HE WAS A MAHABHAGAVAT, THEREFORE HE CANNOT MAKE ANY MISTAKE (?)
Part 1 – Criticism, Vaikuṇṭha darśana, Tṛṇād api sunīcena
Some scriptural evidences are given below to avoid committing vaiṣṇava-aparādha—
śūlapāṇi-sama yadi bhakta-nindā kare
bhāgavata-pramāṇa—tathāpiha śīghra mare
(CB Madhya 13.388)
According to the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.10.25), even if someone on the level of Lord Śiva blasphemes a devotee, he will soon be destroyed.
mahad-vimānāt sva-kṛtād dhi
mādṛṅnaṅkṣyaty adūrād api śūlapāṇiḥ
(389)
“Because of this, even though I may be as strong as Lord Śiva, I shall be vanquished without delay due to my offense at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava.”
hena vaiṣṇava ninde yadi sarvajña hai
se janera adhaḥpāta—sarva śāstre kai
(390)
In all scriptures it is stated that if an all-knowing person blasphemes a Vaiṣṇava, he will certainly fall down.
sarva-mahā-prāyaścita ye kṛṣṇera nāma
vaiṣṇavāparādhe seha nā milaye trāṇa
(391)
Kṛṣṇa’s name, which is the ultimate atonement, does not deliver one who offends a Vaiṣṇava.
śūlapāṇi-sama yadi vaiṣṇavere ninde
tathāpiha nāśa paya—kahe śāstra -vṛnde
(CB Madhya 22.55)
"Even if someone of the level of the supremely powerful devotee and gunāvatara Lord Śīva blasphemes a devotee, he will soon be destroyed. This is the verdict of all the scriptures."
ihā nā māniyā ye sujana nindā kare mad
janme janme se pāpiṣṭha daive dose mare
(56)
"Sinful people who ignore the above fact and criticize devotees suffer the heaviest of all punishment of providence birth and birth."
anyera ki dayā gaura-siṁhera jananī
tāṅhāre o vaishnavaparadha kari gani
(57)
"What to speak of others, even the supreme mother of the Supreme Lord Himself Gaura Simha was not exempt from being considered an offender of a Vaiṣṇava."
From Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, we can find the following ślokas which describe the symptoms of a devotee of the highest class:
doṣān pareṣāṁ hi guṇeṣu sādhavo
gṛhṇanti kecin na bhavādṛśo dvija
guṇāṁś ca phalgūn bahulī-kariṣṇavo
mahattamās teṣv avidad bhavān agham (ŚB 4.4.12)
Twice-born Dakṣa, a man like you can simply find fault in the qualities of others. Lord Śiva, however, not only finds no faults with others’ qualities, but if someone has a little good quality, he magnifies it greatly. Unfortunately, you have found fault with such a great soul.
dehendriya-prāṇa-mano-dhiyāṁ yo
janmāpyaya-kṣud-bhaya-tarṣa-kṛcchraiḥ
saṁsāra-dharmair avimuhyamānaḥ
smṛtyā harer bhāgavata-pradhānaḥ (ŚB 11.2.49)
Within the material world, one’s material body is always subject to birth and decay. Similarly, the life air [prāṇa] is harassed by hunger and thirst, the mind is always anxious, the intelligence hankers for that which cannot be obtained, and all of the senses are ultimately exhausted by constant struggle in the material nature. A person who is not bewildered by the inevitable miseries of material existence, and who remains aloof from them simply by remembering the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is to be considered bhāgavata-pradhāna, the foremost devotee of the Lord.
na kāma-karma-bījānāṁ
yasya cetasi sambhavaḥ
vāsudevaika-nilayaḥ
sa vai bhāgavatottamaḥ (ŚB 11.2.50)
One who has taken exclusive shelter of the Supreme Lord, Vāsudeva, becomes free from fruitive activities, which are based on material lust. In fact, one who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord is freed from even the desire to enjoy material sense gratification. Plans for enjoying sex life, social prestige and money cannot develop within his mind. Thus, he is considered bhāgavatottama, a pure devotee of the Lord on the highest platform.
na yasya janma-karmabhyāṁ
na varṇāśrama-jātibhiḥ
sajjate ’sminn ahaṁ-bhāvo
dehe vai sa hareḥ priyaḥ (ŚB 11.2.51)
Birth in an aristocratic family and the execution of austere and pious activities certainly cause one to take pride in himself. Similarly, if one enjoys a prestigious position within society because his parents are highly respected members of the varṇāśrama social system, one becomes even more infatuated with himself. But if, despite these excellent material qualifications, one does not feel even a tinge of pride within himself, he is to be considered the dearmost servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
na yasya svaḥ para iti
vitteṣv ātmani vā bhidā
sarva-bhūta-samaḥ śāntaḥ
sa vai bhāgavatottamaḥ (ŚB 11.2.52)
When a devotee gives up the selfish conception by which one thinks, “this is my property, and that is his,” and when he is no longer concerned with the pleasures of his own material body or indifferent to the discomforts of others, he becomes fully peaceful and satisfied. He considers himself simply one among all the living beings who are equally part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such a satisfied Vaiṣṇava is considered to be at the highest standard of devotional service.
tri-bhuvana-vibhava-hetave ’py akuṇṭha-
smṛtir ajitātma-surādibhir vimṛgyāt
na calati bhagavat-padāravindāl
lava-nimiṣārdham api yaḥ sa vaiṣṇavāgryaḥ (ŚB 11.2.53)
The lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are sought even by the greatest of demigods, such as Brahmā and Śiva, who have all accepted the Supreme Personality of Godhead as their life and soul. A pure devotee of the Lord can never forget those lotus feet in any circumstance. He will not give up his shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord for a single moment — indeed, not for half a moment — even in exchange for the benediction of ruling and enjoying the opulence of the entire universe. Such a devotee of the Lord is to be considered the best of the Vaiṣṇavas.
bhagavata uru-vikramāṅghri-śākhā-
nakha-maṇi-candrikayā nirasta-tāpe
hṛdi katham upasīdatāṁ punaḥ sa
prabhavati candra ivodite ’rka-tāpaḥ (ŚB 11.2.54)
How can the fire of material suffering continue to burn the hearts of those who worship the Supreme Lord? The Lord’s lotus feet have performed innumerable heroic deeds, and the beautiful nails on His toes resemble valuable jewels. The effulgence emanating from those nails resembles cooling moonshine, for it instantly relieves the suffering within the heart of the pure devotee, just as the appearance of the moon’s cooling light relieves the burning heat of the sun.
visṛjati hṛdayaṁ na yasya sākṣād
dharir avaśābhihito ’py aghaugha-nāśaḥ
praṇaya-rasanayā dhṛtāṅghri-padmaḥ
sa bhavati bhāgavata-pradhāna uktaḥ (ŚB 11.2.55)
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is so kind to the conditioned souls that if they call upon Him by speaking His Holy Name, even unintentionally or unwillingly, the Lord is inclined to destroy innumerable sinful reactions in their hearts. Therefore, when a devotee who has taken shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet chants the holy name of Kṛṣṇa with genuine love, the Supreme Personality of Godhead can never give up the heart of such a devotee. One who has thus captured the Supreme Lord within his heart is to be known as bhāgavata-pradhāna, the most exalted devotee of the Lord.
Also, from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, we hear the following advice:
para-svabhāva-karmāṇi
na praśaṁsen na garhayet
viśvam ekātmakaṁ paśyan
prakrtya purusena ca (ŚB 11.28.1)
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: One should neither praise nor criticize the conditioned nature and activities of other persons. Rather, one should see this world as simply the combination of material nature and the enjoying souls (prakṛti and puruṣa), all based on the one Absolute Truth.
Gauḍīya Goṣṭhī Pati Śrī Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda Paramahaṁsa Jagad Guru said that— “Paramahaṁsa Guru-Vaiṣṇava they cannot have any complaint against anybody (or situation)”. Why? because they know it very well that the Absolute Truth is far and far beyond the limit of material justice, which they cannot expect in this material world which is full of contamination.
Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tīrtha Gosvāmī Mahārāj wrote in his book “Hari-kathā and Vaiṣṇava Aparādha”: “A pure devotee has no hostile adverse mentality, personal grudge or dissatisfaction to anybody. A devotee always thinks in case misbehaviour is done to him by somebody, it is the consequence of his own misdeed. He does not blame the person.”
Śrīla Bhakti Rakshak Śrīdhar-Dev Gosvāmī Mahārāj said that: “We should take resort to kīrtana always, but our attitude should be such, Mahāprabhu recommends, tṛṇād api sunīchena taror iva sahiṣṇunā amāninā mānadena. […] We will be, our attitude will be humble all towards high, and if we think that we are being done wrong, still also we shall take to patience, amāni, and under no circumstances we shall work for our own position and prestige. That should not be our aim. From above, amāninā mānadena, and we shall try to respect everybody. […] No cause, we should not extend any cause for resistance, which will create resistance. Won’t create such circumstance that invites resistance: tṛṇād api sunīchena. Still if any resistance unexpectedly approaches me, I shall try my best to forbear, being conscious that my guardian’s eye over me. He’s also eager to help me in my campaign. […] And no other object will come and pollute my aim, the pure purpose of my life. I won’t allow any pollution from outside to contaminate my purity of purpose, amāninā. That pratiṣṭhā will come, or any other temptation will come and induce me to go ahead. I won’t, I should never allow any other but the satisfaction of Guru, Gaurāṅga, and Kṛṣṇa, etc., Vaiṣṇava. No other element can enter there in my purpose. The purity of purpose should always be maintained very scrupulously, amāninā, and mānadena, and I won’t shrink to give proper conduct, to show proper conduct to my environment.That is, won’t expect that they will come and help me. I must not very eagerly, amāninā mānadena Why they are not coming to help me? No such mentality. They are engaged in their own business. It is my own. Alone I shall go on with my duty. I won’t be always searching that someone must come and help me, mānadena. They are doing, let them do their own duty. It is mine. I shall go alone with this, amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ. With this attitude we shall go on.”
It is very clear from the statements above that a pure devotee can never criticize or grow any inimical attitude against anybody, because they see the hand of the Supreme Lord in everything and in everyone (Vaikuṇṭha darśana). They simply accept whatever arrangements are done by Bhagavān. So, if you try to argue that Swami Mahārāj’s insults and dirty remarks are a justified defensive reaction on his side due to some lack of support received from his Godbrothers or due to any other sources of dissatisfaction, you are yourself putting a strong claim against his position as a pure devotee.
Perhaps you are aware of the very dirty and insulting letter written by Śrīla Swami Mahārāj to Śrīla Bhakti Pramode Puri Gosvāmī Mahārāj, in response to a humble request of Śrīla Puri Mahārāj for some financial support to renovate Ananta Vasudeva temple. Even after receiving such a derogatory reply, Śrīla Bhakti Pramode Puri Gosvāmī Mahārāj has shown nothing else but utmost respect for his Godbrother. No insult on the part of Śrīla Bhakti Pramode Puri Gosvāmī Mahārāj against Śrīla Swami Mahārāj (or against any of his Godbrothers) could ever be found. About this incident, Śrīla Baba Mahārāj wrote: “This is called the actual paramahaṁsa stage, because even after being insulted by someone repeatedly he went to give pushpānjalī to his samādhi at Śrī Vṛndāvana and to glorify him as a great personality. Yes, you are right, his name is Śrī Śrīa Bhakti Pramoda Purī Gosvāmī — Paramahaṁsa Jagadguru.”
So, surely, one mahā-bhāgavata can never criticize Vaiṣṇavas. When Dakṣa Prajāpati out of false ego started criticizing Vaiṣṇava Raj Sambhu then Nandia, the main pārṣada of Shankar Bhagavān, was very much angry.
Here follows just a sample of some quotations of Srila Swami Maharaj, for your kind information. But, before going through them, let us just quickly remember some of the characteristics and activites of a paramahaṁsa Vaiṣṇava, as stated in the ślokas given before. Among other characteristics, a mahā-bhāgavata (i) can never find faults in anybody (what to speak of finding faults in pure Guru-Vaiṣṇavas), (ii) remains aloof the miseries of material existence by constantly remembering the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, (iii) has absolutely no regard for anything material such as money and social prestige, (iv) does not feel even a tinge of pride within himself, (v) gives up the selfish conception by which one thinks, “this is my property, and that is his,” (vi) is fully peaceful and satisfied, (vii) considers himself simply one among all the living beings who are equally part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, (viii) does not give up his shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord for a single moment, (ix) has captured the Supreme Lord within his heart by chanting His holy Name with genuine love, (x) does not praise nor criticize the conditioned nature and activities of other persons, (xi) does not have any complaint against anybody (or situation), (xii) has no hostile adverse mentality, personal grudge or dissatisfaction to anybody, and (xiii) does not expect anything from anyone.
“I am going there, hopeless, just to make an experiment. My other Godbrothers, they failed. All right, Guru Mahārāja asked me. In the beginning I did not do. Let me do it in this old age." So it became surprisingly success. Business started with forty rupees, and now we have got four crores. Where is that business in the material world, that a man started business with forty rupees and he has got four crores within ten years? Not only money but also fame, respect. What do these kings and president or minister get, respect?
[…] So these rascals, Godbrothers, they are envious that . . . what he has written, Bon Mahārāja? Just see what kind of men they are. They are not even ordinary human being. They are envious of me, and what to speak of make a judgment by estimation? They're envious.
[…]So these persons, they are not even human being, what to speak of Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava cannot be envious. Vaiṣṇava should be, "Oh, my Lord's name is being broadcast. He is getting . . . giving so much service to make Kṛṣṇa known." Just like this man has appreciated, that "All these spiritual leaders, they are deriding. You are the only man . . . you are . . . it enthuses us, give us more encouragement, that you are keeping intact love of Kṛṣṇa." This is an appreciation. Why he should be envious? He should be, rather, very much enthused that, "This single man is keeping Kṛṣṇa all over the world." And everyone is deriding. Even Gandhi is killing Kṛṣṇa. Dr. Radhakrishnan is killing. Their only business is to kill Kṛṣṇa. He is also doing that, our this Bon Mahārāja. He never speaks of Kṛṣṇa. His rascal, that Institute of Indian Philosophy, nobody goes to urine there. We see practically. And our temple is always filled up, five hundred men. And he is trying for the last forty years. He is simply planning, "This will be playground. This will be this ground. This will be this ground." And it is becoming jungle. Still, he is so envious, black snake. So one circular letter should be issued to all our center that, "Any . . . Bon Mahārāja or anyone, his representative, should not be received." They are envious.”
(Conversation – Johannesburg, 1975)
“Prabhupāda [Swami Maharaj]: Bon Mahārāja published a portion of the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu—eleven hundred books. Still lying for the last ten years.
Hari-śauri: Bon Mahārāja.
Prabhupāda [Swami Maharaj]: Yes. And he's the rectum of such a big institute. (laughs) He can pass stool very nice. (laughter)”
(Conversation D – Bombay, 1977)
“Our big, big godbrothers in India, they could not preach Lord Gouranga's name all over India. They are simply inclined to criticize me, that my students call me Prabhupada. They could not do anything practical and tangible. They are satisfied with a temple and a few disciples begging alms for the maintenance of the temple. So, we can understand that they have all become sudras. How can they have interest in Bhagavad Gita. Although some of them have been born in brahmana families, but by quality are all sudras.”
(Letter to Niranjana written from New York, 1973)
“Prabhupāda [Swami Maharaj]: … our Kunja Babu also planned like that. He thought, "By cheating all the Godbrothers, I have got now Caitanya Maṭha. And people will come to see Caitanya Mahāprabhu's birthplace, and I will get good income. And it will be distributed amongst my brothers and sons and myself. That's all." That is his scheme.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Perfect material plan.
Prabhupāda [Swami Maharaj]: Yes. It is another way of earning money. And he was always after Guru Mahārāja only for this purpose. Guru Mahārāja took that "Oh, this man is helping me." But he had no such plan, to help Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī. He had the plan, "Keep Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī in front, earn money, and put it in my pocket." That was his very beginning. He was taking money like anything.”
(Conversation B – Bombay, 1973)
“Prabhupāda [Swami Maharaj]: Another Godbrother, he asked me fifty thousand rupees to maintain his temple.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How much?
Prabhupāda [Swami Maharaj]: Fifty thousand. So I said, "Yes, I can give you fifty thousand, but this is mleccha money. You'll be polluted. Best thing is that give. We can maintain. I'll immediately deposit fifty thousand." He has stopped. (laughs) "We are mlecchas. I am the leader of the mlecchas, so my money will pollute you. But if you are feeling difficulty, you hand over the temple to us, and on condition I immediately deposit fifty thousand in the name of the temple."
(Conversation C – Bombay, 1977)
Prabhupāda [Swami Maharaj]: “So unless one is materially not ordinary, he cannot preach. All the Gosvāmīs, they were coming from respectable . . . and why Gauḍīya Maṭha came? These are third-class men, no position in their past life.
Amogha: Most of them just came from the villages.
Prabhupāda [Swami Maharaj]: That's all. Uneducated, half-educated, poor, poverty-stricken. They could not do anything. Some of our Godbrothers, I have beat them . . . (indistinct) . . . Swami. In his previous life he had a big, big business organization. So therefore he has been able to organize like this. They admit it. They are coming from some third-class status of life. This is not trite; this is fact.”
(Morning Walk – Perth, 1975)
“Actually amongst my Godbrothers no one is qualified to become acarya. So it is better not to mix with my Godbrothers very intimately because instead of inspiring our students and disciples they may sometimes pollute them. This attempt was made previously by them, especially Madhava Maharaj and Tirtha Maharaj and Bon Maharaj but somehow or other I saved the situation.”
(Letter to Rupanuga written from Hyderabad, 1974)
“We must have quality. Our Godbrothers, they publish tenth-quality papers. Nobody . . . nobody cares.”
(Morning Walk – Vrndavana, 1975)
“Prabhupāda [Swami Maharaj]: As far as possible, I have tried to present. In one place I have criticized my Godbrothers.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Last night?
Prabhupāda [Swami Maharaj]: No, no, in Caitanya-caritāmṛta.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yeah, at the end, in one line. We were . . . when we read that, it was actually relishable—very personal.
Prabhupāda [Swami Maharaj]: Śrīdhara Mahārāja is little . . .
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He read it?
Prabhupāda [Swami Maharaj]: I think so.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Did he make any comment?
Prabhupāda [Swami Maharaj]: He cannot make any comment. These are facts. Two parties there were. One party, to use guru as their instrument for sense enjoyment, and another party left guru. So both of them are offenders. This Kunja Babu, this Tīrtha Mahārāja's party, he wanted to enjoy senses through guru. And the Bagh Bazaar party, they left.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Vāsudeva.
Prabhupāda [Swami Maharaj]: So both of them are severe offenders.
(Conversation C – Bombay, 1977)
“Just like my Guru Mahārāja did not travel all over the world, so I have got double energy than him. So you must triple energy, four times energy than me. Then actually disciple. My Godbrothers are envious because they could not do. They could not do even half of Guru Mahārāja's work, and I am doing ten times. So therefore they are envious.”
(Room Conversation - April 02, 1972, Sydney)
“Nobody can speak on the Bhagavad-gita so authoritatively as I can do. That is a fact. So if the university wants to take advantage of this opportunity, even in this old age I can go from one university to another, and I am sure they can learn from me only the true teachings of the Bhagavad-gita; from me and from my students who are already trained up in this connection. So, if something can be done in this connection, it will help our missionary propaganda, and the students shall get new light from our book, Bhagavad-gita As It Is." (Letter to Brahmananda written from Los Angeles - Feb 1969)
"I am very, very much pleased to hear about the progress in Mayapur, and this working with one hundred men both day and night is the American style. If you do something wonderful at Mayapur that will be my credit and I can truly be called the guru of the Americans. But if you do not do anything there, then that will be a great discredit for me and I will not defeat my Godbrothers as I desire. So practically I am depending completely upon you in both these cases to finish up the Mayapur business in grand style and to get a good start in Vrindaban. That will be very much to your credit."
(Letter to Tamala Krishna written from London - Aug 1972)
“I am actually authority accepted by authority. In the Caitanya Caritamrta it is said, krsna sakti vina nahe nama pracar. So, now the Hare Krishna movement is world known, and learned scholars, etc. give plaudits to me as Professor Judah has. So, then why I am not authority? Nobody says Bon Swami has done it, or Vivekananda, or any other swami. There are so many yogis and swamis coming, but nobody is giving credit to them, they are giving the credit to me. So, why I am not an authority? […] Even if he thinks that he has done, certainly he has not done better than me. Under the circumstances, accepting him as an authority, I am greater and better authority than him.” (Letter to Satsvarupa written from Honolulu - Jun 1975)
Prabhupāda [Swami Maharaj]: “What they have done in comparison to me?
Akṣayānanda: Yes, they've done nothing.”
(Conversation, Vridavana - Sep 1976)
“Prabhupāda [Swami Maharaj]: And he was, what he has told about me?
Brahmānanda: That you are the most powerful personality in the world.
Prabhupāda [Swami Maharaj]: If I am representative of Kṛṣṇa, then I must be the most powerful. Kṛṣṇa has got . . . all omnipotent. (laughs) Most powerful the most my Godbrothers. That is my credit. They are thinking like that, "This man became most powerful than all of us. (still laughing)”
(Morning Walk – Denver, 1975)
To conclude the first part of this section, we would like to sooth your hearts by giving you the following words spoken by Śrīla Bhaktī Rakshak Śridhar Goswāmī Mahārāj: “Materialistic people cannot make an ācārya, nor can an ācārya be elected by the votes of materialistic people. Nevertheless, an ācārya or someone who is equal to an ācārya, can reveal news of the rise of an ācārya for the benefit of the world. The ācārya position of principle ācāryas like Śrīla Śrīnivāsācārya, Śrīla Ṭhākura Narottama and Śrīla Śyāmānanda Prabhu were revealed by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī Prabhu. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura took the opportunity to reveal the position of the Gauḍīya Vedāntācārya, Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Prabhu, to the eyes of the world. None of them achieved the position of ācārya by dint of their expertise in performing mundane activities.
They achieved the very title of ācārya by dint of their mastery in pure devotional conclusions (bhakti–siddhānta) and preaching the sermons of the śāstras and personally following them. An ācārya can manifest within the guileless heart and words of non-envious godbrothers who are expert in devotional conclusions. But so-called fellow godbrothers who are cunning, envious and ignorant about spiritual topics, who are themselves greedy for mundane wealth, women and prestige, who are occupied in trying to become gurus themselves, who are proud and arrogant, who desire to lord over others – even if such persons engage in all sorts of malicious acts, reject a kṛṣṇa-tattva-vit, become envious of him and criticise the pure character of a Vaiṣṇava – it will not reduce the position of the kṛṣṇa-tattva-vit ācārya in any way.”