Back To Prabhupada, Issue 64, Interactive, Vol 4, 2019
"BTP #62 and 63. Many thanks for these magazines which have been received and 'consumed'. I would like to make a comment on the reading of previous acaryas' writings. There are several references in Prabhupada's purports where he suggests the reading of various Goswamis' books for further information, including a statement that 'in future people will learn Bengali to appreciate the depth of Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy' (not verbatim). My understanding is that "om ajnana-timirandhasya..." The spiritual master has opened my darkened eyes with the torchlight of knowledge. i.e. by initiation and by through study of Prabhupada's books, one can use that torchlight of knowledge to, say, further study the Goswamis' writings to deepen understanding of our Gaudiya philosophy. That would not be considered 'jumping over the guru'. Of course, in your article "The Bogus Bona Fide Guru Paradox - 2" is a good example of misusing that torchlight to jump over Prabhupada to reach a conclusion contradicting his teachings!
Yhs,"
- Dwaipayana Dasa, New South Wales, Australia
1) Fortunately, Srila Prabhupada has told us exactly what would be considered "jumping over", and thus we can simply consult his statements to find out. We can first easily dispense with what is not considered "jumping over". Simply studying the writings of the previous acaryas is not "jumping over", because the books we study in ISKCON —
Sri Upadesamrta/The Nectar of Instruction by Srila Rupa Gosvami;
Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu/The Nectar of Devotion by Srila Rupa Gosvami;
Srimad-Bhagavatam by Krsna-Dvaipayana Vyasa;
Bhagavad-gita by Lord Krsna;
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta by Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami
— are all by personalities who are listed in the front of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is as being previous acaryas in the "disciplic succession". Hence, we are basically always studying the writings of the previous acaryas. The issue is how we study them:
A) Do we approach the previous acaryas directly ourselves;
B) Or, do we approach them only via the translations and purports of the current link in the disciplic succession, Srila Prabhupada.
The answer to this question is where the issue of "jumping over" arises, as we shall now see from the statements of Srila Prabhupada.
2) Srila Prabhupada explains:
"Or even if you read some books, you cannot understand unless you understand it from me. This is called parampara system. You cannot jump over to the superior guru, neglecting the next acarya, immediate next acarya."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, 8/12/73)
"This is parampara system. You cannot jump over. You must go through the parampara system. You have to approach through your spiritual master to the Gosvamis, and through the Gosvamis you will have to approach Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and through Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu you have to approach Krsna. This is the way."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, 28/3/75)
In the quotes above, Srila Prabhupada directly defines what is "jumping over". They state that we must understand the teachings of the previous acaryas only through the current spiritual master, which is Srila Prabhupada. You mentioned studying the "Goswamis' writings", and interestingly in the latter quote, Srila Prabhupada specifically addresses this by stating:
"You have to approach through your spiritual master to the Gosvamis".
3) Srila Prabhupada further explains how this approaching through him is done:
"My Guru Maharaja wanted to publish Govinda-lilamrta. He asked permission of Bhaktivinoda Thakura. So first of all Bhaktivinoda Thakura, "I'll tell you some day." And when he reminded, he said, "Yes you can print one copy. If you are so much anxious to print it, print one copy. You'll read and you will see that you have printed. Not for distribution." So we are printing all these books for understanding properly. Not that "Here is Radha-kunda. Let us go." Jump over like monkey."
(Srila Prabhupada, Room Conversation, 16/8/76)
"Whatever is to be learned of the teachings of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura can be learned from our books. There is no need whatsoever for any outside instruction. So I hope that you have understood these matters and I pray to Krsna always for your protection and advancement in Krsna consciousness."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, 25/12/73)
"There is no need by any of my disciples to read any books besides my books — in fact, such reading may be detrimental to their advancement in Krishna consciousness. All reading of outside books, except in certain authorized cases such as for example to read some philosopher like Plato to make an essay comparing his philosophy with Krishna's philosophy — but otherwise all such outside reading should be stopped immediately."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, 20/1/72)
Thus, approaching through Srila Prabhupada means to do so only via his books. Anything else would be "jumping over", as the statements from Srila Prabhupada above make clear.
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"Krishnakant, whether or not you and other dedicated followers of Srila Prabhupada are his diksa disciples or siksa disciples may have to be decided in a (sastric) court of law. However, considering your strong endeavors to reestablish ISKCON's spiritual purity by putting Srila Prabhupada in the center, you have certainly shown that you are a dear and beloved disciple of His Divine Grace (whether that is considered diksa or siksa).
Hare Krsna,"
- Patita Pavana Dasa, San Francisco, USA
Thank you for your appreciation. The sastric court of law for us is Srila Prabhupada's teachings, and Srila Prabhupada has already decided the outcome: that for the lifetime of ISKCON he is the Acarya of ISKCON and — as even the GBC agree — this Acarya functions as the diksa guru. For the relevant quotes please see: Srila Prabhupada: The Founder-Acarya of ISKCON — Presenting the Conclusions of the GBC Foundational Document. Whether we are qualified as disciples, siksa or diksa, is another matter. But Srila Prabhupada did not institute a discriminatory disciple "caste" system — whereby those lucky few who managed to "catch the boat" during the short 11 years that Srila Prabhupada was physically present after founding ISKCON were "saved" as diksa disciples, while everyone else for thousands of years was condemned to never become more than siksa disciples. There is no "sastric" teaching from Srila Prabhupada stating this. Rather, he teaches the exact opposite — for example, please see BTP 46, and all the articles on the "Departure Deception". Thus, he always remains exactly the same Acarya for ISKCON's lifetime, providing the same divya-jnana, and thus diksa, to all who surrender to him.
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"Dear Krishnakant Prabhu,
Srila Prabhupada's desire to spread Krsna Consciousness was to encourage the devotees and inspire them to follow his good example. I am in 100% agreement that his books and movement should run as he instituted and wanted without all the changes. As the Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness he is the siksa guru for everyone and everything should follow his desires for ISKCON. In 1975 we had made a new Vyasasana and painted the temple room at the Henry St. temple in Brooklyn, NY. Gopijanaballava Prabhu was the Temple President and asked me if I thought we needed to put Srila Prabhupada's picture on the wall with the other pictures of the disciplic succession? He decided not to and when Srila Prabhupada came he questioned: "So you have jumped over your spiritual master?" Gopijanaballava went and immediately put Srila Prabhupada's picture on the wall!
I am in 100% agreement that when Srila Prabhupada left this world the devotees who were to act on his behalf were not asked to fill his shoes but to officiate the post of guru. If the 11 (rtviks) officiating priests took this humble position, we as a Society would have not lost so many devotees and our moral image. Srila Prabhupada wanted ISKCON to create pure devotees not a great show of devotion. Diksa guru is a pure devotee and those who follow Srila Prabhupada's example become pure devotees or guru. There is no hoax, the process works!
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare! Be a well-wisher of everyone like His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and your life will be sublime.
I sincerely hope this meets you and yours in the best of health,
Your ever well wishers,"
- Keshiha Dasa & Revati Dasi, Alachua, USA
Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts. In regards to your comments, please note the following facts:
"As the Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness he is the siksa guru for everyone and everything should follow his desires for ISKCON."
He is the siksa and diksa guru. We have documented this with quotes from Srila Prabhupada in the book: Srila Prabhupada: The Founder-Acarya of ISKCON — Presenting the Conclusions of the GBC Foundational Document.
This book also shows, by the way, that the GBC also unwittingly accepts that Srila Prabhupada, as the only Founder and Acarya of ISKCON, is also its diksa guru. This idea that "Founder-Acarya" only means "siksa guru" has never been taught by Srila Prabhupada.
""we needed to put Srila Prabhupada's picture on the wall with the other pictures of the disciplic succession?" He decided not to and when Srila Prabhupada came he questioned: "So you have jumped over your spiritual master?" Gopijanaballava went and immediately put Srila Prabhupada's picture on the wall!"
This is a very important point. The earlier reply to Dwaipayana Dasa quotes Srila Prabhupada explaining "jumping over".
"I am in 100% agreement that when Srila Prabhupada left this world the devotees who were to act on his behalf were not asked to fill his shoes but to officiate the post of guru. If the 11 (rtviks) officiating priests took this humble position, we as a Society would have not lost so many devotees and our moral image."
Yes, if they had acted on his behalf as "officiating priests", then the consequences you speak of from having false successor gurus would never have arisen. This also means that Srila Prabhupada would have remained the diksa guru of ISKCON, with these 11 officiating priests merely making disciples on Srila Prabhupada's behalf, just as they were ordered to do even before Srila Prabhupada physically departed. This would also tie together the previous two points mentioned above:
a) Srila Prabhupada would have remained both the siksa and diksa guru of ISKCON.
b) He would have remained the current link of the disciplic succession, which means we still cannot "jump over" him.
"Srila Prabhupada wanted ISKCON to create pure devotees not a great show of devotion. Diksa guru is a pure devotee and those who follow Srila Prabhupada's example become pure devotees or guru. There is no hoax, the process works!"
a) Yes, Srila Prabhupada wanted us to become pure. And yes, the diksa guru is a pure devotee. He is also an authorised devotee:
"One should take initiation from a bona fide spiritual master coming in the disciplic succession, who is authorized by his predecessor spiritual master. This is called diksa-vidhana."
(SB, 4.8.54, purport)
And it is a fact that Srila Prabhupada never authorised any diksa guru successors, but only established that he would remain the Acarya and thus diksa guru of ISKCON. Indeed, as you mentioned, he authorised rtvik officiating priests to act on his behalf.
b) One can be a pure devotee without needing to also become a diksa guru. It is not compulsory for a pure devotee to become a diksa guru! Thus, there is no contradiction between us becoming pure devotees and our leader of the pure devotees, Srila Prabhupada, remaining everyone's diksa guru in ISKCON.
c) Yes, the process of Krsna consciousness works and we can become pure devotees. The "hoax" refers to the events you referred to:
The 11 officiating priests pretending to be successor diksa gurus, which led to all the problems you spoke of.
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