Devotee:<\/strong> In an article entitled \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da: The Founder-\u0101c\u0101rya of the Golden Age,<\/em> it is constantly emphasized that the formation of \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da\u2019s institution is the beginning of the Golden Age of Kali-yuga, and \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da is the \u0101c\u0101rya<\/em> for the Golden Age. Furthermore, the phrase, \u201cFor ten thousand years my books will guide the world,\u201d is often repeated. Are we to regard such statements as authoritative for all Vai\u1e63\u1e47avas, or could the author have been carried away by his own sentiments? Is \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da (A. C. Bhaktived\u0101nta Sv\u0101m\u012b Prabhup\u0101da) the \u0101c\u0101rya <\/em>for the Golden Age?<\/p>\nNarasi\u1e45gha Mah\u0101r\u0101ja:<\/strong> I think that the author has been carried away by his own sentiments. In the manuscript of reference, many statements are out of context, or rather statements are made with the bias of \u0101m\u0101ra guru jagat-guru<\/em>, \u2018my guru<\/em> is jagat-guru<\/em>.\u2019 Such statements have no universal application, however well intended their author.<\/p>\nIn any event, the phrase attributed to \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da, \u201cFor ten thousand years my books will guide the world,\u201d is actually not verifiable. He may or he may not have said it. Obviously, some devotees think that he did, otherwise they would not quote it. But it is not mentioned in any of the main writings, books, lectures, letters, room conversations, morning walks and so forth which have been recorded and preserved in the archives of our Guru Mah\u0101r\u0101ja. Therefore, we do not accept such hearsay as an absolute or authoritative statement. There are 484 references by \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da in the Veda-Base Folio<\/em> to \u201cmy books.\u201d None of them includes the famous quote about the 10,000 years, even remotely. In the Prabhup\u0101da L\u012bl\u0101m\u1e5bta<\/em> we find the quote. Satsvar\u016bpa Mah\u0101r\u0101ja writes: \u201cOne day in the car he had said, \u201cMy books will be the law-books for human society for the next ten thousand years.\u201d It is not mentioned where \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da said this, or when, or who was present.<\/p>\nNevertheless, let us consider the possible truth of the statement, for surely it has its validity in transcendental arrangements. What were \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da\u2019s books in the first place? Were his books his own creation, or were they something else? \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da\u2019s books were for the most part translations of, and commentaries on the already existing books written by such empowered personalities as \u015ar\u012bla Vy\u0101sadeva, \u015ar\u012bla K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47ad\u0101sa Kavir\u0101ja Gosv\u0101m\u012b, and \u015ar\u012bla R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b.<\/p>\n
\u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da did not take credit for his own writing, but rather took pains repeatedly to proclaim that he was following in the footsteps of the previous \u0101c\u0101ryas.<\/em> In fact, the Bhaktived\u0101nta Purports are so much in line with the purports of previous \u0101c\u0101ryas<\/em> that, in many cases, one could say they are translations of those of previous \u0101c\u0101ryas.<\/em> Indeed they are, but one would never know it unless one took the trouble to examine the texts of the previous \u0101c\u0101ryas.<\/em> In a recorded room conversation, Feb 26, 1973 \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da says: \u201cThey are not my books. I am simply translating.\u201d<\/p>\nThe intimate relation between the Bhaktived\u0101nta Purports and those of the previous \u0101c\u0101ryas<\/em> is the true glory of \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da. He did not add anything or take anything away; he simply repeated the words of previous \u0101c\u0101ryas<\/em>. Therefore, how could the previous \u0101c\u0101ryas<\/em> be any less important? We should remember that \u015ar\u012b Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu said that anyone who does not recognize his \u2018sv\u0101m\u012b<\/em>\u2019 is a prostitute. Mah\u0101prabhu made this statement as an admonishment to Vallabh\u0101c\u0101rya, who failed to recognize the importance of \u015ar\u012bdhara Sv\u0101m\u012b, the original commentator on \u015ar\u012bmad Bh\u0101gavatam<\/em>.<\/p>\n\u015ar\u012bla Vy\u0101sadeva was directly empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the mature product of the sam\u0101dhi<\/em> (meditation) of Vy\u0101sadeva was \u015ar\u012bmad Bh\u0101gavatam<\/em>. We find also that \u015ar\u012bla R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b was directly empowered by \u015ar\u012b Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu to distribute bhakti-rasa<\/em> throughout the world, and he was specifically instructed to write books on the science of K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a consciousness. Actually, it is \u015ar\u012bla R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b who heads our samprad\u0101ya<\/em>. He is the \u0101c\u0101rya<\/em> of our samprad\u0101ya<\/em>.<\/p>\n\u015br\u012b-caitanya-mano-bhi\u1e63\u1e6da\u1e41 sth\u0101pita\u1e41 yena bh\u016b-tale
\n<\/em>svaya\u1e41 r\u016bpa\u1e25 kad\u0101 m\u0101hya\u1e41 dad\u0101ti sva-pad\u0101ntikam<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cWhen will \u015ar\u012bla R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b Prabhup\u0101da, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of \u015ar\u012b Caitanyadeva, give me shelter under his lotus feet.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u015ar\u012bla R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b established the mission of \u015ar\u012b Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu in this world, and thus it is he (\u015ar\u012b R\u016bpa) who is the actual \u0101c\u0101rya<\/em> for the period of the Golden Age. Hence, all members of \u015ar\u012b Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu\u2019s sa\u1e45k\u012brtana<\/em> movement are called \u2018r\u016bp\u0101nug\u0101s,<\/em>\u2019 the followers of \u015ar\u012bla R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b.<\/p>\nmah\u0101prabhu \u015br\u012b-caitanya, r\u0101dh\u0101-k\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a nahe anya
\n<\/em>r\u016bp\u0101nug\u0101-janera-j\u012bvana<\/em><\/p>\n\u201c\u015ar\u012b Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu, Who is the undivided form of \u015ar\u012b \u015ar\u012b R\u0101dh\u0101-K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a, is very dear to the followers of \u015ar\u012bla R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b.\u201d (\u015ar\u012bla Sarasvat\u012b \u1e6ch\u0101kura)<\/p>\n
The test of a genuine disciple lies in how well he has understood the purpose of the spiritual master. It is surprising, even alarming, that some devotees ignore the fact that the goal of being a disciple of \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da is to become a r\u016bp\u0101nug\u0101<\/em>. This is confirmed in the Bhaktived\u0101nta Purport to Caitanya-carit\u0101m\u1e5bta<\/em> (Madhya 19.132<\/em>) as follows:<\/p>\n\u201cThat was \u015ar\u012bla Bhaktisiddh\u0101nta Sarasvat\u012b\u2019s opinion, and he specifically told his disciples to write books. He actually preferred to publish books rather than establish temples. Temple construction is meant for the general populace and neophyte devotees, but the business of advanced and empowered devotees is to write books, publish them and distribute them widely. According to Bhaktisiddh\u0101nta Sarasvat\u012b \u1e6ch\u0101kura, distributing literature is like playing on a great m\u1e5bda\u1e45ga<\/em>. Consequently we always request members of the International Society for K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a Consciousness to publish as many books as possible and distribute them widely throughout the world. By thus following in the footsteps of \u015ar\u012bla R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b, one can become a \u2018r\u016bp\u0101nug\u0101<\/em>\u2019 devotee.\u201d<\/p>\nIronically some pretenders who claim to be great \u0101c\u0101ryas<\/em> decry the sa\u1e45k\u012brtana<\/em> movement by saying that the distribution of transcendental literature is only karma-yoga<\/em>. Such persons are kani\u1e63\u1e6dha-adhik\u0101ris<\/em> (the lowest type of devotees) who have no real knowledge of what it means to be a r\u016bp\u0101nug\u0101<\/em>.<\/p>\nThe Six Gosv\u0101m\u012bs (headed by \u015ar\u012b R\u016bpa) scrutinizingly studied all the revealed scriptures with the aim of establishing eternal religious principles for the benefit of all human beings. \u015ar\u012bniv\u0101sa \u0100c\u0101rya establishes this conclusion, as follows:<\/p>\n
n\u0101n\u0101-\u015b\u0101stra-vic\u0101ra\u1e47aika-nipu\u1e47au sad-dharma-sa\u1e41sth\u0101pakau
\n<\/em>lok\u0101n\u0101\u1e41 hita-k\u0101ri\u1e47au tri-bhuvane m\u0101nyau \u015bara\u1e47y\u0101karau
\n<\/em>r\u0101dh\u0101-k\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a-pad\u0101ravinda-bhajanan\u0101ndena matt\u0101likau
\n<\/em>vande r\u016bpa-san\u0101tanau raghu-yugau \u015br\u012b-j\u012bva-gop\u0101lakau<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cI offer my respectful obeisances unto the Six Gosv\u0101m\u012bs, who are very expert in scrutinizing all the revealed scriptures with the aim of establishing eternal religious principles for the benefit of all human beings. Thus they are honored all over the three worlds, and they are worth taking shelter of because they are absorbed in the mood of the gop\u012bs<\/em> and are engaged in the transcendental loving service of R\u0101dh\u0101 and K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a.\u201d (\u00cda\u1e0d Gosv\u0101mya\u1e63\u1e6dakam, text 2<\/em>)<\/p>\nTherefore it must be concluded that the books of the Six Gosv\u0101m\u012bs are indeed intended to guide the world. \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da\u2019s translations and commentary on them must also be of the same quality \u2014\u2018my books will guide the world.\u2019<\/p>\n
A similar position is held by \u015ar\u012bla K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47ad\u0101sa Kavir\u0101ja Gosv\u0101m\u012b, in that he was empowered to write the Caitanya-carit\u0101m\u1e5bta. <\/em><\/p>\nmore \u0101j\u00f1a karil\u0101 sabe karu\u1e47\u0101 kariy\u0101
\n<\/em>t\u0101\u1e45-sab\u0101ra bole likhi nirlajja ha-iy\u0101<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cBy their mercy, all these devotees ordered me to write of the last pastimes of \u015ar\u012b Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu. Because of their order only, although I am shameless, I have attempted to write this Caitanya-carit\u0101m\u1e5bta<\/em>.\u201d (Cc. \u0100di, 8.72<\/em>)<\/p>\nIn the Caitanya-carit\u0101m\u1e5bta<\/em> we also find mention that V\u1e5bnd\u0101vana D\u0101sa \u1e6ch\u0101kura was the Vy\u0101sadeva of Caitanya-l\u012bl\u0101<\/em>, and therefore no intelligent devotee could possibly dismiss the writings of V\u1e5bnd\u0101vana D\u0101sa \u1e6ch\u0101kura as nonessential. Actually, without being empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, no one can write transcendental literature. And the fact is that the Gau\u1e0d\u012bya samprad\u0101ya<\/em> has a great number of such literatures, written by empowered personalities. It is the super excellent characteristic of the Gau\u1e0d\u012bya samprad\u0101ya<\/em> that it has the greatest collection of transcendental literatures the world has ever known. All such literatures are meant to guide the world.<\/p>\nkali-k\u0101lera dharma k\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a-n\u0101ma-sa\u1e45k\u012brtana
\n<\/em>k\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a-\u015bakti vin\u0101 nahe t\u0101ra pravartana<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cThe fundamental religious system in the age of Kali is chanting of the Holy Name of K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. Unless empowered by K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a, one cannot propagate the sa\u1e45k\u012brtana<\/em> movement.\u201d (Cc. Antya-l\u012bl\u0101, 7.11<\/em>)<\/p>\nIt is a most glaring defect in certain sections of contemporary Vai\u1e63\u1e47ava society that some devotees want to replace \u015ar\u012bla R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b, who was appointed as the \u0101c\u0101rya<\/em> of our samprad\u0101ya<\/em> by \u015ar\u012b Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu, with \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da. Discounting the contribution of all \u0101c\u0101ryas<\/em> and missions since the time of \u015ar\u012b Caitanya, some persons declare that \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da\u2019s coming to the West marks the beginning of the Golden Age. It is a foolish proposal and \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da would certainly not sanction such inappropriate conclusions.<\/p>\nIt is a fact that during \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da\u2019s lifetime, his society did perform wonderful service to \u015ar\u012b Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu\u2019s sa\u1e45k\u012brtana<\/em> movement. This is to the eternal credit of all those souls who participated. Yet pride seems to have been the greatest enemy of many of those souls who once served the lotus feet of \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da, and who once received the blessings of Mah\u0101prabhu on their humble heads. It is truly unfortunate that, in the two and a half decades since the disappearance of \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da, some proud and arrogant disciples have brought about more disgrace to \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da, to his movement, and to the Gau\u1e0d\u012bya samprad\u0101ya<\/em> than fell upon the whole of Vai\u1e63\u1e47avism during the past 5,000 years. It is sad, it is unfortunate, but it is true. And all in the name of society consciousness!<\/p>\nThere is indeed a Golden Age within the age of Kali-yuga, but that age began with \u015ar\u012b Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu and the advent of His sa\u1e45k\u012brtana<\/em> movement, and not with the forming of any institution in modern times. There is no monopoly on the sa\u1e45k\u012brtana<\/em> movement by any institution; the parampar\u0101<\/em> itself retains all rights. Whosoever takes up the sa\u1e45k\u012brtana<\/em> movement will prosper spiritually, and whosoever deviates from the principles of pure devotion will reap a harvest of mixed results.<\/p>\nIn the Brahma-vaivarta Pur\u0101\u1e47a<\/em> we find mention of a 10,000 year period in which Vai\u1e63\u1e47avism and the cult of \u015ar\u012b Caitanya will flourish in the world. Afterwards, darkness and ignorance will consume the world.<\/p>\nIn the Brahma-vaivarta Pur\u0101\u1e47a<\/em> the Supreme Personality of Godhead, while speaking to Ga\u1e45g\u0101-dev\u012b, describes the dawn of the Golden Age, by first mentioning those who worship the Lord by mantra<\/em>. This reference to those who chant mantras<\/em> as the central focus of their worship indicates \u015ar\u012b R\u0101m\u0101nuja and Madhvaite br\u0101hma\u1e47as<\/em>.<\/p>\nman-mantrop\u0101sakas-p\u0101r\u1e63ad bhasmi-bh\u016bt\u0101ni tatk\u1e63an\u0101t
\n<\/em>bhavi\u1e63yanti dar\u015ban\u0101ccha sn\u0101n\u0101deva hi j\u0101hnav\u012b<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cThereafter O J\u0101hnav\u012b, by the sight and touch of those who worship Me by My mantra<\/em>, all those sins will be burnt.\u201d (Text 51<\/em>)<\/p>\nMantra<\/em> refers to g\u0101yatr\u012b<\/em> and other mantras,<\/em> but not to the Holy Name of K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a (n\u0101ma<\/em>).<\/p>\nNext, the Brahma-vaivarta Pur\u0101\u1e47a<\/em> directly indicates the advent of the Golden Age inaugurated by \u015ar\u012b Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu with the performance of hari-n\u0101ma-sa\u1e45k\u012brtana<\/em> (the chanting of the Holy Name) and the recitation of \u015ar\u012bmad Bh\u0101gavatam<\/em>.<\/p>\nharer-n\u0101m\u0101ni yatraiva pur\u0101\u1e47\u0101ni bhavanti hi
\n<\/em>tatra gatv\u0101 s\u0101vadh\u0101nam \u0101bhi\u1e25 s\u0101rddham ca sro\u015byasi<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cThere will be chanting of the Name of Hari and reading of the (Bh\u0101gavata<\/em>) Pur\u0101\u1e47a<\/em>. Reaching such a place, attentively hear.\u201d (Text 52)<\/p>\nIt is strongly indicated that even the most sinful persons will become Vai\u1e63\u1e47avas by the chanting of the Holy Names, and due to the presence of such purified Vai\u1e63\u1e47avas, the whole planet will become a place of pilgrimage.<\/p>\n
tath\u0101pi vai\u1e63\u1e47av\u0101 loke p\u0101p\u0101ni p\u0101pin\u0101mapi
\n<\/em>p\u1e5bthivy\u0101\u1e41 y\u0101ni t\u012brth\u0101ni p\u016b\u1e47y\u0101ny\u0101pi ca j\u0101hnav\u012b<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cO J\u0101hnav\u012b, the whole planet will become a pilgrimage site by the presence of Vai\u1e63\u1e47avas, even though they had previously been sinful.\u201d (Text 55)<\/p>\n
Such a blissful condition is then predicted to last ten thousand years.<\/p>\n
kaler da\u015ba-sahasr\u0101\u1e47i mad bhakta\u1e25 samti bh\u016b-tale
\n<\/em>eka-var\u1e47a bhavi\u1e63yanti mad bhakte\u1e63u gate\u1e63u ca<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cFor 10,000 years of Kali-yuga, such devotees of Mine will fill the whole planet. After the departure of My devotees there will only be one var\u1e47a<\/em> (outcaste).\u201d (Text 59)<\/p>\nmad bhakta-\u015b\u016bnya p\u1e5bthiv\u012b kali-grast\u0101 bhavi\u1e63yati
\n<\/em>etasminna\u1e45tare tatra k\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a-deh\u0101dvinir gata\u1e25<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cDevoid of My devotees, the earth will be shackled by Kali. Saying this, K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a departed.\u201d (Text 60)<\/p>\n
\u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da mentioned this same concept of the ten-thousand year period of the Golden Age in his Bh\u0101gavatam<\/em> commentary (Bhaktived\u0101nta Purports) canto 8, chapter 5, text 23, as follows:<\/p>\n\u201cWhen \u015ar\u012b Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu appeared He ushered in the era for this sa\u1e45k\u012brtana<\/em> movement. It is also said that for ten thousand years this era will continue. This means that simply by accepting the sa\u1e45k\u012brtana<\/em> movement and chanting the Hare K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a mah\u0101-mantra<\/em>, the fallen souls of Kali-yuga will be delivered. The ten thousand years of the sa\u1e45k\u012brtana<\/em> movement inaugurated by \u015ar\u012b Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu 500 years ago provide the opportunity for the fallen souls of Kali-yuga to take to the K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a consciousness movement.\u201d<\/p>\nThe fact that there will be devotees of the sa\u1e45k\u012brtana<\/em> movement spread throughout the planet is also an indication that there must be someone, or several personalities, who will spread the Holy Name around the world.<\/p>\np\u1e5bthiv\u012bte \u0101che yata nagar\u0101di-gr\u0101ma
\n<\/em>sarvatra prac\u0101ra haibe mora n\u0101ma<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cIn as many towns and villages as there are on the surface of the earth, My Holy Names will be preached.\u201d (Caitanya-bh\u0101gavata, 4.126 <\/em>)<\/p>\nIt is a fact that \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da was the one who conducted a preaching mission beyond the borders of India, which marveled the Vai\u1e63\u1e47ava world. Many of \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da\u2019s godbrothers remarked, \u2018We could not imagine how the prophecy of Mah\u0101prabhu was to be fulfilled.\u2019 The godbrothers were simply wonder-struck that \u2018Sv\u0101m\u012b Mah\u0101r\u0101ja\u2019 (\u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da) had done it! \u015ar\u012bla \u015ar\u012bdhara Mah\u0101r\u0101ja commented, \u201cIt is wonderful that K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a always acts through someone. Sv\u0101m\u012b Mah\u0101r\u0101ja has done a miracle! We are happy, we are glad, and we are proud.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u015ar\u012bla Locana D\u0101sa \u1e6ch\u0101kura mentions, in the beginning of his book \u015ar\u012b Caitanya-ma\u1e45gala<\/em>, that in the future there will appear a sena-pati<\/em> (a great general), who would cause an inundation of K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a consciousness throughout the world. In the opinion of many devotees, that personality was \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da, A. C. Bhaktived\u0101nta Sv\u0101m\u012b. Yet it is doubtful that \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da would agree with them, as he always considered himself a humble servant of his Guru Mah\u0101r\u0101ja, \u015ar\u012bla Sarasvat\u012b \u1e6ch\u0101kura.<\/p>\nIndeed \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da was a humble servant of his guru<\/em>, and this is simply one amongst his many qualifications. This is the reason why he was chosen and empowered by guru<\/em> and K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a to perform the service to the sa\u1e45k\u012brtana<\/em> movement that he accomplished.<\/p>\nHowever, greatly learned scholars and pure devotees of \u015ar\u012b Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu, who know the purport of the scriptures, have understood the sena-pati<\/em> in Caitanya-ma\u1e45gala<\/em> to refer to \u015ar\u012bla Bhaktisiddh\u0101nta Sarasvat\u012b \u1e6ch\u0101kura. Between 1918 and 1936, Sarasvat\u012b \u1e6ch\u0101kura caused a wave of K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a consciousness to swell up in Bengal that would indeed inundate the whole world. The sound of the k\u012brtana<\/em> raised by Sarasvat\u012b \u1e6ch\u0101kura conquered all the ten directions, silencing the atheist non-believers, the impersonalist speculators, and the imitationist sahajiy\u0101<\/em> sections of pseudo-Vai\u1e63\u1e47avas.<\/p>\nSarasvat\u012b \u1e6ch\u0101kura orchestrated a great preaching movement for eighteen years, awarding the triple staff of renunciation to his disciples and then sending these sanny\u0101s\u012bs<\/em> to preach throughout India, and eventually to western countries. Before passing away from this world, Sarasvat\u012b \u1e6ch\u0101kura commented that he desired to spend at least ten years preaching K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a consciousness in the western countries. Sarasvat\u012b \u1e6ch\u0101kura was unable to do this before his disappearance in 1936. However, through his intimate disciple, \u015ar\u012bla A. C. Bhaktived\u0101nta Sv\u0101m\u012b Prabhup\u0101da, Sarasvat\u012b \u1e6ch\u0101kura\u2019s last desire for preaching K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a consciousness in the west was fulfilled. \u015ar\u012bla A. C. Bhaktived\u0101nta Sv\u0101m\u012b Prabhup\u0101da continued the work of the sena-pati<\/em> foretold by Locana D\u0101sa \u1e6ch\u0101kura and Sarasvat\u012b \u1e6ch\u0101kura\u2019s numerous disciples and grand disciples carry on the same work up to the present day.<\/p>\nSome persons might object that we do not concede that \u015ar\u012bla A. C. Bhaktived\u0101nta Sv\u0101m\u012b Prabhup\u0101da is the sena-pati<\/em> spoken of in Caitanya-ma\u1e45gala<\/em>. Such an objection shows a lack of understanding of the guru-parampar\u0101<\/em> and of the position of \u015ar\u012bla Bhaktisiddh\u0101nta Sarasvat\u012b \u1e6ch\u0101kura in contemporary society and in apr\u0101k\u1e5bta-l\u012bl\u0101<\/em>, the eternal pastimes of the Supreme Lord.<\/p>\nSarasvat\u012b \u1e6ch\u0101kura appeared in this world by the prayer of \u015ar\u012bla Bhaktivinoda \u1e6ch\u0101kura, who implored the Supreme Lord Jagann\u0101tha to send His personal representative to fulfill the prophecy of Mah\u0101prabhu that the Holy Name would be spread in every town and village. \u015ar\u012bla Bhaktivinoda \u1e6ch\u0101kura prayed for the Supreme Lord to send such a personality from among His eternal associates. In response, Sarasvat\u012b \u1e6ch\u0101kura appeared as the fourth son of Bhaktivinoda.<\/p>\n
Devotees often overlook this ecstatic piece of transcendental knowledge (mentioned above) when trying to establish the greatness of \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da. We should remember that the greatness of \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da does not reside in our concocted ideas. Certainly, it does not reside in putting \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da in the position of \u015ar\u012bla R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b (the samprad\u0101ya-\u0101c\u0101rya<\/em>), or in the position of \u015ar\u012bla Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvat\u012b \u1e6ch\u0101kura (the sena-pati<\/em> who appeared in this world as a direct response to the prayer of Bhaktivinoda \u1e6ch\u0101kura). Such concocted attempts at glorifying \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da fail miserably, due to being tainted with the kani\u1e63\u1e6dha<\/em> mentality of \u0101m\u0101ra guru jagat-guru<\/em>, my guru <\/em>is jagat-guru<\/em>.<\/p>\nThe actual greatness of \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da is beyond challenge. Yet he reserves the right of proper disclosure, the right to reveal his eternal identity to those who are free from envy. What \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da did in this world is written in eternal history. Yet to separate him from the very root of his greatness in an attempt to glorify him, denotes a lack of real transcendental vision of His Divine Grace. Such kani\u1e63\u1e6dha<\/em> disciples are all too often found to be in the category of guru-bhog\u012b<\/em> (one who tries to enjoy the property and mission of the guru<\/em>), rather than in the position of guru-sevaka<\/em> (one who serves the vision of the guru<\/em>).<\/p>\nThe greatness of \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da is not understood or expressed by the methods of concoction or sentimental exaggeration. The transcendental position of His Divine Grace can only be realized when one attempts to see how \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da was accepted (connected) in the parampar\u0101<\/em> of great masters, and what qualifications earned him that illustrious position. The bona-fide disciple earns this right of divine vision of the guru<\/em> through a lifetime of service and dedication at the lotus feet of the spiritual master, and not by any amount of mundane speculation. There is no other way to the truth than this.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cPr\u0101k\u1e5bta-rasa \u0100ra\u1e47ya Chedin\u012b \u2013 Cutting the Jungle of Misconception\u201d is a compilation of twenty-one articles written in the later 90\u2019s and early 2000s by \u015ar\u012bla B.G. Narasi\u1e45gha Mah\u0101r\u0101ja. This book exposes various philosophical misconceptions that are prevalent within the Gau\u1e0d\u012bya Vai\u1e63\u1e47ava world at present, and establishes the proper understanding according to guru, s\u0101dhu and \u015b\u0101stra.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":6169,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[216],"tags":[206,217],"krishna_talk_article":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6229"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6229"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6229\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8717,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6229\/revisions\/8717"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6169"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6229"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6229"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6229"},{"taxonomy":"krishna_talk_article","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/krishna_talk_article?post=6229"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}