Srila Prabhupada's Statements
on the "Higher Thing"
by Hansadutta das - INSIDE
Nama-Hatta

Excerpts taken from Srimad-Bhagavatam,
Nectar of Devotion, Chaitanya-charitamrita,
Conversations & Letters, compiled by Mahesh das
The Gopi Bhava Club is as we know a group of senior leaders of ISKCON
who took shelter of Narayana Maharaja and sought to infiltrate ISKCON
with key members who secretly took siksa and disksa from Narayana Maharaja
in the eighties and early nineties. Such as Bhurijan Dasa; who was the
president of the Narayana Maharaja organization, and still held a position
as an ISKCON guru and GBC member.
Initially they attempted to merge into ISKCON and influence it to accept
Narayana Maharaja as the next Acharya and then when that failed they
attempted to spilt with ISKCON. This was headed by Tamal Krsna Goswami
who failed due to having his plan revealed by devotees and so lost impetus.
Presently the Gopi Bhava Club is working behind the scenes to merge
the existing members of the Narayana Maharaja Camp into ISKCON when
Narayana Maharaja finally leaves his body.
The history of this deviation needs to be carefully detailed so please
provide your testimonies and any evidence in your possession so that
this very serious deviation can be recorded for the sake of future posterity.
Satyam,
truthfulness, means that facts should be presented as they are for the benefit
of others. Facts should not be misrepresented. According to social conventions,
it is said that one can speak the truth only when it is palatable to others. But
that is not truthfulness. The truth should be spoken in a straight and forward
way, so that others will understand actually what the facts are.
The bhava stage is manifested by eight transcendental symptoms,
namely inertness, perspiration, standing of hairs on end, failing in the voice,
trembling, paleness of the body, tears in the eyes and finally trance.
The Nectar of Devotion, a summary study of Srila Rupa Gosvami's Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu,
explains those symptoms and vividly describes other transcendental developments,
both in steady and accelerating manifestations. Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti
Thakura has very critically discussed all these bhava displays in connection
with some unscrupulous neophyte's imitating the above symptoms for cheap appreciation.
Not only Vishvanatha Chakravarti, but also Srila Rupa Gosvami treated them very
critically. Sometimes all the above eight symptoms of ecstasy are
imitated by the mundane devotees (prakrita-sahajias), but the pseudo symptoms
are at once detected when one sees the pseudo devotee addicted to so many forbidden
things. Even though decorated with the signs of a devotee, a person addicted to
smoking, drinking or illegitimate sex with women cannot have all the above-mentioned
ecstatic symptoms. But it is seen that sometimes these symptoms
are willfully imitated, and for this reason Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti accuses
the imitators of being stonehearted men. They are sometimes even affected by the
reflection of such transcendental symptoms, yet if they still do not give up the
forbidden habits, then they are hopeless cases for transcendental realization.Srimad-Bhagavatam
2.3.24
Sometimes it is found that a nondevotee
who has practically no taste for Krishna and who follows no rules
or regulations can, by practice, make a show of devotional symptoms, even crying
in an assembly of devotees. This shedding of tears is not actually
an ecstatic loving expression, however. It is done simply by practice. Although
there is no need to describe these reflections of ecstatic love, Rupa Gosvami
gives some instances where there is no actual devotional service and such expressions
are manifested.Nectar of Devotion 28
The transcendental symptoms of ecstasy certainly are auspicious, but
they are not for advertising to others. One should not advertise directly or indirectly
that one is feeling like this. They should be checked. Otherwise one will gradually
become sahajiya or one who takes spiritual advancement as something materially
manifest.Letter to Makhanlal das, 70-06-03
When there are manifestations of ecstatic symptoms in the body of a nondevotee,
these are called dried-up symptoms of ecstatic love. The nondevotees are
actually materialistic, but in cointact with some pure devotee, they sometimes
may manifest some symptoms of ecstasy. Devotional scholars call these dried-up
symptoms.NOD 28
Rupa Gosvami says that the impersonalists' symptoms are simply reflections
of ecstatic love, not the real thing.NOD 28
The prakrita-sahajiyas exhibit these symptoms to advertise their
so-called advancement in love of Krishna, but instead of praising the prakrita-sahajiyas
for their symptoms of transcendental ecstasy, pure devotees do not like to associate
with them. It is not advisable to equate the prakrita-sahajiyas
with pure devotees. When one is actually advanced in ecstatic love
of Krishna, he does not try to advertise himself. Instead, he endeavors more and
more to render service to the Lord.Chaitanya-charitamrita
Antya-lila 20.28
One should not artificially try to establish some relationship. In
the premature stage it is sometimes found that a lusty, conditioned
person will artificially try to establish some relationship with Krishna in conjugal
love. The result of this is that one becomes prakrita-sahajiya, or one who takes
everything very cheaply. Although such persons may be very anxious
to establish a relationship with Krishna in conjugal love, their conditioned life
in the material world is still most abominable. A person who has actually established
his relationship with Krishna can no longer act on the material plane, and his
personal character cannot be criticized.Nectar of Devotion
40
Without serving Krishna according to the vidhi-marga regulative
principles of the pancharatrika-vidhi, unscrupulous person want to jump immediately
to the raga-marga principles. Such persons are called sahajiya.
There are also demons who enjoy depicting Krishna and His pastimes with the gopis,
taking advantage of Krishna by their licentious character. These demons who print
books and write lyrics on the raga-marga principles are surely on the way
to hell. Unfortunately, they lead others down with them. Devotees in Krishna consciousness
should be very careful to avoid such demons. One should strictly follow
the vidhi-marga regulative principles in the worship of Laksmi-Narayana, although
the Lord is present in the temple as Radha-Krishna. Radha-krishna includes Laksmi-Narayana;
therefore when one worships the Lord according to the regulative prinicples, the
Lord accepts the service in the role of Laksmi-Narayana. In
the Nectar of Devotion full instructions are given about the vidhi-marga
worship of Radha-Krishna, or Laksmi-Narayana. Although there are sixty-four kinds
of offenses one can commit in vidhi-marga worship, in raga-marga
worship there is no consideration of such offenses because the devotees on that
platform are very much elevated, and there is no question of offense. But if we
do not follow the regulative principles on the vidhi-marga platform and
keep our eyes trained to spot offenses, we will not make progress.Srimad-Bhagavatam
4.24.45-46
The siddha-pranali process is followed by a class of men who are
not very authorized and who have manufactured their own way of devotional service.
They imagine they have become associates of the Lord simply by thinking of themselves
like that. This external behavior is not at all according to the
regulative principles. The so-called siddha-pranali process is followed
by the prakrita-sahajiya, a pseudosect of so-called Vaishnavas. In the
opinion of Rupa Gosvami, such activities are simply disturbances to the standard
way of devotional service. Sri Rupa Gosvami says that learned acharyas
recommend that we follow the regulative principles even after the development
of spontaneous love for Krishna.Nectar of Devotion
16
Those who think they have already attained such perfection and
give up the regulative principles are called sahajiya, or those who take things
cheaply and simply imitate. This early rising, holding classes,
going out regularly for sankirtana, worshiping the deity are the very
substance of devotional life.Letter to Bhurijana, 74-04-29
Sometimes a sahajiya presents himself as being void of desires
for reputation (pratistha) in order to become famous as a humble man.
Such people cannot actually attain the platform of celebrated Vaishnavas.
Chaitanya-charitamrita Madhya-lila 4.147
Tapasya means to undergo volunarily some inconveniences of this
body. Because we are accustomed to enjoy bodily senses, and tapasya means voluntarily
to give up the idea of sense gratification. That is tapasya. Tapasya.
Just like Ekadasi. Ekadasi, one day fasting, fortnight. That is also tapasya.
Or fasting in some other auspicious day. That tapasya is good, even for
health, and what to speak of advancing in Krishna consciousness. So we should
accept this tapasya. The upavasa. There are many prescribed days
for fasting. We should observe. And the preliminary tapasya, no illicit
sex, no gambling, no intoxication, no..., no meat-eating... There may be some
inconvenience, those who were accustomed to this practice, but we'll have to accept.
Tapo divyam putraka yena suddhyet sattvam. If we want to purify our
existence... At the present moment our existence is not purified, impure. Therefore
we are suffering. Just like when one's physiological condition becomes infected,
he suffers from fever and other symptoms of disease, similarly, we are suffering
in this material world on account of this material body. If we want really happiness,
then we must accept tapasya. Tapasya is required. Without tapasya,
if you think that very easily... Or "without tapasya I can get
it simply by imagination," then you become sahajiya, to take things
very easily. No. Tapasya. Therefore Krishna says that tapas chasmi tapasvisu.
That acceptance of tapasya means that tapasya is itself Krsihna. You associate
with Krishna.Bhagavad-gita Lectures, Vrindaban,
15 August 1974 (740815BG.VRN)
So these are all symptoms of love for Krishna. That is the highest perfection
of life, to shed tears for Krishna. Yugayitam nimesena chaksusa pravrisayitam.
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu taught us this method of worship in separation,
vipralambha-seva. Not that "Oh, I have seen yesterday. Last night, I have
seen Krishna. He was snatching my cloth." These are sahajiyas. Actually,
our worship should be in separation. The Gosvamis also taught us
like that. He radhe vraja-devike cha lalite he nanda-suno kutah.
They in the Vrindavana remained authorized persons. They were also searching after
Krishna. They never said that "we have got Krishna," never
said. He radhe vraja-devike cha lalite he nanda-suno kutah sri-govardhana-kalpa-padapa-tale
kalindi-vane kutah, Ghosantav iti sarvato vraja-pure khedair maha-vihvalau. Simply
khedair maha-vihvalau. They were lamenting in separation. Vande rupa-
sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau. So this is the process
of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's worship. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was falling down on the
water, "Oh, I could not see Krishna." When He was grihastha,
He was simply consulting with mother, "Mother, I could not realize Krishna.
What shall I do? Where shall I go?" Mother said, "My dear son, why You
are impatient? Everything will be all right in due course." Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
was giving indication that "I must leave home." Mother was also understanding
that "This boy wants to leave us." That was another perplexed position.
So that is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's teaching:
yugayitam nimesena
chaksusa pravrisayitam
sunyayitam jagat sarvam
govinda-virahena me
Govinda-virahena: "In separation from Govinda I am thinking
one moment as twelve years." Some of you or all of you or all of us have
got this experience. If we want something very, very eagerly, then every moment
becomes a long time. "Oh, it is not yet received. It is not yet received.
It is not yet done." Yugayitam nmesena. Nimesa, a moment, a twinkling of
an eye, that is called nimesa. That appears to be twelve years.
The gopis could not tolerate even twinkling of eyes. They were condemning
the creator, "The creator does not know the art of creating. Why he has created
this twinkling of eyes so that it is disturbing us from seeing Krishna."
Seeing Krishna, and the twinkling of eyes, that is natural. So the gopis
did not like it, that "Why he has created this? He does not know the art
of creation." This is love. Yugayi... Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu tasted
the gopis' feelings. Sri-chaitanyakhyam prakatam adhuna tad-dvayam
chaikyam aptam. Radha krishna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini-saktih. Krishna,
when He wants to enjoy... He is the Absolute Supreme Person, spirit, Absolute,
the Supreme Spirit. So for spiritual enjoyment in this material world,
great saintly persons, sages, they give up all material enjoyment just to taste
what is spiritual enjoyment, spiritual life. Brahmanubhuti. They give up everything.
Tapasa brahmacharyena. By austerity, brahmacharya, yamena, niyamena, tyagena,
satya-sauchabhyamso many processes they adopt for tasting a little brahmanubhuti,
ittham satam brahma-sukhanubhutya dasyam gatanam para-daivatena. So Sukadeva Gosvami
said that "Here, the Krishna, here is playing with the cowherd boys. Who
is He?" Ittham satam brahma-sukhanubhutya. "The great sages, saintly
persons who are trying to taste the spiritual realization, that is here. He is
playing as cowherd boy." Dasyam gatanam para-daivatena:
"And those who are devotees, for them He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
Mayasritanam nara-darakena: "And those who are mayasrita,
they are thinking, 'This Krishna is ordinary human child.'" Sakam vijahruh
krta-punya-punjah: "So with this boy, transcendental Krishna,
cowherd boy, the other boys who are playing, they are not ordinary men."
Krita-punya-punjah. "They accumulated pious activities life after life for
many, many thousands and millions of lives. Now they have got the opportunity
to play with Krishna."
So this Krishna consciousness movement is very serious and important. Here are
the signs, how they love Krsna. One side, they are... they cannot check the tears
coming out: "Krishna is going away." Another side: "Oh, if I shed
tears, then there may be inauspicity." How much perplexity, this two sides.
Dilemma. Between the horns of Scylla and Charybdis. That is the position. The
lover, intense love creates such situation, as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited.
yugayitam nimesena
chaksusa pravrsayitam
sunyayitam jagat sarvam
govinda-virahena me
"Without seeing Govinda, the whole world is vacant."
This is love. "Let me try to become Krishna conscious. If it
is done, all right. If it is not done, I shall remain in my position. What is
the loss?" Not like that. One must be so eager that without Krishna consciousness,
one should become mad. One should become mad. That is Sri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu's teaching: separation, not direct contact.
Direct contact is not possible. Neither that is the way of worshiping by the method
of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. That is sahajiya-vada. "I am talking
with Krishna. Krishna is snatching my cloth." There is a book, one lady has
written, his [her] experience, that Krishna comes, He talks with her and snatches
her cloth. She has written openly. But this is not Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's way.
There is one gentleman, Mr. Raya, in Poona, and he has got also woman. Everyone
must have a woman, parakiya. This is sahajiya-vada. This is sahajiya-vada.
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu never said, "This is the parakiya-rasa: one
should have one woman." No. He observed complete sannyasa life. Rather
there was very, very severe, rigid restriction about women. But now, these sahajiyas,
they are going on in the name of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu: aula, baula, kartta-bhaja,
neda, daravesa, sani sahajiya, sakhibheki, like that, so many. They are apa-sampradaya.
Real Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Sampradaya is that he should be feeling
like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, separation. Not sambhoga. Vipralambha.
Vipralambha-seva: "Oh, I am so wretched, I could not serve Krishna.
How I can see Krishna? It is not possible." In this way.
That is the teaching of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. "But even though I do not
see Him, neither it is possible for me to see Him..." Means: "What I
am? I am insignificant person. Why Krishna come and see me?" This is right.
"Why shall I aspire after seeing Krishna? What qualification I have got?"
This is bhajana. This is bhajana. Why should I be proud that "Now
I shall see Krishna"? What I am? That is the teaching of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam marma-hatam karotu va adarsanat.
Adarsana. "Without giving me audience, You kill me, You break my heart;
still, You are my Lord, You are my worshipable Lord, nobody else." This is
love. This is love. [Bengali:] Asan krsna galai diba naiva beja tata[?].
Not like that. "Krishna may not come. I may not see Krishna for thousands
and thousands of lives. I may rot in the hellish condition of life for many, many
births. That doesn't matter. Still, I cannot give up Krishna consciousness."
This is required. I may be sent to hell, heaven; it doesn't matter. What qualification
I have got that I want to see back to home, back to Godhead?
It is not so easy thing. So why should I be sorry for that? I should be happy
even in the hell simply by thinking of Krishna. That is wanted. That is wanted.
That is Krishna consciousness. So here is the example. Tears by force are coming
out: "Oh, Krishna is going away." At the same time, they want to check:
"There may not be any inauspicity for Krishna." They're thinking Krishna,
for Krishna, not for personal self. "Oh, I am now crying. I have become very
much fortunate. I am crying for Krishna." No. "My crying will create
inauspicity for Krishna, I must check it." This is Krishna consciousness.Srimad-Bhagavatam
Lectures, Mayapur, 27 June 1973 (730627SB.MAY)
Even in such a sacred place as Vrindavana, India, unintelligent
men pass off this rectal and genital business as spiritual activity. Such people
are called sahajiya. According to their philosophy, through sexual indulgence
one can elevate oneself to the spiritual platform. From these verses of Srimad-Bhagavatam,
however, we understand taht the desires for sexual satisfaction are meant for
the arvak, the lowest among men. To rectify these rascals and fools
is very difficult. After all, the sex desires of the common man are condemned
in these verses. The word durmada means "wrongly directed," and
nirrti means "sinful activity." Although this clearly indicates
that sex indulgence is abominable and misdirected even from the ordinary point
of view, the sahajiyas nonetheless pass themselves off as devotees conducting
spiritual activities.Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.29.14
Krishna's embracing Radharani or His dancing with the cowherd girls in the
rasa dance are generally not understood by ordinary men because they consider
these pastimes in the light of mundane lust. They incorrectly think
that Krishna is like themselves and that He embraces the gopis just as an ordinary
man embraces a young girl. Some people thus become interested in Krishna because
they think that His religion allows indulgence in sex. This is not Krishna-bhakti,
love of Krishna but prakrita-sahajiya, materialistic lust.
In order to avoid such errors, we should understand what Radha-Krishna actually
is. Radha and Krishna display Their pastimes through Krishna's internal energy.
The pleasure potency of Krishna's internal energy is a most difficult
subject matter, and unless one understands what Krishna is, one cannot understand
it. Krishna does not take any pleasure in this material world, but He has a pleasure
potency. Because we are part and parcel of Krishna, the pleasure
potency is within us also, but we are trying to exhibit that pleasure potency
in matter. Krishna, however, does not make such a vain attempt. The
object of Krishna's pleasure potency is Radharani; Krishna exhibits His potency,
or energy, as Radharani, and then engages in loving affairs with Her. In other
words, Krishna does not take pleasure in this external energy but exhibits His
internal energy, His pleasure potency as Radharani. Thus Krishna manifests Himself
as Radharani in order to exhibit His internal pleasure potency. Of the many extensions,
expansions and incarnations of the Lord, this pleasure potency is the foremost
and chief. It is not that Radharani is separate from Krishna. Radharani
is also Krishna, for there is no difference between the energy and the energetic.
Without energy, there is no meaning to the energetic, and without the energetic,
there is no energy. Similarly, without Radha there is no meaning to Krishna, and
without Krishna there is no meaning to Radha. Because of this, the Vaishnava philosophy
first of all pays obeisances to and worships the internal pleasure potency of
the Supreme Lord. Thus the Lord and His potency are always referred to as Radha-Krishna.
Similarly, those who worship the name of Narayana first of all utter the name
of Laksmi, as Laksmi-Narayana. Similarly, those who worship Lord Rama first of
all utter the name of Sita. In any caseSita-Rama, Radha-Krishna, Laksmi-Narayana-the
potency always comes first. Radha and Krishna are one, and when Krishna
desires to enjoy pleasure, He manifests Himself as Radharani. The spiritual exchange
of love between Radha and Krishna is the actual display of the internal pleasure
potency of Krishna. Alhough we speak of "when" Krishna desires, just
when He did desire we cannot say. We only speak in this way because in conditioned
life we take it that everything has a beginning; however, in the absolute, or
spiritual life, there is neither beginning or end. Yet in order to understand
that Radha and Krsihna are one and that They also become divided, the question
"when?" automatically comes to mind. When Krishna desired to enjoy His
pleasure potency, He manifested Himself in the separate form of Radharani,
and when He wanted to understand Himself through the agency of Radha, He united
with Radharani, and that unification is called Lord Chaitanya.
Why did Krishna assume the form of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu? It is explained
that Krishna desired to know the glory of Radha's love. "Why is She so much
in love with Me?" Krishna asked. "What is My special qualification
that attracts Her so? And what is the actual way in which She loves Me?"
It seems strange that Krishna, as the Supreme, should be attracted by anyone's
love. We search after the love of a woman or a man because we are imperfect and
lack something. The love of a woman, that potency and pleasure, is absent in man,
and therefore a man wants a woman, but this is not the case with Krishna, who
is full in Himself. Thus Krishna expressed surprise: "Why am I attracted
by Radharani? And when Radharani feels My love, what is She actually feeling?"
In order to taste the essence of that loving affair, Krishna appeared just as
the moon appears on the horizon of the sea. Just as the moon was produced by the
churning of the sea, by the churning of spiritual love affairs the moon of Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu appeared. Indeed, Lord Chaitanya's complexion was golden, just like
the moon. Although this is figurative language, it conveys the meaning behind
the appearance of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.Chaitanya-charitamrita
Adi-lila Introduction
Some material sahajiyas who cannot actually understand the pastimes
of Radha and Krishna manufacture their own life-styles without referring to authority.
Such sahajiyas are called sakhi-bheki, and sometimes they are called
gaura-nagari. They believe that the material body, which is
fit to be eaten by jackals and dogs, is enjoyable for Krishna. Consequently they
artificially decorate the material body to attract Krsihna, thinking themselves
sakhis. But Krishna is never attracted by the artificial grooming of the material
body. As far as Srimati Radharani and Her gopis are concerned, Their bodies, homes,
dresses, ornaments, endeavors and activities are all spiritual.Cc
Madhya-lila 8.204-205
Those under the shelter of the lotus feet of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu can understand
that His mode of worship of the Supreme Lord Krishna in separation is the real
worship of the Lord. When the feelings of separation become very intense,
one attains the stage of meeting Sri Krishna. So-called devotees
like the sahajiyas CHEAPLY IMAGINE they are meeting Krishna in Vrindavana.
Such thinking may be useful, but actually meeting Krishna is possible through
the attitude of separation taught by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.Cc Adi-lila
4.108
In the parampara system, the instructions taken from the bona fide spiritual
master must also be based on revealed Vedic scriptures. One who is
in the line of disciplic succession cannot manufacture his own way of behavior.
There are many so-called followers of the Vaishnava cult in the
line of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who do not scrupulously follow the conclusions of
the shastras, and therefore they are considered to be apa-sampradaya,
which means "outside of the sampradaya." Some of
these groups are known as aula, baula, kartabhaja, neda, daravesa, sani sahajiya,
sakhibheki, smarta, jata-gosani, ativadi, chudadhari and gauranga-nagari. In order
to follow strictly the disciplic succession of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, one
should not associate with these apasampradaya communities.Cc
Adi-lila 7.48
One thing, on the invitation card you have written "All glories
to our Guru Maharaja." This is impersonalism. As soon as we offer obeisnaces
to guru, the name should be there. We are strictly personalists. The sahajiyas
they write "glories to Guru". Why you are learning this impersonalism,
who has taught you? Daily I am offering obeisances to my Guru
by vibrating his real name, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, otherwise it is impersonal.Letter
to Bhavananda, 72-07-14
The prakrita-sahajiyas do not consult the Vedic literature, and
they are debauchees, woman-hunters and smokers of ganja. Sometimes they give a
theatrical performance and cry for the Lord with tears in their eyes.
Of course, all scriptural conclusions are washed off by these tears. The prakrta-sahajiyas
do not realize that they are violating the orders of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,
who specifically said that to understand Vrindavana and the pastimes of Vrindavana
one must have sufficient knowledge of the shastras (Vedic scriptures).
As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatatm (1.2.12), bhaktya-sruta-grihitaya.
This means that devotional service is acquired from Vedic knowledge. Tach
chraddadhanah munayah. Devotees who are actually serious attain bhakti, scientific
devotional service, by hearing Vedic scriptures (bhaktya sruta-grihitaya). It
is not that one should create something out of sentimentality, become a sahajiya
and advocate such concocted devotional service.Chaitanya-charitamrita
Madhya-lila 1.34
Taking advantage of these verses, there are some sahajiyas who,
taking everything very cheaply, consider themselves elevated Vaishnavas, but do
not care even to touch the Vedanta-sutra or Vedanta philosophy. A real Vaishnava
should, however, study Vedanta philosophy. But if after studying Vedanta one does
not adopt the chanting of the Holy Name of the Lord, He is no better than a Mayavadi.
Therefore, one should not be a Mayavadi, yet one should not be unaware of the
subject matter of Vedanta philosophy. Indeed, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited
His knowledge of Vedanta in His discourses with Prakashananda Sarasvati.
Thus it is to be understood that a Vaishnava should be completely conversant with
Vedanta philosophy, yet he should not think that studying Vedanta
is all in all and therefore be unattached to the chanting of the holy name. A
devotee must know the importance of simultaneously understanding Vedanta
philosophy and chanting the holy names. If by studying Vedanta one becomes
an impersonalist, he has not been able to understand Vedanta. This
is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (15.15). Vedanta means "the end of knowledge."
The ultimate end of knowledge is knowledge of Krishna, who is identifcal with
His Holy Name. Cheap Vaishnavas (sahajiyas) do not care to
study the Vedanta philosophy as commented upon by the four acharyas.
In the Gaudiya-Sampradaya there is a Vedanta commentary called the
Govinda-bhasya, but the sahajiyas consider such commentaries to be untouchable
philosophical speculation, and they consider the acharyas to be mixed devotees.
Thus they clear their way to hell.Cc Adi-lila 7.72
The Vaishnavas are by far the greatest philosophers in the world, and the greatest
among them was Srila Jiva Gosvami Prabhu, whose philosophy was again presented
less than four hundred years later by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura
Maharaja. Therefore one must know very well that Vaishnava philosophers are not
sentimentalists or cheap devotees like the sahajiyas. All the
Vaishnava acharyas were vastly learned scholars who understood Vedanta philosophy
fully, for unless one knows Vedanta he cannot be an acharya.Cc
Adi-lila 7.102
The Pancha-tattva is a very important factor in understanding Sri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu. There are sahajiyas who, not knowwing the importance of
the Pancha-Tattva, concoct their own slogans, such as bhaja nitai gaura, radhe
shyama, japa hare krsihna hare rama or sri-krishna-chaitanya prabhu-nityananda
hare krishna hare rama sri-radhe govinda. Such chants may be good
poetry, but they cannot help us to go forward in devotional service. In such chants
there are also many discrepancies, which need not be discussed here. Strictly
speaking, when chanting the names of the Pancha-Tattvam, one should fully
offer his obeisances: sri-krishna-chaitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara
srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda. By such chanting one is blessed with the competency
to chant the Krishna maha-mantra without offence. When chanting the Hare Krishna
maha-mantra, one should also chant it fully: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna
Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. One
should not foolishly adopt any of the slogans concocted by imaginative devotees.
If one actually wants to derive the effects of chanting, one must
strictly follow the great acharyas. This is confirmed in the Mahabharata: maha-jano
yena gatah sa panthah. "The real path of progress is that which is traversed
by great acharyas and authorities."Cc Adi-lila 7.168
The prakrta-sahajiyas who chant nitai-gaura radhe shyama
have very little knowledge of the Bhagavata conclusion, and they hardly
follow the Vaishnava rules and regulations, and yet because they chant bhaja
nitai-gaura, their chanting immediately invokes tears and other signs of
ecstasy. Although they do not know the principles of Vaishnava philosophy and
are not very advanced in education, by these symptoms they attract many men to
become their followers. Their ecstatic tears will of course help them in the long
run, for as soon as they come in contact with a pure devotee their
lives will become successful. Even in the beginning, however, because
they are chanting the holy names of Nitai-Gaura, their swift advancement on the
path of love of Godhead is very prominently visible.Cc Adi-lila 8.22
"After initiation, the disciple's name must be changed to indicate
that he is a servant of Lord Vishnu. The disciple should also immediately begin
marking his body with tilaka (urdhva-pundra), especially his forehead.
These are spiritual marks, symptoms of a perfect Vaishnava." This is a verse
from the Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda. A
member of the sahajiya-sampradaya does not change his name; therefore he cannot
be accepted as a Gaudiya Vaishnava. If a person does not change
his name after initiation, it is to be understood that he will continue in his
bodily conception of life.Cc Madhya-lila 1.208
The word upakarana indicates a variety of foods, such as dal,
vegetables and other varieties of possible dishes that one can eat very nicely
with rice. It is not proper, however, for a sannyasi to eat such palatable
dishes. If he did so, he would not be able to control his senses. Sri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu did not encourage sannyasis to eat very palatable dishes, for the whole
Vaishnava cult is vairagya-vidya, as renounced as possible. Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu also advised Raghunatha dasa Gosvami not to eat very palatable dishes,
wear very nice garments or talk on mundane subjects. These things are all prohibited
for those in the renounced order. A devotee does not accept anything to eat that
is not first offered to Krishna. All the rich foods offered to Krishna are given
to the grihasthas, the householders. There are many nice things offered
to Krishna--garlands, bedsteads, nice ornaments, nice food and even nicely prepared
pan, betel nuts--but a humble Vaishnava, thinking his body material and
nasty, does not accept such preparations for himself. He thinks that
by accepting such things he will offend the lotus feet of the Lord. Those who
are sahajjiyas cannot understand what Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu meant when he asked
Advaita Acharya to bring two separate leaves and give a small quantity of the
prasada to Him.Cc Madhya-lila 3.70
[Note: here is how the history is
going to repeat itself. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu predicts how the spirit of His cult
is going to be spoilt by the sahajiyas.]
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu warned all His followers not to become independent
or impudent. Unfortunately, after the disappearance of Lord Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu, many apa-sampradayas (so-called followers) invented many ways
not approved by the acharyas. Bhaktivinoda Thakura has described
them as the aula, baula, kartabhaja, neda, daravesa, sani sahajiya, sakhibheki,
smarta, jata-gosani, ativadi, chudadhari and gauranga-nagari. The aula-sampradaya,
baula-sampradaya and others invented their own ways of understanding Lord
Chaitanya's philosophy, without following in the footsteps of the acharyas.
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu himself indicates herein that all such attempts
would simply spoil the spirit of his cult.Cc Madhya-lila 1.271
[Note: this is again predicted by
Srila Prabhupada and Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura. Again the history repeats
itself. Also carefully notice how Prabhupada says "MORE DANGEROUS".]
Prabhupada: My Guru Maharaja used to say, "When
our men will be sahajiya, he will be more dangerous."
Satsvarupa: Our own men.
Prabhupada: Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, he said that "When
our men will be sahajiya, oh, they'll be more dangerous." So our men are
becoming, some of them, sahajiyas. This very word he said, that
"When our men will be sahajiyas
he'll be more dangerous."Room Conversation,
24 January 1977 (770124r2.bhu)
[Note: what was to follow was at
the time of Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura's disappearance was a scheme to
invent "acaryas" by nomination. Prabhupada BEGS with humility
for the devotees to see the sense. BUT as history shows and as Prabhupada predicts
In the Isopanisad 12 they WILL NOT LISTEN. The GBC disobeyed Prabhupada
and created a self-made guru system of nomination (voting) of 2/3 majority.
They do not address themselves as acharyas yet? BUT they want to be worshiped
as good as God the prerogative which is offered ONLY to the acharya. Otherwise
what is the meaning of this so-called gurus' photos on the altar and Vyasa
puja for? This shows just how much they envied Prabhupada because of the position
of acharya he held. The honest position of the ritvik allows them
to stem their lust for power.]
SPL 74-04-28 Rupanuga If Guru Maharaja could have seen someone who was qualified
at that time to be acharya he would have mentioned. Because on the night
before he passed away he talked of so many things, but never mentioned an acharya.
His idea was acharya 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 acharya would be automatically selected. So Sridhara Maharaja
and his two associate gentlemen unauthorizedly selected one acharya and
later it proved a failure. The result is now everyone is claiming
to be acharya, even though they may be kanistha adhikari with no ability to preach.
In some of the camps the acharya 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 acharya. 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.Letter to Rupanuga, 74-04-28
[Note: Most dangerous the Spiritual
master business----seeking customers.]
Prabhupada: So-called gurus, they are so-called gurus.
They are not gurus. That is already explained. If one does not speak what
Krishna speaks, he is not guru. If you accept so-called guru, that
is your misfortune. What can be done?
Pusta Krishna: Some of them will say some things that Krishna says, but
they'll take from other places also. What is the position of such persons?
Prabhupada: He's most dangerous. He's most dangerous.
He is opportunist. He's finding out customer, something here...
According to the customer he is giving something, as the customers will be pleased.
So he is not guru.760628bj.nv
[Note: Just see how these sahajiyas
are competing with Srila Prabhupada the Acarya and heading for hell (they may
not believe---but destiny will unfold).]
The Lord states that as soon as one reaches Him by devotional service--which
is the one and only way to approach the Personality of Godhead--one attains complete
freedom from the bondage of birth and death. In other words, the path of salvation
from the material clutches fully depends on the principles of knowledge and detachment
gained from serving the Lord. The pseudo religionists have neigher
knowledge nor detachment from material affairs. For most of them want to live
in the golden shackles of material bondage under the shadow of philanthropic activities
disguised as religious principles. By a false display of religious
sentiments, they present a show of devotional service while indulging in all sorts
of immoral activities. In this way they pass as spiritual masters
and devotees of God. Such violators of religious principles have
no respect for the authoritative acharyas, the holy teachers in the strict
disciplic succession. They ignore the Vedic injunction acharyopasana"One
must worship the Acharya"and Krishna's statement in the
Bhagavad-gita (4.2): evam parampara-praptam, "This
supreme science of God is received through the disciplic succession." Instead,
to mislead the people in general they themselves become so-called acharyas, but
they do not even follow the principles of the acharyas. These rogues
are the most dangerous elements in human society. Because there is no religious
government, they escape punishment by the law of the state. They cannot, however,
escape the law of the Supreme, who has clearly declared in the Bhagavad-gita
that envious demons in the garb of religious propagandists shall be thrown into
the darkest regions of hell (Bhagavad-gita 16.19-20). Sri
Ishopanishad confirms that these pseudo religionists are heading toward the most
obnoxious place in the universe after the completion of their spiritual master
business, which they conduct simply for sense gratification.Sri
Ishopanishad 12
[Note: the BONA FIDE guru
is the ACHARYA. The word Bona fide means genuine, sincere. There is no
meaning to the word genuine if the so-called gurus invented by the GBC
fall down (which everyone knows they are already fallen---having disobeyed Prabhupada).
What to speak of falling! By allowing homosex child rapes how fallen can one get?
On top of this they want to pretend to be acharyasto be worshipped
as good as God how audacious can one get!]
The process is maha-jano yena gatah sa panthah: one has to strictly
follow great personalities and acharyas. Acharya-van puruso veda:
one who has the favor of the Acharya knows everything. This
statement made by Kaviraja Gosvami is very valuable for all pure devotees. Sometimes
the prakrita sahajiyas claim that they have heard the truth from their
guru. But one cannot have transcendental knowledge simply by
hearing from a guru who is not bona fide. The guru must be
bona fide, and he must have heard from his bona fide guru. Chaitanya-charitamrita
Madhya-lila 8.312
Those who do not strictly follow the principles of revealed scriptures are
generally called sahajiyasthose who have imagined everything
to be cheap, who have their own concocted ideas, and who do not follow the scriptural
injunctions, such persons are simply creating disturbances in the discharge of
devotional service.Nectar of Devotion 7
One should not follow the men called sahajiya, the so-called devotees
who take everything very lightly.Krishnabook
29
This is the way to cultivate devotional service properly; therefore in this
verse Srila Rupa Gosvami has advised us how to treat various devotees. We can
see from practical experience that there are different types of Vaishnavas. The
prakrita-sahajiyas generally chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra,
yet they are attached to women, money and intoxication. Although such persons
may chant the holy name of the Lord, they are not yet properly purified. Such
people should be respected within one's mind, but their association should be
avoided.Nectar of Instruction 5
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura suggests that people who are materialistically
inclined and sahajiyas, or so-called Vaishnavas who take everything very casually,
are both visayi materialists. Eating food offered by them causes contamination,
and as a result of such contamination, even a serious devotee becomes like a materialistic
man. There are six kinds of associationgiving
charity, accepting charity, accepting food, offering food, talking confidentially
and inquiring confidentially. One should very carefully avoid associating
with body the sahajiyas, who are sometimes known as Vaishnavas, and the non-Vaishnavas,
or avaishnavas. Their association changes the transcendental devotional service
of Lord Krishna into sense gratification, and when sense gratification enters
the mind of a devotee, he is contaminated. The materialistic person who aspires
after sense gratification cannot properly think of Krishna. Chaitanya-charitamrita
Antya-lila 6.278
Sangat sanjayate kamah (Bhagavad-gita 2.62). One
develops his consciousness according to society and association. As Srila Nityananda
Prabhu admits, a devotee should be very careful when associating with those who
are not devotees. When asked by a householder devotee what the behavior of a devotee
should be, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu immediately replied:
asat-sanga-tyaga, ei vaishnava-achara
'stri-sangi'eka asadhu, 'Krishnabhakta' ara (Chaitanya-charitamrita
Madhya 22.87)
A Vaishnava, a devotee, should simply discard intimate association with nondevotees.
In his Upadesamrta, Srila Rupa Gosvami has described the symptoms
of intimate relationships in this way:
dadati pratigrhnati
guhyam akhyati prcchati
bhunkte bhojayate chaiva
sad-vidham priti-laksanam
The words bhunkte bhojayate indicate that one should eat with
devotees. One should carefully avoid eating food offered by nondevotees. Indeed,
a devotee should be very strict in not accepting food from a nondevotee, especially
food prepared in restaurants or hotels or on airplanes. Srila Nityananada
Prabhu's reference in this connection is meant to emphasize that one should avoid
eating with Mayavadis and covert Mayavadis like the sahajiya Vaishnavas, who are
materially affected.Cc Madhya-lila 12.195
[Note: Here Prabhupada uses the
two contrasts one is the ADVANCED DEVOTEE (PARAMAHAMSA) and the other is
DEBAUCHEE (sahajiya). Interesting also: here you will also find the definition
of uttama adhikari, also he is NOT DEVIATED.]
**An advanced devotee situated on the platform of spontaneity is already very
expert in shastric instruction, logic and argument. When he comes to the point
of eternal love for Krishna, no one can deviate him from that position, neither
by argument nor by shastric evidence. An advanced devote has realized
his eternal relationship with the Lord, and consequently he does not accept the
logic and arguments of others.** Such an advanced devotee has nothing to do with
the sahajiyas, who manufacture their own way and commit sins by indulging in illicit
sex, intoxication and gambling, if not meat-eating. Sometimes the sahajiyas imitate
advanced devotees and live in their own whimsical way, avoiding the principles
set down in the revealed scriptures. Unless one follows the six GosvamisSri
Rupa, Sanatana, Raghunatha Bhatta, Sri Jiva, Gopala Bhatta, and Raghunatha dasaone
cannot be a bona fide spontaneous lover of Krishna. In this connection,
Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says: rupa-raghunatha- pade haibe akuti kabe
hama bujhaba se yugala piriti. The sahajiyas' understanding of the
love affairs between Radha and Krishna is not bona fide because they do not follow
the principles laid down by the six Gosvamis. Their illicit connection
and their imitatio nof the dress of Rupa Gosvami as well as their avoidance of
the prescribed methods of revealed scriptures will lead them to the lowest regions
of hell. These imitative sahajiyas are cheated and unfortunate. They are not equal
to advanced devotees (paramahamsas). Debauchees and paramahamsas are not on the
same level.Cc Madhya-lila 22.153
[Note: Uttama-adhikari is
not deviated. This is why he is Bona fide. Also a warning against sahajiya
so-called spiritual master business men seeking customers.]
A bonafide spiritual master is in the
disciplic succession from time eternal, and he does not deviate at all
from the instructions of the Supreme Lord as they were imparted millions of years
ago to the sun-god, from whom the instructions of Bhagavad-gita have come down
to the earthly kingdom. One should, therefore, follow the path of
Bhagavad-gita as it is expressed in the Gita itself and
beware of self-interested people after personal aggrandizement who deviate others
from the actual path. The Lord is definitely the supreme person,
and His activities are transcendental. One who understands this is a liberated
person from the very beginning of his study of the Gita.Bhagavad-gita
4.42
[Note: as above Madhya 22.153 now
compare to the below to the definition of Uttama adhikari:]
**An advanced devotee situated on the platform of spontaneity is
already very expert in shastric instruction, logic and argument. When he comes
to the point of eternal love for Krishna, no one can deviate him from that position,
neither by argument nor by shastric evidence. An advanced devotee has realized
his eternal relationship with the Lord, and consequently he does not accept the
logic and argument of others.**
sastra-yuktye sunipuna, drdha-sraddha yanra
'uttama-adhikari' se taraye samsara
"If one is expert in Vedic literature and has full faith in the
Supreme Lord, then he is an uttama-adhikari, a first-class
Vaishnava, a topmost Vaishnava who can deliver the whole world and turn everyone
to Krishna consciousness." (Chaitanya-charitamrita Madhya 22.65)
With great love and affection, the maha-bhagavata observes the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, devotional service and the devotee. He observes nothing
beyond Krishna, Krishna consciousness and Krishna's devotees. The maha-bhagavata
knows that everyone is engaged in the Lord's service in different ways. He therefore
descends to the middle platform to elevate everyone to the Krishna conscious position.Cc
Madhya 16.74
[Note: if anyone can AT ALL convince
these sahajiyas to give-up their nonsense so-called spiritual master businessthat
one person is Srila Prabhupadathat is also**IF** THEY want to hear and heed
his advice otherwise they are doomed to their destiny.]
[Note: there are astounding parallels in the psychological thinking of the GBC
now. They also think the senior partner Srila Prabhupada is dead. Hence, the Spiritual
Master Business.]
Just like one of our Godbrothers, he's thinking that "This
institution was started by me and Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvatai as partners. Now
the senior partner is dead. Therefore I am the sole proprietor.
Who are these Godbrothers? Let them go away." So this is maya, the same maya
Dhrtarastra was thinking. And his brother-in-law, Sakuni, was very expert in conspiracy.
So he was advising him, "Yes, you are the proprietor.Srimad-Bhagavatam
Lectures, 4 October 1974, Mayapur (741004SB.MAY)
|