Is A Physically Present Spiritual Master Required?

[muralidhar_das]

http://www.scsmath.org/memories/02/020703b_sannyas.html

 

Left to right: Sripad Bhakti Rasik Bhagavat Maharaj, Sripad Bhakti Jivan Parivrajak Maharaj, Sripad Bhakti Kiran Giri Maharaj, Sripad Bhakti Madhurya Mangal Maharaj, Sripad Bhakti Sudhanya Niskinchan Maharaj, Sripad Bhakti Dayita Damodar Maharaj, Sripad Bhakti Amal Paramahamsa Maharaj.

Sripad Bhakti Prapanna Tirtha Maharaj is on the other side of the camera (he is taking the photo).

Here is another one that you might find interesting Babhru Prabhu

Saint Petersburgh - 2 August 2002

 

Left to right: Siddhanti Maharaj (Chidananda), Janardan Maharaj (Panca Dravida), Acharyya Maharaj and Srila Gurudev

Gurudev will be back in St Petersburgh in a few weeks.

He is just about to embark on his latest world tour - Bankok (new temple), Russia, Italy, London (new temple), California, Mexico (new temple at Veracruz) and Venezuela (the place where they devotees make the BEST KIRTAN in the world).

[Guruvani]

 

http://www.scsmath.org/memories/02/020703b_sannyas.html

 

Left to right: Sripad Bhakti Rasik Bhagavat Maharaj, Sripad Bhakti Jivan Parivrajak Maharaj, Sripad Bhakti Kiran Giri Maharaj, Sripad Bhakti Madhurya Mangal Maharaj, Sripad Bhakti Sudhanya Niskinchan Maharaj, Sripad Bhakti Dayita Damodar Maharaj, Sripad Bhakti Amal Paramahamsa Maharaj.

Sripad Bhakti Prapanna Tirtha Maharaj is on the other side of the camera (he is taking the photo).

Here is another one that you might find interesting Babhru Prabhu

Saint Petersburgh - 2 August 2002

 

Left to right: Siddhanti Maharaj (Chidananda), Janardan Maharaj (Panca Dravida), Acharyya Maharaj and Srila Gurudev

Gurudev will be back in St Petersburgh in a few weeks.

He is just about to embark on his latest world tour - Bankok (new temple), Russia, Italy, London (new temple), California, Mexico (new temple at Veracruz) and Venezuela (the place where they devotees make the BEST KIRTAN in the world).

and without the efforts of Bhakti Sudhir Maharaja all of this wonderful and glorious thing would not have happened.

 

Bhakti Sudhir Goswami Maharaja started the western movement of Srila Sridhar Maharaja.

I was fortunate to be the head priest and head cook at the temple that started it all.

[muralidhar_das]

Goswami came to Sydney a few months ago

[Guruvani]

 

Goswami came to Sydney a few months ago

 

Here we are, together:

my real internal aspiration is to be the eternal servant of Bhakti Sudhir Maharaja.

 

Srila Sridhar Maharaja instructed me "cooperate with Bhakti Sudhira Maharaja as far as possible".

 

That is my eternal assignment and I hope someday to live up that that service I have been given.

 

I am quite happy with that.

 

As you can see, I look up to Bhakti Sudhir Maharaja.

Much of my own understanding was greatly influenced by Goswami Maharaja.

 

Devotional genius...... Goswami Maharaja..... I love him... though I am very far down from him.

[stonehearted]

 

http://www.scsmath.org/memories/02/020703b_sannyas.html

 

Left to right: Sripad Bhakti Rasik Bhagavat Maharaj, Sripad Bhakti Jivan Parivrajak Maharaj, Sripad Bhakti Kiran Giri Maharaj, Sripad Bhakti Madhurya Mangal Maharaj, Sripad Bhakti Sudhanya Niskinchan Maharaj, Sripad Bhakti Dayita Damodar Maharaj, Sripad Bhakti Amal Paramahamsa Maharaj.

Sripad Bhakti Prapanna Tirtha Maharaj is on the other side of the camera (he is taking the photo).

Here is another one that you might find interesting Babhru Prabhu

Saint Petersburgh - 2 August 2002

 

Left to right: Siddhanti Maharaj (Chidananda), Janardan Maharaj (Panca Dravida), Acharyya Maharaj and Srila Gurudev

Gurudev will be back in St Petersburgh in a few weeks.

He is just about to embark on his latest world tour - Bankok (new temple), Russia, Italy, London (new temple), California, Mexico (new temple at Veracruz) and Venezuela (the place where they devotees make the BEST KIRTAN in the world).

Thanks. Nice temple! I've only met Janardan Maharaja once or twice, very briefly. I got to know Siddhanti Maharaja a little--certainly well enough to know he's a very sweet, sincere devotee whose company would always benefit me.

[Guruvani]

 

Thanks. Nice temple! I've only met Janardan Maharaja once or twice, very briefly. I got to know Siddhanti Maharaja a little--certainly well enough to know he's a very sweet, sincere devotee whose company would always benefit me.

 

I rode from Pittsburg temple to New Vrindavan with Janardana Maharaja way back in 1975.

I lasted one day at new Vrindavan and I wanted out of there so bad that I hitched a ride with an old farmer on his tractor who took me to the highway and I hitch-hiked all the way back to L.A. temple.

[Guest guest]

 

During his lifetime, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur authorized one of his disciples -- Bhaktisaranga Goswami (then still a brahmacari) -- to give diksa, and Bhaktisaranga Goswami did indeed initiate a small handful of disciples during the lifetime of his Gurudeva.

 

one of his disciples was a westerner, an Australian chap named Burchett.

[Guruvani]

which one of the stool bags is yours Muralidhar...?

(just teasing him, please don't delete)

 

[krsna]

Hearing KRSNA manifest as pure sound or Hari-katha in the hearing process from the authorized bona-fide guru vaisnava devotee is absolutely required in the physically manifest spiritual master.

 

From a lecture by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur:

 

 

 

"The world is in no need of any reformer. The world has a very competent person for guiding its minutest happenings. The person who finds that there is scope for reform of the world himself stands in need of reform. The world goes on in its own perfect way. No person can deflect it by the breadth of a hair from the course chalked out for it by providence. . . . What is necessary is to change our outlook to this very world. . . .

 

The scriptures declare that it is only necessary to listen with an open mind to the name of Krishna from the lips of a bona fide devotee. As soon as Krishna enters the listening ear, He clears up the vision of the listener so that he no longer has any ambition of ever-acting the part of a reformer of any other person, because he finds that nobody is left without the very highest guidance. It is therefore his own reform by the grace of God, whose supreme necessity and nature he is increasingly able to realize by the eternally continuing mercy of the Supreme Lord."

[Guest guest]

"The world is in no need of any reformer."

 

What does that mean, then no one should try to improve things?

[theist]

 

"The world is in no need of any reformer."

 

What does that mean, then no one should try to improve things?

 

 

"The world is in no need of any reformer. The world has a very competent person for guiding its minutest happenings. The person who finds that there is scope for reform of the world himself stands in need of reform. The world goes on in its own perfect way. No person can deflect it by the breadth of a hair from the course chalked out for it by providence. . . . What is necessary is to change our outlook to this very world. . . .

 

 

At first it may sound contradictory especially considering the outreach work of Bhaktisiddhanta. But what I hear him saying is that the real reform for the world must be directed towards a transformation or reformation of the consciousness which will then be the cause for external reformation of the world.

 

You know how good people are forever trying to reform te world by various plans. End poverty and hunger and thus reform the world. End global warmong to reform the world etc. The list is endless. But the world is never reformed by all these attempts.

 

What we call the state of the world is but the result of past actions done in the wrong consciousness. Once that has occurred it is useless to try to reform the resulting reactions as they are coming back under the supervision of the Supreme Lord as our prarabdha karma or providence.

 

Only by each member of the world first reforming his own consciousness from trying to be the prime enjoyer to one of recognizing the Primacy of the Lord and working under His direction will there be world wide reform. That reform will come as a natural effect to the reformed actions(causes) just as surely as we are now reaping what we have sown in the past.

 

The desie for reform is a good and natural one for us to have but we need to bring that about by working internally upon ourselves and not simply by external endeavors or movements lead by some charismatic character.

[Guruvani]

for all the VANIVADIS out there... here is the VANI...

 

Srila Prabhupada- Teachings of Lord Kapila

 

 

One should come to the temple, listen to talks about Krsna,

and then, after some time, officially take initiation into the service

of the Lord. That is called bhajana-kriya.

 

This is what seperates the VANIVADIS from the BOOKVADIS.

[Guruvani]

Teachings of Lord Kapila

 

 

The

International Society for Krishna Consciousness is publishing many books

so that people can utilize their time properly by reading them and make

their lives successful. Not only should we read Srimad-Bhagavatam, but

we should also serve the person bhagavata, one whose life is nothing but

Srimad-Bhagavatam. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya. By this process we can

attain the stage of bhagavad-bhakti, but first we must get rid of all

these anarthas, unwanted things.

 

Srila Prabhupada always equated joining ISKCON and doing service to ISKCON as the proper way of serving the person Bhagavat.

[kiranasa]

It depends!!!

 

In the beginning a child NEEDS his mother to teach him how to eat, how to walk and how to talk, and as he grows up, the need becomes less and less. When he becomes an adult, then he could live on his own without the help of his mother.

 

You dicide!!!

[Guest guest]

 

Teachings of Lord Kapila

 

 

 

Srila Prabhupada always equated joining ISKCON and doing service to ISKCON as the proper way of serving the person Bhagavat.

Why don't you?

[Guruvani]

 

Why don't you?

 

I did.

I was in ISKCON during the time Prabhupada.

I read the books for two months everyday.

I knew what I was doing when I joined.

I wasn't some hungry bum coming off the streets the food and shelter.

Then, I realized that I should join the movement so I flew off to L.A. and joined the movement where I stayed all long as I could till I couldn't take the corruption any longer.

 

I left when the leadership became rotten and misquided.

 

Did you?

[Guest guest]

 

I did.

I was in ISKCON during the time Prabhupada.

I read the books for two months everyday.

I knew what I was doing when I joined.

I wasn't some hungry bum coming off the streets the food and shelter.

Then, I realized that I should join the movement so I flew off to L.A. and joined the movement where I stayed all long as I could till I couldn't take the corruption any longer.

 

I left when the leadership became rotten and misquided.

 

Did you?

I'm not pushing for ISKCON membership. You are. Quite inconsistently I might add.

[Guruvani]

 

I'm not pushing for ISKCON membership. You are. Quite inconsistently I might add.

I narrated my experience during the Prabhupada-era.

There are alternatives today.

 

Still, for a new devotee looking to make a break from abject material entanglement they would be better off with the devotees of ISKCON than drowing in the material existence without any devotee association.

 

I am content where I am at for now.

I have an idea what i want to do when family obligations are complete.

 

But, for newcomers to Krisna consciousness I would think they would be better off in ISKCON than drowning alone in the middle of nowhere.

 

I am not a newbie.

I have much experience as a practicing devotee in my past.

 

Newcomers can't imitate people like me with years of practical experience in Krishna consciousness.

 

I was a priest, pujari and head cook in several temples.

I am not the same as new newcomers just now learning about Krishna consciousness.

 

Those clowns who have been reading books for 35 years and never joined the movement have a real serious problem.

 

They obviously have some serious issues that they can never deal with living alone without devotee association.

 

My plan is to sell my home and open a temple in association of a strong preacher sannyasi.

I know where I am at now is wrong.

 

The bookvadis can't face the truth and have themselves deceived.

 

They will never make any advancement living alone in their apartments without surrendering to devotee association.

[Guest guest]

 

I narrated my experience during the Prabhupada-era.

There are alternatives today.

 

Still, for a new devotee looking to make a break from abject material entanglement they would be better off with the devotees of ISKCON than drowing in the material existence without any devotee association.

 

I am content where I am at for now.

I have an idea what i want to do when family obligations are complete.

 

But, for newcomers to Krisna consciousness I would think they would be better off in ISKCON than drowning alone in the middle of nowhere.

 

I am not a newbie.

I have much experience as a practicing devotee in my past.

 

Newcomers can't imitate people like me with years of practical experience in Krishna consciousness.

 

I was a priest, pujari and head cook in several temples.

I am not the same as new newcomers just now learning about Krishna consciousness.

 

Those clowns who have been reading books for 35 years and never joined the movement have a real serious problem.

 

They obviously have some serious issues that they can never deal with living alone without devotee association.

 

My plan is to sell my home and open a temple in association of a strong preacher sannyasi.

I know where I am at now is wrong.

 

The bookvadis can't face the truth and have themselves deceived.

 

They will never make any advancement living alone in their apartments without surrendering to devotee association.

I've had the so-called association. What little there is of it. Politics and high school cliques. Small circles of friends based obviously on bodily features - indian with indian, latino with latino, young with young and old with old.

You can get that anywhere. Unless a new-comers demographics are acceptable, they will get stared at ignored and treated like crap. Who needs it?

[Guruvani]

 

I've had the so-called association. What little there is of it. Politics and high school cliques. Small circles of friends based obviously on bodily features - indian with indian, latino with latino, young with young and old with old.

You can get that anywhere. Unless a new-comers demographics are acceptable, they will get stared at ignored and treated like crap. Who needs it?

 

sorry to hear you are so unfortunate.

 

I spent several years in ISKCON and it was absolutely fabulous - the best years of my life.

But, I didn't let the GBC own me.

I travelled around as I liked and I had a super experience.

I would love to do it all over again and relish more next time.

 

ISKCON was awesome beyond description - pure ecstacy.

[theist]

Reading the commentaries of the acaryas is associating with a pure devotee. This is why ritviks are self important and self appointed disturbaces to society. One simple needs to hear the message of Godhead from the right source.

 

This has nothing to do with attending or not attending common devotee functions festivals and kirtans ans associaitng with other sadhakas.To suggest so is the expression of a very confused mind who has no grasp on the issue.

[Guest guest]

 

sorry to hear you are so unfortunate.

 

I spent several years in ISKCON and it was absolutely fabulous - the best years of my life.

But, I didn't let the GBC own me.

I travelled around as I liked and I had a super experience.

I would love to do it all over again and relish more next time.

 

ISKCON was awesome beyond description - pure ecstacy.

 

'was' being the operative term.

[Guruvani]

 

'was' being the operative term.

 

there are probably some spots and patches of ISKCON that are still nice.

 

USA seems to be suffering the worst - the homeland of KC in the western world.

 

Since, the USA is the original, it is harder to pass off a forgery here.

 

In third world countries that don't have a clue ISKCON is doing better,

[Guest guest]

 

there are probably some spots and patches of ISKCON that are still nice.

 

USA seems to be suffering the worst - the homeland of KC in the western world.

 

Since, the USA is the original, it is harder to pass off a forgery here.

 

In third world countries that don't have a clue ISKCON is doing better,

Canada is mostly Indian. In fact ISKCON in general has turned Indian.

[Guest guest]

 

Reading the commentaries of the acaryas is associating with a pure devotee. This is why ritviks are self important and self appointed disturbaces to society. One simple needs to hear the message of Godhead from the right source.

 

So when the ritviks preach that everyone can directly associate with Srila Prabhupada, the current acarya, through his writings, that is being a "disturbance" is it?

 

"Just follow his order, Spiritual Master is along with you by his words. Just like my Spiritual Master is not physically present, but I am associating with him by his words." (SB Lectures, 71/08/18)

 

"If there is no chance to serve the spiritual master directly, a devotee should serve him by remembering his instructions. There is no difference between the spiritual master's instructions and the spiritual master himself. In the absence therefore, his words of direction should be pride of the disciple."

(CC Adi 1.35)

 

"The disciple and Spiritual Master are never separated because the Spiritual Master always keeps company with the disciple as long as the disciple follows strictly the instructions of the Spiritual Master. This is called the association of Vani. Physical presence is called Vapuh. As long as the Spiritual Master is physically present, the disciple should serve the physical body of the Spiritual Master, and when the Spiritual Master is no longer physically existing, the disciple should serve the instructions of the Spiritual Master."

(SB 4:28:47)