Srila Prabhupada, His Movement & You

Let the Healing Begin

From Shyamasundar das,
Cebu, Philippines
Undated

Dear Hansadutta:

Hare Krishna! It’s nice to hear again from you through your most enlightening magazine I received from Bhima das, Srila Prabhupada, His Movement and You. I was so happy to know about your realization of this guru thing. I just hope that everything will go fine, especially that not everyone is into this rittvik scene, which even is the truth, I know for sure that Krishna knows and He wants the rittvik system for all the devotees all over the ISKCON world. As you have said “ISKCON is the flow of Prabhupada’s instructions.” Like the Ganges River. So shall it be. Sometimes I share these realizations of yours with my god-brothers, and they are happy to know this. Most likely they are waiting for the time when you can come here to meet us again in person.

I happened to talk to Vasista, and he asked me about you. I suggested it would be better if he wrote to you, and I gave him your address. He said deep in his mind he knows you are coming here soon. Could you please send him a Prabhupada, His Movement and You?

Hari bol,
Shyamasundar das

From Krishna-Balarama Swami
21 August 1994

Dear Hansadutta das:

Please accept my humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and the chanting of Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Thank you so much for publishing your two magazines, Srila Prabhupada, His Movement and You and Excommunicated, Uncommunicated, Incommunicado. These magazines point the way to real and therefore lasting reconciliation among all of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples.

In the society of Vaishnavas, humility will always be met with forgiveness. Humility is the string on which the other pearl-like Vaishnava qualities are strung, and without which they will scatter in an instant. Forgiveness, according to Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura, is the symptom that one has progressed to the stage of “bhava“, in which the heart begins to melt. Humility is the first step in the path out of the material entanglement (BG 13.8-12) And when Parasara Muni, taking the advice of Vasistha Muni, cancelled his fire sacrifice, which was intended to kill all the demons of the world and forgave the demon who had devoured his (Parasara Muni’s) father, understanding this to be the natural activity of demons, he was blessed by Pulastya Muni, the father of the demons, to be a great speaker of the Puranas. (SB 3.8.9) In Bhagavad-gita (10.4-5), Srila Prabhupada writes: “Forgiveness should be practiced, and one should forgive the minor offenses of others.” If Parasara Muni, who is in the Sampradaya coming down from Lord Shankarshan to Sanat Kumar to Shankyayana Muni to Parasara Muni and Brihaspati to Maitreya Muni to Mahatma Vidura and who gave us the definition of Bhagavan, can forgive the devouring of his father by a demon, then should we not also be prepared to forgive?

In Bhagavad-gita (13.8-12), Srila Prabhupada writes:

Humility means that one should not be anxious to have the satisfaction of being honored by others.

Lord Brahma exactly followed these principles without any superiority complex, and thus he attained the highest perfectional stage of experiencing the abode of the Lord…. The word manisita is very significant. Everyone is falsely or factually proud of his so-called knowledge. But the Lord says that the highest perfectional stage of learning is to know Him and His abode, devoid of illusion. (SB 2.9.22)

And at the gates of Vaikuntha, in the midst of a blissful exchange of humility, involving Lord Vishnu, Jaya and Vijaya and themselves, the four saintly Kumaras addressed Lord Vishnu thus: “Therefore Your potency is not reduced by Your submissive behavior. Rather, by submission You exhibit Your transcendental pastimes.” (SB 3.16.24) If Lord Brahma, despite his factual accomplishments, and Lord Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, can act and speak without superiority complex, then can the leaders of our Hare Krishna movement and all of its sub-sects refuse to return Srila Prabhupada’s disciples to him, put aside their titles, asanas and pranams and admit that they and all of us are simply children playing at Srila Prabhupada’s lotus feet?

“Whatever actions a great man performs, common men follow in his footsteps, and whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.” (BG 3.21)

For the unity and progress of the Hare Krishna movement and for the general welfare of all the living entities of this world, this is a very small request.

I believe you, that you are free of the ambition to be “the guru.” I pray that the Lord will keep me free of it. I thank you for throwing light on this aberration within our Sampradaya and for identifying the disease of pratistha as its cause. I pray that all honest devotees will try to eradicate this disease, without hating its victims, for as Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakur has written, “No Vaishnava should ever entertain the thought, ‘I have done no wrong.'” ( Madhurya Kadambini )

May Lord Jagannath, Lord Baladev and Lady Subhadra smile upon you always.

Sincerely,
Krishna-Balarama Swami

From Dharmatma das, Alachua, Florida
26 August 1994

Dear Hansadutta Prabhu:

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Shyamakunda Prabhu just brought me a copy of your Excommunicated, Uncommunicated, Incommunicado booklet. I was quite amazed, but not so surprised at the actions of some of the ISKCON “big devotees and leaders.” Having experienced the same type of ostracization [sic] at the community here, I can sympathize with you. It never ceases to amaze me how they can be so unkind, uncompassionate and intolerant, the exact opposite qualities that real devotees should exhibit. Here at New Raman Reti in Florida, we have our share of so-called big devotees: current GBCs, ex-GBCs, sannyasis, ex-sannyasis and want-to-be’s. There is no shortage of false egos and holier-than-thou attitudes. My way of dealing with the situation is just that—not dealing with them at all. My family and I go to Mangal Arotika, Tulasi and japa, then come home and start our own home-schooling with the kids. We stay away from the social scenes and different trips. It’s lonely, but healthier as we stay away from conflicts and fault-finding.

It amazes me that the powers-to-be dictated that you shouldn’t lead kirtans or give class at the temples. Recently, they made Radhanath Swami a GBC. With all due respect, as I do like him as a person, and he is a sweet devotee, but still he was involved to some degree or had knowledge of Sulochan’s murder. I know this for a fact. Not only that, he supported K Swami to the end, causing many devotees much anguish and suffering. My feeling is that he, like many of the others, is motivated by profit, adoration and distinction. It’s too bad, but not at all surprising. A truly advanced devotee is a rare commodity.

Anyway, keep up the good work. Go on, irregardless of them. The best revenge is your good living in Krishna consciousness. They can’t keep you from Krishna or Prabhupada.

Hope this finds you well and blissfully engaged. Look forward to your association again one day. Hari bol!

Your servant,
Dharmatma das