Simple Matter
BY: PRAGHOSA DASA
Sep 14, NEW YORK (SUN) — The orders of Srila Prabhupada merely represent reality - at every moment.
His Directive of July 9th 1977 says ABC. It is a Self Evident Directive. It merely describes what IS. The "Law of Gravity" is attributed to have been discovered and so named by Sir Isaac Newton. This "Law" is thus sometimes referred to as "Newton's Law". However - gravity - that force which essentially dictates that what goes up - with nothing to "resist" its freely falling back to earth - will come down, does not owe its existence to Sir Isaac Newton. That physical reality simply exists as an aspect of nature and the relationship between all physical matter. Sir Isaac Newton merely identified this natural reality - and then provided a name for it that stuck and has been utilized ever since by Western Science.
Srila Prabhupada's designation and then appointment of "Officiating Acharyas" - what he later approved of as Ritvik representatives of the Acharya - was simply his naming the natural relationship between the men he deputed to initiate "on his behalf”, himself and the balance of the devotees. His referring to them as such - did not create anything new or artificial; just the opposite. He was simply providing a clear name to an already existing function within the full range of duties demanded of his various leaders and officers within his mission.
Setting up a functioning mission - with a clear objective and franchising it across the globe with appointed officers to push it forward - simply did not demand 4800 Absolute Acharyas. In fact just the opposite - 4800 initiated Disciples - all assuming the authority of the Absolute Guru - would naturally create 4800 different factions - all within the framework of Srila Prabhupada's own created mission.
He did in fact appoint specific men - to handle this one simple detail of formal initiation within his ISKCON mission. This is a matter of public record. Their position of "guru" - teacher - was contingent upon their "teaching" strict adherence to all his instructions. This included his instructions or directions as to fulfilling this aspect of initiation within his mission. He likewise withheld this authority from the balance of his 4800 disciples. They were certainly of course free to do as they like - claim whatever they like about their capacity or intent - just not within HIS mission.
The role of the GBC Executor, Temple President, BBT and Property Trustees - as well as the rank and file disciples - are all clearly spelled out in the appropriate Documents, Directives and Letters of account. So too - is the role and function of those men appointed by Srila Prabhupada to initiate on his behalf. Srila Prabhupada said they are guru - "BUT BY MY ORDER". Thus - how he "ordered" them to work with the balance of his mission - is the very essence of their authority and they are bonafide only if they both act in that capacity - and proudly proclaim the connection between their function as guru and the very specific "orders" of Srila Prabhupada.
Objecting to the use of this term "Ritvik Representative of the Acharya" to describe any "guru's" function within the mission of HDG Srila Prabhupada is akin to objecting to the term "gravity" being used by anyone to explain how it is that one just fell off the roof!
When Srila Prabhupada was asked by the devotees about initiations in the future - "and particularly at that time when you are no longer with us" - Srila Prabhupada's answer was swift, simple and directly to the point. There was nothing ambiguous about it. Later - on the 9th of July - he instructed his secretary to compose a simple letter, expressing his instructions in this very simple matter. The Directive was thus sent out to balance of his 4800 disciples across the globe - who were totally accustomed to "unambiguously" surrendering to the instructions of Srila Prabhupada.
The extent to which a person is valued as pure teacher or guru will naturally be dependent upon both the sincerity of the aspiring devotee and the devotee accepted as "teacher". This Srila Prabhupada emphasized - could not be artificially established - with the votes of an ecclesiastical body - nor merely by anyone's say so! Reality is Reality. To the extent that one IS actually situated in "boundless transcendental happiness" - to that extent he will be able to lead or teach how to attain that state; both by precept and example. This cannot be feigned.
Srila Prabhupada did not instruct the balance of his 4800 disciples - to accept the originally appointed Ritvik Representatives as being anything other than his deputed men - specifically called upon by HIM to fulfill a very specific aspect of the science of Krsna Consciousness - confirming the faithful acceptance of the Divine Message of the Parampara and its Current Link Srila Prabhupada - by the sincere seeker of Krsna Consciousness.
This responsible appointment was Srila Prabhupada's sensible arrangement for delivering the science of Krsna Consciousness via the bona fide spiritual master's teachings and example. Any man of good sense can see this.
ISKCON has always employed this system in the service of Srila Prabhupada but in a flawed and imperfect manner. Our only flaw is in our being intimidated by others to reject the simple terminology given us by Srila Prabhupada to describe the reality of the situation. Like being unwilling to use the term "free fall" or "gravity" to the forces at work while I am falling off the roof. But not using the terminology employed by Srila Prabhupada - has also delivered more than just semantical anomalies. The misappropriation of terms - employing the term "guru" as opposed to the term "officiating acharya" naturally yields to an assumption of authority and begs the expectation for control of the men, money and resources of Srila Prabhupada's mission. It leads to an artificial assignment of value to the association of someone - that is not in touch with reality. This then creates a make believe world - with everyone pretending that reality is one thing - when in fact it is quite another.
This is abhorrent to most men of decency and common sense. Where men are coerced - by societal peer pressure to pretend that they value anyone or anything - more than is in fact real or genuine - is a very depraved and diseased situation. Like being forced to feign love for a particular foodstuff at the point of a gun - when in fact that particular foodstuff initiates a very compelling urge to vomit.
ISKCON has for the last 20 years, since the Zonal Mahabhagavat days - insisted that all their "gurus" function as "ritviks" or "officiating acharyas", closely monitored and sanctioned in countless ways. One false move - and they are immediately sanctioned. The recent case of the sanctions imposed upon Dhanudara Swami are only the most recent example - but there are many. Only a week ago, Praghosa Das, the Irish devotee who monitors the Dandavats.com site - admitted to me by letter, that he accepted his initiation by our ex-sannyasi and "guru" godbrother Satsvarup prabhu - as having fully "connected him" to the Parampara as an "officiating acharya" and he saw no need to either seek out a new initiating guru nor discuss it openly in the pages of the Dandavats.com. He expressed that he had no desire to discuss this in the open forum but that in fact this was his understanding of his natural position. This is a serious problem. When a man - sees reality one way - but the pressure of his peers obliges him to pretend that reality is something else - he is basically forced to lie to himself and then to others.
Now - this insistence that all "gurus" function under scrutiny of the GBC Executors and Temple Presidents, subject to their "approval" - as "officiating acharyas" while calling them "guru" and obliging the new men to imagine them as the end all, be all - recipient and manager of the of the initiated devotees' unambiguous and full surrender of "mind, body and intelligence" - while oft times seeing them no more than once or twice a year - leads to very serious problems. Especially if - the new men come to see them as less than stellar in some way.
In the last 10 years - the NA GBC and also the GBC in India - have embroiled themselves in the most unnecessary lawsuits - that forced them to take nearly 3 million dollars from the samkirtan collections and the donations of the congregations, all to defend their insistence upon using the term guru - without carefully qualifying this term with that of officiating acharya! It is so bizarre it ranks as one of the most insane examples of utter mismanagement in the history of mismanagement!
Romapada Swami - no supporter of Dhanudara Swami and his traveling in the Northeast collecting from the congregation - to "spread Krsna Consciousness" only to then turn around and use those donations to pay off young adults who held Dhanudara Swami culpable to them for various kinds of abuse in the past - fully supported the sanctioning of Dhanudara Swami and the withdrawal of his authority to initiate disciples - under the banner of ISKCON.
Now - his being "sanctioned" by the GBC has not stopped HH Dhanudara Swami from doing what he supposes he must continue to do; preach and initiate disciples and engage them in helping him to pay off his past debts to these wounded children. This of course he can do. This is the "right" that Rocana prabhu asserts Srila Prabhupada would never tamper with because it violates the sastra. Dhanudara swami has, according to Rocana and now the gentleman Balavidya Das - the "right" to do this - and the "buyers" of this are themselves duty bound to "beware".
The leadership of ISKCON took a harder look at his history and his present actions - and decided that this history by HH Dhanudara Swami, along with his present actions - cannot be allowed to co-exist with Srila Prabhupada's example and history. In other words, our Spiritual Master Srila Prabhupada could not be seen to endorse or accommodate or overlook the specific history of HH Dhanudara Swami - when considering who should or should NOT be authorized to initiate disciples on behalf of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. this is exactly what Srila Prabhupada would expect a properly constituted GBC Body to do - and they indeed did it!
This recent exercise of their mandate demonstrates exactly what is the real position of a "guru" within the ISKCON MISSION. It is official first. To the extent that any devotee - actually is Krsna Conscious and by both precept and example, able to inspire and influence others to take to the process with joy, vigor and conviction - to that extent they are actually guru or teacher. But Srila Prabhupada did not authorize all 4800 of us to initiate on his behalf. I am sorry if that disappoints some of you, but it is the absolute truth; the reality.
The Directive of July 9th authorized only 11 men. On May 28th 1977 - Srila Prabhupada said more could be added if it was "needed" and he likewise said "If they deviate - they can be replaced".
The consequences of insisting that the "gurus" of ISKCON are not first qualified by Srila Prabhupada as officiating acharyas who derive their authority to initiate "on behalf of Srila Prabhupada" from him directly or his duly appointed GBC Commission - and not from the aspirations of the new men seeking initiation - are the fount of the divisions we have today throughout ISKCON and the miss appropriation of millions and millions of dollars. I am fully committed to exposing and terminating this mismanagement of Srila Prabhupada's Treasury under the guise of faithful adherence to his wishes.
The BBT Lawsuit of the last 10 years was a serious mistake. And make no mistake about it - THE GENESIS of the BBT Lawsuit and its settlement - was in the insistence by Tamal Krsna Goswami to fully reject the authority of the July 9th Directive. It was a 1.7 Million dollar error that obliged otherwise good men - to redirect 1.7 million dollars from the treasury of HDG Srila Prabhupada - laksmi earmarked for the sacred development of Sridhama Mayapur - and I will no longer remain silent about this miss appropriation of the treasury of our Srila Prabhupada.
Now Romapada Swami - who insisted that HH Dhanudara Swami receive sanction for his actions both past and perhaps even more importantly - the present - has spent over $500,000 US dollars - in a frivolous lawsuit directed towards a tiny temple in Long Island New York - 5 devotees and a small building in little Freeport Long Island - simply because they insist on using the terminology used by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada (officiating acharya) - to describe the men like Dhanudhara Swami who can easily lose their authority to initiate disciples on behalf of Srila Prabhupada - within ISKCON if it is determined to be contrary to the overall interests of Srila Prabhupada and the purpose of his mission.
ISKCON insisted that Dhanudhara Swami conform to the mandates of an "officer" of ISKCON and yield to their authority. He refused and abandoned the formal ISKCON mission. ISKCON said - "Good Night -Good Bye and Good Luck" - quite convinced of the validity of their actions.
In case there is any confusion as to my view of their actions - I completely agree with their actions. As a father - Had I anything to say about his appointment in the first place, I I would NEVER have agreed to sanction his assuming the position of ritvik or officiating acharya in the first place within ISKCON.
On the one hand - ISKCON NA GBC insists Dhanudhara swami was for all intents and purposes an "official guru" - called by HDG an "officiating acharya" and Romapada Swami was one of the most insistent upon this. Then Romapada Swami - after first trying to remove the Temple President out of the temple in Freeport Long Island with simple thuggery and being repulsed by the Local police - filed a legal action against the devotees - in his efforts to accomplish "legally" what he could not with illegal thuggery. What was the offending Presidents principal transgression? Insisting that the men in Iskcon who could be obliged to renounce their authority to initiate within Iskcon as “officiating acharyas”! Make sense to anyone? When the case finally came to court - so bizarrely covered were they - that they failed to realize that the Legal Entity that was the Brooklyn Temple (not certain of the name just now but something like Bharata Vedic Society) had no legal authority over the ISKCON of New York in Long Island! It was no different than had the local Duncan Donuts attempted to claim authority over the Brooklyn Temple! The Judge was stunned to find that the management of the Brooklyn Temple could be either so inept or poorly "counseled" by their own legal team - that they could not understand that in the United States - a legally incorporated body - cannot be claimed as the property of a completely different legal corporation - without a legal transfer of the corporation by proper means.
Out of misguided sentiment alone - Romapada Swami initiated this legal action - and it has thus far cost nearly $800,000 Dollars US when you calculate what both sides have had to expend so far. Imagine what could be done with that money in the service of both the Brooklyn and Long Islands Temples? Or considered from the perspective of printing Srila Prabhupada’s books, that sum is the equivalent of 3.2 Million Copies of the Perfection of Yoga!!
Romapada Swami - claiming he is guru - but Dhanudara Swami was "sanctionable" ritvik - has assumed he has the "right" as Rocana Das insists he has also - being guru of course - to misdirect $800,000 US dollars - the equivalent of 3.2 Million Copies of the Perfection of Yoga - towards liquidating the business and personal expenses of a team of lawyers only.
Our mandate - as "gurus" - disciples teaching others how to be disciples - is non-different from Srila Prabhupada "If you ever get money print books." It is not "If you ever get money - especially if it is not yours to begin with but raised by trusting "innocents" - give it to a team of attorneys to pay all their business and personal expenses - to ensure that you can assume more authority than is realistic or healthy and call yourself guru - so that you can continue to pretend you have the authority to misspend the money as you are doing with this legal action!"
Does this make sense to anyone? Should we allow it all to continue? Should we just ignore it?
Now this issue should be clear to anyone with an ounce of common sense. "Who is the Absolute Spiritual Master of ISKCON"? is simple enough. We all know who he is.
I now call upon my dear friends and Godbrothers - to join me in fixing this simple problem once and for all; never to allow it to raise its disgusting and ugly head again - Ever - Period! It has become VERY VERY VERY VERY EXPENSIVE to allow it to fester and persist.
There is a long list of self proclaimed "learned scholars" who have argued against Srila Prabhupada's Directive of July 9th 1977. The list begins with HH Sridhara Swami but he is certainly not alone. This list has been joined by more men who claim even still - to be "disciples" of HDG Srila Prabhupada.
Kailasa Chandra, HH Jagat Guru Swami, HH Tripurari Swami, HG Jnana Das, HG Rocan Das, Balavidya Das, and let us not forget HH Narayana Maharaja! All of these men - protest "I do not accept the July 9th Directive as a Self Evident and Absolute Instruction of OUR PARAMPARA! I do not accept it as coming from Lord Gauranga Himself! I do not accept it as having been personally delivered - to us and the balance of world - by HDG Srila Prabhupada - on behalf of the Divine Couple! And - what is more - NO ONE else should accept it either - if they expect to please the Divine Couple and return to join them some day in Goloka! "
All these men - have invested a considerable amount of time and energy - in the above position.
But in truth - The July 9th Directive was simply the formal inclusion of all Srila Prabhupada's present and future initiates within his sacred ISKCON Mission. It was simply his putting in writing - his own definition of the reality that defined what he had carefully and judiciously created. Like Sir Issac Newton who defined what IS in respect to a particular reality all around us in nature - Srila Prabhupada merely put a name - to the only natural relationship that could realistically represent the unity and chain of command he had created WITHIN his ISKCON MISSION.
I openly claim that the above mentioned protest by the august body of 'learned scholars" so identified above - while not being sum total of such individuals - does represent the full spectrum of the rejection of Srila Prabhupada's arrangements. All of their various papers are easily accessible. They all share a very common feature: NONE OF THEM COULD SPREAD THE SAMKIRTAN MISSION IF THEIR LIVES WERE DEPENDENT UPON DOING SO with their present understanding - on the scale that is demanded by Srila Prabhupada. They are all very much expert in preaching to the choir so to speak. But to the man - NONE OF THEM CAN GENERATE A CHOIR LIKE OUR SRILA PRABHUPADA - ARMED WITH THEIR EMPTY QUIVERS!
THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE. They could go no where with their "Wait for the Mahabhagavat till you preach BOLDLY" philosophy. Of course HH Narayana Maharaja and Tripurari Swami do not preach that - because they openly suggest that they are both in fact devotees of such stature - fully capable of discussing the most intimate details of the Divine Couples lila - while all around us the death rate of the ignorant stands at 106 people - PER MINUTE!! But while they both insist on their qualifications - neither is too particularly interested in widely spreading the word on the availability of Srila Prabhupada or his books and mission.
Srila Prabhupada was not that kind of “do nothing while Rome is burning guru”. He was our Warrior King! He was our Yudhistira and Arjuna! Our Pariksit! Our Champion! HE saved us - from the world and more importantly - FROM OURSELVES. He turned our worst enemy - ourselves and our minds - into our dearest friends! How? With his most wonderful faith and love - FOR THE HOLY NAME OF LORD KRSNA!
He told us "If you know the 25 most important verses in the Bhagavad Gita, can cook a good halava and can smack the mrdanga with feeling....you can make devotees all over the world”.
THAT IS OUR SRILA PRABHUPADA! THE SUPREME AND EXCLUSIVE AUTHORITY FOR THE KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS MOVEMENT - UNDER THE BANNER OF ISKCON!
In Hawaii in 1974, Srila Prabhupada proudly asserted his being a member of ISKCON. He said it so casually yet with such delight - that every devotee in the room was immediately drawn in to his child like pride in what he was responsible for creating. We all naturally felt great delight and pride to be seen by him as likewise "members of ISKCON".
While there are many that want to refer to the eternal science of Krsna Consciousness as the "REAL ISKCON" - incapable of being in their estimation, held "hostage" by any one group - those of us who have tried, however imperfectly, to give our hearts and lives to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada know that while it is true that Krsna Consciousness is the eternal science of loving devotional service to Lord Krsna, ISKCON is itself the specific "offering" of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada - to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur and Lord Chaitanya. According to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur in the Jaiva Dharma - the Deity and ALL His seva - are the external manifestation - within this material atmosphere - of the very HEART of the pure devotee of the Lord. Srila Prabhupada called for Lord Krsna - to enter into every manifestation of the Lord within his ISKCON mission. The Guru is Eternal. He is the manifestation of Lord Nityananda Himself - within this world. How he asserts he will be accessed conforms ONLY to the dictates of HIS HEART and HIS RELATIONSHIP with Lord Nityananada Prabhu. Within ISKCON - THE SPIRITUAL MASTER - appears to the entire world - by means of whatever arrangements Srila Prabhupada ORDERS.
Those who reject those orders - are certainly free to do so - JUST NOT UNDER THE BANNER OF ISKCON. So if Srila Prabhupada refers to your position as Officiating Acharya - ritvik representative of the Acharya - that his heart is talking.
My suggestion is - quiet your minds - and listen to HIS HEART. Tell your minds to "Be still and just listen to the beating of Srila Prabhupada’s heart.
One need only carefully read the OATH OF ALLEGIANCE - delivered to us all on March 27th 1975 and ordered to be maintained and delivered to each and every officer in his ISKCON mission by Srila Prabhupada on June 2nd - to understand the clear expectations of Srila Prabhupada for all of us.
ISKCON OATH OF ALLEGIANCE --- Dictated by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada to the GBC on March 27th 1975 and ordered by him to be sent to all Officers throughout his ISKCON.
I ...enter legal name and then initiated name - date of birth at present residing at, particular nationality (i.e. American, German etc) do hear by solemnly affirm, declare and state as under as follows: I state I have been elected or nominated a member of the Governing Body Commission/or Temple President - under the recommendation of my Guru Maharaja His Divine Grace AC BSP , Founder, Acharya and Supreme Authority of the Krsna Consciousness Movement, under the banner of the ISKCON. I state I have imposed all my faith, integrity and honesty in my aforesaid Guru Maharaja, with the result he is the sole responsible person and Supreme Authority of my present position and status which I have gained and I am holding in the organization of ISKCON. I, the said - enter legal and initiated name - do hear by swear in the name of Krsna that I will bear truth and allegiance to the Constitution, by laws, rules and regulations and directives which have been given, including the 4 regulative principles (listed) chanting of 16 rounds very seriously or directions given me directly by my aforesaid Guru Maharaja, His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, or through his authorized person or persons, and I shall obey faithfully all instructions and directions, which shall be binding on me and that I will uphold the sovereignty and integrity of my Guru Maharaja His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada and the managing body commission and or any other body appointed by His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, working under the said International Society for Krsna Consciousness and I shall faithfully discharge the duty upon which I am about to enter or have already been appointed to that effect. I further pledge that His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada is the only source of authority, represented by his instructions and books and I shall follow his instructions and I shall follow the instructions only - of these books. "
Those of you who assume that I am insisting on a "diminished" representation of the Spiritual Master - with my position on officiating acharya - need to understand something. This arrangement is the arrangement of the personal emissary of the Divine Couple Themselves. Consequently - it is of he utmost importance - as its adoption is to be correctly viewed as THEIR arrangement. Its acceptance is required if you are to act as guru or teacher - under the banner of Iskcon and as Srila Prabhupada's mission. But the moment you do that - then and only then can you actually serve as guru - perfectly representing the instructions of Srila Prabhupada. In other words - THE VERY MOMENT YOU FULLY 100000% PERCENT GIVE ONLY YOUR INSISTENT ASSENT to this formal DIRECTIVE OF SRILA PRABHUPADA - IT IS AT THAT MOMENT AND THAT MOMENT ONLY - that you are able to begin fulfilling your duty as Guru. Thus I am not advocating a diminished position of any sort. I advocate that the means to advocate the Absolute Servitor Godhead - was perfectly provided for by Srila Prabhupada, and for anyone to concern themselves with their position as opposed to THE position of the Spotless Manifestation of Sri Guru and the specific way in which they are ordered to represent HIM is obnoxious and petty. Embrace your role correctly - and you become glorious. Incorrectly - and you are guilty of diminishing only yourselves.
All the men I listed above - all the "learned scholars" who insist that they would never accept the Directive of July 9th as an absolute instruction descending to the world from the Divine Couple Themselves - are COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY BARRED from being accepted as gurus or "teachers of the science of full surrender" UNDER THE BANNER OF ISKCON!!
They can of course try to teach that elsewhere - but not under the banner of ISKCON; which they are not eager to do anyway.
In short - they are on their own my friend. They cannot refer to Srila Prabhupada as their Exclusive Authority. He is just "someone" they refer to -- when it appears helpful.
We are not meant for that within ISKCON.
We are meant to say something along the the following line to the faithful:
"My young friend..I have been informed by Praghosa Das - the Temple President of the whole of United States (I never like to think small) and he has informed me that you have been dutifully chanting at least 16 rounds daily on your beads as Srila Prabhupada has requested we do. He has likewise informed me that you are also very strictly following the 4 regulative principles of freedom as given us by Srila Prabhupada. He has also informed me that your attitude of helpful devotional service there in our Detroit Temple in the company of the devotees there - is also first class. Praghosa Prabhu is a leader of proven competence and Srila Prabhupada insisted that the Local Temple President take full responsibility to recommend only those men and women who understand the importance of approaching Krsna Consciousness, exactly according to the standards given us by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. Now you and I have only had a a few opportunities to associate and serve together over the last 6 months, but - with Praghosa Prabhu's recommendation - and on behalf of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada - I will accept you as His duly initiated grand disciple within his most wonderful ISKCON mission. This process of Krsna Consciousness is scientific. If you keep good association with the devotees there and a continued respect for the teachings of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada - then your taste for this chanting of the Lord's Holy Names will increase more and more. This increase will be the perfect means by which you will see your interest in this world's paltry offering of sense gratification wane more and more and your interest in the Lord and His name and His devotees and His pastimes increasing more and more continuously. This faith in the process of Krsna Consciousness - is described by Srila Prabhuapda as the Life Force of our Krsna Consciousness. I will do my utmost to assist you in anyway I can - by precept for sure - but more importantly - by example. If you ever have any questions regarding how you can improve your application of this process - please take full advantage of the devotees association there in Detroit and if you like then you can also contact myself and I will likewise do my best to point you directly to where you can find Srila Prabhupada's answers to your queries. To the extent that our relationship teacher and student is genuine - you can see me as teacher or guru. However - it is important that you understand that the absolute value assigned to The Spiritual Master by Lord Krsna and our Acharyas - is reserved for His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada automatically. Any such investment or assignment of value to any other devotee's association - myself included - is in NO WAY TO BE ASSUMED AS AUTOMATIC as it is in the case of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. My position is first off - as officially appointed "ritvik representative of His Divine Grace". I am authorized to accept and guide your submissive acceptance of each and every one of HIS instructions as absolute and NON-DIFFERENT from the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna Himself. That is all. Make no mistake about that. Lest you artificially invest your submissive surrender to me or someone else - who is not yet a fully self realized and totally unmotivated devotee. As I said this Krsna Consciousness is a science.
I hope this meets you with increased determination in your Krsna Consciousness.
Respectfully HH Romapada Swami
Srila Prabhupada said "Send your letters of recommendation to "Whoever is nearest" to your temple.
Sridhara Swami said "NO NO! Srila Prabhupada was wrong. It is whoever is dearest to the inclination or dictates of the new man's sraddha or faith"
Srila Prabhupada once said in reference to our hearing from his Godbrothers "If they say one word different - there will be chaos!"
Whoever is N-EAREST
Whoever is D-EAREST
In this case - only one letter of one word was altered and there has been nothing but confusion for many many years.
Now let us end it. Please every single Godbrother consider my comments carefully. I am not suggesting that anyone alter their actions. In fact, the very moment you JOYFULLY AND PROUDLY ASSERT the expressed description of your positions as officiating acharyas - your potency in the service of Srila Prabhupada will multiply millions and millions of times. I am insisting that the terminology given us by Srila Prabhupada - to describe the honest and genuine relationship between all devotees in ISKCON and Srila Prabhupada - "Henceforward" be used exclusively within HIS mission.
I also insist that we conduct a completely thorough and THREADBARE DISCUSSION AND ASSESSMENT of the myriad of damages, financial and otherwise - to the morale and purpose of Srila Prabhupada's mission after falling victim to our own ignorant rejection of his simple Directives
Then - to the great consternation of the above mentioned "learned scholars" critics and sundry malcontents - I WILL BE THE FIRST TO ASSIGN ABSOLUTE VALUE TO YOUR EFFORTS, DETERMINATION and PERSONS! I will lead the "Guru Puja" myself - sing my Irish heart out with the Guru Vandana - IN THE TEMPLE ROOM NO LESS - insist upon washing your feet with the sacred waters of the Ganga and I will personally drink and distribute this water due to the fact that it will BE the manifest representation of the Divine Order of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada Himself. Naturally - the learned scholars will object - but such remnants of the submissive devotees - will purify one and all. It is your duty to both submit to these orders from Srila Prabhupada - and likewise accept such joyful and affectionate regard from the faithful whose commitment to HDG Srila Prabhupada will be so wonderfully affected by your simple and final acceptance of the LAW of GRAVITY as it pertains to our "falling at the feet" of our beloved Spiritual Master Srila Prabhupada - and fully accepting his order to preach and serve vigorously and proudly as his duly appointed "officiating acharyas"!
