Srila Prabhupada, His Movement & You

From Sachisuta das,
irmingham, West Midlands, UK
13 February 1994

My dear Hansadutta Prabhu:

Hare Krishna. Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Have just finished reading your publication of 1993, Srila Prabhupada, His Movement and You.

Having read your letter to Nityananda Prabhu (dated July, 1992) a little while ago in VVR No. 18, September ’92, in regards to your reply you received from Bhurijana Prabhu regarding your request for excommunication to be lifted, I was thinking to write you then. As a few of us Nama Hatta members attached to Birmingham, West Midlands ISKCON temple were still struggling with many dilemmas regarding acceptance of rittvik acharyas, etc., with our minds and ISKCON authorities, etc., I wasn’t sure how or when to contact you, so left it for a while.

However, after noting carefully your “Apology to the Devotees,” “Letter to a Devotee Friend,” “Introduction,” “Letter to New Initiates,” etc., etc., I was moved to write immediately, as it is most evident that now you are back, and are determined to return ISKCON to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, many sincere devotees world-wide will be eager to correspond with you, so perhaps before you are inundated with letters, etc., perhaps you may have time to write us a group letter? (Please do not feel obliged, however, although we would eagerly await). I think perhaps ISKCON GBC may rue the day they didn’t grab you back when opportunity arose, for as you are now in complete understanding of Srila Prabhupada as Sampradaya Acharya and at your own position as his designated representative (July 9th, 1977 letter), and as you are first of “original eleven” (and aware of your preaching ability from the early days, German carts and Dr. Kovoor episode, etc.), who has returned back to Srila Prabhupada’s lotus feet, I think reconciliation is now imminent.

My own “just initiation” ceremony was through Jayatirtha, 1980, yet even then I felt more attached to Srila Prabhupada, even though I was always living at home with wife and children, etc., having never lived in temple, although it took until middle of 1993 before I fully understood I was actually Srila Prabhupada’s disciple. This came about after approaching one of our members here, Krishna Kantha Prabhu, who was first to contact Puranjana Prabhu regarding rittvik. When His Holiness Shivarama Swami GBC found out he was offering his findings to us, he informed ISKCON temples to ban him, so we all decided to have our programs away from Birmingham temple until such time ban is lifted.

We are currently in possession of 22-page paper from ISKCON Birmingham temple president, Govinda Bhasya Prabhu, covering many scriptural quotes and observations, and when he returns from India in March, we are invited to openly discuss issues, to some conclusion, hopefully. As he is taking initiation (third time) from Gour Govinda Maharaja on Lord Nityananda’s appearance day, and accepting him as Guru Maharaja, his mind is already made up, so maybe little point in discussing?

So Prabhu, much to say how most pleased we are to see that you have triumphed over a diversity (hell and back, etc.), but will contain for now. Thank you so much for the enormous encouragement it is to us that you are with us. Very soon now Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON will be back with him, then all success assured. We would be most grateful for any instruction and advice, etc. you can give.

Your well-wisher,
Sachisuta das

Jai hari bol

P.S. Prabhu, I hope I have not been too familiar in this? For it may be that you are due more respect now than before, as it cannot have been easy to adopt lowly position. Only Prabhupada and Krishna know what’s in our heart beyond externals, yet to have been honored with great pomp and ceremony, now to return to humble servant, shows much for your strength of character. Please forgive any offence.
Hare Krishna.

From Dinadayadri dasi,
Ferndale, Michigan
14 February 1994

Dear Hansadutta das:

Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada!

Thank you very much for your letter of February 9, 1994. Yes, I have been anxious to obtain several more copies of Srila Prabhupada, His Movement and You. There are a few people I’ve wanted to loan my copy to, but didn’t, because I consider it so valuable and didn’t want to risk not getting it back. Please let me know how much the magazine costs (the one I have was a gift from Puranjana Prabhu), and I will place an order for five more.

Personally, I think everyone connected with Srila Prabhupada’s mission needs to read Srila Prabhupada, His Movement and You. It is very powerful, because it presents the truth with logic and devotion, but without the type of inflammatory rhetoric I’ve seen elsewhere. I agree with you that “We must go forward positively,” but believe that all those who have falsely postured themselves as liberated souls and allowed others to think of them as such need to do as you have done, perhaps not so much to gain the forgiveness of we the assembled devotees, but to gain the forgiveness of Srila Prabhupada (the one who has been most grievously offended) and thus reopen their connection to the Brahma Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya. Obviously the world is desperately in need of Krishna consciousness, and Srila Prabhupada’s mission is very much in need of leadership that can unite all the differing factions within it. Your approach is the only one I can see that has much chance of accomplishing this.

I hope all the ISKCON “gurus”, past and present, get the chance to read Srila Prabhupada, His Movement and You. I would be very interested to hear if any of them have read it and what kind of reaction you are getting from them (positive, I hope). I am especially concerned about Bhagavan, because he opened my home temple here in Detroit, initiated me in early 1970 as a rittvik representative of Srila Prabhupada, and several of my closest friends eventually became his “disciples.” I also have a lot of affection for Kirtanananda, because he was always very kind and attentive to my parents when they visited New Vrindavana (which they did because they enjoyed it—I wasn’t even there) and he arranged for them to meet Srila Prabhupada on one of their visits.

I wish you all success in publishing your Inside Nama Hatta magazine. I have sent in the postcard I found in Srila Prabhupada, His Movement and You for a subscription. As long as you continue to follow in the lotus footsteps of our beloved Srila Prabhupada, you have my full support. I pray this meets you in good health and happiness!

Your servant,
Dinadayadri dasi