Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur travelled all over India and
established Krishna Consciousness. Then came Srila Prabhupada to
spread it all over the world. An interesting point arises, Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur sent other disciples to go and preach
to the Western world but they fell down and they did not succeed. It
is better to become aware of this fact for our own benefit and for our
institution. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur disciples were sent to
West but they did not succeed. If Gaudya Math did not fall apart then
there would have been a different path. But we can see it was due to
the divine arrangement of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu left this planet, His movement had faced an unfortunate
decline. This was the reality but does it mean Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
was a failure? No Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement wasn't a failure
but it was His divine arrangement. He is creating a setup in such a
way that Krishna Consciousness can be properly established in the
world.
Lets go back even further. We can see what the religious history of
India was like at beginning of Kali Yuga. Dharma faced an incredible
decline. The Vedic culture was nearly lost and all kinds of abominable
activities were going on. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came and harmonised
the personalism and impersonalism. We can see this is the divine
arrangement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to establish Vedic
culture all over world in the dark age of Kali. Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu allowed Krishna Consciousness to be covered. Bhaktivinoda
Thakura came along to remove the clouds and let the Krishna
Consciousness sunbeams shine through. Then Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Thakur gave the shape in the form of his preaching mission
he generated an incredible appeal to this movement. All kinds of
exemplary people took part in Krishna Consciousness. However, Gaudya
Math disintegrated, as Prabhupada said, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Thakur wanted the society to remain collective through a
Governing Body Council (GBC). The concept of GBC came from Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur, that is to form a collective body.
Soon after he left his body, there was a split with the Gaudya Math.
One group believed in Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur wishes.
Another group wondered how a spiritual organization could be run by a
group of managers instead they needed a spiritual head. Unfortunately
one group formed an acarya but he fell down and the Gaudya Math
disintegrated. They still carry on but Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu mission
is not being achieved but just maintaining their lives is not Krishna
Consciousness.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted us to spread Krishna Consciousness all
over the world. Therefore, Bhaktivinoda Thakura gave us the word Nama
Hatta. This mission of establishing Krishna Consciousness all over the
world is needed by Nama Hatta. The general first creates an army and
launches his attack. Similarly in order to defeat Kali, Sri CaitanyaMahaprabhu needs an organization that is trained and disciplined to
defeat this evil Kali. Bhaktivinoda Thakura gave a structure Nama
Hatta is what ISKCON is today. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
Thakur's structure of Gaudya Math was not achieved. However from the
ruins of Gaudya Math, Prabhupada revived the spirit of Bhaktivinoda
Thakura in the form of ISKCON. We must see the lineage, our heritage.
Everything is happening by the divine arrangement by Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu. If Gaudya Math didn't fall apart, everything would have
been wonderful yet there would still have been a need. Prabhupada
said, more than once, don't make the same mistakes that his
godbrothers made after Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur left
this planet. The mistake was they did not understand his instruction
of a collective management in order to maintain the institution.
Through their mistakes we learnt a lesson that is the importance of
collective management.
Once when talking to Sri Chand Hinduja, the most prominent Indian in
the world, before Mittal he was considered the richest Indian. Sri
Chand was discussing Prabhupada's genius in his management skills.
Generally, spiritual institutions have management problems after their
Guru leaves his body or falls down but not in ISKCON. Actually it's a
unique thing, ISKCON survived due Prabhupada's genius as an organizer.
He organized a collective management of the GBC. So in this way we can
see what a genius Srila Prabhupada was. It was only Srila Prabhupada
who thought this way, he took it from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
Thakur. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur took this from his
father, Bhaktivinoda Thakura. We can see a structure in Nama Hatta.
This spiritual institution stands for the propagation of Krishna
Consciousness all over the world. What is the price one pays to buy
this commodity? Shradha. Who is the sole distributor of this
commodity? Nitayanada Prabhu. There are then all kinds of individuals
selling this commodity. So there is a structure and we must recognize
it.
The person who is creating the structure is not saying he is the Head,
he is a sweeper that keeps the marketplace clean. All kinds of
impurities are there in the marketplace. The cleaner must keep the
market clean so the Holy name can be distributed all over the world.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura gave the blue print, he did not create an
institution. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur took the blueprint and
gave a structure but this disintegrated. What was the need for this?
So everyone learns a lesson. That lesson is that whatever we do we
should do it collectively.
Srila Prabhupada established himself as the founder acarya. The head
of the institution must be properly established. Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Thakur took a humble position and he did not emphasise to
his disciples that he was the founder. But Srila Prabhupada was
emphatic that unless one is constantly reminded that he is the founder
Acarya, then the movement will not be kept together. To hold anything
today we need the Head and the management structure. Just the Head and
no management will it have any effect? No. Therefore these two things
are very important and the most important discussion.
Srila Prabhupada is the head and the GBC is management. In time manyof us will come and go but the concept of GBC will always be there.
Gaudya Math fell down from the deviation of one person who was their
acarya. ISKCON had more than one acarya and many of them deviated from
it. Yes our society suffered but it did not fall apart. The lesson
learnt was only one person should be worshipped and that is Srila
Prabhupada. The others have to recognize and become the humble servant
of Srila Prabhupada. Spiritual culture is based on shradha ? we
shouldn't create groups or clans with people. This is what I am going
to address today, now and the next session.
The leaders of ISKCON can have a group around them, this is very
possible. It is very easy for the disciples to create a group with a
Guru in the center but even if not careful, it will weaken ISKCON
structure. ISKCON will become weak. The real strength is in our unity.
It will only happen when all leaders sit at the feet of Srila
Prabhupada and it will work. What am I suppose to do as a leader and
with my disciples? I have to become a transparent via medium and
engage all my followers in the service of Srila Prabhupada. Then only
will ISKCON become strong. That is why the title Srila Prabhupada is
so important. The significance of the word Srila Prabhupada is the
master at whose feet other masters sit! Once this is complete, then
ISKCON will become strong. Anyway there is so much to say but I must
stick to time. So I will carry on discussing this in my next session.
very nice
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