No he did not (was Re: Did Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura eat meat?)

11-30-2002, 09:41 AM

--- In achintya@y..., Sanjay Dadlani wrote:
> Haribol.
>
> I've recently come across a text that suggest that
> Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura may have eaten meat at some
> point in his life.
>
> The evidence comes from 'Svalikitha Jivani,' an
> autobiographical text written by Srila Bhaktivinoda
> Thakura in the form of a letter to his seventh son,
> Srila Lalita Prasada Thakura.
>
> I suspected that it may be a spurious and/or invented
> text, but it seems that this text is rather authentic
> and has been used for consultation by Rupa-vilas das,
> who wrote the 'Seventh Goswami' bioraphy of Srila
> Bhaktivinoda Thakura.

I have some comments here.

First, I seem to recall this coming up in a different discussion
elsewhere, in a series of back-and-forth exchanges between members of
the Lalita Prasad Thakur party and members of the Narasingha-
Chaitanya Math. This was some years ago. I seem to recall that the NC
Math people addressed this very quote, and said that it was obviously
a statement of humility on the part of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura --
in the same sense that one who advances in devotion becomes conscious
of his insignificance, so also was the Thakura accusing himself of
all sorts of sinful activities. It was not meant to be taken as a
biographical fact.

Second, I could be mistaken about this, but the website you alluded
to in this posting, www.raganuga.com, appears to be the work of
Vaishnavas following in one of the other Babaji lines which is
antagonistic to the Bhaktivinoda-Gaurakishora-Bhaktisiddhanta-
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada line. I am not saying that one should
just reject everything they say: I am, as a matter of principle,
against blind acceptance or blind rejection of anything, and I am
also against relying on others to do our thinking for us. But just to
give you a little introduction on this group (and these are just my
opinions, so feel free to research the issues for yourself)-- This
particular school, with whose members I have clashed the proverbial
swords with in the past, has some very particular views regarding
varnaashrama, paramparaa, and shaastra which are not really
mainstream Gaudiiya Vaishnavism. I don't intend that we assail the
character of the members of this other "paramparaa." Rather I think,
that if members feel willing, we can certainly take apart many of
their viewpoints and analyze them according to guru, saadhu, and
shaastra.

The website of at least one member of this opposing party is
www.bhajankutir.net. Be forewarned that its author isn't shy about
criticizing Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON, or other Gaudiiya Vaishnavas in
our line. However, do keep in mind his own bias regarding religion in
general, which he reveals at
http://www.bhajankutir.net/ndelmonico.html:

"Over the years I have seen my attitude towards the Vaisnava
tradition and towards religion in general change. I now see religion
as mostly a form of fantasy-fulfillment, explainable better in terms
of human need rather than divine revelation."

So take his opinions for what they are worth. Additionally, one can
find a very revealing, if not rather uncultured and frankly
inflammatory, article from a member of this school, posted at

http://www.indiadivine.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?
Cat=&Board=UBB1&Number=2717&page=&view=&sb=&o=&fpart=1&vc=1

....and followed by a lengthy (and at times very counterproductive)
discussion. Some good points were made in that discussion, if one can
navigate around the flames. You may need to login to the IndiaDivine
forums first at www.indiadivine.com. I only post this here for
members who want to know what this other "paramparaa" believes in.
The central thrust of this particular article is that the entire
paramparaa beginning with Gaurakishora dasa Babaji and including our
beloved Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is not bona fide. I
have also disagreed with and challenged the arguments provided in
this article in that same thread.

I am happy to discuss some of these points here if there is interest,
especially since this forum is moderated and things must be discussed
cooly.

yours,

- K