epistemology and hermeneutics

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Maharaja wrote:

 

> Practically, for members of the Hare Krishna movement today, this means

> that we have to investigate and define how we understand guru, sadhu, and

> sastra.

 

This is not a new type of crisis. It seems that the difficulty of

understanding the words of the departed acarya, saint, prophet has plagued

all religions, including Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Srila Prabhupada left this

world in 1977. Twenty three years later this discussion is coming up. Thakur

Bhaktivinode left this world in 1914, seventeen years later Srila

Bhaktisiddhanta felt the need to address this same exact topic. In the

December 1931 issue of the Harmonist Srila Bhaktisiddhanta wrote an article

entitled "Thakur Bhaktivinode" therein he addressed the issue of how to

understand the life and teachings of Bhaktivinode. The following are some

pertinent excerpts:

 

"There have, however, already arisen serious misunderstandings regarding the

proper interpretation of the life and teachings of Srila Thakura

Bhaktivinode. Those who suppose they understand the meaning of his message

without securing the guiding grace of the acarya are disposed to unduly

favor the method of empiric study of his writings. There are persons who

have got by heart almost everything that he wrote without being able to

catch the least particle of his meaning.

"... The personal service of the pure devotee is essential for understanding

the spiritual meaning of the words of Thakur Bhaktivinode.

"...The present editor has all along felt it his paramount duty to try to

clear up the meaning of the life and teachings of Thakur Bhaktivinode by the

method of submissive listening to the transcendental sound from the lips of

the pure devotees.

"...Thakur Bhaktivinode is acknowledged by all his sincere followers as

possessing the above powers of the pure devotee of Godhead. His words have

to be received from the lips of a pure devotee. If his words are listened to

from the lips of a non-devotee they will certainly deceive. If his works are

studied in the light of one's own worldly experience their meaning will

refuse to disclose itself to such readers. His works belong to the class of

eternal revealed literature of the world and must be approached for their

right understanding through their exposition by the pure devotee. If no help

is sought, the works of Thakur Bhaktivinode will be grossly misunderstood by

their readers."

 

The above statements certainly also apply to Srila Prabhupada. If we accept

that Srila Prabhupada is on the transcendental plane then we should be ready

to accept that his words will correspondingly have unlimited depth which can

only be appreciated completely by a pure devotee.

 

I would offer that such a search for guidance should begin within our

hearts. If we are sincerely crying out to Krishna and steadily behaving in a

way pleasing to Prabhupada and our acaryas then they will certainly reveal

siddhanta to us and/or who we should hear from. This is Krishna's promise:

 

tesam satata yuktanam

bhajatam priti purvakam

dadami buddhi yogam tam

yena mam upayanti te

 

Your servant, Madhavananda Das