gurus and prasadam

[Guest guest]

Dandavats Jayapataka Maharaj,

 

Please accept my prostrated obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and

to your inspiring preaching.

 

Maharaj, i was wondering about a somewhat "touchy" problem. Sometimes we are

still close to certain devotees who are worshipping or following a guru who is

no longer in good standing with ISKCON. Speaking with such devotees while

keping with Vaisnava etiquette is itself a source of many questions. One more

practical concern i have is about prasadam. If such devotees invite you to

their home for a programme or for association, and you are given prasadam

(which you know has been offered by invoking the pranamas of the "fallen"

guru) what should you do? Does Prabhupada (and then Lord Caitanya and

Radha-Krsna) accept the offering anyway, appreciating the sincerity of the

devotees offering the bhoga? If not, and the food is not accepted, is it

offensive or improper to (before anyone has taken it) mentally offer it

to *your* guru (in good standing with ISKCON) and through him Srila

Prabhupada? Or perhaps should the Sri Visnu Sri Visnu Sri Visnu mantra and

Hare Krsna maha-mantra be chanted over it as an alternative? Should this all

be done "secretly" so as not to offend your host?

 

Needless to say this is a very delicate matter, especially in cases where the

host is likely to be offended or hurt. What is to be done in such situations.

 

I am eagrly awaiting your learned response. Thank you so much for providing

this wonderful service.

 

begging to be:

your servants' servant,

vyenkata bhatta dasa