(by Lone Wolf)
RE: Rocana das (Sampradaya Sun)
Devotees are by nature very kind and forgiving at heart. No one here wants to unnecessarily criticize or condemn anyone. We all understand that “to err is human.” After all, who among us doesn’t make mistakes?
The problem with Rocan dasa is not that he is human like the rest of us. The problem with Rocan dasa is that he is publicly claiming -- and proclaiming worldwide -- that Srila Prabhupada is now “post-mortem,” i.e. dead and gone. He refuses to acknowledge that Srila Prabhupada is still directly available to one and all -- and that means you too, George Prabhu, if you read between the lines.
Devotees are by nature very kind and forgiving at heart. No one here wants to unnecessarily criticize or condemn anyone. We all understand that “to err is human.” After all, who among us doesn’t make mistakes?
The problem with Rocan dasa is not that he is human like the rest of us. The problem with Rocan dasa is that he is publicly claiming -- and proclaiming worldwide -- that Srila Prabhupada is now “post-mortem,” i.e. dead and gone. He refuses to acknowledge that Srila Prabhupada is still directly available to one and all -- and that means you too, George Prabhu, if you read between the lines.
Rocan das is stepping in between Srila Prabhupada and all souls who were not formally inititiated between 1966 and 1977 during Prabhupada’s manifest lila (or pastimes) here on Planet Earth. Although he is not publicly revealing just who the next “successor” to Srila Prabhupada is according to his own mysterious calculations, he blatantly ignores Prabhupada’s simple instructions in this regard as per the well-known and well-documented conversation of May 28th, 1977. The devotees here consider this to be a heinous offense to Srila Prabhupada.
Not only that, but Rocan dasa has come out with guns ablazing, ruthlessly condemning and criticizing anyone who might wish to consider another way of understanding or implementing Srila Prabhupada’s formula for initiations after his physical departure. Rocan stubbornly refuses to entertain anyone else’s opinion in this regard, and he also flatly refuses to publish anyone’s articles which disagree with his personal slant and agenda on the so-called “Sampradaya Sun” website. In fact, on that site he boldly reprints the following quote from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, our “param guru” (grandfather guru):
“Here in this world there are thousands of newspapers and magazines reporting the stale, repetitious happenings of this limited space. So for reporting the news of the unlimited spiritual realm, concerning the eternal, ever-fresh Supreme Personality of Godhead, we could publish a newspaper at every second, what to speak of daily.”
From this statement, we can surmise that Rocan das is a legend in his own mind. The subtle or subconscious conclusion here might very well be that it is he, Rocan dasa, who is now fulfilling the wishes of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. Perhaps it is he only who truly understands and follows the desires of the great acaryas of the disciplic succession. So why bother listening to his lowly godbrothers or dare stoop to their level by printing their flimsy arguments and articles? It seems that humility was never one of Rocan’s strong suits, unfortunately. I think this is the crux of the problem here, George.
When one makes a mistake or miscalculation in life, he should admit it, ask forgiveness and rectify his behavior. Devotees are always ready to forgive and forget if such actions are sincere at heart. Since you know Rocan dasa personally, then you must also know that he is not perfect or infallible and that he has made (and probably still) makes mistakes. That’s quite natural for everyone not perfected (as we all are), but if you read through his articles published on the front page of his website entitled, “Index of Articles by ROCANA DASA Site Editor,” you’ll notice the condescending tone in which he writes, as if his opinions are all-perfect, absolute and infallible.
Not only that, but Rocan dasa has come out with guns ablazing, ruthlessly condemning and criticizing anyone who might wish to consider another way of understanding or implementing Srila Prabhupada’s formula for initiations after his physical departure. Rocan stubbornly refuses to entertain anyone else’s opinion in this regard, and he also flatly refuses to publish anyone’s articles which disagree with his personal slant and agenda on the so-called “Sampradaya Sun” website. In fact, on that site he boldly reprints the following quote from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, our “param guru” (grandfather guru):
“Here in this world there are thousands of newspapers and magazines reporting the stale, repetitious happenings of this limited space. So for reporting the news of the unlimited spiritual realm, concerning the eternal, ever-fresh Supreme Personality of Godhead, we could publish a newspaper at every second, what to speak of daily.”
From this statement, we can surmise that Rocan das is a legend in his own mind. The subtle or subconscious conclusion here might very well be that it is he, Rocan dasa, who is now fulfilling the wishes of His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. Perhaps it is he only who truly understands and follows the desires of the great acaryas of the disciplic succession. So why bother listening to his lowly godbrothers or dare stoop to their level by printing their flimsy arguments and articles? It seems that humility was never one of Rocan’s strong suits, unfortunately. I think this is the crux of the problem here, George.
When one makes a mistake or miscalculation in life, he should admit it, ask forgiveness and rectify his behavior. Devotees are always ready to forgive and forget if such actions are sincere at heart. Since you know Rocan dasa personally, then you must also know that he is not perfect or infallible and that he has made (and probably still) makes mistakes. That’s quite natural for everyone not perfected (as we all are), but if you read through his articles published on the front page of his website entitled, “Index of Articles by ROCANA DASA Site Editor,” you’ll notice the condescending tone in which he writes, as if his opinions are all-perfect, absolute and infallible.
But if he knows so much, then why did he actively support and promote the phony guru system in ISKCON so vociferously right after the departure of His Divine Grace? How many souls were “initiated” (and subsequently lost and doomed) by virtue of his shameless support and promotion of his then GBC-appointed guru pals and cohorts whom he served with great pride and glory at the time?
Since he likes quoting Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, then perhaps we should carefully consider just why Rocan dasa and his writings might be so controversial to a lot of devotees here over the years while we further meditate upon another nugget of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’s wisdom. You can judge whether or not this quote is relevant: to our discussion:
“Cheating and weakness are two separate things. Persons devoid of a cheating propensity achieve perfection in life, but a cheater is never successful. Vaisnavism is another name for simplicity. Cheaters are non-devotees. Sincere persons can be weak, but they are not cheaters. Cheaters say something but do something else. Weak people are embarrassed by their defects, whereas cheaters are maddened by their achievements. I will cheat the acharya, I will deceive the doctor, I will nourish the poisonous snake of my sinful propensity with banana and milk, hiding him in the hole of my cheating propensity, and I will demand name and fame from the people while posing as a saint.”
(Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, Amrta Vani)
Just because Rocan dasa took initiation from Srila Prabhupada however long ago does not automatically exalt him or excuse him of his mistakes, whatever they may be. Do we just forget or ignore Kirtanananda’s mistakes, Satsvarupa’s mistakes or Tamal Krishna’s mistakes, for example? Again, it’s not so much that we focus on mere mistakes, but it’s the motive we must be wary of, as Srila Bhaktisiddhanta warns: “Cheating and weakness are two separate things…. Sincere persons can be weak, but they are not cheaters.”
If one falls down due to weakness and human frailty, that’s one thing. We suffer for our own mistakes. But if we mislead others -- the blind leading the blind -- then that ‘s another thing altogether. Rocan has set himself up as a self-styled public spokesman for the great Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya and therefore he is all the more accountable for his words and actions because he can possibly mislead and hurt so many others by his mistakes and misjudgements. Thus, it might serve him well to humbly consult with his esteemed godbrothers and godsisters here and elsewhere on vital matters of spiritual importance before he gets up on his digital soapbox, spouting off his views and opinions as if they were axiomatic truth. A little humility goes a long way. Perhaps he should try it once and a while.
If Rocan dasa continues to ignore and deny Srila Prabhupada’s last wishes, declaring that his interpretations and conclusions are the only game in town -- and that everyone else is a fool -- then he certainly runs the risk of being seen in the following light. The choice is his.
“I do not want to see the faces of vile persons who criticize my Gurudeva, or who support those who criticize him. They are the cause of all inauspiciousness.”
(Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati lecture, January 28, 1931)
Since he likes quoting Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, then perhaps we should carefully consider just why Rocan dasa and his writings might be so controversial to a lot of devotees here over the years while we further meditate upon another nugget of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’s wisdom. You can judge whether or not this quote is relevant: to our discussion:
“Cheating and weakness are two separate things. Persons devoid of a cheating propensity achieve perfection in life, but a cheater is never successful. Vaisnavism is another name for simplicity. Cheaters are non-devotees. Sincere persons can be weak, but they are not cheaters. Cheaters say something but do something else. Weak people are embarrassed by their defects, whereas cheaters are maddened by their achievements. I will cheat the acharya, I will deceive the doctor, I will nourish the poisonous snake of my sinful propensity with banana and milk, hiding him in the hole of my cheating propensity, and I will demand name and fame from the people while posing as a saint.”
(Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, Amrta Vani)
Just because Rocan dasa took initiation from Srila Prabhupada however long ago does not automatically exalt him or excuse him of his mistakes, whatever they may be. Do we just forget or ignore Kirtanananda’s mistakes, Satsvarupa’s mistakes or Tamal Krishna’s mistakes, for example? Again, it’s not so much that we focus on mere mistakes, but it’s the motive we must be wary of, as Srila Bhaktisiddhanta warns: “Cheating and weakness are two separate things…. Sincere persons can be weak, but they are not cheaters.”
If one falls down due to weakness and human frailty, that’s one thing. We suffer for our own mistakes. But if we mislead others -- the blind leading the blind -- then that ‘s another thing altogether. Rocan has set himself up as a self-styled public spokesman for the great Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya and therefore he is all the more accountable for his words and actions because he can possibly mislead and hurt so many others by his mistakes and misjudgements. Thus, it might serve him well to humbly consult with his esteemed godbrothers and godsisters here and elsewhere on vital matters of spiritual importance before he gets up on his digital soapbox, spouting off his views and opinions as if they were axiomatic truth. A little humility goes a long way. Perhaps he should try it once and a while.
If Rocan dasa continues to ignore and deny Srila Prabhupada’s last wishes, declaring that his interpretations and conclusions are the only game in town -- and that everyone else is a fool -- then he certainly runs the risk of being seen in the following light. The choice is his.
“I do not want to see the faces of vile persons who criticize my Gurudeva, or who support those who criticize him. They are the cause of all inauspiciousness.”
(Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati lecture, January 28, 1931)
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