Thank you for making this facility possible.
Straight to the story.
I joined Melbourne temple in Feb 77,while Srila prabhupada was still on the planet,with failing health.
As the situation was deteriorating,we said the only prayer for Prabhpada,that was approved by Prabhupada.
My dear Lord Krishna,if you so desire,please cure Srila Prabhupada.
I was listening to Hari Sauri das, who was reading from his book, which were notes on his day to day dealings with Srila Prabhupada.
He was reading how Srila prabhupada said he was being poisoned,by being given rasayan mixtures, that he did not want.
i believe there were 2 different types, shiva rasayan, and siva rasayan.
When he tasted the mixture, he spat it out and said,"What is this,not the mixture I asked for,and the mixture was acting as a poison.
Somehow the kaviraja in calcutta had mixed the wrong one and it was acting as poison.
that is just a memory that came to me,so I share with you now.
As Srila Prabhupada health got worse,we were told that the karma and sinful reaction of the devotees were the cause of his health,and therefore,we should not further pain him by taking initiation,until he got better.
Not wishing to add pain,I accepted the advice.
Near the end,some months later,we were told that we could write to prabhupada,ask for initiation,and that was the only way.
Once again,I was told that this also would place more of our bad karma on him,and may even kill him,so I did not.
Some devotees decided that it was the last chance to get initiated by him,so they wrote and received initiation by mail.
Little did I know the result of not writing at the time.
From the day I joined the temple,I followed the program,chanted my rounds,and was very active in the temple,as Balarama Das ,the TP may remember.
We all know the sad day when we heard the news,Prabhupada has left.
Anyway,for 8 years I served in various temples,Australia,New Zealand and a little time in India.
I would assume that I distributed around 100,000 books, Back to godheads and other books of the time.
I was also on the PICK,as it was called ,collecting around 200 dollars a day for 6 years.
Nothing special,but ,worth noting.
I was initiated in 1979 by the well known devotee guru,starting with BHA.
v, and at the time,it was spoken allowed for all to hear,that we were prabhupada disciples,and bhav was only acting as the one to put us in the parampara.
We were Prabhupada disciples, to go in his book as such.
How thing changed, we were given a new mantra that said Bhavs was the guru,vishnu pada,
So many things were distorted.
Funny thing is Tam,,Krishna came to Australia before him, and said we were all so stupid and slow,he did not want to initiate in Australia,so next was Bhav.
When the money started to flow from candles and paintings Tam,, regretted his mistake.
That is all in the past,so in 86 when the fighting started in the temples ,as who was the guru and who was not,I left with my wife and children.
OK,lets cut to the chase,If the guru scam is a fraud, and we are all prabhupada dicsiples,and he is the only guru for iskcon,why can I not attend the big reunions,why can I not attend the appearance and disappearance days,and if I get in,why can only Prabhupada direct initiated speak.
This is contradictory.
There is no grey area-You are or are not Prabhupada disciple,thats it.
So,it seems that even though we hear,oh, there is only one guru Srila prabhupada,thats it.
All followers ,initiated in the line can attend,and speak at the reunions.
Another big problem, is that we are not even able to contact each other,as there is no list,as is with the personally initiated by Srila Prabhupada.
So,thousands of devotees are unable to catch up,share time together, meet at reunions,actually, dumped as so strange mix of deluded souls who may,or may not be initiated.
This mentality is perpetuated by many devotees who were fortunate enough to have written a letter or been at a place where Prabhupada initiated ANYONE and everyone who happened to be in his presence,as happen in various temples.
If the Direct initiates are so much sure that there is only one guru,as is the case,perhaps they should stop the myth that they are the special ones who can attend reunions,then,we may see some jelling of devotees,as opposed to the endless question I am asked WHO IS YOUR GURU.
So please ,spare a thought for the thousands
of devotees who are unable to contact each other, who gave and still give their lives to serving Prabhupada mission,and are not able to rub shoulders with the special devotees who were personally initiated by his divine grace.
After all,vani and vapu are the 2 types of service to Guru,and vapu is the most important.
So,lets see if this site can show some understanding on this issue
Das das anu das
Replies
the BLACK area of those initiated BY Srila Prabhupada;
None of us grew up in Vaisnava families, at least very few of us, so we do not know automatically know what is right and what is not so right. But, we all know how it feels to be slighted or abused in this ITSACON Corporation, haha, that much is universal.
Members of the Math usually speak in their own maths, unless invited, of course. Same with leading kirtans etc. Why there is discrimination against disciples of disciples etc . is well beyond my ken, Baba. There is some standard human etiquette of respect of elders and seniors etc., women children and weaker sections, otherwise. Also, males are generally encouraged to lead and talk, mostly, and women less so, as quietness and shyness are generally virtues among that sex.
Birds of a feather should stick together, this whole caste hierarchical consciousness is demonic, and is harborred and encouraged by bodily conscious persons, rascists, nazi authoritarian psychopaths, egotists, and itsacon co.
In my opinion, the Godbrothers should not have occupied our spiritual master's temples, ousting persons such as myself. When I go to the temples I helped purchase etc., i am not allowed to give a class or lead kirtan or even go on harinama sankirtana!! Disciples of Sadsvaroopa and Rattanoth kicked me out in collusion with the gay usurper Bhaktimurder Gayswami here in Canada.
So, everybody got screwed from point A to point Z.
The Temples I also helped manifest have been occupied by disciples of Godbrothers who stole everything from the rest of their Godbrothers, and now we are dealing with this hard reality.
Clearly, this rubber-stamp gooroo thing is totally bogus. Ritvik devotees tend to be conservative in that we do not like to gamble with our spiritual lives, nor wish to involve others in such dangerous endeavors. Srila Prabhupada is central to all our services, so we should simply acknowledge that, give up our huge bank accounts, and serve the devotees.
Where is provision for the devotees? Health care plans, devotee investments and retirement funds, devotee organic farms and residences for retired poorer vanaprasthas and widows etc.? Instead they want to build massive temples owned by globalist Illuminati, and pocket the cash. Sweet sweet cash.
Thanks for reply Prabhu.
There is no shortage of corruption in kali yuga.
Also ,thank you for the correction,grey to black,there are no grey areas.
It seems the best thing is to pray to rise above the black and bath in the pure white of Srila Prabhupads mercy.
Daso smi
Pamho, Madhu Prabhu; Your article just plain reminded me of said corruptions of Kali yuga. This body is getting old and my mood for compromises is long gone. Fortunately, soon the old guard such as myself will be dead and gone, leaving the younger generations to hopefully go on without the vindictiveness generated and lived by mine. It would be good to see justice done before then, but that is up to Lord Krsna.
This site was set up to afford some minor shelter to the devotees in just such situations as you and I. I hope my honesty of the moment does not discourage devotional service free from the taints of the politics being played out. Despite the gallons of impure, there are still a few drops of pure left. In fact, an ocean if we but access it.
Dear Prabhu
Perhaps like me ,you feel weak,and unqualified in many ways.
I am also not excited about being a martyr,unless that is my destiny.
After your nice reply,I set up a facebook page ,under the title on face book bhavananda initiated disciples list.
The reason was,he was the one who acted on Srila Prabhupadas behalf, to put me in the line,etc.
It has been very hard to catch up with old friends who were also with me in that era.
Seems the list of many devotees initiated that way was,lost?,thrown away?,hidden,Whatever,but there sure is no system in place to locate these devotees.
Like I said before,no reunions for us.
I just got flooded with customers,so I have lost the train of thought.
Just quickly,the facebook site is away,and is sure causing a reaction,good and bad.
goodwillbicycles.com is a charity I run,so it gives an idea how I spend my days.
Plz let us continue our communication soon,but now,the more mundane nuts and bolts for me
daso smi