cbrahma

Bhaktisiddhanta said it best:

 

The idea of an organized church in an intelligible form, indeed, marks the close of the living spiritual movement. The great ecclesiastical establishments are the dikes and dams to retain the current that cannot be held by any such contrivances. They, indeed, indicate a desire on the part of the masses to exploit a spiritual movement for their own purpose. They also unmistakably indicate the end of the absolute and unconventional guidance of the bona-fide spiritual teacher. The people of this world understand preventive systems, they have no idea at all of the unprevented positive eternal life. Neither can there be any earthy contrivance for the permanent preservation of the life eternal on this mundane plane on the popular scale.

Those are, therefore, greatly mistaken who are disposed to look forward to the amelioration of the worldly state in any worldly sense from the worldly success of any really spiritual movement. It is these worldly expectants who become the patrons of the mischievous race of the pseudo-teachers of religion, the Putanas, whose congenial function is to stifle the theistic disposition at the very moment of its suspected appearance. But the theistic disposition can never be stifled by the efforts of those Putanas. The Putanas have power only over the atheist. It is a thankless but salutary task which they perform for the benefit of their unwilling victims.

But as soon as theistic disposition proper makes its appearance in the pure cognitive essence of the awakened soul, the Putanas are decisively silenced at the very earliest stage of their encounter with the new-born Krishna. The would-be slayer of herself slain. This is the reward of the negative services that the Putanas unwittingly render to the cause of theism by strangling all hypocritical demonstrations against their own hypocrisy. But Putana does not at all like to receive her reward in only form which involves the total destruction of her wrong personality. King Kamsa also does not like to lose the services of the most trusted of his agents. The effective silencing of the whole race of pseudo-teachers of religion is the first clear indication of the appearance of the Absolute on the mundane plane. The bona-fide teacher of the Absolute, heralds the Advent of Krishna by his uncompromising campaign against the pseudo-teachers of religion.

 

 

So we should associate by vibration, and not by the physical presence. That is real association. “(Lectures SB, 68/08/18)

 

“It is sometimes misunderstood that if one has to associate with persons engaged in devotional service, he will not be able to solve the economic problem. To answer this argument, it is described here that one has to associate with liberated persons not directly, physically, but by understanding, through philosophy and logic, the problems of life.”

(SB 3:31:48)

 

“Paramahamsa: My question is, a pure devotee, when he comments on Bhagavad-gita, someone who never sees him physically, but he just comes in contact with the commentary, explanation, is this the same thing?

 

Srila Prabhupada: Yes. You can associate with Krsna by reading Bhagavad-Gita. And these saintly persons, they have given their explanations, comments. So where is the difficulty?”

(Morning Walk, Paris 11/6/74)

 

“The influence of the pure devotee is such that if someone comes to associate with him with a little faith, he gets the chance of hearing about the Lord from authoritative scriptures like Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. This is the first stage of association with the pure devotee.”

(Nectar of Devotion, (1982 Ed.), p146)

 

“So 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.”

(General lectures, 69/01/13)

 

“These are not ordinary books. It is recorded chanting. Anyone who reads, he is hearing.”

(Letter to Rupanuga Das, 19/10/74)

 

“Krsna and his representative are the same. Similarly, the spiritual master can be present wherever the disciple wants. A spiritual master is the principle, not the body. Just like a television can be seen in thousands of place by the principle of relay monitoring.”

(Letter to Malati, 28/5/68)

 

“Narayana: So those disciples who don't have the opportunity to see you or speak with you...

 

Srila Prabhupada: That he was speaking, vani and vapuh. Even if you don't see his body, you take his words, vani.”

(Room conversation, 21/7/75)

 

"Initiation is a formality. If you are serious, that is real initiation. My touch is simply a formality. It is your determination. That is initiation."

(morning walk, Seattle, 02/10/68)

 

Since Srila Prabhupada has left our material vision - one must be very cautious in considering taking ritual Initiation from any presently-available guru. If a guru is not an utterly pure devotee of Lord Krishna - as Srila Prabhupada is - there can be devastating spiritual consequences to both the diksa-guru and the initiate.

 

Numerous post-Prabhupada diksa-"gurus" have manifested their inability to handle the spiritual weight of such a role, by devastating "fall-downs" from spiritual life - and even worse consequences.

 

Because of the spiritual ties binding diksa-guru and initiate, every person who takes initiation from such spiritually unprepared "gurus" suffers severe reactions due to these "fall-downs." This has been well-proven by the (literally) thousands of good-hearted, pious devotees who have left the movement altogether, after losing their diksa-"gurus" to the allurements of Maya-Devi (material illusion, personified) .

 

-Where Does This Leave Us Now ? -

 

"Sometimes a diksa-guru is not present always. Therefore one can take learning, instruction, from an advanced devotee. That is called the siksa-guru."

(Srila Prabhupada: lecture - Bhagavad-gita 17.1-3, Honolulu, 07/04/73)

 

There have been many times throughout history, during which there has been no available diksa-guru. It is at such times that sincere devotees must be tolerant, taking full shelter of the holy name and of the empowered shiksa-guru, while trusting in the unimaginable mercy and compassion of Lord Krishna to make all things right.

 

With Srila Prabhupada no longer available - and with no other persons yet proven to be spiritually pure enough to offer diksha without harsh karmic reactions - we are presently in such an admittedly difficult situation.

 

Yet, we do continue to be blessed with Srila Prabhupada's presence as the self-effulgent jagat shiksa-guru for this time, in his incomparable writings. As he promised, he will live forever in his books!

 

Diska is always present because there is always somebody claiming to be in the parampara by virtue of diksa. With ample supply of mantra purveyors, the salvation brokerage is always open for business. Corruption is lucrative.

"Almost every sect of Christianity is a perversion of its essence, to

accomodate it to the prejudices of the world."

 

William Hazlitt, English essayist. The Round Table, "On the Causes of

Methodism" (1817).

 

------------------------------

 

What has happened to the KRSNA Cociousness Movement's pure essence of the founder/acarya? Has it fallen down to the prejudices of 'modernity'?

Denominationalism is an American phenomenon which orginated from its Revivalist roots.

For the parampara to be bonafide there has to be that embodied link, otherwise any shmo can say they are in that parampara

Says who?

Gosh and the fire sacrifice prevents them from being shmos? ...All those unqualified ISKCON gurus falling like a summer shower.

Note very carefully To date the diksa lineage is corrupted (read caste goswami)

News flash---the parampara is a siksa not a diksa parampara.

THE VEDIC INTERPRETATION OF QUANTUM THEORYAlex Hankey PhD.United KingdomAbstractThe use of the Vedic Sciences allows a natural interpretation of quantum theory inwhich the universal understanding of the wave-function as referring to our knowledgeof the system it represents, and not the system itself, finds its natural fulfilment. Indeveloping the interpretation, specific use is made of the following: structure of Veda,including both mantra and brahmana protions of the texts, Vedanta (maya), Yoga(kaivalya) and Samkhya (mahat and triguna). Each contributes a specific, necessaryunderstanding of the nature of reality, which enables completely new physics to beproposed and justified.The Samhita of Rishi, Devata and Chhandas (the structure of Veda) is used tojustify dropping the concept of 'objective reality' from the canons of modern science.Similarly, the relationship between pure knowledge (mantra) and its organising power(brahmana) is used to as a model for the relationship between the structure of thequantum field, and the organising ability which enables it to influence the unfoldingof the reality of sensory experience and scientific measurement. Vedanta holds thatthe world of sensory experience is only an illusion, and that to treat it as having apurely objective existence is delusion, a result of being fooled by the illusion.Description of the illusion requires elements of other darshanas mentioned: Yoga isthe source of the concept of singularity needed to describe singularities underlyingfundamental laws of quantum complexity involved in processes of manifestation;Samkhya names the mahat tattwa as the supreme organising principle maintaining theworld of manifestation in a state of perfect orderliness; it also shows howmanifestation processes can only take place when there is a fundamental lack ofequilibrium – between the three gunas, sattwa, rajas and tamas, which find a closecorrespondence to the thermodynamics of manifestation.

http://209.85.141.104/search?q=cache:xTxeL1D-1QcJ:www.metaelmelet.hu/egyelm/abs/Alex_Hankey.pdf+vedas+quantum+theory&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=us

 

They were tryining to take over the world, but in an old fashion imperial way, not through secret conspiracy way. They were quite open about it.

 

As to British trying to steal from the Vedas - that never happened, as they were too stupid to recognize its value. British despised the Vedas. Germans on the other hand were fascinated by the Vedas and tried to take the fullest advantage of its wisdom. they were the smart bunch.

How do you know?

The question did not convey as such, my opinion.

 

Then what is the final authority?

 

Something equal to mankind and final in comprehensive text?

 

Currently have 5 panels on my screen with access to data on every continent; name the final authority so a student can read without all the contradictions.

So much miscommunication occurs on the internet because it's impersonal. So the question how can you tell somebody is angry is an important one.

Physical presence is immaterial. Presence of the transcendental sound received from the Spiritual Master should be the guidance of life. That will make our spiritual life successful. If you feel very strongly about my absence you may place my pictures on my sitting places and this will be source of inspiration for you.

 

(SP Letter to Brahmananda and other students, 19/1/67)

 

But always remember that I am always with you. As you are always thinking of me, I am always thinking of you also. Although physically we are not together, we are not separated spiritually. So we should

be concerned only with this spiritual connection.

 

(SP Letter to Gaurasundara, 13/11/69)

 

So we should associate by vibration, and not by the physical presence. That is real association.

 

(SP Lectures SB, 68/08/18)

 

There are two conceptions, the physical conception and the vibrational conception. The physical conception is temporary. The vibrational conception is eternal.[...] When we feel separation from Krishna or the Spirirual Master, we should just try to remember their words or instructions, and we will no longer feel that separation. Such association with Krishna and the Spiritual Master should be association by vibration not physical presence. That is real association.

 

(SP in Elevation to Krishna Consciousness,(BBT 1973), Page 57)

 

Although according to material vision His Divine Grace Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarsavati Thakura Prabhupada passed away from this material world on the last day of December 1936, I still consider his Divine Grace to be always present with me by his vani, his words. There are two ways of association - by vani and by vapuh. Vani means words and vapuh means physical presence. Physical presence is sometimes appreciable and sometimes not, but Vani continues to exist eternally. Therefore, one must take advantage of the Vani, not the physical presence.

 

(SP in CC, Antya 5 Conclusion)

 

Therefore we should take advantage of the Vani, not the physical presence.

 

(SP Letter to Suci Devi Dasi, 4/11/75)

 

I shall remain your personal guidance, physically present or not physically present, as I am getting guidance from my Guru Maharaja.

 

(SP Room Conversation, Vrindavan, 14/7/77)

 

It is sometimes misunderstood that if one has to associate with persons engaged in devotional service, he will not be able to solve the economic problem. To answer this argument, it is described here that one has to associate with liberated persons not directly, physically, but by understanding, through philosophy and logic, the problems of life.

 

(SP in SB 3:31:48)

 

I am always with you. Never mind if I am physically absent.

 

(SP Letter to Jayananda, 16/9/67)

 

Paramananda: We're always feeling your presence very strongly, Shrila Prabhupada, simply by your teachings and your instructions. We're always meditating on your instructions.

 

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

 

(SP Room Conversation, Vrndavana, 6/10/77)

 

You write that you have desire to avail of my association again, but why do you forget that you are always in association with me? When you are helping my missionary activities I am always thinking of you, and you are always thinking of me . That is real association. Just like I am always thinking of my Guru Maharaja at every moment, although he is not physically present, and because I am trying to serve him to my best capacity, I am sure he is helping me by his spiritual blessings. So there are two kinds of association: physical

and preceptorial. Physical association is not so important as preceptorial association.

 

(SP Letter to Govinda Dasi, 18/8/69)

 

As 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 Krishna prasadam etc.,

then there is no question of your not receiving the blessings of Lord Chaitanya, whose mission I am humbly trying to push on.

 

(SP Letter to Bala Krishna, 30/6/74)

 

'Anyone who has developed unflinching faith in the Lord and the Spiritual Master can understand the revealed scripture unfolding before him'. So continue your present aptitude and you will be successful in your spiritual progress. I am sure that even if I am not physically present before you, still you will be able to execute

all spiritual duties in the matter of Krishna Consciousness, if you follow the above principles.

 

(SP Letter to Subala, 29/9/67)

 

So 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.

 

(SP General lectures, 69/01/13)

 

Devotee: ...so sometimes the Spiritual Master is far away. He may be in Los Angeles. Somebody is coming to Hamburg Temple. He thinks 'How will the Spiritual Master be pleased?'

 

Shrila Prabhupada: Just follow his order, Spiritual Master is along with you by his words. Just like my Spiritual Master is not physically present, but I am associating with him by his words.

 

(SP SB Lectures, 71/08/18)

 

Just like I am working, so my Guru Maharaja is there, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. Physically he may not be, but in every action he is there. To serve master's word is more important than to serve physically.

 

(SP Room Conversation, Vrindavan, 2/5/77)

 

So that is called prakata, physically present. And there is another phrase, which is called aprakata, not physically present. But that does not mean, Krishna is dead or God is dead. That does not mean,

prakata or aprakata, physically present or not present, it does not matter.

 

(SP Lectures SB 73/12/11)

 

So, spiritually, there is no question of separation, even physically we may be in far distant place.

 

(SP Letter to Syama Dasi, 30/08/68)

 

I went to your country for spreading this information of Krishna Consciousness and you are helping me in my mission, although I am not physically present there but spiritually I am always with you.

 

(Letter to Nandarani, Krishna Devi and Subala, 3/10/67)

 

We are not separated actually. There are two - Vani or Vapuh - so Vapu is physical presence and Vani is presence by the vibration, but they are all the same.

 

(SP Letter to Hamsadutta, 22/6/70)

 

So in the absence of physical presentation of the spiritual master, the Vaniseva is more important. My Spiritual Master Sarsavati Goswami, may appear to be physically not present, but still because I try to serve his instruction, I never feel separated from him.

 

(SP Letter to Karandhara, 22/8/70)

 

 

Is this enough to dispel the sentimentality of the bodily conception? Not being a mundane religionist/traditionalist I don't wish for something I don't need. Whew (enough already)

Wonderful:rolleyes:

OK so written as a loaded question?

 

Learning these skills myself.

 

Then we both have an answer that the 'rhetorical' question or wording you used was not that good.......... an honest opinion, be nice...

 

referencing is usually done at the end of the paper, not as the paper. Meaning when a point is made, the discussion follows, then references are furnished when questions come and as a last resort, a return to benchmarks (references) entails.

 

Such to say; what is life? Then a list of items concerning life should be presented; not and 'so and so said'.......

 

that is where there is a huge divide of articulation, as 'so and so,' did not know either, otherwise why would anyone ask, they could look it up for themselves

How does the rhetorical question not define the issue?

Papers are full of inline quotes BTW. This a forum, so there is no 'back of the book' reference section. Also in a devotional setting such as this forum - authority counts.

i dunno; maybe chant a bit on it

Seems you answered your own question

 

 

 

The real character issue that any can equally observe is integrity. Some may have a little more data to reflect from, but most can see how when someone is in doubt, they abuse their integrity and fib to retain a position of knowing, as if absolute based on an opinion.

 

Or my favorite on this site is the quoting of another to answer questions.

 

Almost like a parot; incapable of conversing with mind and reason.

My question was rhetorical. A lead to one possible answer. Best not to make characterizations. Basing one's statements about a particular belief system like Gaudiya Vaisnavism, by quoting an authority on the subject is not parroting - it's called supporting with references. If you've ever written a paper that is what is expected.

"Britishers took the idea from Vedic literature and presented in British way. Britisher wanted that, “We are the monopolizers of all scientists, all big men.” Sir Isaac Newton, then the, who is that, Darwin, big politicians, Gladstone, everything big—British. They wanted it. “British means all big men. Therefore we must rule over the world.” All Lords, Sirs, and this and that… They wanted to prove, “The only big men of the universe, they take birth in England, and therefore we should rule over the world.” And this was their pledge."

 

I think he is talking about the pride of British people and their belief that they are the best in everything. Sort of like Americans now.

 

I do not get the drift that this is some conspiracy theory.

It could be taken that way 'The British are trying to take over the world'. They didn't literally steal from the Vedas...did they?

This is the text in question

Prabhupāda: Hm. He was rascal speculator. He took the idea from the Vedic literature, and he wanted to take the credit himself, and the different hodgepodge theory, this is… Britishers took the idea from Vedic literature and presented in British way. Britisher wanted that, “We are the monopolizers of all scientists, all big men.” Sir Isaac Newton, then the, who is that, Darwin, big politicians, Gladstone, everything big—British. They wanted it. “British means all big men. Therefore we must rule over the world.” All Lords, Sirs, and this and that… They wanted to prove, “The only big men of the universe, they take birth in England, and therefore we should rule over the world.” And this was their pledge.

 

Now Prabhupada appears to be literally forming a conspiracy theory about 'Britishers'. That they just used the Vedas to their advantage.

Britishers were Indologists. They had been to India , were familiar with the culture. It isn't obvious that they didn't plagiarize.

But that idea aside, we need to look at the point, the spirit of the statement rather than its technical truth. The Vedas do trump so many materialist theories. All knowledge comes from the Vedas. In fact Veda means knowledge. That is the philosophical principle Prabhupada is applying here.

I don't see significant differences in meaning - just the language differences cleaned up.

The sixth edition, which is usually regarded as the last, appeared in February 1872. Murray's accounts show that 3,000 copies were printed, but this total presumably included both those with eleventh thousand on the title page and those with twelfth, the latter being notably less common. It is again extensively revised and contains a new chapter, VII. This was inserted to confute the views of the Roman Catholic biologist St George Mivart. The edition was aimed at a wider public and printed in smaller type, the volume shorter again and giving the general impression of a cheap edition, which at 7s. 6d. it was. The title changes to The origin of species, and a glossary, compiled by W. S. Dallas, appears. It is in this edition that the word 'evolution' occurs for the first time. It had been used in the first edition of The descent of man in the previous year, but not before in this work. 'Evolved' had been the last word of the text in all previous editions, but 'evolution' had been omitted, perhaps to avoid confusion with the use of the word by Herbert Spencer or with its more particular embryological meaning. The word had however been used in its transformist sense by Lyell as early as 1832 (Principles of geology, Vol. II, p. 11). In this edition it occurs twice on page 201 and three times on page 424. The title page reads 'Sixth edition, with additions and corrections. (Eleventh thousand

How does one determine if a response is angry, especially over the internet?

Obviously if one is making personal remarks about character and spiritual state, then that is not a good sign. It is best therefore to avoid all personal characterizations. To address issues, statements, without such attacks is always valid, but if a person continues to respond with you are such and such bad character, then ignoring is best IMO.

<DT>evolve <DD>1641, "to unfold, open out, expand," from L. evolvere "unroll," from ex- "out" + volvere "to roll" . Evolution (1622), originally meant "unrolling of a book;" it first was used in the modern scientific sense 1832 by Scot. geologist Charles Lyell. Charles Darwin used the word only once, in the closing paragraph of "The Origin of Species" (1859), and preferred descent with modification, in part because evolution already had been used in the 18c. homunculus theory of embryological development (first proposed under this name by Bonnet, 1762), in part because it carried a sense of "progress" not found in Darwin's idea. But Victorian belief in progress prevailed (along with brevity), and Herbert Spencer and other biologists popularized evolution.

 

These are the FACTS. What commonly passes as the Darwinian theory of evolution is a highly modified and refined concept that Darwin himself developed. Certainly in no way connected with the ideas presented in Vedic literature, which were completely alien to Charles Darwin.

 

Criticize the man for his real crimes, not for what you blame him for. Criticize Darwin for being a materialist, not for stealing something from the Vedas.

 

And again, what is present in the Vedas has nothing to do with material bodies (forms) evolving gradually over time. The Vedic idea is that all physical bodies come from Prajapatis and their wives uniting to generate various species of life. You cant even claim that the soul is evolving because the soul is ever the same, changeles.

<DD>I know the about the theory of evolution. I have a science degree.

<DD>I already made the distinction of which I am fully aware, between the evolution of the soul and evolution of the species.

<DD>But the basic concept of evolution is the same, simply applied in two completely different ways, the one valid, the other invalid.

<DD>It's like the Hegelian spiritual dialectic being appropriated by Marxist materialism. And yes I know that in that case, there was a clear borrowing, but the relationship between the two theories is analogous.

<DD>We don't want to be asses taking things in a stupid literal way. Prabhupada was making a philosophical point about the primacy of the Vedas. To turn around and fault him for not being academically factual is myopic like Dr. Frog in the well.

<DD>

<DD>

<DD>

</DD>

That speech is not really hateful or bigoted. Srila Prabhupada would often 'shoot from the hip' in such debates, not bothering to check the facts or trying to understand the issue on hand in a deeper way. He simply wanted to make his own point, and to promote Krsna consciousness.

 

To claim that Darwin took the idea of evolution from the Vedas is not based on facts. Number one: there is no mention of this type of evolution in the Vedas, and number two: Darwin did not know the Vedas.

 

Prabhupada was not a hater but he was a passionate debater. He was pretty much criticizing everybody and everything in these debates, but only to promote Krsna consciousness. He was also not a bigot. Bigotry is defined as irrational suspicion or hatred of a particular group, race, or religion. I do not see that in Prabhupada. His embracing of Christianity and Islam as some low form of Vaishnavism is a good example. Prabhupada was not irrational.

The point that Prabhupada was making (which is obvious to me) is that the Vedas already have the knowledge we need, that even the correct idea of evolution (that is the evolution of the soul through all the species of life) is there.

It's not exactly that Darwin literally consciously stole the idea from the Vedas, but that it was already in existence in the Vedas, and that he was purporting it to be his original theory which he misapplied and distorted n some deterministic, materialistic way. That is sufficient qualification for his rascaldom.

It is not the result of Prabhupada's bigotry or hatred, but of his Vedic and spiritual vision.

Don't know for sure but I think what beggar is saying is that you basically are not qualified to interpet the statements Prabhupada made unless you get initiated by a living guru and become a real vaisnava so he apparently feels you are trying to undermine Prabhupada or something. Don't know for sure.

Of course that is what he is saying. That's all he ever says, in spite of the fact that there are Prabhupada disciples that will not even associate with GM disciples. It's all about status and position etc..Being on the inside... But that goes back to the traditional religious system - which for all intents and purposes Bhaktisiddhanta rejected.

There are a lot of ways in which the GM gurus and disciples undermine Prabhupada - so it's all a matter of what side of the fence you're on. I dont' want to continue with this side-dialogue with beggar. I have him on ignore for a reason. Because his one and only ploy is to make wholesale personal attacks - 'ad hominem' - conveniently dismissing everything anybody could say. It's kind of a brain-dead tactic which I'm not interested in pursuing. (ignore beggar)

I guess it all comes down to a matter of interpretation on who exactly are the real followers and representatives of Srila Prabhupada and Gaudiya Vaisnavism. There always seem to be different philosophical interpretations of Prabhupada and Gaudiya Vaisnavism and consequently people seem to have some serious conflicts in these interpetations. I don't know how you ultimately resolve these different issues but one thing I have learned about Krishna Consciousness is that it seems the philosophical headbutting will most likely continue unless Prabhupada appears and ultimatelys sets the issues straight once and for all or Krishna or something like that. I know I am in no position to determine who is and who is not in the good graces of Krishna and Prabhupada.

I don't need credentials to speak from experience. Prabhupada is the guru I quote almost exclusively and not in a negative way. My personal status has nothing to do with the accuracy of my statements. That kind of argument is 'ad hominem'. It is both allacious and non-Vaisnava at the same time.

A travesty of logical inference.

Depending, I suppose, on what you mean by "practical" and "normal," you're right. If you mean living a workaday, tax-paying consumer's life, a dynamic sadhana can certainly mess up your plan. I've had a strong, steady sadhana for nearly 39 years. When I married more than 35 years ago, our idea was to go to South America and introduce Krishna consciousness to a country where devotees had never been, Peru. When ISKCON politics screwed that up, we went back to Honolulu and served as the head pujaris and later helped open the first Govinda's restaurant. We then moved to the Big Island, where we kept our sadhana, including mangala-arati, daily Deity dressing, Bhagavatam and Gita classes, and festivals for big days. Later I worked as a paralegal in Honolulu for a couple of years, maintaining our sadhana at home and doing service at the temple. However, after Srila Prabhupada's passing from our vision, I was inspired to start a gurukula in Honolulu and later to work at another in California. After leaving ISKCON at the end of 1985 (if you were around then, you could probably guess why), I kept up my sadhana as I worked, helped my wife raise our kids, and got a graduate degree. My sadhana increased while I worked--hard--teaching English at colleges and universities in California and Hawaii. I got a tenure-track position (not an easy thing to accomplish) while maintaining a progressively dynamic sadhana. I also had several strands of service to devotees going--and growing--at the same time. The problem is that this dynamic sadhana continually grew until I was no longer really able to channel the energy needed to grow my academic career. So at 60 I find myself not regularly employed, fairly useless for economic development, intersted mainly in growing my sadhana further and sharing Krishna consciousness, and moving out of family life. This can be somewhat disconcerting, of course, epecially for my wife and kids. It would have been even more disconcerting if I had become similarly useless 15 or 20 years ago, when my wife and kids depended on me more for their maintenance.

 

This seems impractical if I see myself as a white man with English degrees who belongs to a particular little family. It's quite practical, though, if I see myself as someone whose purpose in life is to serve my guru and cultivate love for Krishna. The real question, I guess, is who are you, what do you want, what do you consider success?

It depends what you mean by sadhana.

“The austerity in our Gaudiya-sampradaya is very simple: following the four principles, restriction, avoiding the offenses, and chanting regular beads. That’s all. And hearing.”

–from lecture on SB 6.3.18 — Gorakhpur, February 11, 1971

 

“Our first business to every initiated devotee is to chant daily sixteen round of beads without fail, and to follow the regulative principles rigidly, and our literatures must be studied with great attention. “

–from a letter to: Jayapataka — 1975 So. La Cienega Blvd. Los Angeles, Cal. 90034 February 13, 1970

 

“The Governing Body Commission’s duty is therefore to see that every member is following the rules and regulations and chanting sixteen round regularly on the beads.”

–from a letter to: Bali-mardana — Tokyo 25 August, 1970

 

"Under My order, you become a spiritual master and deliver the people of your country." And what is that order? That yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. "Whomever you meet, you simply speak what Krsna has said, or what is spoken about Krsna."

 

That is Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. So every one of you follow the instruction, as you have received. Chant sixteen rounds regularly, without fail, and follow the regulative principles, and hear about Krsna, and preach about Krsna. Every one of you become a spiritual master. Simple thing. No education required. Because we are hearing about Krsna, so we can speak the same thing. What is the difficulty? If I hear from my spiritual master or from any learned man that "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead," so if I say by hearing that "Krsna is Supreme Personality of Godhead," so I haven't got to search out whether Krsna is Personality of Godhead or not, but if I accept the authority, then I speak the real truth. This is our Krsna consciousness movement. Therefore sometimes, when people say in India, "Swamiji, you have done wonderful." And yes, I do not know. I'm not a magician. But, so far I am confident that I did not adulterate the words of Krsna.