16 Beneficial Activities for the Whole World-concoction?

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> > Madhavananda Prabhu has here just given a very brief statement of what

> > could be expanded unlimitedly. Mostly what Sadhu Maharaja has stated is

> > OK, but the insinuation is that he's got an inside track to an even more

> > powerful sadhana than what Srila Prabhupada gave to us, namely the

> > chanting of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra on our diksa beads. Neither the

> > fact that great ragatmika and raganuga bhaktas chanted the name of

> > Gauranga constantly nor the fact that we are all advised to chant the

> > name of Gauranga constantly imply that it should be chanted on beads

> > without a specific order to do so from our guru.

 

I havent' seen the original texts from which these comments are

generated but this bit caught my eye and I can draw everyone's attention to

what Srila Prabhupada said about chanting the names of the Panca-tattva on

beads:

 

September 6, 1976, Vrindavana

Conversation in Garden [excerpt from T. Diary Vol. 4 -- see also recording

of conversation in Folio]

 

"Svayambhur wanted more clarification on what Srila Prabhupada had said

about the chanting of nitai-gaura being a deviation. In his mind there was

some contradiction, and he put it to Prabhupada to resolve. "Prabhupada, you

wrote in the Caitanya-caritamrta that the Caitanya maha-mantra,

sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu nityananda. ... there is no offence to that. And

so therefore in the Kali-yuga it is actually more beneficial ..."

Prabhupada repeated his comments made to Harikesa Maharaja. "Offence is that

what is spoken by the acaryas, if you do not follow, that is offence. Guror

avajna. To chant Gaura-Nitai is no offence. But if our previous gurus have

chanted sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu nityananda sri-advaita-why should we go

beyond that? That is guror avajna. Even there is no aparadha, because guru,

Kaviraja Gosvami, has sung like that and my guru has sung, we should follow

that. We should not make any deviation. That is guror avajna,

sruti-sastra-nindanam; namno balad yasya hi papa-buddhih. So it comes to be

one of the items of the dasa-vidha-aparadha [ten offences in chanting].

Guror avajna.

"Is it more beneficial for people to hear the Panca-tattva mantra than the

Hare Krsna maha-mantra?" Svayambhur asked.

"Oh yes," Prabhupada told us. "You are going to Hare Krsna through

Nitai-Gaura. Nitaiyer karuna habe braje radha-krsna pabe." But he added,

"The principle is don't try to manufacture. Because you are not experienced,

so what nonsense you will manufacture, that will be offensive. Better go on,

the simple thing."

Svayambhur said that he knew someone who chants the Panca-tattva mantra on

his beads.

Prabhupada raised his eyebrows. "Who?"

"That boy Richard in Radha-kunda."

He was referring to a tall thin New Yorker, liked by Srila Prabhupada and

many devotees for his humble attitude, who has been living in Radha-kunda

for quite a long time.

Prabhupada shook his head in disapproval and sympathy. "Rascal. That is his

bad association. Therefore I say don't follow these so-called Radha-kunda

babajis. Nara-kunda babaji. And they smoke bidi. I have seen. Richard is

still there?"

 

Hope this helps to clarify things.

 

Your humble servant,

Hari-sauri dasa