That’s Your Interpretation Prabhu

Krsnacandra Dasa – Vrndavan: How many times have we heard this come back? It makes me wonder if we are all reading and following the same Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada’s absolute genius was to take the highly sophisticated and spiritually elevated subject matter of the Vedic Shastra and condense it down to very simple terms for the degraded, fallen and ‘dumbed down’ people of the Kali yuga.

The language that Srila Prabhupada has chosen to convey these esoteric facts is very simple and must be taken ‘as it is’ in order to understand and appreciate the ideas that he is conveying to us. The words and terms he uses are not cryptic nor do they possess some esoteric or hidden meaning, thus his instructions are clear, concise and very nicely illuminate the high and otherwise bewildering Vedic injunctions.

There isn’t the question of; importation or the ‘eisegesis’ of other meanings into the text, nor is there the question of seeking a meaning that underlies the text. The text is to be taken ‘as it is’ without interpretation or bias.

When Srila Prabhupada states ‘first you become pure’ it is self-explanatory. It is not up to anyone to break that text down in an attempt to illicit another hidden or esoteric meaning or inference. His words are to be understood on their own terms, nothing more or nothing less. Nothing added or nothing taken away.

Of course in a mind polluted with impersonalist thought; that has been trained and subsequently attached to religious hermeneutics or their religious background, may not be able to appreciate or accept the simple truth. For example; in the attempts of the Abrahamic religious denominations to explain various inconsistencies and lack of clarity of their text there has arisen a science of ‘Hermeneutics’ which is a text analysis system for those who believe text has the ability to reveal or conceal the truth and cannot accept the text at face value.

The very acceptance that textual reference can be interpreted in ways other than intended by the author places ambiguity in the textual reference of both the written and spoken word which creates doubt in the mind of the reader or listener. To allow text to be speculatively analysed in any other manner than the literal (direct) meaning of the text suggests that the ‘author’ either does not know what they mean when writing the text or that the author is writing for an esoteric audience who has a textual analysis system that can interpret the said text. However, it is more likely that indirect interpretations of text suggests that the interpreter is either an idiot or that they are purposefully twisting the meaning of the text to suit their needs.

This type of textual analysis has no place in the Vaisnava community as Srila Prabhupada teaches us to interpret his texts as it is. To suggest that Srila Prabhupada’s textual references are other than what he is presenting is more akin to the Kabbalistic, Christian or Dialectical Philosophical traditions that use hermeneutics in order to gain meanings from their text other than simply taking its literal meaning.

To the Vaisnava there is no need for interpretation, there is only a need for understanding of the text.

The application of any interpretative system on any text enables the reader of the text to interpret the text according to their whim which easily lends itself to manipulation the meaning of the text in order to align it with their ideology or plan. The problem with eisegesis interpretation of a text is that the person interprets the text with connotations and inferences that are literally not present in the text. Or they make you think that what you are reading or hearing is not what it seems that they have another meaning or that the meaning is far too esoteric for you to understand.

Srila Prabhupada: One thing is that you have to become intelligent. Just like Bhagavad-gita it is said, dharma-ksetre kuru-ksetre samaveta yuyutsavah [Bg. 1.1]. Now why I shall accept interpretation on these plain words? That is my foolishness. If somebody says dharma-ksetra means this body and Pandava means the five senses, why this nonsense interpretation? If you are not intelligent, then you will accept such rascals interpreting unnecessarily. Interpretation is required when things are not very clear. But when the things are clear, why you should accept interpretation? That is my foolishness. There isch rascals interpreting unnecessarily. Interpretation is required when things are not very clear. But when the things are clear, why you should accept interpretation? That is my foolishness. There is no need of interpretation. [break] …is it still there? Why, if the rascal interprets Kuruksetra means this body, why shall I accept it? Kuruksetra is still there. There is no difficulty to understand. And if somebody interprets… [break] …interpretation, in the Bhagavad-gita no need of interpretation. [break] …is it still there? Why, if the rascal interprets Kuruksetra means this body, why shall I accept it? Kuruksetra is still there. There is no difficulty to understand. And if somebody interprets… [break] …interpretation, in the Bhagavad-gita it is said that as soon as you interpret, the whole thing is lost. So why shall I be so foolish, I shall accept something which is lost.  Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra December 22, 1976, Poona

Srila Prabhupada often used the terms direct and indirect interpretation when describing how a text must be understood. He wanted us to use the direct or literal method of interpretation explaining how the indirect interpretation leads to the meaning of the text being lost.

Those of us who have been reading Srila Prabhupada’s Books for years and who do not have allegiances to the Fraudulent ISKCON Rubber Stamped Gurus or the GBC who support them, do not have this doubt nor do we have this ambiguity. However, for those who, as Sir Walter Scott says “Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive,” are filled with lies and deceit, and of course they will seeks ways in which to distort the self-evident truth of Srila Prabhupada’s word for their own advantage.

We must make a careful study of Srila Prabhupada’s instructions to be able to discern the diversionary tactics of those who are illegally occupying positions in ISKCON.

This is more so for devotees who hail from countries where English is their second language. Here the Fraudulent Rubber Stamped Gurus are wreaking the most serious damage.

I have personally experienced, living in Vrndavan Dham, many devotees from South America, Europe and Russia who have very little knowledge of Srila Prabhupada and have some very disturbing misrepresentations of Srila Prabhupada’s instructions. So many devotees are bewildered and confused due to their Rubber-Stamped Gurus lying about their spiritual position within our devotional community and lying about their level or realization. Their disciples are confused and bewildered and cannot connect with the older and wise devotees who have a more clear understanding of Srila Prabhupada’s role within ISKCON.

The Fraudulent Rubber Stamped Gurus have intentionally kept their ‘flock’ ignorant of the truth regarding Srila Prabhupada, his instructions and his role in our Sampradaya. They are also amazingly ignorant of the history of our Movement.

The excuse that these so-called Gurus give is that they do not wish to disturb the faith of the faithful. This is the pathetic rationale they use as to why they continue, year after year to lie and to cheat these innocent devotees who desire to serve Krsna.

They do not want to disturb them with the truth… Mmmmm

The only truth that they do not wish to disturb them with is the fact that they themselves are the cheaters and that they are cheating those souls who desire to take diksa and siksa initiation from a bonafide representative of Krsna.

Every devotee who comes close to Krsna via the mercy of Srila Prabhupada deserves to be told “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God!”

“It is the spiritual master who delivers the disciple from the clutches of maya by initiating him into the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. In this way, a sleeping human being can revive his consciousness by chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. In other words, the spiritual master awakens the sleeping living entity to his original consciousness so that he can worship Lord Visnu. This is the purpose of diksa, or initiation. Initiation means receiving the pure knowledge of spiritual consciousness.” (CC Madhya-lila 9.61)

When Srila Prabhupada says that diksa initiation means ‘receiving the pure knowledge of spiritual consciousness’ somehow we make the jump to thinking that that naturally means anyone who is presently occupying a position within ISKCON is to be accepted as a pure devotee and that diksa initiation means that you must have a fire sacrifice from that person and you must surrender onto him and become his disciple and only follow his instructions.

Srila Prabhupada makes the position of diksa and siksa guru abundantly clear. There is only one diksa guru who is bonafide in ISKCON and has the authority to give spiritual knowledge (initiation) that is Srila Prabhupada himself and there are many advanced souls (Both present and in the future) who have taken or will take Srila Prabhupada as their ‘diksa’ guru who is the only one who can actually assist them with their spiritual lives.

Srila Prabhupada did not appoint any ‘disciple initiating gurus / acharyas’ of ISKCON. This is FISKCON’s doing. They appointed themselves and continue to appoint themselves into these fictitious positions in ISKCON. They themselves know this very well. They themselves know that they have not achieved Krsna prema. They know they have not even achieved the brahma bhuta platform. They know full well that they cannot give what they do not possess.

They know that they have not done the saddhana to be able to have achieved sadhana siddha status. They know that in order to achieve kripa siddha status they should not have disobeyed their so called Spiritual Master by assuming to be on the same platform as he. There is no way that judging from their behavior and activities that they are any more spiritually elevated than anyone else in ISKCON. In fact, they have only proven that they are aparadhis or offenders of ISKCON’s Acharya His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.

Yet they cling onto their lies and deceit praying that they will not be fully exposed for fraudulently impersonating a Vaisnava Spiritual Master for as long as they can get away with it. As long as their hapless disciples don’t find out that Srila Prabhupada did not sanction their position of being a guru who is allowed to make disciples of their own, what to speak of asking them if they in actual fact have Krsna prema in order to give it? They would have to lie. But should their disciples look into their eyes with knowledge they may see the doubt there. The guilt there… The lies…

They hope and pray that their disciples will never wake up enough to find out that the original eleven Initiating Spiritual Masters and Zonal Acharyas were never appointed by Srila Prabhupada but forcefully created their positions mere months after Srila Prabhupada entered into Samadhi. They hope and pray that they will never find out the truth about how the fifty-man committee opened up the much-envied position of being a ‘disciple making guru’ to more and more envious disciples of His Divine Grace.

They want you to believe that they have the right to appoint themselves as initiating diksa gurus, even though they know that Srila Prabhupada did not appoint them nor did Srila Prabhupada make allowances for the position of an Initiating Spiritual Master who can take disciples of their own within ISKCON.

They hope that so long as they keep ignoring the truth and keep on acting as if there is nothing wrong that they will always be able to get away with their terrible lie…

This is why we are in doubt now as a worldwide community. We as a devotional community have mixed loyalties. This doubt must and will be cleared up as more and more devotees begin to make a study of Srila Prabhupada’s books from all different angles so they will no longer be confused by the spin doctoring of these FISKCON Gurus, GBCs and the BBT.

Srila Prabhupada’s words are clear and self-evident. So, the next time that anyone say’s ‘That is your interpretation Prabhu’ don’t listen to them. They want to instill doubt into your mind and heart. Find out for yourself by taking your idea to Srila Prabhupada and finding his answers in his unchanged books and instructions for yourself. Then accept what Srila Prabhupada is explaining to you ‘as it is’. Take it at face value. If in further doubt, Srila Prabhupada lovingly explains the very same point you are enquiring about over and over again throughout his works, you will find it there time and time again so don’t worry. Srila Prabhupada also has many loyal followers who have accepted him as their initiating Spiritual Master who can help you understand his instructions. Otherwise you will be cheated.

Don’t listen to me either. I am an ignorant fool. Ask Srila Prabhupada.

Yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada

Krsnacandra Dasa