Hare Krsna—Below we have assembled some nice verses and quotes which, according to Srila Prabhupada exactly explain our positions of purity or impurity within these bodies and minds. If we have ever wondered why devotional things take so long to get done, or not even at all, here below are some clues as to why.
The principle of envy is obvious all over this material world but totally absent in the spiritual world due to the ill effects it causes to others. Below we have attempted to show why it must be thoroughly cleansed from our hearts.
damaghosa das
—————————-
1.) Why was deity worship introduced?
SB 7.14.39-TRANSLATION–My dear King, when great sages and saintly persons saw mutually disrespectful dealings at the beginning of Tretā-yuga, Deity worship in the temple was introduced with all paraphernalia.
SB 3.29.22–One who worships the Deity of Godhead in the temples but does not know that the Supreme Lord, as Paramātmā, is situated in every living entity’s heart, must be in ignorance and is compared to one who offers oblations into ashes.
PURPORT-…….. Therefore persons who profess to belong to some religious sect but who do not feel the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in every living entity, and everywhere else, are in the mode of ignorance.
If, without this preliminary knowledge of the Lord’s omnipresence, one simply attaches himself to the rituals in a temple, church or mosque, it is as if he were offering butter into ashes rather than into the fire.
2.) Why are householders envious of each other?
Why does even the Bible say love thy neighbor-as thy self?
“In the age of Kali, all the householders are jealous of one another because they are blind to the knowledge of ultimate truth.”–SP
Everyone in this world is envious-SB 1.1.2 — London, August 18, 1971
Everyone is envious. If his neighbor, if his brother, if his friend becomes more prosperous than himself, he becomes envious. This is material nature. Similarly, in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, if we become envious, “Oh, my Godbrother, oh, he has become so popular. He is making so much progress. So put some impediments towards his progressive path,” this is also material. The Vaikuṇṭha consciousness is that if your neighbor, if your brother is prosperous or progressive, then one should think, “Oh, he’s so nice that he has served God so nicely. God is so pleased upon him that he is making so nice progress.” That is Vaikuṇṭha consciousness. And material consciousness is that “Oh, he has advanced so much. Oh, let me check him.” This is material. That is going on.
The whole world, enviousness. I remember in, long ago, about sometimes in 1936, my eldest son in Bombay—he was in school—he stood first. So his class friends became envious that “Here is a boy, he is coming from Bengal, and he has stood first.” They wanted to fight with him. My son came and complained to me that “This is the position.” Just see. Children even, envious. You see. That means this is the nature of this world. If you prosper, then your brothers and your neighbors, your friends, will be envious.
SB 2.1.2–Those persons who are materially engrossed, being blind to the knowledge of ultimate truth, leave many subject matters for hearing in human society, O Emperor.
PURPORT
In the revealed scriptures there are two nomenclatures for the householder’s life. One is gṛhastha, and the other is gṛhamedhī. The gṛhasthas are those who live together with wife and children but live transcendentally for realizing the ultimate truth. The gṛhamedhīs, however, are those who live only for the benefit of the family members, extended or centralized, and thus are envious of others. The word medhī indicates jealousy of others. The gṛhamedhīs, being interested in family affairs only, are certainly envious of others. Therefore, one gṛhamedhī is not on good terms with another gṛhamedhī, and in the extended form, one community, society or nation is not on good terms with another counterpart of selfish interest. In the age of Kali, all the householders are jealous of one another because they are blind to the knowledge of ultimate truth. They have many subject matters for hearing-political, scientific, social, economic and so on-but due to a poor fund of knowledge, they set aside the question of the ultimate miseries of life, namely miseries of birth, death, old age and disease. Factually, the human life is meant for making an ultimate solution to birth, death, old age and disease, but the gṛhamedhīs, being illusioned by the material nature, forget everything about self-realization. The ultimate solution to the problems of life is to go back home, back to Godhead, and thus, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (8.16), the miseries of material existence-birth, death, old age and disease-are removed.
The process of going back home, back to Godhead, is to hear about the Supreme Lord and His name, form, attributes, pastimes, paraphernalia and variegatedness. Foolish people do not know this. They want to hear something about the name, form, etc., of everything temporary, and they do not know how to utilize this propensity of hearing for the ultimate good. Misguided as they are, they also create some false literatures about the name, form, attributes, etc., of the ultimate truth. One should not, therefore, become a gṛhamedhī simply to exist for envying others; one should become a real householder in terms of the scriptural injunctions.
3.) Why did SP experience so much reluctance and envy from his Godbrothers to help him?
Below we have arranged just a small few statements by Srila Prabhupada in which he describes this envious nature of his so called Godbrothers despite his willingness to let them take charge of whatever he developed in the western world due to his preaching there. They refused him all help and even tried to stop him when his devotees arrived in Mayapura. As they told Joseph and Mary, parents of Jesus-there is NO room in the inn here for you”
Jan 15 1969 letter to Sraman maharajs Gaudiya matha
…Your previous letter was duly received by me and was replied to by me, and I hope you have by this time received the same. In both of your letters you have mentioned about grand preparations being made for the celebration of Golden Jubilee for Sri Caitanya Math from 7 February through 6 March. Prior to your information, our god-brother, Y. Jagannathan also informed me about this impending ceremony but so far as I concerned, I have received no official information from Sripada Tirtha Maharaja. I do not know why. If it is thought however that my preaching work in this part of the world is not connected with Sri Caitanya Math, I do not think this is correct because I was authorized to do this work by Srila Prabhupada, and I am trying to do my humble bit.
April 28 1974 letter
Actually amongst my Godbrothers no one is qualified to become acarya. So it is better not to mix with my Godbrothers very intimately because instead of inspiring our students and disciples they may sometimes pollute them. This attempt was made previously by them, especially Madhava Maharaja and Tirtha Maharaja and Bon Maharaja but somehow or other I saved the situation. This is going on. We shall be very careful about them and not mix with them. This is my instruction to you all. They cannot help us in our movement, but they are very competent to harm our natural progress. So we must be very careful about them.
July 7 1974 letter to Sridhar Swami
Last year we sold about four million books, and this year within six months we have completed last years quota, and therefore we can reasonably expect to double the sale of last year.
June 6 1976 letter to Sridhara maharaj
Please kindly accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. Since I saw you last at Mayapur, I left India for my 15th world tour program. From Mayapur we went to Vrindaban, then on to Bombay. Then from Bombay to Melbourne, Australia, then Auckland, New Zealand, and then to Fiji Island where we have observed the foundation stone laying ceremony for our temple there, Krishna-Kaliya Temple. This will be the first temple on that island. There are many Indians on that island but there was no systematic temple worship so we are constructing a temple at the cost of $200,000. In the meantime, I have received one letter from Jayapataka Maharaja in which it informs that Madhava Maharaja and also possibly Damodara Maharaja are making propaganda against our attempt to construct a township in Mayapur, with the centre of attraction being the “Vedic Planetarium.” In this connection we have applied to the government for 350 acres of land and the matter is in the process. However, Damodara Maharaja and Madhava Maharaja are trying to frustrate our attempt.I shall quote the portion from Jayapataka’s letter to me:
“After the report (request for land) was submitted, the District Magistrate sent some land officers to come here to our site to inspect the lands and their position, nature, etc. During this time the local people some how or other came to know about the acquisition. This was mainly transmitted through Damodara Maharaja initially, some persons say. Some local farmers raised a petition against the land acquisition, with about 90 signatures. Petitions for having the development plans go through are also being raised by the local people, the majority of whom support the ISKCON plan. About 2,000 should be raised in total in favor of this project.One supporter, while coming to show me his petition, with 500 signatures on it, was kidnapped and the petition was snatched away. He was taken to Madhava Maharaja’s Math doorstep and some of the local cultivators and Prabhu’s of the Math threatened him and demanded why he was supporting ISKCON. The supporter was now more determined to raise support in face of the rude behavior. Other persons have been also called to Madhava Maharaja’s Math and chastised for helping us. They say our mission is political and we want only the downfall of India and political power. They are so envious.” (end of quote).
As a matter of fact, I am trying to develop a township in Mayapur spending crores of rupees to give protection against the occasional innundation (flood) and construct a tall planetarium estimated to be 300 feet high. So why they are obstructing this program? What is the harm to them? People are already coming from all parts of the world to see Mayapur and join in the Sankirtana Movement, so if something more attractive is done, more people will come from all parts of the world. So what is their tangible objection? Of course, they cannot do all these things, it is beyond their power, but if somebody else does it, why should they be envious and obstructive to this plan?
They are supposed to be very close associates of Your Holiness, so if you kindly ask them not to obstruct this program, it will be very kind of you.
April 12 1969 letter to Dr Shyamasundar
My Dear Brother Dr. Syama Sundar Prabhu,
Please accept my humble dandabats. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your very affectionate letter dated 18th March, 1969. From Los Angeles I went to my Hawaii center, then to San Francisco, and now I am in the New York center. I understand that Jagantar has published about our London activities. In London there are six boys and girls, all my initiated married couples, and though they are young, they are doing very nice work in London. One of them wrote a letter to Srimate Vinode Vani for cooperation, but she replied that she cannot do anything without permission from Bagh Bazar H.O. But I do not know if they wrote any letter to Bagh Bazar.
So far I am concerned, I am always for cooperation, and I don’t criticize anybody. I am very busy with my own work. Rather I welcome everyone’s cooperation. If you think there is possibility of cooperation you can open negotiation directly with Sripada Audolomi Maharaja. If we cooperate, we can do tremendous service for Lord Caitanya in the matter of propagating the mission of Lord Caitanya very nicely. I am prepared to cooperate in every way, but I wonder if the other side is prepared for this also. I shall be happy to hear from you soon.
Sept 5 1969 letter to Dr Shyamasundar
Regarding Gaudiya Mission, I am enclosing herewith a copy of the letter addressed to the Secretary Official. You will understand the whole situation. I am prepared to cooperate with the Gaudiya Mission wholeheartedly. I am prepared also to be amalgamated, and they have invited me to go to India to talk frankly, face to face. But unless we have come to some definite understanding, how I can risk the journey which will involve more or less Rs. 25,000? But I am sure if Gaudiya Mission and I combine together, it will be very nice thing to preach the cult of Lord Caitanya all over the world. I can reorganize all the branches of the Gaudiya Math in India, and if there is any financial question, it will be not difficult for our society to help in that way also. So if you can negotiate about our amalgamation on a cooperative basis, it will be great service to Srila Prabhupada. I have not as yet received any reply to the enclosed letter.
Note-here SP even talking about him, amalgamating himself into the Gaudiya matha. He was trying so many ways to get his godbrothers to actually carry out the order of their guru Srila Bhaktisddhanta maharaja. But that never happened he says.
Oct 8 1969 letter to Dr Shyamasundar
So there was a nice reception here when I arrived, and I am enclosing herewith one of the newspaper clippings and my London lecture list also. Last Monday I lectured on “Teachings of the Vedas”, and it was very much appreciated by the audience. I spoke for about one hour and after that they continued clapping, which confirms their appreciation. Our temple at 7, Bury Place is being nicely decorated, and as soon as my apartment is fixed up nicely I shall move there.
So things are gradually improving. We have already opened our German center and are publishing our German Back To Godhead. From Montreal we are printing a French edition of Back To Godhead, and recently our men have gone to Japan. We have taken a house near Tokyo and our men are working there. There will be a great World Fair in Japan in 1970, and at that time we shall formally open our temple and probably issue our Back To Godhead in Japanese language. So at present moment we have got temples in six important countries: USA, England, France, Germany, Japan and Canada. All together there are 22 branches. Recently in our Detroit branch the son and daughter-in-law of Sriman J. Dalmia, one of the big industrialists of India, visited, and the daughter-in-law presented many saris to the devotees there. So the American and European boys and girls are taking to this cultural life more and more, and perhaps this will make history in the future how
Nov 15 1976 letter
My dear Syama Sundarji,
Please accept my humble obeisances. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 30/10/76 and have noted the contents.
You have given me the credit of being the best disciple of Prabhupada. That is very kind of you, but I am just trying to serve him. Whatever success there is is due to his mercy. In my last meeting with him in Radha Kunda he advised me to print some books if I get money. I took it very seriously and by His grace we have now published my translations of Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Caitanya Caritamrta, Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Upadesamrta, etc. to the extent of 84 books. You’ll be surprised to know that these books and my magazine Back To Godhead are selling daily 5-6 lakhs of rupees in the foreign countries. Out of such proceeds I am bringing foreign exchange of not less than 10 lakhs per month for construction work in Bombay, Mayapur, Vrndavana, etc. So, this is all due to the blessings of Srila Prabhupada. I have no credit in this connection.
Nov 8 1965 letter to Tirtha maharaja
Pujaniya Srila Tirtha Maharaja,
Kindly accept respectful obeisances at your lotus feet. Since I have come to the United States of America I had several correspondence with Sripada Govinda Maharaja. While I was in Calcutta at that time as well as in our different exchange of letters there was some hint from Sripada Govinda Maharaja, I should work in cooperation with your holiness and in my last letter I have already expressed my readiness to cooperate with your holiness and I had to ask from Govinda Maharaja as to the basic principle of that cooperation. Before I took Sannyasa perhaps you will remember it that I proposed to join you if my publications were taken up. But some how or other it was not possible and we missed the chance.
Now here is a second chance and without undergoing a long series of correspondence with Govinda Maharaja, I am directly writing you about my intention. Srila Prabhupada had a strong desire to open our preaching centres in the Western countries and both Bon Maharaja and Goswami Maharaja were deputed for this purpose without any tangible result.
I am here and see here a good field for work but I am alone without men and money. To start a centre here we must have our own buildings. …. But I think for establishing Matha and temples here you may take the charge and I shall be able to make them self independent. There is difficulty of exchange and I think unless you have some special arrangement for starting a branch of Caitanya Math transfer of money will be difficult. But if you can do so with the help of the Bengal or Central Government, here is good chance to open immediately a centre in New York. I am negotiating with some brokers here who can give us a house and they have suggested like above. Without our own house it will not be possible to open our own centre.For me it will take long time but for you it is very easy. The Calcutta Marwaris are in your hand by the Grace of Srila Prabhupada. If you like you can immediately raise a fund of Rs 10,00,000/- ten lacs to open a centre in New Work. One centre started, I shall be able to start many others also. So here is a chance of cooperation between us and I shall be glad to know if you are ready for this cooperation. I came here to study the situation and I find it very nice and if you are also agreeable to cooperate with it will be all very nice by the will Srila Prabhupada. So I am writing you directly this letter to elicit your opinion. If you agree then take it for granted that I am one of the worker of the Sri Mayapur Caitanya Matha. I have no ambition for becoming the proprietor of any Matha or Mandir but I want working facilities. I am working day and night for my Bhagavatam publication and I need centres in the western countries. If I am successful to start a centre in New york, then my next attempt will be start one in California and Montreal where there are many Indians also. There is ample scope for working but unfortunately we have simply wasted time by quarreling with one another while the Ramakrishna Mission with misrepresentation have made their position all over the world. Although they are not so popular in these foreign countries they have made a great propaganda only and as a result of such propaganda they are very prosperous in India while the Gaudiya Math people are starving.We should now come to our senses. If possible join with our other godbrothers and let us make an effort combinedly to preach the cult of Gaura Hari in every cities and villages of the western countries.
If you agree to cooperate with me as I have suggested above, then I shall extend my Visa period. …. I think under your leadership every camp of our god brothers should supply a man good for this purpose and they must agree to work under my direction. If that is possible then you will see how our beloved Srila Prabhupada will be satisfied on all of us. I think we shall all forget now the past fratricidal war and now come forward for a good cause. If they are not agreeable then do it yourself and I am at your service. Please therefore consider this and let me know by wire if you are agreeable. Otherwise I shall not extend my visa period but I shall return to India without being able to do anything tangible at my first tour. Hope you will take this matter as very urgent and let me know your decision by immediate return of post or by wire to my above address and oblige. Hope you are all well and thanking you in anticipation.
Yours obediently.
Nov 23 1965 letter to Tirtha maharaja
Pujaniya Sripada Tirtha Maharaja,
May it please your holiness. I am in due receipt of your letter of the 17th instant and although it is not very encouraging still as I am not a man to be disappointed, I take courage from your letter as you write to say that there is possibility to raise the fund but it will take some time.
… So the immediate investment is about $25,000 and I think this amount you can arrange immediately and just start a branch of your Sri Caitanya Math or designate the branch as New York Gaudiya Math. The idea is very nice to think of and it will be a nice reply to the local Ramakrishna Mission who indirectly denied to allow me lecturing in their hall.
Feb 4 1966 letter to Tirtha maharaj
Kindly accept my humble dandabats, I am in due receipt of your kind letter of the 1st instant and I am glad to note that you will get the Exchange sanction on receipt of the letter of the donor. The donor is a big business magnet of India and as required by you I am enclosing here with the letter of Sri Padampat Singhania of the J.K. Organizations, Kamla Tower, Kanpur dated 14th January 1966 which will speak for itself. I think you may also know the gentleman and he is competent to spend any amount for a nice temple of Sri Sri Radha Krishna in New York. The Singhania family is traditionally devotees of Dvarakadhisa and therefore they are the right persons to take up this transcendental service of the Lord. Srila Prabhupada wanted such temples in foreign countries such New York, London, Tokyo, etc and I had personal talks with him when I first met Himat Ultadingi in 1922. Now here is a chance for me to carry put His transcendental Order and because you are Srila Prabhupada’s foremost and favorite disciple and actually engaged in His service, I am just seeking your favor and mercy in making this attempt successful. Everything is ready namely the house is ready, the donor is ready and my humble service on the spot is also ready. Now you are to give the finishing touch because you are most affectionate disciple of His Divine Grace. I think Srila Prabhupada wants that in this great attempt by my humble self your valued service may also be dovetailed.
Please therefore immediately take steps in this direction and if need be you may personally see Dr. Radha Krishna because he is sympathetic with the Gaudiya Math workers as they are sincerely trying to respiritualise the whole world.
Thanking you once more and I beg to remain,
Yours obediently
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.
Feb 16 1966 letter to Tirtha maharaja
Now I am anxiously awaiting your favorable reply because on your reply only I will have to take action in so many other things. My Visa period will be finished by the end of March 1966 and for increasing the period I will have to submit application at least a fortnight before. You know it that America is very much expensive. I am paying rent for my room $70.00 and for my other expenses I spend about 4 dollars a day. In other words I have to spend about Rs 1000/- per month and as such I am counting every day to receive your favorable reply. Kindly therefore reply this letter per return of post what actions you have taken by this time so that I may also arrange my things here accordingly.
It is my very good experience that your Holiness is very prompt in replying letters and I am very much anxious because I have not received your letter till now. I hope you also received and cashed my cheque for the Vyasa Puja offerings.
Feb 7 1969 to Tirtha Maharaja
Please accept my humble dandabats. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your rubber-stamped circular letter of January 29, 1969 regarding the Golden Jubilee Festival of SriCaitanya Math. Previous to this I heard about it from Sripada Sraman MaharajaandSripada Y. Jagannatham, and expecting your invitation, I expressed my desire that during the ceremony a special home for the EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN BRAHMACARIS MAY BE ESTABLISHED AT MAYAPUR. Srila Bhaktivinode ThakuraandSrila Prabhupada desired that such American and European devotees may live at Mayapur for studies of SriCaitanya philosophy, and now the time is ripe when many American, European, and Japanese students working as my disciples are ready to go there for this purpose. In 1967, when I went to India, five American disciples were with me. One of them, Kirtanananda (Keith Ham, B.A.), was given sannyasa by me at Vrindaban. He was sent back to the USA to organize my New Vrindaban scheme in West Virginia, and he is working there along with another of my disciples, Professor Howard Wheeler M.A., in cooperation with Dr. George Henderson M.A., Ph.D., and others. The remaining four disciples were entrusted to live at the Institute of Swami Bon Maharaja, but on account of his canvassing them for becoming his disciples they left him, although one of them, Hrsikesa, is still living c/o Bon Maharaja as his re-initiated disciple (?) Two other of my disciples are still at Vrindaban in my place at RadhaDamodara Temple, and Bon Maharajais still after them to deviate their faith upon me.
I have therefore requested Sripada Sraman Maharaja (because you have stopped correspondence with me and I don’t know why) to give some place for my disciples at Mayapur. If I get some place at Mayapur, the disciples who are already in India and those who are willing to go there can live peacefully without being disturbed by Bon Maharaja. But on my proposing this scheme, Sraman Maharaja, in his letter of 24 January, 1969 writes as follows: “On hearing the news of Golden Jubilee of Caitanya Math, many people are coming daily to see the place. We can imagine even now how much big crowd will assemble when the actual fair will take place. Although we are constructing many temporary sheds under the circumstances, I do not think we will be able to give accommodations to your American and European students. Even after the ceremony I do not think it will be advisable to call for the American and European students here in Mayapur. Even though we make special arrangements for them, that will not be for many days. Even though you make payment for your students, the other students will feel inferiority complex. You know very well our standard of living, and therefore it will not be possible for us to accommodate your European and American students here in Mayapur. The best suggestion which I can give you is that you better rent one house in Vrindaban and accommodate them there for their education in Sanskrit and Bengali. Srila Prabhupada is so kind upon you that he is causing you to act in such wonderful way, and by seeing your activities I am feeling very much proud of you.”
This is most discouraging and against the will of Srila Bhaktivinode ThakuraandSrila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta SarasvatiThakura. I therefore request you to give me a plot of land within the precincts of SriCaitanya Math to construct a suitable building for my European and American students who are loitering in Vrindaban chased by Bon Maharaja, and who may go in numbers to visit the site of the Birth place of Lord SriCaitanyaMahaprabhu. I can take the responsibility of constructing such building at SriCaitanya Math and bear all expenses for the boarding and lodging of such students who will go there. Sraman Maharaja says that SriCaitanya Math is not in a position to meet their standard of living. But that does not matter. If you simply give me a plot of land, I shall arrange everything at my responsibility.
Another thing is that I have read the pamphlet on the Golden Jubilee festival in which you have described very nicely about Swami Bon Maharaja in the matter of his preaching work in Europe more than 35 years ago, but you have not mentioned anything about my humble service right now going on in the Western world. There are hundreds of letters of appreciation, including some from you also, but you have not mentioned even a single line about me in the pamphlet. Why?? Personally I don’t want any such advertisement, but why this mentality of suppressing the fact? Will you kindly let me know why you have suppressed so many facts? You have also not mentioned in the matter of Bon Maharaja’s preaching work why he was called back from this work in Europe, and why the Late Goswami Maharaja was sent in his place. If his preaching was successful then why was he called back? Don’t you know the history?
Anyway, if you have not mentioned anything about me for want of your proper knowledge about my preaching work in Europe and America, you may kindly now do it and place it before the Patrons of the celebration. I am working single-handed without being supported by my countrymen or the government of my country. You know very well that Sir Padampat Singhania was ready to spend any amount for constructing a Radha-Krishna temple in New York, and you promised to get it sanctioned by the government through Dr. Radhakrishnan who was at that time President. But you could not do anything. The same Dr. Radhakrishnan is now Patron in this celebration. Sri Visvanatha Das knows me very well. SriHanuman Prasad Poddar knows very well about my preaching work in this part of the world. Will you induce them to cooperate in my humble attempt? There are many friends in India who will be prepared to construct each a temple here, if the government sanctions exchange. But I don’t think the government will sanction changing its policy, even though the retired Presidents or Governors might request this. If it is possible though, please try to do it now, and you will see that we have a center in each and every town and village of the world, as it was predicted by Lord Caitanya. You may please bring the following facts to the notice of the Patrons of the celebration when the session begins. I have already established the following centers:
Just see the malice and envy burning in these so called Gaudiya matha leaders hearts. This reminds me of Duryodhana who would not give to the Pandavas the amount of land you could put on the tip of a needle, he was so envious of these great devotees.
Srila Prabhupada began asking his Gaudiya matha godbrothers way back in 1965 (see the above dates from letters) all the way up to 1969 for help in the matter of preaching Mahaprabhus message. They not only did not help, but also tried to diminish his accomplishments when they were to hold the Golden jubilee festival in Mayapura by not mentioning Prabhupadas current work, but giving preference to the failed so called preaching work done 40 years prior by Bon Maharaja-and all that so called work produced nothing .
So this kind of envy is not at all befitting a brahmana, what to speak of a pure devotee Vaisnava devotee of the Lord.
See any parallels today in relationships among our so called devotee friends?
4.) why don’t devotees want to read the books?
BG 6.8–A person is said to be established in self-realization and is called a yogī [or mystic] when he is fully satisfied by virtue of acquired knowledge and realization. Such a person is situated in transcendence and is self-controlled. He sees everything—whether it be pebbles, stones or gold—as the same.
PURPORT-Book knowledge without realization of the Supreme Truth is useless. This is stated as follows: ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ.
“No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, quality and pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa through his materially contaminated senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord are the transcendental name, form, quality and pastimes of the Lord revealed to him.” (Padma Purāṇa)
NoD 35 Neutral Love of God 175614/530501
Without worshiping the arca-vigraha, the form or Deity of the Lord,
one cannot understand such literature as Bhagavad-gita and
Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Madhya 25.278 : PURPORT :-All the devotees connected with this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement must read all the books that have been translated (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā and others); otherwise, after some time, they will simply eat, sleep and fall down from their position. Thus they will miss the opportunity to attain an eternal, blissful life of transcendental pleasure.
Note-and if one is doing daily deity worship is it the correct method authorized by Srila Prabhupada or the one they use in Iskcon and the Gaudiya matha?
Deity worship-bona fide and bogus
SB4.7.46 purport-A significant word used in this verse is trayī–gātra,which means that the transcendental form of the Lord is the Vedas.Anyonewho engages in the worship of the Deity, or the form of the Lord in the temple, is understood to be studying all the Vedastwenty-four hours a day. Simply by decorating the Deities of the Lord, Rādhāand Kṛṣṇa, in the temple, one very minutely studies the injunctions of the Vedas.Even a neophyte devotee who simply engages in the worship of the Deity is understood to be in direct touch with the purport of Vedic knowledge. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita 15.15, vedaiś ca sarvair ahamevavedyaḥ:the purport of the Vedasis to understand Him, Kṛṣṇa. One who worships and serves Kṛṣṇadirectly has understood the truths of the Vedas.
Dec 23 1970 Surat conversations
Devotee (3): In regard to worshiping arcā–vigraha form, you have explained that if one receives a mantra from a spiritual master who is not bona fide, that mantra has no effect. So I would like to ask if one is worshiping a Deity and his spiritual master is not bona fide, so that Deity cannot be considered the Supreme Lord?
Devotee (3): Then why is he giving instruction to worship the Deity? If the spiritual master is not bona fide, then is the Deity also not bona fide?
Prabhupāda: I do not follow. What does he say?
Prabhupāda:Then there is no question of mantra.There is no question of worshiping Deity. These are all bogus things. If you are not… Just like here is a young medical man. If he has not received instruction from a bona fide medical college, so what is the value of his medical, being… That is… What is called? What is the technical name?
Devotee (4): Quack.
Prabhupāda: Quack! (laughter) (pronounces like “quark”)
So,again, why dont devotee become absorbed in the books??? Here is one possible answer……
Adi 12.10-The order of the spiritual master is the active principle in spiritual life. Anyone who disobeys the order of the spiritual master immediately becomes useless.
PURPORT-Here is the opinion of Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī. Persons who strictly follow the orders of the spiritual master are useful in executing the will of the Supreme, whereas persons who deviate from the strict order of the spiritual master are useless.
SB 1.2.16—O twice-born sages, by serving those devotees who are completely freed from all vice, great service is done. By such service, one gains affinity for hearing the messages of Vasudeva.
PURPORT-The servants of God are to be respected as God by the devotees who actually want to go back to Godhead. Such servants of God are called mahātmās, or tīrthas, and they preach according to particular time and place. The servants of God urge people to become devotees of the Lord. They never tolerate being called God.
The servants of God come to propagate God consciousness, and intelligent people should cooperate with them in every respect. By serving the servant of God, one can please God more than by directly serving the Lord. The Lord is more pleased when He sees that His servants are properly respected because such servants risk everything for the service of the Lord and so are very dear to the Lord. The Lord declares in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.69) that no one is dearer to Him than one who risks everything to preach His glory. By serving the servants of the Lord, one gradually gets the quality of such servants, and thus one becomes qualified to hear the glories of God. The eagerness to hear about God is the first qualification of a devotee eligible for entering the kingdom of God.
5.) why cant we do something in a BIG way to spread this Bhagavat Dharma? Or put another way-WHY are there so many different devotee camps?
Two predictions of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur, Thakur Bhaktivinode
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati,SREE SAJJANA-TOSHANI OR THE HARMONIST
VOL. XXV. [ SEPTEMBER, 1927, 441 Chaitanya-Era. ] NO.4 .
”Within the Gaudiya Sampradaya an abundant crop of evils have sprung up during the last four hundred years. The first and foremost duty of an Acharyya is to uproot those evils completely. He alone is an Acharya who teaches the Dharma that he himself practices.”
Thakur’s two predictions :—
(1) Some person imbued with the power of God will again establish the true Varnasram Dharma in accordance with the Divine Dispensation.
(2) Within a short time there will exist only one Sampradaya (School) in the realm of devotion ‘bhakti’. Its name will be “Sri Brahma Sampradaya.” All other Sampradayas will merge in this Brahma Sampradaya.
Some Final Conclusions on all of the above
We have shown 5 main points.
Why was deity worship introduced,? Why are all householders envious of each other ? Why did Srila Prabhupada get so much flack from his Godbrothers? Why dont the devotees read the books? and finally, Why has the Hare Krsna Movement become stagnant not moving forward and only producing more camps daily?
The answer to all the above problems is quite simple-if one has access to the bona fide param para disciplic conclusions,without adulteration then one has at least the possibility of solving all these problems. As soon as one steps outside these narrow guidelines, then he or she is on the mental platform which is far from the spiritual platform. Therefore it is encumbent upon ourselves to find those strict disciplic conclusions within Srila Prabhupadas books.
Unless proper siddhanta is established, it is all contradictions. one camp or new edition after another, after another, just like many people throwing rocks into a pond causing disharmony. We want one rock, in the center, and that center is Srila Prabhupada-then we will have harmony
Hare Krsna
damaghosa das
