Back To Prabhupada, Issue 50, Winter 2015/16
n our acclaimed book, The Book Changer: The Life and Teachings of HH Jayadvaita Swami, we revealed that HH Jayadvaita Swami ("JAS") was giving an ISKCON-authorised course in ISKCON temples on "Kirtan Standards". And that as part of this course, he stated that the morning "mangala-arati" Gurvastakam prayers should not be chanted by everyone to Srila Prabhupada, but rather should be chanted to GBC gurus such as himself. This revelation by our book caused immediate shock and condemnation even from within ISKCON's own leadership. Hence, shortly after the release of our book, the following ISKCON managers condemned this proposal by JAS:
"And when we chant the mangala-aratik, that is Prabhupada's song. The mangala-aratik is not chanted to my guru, your guru, everybody's guru. [...] If someone thinks that ‘during mangala-arati, you're chanting to me' [...] That is envy."
(Sura Dasa, BBTI Manager, Lecture, 27/8/15)
"When Prabhupada introduced this song, he specifically introduced it for himself. [...] When they're chanting the prayers in the morning, it's to Srila Prabhupada. [...] It's been going on for 50 years, so all of a sudden we want to change it?"
(Svavasa Dasa, Temple President of ISKCON Los Angeles, Post-lecture Q&A, 28/8/15)
The shock and condemnation was two-fold. It was bad enough that we were being told that these prayers should no longer be chanted by everyone to Srila Prabhupada. But just as galling was the proposal that they should instead be chanted to the GBC-elected gurus. For, these prayers refer specifically to a person who is on the topmost level of Krishna consciousness. Here is what some of the prayers state:
"Because he is relishing the mellows of pure devotion within his mind, sometimes his hair stands on end, he feels quivering in his body, and tears flow from his eyes like waves."
(Gurvastakam, Verse 2)
"The spiritual master is very dear, because he is expert in assisting the gopis, who at different times make different tasteful arrangements for the perfection of Radha and Krsna's conjugal loving affairs within the groves of Vrndavana."
(Gurvastakam, Verse 6)
Thus, these prayers are referring to someone who is a completely self-realised pure devotee, an assistant to the gopis no less. And ISKCON Guru Services Chairman, HH Prahladananda Swami, had agreed that no ISKCON guru is on this level (please see: www.iskconirm.com/noguru) -- and he should know! The latest pretender to claim to join this ‘gopi club' is the infamous "Rolls Royce" guru, Sankarshan Dasa Adhikari ("SAD"), whom we had exposed stating that even if he were offered a "Rolls Royce and a marble palace", it would not be enough for him (see: www.iskconirm.com/marble). Now, he has gone further and claimed that the way to become fixed at his "lotus feet" is to apply the same Gurvastakam prayers just mentioned, that refer to the guru as an assistant to the gopis, to him:
" "How can I get fixed at your lotus feet, Srila Gurudeva? I just want to do it, but I don't do it. It is childishness. Your servant, S.D."
Answer: Follow this Instruction
To remain fixed at the lotus feet of your spiritual master always remember and follow this most wonderful and powerful enlightening instruction given by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur in Mantra 8 of his famous Gurvastakam prayer".
(Sankarshan Dasa Adhikari, Q&A, 11/12/15)
We know for a fact that from 1978 onwards, rather than serving the gopis, SAD has instead been loyally serving a corrupt GBC. First through the corrupt zonal-acarya years, then the "anyone who gets enough votes to be guru" regime, then until he finally also managed to get enough votes himself to join their guru club in 2000, and continuing right up until today. Assistant to the GoBiCs, maybe, but definitely not an assistant to the gopis. For, rather than being on the topmost level of Krishna consciousness, SAD is invested with the Kali-yuga propensities to lie, cheat and contradict oneself -- for exhaustive evidence of this, as clearly documented in previous BTPs, please see: www.iskconirm.com/nogopi.
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