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by Narasimha das
I have no qualification to speak about Srila Prabhupada's
glories. Yet I will try, because I feel this is the only way
to preserve the worldwide institution of Krsna consciousness
he so kindly gave. Not everyone will be able to immediately
appreciate Srila Prabhupada's unique position. Devotees who
understand Srila Prabhupada to some extent and appreciate
what he has given, however, should try to inspire others to
accept Srila Prabhupada and His instructions as their life
and soul. All devotees should try to understand how Srila
Prabhupada has provided the best instructions and arrangements
for enabling everyone to attain Lord Caitanya's full blessings.
We should all carefully consider, as far as we are able, Srila
Prabhupada's position. He accepted a standard of worship never
before accorded any Acarya. He not only accepted such worship
but institutionalized it. In Vedic history, we find no other
example of the literal institutionalization of the injunction
that the Sad-Guru is to be worshipped and praised exactly
like the Supreme Lord Hari. No other example of guru worship
in Vedic culture compares to the daily worship of Srila Prabhupada
in ISKCON. In fact, even some of Srila Prabhupada's disciples
and Godbrothers have called it "excessive". I will try to
give some historical and scriptural insight why Srila Prabhupada's
position in Lord Chaitanya's movement should be considered,
at least in ISKCON, as unique.
We may assume that if the most important spiritual mission
in history is in danger, the Supreme Lord will descend to
revive the mission Himself, as He promises in Srimad Bhagavad-gita.
Or He will send a Saktyavesa Avatar, a fully empowered associate,
to do the work on His behalf. The mission of no other avatar
or acarya, other than that of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Himself,
can compare with Srila Prabhupada's mission, which reveals
the basis for the sankirtana movement and daiva-varnasrama
for this yuga. Unlike Lord Chaitanya, Who was constantly assisted
by innumerable nitya-siddha associates in the highly cultured
and supremely pious land of Gauda Desa, Srila Prabhupada began
His mission alone in New York City. He singelhandedly established
Lord Caitanya mission worldwide, fulfilling the Supreme Lord's
prophecy. Srila Prabhupada gave a very specific sadhana. He
said we should meditate on the Spiritual Master immediately
upon rising in the morning. Later we attend mangala-arati,
which in ISKCON is at least half devoted to Srila Prabhupada
personally. On the altar we offer all items to Srila Prabhupada,
along with the Deities and our param gurus. Later in the morning
we attend Srila Prabhupada's guru-puja--in the temple before
the Deities. It was previously unheard of to worship a devotee
in front of the Deity. In his Bhaktirasamrta Sindhu, Srila
Rupa Goswami counts it as an offense to even praise someone
else before the Deity. In all ISKCON temples we offer daily
guru-puja for Srila Prabhupada alone. His murti resides on
the hundreds of vyasanas all over the world and on the altars
in our temples and homes. We sing His personal pranam prayers
in all of our temple functions, and all offerings of bhoga
are offered to the Lord through Him. It is His books that
we study in our daily Srimad-Bhagavatam class and Bhagavad-gita
class. His instructions are our life and soul. The entire
worldwide Krishna consciousness movement is based on Srila
Prabhupada and His instructions. He established the entire
conception of Lord Caitanya's mission by Himself when all
other preachers were apparently asleep or retired or simply
struggling to maintain their local ashrams.
Srila Prabhupada's worship is unique. There is no other example
of a Vedic sadhana that puts such great emphasis on the worship
of a devotee. Moreover, in the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu,
spiritual leaders have generally avoided even traditional
worship and honor. Yet ISKCON's elaborate guru-puja sadhana
is what Srila Prabhupada gave us, and it's undoubtedly unique.
I have visited most of the main temples and ashrams of the
Vaisnava sampradayas in India, and I have been unable to find
an example of guru worship comparable to the worship Srila
Prabhupada established for His followers. In bona fide traditions,
even Sri Hanuman-ji and Sri Garuda Deva are not accorded such
grand and regular worship. (Even the worship of Sri Garuda
Deva at Sri Rangam is not part of the daily temple sadhana.)
Srila Prabhupada began his mission at a time when the mission
of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the Vaisnava acaryas appeared
lost. He single-handedly revived the mission of prema-bhakti
and established it as a worldwide mission at a time when the
world tottered on the brink of destruction. The secret of
Srila Prabhupada's mission is indicated in the most confidential
sastras, like Caitanya Mangala. Srila Prabhupada's appearance
is as rare as that of Sri Krsna and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Srila Prabhupada's appearance was foretold by great acaryas
like Locana das Thakura and Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura. Srila
Prabhupada's activities were foretold by both Lord Nityananda
Prabhu and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Advanced devotees understand Srila Prabhupada as the predicted
great personality Who descends to establish Krsna consciousness
all over the world. (Srila Prabhupada Himself indicated this
variously.) Srila Prabhupada is the eternal associate of Sri
Krsna and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Although His eternal form
(nitya-svarupa) remains a mystery for all who remain influenced
by material existence, everyone can appreciate His greatness
to some extent. Srila Prabhupada's complete humility, fearlessness,
patience, and compassion may have been exhibited perhaps only
by Srila Vasudeva Datta and Lord Nityananda.
A reporter once asked Srila Prabhupada how many disciples
He had. Srila Prabhupada replied that there is no limit to
the number of His disciples. His Divine Grace indicated some
people realize they are under His authority and others do
not. On this occasion He was speaking in the mood of the Supreme
Guru, Lord Nityananda. Who else could answer in this way and
not be accused of blasphemy? On another occasion He was asked
who would be His successor. He replied that his success was
already complete. He clearly indicated there was no need for
successors. Still another time, when asked a similar question,
His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada said that only Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu could take His place.
In other words, neither the combined efforts of His inexperienced
and realized disciples nor the empowered efforts of future
acharyas are required to make Srila Prabhupada's mission successful.
This is why Srila Prabhupada said His mission is already complete
-- it requires no other acharya or avatar to make it successful.
Srila Prabhupada said the ISKCON temples might fail, but He
expressed absolute conviction that His books and instructions
would remain. The Hare Krishna movement will always expand
the glories of Lord Caitanya's mission by Srila Prabhupada's
mercy and the authority of His instructions.
Among thousands of liberated souls, one may become the Acharya,
the Jagat Guru, the Personality of Servitor Godhead, Who is
adored by all Vaisnavas (C.c. Adi , C.c. Madhya). Everyone
can be happy worshiping Srila Prabhupada as Jagat Guru. To
help Kali Yuga conditioned souls, Srila Prabhupada institutionalized
his own guru-puja, pranam prayers, murtis, books, and vyasasanas
as the permanent standard for worship and study in all ISKCON
temples. Other great acaryas, like Srila Ramanujacarya, an
avatar of Anantashesa, and Srila Madhvacarya, the param guru
of our sampradaya, never instituted themselves in such prominent
positions in their movements. Nor did they indicate that their
specific missions would create a golden age. Even Srila Rupa
Goswami Prabhupada and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada
never had permanent vyasasanas or regular guru-pujas in their
temples. Srila Prabhupada's actions in this regard are unique.
We should carefully consider why He instituted unprecedented
worship of His own form and instructions. We should carefully
consider the value of His accomplishments and His position
as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's saktyavesa-avatara.
It goes against the strict Vaisnava principles given by Srila
Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu for devotees
to accept formal worship and a high seat, even from their
own disciples. This is why Gaudiya Vaisnavas formerly never
accepted the position of sannyasa or any formal special status
as guru. Gaudiya Vaisnavas practice the principle of ³trinad
api sunicena, amanina manadena.² They avoid the official worship
and status ordained for sadhus by Vedic tradition. Yet Srila
Prabhupada accepted, and even insisted upon, a standard of
guru worship unheard of in Vedic history.
Srila Prabhupada more than hinted at the status of His position.
Yet it is not the way of Vaisnavas to proclaim their own glory.
If they did, others would have license to imitate them and
pose as gurus or avatars by self advertisement. Srila Prabhupada
revealed His unique position by empowered preaching. To help
His dull disciples understand, Srila Prabhupada kindly accepted
unprecedented worship, even at the risk of being accused of
exceeding tradition. (Most of our guru-puja in ISKCON was
revealed by Krsna's arrangement step by step when Srila Prabhuapda
accepted the spontaneous offerings of his disciples. For instance:
the huge vyasasana thrones, the pictures on the vyasasana,
the title "Prabhupada", the daily guru-puja ceremony were
all originally ideas of disciples.) It's in our hands now
to get the credit for establishing the truth regarding the
position of Lord Caitanya's most empowered viceroy, Srila
Prabhupada. It's not possible to exaggerate His glories or
overemphasize His importance -- He is the Spiritual Master
of the Universe. Understanding Srila Prabhupada's position
in truth, we should be eager to help everyone accept the incarnation
of Lord Caitanya's mercy, in just the way we have.
By worshiping and serving Srila Prabhupada the way He taught
us, we naturally develop our eternal relationship with our
param gurus, with the associates of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,
and with Sri Krsna Chaitanya Himself. Srila Prabhupada's specific
mission provides the best means to preach Krishna consciousness
in this age. Srila Prabhupada is empowered to offer a sadhana
that's most effective in helping everyone attain pure love
for Sri Krishna. As we have all seen practically, Srila Prabhupada's
words are endowed with special potency to awaken souls asleep
in Maya's lap. Through Srila Prabhupada, Lord Caitanya has
given the world the perfect formula for success in Krsna consciousness.
That formula is based on the idea that every member and supporter
of Srila Prabhupada's movement should attempt to please Him
by becoming servants and representatives of His mission. To
more fully appreciate Srila Prabhupada's preaching formula,
we need to fully appreciate the significance of Srila Prabhupada
Himself.
(Note: None of the above is based on my personal sentiment.
To avoid a lengthy treatise and for other reasons, however,
I have not included a list of confidential scriptural quotes.
I have given stress to evident truths illuminated practically
by the sadhana Srila Prabhupada prescribed and specific statements
he made regarding himself and his mission.)
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