I just listened to this (Bangalore) video, and it struck me very deeply because it describes exactly what I have been experiencing through the years. Gradually, I have come to the same conclusions. I can honestly say that Srila Prabhupad has been communicating with me directly through his teachings and guiding me in very concrete ways.
For example, just recently I had an argument with my wife. She was telling me how some of her friends in Mayapur – twice-initiated devotees – were not even chanting 16 rounds, supposedly because they were too busy taking care of their children. I said to her that this cannot be accepted as an excuse. The mind can always find a cop-out. We see initiated devotees claiming “health reasons” to eat eggs, or justifying coffee and other nonsense – but none of this can override the basic vows of initiation.
The very next day, something happened that I cannot see as coincidence. I rarely watch Hare Krishna videos on YouTube; I use it mainly for study in other fields, and for Prabhupad’s lectures I rely on Vedabase or Prabhupad Vani. But that morning, without searching, I opened YouTube and the very first recommendation on my feed was a four-year-old video, with Russian translation, where Srila Prabhupad spoke precisely on this issue.
He said directly that the first responsibility of an initiated disciple is to follow the vows – especially to chant 16 rounds – and there are no excuses, no rationalizations, and no alternative “services” that can replace this duty.
What are the chances? For me, it was Srila Prabhupad answering me directly, strengthening my position, even giving me the arguments that I myself could not fully express. I knew the truth in my heart, but often my own authority is not enough, especially in discussions with my wife. And yet Srila Prabhupad himself provided the confirmation.
This is not an isolated incident. Again and again, through the years, I have seen how Srila Prabhupad communicates, gradually reveals, and even personally guides my understanding. That is why I take this matter very personally, and why I am so meticulous about following his instructions exactly. For me this is reality.
I know what vows I made before the sacrificial fire, in front of the entire Guru Parampara – I must honor them.
And when I do, Srila Prabhupada responds and guides me step by step. This is why I take everything seriously – down to the details. When Srila Prabhupad says no chocolate, I follow. I don’t care what some guru or sannyasi might say today, if it contradicts Prabhupada’s standard, I don’t consider it bona fide.
A good example if this principle is our consumption of pan. We see in the Chaitanya Charitamrita that Vaishnavas chew pan, so it should be bona fide, right? But Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur prohibited it for his disciples, and Srila Prabhupad upheld that prohibition. For us, that is the standard. So these prohibitions is not something we should try to avoid or circumvent. It is our badge of honor to follow these instructions exactly as given. That is the life of a disciple – obedience to the orders of the spiritual master.
And this obedience becomes even more important when we realize the times we live in. These are truly unprecedented times. Srila Prabhupad is the first guru in our disciplic succession who left behind such an immense treasury of vani. He personally instructed that everything be recorded, transcribed and preserved. He even said: “I will live forever in my books.” This is not symbolic but quite literal. He is always present in his instructions.
Yet what do we see today? Sadly, in ISKCON most devotees hardly read Srila Prabhupad’s books. Reading has been reduced to a ritual: “I did my one hour today, now I can go do whatever nonsense I want.” This is not the spirit of study that Srila Prabhupad intended. Even worse, new devotees get distracted with secondary books, Indiana-Jones-like tales of modern gurus – rather than the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Seems like for the vast majority Srila Prabhupad is not present in their daily lives. They believe that the words of their gurus are somehow more important than Prabhupad’s vani. This is a complete misunderstanding.
Do we really think that Srila Prabhupad wrote so many books, personally oversaw their publication, recorded thousands of lectures and conversations, only for them to be shelved after his departure – while everyone simply follows whichever guru is currently active? That was never the plan. Srila Prabhupada, as a self-fulfilling acharya, established a system where his teachings remain the foundation and law books for the next 10,000 years. He wanted us to study them, live by them and pass them on.
I came to this conclusion not by reading books like The Final Order. In fact, I never touched those works. I arrived here through my own personal journey, and only recently started listening to lectures by devotees like Ameyatma Prabhu and Madhu Pandit Prabhu, whose arguments only reinforce what I already realized.
And the reality today confirms it: gurus falling left and right, initiations given without any serious commitment, devotees not following even the simplest vows. It has become, in many places, a role-play, a sahajiya show, a live-action simulation of spiritual life without real substance.
But Srila Prabhupad’s system – obedience to his instructions, serious study of his vani, strict adherence to the vows – this is eternal, this is viable and this is the only true foundation for the future. Through this fidelity to Srila Prabhupad, he will personally guide us to higher realization, to the lotus feet of Srila Rupa Goswami, and ultimately to the prayojana of pure devotional service, described in Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu and Ujjvala-nilamani.
(Name witheld)
KKD: 100% spot on correct conclusion. Prabhu, you are going back home Back to Godhead. Trust the process HDG Srila Prabhupada has generously given us and all success will manifest for you. Of this there's no doubt.
PADA: Yep, Srila Prabhupada is the guru, conditioned souls posing as gurus are not even bona fide kanisthas. Various people think the Bangalore program is not having much effect, well -- it is. ys pd
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.