The strong protest note by Srila Baba Maharaj against the dirty policy for getting the trademark of both "Hare Krishna" and "Hare Krishna Movement" (Part 1)

All glories to Śrī Śrī Guru-Gauranga

Behind the glamorous screen

(Suppression of fact is a great offence)

 

Gauḍīya Goṣṭhī Pati Śrī Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda Paramahaṁsa Guru said that said that— “A fraud sādhu should be brought into notice of public, this is our most vital duty.” To establish the Absolute Truth it is a must, and not doing so is a great offence. 

acaitanyamidaṁ viśvaṁ yadi caitanyamiśvaram

na viduḥ śarvvaśāstrañāā hyapi bhrāmyanti te janāḥ    

(Śrī Caitanya candrāmṛtam  Vers 37)

The greatest amongst scholars, though they be adept in numerous scriptures, if unaware of Śrī Caitanya’s position as the Supreme Controller of all universes (both prakrita and apprakrita jagat), must continue to wander throughout this lifeless, inert world, devoid of consciousness (caitanya).

Gauḍīya Goṣṭhī Pati Śrī Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda said that— “This material world is the perverted reflection of the transcendental world.” Very often he also used to say that— “This aversive material world is a place of very painful testing. Here in this material world tolerance or enduring power, humbleness, and honouring others etc. can be favourable or helpful in hari-bhajan.” The whole world as per his divine opinion going far and far away from the Absolute Truth. They are going away so far so much from the Absolute Truth that any topic relating to that Absolute—when or if going to be discussed in front of them, then they become upset and very much afraid of that. He was bound to express his practical experience in front of us to protect us from Māyā by giving the following caution that in the name of hari-kathā-kīrtana or hari-bhajan those who are cheating or depriving the whole world – to become cheated by them – this has become (as if) the yuga dharma at present.”

Śrīla Parīkṣit Mahārāj wanted to put the following question in front of Paramahaṁsa Guru Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī that—

devāsura-manuṣyesu

ye bhajanty aśivaṁ śivam

prāyas te dhanino bhojā

na tu lakṣmyāḥ patiṁ harim                                       

(ŚB 10.88.1)

King Parīkṣit said: Those demigods, demons and humans who worship Lord Śiva, a strict renunciant, usually enjoy wealth and sense gratification, while the worshipers of the Supreme Lord Hari, the husband of the goddess of fortune, do not.

etad veditum icchāmaḥ

sandeho ’tra mahān hi naḥ

viruddha-śīlayoḥ prabhvor

viruddhā bhajatāṁ gatiḥ                                              

(ŚB 10.88.2)

We wish to properly understand this matter, which is greatly puzzling for us. Indeed, the results going to be attained by the worshipers of these two lords of opposite characters are contrary to what one would expect.

The answer given by Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī was the following—

harir hi nirguṇaḥ sākṣāt

puruṣaḥ prakṛteḥ paraḥ

sa sarva-dṛg upadraṣṭā

taṁ bhajan nirguṇo bhavet                                            

(ŚB 10.88.5)

Lord Hari is beyond this materiel modes of nature. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the all-watching eternal witness, who is transcendental by nature. One who worships Him becomes similarly free from the material modes.

So, the final conclusion is that—to do actual hari-bhajan one has to go beyond the influence of Māyā to reach the absolute platform which is known as ‘nirguṇa bhūmikā’. So, it is very very clear that in the name of hari-bhajan now at present business going on all over the world, otherwise where from the question of any trademark or copyright arrangement in devotional line can arise?

From the small treatise named ‘What Gauḍīya Math is doing’, which was published by Visva Vaiṣṇava Raj sabha in the year of 1930 some excerpts are given to cure the cancer disease already developed long ago inside the heart of those businessmen in the guise of Vaiṣṇava.

The Gauḍīya Maṭh is the missionary of this alltime kīrttan. The Gauḍīya Maṭh begs every one of us to offer his all to Kṛṣṇa. The dhum-dhām or pomp and display of the Gauḍīya Maṭh is for the sole purpose of making all efforts of the world Kṛṣṇapara 'having Kṛṣṇa as their goal'; the offering to Kṛṣṇa comes first and after the offering has been made, bhakti begins. The Gauḍīya Maṭh says, "make the offering to Kṛṣṇa first and after that has been done profess to be a bhakta (devotee)." The Gauḍīya Maṭh says, "do not imitate the kīrttaṅkārī (one who does kīrttan). Dhang 'burlesque' is the other name of anukaraṇ 'imitation.' By arraying oneself in the trappings of dhang or shang 'harlequin’, people can be deceived but no good is done either to oneself or to others. It is those who follow the kīrttaṅkārī that are really their own benefactors, or properly alive to self-interest, and also benefactors of others, or mindful of others' interests. They are not blinded by considerations of undue personal advantages, nor do they cheat others and are, therefore, truly disinterested. It is by kīrttan alone that the claims of self-interest, interests of others, and disinterestedness are simultaneously satisfied."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

The Gauḍīya Maṭh says—in the name of dharmma it is not proper to practise trade. Not using Hari to serve our own pleasures, our duty is only to serve 'Śrī Hari'. The Gauḍīya Maṭh says that imitating the devotee of Hari or putting on the dress of Nārad as in a theatrical performance is far from walking after the devotee of Hari or following Nārad. The delightful tune, time, cadence alone do not constitute the Hari-kīrttan of the Gauḍīya Maṭh; those are found even in the performances of the gramophone or harlots. Cetanatā, 'consciousness' is necessary, the fiery life is necessary, simultaneous practice and preaching is necessary. The Gauḍīya Maṭh says that he who does not possess a pure character is not fit even to be styled man not to speak of being regarded as religious (dharmmik). The Gaudīya Math keeps at a distance from the five Kali-sthānas (abodes of quarrel). The Kali-sthānas according to the opinion of the Bhāgavata are the following—(1) dissipating games such as cards, dice etc.; trade or the profession of a trader in the name of dharmma; (2) indulgence in luxuries such as betel, tobacco, wines etc.; (3) improper association with women or unusual addiction to one's own wife; (4) animal slaughter; not to proclaim the truth to people but to deceive them by lies; not to preach Hari-kathā 'the word of God' to jīva; in lieu of Hari-kathā to give other kinds of advice; (5) by cheating people or by accepting money that is earned by their labour from the people in general, to apply such wealth to the maintenance of wife and children, or increasing the scope of one's own enjoyments; not to employ everything—the body, mind and speech of the jīva—life, wealth and intellect—in the service of Śrī Viṣṇu Who is the proprietor of all things and the Lord of all wealth.

Also, The Prabhupāda wrote the following warning to those businessmen and cheaters in one of his letters, dated October 20, 1928—

"Śrī Gauḍīya Maṭh cannot have and actually does not have anything in common with those, who duplicitously join Gauḍīya Maṭh with a motive to misuse Divine Knowledge for the service of their own selfish ends. Feigned dīkṣā and obtainment of Divine Knowledge are never one and the same. Śrī Caitanya and His sincere devotees are eternally present in Śrī Gauḍīya Maṭh. All those owlish persons who are incapable of seeing the light are called māyāvādīs, karmmīs and wayward nondevotees."

—from the letter by Śrīla Prabhupāda Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī October 20, 1928

How and why your society developing this kind of dirty envious attitude or partiality to reserve the right of trademark, both regarding "Hare Kṛṣṇa" and "Hare Kṛṣṇa Movement”—which is really inconceivable and perplexing. Whereas our honourable Śrīla Svami Mahārāj already told that—

“…. although I have brought this Sankīrtana Movement to the Western World we cannot make it copyrighted. The Sankīrtana Movement is not my invention. So how can it be copyrighted? Besides that, as you will find in the album of my previous recording, the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa is going on since time immemorial. So, Hare Kṛṣṇa cannot be copyrighted, although the tune in which I sing with my disciples, that may be made copyrighted. I have no objection to sign this agreement, but don't be misled that the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa or Lord Caitanya's Movement can be made copyrighted.” - Letter to Dinesh 1969

From Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta we know the following verse quoted by Śrīman Mahāprabhu Himself in front of Śrīla Sanātan Gosvāmī at Vārāṇasī about how the ferocious hunter was completely changed by Śrīla Nāradji Mahārāj. Śrīla Nāradji Mahārāj wanted to unveil the mystery relating to the strange humble nonviolent behaviour of one of his disciples who was previously a ferocious hunter. Such is the divine power there in actual hari-bhajan, then how your society can take this kind of ferocious plan and program (decision) to stop the divine preaching program of Śrī Gauḍīya Math. The following śloka given from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta for your kind consideration—

ete na hy adbhutā vyādha tavāhiṁsādayo guṇāḥ

hari-bhaktau pravṛttā ye na te syuḥ para-tāpinaḥ

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.22.147, 2.24.273)

O hunter, this is not at all any strange that at present you develop all those nonviolence etc. all nice qualities. He who is engaged in hari-bhakti – can never become the cause of any one’s distress (pain).

At Śrī Caitanya Math Mayapur once Śrīla Prabhupāda was served with the plate of mahā-prasādam in the noon time by Śrīla Paramananda Prabhu (who was the sevāk of Śrīla Prabhupāda that time) and he went out of the room for other sevā. Almost one hour after when he came back to the room to discover with great surprise that till then Śrīla Prabhupada did not even touch the prasādam plate. Then he was bound to ask the reason for why he was looking continuously outside the garden through the window with some indifferent mood and why didn’t touch the prasādam plate till then! Śrīla Prabhupāda replied with painful voice that— “I was looking into the matter that how you all like to burn up your luck!” Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted to confirm that due to jealousy or infighting—just unnecessarily we all going to destroy our golden opportunity already given by him. From Nītiśāstra we know the following śloka—

yauvanam dāna sampattiḥ prahutvam avivekita

ekaikam api anartayo kim uta yatro catustayam  

The main causes of destruction of our life can come through different channels like youth, opulences, lordship or erratic mood (lack of rationality), whereas only one of those four causes can lead up to the complete destruction, then what to speak about when all the four are there at a time with us.

The following most valuable instruction given by Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda Paramahaṁsa Jagad Guru is this that— “He who serves Lord Hari counts himself as the least of all entities. He is lifted to the highest order of the Vaiṣṇavas when he can free himself of any false ego of all, he can then proclaim the message of the highest devotion of Lord Hari”.

Those who all are running in bhajan line with all envious, jealousy, etc. they can never do any good for others, even not for themselves. In bhajan marg there is no place of violence and jealousy but we forget this point to project ourselves as big boss. From Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā—

ajñaś cāśraddadhānaś ca

saṁśayātmā vinaśyati

nāyaṁ loko ’sti na paro

na sukhaṁ saṁśayātmanaḥ                                    

(Bg. 4.40)

He who lacks discrimination is devoid of faith, full of doubts and suspicion can get lost in the way of bhajan path. For the doubting soul there is happiness neither in this world nor in the next.

Gaura Hari Hari Bol