Dear Srila Prabhupada,
Please accept my most humble obeisances at your lotus feet on this most auspicious day of your divine appearance.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Sri Krishna is very compassionate upon the suffering souls of this world. He personally descends to deliver them and He also sends His confidential servitors like your divine grace to deliver these suffering souls.
You have descended from the spiritual world simply to deliver all the suffering souls. Some of the fortunate souls take shelter of your lotus feet and follow your instructions to prepare themselves to go back to Godhead. Yet there are many others who are unwilling to get out of their present condition. You show compassion upon them also by tirelessly preaching to convince them of Krishna consciousness. You have established the Hare Krishna Movement to institutionalize and perpetuate the preaching activity to deliver all the suffering souls of this world, so that the preaching continues with out cessation even after your physical departure.
In carrying out your instructions to preach, I recently had a realization because of your causeless mercy upon me. In my many attempts to preach, I would work very hard to carry out my preaching duties and not sufficiently pray for your mercy, thinking that hard work alone is important. At other times I would earnestly pray for your mercy to carry out my preaching duties and not work hard sufficiently, thinking that dependence on your mercy alone is important. I now realize that both are important – working very hard to carry out the preaching duties and praying earnestly for your mercy also.
I pray to you that I may never spare any effort to work hard for preaching Krishna consciousness just like you demonstrated by your personal example as the Acharya. I also pray that I may learn to depend on your mercy always for carrying out my preaching duties, working always under your shelter, in cooperation with your sincere disciples. May I not become proud by working hard nor become lazy under the pretext of depending on your mercy by merely offering prayers.
I am confident of getting your mercy, after I read the following entry in your diary recorded on Sunday, 6th March 1966 while you were in New York:
“According to Mayapur Panjika today is Adhivas day of Gour Purnima. Devotees at Vrindaban and Nabadwipa are enjoying the celebration. I am here alone without any devotee companion. But I have come here to serve the Lord and not for personal happiness. I am prepared to live in hell even, if I am able to serve the Lord. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wanted that His mission should be propagated all over the world and that is my objective. I do not mind the inconvenience personally felt.”
On this auspicious day, I fall at your feet and offer my obeisances a million times and commit myself to serve your mission with renewed dedication.
Your humble servant,
Stoka Krishna Dasa
Vice President, ISKCON-Bangalore, Co-President, ISKCON-Mysore
Dear Srila Prabhupada,
On this auspicious day of Your Divine Grace’s Vyasa Puja, I wish to humbly submit certain reflections on the absolute necessity of a pure devotee in Gaudiya Vaishnava theology – a pure devotee’s role and influence to extricate a conditioned soul from material existence and awaken him to love of Godhead -and Your Divine Grace’s brilliant strategy for establishing and manifesting this role and influence of a pure devotee in the human society on a global scale, and perpetually.
1. One of the foundational and inviolable Gaudiya Vaishna principles is that a conditioned soul must come in touch with a pure devotee of Krishna to awaken his dormant love for Krishna.
Srila Narottama dasa Thakura has sung, chadiya vaisnava-seva nistara payeche keba: "Without serving the lotus feet of a pure Vaisnava or spiritual master, no one has ever attained perfect liberation from material bondage." (SB 5.1.6 purport)
To achieve spiritual perfection and attain love of Krishna, Srila Prabhupada’ s expresses the role and influence of a pure devotee as follows:
The conditioned soul must approach a pure devotee:
The bona fide representative of God is as good as God Himself. Or, in other words, the loving representative of the Lord is more kind and more easy to approach. A sinful soul cannot approach the Lord directly, but such a sinful man can very easily approach a pure devotee of the Lord. And if one agrees to put himself under the guidance of such a devotee of the Lord, he can also understand the science of God and can also become like the transcendental pure devotee of the Lord and thus get his liberation back to Godhead, back home for eternal happiness. (SB 2.7.46 purport)
The conditioned soul must associate with a pure devotee:
In this verse the words tomara prabhave (“Your influence”) are very important. Unless one is spiritually advanced he cannot influence an audience. Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung, suddhabhakata-carana-renu, bhajana-anukula. “Unless one associates with a pure devotee, he cannot be influenced to understand devotional service.”(CC Adi 7.105 purport)
The conditioned soul must render service to a pure devotee:
A materialistic person sometimes thinks that simply by executing pious activities and remaining at home one can understand the Absolute Truth. That is denied in this verse. Nor can one understand the Absolute Truth simply by observing the rules and regulations of brahmacarya (celibacy). One only has to serve the pure devotee. That will help one understand the Absolute Truth without fail.
(SB 5.12.13 purport)
The conditioned soul must receive the favour of the dust of such a pure devotee:
Similarly, when the atheist father Hiranyakasipu asked his son Prahlada Maharaja how it was he became attracted to devotional service, the boy replied, "As long as one is not favored by the dust of the feet of pure devotees, he cannot even touch the path of devotional service, which is the solution to all the problems of material life." (SB 7.5.32)(TLC Chapter 11: Service to the Lord)
The conditioned soul must place himself under the guidance of a pure devotee:;
Therefore devotional service and the guidance of a pure devotee are so strong that there is no discrimination between the lower and higher classes of men; anyone can take to it. The most simple man taking shelter of the pure devotee can be purified by proper guidance. According to the different modes of material nature, men are classified in the mode of goodness (brahmanas), the mode of passion (ksatriyas, or administrators), the mixed modes of passion and ignorance (vaisyas, or merchants), and the mode of ignorance (sudras, or workers). Those lower than them are called candalas, and they are born in sinful families. Generally, the association of those born in sinful families is not accepted by the higher classes. But the process of devotional service is so strong that the pure devotee of the Supreme Lord can enable people of all the lower classes to attain the highest perfection of life. ( Bg 9.32 purport)
If anyone wants to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he has to take to pure devotional service under the guidance of a pure devotee. Otherwise, the truth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead will always be hidden.( Bg 18.55 purport)
The conditioned soul must be trained by a pure devotee who is a spiritual master:
If by chance we receive training from a teacher who is a saintly person and a pure devotee of the Lord, by such contact we become pure. Therefore Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says that the fortunate person who has had some spiritual asset in his past dealings will seek the association of pure devotees. The seed of Krishna consciousness is received by the mercy of the guru, the spiritual master, and by the mercy of Krishna. When the spiritual master and Lord Krishna will that a person become Krishna conscious, the seed of Krishna consciousness very nicely fructifies. When one’s spiritual assets make him so fortunate that he becomes spiritually enlivened, he meets a bona fide spiritual master. By the grace of that spiritual master he can receive the seed of Krishna consciousness. That is the result of his inner urge, his questioning: “Where can I get this association? Where can I get this awareness?” (Essays and Articles Pre-1967: The Real Peace
Formula)
The Vedas enjoin, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] to understand spiritual knowledge, one must approach a bona fide spiritual master. Unless one has been trained in geology, one cannot detect gold in stone. Similarly, unless one has been trained by a spiritual master, he cannot understand what is spirit and what is matter. (SB 7.7.21 purport)
The conditioned soul must please a pure devotee by service.
Actually, without the mercy of a devotee nobody can approach the Lord directly—and it is easier to get mercy of a devotee than to get mercy of the Lord. So therefore the most intelligent way of approaching God is to take shelter of a pure devotee. Somehow or other if one can please a pure devotee of the Lord, such action means immediate satisfaction of the Lord, even though such a person is not officially qualified to receive the mercy of the Lord. (Letter to: Yeager — Los Angeles 21 January, 1970)
Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. First of all you have to surrender, and then you have to please him by service. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah. If you can please him, then naturally Krsna is pleased upon you. That is the injunction. (Sri Isopanisad Lecture Excerpt --Los Angeles, July 8, 1971) And by the influence of such a pure devotee only will a conditioned soul achieve perfection.
2. Yet another Gaudiya Vaishnava principle is that such a pure devotee who is completely surrendered to Lord Sri Krishna is very, very rare. These two sections of transcendental knowledge in devotional service become revealed to a person who is a soul surrendered unto Vasudeva; as it is said in the Bhagavad-gita (7.19), such a great soul, fully surrendered unto the lotus feet of Vasudeva, is very, very rare. (SB 2.7.19 purport) That kind of perfect person, mahatma, is very, very rare, to understand that "I am eternal servant of Krsna. My only business is to serve Krsna. That is my constitutional position. I am part and parcel of Krsna." (Bhagavad-gita 7.3 lecture Nairobi, October 29, 1975)
3. Institution and institution building is a modern world concept. The civilized societies (of course the so-called civilized societies, as devotees understand) have created enduring institutions to capture a concept (or a practice or culture or value system), establish the same in the human society endowed by law to derive it’s benefits or influence, expand over large geographies and perpetuate it’s benefits in the society for a long time, far beyond the life time of it’s founders.
Institutionalisation refers to the process of embedding something (for example a concept, a social role, a particular value or mode of behavior) within a social system, or society as a whole. (Wikipedia) For example, the political systems have been institutionalized in the democratic systems of governments with a written constitution. Business enterprises have been institutionalized into multinational corporations. Education and research has been institutionalized in Universities for over two centuries.
4. Srila Bhaktisiddantha Saraswathi Thakura for the first time institutionalized the practice of the teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the form of the Gaudiya Mutt institution in the 20th century.
It is important to observe how Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s movement flourished during His time in simple and informal gatherings around Himself and His associates – just suitable for the relatively far less complicated society in the fifteenth century India. Later in the 19th century Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur (1838 –1914) not only raised the respectability of Sri Chaitanya’s movement but also revived and energized the same through innovative preaching programs of his times. Later in the 20th century, Srila Bhaktisiddantha Saraswathi Thakura further gave a formal institutional structure to Sri Chaitanya’s movement in the form of the Gaudiya Mutt.
5. But Srila Bhaktisiddantha Saraswathi Thakura towards the end of his life was unhappy about the developments in his institution.
I do not wish to discuss about activities of my Godbrothers but it is a fact they have no life for preaching work. All are satisfied with a place for residence in the name of a temple, they engage disciples to get foodstuff by transcendental devices and eat and sleep. They have no idea or brain how to broadcast the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. My Guru Maharaja used to lament many times for this reason and he thought if one man at least had understood the principle of preaching then his mission would achieve success. In the latter days of my Guru Maharaja he was very disgusted. Actually, he left this world earlier, otherwise he would have continued to live for more years. Still he requested his disciples to form a strong Governing body for preaching the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. (Srila Prabhupada (Letter to: Rupanuga — Tirupati 28 April, 1974)
Srila Prabhupada further expanded on the unfinished work of his spiritual master by creating the worldwide institution, ISKCON. We see how Srila Prabhupada, the pure devotee of Krishna, makes himself available to approach him, to surrender to him, to hear from him, to serve him, to receive personal guidance – all of which is an absolute necessity as per the Gaudiya Vaishnava principles – through his books, his institution and his representatives. In other words, we must appreciate how Srila Prabhupada has institutionalized the availability, access and influence of a pure devotee for posterity. This is an extraordinary contribution of Srila Prabhupada – the principle of institutionalizing and applying a very contemporary concept of institution building in the domain of timeless spirituality. This is also a crowning example of the application of the yukta vairagya principle taught by Srila Rupa Gosvami – a very modern institutionalizing concept applied in the service of Krishna to preserve and further on a global scale the most important Gaudiya Vaishna principle of the role and influence of a pure devotee of Krishna -who is very, very rare.
6. Srila Prabhupada’s definitive instructions indicate how all the essential Gaudiya Vaishnava principles can be understood, practiced, appreciated, and developed internally to perfection, shared with others all over the world to achieve similar perfection – all through the body of his institution, his books, recorded lectures, letters and his representatives.
How can we hear from a pure devotee now?
You have heard it from me and my disciples, similarly I have heard it from my Guru Maharaja, and so on, and on. Because you have heard it from a pure devotee of the Lord, therefore it is transmitted from you to another. Just as an aerial message, is transmitted from one place to another, similarly, this Guru parampara system is working. My disciples are my agents, my representatives, so by hearing it from them, you are receiving it from me. And because you are a sincere soul, those who are hearing the Mantra from you are receiving it in disciplic succession, from Lord Caitanya and from Lord Krishna. (Srila Prabhupada letter to Andrea temple, 6th March 1968)
How can one receive personal guidance from a pure devotee spiritual master, now? Tamal Krishna Goswami (reading a letter by Gargamuni): "My dear Srila Prabhupada, please accept my humble obeisances at your divine lotus feet. We fervently pray that Your Divine Grace continue to remain in this world because we need your personal guidance. Even when Lord Krsna disappeared, Arjuna lost all strength temporarily."
Prabhupada: I shall remain your personal guide, physically present or not physically, as I am getting personal guidance from my Guru Maharaja. (Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana)
How can one receiving personal instructions from a pure devotee spiritual master now? Regarding your question about instruction, spiritual life is different from material life. The instruction given in my books is supposed to be personal instruction. When we read the Bhagavadgita As It Is, it is understood that we are receiving personal instructions of Krsna. No physical barrier is there in the case of spiritual affairs. (Letter to Dhrstaketu, October 14, 1973)
How can one get directions from the pure devotee spiritual master in philosophy, management and personal problems? What was Srila Prabhupada’s direction on this during pre-1977 days of ISKCON?
So I am requesting my good disciples as much as possible to consult the senior disciples in matter of management, philosophy, and personal problems. Of course, I always welcome to get letters from my beloved disciples, but unless there is some urgent matter it is better if all of the students will address their questions from South Pacific and Australia zone to you. You may inform them. I have got some letters from Tusta Krishna from Auckland and he is inquiring about printing press and other matters so I am advising him to consult with you and I think, cooperatively along with Mohanananda and others, you, senior members, can manage everything there very nicely and relieve me of such questions. (Letter to: Madhudvisa — Los Angeles 12 June, 1972)
How can one clarify doubts in philosophy in future now?
In my books the philosophy of Krishna consciousness is explained fully, so if there is anything which you do not understand, then you simply have to read again and again. By reading daily the knowledge will be revealed to you....You may please me the most by reading my books and following the instructions therein. (November 22, 1974)
How can one derive benefit from studying Vedic literatures like Bhagavad Gita, without the help of a pure devotee spiritual master physically present?
Our Krsna consciousness movement is teaching the whole world this central point, and because we are not polluting the theme of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, anyone seriously interested in deriving benefit by studying the Bhagavad-gita must take help from the Krsna consciousness movement for practical understanding of Bhagavad-gita under the direct guidance of the Lord. (Bhagavad Gita Preface) How can one experience reciprocation and develop personal relationship with the spiritual master? Satsvarupa: Srila Prabhupada, there's also a question of reciprocation. You have so many disciples, thousands, and one devotee was asking me yesterday, "How does... I want to please Srila Prabhupada. How does he know my progress and my service because I'm..., when I'm so far away from him and if I don't write him?"
Prabhupada: So his representatives are there, the president, the GBC. They will see. Madhavananda: The representatives.
Jayadvaita: The representative may be there, but what is my personal relationship? Prabhupada: Hm? To obey your spiritual master. Whatever he has said, you follow strictly. Follow the regulative principles. Chant sixteen rounds. That's all. (Morning Walk -- April 8, 1975, Mayapur)
How can one associate with the pure devotee spiritual master especially after his passing away? The day after Srila Prabhupada arrived, a press conference was held, with all the major newspapers and television stations represented. Sitting under the glare of TV lights in the large Berkeley temple room, Prabhupada was faced with the question, "What will happen to the movement when you die?" His answer came back immediately: "I will never die." All the guests and devotees cheered and Prabhupada continued, "I live in my books and you will utilize." (Berkeley: July 16th, 1975)
During a morning walk:
Paramahamsa: Srila Prabhupada, when you are not present with us, how is it possible to receive instructions, for example, on questions that may arise? Prabhupada: Well, the questions... Answers are there in my books. (Morning walk at Cheviot Hills Golf Course in Los Angeles,13 May 1973
On one morning walk in Toronto, Srila Prabhupada reassured, “In my absence you read the books. What I talk, I have written in the books. That’s all. . . . You can associate with me by reading my books.” (7 August 1975)
In other words, Srila Prabhupada has applied Rupa Gosvami’s principles of yukta vairagya and created a modern day format: an institution with devotees, his books, devotional lifestyle given by him,serving his mission – and all this captures, preserves, establishes and perpetuates the pure Gaudiya Vais;hna principle: associating with a pure devotee and pleasing him with service is the only means to attain love of Krishna. In this way Sri Chaitanya’s movement has taken this most modern format and can flourish as long his sincere followers continue to strictly abide by his instructions.
7. When we appreciate how Srila Prabhupada has made himself accessible through all of these varied spiritually potent manifestations – institution, books, recorded lectures, etc. - it is little surprise that he has made himself available to accept and initiate prospective disciples through a system initiation by his representatives. Your humble servant, Chanchalapathi Dasa President, Hare Krishna Movement, Vrindhavan. Senior Vice President, ISKCON – Bangalore
