Yuga-Acarya Award

Photo:Presentation of the Yuga Acarya award


Friday, 31 October 2003


Presentation of the Yuga Acarya award

Uchagaon, India, October 31, 2003
Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja
[Included with Srila Narayana Maharaja's lecture is a short report on a historical festival that took place in Vrndavana during this year's Kartika parikrama. At that festival Srila Maharaja was awarded the title "Acarya of the Millennium". Just before and just after the festival, in his own Sri Kesavaji Gaudiya Matha, he told the devotees that he does not think himself qualified for such an honor. Actually Srila Rupa should be honored with this title. So, only on behalf of our previous acaryas like Srila Rupa Gosvami, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and our Srila Prabhupada that he accepting this honorary title.]

On October 31, 2003 in the Vraja village of Uchagaon (Lalita-sakhi's village), Vrajacarya Pith and the World Religious Parliament in Delhi jointly awarded Parama-pujyapada Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja the title "Yuga Acarya".
The program began with traditional and ancient songs sung by the Nandagaon and Varsana panditas. After that the various representatives of each village performed the puspa abhiseka ("bathing" with a shower of flowers) of Srila Narayana Maharaja. All the heads of the various communities representatives threw flowers on Srila Maharaja's divine body and honored him by placing garlands on him. Svami Shamaji, the head of the World Religions Parliament, gave Srila Maharaja an upper cloth, a special cloth for the Yuga Acarya. A certificate was then presented to Srila Maharaja by Deepak Raja Bhatta, who is the head of Vrajacarya Pith.




photo:Puspa abhiseka for Srila Maharaja


The following individuals garlanded Srila Narayana Maharaja:

The Chairmen of Varsana and Nandagaon
Head of Vraja gopa community – Sri Singh Cadri
Head of Lalita-devi temple – Sri Krsnananda Gosvami
Head of Premapith Dijara – Sri Lalitji
Head of the brahmana community of Uchagaon – Pandit Harivallabha Sharma
Head of the brahmana community of Gazipur Village
Sri Gangashamji
Head of Chiksoli village (Citra sakhi’s village)
Senior doctor of Varsana – Sri AK Sharan
Savita didi representing Srila Gurudeva’s disciples
Sri Krsnakumar Mahesvari

Padmanabha Maharaja was then called by the organizers to come to the podium, to read the words written on the award plaque. Although the plaque was not written in perfect grammatical English, it had a power and exactitude in its choice of words that seemed to the audience to supercede and transcend all languages of this world.

"Vrajacarya Pith and the World Religious Parliament of New Delhi, India presents acarya of the millennium. Engrained with the comprehensive spiritual wealth of the Vedas and Vedangas, Ayurveda, Jyotisa (astrology) and related sciences; the protector of traditional heritages, eloquently knowledgeable in the doctrines of Sanskrit which is the mother of all languages; staunch believer in its spread and propagation, a passionate seeker of human social welfare; dedicated to the traditional path and following Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Caitanya Matha and the bhaskara gurus, being disciple of Srila Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, and entrenched in service through bhakti; a remarkable follower and adherent of the Aryan-sanatana philosophical traditions, propagator of love of all faiths, humility and selflessness towards every religion, saintly with pristine spirituality and giver of profoundest love to one and all; follower and practitioner of luminous sanatana knowledge upholding the great tradition of universal brotherhood; dedicated to the promulgation, propagation and protection of the unique Vraja culture and environment, and immeasurably desirous of the redevelopment of Vraja – his divine holiness is one who is enlightened and embraced with divine benevolence and is an authoritative acarya filled with eruditeness, a teacher of teachers, and a guardian and flag bearer of the Sri Krsna bhakti movement – his divine grace Om visnupada astottara-sata Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja.
[Srila Narayana Maharaja then addressed the leader of the Vraja Pyadisha, Deepak Raja Bhatta, and all the exalted and renowned scholarly persons who gathered from Varsana, Nandagaon and all the places of Vraja. His discourse was given in Hindi, simultaneously translated by Sripad Akhilesa dasa Adhikari for those Western devotees who were fortunate to have headphones, and later translated for the transcriber of tis document by Sripad Ramacandra dasa Adhikari:]

"I am in no case fit for the high class of honor you have given to me. It is due to your own greatness, benevolence and charitable natures that you are giving it to me. I feel ashamed to accept this designation, because it is far too elevated for me. Syamaji, the head of the World Religious Parliament, and Deepakji, the head of the Vraja Pyadisha, intensely insisted again and again to give me this award, and I rejected it again and again. But finally they forced me to accept it. In this honorific title you have used the word acarya. In that regard there are so many past acaryas, such as our Gosvamis, Sri Madhvacarya, Sri Vallabhacarya and so on. In comparison to all of them, I am insignificant. I do not understand the reason you all find me fit for this designation of Yuga Acarya. This is Kali-yuga and so many exalted, self-realized acaryas came. It may be possible that this is Kali Yuga and I am the present, or most recent, acarya of Kali Yuga.

"One fact is true though; from the core of my heart I am always totally surrendered and dedicated to the Vrajavasis. My very big concern is that all the important places in Vraja-mandala are vanishing and they are not being looked after correctly. Nowadays there is little concern in the people like our Sripad Ramesh babaji and others. I heard that an enormous number of rupees is allotted for the upliftment of Vraja-mandala, but that the money has gone in vain, in individuals' pockets.

"I have arranged this parikrama in order to bring the foreign devotees here – to narrate to them the glorification of Vraja-mandala and to have them visit all these glorious places. I would like them to understand the glories of the holy places. I also want them to see the dilapidated condition of these places so they can begin to think about their renovation. These foreigners should see what they are giving their life to, and through them I will do what I can to redevelop the pastimes places in Vraja.
"I tried, by my own efforts, to renovate Brahma-kunda and Uddhava-kyari, which is practically totally destroyed, but the government did not want to cooperate. At Uddhava-kyari we have planted many trees, but then the government members told me, "Why have you done this on your own? You should go through the government." If we go through the government, however, the government men do not do anything to help. I want to redevelop Uddhava-kyari and I have already spent 150,000 rupees to do so. The government men wrote me, "Don't plant trees there." But before the government's letter reached us we completed the planting in two days. I met the magistrate but he had no brain. I told him and his associates, "In the entire universe Vraja is the most important place, and you want to stop redeveloping it?"

"I do not think that there is one real Indian in the Parliament otherwise he would have thought about renovating these places. This Vraja-mandala is the life and soul of Bharata (India), and unless we accept its culture our life will go in vain. It is the Indian government in name only. If its members were Indian they would have taken care.
"Srimati Radharani is Vrndavanesvari. Lord Krsna may be Vrajesvara, but He cannot be Rasesvara because our Srimati Radharani is Rasesvari. Sri Krsna dances when Srimati Radhika snaps Her fingers. What to speak of Radharani, even Mother Yasoda terrifies Him, by showing Him a stick.

"Sri Krsna falls down at the feet of the gopis. All demigods worship Him as God, yet the position of these gopis is so highly elevated that that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna falls at their lotus feet. He told the gopis:
na paraye 'ham niravadya-samyujam
sva-sadhu-krtyam vibudhayusapi vah
ya mabhajan durjara-geha-srnkhalah
samvrscya tad vah pratiyatu sadhana

["I am not able to repay My debt for your spotless service, even within a lifetime of Brahma. Your connection with Me is beyond reproach. You have worshiped Me, cutting off all domestic ties, which are difficult to break. Therefore please let your own glorious deeds be your compensation." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.32.22)]
"I am completely absorbed in and influenced by the culture of Vraja-bhava. It is the real "jyotir gamaya" – the light into we should enter. We should understand that the ultimate limit of bhagavat-prema (love pf God) is radha-dasya (service to Srimati Radhika).

"What is bhagavat prema? Without radha-dasya no one can attain Lord Krsna. Who is a Vrajavasi? Not everyone born in Vraja is a Vrajavasi. A Vrajavasi is one who has a mood like Nanda Baba, or Mother Yasoda, or Srimati Radharani. One who has a bhava (transcendental emotion) like Nanda Baba – "Krsna is my son" or that "Srimati Radhika is my sakhi" is a Vrajavasi. One who has such a relationship with Srimati Radharani will think, "We don't want any direct relationship with Krsna. Our mistress, our life and soul, is Srimati Radhika. If Sri Krsna calls me I won't go. I will only do what is required to make Them meet." The manjaris, those Vrajavasis who think “Srimati Radharani is our friend,” understand that Sri Krsna is fully controlled by Her. They are palya-dasis of Srimati Radharani and are so great that they can even stop Krsna when He is on the way to see Her. This culture is full of prema.
"This spiritual culture has degenerated now in Vraja. I would like to see that when people come from outside to look into this culture, the residents approach them in an honorable way – not to rob the Westerners pockets to fill their own.These days Indians don't read Srimad-Bhagavatam, and certainly they don’t read it in Parliament. I don’t think that anyone in our Parliament knows these truths or has even read Srimad-Bhagavatam.

"I am happy that Syamadasaji, the head of World Religious Parliament has read my translation and commentary of Sri Bhagavad-gita and appreciates it. Bhagavad-Gita is our real treasure. I have not done anything wonderful. I simply translated the commentary of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and, having taken his remnants, I also wrote something.

"Our Vraja consists of Kadamba-kyari (Uddhava Kyari), Pavana-sarovara and many other places of Lord Krsna's transcendental pastimes, and according to my capacity I am donating money to renovate them. I want to make the government members understand that by my renovating Vraja-mandala their own status will be glorified, but they do not understand. They said we should do this in a proper way, but when I asked them what is the proper way they said, "Submit an application." We gave them an application and nothing happened for four months– the magistrate was transferred and no action was taken to renovate. Without their help we have begun renovating Ter-kadamba and Pavana-sarovara, and we have already started cleaning the water of Radha-kunda and Manasi-ganga. We are trying to purify the water of Pavana-sarovara, Pili Pokhara and Yasoda-kunda. Three-quarters are already purified by the apparatus we brought, and we will try to purify the rest, and also the Yamuna. By the help of rich scientists and others I will help them.

"Yavat is the place of Srimati Radharani's in-laws, not Nandagaon. We don’t believe that Nandagaon is the place of Srimati Radharani’s in-laws, but rather that place is Yavat. Srimati Radharani is not married to Sri Krsna. Radharani is dear to Sri Krsna, but Yogamaya didn't allow their marriage. If Srimati Radhika was Krsna's wife and Nanda Baba was Her father-in-law, they would have taken Her in their home – but they didn't. She didn't live there. Also, Satyabhama and Rukmini had so many children. Why didn't Srimati Radhika have any children?
"Srimati Radhika did not stay or live in the house of Nanda Baba as a bride because She is Krsna's paramour. This paramour- rasa is the topmost rasa. A wife is a type of servant. If one becomes a wife she is forced to serve her husband, and her husband is bound to supply her necessities like clothing and other paraphernalia. We have never seen that Krsna gave clothes, soap or anything of the sort to Srimati Radharani. He only gave Her garlands, which are free of cost. He never spent any money on the gopis.

"We have to reconcile Srimati Radhika's supposed marriage. She was married in Bhandirvana, but that was not a real marriage. It was by the gandarva system of simply exchanging garlands. No in-laws were present. By Yogamaya's order She and Krsna never married. The essence of this Srimad-Bhagavatam is parakiya-bhava and this is what Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to give. I want to present the idea of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Srimad-Bhagavatam was spoken by Sri Sukadeva Gosvami and written by Vyasadeva. This is what Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to give. He accepted that Srimati Radharani was never married to Krsna, and our Gosvamis like Srila Rupa Gosvami, Srila Sanatana Gosvami and Srila Jiva Gosvami are in the same line. There are so many examples of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy in the form of Srila Rupa Gosvami's Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. These books are only descriptions of these principles.
"I want to renovate Yavat. I went to that sacred place of Srimati Radharani’s in-laws, but I saw that the managers are installing deities of Durga-devi and Ganesh. Ganesh, Sankara, and Parvati are sitting there on the altar. I was sad to see these deities sitting there. I told the managers, "If you take them off the altar then I will develop this place." They became angry.

"I am trying to beautify this small place where the pastimes of Yavat can be remembered. Now, even the vata tree is not there in Yavat, but rather another tree is there. This is shameful.
In Vrndavana, at Rasa-sthali, there is no vata, banyan tree. I want to plant a vata tree there. I came to know that Bhattaji wants the renovation of this place. Let them come up with program and I’ll see it. Since I already want to serve this sacred place. I can expand my program to include them."

After Srila Maharaja's talk, When Mr. Syama, the organizer of the program, went up to the podium and thanked him, He addressed him as "this fellow". He explained that he used the word "fellow" because, “When we Vrajavasis love someone, we accept him as our own intimate family member or our own self – so we call him 'fellow'. This Yuga Acarya, this fellow, demonstrated that he is fit for this post. He says he is not fit for it, but his humble words are also the symptom of the greatness of great personalities.]
[Some of the Nandagaon panditas were upset by Srila Maharaja’s saying that Nandagaon was not Srimati Radharani’s in-laws’ place, so he spoke further:]

"The Srimad-Bhagavatam is written in paroksavada. Paroksavada is a statement that is made only indirectly. For example, Krsna told the gopis who came after hearing His flute playing, "Go back to your homes and serve your husbands. It is the dharma religious duty of a chaste wife to serve her husband – even if her husband is ugly, sick, lame or crippled or harsh." "Oh," the gopis replied, "We have just heard this message from you. You are so great to have given us this instruction, and therefore You are our guru. We have heard from authority that we must serve our guru first, and then anyone else. We accept You as our guru because You are giving us this religious knowledge Also, you are our real pati, one who nourishes another. You are the personality who nourishes our heart. You nourish everyone, even our husbands, and therefore you are our pati in real sense." Pati also means husband.
"We should therefore understand that this section of Srimad-Bhagavatam contains statements made indirectly. Srimati Radharani possesses all the qualities that attract Lord Krsna. At the same time, Krsna is so attractive that He attracts Her. He attracts Srimati Radharani more than He is attracted towards Her. So I am not rejecting Krsna. He is unlimitedly beautiful and has such unlimitedly great qualities that even Srimati Radharani becomes attracted towards Him. Please do not misunderstand that by glorifying Srimati Radharani I am undermining the glorification of Krsna. I am not trying to make Krsna look small. By paroksavada, indirect reference, I am truly glorifying Him."

Pujyapada Madhava Maharaja composed two verses in honor of Bhaktivedanta Srila Narayana Maharaja receiving the Yuga Acarya award. The first verse is for both of his Guru Maharajas – his diksa-guru Srila Vamana Maharaja and his siksa-guru Srila Narayana Maharaja, and the second verse is for Srila Narayana Maharaja:
1st sloka: vande bhaktivedantau sri vamana narayanau sahaditau
gaudadaye sobhabantau (puspabantau) parivrajakacarya yugacaryau

2nd sloka: yugacarya prabhum vande Sri Narayana karunamayam
sri radha dasye lobham datva tarayate bhuvana trayam
2nd sloka: "I offer my obeisances to he who was awarded the title Yuga Acarya, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja. He is an ocean of mercy. Radha dasye lokam datva – he is giving greed to follow the maidservants of Srimati Radhika, and by giving this greed he is delivering the three worlds."

Editorial Advisors: Pujyapada Madhava Maharaja and Sripad Brajanatha dasa
Translator: Ramacandra prabhu
Editor: Syamarani dasi
Transcriber: Vasanti dasi
Typist: Anita dasi

A Response To The Rtvik System

A Response To The Rtvik System

by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Gosvami Maharaja
[A Lecture Given in Polansk, Russia: July 19, 2001] I offer my humble obeisances at the lotus feet of my paramaradhyatama gurupadapadma nitya-lila pravista om visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, and also to my siksa-guru om visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja.

In our class yesterday we discussed the intrinsic nature of bhakti. We explained there that pure bhakti is the function of the svarupa-sakti (internal potency) of Krsna, and therefore it never manifests in the material senses, words, or mind. There is a process for it to manifest, however. Krsna is an ocean of mercy and His devotee is also an ocean of mercy. Our only hope is to receive their mercy. This is the only ray of hope. Only by the causeless mercy of Krsna and His devotees will the vrtti (characteristic function) of svarupa-sakti enter and become one with the senses of the material body.

Srila Rupa Gosvami has given a process for this transcendental vrtti of bhakti to come upon the conditioned soul's tongue and other senses, and that is:

adau sraddha tatah sadhu sanga'tha bhajana-kriya,
tato 'nartha nivritti syat tato nistha rucis tatah,
athasaktis tato bhavas tatah premabhyudancati
sadhakam ayam pemnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah

"In the beginning there must be faith. Then one becomes interested in associating with pure devotees. Thereafter one is initiated by the spiritual master and executes the regulative principles under his orders. Thus one is freed from all unwanted habits and becomes firmly fixed in devotional service. Thereafter, one develops taste and attachment. This is the way of sadhana-bhakti, the execution of devotional service according to the regulative principles. Gradually emotions intensify, and finally there is an awakening of love. This is the gradual development of love of Godhead for the devotee interested in Krsna consciousness." (Madhya 23.16)

Without accepting diksa from a bona fide guru, can one develop bhakti or not? Some think that chanting, remembering, reading books, and performing arcana, sravanam and kirtanam is sufficient and there is no need for a mediator. They think that accepting a 'rtvik' person is sufficient for attaining pure bhakti, and there is no need of accepting diksa from any living self-realized guru.

Those who think, "There is no need to accept a guru as a mediator because we can chant the holy name, we can read books, and we can do arcana and sadhana simply by the rtvik system," are not within the guru-parampara. They deceive others. They are actually cheaters; not bhaktas. Nowhere in the sastra is it written that a rtvik can ever give bhakti. [There are nineteen places in Prabhupada's books where the word 'rtvik' is used, and in all cases the word only refers to a priest officiating or performing a fire sacrifice. Even when the word used is 'rtvik acarya,' it is still defined as a priest performing a fire sacrifice for a secular gain.] This can never be the case. Those who advocate the rtvik system are misleaders, and their followers are misled. Do not go towards the rtvik system.

Nowadays, among others, those who fell down from their pure life and those who left the renounced order due to being very lusty want to be rtvik. They want to gain the same position they had before, and that is why he they are crying, "Rtvik, rtvik, rtvik!" Actually, however, they are all fallen souls and they have nothing to do with bhakti. In none of the sastras has it been said that this rtvik system will give bhakti.

Be careful regarding the bogus rtvik system. These rtviks have no faith in Krsna, no faith in bhakti, and no faith in scriptures like the Vedas, Upanisads, Srimad Bhagavatam, and Caitanya-caritamrta. They also have no faith in the guru-parampara, and that is why they cannot give bhakti. You should give up the idea that the rtviks can help. They can never help you. They have never even helped themselves, so how can they help others?

This word 'rt' has come from the word 'Rg-Veda.' Those who know all Vedas, including the Rg, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva Veda, all the Upanishads, and all the Puranas, are actually rtvik. I think, however, that these modern rtviks don't even know the ABC's of the Vedas. They say that in this world there are no pure devotees, and therefore there are no pure devotees to initiate anyone. This idea is very, very wrong and it against the principles of bhakti. The rtvik proponents saw that the devotees in their society were quarreling amongst themselves, and that there was no suddha-bhakta there. Then, mistaking that those who quarreled were in the guru-parampara, the rtviks became opposed to the actual guru-parampara.

Beware of this rtvik system. Without a self-realized guru you cannot achieve bhakti in thousands of births. This is an established truth. This is siddhanta. You should therefore accept a sad-guru, serve him, and try to follow his instructions. Then you can develop your Krsna consciousness and all of your anarthas will disappear. Otherwise, it will never be possible for pure bhakti to come and touch your heart and senses.

I would like to clarify one thing. I am not saying that all rtviks mislead others. Only those who say that there is no need of a guru do so. Whatever has been told in the Vedas and Upanisads about rtviks is only in relation to their sole function in a fire sacrifice, and those fire sacrifices are performed only to fulfill a worldly desire. They have nothing to do with transcendental love and affection for Krsna. [In The True Conception of Sri Guru-tattva it is stated: "After deliberation upon the Mahabharata, Ramayana, and Puranas, it becomes obvious that rtviks have nothing to do with the supreme transcendental goal...'Rtau yajtiti rtviki.' One who conducts sacrifices according to Vedic mantras is called a rtvik. There is an arrangement of 16 types of rtviks to perform the sacrifices. The yajman employs priests to perform sacrifices for him and he pays them. All these rtviks are virtuous, of high character, learned in the Vedas, and expert in the execution and supervision of sacrifices. After the completion of the yajnas, the yajman (employer) pays the appropriate remuneration to the rtviks and sends them away. The yajman and the rtvik have no mutual eternal relationships."]

Real rtviks know all sastras, and all of them have gurus. A rtvik cannot be a rtvik without accepting a real guru. All rtviks, like Vasistha Rsi, are very high-class devotees. Visvamitra, Gautama, and even Vyasadeva are rtviks, but they have all accepted the guru-parampara. They all believe that there are always self-realized gurus in the world. Nowadays, therefore, those who call themselves rtviks are all cheaters, and we should beware of them.

When we accept a guru, it may be that we have so many anarthas, unwanted thoughts and habits, within us. We may be very ignorant about krsna-tattva, maya-tattva, radha-tattva, bhakti-tattva, and all other tattvas. So many anarthas and aparadhas may be there within us, but there is a process to be free from them.

There are so many gurus: caitya-guru, diksa-guru, siksa-guru, bhajana-guru, and others. Why go to a bogus-rtvik guru? If our siksa-gurus are Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda prabhu, and Radhika, why do we need to go to these rtviks?

[Typed and edited by Sripad Krsna Bhajana dasa Brahmacari
Proofread by Srimati Premavati devi dasi
HTML by Bhutabhavana dasa]

ISKCON Bans Sadhus

by Srimati Jadurani devi dasi 1 October 2002

For the past few years, ISKCON leaders have had a worldwide ban on Gaudiya Matha Indian sadhus. In particular, the ban is targeted to Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja, one of India's most renowned saints, who is honored by over 100,000 Indian and Western devotees and other religious-minded persons. Not only do the ISKCON leaders make regular propaganda against him, they do not allow him to enter their temples around the world. In hopes that this ban would be removed, we, disciples of Srila Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja (the founder-acarya of ISKCON) and also followers of Srila Narayana Maharaja, did not make it public before.

However, because it has, on the contrary, become increasingly stringent, and many sincere devotees are suffering as a result, we now find no other option than to inform our respected Indian readers.

This ban does not only apply to Srila Narayana Maharaja. It also applies to his disciples, as well as to the disciples of Srila Prabhupada, and it also applies to other devotees who associate with and appreciate him.

The Ban in Los Angeles

The following official letter from ISKCON of Los Angeles was recently handed to one of Srila Narayana Maharaja's disciples who had been living one block from the temple and attending its functions for several years:

"The policy of ISKCON Los Angeles is that initiated disciples of the guru Narayana Maharaja are not allowed on any of the ISKCON properties, including the temple, the restaurant, the gift shop, or the ISKCON property division apartment building on Watseka Avenue. As an initiated disciple of Narayana Maharaja, you have been informed of this policy verbally and by letter. The letter you received also explained the reasons for the policy. Despite these notifications, you have refused to obey the policy, and have entered one or more of the above-mentioned properties. The next time you violate the policy by entering any of the above-mentioned properties, the temple will obtain a restraining order, forbidding you to enter those properties. As soon as it is issued, this order will show up on your police record. You should also understand that if you violate the restraining order, you might be subject to arrest, fine, and imprisonment. Our hope is that you will respect the policy, and not force the issuance of a restraining order."

The Ban at Bhaktivedanta Manor

The Bhaktivedanta Manor in England is another example. Its policy is that any devotee who accepts guidance from Srila Narayana Maharaja, or is even just curious to meet him, are at risk of being banned from the Manor and rejected from ISKCON. Many of Srila Prabhupada's disciples, who have given up to 30 years of their lives for his service and the service of the Deities were banned from the Manor. Although these devotees had faithfully distributed hundreds of thousands of Srila Prabhupada's books, they were banned because of their faith in Srila Narayana Maharaja. Their children were also banned from attending the temple Gurukula, and young Indian members of Pandava Sena Youth Forum who were interested in taking siksa from Srila Narayana Maharaja were banned from the temple. When local devotees approached Srila Narayana Maharaja's disciples with criticisms of him, any attempt undertaken by his disciples to defend him was immediately reported to the authorities as "proselytizing." When the disciples of Srila Narayana Maharaja protested that they had been forced into defending their spiritual master, the authorities declared that even if their guru was being blasphemed they were forbidden to answer back. This was not an isolated incident. Approaching the devotees, temple authorities threatened them with dire consequences should they so much as mention the name of "Narayana Maharaja" or speak about him in any way.

Srila Narayana Maharaja's Relationship with Srila Prabhupada

This is all very strange, since the relationship between Srila Narayana Maharaja and ISKCON's founder-acarya, Srila Prabhupada, has been very intimate since 1946, before the birth of most of the ISKCON devotees. Srila Narayana Maharaja's initiating guru, Srila Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, is Srila Prabhupada's god-brother and sannyasa-guru, and Srila Maharaja himself is Prabhupada's siksa-disciple.

Srila Narayana Maharaja assisted Srila Prabhupada in his preaching in Jhansi and other places in the 1950's. He performed Prabhupada's sannyasa initiation in 1959 (even showing him how to wear the sannyasa apparel), and he assisted Prabhupada in publishing the books that he first brought with him to America in 1966. He sent Prabhupada Deities so that he could train his new Western disciples how to worship Thakurji, according to authorized Vedic standards, in his brand new ISKCON temples. He sent Prabhupada's Sanskrit books for his translation work, and also his first karatals and mrdangas for his worldwide sankirtana activities. He assisted Prabhupada in training the first American disciples who Prabhupada brought back with him to India, and he performed many other services until 1977.

Then, in November of 1977, when Srila Prabhupada was in his last manifest days in this world, he requested Srila Narayana Maharaja to take care of his disciples after his divine departure. Srila Maharaja promised to do so, just as Lord Rama promised his father Dasaratha Maharaja to serve his order up until his last breath. Although Prabhupada's own senior-most disciples and also his own god-brothers were also present at the time of his departure, he requested Srila Maharaja to personally put his divine body in samadhi. In 1986, on the request of the ISKCON leaders, Srila Maharaja went to the Bombay court and saved all the ISKCON properties and funds from being given to Prabhupada's previous son (who was suing ISKCON for all its properties on the false plea that Prabhupada never took sannyasa). Ever since Prabhupada's departure, Srila Narayana Maharaja has been helping to give new life to thousands of Prabhupada's followers who came to him for spiritual shelter.

Many thousands have been inspired.

Srila Narayana Maharaja in the West

Although he is over 82 years of age, Srila Narayana Maharaja regularly travels abroad. He preaches the glories of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Radha-Krsna, and the glory of ISKCON's founder-acarya Srila Prabhupada, for 8 months every year, in about 10 countries every year, and he has just completed his fourteenth world preaching tour. In many of those countries, especially in Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia, he is invited to give discourses on India's Vedic Sanatana-dharma, following in the line of Sri Krsna-dvaipayana Vyasadeva and Mahaprabhu, at prominent Hindu temples.

In June, 2001, Srila Narayana Maharaja held his annual Ratha-yatra festival in Birmingham, England. During that week-long festival, the Life Foundation Worldwide presented him with the "World Peace Flame", for his contribution to preaching love of God and peace around the world. Lit by royalty, indigenous elders and eminent peace-makers, the World Peace Flame was flown to England from six continents by the RAF (Royal Air Force). This award has also been presented to Pope John Paul II and the Dalai Lama.

Srila Narayana Maharaja in India

When Srila Maharaja is in India, he is regularly invited by Indian dignitaries to speak at their spiritual programs. Political leaders in India, before being voted in to their posts, and after being elected, come to him for blessings. Moreover, he is recognized by tens of thousands of Gaudiya Vaisnavas, sannyasis, and acaryas as a pure self-realized spiritual master.

A member of the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya disciplic succession, Srila Narayana Maharaja is highly acclaimed throughout all of India, by at least a hundred thousand Indians, as a renowned spiritual scholar and teacher, and as a pure devotee of Lord Sri Krsna in the line of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is recognized a strict follower of Vedic culture, Hindu sanatana-dharma, Vaisnava etiquette, daivi-varnasrama, and bhagavat-bhajana. Most of the notable spiritual scholars of Mathura and Vrndavana, such as Sri Srimad Acyuta Bhatta Gosvami and the Gosvami of the famous Radha-ramana Mandira, Sri Padmanava Gosvami, come and pay their respects to him. They invite him to speak to their assemblies, and he also invites them. He has made a tradition, since 1954, to hold meetings and invite them to speak, and when he himself speaks at those meetings, all are in awe. The following is excerpted from an international news report on a Visva-Vaisnava Raja-sabha meeting (Royal Assembly of the United Vaisnava Community of All Sampradayas), held on August 27, 2000, at Srila Narayana Maharaja's Sri Kesavaji Gaudiya Matha in Mathura:

"Most of the prominent erudite Vaisnavas and panditas in Vraja-Mandala assembled in Sri Kesavaji Gaudiya Matha on this auspicious dvadasi day to discuss the evolution of the conception of suddha-bhakti in the Srimad Bhagavatam. In this distinguished assembly, many elderly Vaisnava scholars of vast learning and experience, along with their devoted disciples, united on this momentous occasion to glorify suddha bhagavat-bhakti according to the precepts of their respective sampradayas. Such a council of Vaisnavas is very rarely seen in this world. Some of the mahatmas gracing the assembly by their noble presence were: Sri Srimad Manohara Lal Sastri, Pandita Chote Lal Sastri, Sri Srimad Acyuta Bhatta Gosvami, Sripad Vasanta Lal Sastri, Sri Thakurji Sastri, Sri Srimad Hariharaji Chachaji and others. More than two hundred devotees attended the function, eager to witness this unique event and hear the inevitable flow of hari-katha. As host of the assembly, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja welcomed and honored all the respectable speakers with asanas, sandalwood paste, flower garlands, and sweet words."

Many Indian government officials, like the DCP (Deputy Commissioner of Police) and also many court judges, in Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, Mathura, and elsewhere are Srila Narayana Maharaja disciples. Many renowned industrialists and businessmen regularly come to him to inquire about spiritual life and receive his blessings. Many head pujaris throughout Vraja Mandala visit him and honor him. Others personally send their representatives, long distance from the well known Radha-Govinda Mandira in Jaipur and Jagannatha Temple in Puri, to bring him garlands from the Deities when he is about to commence on another world preaching tour. The leader of all Lord Jagannathadeva's servants, the Dayita-pati of Puri, also attends his classes when he is in Puri.

Srila Narayana Maharaja has been conducting Vraja Mandala Parikrama for over 50 years, and during that time, the heads of all the villages come to him and pay their respects. He's been engaged for several years in organizing the renovation of many holy places in Vrndavana, such as Bandiravana and Brahma-kunda in Govardhana. These renovations are well known to the public.

The events in relation to the renovations are published in the newspapers, and Srila Maharaja's work in this regard is also recognized by the government. He also leads a Navadvipa-dhama Parikrama every year at the time of Gaura-purnima, and at that time he and other acaryas and sannyasis are followed by over 20,000 pilgrims from Bengal, and over 2,000 other Indian and Western pilgrims. Most of the devotees from Bengal are poor village people, and therefore they are given free facilities and prasadam throughout the week-long festival.

Still, Srila Narayana Maharaja has been banned by ISKCON from entering Prabhupada's temples, and he is not even allowed to enter the samadhi mandira in Vrndavana, where he had personally put Prabhupada in samadhi in 1977. On the very rare occasion that he is allowed to come and pay his obeisances at an ISKCON temple, ISKCON leaders try to keep local devotees away from him.

Srila Narayana Maharaja does nothing but illuminate the words of Prabhupada to make his teachings and the teachings of his guru-parampara much more clear and vital to the suffering souls in this world, and yet he is being unfairly discriminated against.

The following is an excerpt from a transcript of a conversation that took place on May 31, 2000, in the Beverly Hills home of one of ISKCON's original eleven GBC-elected gurus, Hrdayananda Maharaja. Another participant is Bhagavan dasa, who is one of the original GBCs and a former ISKCON guru.

Bhakti-Caru Maharaja is also a GBC and another one of those later elected by that body to act as guru. [The GBC (Governing Body Commission) is legally charged with the administration of ISKCON.] Also present was Svasa dasa, ISKCON Los Angeles temple president.

Bhagavan dasa: [speaking to Srila Narayana Maharaja] We like to fight a little bit; but all the time is not good, and everybody in this room has a lot of love for you and I believe you have a lot of love for them. And I think that's the thing that Prabhupada was very expert at; taking all of us who really didn't like each other very much and making us like each other, to some degree. My understanding is that you came to the West to help Prabhupada.

Srila Narayana Maharaja: To serve; not to help.

Bhagavan dasa: Yes, to serve. And ISKCON needs service and help. I understand that there has been a lot of pain because of the way the GBC has responded to things.

Srila Narayana Maharaja: I think they want to serve ISKCON, this movement, and according to their intelligence they are doing so. But we can think further how we can honor each other and fulfill the mission of Srila Swami Maharaja.

Bhagavan dasa: Is it your desire, if possible, to be an active part of ISKCON - to work with people like Bhakti Caru, Hrdayananda - [addressing all present] working together without necessarily putting Maharaja as the new ISKCON Acarya but working with.

Srila Narayana Maharaja: I want only to help you in all ways. I don't want to be Acarya. I don't want to be GBC. I don't want any position. I want to help with the core of my heart.

Bhagavan dasa: .sometimes I think they have a fear that Prabhupada becomes relativised.

Srila Narayana Maharaja: He is my siksa-guru; not less than my diksa-guru.

Bhagavan dasa: If Prabhupada knew that Narayana Maharaja was in town, he wouldn't want that Narayana Maharaja would be giving a talk somewhere else and him giving a talk somewhere else. There would be no question about that.

You would be sleeping in his quarters with him, telling jokes, having fun, giving massages, making each other laugh, and talking on how to promote things.

Srila Narayana Maharaja: That is what I want - that first we make a proposal to discuss how we can honor each other, how we can have no ban to meet each other. Then, I may go there, and they can come to me everywhere.

Hrdayananda dasa Maharaja: At the same time we feel that it is necessary that those who are senior in ISKCON should be recognized as actually representing Srila Prabhupada and having a special understanding of Srila Prabhupada. And, based on that special understanding, Srila Prabhupada asked some of us to represent him even in his physical absence. I bring this up because for us this is one of the important things that has to be acknowledged in our relationship - that there is some understanding that is relevant to the co-operative mission. Anyhow... I'll stop here.

Srila Narayana Maharaja: But you should also know that I have been serving him since 1946, when there was no League of Devotees and no ISKCON. Your Prabhupada was a householder at that time, and he was one of the establishing members of the Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti. He was one of the founders, and I have served him and associated with him since that time. I have experience of more than 54 years service to him. Moreover, I know that he is still alive and I want to follow him as my guru. I see no difference between us. Our bodies are different and our pronunciation of words is different, but we are in the same disciplic line of philosophy and mood.

Also, I was the priest of his sannyasa ceremony in 1959. So I consider that I am also his disciple. The GBC leaders should not think that only they have served him. I think that I have served more than anyone, from the core of my heart. I have so much regard for him. If anyone says that only he has served, that is very painful for me to hear. They should realize these things.

Bhakti Caru Maharaja: I understand.

Hrdayanda dasa Maharaja: Good. We are having a discussion. I think I would never say that you have not served Prabhupada. I would never say that, and I don't think anyone. I've never heard.

Bhakti Caru Maharaja: Narayana Maharaja, why don't you suggest what you would like ISKCON to.

Srila Narayana Maharaja: I want that you should sometimes invite me, and I will invite you. You should sometimes give me a chance to offer my puspanjali at the lotus feet of my siksa-guru, Srila Prabhupada.

Bhagavan dasa: Another proposal is that ISKCON temples are not manpower rich. They need manpower. There are temples that have hardly any pujaris.

There are temples that hardly have cooks. There are temples that hardly have people going out preaching. There are temple presidents that need manpower.

Narayana Maharaja is taking devotees who for some reason or other have lost their connection with ISKCON and he's given them some shelter and a home.

Maybe, sometimes the way you preach may not be familiar to everybody. I don't think that's really a big issue. I think the big issue is that the temples have no people. I think that the big issue is there are projects that Prabhupada gave his life for.

Srila Narayana Maharaja: I am ready to help. But we should honor each other and think that we are in the same family of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Whether someone is a kanistha-adhikari (a beginner in bhakti) or an uttama adhikari (a self-realized soul), we are all in the same family of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Sravasa dasa: If I could interject something? I don't think that Narayana Maharaja cannot come to the temple. He can come to the temple, but there are certain restrictions. There are certain restrictions the GBC have recommended for him coming to the temple; so I think we should focus more on that.

Srila Narayana Maharaja: Anyone else can go, without restrictions.

Sravas dasa: Yes.

Srila Narayana Maharaja: If Mayavadis can go, if Hollywood Stars can go, and you are not inviting me, I don't mind. But if I go and offer pranama, and I come to serve, what harm is there?

Conclusion

According to sastra, pure devotees are truly self-effulgent, and that effulgence is not dependent on being accepted by ISKCON management. Still, for the benefit of all, why should Srila Narayana Maharaja not be welcomed and invited to preach in Srila Prabhupada's temples? His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada would want nothing less.

[The author of this article, Jadurani dasi, is one of the earliest female disciples of ISKCON'S founder-acarya, Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

She was one of the main illustrators of Srila Prabhupada's books, as well as one of his main preachers, ever since the Hare Krsna movement began in the West in 1966. She has been receiving personal guidance from Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja for the last ten years. She has kindly offered to meet with any leaders of the Indian community to further discuss the subject matter of this article, and also to assist those who would like to meet Srila Maharaja.]

If you would like to receive transcriptions of the classes given by Srila Narayana Maharaja during his preaching tours in the West, you can subscribe to our mailing list, bvnmharikatha-subscribe@yahoogroups.com, and you can also do so by sending your email address to syamarani@gaudiya.net. Also, you are invited to visit Srila Maharaja's website at http://www.gaudiya.net.

My Siksa Guru and Priya Bandhu

The History of Srila Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada and Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja

Hare Krsna

A Hearts Prayer for Love Eternal