Evil consequenses of Guru-Guru-Guru

[Guest guest]

On 07 Jul 1999, Janesvara Dasa wrote:

> Bhagavad-gita As It Is, with purports written by the pure lover of the Lord

of Goloka, CAN grant Krsna-prema. Arjuna IS a lover of Krsna.

 

>> not mundane study, Janesvara -- Srimad Bhagavatam.

>

> You are offensive to Srila Prabhupada. His Bhagavad-gita As It Is is not

mundane.

 

It seems you are misreading me. I never said studying Bhagavad-gita was

"mundane." Please don't put (straw-man) arguments into my mouth and then call

me "offensive." The offensiveness, if anything, results from your own

misunderstanding of what I am saying.

 

Attaining love of Godhead is not static but a developmental process. Love is

not a matter of some blind dogma, "I beleive..." and it mechanically happens.

We have to consciously develop our attraction and attachment for that special

someone, Krsna, who is not only the Supreme Personality (the mood of

aisvarya-jnana) but the darling son of Nanda and Yasoda (the mood of

Vrndavan). Such development of love and attraction is a function of

our *desire*, *practice* and *perserverence* -- in addition to Divine Grace.

Until love actually awakens in the heart, knowledge of the object of love and

our relationship is essential in motivating us and focusing our interest.

 

As Srila Prabhupada himself said, Bhagavad-gita is the "preliminary" study of

the Absolute Truth, Srimad Bhagavatam was the "graduate study," and

Caitanya-caritamrta is the "post-graduate" study. Did not Srila Prabhupada

say this or is it my concoction? If Prabhupada said this, then what is

offensive about discussing it?

 

Are you somehow so stuck on Bh.gita that you don't want to know more or think

there is anything further in the study of the Absolute to be understood and

realized? That is a misunderstanding, I would think. If you are satisfied

with Bh.gita, then fine. Be happy.

 

But don't try to deny there are more advanced levels in the expansive ocean of

the spiritual science. Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami states there in this age of

Kali, there are three essential treasures for Vaisnavas -- the Holy Name,

advanced devotees and Vaisnava sastras.

 

kali-kalera dharma nama-sankirtana

vaisnava, vaisnava-sastra -- ei sarva marma

 

Vaisnava literatures are our great treasures because they can lend invaluable

guidance to our progressive advancement, whereas neglecting them is

potentially if not inevitably risky. I think that it would be a foolish

position to adovcate that there are not ever-increasing levels of spiritual

attainment in Krsna consciousness and that each level doesn't require a

developmentally appropriate knowledge of *rasa*

and *tattva* -- *sambandha*, *abhideya* and *prayojana*.

 

In Caitanya-caritamrta, it is explicitly stated that Krsna-prema to "the Lord

of Goloka" can ONLY be attained by following in the footsteps of the eternal

residents of Vrndavan. That process and understanding was given to us by the

mercy of Mahaprabhu through the Six Goswamis and especially in the writings of

Rupa and Raghunatha.

 

By Srila Prabhupada's immeasurable compassion and sacrifice, this great wealth

of *rasa* and *tattva* has now been delivered to the people of the entire

world -- Bhagavad-gita, Srimad Bhagavatam and Caitanya-caritamrta. Let's be

careful not to limit the shores of that great ocean of transcendental

knowledge by our own misunderstandings.

 

>From Caitanya-caritamrta we learn that such extaordinary love of godhead in

the line of Mahaprabhu is to be distinguished the mechanical process

of *vaidhi* or love of God in awe and reverence (Vaikuntha, Mathura or

Dwaraka). But if you only read Bhagavad-gita, how will you understand the

deeper truths of Krsna consciousness? And if you don't know the goal or what

Krsna consciousness actually is (krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita- matih, BRS), how

can you possibly reach it?

 

 

> "One should not, therefore, consider that His (Krishna) dealings with the

Pandavas are less important than His dealings with the Gopis." S.B. 1.8.36

 

Undoubtedly, in the beginning stages we should take great care so as to not

consider any relationship with the Lord from a mundane or contaminated view as

"lower" or "higher." Still, Prabhupada says that the relationships with Krsna

in Vaikuntha, Mathura or Goloka are respectively, "perfect,more perfect"

and "most perfect."

 

Or should we conclude from the statement you quote (one-side of the picture)

that there is no difference between the love of the gopis who are in

madhurya-prema and the loving admiration of the yogis who are in *santa rasa*?

Is this what you wish to say? "No *rasa* = *mayavada*"?

 

 

> Sorry, oh great sadhu, I disagree. I have faith in my gurus instructions.

 

There is no call to flatter me with false praise. If you actually have faith

in your guru's instructions, then why don't you read ALL of his books? Then

you will see what I mean.

 

Faith must be experiential and progressive, not blind and dogmatic.

 

 

Respectfully,

Srila dasa