Why were so many godbrothers envious of Srila Prabhupada ?

[krsna]

Srila Prabhupada's most acute controversy was not with smarta-brahmanas, Mayavadis or Saivites, but with some of his own Godbrothers who wrote Prabhupada this letter:

 

Reverend Swamiji,

I listened to your discourse on Bhakti at Rajiswari Kalayana Mandapam on the 12th instant. I am filled with doubts on the following: Your disciples dance with Hare Krishna mantram, are they really God-intoxicated as Lord Chaitanya? Have you Swamiji really got free of your ego? If so, why you said, "I challenge", and why are words like "I" and "my" always on your lips? Why do you use a cushion unlike a real yogi -- Did Lord Chaitanya use cushions? Why do you wear ring and a wrist gold watch? Are you not free from material attachment? Did you visit Lord Chaitanya Krishna Temple at Gaudiya Matha? If not, why not -- The purest Vaishnava cult is indwelling there with pious Swamijis with Lord Krishna dwelling therein. Melodious sound from your throat is absent but a jarceing undivine comes out. Is there any divinity in your person? I doubt.

One disgusted on hearing your speech.

 

(SPL V5, P63)

 

Or take Srila Prabhupadas "keep-on-smiling" while hearing from another real nice Vaishnava of Gaudiya-Matha, whom we all sincerely should include into our prayers, as he suggested: "Swami Maharaja happened to have a temperament suited to mixing with lower-class Western youth!"

(SPL 4/266/267)

[Dervish]

Who wrote those letters?

[Guest guest]

The reason why many devotees turn away from Prabhupada's movement is not Prabhupada himself, but the bloodthirsty, inimical fanatics who - in his name - do nothing but slander and offend other devotees.

 

In another thread "Krsna" writes that he is fed up with everything and just wants to shut up. Please, do so. You would do a great favor to all sincere devotees who are fed up with your posts full of hatred. I cannot believe that there is anyone who comes here to read hatred and offesive statements against Vaishnavas. There is so much hatred in this world already, cant you see??????? Why contribute to it more? WHY???? Does this give you mental or physical satisfaction? Better you find a woman, believe me, having sex is much less harmful than becoming a sour hate-monger in the disguise of Vaishnavas.

[gHari]

Guest, where did such an idea come from? I certainly never got that impression.

[Guest guest]

I got that impression. Why would you post something so negative about Prabhupada and then not even sight a name? Did you write it?

If you are going to post something like that at least sight a source.

Do us a favor and go chant hare krishna and maybe you will become a happier person.

Hare Krishna

[gHari]

Whoever wrote that letter simply ridiculed himself. I can see not giving the author's name in order to avoid it becoming a personality issue rather than a simple demonstration that even Prabhupada had his critics among those who should have been his supporters.

 

It seems we all have critics among those who should be our supporters. But then, of course, that heightens our absolute dependence and focus on Sri Krsna. It is all Krsna's mercy; perhaps Prabhupada saw it like that as he had opportunity to reflect late in Vrindavan.

 

[gHari]

The kind may say it has to do with the camps amongst the gopis themselves. And that may well be correct.

 

Then there is the mundane envy which is part and parcel of the conditioned soul. Until we are perfected, then we can expect to see that blurt out from time to time. Envy and pride seem to be married; where we find one, eventually we find the other, as though Krsna uses envy to temper pride.

 

[krsna]

I posted to illustrate the isideous disease of envy

Srila Prabhupada is Sri Guru,pure devotee and as such he elicits green envy from snakes.

This is the truth.

I agree with your points:

 

 

Whoever wrote that letter simply ridiculed himself. I can see not giving the author's name in order to avoid it becoming a personality issue rather than a simple demonstration that even Prabhupada had his critics among those who should have been his supporters.

 

It seems we all have critics among those who should be our supporters. But then, of course, that heightens our absolute dependence and focus on Sri Krsna. It is all Krsna's mercy; perhaps Prabhupada saw it like that as he had opportunity to reflect late in Vrindavan.

[krsna]

these letters taken from SP letters archives

[krsna]

Does Krishna ,in other words ,punish pride with envy?

 

'as though Krsna uses envy to temper pride.'

[Dervish]

I don't know ... these letters taken from SP letters archives

 

If this is the case, then how do we know the first letter was written by one of Prabhupada's "godbrothers"? A lot of the petty things that the writer attacked Prabhupad for, like having a cushion while giving class, could just as easily been attacks on Bhaktisiddhanta. I read the letter you posted, and their arrogant tone seems to be more the style of mayavadis than anything. I can't even imagine someone from a sahajiya apasampradaya saying things like this.

 

As for the 2nd letter, it's a second hand account, and if indeed true, should not elicit a blanket generalization on every one of Srila Prabhupad's godbrothers. The misdeeds of one will not damn all of them We don't even know who that quote is attributed to.

[gHari]

When we initially set up the brownie point system to evaluate cool we really only notice that it makes us look great(er). Then later we find out that it can make others look much much greater. My Chevie which consumes my heart, now pales compared to his new Testarosa.

 

This is all speculation though, since I don't remember reading it anywhere. I see the two like happiness and distress. If you celebrate one then you have to celebrate the other to even things out and learn not to play the game at all.

 

While we're speculating, I guess we should somehow factor shame into that equation.

 

 

[lover_soul]

If he drinks water during his lectures or not, if he sits on a cushion or not, if he goes from New york to LA by walk or by an airplane - criticizing him on these types of things is ridiculous.

 

I apologize if anyone is offended by this, but in my opinion the purest vaishnavas would try to help other spirit souls in the world by sending them back to krishna, they would try to find bliss in making krishna happy, than live with krishna themselves. They would try to face all sorts of trouble at any age even at age 80 to go and spread the bliss that comes from God.

 

Also, whats with the criticism on dancing? isn't it our eternal right to dance with harinama?

[Guest guest]

Did I ridicule myself?

There was negative aspects in those quotes about prabhupada.

-petty issues like wearing a watch, using a pillow,

-suggesting that Prabhupada's temperment allowed him to only mix with lower class individuals,

saying a "jarceing undivine" sound comes from prabhubada's throat.

These are not negative to you?

I was under the impression that we were supposed to have compassion for fellow vaishnava's, not criticism.

I am not even slightly close to being an advanced devotee, but I do find these things offensive.

 

I don't think I was ridiculing, or mocking myself, for having respect for a pure Vaishnava.

 

 

[Guest guest]

This is ONE, I repeat ONE letter from somebody, supposed to be a Godbrother of SP. No other offensive letter like this is known. So posting this letter primitive fanatics may conclude that ALL Godbrothers of SP were like this, consequently ALL of them are bogus, envious etc. That is why this post reflects a narrow minded attitude. In the same way, I could start a thread like "WHY are all the disciples of Srila Prabhupad inimical fanatics?" It would be stupid, because even though undoubtedly there are ignorant fanatics amongs the disciples of SP, we cannot generalize. Similarly, this ONE letter does not prove that the Godbrothers of SP were envious, it is written by ONE person. So I still see no reason, intelligence or good intention behind postig a disgusting, offensive letter like this. This is not the way to "defend" SP, much better way is to follow his teachings on pure japa, love between devotees, studying shastra etc. Of course, these are difficult things, it is much easier to post some rubbish to appear as a "defender of SP". First we should defend our minds from aparadh, in my opinion.

[gHari]

I spoke of the author of the letter that was quoted. How you assumed I spoke of you is beyond me.

 

When people ridicule me for being a vegetarian, is it a negative comment about me? If someone falsely accused someone, is it a negative comment about them. No one takes that fool's comments seriously, thus Prabhupada is not maligned. The critic just made a fool of himself. That's all.

 

No words in this post refer to you, Guest; except of course the second sentence.

 

[Guest guest]

It was directed at me because the title of your post was that there was nothing negative written about Prabhupada and then the first staetment was that the author of that letter Ridiculed themselves, thus making me think It was directed at me, the author of the post about why put something like this up on the board?

That is why I thought it was directed at me.

If it wasn't I apoligize.

If it was, then I guess you have a right to your opinions.

 

Hare Krishna

 

[gHari]

I just said it wasn't and you do not take my word for it, even though I've never seen anyone refer to a post as a 'letter' in a dozen years on the net. We seem to be getting into mad elephant territory here. Best to stop.

 

[Guest guest]

Is this letter "from a Godbrother" genuine?

I don't think so.

If it is genuine, then is this a translation of the original, or is the original words that the writer wrote in English?

 

I really do doubt that this letter is genuine. And why do I say this? Two simple reasons:

1) In the letter the writer uses the words "Lord Chaitanya" and native Indian born devotees almost never use the words "Lord Chaitanya". Instead, they will say "Sri Chaitanya" or "Mahaprabhu" or "Sri Chaitanyadev". I have never read any Gaudiya Math Acharya use the words "Lord Chaitanya" apart from Srila Prabhupada.

 

2) The Indian devotees of "Sri Gaudiya Math" always write "Gaudiya Math", without the final "a". They never write "Gaudiya Matha". Only "Sri Gaudiya Math" Here is a link to the listing of all temples of the original Gaudiya Math, http://www.wva-vvrs.org/members/math.htm including a listing for the Math in Madras, where the purported "Godbrother" writer of this letter is from.

[gHari]

I would imagine that such a letter to Srila Prabhupada would not be written in English, although parts of his verbal discussions with Sridhara Maharaja were in English.

 

I seem to have become more ambiguity conscious, so please accept that this post is not intended to suggest in any way that the author of the letter is Srila Sridhara Maharaja.

 

[Guest guest]

If the letter is genuine, which I doubt for the reasons I have already given, then it would most probably have come from someone at the Madras Gaudiya Math.

 

This letter speaks of events in Madras when Srila Prabhupada visited there. But Srila Sridhar Maharaj was never in Madras in the 1960's or 70's, as he stayed continuously in Nabadwip in that time. It is a fact that Srila Sridhar Maharaj did have some relation to the Madras Math originally, since Srila Sridhar Maharaj used his own family inheritance money to buy the property of the Madras Gaudiya Math. But he left that place during the lifetime of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. That is, he left Madras in the 1930's and didn't go back.The Madras Gaudiya Math later came under the management of Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Maharaj and his disciples. Maybe one of them wrote that letter. But I doubt it.

 

- murali

[Guest guest]

It said, I ASSUMED. If you want to be critiquing things, like a word, look at the title before you say I didn't take your word.

Remember I assumed!!!!!!!

 

[gHari]

Well, was it or wasn't it? You don't know? Dull and shameful.

 

Was that an apology or an accusation of deceit? Maybe both to some extent, but not much of an apology, only word deep - followed by a slap.

 

[krsna]

YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY INTIMATE CONNECTION WITH THEM

Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Pradyumna 02/17/68:

"Regarding Bhakti Puri Tirtha Maharaja, they are my God-brothers and should be shown respect. But you should not have any intimate connection with them as they have gone against the orders of my Guru Maharaja."

 

NO POSSIBILITY OF COMPROMISE

Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Narayana Maharaja 9/30/69:

"Regarding the 92 section case against the Gaudiya Math, I don't think there is any possibility of compromise. Both the Bhagbazar Party [sridhar Maharaja's group] and Mayapur party [Tirtha Maharaja's group] have unlawfully usurped the missionary institution of Srila Prabhupada, and whenever they will talk of a compromise, it means another complication."

 

MY FOURTH-CLASS GODBROTHERS

Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Hayagriva 9/14/70:

"Disturbance is caused by ignorance; where there is no ignorance, there is no disturbance. The four Sannyasis may bark, but still the caravan will pass. There is every evidence that they are influenced by some of my fourth-class Godbrothers."

 

THEY WILL BE ENVIOUS

Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Yamuna 11/18/70:

"Regarding the Gaudiya Math, our position has nothing to do with them. They cannot do anything and if somebody does something, they will be envious. That is the nature of third class men."

 

MY GODBROTHERS GAVE ME ONLY DEPRESSION

Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Gurudasa 8/29/72:

"Do not be depressed. All along my godbrothers gave me only depression, repression, compression--but I continued strong in my duty. So never mind there is some discouragement, continue with your work in full enthusiastic Krishna Consciousness attitude of service."

 

THEY HAVE ALL BECOME SUDRAS

Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Niranjana 5/21/73:

"Our big, big godbrothers in India, they could not preach Lord Gauranga's name all over India. They are simply inclined to criticize me, that my students call me Prabhupada. They could not do anything practical and tangible. They are satisfied with a temple and a few disciples begging alms for the maintenance of the temple.

 

"So, we can understand that they have all become sudras. How can they have interest in Bhagavad-gita. Although some of them have been born in brahmana families, but by quality are all sudras."

 

GAUDIYA MATH BOOKS SHOULD NOT BE CIRCULATED IN OUR SOCIETY

Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Sukadeva 11/14/73:

"Regarding the Gaudiya Math books being circulated there, who is distributing? Who is sending these books? The Gaudiya Math does not sell our books, why we should sell their books. Who has introduced these books? Let me know. These books should not at all be circulated in our Society. Bhakti Vilas Tirtha is very much antagonistic to our society and he has no clear conception of devotional service. He is contaminated. Anyway, who has introduced these books? You say that you would read only one book if that was all that I had written, so you teach others to do like that. You have very good determination."

 

THIS IS MY INSTRUCTION TO YOU ALL

Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Rupanuga 4/28/74:

"In the latter days of my Guru Maharaja he was very disgusted. Actually, he left this world earlier, otherwise he would have continued to live for more years. Still he requested his disciples to form a strong Governing body for preaching the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He never recommended anyone to be acarya of the Gaudiya Math. But Sridhara Maharaja is responsible for disobeying this order of Guru Maharaja, and he and others who are already dead unnecessarily thought that there must be one acarya. If Guru Maharaja could have seen someone who was qualified at that time to be acarya he would have mentioned. Because on the night before he passed away he talked of so many things, but never mentioned an acarya. His idea was talked of so many things, but never mentioned an acarya. His idea was acarya was not to be nominated amongst the governing body. He said openly you make a GBC and conduct the mission. So his idea was amongst the members of GBC who would come out successful and self effulgent acarya would be automatically selected. So Sridhara Maharaja and his two associate gentlemen unauthorizedly selected one acarya and later it proved a failure. The result is now everyone is claiming to be acarya even though they may be kanistha adhikari with no ability to preach. In some of the camps the acarya is being changed three times a year. Therefore we may not commit the same mistake in our ISKCON camp. Actually amongst my Godbrothers no one is qualified to become acarya. So it is better not to mix with my Godbrothers very intimately because instead of inspiring our students and disciples they may sometimes pollute them. This attempt was made previously by them, especially Madhava Maharaja and Tirtha Maharaja and Bon Maharaja but somehow or other I saved the situation. This is going on. We shall be very careful about them and not mix with them. This is my instruction to you all. They cannot help us in our movement, but they are very competent to harm our natural progress. So we must be very careful about them."

 

THEIR PROPOSAL FOR COOPERATION IS A MYTH

Srila Prabhupada's Letter to aCUTANANDA 6/8/74:

"You should not write anything to Madhava Maharaja's camp. You may have talked many things with Mangala Niloy but why write him in black and white. The letter must not be sent. Their policy has been all along to suppress me and take credit for himself. Their proposal for cooperation is a myth. They haven't done anything which is cooperative. You know in a recent article they managed to write in such a way that Madhava is doing the world movement and we are his subordinate. From the beginning that has been their mentality. So there is no possibility of cooperation with them. Rather you should avoid strictly meeting with them. They are not after preaching but material gain and reputation and adoration. Otherwise why they are non cooperating with me? So no cooperation is possible. Do not think or indulge in loose talks. Be careful always. Let us do the duty of propagation sincerely and seriously on our own principles. Krsna and Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura are our only hope and they and helping us. If anything thing has to be done it is to be talked on the higher level between Madhava Maharaja and myself, but I know his mentality is different and there is no possibility of cooperation."

 

SMASHED...ON ACCOUNT OF PERSONAL AMBITIONS

Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Karandhara 10/8/74:

"In India some of the important members they have collected huge amounts in the name of the Society and spent it luxuriously. I wanted you all my experienced disciples should manage the whole institution very cleverly without any personal ambition like ordinary materialistic men. The Gaudiya Math institution has become smashed, at least stopped its program of preaching work on account of personal ambitions."

 

MY GODBROTHERS ARE CONCERNED WITH POLITICS

Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Subala 10/15/74:

"My other godbrothers they are concerned with litigations, politics, and diplomacy, so what is the pracara? As far as I am concerned I have the blessings of my guru maharaj. I do not need anything else. That is how I went to your country, just to try to carry out his order. By his blessings it has come out successful."

 

THEY ARE NOT EVEN ORDINARY HUMAN BEING

Srila Prabhupada's Room Conversation with a Reporter in Johannesburg 10/16/75:

"Krsna sakti vina nahe krsna name pracara: 'Without Krsna's special power of attorney, nobody can preach His name.' Caitanya-caritamrta. So these rascals, Godbrothers, they are envious that... What he has written? Bon Maharaja. Just see what kind of men they are. They are not even ordinary human being. They are envious of me, and what to speak of make a judgment by estimation? They're envious. Enviousness is immediately disqualification of Vaisnava, immediate. He is not a human being. Paramo nirmatsaranam satam. This Bhagavatam is meant for the person who is completely not envious. That is the beginning. Why a Vaisnava should be envious for anyone? Everyone is working according to his karma. He is trying to rectify him, that 'Be out of these clutches of karma. You come to bhakti.' Why he should be envious? Vancha-kalpatarubhyas ca krpa-sindhubhya eva ca. A Vaisnava should be like ocean of mercy to reclaim the fallen souls. That is Vaisnava's qualification. So Vaisnava should be envious? Just see. So these persons, they are not even human being, what to speak of Vaisnava. Vaisnava cannot be envious. Vaisnava should be: 'Oh, my Lord's name is being broadcast. He is getting, giving so much service to make Krsna known.' That man has appreciated, that 'All these spiritual leaders, they are deriding. You are the only man... You are... It enthuses us, give us more encouragement, that you are keeping intact, love of Krsna.' This is an appreciation. Why he should be envious? He should be, rather, very much enthused that 'This single man is keeping Krsna all over the world.' And everyone is deriding. Even Gandhi is killing Krsna. Dr. Radhakrishnan is killing. Their only business is to kill Krsna. He is also doing that, our, this Bon Maharaja. He never speaks of Krsna. His rascal, that Institute of Indian Philosophy, nobody goes to [pass] urine there. We see practically. And our temple is always filled up, five hundred men. And he is trying for the last forty years. He is simply planning: 'This will be playground. This will be this ground. This will be this ground.' And it is becoming jungle. Still, he is so envious, black snake. So one circular letter should be issued to all our center, that 'Any Bon Maharaja or anyone, his representative, should not be received.' They are envious. Yes. Quoting that. We have got several complaints like that. Satsvarupa also complained. Sometimes our order was cancelled by Bon Maharaja's propaganda."

 

IN THE GAUDIYA MATH POLITICS IS STILL GOING ON

Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Gurukrpa, 9/30/75:

"Why is there this politics? This is not good. If politics come, then the preaching will be stopped. That is the difficulty. As soon as politics come, everything is spoiled. In the Gaudiya Math the politics is still going on. My Guru Maharaja left in 1936, and now it is 1976, so after 40 years the litigation is still going on. Do not come to this."

 

PLEASE AVOID MY GODBROTHERS

Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Visvakarma, 11/9/75:

"So I have now issued orders that all my disciples should avoid all of my godbrothers. They should not have any dealings with them nor even correspondence, nor should they give them any of my books or should they purchase any of their books, neither should you visit any of their temples. Please avoid them."

 

THEY ARE DRESSING LIKE VAISNAVA, AND THEY ARE SO ENVIOUS

Srila Prabhupada's Room Conversation in Bombay 1/8/77:

"There are similarly men also. Unnecessarily they are envious, offensive, unnecessary. They cannot tolerate others' opulence. Just like our Godbrothers. They are envious. What I have done to them? I am doing my business, trying to serve my Guru Maharaja. But they are envious because I am so opulent. I have got so much fame, so many influence, so much influence all over the world. Everyone is praising me about... That is ignorance. And this is regrettable because they are posing themselves as Vaisnava. Ordinary man can do that, but they are dressing like Vaisnava, and they are so envious. That Tirtha Maharaja, unnecessarily he was envious, whole life fighting, fighting, fighting in the court and died. Simply planning."

 

THESE PEOPLE ARE ENVIOUS

Srila Prabhupada's Room Conversation in Vrindaban 5/24/77:

"If somebody thinks, 'Oh, here is a snake with jewel. Let me embrace him, no, no, no, it is very ferocious. Even it is jewel there, it is ferocious. Similarly, these people are envious. Although they have become so-called Vaisnava, they are ferocious. They have not acquired the qualification of Vaisnava. Simply vesopidin(?), by dress."

 

"[Krishna consciousness] is simple for the simple, but it is very hard for the crooked." (Initiation lecture by Srila Prabhupada, Boston 12/26/69)

 

[krsna]

Our Affectionate Guardians: Chapter Five

 

Srila Prabhupada's Regard for Srila Sridhara Maharaja

 

Shortly before he left us in 1977, Srila Prabhupada advised his disciples that they should go to Srila Sridhara Maharaja if they had questions about philosophical matters. This instruction was accepted by the entire GBC at that time and from 1977 until 1981 they did approach Srila Sridhara Maharaja with many important questions. A major portion of this presentation is composed of excerpts from recordings and transcripts from these question and answer sessions with the GBC members.

 

The GBC Guru Position Paper of March 1978, the GBC's official statement published after their initial question and answer session with Srila Sridhara Maharaja is taken directly from Srila Sridhara Maharaja's instructions to the GBC, with a few noteworthy additions and subtractions.

 

That it was actually the instruction of Srila Prabhupada to approach Srila Sridhara Maharaja for spiritual instruction is corroborated by taped statements in our possession of Jayapataka Maharaja, Satsvarupa Maharaja, Bhakti Caru Swami, Tamal Krsna Maharaja and many other GBCs [some of whom later changed their minds regarding the validity of their previous statements], as well as by Tripurari Maharaja who was personally massaging Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet when he heard this instruction directly from Srila Prabhupada. Over the years we have seen various facts mysteriously change overnight, according to the political climate, so we have taken the trouble to substantiate our statements with hard copy, taped transcripts and similar irrefutable evidence. Understandably one may change his opinion regarding certain things, but this does not change the essential facts, the actual truth-satyam param dhimahi. "This word [satyam] means that one should not distort the truth for some personal interest." (Bg. 16.3, purp.) Let us not forget that there is an overseer-hrdi sannivisto (Bg. 15.15) and He witnesses our every activity-upadrastanumanta ca (Bg. 13.23) and will give us our just do-karmana daiva netrena (Bhag. 3.31.1). Better to be daivim prakrtim asritah (Bg. 9.13), under the shelter of His divine embrace. One's position in devotional service is after all classified according to one's faith-sraddha-anusari (Cc. Madhya-lila 22.64) and ones ultimate fate is indeed dependent upon qualifying ourselves for the Lords mercy.

 

Logically speaking, on the basis that this was the last instruction in regards to Srila Sridhara Maharaja and considering that Srila Prabhupada was always very careful, fully aware of what he was doing and that these were his final days with his disciples, this must be regarded as the most authoritative or substantial statement made by Srila Prabhupada in regards to Srila Sridhara Maharaja.

 

Most Highly Competent of My Godbrothers

 

Despite Srila Prabhupada's final and conclusive statements regarding Srila Sridhara Maharaja, some take Srila Prabhupada's letter to Rupanuga in 1974 as the conclusive statement about Srila Sridhara Maharaja. In this well-known letter, Srila Prabhupada said that Srila Sridhara Maharaja was responsible for selecting an acarya who proved to be a failure. Srila Prabhupada then warns not to make the same mistake in ISKCON. Then Srila Prabhupada warns that his disciples must be careful in mixing with his godbrothers. That ISKCON did in fact make the same mistake that Srila Prabhupada warns about in this letter to Rupanuga (unauthorized acarya appointments) has been documented by Ravindra Svarupa, a prominent and respected member of the GBC and initiating guru, [known for being one of the deep thinkers of ISKCON] in his paper, "Under My Order," portions of which are presented below in the section entitled, Is Srila Sridhara Maharaja's Mood different than Prabhupada's.

 

The above mentioned personal instruction of Srila Prabhupada to approach Srila Sridhara Maharaja for philosophy was given three years after the Rupanuga letter was written. This letter of Srila Prabhupada's must be harmonized with the other statements by Srila Prabhupada in order to get an accurate picture of Srila Prabhupada's feelings about Srila Sridhara Maharaja. In addition to Srila Prabhupada's final statements about Srila Sridhara Maharaja (above) there is Srila Prabhupada's letter to Hrsikesa (1969):

 

I can refer you to one who is most highly competent of my godbrothers. This is B. R. Sridhara Maharaja, whom I consider to be even my siksa-guru, so what to speak of the benefit that you can have from his association.

 

Srila Prabhupada repeatedly tried to get Srila Sridhara Maharaja to come to his temple in Mayapur (see letter to Srila Sridhara Maharaja in 1976 and Room Conversation in 1977--excerpts in chapter one). In the 1977 Room Conversation, Srila Prabhupada offers to build Srila Sridhara Maharaja a house at the Mayapur temple so Srila Sridhara Maharaja can preach to Srila Prabhupada's disciples-imploring Sridhara Maharaja six times to please do so.

 

One Important Godbrother, He's Sincere

 

In his July 7, 1975 letter to Bon Maharaja Srila Prabhupada related Srila Sridhara Maharaja's praise, "Sripada Sridhara Maharaja also appreciated my service. He said that 'Caitanya Mahaprabhu's prediction: prthivite ache yata nagaradi-grama, sarvatra pracara hoibe mora nama; would remain a dream only,' but he congratulated me that I 'have done it practically.'" A year and a half earlier, during a morning walk in Los Angeles on December 14, 1973, Srila Prabhupada had also narrated how Srila Sridhara Maharaja has said that he had done the impossible: mukham karoti vacalam pangum langhayate girim. "That one of my important godbrothers says. He's sincere. All others, [not]. He says that, 'In the Caitanya-Caritamrta it is said prthivite ache yata nagaradi-grama. So we were thinking that this is imagination, that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's cult would be spread all over the world, every one will chant. So you have done it.' So, he's appreciating in that way. 'But we are simply thinking that it is not possible, it is simply imagination. But that you have made it possible.' So that is his appreciation."

 

When there is a conflict between opposing statements, they must be reconciled. Since we, the disciples, take the instructions of our Srila Prabhupada as nondifferent from sastra, we may resolve his apparently conflicting statements as Rupa Goswami did for sastra.

 

 

virodho vakyayor yatra napramanyam tad isyate

yathaviruddhata ca syat tatharthah kalpyate tayoh

 

When two scriptural statements contradict each other, one is not taken as inauthentic. One should give the meaning in such a way that the contradiction is removed. (Laghu-bhag. 1.212) To harmonize this in an impartial way, we may consider that in the Rupanuga letter Srila Prabhupada was using the apparent activities of Srila Sridhara Maharaja to make a particular point to us, namely that "to elect an acarya" was not an authorized activity of the Governing Body of the Gaudiya Math and that it was contrary to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura's expressed desire. In Srila Prabhupada's own words, "Therefore we may not commit the same mistake in our ISKCON camp." Srila Prabhupada was also warning us that at least four of his godbrothers had on occasion tried to pollute and steal his disciples, so we must be very careful about them. He made it easier for us by simply saying, "all godbrothers." Although Srila Prabhupada may have in his intense preaching campaign criticized some of his godbrothers, in light of proper sastric vaishnava etiquette, it is improper for his disciples to criticize them, what to speak of publishing criticisms, thereby creating opportunity for repeated vaisnava-aparadha--for which one will be held accountable. Srila Prabhupada also did say that, "the war is over now." Still we see that certain ISKCON devotees have the habit of openly and freely criticizing any and all of Srila Prabhupada's godbrothers as they like. We feel that this is very unhealthy spiritually for them.

 

The overemphasis on Srila Prabhupada's letter to Rupanuga and minimizing of substantial statements to the contrary merely makes Srila Prabhupada out to be duplicitous-to Srila Sridhara Maharaja he showed great respect but behind Srila Sridhara Maharaja's back he really did not trust him.

 

Please refer to chapter one, A Transcendental Friendship, for a detailed account of the long and intimate association of these two great devotees. A Transcendental Friendship was originally published in another form as The Guardian of Devotion. An account of Srila Sridhara Maharaja's activities in the Gaudiya Math has been given in chapter three, A Short History of Srila Sridhara Maharaja and the Gaudiya Math. A careful reading of these documents will greatly help us clarify our understanding of these dealings between godbrothers. When we take into account all of Srila Prabhupada's loving exchanges with his dear godbrother Srila Sridhara Maharaja it becomes evident that this letter to Rupanuga is completely inconsistent with their actual relationship and thus must be seen as a warning only.

 

We point out here that the mistakes made by the leaders of ISKCON were much graver than the alleged apparent mistakes of Srila Sridhara Maharaja [ supposedly incorrect advice and desires to control ISKCON], and they have been forgiven easily whereas Srila Sridhara Maharaja is still to this day maligned. In light of an unbiased look at Srila Prabhupada's letters, room conversations, etc. it can be concluded that Srila Prabhupada did not discourage his disciples from receiving instruction (siksa) from Srila Sridhara Maharaja, on the contrary he encouraged it.

 

Our Swami Maharaja Has Done a Miracle

 

When told of the Rupanuga letter, Srila Sridhara Maharaja replied,

 

Just see the preaching of Swami Maharaja, he has not even spared me, his intimate friend!

 

When we examine the hearts of these two Vaisnavas we see the real intentions of these pure devotees of the Lord, fully absorbed in devotional service. One must examine all the facts impartially, not just make a superficial estimation based on one letter and general statements and pass a decree for all time. Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.25.3 warns us of this sort of thing, that to forcibly justify one's actions by one's strength is in the mode of passion and thus leads to misery.

 

Srila Prabhupada many times mentioned that his godbrothers were envious. A scan of the Srila Prabhupada Folio shows that he mentions the names of certain godbrothers repeatedly as envious, consistently excluding the name of Srila Sridhara Maharaja. That Sridhara Maharaja is nonenvious is self-evident (for example) upon listening to the recording of their meeting in 1973 after Prabhupada's triumphant return to India from his successful preaching in the West:

 

So our Swami Maharaja has done a miracle! Thakura Bhaktivinode conceived and Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura began to translate this conception into action. And we find that through Swami Maharaja, in his last days, it has been fulfilled to such a great extent. We are happy, we are glad, we are proud!

 

In the same conversation Srila Prabhupada revealed his thoughts at the time,

 

Our relationship is very intimate. After the breakdown of the Gaudiya Math, I wanted to organize another organization, making Sridhara Maharaja he head.

 

In the Lilamrta, Vol. 3, page 203, Satsvarupa Maharaja writes of events six years earlier, "In fluent English he [sridhara Maharaja] began praising Prabhupada's preaching in America, repeatedly using Prabhupada's phrase 'Krsna consciousness.' Swamiji's work, he said, was the fulfillment of Lord Caitanya's prophecy that Krsna consciousness would one day spread all over the world. He laughed and smiled and praised the Krsna consciousness movement with no trace of jealousy." [Room Conversation~October 1967]