Another dear God brother and disciple of Srila Prabhupada destroyed by the Guru Game.
Such sincere disciples, but they attempt this Guru feat "as a service to Srila Prabhupada,"without really realizing the inherent dangers. Even the ones who do so sincerely, without any personal ambitions, seem to go down in flames, sooner or later.
So many have come and gone, over these past 30+ years--why can't they learn from the others who went before them? As soon as the conditioned soul, albeit so well meaning, and often with good intentions, allows himself to be adored and worshiped as a "pure devotee," the end is near.
If there is even a tiny shred of impurity, that tiny crack will be penetrated by Maya and filled with pride, and anger and lust and all the things that should not be present in the heart of a guru. Taking on the karma of others is a very risky business. It's like trying to cross a river with rocks piled high on one's back--there is a great chance of sinking.
Can this be avoided, I ask myself? Can a sincere disciple simply act as a life coach, a loving guide, an inspirational elder, without falling into the trap of being promoted as a "pure devotee?" I don't know. I've never seen it done. It always seem to end up the same way, in tragedy.
One of these "retired" gurus was so dear to me, just like a son, and always the most sincere and regulated disciple, with all brahminical qualities from the very beginning. But the worship, the adoration, the money, the power over other people's lives -- it eventually devastated him too. And now, just like all the rest, he lives hidden away in disgrace -- with the shattered lives of so many injured disciples ever in his mind. There should be a Guru Retirement home and those aspiring for Guruhood should go there for counseling.
Why can't we learn? Why not just do what our Srila Prabhupada said, and what his Srila Prabhupada said as well. The instructions are repeated in so many places. "Just go on with your service, don't try to become guru prematurely, whoever is meant to be guru will come out automatically in time."
Everyone has heard this, but somehow it gets lost in all the arguments for guruhood. Gaudiya Math forgot this instruction of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta and Iskcon forgot it as well. Why not just remain simple, and go on with our service as we were when Srila Prabhupada was physically present? Why do devotees think they must do something which is beyond their nature, beyond their natural abilities?
In India there is a saying: The Guru Business is a Bad Business. They've had a few centuries of it to really understand--maybe that's what has to happen.
Such sincere disciples, but they attempt this Guru feat "as a service to Srila Prabhupada,"without really realizing the inherent dangers. Even the ones who do so sincerely, without any personal ambitions, seem to go down in flames, sooner or later.
So many have come and gone, over these past 30+ years--why can't they learn from the others who went before them? As soon as the conditioned soul, albeit so well meaning, and often with good intentions, allows himself to be adored and worshiped as a "pure devotee," the end is near.
If there is even a tiny shred of impurity, that tiny crack will be penetrated by Maya and filled with pride, and anger and lust and all the things that should not be present in the heart of a guru. Taking on the karma of others is a very risky business. It's like trying to cross a river with rocks piled high on one's back--there is a great chance of sinking.
Can this be avoided, I ask myself? Can a sincere disciple simply act as a life coach, a loving guide, an inspirational elder, without falling into the trap of being promoted as a "pure devotee?" I don't know. I've never seen it done. It always seem to end up the same way, in tragedy.
One of these "retired" gurus was so dear to me, just like a son, and always the most sincere and regulated disciple, with all brahminical qualities from the very beginning. But the worship, the adoration, the money, the power over other people's lives -- it eventually devastated him too. And now, just like all the rest, he lives hidden away in disgrace -- with the shattered lives of so many injured disciples ever in his mind. There should be a Guru Retirement home and those aspiring for Guruhood should go there for counseling.
Why can't we learn? Why not just do what our Srila Prabhupada said, and what his Srila Prabhupada said as well. The instructions are repeated in so many places. "Just go on with your service, don't try to become guru prematurely, whoever is meant to be guru will come out automatically in time."
Everyone has heard this, but somehow it gets lost in all the arguments for guruhood. Gaudiya Math forgot this instruction of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta and Iskcon forgot it as well. Why not just remain simple, and go on with our service as we were when Srila Prabhupada was physically present? Why do devotees think they must do something which is beyond their nature, beyond their natural abilities?
In India there is a saying: The Guru Business is a Bad Business. They've had a few centuries of it to really understand--maybe that's what has to happen.
[PADA: Good, this is what he have been saying all along. One big problem is that if ISKCON is saying these gurus are their divine saviors from heaven, then, when the guru is destroyed -- so is the institution, which is what happened in the post-1936 Gaudiya Matha. ys pd]
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