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| EDITORIAL December 12, 1998 VNN2667 See Related VNN Stories | Comment on this Story On My Behalf (2) BY ARISTANASANA DASA EDITORIAL, Dec 12 (VNN) — Open letter to the GBC and leaders of ISKCON from Aristanasana dasa (New Mayapura - France) Dear Maharajas, dear prabhus. Please accept my humble obeisances All glories to Srila Prabhupada Krishna likes to reveal Himself indirectly (paroksa) specially through his beloved devotee. Krishna likes to make His devotee declare the truth about Himself like Arjuna in the BG in the verse : "Param brahma, param dhama". Similarly, His associates behave in the same way. Srila Prabhupada, as a very intimate companion of Krishna, is working in a similar mood. Although Srila Prabhupada is the all in all for everyone, he never established himself forcefully as such. The reason is that He left it, out of humility, to us His disciples, His servants to declare it with arguments and reasons as a service of love. Srila Prabhupada has given us this work to do on ourselves to realize His amazing "highly empowered position", substantiate it from His teachings and the sastras, and declare it boldly in all directions. The great confusion in ISKCON nowadays is certainly due to a big mistake done in the past and Krishna is making arrangement for the sincere followers of Srila Prabhupada to realize the mistake and declare 'high and strong" the wonderful position of Srila Prabhupada as the ever well-wisher of all, as the savior of all, as the destroyer of the sinful activities and material desires of all, and as the merciful bestower of pure love for Krishna to all in ISKCON for ever. After studying the situation in ISKCON, the teachings of Srila Prabhupada and His declarations, we can come to the conclusion that Prabhupada had set up everything before His physical departure as follow: - that in the form of His books, instructions, and ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada is the present link in the parampara, the sad guru (diksa guru and siksa guru) - that He is represented in His movement ISKCON by the GBC, preachers, sannyasis, temple presidents and elders whom we must respect, follow and serve (siksa guru) - that Srila Prabhupada has empowered all of us his servants in ISKCON, to distribute his teachings to all and guide others in devotional service according to our capacities (vartma- pradarsaka guru) - that Srila Prabhupada has empowered specific elders who are preaching by example (officiating acaryas) to act as rittvik representatives of the Acarya to give initiation on His behalf to the new comers in ISKCON (siksa guru, and rittvik acarya) I would like to mention that the fact that we shall recognize Srila Prabhupada as the eternal diksa guru (sad guru) and supreme siksa guru in ISKCON as long as ISKCON is manifested in the Universe or as long as Srila Prabhupada does give another order, does not stop the process of surrender, service and humble inquiry for the devotees. That process of education in spiritual life will go on in ISKCON through its leaders, its preachers, its elders. Only the position of real giver of pure love of Krishna and deliverer from material life is the exclusive status of Srila Prabhupada (the sadguru), the eternal member of the Parampara and of the self effulgent pure devotees whether inside or outside of ISKCON who are respectful of Srila Prabhupada's mission, and not artificially given to some of our leaders in ISKCON who are factually not liberated, although some may. That status will be also given to our saintly pure devotees like Jayananda Thakura as Srila Prabhupada declare it for him. Srila Prabhupada has empowered His ISKCON movement and its individuals specially its elders to received the surrender of the new devotees, to engage them in service and to answer their humble inquiry on His behalf. It was going on before His departure and He bless it to go on after His departure. Everything is there. Everything is auspicious. Let us stop the speculation. Let us stop working on our own rights - what an horrible phrase - because Sri Guru has left (apparently). The words and the instructions of our beloved eternal father Srila Prabhupada, the Acarya are above the tradition and the sastras, but never against them, they are accomplishing the purpose of the sastras, and are our final authority. On this matter, I propose you to read form Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Sri Tattva Sutra (page 191 - 204) the following passage which shows the importance of following the instruction (revelation) and reason why of such a transcendental personality as Srila Prabhupada specially in terms of the functional structure of such an international movement as ISKCON (quoted from Sri Caitanya Sarasvata Parampara). Bhaktivinode: "This Tattva-sutra is obtained and proved by the eternal realization. Therefore, it can be known as the very essence of the Vedas. This is originated from the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Caitanya, and hence, is the origin of all the revealed scriptures. Only the reality has been accepted in this treatise. The divine knowledge is characterized as the sun whereas all the scriptures (sastra) are rays of that sun. This saying reveals that no scripture can contain the divine knowledge to the fullest extent. The self-evident knowledge of the jivas is the source of all the scripture. This self-evident knowledge should be understood as God-given. The sages endowed with compassionate hearts have received this self-evident knowledge (axiomatic truths) from the Supreme Lord, and recorded the same in the scriptures for the benefit of all jivas. This recorded portion of this primeval knowledge (God-given to the jiva) has been manifested in the form of the Vedas. The independent cultivation of the self-evident knowledge is always necessary. This is the important thing needed in understanding the truth along with the study of the scriptures. Since the knowledge (divine knowledge) itself is the origin of the scriptures, those who disregard the root and depend upon the branches cannot have any well-being. Now, it may be argued that, when all the scriptures have been derived of the self-evident faith, where is the need of honoring them? The answer is that, in the conditioned state of the jivas, the real knowledge is covered by the darkness of ignorance. In the devotional cultivation associated with retraction, when the hidden reality is gradually manifested in the state of bhakti-samadhi, the jivas will be realizing the self-evident knowledge. Beginning from the time of cosmic creation until today, a great amount of knowledge about the reality has been discovered by the sages. Apart from that limitless knowledge discovered, still the sages are occasionally delivering many new facts about the reality, obtained in their devotional trance of samadhi. All these discovered principles may be called as the scriptures. By the help of a certain principle another one may be properly understood. Therefore, it is imperative to carefully record all these discovered principles of reality. Without following this process, the ultimate conclusions of the discovered principles can never be attained. Sri Brahma, the original propounder of the scriptures enlightened Sri Narada with the principles of reality discovered by himself and advised to develop the same by the further discovery of other divine principles. All the discovered principles of the reality will get added to the scriptural knowledge and help the future developments of the same. Therefore, those who believe in the self-evident faith, they can never disparage the scriptures if at all they are intelligent in the study of them. But, those who are not endowed with the study of the principles of bhakti, which is the essential purport of the scriptures, their scriptural learning is only a waste of labor. Therefore, the "essence-seekers" conclusion is that, all the principles will be decided by the help of self-evident knowledge. All the scriptures should be understood by the help of that unalloyed knowledge. But, this rule does not apply to those whose self-evident knowledge has been adulterated with the empirical knowledge. Hence the following aphorism, "scriptural ordinances are intended for the regulation of the ignorant beings whereas those who are endowed with discretion an divine wisdom are not controlled by them'. Similarly, Manu also has elaborately explained the importance of scriptures and finally stated the following: In this way: in all the scriptures these two signs can be seen viz., 1- honor of the revealed scriptures in general, 2- secondary importance of the scriptures in comparison to the self-evident faith. But, the authors of the scriptures do not clearly indicate the lightness of the scriptures. The reason for such an attitude is that, the meritorious people who are authorized to discard the scriptural binding can naturally become independent of the scriptures by the help of the hidden indications of the scriptural authors and also by their own purified knowledge. Such meritorious persons can carry on the sinless activities by the help of their own intellect as well as by the advice of the scriptures. In that stage, the scriptures will not have any binding over them but only they serve as their guides. On the other hand those who are unable to understand their own spiritual path due to the lack of self-evident knowledge and due to ignorance who may not be able to ascertain their duties and fall into misery due to sensuality, for such people the scriptural ordinances are imperative. Such persons should not know that there is any way for them apart from the bindings of the scriptures. When they become authorized due to their advancement, they will be able to know this secret by the suggestions of the scriptures. Since knowledge itself is the root of the scriptures the one who has attained that self-evident knowledge will not be rules by the scriptures, but only they guide him with advice. In case of ignorant people, this is not so. They must be governed by the rules of the scriptures for their upliftment, if not they will have their inevitable downfall due to the sensual additions. It is argued that, instead of governing by means of tedious rules, let the scriptures help the ignorant people by means of friendly advice. The reason for such an attitude is that the ignorant people do not understand their own good and bad due to the lack of knowledge. Due to the instinctual habits they will engage in wanton activities. Since their nature is mostly inclined towards the gratification of the senses, for their spiritual betterment the scriptures try to reform them through many types of tricks, by applying coercion, and with skillfulness etc. Often the scriptures threaten the ignorant people with punishment of hell, at times they put forth the temptations of heavenly enjoyments. Again, they reform the human beings depending upon their inclinations. In many scriptures one may see the sanction of liquor, polygamy, killing of animals etc. All those are meant for the gradual control of the barbarian human beings by means of sanctioning some type of restricted activities according to their inclination. By their gradual reformation, the scriptures want to put them in the path of detachment. The many types of fruits mentioned along with those activities are only meant for attracting the attention of the ignorant followers. An argument may arise in this regards that, this Tattva-sutra also being a scripture, why the secret purport of the scriptures has been openly given here? The answer is that, this book of Tattva-sutra has been published for the benefit of the self-realized Bhagavata devotees. They are authorized to know about all theses thoughts. By the help of these aphorisms, their intellect will become favorable for the cultivation of divine love. Therefore, the author has openly declared here the scriptural secret. Devotees of the Supreme Lord are not controlled by the scriptures since their activities are congenial to the divine wisdom. Therefore, when the self-realized devotees ordain any new arrangement, they should be agreed as a religious code, even if such new arrangements are not found in the scriptural dictums of the previous sages" (Sri Tattva-sutra, pages191-204). Please note again the last paragraph: "Therefore, when the self-realized devotees ordain any new arrangements they should be agreed with as a religious code, even if such new arrangements are not found in the scriptural dictums of the previous sages" (Sri Tattva-Sutra). In fact, this rittvik system has become also tradition for us in ISKCON since Srila Prabhupada started to function with representatives performing initiations on His behalf since the beginning of His movement (as early as 1970 in France) So Sad-guru is giving the order (letter 9th of July 1977). Sastra is establishing the higher authority of Sad-guru. Sadhus like Bhaktivinoda above and sadhus in ISKCON and outside are confirming the importance of following the instruction of self realized devotees, what to speak of Srila Prabhupada. So, where is the problem ? Why preferring the vedic external tradition to Srila Prabhupada's instructions. Srila Prabhupada is certainly pushing all devotees to become guru preachers (siksa-guru) in his mission ISKCON. But why consider whose disciple's the newcomers will be in ISKCON. Let them be Srila Prabhupada's. Let us be good siksa-guru on His order, at least. May I conclude with all my humble obeisances to our leaders in ISKCON, who are doing so much for Srila Prabhupada, to kindly consider these points, I beg them to kindly do the needful to rectify the mistakes and put Srila Prabhupada back as the infallible shelter of all in ISKCON for ever. Let us work on His behalf. Let us give happiness to all starting by our own members. Your humble servant in the mission of Srila Prabhupada. Aristanasana dasa. New Mayapura France See Related VNN Stories | Comment on this Story This story URL: http://www.vnn.org/editorials/ET9812/ET12-2667.html
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