01/10/98 - 1489

Open Letter from Sadbhuj Gour das

Slovenia (VNN) - Letter from Sadbhuj Gour das:

Dear Vaishnavas,

Hare Krishna, please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! Sri Guru Gouranga jayatah!

While reading the common news on internet in the last months I came to sad insights about spirituality in the Vaishnava-scene. Although I am a neophyte devotee I would like to share my realizations with other devotees, hoping to get some positive advice or encouragement. I think a strong virus is going around our planet inside our Vaishnava-scene, to steal our enthusiasm for Bhakti and the practicing of the inner path in our spiritual lives.

This disease is creeping around and does not stop in front of institutions which inspire us so much and seem to be so important to us. This virus is called the external gleam of Krishna consciousness, well disguised in a Vaishnava dress, with a proper tilaka, a nice institutional escutcheon and very good armed with theoretical arguments of the teachings of Siddhanta, and we should not forget that this virus is the world champion of diplomacy. As victorious commander-in-chief he makes his fight through the ranks of the Vaishnavas, defeat is not known to him.

The divine Mother Bhakti is weeping and trembling out of fear beside her two sons "realized knowledge" and "renouncement". The victorious commander-in-chief expelled them from the battlefield, and they are afraid to fall in against him, to protect their mother Bhakti.

This victorious commander-in-chief is fighting as bold, as once upon the barbarian King Atila. The entire world fearfully trembled before him. Although he was a barbarian, defeat was unknown to him. Only to pronounce his name filled the hearts of the kings and even Caesar's with fear. He did not know culture nor rules, and thus the great, cold-blooded and invincible king one day stood in front of Rome.

But this time he does not stand in front of Rome! No, he wants to win over a greater empire! This time in full gleam and splendor with his invincible host of fearless barbarians he stands in front of the hearts of the devotees. With his very hands he wants to pull out the weeping Mother Bhakti of the hearts of the devotees, as he otherwise pulled out the heart of a living bull. But before doing so he wants to assassinate her two sons "realized knowledge" and "renouncement". But for that Mother Bhakti will not immediately find out about it and seek help of Lord Vishnu, he will first replace her sons by some fakes.

His first fake is a champion of philosophical acrobatics, the greatest rhetoric ever, who theoretically learned the vedic scriptures by heart, he is invincible in arguments and a noble diplomat. He is supposed to replace "realized knowledge".

The second fake is a master of "jukta vairaghya". Telling you: "Prabhu, don't be sad, chant and be happy!" He will teach you how to use everything EXTERNALLY in Krishna's service. For this also he will give us a lifelong guarantee for that our prestige, disciplic succession, movement, wealth, sex-life, and all other pleasures will not suffer. He is supposed to replace "renouncement".

My dear Vaishnava brothers, -sisters and -cousins, let us all as servants of the Lord, although we might belong to different Vaishnava families, together fight these "barbarians" which are attacking us. May peace and happiness rest in our hearts and be proved in our interpersonal relationships. Let us realize "trinad api sunicena..." and become friends, although we are so different. With united might we could fight against "Atila" who tries to rob bhakti from our hearts. Let us together spread the teaching of Lord Chaitanya, amongst us they should not be any competition.

Krishna-Consciousness is a path of CONSCIOUSNESS, an inner path of BHAKTI. There is no competition, we are no businessmen, but we are devotees. If there may be a competition, then only in "who can be more attached to the divine couple". Let us serve the living God Sri Krishna, not the dead God of external gleam, the cover of Bhakti-Yoga. Do not allow that "Atila, the king of the barbarians" to pull out the Divine Mother Bhakti of our hearts and replace it through a cheap glimmering "Barbie"-doll.

O, Divine Mother Bhakti, please give me the sincerity and intelligence, for I may take down my coat of arrogance and prestige, and that I may take shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Krishna.

O, Lord Nrisimhadeva, torn with your transcendental claws the horrible host of barbarians, which tries to pull out the Divine Mother Bhakti out of my impure heart.

O, Lord Aniruda, strengthen my mind and intelligence so I may be able to bravely fight my weaknesses.

May Krishna give us the blessing that we may develop as much bhakti as possible. May he unite all Vaishnavas all over this planet, although we belong to different Vaishnava families.

May peace and happiness rest in all our hearts, and may Lord Nrisimhadeva free us from the bodily conception of life. May He free us from lust, anger, greed, envy, pride, and all bad influences which keep us away from pure devotional service to the divine couple.

Let us allow Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to dance in our hearts. Let us not forget what Srila Prabhupada has taught us, and let us not forget the sense why we took up Krishna consciousness.

Let our enemies become our friends! Oh, Lord Nrisimhadeva, please free us from dualities. Please convert me, and all those who are on the wrong way, turning against the Vaishnavas.

Dear Vaishnavas, forgive me all offenses I committed against you all, and please pray for that I will be able to become a servant of the Vaishnavas.

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

om aim hrim ksraum om phat om tataka hataka keshagra jvalat padoka locana bhadradika nakha sparsha divija simha namo 'stu te

O my Lord, o transcendental lion, I offer my obeisances to you along with Lakshmi. Sometimes flying in the sky, sometimes moving on foot, Your mane hairs blaze with a golden brilliance. Your glance and the touch of your nails is the source of all auspicousness.

Your servant Sadbhuj Gour das