seeing through the eyes of scriptures
Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Gosvami Maharaja ~ Disappearance day
PAMHO
Although my godbrothers knew that Prabhupada liked me very much, because I am grhastha, I was known as paca-grhastha. Paca-grhastha mens a rotten grhastha…
760119rc.may Conversations
Bhavananda: People are attracted by the Westerners coming to the matha. So if we’re up at that matha, any of us, and then they say, “Just see.” They say in Bengali, “Just see. They are coming. To see our guru maharaja, they are coming.”
Prabhupada: THAT WAS THE POLICY OF MADHAVA MAHARAJA AND SRIDHARA MAHARAJA, THAT “ALTHOUGH BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI IS PROPAGATING THROUGHOUT, HE IS SUBORDINATE TO US, UNDER OUR INSTRUCTION.” SO ALL THESE THREE..
2) Your so-called disciple, the jackal named Ananta Vasudeva, disobeyed your final instructions to keep the mission united, and thereby created a scandalous fiasco.
The result of this philosophical deviation is evident to this day as imitative sahajiyas are being worshiped as gurus in your temples.
3) Is there a single temple to be found where your instructions are still being followed? As it is said: “punar musiko bhava”- Everyone has “again become a mouse.”
4) The lion’s food has been stolen away by the deceptive tricks of the jackal Now caught in Maya’s mighty clutches everyone is reduced to wailing and weeping.
760203mw.may Conversations
Prabhupada: At least historically it be proved. (break) …cause of envy of my Godbrothers. I was known. Although they knew that Prabhupada liked me very much, because I am grhastha, I was known as paca-grhastha. PACA-GRHASTHA MEANS A ROTTEN GRHASTHA. And now they say, “This grhastha has come out more than us? What is this?” (break) Sridhara Maharaja’s chief disciple…?
Prabhupada: HE ALWAYS USED TO SAY TO SRIDHARA MAHARAJA THAT “YOU ARE SEEING ABHAY BABU AS GRHASTHA, BUT HE IS MORE THAN MANY YOGIS.” HE WAS TELLING.
770422r3.bom Conversations
Prabhupada: He cannot make any comment. These are facts. Two parties there were. One party, to use guru as their instrument for self-aggrandizement, and another party left guru. So both of them are offenders. This Kunja Babu, this Tirtha Maharaja’s party, he wanted to enjoy senses through guru. And the Bagh Bazaar party, they left.
Prabhupada: So both of them are severe offenders.
Tamala Krsna: What about Sridhara Maharaja?
Prabhupada: SRIDHARA MAHARAJA BELONGED TO THE BAGH BAZAAR PARTY. And I was living aloof. My Guru Maharaja approved. He said, “It is better that he is aloof from them.”
Tamala Krsna: He could understand that his disciples were not…
Prabhupada: No, he was very sorry. AT THE LAST STAGE HE WAS DISGUSTED.
72-08-26. Letter: Gaurasundara
All along I HAVE BEEN DISCOURAGED IN EVERY WAY BY MY GODBROTHERS, but still I have stuck to my duty, keeping my Spiritual Master always in front.
72-09-09. Letter: Krsna dasa
MY GODBROTHERS ALWAYS DISCOURAGED ME BUT I DID NOT GIVE UP, I am doing my duty and always keeping my spiritual master in front. Even there is some difficulty or hardship, or even my godbrothers may not cooperate or there may be fighting, still, I must perform my duty to my spiritual master and not become discouraged and go away, that is my weakness.
760618rc.tor Conversations
Prabhupada: Daily night. And he was shocked. ONE OF MY GAUDIYA MATHA GODBROTHERS, BIG, HE BECAME THE HEAD OF THIS BHAG BAZAAR GAUDIYA MATHA. So his wife was debauched, and she was bringing new paramour, and the child protested.
Prabhupada: Paramour. And the boy, he was ten years or twelve years old, he could understand: “Who is this man?” So he protested and said, “I shall tell all these things to my father.” And he was killed.
Pusta Krsna: The boy was killed?
Prabhupada: By the mother.
Hari-sauri: She murdered him?
Prabhupada: Yes. Killed means given poison. And the father, that is, my Godbrother, seeing this, he also took poison. This is the end of Gaudiya Matha scandal. He was also one of the trustees. This Tirtha Maharaja was a trustee, and another Godbrother and this man. 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.
Pusta Krsna: His son was killed, isn’t it?
Prabhupada: His wife was a regular prostitute, and she killed her child, and on this shock, he took poison and died.
Pusta Krsna: He killed himself, oh.
Prabhupada: 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.
Pusta Krsna: Vasudeva Sridhara?
Prabhupada: No, no. He was made chief. Guru Maharaja did not make him chief. But after his passing away, some of our Godbrothers voted him chief.
Pusta Krsna: Am I mis…? You had told me once, I’m not certain. Maybe I made a mistake. YOU SAID THAT VASUDEVA, IT WAS KNOWN FACT THAT HE WAS HOMOSEX?
Prabhupada: Yes.
Prabhupada: HE WAS HOMOSEX AND SEX, EVERYTHING.
68-02-17. Letter: Pradyumna
REGARDING THE BOOK LIST: “LORD GAURANGA” BY S.K. GHOSE AND VEDER PANCHAYA BY BON MAHARAJA ARE USELESS AND YOU MAY NOT GET THEM. The other books and the Gaudiya paper are acceptable. If you have free use of Xerox machine you may make copies, of some of the smaller works. REGARDING BHAKTI PURI, TIRTHA MAHARAJA, THEY ARE MY GOD-BROTHERS AND SHOULD BE SHOWN RESPECT. BUT YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY INTIMATE CONNECTION WITH THEM AS THEY HAVE GONE AGAINST THE ORDERS OF MY GURU MAHARAJA.
72-11-21. Letter: Niranjana
If you are serious to be an important assistant in our Society you should fully engage yourself in translation work, AND DO NOT MIX YOURSELF WITH MY SO-CALLED GOD-BROTHERS. AS THERE ARE IN VRINDABAN SOME RESIDENTS LIKE MONKEYS AND HOGS, SIMILARLY THERE ARE MANY RASCALS IN THE NAME OF VAISNAVAS, be careful of them. And do not dare to question imprudently before your Spiritual Master. Further talks we may discuss when we meet.
730921r2.bom Conversations
Prabhupada: Yes. If by the dress of sannyasi, you take some money and eat and sleep, then it is transcendental fraud. (SP laughs) (Hindi) Just like others are toiling, and we are getting money by some dress. That’s all. They are getting money by laboring hard, and we are getting money… In India, mostly the sannyasis, they do that. The priests also, they do that. This is our profession, just… My Guru Maharaja said that thakura dekhiye paya rasta karache, rastaye ‘yandiya jivika badram karam bhari (?). Instead of earning livelihood by showing the Deity in the temple, it is better to take the profession of a sweeper in the street and live honestly. He said like that. The sweeper is working hard toiling and getting some money and living. This is honest living. But just like in Vrndavana, all the Goswamis. They have got their Deity. People are coming, contributing. Typical example, Gauracanda Goswami. Thakura dekhiye paisa rasta. (?) All the sevaites, they are meant for… Our Kunja Babu also planned like that. 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.
Tamala Krsna: Perfect material plan.
Prabhupada: Yes. It is another way of earning money. 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.” That was his very beginning. 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. But 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.
Tamala Krsna: Who is Kunja Babu?
Prabhupada: That Tirtha Maharaja. His name is Kunja Vihari Sar. 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.
Tamala Krsna: Not how to preach.
Prabhupada: No. 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.” HE NEVER SAID THAT KUNJA BABU SHOULD BE ACARYA. 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.” So all the acaryas began fight. One side, that Vasudeva Acarya and Sar Kunja Babu Acarya. And Paramananda, he thought that “Whoever will be powerful, I shall join them.” (laughing) He only thought. But Guru Maharaja never asked that these three men should be trustees. He wanted governing body. So the rebellion broke out immediately after his passing away. And then fight in the High Court. 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 with (indistinct) in favor of Tirtha Maharaja. These were the planned things. But I was a rotten grhastha. I did not join any one of them. (Prabhupada laughs) I was rotting in my household life. That’s all. But I was planning how to make, how to make this. 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, apnader tasturi tublia thaki bhavan. Takhona (?). “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, that “He is so nice.” Sometimes he recommended. In Bombay, here in this Bombay. That house. Yes. 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. Although I was apart from them, a grhastha. In this Bombay I was doing business. (people talking outside)
72-08-29.Gur Letter: Gurudasa
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 23, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. Do not be depressed. ALL ALONG MY GODBROTHERS GAVE ME ONLY DEPRESSION, REPRESSION, COMPRESSION–BUT I CONTINUED STRONG IN MY DUTY.
EVOL.SYA The Evolutionists: Philosophy
Prabhupada: UNLESS YOU SURRENDER, WHERE IS THE COOPERATION? Where is the cooperation? Just like all my disciples, because they have surrendered, so there is cooperation. Therefore this movement is increasing.
65-11-08.Tir Letter: 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
.71-02-23.Jay Letter: Jayapataka
SO FAR AS COOPERATING WITH MY GODBROTHERS IS CONCERNED, THAT IS NOT VERY URGENT BUSINESS. SO FAR UNTIL NOW MY GODBROTHERS HAVE REGULARLY NOT COOPERATED WITH ME AND BY THE GRACE OF MY SPIRITUAL MASTER, THINGS ARE STILL GOING AHEAD. SO COOPERATION OR NON-COOPERATION, IT IS THE DESIRE OF BHAKTIVINODE THAKURA TO PREACH THE CAITANYA CULT ALL OVER THE WORLD AND IN 1875 HE PREDICTED THAT SOMEONE WOULD COME VERY SOON WHO WOULD INDIVIDUALLY PREACH THIS CULT ALL OVER THE WORLD. SO IF HIS BENEDICTION IS THERE AND MY GURU MAHARAJA’S BLESSINGS ARE THERE, WE CAN GO AHEAD WITHOUT ANY IMPEDIMENT BUT ALL OF US MUST BE VERY SINCERE AND SERIOUS. We have been a little inflicted by public criticism that we Godbrothers do not work together. My Guru Maharaja wanted also us to work together but some how or other it hasn’t happened up until now. So your program of cooperating with Madhava Maharaja is not so important. Best thing is that all we Godbrothers work together. Then the criticism will stop, otherwise even we join together, criticism will go on. So this has been going on for the last 24 years, but everyone of us is doing his best keeping Lord Caitanya in the center. We should be satisfied so much.
74-06-08.Acy Letter: Acyutananda
You should not write anything to Madhava Maharaja’s camp. You may have talked many things with Mangala Niloy but why write him in black and white. The letter must not be sent. THEIR POLICY HAS BEEN ALL ALONG TO SUPPRESS ME AND TAKE CREDIT FOR HIMSELF. THEIR PROPOSAL FOR COOPERATION IS A MYTH. THEY HAVEN’T DONE ANYTHING WHICH IS COOPERATIVE. YOU KNOW IN A RECENT ARTICLE THEY MANAGED TO WRITE IN SUCH A WAY THAT MADHAVA IS DOING THE WORLD MOVEMENT AND WE ARE HIS SUBORDINATE. FROM THE BEGINNING THAT HAS BEEN THEIR MENTALITY. SO THERE IS NO POSSIBILITY OF COOPERATION WITH THEM. RATHER YOU SHOULD AVOID STRICTLY MEETING WITH THEM. THEY ARE NOT AFTER PREACHING BUT MATERIAL GAIN AND REPUTATION AND ADORATION. OTHERWISE WHY THEY ARE NON COOPERATING WITH ME? SO NO COOPERATION IS POSSIBLE. Do not think or indulge in loose talks. Be careful always. Let us do the duty of propagation sincerely and seriously on our own principles. Krsna and Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura are our only hope and they and helping us. If anything thing has to be done it is to be talked on the higher level between Madhava Maharaja and myself, but I know his mentality is different and there is no possibility of cooperation.
68-02-17. Letter: Pradyumna
Regarding the book list: “Lord Gauranga” by S.K. Ghose and Veder Panchaya by Bon Maharaja ARE USELESS and you may not get them.
73-11-14. Letter: Sukadeva
Regarding the Gaudiya Math books being circulated there, who is distributing? Who is sending these books? The Gaudiya Math does not sell our books, why we should sell their books. Who has introduced these books? Let me know. THESE BOOKS SHOULD NOT AT ALL BE CIRCULATED IN OUR SOCIETY. BHAKTI VILAS TIRTHA IS VERY MUCH ANTAGONISTIC TO OUR SOCIETY AND HE HAS NO CLEAR CONCEPTION OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE. HE IS CONTAMINATED. ANYWAY, WHO HAS INTRODUCED THESE BOOKS? YOU SAY THAT YOU WOULD READ ONLY ONE BOOK IF THAT WAS ALL THAT I HAD WRITTEN, SO YOU TEACH OTHERS TO DO LIKE THAT. You have very good determination.
75-11-09. Letter: Visvakarma
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 3, 1975 with the enclosed statement about Van Maharaja. So I have now issued orders that all my disciples should avoid all of my godbrothers. THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY DEALINGS WITH THEM NOR EVEN CORRESPONDENCE, NOR SHOULD THEY GIVE THEM ANY OF MY BOOKS OR SHOULD THEY PURCHASE ANY OF THEIR BOOKS, NEITHER SHOULD YOU VISIT ANY OF THEIR TEMPLES. PLEASE AVOID THEM.
'...Still he requested his disciples to form a strong Governing body for preaching the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He never recommended anyone to be acarya of the Gaudiya Math. But Sridhara Maharaja is responsible for disobeying this order of Guru Maharaja, and he and others who are already dead unnecessarily thought that there must be one acarya... So Sridhara Maharaja and his two associate gentlemen unauthorizedly selected one acarya and later it proved a failure.'
letter to Rupanuga, Tirupati 28 of April, 1974
Srila Prabhupada stated that Sridhara Swami did a mistake by being part of having an acarya system after Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada And devotees later accused him he helped establish an acarya system in ISKCON that failed as this also was not
Srila Prabhupadas instruction for ISKCON,see
http://www.bvml.org/SBRSM/ssm-gbc78.html. I will let the reader be the judge for themselves.Many devotees where later disgusted by ISKCON leaders their godbrothers deviations and left ISKCON and joined Srila Sridhara Swami.
Srila Prabhupada also said many wonderful things about Srila Sridhara Swami.
Srila Prabhupada himself spoke highly of Srila Sridhara Maharaja:
...who is the most highly competent of all my godbrothers. This is B. R. Sridhara Maharaja, whom I consider to be even my siksa
guru . If you are serious about the advancement of your spiritual life, I advise you to go to Sridhara Maharaja and I will feel that you are safe.You can also make arrangements for your other to go there in the future. (SP Ltr. Hrsikesa, January 1, 1969)
What Sripada Sridhara Maharaja has directed, I take it on my head.It is appropriate that I should accept his direction. (SP Ltr. Govinda Mj, 12-9-69)
What Govinda Maharaja has said is true. I consider his guru as my siksa guru . (SP, ISKCON Mayapur Candrodaya Mandira opening ceremony 1974)
Those who are intelligent, they are making something, Sridhara Maharaja and others. (SP Conversation, Allahabad, January 13, 1977) [1]
One of my important godbrothers [Sridhara Maharaja] says. He's sincere. He says, "The prediction of Caitanya-caritamrta, prthivite ache yata nagaradi-grama
Our relationship is very intimate. After the breakdown of the Gaudiya Matha I wanted to organize another organization making Sridhara Maharaja as the head. (SP Conversation, March 17, 1973) [3]
Srila Prabhupada and Srila Sridhara Swami's relationship goes back to 1920th and the where very close,Srila Prabhupada helped Sridhara Swami establish Gaudiya math in Allahabad .
Sridhara Swami lived with Srila Prabhupada many times and even later send his disciple Govinda Maharaja to learn Bhagavad Gita in details from Srila Prabhupada.
Many offences and misunderstandings have been there towards Srila Sridhara Swami, but the GBC advised in one years GBC resolution that no ISKCON devotee should make offences towards Srila Sridhara Swami.
Srila Prabhupada also helped finance and print Sridhara Swamis ,Sri Prapanna Jivanamrtam http://www.bvml.org/SBRSM/ssm-gbc78.html
I once visited HH Bhakti Tirtha Swami with 2 devotees that used to preach with him in Africa, and Maharaja showed us MP'3 of lectures with Sridhara Swami he sometimes was listening to.I guess in secret not to cause any steer in ISKCON.
Srila Sridhara Swami was a very dear and confidential disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada, and a dear godbrother of Srila Prabhupada, and though there might be some slight
differences in some of the teachings , Srila Sridhara Swami was a bonafide vaisnava and very strict sannyasi, and personally I offer my full obaisences at his holy lotusfeet on this sad day of his disappearance day (that fell on july 30th this year of 2011)
And I have often listened and taken inspiration from his divine teachings, and if Srila Prabhupada called him ,his siksa Guru, he certainly is mine also.But Srila Prabhupada wants us to stay in ISKCON, but if some have gone to Sridhara Swami remember this:
Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Hrsikesa, Los Angeles, January 31, 1969:
and no need to find faults with these devotees
http://www.bvml.org/SBRSM/
your servant
Payonidhi das
Views: 202
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Comment by Paramananda das on August 4, 2011 at 8:36am
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"By both age and experience he is senior to me. I was fortunate to have his association since about 1930.... Krishna and Prabhupad [referring to Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupad, the diksa-guru of both Srila Sridhar Maharaj and Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada] liked him to prepare me.... Srila Sridhar Maharaj lived in my house for many years, so naturally we had very intimate talks, and he was my good advisor. I took his advices and instructions very seriously, because from the very beginning I knew him to be a pure Vaishnava, a pure devotee.... our relationship is very intimate."
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"By both age and experience he is senior to me. I was fortunate to have his association since about 1930.... Krishna and Prabhupad [referring to Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupad, the diksa-guru of both Srila Sridhar Maharaj and Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj] liked him to prepare me.... Srila Sridhar Maharaj lived in my house for many years, so naturally we had very intimate talks, and he was my good advisor. I took his advices and instructions very seriously, because from the very beginning I knew him to be a pure Vaishnava, a pure devotee.... our relationship is very intimate."
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