Aug 14, 2015 — EUROPE (SUN) —
Recently, a video of Tulsi Gabbard glorifying Srila Prabhupada was posted on Dandavats.com. In the video, Tulsi Gabbard quotes her guru, Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa. I am not sure that it is appropriate for Dandavats.com to post such videos. It gives the impression that ISKCON endorses Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa. Judging by his website, his teachings are different from Srila Prabhupada. Here is an example:
QUESTION: Does that mean that God accepts only things that are given freely?
JAGAD GURU: Yes. Accepting something for God in charity, as an individual or an organization, means accepting what people are giving from their hearts, voluntarily. It means love. Love is based on freedom—the freedom to give or not to give—the freedom to give how much you want to give. It's the sincerity of the gift, it's the sincerity of the offering, that God actually appreciates.....
QUESTION: So you're saying that the idea that you can benefit someone by taking something from him and using it in God's service is the root of fanaticism?
JAGAD GURU: The idea that I can benefit a person by taking $20 out of his wallet and somehow using it in the service of God is absurd. It's crazy. That would mean you could benefit even more people by robbing money from a bank. If you robbed a bank and supposedly used the money in God's service, how would the people who had the money in that bank be benefited? Would they feel any happiness or love? Would they feel any closer to God? No. When they find out that their money has been stolen, they feel angry. The same with someone who has been somehow coerced into making a "donation" on the streets. They're not feeling love, they're feeling anger. Now, if I were actually helping somebody get closer to God, why would they be angry? You can't engage me in God's service. Only I can engage me in God's service. It must be voluntary. If force is used, then there is no question of service—it's slavery. This is fanaticism."
In the above quote, Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa claims that God only accepts sincere, voluntary offerings done out of love, and that you can't engage another person in God's service. But Srila Prabhupada explains that one CAN engage another person's money in Krsna's service, even if the person is unaware of it.
"Suppose a man is drunkard. So suppose if you say, "Oh, all right. I'll give you a very nice bottle of whiskey at cheap price. Give me fifteen dollars." And if you take fifteen dollars and engage it [in] Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that cheating is allowed. [laughter] Because that fifteen dollars he'll take and drink. So you have by some way taken away that fifteen dollars and engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So that you have done good to him. So therefore it requires little intelligence and discretion. But that does not mean you shall cheat fifteen dollars from everywhere. But there is no cheating because anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is a drunkard. He is drunkard, he is illusioned under material spell. You see? You see? The greatest drunkard, everyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious. Therefore any way, if you can induce him to spend something of his hard earned money in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is very good to him. Yes. This is called ajñāta-sukṛti. He does not know, but he is advanced one step to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Anybody who is contributing even a farthing to you, he is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is so nice thing. Yes. "
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Bhagavad-gita 2.13-17, November 29, 1968, Los Angeles)
The principle of ajnata-sukrti is a core part of Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy. In fact, accruing ajnata-sukrti is the only way that a person can become a devotee, a point that Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa seems to overlook. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains it this way:
"Vaiṣṇava dāsa Bābājī, "Yes! Śraddhā is born of sukṛti, righteous activities. This quote, available in the Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa, 4.33, provides the required proof:
bhaktis tu bhagavad bhakta saṅgena parijāyate
sat-saṅgaḥ prāpyate puṁbhiḥ sukṛtaiḥ pūrva sañcitaiḥ
Devotional sentiments are evoked by the purifying association of advanced devotees. The jīva is able to come into close contact with a śuddha-bhakta, pure devotee, only by accruing sufficient sukṛti from many previous births.'
However, sukṛti is of two kinds: nitya and naimittika. Sukṛti, which leads to sat-saṅga and bhakti, is nitya-sukṛti; and sukṛti, which results in material enjoyment and impersonal liberation, is naimittika-sukṛti, otherwise known as anitya-sukṛti."
(Jaiva Dharma, chapter 6)
