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EDITORIAL January 8, 1999 VNN2807 See Related VNN Stories Who Is Really Qualified BY VRINDAVAN BEHARI DASA EDITORIAL, Jan 8 (VNN) — Dear prabhus, please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. A grand disciple of Prabhupada has asked me to post you this letter. "When I read all the arguments presented to support the post-samadhi rittvik system, I think it is just a big cloud of fog which is only hiding the real issue: who is really qualified. If the level of qualification to be a rittvik is simply to have met Prabhupada , taken initiation from him, keeping sweet remembrances of him, and be full of good intentions for his mission, is that sufficient to be a rittvik? If so, how many rittviks will have to fall down before we realize the extent of the newcomers' loss of faith in their connexion with Prabhupada? If the minimum level required is to be firmly fixed in devotion and steady in one's faith but still not being able to say: 'I can see Prabhupada as I can see you and I can even reveal to you his svarupa.' will the newcomers who have never met Prabhupada be able to content themselves with a postdated or rubber check? One bird in the hand is better than two in the bush. And if it is established that the required level is to be able to reveal Srila Prabhupada here and now to those who are qualified and approach one sincerely, and further, Prabhupada's svarupa in Radha-Krishna lila, then what is the difference between this kind of rittvik and a genuine diksa-guru as defined by Prabhupada? We shouldn't forget the essence and shouldn't be afraid of 'boiling the milk' least we risk becoming just another cultural movement with countless people devoid of genuine spiritual aspirations. The milk has been so much watered down and has lost a lot of taste and moreover it has become cold! Those who want, in the name of being practical or to save face, to establish a system which is actually just another business, should ask themselves what will they really gain when the time will come to settle the accounts. And the most honest among them will not wait until then to wonder. They can already ask themselves the following question: 'today, what is the type of faith I have in Prabhupada allowing me to perceive of him?' When the qualification level has been established after a responsible and sober analysis, one can adjust one's attitude and do as Krishna says in the Gita: 'If you can't do this, then do that, and if you can't do that, then do the next , etc. But one is bound to go astray as long as he tries to cheat by adjusting the philosophy and not oneself. If we don't have the qualification to bring people to a higher level, we should first of all qualify ourselves, and in the meantime let those who are qualified do it in our stead. And if it is seen that there's apparently in ISKCON a dearth of qualified people, it may be that the sincere candidates are not so many. To insist on saving indistinctly at all costs all kinds of candidates whether they are worthy or not is even more dangerous. That's one more good reason to leave them up to those who are able to make the best use of a bad bargain. We have seen in the past what happens to those who take the risk without being qualified. Anyway, Krishna satisfies all desires. Let those who think I have been offensive not pay any attention to these few lines unworthy to be read and let them have their own experience of the situation. Quite often there's no other way to progress. Dandavats to all my seniors. An aspiring grand disciple of Srila Prabhupada. Vrindavan Behari dasa. See Related VNN Stories | Comment on this Story This story URL: http://www.vnn.org/editorials/ET9901/ET08-2807.html
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