Venue: Pune

I appreciate and I understand by what Radhanath Maharaj has presented his heart. These are not just the words. His words are not different from him, he is those words. We are basically, practically the first generation that is entering Maharashtra to establish Krsna consciousness, Caitanaya Mahaprabhu’s and Srila Prabhupada’s movement. It is kind of dharma, “dharma samsthapanarthaya”, Krsna appears.

Yesterday I was thinking how fortunate and how rare devotees, leaders we are. Of course, we cannot be compared with Srila Prabhupada. He was the only one, there could not be two Prabhupadas. Only one Prabhupada was made ‘nimitra matram’, nimitra- to propagate Krsna consciousness all over the world. But then we are also chosen, we are also picked up. We are also being made instruments, ‘nimitra matram’ to spread, establish Krsna consciousness, we are amongst the selected few.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu has selected us also to become followers of Prabhupada, so that Prabhupada’s mission which is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission gets established. We being the very first generation entering the field, we have very great responsibility upon us. Because we are going to be establishing the foundation of Krsna consciousness in the world, in India in general and say Maharashtra. So more purely we do that, more transcendentally we do that. As much as is within our power, get rid of kaam, krodha, lust and another thing, all these kinds of lower natures.

Maharaj was saying, I said, “This meeting will be not the first or last meeting on this subject. We’ll have ongoing dialogue.” And Maharaj said, “Only when we become paramhansas then this topic ends.” This morning he said, “Oh we are among the paramhansas.” Sometimes, some transcendental differences. So we have sacred duty to perform here in Maharashtra to establish Krsna consciousness. And united we stand, divided we fall. “sangah sakti kalau yuge”, in kali yuga shakti comes by sanga, association. Sanga and sangha also. Sanga is association and sangha is the organization, within that there is a sanga. Within sangha, there is sanga. So that sangha is shakti it comes from uniting, getting together. I do not wish, I mean you are young. Most of you are young folks, us and myself, we don’t have much time at our disposal. We have started losing our Godbothers left and right. Three of us took sannyas together. Two of those are gone to join Krsna, Prabhupada and I am the third next in the list. I want to take it further seriously my mission, my service to Srila Prabhupada. That I do not only do with my disciples. I want to work as a team, unite and function and be successful for pleasure of Prabhupada and glory of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

What hurts me, I may not say this all the time but I, liking and loving my disciples no big deal. That’s anyone, your disciple so you love and like. But I like and love and associate and serve with disciples of my Godbrothers. I feel that’s the broadening of the vision and family and transcending this petty weakness of neophyte. Of course we are not mayavadis and we are one. There is some, that’s eternal relationship with the spiritual master that identity is there. But that’s just one part of our life. There is Prahupada, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, “jivera svarupa haya krsnera nitya dasa” (C.C Madhya 20.108) and all those, that’s us also. That’s our life, that’s our philosophy. So when these things get emphasized at different levels, my guru, his guru and this. And there is yet another dvandva, another dual nature, duality we add all. It is already day and night, rich and poor, man and woman, you go on adding. There is a big list of dvandva, duality of this material existence. And on top of that we add one more, his disciple, my disciple, your disciple, this guru, that guru. This is yet another dimension of the duality. We may be adding if we are of some neophyte mentality, fanaticism, groupism and those thoughts are dwelling.

So I am also very much with Radhanath Maharaj, he has well worded. I don’t think I could edit or improve; we stand united to unite Prabhupada’s family. We are Prabhupada’s family and of course everyone is. Not that Maharashtra is united and then Madhya Pradesh gets united and then… No, there is a bigger family, there is a bigger circle. Unity of the purpose, unity of the vision, this is what we look forward to. For long time I have been using this example of Gaudiya Math, their fall down or as Prabhupada had, they met with difficulties. They emphasized the acharyas and not the GBC. Not exactly there was no problem with the GBC but some kind of organization and the managers.

But this morning, I had a dialogue with Radhanath Maharaj. And the first time I understood something very very important for which I am very grateful. And I want to share that with you. He said, there is a difference; they emphasized one Acharya over the organization. And may be in due course of time there will be two acharyas and then two maths and four acharyas and then four maths and like that multiplied. But here of course the present, we are Gurus as GBC wants to address them, call them as and not acharyas as such. So we Gurus if we are united, if the Gurus are united, Gurus in ISKCON are united and then of course, if we are with the GBC, under GBC; the ultimate managering authorities of ISKCON is GBC. Then there could be no disunity of the kind that Gaudiya Math has seen, that’s a history.

What Maharaj added was that neophyte disciples come to Guru with this complain. “Oh, this, they are saying this against you and this conversation going against you. That kind of campaign is going on against you or against our temple, this and that.” And then Guru gets fired up or Guru gets concerned and Guru agrees and that could be the end of the show. Instead if Guru could read or realize, here is some weakness of this disciple. It is neophyte mentality, his weakness; he is trying to convey that.

So if instead Guru taking the side of the neophyte disciple, if he could crush the kind of attitude or mentality or attempt that disciple or aspiring candidate is making from his point of view. He doesn’t know there will be disunity as a result that he doesn’t know. But if the spiritual master could point that out and crush that weakness and lower nature and stay united with other Godbrothers and spiritual masters. Then that lower nature is taken care of, that ignorance, that passion. Then we could avoid the repetition of that history Gaudiya Math is.
Radhanath Maharaj did put in better words. I am just his student, just learnt these things from him which was lingering in my mind for long long time. I always was quoting this as example which was Praphupada’s example. But there is something parallel but that Maharaj pointed out difference to me this morning. Some kinds of words trying to share that with you.

My main concern here is unity I suppose, how to stay united. When I see different symptoms, different statements, different strategies, different things, as a result I talked sometimes, I have spoken. So I am speaking again and I’ll seek more later. On this subject I have other things to say.. Thank you for your patience and listening to me.