A Message From Bhakti Caru Swami

[suchandra]

A message from Bhakti Caru Swami in my mail box, this is something new!

Ok, it says, "message to all ISKCON devotees".

 

A Message From Bhakti Caru Swami Messsage To All ISKCON Devotees .mp3 <--Click To Play (best listened to with IE)

Flash Sound File Link ---> Click Here

 

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said: “Those who worship Me directly but neglect My devotees are in illusion and cause Me pain. Their offerings feel like a shower of burning cinders on my body. He who criticizes and offends My devotees will be destroyed by chanting My name. Give up criticizing vaisnavas and take shelter of My name.”

I knew that quote would catch your attention.

Here’s another good one. “Even if one worships the Lord for millions of lifetimes, if he continues to offend devotees it will be impossible to gain the Lord’s mercy.

So the question is, “Who are you offending? Of course, I am not assuming you are offending anyone (that would be offensive of me); I am just asking. Just as we go to the doctor or dentist for regular check-ups, we need to regularly check ourselves, to look in our hearts and ask: “Is there any particular devotee or group of devotees that I have a tendency to offend?” You may think, no, I have given up offending devotees, I don’t do that anymore. But r emission is always possible. So don’t go without your regular check-ups.

What Is an Offense? Aparadha literally means “to be distanced from worship.” In other words, offenses to devotees distance us from devotional service, distance us from the worship of Sri Radha whom all worship and service to Krsna goes through.

I also like to define aparadha as “to be distanced from affection.” Why? Because aparadha can only take place where affection is lacking. Conversely, where there is affection there will not be offense. In his last days Srila Prabhupada asked forgiveness from his god-brothers and god-nephews for the “offenses” he made while preaching, as he sometimes pointed out what he saw as deviations from the orders of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. They (Srila Narayan Maharaja) immediately replied that everything he did was only out of love for guru and Krsna and thus he never made any offenses. In other words, they acknowledged that Srila Prabhupada did not envy or disrespect his godbrothers, that whatever he said was done out of love and affection for guru and gauranga.

Aparadha takes root in the soil of envy. Although we are advised to avoid criticism of another vaisnava, it is really ill motivated criticism based on a lack of affection and respect that is considered aparadha. If you have affection for someone, you show that affection through acts of service, appreciation, respect, and intimate exchange, not through offense. So when affection and respect for someone is low, we are more likely to offend them - or perhaps guaranteed to offend them.

Do You Want Blessings? Why is it important to avoid offenses? We advance by receiving the blessings and mercy of superior persons. We receive those blessings through honoring, serving, and appreciating them, as well as by following their instructions. Your and my success in bhakti is totally dependant on the blessings of the vaisnavas. If we offend them, we can cut ourselves off from the very blessings we need to maintain our life in Krsna consciousness. So offending vaisnavas is like pulling the plug on our spiritual life support systems. Think of this analogy the next time you are tempted to make an offense or criticize.

Loving Krsna Means Respecting Others We should also be careful to not offend people in general (jana aparadha). To love Krsna means to show affection for all of his parts and parcels. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta said that the injunction not to criticize or blaspheme devotees ( sadhu ninda) should be applied to non devotees as well. Krsna is not pleased when we think, “I won’t find fault with devotees but it’s no big thing to disrespect non devotees or find fault with them.” If the fault finding mentality remains, no matter who it’s directed towards, it’s a contamination.

The Camouflaged Aparadha I would like to share with you a very instructive story about aparadha. Unfortunately, it’s my story and it happened recently.

As a result of helping facilitate the japa retreats earlier this year, my chanting improved in some major ways. The result is I have been feeling very Krsna consciousness lately. But there was a period about a month ago in which my consciousness fell to some pretty low places. I felt like some wicked force had come over me and I was not sure how or why it was happening. All I could think of was that I need to find out what is causing this.

So I traced back my steps and realized that it all started with me recently becoming somewhat obsessed with aspects of leadership in Iskcon that I felt were hurting the movement. I didn’t think I was being envious or offensive, I just felt I was isolating problems and looking at solutions.

I subsequently wrote a short paper on the topic. After I finished the article my consciousness took a nose dive. The next day my rounds were terrible. In fact, in the following days I had a difficult time chanting. I didn’t want to chant and I couldn’t concentrate. For the next few weeks I was having very little realization in Krsna consciousness. It was so bad that I couldn’t even write Illuminations because I had nothing to say.

The fact was that my article was motivated by envy and I offended some wonderful devotees - but I just wasn’t acknowledging it. Then something amazing happened. I was chanting my rounds early one morning and my mind started going to some really dark places, thinking of things I rarely, if ever, think about. It was frightening to observe. My mind was on a downward path of its own - and it seemed like all I could do was sit there and just watch it go wherever it wanted. Then one thought began resounding over and over in my mind, and this one thought saved me: “Don’t you realize that you have offended devotees in the paper you wrote? You did this because you are envious of them.”

Immediately I began asking for forgiveness for my offenses. I then appreciated the service and activities of the leaders I had criticized. What happened next was incredibly amazing? So tune in to the next newsletter and I’ll tell you what happened.

Ok, only kidding, I’ll tell you now. Immediately (I mean right on the spot) my consciousness changed and those horrible thoughts left as easily and quickly as they came. I could then clearly hear the holy name and chant with concentration and devotion, something I hadn’t been able to do for weeks.

This experience was Krsna’s mercy. It was a graphic warning of how important it is to be affectionate to devotees. I had to acknowledge that in the name of objective analysis and the welfare of Iskcon, I am often just indulging my own envy and jealousy.

A few days ago I read something that confirmed what I had experienced. Lord Caitanya said that appreciation of and service to the devotees is the remedy for vaisnava aparadha. In addition, He said it is also the antidote.

I am happy to report that I have recovered from the illness of aparadha and am again alive and well in Krsna consciousness.

Don’t Listen To It ? Aparadha is especially disastrous when an elevated devotee is offended. Ramacandra Khan was envious of Thakura Haridas and desperately tried to defame him. The result was that Khan’s home - and the entire village he lived in - was plundered by the government (it’s not that the government did this because they knew he had made an offence and wanted to punish such a vaisnava aparadhi. It was simply a result of what happens when Krsna’s dear devotee is offended). Whenever an advanced devotee is disrespected, everyone in connection with the offender suffers. It is wise, therefore, to never listen to criticism of devotees or be connected with any kind of vaisnava aparadha. Some devotees take this so seriously that they vow to never hear blasphemy or criticism of devotees (this also includes emails, articles, and publications in which devotees are unjustly criticized). This is a wonderful vow to follow.

Narada Muni and the Sons of Daksa Vaisava aparadha is so insidious that even if a trace of it remains in the heart there can be remission. Daksa offended Lord Siva, later apologized, and then begged for forgiveness. In his next life he unfortunately made another offense to a great devotee, this time to Narada muni. What’s going on with Daksa? This story illustrates that he had not fully forgiven Lord Siva. Some of his offensive mentality still remained in his heart and thus caused him to again commit an offense in his next life. I always assumed my offensive mentality would somehow automatically die when I died. Well, that sure was hopeful thinking. We are going to carry all our baggage with us. Knowing this can be an impetus to drop some of that bad baggage as soon as possible.

Love Bugs Here in Alachua we have love bugs, two bugs that always stay attached (physically) to one another. It is, of course, unheard of that one would become sexually agitated by seeing love bugs make love. But this is basically what happened to Saubhari muni after he offended Garuda. Due to his offense to Garuda, Saubhari fell from his spiritual path and became a licentious fool, completely caught up in material life. And how did he fall? He simply saw two fish having sex. That made him so agitated that he gave up his spiritual practices and decided to dive totally into household life. And he didn’t mess around. He married fifty young beautiful girls (after having some mystical plastic surgery to make himself attractive).

All that was caused by seeing two fish making love! That’s seems totally weird. Can you imagine someone pleading innocent to rape on the plea that he saw two fish having sex? Well, we shouldn’t be surprised how fallen one can become if they offend a great personality.

You May Not Fall Down It’s common that spiritualists who make serious offenses fall down from their spiritual practices. It’s therefore natural to think that if I am doing fairly well in Krsna conscious I haven’t seriously offended any devotees. That may be true, but not always. One may go on chanting the holy name and be engaged in sadhana even though one is an offender, but there will be little or no benefit to such sadhana. So just because we have not fallen on our faces externally doesn’t automatically mean we are not offending devotees and reaping results of aparadha.

The essential point here is that an offensive mentality, be it chronic or acute, is going to affect our bhakti. The more sensitive you are to the status of your devotional creeper, the more you will be aware of how your nature to criticize affects your bhakti - and especially how it affects your chanting. A good way to become more sensitive to this is to make a decision not to criticize others. Once you do this you will become much more aware of your own tendency to criticize.

(It’s important to note that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta felt criticism was so detrimental to bhakti that he said we should not criticize even where there is evidence that a devotee has misbehaved. Still there are situations in which it would not be wise to overlook another’s faults or misbehavior, especially when such behavior is harmful to others. Still this can be done - and should be done - without being offensive)

Loosing All Good Fortune It’s not uncommon that ones material opulence and good fortune are destroyed by offending a great personality. Not only that, it is said that by criticizing another person you take on some of their bad karma (and also the fault you are finding comes back to haunt you). So if you are feeling magnanimous and want to accept some bad karma and give some of your good karma away, you now know exactly how to do it.

Asking For Forgiveness Srila Prabhupada instructed us that when we offer our obeisances to all the vaisnavas devotees every morning (vancha kalpa tarubhyas ca…) we should pray to the devotees in general to forgive us for any offenses we may have knowingly or unknowing committed. In other words, asking for forgiveness should be something to add to your daily devotional practices - even if you are not aware that you are committing any offenses.

Who’s Top On Your List? I wrote this article to encourage you to identify and make amends with those you have offended (or are offending now) and to stress the importance of remaining favorably disposed and affectionate to all the devotees, even to the ones you may not appreciate. Actually, the devotees you have issues with are the ones you most need to appreciate because they are the most likely targets for your offences.

Justified Aparadha Have you ever felt justified in making an offense to a devotee? Think about it. If someone acts improperly you might feel it’s justified to criticize or offend them, that their actions are causing a natural offensive response from you. We could even call this “justified aparadha” and consider that “justified aparadhas” are reaction-free. If you have ever offended a devotee, it’s possible you thought this way, even though you may not have been conscious of it. The truth is that a particular devotee’s behavior can never cause you to criticize or offend him or her without your willing choice to do so. To think it has little or nothing to do with you and all to with them might make you feel better about yourself (a good person like me wouldn’t unjustly criticize), but it’s simply not true. I don’t know about you, but I prefer to not be justifiably separated from the service of Srimati Radharani.

So the question is not only who are you offending (or getting ready to offend)? The question is also why are you doing it? These are some of the most important questions you could ever ask yourself and I encourage you to take as much time as needed to deeply ponder them.

[realist]

 

Do You Want Blessings? Why is it important to avoid offenses? We advance by receiving the blessings and mercy of superior persons. We receive those blessings through honoring, serving, and appreciating them, as well as by following their instructions.

 

Your and my success in bhakti is totally dependant on the blessings of the vaisnavas. If we offend them, we can cut ourselves off from the very blessings we need to maintain our life in Krsna consciousness.

 

So offending vaisnavas is like pulling the plug on our spiritual life support systems. Think of this analogy the next time you are tempted to make an offense or criticize.

 

Loving Krsna Means Respecting Others We should also be careful to not offend people in general (jana aparadha).

 

To love Krsna means to show affection for ALL of his parts and parcels. .

 

Servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of Krsna

Wow, if we could really achieve this prideless selfless level, we could help make the whole world Krishna Conscious

 

Wonderfully inspiring post suchandra

[sanatan]

Suchandra, thanks for bringing this essay to our attention. Great post.

 

It is a definite prompt to self-analysis and personal motivational/behavior evaluation.

 

I have tremendous regard for B.C. Swami, having met him on several occasions, and also know a few of his disciples.

[gHari]

For ISKCON's sake, I do hope this applies to non-ISKCON devotees as well.

[bhaktajan]

 

Bhakti Caru Swami

. . . we are advised to avoid criticism of another vaisnava, it is really ill motivated criticism based on a lack of affection and respect that is considered aparadha. If you have affection for someone, you show that affection through acts of service, appreciation, respect, and intimate exchange, not through offense. So when affection and respect for someone is low, we are more likely to offend them - or perhaps guaranteed to offend them.

. . . Srila Bhaktisiddhanta said that the injunction not to criticize or blaspheme devotees ( sadhu ninda) should be applied to non devotees as well.

. . . Aparadha literally means “to be distanced from worship.” In other words, offenses to devotees distance us from devotional service, distance us from the worship of Sri Radha whom all worship and service to Krsna goes through.

I also like to define aparadha as “to be distanced from affection.”

. . . It is wise, therefore, to never listen to criticism of devotees or be connected with any kind of vaisnava aparadha. Some devotees take this so seriously that they vow to never hear blasphemy or criticism of devotees (this also includes emails, articles, and publications in which devotees are unjustly criticized). This is a wonderful vow to follow. . . .

. . . it is said that by criticizing another person you take on some of their bad karma (and also the fault you are finding comes back to haunt you). So if you are feeling magnanimous and want to accept some bad karma and give some of your good karma away, you now know exactly how to do it. . . .

 

 

And on the flip side of the coin:

If we are taking darsan of a great devotee at the percise moment when that very same great devotee is having a 'realization' --we will receive special blessings unknowingly.

[bhakti Caru Swami has been so magnanimus as to provide us with this in his article: A double-scoop of mercy in one serving]

[fish]

If a devotee assorts the preaching of another devotional, and he is not beyond the standard dialogue in it there is no insult. If someone deforms the philosophy, that correct it very well, this blessing for all. Devoties differ also on their level. In many cases, treating with to respect to the neophyte, the man overlooks to treat with respect to instructions of pure devotie - Shrila Prabhupada.

 

Actually to avoid insults is again in relation to following for SP. In the beginning the man is filled with insults anyhow but if he chantihg, the God will help him to neutralize. All neophytes offend almost continuously this or that but if the man follows further the God will help. Basically difficulties in practice devotional are connected by that they do not follow a scripture, do not follow Shrila Prabhupada. They weaken because do not follow a scripture. If the man does not follow for SP, I doubt, that if he becomes stronger, treating with to respect Narayana Swami or to somebody else. I saw it many times, it is useless.

[Sarva gattah]

 

For ISKCON's sake, I do hope this applies to non-ISKCON devotees as well.

 

Quote:

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #666666 1px solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 3ex; BORDER-TOP: #666666 1px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 3ex; BORDER-LEFT: #666666 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #666666 1px solid" bgColor=#e0e0e0>Originally Posted by suchandra

 

To love Krsna means to show affection for ALL of his parts and parcels

Loving Krsna Means Respecting Others We should also be careful to not offend people in general (jana aparadha).

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[Beggar]

 

They weaken because do not follow a scripture. If the man does not follow for SP, I doubt, that if he becomes stronger, treating with to respect Narayana Swami or to somebody else. I saw it many times, it is useless.

 

Please make this more clear.

[fish]

I can not, I write with the translator

[fish]

If a man makes bows to Narayana Swami, but neglects manuals of Srila Prabhupada, it is useless. I hope, a little clearly

[fish]

I am not able to speak English, but if the house burns, people can understand. Shrila Prabhupada speaks

[stonehearted]

 

For ISKCON's sake, I do hope this applies to non-ISKCON devotees as well.

Ditto that, gHari.

[LoveroftheBhagavata]

A truly pukka-Vaishnava write-up by HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja. Maharaja is a wonderful devotee and has manifested a beautiful Radha-Madana Mohana temple and centre in Ujjain. Hopefully, I can get down to visiting that tirtha the next time I'm in India.

[suchandra]

 

A truly pukka-Vaishnava write-up by HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja. Maharaja is a wonderful devotee and has manifested a beautiful Radha-Madana Mohana temple and centre in Ujjain. Hopefully, I can get down to visiting that tirtha the next time I'm in India.

Thanks LoveroftheBhagavata, Bhakti Caru Swami (BCS) seems to always be trying to follow his spiritual master with great sincerity - here a few quotes of him about guru-tattva:

 

"Bhakti Marg Maharaja, he is kind of, even, he was telling me yesterday when he gives

initiation he tells his disciples that you are actually Prabhupada's disciple and I am taking care of you, trying to help you to become engaged in Srila Prabhupada's mission.

Now that's actually the crux of the whole thing, that if everybody understands and makes that point clear to their disciples then I think that a lot of our problems will be solved."

(BCS, Toronto meeting)

 

"I make it very clear to them that disciples in ISKCON do not belong to their gurus; they

belong to Srila Prabhupada."

(BCS Istagosthi)

 

"A devotee who joins the movement and is trained and cultivated by ISKCON in the form of the local temple devotees. He is doing fine and being trained up nicely.But then he gets initiated by somebody who comes to that place once in a blue moon, but because he has been initiated by him he begins to think that he is his authority and the local devotees don't mean anything to him anymore."

(BCS, Disciples Meeting)

 

"We must recognize that our first loyalty is to the local temple and the temple authority. And as a spiritual master what should I do? I think as a spiritual master it is my responsibility to reconfirm and reestablish that relationship with the local temple and temple authority."

(BCS, Disciples Meeting)

 

"Why do we hesitate to tell a new comer who is searching for a guru that Srila Prabhupada, the best guru the world has ever seen, is still here, and one can surrender unto him and go back to Godhead very easily?"

(BCS Offering an Srila Prabhupada's Disappearance Day)

 

"Initiation has two objectives. One is to receive the mantra and the other is to formalize surrender. In today's context the important consideration is the surrender. [...] If you are surrendering to me, formalizing your surrender, then what kind of responsibility do I have to you. It is to transmit your surrender to the institution of ISKCON. Generally the guru transmits this to Krsna, but here I am not directly representing Krsna. I am representing Krsna through the via medium of Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON."

(BCS, Disciples Meeting)

 

"Generally, a guru establishes a link between Krsna and his disciple. [...] Srila Prabhupada, as the pre-eminent acarya, takes you to Krsna and engages you in His service."

(BCS Istaghosti, Text PAMHO: 13658994 )

 

"I cannot lead you to Krsna."

(BCS Istagosthi)

 

"Srila Prabhupada will take you to Krsna."

(BCS, Durban disciples meeting)

 

"Usually the guru has an ashram and his disciples come to the ashram and get trained by the guru. [...] ISKCON is Srila Prabhupada's ashram. [...] Generally the guru has an ashram and he hands over the authority of the ashram to one disciple.

He appoints a successor. But Srila Prabhupada didn't do that in ISKCON. [..] Rather, Prabhupada wanted us to manage the society collectively through the Governing Body."

(BCS, Disciples Meeting)

 

"Now let us come to your point. Yes, devotees need a qualified spiritual master and I will say in ISKCON we have the most qualified spiritual master who is Srila Prabhupada. And everyone in ISKCON is meant to represent Srila Prabhupada. In ISKCON who is the ultimate spiritual master? You need a spiritual master, but who is that spiritual master? It is Srila Prabhupada."

(BCS, Disciples Meeting)

 

"What Jesus is to Christianity and what Muhammed is to Islam, Srila Prabhupada should be that to ISKCON."

(BCS, Day 3, LA Seminar, "Questions and Answers")

 

"After Harikesa fell down in 1998, in 1999 I proposed that it's obvious that we are going in the wrong direction. Now, when you go wrong, when you know you're going in the wrong direction, what do you do? You stop to find the right way. So for the time being, let's stop giving initiation and find out what is actually the problem and what is the solution to this problem, whether we can find a solution and until then, let us stop."

(Bhakti Caru Swami, Toronto lecture)

 

"And what is the line of authority structure in ISKCON? The line of authority is that Srila

Prabhupada is the FounderAcarya of ISKCON. Where does our ultimate loyalty lie? It lies with Srila Prabhupada.Then Prabhupada pointed out that the GBC is the ultimate managing authority in ISKCON. In the line of authority, next to Srila Prabhupada is the GBC body, and then there is the GBC member; everyone has a GBC member who is the zonal secretary.So we should be loyal to the GBC body and to the GBC member. And then there is the temple unit and in the temple who is the person in charge of the temple? It is the temple president. [...] In this way we have the line of authority."

(BCS, Disciples Meeting)

 

"I give initiation because I have been asked to do so. If ISKCON tells me, "initiate," I initiate. And if the GBC tells me, "don't initiate," I don't initiate."

(BCS Istagosthi)

 

'Our main problem was introducing a defective initiation system. And that defective system may have been watered down to some extent but it's still prevailing."

(BCS, Toronto meeting)

 

"Your diksa guru is giving you diksa because the institution of ISKCON decided that he

should give diksa."

(BCS, Text PAMH06829041)

 

"Compared to during Srila Prabhupadas time, ISKCON is stagnant. When you go to the West, you see Indians manning the temples. This means that Westerners are not joining, and Indians, because it is their thing, are joining despite our lack of preaching."

(Bhakti Caru Swami, lecture)

[stonehearted]

What, for example, might Bhakti Charu Maharaja, with whom I have a good relationship, say about an ISKCON leader (sannyasi, guru, GBC chairman, etc.) who asserts publicly that only one of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati's disciples was any good, and that all others became mayavadis or sahajiyas? How would such an assertion glorify Srila Sarasvati Thakura (to say that he was only able to make one good disciple--no, wait, that disciple descended from the spiritual world, so BSST didn't really have anything to do with that)?

[BhaktiK]

 

What, for example, might Bhakti Charu Maharaja say about an ISKCON leader who asserts publicly that only one of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati's disciples was any good, and that all others became mayavadis or sahajiyas?

 

Bhakti Caru Svami Initiation Ceremony Lecture in Mauritius

 

 

The 2nd consideration is that when you take initiation, you are not only developing a relationship with me. You are actually developing a relationship with the entire society of ISKCON. You are becoming a part of a family. This International Society for Krsna Consciousness has its' temples, its' line of authority, and on top of everything and everyone there is Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada has actually made the perfect arrangement through ISKCON, through his books, and through all the other arrangements that His Divine Grace has made. So if anyone takes shelter of this arrangement of Srila Prabhupada, he will undoubtedly make spiritual advancement and will eventually go back home, back to Godhead. So even though you may not have an ongoing regular relationship or connection with me, still your spiritual life is safe as long as you remain in ISKCON. If you remain within ISKCON, you will be under the protection of Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet.To remain in ISKCON means to be connected to the temple, to be favorably disposed to the devotees as well as to the authority structure of ISKCON, namely the temples, the temple devotees, the temple president, and the senior devotees of this area, the GBC, and other gurus.

 

 

To remain in ISKCON means to be ... favorably disposed to ... the authority structure of ISKCON

 

If a leader says something you don't like... don't disagree.

[Beggar]

In den ISKCON Mitteln bleiben, an den Bügel angeschlossen zu werden, zu den eifrigen Anhängern sowie zur Autoritätsstruktur von ISKCON, nämlich die Bügel vorteilhaft abgeschaffen zu werden, die Bügeleifrigen Anhänger, der Bügelpräsident und die älteren eifrigen Anhänger dieses Bereichs, das GBC und andere Gurus!

Erinnern Sie sich, Proletariat SCHWEIN und sein ist VERBOTEN und wird bestraft werden mit Gewissenhaftigkeit!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Ravindra Swarupa's 1999 identity document as a member of the GBC

 

 

 

 

 

[bhaktajan]

"dat man, begger, Heee be highhh !"

[Beggar]

The result of the German intervention in Poland - Polish garrison of Warsaw marching out of city after the surrender.

 

 

2/19/41 --- Monsieur, Do you cry also for zee Pollack masses aflicted by zee German invasion and zen zee the Rein of Terror by Harikesa and Suhotra in the next generation?

 

 

 

[suchandra]

 

The result of the German intervention in Poland - Polish garrison of Warsaw marching out of city after the surrender.

 

 

2/19/41 --- Monsieur, Do you cry also for zee Pollack masses aflicted by zee German invasion and zen zee the Rein of Terror by Harikesa and Suhotra in the next generation?

 

 

 

 

 

Yet another pathetic ignoramus who declines to properly study what are the facts in history.

[suchandra]

 

What, for example, might Bhakti Charu Maharaja, with whom I have a good relationship, say about an ISKCON leader (sannyasi, guru, GBC chairman, etc.) who asserts publicly that only one of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati's disciples was any good, and that all others became mayavadis or sahajiyas? How would such an assertion glorify Srila Sarasvati Thakura (to say that he was only able to make one good disciple--no, wait, that disciple descended from the spiritual world, so BSST didn't really have anything to do with that)?

If you have a good a relationship with HH BCS why not send him a mail and get it at first hand? The fallacy of present Vaishnavism is that a senior Vaishnava has to be a spiritual master and sitting on the vyasasana. This mentality will destroy or already has, the whole concept of perfect vedic knowledge. Unfortunately people can't even grasp the meaning of this simple point. However, looks like that the non-Vaishnavas are gradually getting watchful about this antagonism.

http://www.wissenswertes-online.de/spirit/crimes6.htm

[Beggar]

 

Yet another pathetic ignoramus who declines to properly study what are the facts in history.

 

 

 

 

[suchandra]

 

 

 

"Just like Viśvāmitra. Viśvāmitra was being disturbed by some demons in the forest. They used to live in the forest. So Viśvāmitra was able to kill such demon, many demons, by his will. But he did not do so. He went to Mahārāja Daśaratha, father of Lord Rāmacandra, to request him that “Give your sons Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. I will take them with me. They will kill that demon.” The killing is there, but the brāhmaṇa is not going to kill personally. Or the vaiśya is not meant for killing, neither the śūdras. Only the kṣatriyas. The kṣatriyas should be so trained up. Just like in USA there is some trouble in recruiting soldiers, because… Why the difficulty is? The difficulty is the training is like śūdras. The young men are trained up like śūdras, how they can fight? Therefore they are afraid (see pic above). They try to avoid fighting. Because there is no division. Everyone, in this age, everyone is śūdra. How you can expect a śūdra will be encouraged to fight? That is not possible. Therefore real social structure should be four divisions, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Brāhmaṇa, fully engaged for enlightenment of the people, knowledge, spiritual knowledge. They are meant for that. They will cultivate that knowledge personally, paṭhana pāṭhana, and make students. Brahminical class. Similarly kṣatriya. They should be trained up in politics, in fighting, not to flee away from fighting (see pic above). These are the training of the kṣatriyas."

 

Bhagavad-gītā 2.36-37

by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

London, September 4, 1973

730904BG.LON

 

http://causelessmercy.com/t/t/730904BG.LON.htm

[bhaktajan]

Can some help me? Please post the quote that Sri Ramachandra said in regards to Sugriva (I think it was Sugriva):

 

That Rama said that he would go with his respected friend to hell rather than abandon him (due to the selfless bond that Sugriva also had).

 

ys,

Bhaktajan

[Beggar]

 

 

Help the Ksatriyas are coming!!!