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The ideal guru part 1 - PLEASE READ & COMMENT ON THIS MESSAGE-IMP

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> 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

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