Open Letter to the ISKCON-GBC Duly Appointed Shastric Advisory Council (SAC)
BY: SADHUDASA ANUDASA
Aug 06, 2012 — SRIDHAM MAYAPUR, WEST BENGAL (SUN) — Open Letter No. 1: Your Answer on Prabhupada ISKCON'S Guru-tattva.
Sri Mayapura, 7th August 2012
Dear SAC-Members,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada, and your specific seva to his ISKCON Mission through Prabhupada's ISKCON-GBC!
I'm presenting to your consideration three open letters regarding three philosophical subjects of utmost importance for Srila Prabhupada ISKCON's future generations. The subject of each letter avails all ISKCON Members' spiritual relevance on the subjects of Jiva, Guru, and Rasa-tattva. This is the first letter, and deals with the subject of Prabhupada ISKCON's Guru-tattva.
For general and obvious managerial reasons pertaining to its nature as ISKCON's Ultimate Managerial Authority, our Srila Prabhupada ISKCON-GBC has duly conformed, and appointed all of you to assist them in their unique seva to uphold the philosophical spiritual standards of Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON Movement.
The task offered to all of you by our Prabhupada ISKCON-GBC — to assist them to uphold ISKCON's philosophical spiritual standards — is of utmost magnitude and influence, once it deals with the essence of ISKCON as a truly spiritual movement.
As mentioned above, my humble questions before you all, has implicit inference on ISKCON's status as a truly spiritual movement, since its is mainly based on three utmost spiritual formulas delineating its essence: JIVA-TATTVA, GURU-TATTVA, and RASA-TATTVA.
I'll place the sequence of my first philosophical questions regarding Guru-tattva to all of you NOT very succinctly — however straightforward and clear — hoping to receive a very similar reply. The sequence of my inquiries do not follow the Vedic (vastutri or vastutraya) sequential path observed as sambhanda-jnana, abhidheya-jnana, and prayojana-jnana, since starts with the subject on Guru-tattva first (which belongs to abhidheya-jnana), however the same Vedic methodology is used on this first question as the Vedic rule for progressive thought.
Therefore please notice that I have placed the vastutraya Vedic method while presenting each one of my questions — each question taking actual place on its third and last element, or Prayojana (Goal or Conclusion).
ENQUIRY ON GURU-TATTVA, OR ABHIDHEYA-JNANA
(THE "MEANS" TO THE GOAL)
(Placed in point 3 below):
1— Sambhanda (Field of Activities):
There is an ongoing discussion by senior ISKCON members and the ISKCON Prabhupada Disciples' conference regarding Guru-tattva. The subject arose due to a seva conflict between a Prabhupada ISKCON-GBC member —who happens to be the Temple President, and ISKCON-GBC official diksha-guru also— and a particular diksha disciple serving under this particular ISKCON-GBC designated acharya.
2— Abhidheya (Enactment of Activities):
Cc. Adi-lila, 1.47
shiksha-guruke ta'jani krishnera svarupa
antaryami, bhakta-shrestha,—ei dui rupa
"One should know the instructing spiritual master to be the Personality of Krishna. Lord Krishna manifests Himself as the Supersoul and as the greatest devotee of the Lord."
Bhaktivedanta Purport: "Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Gosvami states that the instructing spiritual master [shiksha-guru] is a bona fide representative of Sri Krishna. Sri Krishna Himself teaches us as the instructing spiritual master from within and without. From within He teaches as Paramatma, our constant companion, and from without He teaches from Bhagavad-gita as the instructing spiritual master. There are two kinds of instructing spiritual masters [shiksha-gurus]. One is the liberated person fully absorbed in meditation in devotional service [bhajananandi], and the other is he who invokes the disciple's spiritual consciousness by means of relevant instructions [gosthyanandi]. Thus the instructions in the science of devotion are differentiated in terms of the objective and subjective ways of understanding. The acharya in the true sense of the term, who is authorized to deliver Krishna, enriches the disciple with full spiritual knowledge and thus awakens him to the activities of devotional service.
When by learning from the self-realized spiritual master one actually engages himself in the service of Lord Vishnu, functional devotional service begins. The procedures of this devotional service are known as abhidheya, or action one is duty-bound to perform. Our only shelter is the Supreme Lord, and one who teaches how to approach Krishna is the functioning form of the Personality of Godhead. There is no difference between the shelter-giving Supreme Lord and the initiating [diksha] and instructing [shiksha] spiritual masters. If one foolishly discriminates between them, he commits an offense in the discharge of devotional service."
3— Prayojana (Conclusion of Activities):
QUESTION No.1: If Srila Prabhupada ISKCON-GBC currently designates duly appointed diksha-gurus for all of Prabhupada ISKCON Members to take shelter under; and since obviously Prabhupada is also acting as ISKCON Members' shiksha-guru — as well as our Parampara traditional acharyas, and the present selected acharyas also acting as shiksha-gurus to other ISKCON-GBC appointed diksha-gurus' students; WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE YOU ALL RECOMMEND IN YOUR SEVA TO YOUR ISKCON-GBC AUTHORITIES, REGARDING APPOINTING SHIKSHA-GURUS FOR PRABHUPADA ISKCON MEMBERS?
QUESTION No. 2: The ISKCON-GBC officially appointed diksha-gurus are simultaneously acting as shiksha-gurus — due to the shastric injunctions already appointed in the Bhaktivedanta Purport quoted above. WHEN ANY PARTICULAR ISKCON MEMBER DELIVERS SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM CLASS IS ALSO OFFICIATING AS SHIKSHA-GURU — REGARDLESS OF HIS OR HER STATUS AS DIKSHA-GURU. THUS WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES THAT QUALIFIES THEM TO SEAT IN THE VYASASANA, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY "NOT" QUALIFY AS DIKSHA-GURUS? ONLY OFFICIALLY SELECTED DIKSHA-GURUS MUST DELIVER SB CLASS AS OFFICIALLY QUALIFIED SHIKSHA-GURUS?
QUESTION No. 3: Considering Srila Prabhupada's statements above: "Thus the instructions in the science of devotion are differentiated in terms of the objective and subjective ways of understanding," HOW THE ISKCON-GBC SAC COUNCIL RECONCILES THE AMBIGUOUS OR UNCLEAR POSITION (WHICH DISREGARD THE SHASTRIC EVIDENCE OFFERED BY PRABHUPADA ABOVE) BETWEEN YOUR ISKCON-GBC POLICY OF APPOINTED DIKSHA-GURUS — WHO ALSO COULD OFFICIATE AS SHIKSHA-GURUS TO OTHERS' DIKSHA INITIATED STUDENTS ON ONE SIDE — AND THE NON APPOINTED DIKSHA-GURUS WHO ARE OFFICIALLY ACTING AS SHIKSHA-GURUS BY DELIVERING BHAGAVATAM CLASSES EVERY DAY IN ISKCON TEMPLES AROUND THE WORLD? WHAT IS YOUR CONCLUSION ON THIS PARTICULAR CASE OF DISCRIMINATION WHICH IS AGAINST CC. ADI-LILA, 1.47 QUOTED ABOVE?
If ISKCON-GBC SAC Members think the regular Bhagavatam speaker's position to be more objective rather than subjective, thus relegating their status as shiksha-gurus, then why to have public Bhagavatam classes anyhow — if everyone could do very well, individually listening to Srila Prabhupada's tapes in his position as ISKCON Adi-shikshacharya — most particularly if one has chosen the practice of devotional service as a bhajananandi?
According to Srila Prabhupada's purport above both instructing shiksha-gurus — whether gosthyanandis or bhajananandis — are bonafide, and obviously we have many bhajananadis in our parampara. IMHO in Prabhupada ISKCON's society, BOTH gosthyanandis and bhajananandis, can harmoniously progress towards pure devotion — provided they are Vaishnavas, and faithfully adhere to the philosophical conclusions and managerial guidelines established by Shaktiavesha Rasikacharya ISKCON-Adi-shikshacharya Srila Prabhupada. However Srila Prabhupada ISKCON Movement is mostly motivated as goshtyanandi — therefore the function of shiksha-gurus are prominent.
QUESTION No. 4: HAVE YOU CONSIDERED TO SUGGEST TO YOUR ISKCON-GBC AUTHORITIES TO DELEGATE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO SELECT WHO IS A QUALIFIED DIKSHA-GURU EXCLUSIVELY TO THE TWO PERSONS INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN SUCH COMMITMENT? After all, according to SHISHYA-TATTVA, the disciple also has to follow four regulative principles as well as the guru, and above that — as an intrinsic part of the guru-shishya equation — the disciple must also scrutinize about his guru's philosophical and devotional character. IMHO otherwise, your present ISKCON-GBC authorities wouldn't be promoting Prabhupada's standards. Please read below:
SB 8.24.48
Bhaktivedanta Purport: "Even though we may not have the fortune to contact the Supreme Lord personally, the Lord's representative [RITVIK] is as good as the Lord Himself because such a representative does not say anything unless it is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu therefore gives a definition of guru. Yare dekha, tare kaha 'krishna'-upadesha: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] the bona fide guru is he who advises his disciples exactly in accordance with the principles spoken by Krishna. The bona fide guru is he who has accepted Krishna as guru. This is the guru-parampara system. The original guru is Vyasadeva because he is the speaker of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, wherein everything spoken relates to Krishna. Therefore guru-puja is known as Vyasa-puja. In the final analysis, the original guru is Krishna, His disciple is Narada, whose disciple is Vyasa, and in this way we gradually come in touch with the guru-parampara. One cannot become a guru if he does not know what the Personality of Godhead Krishna or His incarnation wants. The mission of the guru is the mission of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: to spread Krishna consciousness all over the world."
QUESTION No. 5: In reference to the case presented on point 1— Sambhanda (Field of Activities) regarding a recent conflict of interests among a diksha-guru and a disciple: After the guru and disciple have clarified their differences, the disciple left the personal association of the diksha-guru to serve Srila Prabhupada's Mission on other ISKCON Temple. DOES IT MEAN THAT BESIDES ACCEPTING ISKCON ADI-SHIKSHACHARYA SRILA PRABHUPADA, SUCH DISCIPLE CANNOT ACCEPT ANY OTHER SHIKSHA-GURUS — IF "NOT" OFFICIALLY APPOINTED BY THE ISKCON-GBC AS DIKSHA-GURU FIRST? HOW THE ISKCON-GBC SUPERVISES SUCH TASK, WHICH IS MEANT TO BE EXCLUSIVELY PERFORMED BY CHAITYA-GURU?
Sincerely trying to serve all of you on this particular situation, I leave below some food for thought from the Scriptures:
Cc. Madhya, 20.123
‘shastra-guru-atma'-rupe apanare janana
‘krishna mora prabhu, trata'—jivera haya jnana
"The forgetful conditioned soul is educated by Krishna through the Vedic literatures, the realized spiritual master [DIKSHA AND SHIKSHA GURUS] and the Supersoul [CHAITYA-GURU]. Through these, he can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is, and he can understand that Lord Krishna is his eternal master and deliverer from the clutches of maya. In this way one can acquire real knowledge of his conditioned life and can come to understand how to attain liberation."
Cc. Madhya, 22.47
krishna yadi kripa kona bhagyavane
guru-antaryami-rupe sikhaya apane
"Krishna is situated in everyone's heart as chaitya-guru, the spiritual master within. When He is kind to some fortunate conditioned soul, He personally gives one lessons to progress in devotional service, instructing the person as the Supersoul within and the spiritual master without [DIKSHA AND SHIKSHA GURUS]."
SB. 11.29.6
naivopayanty apachitim kavayas tavesha
brahmayushapi kritam riddha-mudah amarantah
yo 'ntar bahis tanu-britam asubham vidhunvann
acharya-chaittya-vapusha sva-gatim vya nakti
"O my Lord! Transcendental poets and experts in spiritual science could not fully express their indebtedness to You, even if they were endowed with the prolonged lifetime of Brahma, for You appear in two features — externally as the acharya [DIKSHA AND SHIKSHA GURUS] and internally as the Supersoul [CHAITYA-GURU] — to deliver the embodied living being by directing him how to come to You."
Respectfully waiting a duly response from the ISKCON-GBC SAC-council, I beg to remain your servant in the exclusive seva of ISKCON Founder-Adi-shikshacharya Shaktiavesha Rasikacharya A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and all his devoted followers.
Respectfully Submitted by
Sadhudasa Anudasa
