Never Leave ISKCON

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Never Leave ISKCON

 

Q & A with Swami B. V. Tripurari

 

"I propose that we adjust to the present, forget the contentious past,

forgive one another, and work cooperatively to preach the essential

teachings of Sri Caitanya. To agree to do this, I believe, would please

Srila Prabhupada infinitely more than further argumentation on the

subject of leaving Iskcon."

 

Q. Sankirtana means congregational chanting of the holy name of God.

Why is preaching equated with sankirtana?

 

A Sankirtana involves, among other things, glorifying Krsna widely,

loudly, fully, collectively (sam), for the benefit of oneself and

others. In the vision of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, this

extends to the distribution of the message of Mahaprabhu. Thus

advocated a dynamic understanding of sankirtana and coined the phrase

brhat mrdanga (big drum) in reference to the printing press and the

distribution of Krsna conscious literature.

 

Q. Iskcon members told me that their society is based on preaching

while the Gaudiya Math is based on nama-bhajana and lila-smaranam

(meditation on the pastimes of Krsna). They say that for Western

devotees Srila Prabhupada established the path of preaching because if

one is not pure, lila-smaranam may be easily confused with

maya-smaranam. What are your comments on this?

 

A. Although I am not a member of Gaudiya Math, I can tell you that this

statement seriously misrepresents the Gaudiya Math institution of Srila

Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura. In his mission Srila Bhaktisiddhanta

emphasized preaching along with nama bhajana, both of which bring about

the removal of unwanted habits (anarthas), thus qualifying one for

lila-smaranam. Preaching and bhajana are not divorced from one another.

One leads naturally to the other and Srila Prabhupada instituted both

in his mission.

 

Srila Prabhupada asked his devotees to chant sixteen rounds of nama

japa every day. What is sixteen rounds of nama japa? Is it preaching?

No. It is bhajana. He also told devotees who reside in his temples to

rise before sunrise and attend the mangala arotika ceremony as well as

attend arotika again in the evening before they retire. Is this

preaching? No. It is kirtana and arcana, and where did Srila Prabhupada

teach that devotees should not remember the pastimes of Sri Krsna

(lila-smaranam)? His books are all about the pastimes of Sri Krsna and

the philosophy underlying them.

 

What he did say was "work now, samadhi later." Work in this sense

refers to preaching, japa, kirtana, arcana, and other forms of guru

seva including cooking, cleaning, and management. Performing these acts

with sincerity leads to a pure heart with which one can remember Krsna

always in samadhi of lila-smaranam.

 

Q. I took first initiation from a guru in Iskcon but lost contact with

him. This happens because once you're initiated there are new prospects

that need care and attention. I have no hard feelings about this but

find it difficult to get the spiritual guidance that I feel I need.

Instead of spiritual guidance one mostly gets a pep talk from local

authorities on how we should preach and save the world. This gives one

enthusiasm for a short time and then most devotees go away. My question

is whether it is mandatory to take second initiation from the guru who

gave me first initiation?

 

A. Iskcon is the largest international Gaudiya Vaisnava organization

and the vast majority of devotees affiliated with any international

Gaudiya institution have been introduced to Krsna consciousness through

Iskcon. Thus Iskcon deserves our appreciation and respect. However, if

Iskcon is not working for you, then move on. Krsna consciousness is not

exclusive to Iskcon. Srila Prabhupada acknowledges this in his Nectar

of Devotion where he writes, "There are many societies and associations

of pure devotees and if someone with just a little faith begins to

associate with such societies, his advancement to pure devotional

service is rapid."

 

If you would like to receive mantra diksa from someone other than your

nama guru, you are free to do so. Diksa is based on faith. You are free

to seek mantra diksa from whomever you like, and again, one need not be

a member of Iskcon in order to practice Krsna consciousness and make

spiritual advancement.

 

Q. There are many statements in Srila Prabhupada's books that appear by

modern standards to be quite sexist. If Srila Prabhupada had understood

how women really feel about hearing such statements and how it impairs

their tender creeper of spiritual resolve, would he have spoken so

strongly and at times so blatantly?

 

A. The answer to this kind of question--what would Prabhupada do if?--

is found in the concept of guru-parampara. Those who represent the

dynamic spirit of Srila Prabhupada do not say things that might

negatively affect people's enthusiasm for Krsna consciousness in the

present social environment. In other words, there is no need to

speculate as to what Srila Prabhupada would have done had he been given

different information or had there been different circumstances because

he lives on within the institution of guru-parampara. This system

provides for adjustment as new information and circumstances arise,

adjustment of details that serves to implement the essence of Sri

Caitanya's precepts.

 

Otherwise, in my experience Srila Prabhupada was unlimitedly

compassionate and considerate of others in all circumstances. In many

cases when he found out that people of another culture looked at a

particular social issue differently than his own culture did, he would

adjust his presentation in consideration of cultural differences as

long as such adjustments did not compromise the essence of Mahaprabhu's

teaching.

 

Q. I was told that one's gratitude to Srila Prabhupada is in question

if one takes initiation from a guru outside of Iskcon. What is your

opinion of this statement?

 

A. My opinion is that this statement is offensive to Srila Prabhupada

and contrary to his essential teachings. Srila Prabhupada taught that

initiation is based on the faith of the disciple and the qualifications

of the guru, not upon the guru's affiliation with a particular

religious institution. Gurus that are actually qualified inspire people

to accept initiation by their scriptural knowledge and pure

spirituality, not by using subtle intimidation such as you have

described.

 

While Iskcon is the religious institution that Srila Prabhupada founded

and no doubt wants to flourish, he also acknowledged that there were

qualified gurus outside of Iskcon. Iskcon members would do well to

admit this and thereby stop trying to denigrate the faith of those who

have been initiated by gurus who are not members of Iskcon. Srila

Prabhupada's acknowledgment is illustrated in the following excerpt

from a letter where he gives permission for his own disciple, a devotee

who had been in Iskcon, to take second initiation (diksa) from his

Godbrother and join that Gaudiya mission.

 

"Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. I understand

from the letter of Asita das that he has gone to your place in

Jagannatha Puri. He has asked permission from me for taking initiation

from you. I have given him my permission and you can initiate him if

you like so that he may increase his devotional service there." (Letter

75-01-14 Bombay)

 

Gaudiya siddhanta teaches that one should take initiation from the guru

who awakens one's faith in nama dharma. If a person finds faith and

inspiration in relation to a qualified guru outside of Iskcon, then

naturally that devotee should take initiation from him or her. Would

Srila Prabhupada approve of doing otherwise? Would he approve of a

person taking initiation from a guru that he or she was not fully

inspired by, simply for the sake of showing gratitude to him?

 

Such a display of ignorance and sentimentality would certainly not be

pleasing to Srila Prabhupada. Is his mission to increase the membership

of Iskcon or to spread Krsna consciousness? Those that answer this

question by saying 'both' need to be aware that Krsna consciousness is

infinitely larger than just Iskcon. Knowing this, members of Iskcon

should be encouraged toward healthy interaction with devotees of other

Gaudiya institutions, rather than being erroneously told that one's

gratitude to Srila Prabhupada is in question if one takes initiation

from a guru outside of Iskcon.

 

Q. Wasn't Srila Prabhupada's siksa to "never leave Iskcon" and doesn't

this instruction apply for his disciples as well as their disciples?

 

A. Where exactly, and in what context, does the siksa to "never leave

Iskcon" appear? Srila Prabhupada might have said something similar to

this, but I could not find anywhere where he actually wrote or said

"never leave Iskcon." I did find an instance in a letter written in

1976 where an unhappy devotee was told by Srila Prabhupada not to go

outside the shelter of Iskcon. Considering its contents one should note

that Srila Prabhupada was still personally in charge of Iskcon at that

time and that until 1981 his society was the only Gaudiya Vaisnava

organization in the West. Now there are many Gaudiya organizations

preaching outside of India.

 

Even if the so-called siksa "never leave Iskcon" does appear somewhere,

how can one justify making those words the pivotal instructions around

which all other siksa from Srila Prabhupada must revolve? Especially

considering everything that has happened in Iskcon during the past

twenty-seven years since his disappearance?

 

For example, what if one is faced with a choice between an instruction

such as "never leave Iskcon" and the instruction to never offend a pure

devotee? Certainly the instruction to never offend a pure devotee is

more prominent in Srila Prabhupada's books. Therefore, which

instruction is more important? What if the so-called mandate to never

leave Iskcon implicates one in offenses to pure devotees because Iskcon

administrators instituted a policy of Vaisnava aparadha shortly after

Srila Prabhupada's departure? Note that many of the original architects

of this policy are no longer in Iskcon themselves, including seven of

the eleven Iskcon gurus that came to power almost immediately after

Srila Prabhupada departed.

 

Of course, I recognize that to many devotees the virtues of choosing

between remaining in Iskcon and leaving Iskcon are not so clear. But in

my case Iskcon's governing body made the choice perfectly clear. They

ordered me to reject Sridhara Maharaja as my siksa guru or leave

Iskcon. They ordered me to reject the guru that Srila Prabhupada said

was a pure devotee and his siksa guru.

 

Srila Prabhupada said, "I had the opportunity of associating with

Sridhara Maharaja for several years. Krsna and Prabhupada (Srila

Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura) liked him to prepare me. Sridhara

Maharaja lived in my house for many years, so naturally we had very

intimate talks and he was my good advisor. I took his advice and

instructions very seriously, because from the very beginning I knew he

was a pure Vaisnava, a pure devotee, and I wanted to associate with

him, and I tried to help him also. Our relationship is very intimate."

(Room conversation March 17, 1973)

 

Srila Prabhupada wrote, "If you are actually serious to take

instructions from a siksa guru, I can refer you to the one who is the

most highly competent of all my godbrothers. This is B. R. Sridhara

Maharaja, whom I consider to be even my siksa guru, so what to speak of

the benefit that you can have by his association. So, if you are

serious about the advancement of your spiritual life, I will advise you

to go to Sridhara Maharaja. It will be very good for your spiritual

benefit, and I will feel that you are safe. When I was in India with

the others, we lived with Sridhara Maharaja. You can also make

arrangements for your other godbrothers to go there in the future."

(Letter January 31, 1969)

 

[Editor's note: further information on the relationship between Srila

Sridhara Maharaja and Srila Prabhupada can be found in the book called

Our Affectionate Guardians:

 

http://www.gosai.com/chaitanya/srila_sridhara_mj/affection/oag_1.html

 

However, rather than continue this endless debate regarding "never

leave Iskcon," I propose that we adjust to the present, forget the

contentious past, forgive one another, and work cooperatively to preach

the essential teachings of Sri Caitanya. To agree to do this, I

believe, would please Srila Prabhupada infinitely more than further

argumentation on the subject of leaving Iskcon. The following letter

illustrates that cooperation between Iskcon and other Gaudiya societies

is what Srila Prabhupada had ultimately hoped for.

 

My dear B.S. Bodhayana Maharaja,

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. I am in due receipt of your letter

dated 2/11/76 for which I thank you very much. The Bengali letter

delivered with my letter has been delivered to Kamal Narayana. My

thanks are also to Santo Maharaja. I'm very much obliged to you that

you write to say, "It is clear to me that you are great powerful Acarya

in the Vaisnava world at present." Sometimes Sridhara Maharaja also

says like that. So, actually if you are feeling like that let us work

conjointly. There is great prospect for preaching Caitanya Mahaprabhu's

message all over the world and in India also. At least in India we can

preach very vigorously if we combine together. It is already tested in

many cases. Whenever we held some festival in big, big cities like

Calcutta, Bombay, Hyderabad, Madras, Delhi, etc., thousands of men

gather and they request regularly to continue the program. Recently we

held a similar program in Candigargh and the devotees of Sri Caitanya

Gaudiya Math also participated. They invited me in the local center of

Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Math and many thousands of people came to hear me.

So there is great prospect if we work conjointly at least in India. So

you can consult Sridhara Maharaja also. He's also of that opinion you

have opined and if in this old age we can do something combinedly it

will be a great triumph. I thank you very much once more.

 

Yours affectionately, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

 

Questions or comments may be submitted at the Q&A Forum

http://www.swami.org/sanga/ or email sangaeditor (AT) swami (DOT) org.

 

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Wednesday, February, 23, 2005, Vol. VII, No. 3

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