From Aja dasa (acbsp) to Tamohara dasa and B…
Dear Tamohara Prabhu,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to our Divine Guru, Shaktyaveshavatara, Bhakta Senapati, Srila Prabhupada!
Although I will try to keep this short, brevity is not always my strong suit (typical devotee, eh?)
I was initiated in 1974, and relatively low key rank and file devotee, often confused with the "other Aja" who was part of RDTSKP. Shortly after Prabhupada disappeared, i was told in Portland temple that I had to do the premadhvani to Hansadutta, - that this was HIS temple now, not Prabhupadas, and that was pretty much it for me. Shortly after, i moved to Buffalo, to be with like minded Prabhupada friends, including Yasodanandana Swami, and during that time Jadurani came (shortly after being beaten at new vrndavana), and also Kailasa Chandra and others. At that time we also started creating a book, which I think was called something like "the guru, and what Prabhupada really said". By this time I had returned to portland and printed these books on a small pressin my basement. Don't know where they are now.
I also started at that time a magazine called Bhaktivedanta vaishnava journal, receiving very nice responses from various devotees including Bhakti Tirtha Swami.
Did other various programs, all separate from ISKCON proper. In the late 80's, I started focusing on Self Inquiry, simply asking "Who am I?" with the purpose of directly experiencing Self as Consciousness. With some "success" I continued this and taught this for the next 20 years, often being labeled and quoted as an advaitist, which i never really saw myself as.
However, over the last few years, with a wide variety of health issues, including a minor heart attack, and truly recognizing through direct experience that I am Consciousness and NOT this body, I wanted to go beyond consciousness per se, to the source of Consciousness, which is of course, Sri Krsna.
At present, I live with my family - wife, grown children, on my Barnashram, 7 acres, where I am more or less a vanaprastha (although i liked Aindra Prabhu's saying - I am a brahmastha vananyasi). But exploring the internet, I'm seing so many thousands of websites and view points. Thus, my confusion.
I have NOT been involved with iskcon, as the local temple is basically a Krsna church for the Indians, and have long since considered ISKCON the domicile of the likes of tamal and his ilk. I see that you apparently believe that Prabhupada appointed ritviks,and that he is the Guru, Founder, Acharya. But when looking up YOUR name, you, or your namesake IS a member of the GBC.
On the one hand, I wonder if there is indeed hope for ISKCON, if things have truly changed, or if you have 'left the fold' so to speak. I recently heard that in LA temple, when polled on the original versus "revised" Gita, 90+ percent preferred the original. Why has BBTI, not gone the way of Krsna Books Inc, and just started printing Srila Prabhupada's books? Why have they not announced that all disciples are disciples of Srila Prabhupada? and on and on and on. I think you get my drift.
Anyway, I am most insignificant, and will probably have to spend crores of lifetimes in Hell for being associated with advaita, but now am trying to cling to the Holy Name and Srila Prabhupada asmy only shelter.
I'm not sure if there is a question wrapped up in all this, but perhaps you can digest one out of it. :-D
(I apologize for the various typos, non-caps, etc. I work with an android and bluetooth keyboard, and like my mind, it doesn't always obey me.)
I beg to remain the servant of the servant of the Vaishnavas.
Daso'smi
Aja dasa
From Tamohara dasa, B… to Aja dasa (acbsp)
Sent 2 hours agoHari bol! Hare Krsna, pamho, Aja Prabhu; Sept 8, 2014
Following your example in your thoughtful and absorbing letter, I joined up in about 1972 in heart, but shaved up in 1973 in Toronto, Canada. I served in the sankirtana parties, harinama parties, prasad distribution, cooking, floor sweeping, pots washing, class giving , Deities worshipping, candles carving sections; last post was temple president unelect, Sridhama Bhubaneswara, 1980.
I did not even realize that Srila Prabhupada had been poisonned until reading "Someone has poisonned me", by Nityananda Prabhu, google , or its here somewhere also, in parts. I examined all the angles for years, and understood the realities at last. For example, I am myself enamorred neither of Itsacon corps., nor of the Ali-Pada and the Forty Hard-head Ritviks, nor of the Bangalore CIA-Itsckon. If you watch the current online front page video of Srila Puri Maharajah, as you may have dones so already, you will perhaps catch my drift. There are many excellent quotes all about this site, as well. Also, Gurukrpa Swami's expose and Garuidasa Pandita dasa's expose confirm the impressions.
When I thought further of the implications of our spiritual master's description of the Great Sinister Movement and the handful of men said to be running this world, it became clear that the agents involved in the murder were but pawns led by much larger more sinister forces than we had been able, at that time of the seventies, to fully understand or grasp. We are living in times not unlike those of Krsna Book or Srimad Bhagavatam, dear Prabhu.
With all that, you have got the wrong guy! I am Thomas Garden, CHFS, BFGS, MSc, Bh.S., of Winnipeg , Manitoba, retired audiologist, and pres co-elect hereabouts. The other, well, there are four Tamohara dasas' currently, the GBC one is from USSA, and we are opposites, like yin and yang, him being the yin, lol. He hates me, I am lovingly disposed to him, but disagree with whatever he thinks he is doing currently, which to my limited vision, appears to be placating demons for personal profits. So, he is a great Wizard. While i am the Wiseass?
Hope that clarifies!
For corroborating evidence; read the site thoroughly
Ysss
PS can i use this exchange as a forum item?
a little confused :-D
From Aja dasa (acbsp) to You Editor; bottom letter is the first , top is the latest add;
Hare Krsna Tamohara Prabhu,
First, my apologies on the mix up, much like me and "anya-aja".
After I wrote you, i happened to check one of the "Prabhupada disciple lists", and indeed saw that their is the Chicago Tamohara. Who would know? Of course, there are 4 Ajas, two male, two female.
As far as using my letter in the forum, sure, why not? i.e. yes.
By the way, I noticed that you were/are into Srila Gaura Govinda maharaja. I received 2nd initiation from Prabhupada at the opening of Krsna Balaram Mandir. There was this very sweet Indian man sitting next to me, and in my naiveté, I asked him if he was getting 1st or 2nd intitation. He said, "sannyasa". I thought he was joking or something, until another devotee came and brought him a cushion to sit on. Later, of course, I realized that was Gaura Govinda Prabhu, and then Maharaja. I actually knew very little about him, until much later hearing about his glories. I have found various shots of myself in the Prabhupada Darshan movies and elsewhere, at that initiation - one with an Indian gentleman next to me, but I can't tell if that is Maharaja or not. (Also, which was my real intention) to find photos of myself with Srila Prabhupada, which I have found several.
Here is a link to some of those pics AND video:
http://barnashram.blogspot.com/2014/06/me-and-srila-prabhupadas.html
Again, feel free to use whatever.
Your servant,
Aja dasa
Replies
Me and Srila Prabhupada
Me, to his right playing cymbals.
"Even a moment’s association with a pure devotee cannot be compared to being transferred to heavenly planets or even merging into the Brahman effulgence in complete liberation. For living entities who are destined to give up the body and die, association with pure devotees is the highest benediction."
Srimad Bhagavatam 4.30.34
BARn ashrama? Hilarious Prabhu!