What is the Problem?
BY: RAGURAM DASA
Sep 21, USA (SUN) — Recently we have been witnessing various opinions from different devotees regarding the issue of succession in our Sampradaya. The guruvadis in our Society are hell bent to prove that Srila Prabhupada authorised them to initiate, while the Rtviks try to prove it otherwise. In the meantime, costly legal battles are raging all the way from Bangalore to Long Island and God knows where else! Precious laksmi which could be otherwise used in the service of Srila Prabhupada like printing books and taking care of dying Vaisnavas is squandered away uselessly.
Both sides are not going to give up and neither are they going to be swayed by each other's arguments. Both sides may claim minor victories in legal battles and having devotees swayed to each other's camp. I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel when they will cease fighting. Theological history has proved not only in our Gaudiya Sampradaya but also in other religious traditions that this fight will last till eternity. The Shi'as and Sunnis are still battling it out and the Protestants and Catholics till today denounce each other's beliefs. Ours is sadly not different.
Today in both temples promoting Rtvik and non-Rtvik understandings, followers are banned from even visiting to take darshan. But we would allow cow killers, murderers, and child molesters to take darshan! What an irony! We claim to have the most perfect philosophy but when it comes to practise, we are the worst. Are we even behaving ourselves as devotees? That is the question! Interestingly there are 165 verses in the Bhagavad-gita extolling the qualities and characteristics of a devotee. That means in one out of every 4 and a half verses, Lord Krishna is describing how we should behave. Are we anywhere near there?
Instead of trying to see what is the difference between the two parties can they not sit down and see what is the similarities between them. We have everything in common with each other except the question of Guru. Can both parties not tolerate each other? Tolerance is one of the virtues being promoted in the Gita, but we are behaving like fanatics. Where is the common sense?
If the guruvadis want to accept a guru as their spiritual master, what is the problem? And if the Rtviks want to accept Srila Prabhupada as the guru, what is the problem? Both philosophies have their good and bad, as we have seen over a period of time. Ultimately devotees on both sides need to understand that what ultimately helps them in their spiritual lives is sincerity and dedication to push on Srila Prabhupada's mission. And if they did so, they would get the mercy of the parampara and ultimately Lord Chaitanya. Our whole mission in our lives is to purify our hearts of all contaminations and place the Lord on a jewelled throne in our hearts, irrespective of whether we are guruvadis or Rtviks. Are we doing that?
Let us pray that we will all mature in our spiritual lives. Let us stop blaspheming each other. Let us develop the quality to sincerely respect each other and live peacefully as brothers and sisters in this wonderful Society created by Srila Prabhupada. Let us pray that the leaders on both sides come together and with maturity inculcate a sense of broadmindedness in the devotees under them.
