01/22/98 - 1527

Vaikuntha in Paradise

Fiji (VNN) - by Prahladananda Swami

By the mercy of Srila Prabhupada and his followers I was able to return again to Fiji the land of expert cooks, where the matajis seemed to be trained from birth how to make perfect capatis, which are always perfectly round, hot and easily digestible.

The general ISKCON devotees, although they are not tycoons or the Pandavas, were happy to see Tirtharaja prabhu and myself who had come to offer them the protection of Srila Prabhupada's teaching. I read a report published in the VNN which mentioned my visit. However, because I found to be inaccurate, I wanted to share something of my experience and Srila Prabhupada's teachings.

Two days after I arrived, while I was lecturing in the Krsna Kaliya temple, unexpectedly Narayana Maharaja entered into the temple room. With the assistance of one of his followers he offered a garland to Srila Prabhupada. I stopped my lecture and waited for him to offer the garland. Then Narayana Maharaja came to sit down. I offered to get down from the Vyasasana, and he motioned that I should continue. I continued on with my lecture.

With all respect to Narayana Maharaja as a sadhu, his followers, while they were in Fiji, were very disrespectful to Srila Prabhupada mission as well as his servants. For instance, on ISKCON's temple property, Narayana Maharaja's followers repeatedly canvassed the ISKCON devotees and congregational members to buy Narayana Maharaja's books and attend his lectures. During one of my lectures at the Suva temple, where over 100 devotees attended (practically all the devotees in Suva) two brahmachari followers of Narayana Maharaja came. Afterwards, as soon as I left, without the temple authority's permission, these brahmacharis began to distribute pamphlets of Narayana Maharaja and invite the devotees to attend his lectures. They were escorted off the property.

The article by Sridhama Sakha dasa, although containing elements of truth, neither accurately relates what happened during Narayana Maharaja's visit to the ISKCON temple, nor my conversation with the brahmachari outside, nor Narayana Maharaja's speech at Hari Punja's house. It seems more a product of his imagination than the actual events and conversations which occurred. It is true, however, that Narayana Maharaja's followers seem to consistently minimize preaching Krsna consciousness to conditioned souls and stress the idea that even those devotees who barely understand the difference between the soul and the body should try to relish Krsna consciousness in the mood of a manjari.

The part about my giving a garland to Narayana Maharaja is true, although it occurred right before I went to offer guru-puja to Srila Prabhupada. Before offering guru-puja if I have a garland on, I usually take it off. I saw that Narayana Maharaja had no garland on, and I offer him the one I had on. Perhaps its was an offense for me to offer a garland to Narayana Maharaja, a prasadam garland of Srila Prabhupada's that I had already worn, for Narayana Maharaja is a more senior Vaisnava. But my mistake was innocent. The offering on my part was made with affection. Later, I asked forgiveness from him, and the only comment he made was "Don't do it again!"

I had gone to Hari Punja's house simply to take prasadam however, Narayana Maharaja gave a 45 minutes talk emphasizing how intimate his relationship was with Srila Prabhupada. At the end he turned to me and said: "Don't disobey me." My spiritual master is Srila Prabhupada and although I must respect my elder god-cousins, still I can not totally obey someone who is not giving the same instructions as Srila Prabhupada.

Although Narayana Maharaja claims to be a follower of Srila Prabhupada, he has many different ideas. Although he is a sadhu, Srila Prabhupada has warned us about following those whose teach differently from him.

"It is not that I disobey my real Spiritual Master and call someone else as Spiritual Master. That is wrong. It is only that I can call Spiritual Master someone who is teaching me purely what my initiating Spiritual Master has taught." (Letter to Sri Galim November 20, 1971)

Srila Prabhupada came to the western world, which is full of impersonalism and voidism, only to give something. He said his only credit was that he didn't add or subtract anything from the word of his spiritual master. Srila Prabhupada was a true follower and servant of his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada, and Srila Prabhupada always associated his spiritual master by serving his words and instructions (vani). Thus Srila Prabhupada received all the blessings of the paramapara and was therefore able to deliver the entire universe. He was a transparent medium to the disciplic succession, and was a true representative of Lord Nityananda.

Srila Prabhupada writes in the Adi-lila about how the members of the Gaudiya Matha deviated from the disciplic succession and began emphasizing different aspects of Krsna consciousness different from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada, thus they lost their spiritual vision and missionary inspiration to preach Krsna consciousness:

"The secret of success in advancement in spiritual life is the firm faith of the disciple in the orders of his spiritual master. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura wanted to print as many books as possible and distribute them all over the world. We have tried our best in this connection, and we are getting results beyond our expectations." (Adi-lila 12.8)

In my discussion with the brahmachary outside the temple I stressed that we can only understand Lord Caitanya fully if we also try to understand the Panca Tattva, especially the mood of Lord Nityananda to save the conditioned souls. Lord Caitanya did not come alone, but came with His associates, who not only tasted love of God, but distributed it as well. During the discussion I quoted from the Bhagavad-gita. He aggressively replied that there was no use quoting the Bhagavad-gita because the Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita and the Krsna in Goloka Vrindavan are different. What does Vasudeva Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita explain about Madhurya rasa? Here is what Srila Prabhupada wrote about that point:

"Krsna says, vasudeva... When Krsna is in the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, He's Vasudeva. Krsna does not go away from Vrndavana. But when He has got other business to do, He does it as Vasudeva. Vasudeva is in Mathura. Vasudeva is in Dvaraka. But original Krsna is in Vrndavana. But that does not mean that this Vasudeva is different from Krsna. The foolish person, who cannot study, who does not know what is Vasudeva, what is Aniruddha, what is Pradyumna, the, the Sankarsana... These are all expansions of Krsna. They are not different from Krsna. But still, They are not original Krsna. There is no... It is not that Vasudeva has got less power than Krsna. They are equally powerful. Advaitam acyutam... Advaita. They are not different." (Srimad-Bhagavatam lecture: 1.5.29 Vrndavana, August 10, 1974)

"There is no difference between the attitude of the gopis and Bhismadeva in the matter of exchanging transcendental mellows between God and His devotee. Krishna can be loved in any feature and because he is absolute there is no difference to love Krishna as a military man or as a simple Gopi." (Srila Prabhupada's letter to Jadurani dd, 29 December, 1967)

Narayana Maharaja, according to what I've directly heard from him, thinks that Lord Caitanya main mission was to relish feelings of separation from Krsna and that His spreading Krsna consciousness was something external. Several years ago in Mathura he said:

"This is certainly a very strange fact. But who did it? Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself ? Radha and Krsna yugal? Or anyone else did it. Who did? Mahavisnu did all these things. Understand? This is not the real business of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. You should understand this. His business was...rasa-niryasa...and to give some sprinkles to all others. Not these...all other strange things. These are of Mahavisnu, because He is yugavatara. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is not yugavatara." (Lecture by Narayana Maharaja, Mathura Sept. 19, 1994)

On the other hand, Srila Prabhupada explains in the Caitanya Caritamrta:

"Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is called maha-vadanyavatara because although He is Sri Krsna Himself, He is even more favorably disposed to the poor fallen souls than Lord Sri Krsna. When Lord Sri Krsna Himself was personally present He demanded that everyone surrender unto Him and promised that He would then give one all protection, but when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to this earth with His associates, He simply distributed transcendental love of God without discrimination. Sri Rupa Gosvami, therefore, could understand that Lord Caitanya was none other than Sri Krsna Himself, for no one but the Supreme Personality of Godhead can distribute confidential love of the Supreme Person." (Adi 7.20-21)

On other important points Narayana Maharaja's philosophy is different from Srila Prabhupada's. For instance, Srila Prabhupada has warned his followers about associating with devotees who emphasis gopi-bhava to followers prematurely. Narayana Maharaja in many public lectures before audiences of ISKCON devotees has stressed the need to take up raganuga bhakti. I have personal experience of Narayana Maharaja's discussing Lord Krsna's confidential pastimes with audiences who were new to Krsna consciousness.

In 1994, on a parikarama at Varsana, Narayana Maharaja and a group of followers met ISKCON devotees from the VIHE. The leader of the parikrama decided to join with Narayana Maharaja's group. At king Vrsabhanu's palace, Narayana Maharaja gave a speech and told different pastimes of Radha and Krsna, including one which Lord Krsna dresses as a gopi and has Kadamba flowers as breasts. I will not tell the entire story, but needless to say I was surprised that a devotee would preach such intimate pastimes of Radha and Krsna in front of new devotees. Lord Caitanya when he first met Ramananda Roy in south India, checked his ecstasy when he saw that unqualified brahmanas were present who could not understand this pastime of the Lord showing that the Supreme Lord Himself acts and preaches according to time, place and audience.

In one famous morning walk Srila Prabhupada explains about this tendency to talk about Lord Krsna's pastimes to those who are not qualified. This philosophy expounded by a class of men known as the prakrta sahajiyas, many of which reside at Radha Kunda in Vrindavan in the dress of babajis. Such philosophies are unauthorized and simply created disturbance in the execution of devotional service of sincere devotees. Below are excerpts from a morning walk conversation with Srila Prabhupada on June 7, 1976 in Los Angeles.

Ramesvara: The dangerous thing is that they are using your book for authority.

Prabhupada: That's all right. Authority, where? What is that? That I've already explained. Why these rascals do not take the lessons of Caitanya Mahaprabhu that we are all rascals, fools? No. That they will not take. They'll take the Radharani's bhava. What Caitanya Mahaprabhu is teaching by His practical life, that we have to take.

Tamala Krsna: There's a statement somewhere in one of your books that when one attains the highest platform...

Prabhupada: Then where is that highest platform?

Tamala Krsna: Yes, there's no question of it.

Ramesvara: One must go through stages.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Ramesvara: You gave the example of trying to get an M.A. degree.

Prabhupada: Yes. One has to come to that highest stage. It is not forbidden. That may be ideal, but not for the neophytes. You must.... One who does not know ABCD, what he will know about M.A. degrees? That they do not know. They think that they have already passed M.A. degree. That is their fault.

Tamala Krsna: There's another statement, I saw them, where it says, it's a quote, that you can treat Krsna as your lover and Krsna will reciprocate.

Hari-sauri: And they underlined the two words "you can" treat Krsna as your lover. In this way they're taking your quotes out of context.

Ramesvara: This is one of their main, the main ideas in their philosophy is that the living entity can desire to have any relationship he wants with Krsna.

Prabhupada: That's all right, he can desire. I already explained: first deserve, then desire.

Tamala Krsna and Ramesvara: Deserve then desire, oh.

Prabhupada: You are rascal, how you can desire? You have no qualification, you desire to high court judge. What is this nonsense?

Ramesvara: But then they have an answer.

Prabhupada: What is that answer?

Ramesvara: That "Let me just try it anyway, to keep my mind thinking..."

Prabhupada: How you can try it? First of all, be qualified, a big lawyer. Then you become high court judge. Where is that qualification? You are after illicit sex and bidi and you want to be associated with the gopis.

Ramesvara: They say that "In ISKCON, we do not..."

Prabhupada: Let them say all nonsense. They are disqualified. Sahajiya babajis, that's all.

Prabhupada: And they'll do that. (japa) That sahajiya tendency is very easy to take up.

Prabhupada: Thinking of Radha-Krsna lila, that is in liberated stage, not in the conditioned stage.

Prabhupada: Yes, first of all be rich man, then do all things, how you shall kick your wife. This is going on. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that "My Guru Maharaja found Me rascal number one; therefore he ordered, `You cannot study Vedanta. You chant Hare Krsna.' " They will not read this portion. That Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He posed Himself as a rascal.

Tamala Krsna: But they prefer to read about all the ecstatic symptoms on Caitanya Mahaprabhu's body

Prabhupada: That's all right. That.... Be, first of all bona fide. That is good ambition. But how this good ambition can fulfill when you are a potter, poor man? Actually be rich, and then kick your wife. And without being rich, if you think all this nonsense, you're spoiling time. (japa) Ramesvara: Srila Prabhupada, some devotees, sometimes they feel that in ISKCON we're talking so much about the business of how to spread Krsna consciousness, but we're not talking enough about Krsna's pastimes, krsna-katha, they say. So that's another reason why they want to read all these pastimes.

Prabhupada: Then let them read. What kind of krsna-katha? The krsna-katha test is as soon as he'll get the taste, he'll lose this taste. That is the.... What is this nonsense?

Ramesvara: Won't it purify them? That's what they say, "It will purify me."

Prabhupada: What you are purified? You have become a, what is called, putrefied, not purified.

Prabhupada: The books are there for reading. By reading, you become purified. (break) In 1935, our Guru Maharaja, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, he went to Radha-kunda for karttika-vrata. So at that time he was reading Upanisads. So first of all, these babajis they were coming. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati had come at Radha-kunda. He's giving some class. So they used to come. But as soon as they saw that he was reading Upanisads, they stopped coming. They saw: "They are jnanis, they are not bhaktas."

Tamala Krsna: What did they want to hear? Dasama-skandha?

Prabhupada: Like that. So Prabhupada condemned them that "They are not living in Radha-kunda. They're living in Naraka-kunda." I heard it, "They're living in Naraka-kunda." Prabhupada: Mostly. They have no knowledge. Material. Prakrta-sahajiya. Their real name is prakrta. Their thoughts are on this material platform. Just as they are preferring this conjugal love because here the sex is prominent. They are thinking that is the highest stage. What is the lowest stage here, they're taking that as the highest stage. In the.... Of course, in the spiritual world there is such thing, but as Krsna has many other lilas, why they are not attracted to other lilas?

Ramesvara: They don't want to be limited. They think that Krsna is the krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. So why...

Prabhupada: That is good. That is always true, but Krsna says, manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye yatatam api siddhanam kascin mam vetti tattvatah How you have understood Krsna? Krsna says, "Out of many millions of people, one becomes siddha, and out of many millions of siddhas, hardly one can understand Me." So how you have understood Krsna so easily, within two years? What you have understood Krsna, that is materially understood. You do not know what is Krsna. That is prakrta-sahajiya. "Oh, we have understood. Krsna was a playboy, dancing with His girls. Bas, we have understood. Now we shall..."

Ramesvara: "If I follow the regulative principles and go on hearing about rasa-lila, then I'll be purified."

Prabhupada: You say that. In the sastra does not say. Sastra says that after you have studied all the nine cantos of Bhagavatam, then enter into the tenth. Sahajiya means they take very easily. "I am.... Everything is all right. Now I am perfect." That is sahajiya. Krsna says, "To understand Me, it will take millions of years." And they understand Krsna immediately. That is their.... That is called prakrta-sahajiya. Ramesvara: Krsna's incarnation is to attract the living entities to Krsna. So let me read about rasa-lila, because I'm feeling some attraction.

Prabhupada: Then why not Kuruksetra-lila? What...? Kuruksetra-lila... Krsna's lila is the same, absolute. You are attracted to rasa-lila means you have got sex desire. That's all.

Ramesvara: I may still have sex desire, but this will purify me.

Prabhupada: No, no, no. This will purify. You are not purified.

Tamala Krsna: Putrefied.

Prabhupada: That is.... The, this rasa-lila is for the person who is completely purified. What...? When one is impure, he should not think of. That is stated in the Bhagavatam.