disciple | The Hare Krishna Movement

Acharya

10 Nov 2011 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Disciplic succession, Guru & Disciple, The Hare Krishna Movement Tags: Acharya, disciple, guru, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, initiations, Iskcon, Locanananda das, officiating acharyas

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

There is a popular ideology that claims that Srila Prabhupad should still be considered the diksa guru in ISKCON. It is commendable that devotees who espouse this ideology want to see Krishna’s pure devotee unlimitedly and perpetually glorified. That goal can be accomplished by following the system of “officiating acharyas” that he factually authorized. An “officiating acharya” simply teaches by example how to follow in the footsteps of the great preceptor and founder acharya of ISKCON and then engages everyone in the service of expanding the sankirtan movement.

The War is Over
Editorial (VNN)
By Sriman Locanananda Prabhu

When Srila Prabhupad was asked how initiations would be performed after he was no longer physically present, his response was clear and powerful. He had been contemplating this question for ten years, and his main concern was to guarantee the continuity and future growth of his movement. His reply was “I shall recommend some of you to act as officiating acharya.” This was the term he wanted to introduce to describe the role of his disciples who would initiate new devotees as members of ISKCON after he had concluded his manifest pastimes.

The title “acharya” indicates that one is a guru, or spiritual master, and the qualifying term “officiating” means that the initiation is to be performed on behalf of the founder acharya and his institution. By naming eleven of his foremost disciples who had demonstrated great leadership ability and dedication to his movement as “officiating acharyas”, Srila Prabhupad was laying the groundwork to perpetuate Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s sankirtana movement throughout the world. His plan would be successful as long as his followers kept his teachings intact and protected his movement from any influence that might tend to push Srila Prabhupad into the background. The Krishna Consciousness Movement would ultimately establish His Divine Grace as the greatest vaisnava acharya coming in the line of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the most merciful incarnation of Krishna.

Remembering Srila Prabhupada

03 Nov 2011 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Book Distribution, Remembering Srila Prabhupada, Sankirtan, The Hare Krishna Movement Tags: Book Distribution, disciple, guru, Krsna Book, Remembering Srila Prabhupada, sankirtan, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, Vyasasan das

Remembering Srila Prabhupada
By Vyasasana das

I think we all remember very clearly where we were and what we were doing the day Srila Prabhupada first entered our lives. Many of the older devotees remember where they were when President John F. Kennedy was shot, or where they were when “The Beatles” appeared on the Ed Sullivan show. But our remembrance of Srila Prabhupada will outlive any mundane event in our lives, as our relationship with our Srila Prabhupada is an eternal relationship.

I meet my spiritual master in an unlikely place, in the Chicago O’Hare airport. I was walking through the airport just wandering aimlessly, when I was approached by a sankirtan devotee. He said “hey, you into George Harrison?” I replied “sure I just saw him in concert last night”. So he said, ”take this book and give it a read, its really far-out!” To make a long story short I took the book, the Krishna Book, and found a place to sit down and read. I couldn’t even make out some of the words it was like a foreign language. I couldn’t even pronounce some of the words like Srila Vyasadeva or Srimati Radharani. I didn’t have a clue what the book was about. But I fell in love with the picture on the cover instantly, and when I turned the book over in my hands I saw the most beautiful sight in this material world, a picture of my spiritual master Srila Prabhupada.

What is Guru?

25 Oct 2011 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Guru & Disciple, Lectures Tags: disciple, guru, Lecture by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, London August 22 1973, spiritual master, What is Guru?

Srila Prabhupada Lecture What is Guru?

What is a Guru?
Lecture: London, August 22, 1973
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Prabhupāda:

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya
jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena
tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

[I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.]

śrī-caitanya-mano-‘bhīṣṭaṁ
sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale
svayaṁ rupaḥ kadā mahyaṁ
dadāti sva-padāntikam

[When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?]

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda
śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

[I offer my obeisances to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Prabhu Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa and all others in the line of devotion.]

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare
hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

[My dear Lord, and the spiritual energy of the Lord, kindly engage me in Your service. I am now embarrassed with this material service. Please engage me in Your service.]

Thank you very much. So, tonight’s subject matter for speaking is “What is Guru?”

Haṁsadūta: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So, guru, there are many descriptions. Subject matter is the same, but different way, guru has been described by different ācāryas. Their aim is the same, but language or presentation may be little different. So generally guru means,

ISKCON that Srila Prabhupada built

10 Jun 2011 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Iskcon Bangalore, The Struggle for Truth Tags: bhagavad-gita, disciple, guru, His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddantha Saraswathi Thakura, Indian sannyasi, Jaladuta, Lord Sri Krishna, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Vedic Scriptures

ISKCON that Srila Prabhupada built

In 1965, at the age of seventy, a simple Indian sannyasi, a pure devotee of Lord Sri Krishna, boarded the cargo ship, Jaladuta, to sail to America. Neither did he have the money to set out on such a journey, nor did he know what to expect at his destination. However one thing he was sure of. His mission. As instructed by his guru, His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddantha Saraswathi Thakura, an acharya in the line of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534), this stalwart disciple was taking a gigantic step to present to the world the message of Bhagavad-gita and other Vedic scriptures. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (reverentially called Srila Prabhupada) thus embarked on his monumental and historic service to God and mankind.

In July 1966, Srila Prabhupada stablished the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in New York city. During the next 10 years, he relentlessly worked towards his mission. He traveled around the globe 14 times and established 108 Krishna temples, authored over 70 books and guided a worldwide movement of over 10,000 Krishna devotees from all continents of the world.

When Srila Prabhupada departed from this material world on November 14, 1977, the world lost a glorious soul, a genuine spiritual leader of modern days.

ISKCON after the disappearance of Srila Prabhupada

Just before his passing away, Srila Prabhupada was confronted with several issues of the institution he had founded. One of them was: who would be the acharya or guru of ISKCON after his time. Who will initiate (give diksha) to the new entrants to ISKCON?

“We are not against ISKCON”

06 Jun 2011 1 Comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Iskcon Bangalore Tags: as it is, corrupt leadership, disciple, Iskcon, ISKCON Bangalore, Madhu Pandit, original Bhagavad-gita, prabhupada, spiritual master, spiritually corrupt Iskcon, Srila Prabhupada

“We are not against ISKCON”
By: Madhu Pandit Dasa (ACBSP)
PR Log (Press Release) – Apr 28, 2010 –

We are against the corrupt leadership of ISKCON

So, therefore in this temple we only sell Prabhupada’s original Bhagavad Gita As It Is. Now compare it with what is happening in other ISKCONs. They are selling the other Bhagavad Gita. So these are the mistakes happening there. We are not against ISKCON, we are against spiritually corrupt ISKCON leadership.

We are not against ISCKON, how can we be against ISKCON? ISKCON is Prabhupada’s. How can we be against ISKCON? We are not against ISKCON. We are against the corrupt leadership of ISKCON. People misunderstand. We are not trying to separate from ISKCON. So, the organization is not bad, the leadership is bad. Why? Evidence we are giving. They have got the courage to make 5000 changes, number 1 and 2, what are the key things I mentioned?

Prabhupada’s kripa means his vani, his sound, that is what is what is coming, the rain from the spiritual world, which is going to shower on everybody and change their lives. So the vani has to be received with great faith as a spiritual master by the disciple. Now today, you walk into ISKCON, first there is MacMillan gita. And then there is, next they ask, if you have a tilak they ask, whose disciple are you? Before Prabhupad left, let’s say in 1976, you walk into an ISKCON temple, will anybody ask you: whose disciple are you?

Only Prabhupada. Now they ask whose disciple are you? Innocent people are misled. Now, when Prabhupada is available, Prabhupada’s vani is available and Prabhupada has not authorized anybody to take up that position to be an acharya, how can they become acharyas? So, it is self made acharya. Self made acharya doesn’t work.

Acharya has to be authorized. Like Shukadeva Goswami was concluded as being authorized based on the fact that how can Shukadeva Goswami arrive in our midst of all the places? It is definitely inspired and sent by lord Krishna.

That is what is this verse is saying. Similarly, we also have read Chaitanya Charitamrita, without Krishna’s mercy it’s not possible to spread the holy name all around the world. Therefore Srila Prabhupada is authorized by Krishna as the acharya.

Web: www.madhupanditdasa.info

Return to the Hare Krishna Movement

20 May 2011 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Devotee's, Guru & Disciple, The Hare Krishna Movement, Vyasasan das Tags: devotee, disciple, letters by disciples, servant, Srila Prabhupada, The Hare Krishna Movement, Vyasasan das

Return to the Hare Krishna Movement

Dear Srila Prabhupada,

Please accept my most humble obeisances, and kindly forgive my many offences. As is my custom, I am speaking to you directly as I often do, writing you letters, offering prayers from within my heart, or speaking to your picture or murti. And it is truly remarkable that you are always there for me, although I am just an unworthy disciple full of faults and shortcomings, but because I am thinking of myself as your disciple, you have always remained my ever well-wisher, and dearmost friend.

As you know, I left the society of devotees in 1978, shortly after your departure because of profound philosophical confusion, and because I still had some material desires. But I promised you, I promised myself, that I would return when I was 50 to again take up this great mission of yours. I have since returned into the society of devotees, to fulfill the promise I made, and am writing to inform you of the changes I have witnessed since my return to this once glorious Hare Krishna Movement. I am sad to report however it is not entirely the same Movement that I left many years ago.

The temples I have visited in North America seem dried up and often devoid of life. The centers I remember when you were still personally present were all full to overcrowded, and there was great joy and much activity. I think this is due to three prominent issues, which I call to your attention. The first thing I noticed upon my return is the whole process of initiation has yet to be remedied. My godbrothers are still taking on disciples rather than initiating on your behalf as you instructed. Secondly, I noticed that your books were being changed! The translations and purports were being re-written. I was shocked by this, and could not believe this was happening! A cruel travesty was being perpetrated. And finally, to my surprise, I realized that devotees were being paid to perform their service. I remember when we performed our services and duties as an offering to you. We were performing devotional service, and working on your behalf, for the benefit of humanity. When did we become paid employees? In fact these three issues prompted me to write you this letter.

Of course I am not telling you anything you do not already know, for as you have shown me many times, you know what is in the hearts and minds of your disciples. And after all, we are materially conditioned souls, and there is a desire to Lord over material nature. The servant wants to become the master, the student thinks he is smarter than the teacher, and, as you have stated in the Teachings of Lord Chaitanya, when one is poor in Krishna Consciousness, he has a need for material gain. So I should not be to surprised at the changes to your Hare Krishna Movement, but am nonetheless very disappointed and dismayed.

“Do Not Change My Words” — Prabhupada

15 Mar 2011 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Book Changes, Devotee's, Gauridas Pandit das Tags: book changes, disciple, ecstasu of the spiritual master, edit, Gauridas Pandit dasa, Sri Isopanissad, Srila Prabhupada, translate, Vrindavan

“Do Not Change My Words” — Prabhupada
Testimonials — By Gauridas Pandit dasa on January 30, 1998 at 8:37 am

Srila Prabhupada used to like to sit in his garden in Vrindavan especially in the mornings. He liked to hear his books read to him daily. One time Yasodanandan Prabhu was reading Sri Isopanisad when Srila Prabhupada stopped him and asked him to reread the last paragraph. After hearing it again Srila Prabhupada said, “Those are not my words! They are changing my words! Is my English not good enough?” Srila Prabhupada became very angry and continued, “This is the worst thing a disciple can do! Do not become like a leap frog and try to jump over the spiritual master thinking you know better than him. Tell them immediately [the editors] do not change my words!”

Srila Prabhupada – The Master Disciple

03 Mar 2011 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Devotee's, Hasti Gopala das Tags: disciple, guru, Hasti Gopal, Sprititual Master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, Srila Prabhupada

Srila Prabhupada – The Master Disciple
By Sri Hasti Gopala Dasa, Toronto, Canada.

Srila Prabhupada is the master disciple. He’s showing us by his example how to be a first class disciple. That example is continuing and the revelations will continue as we read his original books throughout the rest of our lives. The perfection of life is to follow strictly the bona fide spiritual master and make his orders, the life and soul of our disciplic position. By repeating without change his eternal message of how to love God Krishna, will be the perfection of life. He has told us this many times and he has masterfully followed it himself in the most perfect manner. Indeed he continues to do so.

So as much as we follow purely, we will become leaders but that following means to become as much as sincerely possible a master disciple.
The carpentry master has within himself the apprentice. The master may draw on the experience and knowledge of his apprenticeship but the apprentice cannot draw on the experience and knowledge of being a master carpenter. First we must become first class disciples of Srila Prabhupada…everyone. Then automatically leading others towards the same path of bhakti yoga will take its natural course.