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EDITORIAL  Guru Initials After Our Names BY MADHAVANANDA DAS (ACBSP) EDITORIAL, Aug 29 (VNN) — I'm repeatedly approached by devotees saying, "That's a great article you wrote on VNN", whereupon I have to reply, "No that was a different Madhavananda, I am Prabhupada's Madhavananda." This annoys me because it would be so easy for the devotees to identify which Madhavananda das or which Krsna das or which Govinda das they are by whose disciple they are. Aren't our Spiritual Masters important in our identification? Otherwise all the devotees who have been on the VNN website will have no clue as to which Madhavananda das or which Krsna das or which Govinda das they are. Since Srila Prabhupada left there have been 4-6 more Madhavananda's initiated and I offer my humble respects to each of them and to their spiritual masters according to their adhikara (qualifications). When I write something I distinguish myself by the 5 initials of my Gurudeva after my name and I request others do the same. Many of Srila Prabhupada's disciples and grand disciples agree on this issue and we request the respected staff at VNN.org and the other Vaishnava websites to request that all submissions have these distinctions. Their email addresses would also help with regard to questions/comments about their articles. This will allow readers to know whom they are reading. As Lord Chaitanya's Movement grows this will assist everyone and it will help in efforts to build bridges between the different devotees? moods, the different moods of their spiritual masters, and the different moods of the Sangas (spiritual institutions). This will also help us to realize our inconceivable oneness and difference as branches of the Tree of Lord Gaurasundara's Movement. Using our intelligence to make distinctions is essential to spiritual realizations as stated in the 2nd Verse of The Srimad Bhagavatam "vedyam vastavam (factual understanding? reality distinguished from illusion) Also in the SB 1/7/42 purport Srila Prabhupada says, "One must have good discriminatory power to judge a thing on its merit." This means of identifying devotees will help us in this regard. Sincerely, Ys, Madhavananda das (ACBSP) Madhava58@yahoo.com Contact VNN about this story  Send this story to a friend
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