So it appears the majority would like to see the letters. I am going to post all I have. As far as I know these are all the communications.

I want to make something clear here. I am not an initiated disciple of Sri Narayana Maharaja nor have I ever met him in person. I have never been to his mission or any of its branches around the world. I have met a few of his followers but have no close personal ties with any of them. I did read one of S. Narayana Maharaja's books long ago and found it to be ontologically correct concerning the tenants of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

I will post the response coming from his side of the argument at the end. I do not know the particular devotee who wrote the letter on behalf of the mission of Sri Narayana Maharaja in response to the letters and whole affair of FL and his gang, however I found every single point to be dead on the money when it comes to the Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya and it tenants. The devotee clearly took every point that was proposed by FL and his gang and citing scripture and sadhu showed FL and his gang to be lacking in the most basic understanding of the philosophy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His followers. Every point Fl got wrong is corrected by the follower of Narayana Maharaja citing guru, sadhu and scripture.

For posterity I think these letters should stand. But of course Rick Ross can censor anything he likes.

Here we go.

A letter that Krishna Karunya das (a/k/a Mahabhava das) received from Siddhaswarupananda;

January 10, 2000

Dear Mahabhava das,

I hope this letter finds you in the best of health.

I am very sad to hear that you have thrown away your spiritual life in the name of seeking spiritual advancement. You have decided to irresponsibly and faithlessly leave the service of your spiritual master and his attempt to give people Krishna choosing instead to take shelter of your mind motivated by your desire for salvation. In the name of getting closer to Krishna you have made a mockery of our entire disciplic succession and the guru disciple relationship. You are obviously in the illusion that by running away and dropping your service to your spiritual master you will get closer to Krishna and make spiritual advancement. Where have you heard such nonsense, who has taught you this? You have been so offensive towards your spiritual master and Lord Chaitanya's mission with what you have done that your spiritual life is practically destroyed now. Who has influenced you to commit spiritual suicide in this way? Do you really believe that you can trust such a person as your friend and well-wisher.

The people you are associating with evidently have failed to tell you that your kicking your spiritual master in the face will destroy your spiritual life. As such how can you count them as your real friends. Of course, if such people feel that they are superior Vaishnava's and are thus saving you from a charlatan or less advanced so-called guru then their behavior is understandable. But if that is the case, then let them say this openly not indirectly.

If they accept our disciplic succession however then they must also accept that your behavior towards your gurudev has been extremely offensive and has damaged you spiritually. If they are your well-wisher then they would certainly be encouraging you to take shelter of your spiritual master and beg forgiveness for your offenses. Now you will see if they are really your friends. I hope they are.

Your ever well-wisher,

Siddhaswarupananda


letter for Krishna Karunya das from Acharya das;

January 10, 2000

Dear Mahabhava das,

I was very surprised to learn about your folly. The recent weeks and months, especially watching the disappearance of Tusta Krishna das and the events surrounding it has made certain thing absolutely crystal clear for me. The total and unconditional surrender to and service of our beloved Srila Prabhupad will carry one back to Krishna, without any doubt whatsoever. To reject your service to your spiritual master is the most foolish thing that you could ever do. Please wake up from this intoxicated stupor where you think by rejecting your gurudev, that you can attain Krishna, it is simply maya. You are vainly running after something other than Krishna and will harvest only bitter fruit.

I pray for your well-being and hope that you will repair the damage and havoc you have caused to yourself.

Your friend,

Acharya das













A letter by Siddhaswarupananda for Srila BV Narayana Maharaja;

Dear Narayana Maharaj

Please accept my humble obeisances. I hope this letter meets you in the best of health.

I am a very imperfect servant of my spiritual master and Lord Chaitanya but out of their causeless mercy they have allowed me to try and spread the holy names of Krishna.

In the Philippines one of my disciples Mahabhava das who was acting as my servant in various ways in trying to give the people the names of Krishna and as such he had quite a lot of responsibilities. He was in charge of many facets of our preaching programs. But unfortunately due the influence of yourself and your disciples Mahabhava das dropped all of his responsibilities without informing me or asking my permission or in any way communicating with myself or any of my other disciples his intentions. He simply disappeared. This seriously interfered with Lord Chaitanya's Cebu mission.

You are the well-wisher of everyone so may I beg to know why you all did this. What good to either Mahabhava das or yourselves or the people in general could this possibly achieve. Certainly you must agree that only harm can come to a disciple who rejects his spiritual master's instructions, service and turns his back on him. I am sure that you would appreciate that if one of your disciples who you have placed in a position of responsibility, who you have given shelter to, were to disappear without any communications to yourself and reappear in the mission of another Vaishnava Acharya sporting a new name and now acting as the servant of that other Acharya, that you would be feeling very unhappy because you would know that your disciple had been very offensive and could therefore not be pleasing to Krishna. This would sadden you greatly of course because you know that only by Krishna's pleasure upon us can we come closer to Him. This is why I am so perplexed by this situation.

You are a much more learned person than I so I am sure you can provide me with the answer. Awaiting your reply.

Siddhaswarupananda













Letter from Acharya Prabhu, to Sripad B.V. Narayana Maharaja


Dear Maharaj,

Please accept my pranams.

I am writing to you as a long-time preacher of the Chaitanya Mission in the Philippines and as Secretary of the Vishva Vaishnava Raj Saba -- World Vaishnava Association.

It has come to my attention that you are currently in the Philippines and have re-initiated a disciple of Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda. I have been told that this long-time disciple of Jagad Guru whom we knew as Mahabhava das was given a new name by yourself and is now known as Krishna Karuna or something like that. I am asking you to please advise me whether this is correct or not.

If this is true, then as a siksha disciple of Jagad Guru the founder of Chaitanya Mission I am extremely offended by this. If this is true then what you are saying is that the Chaitanya Mission is not bona fide preaching arm of Lord Chaitanya, and that Jagad Guru, the founder of Chaitanya Mission, is not a bona fide spiritual master. Therefore his disciples need to be re-initiated by yourself. From my position in the WVA, I am concerned because of the obvious transgression of Vaisnava etiquette and how this can negatively affect relationships between Vaisnava missions around the world.

Mahabhava das was in charge of our Cebu center. As the head of the center his responsibilities included the maintenance of regular worship and classes, the running of an outreach program to bring the holy names to people throughout Cebu, preaching and running book tables in different Universities and schools and managing the finances of the center. It now appears that after some communications and influence from your disciples, he disappeared one morning without telling anyone, without asking his spiritual master's permission or informing him of his plans, and he then received reinitiation from you.

I have even received reports that this reinitiation of Mahabhava das is being held up by your followers as proof of your great potency. They are reportedly holding him up as a trophy which was snatched from the Chaitanya Mission which everyone seems very pleased about. They reportedly equate your potency as being manifest in your ability to take disciples from other spiritual masters and make them your disciples. We were of the understanding that Vaisnavas work to take disciples of Mayadevi and make them servants of Krishna not going around taking servants of Krishna and making them servants of ones self.

Please advise me as soon as possible because disciples of Jagad Guru are extremely angered by what they have heard and it is difficult for me to explain to them how it could be happening and upon what basis another Vaisnava Acarya could come to the Phillipines and behave in this way. The situation is very serious.

Respectfully yours,

Acharya das




2nd letter to Sripad B.V. Narayana Maharaja from Acharya Prabhu

13 January 2000

Dear Narayan Maharaj

Please accept my humble obeisances. Since I have not heard any response from you I wish to humbly submit the following for your consideration.

Some of your disciples have attempted to minimize the seriousness of your initiating a disciple of Jagad Guru by stating that Mahabhava das was not really initiated by Jagad Guru, that Jagad Guru only gave Hari Nama initiation to him and real initiation means giving Gayatri mantra.

As Jagad Guru's disciples we are all very simple people and we do not understand all these great philosophical and technical debates over Hari Nama initiation and Gayatri initiation and which one is real initiation. This is all much too advanced for us. When Jagad Guru's initiates disciples we endeavour to establish the same relationship with him that sincere disciples of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada had with their gurudev, namely that we accept him as the representative of Krishna and that we give our life to him. If after he gives a disciple Hari Nama initiation he decides to also initiate a disciple as brahmins that is totally up to him. Our understanding is that of simpletons namely that we should not have a will of our own but rather dovetail our will with our spiritual master's which means our will is automatically dovetailed with Krishna's. We are taught that we should not seek our own pleasure, bhukti, or spiritual liberation but rather simply be helping our spiritual master carry out Lord Chaitanya's mission of spreading the Holy Names. Sometimes the desire for bhukti tries to tempt us and sometimes the desre for liberation, mukti, tempts us. It is only the happines derived from serving the spiritual master that can protect us from these two witches of allurement. It was the desire for mukti that caused Mahabhava das to leave the service of his spiritual master and Lord Chaitanya.. He has followed his desire for so-called spiritual advancement or mukti, which your disciples have convinced him to try and seek.

So now this simple soul who for years has learnt that spiritual life means rendering loving service to ones spiritual master and Krishna, not thinking of his own bhukti or mukti, is now learning all these "advanced" things such as Hari Nama initiation does not count; Jagad Guru is not really your guru because he just initiated you into Hari Nama ( the Holy Name of Krishna); and that it is whoever initiates you with the gayatri mantra that is your real guru.

Jagad Guru for decades has successfully protected his disciples from running from one spiritual master to the next, which has become the habit of so many people who chant Krishna's name. Unfortunately now it appears that your disciples have succeeded in pulling one of Jagad Guru's disciples into this world of rejecting and accepting spiritual masters cheaply.

Jagad Guru does not accept disciples lightly. He accepted Mahabhava das as a disciple and initiated him after 10 years of his living as his brahmachari student and serving Jagad Guru full time and being trained. He begged Jagad Guru to accept him as his disciple and that he afirmed Jagad Guru as his Lord and Master saying that he accepted the will of Jagad Guru as being non-different from the will of Krishna. Part and parcel of this was that Mahabhava das placed himself under the spiritual guidance of Jagad Guru and that if Jagad Guru wanted to initiate him with the Gayatri mantra then he will. Mahabhava das knew full well when he became a disciple of Jagad Guru what he was doing. He was not accepting Jagad Guru as a Hari Nama guru. He was accepting or trying to accept Jagad Guru as a representative of Krishna and surrendering his life to Jagad Guru. After Jagad Guru accepted Mahabhava das he gradually gave him the responsibilities of heading up the many activities including preaching, running the worship services and University preaching programs, and performing sankirtan for the benefit of thousands of people. Without asking Jagad Guru for guidance or notifying anyone Mahabhava das abandoned these responsibilities. Daily we offer guru puja singing the Sri-Guru-vandana prayers by Srila Narrottama dasa Thakura. We understand that spiritual life means a relationship with Krishna's representative Jagad Guru, based upon the rendering of loving service. We know that by his grace one can cross the ocean of material suffering and obtain the mercy of Krishna and that attachment to his lotus feet is the perfection that fulfills all desires. We hold him to be our Lord birth after birth. So it is this spiritual relationship that has now been interfered with.

Hari Nama initiation, gayatri initiation, these were not distinctions taught by Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He did not make such types of distinctions, rather if someone is your guru then he is guru. When a disciple of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad's was canvassed by his own godbrother and reinitiated, this was not dismissed lightly. He did not say that is alright because I only gave Hari Nama initiation to this person. No he said that his disciple was canvassed and reinitiated by his godbrother and that is offensive. It is as displeasing to Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada as it is to Jagad Guru. Your disciples are simply splitting hairs to get followers. Their arguments may work in a technical sense but it does not help anyone spiritually. It is the same type of hair splitting that the so-called appointed Acharyas of ISKCON engaged in and is absolute rubbish. For decades Jagad Guru has protected his disciples from the callousness and synicism and the faithlessness that has pervaded so many other Vaishnava societies especially ISKCON. So-called disciples become like prostitutes going from one so-called spiritual master to another, having their names changed, undergoing initiation, being re-initiated etc., etc. No one knows what it means to accept someone as their spiritual master, it is simply a formality, a badge, a title so that you can be as high as the next person, so you can adopt the label "I am a brahmin", "now I am equal to the other disciples" etc. This is all nonsense and Jagad Guru has tried to protect his disciples from this nonsense, the cheapening of the guru disciple relationship. Unfortunately Mahbhava das has now been sucked into this. He has now been put into the situation where he is being told that Jagad Guru, who he gave his life to, is not really his guru. This is madness

The real meaning of being initiated is to accept someone within the core of ones heart as the representative of Krishna. Lord Krishna Himself states to Sudama Vipra that;

"As the Supersoul of the living entities, sitting in everyone's heart, observe everyone's activity in every stage and order of life. Regardless of which stage one is in, when I see that one is engaged seriously and sincere in discharging the duties ordered by the spiritual master and is thus dedicating his life to the service of the spiritual master, that person becomes most dear to Me."

This is confirmed by all our past Acharyas and born out by the life examples and teachings of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura and Gaura Kishora das Babaji. The relationship that the disciples of Jagad Guru have with him and the relationship that real initiated disciples of Bhaktivedanta have with their Gurudev, are far different than the cheap relationships that you may see in an organization such as ISKCON. This may better help you understand the offensiveness of Mahabhava's turning his back on Jagad Guru.

If there was a mistake on your part and you were under the belief that the disciples of Jagad Guru are like many of those other people that you have come across, who have cheap relationships with their so-called gurus or whose gurus do not care about them, we pray you do not make this mistake again. Please understand that if you or your disciples canvass amongst the disciples of Jagad Guru that you are being extremely offensive because you are interfering with a spiritual relationship. You are not interfering with a ritual, you are not interfering with a technical name of one type of initiation or another, you are interfering with a relationship.

Sincerely yours

Acharya das



3rd letter


Dear Narayana Maharaja,

Please accept my obeisances.

Unfortunately your lack of response indicates you did not understand the problem. Since you claim to accept His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada as your siksa guru you may understand it better in explained in this context.

His Divine Grace showed respect for his godbrothers by not canvassing for followers amongst their disciples;second he never condoned his disciples taking gayatri initiation from his godbrothers-- he considered it offensive on both the part of his disciple and the initiator; he never condoned any attempt by his godbrothers to make his disciples their disciples through gayatri initiation or through any other method; and he certainly never condoned leaving their service to him behind and joining the mission of one of his godbrothers. In that type of situation His Divine grace's condemnation of both parties was absolutely clear.

Jagad Guru follows in the footsteps of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada on these key issues concerning guru-disciple relationship. He does not interfere in the above ways with his godbrothers. For example he has never canvassed amongst your disciples for followers or offered them gayatri initiation etc., etc. Of course you are free to follow the opposite path, everyone has free will.

But make no mistake about it - by interfering with Jagad Guru's relationship with his disciples and thus his mission to carry out his Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad's desire to spread the holy names of Krishna, you are declaring yourself not only Jagad Guru's enemy but the enemy of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, all the Acharyas, Lord Chaitanya and Lord Nityananda.

We therefore beg you to reconsider your behavior in regards to Jagad Guru and his disciples. In a sense what's done is done -- you cannot return water to a broken bottle, but hopefully in the future, you will be more considerate and more careful. I also pray that you and your disciples do not try to justify your behavior by looking for faults and beginning to blaspheme Jagad Guru and his mission. If you follow that path it will make you all completely unsaveable.

We pray that you hear Krishna in your heart. Jagad Guru and his disciples always have the best wishes for yourself and your disciples and wishes to see the success of the missions of all Vaishnava Acharyas. It is therefore all the more surprising and disturbing that a person such as yourself would create this disturbance to Jagad Guru's mission.

Respectfully yours,

Acharya das


Letter from disciple of Siddhaswarupa Prabhu to Sripad Narayana Maharaja


Dear Narayana Maharaja,

Please accept my humble respects.

In light of the incident that have happened having my godbrother Mahabhava das being influenced by you to leave the service of his spiritual master, my gurudeva has given the following instruction to us:

"If Narayan Maharaja's disciples or followers wish, out of their free will, to come to our gatherings, arotik ceremonies, lecture, etc., then they, like everyone else, are certainly welcome. In such situations however, they are not allowed to preach to my students, disciples or guests. This should be made clear to them. Furthermore, my disciples should not try to influence them in any way to leave the service of their spiritual master or their spiritual association."

The above instruction demonstrate proper Vaishnava etiquette, and made even after you have offended my gurudev and disregarded this precious Vaishnava tradition. If any of your disciples come to our centers and we encourage them leave your service, would it be alright with you? If you value your relationship with your disciple then I'm sure you will get hurt when that happens. However if it is alright with you that your disciples abandon you at will, then that shows what kind of relationship you have had with your disciples. If that is the case, what difference does it make with prostitution? A prostitute professes love to her client in a moment and forget about it the next but I hope you deal with your disciples better than that. I really hope. Because you have allowed my godbrother to break his covenant with his spiritual master, thus making a mockery of the entire parampara and guru/disciple relationship, how far are you from breaking your covenant to your disciples?

In the service of my Gurudeva,

Dharmaraj das

From: Kalindi dasi
To:
Sent: Sunday, January 16, 2000 12:04 AM
Subject: Letter to Narayan Maharaj and his followers

To Narayan Majaraj and his followers,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

Our goal is to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna.

If this is also your goal, why did you allow the recent incident with my godbrother Mahabhava das to happen?

Why do you need to influence a devotee who is already engaging himself to the service of Krsna. With what you have done, you were destructing so many spirit souls who are already directing their consciousness to Krsna, not only with those you have influenced but also those who learned and were affected with your deeds like us in the Chaitanya Mission.

By doing so do you think Krsna is pleased with you? Though you were claiming you wanted to give people Krsna, yet your actions and unethical moves defeat your purpose.

It simply shows your own personal and selfish intention and that is to gain as many followers as you can regardless who, what and how.

As what our Spiritual Master, Jagad Guru, had said that you should have directed your attention and effort to those people who do not know Krsna - make them chant Krsna's names and not canvassing other disciples and make them kick their own Spiritual Master in the face and replace yourself to become their spiritual master instead.

With what you did to our Gurudev, we would not tolerate it and will not allow you to continue such mockery to our Spiritual Master and the disciplic succession. We will do what is necessary to stop you and your followers from your offensive deeds.

In the service of my Gurudev, Jagad Guru,

Kalindi dasi



An Open Letter to Narayan Maharaj and your disciples from Caitanya Mission.

We hope this letter meets you in the best of health and offer you our humble respects. May we inform you that by canvassing for followers among Jagad Guru's disciples and students in the Philippines, you are claiming that Jagad Guru and his disciplic succession are not bonafide; by influincing disciples of Jagad Guru to drop their service to Jagad Guru's mission/Chaitanya Mission to give the Holy Names of Krishna to the Philippine people - to influence them to neglect/drop their responsibilities, such as temple leaders, etc. to come and join your camp and serve you instead - by doing this you are declaring that the Chaitanya Mission is not actually Lord Chaitanya's mission. You are declaring that those who are helping Jagad Guru spread the Holy Names of Krishna throughout the Philippines are not actually serving Lord Chaitanya; and your are directly interfering with or getting in the way of our gurudev's humble attempt to spread Hari Nama throughout the Philippines.

Your behavior and that of your disciples is certainly the most offensive. To blaspheme the devotee of Krishna as have done by your behavior as described above, to interfere with such a devotee's humble attempt to spread the Holy Names as you have done is the greatest offense against the Holy Name. Such elephant offense against the Holy Names is thoroughly destructive to one's spiritual life and that of his disciples. Therefore for your own spiritual survival and those you are responsible for, we beg you to please immediately stop such grievous offenses towards Jagad Guru and Chaitanya mission; stop such offenses against our disciplic succession. Such offensiveness against the Vaishnavas and his mission to spread the Holy Names is impossible for even Krishna to forgive.

Srimad Bhagavatam 4:4:13

"It is not wonderful for persons who have accepted the transient material body as the self to engage always in deriding great souls. Such envy on the part of materialistic persons is very good because that is the way they fall down. They are diminished by the dust of the feet of great personalities."

PURPORT "Everything depends on the strength of the recipient. For example, due to the scorching sunshine many vegetables and flowers dry up, and many grow luxuriantly. Thus it is the recipient that causes growth and dwindling. Similarly, mahiyasam pada-rajo-bhisekam: the dust of the lotus feet of great personalities offers all good to the recipient, but the same dust can also do harm. Those who are offenders at the lotus feet of a great personality dry up; their godly qualities diminish. A great soul may forgive offenses, but Krishna does not excuse offenses to the dust of that great soul's feet, just as one can tolerate the scorching sunshine on one's head but cannot tolerate the scorching sunshine on one's feet. An offender glides down more and more; therefore he naturally continues to commit offenses at the feet of the great soul. Offenses are generally committed by persons who falsely identify with the impermanent body." (copyright by Bhaktivedanta Book Trust)

So we beg you to please beg the forgiveness of Jagad Guru and his Chaitanya Mission. Jagad Guru is certainly the most tolerant and merciful that he will accept any sincere apology from you and your disciples. There is no other way for you and your disciples to succeed in your quest for the pleasure of Sri Sri Radha Krishna. There is no doubt that failure to apologize will certainly mean spiritual doom for all of you.

On behalf of the students and staff, respectfully,

Tapas das Sukadev dasi
President of Chaitanya Mission Chairperson for SIF

Yogesvar das Atmarama das
Coordinator for Outreach Coordinator for CM-Makati

Nimai das Panca Tattva das
Coordinator for Life Force Publications Coordinator for CM-UB Center

Mukunda dasi Hayagriva das
Coordinator for Silang Ashram Coordinator for CM Angeles

Tulsi dasi Dharmaraj das
Coordinator for CM-Iloilo Coordinator for CM-Cebu

Bhagavan das Yasodanandana dasi
Coordinator for CM-Bukidnon Coordinator for Baguio

Ananda dasi Yadava das
Coordinator for CM Olongapo Coordinator for CM-Silang

Prema Prayojan das brahmachari a disciple of Narayana Maharaja wrote a response.

My dear brothers and sisters of the Caitanya Mission,

Please accept my humble obeisances. Sri Sri Guru-Gaurangau jayatah!

I am writing this letter in response to the many e-mails which we are currently receiving from various members of the Caitanya Mission such as Acarya das, Madan Mohan dasa, Sukadeva dasi, Gopala dasi Tamayo, Yogesvar dasa, Lalita Gopala dasi and Paramahamsa dasa to name but a few. The purpose of the letter is to clarify some misunderstandings which have arisen regarding the alleged "canvassing" and "re-initiation" of Mahabhava Dasa. I hope that any unnecessary sectarian sentiments which are the enemies of spiritual progress can be abated and that all concerned can derive something positive from this apparently unfavourable incident.

CANVASSING: First of all, allow me to present the facts pertaining to the "canvassing" of Mahabhava Dasa. In December of last year, my paramaradhyata gurupadapadma, om visnupada sri srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja visited the island of Cebu in the Philippines with a few disciples, including myself, to be in a quiet solitary place while translating and writing a commentary on the Sri Bhajana Rahasya by Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura. We stayed together in a remotely situated private resort on the coast for almost a month, rarely setting foot outside the residential complex. During this time, I was sitting alone in my room engaged in translating Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's masterpiece,"Jaiva Dharma" on the order of my Gurudeva. There was a knock at the door, then a person I had never seen before tip-toed in, offered his obeisances and humbly begged to ask some philosophical questions. I said that I was busy but could spare a little time. After answering his questions for half an hour, I begged to continue with my service and he left. Twenty minutes later he came back again with more questions. He seemed very polite and serious, so I did not mind spending some time with him. Of course, you may have guessed that this person was Mahabhava Dasa. WE DID NOT GO TO HIM. He came a long way, alone and of HIS OWN ACCORD. He said that he had also come last year, that he had been reading all the books and lectures of Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja on the internet FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS and that he wanted to buy all the new books which had recently been printed. He had many questions. He was polite but very persistent. Despite all of these circumstances those who are ignorant of the actual facts are wrongly accusing Srila Narayana Maharaja and his followers of canvassing for Mahabhava, but nothing could be further from the truth.

WHY DID MAHABHAVA APPROACH SRILA NARAYANA MAHARAJA? Instead of making false accusations against Srila Narayana Maharaja and his followers it would be more honest to ask oneself why did Mahabhava prabhu approach Srila Narayana Maharaja. Most of you know Mahabhava prabhu very well. He is very sober, thoughtful, sincere and dedicated. That is why he was given so many responsibilities within your organization and why he is held in high esteem and great affection by all the devotees. Here is a case of an intelligent individual with an ardent desire to enter deeply into the teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His followers such as Srila Rupa Gosvami, Raghunatha Das Gosvami, Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, Gaudiya Vedantacarya Baladeva Vidyabhusana and others. Is such a desire legitimate or not? Srila Prabhupada has written in Sri Caitanya Caritamrta:

1) "Sri Sanatana Gosvami Prabhu, the teacher of the science of devotional service, wrote several books, of which the Brhad-bhagavatamrta is very famous; ANYONE who wants to know about the subject matter of devotees, devotional service and Krsna MUST READ THIS BOOK." (Adi-lila: Chapter Five, Text 203, Purport)
2) "Sanatana Gosvami also wrote a special commentary on the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam known as the Dasama-tippani which is so excellent that by reading it one can understand very deeply the pastimes of Krsna in His exchanges of loving activities." (Adi-lila: Chapter Five, Text 203)
3) "Similarly, other false devotees think that studying books of the previous acaryas is unadvisable, like studying dry empiric philosophies. But Srila Jiva Gosvami, following the previous acaryas, has inculcated the conclusions of the scriptures in the six theses called the Sat-sandarbhas. False devotees who have very little knowledge of such conclusions FAIL TO ACHIEVE PURE DEVOTION for want of zeal in accepting the favorable directions for devotional service given by self-realized devotees." (Adi-lila: Chapter Two, Text 117, Purport)
4) "'When shall I become very eager to study the books left by the six Gosvamis? Then I shall be able to understand the conjugal pastimes of Radha and Krsna.' Caitanya Mahaprabhu directly empowered Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Sanatana Gosvami. Following in their footsteps, the other six Gosvamis understood Sri CAITANYA Mahaprabhu and His MISSION." (Madhya-lila: Chapter Twenty-five, Text 271, Purport)

From this we can conclude that it is not only legitimate to be eager to study the books of the gosvamis but actually it is ESSENTIAL. If the opportunity to fulfil this necessity is actually available in your organization then why did Mahabhava prabhu approach Srila Narayana Maharaja and his disciples? This is simply a matter of COMMON SENSE.

May I humbly ask who in your organization has studied the books of the six Gosvamis under the guidance of a bonafide spiritual master who has himself directly studied all these texts from his spiritual master? Such an undertaking involves a lifetime of careful study with the help of several spiritual masters. Yet the modern fashion is to immediately become a spiritual master after the disappearance of one's first guru, even though one is not sufficiently educated in the vast conceptions of Rupanuga vaisnavism. This is not condoned in the Srimad Bhagavatam: "The sages said: Respected Suta Gosvami, you are completely free from all vice. YOU ARE WELL VERSED IN ALL THE SCRIPTURES famous for religious life, and in the Puranas and the histories as well, for YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH THEM UNDER PROPER GUIDANCE and have also explained them." (Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1: Chapter One, Text 6)

ONLY ONE GURU! The members of the Chaitanya Mission have objected to the fact that Mahabhava prabhu has accepted Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja as his diksa and siksa guru on the grounds that it is tantamount to declaring that Jagad Guru is not bona fide and that the Chaitanya Mission is not bona fide. They have expressed the idea that having more than one guru implies that your first guru is not qualified and also that a disciple with more than one guru must be unchaste and unsurrendered. If this is actually the case then, what to speak of Mahabhava prabhu, our whole guru-parampara must also be guilty of unfaithfulness and a lack of surrender.

a) Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura received harinama and Kurma mantra from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Later he received mantra diksa from Srila Gaura-kisora Das Babaji Maharaja.
b) Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura received diksa from Sri Vipina Bihari Gosvami. Shortly afterwards he took full shelter of Srila Jagannatha Das Babaji Maharaja as his siksa-guru.
c) Narottama Das Thakura received initiation from Lokanath Das Gosvami yet he studied all the Gosvami literatures under the guidance of his siksa guru, Srila Jiva Gosvami.
d) Raghunath Das Gosvami received initiation from Sri Yadunandana Acarya. Shortly afterwards he accepted Sri Svarupa Damodara Gosvami as his siksa guru. When Sri Svarupa Damodara disappeared he took shelter of Sri Gadadhara Pandita. When Gadadhara Pandit disappeared he accepted Sri Sanatana Gosvami and finally Sri Rupa Gosvami as his siksa gurus.
e) Srinivas Acarya accepted the shelter of Sri Gadadhara Pandit as his siksa-guru. Later he received diksa from Sri Gopal Bhatta Gosvami. Finally he became the siksa disciple of Sri Jiva Gosvami.

In fact when we study the lives of every genuine acarya, we find that they had several gurus. Therefore in the introduction to Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Srila Prabhupada quotes the verse "vande'ham sri guroh ("guroh" is singular, meaning diksa guru) sri yuta pada kamalam sri gurun ("gurun' is plural indicating several siksa gurus) vaisnavams ca." Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada himself received harinama and diksa from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, yet he claimed that Srila Bhaktiraksaka Sridhara Maharaja was his siksa-guru, as is evident from Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada's own words in the following quotations:

"Then, there are long history, it will take time, but I had the opportunity of associating with His Holiness [Srila Bhaktiraksaka Sridhara Maharaja]. For several years I had the opportunity. KRSNA AND PRABHUPADA [Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura] LIKED IT TO PREPARE ME. Sridhara Maharaja lived as a...
Sridhara Maharaja: (indistinct)
Prabhupada: (laughs) ...in my house, some may say, a few years, so naturally we had very intimate talks and he was my good adviser. I TOOK HIS ADVICE, HIS INSTRUCTION VERY SERIOUSLY, because from the very beginning I know he's a pure Vaisnava and devotee, and I wanted to associate with him, and try to help him also in so many ways. He also tried to help me, so our relationship is very intimate. After the breakdown of the Gaudiya Matha, I wanted to organize another organization, making Sridhara Maharaja head." (Room Conversation, Mayapur, March 17, 1973)

"So if you are actually serious to take instructions from a siksa guru, I can refer you to one who is most highly competent of all my god-brothers. This is B.R. Sridhara Maharaja, whom I consider to be even my siksa guru, so what to speak of the benefit that you can have from his association." (Letter to Hrsikesa, 69-01-09)

In addition to this, Srila Prabhupada was also initiated into gopi-bhava mantra from his sannyasa guru, Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami, who also happens to be the diksa-guru and sannyasa guru of Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja. The first two words of Sri Caitanya Caritamrta are "vande gurun"(plural) meaning: "I pray to my GURUS." So I cannot imagine where the members of the Chaitanya Mission have learnt this idea that to have more than one guru is unchaste or unsurrendered or that it implies that one's other gurus are not qualified. This conception is certainly not found anywhere in sastra or in the lives of our acaryas.

SPECIALIZATION. In their letters some devotees of the Chaitanya Mission (such as Sukadeva dasi, Sonia Alutaya and Siddha das Bernardo) who visited the preaching centre of the Gaudiya Matha in Manila objected to one analogy given by Sriman Brajanath dasa, a disciple of Srila Narayana Maharaja, during our discussion. He compared gurus to doctors saying that doctors who specialize in various fields can help patients according to their particular field of expertise. The objection raised was that there is only one disease, the disease of materialism. Therefore you only need one guru and if you go to another guru then it means that the first guru is not qualified. At this point I appeal to the patience and discerning faculty of my respectable readers to consider this very beautiful and famous prayer of Srila Narottama Das Thakura, Gauranga Bolite Habe.

ara kabe nitaicander karuna hoibe samsara vasana mora kabe tuccha habe: "When will Nityananda Prabhu be merciful to me so that all my material desires will become insignificant."

Nityananda Prabhu is Lord Balarama Himself, the original guru-tattva, by whose mercy one is cured from the disease of materialism. All qualified gurus are the direct representatives of Lord Balarama/Nityananda. However to be free from the disease of materialism is not enough. But if one wants to enter the service of Sri Radha-Krsna in Vrndavan then the help of a specialist will be required. Nityananda Prabhu is Balarama, yet because He is Krsna's older brother, Krsna cannot meet with Srimati Radhika in His presence. Both of them would become embarrassed. Therefore in the next verses Srila Narottama Das Thakura prays: rupa-raghunatha pade hoibe akuti kabe hama bhujabo se yugala piriti: " O when will I be eager to follow Rupa Gosvami and Raghunath Das Gosvami. Only then will I be able to realize the love and affection of Sri Radha and Krsna."

Here we are informed that Rupa Gosvami and Raghunath Das Gosvami are the specialists. In Krsna's pastimes they are actually the close maidservants of Srimati Radharani known as Rupa Manjari and Rati Manjari. They can help us realize those confidential things to which even Lord Balarama has no access due to His being situated in a relationship with Krsna other than that of the gopis. At the same time it would be absurd to suggest that Balarama is not a qualified guru.

In conclusion, at various stages of our spiritual life, different gurus are sent by Krsna to help us in different ways according to their different specialities. Taking help from one guru does not at all imply that another guru is not qualified. To think so is just an irrational type of paranoia.

ALLEGED REINITIATION FALSE ALARM: From the flood of e-mails we are receiving and from personally conversing with the devotees of the Chaitanya Mission it becomes apparent that they are of the opinion that diksa means to receive harinama from the guru and that if someone later receives Gopal mantra and Kama-gayatri from another guru then that person has been reinitiated. Many have expressed the idea that to make a difference between hari nama initiation and mantra diksa is "hair-splitting" (Acharya dasa) and even that harinama initiation is sufficient and mantra-diksa is a formality. O gentle vaisnavas! Those who have genuine love for Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will try to understand the truth by referring to the authentic books of our acaryas and not by listening to the opinions of those who have never studied them under the guidance of diksa and siksa gurus. We shall have to verify all these ideas on the testing stone of sastra. Surely anyone who has a taste for the truth will become enlivened by hearing all these excellent philosophical conclusions.

In the Bhakti Sandarbha of Srila Jiva Gosvami diksa has been clearly defined.

divyam jnanam yato dadyat kuryat papasya sanksayam tasmad dikseti sa prokta desikais
divyam jnanam yato dadyat kuryat papasya sanksayam tasmad dikseti sa prokta desikais tattva-kovidaih
divyam jnanam hy'atra srimate mantra bhagavat svarupa jnana tena bhagavat sambandha visesa jnanam ca

"Those who are learned in the siddhanta conclude that diksa is a process whereby all sins are removed and divya jnana is imparted. Divya jnana consists of knowledge of the svarupa of one's worshipable Deity and of one's own individual relationship with the Lord which is imparted in the form of a mantra." (Bhakti Sandarbha 283)

This mantra diksa is absolutely essential. The hare krsna maha-mantra is "sambodhana", directly addressing Sri Radha-Krsna, whereas diksa mantras establish "sambandha", our relationship with the deity of the mantra. It is the deliberate opinion of all acaryas and sastra that a conditioned soul may chant harinama, but unless he is established in the sambandha-jnana arising from his diksa-mantras, his chanting will never be pure (suddha-nama). He will never become free from nama-aparadha and anarthas. Thus although all perfection is obtained by chanting harinama, one must follow the correct process ordained by our previous acaryas in order to chant harinama purely. By guru-mantra and guru-gayatri one becomes acquainted with the transcendental form of one's guru. By Gaura-mantra and Gaura-gayatri one becomes acquainted with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. By Gopal mantra one's transcendental relationship with Sri Sri Radha-Krsna yugal is awakened and by the power of Kama-gayatri one can enter into the confidential pastimes of the divine couple. Quoting the verse "harer nama harer nama harer nama eva kevalam", several members of the Chaitanya Mission have presented the idea that harinama is sufficient to attain success and that this mantra diksa is not necessary. At this point I humbly implore the readers to ask themselves;

If mantra initiation is not necessary then: a) Why did Srila A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and all previous acaryas give mantra-diksa to their disciples? b) Why did Krsna Himself initiate Lord Brahma into Kama-gayatri? c) Why did Srila Visvanath Cakravarti Thakura want to commit suicide when he was unable to understand the meaning of Kama-gayatri? d) Why did Srimati Radharani personally appear to Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura in a dream and instruct him in the meaning of Kama-gayatri? e) Why did Sri Raghunatha Das Gosvami write in Sri Manah Siksa : sva mantre sri namni vraja yuva dvandva sarane: "O my dear mind, please develop unprecedented love and affection for your harinama and also for your diksa mantras"? f) Why did Ramananda Raya instruct Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: kama-gayatri kama bija yanra upasana "Krsna is worshiped by kama-gayatri mantra with the spiritual seed klim"? (Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 8.138)

If harinama and diksa are the same then why has Sri Rupa Gosvami explained that one should honour the person who chants harinama within one's heart but one should also physically bow down to that person who has received mantra diksa?

"One should mentally honor the devotee who chants the holy name of Lord Krsna, one should offer humble obeisances to the devotee who has undergone spiritual initiation [diksa] and is engaged in worshiping the Deity, and one should associate with and faithfully serve that pure devotee who is advanced in undeviated devotional service and whose heart is completely devoid of the propensity to criticize others." (Sri Upadesamrta text 5)

And why has Sri Rupa Gosvami written in Sri Padyavali (text 29)

"no diksam na ca sat-kriyam"

that harinama can be received whether one has diksa or not?

A VITALLY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF DIKSA. Of course, if someone chants the Gopal mantra and kama-gayatri for many years and does not realize the actual potential of the mantra, namely to see Sri Radha-Krsna, then that person may lose faith and invent a new philosophy in which diksa is not considered to be very important. This may occur because sometimes a guru gives mantra-diksa to his neophyte disciple who then thinks, "I am initiated. Now I can give diksa to others." The foolish disciple has no idea that diksa does not occur in one day. It is a process that may take years or even lifetimes. The process begins when the disciple receives mantra-diksa, but to attain siddhi (perfection) in the mantra the disciple will need to receive siksa from a siksa-guru about the process to attain that mantra siddhi, about mantrartha-cintan, prapati and other secrets which a guru will only tell to his most dear and qualified disciples:

bruyuh snigdhasya sisyasya guruvo guhyam apy uta (Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1: Chapter One, Text Cool

"Because you are gentle and submissive your spiritual MASTERS (guruvo-plural) have imparted to you all secrets (guhyam)."

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has commented in his essential text "Sri Bhakti-tattva Viveka"(chapter 2): "Even for vaisnavas who are duly initiated into the genuine sampradaya, the illumination of one's eternal identity arising from their DIKSA MANTRAS which were received from their diksa-guru will not appear until they receive svarupa-jnana by the mercy of a siksa-guru. Due to ignorance of such knowledge they cannot enter the realm of pure bhakti and hence only bhakti-abhasa (a semblance of devotion) is visible in them."

Therefore according to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, those who have not realized the potential of their diksa-mantras must avail themselves of the association of a siksa-guru otherwise they cannot make any substantial progress.

This topic has also been discussed in detail in Srila Sanatana Gosvami's own commentary on Sri Brhad Bhagavatamrta. Might I be so bold as to inquire whether or not the members of Chaitanya Mission had studied this book before daring to write letters giving advice about diksa to Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja who has studied this book for 54 years?

As Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has ordered:

"Sri Sanatana Gosvami Prabhu, the teacher of the science of devotional service, wrote several books, of which the Brhad-bhagavatamrta is very famous; ANYONE who wants to know about the subject matter of devotees, devotional service and Krsna MUST READ THIS BOOK. " (Adi-lila: Chapter Five, Text 203)

The genuine followers of Srila Prabhupada will try to carry out such important orders under the guidance of qualified and experienced teachers. On the other hand..

"A prakrta, or materialistic devotee does not purposefully study the sastra and try to understand the ACTUAL STANDARD of pure devotional service. Consequently HE DOES NOT SHOW PROPER RESPECT TO ADVANCED DEVOTEES. He may, however, follow the regulative principles learned from his spiritual master or from his family who worships the Deity. He is to be considered on the material platform, although he is trying to advance in devotional service. Such a person is a bhakta-praya [neophyte devotee], or bhaktabhasa, for he is a little enlightened by Vaisnava philosophy." (Madhya-lila: Chapter Twenty-two, Text 74)

IN CONCLUSION it is clearly seen that reinitiation has not occurred in the case of Mahabhava prabhu. Rather, after accepting harinama (maha-mantra) in a rtvik initiation from Tusta Krsna Prabhu on behalf of Jagad Guru Siddha Svarupananda, Mahabhava prabhu has now accepted diksa (gopal-mantra, kama-gayatri etc.) from Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja by which he can gradually become qualified to enter the service of Sri Radha-Krsna. Without these mantras it is forbidden by scripture to worship deities of Sri Radha-Krsna or even offer foodstuffs to Them. Thus this incident is thoroughly auspicious and supported by all sastra and all acaryas.

MAHABHAVA SHOULD HAVE ASKED PERMISSION. Now we arrive at perhaps the last category of contention. Why did Mahabhava prabhu suddenly disappear in the middle of the night without informing anyone, including his guru? It would be fair to say that he thought that his colleagues would not understand his intentions. The turmoil and confusion which ensued is a testimony to the validity of that apprehension. (At least one of his godbrothers has threatened to resort to physical violence against him.)

But surely he should have informed his guru? To understand this we will have to pray and take shelter of the lotus feet of Srila Raghunath Das Gosvami. Srila Raghunath Das Gosvami also ran away from home in the middle of the night without informing anyone, including his diksa-guru, Sri Yadunandana Acarya. Yet his activity has been glorified by all. Even his gurudeva, Sri Yadunandana Acarya, was delighted by the sudden departure of the young Raghunath Das because Raghunath Das went to Jagannath Puri and came under the guidance of Sri Svarupa Damodara Gosvami. Sri Yadunandana Acarya was certainly a pure devotee, a competent guru and an associate of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Still, Sri Svarupa Damodara was his senior because he is the incarnation of Srimati Radhika's dearmost friend, Lalita Sakhi. Therefore, Sri Yadunandana Acarya, being free from envy and possessiveness, was happy to know that his disciple was in good hands.

It is a matter of vaisnava etiquette. The guru never thinks that any disciple is his property. He is simply serving Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by helping that soul love Sri Radha-Krsna. If any other vaisnava who is senior, more learned or experienced also helps that soul, then he becomes very pleased. If he reacts in any other way then it is understood that there is something lacking in his vaisnavata (devotional conception). According to vaisnava etiquette the senior vaisnava is always RESPECTED and given PRECEDENCE. For example, in the third canto, fourth chapter of Srimad Bhagavatam we find that Vidura approached Uddhava and wanted to accept him as his spiritual master. However, seeing that Maitreya Rsi was nearby and that Maitreya was an elderly vaisnava, Uddhava recommended that Vidura should take instructions from Maitreya Rsi. This is proper vaisnava et iquette.

In the situation under discussion any impartial observer will conclude that Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja is far senior in all respects to all the devotees concerned. Thus it is an offense even to offer advice to such a vaisnava: "It is also an offense to consider an empowered vaisnava an object of disciplinary action. It is offensive to try to give him ADVICE or to correct him. One can distinguish between a neophyte Vaisnava and an advanced Vaisnava by their activities. The advanced Vaisnava is always situated as the spiritual master, and the neophyte is always considered his disciple. The spiritual master must not be subjected to the advice of a disciple, Nor should a spiritual master be obliged to take instructions from those who are not his disciples." (Nectar of Instruction, text 6)

>From the nature and tone of many of the letters we have been receiving, we can only conclude that their authors must be quite ignorant of who Srila Narayana Maharaja is, and therefore we are including some brief history here. The fact is that Srila Narayana Maharaja is a highly respected member of the Gaudiya community. He has been chanting at least 64 rounds (and at times many more) daily for many decades.

Srila Narayana Maharaja has been chanting harinama since the 1920s. He received diksa in 1947 from Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. This was the same great personality from whom Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada also accepted sannyasa in 1959. For the past fifty-three years Srila Narayana Maharaja never chanted less than sixty-four rounds a day, sometimes one hundred and twenty eight, and sometimes, following in the footsteps of Namacarya Srila Haridasa Thakura, one hundred and ninety two rounds. During this time he has served, satisfied and received the blessings of all the prominent disciples of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. From these considerations alone, it is obvious that Srila Narayana Maharaja's Krishna consciousness is in another dimension from our own.

It was in the year 1947 that he first met Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada. (from hereon Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada will be referred to affectionately as simply "Srila Prabhupada") From that time, on the order of his diksa guru, he began to serve Srila Prabhupada as his siksa guru. Thus Srila Narayana Maharaja is the FIRST DISCIPLE of Srila Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada. In 1952, Srila Narayana Maharaja accepted sannyasa from his diksa guru. Thus he is the sannyasa godbrother of Srila Prabhupada, having received sannyasa seven years before Srila Prabhupada from the same guru.

On the occasion that Srila Prabhupada took sannyasa, it was Srila Narayana Maharaja who made the sannyasa danda, applied tilak on the twelve parts of Srila Prabhupada's body with his own hand, and performed the actual fire ceremony under Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja's direction. Devotees who were staying in the Math at the time recall that when Srila Prabhupada stayed there he was very grave in his dealings, but he would visit Srila Narayana Maharaja in his room and they would laugh and joke together.

When Srila Prabhupada first went to America he kept in contact with Srila Narayana Maharaja, who went to great lengths to help Srila Prabhupada in many ways. He regularly sent large shipments of books by freight and used to go to Delhi to carry out Srila Prabhupada's banking business. He also sent him many other devotional paraphernalia such as mrdangas, karatalas, tilak, pictures, Deities, japa mala, clothing, harmonium, pera (a sweet) etc.

We can understand the love which Srila Prabhupada had for Srila Narayana Maharaja by reading the letters which he sent him:

"Our relationship is certainly based on spontaneous transcendental love. That is why there is no chance of us forgetting one another. By the mercy of Guru and Gauranga may everything be auspicious for you. This is my constant prayer. From the first time I saw you I have been your constant well-wisher. At his first sight of me, Srila Prabhupada also saw me with such love. It was in my very first darsana of Srila Prabhupada that I learned how to love." (Letter from Srila Prabhupada 28th September 1966)

"Because in all Gaudiya Mathas, I think that you are the real guru-sevaka, so I always correspond with you and I always give my full love and affection to you.

"If I was not thinking like this and putting so much trust in you, I would never have sent you my key and my money. I have so much faith and love for you." (Letter from Srila Prabhupada, New York, May 17th 1967)

"Please offer my obeisances to Srimad Narayana Maharaja. I have not heard from him in a long time. Please request him to find out a large piece of land perhaps with a house, between Mathura and Vrndavana, for purchasing." (S.P. letter 26/7/'70)

Until the time he passed from this mortal world, Srila Prabhupada maintained a very close and intimate connection with Srila Narayana Maharaja. Srila Prabhupada asked him to GUIDE HIS DISCIPLES in his physical absence by teaching them the concepts of Srila Rupa and Raghunath das Gosvamis. Before leaving this world, Srila Prabhupada entrusted Srila Narayana Maharaja with the great honour and responsibility of putting his transcendental body into samadhi. After Srila Prabhupada's disappearance, when his sons tried to stage a take-over bid of the ISKCON assets, from morning to evening for days, Srila Narayana Maharaja tirelessly testified on behalf of ISKCON in the Bombay courts. This was all done selflessly to help the disciples of Srila Prabhupada.

Thus we can conclude on the basis of Srila Prabhupada's own statements that Srila Narayana Maharaja is his intimate associate with whom he is eternally and transcendentally related. Therefore we appeal to the devotees of the Chaitanya Mission to be benefited by trying to understand the perfect activities of Srila Narayana Maharaja, instead of being ruined by trying to give him advice.

INSTITUTIONALISM VS. VAISNAVISM We have not come to this world to be the members of any institution. We have come to attain Krsna-Bhakti-Rasa.

krsna bhakti rasa bhavita matih kriyatam yadi kuto'pi labhyate: "Krsna bhakti rasa can be obtain only by paying one price -that is the intense greed to obtain it. If it is available ANYWHERE, one must purchase it WITHOUT DELAY. " (Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya lila 8.70)

In order to develop greed the only method is to hear the sweet pastimes of Sri Radha-Krsna directly from the lips of a raganuga vaisnava. It is not available by chanting, preaching, distributing books or hearing thousands of lectures about how we are not the body and that we should surrender to Krsna. Don't misunderstand this point. We should do all of these things, but without also directly hearing from and associating with the rasika vaisnavas who are always absorbed in the moods of Srila Rupa Gosvami, Raghunath Das Gosvami, Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur and others, then our devotion will be called VAIDHI BHAKTI. This regulative devotional service will eventually take us to Vaikuntha where all worship Krsna as God. But Krsna is not really satisfied by the love of those who know that he is God

"Knowing My opulences, the whole world looks upon Me with awe and veneration. But devotion made feeble by such reverence does not attract Me." (Caitanya caritamrta Adi 3.16).

Moreover, vaidhi bhakti has no power to take us to Vrndavana: "Everywhere in the world people worship Me according to scriptural injunctions. But simply by following such regulative principles one cannot attain the loving sentiments of the devotees in Vrajabhumi." (Caitanya caritamrta Adi 3.15).

In Vrndavan, by the influence of Yogamaya, no-one even suspects that Krsna is God. They have the only kind of love that makes Krsna really happy, that is natural love as His friends, parents and beloveds. Only raganuga-bhakti leads to Vrndavan. There is no other way. So when the opportunity arises to associate with a raganuga vaisnava then we must take that opportunity. By such association a greed may come and one can enter the path of RAGANUGA BHAKTI. It is not true that vaidhi bhakti eventually turns into raganuga bhakti. Raganuga bhakti arises only by association, so please don't be angry with Mahabhava prabhu. What he did was the fruit of many years hard service and a great deal of courage. You can be proud of him.

We are all in one family, the family of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, so there should not be any fear or animosity between us. I hope that in the future we will all cooperate together in the Mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu to deliver all the conditioned souls from the misery of maya and situate them in their constitutional positions as eternal loving servants of Krsna. The MISSION of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is similar to an education system which has facilities for kindergarden, primary school, secondary school, college, university and post graduate students. All departments are not the same but their purpose is the same, to educate one and all. Similarly in Krsna consciousness, at first we have to learn, at least theoretically that we are not this body. Then if we actually want to realize it we will have to learn the teachings of Bhagavad-gita,Srimad Bhagavatam, Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, Jaiva Dharma, Brhad Bhagavatamrta, Bhaktirasamrta-sindhu and Ujjvalanilamani, and also follow them practically in our lives. After that we should progress in raganuga bhakti under the guidance of experienced Rupanuga Acaryas and realise the loving moods of the Gosvamis as expressed in Sri Lalita Madhava, Sri Vidagdha Madhava, Stava-mala, Sri Vilap-Kusumanjali, Sri Krsna Bhavanamrta and others. Under the guidance of our diksa gurus and siksa gurus we should progress swiftly and smoothly on the path of devotion, without getting trapped on the same level for years and years.

If anyone would like to correspond with Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja or his disciples on any of the subjects mentioned in this letter, we will try our level best to answer any doubts or queries.

If I have offended the sensibilities of anyone by my words or deeds then I beg for forgiveness. I hope that the overall result will be beneficial and ultimately auspicious for all concerned.

Vaisnavadasanudas
Prema prayojan brahmacari

Thanks for posting these letters, Quotesman.

Oh dear, it's easy to see how [b:25ab7615d8]religious wars[/b:25ab7615d8] get started, isn't it?

Quote

It's very painful that my gurudev and my godbrothers and godsisters are thinking this way about me and have thus condemned me. One godbrother has even expressed a threat to beat me up.

Enough said. The fact that a "gang" of FL's disciples in four van loads came to the rescue goes to show the "gang mentality" or "cult mentality" that they have.

And all this because the sincere guy wanted to hear from another guru.

Pathetic.

:(

FL and Tusta both condemned students (who were not even initiated disciples) for going to other gurus as far back as when he first married his spiritual daughter. And even when ACBS was present if people tried to go back and forth they were condemned. One devotee got kicked out because he went to a Ratha Yatra. Later the devotee came back with his tail between his legs promising not to make such a grave offense as going to Ratha Yatra with all those demons who were chanting the holy name in public and revealing Jagannatha to all. This is just plain cultish by any standard. Its kinda like Fl is saying, 'you saw me first, therefore if you go somewhere else you are unchaste and insincere.' This is just plain weird.

Although Prema prayojan brahmacari did an excellent job in pointing out the mistakes and lack of understanding and history of the line, there are so many mistakes made by FL Prema prayojan brahmacari could not cover them all in his letter. For instance FL says ACBS never allowed his followers to take second initiation from his godbrothers. This is another case of FL either lying or not knowing the history of his own guru. In fact ACBS DID allow his follower to take second initiation from his godbrother Sripad Bhakti Dayita Madhava Maharaja. Apparently the disciple was having trouble in ISKCON and humbly requested ACBS to allow him to go to another mission and take shelter. WIthout even knowing the details of the problems the devotee was having ACBS gave his full blessings. The devotees name was Asita Prabhu. The devotee, ACBS, and Sripad Bhakti Dayita Madhava Maharaja remained on good terms. ACBS did not think his disciple rejected him or thought him less. Nor did he think his godbrother was stealing or canvassing a disciple.

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just-googling
Thanks for posting these letters, Quotesman.

You are welcome but I think it is time for some comic relief. :lol:

:D Yeah! comic relief!

Did you hear about that devotee who got nicknamed "Sputnik"?

why Sputnik?

Because he was the first to break away from the guru's gravity...

:wink:

Well...well...welll...

There is no need to comment on the LOW level of consciousness exhibited by FL and his followers in their ignorant letters to Narayan Maharaj.

The response by Prema prayojan brahmacari was very eloquent but I could sense some exasperation on his part at the lack of knowledge and misguidedness of FLs disciples.

Especially in light of this fact:

"On the occasion that Srila Prabhupada took sannyasa, it was Srila Narayana Maharaja who made the sannyasa danda, applied tilak on the twelve parts of Srila Prabhupada's body with his own hand, and performed the actual fire ceremony under Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja's direction."

How then could FL have anything but respect and admiration for Narayana Maharaj?

How could he treat him in such an angry, deprecating, and accusatory manner???

How? === PRIDE ===

Lord Chaitanya said to "feel lower than the straw in the street". FL preached about this often when I was around. Here is something very interesting - just before I wrote this post I read in "Imitation of Christ" by Thomas a Kempis that:

"You will make no progress in the interior life until you regard yourself as lower than everyone else."

'The Imitation of Christ" was written over 600 years ago as an instruction to Christian monastery life.

FL showed no humility at all in this incident. Instructing his disciples to write angry letters (because they could not do so on their own initiative) further supports this. Comments like being kicked in the face are simply childish and must have been easily dismissed by an advanced devotee. Also easily dismissed must have been all the accusations from low-level devotees that he had committed an offense.

Where is the response from FL or his disciples to the letter from Prema prayojan brahmacari? This Vaishnava seemed shocked that FL was not instructing his disciples to study the teachings of the Goswamis:

"From this we can conclude that it is not only legitimate to be eager to study the books of the gosvamis but actually it is ESSENTIAL. If the opportunity to fulfil this necessity is actually available in your organization then why did Mahabhava prabhu approach Srila Narayana Maharaja and his disciples? This is simply a matter of COMMON SENSE."

Further:

"May I humbly ask who in your organization has studied the books of the six Gosvamis under the guidance of a bonafide spiritual master who has himself directly studied all these texts from his spiritual master? Such an undertaking involves a lifetime of careful study with the help of several spiritual masters. Yet the modern fashion is to immediately become a spiritual master after the disappearance of one's first guru, even though one is not sufficiently educated in the vast conceptions of Rupanuga vaisnavism. This is not condoned in the Srimad Bhagavatam: "The sages said: Respected Suta Gosvami, you are completely free from all vice. YOU ARE WELL VERSED IN ALL THE SCRIPTURES famous for religious life, and in the Puranas and the histories as well, for YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH THEM UNDER PROPER GUIDANCE and have also explained them." (Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1: Chapter One, Text 6)"

Where is the response to this???

I'll tell you: NOWHERE. Because FL nor anyone else can answer these questions. FL never even followed the instruction of his own guru - let alone undertake a careful study of anything under the direction of an advanced Vaishnava.

Why not? ===PRIDE ===

Note as well:

"To the humble man God reveals his secrets." - Matthew 11:25

There are numerous similar verses in Vedic scripture. I include the quote from Matthew to serve as showing both the similarity in all spiritual fundamentals and to show that it MUST be obvious to anyone with any spiritual understanding that HUMILITY IS A BASIC REQUIREMENT.

So, if FL is revealing his lack of humility here - what can God be revealing to FL? Probably not much.

Any devotees of FL reading this? WHAT DO YOU THINK? HOW CAN YOU IGNORE THIS? WHY ARE YOU SO SILENT?

WAKE UP!!!

If we are off base here then please enlighten us. By remaining silent you only do yourself harm.

And if you read this please ignore the "programmed" responses that are playing in your mind. We AND YOU both know what they are.

Fl would not know spiritual etiquette if it bit him on the arse.


Notice that a disciple of Narayana Maharaja addresses the disciples of FL. None of the followers of Narayana Maharaja try to instruct FL directly. In other words they are still showing FL respect. The respect he himself and his followers fail to show Narayana Maharaja and his followers. FL has all these people that don’t have a clue about Gaudiya Vaishnavism its history or tenants, instructing Sri Narayana Maharaja???? Then FL is going to tell what the proper etiquette is???? Going as far as to say NM is an offender if he does not obey FL’s advice and apologize?? FL has the gall to demand an apology???
It is no wonder so much trouble is happening in that cult. It is no wonder people like the fire breathing, head spinning cult-reporter appeared.

Quotesman - My sentiments exactly. My guess is that NM dismissed these letters as simply as one brushes a fly off one's sleeve. An advanced devotee would not be bothered by such mundane behaviour.

He probably had his disciple respond due to the volume of emails received and in an attempt to offer them instruction.

Again, we beg anyone to please enlighten us as to what training FL has had in the Vaishnava religion? Further, FL compares himself to Christ.

Christ did not begin teaching until he was 30 years old and although little may be known about his life up until that point it was noted that he was "obedient" and spent much time learning the scriptures and the laws. At that time the Jewish tradition involved over 600 laws that had to be known and adhered to.

And Christ was born knowing who he was.

To me the facts are simple. FL wanted to be a guru. He got some as an impersonalist named "Sai" and then switched to Krishna as an opportunity to use this as a vehicle to attract more followers.

We are open to debate here on this forum. Anyone wishing to refute the above, please do. WE ALL WOULD LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY!!!