The Hare Krishna Movement

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

This is an older post that appeared sometime back on the Sampradaya Sun, but in light of all the discussion on the plight of the ex-GBC/sannyasi/guru; Prabhavisnu Prabhu, we thought it important to remind our readers again of the unique position of Srila Prabhupada. As Prahlada-Nrsimbha reminds us in the following article…”Let us — members of ISKCON, friends of ISKCON, “fringes”, haters of ISKCON, whoever, everyone, just love Srila Prabhupada and fly the one flag of Srila Prabhupada over our heads, and all of us be united under Srila Prabhupada’s lotus feet!”

Fly the One Flag of Srila Prabhupada
By Prahlada-Nrsimha Prabhu
Aug 23, 2011 — USA (SUN)

Dear Rupanuga Prabhu I respect and admire you greatly! I just read your recent article, entitled “The World Acarya”. It is so inspiring to me how you honor Srila Prabhupada very nicely, concluding by saying: “…in due time, people will understand the true meaning of “Prabhupada” – the Master (Prabhu) at whose lotus feet (pada) all others pay their obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada…”

It gives my heart great happiness to see others recognize the unique position of Srila Prabhupada and acknowledge that we (at best) sit at his feet in his shadow as a speck of insignificant dust in comparison to Srila Prabhupada.

I feel now (and since 1977) in ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada is greatly minimized. I have seen that devotees initiated since 1977, the devotee that gives the name and chants on the beads of the newly initiated disciple is given more importance then Srila Prabhupada.

I more often than not meet devotees that have been initiated by devotees in ISKCON and they know the mood and standpoint on various subjects of the devotee that has preformed their initiation ceremony (and/or their local GBC or temple president) and they can even quote him on so many subjects. But when I quote Srila Prabhupada on these subjects they have no idea that Srila Prabhupada said this. They only know what their own GBC or initiator or temple president said.

It is disappointing to me, to see this. I have extensively traveled to temples all over North America and India and have seen this emphasis on the devotee that has done one’s initiation or one’s local GBC or temple president. And Srila Prabhupada seems to be nothing more then a statue or name on a book or picture on the wall. That’s it.

Lets all just get real for a second and face it… WE ARE ALL CONDITIONED SOULS! ALL OF US whether we are a big, big ISKCON guru or a new bhakta. We all have the 4 defects, as it is clearly stated in Srila Prabhupada’s Introduction to his 1972 Bhagavad-gita:

“The words spoken by the Lord [or Srila Prabhupada, an uttama-adhikari] are different from words spoken by a person of the mundane world who is infected with four defects. A mundaner 1) is sure to commit mistakes, 2) is invariably illusioned, 3) has the tendency to cheat others and 4) is limited by imperfect senses. With these four imperfections, one cannot deliver perfect information of all-pervading knowledge. Vedic knowledge is not imparted by such defective living entities…. One cannot say anything about the transcendental world without being free from materially contaminated consciousness.”

Even if the GBC gives some devotee a big, big title and position, that does not remove his conditioned nature. We are all influenced by the modes of nature to one degree or another – and Srila Prabhupada is not! So I am very enlivened by your article recognizing how Srila Prabhupada is the Acarya, is the prominent personality that we all, new devotees and old, should focus on, pray to, daily read the books of, follow the instructions of, and be our personal Acarya, and emphasize Prabhupada’s mood and recommended lifestyle. When we have a question we should go to Srila Prabhupada for the answer, as Srila Prabhupada said to do. On a Morning Walk on August 7, 1975 in Toronto:

Indian Man (2): …like your company very much in Toronto and we feel like talk you so much, but we don’t have so much time to talk with you. You have so much mercy, so we have not… know so much about Krsna from you.

Prabhupada: So in my absence you read the books. What I talk, I have written in the books. That’s all.

Indian Man (2): Personally, we think more greater.

Prabhupada: That’s all right. But still, you can associate with me by reading my books.

So your article is very nice in this regard. Thank you!

Let us — members of ISKCON, friends of ISKCON, “fringes”, haters of ISKCON, whoever, everyone, just love Srila Prabhupada and fly the one flag of Srila Prabhupada over our heads, and all of us be united under Srila Prabhupada’s lotus feet!

On July 17, 1977 in Vrndavana, Tamala Krsna told Srila Prabhupada: “You’ve always said to us, at least whatever we have, maintain it.”

And Srila Prabhupada replied with a simple request: “And people are recognized I am great. Don’t make me small.”

So this is Srila Prabhupada’s request, “Don’t make me small.” Let’s give Srila Prabhupada back his rightful position and stop making him small! Let not a moment go by, not a breath we breath without remembering Srila Prabhupada! This is ISKCON, this is what it means to be a follower of Srila Prabhupada!

Ok sorry to ramble on, but I get so excited to talk about Srila Prabhupada, please forgive me…
So I have one question for Rupanuga Prabhu. You say:

“Srila Prabhupada said, “I am the tenth Acarya in line from Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and you are next.”

So nowadays so many people misquote Srila Prabhupada and also those of us that are so fortunate to have had Prabhupada’s personal association are now 40 years older and often times in 40 years our memories fade and unless we had immediately written down things we thought we heard Srila Prabhupada say, they become mixed up in our Kali yuga memories. Or else we heard it from someone else who heard it from someone else who heard it online somewhere, etc. So the words we quote may not be right and thus the meaning changed. So can you give some type of reference for this quote? Can you please give some reference where you got this quote from.

Thanks!

Hare Krishna!

Pasted from http://www.harekrsna.com/sun/editorials/08-11/editorials7666.htm