Glow Worm Gurus
From Sriman Pandit das,
Santa Cruz, California
19 December 1993
Dear Hansadutta dasa Prabhu:
Please accept my humble dandavats! Thank you very much for your kind response and magazine about Srila Prabhupada. I especially liked the letter you composed while waiting for Sriman Rahugana Prabhu. I felt it very nicely covered the issue of consulting Srila Prabhupada’s god-brothers and consequently changing camps. I recently met with Brahmananda Prabhu at Pusta Krishna’s house and related to him how Govinda Maharaja has gained some strength, especially in Santa Cruz by using Srila Prabhupada without giving him the credit due. I personally feel, though, that their potency is only being exhibited because Srila Prabhupada’s movement is so weak. It’s kind of like the example Prabhupada gives about the glow worms: how they exhibit their light, but in the presence of the sun they are vanquished. And since, as you so expertly point out, because Srila Prabhupada’s movement is lacking strong preaching and brahminical power, they are (Govinda Maharaja’s group) having some success in gathering support. Also I feel because the devotees in general have fallen away from strictly following the regulative principles and chanting their rounds and staying fully engaged in Krishna’s service, that no one really knows what the brahminical standard is anymore. Therefore devotees think when they see a devotee like Govinda Maharaja, who is a nice devotee, they think this is the standard now, and so undermine all the strict rules and regulations that Srila Prabhupada so strongly insisted upon.
I am so enlivened to hear you preaching again. It is music to my ears. Thank you also for cultivating the humble attitude. I remember when I was first trained up we were taught if we had a problem with a god-brother we had to go and offer our obeisances and beg forgiveness. In fact, I remember offering obeisances to all the devotees individually every day. And when I keep this attitude and remind myself of my personal falldown and offenses, I feel more Krishna conscious! I also feel that Krishna has given me another chance to serve Srila Prabhupada. I have become very serious about my sadhana and sankirtan preaching that I do here in Santa Cruz, and even though I am alone for the most part, it is special mercy because I am learning how to fly my own airplane. Hare Krishna!
Yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada,
Sriman Pandit dasa
From Gour Mohan das,
Braamberg, Holland
20 December 1993
Dear Hansadutta Prabhu:
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Thank you very much for the magazines. I think many devotees will appreciate it very much. I gave Anant Swarup Prabhu also a copy, and he said that “This is really approaching the truth.” I will send you in due course some Lakshmi for the magazines.
The leader of the Hague Centre bought also one magazine and became very enthusiastic to preach this to all the people who visit the center. He asked me to ask you two questions, which he would like to have an answer. If the answers are satisfying, he said he will help you convince other people. His name is Guru Padma and was initiated by Srila Prabhupada in 1976.
The two questions are: 1) Is there any Vedic evidence that when a bona fide spiritual master is no longer physically on the planet, that he can still accept disciples? 2) The proof that Prabhupada has meant that after his disappearance those who become initiated are his disciples? Please be so kind to write a letter for Guru Padma and send it to me, and I will hand it over to him.
Your servant in the service of Srila Prabhupada,
Gour Mohan das
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