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[Guest guest]

> While we're discussing such things, I'd be remiss if I failed to point out

> that Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita makes a very clear point about the way we

> relate to our gurus' Godbrothers (and -sisters, by extension). Mahaprabhu

> Himself sets the clearest of examples with Ramachandra Puri, and we

> rationalize ignoring or minimizing that instruction at our peril, and,

> frankly, to the detriment of our mission.

 

Yes, I always find the older generation very keen to discuss this example,

yet they fail to mention the part where Caitanya Mahaprabhu, at other times,

"completely neglected" him. There's always two sides to everything, isn't

there? And I believe we ignore one side at our own peril.

 

As for this whole topic, it is of course something that only the second

generation has had to deal with. I always find something of an imbalance in

our Society in terms of Srila Prabhupada disciples; that they have had no

seniors to learn from in a social capacity, and no practical understanding

or application of these points of etiquette.

 

There are various forms of respect: those we respect in the mind because

they chant Hare Krishna, but who don't inspire any further kind of respect

than that. There are godbrothers and sisters of my guru who I would to defer

to on anything. But some I don't have any time for.

 

Bhaktivinode Thakura has instructed to certify each and every devotees'

level of advancement so that we can understand how to relate to them in

terms of kanistha, madhyam, and utthama. That means we need to be well

versed in scripture so we can draw these conclusions.

 

Your servant

Braja Sevaki dd

[Guest guest]

On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 19:03 -0500, Braja Sevaki TKG <

Braja.Sevaki.TKG (AT) pamho (DOT) net> wrote:

>

>

> > While we're discussing such things, I'd be remiss if I failed to point

> out

> > that Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita makes a very clear point about the way

> we

> > relate to our gurus' Godbrothers (and -sisters, by extension).

> Mahaprabhu

> > Himself sets the clearest of examples with Ramachandra Puri, and we

> > rationalize ignoring or minimizing that instruction at our peril, and,

> > frankly, to the detriment of our mission.

>

> Yes, I always find the older generation very keen to discuss this example,

> yet they fail to mention the part where Caitanya Mahaprabhu, at other

> times,

> "completely neglected" him. There's always two sides to everything, isn't

> there? And I believe we ignore one side at our own peril.

 

 

And many in the "next generation" prefer to ignore it altogether, or think

that it's somehow negotiable, assuming they're on the same level as the

older devotees. So why not simply neglect those with whom we disagree,

rather than ciriticize? Mahaprabhu sometimes neglected Ramachandra Puri, but

He never spoke a word of criticism or tolerated anyone else doing so. And

Ramachandra Puri had been rejected outright by his guru!

 

 

> As for this whole topic, it is of course something that only the second

> generation has had to deal with.

 

 

Wrong! We have to deal with this, too, and we often fail rather miserably.

Too darned many of us have found it easy to criticize Srila Prabhupada's

Godbrothers, as though we were somehow superior to them. It's nuts! And

Srila Prabhupada stopped his disciples cold when they tried it in his

presence. Nevertheless, I heard one ISKCON leader assert in class that NONE

of Srila Prabhupada's Godbrothers was unhappy that the Gaudiya Math fell

apart, and that they ALL became sahajiyas and mayavadis. The ostensible

intention was to "glorify" Srila Prabhupada, but the complete lack of

Vaishnava culture can only diminish his reputation. So I point this out not

just for your benefit, dear Braja, but for my benefit, and all of ours as

well.

 

Yours in service,

Babhru das