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EDITORIAL December 24, 1999 VNN5143 Comment on this story Our Family The Gaudiya Math BY MAHAVEGAVATI DASI EDITORIAL, Dec 24 (VNN) — Dear assembled Vaisnavas, Hare Krsna. All glories to our eternal preceptor and spiritual father, His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who has fulfilled the desire of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and the prediction of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur by bringing Krsna consciousness all over the world. May we all take shelter of his lotus feet. Please accept my fallen obeisances. kaler dosa nidhe rajan asty eko mahad gunaih kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta sangam param vrajet Although this age of Kali is an ocean of faults, (so unlimited), there is one good quality of this age; simply by chanting the Hare Krsna Maha Mantra, one can become freed from all material contamination and can enter into the kingdom of Krsna. >From Krsna's Holy Name comes everything else. It is the transcendental blissful giver of all spiritual benedictions and it is non-different from Krsna Himself, the Holy Name being considered to be even more merciful than Krsna. Nama cintamani krsnas caitanya rasa vigrahah Purno suddha nitya mukto bhinnatvam nama naminoh Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the most munificient incarnation, came Himself to give this process of sankirtan yajna. Thus, His devotees following in His example, give the mercy of Krsna's Holy Name to anyone and everyone who will accept that mercy. (At least the devotees are supposed to be doing that.) We can see the example of His Divine Grace, AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who left Vrindavan to come to USA. Srila Prabhupada stayed in a most degraded place in NYC, only for the reason of distributing Krsna's Holy Name, giving this process of Krsna consciousness to anyone and everyone who would accept it, and carrying out the desire of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and that of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur. So kind was Srila Prabhupada that he left behind everything to travel all over the world to render this service to his Guru Maharaj, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada, and to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The only thing that Srila Prabhupada requested of us, was that we become Krsna conscious and try to give this process of Krsna consciousness to others. Ultimately, there was no other request that Srila Prabhupada had of us. For the disciple, the spiritual master's order is his/her life and soul. This includes all of the instructions of the spiritual master; the general instructions given for all of the disciples and the specific instructions given to an individual disciple. (Because of the unusual nature of Srila Prabhupada's extensive preaching mission - his going all over the world and taking on so many disciples, starting so many temples, his extensive writing and preaching, and the nature of ISKCON itself - not all of Srila Prabhupada's disciples were able to obtain his personal association, and thus were not able to get so much individual direct, specific, personal instructions.) The true disciple considers him/herself to be the property of his/her spiritual master and thus that disciple lives only to fulfill the order of his or her Guru Maharaj. That, and only that, is the disciple's priority. Thus, the spiritual master's instruction and fulfillment of one's Guru Maharaja's desire is the final word for the disciple. The order of one's guru is the disciple's life and soul. When the spiritual master is physically present on the planet, he is personally there to give instructions to his disciples. He is also personally present to clear up any doubts or questions that his disciples may have, with relation to his instructions and with relation to all other factors. Thus, there can be no confusion, no doubt, in the mind of the disciple as to what constitutes the order and desire of one's Guru Maharaj, because if there is any question, one can simply ask his guru, and the answer is right there. (We had so much practical experience of this when Srila Prabhupada was present. Sometimes a devotee would not be sure what to do in a particular instance, and s/he would ask Srila Prabhupada. At times, the GBC members would have differing opinions on a particular issue. When things could not be resolved, the issues were taken to Srila Prabhupada, and his instruction was the final word. (At least, this is what was supposed to be. Sadly though, at times, due to duplicity, false ego, pride, etc., Srila Prabhupada's instructions were not always followed by some of these disciples.) After the spiritual master leaves the planet then so much confusion can set in. The guru is no longer personally present on the planet to define things for his disciples when they are possessed of differing opinions as to what they feel it is that the spiritual master would want them to do. Thus, there can be so many diametrically opposed opinions, and without proper cooperation, there may be so much conflict. Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport in SB 4.28.48, the general chaos that occurs when the bonafide spiritual master leaves the planet. "Whenever an acarya comes, following the superior orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he establishes the principles of religion as enunciated in Bhagavad-gita... Unfortunately, when the acarya disappears, rogues and nondevotees take advantage and immediately begin to introduce unauthorized principles in the name of so-called swamis, yogis, philanthropists, welfare workers, and so on." For the disciple, his/her Guru Maharaj is the topmost worshipable personality. Thus, although the disciple knows that his/her Guru Maharaj has gone on to his nitya lila, the spiritual master's disappearance is in one sense, the most devestating occurance. The genuine disciple continues on in his/her life by holding on to the order of his/her Guru Maharaj, and tries to understand and fulfill the instruction and desire of his spiritual master to the best of his/her ability despite the conflict and confusion that may be present. We have seen such confusion as spoken of by Srila Prabhupada in his purport to SB 4.28.48 within ISKCON, and within Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada's Gaudiya Math. Generally the word chaos denotes confusion, confusion giving some sense of negativity. But often from what appears to be chaos, can come some very positively generated results. For example, if the plumbing is bad, then one has to tear apart the wall, (seemingly creating some "chaos"), and then one can put in the proper pipes, thus creating a better situation. Or if a fire burns down the house, thus appearing to destroy it, one may end up building a better one. Thus, from the chaos that seems to arise from the departure of the acarya, there are so many good things that can come if the spiritual master's disciples deal with the situation maturely, relying on the orders of the spiritual master and understanding his desires. Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport, "The perfect disciples of the acarya try to relieve the situation by sincerely following the instructions of the spiritual master." All of us have come to Krsna consciousness due to the mercy of Srila Prabhupada be that direct or indirect. So many of us lived and served in Srila Prabhupada's maths for many many years. We made that service to Srila Prabhupada our life and soul and became attached to Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON. The baby birds reside within the nest fed by the mother, and they feel that great sense of dependence on the mother and the nest itself, but at some point the babies are made to leave the nest. Similarly, the disciples are under the wing of their spiritual master, but at some point, (although the disciple ALWAYS sees himself as dependent upon the mercy of his Guru Maharaj), the disciple may be forced to exit the "nest" of the spiritual master through the arrangement of Krsna. This forced exit may be the plan of Krsna to enable the disciple to do more for his Guru Maharaj. (Ultimately in one sense, it is quite unusual that a genuinely practicing disciple should be forced out of his Guru Maharaja's math, in that the math is there to facilitate the preaching mission of one's Guru Maharaj. But due to the nature of Kali Yuga and the impurities that have made themselves manifest, often enough, some of the very serious disciples of the spiritual master may be FORCED to leave the institution started by one's Guru Maharaj.) The tree of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is not a limited tree; rather, the complete opposite. As Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu said to Himself, (CC Adi 9.7), "My name is Visvambhara, 'one who maintains the entire universe.' Its meaning will be actualized if I can fill the whole universe with love of Godhead." Lord Caitanya "brought the desire tree of devotional service to this earth and became its gardener. He sewed the seed and sprinkled upon it the water of His will." (CC Adi 9.9). "By His inconceivable powers, the Lord became the gardener, the trunk and the branches simultaneously. Paramananda Puri, Kesava Bharati, Brahmananda Puri and Brahmananda Bharati, Sri Visnu Puri, Kesava Puri, Krsnananda Puri, Sri Nrsimhatirtha and Sukhananda Puri - these nine sannyasi roots all sprouted from the trunk of the tree...From the trunk grew many branches and above them innumerable others. Thus, the branches of the Caitanya tree formed a cluster or society, with great branches covering the universe." (CC Adi 9.13-18). Srila Prabhupada in this last verse's purport says, "Our ISKCON is one of the branches of the Caitanya tree." (My underlining in both places.) Krsna das Kaviraj Goswami in his Caitanya Caritamrta gives a list of various devotees as part of the Caitanya tree, and explains, (CC Adi 9.20), "From each branch grew many hundreds of sub-branches. No one can count how many branches thus grew." So many verses does Srila Krsna das Kaviraj Goswami give to explain the unlimited nature of the Caitanya tree, that one can only wonder as to the nature of sectarian vision that has entered into the Gaudiya Vaisnava society. That sectarian vision is due to some immaturity and lack of proper spiritual understanding on our parts. Of course for the child in an extended family, s/he will always see his/her own father as being the best father, (especially when one chooses one's father, as is the case in one's accepting one's Guru Maharaj), yet with that vision, s/he will NOT discount anyone else's father, and s/he will also NOT deny the fact that other sons and daughters of their respective fathers will also be seeing their father as the best father. This is one of the beauties of Vaisnavism, this UNITY in diversity. This applies not only to the spiritual master, but to Krsna as well. (His beloved devotees see Him differently and relate to Him differently through their respective individual services, according to their different individual relationships.) Although there are differences in the various branches of the Gaudiya Vaisnava missions with regard to certain details, (differing styles of kirtan, a particular acarya of one mission placing emphasis on one or more specific areas as opposed to another acarya's placing emphasis on another, etc.), a devotee with proper vision will accept all of those Vaisnavas who are part of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's family. This sectarian vision of accepting one bonafide branch of the Caitanya tree and rejecting another, is simply due to bodily identification. It is a product of improper vision and misconception. The same applies to the thinking, "My branch is better than." My Guru Maharaj is better." etc. It is this very limited, sectarian vision which is causing so much harm WITHIN our Gaudiya Vaisnava society. This thinking is simply a product of neophyte consciousness. If we are all preaching the same siddhanta, (surrender to Krsna), then WHY such sectarianism? How amazing it would be, and how much would be the increased preaching, if all of the Gaudiya Vaisnava family could put aside their differences of details and come together for the glorification of Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Hari Nam sankirtan. After all, for someone to come to Krsna consciousness it is so rare, as Krsna Himself says in BG 7.3 and 7.19. Thus, it is actually ludicrous for us to put up these walls and barriers which only create negativity, envy, enmity and hatred. My Godbrother Srila Bhakti Alok Paramadvaiti Maharaj, the founder acarya of VRINDA, (Vrndavan Institute for Vaisnava Culture and Studies), has written one very nice book, "Our Family The Gaudiya Math," which speaks about this very subject matter. It is written in simple language, and to the point. I personally recommend that devotees should take the time to read this quick moving book. In one sense, it is pretty amazing, (Vaisnava philosophy that it is), that one should have to write a book of this nature at all, considering that it seems only natural that as aspiring, practicing Vaisnavas, we should in actuality be able to understand these things. Sadly though, we often do not. As Paramadvaiti Maharaj says in one place in his book, "Sometimes we disrespect that which we don't know and are quick to cast judgements on others due to our own immature weaknesses." Even this mentality exists amongst disciples within a particular sanga, in relation to other members of the sanga. One should understand that the nature of the tree is such that from one branch comes another, (two, three or more), and from those branches, there come more branches. Thus, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's tree of love of Godhead, will, (as He Himself said), expand itself throughout the universe. Every branch has its specific purpose in Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's tree. All of the living branches are part of HIS grand plan. For the individual branches to continue in their most green state, Vaisnava aparadha must be avoided, otherwise there is a possibility that an individual branch may dry up and even die. CC Adi 12.67-72, "After the disappearance of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, some of the branches, for unfortunate reasons, deviated from His path. Some branches did not accept the original trunk that vitalized and maintained the entire tree. When they thus became ungrateful, the original trunk was angry at them. Thus Lord Caitanya did not sprinkle upon them the water of His mercy, and they gradually withered and died...Be one a learned scholar, a great ascetic, a successful householder or a famous sannyasi, if one is against the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he is destined to suffer the punishment meted out by Yamaraj." What is that cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu? The chanting of the Holy Names of the Lord coming through the bonafide disciplic succession with the objective of attaining prema bhakti. This is the aim of ALL of the Gaudiya Math branches even if there are some differences in details with regard to external form. Paramadvaiti Maharaj speaks in his book of the Visva Vaisnava Raj Sabha, World Vaisnava Association, a unified society of different branches of Gaudiya Vaisnavas, the original idea coming from Srila Jiva Goswami himself. For those devotees who already do have that broader Gaudiya Vaisnava family vision, the book is still worthy of one's reading, in that it gives an explanation of the formation of the Gaudiya Math along with some other background information. Also given is a list of many of the Gaudiya Vaisnava branches and the current acaryas of these different branches, along with some other details about these different branches. So many other points about Vaisnava association, and improper mentalities to avoid, are made as well. Maharaj comments in his book, "The real disciplic succession must be totally free from any type of monopolistic, elitist, or privilege hunting mentalities which go against the nature of a transcendental family." This statement speaks for itself. Although from the externals at times there appears to be a "breakup" or "factioning" of the family unit, it is ultimately Krsna's doing, for the sake of expanding the preaching of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement. I personally accept this vision as I deeply believe that NOT all people will come to the Lotus Feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu through ONLY ISKCON, but rather through other venues as well. Through whatever venue someone comes, that is part of Krsna's arrangement, as Krsna Himself says, "I am situated within everyone's heart and I am directing the wanderings of all living entities," (BG 18.61). Krsna knows what it is that we all need as individuals, to bring us to His lotus feet, and thus He is directing all of us here and there accordingly. Thus it is Krsna Who will direct one to His Lotus Feet through the proper channel(s), that channel being different for different people. It is a fact that when Srila Prabhupada was on the planet, there were certain statements made by him concerning particular individual Godbrothers of his, and there were also some general statements made. These statements taken at face value do indeed appear to be negative. At the same time we have to understand that 1) Srila Prabhupada as a pure devotee had particular relationships with his Godbrothers, both on a general and individual level, that we, being so neophyte as we were and still are, were not, and may still NOT be able to understand these relationships with their deeper, inner meanings - just like the small child may not be able to understand the intricate dealings between grownups at face value - and thus, we should not profess to think that we can understand such things from our materially conditioned vision. (For example, if one's father and uncle are arguing over a particular point, the small child seeing and hearing the interactions, may have no proper understanding of what is actually going on. Those apparent arguments may actually be there out of loving sentiment, but externally may appear to be something different.) 2) Srila Prabhupada, more than anyone, knew how immature and foolish we Westerners were, so capable of commiting offenses to advanced Vaisnavas due to our lack of culture, and lack of ability to discriminate properly. Thus it is very possible that Srila Prabhupada wanted to keep us at some distance from his Godbrothers so that WE would not make offenses to them. 3) Srila Prabhupada's final instructions on this matter were that all of the relationships between him and his Godbrothers, (which may have appeared to be negative), were fully repaired. This can be understood from Srila Prabhupada's specific last words to his Godbrothers, and the formation of the Bhaktivedanta Charity Trust, (an organized facility which was set up by Srila Prabhupada before he left the planet, to print his Godbrother's books, which incidentally, ISKCON has never followed through on). Srila Prabhupada in his SB 4.28.31 purport says, "Among Vaisnavas there may be some difference of opinion due to everyone's personal identity, but despite all personal differences, the cult of Krsna consciousness must go on. We can see that under the instruction of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Goswami Maharaj began preaching the Krsna consciousness movement in an organized way within the past hundred years. The disciples of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Goswami Maharaj are all Godbrothers, and although there are some differences of opinion, and although we are not acting conjointly, every one of us is spreading this Krsna consciousness movement according to his own capacity and producing many disciples to spread it all over the world.It will go on without distinction of caste, creed, color, or country. No one can check it." Although some of us have been in ISKCON for more than 25, and possibly 30 years, we should not be so proud as to think that we know so much, that we can take such a position of simply casting a bad eye to other Gaudiya Vaisnava missions and their devotees. This is not the Vaisnava siddhanta. One must remember Lord Caitanya's famous verse, trinad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna amanina manadena kirtaniya sada harih, and as is said, "string it as a garland around one's neck." My suggestion is that devotees who, for one reason or another, feel some sense of inimicality or "suspicion" of other Vaisnavas from other Gaudiya Vaisnava missions, read this book. Even if one does not have these sectarian feelings, "Our Family The Gaudiya Math" contains other information which is worthy of one's giving his/her time for reading. Quoting Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur in "Our Family The Gaudiya Math," Paramadvaiti Maharaj writes: á Sectarianism is the greatest enemy of truth. á As long as they are ignorant, we should expect that they will act ignorantly. á If you cannot find inner peace, you must, as Vyasa did, knock at the inexhaustible fountain of youth. á Vaisnavism is the religion of liberty, unmixed truth, and absolute love. Paramadvaiti Maharaj also explains the importance and great position of Vaisnavas by telling one story involving the performance by Yudhisthira Maharaj of the Raja Suya sacrifice, of how even the most seemingly "insignficant" of Vaisnavas should not be overlooked, and the consequences that can arise if that happens. Because of our deep material conditioning, our misidentifying with this body, and our bad culturation, (or lack of proper culturation), our eyes often deceive us spiritually. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur instructed his disciples not to go too near to the pure devotee, Vamsi das babaji, because due to his external features, (avadhuta nature; dress, interactions), they would misunderstand him and thus possibly commit some very grave offenses at his lotus feet. So it is that we also have to be so careful in our dealings with devotees. This includes devotees within our sanga, (particular branch), and outside. >From the proper association of Vaisnavas comes the wealth of Krsna. It is that wealth of prema bhakti that hopefully we are seeking, and it is this positive association with Vaisnavas from which it will come. Krsna is not so limited that he has placed Vaisnavas only within one particular branch of the Caitanya tree, but the leaves and branches of this tree spread unlimitedly, here there and everywhere. If we are intelligent, we will seek out and partake of the fruits of Lord Caitanya's tree, and we will do our utmost to distribute those fruits to anyone and everyone else that we meet, who will accept them. Praying for the mercy of the Vaisnavas. I remain your fallen servant, Mahavegavati Dasi Hare Krsna About the Author  Other Stories by this AuthorComment on this story Contact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
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