Nov 24, 2017 —CANADA (SUN) —
DKS: Let me give you an example. One of the requirements to be an initiated disciple is to chant 16 rounds of maha-mantra daily.
BCS: Bengali repeats Dhira Krsna Swami's question that it's a deviation.
DKS: Prabhupada said that this was the most important instruction of the spiritual master.
BCS: Bengali translated
BCS: Maharaja is telling that say for instance Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he said that at least one should chant 64 rounds. Right? But if somebody due to his other activities, engagements and other service can not chant that many rounds, that can be tolerated.
SM: If he is busily engaged in other services, we should not hurry, we should not hurry.
BCS: But Maharaja, Prabhupada gave us 16 rounds as a minimum. Like he said that we must, everybody in this line…
Bengali:
SM: insists whether it's the only deviation. Is there any further deviation than that? This deviation is not sufficient criteria to be considered a deviation. Mahaprabhu has advised all of us to chant at least 64 rounds. Even better than a lakh is three lakh names. But that is not possible because of overwhelming practical devotional services; it's not being possible. So the question that I am ___ is why has he reduced the number of rounds? Is it because of negligence or apathy? Maybe he has turned his attention more towards other practical services. But the consideration of the other service is with what depth of sincerity and intensity that is being executed. That must be measured. We simply cannot judge by saying that he has deviated. All these have to be taken into consideration. Mahaprabhu said that until and unless a devotee chants a minimum of 64 rounds I shall not accept any prasadam from his hands.
BCS: Srila Prabhupada being a devoted servant and servitor of Lord Caitanya is more merciful than Lord Caitanya Himself and so he recommends only 16 rounds.
SM: But at the same time, He said that it is better to chant one lakh names. But generally it is seen that it is not possible for missionaries to complete that many number of rounds. (Actually, Sridhara Maharaja said that it is three lakh names which is better according to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur but for missionaries it might not always be possible.) At least four rounds minimum should be chanted so that we see that the mala does not get starved.
English:
BCS: But is this is a case of negligence.
SM: Negligence. If it is a clear example of negligence not due to other engagement of service then we may wait for some time to, ah, see the next future stage, eh. May be slothful for some time and again he may have redoubled energy to do the thing. It may be possible.
DKS: But Bali Maharaja did not wait when he was dealing with Sukra Acarya. He immediately rejected him.
BCS: Translates to SM
SM: Because the chance is being… going off forever. He must do or die, eh? Do or refuse.
BCS: So in our society also, Maharaja, there has been some very drastic changes in the mood of some of the gurus. We can say like for instance these three… the actual meaning of guru tattva, that guru tattva being Krsna and whoever is representing Krsna, he should be given that respect. Instead of taking it in that way they were thinking that now we have become guru, we have become perfect. And so whatever we do is perfect. So this mood actually led them to a very great degradation in spiritual life.
DKS: Prabhupada says in the Upadesamrta, in his explanations, that if you imitate the behavior of an uttama-adhikari you become degraded.
BCS: Repeats, then – Actually, (name) was telling everybody, even his godbrothers, that everybody will have to accept him as the absolute authority because now he is the guru. Now this…
SM: We have to also see disciple or godbrothers?
BCS: Even sannyasa godbrothers, everyone. He was even telling that they cannot worship Srila Prabhupada. That, he was telling that they have to worship Srila Prabhupada through him. In other words, they have to worship him instead of Prabhupada.
SM: Why? Did your Prabhupada, did Swami Maharaja declare, give declaration that (name) was the principal acarya?
BCS: No, never.
SM: Then why…
BCS: This is the thing, like instead of realizing…
SM: I was told that (name) demanded that he possessed some special favor of his gurudeva.
BCS: And that special favor led to think…
SM: So much so as to become the guru of the acaryas?
BCS: Yes, that is the way he was feeling.
SM: Really?
BCS: He was telling that he is the way, like Jesus Christ. That he was telling that, I m his basic mood of preaching was that now that he has become the guru he is on the absolute platform.
SM: Not only he,___ on the other side also become the guru… they also became the same position like him, what he will say?
DKS: They gave an example that they are all like mangos, but he is the fully ripened mango.
BCS: Prabhupada sometimes used to give the example that anybody who is on the path of… this perfected path of disciplic succession, one who is following this bona fide guru parampara, he is on the perfected path. He might not be perfect right now, but sooner or later he will become perfect. Like mango, mango may be green now but in due course of time the mango will become ripe. The same mango, now it is green but tomorrow it will become ripe. So in the same way he was telling that…
DKS: I don't want to speak about him, personally.
SM: That I have… I have reached the stage of a ripe mango in its full position and they are all green mango. That is the claim of (name)?
DKS: Previously.
SM: Something like that. But what are the signs by which he claimed that he's ripe? What signs did he show? That you are such and such, you are unripe green and I question, faith, sraddha, hmm? The symptom of ripe mango and the symptom of green mango, did he say anything about that? Of course, Swami Maharaja once here he told me when (name) was asked to deliver lecture, he asked me to give attention to his lecture very minutely, he is amongst all… he has got the knowledge of the gaudiya siddhanta, more. So please hear attentively what he says. He asked me. And I gave attention, when he took seat, Swami Maharaja asked me, "How did you hear. I told him, "I shall say later on. Another man, he also ________ later on I shall say." And I heard that what you are saying is all right, only one mistake. That is a history mistake. He mentioned that Tapan Misra in Benares, he no, Candra Sekhar in Benares, he mistook, he mentioned Candra Sekar the maternal uncle of Mahaprabhu. This Candra Sekar and that Candra Sekar are separate. This mistake he committed, (name), otherwise what he told, that was quite right. ___I saw.__ But Swami Maharaja told amongst others, he is the most proficient in the Gaudiya Vaisnava siddhanta. He told me, I was there.
BCS: Which year was that?
SM: I can't remember.
DKS: 1974, 73?
BCS: That must have been early seventies.
SM: That place, the buildings have been constructed and I was invited there, and perhaps Bhavananda has already come. Bhavananda took me in the motor… and Acyutananda accompanied that time. Some special consideration for (name) I saw in him, so much I can say in his favor. But that does not mean that he will be the guru of all the acaryas. So much is not possible. In that case (name) would have been the single acarya of the whole… that is… that was not the, his conception at least. Not only he was not declared president of the acarya board (name) was not even declared the president of the acarya board. Why, he should not claim like that. But he may guide, he may try to draw attention towards his understanding, and some criterion, if I am to give opinion then I must have some materials that (name) says this and the others all told this. Then if I can say (name) is right then I can something in favor of (name) or any one. I shall have to see their particular example. They differ and who is the right man? I may try to see that. Otherwise, I can't say so.
