Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Srila Prabhupada
So Bhagavad-gita, although containing the high philosophy of the Vedic wisdom, is for the beginners in the transcendental science, and Srimad-Bhagavatam is for graduates and postgraduates in the transcendental science. Therefore literatures like Mahabharata, the, puranas and similar other literatures which are full of the pastimes of the Lord, are all transcendental literatures, and they should be discussed with full confidence in the society of great devotees.
The difficulty is that such literatures, when discussed by professional men, appear to be mundane literature like histories or epics because there are so many historical facts and figures. It is said here, therefore, that such literatures should be discussed in the assembly of devotees. Unless they are discussed by devotees, such literatures cannot be relished by the higher class of men. So the conclusion is that the Lord is not impersonal in the ultimate issue. He is the Supreme Person, and He has His different activities. He is the leader of all living entities, and He descends at His will and by His personal energy to reclaim the fallen souls. Thus He plays exactly like the social, political or religious leaders. Because such roles ultimately culminate in the discussion of topics of the Lord, all such preliminary topics are also transcendental.
“If You Actually Feel for People”
Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.14
Los Angeles, May 31, 1972
Thursday, September 4, 2008
1972 September 7 : “Lord Caitanya wanted this, so by the parampara system through my Guru Maharaja and my humble self, the matter is handed over to you. Now it is up to you American boys and girls to do the needful.”
Prabhupada Letters :: 1972
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
“Those, whose judgment is made of mundane stuff, being unable to enter into the spirit of the all-loving controversies among pure devotees, due to their own want of unalloyed devotion, are apt to impute to the devotees their own defects of partisanship and opposing views.” Sri Brahma Samhita 5.37 purport (p.72 in BBT edition)
“So far as your question about controversy amongst the disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja, that is a fact. But this controversy is not material. Just like in a national program, different political parties are sometimes in conflict and make propaganda against each other, but their central point is always service to the country. Similarly, amongst the disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati there may be some controversy, but the central point is how to preach the mission of His Divine Grace. If the central point is fixed up then there is no harm in such controversy.
Letter to: Mandali Bhadra : 69-07-28 Los Angeles
“Among Vaishnava’s there may be some difference of opinion due to everyone’s personal identity, but despite all personal differences, the cult of Krsna consciousness must go on. We can see that under the instructions of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja began preaching the Krsna consciousness movement in an organized way within the past hundred years. The disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja are all Godbrothers, and although there are some differences of opinion, and although we are not acting conjointly, every one of us is spreading this Krsna consciousness movement according to his own capacity and producing many disciples to spread it all over the world.”
SB 4.28.31
“Practically there is no difference of opinion in our missionary activities, especially because we all are deriving inspiration from His Divine Grace Prabhupada Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja. I think all of our Godbrothers are doing the same missionary activities without a doubt, but still the regrettable fact is we are doing all separately, not in conjunction.”
(Letter to Bhagavata Maharaja, August 21, 1969)
“Disunity between individual souls is so strong within this material world that even in a society of Krsna consciousness; members sometimes appear disunited due to their having different opinions and leaning toward material things. Actually, in Krsna consciousness there cannot be two opinions. There is only one goal: to serve Krsna to one’s best ability. If there is some disagreement over service, such disagreement is to be taken as spiritual. Those who are actually engaged in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be disunited in any circumstance.” SB 4.30.8
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Srila Prabhupada and his god brothers
Narrated by HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaja
I remember we went with Srila Prabhupada to see one of his god brothers. And Srila Prabhupada, he was very conscious about relationships between the different devotees. He would never allow us to criticize his god brothers. “They are my god brothers. I can criticize them. I can, you can’t. We have a different relationship.” If one of his disciples started to become.. like Srila Prabhupada sometimes to warn off , he would say that “this godbrother has this problem and that one has that problem and you be careful. Because they may criticize like this, but don’t listen.”, and then maybe one of his secretaries would start to repeat that, “your godbrother has this problem, your godbrother has that problem.”
Srila Prabhupada would get upset and impatient: “You cannot criticize my godbrothers..” Which seemed like a contradiction superficially, because “Srila Prabhupada was just criticizing, why can’t I?” But then Prabhupada explained that “I can, because he is my godbrother. I am telling you to protect you; you may go and listen to him and he may say so many things. So just to warn you I am telling you these problems. But not that you have the right then to take it up and then you can criticize. That wasn’t the purpose. The purpose is simply to caution you to not be affected in case they criticize.”