on loyalty

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Srila Prabhupada demanded loyalty

 

Srila Prabhupada himself was loyal. He always wore the sannyasi

saffron dhoti, shaved head, and behaved as a perfect Vaisnava wherever he

went. He was the most loyal son of his Guru Maharaja; therefore he carried

out the instructions of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati to go to the West. When

Srila Prabhupada first came to New York City, he was advised by Indian

swamis there to give up his strict vegetarianism and sannyasi observances,

but Srila Prabhupada was loyal. And in his Bhaktivedanta purports he is

always loyal to the previous acaryas' conclusion.

At least when one became his disciple then Prabhupada asked for

complete loyalty. Krsna consciousness knowledge is very exclusive; one has

to understand that Krsna in Goloka Vrndavana is the Supreme Truth. Loyalty

to Srila Prabhupada means not to follow other version of the Absolute. If

other versions are to be read at all, he said, it is only to know their

philosophy. Even Vaisnava heritage should be received through him. Once a

disciple said to Prabhupada that Bhaktivinoda Thakura was his favourite

writer. Srila Prabhupada corrected his disciple and said, "your second

favourite writer."

Prabhupada also asked for loyalty for our own benefit, because his

Godbrothers were antagonistic. They did not appreciate what Srila

Prabhupada had done in going to the West to preach.

Not being loyal to Prabhupada means to create a very serious erosion

in the most crucial place - dedication to the guru. Prabhupada once said

that if you lose faith in the guru, it is like a crack at the very

foundation of your Krsna consciousness.

His demand for loyalty was not something that he regularly asked

for; it was love between him and his disciples, and it was expected He would

refer to "our men" and "the Hare Krsna People," meaning all his followers,

yet although he asked for their attachment, it was without any false

prestige.

Srila Prabhupada humbly accepted that he was the authorised person

to prosecute the worldwide Krsna consciousness movement. In the purports to

his books he expresses that it is not right when so-called Vaisnavas do not

respect an empowered Vaisnava who is spreading Krsna Consciousness all over

the world. Therefore, for the followers of Srila Prabhupada, a person's

real spiritual advancement can be tested to the degree that he accepts Srila

Prabhupada. Ecumenical good manners and sincere participation in dialogue

with other religious sects is part of spreading Krsna Consciousness, but

ultimately a Prabhupada follower has to appreciate that Prabhupada is

topmost. And the reason he is topmost are within the very conclusions of

the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam. Srila Prabhupada always said

that we should not disparage other religions or other God conscious

teachers, yet to recognise and to be loyal to the topmost truth in its

fullest manifestations, as Radha and Krsna worship, was the precious gift of

Srila Prabhupada to his followers. And we cannot follow Radha-Krsna without

following Srila Prabhupada.

Exclusive affection and loyalty to Srila Prabhupada is expressed in

different ways. It is expresses when a follower stays in the place where

Prabhupada sent him and to do the service that Prabhupada gave him. Out of

personal loyalty to Srila Prabhupada, one refuses to break the regulative

principles, because a disciple promises Prabhupada that he will always

follow them.

When a devotee complained how hard it was to work with a troublesome

devotee, Prabhupada said, "That is your austerity." So determination to

continue working with Godbrothers is another expression of loyalty to Srila

Prabhupada.

Being loyal to the International Society for Krsna Consciousness is

another expression. Loyalty to Srila Prabhupada without loyalty to ISKCON

is impossible. Loyalty is not theoretical only, it is practically expressed

to one's degree of surrender: I will "do the needful" as a faithful son.

Loyalty is expressed in living, personal qualities. Because of our

attachment, we do not forget Srila Prabhupada, and we take to practices that

help us remember him. Loyalty also means that we feel a great distaste and

guilt, if in any context, we find ourselves accepting someone else as our

guru. During Srila Prabhupada's presence, when his gurukula teachers began

to seriously follow the teachings of Mary Montessori, Kirtanananda Swami

remarked, "They have taken a new guru." That was the worst pronouncement,

and a sign that the gurukula teachers had to immediately adjust their

priorities and decide who was their guru.

The more we can retain habits we have learned from him, the style of

eating, a way of dressing, then the more we can keep remembrance of him a

loyal reality, provided we do these things in an intelligent way.

A Srila Prabhupada disciple is loyal to his philosophy, even in the

face of opposition. Srila Prabhupada said that life comes from life, the

scientists cannot create life. He also said that they have not gone to the

moon, and they cannot. The demigods and God Himself are all real persons.

One has to read the books of Srila Prabhupada regularly (this itself is

another item of being loyal), without modifying or changing his conclusions.

Maintaining what he has given us, living in a society of devotees, always

chanting the maha-mantra - these are loyal responses. And this very concept

of being loyal to Srila Prabhupada is itself another of Prabhupada's

matchless gifts. He gave us ample reasons and inspiration to be loyal.

 

>From Prabhupada Nectar, by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

 

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Bhakti Vikasa Swami

24-Oct-99 07:28

Prabhupada Said [512]

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on loyalty

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