Excerpt from Bhagavad Gita As It Is defeating ritvikism A Question

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Dear Krishna Priya Mataji, PAMHO. AGTSP!

 

> SRILA PRABHUPADA IS NOT ONLY THE FOREMOST SIKSA GURU FOR EVERYONE IN

> ISKCON. HE IS THE FOUNDER-ACHARYA AS WELL AND FOR SO LONG AS ISKCON IS

> EXISTING HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE ONLY ABSOLUTE HEAD OF THE INSTITUTION

> AND ITS DIKSA GURU. Srila Prabhupada is THE CURRENT LINK in the BRAHMA

> GAUDIYA SAMPRADAYA, THE ONLY PROMINENT LINK, take it or leave it. The

> PARAMPARA IS CONTINUING JUST FINE, WITH SRILA PRABHUPADA REMAINING THE

> DIKSA GURU.

 

Since Madhvacarya none of the acaryas in our sampradaya was initiating for

more than 100 years or so. So can you please present any evidence backed up

by guru (Srila Prabhupada's guru), sadhu and sastra that Srila Prabhupada

was authorized to establish himself as the only initiator for thousands of

years.

 

> It is fact that Srila Prabhupada is no longer physically present before

> us, but for the process of Diksa the physical presence is not required.

 

For the "ritvik initiation" which is impersonal the physical presence of the

guru is indeed not required. (The "ritvik initiation" means "reading Srila

Prabhupada's words, follow his instructions and serve him" [pranipatena

sevaya].) But there is also another initiation which is based on the

personal exchange between two persons. And for that the physical presence is

required. You cannot learn the personal aspect of anything simply by

reading. You can learn it only from a person with whom you can communicate

and have an exchange. Of course if you are able to communicate with a

departed guru as if he is personally present, then you can take personal

initiation from him.

 

> Iskcon is to last for 9.500 years. After that in this Kali Yuga there will

> be no spiritual movement, no HARE KRISHNA'S. So, what is the need to carry

> on the parampara?

 

kaler dosa-nidhe rajann

asti hy eko mahan gunah

kirtanad eva krsnasya

mukta-sangah param vrajet

SB 12.3.51

 

> We can under all circumstances approach His Divine Grace,

 

You still have not yet explained to me how I can approach Srila Prabhupada

and ask him a question (pariprasnena, Bg. 4.34).

 

> Nothing is really adding up in ISKCON today. And so far I am concerned -

> This is due to disregarding Srila Prabhupada's Ritvik order, which was

> meant to keep ISKCON in perfect balance. Instead corruption at the top

> have lead to unauthorised persons claiming the seat of the ACHARYA, they

> and followers becoming immune to falldowns and utterly disgusting

> behaviour - including abuse of children and murder. Nothing shocks them

> anymore.

 

If Srila Prabhupada authorized some of his disciples to be diksa gurus but

they all fell down, abused children, committed murder etc., then still Srila

Prabhupada authorized them.

 

And if Srila Prabhupada did not authorize any of his disciples to be diksa

guru but all disciples became pure devotees, never fell down etc., then

still Srila Prabhupada did not authorize them.

 

So what do you want to say by your statement?

 

> And it is a problem, for me at least it is, because genuine authorised

> spiritual master in the disciplic succession DOES NOT FALL DOWN. This is

> one indication that the socalled gurus in ISKCON to date have not been

> authorised.

 

Some of the ISKCON gurus did not fell down. So according to your argument

they were authorized?

 

> What we are left with is a "black on white" directive letter of Srila

> Prabhupada EXPRESSING his EXPLICIT WISH that the diksa in initiated be

> carried on by Ritviks, representatives of the Acharya.

 

For how long? Until November 1977? For 10 years? For 9500 years? For 427000

years?

 

> For your information, I took reinitiation, but asked to be freed from my

> commitment, because I realised that I had not progressed one inch from the

> moment I joined ISKCON. Just another person here came forward to

> 'pretend'to be my eternal spiritual master and thus keeping me from my

> eternal relationship with my FACTUAL ETERNAL SPIRITUAL MASTER; HIS DIVINE

> GRACE SRILA PRABHUPADA

 

Yes, you are a Prabhupada disciple. But I am not, I am a disciple of his

disciple.

 

Please also note following statement by Srila Prabhupada:

 

The principles of the parampara system were strictly honored in previous

ages -- Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga and Dvapara-yuga -- but in the present age,

Kali-yuga, people neglect the importance of this system of srauta-parampara,

or receiving knowledge by disciplic succession. In this age, people are

prepared to argue that they can understand that which is beyond their

limited knowledge and perception through so-called scientific observations

and experiments, not knowing that actual truth comes down to man from

authorities. (CC Adi 7.74 Purport)

 

ys Ramakanta dasa