Letter to Sridam Prabhu

Dear Sridam Prabhu,

Hare Krishna.

Please accept my fallen obeisances. All glories to Sri Guru and Gouranga. All glories to Srila gurudeva.

Please accept again my letter to Maharaj and feel free to use it as he sees fit. You post wherever you want to so as many prabhus as possible will read what I have written.

I had edited one paragraph so that it cannot be used against anyone. I feel free to speak my mind and heart to my true godbrothers, the actual followers of the guru parampara and Srila Prabhupada. Others may not appreciate satyam. (Bg.10.4-5 purport, truthfulness) and misuse it to bring more harm to Srila Narayan Maharaj's reputation. However Maharaj did not seem to feel this original letter was inappropriate so I would ask you to use it as I sent it, and I have re submitted it to you. I should not second guess a pure devotee or think my judgement superior to that of such an advanced nitya lila paramahansa pure devotee of Lord Krsna as Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaj.

In his lecture on S.B 1.2.12 (BBT CD #CDM27) Srila Prabhupada says: "In the beginning one who is not advanced cannot see Krsna properly. Krsna is not alone. . .So kanistha adhikara means. . .in the lower stage the devotee is engaged in Deity worship. It is not that Deity worship is lower than meditation. We don't mean that. Deity worship is the beginning of devotinal service as it will be mentioned in the Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu, how to approach the Deity, how to change the dress. . . everything in detail. So in the beginning certainly one who is not advanced he cannot see Krsna properly. Krsna, when we speak of Krsna, Krsna is not alone. Just like if we speak of King, the king is coming. It does not mean the king is coming alone. The king is coming, his ministers his secretaries, his military commandrs, his queens...Similarly Krsna does not mean alone Krsna. Krsna says in the Bg. "Aham sarvasya prabhavo." Krsna is the root of all emanations Krsna's energies, Krishna's expansions, Krsna's different types of energies. . He has got multi energies out of which the acaryas have taken three principes energies. . .Altogether means Krsna. So the kanistha adhikari in the lower stage he thinks that he is worshipping the Deity very nicely, he has realized Krsna. No. (saksrit) We have to make further advancements. Krsna does not mean alone. Especially Krsnas' devotees. They are always with Krsna. Therefore when we can recognize a devotee of Krsna and offer him the respect... devotee of Krsna that is further advancement. In the madhyama or in the further dvancement of devotional service we can see 4 categories. (sakskrit) When we are futher advanced we do not see only Krsna but we see his devotees also. We can recognize here is a devotee of Krsna. But in the lower stage the devotee is concerned with the deity worship but he does not take much care with the devotees."

Srila Prabhupada goes on to explain many details on these points and even says that one may stop the worship of the Deity temporarily to receive a devotee when he enters the temple. Anyone confused about Srila Narayan Maharaj's position should listen very carefully to this lecture by His Divine Grace (SB 1.2.12 [10/23/72 VRN Beyond the Business of the hogs and dogs.CDMm-27 BBT LECTURE SERIES.) and consider the folly of his ways if he does not chose to hear attentively the instructions of his spiritual master, the founder-acarya of ISKCON.

Of course many of my godbrothers will not read His Divine Grace's books with attention, so they may also chose to ignore His spoken words as well. What can be done? Anyone sincere devotee will follow good advice from a non motivated source. I may be imperfect and still harbor a tendancy for contention with godbrothers, but Srila Prabhupada always spoke from the transcendental platform. His words cannot be disputed by a true disciple, only ignored by a foolish or envious one.

Spurious lies and philosophy will not go unregarded by the Supreme Lord, and He will not forgive such offenders. He will deny them the sublime association of Srila Narayan Maharaj's transcendental realization, and the understanding of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swamis' purports and vanish forever. In the Bg. Lord Krsna says to Arjuna in chapter 3.32: "But those who, out of envy, disregard these teachings and do not practice themn regularly, are to be considered bereft of all knowledge, befooled, and doomed to ignorance and bondage.

PURPORT

The flaw of not being Krsna conscious is clearly stated herein. As there is punishment for disobedience to the order of the supreme executive head, so there is certainly punishment of the disobedience of the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A disobedient person, however great he may be, is ignorant of his own self, of the Supreme Brahman and Paramatma and the Personality of Godhead, due to a vacant heart. Therefore these is not hope of perfection of life for him."

I see no difference between the order of guru and the order of the Surpreme Lord. Guru, sadhu and shastra must all be heeded and followed strictly. Also in the Bg. Lord Krsna reveals his two armed form to Arjuna in Chapter 11. In text 54 the Supreme lord says:

"My dear Arjuna, only by undivided devotional service can I be undrstood as I am, standing before you, and can thus be seen directly. Only in this way can you enter into the mysteries of My understanding." As I understand the shastra realization of a pure devotee is similarly only given to one who is non envious and striving to practice pure bhakti yoga. Anyabhilasitam sunyam, jyana karma anavritam, anakulyena krsnanu silanam bhaktir uttama. Let anyone disprove this point on the strength of shastra and I will surrender to him. Otherwise I will accept the words of my beloved guru maharaj His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Supreme Lord in Bg. and my siksa guru Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaj, who has so very kindly accepted me as a siksa disciple and godbrother despite my lack of advancement by comparison to his lotus like self.

Anyone who thinks that he is "recruiting" or "re-initiating" Srila Prabhupada's disciples is simply out of touch with reality, both relative and absolute. I can testify that as a result of Srila Narayan Maharaj's association I am simply more determined to push on Srila Prabhupada's mission, read his books and hear his words with more depth and attention, and now will try to capture His heart as well as his history.

So the demons flee when the hear the conch shell Pancajanya of Lord Krsna. So similarly many devotees flee when they hear Srila Narayan Maharaj's name. I have had personal experience of this fact. They should not be afraid of his mercy. False ego will keep us bound by the ropes of material energy and prevent us from taking advantage of the pure devotee's mercy. I am still bound by falso ego, ahankara, but I will try very strenuously not let it stop me from taking benefit from the association and krpa of any bona fide spiritual master in our line, or any bona fide disciple as well.

In his physical absence, as your tour is gone on now from NY and I am left here alone and forlorn, to serve them both (Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva) I can only pray that Maharaja will send his parts and parcels, his devotees, periodically to give my their wonderful association. His disciples are like Vrndavan breezes that break the heat of NYC and it's demonic atmosphere. Thank you all for your association. Please, please show this letter to Maharaj and use it as you see fit. Post it with the letter to him if he thinks others should see it.

My heart is an open book. As Krsna boldly declares that His devotee is never vanquished, so I boldly declare the satyam of my recent experiences. If my godbrothers want to take my heart and step on it then let them try, but it is protected by Srila Prabhupada, whose own heart felt no different toward Srila Narayan Maharaj. Just read the first 17 letters he wrote to him and imagine what else His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada must have said in the 250 other correspondences, somehow lost, but not forgotten.

Your servant and eternal friend,
Puru Das Adhikari

Sripad Puru Das
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