With great sorrow we report that Hansadutta das has left his mortal shell, as of today, 25 April. In recent months he had been suffering from acute pancreatitis, but in late March it was discovered that he had advanced cancer of the pancreas. Hansadutta, who would have been 80 in May, spent his final days chanting and sometimes singing the holy names alternating with listening to Srila Prabhupada's lectures.
Here is the answer to the question so many sincere devotees have: Who to trust for guidance? This is the answer. YOU HAVE TO READ AND HEAR EVERYTHING OF PRABHUPADA’S TEACHING, THEN YOU HAVE THE STANDARD, THE YARDSTICK WHEREBY WHICH YOU CAN JUDGE, MEASURE AND WEIGH THEIR QUALIFICATION. THEN ONE HAS TO GO FORWARD ON THE BASIS OF HIS OWN HEART. more
January 30, 2013:
Dear Bhakti Vikasha Maharaj,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Over the years I have noticed that you have stepped forward to speak with “frank” and “bold” statements regarding issues that you think stray from Srila Prabhupada’s teachings. I have also noticed that you wrote a book called, “On Speaking Strongly in Srila Prabhupada’s Service”. I have not read it, but Srila Prabhupada writes, “I want that you all my advanced disciples become very bold preachers and take up this task of saving the fallen humanity from its worst condition of sinfulness.”
Actually it is in line with this very quote and another misquote that I am writing you. I am writing you because I am surprised that you have fell victim to misrepresenting the verse “āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra’ ei deśa”. more
After the first Brahmin initiation ceremony (Boston 1968), I asked Prabhupada, “What is the significance of this Brahmin Initiation?” Prabhupada gestured dismissively and said, “It is not very important. My Guru Maharaja introduced this ceremony of Brahmin initiation, because in his time SMARTA BRAHMINS (caste conscious) were deriding Vaishnavas as not being qualified Brahmins, because they were not born into Brahmin families and had received no second initiation. So to counteract their belittling attitude towards the Vaishnava community, he introduced this policy, but it is not very important. One can become perfectly Krishna conscious simply by first initiation, Hare Nama initiation. Nothing else is required. It is a formality to satisfy the SMARTA BRAHMINS – CASTE CONSCIOUS community. more
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His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
As Srila Prabhupada’s disciples, our function is simply to deliver these two BHAGAVATAS, the book and the person, Srila Prabhupada. It is the function of the disciples to confirm the instructions of the spiritual master, and give assistance to the new candidates. It is not their function to use Srila Prabhupada’s books for alluring new candidates to increase their personal following, as it seems to be the case today.
