- Srila Sridhara - / - Srila Prabhupada -

BY: Mahesh Raja (UK)

My rebuttal is given below the following anonymous letter: 
Not a Guru? Srila Prabhupada shared Vyasasana with him! Not you.

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 2012-03-27 09:16.

Be careful, Srila Sridhar Maharaja was Srila Prabhupada's intimate friend, and had blessings of Siddhanta Sarasvati.

Number 1, Srila Prabhupada himself said "letters are not authoritative", but since you guys like them so much.

Refers to Srila Sridhar Maharaja as "your Divine Master".

New Delhi
16 September, 1955

His Holiness Sripada Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaja
Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math
Kolergunj
P.O. Navadvipa,
Dist. Nadia (W. Beng.)

My dear Sripada Govinda Maharaja,

I cannot but offer my congratulations to your holiness. Because I know if anything has been done it is due to your energy. I can understand now why Sripada Sridhara Maharaja bestowed all his mercy upon you. He rightly found in you some dormant energy for future action and we can see that it is now fructifying duly. You have complete mercy of your Divine Master and you can depend on his blessings for your future improvement. I sincerely wish you all success.

Yours affectionately,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta

At the opening of Chandrodaya Mandir, when Srila Prabhupada SHARED the Vyasasana with Srila Sridhar Maharaja:

At the Iskcon Chandrodaya Mandir in Mayapura in 1973, Srila Prabhupada said "We are very fortunate to hear His Divine Grace Om Vishnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Maharaja. By age and by experience, in both ways, he is senior to me."

There is much more on that tape. You should listen to what SRILA PRABHUPADA has to say on this important occasion. He is your guru after all, no?

Srila Prabhupada felt Srila Sridhar Maharaja was fit to share the Vyasasana with him, but YOU feel otherwise. YOU want to be the one on the Vyasasana, or you would not so blatantly disregard the sentiments of your Guru. Also, I feel what Srila Prabhupada said, while sitting on the Vyasasana is more important than a letter to some previously drugged-out mleccha. He may have been protecting Srila Sridhar Maharaja, who was old, and manifesting the pastimes of illness and blindness, and absorbed in Hari Bhajan. BTW, Srila Prabhupada told Pradyumna Prabhu to consult with Srila Sridhar Maharaja while finishing the Bhagavatam. But folks like you destroyed any chance of Srila Prabhupada's wish becoming reality, thus depriving humanity of a perfect ending to a masterpiece. Nice work.

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Conditioned soul Sridhara Maharaja versus Srila Prabhupada the Mahabhagavata
 

1)    Srila Prabhupada is the last name in the Disciplic succession – FACT! Sridhara Maharaja and the Gaudiya Maharaja names IGNORED COMPLETELY in ALL of Srila Prabhupada’s books.

Letter: Upendra, February 02, 1968

There are four Sampradayas from the beginning of the creation. One is called Brahma Sampradaya, and is coming down by disciplic succession from Brahma; another Sampradaya is coming down from Lakshmi, called Sri Sampradaya; another is coming down from the Kumaras, they are known as Nimbarka Sampradaya; another Sampradaya is coming from Lord Shiva, Rudra Sampradaya or Vishnu Swami. These are four bona fide Sampradayas that are accepted by the bona fide spiritualists. The Impersonalist Sampradaya is not original, neither the Impersonalist Sampradaya nor party can help us. At the present moment there are so many Sampradayas, but we have to test them about their method of disciplic understanding. Anyway, all the four Sampradayas above mentioned, they are after worshipping the Supreme Lord Vishnu, in His different Expansions, and some of them are in favor of worshipping Radha Krishna. In the later age the Brahma Sampradaya was handed down though Madhva Acharya; in this Madhva Acharya disciplic succession came Ishvara Puri. This Ishvara Puri was accepted as Spiritual Master of Lord Chaitanya. Therefore, we being in disciplic succession of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, we are known as the Madhva Sampradaya. And because Lord Chaitanya appeared in Bengal, which country is called Gauda-desha, our Sampradaya party is known as Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya. But all these Sampradayas are non-different from one another because they believe and worship the Supreme Lord. Any other Sampradaya who are Impersonalist or voidist or non-devotee, they are rejected by us.

MY GURU MAHARAJA WAS IN THE 10TH GENERATION FROM LORD CHAITANYA. WE ARE 11TH FROM LORD CHAITANYA. THE DISCIPLIC SUCESSION IS AS FOLLOWS: 1. SRI KRISHNA, 2. BRAHMA, 3. NARADA, 4. VYASA, 5. MADHVA, 6. PADMANABHA, 7. NRIHARI, 8. MADHAVA, 9. AKSHOBHYA, 10. JAYATIRTHA, 11. JNANASINDHU, 12. PURUSOTTAMA, 13. VIDYANIDHI, 14. RAJENDRA, 15. JAYADHARMA, 16. PURUSOTTAMA, 17. VYASATIRTHA, 18. LAKSMIPATI, 19. MADHAVENDRA PURI, 20. ISVARA PURI (ADVAITA, NITYANANDA) 21. SRI CHAITANYA MAHAPRABHU, 22. (SVARUPA, SANATANA) RUPA, 23. (JIVA) RAGHUNATH, 24. KRISHNA DASA, 25. NAROTTAMA, 26. VISVANATHA, 27. (BALADEVA.) JAGANNATHA, 28. (BHAKTIVINODE) GAURA-KISORA, 29. SRILA BHAKTISIDDHANTA SARASVATI, SRI BARSHABHANAVIDAYITADAS, 30. SRI SRIMAD BHAKTIVEDANTA.

2)    Srila Prabhupada QUOTED as Shastra. NOBODY bothers to quote Sridhara Maharaja that includes his OWN disciples EVEN THEY do NOT quote him. They ONLY quote Srila Prabhupada.  Sridhara Maharaja NOT accepted as AUTHORITY – Srila Prabhupada’s BOOKS are THE LAWBOOKS.  If Sridhara Maharaja was the bonafide his books would be recognised because SUPERSOUL talks thru the Spiritual Master BUT Sridhara Maharaja is NOT recognised. 

Regards Anonymous saying, “Number 1, Srila Prabhupada himself said "letters are not authoritative"

Even using just a little common-sense we can see that anonymous’s statement falls apart disastrously. His ploy is to somehow trick the reader into discarding Srila Prabhupada’s letters which contain some of the most damning evidence against conditioned soul Sridhara Maharaja.

a)      Then WHY was Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Hrishikesha a deviant FABRICATED to convince others to prop-up Sridhara Maharaja?  see web ref: http://iskcontimes.com/sridhara-maharaja-exposed

b)     If Srila Prabhupada’s letters are not authoritative then why waste time to write them? For fun?

c)      Srila Prabhupada instructed the WHOLE ISKCON movement by letters - if they were not authoritative then why did everyone FOLLOW that authority of the letters?

d)      I challenge you - Prove it! WHERE does Srila Prabhupada say EXACTLY that his letters are not authoritative? WHERE?   Sridhara Maharaja was a CHEATER he PRETENDED to be DIKSHA guru. His anonymous follower will do the same cheating.

A deal between the cheater and cheated. Where is the quality of TRUTHFULNESS, the brahminical qualification. You hide behind “anonymous” like a woman with purdah on the face.  If you have any HONESTY to defend your Sridhara Maharaja - face us OPENLY.

3)    Please avoid them

Letter: Vishvakarma, November 9, 1975

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 God brothers. 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.

4)     Srila Prabhupada went as far as commenting in  CHAITANYA CHARITAMRITA  of the nefarious activities of his God brothers of which Sridhara Maharaja was the chief deviant:

(Sridhara Maharaja included in the list) SELF-INTERESTED, FOOLISH DISCIPLES DISOBEYED HIS ORDERS
 

Adi 7.95-96 Lord Chaitanya in Five Features

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu never disobeyed the orders of His spiritual master and stopped propagating the sankirtana movement. Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami, at the time of his passing away, ordered all his disciples to work conjointly to preach the mission of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu all over the world. Later, however, some self-interested, foolish disciples disobeyed his orders. Each one of them wanted to become head of the mission, and they fought in the courts, neglecting the order of the spiritual master, and the entire mission was defeated. We are not proud of this; however, the truth must be explained. We believed in the words of our spiritual master and started in a humble way--in a helpless way--but due to the spiritual force of the order of the supreme authority, this movement has become successful.

BUT SRIDHARA MAHARAJA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DISOBEYING THIS ORDER OF GURU MAHARAJA

Letter: Rupanuga, April 28, 1974

You are right about Sridhara Maharaja's genuineness. But in my opinion he is the best of the lot. He is my old friend, at least he executes the regulative principles of devotional service. I do not wish to discuss about activities of my God brothers but it is a fact they have no life for preaching work. All are satisfied with a place for residence in the name of a temple, they engage disciples to get foodstuff by transcendental devices and eat and sleep. They have no idea or brain how to broadcast the cult of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. My Guru Maharaja used to lament many times for this reason and he thought if one man at least had understood the principle of preaching, then his mission would achieve success. In the latter days of my Guru Maharaja he was very disgusted. Actually, he left this world earlier, otherwise he would have continued to live for more years. Still he requested his disciples to form a strong Governing body for preaching the cult of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He never recommended anyone to be acharya 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 ACHARYA. If Guru Maharaja could have seen someone who was qualified at that time to be acharya he would have mentioned. Because on the night before he passed away he talked of so many things, but never mentioned an acharya. His idea was acharya was not to be nominated amongst the governing body. He said openly you make a GBC and conduct the mission. So his idea was amongst the members of GBC who would come out successful and self effulgent acharya would be automatically selected. So Sridhara Maharaja and his two associate gentlemen unauthorizedly selected one acharya and later it proved a failure. The result is now everyone is claiming to be acharya even though THEY MAY BE kanistha adhikari with no ability to preach. In some of the camps the acharya is being changed three times a year. Therefore we may not commit the same mistake in our ISKCON camp. ACTUALLY AMONGST MY GODBROTHERS NO ONE IS QUALIFIED TO BECOME ACHARYA. 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 Madhava Maharaja and Tirtha Maharaja and Bon Maharaja 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.

Note: The words “MAYBE kanistha adhikari” is also very appropriate as even kanistha stage requires one to be FULLY QUALIFIED BRAHMANA. Since even HONESTY (truthfulness) the QUALIFICATION OF BRAHMANA was lacking in Sridhara Maharaja then HOW was he even kanistha adhikari? Hence, Srila Prabhupada used the very appropriate word “maybe”.  It was NOT even certain he was a brahmana. He PRETENDED to be Diksha Guru while being DISOBEDIENT to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, his Guru.

Conversations, February 14, 1977, Mayapur

Prabhupada: Kanistha-adhikari means he must be a brahmana. That is kanistha-adhikari. The spiritual life, kanistha-adhikari, means he MUST be a QUALIFIED brahmana. That is kanistha. What is esteemed as very high position in the material world, brahmana, that is kanistha-adhikari. 

arcayam eva haraye

pujam yah sraddhayehate

na tad-bhaktesu canyesu

sa bhaktah prakrtah smrtah

The brahmana means from the material stage gradually he is elevated to the spiritual stage. AND BELOW THE BRAHMANA THERE IS NO QUESTION OF VAISHNAVA.

Note: Anonymous says Srila Prabhupada shared Vyasasana with Sridhara Maharaja. Dealings with Sridhar Maharaja and other God brothers was a case of diplomacy to showcase  their TRUE characters in  Srila Prabhupada’s books for future generation of disciples – bearing in mind - Srila Prabhupada’s books were to stay for generations.  It was a very EXPERT move.

 Diplomatic dealings TOO were used by Vasudeva also.

SB 10.1 Summary  The Advent of Lord Krishna: Introduction

After marrying Devaki, Vasudeva was returning home with her on a chariot driven by Kamsa, her brother, when an ominous voice addressed Kamsa, warning him that Devaki's eighth son would kill him. Upon hearing this omen, Kamsa was immediately ready to kill Devaki, but Vasudeva diplomatically began to instruct him.

Madhya 12.44    The Cleansing of the Gundicha Temple

A diplomat in the material world knows how to deal with people, especially in political affairs. Some of the great devotees of the Lord--like Ramananda Raya, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami and Rupa Gosvami--were government officers and had a background of very opulent householder life. Consequently they knew how to deal with people. In many instances we have seen the diplomacy of Rupa Gosvami, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and Ramananda Raya employed in the service of the Lord. When Raghunatha dasa Gosvami's father and uncle were to be arrested by government officials, Raghunatha dasa Gosvami hid them and personally met the government officers and settled the affair diplomatically. This is but one instance. Similarly, Sanatana Gosvami, after resigning his ministership, was thrown in jail, and he bribed the attendant of the jail so he could leave the clutches of the Nawab and live with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Now we see Ramananda Raya, a most confidential devotee of the Lord, diplomatically soften the heart of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, despite the fact that the Lord definitely decided not to meet the King. The diplomacy of Ramananda Raya and entreaties of Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya and all the other great devotees succeeded. The conclusion is that diplomacy used for the service of the Lord is a form of devotional service.

Note: Srila Prabhupada also used “HIS DIVINE GRACE” for Archbishop of Canterbury:

69-00-00. Letter: Archbishop of Canterbury

His Divine Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury

London, England 

Note: Srila Prabhupada says, All of my disciples are pure devotees.  Were they?

One has to see the ACTUAL CONTEXT in Srila Prabhupada’s writings.  Sridhara Maharaja was NOT a realized person.  He was a CONDITIONED SOUL. 

He was a mental speculator with some Vedic knowledge and Sanskrit he could recite – bas! He was Shukracharya type with motivations. He was opportunist.

Letter: Tusta Krishna, December 14, 1972

Your next question, after leaving this material realm does the devotee remain forever with his spiritual master? The answer is yes. But I think you have got the mistaken idea in this connection. You speak of pure devotee, that he is saktyavesa avatara, that we should obey him only--these things are the wrong idea. If anyone thinks like that, that a pure devotee should be obeyed and no one else, that means he is a nonsense. We advise everyone to address one another as Prabhu. Prabhu means master, so how the master should be disobeyed? Others, they are also pure devotees. All of my disciples are pure devotees. Anyone sincerely serving the spiritual master is a pure devotee, it may be Siddhasvarupa or others, a-Siddhasvarupa. This must be very clearly stated. It is not only that your Siddhasvarupa is a pure devotee and not others. Do not try to make a faction. Siddhasvarupa is a good soul. But others should not be misled. Anyone who is surrendered to the spiritual master is a pure devotee, it doesn't matter if Siddhasvarupa or non-Siddhasvarupa.
Amongst ourselves one should respect others as Prabhu, master, one another. As soon as we distinguish here is a pure devotee, here is a non-pure devotee, that means I am a nonsense. Why you only want to be in the spiritual sky with Siddhasvarupa? Why not all? If Siddhasvarupa can go, why not everyone? Siddhasvarupa will go, you will go, Shyamasundara. will go, all others will go. We will have another ISKCON there. Of course, Mr. Nair must stay.

And if somebody does not go, then I shall have to come back to take him there. One should remember this and every one of my disciples should act in such a way that they may go with me and may not have to come back to take another birth.

As for your next question, can only a few pure devotees deliver others, anyone, if he is a pure devotee he can deliver others, he can become spiritual master. But unless he is on that platform he should not attempt it. Then both of them will to go to hell, like blind men leading the blind.

Next you ask if I am present in my picture and form? Yes. In form as well as in teachings. To carry out the teachings of guru is more important than to worship the form, but none of them should be neglected. Form is called vapu and teachings is called vani. Both should be worshiped. Vani is more important than vapu.

Your next question is, should we love Krishna or love the spiritual master: You cannot go to Krishna directly, loving Him. It is common sense that if Krishna is the object of your love, His pet dog is also the object of your love. Friends meet friends and if the friend is with his dog, the gentleman pats his dog first, is it not? So the man becomes automatically pleased, his dog being patted. I have seen it in your country. The conclusion is this: Without pleasing the spiritual master he cannot please Krishna. If anyone tries to please Krishna directly, he's fool number one.

Hoping this meets you and your good wife, Krishna Tulasi dasi, in good health and devotional mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Note: Srila Prabhupada has the TELEVISON IN HEART unlike disobedient Sridhara Maharaja and god brothers, Narayana Maharaja, ISKCON’S lunatic bogus GBC rubber-stamped gurus. 

Srimad Bhagavatam 2.9.35    Answers by Citing the Lord' s Version

Therefore, although He is present in every atom, the Supreme Personality of Godhead may not be visible to the dry speculators; still the mystery is unfolded before the eyes of the pure devotees because their eyes are anointed with love of Godhead. And this love of Godhead can be attained only by the practice of transcendental loving service of the Lord, and nothing else. The vision of the devotees is not ordinary; it is purified by the process of devotional service. In other words, as the universal elements are both within and without, similarly the Lord's name, form, quality, pastimes, entourage, etc., as they are described in the revealed scriptures or as performed in the Vaikunthalokas, far, far beyond the material cosmic manifestation, are factually being televised in the heart of the devotee. The man with a poor fund of knowledge cannot understand, although by material science one can see things far away by means of television. Factually, the spiritually developed person is able to have the television of the kingdom of God always reflected within his heart. That is the mystery of knowledge of the Personality of Godhead.

Note: Srila Prabhupada is THE diksha Guru who CAN transfer Krishna to YOUR heart. The conditioned souls like Sridhar Maharaja and Gaudiya Math bogus deviants, Narayana Maharaja and ISKCON’s GBC rubber-stamped bogus gurus are opportunists.

Srimad Bhagavatam 10.2.18 Prayers by the Demigods for Lord Krishna in the Womb

As indicated here by the word manastah, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was transferred from the core of Vasudeva's mind or heart to the core of the heart of Devaki. We should note carefully that the Lord was transferred to Devaki not by the ordinary way for a human being, but by diksha, initiation. Thus the importance of initiation is mentioned here. Unless one is initiated by the right person, who always carries within his heart the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one cannot acquire the power to carry the Supreme Godhead within the core of one's own heart.

Journey of Self Discovery 2.2 Beyond Religion

Devotee: Some of these so-called gurus will say some things that Krishna says, but they'll give other instructions also. What is the position of such persons?

Srila Prabhupada: They are most dangerous. Most dangerous. They are opportunists. According to the customer, they give some teachings so he will be pleased. Such a person is not a guru; he's a servant. He wants to serve his so-called disciples so that they may be satisfied and pay him something. A real guru is not a servant of his disciples; he is their master. If one becomes a servant, if he wants to please the disciples by flattering them to get their money, then he is not a guru. A guru should also be a servant, yes--but a servant of the Supreme. The literal meaning of the word guru is "heavy"--heavy with knowledge and authority, because his knowledge and authority come from Krishna. You cannot utilize the guru for satisfying your whims.

Related articles:

Srila Sridhar Maharaj embraced the Rtvik system established by Srila Prabhupada
Sridhara Maharaja's 'Final Ritvik Order'
History of Sridhara Swami - Gaudia Math
Sridhara- and Narayana Maharajas
Sridhara Maharaja – EXPOSED

The Gaudia Math vs. Iskcon History
Srila Prabhupada on his Godbrothers
Srila Prabhupada Speaks about his Gaudiya Math Godbrothers
Prabhupada's Godbrothers AVOID THEM! [Rupanuga letter]
AVOIDING REPEATING THE GAUDIYA MATHA MISTAKE
Conversation with Sridhara Maharaja
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