Sentimentalism vs Sadhu's knife: sewing it up

[Guest guest]

On 14 Jul 1999, Mahanidhi das wrote:

> People in the deprogramming movement use a similar methodology towards

> perusing Srila Prabhupada's books. They gain little beyond a shadow of an

abhasa but in the meantime suffer from their devious mentality. In any

> case, this is certainly not the recommended process for bonafide sadhakas.

 

Some characteristics of the people in the deprogramming movement:

 

- They go after you, not giving you a brake to breath own air.

It is not that you really throw yourself on them, but the

opposite is rather the case.

 

- Their basic strategy is to erode your faith in your spiritual

authorities in ISCKON. They will tell you how they all are bad

and incapable of giving you a good association.

 

- They will constantly insist in narrating you the stories of

those gurus who already have fallen down, again and again.

 

- They will constantly tell you how "ISCKON as-it-is" is a doomed

society, no hope in your life if you stick to it.

 

- They will tell you what exactly you ought to do in order to save

yourself.

 

- And they will threaten you, if you don't do like they say, then

you gonna suffer the rest of your existence.

 

 

As my LAST posting on this particular discussion (wheeww!!), it is only proper

that I at least give proper credit to my esteemed interlocutor (opponent),

Mahanidhi Prabhu. Concerning the above, Mahanidhi has provided such a

brilliant turnaround that I will not even attempt to refute it. His oratory

skill exceeds mine and I concede the debate. Well done! I accept defeat at

the hands of the digvijaya maha-pandit, Mahanidhi prabhu, ki jaya!

 

 

> You are blind. You are blind to notice how not all prominent leaders

> and gurus of ISCKON have fallen down.

>

> You are blind to notice how ISCKON is continuously reforming, being

> an exceptionally (indeed) dynamic phenomena.

>

> You are blind in your observation that ISCKON is as-it-always-has-been.

>

> You are blind in not noticing that ISCKON is progressing. Painfully,

> yes, but -- progressing. You are not blind, however, in noticing

> these pains that ISCKON is going through, on its progressive path.

> But you are expert in sticking your fingers into that wounds, so that

> you can utilize it for your own goals, whatever they might be.

>

> You are blind in your belief that dissolving the GBC as the

> ultimate authority, and letting Gaudiya Math acaryas to make

> the further splitting and dividing of the institution into

> fragments (just like they have done with Bhaktisiddhanta's Gaudiya

> Math) will mean the progressive transformation of ISCKON, the

> unification, and less institutionalism.

>

> And finally, you are blind to see how this attempt to merge ISCKON

> into Gaudiya Math institutions, is the direct violation of Srila

> Prabhupada's explicit instructions on how this society is to be

> constituted and maintained after his departure. (And you speak here

> about not commiting offenses to an infalible mahabhagavata! )

 

I am doubly-defeated!!

 

However, as a master in "scissors-logic," regarding your last point, I have

one final comment. Before passing away in 1977 Prabhupada instructed us as to

the importance of the maxim of *andha-pangu-nyaya* as our ISKCON motto: the

logic of the LAME and BLIND person. India was lame but replete with spiritual

vision, and America (the West) was strong but BLIND, devoid of spiritual

sight. What did Prabhupada mean by this? Meditate upon that analogy, because I

do.

 

Furthemore, you may be BLIND to the letters and instructions where Prabhupada

requested his GBC leaders to "cooperate fully" with the Gaudiya Math (the last

recorded instruction on the matter in 1977). What ever happened to those

instructions? I can tell what happened: they were trashed. (No comment about

the leadership.)

 

In the beginning, Prabhupada's original intention was "we want to AMALGAMATE

completely with the Gaudiya Math." (letter 1968) (AMALGAMATE: "combine into

one, integrate, etc." Webster's 3rd Intl) Just consider that there might be

much to which you are also blind to.

 

Speaking of blindness, what does Christ say about calling someone else

"blind"? "Remove the log from your own eyes, before you mock someone else for

having a splinter.."? While we're on the subject make sure you don't have any

cataracts in your own eyes. It's in your own interest to get a "checkup"

(from a sadhu, of course!).

 

Anyway, I will humbly bow out of this one by accepting my blindness as greater

and more urgent. I need to "save myself first." (Prabhupada wrote this in a

letter to Ramesvara's after Ramesevara had informed him of the results from

one of the biggest Xmas marathons in history, Prabhupada mentioned in closing

that this was wonderful news but that most importantly, preaching means to

save oneself first.

 

So in this humbled spirit, I will invoke the prayer of Krsnadasa Kaviraja

Goswami in Caitanya-caritamrta.

 

durgame pathi m'endhasya skalat pada-gater muhuh

sva-krpa asti danena svantah santavalambanam

 

"My path is difficult, I am blind and my feet are slipping again and again. I

cry out for the mercy-stick of the saints as my support."

 

Thank you, Mahanidhi Prabhu, for reminding me of my fallen condition. Yes, I

am very much blind:

 

om ajnana timarandhasya

jnananjana salakaya

caksur unmilitam yena

tasmai sri-guruve namah

 

"I offer my respectful obeisances to my spiritual master who is removing my

blindness and opening my eyes with the torchlight of knowledge."

 

I genuinely wish both you and Sthita-dhi-muni Prabhu well.

 

Hare Krsna.

 

Srila dasa