Ramesvara Das: Only Pure Devotees Assist the Gopis

AFD: Does Jayadvaita swami (JAS) think that disciples of other gurus will be offended if there is the chanting of Jaya Prabhupada? What happens in Bhagavatam class when those disciples want to read commentaries from their guru's books? I would think and hope that Prabhupada's influence in ISKCON will continue for many, many, many generations.

[PADA: Yes, it seems odd that JAS would say the disciples of GBC gurus might be offended to have the name of Prabhupada chanted at guru pooja. That really makes no sense, we worship the acharya and no one should take offense to that.] 

SP Dasa: Yes. But they can try to reduce that influence. In Radhanath Swami's area for example they are slowly making rules to eliminate Srila Prabhupada's influence. Like, "No need to say All glories to Srila Prabhupada at the end of premdhuni". They also published a guideline few years ago which said, "no need to say the second line of Srila Prabhupada pranam mantra" but after some kickback from devotees, they took it back.

BH DASA: This is real poison in our discipline ... to minimize the acharya.

AFD: In time, I imagine someone will suggest dropping the Founder / Acarya title from Iskcon.

Ramesvara Das: I would humbly disagree. It is the “Prabhupada Song” because he is the only spiritual master that each verse properly describes. There is no ISKCON guru or current Gaudiya guru revealing the gopi lila to disciples and no other Guru has direct realized knowledge and experience of the pastimes of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna and the Gopis. No one else is on that level of realization. It’s not the song for the non-Uttama Adhikari gurus.

MG: No offense intended but this JAS devotee appears to be speaking from raja guna.

[PADA: Correct, the "prayers to the acharya" are only meant to be applied to an actual acharya. To say that conditioned souls are "assisting he gopis" is just flat out wrong and offensive, including it is an offense to the gopis themselves. We should never lump in conditioned beings with assistants of the gopis. This false titles, prayers and songs process has got way out of hand a long time ago. ys pd]