Hare Krsna-Below we have 6 different quotes by Srila Prabhupada regarding reading or not reading other acaryas books and deity worship. You will see that he did want us to read all the Acaryas books, including Bhaktivinode Thakur and the 6 Goswamis. In a special instance he told two disciples in 1973 to stay away from Lalita Prasada, the brother of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja because he had a grudge against his great brother. But earlier , 1971,he told disciples to bring him some presentations of cash or kind to him and his deity. Later he revised his order to- not go see – him because like so many of the Gaudiya matha, they only caused trouble for Srila Prabhupadas fledgling disciples in India. At the end we see one quote where Prabhupada tells us to read all the books or we will fall down. So after doing this, and several times I might add, one can get a better and clearer picture of so called contradictory instructions.
damaghosa das
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Adi-lila : Adi 5: 203
By the mercy of Sanātana Gosvāmī I have learned the final conclusions of devotional service, and by the grace of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī I have tasted the highest nectar of devotional service.
PURPORT...Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī Prabhu, the teacher of the science of devotional service, wrote several books, of which the Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta is very famous; anyone who wants to know about the subject matter of devotees, devotional service and Kṛṣṇa must read this book.
Los Angeles,25 December, 1973
My Dear Gurukrpa Maharaja and Yasodanandana Maharaja,
Please accept my blessings. Karandhara has received a letter from Tamala Krsna Goswami and he is expressing some hesitation about your returning to India. I can understand that previously there must have been some quarrel amongst you and that sometimes happens amongst god-brothers. Whatever is done is done; the main thing is we must not carry grudges or continue to quarrel amongst one another. So I am asking you personally, along with Tamala Krsna Goswami to whom I am sending a copy of this letter, to bury the hatchet and join together to push on this movement cooperatively. Tamala Krsna Goswami has been appointed by me to manage and direct our Indian projects and actually he is the most expert and qualified in this connection. You both are also sannyasins and I know that the service which you do the best is Hare Krsna kirtana and Bhagavata Dharma preaching. So I have no objection if you return to India. Rather, I know you both can be a great asset for our programs there. I am requesting you, therefore, to concentrate on preaching and kirtana and work cooperatively with Tamala Krsna Goswami who is in charge there. Whatever imperfections and discrepancies may exist, if you all agree to my directions and cooperate in the right spirit then everything will turn out, but it will require everyone involved to be responsible and cooperate in executing and following the instructions of the Spiritual Master. Now, one thing is I understand that in the past you were visiting Lalita Prasadji and that you may also be planning to continue to visit him when you return to India. This is not approved by me and I request you not to go to see him any more. He holds a grudge against my Guru Maharaja and even if it is transcendental it will gradually appear mundane in our eyes. Whatever is to be learned of the teachings of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura can be learned from our books. There is no need whatsoever for any outside instruction. So I hope that you have understood these matters and I pray to Krsna always for your protection and advancement in Krsna consciousness.
Sept 2 1971 letter to JPS
P.S. Whenever our men go to visit Lalita Prasad Thakura they must take some presentation, cash or kind, worth not less than Rs. 50/- at least. Some nice presentation should be always given. Not that you go empty handed. It is customary to make a presentation to the Deity and Spiritual Master. Lalita Prasad Thakura is son of Bhaktivinode Thakura and younger brother of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati so he is considered my spiritual master.
ACBS/adb
May 13 1975 Perth
Paramahaṁsa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, I remember once I heard a tape where you told us that we should not try to read the books of previous ācāryas.
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Amogha: That we should not try to read Bhaktivinoda’s books or earlier books of other, all ācāryas. So I was just wondering…
Prabhupāda: I never said that.
Amogha: You didn’t say that? Oh.
Prabhupāda: How is that?
Amogha: I thought you said that we should not read the previous ācāryas’ books.
Prabhupāda: No, you should read.
Amogha: We should.
Prabhupāda: It is misunderstanding.
Paramahaṁsa: I think maybe he was thinking that there was some things about some of the Gauḍīya Maṭha books.
Prabhupāda: Maybe.
Madhya 25.278 : PURPORT :
All the devotees connected with this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement must read all the books that have been translated (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā and others); otherwise, after some time, they will simply eat, sleep and fall down from their position. Thus they will miss the opportunity to attain an eternal, blissful life of transcendental pleasure.
NoD 35 Neutral Love of God 175614/530501
Without worshiping the arca-vigraha, the form or Deity of the Lord,
one cannot understand such literature as Bhagavad-gita and
Srimad-Bhagavatam.
751030SB.NAI Lectures 223477/530501
So the temple worship is essential. So those who are against temple
worship, Deity worship, they are not very intelligent class of men,
foolish, mudha. NoD 35 Neutral Love of God