Initiation?

[Guest guest]

On 12 May 1999, Gunamani dd wrote:

 

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

>

> I know I am on dangerous ground here, so please bear with me Prabhu. I can

> only speak from my limited understanding, so please correct me if my

> conclusions are inconsistent.

 

 

You are not on "dangerous" ground with me, Prabhu. Your entire letter is very

sincere and pleasing. I do not know if I can "correct" you about your

conclusions. My comments are only my opinions as they have been formed as the

result of my limited study of Srila Prabhupada's instructions in his books and

tapes. Take them as you wish.

 

 

> > Can't Srila Prabhupada deliver a soul to

> > Krsna's lotus feet if that person is living anywhere and happens to read

> > one of Srila Prabhupada's books with sincerity? Isn't this why Srila

> > Prabhupada wanted us to distribute millions and millions of his books?

 

> If such a person would have absolutely no other choice, I am quite

> confident that Srila Prabhupada or The Supreme Lord could do such a thing.

> However the books tells us to seek and pray for the association of the

> vaisnavas. These vaisnavas might very well be present where we expect it the

> least, they might even be disguised as our children, Krishnas friends or

> even plants or animals. Or what do you think?

 

 

It is natural to seek out like association. My spiritual life would not have

been very pleasing were it not for the many Vaisnava friends I have had the

honor of associating with throughout. I love them all very much.

 

I believe, though, that my particular text which you are commenting upon is in

regards to a guru. My point was that Srila Prabhupada's books are fully

capable of providing guru to the reader.

 

> We have Guru, Sadhu and sastra, thats the security-system Srila Prabhupada

> gave us in his books.

 

 

This I wholeheartedly agree with. His books are a one-stop shop! A natural,

gradual program of spiritual advancement is commenced upon a fortunate sincere

soul reading even one word of his books. From there Krsna takes over from

within and guides the soul Home. I do find it highly distasteful, however,

when someone else interferes with the gradual timetable that Krsna and Srila

Prabhupada have set for this soul and create depression and discouragement

through pretentiousness and lust for superiority.

 

Once a mahatma has come to the doorstep of the temple it would seem natural

for Vaisnavas to be friendly with that soul for ...ever (no matter how long

Krsna has decided the fan blades may spin after the plug was pulled)

 

 

> > Cannot that instruction or one word come from Srila Prabhupada's

> > vani/books? Isn't that why we distribute the books?

 

> I would think so.

 

 

I think so, too. That is how me and thousands of my godbrothers started our

Krsna consciousness and lived it. Most of us never had the wonderful

opportunity to meet, or speak, or serve Srila Prabhupada "personally". It was

always done from a very great distance of thousands of miles, but we had our

senior godbrothers who encouraged us that Srila Prabhupada is pleased by our

devotion and service - his personal presence was not required.

 

 

 

>

> Maybe it is not exactly a doubt in the potency of Srila Prabhupada but

> rather the question of how exactly he wanted that things should go on after

> his departure. In Srila Prabhupadas books I have always found confirmation

> that I should surrender to a spiritual master.

 

 

That is exactly the same confirmation we knew when Srila Prabhupada was

"here". Before he "left" hardly any of us had the opportunity to serve Srila

Prabhupada "personally/directly". We couldn't approach him privately and

inquire from him and receive personal instruction from him even for a few

minutes what to speak of hours, days, weeks. We woke up everyday in the temple

and performed our duties in the temple or wherever and we all knew we were

serving Srila Prabhupada and we encouraged each other constantly that although

our guru was thousands of miles away preaching somewhere, we were still

serving him just as well.

 

 

 

> I am looking for the kind of confirmation that shows me that what I am

> doing is actually pleasing to Krishna and yes to read Srila Prabhupadas

> books have proven to be just that.

 

 

Yes. For all of us who read them.

 

 

 

> > But did not the

> > Goswamis also "approachnon-livingnon-bodily present" spiritual

> > masters through reading their books and teachings?

>

> I believe they did.

 

 

We worship and serve and study "non-living" siksa gurus everyday - Lord

Caitanya, the Goswamis, etc.

 

 

 

> > If both are there, vapu and vani, take full advantage of both. But vani is

> > always available and accessible for siksa.

> Only if the vaisnavas/sadhus go out there and give it out, and only because

> Srila Prabhupada in his elevated age took the trouble to come and establish

> the connection.

 

 

Yes. He left his books as the connection for at least the next 10000 years.

And they will probably not be the only connection - his books will make pure

devotees/mahabhagavatas someday and the parampara will have another acarya to

carry on the tradition. This I am convinced of.

 

 

 

> My spiritual master never accepted any kind of worship from his

> disciples but he was always available when I needed any help, he served

> Srila Prabhupada as a fulltime-pujari for more than 20 years without asking

> for any recognition and he still does. He could have written your last three

> lines above.

 

 

This sounds like the result of Srila Prabhupada's mercy to me!

 

 

 

> To my understanding your connection is unique but in the same time I also

> dont think that he is indifferent to those of his granddisciples who finds

> themselves lost because their spiritual master for some reason or other

> could not uphold his position.

 

 

This is a very important point.

 

 

 

> Please dont feel offended by my unqualified attempts to make sense. As far

> as I can see what you are doing is the work of a guru, a siksa-relationship

> which could in time result in diksa.

 

 

Arjuna was the beginning of the parampara Srila Prabhupada said. So in that

way he was "guru" of sorts. He preached by example the daiva varnasrama-dharma

and to that degree I would accept being a "guru" also. But then I have many

more yers, nay, lives, before I can live the example of such great Vaisnavas.

 

 

 

 

> I think we have many more qualified

> guru's in ISKCON than we know of, but they will never step forward by

> themselves being naturally humble and purehearted. The real gurus are not

> after recognition, they fear it.

 

 

I agree.

 

 

 

>However they are also responsible to those

> under their wings. They dont simply act as officiating priest and when the

> trouble comes they wash their hands. A guru gives himself as a token to save

> his disciple. Being a mother I can imagine the mental anxieties .

 

 

I am a father of four sons - I know the feeling! And the responsibility.

 

 

> What do I know? Why do I even intrude on these areas? I want to learn and

> know the truth and these were my doubts and reflections. Please forgive my

> offensive attitude.

>

> Your servant Gunamani d.d.

 

 

I very much appreciate your intelligent and warm comments.

 

Krsne matir astu,

 

Your fallen servant,

Janesvara dasa