A Brief History - New Book (Excerpt)
Rasaraja dasa
A BRIEF HISTORY
In June 1996 at the Radha-Ramana temple in Orange County, California,
Siddhanta prabhu of Illuminations Television (ITV) interviewed Srila
Narayana Maharaja regarding his relationship with Srila Prabhupada.
Interviewer: Please tell us how you first met Srila Prabhupada, and
any circumstance you may have had with him when any characteristics of
the pure devotee may have been exhibited.
Srila Narayana Maharaja: I was the personal servant of my Gurudeva,
Srila Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, and I always traveled
with him. We had a Matha (preaching center and asrama) in Calcutta,
called Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti. It was there that I met Swamiji 1 in
1946 or 1947. Whenever Guruji used to come to Calcutta, Swamiji would
come to see him. Both were disciples of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Gosvami Thakura and they were also bosom friends. Swamiji
met Srila Prabhupada in about 1922, and about four years before that,
in 1918 my Guru Maharaja took initiation from him. So my Guru Maharaja
was the elder Godbrother of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swamiji. From the
beginning they were intimate friends.
When there were some problems in the Gaudiya mission in 1939-40, my
Guru Maharaja went to Prayaga, Allahabad, to the house of Swamiji. At
that time Swamiji had a very good medical shop there, and he was very
renounced. My Guru Maharaja spent about five to six months with him,
and they had many discussions.
In 1941 our Gurudeva, along with Bhaktivedanta Swamiji established the
Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti in Calcutta. At that time Swamiji was Abhay
Babu. I went to the Matha in 1946, and perhaps at the same time, or
maybe one month after I arrived in Calcutta, Swamiji again came there.
I was the personal servant of my Gurudeva and I also served Swamiji.
Swamiji was so happy to see my service to Gurudeva. He asked some
questions and become very pleased with my replies. He asked me, "What
is your name? From where you have joined here?" And thus I used to
serve him.
In 1953, our Guru Maharaja started two papers, Sri Bhagavat Patrika
and Gaudiya Patrika. Gaudiya Patrika was in Bengali and Sri Bhagavat
Patrika was in Hindi. Guru Maharaja requested Swamiji to be the editor
general of both patrikas (journals). Swamiji accepted and began to
give articles, so many good articles, especially regarding Gita-from
beginning to end. He wrote one particular article about the murgi
mission. Murgi means hen. Hen mission. They call themselves religious
persons but they take the flesh of murgis, hens-and even cows. They
have no mercy at all, yet they think that they are religious persons
and know Vedanta. This is murgi mission. Swami Maharaja wrote so
marvelously that everyone was praising him, and our Guru Maharaja
requested him to write more articles like this-to reform religious
samskaras, and institutions."
Those who are not actually following Krsna and Vedanta are not really
religious persons. This is especially how Swamiji wrote about
Mayavadis in Gita. Those who think that the Possessive and the
Possessor are the same as Krsna, they are Vaisnavas. But those who
think that the body of Krsna and Krsni (the soul of Krsna) are
different, are Mayavadis, and they don't know anything about the
meaning of Gita. One learned doctor, the president of India, Dr.
Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, was very famous in Western countries for
philosophy, but he wrote that Krsna's body was one thing, and the
spirit soul of Krsna was another. So Swamiji wrote against Dr.
Radhakrishnan. He wrote very strongly in regard to Vedanta and
especially about the Gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam- that Krsna, Krsna's
body, possessions, and everything in relation to Him is the same
thing. He is sat-cit-ananda.
One copy was sent from Mathura to Dr. Radhakrishnan, and to all the
learned persons of the samsad (parliament). Dr. Radhakrishnan did not
reply. They cannot reply, because Mayavada is against bhakti path.
There are so many arguments, but it would take time to explain.
Swamiji gave me his articles in Bangala (Bengali) and I used to
translate them in Hindi. I had a very close relationship with him.
I knew him as a very good and staunch philosopher. He had not gone to
any colleges for learning Sanskrit, or Gita, or Vedanta. He was a born
philosopher, and a pure devotee. He was a maha-bhagavata, but he
played the role of madhyama-adhikari Vaisnava to give help and
initiation to others. An uttama-adhikari does not give initiation to
anyone. He thinks that everyone is maha-bhagavata, always serving
Krsna. So he was in this position-playing the role of a
madhyama-adhikari. But I realized who he was by his words and by his
association.
In 1955 Swamiji lived in Mathura for more than five months, and he
gave daily classes there. He would read Srimad-Bhagavatam, and speak
on pastimes of Prahlada, Citraketu, Kapila and Devahuti, and
Damodara-lila. He translated the verses word-by-word and explained the
meanings. Very learned persons were attracted by this. At that time,
when he lectured, he told me that I should perform kirtana. In those
days my voice was very good and I used to sing beautiful kirtanas. I
was famous in the whole Gaudiya mission for kirtana and dancing. So he
used to tell me to sing, and he played mrdanga.
I used to cook for him, and help him in many other ways. I used to
give him many books from my library room, to assist him in his
translating of Srimad Bhagatavam, and after some time he went to Delhi
and published three volumes of First Canto.
Swamiji was very much fond of a good sweet from Mathura called pera,
and he used to tell me, "O, bring pera." So I brought that, and we
used to discuss many things. I think that what we discussed is what he
later established in ISKCON. I was with him for so many years in
Mathura, and then after that in Vrndavana. I was with him everyday.
Then, with no paise (money), not a farthing, he came to the Western
countries. When he was in New York, in 1965, he requested me that,
"You should come with me. I am alone and I will have to do something
there; so you should come." I told him that, "My guru is here and I am
serving him. When he will return to Bengal I may come." Swamiji said,
"Very good, you should serve your Gurudeva, but when you have the
chance then you should certainly come and join me." I said, "Yes, I
will come." After that I sent all his books-Gita, Ramanuja's bhasya
(Sri bhasya), Sankara's bhasya (Sariraka bhasya), all bhasyas
(commentaries) to New York. A few days ago I saw those books in Los
Angeles. Not all, but some of them are there. I sent him mrdangas,
karatalas, and vigrahas of Sri Radha-Krsna, and also ten kilos of
sweet pera every month. I brought some here, but it's all gone.
Navina Krsna prabhu (Srila Maharaja's servant): It was all left in
Houston.
Srila Naryana Maharaja: We had five or six kilos that I wanted to give
everyone wherever I would go, in memory of Swamiji, but I could not.
In 1967 Swamiji returned to India with Kirtanananda. I was the only
person to meet him at the airport in Delhi. We went to the Radha-Krsna
temple in Delhi, and I used to live there at Swamiji's request, so
that I could render various services to him. Then Acyutananda came.
Swamiji would say, "I am not feeling well, I'm tired, so you go with
Kirtanananda and Acyutananda to some persons' home, and you will have
to give the lectures there." I did so.
After Swamiji came to Vrndavana, to the Radha-Damodara temple, I often
came to visit him from Mathura. He discussed so many things about
Vedanta, and especially about Srimad-Bhagavatam. He discussed many
principles, and explained why Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to this
world-to preach nama and dharma. And He explained how Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu came to taste Srimati Radhika's mood. Anarpita carim cirat
karunayavatirnah kalau samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasam
sva-bhakti-sriyam. He gave such high class, deep association there. He
loved me so much.
Later, in 1968, our Gurudeva disappeared from this world. I sent a
message to Swamiji who was at that time in Seattle. When he received
this he at once replied me as if he was writing and weeping. He wrote
me that, "I am so much aggrieved for this." He wrote a sloka and
explained that "as Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami was weeping for his
Gurudeva, Srila Sanatana Gosvami, I am feeling like this." He wrote
this: vairagya-vidya nija-bhakti-yogam, then apayayan mam anabhipsu
andham sri-kesava-bhakti-prajnana-nama. "I was not in a mood to take
the renounced order. I was fearing so much. My family rejected me, and
I was penniless, but still I was not ready to take sannyasa and
fulfill my Gurudeva's order to go to Western countries to preach his
mission. But pujapada Kesava Maharaja gave me sannyasa, the renounced
order. 'You have to take.'" Swamiji wrote me that this was his
sraddhanjali for Gurudeva's feet.
The renounced order is not a play. It changes one's whole life. It
means one is aspiring for gopi-bhava. Some say that Swamiji was only a
friend to Krsna. But I strongly oppose this. His (sannyasa) mantra was
a gopi-mantra. And he has taken gopal-mantra. Those who are second
initiated know what is the gopal-mantra. Without the gopal-mantra
no-one can have the mood which Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to give.
So I have heard from him directly. And also by hearing his lectures I
know that he has come in the line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu-to give
the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This was also the mission of
Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura, and Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura.
They are both associates of Krsna and Mahaprabhu. They are not of this
world. So Swamiji has not come only to give dharma. He has not come
only to give the yuga-dharma of harinama. This was not the mission of
Mahaprabhu; it was the mission of Mahavisnu or Advaita Acarya.
yuga-dharma-pra vartana haya amsa haite
ama vina anye nare vraja-prema dite
My plenary portions can establish the principles of religion for each
age. No one but Me, however, can bestow the kind of loving service
performed by the residents of Vraja. [Adi-lila: 3.26]
When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu comes, taking the mood of Srimati
Radhika, he teaches prema. It is that prema which he wanted to give to
the jivas.
prema-rasa-niryasa karite asvadana
raga-marga bhakti loke karite pracarana
rasika-sekhara krsna parama-karuna
ei dui hetu haite icchara udgama
The Lord's desire to appear was born from two reasons: He wanted to
taste the sweet essence of the mellows of love of God, and He wanted
to propagate devotional service in the world on the platform of
spontaneous attraction. Thus He is known as supremely jubilant and as
the most merciful of all. [Adi-lila: 4.15-16]
This is the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the mission of Sri
Rupa and Raghunatha Gosvamis, and the mission of Srila Jiva Gosvami,
Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja, and later on Srila Syamananada Prabhu, Srila
Narottama dasa Thakura, Srila Srinivasa Thakura, then Srila Visvanatha
Cakravarti Thakura, then Srila Gaura-kisora dasa Babaji and Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. So Swamiji has come to the Western
countries only to give their mission. Nothing new; only their mission.
He has not written any new books. He has translated Gita, and he has
given purports. He has also given purports to Srimad-Bhagavatam,
Isopanisad, and other books. He has given the names of the parampara,
from Narada to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and up to Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. So he was not out of our line, the
Gaudiya Vaisnava line. He was a Gaudiya Vaisnava. The first Gaudiya
mission was Gaudiya Matha in the line of our disciplic order. We
should not try to cut that link. If anyone is doing this, it is due to
ignorance. No one should try to cut Swamiji from our line, and thus
make himself fall down from the sampradaya. Swamiji has not created
anything new.
I can tell something about his mission in the Western countries. He
always was connected with the sampradaya. At first he has plowed and
made barren land into cultivated land-thus fertilizing it. He planted
seeds, and these seeds should never stay the same. They should sprout,
they should grow, they should come up and give sweet fruits. We should
increase our devotional activities, our Krsna consciousness. We should
not remain third class Vaisnavas. Krsna consciousness was established
by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Rupa Gosvami. It is not that for
one hundred years we should remain as the same seed. We have to become
qualified, otherwise we are in ignorance. We have to go deep into the
philosophy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, otherwise we will not see Srila
Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja.
Swamiji has written everything in his books, including that which he
could not speak much about at that time. Those who think that Swamiji
is dead are themselves dead. He is always giving inspiration to the
whole world. We should know that he is still alive and giving
inspiration. If we serve him we will see his books with quite new
meaning-quite new meaning. Then we can properly read these books, and
become more qualified. I learned from him that we should associate
with more bona fide and advanced devotees than ourselves. We should
honor them. We should see that all devotees are in one family, Lord
Caitanya's family. If we are not thinking in this way, then we cannot
be bhaktas (devotees). We should think that we are in one family, and
there are so many hands. Krsna, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, or Swamiji
have thousands and thousands of hands, and so we should honor all
hands; we should honor all those who are chanting the Name. I heard
him say that those who are chanting the Name, even if they have not
taken initiation, should also be honored. Those who have taken
initiation and are chanting should be more honored. And those who are
maha-bhagavata should be served by all means. Swamiji has written all
this in his translations 2.
We should know what is rasa-siddhanta, what is bhakti and what is
bhakti-rasa. First we should read Bhagavad-gita, wherein Swamiji's
purports clearly state that we are not this body. In this body there
is ego. "Oh I am so lovely. I am a bona fide Vaisnava." In this body
we have anger and envy, we insult others, we do not behave well and we
do not honor our elder brothers. We forget them. Without ego, lust,
anarthas and offenses, we should forget the bodily concept of life.
Then we will become advanced devotees.
If we are attached to worldly things like apartments, wealth, women,
pratistha and fame, then we should think there is no hope-we are not
Vaisnava. So we should become Vaisnava.
So I pray that those who were initiated by Swamiji should be very
broad minded and know that I am actually the first disciple of
Swamiji, from before ISKCON was founded.
There are two kinds of disciples-siksa and diksa, and both are the
same. Sometime the siksa guru is superior, and sometimes the diksa
guru may be. The relationship with the siksa-guru is very
friendly-like bosom friends. The diksa guru should be very much
respected, and so we may somewhat fear him. But the siksa guru is like
a friend, sometimes sitting on the same seat as us. I used to sit with
Swamiji on the same bed, or asana. Then, during his last days, I went
to Vrndavana to see him. Taking my hands and putting them in his
hands, he told me that I should sit on his bed. But I offered pranama
and sat on another chair. He told me that, "I have got so many
disciples, but they don't know very much. You should try to help them.
Especially, my samadhi should be given by your hands. I want this."
Tears came to his eyes when he was ordering all this. I told him, "You
are my siksa-guru. Though you and I are friends, I always consider you
my siksa-guru. I will always follow your instructions, word for word,
letter for letter." And I have followed. Then I told all the disciples
present, especially the leading disciples, "You should not think that
Swamiji is going to die. You should think that he has a mission to
help the Western countries. So after his going you should be united
and try to honor each other. Give his mission to the countries where
he could not go. Don't cheat his mission. It is most high level to
follow his orders. You should all try to be broad minded and don't try
to control anyone. You can't get sneha, prema, love and affection by
controlling and by accumulating money. You can't control by giving
orders. Don't try to control anyone."
Swami Maharaja told them, "Come on, come on, listen to Narayana
Maharaja. Hear what he has to say."
After Swamiji's departure many devotees came from Mathura to Vrndavana
and we performed nagara sankirtana. I lead the kirtana, and then I put
Swamiji in samadhi-with Vedic mantras and all Vedic arrangements. Most
of the renounced people of Vrndavana, including babajis from all four
sampradayas, came there, and I organized everything, including who
should do the public speaking and in what order people should speak. I
honored all, just as Swamiji asked me to in his final words. He had
told me, "Give as you like. You should give to Radha-Damodara temple,
to all other temples, and to all Godbrothers."
We took his transcendental body around Vrndavana-to Radha-Damodara
temple, Radha-Govinda, Radha-Gopinatha, Radha-Madana-mohana,
Radha-Syamasundara, Radha-Gokulananda, and other temples, and at last
we came to his abode. His main office was in Bombay, his
sadhana-bhumi, place of practice, was in Navadvipa, Mayapura, and his
eternal abode was in Vrndavana. So we gave him samadhi there.
I humbly request the devotees to try to have love and affection for
each other. As Swamiji brought all persons to his seva, we should also
try to love all, and spread the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and Swamiji.
Interviewer: Of all the qualities Srila Prabhupada exhibited, does one
stand out in your mind? Does any one stand out?
Srila Narayana Maharaja: The symptoms of guru have been written in
Srimad-Bhagavatam and Gita, and I saw these symptoms in Swamiji:
tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet
samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistham
[Mundaka Upanisad: 1.2.12]
He was brahma-nistha (one who has given up all other activities and
has dedicated his life to working only for Krsna).
In this sloka: tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam sabda
para. We see that one symptom of guru is that he knows Vedanta,
Upasdesamrta, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, etc. He should be
siddhanta-vit (knower of all philosophical conclusions) so that he can
clear all the doubts of his disciples. I know that Swamiji was very
much qualified in this. He knows everything. He was perfect in this.
Second, guru should be detached from worldly things, and I know that
Swamiji had no such attachment. He had attachment to those who are
thoroughly attached to Krsna. The guru should have realization of his
istadeva, Sri Sri Radha-Krsna and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. One cannot
preach without realization. If he is not factually practicing bhakti,
and he has no realization, then his words will vanish like air. No one
will be able to truly follow him.
So I have realized this: that any disciple, or anyone who came to
Swamiji, they were overpowered by him. He conquered their hearts with
love and affection. Without realization of Krsna no one can do this.
In Gita it has been said:
tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam jnaninas tattva darsinah
Who is tattva-darsi? One who knows all the siddhantas of all the
Vedas, Upanisads, and other sastras. Pranipatena pariprasnena. You
should go to such a guru, again and again very honorably questioning
and serving him. I see how Swamiji went to Srila Prabhupada, Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, how he accepted him as his
Gurudeva, and especially how, in a very short time he spread His
prema, His mission, Caitanya Maha-prabhu's mission, to the whole
world, established about one hundred and fifty temples around the
world. Even more importantly his Gita is translated in fifty
languages. In very little time he spread his mission. A common person
cannot do this. It was the sakti, the energy, the potency of Caitanya
Mahaprabhu and his Gurudeva that he could do all this.
I remember one other instance. The last time I saw Swamiji (the
evening before he departed from this world), he was so friendly to me.
He told me, "I have done something wrong in my life, so I want to be
forgiven. You should especially forgive me because you have served me
and you are so dear to me." I said, "No, don't say this. Anyone who
comes in a special situation, at a special time, can say anything to
encourage new devotees. We also say things like this. So I don't think
you have done anything wrong." He then told me, "You should forgive me
and you should tell all my Godbrothers to forgive me. When I told some
disciples 'don't mix with anyone. Don't mix with my Godbrothers,' it
was in a letter, not in my books, and I told this only for a special
time." Swamiji was a first class Vaisnava, a maha-bhagavata. He wrote
like this only for third class, kanistha devotees-to increase their
service.
I asked him, "Maharaja we are friends. I want to know why do your
Deities have names which are not applicable, not siddhanta-like Radha
Parthi-sarathi and Rukmini Dvarakadhisa. Regarding Rukmini
Dvarakadhisa, I know that in 1969 you have established and did
prana-pratistha (installation ceremony) of Radha-Krsna with peacock
feather and flute, and with Radha there on His left side."
He replied, "When I established Radha-Krsna in Los Angeles, I gave
Them the name Radha-Krsna‚ and then I left Los Angeles (for India).
When I returned someone had changed the name to Rukmini Dvarakadhisa.
I become very angry with this person. I was against this name, but now
this name has come about."
Regarding Radha Parthi-sarathi, he told me he was very ill at the
time, and that his disciples gave this name without his actual
approval.
I read in his Krsna book that this is rasabhasa. Swamiji has written
like this, not only in one place, but in so many places 3. He told me
not to think that this was his idea. I told him that my doubt was
gone, and I pray that you bless me so that I may be like you in Krsna
consciousness." He benedicted me, and I felt so glad, so fortunate to
think that he ordered me to always serve him.
Interviewer: I understand Srila Prabhupada was having so many
difficulties and harassments in Bombay to keep his centers, and you
took some role to keep ISKCON's property?
Srila Narayana Maharaja: Five years ago Swamiji's son told the Bombay
court that Swamiji was a vaisya, a businessman, that he was not a
sannyasi, and he did not go to the Western countries for preaching.
His son said that only a brahmana can take sannyasa. Because Swamiji
was a business man, he went to the West for business, and ISKCON is a
family business. The son's conclusion was that he is the master of all
of ISKCON's property. One ISKCON leader came and told me, "If you
don't give evidence this son will take all of ISKCON, all over the
world." He told me that I should go immediately. I told him that I
only want to serve Swamiji, so without any payment or any gain I will
go. After that I went to Bombay several times and sat in court the
entire day. Everyday I would take prasadam early in the morning, about
7 A.M. and then immediately go to the court. I want to always serve
the mission of Swamiji.
Footnotes
1 It is tradition in the Gaudiya Matha that all acaryas and sannyasis
refer to one another by their given sannyasa names. Because Srila
Prabhupada's sannyasa name is "Swami," Srila Narayana Maharaja refers
to him as such, adding the suffix "ji." "Ji" denotes great regard, as
well as intimacy and affection. Prior to Srila Prabhupada's coming to
the West, they related with one another in Vrndavana as intimate
friends. Also, as they have both taken sannyasa from the same guru,
they have a Godbrother relationship as well. Srila Narayana Maharaja
sometimes refers to Srila Prabhupada as Swamiji, sometimes as Swami
Maharaja, sometimes as Prabhupada, and sometimes as Srila Prabhupada.
2 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 worshipping
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. [N.O.I. text 5]
3 It is stated in Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila [8.90 pp]:
"Although according to the material conception, Narayana,
Rukmini-ramana and Krsna are one and the same, in the spiritual world
one cannot use the name of Krsna in the place of Rukmini-ramana or
Narayana. If one does so out of a poor fund of knowledge, his mellow
with the Lord becomes spiritually faulty and is called rasabhasa, an
overlapping of transcendental mellows. The advanced devotee who has
actually realized the transcendental features of the Lord will not
commit the mistake of creating a rasabhasa situation by using one name
for another. Because of the influence of Kali-yuga, there is much
rasabhasa in the name of extravagance and liberal-mindedness. Such
fanaticism is not very much appreciated by pure devotees."
It is stated in Teaching of Lord Caitanya, ch. 30: "Thus the gopis of
Vrndavana do not like to see Krsna as the husband of Rukmini, nor do
they address Him as Rukminiramana. In Vrndavana Krsna is addressed as
Radha-Krsna, or Krsna, the property of Radharani. Although the husband
of Rukmini and Radha's Krsna are on the same level in the ordinary
sense, still in the spiritual world, the names indicate different
understandings of various aspects of Krsna's transcendental
personality. If one equalizes Rukminiramana, Narayana, or any other
name of the Supreme Lord, he commits the fault of overlapping tastes,
which is technically called rasabhasa."
Their Lasting Relation
A Brief History
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Vivek Sadananda Pai
Haribol,
With this article, I'll hit my limit of 4 for today, so my apologies
for not responding to some others. However, there's always a tomorrow.
And to Daruka Prabhu, who wishes I would practice what I preach, well,
I guess I'm just a hypocrite, but then again, please note that these
articles are responses to articles with politics in them.
In article <5ort49$n...@agni.hgsoft.com>,
Rasaraja dasa <rasa...@goloka.com> wrote:
[...]
>So he was not out of our line, the
>Gaudiya Vaisnava line. He was a Gaudiya Vaisnava. The first Gaudiya
>mission was Gaudiya Matha in the line of our disciplic order. We
>should not try to cut that link. If anyone is doing this, it is due to
>ignorance. No one should try to cut Swamiji from our line, and thus
>make himself fall down from the sampradaya. Swamiji has not created
>anything new.
I'm not sure what Srila Narayana Maharaj means here about "cut that
link" - could someone please explain to what he's referring? This
section also raises a few questions in my mind about ISKCON and the
Gaudiya Math:
a) Srila Prabhupada founded a new society, with a new name, and listed
himself as the founder-acarya. Everything I have heard also
indicates that he was very particular about the founder-acarya part
being displayed, etc. Given this and the many quotes from Srila
Prabhupada about not associating with his Godbrothers, doesn't it
seem plausible to assume that Srila Prabhupada wanted his society
to maintain some independence from the Gaudiya Math?
b) There was a partial quote in Bhudara Prabhu's paper that was shown
in context in Badrinarayan Prabhu's paper. The partial quote has
Srila Prabhupada saying:
I am sure if Gaudiya Mission and I combine together, it will be
very nice thing to preach the cult of Lord Caitanya all over the
world.
However, the expanded quote has:
I am sure if Gaudiya Mission and I combine together, it will be
very nice thing to preach the cult of Lord Caitanya all over the
world. I can reorganize all the branches of the Gaudiya Math in
India, and if there is any financial question, it will be not
difficult for our society to help in that way also.
So, the question in my mind is: why did Srila Prabhupada want to
reorganize _all_ the branches of the Gaudiya Math in India? Taking
this quote together with the fact that he was the founder-acarya of
ISKCON, I get the impression that he must have wanted something
changed in the Gaudiya Math. Does this seem reasonable?
Onwards...
>I asked him, "Maharaja we are friends. I want to know why do your
>Deities have names which are not applicable, not siddhanta-like Radha
>Parthi-sarathi and Rukmini Dvarakadhisa. Regarding Rukmini
>Dvarakadhisa, I know that in 1969 you have established and did
>prana-pratistha (installation ceremony) of Radha-Krsna with peacock
>feather and flute, and with Radha there on His left side."
>
>He replied, "When I established Radha-Krsna in Los Angeles, I gave
>Them the name Radha-Krsna‚ and then I left Los Angeles (for India).
>When I returned someone had changed the name to Rukmini Dvarakadhisa.
>I become very angry with this person. I was against this name, but now
>this name has come about."
This particular section is especially intriguing, especially since it
talks about things that the banned-on-SRV Badrinarayan Prabhu article
discusses. I've excerpted some relevant passages from that article,
since the topic was raised in Rasaraj Prabhu's article:
# While investigating this issue, we interviewed four former Los Angeles
# temple presidents (including its first one, Dayananda Prabhu), many
# long-time temple residents, and several of Srila Prabhupada's personal
# servants, including Hari Sauri Prabhu and Srutakirti Prabhu. Not one
# of them ever heard or witnessed anything even remotely close to this
# tale. On the altar in 1968 were a painting of the Panca-tattva, the
# Jagannatha Deities, and small brass Radha-Krsna Deities, who were
# referred to as "the Radha-Krsna Deities."
#
# Manjuali dasi, who for years oversaw the worship of Sri Sri
# Rukmini-Dvarakadhisa, gives the following history:
#
# "The large marble Deities were installed in 1971 and were initially
# called 'Sri Sri Radha and Krsna.' Srila Prabhupada had named various
# communities (New Vrindaban, New Jagannatha Puri, etc.), and he named
# the Los Angeles devotee community 'New Dwaraka' because of the
# devotees' houses and apartments surrounding the temple and because
# of the community's opulence. A year or so later, when there was a
# spate of Deity installations and Deity namings (New York: Sri Sri
# Radha-Govinda; Dallas: Sri Sri Radha-Kalacandji; Detroit: Sri Sri
# Radha-Kunjabihari; Toronto: Sri Sri Radha-Gopinatha; Chicago: Sri
# Sri Kishora-Kishori), Jayatirtha asked Srila Prabhupada to name the
# Deities in LA. At that time Srila Prabhupada approved the name Sri
# Sri Rukmini-Dvarakadhisha . . . to harmonize with the name and mood
# of the community.
#
[...]
#
# The contention that Srila Prabhupada proposed one set of names but
# that the devotees argued with him for another, that they then ignored
# his repeated requests, and that Srila Prabhupada finally begrudgingly
# acquiesced to the desires of his neophyte disciples--such a scenario
# is completely incongruous with the mood of the times. The spiritual
# climate in ISKCON at that time was one of surrender: longhaired
# hippies were agreeing to shave up and give up intoxication, free
# lovers were consenting to get married, we took it as an article of
# faith that no one had landed on the moon, and sannyasis, temple
# presidents, and GBCs took orders from Srila Prabhupada like small
# children.
Perhaps what I don't understand (and I hope that someone can explain)
is why Srila Narayana Maharaj brings up this issue. The best
explanation I could give would be perhaps he's trying to suggest that
these "inferior" names would not have been given by Srila Prabhupada
because it's somehow indicative of not being at the highest
realization. That's what I get from the following section:
>Regarding Radha Parthi-sarathi, he told me he was very ill at the
>time, and that his disciples gave this name without his actual
>approval.
>
>I read in his Krsna book that this is rasabhasa. Swamiji has written
>like this, not only in one place, but in so many places 3. He told me
>not to think that this was his idea. I told him that my doubt was
>gone, and I pray that you bless me so that I may be like you in Krsna
>consciousness." He benedicted me, and I felt so glad, so fortunate to
>think that he ordered me to always serve him.
However, given that Srila Prabhupada intentionally built the
Krishna-Balarama Mandir and faced (indirect) questions at that time,
I'm at a loss to see how the names "Radha Parthi-sarathi" or
"Rukmini-Dvarakadhisha" would lessen Srila Prabhupada in any way.
Badrinarayan Prabhu's paper also has other evidence suggesting that
Srila Prabhupada had no issue with the names, and I'll leave it to
interested readers to read it if they wish.
The third footnote from Rasaraj Prabhu sheds some light on why Srila
Narayana Maharaj may be interested in this topic, but none of this
explains the Krishna-Balarama Mandir, of course:
>3 It is stated in Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila [8.90 pp]:
>"Although according to the material conception, Narayana,
>Rukmini-ramana and Krsna are one and the same, in the spiritual world
>one cannot use the name of Krsna in the place of Rukmini-ramana or
>Narayana. If one does so out of a poor fund of knowledge, his mellow
>with the Lord becomes spiritually faulty and is called rasabhasa, an
>overlapping of transcendental mellows. The advanced devotee who has
>actually realized the transcendental features of the Lord will not
>commit the mistake of creating a rasabhasa situation by using one name
>for another. Because of the influence of Kali-yuga, there is much
>rasabhasa in the name of extravagance and liberal-mindedness. Such
>fanaticism is not very much appreciated by pure devotees."
>
>It is stated in Teaching of Lord Caitanya, ch. 30: "Thus the gopis of
>Vrndavana do not like to see Krsna as the husband of Rukmini, nor do
>they address Him as Rukminiramana. In Vrndavana Krsna is addressed as
>Radha-Krsna, or Krsna, the property of Radharani. Although the husband
>of Rukmini and Radha's Krsna are on the same level in the ordinary
>sense, still in the spiritual world, the names indicate different
>understandings of various aspects of Krsna's transcendental
>personality. If one equalizes Rukminiramana, Narayana, or any other
>name of the Supreme Lord, he commits the fault of overlapping tastes,
>which is technically called rasabhasa."
Simply put, my question then becomes: if Srila Prabhupada
intentionally named the Deities "Radha Parthi-sarathi" or
"Rukmini-Dvarakadhisha" (ignoring for a moment the whole issue of
Krishna-Balarama), does that automatically make him "less" in the
eyes of anyone, and if so, who?
ys,
Vivek
Daruka dasa
Vivek Sadananda Pai wrote:
>
> Haribol,
>
> With this article, I'll hit my limit of 4 for today, so my apologies
> for not responding to some others. However, there's always a tomorrow.
> And to Daruka Prabhu, who wishes I would practice what I preach, well,
> I guess I'm just a hypocrite,
Once again, here's where things get just a little bit funny. It seems
that Bhakta Vivek is trying to elicit our sympathy for what he perceives
to be an unwarranted suggestion (from me) that he kindly practice what
he preaches. And yet, from reading numerous articles by Bhakta Vivek in
his relentless mission to discredit Srila Narayana Maharaja, his
teachings, and his followers; by far, Bhakta Vivek's favorite tactic in
his dealings with his perceived "enemies" is to apply a sinister spin
to nearly everything that his opponents try to say, no matter how
truthful, logical, bona-fide, humble, siddhantic, and Vaishnava-like
those statements (by his perceived enemies) may be. Trying to portray
his opponents as "hypocrites" is his favorite tactic. So, pardon me if
I am not feeling too much sympathy at the moment for Bhakta Vivek's
apparent self-pity as he laments the idea of being known as a
"hypocrite".
> but then again, please note that these
> articles are responses to articles with politics in them.
It may be your perception that you are responding to articles "with
politics in them", and I have no doubt that you will utilize your
propensity and expertise at "spinmeistering" to justify your attacks
against Srila Narayana Maharaja, his teachings, and his followers, but
the fact of the matter is, you are the one who is engaging in
"politics".
> ys,
> Vivek
An aspiring servant of the Vaishnavas,
Daruka dasa
Ray Kundra
Vivek Sadananda Pai wrote:
> Simply put, my question then becomes: if Srila Prabhupada
> intentionally named the Deities "Radha Parthi-sarathi" or
> "Rukmini-Dvarakadhisha" (ignoring for a moment the whole issue of
> Krishna-Balarama), does that automatically make him "less" in the
> eyes of anyone, and if so, who?
>
> ys,
> Vivek
Dandavats.Thank you for replying in such manner, for this
sort of reply is a perfect example of misreading
and misintrepretation. We can describe in so many ways
how someone may misread, misintrepret. and then infect
others - but your example is worth a thousand explanations.
Here is an article - a talk by Srila Narayana Maharaja
that does _nothing but_ glorify Srila Prabhupada,
yet you nit pick, misintrepret, and come to the twisted
conclusion that Prabhupada is being criticized.
How? Where? I'm certain many other readers see
nothing but complete glorification with much love
and affection. How such twisted conclusion has
come about is beyoud my understanding.
You then divert attention from the positive message and
infect others. Not only do you find spots on the moon,
you manufacture them.
If you re-read the article, you'll find that Pabhupada
never named the deities "Radha Parthi-sarathi" or
"Rukmini-Dvarakadhisha".
Why do you say, "If Prabhupada intentionally named them..."?
It seems that this conclusion is a result of expert word
and jugglery and misapplied logic.
Srila Narayana Maharaja brought this point up because
he had this question of Srila Prabhupada.
He was not thinking any less of Prabhupada.
He simply had the question. That's all.
No misintrepretation necessary.
He simply had the question.
As it turns out, later, many other devotees also
had this same question.
Radha Parthi-sarathi _is_ rasa bhasa.
Radha is not, and never will be with Krsna
on the battlefield of Kuruksetra.
Rukmini-Dvarakadhisha is in the mood of Dwarka.
As aspiring devotees hoping to one day follow in
the line of Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhupada, our
goal is to attain the mood of the residents of Braja -
not of Dwarka. We only want to serve Radha-Krsna,
not Rukmini-Dvarakadhisha.
Instead of juggling logic to support your own preconceived
ideas in an attempt to cheat yourself and mislead others,
perhaps it would be time better spent to _honestly_ think
about the following excerpt from the article:
----------------------------
#Taking my hands and putting them in his
#hands, he told me that I should sit on his bed. But I offered pranama
#and sat on another chair. He told me that, "I have got so many
#disciples, but they don't know very much. You should try to help them.
#Especially, my samadhi should be given by your hands. I want this."
#Tears came to his eyes when he was ordering all this. I told him, "You
#are my siksa-guru. Though you and I are friends, I always consider you
#my siksa-guru. I will always follow your instructions, word for word,
#letter for letter." And I have followed. Then I told all the disciples
#present, especially the leading disciples, "You should not think that
#Swamiji is going to die. You should think that he has a mission to
#help the Western countries. So after his going you should be united
#and try to honor each other. Give his mission to the countries where
#he could not go. Don't cheat his mission. It is most high level to
#follow his orders. You should all try to be broad minded and don't try
#to control anyone. You can't get sneha, prema, love and affection by
#controlling and by accumulating money. You can't control by giving
#orders. Don't try to control anyone."
#Swami Maharaja told them, "Come on, come on, listen to Narayana
#Maharaja. Hear what he has to say."
Ray Kundra
Vivek,
You seemed to have completely avoided one issue:
#Swami Maharaja told them, "Come on, come on, listen to Narayana
#Maharaja. Hear what he has to say."