First Hear a Sadhu and Then See Him
BY: KRSNA DASA DASA
Aug 11, 2010 — USA (SUN) — So we have two parties in ISKCON [Yes/No]. The Rtviks claim that no one is a guru and the GBC claim that anyone can be a guru. [Do we have a third party, that maybe follows a sadhu that is (O' Heaven forbid) a real sadhu, a real maha-bhagavata, an empowered personality...!]
The Rtviks say: 'living guru theory', no need of a living guru; and the GBC say that one needs a guru and to be a guru in ISKCON one only needs the votes and he will be installed as a guru.
It seems that we have two teams: in this corner weighing in at ....kgs/lbs, The GBC team; and in this corner weighing at ....kgs/lbs The Rtvik team. Both teams maintaining that they owe strict allegiance to Srila Prabhupada. But both teams fighting against each other like anything, reminiscent of the Gaudiya Math; there were two sides and litigation went on, court cases went on and fighting went on. It seems when a great sadhu leaves this world, winds up his earthly pastimes, the disciples fight. Why, I do not know; does anyone know why the fight goes on. It is a symptom of Kali-yuga the fighting; fighting between friends, fighting between family members, fighting between husband and wife, fighting between neighbors, fighting between villages, between towns, between cities and nations. Millions of examples of this; no need to cite examples there are many. But why in spiritual institutions...? The GBC claim one thing, and the Rtviks claim another. The GBC claim all can be guru and the Rtviks claim no one can be guru, no one can lead, no one can initiate. And the fighting helps the preaching immensely, [not].
Now Albert Einstein, he said something very interesting, "Before God we are all equally wise - and equally foolish".
So both teams acknowledge Srila Prabhupada, and they accept Sri Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and accepting Mahaprabhu as the Golden Avatar for the Kali-yuga. Thus accepting Srila Prabhupada as an Acarya and the founder Acarya of ISKCON, that we would consider wise; now where would they be equally foolish? Is it foolish to fight; is it foolish to have court cases against each other; is it foolish to critisize each other? The more conditioned we are the more we fight. Hence both sides claiming to be the rightful heirs to the mercy of Srila Prabhupada, they will give you Srila Prabhupada. A rising tide lifts all boats just join us as we go up we will take you up with us. Problem is as the tide recedes so do these parties/factions recede.
Now in the Gaudiya Math (and no offense to anyone in the Gaudiya Math) they had two parties and in the words of Srila Prabhupada, "... Both parties were asat..." Now we have two parties in ISKCON, or should I say amongst the followers of Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Now the Rtviks say (and I have heard this directly from the horses mouth so to speak) that amongst the two camps of the followers of Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada; one is sat and one is asat. I can leave it up to the individual as to which the Rtviks think is the sat camp, you do not have to be a Rhodes Scholar to come to the correct answer.
So what is the real point here? The Rtviks even had a philosophy that the kali-yuga was such a terrible age that Krsna will not send any more pure devotees. And this was planted all over VNN in 1999, early 2000, if you look hard enough on VNN you may still find them, if the website is still up there. So Krsna is scared for his pure devotees, those maha-bhagavatas, but those super powerful beings, they have nothing to fear. (I thought they came because it was such a fearful existence for the conditioned souls of this Kali-yuga and to deliver one and all). Srila Ramanuja Acarya was fed enough poison to kill 20 men he just stood there and was not at all affected, Srila Madhvacarya fought with a tiger, the tiger came off second best. Why won't Krsna send anymore pure devotees, paramahamsas, nitya-siddhas? Because it does not fit into our little philosophy.
"This line of guru-parampara is existing up to today without any break and it will continue to exist like this in the future also. To say, 'There is no sad-guru living in the world at present and neither will there be any in the future,' is an atheistic opinion."
(Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada: "True Conception of Sri Guru Tattva")
So without trying to be the proverbial stick in the mud or spanner in the works; where is the sad-guru now? Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada said the sad-guru is there, past, present and future and the notion that 'There is no sad-guru living in the world at present and neither will there be any in the future,' is an atheistic opinion. So no sad-guru after Srila Prabhupada or are we all sad-gurus after Srila Prabhupada? Sad-guru means for those who do not know the terminology: one who can deliver all who come to him for spiritual guidance; what we would call a great devotee; a maha-bhagavata, nitya-siddha etc. etc.! Someone beyond the realms of this mundane world: The Acarya!
Who has the answer?
Are we committing offences to the current sad-guru. And the answer will ring out, "...we have not seen any sad-guru," by both camps. But who has the eyes to see? Therefore we maintain our 'no sad-guru mentality' and our 'we are all guru mentality' and then hence the mission is in danger from within; as there are two fighting factions.
Now according to the sastra it is said that you cannot see a sadhu/guru, you must hear them:
"...Gosvami Sukadeva, after leaving his paternal home, was roaming like a madman, and therefore it was very difficult for the citizens to recognize him in his exalted position. A sage is not, therefore, recognized by sight, but by hearing. One should approach a sadhu or great sage not to see but to hear him. If one is not prepared to hear the words of a sadhu, there is no profit. Sukadeva Gosvami was a sadhu who could speak on the transcendental activities of the Lord. He did not satisfy the whims of ordinary citizens. He was recognized when he spoke on the subject of Bhagavatam, and he never attempted jugglery like a magician. Outwardly he appeared to be a retarded, dumb madman, but in fact he was the most elevated transcendental personality"
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.4.6. Purport)
Also I may add Jada Bharata was wandering around like a mad person but when he spoke to Maharaja Rahugana, the situation quickly changed, as the king realised that he was now in the presence of a great sadhu, again, similar example the king had to hear before he saw the sadhu, (unless we are all free from the four defects...?).
And according to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada from his Upadesavali:
"darshan can only be attained through the medium of the ear as one hears hari-katha from pure Vaisnavas there is no other way."
I dare say that we should begin the process of seeing with our ears; first hear a sadhu and then see him, as inspiration comes from within not without; after-all Krsna consciousness is a sublime process, 'the positive alternative'. Is it not? And hence how is the positive alternative presented when we have two fighting factions; a very good example indeed.
Therefore I re-iterate:
"This line of guru-parampara is existing up to today without any break and it will continue to exist like this in the future also. To say, 'There is no sad-guru living in the world at present and neither will there be any in the future,' is an atheistic opinion."
(Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada: "True Conception of Sri Guru Tattva")
