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Vaisnava Conduct in the Global-Village Era by Nitaisundara das Posted December 7, 2009 In the 1960s, literary and media critic Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase "global village" to describe the extension of people's frames of reference and sense of responsibility beyond their immediate surroundings, or "village." This growing sense of connectedness, McLuhan proposed, is the natural result of a world in which electronics enable our senses (at least the senses of sight and hearing — for now) to immediately experience that which is taking place across the globe, just as we would in our village. McLuhan had high hopes for such a global community: "The aspiration of our time for wholeness, empathy and depth of awareness is a natural adjunct of electric technology." Apparently not natural enough. McLuhan passed away in 1980 as the precursors to the Internet were being formulated, implemented and refined, but still nine years before the start-up of the first commercial Internet service provider. With the Internet now in full swing, it is apparent to all that the global village finds its most relevant discussion there. Indeed, in its most common usage, "global village" has come to refer to the Internet alone. Everybody has found their way to the Internet; practically every belief, interest, desire and product has some representation on the Web. It is therefore not surprising that Gaudiya Vaishnavas have also made their way into the online village. After all, with a spiritual aspiration culminating in a bucolic life, one would expect us to gravitate towards village settings, and in this case, for better or for worse, we have. The prospect of Gaudiya Vedanta circulating throughout the global village and thereby reaching people of every background is wonderful. Such an opportunity would no doubt make Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati's brhat-mrdanga reverberate with sounds of joy. But as with any medium one might employ in promoting spiritual life, the Internet is a double-edged sword, and unfortunately, many of those who have a hand on the hilt are swinging —and thinking — in the wrong direction. Fortunately, within the Gaudiya tradition one need not look hard for examples of how to properly conduct him or herself in a village (even a global one). Perhaps the most relevant example is that which took place as Caitanya Mahaprabhu was putting Raghunatha das Goswami under the care of Svarup Damodara, first leaving Raghunatha with a few practical instructions:
gramya-katha na sunibe, gramya-varta na kahibe "Don't indulge in village talk; don't hear village talk. Try your best to avoid mundane matters. Don't eat delicious dishes, but take whatever ordinary food may come of its own accord, and don't dress luxuriously." (Caitanya-Caritamrta, Antya-lila 6.237) Such seemingly unexceptional instructions are not to be overlooked, and their significance is magnified when we consider the person of Raghunatha das Goswami, who is considered the prayojana-tattva acarya of the entire Gaudiya tradition. That is to say, he is the foremost teacher (acarya) of the truths (tattva) regarding the ultimate goal (prayojana) of the prema-bhakti marga (the path of pure devotion). Furthermore, these instructions came as Raghunatha das was being handed into the care of Svarup Damodara, who is Lalita- sakhi herself, and is therefore privy to the most esoteric aspects of Mahaprabhu and Radha-Krishna. Thus Raghunatha das was fully qualified for a life in which such instructions are irrelevant. Nevertheless, the very first directive Mahaprabhu gave to Raghunatha das Goswami was that one should not partake in village talk (gramya-katha) nor by extension, one can safely assume, global- village talk. Obviously, the Internet did not introduce gossip, nor is it reasonable to expect exclusively spiritual discussions, but what is alarming is that via the Internet, devotees seem far more likely to advance the malicious, spiritually detrimental variety of gossip. Just how spiritually dangerous such behavior is depends on a number of factors, one of which being the environment in which one makes the attack. For better or worse, the global village has a liberal publishing policy. As such, every opinion, no matter how outlandish or downright tasteless, has the potential to reach everybody. The widespread dissemination of slanderous comments and malevolent attitudes, which are inevitably met with the support of some, is truly toxic, and the effects can be observed throughout the Internet community. A prime example is the overabundance of conjectured "siddhantas" appearing daily on the Web. A digital community is largely reflective of its physical counterpart, for people's natures manifest through whatever medium they use. Unfortunately, the present nature of the international Gaudiya community is that many are unable to interact with each other in a healthy, respectful manner, and as such there are many fractured factions. Much of the negative attitudes underlying these divisions are the direct results of years of one group or another espousing their exclusive validity and the simultaneous inferiority of people and groups who may actually be worthy of their adoration. This infighting has been notably amplified by the Internet, which instantly provides each user with a more public voice than was previously available to actual public figures. The virtual nature of relationships on the Internet lends itself to an environment wherein criticism, rumors, personal attacks and outright lies flourish. This is aided by the fact that the Internet provides the anonymity to both produce and digest these vitriolic discussions without being subject to any of the scrutiny which the participants themselves liberally employ in their assessment of everyone else. Such unaccountability and hypocrisy stands in the way of even basic morality, what to speak of the type of character by which one becomes attractive to those of spiritual substance. It would be naïve to think that fanatics and those with envious hearts will ever fall silent (especially on the Internet), but that fact merely underscores the responsibility of the rest of us to engage each other in thoughtful, substantial, humble and generous dialogue. It is the generosity and user-friendly nature of the bhakti-marga that not only acknowledges the positive contributions of worldly progress but enables us to actually use such contributions in the context of spiritual progress. Perhaps we should respond in kind.
Marshall McLuhan was able to see the potential of technology to
function as a source of positive change in the world, while Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati and other acaryas take technology's worth
even further: acknowledging its potential to take one beyond the
world. Just as McLuhan proposed, the internet can be a way to extend
our frame of reference and sense of responsibility, both materially
and spiritually. It is our duty to recognize the opportunity and
responsibility sitting on our desks, and strive to act accordingly.
Responding to a letter I sent seven years ago to H.G. Adipurusa das, president of the ISKCON temple in Telok Intan, Malaysia, my friend Senthil das wrote to suggest that even advanced devotees might not be able to understand the Radha-bhava mood of Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu. Most of us, even devotees or so-called advanced devotees within the Hare Krishna movement, are only pretending, with grave consequences, to be devotees. Quoting shastra and acharyas, Srila Gaura Govinda Maharaj has warned us: “If you even think you are a devotee, you are definitely not.” It is my belief that all of ISKCON's problems result from the false belief that we are devotees or advanced devotees. To avoid Mahaprabhu's vipralambha mood being disturbed unintentionally by people of innocent ignorance and sentimental feelings, we require total faith in the fully realized words of our gurudevas, of Srila Prabhupada and and of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur. Many of us, however, have so-called intelligent but actually muddled ideas about the ascending terms: [1] accept, [2] know, [3] understand, [4] experience, [5] realize, [6] taste, [7] truth, [8] absolute truth, and so on to higher and higher levels. Each step leads to the next, but the gaps between them are exceptionally wide and nearly insurmountable for most of us. If we are honest with ourselves, most of us are not ready even to take the first step of acceptance of what we hear from shastra and acharyas, except to the degree that it is easy or palatable. We pick and choose, but acceptance can only start with sraddha or total faith. The second step of knowing is even more difficult. Only through total faith can we start with superficial knowledge and slowly advance to deeper knowledge with deeper faith. With humility we'll be able to acknowledge that even getting to the second step is too big a leap for most of us. Almost no one can accomplish the third step of understanding; indeed, Gaura Govinda Maharaj used to emphasize this point: “Aare, baba, what can you understand? — nothing! You are all fallen souls — nitya-baddhas, mlecchas, yavanas, mudhas. You cannot understand. First accept, with total faith. Then only, with guru's mercy, you can slowly begin to understand — not otherwise; no, not otherwise.” It is a huge step, a quantum leap, to advance to the third step, especially when people in general, within and without ISKCON, are reluctant to take even the first step of simple acceptance. Yet our very own life-giving, life-sustaining ISKCON is, alas, full of people who choose to accept, ‘know’ and ‘understand’ whatever their minds dictate, without uniformity or conformity even among themselves. They trap themselves in whatever they prefer, according to the dictates of their own whims and fancies, trapped in Mahamaya's myths and meanderings, unmindful of Mahaprabhu's moods, magnanimity and mercies. We don't want to take the first step of accepting the statements of fully realized acharyas who know shastra to the hilt, so naturally we cannot take the second step of coming to know what they say; we have proudly and foolishly put it out of our reach. How, then, can anyone ever reach the third step of understanding their words? Even so-called advanced devotees or senior devotees etc, holding big posts, may come to think they know and understand anything and everything, although they do not. Many of ISKCON's problems result from unreined thinking, the activity of the wicked mind. The next progressive steps of experience, realization, etc. are not even within our scope of contemplation. Without the sad-guru's and Gauranga's merciful intervention, none of these super-transcendental steps is within our grasp for æons to come. The problem I have raised may seem petty, but mahajanas are telling us it is a grave matter. Our gurudevas are telling us the same thing with all seriousness, so is it a small matter to be ignored? Certainly not. Will our silence be of benefit to ourselves and to others? Should we be afraid to speak about such eye-openers, seemingly petty to most of us, if it can benefit all, some or even one? Should we sideline Srila Prabhupada's definition of truth? Satyam, he says, must be spoken, even if unpalatable, “for the benefit of others,” as he emphasized thrice in his commentary on Bhagavad-gita,10.4-5. Silence means complicity and represents cowardice. Though I may know nothing, I can accept my gurudeva's profound words and repeat them, in the hope that at least one person hears and benefits. If we minimize the gravity of our pranadhana gurudeva's words and think the topic too petty to concern ourselves with or to repeat to others, we fall prey to guru-ninda, vaisnava-aparadha, which is fatal to devotion. It is not my business to think of success or failure before I do what is needful. The result is entirely up to guru and Gauranga, and it belongs only to them. I suggest to Senthil prabhu that it is futile to wonder whether 'advanced devotees' can understand the philosophy of Mahaprabhu's mood. It's just a matter of different lengths of time. All will understand in the end, even if it takes countless lifetimes. A hundred thousand years of earthly time is only one second of Lord Brahma's time. We may require the patience to pass many tens or hundreds of Brahma's mere seconds before we can understand tattva-vichara and qualify to start real devotional service.
After hearing about the attacks on ISKCON Bangladesh that occurred on May 14,2009 (www.chakra.org/news2/newsMay27_09.html), I wonder if the Temple has closed as a result? Is there still an ISKCON Bangladesh? And if so, how do they intend to protect themselves?
I would encourage people who know about the situation to write directly to Chakra.org, so that the update can be shared with other readers.
Chakra has learned that a GBC proposal has recently been submimtted, requesting the GBC to make an official statement on evolution. This was submitted to coincide with the upcoming publication of a book on "Intelligent design", co-authored by Drutakarma prabhu (with Dr. Behe, a roman catholic, Dr. Wells of the unification church, and Dr. Dembski, an evangelical christian). This proposal is currently being fast-tracked through the GBC approval process, without the usual discussion period. A vote is expected within two weeks. The Chakra board find it disconcerting that this proposal is being made without allowing the GBC - or the ISKCON membership - any opportunity for thoughtful deliberation. Instead, the authors have asked the GBC members to simply forward their personal concerns to them, so that they can incorporate any feedback that they wish into a final proposal, which will simply require a GBC vote. This rush appears particularly puzzling in light of the fact that the book has been in production for over a year and there would have been plenty of time for thoughtful debate. Instead, the proposal authors wait until the last minute and are now pressuring the GBC to make a quick decision on a very important doctrinal matter. What's the rush? Evolution is not a new issue and this decision is hardly a life or death matter. We do not understand why the GBC can not be allowed to take their time and seek input from ISKCON scholars and other members on this issue. Is there perhaps another agenda behind this process? Chakra would like to see a debate among devotees, both on the content of the proposed statement and whether you think that the GBC should be adopting any statement on evolution. Anyone who has an opinion about the statement below is encouraged to write their GBC representative and to send a copy of their letter to Chakra for posting.
Proposed GBC statement: Hare Krishna Statement on Darwin's 200th Anniversary English naturalist Charles Darwin was born 200 years ago and his book "Origin of Species by natural selection" was published 150 years ago. In his book he put forward his theory of evolution, according to which the types of living beings gradually evolved from common ancestors, from the primitive to the more complex. Although the theory never gained universal acceptance, by now it has become a marked element of public thinking. As we see it, however, the Darwinian hypothesis on the transformation of the living world is but one of several possible interpretations of the facts and, in spite of its being widely known, it has never been scientifically proven. In their book "Forbidden Archeology" Michael A. Cremo and Richard L. Thompson give a detailed analysis of controversial archeological finds that cast doubt on the concept that species as we know them now emerged by transformation of earlier species by evolution. Mathematical statistical analysis of the discoveries made in the last few decades in the field of molecular biology point out that the spontaenous evolution of organic compounds forming the building blocks of life is so unlikely as would safely be considered impossible in any other walk of science except biology. Similarly to hundreds of millions of Hindus, the Krishna-conscious devotees consider the ancient Vedic scriptures in Sanskrit language as the reliable source of knowledge related to the origins and ultimate questions of existence. These scriptures are some of the most ancient heritage of mankind and their followers accept them as divine revelation. According to the Vedic literature, our world and the species in it emerged by a process of creation. Living beings are eternal spirit souls who spend a determinate amount of time in the various bodily forms of different species. Our civilisation is greatly influenced by the ideas about the origin of life and our species being in circulation. Because of the dominant evolutionary paradigm, many regard life and themselves a mere product of matter. This view has formed the basis for the emergence of the overheated, consumer driven attitude of modern society that has led to the present economic, environmental and food crisis looming over humankind. Darwin's theory is thus not only unproven, but, to a large extent, also responsible for the moral decline of modern culture. According to a well-known approach the evolution theory should be integrated into religious teachings. Proponents of this idea say that, evolution is God's method of creation. We deem such a distortion of the tenets of monotheistic religions as unfounded, for, originally, all these religions professed the direct creation of both the living and inanimate worlds. We see no reason why the unproven, human ideology of Darwinism should be mixed with the wisdom of revelations - that would be a concession to appease the proponents of materialism. We are convinced that the role of religions in society is to consistently represent divine truth rather than to make unscrupulous compromises with the dominant (and ever changing) materialistic views of the day. We find it important that those forming the opinion of society take steps to allow a more balanced discussion of life, broadening the dominant, practically exclusive, evolutionist approach in education and mass communication. The Darwinian thought should not be presented as "The Explanation" but, true to the facts, as a hypothesis that has its own problems and limitations, and to which divine creation is a justified and rational alternative. By presenting the subject without bias, we should leave the way open to the possibility of considering and accepting spiritual explanations. Leaders of society - politicians, teachers, intellectuals - are supposed not only to look after the physical and cultural needs of the members of the society but it is also their responsibility to work towards the moral and spiritual advancement for the people. Favoring a theory based on philosophical materialism which is not proven, the validity of which is questioned by an ever increasing number of academics negatively affects the moral and ethical standards of society, promotes a recklessly wasteful model of consumption and spreads disrespect for life.
HH Gaura Govinda Maharaja would sometimes ask his diciples.Are you seeing Krsnaā Are you seeing Shyamasundaraā We all know from Brahma Samhita: premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti yam Syāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpam govindam ādi-puruṣam tam aham bhajāmi I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is Śyāmasundara, Kṛṣṇa Himself with inconceivable innumerable attributes, whom the pure devotees see in their heart of hearts with the eye of devotion tinged with the salve of love. Gopa Kumara when he came to Mahar Loka saw how all the sages saw so many different forms like Lord Narasimha manifest to them . On earth this direct perception of the Lord is also possbile. Krsna states yo mam pasyati sarvatra sarvam ca mayi pasyati tasyaham na pranasyami sa ca me na pranasyati "For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me" (Bhagavad-gita 6.30). Prahlada Maharaja is the personification of remembering Narasimhadeva:
"Prahlada Maharaja, he was put into so many difficulties by his atheist father, Hiranyakasipu, but he was simply remembering Narayana, Krsna. Because he was a child, five years old, how he ca n fight with his fatherā His father was the greatest demon, powerful, and he was against the child. So he used to simply think of Krsna, smaranam." Sri Prahlada Maharaja appeared again as Haridas Thakura . On the maha-prakasa day, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu embraced Haridasa Thakura and informed him that he was n one other than an incarnation of Prahlada Maharaja. Just imagine Prahlada Maharaja was being thrown of a cliff, the spot is still there at Varaha Narasimha temple at Simhacalam in Andhra Pradesh. There the Lord appeared to him as half Varaha form and half Narasimha.The face of Lord Varaha and the body of Lord Narasimha. What is the significance ā Because Hiranyaksa was killed by Lord Varaha ..by appearing in this form ,Varaha Narasimha was assuring Prahlada Maharaja : I have killed your demoniac uncle Hiranyaksa--and soon I will kill your father Hiranyakasipu. Later after Hiranyakasipu was killed along with all his soldiers at Ahovalam..Lord Narasimhadeva disappeared and manifested Himself as Varaha Narasimha Deity at Simhacalam..the hill of Lord Narasimha.At this place Prahlada was installed as the king by Brahma himself as confirmed in the Sthala Puranas there.And the worship of Varaha Narasimha was started by Prahlada Maharaja himself in the assocaition of Lord Brahma and other sages.Later in Treta yuga this temple worship got neglected, and Urvasi and king Pururava ,rediscovered Varaha Narasimha on their pleasure travels in a h eavenly vimana ( airplane) through out the universe. Lord Varaha Narasimha told them to always cover His transcendental body with Candana --around this time in the month of Vaisakha (the month of may) this chandan gets replaced ,and for one day only you can see Varaha Narasimha in His actual murti form otherwise the rest of the year He is covered in chandana (sandalwood) and looks like a large Siva Linga.Later Sri Ramanujacaray came to this place and Sri Vaisnavas have worshippled Varaha Narasimha ever since.If you go to this temple you will be amazed about the prasadam, that has been offered to Lord Varaha Narasimha.Lord Caitanya also visited this placed and danced in ecstacy in front of Lord Varaha Narasimha .Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada has installed the lotusfootprint of Lord Caitanya under a giant banyan tree to honor Mahaprabhu visiting this sacred place. The Ganga is manifested from a spring in the mountain and pilgrims take bath there.Srila Prabhupada went there with devotees, it has been mentioned in Prabhupada lilamrta.Srila Prabhupadas dear godbrother HH Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Maharaja also opened a temple there nearby in Visakhapatnam.
Lord Narasimha is roaring to protect his devotees while he devotees is chanting His holy name: vidikṣu dikṣūrdhvam adhaḥ samantād antar bahir bhagavān nārasiḿhaḥ prahāpayan loka-bhayaḿ svanena sva-tejasā grasta-samasta-tejāḥ Prahlāda Mahārāja lou dly chanted the holy name of Lord Nṛsiḿhadeva. May Lord Nṛsiḿhadeva, roaring for His devotee Prahlāda Mahārāja, protect us from all fear of dangers created by stalwart leaders in all directions through poison, weapons, water, fire, air and so on. May the Lord cover their influence by His own transcendental influence. May Nṛsiḿhadeva protect us in all directions and in all corners, above, below, within and without. May Lord Narasimha kindly roar while we chant His holy names, assuring us protection.At Ahovalam the pujaris sometimes he ar the angry roar of Lord Narasimhadeva and the ground is trebling as if He reappeared.I pray I may one day hear the roaring of my worshiabel Lord Narasimha as he kills the asuras in all directions, and He establishes a God conscious society ,Krsna consciousness will then again be prominet in the life of all on this planet.When wil we hear Lord Narasimha roar for us His devotees as He did for Sri Prahlada MaharajaāMay Lord Narasimhadevas roar and laughter vibrate throughout this planet and the whole univers we live in and protect all members of ISKCON: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 6.8.14 durgeṣv aṭavy-āji-mukhādiṣu prabhuḥ pāyān nṛsiḿho 'sura-yūthapāriḥ vimuñcato yasya mahC4ṭṭa-hāsaḿ diśo vinedur nyapataḿś ca garbhāḥ May Lord Nṛsiḿhadeva, who appeared as the enemy of Hiraṇyakaśipu, protect me in all directions. His loud=2 0laughing vibrated in all directions and caused the pregnant wives of the asuras to have miscarriages. May that Lord be kind enough to protect me in difficult places like the forest and battlefront. May Lord Narasimhadeva bless everyone with the sight of His auspiscious form, and make them all His devotees. We can all remember this nice prayer of Sri Prahlada Maharaja as it is not to long: SB 5.18.11: By associating with persons for whom the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Mukunda, is the all in all, one can hear of His powerful activities and soon come to understand them. The activities of Mukunda are so potent that simply by hearing of them one immediately associates with the Lord. For a person who constantly and very eagerly hears narrations of the Lord's powerful activities, the Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead in the form of sound vibrations, enters within his heart and cleanses it of all contamination. On the other hand, although bathing in the Ganges diminishes bodily contaminations and infections, this process and the process of visiting holy places can cleanse the heart only after a long time. Therefore who is the sane man who will not associate with devotees to quickly perfect his lifeā With much love and affection for all devotees of Lord Narasimha. Sri Narasimhadeva ki jaya Sri Prahlada Maharaja ki jaya
Srila Haridasa Thakura ki jaya
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Lakshman's Appearance Day by Venu- Madhuri devi dasi Posted January 26, 2010 This question has been on my mind for quite some time. I was wondering why ISKCON temples don't celebrate Lakshman's appearance day? We celebrate lord Ramachandra's and Sita devi's days because they are non-different from Lord Krishna and Srimati Radharani.
Lakshman is ananta sesh aka Lord Balarama aka Lord Nityananda, so why don't we celebrate the appearance day of one of Ramayan's most powerful and glorious character? I hope someone can answer this [editor's note: please submit your response to Chakra]
Some temple managers or presidents may believe that the more land and buildings the temple property contains, the more successful the temple is. Of course, this is nonsense. As Srila Prabhupada stated, the purpose of temples is to give spiritual knowledge, not to serve as a show of concrete, cement and stones. There are many opulent temples, but if after visiting a temple a visitor does not change his or her consciousness for the better, then what is the benefit of going to temples?
Only learning the teachings from the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita can change a person's consciousness for the better.
From the Bhagavad-gita it is clear that Arjuna does not just bow down to Lord Krishna and then it's all finished. Lord Krishna instructs the science of self-realization, the Bhagavad-gita, to Arjuna. This is what helped Arjuna overcome his confused state. At the present time, people are much more confused than Arjuna and also much less intelligent than Arjuna, so the message of the Bhagavad-gita is more important now than ever before. Many temples have daily Bhagavad-gita and/or Srimad Bhagavatam discourses in the mornings, which is certainly good but how much understanding is conveyed by theoretical preaching? I recently visited the ISKCON temple in Mayapur. While it's supposed to be a world headquarters for spiritual knowledge and thousands of people visit the temple everyday, in my view the devotees there are wasting an opportunity to preach. If that temple were to place signage with Bhagavad-gita verses aboutr the temple property, it might well encourage more visitors to get some spiritual knowledge.
Having verses from the Bhagavad-gita outside and inside the temples is a preaching concept which I am hoping all temples will take advantage of, following in the footsteps of the Vallabh Vidyanagar temple.
During a recent world tour from Florida, Texas, California, Hong Kong, Malaysia and India to Italy, England and France, I have been able to participate in festivals, kirtans and classes with various Gaudiya Vaishnava associations, including ISKCON. In Malaysia disciples of Srila B.V. Narayan Maharaj in Johur Baru carried Deities of Lord Jagannatha, Lord Baladeva and Lady Subhadra on a cart for the Sobha Yatra festival. Devotees from the nearby ISKCON center brought a full-size Srila Prabhupada murti on another cart, together with a portrait of Srila Narayan Maharaja. We went all around the neighborhood with the colorful and exciting carts, accompanied by a Chinese Dragon team (it was close to the day of the Chinese New Year). Malaysians of all cultures came out and greeted us, gave gifts, performed aratik, and in general had a wonderful time in spite of the rain. Both Vaishnava parties were completely happy, and we celebrated our unity in diversity as two branches of the same Gaudiya Vaishnava family. In the ashram he founded in Sridham Mayapura I glorified my dear godbrother Srila Gaura Govinda Maharaja on his disappearance day. I sang Guru-puja and talked for an hour on the pastimes and glories of the great saint that I had been so fortunately allowed to intimately associate with for three years. In Vrndavana I sang Guru-puja for Srila Prabhupada and glorified the purports of his Bhagavad-gita As It Is that evening in class. At Bhaktivedanta Manor my friend Ananta-shakti prabhu arranged a plate of Mahaprasad from the noon aratik, and I reconnected with old friends like Krpamoya and Tattvavit prabhus. In Soho Street I had a nice Lunch at the Govinda's Restaurant, where they asked me to lead the noon aratik. In Rome I stayed at Srila Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Maharaja's temple with his disciples. Srila Prabhupada had told me and Gaura Govinda Maharaja in 1977 to preach together with his godbrother Srila Puri Maharaja, and we did. I went to Berhampur and did programs with him, and he came to Bhubaneshwara and did programs with us. He was a great friend of Srila Prabhupada's, and I felt honored to stay with his disciples. I was asked to lead the morning mangal aratik and Guru- puja and to give class. They added a picture of Srila Narayana Maharaja beside Srila Prabhupada's murti and Srila Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Maharaja's picture. This temple sang different songs then we sing in either Narayana Maharaja's sanga or in ISKCON for Mangal Aratik, so I sang their songs. After I sang Sri Guru Carana-padma, I sang the pranam-mantras and glories of Srila Prabhupada, of Srila Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Maharaja and of Srila Narayana Maharaja. In Hong Kong an independently wealthy lady sponsored a Rathayatra parade and festival in a theater on Rathayatra day. At the request of Chandrashekhar prabhu, the ISKCON GBC for Hong Kong, ISKCON's Narasimha Maharaja and I took turns leading kirtan, after which we shared lunch (prepared by one of Narayan Maharaja's disciples) and caught up on old times from London and Calcutta. After other devotees had spoken, Chandrashekhar das spoke clearly and simply for the entire audience about the pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and on the inner meanings of the Rathayatra pastimes. Nanda prabhu, the temple president of Narayan Maharaja's local sanga, spoke in Chinese and then gave the microphone to me. I spoke about how Srila Prabhupada was responsible for spreading the glories of Rathayatra all over the world and glorified Sriman Jayananda prabhu who had assisted him in this pastime. Then I led the concluding kirtan, which everyone joined in. Presently I am at the ISKCON Juhu Beach temple, where my old godbrother Bhima prabhu is zonal secretary. This place is especially dear to me because most of my association with Srila Prabhupada was in this temple as it was being developed. I have been giving classes, leading kirtans and having a wonderful time. The devotees all have an enthusiastic service attitude that is refreshing and enlivening. Wherever I go to I honor the particular way in which the founder- acharya of that branch of our Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya has established worship. I do not impose anything from another branch of the sampradaya. Each branch has its own flavor; I honor that flavor and savor it. After all, variety is the spice of life. To me this is the beauty of our sampradaya; it has so many variations on a theme; and we can celebrate the unity of our Gaudiya Vaishnava family while honoring the diversity it manifests. The Caitanya-Caritamrta explains that the devotees from Bengal were different from those in Orissa and that both were glorified and glorious. When I was at Srila Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Maharaja's temple his disciples asked me what they should do now that their Guru Maharaja had departed. I said you can take siksha from any sadhu, but you should continue in the mood of your Guru Maharaja and take shelter of his successors. A devotee from an ISKCON temple said he could not decide, among many devotees, whom to take initiation from. He asked me whether to look outside ISKCON for initiation. I told him there were many qualified persons in ISKCON who can give Hari-nama and diksha. I named a few and told him to take diksha from one of them; he could also take siksha from any other sadhu he was attracted to. Siksha is as powerful as diksha and is very valuable for our spiritual life's advancement. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur took diksha from Bipin Bihari Goswami but accepted siksha from Jagannatha das Babaji, whom he revered equally to his diksha guru. I believe Srila Prabhupada, Srila Narayan Maharaja and all their predecessor acharyas share this sentiment of celebrating the unity in diversity of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Unfortunately, not all of their followers do, and there is friction when there need be none. This is not the first time there have been groups of Gaudiya Vaishnavas separated from each other over misunderstandings and a failure to celebrate unity in diversity. During the time of Srila Narottam Das Thakura several branches disputed the real siddhanta and legacy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Some even argued about who constituted the Pancha Tattva. Srila Narottam das Thakura wanted to resolve the disagreements so that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission could be spread unrestrictedly and unlimitedly. He called a meeting of all the Vaishnavas in Kheturi to discuss everything and do kirtan together. At the commencement of the festival Narottam das Thakura led a beautiful and ecstatic Hari-nama Sankirtana. Although the members of the Pancha Tattava had already departed this world, They began to manifest Themselves in front of all the Vaishnavas by dancing and chanting in ecstasy. You can imagine what Jahnavi Mata and Birbhadra, the wife and son of Lord Nityananda, felt like when they saw Him, when Acyutananda saw his father Advaita Acarya and when others saw their siksha- and diksha-gurus in the different members of the Pancha Tattva. The festival was a complete success, uniting all the Gaudiya Vaishnavas in purpose and siddhanta and establishing the Caitanya- Caritamrta as the authorized biography of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Unfortunately, things gradually dissolved, and it fell to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur to resurrect and re-establish a unified Gaudiya Vaishnava siddhanta. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur had firm faith that the prediction of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu would come to fruition: “My name will be preached in all the countries and towns throughout the world.” To accomplish this he engaged himself tirelessly praying, writing, preaching and organizing Hari-nama sankirtan and other preaching activities. One of his most important achievements was finding the original holy birthplace of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur made this a rallying point for the Gaudiya Vaishnavas of his day and for future sankirtan missions from all over the world. Remembering that Narottam das Thakur had organized the Kheturi festival to unify Gaudiya Vaishnavas, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur brought together all the followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu at the Lord's birthplace on Gaura Purnima, March 21, 1895, installing Deities of Lord Sri Caitanya and His consort Srimati Vishnupriya with a ceremony and festival at the newly constructed temple. Thousands of devotees were at this festival from various Gaudiya Vaisnava groups, and many remarked that such a gathering had not taken place in the 450 years since Narottam das Thakur's famous Kheturi festival. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur had brought them all together to remind them that their real purpose was to cooperatively preach Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission and spread the sankirtan movement worldwide. The next year, 1896, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur began planting the seeds of preaching in the western world by responding to the entreaties of the famous poet Ralph Waldo Emerson, who had lamented that he could not read the Thakur's Sri Krishna Samhita in Sanskrit. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur sent him his newly completed Sri Gauranga-lila-smarana-stotram. This book contained 104 Sanskrit verses but was prefaced by an introduction in English called “Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: His Life and Precepts.” This introduction summarized the Sanskrit verses, explaining in concise, nectarean terms the life and teachings of the Lord as found in Sri Caitanya-Bhagavata and Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta. It was sent to universities and intellectuals in different parts of the world, including McGill University in Montreal, Canada, with the conviction that this English introduction was something that Westerners could read and benefit from. Having begun the preaching of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission in the western world, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur continued praying for the day when this preaching would develop into a worldwide movement that would embrace and liberate everyone in the world. These prayers of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur were predictions in which he had boldly unfolded his vision of the future in a Sajjana-Tosani article more than ten years earlier, in 1885: “Lord Caitanya did not advent Himself to liberate only a few men of India. Rather, His main objective was to emancipate all living entities of all countries throughout the entire universe and preach the Eternal Religion. Lord Caitanya says in the Caitanya- Bhagavata: ‘In every town, country and village, My name will be sung.’ There is no doubt that this unquestionable order will come to pass.... Very soon the unparalleled path of Harinama- sankirtan will be propagated all over the world. Already we are seeing the symptoms....” (He goes on to describe the Salvation Army band marching through the streets of the western world as the first strains of sankirtan in the west.) The article continues: “Oh for that day when the fortunate English, French, Russian, German and American people will take up banners, mrdangas and kartalas and raise kirtana through their streets and towns. When will that day come? Oh for the day when the fair-skinned men from their side will raise up the chanting of jaya sacinandana, jaya sacinandana, kijaya and join with the Bengali devotees. When will that day be?” Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur continued with his prediction: “On such a day they will say, ‘Our dear brothers, we have taken shelter of the ocean of Lord Caitanya's love; kindly embrace us’.” Some will say that this has already happened, but if you read the rest of the prediction you will see that it may have happened on the surface but has not taken place deep within our hearts and souls. He continues: “That day will witness the holy transcendental ecstasy of the Vaisnava dharma to be the only dharma, and all sects and religions will flow like rivers into the ocean of Vaisnava dharma. Oh when will that day come?” Elsewhere he repeats the same prediction a little differently: “Oh when will that day come, when pure and transcendental Vaisnava prema will be the only religion of all souls and all tiny, sectarian religions will meet in the unlimited and universal religion of Vaishnavism, as rivers merge into the great ocean? O when will that day come?” Another prediction by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur on the future unity of the world's religions is given in Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: His Life and Precepts, pages 68-69, as follows: “The dharma preached by Caitanya Mahaprabhu is universal and not exclusive.... The principle of kirtan as the future church of the world invites all classes of men, without distinction of caste or clan, to the highest cultivation of the spirit. This church, it appears, will spread worldwide and replace all sectarian churches, which exclude outsiders from the precincts of the mosque, church, or temple.” Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur once wrote an article which announces with absolute conviction the unquestioned manifestation of the final prophecy just mentioned, while admonishing those who would not participate in its fulfilment: “Thakur Bhaktivinoda 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 Bhaktivinoda 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 keystone 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.” On the last day of his manifest pastimes on this planet Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur said, among other things: “The stream which flows from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur will never be dammed up. Remember this, and vow to double your efforts to fulfill Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur's desires.” When Srila Prabhupada was asked about Bhaktivinoda Thakur's statement that he had not finished his work, Srila Prabhupada replied: “Then let us finish it. He is Vaishnava; he is all-powerful. He could have done it, but he left it for us to finish, so we should finish it.” Unfortunately, many devotees from different sangas do not share this vision of unity in diversity. They insist that their particular guru or institution is the only authorized avenue for spiritual advancement. Due to hollow pride, insecurities and weaknesses in their practice of bhakti they feel good about themselves when they criticize others who lack the association of their particular gurudeva or institution. This attitude does not finish the work of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur; it obstructs it. We disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada have a responsibility to fulfill the order of our spiritual master and finish the work that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur started: to bring about the fulfilment of the prophecy that all Gaudiya Vaishnavas will embrace in Vaishnava Prema, creating a Vaishnava Dharma that is so attractive that all other religions will flow into it like rivers into the ocean. Failure to do so will place us among those who would thoughtlessly let hollow pride obstruct the consummation of society for all pure souls, and hence we will forfeit a place in it. Some may say that we need another Srila Narottam das Thakura or Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur to make this manifest. However, I feel that we already have the order from Srila Prabhupada: if we work together to fulfil the order, it will happen. We disciples of Srila Prabhupada have been empowered by him to make this manifest by his order. Just like everything else he accomplished, he did so by empowering his disciples. Srila Prabhupada himself was empowered to fulfil the order of his Guru Maharaja long after his Guru Maharaja departed form this manifest plane. Now it is up to us to build a consensus amongst all Gaudiya Vaishnavas to fulfil this prophecy. Once Srila Prabhupada wrote a letter saying that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu predicted: “In every town and village My name will be heard” “Now,” Srila Prabhupada said, “I have started this worldwide mission, and some of you are helping me, so you will also get some credit. However, even if all of you were to leave me tomorrow, still it would happen; only someone else would get the credit.” Based on Tattva-siddhanta I am certain that Srila Bhaktivinoda's predictions must be fulfilled. However, who will get the credit? Srila Prabhupada has made the arrangements. He has placed his disciples everywhere. They are serving in or connected to just about every Gaudiya Sanga. Srila Prabhupada's books are influencing everyone. The present Acharyas of two different Gaudiya Mathas started with and still regularly study Srila Prabhupada's books. Acharyas and Vaishnavas in all the other Gaudiya Mathas read Srila Prabhupada's books. He has given us the order and has spread his influence everywhere; we need only take up the order with the same conviction, determination, patience, humility and love that he himself displayed in fulfilling the order of his Guru Maharaja. Can we become humble enough to celebrate the unity in diversity of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, see all the sangas as different limbs of Lord Caitanya's body, embrace each other in Vaishnava Prema and, by doing so, create a Vaishnava dharma so attractive that all will enter into it? Will we go down in history as the generation that passed up the golden opportunity to fulfil this order of Srila Prabhupada and these prophecies of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, or will future generations mark this time as the beginning of a new era in Gaudiya Vaishnava history inspired by the tireless, humble, patient and loving efforts of the disciples of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada? Will future generations remember us as the ones who kept everyone apart or as those who built the consensus that brought everyone together?
I ask all who are Srila Prabhupada's disciples and followers: how do
you want to be remembered in the annals of Gaudiya
Vaishnavism? This prophecy will be fulfilled. Will we as Srila
Prabhupada's disciples let the opportunity pass to another
generation, or will we follow in his footsteps and fulfil the order?
I agree with Chakra, and I don't think that ISKCON should release the proposed GBC statement against evolution. There is no doubt that the statement represents Srila Prabhupada's view. However, it should be very carefully crafted for the general public. I really like the proposition that a materialistic view of the origin of life results in a disrespect for life and a materialistic outlook on everything. However, the statement is generally too long, goes too far, and is not convincing. The theory of evolution has two components: 1) life comes from matter, and 2) species develop over time. Unfortunately, the author mixes both together when discussing Forbidden Archaeology and as a result, his point is hard to understand. Some of the language is odd, which also makes some points difficult to accept. For example: a "marked element of public thinking" — What are the marked elements of public thinking? Does the public think one way? I believe that many readers may be offended by the argument that the integration of the theory of evolution into religious doctrine is an "unscrupulous compromise", especially without explaining why God could not have created species that develop over time. Similarly, it is way too big a leap to say that Darwin's theory has led to the current economic, environmental and food crises, as well as the moral decline of modern culture. Given that the causes are numerous and complex, such a statement makes the Krsna-conscious philosophy appear naïve and simplistic. The questions of where life comes from and whether species have changed are difficult to explain, which is why there are several theories. If the theory of evolution is indeed one of many interpretations, then it is worth arguing instead of just saying it has not been proven. It is very bold for ISKCON to make a pronouncement that it rejects the theory of evolution. As such, it should be done very carefully. The 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth lasts all year, and so there is no a reason to rush.
I would be interested in comments from Chakra readers about this philosophical point. Kaliyuga gurus are into worship. But the true guru never ask us to worship his body. When saint dies, his body has no existence. One becomes saint when one removes his relationship with body. If we worship his body, then we have not understood basic truths. Our basic teaching is that our self is not body, mind and intellect. True self due to ignorance associates with body, mind and intelligence. Our true self is full of eternity (sat), knowledge or consicousness (cid) and happiness (anand). Inert matter like body are not us. Once our body is destroyed, it goes back to inert matter and it has no existence. We should have sradha over eternal principle and not on perishable body or name. Sradha on perishable body or name results in illusion. When this illusion takes form of sradha, it creates disaster. Apart from worshipping eternal, divine and spiritual form of Bhagavan and remembrance of His eternal names, giving importance to perishable bodies and names wastes our life and is like cheating our own self. Our body is made of stool, urine etc. Even if we feed Bhagavan's prasad or ganga water, it is excreted as stood or urine. When conscious entity leaves the body, it becomes source of germs etc and sastra enjoins us to take shower after touching dead body. We cannot take picture of conscious entity within the body. One becomes saint when one removes his relationship with body. Saint people don't give importance to their own body as they realize their self as completely different from body. One can question that we worship Gods like Ram, Krishna etc. Why we cannot worship perishable bodyā Ram, Krishna and other avatar's body is not made of inert matter. Their body is sat chid ananda. Their body is not like us. Also, Bhagavan is everywhere and therefore, He is in the picture also. So, picture or diety of Bhagavan can be worshiped. Beauty of Ram defies description. Even countless cupids cannot equal Ram. Whyā Because it is not made of matter. So, anything made of matter cannot equal that which is beyond it. Bhagvan is omniscient. Omniscience of saints comes under omniscience of Bhagavan. Saints become omniscient when they dissociate their self from body. Worshiping Bhagavan includes worshiping saints.
Please send comments, if any, to chakraletters@gmail.com.
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