What are sahajiyas?Are they followers of Krishna bhakti?

[Guest guest]

Are they the followers of Sri Narayana Maharaja,of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti?

[Dervish]

Personally, I think your post was designed to excite devotees into a fighting frenzy. If your question is a genuine question, then I apologize.

 

Sahajiya means "the easy path" more or less. They believe the road to Krishna prema can be attained by ruci, by having a taste. All sides believe this. The question is, how does one get ruci? The orthodox Gaudiya Saraswat says it is through sadhana and vaidhi bhakti, but other groups like the sahajiyas see this as unnecessary.

 

Do Narayan Maharaj and IGVS (Narayan Maharaj is International Gaudiya Vendanta Society, while Srila Vaman Maharaj is Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti) follow this criteria? This is a big question of controversy. Personally I believe that IGVS is not following on the path of Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupad. I do not believe we should fight them over this however. We cannot say that the IGVS, sahajiyas, caste goswamis, or other non-Saraswat groups do not get Krsna prema. How can you speak for all these devotees? It can be proven however, that all these groups are different from Bhaktisiddhanta's path. I will remain loyal to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupad's mission. Go where your heart takes you.

[Guest guest]

Being a sahajiya, or cheater, or mayavadi or karmi is not based on which Vaishnava institution one belongs to. There are pure devotees and there are hypocrite cheaters in every institution. Of course, ignorant persons sometimes imagine that by joining a specific organization their salvation is guaranteed. Krishna is not like us: we only see the surface, the institution, the outer designations. Krishna sees our hearts. And when we die, I guess our destination will be determined by the purity of our hearts, not by our membership card to this or that Guru's organization.

 

[Guest guest]

All About Sahajiyas

SB 2.3.24

THE BHAVA STAGE IS MANIFESTED BY EIGHT TRANSCENDENTAL SYMPTOMS, NAMELY INERTNESS, PERSPIRATION, STANDING OF HAIRS ON END, FAILING IN THE VOICE, TREMBLING, PALENESS OF THE BODY, TEARS IN THE EYES AND FINALLY TRANCE. The Nectar of Devotion, a summary study of Srila Rupa Gosvami's Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, explains those symptoms and vividly describes other transcendental developments, both in steady and accelerating manifestations. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has very critically discussed all these bhava displays in connection with some unscrupulous neophyte's imitating the above symptoms for cheap appreciation. Not only Visvanatha Cakravarti ,but also Srila Rupa Gosvami treated them very critically. SOMETIMES ALL THE ABOVE EIGHT SYMPTOMS OF ECSTASY ARE IMITATED BY THE MUNDANE DEVOTEES (PRAKRTA-SAHAJIYAS), BUT THE PSEUDO SYMPTOMS ARE AT ONCE DETECTED WHEN ONE SEES THE PSEUDODEVOTEE ADDICTED TO SO MANY FORBIDDEN THINGS. EVEN THOUGH DECORATED WITH THE SIGNS OF A DEVOTEE, A PERSON ADDICTED TO SMOKING, DRINKING OR ILLEGITIMATE SEX WITH WOMEN CANNOT HAVE ALL THE ABOVE-MENTIONED ECSTATIC SYMPTOMS. But it is seen that sometimes these symptoms are willfully imitated, and for this reason Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti accuses the imitators of being stonehearted men. They are sometimes even affected by the reflection of such transcendental symptoms, yet if they still do not give up the forbidden habits, then they are hopeless cases for transcendental realization.

NoD 28

Sometimes it is found that a nondevotee WHO HAS PRACTICALLY NO TASTE FOR KRSNA AND WHO FOLLOWS NO RULES OR REGULATIONS CAN, BY PRACTICE, MAKE A SHOW OF DEVOTIONAL SYMPTOMS, EVEN CRYING IN AN ASSEMBLY OF DEVOTEES. This shedding of tears is not actually an ecstatic loving expression, however. It is done simply by practice. Although there is no need to describe these reflections of ecstatic love, Rupa Gosvami gives some instances where there is no actual devotional service and such expressions are manifested.

 

70-06-03 Letter: Makhanlal

The transcendental symptoms of ecstasy certainly are auspicious, BUT THEY ARE NOT FOR ADVERTISING TO OTHERS. ONE SHOULD NOT ADVERTISE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY THAT ONE IS FEELING LIKE THIS. THEY SHOULD BE CHECKED. OTHERWISE ONE WILL GRADUALLY BECOME SAHAJIYA OR ONE WHO TAKES SPIRITUAL ADVANCEMENT AS SOMETHING MATERIALLY MANIFEST.

 

NoD 28

When there are manifestations of ecstatic symptoms in the body of a nondevotee, these are called dried-up symptoms of ecstatic love. The nondevotees ARE ACTUALLY MATERIALISTIC, BUT IN CONTACT WITH SOME PURE DEVOTEE, THEY SOMETIMES MAY MANIFEST SOME SYMPTOMS OF ECSTASY. DEVOTIONAL SCHOLARS CALL THESE DRIED-UP SYMPTOMS.

 

NoD 28

Rupa Gosvami says that the impersonalists' symptoms are simply reflections of ecstatic love, NOT THE REAL THING.

 

Antya 20.28

THE PRAKRTA-SAHAJIYAS EXHIBIT THESE SYMPTOMS TO ADVERTISE THEIR SO-CALLED ADVANCEMENT IN LOVE OF KRSNA, BUT INSTEAD OF PRAISING THE PRAKRTA-SAHAJIYAS FOR THEIR SYMPTOMS OF TRANSCENDENTAL ECSTASY, PURE DEVOTEES DO NOT LIKE TO ASSOCIATE WITH THEM. It is not advisable to equate the prakrta-sahajiyas with pure devotees. WHEN ONE IS ACTUALLY ADVANCED IN ECSTATIC LOVE OF KRSNA, HE DOES NOT TRY TO ADVERTISE HIMSELF. INSTEAD, HE ENDEAVORS MORE AND MORE TO RENDER SERVICE TO THE LORD.

 

NoD 40

One should NOT ARTIFICIALLY try to establish some relationship. In the premature stage IT IS SOMETIMES FOUND THAT A LUSTY, CONDITIONED PERSON WILL ARTIFICIALLY TRY TO ESTABLISH SOME RELATIONSHIP WITH KRSNA IN CONJUGAL LOVE. THE RESULT OF THIS IS THAT ONE BECOMES PRAKRTA-SAHAJIYA, OR ONE WHO TAKES EVERYTHING VERY CHEAPLY. Although such persons may be very anxious to establish a relationship with Krsna in conjugal love, their conditioned life in the material world is still most abominable. A person who has actually established his relationship with Krsna can no longer act on the material plane, and his personal character cannot be criticized.

 

SB 4.24.45-46

WITHOUT SERVING KRSNA ACCORDING TO THE VIDHI-MARGA REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES OF THE PANCARATRIKA-VIDHI, UNSCRUPULOUS PERSONS WANT TO JUMP IMMEDIATELY TO THE RAGA-MARGA PRINCIPLES. SUCH PERSONS ARE CALLED SAHAJIYA. There are also demons who enjoy depicting Krsna and His pastimes with the gopis, taking advantage of Krsna by their licentious character. These demons who print books and write lyrics on the raga-marga principles are surely on the way to hell. Unfortunately, they lead others down with them. Devotees in Krsna consciousness should be very careful to avoid such demons. ONE SHOULD STRICTLY FOLLOW THE VIDHI-MARGA REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES IN THE WORSHIP OF LAKSMI-NARAYANA, ALTHOUGH THE LORD IS PRESENT IN THE TEMPLE AS RADHA-KRSNA. RADHA-KRSNA INCLUDES LAKSMI-NARAYANA; THEREFORE WHEN ONE WORSHIPS THE LORD ACCORDING TO THE REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES, THE LORD ACCEPTS THE SERVICE IN THE ROLE OF LAKSMI-NARAYANA. In The Nectar of Devotion full instructions are given about the vidhi-marga worship of Radha-Krsna, or Laksmi-Narayana. Although there are sixty-four kinds of offenses one can commit in vidhi-marga worship, in raga-marga worship there is no consideration of such offenses because the devotees on that platform are very much elevated, and there is no question of offense. But if we do not follow the regulative principles on the vidhi-marga platform and keep our eyes trained to spot offenses, we will not make progress.

 

NoD 16

THE SIDDHA-PRANALI PROCESS IS FOLLOWED BY A CLASS OF MEN WHO ARE NOT VERY AUTHORIZED AND WHO HAVE MANUFACTURED THEIR OWN WAY OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE. THEY IMAGINE THAT THEY HAVE BECOME ASSOCIATES OF THE LORD SIMPLY BY THINKING OF THEMSELVES LIKE THAT. This external behavior is not at all according to the regulative principles. The so-called siddha-pranali process is followed by the prakrta-sahajiya, a pseudosect of so-called Vaisnavas. In the opinion of Rupa Gosvami, such activities are simply disturbances to the standard way of devotional service. SRI RUPA GOSVAMI SAYS THAT LEARNED ACARYAS RECOMMEND THAT WE FOLLOW THE REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES EVEN AFTER THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPONTANEOUS LOVE FOR KRSNA.

 

74-04-29 Letter: Bhurijana

THOSE WHO THINK THEY HAVE ALREADY ATTAINED SUCH PERFECTION AND GIVE UP THE REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES ARE CALLED SAHAJIYA, OR THOSE WHO TAKE THINGS CHEAPLY AND SIMPLY IMITATE. This early rising, holding classes, going out regularly for sankirtana, worshiping the deity are THE VERY SUBSTANCE of devotional life.

 

Madhya 4.147

Sometimes a SAHAJIYA PRESENTS HIMSELF as being void of desires FOR REPUTATION (PRATISTHA) IN ORDER TO BECOME FAMOUS AS A HUMBLE MAN. Such people cannot actually attain the platform of celebrated Vaisnavas.

 

740815BG.VRN

TAPASYA MEANS TO UNDERGO VOLUNTARILY SOME INCONVENIENCES OF THIS BODY. BECAUSE WE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO ENJOY BODILY SENSES, AND TAPASYA MEANS VOLUNTARILY TO GIVE UP THE IDEA OF SENSE GRATIFICATION. THAT IS TAPASYA. Tapasya. Just like Ekadasi. Ekadasi, one day fasting, fortnight. That is also tapasya. Or fasting in some other auspicious day. That tapasya is good, even for health, and what to speak of advancing in Krsna consciousness. So we should accept this tapasya. The upavasa. There are many prescribed days for fasting. We should observe. And the preliminary tapasya, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication, no..., no meat-eating... There may be some inconvenience, those who were accustomed to this practice, but we'll have to accept. Tapo divyam putraka yena suddhyet sattvam. If we want to purify our existence... At the present moment our existence is not purified, impure. Therefore we are suffering. Just like when one's physiological condition becomes infected, he suffers from fever and other symptoms of disease, similarly, we are suffering in this material world on account of this material body. If we want really happiness, then we must accept tapasya. Tapasya is required. Without tapasya, if you think that very easily... Or "WITHOUT TAPASYA, I CAN GET IT SIMPLY BY IMAGINATION," THEN YOU BECOME SAHAJIYA, TO TAKE THINGS VERY EASILY. NO. TAPASYA. THEREFORE KRSNA SAYS THAT TAPAS CASMI TAPASVISU. THAT ACCEPTANCE OF TAPASYA MEANS THAT TAPASYA IS ITSELF KRSNA. YOU ASSOCIATE WITH KRSNA.

 

730627SB.MAY

So these are all symptoms of love for Krsna. That is the highest perfection of life, to shed tears for Krsna. Yugayitam nimesena caksusa pravrsayitam. SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU TAUGHT US THIS METHOD OF WORSHIP IN SEPARATION, VIPRALAMBHA-SEVA. NOT THAT "OH, I HAVE SEEN YESTERDAY. LAST NIGHT, I HAVE SEEN KRSNA. HE WAS SNATCHING MY CLOTH." THESE ARE SAHAJIYAS. ACTUALLY, OUR WORSHIP SHOULD BE IN SEPARATION. The Gosvamis also taught us like that. He radhe vraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-suno kutah. They in the Vrndavana remained authorized persons. They were also searching after Krsna. THEY NEVER SAID THAT "WE HAVE GOT KRSNA," NEVER SAID. HE RADHE VRAJA-DEVIKE CA LALITE HE NANDA-SUNO KUTAH SRI-GOVARDHANA-KALPA-PADAPA-TALE KALINDI-VANE KUTAH, GHOSANTAV ITI SARVATO VRAJA-PURE KHEDAIR MAHA-VIHVALAU. SIMPLY KHEDAIR MAHA-VIHVALAU. THEY WERE LAMENTING IN SEPARATION. Vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau. So this is the process of Caitanya Mahaprabhu's worship. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was falling down on the water, "Oh, I could not see Krsna." When He was grhastha, He was simply consulting with mother, "Mother, I could not realize Krsna. What shall I do? Where shall I go?" Mother said, "My dear son, why You are impatient? Everything will be all right in due course." Caitanya Mahaprabhu was giving indication that "I must leave home." Mother was also understanding that "This boy wants to leave us." That was another perplexed position. So that is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teaching:

 

yugayitam nimesena

caksusa pravrsayitam

sunyayitam jagat sarvam

govinda-virahena me

 

GOVINDA-VIRAHENA: "IN SEPARATION FROM GOVINDA I AM THINKING ONE MOMENT AS TWELVE YEARS." SOME OF YOU OR ALL OF US HAVE GOT THIS EXPERIENCE. IF WE WANT SOMETHING VERY, VERY EAGERLY, THEN EVERY MOMENT BECOMES A LONG TIME. "OH, IT IS NOT YET RECEIVED. IT IS NOT YET RECEIVED. IT IS NOT YET DONE." YUGAYITAM NIMESENA. NIMESA, A MOMENT, A TWINKLING OF AN EYE, THAT IS CALLED NIMESA. THAT APPEARS TO BE TWELVE YEARS. The gopis could not tolerate even twinkling of eyes. They were condemning the creator, "The creator does not know the art of creating. Why he has created this twinkling of eyes so that it is disturbing us from seeing Krsna." Seeing Krsna, and the twinkling of eyes, that is natural. So the gopis did not like it, that "Why he has created this? He does not know the art of creation." This is love. Yugayi... Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu tasted the gopis' feelings. Sri-caitanyakhyam prakatam adhuna tad-dvayam caikyam aptam. Radha krsna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini-saktih. Krsna, when He wants to enjoy... He is the Absolute Supreme Person, spirit, Absolute, the Supreme Spirit. SO FOR SPIRITUAL ENJOYMENT IN THIS MATERIAL WORLD GREAT SAINTLY PERSONS, SAGES, THEY GIVE UP ALL MATERIAL ENJOYMENT JUST TO TASTE WHAT IS SPIRITUAL ENJOYMENT, SPIRITUAL LIFE. BRAHMANUBHUTI. THEY GIVE UP EVERYTHING. TAPASA BRAHMACARYENA. BY AUSTERITY, BRAHMACARYA, YAMENA, NIYAMENA, TYAGENA, SATYA-SAUCABHYAM-- SO MANY PROCESSES THEY ADOPT FOR TASTING A LITTLE BRAHMANUBHUTI. ITTHAM SATAM BRAHMA-SUKHANUBHUTYA DASYAM GATANAM PARA-DAIVATENA. SO SUKADEVA GOSVAMI SAID THAT "HERE, THE KRSNA, HERE IS, PLAYING WITH THE COWHERDS BOYS. WHO IS HE?" ITTHAM SATAM BRAHMA-SUKHANUBHUTYA. "THE GREAT SAGES, SAINTLY PERSONS, WHO ARE TRYING TO TASTE THE SPIRITUAL REALIZATION, THAT IS HERE. HE IS PLAYING AS COWHERD BOY." Dasyam gatanam para-daivatena: "And those who are devotees, for them He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Mayasritanam nara-darakena: "And those who are mayasrita, they are thinking, 'This Krsna is ordinary human child.' " Sakam vijahruh krta-punya-punjah: "SO WITH THIS BOY, TRANSCENDENTAL KRSNA, COWHERD BOY, THE OTHER BOYS WHO ARE PLAYING, THEY ARE NOT ORDINARY MEN." KRTA-PUNYA-PUNJAH. "THEY ACCUMULATED PIOUS ACTIVITIES LIFE AFTER LIFE FOR MANY, MANY THOUSANDS AND MILLIONS OF LIVES. NOW THEY HAVE GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY WITH KRSNA."

So this Krsna consciousness movement is very serious and important. Here are the sign, how they love Krsna. One side, they are..., they cannot check the tears coming out, "Krsna is going away." Another side, "Oh, if I shed tears, then there may be inauspicity." How much perplexity, this two sides. Dilemma. Between the horns of Scylla and Charybdis. That is the position. The lover, intense love creates such situation, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited.

 

yugayitam nimesena

caksusa pravrsayitam

sunyayitam jagat sarvam

govinda-virahena me

 

"WITHOUT SEEING GOVINDA, THE WHOLE WORLD IS VACANT." THIS IS LOVE. "Let me try to become Krsna conscious. If it is done, all right. If it is not done, I shall remain in my position. What is the loss?" Not like that. One must be so eager that without Krsna consciousness, one should become mad. One should become mad. THAT IS SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU'S TEACHING, SEPARATION, NOT DIRECT CONTACT.

Direct contact is not possible. Neither that is the way of worshiping by the method of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. That is sahajiya-vada. "I am talking with Krsna. Krsna is snatching my cloth." There is a book, one lady has written, his (her) experience, that Krsna comes, He talks with her and snatches her cloth. She has written openly. But this is not Caitanya Mahaprabhu's way. There is one gentleman, Mr. Raya, in Poona, and he has got also woman. Everyone must have a woman, parakiya. This is sahajiya-vada. This is sahajiya-vada. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu never said, "This is the parakiya-rasa: one should have one woman." No. He observed complete sannyasa life. Rather there was very, very severe, rigid restriction about women. But now, these sahajiyas, they are going on in the name of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: aula, baula, kartta-bhaja, neda, daravesa, sani sahajiya, sakhibheki, like that, so many. They are apa-sampradaya. REAL CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU SAMPRADAYA IS THAT HE SHOULD BE FEELING LIKE CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU, SEPARATION. Not sambhoga. Vipralambha. Vipralambha-seva: "Oh, I am so wretched, I could not serve Krsna. How I can see Krsna? It is not possible." In this way.

 

That is the teaching of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. "But even though I do not see Him, neither it is possible for me to see Him..." Means: "What I am? I am insignificant person. Why Krsna come and see me?" This is right. "Why shall I aspire after seeing Krsna? What qualification I have got?" This is bhajana. This is bhajana. Why should I be proud that "Now I shall see Krsna"? What I am? That is the teaching of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam marma-hatam karotu va adarsanat. Adarsana. "Without giving me audience, You kill me, You break my heart; still, You are my Lord, You are my worshipable Lord, nobody else." This is love. This is love. (Bengali:) Asan krsna galai diba naiva beja tata(?). Not like that. "Krsna may not come. I may not see Krsna for thousands and thousands of lives. I may rot in the hellish condition of life for many, many births. That doesn't matter. Still, I cannot give up Krsna consciousness." This is required. I may be sent to hell, heaven; it doesn't matter. What qualification I have got that I want to see back to home, back to Godhead?

 

It is not so easy thing. So why should I be sorry for that? I should be happy even in the hell simply by thinking of Krsna. That is wanted. That is wanted. That is Krsna consciousness. So here is the example. Tears by force are coming out: "Oh, Krsna is going away." At the same time, they want to check: "There may not be any inauspicity for Krsna." They're thinking Krsna, for Krsna, not for personal self. "Oh, I am now crying. I have become very much fortunate. I am crying for Krsna." No. "my crying will create inauspicity for krsna, I must check it." this is krsna consciousness.

 

SB 4.29.14

EVEN IN SUCH A SACRED PLACE AS VRNDAVANA, INDIA, UNINTELLIGENT MEN PASS OFF THIS RECTAL AND GENITAL BUSINESS AS SPIRITUAL ACTIVITY. SUCH PEOPLE ARE CALLED SAHAJIYA. ACCORDING TO THEIR PHILOSOPHY, THROUGH SEXUAL INDULGENCE ONE CAN ELEVATE ONESELF TO THE SPIRITUAL PLATFORM. FROM THESE VERSES OF SRIMAD-BHAGAVATAM, HOWEVER, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE DESIRES FOR SEXUAL SATISFACTION ARE MEANT FOR THE ARVAK, THE LOWEST AMONG MEN. To rectify these rascals and fools is very difficult. After all, the sex desires of the common man are condemned in these verses. The word durmada means "wrongly directed," and nirrti means "sinful activity." Although this clearly indicates that sex indulgence is abominable and misdirected even from the ordinary point of view, the sahajiyas nonetheless pass themselves off as devotees conducting spiritual activities.

 

Adi Introduction

Krsna's embracing Radharani or His dancing with the cowherd girls in the rasa dance are generally not understood by ordinary men because they consider these pastimes in the light of mundane lust. THEY INCORRECTLY THINK THAT KRSNA IS LIKE THEMSELVES AND THAT HE EMBRACES THE GOPIS JUST AS AN ORDINARY MAN EMBRACES A YOUNG GIRL. SOME PEOPLE THUS BECOME INTERESTED IN KRSNA BECAUSE THEY THINK THAT HIS RELIGION ALLOWS INDULGENCE IN SEX. THIS IS NOT KRSNA-BHAKTI, LOVE OF KRSNA, BUT PRAKRTA-SAHAJIYA--MATERIALISTIC LUST. In order to avoid such errors, we should understand what Radha-Krsna actually is. Radha and Krsna display Their pastimes through Krsna's internal energy. THE PLEASURE POTENCY OF KRSNA'S INTERNAL ENERGY IS A MOST DIFFICULT SUBJECT MATTER, AND UNLESS ONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT KRSNA IS, ONE CANNOT UNDERSTAND IT. KRSNA DOES NOT TAKE ANY PLEASURE IN THIS MATERIAL WORLD, BUT HE HAS A PLEASURE POTENCY. Because we are part and parcel of Krsna, the pleasure potency is within us also, but we are trying to exhibit that pleasure potency in matter. KRSNA, HOWEVER, DOES NOT MAKE SUCH A VAIN ATTEMPT. THE OBJECT OF KRSNA'S PLEASURE POTENCY IS RADHARANI; KRSNA EXHIBITS HIS POTENCY, OR ENERGY AS RADHARANI AND THEN ENGAGES IN LOVING AFFAIRS WITH HER. IN OTHER WORDS, KRSNA DOES NOT TAKE PLEASURE IN THIS EXTERNAL ENERGY BUT EXHIBITS HIS INTERNAL ENERGY, HIS PLEASURE POTENCY, AS RADHARANI. THUS KRSNA MANIFESTS HIMSELF AS RADHARANI IN ORDER TO EXHIBIT HIS INTERNAL PLEASURE POTENCY. OF THE MANY EXTENSIONS, EXPANSIONS AND INCARNATIONS OF THE LORD, THIS PLEASURE POTENCY IS THE FOREMOST AND CHIEF. It is not that Radharani is separate from Krsna. Radharani is also Krsna, for there is no difference between the energy and the energetic. Without energy, there is no meaning to the energetic, and without the energetic, there is no energy. Similarly, without Radha there is no meaning to Krsna, and without Krsna there is no meaning to Radha. Because of this, the Vaisnava philosophy first of all pays obeisances to and worships the internal pleasure potency of the Supreme Lord. Thus the Lord and His potency are always referred to as Radha-Krsna. Similarly, those who worship the name of Narayana first of all utter the name of Laksmi, as Laksmi-Narayana. Similarly, those who worship Lord Rama first of all utter the name of Sita. In any case--Sita-Rama, Radha-Krsna, Laksmi-Narayana—the potency always comes first. RADHA AND KRSNA ARE ONE, AND WHEN KRSNA DESIRES TO ENJOY PLEASURE, HE MANIFESTS HIMSELF AS RADHARANI. THE SPIRITUAL EXCHANGE OF LOVE BETWEEN RADHA AND KRSNA IS THE ACTUAL DISPLAY OF THE INTERNAL PLEASURE POTENCY OF KRSNA. ALTHOUGH WE SPEAK OF "WHEN" KRSNA DESIRES, JUST WHEN HE DID DESIRE WE CANNOT SAY. WE ONLY SPEAK IN THIS WAY BECAUSE IN CONDITIONED LIFE WE TAKE IT THAT EVERYTHING HAS A BEGINNING; HOWEVER, IN THE ABSOLUTE, OR SPIRITUAL, LIFE THERE IS NEITHER BEGINNING NOR END. YET IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THAT RADHA AND KRSNA ARE ONE AND THAT THEY ALSO BECOME DIVIDED, THE QUESTION "WHEN?" AUTOMATICALLY COMES TO MIND. WHEN KRSNA DESIRED TO ENJOY HIS PLEASURE POTENCY, HE MANIFESTED HIMSELF IN THE SEPARATE FORM OF RADHARANI, AND WHEN HE WANTED TO UNDERSTAND HIMSELF THROUGH THE AGENCY OF RADHA, HE UNITED WITH RADHARANI, AND THAT UNIFICATION IS CALLED LORD CAITANYA.

 

WHY DID KRSNA ASSUME THE FORM OF CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU? IT IS EXPLAINED THAT KRSNA DESIRED TO KNOW THE GLORY OF RADHA'S LOVE. "WHY IS SHE SO MUCH IN LOVE WITH ME?" Krsna asked. "What is My special qualification that attracts Her so? And what is the actual way in which She loves Me?" It seems strange that Krsna, as the Supreme, should be attracted by anyone's love. We search after the love of a woman or a man because we are imperfect and lack something. The love of a woman, that potency and pleasure, is absent in man, and therefore a man wants a woman, but this is not the case with Krsna, who is full in Himself. Thus Krsna expressed surprise: "Why am I attracted by Radharani? And when Radharani feels My love, what is She actually feeling?" In order to taste the essence of that loving affair, Krsna appeared just as the moon appears on the horizon of the sea. Just as the moon was produced by the churning of the sea, by the churning of spiritual love affairs the moon of Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared. Indeed, Lord Caitanya's complexion was golden, just like the moon. Although this is figurative language, it conveys the meaning behind the appearance of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

Madhya 8.204-205

Some material sahajiyas who cannot actually understand the pastimes of radha and krsna manufacture their own life-styles without referring to authority. Such sahajiyas are called sakhi-bheki, and sometimes they are called gaura-nagari. THEY BELIEVE THAT THE MATERIAL BODY, WHICH IS FIT TO BE EATEN BY JACKALS AND DOGS, IS ENJOYABLE FOR KRSNA. CONSEQUENTLY THEY ARTIFICIALLY DECORATE THE MATERIAL BODY TO ATTRACT KRSNA, THINKING THEMSELVES SAKHIS. BUT KRSNA IS NEVER ATTRACTED BY THE ARTIFICIAL GROOMING OF THE MATERIAL BODY. AS FAR AS SRIMATI RADHARANI AND HER GOPIS ARE CONCERNED, THEIR BODIES, HOMES, DRESSES, ORNAMENTS, ENDEAVORS AND ACTIVITIES ARE ALL SPIRITUAL.

 

Adi 4.108

Those under the shelter of the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu can understand that His mode of worship of the Supreme Lord Krsna in separation is the real worship of the Lord. WHEN THE FEELINGS OF SEPARATION BECOME VERY INTENSE, ONE ATTAINS THE STAGE OF MEETING SRI KRSNA. So-called devotees like the sahajiyas CHEAPLY IMAGINE they are meeting krsna in vrndavana. Such thinking may be useful, but actually meeting Krsna is possible through the attitude of separation taught by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

Adi 7.48

In the parampara system, the instructions taken from the bona fide spiritual master must also be based on revealed Vedic scriptures. ONE WHO IS IN THE LINE OF DISCIPLIC SUCCESSION CANNOT MANUFACTURE HIS OWN WAY OF BEHAVIOR. There are many so-called followers of the Vaisnava cult in the line of Caitanya Mahaprabhu who do not scrupulously follow the conclusions of the sastras, and therefore they are considered to be apa-sampradaya, which means "outside of the sampradaya." SOME OF THESE GROUPS ARE KNOWN AS AULA, BAULA, KARTABHAJA, NEDA, DARAVESA, SANI SAHAJIYA, SAKHIBHEKI, SMARTA, JATA-GOSANI, ATIVADI, CUDADHARI AND GAURANGA-NAGARI. IN ORDER TO FOLLOW STRICTLY THE DISCIPLIC SUCCESSION OF LORD CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU, ONE SHOULD NOT ASSOCIATE WITH THESE APASAMPRADAYA COMMUNITIES.

 

72-07-14 Letter: Bhavananda

One thing, on the invitation card you have written ALL GLORIES TO OUR GURU MAHARAJA. THIS IS IMPERSONALISM. AS SOON AS WE OFFER OBEISANCES TO GURU, THE NAME SHOULD BE THERE. WE ARE STRICTLY PERSONALISTS. THE SAHAJIYA'S, THEY WRITE GLORIES TO GURU. WHY YOU ARE LEARNING THIS IMPERSONALISM, WHO HAS TAUGHT YOU? Daily I am offering obeisances to my Guru by vibrating his real name, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, otherwise it is impersonal.

 

Madhya 1.34

THE PRAKRTA-SAHAJIYAS DO NOT CONSULT THE VEDIC LITERATURE, AND THEY ARE DEBAUCHEES, WOMAN-HUNTERS AND SMOKERS OF GANJA. SOMETIMES THEY GIVE A THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE AND CRY FOR THE LORD WITH TEARS IN THEIR EYES. Of course, all scriptural conclusions are washed off by these tears. The prakrta-sahajiyas do not realize that they are violating the orders of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who specifically said that to understand Vrndavana and the pastimes of Vrndavana one must have sufficient knowledge of the sastras (Vedic scriptures). AS STATED IN SRIMAD-BHAGAVATAM (1.2.12), BHAKTYA SRUTA-GRHITAYA. THIS MEANS THAT DEVOTIONAL SERVICE IS ACQUIRED FROM VEDIC KNOWLEDGE. TAC CHRADDADHANAH MUNAYAH. DEVOTEES WHO ARE ACTUALLY SERIOUS ATTAIN BHAKTI, SCIENTIFIC DEVOTIONAL SERVICE, BY HEARING VEDIC SCRIPTURES (BHAKTYA SRUTA-GRHITAYA). IT IS NOT THAT ONE SHOULD CREATE SOMETHING OUT OF SENTIMENTALITY, BECOME A SAHAJIYA AND ADVOCATE SUCH CONCOCTED DEVOTIONAL SERVICE.

 

Adi 7.72

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THESE VERSES, THERE ARE SOME SAHAJIYAS WHO, TAKING EVERYTHING VERY CHEAPLY, CONSIDER THEMSELVES ELEVATED VAISNAVAS BUT DO NOT CARE EVEN TO TOUCH THE VEDANTA-SUTRA OR VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY. A REAL VAISNAVA SHOULD, HOWEVER, STUDY VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY, BUT IF AFTER STUDYING VEDANTA ONE DOES NOT ADOPT THE CHANTING OF THE HOLY NAME OF THE LORD, HE IS NO BETTER THAN A MAYAVADI. Therefore, one should not be a Mayavadi, yet one should not be unaware of the subject matter of Vedanta philosophy. Indeed, Caitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited His knowledge of Vedanta in His discourses with Prakasananda Sarasvati. Thus it is to be understood that a Vaisnava should be completely conversant with Vedanta philosophy, yet he should not think that studying Vedanta is all in all and therefore be unattached to the chanting of the holy name. A devotee must know the importance of simultaneously understanding Vedanta philosophy and chanting the holy names. If by studying Vedanta one becomes an impersonalist, he has not been able to understand Vedanta. THIS IS CONFIRMED IN THE BHAGAVAD-GITA (15.15). VEDANTA MEANS "THE END OF KNOWLEDGE." THE ULTIMATE END OF KNOWLEDGE IS KNOWLEDGE OF KRSNA, WHO IS IDENTICAL WITH HIS HOLY NAME. Cheap Vaisnavas (sahajiyas) do not care to study the Vedanta philosophy as commented upon by the four acaryas. IN THE GAUDIYA-SAMPRADAYA THERE IS A VEDANTA COMMENTARY CALLED THE GOVINDA-BHASYA, BUT THE SAHAJIYAS CONSIDER SUCH COMMENTARIES TO BE UNTOUCHABLE PHILOSOPHICAL SPECULATION, AND THEY CONSIDER THE ACARYAS TO BE MIXED DEVOTEES. THUS THEY CLEAR THEIR WAY TO HELL.

 

Adi 7.102

The Vaisnavas are by far the greatest philosophers in the world, and the greatest among them was Srila Jiva Gosvami Prabhu, whose philosophy was again presented less than four hundred years later by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Maharaja. Therefore one must know very well that Vaisnava philosophers are not sentimentalists or cheap devotees like the sahajiyas. ALL THE VAISNAVA ACARYAS WERE VASTLY LEARNED SCHOLARS WHO UNDERSTOOD VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY FULLY, FOR UNLESS ONE KNOWS VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY HE CANNOT BE AN ACARYA.

 

Adi 7.168

The Panca-tattva is a very important factor in understanding Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. THERE ARE SAHAJIYAS WHO, NOT KNOWING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PANCA-TATTVA, CONCOCT THEIR OWN SLOGANS, SUCH AS BHAJA NITAI GAURA, RADHE SYAMA, JAPA HARE KRSNA HARE RAMA OR SRI-KRSNA-CAITANYA PRABHU-NITYANANDA HARE KRSNA HARE RAMA SRI-RADHE GOVINDA. Such chants may be good poetry, but they cannot help us to go forward in devotional service. In such chants there are also many discrepancies, which need not be discussed here. STRICTLY SPEAKING, WHEN CHANTING THE NAMES OF THE PANCA-TATTVA, ONE SHOULD FULLY OFFER HIS OBEISANCES: SRI-KRSNA-CAITANYA PRABHU-NITYANANDA SRI-ADVAITA GADADHARA SRIVASADI-GAURA-BHAKTA-VRNDA. BY SUCH CHANTING ONE IS BLESSED WITH THE COMPETENCY TO CHANT THE HARE KRSNA MAHA-MANTRA WITHOUT OFFENSE. WHEN CHANTING THE HARE KRSNA MAHA-MANTRA, ONE SHOULD ALSO CHANT IT FULLY: HARE KRSNA, HARE KRSNA, KRSNA KRSNA, HARE HARE. HARE RAMA, HARE RAMA, RAMA RAMA, HARE HARE. One should not foolishly adopt any of the slogans concocted by imaginative devotees. IF ONE ACTUALLY WANTS TO DERIVE THE EFFECTS OF CHANTING, ONE MUST STRICTLY FOLLOW THE GREAT ACARYAS. THIS IS CONFIRMED IN THE MAHABHARATA: MAHA-JANO YENA GATAH SA PANTHAH. "THE REAL PATH OF PROGRESS IS THAT WHICH IS TRAVERSED BY GREAT ACARYAS AND AUTHORITIES."

 

Adi 8.22

The prakrta-sahajiyas who chant nitai-gaura radhe syama have very little knowledge of the Bhagavata conclusion, and they hardly follow the Vaisnava rules and regulations, and yet because they chant bhaja nitai-gaura, their chanting immediately invokes tears and other signs of ecstasy. Although they do not know the principles of vaisnava philosophy and are not very advanced in education, by these symptoms they attract many men to become their followers. Their ecstatic tears will of course help them in the long run, for as soon as they come IN CONTACT WITH A PURE DEVOTEE THEIR LIVES WILL BECOME SUCCESSFUL. Even in the beginning, however, because they are chanting the holy names of nitai-gaura, their swift advancement on the path of love of Godhead is very prominently visible.

 

Madhya 1.208

"AFTER INITIATION, the disciple's name must be changed to indicate that he is a servant of Lord Visnu. The disciple should also immediately begin marking his body with tilaka (urdhva-pundra), especially his forehead. These are spiritual marks, symptoms of a perfect Vaisnava." This is a verse from the Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda. A MEMBER OF THE SAHAJIYA-SAMPRADAYA DOES NOT CHANGE HIS NAME; THEREFORE HE CANNOT BE ACCEPTED AS A GAUDIYA VAISNAVA. If a person does not change his name after initiation, it is to be understood that he will continue in his bodily conception of life.

 

Madhya 3.70

The word upakarana indicates a variety of foods, such as dal, vegetables and other varieties of possible dishes that one can eat very nicely with rice. IT IS NOT PROPER, HOWEVER, FOR A SANNYASI TO EAT SUCH PALATABLE DISHES. IF HE DID SO, HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL HIS SENSES. SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU DID NOT ENCOURAGE SANNYASIS TO EAT VERY PALATABLE DISHES, FOR THE WHOLE VAISNAVA CULT IS VAIRAGYA-VIDYA, AS RENOUNCED AS POSSIBLE. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also advised Raghunatha dasa Gosvami not to eat very palatable dishes, wear very nice garments or talk on mundane subjects. These things are all prohibited for those in the renounced order. A devotee does not accept anything to eat that is not first offered to Krsna. All the rich foods offered to Krsna are given to the grhasthas, the householders. There are many nice things offered to Krsna--garlands, bedsteads, nice ornaments, nice food and even nicely prepared pan, betel nuts--but a humble Vaisnava, thinking his body material and nasty, does not accept such preparations for himself. He thinks that by accepting such things he will offend the lotus feet of the Lord. THOSE WHO ARE SAHAJIYAS CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHAT SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU MEANT WHEN HE ASKED ADVAITA ACARYA TO BRING TWO SEPARATE LEAVES AND GIVE A SMALL QUANTITY OF THE PRASADA TO HIM.

 

 

 

 

770124r2.bhu

Prabhupada: My Guru Maharaja used to say, "WHEN our men will be sahajiya, he will be MORE DANGEROUS."

Satsvarupa: Our own men.

Prabhupada: Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, he said that "WHEN OUR MEN WILL BE SAHAJIYA, OH, THEY'LL BE MORE DANGEROUS." SO OUR MEN ARE BECOMING, SOME OF THEM, SAHAJIYAS. This very word he said, that "WHEN our men will be sahajiyas he'll be MORE DANGEROUS."

 

 

 

 

 

760628bj.nv

Prabhupada: So-called gurus, they are so-called gurus. They are not gurus. That is already explained. If one does not speak what Krsna speaks, he is not guru. If you accept so-called guru, that is your misfortune. What can be done?

Pusta Krsna: Some of them will say some things that Krsna says, but they'll take from other places also. What is the position of such persons?

Prabhupada: HE'S MOST DANGEROUS. He's most dangerous. HE IS OPPORTUNIST. HE'S FINDING OUT CUSTOMER, something here... According to the customer he is giving something, as the customers will be pleased. So he is not guru.

 

 

Iso 12

The Lord states that as soon as one reaches Him by devotional service--which is the one and only way to approach the Personality of Godhead--one attains complete freedom from the bondage of birth and death. In other words, the path of salvation from the material clutches fully depends on the principles of knowledge and detachment gained from serving the Lord. THE PSEUDO RELIGIONISTS HAVE NEITHER KNOWLEDGE NOR DETACHMENT FROM MATERIAL AFFAIRS, FOR MOST OF THEM WANT TO LIVE IN THE GOLDEN SHACKLES OF MATERIAL BONDAGE UNDER THE SHADOW OF PHILANTHROPIC ACTIVITIES DISGUISED AS RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES. By a false display of religious sentiments, they present a show of devotional service while indulging in all sorts of immoral activities. IN THIS WAY THEY PASS AS SPIRITUAL MASTERS AND DEVOTEES OF GOD. Such violators of religious principles have no respect for the authoritative acaryas, the holy teachers in the strict disciplic succession. THEY IGNORE THE VEDIC INJUNCTION ACARYOPASANA--"ONE MUST WORSHIP THE ACARYA"--and Krsna's statement in the Bhagavad-gita (4.2) evam parampara-praptam, "This supreme science of God is received through the disciplic succession." INSTEAD, TO MISLEAD THE PEOPLE IN GENERAL THEY THEMSELVES BECOME SO-CALLED ACARYAS, BUT THEY DO NOT EVEN FOLLOW THE PRINCIPLES OF THE ACARYAS. These rogues are the most dangerous elements in human society. Because there is no religious government, they escape punishment by the law of the state. They cannot, however, escape the law of the Supreme, who has clearly declared in the Bhagavad-gita that envious demons in the garb of religious propagandists shall be thrown into the darkest regions of hell (Bg. 16.19-20). SRI ISOPANISAD CONFIRMS THAT THESE PSEUDO RELIGIONISTS ARE HEADING TOWARD THE MOST OBNOXIOUS PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THEIR SPIRITUAL MASTER BUSINESS, WHICH THEY CONDUCT SIMPLY FOR SENSE GRATIFICATION.

 

 

Madhya 8.312

The process is maha-jano yena gatah sa panthah: one has to STRICTLY FOLLOW GREAT PERSONALITIES AND ACARYAS. ACARYA-van puruso veda: one who HAS THE FAVOR OF THE ACARYA KNOWS EVERYTHING. This statement made by Kaviraja Gosvami is very valuable for all pure devotees. Sometimes the prakrta sahajiyas claim that they have heard the truth from their guru. BUT ONE CANNOT HAVE TRANSCENDENTAL KNOWLEDGE SIMPLY BY HEARING FROM A GURU WHO IS NOT BONA FIDE. The guru must be bona fide, and he must have heard from his bona fide guru.

 

NoD 7

Those who do not strictly follow the principles of revealed scriptures are generally CALLED SAHAJIYAS--THOSE WHO HAVE IMAGINED EVERYTHING TO BE CHEAP,WHO HAVE THEIR OWN CONCOCTED IDEAS, AND WHO DO NOT FOLLOW THE SCRIPTURAL INJUNCTIONS. SUCH PERSONS ARE SIMPLY CREATING DISTURBANCES IN THE DISCHARGE OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE.

 

KB 29

ONE SHOULD NOT FOLLOW THE MEN CALLED SAHAJIYA, THE SO-CALLED DEVOTEES WHO TAKE EVERYTHING VERY LIGHTLY.

 

NoI 5

This is the way to cultivate devotional service properly; therefore in this verse Srila Rupa Gosvami has advised us how to treat various devotees. We can see from practical experience that there are different types of Vaisnavas. The prakrta-sahajiyas generally chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, yet they are attached to women, money and intoxication. Although such persons may chant the holy name of the Lord, they are not yet properly purified. SUCH PEOPLE SHOULD BE RESPECTED WITHIN ONE'S MIND, BUT THEIR ASSOCIATION SHOULD BE AVOIDED.

 

Antya 6.278

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura suggests that people who are MATERIALISTICALLY INCLINED AND SAHAJIYAS, OR SO-CALLED VAISNAVAS WHO TAKE EVERYTHING VERY CASUALLY, ARE BOTH VISAYI MATERIALISTS. EATING FOOD OFFERED BY THEM CAUSES CONTAMINATION, AND AS A RESULT OF SUCH CONTAMINATION, EVEN A SERIOUS DEVOTEE BECOMES LIKE A MATERIALISTIC MAN. There are SIX KINDS OF ASSOCIATION--giving charity, accepting charity, accepting food, offering food, talking confidentially and inquiring confidentially. ONE SHOULD VERY CAREFULLY AVOID ASSOCIATING WITH BOTH THE SAHAJIYAS, WHO ARE SOMETIMES KNOWN AS VAISNAVAS, AND THE NON-VAISNAVAS, OR AVAISNAVAS. THEIR ASSOCIATION CHANGES THE TRANSCENDENTAL DEVOTIONAL SERVICE OF LORD KRSNA INTO SENSE GRATIFICATION, AND WHEN SENSE GRATIFICATION ENTERS THE MIND OF A DEVOTEE, HE IS CONTAMINATED. THE MATERIALISTIC PERSON WHO ASPIRES AFTER SENSE GRATIFICATION CANNOT PROPERLY THINK OF KRSNA.

 

Madhya 12.195

Sangat sanjayate kamah (Bg. 2.62). One develops his consciousness according to society and association. As Srila Nityananda Prabhu admits, a devotee should be very careful when associating with those who are not devotees. When asked by a householder devotee what the behavior of a devotee should be, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu immediately replied:

 

asat-sanga-tyaga,----ei vaisnava-acara

'stri-sangi'----eka asadhu, 'krsnabhakta' ara

(Cc. Madhya 22.87)

 

A Vaisnava, a devotee, should simply discard intimate association with nondevotees. In his Upadesamrta, Srila Rupa Gosvami has described the symptoms of intimate relationships in this way:

dadati pratigrhnati

guhyam akhyati prcchati

bhunkte bhojayate caiva

sad-vidham priti-laksanam

 

The words bhunkte bhojayate indicate that one should eat with devotees. One should carefully avoid eating food offered by nondevotees. Indeed, a devotee should be very strict in not accepting food from a nondevotee, especially food prepared in restaurants or hotels or on airplanes. SRILA NITYANANDA PRABHU'S REFERENCE IN THIS CONNECTION IS MEANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT ONE SHOULD AVOID EATING WITH MAYAVADIS AND COVERT MAYAVADIS LIKE THE SAHAJIYA VAISNAVAS, WHO ARE MATERIALLY AFFECTED.

 

 

Madhya 22.153

** AN ADVANCED DEVOTEE SITUATED ON THE PLATFORM OF SPONTANEITY IS ALREADY VERY EXPERT IN SASTRIC INSTRUCTION, LOGIC AND ARGUMENT. WHEN HE COMES TO THE POINT OF ETERNAL LOVE FOR KRSNA, NO ONE CAN DEVIATE HIM FROM THAT POSITION, NEITHER BY ARGUMENT NOR BY SASTRIC EVIDENCE. AN ADVANCED DEVOTEE HAS REALIZED HIS ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD, AND CONSEQUENTLY HE DOES NOT ACCEPT THE LOGIC AND ARGUMENTS OF OTHERS.** SUCH AN ADVANCED DEVOTEE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SAHAJIYAS, WHO MANUFACTURE THEIR OWN WAY AND COMMIT SINS BY INDULGING IN ILLICIT SEX, INTOXICATION AND GAMBLING, IF NOT MEAT-EATING. SOMETIMES THE SAHAJIYAS IMITATE ADVANCED DEVOTEES AND LIVE IN THEIR OWN WHIMSICAL WAY, AVOIDING THE PRINCIPLES SET DOWN IN THE REVEALED SCRIPTURES. UNLESS ONE FOLLOWS THE SIX GOSVAMIS-SRI RUPA, SANATANA, RAGHUNATHA BHATTA, SRI JIVA, GOPALA BHATTA AND RAGHUNATHA DASA-ONE CANNOT BE A BONA FIDE SPONTANEOUS LOVER OF KRSNA. In this connection, Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says: rupa-raghunatha-pade haibe akuti kabe hama bujhaba se yugala piriti. The sahajiyas' understanding of the love affairs between Radha and Krsna is not bona fide because they do not follow the principles laid down by the six Gosvamis. THEIR ILLICIT CONNECTION AND THEIR IMITATION OF THE DRESS OF RUPA GOSVAMI AS WELL AS THEIR AVOIDANCE OF THE PRESCRIBED METHODS OF REVEALED SCRIPTURES WILL LEAD THEM TO THE LOWEST REGIONS OF HELL. THESE IMITATIVE SAHAJIYAS ARE CHEATED AND UNFORTUNATE. THEY ARE NOT EQUAL TO ADVANCED DEVOTEES (PARAMAHAMSAS). DEBAUCHEES AND PARAMAHAMSAS ARE NOT ON THE SAME LEVEL.

 

 

Bg 4.42

A BONA FIDE spiritual master is IN THE DISCIPLIC SUCCESSION FROM TIME ETERNAL, and he DOES NOT DEVIATE AT ALL FROM THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE SUPREME LORD AS THEY WERE IMPARTED MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO TO THE SUN-GOD, FROM WHOM THE INSTRUCTIONS OF BHAGAVAD-GITA HAVE COME DOWN TO THE EARTHLY KINGDOM. One should, therefore, follow the path of Bhagavad-gita as it is expressed in the Gita itself AND BEWARE OF SELF-INTERESTED PEOPLE AFTER PERSONAL AGGRANDIZEMENT WHO DEVIATE OTHERS FROM THE ACTUAL PATH. The Lord is definitely the supreme person, and His activities are transcendental. One who understands this is a liberated person from the very beginning of his study of the Gita.

 

 

 

Madhya 16.74

 

sastra-yuktye sunipuna, drdha-sraddha yanra

'uttama-adhikari' se taraye samsara

 

"If one is EXPERT IN VEDIC LITERATURE AND HAS FULL FAITH IN THE SUPREME LORD, then he is an uttama-adhikari, a first-class Vaisnava, a topmost Vaisnava who can deliver the whole world and turn everyone to Krsna consciousness." (Cc. Madhya 22.65) With great love and affection, the maha-bhagavata observes the Supreme Personality of Godhead, devotional service and the devotee. He observes nothing beyond Krsna, Krsna consciousness and Krsna's devotees. The maha-bhagavata knows that everyone is engaged in the Lord's service in different ways. He therefore descends to the middle platform to elevate everyone to the Krsna conscious position.

 

 

[Guest guest]

Is a membership card to a succession of gurus needed? Or just purity of our hearts is enough?

[Guest guest]

purity brings invariably to take shelter in a pure guru, if one does not take guru there's no question of purity or sincerity, he simply does not want to be adviced, corrected and chastized

[Guest guest]

then perhaps thoose who you accuse of "taking a membership card into an institution" have taken shelter of a pure guru, otherwise why would your bodily succession of gurus be any different than an institution :-)

[Guest guest]

Fools rush in where angels fear to tread

 

Devotee:

In Sri Brahma-samhita it is described that Sri Sri Radha and Krsna are seated on a divine throne, and the whorl of the lotus flower upon which They are seated is described as a hexagonal figure. What is the meaning of this hexagonal figure?

 

Srila Sridhar Maharaja:

I am sorry, but we are not to enter into the discussion of such higher and subtle position of the Lila of Radha-Krsna. That is not to be brought into public, and that is the distinction between the Gaudiya Math and the sahajiya section. The sahajiyas are trying to imitate all these things, but we have no faith in imitation. The higher Lila will come in an individual case, and it will awaken in an irresistible way. When the program of the sadhana stage is finished it will come automatically, spontaneously. We are believers in that, and not to know the form already and then we will reach there - that is not the policy accepted by Guru Maharaja, Prabhupada (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura): pujala raga-patha gaurava-bhange. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura also said, "Stick to the rulings of the class you are fit for, then you will see automatically."

 

yatha yatha gaura-padaravinde

vindeta bhaktim krta-punya-rasih

tatha tathotsarpati hrdy akasmad

radha-padambhoja-sudhambu-rasih

(Sri Chaitanya-chandramrta 8

 

Strictly stick to Gaura-lila , Mahaprabhu, and you will find automatically within your heart that Radha-rasa-sudhanidhi is flowing. Don't attempt directly to have it. It will come automatically, spontaneously. Not intellectually you shall approach that, for that will give you a bad prejudice. Not only that, but it will be harmful prejudice and you will have to expend more energy to do away with that layer of misunderstanding. So our Srila Prabhupada did not allow these things. Do your duty in your plane, according to what you deserve, and that will come naturally. That is his instruction all through, not only temporarily, but all through. Don't go to be a disbeliever and be very eager to see the final result. Don't do like that, for then you will get Maya instead of Yoga-maya. He knows it fully well, She knows it fully well, when you are to be taken in to the confidential area, and that cannot be acquired by any other thing but His sweet will - the flow of Her sweet will, or His sweet will. Try to have the natural thing, not any thing of imitation or any reflection. Reflection and shadow, these two kinds of misconceptions may come there. Reflection is more dangerous. In Harinam also it has been stated like that. Reflection and shadow, both are misguiding. And we are to cross that. On our way that sort of temptation may come, but we must not think that everything will come within the fist of our intellect.

 

achintyah khalu ye bhava

na tams tarkena yojayet

 

Don't take the inconceivable under the jurisdiction of reason. When it will be extended to you, you will be astounded to find only a peep into that. Na tams tarkena yojayet: don't try to drag that into the zone of reason. This is autocratic in its nature. It may come in one shape to you, it may go in another shape to another gentleman. It is so expansive and so free in its nature. It is infinite. Rather the Infinite is the base of those Pastimes. Always prepare yourself. Hanker. But don't make it an object of your experience. When Mahaprabhu talked about the higher Lilas it was as if He was in a trance. As if in a trance He gave a description of His wonderful experience of Krsna-lila. Several times we find that sort of deep Lila: the higher Lila of Krsna being related by Mahaprabhu Himself: the Govarddhan-lila and the Jalakeli-lila when He jumped unconscious into the ocean and for a few hours was carried by the waves of the sea to Chakra-tirtha from Swargadvar. The jalakeli of Krsna, He described how it is. A lso at Chatak Parvvat - there is no end to His Lila. When His body was transformed like a pumpkin, then also He described a Lila, but the nature of that description was not any book-produced thing. It cannot be taken into black and white. It is such a thing. So we receive caution often, that: "Don't try. It will come automatically. Go on with the program that is given by the Sastra and the Guru and it will be. If you have such possibility of fortune then it will come to you. It is not a natural experience that can be given to this and that. It is not to be tackled in such way."

 

yatha yatha gaura-padaravinde

 

Engage your full attention in Gaura-lila and that will come automatically within you. From the indirect way it will come to you from the higher domain. When it will be pleased it will come down for some time to give you experience, and you will simply be astonished, "What is this!" Then even when gone, withdrawn, you will have nothing to lament. It is a living thing. Try to come to get the whole. We cannot make it our object. Such higher thing! Such higher thing. Even it is very hard to see an ordinary man's conduct with his intimate friends, and so it is with the Lila of the Supreme Lord. How can we dare to enter into that, and especially publicly? It is not possible. Externally we can try to give some description of the outer possibilities, but not the actual thing. We won't venture to enter there.

 

Devotee: Can they draw something general, like a lotus flower?

 

Srila Sridhar Maharaja: A lotus flower is representing the idea of beauty, softness, and such things, and different petals representing different platforms of rasam. In such a way we can take it - beauty, softness. No mundane ideas should be drawn there - only distant similarity. But categorical difference should always be there.

 

Reading Restricted

 

Even we are not allowed by our Master to read the books where They are described: Govinda-Lilamrtam, even Stava-kusumanjali, even Ujjvala-nilamani. He did not allow us to study and to discuss it. Rather, he would be very much disturbed if he heard that someone was interfering with the higher Lilas in those books. He did not like it. Dusta phala karibe arjjana - Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura gives warning that we will get only a bad result if we venture to cross the line; a bad effect will come to us. Aparadha. From the lower position, anartha, the steps are shown. Sraddha, sadhu-sanga, sravan, kirttan, then anartha-nivrtti - the undesirable things will vanish altogether. Then ruchi, then asakti, then bhava-bhakti - the sprout of real devotion. Then prema-bhakti, and sneha, mana, pranay, rag, anurag, bhav, Mahabhav. By such steps we are to approach there. Once Prabhupada remarked, though how you will take it I do not know: one gentleman, of course he was a senior, wanted to discuss these things with Prabhupada. H e laid much stress on that, and ultimately he left the association of Prabhupada and lived a secluded life. Previously he did much service to the mission, that gentleman. Prabhupada remarked, "Oh, he has two lives. He is married with Krsna and she has got a child." Such a remark was there that he was a man, but taking himself as a Gopi he wanted to culture about the life of the Gopis - the intimate connection of Krsna and the Gopis. In this way he wanted to culture intensely, but Prabhupada remarked in that way: "Oh he has turned into a lady, a Gopi, and after coming in contact with Krsna she has produced a child!" Another time the Guru Maharaja of Prabhupada - Gaura Kishor Babaji - was in a hut near the Ganges. Another disciple of Prabhupada, leaving Prabhupada went to imitate Prabhupada's Gurudeva, Gaura Kishor Babaji, and constructed a tiny hut nearby and imitated his bhajan, Harinam and the discussion of Narottama Thakura - all these things - and observed strict vairagyam in his physical life. Gaura Kisho r Babaji remarked one day that only by entering a labor room and imitating the cries of labor, a child will not come by that sound. Many important previous events are necessary, then a child will come. Only imitation will not give birth to a child. Such was his remark to that gentleman.

 

[Guest guest]

a true succession of pure transcendental gurus has nothing "bodily"

 

an institution made by real sadhus is a trancendental institution being a form of vaishnava sanga.. so it "have" to be joined

 

one has to have a pure guru, otherwise what's the use?

 

 

[Guest guest]

Sahajiya is like the Gaudiya Matha's cut down for people who do not fit in to their rigid mindset. Mayavadi is the same thing.

Iskconites are especially fond of using these slurs and teaching them to their kids in order to perpetuate these discriminatory attitudes.

I ought to know, I was there.

Do not conern yourself with these things as they only get you bogged down in discrimination. We are all devotees of krishna only with different coverings. Life is too short to be so judgemental.

[Guest guest]

then better not be judgemental about which institutions have been made by real sadhus and which not, otherwise the same judgement applies to you also :-)

[Guest guest]

oh many thanks... but i wasn't judging anyone /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Guest guest]

Life is too short to be so judgemental.

 

but it is also too short to not choose carefully who's to follow to go back to godhead

 

(mayavadi is not a devotee of krishna, he believes that his existence and god's existence is an illusion.. so he's not devotee of anyone

 

sahajia is not a devotee because he, having no real spiritual advancement, make a farce to have joined the krishna lilas with the purpose to imitate, with some girl or boy, radha and krishna in their loving pastimes ..

 

these are the definitions... up to you to identify who's a devotee or who's a liar like the mayavadi or a cheater like the prakrta sahajia)