Ten Reasons Why the Ritviks
Cannot Follow Srila Prabhupada

The Ritviks say all we need are Srila Prabhupada's books!

Srila Prabhupada says: Therefore, for a neophyte, simply by consulting scriptures, he will not be able to reach to the absolute goal.
690425LE.BOS Lectures
BG Ch 9 TEXT 13 P

1. Srila Prabhupada could not have used the word grand disciple if He wanted Ritvik after His return to Radha and Krsna. 770528me.vrn Tamala Krsna: They're his disciple. Prabhupada: Who is initiating. He is grand disciple. Satsvarupa: Yes. Tamala Krsna: That's clear. Satsvarupa: Then we have a question concer... Prabhupada: When I order, "You become guru," he becomes regular guru.

2. At the end of the same conversation Srila Prabhupada "orders."

Prabhupada: And Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya guru hana. One can understand the order of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he can become guru. Or one who understands his guru's order, the same parampara, he can become guru. And therefore I shall select some of you. (hums) Satsvarupa: That's all the questions.

3. Ritviks only accept Srila Prabhupada, as we see below Srila Prabhupada uses the term "pure devotees." Thus, following the Ritvik view one will never seek the association of other pure devotees as Srila Prabhupada instructs. "The summary is that one has to, first of all, seek the association of pure devotees who not only are learned in the Vedanta but are self-realized souls and unalloyed devotees of Lord Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead. In that association, the neophyte devotees must render loving service physically and mentally without reservation. This service attitude will induce the great souls to be more favorable in bestowing their mercy, which injects the neophyte with all the transcendental qualities of the pure devotees. Gradually this is developed into a strong attachment to hearing the transcendental pastimes of the Lord, which makes him able to catch up the constitutional position of the gross and subtle bodies and beyond them the knowledge of pure soul and his eternal relation with the Supreme Soul, the Personality of Godhead. After the relation is ascertained by establishment of the eternal relation, pure devotional service to the Lord begins gradually developing into perfect knowledge of the Personality of Godhead beyond the purview of impersonal Brahman and localized Paramatma. By such purusottama-yoga, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, one is made perfect even during the present corporeal existence, and one exhibits all the good qualities of the Lord to the highest percentage. Such is the gradual development by association of pure devotees."
SB 1.5.34 P Narada' s Instructions on Srimad-Bhagavatam for Vyasadeva

4. Because Ritviks offend pure devotees and induce others to join in their fault finding, they and their followers cannot develop "love of Godhead."

"If one is infested with the ten offenses in the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, despite his endeavor to chant the holy name for many births, he will not get the love of Godhead that is the ultimate goal of this chanting."
Adi Lila 8.16

5. In this quote Srila Prabhupada makes a clear distinction between associating with Him through His books "sastra" and associating with another "first-class devotee." The Ritvik again " makes no progress" as Srila Prabhupada states.

The second-class devotee, even though he cannot support his position with sastric reference, can gradually become a first-class devotee by studying the sastras and associating with a first-class devotee. However, if the second-class devotee does not advance himself by associating with a first-class devotee, he makes no progress.
Madhya Lila 22.71

6. Of course a sincere disciple of Srila Prabhupada always has His association, but those who are not 100% pure are still subject to the 4 material defects. The Ritviks cheat us by telling us that all can be instructed by Srila Prabhupada through the heart. Srila Prabhupada says if you feel that you are receiving this instruction you should have it confirmed by the Siksa and Diksa Guru. The Riviks reject the idea of Siksa Guru and there for are not following Srila Prabhupada.

So the principle is that whatever you are instructed by the Caitya Guru internally may be confirmed by the instructor or initiator externally.
Letter to: Sivananda-New Vrindaban 21 May, 1969

One should not, however, think himself on the level of Brahma to be initiated directly by the Lord from inside because in the present age no one can be accepted to be as pure as Brahma.
SB 2.9.7 P Answers by Citing the Lord' s Version

7. Srila Prabhupada instructs that even a pure devotee should still be under guidance, what to speak of us. "A pure devotee under the guidance of another experienced devotee can obtain all the results, even at present.
SB 1.10.27 P Departure of Lord Krsna for Dvaraka

8. The Riviks reject Krsna in His form of Siksa and Diksa Guru. The Paramatma is always the caitya-guru, the spiritual master within, and He comes before one externally as the instructor and initiator (Siksa and Diksa Guru)
SB 4.28.52 P Puranjana Becomes a Woman in the Next Life

9. The Ritviks cannot make advancement because they reject Srila Prabhupada's instructions. "The spiritual master who gives instructions for elevation is called the siksa-guru." ... in the science of Krsna he can become a spiritual master as vartma-pradarsaka-guru, diksaguru or siksa-guru. The spiritual master who first gives information about spiritual life is called the vartma-pradarsaka-guru, the spiritual master who initiates according to the regulations of the sastras is called the diksa-guru, and the spiritual master who gives instructions for elevation is called the siksa-guru.
Madhya 8.128 Talks Between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya

10. The Ritviks will cheat you out of the highest goal. Note that Srila Prabhupada says this in the second canto of Srimad Bagavatam.

This transcendental bliss is experienced even in the stage of devotional practice (sadhanaavastha), if properly undertaken under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master. And in the mature stage the developed transcendental feeling culminates in realization of the particular relationship with the Lord by which a living entity is originally constituted (up to the relationship of conjugal love with the Lord, which is estimated to be the highest transcendental bliss).
SB 2.3.12 P Pure Devotional Service: The Change in Heart

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