more on Ekadasi Prasadam

[Guest guest]

>And with all due respect, the line of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati is not a

>*diksa* line, but a *siksa* line. Have a look at the parampara on the

>beginning pages of Bhagavad Gita As It Is. From Caitanya Mahaprabhu down to

>Gaura Kisora Dasa Babaji, there is only one diksa-link, namely that between

>Rupa and Jiva Gosvamis.

 

Dear Vaisnavas and Vaisnavis,

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

Thank you for the nice point, Atul Krsna prabhu.

 

However, it seems relevant for the current discussion, without getting into

technicalities of Ekadasi fasting, to bring up one statement by Srila

Prabhupada where he clearly defines relations between diksa and siksa gurus

how he himself saw it.

 

>Letter to: Sri Galim, 20 November 1971

>

>"To answer your last point, one who teaches can be treated as Spiritual

>Master. It is not that after we become initiated we become perfect. No. It

>requires teaching. So if we take instruction from them, all senior

>godbrothers may be treated as guru, there is no harm. Actually, you have

>only one Spiritual Master, who initiates you, just as you have only one

>father. But every Vaisnava should be treated as prabhu, master, higher than

>me, and in this sense, if I learn from him, he may be regarded as guru. It

>is not that I disobey my real Spiritual Master and call someone else as

>Spiritual Master. That is wrong. It is only that I can call Spiritual

>Master someone who is teaching me purely what my initiating Spiritual

>Master has taught. Do you get the sense?"

 

It appears to me that if our understanding of the statement in this forum

will be unanimous, then the discussion on Ekadasi prasadam, or any other of

the kind in the future, will hopefully be more fruitful.

 

Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

Begging to remain

 

your servant,

Madana-mohana das

[Guest guest]

> As long as we don't try to cross over Srila Prabhupada's instructions,and

> we don't imply that he did not teach us enough, siksa or diksa does not

> matter. That's my point.

 

 

It has been pointed out by Srila Prabhupada on a number of occasions that

the *actual* prescription for Ekadasi is more than he initially introduced.

 

 

"The purpose of ekadasi-vrata is that today we should not eat much usual

food, grains. The *actual prescription* is fasting. Nirjala-ekadasi. Nirjala

means there are many devotees who does not take even water. Water, drinking

water, according to sastra, it is taking food... It is drinking of food or

no food. We can take both ways. So sometimes drinking of water is excused as

upavasa also. But there are many devotees who even..., drink even a drop of

water. Whole day and night they fast and observe ekadasi-vrata."

 

============ REF. Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.1-8 -- New Vrindaban, May 23, 1969

 

 

In the following conversation, Srila Prabhupada makes it very clear:

 

 

Prabhupada: Yes. Ekadasi is meant for fasting, either Bhima or Arjuna. But

we cannot fast, therefore we have to take little fruits and.... Otherwise,

ekadasi means fasting.

Tamala Krsna: If it is possible, should we go without eating at all?

Prabhupada: Yes. But don't lie down and sleep.

Mahendra: Eating maha-prasadam is also fasting.

Prabhupada: Who says?

Mahendra: You said that to Paramahamsa Swami once.

Prabhupada: And you heard from Paramahamsa.

Mahendra: No, I was in the room. It was when he was trying to observe

Caturmasya.

Prabhupada: I never said that.

Mahendra: Oh, okay, I must have heard wrong.

Prabhupada: If there is service and, on my fasting, service will be stopped,

then I can take. First consideration, service. Now if somebody feels weak,

he can take maha-prasada, render service.

 

============ REF. Morning Walk -- June 7, 1976, Los Angeles

 

 

If one can do a full fast, nirjala, without its impeding his service, one

should fast completely. If full fasting leads to lying down and sleeping,

then it is better to take some water, and if water does not suffice, little

maha-prasadam may be honored to keep up one's service.

 

 

So he certainly taught many things in regards to Ekadasi. But who is

observing? Sometimes we take it that if someone states something which is

contrary to our understanding of Srila Prabhupada, he is directly

challenging Srila Prabhupada. This may not be the fact, though, as I am a

conditioned soul in my perception of him, and I think I may not be the only

one around. Others join the club? Therefore discussions ought to take place

to clarify the siddhanta.

 

siddhanta baliya citte na kara alasa

iha ha-ite krsne lage sudrdha manasa

 

"Do not be lazy in your mind in considering philosophical conclusions. It is

from such discussions that the mind becomes firm and fixed in Sri Krishna."

 

(Caitanya Caritamrta, Adi-lila, 2.117)