Sriman Pradyuma’s Courageous Warning of 1978

[Tamohara dasa ADMIN.]

Why We Don’t See 4,750 Disciples of Prabhupada Active In ISKCON with Reference to Sriman Pradyuma’s Courageous Warning of 1978

Gaura Das·Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Anyone who joined the Hare Krishna Movement in the 60's or 70's knows how integral His Grace Sriman Pradyumna Prabhu was as part of Srila Prabhupada's travelling party and as Sanskrit editor. They were inseparable. Pradyumna was entrusted with a tremendous responsibility, to compete the Srimad Bhagavatam, until a few overly-ambitious godbrothers, some of whom are gurus worshiped today, appeared on the scene to drive him away. This history is not includrd in todays “Disciples’ Course “

Pradyumna Prabhu's voice can be heard leading the recitation of the Sanskrit at the beginning of most Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavatam, Nectar of Devotion and other classes. It is completely fitting that Srila Prabhupada chose him to complete the rest of the Srimad Bhagavatm, under the guidance of Srila Prabhupada's godbrother , Srila Bhakti Rakshaka Sridhara Maharaja , but he was driven away too by the zonal gurus of the time. Pradyumna prabhu performed the fire yajna at my initiation in Detroit. You can see him in my FB profile pic, looking at the list of initiates

False egos and the desire for adoration and worship took up a lot of space. In 1978, eleven Vyasasanas and extra ones in ISKCON's temple rooms didn't leave much room for other godsisters and godbrothers to reside in the same temple or movement after Prabhupada departed. In the following vital letter, Pradyumna Prabhu was trying to warn the Eleven Zonal Acaryas in 1978 about the future calamities of apostasy that would take place, if they continued to treat their godsblings as second class citizens in ISKCON and themselves as if they were equal to Srila Prabhupada. Have things changed ?

There was a "bad moon on the rise", due to the offences the gurus were making towards their godsisters and godbrothers, but they could not listen due to being intoxicated by profit, adoration and distinction. Some were more kind than others, but even those were pressured by the other Zonal Acaryas to pretend to be mahabhagavatas. I didn't find out until years later that Srila Bhagavatpada was a name used by the head of our sampradaya, Sripad Madvacarya Bhagavatapada. Gopal Krishna Maharaja told me that Jayapataka Maharaja, known as Srila Acaryapada at that time, told him to use the Bhagavatpada name as a new initiating guru, since he was dedicated to printing the Bhagavatam.

Today, worship of 80 godbrothers in ISKCON goes on. Srila Prabhupada sad he wanted all of his disciples initiating by 1975. Perhaps 750 have left their bodies, still leaving 4000 forgotten as they depart each week. Some of them learned how to forgive their offenders, others are working on that , and others have just moved on to worship Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krishna without having to deal with any more ISKCON politics. The offences towards godsisters and godbrothers gave rise to the ritvick movement and devotees leaving for shelter in the Gaudiya Matha, but yet they are blamed by ISKCON authorities for that, as if it is their fault. Devotees could not imagine that Srila Prabhupada would put godbrothers in positions of power that would not take heed of Pradyumna Prabhu's warning. The new gurus preferred to keep the power for themselves, and not let others initiate or facilitate other godbrothers and godsisters

Our initiating-guru godbrothers treated their godsisters and godbrothers as if we were their disciples. They even told us that we could not have a relationship with Srila Prabhupada without worshiping them !?! Some even stopped Srila Prabhupada’s guru puja so that we could worship only them. This was no longer the same Hare Krishna Movement we had joined and built for Prabhupada, not for them. No wonder so many left, and some continue to be ill-treated by their disciples, due to lack of training or example. Like father, like son.

Here is the letter of Pradyumna Prabhu that could have saved ISKCON from so much chaos and which would have accomodated far more Prabhupada disciples than we see today had there been some humility from our leaders to follow it. Hindsight is 20/20. The next generation can hopefully learn from the mistakes of the past, or they will be doomed to repeat the same.

Pradyumna Prabhu’s Letter to Satsvarupa Maharaj – 7th August, 1978

After the physical departure of Srila Prabhupada, some of his disciples fancied themselves as self-made acharyas of the Hare Krishna Movement. Due to this, the Hare Krishna movement suffered a setback. The "Zonal-Acharyas threw out many sincere disciples of Srila Prabhupada and committed many atrocities against their Godsisters & Godbrothers.

The following letter of Pradyumna Prabhu, one of the disciples of Srila Prabhupada, bears testimony to the atrocities committed to the rank and file devotes. Pradyumna Prabhu was serving Srila Prabhupada as his personal secretary and his Sanskrit translator for a very long time. This letter is a striking example of how many senior disciples were ill-treated and driven out of the movement by the so-called gurus.

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Pradyumna dasa

7 August, 1978

Dear Satsvarupa Maharaj,

Please accept my most humble obeisances.

Maharaj, I am writing you this letter with GREAT anxiety in my heart and after days and days and long nights of thought and careful consideration.

I have been staying in Vrndavan for some time and have not visited any other center recently except Delhi. Therefore, my information I have about what is happening at our other centers comes only from devotees visiting here, occasional letters, newsletters and our society’s magazine and other publications. But the news I hear from these sources is very alarming and therefore I am writing you in some anxiety.

The matter concerns the Godbrothers who were selected by Srila Prabhupada to accept disciples. At the time of Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance, it was most clearly understood by all of us present that Srila Prabhupada MADE NO SUCCESSOR. Everyone admitted that fact and understood it clearly. Instead, the GBC was to jointly manage ALL affairs of ISKCON just had been the case previously. This was the same solution as desired by Om Visnupada Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, who also had not made any successor, although his wishes were NOT followed. In addition to the GBC management, Srila Prabhupada also selected 11 somewhat advanced disciples to grant initiation to newcomers. However, it was never mentioned at any time by His Divine Grace that these 11 were to be known as ACARYAS.

He simply instructed that they may now accept disciples. Otherwise, as it was understood and practiced at that time, there was NO SPECIAL POSITION given to these 11, either in the society as a whole, or in relation to their Godbrothers. Management would depend on the joint GBC, and among godbrothers and sisters, all are on the same level, with the exception of some special regard and respect shown to older (senior) disciples by these Godbrothers & Godsisters who are junior.

Now, at present, I understand that the 11 GURUS are all 1)adopting the title of ACARYA, 2)sitting on high Vyasasanas in front of Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasasana and their own Godbrothers, 3)accepting worship and great respect normally reserved for a GURU from the rest of their Godbrothers and 4)that the previous GBC zones have all been given by mutual agreement or by invitation among the different acaryas.

First of all, the word ACARYA may be taken in 3 senses. Etymologically the word means “one who practices” or “one who practices what he preaches”. This is the general meaning and may be used in relation to any pure devotee – period.

Secondly, the word means “one who grants initiation to a disciple”. This is specifically indicating one who is a GURU. Anyone who grants initiation, or is a guru, may be called as “acarya deva”, etc. by his disciples only! Whoever has accepted him as guru must give all respects to him in every way, but this does not apply to those who are not his disciples.

Thirdly, the word acarya indicates “the spiritual head of an institution or pitha”. This meaning is very specific. It does not mean just anyone. It means only one who has been specifically declared by the previous acarya to be his successor above all others to the seat of the spiritual institution which he heads. He alone, among all of his godbrothers, is given a raised seat and special honor. No other godbrother may receive such respect and he is the authority in all spiritual and material matters. This is the strict tradition in all of the Gaudiya Sampradayas.

Now Srila Prabhupada, it is clear, did not appoint any such successor, because no one of his disciples at present, is advanced to the level of Krishna cConsciousness necessary to assume such a position. Nor did Srila Prabhupada make 11 such ACARYAS. This was never mentioned by Him. They were only given permission to make disciples and the GBC was to jointly manage, materially and SPIRITUALLY. There was never any distinctions made by Srila Prabhupada between material management and spiritual management. Both are the concern of the GBC. The ll gurus may be known as acaryas only in the second sense of the word-to their disciples as mantra-giving gurus, not in the third sense, as “the” spiritual successors of Srila Prabhupada. That was never meant to be, by His Divine Grace.

Secondly, among godbrothers it is not correct for any one of them to sit above the others, especially in the presence of Gurudeva. If Gurudeva is not present, sometimes the sannyasi godbrothers may be given an asana, but that asana does not mean a huge gigantic seat. It simply means a square piece of cloth or wool not more than 1/8″ or 1/4″ thick. This is asana. If any one godbrother or many godbrothers sit above the others it is not at all proper.

Sometimes in an assembly there may be raised platform or table on which the sannyasi speakers sit, but ALL SANNYASI Godbrothers must be invited to sit in an equal place on the speaker’s platform. Sometimes a grhastha or brahmacari godbrothers may also be invited to sit there if they are deserving by their advancement. If there is an appointed acarya as mentioned before (third sense of the word) then he alone may sit higher than the other godbrothers. Indeed in the different Gaudiya Mathas, even if one godbrother is in the position of acarya, he usually, out of humility, takes only a thin cloth asana, not anything higher. It is the symptom of a Vaisnava to be extremely humble. He MUST always be extremely careful of putting himself in a position where he may become conceited.

A guru may take a higher seat than his disciple—that is bonafide. But he cannot illegally take a higher seat than his godbrothers. The relation between the guru and his godbrothers and a guru and his disciples is entirely different. He should not sit higher than Godbrothers other than if he is a sannyasi, then a thin cloth as already mentioned if offered by his godbrothers, or accept respect from them without offering respect in return. This is the general niti or etiquette. Besides this, there are, among Godbrothers, some further [?] to be observed between those who are senior and those who are junior. Seniority is calculated according to the time of receiving 1st (Harinam) initiation or by his ability to perform bhajana. If one godbrother has disciples, the guru-puja and Vyasa-puja of that godbrother should be conducted in a separate place or his private room—not in front of all his other Godbrothers.

In an assembly of Vaisnavas, all sit on the same level together, godbrothers along with their sisters. No one is permitted to accept separate respect from disciples in any gathering of other godbrothers. In Gaudiya Math, the Vyasa-puja of one godbrother who has disciples is usually performed in the following manner. The guru takes his raised seat in his private place and invites all his godbrothers to come to the function also. If his godbrothers come to offer him some flowers, that godbrother guru immediately first worships his other godbrothers and offers them garland, candana, etc., and in some cases presents like cloth, umbrella, etc. They honor each other and are seated properly, then that guru’s disciples may come forward and offer their worship. This is the system being observed.

Incidentally, the words of Om Visnupada Srila Bhakktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura found in the English book Sri Caitanya’s Teachings regarding the sitting above everyone else are from a speech delivered in response to the offerings of his disciples on the occasion of his Vyasa-puja. Those words are in relation to his disciples—not to his godbrothers, of which there weren’t any. The niti in regard to godbrothers is completely different from that to disciple.

Pradyumna das

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada. In the 90s, I asked Hridayananda das Goswami why he and Gopiparanadhana prabhu completed the Bhagavatam instead of Pradyumna prabhu, as Prabhupada had asked. He said to me " Pradyumna was too slow. He was not producing much so the GBC gave it to me to finish". I was thinking to myself " Do you think the fact that Pradyumna prabhu's letter was ignored by you and the ten other "Zonal Acaryas" who were offending your godsisters and godbrothers might have had something to do with why Pradyumna prabhu might h got discouraged, and was not producing much ? " I admit I was a coward. How dare I question and possibly offend "His Divine Grace Srila Hridayananda das Goswami Acaryadeva" as he was advertised on the cover of the Bhagavatams ? Here is a wonderful memory of Pradyumna Prabhu, I just received from Gopi Kanta prabhu. Most 2nd and 3rd generation devotees have no clue what they are missing out on because so much of the suddha-sattvic mood was lost after Srila Prabhupada departed and the overly-ambitious ones took over, chasing away Pradyumna prabhu , and so many other great souls. Srila Prabhupada said that a Vaisnava is one who glorifies the service of another Vaisnava ( not one who minimises and discourages him ) : Gopi Kanta In the summer of 1978 Pradyumna came to Bhaktivedanta Manor. He gave morning Srimad Bhagavatam class. I was Jayatirtha's secretary at the time but had heard that 'panditji' was very learned and always gave great classes so I got permission to attend class that morning.

His class was superb filled with Srila Prabhupada stories and all sorts of other nectarean stories, insights and realizations. Classes at the Manor daily started around 7.30am and continued until around 8.15 - 8.30am. Not that morning. The temple room was full. The class continued beyond 9.00am and I started to get a little anxious that I may be needed for service elsewhere. But the class was so inspiring, certainly not boring by any stretch, so inspiring that no one wanted to leave. A few devotees left for service but most were enthralled. 9.30 passed, and I could see devotees looking at each other, wondering if they should stay or not. Then 10am. Then 10.30. In fact Pradyumna carried on giving class until 11.am, more than 3 1/2 hours! And devotees wanted to hear more! Incredible class with incredible realizations! I have never forgotten that class, wish I could remember all the nectar. :) The following Pradyumna clip comes from Memories Of Srila Prabhupada DVD 16 which is around 2 hours long. The DVD is divided into clips from Pradyumna, Bhakta Tirtha Swami, Tamal Krishna Goswami, and Ambarisa Das and is very sweet. It is available to listen on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o03BWAX75lM All glories to Sriman Pradyumna Prabhu for having the courage to challlenge the corruption wthin ISKCON and trying to save Srila Prabhupada’s Movement from itself ! If you know any additional history, please share