PADA Readership Map / Unity Proposal / Anger Management / Bhagavat Health 04 24 26

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NO ONE READS PADA! [Except those who do!] 

It looks like S. America is on the upswing. Iraq has only turned up recently, someone must be sharing it over there. This chart changes all the time, just to give our readers the idea that we are not only a USA reader base. India is sometimes No. 1 and is often No. 2, but it goes up and down all the time. This is just a snip from today's stats.  

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UNITY PROPOSAL

Hare Krishna Puranjana Prabhu.

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I have attached an article in the body of this email for your perusal and publication if you wish. Thank you so much as always for all that you do for the glory of Srila Prabhupada.

Your servant,
R das

HISTORY REPEATS

An excerpt:

Conscious that among those who chanted the praises of their God so sweetly there were some who cloaked with devotion the foulest sins, their hymns inspired him with detestation at their hypocrisy. He had long observed with disapprobation and contempt the superstition which governed Madrid’s inhabitants. His good sense had pointed out to him the artifices of the monks, and the gross absurdity of their miracles, wonders, and superstitious relics. 

He blushed to see his countrymen the dupes of deceptions so ridiculous, and only wished for an opportunity to free them from their monkish fetters. That opportunity, so long desired in vain, was at length presented to him. He resolved not to let it slip, but to set before the people, in glaring colours, how enormous were the abuses but too frequently practised in monasteries, and how unjustly public esteem was bestowed indiscriminately on all who wore a religious habit. He longed for the moment destined to unmask the hypocrites, and convince his countrymen, that a sanctified exterior does not always hide a virtuous heart.

(An excerpt from The Monk; Mathew Lewis; published 1795)

The Ritvik Reality Today:

It astounds me that people who claim to be well versed in Srila Prabhupada’s books also claim that Ritvik is a modern concoction. There are several passages describing Ritvik priests and their responsibilities.

The four types of Ritvik priests in Vedic rituals are:

· Hota: Recites invocations and litanies from the Rigveda.

· Adhvaryu: Assists in the physical details of the ritual, such as measuring the ground and building the alter.

· Udgata: Chants hymns set to melodies from the Samaveda.

· Brahma: The chief priest who supervises the overall functioning of the yajna and rectifies any mistakes during the performance

As our Acharya, Srila Prabhupada’s authorising of Ritviks to oversee initiations is bonafide. An Example Text regarding the reality of Ritviks from Srila Prabhupada’s Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 9, Ch. 7 Text 22

visvamitro bhavat tasmin
hota cadhvaryur atmavan
jamadagnir abhud brahma
vasistho yasyah sama-gah (an alternative wording of udgata)

Translation

In that great human sacrifice, Visvamitra was the chief priest to offer oblations, the perfectly self-realized Jamadagni had the responsibility for chanting the mantras from the Yajur Veda, Vasistha was the chief brahminical priest, and the sage Ayasya was the reciter of the hymns of the Sama Veda.

(exalted personalities all) This text obviously isn’t about initiations post 1977, but it, along with many other verses, does prove that Ritvik is a reality for the past and present. How the uttama-adhikari Acharya chooses to implement the system is up to him, as it was in 1977 when Srila Prabhupada introduced the system of Ritvik initiations in ISKCON.

Unity in Diversity (possible but highly unlikely)

There are quite a few Gaudiya Vaishnava groups in the world today, and not all devotees accept Srila Prabhupada as their guru or Acharya. Such persons may believe their guru is uttama-adhikari, while others accept their guru is krpa siddhi (still conditioned but perfect in the sense of following their own uttama-adhikari guru perfectly). This is bonafide. 

We may personally doubt the qualifications, but our brothers and sisters claim to have accepted a genuine guru, and an individual’s choice should be respected. This does not endorse in any way foolish fallen deviant criminal imposter gurus or their complicit godbrothers / sisters or sycophantic followers.

Then there are those of us who believe Srila Prabhupada is the most recent uttama-adhikari Acharya in our Gaudiya sampradaya disciplic succession. In this case, following Srila Prabhupada’s advice to take shelter of the most recent uttama-adhikari Acharya, we accept Srila Prabhupada as our spiritual master. This is also bonafide, and should be respected as such. If respect is understood as a two-way street, unity in diversity is possible, otherwise it is only sentimental or pretentious.

A Bhagavad-gita Purport Excerpt Ch.10 Text 8

A learned scholar who has studied the Vedas perfectly and has information from authorities like Lord Chaitanya and who knows how to apply these teachings can understand that Krishna is the origin of everything in both the material and spiritual worlds, and because he knows this perfectly he becomes firmly fixed in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord. He can never be deviated by any amount of nonsensical commentaries or by fools.

Your servant,

R das

PADA: Generally the followers of a bona fide acharya understand that the acharya cannot be a conditioned soul. And as such, they consider worshiping a conditioned soul as guru to be a deviation. And there are many such examples of the conditioned soul guru process in ISKCON, the Gaudiya Math and in the history of many sahajiya (false acharya) cults in India. 

The bona fide acharyas almost always -- perhaps in all cases -- are regularly preaching that worshiping conditioned souls as gurus is not authorized, and is -- in fact -- a ticket for staying in the material world, if not a ticket to a lower planet in a lower life form. The followers of the bona fide acharyas consider worshiping conditioned souls as gurus to be staying in the same position spiritually, unable to advance. If not, such gurus and their followers are considered as going down to a lower destination, maybe to the most obnoxious regions. 

And when we see the spectacular tailspin of disrupted results of their premature guru program, we have no doubt that it is the case -- they are going down. They are already going down this life for that matter. So the unity has to come from the side of the conditioned soul gurus. They have to unite with the followers of the pure devotees, and accept and allow their program. 

That rarely happens, because the conditioned soul gurus know that worshipers of Srila Prabhupada are a theological and economic competitor. And that is why they teach their followers to ban, beat, sue and kill us. We are bad news for their guru business. And that is also why the Kauravas said -- they will not allow the Pandavas a piece of land the size of a pin head -- because they would compete with the Kauravas with any amount of allowance, and gradually expand. 

Hence, the GBC just this year AGAIN re-certified their previous statements that no ritviks [anyone who worships a pure devotee] are allowed to participate in ISKCON. In other words, the homosexual and pedophile messiah's program cannot allow anyone to worship a pure devotee in their society, because people will decide that is the better process.

Most people here in the West already decided to jettison the GBC's false guru process a long time ago. And so the temples are empty ghost towns. The mass of devotees have already left, voted with their feet, and abandoned the society of the GBC's illicit sex gurus. Anyway, the ball for unity is in their court. 

They have to quit making endless restrictions, rules, resolutions and laws that state "worshiping of pure devotees is NOT EVER found in shastra and is thus not ever allowed in ISKCON. But -- you can worship our illicit sex with men, women and children messiah's project." That is never going to attract many people. Or unite anything.

Then again some have suggested that the entire reason the GBC makes homosexuals and pedophiles into messiahs is -- to disgust people and empty the temples. Then they can make their meat eating and mayavada Hindu cultural hall program, which they are doing. That path for unity with the Kauravas was to accept and allow the Pandavas, that did not happen. 

They did not want that, and that is why history, and Krishna, have condemned them. The problem for many of us is, we feel that to cooperate with the GBC guru process is perhaps enabling and empowering their program, which is not something most followers of a bona fide acharya want to do. 

Then the false gurus ride on the coat tails of our compromiser process and it advertises their process. This was one of the main complaints against Aindra, his wonderful kirtan work -- is simply making an advertisement for the GBC's guru program. And unfortunately it ended badly for Aindra, and serves as an example why compromise with the GBC program is not easy, and often, not possible, and can be dangerous to life and limb. 

Devotees have wrote to PADA for 20 years, who can we write complaints to in the GBC body? There is no one we can recommend. They run a secret operation with secret meetings and the first thing the ISKCON PAMMHO network did when it launched was -- to block all of my messages. Anyway I am all for unity, but we need to unite under one acharya in my opinion, or better to remain separated and independent until some unity can be attained. ys pd angel108b@yahoo.com

   

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BEING ANGRY IS NOT VAISHNAVA! (RH Dasa) 

Recently, a devotee was trying to sell me on the idea that nobody should ever display anger, for any reason. I rejected his proposal as being unbalanced. 

Firstly, according to Vaishnava philosophy, no emotional or mental state is inherently bad. Each emotion and mental state has its original, pure spiritual form, which is auspicious. Emotions displayed in a pure service mentality toward God and all living beings are pure and good, and emotions displayed for one’s own selfish motives are inauspicious. 

Even ignoring all spiritual considerations, on the material platform the anger a parent displays towards a child who has misbehaved is good for the child. The anger of the parent teaches the child not to behave badly. 

Here is a relevant quote from shastra regarding anger:

39. Even kindness to violent enemies is not conducive to ultimate good. He who is kind to such persons is ruthless though his ruthlessness is concealed by aft illusory kindness.

(Shiva Purana 7.1.31)

The devotee I was speaking with then said that punishment may be necessary, but the authority figure should not become angry while enacting the punishment. But I pointed out that a basic principle of human psychology is to mistake too much kindness for weakness. If an authority figure always corrects their subordinate in a polite and gentle mood, then the tendency will be for the subordinate to think the authority figure is weak, and that they can misbehave all they want without fear of the authority figure. 

Shastra confirms this principle:

Indeed calmness (forbearance) and forgiveness, also guilelessness and politeness of speech-these virtues of the noble are mis-construed as weakness, when directed towards those bereft of these virtues.

(Ramayana Yuddha Khanda 21.14-21)

When a subordinate misbehaves in a serious way, the anger displayed by the authority figure is shocking and frightening to the subordinate. This shock and fear leaves a strong impression on the subordinate’s mind, and will deter them from misbehaving in the future. In order for an authority figure to be effective in their role, there must be some healthy fear and respect for them on the part of the subordinate. This principle is true for parents, kings, teachers, etc. 

In fact, I would say that a person in a position of authority isn’t doing their job properly if they never display anger towards subordinates under any circumstances.

Fanatical pacifism is just as unbalanced as too much aggression. Humans should always seek to conduct themselves, and all of society in a balanced, common sense fashion. Common sense tells us that anger has a use, when used properly. Although, careful consideration should go into the use of anger and punishment, and these should not be applied unnecessarily.

RH

Bahulāśva: Kṛṣṇa's activities are always for the good. So even when He becomes angry there is no loss.

Prabhupāda: That is also...

Dr. Mize: Righteous anger.

Bahulāśva: Yes, spiritual anger.

Dharmādhyakṣa: It's His mercy. So if Kṛṣṇa gets angry at us, that's actually...

Prabhupāda: Everything has got proper use. In the material condition we do not know that. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has made a list, how to use your, this anger, greediness, like that……….Just like Hanumān. He became angry upon Rāvaṇa. He set fire in his city, destroyed the whole city. He showed his anger, but not for his personal sense gratification. He wanted to serve Lord Rāma. Sītā was stolen by him, so there was arrangement for fighting, and he did the same thing, set fire.

(Conversation June 23, 1975, Los Angeles)

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BHAGAVAT HEALTH CRISIS

Dandavat Pranams Dear devotees

I'm posting this on behalf of Srila Bhaktivedanta Bhagavat Maharaj's disciples and well wishers with his permission.

Beginning in 2016, after a 1-month fever sickness, Srila Maharaj has had progressive expanding neuropathy from his toes now up to his knees. It is a very painful and debilitating experience for him to walk or move around in any way. He has also developed A-Fib approximately 5 years ago.

After a TIA in January 2024, we arranged for Srila Maharaj to get treatments in India. While stabilizing him at the time, in his most recent India trip in early 2025 he had a couple falls in Bangalore. While the doctors ruled out neurological reasons for them, they still had an adverse effect on his recovery process.

Since returning to the USA, we arranged for comprehensive testing last summer and ultimately discovered a COPD diagnosis which explained so much of his breathing challenges. We were in Houston doing acupuncture treatments for neuropathy and visiting specialists like pulmonary and cardiology doctors when it became clear that there were more challenging times ahead.

Approximately one month ago, we brought Srila Maharaj to the hospital to address his developing pulmonary edema and preliminary congestive heart failure. In the 3 weeks of hospitalization, Srila Maharaj improved enough to move to a Rehabilitation facility. 

However, he developed kidney issues at the end of his hospital stay that were worrisome. Now the doctors in the rehab facility have identified an acute kidney injury which is causing intermittent dysfunction.

Śrīla Maharaj has spent 56 years (as of Earth Day April 22nd!) in the service of his beloved Śrīla Prabhupada. Giving up all material responsibilities he received sannyas from Śrīla Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaj in 2008. 

From that time he's been reliant on donations as he traveled and preached. Due to his adverse health, he cannot continue his pracar seva for his Guru Varga like before and with mounting hospital expenses is left in a negative financial situation.

We're reaching out to the worldwide Vaishnava community who know and love "Uncle Bhagavat" for support during this difficult time.

Please consider donating to the GoFundMe or contacting us to get involved in supporting him in other ways. He also authored and published his first book last year. For those who would like to support him by purchasing it, the link is HERE: https://www.amazon.com/Souls-Journey.../dp/B0F327WCM8...
Aspiring to serve,
Narasimha das
Ramananda Raya das
Sudevi Gopi dasi
On behalf of all of Śrīla Maharaj's disciples

#SupportSrilaMaharaj #VaishnavaCare

PADA: OK I feel bad for the guy, honest. At the same time, we were all told not to take disciples because we cannot absorb sins. And if we do take sins, we have to suffer. And they are suffering left and right. 

It is not possible for a conditioned soul to absorb sins from another conditioned soul. That is not the process, but BV Narayan Maharaja was rubber stamping the GBC as gurus and many of his own people, because he has no idea what the process is. And it is creating a lot of suffering, which is undue in our opinion. Never mind all the children who suffered Auschwitz for kids under Narayan Maharaja's anointed messiahs.

All that being said, we wish him the best and hope some help can be given to him. He also needs a lot of mental help. "I am the next Jesus and I can absorb sins." This is the sign of a person who is not mentally well. Neither are all the other messiahs BV Narayan has been rubber stamping left and right. In any case, God speed sir, and lets hope Krishna gives you some sort of relief. 

He did help us with the poison issue, and he gets some credit for that. Overall, the devotee society has not made much of an arrangement for its seniors and elders, and unfortunately this type thing happens over and over. ys pd 

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STRI DHARMA

It Is Not Only the Wife Who Must Be Vedic

Strī-dharma — 12 Essential Conversations (Part 2 of 12)

Why men’s duties cannot remain invisible in any honest discussion of strī-dharma
A distorted social vision scrutinizes women endlessly while leaving men morally undefined. Dharma does not work that way.

We heard this anecdote: in Mayapur, someone holding a voluminous manuscript came up to Jayapataka Maharaja and proudly said: "Maharaja, we have compiled all the duties of women from the scriptures, from quotes… from everywhere. Everything about stri-dharma, the dharma of women, is in here!"

"Very good." Maharaja said, "Do you also have a compilation of duties for men? Do you have also that book?" The devotee said, "No Maharaja, we have only collected the duties of women." "Then," Maharaja said, "You can take this book and throw it in the Ganga. Unless you also bring a compilation of all the duties for men, you can throw this one away."

One of the clearest signs of imbalance in religious culture is this: women’s duties are collected, repeated, and analyzed in great detail (often through anachronistic and pathological lenses), while men’s duties remain vague, assumed, or conveniently ignored.

That is not balance. It is distortion.

A healthy vision of strī-dharma cannot be built by putting the entire moral burden on women while letting men move through the discussion with minimal accountability. Marriage and family life do not stand or fall on female adjustment alone. They depend on both sides, and especially on whether men understand their obligations toward the women in their care.

This is one of the strongest corrections needed in the whole discussion.

It challenges the tendency to gather all the scriptural expectations for women while leaving unanswered the equally important question: what about men? What about fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons? What about the moral duty to create an atmosphere in which women are respected, supported, and able to flourish?
A one-sided model in which there are endless demands upon women but very little is demanded from men is not simply unfair.

It is anti-dharmic in spirit.

It turns sacred order into a system of asymmetrical pressure. The wife is told to be patient, sweet, tolerant, loyal, modest, and service-minded. But if the husband is selfish, unstable, emotionally careless, or spiritually weak, then the whole system becomes deeply compromised. A family cannot be healthy if one side carries nearly all the pressure while the other enjoys nearly all the privilege.
Traditional sources also place clear obligations on men. Fathers, brothers, husbands, and brothers-in-law are to ensure that the women in the family are respected, pleased, and cared for.

Families where women suffer because of male misconduct are described as heading toward ruin. Women are not to be insulted, neglected, or treated as spiritually irrelevant household assets.

This becomes even more important when we remember that women in Lord Caitanya’s mission are not spiritually secondary or socially ornamental. They can preach, teach, learn, organize, and contribute in substantial ways.

So a truly Vedic husband is not one who merely expects service. He is one who recognizes the dignity, service potential, and spiritual seriousness of the woman before him.

Whenever religious talk becomes preoccupied with regulating women while remaining strangely soft on men, something important has already been lost. The conversation may still sound scriptural, but its center of gravity has shifted away from truth and toward control.

If we want real dharma, men must become visible again in the moral picture. Not as abstract protectors, but as accountable human beings with responsibilities that are not optional.

It is not enough to ask whether women are doing their duty. We must also ask whether men are worthy of the trust they expect and demand.

PADA: YUP!