Attempts to Minimize Lord Jesus Christ and Srila Prabhupada
BY: ACARYA DASA (ACBSP)
May 25, USA (SUN) — I hope Kshamabuddhi Prabhu will not take offence in my words. I have no intention to disrespect him in any way, but the truth should be spoken even if it is not palatable.
In the name of all the chaste devotees of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, I am herewith rejecting Kshamabuddhi Prabhu's open invitation to study the book and webpage of a mental speculator, whose motive is to kill Lord Jesus Christ. Kshamabuddhi Prabhu's practice of speculation even upon the mind of Srila Prabhupada is most regrettable. Such disturbing proposals cannot help us in our progressive Krsna consciousness.
"A sincere devotee must, therefore, be prepared to hear the Vedic literature like the Upanisads, Vedanta-sutra and other literatures left by the previous authorities, or Gosvamis, for the benefit of his progress. Without hearing such literatures, one cannot make actual progress. And without hearing and following the instructions, the show of devotional service becomes worthless and therefore a sort of disturbance in the path of devotional service. Unless, therefore, devotional service is established on the principles of sruti, smrti, Purana and Pancaratra authorities, the make-show of devotional service should at once be rejected. An unauthorized devotee should never be recognized as a pure devotee. By assimilation of such messages from the Vedic literatures, one can see the all-pervading localized aspect of the Personality of Godhead within his own self constantly. This is called samadhi."
(Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.12 Purport)
It would be better for Kshamabuddhi Prabhu to give up the speculative association which has carried him outside the purview of Srila Prabhupada's guidance. What benefit lies in speculation, especially considering that we have the invaluable opportunity to directly hear from Srila Prabhupada?
"Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.”
(Bhagavad-gita 4.34)
"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 these narrations, which are vibrated by You personally and by Your pure devotees, certainly conquer Your Lordship, although You are otherwise unconquerable by anyone within the three worlds."
(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.3)
While I believe most devotees understand that Kshamabuddhi Prabhu's idea is misleading, still I would like to write a few words in response, just to counteract such inauspicious propaganda.
The commander in chief of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's Sankirtan Movement, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, is most dear to Krsna on this earth. Out of his causeless mercy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna, sent his pure devotee representative to save the fallen souls of Kali-yuga, fully empowering Srila Prabhupada with His own potency. Although we were all born fools, our spiritual master Srila Prabhupada is kindly enlightening us by his most wonderful association. There is no doubt that Srila Prabhupada is beyond all mistake and illusion as he is an eternal resident of the spiritual world, where everyone is beyond the disqualifications of this material atmosphere.
Srila Prabhupada, the perfect person, has kindly given us all knowledge in his original transcendental books, sound recordings and letters. What need is there to read other's books?
"There is no need by any of my disciples to read any books besides my books-in fact, such reading may be detrimental to their advancement in Krishna Consciousness. All reading of outside books, except in certain authorized cases such as for example to read some philosopher like Plato to make an essay comparing his philosophy with Krishna's philosophy-but otherwise all such outside reading should be stopped immediately. It is simply another botheration. If my students cannot even read my own books thoroughly, why they should read others? ”
(Srila Prabhupada Letter to Sri Govinda, January 20, 1972)
There is, of course, much evidence that Lord Jesus Christ, who by his words and deeds has powerfully shaken the pillars of demoniac existence on this earth, is a pure devotee of Lord Krsna. The best evidence, however, is the divine words of the spiritual master of the world, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, who is himself the empowered representative of Lord Krsna.
"He is coming from spiritual planets. He is authorized representative of Krsna, we accept him as saktyavesa-avatara.”
(Srila Prabhupada Letter to Upendra 70-08-04)
"A Vaisnava should follow the examples of such Vaisnavas as Haridasa Thakura, Nityananda Prabhu and also Lord Jesus Christ."
(Srimad Bhagavatam 4.6.47 P)
Prabhupada: They asked me. And, "He's our guru." They very much appreciated. He is preaching God's consciousness, so he is our guru, spiritual master. That's a fact. Don't take him otherwise. He's guru.
Hari-sauri: It's just his nonsense followers.
Prabhupada: Gurusu nara-matih. Such person, great personality, why shall think of him as ordinary human being? That is naraki-buddhi.
Hari-sauri: Yes.
Prabhupada: Anyone who is preaching God's glories, he is guru. So how can I decry him? He is guru. Tad vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. Unless one is guru how he can preach about God?
Hari-sauri: Yes. Actually we have a much better appreciation of Jesus than anyone.
Prabhupada: More yes. Oh, yes.
Hari-sauri: Because we actually understand the value of the guru.
Prabhupada: We are the greatest Christian. We follow his instruction; we accept him as guru.
(Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, February 3, 1977, Bhubaneswar)
"Who will not respect Jesus Christ? He sacrificed everything for God, even his life. So who is that rascal that he'll not respect to Jesus Christ. What did he do wrong to the human society? He did everything for the good of the human society. Oh, I have got very, very, great respect for Lord Jesus Christ. Not only... Every, I mean to say, God conscious man, he must have respect for Jesus Christ. There is no doubt about it. My Guru Maharaja had very great respect for Muhammad, Jesus Christ... We pray Lord Buddha. Although he preached atheistic philosophy, but we know that he's incarnation of God. Kesava dhrta-buddha-sarira jaya jagadisa hare. So a Vaisnava is godly. He is qualified with all good qualities. That is Vaisnava. That is Vaisnava. He knows the value of each and everything. Therefore he's godly. And therefore to offer respect to Vaisnava is also a great qualification. Even to offer respect to the Vaisnavas is greater qualification than one who simply offers respect to God. "
(Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, June 28, 1974, Melbourne)
What is the benefit and purpose of studying a book about so-called history?
"Those words which do not describe the glories of the Lord, who alone can sanctify the atmosphere of the whole universe, are considered by saintly persons to be like unto a place of pilgrimage for crows. Since the all-perfect persons are inhabitants of the transcendental abode, they do not derive any pleasure there.”
(Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.10)
There is no pleasure for the devotees to be experienced in the dry speculations of a conditioned soul. Therefore one should give up materialistic association and directly take shelter of Srila Prabhupada by reading and hearing his recorded pure chanting.
"On the other hand, that literature which is full of descriptions of the transcendental glories of the name, fame, forms, pastimes, etc., of the unlimited Supreme Lord is a different creation, full of transcendental words directed toward bringing about a revolution in the impious lives of this world's misdirected civilization. Such transcendental literatures, even though imperfectly composed, are heard, sung and accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest.”
(Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.11)
In the night of Kali-yuga people are becoming confused due to dense darkness. Just as when the windows and doors are closely shut even during the day, so is the world cut off from the light of real knowledge in this age, although such knowledge remains ever existent. Therefore there is great need to bring this light to the world.
"In Kali-yuga there is a dearth of proper guidance. One may take guidance in the evening from the stars and moon, but in the rainy season the light of guidance comes from insignificant glowworms. The real light in life is the Vedic knowledge."
(LoB 5 P)
To accept guidance from a glowworm-like speculator means to be utterly mislead. And even gathering many of them one remains baffled.
Srila Prabhupada teaches us:
"Just like in the sky the numerical strength of the stars are greater, but there is one moon. That one moon is sufficient to illuminate the sky. Ekas candras tamo hanti na ca tara sahasrasah. Millions of millions of stars twinkling, they cannot dissipate the darkness. You see. Only one moon, only one sun."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, December 4, 1968, Los Angeles)
Srila Prabhupada openly preaches the Srimad-Bhagavatam for everyone to see, read and experience, just as the sun and moon are mercifully distributing their rays to everyone. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the transcendental light of the Supreme Brahman, Lord Krsna, and Srila Prabhupada is the transperant medium, the empowered preacher of the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
"This Bhagavata Purana is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Krsna to His own abode, accompanied by religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the age of Kali shall get light from this Purana.”
(Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.43)
"This Srimad-Bhagavatam is the literary incarnation of God, and it is compiled by Srila Vyasadeva, the incarnation of God. It is meant for the ultimate good of all people, and it is all-successful, all-blissful and all-perfect.”
(Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.40)
"As God is all light, all bliss and all perfection, so also is Srimad-Bhagavatam. We can have all the transcendental light of the Supreme Brahman, Sri Krsna, from the recitation of Srimad-Bhagavatam, provided it is received through the medium of the transparent spiritual master. Lord Caitanya's private secretary Srila Svarupa Damodara Gosvami advised all intending visitors who came to see the Lord at Puri to make a study of the Bhagavatam from the person Bhagavatam Person Bhagavatam is the self-realized bona fide spiritual master, and through him only can one understand the lessons of Bhagavatam in order to receive the desired result. One can derive from the study of the Bhagavatam all benefits that are possible to be derived from the personal presence of the Lord. It carries with it all the transcendental blessings of Lord Sri Krsna that we can expect from His personal contact. ”
(Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.40 P)
There is Lord Krsna's plan to save the fallen souls of this age and He has already descended personally to introduce His movement of distributing love of Godhead to everyone without distinction.
"Krsna dasa Kaviraja Goswami: "I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Krsna Caitanya and Lord Nityananda, who are like the sun and moon. They have arisen simultaneously on the horizon of Gauda to dissipate the darkness of ignorance and thus wonderfully bestow benediction upon all.'”
(Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 1.2)
All the moonlike personalities of this age, the great devotees of the Lord, have come to dissipate the darkness of ignorance. All those who have been specifically ordered and empowered by Krsna left a lasting impression and changed the fate of this age.
Lord Buddha, Sripada Shankaracarya, Lord Jesus Christ, Muhammad and Srila Prabhupada have all appeared to assist in the plan of the Lord, there is no doubt about it.
"Such unalloyed devotees of the Lord appear on the earth just to execute the mission of the Lord. The Lord desires the conditioned souls hovering in the material creation to be reclaimed to go back home, back to Godhead, and thus He helps them by preparing the transcendental literatures like the Vedas, by sending missionaries of saints and sages and by deputing His representative, the spiritual master.”
(Srimad Bhagavatam 1.12.16 P)
"These asuras are gradually rectified to God consciousness by the mercy of the Lord's liberated servitors in different countries according to the supreme will. Such devotees of God are very confidential associates of the Lord, and when they come to save human society from the dangers of godlessness, they are known as the powerful incarnations of the Lord, as sons of the Lord, as servants of the Lord or as associates of the Lord.
(Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.16 P)
"Jesus Christ and Muhammad, two powerful devotees of the Lord, have done tremendous service on behalf of the Lord on the surface of the globe."
(Srimad Bhagavatam 2.4.18 P)
"Whenever an acarya comes, following the superior orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His representative, he establishes the principles of religion, as enunciated in Bhagavad-gita. Religion means abiding by the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Religious principles begin from the time one surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is the acarya's duty to spread a bona fide religious system and induce everyone to bow down before the Supreme Lord. One executes the religious principles by rendering devotional service, specifically the nine items like hearing, chanting and remembering. Unfortunately, when the acarya disappears, rogues and nondevotees take advantage and immediately begin to introduce unauthorized principles in the name of so-called svamis, yogis, philanthropists, welfare workers and so on. Actually, human life is meant for executing the orders of the Supreme Lord, and this is stated in Bhagavad-gita (9.34):
man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru
mam evainyasi yuktvaivam atmanam mat-parayanah
"Engage your mind always in thinking of Me and become My devotee. Offer obeisances and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me."
The main business of human society is to think of the Supreme Personality of Godhead at all times, to become His devotees, to worship the Supreme Lord and to bow down before Him. The acarya, the authorized representative of the Supreme Lord, establishes these principles, but when he disappears, things once again become disordered. The perfect disciples of the acarya try to relieve the situation by sincerely following the instructions of the spiritual master. At the present moment practically the entire world is afraid of rogues and nondevotees; therefore this Krsna consciousness movement is started to save the world from irreligious principles. Everyone should cooperate with this movement in order to bring about actual peace and happiness in the world."
(Srimad Bhagavatam 4.28.28 P)
Although the movements of the acaryas, the authorized representatives of the Supreme Lord, may be infiltrated and taken over by the demons of Kali-yuga, the pure devotees of Lord Krsna impress upon the hearts of the fortunate persons pure devotional service to His Lotus Feet. Thus the movement goes on and the perfect disciples try to relieve the situation by sincerely following the instructions of the spiritual master.
"Ekas candras tamo hanti na ca tara sahasrasah. If one disciple is enlivened with Krsna consciousness, he can work as the moon. Otherwise so many foolish followers, what they'll do? Just like stars. Thousands and millions of stars, they cannot do anything. One moon is sufficient. Ekas candras tamo hanti na ca tara sahasrasah. So this Krsna consciousness movement, it is not required that everyone will be follower. That is not possible, because it is very difficult. But still, if one follower, sincere follower is there, it will go on. It will go on. Nobody can stop it. Go on. "
(January 9, 1973 ND, Bombay)
"I told you that I do not expect that everyone will be Krsna conscious. That is not possible. But if there is one moon in the sky, that is sufficient to eradicate the darkness. You don't require many stars. Ekas candras tamo hanti na ca tara sahasrasah. If one man understands perfectly what is this Krsna consciousness movement is, he can do tremendous benefit to the other people. So you are all intelligent boys and girls. You try to understand this Krsna consciousness philosophy with all your reason or argument. But try to understand it seriously. Don't make it a farce. That is the object of life."
(Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, April 25, 1969, Boston)
It has been made a farce however by the pseudo devotees and nondevotees within Srila Prabhupada's movement.
"If one thinks that there are many pseudo devotees or nondevotees in the Krsna Consciousness Society, one can keep direct company with the spiritual master, and if there is any doubt, one should consult the spiritual master."
(Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya 19.157 Purport)
Among Lord Jesus Christ's disciples have been demoniac influences also. And Srila Prabhupada has this to say in a letter concerning an attempt of the agents of Kali to take over his mission from the inside:
"It is a fact however that the great sinister movement is within our Society."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter to Hansadutta 70-09-02)
Srila Prabhupada knew about the sinister influences in the world and his movement. Also Lord Jesus Christ was aware that from within and without his movement was endangered by the demons.
"Although Krsna cannot be killed, Vasudeva, as the father of Krsna, was trembling because in affection he thought that Kamsa would immediately come and kill his son. Similarly, although the Krsna consciousness movement and Krsna are not different and no asuras can check it, we are afraid that at any moment the asuras can stop this movement in any part of the world. "
(Srimad Bhagavatam 10.3.22 P)
"Demons are very much disturbed when devotees worship the Lord in the prescribed ways recommended in the scriptures. In the Vedic scriptures, the neophyte devotees are advised to engage in nine kinds of devotional service, such as to hear and chant the holy name of God, to remember Him always, to chant on beads Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, to worship the Lord in the form of His Deity incarnation in the temples, and to engage in various activities of Krsna consciousness to increase the number of godly persons for perfect peace in the world. Demons do not like such activity. They are always envious of God and His devotees... The demon wants to uproot this source because if the root, God, were to be checked, the activities of the Lord and the devotees would automatically stop. The demon would be very much satisfied by such a situation in society. Demons are always anxious to have a godless society for their sense gratification.
(Srimad Bhagavatam 3.18.5 P)
Today Srila Prabhupada's and Lord Jesus Christ's once pure and powerful movements have lost their potency due to organized disobedience and the distortion of the teachings by the servants of Kali-yuga.
"Many "isms" and cults will spring up in Kali-yuga only to kill the spotless bull of religion."
(Srimad Bhagavatam 1.17.2 P)
In this way the demons hope to achieve that people will become 'disillusioned' with and averse to God and real religion. They want to kill Lord Vishnu, whom they have chosen to rebell against, and His followers the Vaishanavas.
The asuras attacked Srila Prabhupada and they attacked Lord Jesus Christ, but:
"One thing you may inform all devotees that Maya cannot touch a pure devotee: When you find a devotee is supposed in difficulty it is not the work of Maya but it is the work of the Lord by His Personal internal energy. The Pandava's tribulation in so many ways, Lord Ramacandra's departure to the forest, His wife the Goddess of Fortune's being kidnapped by Ravana, Lord Krishna's death being caused by the arrow of a hunter, Thakura Haridasa's being caned in 22 market or Lord Jesus Christ being crucified are all acts of the Lord personally. We cannot always understand the intricacies of such incidences. Sometimes they are enacted to bewilder persons who (are) demons. You should therefore discuss in the Istagosthi from current reading matters from B.G. or S.B. We should only try to understand everything from the standard of devotional service. It is stated clearly in the B.G. that any one who is cent per cent engaged in the service of the Lord is transcendentally situated and the influence of Maya has no more any action on such body. The Lord and His pure devotees are always beyond the range of Maya's action. Even though they appear like action of Maya, we should understand their action of Yogamaya or the internal potency of the Lord.
My blessings for you all
I am feeling alright.
Your ever well wisher
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
(Srila Prabhupada Letter to Satsvarupa 68-04-03)
Therefore the demoniac attempt to try to kill pure devotees like Srila Prabhupada (by administering poison or establishing theories like the 'living guru thesis') or Lord Jesus Christ (by crucification or writing a book to declare him a myth), cannot minimize their transcendental position, reputation and influence!
"Lord Krsna says: "O son of Kunti, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.'”
(Bhagavad-gita 9.31)
Such attempts to stop the pure devotees from preaching all over the world, fullfilling the Supreme Lords prophecy, will never be successful.
So even though Srila Prabhupada and Lord Jesus Christ are not physically present anymore, they continue to inspire authentic devotional service in the hearts of their true followers.
"Although according to material vision His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati 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 vapu. Vani means words, and vapu means physical presence. Physical presence is sometimes appreciable and sometimes not, but vani continues to exist eternally. Therefore we must take advantage of the vani, not the physical presence... I think that His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura is always seeing my activities and guiding me within my heart by his words. As it is said in Srimad-Bhagavatam, tene brahma hrda ya adi-kavaye. Spiritual inspiration comes from within the heart, wherein the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His Paramatma feature, is always sitting with all His devotees and associates. "
(Caitanya-caritamrta Concluding words)
It may appear that the events that unfold after the acarya leaves are detrimental, yet everything is personally guided by the Supreme Lord, who is progressively executing His grand plan of inundating the whole universe with love of Krsna!
"Here it is said that Lord Caitanya made the entire universe thankful to Him for propagating the sankirtana movement with His associates. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu has already sanctified the entire universe by His presence five hundred years ago, and therefore anyone who attempts to serve Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu sincerely by following in His footsteps and following the instructions of the acaryas will successfully be able to preach the holy names of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra all over the universe."
(Caitanya-cartiamrta Adi 7.163 Purport)
"The sankirtana movement went on from one part of the town to another, as the Lord wandered everywhere performing kirtana. In this way He inundated the whole world by distributing love of Godhead.
One may raise the question how all three worlds became inundated with love of Krsna since Caitanya Mahaprabhu performed kirtana only in the Navadvipa area. The answer is that Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna Himself. The entire cosmic manifestation results from the Lord's first setting it in motion. Similarly, since the sankirtana movement was first set in motion five hundred years ago by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's desire that it spread all over the universe, the Krsna consciousness movement, in continuity of that same motion, is now spreading all over the world, and in this way it will gradually spread all over the universe. With the spread of the Krsna consciousness movement, everyone will merge in an ocean of love of Krsna."
(Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 13.32)
Lord Jesus Christ is no myth, nor is Srila Prabhupada dead and gone!
These are just arguments of hopeless men.
It would be much more appreciated to promote the study of Srila Prabhupada's divine words to learn the truth and become free from all doubts. Life is short. Why make proposals to waste it by reading another dead man's book?
"Lord Kapila says: "My dear Mother, when a person is actually in association with pure devotees, the sublime potency of My devotional service can be experienced." In other words, when a pure devotee speaks, his words act upon the hearts of the audience. What is the secret of hearing and chanting? A professional speaker cannot impress transcendental ecstasy within the hearts of the listeners. However, when a realized soul who is engaged in the service of the Lord is speaking, he has the potency to inject spiritual life within the audience. One should, therefore, seek the association of such pure unalloyed devotees, and by such association and service a neophyte devotee will certainly develop attachment, love and devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
(Nectar of Devotion, 17)
We have the rare opportunity to associate with the pure devotee and spiritual master of the world, His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, through his books, videos and audio recordings. Being intelligent and taking this special opportunity serious, our life becomes successful.
"These books I have recorded and chanted, and they are transcribed. It is spoken kirtanas... These are not ordinary books. It is recorded chanting. Anyone who reads, he is hearing."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter to Rupanuga 74-10-19)
"My dear Lord, You are glorified by the selected verses uttered by great personalities. Such glorification of Your lotus feet is just like saffron particles. When the transcendental vibration from the mouths of great devotees carries the aroma of the saffron dust of Your lotus feet, the forgetful living entity gradually remembers his eternal relationship with You. Devotees thus gradually come to the right conclusion about the value of life. My dear Lord, I therefore do not need any other benediction but the opportunity to hear from the mouth of Your pure devotee."
(Srimad Bhagavatam 4.20.25)
