Comments on: Chaste and Pure

By: swami bv tripurari

swami bv tripurari — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:06:28 +0000

Yes, that is one of the reasons I wrote the article. Those of us who took shelter of Pujyapada Sridhara Maharaja after Prabhupada’s departure were labeled “prostitutes” and banished from Iskcon. Many leading figures in Iskcon, still think of us as such.

By: sanjaya

sanjaya — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:37:41 +0000

sorry for the confusion..
i refer to the following statement by Kula-pavana Prabhu:

“Unfortunately in our society that is very much discouraged and treated as ‘lack of chastity’, especially by most of the devotees acting as diksa gurus and Godbrothers of the ‘unchaste’ disciple.”

thank you very much..

By: Syamasundara Dasa

Syamasundara Dasa — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 05:29:57 +0000

This is all part of the preliminary education I was referring to.
Srila Sridhara Maharaja talks about supersubjective reality. We are used to moving around in the world of matter, thinking we are the subjects and everything (and everybody) is the object of our attraction or rejection. However, when it comes to transcendence (and its representative, the guru), we need to realize that we are also objects of a higher will and power.
If we think in terms of “I accept a guru”, but we lack the proper discrimination, then we need to accept the responsibility for it, too.
When I felt the need and urge to be under a guru, I remember going to the temple on Sundays and praying to the murti of Srila Prabhupada: “Please recommend me to your best disciple.”
I also took a vow on kartika, all the while praying to Nityananda Prabhu to manifest himself as Sri Guru for me.
When I came in the company of he who would become my Gurudeva, still I tried to apply my reasoning and caution, but at a certain point it became apparent that more resistance and caution (in the name of avoiding all that Kula Pavana and Alan Smith mentioned) on my side would be an insult to Nityananda’s kindness, and that’s when I “accepted” a guru.
As Sridhara Maharaja also says, sincerity is invincible. An aspiring practitioner should approach the matter of surrendering to Sri Guru with a transparent heart, and full of confidence in the sincerity of their quest.
As the Rg Veda says, tad visnoh paramam padam/sada pasyanti surayah/diviva caksur atatam/visnor yat paramam padam; we should go about our lives aware of and counting on the Lord’s feet guiding us and watching us, like a big eye in the sky. It should never be a question of “us” choosing or accepting a guru, based on how charismatic or locally available he or she is; but rather we should prepare our hearts for that moment in which the Infinite comes down to embrace the finite in the form of Sri Guru.
To sum it all up, it should be made mandatory that aspiring practitioners read Sri Guru and His Grace by Srila Sridhara Maharaja. Only one who reasons like a qualified disciple will find a qualified guru.

By: swami bv tripurari

swami bv tripurari — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 04:54:40 +0000

Sanjaya, I am not entirely sure what you are asking? could your rephrase your question? Thank you.

By: swami bv tripurari

swami bv tripurari — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 04:53:01 +0000

The guru should be accepted out of well reasoned love. Observe, doubt, question until your reason recedes to the background and your serving heart comes to the fore by the force of the guru’s wisdom and love for you. This is what is recommended. Don’t over or under use your reasoning. It’s an art. There is always the possibility that there are greener grasses ahead, but cows does have to graze. If you are sufficiently spiritually hungry, you will know when you are being fed.

By: Alan Smith

Alan Smith — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:06:24 +0000

But how will we know who the correct guru is? If we overuse our discrimination we will find imperfections in everyone and if underuse it we will find an imperfect guru. So there is always a possibility of feeling that another guru is better after accepting a guru in the past.

By: Gaura-Vijaya

Gaura-Vijaya — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:55:06 +0000

If people replace their diksha guru to be with your guru won’t you support them syamasundara?

By: Vrindavan das

Vrindavan das — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:36:37 +0000

Such beauty in your articulation. Simplicity and poetry all rolled into one incredible article. Bravo!

By: Kula-pavana dasa

Kula-pavana dasa — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:14:25 +0000

“Again, the article was about one’s faith and devotional life maturing to the point of understanding “acaryam mam vijaniyat”; ultimately Krsna is Sri Guru, and he is everywhere.” That is a very important point, not emphasized enough in our society, especially by our gurus. I am glad it is being raised here, as it is absolutely required in order to properly understand our tradition.

By: sanjaya

sanjaya — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:55:52 +0000

isn’t it a symptom that that kind of guru is not a qualified guru? or the disciple is whimsical?