Subject: Still There is More
Date: Sat, 27 May 2000 18:55:18 EDT From: Raghav@aol.com
To: steamboatmail@aol.com
Dear Nori, Sri Guru - Gouranga jayatau. Here's some info I've picked up hanging out with Sri Chaitanya Sarasvat Math devotees, in relation to your book. Early in your book you say that,"Prabhu" means revered master and that it can refer to anybody. Actually in ISKCON and Gaudiya Math it is used only to refer to Hare nama initiates. Before the time of Srasavati Thakur (the shortened version of "Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur" as used in the Maths) it only referred to Maha'PRABHU' (Lord Chaitanya), Nityananda Prabhu and Advaita Prabhu. Srila Sarasvati Thakur saw his disciples as manifestations of his Gurudeva coming to engage him in Hari katha as ardent listeners. He saw that his Guru was coming to save him by such a ploy. Thus he saw his initiated disciples as Prabhu and obvioulsy didn't discourage others from using "Prabhu" in such a context. This practice was very controversial amongst Sarasvati Thakur's many enimies and detactors and caused a big fuss at the time. Its amazing how us westerners have trivialised "Prabhu".
Another point is that diksha is the second or (gayatri) mantra initiation. In the Maths there is no fire sacrifice until second initiation and first initiation is called Hare Nama initiation. The fire sacrifice at first initiation was personally introduced by Srila Prabhpada perhaps to emphasise the seriouness of the vowels. In Gaudiya Math until recently (after coming in touch with us westerners) Hare Nama initiates were not instructed about the FIVE, yes five regulative principles. This must be because they are innumerated and explained in the First Canto of S.B. The Fifth regulative principle is to refrain from amassing gold or wealth. Clearly Prabhupada wanted and large worldwide society and didn't want to add any confusion to the mix. Therefore 4 not 5. Another adjustment for time and place by Srila Prabhupada was to allow non-Hare Nama initiates to chant on beads. In the Maths this takes place only after initiation. In 1972 Prabhupada told Satsvarupa in a letter that no one should give a new person beads to chant on. He said that if they wanted beads before initiation that they could purchase them at the temple store but that no one sould give out beads except the Spiritual Master. Still there is more!!! Srila Prabhupada never named the L.A. Dieties Rukmini - Dvarakadish nor did he name the mandir, "New Dvaraka". This was done by Jayatirtha when he was temple president. In L.A. Krishna is playing a flute; this only occurs in Vrindavana not Dvaraka. There is an audio tape of Prabhpada installing the dieties in '70 or '71. He makes it clear that he is installing Radha and Krishna.
ISKCON became a relatively large international society almost overnight. There was no way Prabhpada could manage it and thats why there was a G.B.C. ( It was also called the G.B.C. in Gaudiya Math). Perhaps the "Bloodless Coup" of the 11 Gurus in 1978 was really just another blunder and deviation in a gradual coup of blunders, deviations and errors. By 1978 the fire had been smoldering for several years.
Govinda Maharaja when questioned about the Great ISKCON Debacle said that, "Swami Maharaja ( Srila Prabhupada)...he used them (the ISKCON leaders); he used their egos to spread Krishna Consciousness. But gradually they became more and more inflated (then his eyes got big just like Prabhpada's) and they EXPLODED!"
In 1982 about 3 months after Bhavananda hired dacoits to attack the Sri Chaitanya Sarasvat Math (the plot was aborted after info leaked), Srila Sridhar Maharaja praised Bhavananda in an informal talk. He glorified him for using a rifle to ward off an attack of Muslims and dacoits at the Chandrodaya Mandira. Maharaja said that Bhavananda was the perfect example of humility for he risked everything to save the Dieties and the property of Gurudeva. Another time when asked about the offences of the GBC members towards him, he said, "I see no offenses rather I see them as children".
Radhavallabha was also the first initiated devotee that I spoke with. It was March of '71 in Gainesville, Fla. Do you accept your vision of the sages and Krishna as real? Go ahead and post my letter if you want.
Sincerely,
Raghavendu Das
(Marty Lewis)
