Lord Buddha we respect - but his teachings we do NOT accept.
REGARDING BHAKTI PURI, TIRTHA MAHARAJA, THEY ARE MY GOD-BROTHERS AND SHOULD BE SHOWN RESPECT.
Brahma das prabhu has misrepresented facts by using words like Srila Prabhupada spoke of "highly" in order to give Sridhara Maharaja a palatable approach.
This is to dupe one into a trap of accepting the bogus philosophical conclusion.
We suggest the truth is Brahma das prabhu has infatuation with Sridhara Maharaja.
Being **sentimental** does not give the correct conclusion.
Srila Prabhupada's Room Conversation, January 19, 1976, Mayapur
Bhavananda: "People are attracted by the Westerners coming to the matha. So if we're up at that matha, any of us, and then they say, "Just see." They say in Bengali, "Just see. They are coming. To see our guru maharaja, they are coming."
Prabhupada: THAT WAS THE POLICY OF MADHAVA MAHARAJA AND SRIDHARA MAHARAJA, THAT "ALTHOUGH BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI IS PROPAGATING THROUGHOUT, HE IS SUBORDINATE TO US, UNDER OUR INSTRUCTION." SO ALL THESE THREE."
Viraha Astaka 1958
(Note: Ananta Vasudeva was the THIRD above mentioned)
"2) Your so-called disciple, the jackal named Ananta Vasudeva, disobeyed your final instructions to keep the mission united, and thereby created a scandalous fiasco.
The result of this philosophical deviation is evident to this day as imitative sahajiyas are being worshiped as gurus in your temples.
3) Is there a single temple to be found where your instructions are still being followed? As it is said: "punar musiko bhava"- Everyone has "again become a mouse."
4) The lion's food has been stolen away by the deceptive tricks of the jackal
Now caught in Maya's mighty clutches everyone is reduced to wailing and weeping."
Srila Prabhupada's Room Conversation, February 3, 1976, Mayapur
Prabhupada: "At least historically it be proved. (break) ...cause of envy of my Godbrothers. I was known. Although they knew that Prabhupada liked me very much, because I am grhastha, I was known as paca-grhastha. PACA-GRHASTHA MEANS A ROTTEN GRHASTHA. And now they say, "This grhastha has come out more than us? What is this?" (break) Sridhara Maharaja's chief disciple...?
Bhavananda: Gaura.
Prabhupada: HE ALWAYS USED TO SAY TO SRIDHARA MAHARAJA THAT "YOU ARE SEEING ABHAY BABU AS GRHASTHA, BUT HE IS MORE THAN MANY YOGIS." HE WAS TELLING."
Srila Prabhupada's Room Conversation, April 22, 1977, Bombay
Prabhupada: "He cannot make any comment. These are facts. Two parties there were. One party, to use guru as their instrument for self-aggrandizement, and another party left guru. So both of them are offenders. This Kunja Babu, this Tirtha Maharaja's party, he wanted to enjoy senses through guru. And the Bagh Bazaar party, they left.
Tamala Krsna: Vasudeva.
Prabhupada: So both of them are severe offenders.
Tamala Krsna: What about Sridhara Maharaja?
Prabhupada: SRIDHARA MAHARAJA BELONGED TO THE BAGH BAZAAR PARTY. And I was living aloof. My Guru Maharaja approved. He said, "It is better that he is aloof from them."
Tamala Krsna: He could understand that his disciples were not...
Prabhupada: No, he was very sorry. AT THE LAST STAGE HE WAS DISGUSTED."
Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Gaurasundara, August 26, 1972
"All along I HAVE BEEN DISCOURAGED IN EVERY WAY BY MY GODBROTHERS, but still I have stuck to my duty, keeping my Spiritual Master always in front."
Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Krsna dasa, September 9, 1972
"MY GODBROTHERS ALWAYS DISCOURAGED ME BUT I DID NOT GIVE UP, I am doing my duty and always keeping my spiritual master in front. Even there is some difficulty or hardship, or even my godbrothers may not cooperate or there may be fighting, still, I must perform my duty to my spiritual master and not become discouraged and go away, that is my weakness."
Srila Prabhupada's Room Conversation, June 18, 1976, Toronto
Prabhupada: Daily night. And he was shocked. ONE OF MY GAUDIYA MATHA GODBROTHERS, BIG, HE BECAME THE HEAD OF THIS BHAG BAZAAR GAUDIYA MATHA. So his wife was debauched, and she was bringing new paramour, and the child protested.
Pusta Krsna: New?
Prabhupada: Paramour. And the boy, he was ten years or twelve years old, he could understand: "Who is this man?" So he protested and said, "I shall tell all these things to my father." And he was killed.
Pusta Krsna: The boy was killed?
Prabhupada: By the mother.
Hari-sauri: She murdered him?
Prabhupada: Yes. Killed means given poison. And the father, that is, my Godbrother, seeing this, he also took poison. This is the end of Gaudiya Matha scandal. He was also one of the trustees. This Tirtha Maharaja was a trustee, and another Godbrother and this man. In the beginning, they were made trustees. In the beginning, Prabhupada was to undergo surgical operation. So he was a little nervous, that "I may die." So he made a scrap paper, that "In case I die, these three disciples will be trustees of the Gaudiya Matha Institute." That's all. So this Kunja Babu kept this. There are many long histories. SO ONE OF THE SO-CALLED TRUSTEES WAS THIS VASUDEVA. So he died, his end was like this.
Pusta Krsna: His son was killed, isn't it?
Prabhupada: His wife was a regular prostitute, and she killed her child, and on this shock, he took poison and died.
Pusta Krsna: He killed himself, oh.
Prabhupada: Naturally, he became shocked, that "This is my family life--the wife is prostitute and son is killed. What is the value of my life?" This was his spiritual realization. Just see. (laughs) AND HE WAS MADE THE CHIEF, AND ONE OF THE SUPPORTER WAS SRIDHARA MAHARAJA.
Pusta Krsna: Vasudeva Sridhara?
Prabhupada: No, no. He was made chief. Guru Maharaja did not make him chief. But after his passing away, some of our Godbrothers voted him chief.
Pusta Krsna: Am I mis...? You had told me once, I'm not certain. Maybe I made a mistake. YOU SAID THAT VASUDEVA, IT WAS KNOWN FACT THAT HE WAS HOMOSEX?
Prabhupada: Yes.
Pusta Krsna: Vasudeva.
Prabhupada: HE WAS HOMOSEX AND SEX, EVERYTHING.
Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Pradyumna, February 17, 1968
"REGARDING THE BOOK LIST: "LORD GAURANGA" BY S.K. GHOSE AND VEDER PANCHAYA BY BON MAHARAJA ARE USELESS AND YOU MAY NOT GET THEM. The other books and the Gaudiya paper are acceptable. If you have free use of Xerox machine you may make copies, of some of the smaller works. REGARDING BHAKTI PURI, TIRTHA MAHARAJA, THEY ARE MY GOD-BROTHERS AND SHOULD BE SHOWN RESPECT. BUT YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY INTIMATE CONNECTION WITH THEM AS THEY HAVE GONE AGAINST THE ORDERS OF MY GURU MAHARAJA."
Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Niranjana, November 21, 1972
"If you are serious to be an important assistant in our Society you should fully engage yourself in translation work, AND DO NOT MIX YOURSELF WITH MY SO-CALLED GOD-BROTHERS. AS THERE ARE IN VRINDABAN SOME RESIDENTS LIKE MONKEYS AND HOGS, SIMILARLY THERE ARE MANY RASCALS IN THE NAME OF VAISNAVAS, be careful of them. And do not dare to question imprudently before your Spiritual Master. Further talks we may discuss when we meet."
Srila Prabhupada's Room Conversation, September 21, 1973, Bombay
Prabhupada: Yes. If by the dress of sannyasi, you take some money and eat and sleep, then it is transcendental fraud. (SP laughs) (Hindi) Just like others are toiling, and we are getting money by some dress. That's all. They are getting money by laboring hard, and we are getting money... In India, mostly the sannyasis, they do that. The priests also, they do that. This is our profession, just... My Guru Maharaja said that thakura dekhiye paya rasta karache, rastaye 'yandiya jivika badram karam bhari (?). Instead of earning livelihood by showing the Deity in the temple, it is better to take the profession of a sweeper in the street and live honestly. He said like that. The sweeper is working hard toiling and getting some money and living. This is honest living. But just like in Vrndavana, all the Goswamis. They have got their Deity. People are coming, contributing. Typical example, Gauracanda Goswami. Thakura dekhiye paisa rasta. (?) All the sevaites, they are meant for... Our Kunja Babu also planned like that. He thought, "By cheating all the God-brothers, I have got now Caitanya Matha. And people will come to see Caitanya Mahaprabhu's birthplace, and I will get good income. And it will be distributed amongst my brothers and sons and myself. That's all." That is his scheme.
Tamala Krsna: Perfect material plan.
Prabhupada: Yes. It is another way of earning money. And he was always after Guru Maharaja only for this purpose. Guru Maharaja took that "Oh, this man is helping me." But he had no such plan, to help Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. He had the plan, "Keep Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati in front, earn money, and put it in my pocket." That was his very beginning. He was taking money like anything. But he was a good manager. Other God-brothers complained, sannyasis. Guru Maharaja used to say that "Why you are complaining? You cannot reform him, your God-brother? And if I would have to keep expert manager like him, I would have to pay something. Suppose he is taking something, why do you grudge?" (Prabhupada laughing) He would say like that. So nobody could say anything. But after the demise, everything burst out. "Kunja Babu must be driven out." That was the whole plan of Gaudiya Matha breakdown. The grudge was against Kunja Babu.
Tamala Krsna: Who is Kunja Babu?
Prabhupada: That Tirtha Maharaja. His name is Kunja Vihari Sar. So that was boiling in everyone's heart. So as soon as Guru Maharaja passed away, so that burst out. And the whole plan was how to get out this Kunja Babu.
Tamala Krsna: Not how to preach.
Prabhupada: No. This was the cause of breakdown. This was suppressed by Guru Maharaja under his influence, but the rebellious was there during his lifetime. And it burst into... Therefore he advised that "You make a governing body and Kunja Babu should be allowed to remain manager." This was directly spoken. He never asked anybody to become acarya. He asked that "You form a governing body of twelve men and go on preaching, and Kunja Babu may be allowed to remain manager during his lifetime." HE NEVER SAID THAT KUNJA BABU SHOULD BE ACARYA. NONE, NONE OF THEM WERE ADVISED BY GURU MAHARAJA TO BECOME ACARYA. HIS IDEA WAS "LET THEM MANAGE; THEN WHOEVER WILL BE ACTUAL QUALIFIED FOR BECOMING ACARYA, THEY WILL ELECT. WHY I SHOULD ENFORCE UPON THEM?" THAT WAS HIS PLAN. "LET THEM MANAGE BY STRONG GOVERNING BODY, AS IT IS GOING ON. THEN ACARYA WILL COME BY HIS QUALIFICATIONS." But they wanted that... Because at heart, they were, "After demise of Guru, I shall become acarya." "I shall become acarya." So all the acaryas began fight. One side, that Vasudeva Acarya and Sar Kunja Babu Acarya. And Paramananda, he thought that "Whoever will be powerful, I shall join them." (laughing) He only thought. But Guru Maharaja never asked that these three men should be trustees. He wanted governing body. So the rebellion broke out immediately after his passing away. And then fight in the High Court. And Kunja Babu, he is very intelligent man. So from the very beginning he knew that "There will be fight after the demise of Guru Maharaja. So fight will be in the High Court. So at the expense of Guru Maharaja, let my brother and sons become attorneys and barrister so I will have not to pay all these things." It was a planned thing. And that is being done. He was a clerk, it was not in his power to make his brother and sons attorneys and barristers. They were all made at the cost of Gaudiya Matha to fight with (indistinct) in favor of Tirtha Maharaja. These were the planned things. But I was a rotten grhastha. I did not join any one of them. (Prabhupada laughs) I was rotting in my household life. That's all. But I was planning how to make, how to make this. That was my desire from the very beginning, since I heard it. But I was never with them, either this party or that party. And Guru Maharaja also recommended, apnader tasturi tublia thaki bhavan. Takhona (?). "When there will be need, he will do himself. There is no need of living with you. It is better to live apart from you." When I was recommended by Goswami Maharaja to live in the Matha, that "He is so nice." Sometimes he recommended. In Bombay, here in this Bombay. That house. Yes. He (Guru Maharaja) said "Yes, he is very expert. He can do. So it is better to live apart from you. And he will do everything when there is need." He said. I could not understand. Although I was apart from them, a grhastha. In this Bombay I was doing business." (people talking outside)
Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Gurudasa, August 29, 1972
"Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 23, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. Do not be depressed. ALL ALONG MY GODBROTHERS GAVE ME ONLY DEPRESSION, REPRESSION, COMPRESSION--BUT I CONTINUED STRONG IN MY DUTY."
Srila Prabhupada's Discussion on the Evolutionists
"UNLESS YOU SURRENDER, WHERE IS THE COOPERATION? Where is the cooperation? Just like all my disciples, because they have surrendered, so there is cooperation. Therefore this movement is increasing."
Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Tirtha Maharaja, November 8, 1965
"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."
Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Jayapataka, August 23, 1971
"SO FAR AS COOPERATING WITH MY GODBROTHERS IS CONCERNED, THAT IS NOT VERY URGENT BUSINESS. SO FAR UNTIL NOW MY GODBROTHERS HAVE REGULARLY NOT COOPERATED WITH ME AND BY THE GRACE OF MY SPIRITUAL MASTER, THINGS ARE STILL GOING AHEAD. SO COOPERATION OR NON-COOPERATION, IT IS THE DESIRE OF BHAKTIVINODE THAKURA TO PREACH THE CAITANYA CULT ALL OVER THE WORLD AND IN 1875 HE PREDICTED THAT SOMEONE WOULD COME VERY SOON WHO WOULD INDIVIDUALLY PREACH THIS CULT ALL OVER THE WORLD. SO IF HIS BENEDICTION IS THERE AND MY GURU MAHARAJA'S BLESSINGS ARE THERE, WE CAN GO AHEAD WITHOUT ANY IMPEDIMENT BUT ALL OF US MUST BE VERY SINCERE AND SERIOUS. We have been a little inflicted by public criticism that we Godbrothers do not work together. My Guru Maharaja wanted also us to work together but some how or other it hasn't happened up until now. So your program of cooperating with Madhava Maharaja is not so important. Best thing is that all we Godbrothers work together. Then the criticism will stop, otherwise even we join together, criticism will go on. So this has been going on for the last 24 years, but everyone of us is doing his best keeping Lord Caitanya in the center. We should be satisfied so much."
Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Acyutananda, June 08, 1974
"You should not write anything to Madhava Maharaja's camp. You may have talked many things with Mangala Niloy but why write him in black and white. The letter must not be sent. THEIR POLICY HAS BEEN ALL ALONG TO SUPPRESS ME AND TAKE CREDIT FOR HIMSELF. THEIR PROPOSAL FOR COOPERATION IS A MYTH. THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING WHICH IS COOPERATIVE. YOU KNOW IN A RECENT ARTICLE THEY MANAGED TO WRITE IN SUCH A WAY THAT MADHAVA IS DOING THE WORLD MOVEMENT AND WE ARE HIS SUBORDINATE. FROM THE BEGINNING THAT HAS BEEN THEIR MENTALITY. SO THERE IS NO POSSIBILITY OF COOPERATION WITH THEM. RATHER YOU SHOULD AVOID STRICTLY MEETING WITH THEM. THEY ARE NOT AFTER PREACHING BUT MATERIAL GAIN AND REPUTATION AND ADORATION. OTHERWISE WHY THEY ARE NON COOPERATING WITH ME? SO NO COOPERATION IS POSSIBLE. Do not think or indulge in loose talks. Be careful always. Let us do the duty of propagation sincerely and seriously on our own principles. Krsna and Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura are our only hope and they and helping us. If anything thing has to be done it is to be talked on the higher level between Madhava Maharaja and myself, but I know his mentality is different and there is no possibility of cooperation."
Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Pradyumna, February 17, 1968
"Regarding the book list: "Lord Gauranga" by S.K. Ghose and Veder Panchaya by Bon Maharaja ARE USELESS and you may not get them."
Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Sukadeva, November 14, 1973
"Regarding the Gaudiya Math books being circulated there, who is distributing? Who is sending these books? The Gaudiya Math does not sell our books, why we should sell their books. Who has introduced these books? Let me know. THESE BOOKS SHOULD NOT AT ALL BE CIRCULATED IN OUR SOCIETY. BHAKTI VILAS TIRTHA IS VERY MUCH ANTAGONISTIC TO OUR SOCIETY AND HE HAS NO CLEAR CONCEPTION OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE. HE IS CONTAMINATED. ANYWAY, WHO HAS INTRODUCED THESE BOOKS? YOU SAY THAT YOU WOULD READ ONLY ONE BOOK IF THAT WAS ALL THAT I HAD WRITTEN, SO YOU TEACH OTHERS TO DO LIKE THAT. You have very good determination."
Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Visvakarma, November 09, 1975
"Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 3, 1975 with the enclosed statement about Van Maharaja. So I have now issued orders that all my disciples should avoid all of my godbrothers. THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY DEALINGS WITH THEM NOR EVEN CORRESPONDENCE, NOR SHOULD THEY GIVE THEM ANY OF MY BOOKS OR SHOULD THEY PURCHASE ANY OF THEIR BOOKS, NEITHER SHOULD YOU VISIT ANY OF THEIR TEMPLES. PLEASE AVOID THEM."
Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Rupanuga, April 28, 1974
"You are right about Sridhara Maharaja's genuineness. But in my opinion he is the best of the lot. He is my old friend, AT LEAST HE EXECUTES THE REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE. I do not wish to discuss about activities of my Godbrothers but it is a fact they have no life for preaching work. All are satisfied with a place for residence in the name of a temple, they engage disciples to get foodstuff by transcendental devices and eat and sleep. They have no idea or brain how to broacast the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. My Guru Maharaja used to lament many times for this reason and he thought if one man at least had understood the principle of preaching then his mission would achieve success. In the latter days of my Guru Maharaja he was very disgusted. Actually, he left this world earlier, otherwise he would have continued to live for more years. Still he requested his disciples to form a strong Governing body for preaching the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. HE NEVER RECOMMENDED ANYONE TO BE ACARYA OF THE GAUDIYA MATH. BUT SRIDHARA MAHARAJA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DISOBEYING THIS ORDER OF GURU MAHARAJA, AND HE AND OTHERS WHO ARE ALREADY DEAD UNNECESSARILY THOUGHT THAT THERE MUST BE ONE ACARYA. If Guru Maharaja could have seen someone who was qualified at that time to be acarya he would have mentioned. Because on the night before he passed away he talked of so many things, but never mentioned an acarya. His idea was acarya was not to be nominated amongst the governing body. He said openly you make a GBC and conduct the mission. So his idea was amongst the members of GBC who would come out successful and self effulgent acarya would be automatically selected. So Sridhara Maharaja and his two associate gentlemen unauthorizedly selected one acarya and later it proved a failure. THE RESULT IS NOW EVERYONE IS CLAIMING TO BE ACARYA EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY BE KANISTHA ADHIKARI WITH NO ABILITY TO PREACH. IN SOME OF THE CAMPS THE ACARYA IS BEING CHANGED THREE TIMES A YEAR. THEREFORE WE MAY NOT COMMIT THE SAME MISTAKE IN OUR ISKCON CAMP. 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."
Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Subala, October 15, 1974
"This is the motto of our spiritual life: yasya prasadad bhagavata prasadao. MY OTHER GODBROTHERS THEY ARE CONCERNED WITH LITIGATIONS, POLITICS, AND DIPLOMACY, SO WHAT IS THE PRACARA? AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED I HAVE THE BLESSINGS OF MY GURU MAHARAJ. I DO NOT NEED ANYTHING ELSE. That is how I went to your country, just to try to carry out his order. By his blessings it has come out successful."
Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Gangamayi, October 18, 1974
"YOU ARE RIGHT THAT POLITICS SHOULD BE AVOIDED. IN MY PERSONAL LIFE I DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE POLITICAL DIPLOMACY OF MY GOD-BROTHERS. I WAS SIMPLY THINKING HOW TO FULFILL THE ORDER OF MY GURU MAHARAJ. HE GAVE ME HIS BLESSINGS, AND I WAS SAVED FROM ANY IMPLICATION. NOW I AM TRYING TO CARRY OUT HIS INSTRUCTIONS STRICTLY, AND IT HAS COME OUT SUCCESSFUL."
Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Mukunda, March 26, 1968
"In meantime, I have also received one letter which is very depressing from Hrsikesa. I understand that he has been induced by Bon Maharaja to be initiated by him for giving him shelter, and this foolish boy has accepted his inducement. This isn't very happy news, and I have replied Hrsikesa's letter in the following words, which please take note, and in the future, we shall be very cautious about them. "My Dear Hrsikesa, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of March 14, 1968, and I am greatly surprised. I AM GREATLY SURPRISED FOR BON MAHARAJA'S INITIATING YOU IN SPITE OF HIS KNOWING THAT YOU ARE ALREADY INITIATED BY ME. SO IT IS DELIBERATE TRANSGRESSION OF VAISNAVA ETIQUETTES AND OTHERWISE A DELIBERATE INSULT TO ME. I DO NOT KNOW WHY HE HAS DONE LIKE THIS BUT NO VAISNAVA WILL APPROVE OF THIS OFFENSIVE ACTION. I very much appreciate your acknowledgement of my service unto you and you will always have my blessings, BUT YOU MUST KNOW THAT YOU HAVE COMMITTEE. A GREAT BLUNDER. I do not wish to discuss on this point more elaborately now, but if you are desirous to know further about it, I shall be glad to give you more enlightenment. Mukunda is not here. He has gone to L.A. Hope you are well." If Hrsikesa writes you letter I think you may avoid reply. I DO NOT APPROVE BOTH HRSIKESA'S AND BON MAHARAJA'S THIS OFFENSIVE ACTION. Hoping you are both well."
