Srila Prabhupada and the Gaudiya Matha
By Drutakarma Dasa
submitted by the Editor
(Editor’s note: This paper was written over 10 years ago).
If you prefer you can download and read this paper offline from here
Introduction
Why, some question, is ISKCON so reluctant to accept guidance from gurus from the Gaudiya Matha? Why, they wonder, does ISKCON wish to limit its association with those who have taken initiation from such gurus? To fully appreciate the reasons for this, we have to look at the history of Srila Prabhupada’s involvement with the Gaudiya Matha. After all, Srila Prabhupada was the founder-acarya of ISKCON, and members of ISKCON naturally look to him for guidance in all aspects of spiritual life, including how to relate to other followers of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura.
This essay will not be simply a catalog of every bad thing Prabhupada ever said about the Gaudiya Matha and various of his Godbrothers. I have endeavored to give a balanced picture of Prabhupada’s statements, and have included the positive along with the negative. I won’t ignore statements Prabhupada made during his last days regarding the possibility of reconciliation and cooperation with the various Gaudiya Mathas. Neither will I ignore the entire history of Prabhupada’s dealings with the Gaudiya Matha. In short, this essay will attempt the difficult task of analyzing all of Srila Prabhupada’s various kinds of statements about the Gaudiya Matha with a view towards assessing their combined meaning for ISKCON today.
First Encounters
Srila Prabhupada first encountered the Gaudiya Matha in Calcutta in the year 1922, when he was invited by a friend, Narendranatha Mullik, to meet Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati Thakura. At that time Prabhupada was a follower of Gandhi. He was reluctant to meet Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, but his friend insisted. The meeting was a crucial turning point in Prabhupada’s life. He was won over by Bhaktisiddhanta’s purity and intelligence. At this first meeting he also received an instruction from Bhaktisiddhanta–to spread the teachings of Lord Chaitanya in the English language. Prabhupada was convinced he had met a very saintly person, and he concluded that the mission of Lord Chaitanya was in capable hands.
Bhaktisiddhanta had started the Gaudiya Matha in 1918 with the cooperation of Kunjavihari Babu, for short Kunja Babu, later known as Bhaktivilasa Tirtha Maharaja, or, for short, Tirtha Maharaja. He eventually became head of the Chaitanya Gaudiya Matha in Mayapura. This Kunjavihari Babu was an astute business man. Srila Prabhupada said that Kunjavihari Babu was materially motivated, and that he wished to have Bhaktisiddhanta as a spiritual front man for an organization that he himself would control behind the scenes. Concerning Kunjavihari Prabhu and his desire to earn money, Srila Prabhupada said: “And he was always after Guru Maharaja only for this purpose. Guru Maharaja took that ‘Oh, this man is helping me.’ But he had no such plan, to help Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. He had the plan, ‘Keep Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati in front, earn money, and put it in my pocket.’” (Room conversation, Bombay, Sept. 21, 1973). In a lecture given in Los Angeles on Bhaktisiddhanta’s appearance day (Feb. 7, 1969), Srila Prabhupada said about Bhaktisiddhanta’s relationship with Kunjavihari (later Tirtha Maharaja): “So in 1918 he started this movement with the help of some disciples. Krsna sent him. So one of the disciples, he is now Tirtha Maharaja. Perhaps he is… He belonged to Rama Krishna Mission Society. So he is very ambitious. So he took the opportunity of starting this movement, finding out the saintly person. So apart from that point of view, with his help this Gaudiya Mission was started, and gradually it developed.” So although Prabhupada could see some material ambition in Tirtha Maharaja, he also gave him credit for helping start the Gaudiya Matha.
In Allahabad
In 1923, Srila Prabhupada moved his family to Allahabad, where he opened a pharmacy. In 1928, Bhaktipradipa Tirtha Maharaja (different from Bhaktivilasa Tirtha Maharaja) came to Allahabad to establish a Gaudiya Matha temple, and visited the pharmacy. Srila Prabhupada was happy to assist. He gave money, and introduced Bhaktipradipa Tirtha Maharaja to his friends. He also had the Gaudiya Matha devotees give a program in his home. After some time, Bhaktipradipa Tirtha Maharaja left Allahabad, but a small group of Gaudiya Matha devotees remained to run a preaching center. One of them, Atulananda Brahmacari, would often visit Srila Prabhupada. At the invitation of Atulananda, Prabhupada visited the Gaudiya Matha ashrama in Allahabad. Later, the center was relocated close to Prabhupada’s home, and he was able to regularly attend the programs, where he would sometimes lead the kirtans, playing mrdanga.
Prabhupada describes this time like this: “So in this way, in 1928, there was a Kumbhamela. At that time, these Gaudiya Matha people came to Allahabad to establish a center there, and somebody else said, somebody informed them that ‘You go to that Prayaga Pharmacy.’ My drug shop was named as Prayaga Pharmacy. My name was also there. ‘You go and see Abhaya Babu. He is religiously… He will help you.’ These Gaudiya Matha people, they came to see me. So ‘Sir, we have come to you. We have heard your good name. So we want to start a temple here. Please try to help us.’ And because I was thinking of these Gaudiya Matha people that ‘I met a very nice, saintly person,’ and as soon as I saw them, I was very much engladdened: ‘Oh, here are these persons. They have come again.’ So in this way, gradually, I became attached to these Gaudiya Matha activities.” (Bhaktisiddhanta disappearance day lecture, Los Angeles, December 13, 1973).
Through Atulananda, Prabhupada learned of the ongoing activities of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, who was spreading the Gaudiya Matha all over India. In 1930, using funds donated by a wealthy member, he built a large marble temple in the Baghbazar district of Calcutta, and this became the headquarters of the Gaudiya Matha. During the 1930s, Bhaktisiddhanta sent some of his leading sannyasi disciples to preach in England and Germany, but they came back with few results. Srila Prabhupada says, “And he sent Bon Maharaja also in 1933 to London for preaching, but unfortunately, some way or other, he could not do anything, so Guru Maharaja called him back in 1934. He was not satisfied and sent another Godbrother, gosvami.” (Bhaktisiddhanta Appearance Day lecture, Los Angeles, Feb. 7, 1969)
In October of 1932, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati was leading a circumambulation of the the Vrindavan area. Prabhupada, because of his work, could not join the pilgrimage, but he did manage to get away to visit for a few days. At this time he had “very good admiration for these Gaudiya Math people,” and he wanted to see what they were doing in Vrindavana (Prabhupada-lilamrta, vol. 1, p. 64). Srila Prabhupada joined the party at Kosi. He heard Bhaktisiddhanta speak, listening so attentively that Bhaktisiddhanta took special notice of him.
A month later, he took initiation from Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati in Allahabad. Bhaktisiddanta had come in order to lay the cornerstone for a temple that the Gaudiya Matha would build there. Before the initiation, Atulananda, the matha president, presented Prabhupada to Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, who said, “Yes, he likes to hear. He does not go away. I have marked him. I will accept him as my disciple.” (Prabhupada lilamrta, vol. 1, p. 71). At the ceremony, Bhaktisiddhanta gave him both first and second initiation. After initiation, Prabhupada increased his involvement with the Gaudiya Matha branch in Allahabad.
From time to time, Prabhupada would visit the Gaudiya Matha in Calcutta, especially to see and hear his Guru Maharaja. Prabhupada was not one of the big leaders of the Gaudiya Matha, but Bhaktisiddhanta was affectionate towards him and sometimes confided in him. For example, he told Prabhupada that some caste brahmanas had once plotted to kill him. Srila Prabhupada noticed that Bhaktisiddhanta was uncompromising in his preaching. Once one of Bhaktisiddhanta’s disciples had publically criticized a prominent Mayavadi as a “foolish priest,” and some other disciples complained about this to Bhaktisiddhanta, thinking he would disapprove. But Bhaktisiddhanta had said, “He had done well.” Bhaktisiddhanta himself was sometimes quite outspoken in his criticism of opponents, causing some of his own disciples to speculate that this “chopping technique” would not work. Prabhupada noted, however, that “those who criticized him fell down.” (Prabhupada lilamrta, vol. 1, pp. 75-76).
At a certain point, Abhay’s business in Prayag failed. Atulananda tried to convince him to join the Matha, but Prabhupada felt he could not give up his family responsibilities.
In Bombay
In 1933, Prabhupada went to Bombay to start a pharmaceutical business.There he met Gaudiya Matha members such as Bhaktiraksaka Sridhara Maharaja (Sridhara Maharaja for short) and Bhaktisaranga Goswami. He helped them and other Gaudiya Matha members establish a branch there. Prabhupada recalled: “We made a party for collecting alms—Sridhara Maharaja, Goswami Maharaja, and myself. I took them to some of my chemist and doctor friends, and in two days we collected five hundred rupees. Sridhara Maharaja would speak, I would introduce, and Goswami Maharaja would canvass.” (Room conversation Mayapura, March 17, 1973). Bhaktisaranga Goswami tried to induce Prabhupada to come live in the Matha, but Prabhupada remained apart, conducting his business activities. But he regularly visited the small center on Proctor Road, and took the responsibility for looking for a bigger building. In 1935 he presented his famous Vyasa-puja homage to Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati at the Bombay Gaudiya Matha. When Bhaktisiddhanta saw the essay, he was pleased with it, and said that whatever Prabhupada wrote should be published. Afterwards, Prabhupada arranged the rental of a new place for the Gaudiya Matha at Gwalia Tank Road in Bombay. In July of 1935, Bhaktisiddhanta came to the new center to install the Deity of Krishna. Bhaktisaranga Maharaja proposed that Prabhupada should join the center and become its president. But Bhaktisiddhanta replied, “It is better that he is living outside your company. He will do. When the time comes, he will do everything himself, You don’t have to recommend him.” Prabhupada recalled that Bhaktisiddhanta trusted him so much that he once gave him a large sum of money, and told him to keep it, and distribute it as necessary to the Matha members. (Prabhupada lilamrta vol. 1, pp. 88-89; based on room conversation, Mayapur, March 17, 1973).
With Bhaktisiddhanta at Radhakunda
In November of 1935, Prabhupada visited Bhaktisiddhanta at Radhakunda in Vrindavana. At this time, he had some confidential discussion with his spiritual master. Bhaktisiddhanta was concerned about how his disciples were fighting over who would occupy which rooms in the big new temple in Baghbazar, Calcutta. Bhaktisiddhanta told Prabhupada: “Agun jvable—there will be fire.” The fire he was speaking about was the fire of party conflict, a fire that could spoil the whole Gaudiya Matha. Bhaktisiddhanta said, “When we were living in a rented house, if we could collect two hundred or three hundred rupees we were living very nicely at Ultadanga. We were happier then. But since we have been given this marble palace in Baghbazar, there is friction between our men. Who will occupy this room? Who will occupy that room? Who will be the proprietor of this room? Everyone is planning in different ways. It would be better to take the marble from the walls and secure money. If I could do this and print books, that would be better.” Bhaktisiddhanta then said to Prabhupada. “I had a desire to print some books. If you ever get money, print books.” (Prabhupada lilamrta, vol. 1, p. 91).
During this time the manager of the Gaudiya Matha was Kunjavihari Babu. His control was resented by some of his Godbrothers. Prabhupada recalled later: “He was taking money like anything. But he was a good manager. Other God-brothers complained, sannyasis. Guru Maharaja used to say that ‘Why you are complaining? You cannot reform him, your God-brother? And if I would have to keep expert manager like him, I would have to pay something. Suppose he is taking something, why do you grudge?’ (Prabhupada laughing) He would say like that. So nobody could say anything.” (Room conversation, Bombay, Sept. 21, 1973)
In December 1936, Prabhupada wrote to Bhaktisiddhanta asking how he could serve him. Bhaktisiddhanta repeated the same instruction he had given earlier, namely that he should preach the message of Lord Caitanya in the English language.
Bhaktisiddhanta’s Departure
On January 1, 1937, Bhaktisiddhanta passed away in Puri. Before departing, he told his disciples, “I advise all to preach the teachings of Rupa-Raghunatha with all energy and resources. Our ultimate goal shall be to become the dust of the lotus feet of Sri Sri Rupa and Raghunatha Goswamis. You should all work conjointly under the guidance of your spiritual master with a view to serve the Absolute Knowledge, the Personality of Godhead. You should live somehow or other without any quarrel in this mortal world only for the service of Godhead. Do not, please, give up the service of Godhead, in spite of all dangers, all criticisms, and all discomforts. Do not be disappointed, for must people in the world do not serve the Personality of Godhead; do not give up your own service . . .” He also ordered that activities of the Gaudiya Matha were to be guided by a twelve-man governing body commission.
Almost immediately after Bhaktisiddhanta’s departure, his leading disciples abandoned his order to serve together under a governing body commission. Prabhupada later recalled: “After the demise, everything burst out. ‘Kunja Babu must be driven out.’ That was the whole plan of Gaudiya Matha breakdown. The grudge was against Kunja Babu . . . So that was boiling in everyone’s heart. So as soon as Guru Maharaja passed away, so that burst out. And the whole plan was how to get out this Kunja Babu. . . . This was the cause of breakdown. This was suppressed by Guru Maharaja under his influence, but the rebellious was there during his lifetime. And it burst into… Therefore he advised that ‘You make a governing body and Kunja Babu should be allowed to remain manager.’ This was directly spoken. He never asked anybody to become acarya. He asked that ‘You form a governing body of twelve men and go on preaching, and Kunja Babu may be allowed to remain manager during his lifetime.’” (Room conversation, September 21, 1973)
Nevetheless, Bhaktisiddhanta’s leading disciples decided that here should be a single acarya to conduct all initiations and decide all disputes. Prabhupada explained: “None, none of them were advised by Guru Maharaja to become acarya. His idea was ‘Let them manage; then whoever will be actual qualified for becoming acarya, they will elect. Why I should enforce upon them?’ That was his plan. ‘Let them manage by strong governing body, as it is going on. Then acarya will come by his qualifications.’ But they wanted that… Because at heart, they were, ‘After demise of Guru, I shall become acarya. I shall become acarya.’” (Room conversation, September 21, 1973)
At one point during his illness, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati had written out a brief letter appointing three trustees, including Bhaktivilasa Tirtha. Prabhupada said, “This Tirtha Maharaja was a trustee, and another Godbrother and this man [Vasudeva]. In the beginning, they were made trustees. In the beginning, Prabhupada was to undergo surgical operation. So he was a little nervous, that ‘I may die.’ So he made a scrap paper, that ‘In case I die, these three disciples will be trustees of the Gaudiya Matha Institute.’ That’s all. So this Kunja Babu kept this. There are many long histories. So one of the so-called trustees was this Vasudeva. So he died, his end was like this.” (Room conversation, Toronto, June 18, 1976). Later, Bhaktisiddhanta had given his final direction, verbally, about forming a governing body and allowing Kunjavihari (later Tirtha Maharaja) to remain as manager.
In the struggle for the leadership of the Gaudiya Matha, the trustee Vasudeva went over to the side of a group of Gaudiya Matha sannyasis led by Sridhara Maharaja. They wanted to make an acarya, supporting him against the party led by Kunjavihari Babu, who later became Bhaktivilasa Tirtha Maharaja. This Tirtha Maharaja suggested to the party led by Sridhara Maharaja that instead of combining together to oppose him they should combine together to preach, and then he would join them. Prabhupada explained it like this: “Tirtha Maharaja’s only defense was ‘All right, you want to combine to make a guru. All right, why don’t you combine yourself for preaching?’ . . . Yes. ‘You have joined together to defeat me. Why don’t you preach jointly? What do you want? That I shall also join and we shall jointly preach. Do this. You are divided amongst yourselves, and you have joined together to defeat me.’ Sridhara Maharaja is the leader. . . Madhava Maharaja also.” (Room conversation, Bombay, April 22, 1977)
At first, one court ruled in favor of Vasudeva. But then another court gave two thirds of the Gaudiya Matha’s assets to Kunjavihari Babu, who had his headquarters at Caitanya Matha in Mayapur, and one third to Vasudeva, who had his headquarters at Baghbazar in Calcutta. (Prabhupada-lilamrta, vol. 1). But the acarya selected by the Baghbazar party came to a bad end. Prabhupada said about him: “So he died, his end was like this. . . . His wife was a regular prostitute, and she killed her child, and on this shock, he took poison and died. . . . Naturally, he became shocked, that ‘This is my family life–the wife is prostitute and son is killed. What is the value of my life?’ This was his spiritual realization. Just see. (laughs) And he was made the chief, and one of the supporter was Sridhara Maharaja. . . . He was made chief. Guru Maharaja did not make him chief. But after his passing away, some of our Godbrothers [led by Sridhara Maharaja] voted him chief. . . . He was homosex and sex, everything.” (Room conv. Toronto June 18, 1976) It appears that the acarya’s wife was having an affair, and when her son found out about it and threatened to tell his father, the boy was killed. Prabhupada said his mother poisoned him. (Room conv. Toronto, June 18, 1976). The father then committed suicide.
Speaking of the attempts of Sridhara Maharaja, Kunjavihari Babu, and others to appoint an acarya, Prabhupada later said, “Why this Gaudiya Matha failed? Because they tried to become more than guru. He, before passing away, he gave all direction and never said that ‘This man should be the next acarya.’ But these people, just after his passing away they began to fight, who shall be acarya. That is the failure. They never thought, ‘Why Guru Maharaja gave us instruction so many things, why he did not say that this man should be acarya?’ They wanted to create artificially somebody acarya and everything failed. They did not consider even with common sense that if Guru Maharaja wanted to appoint somebody as acarya, why did he not say? He said so many things, and this point he missed? The real point? And they insist upon it. They declared some unfit person to become acarya. Then another man came, then another, acarya, another acarya. So better remain a foolish person perpetually to be directed by Guru Maharaja. That is perfection. And as soon as he learns the Guru Maharaja is dead, ‘Now I am so advanced that I can kill my guru and I become guru.’ Then he’s finished.” (Room conversation, Bombay August 16, 1976)
Kunjavihari Babu continued to press for control of all of the Gaudiya Matha properties throughout India. The battle went on for decades in the courts. According to Prabhupada, Kunjavihari Babu had known what would happen long before and had prepared for it: “And Kunja Babu, he is very intelligent man. So from the very beginning he knew that ‘There will be fight after the demise of Guru Maharaja. So fight will be in the High Court. So at the expense of Guru Maharaja, let my brother and sons become attorneys and barrister so I will have not to pay all these things.’ It was a planned thing. And that is being done. He was a clerk, it was not in his power to make his brother and sons attorneys and barristers. They were all made at the cost of Gaudiya Matha to fight . . . in favor of Tirtha Maharaja [as Kunjavihari was later known after taking sannyasa). These were the planned things.” (Room conversation, Bombay, September 21, 1973)
Kunjavihari Babu sold the Gaudiya Matha’s printing presses. Bhaktisiddhanta had once said that he would sell the marble in the big Gaudiya Matha temple in Calcutta in order to print books. Printing books was his main ambition. Prabhupada recalled Bhaktisiddhanta’s words, “If I can, I shall sell these marbles of this temple and convert them into books.” Prabhupada continued: “That was his ambition. He started a very nice press and this Tirtha Maharaja [Kunjavihari] sold it. . . He’s not representing Guru . . . . ‘Better let’s have money for fight in the court.’” (Room conversation, London, July 26, 1976).
But Prabhupada did not join in these battles for high position and control of money and property. Instead, he was planning how he would eventually fulfill his Guru Maharaja’s order for him to preach. Prabhupada later recalled: “I was rotting in my household life. That’s all. But I was planning how to make, how to make this [ISKCON]. That was my desire from the very beginning, since I heard it. But I was never with them, either this party or that party. And Guru Maharaja also recommended . . . ‘When there will be need, he will do himself. There is no need of living with you. It is better to live apart from you.’ When I was recommended by Goswami Maharaja to live in the Matha . . . he (Guru Maharaja) said, ‘Yes, he is very expert. He can do. So it is better to live apart from you. And he will do everything when there is need.’ He said. I could not understand.” (Room conversation, Bombay, September 21, 1973).
Although countersuits dragged on for years, Kunjavihari had won the main legal battle. Prabhupada said: “He thought, ‘By cheating all the God-brothers, I have got now Caitanya Matha. And people will come to see Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s birthplace, and I will get good income. And it will be distributed amongst my brothers and sons and myself. That’s all.’ That is his scheme . . . . It is another way of earning money.” (Room conversation, Bombay, September 21, 1973). Prabhupada also said, “That was the only endeavor, how legally he could occupy the bricks and stones of Gaudiya Math. That’s all. He had no other ambition. How to push on Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission, how to push on Guru Maharaja’s… He had no such. It was simply show. But real purpose was how to occupy, how to take the whole property. Business. . . . He advertised that he is the only favorite student of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. (laughs) But spiritually he was empty. Materially he was capable, how to manage things. But spiritually he was zero. That Prabhupada [Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada] also knew and everyone knows. He had no spiritual understanding. Materially he helped Guru Maharaja how to organize. Therefore he liked him, that ‘This man is expert manager.’” (Conversation, Allahabad, January 13, 1977)
When Kunjavihari took control of most of the Gaudiya Matha assets, his sannyasi Godbrothers who opposed him, instead of setting up their own institutions on the basis of vigorous missionary activities in the style of Bhaktisiddhanta, simply set up temples where they could make a little money and live peacefully. Prabhupada said, “They also, when they saw that ‘This man is legally taking everything. Gaudiya sannyasis, we cannot go home. We must have some shelter.’ No spirit of pushing on.” (Conversation, Allahabad, Jan. 13, 1977) Prabhupada also said: “Just see our Gaudiya Matha. Everyone wanted to become guru, and a small temple and ‘guru.’ What kind of guru? No publication, no preaching, simply bring some foodstuff… My Guru Maharaja used to say, ‘Joint mess,’ a place for eating and sleeping. . . . there is a system. Some clerks, they make a small cooperative hotel. In India there are many.” (Room conversation, Bombay, April 22, 1977). Prabhupada was not objecting that any of his Godbrothers wished to become gurus. It was the kind of guru they wished to become that he objected to. A real guru should not be running a temple just to have a place to eat and sleep. There should be vigorous preaching and publication.
Back to Calcutta
In 1938, Prabhupada and his family moved back to Calcutta from Bombay, where his business activities were failing. By this time Sridhara, formerly the leader of one of the parties, had given up fighting and had set up his own mission in Mayapur. He would sometimes visit Prabhupada in Calcutta, and eventually rented some rooms above Prabhupada’s small chemical factory at 7 Banerjee Lane. This became known as the Devananda Sarasvati Matha, and sannyasis such as Puri Maharaja and Bhaktisaranga Goswami would visit there. Srila Prabhupada would assist them in their preaching. Sometimes when Sridhara Maharaja was ill, Prabhupada would take charge of the brahmacaris at engagements, leading the chanting and lecturing.
Prabhupada recalled these times, saying of Sridhara Maharaja: “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, Mayapura, March 17, 1973)
This is typical of Srila Prabhupada’s behavior with his Godbrothers. He could see their good points and bad points. And he treated them personally, with affection. As far as Sridhara Maharaja is concerned, we can see that Srila Prabhupada understood he bore a major responsibility for the breaking up of the Gaudiya Matha. But at the same time, he respected him as his Godbrother, and was prepared to work with him and even engage him in making another organization which could better fulfill the desires of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. Of course, by this time, Sridhara Maharaja had his own matha and was happy being the head of it.
Around this time, Prabhupada began to write, starting with a piece called “Introduction to Geetopanisad.” In recognition of Prabhupada’s learning, Bhaktisaranga Goswami wanted to give him the title Bhaktisiddhanta, but Sridhara Maharaja, thinking it improper to use that title, which belonged to their Guru, suggested Bhaktivedanta. Srila Prabhupada and Sridhara Maharaja continued to associate. Although Sridhara Maharaja was somewhat retiring, Prabhupada would urge him to go out and preach more widely. Prabhupada sometimes asked him to come with him to confront Gandhi and Nehru and try to convince them to follow the teachings of the Gita more closely. Prabhupada also helped finance the publication of a book written by Sridhara Maharaja, a collection of Vaisnava verse called Prapanna-jivanamrta.
In 1944, in the midst of World War II, Prabhupada began Back to Godhead magazine in furtherance of Bhaktisiddhanta’s order for him to preach in English. The English language journal of the Gaudiya Matha, The Harmonist, had ceased publication before Bhaktisiddhanta had passed away, and the printing presses of the Gaudiya Matha had been sold by Kunjavihari. The first issue of BTG included an essay by Bhakisaranga Goswami in addition to Prabhupada’s writings. Prabhupada by this time had also started work on a translation of the Bhagavad-gita and was working on a translation of Chaitanya caritamrta. One night around this time, Bhaktisiddhanta appeared to Prabhupada in a dream, indicating that he should take sannyasa.
After the war, Prabhupada moved to Lucknow to start another pharmaceutical business, but had to close it in 1948. At that time, he had another dream from his spiritual master, who again asked him to take sannyasa. He started another business in Allahabad. Meanwhile he completed his Gita manuscript, but in 1948 it was stolen. In 1949, Prabhupada began writing articles in Bengali, for publication in the Gaudiya Patrika, which was run by his Godbrother B. P. Kesava Maharaja. In these articles he strongly criticized the materialistic mentality, reminding his Godbrothers of Bhaktisiddhanta’s style. But he stayed clear of involvement with any of the Gaudiya Mathas. By 1950, Prabhupada began gradually detaching himself from householder life. In 1952, he again began to publish BTG.
Jhansi
In October 1952, Prabhupada began preaching in Jhansi, founding the League of devotees in May 1953. During this time he initiated his first disciple, Prabhakar Misra. At first, it looked as if he was going to be given a building for the League of Devotees, but later it turned out that he would have to purchase the building. To raise funds, he returned to Calcutta to conduct business in 1954. During his stay in Calcutta he lived with some of his Godbrothers at the Gaudiya Sangha. At first he had no money, so he was supported by the temple. He gave daily lectures on the Bhagavatam. Eventually, he again became entangled in the affairs of his family. But it did not work, and he finally he left them for good. He then moved to an asrama run by some of his Godbrothers just outside Calcutta, at a place called Jhargam. There he lived with Damodara Maharaja and Paramahamsa Maharaja. Without money, Prabhupada stayed there for some time, mostly chanting Hare Krishna on his beads and giving some lectures at Bhagavad-gita. After awhile, he felt confident enough to return to Jhansi to resume his work with his League of Devotees. Before leaving he obtained a Deity of Lord Chaitanya to install in Jhansi. But he was not able to raise enough money to purchase the building he was using as a temple and center. Early in 1955, he went to Vrindavan to convince some of his Godbrothers to purchase the building. Bhaktisaranga Maharaja did not agree to do this. Kesava Maharaja, however, was interested in starting a center of his own, and was willing to consider Jhansi. Kesava Maharaja visited Jhansi with Prabhupada, but in the end decided the place was too remote. Damodara Maharaja also refused. Prabhupada tried to interest Madhava Maharaja, but the conditions desired by Madhava Maharaja were not to Prabhupada’s liking. In a letter to Mangalaniloy Brahmacari, a disciple of Madhava Maharaja, Prabhupada wrote on July 16, 1966: “Regarding the Jhansi incidence referred to by your Guru maharaj I may inform you that the donor of the house did not like to hand over the estate to any individual person. I therefore registered a society (The League of Devotees) and I invited your Guru maharaj to join it as the head man. But he, as he was with the then Kunjada [i.e., Kunjavihari Babu, later Bhaktivilasa Tirtha Maharaja] desired to have the property in the joint name of him and Kunjada. So I became silent and I left the whole scheme.”
In the Asramas of his Godbrothers
In the end, confronted with lack of support and the prospect of long litigation, Prabhupada left Jhansi and went to Mathura, where Kesava Maharaja had established his own center. Prabhupada gave him the Deity of Lord Chaitanya that he had hoped to install at Jhansi, and it was installed at Mathura. Prabhupada stayed for some time with Keshava Maharaja in Mathura, editing the Gaudiya Patrika paper and helping manage the matha.Shortly thereafter, in July 1955, Bhaktisaranga Goswami asked Prabhupada to come to his Gaudiya Sangh asrama in New Delhi, to edit his publication The Harmonist (also known by the Bengali title Sajjana-tosani). Kesava Maharaja agreed to the arrangement, as long as Prabhupada would continue to edit the Gaudiya Patrika through the mail. It appears, as Satsvarupa Maharaja states in Prabhupada-lilamrtra (vol. 1, p. 172), that Prabhupada now felt “he could carry out his desires to preach Krishna consciousness within the asramas of his Godbrothers.” The Gaudiya Sangha, like the other Gaudiya Matha institutions, was poor. And Srila Prabhupada, in addition to his editing work, found himself burdened with basic management chores. He also worked on a Hindi translation of Caitanya caritamrta. Srila Prabhupada was constantly trying to improve the quality and circulation of The Harmonist, but his ideas were not to the liking of Bhaktisaranga Goswami and his secretary Ramanananda Prabhu. They suggested that he take up a position elsewhere. So in October 1955, Prabhupada found himself alone again in New Delhi. He moved from place to place, continuing his solitary preaching and in February 1956 revived his Back to Godhead. In September 1956,. Prabhupada moved to the Vamsi Gopal temple in Vrindavana. By November 1956, he no longer had money left to continue publication of BTG. In 1957 and 1958, he preached on behalf of his League of devotees in Delhi, Bombay, and Kanpur. During this time, he began to seriously think of going to the West to preach. By the end of 1958, he was again spending most of his time in Vrindavana. In October 1958,. having received some contributions, he again began printing BTG in New Delhi.
In December of 1958, Prabhupada wrote his Virahastaka on Bhaktisiddanta’s disappearance day. He lamented the departure of his Guru Maharaja and how the preaching mission he had started was now languishing. “There was preaching everywhere, from the sea to the Himalayas. Now in your absence, everything is in darkness.” The entire poem was published by Kesava Maharaja in the Gaudiya Patrika. Satsvarupa Maharaja puts Prabhupada’s mood nicely: “The Gaudiya Math had been undone by its leaders, and everyone else had scattered like leaves in a storm. It was an unspeakable loss. And it was an old story—how the big sannyasis had disregarded their spiritual master’s instructions and had intrigued, disputed, litigated. Violent party factions, false leaders claiming to be world acarya—and which party had been right? No, both had been wrong, all wrong, because the Gaudiya Math had disintegrated. Now there were dozens of little mathas, and no preaching, no real preaching as before . . . . The scattered particles of the Gaudiya Math had settled quietly into self-satisfied, insular, almost impotent units. And it was the people in general who suffered.” (Prabhupada-lilamrta vol. 1, p. 222).
Sannyasa
For a third time, Prabhupada dreamed his spiritual master was calling him to take sannyasa. Now he decided it was time. He approached Bhaktivilasa Tirtha Maharaja (formerly Kunjavihari). At this time, Tirtha Maharaja was head of the Chaitanya Math in Mayapura and was the legally the head of the Gaudiya Matha, although most of his prominent Godbrothers had left and set up their own mathas. In April 1959, Prabhupada wrote to Tirtha Maharaja, asking him to consider his request for sannyasa. Prabhupada also wanted him to sponsor his preaching in the West and the publication of his manuscripts. One might wonder why Prabhupada was writing to him, considering his opinion of him. But Prabhupada explained in a room conversation with Gopal Krishna Maharaja on Dec. 31, 1976 in Bombay that the actual consideration was that the Gaudiya Matha entity headed by Tirtha Maharaja was “Guru Maharaja’s institution,” the institution founded by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. So out of loyalty to Bhaktisiddhanta he first wanted to see if he could possibly fulfill Bhaktisiddhanta’s will through the institution that Bhaktisiddhanta himself had founded.
Tirtha Maharaja wrote back, advising that Prabhupada should first of all formally join the Caitanya Matha. After some time, the matter of his taking sannyasa would be considered. Tirtha Maharaja also said that if funds could be raised, then his proposals for publication and preaching abroad would also be considered. The offer was not substantial enough for Prabhupada to accept. He wrote again, asking for a more definite commitment to his proposal. On May 7, 1959, Tirtha Maharaja wrote back, repeating his request that Prabhupada first join the Caitanya Matha and agree to serve the Gaudiya Matha. Only afterwards would decisions be made about his proposals for publication and preaching abroad. Prabhupada could not accept this kind of offer. It is interesting to speculate on what would have happened if Tirtha Maharaja had embraced Prabhupada’s offer and given him his unconditional support. Prabhupada himself, speaking of his later accomplishments, said on December 31 1976: “Yes. These things I would have done from Caitanya Matha.”
He then approached Kesava Maharaja in Mathura about sannyasa. Kesava Maharaja strongly encouraged him to take sannyasa immediately. After his experiences negotiating with Tirtha Maharaja, Prabhupada was somewhat hesitant, but Kesava Maharaja’s insistence overcame his doubts. And on September 17, 1959, Prabhupada accepted sannyasa from Kesava Maharaja in Mathura. Narayana Maharaja, a disciple of Kesava Maharaja, assisted in the ceremony. Prabhupada said, “I took sannyasa, and then I decided to take up the responsibility of my Guru Maharaja. I thought that ‘My other Godbrothers are trying, so I am not capable to do it. They are better situated.’ But somehow or other, they could not do very much, appreciative activities, in this connection.” (Bhaktisiddhanta Appearance Day lecture, Atlanta, March 2, 1975) Soon thereafter Prabhupada began his monumental translation of Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Prabhupada’s 1961 Vyasa-puja Offering
In February 1961 at the observance of Bhaktisiddhanta’s appearance day in Vrindavan, Prabhupada submitted an offering strongly critical of his Godbrothers. Satsvarupa Maharaja describes the background thus: “In honor of their spiritual master, some of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’s disciples had gathered, offered flowers before his picture, and held congregational chanting in the temple. But Bhaktivedanta Swami thought that they should be doing much more than that: they should be planning and executing the worldwide preaching mission that Bhaktisiddhanta had desired. Instead, they were a gathering of independent individuals, each with his own small idea, each maintaining a small center or living at a center, but with no world programs, not even a program for India. Most of them had no plans or vision beyond their own bodily maintenance. Bhaktisiddhanta had asked for a governing body to conduct his movement, but there was no governing body, and practically there was no movement. Some who had fought bitterly were again on speaking terms and feared that any sudden organizational attempts now might simply stir up old animosities. At least they could gather together and make an offering to their spiritual master. Amongst his Godbrothers, Bhaktivedanta Swami was a junior sannyasi. Yet he knew he was trying to follow Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. He saw himself helpless and alone against the vast forces of maya. His Godbrothers were not an army united against maya’s forces, but were more like apathetic monks, growing old, holding on to religious principles and rituals, devoid of life. How could they gather to worship their spiritual master without distressfully admitting their failure and, in the spirit of ‘better late than never,’ trying to rectify it?” (Prabhupada-lilamrta, vol. 1, pp. 248-249)
Prabhupada had written:
Even now, my Godbrothers, you return here on the order of our master and together we engage in this puja.
But simply a festival of flowers and fruits does not constitute worship. The one who serves the message of the guru really worships him. . .
Oh, shame! My dear brothers, aren’t you embarrassed? In the manner of businessmen, you increase your disciples.
Our master said to preach! Let the neophytes remain inside the temples and simply ring the bells . . .
But just take a good look at the terrible situation that has arisen. Everyone has become a sense enjoyer and has given up preaching . . . .
From the seas, across the earth, penetrate the universal shell; come together and preach this Krsna consciousness.
Then our master’s service will be in proper order. Make your promise today. Give up all your politics and diplomacy. (Prabhupada-lilamrta, vol. 1, p. 249)
To America
In July of 1962, Prabhupada moved from the Vamsi Gopal temple to the Radha Damodara temple in Vrindavan. He continued working on his translation of Srimad-Bhagavatam. To raise funds for printing, he would sometimes go to Bombay, where he approached Sumati Morarji for free passage on one of her Scindia Steamship Company ships to the United States. When she finally gave permission, he boarded the ship Jaladuta in Calcutta, in August of 1965. The day before he left, he visited Bhaktisiddhanta’s samadhi in Mayapur.
During his early struggles to establish the Krishna consciousness movement in New York, Prabhupada would sometimes write to his Gaudiya Matha Godbrothers for help. On November 8, he wrote to Tirtha Maharaja, asking for assistance in opening a center. The text of the letter follows:
Pujaniya Srila Tirtha Maharaja,
Kindly accept respectful obeisances at your lotus feet. Since I have come to the United States of America I had several correspondence with Sripada Govinda Maharaja. While I was in Calcutta at that time as well as in our different exchange of letters there was some hint from Sripada Govinda Maharaja, I should work in cooperation with your holiness and in my last letter I have already expressed my readiness to cooperate with your holiness and I had to ask from Govinda Maharaja as to the basic principle of that cooperation. Before I took Sannyasa perhaps you will remember it that I proposed to join you if my publications were taken up. But some how or other it was not possible and we missed the chance.
Now here is a second chance and without undergoing a long series of correspondence with Govinda Maharaja, I am directly writing you about my intention. Srila Prabhupada had a strong desire to open our preaching centres in the Western countries and both Bon Maharaja and Goswami Maharaja were deputed for this purpose without any tangible result.
I have come to this country with the same purpose in view and as far as I see it here in America there is very good scope for preaching the cult of Lord Caitanya. Here the Ramakrishna Mission is there for the last forty years and I attended their two centres here and I found there is no appreciable gatherings. Vivekananda preached for Daridra Narayana seva and the practical Americans question the swamijis of Ramakrishna Mission why there are still so many Daridra Narayanas lying on the streets and foot paths in India. In America there is no such scene of Daridra Narayanas lying on the foot path or in other words there is no question of Daridra Narayana here because every one has ample to eat and there immense vacant places for their homes. I have not seen a single spot here which is not nicely decorated with good houses and nice roads. Actually they have built a properous country in this part of the world and so material prosperity is concerned they are happy in every respect. So naturally there is spiritual hankerings and because India is well known for her spiritual assets they more inclined to take something spiritual from the East. But unfortunately either the Ramakrishna Mission or the Yogis have not delivered the goods they want. I had a talk the other day with Swami Nikhilanand of the Ramakrishna Mission and he also opined that the Americans are just suitable for the Bhakti Yoga cult and that is also my opinion.
I am here and see here a good field for work but I am alone without men and money. To start a centre here we must have our own buildings. The Ramakrishna Mission or any other mission which are working here all have their own buildings. So if we want to start a centre here we must have also our own building. To have a own building means to pay at least Rs 500000/-five lacs or one hundred thousand dollars. And to furnish the house with up to date paraphernalia means another two lacs. If attempt is made this money can be had also. But I think for establishing Matha and temples here you may take the charge and I shall be able to make them self independent. There is difficulty of exchange and I think unless you have some special arrangement for starting a branch of Caitanya Math transfer of money will be difficult. But if you can do so with the help of the Bengal or Central Government, here is good chance to open immediately a centre in New York. I am negotiating with some brokers here who can give us a house and they have suggested like above. Without our own house it will not be possible to open our own centre. For me it will take long time but for you it is very easy. The Calcutta Marwaris are in your hand by the Grace of Srila Prabhupada. If you like you can immediately raise a fund of Rs 10,00,000/- ten lacs to open a centre in New Work. One centre started, I shall be able to start many others also. So here is a chance of cooperation between us and I shall be glad to know if you are ready for this cooperation. I came here to study the situation and I find it very nice and if you are also agreeable to cooperate with it will be all very nice by the will Srila Prabhupada. So I am writing you directly this letter to elicit your opinion. If you agree then take it for granted that I am one of the worker of the Sri Mayapur Caitanya Matha. I have no ambition for becoming the proprietor of any Matha or Mandir but I want working facilities. I am working day and night for my Bhagavatam publication and I need centres in the western countries. If I am successful to start a centre in New york, then my next attempt will be start one in California and Montreal where there are many Indians also. There is ample scope for working but unfortunately we have simply wasted time by quarreling with one another while the Ramakrishna Mission with misrepresentation have made their position all over the world. Although they are no so popular in these foreign countries they have made a great propaganda only and as a result of such propaganda they are very prosperous in India while the Gaudiya Math people are starving. We should now come to our senses. If possible join with our other Godbrothers and let us make an effort combinedly to preach the cult of Gaura Hari in every cities and villages of the western countries.
If you agree to cooperate with me as I have suggested above, then I shall extend my Visa period. My present Visa period ends by the end of this November. But if I receive your confirmation immediately then I shall extend my Visa period otherwise I shall return to India. Immediately I want some good assistants to work with me. They must be educated and able to talk in English as also read Sanskrit nicely. For preaching here two languages English and Sanskrit will be very much appreciated. I think under your leadership every camp of our god brothers should supply a man good for this purpose and they must agree to work under my direction. If that is possible then you will see how our beloved Srila Prabhupada will be satisfied on all of us. I think we shall all forget now the past fratricidal war and now come forward for a good cause. If they are not agreeable then do it yourself and I am at your service. Please therefore consider this and let me know by wire if you are agreeable. Otherwise I shall not extend my visa period but I shall return to India without being able to do anything tangible at my first tour. Hope you will take this matter as very urgent and let me know your decision by immediate return of post or by wire to my above address and oblige. Hope you are all well and thanking you in anticipation.
Yours obediently,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.
Here again, we see Prabhupada appealing to someone whom he blamed for the dissolution of the unified preaching institution founded by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. Why was he doing this? Again we must go back to the explanation Prabhupada gave in Bombay in 1976. The Gaudiya Matha entity headed by Tirtha Maharaja was “Guru Maharaja’s institution,” the institution founded by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. So out of loyalty to Bhaktisiddhanta he first wanted to see if he could possibly fulfill Bhaktisiddhanta’s will through the institution that Bhaktisiddhanta himself had founded. It appears also that Srila Prabhupada was feeling that Krishna was indicating his own attempts could not be successful, and that it was in a sense necessary for him to appeal to his old Godbrother for assistance. But he was not coming to him simply as a beggar. He had taken up an important order of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, and was working in America to achieve it. He had taken a courageous, practical step. And now he needed assistance. He was offering all the Gaudiya Matha the chance to unite again for preaching. But we can also see that it would be under his guidance. Prabhupada was not interested in becoming the proprietor of a temple. We can understand therefore his willingness to cede legal control of any properties he acquired to the Chaitanya Matha of Bhaktivilasa Tirtha Maharaja, who was very much concerned about legalities, money, and ownership of properties. But as far as the actual preaching mission was concerned, that would go on under Prabhupada’s direction. As he says in his letter, each camp of his Godbrothers in the Gaudiya Matha should send him one person, who would work under his direction.
Tirtha Maharaja replied saying that although he had no objection to Prabhupada starting a center, Gaudiya Matha funds could not be used for this purpose. It might be possible to raise other funds, but it would take time. Prabhupada, still hopeful, described in his next letter a building he had seen at 143 West 72nd Street. He thought it would make a good temple, and he again asked Tirtha Maharaja to help in purchasing it. Prabhupada had already gotten a promise of a donation of funds from Padampat Singhania, a wealthy Vaisnava businessman in India. But he needed government permission to send funds from India, and he wanted Tirtha Maharaja to help with this. Here is the complete text of Prabhupada letter, dated November 23, 1965:
Pujaniya Sripada Tirtha Maharaja,
May it please your holiness. I am in due receipt of your letter of the 17th instant and although it is not very encouraging still as I am not a man to be disappointed, I take courage from your letter as you write to say that there is possibility to raise the fund but it will take some time.
Expecting your reply in the above spirit I had some correspondence with the broker firm and the latest reply which I have received from them is joined herewith please find.
“Dear Sir, In answer to your letter of November 16 regarding the property for sale on West 72nd Street. This is located at 143 West 72nd Street. It is 18.6 by 100.2. contains a store and basement both the same size and a mezzanine. The owner is asking $100,000 for the property with $20,000 cash and will make good terms on a first mortgage that they will take back. As I have the keys, you can call at me for an appointment to see the property. Yours very sincerely Sd/Louis Baun for Phillips, Wood Dolson, Inc.”
So I have seen the property and the whole space is twice as much as your Research Institute building on the road which is just in the central part of the city with all good facilities. Now if you decide to purchase the property, I can assure you that the building is just suitable for our purpose and it is almost on the same style as your Research institute. The basement can be used as cooking and dining department, the store as the lecture hall and mezzanine for installing the Sri Vigraha and personal apartment. The building is quite suitable and once started it will be possible to raise fund by lectures and membership fees etc by suitable arrangement. So the immediate investment is about $25,000 and I think this amount you can arrange immediately and just start a branch of your Sri Caitanya Math or designate the branch as New York Gaudiya Math. The idea is very nice to think of and it will be a nice reply to the local Ramakrishna Mission who indirectly denied to allow me lecturing in their hall. You will be glad to know that my lecturing propaganda is going on and so long I remain here it will go on without any hamper. Recently one lecture of mine is arranged in our Indian Government House (New India House) organized by the Tagore Society of New York who organize such meeting only for the most distinguished persons. The consul and other officers of the New India House are impressed with my book and practically the 2nd officer (consul) is arranging the meeting inviting all distinguished gentlemen both Indian and American with Tea Party. The copy of the invitation letter is also subjoined herewith.
“The Tagore Society of New York Inc. Cordially Invites You to a lecture ‘GOD CONSCIOUSNESS’ by A. C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI Date: Sunday, November 28,1965. Time: Lecture, 3:30 P.M. Tea, 4:30 P.M. Place: New India House, 3, East 64th Street. A widely respected Scholar and religious leader in India Swami Bhaktivedanta is briefly visiting New York. He has been engaged in the monumental endeavour of translating the sixty volume ‘Srimad-Bhagavatam’ from Sanskrit into English. etc.”
So my lecturing or appointing one selling agent here for my books is already finished and if I remain such many lectures can be arranged in different parts of the country. One Dr. Choudhry is prepared to arrange for my lectures in San Francisco, Los Angeles etc but in my opinion such casual lectures may be a good personal advertisement but factually they do not make any permanent effects. But if there is a centre of activity for attracting people as you are doing in the Research Institute, the people can be trained up in the cult by regular association and hearing the transcendental sound of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Now we have got our English Srimad-Bhagavatam and there will be no difficulty to impress the audience with our Siddhantas and any intelligent man impressed with our Siddhantas will certainly change his life’s mode of action. I think you may take up this suggestion very seriously and immediately start the centre and other things will automatically follow. And above all this is to satisfy the transcendental desire of Srila Prabhupada who desired very enthusiastically to start centres like that in the foreign countries. If you want to start the centre on rented house, the rent will not be less than three to four hundred dollars but the space will be one fourth of the house as we want to purchase. If you agree kindly confirm it by wire so that I can ask the broker to stay the house for some time for sale to other party. The Christian churches are not very favorable in the matter of increasing the Hindu religious institutions as it is natural to think with sectarian views. I hope you will accept this proposal and confirm it by wire on receipt this letter by the end of this month. Hope you are all well and with my humble obeisances for all the Vaisnavas.
I am your obediently,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.
Here again, we see Prabhupada giving his Godbrother the chance to let bygones be bygones and take up the cause of fulfillling one of the major desires of their Guru Maharaja, the spreading of Krishna consciousness in the West. But his Godbrother was not willing to cooperate to the extent Prabhupada desired.
In early January, Prabhupada wrote to his Godbrother Bon Maharaja, head of the Institute of Oriental Philosophy in Vrindavan, asking his assistance with his project of making a temple in New York, and in particular, with getting the Indian government to allow the release of private funds.
My dear Sripada Bon Maharaja,
Please accept my humble dandabats. I beg to thank you for your kind letter of the 14th instant. I am very glad to learn that your first part of Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu is now out and shall be glad if you send me one copy so that I can show to persons who are interested in my Srimad-Bhagavatam. I am also glad to learn that you are now thinking of New York on receipt of my letter and it may be that you have to come here again if there is the Radha Krishna Temple as contemplated. The money is there, the Deities are there, the house is there, the men are there but the sanction is not there. Your residence was somewhere near the Columbia University I think.
Temple idea is prompted in me because I feel that Srila Prabhupada wanted to open some temples in the foreign countries. Personally I have no aptitude to open temples neither I have done it in India although there were many great opportunities. But here see there is necessity even from the point of Hindu cultural view. There is not a single Hindu temple here at least in New York or all the places so far I have travelled in this country. Regarding management of the temple is concerned for the present I have called for one of my disciples from Delhi. If other persons from our so many camps want to come here I shall welcome and I think after the temple is started some men even from America may be available as I see there are in the Ramakrishna Mission as well as in so many Yoga societies.
So I am trying to open a temple here because Srila Prabhupada wanted it. Kindly therefore help me in this direction as far as you can. I am thankful to you for taking so much trouble in taking the estimate of deities. But before having the Deities there is great stumbling block of Exchange difficulty. My money in India is ready but I must have the exchange, by special sanction of the Government of India. I was so hopeful to get it because Lal Bahadur Shastri was known to me and he was to visit America. I arranged an interview with him during his visit in America through the Embassy here but his sudden death has put me into great difficulty. As soon as the temple is started, I am sure to get help locally but to start the temple I must have Indian money first. I am therefore asking your cooperation and help in this connection. I am requesting you to see Dr. Radhakrishnan and get me the sanction for Indian exchange for this cultural mission. This is not an ordinary temple of worship but it is an international institution for God consciousness based on the Srimad-Bhagavatam. This is standard Indian good will mission. “Lokasya ajanato vidwams cakre satvata samhita” The Government of India has its own department of culture and goodwill mission which is utilized for dancing parties to make show in the foreign countries. Here is the real culture and I am not asking any money from the Government but I am simply asking permission to transfer my money here for this great cultural mission of Srila Vyasadeva the Father of Vedic wisdom which is real Indian culture. When Dr. Radhakrishnan was vice president of India I had lots of personal correspondence and meetings with him and at that time he promised me help in this connection. I hope he will remember all these and I am requesting him through your good office to help me now to get the requisite exchange from India for this great and noble work. He is more or less acquainted with the activities of the Gaudiya Math preachers like your holiness, Srila Tirtha Maharaja and he know me also in this connection. We are all sincere workers for respiritualising the whole world situation and Dr. Radhakrishnan being man in the line and being in the highest position of the Indian Government, he must help us in this critical moment. It is not personal but for the welfare of the entire humanity and considering all these he may be kind enough to sanction this exchange immediately so that I may start it without delay.
I strongly wish that I may take possession of the house for the temple on the day of Srila Prabhupada’s Abhirva Teethi and if your holiness will at once see Dr. Radhakrishnan and take the sanction, I think my desire to take possession of the house on the above mentioned date will be possible. As I am out of India it is not possible to see him personally and therefore I am requesting you to see him. Besides that the matter being concerned directly with service of Srila Prabhupada both you and I are equally interested and I hope most sincerely that you will do this act very promptly and seriously. If need be you can show this letter to Dr. Radhakrishnan in order to convince him and offer him my good wishes and respects for him.
Thanking you in anticipation and awaiting your early reply.
Yours affectionately,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.
On February 4, he also wrote again to Tirtha Maharaja, asking for the same kind of help. Along with his letters to his Godbrothers, Prabhupada was also himself writing to Indian government officials.
My dear Sripada Tirtha Maharaja,
Kindly accept my humble dandabats, I am in due receipt of your kind letter of the 1st instant and I am glad to note that you will get the Exchange sanction on receipt of the letter of the donor. The donor is a big business magnet of India and as required by you I am enclosing here with the letter of Sri Padampat Singhania of the J.K. Organizations, Kamla Tower, Kanpur dated 14th January 1966 which will speak for itself. I think you may also know the gentleman and he is competent to spend any amount for a nice temple of Sri Sri Radha Krishna in New York. The Singhania family is traditionally devotees of Dvarakadhisa and therefore they are the right persons to take up this transcendental service of the Lord. Srila Prabhupada wanted such temples in foreign countries such New York, London, Tokyo, etc and I had personal talks with him when I first met Him at Ultadingi in 1922. Now here is a chance for me to carry put His transcendental Order and because you are Srila Prabhupada’s foremost and favorite disciple and actually engaged in His service, I am just seeking your favor and mercy in making this attempt successful. Everything is ready namely the house is ready, the donor is ready and my humble service on the spot is also ready. Now you are to give the finishing touch because you are most affectionate disciple of His Divine Grace. I think Srila Prabhupada wants that in this great attempt by my humble self your valued service may also be dovetailed.
Please therefore immediately take steps in this direction and if need be you may personally see Dr. Radha Krishna because he is sympathetic with the Gaudiya Math workers as they are sincerely trying to respiritualise the whole world. He is also personally known to me but because I am out of India it is not possible for me to see him.
As you will know from the enclosed letter of Sir Padampat Singhania, he is prepared to spend any amount for this purpose, you can get sanction as large an amount as it is possible. Minimum ten lacs of rupees.
So far men for working here in the temple, do not worry about it. I have already some American young men with me and they strictly vegetarian. Besides that there are many Indian students here and I shall be able to recruit workers both from Indian and Americans. I am confident of this. I may cite herewith one incidence which happened yesterday evening. I have prepared some Tape record of my personal Kirtana. When one of this Tape record was played the audience became practically charmed by that although not a single word of my language was understandable by them. So I am confident of the statement of Srila Haridasa Thakura that the transcendental sound of Lord Caitanya’s Harinama can do good even to the birds and the beasts. Undoubtedly these Americans are habituated to take nonvegetarian food but I am confident that they can be trained up to our line of living because they are sincere to take up the training. This will be all practically possible as soon as we have regular institution here in New York. If it is possible to send some men from India who must be educated it is well and good otherwise I shall manage everything by the Grace of Srila Prabhupada. We cannot do anything whatsoever but if our sincere service is accepted by the Vaisnavas everything is possible and may not have the audacity to speak all these before your holiness who is expert in this service. Please therefore make the transaction complete immediately and oblige.
By the by I beg to enclose herewith one cheque for Rs 10/- as my humble offerings to the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada through your good self and I wish that you may ask for His blessings for becoming successful in this great attempt for His service.
Thanking you once more and I beg to remain,
Yours obediently
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.
His final letters to his Godbrothers went unanswered. Their lack of cooperation is evident in the following letter by Srila Prabhupada to Mangalaniloy Brahmacari, a disciple of Prabhupada’s Godbrother Madhava Maharaja, dated June 23, 1966.
My dear Brahmacari Mangalniloy,
Please accept my dandabats. I am in due receipt of your letter of the 16th instant and have noted the contents carefully. Please let me know if I will have to send you money for the articles like Mrdanga etc. If so kindly let me know the respective price.
In your first letter dated June 3, 1966 you had to inform me that you had already advised Sri Jagamohon Prabhu to see the Deputy Controller of Exchange Calcutta but I have not heard anything about it. Please note that this work is very important and I have already submitted my application to the Finance Ministry of the Government of India through the Indian Embassy here in America. The Indian Embassy at Washington has acknowledged receipt of my application as follows:
“Prakash Shah Second Secretary Embassy of India Washington D.C. dated June 9, 1966. Letter No. Con.63(1)/66. Dear Mr. Swami, This is to acknowledge your letter dated May 28, 1966. Your application for release of Foreign Exchange has been forwarded to the Ministry of Finance, Government of India. Yours sincerely Sd/Prakash Shah”
Now I would request you to see the Finance Minister or the President immediately and get the Exchange sanctioned. There is provision for such exchange sanction but it requires special sanction from the Finance Ministry. So we have to convince only the Finance Minister that for spreading the culture of Bhagavad-gita or the science of Krishna Consciousness this cultural propaganda from India’s side has to be done. I have already explained the matter in my application but if yourself or Sripada Madhava Maharaja sees the Finance Minister immediately, I am sure the Exchange will be released. I have already informed you that the donor Sir Padampat Singhania is ready to spend any amount for constructing a nice Indian architectural temple in New York and why not take this opportunity for spreading the mission of Srila Prabhupada. Sripada Madhava Maharaja is known to the President because sometimes before His Holiness saw the President in New Delhi. I requested for this to Sripada Bon Maharaja but he has declined, I requested Sripada Tirtha Maharaja and at first he promised see the President and the Finance Minister but later on he is trying to avoid it. So I have to request Sripada Madhava Maharaja through you for this most important work to see the President and the Finance Minister immediately with reference to my application as it is acknowledged by the Embassy of India in Washington.
You have written to say in your letter under reply that you want to join first with me then talk with Sripada Maharaja about cooperation otherwise your journey to this country may be cancelled by him. I could not follow the import of this proposal. Do you think that cooperation with me prior to your joining me here is not possible? Why this mentality. Is it my private business? Srila Prabhupada wanted to construct some temples in the Foreign countries as preaching centres of the message of Srila Rupa Raghunatha and I am trying to do this in this part of the world. The money is ready and the opportunity is open. If by seeing the Finance Minister this work can be facilitated why should we wait for time so that you cannot talk with your Guru maharaj about any cooperation because you afraid of your journey here may be cancelled. Please do not think in that way. Take everything as Srila Prabhupada’s work and try to cooperate in that spirit. The Gaudiya Math institution has failed. . . .
So far your dress is concerned, I think you will require several suits for visiting gentlemen here. As a sannyasi I cannot take suits and boots but you are brahmacari so you can accept such gentlemanly dress. Regarding the mrdanga player, if you think that he is REALLY expert as it should be, then he may come even though he does not know English. We may engage him so many other things. Please send me immediately one copy of Panjika and a copy of Satkriya Sarartha Dipika of Gopala Bhatta Goswami. Hope you are all well and awaiting your early reply. Once more I may request you to cooperate with me in full spirit. Do not think for a moment that my interest is different from that of your Guru Maharaja. We are executing the will of Srila Prabhupada according to our own capacity. But combined effort would have been by far more better.
Yours affly.,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Eventually, the Indian government, acting on Prabhupada’s application alone, refused to grant his request for the transfer of funds, as can be seen in the following letter by Prabhupada to Mangalaniloy Brahmacari, dated July 16, 1966.
My dear Brahmacari Mangalaniloy,
I thank you for your letter of the 8th instant and have noted the contents. Please note my change of address as above mentioned. I have further risked in the matter of rent of the house. I was paying Mr. Murray $100.00 but I was not independent there. Here the rent is $200.00 per month but I am completely independent and that I have taken a telephonic connection. My lecture hall is on the ground floor and my apartment is on the first floor. This Second Avenue is one of the ten longest roads of the New York city.
Regarding the temple project I have just received the reply from the Embassy of India in America as follows: (D/July 11, 1966) “Please refer to your application regarding release of foreign Exchange from the Ministry of Finance, Government of India. Due to existing conditions of foreign exchange stringency, it is not possible for the Government of India to accede to your request for release of foreign exchange. You may perhaps you like to raise necessary funds from residents in America.”
So the controversy is now closed and there is no need of help from any one else. We are not always successful in our attempts in preaching work but such failures are not certainly ludicrous. In the Absolute field both success and failures are glorious. Even Lord Nityananda pretended to be a failure to convert Jagai and Madhai in the first attempt, rather he was personally injured in such attempt but that was certainly not ludicrous. The whole thing was transcendental and it was glorious for all the parties concerned.
It is however very difficult to raise funds from the Indian residents in America. My followers here are 99% Americans. But Indian Government has taken written declaration from me that I shall not collect any fund from the Americans. So unless I do get such permission I think I will have to return to India disappointed to live at Vrindaban peacefully for the remaining days of my life.
Regarding the Jhansi incidence referred to by your Guru maharaj I may inform you that the donor of the house did not like to hand over the estate to any individual person. I therefore registered a society (The League of Devotees) and I invited your Guru maharaj to join it as the head man. But he, as he was with the then Kunjada desired to have the property in the joint name of him and Kunjada. So I became silent and I left the whole scheme. Let us now forget all these past incidences and go forward with present responsibility.
My future activities will now depend on the reply of the Indian Embassy whom I have asked for permission to raise funds from the American people. On hearing from them I shall let you know the result.
Hope you are well. When you are coming back to Calcutta?
Yours affectionately,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.
Srila Prabhupada continued alone, and with the assistance of the followers he attracted by his personal dedication to the order he had received from Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, he founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Once a properly incorporated society had been registered in the United States, with American directors, it could raise funds on its own. So without assistance from big American foundations, or wealthy Indian businessmen, or the Indian government, or Prabhupada’s Godbrothers, the Society began to expand on its own, under Prabhupada’s careful personal guidance. This was a big turning point in his relationships with the Gaudiya Matha and his Godbrothers. Prabhupada apparently sensed that his success was due to his own very special manner of dealing with the souls that Krishna brought to him.
Even after founding the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Prabhupada still for some time invited cooperation from his Godbrothers, as can be seen in his letter to Madhava Maharaja, dated August 1, 1966.
My dear Sripada Madhava Maharaja,
Please accept my humble dandabats and I hope everything is going well in respect of your holiness health and preaching work.
I hope that you are aware of the correspondence which I had been exchanging with Sriman Brahmacari Mangalaniloy and you also know it that I am desiring to get him here in United States of America for my assistance. You may also know that I am trying to construct a Temple of Sri Sri Radha Krishna in New York specially and I was trying to get exchange from the Government of India. I am very sorry to inform you that the Government of India Finance Ministry has expressed its inability to sanction Exchange Release from India but the Indian Embassy in America at Washington W.C. has directly sanctioned to raise funds from the Indian residents in America and directly from the American citizens.
The American Foundations do not contribute anything to any institution or organization if it is not properly incorporated by law of the land. So far I have knowledge of the Indian residents in America they are mostly engaged in local educational or Indian Government service in the Embassy. Therefore there is very little hope to get from them any substantial help for the proposed temple construction which will require some millions of dollars. But if the Americans take the matter very seriously there are many Foundations one of them alone can contribute such amount.
I have therefore very recently incorporated one organization very recently (within a fortnight past) under the name of INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS (Incorporated in U.S.A.) The Trustees of this organization are all American gentlemen headed by one of the leading lawyers of New York Mr. Steven J. Goldsmith B.Sc. M.A.B.L. who comes regularly in my weekly classes and chants the Mahamantra very devoutly.
Now the chance for preaching the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the western countries like America and Europe is practically established and if the organization is properly managed I am sure there will be no dearth of financial facilities from the American citizens. But still I think this organization should have cooperation from all countries of the world specially of India and more specially from the Gaudiya Vaisnavas who are pledged to take the responsibility of preaching Caitanya cult in every village and town of the world. I am therefore inviting the first cooperation from my Godbrothers in this great adventure. I am very much hopeful of success of the attempt and I am seeking your good consultation if it is possible to have full sympathetic cooperation of my Godbrothers in India in this adventure. Sriman Brahmacari Mangalaniloy has already agreed to come here to assist me fully but I wish that each and every one of the different Gaudiya Math organizations may kindly send one person respectively to work under my direction in these foreign countries and thus become individually a member of the international organization abovementioned. The qualification of such intending candidates must be that he must be able to speak in English or be well versed in playing khol or singing. If one is qualified with all the above qualifications it is very good otherwise he must be qualified at least one of them. So far their coming here I shall take all the responsibility for passage and maintenance. Would kindly consider this proposal immediately and let me know your decision per return of post? . . . . Srila Prabhupada wanted us to do everything in complete cooperation and thus I am inclined to have full cooperation in this great attempt of preaching in the foreign countries. All the camps of our various camps may at least cooperate in the matter of special activities and I may be able to provide any number of men who may be now inclined to come here and work under my direction. There is great possibility of Lord Caitanya’s cult being preached amongst the younger section of the Americans and some of them are hearing me very seriously to accept the philosophy. Our men in the ideal line of activities chalked out by Srila Prabhupada will be great help to me and the persons who are now seriously attending my classes.
Awaiting to hear from you as early as possible with the list names of the persons who will come here from different camps.
I am asking people here to practice Krishna consciousness through music dance philosophy science religion and distribution of Prasadam. I am asking them to become freed from all sorts of anxieties by practicing the transcendental sound vibration of Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare etc and I am asking them to join the International Society for Krishna Consciousness Inc. My classes are being held thrice a week in the evening between 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. Hope you are well,
Yours affectionately,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
We hear a lot from Gaudiya Matha sympathizers about cooperation. But here we see Srila Prabhupada’s program for cooperation being outlined. According to Srila Prabhupada, the proper method of cooperation is for members of the Gaudiya Matha, with the permission of their authorities, to join ISKCON and work under Prabhupada’s direction. In the present context, we may follow the same policy and invite members of the Gaudiya Matha, with the permission of their authorities, to become members of ISKCON and work under the direction of the GBC, which, in Prabhupada’s physical absence is charged with conducting the affairs of ISKCON according to his teachings, his standards, and his desires. In pursuance of this program, the GBC may write letters of invitation to the heads of various Gaudiya missions, asking them to send their disciples to become members of ISKCON and work under the guidance of the GBC. Prabhupada’s invitation for his Godbrothers to cooperate with him was thus a transcendentally diplomatic invitation for them to recognize his authority in matters of preaching Krishna consciousness around the world, in the manner desired by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati.
Back to India, 1967
In 1967, Prabhupada suddenly became ill with a heart attack, and decided to return to India for his recovery. One of his disciples, worried that he would not come back, suggested that one of his Godbrothers come to America to take over. Mukunda Maharaja, who was with Prabhupada when he received the suggestion, recalled, “I was sitting alone with Swamiji in his room, and he was very grave and silent. His eyes were closed. Then, suddenly, tears began flowing from his eyes. And he said in a choked voice, ‘My spiritual master was no ordinary spiritual master.’ Then he paused for some time, and wiping the tears from his eyes, he said in an even more choked voice, ‘He saved me.’ At that point I began to understand the meaning of ‘spiritual master’ and dropped all consideration of ever replacing Swamiji.” (Prabhupada-lilamrta, vol. 3, p. 162). Satsvarupa Maharaja writes: “After two days, Prabhupada said he would not call any of his Godbrothers to come and take care of his disciples. He said, ‘If this person speaks just one word different from what I am speaking, there will be confusion among you.’ Actually, he said, the idea was an insult to the spiritual master.’” (Prabhupada-lilamrta, vol. 3, po. 162-163) The words of Prabhupada were prophetic, because after his departure from this world in 1977, some of his disciples wanted to bring one or another of his Godbrothers or disciples of his Godbrothers into ISKCON, to take care of Prabhupada’s disciples. And true to Prabhupada’s predictions, the differences in their words from his caused great confusion among some of his disciples. Before departing for India, Prabhupada repeatedly emphasized that they should simply follow his instructions, and that he and his guru, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, would be with them always.
Towards the end of July, 1967, Prabhupada returned to India, accompanied by his disicple Kirtanananda. In Vrindavan, Prabhupada and Kirtanananda visited Bon Maharaja at his Institute of Oriental Philosophy. Prabhupada suggested that some of his American disciples might come and study Sanskrit at Bon Maharaja’s institute. Bon Maharaja was agreeable. Prabhupada was also hopeful that Bon Maharaja would give him some part of his land, so that he could construct his own American House for his disciples. On Janmastami, Prabhupada awarded Kirtanananda sannyasa at the Radha Damodara temple. In September, Prabhupada’s disciple Acyutananda arrived in India. He first went to the Kesvaji Gaudiya Matha in Mathura, where Narayana Maharaja took care of him. Narayana Maharaja then sent him on to Vrindavana.
Accompanied by his disciples, Prabhupada then went to Calcutta, where he was greeted by members of the Goswami Math, of his Godbrother Bhaktisaranga Goswami. When speaking at the Matha, Prabhupada saw that there were mostly old widows in attendance. Prabhupada also visited his Godbrother Kesava Maharaja, who had given him sannyasa and was now near death. Kesava Maharaja invited Prabhupada to visit his Devananda Matha asrama in Navadvipa.He also had an invitation to Sridhara Swami’s Matha. Prabhupada went to Navadvipa on October 24 with his disciples Acyutananda and Ramanuja. Members of the Devananda Gaudiya Matha met them with kirtan. Some of Sridhara Maharaja’s disciples were also there. Prabhupada first went to Sridhara Maharaja’s temple, where he met his Godbrother, who praised his work in America as the fulfillment of Lord Caitanya’s prediction that Krishna consciousness would spread around the world. Prabhupada wrote to Satsvarupa: “Yesterday we have all come to Navadvipa. This place is another establishment of one of my Godbrothers. It is very nice and extensive place and my Godbrother, B. R. Sridhar Maharaj, has spared one entire nice house for our stay. He has also agreed to cooperate with our society. We shall observe his birthday ceremony tomorrow and the brahmacaris shall learn how to celebrate the spiritual master’s birthday.” (Prabhupada lilamrta, vol. 3. pp. 203-204.
Srila Prabhupada and his disciples attended the Vyasa-puja ceremony of Sridhara Maharaja. Sridhara Maharaja sat on a vyasasana, while Prabhupada and other sannyasis sat on chairs to his right and left. On the following days, Prabhupada’s disciples accompanied the disciples of Sridhara Maharaja on chanting parties in the villages. Once, both Prabhupada and Sridhara Maharaja went with the chanting party through the streets of Navadvipa. Later, Prabhupada and his disciples went to Kesava Maharaja’s Devananda Matha, where they attended a featival with the Matha’a two hundred brahmacaris and twenty sannyasis. Prabhupada and Sridhara Maharaja joined the Devananda Matha sannyasis on the stage and spoke. One of the Devananda Matha sannyasis praised Prabhupada’s preaching in the West. calling it the fulfillment of Lord Caitanya’s prophecy. After the feast, Prabhupada and his disciples returned to Sridhara Maharaja’s Matha.
On the train back to Calcutta, Acyutananda asked Prabhupada what he and Sridhara Maharaja had discussed during their private talks. Prabhupada replied, “Oh, many, many things. But if I were to tell you know, you would faint. Still, I offered him to be president of our Society. I knew he would not accept. He is keeping things within him. Anyway, this is all beyond you. Do not have any ill feelings toward any of my Godbrothers. They are all great souls. There are just some differences on preaching and spreading Krishna consciousness. Even in your mind do not feel any ill will toward them. At the same time, do not mix very thickly with them.” This policy, enunciated by Srila Prabhupada seems to be the best one for ISKCON devotees to follow. What about the offer of presidency. This appears to have been an invitation for Sridhara Maharaja to take a position in which he would be working closely with Prabhupada, in a responsible but still subordinate post. Prabhupada said he knew Sridhara Maharaja would not accept it, most probably, in my opinion, because he knew Sridhara Maharaja was comfortable being the unquestioned head of his own matha and was not prepared to accept his leadership in a practical way, even though he was ready to speak some words of praise about Prabhupada’s accomplishments. cont part 2...
Replies