Guest guest Posted September 18, 1999 Report Share Posted September 18, 1999 > And if this artificial glorification continues then many deviations & > troubles will crop up in ISKCON, maybe even worse than rtvikism and Krsna > will not leave us till we learn our lesson. I am taking the oportunity here to say something. I don't know if this has to do with artificial glorification but my feeling is that the next thing which will hit the fan again is the jiva issue. I am seeing how it is gradually in the shadow ruining the faith in Srila Prabhupada among many devotees. It is going on under the surface but my feeling is that when it will come up to the surface again one will see that thousands of devotees have lost their faith in Srila Prabhupada because the subject has not been dealt with in a satisfying manner. I know that GBC was producing the OOP book and in fact I was personally taking part in producing that book but I think it is not enough. Things has to be cleared out more. The OOP was done to much in a rush. I know because I was taking part in that marathon. Many think that Srila Prabhupada thought this was not an important issue, but Srila Prabhupada has stated many, many times that it IS an important issue. There is also issues in connection to this subject which Srila Prabhupada clearly states are not important but those subjects should not be mixed with the real topic. The real topic is important according to Srila Prabhupada. "Prabhupada: It is a very important question. Pariksit Maharaja inquired... Many people inquired that 'How the living entity was with Krsna, he became fallen in this material world?' Is not done? This question is raised? So this question is answered here, that 'How the living entity who was with Krsna became fallen down in contact with this material qualities?' So this is the answer." (Lecture, SB 2.9.1 Tokyo, April 20, 1972) Later on in the same lecture after having being speaking about how the living entity has become fallen in this material world Srila Prabhupada is showing very much concern that his audience understands what he has just said about the subject. He says: "Is there any difficulty to understand? Just see how important this verse. It is already there, but you are not reading. Each verse, read every day carefully. Try to assimilate, understand, and you will get more profit, every day, hundred yards forward, hundred yards forward, yes. They are so important verses. How nicely composed by Vyasadeva." (Lecture, SB 2.9.1 Tokyo, April 20, 1972) "Similarly, actually we are not fallen. We cannot be fallen. But we have created a situation that we are, become... Try to understand understand. It is very important point." (Lecture SB 2.9.1 - Tokyo, April 20, 1972) In the purport of SB 2.8.7 Srila Prabhupada speaks about this topic in connection to the spiritual master. "Maharaja Pariksit, being a typical devotee, is not only satisfied by confirming the importance of hearing the Srimad-Bhagavatam from the representative of Brahmaji by disciplic succession, but he is still more anxious to establish the philosophical basis of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the science of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such all questions that may arise in the mind of a serious student must be cleared by the statements of the authority. A person on the path of devotional service may inquire from his spiritual master all about the spiritual position of God and the living beings. From the Bhagavad-gita, as well as from the Srimad-Bhagavatam, it is known that qualitatively the Lord and the living beings are one. The living being in the conditioned state of material existence is subjected to many transmigrations by continuous changing of the material body. But what are the causes of the material embodiment of the part and parcel of the Lord? Maharaja Pariksit inquires about this very important matter for the benefit of all classes of candidates on the path of self-realization and devotional service to the Lord. Indirectly it is confirmed that the Supreme Being, the Lord, makes no such material changes of body. He is spiritually whole, with no difference between His body and His soul, unlike the conditioned soul. The liberated living beings, who associate with the Lord in person, are also exactly like the Lord. Only the conditioned souls awaiting liberation are subjected to change of bodies. How was the process first begun? In the process of devotional service, the first step is to take shelter of the spiritual master and then inquire from the spiritual master all about the process. This inquiry is essential for immunity to all kinds of offenses on the path of devotional service. Even if one is fixed in devotional service like Maharaja Pariksit, he must still inquire from the realized spiritual master all about this. In other words, the spiritual master must also be well versed and learned so that he may be able to answer all these inquiries from the devotees. Thus one who is not well versed in the authorized scriptures and not able to answer all such relevant inquiries should not pose as a spiritual master for the matter of material gain. It is illegal to become a spiritual master if one is unable to deliver the disciple." (SB 2.8.7, Purport) In many other places Srila Prabhupada stresses that it is important to know wherefrom we have come. "So you will find many panditas like this, many learned scholars. And ask him, 'What you are?' He is silent. 'Wherefrom you have come?' Silent. 'Where you are going?' Silent. 'What is God?' Silent. So these kind of panditas will not save you." (Lecture, SB 1.2.7, Delhi, November 13, 1973) "Prabhupada:... Unless a man is awakened to these questions, that 'What I am? Why I am suffering? Wherefrom I have come, and where I have to go?' then he's considered on the animal level. Because animals, they have no such questions. It is in the human form of life these questions are there. And their answers are all there in the scriptures." (Interview, March 12, 1968, San Francisco) "That is knowledge. That is called brahma-jnana, that 'This body... I am not this body; I am spirit soul.' Then the inquiry will be 'Then wherefrom the spirit soul has come?' That should be the inquiry. 'And why, if I am eternal, then why I am put to this condition of repetition of birth and death?' These are inquiries. This is called brahma-jijnasa. Brahma-jijnasa means inquiry about the spirit soul. That is brahma-jijnasa. So in this way we should utilize our intelligence, life, not simply for these bodily comforts of life, no." (Lecture, SB, 6.1.3. Melbourne, May 22, 1975) "But the special qualification of this human form of life is to know himself, and to try to understand that 'Why I am in miserable condition? Wherefrom I have come? Where I have to go? What is God? What is this world?' This is called Vedanta. Vedanta means to understand all these things." (Lecture Seattle, October 9, 1968) "This Krsna consciousness movement is specifically meant to teach every soul his original, spiritual position." (The Science of Self Realization 1) Devotee: What position did we occupy in the spiritual sky before we fell into the material world? Prabhupada: You are already in the spiritual sky, but you are simply covered. Just like the sun is already there. You are also already there, but there is a cloud which hinders your checking, your seeing of the sun. Similarly... The sky is one, when it is clouded or not clouded. So actually we are always in the spiritual world. But when you forget Krsna by the cloud of illusion, that is material. Try to understand. There is allotted(?)... When the sky is clouded, you cannot see the sun, it does not mean that you are in a different sky. You are in the same sky. When the cloud is clear, you are in the same sky. But the difference of position is due to the cloud. That is called maya." (Lecture SB 6.1.15, London, July 30, 1971) "Avidvat means 'lack of knowledge.' Avidvat-adhikaritvat prayascittam vimarsanam. Real atonement is performed in knowledge. Why is there fighting and why are there miseries? Unless these 'why' questions, which in the Vedas are called Kena Upanisad, arise in one's mind, one is not fulfilling the proper function of his human life. These questions must arise: 'Why am I suffering? Wherefrom have I come? What is my constitutional position? Where shall I go after death? Why am I put into a miserable form of life? Why are there birth, death, old age and disease?'" (MG 4. Learning Tapasya, Self-Control) "This is the position of everyone. You may be a businessman or you may be in another profession, but if you do not know what you are, wherefrom you have come, why you are under the tribulations of the laws of material nature, and where you are going in your next life -- if you do not know these things, then whatever you are doing is useless." (JSD 6.3) I have written a 25 pages long paper about this and related issues with many more quotes from Srila Prabhupada. If someone is interested he can drop a note. H.H. Srila Hridayananda Maharaja has read it and he liked it. I am doing some advertisement here I hope no one minds . (To be honest I am quiet worried about how it is developing therefore I am taking these drastic meassures) Ys Svarupa das Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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