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—-Śrī Guru-Tattva and the Secret of Dīkṣā (By: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda)

Hare Krishna. Please find attached the above mentioned article.

“Great scholars who are expert in spiritual science call the process by which divine knowledge is given and sins are eliminated as diksa.” (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 2.7) (Page 21)

Important points:Rajen Babu: If one does not accept spiritual initiation, is it possible to be aware of any type of spiritual truth (tattva)? Prabhupada: There will be no sravana, and the opposite result of such beneficial things will be attained instead. The duty of light is to remove darkness. If one remains in the midst of darkness, how will it be possible to attain light by allowing darkness to prevail?Acaryatrika Prabhu: A mundane guru considers the mantra only as shabda (sound) and not as sabdi (He who is known by sound) Prabhupada: The mantra is non-different from the sabdi. There is no difference between the aprakrta-sabda (transcendental sound) and sabdi. Sri Guru Tattva and the Secret of Diksa (Part 3) Rajen Babu: Isn’t the kanistha-adhikari qualified to give initiation into the mantra? Srila Sarasvati Prabhupada: Where is the kanishtha-adhikari coming from? Who gave him the adhikara? A kanishtha-adhikari can never become a guru. 
Rajen Babu: Can a madhyama-adhikari give diksa? 
Prabhupada: He can only perform the initial duties of diksa. It is the uttamaadhikari maha-bhagavata Vaisnava who is actually the diksa-guru. There are two types of Vaisnavas – the ragatmika and the raganuga. Those who are from the eternal realm offer service to Sri Krsna directly. These ragatmikas serve Sri Varshabhanavi and Her direct expansions. Those who perform direct service to the ragatmikas and take shelter in them through the performance of smarana are raganugas. These are spiritual gurus.(Page 15)
 Rajen Babu: Can’t a kanistha Vaisnava become a guru? Prabhupada: Kanistha, madhyama and uttama are the gradations amongst Vaisnavas. In the kanistha stage of Vaisnavism, only non-Vaisnavism is absent– this I shall explain in detail a little later. How can we deliberate upon adhikara and define who is a Vaisnava without taking shelter of a sad-guru? Only Gurudeva can explain adhikara. How can one who has never entered the domain of a devotee, who cannot himself understand anything, explain such things to others? If a non-Vaisnava sits on the seat of the guru, it amounts to sheer contempt of gurutattva. guror apy avaliptasya – kāryākāryam ajānataḥ utpatha-pratipannasya – parityāgo vidhīyate If the guru becomes attached to sense gratification, loses his sense of duty, and follows a degraded path, a path other than devotional service to the Lord, he should be rejected. (Mahabharata, Udyoga Parva 179.25)(Page 6)
Sri Guru-Tattva and the Secret of Diksa (Part 2) Srila Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada:  A materialistic Smarta who is opposed to devotion to Krsna should never be considered as a guru. Only one who is most dear to Krsna – krsna-prestha (beloved of Krsna), can be Gurudeva. Externally it may seem to be the same as being under the influence of a mundane guru (laukika) or hereditary guru (kaulika), but in actuality one is never deceived when he seeks refuge at the lotus feet of the guru who is krsna-prestha.
(Page 8)

Rajen Babu: Can we not listen to another Vaisnava? Prabhupada: He should be respected if he is actually a disciple of a real guru. One may listen to those who have heard from a genuine spiritual preceptor. But wherever it is found that there is a conflict in opinion between him and my guru, then to see him as a ‘Vaisnava’ is a sure path leading to hell.  mannathah sri jagannathah mad-guruh sri jagad-guruh “My Lord is Sri Jagannatha and my guru is the universal teacher.” It is not proper to associate with a person who has deviated even minutely from the suddha-bhakti-siddhanta preached by my Guru-Pada-Padma.The basis of hearing from him is that he himself has heard from Sri Nityananda Prabhu. (Pages 18-19)Rajen Babu: Can we fall down even after having taken diksa? Prabhupada: Yes, if we become indolent. Rajen Babu: After diksa, will I notice that the tendency to enjoy material pleasures has decreased? Prabhupada: Of course. divyaṁ jñānaṁ yato dadyāt – kuryāt pāpasya saṅkṣayam tasmād dīkṣeti sā proktā – deśikais tattva-kovidaiḥ “Great scholars who are expert in spiritual science call the process by which divine knowledge is given and sins are eliminated as diksa.” (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 2.7) This diksa never ends.There is also no end to the attacks of bad association. It is not simply a question of receiving the mantra in the ear: viśrambheṇa guroḥ sevā sādhu-vartmānuvartanam “One must serve the spiritual master with intimacy and affection and follow the path of the sadhus.” (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.74) (Pages 20-21)

List of publication years of original
and revised editions for Srila Prabhupada’s books
Source: https://harekrsna.com/sun/editorials/01-09/inventory.xls

.
Iskcon’s blasphemous compilation of Anti-Ritvik,
promotion of bogus Gurus as good as God,
justification of illegal book changes, etc
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1Iwi_3Xmxossnx5yl5oc6KovWnbfZWFk3

In the link above, Iskcon has compiled a few documents to convince others to accept their bogus Gurus as good as God if any newcomer gets a doubt on their qualifications.The book Kali Chelas was written by some fiskcon followers to spread falsehoods against Ritvik.https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HVwK…

Added to this, they have made a video too where they make their same defenses.
But they don’t say how they have destroyed the movement for over 40 years by kicking out devotees, child abuse, book changes, misinterpretation, mayavadi associations, philanthropic consciousness, money making etc.
https://youtu.be/_M1iEtSn-2Q (Check out the comments section to see how people who had doubted the authority of ISKCON Gurus have now been brainwashed after they see such false videos thinking that their deviations are bonafide.)
This is another link where they protect those who poisoned Srila Prabhupada.https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JXZnVuFQqvApj3Ab358JKYC0t0ng4di1?usp=sharing
In one of their nonsense files “100 deviations of Ritvikism”, they are trying to justify their Guru fall downs by misrepresenting Srila Prabhuapda’s teachings.

GBC: A spiritual master may sometimes fall down and become demoniac.

SPS: “There is no possibility that a first-class devotee will fall down…” – “The bona fide spiritual master is in the disciplic succession since time immemorial.” (See below references 6 and 18)
1980 Pyramid House talks– https://harekrsna.org/topanga-canyon-pyramid-house-talks-1980-classic/

Tamala Krishna Maharaja: “I’ve had a certain realization a few days ago.(…) There are obviously so many statements by Srila Prabhupada that his Guru Maharaja did not appoint any successors.(…) Even in Srila Prabhupada’s books he says guru means by qualification.(…)  

[Tamal Krishna talks about Srila Prabhupada’s Ritvik instructionIn late 1980 Tamal Krishna Goswami and Hansadutta Swami were traveling around ISKCON, having been suspended as gurus and GBC’s by the GBC body for activities unacceptable to them, such as demanding that his godbrothers must approach Srila Prabhupada through him. They had been relieved of their zones. TKG called for an open discussion at Nrsinghananda’s Pyramid House in Topanga Canyon, CA. on December 3, 1980. Hansadutta, Dhira Krishna, Kirtiraja, Jayadwaita and others were present, and the talk was recorded. ]https://harekrishnasociety.org/?p=32239(SRILA PRABHUPADA SPEAKS – “IF YOU ADULTERATE NONSENSICALLY LIKE A RASCAL, THEN YOU CANNOT BECOME A SPIRITUAL MASTER. IF YOU SIMPLY FOLLOW WHAT KRSNA HAS SPOKEN, THEN YOU BECOME SPIRITUAL MASTER. VERY SIMPLE THING.””)

Refutations:

GBC: The spiritual master may be a self-made guru who is nominated by his peers or followers and sanctioned by the GBC, an ecclesiastical board. There is no need for a direct, specific order from Srila Prabhupada to become a diksa-guru in Iskcon.

Srila Prabhupada’s siddhanta: “A guru can become guru when he is ordered by his guru. That’s all. Otherwise nobody can become guru.” (See below references 1, 2 and 10.)

GBC: Srila Prabhupada authorized the GBC to sanction and dismiss diksa-gurus in ISKCON.

SPS: “Mundane votes have no jurisdiction the elect a Vaisnava acharya. A Vaisnava acharya is self-effulgent, and there is no need of any court judgment.” Prabhupada authorized the GBC to select (or dismiss) representatives (ritviks), who initiate on His behalf. No one can be guru without the direct order of Krishna or His perfect devotee. (See below references 1, 2, 10 and 15.)

GBC: Lord Caitanya gave a blanket order for every devotee to initiate his own disciples.

SPS: Lord Caitanya ordered His followers to become “gurus” by asking everyone they meet to chant Hare Krishna. He never ordered all devotees to initiate their own disciples. Even Lord Caitanya’s eternal associates, like Sri Gadadhara Pandita, refused to initiate disciples without a direct order from Lord Caitanya. Many great devotees never initiated their own disciples. (References 2 and 3.)

GBC: Persons who are not self-realized souls or topmost Vaisnavas can be diksa-gurus if the GBC approves.

SPS: “Only a topmost devotee, a maha-bhagavata, is eligible to occupy the post of guru.” (See below reference 4.)

GBC: Spiritual masters must be sanctioned, overseen, regulated and, if necessary, disciplined by the GBC.

SPS: The genuine spiritual master is never to be regulated or disciplined by ecclesiastical boards. (See below reference 5.)

GBC: A spiritual master may sometimes fall down and become demoniac.

SPS: “There is no possibility that a first-class devotee will fall down…” – “The bona fide spiritual master is in the disciplic succession since time immemorial.” (See below references 6 and 18.)

GBC: One may ignore, neglect, or reject his spiritual master who falls from grace with the GBC.

SPS: A genuine disciple never rejects his spiritual master. (See reference 7.)

GBC: A student of Krishna consciousness may select any spiritual master, according his or her personal tastes and the ecclesiastical conventions current in Iskcon.

SPS: “Srila Jiva Goswami advised that one not accept a spiritual master in terms of hereditary or customary social and ecclesiastical conventions. One should simply try to find a genuinely qualified spiritual master for actual advancement in spiritual understanding.” (See below reference 8.)

GBC: There are dozens of gurus in Iskcon and each is entitled to his or her own ideas and opinions.

SPS: “Guru is one. He has no independent ideas or opinions.” (See reference 9.)

GBC: Iskcon gurus who have fallen down, if rectified, may be reinstated by the GBC.

SPS: “A bona fide spiritual master is in the disciplic succession from time eternal, and he does not deviate at all from the instructions of the Supreme Lord.” (See below reference 10.)

GBC: There are various levels of spiritual masters, or diksa-gurus, and not all are uttama-adhikaris.

SPS: “The spiritual master is always considered either one of the confidential associates of Radharani or a manifested representation of Sri Nityananda.” Only such a Vaisnava can impart transcendental knowledge into the heart of a disciple. (See below references 4, 7 and 11.)

GBC: The bona fide spiritual master dies, like all mortal men, and thus becomes useless in the matter of initiating and guiding students of Krishna consciousness.

SPS: “The spiritual master is eternal…” — “He lives forever through his divine instructions, and his follower lives with him.” — “He reasons ill who tells that Vaisnavas die!” (See reference 12.)

GBC: One must accept as one’s diksa-guru a man or woman who is living. A posthumous spiritual master, one dead and gone, cannot offer diksa and impart transcendental knowledge.

SPS: “The spiritual master is eternal.” — “Although a physical body is not present, the vibration should be accepted as the presence of the spiritual master. Vibration—what we have heard from the spiritual master—that is living.” (See references 10 and 12.)

GBC: Students of Krishna consciousness whose spiritual masters have fallen from grace with the GBC may shop around for another Iskcon guru and accept “re-initiation” as many times as required for them to find an “Iskcon guru” who is steady.

SPS: “A devotee must have only one initiating spiritual master because in the scriptures acceptance of more than one is always forbidden.” (Cc. Madhya, 22.71, Purport)

GBC: Every senior Iskcon devotee, even a dependent woman or neophyte with no ability to preach, is eligible to initiate his or her own disciples. Srila Prabhupada, however, is ineligible because he cannot posthumously offer diksa. One needs a guru who is alive. A fully transcendental guru with a spiritual body is useless in the matter of initiating devotees after he is dead (posthumous).

SPS: “The spiritual master is eternal.” He is not limited by material considerations of time and space. “A perfect Vaisnava is all-powerful, just like the Supreme Lord.” (See references 7, 12 and 13.)

GBC: Not all of Srila Prabhupada’s instructions and orders are to be accepted literally or permanently. Some may be interpreted, altered, edited–or rejected as being outdated. For instance, his final order on initiations (July 9th, 1977), which he ordered sent to all ISKCON leaders and temples, is now obsolete and must therefore be rejected in favor of the current system for initiations created by the GBC.

SPS: A genuine disciple of the spiritual master always accepts his instructions wholeheartedly. He never tries to dodge, ignore or subvert his instructions. (References 7, 12, 13, 14.)

GBC: At the time of his demise, Srila Prabhupada’s instructions and ideas regarding the future of initiations in ISKCON were vague or contradictory. He left it to the GBC to sort out the details.

SPS: Prabhupada specifically responded to the question of how initiations would be continued in ISKCON after his departure by dictating, reviewing and signing an official directive establishing ritvik initiations. He ordered that this directive be sent to all leaders and GBC members in ISKCON. Ritvik initiations were nothing new for ISKCON. The ritvik system of initiations and all standards had been current in ISKCON for several years prior. Nonetheless, through this official directive and numerous conversations thereafter, Srila Prabhupada clarified it in detail and institutionalized the procedure to operate without his personal supervision. For sincere disciples, there is nothing vague or contradictory in His numerous instructions. (See below reference 15.)

GBC: Iskcon is meant for recruiting disciples for living Iskcon gurus. Those who claim to be direct disciples or aspiring direct disciples of Srila Prabhupada are deviant upstarts if they accepted initiation or joined Iskcon after 1977. In the history of Vedic culture posthumous ritvik initiations have never been seen.

SPS: In Srimad-Bhagavatam and other Puranas there are many stories of ritvik priests conducting Vedic sacrifices under the auspices of a great rishis who were not present on the same planet. There are no injunctions barring so-called “posthumous” ritvik initiations. Prabhupada clearly stated that all ISKCON leaders and trustees now and in the future must be “my initiated disciples”. (See Prabhupada’s “Final Order on Initiations”, July 9th, 1977, Srila Prabhupada’s “Final Will” and “Directions for Management” and Conversation, May 28, 1977

GBC: Post-1977 Iskcon devotees may accept Prabhupada as their instructing guru and param-guru, but they need to take initiation from a living guru to get Prabhupada’s blessings and mercy.

SPS: Srila Prabhupada is both the diksa-guru and siksa-guru for all serious students of Krishna consciousness. Advanced disciples may also act as “instructing guru” by teaching devotees to accept Srila Prabhupada and follow his instructions. (See below references 8, 15 and 16.)

GBC: Vaisnava gurus are ordinary men who sometimes make common mistakes, and even great devotees sometimes become degraded under the Lord’s external maya-shakti.

SPS: “One should consider the Acharya to be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In spite of these instructions, if one considers the spiritual master an ordinary human being, one is doomed. His study of the Vedas and his austerities and penances for enlightenment are useless, like the bathing of an elephant.” (See below reference 17 and 18.)

GBC: Although Prabhupada accepted what he had at the time, his books had many errors. Although hundreds of senior devotees have chanted these verses and translations in Prabhupada’s presence and afterwards for many years, these sayings needed several revisions done by expert pundits.

SPS: “Mistakes, illusions, cheating, and defective perception do not occur in the sayings of authoritative sages.” (See below references 14 and 17.)

GBC: Unless the GBC sanctions diksa-gurus, the disciplic succession cannot continue. Srila Prabhupada is dead; he cannot order anyone to become guru.

SPS: The disciplic succession is continued not by the manipulations of blind clerics but by genuine disciples. “The Supreme Lord said, My dear Arjuna, because you are never envious of Me, I shall impart to you the most secret wisdom, knowing which you shall be relieved of the miseries of material existence.” (Bhagavad-gita As It Is, 9.1) When repeatedly asked who would be His successor, Srila Prabhupada replied, “My success is always there. Yes. Just like the sun is there always. It may come before your vision or not—the sun is there. But if you are fortunate you come before the sun… The sun is open to everyone.” (Conversation, February 12, 1975, Mexico City) – “Only Lord Caitanya can take my place. He will take care of the movement.” (Conv., Nov. 2, 1977, Vrindaban.) (See reference 7.)

References:

1. “Mundane votes have no jurisdiction the elect a Vaisnava acharya. A Vaisnava acharya is self-effulgent, and there is no need of any court judgment.” (Cc. Madhya 1.220, Purport)

2. “A guru can become guru when he is ordered by his guru. That’s all. Otherwise nobody can become guru.” (Conversation, Oct. 28, 1975, Nairobi)

3. “Vallabha Bhaṭṭa wanted to be initiated by Gadādhara Paṇḍita, but Gadādhara Paṇḍita refused, saying, ‘The work of acting as a spiritual master is not possible for me. I am completely dependent. My Lord is Gauracandra, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. I cannot do anything independently, without His order.’ ” (Cc. Antya 7.150,151)

4. “When one has attained the topmost position of maha-bhagavata, he is to be accepted as guru and worshiped exactly like Hari, the personality of Godhead. Only such a person is eligible to occupy the post of guru.” (Cc. Madhya, 24.330, Purport, citing Padma Purana.)”

5. “The spiritual master is never to be an object of disciplinary action…”

6. “A bona fide spiritual master is in the disciplic succession from time eternal, and he does not deviate at all from the instructions of the Supreme Lord…” (Bhagavad-gita As It Is, 4.42, Purport.)

7. “He opens my darkened eyes and fills my heart with transcendental knowledge. He is my lord birth after birth. From him ecstatic prema emanates; by him ignorance is destroyed. The Vedic scriptures sing of his character.” (Sri Guru Vandana, Verse 3)

8. “Srila Jiva Goswami advised that one not accept a spiritual master in terms of hereditary or customary social and ecclesiastical conventions. One should simply try to find a genuinely qualified spiritual master for actual advancement in spiritual understanding.” (Cc. Adi, 1.35, Purport) — “One should take initiation from a bona fide spiritual master coming in disciplic succession who is authorized by his predecessor spiritual master. This is called diksa-vidhana. (Bhagavad-gita As It Is, 4.8.54, Purport)

9. “Guru is one. He has no independent ideas or opinions.”

10. “A bona fide spiritual master is in the disciplic succession from time eternal, and does not deviate at all from the instructions of the Supreme Lord…” (Bhagavad-gita As It Is, 4.42, Purport)

11. “The spiritual master is always considered either one of the confidential associates of Radharani or a manifested representation of Sri Nityananda.” (Cc. Adi. 1.46, Purport)

12. “The spiritual master is not the question of [‘living’ or ‘dead’]… The spiritual master is eternal–the spiritual master is eternal.” (Lecture, Oct. 2, 1968, Seattle, WA) — “I will never die. I shall live from my books, and you will utilize.” (Interview, July 16, 1975, Berkeley, CA) — “Although a physical body is not present, the vibration should be accepted as the presence of the spiritual master. Vibration—what we have heard from the spiritual master—that is living.” (Lecture, Jan. 13, 1969, LA, CA) – “One should consider the Acharya to be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In spite of these instructions, if one considers the spiritual master an ordinary human being, one is doomed. His study of the Vedas and his austerities and penances for enlightenment are useless, like the bathing of an elephant.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.15.26, Purport)

13. “Regarding the disciplic succession, there is nothing to wonder for big gaps. We have to pick up from the prominent acarya and follow from him.” (Letter, April 12, 1968.) — “…one has to associate with the liberated persons not directly, physically, but by understanding, through philosophy and logic…” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.31, Purport.) — “Although the physical body in not present, the vibration should be accepted as the presence of the spiritual master. Vibration–what we have heard from the spiritual master –that is ‘living’.” (Lecture, January 13, 1969, Los Angeles.)

14. “So we follow that ‘No Change Policy’. Not that because I think I have become now advanced, I change this to that. That means I am not advanced. My knowledge is imperfect. Therefore I am changing.”

15. “They did even consider with common sense—that if Guru Maharaja wanted to appoint somebody as acarya, why he did not say? He said so many things, and this point he missed? The real point? And they insisted upon it. The declared some unfit person to become acarya. And then another—‘Acarya!’ Another—‘Acarya!’ So better to remain a foolish [simple] person perpetually to be directed by Guru Maharaja. That is perfection. And as soon as he [the upstart] learns that Guru Maharaja is dead, ‘Now I am so advanced that I can kill my guru and I become guru.’ Then he’s finished.” (Conv. Aug. 16, 1976, Bombay) — “If everyone just initiates, then there will only be contradictory results. As long as it goes on there will only be failure.” (From Phalguna Krishna Pancami, 1961.) — “I shall recommend some of you to act as officiating acaryas. Ritvik. Yes.” (Conv. May 28, 1977, Vrindaban.) — “So, deputies… These initiations –I have deputed my disciples. Is it clear or not?” (Conv. Oct. 18, 1977, Vrindaban.) Prabhupada’s “Final Order on Initiations”, July 9th, 1977

16. “I am the initiator guru, and you should be the instructor guru by teaching what I am teaching and doing what I am doing. This is not a title, but you should actually come to this platform. This I want. “ (Letter, August 4, 1975.)

17. bhrama pramada viralipsa karanapatava, arsa-vijna-vakye nahi dosa ei saba:

“Mistakes, illusions, cheating, and defective perception do not occur in the sayings of authoritative sages.” (Cc. Adi 2.86)

18. “There is no possibility that a first-class devotee will fall down…” (Cc. Madhya 22.71, Purport)

Do Vaishnava Acharyas Like Lord Brahma Fall Down?

PADA-Newsletter Jan. 30, 1999

PADA: In 1976, “Nitai dasa” said that vaishnava acharyas may fall down. He cited the alleged example of Lord Brahma’s fall down (which took place before he had heard the Bhagavatam Verses), and which is not appropriate to cite as an excuse for bogus cheaters posing as acharyas in the first place. Anyway, Srila Prabhupada said Nitai is a rascal, poisonous, and he banned Nitai from ISKCON. Srila Prabhupada says in his “who is that rascal?” conversation, that those who think the acharyas do not have to be a pure devotees are rascals. This would seem to indicate many prominent current leaders of both ISKCON and the Gaudiya Matha?

In fact, this bogus “falling acharya” idea has become the centerpiece of the GBC’s post 1977 guru siddhanta. The GBC follows Nitai dasa. We find that this siddhanta was also given in the Gaudiya Matha: that acharyas fall down (as is also found in Sridhara Maharaja’s book “Sri Guru And His Grace”): “So, deviation and partiality, these two things can take down the acharya.” SGAHG p.78

Naturally, Srila Prabhupada says the direct opposite, acharyas like Narada Muni cannot ever be brought to the material plane, and it is an offence to think that they can. “Narada muni, Haridasa thakura, and similar acharyas especially empowered to broadcast the glories of the Lord CANNOT BE BROUGHT DOWN to the material platform. Therefore one is strictly forbidden to think that the acharya is an ordinary human being (gurusuh narah matih naraka sah). (SB 7.7.14)

In a portion of a book penned by Narayan Maharaja’s group included below, we find that they still think that the (homosexual) Ananta Vasudeva was the appointed acharya for the Gaudiya Matha. I was very much shocked to see, despite my pointing out this (homosexual guru) to you, in person, nearly twenty times in a direct conversation, you skipped over it as not even barely worthy of a reply, and instead you went forward telling me that Vasudeva was a great scholar and so on. You are like the mother of a bank robber, “Oh, Charles is robbing banks, true, but he always ate his potatoes nicely.” Fine. But then he started robbing banks? You have missed the point?

Indeed, you are missing the whole point: a person with unresolved homosexual anarthas might be a great scholar, agreed, but he is not and was not the acharya. Nor was he ever appointed as the acharya by His Divine Grace BHAKTISIDDHANTA SARASWATI THAKURA PRABHUPADA. Therefore Sridhara Maharaja and his associates –deviated– by making Vasudeva the acharya. That point you are not even answering: the real point in question? I hate to say this, but you sounded very much like the ISKCON GBC sector.

I have been saying to them, for years together: “You have homosexual pedophiles in your guru parampara.” And their reply is almost always, “So what, why are you objecting? Children are getting molested, agreed. And dissidents are getting killed, agreed. And the media is practically vomiting in disgust, agreed. STILL we are not to be questioned, since we’ll get our sidewalk goondas to threaten you”? In sum, both

you and they are EVADING a direct reply, although I have to admit your approach is very much higher class in comparison.

Of course, the Gaudiya Matha’s false gurus evaded the same question from Srila Prabhupada: “… I have also read specifically your articles on the matter of acaryas, wherein on the 14th paragraph I see that the acarya shall be entitled to nominate in writing his successive acarya. But we do not find any record [in the 1930s Gaudiya Matha] where our Srila Prabhupada nominated any acharya after him. Different persons have interpreted this point and every one of our God brothers are acting as acharyas…” (SPL August 21, 1969)

Worse, you tell me that Sridhara Maharaja’s solution (to his Frankenstein mad guru concoction) was to leave the Gaudiya Matha and start his own independent institution. In sum, “I started the Gaudiya Matha’s house on fire, as a result, innocent citizens are now being banned, beaten and killed. So, to help my fellow citizens, those who are suffering death threats and so on from my creation, I am formally leaving the burning down house. I personally poured gasoline on that house for years, so ‘too bad suckers,’ I am moving to another house. Bye bye!

Or suppose that the ship’s captain foolishly places the big ocean liner on the rocks in a 90 mph gale, with 2000 passengers, and he slips off in his private yacht and drinks soda on the banks of shore, while the passengers are horrified and in danger? That is your idea of helping? How does that help?

Yes, how did that help? That ONLY made matters VASTLY worse for the suffering souls aligned with the Gaudiya Matha. In sum, Sridhara Maharaja created the very dangerous cult imbroglio, and instead of clearing up his own creation, he instead said, the best thing to do is to –leave the mission, and feed my poor God brothers to the sharks that I empowered, and forget all about it? How did this help? You TOTALLY lost me here?

Both Sridhara Maharaja and later Narayana Maharaja’s book further says that there were eleven GBC gurus? What? No, there never were eleven gurus? Where is there any evidence of this? We have been asking for evidence of this for over 20 years? Are we ALL not aware, by now, that these eleven were only appointed as ritviks? Why are we saying there are eleven gurus, and some of them fell down as Narayana Maharaja’s book says?

No. There were eleven imitators. End of story. And they were fallen WAY before they even spent one second on a vyasasana, because they were already thinking they could imitate the acharya. This is always forbidden everywhere in shastra. And then along comes Sridhara Maharaja in 1978 and encourages these cheaters, “wear the acharya’s uniform and it will show you what to do” (i.e. cheat others by posing as acharya, as he had encouraged in the Gaudiya Matha). Just like he told Vasudeva to do in the 1930s?

Sridhara Maharaja should have said, “gurus were not appointed in ISKCON because your Srila Prabhupada opposed –appointing gurus– for forty years. And where is the specific proof that you were appointed? Why was this not released earlier? And besides, you are not qualified to be acharyas, and so on, and so on, and so forth.]

TD: It is precisely for this reason that Srila Madhvacarya does not accept Brahma-vimohana lila & so many other portion of 10th canto. This also one of the reasons Mahaprabhu felt Himself in some ways closer philosophically to the Ramanujas than to the Madhva camp Now your dealing with more substantial issues than who’s in charge at New Dvaraka. You say the Gaudiya Math has similar guru problems.[PADA: We don’t say anything independently. The fact is that there are hundreds of quotes from Srila Prabhupada about the Gaudiya Matha’s post-1930s guru debacles which included: false guru appointments; homosexual gurus; murders and beating of dissenters; bad publicity; an “acharya’s” child not only being abused but murdered; and in sum: ditto of what has occurred in post-1977 ISKCON. Srila Prabhupada said: “Another man comes, another man comes (by vote) to be guru.” (Room Conversation, August 14, 1976 Bombay, India)

TD: There are over 20 Gaudiya Math branches because most of Srila Sarasvati Thakur’s sannyas-sisyas eventually opened up their own branch, not to defy the others but to increase the flow of nectar of Mahaprabhu’s sankirtan parties.[PADA: That is the deviation exactly. Srila Prabhupada said in 1959 in his Vaisistha – astakam offering that this “many branches” is due to the tigress of name and fame. They were not supposed to start a big imbroglio of fighting guru camps, many separated guru branches, rather they were supposed to unite under one acharya, namely Srila Sarasvati Thakura, and form a GBC and work cooperatively. They did not do that. They have still have not done that.

Besides, the main parties were called “usurpers,” not “bona fide brances” as you imply: “…Regarding the section 92 case against the Gaudiya Matha, I don’t think there is any possibility of compromise. Both the Bagh Bazaar party [Sridhara Maharaja’s group] and the Mayapura party [Tirtha Maharaja’s group] have UNLAWFULLY usurped the missionary institution of Srila Prabhupada…” (SPL September 5, 1969)]

And these “bona fide branches” were simply a headache for Krishna and his pure devotees: “All along my [Gaudiya Matha “guru”] Godbrothers have gave me ONLY depression, repression, compression, but I continued strong in my duty.” (SPL August 4, 1972)

TD: Any normal tree will eventually branch. That is not deviation; that is a sign of health & growth. We all have to become qualified gurus. Meanwhile we cannot tolerate that our gurudev’s mission is being led deviants & cheaters. I support you until you blame senior vaisnavas outside of ISKCON such as Srila Sridhar Maharaja & Srila Narayan Maharaja. There’s a saying among Christians: you’re never defeated till you blame others. SSM never even kept any Vyasasan in his own Math for himself! What to speak of him being responsible for the size & altitude of asanas in ISKCON. Hoping this meets you in good health & protected by Sri Guru & Gauranga. Your god brother, servant & friend, Tarun[PADA: This is fact finding not fault finding. Srila Prabhupada is the authority, and he has proven that by his books, his preaching and his accomplishments. And he severely criticized the Gaudiya Matha’s false gurus.

For example, Srila Prabhupada called some of these so-called branches the “cockroach guru” branches: “That [extensively preaching] is the duty of a [guru] acharya. Not that three dozen [guru] acharyas in Mayapura. [The Gaudiya Matha] Each one has a temple and a few dozen, not few dozen, one dozen disciples. Collecting some money, taking [pilgrims] to the holy place. They [artificial gurus] say “whatever is in our capacity we are doing”. That capacity means when they are speaking that “cockroach is as good a bird as Garuda. Cockroach is also a bird and Garuda is also a bird.” How can the cockroach say “I am also as good as Garuda?” Tamala Krishna: “That is called insanity. (RC April 10, 1977. Bombay, India)

Anyway, Sridhara Maharaja said on numerous occasions that these eleven GBC were not ritviks –but gurus. The point is, you should not dare to question Srila Prabhupada’s judgement on the Gaudiya Matha’s deviation: “…If you are serious to be an important assistant in our society …do NOT mix yourself with my SO-CALLED [Gaudiya Matha] Godbrothers. As there are some residents, like monkeys and hogs, in Vrindavana, similarly there are many RASCALS in the name of Vaishnavas, be careful of them. And do not DARE to question impudently before your spiritual master… ” (SPL November 21, 1972)

Narayana Maharaja also claims that the GBC were gurus in defiance of the order for them to be ritviks. Yet, there is no evidence anywhere that these people were ever qualified to acquire the title of acharya? This is the same false propaganda that caused the reactions (and responses from Srila Prabhupada) as mentioned above –in the Gaudiya Matha. These Gaudiya Matha folks have never proven their first point: that either Ananta Vasudeva or later our eleven were EVER appointed as gurus?

Yet they dare to challenge the acharya on this point, even in the book just now penned by Narayan Maharaja (see analysis below) –at their and our peril. “We haven’t got to manufacture. To manufacture ideas is troublesome. Why should we take the trouble? And as soon as you want to manufacture something to my…., that is DANGEROUS. Guru mukha padma vakya cittete kariya aikya ara na kariha mane asa. This is …You are singing every day, “What our guru has said, that is our life and soul. We do not want”. Ara na kariha mane …As soon as this POISON will come-suppress guru and I become Brahman-everything FINISHED. Spiritual life is finished. Gaudiya Matha finished, that, …VIOLATED the orders of Guru Maharaja.” (RC April 20, 1977 Bombay, India)]

FROM NARAYANA MAHARAJA’s book “Guru Tattva” (herein as “GT”)

GT: You wrote that your Prabhupada’s instructions to you are open and direct, but by what you have written it seems to be the complete opposite. I will give you an example to clarify this point. Your Prabhupada had said that the “Gaudiya Matha had failed,” but in your writings you say that “Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada radically reformed the Gaudiya tradition transforming it into a global preaching mission in the modern world.” Now what is the name of that mission? It is the Gaudiya Matha.

And who were its members that dedicated themselves to that mission? You must learn to appreciate their position, but unfortunately you are busy publishing books that make false propaganda against these exalted devotees.[PADA: Srila Prabhupada said that his guru did wonderful things. However, his so called successors caused havoc. The above text mixes the success of the acharya with the failures of the false successor system. This would be like saying: “Jesus is wonderful, therefore, his (false) Medieval Papal successors are wonderful.” Not really?]

GT: If it is not against your GBC rule I strongly request you to read the book entitled Saraswati Thakura published by Mandala Media and in that way get lots of real information about the global successful preaching mission, because according to your writings the Gaudiya Math is unsuccessful. Again you have quoted a room conversation in Bombay [August 16, 1976] wherein your Prabhupada wanted to nourish the very soft faith of the newly initiated (those who were less than ten years or so) and you think this is exactly the fact.[PADA: Srila Prabhupada said that the post-1930s Gaudiya Matha’s philosophy was “as soon as he learns that guru maharaja is dead, then I kill guru and become guru. Then he is finished.” (Room Conversation, Bombay INDIA, August 16, 1976)

So, this was not just to effect a few people with soft faith, Srila Prabhupada honestly believed that his guru was betrayed. The 1976 quote is merely one of hundreds of similar quotes critical of the Gaudiya Matha’s post 1930s guru system. For example, Srila Prabhupada: “…These [artificial claims to be a guru] are weapons. That was the only endeavor, how he [Tirtha Maharaja] could legally occupy the bricks and stones of the Gaudiya Matha. That’s all. He has no other ambition …It was simply show. But real purpose was to occupy, how to take the whole property. BUSINESS.” (Srila Prabhupada conversation January 13, 1977)]

GT: Before the passing away of Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, he gave orders that there would only be one guru and the rest should work in a very harmonizing way as to be able to preach the message of Rupa Raghunatha.[PADA: False. Srila Prabhupada says that some prominent Gaudiya Matha leaders, such as Sridhara Maharaja, deviated because they thought there was supposed to be one acharya. Srila Prabhupada: “…So SRIDHARA MAHARAJA and his associate gentlemen unauthorizedly selected one acharya and later it proved to be a failure. The result is that now EVERYONE is claiming to be acharya…in some camps the acharya is being CHANGED three times a year. Therefore amongst my Godbrothers NO ONE IS QUALIFIED to become acharya. So it is better NOT TO MIX with my Godbrothers very intimately, because instead of inspiring our students they may sometimes POLLUTE them. This attempt was made by them previously, especially MADHAVA Maharaja and TIRTHA Maharaja and BON Maharaja, but somehow I saved the situation. This is going on. We shall be careful about them AND NOT MIX WITH THEM. This is my instruction to YOU ALL. They CANNOT HELP us in our movement, but they are very competent to HARM our natural progress. So we must be very careful about them…” (SPL April 28, 1974).

In sum, Sridhara Maharaja and Madhava Maharaja deviated from the order of their guru. “They unauthorizedly selected one acharya.” That means they engaged in

mental speculation and they had no faith in their acharya’s words: to form a Governing Body and not a false guru successor project. This “living guru” idea is very much akin to the smartas, the medieval Papal system, and similar other appointed, elected, and/or rubber stamped guru systems: ALL OF WHICH are eternally damned and condemned by our Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada said this man (Vasudeva) was not appointed as the acharya, so why are we still saying he was or could have been the acharya?]

GT: He also said that Ananta Vasudeva will preach the message of Rupa-Raghunatha and Kunja-bihari Vidyabhusana (later on Srila Bhakti Vilasa Tirtha Maharaja) will do the managing for as long as he lived and must be respected by all. A few years earlier he had written, vasudevananta dasye thakiya ta sada laha nama -always remain in the service of Ananta Vasudeva and chant the holy name.[PADA: Apparently, Srila Saraswati Thakura wrote a few encouraging letters to some of his followers and it merely inflated their egos. A teacher may say to a 10 year old student, “Oh, your writing is wonderful.” That is called encouraging. However, Srila Prabhupada says that both parties mentioned above are severe offenders, usurpers, and one was even the ferocious snake’s party, etc. So, the final word has to be accepted and it is: condemnation by the acharya. “…And as soon as you manufacture, fall down. This manufacturing idea is very, very dangerous in spiritual life. …Our mission is to serve bhakta visesa and live with devotees. NOT THAT YOU TAKE THE PLACE OF GURU. THAT IS NONSENSE, VERY DANGEROUS. Then everything will be spoiled. As soon as you become AMBITIOUS to TAKE THE PLACE of GURU, gurusuh nara matih. That is MATERIAL DISEASE…” (RC April 20, 1977 Bombay, India )]

GT: In his presence it was said that Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura wanted all of the members of the Gaudiya Matha to stay under the guidance of Ananta Vasudeva Prabhu and chant the holy name.[PADA: It was said? Who said it was said? It might have been said? Who said it might have been said? Somebody was alleged to have said? What kind of evidence is this? It was known to have been said? Known by whom? No. That Vasudeva was supposed to be the prominent acharya, either de facto or actual acharya, after the departure of Srila Saraswati thakura, was never said. Ever. What was said was: that you make a mangerial body, a GBC. Many of these same Gaudiya Matha people now say that eleven gurus were appointed in 1977, because “it was said.” No, it never was said. Speculation. Srila Prabhupada says, Vasudeva was never appointed as the acharya. The eleven were never appointed as acharyas.

Here is what is really said: Srila Prabhupada: “…People complained against [a GBC for trying to appear as a guru]. ..No, no. You become guru, but you must be QUALIFIED FIRST of all. THEN you become. Tamala Krishna: Oh that kind of complaint was there. Srila Prabhupada: Did you know that? Tamala Krishna: Yeah, I heard that, yeah. Srila Prabhupada: What is the use of producing some RASCAL GURU?” Tamala Krishna: “Well, I have studied myself and all of your disciples, and it’s clear fact that we are ALL CONDITIONED SOULS, so we CANNOT BE gurus. MAYBE someday it may be possible…”

Srila Prabhupada: “Hm.” [agrees] Tamala Krishna: “…but not now”. Srila Prabhupada: “Yes. I shall choose some guru. I shall say ” Now you become acarya. You become authorized.’ I retire completely. But the training must be COMPLETE.” Tamala Krishna: “The process of purification must be there. Srila Prabhupada: O Yes, must be there, Caitanya Mahaprabhu wants that. Amara ajnaya guru hana. “You become guru.” (laughs) But be qualified. Little thing, strictly follower… Tamala Krishna: Not rubber stamp. Srila Prabhupada: Then you’ll not be effective.You can cheat, but it will not be effective. Just see our Gaudiya Matha. Everyone wanted to become guru, and a small temple and “guru.” What kind of guru?” No publication, no preaching, simply bring some foodstuff… My Guru Maharaja, “joint mess” a place for eating and sleeping amar amar ara takana: Joint mess. He said this. (RC April 22, 1977. Bombay, India.)]

GT: On that basis he had been selected as the acharya of the Gaudiya Matha and no one had been fighting for that post.[PADA: False on two counts. It was ONLY on the basis of some extrapolated mental speculation that Vasudeva was “selected” as the acharya, and this is not described accurately herein. This is why Srila Prabhupada says that the acharya is empowered (selected?) by Krishna, not by the votes of mental speculators. Next point, that there was “no fighting” for the post of acharya is also false, since Srila Prabhupada says they were fighting for forty years over the post of acharya. “Both of them (the two Gaudiya Matha parties) are severe offenders.” April 24, 1977

There were also severe politics FROM SQUARE ONE to make and keep Vasudeva as the acharya. The fighting started IMMEDIATLEY. And that is because there were already plots, schemes and politics afoot, against Srila Saraswati Thakura WHILE HE WAS physically present. Just like our current poisoning investigation?]

GT: Your Gurudeva was also part of the Gaudiya Matha and he also did not object at that time.[PADA: People who objected openly were sometimes getting beaten or killed. Krishna may have directed Srila Prabhupada not to object, and thus not to get killed, because Krishna had another plan, and to thus wait for a better time when the violent cult madness subsided. Of course, we also know that Srila Prabhupada did make numerous objections to their system way before he started ISKCON.]

GT: They did not create an artificial acarya.[PADA: Srila Prabhupada says they had no authority, having disobeyed the order of their spiritual master. And, Srila Prabhupada says that they DID make an artificial acharya. So, Narayana Maharaja’s book is now saying that Srila Prabhupada does not know what he is talking about? Narayana Maharaja’s group has become the superior of our Srila Prabhupada?

Srila Prabhupada: “He, [Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, founder of the Gaudiya Matha] before passing away, He gave them all direction – and he NEVER

said that this man [Vasudeva] should be the next [guru] acharya. But these people, just after he passed away, they began to fight, ‘Who shall be the next acharya?… “That is the failure. They never thought, ‘Guru Maharaja gave us instruction on so many things, why did he not say, “This man should be the next acharya?”‘ They wanted to create somebody ARTIFICIALLY as acharya and EVERYTHING FAILED.

“They did not even consider common sense that if guru maharaja had wanted to APPOINT somebody as acharya, why he did not say? He said so many things and this point he missed? The main point? And they insisted on it. They declared, ‘Come on unfit persons to become acharya,’ then another man comes, then another, then another. So better to remain a foolish person perpetually to be directed by Guru Maharaja. So that is perfection. And as soon as it was announced that, ‘Guru maharaja is dead, now I am so advanced that I can kill my guru and become [guru]’…then he is finished.” (Srila Prabhupada conversation August 15 1976)

Srila Prabhupada says “artificial” guru and they say he is wrong? Of course the above is also a perfect description of the post-1977 ISKCON GBC. First of all, they artificially claimed that Srila Prabhupada had appointed them to be his “successor acharyas.” Doubters were excommunicated, some even killed. As they become more exposed, they appointed “another and another man” to become guru. The current status in ISKCON is so much degraded that persons who have been openly exposed as having sex with ISKCON’s children are still considered as “persons who are components of the bona fide parampara.” Worse, such deviant persons authorized the current wave by their “rubber stamp.” The GBC insists on it. Yet Srila Prabhupada called all of this “killing the guru.”

Anyway, how can Narayana Maharaja’s group make a public challenge to our Srila Prabhupada’s words and call them false? Who do these people think they are: challenging the words of the acharya? Well, nevermind, we know already why they challenge. Deviants challenged the GBC idea in the 1930s and made artificial achayas. They have a long history of challenging the acharyas. Narayana Maharaja indeed thinks the three worst deviants of the Gaudiy Matha are acharyas as well.]

GT: Srila Ananta Vasudeva Prabhu was a brahmacari (in white dress, according to Gaudiya Matha tradition only when a brahmacari accepted the vow to maintain a life-long celibacy, the acarya will offer him the saffron cloth) at that time, and afterwards when his Godbrothers saw some flaws in his behaviour they left his association.[PADA: Why are we calling this bogus imitator: “Srila”? And they call Srila Prabhupada “swami maharaja”? A KNOWN homosexual debauch is “Srila,” but our guru is merely swami maharaja? What is this nonsense? And since when are there flaws in the acharya? This is the “acharyas fail” –Nitai vada, which Srila Prabhupada condemns.]

GT: Srila Audulomi Maharaja was then selected as the following acarya of the Gaudiya Mission and Srila Ananta Vasudeva Prabhu accepted the life of a Vaisnava grhastha and stopped giving initiations.[PADA: This is the exact bogus system Srila Prabhupada condemns: another man comes, then another man comes, then another and another to be guru. And this is called “kill guru and become guru” by Srila Prabhupada. And we are endorsing this as something good? Killing guru to become guru? “Selected” is also a euphemism

which really means: elected. This is the “guru by appointment,” “guru by votes” system, that Srila Prabhupada condemned for a solid forty years. Ananta Vasudeva also did not just take to “grhastha life,” he also engaged in homosexuality. In sum, he became a total debauched person due to imitation of the acharya.]

GT: After the disappearance of Srila Audolomi Maharaja, Srila Bhagavata Maharaja was appointed as the next acarya and when he disappeared Sripad Parivrajaka Maharaja was the next. There is nothing wrong with this.[PADA: Everything is wrong with this. This system was never approved of. Vasudeva is a debauched person, not an acharya. His successor(s) were “appointed” by the same deviants who had appointed Vasudeva. Of course, the guru is not rubber stamped and appointed in the first place, but nevermind these minor details.]

(“THEY HAD NO AUTHORITY HAVING DISOBEYED THE ORDER OF THE SPIRITUAL MASTER…” Caitanya Caritamrta Adi Lila 12. purport)

GT: If you say that this is not enough proof that Frabhupada wanted Srila Ananta Vasudeva Prabhu to be the acarya, one may ask, “Did Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura want to appoint Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja as his successor acarya?”[PADA: This book misses the whole point. The guru is not appointed by some ecclessiastical rubber stamp and vote system –in the first place. The guru is self realized, he sees Krishna at every moment, thus, he needs NO RUBBER STAMP FROM ANYONE. Although yes, we could say, in one abstract sense: Srila Prabhupada was “appointed” (?) by Srila Saraswati Thakura, BUT! –through the heart– by spiritual vision, not some paper diploma or show of hands vote from known deviants! These people have forgot the whole process of internal realization of the acharya. This is why Haridasa Thakura was not recognized by many also, they thought he was not a brahmana etc. NONSENSE! Were Arjuna, Madhavacarya, Lord Caitanya, Haridasa thakura, the Goswamis, or etc. ever “appointed”?

Worse, some Gaudiya Matha leaders are also directly or indirectly described as “disciples of Kali-yuga.” “Unfortunately in this age of Kali there are many mundane persons in the dress of Vaishnavas, and Srila Bhativinoda Thakura has described them as disciples of Kali. He says, kali-cela. He indicates that there is another Vaishnava, a pseudo-Vaishnava with tilaka on his nose and kunti beads around his neck. Such a pseudo-Vaishnava associates with money and women and is jealous of successful Vaishnavas. Although passing for a Vaishnava, his only business is earning money in the dress of a Vaishnava. Bhaktivinoda Thakura, therefore says that such a pseudo Vaishnava is not a Vaishnava at all but a disciple of Kali-Yuga. A disciple of kali cannot become an acarya by the decision of some high court. Mundane votes have no jurisdiction to elect a Vaishnava acarya. A Vaishnava acarya is self-effulgent and there is no need for any high court judgement. A false acarya may try to override a Vaisnava by a high court decision, but Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that he is nothing but a disciple of Kali-Yuga…” Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Madhya-Lila 1.220]

In sum, Srila Prabhupada called the system of establishing false acharyas in the Gaudiya Matha: Kali chelas. How can Narayana Maharaja and our GBC say (as they did in 1990) that Tirtha is an acharya, when Srila Prabhupada says he is a Kali chela?

Also, Srila Prabhupada pulls the carpet out of the “voting for guru” system: “mundane votes have no juristiction to elect a Vaishnava acharya.”

GT: If not, did he try to become more than his guru?[PADA: Just see the impudence of this upstart challenge to the bona fide acharya! This is an offensive mentality. Anyway, why does our guru need any visible rubber stamp that they can see? He is authorized by his guru, by his purity, by his spiritual realization. He wrote more books than ALL of them put together. Yet, we can even utter the above idea in public? No. Srila Prabhupada says that the Gaudiya Matha deviants are the ones who overstepped their guru.

Just who are you people to even pose the question “did he try to become more than his guru,” of the greatest maha bhagavata in recent history, and raise such doubts about his authority in public? RATHER, Srila Prabhupada says that your Gaudiya Matha’s “voted in guru” system is what is an impudent and foolish attempt to become “more than guru.”

And why? We know why. Because Our Guru (and thus we as his followers): do not ever accept your HOMOSEXUAL APPOINTED GURU(s) and/or your similar deviations –from square one! You dare challenge us (on Srila Prabhupada’s authority) because we do not accept your 1930s and 1970s homosexual and bogus guru appointment(s) history and endorsements? We will NEVER accept this. No. You are deviants!!! And our Srila Prabhupada says so, over and over.

And now we see why! Tamal Krishna placed a known homosexual pedophile on our Srila Prabhupada’s seat, and had us beaten and killed for not accepting, and you are giving this extreme deviant “gopi gita” classes? Rasika classes? And you think those of us who want to worship the acharya are ritvik deviants? And you have recommended the worship, as gurus, of the worst deviants in Vaishnava history? Homosexual gurus and their founders in the post-1930s? Pedophile gurus and their founders in the post-1970s? And you still think Vasudeva was appointed as acharya? And this is all some rasika teachings? Srila Prabhupada says: “As soon as this (guru imitation) poison enters –Gaudiya Matha finished.”]

GT: All of these are your questions, can you answer them?[PADA: You answered your own questions very nicely. You think that Ananta Vasudeva was appointed as an acharya, which means that according to Srila Prabhupada you are deviants. Your party also thought: there are eleven GBC gurus too. More deviation on top of deviation.]

GT: You may say that Srila Swami Maharaja inspired so many people to come to Krishna consciousness and that proves that he was the successor of his guru. In that argument one may say that H.H. Narayana Maharaja is also inspiring so many of your Godbrothers and Godsisters to follow him, which proves that he is a self-revealed successor.[PADA: Not if Narayan Maharaja writes books like the above. Apparently Narayan Maharaja has not read, or understood, or accepted Srila Prabhupada’s instructions in regards to the GAUDIYA MATHA, its leaders, and its history of deviation from the

order of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta. Nor has he understood or accepted the unfortunate results of their so-called living guru necessity. Narayana Maharaja is introducing an idea of a so-called successor acharya, which was never ordered and desired by Srila Prabhupada for ISKCON.

GT: Before the passing away of Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, he gave orders that there would be only one guru (successor?) and the rest should work in a very harmonizing way as to be able to preach the message of Rupa-Raghunatha. He also said that Ananta Vasudeva will preach the message of Rupa-Raghunatha and and Kunja-bihari Vidhyabusana (later on Srila Bhakti Vilasa Titha Maharaja) will do the managing for as long as he lived and be respected by all. A few years earlier he had written, “vasudevananta dasye thakiya ta sada laha nama” — always remain in the service of Ananta Vasudeva and chant the holy name.[PADA: Srila Prabhupada did not agree that either “Ananta Vasudeva” or “Bhakti Vilas Titha” had become acharyas. Instead, Srila Prabhupada said that they were usurpers, severe offenders, and so on. It is possible that Srila Saraswati thakura had wrote some letters of encouragement regarding these people at one time, but he had never said that they were acharyas.]

“…On that basis he (Ananta Vasudeva) had been selected as the acharya of the Gaudiya Matha.”[PADA: UTTER NONSENSE! As for Tirtha Maharaja: “…Regarding GAUDIYA MATHA books being circulated there, who is distributing? Who is sending these books? The Gaudiya Matha does not sell OUR books, why should we sell their books? Who has introduced these books? Let me know. These books should NOT AT ALL be circulated in OUR society . . . Bhakti Vilas Tirtha is very much ANTAGONISTIC to our society and he has no clear conception of devotional service. He is contaminated. Anyway, who has introduced these books? You say that you would read only one book if that is all I had written, so you TEACH OTHERS to do like that . . . ” (SPL December 17, 1973)

Yet in their March, 1990 “ISKCON Journal,” both the GBC and Narayan Maharaja exalted this Tirtha Maharaja to the same status as Srila Prabhupada. Meanwhile, some of the other very elderly and senior Gaudiya Matha members now agree that the current GBC has done what Tirtha Maharaja had done: the GBC gurus have made “a commercial business” of ISKCON or Srila Prabhupada’s movement.

Srila Prabhupada: “Our mission is to serve, bhakta vishesha, and live with devotees. NOT THAT YOU TAKE THE PLACE OF GURU. That is all nonsense. Very DANGEROUS, then everything will be SPOILED. As soon as you become ambitious to take the place of guru-gurusu narah matih. That is material disease…” (April, 21 1977)

Srila Prabhupada also indirectly compares the “guru” Tirtha Maharaja to the demon Ravana in his Srimad-Bhagavatam. (SB 5.18.22) “We have seen that one of the disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura wanted to enjoy the property of his spiritual master, and the spiritual master being merciful toward him, gave him the temporary property, but not the power to preach the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu all over the world. That special mercy of the power to preach is given to a devotee who does not want anything material from his spiritual master but wants only to serve him. The story of the demon Ravana illustrates this point!…” Yet the GBC and

Narayan Maharaja issued a joint statement in 1990 that this Ravana was a guru like Srila Prabhupada?

The Gaudiya Matha “acharyas” generally are called “self-interested fools” in the Caitanya Caritamrita. (CC Adi-Lila 2.76) “… Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami, at the time of his passing away, ordered all of his disciples to work conjointly to preach the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu all over the world. Later, however, some self-interested, foolish disciples disobeyed his orders. Each one of them wanted to become head of the mission and they fought in the courts, neglecting the order of the spiritual master, and the entire mission was defeated. We are not proud of this, but the truth must be explained. We believed in the words of our spiritual master and started in a humble way- in a helpless way- but due to the spiritual force of the order of the supreme authority, this movement has become successful…” Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Adi-Lila 7.95-96

This is merely a sampling, there are hundreds of similar quotes. Many important points are made. Here are a few: The Gaudiya Matha deviants and the GBC have a tendency to replace spontaneous Krishna Consciousness with “legal” formulas,” as the Gaudiya Matha did in fact. The GBC has a tendency not to openly discuss their insidious plans with the general devotees, which fully ripened with their concocted guru appointment. The GBC had a tendency to enact legislation and money manipulations without following established guidelines or obtaining Srila Prabhupada’s approval.

We should carefully deliberate on this because Narayana Maharaja’s explanation and Srila Prabhupada’s explantions of the so-called acharyas of the post 1937 Gaudiya Matha and their so-called successors were never authorized by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the current bona fide acharya of the Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya and the foremost disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada. “NO ONE SHOULD BE WILLING TO HEAR ONE WHO DOES NOT REPRESENT THE ORIGINAL ACHARYA.” S.B. Purport First Canto Chapter 4, text 1.

Exposing the offensive philosophy of Narayan Maharaj
Lecture given on September 19th, 1994:-“Those who are not rasika Vaisnavas, they don’t know tattva, they have not gone to association with any Vaisnava…they think that to preach whole world…the name of Krishna…and to give Gita sandesha…is the whole thing. So I want to say that your Prabhupada has given these things…only these things…and not beyond these things. Then he was only the servant of Mahavisnu, not of Krishna. A strange thing… for them who are ignorant. But those who are wise and have done initiation from any rasika vaisnava, bhava bhakta of Caitanya Mahaprabhu,… Those who have given their heart to them and have realized anything…very little…they can realize these things.. . .”
“Just like my Guru Mahārāja did not travel all over the world, so I have got double energy than him. So you must triple energy, four times energy than me. Then actually disciple. My Godbrothers are envious because they could not do. They could not do even half of Guru Mahārāja’s work, and I am doing ten times. So therefore they are envious.” (Room Conversation — April 2, 1972, Sydney)

“Enviousness is immediately disqualification of Vaiṣṇava, immediate. He is not a human being.” (Room Conversation with Reporter of The Star — October 16, 1975, Johannesburg)

Jan 24 1977 BhuvanesvaraPrabhupāda: My Guru Mahārāja used to say, “When our men will be sahajiyā, he will be more dangerous.”Satsvarūpa: Our own men.Prabhupāda: Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he said that “When our men will be sahajiyā,oh, they’ll be more dangerous.” So our men are becoming, some of them, sahajiyās. This very word he said, that “When our men will be sahajiyās he’ll be more dangerous.”
https://www.iskconirm.com/docs/webpages/real_teachings_of_his_holinessNM.htm

Autumn 2004

To many people both inside and outside the Movement, ISKCON’s current Guru system is a complete farce. Perhaps predictably, all the scandal, falldowns and endless self-contradiction amongst Srila Prabhupada’s wannabe successors (the 80 competing ISKCON ‘Gurus’) has opened the way for yet another personality, this time from outside ISKCON, with designs on Srila Prabhupada’s legacy.

The GBC have preached for many years that everyone must have a “living, physically present Guru” (or anyone but Srila Prabhupada), and now they are reaping their reward. His Holiness Narayana Maharaja a disciple of Srila Prabhupada’s Godbrother, His Holiness Kesava Maharaja has had considerable success in attracting both ex and current members of ISKCON to his camp, by promoting his qualification as a “living, physically present Guru”, who is bona fide and won’t fall down, unlike the ISKCON Gurus.
Narayana Maharaja likes to portray himself as a mere humble servant of Srila Prabhupada, who simply wants to bring everyone to Srila Prabhupada through a deeper appreciation of his mission and teachings:

In this article we shall use Narayana Maharaja’s own words to see if he is bringing us closer to Srila Prabhupada.
 

Narayana Maharaja makes it clear that he is here not to bring people TO Srila Prabhupada, but to actually REPLACE Srila Prabhupada as his SUCCESSOR:

Above, Narayana Maharaja boldly stakes out his pitch in direct competition with all the ISKCON Gurus who also want to succeed and replace, not complement, supplement or assist Srila Prabhupada.
 

In pursuance of the above stated aim to replace Srila Prabhupada, Narayana Maharaja has urged his followers to distribute HIS books in preference to those of Srila Prabhupada:

Clearly the above goal of trying to match Srila Prabhupada can only be achieved if Narayana Maharaja’s books alone are being distributed by his followers, and that is generally what is happening.
 

To create the demand for his services, Narayana Maharaja claims that there is much spiritual knowledge that Srila Prabhupada failed to give, so that he can claim he has come to fill this gap:

That the above statement is not actually true, can again be proven by the words of Narayana Maharaja himself, who said the following 17 years earlier to Srila Prabhupada himself:

That Narayana Maharaja would go onto say the complete opposite of what he himself claimed 17 years earlier, demonstrates opportunism of the highest order.
 

This opportunism is further displayed in Narayana Maharaja’s stating that Srila Prabhupada was not the Founder-Acarya of ISKCON. It is surely a redundant point that Lord Krishna (Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu) is the origin of all Krishna consciousness, so one wonders why Narayana Maharaja feels it so important to belittle Srila Prabhupada’s position and promote his own position by stating such an obvious point:

But according to Srila Prabhupada:

“I am the founder-acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.”
(Srila Prabhupada letter to Dr. Bigelow, Allahabad, January 20th, 1971)
 

Although he claims to be a successor to Srila Prabhupada, and that Srila Prabhupada is somehow speaking through him, it should be noted that Narayana Maharaja’s teachings often seriously differ from Srila Prabhupada’s. This is what Narayana Maharaja has to say about Prahlada Maharaja, who is worshipped on every altar throughout ISKCON as a completely pure devotee of Krishna:

Yet Srila Prabhupada’s verdict is very different:

“Prahlada Maharaja is the topmost example of a Vaisnava”
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.21.47, purport)

“So we see practically how Prahlada Maharaja immediately attained the state of prema… he first of all followed the instruction of Brahma, then immediately he got the favor of Lord Nrsimhadeva, and after getting that he got the prema state.”
(Srila Prabhupada lecture, Mayapur, February 14th, 1976)

“Consequently, instead of accepting the results of karma and jnana, Prahlada Maharaja simply begged the Lord for engagement in the service of His servant.”
(Srimad Bhagavatam 5.24.25)

Above we see Prahlada Maharaja described as a pure devotee who actually shunned the results of jnana (knowledge).
 

Narayana Maharaja claims that Advaita Acarya (one of the associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu) was incapable of giving people Vraja-Bhakti (pure devotion to Krishna):

Contrast the above with the following verse from the Sri Caitanya Charitamrta as presented by Srila Prabhupada:

“He (Advaita Acharya) delivered all living beings by offering the gift of Krishna-bhakti (pure devotion to Krishna). He explained Bhagavadgita and Srimad-Bhagavatam in the light of devotional service.”
(Srila Prabhupada, Caitanya caritamrita, Adi-lila 6.28)

Thus Narayana Maharaja again disagrees with the siksa (instruction) given by Srila Prabhupada, even though he also rather immodestly claims to be his “dearmost siksa disciple”.
(here are more examples of such contradictions ).

Narayana Maharaja has claimed that Srila Prabhupada ordered him to instruct Srila Prabhupada’s disciples:

This claim is based on Srila Prabhupada stating “you kindly instruct them on this matter” to Narayana Maharaja, during a Bengali conversation spoken between the two sometime in October-November 1977.

However, as will be seen from the full translation of this conversation provided by the Narayana Maharaja camp themselves, Srila Prabhupada does not say anything of the sort. Whilst reading the relevant portion of the conversation below, please pay special attention to whom the word “them” in the above sentence refers to; what was the “matter” on which Srila Prabhupada wanted Narayana Maharaja to give instruction; and “when” this instruction was meant to be given:

When we see the sentence in context, those three aspects become clarified:

1) The word “them” refers to Srila Prabhupada’s Godbrothers who were to arrive shortly, not to Srila Prabhupada’s disciples. The word “them” comes twice before the final sentence, and both times it refers to his Godbrothers, Indupati Prabhu and Van Maharaja.

2) The “matter” on which Srila Prabhupada wanted Narayana Maharaja to instruct his Godbrothers was that they forgive him for any “cutting of arguments” he may have done in the course of his preaching.

3) And “when” was this instruction to be given? There and then. Immediately after Srila Prabhupada asks Narayana Maharaja to give instruction he states: “I’m unable to speak”. This is the reason he is asking Narayana Maharaja to make these points to his Godbrothers on his behalf when they arrive.

So here we clearly see a false claim made by Narayana Maharaja to promote his agenda as being the “real successor” to Srila Prabhupada.

In conclusion, on the basis of all the above, it is clear from Narayana Maharaja’s OWN WORDS that he is not simply a “dearmost siksa disciple” of Srila Prabhupada whose aim is to help to bring us closer to Srila Prabhupada. Rather he is no different to the 80 wannabe “successor Gurus” of ISKCON, doing and saying whatever is necessary to jockey for Srila Prabhupada’s position.

Sunday, August 1, 2021 [Mayapura, West Bengal, Bharata Bhumi time]
Subject: Sri Lokanatha Goswami Tirobhava Tithi [disappearance day]
compiled by Narasimha dasa and Yasoda nandana dasa

Sri Lokanatha Goswami tirobhava [disappearance day]Tuesday, July 26,.2016 [Los Angeles, California time]Wednesday, July 27, 2016 [Mayapura, West Bengal time]
compiled by Yasoda nandana dasa

Srila Prabhupada glorifies Sri Lokanatha Goswami
Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 1: The Spiritual Masters : Adi 1.19 : PURPORT : Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained this mode of devotional service in three stages, and therefore these worshipable Deities were installed in Vṛndāvana by different Gosvāmīs. They are very dear to the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas there, who visit the temples at least once a day. Besides the temples of these three Deities, many other temples have been established in Vṛndāvana, such as the temple of Rādhā-Dāmodara of Jīva Gosvāmī, the temple of Śyāmasundara of Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī, the temple of Gokulānanda of Lokanātha Gosvāmī, and the temple of Rādhā-ramaṇa of Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī. There are seven principal temples over four hundred years old that are the most important of the five thousand temples now existing in Vṛndāvana.
Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 7: Lord Caitanya in Five Features : Adi 7.164 : PURPORT : When Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī went to Vṛndāvana, there was not a single temple, but by their preaching they were gradually able to construct various temples. Sanātana Gosvāmī constructed the Madana-mohana temple, and Rūpa Gosvāmī constructed the Govindajī temple. Similarly, their nephew Jīva Gosvāmī constructed the Rādhā-Dāmodara temple, Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī constructed the Rādhā-ramaṇa temple, Śrī Lokanātha Gosvāmī constructed the Gokulānanda temple, and Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī constructed the Śyāmasundara temple. In this way, many temples were gradually constructed. For preaching, construction of temples is also necessary. The Gosvāmīs not only engaged in writing books but also constructed temples because both are needed for preaching work. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted the cult of His saṅkīrtana movement to spread all over the world. Now that the International Society for Krishna Consciousness has taken up this task of preaching the cult of Lord Caitanya, its members should not only construct temples in every town and village of the globe but also distribute books that have already been written and further increase the number of books. Both distribution of books and construction of temples must continue side by side in parallel lines.
bhūgarbha gosāñi, āra bhāgavata-dāsayei dui āsi’ kaila vṛndāvane vāsa
SYNONYMSbhūgarbha gosāñi—of the name BhūgarbhaGosāñi; āra—and; bhāgavata–dāsa—of the name Bhāgavatadāsa; yei dui—both of them; āsi‘-coming; kaila—did; vṛndāvane vāsa—residing in Vṛndāvana.
TRANSLATIONThe eleventh branch of Gadādhara Gosvāmī was Bhūgarbha Gosāñi, and the twelfth was Bhāgavata dāsa. Both of them went to Vṛndāvana and resided there for life.
PURPORTBhūgarbha Gosāñi, formerly known as Prema–mañjarī, was a great friend of Lokanātha Gosvāmī, who constructed the temple of Gokulānanda, one of the seven important temples of Vṛndāvana-namely, Govinda, Gopīnātha, Madana–mohana, Rādhāramaṇa, Śyāmasundara, Rādhā–Dāmodara and Gokulānanda-that are authorized institutions of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas.Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 12: The Expansions of Advaita Acarya and Gadadhara Pandita : Adi 12.82 :
Books : Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Adi-lila : Adi 12: The Expansions of Advaita Acarya and Gadadhara Pandita : Adi 12.88 : PURPORT : The Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā, verse 183, mentions that Śivānanda Cakravartī was formerly Lavaṅga-mañjarī. The Śākhā-nirṇaya, written by Yadunandana dāsa, also names other branches of Gadādhara Paṇḍita, as follows: (1) Mādhava Ācārya, (2) Gopāla dāsa, (3) Hṛdayānanda, (4) Vallabha Bhaṭṭa (the Vallabha-sampradāya, or Puṣṭimārga-sampradāya, is very famous), (5) Madhu Paṇḍita (this famous devotee lived near Khaḍadaha in the village known as Sāṅibonā-grāma, about two miles east of the Khaḍadaha station, and constructed the temple of Gopīnāthajī in Vṛndāvana), (6) Acyutānanda, (7) Candraśekhara, (8) Vakreśvara Paṇḍita, (9) Dāmodara, (10) Bhagavān Ācārya, (11) Ananta Ācāryavarya, (12) Kṛṣṇadāsa, (13) Paramānanda Bhaṭṭācārya, (14) Bhavānanda Gosvāmī, (15) Caitanya dāsa, (16) Lokanātha Bhaṭṭa (this devotee, who lived in the village of Tālakhaḍi in the district of Yaśohara and constructed the temple of Rādhāvinoda, was the spiritual master of Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura and a great friend of Bhūgarbha Gosvāmī), (17) Govinda Ācārya, (18) Akrūra Ṭhākura, (19) Saṅketa Ācārya, (20) Pratāpāditya, (21) Kamalākānta Ācārya, (22) Yādava Ācārya and (23) Nārāyaṇa Paḍihārī (a resident of Jagannātha Purī).
saṅge gopāla-bhaṭṭa, dāsa-raghunātharaghunātha-bhaṭṭa-gosāñi, āra lokanātha
SYNONYMSsaṅge—with Rūpa Gosvāmī; gopāla–bhaṭṭa—GopālaBhaṭṭa; dāsa–raghunātha—Raghunāthadāsa Gosvāmī; raghunātha–bhaṭṭa–gosāñi—RaghunāthaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī; āra—and; lokanātha—Lokanāthadāsa Gosvāmī.
TRANSLATIONWhen Rūpa Gosvāmī stayed at Mathurā, he was accompanied by Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī and Lokanātha dāsa Gosvāmī.
PURPORT
Śrī Lokanātha Gosvāmī was a personal associate of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and a great devotee of the Lord. He was a resident of a village named Tālakhaḍi in the district of Yaśohara in Bengal. Previously he lived in Kācnāpāḍā. His father’s name was Padmanābha, and his only younger brother was Pragalbha. Following the orders of Śrī CaitanyaMahāprabhu, Śrī Lokanātha went to Vṛndāvana to live. He established a temple named Gokulānanda. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura selected Lokanāthadāsa Gosvāmī to be his spiritual master, and he was his only disciple. Because Lokanātha dāsa Gosvāmī did not want his name mentioned in Caitanya–caritāmṛta, we do not often see it in this celebrated book. On the E.B.R. Railroad, the Yaśohara station is located in Bangladesh. From the railway station one has to go by bus to the village of Sonākhāli and from there to Khejurā. From there one has to walk, or, during the rainy season, go by boat to the village of Tālakhaḍi. In this village there are still descendants of Lokanātha Gosvāmī’s younger brother.Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 18: Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s Visit to Sri Vrndavana : Madhya 18.49
n Bhakti-ratnākara (Sixth Wave), there is a list of many of the chief devotees who accompanied Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. gosvāmī gopāla-bhaṭṭa ati dayāmaya
bhūgarbha, śrī-lokanātha--guṇera ālayaśrī-mādhava, śrī-paramānanda-bhaṭṭācārya
śrī-madhu-paṇḍita–yāṅra caritra āścaryapremī kṛṣṇadāsa kṛṣṇadāsa brahmacārī
yādava ācārya, nārāyaṇa kṛpāvān
śrī-puṇḍarīkākṣa-gosāñi, govinda, īśānaśrī-govinda vāṇī-kṛṣṇadāsa aty-udāra
śrī-uddhava–madhye-madhye gauḍe gati yāṅradvija-haridāsa kṛṣṇadāsa kavirāja
śrī-gopāla-dāsa yāṅra alaukika kāya
śrī-gopāla, mādhavādi yateka vaiṣṇava”The following Vaiṣṇavas were present with Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī: the merciful GopālaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī; Bhūgarbha Gosvāmī; Śrī Lokanātha dāsa Gosvāmī, a reservoir of good qualities; Śrī Mādhava; Śrī ParamānandaBhaṭṭācārya; Śrī MadhuPaṇḍita, whose characteristics are all wonderful; PremīKṛṣṇadāsa; KṛṣṇadāsaBrahmacārī; Yādava Ācārya; the merciful Nārāyaṇa; Śrī Puṇḍarīkākṣa Gosvāmī; Govinda; Īśāna; Śrī Govinda; the magnanimous VāṇīKṛṣṇadāsa; Śrī Uddhava, who occasionally visited Bengal; DvijaHaridāsa; KṛṣṇadāsaKavirāja; Śrī Gopāladāsa, whose body is completely spiritual; Śrī Gopāla; Mādhava; and many others.”Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 18: Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s Visit to Sri Vrndavana : Madhya 18.52_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
srimad-radha-vinodaika-
seva-sampat-samanvitam
padmanabhatmajam srimal-
lokanatha prabhum bhaje“I worship the lotus feet of Srila Lokanatha Prabhu, the son of Sri Padmanabha. He is a storehouse of singleminded service to the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha-Vinoda.”
Pranam mantra for Lokanatha Dasa Goswami written by Narottama Dasa Thakura.

In the mangalaracana to the Hari-bhakti-vilasa, Sri Sanatana Goswami offers his respects to Lokanatha Goswami as follows:
vrindavan priyan vande
sri govinda padasritansrimad-kashishvaramlokanatam sri krishnadasakam
“I offer my obeisances unto Sri Kashishvara Pandit, Sri Lokanatha Goswami and Sri Krishnadas Kaviraja Goswami who are very dear to Sri Govinda in Vrindavana, having taken shelter at his lotus feet.”
Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura Mahashaya prays as follows at the lotus feet of his gurudeva:
ha ha prabhu lokanatha, rakha padadvandvekripadrishthye chaha yadi haiya anande
manovancha siddhi habe hang purna trishna
hethaya chaitanya mile setha radhakrishna
tumi na karile daya ke kairbe ara
manera vasana purna kara eibara
ei tini samsare mora ara keho nai
kripa kari nija padatale deha thai
radhakrishna lilaguna gao ratri dine
narottama vancha purna nahe tuwa vine
“O Lokanatha, O gurudeva! If you are pleased with me, please keep me in the shelter of your lotus feet, and cast your merciful glance upon me. By your mercy I can find the perfection of inner fulfillment. And by your mercy I can someday meet Sri Caitanya and Radha-Krishna. If you are not merciful to me, then what shall I do? Please, just once, fulfill my heart’s desire. In the three worlds of birth and death no one is more in need of your mercy. Please give me your mercy and give me a place at your lotus feet. Day and night I sing the qualities and pastimes of Radha and Krishna. Still, the inner aspirations of Narottama for the service of Sri Sri Radha-Govinda and Caitanya Mahaprabhu can only be realized through your grace, o Lokanatha Goswami Prabhu.”

lokanathakhya-gosvami
shri-lila-ma�jari pura\Lokanatha Goswami was known as Lila Manjari in Krishna lila.
(Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 187)
shrimad-radha-vinodaika-seva-sampat-samanvitam
padmanabhatmajam shrimal-lokanatha-prabhum bhaje
I worship Lokanatha Prabhu, the son of Padmanabha, whose life revolved around the wealth of service he possessed in his deity Radhavinoda.
(Bhakti-ratnakara 1.297)
The descendants of Lokanatha�s brother, Pragalbha Bhattacharya are still living in Talakharii. Bhugarbha Goswami was Lokanatha�s closest friend and constant companion. He was Prema Manjari in Vraja (Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 187).bhugarbha-thakkurasyasit purvakhya prema-ma�jari.
According to the Sadhana-dipika, Bhugarbha was Lokanatha�s paternal uncle. The Shakha-nirnayamrita adds the following comments on Bhugarbha Goswami:gosvaminam ca bhugarbham bhugarbhottham suvishrutam
sada mahashayam vande krishna-prema-pradam prabhum
shrila-govinda-devasya seva-sukha-vilasinam
dayalum premadam svaccham nityam ananda-vigraham
I offer my reverence to the illustrious Bhugarbha Prabhu, who is said to have been born from the bowels of the earth. He bestows love of Krishna; he takes pleasure in the service of Govinda Deva, is compassionate, simple and always joyful.

Sri Sri Radha Vinoda – Deities of Lokanatha Goswami in Vrindavana

Samadhi of Sri Lokanatha Goswami

Original deities of Sri Radha Vinoda now in Jayapura, Rajasthan
“I worship Shri Lokanath Prabhu, the son of Shri Padmanabh, who possesses great wealth of devotion to Shri Shri RadhaBinod and always engaged in Their service.” Shrila Lokanath Gosvami was born in the village of Talkhari, within the district of Jessore, Bangladesh, as the son of Shri Padmanabh Bhattacarja and his wife, Shri Sita debi. Talkhari can be reached from Sonakhali and Khejura.
Shri Padmanabh was a devoted follower (most probably the initiated disciple) of Shri Adwaita Acarja, who was very fond of him. The younger brother of Lokanath was Pragalbha Bhattacarja. His descendants are still residing at Talkhari. From his childhood Lokanath was disinterested in worldly affairs. He decided to leave his home and came to Nabadwip to have darshan of Mahaprabhu. Shri Gaursundor very lovingly embraced Lokanath and instructed him to go to Brindaban as soon as possible.Lokanath could understand that Mahaprabhu would renounce His family life and accept sannyasa within a few days. When he considered how Prabhu’s near and dear ones would react to see His head shorn of its beautiful locks of curly hair, he felt very aggrieved and began to cry. Mahaprabhu consoled him and told him that they would meet again in Brindaban. With tears flowing from his eyes Lokanath offered his obeisances to Mahaprabhu, the all-omniscient Lord, Who lovingly embraced him.
After explaining some hidden truths to him, He instructed him to go to Brindaban. Thus Lokanath, after surrendering his self at the lotus feet of Mahaprabhu, set out for Brindaban in the company of Bhugarbha.Lokanath never returned home. Being afflicted greatly by separation from the Lord, he set out to tour the holy places, and then finally came to Brindaban.  Meanwhile, Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu accepted sannyas and departed Nadiya for Nilacal. After some time, when Mahaprabhu set out on His tour of South India, Lokanath also journeyed there after having received this news. From the South Mahaprabhu came to Brindaban and Lokanath followed Him there. But by the time he reached Brajabhumi, Mahaprabhu had already left for Prayag. Lokanath was extremely sad. Again having missed darshan of his Prabhu, He decided to leave the next morning for Prayag. In a dream however, Prabhu came to console Lokanath and requested him to stay in Brindaban. Not wanting to neglect the order of Mahaprabhu, Lokanath remained at Brajadham.
After some days he and Bhugarbha Gosvami met the dear disciples of Mahaprabhu, Shri Rupa, Shri Sanatan, Shri Gopal Bhatta and Subuddhi Ray amongst others. Only Subuddhi Ray had come to Brindaban before Lokanath and Bhugarbha. They were all very affectionate to one another; especially Bhugarbha had a very intimate relationship with Lokanath. Only there was some bodily difference between them, otherwise they were one. Amongst the Goswamis, Lokanath was the eldest. He had reached the outermost boundaries of the realm of renunciation and was thus always intensely absorbed in loving ecstatic mellows.In the mangalacaran of Shri Baisnab Toshani we find the following verse: “I worship Shrimat Kasisvar, Lokanath and Shri Krishnadas (Kabiraj), who have taken shelter at the lotus feet of Shri Gobinda and who are very dear to Shri Brindaban.” Similarly in the mangalacaran (invocation of auspiciousness) of Shri Hari Bhakti Vilas,” May Kasisvar, Shri Krishnadas and Lokanath continue to reside in Brindaban (Krishna ban) and attain to the full limits of beauty and splendour.” Lokanath Goswami used to visit the many places of Krishna’s pastimes within Brajadham and in this way he was always absorbed in intense ecstasy. Once Lokanath came to the banks of Kisori kund within the village of Umrao, by the side of Chatrabon, and remained there for a few days. He wanted very much to be able to worship the Deity form of the Lord, so Shri Krishna, Who is within the heart of everyone, accepted another form and arrived there with just such a suitable Deity in His possession. He presented the Deity to Lokanath, telling him, “This Deity’s name is RadhaBinod. Then Krishna went away.
Lokanath received the Deity and looked up to see who had brought Him, but seeing no one present he began to reflect on the mystery of His appearance. Seeing Lokanath deep in thought, RadhaBinod laughed, “Who would have brought Me here! I have come Myself! I live here on the banks of Kisorikund and this is My village, Umrao. Now please give me some thing to eat.”
Lokanath was beside himself with bliss. Immersed in that ecstasy, he prepared some foodstuffs and offered them to RadhaBinod. Then he made a bed of flowers and laid the Deity down to take rest. He fanned the Deity with some leaves and meditated on massaging the lotus feet of his Lord. Having surrendered his body, mind and very life itself, he was totally absorbed as though drinking a flow of honey-like nectar. Lokanath Goswami had no permanent abode. Some Brajabasi villagers wanted to build a little hut for him but he wasn’t interested. He preferred to take shelter under the trees. He made a cloth satchel for RadhaBinod which he kept around his neck. RadhaBinod were like a rare gem suspended on a necklace round the neck of Lokanath. His activities represented the crest jewel of asceticism and the other Goswamis managed to keep him in their company only by great endeavour. It is very difficult to describe the character of Lokanath Goswami, who was so dear to Mahaprabhu. When Mahaprabhu and some of the other Goswamis began their pastimes of disappearance, Lokanath maintained his life only due to the desire of Mahaprabhu.[Bhakti Ratna 1st Taranga]
Lokanath Gosvami was quite adamant not to accept any disciples, since the worship they might offer him could be a disturbance to his mood of devotional service. ‘Raj Kumar’ Narottam however, had a similar determination to accept Lokanath as his guru .
 It is not possible to describe the care with which Narottam Thakur served his guru. In the early morning he would clean the place where his guru used to answer the calls of nature. Shri Lokanath Goswami finally conceded to initiate Narottam das Thakur Mahasoy with the divine mantra. There is no mention anywhere of any other disciple of his. Lokanath Goswami, having become quite advanced in years, entered into his eternal pastimes while residing at Khadir bon (Khoyra gram). On the banks of a large lake there, called Shri Jugalkund, his samadhi has been established.His worshipful Deities Shri Shri RadhaBinod are at present being worshipped in Jaipur, Rajasthan. His puspasamadhi is within the courtyard of Shri Gokulananda Mandir in Brindaban.
It is said that Shrila Krishna das Kabiraj Goswami approached Lokanath Goswami for his blessings and any information that he might be able to provide for the compilation of  Shri Chaitanya Charitamrita. At that time, Lokanath forbade Kabiraj Goswami to mention his name or describe anything about him. In order to honour the request of this great Baisnab, Kabiraj Gosvami therefore didn’t write anything about him. His identity in Braja lila is Lilamanjari. His disappearance is on the eighth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Srabon

Compilation of experiences of devotees feeling presence
of Srila Prabhupada despite his physical absence
Hare Krsna. All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
A compilation of devotees feeling the presence of Srila Prabhupada even in his physical absence is presented below, which proves that spiritual master is not a bodily concept unlike those who insult Srila Prabhupada saying he’s dead,etc.
Never think that I am absent from you. Physical presence is not essential; presence by message (or hearing) is real touch. Lord Krishna is present by His message which was delivered 5,000 years ago. We feel always the presence of our past Acharyas simply by their immutable instructions.
[Letter to Students written from Vrndavana, 2 August 1967]——————————————————————————————————-
If you try to follow my instruction you will feel that my body is in your presence always. I know that you all devotees of San Francisco are very much anxious to get me back there and I am also trying to go back there as soon as possible, in the meantime go on with your chanting and hearing and everything will be all right by the grace of Krishna. I hope this will find you all right.
[Letter to Ballabhi written from New York,May 05,1967]——————————————————————————————————-
“I also do not feel separation from my Guru Maharaja. When I am engaged in his service, his pictures give me sufficient strength. To serve master’s word is more important than to serve him physically.”

[Letter to Syamasundara written from Los Angeles, July 7, 1970]——————————————————————————————————-
TKG admits that all devotees feel presence of Srila Prabhupada through his booksSatsvarupa: He said that “There have been many commentaries on the Bhagavad-gita, including Ramanuja, Madhva and Sankara, and then,” he said, “Tilak and Gandhi, but of all of them the commentary by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami is the greatest commentary.” Punjab University. Then he said later that “In this suffering mankind, God has sent His Holiness A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.”

Tamala Krsna: He said greater than the other acaryas.

Satsvarupa: Yes. Greater than Ramanuja and Madhva.

Tamala Krsna: And he’s a big man.

Prabhupada: He is very big man. Respected. Very good scholar also. He goes outside for lecturing.

Tamala Krsna: Practically all the devotees feel your presence through these books.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: Their life is sustained with these books — these books and chanting and the Deity worship — sustaining all the devotees in the world and bringing new devotees. Everyone we ask who joins this movement, “Before you joined, did you get a book?” “Yes.” In every case I have seen that the first thing was the book.

Prabhupada: Hmm.[Conversation -Mayapur – February 15, 1977]——————————————————————————————————-
Prabhupāda: Of course, if I die, there is nothing to be ruined. You are all participants. So organize this farm project, simple living. Human life is meant for God realization. Try to help them. This is my . . .

Paramānanda: We’re always feeling your presence very strongly, Śrīla Prabhupāda, simply by your teachings and your instructions. We’re always meditating on your instructions.

Prabhupāda: Thank you. That is the real presence. Physical presence is not important.

[Conversation B – Vrndavana- October 6,1977]

——————————————————————————————————-

Translator: She says she would like to help spiritually other people.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So first of all you realize yourself.

Translator: She says sometimes she calls you, and she can feel your presence, and she wants to know if you can feel her presence.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I’m ready to help—but spiritually.

[Conversation B – Mayapur- February 28,1977]

——————————————————————————————————-
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: She wrote you a letter, very feelingful letter.

Prabhupāda: Hmm, hmm. She is very attached.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Want to hear the letter?

Prabhupāda: I’ll wait.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All right.

Prabhupāda: Or you can read. No harm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: She says, “Our most revered Guru Mahārāja, my crores of caraṇa and vandana at the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa and at the lotus feet of our revered Gurujī. When you were here we could not have your darśana due to your illness, and after that, you left Bombay and went to Vṛndāvana. We prayed to Lord Kṛṣṇa for your life, and our Lord Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He again heard our prayers, and now you are better. We are informed by the devotees that Guru Mahārāja is better. May Lord Kṛṣṇa give you a long life, happiness and good health and your stay with us for a few more years. We were in dark, and you have enlightened our life and taught us real religion. You shower your blessings on us. I always feel your presence near me always in the heart. We want you. Your life is very essential for us. Kindly, Guru Mahārāja, take care of your health. We believe in both prayer and medicines, so kindly do not neglect yourself. Your dream of Bombay ISKCON temple has come true. It is just like Kṛṣṇa’s palace in Dvārakā.” She says, “It is a top building, a jewel and . . . (indistinct) . . . Now I close my letter with my prayers for your good health. Your faithful devotee, Nirmala Singol.”

Prabhupāda: You reply that I am progressing little.[Conversation D – Vrndavana-July 01,1977]

Bhakta Charles & Purujit dasa

From Sent: Friday, March 23, 2012 10:16 AM
Subject: article book changes

Glossary: editing – also known as the first editing, these are the edited versions of Srila Prabhupada’s dictation tapes transcripts reediting–going over an already printed book, second editing.

                    


                                                                        Distinguishing Srila Prabhupada’s

Original Books from Changed Ones

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is the Founder and Acarya of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness (ISKCON). He is the author of more than sixty volumes of authoritative translations, commentaries and expositions of the philosophical and religious classics of the Vedic tradition. Of all his various contributions, Srila Prabhupada considered his books most important. In fact, he would often describe his work of translating and explaining the ancient Vedic texts as his very life and soul.

Unfortunately after Prabhupada’s demise in 1977, some of his leading disciples, such as Jayadvaita Swami, have unauthorizedly changed and edited most of Srila Prabhupada’s original translations and books, thus perverting and misinterpreting the real meaning and rendering them useless. Therefore the readers might be warned to only read the original pre 1977 published books of Srila Prabhupada. Otherwise students might be mislead by bogus philosophy preached by Iskcons false successor gurus.

Get Srila Prabhupada’s original, unrevised books. Beware of imitations!

Since 1978, ISKCON and Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc. (BBTI) have been publishing revised editions of Srila Prabhupada’s books, heavily edited by disciples without his authorisation.

ISKCON and Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc. are NOT the authentic Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) founded by Srila Prabhupada for publishing his phenomenal works. Srila Prabhupada’s Bhaktivedanta Book Trust is a legal trust and has no connection with ISKCON and the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc., a California corporation formed in 1988, 11 years after Srila Prabhupada departed from this world. Srila Prabhupada established the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust in 1972, and in 1974, appointed Hansadutta dasa BBT trustee for life with these words: “The temples may go, the devotees may go, but my books will live forever.”

This brief article will hopefully serve as a guide in helping devotees to understand how to detect Srila Prabhupada’s original books. We may just say that in the past on different websites certain books have been advertised as being original when in fact on closer observation they have proven to be changed. Whether this was deliberate or done unintentionally is a subject matter for debate but the fact remains that there is still considerable confusion on the matter. We were fortunate to have a full set of Srila Prabhupada’s originals (first printings) and thus started making a comparison. Random checks were done just as a simple test and on every single one of those checks changes were found. The fact that changes were found leaves sufficient room for doubting that entire volumes may well be riddled with changes.

We haven’t gone through each and every one of Srila Prabhupada’s books page for page to list the numerous changes since the time was an issue (hopefully a detailed comparison will be undertaken in the future for the benefit of all devotees).

Srila Prabhupada’s books can be broken into 3 basic categories:

1) Books that he himself directly wrote.

2) Books that are compilations of his statements coming from lectures, letters and conversations etc…(these were compiled specifically under his instruction by his disciples, such compilations were put together in his physical presence.

3) Book compilations that were put together after his physical departure.

Of the above-mentioned 3 categories the first two are of greater relevance to the issue. We are as yet to make a complete comparison of category 2 we thought it more urgent to deal with group 1 since group 2 which consists of letters and conversations etc… can be verified by checking back its original source i.e. complete lectures, conversations or letters which can be found on Vedabase. In the case of group 1 we would have no other source than the books themselves.

Group 1 can be further divided as:

a) big books
b) small books

Group a) consists precisely of the following:

i) Bhagavad-Gita
ii) Srimad-Bhagavatam
iii) Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta
iv) Krsna Book
v) Teachings of Lord Caitanya
vi) Nectar of Devotion

Group b) consists of:

i) Easy Journey to Other Planets
ii) Sri Isopanisad
iii) Nectar of Instruction

The significant point which is worth noting is that even though some books are titled pre-1978, edition they may still have unauthorised changes to them. To properly understand this it would be in the reader’s best interest to read in the Vedabase the 1977 conversation titled “Rascal Editors“. In this conversation with Srila Prabhupada it is very clear that his books were being changed without his authorisation even in HIS PHYSICAL PRESENCE!!! Therefore, the question which should naturally arise is “among the pre-1978 books, which ones are authorised and which are not?” This basically is the crux of the matter.

Srila Prabhupada in the same conversation states that his books should be printed in the original way. What does that mean? It means that to ensure we get the authorised version we must in fact get the first printing of his books!!! Sometimes individuals with an overly compromised mentality argue that not all of the changes were of great significance and therefore minor changes should be overlooked. To answer such faulty logic, one should carefully consider that any action performed without authorization of the spiritual master is in itself the cause of destruction on the spiritual path. Therefore, the issue is not how big or small are the changes, it is only a question of did Srila Prabhupada authorize it or not. One with a little sincerity will accept what he has authorized without posing superfluous and offensive arguments. We therefore present below the first printings of Catergory 1) and 2):

Bhagavad-Gita Unabridged (1972)

Srimad-Bhagavatam-First Canto parts 1,2,3 (1972)
Second Canto parts 1,2 (1972)
Third Canto part 1(1972)
   Parts 2,3,4 (1974)
   Four Canto parts 1,2,3,4 (1974)
   Fifth Canto parts 1,2 (1975)
   Sixth Canto parts1,2 (1975)
   part 3 (1976)
   Seventh Canto part 1,2,3 (1976)
   Eighth Canto parts 1,2,3 (1976)
   Ninth Canto parts 1,2,3 (1977)
   Tenth Canto parts 1,2 (1977)
   part 3 (1980)

Sri Caitanya Caritamrta:
Adi Lila vol 1,2 ,3 (1973-74)
Madhya Lila vol 1-9 (1974-75)
Antya lila vol 1-5 (1975)

Krsna Book vol 1,2 (1970)
Teachings of Lord Caitanya (1968)
Nectar of Devotion (1970)
Easy Journey to Other Planets (1958, if not mistaken)
Sri Isopanisad (1969)
Nectar of Instruction (1975)

Note: Although on the whole one must get the first printings, there are the following few exceptions which were not first printings but were printed in the physical presence of Srila Prabhupada and were definitely not changed. They are:

Teachings of Lord Caitanya (1972)
Nectar of Devotion (1972)
Sri Isopanisad (1972)
Krsna Book (1974)

Otherwise speaking, the others which were printed for a second time in the physical presence of Srila Prabhupada, like the 1st and 2nd Cantos of Srimad Bhagavatam, were changed. One thing which has been circulated by some devotees is that the small set of 30 volumes of Srimad Bhagavatam which were printed in Singapore and also made into a one volume edition are original, but we happen to have a set of that also, and found changes. There are certain tricks to quickly spot first printing Bhagavatams, if found in second hand book shops:

   1) The first 4 Cantos do not have the volumes labeled in numerical notations on the spine whereas the remaining cantos do. The titles on the 5th-10th Canto are all in gold letters whereas in the previous cantos (1st-4th) have different colored letters for the titles.

   2) The 3rd and 4th Cantos do not have an index but the other cantos do.

   3) When checking the inside of the Bhagavatam volumes there should be mentioned only one date, i.e., first printing which is the same as the copyright year. If there are other dates mentioned don’t trust them, with the exception of the above mentioned few books, viz TLC, KB etc.

   4) The colors of the dust jacket for the 5th-10th Cantos are the same as with the recent printing, however the 1st-4th Cantos are different.

   Vol 1-2 of 1st Canto are blue, Volume 3 is a yellowish colour

   Vol 1-2 of 2nd Canto have no brown borders around the pictures like in the second printings. They just have the photos of the temple altar in New York.

   3rd Canto Volume 1, blue wall paper design dust jacket
   Volume 2, grayish wall paper design dust jacket
   Volume 3, brown
   Volume 4, pink

We would like to end with examples of some of the changes found in the second printings of Srila Prabhupada’s books, especially ones which were printed in his physical presence, and also the famous morning walk titled “Rascal Editors”, so as to leave no doubt in the mind of the readers that obtaining a set of the first printings is a must. We will appreciate any feedback from devotees and apologise if any statistical facts are not included or are misrepresented. It’s not our intention since we feel that the content herein is as true as can be.

 Book Changes in Srimad Bhagavatam:

(The original version stands for the first printing of a particular Canto. The changed version stands for the 1978 printing. In case of the First Canto and the Second Canto second printing of those has been made in 1976 and is identical with the 1978 changed printings.)

Second Canto

Original version:

Lord Brahma said: At the time when the unlimitedly powerful Lord assumed the form of a boar as a pastime, just to lift up the earthly planet, which was drowned in the great ocean of the universe called the Garbhodaka, the first demon (Hiranyaksa) appeared, and the Lord pierced him with His tusk.

(SB 2.7.1 translation)

Changed version:

Lord Brahma said: When the unlimitedly powerful Lord assumed the form of a boar as a pastime, just to lift the planet earth, which was drowned in the great ocean of the universe called the Garbhodaka, the first demon (Hiranyaksa) appeared, and the Lord pierced him with His tusk.

Original version:

The floating of the planets in the weightless air is due to the inner constitution of the globes, and the modernized drilling of the earth to exploit oil from within is a sort of disturbance by the modern demons resulting in a greatly harmful reaction of the floating condition of the earth.

(SB 2.7.1 purport)

Changed version:

The floating of the planets in the weightless air is due to the inner constitution of the globes, and the modernized drilling of the earth to exploit oil from within is a sort of disturbance by the modern demons and can result in a greatly harmful reaction to the floating condition of the earth.

Original version:

When the Lord appeared to pick up the earthly planet, the demon of the name Hiranyaksa tried to create a disturbance in the methodical functions of the Lord.

(SB 2.7.1 purport)

Changed version:

When the Lord appeared to pick up the earth, the demon of the name Hiranyaksa tried to create a disturbance in the methodical functions of the Lord.

Original version:

A sane man, therefore, does not accept any cheap addition of incarnation without reference to the authorized scriptures.

(SB 2.7.2 purport)

Changed version:

A sane man, therefore, does not accept any cheap addition of an incarnation without reference to the authorized scriptures.

Original version:

Thus, with the proportionate improvement of such transcendental devotional service, the devotee makes definite progress in the matter of brahma-gati, or atma-gati.

(SB 2.7.3)

Changed version:

Thus, with the proportionate improvement of such transcendental devotional service, the devotee makes definite progress toward brahma-gati, or atma-gati.

Original version:

The Lord accepted his prayer, and he gave himself as the son of Atreya.

(SB 2.7.4 purport)

Changed version:

The Lord accepted his prayer, and he gave himself as the son of Atri.

Original version:

In order to create different planetary systems I had to undergo austerities and penance, and the Lord, thus being pleased with me, incarnated in four sanas(Sanaka, Sanatkumara, Sanandana and Sanatana). In the previous creation the spiritual truth was devastated, but the four sanas explained it so nicely that the truth at once became clearly perceived by the sages.

(SB 2.7.5 translation)

Changed version:

To create different planetary systems I had to undergo austerities and penance, and the Lord, thus being pleased with me, incarnated in four sanas(Sanaka, Sanatkumara, Sanandana and Sanatana). In the previous creation the spiritual truth was devastated, but the four sanas explained it so nicely that the truth at once became clearly perceived by the sages.

Original version:

The living entities are positively sanatanam, but superlatively because the living entities are apt to fall to the atmosphere of noneternity also.

(SB 2.7. 5 purport)

Changed version:

The living entities are positively sanatanam, but superlatively because the living entities are apt to fall to the atmosphere of noneternity.

Original version:

Because there is a prime necessity for transcendental knowledge, the ever-conditioned souls are given a chance for liberation in every millennium of creation.

(SB 2.7.5 purport)

Changed version:

Because transcendental knowledge is a prime necessity, the ever-conditioned souls are given a chance for liberation in every millennium of creation.

Original version:

If anyone wants to get freedom from the material bondage of conditional life, he must get free from the attraction for the form the woman.

(SB 2.7.6 purport)

Changed version:

If one wants to get freedom from the material bondage of conditional life, he must get free from the attraction for the form the woman.

Original version:

On the contrary, Bhrgu Muni tested the tolerance of the Lord by purposely kicking His chest,but instead of being angry at Bhrgu Muni the Lord begged his pardon, saying that Bhrgu Muni ‘s leg might have been badly hurt due to His chest being too hard.

(SB 2.7.7 purport)

Changed version:

On the contrary, Bhrgu Muni tested the tolerance of the Lord by purposely kicking His chest,but instead of being angry at Bhrgu Muni the Lord begged his pardon, saying that Bhrgu Muni ‘s leg might have been badly hurt because His chest is too hard.

Original version:

Prince Dhruva was initiated by Narada to chant the hymn composed of eighteen letters, namely om namo bhagavate vasudevaya.

(SB 2.7.8 purport)

Changed version:

Prince Dhruva was initiated by Narada into chanting the hymn composed of eighteen letters, namely om namo bhagavate vasudevaya.

Original version:

Long life, obedience, good reputation, righteousness, prospects of being promoted to higher planets, and blessings of great personalities are all vanquished simply by disobeying a great soul.

(SB 2.7.9 purport)

Changed version:

Long life, obedience, good reputation, righteousness, prospects of being promoted to higher planets, and blessings of great personalities are all vanquished simply by disobedience to a great soul.

Original version:

It is sometimes proposed that Sudevi was another wife of King Agnidhra.

(SB 2.7.10 purport)

Changed version:

It is sometimes proposed that Sudevi was another wife of King Nabhi.

Original version:

The Vedic hymns are generally meant for sacrifices to be performed by the fruitive workers who also want to satisfy the demigods to achieve their fruitive result.

(SB 2.7.11 purport)

Changed version:

The Vedic hymns are generally meant for sacrifices performed by the fruitive workers who also want to satisfy the demigods to achieve their fruitive result.

Original version:

This foretelling is by past experience of Brahmaji, who knew that in a fearful devastating scene, the Vedas would come out his mouth.

(SB 2.7.12 purport)

Changed version:

This foretelling is by past the experience of Brahmaji, who knew that in a fearful devastating scene, the Vedas would come out his mouth.

Original version:

The gigantic work of churning the milk ocean by combined effort of the demigods and the demons required a gigantic resting ground or pivot for the gigantic Mandara Hill.

(SB 2.7.13 purport)

Changed version:

The gigantic work of churning the milk ocean by the combined effort of the demigods and the demons required a gigantic resting ground or pivot for the gigantic Mandara Hill.

Third Canto

Original version:

Both of them knew that the topics discussed by Vidura and Rsi Maitreya were elevated, and thus Maharaja Pariksit was very interested to learn from the bona fide spiritual master.

(SB 3.1.4 purport)

Changed version:

Both of them knew that the topics discussed by Vidura and Rsi Maitreya were elevated, and thus Maharaja Paraksit was very interested in learning from the bona fide spiritual master.

Original version:

Lord Brahma said: Thus the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose abode is in the kingdom of God, after congratulating the sages for their nice words, spoke as follows.

(SB 3.16.1 translation)

Changed version:

Lord Brahma said: After thus congratulating the sages for their nice words, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose abode is in the kingdom of God, spoke as follows.

Original version:

He has clearly said, mayavadi-bhasya: if anyone hears the Mayavadis ‘ interpretation of the pastimes of the Lord, or their interpretation of Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam or any other Vedic literature, then he is doomed.

(SB.3.19.33 purport)

Changed version:

He has clearly said, mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva nasa: if anyone hears the Mayavadis ‘ interpretation of the pastimes of the Lord, or their interpretation of Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam or any other Vedic literature, then he is doomed.

Original version:

Lord Brahma then gave birth to the demons from the backside of his body, and they were very fond of sex. Because they were too lustful, they approached him for copulation.

(SB.3.20.23 translation)

Changed version:

Lord Brahma then gave birth to the demons from his buttocks, and they were very fond of sex. Because they were too lustful, they approached him for copulation.

Original version:

The mystic yoga system, as You have explained, aims at the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is meant for completely ending material existence. Please let me know what the nature of that yoga system is. How many ways are there by which one can understand in truth that sublime yoga?

(SB.3.25.29 translation)

Changed version:

The mystic yoga system, as You have explained, aims at the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is meant for completely ending material existence. Please let me know the nature of that yoga system. How many ways are there by which one can understand in truth that sublime yoga?

Original version:

The different parts of the bhakti-yoga system are hearing, chanting, remembering, offering prayers, worshiping the Lord in the temple, accepting service to Him, carrying out His orders, making friendship with Him and after all surrendering everything for the service of the Lord… As far as jnanis are concerned, they are interested in jnana-yoga, but even if one elevates oneself, after a great performance of austerity, to the Brahman effulgence, there is a chance of falling down again in the material world… Sometimes it is questioned how the living entity falls down from the spiritual world to the material world.

(SB.3.25.29 purport)

Changed version:

The different parts of the bhakti-yoga system are hearing, chanting, remembering, offering prayers, worshiping the Lord in the temple, accepting service to Him, carrying out His orders, making friendship with Him and ultimately surrendering everything for the service of the Lord… As far as jnanis are concerned, they are interested in jnana-yoga, but even if one elevates oneself, after a great performance of austerity, to the Brahman effulgence, there is a chance of falling down again to the material world… Sometimes it is asked how the living entity falls down from the spiritual world to the material world.

Fourth Canto

Original version:

The real creation is done by the Supreme Lord Himself by agitating His material energy, and then, by His order, Brahma, the first living creature in the universe, attempts to create the different planetary systems and their inhabitants, expanding the population through his progeny… Svayambhuva Manu is the son of Brahma.

(SB.4.1.1 purport)

Changed version:

The Supreme Lord Himself does the real creation by agitating His material energy, and then, by His order, Brahma, the first living creature in the universe, attempts to create the different planetary systems and their inhabitants, expanding the population through his progeny… Svayambhuva Manu was the son of Brahma.

Original version:

Akuti had two brothers, but in spite of her brothers, King Svayambhuva Manu handed her over to Prajapati Ruci on the condition that the son born of her be returned to him as his son.

(SB.4.1.2 translation)

Changed version:

Akuti had two brothers, but in spite of her brothers, King Svayambhuva Manu handed her over to Prajapati Ruci on the condition that the son born of her be returned to Manu as his son.

Original version:

This is called putrika-dharma, which means that by execution of religious rituals he gets a son, although he is sonless by one ‘s own wife… Manu is the lawgiver of mankind, and since he personally executed the putrika-dharma, it is to be accepted that such a system can be adopted by mankind also. Thus, even though he has a son, if he wants to have a particular son from his daughter, he can give his daughter in charity on that condition.

(SB.4.1.2 purport)

Changed version:

This is called putrika-dharma, which means that by execution of religious rituals one gets a son, although one is sonless by one ‘s own wife… Manu is the lawgiver of mankind, and since he personally executed the putrika-dharma, we may accept that such a system may be adopted by mankind also. Thus, even though one has a son, if one wants to have a particular son from one ‘s daughter, one may give one ‘s daughter in charity on that condition.

Original version:

When a devotee becomes mature in his prosecution of devotional service, he sees eye to eye the same Syamasundara he has thought of during the entire course of his devotional service.

(SB.4.9.2 purport)

Changed version:

When a devotee becomes mature in his prosecution of devotional service, he sees face to face the same Syamasundara he has thought of during the entire course of his devotional service.

Original version:

The devotee is allowed to see the Supreme Lord eye to eye, although the Lord is beyond the expression of our senses and beyond our direct perception.

(SB.4.19.10 purport)

Changed version:

The devotee is allowed to see the Supreme Lord face to face, although the Lord is beyond the expression of our senses and beyond our direct perception.

Original version: 4th Cnt(1974) 4.24-45-46

Thus the raga-marga, or Bhagavata-marga,friendship exists on a higher platform with Krsna, namely the platform of vipralambha friendship. Paternal friendship, conjugal paternal service, as well as conjugal service, are visible in the Vrndavana raga-marga relationships.

Changed version: 4th Cnt(1978)

Thus the raga-marga, or bhagavata-marga, friendship exists on a higher platform with Krsna, namely the platform of vipralambha friendship. Paternal friendship, paternal service and conjugal service are visible in the Vrndavana raga-marga relationships.

Original version:

Here, however, it is indicated that those who are constantly engaged in meditating on the lotus feet of the Lord are certainly purified of the material contamination of the senses and are thus able to see the Supreme Lord eye to eye… Lord Siva therefore advises that one who is actually serious about purification must engage himself in this type of meditation or in the mystic yoga system, which will help him not only to see the Lord within constantly but to see Him eye to eye and become His associate in Vaikunthaloka or Goloka Vrndavana.

(SB.4.24.53 purport)

Changed version:

Here, however, it is indicated that those who are constantly engaged in meditating on the lotus feet of the Lord are certainly purified of the material contamination of the senses and are thus able to see the Supreme Lord face to face… Lord Siva therefore advises that one who is actually serious about purification must engage himself in this type of meditation or in the mystic yoga system, which will help him not only to see the Lord within constantly but to see Him face to face and become His associate in Vaikunthaloka or Goloka Vrndavana.

Original version:

Just as one gets a chance to consult with the Paramatma within his heart, he also gets a chance to see Him actually situated before him.

(SB.4.28.52 purport)

Changed version:

Just as one gets a chance to consult with the Paramatma within his heart, one also gets a chance to see Him actually situated before him.

Note: There is a very popular argument voiced by certain individuals who have strong affiliations with the book changers. They claim that the current Srimad Bhagavatam set consisting of 18 volumes is completely non-different from the pre-1977 Bhagavatam. However, when such faulty statements are exposed, to smokescreen the issue they say that the First Canto from the 18 volume set is exactly the same as the Delhi-Bhagavatam(another false statement), the one Srila Prabhupada brought with him from India in 1965. To support this statement they quote the famous SB 1.2.18 of the Delhi Bhagavatam,which is supposedly identical with the same verse of the 18 volume set. However, there are two issues. The first is that on closer observation it has been noted that the 1.2.18 of the Delhi is not at all exactly the same as in the 18-volume set. The second issue is that it was not the edition which Srila Prabhupada authorized, set as a standard and gave class from regularly in his physical presence. We have concrete evidence to establish that the Delhi Bhagavatam is different from the First Canto of the 18-volume set. See below:

First Canto:

Original version:

TRANSLATION

Oh, it is our good luck that we have today become again under the protection of our Lord by Your presence; although Your Lordship is rarely visited even by the denizens of heaven. Now it will be possible for us to look unto Your smiling face full of affectionate observance. We can see now Your transcendental form full of all auspiciousness.

PURPORT

The Lord in His eternal personal form can be seen only by the pure devotees. The Lord is never impersonal, but He is the Supreme Absolute Personality of Godhead, possible to be visited by devotional service face to face, which is impossible to be done even by the denizens of higher planets. When Brahmaji and other demigods, do require to consult Lord Visnu the plenary portion of Lord Krsna, the demigods have to wait on the shore of the ocean of milk where Lord Visnu is lying on White Land (Svetadvipa) in the ocean of milk. This ocean of milk and the Svetadvipa planet is the replica of Vaikunthaloka- within the universe. Neither Brahmaji nor the demigods like Indra etc. can enter into this island of Svetadvipa but they can stand on the shore of the ocean of milk and transmit their message to Lord Visnu, known as Ksirodakasayi Visnu. Therefore, the Lord is rarely seen by them but the inhabitants of Dvaraka because of their being pure devotees without any tinge of material contamination of fruitive activities and empiric philosophical speculation, can see Him eye to eye by the grace of the Lord. This is the original state of the living entities and can be attained by reviving our natural and constitutional state of life discovered by devotional service only.

(SB 1.11.9)

Changed version:

TRANSLATION
Oh, it is our good luck that we have come again today under Your protection by Your presence, for Your Lordship rarely visits even the denizens of heaven. Now it is possible for us to look into Your smiling face, which is full of affectionate glances. We can now see Your transcendental form, full of all auspiciousness.

PURPORT
The Lord in His eternal personal form can be seen only by the pure devotees. The Lord is never impersonal, but He is the Supreme Absolute Personality of Godhead, possible to be visited by devotional service face to face, which is impossible to be done even by the denizens of higher planets. When Brahmaji and other demigods want to consult Lord Visnu, the plenary portion of Lord Krsna, they have to wait on the shore of the ocean of milk where Lord Visnu is lying on White Land (Svetadvipa). This ocean of milk and the Svetadvipa planet are the replica of Vaikunthaloka within the universe. Neither Brahmaji nor the demigods like Indra can enter into this island of Svetadvipa, but they can stand on the shore of the ocean of milk and transmit their message to Lord Visnu, known as KsirodakasayiVisnu. Therefore, the Lord is rarely seen by them, but the inhabitants of Dvaraka, because of their being pure devotees without any tinge of the material contamination of fruitive activities and empiric philosophical speculation, can see Him face to face by the grace of the Lord. This is the original state of the living entities and can be attained by reviving our natural and constitutional state of life, which is discovered by devotional service only.

Links to other book changes:

• Bhagavadgita As It Is
• Perfect Questions Perfect Answers
• Krsna Book
• Teachings of Lord Caitanya

THE RASCAL EDITORS (Jayadvaita Swami) THEY ARE DOING HAVOC

Prabhupada: The rascal editors, they are doing havoc.

Yasoda-nandana: Sometimes they appeal that “We can make better English,” so they change like that, just like in the case of Isopanisad. There are over a hundred changes. So where is the need? Your words are sufficient. The potency is there. When they change, it is something else.
Svarupa Damodara: That’s actually a very dangerous mentality.
Yasoda-nandana: What is it going to be in five years? It’s going to be a different book.
Prabhupada: So, you… What you are going… It is very serious situation. You write one letter that “Why you have made so many changes?” And whom to write? Who will care? All rascals are there. Write to Satsvarupa that “This is the position. They are doing anything and everything at their whim.” The next printing should be again to the original way.
Tamala Krsna: They should have a board of Satsvarupa and Jayadvaita.
Prabhupada: Hm.
Tamala Krsna: Those two men are both in Los Angeles now.

Prabhupada: So, write them immediately that “The rascal editors, they are doing havoc, and they are being maintained by Ramesvara and party.” (S.P.Conversation, “Rascal Editors,”June 22, 1977, Vrndavana)

Prabhupada: Change of government… Just like they say, a change of theories by the rascals. Change means rascal.
Harikesa: But as soon as a government changes…
Prabhupada: Anything change means it is the domain of rascals, pandemonium. Just like in Manu-samhita it is said that, nasyam svatantratam arhati, women should not be given independence. Once said, that is fact. If you want to change, you suffer. That’s all. (S.P. Morning Walk December 14, 1975, New Delhi)

Don’t make addition, alteration. Then you become rascal. Immediately you become rascal. And many times they give me very great credit that I have done wonderful. Yes, I have done wonderful. But what is the reason? Because I am not a rascal. I speak what Krsna has spoken. That’s all. Very easy. Everyone can do that. Not only I. Any of you, you can do this. Simply speak what is…, what Krsna has said. That’s all. Don’t make addition, alteration. Then you become rascal. Immediately you become rascal. (Srimad-Bhagavatam Lecture 1.5.29 Vrndavana, August 10, 1974)

Rascal Editors

June 22, 1977, Vrndavana

Srila Prabhupada: Where are others?
Tamala Krsna: Shall I get other people? Satadhanya Maharaja? (long pause)
Srila Prabhupada: That… Find this verse, munayah sadhu prsto ‘ham… [SB 1.2.5].
Tamala Krsna: There’s no index. It’s not a new Bhagavatam. There’s no index in this Bhagavatam. Munayah sadhu…? “The Effects of Kali-yuga” chapter? Is that the verse, about the effects of Kali-yuga? No. (background talking, looking for verse) munayah sadhu prsto ‘ham bhavadbhir loka-mangalam yat krtah krsna-samprasno yenatma suprasidati [SB 1.2.5] “munayah-of the sages; sadhu-this is relevant; prstah-questioned; aham…”
Srila Prabhupada: No? What is that? Sadhu? What is that? Munayah?
Tamala Krsna: Says, “sadhu-this is relevant.”
Srila Prabhupada: Relevant?
Tamala Krsna: That’s what it’s translated as, “this is relevant.” May be a mistake.
Devotee (1): It’s a mistake.
Srila Prabhupada: Munayah?
Tamala Krsna: “Munayah-of the sages; sadhu-this is relevant…”
Srila Prabhupada: The nonsense, they are… They are correcting my trans… Rascal. Who has done this? Munayah is addressing all these munis.
Tamala Krsna: It’s addressing the munis?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes.
Tamala Krsna: Sadhus, great sages.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Sadhu means they are very pure. What can be done if it goes there and these rascals becomes Sanskrit scholar and do everything nonsense? One Sanskrit scholar strayed, that rascal… He take… What is his…? Saci-suta? Saci-sandana?
Tamala Krsna: Jaya-sacinandana?
Srila Prabhupada: And they are maintaining them. Different meaning.
Tamala Krsna: “Bhavadbhih-by all of you; loka-the world; mangalam– welfare; yat-because; krtah-made; krsna-the Personality of Godhead; samprasnah-relevant question; yena-by which; atma-self; suprasidati-completely pleased.” Translation: “O sages…”
Srila Prabhupada: Now here is “O sages,” and the word meaning is “of the munis.” Just see. Such a rascal Sanskrit scholar. Here it is addressed, sambodhana, and they touch(?) it-“munayah-of the munis.” It is very risky to give to them for editorial direction. Little learning is dangerous. However proper Sanskrit scholar, little learning, dangerous. Immediately they become very big scholars, high salaried, and write all nonsense. Who they are? (pause) Then?
Tamala Krsna: “O sages, I have been…”
Srila Prabhupada: No, they cannot be reliable. They can do more harm. Just see here the fun(?).
Tamala Krsna: Yeah. We ‘re finding out in the Fifth Canto that there ‘re words that are so off, the meaning is completely changed, completely changed. I mean, in the three chapters that we read, Bhakti-prema Maharaja made at least half a dozen corrections of serious corrections. They had changed the meaning.
Svarupa Damodara: Some of the mistakes in the numbers, the figures.
Tamala Krsna: Oh, yeah, they ‘re all…
Srila Prabhupada: So how they can be reliable, so-called, this way…? (background whispering) Hm?
Yasoda-nandana: In the Gurukula we were teaching Isopanisad class to the children. So we took… [break] …Prabhupada and the words which the recent edition of the Press is wrong. Many changes were brought. They were trying to make better English, but sometimes, to make better English, I think they were making philosophical mistakes also. There is no so much need of making so much better English. Your English is sufficient. It is very clear, very simple. We have caught over 125 changes. They ‘re changing so many things. We are wondering if this is necessary. I will show you today. I have kept the book.
Srila Prabhupada: I know that these rascals are doing. What can be done? How they can be relied on?
Svarupa Damodara: It’s not the responsibility of the BBT trustee, to see these things don’t change without Prabhupada ‘s sanction?
Srila Prabhupada: And Ramesvara is indulging this. The great rascal is that Jagannatha? He’s there in Los Angeles.
Tamala Krsna: Jagannatha dasa?
Srila Prabhupada: Maybe.
Indian devotee (2): Jagannatha-suta.
Srila Prabhupada: Jagannatha-suta.
Tamala Krsna: No…
Srila Prabhupada: And the one rascal is gone.
Tamala Krsna: Nitai.
Srila Prabhupada: It is starting. What can I do? These cannot… These rascals cannot be educated. Dangerous. Little learning, dangerous. So how to correct? The leader of these dangerous-Radha-vallabha.
Tamala Krsna: Radha-vallabha?
Srila Prabhupada: Hm. He’s a dangerous, who maintains these rascal with this work. He ‘ll always have questions and alteration. That is his business. That is American business. They take that always. What can I do? Ultimate, it goes for editorial. They make changes, such changes.
Tamala Krsna: Your original work that you ‘re doing now, that is edited by Jayadvaita. That’s the first editing.
Srila Prabhupada: He is good.
Tamala Krsna: He is good. But then, after they print the books, they ‘re going over. So, when they reprint…
Srila Prabhupada: So how to check this? How to stop this?
Tamala Krsna: They should not make any changes without consulting Jayadvaita.
Srila Prabhupada: But they are doing without any authority.
Svarupa Damodara: I think we should make whole survey, all books already printed, before printing the next batch and check any mistakes so that it should be all corrected. Otherwise, if the scholars find out that there are so many mistakes in the books, then the quality and the appreciation will be reduced.
Giriraja(?): (indistinct)
Svarupa Damodara: Yes. We find so far that they are appreciating so much within the scholarly circle, and we want to maintain that actually.
Srila Prabhupada: Very serious feature. It is not possible for me to check, and they are doing all nonsense, freedom. (pause)
Yasoda-nandana: Jaya Srila Prabhupada.
Srila Prabhupada: What to do?
Tamala Krsna: I think Svarupa Damodara ‘s point, that all the books should now be checked before they’re reprinted again… And they have to be checked not by some so-called learned Sanskrit man but by a learned devotee. Just like you always favored Jayadvaita because his Krsna consciousness…
Srila Prabhupada: Jayadvaita, Satsvarupa…
Yasoda-nandana: Bhakti-prema, Satsvarupa is there.
Tamala Krsna: So, Bhakti-prema… That’s a good solution.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes.
Tamala Krsna: You know, the real point is that the Sanskrit is often not translated properly in the translation, what Nitai and others have done.
Srila Prabhupada: He’s a rascal. That’s… He’s finding out guru and job for filling the belly. That is the latest news.
Tamala Krsna: What is he doing?
Srila Prabhupada: To find out some job to fill up the belly. Otherwise he ‘ll starve if he doesn ‘t get any job. And he’s finding out guru. Job-guru. Now do the needful. Otherwise everything will be spoiled. These rascal editorial… That Easy Journey, original, this (indistinct) Hayagriva has changed so many things.
Tamala Krsna: He actually took out the whole part about their going to the moon being childish. He deleted the whole section.
Yasoda-nandana: Also, in the Bhagavatam, where Prabhupada was talking about Lord Buddha… You mentioned that if the followers of Lord Buddha do not close the slaughterhouse, there is no meaning to such a caricature. That word was very nice. But in new book that word is not there anymore. They have pulled the word. The meaning of the word is not… So many times.
Srila Prabhupada: It is very serious situation. Ramesvara is in direct…
Svarupa Damodara: I think they ‘re working too independently without consulting properly.
Yasoda-nandana: Sometimes they appeal that “We can make better English,” so they change like that, just like in the case of Isopanisad. There are over a hundred changes. So where is the need? Your words are sufficient. The potency is there. When they change, it is something else.
Svarupa Damodara: That’s actually a very dangerous mentality.
Yasoda-nandana: What is it going to be in five years? It’s going to be a different book.
Srila Prabhupada: So, you… What you are going… It is very serious situation. You write one letter that “Why you have made so many changes?” And whom to write? Who will care? All rascals are there. Write to Satsvarüpa that “This is the position. They are doing anything and everything at their whim.” The next printing should be again to the original way.
Tamala Krsna: They should have a board of Satsvarupa and Jayadvaita.
Srila Prabhupada: Hm.
Tamala Krsna: Those two men are both in Los Angeles now.
Srila Prabhupada: So write them immediately that “The rascal editors, they are doing havoc, and they are being maintained by Ramesvara and party.”
Tamala Krsna: Sometimes there’s a fear that some word will be unpopular, and on account of desire to gain popularity or acceptance, they lessen the strength of the word. They change the word. They choose a word which is more so-called acceptable.
Svarupa Damodara: Same thing is with the Back to Godhead. Just publish some photo, try to change so many things in order to make it popularized. They have been doing that even with the philosophy. (pause)
Satadhanya: I remember when Ramesvara was here, he had mentioned that in one article you had denounced the Christians strongly, so he said he left one part out because he was afraid there would be a bad reaction from the Christians in America.
Srila Prabhupada: That is possible. That is possible. He should be careful. Then?
Tamala Krsna: I think in addition to Satsvarupa and Jayadvaita checking the English, that Bhakti-prema Maharaja has to check all the Sanskrit of all of the books… He’s translating now, so as he’s translating, he can check. He’s going, starting from the First Canto.
Svarupa Damodara: I think this is very appropriate, because checking English doesn ‘t have any meaning without checking the Sanskrit, the original.
Tamala Krsna: There was one verse in the Fifth Canto. From the way that they translated it, there was no way that anyone could possibly have understood what the verse meant. I mean, it was made unintelligible by the translation. So, we were reading. Finally, Bhakti-prema says, “Wait a minute. This translation is wrong. They have edited an extra statement here that is not there, and it makes it completely not understandable.” Then suddenly, when he corrected the Sanskrit, it was easy to understand. It was very clear.
Srila Prabhupada: So, what to do?
Tamala Krsna: So, I think we just have to be slow but sure. We have to go over all of the books and make sure that they ‘re perfect before they ‘re printed again. Not be in such a rush, print, print, and print all nonsense.
Svarupa Damodara: One time I had a strong talk with Ramesvara Maharaja about our article for printing in the Back to Godhead. I didn ‘t want them to be printed in Back to Godhead because they made so many changes…
Srila Prabhupada: Oh, he has dared to change yours also?
Svarupa Damodara: Oh, yes. They change so many things in our article. And it was on the telephone. I was speaking to him in Atlanta from Los Angeles. And I told him that “This article should not be printed because they have made so many changes.” And I didn ‘t like that. Then they answered that “It has already been offset, and BBT policy is always to be rushing. It’s always BBT policy.” Then I told him that “If you sacrifice quality on the strength of rushing, then it is your business, but that’s not my way, so please don ‘t print it.” But in any case, they have printed anyway that article. And we all had a bad reaction.
Srila Prabhupada: So, you bring this to Satsvarupa. They cannot change anything.
Tamala Krsna: (indistinct)
Svarupa Damodara: So, we stopped writing article for Back to Godhead since then because…
Tamala Krsna: Now, I think, with Satsvarupa there, you won’t have that problem of changing like that. He wrote a letter saying that one of his first things is that he will not change what is given there unless… He will not make changes.
Svarupa Damodara: No, if they consult us, even with changing, that’s all right. But they just edit here and there and cut it out, certain things. They ‘re changing the whole meaning. And that makes sometimes nonsense instead of making sense.
Srila Prabhupada: So, on the whole, these dangerous things are going on. How to check it? Tamala Krsna: There has to be strong philosophical leaders who can check this, like Satsvarupa and Jayadvaita.
Srila Prabhupada: Hm.
Tamala Krsna: They have to also be included in the decisions of the BBT. It can ‘t simply be that managers make decisions.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Without their sanction, there will be… Let them… These all rascals…
Svarupa Damodara: One time in that article they made a change. Saying that, the whole Vaisnava philosophy became Mayavadi in that scientific article. So I told them that “You are better than…, a better (indistinct).” It all become Mayavadi, so it became all mad. That is why I strongly told them that “This shouldn ‘t be the way. If you want to change, you have to consult with those who are writers.”
Srila Prabhupada: So, they are doing very freely and dangerously. And this rascal is always after change, Radha-vallabha. He’s a great rascal. (pause) Read.
Tamala Krsna: Translation: Previously all the great sages rendered service unto the Personality of Godhead due to His existence above the three modes of material nature. They worshiped Him to become free from material conditions and thus derive the ultimate benefit. Whoever follows such great authorities is also eligible for liberation from the material world. Purport: The purpose of performing religion is neither to profit by material gain nor to get the simple knowledge of discerning matter from spirit. The ultimate aim of religious performances is to release oneself from material bondage and regain the life of freedom in the transcendental world, where the Personality of Godhead is the Supreme Person. Laws of religion, therefore, are directly enacted by the Personality of Godhead, and except for the mahajanas, or the authorized agents of the Lord, no one knows the purpose of religion. There are twelve particular agents of the Lord who know the purpose of religion, and all of them render transcendental service unto Him. Persons who desire their own good may follow these mahajanas and thus attain the supreme benefit.
Srila Prabhupada: Read.
Tamala Krsna: Next verse?
Srila Prabhupada: No. Yes. Here is… So, this is the aim, that one should know Krsna. And the human life is meant for that purpose. That is the distinction between animal life and human life. Therefore, the next verse is yato bhaktir adhoksaje. Find out.
Tamala Krsna: sa vai pumsah paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje ahaituky apratihata yayatma suprasidati [SB 1.2.6]
Srila Prabhupada: So, life is divided into two, that body and the soul. Actually, the soul requires satisfaction. So, unless the soul approaches Adhoksaja–adhoksaja means beyond the sense perception of bodily understanding-there is no possibility. So, we can start later this chapter. Next verse?
Tamala Krsna: Translation?
Svarupa Damodara: Next verse.
Tamala Krsna: Translation.
Srila Prabhupada: No, no, no. Next verse.
Tamala Krsna: vasudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogah prayojitah janayaty asu vairagyam jnanam ca yad ahaitukam [SB 1.2.7]
Srila Prabhupada: So, this perfection can be achieved by direct devotional service to Vasudeva. Next verse?
Tamala Krsna: dharmah svanusthitah pumsam visvaksena-kathasu yah notpadayed yadi ratim srama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8]
Srila Prabhupada: So unless one comes to this position, to understand Vasudeva, whatever he is doing or occupational duty, that is waste of time. It is waste of time in this way, that the body will change, so whatever he has done in this life, body will change. So, it is waste of time. After the change of the body, everything is finished. Srama eva hi kevalam.
Tamala Krsna: Next verse?
Srila Prabhupada: Hm.
Tamala Krsna: dharmasya hy apavargyasya nartho ‘rthayopakalpate narthasya dharmaikantasya kamo labhaya hi smrtah
Srila Prabhupada: The dharma, artha, kama, moksa… Generally, people take to religion for improving economic condition. It is going on. They go to the church: “O God, give us our daily bread.” And they ‘ll go to the temple: “O mother Kali, give me this. O father Siva, give me this.” So, they take it for economic development, dharma. But that is is not the proper way. Dharmasya hy apavargyasya. Dharma should be executed for stopping this material condition of life, apavarga. Pavarga. This material life is pavarga. Pa means parisrama, hard labor. And pha means phena, so hard labor that foams comes. Pa, pha, ba. And still it is baffled, vyartha. Bha: and always fear. And ma means death. So, pa, pha, ba, bha, ma. So, dharma means to stop this pa, pha, ba, bha, ma.
Svarupa Damodara: This is apa…?
Srila Prabhupada: Varga. It is pa-varga. There are five vargas, ka-varga, ca-varga, and the pa-varga. Very scientific. A-pa-varga. And that is the meaning. But these rascals, they have taken to increase the pa-varga, that srama eva hi kevalam. The basic principle of dharma is wrong. Dharma is meant for stopping this pa-varga. And they are increasing this pa-varga. And the next word?
Tamala Krsna: kamasya nendriya-pritir labho jiveta yavata jivasya tattva-jijnasa nartho yas ceha karmabhih [SB 1.2.10]
Srila Prabhupada: So, then question will be that “If we do not get some economic facilities, so how we can live?” And that’s a fact. Therefore, it is said here, dharmasya hi… No. What is that?
Tamala Krsna: Kamasya nendriya-pritir labho jiveta … [SB 1.2.10].
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Kamasya, sense gratification, required, but not for sense gratification’s sake. It requires only for living comfortably. You try to make the economic development, that is all right. But they have taken simply for sense gratification. “I have got one car, and there must be another three cars for my children and wife.” This is going on, kama, increasing. Economic development… You require some occupational duty for earning your livelihood… That is allowed. But why more and more, more, more, more? For that, they are making scientific research how to satisfy senses. So kamasya na indriya-pritih. You require some sense gratification not for the senses, but because you have got a bad bargain, this body, just to maintain it, not more than. That is varnasrama-dharma. So, there are so many problems we have created. They do not understand. And this civilization are simply gratifying senses, so dangerous. And dehantara-praptih. And they create a position by very, very hard labor, and the body is changed. Then srama eva hi kevalam. What benefit you get? This life, you make a skyscraper building, three dozen cars, and next life, you become a dog. Then what is your profit? What do you gain? They do not gain anything. So that change of body is in nature’s hand. Karmana daiva-netrena. That is not in your hand. When the body will change, you cannot say, “No, no, I’ll not change,” because that is not under your dictation. So, is not simply waste of time?
Svarupa Damodara: Yes. Bhagavata says so clearly, srama eva hi kevalam.
Srila Prabhupada: These rascals, they do not understand. This is the position.
Tamala Krsna: Next verse?
Srila Prabhupada: Hm.
Tamala Krsna: Vadanti tat tattva-vidas… [Bhag. 1.2.11].
Srila Prabhupada: That’s all right. And therefore, the civilization should be athato brahma jijnasa, simply to enquire about the Absolute Truth. And that is civilization. Now you can… Whatever little we have discussed, you can discuss now and close our book. How wrongly the whole civilization is carried on, how risky it is, that they do not know. Now, what the materialist has to say in this connection?
Satadhanya: They say everything is getting better.
Srila Prabhupada: What is that better?
Yasoda-nandana: Well, a few hundred years ago there was no airplanes, no cars, no facilities…
Srila Prabhupada: That’s all right, but when you become a dog next life, then what is your gain? You are not going to use this airplane. You have to make a rest in this car, in this seat. What you are going to do that about? Dehantara-praptih. Krsna says most authoritative statement and giving the example, dehino ‘smin yatha dehe kaumaram… [Bg. 2.13]. So how you can check this dehantara?
Tamala Krsna: They argue that “We are getting people to live longer now than they used to live.”
Srila Prabhupada: After all, you ‘ll have to change. In a false platform, to live longer, is that very great profit?
Tamala Krsna: Well, as we improve material life…
Srila Prabhupada: No, where is improved? You are going to be a dog, suppose. Where is your improvement?
Svarupa Damodara: It’s an illusion.
Srila Prabhupada: They lose.
Svarupa Damodara: We are thinking that we are improving, but actually we are not solving the problems.
Satadhanya: You said the other day that if we analyze what the scientists have done, we will see that they have actually done nothing beneficial, no benefit. Whatever they have done has no benefit, simply some comfort of the body. But what benefit it has?
Srila Prabhupada: Just like they have improved… A man is going to die. By oxygen, by other, other, he may live for a few minutes more. They say, “This is improvement.”
Svarupa Damodara: It’s creating more problems.
Tamala Krsna: When we read from the Fifth Canto the facility of life is so much better on other planets, anyway, so they can ‘t even begin to imitate that other higher material planets, what to speak of the spiritual…
Srila Prabhupada: They do. Karmis do that. They want to go there after death. Therefore karma-kanda. By ritualistic ceremonies they want to be promoted. Irdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah. By improving the sattva-guna, you can go to higher planetary system.
Tamala Krsna: Would that be considered more intelligent than the gross…
Srila Prabhupada: No. No. Because after all, you have to die. Ksine punye punar martya-lokam visanti. Again, you have to come down.
Svarupa Damodara: We have to tell them that “We cannot completely negate the scientific advancement. We cannot simply say that what you are all doing is nonsense.” At the same time, we can bring out that “Yes, you are doing, making an attempt to find a solution or comfortable situation. It’s not possible,” that “There must be something beyond. It’s not enough.”
Srila Prabhupada: And that is yato bhaktir adhoksaje. That is the first citing. There are two kinds of occupational duty. The one is inferior, going down, and other is superior, go back to home.
Svarupa Damodara: Satisfaction of the soul, Srila Prabhupada just mentioned.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes.
Svarupa Damodara: So, the Adhoksaje.
Srila Prabhupada: Adhoksaje. Yato bhaktih. When you become a devotee, then you ‘ll go.
Svarupa Damodara: That is required.
Srila Prabhupada: That is the aim of life. So, everything is explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam. And then these unfortunate rascals, they are distorting. What can I do? How to stop it?
Devotee (3): But they will argue, “Why should we accept that there will be a next life?”

Srila Prabhupada: Rascal, why you are accepting old age? You are young man. You have to accept, become. Why you are accepting, rascal? Answer this.
Devotee (3): I don ‘t know.
Srila Prabhupada: So then why do you talk nonsense? “Why shall I accept?” You have to accept, nonsense. That is the law of nature. Do you think you’ll not become an old man like me? “I’ll not accept.” You have to accept. So, what is the use of saying like that, foolish rascals?
Devotee (3): So they must accept that…
Srila Prabhupada: They must accept. They have to accept.
Svarupa Damodara: Oh, yes.
Srila Prabhupada: You are all young men. Who wants to become an invalid man like me? With three men I have to walk. Nobody wants. But you have to accept. I did not like. But you have to accept, compulsory. What is the use of saying, “Why shall I accept?” You… “Why?” There is no question of “Why?” You have to. That is the control.
Tamala Krsna: They might argue that…
Srila Prabhupada: What is the meaning of argue? I ‘ll beat you with shoes. You have to accept. What is the use of argument?
Svarupa Damodara: Like a madman.
Srila Prabhupada: That’s all. Nature will beat you with shoes. You have to accept.
Tamala Krsna: They ‘ll say, “We have seen old men, but we have never seen anyone change their body.”
Srila Prabhupada: This is not change? You are a young man; now you have become old. Then you have no eyes. You are blind. I was not a young man?
Devotee (3): But they will argue, “What is the necessary…”
Srila Prabhupada: What is the use of argument? You have to change. You are going to be hanged. There is no argument. You must be hanged.
Devotee (3): But why a dog ‘s body?
Tamala Krsna: Yeah, why a dog ‘s body? We have seen that you became an old man from a young man, but we never saw a man become a dog.
Srila Prabhupada: So, you do not… You live. You go along with him. You ‘ll see. Change means that… That is their defect. The change… Change means you have to accept any change. You see or not see. Tatha dehantaram. Deha, the body, will change. You have got eight million bodies. It can change to anyone. There is no question of seeing. The suggestion is that you have to change. Now, in which body you are going to change, that you cannot see. So how you claim that “I cannot see”? That you cannot… There will be change. So how the change will take? Karmana daiva-netrena, by superior administration and by your karma.
Svarupa Damodara: Subtle law.
Srila Prabhupada: Subtle law.
Svarupa Damodara: Beyond physical laws.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. No, physical law. Just like worm will change into butterfly. You can see.
Svarupa Damodara: Science accepts that all the cells in human body changes completely in seven years.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes.
Svarupa Damodara: Every seven years…
Srila Prabhupada: Yes.
Svarupa Damodara: …all change. So, change is actually…
Srila Prabhupada: So that change takes place according to your mentality. You are subtle thing, psychological. One man is thief. By change, he can become a saintly person. One man is saintly person; he becomes a thief. So that change, according to three qualities… Irdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah. You cannot ascertain immediately because you are changing from sattva-guna to rajo-guna, rajo-guna to tamo-guna. So how you can be ascertained? But there will be change. That is fixed. So, we have to take this word change. So you cannot expect what changes. Are you going to be dog or hog or god? That will depend on your work. How you can expect to see, that “I do not see”? But that is not certain. There are 8,400,000’s of different types of change of body. But you have to change. Not that you have to become a dog. You can become a demigod. Irdhvam gacchanti… But change is certain. So if change takes place, then where is your position? Whatever you have done-srama eva hi kevalam.
Yasoda-nandana: They will say, “We can perceive all the changes during this life. We agree…”
Srila Prabhupada: And next life or this life, rascal…
Yasoda-nandana: “Because the last change, at death, the last transmigration to another body, because we cannot see according to our scientific experience…”
Srila Prabhupada: So, you die, what you will see? Your eyes are taken away. What you will see? You say, “I die.” Then what you will see after death? A dead man has got eyes. Can he see?
Tamala Krsna: Then they say, “How have you seen, that you are telling us what will…?”
Srila Prabhupada: Seen by intelligence. [break] We are accepting everything like that.
Devotee (3): So they will say, “We accept there is a change of bodies. So then life is simply changing bodies. There is no more than this, simply…”
Srila Prabhupada: No, there is stoppage of change of body when you…
Devotee (3): How so?
Srila Prabhupada: How you… How you know? You are a rascal. What do you know? You learn it. You are rascal. What you know? You become intelligent. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. You are a rascal. What do you know? The difficulty is that you are rascal; you want to take the position of a learned man. And that is your fault. You do not accept your position, that you are a rascal.
Devotee (3): So first we must…
Srila Prabhupada: Yes.
Devotee (3): They must become a little humble.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34].
Svarupa Damodara: They must know that every knowledge-acquiring process requires certain conditions to be fulfilled in order to understand it, that those conditions have to be acquired. Otherwise it’s not possible.
Srila Prabhupada: So that is the difficulty at the present… A rascal is arguing. What is the meaning of his argument? He’s a rascal. It has no meaning.
Devotee (3): All procrastination.
Srila Prabhupada: So, read Bhagavatam very seriously. Then your rascaldom will go. Lokasyajanato vidvams cakre satvata… All rascals, for their knowledge the Bhagavata was written. Mudho nabhijanati, mohito nabhijanati. The difficulty is a rascal is thinking himself as very advanced in knowledge. That is the difficulty.
Svarupa Damodara: That is the trouble with the scientists.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. And they are creating greatest trouble.
Svarupa Damodara: They think that the destiny of man lies in their hands. Sometimes they say like that.
Srila Prabhupada: That is yes. A rascal can become intelligent man. That’s good. But without becoming intelligent, remaining rascal, they are living. Otherwise there is no hindrance. I may be rascal, but in future, I may be intelligent by education, by… That is not checked. But the difficulty is that he remains a rascal and claims to be intelligent. That is the difficulty. That is the difficulty. We don ‘t say that “Because you are rascal, you shall continue to remain a rascal.” No. You become intelligent. Take advantage of intelligent person. But you remain a rascal and claim to be intelligent, and that is… They are doing. Little learning is dangerous. We say that don’t remain rascal. Tamaso ma: “Don’t remain in darkness.” We say; we are canvassing. The Krsna consciousness movement is for that purpose, that “You are rascal, but don’t remain a rascal. Come to the light.” Tamaso ma jyotir gama. That is our business. But this rascal, he’ll remain in rascaldom, and he will claim that “I am not.” That is the difficulty. Take enlightenment. Bhagavata is there. Bhagavad-gita is there. And become intelligent. But don’t claim to be intelligent while you are on the rascal platform. That is not good. That is suicidal. So very carefully read Bhagavatam. Don’t continue to remain rascal. Then life is successful. This is the Western obstinacy. They want to remain in the rascal platform, and still they claim. Is it not?
Svarupa Damodara: Yes.
Srila Prabhupada: This theory that life comes from matter, it is not settled up. Still, they are getting Nobel Prize.
Tamala Krsna: Yeah.
Srila Prabhupada: Just see.
Tamala Krsna: Big amount of money goes with that prize.
Svarupa Damodara: Supported by all the…
Srila Prabhupada: Another rascal. Andha yathandhaih. He’s a rascal, and he’s appreciated by another rascal. This is going on.
Svarupa Damodara: Even the government is behind this research. NASA and federal funding government, they spend billions of dollars on this research.
Srila Prabhupada: Just see. Then what is the government? Another combination of rascals, that ‘s all. They have no knowledge.
Svarupa Damodara: Some of them are also beginning to feel that…
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, that must…
Svarupa Damodara: …there is something wrong…
Srila Prabhupada: That must be.
Svarupa Damodara: …with the whole approach.
Srila Prabhupada: That must be there.
Svarupa Damodara: Like there is a physicist in Princeton. His name is Dyson, Freeman Dyson(?).
Srila Prabhupada: That is inquisitive, jijnasu. That is there, a class of men, jijnasu. Catur-vidha bhajante mam sukrtinah. They are pious. “Actually, what is the truth?” Jijnasu. And jnani. Two third class, fourth class, and two, first class, second class. The first class, second class, is jïnni jijnasu, and third class, fourth class, arto artharthi. They approach God. The third class, fourth class, those who are in need of money or in distress and seeking the favor of Krsna, they are third class, fourth class. And the jijnasu and jnani, they are first class, second class. Inquisitive, they want to know the truth. That is first class. Jijnasu-“What is that first class?” He is second class. And arto artharthi, he is in need. If he gets some money, then he forgets God. That’s all. His disease is cured. Then finished business. “O God, give us our bread.” As soon as I get bread, then finished church.
Tamala Krsna: Sometimes people join our movement like that.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, that is the nature. But they are still pious because they have come to God. And those who are very, very miscreant, they, at any circumstance, they’ll never. Dog ‘s obstinacy. Na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah [Bg. 7.15]. They are last class.
Svarupa Damodara: Few years ago, there was a German physicist Schroedinger(?). He wrote a book called What is Life? And he said life could be understood just like physics. Then this Freeman Dyson(?)… He’s a very renowned scientist in Princeton University. He gave a lecture in our university at Emory about few months ago. He was speaking about cosmic manifestations of the universe. And I asked a question about this Schroedinger’s(?) approach, saying that Schroedinger is a very well-known and Nobel Prize-winning physicist. He stated that life could be understood in terms of physics and chemistry. I asked him, “What do you think about this approach?” His answer was “Schroedinger did not know at that time that the physics of modern science, especially quantum physics, cannot be explained without invoking consciousness.” That means life is a different entity than normal physics and chemistry. So, they are starting to realize, at least to some extent, that life could be completely different process than was planned about few years ago.
Srila Prabhupada: So, on the whole, they have not come to the platform to know about life. That’s all right.
Devotees: Jaya Srila Prabhupada. (end)

July 18 1973 London

 Prabhupāda: No, everyone gives his own opinion. Everyone will say… He’ll not dare to say that he’s speaking right, scientifically. He’ll say, “It is my opinion.” To avoid any difficulty, he’ll say, “In my opinion it is this.” I think he’s speaking of that, (that) there are so many people, and they have got so many opinions.

Śyāmasundara: How do we know, then, what is the real fact?

Prabhupāda: We have to understand it from a real man who knows it. Upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ. Find out that. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā. So, we have to approach the real person who has seen. Then you’ll get the right goal of life.

Pradyumna:tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ

jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ [Bg. 4.34]

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.”

Prabhupāda: So, we have to approach a person who has seen the truth. It is not difficult. Just like if you are suffering from some disease, you have to go to a doctor who knows how to treat. It is same thing, like that.

Śyāmasundara: How do we know he’s a good doctor or not? By his credential or…?

Prabhupāda: No. That also… Therefore, it is called sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya. Three things there are for knowledge. Sādhu, saintly person; śāstra, scripture; and guru. So, one statement we have to corroborate with other statement. If you accept somebody as guru, then you have to corroborate it whether śāstra says that he is guru or any saintly person says that he is guru. This is the way. Similarly, when you take a scripture, you have to know it from the spiritual master, whether that is actually scripture, whether it is accepted by the saintly person. Sādhu. Similarly, sādhu also, whether guru says, “Yes, he is sādhu.” Whether śāstra says, “Yes, he is sādhu.” There are three things, sādhu-śāstra-guru. So, to accept one, you have to take the opinion of the other two. Then you’ll get the right way. Just like who is a guru? That is stated in the śāstras. Śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham. Śāstra says, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] “One must approach a guru.” Then the same question comes, “Who is guru?” That is also stated, śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham. “He’s well-versed in Vedas, knowledge of Vedas, and fully Kṛṣṇa conscious.” He is guru. Just like how do you know that here is a medical practitioner? Before going for treatment, you find out. How do you find out?

Śyāmasundara: Some friend, perhaps.

Prabhupāda: Anyway, you have to take information. Similarly, guru, according to śāstra, who is guru, he must be confirmed by sādhu, saintly person, by śāstra. Then he’s guru. Sadhu-śāstra, guru-vākya, tinete kariyā aikya.

Haṁsadūta: What’s the difference between a sādhu and a guru? Sadhu means authorities like Vyāsa?

Prabhupāda: Guru… He must be a sādhu.

Haṁsadūta: It means the previous ācāryas.

Prabhupāda: A sādhu means titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām, ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ [SB 3.25.21]. Everything, there is definition, who is sādhu, who is guru.

Haṁsadūta: Yes.

Prabhupāda: …what is śāstra. Everything is there. You have to know it. What is avatāra. That is my business, how to know. But there is, everything’s there. What… Everyone can know it. Sādhavaḥ, sādhu. Sum and substance of sādhu means devotee. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says, api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ [Bg. 9.30]. “He’s sādhu.” Who? Ananya-bhāk: “Without any diversion of attention, he’s completely engaged in My devotional service… Even if he has got some minor defects, still, because he is completely surrendered and engaged in My service, he’s sādhu.” Sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ [Bg. 9.30]. So this is the test of sādhu. Sādhu means he must be a devotee. Sādhu does not mean having saffron color and long beard and doing all nonsense. No. Sādhu means… First test is that he is unflinching, without any deviation. Api cet sudurā…, bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. Ananya-bhāk means he does not know anything except the service of the Lord. That is the qualification of sādhu. So similarly, in other places also, the definition of sādhu is there. Sādhu means titikṣavaḥ: he’s very tolerant because a sādhu has to face so many opposing elements and sometimes very offensive, but he has to tolerate. Titikṣavaḥ. At the same time, kāruṇikāḥ, very merciful. The same man who is torturing him, torturing him, he is trying to convince him about Kṛṣṇa. That means very merciful. He’s not rejecting. Although he’s torturing him, but he’s trying to convince him, Kṛṣṇa. Therefore kāruṇikāḥ. And he is not friend of any particular society or man. Suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām. He is well-wisher of all living entities. It doesn’t matter whether he’s Indian, American, or black and white. No, no conception. Or even human being or animal. He is kind to everyone, friend, well-wisher of everyone. Ajāta-śatravaḥ. He does not create any enemies. Such… These are the qualifications of sādhu. Śāstra means the transcendental literature, not ordinary writings. That is śāstra. Just like Bhagavad-gītā is śāstra, Veda is śāstra, or Bible, śāstra. Scripture means given by God or His authorized representative. That is śāstra. So sādhu-śāstra-guru. And guru means who is completely devotee of Kṛṣṇa without any material motives. This is sādhu-śāstra-guru.

Some additional quotes-on who gets a bona fide guru or not….

SB 8.24.53 purport-Sometimes it is argued that people do not know who is a spiritual master and that finding a spiritual master from whom to get enlightenment in regard to the destination of life is very difficult. …It is difficult, however, to understand Bhagavad-gītā without the help of the guru. Therefore, the guru appears in the paramparā system. In Bhagavad-gītā (4.34) the Supreme Personality of Godhead recommends: tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” … Where, then, is the difficulty in finding a guru? If one is sincere he can find the guru and learn everything. 

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What follows are many quotes by Srila Prabhupda as to why some people simply do not get a pure devotee of the Lord as their spiritual master. Those of us who have accepted Srila Prabhupada as our guru looks at all the others who have been cheated by imposter gurus in this age and we feel sorry for them. We pray and hope that someday Krsna as supersoul will guide them to the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada and accept him only as their one and only spiritual guide, master and friend.

Hare Krsna

damaghosa das

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Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada

 Only that person whom Lord Krishna sends us as spiritual master will manifest before us as our guru. By the Lord’s mercy we attain a spiritual master, and by the spiritual master’s mercy we attain Krishna. We are given a spiritual master according to our fortune. Different people have different mentalities, and the omniscient Lord sends each an appropriate spiritual master. There are those who desire the Lord’s non-duplicitous mercy and who completely depend on him for their success. These souls please the Lord with their simple sincerity. To bestow his mercy upon them, he appears before them personally. To those who want something else from the Lord, who are not actually aspiring for his complete mercy, the Lord sends through his illusory energy a spiritual master appropriate to their mentality. A sincere person never faces difficulty but quickly finds a bona fide guru. — From Amrta Vani, collected teachings of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. Compiled in Bengali by Sri Bhakti Bhagavat Mayukha Maharaja. Adapted and translated into English by Bhumipati Das and Isvara Das. Touchstone Media. Mumbai. 2004. Page 28.

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Morning Walk—December 7, 1973, Los Angeles:

Bali Mardana: If someone is actually sincere, can he be cheated or will he always get a bona fide guru?

Prabhupāda: No, if he is sincere he’ll get. Yes. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. Guru and Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is within you. As soon as He sees that you are sincere, He’ll give you the right person.

Bali Mardana: So, if you are not completely sincere, you might get a Guru Maharaji.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Bali Mardana: If you’re not completely sincere, you might get someone else.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because you want to be cheated, you go to the cheater. That’s all. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham [Bg. 4.11]. Kṛṣṇa is intelligent, super intelligent. If you are a cheater, He’ll cheat you. He’ll cheat you. First-class cheat, Kṛṣṇa. But if you’re actually sincere, then He’ll give you the right thing. That is stated in the Bhag…, mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca: [Bg. 15.15] “Everything is coming from Me: smṛtiḥ, remembrance, and forgetfulness.” If you are a cheater, Kṛṣṇa will give you such intelligence, you’ll forget Kṛṣṇa forever.

Dr. Wolfe: Śrīla Prabhupāda, so it is so, “Birds of a feather flock together.” The cheaters flock together.

Prabhupāda: Yes. “Birds of the same feather flock together.”

TLC 18–Unless one is under the shelter of a realized spiritual master, his understanding of the Supreme is simply foolishness.

Yaśomatīnandana: Sometimes they even say that “You have your guru and I have my guru. It’s all the same thing.”

Prabhupāda: Yes, and a thief has also a guru. Then that guru is also the same thing. (Hindi) Here guru means tasmād gurum prapadyeta jijñāsur śreya uttaman [SB 11.3.21]. (Hindi) Nāpnuvanti mahātmānam saṁsiddhiṁ paramaṁ gataḥ. SP conv Nov 14, 1975

TEXT 13–TRANSLATION–Sometimes, to mitigate distresses in this forest of the material world, the conditioned soul receives cheap blessings from atheists. He then loses all intelligence in their association. This is exactly like jumping in a shallow river. As a result, one simply breaks his head. He is not able to mitigate his sufferings from the heat, and in both ways,  he suffers. The misguided conditioned soul also approaches so-called sādhus and svāmīs who preach against the principles of the Vedas. He does not receive benefit from them, either in the present or in the future.

PURPORT-Cheaters are always there to manufacture their own way of spiritual realization. To get some material benefit, the conditioned soul approaches these pseudo sannyāsīs and yogīs for cheap blessings, but he does not receive any benefit from them, either spiritual or material. In this age there are many cheaters who show some jugglery and magic. They even create gold to amaze their followers, and their followers accept them as God. This type of cheating is very prominent in Kali-yuga. Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura describes the real guru in this way.saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka-trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvamprāptasya kalyāṇa-guṇārṇavasya vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam

One should approach a guru who can extinguish the blazing fire of this material world, the struggle for existence.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.3.21) gives similar advice:

tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta

jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam

śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ

brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam

“Any person who seriously desires to achieve real happiness must seek out a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of his spiritual master is that he must have realized the conclusion of the scriptures by deliberation and be able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, are to be understood as bona fide spiritual masters.” …

“Now, to take such guidance means the spiritual master should also be a very perfect man. Otherwise, how can he guide?  … Therefore, one has to select a spiritual master whose order, carrying, you’ll not commit a mistake. You see? Now, suppose if you accept a wrong person as spiritual master, and if you, if he guides you wrongly, then your whole life is spoiled. So, one has to accept a spiritual master whose guidance will make his life perfect. That is the relation between spiritual master and disciple. It is not a formality. It is a great responsibility both for the disciple and for the spiritual master.” Lectures: Bhagavad-gita 2.7-11 — New York, March 2, 1966

Devotee: Srila Prabhupada, why has it taken so long for a pure devotee to come to the West? Has the West been so sinful that no pure devotee has come before Your Divine Grace?

Prabhupada: Don’t be sorry. At that time, you were so sinful that you could not receive a pure devotee.

Devotee: Yes. Once in a lecture a lady asked you why hadn’t you come sooner, and you just said, “Well, you weren’t ready for me.”

Prabhupada: Yes, “Because you were not ready.” Yes, I told. Yes. Now the Western boys, the descendant of the Western people, they are fortunate; therefore, they receive Kṛṣṇa. Kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). It is Kṛṣṇa’s desire that “These people are suffering so much; let some devotees come here.” So, you are all devotees. You have come to join together.

(Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, Los Angeles, December 7, 1973)

“You have asked ‘How serious would it be for me if I should miss the golden opportunity to become your initiated disciple?’ You should know that the value of accepting a bonafide spiritual master is more than we can calculate. It is not a mere formality. Of course everyone is encouraged to chant Hare Krishna, but until one gives up sinful activities and becomes determined to serve Krishna through His representative then the firm fixing up of devotional service will not take hold, and there is every chance that one will fall prey to all sorts of material desires and have to come back again in the next life—and one cannot guarantee that he will be born in the form of life he may desire.”

(Srila Prabhupada Letter to Ravendra Gupta, February 12, 1974)

SSR 2

Reporter: Don’t you feel that people are suspicious because of their experience with fake gurus? If you went to a quack dentist and he broke your tooth, you might be suspicious about going to another dentist.

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes. Naturally, if you are cheated, you become suspicious. But this does not mean that if you are cheated once, you will always be cheated. You should find someone genuine. But to come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you must be either very fortunate or well aware of this science.

Reporter: I wondered how many people you think might have been taken in by fake gurus.

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Practically everyone. [Laughter.] There is no question of counting. Everyone.

Reporter: This would mean thousands of people, wouldn’t it?

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Millions. Millions have been cheated, because they want to be cheated. God is omniscient. He can understand your desires. He is within your heart, and if you want to be cheated, God sends you a cheater.

June 30 1974 letterAs far as my blessing is concerned it does not require my physical presence. If you are chanting Hare Krishna there and following my instructions, reading the books, taking only Krsna prasadam etc., then there is no question of your not receiving the blessings of Lord Caitanya whose mission I am humbly trying to push on.

Srila Prabhupada glorifies Gopala bhatta Goswami

Sri Gopala Bhatta Tirobhava tithi [disappearance day] Wednesday, July 28, 2021 [Mayapura, West Bengal, Bharata bhumi]
Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami 1503-1578

Gopala Bhatta Goswami (1503–1578) is one of the foremost disciples of the Vaishnavasaint, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and a leading historical figure in the Gaudiya Vaishnava school of Vedanta.   He was part of a group of Vaishnava devotees known collectively as the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan, who were influential in establishing the philosophical basis of the Gaudiya tradition in formalised writings.     śrī-gopāla bhaṭṭa eka śākhā sarvottamarūpa-sanātana-saṅge yāṅra prema-ālāpana SYNONYMS śrī–gopāla bhaṭṭa—of the name Śrī GopālaBhaṭṭa; eka—one; śākhā—branch; sarva–uttama—very exalted; rūpa—of the name Rūpa; sanātana—of the name Sanātana; saṅge—company; yāṅra—whose; prema—love of Godhead; ālāpana—discussion. TRANSLATION Śrī GopālaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, the forty-seventh branch, was one of the great and exalted branches of the tree. He always engaged in discourses about love of Godhead in the company of Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī. PURPORT Śrī GopālaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī was the son of Veṅkata Bhaṭṭa, a resident of Śrīraṅgam. GopālaBhaṭṭa formerly belonged to the disciplic succession of the Rāmānuja-sampradāya but later became part of the Gauḍīya–sampradāya. In the year 1433 śakābda (A.D. 1512), when Lord CaitanyaMahāprabhu was touring South India, He stayed for four months during the period of Cāturmāsya at the house of Veṅkata Bhaṭṭa, who then got the opportunity to serve the Lord to his heart’s content. GopālaBhaṭṭa also got the opportunity to serve the Lord at this time. Śrī GopālaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī was later initiated by his uncle, the great sannyāsī Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī. Both the father and mother of GopālaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī were extremely fortunate, for they dedicated their entire lives to the service of Lord CaitanyaMahāprabhu. They allowed GopālaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī to go to Vṛndāvana, and they gave up their lives thinking of Śrī CaitanyaMahāprabhu. When Lord Caitanya was later informed that GopālaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī had gone to Vṛndāvana and met Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana Gosvāmī, He was very pleased, and He advised Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana to accept GopālaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī as their younger brother and take care of him. Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, out of his great affection for GopālaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, compiled the Vaiṣṇavasmṛti named Hari–bhakti–vilāsa and published it under his name. Under the instruction of Śrīla Rūpa and Sanātana, GopālaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī installed one of the seven principal Deities of Vṛndāvana, the Rādhāramaṇa Deity. The sevaits (priests) of the Rādhāramaṇa temple belong to the Gauḍīya–sampradāya. When KṛṣṇadāsaKavirāja Gosvāmī took permission from all the Vaiṣṇavas before writing ŚrīCaitanya–caritāmṛta,GopālaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī also gave him his blessings, but he requested him not to mention his name in the book. Therefore KṛṣṇadāsaKavirāja Gosvāmī has mentioned GopālaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī only very cautiously in one or two passages of the Caitanya–caritāmṛta. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has written in the beginning of his Tattva–sandarbha, “A devotee from southern India who was born of a brāhmaṇa family and was a very intimate friend of Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī has written a book that he has not compiled chronologically. Therefore I, a tiny living entity known as jīva, am trying to assort the events of the book chronologically, consulting the direction of great personalities like Madhvācārya, Śrīdhara Svāmī, Rāmānujācārya and other senior Vaiṣṇavas in the disciplic succession.” In the beginning of the Bhagavat–sandarbha there are similar statements by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī. Śrīla GopālaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī compiled a book called Sat–kriyā–sāra-dīpikā, edited the Hari–bhakti–vilāsa, wrote a forword to the Ṣaṭ-sandarbha and a commentary on the Kṛṣṇa–karṇāmṛta, and installed the Rādhāramaṇa Deity in Vṛndāvana. In the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā, verse 184, it is mentioned that his previous name in the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa was Anaṅga–mañjarī. Sometimes he is also said to have been an incarnation of Guṇa–mañjarī. Śrīnivāsa Ācārya and GopīnāthaPūjārī were two of his disciples. Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta  Adi-Lila 10.105 Śrī Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa was a Vaiṣṇavabrāhmaṇa and an inhabitant of Śrī Raṅga–kṣetra. He belonged to the disciplic succession of Śrī Rāmānujācārya. Śrī Raṅga is one of the places of pilgrimage in the province of Tāmil Naduś. The inhabitants of that province do not retain the name Veṅkaṭa. It is therefore supposed that Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa did not belong to that province, although he may have been residing there for a very long time. Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa was in a branch of the Rāmānuja-sampradāya known as Baḍagala-i. He had a brother in the Rāmānuja-sampradāya known as Śrīpāda Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī. The son of Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa was later known in the Gauḍīya–sampradāya as GopālaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, and he established the Rādhāramaṇa temple in Vṛndāvana. More information about him may be found in a book known as Bhakti-ratnākara, by NarahariCakravartī. Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Madhya-Lila 9.82  Many devotees of Lord Caitanya like Śrīla Vṛndāvanadāsa Ṭhākura, Śrī Locanadāsa Ṭhākura, Śrīla KṛṣṇadāsaKavirāja Gosvāmī, Śrī Kavikarṇapūra, Śrī Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī, Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī RaghunāthaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, Śrī GopālaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunāthadāsa Gosvāmī and in this latter age within two hundred years, Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravartī, Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣana, Śrī Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī, Śrī Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, Śrī Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and at last Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura (our spiritual master) and many other great and renowned scholars and devotees of the Lord have prepared voluminous books and literatures on the life and precepts of the Lord. Such literatures are all based on the śāstras like the Vedas, Purāṇas, Upaniṣads, Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata and other histories and authentic literatures approved by the recognized ācāryas. They are unique in composition and unrivaled in presentation, and they are full of transcendental knowledge. Unfortunately, the people of the world are still ignorant of them, but when these literatures, which are mostly in Sanskrit and Bengali, come to light the world and when they are presented before thinking people, then India’s glory and the message of love will overflood this morbid world, which is vainly searching after peace and prosperity by various illusory methods not approved by the ācāryas in the chain of disciplic succession. Srimad-Bhagavatam Intruduction  If a person is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he can work like a young man even if he is seventy-five or eighty years old. Thus, the daughter of Kāla (Time) cannot overcome a Vaiṣṇava. Śrīla KṛṣṇadāsaKavirāja Gosvāmī engaged in writing Caitanya–caritāmṛta when he was very old, yet he presented the most wonderful literature about the activities of Lord Caitanya. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī began their spiritual lives at a very old age, that is, after they retired from their occupations and family lives. Yet they presented many valuable literatures for the advancement of spiritual life. This is confirmed by Śrīla Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, who praised the Gosvāmīs in this way: nānā–śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad–dharma-saṁsthāpakau
lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau tri–bhuvane mānyau śaraṇyākarau
rādhā–kṛṣṇa-padāravinda-bhajanānandena mattālikau
vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī–jīva-gopālakau “I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Gosvāmīs, namely Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī RaghunāthaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunāthadāsa Gosvāmī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī and Śrī GopālaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, who are very expert in scrutinizingly studying all the revealed scriptures with the aim of establishing eternal religious principles for the benefit of all human beings. Thus they are honored all over the three worlds, and they are worth taking shelter of because they are absorbed in the mood of the gopīs and are engaged in the transcendental loving service of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.” Srimad-Bhagavatam purport 4.27.24  Sri Gopala Bhatta Goswami as  instructor guru of Krsna dasa Kavirajaśrī-rūpa, sanātana, bhaṭṭa-raghunāthaśrī-jīva, gopāla-bhaṭṭa, dāsa-raghunātha SYNONYMSśrī–rūpa—Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī; sanātana—Sanātana Gosvāmī; bhaṭṭa–raghunātha—RaghunāthaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī; śrī–jīva—Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī; gopāla–bhaṭṭa—GopālaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī; dāsa–raghunātha—Śrīla Raghunāthadāsa Gosvāmī. TRANSLATION The instructing spiritual masters are Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī BhaṭṭaRaghunātha, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, Śrī GopālaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī and Śrīla Raghunāthadāsa Gosvāmī.Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta  Adi-Lila 1.36 Sri Gopala Bhatta Goswami and Prakasanana SarasvatiIn this connection it may be mentioned that sometimes the sahajiyā class of devotees opine that PrakāśānandaSarasvatī and Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī are the same man. Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī was a great Vaiṣṇava devotee of Lord CaitanyaMahāprabhu, but PrakāśānandaSarasvatī, the head of the Māyāvādīsannyāsīs in Benares, was a different person. Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī belonged to the Rāmānuja-sampradāya, whereas PrakāśānandaSarasvatī belonged to the Śaṅkarācārya-sampradāya. Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī wrote a number of books, among which are the Caitanya-candrāmṛta, Rādhā–rasa–sudhā–nidhi, Saṅgīta–mādhava, Vṛndāvana-śataka and Navadvīpa-śataka. While traveling in southern India, CaitanyaMahāprabhu met Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī, who had two brothers, Veṅkaṭa Bhaṭṭa and Tirumalaya Bhaṭṭa, who were Vaiṣṇavas of the Rāmānuja-sampradāya. GopālaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī was the nephew of Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī. From historical records it is found that Śrī CaitanyaMahāprabhu traveled in South India in the year 1433 śakābda (A.D. 1511) during the Cāturmāsya period, and it was at that time that He met Prabodhānanda, who belonged to the Rāmānuja-sampradāya. How then could the same person meet Him as a member of the Śaṅkara-sampradāya in 1435 śakābda, two years later? It is to be concluded that the guess of the sahijiyā-sampradāya that Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī and PrakāśānandaSarasvatī were the same man is a mistaken idea. Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta  Adi-Lila 7.149 Sri Gopala Bhatta Goswami constructed the temple of RadhaRamanaWhen Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī went to Vṛndāvana, there was not a single temple, but by their preaching they were gradually able to construct various temples. Sanātana Gosvāmī constructed the Madana–mohana temple, and Rūpa Gosvāmī constructed the Govindajī temple. Similarly, their nephew Jīva Gosvāmī constructed the Rādhā–Dāmodara temple, Śrī GopālaBhaṭṭa Gosvāmī constructed the Rādhā–ramaṇa temple, Śrī Lokanātha Gosvāmī constructed the Gokulānanda temple, and Śyāmānanda Gosvāmī constructed the Śyāmasundara temple. In this way, many temples were gradually constructed. For preaching, construction of temples is also necessary. The Gosvāmīs not only engaged in writing books but also constructed temples because both are needed for preaching work. Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Adi-Lila 7.164