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cultreporter
I was hopeful that you would contibute to the understanding of the basis of Sai's philosophy, thank-you.
While I understand that translation is important I honestly do not see a significant variation of the words I posted and the words that you posted.
If you meditate on the name of Govinda,
then you will become Govinda yourself.
There will be no difference between you and God
Govinda , Govinda
When the mind is possessed by these words (lagla - attached with,
Chhanda - Hobby) and when all your body sings Govinda Govinda,
Govinda assumes your body as his body
There is a profound difference between the 2 translations. As you rightly pointed out the 1st one is advaitin (impersonalism) philosophy. But the 2nd one is vaishnava philosophy, which is what Tukarama was. The concept of "Govinda assumes your body as his body" is also taught in gaudiya vaishnavism (hare krishna). The mystic side of gaudiya vaishnavism teaches that the guru or self realized soul becomes a "transparent via-medium" for Krishna. Therefore it is taught that the guru or self realized soul is non-different from Krishna because Krishna speaks through the guru.
This is at the beginning of the Caitanya Caritamrta (one of the main scriptures of gaudiya vaishnavism) These are verses from the first section Adi lila 1.44-1.48
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44 - Although I know that my spiritual master is a servitor of Sri Caitanya, I know Him also as a plenary manifestation of the Lord.
45 - According to the deliberate opinion of all revealed scriptures, the spiritual master is nondifferent from Krsna. Lord Krsna in the form of the spiritual master delivers His devotees.
46 - "One should know the acarya as Myself and never disrespect him in any way. One should not envy him, thinking him an ordinary man, for he is the representative of all the demigods."
(This is a verse from Bhagavatam spoken by Krishna to Uddhava )
47 - One should know the instructing spiritual master to be the Personality of Krsna. Lord Krsna manifests Himself as the Supersoul and as the greatest devotee of the Lord.
48 - "O my Lord! Transcendental poets and experts in spiritual science could not fully express their indebtedness to You, even if they were endowed with the prolonged lifetime of Brahma, for You appear in two features -- externally as the acarya and internally as the Supersoul -- to deliver the embodied living being by directing him how to come to You."
(This is another verse spoken by Krishna to Uddhava from the Bhagavatam)
This is what AC Bhaktivedanta wrote in a purport from The Bhagavatam
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The Paramatma (param=supreme atma=soul, the all pervading consciousness of god, similar to the holy spirit in christianity) is always the caitya-guru, the spiritual master within, and He comes before one externally as the instructor and initiator spiritual master. The Lord can reside within the heart, and He can also come out before a person and give him instructions. Thus the spiritual master is not different from the Supersoul sitting within the heart.
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As written in Sai Speaks "A person can have a relationship with Krishna but if he doesn't have the ability to pass it on to others he is not qualified"
Siddha wrote "However, to simply be god conscious in itself is not enough, he must also have the ability to make or take other individuals to that state of consciousness as well (A person can have a relationship with Krishna but if he doesn't have the ability to pass it on to others he is not qualified [i.e. to be a spiritual master])"
That statement is self contradictory. Gaudiya vaishnavism teaches that if a person is god conscious then he will have the ability to teach others how to be god conscious. If someone actually has a real relationship with Krishna (god) then that means that that person is a self realized soul on the highest level of spiritual attainment, and therefore can easily teach others and be a guru. Since Siddha wrote those words when he was just beginning with gaudiya vaishnavism I can't fault him for making that mistake. But at the same time he is inferring that he is the god cosncious person who can teach others and is therefore a spiritual master. On that same page he writes how the spiritual master must be a "seasoned explorer of the entire spiritual realm" and that a spiritual master "must be able to take the aspiring soul through the lesser realizations of god and into the realization of the supreme personality of godhead Krishna." In the "Who is Sai" booklet he explains how he meets those conditions because he had practiced the various yoga paths and had attained enlightenment and whatnot. The implication is that he is teaching people how to be god conscious, Krishna concious, and that he is a "seasoned explorer" of the spiritual realms, ipso facto he is the spiritual master and that therefore people should "surrender" to him because the path to Krishna is surrender to the spiritual master. Which shows that from the very beginning of his connection with Krishna Bhakti that he was trying to convince others that he was a guru and that people should become his disciples and that they should "surrender" to him.
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Whether Siddha does have a relationship with Krishna himself I certainly do not know. That is something which is between the two of them, as it is with everyone else, but it is clear enough someone who hides the maha mantra and who does not have altar worship at their kirtans and calls Krishna by the name of 'yoga' and 'stress relief' is NOT showing him to others. By the fruit of the tree it would seem that he could be nothing more than an impersonalist still.
I can guarantee that he is not dealing directly with Krishna. A self realized does indeed have a direct one on one relationship and can speak with Krishna at all times in the same way that I can speak to you. But a self realized soul would not act the way he has acted nor spoken the way he has spoken.
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It is interesting to me that both ACB and Siddha appealled to materialism and then acted suprised that their followers developed a material attatchment to Krishna.
I don't know what you mean by "appealed to materialism".
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This is a subject that I want to write more on, but ACB also consciously set out to recruit those who were unashamed pleasure seekers through the sense gratification afforded by drug use, particularly LSD, appealling to them to 'Get High with Krishna'.
ACBS didn't teach like that, his disciples would say things like that in order to appeal to counterculture types. But you won't find stuff like that spoken or written by ACBS. Alan Ginsberg would often say things like that when teaching others about Krishna consciousness.
"Prabhupada and Allen also talked about the meaning of the word hippie, and Allen mentioned something about taking LSD. Prabhupada replied that LSD created dependence and was not necessary for a person in Krsna consciousness. “Krsna consciousness resolves everything,” Prabhupada said. “Nothing else is needed.”"
(From ACBS's biography "Srila Prabhupada-Lilamrta")
Zelig you wrote
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My issues with CB are not from a Vaishnava point of view; many of the things that concern you and Cult are not important to me, but are valid to those who follow your faith. I do have issues with the fact that he has exploited people for his own material gain and uses an ancient tradition to hide his ulterior motives, which can not be considered spiritual or ethical. He uses fear and punishment in the worst and manipulative way and teaches nothing but to serve and worship him as an idol, like a God. This is nondifferent than Caligula in Roman times.
This is what ACBS was famous for saying when asked if he was the guru of Allen Ginsberg “I am nobody’s guru. I am everybody’s servant" (from "Srila Prabhupada-Lilamrta")
ACBS's guru Bhaktisiddhanta would say the same type of thing
rasika bhakata raja kabhu sisya kore na
rasika janera sisya ei bhava chade na
"The highest devotee, who is like a king among the rasikas expert in relishing devotional mellows, never thinks that he has disciples. The student of such a rasika, however, never give up the mood of being the disciples of this exalted devotee."
That is the state of mind of the self realized person, they see themselves as the servants of everyone. Siddha clearly sees himself as someone who should be worshipped, not only that but those whom he has convinced to serve him are then treated like slaves, often abused both physically and emotionally. You do the math. ACBS and other gurus in his lineage were always kind and treated people with respect and generosity, never mistreating others nor were they demanding that others serve them. On the contrary they lived very frugal lives personally, and gave away all they had to others. Even though ACBS had a lot of wealth at his command he never spent any of it for material enjoyments. He spent all the money for others. Siddha is the exact opposite.
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