Suria's Speculations
BY: UDDHAVA DASA
Dec 24, USA (SUN) —
I want to point out a couple of wrong statements from Suria Prabhu in his article, “Less Qualified or Not Liberated”:
1) Suria says:
“Do you think that without the physical presence of Srila Prabhupada, will the books alone be able to convert those hippies In the 1970's?? That is not possible, because by the presence of Srila Prabhupada those fallen souls were convinced and converted.”
Most of the “hippies” never met Srila Prabhupada. They took to Krishna consciousness on the strength of his books, as practically every devotee does today, and they got initiated even without meeting him first (or even at all). Here is one example:
“For almost five years I had seen and known Prabhupada visually from photos. His pictures were on the altar, vyasasana, books, magazines, framed on temple walls, in fact everywhere. But I had never seen Prabhupada in person. My first impression was that here was that same photo, but now it was moving. It was such a strong impression, seeing the person I had worshipped in inanimate form for half a decade come to life. Through the rest of the lecture I continued to see Prabhupada in that way. Then I understood that the spiritual master is non different than his picture. That was the first personal contact with his Divine Grace, although I had been an initiated devotee for two years.”
Sivarama Swami, ‘Meeting Srila Prabhupada’
Srila Prabhupada clearly states here that one can associate with the pure devotee through his books:
Paramahamsa: “My question is, a pure devotee, when he comments on Bhagavad-gita, someone who never sees him physically, but he just comes in contact with the commentary, explanation, is this the same thing?”
Srila Prabhupada: “Yes. You can associate with Krsna by reading Bhagavad-gita. And these saintly persons, they have given their explanations, comments. So where is the difficulty?”
Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, 11 June 74
2) Suria then speculates that Srila Prabhupada never received an order from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta to become a spiritual master (initiating):
“Now lets go back to the time of the Gaudiya Math. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura did not appoint any Guru, then how did Srila Prabhupada became a Spiritual Master?”
Srila Prabhupada clearly states the total opposite:
Indian man: When did you become the spiritual leader of Krsna Consciousness?
Srila Prabhupada: What is that?
Brahmananda: He is asking when did you become the spiritual leader of Krsna Consciousness?
Srila Prabhupada: When my Guru Maharaja ordered me. This is the guru parampara.
Indian man: Did it
Srila Prabhupada: Try to understand. Don't go very speedily. A guru can become guru when he is ordered by his guru. That's all. Otherwise nobody can become guru.
Srila Prabhupada Bhagavad-gita Lecture, 28 Oct 75
I think it would be good for Suria prabhu to stop speculating.
