First Conversation With Srila Sridhara Maharaja, Part 10

BY: SUN EDITORS - 25.7 2023

SM: Our Prabhupada passed away. Then of course the question of successor came out and some accepted some acarya, some another acarya, some new acarya in this way. Now came the question whether that om visnupada Prabhupada, that should be accepted, that should be given, that title to the present acarya or not. That was a burning question at that time. I told looking at the scripture that om visnupada Prabhupada, that should be given. It is written in the sastra that a disciple should pronounce the name of his guru with all these titles, om visnupada. But vehement opposition came from the other persons who were not gurus, but I continued that it is in the sastra that a disciple must give his all respect to his guru, it is written. [-->]

Then though protesting in the beginning, when those very persons came to take the position of an acarya, they used it freely. Only with little difference, that prabhupada and this acaryapada, then guru maharaja, and this thing because Prabhupada gave some respect to Bhaktivinoda Thakur, Bhaktivinoda was a title given by his guru Vipina Goswami to Kedernath Bhaktivinoda a title. Prabhupada told then Bhaktivinoda Thakura and if any person used that title given by his guru, Prabhupada could not tolerate, "that person he's Bhaktivinoda?" He could not tolerate. So we also did not like that Prabhupada's title should be given to any other disciple guru acarya. So acaryadeva, acarya maharaja, guru maharaja, in this way we used, but when Swami Maharaja took the title of Prabhupada… Once Bon Maharaja took the title of Prabhupada but vehement opposition, he left it for the time being, I don't know how he is being dealt now.[-->]

But about Swami Maharaja, when this question of Prabhupada came it did not disturb me because from Gopal Goswami, Prabhupada the jati goswami, their disciple is using the word Prabhupada like father. Prabhu pada. Prabhu means vaisnava and Prabhu-pada, it is less than Visnu-pada. Guru should be… guru's name should be used as Visnupada. That is more high. But Prabhupada is less a bhakta. ____________ But there came by some opposition why Swami Maharaja is using the word Prabhupada. He is allowing his disciples to use the word Prabhupada. But it did not disturb me anything. Because it is… it should. A disciple will say his gurudeva as Prabhupada as this is sanctioned by the sastra. It is not much. So Prabhupada may use the disciples names, but sometimes it is ki bole? Bengali …… acaryapada, acaryadeva, guru maharaja, something like that to be told because it may not give pain to the other disciples. But this is not a much important factor.

DKS: It's been given a lot of importance in our ISKCON. Names.

SM: One day ________ Maharaja told in the sastra, big guru and the small guru. The mantra is always the same in the scripture. This mantra is for big guru this mantra is for small guru (laughing). It is not classified in this way in the scripture. So this should be tolerated and adjusted amongst themselves. May not disturb the feelings, the feelings of other godbrothers. If we adjust in that way, without Prabhupada you say Acaryapada, it is well and good. It doesn't matter. Hare Krsna

SM: I am getting tired, so next sitting. Your gurudeva, Prabhupada, Swami Maharaja. My guru maharaja wanted me to go west for preaching but I modestly, humbly refused that I don't consider myself fit person to preach in the West because you see I can't follow your intonation. So (laughing) I must listen clearly, then I shall tell. So in this way I told that if you order I must go, but I don't think that I am fit to preach in the West. Anyhow, it was stopped and Goswami Maharaja was sent to the West. And your Prabhupada also told me, "I have taken so many and now it will be your duty to help them." That is also some sort of responsibility. And the last time he told, "They want to build a special building for my living quarters in Mayapur and I shall ask them to do two compartments, two flats, side by side, one for me and another for you." Of course, I shall try to help you, not always but occasionally that I admitted. Sometimes I shall go and stay there with you.

BCS: Maharaja, why don't you tell us when you were first going to Mayapur when Prabhupada came with the disciples from America and you were going to Mayapur, how you were feeling at that time.

SM: Mayapur?

BCS: Yes. When first Prabhupada invited you to come to Mayapur when he came. I remember once you were telling us that… you were telling everybody, I could not go to… that your spiritual master Srila Prabhupada wanted you to go to America and the West but you could not go to the West but now Swami Maharaja has brought the West to your door step… (laughing)

Dev: Mohammed could not go to the mountain…

SM: (laughing) The mountain came to Mohammed. Of course, now and then I remember that thing and I say… and here also Swami Maharaja said, "I have taken them to you, near you, and it will be your duty to cleanse them." In this way of course, he told. "Raw thing I have come… taken to you and it will be your duty to cleanse them to make them ready." Hare Krsna. I consider him to be saktyavesa avatara, and it is confirmed here his spiritual, his journey in the ship to the Atlantic and how he landed there and his, the beginning of his, the nature beginning the movement, how he… how much, what was the intense degree of dedication to Krsna, hmm dependent, and how much he made him empty, quite empty to come down, Krsna to help him, that is to be felt in, and it is corroborated that Krsna worked on his behalf. He was completely dedicated himself to the purpose and divine force, power, came down to help him. Otherwise it is impossible. It is not a thing of the ordinary level, that any one will do. The highest thing has been taken down to the lowest position so extensively. It cannot but be the divine power embodied and in a great intensity and magnitude. Hare Krsna.

This ends the transcript of the 1st Conversation with Sridhar Maharaja.