KEEPING FAITH WITH SRILA PRABHUPADA
GBC - Governing Body Commision

June, 1996,  

This is an official ISKCON Governing Body Commission position paper demonstrating that those who keep faith with Srila Prabhupada cannot follow H. H. Narayana Maharaja. Presented by the GBC Executive and Standing Philosophical Committees.

His Holiness Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja has recently begun his preaching tour of the West. His itinerary takes him exclusively to ISKCON temples, communities, and congregations. Before embarking from India, Narayana Maharaja met with a representative of the GBC and made the following statements regarding his tour:

1) He is a well-wisher of ISKCON. He is not ISKCON’s enemy. He considers Srila Prabhupada as his siksa-guru.
2) When Srila Prabhupada was preaching in the West, he sent letters to Narayana Maharaja inviting him to preach there also. At that time Narayana Maharaja had no interest. However, now this tour has come about without his separate endeavor, and he considers it the arrangement of Srila Prabhupada.
3) Out of respect and veneration to Srila Prabhupada, Narayana Maharaja wants to visit the temples Srila Prabhupada established in the West. They are tirthas. If the ISKCON devotees bar him from entering, he will offer his respects from the gate and leave. But ISKCON allows everybody to visit its temples, even debauches, so why not him? If we turn him away, his own followers will take that as an offense.
4) When the question was raised whether Narayana Maharaja might voice disagreements with ISKCON/GBC philosophical understanding, policies, and so on, during talks to ISKCON temple devotees and congregation, he gave his assurance that he will not do such things. He said whether or not he speaks during his visits is up to us.

ISKCON’s leaders do not doubt that many years ago Srila Prabhupada invited Narayana Maharaja to visit. They also recognize that since then Narayana Maharaja has often acted as ISKCON’s well-wisher. Nevertheless, ISKCON leaders are now certain that Srila Prabhupada would no longer be willing to extend the same invitation to Narayana Maharaja. Further, although Narayana Maharaja may have once received some siksa from Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON leaders--the GBC and temple presidents--are convinced that Narayana Maharaja cannot properly represent Srila Prabhupada. Rather, Narayana Maharaja speaks and acts in ways directly contrary to Srila Prabhupada’s instructions and example. Even though Narayana Maharaja may think of himself as a well-wisher of ISKCON, in fact his behavior towards ISKCON is such that it could cause ISKCON great harm. In short, ISKCON’s leaders are thoroughly convinced that the differences that set Narayana Maharaja apart from Srila Prabhupada are so significant and bear such far-reaching implications as to make it impossible for sincere and faithful followers of Srila Prabhupada to intimately associate with him.

This conclusion has seemed strange to some followers of Narayana Maharaja. They say it is contrary to the scriptural advice that there is no better way to advance one’s spiritual life than by association with sadhus. Moreover, recent testimony from some former ISKCON devotees who now associate with Narayana Maharaja seems to support his claim to be Srila Prabhupada’s admirer and ISKCON’s supporter. Why, then, have the leaders of ISKCON judged otherwise? They should provide the facts and, most of all, the scriptural justification for such convictions.

The GBC recognizes it is not in a position to tell Narayana Maharaja he cannot preach in the West. However, the GBC also recognizes that it has a duty to Srila Prabhupada to decide whether Narayana Maharaja preaches within ISKCON. Here lies the issue. If Narayana Maharaja were preaching to persons with no ISKCON contact, although the GBC might not agree with all he says or does, it would not object. However, someone who is not a member of ISKCON has no prerogative to work within ISKCON unless invited by its leaders to do so.
In Narayana Maharaja’s own Gaudiya Matha organization--in any Gaudiya Matha for that matter--it is considered an outrageous breach of etiquette for an outsider to preach to the Matha’s own members without the approval and cooperation of the Matha’s leadership. Yet Narayana Maharaja’s entire tour involves ISKCON: Arrangements are made by former ISKCON devotees at ISKCON congregational members’ homes. His audiences are ISKCON’s devotees, congregation, life members, and bhaktas. He is doing all this without the sanction of the GBC.

Consequently, the GBC, as Srila Prabhupada’s designated representatives, has the right and the duty to inform ISKCON members of every sort about the differences between Narayana Maharaja and Srila Prabhupada. All who have taken shelter of ISKCON have the right to be protected from the danger of offending Srila Prabhupada, and the GBC has the obligation to protect them. They need to understand clearly that following Narayana Maharaja will lead them away from, not bring them closer to, Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON, and the progressive advancement of the sankirtan movement. This paper will provide the facts and scriptural evidence to support this conclusion.

ISKCON members first began to feel uneasy about Narayana Maharaja when he declared his intention to introduce the practice of raganuga-bhakti to ISKCON. He announced his intention at a number of ISKCON public functions to which he had been invited. Towards this end, he began to systematically instruct a number of senior ISKCON devotees who, dismissing the misgivings of many of their peers, regularly went to hear from him. Although Narayana Maharaja assured these devotees that the topics under discussion were not for public dissemination, those discourses were tape-recorded, and his followers eventually published them. The “confidentiality” turned out to be an illusion. ISKCON’s leaders have now all come to recognize that Narayana Maharaja’s singular emphasis upon raganuga-sadhana is directly opposed to the instructions given by Srila Prabhupada, who warns that such an emphasis will result in sahajiyaism.

It is true of course that previous acaryas explicitly discuss the prac-tices of raganuga-sadhana. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu imparted teachings on this topic to Srila Rupa Gosvami and others. However, seeing the fallen condition of human society in modern times, and understanding how raga-nuga-bhakti could be--and indeed already has been--misunderstood and mis-applied, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and Srila Prabhupada very strongly warned people against attempts to concentrate on the con-fidential topics of Radha and Krsna and enter the practices of raganuga-bhakti prematurely.
Some twenty years ago in ISKCON, a small group of Prabhupada’s disciples began to meet for the purpose of cultivating higher spiritual sentiments. They became infamous as the “Gopi-bhava Club.” Srila Prabhupada intervened personally to halt their improper activities. Surprisingly, the nearly identical phenomenon has been now reborn in the form of Narayana Maharaja and his followers. It will benefit us to therefore hear how Srila Prabhupada treated this matter. This account is taken from Hari Sauri dasa’s A Transcendental Diary, Vol. Two (pp. 268-269):

[The leader of the “Gopi-bhava Club”] tried to reassure him [Srila Prabhupada] that they were not attempting to imitate the gopis’ love of Krsna; they were simply studying the descriptions so they could develop such desires. Prabhupada flushed, his top lip quivering. “First deserve, then desire! There is a no question of desire unless one is actually liberated. Until that point you simply do whatever service you are given. So long as there is any pinch of material desire there is no question of desiring on the spiritual platform!” He said the intimate gopi-lilas were discussed by Lord Caitanya only among His three most confidential associates--Svarupa Damodara, Ramananda Raya, Sikhi Mahiti. Siddha deha is for liberated souls --no one else. [Another member of the group] said that they had thought it was all right because it was in Prabhupada’s books, and they were only reading his books. Prabhupada told them that just because the drugstore has every type of drug it does not mean that one can get them without prescription. The doctor prescribes according to the disease. He said that from the beginning stages of devotional service up to the highest rasas, everything is there in his books, but they are not all to be immediately studied.

This incident reveals a significant difference between the ways in which Narayana Maharaja and Srila Prabhupada explain Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy. On his part, Narayana Maharaja contends that even though one is still materially conditioned, one can hear advanced topics concerning Krsna’s conjugal pastimes. Srila Prabhupada, on the other hand, has clearly emphasized that a devotee must be liberated from material desires to be qualified to hear such topics. The overwhelmingly clear understanding from Srila Prabhupada is that no one should delve into these topics as long as anarthas remain in the heart.

If devotees prematurely take interest in topics of Krsna and the gopis, what harm could come? Isn’t Krsna-katha pure and purifying? Srila Prabhupada has answered this doubt. He explains that since the loving affairs between Krsna and the gopis resemble material exchanges between boys and girls, one’s own lust may actually increase by concentrating on such topics, and thus one’s spiritual advancement may be checked:

When one is liberated and hears of Lord Krsna’s and Radha’s loving affairs, he is not inclined to have lusty desires. One mundane rogue once said that when the Vaisnavas chant the name ‘Radha, Radha,’ he simply re-members a barber’s wife named Radha. This is a practical example. Unless one is liberated, he should not try to hear about the loving affairs be-tween Radha and Krsna. If one is not liberated and listens to a relation of the rasa dance, he may remember his mundane activities and illicit connections with some woman whose name may also be Radha. In the conditioned stage one should not even try to remember such things. By practicing the regulative principles, one should rise to the platform of spontaneous attraction for Krsna. Then and only then should one hear about the radhakrsna-lila. Although these affairs may be very pleasing both to conditioned and to liberated souls, the conditioned soul should not try to hear them. (Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 8.255, purport)

In the light of these unequivocal statements by Srila Prabhupada, one wonders how Narayana Maharaja can think it is his service to Srila Pra-bhupada to propagate rasa-katha. How can he serve Srila Prabhupada in a manner that violates Prabhupada’s explicit instructions?
Some people, however, may prefer to think that we are putting too much emphasis on these statements of Srila Prabhupada. They may think that ISKCON’s leaders are following Srila Prabhupada too narrowly and in so doing cutting ISKCON off from some Gaudiya “mainstream.” To answer such people, we would like to cite some recent remarks by a senior sannyasi in the Gaudiya Matha, H. H. Bhaktipramoda Puri Maharaja, who is a Godbrother of Srila Prabhupada:

Rasa-katha is to be held only among devotees who have the adhikara [qualification] to discuss such topics. Before daring to indulge in free discussions about Krsna’s intimate pastimes with the gopis, we have to honestly appraise the conditioning of our minds. Are we fully attentive to the Nam Prabhu? Or when we see a parrot fly into a tree while chanting japa, does our mind also fly into the tree? If that happens, the adhikara is not there. If we see a beautiful woman, does an attraction arise in the mind? If so, the adhikara is not there. If we hear that Krsna places his hand upon the breast of a gopi, what is the nature of our interest in that description? If there is the slightest taint, the adhikara is not there.

The guru who speaks openly on such topics may think he is giving his listeners the adhikara just by his association, but Puri Maharaja told a story of a guru with a beard who was speaking publicly of Radharani’s love for Krsna. A woman gazing poignantly at the guru suddenly burst into tears. The guru thought to himself, “Ah, now she has acquired the adhikara.” In reality, she was looking at the guru’s beard as she remembered the beard of a goat she once had, to whom she had become quite attached. That goat, just recently deceased, was named Radha. Now, as that woman heard the guru speak of Radha’s love, and as she gazed at his beard which resembled the beard of Radha the goat, she felt great separation from four-legged Radha, and could not hold back her inner lobha for Radha’s association.

Puri Maharaja also remarked that he himself knew quite well the spiritual master of Narayana Maharaja, H. H. Keshava Prajna Maharaja. He said that Keshava Maharaja never spoke of such topics. “So,” Puri Maharaja remarked, “it is a mystery where Narayana Maharaja is bringing these rasika topics in from.”

Certainly not from Srila Prabhupada, as we have shown. Yet had there perhaps been some confidential interchanges between Narayana Maharaja and Srila Prabhupada? It seems not. When a senior ISKCON devotee asked Narayana Maharaja whether he had ever discussed any “rasika topics” with Srila Prabhupada, Narayana Maharaja confessed that they had never had such an interchange. He said that it was the policy in his own institution not to discuss such matters; they would instead speak of Dhruva Maharaja, Prahlada Maharaja, and the like. Narayana Maharaja has asserted to ISKCON leaders that he knows Srila Prabhupada better than they do, hinting at a confidential relationship. Yet this is undercut by his own admission that there were no confidential interchanges between him and Srila Prabhupada. So Puri Maharaja’s pertinent question remains.

The policy in Narayana Maharaja’s own organization is the same now as it was then. Even now, Narayana Maharaja’s proclivity for openly discussing such topics--which seems to be increasing as time goes on--is viewed with disapproval and alarm by other senior leaders of his own institution.

We should, therefore, keep faith with Srila Prabhupada and follow his example. Anyone who studies Srila Prabhupada’s lectures and conversations, especially those given in Vrndavana, will find that he spoke of Krsna’s intimate lila sparingly and carefully, keeping those references within the context of basic philosophy. Furthermore, Srila Prabhupada often criticized speakers who focus exclusively on the rasa-lila, especially in presentations to neophyte audiences.

Narayana Maharaja’s talks in Vrndavana present a study in contrast. He gives extended discourses about the very confidential pastimes of Radha-Krsna and the gopis (telling, for example, how Krsna dresses as a gopi in order to see Radha, inserting large flowers under His sari to make nice breasts, and so on). Such talks are given to anyone who may be present, including bhaktas and bhaktins. Did Srila Prabhupada ever dwell on these topics at length or make them the basis of his preaching? Quite the contrary, Prabhupada stressed the fact that Lord Caitanya Himself would discuss such subjects only behind closed doors and only with one or two of His most advanced followers. Yet it is not uncommon to hear even newly initiated followers of Narayana Maharaja speaking freely of these topics. How can we expect them to do otherwise, given the example set by their guru?

To summarize: Narayana Maharaja acts in opposition to Srila Prabhupada’s direction by advocating the practice of extensive hearing about Krsna’s conjugal pastimes by those who are still in the conditioned state. Increasingly, he is making such topics the focus of public discourse. Srila Prabhupada explicitly opposed these practices, and, whenever they began to occur in ISKCON, he smashed them. Therefore, one who wishes to remain faithful to Srila Prabhupada and to safeguard his legacy will not follow Narayana Maharaja.

There is another notable difference between the presentation of Narayana Maharaja and that of Srila Prabhupada. Narayana Maharaja hints at his spiritual identity in relationship with Krishna. He says that to be in the line of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, one must be situated in madhurya-bhava. Narayana Maharaja has commissioned a set of paintings, one of which depicts Radha and Krishna together in a grove. Each of four companion paintings depict an attendant manjari. Narayana Maharaja’s followers meditate upon him as one of these manjari maidservants--a copy of the painting that is supposed to picture Narayana Maharja’s manjari form is seen on their altars--and they cultivate their desire to join him in a similar mood.

Furthermore, Narayana Maharaja has publicly announced his opinion that Srila Prabhupada is also a paliya-dasi (maidservant) of Srimati Radhika. There is an implication here that Prabhupada’s followers can qualify to serve their own guru in his eternal form only if they are trained by a proper guide (such as Narayana Maharaja).

Srila Prabhupada, in contrast, neither made nor permitted any such pub-lic statement about himself. Rather, in a reserved mood, Srila Prabhupada presented himself simply as the humble servant of his spiritual master and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, although in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 1.46, purport) he instructs, “The spiritual master is always considered either one of the confidential associates of Srimati Radharani or a manifested representation of Srila Nityananda Prabhu.” On appearance days and other celebrations, some Gaudiya Vaisnavas may refer to their spiritual master or to previous acaryas in terms of their eternal relationship with Krsna, but it was rare for Srila Prabhupada to do so. In fact, when one disciple questioned Srila Prabhupada concerning Prabhupada’s own eternal relationship with Krsna, Srila Prabhupada replied that it is not proper for a disciple to ask such questions. We should be reserved in discussing such matters, just as Srila Prabhupada was.

This issue brings to light two fundamental differences. The first, as we have seen, is that Narayana Maharaja hints at his rasa with Krishna, something Srila Prabhupada never did. The second is that Narayana Maharaja stresses that only one situated in madhurya-bhava can ultimately be considered a true follower of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha. Prabhupada, on the other hand, emphasizes that anyone who gives his life to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission is a follower of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, regardless of his rasa.

Srila Prabhupada has encouraged all of us to hope that, in spite of our present disqualifications, we will one day be worthy of being called “Rupanugas,” genuine followers of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha. Narayana Maharaja not only says that to be a real Rupanuga, one must be in madhurya-bhava, but he also teaches that one must have the guidance of a “rasika Vaisnava” to cultivate that state of bhava. Thus formula for becoming a follower of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha, as given by Narayana Maharaja, contains two main ingredients: One must be situated in madhurya-bhava, and one must have the association of a rasika Vaisnava.

In the first place, Srila Prabhupada would not have devotees spend time contemplating such matters as their rasa with Krsna until they were first qualified to do so. “First deserve; then desire.” Moreover, according to Srila Prabhupada, becoming a preacher of Krishna consciousness is both the meaning and the method of becoming a follower of Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha. Only by preaching Krishna consciousness can we enter the mood of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu, and only by Their causeless mercy, given in reciprocation with our service, do our hearts become purified of anarthas. This is what we learn from association with Srila Prabhupada. By associating with Narayana Maharaja, on the other hand, one is led to believe that real spiritual advancement is based not on preaching but rather on the practice of raganuga-sadhana.

Narayana Maharaja expounds on these themes in his book Sri Prabandha-vali:
Because Swamiji [Srila Prabhupada] had little time, he mostly empha-sized vaidhi-bhakti. There are so many stages of bhakti, but ultimately bhakti means only raganuga-bhakti. He also wanted to preach in Western countries that which Rupa Gosvami has given in the Ujjvala-nilamani, and that which has been written by acaryas like Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and Krsna dasa Kaviraja Gosvami, but he could not do it at that time. (p. 12)

There are two kinds of sraddha--vaidhi and raganuga. Swamiji gave only vaidhi-bhakti because at that time it was not appropriate for him to explain raganuga-bhakti. He had written something of it in his books, but because most readers were not qualified enough to learn it at that time, he did not explain it in detail. But by practicing vaidhi-bhakti we can eventually enter into raganuga-bhakti, which arises from that sraddha which is full of greed. (p. 13)

In a very short time he [Srila Prabhupada] accomplished all of this, but he really wanted to give manjari-bhava, so we shouldn’t be satisfied merely with what we received from him at that time. I feel that if he were present here today, he would be instructing us on raganuga-bhakti. (p. 16)

Just before Swamiji departed this world . . . he said that since he was unable to give them [his Western devotees] everything in the short time he was present here, he wanted me to give them further instruction on bhakti and to always help them in any way I could. He also asked me to perform the ceremony to place him into the samadhi. (p. 16)

I consider him [Srila Prabhupada] my siksa-guru, and he always lives in the temple of my heart because I had such an intimate friendship with him. I think that he is always present here with us, and I pray to him that he will bestow mercy upon us so that we will all enter into raganuga-bhakti and prema-bhakti in this very lifetime. (p. 17)

The higher type of meditation will come in the morning time of sadhana, when the darkness caused by one’s anarthas has completely disappeared. To reach that stage one must practice numerous varieties of sadhana and constantly chant nama-sankirtana. Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that one who desires to be an exclusive devotee must engage in raganuga-bhajana. Without raganuga, the sentiment of exclusiveness will not come and one’s bhajana will be included within vaidhi-bhakti. Then he will think, “Krsna is Narayana; there is no special difference between Them. He is also Ramacandra and Nrsimha.” Beyond that he may think that there is no difference between Dvarakadhisa and Govinda. (pp. 142-143)

But at present that light is not lit in our hearts because the connection is not there. The bulb is in our hearts, and our guru is the one who makes the connection. The current comes through the medium of those devotees who practice lobhamayi-bhakti. When the guru presses the switch, at once the current of bhava begins to flow. (p. 144)

These extracts from Narayana Maharaja’s book shows further how Narayana Maharaja’s approach toward awakening the higher stages of Krsna consciousness differs from that given by Srila Prabhupada.

Narayana Maharaja stresses the necessity for one to acquire a raganuga-guru who will “press the switch” to turn on “the current of bhava.” The first question that occurs to a follower of Srila Prabhupada is this: If having a raganuga-guru is so important a requirement for achieving spontaneous devotion, why didn’t Srila Prabhupada himself practice raganuga-sadhana under the direction of a rasika guru? Some have theorized that Prabhupada did not do so because Srila Prabhupada was a maha-bhagavata, nitya-siddha, saktyavesa-avatara. Hence, he did not need to do it. But we do.

This argument is unsound. By this same principle, Srila Prabhupada should not have accepted a regular diksa guru either, having had no need to do so. We know, however, that even liberated souls accept gurus in order to set an example to ordinary people. Therefore, if accepting a raganuga-guru were necessary for ordinary people to advance to the higher stages of Krsna consciousness, Srila Prabhupada himself would have accepted a raganuga instructing guru. Or if he had received such instruction from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, he would have mentioned it and recommended this process to his disciples.

If accepting a raganuga guru were really so necessary for our further advancement, then one would certainly have expected Srila Prabhupada to mention this vital fact during his last days. He would surely have said something like this: “My dear disciples, you have grasped the essence of my preaching mission, and I am very grateful to you for this. But now it is time for you to advance to the higher stages of Krsna consciousness. Your preaching activities have carried you to the point of anartha-nivrtti. Very soon some of you shall be coming to the point of achieving the platform of raganuga bhakti. Unfortunately I will no longer be present to guide you through this important stage. Therefore you should look for a living siksa guru who can instruct and guide you in these important matters.” If the matter were so important, why did he not explicitly mention this? Rather, he said, “Just keep doing as you are doing, and you will be successful.” He did not want us to tamper with the process he had taught us.

Should we accept Narayana Maharaja’s appeal to modify significantly our legacy from Srila Prabhupada? We should first consider the following remarks by Srila Prabhupada, spoken during a room conversation on August 16, 1976 in Bombay:

Why this Gaudiya Matha failed? Because they tried to become more than guru. He, before passing away, he gave all direction and never said that ‘This man should be the next acarya.’ But these people, just after his passing away they began to fight, who shall be acarya. That is the failure. They never thought, ‘Why Guru Maharaja gave us instruction so many things, why he did not say that this man should be acarya?’ They wanted to create artificially somebody acarya and everything failed. They did not consider even with common sense that if Guru Maharaja wanted to appoint somebody as acarya, why did he not say? He said so many things, and this point he missed? The real point? And they insist upon it. They declared some unfit person to become acarya. Then another man came, then another, acarya, another acarya. So better remain a foolish person perpetually to be directed by Guru Maharaja. That is perfection.

This statement makes clear how much importance Srila Prabhupada attached to remaining faithful to the instructions of the acarya just as he gave them--neither adding nor subtracting anything. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada did say to form a GBC to take charge of the mission. The Gaudiya Matha failed to do so. This is an instance of subtraction.

And naming an acarya to head the mission a case of addition.

Srila Prabhupada clearly regarded this as a matter of utmost seriousness. So if ISKCON leaders have taken to heart the instruction to always be directed by the order of the spiritual master, it is no wonder that they hear alarm bells go off when they are told they should now introduce the concept of special raganuga-sadhana and rasika-guru in ISKCON. They would be disobeying Srila Prabhupada by adding something to his direct instructions.
We must ask ourselves: Why, during his last days, did Srila Prabhupada not directly advise his disciples to search for a living raganuga siksa-guru? He was talking of so many things. What could be more important than the means to achieve the goal of Krsna consciousness? Why would he have neglected this important point?

Indeed, why didn’t he say: “My dear disciples, you have grasped the essence of my preaching mission and I am grateful to you for this. But it has taken you only so far. Now, I have asked Sripad Narayana Maharaja to give you further instructions to take you the rest of the way.” Yet Srila Prabhupada, who was so meticulous in every detail, never instructed us in this manner. Narayana Maharaja says that Srila Prabhupada asked him to help us. Even so, had Srila Prabhupada intended anything as consequential as this, he would certainly have said something to his own disciples.

First of all, the prime qualification for anyone to guide ISKCON devotees is strict fidelity to the order of Srila Prabhupada, who, as we have seen, restricted concentrated attention upon matters such as Krsna’s conjugal-lila to those utterly free from sexual desire. As we have also seen, Narayana Maharaja does not observe this restriction. How then can any follower of Prabhupada take instruction from him? Association with advanced Vaisnavas is certainly a devotional principle, but such association cannot help us if it causes us to lose our association with our most advanced teacher Srila Prabhupada, having discarded his instructions. Whatever advancement we attain completely depends on our keeping faith with Srila Prabhupada.

In fact, let us spell out completely the consequence of accepting Narayana Maharja’s directions. The implication of Narayana Maharaja’s statements is to set up Narayana Maharaja himself as the next acarya of ISKCON after Prabhupada. If we reflect upon the extensive interpretation Narayana Maharaja places upon what he says was a request by Prabhupada for him to help us, and Narayana Maharaja’s belief that introducing raganuga-sadhana is what Prabhupada would do were he present to complete his work, the conclusion is hard to avoid. Narayana Maharaja will be the rasika-guru for ISKCON, appointed, even, by Srila Prabhupada to take over where Prabhupada left off.

The problem with this is that Srila Prabhupada carefully gave his disciples quite different instructions for the future of ISKCON, and he held the Gaudiya Matha up as an example to us of precisely what not to do: “Why this Gaudiya Matha failed? Because they tried to become more than guru. He, before passing away, he gave all direction and never said that ‘This man should be the next acarya.’ “ If we follow Narayana Maharaja, then we will have exactly recapitulated the fatal error of the Gaudiya Matha. Narayana Maharaja is hardly the first sannyasi from the Gaudiya Matha to tempt ISKCON with siren songs promising to lead us into “more advanced teachings” than Prabhupada imparted. Keeping faith with Srila Prabhupada, we should continue to reject firmly any such allurements to disobey his order.

Yet some may still wonder how we will reach the higher stages of Krsna consciousness if we do not practice raganuga-sadhana under the guidance of someone like Narayana Maharaja. Prabhupada has assured us that if we are conscientious in following the program he has meticulously laid out for us, we can have all confidence of complete success. In a Bhagavad-gita lecture given in Los Angeles on November 27, 1968, Srila Prabhupada gave this answer to a disciple who inquired about developing gopi-bhava:

Srila Prabhupada

So first of all you have to come out from this conditioned life. Then the question of serving gopi will come. Don’t be at the present moment, very eager to serve gopi. Just try to get out of your conditional life. Then time will come when you’ll be able to serve gopi. . . . But Krsna gives us opportunities to accept service in this arca-marga. Just like we keep the Deity of Krsna, offer prasada under regulation, under principle. So we have to make advance in this way, this chanting, hearing, and worshipping in the temple, arati, offering prasada. In this way, as we make advance, then automatically Krsna will reveal to you and you’ll understand your position, how you have to . . . .Gopis means who are always, constantly engaged in the service of the Lord. So that eternal relationship will be revealed. So we have to wait for that. Immediately we cannot imitate serving gopis. That’s a good idea that you shall serve gopi, but it will take time. Not immediately. Immediately we have to follow the rules and regulations and routine work.

This is only one out of many similar statements to be found by searching the Prabhupada FOLIO database under the words “automatically reveal.” The indication consistently given by Srila Prabhupada is that by conscientiously performing the routine activities of devotional service, we will eventually come out of the conditioned stage of life, and then Krsna will automatically reveal internally our real position, while externally we continue to follow the same routine practices that brought us to the liberated stage. Does this process require patience? Yes it does, but it is better to be patient than to become involved in an artificial, and ultimately self-defeating, attempt to jump-start the process, running the risk of deluding oneself about one’s actual state of advancement.

Srila Prabhupada wrote to Satsvarupa on March 21, 1967, with this counsel:
For ourselves when we are in perfect stage of devotional service, we can know our eternal relation with Krishna and as such one of the associates of Lord Krishna becomes our ideal leader. This acceptance of leadership by one of the eternal associates of the Lord is not artificial. Do not therefore try it at present. It will be automatically revealed to you in proper time.

Here are some other remarks by Srila Prabhupada during a garden conversation in New Vrndavana on June 23, 1976:

First of all try to rectify it, then talk of svarupa. Where is your svarupa? Simply wasting time. A man is diseased, he’s thinking, “When I shall be cured I shall eat, go to this hotel, I shall eat like this.” First of all cure, then talk of eating this and that. Svarupa, when you are cured, that is svarupa. So long you are not cured, what is the use of talking svarupa? First business is cure yourself. Anartha-nivrtti, that is anartha-nivrtti. Then svarupa will come.

Here Prabhupada’s statement clearly reveals the fundamental difference between his approach and Narayana Maharaja’s. Narayana Maharaja’s approach directs you to talk about your svarupa and its activities, before the svarupa is attained, in order for you to reach it. Srila Prabhupada indicates another process: “Where is your svarupa?” He demands sarcastically. “Don’t talk unnecessarily. First of all come to svarupa, then talk of svarupa.” It would be hard for him to be any clearer. Prabhupada goes on to say:
So what is the use of talking utopian? First business is anartha-nivrttih syat. Adau sraddha tathah sadhu-sango ‘tha bhajana-kriya tato anartha-nivrttih syat. You adopt this means that you have got full faith that “Krsna consciousness will save me.” Then you live with devotees who are similarly determined. Then you execute devotional service. Then anartha-nivrttih syat, you’ll be free from all these.... These are the stages. There is.... Up to anartha-nivrtti, you have to struggle very hard with determination, and then automatically everything will come.

The following exchange is taken from a room conversation in Bombay on April 25, 1977:
Prabhupada: “Svarupa-siddhi means when he is actually liberated, he understands what is his relationship with Krsna. That is svarupa-siddhi. Sakhya... So that is far away. Unless... If he’s such a fool, then where is svarupa-siddhi?” Tamala Krsna: “So that realization doesn’t come by some initiation from some babaji.” Prabhupada: “That automatically comes when there..., he is liberated, not before.”

Anyone who researches the matter carefully will find that Srila Prabhupada constantly teaches that the higher stages of Krsna consciousness--understanding of one’s svarupa and rasa, meeting one’s eternal guide, etc.--are all matters that will be automatically revealed to us if we steadfastly practice Krsna consciousness exactly as we have been instructed by him. The automatic realization will come “when we are in the perfect stage of devotional service.”

However, someone might propose that one necessary element included within that “automatic revelation” will be to discover, by divine revelation, a specialist raganuga-guru and to practice raganuga-sadhana under his supervision. This interpretation of Prabhupada’s statements cannot be accepted. Not only does it add something that Srila Prabhupada does not explicitly say, what it adds contradicts the direct, dictionary meaning of Srila Prabhupada’s expression “automatically revealed.” The Oxford English Dictionary gives the root sense of “automatic” as “self-acting, having the power of motion or action within itself.”

Srila Prabhupada did not say that in the non-liberated stage some special practice of raganuga-sadhana under a raganuga-guru was needed to disclose one’s svarupa and rasa. He simply said practice the routine principles conscientiously until you come to the liberated stage and then everything will be automatically revealed. We should be faithful to this instruction of Srila Prabhupada and take seriously his warning that one who teaches differently from him cannot be a proper siksa-guru for us.

The extracts taken from Narayana Maharaja’s book reveal what has become a general theme of Narayana Maharaja’s preaching: First, that Srila Prabhupada’s mission was incomplete, and second, that Narayana Maharaja is the chosen person to complete it. While everyone in ISKCON has heard that Srila Prabhupada remarked that his mission was only fifty percent complete, the completion he called for was not raganuga-sadhana bhakti, but rather the establishment of varnasrama dharma, which wide-spread preaching would make necessary. He did not expect that raganuga bhakti would become the focus of practices and teachings different from those he had already given us. Srila Prabhupada followed perfectly the example of his Guru Maharaja Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura by demonstrating that potent preaching in itself is the preeminent symptom of advanced Krsna consciousness. Enthusiasm in preaching not is merely a qualification for something higher. Enthusiastic preaching is itself the very symptom of that higher stage.

Srila Prabhupada and his Guru Maharaja both taught by their own example that purification from anarthas as well as taste for Krishna-katha are achieved and exhibited through spreading the sankirtana movement. This was far more significant to these two most recent acaryas than attempts to “cultivate the mood of the Brijbasis.” To put it in another way, in his unflagging potency to preach, Srila Prabhupada revealed the symptoms of a real Brijbasi, a real rasika Vaisnava. He showed us what a real rasika Brijbasi does in this world, in India as well as in the West: bold preaching of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam.

Yet Narayana Maharaja says in private that he has no taste for Bhagavad-gita, no attraction for Puri or Dvaraka, no interest in Rama or Narasingha. In India, one often hears gurus use such statement as an encoded way of disclosing their high level of advancement. In the first place, whatever Narayana Maharaja’s level may be, what example does such talk set for his followers, who inevitably come to know and repeat his views? In the second place, Srila Prabhupada always evinced a genuine taste for Bhagavad-gita. We should understand that Srila Prabhupada was situated on the most extraordinary level of spontaneous devotion, one that expressed itself in his preaching Bhagavad-gita with unflagging enthusiasm and relish. We wonder whether Narayana Maharaja has appreciated that.

In summary, Srila Prabhupada stressed that we need not add any extraneous endeavor to what he has given us to realize our relationship with Krishna; at the proper time, guru and Krsna will reveal it to us. In the meantime we should steadfastly continue rendering sincere service to the lotus feet of our spiritual master and his mission. When our hearts are thereby purified, everything will be revealed. At all times, we should behave strictly according to the principles of vaidhi-sadhana-bhakti. Any other example will simply create confusion both for others as well as for ourselves.

We know, nevertheless, that the Krsna consciousness movement of Caitanya Mahaprabhu is ultimately meant to bestow the highest love for Radha and Krsna. Is there nothing special ISKCON devotees can do before liberation to become qualified for the higher stages of Krsna consciousness?

In this regard, Srila Prabhupada always emphasized the great potency of the basic program of Krsna consciousness: chanting the Holy Names and preaching. By preaching and chanting the Holy Names we get the mercy of Srila Prabhupada and the previous acaryas which enables us to achieve the highest perfection. This basic program is nonetheless quite special. In Krsna consciousness the means and the end are the same, and the “basic program” of chanting Hare Krsna is in fact direct association of Radha-Krsna. The special nature and potency of our basic program becomes progressively manifest the more the quality of our engagement improves. The more we take pains to avoid offenses in chanting and the more we become energetic in broadcasting Krsna’s message everywhere, the more we become eligible for higher development in spontaneous devotion. As Srila Prabhupada said, “The way to develop the gopis’ love for Krsna is to spread Krsna consciousness all over the world.”

What is the mood of the gopis? They were prepared to do anything, sacrifice anything, to please Krsna. Since Krsna is most pleased when His devotee is pleased, we should therefore work selflessly to please Krsna’s dearmost devotee and representative--Srila Prabhupada. Since Krsna and Srila Prabhupada are especially satisfied by preaching, we should preach selflessly and tirelessly as Srila Prabhupada himself did.

Absorbed in the ecstatic emotions of Srimati Radharani, Lord Caitanya prayed, “I do not mind My personal distress. I only wish for the happiness of Krsna, for His happiness is the goal of My life” (Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya 20.52). In the purport to this verse, Srila Prabhupada explains the selflessness of a devotee:

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that the devotee does not care about his own happiness and distress; he is simply interested in seeing that Krsna is happy, and for that purpose he engages in various activities. . . . Others who are materialistic, however, who are very proud of material wealth and have no spiritual knowledge, like the prakrta-sayajiyas, regard their own happiness as the aim of life.

Srila Prabhupada sees the exemplification of this selflessness in the activity of preaching:

Sometimes the representatives of the Lord engaged in preaching work meet various so-called difficulties. This was exhibited by Lord Nityananda when He delivered the two fallen souls Jagai and Madhai, and similarly Lord Jesus Christ was crucified by the non-believers. But such difficulties are very gladly suffered by the devotees in preaching because in such activities, although apparently very severe, the devotees of the Lord feel transcendental pleasure because the Lord is satisfied. . . . There is no self-interest in such service. . . . Pure devotees like Narada and Nityananda Prabhu take up the order of the spiritual master as the sustenance of life. They do not mind what becomes of the future of their lives. (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.8.6, purport)

There are many examples in history of devotees of the Lord who risked their lives for the spreading of God consciousness. . . . Now we can imagine how merciful Krsna is to those engaged in His service, risking everything for Him. Therefore it is certain that such persons must reach the supreme planet after leaving the body. (Bhagavad-gita 11.55, purport)

Srila Prabhupada always glorified preaching to the highest degree, and he condemned with equal vehemence the sahajiya babajis and others who denigrate preaching. For instance:

Prabhupada: “Vrndavana, there are so many dangers. All these babajis they are... ‘Oh, I am not going out of Vrndavana.’ But he has got connection with so many women. So what is the use? Have you experience of this? He is attached to women and doing all sinful activities in Vrndavana. This is going on, manufacturing bidi, smoking bidi, in the dress of Rupa Gosvami, loincloth, big tilak, kanthi, and what he is doing? Bidi-making. Have you seen?
Prithu-putra: I have seen some of them doing this, ....
Prabhupada: Not all of them. But they are also claiming they are on the stage of Rupa Gosvami. We are preaching -- we are lower stage. That is their opinion. We are preaching all over the world; we are in the lower stage. And because he has imitated the dress of Rupa Gosvami--he is higher. This is going on. (Conversation, 28 January, 1977)

Srila Prabhupada often cited the statement of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura that “An uttama-adhikari Vaisnava can be recognized by his ability to convert many fallen souls to Vaisnavism” (Nectar Of Instruction 5, purport).

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura said that the position of a Vaisnava can be tested by how good a touchstone he is--that is, by how many Vaisnavas he has made during his life. A Vaisnava should be a touchstone so that he can convert others to Vaisnavism by his preaching, even though people may be fallen like the hunter. There are many so-called advanced devotees who sit in a secluded place for their personal benefit. They do not go out to preach and convert others into Vaisnavas, and therefore they certainly cannot be called sparsa-mani, advanced devotees. (Caitanya-caritamrta, Madya 24.277, purport)

In this connection, Srila Prabhupada quoted the saying, “Like father, like son.” He preached extensively all over the world with unprecedented success, and he ordered us to preach in the same way. To the extent that we follow Srila Prabhupada’s instructions to preach, he will be pleased, and he will bless us with the mercy of the disciplic succession, and we will be successful.

Srila Prabhupada has instructed us to preach and explained the qualification needed to do so:

Kanistha-adhikari devotees cannot turn others into Vaisnavas, but a madhyama-adhikari Vaisnava can do so by preaching. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised His followers to increase the number of Vaisnavas:

yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa
amara ajnaya guru hana tara’ ei desa
(Cc Madhya 7.128)

It is Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s wish that everyone should become a Vaisnava and guru. Following the instructions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His disciplic succession, one can become a spiritual master, for the process is very easy. One can go everywhere and anywhere to preach the instructions of Krsna. Bhagavad-gita is Krsna’s instructions; therefore the duty of every Vaisnava is to travel and preach Bhagavad-gita, either in his country or a foreign country. This is the test of the sparsa-mani, following in the footsteps of Narada Muni.” (Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 24.227, purport)

The members of the Krsna consciousness movement chant a minimum of sixteen rounds a day, which can be done without difficulty, but at the same time they must preach the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu according to the gospel of Bhagavad-gita As It Is. One who does so is quite fit to become a spiritual master for the entire world. (Caitanya-caritamrta Antya 4.103, purport)

In the light of the all the above evidence and discussion we should now consider how we are to regard Narayana Maharaja’s assertions that he regards Srila Prabhupada as his siksa guru and himself as ISKCON’s well-wisher. It should be abundantly clear, why we cannot accept him at his own evaluation. The teaching that Narayana Maharaja feels inspired to bring to ISKCON will harm ISKCON by deviating it away from Srila Prabhupada’s direction.
Consequently ISKCON has been left no alternative but to restrict its followers from interaction with Narayana Maharaja. The following GBC resolutions passed in 1995 explain what is expected of ISKCON devotees and the consequences for violators:

To fulfill the previous acarya’s desire for a united world-wide preaching organization to expand Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission, Srila Prabhupada founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness as a distinct branch of the Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya. Therefore he is the Founder-Acarya of ISKCON.

a. Srila Prabhupada is the foundational siksa guru for all ISKCON devotees because he has realized and presented the teachings of the previous acaryas of the Brahma Madhva Gaudiya sampradaya appropriately for the modern age.

1. A: In obedience to the instruction of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the GBC directs that the members of ISKCON should respect all senior Gaudiya Vaishnavas outside ISKCON, but should not intimately associate with them, personally or through printed or recorded media, for guidance, teaching, instruction, or initiation as their presentation of Krishna consciousness often differs from that of Srila Prabhupada in emphasis, balance and other aspects of both teaching and practice.

B: This resolution is intended to apply categorically to all ISKCON members. ISKCON leaders’ first responsibility is to give considerate direction, guidance, and counseling to any ISKCON devotees personally affected by this resolution so as to bring them back to the path set by Srila Prabhupada.

2. In any case, those who continue to act in violation of this resolution are subject to sanctions by temple presidents and GBC zonal secretaries, who may exercise their discretion to prohibit any such devotees from living on ISKCON properties or participating in ISKCON functions.

Given the glaring differences between Narayana Maharaja’s preaching and Srila Prabhupada’s teachings, how can anyone wonder why ISKCON has been led to adopt such resolutions? Yet one senior Prabhupada disciple, who has recently publicly sworn her allegiance to Narayana Maharaja, declares with startling naivete:

In spite of the way that Srila Narayana Maharaja is presenting himself to ISKCON [as Prabhupada’s siksa disciple and as ISKCON’s well-wisher], there is apparent fear of him that exists within the GBC. I have struggled to reconcile this dichotomy that exists with his sweet and respectful sadhu behavior and ISKCON’s treatment of him.

She explains that her decision to follow Narayana Maharaja is “based on my realization that Srila Prabhupada’s teachings must take precedence over any later-day decisions taken by the GBC.”

One wonders how she fails to see that the actual dichotomy lies between Narayana Maharaja and Srila Prabhupada. Not only are the GBC decisions completely consistent with Srila Prabhupada’ s teachings, they are in fact demanded by them.

This writer goes on to state, echoing a complaint by Narayana Maharaja, that “There is no record in Shastra, in Srimad Bhagavatam or Chaitanya Charitamrta where one Vaishnava or group of Vaisnavas have forbidden anyone from hearing from another bona fide Vaisnava. This policy stands against Guru, Sadhu and Shastra.”

Only one completely ignorant or forgetful of the long history of Srila Prabhupada’s actions in relation to some of his Godbrothers could make such a claim. It is understandable that Narayana Maharaja may be unfamiliar with Srila Prabhupada’s instructions, but how could a senior Prabhupada disciple have become so ignorant? Or does she no longer consider Srila Prabhupada and his teachings to be “Guru and Shastra”?

Those who know Srila Prabhupada and remain faithful to him cannot forget the many occasions in India when Srila Prabhupada had to protect his disciples from adverse actions by some of his Godbrothers. These acts included:

(1) minimizing the position of Srila Prabhupada and belittling his achievement, (2) minimizing the importance of preaching in favor of bhajan, or promoting other practices tending toward sahajiyaism, (3) interfering in ISKCON’s management, (4) introducing ideas Prabhupada considered incorrect, and (5) improperly reinitiating disciples.

When Srila Prabhupada first sent his disciples to preach in India, before many ISKCON temples had been established, he sometimes allowed them to stay temporarily in Gaudiya Matha institutions. Later on, however, the problems noted above became such a constant source of difficulty, that Srila Prabhupada finally felt compelled to issue a blanket restriction against his disciples’ associating with members of the Gaudiya Matha. This letter to Rupanuga Maharaja of April 28, 1974, illustrates Srila Prabhupada’s level of concern:

So it is better not to mix with my Godbrothers very intimately because instead of inspiring our students and disciples they may sometimes pollute them. This attempt was made previously by them, especially [names of Godbrothers deleted] but somehow or other I saved the situation. This is going on. We shall be very careful about them and not mix with them. This is my instruction to you all. They cannot help us in our movement, but they are very competent to harm our natural progress. So we must be very careful about them.

On November 9, 1975, Srila Prabhupada wrote in a similar vein to Visvakarma Dasa:
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 3, 1975 with the enclosed statement about [name deleted]. 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.

These letters show how far Srila Prabhupada was prepared to go to protect his movement from contamination by outsiders, even those as close to him as his own Godbrothers. The general policy of Srila Prabhupada was to limit the association of his disciples with outsiders, and the GBC’s recent concern about the influence of Narayana Maharaja on members of ISKCON is certainly in keeping with Prabhupada’s attitude and, indeed, his well-documented policy.

Remarkably, the very same problems that arose during Srila Prabhupada’s time in regards to his Godbrothers have all reappeared with respect to Narayana Maharaja: (1) minimizing the position of Srila Prabhupada, (2) minimizing the importance of preaching in favor of bhajan, (3) interfering in ISKCON’s management, (4) introducing incorrect ideas, (5) improperly reinitiating disciples.

Although Narayana Maharaja glorifies Srila Prabhupada, it is the type of glorification which manages to include explicit criticisms, such as objecting to the names Prabhupada gave Deities (Rukmini-Dvarakadish, Radha-Parthasarathi) and to Prabhupada’s initiating women into the Brahma gayatri mantra. In addition, an implicit minimization of Prabhupada is contained in Narayana Maharaja’s theme that Prabhupada’s teaching was rudimentary and requires completion.

Narayana Maharaja has also reinitiated disciples of ISKCON gurus in good standing. He is attacking ISKCON and its leaders, reinitiating ISKCON devotees, and confusing ISKCON’s congregations with teachings at variance with those of Prabhupada--all this, in spite of the assurances given by two of Narayana Maharaja’s followers, both re-initiated former members of ISKCON (one of them a disciple of a guru in good standing), who write:

We would like to allay your fears of any systematic efforts on our part to canvass.
Maharaja has repeatedly publicly stated that he is not interested in giving diksha, “re-initiating” anyone, collecting crores, or in any way invalidate the spiritual position of the devotees, for he is well aware that this will cause confusion. That is surely not his position, for he only wants to encourage the devotees in their love of Srila Prabhupada, Iskcon and Sri Gauranga. His mission is to give respects to Srila Prabhupada and to offer his friendship.

This is indeed a strange letter to receive from one who, though a disciple of a respected ISKCON guru, had only a week earlier been reinitiated by Narayana Maharaja. Nor is his case unique: Other ISKCON devotees with gurus in good standing have been reinitiated, often by the transparent devices of receiving new spiritual “pet names” and by receiving second initiation These acts transgress Vaisnava etiquette, as well as the long-established accord among the various Gaudiya Mathas. In 1984, Narayana Maharaja said that in his institution if a member takes diksa or siksa from another Matha, he is asked to leave. Ten years ago, when another Gaudiya Matha leader had begun reinitiating ISKCON members and drawing them from ISKCON, Narayana Maharaja stated with great emphasis, “No Vaisnava will do like that. This is avaisnava.” Now, however, he seems to be committing the same acts that he once unhesitatingly condemned.

In addition, Narayana Maharaja does not demand the same rigorous standards for initiation that Srila Prabhupada established. Another Prabhupada disciple who has become a new admirer of Narayana Maharaja attempts to justify Narayana Maharaja’ s liberality in giving initiation in these words:

I hear the cry that says, “but he is initiating devotees without the mandatory year-long waiting period”. Who says that it’s “mandatory”? I saw Srila Prabhupada initiate a woman who no one even recommended to him, who came one day, got initiated the next, and no one ever saw her again.

The writer seems to have lost her memory of Srila Prabhupada, who in the beginning did many expedient things to establish the Krishna Consciousness movement, but who later personally insisted upon certain basic qualifications that every candidate must meet, not the least of which was the completion of a six-month probationary period and a recommendation by a Temple President. During that probationary period, the devotee was supposed to demonstrate the ability to follow Srila Prabhupada’s minimum standard: strictly following four regulative principles and chanting sixteen rounds a day. Narayana Maharaja, however, has a considerably lower standard for giving first initiation.

Because of his faith in his spiritual master’s order, Srila Prabhupada--and no one else--undertook all risks to bring Krsna consciousness to the world. By Krsna’s grace, his effort was crowned with unprecedented success. Therefore, we who follow him accept him as the acarya for the world-wide preaching of Krsna consciousness. We believe that Krsna gave him in particular the intelligence to determine the standard practices for the global Hare Krsna movement. In light of all these things, we have pledged ourselves to keep faith with Srila Prabhupada.

Among those standards established by Prabhupada were the strict following of four regulative principles and the chanting of sixteen rounds a day. Also among those standards was his insistence that rigorous measures be taken to keep the confidential topics of Radha-Krsna-lila from becoming the common discourse of conditioned souls. Also among these standards was the obligation of every devotee to become “fired up” with enthusiasm to spread Lord Caitanya’s mission, for that enthusiasm to spread Krsna consciousness will transport the devotee to the most confidential service of Krsna.

Narayana Maharaja, however, has a different realization of the way to preach Krsna consciousness. He wishes to modify Srila Prabhupada’s decisions in this matter. We cannot accept that he is qualified to do so. Those in ISKCON who have been taught by Srila Prabhupada, and who now have much experience of preaching outside of India, have strong misgivings about Narayana Maharaja’s endeavors. We have premonitions of disaster when we see someone liberally initiate many unqualified people and then immerse those same people in a culture in which rasika topics are a central focus.

Although Narayana Maharaja finds fault with ISKCON and believes he is presenting something superior, yet he--like some other sannyasis of the Gaudiya Matha--seems to find himself continually dependent on ISKCON’s preaching. As one of them candidly acknowledged recently, “We are all simply eating Swami Maharaja’s [Prabhupada’s] prasad.”

Narayana Maharaja has his own realizations, at variance with those of Srila Prabhupada, concerning the way to present Krsna consciousness. If he wishes to preach outside of India and test his realizations in practice, we wish him well and do not stand in his way. After all, there are five billion people around the world to preach to, only a tiny fraction of whom are in ISKCON. He should not, however, interfere with ISKCON, but let ISKCON minister to its own members in the manner taught by Srila Prabhupada, and let Narayana Maharaja bestow his mercy on all he can of the remaining five billion. Then we shall see who turns out successful.

We therefore ask Narayana Maharaja and his followers not to disturb ISKCON’s efforts to preach according to the dictates of Srila Prabhupada and not to lead ISKCON’s adherents away from those dictates. And we ask all those who are part of ISKCON to understand clearly that Narayana Maharaja’s policies and practices differ in significant ways from those of Srila Prabhupada, as we have shown. To recapitulate: Srila Prabhupada insisted that concentration on topics of conjugal lila is a matter only for those completely free from sex desire. These topics should never become the currency of public discourse. Prabhupada silenced any discussion of his own internal relation with Krsna, and he condemned as improper inquiry by his disciples concerning the matter. He emphasized that the qualification for advancing to the highest stages of Krsna consciousness could be attained by careful hearing and chanting and by increasing one’s ardent endeavors to bring fallen souls back to Krsna. These practices in themselves will lead the devotee to the perfectional platform, and he never told us to eventually find a rasika guru and engage in various practices under his guidance. Any faithful follower of Srila Prabhupada will carefully observe his directions and not compromise his teachings with other things.

All those who come in the line of Srila Prabhupada should keep faith in him and worship his order by following it strictly. Those who do so are assured by Prabhupada of attaining the fullest blessing possible from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada, from Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada, from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and from Sri Sri Radha-Krsna.

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