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EDITORIAL August 21, 1999 VNN4562 Related VNN Stories Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharja - Completely In Line With Srila Sridhar Maharaj BY GIRIDHARI DAS  EDITORIAL, Aug 21 (VNN) — Dear Vaisnava readers, please accept my humble obeisances. Sri Guru-Gaurangau jayatah! It is sad to note that severe offenses are being committed in the name of Srila Bhaktiraksak Sridhar Maharaj on a website, which ought to represent the divine loving teachings of Sri Guru and Gauranga. A certain devotee, who claims to be a disciple of Srila Sridhar Maharaj, has transgressed all limits of Vaisnava etiquette by spreading sadhu-ninda against Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaj on the Internet. We have no doubt that our previous acaryas, especially Srila Sridhar Maharaj, would be extremely displeased, if not disgusted, that such disgraceful Vaisnava-aparadha is committed in his name. Yet, what bitter irony, this devotee is obviously trying to ingratiate himself with GBC-ruled ISKCON (see VNN article of April 30 and CHAKRA article Narayan Maharaj not in line with Sridhar Maharaj"). How is it that he has forgotten so soon that this GBC is still preaching that Srila Sridhara Maharaj was merely a bell-ringer, who went against the order of his Guru and is guilty of introducing the zonal-acarya system in ISKCON etc. This is why ISKCON devotees are not allowed, even today, to read Srila Sridhar Maharaja's books according to the current GBC resolutions. Srila Sridhar Maharaj was visibly shaken by the behavior of the GBC representatives: "I am an old man, I am tired, excited, I am very, very sorry (crying), really I say with folded palms that you are ill-treating me. I am very sorry. Swami Maharaj was so affectionate, I also treated him with such affection, and rudely you are behaving towards me. I am very much mortified for that, but what can I do ?". (conversation March 1982) On the other hand Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaj has publicly praised Srila Sridhar Maharaj as a pure devotee of Krsna. Not only do the disciples of Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja read Srila Sridhar Maharaja's books, they also publish his articles in magazines such as "Rays of the Harmonist" and distribute them worldwide. Why ? Because we have been trained by Srila Gurupada-padma Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaj to honor all faithful disciples of Srila Sarasvati Prabhupada: "Vaisnavas like param-pujyapad Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Maharaj, param-pujyapad Sridhar Maharaj, param-pujyapad Madhava Maharaj, param-pujyapad Naimi Maharaj, parama-pujyapada Giri Maharaj, parama-pujyapada Vaikhanas Maharaja, my Guru Maharaja and Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja are all vaibhava, extensions, of Prabhupada. When Prabhupada descends into this world, his associates also join him. But if we criticize one of these personalities and then respect another, it is not good. We should give proper respect to everyone and preach vaisnava-dharma." (Mayapur, 4th March 1996) Why shall Srila Narayan Maharaj disrespect Srila Sridhar Maharaj, who gave sannyas to Srila Kesava Maharaj, his beloved Guru Maharaj ? On the contrary, special respect will be given to Srila Sridhar Maharaj. We, the disciples of Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaj, have heard several times how our Guru Maharaj appreciated the elevated position of Srila Sridhar Maharaj. Now, a member of another Math, who avoids the association of Narayan Maharaj, wants to make us believe that Srila Narayana Maharaj has no respect for Srila Sridhar Maharaj ? How ridiculous ! The ISKCON GBCs, who directly or indirectly offended Srila Sridhar Maharaj for nearly a decade, are now targeting another pure devotee: Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaj. They even went so far to misuse a statement by Srila Bhaktipramod Puri Maharaj against Srila Narayan Maharaj. When Srila Puri Maharaj came to know about this, he said: "The ISKCON devotees came to me and asked several questions. And based on their questions I answered in a particular way. And now they are using it against me by using my words against Srila Narayan Maharaj. Why are they doing that ? Srila Narayan Maharaj is a bona fide preacher in our line. We are very happy that he is going to the West, and devotees should follow him. He is a rasika Vaishnava." These GBCs also went to the president-acarya of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti, Srila Bhaktivedanta Vaman Maharaj. Navin Krishna Prabhu, Srila Narayan Maharaj's personal servant recalls: "When Srila Guru Maharaj had left India for his first world tour, six ISKCON devotees approached Srila Vaman Maharaj at the Devananda Gaudiya Math, Navadvip, to speak against Srila Guru Maharaj. They began to suggest to Srila Vaman Maharaj that, unlike him, the preaching which Srila Guru Maharaj was doing was deviant, being of a sahajayistic nature. They suggested that he had no respect for the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti and its principles. Hearing the insidious blasphemy, Srila Vaman Maharaj became furious. "No one in this world knows Srila Narayan Maharaj as well as I do. We have been together for fifty years. Do you think that I am going to listen to this from you? Get out of here at once, and never pass through these gates again!" Sometimes Srila Svami Prabhupad wrote strongly against his god-brothers, including Srila Sridhar Maharaj. We understand these statements as transcendental dealings between pure devotees, beyond our judgement. I know several disciples of Srila Sridhar Maharaj who are taking siksa from Srila Narayan Maharaj. They told me their reasons why they left the association of Srila Sridhara Maharaja's formal successor-acarya. But why should one disclose them in a public forum? In the web-sites of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti you will not find any disparaging statements against any acarya. Yet, the Australian website of the Caitanya Sarasvat Math has dedicated many pages against Srila Narayan Maharaj. This is certainly not the mood of Srila Sridhar Maharaj. The arguments against Srila Narayan Maharaj are the same old kitchri, repeated over and over again. Interestingly, these very same arguments were also used against Srila Sridhar Maharaj by the GBC: "Srila Sridhara Maharaja's tasteful illuminations of the most sublime aspects of madhura-rasa and the tantamount importance of Srimati Radhika and her dearmost Rupa Gosvami (Manjari) are not in line with Srila Svami Prabhupada's teachings." In "Loving Search For the Lost Servant" and the final chapters of "Sri Guru and His Grace", Srila Sridhar Maharaj disclosed many confidential aspects of our rupanuga-sampradya. Srila Narayan Maharaj is repeating what Srila Sridhar Maharaj said in "Loving Search For the Lost Servant" : "The Gaudiya Vaisnavas know only Radharani. They are concerned only with Her, and Her duties, Her necessities. They are ready to serve Her in all respects, and cannot contemplate any service without Her. That is the highest achievement of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas, that is the special feature of Mahaprabhu's party, and that was announced by Raghunath das Gosvami." Whenever I had darsan with Srila Gurudeva, he told me how perishable the material world is, citing many examples. Everytime he told me how valuable this human form is. If we don't do sadhana-bhajana, we are like animals. During my last darsan he cited an example from Jaiva-dharma, saying that the jiva's original nature is to serve Krishna, just as the original nature of water is to be liquid. The frozen state of water, when it becomes ice, so hard that it can injure a person, is not the natural state. So, we should strive to attain our natural position through sadhana. Only once did Gurudeva talk about Radha-Krishna to me. During my harinam initiation, when he explained the meaning of the maha-mantra. He told me "Rama means Radha-raman Rama, Krishna being engaged in vilas with Srimati Radhika." Maybe for certain devotees that was too confidential. But look, what Srila Sridhar Maharaj says in this regard: "In the name of Rama within the Hare-Krsna mantra, the Gaudiya Vaisnavas will find Radha-raman Rama. That means "Krsna, who gives pleasure (raman) to Srimati Radharani. Sri Caitanya's highest conception of things is always svayam bhagavan, krishna-lila, radha-govinda-lila. That is the real purpose of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's advent and teachings." ("Loving Search For the Lost Servant"). The statement in Chakra that "Srila Narayan Maharaj tells his new disciples to constantly meditate on the pastimes of Krishna with the gopis" is what it is: a blatant lie. Yet, lila-katha is one of the most powerful medicines against maya. By the order of Srila Svami Prabhupada innumerable "Krsna"-books, containg the five most confidential chapters, have been mass-distributed to ordinary people on the street. This also applies to Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta, where all rasika aspects of madhura-rasa are disclosed. Srila Sarasvati Prabhupad said in a lecture at Radha-kunda during Vraja-mandala parikrama in 1932. (first printed in the Gaudiya, 1934): "All these days we have not spoken about lila. Why ? Because this is our most confidential asset. This is our only sadhya. But we should not make the mistake of thinking that anartha-nivrtti is the prayojana. One thinking like this will never enter into artha-pravrtti. For this reason, I will begin speaking about asta-kaliya lila. I know that you are not ready to hear it. But we should know such a transcendental idea exists within the realm of devotion. This is why anartha-nivrtti is essential. After the realm of anartha-nivrtti is artha-pravrtti, pure conjugal service to Radha and Krishna. This is transcendental reality. If we do not know of this transcendental realm, then all of our efforts may end in nirvisesa-vad. Do not let your days pass in trying for anartha-nivrtti. Artha-pravrtti is also necessary. Anartha-nivrtti is necessary until artha-pravrtti has started. When artha-pravrtti is present, then anartha-nivrtti becomes unimportant - artha-pravrtti becomes prominent. Those who have chanted hari-nama for 15 or 20 years you should know such things." Any attempt to find fault in Srila Narayana's preaching style will backfire. It will only increase the fame of Srila Narayana Maharaj. I want to conclude this apologetic letter with conciliatory words. I really appreciate that the members of the Caitanya Sarasvat Math are preaching the gospel of Sri Gauranga worldwide. It is great that they are publishing, translating and distributing the books of Srila Sridhar Maharaj. The devotees of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti have the same objective, prayojana: radha-dasyam. By the divine encouragement of Srila Narayan Maharaj, several books by Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur and Srila Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur have been translated and published in the English language for the first time in history. The next book going to be printed by the Gaudiya Vedanta Press is "Jaiva Dharma", the law-book of all Gaudiyas. I am sure that all members of Srila Sarasvati Prabhupada's family will be pleased with these efforts. Vaisnava-dasanudas Giridhari das Related VNN Stories  Comment on this storyContact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
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