The Elect of God

BY: ANIRUDDHA DAS

Oct 22, 2011 — GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA (SUN) — It really struck me —the sheer force and the plain, naked truths contained in the statements made by Mahapurusha das in his post, "The Servant Leader". Statements like:

"We are all implicated karmically, on so many levels. How could a person not feel desperate in such a situation? The only way that this is possible is that one is totally bewildered and is at a very low level of realization. What to speak if a person has lorded it over others, especially the devotees of the Lord? I don't know Pusta Krishna das personally but I do know, from his letters, that he was a sannyasi. How could he not feel totally ashamed of accepting obeisances from anyone when he was a sannyasi and accepting service from others? I know you definitely did, because that is the culture of sannyasa in ISKCON. You were obviously completely unqualified, so don't you feel total repentance at least for that? And, of course, you know how fallen you really are, just like everyone really knows how fallen they are, because we are all in this material world and have made so many mistakes.

Without that mood of repentance, prabhu, it is impossible to be forgiven. The price of forgiveness is feeling sorry for what you have done wrong, whether big or small. When one gets that mercy of forgiveness from the Lord, he is able to appreciate that mercy and then be merciful to others."

Reading it made me reflect on my own experience dealing with, unfortunately, so many fall down ex-sannyasis and even "gurus." Not even a single one has shown a true feeling of shame or repentance for whatever wrongdoing (Srila Prabhupada would called it "rascaldom") they committed in the past, wrongdoing that acted quickly upon them and made them fall down shamelessly. Somehow they all think they are okay, fine, and even feel proud for the service they performed (was it really a show for material recognition?); for having being initiated directly by Srila Prabhupada.

Due to their material success in money-making, pursuing an academic career, or even in establishing a happy family life, some of them exhibit a heart rendering degree of pride and haughtiness. What a paradox! Never mind the occasion when Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur had to fight against aparadhis over the divine deceased body of Srila Goura Kishora Das Babaji. Many of these prabhus eat bhoga daily, don't chant one single round a day, and not even thirty days have elapsed since they had sex with their fiancés.

Because it underscores the issue I'm addressing, I share you, with his permission, a paragraph of a letter my senior Godbrother, Kurma Rupa Prabhu, sent me on August 5, 2007:

"Instead of answering, V... pulls rank on you and declares, "If you continue to talk to me "parent-to-parent", (instead of "child-to-parent"), I will go silent and ignore you. I will take my ball and go home.

These men are fixed on getting respect owing to institutional titles rather than by earning it by proper conduct. We have the caste system operating in ISKCON. "I am born in the Prabhupada Diksa Caste and since he left this world, no one else can achieve it. We are the elite of the society regardless of how poor our conduct may be.

It is no different than the philosophy of caste brahmanism that Srila Prabhupada so thoroughly condemned. "I am born in a brahmana family and even though I lie and cheat, spit red slime all over every wall, drink liquor and womanize, you have to respect me because I am a brahmana.

They are unknowingly practicing a philosophy directly opposed to Srila Prabhupada's teachings and all the while thinking they are properly situated and all those opposed to their perspective are confused. The Gita calls this tamasa buddhi, "That intelligence that takes religion to be irreligion; and irreligion to be religion.... and which always strives in the wrong direction...is intelligence in the mode of ignorance."

To be quite frank, it pains me to state that after 36 years of practicing Krishna consciousness, the strange (in a spiritual institution) phenomenon of arrogance, exploitation of others and of Srila Prabhupada´s assets, as well as one-upmanship and psychological alienation, has crept into the minds of all gurus and people in leading position in ISKCON that I have meet in the past and recently. Granted: there are so many of them, and it is simply honest to say I don´t know or haven't related with each one. I don´t know him, but maybe there is one out there who is actually showing the all-conquering humility sadhakas expect from true sadhus—par excellence, Srila Prabhupada´s true, genuine humility. Please, tell me if there is anyone out there…

"This mood of entitlement and elitism is pervading ISKCON's leadership culture. This is the real disease that has destroyed our movement in so many ways. As soon as a person feels they are more deserving of the mercy of God and His devotional facilities than others are, he is completely disqualified to be a spiritual leader. Everyone knows where everybody came from. Srila Prabhupada did not discriminate in his mercy or none of us would be here today. It is a fact that ISKCON leadership is generally unrepentant and uncharitable. Krishna, in His form of time, has already shown us what the character and culture of this leadership is. Pretty much every atrocity has been committed by the leadership of ISKCON, at one time or other, and you never hear an apology or explanation. Then you hear leaders giving seminars openly criticizing distributing prasadam to poor people? It is just unbelievable how callous, cold and unmerciful that is, and it reveals everything about the mood and culture of our leadership."

Mahapurusha das

And just to support Rocana and Mahapurusha´s views with the authority of Sadhu (because insight from Guru and Sastra abound in this particular case), I quote herein Srila Sridhar Mahajar on the subject of sannyasis who have fallen down:

Devotee: Maharaja, how does one understand, or deal with, the fall-down of a sannyasi? What is the correct understanding,

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: Generally we shall take it that there was some offense for which he could not keep the standard of life that was expected of him from his Guru Maharaj. That should be the general way of thinking about them. Some previous offense is taking its course and not allowing him to go smoothly in the way of his realization. It suddenly appeared and checked him. In particular cases it may be Vaisnava-aparadha, and sometimes in general cases previous bad karma may have come and stood in his way of his progress.

Regarding Srila Prabhupada´s all-seductive, genuine humility, I want to refer you to Nara-Narayan das's impromptu recounting of one his favourite memoirs: the occasion the devotees offered him the first Vyasasana ever constructed in ISKCON. Nara-Narayan himself built it. Srila Prabhupada entered the La Cienaga Hare Krishna temple amidst a thunderous kirtana the devotees were chanting for welcoming him. Then, suddenly, Srila Prabhupada spotted the Vyasasana. Here I quote verbatim Nara-Narayan:

"He stopped cold immediately. Totally taken by surprise, His Divine Grace moved back one or two steps. Then he humbly started walking slowly again, his head down. Then reluctantly he seated upon the gorgeous asana, fit only for the bona fide, pure representative of Srila Vyasadeva. When the kirtana ended, Srila Prabhupada spoke, his voice broken and shedding profuse tears: "I not qualified to take this seat. I'm not qualified to seat here. Nevertheless, in the name of my spiritual master, His Divine Grace Om Vishnupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Maharaja, I am duty bound to accept it. I accept it only in his name, to push forward his mission…"

Although Srila Prabhupada never compromised in denouncing the shortcomings and lack of sincerity of the Christian people, both clergy and practitioners alike, he always said the best religion is the one who teaches its followers how to develop love for God. Twenty years ago or so I came across a beautiful explanation of what it means to be a "man of God," written by Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801 – 1890). I copied it and waited for the opportunity to share it with other well-meaning God-brothers and God-sisters. Based upon his own spiritual realization, Cardinal Newman enumerates the qualities that make a spiritual practitioner, a sadhaka, "an elect of God". Please read it (emphasis added by me), and you will see how these qualities constitute a concise, illuminating summary of the twenty-six Vaisnava qualities described in Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya, 22.78-80:

krpalu, akrta-droha, satya-sara sama
nidosa, vadanya, mrdu, suci, akincana
sarvopakaraka, santa, krsnaika-sarana
akama, aniha, sthira, vijita-sad-guna
mita-bhuk, apramatta, manada, amani
gambhira, karuna, maitra, kavi, daksa, mauni

TRANSLATION

"Devotees are always merciful, humble, truthful, equal to all, faultless, magnanimous, mild and clean. They are without material possessions, and they perform welfare work for everyone. They are peaceful, surrendered to Krishna and desireless. They are indifferent to material acquisitions and are fixed in devotional service. They completely control the six bad qualities — lust, anger, greed and so forth. They eat only as much as required, and they are not inebriated. They are respectful, grave, compassionate and without false prestige. They are friendly, poetic, expert and silent".

Just one petition: whenever you find "Church," please read it as "Vaisnava Tradition;" "Christ," please read as "Lord Caitanya;" "Christians," please read it as "Vaisnavas." Finally, when you read the Bible references, exchange them for the sastric quotations Rocana Prabhu provides in his post, "Physician Heal Thyself".

The Elect of God

By Cardinal John Henry Newman [21 February, 1801 - 11 August, 1890]

"There are many reasons why God's saints cannot be known all at once;—first, as I have said, their good deeds are done in secret. Next, good men are often slandered, ridiculed, ill-treated in their lifetime; they are mistaken by those, whom they offend by their holiness and strictness, and perhaps they are obliged to withstand sin in their day, and this raises about them a cloud of prejudice and dislike, which in time indeed, but not till after a time, goes off. Then again their intentions and aims are misunderstood; and some of their excellent deeds or noble traits of character are known to some men, others to others, not all to all. This is the case in their lifetime; but after their death, when envy and anger have died away, and men talk together about them, and compare what each knows, their good and holy deeds are added up; and while they evidence their fruitfulness, also clear up or vindicate their motives, and strike the mind of survivors with astonishment and fear; and the Church honours them, thanks God for them, and "glorifies God in" [Gal. i. 24.] them.

This is why the saints of God are commonly honoured, not while they live, but in their death; and if I am asked to state more fully how such a one differs from an ordinary religious man, I say in this,—that he sets before him as the one object of life, to please and obey God; that he ever aims to submit his will to God's will; that he earnestly follows after holiness; and that he is habitually striving to have a closer resemblance to Christ in all things. He exercises himself, not only in social duties, but in Christian graces; he is not only kind, but meek; not only generous, but humble; not only persevering, but patient; not only upright, but forgiving; not only bountiful, but self-denying; not only contented, but meditative and devotional.

An ordinary man thinks it enough to do as he is done by; he will think it fair to resent insults, to repay injuries, to show a becoming pride, to insist on his rights, to be jealous of his honour, when in the wrong to refuse to confess it, to seek to be rich, to desire to be well with the world, to fear what his neighbors will say. He seldom thinks of the Day of Judgment, seldom thinks of sins past, says few prayers, cares little for the work in of God, has no zeal for God's truth, spends his money on himself. Such is an ordinary Christian, and such is not one of God's elect. For the latter is more than just, temperate and kind; he has a devoted love of God, high faith, holy hope, ever-flowing charity, a noble self-command, a strict conscientiousness, humility never absent, gentleness in speech, simplicity, modesty, and unaffectedness, an unconsciousness of what his endowments are, and what they make him in God's sight. This is what Christianity has done in the world; such is the result of Christian teaching; viz., to elicit, foster, mature the seeds of heaven which lie hid in the earth, to multiply (if it may be said) images of Christ, which, though they be few, are worth all else that is among men, and are an ample recompense and "a crown of rejoicing" for Apostles and Evangelists "in the presence of our Lord at His coming." [1 Thess. ii. 19.]"

Portrait of John Henry Newman by John Everett Millais, 1881

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