BhaktiK

Sripad Narayan Maharaj beaming with happiness, now that Srila Gurudev has finally arrived at the new Long Mountain temple.

The pastimes in Goloka are continuously being repeated, and when the Lord descends on an earth planet those moving pastimes are displayed in earthly Gokul. There is no difference between Gokul and Goloka except that the pastimes in Gokul are visible. Sri Brhad Bhagatamrtam by Srila Sanatan Goswami, Sri Goloka-mahatmya chapter 6 Time here on earth is synchronized with time moving forward in Krishna's lila. When Mahaprabhu was living on earth 500 years ago Martin Luther was also living in the same time, but in a differnent place.

Srila Sridhar Maharaj also made the point that we should not try to serve Krishna but rather to render service as a servant of the servant of a servant. But in his recent commentary to Mahaprabhu's 8 directives (the Siksastakam) Srila Govinda Maharaj revealed that when Gurudev asks us to chant Harinama he is asking us to serve Krishna directly. How astonishing it is, that when we offer an article during aroti we know we first look to Srila Gurudev and then offer the item to the Thakur (Deity) on behalf of Gurudev (we are part of Gurudev's paraphenalia), but when chanting Harinama the little jiva soul will put his full conscious attention to the Thakur Himself and then find Hari is dancing on the tongue. Serving Harinama is the most wonderful form of direct service we can get. We were told we should not aspire to associate with the Lord directly, since we are supposed to be following Srila Raghunatha dasa Goswami Goswaml who said, "Radharani, I want your grace. Without you, I don't want Krsna separately. I never want Krsna without you." But when the Lord descends as Sri Nama Prabhu and dances on the tongue then the devotee will experience that he is in direct contact with the Lord. Amazing.

I find many people aspiring to be devotees who chant rounds regularly every day make the big mistake of thinking they are chanting Harinama every day, when in reality they are stuck in the stage of namaparadha / namabhasa. Getting into the zone is no great achievement because lots of people have got into the zone in the last 40 years and then gone down into a hellish illusion. Tens of thousands of people have gone down that road including a significant number of men who were gurus for while. Better that a person feels worthless and humble. Better to be feeling "I'm a sinner" and to be always praying for divine grace than to be an expert devotee who thinks to himself "I am a fixed up devotee". A puffed up man who is habituated to visiting the zone from time to time thinks "I know what chanting Hare Krsna feels like. I get it!". In his deceit he cannot grasp the fact that he has never chanted Harinama even once in all his life. Someone may be muttering sounds but is that muttering of mantras a real chant of Sri Harinama? The scriptures say it is not. evam-vratah sva-priya-nama-kirtya jatanurago druta-citta uccaih hasaty atho roditi rauti gayaty unmada-van nrtyati loka-bahyah ["By chanting the holy name of the Supreme Lord, one comes to the stage of love of Godhead. Then the devotee is fixed in his vow as an eternal servant of the Lord, and he gradually becomes very much attached to a particular name and form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As his heart melts with ecstatic love, he laughs very loudly or cries or shouts. Sometimes he sings and dances like a madman, for he is indifferent to public opinion." (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 11.2.40)]

Tamal Krsna Goswami asked Srila Sridhar Maharaj what happens to a person when they die. This is the response given by Srila Sridhar Maharaj. When someone dies, generally, they are taken to the court of Yamaraj. They are taken to the administrator of Pretyaloka and they enter the world of the departed souls. But not all souls will go there for there are exceptions. Those who enter into ananya bhakti, suddha bhakti, pure loving devotion to the Lord, they will not enter into the world of the departed souls. The jurisdiction changes, in the case of those who have come in connection with the Guru and suddha bhakti. Generally, we may take it that within twenty four hours the atma, the soul, is taken to the court of Yamaraj. Then after one year his case is taken up and he is judged. The amount of sin and the amount of good that he has done is judged at that time. After one year of waiting in suspense, waiting in a state of suspension, like a person on bail waiting for the judgement of his case, he is asked what he will take first, the narak (hell) or svarga (heaven). Which do you like to enjoy first? Will you enjoy the fruits of your good action first? But of course if the amount of karma is great, the bad action, then he will have to suffer the results of his bad action first, and then after that enjoy the reactions arising from his good actions. This is the general case but there are particular cases, where an urgent case will be dealt with urgently, just as in a court. Some may take birth immediately after death; he may enter into another womb. Different cases are dealt with differently. In Srimad Bhagavatam, we find that when Devaki the mother of Krishna has just been married and her husband Vasudev was taking her to his own house, Kamsa, the brother of Devaki, was taking the reins of the horses and conducting the chariot as they were going along on the way to Vasudev's house. Then suddenly a sound came from the sky, saying "Kamsa, you are relishing so much this occasion of great joy, taking your sister with so much cheerfulness to her husband's house, but her eighth child will kill you." Twice, or thrice, this sound came form the sky. Then Kamsa was enraged and he took his sister by the hair and went to cut her throat. But Vasudev came to protect her and said, "You are a hero and you should not fear death". In this way Vasudev began a discussion with Kamsa. "You have no cause to feel fear of her, but only from her child. I assure you that the children, when they are born, will be given to your hand, and you may do away with them; but leave her for she is not going to kill you." At that time Vasudev comes to talk about philosophy, and he says that before someone is dead his next life begins. Before he is dead, when he is just going to die, his previous thoughts and actions come in a subtle form, rushing and gathering together, and every one of them demands “His next birth I want to take.” According to the intensity or the priority, they propose, "The next chance I want, I want priority; the next chance I must get!". And so in this way the next birth is determined. For before actual death the next birth is determined, when the idea comes and captures him, the idea or mentality of different types comes and takes possession of him, and determines what he will be born as next. Suppose anger, or jealousy, or greed capture him - there are so many propensities and each wants the first chance to take possession of the atma, the soul. And then when he dies the propensity with the most powerful priority takes him. The idea takes him to some society, to his own society, and from there to the physical plane once again. Suppose the propensity of very great anger comes. Very much anger. Then the buffalo mentality takes possession. A very ferocious mentality, then the tiger mentality takes possession. It takes him up into the tiger society and he takes rebirth with a tiger body. In the case of king Bharata, he had left his kingdom and left everything behind when he was still in his youthful stage of life. He left it all and took to the life of a sadhu, a sage. But when he was dying he thought of his small deer, his pet, "If I die this small deer will also die without food or protection". His thinking was like that. So when his soul passed away he had to enter a deer body. He had to become a deer. Into that society he had to go, and in a deer's body he had to come out and live in the world again. In the Karma Kanda scriptures we find that there is mention of a one year period of suspension for the departed soul. During that time, the rishis of the Karma Kanda say, the successors and holders of property of the departed soul can try to make some sacrifices and give help for the departed soul. There is a one year period of suspension. Pinda. Help may be arranged for the dead person, and then finally the person comes and talks with Yama (the God of Death) and a final decision is made. This is the general case. But there are particular instances where things may happen differently, according to the gravity of the situation. For those who have died and are without any physical body, there may be suffering, also. Just as in a dream where we also suffer and feel pain without feeling things through this body. It is possible to feel intense pain, in this way, and that is naraka (hell). With no physical body, but only in the astral or mental body, suffering can be there for the soul. In an astral body the soul may suffer in hell for some duration. According to the intensity, the magnitude of the actions a person has done, they are judged by Yama (Death). Yama is the controlling consciousness, the deciding power who dispenses judgement and sends people who have erred into a place of suffering. There is a government in the mental world, just as there is a government in this physical world. The body we find within us in a dream, the body we feel things through in a dream, it exists in a plane where there are so many astral bodies, and in that plane of existence there is a government, a managing controller. The astral body is in that plane and there is a government administrating and dealing with the souls in that plane, which is known as Pretyaloka, the world of the departed souls. After someone dies the family may invite us to do kirtan, to chant Hare Krishna. And of course that will help the person who has died. That vibration will help him, and it is a higher help than this ordinary sraddha ceremony. Offering Bhagavat Prashad for the deceased person, and doing kirtan, in this way we can help the departed souls. But then, we must realize that making so many enquiries about what is really non-essential knowledge, about death and the process of rebirth, and these types of things, that is not the proper path to follow. If we are seeking to gain knowledge and not bhakti, that sort of scrutinizing knowledge-seeking has been discouraged by the Srimad Bhagavatam. If you take up the path of knowledge, the jnana marga, it won't take you to the real place, the real goal. Knowledge can help you in the beginning; it can help to consolidate your faith. Then help will come to you from the plane of faith and take you to your goal. A particle of sand, you can study a particle of sand for lifetimes together; but don't go to that side, don't engage yourself in that sort of inquiry. Go instead towards the ananda marga, the path of bliss and ecstatic joy. The Absolute is sat-chit-ananda. Eternal existence, knowledge and bliss. Don't waste your time doing research into the sat and chit aspects. Don't search for an understanding of existence (sat) or knowledge (chit). Seek ananda. Seek ecstasy and fulfilment. Try to start your journey towards ananda. To some extent the attaining of realization of the sat and chit aspects of the Absolute can help you; but only take that much help which is really required for you to gain a proper understanding of existence. But what is there within you, the intricate demand of your inner nature, is your inner need for happiness. So begin your journey towards ultimate happiness and go direct, without any diversion. Direct your journey towards ananda-maya. Search for fulfilment, devotion and dedication. Sraddha. Be optimistic. jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva jīvanti san-mukharitāḿ bhavadīya-vārtām sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāḿ tanu-vāń-manobhir ye prāyaśo 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyām Brahma said to Krishna: Those who, even while remaining situated in their established social positions, throw away the process of speculative knowledge and with their body, words and mind offer all respects to descriptions of Your personality and activities, dedicating their lives to hearing these narrations, which are vibrated by You personally and by Your pure devotees, certainly conquer Your Lordship by love, although You are otherwise unconquerable by anyone within the three worlds. - Srimad Bhagavata Purana 10.14.3

Once, the Diwan of Bharatpur had come on a pilgrimage with his family to the holiest of places, Sri Radha-kunda, the holy lake of Srimati Radharani. He and his family were circumambulating Radha-kunda. They would fall flat on the ground, offering obeisances lying down with their arms outstretched. Every time they bowed down in this way, they would mark the spot where their fingertips touched the earth. Then they would slowly rise, step forward to where that spot had been marked, and again fall flat, offering their obeisances with great respect and adoration. In this way they were circumambulating the entire Radha-kunda. Upon seeing such intense worship, Paramananda Prabhu, an intimate disciple of our guru maharaja Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, intimated to Prabhupada that the Diwan and his family must have great respect for Radharani to circumambulate the Radha-kunda in such a fashion. At that time Prabhupada said, "Their angle of vision towards Radha-kunda and Radharani is different from ours. They recognize and revere Krsna. And because Radharani is Krsna's favorite, they also have some reverence for Radha-kunda. But our vision is just the opposite. Our concern is with Radharani. And only because She wants Krsna do we have any connection with Him." And so, the Gaudiya Vaisnavas know only Radharani. They are concerned only with Her, and Her duties, Her necessities. They are ready to serve Her in all respects, and cannot contemplate any service without Her. That is the highest achievement of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas, that is the special feature of Mahaprabhu's party, and that was announced by Raghunatha Dasa Goswami in his Vilapa-kusumanjali (102): asabharair-amrta-sindhu-mayaih kathancit kalo mayatigamitah kila sampratam hi tvam cet krpam mayi vidhasyasi naiva kim me ir vraje na ca varoru bakarinapi This verse is a direct prayer to Radharani. It expresses a particular type of hope which is so sweet and reassuring that it is compared with an unlimited ocean of nectar. He says, "There is a hope which is sustaining me and nurturing my existence. With that hope I am somehow passing my days, dragging my life through these tedious times. That nectarine ocean of hope is attracting me and keeping me alive. But my patience has reached its end. I can't endure it any longer. I can't wait any more. "At this moment if You do not show Your grace to me, I am finished. I shall lose my prospect forever. I shall have no desire to continue my life. It will all be useless. Without Your grace, I can't stand to live another moment. And Vrndavana, which is even dearer to me than my life itself - I am disgusted with it. It is painful; it is always pinching me. And what to speak of anything else, I am even disgusted with Krsna. It is shameful to utter such words, but I can have no love even for Krsna unless and until You take me within Your confidential camp of service." This is the prayer of Raghunatha Dasa. When Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada would begin to explain this verse, his figure would become transformed. He would become full of emotion; his face would become like that of a phantom. In this verse, Raghunatha Dasa Goswami, taking an extreme risk, says, "O Radha, if I do not get Your favor, I don't want anything. I want You and You alone. To have an independent relationship with anyone else, eliminating You, is impossible in my life. You must be first, and then others. Without You, we can never even think of a separate relationship with Krsna." Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja has written that without Radharani's company, Krsna is not beautiful. Everything is relative - dependent. A teacher depends on the student, and the student depends on his teacher. Although Krsna is the enjoyer, He is completely dependent on the enjoyed, Srimati Radharani. The two are correlative; one cannot be separated from the other. As the enjoyed, Radharani is also absolutely dependent on Krsna, the enjoyer. Radharani says, "My fate is lost forever because I have given Myself, I have sold Myself to many places. When I heard the flute, I dedicated Myself to the song of the flute. When I heard the name of Krsna, I dedicated Myself to that sound. And when I saw a beautiful picture of Krsna, I wholly dedicated Myself to that picture. So in three places I have sold Myself completely, with no possibility of any happiness or peace in My life. If I had dedicated Myself to only one thing, there might have been a possibility of peace, but because I have dedicated Myself in three different places, I am hopeless. "Seeing the picture of Krsna, I couldn't contain Myself. I couldn't but give Myself to that beautiful figure, and so I dedicated Myself fully. The name of Krsna also purchased Me fully. And the sweet sound from the flute - that has also drawn Me to the extreme of dedication. So how can I hope for peace in My life? It is impossible, My friends." Radharani did not know it at that time, but the source of Krsna's flute, His name, and His beauty are one. If She could have seen how all three of these meet together, then it would have been possible for Her to have peace of mind. But it is difficult to understand this principle. How is it that the sound of Krsna's flute, the sound of His name, and a picture of His form are nondifferent from Krsna Himself? Idealism. In Hegel's words, ideal realism. The absolute idea is not to be dismissed as an abstract thing; rather, it is the basis of all existence. Reality is there, but it is ideal realism. And the foundation of the reality of Vrndavana is given by Nityananda, Baladeva: nitaiyer koruna habe, braje radha-krsna pabe, dharo nitai-carana du'khani. -- Tridandi Swami Sri Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Dev Goswami Maharaj

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father (Jn.14:9). The Father and I are one (Jn.10:30).

b.g.narasingha: theist: Sri Caitanya The Lord said "Since you Muslims cannot bring killed cows back to life, you are responsible for killing them. Therefore you are going to hell; there is no way for your deliverance." There can be little doubt that the same thing applies to Christians and Jews who also kill cows and eat them. Their faith in their prophets won't save them from going to hell for many thousands of years. There are many mistakes and illusions in the scriptures of the meat eaters. Following what their scriptures teach, the followers of the false Middle Eastern prophets are going to hell. For many thousands of years.

Jesus and Krishna ice skating. Is that Allah there in the middle between them? The formless glow beyond the mountains and the world?

I don't enjoy the so called transcendental competition. This idea that there should be competition is a crock of #!%4 And what storyline are you referring to? The storyline in which Srila Sridhar Maharaj left the Gaudiya Math as soon as he found out that Anantavasudeva was fallen down? The storyline where Srila Sridhar Maharaj was preaching in Bengal and initiating disciples from 1942 onwards? The storyline where Swami Maharaj wanted to make a new organization with Srila Sridhar Maharaj as the head, but then Srila Sridhar Maharaj out of humility said he didn't want that leading role, but that the Godbrothers should each start their own Mission and work together as friends? What sort of symptoms do we find in the person I'm talking about in my storyline? That is for you to decide. But I decided what sort of person Srila Sridhar Maharaj is when I sat at his feet and saw him myself. In all the years I was with Srila Prabhupada I always saw him as an empowered preacher who God had sent into the world to deliver the fallen souls like me. Yet what I saw in Srila Sridhar Maharaj was far more attractive to me. What that is, I won't bother describing to you since you have already expressed that you don't see Srila Sridhar Maharaj as someone of that plane of existence. You think he was just making advancement in this life, but we have seen that he is ... someone very special. Each to his own. He Bhagavan!

If some person says he is better than others does it automatically mean he is better? If someone believes a particular version of history without checking to see if it is true, is he a fool? Perhaps if you were alive a hundred years ago and you went to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur and started criticizing Srila Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji Maharaja for the fact that Babaji Maharaj was not a successful preacher, perhaps then you would have learned something about the true philosophy taught by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura. But that is just a hypothetical situation - you weren't there and neither was I. What is certain is that the people who criticize Vaisnava acharyas engaged in bhajan are walking on a very slippery slope. No doubt about it. If someone who is preaching to beginners takes it upon himself to criticize gentle Vaisnavas who are spending all their energy doing service with love and devotion, does that automatically mean the preacher is a more senior sadhu in a more senior position? As far as the saktyavesa-avatara reference goes don't you know the story about the saktyavesa-avatara named Parasurama who used to enjoy fighting? He came into the presence of a greater incarnation (Lord Rama) and all his power and fighting ability drained away. Maybe "Srila Prabhupada said" works for you but it doesn't for me. Doyal Nitai

First you wrote You said "only by their surrender to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta and association with Srila Prabhupada did Srila Sridhara Maharaja and Srila Govinda Maharaja make the advancement to perfection that they have." But Srila Sridhar Maharaj was a follower of Sri Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura and nobody else. How do you know that the thing you wrote is true? I'm not being sarcastic. I am treating you with the respect you deserve. If you are able to see this then you must be a very advanced devotee. On the other hand if you don't have a divine realization about this then what prompts you to make such bold statements? I would think it was EGO or BAD ASSOCIATION that makes someone say such things that are not known to be true. Nobody else I've ever heard of (of any substance) has ever come forward with this sort of statement so I'm asking you to prove what you wrote is true. Certainly we know that Srila Govinda Dev Goswami Maharaj considers Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami as his Guru and his senior, his mentor. We have also heard Srila Prabhupada saying that Srila Sridhar Maharaj is "senior to me" but where do we find Srila Sridhar Maharaj saying that Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami was "senior to me"? This is a reasonable question. What is your answer? Concoting a misconceived view of a divine relationship may suit some people but if you want to enter into the WORLD OF REALITY then try and understand the true nature of the relationship.

Please accept my prostrate obeisances at your divine feet. It is truly amazing that after so many lifetimes I have come in contact with such an exalted soul as you. Your divine realization, in that you are able to detect who is a nitya-siddha and who is a sadhana-siddha, marks you out as one of the most exalted souls living on this earth today. Koti dandavats to you, great Maha-Purusha soul. All glory to His Divine Grace, anonymous sevabhakta! Can you send me your photo so I can offer incense to you every day? Better still, could you please post your photo on this web site so all the fortunate souls can see your divine lotus face?

Who is Beggar? Is he a Prabhupada man? He sounds like one of them. Is he the local sheriff?

Why THE LETTER TO RUPANUGA means nothing to me. The core issue in the LETTER TO RUPANUGA is the proposition that Srila Sridhar Maharaj committed an offence to his Guru (Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura) when Srila Sridhar Maharaj chose to support Anantavasudeva as the new Acharya of the Gaudiya Math. Well, given the fact that Srila Sridhar Maharaj didn't take part in any vote or GBC decision making process, that is, given the fact that he was not present when some other people had a vote and decided that Anantavasudeva should be a Guru, the very worst you can say about Srila Sridhar Maharaj is that he had no political skills. It could be argued that Srila Sridhar Maharaj should have gone around gathering support and fighting with other factions and groups in order to assert his point of view within the Gaudiya Math community. But our Guru Maharaj, Srila Sridhar Maharaj, had no skills at all in that sort of activity. One of Srila Sridhar Maharaj's titles is "yati-raja". That is, he is the leader of the Yatis (sannyasis). His nature was completely different from the nature of a politician. In my experience, having skills in politics and in manipulating people is a skill that is greatly admired within Iskcon. Naturally, some people are attracted to conflict and want to be to pundits. Some people of that type of nature go to forums like this and practice giving "knock out punches" to everyone and anyone who has a different point of view from them. This is the working of the Gunas, the modes of nature (predominately ignorance & passion). Some people memorize slokas and stories just for the purpose of being able to use those things to knock out people who they perceive as enemies. Some troll can have fun if he goes and attacks new enemies by posting controversial threads on Audarya. It is easy to open a fight if you openly abuse some enemies and their Gurus. You may never have met the enemies but it makes you feel good to hit them. Smack. Boom. Bash. "Oh, this fells good!" You say that to yourself. "Oh, this fells good!" You say that to yourself but outwardly you always say, "Jaya Prabhupada" and "Prabhupada ki jai".

I doubt this Rocana was even born when the Gaudiya Math breakup happened in 1940 or so. Anyhow, cbrahma, you started this thread with THE LETTER and then you posted other stuff too, such as this statement: Srila Prabhupada's Room Conversation, April 22, 1977, Bombay Srila Prabhupada says It is a fact that Srila Sridhar Maharaj was not a GBC member and that he DID NOT VOTE for Anantavasudeva. Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami says, of Anantavasudeva, "HE WAS MADE THE CHIEF, AND ONE OF THE SUPPORTER WAS SRIDHARA MAHARAJA." (your capital letters) Srila Sridhar Maharaj didn't vote and he said he would agree with whatever decision THE DECISION MAKERS MADE. You could call him a supporter I suppose. But then I could also say that for several years Srila Abhay Charan Babu was a "supporter" of Srila Sridhar Maharaj. It is a fact that Srila Abhay Charan Babu sent his own sister Pishima to take initiation from Srila Sridhar Maharaj. Srila Sridhar Maharaj never had anything to do with politics, management or financial administration. He was not a "secretary" either. He was a sannyasi who Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur told to engage in preaching. Not managing. Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami said that he was living aloof after the Gaudiya Math breakup but that isn't entirely accurate either. He rented a three storey building in Sita-Banerjee Lane in Calcutta, and had a chemists shop on the ground floor where he did business. On the middle floor, Abhay Babu lived with his family. On the top floor there was a Math, a temple, and Srila Sridhar Maharaj was the Guru in that Math upstairs. The successor of Srila Sridhar Maharaj, Srila Govinda Maharaj, at that time a boy, was maintaining the worship at that temple. Srila Govinda Maharaj lived in that house with Abhay Babu and his family for five years, and in that time Abhay Babu began his back to Godhead magazine and guess who was the first "book distributor" of BTG? This boy who became "Srila Govinda Maharaj". This boy who is Srila Sridhar Maharaj's appointed successor and the Guru of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math lived for more than five years with Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. I would like to ask you, cbrahma, how much time did you spend with Srila Prabhupada?

cbrahma seems to be an example of this There are ten offenses against the Holy Name mentioned in the Padma Purana and the first offence is: satam ninda-namnah param aparadham vitanute TRANSLATION: To criticize the pure devotees. What sort of devotee is Srila Sridhar Maharaj? Srila Prabhupada said:

Iskcon is one branch of the tree. Srila Sridhar Maharaj's mission is another branch. There are many other branches as well. Live and let live. When Madhava Maharaj and others criticized Iskcon devotees for calling Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami as "Prabhupada" it was Srila Sridhar Maharaj who stopped that criticism. Srila Sridhar Maharaj said it was appropriate and perfectly fine for the Iskcon devotees to say that Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami is "Prabhupada". Further to that, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has said "Jaya Om Visnupada ... Sridhar Maharaj". For those who don't realise it, Om Visnupada is an even higher title than Prabhupada. The word Prabhupada means someone who sits at the feet of "Prabhu". In other words, Prabhupada means someone who sits at the feet of their Gurudev. Whereas Om Visnupada means someone who sits at Visnu's feet - such as Lakshmi Devi and other eternal associates.

So what do the words " His Divine Grace, Om Vishnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya" mean? Paramahamsa - liberated sage His Divine Grace - someone who comes down from the Divine Heavenly Abode Some people say Prabhupada was just flattering Srila Sridhar Maharaj when he said he is "Paramahamsa". But that is a kind of insult to Prabhupada, to suggest he is a "flatterer".

Srila Prabhupada: March 17, 1973

I meant infallible as in the example of how the Pope is supposed to be infallible.

Srila Sridhar Maharaj never claimed to be infallible. He said:

According to Lord Siva, Vyasa may not know or understand the whole of the philosophy of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam However even if the Guru seems to have limited knowledge, that Vaishnava Guru must be shown infinite respect. At the same time, we may not necessarily agree to follow what the Guru does or says. Brahma is the founder of the Brahma-Madhva sampradaya. He is Guru. But he stole Krishna's cows and friends because he couldn't recognize Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly Madhvacarya wrote that the Gopis were mere apsaras. He had no respect for the Gopis and no knowledge of Goloka. But then he is also a Guru in the Guru Parampara of Srila Prabhupada. If the founders of the Sampradaya can have misunderstandings, then should we expect that Srila Prabhupada will be totally infallible?

This kind of mentality is typical behavior of a cult member. Thankfully I don't come in contact with any disciples of the type you describe.

Huh? I wrote "You will also find Srila Prabhupada wrote things that contradict what Srila Prabhupada wrote elsewhere" Then I gave a specific example. What's offensive about that?