BVPS: We were asked to speak on Dhira Govinda Prabhu’s paper entitled “Srila Prabhupada – the Direct Link” and give our comments. So, reading from the first page, from the first three paragraphs, the author speaks:
“This paper represents a framework for understanding Srila Prabhupada’s position in his movement that is ??to arrive at?? comprehension of Srila Prabhupada’s role and function. The central idea is that
Srila Prabhupada is the direct and current link to the parampara by virtue of being the prime deliverer of divya-jnana, transcendental knowledge. While we maintain that this model should be accepted in Srila Prabhupada’s movement, we are not asserting that it is necessarily the only model that is sastrically and philosophically valid. We acknowledge that many of the contentions herein may not apply to everyone in Srila Prabhupada’s society. They do, however, apply to many, and are, we hope, to demonstrate legitimate, in terms of sastra, logic and precedent. Thus the principle presented should be accepted and approved. Though we will present the arguments suggesting that these conceptualizations may be the preferred model for the movement, our firm recommendation is simply that the ideas and practices be honored and accepted, perhaps alongside other systems. It is important to recognize if Srila Prabhupada is serving as a direct and primary guru for his followers, including…”
BVPS: So, then… We will comment on these first. So, basically, the author of the paper is finding some difficulty in the application of the present system of the dealings and interactions between the gurus, disciples and the movement in general. And it would appear that he is hoping to solve this problem by the presentation that he is going to be making herein. And we see here that the term divya-jnana is a very prominent feature here. That is essential word here, meaning transcendental knowledge.
Now, in the discussion it is important that one understands that there are going to be the elements of a situation and each of those elements has a particular nature and definition. And those elements have a specific interaction between them. These are just the inherent nature of the elements. Then there is details that one can make some variations within application, but the principal points cannot be turned over. From these elements then there should be our situation, there should be a goal, one should be wanting to get something. And one is going to use these elements to get the goal desired.
Then there must be a process to attain that goal. And that process must attain the goal, otherwise it’s the wrong process. So one has to see that all these things are in place. That the elements that one’s dealing with are properly understood, defined, and their relationships are also then established, according to their actual nature. Then one must have what is a goal in mind, and there should be a process.
So it would appear here that the goal is to establish Prabhupada as the primary siksa-guru, not primary siksa-guru, but the primary Guru. And that he’s being “the direct and current link to the parampara by virtue of being the prime deliverer of divya-jnana, transcendental knowledge.” This is the point made by the author. So this is the goal he wants. And then he is going to present a process. And, hopefully, he will then also identify the elements that are going to be used in the performance of this system that he speaks of.
So now, starting from the third paragraph, on page 1:
“It is important to recognize that Srila Prabhupada is serving as the direct and primary guru for his followers, including many of those who received formal initiation after Srila Prabhupada physically departed. Those who don’t experience Srila Prabhupada as the direct and primary guru may reference the above paragraph. The fact that Srila Prabhupada is actually serving as the direct and preeminent spiritual master obviates the need to establish that he is capable of performing this function. Still, herein we will present arguments to support the assertion that he is the current link to the parampara for all who contact his movement.
Of central importance in this discussion is that Srila Prabhupada is or is meant to be the primary spiritual master for all members of his movement. In realizing this it is important to avoid becoming distracted by various appellations such as diksa-guru, initiator and officiating acarya. Of course, for communicative purposes such designations are sometimes necessary.”
BVPS: So, comments on these two. So here we see his point that he wants to establish, and he is saying that people already have this natural link, but we see the weakness here in that he is saying that to realize his goal of establishing this and to operate the system we must avoid being “distracted by various appellations such as diksa-guru, initiator and officiating acarya”. So basically then what happens is that the fundamental items or elements of the discussion and the elements of the guru-disciple relationship are being avoided here. So by doing this then one may find difficulty in actually understanding how to apply the process. He has a goal and he wants a process to get that goal, but if you do not understand the elements that you are dealing with how you can apply them. How will you be able to use them to get your goal. So, in doing this, this creates a weakness that then many of the other arguments may not be able to be properly established. We see Prabhupada makes the point that if in the beginning of the mathematical calculation, very large calculation, there is some mistake in one of the smaller aspects of the calculation, that means that the whole rest of it will be wrong. So it would appear that this weakness here would create weakness in the whole system that he will present, in that the system will not actually get the goal that he wants to establish.
“In establishing Srila Prabhupada’s position giving divya-jnana to the members of this movement”.
BVPS: We see here is that he is giving this quote from Caitanya-caritamrita that other may also be gurus and that one may also be inspired by these gurus because of the directions or instructions that they are giving. “All who instruct”. So we see here that this is dealing with the instructing gurus. And the central term that his whole system is based on, his whole presentation is based on this word divya-jnana, transcendental knowledge. So we see here that the presentation, the whole discussion is within the realm of siksa-guru. Siksa-guru means “one who is giving instructions”. That is their primary duty. They have not given diksa, they only give instructions. But we see that what’s being avoided here is the diksa-guru and the initiator. Though he will refer to it later in his paper, the function of the diksa-guru of connecting on to the parampara through the ritualistic process of panca-samskara, the pancaratric process of initiation that is given by Rupa Gosvami, that is given to us by Srila Prabhupada, by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur and all the previous acaryas, and is supported by Narada Pancaratra and other Vedic literatures in pursuance of the Ekayana pancaratric version – this whole aspect is being avoided. And then unfortunately, because it is so simplistic that it is simply divya-jnana that makes for the whole picture, then what is missed is that there is a difference between instruction of the initiating spiritual master, who is called the diksa-guru, and the siksa-guru, or the instructing spiritual master who gives instruction. Because both are giving instruction.
There is always instruction, one cannot avoid instruction, this is the life of the whole devotional process. So this distinction between the instruction of the instructing spiritual master and the initiating spiritual master needs to be elucidated. The whole reason that the initiation is required in this material world is because the living entity is conditioned. Otherwise on the transcendental platform if someone is not conditioned initiation simply means accepting the order as one’s life and soul. So that is the essence of initiation – to accept the order of the spiritual master as one’s life and soul and for the spiritual master to then in turn accept to help the disciple to go back to Godhead. So, as we see, this is enough for the mahabhagavatas. We see this in the case of Rupa and Sanatana siksa – this was their initiation by Lord Caitanya, on the bhagavata platform. Unfortunately, for most of others this is not their position. Because of being conditioned in this material world the living entities cannot just naturally be inspired to serve Krishna, so that their attraction to Krishna would be enough for them to feel: “Let us always remember Krishna”. No, there is the other part, because of their conditioned nature they tend to forget Krishna. Therefore the rule “Never forget Krishna” has to be established. We have to give up those things that make us forget.
So this is the process of pancaratrika-vidhi. This is how through the ritualistic process and the process of vaidhi and sadhana, or sadhana-bhakti, we must become freed from those situations in which we tend to forget the Lord because of our attraction to the material nature. So regulation, engaging ourselves in those regulatory activities will create the auspiciousness of losing the attraction for the material world so that we may become attracted to Krishna by the process of hearing and chanting. This is then the essential item, because the conditioned soul tends towards sinful life. So the pancaratric system regulates that sinful life, so that sinfulness will not be performed and so that, instead, the senses, the body, the mind, the words will be engaged, focused fully on the Supreme Lord through the worship of the Deity and other aspects that regulate and purify our existence.
Now, with this we can understand the difference between the two aspects of siksa: that of the siksa-guru and that of the diksa-guru. Of course, instruction is based on the siksa. So, diksa instruction means that you are instructed how to never forget Krishna. And the siksa-guru teaches how to always remember Krishna. Though we see that there is naturally going to be some overlap of these two. In the process of freeing one from the conditioning, that is from sraddha up to the platform of bhava, where the brahma-bhuta platform is attained – this is the realm of the conditioned nature. The kanistha and the madhyama-adhikaris are influenced by their conditioned nature, their gross and subtle contamination. We see that Srila Prabhupada very specifically mentions that Deity worship is specifically for the kanistha, because that regulation keeps him from engaging in a sinful activities that are naturally attractive to him. While for the madhyama the main thing is his interaction with devotees, because he is not so attracted, he is not necessarily, specifically attracted by the material energy. But there is still the nature to enjoy and control separately from Krishna. It is still a contamination. It’s a subtler form. In other words, there is the gross contamination, gross conditioned nature, and the subtle. Or, as Prabhupada explains, gross and subtle sex life.
So, we see, that at the platform of ruci, which fall within the realm of the madhyama-adhikari, already a serious attraction in the positive way, dynamic, realized way, is taken place within the sadhaka. So it’s here that we the overlap. From ruci and asakti, we see that this overlap is there. That overlap then means that simultaneously the needs of the kind of instruction, being given by the diksa-guru, to liberate one from the conditioned nature, is still going on; at the same time, very dynamic and detailed instruction to attract us to Krishna can also happen. Of course, it is understood, that this attraction to Krishna, since it is the natural position of the living entity, will start when one first comes in contact with Krishna consciousness. Then sraddha up through nistha naturally will also have those elements to attract one. But they are not so prominent in the consciousness of the living entity as his other duties. His other obligatory regulative duties will be more prominent in the mind. Fighting with the material energy, controlling his desires, the senses, trying to focus them on Krishna – these will be more prominent. And the taste to serve Krishna, the taste of Krishna consciousness naturally will be there, without a taste there is not inspiration. But, we will see, it’s not the most prominent within the mind of the devotee at this level. For someone who has come to the point of ruci, that taste of chanting and being absorbed in Krishna’s activities is the most prominent in his life. Up to the stage of nistha, he’s already been practiced and established in these activities: to control his senses, control his mind and to engage himself, his body, mind and words in the Lord’s service. So from ruci the quality of his consciousness, of remembering the Lord, then develops.
So, we see, this overlap is going to be there. The siksa instructions of the siksa-gurus start from the very beginning, but they become more prominent from this platform of the madhyama-adhikari, and then they become the essential and the only instructions once one passes beyond into the realm of bhava. Since the purpose of diksa is to free one from material contamination, when one reaches brahma-bhuta he’s been accomplished. The duties of the diksa-guru then have been accomplished. Duties of the siksa-guru then continue. If one guru does both, this may be very ideal, but this also may be two persons. Or it may be many persons. But the diksa will only be one person.
In here, without defining, without allowing into discussion the concepts of diksa-guru, or initiating guru, and without defining the difference between the elements of divya-jnana – whether they are of relationship, or divya-jnana on the process, or divya-jnana on the goal. Without that, we find, it becomes oversimplified. Seemingly, we have come up with the solution, when we see that possibly we do not have a solution. That according to the sastra and according to tradition we may have missed the point. Then the process we follow will not get us to goal of establishing Srila Prabhupada in the center of this movement as the guru for all devotees that are followers of Srila Prabhupada.
22 Page 2, next section, entitled the process of diksa:
“Srila Prabhupada frequently defined diksa
1977 conversation”
BVPS: Here we see that here Srila Prabhupada is saying that “diksa is the process by which one can awaken his transcendental knowledge and vanquish all the reactions caused by sinful activity”. In this quote by Srila Prabhupada we see that both aspects of “always remember Krishna” and “never forget Krishna” are presented. Now, “diksa is the process we can awaken” is “always remember” and the second part, “vanquish all the reactions caused by sinful activity” is the second aspect. We see that the first is the siksa aspect and the second is the diksa aspect.
In here there is a very fine point. Diksa means you have a ritual. But a ritual is dead without its life. The life is the instruction. The life is devotion. The life is the whole process and the goal. These create life for the ritual. In trying to understand the point, we have to understand that, of course, the ritual without the life of instruction is meaningless. We see in India so many people are initiated, but there is no proper instruction, so the do not really get any serious upliftment or improvement of their life. Therefore, without the proper transcendental instruction that diksa does not really have much purpose. But we have to see that there is an obvious element in here: there is the quality instruction that is going on and there is the actual ritual itself that is conducted according to the scriptures and creates a connection between the initiating spiritual master and the disciple.
To give that real meaning there must be siksa. The most important of this siksa is the transcendental knowledge that will reawaken your love for God. That is the goal. The goal is not to become free from sinful activities. The goal is to become attracted to and develop love for Krishna. Getting rid of sinful activities is simply part of the whole process. Otherwise we see that the impersonalists want to be liberated from the material world, but the devotee is not interested in liberation. He wants to develop love for God, he is interested in the positive aspect. While the negative aspect, though essential and important, has meaning when it is based on the positive aspect of developing love for Krishna.
We have to be able to discern here this fine point that the diksa-guru does initiate, does perform the rituals, does take the reactions and must give proper training both for freeing one from the material nature, but most importantly for getting one to the transcendental realm, awakening one’s transcendental consciousness. So in this point we may find that the author, finessing these fine points by the previous discussion in introduction to this paper, makes it very difficult to get a clear understanding of the whole process at hand. Therefore we see that in our tradition we may have a more advanced siksa-guru and a less advanced diksa-guru and the process works fine. Because the diksa-guru’s duty is to get us beyond the conditioned platform. But his instructions will be based on the instructions of those who are more advanced. And the instructions of the more advances person are also there simultaneously. So the disciple is able to take advantage of the instructions of the diksa-guru to free himself of the material contamination, plus that diksa-guru may be quoting from the scriptures and the previous acaryas, and, in our case, from Srila Prabhupada. “This is the process, and this is the goal.”
Then one gets those direct instructions from Srila Prabhupada, from his books and from one’s own study but at the same time one is getting the support of the initiating guru. But we have seen that we have to make this clear distinction between these different aspects of instruction or divya-jnana and that does not mean that Srila Prabhupada has now become the initiating spiritual master of the student. This mistake we have to carefully avoid: that Srila Prabhupada, – by giving that transcendental knowledge by which one can awaken one’s love for God and knowledge upon which the present day diksa-guru and other instructing spiritual masters base the knowledge which is the life of the ritual of diksa or the pancaratric process of panca-samskara, – does not become the initiating spiritual master, by whom and for whom the ritual has been performed and who is responsible for taking the reactions of the present generation of disciples. They are not directly initiated by him.
But at the same time we must understand that, on the other hand, Srila Prabhupada is the Founder-Acarya and the preeminent siksa-guru, which has been established by the GBC body and is referred to in the introduction to this paper by the author. Therefore his instructions are the ones upon which all other siksa-gurus and the siksa of diksa are based. That’s what makes him preeminent. And we see that, according to this, of the two the pancaratric process of initiation is secondary and supportive to the primary, which is the instruction that will reawaken one’s love for God. This instruction will give the understanding of how to operate the rituals so that they are also used as a tool to reawaken one’s love for God. They make one give up one’s attraction to the material world.
Without these points being understood one can easily make up so many systems, however one likes, based on one’s own ideas. But it is essential that we understand what it is that sastra, what it is that the acaryas are saying. Then we will see that the goal that so many devotees want to attain by having that direct link with Srila Prabhupada, is not on the platform of pancaratric diksa, but is on the platform of process of bhagvat-siksa, as well as pancarartric siksa.
We must see that that link is the most important. The example would be that of Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur. He had a bona fide diksa-guru who would also instruct him in the process of Deity worship and all the regulations of sadhana-bhakti. But at the same time, as we see on the list of parampara, he was a disciple of Narottam das Thakur. Now, if we look at this, we see that there is a hundred years gap between the two acaryas. In between Narottam das Thakur and Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur there had been three other diksa-gurus, Visvanatha being the fourth after Narottam in that particular diksa line. Under no circumstances we hear that the diksa that was performed for Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur was actually performed by Narottam das Thakur or performed on his behalf and that actually Narottam das Thakur was the diksa-guru, meaning one who has given pancaratric initiation. But because he took the instructions of Narottam das Thakur as his life and soul we understand that he is a direct disciple of Narottam das Thakur as far as siksa is concerned.
We see that we have to try to go beyond these simplistic solutions to an ancient tradition, in which, what everybody is looking for, is already present. But without understanding, how we will be able to receive or unearth this treasure of our own Gaudiya Vaisnava tradition? We want that relationship with Srila Prabhupada, we want that with a nitya-siddha. But, at the same time, that should not sentimentally break our process and tradition. We may find that many devotees consider the ritualistic side of the initiation to be most important. Therefore they sentimentally want that their connection with Srila Prabhupada happen on the diksa platform. Diksa platform here we are defining as connection with the initiating spiritual master. But the most important in the diksa is the transcendental knowledge, which comes from Srila Prabhupada as the preeminent siksa-guru.
This is the meaning of Founder Acarya. “Founder Acarya” means he has set the whole system. Everybody simply follows it and does what he says should be done. Therefore in the parampara on the diksa-pranali it goes down through however many generations of living persons. So, if one is in the hundredth generation after Srila Prabhupada, one is in the hundredth generation in the diksa line. But in siksa one has a direct connection with Srila Prabhupada through his instructions. That siksa is then supported by instructions of one’s own initiating spiritual master, and by all other senior Vaisnavas and preachers who are speaking in the line of Srila Prabhupada.
So, on all the platforms we see Srila Prabhupada as the prominent person. He is the main person. He is the central guru. But we should not mix that up with the ritual of pancaratric samskara. This should not be done, otherwise we pollute the whole process and it simply comes to speculation. One has a desire, one sees, “Oh, this would be a very nice way, wouldn’t it be nice if I could be a diksa disciple of Srila Prabhupada, in ritual” and therefore one puts that together.
One has to avoid this. One has to see that the real essence of having Prabhupada as one’s guru is not because he gave panca-samskara to you, it is because he has given the transcendental knowledge, or the siksa, that will take you back to Godhead. It will both free one from the material contamination and take one back to Godhead, inspire one to develop one’s love for Krishna.
The ritual side of the diksa-pranali, the diksa line, has to be seen as supportive to this siksa line, but you don’t mix them up. The duties cannot be mixed up, the positions cannot be mixed up. For those who are direct initiated disciples of spiritual master both of these come together. But for others the directness of the instructions of Srila Prabhupada is available for everyone through his teachings. Just the ritual of initiation in the pancaratric process of panca-samskara is done by whoever are the present, accepted, authorized persons.
We will continue on paragraph 2 on page 2:
“Diksa, as described above is a process. Components
…
most essential part of the diksa process”.
BVPS: So here we see that again due to focus on divya-jnana it becomes the complete aspect of diksa. They want to bring in the element of who is giving the kanthi-mala, Vaisnava tilaka, giving the name, giving the mantra, giving the Deity worship, training one in Deity worship, which are the five samskaras of the panca-samskara, the ritualistic process of pancaratric initiation. One is trying to cover all that with this. He has made a very nice point here, how Srila Prabhupada is the direct link through siksa and that others, – performing the duties of speaking transcendental knowledge to the initiated disciple or even to those who are not their initiated disciples but are members of ISKCON, – are actually giving knowledge that Srila Prabhupada has given us. So one could see that it is Srila Prabhupada’s knowledge and so there is that direct aspect. By Krishna’s grace, by Prabhupada’s grace this person is there, speaking to you these things, you are receiving and you are getting benefit from it by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada.
But at the same time, because we are a personal movement, there is the aspect of rasa and of tattva. So, tattva – yes, this is what’s going on, Prabhupada is here, he is the founder, he is doing these things and others are simply taking from him and passing it on as mailmen. But they have done it. So this is the rasa – this individual has benefited me, that soul has taken the trouble to try to give the knowledge of Srila Prabhupada. It’s not his knowledge, he is giving it, but he also has his own realizations of what he has gained from Srila Prabhupada. That is also by Prabhupada’s grace and his giving it to us is by Prabhupada’s grace, still, he is the person who is taking the trouble to help me. I must acknowledge that.
Therefore, there is the Founder-Acarya, there are other siksa-gurus, and we must also acknowledge the person who has performed the ritual for us. Because they have performed it, they will take the reactions. So they will be responsible for us to get us from sraddha up to the platform of brahma-bhuta. It is their responsibility. Though the directions, how to do it, everything is coming from Srila Prabhupada. Therefore the instructions of the Founder become the life of everything. They become the life of siksa by other persons, they become the life of diksa, that is performed by other persons.
Still, we must understand that we are dealing with three groups of persons. There is the Founder-Acarya, Srila Prabhupada, there are those who are in support and in following and trying to assist Srila Prabhupada in giving this transcendental knowledge, and there are those who perform the ritualistic ceremonies for the benefit of the individual under the direction of Srila Prabhupada. But we must discern that the initiating guru is initiating, because he has done it, he takes responsibility. But he is taking that responsibility on behalf of Prabhupada. Yet it doesn’t mean that one becomes a ritualistic diksa disciple of Srila Prabhupada. No. One transcendentally becomes a siksa disciple of Prabhupada.
Last paragraph on the 2nd page, quoting from the author:
“Many Vaisnavas, such a book distributor…
they are not ready to participate in a formal initiation ceremony”.
BVPS: So we see here, again, the emphasis is on establishing Srila Prabhupada as the one who is actually giving the initiation because he is giving divya-jnana and someone else is giving all these rituals. Now, of course, he is mentioning here that someone else may give the neck-beads, someone else the tilak, someone else inspired us to chant Hare Krsna. But we also must discern here that the chanting of Hare Krsna is beyond initiation. We have to be very careful with this aspect. Anybody who is coming in the bona fide line can inspire one to chant the holy name or to take up chanting. But then to be committed to chanting, one gets faith, one chants, one takes up the association, one starts to follow the principles, but one is considered a serious sadhaka, when bhajana-kriya is taken up by the diksa, initiation process. So in this the ceremony means that they are committing to the person who is giving the initiation that they will give up their attachment to the material world and understand the material world as the place of misery, which is represented by the neck-beads, they will try to take the path back to Godhead, the urdhva-gati, which is signified by the tilak, then they will receive from the initiating guru a name, designating them as servant of Krishna. As servants of Krishna they must give the idea that I am the controller, I am the enjoyer – Krishna is the sovereign autocratic enjoyer of the cosmic creation. Then they give the mantras, meaning the gayatri mantras and mula mantras, with which one is now authorized to worship the Deity, and ijya – they train one in the process of initiation. Or they may delegate this to someone else.
So we see that they cannot say unambiguously that “I am the sole diksa-guru.” But we cannot say that Srila Prabhupada is the sole diksa-guru. Because the ritual is done by someone else. And they are disciples – the generation has passed. The next generation of followers has already manifested. We understand that through his instructions he is always there. But his physical presence in the form of the body that we knew, in which he would come to us and speak to us directly, is not there. So, just looking at this sentiment, that Srila Prabhupada is here in his teachings – yes. But that’s the point – in his teachings. As far as performance of the ritual goes – he is not present to do that. We must acknowledge that the person who performs the ritual is the diksa-guru. But, as pointed out here by the author, he cannot claim to be sole and stand on his own integrity. His integrity means how much he is following Srila Prabhupada’s instructions. Therefore if someone develops his own philosophy, rejects Prabhupada, or changes the philosophy of Srila Prabhupada, then he cannot claim that “these persons are my disciples, so as I leave the movement, they also go with me.” No, these persons have been initiated into the movement for Krishna consciousness, surely that person is the diksa-guru, whether he is in the movement or he goes somewhere – he is the person who has performed the initiation ceremony. But his instructions (?49:25?) from Srila Prabhupada. So he become a bona fide initiator for this movement when he is following the instructions of Srila Prabhupada. So, he cannot unambiguously say that “I am everything”, but he can be termed diksa-guru.
The problem that comes here is trying to establish everything using the word diksa. Acaryas have solved this problem for us by differentiating between the diksa-guru, the siksa-guru, and the Founder-Acarya. So, what we actually want to establish, is that Prabhupada is the Founder-Acarya and that is his instructions that are the life of the siksa of all the other siksa-gurus, and that is his instructions that are the life of the diksa given by the initiating spiritual masters. But he is not the initiating spiritual master. That’s someone else. So we have to be careful about giving the term diksa. It has many definitions and applies in many ways – we cannot lump them all together and just finesse that there is a difference between them, just play that A is B and B is C, so therefore C is A. No. So we have to be very very careful in the process, remembering that there is some difference here.
We must be able to make this distinction. Otherwise, why join this particular mission? Because this mission is working on the fine principle of acintya-bheda-abheda-tattva. It is simultaneously one but different. If one wants some more clear, simplified form of Vaisnava philosophy, then he should take up dvaita, it’s the most obvious. It means there is two, bas. They are separated. Otherwise there is a qualified oneness, purified oneness, or it is one and it is two, but not simultaneously. But ours is it’s simultaneously one and different. So, Srila Prabhupada is simultaneously the guru for everyone, because it’s his siksa that trains everyone, in other words, his divya-jnana trains everyone. At the same time we must discriminate between the divya-jnana which the life of the initiation process and the initiation process itself, which has specific rituals that are authorized by the scriptures given to us by Narada Muni himself and accepted by Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami, all the acaryas down to Srila Prabhupada. We have to be able to discern.
So that neat person who does that is called the Founder-Acarya. Otherwise, under normal conditions you have diksa-guru, you have siksa-guru. The diksa-guru gives his siksa, and the siksa-guru gives his siksa. They may have heard from different gurus, they may be in different lines. It may not be a common person. If go back a long way – yes, but in the direct, near past – no. But when you introduce the Founder-Acarya, that means that all instructions of both the diksa and the siksa-guru are coming from the Founder-Acarya. One has to be able to make this distinction.
The difficulty here is that the goal of that direct connection with Prabhupada is in trying to be done through the term diksa rather than through the term Founder-Acarya. And it is Prabhupada’s own term. Otherwise he would have just said, “I am the guru.” But no, he said, “I am the Founder-Acarya.” Founder-Acarya is different. We see that all the bona fide sampradayas in this age follow this system. I think the Sri’s call it the acarya-purusa system, and others have their names. You have Ramanujacarya, he is the Founder-Acarya of the present manifestation of the Laksmi-sampradaya. As the founder he gives the processes that will be followed, the instructions both for diksa and for siksa, and everybody follows that. Everybody in the Ramanuja line will say, “Yes, I am a Ramanuji, I am a follower of Ramanujacarya and he is our guru”. But no Ramanuja follower will say, “Ramanuja is my initiating spiritual master.” They have their spiritual master, who is now 1200 years later in the line and there may be so many generations. So they may be a hundredth or a thousandth or whatever in the diksa-line from Ramanuja, but in siksa they feel a direct link with Ramanujacarya. So one must discern these two, so that one has one’s respect and all that for the initiating spiritual master, and at the same time it is based on the fact that this initiating spiritual master is the follower of the founder, or, in this example, Ramanujacarya. Madhvas are the same. One is called a Madhvaite. One has one’s initiating spiritual master, one has the Swami and the Math under which one is functioning and one has Madhvacarya. But one discriminates between them. The founder is always prominent. But the other persons also exist. Otherwise it becomes impersonal, if we don’t make these distinctions. Even the Sankarites have the same concept. Sankaracarya is the founder, he set the standards, but they have their present guru, who is sitting on the seat. Though eventually we all become one with them…
So, we have to be careful about this impersonal concept. We have to be careful to see what is the position of the Founder, of the siksa-gurus following this Founder, and the diksa-gurus following this Founder. Or the position of the initiating and the instructing spiritual masters.
Continuing, page 3, section “Initiation”. The author writes:
“When someone first contacts ISKCON… {56:40}
The link does not become indirect at the time of the ceremony.”
BVPS: So, comments on this. This whole process of first taking shelter of Srila Prabhupada means taking shelter of Srila Prabhupada as the Founder-Acarya. So that link is established at that time and simply matures and grows throughout the life of the member of ISKCON. But that does not mean that, as is presented here or as the author of the paper is trying to establish, that Srila Prabhupada becomes the initiating guru. And as we also see, it is very interesting that he is mentioning that the link is already there, so the formal initiation does not really do anything. It just formalizes it in a way, but it has no particular purpose other than that. It’s not a purificatory samskara, and in any case, Prabhupada is the “current and direct link”. This is used twice by the author. So by this usage of expression “current and direct link” here he is trying to establish that Srila Prabhupada will be the diksa-guru. But if we at our parampara, our parampara is a siksa-parampara. Since it is a siksa-parampara, that would mean that we are directly connected to Prabhupada in the parampara, but we still have to take care of the diksa aspect, because the parampara that is given by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur is not addressing the diksa-pranali, it is only addressing the siksa-pranali. So as far as siksa-pranali goes, this is fine. But we see here there is no difference is made. Here he is saying that the person who conducts the initiation ceremony does not become the link between the initiate and Srila Prabhupada. The direct link already exists. That means it was already there before the ritual, the ritual does not really make the connection, and not only that, the person doing the initiation is not making the connection, so it’s already there. Simply you accept Prabhupada in your heart and you are connected.
So it’s an interesting combination here between the ritvik philosophy and the protestant philosophy. The ritvik side is that the connection is made, the ceremony is done on behalf of Srila Prabhupada, here it is just not presented strongly or outwardly that Prabhupada has become then the diksa-guru, diksa-guru meaning the initiating spiritual master. It basically just saying that he is the direct and current link. But it is not being defined here whether this direct and current link mean siksa or diksa. He will say diksa is divya-jnana, but we have pointed out that there is the pancaratric diksa link and there is the bhagavata diksa link. Bhagavata diksa link means a siksa link. And the pancaratric diksa link does not mean that. That means the link of ceremony. So this is not being done here.
And the protestant idea is that just simply if the mood is right then everything has been made. We see, in the protestant movement, they kicked out the pope and the whole idea with this parampara system. It is simply that Jesus is in the heart. There was that direct connection only and that was all. And they did not need any present gurus to give direction. Simply if he is in your heart then that’s enough.
So we have to be very careful here in discerning between these various aspects of initiation: the initiating spiritual master, the siksa or the instructing spiritual master and then the supreme instructing spiritual master, who is the Founder-Acarya. Accepting the Founder-Acarya is just like we accept Krishna. When we take up Krishna consciousness, we accept Krishna, so then we are linked with Krishna. But that link becomes serious when we take up the process of bhajana-kriya and accept initiation. In the same way we come and accept the instructions of the Founder-Acarya, but that becomes more serious when we take shelter of an initiating spiritual master, who connects us with Srila Prabhupada on the pancaratric side.
Though, as far as the siksa goes, we have simultaneously a direct link with Srila Prabhupada and that link with Srila Prabhupada as being supported and nourished by the present instructing spiritual masters – the senior devotees and the initiating spiritual master, who are giving us the divya-jnana of Srila Prabhupada.
Continuing with the last paragraph on the 3rd page:
“In a lecture in Hyderabad…
when no official initation occurred”
BVPS: We have to be very careful here. We have to note that this is the siksa-pranali, the line of the siksa-gurus. When you accept the instructions it is an initiation on the bhagavata platform. But the problem is that if one is conditioned one also requires the pancaratric one. And we see that everyone even in our line accepted the pancaratric initiation. So those lines are different. Gaura Kisora das Babaji Maharaj was initiated by Madhusudana das Bababij, as I remember, Bhaktivinod Thakur by Bipin Bihari Goswami, Narottama das Thakur got the pancartric diksa from Lokanath Goswami, therefore we see in the prayers to the spiritual master lokanath lokera jivana. He was mentioning his guru Lokanath Goswami. We see that both the aspects are there, but we cannot confuse them. If one of them is there it does not obfuscate the other. We cannot say that “that’s enough, we have accepted Prabhupada as the Founder and that’s it, we don’t need the pancaratric diksa.” That is not here if we see the history. We are quoting the instance, but we must discern between the pancaratric and bhagavat initiations, which means siksa and pancaratric diksa.
Continuing in the 3rd paragraph on the 4th page:
“In the recently published edition of Sri Caitanya-caritamrita the editors…
with Srila Prabhupada’s understanding of this concept”.
BVPS: We see that here still the discrimination is lacking between the initiation or taking the order, or siksa, to be one’s life and soul, as a separate, discernable aspect, different from pancaratric initiation. Of course, the life of the pancaratric initiation is gained from the siksa initiation or from one accepting this. But to say that, in all these cases or in this case here, maybe Prabhupada used it purposefully – yes, to point out that in the parampara it is the life of the whole devotional process, the whole bhajana-kriya. Its life is the acceptance of the instructions. That is the most important. So Prabhupada did use in on purpose in this way. But that does not mean that now, we can replace Prabhupada’s meaning with another meaning that this meant pancaratric diksa. Or that pancaratric diksa is rejected by this, or not necessary, unnecessary, or side-lined, or merged into the other. We still have to be able to tell the difference between the two. One has to be able to see.
The author refers here to “the current concept of initiation may be faulty”. Yes, basically, devotees in general have not gotten into the point of understanding the difference between the direct siksa¬-link with the Founder-Acarya, then the help and support offered by other siksa-gurus, and the link to Srila Prabhupada in the pancaratric sense through the diksa-pranali through whoever the initiating spiritual master is. These three are not discerned. Nowadays, when we say siksa-guru, “someone is my siksa-guru”, that could be meant in a committed way, that they are committed to help you go back to Godhead personally, or it refer to someone who is just committed to preaching on behalf of the mission. “You have come, you have asked the question, I have done my best to try to help you as an individual,” but there is not necessarily a direct personal interaction, a commitment. It is simply a commitment to preach on behalf of Srila Prabhupada. Even these levels are not discerned.
Bhaktivinod Thakur in Harinama-cintamani makes these distinctions between the Founder-Acarya, or the adi-guru, then the sad-guru, who comes in the form of diksa and siksa (the diksa connecting one to the adi-guru through the diksa-pranali, the siksa-guru assisting the adi-guru on the way of siksa) and then the preachers who also give support to what Founder-Acarya is teaching us and to those sad-gurus in both siksa and diksa category, who are taking a specific personal interest in our welfare.
There is even a finer point, I am simplifying. There is one Founder-Acarya, initiating spiritual master in the diksa-pranali is one, and the siksa-gurus are many. And those are also divided in two levels: those which are general and those which are specific to us.
Continuing with the last paragraph on the page 4:
“One way that this could be true…{73:50}
the official initiation is a formal acknowledgement that the devotee is directly connected with Srila Prabhupada.”
BVPS: We see that the author is again bringing up the point here that parampara is the siksa¬-line, based on divya-jnana, and that the formal initiation, which is done in pancaratric sense, is actually formalizing and acknowledging that you are a siksa disciple of Prabhupada. That is nice. But at the same time on also has to acknowledge that one is a pancaratric disciple of the person who has performed the ceremony. One has accepted now a one more generation after whatever was the previous pancaratric-initiated disciples. Therefore you have disciples, grand-disciples, like this. Because in siksa there is no separation in time. It is not controlled by time and space. It is beyond the conditioned nature. But the pancaratric initiation is geared for one who is controlled by time and space, who is conditioned. Therefore the aspects of time and space are considered and are important.
We see here again that the initiation basically just becomes a formalization of acceptance of a siksa-guru. If we are talking about purely siksa-line or bhagavata-line, it is not necessary. Because there was no ceremony between Jagannatha and Visvanath, there was no ceremony between Bhaktivinod Thakur and Jagannath, there was no ceremony between Gaura Kisora das Babaji Maharaj and Bhaktivinod Thakur, nor a ceremony between Visvanath and Narottama, nor Narottama and Krsnadas, nor between Krsnadas and Jiva. Because Krsnadas was not initiated by Jiva Goswami, he was not pancaratrically initiated.
So we see, that if that’s the case, then why would we need to have this formalization in the form of this ritual. It would not be required. Bhagavat system does not require it. When Rupa and Sanatana heard from Lord Caitanya there was no formal ritual. That ritual is there because of the conditioned nature. That ritual is under the authority of Pancaratra, and it connects one to the person who performed the ritual in the pancaratric sense. But in the bhagavat sense one then hears from that person who has connected us in the pancaratric sense to the instructions of the siksa-guru, the Founder-Acarya. We see that again this concept of the need for ritual by the devotees in the conditioned state he is trying to apply unnaturally to the siksa-pranali in the siksa-parampara. We have to take great care here to discern between these.
The last paragraph in this section or the second paragraph on the top of
page 5:
“In the essential sense of the word ‘initiation’…{78:30}
in the educational process of the initiate”.
BVPS: Here we also see that it is pushed towards the siksa side. Though, at the same time it is being mixed up with what we call the pancaratric diksa. It is not clear here.
The last two paragraph on page 7, section “Srila Prabhupada is qualified to be worshiped”:
“The title of this section surely sounds obvious… {80}
Srila Prabhupada completely fills this role with the help of his followers.”
BVPS: Again we see that the whole concept of the initiating spiritual master, the instructing spiritual master is stepped over. It is like “we are not discussing these things, we are just discussing Prabhupada”. But the process needs to be understood, then we can discuss how everybody fits into it. Also here the point is that “Srila Prabhupada is fully capable to be the sole Vaisnava worshiped as the current link” – yes. On the siksa line he is the Founder-Acarya. Founder is always worshiped. Therefore we see in the temple program we have Prabhupada’s guru-puja as the central focus in the worship. Because Srila Prabhupada is the Founder-Acarya. But this does not mean that the individual devotee does not have a relationship with or the need to show appreciation to the devotee who has connected him to the parampara through the pancaratric pranali. That is there as the part of the process. That does not overshadow, it should not overshadow Srila Prabhupada’s position as the Founder-Acarya. But it does not mean that this position also has to be sidelined. It may not be prominent in the temple, it may be done somewhere else, but to just say “No one else is to be worshiped as a link in the parampara…” We have to understand that of the two paramparas, siksa and diksa, siksa is the prominent and that the main person, as the Founder-Acarya, is Srila Prabhupada. But to say that that is the only link, the only aspect of the parampara, would mean to overlook a natural tradition.
The author says, “he completely fills this” – he completely fills this as the Founder, as the primary siksa-guru, that everybody else is following. But to say that there is no need of the other is to say that there is no need of that connection either. Then we should just stick to the siksa line, but how are we to prove that we have accepted his instructions as our life and soul. We see that everyone else in our line, even though they may have accepted one of the previous acaryas as their life and soul, we do not see that they do not take a formal pancaratric initiation. We see that they take this and we also see that they respect that person. And they see their connection in the diksa-pranali through that person.
Continuing on the top of page 8:
“Some devotees may choose a disciple of Srila Prabhupada…{84}
Srila Prabhupada is naturally the spiritual master to be worshiped as the link to the parampara.”
BVPS: We see here that we are not addressing this other aspect. So, unfortunately, without addressing that aspect you cannot really understand the whole process. We should say that Srila Prabhupada is the Founder-Acarya and the basis of the siksa connection, bhagavat-siksa connection, then the paper can go on this line, that’s nice. But the problem is that the paper pushes to the side the need of the pancaratric connection of the living entity to the parampara. At the same time it says, “We are not going to discuss that here.” So there is some contradiction in this matter. Because he is constantly referring to the person who gives the initiation, but he is not referring to the process under which is the authority of that initiation given. If that side is just being finessed to establish Prabhupada’s position as the Founder-Acarya, who is the bhagavat-siksa line, then yes, he is the main person. At the same time the author is trying to include the pancaratric initiation. At the same time he is saying, “We are not discussing it,” and at the same time it says that it is not important. At the same time it says that the person who does that pancaratric initiation is not actually the connection through that diksa-pranali, but Prabhupada is. So we are saying that Prabhupada is the diksa-pranali, and the siksa-pranali. It all just becomes very nicely merged.
In this next paragraph we will see one of the aspects on the approach to this. It appears that this is one of the reasons for the presentation in this manner. So, continuing with what the author says, page 8, second paragraph:
“Accepting Srila Prabhupada in this role in terms of unity…
why not just stick with the ISKCON altar that Srila Prabhupada gave us.”
BVPS: If we are approaching this simply from the managerial point of view, management must be based on sastra. We don’t adjust tradition for management. This is not a proper approach. Brahmanas and ksatriyas must establish all their opinions and their activities on the scriptures, given by the acaryas. So we have to be careful to just present something like this.
Now, this point has been already discussed by the GBC, -- as I remember, in 1987; ’87 or ’88, I think it was ’87, -- what would be happening with the parampara and the pictures. It is pointed out that Srila Prabhupada is the Founder-Acarya and is worshiped. The bhagavat-pranali parampara that we are given he is the Founder-Acarya, so he is the link which everyone is connecting to. So as long as ISKCON is manifest you will always have Srila Prabhupada and, according to the tradition, four gurus before. That means you are woshiping the guru, then the param-guru, the para-para-guru, the maha-guru, and then paramesthi-guru. So that takes us back to Jagannatha das Babaji Maharaj. That will always remain on the altar. That siksa link is there. Does not matter how many generations, a hundred generations, two hundred generations, a thousand generations removed, still, there will be Prabhupada and those four acaryas. Because that is the siksa-pranali. But we must understand that on the pancaratric diksa-pranali, if it is a hundred generations away, it is a hundred generations, but there is no need to keep a hundred pictures. You simply keep the person that has connected you to that diksa-pranali line. So what is being practiced today in ISKCON, that will be practiced after a hundred generations. We must be very careful, because the problem is that the author of this paper in the very beginning does not want to deal with the distinctions between the initiating spiritual master and the instructing spiritual master. Nor is there a distinction made between the Founder-Acarya and the other gurus, their relationship, their position. Because of this, these kinds of topics may naturally come up, these misunderstandings. We have to be very, very careful.
This has already been discussed, it has already been addressed by the GBC.
The discussions of the GBC on these important philosophical issues need to somehow or other be disseminated between the devotees, so that they understand these things: Prabhupada’s position as the Founder, the altar, the worship, all these different things must be given to others. Otherwise many wonderful and deep discussions and realizations that are come to in these subcommittee meetings in the GBC, but many times due to managerial considerations they do not actually go out of the GBC rooms and make it to the other leaders of the society or to the general devotees.
Now, skipping to page 10, “Terms of delegation”:
“In GBC resolutions of recent years…
actually minimize Srila Prabhupada’s position rather than acknowledge and glorify it.”
BVPS: It is interesting to note that on page 3 in the second paragraph the author writes: “We contend that Srila Prabhupada will continue to be capable to perform his role as the primary giver of diksa at least for the duration of this movement”. And further on, “Srila Prabhupada is the primary giver of divya-jnana in their spiritual lives.” It is interesting that he can use the word primary, but if others use the words like “foundational”, “preeminent”, “compulsory”, then that is a minimization, rather than acknowledgement. The difficulty that comes is that the word Founder-Acarya does not really have a good translation into English. The scope that it encompasses is very hard to convey. How the Founder is intimately involved with every aspect of the sadhana, philosophy, the methods of training, moods, dealings, everything that is there in the movement. It is very hard to find the word. So the GBC did their best to try to convey the prominence there. But, unfortunately, we may find that there may also be no full understanding of this by the leaders of the movement. Therefore, because of their not being able to disseminate this to others, confusion has arisen.
In the next paragraph here the author then goes on to state his opinion:
“Srila Prabhupada is the primary guru for everyone… {95}
This is illustrated below”.
BVPS: The main problem is that the word Founder-Acarya does everything but that somehow or other it has not appeared once up to now in this paper. It is not understood that when Prabhupada gave the term Founder-Acarya, it was not just acarya, he was Founder-Acarya. That Founder-Acarya has this special meaning and this special position. So, THE spiritual master, being acintya-bheda-abheda-tattva, it means that he is THE spiritual master, the Founder-Acarya, but it does not mean that others are not spiritual masters. Therefore, in siksa he is the preeminent, predominant one. The problem is that English is a mleccha language, so it does not really give great definitions. But that should not mean that because of that misunderstanding we should change the Gaudiya-Vaisnava philosophy and tradition, let alone Gaudiya-Vaisnava, just the Vaisnava tradition, because we don’t like the sound of English words that are uncapable of describing the depth of the original Sanskrit or Bengali terminology.
In the next paragraphs of this section the author goes on to explain the position the leaders in the movement who are in the role of initiating spiritual masters and is pointing that the disciples must have the right to worship those persons. But unfortunately, we see by the way they present it that they themselves are not able to discriminate between Prabhupada’s position as the Founder-Acarya and the position of the person who connects one to the parampara and the Founder-Acarya through the pancaratric process. So because of this it comes down to “either this or that”. The real problem is that the leaders of the society are not actually properly understanding the principles of the Founder-Acarya, the pancaratric diksa-guru and the siksa-gurus, who are all assisting Srila Prabhupada. The definitions are not well understood, so it is not difficult to see why these problems come up in the society. If the leaders are not able to communicate the traditions of our line to the devotees and train them in that, then naturally it is going to give rise to speculation and people will be dissatisfied. They will come with some idea to reconcile all this – some nice managerial solution, and then they come up with some philosophy to back up such a solution.
We do see that in the society many devotees regard the person who has given the pancaratric diksa as the main and primary person in their life, when Srila Prabhupada should be the primary person in their life. But there is the person who is helping them and inspiring them to understand this and take this up very seriously. This may be coming through this person and through others who are seen as the siksa-gurus.
So this whole balance and interaction between all these different aspects of guru is not understood by many of the disciples. They cloud Prabhupada’s position with the person who has given the pancaratric initiation. At the same time there are others, who would just remove the importance and position of the pancaratric guru in favor of Prabhupada’s position. So, unfortunately, both these don’t really solve the problem. The solution to the problem is to actually understand what is the tradition and what is the position. Once that is understood then one can actually operate. As we discussed in the beginning of our comments on the paper, until one understands what are the elements within the field that you want to get involved in: what is its element, what is its nature and what is the relationship with the other elements of that topic. Without this there is no way to operate it. If there are any difficulties in operation, then we see gurus becoming too prominent, Prabhupada becoming reduced, or gurus taking their disciples with them when they develop some strange ideas or philosophies, or disciples regarding their pancaratric guru as the prominent way but his Godbrothers and other senior persons they neglect… These are all symptoms of someone who is not well informed and who is also generally not that advanced. Because a madhyama at least would deal nicely with everybody, but the kanistha has the tendency not to see like that. They can see God, they can see guru, who is representing God, and that’s about it. And if they have some persons they like then they can respect them also, but that is personal. Otherwise the problem is there. The madhyama is able to accommodate the varieties and the levels of devotees, interactions and all this. So it seems to be the difficulty that actually boils down to training. The training is not there, or the training is in some way lacking. People are not being trained in the proper viewpoint. Because of this we are not able to properly operate the system that balances all this, makes the prominent position of the Founder-Acarya, makes him to be the central guru for everyone in the movement that everyone has a direct siksa link with. At the same time, we have to be able to accommodate and understand the position of relationship with the person who has given the pancaratric initiation and others who are also giving us instructions and inspiration to serve the Founder Srila Prabhupada. When all this becomes balanced, then Prabhupada will naturally become the center of everything and everything will become balanced around him. It will work very nicely. Otherwise there will be a problem.
Basically from what I see it is a matter of emphasis. Some over-emphasize one way, others have the natural tendency to over-emphasize it another way. But the path of devotional service is down the middle. One side is impersonalism, the other is sahajiya. In this way, there is no solution to this over-emphasizing. One has to take the middle path, understand the process, understand the philosophy and understand how to practice the philosophy, then we will get the result that is required.
I think that at this point we will not be able to continue for much more. There so many more details here, so many aspects have been considered by the author, but I would say that what we have spoken would cover, with slightly different applications, the other points that are made by the author. So, if there is a need of more discussion, a deeper or more specific discussion of specific points, then one should feel free to contact us and ask us, and we will try our best to help in whatever way we can. Thank you! Hare Krishna.
