Gosvami. Finally he became the siksa disciple of Sri Jiva Gosvami.
In fact when we study the lives of every genuine acarya, we find that they had several gurus. Therefore in the introduction to Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Srila Prabhupada quotes the verse "vande'ham sri guroh ("guroh" is singular, meaning diksa guru) sri yuta pada kamalam sri gurun ("gurun' is plural indicating several siksa gurus) vaisnavams ca."
Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada himself received harinama and diksa from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, yet he claimed that Srila Bhaktiraksaka Sridhara Maharaja was his siksa-guru, as is evident from Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada's own words in the following quotations:
"Then, there are long history, it will take time, but I had the opportunity of associating with His Holiness [Srila Bhaktiraksaka Sridhara Maharaja]. For several years I had the opportunity. KRSNA AND PRABHUPADA [Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura] LIKED IT TO PREPARE ME. Sridhara Maharaja lived as a...
Sridhara Maharaja: (indistinct)
Prabhupada: (laughs) ...in my house, some may say, a few years, so naturally we had very intimate talks and he was my good adviser. I TOOK HIS ADVICE, HIS INSTRUCTION VERY SERIOUSLY, because from the very beginning I know he's a pure Vaisnava and devotee, and I wanted to associate with him, and try to help him also in so many ways. He also tried to help me, so our relationship is very intimate. After the breakdown of the Gaudiya Matha, I wanted to organize another organization, making Sridhara Maharaja head." (Room Conversation, Mayapur, March 17, 1973)
"So if you are actually serious to take instructions from a siksa guru, I can refer you to one who is most highly competent of all my god-brothers. This is B.R. Sridhara Maharaja, whom I consider to be even my siksa guru, so what to speak of the benefit that you can have from his association." (Letter to Hrsikesa, 69-01-09)
In addition to this, Srila Prabhupada was also initiated into gopi-bhava mantra from his sannyasa guru, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami, who also happens to be the diksa-guru and sannyasa guru of Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja.
The first two words of Sri Caitanya Caritamrta are "vande gurun"(plural) meaning: "I pray to my GURUS." So I cannot imagine where the members of the Chaitanya Mission have learnt this idea that to have more than one guru is unchaste or unsurrendered or that it implies that one's other gurus are not qualified. This conception is certainly not found anywhere in sastra or in the lives of our acaryas.
SPECIALIZATION
In their letters some devotees of the Chaitanya Mission (such as Sukadeva dasi, Sonia Alutaya and Siddha das Bernardo) who visited the preaching centre of the Gaudiya Matha in Manila objected to one analogy given by Sriman Brajanath dasa, a disciple of Srila Narayana Maharaja, during our discussion. He compared gurus to doctors saying that doctors who specialize in various fields can help patients according to their particular field of expertise. The objection raised was that there is only one disease, the disease of materialism. Therefore you only need one guru and if you go to another guru then it means that the first guru is not qualified. At this point I appeal to the patience and discerning faculty of my respectable readers to consider this very beautiful and famous prayer of Srila Narottama Das Thakura, Gauranga Bolite Habe.
ara kabe nitaicander karuna hoibe samsara vasana mora kabe tuccha habe
"When will Nityananda Prabhu be merciful to me so that all my material desires will become insignificant."
Nityananda Prabhu is Lord Balarama Himself, the original guru-tattva, by whose mercy one is cured from the disease of materialism. All qualified gurus are the direct representatives of Lord Balarama/Nityananda. However to be free from the disease of materialism is not enough. But if one wants to enter the service of Sri Radha-Krsna in Vrndavan then the help of a specialist will be required. Nityananda Prabhu is Balarama, yet because He is Krsna's older brother, Krsna cannot meet with Srimati Radhika in His presence. Both of them would become embarrassed. Therefore in the next verses Srila Narottama Das Thakura prays:
rupa-raghunatha pade hoibe akuti kabe hama bhujabo se yugala piriti
" O when will I be eager to follow Rupa Gosvami and Raghunath Das Gosvami. Only then will I be able to realize the love and affection of Sri Radha and Krsna."
Here we are informed that Rupa Gosvami and Raghunath Das Gosvami are the specialists. In Krsna's pastimes they are actually the close maidservants of Srimati Radharani known as Rupa Manjari and Rati Manjari. They can help us realize those confidential things to which even Lord Balarama has no access due to His being situated in a relationship with Krsna other than that of the gopis. At the same time it would be absurd to suggest that Balarama is not a qualified guru.
In conclusion, at various stages of our spiritual life, different gurus are sent by Krsna to help us in different ways according to their different specialities. Taking help from one guru does not at all imply that another guru is not qualified. To think so is just an irrational type of paranoia.
ALLEGED REINITIATION FALSE ALARM
>From the flood of e-mails we are receiving and from personally conversing with the devotees of the Chaitanya Mission it becomes apparent that they are of the opinion that diksa means to receive harinama from the guru and that if someone later receives Gopal mantra and Kama-gayatri from another guru then that person has been reinitiated. Many have expressed the idea that to make a difference between hari nama initiation and mantra diksa is "hair-splitting" (Acharya dasa) and even that harinama initiation is sufficient and mantra-diksa is a formality. O gentle vaisnavas! Those who have genuine love for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will try to understand the truth by referring to the authentic books of our acaryas and not by listening to the opinions of those who have never studied them under the guidance of diksa and siksa gurus. We shall have to verify all these ideas on the testing stone of sastra. Surely anyone who has a taste for the truth will become enlivened by hearing all these excellent philosophical conclusions.
In the Bhakti Sandarbha of Srila Jiva Gosvami diksa has been clearly defined.
divyam jnanam yato dadyat kuryat papasya sanksayam tasmad dikseti sa prokta desikais tattva-kovidaih
divyam jnanam hy'atra srimate mantra bhagavat svarupa jnana tena bhagavat sambandha visesa jnanam ca
"Those who are learned in the siddhanta conclude that diksa is a process whereby all sins are removed and divya jnana is imparted. Divya jnana consists of knowledge of the svarupa of one's worshipable Deity and of one's own individual relationship with the Lord which is imparted in the form of a mantra." (Bhakti Sandarbha 283)
This mantra diksa is absolutely essential. The hare krsna maha-mantra is "sambodhana", directly addressing Sri Radha-Krsna, whereas diksa mantras establish "sambandha", our relationship with the deity of the mantra. It is the deliberate opinion of all acaryas and sastra that a conditioned soul may chant harinama, but unless he is established in the sambandha-jnana arising from his diksa-mantras, his chanting will never be pure (suddha-nama). He will never become free from nama-aparadha and anarthas. Thus although all perfection is obtained by chanting harinama, one must follow the correct process ordained by our previous acaryas in order to chant harinama purely. By guru-mantra and guru-gayatri one becomes acquainted with the transcendental form of one's guru. By Gaura-mantra and Gaura-gayatri one becomes acquainted with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. By Gopal mantra one's transcendental relationship with Sri Sri Radha-Krsna yugal is awakened and by the power of Kama-gayatri one can enter into the confidential pastimes of the divine couple. Quoting the verse "harer nama harer nama harer nama eva kevalam", several members of the Chaitanya Mission have presented the idea that harinama is sufficient to attain success and that this mantra diksa is not necessary. At this point I humbly implore the readers to ask themselves;
If mantra initiation is not necessary then: a) Why did Srila A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and all previous acaryas give mantra-diksa to their disciples? b) Why did Krsna Himself initiate Lord Brahma into Kama-gayatri? c) Why did Srila Visvanath Cakravarti Thakura want to commit suicide when he was unable to understand the meaning of Kama-gayatri? d) Why did Srimati Radharani personally appear to Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura in a dream and instruct him in the meaning of Kama-gayatri? e) Why did Sri Raghunatha Das Gosvami write in Sri Manah Siksa : sva mantre sri namni vraja yuva dvandva sarane: "O my dear mind, please develop unprecedented love and affection for your harinama and also for your diksa mantras"? f) Why did Ramananda Raya instruct Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: kama-gayatri kama bija yanra upasana "Krsna is worshiped by kama-gayatri mantra with the spiritual seed klim"? (Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 8.138)
If harinama and diksa are the same then why has Sri Rupa Gosvami explained that one should honour the person who chants harinama within one's heart but one should also physically bow down to that person who has received mantra diksa?
"One should mentally honor the devotee who chants the holy name of Lord Krsna, one should offer humble obeisances to the devotee who has undergone spiritual initiation [diksa] and is engaged in worshiping the Deity, and one should associate with and faithfully serve that pure devotee who is advanced in undeviated devotional service and whose heart is completely devoid of the propensity to criticize others." (Sri Upadesamrta text 5)
And why has Sri Rupa Gosvami written in Sri Padyavali (text 29)
"no diksam na ca sat-kriyam"
that harinama can be received whether one has diksa or not?
A VITALLY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF DIKSA
Of course, if someone chants the Gopal mantra and kama-gayatri for many years and does not realize the actual potential of the mantra, namely to see Sri Radha-Krsna, then that person may lose faith and invent a new philosophy in which diksa is not considered to be very important. This may occur because sometimes a guru gives mantra-diksa to his neophyte disciple who then thinks, "I am initiated. Now I can give diksa to others." The foolish disciple has no idea that diksa does not occur in one day. It is a process that may take years or even lifetimes. The process begins when the disciple receives mantra-diksa, but to attain siddhi (perfection) in the mantra the disciple will need to receive siksa from a siksa-guru about the process to attain that mantra siddhi, about mantrartha-cintan, prapati and other secrets which a guru will only tell to his most dear and qualified disciples:
bruyuh snigdhasya sisyasya guruvo guhyam apy uta (Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1: Chapter One, Text 8)
"Because you are gentle and submissive your spiritual MASTERS (guruvo-plural) have imparted to you all secrets (guhyam)."
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has commented in his essential text "Sri Bhakti-tattva Viveka"(chapter 2):
"Even for vaisnavas who are duly initiated into the genuine sampradaya, the illumination of one's eternal identity arising from their DIKSA MANTRAS which were received from their diksa-guru will not appear until they receive svarupa-jnana by the mercy of a siksa-guru. Due to ignorance of such knowledge they cannot enter the realm of pure bhakti and hence only bhakti-abhasa (a semblance of devotion) is visible in them."
Therefore according to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, those who have not realized the potential of their diksa-mantras must avail themselves of the association of a siksa-guru otherwise they cannot make any substantial progress.
This topic has also been discussed in detail in Srila Sanatana Gosvami's own commentary on Sri Brhad Bhagavatamrta. Might I be so bold as to inquire whether or not the members of Chaitanya Mission had studied this book before daring to write letters giving advice about diksa to Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja who has studied this book for 54 years?
As Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has ordered:
"Sri Sanatana Gosvami Prabhu, the teacher of the science of devotional service, wrote several books, of which the Brhad-bhagavatamrta is very famous; ANYONE who wants to know about the subject matter of devotees, devotional service and Krsna MUST READ THIS BOOK. " (Adi-lila: Chapter Five, Text 203)
The genuine followers of Srila Prabhupada will try to carry out such important orders under the guidance of qualified and experienced teachers. On the other hand..
"A prakrta, or materialistic devotee does not purposefully study the sastra and try to understand the ACTUAL STANDARD of pure devotional service. Consequently HE DOES NOT SHOW PROPER RESPECT TO ADVANCED DEVOTEES. He may, however, follow the regulative principles learned from his spiritual master or from his family who worships the Deity. He is to be considered on the material platform, although he is trying to advance in devotional service. Such a person is a bhakta-praya [neophyte devotee], or bhaktabhasa, for he is a little enlightened by Vaisnava philosophy." (Madhya-lila: Chapter Twenty-two, Text 74)
IN CONCLUSION it is clearly seen that reinitiation has not occurred in the case of Mahabhava prabhu. Rather, after accepting harinama (maha-mantra) in a rtvik initiation from Tusta Krsna Prabhu on behalf of Jagad Guru Siddha Svarupananda, Mahabhava prabhu has now accepted diksa (gopal-mantra, kama-gayatri etc.) from Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja by which he can gradually become qualified to enter the service of Sri Radha-Krsna. Without these mantras it is forbidden by scripture to worship deities of Sri Radha-Krsna or even offer foodstuffs to Them. Thus this incident is thoroughly auspicious and supported by all sastra and all acaryas.
MAHABHAVA SHOULD HAVE ASKED PERMISSION
Now we arrive at perhaps the last category of contention. Why did Mahabhava prabhu suddenly disappear in the middle of the night without informing anyone, including his guru?
It would be fair to say that he thought that his colleagues would not understand his intentions. The turmoil and confusion which ensued is a testimony to the validity of that apprehension. (At least one of his godbrothers has threatened to resort to physical violence against him.)
But surely he should have informed his guru?
To understand this we will have to pray and take shelter of the lotus feet of Srila Raghunath Das Gosvami. Srila Raghunath Das Gosvami also ran away from home in the middle of the night without informing anyone, including his diksa-guru, Sri Yadunandana Acarya. Yet his activity has been glorified by all. Even his gurudeva, Sri Yadunandana Acarya, was delighted by the sudden departure of the young Raghunath Das because Raghunath Das went to Jagannath Puri and came under the guidance of Sri Svarupa Damodara Gosvami. Sri Yadunandana Acarya was certainly a pure devotee, a competent guru and an associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Still, Sri Svarupa Damodara was his senior because he is the incarnation of Srimati Radhika's dearmost friend, Lalita Sakhi. Therefore, Sri Yadunandana Acarya, being free from envy and possessiveness, was happy to know that his disciple was in good hands.
It is a matter of vaisnava etiquette. The guru never thinks that any disciple is his property. He is simply serving Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by helping that soul love Sri Radha-Krsna. If any other vaisnava who is senior, more learned or experienced also helps that soul, then he becomes very pleased. If he reacts in any other way then it is understood that there is something lacking in his vaisnavata (devotional conception). According to vaisnava etiquette the senior vaisnava is always RESPECTED and given PRECEDENCE. For example, in the third canto, fourth chapter of Srimad Bhagavatam we find that Vidura approached Uddhava and wanted to accept him as his spiritual master. However, seeing that Maitreya Rsi was nearby and that Maitreya was an elderly vaisnava, Uddhava recommended that Vidura should take instructions from Maitreya Rsi. This is proper vaisnava etiquette.
In the situation under discussion any impartial observer will conclude that Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja is far senior in all respects to all the devotees concerned. Thus it is an offense even to offer advice to such a vaisnava:
"It is also an offense to consider an empowered vaisnava an object of disciplinary action. It is offensive to try to give him ADVICE or to correct him. One can distinguish between a neophyte Vaisnava and an advanced Vaisnava by their activities. The advanced Vaisnava is always situated as the spiritual master, and the neophyte is always considered his disciple. The spiritual master must not be subjected to the advice of a disciple, Nor should a spiritual master be obliged to take instructions from those who are not his disciples." (Nectar of Instruction, text 6)
From the nature and tone of many of the letters we have been receiving, we can only conclude that their authors must be quite ignorant of who Srila Narayana Maharaja is, and therefore we are including some brief history here.
The fact is that Srila Narayana Maharaja is a highly respected member of the Gaudiya community. He has been chanting at least 64 rounds (and at times many more) daily for many decades.
Srila Narayana Maharaja has been chanting harinama since the 1920s. He received diksa in 1947 from Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. This was the same great personality from whom Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada also accepted sannyasa in 1959. For the past fifty-three years Srila Narayana Maharaja never chanted less than sixty-four rounds a day, sometimes one hundred and twenty eight, and sometimes, following in the footsteps of Namacarya Srila Haridasa Thakura, one hundred and ninety two rounds. During this time he has served, satisfied and received the blessings of all the prominent disciples of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. From these considerations alone, it is obvious that Srila Narayana Maharaja's Krishna consciousness is in another dimension from our own.
It was in the year 1947 that he first met Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada. (from hereon Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada will be referred to affectionately as simply "Srila Prabhupada") From that time, on the order of his diksa guru, he began to serve Srila Prabhupada as his siksa guru. Thus Srila Narayana Maharaja is the FIRST DISCIPLE of Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada. In 1952, Srila Narayana Maharaja accepted sannyasa from his diksa guru. Thus he is the sannyasa godbrother of Srila Prabhupada, having received sannyasa seven years before Srila Prabhupada from the same guru.
On the occasion that Srila Prabhupada took sannyasa, it was Srila Narayana Maharaja who made the sannyasa danda, applied tilak on the twelve parts of Srila Prabhupada's body with his own hand, and performed the actual fire ceremony under Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja's direction. Devotees who were staying in the Math at the time recall that when Srila Prabhupada stayed there he was very grave in his dealings, but he would visit Srila Narayana Maharaja in his room and they would laugh and joke together.
When Srila Prabhupada first went to America he kept in contact with Srila Narayana Maharaja, who went to great lengths to help Srila Prabhupada in many ways. He regularly sent large shipments of books by freight and used to go to Delhi to carry out Srila Prabhupada's banking business. He also sent him many other devotional paraphernalia such as mrdangas, karatalas, tilak, pictures, Deities, japa mala, clothing, harmonium, pera (a sweet) etc.
We can understand the love which Srila Prabhupada had for Srila Narayana Maharaja by reading the letters which he sent him:
"Our relationship is certainly based on spontaneous transcendental love. That is why there is no chance of us forgetting one another. By the mercy of Guru and Gauranga may everything be auspicious for you. This is my constant prayer. From the first time I saw you I have been your constant well-wisher. At his first sight of me, Srila Prabhupada also saw me with such love. It was in my very first darsana of Srila Prabhupada that I learned how to love." (Letter from Srila Prabhupada 28th September 1966)
"Because in all Gaudiya Mathas, I think that you are the real guru-sevaka, so I always correspond with you and I always give my full love and affection to you.
"If I was not thinking like this and putting so much trust in you, I would never have sent you my key and my money. I have so much faith and love for you." (Letter from Srila Prabhupada, New York, May 17th 1967)
"Please offer my obeisances to Srimad Narayana Maharaja. I have not heard from him in a long time. Please request him to find out a large piece of land perhaps with a house, between Mathura and Vrndavana, for purchasing." (S.P. letter 26/7/'70)
Until the time he passed from this mortal world, Srila Prabhupada maintained a very close and intimate connection with Srila Narayana Maharaja. Srila Prabhupada asked him to GUIDE HIS DISCIPLES in his physical absence by teaching them the concepts of Srila Rupa and Raghunath das Gosvamis. Before leaving this world, Srila Prabhupada entrusted Srila Narayana Maharaja with the great honour and responsibility of putting his transcendental body into samadhi. After Srila Prabhupada's disappearance, when his sons tried to stage a take-over bid of the ISKCON assets, from morning to evening for days, Srila Narayana Maharaja tirelessly testified on behalf of ISKCON in the Bombay courts. This was all done selflessly to help the disciples of Srila Prabhupada.
Thus we can conclude on the basis of Srila Prabhupada's own statements that Srila Narayana Maharaja is his intimate associate with whom he is eternally and transcendentally related. Therefore we appeal to the devotees of the Chaitanya Mission to be benefited by trying to understand the perfect activities of Srila Narayana Maharaja, instead of being ruined by trying to give him advice.
INSTITUTIONALISM VS. VAISNAVISM
We have not come to this world to be the members of any institution. We have come to attain Krsna-Bhakti-Rasa.
krsna bhakti rasa bhavita matih kriyatam yadi kuto'pi labhyate
"Krsna bhakti rasa can be obtain only by paying one price -that is the intense greed to obtain it. If it is available ANYWHERE, one must purchase it WITHOUT DELAY. " (Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya lila 8.70)
In order to develop greed the only method is to hear the sweet pastimes of Sri Radha-Krsna directly from the lips of a raganuga vaisnava. It is not available by chanting, preaching, distributing books or hearing thousands of lectures about how we are not the body and that we should surrender to Krsna. Don't misunderstand this point. We should do all of these things, but without also directly hearing from and associating with the rasika vaisnavas who are always absorbed in the moods of Srila Rupa Gosvami, Raghunath Das Gosvami, Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur and others, then our devotion will be called VAIDHI BHAKTI. This regulative devotional service will eventually take us to Vaikuntha where all worship Krsna as God. But Krsna is not really satisfied by the love of those who know that he is God
"Knowing My opulences, the whole world looks upon Me with awe and veneration. But devotion made feeble by such reverence does not attract Me." (Caitanya caritamrta Adi 3.16).
Moreover, vaidhi bhakti has no power to take us to Vrndavana:
"Everywhere in the world people worship Me according to scriptural injunctions. But simply by following such regulative principles one cannot attain the loving sentiments of the devotees in Vrajabhumi." (Caitanya caritamrta Adi 3.15).
In Vrndavan, by the influence of Yogamaya, no-one even suspects that Krsna is God. They have the only kind of love that makes Krsna really happy, that is natural love as His friends, parents and beloveds. Only raganuga-bhakti leads to Vrndavan. There is no other way. So when the opportunity arises to associate with a raganuga vaisnava then we must take that opportunity. By such association a greed may come and one can enter the path of RAGANUGA BHAKTI. It is not true that vaidhi bhakti eventually turns into raganuga bhakti. Raganuga bhakti arises only by association, so please don't be angry with Mahabhava prabhu. What he did was the fruit of many years hard service and a great deal of courage. You can be proud of him.
We are all in one family, the family of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, so there should not be any fear or animosity between us. I hope that in the future we will all cooperate together in the Mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu to deliver all the conditioned souls from the misery of maya and situate them in their constitutional positions as eternal loving servants of Krsna. The MISSION of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is similar to an education system which has facilities for kindergarden, primary school, secondary school, college, university and post graduate students. All departments are not the same but their purpose is the same, to educate one and all. Similarly in Krsna consciousness, at first we have to learn, at least theoretically that we are not this body. Then if we actually want to realize it we will have to learn the teachings of Bhagavad-gita,Srimad Bhagavatam, Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, Jaiva Dharma, Brhad Bhagavatamrta, Bhaktirasamrta-sindhu and Ujjvalanilamani, and also follow them practically in our lives. After that we should progress in raganuga bhakti under the guidance of experienced Rupanuga Acaryas and realise the loving moods of the Gosvamis as expressed in Sri Lalita Madhava, Sri Vidagdha Madhava, Stava-mala, Sri Vilap-Kusumanjali, Sri Krsna Bhavanamrta and others. Under the guidance of our diksa gurus and siksa gurus we should progress swiftly and smoothly on the path of devotion, without getting trapped on the same level for years and years.
If anyone would like to correspond with Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja or his disciples on any of the subjects mentioned in this letter, we will try our level best to answer any doubts or queries. More information is also available on our website: www.purebhakti.com; For downloading books try: www.purebhakti.com
If I have offended the sensibilities of anyone by my words or deeds then I beg for forgiveness. I hope that the overall result will be beneficial and ultimately auspicious for all concerned.
Vaisnavadasanudas
Prema prayojan brahmacari