Falling "Short"
BY: SADHUDASA ANUDASA
Aug 23, 2010 — USA (SUN) — The article "We Tried to Be Tatastha..." by Patitapavana dasa (or the faithful servant of the Deliverer of the fallen souls) doesn't reflect that its author has thoughtfully gone through the whole compilation of "Jiva-tattva As It Is", and has rushed into counter argument and discussion mostly based on sources outside Srila Prabhupada's teachings.
According to HG Patitapavana dasa's "conclusion:"
"Conclusion: Bhauma patanavada or falling only from Krishna's lila within the material world and kaka-vada (falling from Karanadakasayi or Maha-Visnu in the Karana samudra or ocean between the material and spiritual worlds) is not in these words in the scripture or in the Bhaktivedanta purports. Sadhu dasa anudasa dasa took it from outside of Srila Prabhupada's teachings and then tried to find it in Srila Prabhupada's teachings.
Sadhu dasa anudasa dasa speaks so highly of saktyavesa avatara Srila Prabhupada and the Bhaktivedanta purports. Why he went outside of these to solve the questions on the fall of the soul."
The author of "We Tried to Be Tatastha..." has been extremely simplistic in his comments —sometimes with gross misquotations— and has not convinced me by any sound argument on the many thoughtfully analyzed and discussed quotations in the compilation he criticizes. It is interesting to notice that "Jiva-tattva As It Is" is compiled out of 99% quotes from the Bhaktivedanta Purports, containing 232 pages, while his six page article contains 99% quotes from OUTSIDE Srila Prabhupada's Bhaktivedanta Purports. Yet in the same article, HG Patitapavana dasa accuses the author of "Jiva-tattva As It Is" of "going outside" to solve the questions on the fall of the soul."
Most regretfully, HG Patitapavana dasa thinks that his five page article containing 1,772 words in so many characters summons the conclusion of Jiva-tattva-siddhanta, while the "Jiva-tattva As It Is" compilation comprising more than 100,000 words in so many characters thoroughly analyses the many philosophical misinterpretations many —NOT all— ISKCON members come to regarding Jiva-tattva. HG Patitapavana dasa is therefore "FALLING short" of the character required to deeply and philosophically study and discuss the subject matter —at least with my fallen self. After all, it really "matters" to me why we are still in matter. Falling short to express his own interpretation on the subject matter, he feels, why waste time discussing? It really doesn't matter.
I wonder if Srila Prabhupada wrote so extensively day and night so that we can "fall short" in quoting his transcendental eternal Bhaktivedanta Purports and their clear philosophical meanings, strictly in line with the teachings of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta and other Vaishnava Acaryas? We have to become respectful while trying to summarize topics of transcendental dimensions. To properly resume things, in an apparent way like Sutras, means to express extensive philosophical meanings in short grammatical compositions, exclusively meant for brahmanas, while Sutras can also be used by a beloved father to express something complex to an ignorant child.
Therefore, when Sri Krishna says IMPERSONAL, it simply means that He is also Brahman or Impersonal. On the other hand, or in the SAME word Krishna is saying: IM'PERSONAL Although the difference between these two words just places the comma in a different position —although pertaining to the SAME expression— its/HIS meanings are totally different and the same. How we LOOK at and FEEL Sri Krishna is were lies our impersonal perceptions of HIM.
In ISKCON we have been told NOT to look "outside" of our "homemade" conclusions, and remain within our own perceptions, that disregard the whole Vaishnava tradition of the four schools of thought. The faith of some of our ISKCON members has been thus biased/based on deifying Srila Prabhupada in the name of EXCLUSIVE devotion, when it actually means atheism, since "exclusive" means "narrow, barring, restricted, and excluding," thus proposing the neglect of pure Vaishnavas association as siksa-gurus. To avoid associating with other bona fide gurus of the same philosophical line with which Srila Prabhupada himself associated means spiritual immaturity. Pure devotional service is actually "inclusive," which means "complete and comprehensive," of everything and everyone who actually assists one's spiritual development.
Finally the differences between my dear Godbrother Patitapavana dasa Prabhu and my fallen self on Jiva-tattva, and surely on other philosophical understandings, is based on the DIFFERENT siksa-gurus we have accepted in our spiritual lives. Amongst my innumerable siksa-gurus, Srila Prabhupada is my adi-siksa-sad-guru besides being my personal diksa-sad-guru.
yhs,
Sadhudasa Anudasa
