Paper by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura

by Sridam Sakha das

Personality Cultism Is Anti-Vaisnava

By Sridam Sakha das

Ever since the early nineties, papers by both official GBC
sources and independent individuals have been written,
giving a multitude of reasons as to why it is not a good idea
to go and hear from our spiritual master Sri Srimad
Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaja. Such papers have always
been difficult to counter, since accusations and criticisms are
always easier to make than to give the necessary exhaustive
replies to. Our experience is that any inchoate refutation soon
threatens to assume the alarming dimensions of an epic.

Since it is not practical or possible to try to refute all the
challenges of such detractors in one fell swoop, we will start
instead by addressing a misconception which seems to be
common to them all. It is the most ingrained and deep rooted,
and upon which all their other fallacies find their basis.

The misconception in question is the premise on the part of
the authors that Srila Prabhupada is their sole authority and
reference point, and that the relative standards which he set
for ISKCON should be continued indefinitely.

For instance, in his paper of June '97 Badrinarayana prabhu
states:

"Srila Prabhupada clearly intended the standards he
established for the philosophy and practice of Krsna
consciousness to remain as the norm for ISKCON for the
next ten thousand years."

Similarly, in his recent paper "So many questions", Datta
prabhu, after claiming to "fully and unconditionally" accept
Srila Prabhupada as his "diksa guru siksa guru and Acarya"
states: "The standards for ISKCON have been eternally
defined by Srila Prabhupada, its Founder-Acharya. NO-ONE
may re-define them" (his emphasis).

Ostensibly, such proclamations arise from the noble
sentiments of loyalty and devotion to Srila Prabhupada.
However, when we begin to analyze them in terms of the
teachings of the personality whom they purport to represent,
then it all begins to look less rosy. Why? For the simple
reason that Srila Prabhupada never instructed or wanted that
any of his disciples focus on him exclusively for posterity, or
turn him into a messiah-type figure.

Rather, for the sake of determining truth, he painstakingly
taught us that one should refer to *three* sources of authority,
namely sadhu, sastra and guru:

"Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says,
sadhu-sastra-guru-vakya, cittete kariya aikya. One should
accept a thing as genuine by studying the words of saintly
people, the spiritual master and sastra. THE ACTUAL
CENTER IS SASTRA, the revealed scripture. If a spiritual
master does not speak according to revealed scripture, he is
not to be accepted. Similarly, if a saintly person does not
speak according to the sastra, he is not a saintly person.
SASTRA IS THE CENTER FOR ALL." (Madhya-lila: Chapter
Twenty, Text 352)

Therefore, one who is truly a follower of Srila Prabhupada
should follow the above, wherein he states that it is sastra
which is in fact the main reference point, and not guru.

(see also appendix 1)

Out of a misplaced sentiment of loyalty, a disciple may
decide that he will not hear from another vaisnava, or accept
any other guru after the disappearance of his diksa guru.
However, by so doing he will only cause more problems than
he thinks to solve.

The reason for this is quite self evident. Coming to the
material world, a guru is having to deal with relative
conditions, and therefore sometimes his statements and
actions will also be relative accordingly. That being the case,
a disciple who refers to the teachings of his guru alone will
not be able to discern between a teaching which is intended
as siddhanta, and one that is meant for a specific person,
place or circumstance. With this relativity in mind, Srila
Prabhupada tells us:

"To broadcast the cult of Krsna consciousness, one has to
learn the possibility of renunciation in terms of country, time
and candidate. A candidate for Krsna consciousness in the
Western countries should be taught about the renunciation of
material existence, but one would teach candidates from a
country like India in a different way. The teacher (acarya) has
to consider time, candidate and country. He must avoid the
principle of niyamagraha--that is, he should not try to perform
the impossible. What is possible in one country may not be
possible in another. The acarya's duty is to accept the
essence of devotional service. There may be a little change
here and there as far as yukta-vairagya (proper renunciation)
is concerned. ...What is required is a special technique
according to country, time and candidate." (Madhya-lila
23.105)

"It is the concern of the acarya to show mercy to the fallen
souls. In this connection, desa-kala-patra (the place, the time
and the object) should be taken into consideration." (Adi
7.38)

"The Vedas instruct us that knowledge must always be
considered in terms of desa-kala-patra. Desa means
'circumstances,' kala means 'time,' and patra means 'the
object.' We must understand everything by taking these three
elements into consideration." (Life Comes from Life: The
First Morning Walk April 18, 1973)

"As an ideal acarya, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu devised ways
to capture all kinds of atheists and materialists. Every acarya
has a specific means of propagating his spiritual movement
with the aim of bringing men to Krsna consciousness.
Therefore, THE METHOD OF ONE ACARYA MAY BE
DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF ANOTHER, but the ultimate
goal is never neglected." (Adi-lila Chapter Seven, Text 37)

"The supreme Lord Shree Krishna Chaitanya in pursuance of
the teaching of the scriptures enjoins all absence of
conventionalism for the teachers of the eternal religion."
(Srila Bhaktisiddhanta saraswati, The Harmonist Vol. XXIX
No 7 1932)

Even the Gosvamis were obliged to temper their preaching
approach with this consideration in mind:

"Sanatana Gosvami wrote his Vaisnava smrti,
Hari-bhakti-vilasa, which was specifically meant for India. In
those days, India was more or less following the principle of
smarta-vidhi. Srila Sanatana Gosvami HAD TO KEEP
PACE WITH THIS, and his Hari-bhakti-vilasa was compiled
with this in mind." (Madhya-lila23.105)

However, not only does an acarya sometimes compromise
his presentation of the absolute truth for the sake of his
disciples and followers, but on occasion he will deliberately
speak isolated, outright untruths to them. In fact, he may even
go so far as to consistently teach them an utterly false
doctrine for the purpose of uplifting them, if he sees that they
are sufficiently degraded or illusioned. We see that this was
done by Sankaracarya and Lord Buddha.

Such merciful preaching tactics are not confined to them
either:

"These are the secrets of the acaryas. Sometimes they
conceal the real purpose of the Vedas and explain the Vedas
in a different way. Sometimes they enunciate a different
theory just to bring the atheists under their control."
(Madhya-lila 25.42)

Even in our own vaisnava sampradayas, there are numerous
examples of bonafide acaryas who deliberately preached
doctrines which were quite contrary to siddhanta, in order to
attract a certain class of person. This practice is known as
"badasamisa nyaya", meaning the logic of using the bait to
catch the fish. One example is that of Srila Sridhara Svami.
Because he was writing his commentaries on the
Bhagavatam in Varanasi, which is a stronghold of the
followers of impersonalism, he introduced some of their faulty
teachings into his writings in order to attract them to
Vaisnavism. Understanding his reasons for so doing, far
from rejecting his commentaries in wholesale fashion, later
acaryas merely deleted those parts that were incorrect, and
reverently preserved the main body for future generations. In
our Rupanuga varga, we also have the example of Srila Jiva
goswami, who wrote a book teaching that svakiya rasa
(wedded love) is higher than parakiya rasa (paramour love),
even though this is contrary to all the teachings of our
acaryas. His reason for doing this was because some of his
neophyte disciples were too disturbed by the concept of
parakiya rasa between Krsna and the gopis. (see appendix
2) More recently, we have the example of Srila Bhaktivinode
Thakura, whose immediate preaching field consisted largely
of intellectual Indians who had been educated by the British.
Since he did not want to prematurely jar their false
sophistications with too intense a presentation of the Srimad
Bhagavatam, he dismissed 5th canto accounts of hellish
planets as mere puranic myths. He claimed that their
inclusion within was only for the purpose of frightening
ignorant and superstitious people into abstaining from sinful
activity. (see appendix 3) Nevertheless, although this has
never been stated by any other acarya, and is contrary to
sadhu sastra and guru, Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura is
nevertheless revered as "the seventh gosvami" by all
subsequent acaryas.

However, despite understanding the above, a disciple may
reason that since his means of deliverance from the material
energy is from the mercy of his guru, he will not therefore
concern himself about whether or not all of the statements his
guru has given are all perfectly siddhantic. This logic may
work for a time, at least for long as the guru and the
extraordinary circumstances in which he is preaching are
manifest. However, the guru also wishes that his disciple
properly understand the siddhanta and thereby advance in
spiritual life. He certainly does not intend for him to remain in
ignorance and illusion. Speaking about this, Srila
Prabhupada tells us:

"Therefore this imaginary meaning is gauna-vrtti, whereas
the direct meaning found in the dictionary is mukhya-vrtti or
abhidha-vrtti. This is the distinction between the two. Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommends that one understand the
Vedic literature in terms of abhidha-vrtti, and the gauna-vrtti
He rejects. SOMETIMES, HOWEVER, AS A MATTER OF
NECESSITY, VEDIC LITERATURE IS DESCRIBED IN
TERMS OF THE LAKSANA-VRTTI OR GAUNA-VRTTI, BUT
ONE SHOULD NOT ACCEPT SUCH EXPLANATIONS AS
PERMANENT TRUTHS." (Adi-lila 7.110)

"Vaisnava who is preaching, it may be in a different way,
according to time and place and the party. They have to
change something, desa-kala-patra. BUT WE HAVE TO
SEE THE ESSENCE." (Prabhupada's Lectures
(Prabhupada's Lectures Srimad-Bhagavatam 1974
741008SB.MAY)

"The essence of devotional service must be taken into
consideration, and not the outward paraphernalia."
(Madhya-lila: 23.105)

"Just this morning we were reading, yah sastra-vidhim
utsrjya. If he follows the rules and regulations and, uh, then it
is sure that he will come to that stage. BUT YOU SHOULD
NOT BE RIGID. Suppose I have come to certain stage. "Oh,
therefore I'll take it as final." No. There is no improvement.
YOU HAVE TO SEEK OUT, IF THERE IS MORE AND
MORE KNOWLEDGE BEYOND THIS. Just like the higher
mathematics and mathematics in the infant class."
(660826BG.NY Lectures)

Since Srila Prabhupada's preaching mission was
undertaken in quite exceptional and unprecedented
circumstances, it was necessary for him perhaps more than
an any other acarya since Srila Rupa Gosvami to employ the
principle of badasamisa nyaya. Indeed, never could time,
place and circumstance have been so radically different for
preceding acaryas as they were for Srila Prabhupada.
Wishing that his disciples and followers understand this
principle very clearly, he spoke about it at length and in depth
on a number of occasions. (see 4 - 6 in appendix)

Despite this, certain devotees see fit to criticize Srila
Narayan Maharaja because some of his preaching and
standards differ from those of Srila Prabhupada. Although
they seem to think that the more faithfully they copy the
external activities of Srila Prabhupada, the more qualified
they will be, they are in fact entirely wrong. As has already
been shown, there will inevitably always be differences
between the preaching approach of one acarya and another.
Therefore, far from being a disqualification, adjustment of
preaching according to time place and circumstance is what
we *would* expect to see from the bonafide acarya. It is in
fact the artificial copying of the previous acarya which is
condemned:

"One who tries to imitate the mahajanas just to become an
imitative spiritual master is certainly far away from following
in the footsteps of the mahajanas. Sometimes people cannot
actually understand how a mahajana follows other
mahajanas. In this way people are inclined to fall from
devotional service. " (Madhya 17.185)

"We are not likely to benefit by any mechanical imitation of
any practices of Thakur Bhaktivinode on the opportunist
principle that they may be convenient for us to adopt." (Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, The Harmonist,
December 1931, vo l. XXIX No.66)

"The mere pursuit of fixed doctrines and fixed liturgies cannot
hold a person to the true spirit of doctrine or liturgy." (Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, The Harmonist,
December 1931, vol. XXIX No.66)

A conditioned soul needs the personal guidance of a
bonafide guru, and cannot make significant spiritual
advancement by reference to sadhu or sastra alone. This
applies as much to those who may have received diksa or
siksa at one time, but are now physically separated from their
guru, as it does to those who never had the good fortune of
ever associating with a bonafide spiritual master. Indeed,
one who refuses to accept a siksa guru after the
disappearance of his diksa guru becomes an offender:

"There is no difference between the spiritual master's
instructions and the spiritual master himself. In his absence,
therefore, his words of direction should be the pride of the
disciple. If one thinks that he is above consulting anyone else,
INCLUDING A SPIRITUAL MASTER, he is at once an
offender at the lotus feet of the Lord. Such an offender can
never go back to Godhead. It is imperative that a serious
person accept a bona fide spiritual master in terms of the
sastric injunctions." (Adi 1.35)

Shortly after the disappearance of Srila Bhaktivinode
Thakura, there were many of his disciples who were also of
the mistaken opinion that they would be able to retain a
spiritual connection with their guru independently of siksa
guidance. Seeing this, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta saraswati wrote
an entire paper to defeat their deluded theory. He states:

"Those who pretend to recognise the Divine Mission of
Thakur Bhaktivinode WITHOUT ASPIRING TO THE
UNCONDITIONAL SERVICE OF THOSE PURE SOULS
WHO REALLY FOLLOW THE TEACHINGS OF THE
THAKUR BY THE METHOD ENJOINED BY THE
SCRIPTURES and explained by Thakur Bhaktivinode in a
way that is so eminently suited to the requirements of the
sophisticated mentality of the present Age, only deceive
themselves and their willing victims by their hypocritical
professions and performances. These persons must not be
confounded with the bonafide members of the flock." (Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, The Harmonist,
December 1931, vo l. XXIX No.66)

Sadhu sanga is our key to success, and is always necessary
without exception. Even a madhyama-adhikari (what to
speak of a neophyte) is instructed to both "study the sastras
and associate with a first-class devotee", or he will "make no
progress":

"It should be understood that a madhyama-adhikari, a
second-class devotee, is fully convinced of Krsna
consciousness but cannot support his convictions with sastric
reference. A neophyte may fall down by associating with
nondevotees because he is not firmly convinced and strongly
situated. The second-class devotee, even though he cannot
support his position with sastric reference, can gradually
become a first-class devotee by studying the sastras AND
associating with a first-class devotee. However, if the
second-class devotee does not advance himself by
associating with a first-class devotee, he makes no
progress." (Madhya 22.71 The Process of Devotional
Service)

krsna-bhakti-janma-mula haya 'sadhu-sanga' krsna-prema
janme, tenho punah mukhya anga

"The root cause of devotional service to Lord Krsna is
association with advanced devotees. Even when one's
dormant love for Krsna awakens, association with devotees
IS STILL MOST ESSENTIAL." (Madhya 22.83)

The above statement is borne out by the example of Bharata
Maharaja who had progressed even to the point of bhava
bhakti, but who fell down on account of not having the
association of a physically manifest guru:

"Bharata Maharaja did not consult a spiritual master when he
became overly attached to a deer. Consequently he became
strongly attached to the deer, and, forgetting his spiritual
routine, he fell down." (Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 5:
Chapter Twelve, Text 14) vatam Canto 5: Chapter Twelve,
Text 14)

(see also points 7 & 8 in appendix)

If mono-guru advocates are under the impression that Srila
Prabhupada's books are going to yield their priceless
contents to them by the simple expedient of independent
reference, then they are quite mistaken. The books
themselves tell us:

"Great authorities should be followed; otherwise, if we simply
depend on the scriptures, we are sometimes misled by
rascals, or else we cannot understand or follow the different
spiritual injunctions." (SB 3.16.23)

Our process, repeated from sastra by Srila Prabhupada time
and time again, is to hear the book Bhagavata from the
person Bhagavata. In the Caitanya caritamrta, Srila Svarupa
Damodara states:

yaha bhagavata pada vaisnavera sthane ekanta asraya kara
caitanya-carane

"'If you want to understand Srimad Bhagavatam', he said,
'you must approach a self-realised vaisnava and hear from
him. You can do this when you have completely taken shelter
of the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu'". (CC Ant
5.131)

(see also points 9 - 17 in appendix)

Speaking of the teachings of his father, some of whose
disciples also asserted that by their study alone they would
be able to continue to progress spiritually, Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta saraswati states:

"If his works are studied in the light of one's own worldly
experience their meaning will refuse to disclose itself to such
readers. His works belong to the class of the eternal revealed
literature of the world and must be approached for their right
understanding through their exposition by the pure devotee. If
no help from the pure devotee is sought the works of Thakur
Bhaktivinode will be GROSSLY MISUNDERSTOOD by their
readers." (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, The
Harmonist, December 1931, vol. XXIX No.6)

"The writings of Thakur Bhaktivinode are valuable because
they demolish all empiric objections against accepting the
only method of approaching the Absolute in the right way.
They cannot and were never intended to give access to the
Absolute without help from the pure devotee of Krishna."
(Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, (The Harmonist,
December 1931, vol. XXIX No.6)

Unfortunately, although Srila Prabhupada has instructed us:

"The process of speaking in spiritual circles is to say
something upheld by the scriptures. One should at once
quote from scriptural authority to back up what he is saying.
At the same time, such talk should be very pleasurable to the
ear." (Bhagavad-gita 17.15)

Those who have seen fit to find fault with Srila Narayan
Maharaja have neither quoted from scriptural authority to
back up what they are saying, nor have they spoken in a way
which is "very pleasurable to the ear". On the contrary, their
literary compositions are, quite simply, systematic,
slanderous propaganda attempts to invalidate Srila Narayan
Maharaja in the eyes of the vaisnava community.

That this kind of conduct is utterly repugnant and the height of
bad taste is an axiomatic truth for any vaisnava. However,
what is really staggering is the fact that its perpetrators, many
of whom are long standing members, appear to have no
understanding or appreciation of the fundamental
philosophical principles discussed in this paper.

To date, we have not found that any of their writings have
ever contained any valid criticisms based on "scriptural
authority". Rather, if they are not pushing ad hominem, then
their contents otherwise consist of attacks made on the basis
that because his preaching activities are not identical to
those of Srila Prabhupada, that Srila Narayan Maharaja
therefore cannot truly represent him. However, as the
evidence of this paper so abundantly illustrates, such a theory
is meaningless.

Nevertheless, we will in subsequent publications address the
specific criticisms which have been made, and will show how
in fact the actions and preaching of Srila Narayan Maharaja
are wholely in line with sadhu sastra and guru.

--end--

Appendix

(1) "Narottama dasa Thakura, a great devotee and acarya in
the Gaudiya Vaisnava-sampradaya, says that all spiritual
activities should be understood from three sources, namely
saintly persons, standard scriptures and the spiritual master.
These three guides are very important for progress in
spiritual life. The spiritual master prescribes standard
literature for the prosecution of the yoga of devotional
service, and he himself speaks only from scriptural reference.
Therefore reading standard scriptures is necessary for
executing yoga. Practicing yoga without reading the standard
literatures is simply a waste of time." (SB 3.28.4 Purport)

(2) "According to another accusation, Srila Jiva Gosvami did
not approve of the principles of the parakiya-rasa of
Vrajadhama and therefore supported svakiya-rasa, showing
that Radha and Krsna are eternally married. Actually, when
Jiva Gosvami was alive, some of his followers disliked the
parakiya-rasa of the gopis. Therefore Srila Jiva Gosvami, for
their spiritual benefit, supported svakiya-rasa, for he could
understand that sahajiyas would otherwise exploit the
parakiya-rasa, as they are actually doing at the present.
Unfortunately, in Vrndavana and Navadvipa it has become
fashionable among sahajiyas, in their debauchery, to find an
unmarried sexual partner to live with to execute devotional
service in parakiya-rasa. Foreseeing this, Srila Jiva Gosvami
supported svakiya-rasa, and later all the Vaisnava acaryas
also appoved of it. Srila Jiva Gosvami was never opposed to
the transcendental parakiya-rasa, nor has any other
Vaisnava disapproved of it. Srila Jiva Gosvami strictly
followed his predecessor gurus and Vaisnavas, Srila Rupa
and Sanatana Gosvami, and Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja
Gosvami accepted him as one of his instructor gurus."
(Adi-lila 10.85)

(3) "The religion of the Bhagavata is free from such a poetic
imagination. Indeed, in some of the chapters we meet with
descriptions of these hells and heavens, and accounts of
curious tales, but we have been warned in some place in the
book, not to accept them as real facts, but treat as inventions
to overawe the wicked and to improve the simple and the
ignorant. The Bhagavata, certainly tells us of a state of
reward and punishment in future according to our deeds in
our present situation. All poetic inventions, besides this
spiritual fact, have been described as statements borrowed
from other works in the way of retention of some old
traditions in this book which completely superseded them all
and put an end to the necessity of their storage." (The
Bhagavat: Its Philosophy, Its Ethics & Its Theology, p.25)

(4) "To broadcast the cult of Krsna consciousness, one has
to learn the possibility of renunciation in terms of country,
time and candidate. A candidate for Krsna consciousness in
the Western countries should be taught about the
renunciation of material existence, but one would teach
candidates from a country like India in a different way. The
teacher (acarya) has to consider time, candidate and
country. He must avoid the principle of niyamagraha--that is,
he should not try to perform the impossible. What is possible
in one country may not be possible in another. The acarya's
duty is to accept the essence of devotional service. There
may be a little change here and there as far as
yukta-vairagya (proper renunciation) is concerned. Dry
renunciation is forbidden by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and
we have also learned this from our spiritual master, His
Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Gosvami
Maharaja. The essence of devotional service must be taken
into consideration, and not the outward paraphernalia.
Sanatana Gosvami wrote his Vaisnava smrti,
Hari-bhakti-vilasa, which was specifically meant for India. In
those days, India was more or less following the principle of
smarta-vidhi. Srila Sanatana Gosvami had to keep pace with
this, and his Hari-bhakti-vilasa was compiled with this in
mind. According to smarta- brahmanas, a person not born in
a brahmana family could not be elevated to the position of a
brahmana. Sanatana Gosvami, however, says in Hari-bhakti-
vilasa (2.12) that anyone can be elevated to the position of a
brahmana by the process of initiation.

yatha kancanatam yati
kamsyam rasa-vidhanatah
tatha diksa-vidhanena
dvijatvam jayate nrnam

There is a difference between the smarta process and the
gosvami process. According to the smarta process, one
cannot be accepted as a brahmana unless he is born in a
brahmana family. According to the gosvami process, the
Hari-bhakti- vilasa and the Narada-pancaratra, anyone can
be a brahmana if he is properly initiated by a bona fide
spiritual master. This is also the verdict of Sukadeva
Gosvami in Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.4.18):

kira ta-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa
abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah
ye'nye ca papa yad-apasrayasrayah
sudhyanti tasmai prabhavisnave namah

A Vaisnava is immediately purified, provided he follows the
rules and regulations of his bona fide spiritual master. it is not
necessary that the rules and regulations followed in India be
exactly the same as those in Europe, America and other
Western countries. Simply imitating without effect is called
niyamagraha. Not following the regulative principles but
instead living extravagantly is also called niyamagraha. The
word niyama means "regulative principles," and agraha
means "eagerness." The word agraha means "not to
accept." We should not follow regulative principles without an
effect, nor should we fail to accept the regulative principles.
What is required is a special technique according to country,
time and candidate. Without the sanction of the spiritual
master, we should not try to imitate. This principle is
recommended here: suska-vairagya-jnana saba nisedhila.
This is Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's liberal demonstration of
the bhakti cult." (Madhya-lila 23.105)

(5) The method of worship--chanting the mantra and
preparing the forms of the Lord--is not stereotyped, nor is it
exactly the same everywhere. lt is specifically mentioned in
this verse that one should take consideration of the time,
place and available conveniences. Our Krsna consciousness
movement is going on throughout the entire world, and we
also install Deities in different centers. Sometimes our lndian
friends, puffed up with concocted notions, criticize, "This has
not been done. That has not been done." But they forget this
instruction of Narada Muni to one of the greatest Vaisnavas,
Dhruva Maharaja. One has to consider the particular time,
country and conveniences. What is convenient in India may
not be convenient in the Western countries. Those who are
not actually in the line of acaryas, or who personally have no
knowledge of how to act in the role of acarya, unnecessarily
criticize the activities of the ISKCON movement in countries
outside of India. The fact is that such critics cannot do
anything personally to spread Krsna consciousness. If
someone does go and preach, taking all risks and allowing
all considerations for time and place, it might be that there
are changes in the manner of worship, but that is not at all
faulty according to sastra. Srimad Viraraghava Acarya, an
acarya in the disciplic succession of the
Ramanuja-sampradaya, has remarked in his commentary
that candalas, or conditioned souls who are born in lower
than sudra families, can also be initiated according to
circumstances. The formalities may be slightly changed here
and there to make them Vaisnavas. (SB 4.8.54)

(6) The expert devotees also can discover novel ways and
means to convert the nondevotees in terms of particular time
and circumstance. Devotional service is dynamic activity,
and the expert devotees can find out competent means to
inject it into the dull brains of the materialistic population.
Such transcendental activities of the devotees for the service
of the Lord can bring a new order of life to the foolish society
of materialistic men. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His
subsequent followers exhibited expert dexterity in this
connection. (SB 1.5.16)

(7) "One cannot understand Krsna by mental speculation. For
one who does not take personal training under the guidance
of a bona fide spiritual master, it is impossible to even begin
to understand Krsna." (Bg 11.54)

(8) "The process is that whatever we offer to the Deity, that is
offered to guru. And guru offers to his guru. In this way goes
to Krsna. We don't directly offer Radha-Krsna. No. We have
no right. Neither He accepts in that way. The pictures of the
acaryas, why there are? Actually, one has to offer the plate to
his guru, and he'll offer his guru, he offers his guru, his guru. In
this way it will go to Krsna. That is the process. YOU
CANNOT DIRECTLY APPROACH KRSNA OR OTHER
SUBORDINATES TO KRSNA. THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE."

(Prabhupada's Lectures Srimad-Bhagavatam 1971
710215SB.GOR)

(9) "A third-class devotee, therefore, has to receive the
instructions of devotional service from the authoritative
sources of Bhagavata. The number one Bhagavata is the
established personality of devotee, and the other
Bhagavatam is the message of Godhead. THE
THIRD-CLASS DEVOTEE THEREFORE HAS TO GO TO
THE PERSONALITY OF DEVOTEE IN ORDER TO LEARN
THE INSTRUCTIONS OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE." (SB
1.2.12)

(10) "The messages of the book Bhagavata, therefore, have
to be received from the devotee Bhagavata, and the
combination of these Two Bhagavatas will help the neophyte
devotee to make progress on and on." (SB 1.2.18)

(11) "The more progress is made in devotional service under
the guidance of the Bhagavatas, the more one becomes
fixed in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. The
messages of the book Bhagavata, therefore, have to be
received from the devotee Bhagavata, and the combination
of these two Bhagavatas will help the neophyte devotee to
make progress on and on." (SB 3.8.2)

(12) eka bhagavata bada - bhagavata-sastra ara bhagavata
- bhakta bhakti-rasa patra

dui bhagavata dvara diya bhakti rasa tanhara hrdaye tanre
preme haya vasa

"One of the bhagavatas is the great scripture,
Srimad-Bhagavatam. The other is the pure devotee
bhagavata, who is absorbed in bhakti rasa. Through the
actions of these two bhagavatas the Lord instills the mellows
of bhakti rasa into the heart of a living being and thus the
Lord, in the heart of His devotee, comes under the control of
His devotee's love." (Adi-lila 1.99, 100)

(13) "And Bhagavata means the book Bhagavata and the
person bhagavata. The person bhagavata is spiritual master
or any exalted devotee. He is bhagavata, maha-bhagavata,
bhagavata. So bhagavata-sevaya means not only reading
Bhagavad-gita and Bhagavatam, but WE HAVE TO STUDY
FROM THE PERSON BHAGAVATA. That is required."
(Prabhupada's Lectures Bhagavad-gita 1975
750227BG.MIA)

(14) "Therefore, formerly there was no written book. Sruti,
simply by hearing, a brahmacari would be educated, simply
by hearing. There was no need of books, writing. Therefore
the Vedic literature is known as sruti. It is to be learned by
hearing. EVEN THERE IS BOOK, STILL, ONE HAS TO
LEARN IT BY HEARING FROM THE REALIZED SOUL."
(Prabhupada's Lectures 750730SRIMAD
BHAGAVATAM.DAL)

(15) "SIMPLE THEORETICAL BOOK KNOWLEDGE IS
NOT SUFFICIENT FOR A NEOPHYTE DEVOTEE. Book
knowledge is theoretical, whereas the arcana process is
practical. Spiritual knowledge must be developed by a
combination of theoretical and practical knowledge, and that
is the guaranteed way for attainment of spiritual perfection.
THE TRAINING OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE FOR A
NEOPHYTE DEVOTEE COMPLETELY DEPENDS ON
THE EXPERT SPIRITUAL MASTER who knows how to lead
his disciple to make gradual progress towards the path back
home, back to Godhead." (SB 2.3.22)

(16) "The instructions received from the spiritual master must
be followed immediately. One should not deviate from or
surpass the instructions of the spiritual master. ONE
SHOULD NOT BE SIMPLY INTENT ON CONSULTING
BOOKS but should simultaneously execute the spiritual
master's order (yathopadesam)." (SB 5.5.14)

In the following, Srila Prabhupada is asked point blank by
one of his disciples whether or not one can spiritually
advance simply by reading his books alone. His answer is a
quite definite "no":

(17) Madhudvisa: ...cannot become a medical practitioner by
simply reading the books. He must study under a medical
practitioner. So in the case of your books, is it possible to
become a devotee without actually having personal
association with you? Just by reading your books?
Prabhupada: No, it is not that you have to associate with the
author. BUT ONE WHO KNOWS, IF YOU CANNOT
UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE TO TAKE LESSON FROM HIM.
Not necessarily that you have to contact with the author
always. Devotee: Just like the textbooks are not written by the
teachers; they're written by other professors.
Devotee: Usually you don't even meet the author.
Prabhupada: Simply one who knows the subject matter, he
can explain.
Madhudvisa: But can your, would your purports, would that
serve as explanation besides...
Prabhupada: NO, NO, ANYONE WHO KNOWS THE
SUBJECT MATTER, HE WILL BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN. Not
necessarily the author is required to be present there.
(Morning Walk Melbourne, May 21, 1975 750521MW.MEL)

If you would like to read more material on or by Srila
Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja, then please contact the
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Bromley, Kent BR1 5EZ England, tel. 44-181- 4614299
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Shortly after the physical disappearance of Srila
Bhaktivinode Thakura, some of his disciples were of the
opinion that they could continue to make spiritual
advancement by reference to his teachings alone. However,
this is against siddhanta, and therefore Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
Saraswati wrote the following paper to draw attention to their
deviation. I think that its correlation with the current world
vaisnava situation is obvious enough to forgo any need of
pointing it out. I am posting it at the same time as my paper
"Personality Cultism Is Anti-Vaisnava", because I have used
some material from it:

THAKUR BHAKTIVINODE

We avail of the opportunity offered by the Anniversary
Celebrations of the advent of Thakur Bhaktivinode to reflect
on the right method of obtaining those benefits that have
been made accessible to humanity by the grace of this great
devotee of Krishna. Thakur Bhaktivinode has been
specifically kind to those unfortunate persons who are
engrossed in mental speculation of all kinds. This is the
prevalent malady of the present Age. The other Acaryas who
appeared before Thakur Bhaktivinode did not address their
discourses so directly to the empiric thinkers. They had been
more merciful to those who are naturally disposed to listen to
discourses on the Absolute without being dissuaded by the
specious arguments of avowed opponents of Godhead.

Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode has taken the trouble of meeting
the perverse arguments of mental speculationists by the
superior transcendental logic of the Absolute Truth. It is thus
possible for the average modern readers to profit by the
perusal of his writings. That day is not far distant when the
priceless volumes penned by Thakur Bhaktivinode will be
reverently translated, by the recipients of his grace, into all
the languages of the world.

The writings of Thakur Bhaktivinode provide the golden
bridge by which the mental speculationist can safely cross
the raging waters of fruitless empiric controversies that
trouble the peace of those who choose to trust in their
guidance for finding the Truth. As soon as the sympathetic
reader is in a position to appreciate the sterling quality of
Thakur Bhaktivinode's philosophy the entire vista of the
revealed literatures of the world will automatically open out to
his reclaimed vision.

There have, however, already arisen serious
misunderstandings regarding the proper interpretation of the
life and teachings of Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode. Those who
suppose they understand the meaning of his message
without securing the guiding grace of the Acarya are
disposed to unduly favour the methods of empiric study of his
writings. There are persons who have got by heart almost
everything that he wrote without being able to catch the least
particle of his meaning. Such study cannot benefit those who
are not prepared to act up to the instructions lucidly conveyed
by his words. There is no honest chance of missing the
warnings of Thakur Bhaktivinode. Those, therefore, who are
misled by the perusal of his writings are led astray by their
own obstinate perversity in sticking to the empiric course
which they prefer to cherish against his explicit warnings. Let
these unfortunate persons look more carefully into their own
hearts for the cause of their misfortunes.

The personal service of the pure devotee is essential for
understanding the spiritual meaning of the words of Thakur
Bhaktivinode. The Editor of this Journal, originally started by
Thakur Bhaktivinode, has been trying to draw the attention of
all followers of Thakur Bhaktivinode to this all-important point
of his teachings. It is not necessary to try to place ourselves
on a footing of equality with Thakur Bhaktivinode. We are not
likely to benefit by any mechanical imitation of any practices
of Thakur Bhaktivinode on the opportunist principle that they
may be convenient for us to adopt. The Guru is not an erring
mortal whose activities can be understood by the fallible
reason of unreclaimed humanity. There is an eternally
impassable line of demarcation between the Saviour and the
saved. Those who are really saved can alone know
this.Thakur Bhaktivinode belongs to the category of the
spiritual world-teachers who eternally occupy the superior
position.

The present Editor has all along felt it his paramount duty to
try to clear up the meaning of the life and teachings of Thakur
Bhaktivinode by the method of submissive listening to the
Transcendental Sound from the lips of the pure devotee. The
Guru who realises the transcendental meaning of all sounds,
is in a position to serve the Absolute by the direction of the
Absolute conveyed through every sound. The Transcendental
Sound is Godhead, the mundane sound is non-Godhead. All
sound has got these opposite aptitudes. All sound reveals its
Divine face to the devotee and only presents its deluding
aspect to the empiric pedant. The devotee talks apparently
the same language as the deluded empiric pedant who had
got by heart the vocabulary of the Scriptures. But
notwithstanding apparent identity of performance, the one
has no access to the reality while the other is absolutely free
from all delusion.

Those who repeat the teachings of Thakur Bhaktivinode from
memory do not necessarily understand the meaning of the
words they mechanically repeat. Those who can pass an
empiric examination regarding the contents of his writings
are not necessarily also self-realised souls. They may not at
all know the real meaning of the words they have learnt by the
method of empiric study.Take for example the Name
"Krishna". Every reader of Thakur Bhaktivinode's works must
be aware that the Name manifests Himself on the lips of His
serving devotees although He is inaccessible to our
mundane senses. It is one thing to pass the examination by
reproducing this true conclusion from the writings of Thakur
Bhaktivinode and quite another matter to realise the Nature
of the Holy Name of Krishna by the process conveyed by the
words.

Thakur Bhaktivinode did not want us to go to the clever
mechanical reciter of the mundane sound for obtaining
access to the Transcendental Name of Krishna. Such a
person may be fully equipped with all the written arguments in
explanation of the nature of the Divine Name. But if we listen
to all these arguments from the dead source the words will
only increase our delusion. The very same words coming
from the lips of the devotee will have the diametrically
opposite effect. Our empiric judgment can never grasp the
difference between the two performances. The devotee is
always right. The non-devotee in the shape of the empiric
pedant is always and necessarily wrong. In the one case
there is always present the Substantive Truth and nothing but
the Substantive Truth. In the other case there is present the
apparent or misleading hypothesis and nothing but un-truth.
The wording may have the same external appearance in both
cases. The identical verses of the Scriptures may be recited
by the devotee and the non-devotee, may be apparently
misquoted by the non-devotee but the corresponding values
of the two processes remain always categorically different.
The devotee is right even when he apparently misquotes, the
non-devotee is wrong even when he quotes correctly the very
words, chapter and verse of the Scriptures.

It is not empiric wisdom that is the object of quest of the
devotee. Those who read the scriptures for gathering empiric
wisdom will be pursuing the wild goose chase. There are not
a few dupes of their empiric Scriptural erudition. These
dupes have their admiring under-dupes. But the mutual
admiration society of dupes does not escape, by the mere
weight of their number, the misfortunes due to the deliberate
pursuit of the wrong course in accordance with the
suggestions of our lower selves.

What are the Scriptures? They are nothing but the record by
the pure devotees of the Divine Message appearing on the
lips of the pure devotees. The Message conveyed by the
devotees is the same in all ages. The words of the devotees
are ever identical with the Scriptures. Any meaning of the
Scriptures that belittles the function of the devotee who is the
original communicant of the Divine Message contradicts its
own claim to be heard. Those who think that the Sanskrit
language in its lexicographical sense is the language of the
Divinity are as deluded as those who hold that the Divine
Message is communicable through any other spoken
dialects. All languages simultaneously express and hide the
Absolute. The mundane face of all languages hides the Truth.
The Transcendental face of all sound expresses nothing but
the Absolute. The pure devotee is the speaker of the
Transcendental language. The Transcendental Sound makes
His appearance on the lips of His pure devotee. This is the
direct, unambiguous appearance of Divinity. On the lips of
non-devotees the Absolute always appears in His deluding
aspect. To the pure devotee the Absolute reveals Himself
under all circumstances. To the conditioned soul, if he is
disposed to listen in a truly submissive spirit, the language of
the pure devotee can alone impart the knowledge of the
Absolute. The conditioned soul mistakes the deluding for the
real aspect when he chooses to lend his ear to the
non-devotee. This is the reason why the conditioned soul is
warned to avoid all association with non-devotees.

Thakur Bhaktivinode is acknowledged by all his sincere
followers as possessing the above powers of the pure
devotee of Godhead. His words have to be received from the
lips of a pure devotee. If his words are listened from the lips
of a non-devotee they will certainly deceive. If his works are
studied in the light of one's own worldly experience their
meaning will refuse to disclose itself to such readers. His
works belong to the class of the eternal revealed literature of
the world and must be approached for their right
understanding through their exposition by the pure devotee. If
no help from the pure devotee is sought the works of Thakur
Bhaktivinode will be grossly misunderstood by their readers.
The attentive reader of those works will find that he is always
directed to throw himself upon the mercy of the pure devotee
if he is not to remain unwarrantably self-satisfied by the
deluding results of his wrong method of study.

The writings of Thakur Bhaktivinode are valuable because
they demolish all empiric objections against accepting the
only method of approaching the Absolute in the right way.
They cannot and were never intended to give access to the
Absolute without help from the pure devotee of Krishna. They
direct the sincere enquirer of the Truth, as all the revealed
scriptures do, to the pure devotee of Krishna to learn about
Him by submitting to listen with an open mind to the
Transcendental Sound appearing on His lips. Before we
open any of the books penned by Thakur Bhaktivinode we
should do well to reflect a little on the attitude, with which as
the indispensable pre-requisite, to approach its study. It is by
neglecting to remember this fundamental principle that the
empiric pedants find themselves so hopelessly puzzled in
their vain endeavour to reconcile the statements of the
different texts of the Scriptures. The same difficulty is already
in process of overtaking many of the so-called followers of
Thakur Bhaktivinode and for the same reason.

The person to whom the Acarya is pleased to transmit his
power is alone in a position to convey the Divine Message.
This constitutes the underlying principle of the line of
succession of the spiritual teachers. The Acarya thus
authorised has no other duty than that of delivering intact the
message received from all his predecessors. There is no
difference between the pronouncements of one Acarya and
another. All of them are perfect mediums for the appearance
of the Divinity in the Form of the Transcendental Name Who
is identical with His Form, Quality, Activity and
Paraphernalia.

The Divinity is Absolute Knowledge. Absolute Knowledge
has the character of indivisible Unity. One particle of the
Absolute Knowledge is capable of revealing all the potency
of the Divinity. Those who want to understand the contents of
the volumes penned by the piece-meal acquisitive method
applicable to deluding knowledge available to the mind on
the mundane plane, are bound to be self-deceived. Those
who are sincere seekers of the Truth are alone eligible to find
Him, in and through the proper method of His quest.

In order to be put on the track of the Absolute, listening to the
words of the pure devotee is absolutely necessary. The
spoken word of the Absolute is the Absolute. It is only the
Absolute Who can give Himself away to the constituents of
His power. The Absolute appears to the listening ear of the
conditioned soul in the form of the Name on the lips of the
sadhu. This is the key to the whole position. The words of
Thakur Bhaktivinode direct the empiric pedant to discard his
wrong method and inclination on the threshold of the real
quest of the Absolute. If the pedant still chooses to carry his
errors into the Realm of the Absolute Truth he only marches
by a deceptive bye-path into the regions of darker ignorance
by his arrogant study of the scriptures. The method offered by
Thakur Bhaktivinode is identical with the object of the quest.
The method is not really grasped except by the grace of the
pure devotee. The arguments, indeed, are these. But they
can only corroborate, but can never be a substitute for, the
word from the living source of the Truth who is no other than
the pure devotee of Krishna, the concrete Personal Absolute.

Thakur Bhaktivinode's greatest gift to the world consists in
this; that he has brought about the appearance of those pure
devotees who are, at present, carrying on the movement of
unalloyed devotion to the Feet of Shree Krishna by their own
wholetime spiritual service of the Divinity. The purity of the
soul is only analogously describable by the resources of the
mundane language. The highest ideal of empiric morality is
no better than the grossest wickedness to the
Transcendental perfect purity of the bonafide devotee of the
Absolute. The word 'morality' itself is a mischievous
misnomer when it is applied to any quality of the conditioned
soul. The hypocritical contentment with a negative attitude is
part and parcel of the principle of undiluted immorality.

Those who pretend to recognise the Divine Mission of
Thakur Bhaktivinode without aspiring to the unconditional
service of those pure souls who really follow the teachings of
the Thakur by the method enjoined by the scriptures and
explained by Thakur Bhaktivinode in a way that is so
eminently suited to the requirements of the sophisticated
mentality of the present Age, only deceive themselves and
their willing victims by their hypocritical professions and
performances. These persons must not be confounded with
the bonafide members of the flock.

Thakur Bhaktivinode has predicted the consummation of
religious unity of the world by the appearance of the only
universal church which bears the eternal designation of the
Brahma Sampradaya. He has given mankind the blessed
assurance that all Theistic churches will shortly merge in the
one eternal spiritual community by the grace of the Supreme
Lord Shree Krishna Chaitanya. The spiritual community is not
circumscribed by the conditions of time and space, race and
nationality. Mankind had been looking forward to this far-off
Divine Event through the Long Ages. Thakur Bhaktivinode
has made the conception available in its practicable spiritual
form to the open minded empiricist who is prepared to
undergo the process of enlightenment. The key stone of the
Arch has been laid which will afford the needed shelter to all
awakened animation under its ample encircling arms. Those
who would thoughtlessly allow their hollow pride of race,
pseudo-knowledge or pseudo-virtue to stand in the way of
this long hoped for consummation, would have to thank only
themselves for not being incorporated in the spiritual society
of all pure souls.

These plain words need not be misrepresented, by arrogant
persons who are full of the vanity of empiric ignorance, as the
pronouncements of aggressive sectarianism. The
aggressive pronouncement of the concrete Truth is the crying
necessity of the moment for silencing the aggressive
propaganda of specific untruths that is being carried on all
over the world by the preachers of empiric contrivances for
the amelioration of the hard lot of conditioned souls. The
empiric propaganda clothes itself in the language of negative
abstraction for deluding those who are engrossed in the
selfish pursuit of worldly enjoyment.

But there is a positive and concrete function of the pure soul
which should not be perversely confounded with any utilitarian
form of worldly activity. Mankind stands in need of that
positive spiritual function of which the hypocritical
impersonalists are in absolute ignorance. The positive
function of the soul harmonises the claims of extreme
selfishness with those of extreme self-abnegation in the
society of pure souls even in this mundane world. In its
concrete realisable form the function is perfectly inaccessible
to the empiric understanding. Its imperfect and misleading
conception alone is available by the study of the Scriptures to
the conditioned soul that is not helped by the causeless
grace of the pure devotees of Godhead.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura,
The Harmonist, December 1931, vol. XXIX No.6