Prabhupada internal position

Article: Prabhupada internal position

Preaching, Highest Rasa, And Bhaktivinoda Parivar

BY SWAMI B.V. TRIPURARI

“‘Because ours is a madhurya sampradaya, Prabhupada must be a manjari.’ This kind of reasoning is not in line with the preaching of Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura or Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Indeed, this is what we hear from those outside our sampradaya.”

Q&A discussion with Swami B.V. Tripurari.

Q. Re: the discussion between Srimati Jadurani devi and yourself.

Bhaktivinoda Thakur in his Caitanya Sisksamrta has stated that Gaudiya Vaisnavas tend to have two forms – that of a brahmana boy in Gaura lila and that of gopi in Krsna lila. I submit that Srila Prabhupada may have partaken of both natures. Jadurani devi cites Ramananda Raya as an example of one of the many devotees in madhurya rasa.

But he was not only Visakha but also a cowherd boy named Arjuna. (see Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika). Again, both natures could be there simultaneously, and this could have been the case with Srila Prabhupada. Wouldn’t this harmonize both views?

A. I don’t think this matter can be harmonized as you have suggested here.

A manjari in Krsna lila can have a corresponding svarupa in Gaura lila as a brahmama boy in dasya rasa. This is not the same as sakhya rasa in Krsna lila. Regarding Ramamnada Raya, I belive Kavikarnapura has described him as Visahka, the gopi named Arjuniya, and Arjuna of the Pandavas. The idea that one can be both a sakha and gopi in Krsna lila seems frought with incompatability.

As for harmonizing the two positions, this has already been done by Sridhara Maharaja, and I cited this in my original Sanga posting that Srimati Jadurani devi took exception to. She seems to have missed this point altogether. Had she understood it, there would have been no need for her to attempt to correct me in public, an act which many felt was in questionable taste. And what she wrote was flawed technically in many other ways, only a few of which I took the time to point out.

The idea given by Sridhara Mahraja was that it is possible that Prabhupda was in madhurya rasa, but out of deference to Nityananda by whose avesa he was infleunced for his preaching campaign, Prabhupada veiled his madhurya sentiments. Therefore some of the sakhya influence of the Nityananda avesa was shown outwardly, keeping madhurya in the backgound. This may also have been part of a policy in preaching to Westerners in general.

Given this possibility, one is free to think in either way about His Divine Grace. However, this latter opinion of Sridhara Mahajara came in response to criticism from ISKCON, who thought his statements about Prabhupada being in sakhya rasa were insulting. Sridhara Maharaja clearly found this response insulting and considered it a mundane and offensive way to react to his original statements about Prabhupada being in sakhya rasa.

Although his reaction included the above idea in the spirit of harmonizing, I think that it should be clear that his statements about Prabhupada being influenced by sakhya rasa were his own spiritual thoughts on the matter. He did not change them while offering the above possible scenario.

Jadurani devi’s main point seems to be that because our sampradaya is a madhurya sampradaya, Prabhupada must be a manjari. This kind of reasoning is not in line with the preaching of Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura or Bhaktivinoda Thakura with regard to their concept of the svarupa being inherent in the jiva and a number of other points. Indeed, this kind of preaching is what we hear from those outside of the Bhaktivinoda parivara and Gaudiya Saraswata sampradaya.

Q. You were present when Srila Prabhupada directed how we should approach Srila Sridhara Maharaja and Sripad Narayana Maharaja. Some say Prabhupada meant only for some technical questions about rituals etc., not siksa in the full sense. Can you clarify?

A. Yes, I was massaging Prabhupada’s feet at the time. Tamal Krsna Maharaja asked Prabhupada the awkward question, “If you should pass form the world, how should we perform the funeral rites.” Prabhupada replied that for this we could ask Narayana Maharaja (who was residing in Mathura).

He was the officiating priest for Prabhupada’s sannyasa initiation, and to an extent was in the sentiment of a disciple. After Prabhupada answered, Tamal Krsna Maharaja asked “Is there anyone else we can speak with after your departure?” To this Prabhupada replied, “For philosophy, my Godbrother,

B.R. Sridhara Mahraja of Navadwipa.” Prabhupada considered Sridhara Maharaja to be his siksa guru.

The leading devotees followed this instruction, asking Narayana Maharaja for advice regarding the funeral rites, and ultimately asking him to officiate over the funeral. Following this, the leading devotees all went to Mayapur for the annual ISKCON meeting in February of 1978 and consulted with Sridhara Maharaja regarding the Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy regarding guru tattva and disciplic succession. This resulted in a paper published by the GBC entitled “In Consultation with Higher Authorities.”

Unfortunately the GBC did not understand the council of Sridhara Maharaja, and they eventually offended him. The history of the relationship between Sridhara Maharaja and ISKCON after the passing of Srila Prabhupada is documented in the booklet entitled “Our Affectionate Guardians; A Historical Perspective” available at http://www.gosai.com/chaitanya/srila_sridhara_mj/affection/oag_contents.html

Q. You stated in a recent Sanga that the jiva was not previously in the spiritual world. You also stated that the tatastha-sakti originates in Maha-Visnu. I have been looking for references on the origin of tatastha-sakti. Could you provide a tip for further research?

A. Caitanya Caritamrita Adi lila 5.45 states

jiva-nama tatasthakhya eka sakti haya maha-sankarsana–saba jivera asraya

“There is one marginal potency, known as the jiva. Maha-sankarsana is the shelter of all jivas.” This is mentioned in reference to the manifestation of the material world, which is just one of the glories of Sankarsana. This Sankarsana is the source of the purusa, Maha Visnu, who directly manifests the world

along with the jivas. You can also read about this in Java Dharma. See the chapter entitled “Deliberation on the locus standi of the Jiva.”

Q. Is our siddha-deha predestined, or is it a matter of which sadhana one chooses to follow? The Caitanya Caritamrta (M.22.107) states that “Pure love for Krsna is eternally established in the hearts of living entities.

It is not something to be gained from another source.” This seems to support the idea that our siddha- deha is already within us.

A. According to Bhaktivinoda Thakura and all of his followers, the svarupa of the jiva is both inherent within the jiva and in need of sadhana for it to manifest. The svarupa is present in the jiva in the form of sat cit ananda anu, a particle of sat cit ananda. However, it cannot manifest without diksa, siksa and a corresponding sadhana. The verse you cited seems to support this idea.

However, outside of the succession of Bhaktivinoda Thakura, other Gaudiya Vaisnavas interpret the Goswami literature to say that the svarupa is not dormant in the jiva. They interpret the verse you cited to say that prema is eternally established (nitya siddha), but not in the jiva. It is not a product in time resulting from sadhana, and thus it is not something to attain, sadhya kabu naya.

It appears in the heart of the jiva (karaye udaya) who engages in hearing and chanting (sravanadi) when the jiva experiences the ingress of suddha sattva (suddha citte). This group emphasizes Sridhara Swami’s comment on the Visnu Purana cited by Jiva Goswami in Sat-sandarbha. Sridhara Swami says that the Lord is the shelter of the svarupa skati, and not the jiva.

Our line from Bhaktivinoda counters this by interpreting Sridhara Swami’s words to mean that the entirety of the svarupa sakti is not within the jiva, but a particle of it is. Further practical evidence for the position of Bhaktivinoda Thakura can be drawn from the fact that sometimes, in spite of being initiated into a particular lineage, say of madhurya rati, a disciple develops sakhya bhava. We find an example of this in Jaiva Dharma, and the converse of it in the case of Syamananda prabhu.

Syamananda was initiated into the lineage of Gauridasa Pandita, the incarnation of Subala sakha in Gaura lila. His guru was Hridaya Caitanya, who was in sakhya rati, but Syamananada developed madhurya rati. The brother of Rupa Santana Goswamis is also an example. He was initiated into the Krsna diksa mantra, but he developed love for Rama.

In any case, if we are to know our svarupa, we need guidance and sadhana, and most of all we need suddha nama. Try to chant offenselessly, and you will know everything you need to know.

Q. Sometimes we see that advanced devotees may fall from their sadhana-bhakti practice. What is the proper attitude toward them? Why is there so much criticism? Isn’t it vaisnava-aparadha? Isn’t it possible that it is like the stories in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Citraketu, Maharaja Bharata, etc.?

A. Devotees fall down because of offenses. We should be generous in our attitude with those who have fallen, but we should at the same time be aware that in their condition they cannot be of much help to us in our spiritual progress. Criticism of devotees can be constructive, or it can be Vaisnava aparadha. The examples you have cited from the Bhagavata are there to help us understand these things. They can be of some help to us in our efforts to progress.

Q. For the kanistha and madhyam adhikari, how can they know whether they are associating with a sadhu or a rascal? Doesn’t it takes an uttama adhikari to know one?

A. A madhyama adhikari knows who is an uttama adhikari. He has deep experience, proper discrimination, he understands the theory and knows how to apply it. A kanistha adhikari can know at least theoretically by the grace of a madhyama adhikari who is an uttama adhikari.

Q. Most sadhus that I have met seem to be real at first but later on you find they are not real. How do we know who is real sadhu?

A. It sounds like perhaps you already know the answer. One should study the scripture and try to understand to what extent a man of the cloth conforms with the descriptions given therein. Try to feel the measure of his faith and the extent of his taste for spiritual life.

Questions or comments may be sent to Q&A http://swami.org, or email sadhusanga

swami.org.

[Reprinted with permission from Sanga 6/23/2000 http://swami.org]