Srila Prabhupada’s Statements on the “Higher Thing”

Srila Prabhupada’s Statements on the “Higher Thing”

compiled by Mahesh Raja (UK)

Excerpts taken from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Nectar of Devotion, Chaitanya-charitamrita, Conversations & Letters, compiled by Mahesh das

The Gopi Bhava Club is as we know a group of senior leaders of ISKCON who took shelter of Narayana Maharaja and sought to infiltrate ISKCON with key members who secretly took siksa and disksa from Narayana Maharaja in the eighties and early nineties. Such as Bhurijan Dasa; who was the president of the Narayana Maharaja organization, and still held a position as an ISKCON guru and GBC member.

Initially they attempted to merge into ISKCON and influence it to accept Narayana Maharaja as the next Acharya and then when that failed they attempted to spilt with ISKCON. This was headed by Tamal Krsna Goswami who failed due to having his plan revealed by devotees and so lost impetus.

Presently the Gopi Bhava Club is working behind the scenes to merge the existing members of the Narayana Maharaja Camp into ISKCON when Narayana Maharaja finally leaves his body.

The history of this deviation needs to be carefully detailed so please provide your testimonies and any evidence in your possession so that this very serious deviation can be recorded for the sake of future posterity.

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Satyam, truthfulness, means that facts should be presented as they are for the benefit of others. Facts should not be misrepresented. According to social conventions, it is said that one can speak the truth only when it is palatable to others. But that is not truthfulness. The truth should be spoken in a straight and forward way, so that others will understand actually what the facts are.

The bhava stage is manifested by eight transcendental symptoms, namely inertness, perspiration, standing of hairs on end, failing in the voice, trembling, paleness of the body, tears in the eyes and finally trance. The Nectar of Devotion, a summary study of Srila Rupa Gosvami’s Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, explains those symptoms and vividly describes other transcendental developments, both in steady and accelerating manifestations. Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura has very critically discussed all these bhava displays in connection with some unscrupulous neophyte’s imitating the above symptoms for cheap appreciation. Not only Vishvanatha Chakravarti, but also Srila Rupa Gosvami treated them very critically. Sometimes all the above eight symptoms of ecstasy are imitated by the mundane devotees (prakrita-sahajias), but the pseudo symptoms are at once detected when one sees the pseudo devotee addicted to so many forbidden things. Even though decorated with the signs of a devotee, a person addicted to smoking, drinking or illegitimate sex with women cannot have all the above-mentioned ecstatic symptoms. But it is seen that sometimes these symptoms are willfully imitated, and for this reason Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti accuses the imitators of being stonehearted men. They are sometimes even affected by the reflection of such transcendental symptoms, yet if they still do not give up the forbidden habits, then they are hopeless cases for transcendental realization.—Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.24

Sometimes it is found that a nondevotee who has practically no taste for Krishna and who follows no rules or regulations can, by practice, make a show of devotional symptoms, even crying in an assembly of devotees. This shedding of tears is not actually an ecstatic loving expression, however. It is done simply by practice. Although there is no need to describe these reflections of ecstatic love, Rupa Gosvami gives some instances where there is no actual devotional service and such expressions are manifested.—Nectar of Devotion 28

The transcendental symptoms of ecstasy certainly are auspicious, but they are not for advertising to others. One should not advertise directly or indirectly that one is feeling like this. They should be checked. Otherwise one will gradually become sahajiya or one who takes spiritual advancement as something materially manifest.—Letter to Makhanlal das, 70-06-03

When there are manifestations of ecstatic symptoms in the body of a nondevotee, these are called dried-up symptoms of ecstatic love. The nondevotees are actually materialistic, but in cointact with some pure devotee, they sometimes may manifest some symptoms of ecstasy. Devotional scholars call these dried-up symptoms.—NOD 28

Rupa Gosvami says that the impersonalists’ symptoms are simply reflections of ecstatic love, not the real thing.—NOD 28

The prakrita-sahajiyas exhibit these symptoms to advertise their so-called advancement in love of Krishna, but instead of praising the prakrita-sahajiyas for their symptoms of transcendental ecstasy, pure devotees do not like to associate with them. It is not advisable to equate the prakrita-sahajiyas with pure devotees. When one is actually advanced in ecstatic love of Krishna, he does not try to advertise himself. Instead, he endeavors more and more to render service to the Lord.—Chaitanya-charitamrita Antya-lila 20.28

One should not artificially try to establish some relationship. In the premature stage it is sometimes found that a lusty, conditioned person will artificially try to establish some relationship with Krishna in conjugal love. The result of this is that one becomes prakrita-sahajiya, or one who takes everything very cheaply. Although such persons may be very anxious to establish a relationship with Krishna in conjugal love, their conditioned life in the material world is still most abominable. A person who has actually established his relationship with Krishna can no longer act on the material plane, and his personal character cannot be criticized.—Nectar of Devotion 40

Without serving Krishna according to the vidhi-marga regulative principles of the pancharatrika-vidhi, unscrupulous person want to jump immediately to the raga-marga principles. Such persons are called sahajiya. There are also demons who enjoy depicting Krishna and His pastimes with the gopis, taking advantage of Krishna by their licentious character. These demons who print books and write lyrics on the raga-marga principles are surely on the way to hell. Unfortunately, they lead others down with them. Devotees in Krishna consciousness should be very careful to avoid such demons. One should strictly follow the vidhi-marga regulative principles in the worship of Laksmi-Narayana, although the Lord is present in the temple as Radha-Krishna. Radha-krishna includes Laksmi-Narayana; therefore when one worships the Lord according to the regulative prinicples, the Lord accepts the service in the role of Laksmi-Narayana.  In the Nectar of Devotion full instructions are given about the vidhi-marga worship of Radha-Krishna, or Laksmi-Narayana. Although there are sixty-four kinds of offenses one can commit in vidhi-marga worship, in raga-marga worship there is no consideration of such offenses because the devotees on that platform are very much elevated, and there is no question of offense. But if we do not follow the regulative principles on the vidhi-marga platform and keep our eyes trained to spot offenses, we will not make progress.—Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.24.45-46

The siddha-pranali process is followed by a class of men who are not very authorized and who have manufactured their own way of devotional service. They imagine they have become associates of the Lord simply by thinking of themselves like that. This external behavior is not at all according to the regulative principles. The so-called siddha-pranali process is followed by the prakrita-sahajiya, a pseudosect of so-called Vaishnavas. In the opinion of Rupa Gosvami, such activities are simply disturbances to the standard way of devotional service. Sri Rupa Gosvami says that learned acharyas recommend that we follow the regulative principles even after the development of spontaneous love for Krishna.—Nectar of Devotion 16

Those who think they have already attained such perfection and give up the regulative principles are called sahajiya, or those who take things cheaply and simply imitate. This early rising, holding classes, going out regularly for sankirtana, worshiping the deity are the very substance of devotional life.—Letter to Bhurijana, 74-04-29

Sometimes a sahajiya presents himself  as being void of desires for reputation (pratistha) in order to become famous as a humble man. Such people cannot actually attain the platform of celebrated Vaishnavas.— Chaitanya-charitamrita Madhya-lila 4.147

Tapasya means to undergo volunarily some inconveniences of this body. Because we are accustomed to enjoy bodily senses, and tapasya means voluntarily to give up the idea of sense gratification. That is tapasya. Tapasya. Just like Ekadasi. Ekadasi, one day fasting, fortnight. That is also tapasya. Or fasting in some other auspicious day. That tapasya is good, even for health, and what to speak of advancing in Krishna consciousness. So we should accept this tapasya. The upavasa. There are many prescribed days for fasting. We should observe. And the preliminary tapasya, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication, no…, no meat-eating… There may be some inconvenience, those who were accustomed to this practice, but we’ll have to accept. Tapo divyam putraka yena suddhyet sattvam. If we want to purify our existence… At the present moment our existence is not purified, impure. Therefore we are suffering. Just like when one’s physiological condition becomes infected, he suffers from fever and other symptoms of disease, similarly, we are suffering in this material world on account of this material body. If we want really happiness, then we must accept tapasya. Tapasya is required. Without tapasya, if you think that very easily… Or “without tapasya I can get it simply by imagination,” then you become sahajiya, to take things very easily. No. Tapasya. Therefore Krishna says that tapas chasmi tapasvisu. That acceptance of tapasya means that tapasya is itself Krsihna. You associate with Krishna.—Bhagavad-gita Lectures, Vrindaban, 15 August 1974 (740815BG.VRN)

So these are all symptoms of love for Krishna. That is the highest perfection of life, to shed tears for Krishna. Yugayitam nimesena chaksusa pravrisayitam. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu taught us this method of worship in separation, vipralambha-seva. Not that “Oh, I have seen yesterday. Last night, I have seen Krishna. He was snatching my cloth.” These are sahajiyas. Actually, our worship should be in separation. The Gosvamis also taught us like that. He radhe vraja-devike cha lalite he nanda-suno kutah. They in the Vrindavana remained authorized persons. They were also searching after Krishna. They never said that “we have got Krishna,” never said. He radhe vraja-devike cha lalite he nanda-suno kutah sri-govardhana-kalpa-padapa-tale kalindi-vane kutah, Ghosantav iti sarvato vraja-pure khedair maha-vihvalau. Simply khedair maha-vihvalau. They were lamenting in separation. Vande rupa- sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau. So this is the process of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s worship. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was falling down on the water, “Oh, I could not see Krishna.” When He was grihastha, He was simply consulting with mother, “Mother, I could not realize Krishna. What shall I do? Where shall I go?” Mother said, “My dear son, why You are impatient? Everything will be all right in due course.” Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was giving indication that “I must leave home.” Mother was also understanding that “This boy wants to leave us.” That was another perplexed position. So that is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s teaching:

yugayitam nimesena
chaksusa pravrisayitam
sunyayitam jagat sarvam
govinda-virahena me

Govinda-virahena: “In separation from Govinda I am thinking one moment as twelve years.” Some of you or all of you or all of us have got this experience. If we want something very, very eagerly, then every moment becomes a long time. “Oh, it is not yet received. It is not yet received. It is not yet done.” Yugayitam nmesena. Nimesa, a moment, a twinkling of an eye, that is called nimesa. That appears to be twelve years. The gopis could not tolerate even twinkling of eyes. They were condemning the creator, “The creator does not know the art of creating. Why he has created this twinkling of eyes so that it is disturbing us from seeing Krishna.” Seeing Krishna, and the twinkling of eyes, that is natural. So the gopis did not like it, that “Why he has created this? He does not know the art of creation.” This is love. Yugayi… Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu tasted the gopis’ feelings. Sri-chaitanyakhyam prakatam adhuna tad-dvayam chaikyam aptam. Radha krishna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini-saktih. Krishna, when He wants to enjoy… He is the Absolute Supreme Person, spirit, Absolute, the Supreme Spirit. So for spiritual enjoyment in this material world, great saintly persons, sages, they give up all material enjoyment just to taste what is spiritual enjoyment, spiritual life. Brahmanubhuti. They give up everything. Tapasa brahmacharyena. By austerity, brahmacharya, yamena, niyamena, tyagena, satya-sauchabhyam—so many processes they adopt for tasting a little brahmanubhuti, ittham satam brahma-sukhanubhutya dasyam gatanam para-daivatena. So Sukadeva Gosvami said that “Here, the Krishna, here is playing with the cowherd boys. Who is He?” Ittham satam brahma-sukhanubhutya. “The great sages, saintly persons who are trying to taste the spiritual realization, that is here. He is playing as cowherd boy.“ Dasyam gatanam para-daivatena: “And those who are devotees, for them He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” Mayasritanam nara-darakena: “And those who are mayasrita, they are thinking, ‘This Krishna is ordinary human child.'” Sakam vijahruh krta-punya-punjah: “So with this boy, transcendental Krishna, cowherd boy, the other boys who are playing, they are not ordinary men.” Krita-punya-punjah. “They accumulated pious activities life after life for many, many thousands and millions of lives. Now they have got the opportunity to play with Krishna.“

So this Krishna consciousness movement is very serious and important. Here are the signs, how they love Krsna. One side, they are… they cannot check the tears coming out: “Krishna is going away.” Another side: “Oh, if I shed tears, then there may be inauspicity.” How much perplexity, this two sides. Dilemma. Between the horns of Scylla and Charybdis. That is the position. The lover, intense love creates such situation, as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited.

yugayitam nimesena
chaksusa pravrsayitam
sunyayitam jagat sarvam
govinda-virahena me

“Without seeing Govinda, the whole world is vacant.” This is love. “Let me try to become Krishna conscious. If it is done, all right. If it is not done, I shall remain in my position. What is the loss?” Not like that. One must be so eager that without Krishna consciousness, one should become mad. One should become mad. That is Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s teaching: separation, not direct contact.

Direct contact is not possible. Neither that is the way of worshiping by the method of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. That is sahajiya-vada. “I am talking with Krishna. Krishna is snatching my cloth.” There is a book, one lady has written, his [her] experience, that Krishna comes, He talks with her and snatches her cloth. She has written openly. But this is not Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s way. There is one gentleman, Mr. Raya, in Poona, and he has got also woman. Everyone must have a woman, parakiya. This is sahajiya-vada. This is sahajiya-vada. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu never said, “This is the parakiya-rasa: one should have one woman.” No. He observed complete sannyasa life. Rather there was very, very severe, rigid restriction about women. But now, these sahajiyas, they are going on in the name of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu: aula, baula, kartta-bhaja, neda, daravesa, sani sahajiya, sakhibheki, like that, so many. They are apa-sampradaya. Real Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Sampradaya is that he should be feeling like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, separation. Not sambhoga. Vipralambha. Vipralambha-seva: “Oh, I am so wretched, I could not serve Krishna. How I can see Krishna? It is not possible.” In this way.

That is the teaching of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. “But even though I do not see Him, neither it is possible for me to see Him…” Means: “What I am? I am insignificant person. Why Krishna come and see me?” This is right. “Why shall I aspire after seeing Krishna? What qualification I have got?” This is bhajana. This is bhajana. Why should I be proud that “Now I shall see Krishna”? What I am? That is the teaching of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam marma-hatam karotu va adarsanat. Adarsana. “Without giving me audience, You kill me, You break my heart; still, You are my Lord, You are my worshipable Lord, nobody else.” This is love. This is love. [Bengali:] Asan krsna galai diba naiva beja tata[?]. Not like that. “Krishna may not come. I may not see Krishna for thousands and thousands of lives. I may rot in the hellish condition of life for many, many births. That doesn’t matter. Still, I cannot give up Krishna consciousness.” This is required. I may be sent to hell, heaven; it doesn’t matter. What qualification I have got that I want to see back to home, back to Godhead?

It is not so easy thing. So why should I be sorry for that? I should be happy even in the hell simply by thinking of Krishna. That is wanted. That is wanted. That is Krishna consciousness. So here is the example. Tears by force are coming out: “Oh, Krishna is going away.” At the same time, they want to check: “There may not be any inauspicity for Krishna.” They’re thinking Krishna, for Krishna, not for personal self. “Oh, I am now crying. I have become very much fortunate. I am crying for Krishna.” No. “My crying will create inauspicity for Krishna, I must check it.” This is Krishna consciousness.—Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures, Mayapur, 27 June 1973 (730627SB.MAY)

Even in such a sacred place as Vrindavana, India, unintelligent men pass off this rectal and genital business as spiritual activity. Such people are called sahajiya. According to their philosophy, through sexual indulgence one can elevate oneself to the spiritual platform. From these verses of Srimad-Bhagavatam, however, we understand taht the desires for sexual satisfaction are meant for the arvak, the lowest among men. To rectify these rascals and fools is very difficult. After all, the sex desires of the common man are condemned in these verses. The word durmada means “wrongly directed,” and nirrti means “sinful activity.” Although this clearly indicates that sex indulgence is abominable and misdirected even from the ordinary point of view, the sahajiyas nonetheless pass themselves off as devotees conducting spiritual activities.—Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.29.14

Krishna’s embracing Radharani or His dancing with the cowherd girls in the rasa dance are generally not understood by ordinary men because they consider these pastimes in the light of mundane lust. They incorrectly think that Krishna is like themselves and that He embraces the gopis just as an ordinary man embraces a young girl. Some people thus become interested in Krishna because they think that His religion allows indulgence in sex. This is not Krishna-bhakti, love of Krishna— but prakrita-sahajiya, materialistic lust. In order to avoid such errors, we should understand what Radha-Krishna actually is. Radha and Krishna display Their pastimes through Krishna’s internal energy. The pleasure potency of Krishna’s internal energy is a most difficult subject matter, and unless one understands what Krishna is, one cannot understand it. Krishna does not take any pleasure in this material world, but He has a pleasure potency. Because we are part and parcel of Krishna, the pleasure potency is within us also, but we are trying to exhibit that pleasure potency in matter. Krishna, however, does not make such a vain attempt. The object of Krishna’s pleasure potency is Radharani; Krishna exhibits His potency, or energy, as Radharani, and then engages in loving affairs with Her. In other words, Krishna does not take pleasure in this external energy but exhibits His internal energy, His pleasure potency as Radharani. Thus Krishna manifests Himself as Radharani in order to exhibit His internal pleasure potency. Of the many extensions, expansions and incarnations of the Lord,  this pleasure potency is the foremost and chief. It is not that Radharani is separate from Krishna. Radharani is also Krishna, for there is no difference between the energy and the energetic. Without energy, there is no meaning to the energetic, and without the energetic, there is no energy. Similarly, without Radha there is no meaning to Krishna, and without Krishna there is no meaning to Radha. Because of this, the Vaishnava philosophy first of all pays obeisances to and worships the internal pleasure potency of the Supreme Lord. Thus the Lord and His potency are always referred to as Radha-Krishna. Similarly, those who worship the name of Narayana first of all utter the name of Laksmi, as Laksmi-Narayana. Similarly, those who worship Lord Rama first of all utter the name of Sita. In any case—Sita-Rama, Radha-Krishna, Laksmi-Narayana-the potency always comes first. Radha and Krishna are one, and when Krishna desires to enjoy pleasure, He manifests Himself as Radharani. The spiritual exchange of love between Radha and Krishna is the actual display of the internal pleasure potency of Krishna. Alhough we speak of “when” Krishna desires, just when He did desire we cannot say. We only speak in this way because in conditioned life we take it that everything has a beginning; however, in the absolute, or spiritual life, there is neither beginning or end. Yet in order to understand that Radha and Krsihna are one and that They also become divided, the question “when?” automatically comes to mind. When Krishna desired to enjoy His pleasure potency, He manifested Himself in the separate form of  Radharani, and when He wanted to understand Himself through the agency of Radha, He united with Radharani, and that unification is called Lord Chaitanya.

Why did Krishna assume the form of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu? It is explained that Krishna desired to know the glory of Radha’s love. “Why is She so much in love with Me?” Krishna asked. “What is My special qualification that attracts Her so? And what is the actual way in which She loves Me?” It seems strange that Krishna, as the Supreme, should be attracted by anyone’s love. We search after the love of a woman or a man because we are imperfect and lack something. The love of a woman, that potency and pleasure, is absent in man, and therefore a man wants a woman, but this is not the case with Krishna, who is full in Himself. Thus Krishna expressed surprise: “Why am I attracted by Radharani? And when Radharani feels My love, what is She actually feeling?” In order to taste the essence of that loving affair, Krishna appeared just as the moon appears on the horizon of the sea. Just as the moon was produced by the churning of the sea, by the churning of spiritual love affairs the moon of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared. Indeed, Lord Chaitanya’s complexion was golden, just like the moon. Although this is figurative language, it conveys the meaning behind the appearance of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.—Chaitanya-charitamrita Adi-lila Introduction

Some material sahajiyas who cannot actually understand the pastimes of Radha and Krishna manufacture their own life-styles without referring to authority. Such sahajiyas are called sakhi-bheki, and sometimes they are called gaura-nagari. They believe that the material body, which is fit to be eaten by jackals and dogs, is enjoyable for Krishna. Consequently they artificially decorate the material body to attract Krsihna, thinking themselves sakhis. But Krishna is never attracted by the artificial grooming of the material body. As far as Srimati Radharani and Her gopis are concerned, Their bodies, homes, dresses, ornaments, endeavors and activities are all spiritual.—Cc Madhya-lila 8.204-205

Those under the shelter of the lotus feet of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu can understand that His mode of worship of the Supreme Lord Krishna in separation is the real worship of the Lord. When the feelings of separation become very intense, one attains the stage of meeting Sri Krishna. So-called devotees like the sahajiyas CHEAPLY IMAGINE they are meeting Krishna in Vrindavana. Such thinking may be useful, but actually meeting Krishna is possible through the attitude of separation taught by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.—Cc Adi-lila 4.108

In the parampara system, the instructions taken from the bona fide spiritual master must also be based on revealed Vedic scriptures. One who is in the line of disciplic succession cannot manufacture his own way of behavior. There are many so-called followers of the Vaishnava cult in the line of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who do not scrupulously follow the conclusions of the shastras, and therefore they are considered to be apa-sampradaya, which means “outside of the sampradaya.” Some of these groups are known as aula, baula, kartabhaja, neda, daravesa, sani sahajiya, sakhibheki, smarta, jata-gosani, ativadi, chudadhari and gauranga-nagari. In order to follow strictly the disciplic succession of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, one should not associate with these apasampradaya communities.—Cc Adi-lila 7.48

One thing, on the invitation card you have written “All glories to our Guru Maharaja.” This is impersonalism. As soon as we offer obeisnaces to guru, the name should be there. We are strictly personalists. The sahajiyas they write “glories to Guru”. Why you are learning this impersonalism, who has taught you? Daily I am offering obeisances to my Guru by vibrating his real name, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, otherwise it is impersonal.—Letter to Bhavananda, 72-07-14

The prakrita-sahajiyas do not consult the Vedic literature, and they are debauchees, woman-hunters and smokers of ganja. Sometimes they give a theatrical performance and cry for the Lord with tears in their eyes. Of course, all scriptural conclusions are washed off by these tears. The prakrta-sahajiyas do not realize that they are violating the orders of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who specifically said that to understand Vrindavana and the pastimes of Vrindavana one must have sufficient knowledge of the shastras (Vedic scriptures). As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatatm (1.2.12), bhaktya-sruta-grihitaya. This means that devotional service is acquired from Vedic knowledge.  Tach chraddadhanah munayah. Devotees who are actually serious attain bhakti, scientific devotional service, by hearing Vedic scriptures (bhaktya sruta-grihitaya). It is not that one should create something out of sentimentality, become a sahajiya and advocate such concocted devotional service.—Chaitanya-charitamrita Madhya-lila 1.34

Taking advantage of these verses, there are some sahajiyas who, taking everything very cheaply, consider themselves elevated Vaishnavas, but do not care even to touch the Vedanta-sutra or Vedanta philosophy. A real Vaishnava should, however, study Vedanta philosophy. But if after studying Vedanta one does not adopt the chanting of the Holy Name of the Lord, He is no better than a Mayavadi. Therefore, one should not be a Mayavadi, yet one should not be unaware of the subject matter of Vedanta philosophy. Indeed, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu exhibited His knowledge of Vedanta in His discourses with Prakashananda Sarasvati. Thus it is to be understood that a Vaishnava should be completely conversant with Vedanta philosophy, yet he should not think that studying Vedanta is all in all and therefore be unattached to the chanting of the holy name. A devotee must know the importance of simultaneously understanding Vedanta philosophy and chanting the holy names. If by studying Vedanta one becomes an impersonalist, he has not been able to understand Vedanta. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (15.15). Vedanta means “the end of knowledge.” The ultimate end of knowledge is knowledge of Krishna, who is identifcal with His Holy Name. Cheap Vaishnavas (sahajiyas) do not care to study the Vedanta philosophy as commented upon by the four acharyas. In the Gaudiya-Sampradaya there is a Vedanta commentary called the Govinda-bhasya, but the sahajiyas consider such commentaries to be untouchable philosophical speculation, and they consider the acharyas to be mixed devotees. Thus they clear their way to hell.—Cc Adi-lila 7.72

The Vaishnavas are by far the greatest philosophers in the world, and the greatest among them was Srila Jiva Gosvami Prabhu, whose philosophy was again presented less than four hundred years later by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Maharaja. Therefore one must know very well that Vaishnava philosophers are not sentimentalists or cheap devotees like the sahajiyas. All the Vaishnava acharyas were vastly learned scholars who understood Vedanta philosophy fully, for unless one knows Vedanta he cannot be an acharya.—Cc Adi-lila 7.102

The Pancha-tattva is a very important factor in understanding Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. There are sahajiyas who, not knowwing the importance of the Pancha-Tattva, concoct their own slogans, such as bhaja nitai gaura, radhe shyama, japa hare krsihna hare rama or sri-krishna-chaitanya prabhu-nityananda hare krishna hare rama sri-radhe govinda. Such chants may be good poetry, but they cannot help us to go forward in devotional service. In such chants there are also many discrepancies, which need not be discussed here. Strictly speaking, when chanting the names of the Pancha-Tattvam,  one should fully offer his obeisances: sri-krishna-chaitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda. By such chanting one is blessed with the competency to chant the Krishna maha-mantra without offence. When chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, one should also chant it fully: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. One should not foolishly adopt any of the slogans concocted by imaginative devotees. If one actually wants to derive the effects of chanting, one must strictly follow the great acharyas. This is confirmed in the Mahabharata: maha-jano yena gatah sa panthah. “The real path of progress is that which is traversed by great acharyas and authorities.“—Cc Adi-lila 7.168

The prakrta-sahajiyas who chant nitai-gaura radhe shyama have very little knowledge of the Bhagavata conclusion, and they hardly follow the Vaishnava rules and regulations, and yet because they chant bhaja nitai-gaura, their chanting immediately invokes tears and other signs of ecstasy. Although they do not know the principles of Vaishnava philosophy and are not very advanced in education, by these symptoms they attract many men to become their followers. Their ecstatic tears will of course help them in the long run, for as soon as they come in contact with a pure devotee their lives will become successful. Even in the beginning, however, because they are chanting the holy names of Nitai-Gaura, their swift advancement on the path of love of Godhead is very prominently visible.—Cc Adi-lila 8.22

“After initiation, the disciple’s name must be changed to indicate that he is a servant of Lord Vishnu. The disciple should also immediately begin marking his body with tilaka (urdhva-pundra), especially his forehead. These are spiritual marks, symptoms of a perfect Vaishnava.” This is a verse from the Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda. A member of the sahajiya-sampradaya does not change his name; therefore he cannot be accepted as a Gaudiya Vaishnava. If a person does not change his name after initiation, it is to be understood that he will continue in his bodily conception of life.—Cc Madhya-lila 1.208

The word upakarana indicates a variety of foods, such as dal, vegetables and other varieties of possible dishes that one can eat very nicely with rice. It is not proper, however, for a sannyasi to eat such palatable dishes. If he did so, he would not be able to control his senses. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu did not encourage sannyasis to eat very palatable dishes, for the whole Vaishnava cult is vairagya-vidya, as renounced as possible. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also advised Raghunatha dasa Gosvami not to eat very palatable dishes, wear very nice garments or talk on mundane subjects. These things are all prohibited for those in the renounced order. A devotee does not accept anything to eat that is not first offered to Krishna. All the rich foods offered to Krishna are given to the grihasthas, the householders. There are many nice things offered to Krishna–garlands, bedsteads, nice ornaments, nice food and even nicely prepared pan, betel nuts–but a humble Vaishnava, thinking his body material and nasty, does not accept such preparations for himself. He thinks that by accepting such things he will offend the lotus feet of the Lord. Those who are sahajjiyas cannot understand what Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu meant when he asked Advaita Acharya to bring two separate leaves and give a small quantity of the prasada to Him.—Cc Madhya-lila 3.70

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu warned all His followers not to become independent or impudent. Unfortunately, after the disappearance of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, many apa-sampradayas (so-called followers) invented many ways not approved by the acharyas. Bhaktivinoda Thakura has described them as the aula, baula, kartabhaja, neda, daravesa, sani sahajiya, sakhibheki, smarta, jata-gosani, ativadi, chudadhari and gauranga-nagari. The aula-sampradaya, baula-sampradaya and others invented their own ways of understanding Lord Chaitanya’s philosophy, without following in the footsteps of the acharyas. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu himself indicates herein that all such attempts would simply spoil the spirit of his cult.—Cc Madhya-lila 1.271

Srila Prabhupada: My Guru Maharaja used to say, “When our men will be sahajiya, he will be more dangerous.“

Satsvarupa: Our own men.

Srila Prabhupada: Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, he said that “When our men will be sahajiya, oh, they’ll be more dangerous.” So our men are becoming, some of them, sahajiyas. This very word he said, that “When our men will be sahajiyas he’ll be more dangerous.“—Room Conversation, 24 January 1977 (770124r2.bhu)

SPL 74-04-28 Rupanuga If Guru Maharaja could have seen someone who was qualified at that time to be acharya he would have mentioned. Because on the night before he passed away he talked of so many things, but never mentioned an acharya. His idea was acharya was not to be nominated amongst the governing body. He said openly you make a GBC and conduct the mission. So his idea was amongst the members of GBC who would come out successful and self effulgent acharya would be automatically selected. So Sridhara Maharaja and his two associate gentlemen unauthorizedly selected one acharya and later it proved a failure. The result is now everyone is claiming to be acharya, even though they may be kanistha adhikari with no ability to preach. In some of the camps the acharya is being changed three times a year. Therefore we may not commit the same mistake in our ISKCON camp. Actually amongst my godbrothers no one is qualified to become acharya. So it is better not to mix with my Godbrothers very intimately because instead of inspiring our students and disciples they may sometimes pollute them.—Letter to Rupanuga, 74-04-28

Prabhupada: So-called gurus, they are so-called gurus. They are not gurus. That is already explained. If one does not speak what Krishna speaks, he is not guru. If you accept so-called guru, that is your misfortune. What can be done?

Pusta Krishna: Some of them will say some things that Krishna says, but they’ll take from other places also. What is the position of such persons?

Prabhupada: He’s most dangerous. He’s most dangerous. He is opportunist. He’s finding out customer, something here… According to the customer he is giving something, as the customers will be pleased. So he is not guru.—760628bj.nv

The Lord states that as soon as one reaches Him by devotional service–which is the one and only way to approach the Personality of Godhead–one attains complete freedom from the bondage of birth and death. In other words, the path of salvation from the material clutches fully depends on the principles of knowledge and detachment gained from serving the Lord. The pseudo religionists have neigher knowledge nor detachment from material affairs. For most of them want to live in the golden shackles of material bondage under the shadow of philanthropic activities disguised as 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 acharyas, the holy teachers in the strict disciplic succession. They ignore the Vedic injunction acharyopasana—”One must worship the Acharya”—and Krishna’s statement in the Bhagavad-gita (4.2): evam parampara-praptam, “This supreme science of God is received through the disciplic succession.” Instead, to mislead the people in general they themselves become so-called acharyas, but they do not even follow the principles of the acharyas. 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 the Bhagavad-gita that envious demons in the garb of religious propagandists shall be thrown into the darkest regions of hell (Bhagavad-gita 16.19-20). Sri Ishopanishad 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.—Sri Ishopanishad 12

The process is maha-jano yena gatah sa panthah: one has to strictly follow great personalities and acharyas. Acharya-van puruso veda: one who has the favor of the Acharya knows everything. This statement made by Kaviraja Gosvami is very valuable for all pure devotees. Sometimes the prakrita sahajiyas claim that they have heard the truth from their guru. But one cannot have transcendental knowledge simply by hearing from a guru who is not bona fide. The guru must be bona fide, and he must have heard from his bona fide guru. —Chaitanya-charitamrita Madhya-lila 8.312

Those who do not strictly follow the principles of revealed scriptures are generally called sahajiyas—those who have imagined everything to be cheap, who have their own concocted ideas, and who do not follow the scriptural injunctions, such persons are simply creating disturbances in the discharge of devotional service.—Nectar of Devotion 7

One should not follow the men called sahajiya, the so-called devotees who take everything very lightly.—Krishnabook 29

This is the way to cultivate devotional service properly; therefore in this verse Srila Rupa Gosvami has advised us how to treat various devotees. We can see from practical experience that there are different types of Vaishnavas. The prakrita-sahajiyas generally chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, yet they are attached to women, money and intoxication. Although such persons may chant the holy name of the Lord, they are not yet properly purified. Such people should be respected within one’s mind, but their association should be avoided.—Nectar of Instruction 5

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura suggests that people who are materialistically inclined and sahajiyas, or so-called Vaishnavas who take everything very casually, are both visayi materialists. Eating food offered by them causes contamination, and as a result of such contamination, even a serious devotee becomes like a materialistic man. There are six kinds of association—giving charity, accepting charity, accepting food, offering food, talking confidentially and inquiring confidentially. One should very carefully avoid associating with body the sahajiyas, who are sometimes known as Vaishnavas, and the non-Vaishnavas, or avaishnavas. Their association changes the transcendental devotional service of Lord Krishna into sense gratification, and when sense gratification enters the mind of a devotee, he is contaminated. The materialistic person who aspires after sense gratification cannot properly think of Krishna. —Chaitanya-charitamrita Antya-lila 6.278

Sangat sanjayate kamah (Bhagavad-gita 2.62). One develops his consciousness according to society and association. As Srila Nityananda Prabhu admits, a devotee should be very careful when associating with those who are not devotees. When asked by a householder devotee what the behavior of a devotee should be, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu immediately replied:

asat-sanga-tyaga, —ei vaishnava-achara
‘stri-sangi’—eka asadhu, ‘Krishnabhakta’ ara— (Chaitanya-charitamrita Madhya 22.87)

A Vaishnava, a devotee, should simply discard intimate association with nondevotees. In his Upadesamrta, Srila Rupa Gosvami has described the symptoms of intimate relationships in this way:

dadati pratigrhnati
guhyam akhyati prcchati
bhunkte bhojayate chaiva
sad-vidham priti-laksanam

The words bhunkte bhojayate indicate that one should eat with devotees. One should carefully avoid eating food offered by nondevotees. Indeed, a devotee should be very strict in not accepting food from a nondevotee, especially food prepared in restaurants or hotels or on airplanes. Srila Nityananada Prabhu’s reference in this connection is meant to emphasize that one should avoid eating with Mayavadis and covert Mayavadis like the sahajiya Vaishnavas, who are materially affected.—Cc Madhya-lila 12.195

**An advanced devotee situated on the platform of spontaneity is already very expert in shastric instruction, logic and argument. When he comes to the point of eternal love for Krishna, no one can deviate him from that position, neither by argument nor by shastric evidence. An advanced devote has realized his eternal relationship with the Lord, and consequently he does not accept the logic and arguments of others.** Such an advanced devotee has nothing to do with the sahajiyas, who manufacture their own way and commit sins by indulging in illicit sex, intoxication and gambling, if not meat-eating. Sometimes the sahajiyas imitate advanced devotees and live in their own whimsical way, avoiding the principles set down in the revealed scriptures. Unless one follows the six Gosvamis—Sri Rupa, Sanatana, Raghunatha Bhatta, Sri Jiva, Gopala Bhatta, and Raghunatha dasa—one cannot be a bona fide spontaneous lover of Krishna. In this connection, Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says: rupa-raghunatha- pade haibe akuti kabe hama bujhaba se yugala piriti. The sahajiyas’ understanding of the love affairs between Radha and Krishna is not bona fide because they do not follow the principles laid down by the six Gosvamis. Their illicit connection and their imitatio nof the dress of Rupa Gosvami as well as their avoidance of the prescribed methods of revealed scriptures will lead them to the lowest regions of hell. These imitative sahajiyas are cheated and unfortunate. They are not equal to advanced devotees (paramahamsas). Debauchees and paramahamsas are not on the same level.—Cc Madhya-lila 22.153

A bonafide spiritual master is in the disciplic succession from time eternal, and he does not deviate at all from the instructions of the Supreme Lord as they were imparted millions of years ago to the sun-god, from whom the instructions of Bhagavad-gita have come down to the earthly kingdom. One should, therefore, follow the path of Bhagavad-gita as it is expressed in the Gita itself and beware of self-interested people after personal aggrandizement who deviate others from the actual path. The Lord is definitely the supreme person, and His activities are transcendental. One who understands this is a liberated person from the very beginning of his study of the Gita.—Bhagavad-gita 4.42

**An advanced devotee situated on the platform of spontaneity is already very expert in shastric instruction, logic and argument. When he comes to the point of eternal love for Krishna, no one can deviate him from that position, neither by argument nor by shastric evidence. An advanced devotee has realized his eternal relationship with the Lord, and consequently he does not accept the logic and argument of others.**

sastra-yuktye sunipuna, drdha-sraddha yanra
‘uttama-adhikari’ se taraye samsara

“If one is expert in Vedic literature and has full faith in the Supreme Lord, then he is an uttama-adhikari, a first-class Vaishnava, a topmost Vaishnava who can deliver the whole world and turn everyone to Krishna consciousness.” (Chaitanya-charitamrita Madhya 22.65) With great love and affection, the maha-bhagavata observes the Supreme Personality of Godhead, devotional service and the devotee. He observes nothing beyond Krishna, Krishna consciousness and Krishna’s devotees. The maha-bhagavata knows that everyone is engaged in the Lord’s service in different ways. He therefore descends to the middle platform to elevate everyone to the Krishna conscious position.—Cc Madhya 16.74

Just like one of our Godbrothers, he’s thinking that “This institution was started by me and Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvatai as partners. Now the senior partner is dead. Therefore I am the sole proprietor. Who are these Godbrothers? Let them go away.” So this is maya, the same maya Dhrtarastra was thinking. And his brother-in-law, Sakuni, was very expert in conspiracy. So he was advising him, “Yes, you are the proprietor.—Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures, 4 October 1974, Mayapur (741004SB.MAY)