Srila Prabhupada definitely gave us everything.
Only those who have Krsna can effectively give Krsna to others.
What this means?
This means that those who cultivate a very deep and strong relationship with Krishna will be able to influence other people much more than those who do not.
The preaching of those who make the transition from Vaidhi to Raganuga is very effective and powerful.
This is why Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura states that a Gostyanandi is a Bhajananandi who preaches.
Srila Prabhupada Lecture on SB 1.2.33 -- Vrndavana, November 12, 1972:
"Vaidhī-bhakti, that is apprenticeship. Real bhakti, parā-bhakti, that is rāgānugā-bhakti. This rāgānugā-bhakti, we have to come after surpassing the vaidhī-bhakti.
In the material world, if we do not try to make further and further progress in devotional service, if we are simply sticking to the shastric regulation process and do not try to go beyond that... Shastric process also regulation, that is required.
Without shastric process you cannot go to that platform. But if we stick to the shastric process only and do not try to improve ourself... The shastric process is kaniṣṭha-adhikāra, lowest stage of devotional service.
arcāyām eva haraye
pūjāṁ yaḥ śraddhayehate
na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu
sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ
Generally, people come to this temple, they are very devoted to the Deity. They offer their respects, flowers and other things, make the regulative process, circumambulate.
This is nice beginning, but one has to go above this. One has to know who is actually bhakta, who is ac... Na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu. One has to do good for others. That is madhyama-adhikārī.
If I become satisfied only with these regulative principles for worshiping the Deity in the temple and following the regulative principle daily, but if I have no other idea, then sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ. Prākṛta means on the material platform.
Such devotee can fall down at any moment, because he's on the prākṛta stage. And prākṛta means this guṇamayī, prakṛti. It is very strong.
So any devotee can fall down if he remains prākṛta-bhakta. So he has to raise himself above this in the madhyama-adhikāra. So here it is said that sva-nirmiteṣu nirviṣṭo bhuṅkte bhūteṣu tad-guṇān.
So we are not enjoying actually. We are enjoying the interaction of the three modes of material nature. And we are thinking... The same thing, as my Guru Mahārāja used to say, that licking up the bottle of honey. That is not real honey. You have to open the bottle of the honey and lick up the real honey, then you'll get taste. That is advancement of spiritual knowledge."
Conclusion:
A Kanistha Adhikari is only interested in his/her Temple worship.
A Madhyama Adhikari makes the transition from Vaidhi to Raganuga (cultivating a relationship in one of the 4 Rasas) and wants to give this to other people through the Books, Harinama and Prasadam.
Can we imagine then the powerful preaching of an Uttama Adhikari like Srila Prabhupada?
Yes, Srila Prabhupada expected his followers to be at least Madhyama. Fixed in a loving relationship (one of the 4 Rasas). This would encourage them to go out and preach.
If a Kanistha repeats the words of an Uttama, will his preaching be effective?
In the short term it may be effective. But not in the long term.
In the long term, the association of devotees at least situated in Madhyama is necessary. Fixed in a loving relationship in one of the 4 Rasas.
It was Srila Prabhupada's wish that his followers would be at least in Madhyama transiting from Vaidhi to Raganuga.
This is definitely right. By Srila Prabhupada's mercy I was able to distribute his books for 15 years. Approximately 150,000 books were distributed. Some marathons won. I was also a Sankirtana leader and Temple President. I know what you're talking about.
And this taught me a lot. And this is Srila Prabhupada's main contribution. Go out and do something practical......but don't forget your internal Bhajana !!!
My intention is not to analyze and judge anyone's internal position. Who am I to do this?
My intention is simply to point out that Prabhupada wanted his followers to have both external and internal Sadhana. Nothing more.
Srimad Bhagavatam talks of how we can learn many lessons from the elements.
We can learn from anything and anyone. And this can impact our entire lives. And we have to be grateful for that.
But in terms of the progression of devotional service we will need the right association at the right time.
Learning is a dynamic thing and we are always learning.
Well, a broad minded religious person will respect the practices of other religious institutions. He/she will not accept them, but will only respect them.
And why just respect and not accept?
Because each leader is following the rules of their own institution.
An example of this is inter-religious dialogues.
In these meetings, religious leaders only discuss topics that are common among them, such as climate change, world peace, etc. And it doesn't go any further than that. In these meetings they do not discuss theological and philosophical issues.
This is one point.
Now regarding the point of the classifications of Kanistha, Madhyama and Uttama. A broad minded leader will use this classification to see what stage he/she is at and not to judge others.
Leaders like this are rare, but certainly they must be there.
One thing is for sure. Srila Prabhupada wanted his followers to make the transition from Vaidhi to Raganuga in this lifetime.
Externally preaching with vigor spreading Krishna Consciousness throughout the world and at the same time had an internal Bhajana cultivating a relationship in one of the 4 Rasas.
The external and internal complement each other and both become enlivened.
And so Srila Prabhupada gave us everything. And the most beautiful thing he gave us was teaching us how we can love God as a servant, or as a friend, or as a father and mother, or as a lover. Srila Prabhupada gave us Vrndavana.
In fact, Srila Prabhupada did not institute the Siddha Pranali system at Iskcon. And this will never be done at Iskcon.
But Srila Prabhupada instructed through his books and conversations that we should internally cultivate a relationship in one of the Rasas of Vrndavana.
It's there in the Nectar of Instruction, Caitanya Caritamrta, Teachings of Lord Caitanya.
He advised us to think of ourselves in terms of our Siddha Svarupa. What he was against was Siddha Pranali. But this is another thing.
As Srila Prabhupada created an embracing, inclusive worldwide movement where the Guru accepts disciples who have different moods, he did not institute the Siddha Pranali system which is more focused on Madhurya Rasa.
But Srila Prabhupada instructed in his books and teachings that at the appropriate time, at some point in the Sadhana Bhakti phase, the practitioner should meditate on his/her Siddha Svarupa, or Siddha Deha following an inhabitant of Vrndavana or in Dasya, or in Sakhya, or in Vatsalya, or in Madhurya.
"Haṁsadūta: So Prabhupāda, a neophyte devotee, he may think it might be very nice to be Kṛṣṇa's friend, but he may actually be a blade of grass, and be fully satisfied when he comes to that stage.
Prabhupāda: No. If HE (a neophyte devotee) thinks like that, then he SHOULD CULTIVATE that knowledge in that way. Yes. That is described in The Nectar of Devotion and Teachings of Lord Caitanya.
Haṁsadūta: But that may not be his actual position. It may be something else.
Prabhupāda: No. But when, at THE TIME of devotional service, if such impetuses come, that means he has got such relation. It is TO BE developed. That's all. That means the actual relationship with Kṛṣṇa IS COMING out gradually. It is being developed. So one has to develop it, following the FOOTSTEPS of the Kṛṣṇa's FRIENDS in Vṛndāvana. These are described here."
(Lecture Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.3.16-17, Gorakhpur, 18/02/1971)
"In the śānta-rasa when one aspires to be like Kṛṣṇa’s cows or the stick or flute in the hand of Kṛṣṇa, or the flowers around Kṛṣṇa’s neck. In the dāsya-rasa one follows in the footsteps of servants like Citraka, Patraka or Raktaka. In the friendly sakhya-rasa one can become a friend like Baladeva, Śrīdāmā or Sudāmā. In the vātsalya-rasa, characterized by parental affection, one can become like Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodā, and in the mādhurya-rasa, characterized by conjugal love, one can become like Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī or Her lady friends such as Lalitā and Her serving maids (mañjarīs) like Rūpa and Rati. This is the essence of all instruction in the matter of devotional service." [Śrīla Prabhupāda - Śrī Upadeśāmṛta 8]
You see, I joined Iskcon in 1979 because I read the Nectar of Devotion !!!
And there Srila Prabhupada explained that only in the movement for Krishna Consciousness we can love God in a Rasa of servitude, friendship, fatherhood/motherhood, and marital.
He explained that in no other religious process this was described.
Wow !!! This is what impelled me to accept Krishna Consciousness.
And therefore any tribute to Srila Prabhupada that does not include his unique and valuable contribution of spreading Raga Marga in the mood of Vrndavana is an incomplete tribute.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu is a unique Avatar as He brought the path of Raga Marga. Something no other Avatara had done. And it was Srila Prabhupada who gave us Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Gaura Premanande Hari Haribol
Just one last thought and I won't say anything else.
I always find two extremes.
On the one hand, devotees who say simply engage in the service of the Institution and the Guru and no internal cultivation is necessary. Everything happens for Krpa.
At the other extreme are devotees who cultivate internal service but neglect the practical external service of propagating Krishna Consciousness.
Sorry, but I don't agree with either of these extremes. I consider that both internal and external service should be performed simultaneously, as one vivifies the other. This is how Srila Prabhupada explains it in his teachings.
Hare Krsna. Thank you very much.
Thank you very much for your words and congratulations also on your dedication to our beloved Srila Prabhupada.
Unfortunately Srila Prabhupada spent only a short time physically with us. 11 years and so.
He had to make very young devotees with no experience GBCs and Sannyasis.
Imagine nowadays giving Sannyasa or doing GBC a devotee with 4, 5 years into the process and at the age of 20-something !!!
Of course, we can argue that some could have started in past lives. But in general, as we have seen, they were overwhelmingly inexperienced.
Of course, Prabhupada would not advise such devotees to meditate on their Siddha Svarupa.
However, nowadays we have devotees with 40, almost 50 years chanting Hare Krsna. 4, 5 decades !!!!!
For these mature devotees, Srila Prabhupada made it very clear in his books that they should meditate in terms of their Siddha Svarupa and externally continue their service simultaneously.
Otherwise we can say that the process does not work and no one has advanced in these 40, 50 years chanting Hare Krsna !!!
"In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is clearly said that one should accept the emotional activities of the associates of Kṛṣṇa, not imitate their dress. One should also always meditate upon the dealings between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa in the transcendental world. One should think of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours a day and engage in Their service within one’s mind, not externally change one’s dress."
(Teachings of Lord Caitanya 31)
Here Srila Prabhupada clearly explains that we should meditate on our Siddha Svarupa. What he warns is that we should not change the outer clothing as the Sahajiyas do. But internal meditation on Siddha Svarupa must be done.
"There are two processes by which one may execute this rāgānugā bhakti-external and internal. When self-realized, the advanced devotee externally remains like a neophyte and executes all the śāstric injunctions, especially hearing and chanting. However, within his mind, in his original purified self-realized position, he serves Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana in his particular way. He serves Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours, all day and night."
"The advanced devotee who is inclined to spontaneous loving service should follow the activities of a particular associate of Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana. He should execute service externally as a regulative devotee as well as internally from his self-realized position. Thus he should perform devotional service both externally and internally."
"Actually the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana are very dear to Kṛṣṇa. If one wants to engage in spontaneous loving service, he must follow the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana and constantly engage in devotional service within his mind."
"The devotee should always think of Kṛṣṇa within himself, and one should choose a very dear devotee who is a servitor of Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana. One should constantly engage in topics about that servitor and his loving relationship to Kṛṣṇa, and one should live in Vṛndāvana. However, if one is physically unable to go to Vṛndāvana, he should mentally live there."
"Kṛṣṇa has many types of devotees-some are servants, some are friends, some are parents, and some are conjugal lovers. Those who are situated in one of these attitudes of spontaneous love according to their choice are considered to be on the path of spontaneous loving service."
(Translation by Srila Prabhupada CC Madhya 22, 156 to 162)
Srila Prabhupada clearly talks about meditating on our Siddha Svarupa.
Devotees with 40 or 50 years chanting Hare Krsna can and should embark on this process.
