on loyalty

[Guest guest]

Not *Loyal* but *FAITHFUL*

 

> On 24 Oct 1999, Harsi das wrote:

 

1.

> > Srila Prabhupada himself was loyal. ... He was the most loyal son of his

Guru Maharaja; therefore he carried out the instructions of Bhaktisiddhanta

Sarasvati to go to the West.

 

2.

> > Being loyal to the International Society for Krsna Consciousness is

> > another expression. Loyalty to Srila Prabhupada without loyalty to ISKCON

is impossible.

 

 

>From "A Lifetime in Preparation," by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami, p. 228:

 

"Abhay could understand the needs and priorities of the Caitanya Math, but he

could not allow them to overrule what he considered the highest mandate:

preaching as Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati had ordered."

 

 

We all know that Prabhupada had little to do with the "official mission" of

the Gaudiya Math (ie, the Caitanya Math). He did associate, however,

extensively with some of the "factions" that split off (eg, Pujyapada Srila BR

Sridhara Maharaja and Pujyapada Srila Prajnana Kesava Maharaja). Was

Prabhupada being 'disloyal' to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati by not

cooperating with the institution originally founded by his guru maharaja? I

should think not.

 

> "Loyalty to Srila Prabhupada without loyalty to ISKCON is impossible."

 

I never heard Srila Prabhupada speak like that. To the contrary (SP Letter to

Madhudvisa Nov 7, 1975):

 

"My point is that even if somebody does not go in line with the rest

of godbrothers he can remain separately... So long as one follows

the principles, he continues to be my disciple."

(NB: Madhudvisa was acting as GBC until this time.)

 

Thus the two statements cited by Harsi Prabhu above are CONTRADICTORY. We

know the first 1) is true but the second 2) is plainly FALSE.

 

The real question to be asked is: Can someone be FAITHFUL to Srila Prabhupada

without being LOYAL to ISKCON. Yes!

 

Janesvara Prabhu has also correctly noted the inconsistency:

 

> Couldn't this also have been translated to say, "Loyalty to Bhaktisiddhanta

without loyalty to the Gaudiya Matha is impossible"?

>

> Would this mean that Srila Prabhupada was not loyal to his guru because he

wasn't loyal to the Gaudiya Matha by starting his own movement due to what he

deemed mismanagement of his guru's movement?

 

 

I would therefore question where this idea of LOYALTY comes from?

NOT from Srila Prabhupada!

 

I propose the appropriate word is *FAITHFUL*. LOYALTY tends to become a

sentimental social psychology. Both Bhaktivinode Thakura and Bhaktisiddhanta

Sarasvati have written essays pointing out the defects in *organized* religion

and how it has the capacity to deviate its so-called LOYAL followers from the

path of true spirituality.

 

In contrast, Prabhupada has always stressed the importance of FAITH:

"Thus FAITH is a MOST IMPORTANT factor for progress in Krsna consciousness."

(Bg 9.3)

 

Someone can have a lot of LOYALTY to his king, country, church or institution,

but little FAITH in God or genuine pure devotees. (Need I cite examples?)

Whereas one can have great FAITH in God and guru but little LOYALTY to a

particular institution. Isn't this clear?

 

Srila Prabhupada, Jesus Christ, Jelayuddin Rumi -- practically ALL great

saints in any religious tradition -- have faced serious problems with their

respective religious institutions. Therefore, if a religious institution wants

to remain a vital and dynamic representation of its FAITH, it had better put

its time and money into DEVELOPING FAITH in its followers instead of

"DEMANDING" their "*LOYALTY*."

 

LOYAL refers to some external tie of obligation (OED), whereas FAITH refers to

the internal state of the heart towards towards the Lord (CC Mad 22.62). The

two are NOT synonymous.

 

 

>>Srila Prabhupada demanded loyalty

 

*WHEN*?

 

Sincerely,

 

Aspiring to serve the Vaisnavas,

 

Srila das

 

PS: Anyone with Vedabase want to do a word check (faith* vs loyal*)?

I project that 100 to 1, if not closer to 1000 to 1, that Prabhupada talks

about remaining FAITHFUL, not LOYAL.