ISKCON's "Srila Prabhupada is pre-eminent"

Again Contradictory Facts

BY: ENGLISH YATRA DEVOTEES -- Is Srila Prabhupada in the centre or not?

Here are some considerations on recent events at Bhaktivedanta Manor. Sureshwara prabhu gave a seminar that was full of nice quotes, pictures and an obviously detailed and thorough effort to establish Srila Prabhupada's pre-eminency in ISKCON. 

[PADA: This is a good start, that means they are "back-door admitting" that Srila Prabhupada has been put into a position of lesser eminence, and foolish and fallen people have been given pre-eminence instead.]

However, as in his seminar there was no room for discussion, we feel compelled to highlight a few points.

[PADA: This is always another problem, no one is allowed to ask questions at their presentations, unless its just their own groupies. Narayana Maharaja was the same way, he refused to talk to me after inviting me to his ashram, he knew I would ask contrary questions.] 

One of them is that there was an over-emphasis on the supposed defectiveness of Srila Prabhupada's use of the English language: he classed Prabhupada's original Srimad Bhagwatam as "so defective that it was almost comic."

[PADA: This is not a good sign, they are criticizing the writings of the pure devotee. I always loved the original Srimad Bhagavatams, despite so-called grammar errors, it was pure knowledge.] 

We feel that this kind of comment was an unnecessary and offensive criticism toward the words of a Pure Devotee. Could this be a direct or indirect attempt to justify the book changes?

[PADA: Well in a word, yes it is.]

Furthermore, he described Srila Prabhupada's English as "broken". Anybody who listens to Prabhupada's lectures will have to disagree with this, as his speech is simple, clear, fluent, straightforward and very accurate in teaching every single point. Sureshwara prabhu also failed to address some important points raised by attending devotees: If, as he himself stated, the Zonal Acarya System was a definite bluff, then Q: how do we know that the present one, having been established by the same people who created that failed Zonal Acarya System, is bona fide?

[PADA: Right, no wonder they are not taking questions, the GBC gurus are still assigned zones every year at Mayapura, even today.]
What do all these efforts to establish Srila Prabhupada's pre-eminency mean? Is it that someone or something is threatening his position?

[PADA: The fact that his pre-eminence is in question means, they have pushed his eminence down, plain and simple.]

There is a lot of talk about putting Srila Prabhupada in the centre going on in ISKCON since years, but why is it that in reality it is the gurus, the sannyasis and GBC's who are in the centre? 

[PADA: Great question.]

While the seminar was going on, attended by about a dozen devotees, downstairs there was a huge turn up for Sivarama Swami's vyasa puja. There was his big picture on the altar and a table with his books and CDs, but no sight of Srila Prabhupada's books, pictures or bhajans. Could this be the real threat? Those questions still remain unanswered.

[PADA: Right, Danavir also had a book table of his own books and not one single Srila Prabhupada book, this is going on everywhere.]

As for the Ramnavami celebrations, the temple management organised a program for the local dignitaries, hosted by Radhanatha Swami and his disciples, wherein his autobiography was promoted. Again, no sight of Srila Prabhupada's books or pictures. Could again this be the real threat?

[PADA: You nailed it prabhu!]
Also in Ramnavami, during a program organised by the Manor management, some gurus gave talks on Rama katha, and again, Srila Prabhupada's picture was not displayed, nor were his pranams chanted by one of the speaker gurus. Again, could this neglectful forgetfulness be the real threat?

All this goes on again and again... in Srila Prabhupada's movement.

Some concerned devotees of the English yatra

[PADA: The good news is that more people are asking these questions. ys pd]

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