Walking Through the Bogus Guru Minefield (J Dasa)

Hare Krsna Prabhu !

Thanks for responding and thanks for adding that clarifying note at the bottom of the post Prabhu !

If I may share some of my personal experiences regarding this topic. First and foremost this exact issue is what has banned me from the local so called iskcon temple. I was requested for a formal sit down as a attempt to "reform" me with the president and some of his underlings and the response used regarding notifying people the books are changed was," the new people should just be encouraged to do seva, introducing this to them is a just disturbance, and "could" cause disruption to their service. It could turn them away from Krsna." 

I was appalled and shocked. A disturbance? To tell people the truth, is a disturbance? Only in kali-yuga is this so. How could the truth be a disturbance to their service, because without the truth, how is there any authentic service? 

This was a blatant political move on their part, trying to dissuade me through word jugglery that it was I who was causing a problem, and not actually those who are causing the problem, them. Basic psychological operations that I was permitted to see right through. And yes their response, seems to be a version of the plea of a sinner, i.e., we don't want to stop sinning, and neither do we want anyone else to stop, and you better get in line and not say anything either, or else. 

In this case they have usurped a pure movement, and placed their drivel in its place, and then they don't want anyone to disturb their little fools paradise on the false pretense it could disturb someone's service. Pitiful. In this current situation, without Srila Prabhupada, all their "service" is bogus, all bogus, and that is from Sastra. 

It was appalling that these individuals were attempting to persuade me that reading and promoting a pure devotee and all the wonderful things that come from that process is a disturbance, but they are correct, because it destroys their illegitimate authority and thereafter the rabbit hole opens wide.

It is so unfortunate that these particular personalities I interacted with, and others, wear a brahminical thread which stands for some very high ideals like purity, honesty, wisdom, knowledge and religiousness, but all these are deemed absent by their actions. I wasn't cut from that cloth, but I try to stand firm and attain these character traits. 

Therefore these qualities inherently can not be present in one who does not subscribe to them. Being a brahmana, or for that matter a favorable or aspiring favorable devotee to me from Guru, Sadhu and Sastra is defined as telling the truth no matter the result. If it is a death sentence like that which was placed on Lord Yeshua Krsna for telling the pharisees, rabbis and everyone else that He was going to keep telling the truth, so be it, following in the footprints of Great Souls I cannot compromise with some pretenders and their theories on how to become a devotee, ever. 

In the Sixth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam Chpt 8 Text 42, Srila Prabhupada states in His Purport on pg 97, " If one wants to advance in spiritual power, one must receive his mantras from one of these bona-fide Sampradayas, (referring to Lord Brahma, Goddess Laksmi, The 4 Sanat-kumaras and Lord Siva); otherwise he will never successfully advance in spiritual life." 

So for me I prefer to not waste any opportunities to steer every soul I encounter in that safe direction of Srila Prabhupada. Another way to address this is this way. I know from personal experience that there are landmines on a path, I have seen them being planted personally. 

I have seen people blown away by them. I therefore will try everything in my God given ability to warn all those who may go near it with caution tape, warning signs of land mines ahead, and any other precautionary measures I can take, like standing there and informing people of the truth, I can't, without notifying them of the facts, let them try to navigate it blindly, thinking, well ,they may be able to get some distance before they are maimed or killed, or maybe they will realize the hazards surrounding them. 

[PADA: Yes, another devotee said to me recently -- it finally dawned on him that ISKCON not only kills people by assassinations, they also kill people's spirit and "will to live" by a whole host of discouraging and harassing techniques. And that kills them just as dead as if they had been shot to death. 

He said they are even killing themselves, just look at the state of their gurus after they have taken so much karma. He concluded, "it is a death cult." I said that is also why they all opposed me when I was trying to address the ex-gurukuli's suicides, they did not want the suicides to stop. I was impeding their death cult.]

No! This I cannot do, my conscious and allegiance to Srila Prabhupada will not allow it. Another experience I have is at a "ritvik temple," where I saw distorted Gitas mixed in with Srila Prabhupada's original Gitas. I asked the Prabhu, what's up with that, why are these here, this is supposed to be a Prabhupada Temple, not another dead arm of the modern iskcon. 

He told me that the iskcon people had given them to him personally as a gift. Yes a gift. I explained to him how treacherous and insulting this was to what they, the so-called ritviks, are trying to establish. He immediately had a light go on and he said, he didn't see it that way originally, and my response was yes because of sentimentality, being given a gift -- you did not use your discretion.  

[PADA: Yep, we had a bunch of the HKC Jaipur "ritvik" groupies like Prahlad das telling us we need to listen to their butt buster guru program's advocates like Bhakta das. Yes -- same problem, they claim to be ritviks, but they want us to be part of their butt buster pooja program simultaneously? Make up your minds please! Then they complained that PADA is not part of their pedophile samadhi program, i.e. they are compromised with the evil doers. That will not help anyone, even themselves. Despite we have asked them to explain all this, they never do.]  

At any rate we, he and I removed them all from that sacred arena. What I learned from this, and also other encounters, is that these people are treacherous, just like shakuni from the Mahabharata. They will do anything and everything to mislead people away from Prabhupada, taking on fake names, posting fake testimonies, impersonating sincere, devotees, giving "gifts", giving out what they deem as "prasadam" etc. etc., but in all instances perpetrating a fraud. 

I completely understand why Sri Prahalad Maharaja stated that Bhakti Yoga should be taught at the youngest age possible. And it still applies. Anyone that is a youngster to Bhakti Yoga has to be guided immediately to Srila Prabhupada. I was -- and therefore I cannot side with chance, I personally have to do the same thing.

I understand I have finite opportunities to interact with people, so I personally will seize every one of those opportunities and tell them the truth of the matter. If I am ever in the position of one not in knowledge by a curse or bad luck, I pray that someone who knows The Supreme Absolute Truth Sri Krsna and the bonafide path Back Home to Godhead informs me immediately what is what, that they are merciful and not let me flounder and figure it out on my own, because I may not live to see that day. 

Yes whether it contradicts what I "know" or hurts my feelings, that doesn't matter, the truth cares not about emotions, the truth must be told. In response to the so-called president and his minions I mentioned earlier. I tried to humbly answer, though I am unsure if it came out humbly, "how unlucky one must be for people around them to know the truth and yet not reveal it to them, to hide it from them." 

I also said, " and furthermore, who are we to decide when someone is or is not told the truth ? That seems to be a God complex that we need to discard of pronto." That obviously made me an offender as it was not the answer they wanted to hear from there prepared narratives.

Thanks again for pasting Srila Prabhupada's Original Bhagavad-gita As It Is at the end with the information contained. Very much appreciated that you did the needful Praying all is well with you and yours in Krsna Consciousness !

Jaya Prabhupada !!!

j dasa

[PADA: Yes, it is amazing that so many "Prabhupada devotees" tell people to go out and find their own guru. And like you say, it is like a mine field, hence asking a baby to walk through a mine field. The victims can, and often do, get blown up. Better to guide them properly in the first place. Agreed. You are on the right side of this battle, good job. ys pd]