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"Not so many" - FDG

Question: "Not so many!" does it not apply to men guru as well?

Recently one of the senior devotees asked me following questions in facebook. He is a senior devotee who is well known among ISKCON devotees circle.

Senior devotee uvaca.....

"If we are to use the argument of not many, wouldn’t this also apply to men? Who among our men who are currently playing the roles of guru can we categorically say they are pure devotees or are siddha mahatmas? Who among them can we categorise as being on the same level as Srila Prabhupada? Srila Prabhupada did wrote unless one is completely freed from all anarthas, he can not occupy the post of guru. This is the reality. To be freed from puja and pratishta is not easy. A pure devotee of Krsna is very rare similarly a sad guru is very rare. Real gurus are really that not many. So this rule of not so many can be equally apply to men and women."

My Response:

Prabhuji the same Bhardvaja Samhita in its verses 1.37 to 1.44 gives the qualities of a guru and who can be and cannot be a guru.

All Vaishnava acaryas did follow those conditions.

Yes, male gurus were very limited in olden days before the times of Sripada Ramanujacarya (1000 years before). No there were no concept of any women becoming guru at all except Motger Lakshmi Herself.
This was true for even accepting disciples and dissemination of Vedic Knowledge.. What to speak of becoming guru to give knowledge.

So yes not so many gurus was there in tradition even among men... But..

Sripada Ramanujacarya was the first one to break this tradition and introduce this vedic knowledge to one and all who desired to know... He established through discussions with 74 simhasanapatis and introduced the concept of institutions and initiations. Being a strong adherent of vedic culture and sastra he introduced first giving of holy name as per pancaratra panca samskaras. They give tapa (shaku cakra marks), pundra (tilak), and nama to anyone who desires to be a vaishnava. The Sri Sampradaya give yaga and mantra only to brahmanas and (tri varnas to some extent) that too only to men. Now in Gaudiya tradition too tapa is given through imprinting hari nama on body through gopi chandan and kanti mala. Tilaka is offered officially at the time of initiation although one may sport it before initiation just like kanti mala of one round or 2 rounds are recommended but only three rounds at the time of initiation. Nama is given only during the initiation ceremony. So ISKCON does follow Harinama initiations as per Panca Samskara.

As time proceeded great personalities like Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (He was more than great personality, but He was Supreme Godhead), Srila Bhakti Vinoda Takur, Srila Bhakti Siddanta Saraswati Takur and our Srila Prabhupada appeared and made the process of receiving knowledge about Lord Krishna much more easier but nonetheless followed both Bhagavata marga and Pancaratra marga as they determined appropriate.

So Acaryas make those determination based on sastra and so till now following Sripada Ramanujacarya and even after the time of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu there were no female diksa guru except Mother Lakshmi, but relatively speaking there were many men gurus giving diksa. Same way from the time of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu till to-date even the bonafide female gurus are only a hand full compared to men taking up that guru seva.

So.....

Senior devotee uvaca.....

"One thing, our guidance is not from Bharadvaja Samhita, nor are we even adherent of Sri Sampradaya, though we follow certain Sri Sampradaya principles such as in respect to Deity worship as this was given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself. We are Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya. Still Gaudiya Sampradaya is much unique, as the Supreme Lord Krishna appeared as Gauranga Mahaprabhu to gives us what was never given before, Sri Krishna Prema. Mahaprabhu relished this Prema primarily in the association of Ramananda Raya, who from that time societal point of view, belonged to the lower class. Then Mahaprabhu relished intimate Krishna Katha in the association of Ramananda Raya, Svarupa Damodara, Sikhi Mahiti, and Madhavi Mahiti. Also when Mahaprabhu was in Jagananath temple and a woman climbed on His shoulder to have Darshana of Jagananath, and Govinda attempted to pull down the woman, Mahaprabhu chastised Govinda saying that woman had more love for Jagannatha than He did. These are just some of the examples of the Lord applauding the qualifications of pure devotees who have developed krishna Prema regardless of their gender. Such pure devotees are the deliverers of the fallen souls. If you study deeply the history of our sampradaya, which I have been privileged to do, there have been no question of what gender qualifies a person to play the role of guru or being able to deliver other living entries. Actually a real Vaisnava loathe the idea of being guru to others. The last thing a devotee wants is wanting to be guru. They are usually prayed to, for them to accept that role. Gangamatta Goswamini became guru only after Jagannatha Himself ordered her to do so."

My Response:
>One thing, our guidance is not from Bharadvaja Samhita,

A vedabase query for "Narada Pancaratra" of which Bharadvaja Samhita is a part gives 384 hits. Bharadvaja Samhita is referred to by Srila Prabhupada as an authentic scripture that we take guidance on the same level as Bhagavatam and Mahabharatha.

"It is not a fact that because one is born in a brāhmaṇa family he is automatically a brāhmaṇa. He has a better chance to become a brāhmaṇa, but unless he meets all the brahminical qualifications, he cannot be accepted as such. On the other hand, if the brahminical qualifications are found in the person of a śūdra, he should immediately be accepted as a brāhmaṇa. To substantiate this there are many quotations from Bhāgavatam, Mahābhārata, Bharadvāja-saṁhitā and the pañcarātra, as well as many other scriptures." [SB 4.31.10 Srila Prabhupada Purport].

So this is not a correct statement that Bharadvaja Samhita which is part of Narada Pancaratra is not a guiding scripture for ISKCON or Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Bharadvaja Samhita is also quoted in CB 8.7 commentary.

>nor are we even adherent of Sri Sampradaya, though we follow certain Sri Sampradaya principles such as in respect to Deity worship as this was given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself.

A Vedabase query on Ramanuja yields 676 hits wherein Srila Prabhupada and our predecessor acaryas have referred to this great Sri Vaishanava Acaryas' works in their commentaries and purports. Moreover, Srila Bhakti Vinoda Takur has translated so many works of Sri Vaishanva Acarya's works include Kulashekara Alvar's Mukundamala Stotra and Yamunacarya's Stotra Ratna Mala which our dear Srila Prabhupada had translated and commented on and cited numerous times throughout Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, and Sri Caitanya Caritamrta. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu spent 2 years in South India and more so he stayed at Sri Rangam at Venkata Bhatta's hour for 4 months and cultivated Gopala Bhatta Goswami. Even Jiva Goswami refers to Gopala Bhatta Goswami in his Sandharbas and credits Gopala Bhatta Goswami as the one who formulated a majority of principles for Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya. So to say that we do not follow or accept Sri Sampradaya is not a statement that is in line with the mood of our Gaudiya Vaishnava Acaryas.

>We are Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya. Still Gaudiya Sampradaya is much unique, as the Supreme Lord Krishna appeared as Gauranga Mahaprabhu to gives us what was never given before, Sri Krishna Prema.

This does not necessarily mean that we can incorporate FDG which is a violation of sastras especially pancaratra sastra. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave Krishna Prema which was never given before as stated by Srila Rupa Goswami... anarpita carim...sva bhakti sriyam...But the same acarya Srila Rupa Goswami has also instructed us to not incorporate anything that is not per sruti smrti purnanadi pancaratrim vidim vina aikantaki harer bhaktir utpatayaiva kalpate.. He has warned us to not introduce any pure devotional service to Hari that violates Pancaratra. FDG violate the Bharadvaja Samhita verse 1.42 and 1.43. na jatu mantrada nari na sudro....So using what is favorable from sastras and rejecting those statements of sastra that are not favorable constitute to arda kukuti nyaya... Half-chicken logic ....

> Mahaprabhu relished this Prema primarily in the association of Ramananda Raya, who from that time societal point of view, belonged to the lower class. Then Mahaprabhu relished intimate Krishna Katha in the association of Ramananda Raya, Svarupa Damodara, Sikhi Mahiti, and Madhavi Mahiti. Also when Mahaprabhu was in Jagananath temple and a woman climbed on His shoulder to have Darshana of Jagananath, and Govinda attempted to pull down the woman, Mahaprabhu chastised Govinda saying that woman had more love for Jagannatha than He did. These are just some of the examples of the Lord applauding the qualifications of pure devotees who have developed krishna Prema regardless of their gender. Such pure devotees are the deliverers of the fallen souls.

Consider this that will strike a stake right into the heart of anyone who champions "gender quality: from CC Adi 10.137:
madhavi-devi — shikhi-mahitira bhagini
sri-radhara dasi-madhye yanra nama gani

Translation
Madhavidevi, the seventeenth of the prominent devotees, was the younger sister of Shikhi Mahiti. She is considered to have formerly been a maidservant of Srimati Radharani.

Purport
In the Antya-lila of Chaitanya-charitamrta, chapter two, verses 104-106, there is a description of Madhavidevi. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu considered her one of the maidservants of Srimati Radharani. Within this world, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had three and a half very confidential devotees. The three were Svarupa Gosani, Sri Ramananda Raya and Sikhi Mahiti, and Sikhi Mahiti’s sister, Madhavidevi, being a woman, was considered the half. Thus it is known that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu had three and a half confidential devotees.

Was Srila Prabhupada somehow being offensive here by referring to Madhavidevi, one of the most confidential associates of Mahaprabhu as: a. "being a woman, was considered" only half of a man?

>If you study deeply the history of our sampradaya, which I have been privileged to do, there have been no question of what gender qualifies a person to play the role of guru or being able to deliver other living entries. Actually a real Vaisnava loathe the idea of being guru to others. The last thing a devotee wants is wanting to be guru. They are usually prayed to, for them to accept that role. Gangamatta Goswamini became guru only after Jagannatha Himself ordered her to do so.

Now we have to follow guru-vakya and sadhu-vakya that is centred upon sastra-vakya. See Srila Prabhupada's purport to CC Madya 20.352:


According to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, this is the way an incarnation should be accepted. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, cittete kariyā aikya. One should accept a thing as genuine by studying the words of saintly people, the spiritual master and the śāstra. The actual center is the śāstra, the revealed scripture. If a spiritual master does not speak according to the revealed scripture, he is not to be accepted. Similarly, if a saintly person does not speak according to the śāstra, he is not a saintly person. The śāstra is the center for all. Unfortunately, at the present moment, people do not refer to the śāstras; therefore they accept rascals as incarnations, and consequently they have made incarnations into a very cheap thing. Intelligent people who follow Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s instructions and the instructions of the ācārya, the bona fide spiritual master, will not accept a pretender as an incarnation of God. [CC Madhya 20.352 purport]

So based on the above purport we have to study of parampara and traditions with respect to sastra vakya. Bharadvaja Samhita 1.44 says pratyaksita-atma-nathanam naisam kuladikam. Pratyaksita-atma-nathanam means a soul that can directly contact with the Lord just like Jhanava mata and Gangamata. Jhanava Mata was Lord Nityananda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead's consort and Gangamata was instructed by Lord Jaganatha Himself. So according to Bharadvaja Samhita of Narada Pancaratra verse 1.44 since they are Pratyaksita-atma-nathanam they may be born in women or sudra bodies and in those cases the rules of kula etc is not to be considered. Such devotees are very rare as per Nectar of Instruction anyone beyond siddha platforms are rare and that is why Srila Prabhupada, in his conversation with O'Connel said "Not so many". So there is no doubt that these devotees on siddha platform whether man or women can deliver fallen souls. But the very fact that only an acarya or Krishna Himself as is the case with Gangamata can detect such great personalities. This does not mean GBC get some group of devotees in which there are devotees who are advocates of divorces, ex-SAC member who was part of the 2005 FDG paper with direct conflict of interests and numerous other debatable points get together and win a very slender majority of 1 or 2 votes with 4 GBCs abstaining and ram through a resolution that has created so much controversy.

The fact that the GBC barely made it to a slender majority calls for serious re-consideration. 49% of the GBC do not believe that FDG is sastric at all. Those who abstained from voting on this crucial decision are certainly not sure that they would be on the side of dharma by voting for it. Otherwise why they were not casting their vote for FDG. So this only means that this issue needs further discussion and research and not rush into it.

Your humble servant




































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