No Enmity, Only Solution – Part 14

All glories to Śrī Śrī Guru-Gauranga

No Enmity, Only Solution – Part 14

By sampradāya-saṁrakṣaka Śrī Śyām Dās Babajī Mahārāj

Date: 25.07.2025

A letter of very humble request

ALL GLORIES TO Śrī GURU. Śrī SARASWATA Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas and Śrī Gaurāṅga.

To

The GBC of ISKCON.

Śrī-Mayapur.

Nadia -741313. Date.:   27th     day       of         September 2004.

Dear Mahārājas and Prabhus,

Please accept my respectful Praṇāma’s.

I am an aspiring servant of Śrī Brahma Madhva Gauḍīya Sarasvata sampradāya. Five days ago, I returned to Mayapur from overseas preaching trip. Like last few years, yesterday, on the occasion of Holy appearance day of Śrīla Sacchidananda Bhakti Vinode Ṭhākura, a glorious program was arranged in Godruma as usual by Śrī Sarasvata Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas Association. But this year, due to some problems between Gauḍīya Maṭhas and ISKCON, I saw ISKCON not attending the program and also GauḍīyaMaṭhas did not officially allow the ISKCON on devotees to attend the same. This present situation is not healthy for spreading the message of Divine Love. All we are belonging to Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda-tree. I am sure that Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda will not be happy to see the present mood in regard to each other.

As per my observation. I discovered that, recently, due to the influence of ISKCON. PWD, a government department for constructing and maintaining roads etc. is progressing to widen the Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Road. Because of that, many shops and Maṭha- buildings on both sides of the said road are going to be partially demolished. As we know most of the Gauḍīya Maṭhas are economically poor—this type of action of PWD is breaking their hearts.

Besides such unpleasant incident, another old saddening matter has also been hurting them for long. Certain comments made by our Śikṣā-Gurudeva. His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabhupāda in his purports of ŚrīCaitanya-caritāmṛta  (Ādi-līlā, twelfth chapter, verse 8th) as well as his different letters to the disciples, are obviously against some of the Gauḍīya Maṭha-ācāryas. I am sure that all of you know about the relevant matter. Those contents may give you some satisfaction, but, according to my sense of Vaiṣṇava etiquette and culture, I can clearly see that the whole Vaiṣṇava community is taking such stuff very badly in relation to Śrīla Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabhupāda. He and his Godbrothers are all considered to be my Śikṣā Gurudevas. So, as soon as I hear any unpleasant comments about anyone of them, I feel as like a thunderbolt is breaking my heart.

I understand that all of you are trying to follow the instructions as well as the wishes or mood of your Gurudeva--His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabhupāda.

I have heard that at the end of his manifest life-pastimes, once he sincerely begged forgiveness from all his Godbrothers for saying anything unpleasant. So, now this is my humble request to you that please think about the pastime of my Śikṣā-Gurudeva, wherein he begged pardon for his past activities, trying to cooperate with the Gauḍīya Maṭhas. So please give full consideration to such his feelings and remove all his unpleasant comments from his purports and letters in order to save us i.e.the Sarasvata Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Society. Because those purports do not represent the proper respect or honour in relation to the other Vaiṣṇavas and the Vaiṣṇavism on the whole. So as his Śikṣā disciple, I am feeling very uncomfortable when I see one of Śrīla Bhakti Vinoda Ṭhākura's songs as follows:

vaiṣṇava-charitra sarvada pavitra

yei ninde hiṁsā kari'

bhaktivinoda na sambhase tan're

thāke sadā mauna dhari'

(Kalyāṇa-Kalpa-Taru)

"The Vaiṣṇava's character is always pure. Bhaktivinoda vows as never to speak or relate to any envious person who criticizes such a Vaiṣṇava: instead, he will always stay aloof from him by maintaining an appropriate silence.”

After reading the above song I felt like writing this letter for an amicable solution between each other, so we can preach together the messages of Divine Love among the general people as per our aims and objectives. According to my experience in the preaching field, it is always very difficult for all of us to give a truthful explanation about our own sporadic relationship between each other in the name of Divine Love. Also, in the age of quarrel, if we do so, then how we will be ideally preaching to others with a view: to establish (assert) Śrīmān Mahāprabhu's message of Divine Love?

He is not only the Gurudeva of ISKCON our Gurudeva too. If anybody thinks of anything negative about him that is also so painful to my heart. Therefore, it is my humble request to all GBC members of ISKCON to please remove the painful stuffs from our hearts. As per my experience for last few years, the ISKCON members headed by Śrīpad Jaypataka Swami Mahārāja and others and the members of Gauḍīya Maṭhas were trying to unite under the banner of Śrī Saraswata Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Society. But due to the above-mentioned problems our entire endeavour throughout the last few years is going to be nept in the bud. Please think affirmatively and do needful to fulfil the desire of Śrīmān Mahāprabhu.

suno suno Nityānanda;  suno Haridāsa

sarvatra āmāra ājñā koroha prakāśa ,

prati ghare ghare giya koro ei bhikṣā ,

bolo Kṛṣṇa, bhaja Kṛṣṇa, koro Kṛṣṇa śikṣā

"O Nityānanda, O Haridāsa! Please listen carefully about preaching this following instruction of mine everywhere. Go door to door and beg everybody to chant Kṛṣṇa’s Holy-Name, serve Kṛṣṇa and take education in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.”

Now-a-days, your preaching group is really big around the world and doing lots of Mahāprabhu's services. As per my nature. I would like to keep their feet on my head, who are doing such type of Mahāprabhu’s real services by spreading His messages of chanting Kṛṣṇa’s Holy-Name, serving Kṛṣṇa and taking education in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness." All of us are actually doing the same devotional preaching, just in different ways.

Therefore, please excuse me, if I commit any inadvertent mistake in this letter while trying to follow the last wish of Śrīla Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabhupāda. Religion is proper adjustment and Swami Prabhupāda did show us that example at the end of his manifest life-pastime. All we are practicing Vaiṣṇava religion which is endowed with high-class humility and tolerance. Also, as we know under any situation that last will should be valid forever. Therefore, please do this favour to Śrīla Swami Prabhupāda by eliminating from his writings all his unpleasant comments regarding his own Godbrothers and Gurudeva's society, Śrī Gauḍīya Maṭhas. This will definitely bring happiness to His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda as well as all the members of Śrī Brahma Madhva Gauḍīya Sarasvata sampradāya.

In conclusion. I would like to request you and all that please allow us to chant harinām together giving all due respects to each other.

Yours in the service of

Śrīla Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabhupāda.

B. B. Bodhayan

Śrī Gopinath Gauḍīya Maṭha. Śrīdham Mayapur.

..........................................................................................................................................................

My Humble Prayer to ISKCON

(This is another letter written by Srila B. B. Bodhayan Maharaj)

Date: 12 June 2025 

Revered HH Srila Jayapataka Swami Maharaja, HH Srila Radhanath Swami Maharaja, HH Srila Indradyumna Swami Maharaja, HG Gauranga Prabhu, Esteemed Gurus & Respected GBC Members, and well-wishers of ISKCON.

Please accept my Dandavat Pranams and convey the same to all the members of your congregation.

I am writing with great concern regarding a recent YouTube video posted by HG Harivijay Das Brahmacari Prabhu, link: https://youtu.be/2pc014ShrHE. The content of this video significantly violates Vaishnava etiquette, containing unfounded criticisms and blasphemous statements against the Gaudiya Math and its respected Spiritual Masters. For the benefit of those who do not speak Hindi, I have attached an English transcript of the video here with the letter for your kind review. I humbly request you to kindly go through it and reflect on its implications.

In the video, HG Harivijay Prabhu makes serious accusations against the devotees and spiritual lineage of Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math and other Gaudiya institutions, claiming that our revered acharyas acted with envy and tried to manipulate ISKCON devotees for personal gain. These allegations, I must respectfully state, are baseless and historically inconsistent. For instance, he refers to an incident involving Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math in Vrindavan during HDG Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Goswami’s time, yet this Math was not even established until 1989 — a full twelve years after Srila Swami Maharaj’s disappearance in 1977. Such statements are not only factually incorrect but spiritually damaging, as they risk fostering Vaishnava Aparadha on a mass scale. My revered spiritual master, His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Thakur, was, throughout his life, a living embodiment of the third verse of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Śikṣāṣṭakam — “tṛṇād api sunīcena.” In his dealings with all devotees, including his godbrothers, he exhibited unparalleled humility, tolerance, and respect.

HG Harivijay Das – “There was once an incident when a few disciples from Iskcon were sent abroad by Prabhupada. In the beginning, the intention was that they were being sent to learn Deity worship (puja seva) and its procedures. They were sent to places like Gopinath Gaudiya Math near Gopeshwar Mahadev. They were sent there to learn deity worship, but the Gaudiya Math people started speaking against Prabhupada to the very devotees who had come to learn. They began criticising Prabhupada and instead tried to make them their own disciples—as if establishing their own image and authority. The Gaudiya Math people told the devotees – Swami Maharaj doesn’t know anything; instead, we will teach you and tried to give them re-initiation and make them their own disciples. This shows that they had a strong sense of prestige within themselves, not genuine compassion. No one explicitly stopped or forbade them—but their actions spoke volumes”.

I was raised in a household where my grandfather, a direct disciple of HDG Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur, never uttered a single word of criticism against his Godbrothers. I joined this mission in 1978 and have closely observed our Guru-varga, including my Spiritual Master, HDG Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Thakur. I never heard them speak critically of the ISKCON Founder Acharya, my own revered Shiksha-Guru, HDG Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Rather, I have always heard only glorifications. That is the tradition we have inherited — one of humility, honour, respect (instead of criticism), and service to all Vaishnavas. This is the parampara I have witnessed: that of love and mutual respect, not division.

Whatever HG Harivijay Prabhu says, can he provide any evidence that my spiritual master did what he claims? Both Pankajangri Prabhu and Jananivas Prabhu used to come and learn puja from my spiritual master. I personally heard from both of them that their Gurudev had sent them to learn from mine. Did they have such experiences with my Gurudev? At that time, my Gurudev was residing at Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, as Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math had not yet been established.

Let me humbly recount a divine incident for your reflection: Before Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj took the renounced order, whilst suffering from tuberculosis, his family had refused to keep him in his own home because tuberculosis is contagious. Medical treatment was extremely costly and inaccessible. Yet, as soon as HDG Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Goswami Maharaj learned of this, he brought him to his rented ashram on Rasbihari Avenue and cared for him for six months. Despite concerns raised by disciples about the medical expenses, Srila Madhava Maharaj declared: “If needed, I shall beg from door to door to serve my Godbrother.”

This is the Gaudiya ideal. This is the mood of service to Vaishnavas that we must uphold and protect.

In November 1977, just before his divine departure, HDG Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Goswami Maharaj himself apologised to his godbrothers for any offense committed in the heat of his preaching efforts. That conversation with HDG Srila Puri Goswami Maharaj( factually it was HDG Srila Bhakti Vaibhav Puri Goswami Maharaj –  Note by BodhayanSwami.com Editorial), recorded and preserved, bears witness to the deep humility and unity that defined our revered acharyas (see November 1977 — excerpt from conversation between Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and his godbrothers: attached herewith the email). He confessed, “Having gained some opulence, I became proud,” and sought forgiveness from his Godbrothers. HDG Srila Puri Goswami Maharaj lovingly reassured him, saying, “There is no offense. Everything is auspicious. You are the emperor of preaching.”

I remember, even when disciples of HG Bhavananda Maharaj approached my Gurudev after their Guru’s fall down, he sent them back to ISKCON and specifically advised them to take initiation from HDG Bhakti Charu Swami, to preserve their connection with Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj’s mission. That is the genuine sentiment of our Gaudiya Parampara.

What then is the purpose of these present-day accusations, which contradict the very spirit of our acharyas?

As a humble servant of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission, it deeply pains me to see such divisive propaganda. From my earliest days, I learned both from my revered spiritual master, HDG Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Goswami Thakur, and my Grand Spiritual Master, HDG Srila Prabhupada Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur, that Vaishnavism embodies humility, glorification of others, and service without sectarian boundaries. Criticism or offense (Vaishnava Aparadha) is strictly condemned by Mahaprabhu’s teachings. Such offenses gravely hinder spiritual progress and negate the potency of chanting the Holy Name.

I humbly ask you to kindly reflect on the impact this kind of rhetoric has on the neophyte devotees who are earnestly seeking spiritual shelter. Many are sincerely joining ISKCON in hopes of attaining Krishna, but such offensive narratives may lead them unknowingly into the gravest danger of Vaishnava Aparadha, which, as Srila Jagadananda Pandit has written, is so severe that even if one chants for ten million lifetimes, Harinam cannot save one from its consequences. Are we here to deliver them, or to expose them to such peril?

Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur, in one of his songs, states that he always kept a vow to abstain from speaking any type of envious blasphemy unto such a pure devotee, whose life and characteristics are always pure.

vaisnava caritra, sarvada pavitra, jei ninde himsa kori’bhakativinoda, na’ sambhase ta’re thake sada mauna dhori.

Also, in Sri Chaitanya Bhagwat, Antya khand (chapter 4, text 360-362),Sriman Mahaprabhu mentions –

hena vaiṣṇavera nindā kare yei jana, se-i pāya duḥkha—janma-jīvana-maraṇa

If anyone blasphemes a pure devotee, they are subjected to suffering life after life

vidyā-kula-tapa saba viphala tāhāra , vaiṣṇava nindaye ye ye pāpī durācāra 

Their knowledge, high-class birth, and austerities all become fruitless.

pūjā o tāhāra kṛṣṇa nā kare grahaṇa , vaiṣṇavera nindā kare ye pāpiṣṭha jan

If such an offender and sinful person worships Krishna, the Lord does not accept their service.

I have also heard from my spiritual master that although Lord Nityananda Prabhu and Srila Advaita Acharya may appear to outwardly quarrel, if we perceive their exchanges in a mundane way, we risk committing offences. Their divine interactions are not ordinary disputes, but transcendental expressions meant to establish the proper siddhānta (philosophical conclusions).

I also heard from different senior ISKCON devotees that HDG AC Bhaktivendanta Swami Goswami explained to his followers that, whatever his outwardly negative relationships with his godbrothers may be, the followers should not get involved. Rather, they should show due respect to all of them.

I have seen in the preaching field that neophyte devotees have an antagonistic mood towards Gaudiya Vaishnavas, probably due to the present ISKCON preaching strategies. I heard that when Srila BV Swami Goswami Maharaj was at the Kolkata airport, at that time, Srila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Goswami Maharaj sent many senior followers such as Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj and Srila Bhakti Vigyana Bharati Goswami Maharaj to the airport. Srila Bhakti Vedanta Swami Goswami Maharaj’s followers took him from the back door, avoiding the main entrance, and kept him in Baliganj in a house instead of accepting the reception prepared for him in Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math in 35 Satish Mukherjee Road, Kolkata 26.

I am simply a junior servant of the Gaudiya community, unworthy in many ways. Yet, I feel a deep responsibility to speak on behalf of the unity and dignity of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s loving mission. It seems that the present preaching style is not representative of Mahaprabhu’s loving mission, which teaches us to be non-sectarian and non-judgmental. Rather, the preaching has now become quarrelsome, harbouring sectarianism, and being judgmental. Lord Chaitanya never criticised anyone, so as a follower of Lord Chaitanya’s mission, how can we criticise anyone? How can we involve ourselves in criticism? Where are the sadhu’s symptoms? Srimad Bhagavatam states the symptoms of a sadhu:

(3.25.21)

titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ, suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehināmajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ, sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ

A sadhu should have extreme tolerance, mercy, and be a well-wisher to all living beings. They have no enemies (others may think that a sadhu is an enemy, but a sadhu never thinks that he has any enemies), are always peaceful (krishna bhakta nishkam ataeva shanta – a genuine devotee of Krishna has no desires for material appreciation, recognition, and any other material desires).

Are these instructions from the shastra now falling on deaf ears?

Therefore, I sincerely urge you all, who bear the great burden of ISKCON’s global mission, to guide your followers away from such divisive behavior. Instead, let us inspire them to glorify all Vaishnavas, to honour all members of bona fide lineages, and to chant Harinam with purity and love.

If anything I have written has caused any disturbance to your hearts, I sincerely beg forgiveness at your lotus feet. My only intention is to preserve the mood of our acharyas and to serve Lord Chaitanya’s loving mission while keeping an amicable relationship amongst each other.

To save Harivijay Prabhu’s spiritual progress, I humbly request the GBC members to rectify his behaviour by asking him to make a public apology on the very platform he used to sabotage and malign Gaudiya Math, especially Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math. It would also be in his best interest to make an apology to HDG Srila Bhakti Hridoy Bon Goswami Maharaj. I now leave this in the hands of the ISKCON GBC to deal with it accordingly.

An unworthy servant of Lord Chaitanya’s Loving Mission,

B.B. Bodhayan

Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math