Second Conversation With Srila Sridhara Maharaja, Part 2

BY: SUN EDITORS - 2.8 2023

BCS: explains Dhira Krsna Swami's question in Bengali.
Dhira Krsna Maharaja was asking that yesterday you told that if somebody is not respectful towards the guru parampara, if somebody fails to show proper respect to the guru parampara, then he can be removed from his position of an acarya.

SM: He is disconnected…

DKS: I wanted to say a whole question. Well, that is the introduction, to the question. So there are devotees who feel that there is a loss of faith in the parampara, in Srila Prabhupada, and as an example also, how they do not accept Sridhara Maharaja, who we consider to be a representative of the parampara also. Also, we can see that there is a lack of detachment and knowledge, and then I want you to read…

SM: Bengali –
Yes, then he is disconnected. I was telling that in the disciplic succession, or the srota parampara, there is links like links of the links, like in a chain. If one becomes offensive to that chain of links, if one becomes disconnected from that links, then that is the primary symptom and he has to be removed. But if there is a little rust in the link then one should wait and see. Then it will have to be considered. That can again become clean. So these worldly considerations – like someone may be a little angry, someone may be a little too greedy, somebody may be a little too arrogant – all these characteristics in the external behavior, these things can be tolerated and watched for awhile.

DKS: Some of these devotees have been waiting for three years…

BCS: Bengali:

BCS: Dhira Krsna Maharaja was telling that many devotees are waiting. For three years they have been watching and they are clearly noticing that many of the gurus are failing to show proper respect to Srila Prabhupada.

SM: Bengali:
By devotees you mean the godbrothers, yes?

BCS: Bengali:
Yes. They are directly expressing their disregard for Prabhupada in many cases. Like, Prabhupada gave an instruction that if we have any difficulty then we should come to you but they are deliberately neglecting that instruction of Srila Prabhupada. Isn't this a clear indication that they are becoming disrespectful to the disciplic succession, the srota pantha, and thus they are disconnecting themselves from the line of disciplic succession? In the purport of one of the slokas of Isopanisad Srila Prabhupada is saying: (This part of the purport was translated and spoken to Sridhara Maharaja) "The pseudo-religionists have neither knowledge nor detachment from material affairs, for most of them want to live in the golden shackles of material bondage under the shadow of altruistic and philanthropic activities and in the guise of religious principles. By a false display of religious sentiments, they present a show of devotional service while indulging in all sorts of immoral activities. In this way they pass as spiritual masters and devotees of God. Such violators of religious principles have no respect for the authoritative acaryas, the holy teachers in the strict disciplic succession. To mislead the people in general, they themselves become so-called acaryas, but do not even follow the principles of the acaryas. These rogues are the most dangerous elements in human society. Because there is no religious government, they escape punishment by the law of the state. They cannot, however, escape the law of the Supreme, who has clearly declared in Bhagavad-gita (Bg. 16.19-20) that envious demons in the garb of religious propagandists shall be thrown into the darkest regions of hell. Sri Isopanisad confirms that these pseudo-religionists are heading toward the most obnoxious place in the universe after the completion of their spiritual master business, which they conduct simply for sense gratification."

(While Bhakti Caru Swami was reading that purport, Sridhar Maharaja quoted a sloka which means that these kind of people become attracted by the glamor of the material nature.)

SM: Bengali
They are traitors and that's why they will be punished very severely.

English: The punishment of the traitors will be the most dreadful. That's all right. Now the substance of the whole teaching will come to this: "Who the other day my guru maharaja recommended, only two or three years after, his attempt is wholesale failure." So I must search in my own heart, hmm, sufficiently before going to discuss, and examine their practices. There may not be any fault, any ulterior motive in me, otherwise I will be the greatest culprit. I must be sincere, I must search in myself exhaustively whether my conscience is clear, impartial and motiveless, no ulterior motive. When I am going to judge a man whether he is fit or unfit, whom the other day my guru maharaja recommended to be fit approximately, the whole burden will fall to my head. The searching must be bona fide one, and sincere. There risk is there. Because there is some authority coming down from above and I am going to challenge. So am I in that position? Getting some backing, attention, divine backing, divine push? Do I feel within me? So this idea is all right. Idea is all right, but the application should be very careful. Because in the back, the recommendation of my gurudeva is there. And the wholesale? One or two may be easily eliminated, may be, but the whole thing has been rotten within two, three years? A very brave vision. So one must be sure of his own platform, where he stands, whether it is a real one. It is a very bold action. It will… if it is real, it is very laudable and it is extremely necessary for the welfare of the world, __________. It is deemed important, there is no question about that. Purification, it is also a duty on me. Purification of the teachings of my Lord, no adulteration should enter there. To see that, it is also my duty as I am one of the meanest servants of my Lord. It is a responsibility that is also on me. Like a dog, like a dog I must bark that danger is ahead. It is my duty, servant's duty, but still I must be doubly sure, triply sure that whom I am going to eliminate is he really to be eliminated? A very risky campaign, you see.

DKS: In the Fourth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam in the sacrifice of Daksa, Sati recognized that her father was expert materially speaking, very successful in sacrifice, but because he insulted Siva, vaisnavam yatha Sambhu, the greatest devotee…

SM: So my advice was wait and see, they will dig their own grave, if it is such. Swami Maharaja came with a great motive, a great force, and it cannot be conceived that within two or three years the whole thing will be smashed. So wait and see. They will … dig their own grave, and I also will be disgusted with their misbehavior. Then it will be easy and it will be sure to cleanse, the attempt to cleanse the alien trouble.

DKS: Prabhupada would sometimes give the comparison of guru mara vidya. So if someone feels that my spiritual master is being killed by these actions, how can he wait and see? Or participate and just pass the knife to those who are cutting the throat of the spiritual master?

SM: If one is so clear in his conception, that his guru is being killed, going to be killed, of course he cannot tolerate. He may take the risk. If his clear conscience dictates to him, that his guru is at risk, then of course he cannot stop.

DKS: Or the mission of his guru.

SM: To so much extent, so much intensity, he feels urge within, of his conscience, that you don't allow these things to go on in the name of our gurudeva, your divine master, then he cannot stop him.

SBD: The present situation, Maharaja, is that is has become more of a cult, it has become…

SM: Sanskrit sloka: "Never go in the front, because if it is successful then you share in the results equally with everybody else, but if it is a failure then you are the one to bear the brunt. (laughing) of this is ordinary consideration. When a dangerous campaign has come before you to take the lead that is also dangerous but in the case of genius, it won't apply; he must take the lead. The whole risk he will take on his shoulder and he will go forward.

BCS: Bengali with Sridahar Maharaja.

SBD: What is the meaning of the second one?

SM: If there will be any danger, the front man will be in danger and you will be safe. (laughing) So always be in… try to remain in the back. That is of course, ordinary policy (laughing) but a genius…

SBD: Bengali: If, by any chance some activity taken up by the Society somehow or other goes against the instructions, against the parampara of the guru, then if we go against the instructions of our spiritual master and simply make the present ISKCON setup into a cult worship where instead of distributing the sanatana dharma through the books, they simply take up a method of earning money, any method for earning money, they are simply individually trying to beat their own drums and be the center of everything. If you kindly allow me, Maharaja, then I can individually point out the different ways they are doing this.

SM: Deviation may be of two classes. One formal, another internal. External, internal. About external, modification, we shall have to tolerate. My father dies… in the case of a king. When the king dies the elder brother takes his seat in the same throne and it is difficult to see, to tolerate, by the younger brother and the mother and other propers, but still the old must depart. This is sanatana dharma; an eternal course of nature, the old will repair and the new will be replaced. This is formal current, and we must be very careful. Of course, it will wound our heart, that this throne was occupied by my gurudeva, now one of my brothers is installed there, he is taking seat there, audacity, removed? But the sastra, this general regulation will ask me to take precious. This is the, old must make room for the new. Because the new generation, the newcomers are there waiting for the same atmosphere as you expected and you got, you wanted about your guru. The next generation, you'll be with the spirit of toleration, hmm. You will have to adjust internally and the external circumstances, will be given… facility will be given to the newcomers.

SBD: But Maharaja, in case, when the king leaves and his son is below a certain age and the prime minister is put to look after the kingdom as a protector till the eldest son or the only son of the king grows old enough to take charge…

SBD: Bengali:
And now, Maharaja, in our case wherein Srila Prabhupada left the planet, then he just left certain leaders in command, although they were not ready for it. And those leaders themselves often agreed to this fact.

SM: (laughing) But anyhow, before leaving the planet, Prabhupada did make some arrangements in the form of a GBC body.

SBD: Yes, but on the same time Srila Prabhupada had more or less pointed out a prime minister to whom we could go to in moments of difficulties and that prime minister, so to speak, was you, Srila Sridhara Swami.

DKS: His (Sridhara Maharaja's) name is "Bhakti-raksaka," so he is supposed to protect…

BCS: That he can… if they come. Otherwise, what? I mean, if they don't come to him, what can be done?

SM: Bengali
Not for protection, but rather for taking suggestions when required. He will give suggestions impartially so that the best can be achieved for the Society.

(To be continued…)