How to reconcile

[Guest guest]

Camp: Mathura-desa Nama Hattas, Arabian Gulf Area, Middle East, Arabian Sea.

 

My Dear Godbrother Bhagavatamrta das,

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Thankyou for your letter cited below with my comments. I have noted the

contents carefully.

 

> AGTSP

> PAMMHO

> Dear MJ,

> How do you reconcile the idea been proposed by some of the devotees that "

> the guru should never fall down, therefore let's focus our worship into

> Srila Prabhupada as the guru for ever in Iskcon" with the guru-disciple

> relationship through the paranpara system given to us by Srila Prabhupada?

 

If the idea that the a Guru can never fall were supported by sastra why does

the sastra give so many warnings to Gurus about what to do and what not to

do? Sastra says not to take unlimited disciples, for instance, since it can

overload a Spiritual Master if he isn't travelling and preaching. Also Jiva

Goswami in Bhakti Sandharbha talks about when to reject a fallen guru.

Bhaktivinode Thakur in Jaiva Dharma and other writings also explains about

when to reject a Guru who has deviated. Narahari Thakur, Lord Caitanya

Mahaprabhu's dear associate, also describes that during the pastimes of Lord

Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu many Gurus had fallen down and he also gave

guidelines of what to do in case one's Spiritual Master falls down. So the

idea that a Guru can never fall down isn't supported by sastra or our

acaryas. No matter how much speculation and double talk is done it can

never serve to proof something against Srila Prabhupada's direct

instructions! Srila Prabhupada said the Gurus who followed him should be

"regular gurus" and those whom they initiate should be his "disciple's of my

disciples", ie. "grand-disciples.

 

 

> Supporting tought: How important is the physical , personal guru-disciple

> relationship in the Vaisnava tradition?

> Your Bhaggy

 

It is the normal relationship we can see described in the sastras and

histories of Lord Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Isn't it said, "sadhu

sanga, sadhu sanga sarva sastra koi, lava matra sadhu sanga sarva siddhi

hoya!" --- "Even a moments association with a pure devotee can give one all

perfection in devotional service."

 

Yours in service,

 

Jayapataka Swami