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EDITORIAL May 29, 1999 VNN3975 See Related VNN Stories | Comment on this story Krsna Under 'Lock And Key' BY KULASEKHARA DAS EDITORIAL, May 29 (VNN) — Srila Narayan Maharaj is coming to Los Angeles next week. His Grace makes the following statements in his "Nectar Sprinkles from Australia". The first part of this lecture I found very interesting and enlightening, however when I came to this latter part of his lecture I got quite concerned regarding the following statements. As I consider myself still a neophite vaishnava, even after thirty years of devotion, I would like to bring this into open discussion in the hopes of understanding: "Do not try to know about spiritual life only from books. Everything is in Vedanta, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Caitanya-caritamrta, and in the books of Swamiji; but the knowledge is under lock and key. A very powerful lock and key. Because we are not so qualified we will not understand the meaning simply by reading. Yaha, bhagavata pada vaisnavera sthane. There are two types of bhagavata-grantha-bhagavata (sastra) and bhakta-bhagavata (Vaisnavas). The grantha-bhagavata is under lock and key and the realized soul, bhakta-bhagavata will reveal its meanings. (I thought this was what Srila Prabhupad's purports, lectures etc. accomplished? Also, Srila Prabhupada taught that there was no difference between the person bhagavat and the book bhagavat? [Ksd]) By reading Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and Swami Maharaja's books in the association of superior devotees, we can know their meaning and experience the ocean of rasa contained within them. Without the help of an advanced Vaisnava one may read these books many times and, as we have seen, still fall down. Why? Without proper association one is unable to take the essence. Go to a bhakta-bhagavata. They are more merciful than Srimad-Bhagavatam, and under their guidance we can realize the mercy of Srimad-Bhagavatam and Sri Krsna. Otherwise it is not possible." Now I can understand that there are some devotees who need to be in an ashram situation, and I agree with Sridhar Maharaj's paper on the "Mental Prison of the Mind". One who thinks he does not need the association of the devotees and think that they cannot learn anything more is already fallen. However, Srila Prabhupada said "Everything is in my books", and for those who still follow Srila Prabhupada's instructions, he is still very much with them. So I am confused as to what Srila Narayan Maharaj is indicating in his statement. One note here, in the past one lived at or near his guru's ashram, whereas now the devotees are living all over the planet, mostly in big cities. This is a very important point at this time, when most of Srila Prabhupad's disciples do not go to the ISKCON temples, therefore most of his disciples associate with Srila Prabhupada by their saddhana at home and by studying his books. What is the difference if Srila Prabhupad's disciples associate with him from Goloka, and Narayan Maharaj's disciples associate with him from Australia, or wherever he happens to be? Is it that one has to be in the physical presence of an advanced devotee in order to get mercy and enlightenment? Does one have to have personal association of an advanced living devotee at all times? And why is Narayan Maharaj able to "unlock this very powerful lock and key", whereas Srila Prabhupada is not able to? The statement - "Otherwise it is not possible", seems to be very final. By this statement, Srila Narayan Maharaj seems to be saying that without his or some other 'living' vaishnava's association one cannot understand Krsna Consciousness? I thought that it was only by the mercy of one's guru that one understood Krsna, and that it was revealed to the sincere disciple from within his heart by his guru, whether by vani or vapu. I would like to make clear at this point that I mean no offense to His Grace Srila Narayan Maharaj, who's personal association I relish. When he came to America on his first preaching tour, I lent him my mrdungam as he had no drum for his tour. I sincerely want to understand this statement of his. I know that many disciples of Srila Prabhupada have taken shelter of His Grace, for he is undoubtedly qualified as a siksa guru, and that the process of learning is constant, although another point that confused me in relation to His Grace was that I understood that re-initiation was bogus and that he has re-initiated some of Srila Prabhupad's disciples. Srila Prabhupada taught us that one takes initiation from a diksa guru only once, whereas one may have many siksa gurus. Dear assembled vaishnavas, please speak further on these topics for clarification and enlightenment. Please do not go off in a ranting rave saying that I am fault finding with Srila Narayan Maharaj, this is not the case and I have no interest in such emotional protests. I am seeking a clear definition of the process of Krsna Consciousness. It would be great if Narayan Maharaj could clarify these two points before his visit, although I do not think this is likely. Your humble servant, Kulasekhara das. Related VNN Stories | Comment on this story | Contact VNN about this story | Send this story to a friend
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