SULOCANA DAS SPEAKS ON UNAUTHORISED CHANGES AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SRILA PRABHUPADA’S ORIGINAL BOOKSHare Krsna. Below are some important quotes that are taken from “The Guru Business” book written by His Grace Sulocana Das that condemn unauthorised editing and emphasize to encourage the devotees to stick to the original books in which Srila Prabhupada is eternally present.
1.)
“Yes, I want that you give me that facility to write my books, but I can attend some meetings of important people and elites. You have taken the right view of the importance of my books. Books will always remain. That was the viewof my Guru Maharaja, and I also have taken it. Therefore I started my movement with my books. And we shall be able to maintain everything with the sales of the books. The temples will be maintained by the book sales, and if there are nomore temples, then the books shall remain.” (Hamsadutta, 11/8/73)
Note: Here also it is clear that whether or not “ISKCON” remains as we know it, or if it takes an unmanifest form for some time, that doesn’t matter. As long as the books remain, people will be able to go back to Godhead by reading and following them. But this will not take place if the books are changed in the form of additions, and unauthorized editing. And, alarmingly, this process has also been put into gear by the current conspirators.
Prabhupada has recently said, “I know those that are sane, they will accept. No one is distributing so much quantity of religious books. Therefore I challenge all these fools and rascals…… After eighty years no one can expect to live long. My life is almost ended, it is ended. So you have to carry on. And these books will do everything…… Simply by bluffing words, these bogus gurus and yogis are nothing. But when the people read our books, then they will get good opinion.” (2/18/76)
Note: It is the books that will save this movement, not the bluff of the GBC. The fact is that these men have not yet presented an authorized and logical philosophical basis for their “guru” imposition. So the above letter ironically included them.”
[Chapter 3, Cheap Gurus, Cheap Disciples]
2.)
” “You mentioned that your pathway has become filled with stumbling blocks, but there are no stumbling blocks, Ican kick out all those stumbling blocks immediately, provided you accept my guidance. With one stroke of my kick I can kick out all stumbling blocks… In the beginning there were no doubts, but by bad association you have now got doubts. (Krsnadasa, 9/9/72)
Note: “Prabhupada lives eternally in his books.” If that is true, as any sane disciple knows, then what is keeping us from right now taking Prabhupada’s guidance and kicking out the doubts? The lazy man’s way to the truth is to think a trance medium can help us to get the essence without having to study. But we do not need a trance medium to tell us what is in Prabhupada’s books. Amogha Lila’s dreams may contain some truths, but then they may contain some falsities also. Who cares? We do not require to gamble on such important matters. We are interested in what Prabhupada says, and only what Prabhupada says. Many devotees claim that Amoga’s dreams are self-contradictory, and not in logical accordance with Srila Prabhupada’s teachings. Why would Prabhupada reveal, through one of his disciples, that there have been very serious deviations by the GBC, and, in the same breath, exhort his disciples to follow the GBC no matter what they say? This is not possible. Prabhupada’s books condemn that way of thought. Therefore we don’t need to gamble. Prabhupada gave ample instruction on all such serious matters. The solution to these stumbling blocks is clearly given in the letter above. Srila Prabhupada’s guidance is still completely available to us. He was not speaking in parables or a foreign language. He spoke very directly and clearly. We don’t need a trance medium to re-translate Prabhupada’s instructions. We simply need some serious devotees to sit down to read and index Prabhupada’s books, letters and lectures. That is real trance.”
[Chapter 4,What is Your Philosophy?]
3.)
Prabhupada did not stress moving into a temple as much. Instead he emphasized following the instructions wherever one may be. In the Caitanya-caritamrta Prabhupada says: “If one thinks that there are many pseudo-devotees or nondevotees in the Krsna consciousness society, one can keep direct company with the Spiritual Master, if there is any doubt.” (Mad 7, p.340). Reading Srila Prabhupada’s books, listening to Srila Prabhupada’s tapes, serving Srila Prabhupada’s desires, meditation on the form of Srila Prabhupada, and following Srila Prabhupada’s many instructions are all non-different from direct association with Srila Prabhupada. In many cases, Prabhupada actually asked devotees to come and live with him personally when they were in difficulty with the “leaders.” This instruction also means taking shelter of Prabhupada’s books independently, since they are non-different. We are never obliged to enter into any so-called temple in which serious deviations are incorporated in either the philosophy or management. Never.
“That there have been no newly initiated devotees from Japan is all right. It doesn’t matter whether they are initiated or not. If they are coming in large number, that is the success of our mission. We are not after making initiated membersvery many but our concern is that people understand this philosophy in wider circles. Initiated members are for managing the temples and preaching work, but our program is to invite people to our feasts, let them hear our philosophy and dance and chant. That is the basic principle of our philosophy in preaching work.” (Sudama, 4/11/71)
Note: This letter is very clear and difficult to misinterpret. The important thing is understanding the philosophy and acting on it. All these people who are hearing the philosophy and dancing and chanting have good opportunity to go back to Godhead, not those who took “initiation” but change the instructions. In an old Back to Godhead article Prabhupada says: “Initiation is a formality. If you are serious, that is real initiation. If you have understood this Krsna philosophy and if you have decided that you will take Krsna consciousness seriously and preach the philosophy to others, that is your initiation. My touch is simply a formality. It is your determination. That is initiation.“
[Chapter 3, Cheap Gurus, Cheap Disciples]
4.)
“However, don’t create any awkward situation that may be criticized. Caesar’s wife must be above criticism. Up to now as I have got respectable situation, I wish that all my disciples will have similar respectable position in society. That will keep my name good. Like father like son.” (Caityaguru, 7/11/76)
Note: Prabhupada is concerned to keep his name good because he wants his books to be read for all time. However, there are a group of men today who have none of Prabhupada’s divine qualifications but who are posing as saints all the same. This is the problem. By impersonating Prabhupada and doing all nonsense, these men are spoiling Prabhupada’s good name. The innocent class of non-devotees will naturally think, “like father, like son.” In this letter Srila Prabhupada clearly indicates the possibility that his initiates may misuse their opportunity and drag his name into their mud.
[Chapter 1, They Will Just Be Showbottle]
5.)
4) Srila Prabhupada was counting upon his leading secretaries to properly manage his society. But they betrayed him. Therefore, this letter indicates that Srila Prabhupada had lost almost all hope that the “leaders” would ever become sincere enough to renounce the original sin, the tendency to betray the trust extended by the Supreme Lord through his dearmost servitor. Despite many heavy letters such as this one, Prabhupada was never actually relieved from management responsibilities. He had to tolerate innumerable offenses by his “leaders” just to keep the thing going long enough to finish his books. But now, some of these same leaders claim to be so advanced that they don’t need to read Prabhupada’s books anymore. At one point Tamala Krsna demanded that Prabhupada’s purports not be read during his classes-that his commentary alone was sufficient.
[Chapter 2, Do Not Dishonor Me]6.)
Note: Pure devotees of Krsna are not a dime-a-dozen as in ISKCON today. Even the madhyama status of devotee is difficult to attain. The topmost platform of pure devotee generally takes a lifetime of sincere, humble, and serious hard work, and only one among thousands achieves it. (BG, 7.3) Prabhupada was a pure devotee from birth but he set the example for us by waiting eleven years before taking fonnal initiation. Why today this impatience? Initiation is a serious matter and not something one does whimsically. No sane person rushes into such a commitment. Chant, study, and serve Prabhupada through his books with a competent, humble devotee.Then you are safe. Krsna will personally send a pure devotee when the sincere seeker is ready. Getting a bona fide guru is not a process of seeking outside oneself. It is an internal process of purifying one’s motive. Then the guru will appear just as Narada appeared to Dhruva in the forest. The only endeavor required is trying to become sincere.
In the broad sense, very little changed when Prabhupada left the planet. He had long since placed the fate of his movement in the hands of his books. More and more he saw that his leaders were not following them or even reading them. The GBC was out of hand.”What can I do?” Some of them could hardly wait to divide up the pie and start being worshipped.
“Yes, I am so glad that your center is doing so well and all the devotees are now appreciating the presence of their Spiritual Master by following His instructions although He is no longer physically present; this is the right spirit.” (Karandhara, 9/13/70)
Note: Adherence to the guru’s instructions is the most important measure of the legitimacy of the devotees.
[Chapter 3, Cheap Gurus, Cheap Disciples]
“As a final point, we are not claiming to be saints. We have all kinds of problems dealing with the material energy that seem insurmountable. We are not pretending to be always absorbed in the love of the gopis like the Sridhara Maharaja club. Nor are we pretending to be scholars or brahmins like the smarta club of Subhananda, Ravindra Svarupa, and those who talk a lot but still get their bread and butter by handouts from demons. Nor are we members of “the end justifies the means” ISKCON “gurubhava” club that sits on thrones between semen breaks, drug deals, nervous breakdowns, wife stealings, child molestations, etc., etc. It is not necessary to join any of these clubs to understand Srila Prabhupada’s books. He wrote his books for people just like us: simple but honest. In fact, it is only honest people who can understand Prabhupada’s books. That’s because honesty is the only leg left in this age and we are proud to be tightly hanging on that one leg. So for those of you who don’t like this simple, direct, often crude, often angry, but at least honest way of speech, then why don’t you come forward and do something better to remove these demons who have ravaged Prabhupada’s movement? Dheera says guru is one, and Keith Ham-asura says we are trying to crucify Prabhupada. Both these statements are in essence the exact same thing: trying to place yourselves equal to Prabhupada, and that is an offense no real disciple of Prabhupada will tolerate, for long.”
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