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[Guest guest]

ALL GLORIES TO HIS DIVINE GRACE A.C BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI SRILA PRABHUPADA.

"Any devotee, a Gaudiya-matha devotee, a ritvik-devotee... any devotee can join

a discussion and express his and his guru's views on a subject matter. That's

not very good. That's why need a senior ISKCON devotee to look after the

discussion.

The ritviks do not have the support of shaastra, so it is more likely that they

would be soundly defeated in a forum like this. Achintya is set up to prevent

useless speculation]"

(Dennis)

Haribol

Most Dear Vaisnava please endure this one question of mine. What is the

essential difference between a ritvik-devotee. In my mind this is a devotee who

is so sincerely attached to His divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila

Prabhupada that, he refuses to take initiation from any other GURU.

He realises that Srila Prabhupada can instruct via the heart so he remains in a

position of firm faith in Srila Prabhupada and thence Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

I do have some form of minimal assiocation with Gaudya Math Vainava's (EX

ISKCON) hence my realization is that they are also preaching Chaitanya Maha

Prabhu's mission. I do offer them my respects but I am still indebted to His

Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.

As a matter, of my observation they also offer respects to His Divine Grace A.C

Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.

I humbly beg your response to the question : What is the essential difference

between a Gaudia Vaisnava devotee and a devotee who believes in ritvik vada?"

aspiring to be a servant

rakesh manohar

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[Guest guest]

achintya, rakesh.manohar@e... wrote:

> I do have some form of minimal assiocation with Gaudya Math

Vainava's (EX

> ISKCON) hence my realization is that they are also preaching

Chaitanya Maha

> Prabhu's mission. I do offer them my respects but I am still

indebted to His

> Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.

 

As a matter of policy, Achintya does not discriminate against those

who are following other Gaudiya Vaishnava gurus. Nor is it Achintya

policy to determine which gurus are bona fide and which are not.

 

That being said, Achintya was founded by followers of Srila

Prabhupada, and on Achintya, Srila Prabhupada's views are to be given

highest respect. We do not mind if others would like to politely

question or challenge them. Nor do we mind if some would like to

compare and contrast these views to those of other gurus. But we must

insist that shaastric authority be respected at all times, and that a

polite, Vaishnava demeanor be maintained.

 

If some list members want to post views of other GV acharyas, it is

acceptable to a point. But other list members are also free to

question those viewpoints as well -- no one will be denounced

as "offensive" merely because he has reasonable doubts about

someone's point of view.

 

Consequently, if someone wishes to use Achintya to advertise his

personal guru's writings, he had better be prepared for philosophical

questions. I will not permit answers that are simply argumentative

and lacking in shaastric support. Nor do I ban questioning.

 

The important point in Achintya discussions is that members remain

polite and politics be kept outside.

 

I am not interested in a particular organization's official policy on

whether or not a given individual is bona fide. On the other hand, it

is acceptable to discuss how others differ from Srila Prabhupada,

whether those other opinions stand up to scriptural scrutiny, what is

their validity, etc.

 

We will NOT pass edicts or fatwahs on this list. We WILL behave like

proper Vaishnavas and discuss philosophy with respect to guru,

saadhu, and shaastra. We will NOT discard another person's point of

view merely because we are told by a managerial body to do so. We

WILL discard false interpretations by examining them against

scriptural evidence. Even then we will do so politely and with

respect.

 

I am personally of the opinion that Srila Prabhupada's command of the

Vedic literature is unparalleled, and that his writings do not need

to be supplemented with those of anyone else outside of his

paramparaa. That is my personal opinion, based on reading his

writings. I am also of the opinion that those who think they have

fully understood his writings and are ready for something supposedly

more "advanced" have probably misunderstood him. Again, these are

simply my personal opinions. My opinions don't necessarily = Achintya

policy.

 

 

> I humbly beg your response to the question : What is the essential

> difference between a Gaudia Vaisnava devotee and a devotee who

believes in

> ritvik vada?"

 

Ritvik vaada is a deviant concept of the guru-disciple relationship

that was first introduced in the Western world after the passing of

Srila Prabhupada. Its proponents believe, without any evidence from

shruti or smriti that I am aware, that a "ritvik-guru" or

respresentative guru can initiate disciples in the name of a guru who

is no longer physically present on the worldly plane. The political

backdrop of this "philosophical" controversy is really not relevant

subject matter for Achintya. The point is that this idea is not based

on shaastra.

 

Of course, if proponents of ritvik-vaada wish to argue their case

based on shaastra, I am always prepared to listen. Achintya's

standards of discussion may not permit them the chance, however.

Discussions here must be based on explicit evidence from Vedas,

Puraanas, Itihaasas, etc and not out-of-context conversations or

personal whim. Nor does Achintya allow for people to attack the

character of any Vaishnava in order to get his point across. If the

followers of this ritvik philosophy can obey these two rules, then

they are welcome to argue their case here.

 

yours,

 

Krishna Susarla

moderator, Achintya