APASAMPRADAYAS

 

by Suhotra Swami

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

 

                In a standard Sanskrit dictionary, the word sampradaya is defined as "genuine instruction that has been received through guru param­para or disciplic succession" (guru paramparagatu sad upadesasya).  The prefix sam indi­cates connec­tion, while the stem is a cognate of prad­hana, "source".  In the fourth chapter of Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krsna declares Himself to be the original source of the transcen­dental science of bhakti-yoga, and He confirms that one is connected to this knowledge only through guru-parampara. 

 

                In the vocabulary of Western religious traditions, samprad­aya really has no exact equivalent.  One might be tempted to employ "orthodoxy", but as a noted German Sanskritist has pointed out, this word really applies to matters of doc­trine, not practice.  Admission into a sampradaya does not only depend upon a theoretically correct grasp of Krsna's teach­ings.  The can­didate must practically demonstrate his learning through strict adherance to the purified lifestyle (acara) set down by the saints and sages.

 

                                "One is understood to be in full knowledge whose   every endeavor is devoid of desire for sense grati-  fication.  He is said by the sages to be a worker for   whom the reactions of karma have been burned up by  the fire of perfect knowledge."

 

                                                                                                                (Bhagavad-gita 4.19)

 

                Purity in acara is the fuel of enthusiasm for purity in pracara (preach­ing) and upacara (Deity worship).  Indeed, preaching and Deity worship (known also as bhaga­vata-vidhi and pan­caratrika-vidhi) are the life and soul of the devotees, the means by which they enjoy the higher taste of transcendence (param drstva) that is spoken of by Krsna in Bhagavad-gita 2.59. By this higher taste, all desires are satisfied at their very root within the soul itself.  When param drstva is thus es­tablished, the lower taste for meat-eating, illicit sex, gambling and intoxica­tion is lost; conscious­ness firmly settles into sinless­ness and the devotee gradual­ly becomes qualified to taste the nectar of Krsna's personal associa­tion.

 

     Raso vai sah rasam hy evayam labdhvanandi bhavati, declares the Tattiriya Upanisad: "When one understands the Personality of Godhead, the reservoir of pleasure, Krsna, he actually becomes transcendentally blissful."  The devotees who always relish this rasa are never subject to material existence, though they work within material existence to reclaim the fallen souls.  Even when they seem to sometimes be at variance with one other on certain matters of detail, it is clear that all devotees who are free from vice are situated in perfect knowledge.

 

                This is an important point.  The genuineness of a sampradaya or a person representing a sampradaya is primarily determined by quality of behavior (sarva maha-guna-gana vais­nava-sarire - "A Vaisnava is one who has developed all good quali­ties", Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya 22.75).  The good qualities of the Vaisnava are krsnera-guna, Krsna's own.  They appear in the person of the devotee through the exchange of rasa with the Lord. The Lord's transcen­dental qualities are unlimited (ananta krsnera-guna), and His devotees are likewise unlimited.  This combination preci­pitates unlimited spiritual variety.

 

     All Vaisnavas know Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to be the Absolute Truth and source of everyth­ing.  Yet he is so much loved by so many devotees that they often cannot agree amongst themsel­ves just what it is about Him that is most wonderful; indeed, their discus­sions and even argu­ments about the Lord's endless glories are simply ways in which they fully immerse themselves in the nec­tarean ocean of Krsna's transcen­dental qualities.  For example, the differences in pracara and upacara seen among the main Vaisnava sampradayas spring from the dif­ferent moods of pure devotion exhibited by the founder-acaryas of these sampradayas.  Thus initiation into any one of these lines of teaching can bring one to the platform of perfect understand­ing of bhakti-yoga, regard­less of variations in doctrine or ritual.

 

                "There are four lines of disciplic succession: one from Lord Brahma, one from Lord Siva, one from Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, and one from the Kumaras.  The disciplic succession from Lord Brahma is called the Brahma-sampradaya, the succession from Lord Siva (Sambhu) is called the Rudra-sampradaya, the one from the goddess of fortune, Laksmiji, is called the Sri-sam­pradaya, and the one from the Kumaras is called the Kumara-sampradaya. One must take shelter of one these four sampradayas in order to understand the most confidential religious system.  In the Padma Purana it is said, sampradaya-vihina ye mantras te nisphala matah: if one does not follow the four recognized disciplic successions, his mantra or initiation is useless.  In the present day there are many apasampradayas, or sampradayas which are not bona fide, which have no link to authorities like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, the Kumaras or Laksmi.  People are misguided by such sampradayas.  The sastras say that being initiated in such a sampradaya is a useless waste of time, for it will never enable one to understand the real religious prin­ciples."

            (from the Purport to Srimad-Bhagavatam             6.3.21 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhak­tivedanta Svami Prabhupada)

 

                Srila Bhak­tivinoda Thakura identifies thirteen apasam­pradayas that split away from the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya sam­pradaya after Lord Caitanya's disappearance: aula, baula, kartab­haja, neda, daravesa, sani, sahaji­ya, sakhib­heki, smarta, jatagosani, ativadi, cudadhari and gauranga-nagari.  These apasam­pradayas (apa means "deviated") are like parasitical growths upon a great tree. Because they exhibit the all the defects of material condition­ing, they are spiritually useless.  The "rasa" relished by such groups is therefore termed prakrta-rasa by Srila Bhak­tisiddhanta Sarasvati, and their missionary activities are condemned as cheating.                                                                                                        

 

                "A conditioned soul in the material world has the dis­qualification of cheating.  He has four disqualifications: he is sure to commit mistakes, he is sure to be illusioned, he is prone to cheat others and his senses are imperfect.  But if anyone carries out the order of the spiritual master by disciplic succession or the parampara system, he overcomes the four defects.  Therefore knowledge received from the bona fide spiritual master is not cheating.  Any other knowledge which is manufactured by the conditioned soul is cheating only.  Brahma knew well that Kardama Muni exactly carried out the instructions received from him and that he actually honored his spiritual master.  To honor the spiritual master means to carry out his instructions word for word."

                            

                                        (Bhag. 3.24.12, Purport)

 

                As is clear from the two quotes that follow, the ultimate test of whether one is or is not a member of a bonafide sam­pradaya is the quality of his chanting of the holy name of Krsna, which is at once the essential acara, pracara and upacara in the the age of Kali.  If a person advertises himself as a Vaisnava by chanting the Hare Krsna mahamantra and yet delib­erately blas­phemes great devotees, denies that Lord Visnu is the Absolute Truth, considers the spiritual master to be an ordinary man, blasphemes Vedic literatures and other author­ized scrip­tures, considers the glories of the holy name to be exaggeration, concocts perverted theories about the holy name, thinks the holy name to be equi­valent to mundane religious rituals, preaches the glories of the holy name to the faithless or maintains material attachments while chanting the holy name, he cannot represent the sampradaya even if he is initiated into it.

 

                "Whether a Vaisnava is properly initiated or not is not a subject for consideration.  One may be initiated and yet con­taminated by the Mayavada philosophy, but a person who chants the holy name of the Lord offenselessly will not be so con­taminated. A properly initiated Vaisnava may be imperfect, but one who chants the holy name of the Lord is all-perfect.  Although he may apparently be a neophyte, he still has to be considered a pure unalloyed Vaisnava."

 

                                                                                                                (C.c. Madhya 15.111, Purport)

               

                "If one chants the Hare Krsna mantra while committing offenses, these unwanted creepers will grow.  One should not take advantage of chanting the Hare Krsna mantra for some material profit.  As mentioned in verse 159:

                'nisiddhacara', 'kutinati', 'jiva-himsana'

                'labha', 'puja', 'pratisthadi yata upasakha-gana

 

The unwanted creepers have been described by Srila Bhaktisiddhan­ta Sarasvati Thakura.  He states that if one hears and chants without trying to give up offenses, one becomes materially attached to sense gratification.  One may also desire freedom from material bondage like the Mayavadis, or one may become attached to the yoga-siddhis and desire wonderful yogic powers. If one is attached to wonderful material activities, one is called siddhi-lobhi, greedy for material perfection.  One may also be victimized by diplomatic or crooked behavior, or one may associate with women for illicit sex.  Others may make a show of devotional service like the prakrta-sahajiyas, or one may try to support his philosophy by joining some caste or identifying himself with the support of family tradition, one may become a pseudo guru or so-called spiritual master.  One may become attached to the four sinful activities - illicit sex,  intoxica­tion, gambling and meat eating - or one may consider a Vaisnava to belong to a mundane caste or creed.  One may think, 'This is a Hindu Vaisnava, and this is a European Vaisnava.  A European Vaisnava is not allowed to enter the temples.'  In other words, one may consider Vaisnavas in terms of birth, thinking one a brahmana Vaisnava, a sudra Vaisnava, a mleccha Vaisnava and so on.  One may also try to carry out a professional business while chanting the Hare Krsna mantra or reading Srimad-Bhagavatam, or one may try to increase his monetary strength by illegal means. One may also try to be a cheap Vaisnava by chanting in a secluded place for material adoration, or one may desire mundane reputa­tion by making comprises with non-devotees, compromising one's philosophy or spiritual life, or one may become a supporter of a hereditary caste system.  All these are pitfalls of personal sense gratification.  Just to cheat some innocent people, one makes a show of advanced spiritual life and becomes known as a sadhu, mahatma or religious person.  All this means that the so‑called devotee has become victimized by all these unwanted creepers and that the real creeper of bhakti-lata-bija has been stunted."

                                    (C.c. Madhya 19.160, Purport)

 

                The link between namaparadha and full-blown deviation from the sam­pradaya is indicated by Srila Jiva Gosvami in his warning in Bhakti-sandharba that there are offenders to the holy name who are acikitsya or incorrigible (jnana-lava-dur­vidagdhastra‑acikit­sya-atva-dupeksa).  Devotees, always compas­sionate, try to help fallen souls with good instruc­tion.  But if someone becomes insolent and arrogant due to acquiring a little knowledge from their associa­tion, he is disqualifed from the sam­pradaya because of three kinds of nam­aparad­ha: sadhu-nindha (blasphemy of the devotees of the Lord), guru-avajna (disregard of the spirit­ual master) and sruti-sastra-nindha (blasphemy of the revealed scriptures). 

 

                Yet the incorrigible offender never concedes the fact of his offenses.  He cannot understand that the mercy of the spiritual master and the association of pure devotees are indispensible to the chanting of the holy name.  Because he highly values worldly knowledge and accomplishments, he looks down upon the simple devotees who have surrendered themselves to devotional service. This is sadhu-ninda.  He cannot accept that the spiritual master is a transcendental teacher, not a worldly one; thus he tries to measure the person and instructions of the guru by his own mental standards.  This is guru-avajna.  He studies the revealed scrip­tures as he would ordinary literature, gleaning from it whatever seems to support his preconceived notions, heedless of the rest. This is sruti-sastra-nindha. 

 

                If, on the strength of a false show of advancement in Krsna consciousness, he pretends to have fully realized the glories of the holy name, he is fit for eternal punish­ment by Yamaraja.  As explained in the Purport to C.c. Madhya 19.156, one who "thinks that he has become very mature and can live separate from the associa­tion of Vaisnavas and thus give up all the regulative prin­ciples" commits the hati-mata or mad elephant offense. Whatever genuine devotional inspiration that might have been implanted in his heart by good association is uprooted and destroyed.  Because of his incurable calumny, such a hard-hearted acikit­sya-nama­parad­hi is fit to be shunned by the bona fide community of devotees.

 

                Nontheless, it is seen that some acikitsya-namaparadhis become very influential in the Kali-yuga.  Somehow or other they make use of the bona fide spiritual master for their own ends. Advertis­ing themselves as his dearmost disciples, they seem to serve, glorify and worship the spiritual master with considerable sin­cerity.  But all pains taken by them are for the sake of self‑promulgation alone.  Their progress is in the accumula­tion of material wealth and fame, not in devotional service to Krsna.

 

                The acikitsya-namaparadhi, propelled to prominence by cunning, diplomacy and material qualifications like noble birth, opulence, erudition and beauty, is seen to attract fol­lowers from the ranks of two lesser grades of namaparadhis who have not firmly taken shelter of the sampradaya due to misfortune.  These two kinds of offenders are the ignorant and the weak. 

 

     The ignorant offenders are compared to damp wood: lacking bhakti-sukrti and the association and mercy of the saintly, they are sunk in material conceptions; even if they are exposed to the purifying fire of Krsna consciousness, it does not ignite their good fortune immediately.  Thus they are liable to be misled. But if they take refuge in the holy name, Krsna's mercy will someday be avail­able to them, even if after a long time.

 

                The weak are hesitant to take advantage of genuine sadhu‑sanga due to a paucity of faith.  Innocent and with­out duplicity, the more they can simply surrender to the chanting of the holy name in good association, the more they are blessed by Krsna's mercy.  But until their lingering sins are de­stroyed by the effect of sadhu-sanga, they cannot muster the strength to tran­scend nam­aparadha.

                The acikitsya-namaparadhi expertly spins a net of illusion sticky-sweet with a perverted enjoying mood (prakrta-rasa) by which he entraps his unfortunate followers.  Awakening and nour­ishing seeds of worldly desire (anarthas) within their hearts, he misleads them into thinking that these growing anarthas are the bhakti-lata-bija.

 

                "Bhakti-lata-bija means 'the seed of devotional service.' Everything has an original cause or seed.  For any idea, program, plan or device, there is first of all the contemplation of the plan, and that is called bija, or the seed.  The methods, rules and regulations by which one is perfectly trained in devotional service constitute the bhakti-lata-bija, or seed of devotional service.  This bhakti-lata-bija is received from the spiritual master by the grace of Krsna.  Other seeds are called anyab­hilasa-bija, karma-bija, jnana-bija or political and social or philanthropic bija.  However, bhakti-lata-bija is different from these other bijas.  Bhakti-lata-bija can be received only through the mercy of the spiritual master.  Therefore one has to satisfy the spiritual master to get bhakti-lata-bija (yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah).  Bhakti-lata-bija is the origin of devotional service.  Unless one satisfies the spiritual master, he gets the bija, or root cause, of karma, jnana and yoga without the benefit of devotional service.  However, one who is faithful to his spiritual master gets the bhakti-lata-bija.  This bhakti-lata‑bija is received when one is initiated by the bona fide spiritual master.  After receiving the spiritual master's mercy, one must repeat his instructions, and this is called sravana-kirtana -hearing and chanting.  One who has not properly heard from the spiritual master or who does not follow the regulative principles is not fit for chanting (kirtana).  This is explained in Bhaga­vad-gita (2.41): vyavasayatmika buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana.  One who has not listened carefully to the instructions of the spiritual master is unfit to chant or preach the cult of devo­tional service.  One has to water the bhakti-lata-bija after receiving instructions from the spiritual master."

 

                                                                                                                (C.c. Madhya 19.152, purport)

 

                In the apasampradayas, chanting and preaching is never undertaken with regard for Vaisnava traditions of regulative prin­ciples and spiritual instruction.  The "ecstacy" of prakrta‑rasa gen­erated by such unauthorized chanting and preaching is but poison in devo­tional guise.

 

                "Instead of awakening real love for Krsna, such hearers of the Bhagavatam become more and more attached to household affairs and sex life (yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham).  One should hear Srimad-Bhagavatam from a person who has no connection with material activities, or, in other words, from a paramahamsa Vaisnava, one who has achieved the highest stage of sannyasa. This, of course, is not possible unless one takes shelter of the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.  The Srimad-Bhagavatam is understandable only for one who can follow in the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu."          

                                                                                                                (C.c. Antya 5.131, purport)

 

                In their "ecstacy", the apasampradayas enjoy the holy Dhama (or a place they claim is a dhama) as a facility for hucksterism, self-promotion and money-making.  They enjoy disciples by diverting them from the Lord's service and engaging them in the service of the senses of cheating gurus.  They enjoy great Vaisnavas through lip-service and cheap imitation; eager to bewilder the innocent and advance their own schemes, they strive for some kind of recognition from a great Vaisnava so that they can freely exploit this "endorsement."  And they enjoy propagat­ing esoteric doct­rines of their own invention that they claim are the real teachings of guru, sastra and sadhu.

 

                All this results in three kinds of inauspicious qualities that are ever prominent in the apasamprad­ayas.  These are men­tioned in Vaisnava Ke by Srila Bhaktisiddhan­ta Sarasvati: anitya‑vaibhava (hankering for material success), kaminira-kama (illicit sexual affairs that are usually passed off as "transcen­dental"), and mayavada (philosophi­cal specula­tion that undercuts the personal nature of God as taught by the Vaisnava samprad­ayas).

 

                In the chapters that follow, the backgrounds of the thirteen apasampradayas will be investigated and their devia­tions ana­lyzed.  I have under­taken this work out of a firm belief that these thirteen cases are archetypical of all sorts of mis­representations of the sankirtana movement of Sri Caitanya Mahaprab­hu down to this very day. 

 

                As he declared in a lecture on July 4, 1970, Srila Prab­hupada considered his only success to be the extension of Lord Caitany­a's sampradaya into the Western World.  It will be our success as his followers to protect the growth of ISKCON so that it may extend to every town and village of this planet as Lord Caitanya predicted.  Let us heed the warning from another prediction made by Lord Caitanya regarding the rise of the apasampradayas: visva andha­kara koribe - "In My name they will make the whole world dark."

 

                In preparing this volume, I have drawn from a number of sources, Vaisnava and academic.  The most important of these are the books, letters and lectures of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhak­tivedanta Svami Prabhupada.  From Sri Bhakti-vilasa Bharati Maharaja, a godbrother of Srila Prabhupada, I used resumes and refuta­tions of apasampradaya philosophy given in Apasampradaya Svarupa, kindly translated from the Bengali by Bhakta Krishanu Lahiri, a student of languages at Calcutta University and member of Bhaktivedanta Youth Services.  I also took help of the wealth of data on the Gaudiya sampradaya's long-standing differences with the jata-gosani and smarta castes in The History and Litera­ture of the Gaudiya Vais­navas, an unpublished manuscript by another god­brother of Srila Prabhupada named Sambidananda dasa (another of Srila Prabhupada's godbrothers, who in the 1930's accompanied two Gaudiya Matha sannyasis on a preaching tour of Europe).  The follow­ing scholar­ly books were con­sulted: Vais­navism in Bengal by Dr. Ramkantha Cakravar­ti (Sans­krit Pushtak Bandhar, Calcutta 1985), Obscure Religious Cults by Dr. Sashi Bhushan Das Gupta (1976 reprint by Firma KLM Ltd.), The Bauls of Bengal by Rebati Mohan Sarkar (Gian Publish­ing House, New Delhi 1990) and Braj - Center of Krishna Pil­grimage by Alan W. Ent­wistle (Egbert Forsten, Holland 1987).

 

                Sri Bhakti Vikasa Svami Maharaja and Kiranasa Prabhu brought me up to date with a detailed account of the modern-day apasam­pradaya phenomena they encountered in their years of preaching in Bangla­desh.  Sriman Sarvabhavana Prabhu helped with the transla­tion of Bengali source material on the Aula-apasampradaya, and Kishore Ghosh of the B.Y.S. similarly helped with material on the Bauls.  Atma Tattva Prabhu of the ISKCON Mayapura Gurukula was kind in ways too numerous to mention.  The following devotees assisted me in processing the raw data out of which this book was churned: Anadi dasa, Rama Gopala dasa, Sucirani devi-dasi, Priti‑laksana devi-dasi, Daya Dharma devi-dasi.                     

 

 

Chapter One 

 

JATA-GOSANI 

Caste Gosvamis

 

 

"So there are thirteen pseudo pretenders belonging to the  Caitanya sampradaya ... So if I describe these thirteen, it will  take thirteen hours.  So I don't describe them all.  But one or  two must be described.  The most important is the jati-gosai.  They created a caste of gosvamis, just like they created a caste  of brahmanas.  So this gosvami will come by hereditary birth,  just like brah­mana.  So my Guru Maharaja's contribution is that  he defeated these caste gosvamis, the same way as Caitanya  Mahaprab­hu did that, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu said: kiba vipra  sudra nyasa kebe naya yei krnsa tattva vetta sei guru haya - 'there is no con­sideration whether a man is a sannyasi, a brah­mana, or a sudra, or a grhasta, householder, or - No.  Anyone who  knows the science of Krsna, he is alright.  He is gosvami.  He is  brah­mana.'    "That is the contribution, say, within a hundred years.  That is the contribution.  And for this reason, he had to face so  many vehement protests from this brahmana class gosvamis.  They  conspired to kill him.  Guru Maharaja told me personally, because  by his grace, when I used to meet alone, he used to talk so many  things.  He was so kind that he used to talk with me.  So he  personally told me, 'These people, they wanted to kill me.  They  collected 25,000 rupees and went to the police officer in charge  of that area, that, "You take this 25,000 rupees.  We shall do  something against Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati.  You don't take any  step."'  And the police officer refused and came to my Guru  Maharaja that 'You take care.  This is the position.'"

 

(Srila Prabhupada, lecture, 7 February 1969)

 

The following quotations from Srila Rupa Gosvami define the  qualifications of a bona fide spiritual master, who is sometimes  addressed as gosvami, gosani or gosai in the Brahma-Madhva‑Gaudiya sampradaya.

 

iha yasya harer dasye karmana manasa gira

nirhilam api avasthasu jivanmurtah sa ucyate

 

"One who engages in the transcendental service of the Lord  in body, mind and word is to be considered liberated in all  conditions of material existence." 

 

                                                 ("B.r.s. 1.2.187)

 

vaco vegam manasah krodha-vegam

jihva-vegam udaropastha-vegam

etan vegan yo visaheta dhirah

sarvam apimam prthivim sa sisyat

"One who can control the urge to speak, the mind, anger and the tongue, belly and genitals is able to accept disciples from all over the world." 

("Sri Upadesamrta 1)

 

The scriptures give clear warnings to those who would accept  the post of guru without qualification:

 

na ca mantra upajivi syanna capya arco upajirikah

na aniredita bhogas ca na ca nirdyah niredikah

 

"Never accept the post of an initiating spiritual master or

temple priest as a profession.  Never eat what is not offered,  and never offer what is not recommended in the scriptures." 

 

("Narada Pancaratra)

 

svalpa api handi bhuyam sam svadharma nirdita kriya

drstim kudrstir bhaktis tu devatantapo samsraya

 

"Even the slightest disreputable activity destroys a great

quantity of virtue.  Vast learning is destroyed by just the

slightest wrong understanding.  Bhakti is destroyed by the

slightest dependence upon the demigods."

("Narada Pancaratra)

 

guru nasa syat sva jana nasa syat

pita nasa syat janani na sa syat

daivam na tat syan na patis ca sa syan

na mocayea yah samupaiti matyum

 

"One who cannot deliver his dependents from the path of

repeated birth and death should never become a spiritual

master, a father, a husband, a mother or a worshipable

demigod."  

("Bhag. 5.5.18)

 

The jata-gosani are a hereditary caste of so-called spirit­ual masters.  Their qualification to give initiation is too often  limited to the boast of family connec­tions to associates of Sri  Caitanya Mahaprabhu or to disciples of these associates.  A  famous example of such a family is the so-called Nitya­nanda‑vamsa.  They claim seminal descent from Lord Nityananda through  persons who were actually disciples, not sons, of Lord Nitya‑nanda's only and childless son Sri Virabhadra Gosvami. 

 

The jata-gosani use of "gosvami" as a family name is a

deviation peculiar to this apasam­pradaya.  Though sunken in  mundane family affairs, they think themselves as important as the  renounced gosvamis of the Gaudiya sampradaya.

 

"One who is still in family life should not misuse the title

gosvami.  Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura did not recog­nize the caste gosvamis because they were not in the line of the  six Gosvamis in the renounced order who were direct disciples of  Lord Caitanya - namely, Srila Rupa Gosvami, Srila Sanatana  Gosvami, Srila Bhatta Raghunatha Gosvami, Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami and Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur said that the grhastha­asrama, or the status of family life, is a sort of concession for sense gratification.  Therefore a grhastha should not falsely  adopt the title gosvami.  The ISKCON movement has never conferred  the title gosvami upon a householder.  Although all the sannyasis  we have initiated in ISKCON are young, we have awarded them the  titles of the renounced order of life, svami and gosvami, because  they have completely dedicated their lives to preach the cult of  Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu." 

 

("C.c. Adi 12.27, Purport)

 

 A popular superstition in Bengal, alluded to in the Purport  of "C.c. Madhya 10.23, is that persons born in caste gosvami  families are automatically uttama-adhikaris.  Thus the title  Prabhupada is theirs by birthright.  The Gaudiya Vaisnava  sampradaya rejects this.

"It is said, phalena pariciyate: one is recognized by the

result of his actions.  In Vaisnava society, there are many types  of Vaisnavas.  Some of them are called gosvamis, some are called  svamis, some are prabhus, and some are prabhupada.  One is not  recognized, however, simply by such a name.  A spiritual master  is recognized as an actual guru when it is seen he has changed  the character of his disciples."

("C.c. Antya 3.143, Purport)

 

In Vrndavan, many of the important temples are managed by  caste gosvamis.  The history of two such prominent families  illustrates how the jata-gosani contamination can divert even  highly-qualified persons from the path of the great acaryas.  To  avoid the un­pleasantries of controversy, some names are omitted. 

One clan has temples in Mathura, Jatipur, Gokul and Kaman.  """" They descend from a brahmana who is a famous contemporary of Sri  Caitanya Mahaprab­hu who, as described in "Sri Caitanya-caritamrta,  became formally linked with Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya when he  received initia­tion from Sri Gadadhara Pandita.  Srila Prabhupada  remarked that Lord Caitanya accepted him as a great scholar, but  not necessari­ly as a great devotee.  At Goverdhana, he took over  the manage­ment of a temple that had been established by a great  Gaudiya Vaisnava acarya.  During this time, the learned brahmana

as­sociated with the six Gos­vamis, especially Rupa and Sanatana.  Because his own men lacked training, Gaudiya Vaisnavas were  appointed to do the puja under his super­vision.

The brahmana had two sons; after he left the world in the

year 1530, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami requested one son to  take over the temple management.  The temple duties continued to  be shared between Gaudiya Vais­navas and the learned brahmana's  disciples until around the year 1550, when an intrigue was begun  against the Gaudiya devo­tees.  Once, while they were worshiping  the Deity, an envious disciple of the brahmana set fire to the  homes of the Gaudiya pujaris and drove them out.  Thereafter, the Deity was claimed as the sole property of the brahmana's clan. (In 1699, due to threat of Muslim attack, the Deity vacated Vrndavana and even­tually came to Rajasthan.)

 

Though the brahmana's son was not part of the intrigue, he took no steps to heal the rupture with the Gaudiya sam­pradaya. To block a challenge to his authority from among his father's  disciples, he ap­pointed his seven sons as acaryas and willed that  only they and their descen­dents could use the title "Gosvami  Maharaja" and give initia­tion.  Later on, the family propagated a  myth that the great brahmana's son was an incarna­tion of Krsna;  the same pseudo-divinity was appropriated by succeeding genera­tions and used as means of explaining away the "amorous pas­times"  of some of the clan. 

The second line of Vrndavana caste gosvamis under discussion  was started by someone who took sannyasa from Gopala Bhatta  Gosvami.  As if in imitation of Lord Nityananda, he later married  two sisters and claimed that he had been ordered to do so by Sri  Krsna personal­ly.  The Gaudiya Vaisnava community disap­proved  both his deed and defense.  In the year 1585, he es­tablished a  mandira near Kaliya Ghat.  The caste gosvamis who manage this  mandira today are descendents of his first son.  Descen­dents of  his second son manage another famous Vrndavana temple.  

 This clan takes a dim view of what they think are the

unnecessary austerities of the gosvamis of the Gaudiya Vaisnava  sampradaya.  Krsna loves his devotees, they argue, and He becomes  pleased when He sees them living a life of material comfort and  sense gratification.  They uphold their founder's example as  superior to that of the Six Gos­vamis.  One Priya­dasa of this clan  composed a work called Sus­lokamanimala in which he asserts that  the founder was the spiritual master of Sanatana Gosvami and Jiva  Gosvami.  With this and other fabrica­tions, they defend their  apasamprad­aya as the genuine sampradaya.

 

Several historical accounts, including the biography of

Srinivasa Acarya entitled Premvilasa, relate that the founder met  his death by having his head chopped off, either by robbers or by  a disgruntled pujari.

 

In 1932, the caste gosvamis of Vrndavana opposed the Vraja  Mandala Parikrama of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and  his Gaudiya Matha disciples on the grounds that he had deviated  from the Vedic system by offering the sacred thread to persons  not of brahminical parentage.  Srila Prabhupada explained the

fallacy of the jata-gosani in this regard in a letter to Acyut­ananda Svami: "Regarding the validity of the brahminical status  as we accept it, because in the present age there is no obser­vance of the garbhadhana ceremony, even a person born in a  brahmana family is not considered a brahmana, he is called dvija‑bandhu or un­qualified son of a brahmana.  Under the circumstan­ces, the conclusion is that the whole population is now sudra, as  it is stated kalau sudra sambhava.  So for sudras there is no  initia­tion according to the Vedic system, but according to the  pan­caratrika system initiation is offered to a person who is inclined to take Krsna consciousness."

 

In Bengal, besides caste gosvamis who at least have a valid geneological link to some Vaisnava of the past, there are even pretenders whose claim to the name "gosvami" lacks any foundation whatsoever.  Many of the important temples and holy places connected with Lord Caitanya's pastimes remain under jata-gosani

control.  Up until the early part of this century, they held the

lower-caste Vaisnavas in an iron grip of ignorance and ex­ploita­tion. 

 

Srila Bhak­tivinoda Thakura challenged the jati-gosani ""in  such works as "Jaiva Dharma and "Hari Nama Cintamani by proclaiming  that it is not enough to accept a spiritual master merely on the  basis of his caste.  Before initia­tion, the can­didate must be  complete­ly satisfied that the initiator is fully conver­sant with  the scriptures and can lift his disciples out of ignorance.  The

guru must be of spotless character: if he is addicted to sinful  acts, even those he may have already initiated must reject him.  Bhaktivinoda's books unleashed a wave of reform in Bengal that  pushed the jata-gosani into a defensive stance.  But the confron­tation came to open war when his son, Srila Bhaktisiddhan­ta  Sarasvati, took over the Gaudiya mission.

 

In 1912, he was invited to attend a samminlani (assembly) of  Vaisnavas sponsored by the Maharaja of Kossimbazar.  But some  jata-gosani and their sahajiya supporters pre­vented him from  giving a public lecture; in protest, he fasted for four days  straight.  According to the account of his disciple Sambidananda  dasa, Acarya Siddhanta Sarasvati refuted all the arguments placed  before him by the caste's proponents in a discus­sion separate  from the main program.  The jata-gosani thus learned to fear  Srila Bhak­tisid­dhanta Sarasvati as the singlemost threat to their  privi­leged existence.

 

After taking sannyasa in 1918, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta

Sarasvati mounted a concerted effort to smash the influence of  the jata-gosani even in their strongholds.  He fearlessly toured  Jessore and Khulna (now in Bangladesh), the home turf of Priya­nath Nandi, who was the leading spokes­man of the caste gosvamis.

Priyanatha met defeat in a public debate held at the village of  Tooth­pada.

 

Things came to a head in February-March 1925, just as the  Gaudiya Matha began nine days of a Navadvipa parikrama leading up  to that year's Gaura Purnima festivities.  The party of devotees,  number­ing several thousand and personally lead by Srila Bhak­tisiddhan­ta, was viciously attacked by goonda hirelings of the  jata-gosani when it entered the city of Navadvip without paying a  tax for maintenance of caste gosvami temples.  Armed with brick‑bats and other weapons, the goondas charged the elephant proces­sion, injuring many pilgrims.  The shocked public sided with the  Gaudiya Matha devo­tees and the pilgrimage con­tinued under police  protection.  This incident permanently tarnished the reputation  and influence of the jata-gosani.  Overnight, their stubborn opposition to Srila Bhaktisid­dhanta's preaching lost all force.

 

The Caste Gosvami Mentality and ISKCON

 

By Srila Prabhupada's mercy, the grossest jata-gosani

deviation - hereditary guruship - seems unlikely to take root in

the ISKCON he con­stituted.  Yet the author recalls a period in  the 1970's when the devotees of the New York temple were address­ing their GBC man as "Gosvami Maharaja" even though he'd aban­doned his sannyasa asrama and taken a wife.  After various  indelicacies about his marriage came to light, this person was  forced to relinquish his position.  So here is at least one  example of how an aberration of the jata-gosani type found its  way, albeit briefly, into ISKCON.

 

In this connection, there are other characteristics of the

caste gosvami apasampradaya that are worth noting.  The jata‑gosani are the priestly class of a mundane religion that superfi­cially resembles Vaisnava-dharma.  As Srila Bhaktisiddhanta  Sarasvati used to say, they use the saligram-sila and arca‑vigraha as "stones for cracking nuts" (i.e. as a means of income  for sense enjoyment).  They give siddha-pranali initia­tion (in  which they "reveal" the disciple's rasa with Krsna) as a ritual  means of garnering a follower's lifetime financial support.  They

neglect their disciples' factual spiritual advancement by not  teaching them the regula­tive principles of sadhana-bhakti;  indeed, such "gosvamis" are worshiped by bidi-seva (ceremon­ial  presenta­tions of cigaret­tes) and offerings of fish.

 

How do such deviations begin?  Here are a few in­dications:  "Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura explains that even  though one may become free from the desire for fruitive ac­tivity,  sometimes the subtle desire for fruitive activity comes into

being within the heart.  One often thinks of conducting business  to improve devotional activity.  However, the contamina­tion is so  strong that it may later develop into misunderstand­ing, described  as kuti-nati (faultfinding) and pratisthasa (the desire for name  and fame and for high position), jiva-himsa (envy of other living  entities), nisiddhacara (accepting things forbidden in the  sastra), kama (desire for material gain) and puja (hankering for

popularity)."

("C.c. Madhya 12.135, Purport)

 

"If a person overly addicted to family life takes to "Srimad‑Bhagavatam or Krsna consciousness to earn a livlihood, his  activity is certainly offensive.  One should not become a caste  guru and sell mantras for the benefit of mundane customers, nor  should one make disciples for a livelihood.  All these activities  are offensive.  One should not make a livelihood by forming a  professional band to carry out congregational chanting, nor  should one perform devotional service when one is attached to

mundane society, friendship and love.  Nor should one be depen­dent on so-called social etiquette.  All this is mental specula­tion.  None of these things can be compared to unalloyed devo­tional service."

 

("C.c. Madhya 8.83, Purport)

 

"Everyone gets a mother and father at the time of birth, but  the real father and mother are they who can release their  offspring from the clutches of immiment death.  This is possible  only for parents advanced in Krsna consciousness.  Therefore any  parents who cannot enlighten their offspring in Krsna conscious­ness cannot be accepted as a real father and mother."

 

("C.c. Antya 13.113, Purport)

 

"One should not proudly think that one can understand the  transcendental loving service of the Lord simply by reading  books.  One must become a servant of a Vaisnava.  As Narottama  dasa Thakura has confirmed, chadiya vaisnava-seva nistara payeche  keba: one cannot be in a transcendental position unless one very  faithfully serves a pure Vaisnava.  One must accept a Vaisnava  guru (adau gurv-asrayam), and then by questions and answers one  should gradually learn what pure devotional service to Krsna is.  That is called the parampara system."

 

("C.c. Antya 7.53, Purport)

 

"In purified consciousness, or Krsna consciousness, one sees  the presence of Krsna everywhere.  If, therefore, one only  engages in Deity worship in the temple and does not consider  other living entities, then he is in the lowest grade of devo­tional service.  One who worships the Deity in the temple and  does not show respect to others is a devotee on the material  platform, in the lowest stage of devotional service."

 

("Bhag. 3.29.21, Purport)

 

"A real brahmana is never envious of a Vaisnava.  If he is,  he is considered an imperfect neophyte."

 

                         ("C.c. Madhya 15.277, Purport)

       

"'My dear King, if one derides an exalted devotee, he loses  the results of his pious activities, his opulence, his reputation  and his sons.  Vaisnavas are all great souls.  Whoever blasphemes  them falls down to the hell known as Maharaurava.  He is also  accompanied by his forefathers.  Whoever kills or blasphemes a  Vaisnava and whoever is envious of a Vaisnava or angry with him,

or whoever does not offer him obeisances or feel joy upon seeing  a Vaisnava, certainly falls into a hellish condition.'"

 

("C.c. Madhya 15.261, Purport)

 

"Although posing as great scholars, ascetics, house­holders  and svamis, the so-called followers of the Hindu religion are all  useless, dried up branches of the Vedic religion.  They are  impotent.  They cannot do anything to spread the Vedic culture  for the benefit of human society.  The essence of the Vedic  culture is the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.  Lord Caitanya  instructed:

 

yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa 

      amar ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa             

            

                                  (CC Madhya 7.128) 

 

One should simply instruct everyone he meets regarding the  principles of Krsna katha, as expressed in Bhagavad Gita As It Is  and Srimad Bhagavatam.  One who has no interest in Krsna katha or  the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is like dry, useless wood  with no living force.  The ISKCON branch, being directly watered  by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, is becoming undoubtedly successful,  whereas the disconnected branches of the so-called Hindu religion  that are envious of ISKCON are drying up and dying."

                                     "(C.c. Adi 12.73, Purport)

 

And, as Srila Prabhupada explains in his Purport to "C.c. Adi  12.8, when the inheritors of the spiritual master's assets fight  bitterly over property rights to land and temples and thus lay  waste to the whole mission by their endless litiga­tion, they  simply emulate the feuding spirit long seen among the jata‑gosani.  The con­grega­tions of such quarrelsome Kali-yuga Vais­navas lose faith and look elsewhere for spiritual guidance - perhaps, unfortunate­ly, to something far worse.

 

History shows that the questionable activities of the caste

gosvamis drove untold numbers of simple Bengali folk into the  arms of charlatan avataras espousing reform.  In other words, the  secret behind the charisma of many of the other apampradayas lay  in their indepen­dence from the jata-gosani's ossified and  uninspiring "establish­ment Vais­navism."  These bogus alter­native  movements became prominent within two centuries of Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu's departure and grew unchecked until Srila Bhak­tivinoda Thakura reestablished the sankirtana mission with his  Visva Vaisnava Raja Sabha. 

 

""We should note in closing this chapter that the jata-gosani  tradition was originally bona fide: "According to the pancaratra  injunction, only a house­holder brahmana can initiate.  Others  cannot." ("C.c. Madhya 4.111, Purport)  "But the caste pride,  greed, jealousy and moral deca­dence of some unworthy descendents  of great Vaisnava-brahmana house­holders spoiled this system.

"Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave us His opinion in the verse kiba  vipra kiba nyasi, etc.  This indicates that the Lord understood  the weakness of society in its maintaining that only a grhastha‑brahmana should be a spiritual master." (ibid.) 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Two

 

SMARTAS

 

Caste Brahmanas

 

 

smartavyah satatam visnu

vismartavyo na jatucit

sarve vidhi-nisedhah syur

etayor eve kinkarah

 

                "The Padma Purana recommends: somehow or other always think of Visnu, without forgetting Him under any circumstances. Actually this is the most basic of all regulative principles. For, when there is an order from a superior about doing someth­ing, there is simultaneously a prohibition.  When the order is that one should always remember Krsna, the prohibition is that one should never forget Him.  Within this simple order and prohibition, all regulative principles are found complete."

 

                                                                                                (Nectar of Devotion, Chapter Two)

 

                The word smrti means "that which is remembered."  It is a classification of Vedic scriptures including dharma-sastras like Manu-smriti that give rules and regulations for the orders and asramas of civilized human life, and histories like the Puranas that give practical illustrations of how great per­sonalities did or did not follow these rules and what their fate was as a result.  Thus the smrti-sastras can be grouped into two divi­sions: "law books" and "law journals."

 

                But why are they given the name smrti?  Like laws, they are to be considered before doing something that might have legal repercus­sions.  Can I ride my elephant on the expressway?  Either I learn the traffic code, section and para­graph that applies to elephant driving, or I review the verdict of a trial that dealt with the same.  The point is, I should remember the law before I act, or risk being punished.

 

                The above quote from the Padma Purana concerns, as do all smrti-sastras, the law of karma.  Here the verdict is, if we simply remember Visnu or Krsna before doing anything, we'll not transgress the law.  If we forget Him, we unavoidably transgress it even if we remember to observe lesser rules and regulations, because keeping Krsna always in mind is the purpose of all those rules and regulations. 

 

                But not everyone understands that purpose.  There are three classes of brahmanas: the dvija, the vipra and the Vaisnava.  The third-class dvija has accepted the sacred thread, the second‑class vipra has studied the Vedas and the first-class Vaisnava knows the goal of the Vedas: always remember Krsna and never forget Him.  A vipra who is not a devotee can never know the real sense of the rules and regula­tions of scripture; like a crooked lawyer, he'll use the law to enrich himself materially.  The non‑devotee vipra is what is meant by the term smarta-brahmana.

                "A smarta-brahmana is always inter­ested in material profit, whereas a Vaisnava is interested only in satisfying the Supreme Per­sonality of God­head." (Bhag. 8.19.33, Purport) 

 

                Smarta-brahmanas completely reverse the instruction of the Padma Purana: rather than always remember Krsna and thus fulfill the rules and regulations, they remember the rules and regula­tions and always forget Krsna. 

 

                There are many traits the smartas share with the jata‑gosani.  This is because the jata-gosani lost their Vaisnava qualifications by slipping back into upper-caste pride or upadhi‑bhuta (acceptance of false designa­tion), which is shunned by those on the factual brahma-bhuta platform.  The upadhi-bhuta of the jati-gosani is their blood lineage to medieval Vaisnava‑brahmana families that were somehow connected to Lord Caitanya's movement.  Coming under smarta influence, the descen­dents of these families gradually revived caste rules and taboos from the smrti-sastras in order to assert their supposed congeni­tal super­iority over other com­munities. 

 

                "Sometimes a caste guru says that yei krsna-tattva-vettha, sei guru haya means that one who is not a brahmana may become a siksa-guru or a vartma-pradarsaka-guru but not an initiator guru. According to such caste gurus, birth and family ties are con­sidered foremost.  However, the hereditary consideration is not acceptable to Vaisnavas."

 

                                                                                                                (C.c. Madhya 8.128, Purport)

 

                That the jata-gosani are compromised by smarta conceptions becomes very clear when we consider the following:  

 

                "There is a difference between the smarta process and the gosvami process.  According to the smarta process, one cannot be accepted as a brahmana unless he is born in a brahmana family. According to the gosvami process, the Hari-bhakti-vilasa and the Narada-pancaratra, anyone can be a brahmana is he is properly initiated by a bona fide spiritual master."  

               

                                                                                                                (C.c. Madhya 23.105, purport)

               

                Still, if the caste gosvami at least maintains his family tradition of exclusive Visnu-murti worship, he remains distinct from the smarta-brah­mana community.  The smartas, following the Mayavadi pan­copasana conception, regard Lord Visnu as one of five forms of Brahman.  Of the five (Durga, Ganesa, Surya, Siva and Visnu), Bengali smartas have always preferred goddess Durga because she supplies her devotees with material opulence. 

 

                In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries A.D., the impor­tance of the Bengali smarta community was practically nullified by Lord Caitany­a's sankirtana movement.  Among the great Vais­nava-acaryas of that period, Srila Narottama dasa Thakura stands out as the preacher who most cut down their pride.  The smartas, considering him just a low-born kayastha, became so infuriated at his making disciples from among their ranks that they enlisted the king, Raja Narasimha, and a conquering pandita named Sri Rupa­narayana, to lead a crusade to somehow expose Acarya Thakura as a fraud.  The king, the pandita and a large party of caste brahmanas made their way to Kheturi, where Srila Narottama dasa had his head­quarters.

 

                When Sri Ramacandra Kaviraja and Sri Ganga Narayana Cak­ravarti, two Vaisnava-brahmanas, came to know of the smarta conspiracy, they disguised themselves as sudras and set up two small shops in the Kumarapura market: one a pan and betel nut shop and the other a store selling clay pots. 

 

                As the party arrived at Kumarapura, the smartas sent their disciples to the market to purchase wares for cooking.  When the students came to the shops of Ramacandra and Ganga Narayana, they were dumfounded to find that these "wallas" spoke perfect Sanskrit and were eager not to do business but to engage in philo­sophical disputation.  Finding themselves out­matched, the distressed students called for their gurus, who arrived on the scene with Raja Narasimha and Rupa­narayana.  When the smartas fared no better than their disciples, Rupanarayana himself was drawn into the debate and soundly defeated.

 

                When, the king demanded they introduce themselves, the two shop­keepers humbly submitted that they were low-born and insig­nificant disciples of Srila Narottama dasa Thakura Mahasaya. Smarting in shame, Rupanarayana and the smarta-brah­manas lost interest in proceeding to Kheturi.  They all decided to return immediate­ly to their respective homes.

 

                That night at home, Raja Narasimha had a dream in which an angry Durga-devi threatened him with a chopper used for killing goats.  Glaring at him with blazing eyes, the goddess said, "Narasim­ha!  Because you greatly offended Narot­tama dasa Thakura, I shall have to cut you to pieces!  If you want to save your­self, then you had better immediately go and take shelter at his lotus feet."

 

                Frightened out of his wits, his sleep broken, the king quickly took bath and set out for Kheturi.  When at last he arrived, he was suprised to meet the pandita Rupanarayana, who sheepishly explained that he'd had a similar dream.  They both entered the temple of Sri Gauranga in order to meet Srila Narottama dasa Thakura.  Acarya Thakura was absorbed in his bhajana, but when a disciple informed him of the arrival of the two guests, he came out to meet them.  Simply by seeing his

transcendental form, the two offenders became purified and fell down to offer their obeisances at the Thakura's lotus feet. Finally he initiated them with Radha-Krsna mantra.

 

                Because their leaders became Vaisnavas, many lesser smartas thought it prudent to externally adopt Vaisnava customs.  This is how the smarta-apasampradaya, or Vaisnavism compromised by caste brah­manism, began.

                The smartas think they have monopoly rights on initiating persons born in brahmana families, and that only such persons as initiated by them can wear the sacred thread.  On this issue they bitterly oppose the spiritual masters of the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya, who award the sacred thread to devotees from any back­ground on the basis of spiritual qualification.*  The smartas also claim ex­clusive right to worship the saligram-sila.  And of course they never marry outside of the brahmana caste: this taboo is followed so rigidly that a smarta father would rather give his daughter to the son of a tantrik-brahmana than a non-brahmana Vaisnava.

 

                Smashing all these arrogant notions, Srila Bhaktisid­dhanta Sarasvati Thakura soundly defeated the smarta-apasampradaya at Valighai Uddharanapura in September of 1911.  He presented a work entitled Brahmana o Vaisnavera Tara­tmya Vishayaka Siddhan­ta in which he conclusively argued the superiority of Vaisnavas to brahmanas.  Sambidananda dasa relates that he read this paper before a gathering of more than ten thousand panditas, and though he was the youngest speaker present, he was acclaimed by the judges as the winner of the dispute.  Still, attempts were made to harm him, and he was placed under police protection. 

 

 Caste Brahmana Values

 

                According to ISKCON observers, the Bengali caste brahmanas have become so materialistic that they no longer show interest in religious affairs (many have become leaders in the Com­munist Party of West Bengal).  But the smarta con­tamina­tion has a subtle side that ISKCON devotees would do well to famil­iarize themselves with.  It is a shift of values more than of behavior or even philosophy.     

 

                Smarta values are purusarthika.  Vaisnava values are paramapurusarthika.  The difference between the two are explained by Srila Prabhupada thusly:

 

                "Purusartha ('the goal of life') generally refers to religion, economic development, satisfaction of the senses and, finally, liberation.  However, above these four kinds of purusar­thas, love of Godhead stands supreme.  It is called paramapurus­artha (the supreme goal of life) or purusartha-siromani (the most exalted of all purusarthas)."

 

                                                                                                                (C.c. Antya 7.24, Purport) 

 

                The Vaisnavas value regulated activities prescribed in the scriptures that cultivate pure love of Godhead.  Indeed, they are forbidden by Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.9 to value these ac­tivities for anything less.  The Vaisnavas therefore perform their duties according to parama­purusarthika-smrti-sastras like Narada Pancaratra, Hari-Bhakti-Vilasa, Sri Sat-Kriya-Sara-Dipika, and Samskara-Candrika-Pad­dhati, which reveal the Krsna conscious purport to the duties of the varnas and asramas. 

                The smartas, on the other hand, follow purusarthika-smrti‑sastras like Karma Vipaka Maharnava, Karma-Kanda-Paddhati, Prayascitta Kadamva, Prayascit­ta-Parijata, Prayascitta-Pradipika, Smarta-Vyavastharnava, and so on.  The acara of a strict smarta‑brahmana and a strict Vaisnava may externally be hardly dis­tinguishable, but the consciousness is completely different.

For instance:

 

                a) The smartas observe varnasrama-dharma as a means to engage and satisfy their own worldly desires.  The Vaisnavas observe it for the satisfac­tion of Visnu. 

 

                b) Though the smartas officially worship Lord Visnu, they think Him subject to reincarnation and the regulations of sastra. Side-by-side Visnu, the Smartas worship demigods as equals to Him.  Their attitude is offensive, and thus their worship is never accepted by Lord Visnu.   

 

                c) Smartas observe Ekadasi to enhance their sense of self‑accomplishment.  Vaisnavas observe Ekadasi to enhance their devotion to the Lord. 

 

                d) Smartas bathe in the Ganga to be washed clean of sins. Vais­navas think of the Ganga as nectar emanating from the lotus feet of Lord Visnu.

 

                e) Smartas establish temples and install Deities for economic considerations.  They think they, by their rituals, bring life to the form of the Lord.  They utilize temples for self-advertise­ment and for social and moral welfare, e.g. as hospitals and mundane day schools.  Smartas think the only qualification for worshiping the Deity is birth in a brahmin family.  The smartas fail to under­stand that nama-sankirtana is the life and soul of all religion in this age, including Deity worship.  They therefore see the Deity as a statue and have no loving reciprocation with Him.

 

                f) Smartas commit the offense of arthavada harinama kalpanam whenever they chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.  (This is the offense of considering the chanting of Hare Krsna to be one of the auspi­cious ritualistic activities offered in the Vedas as fruitive activities).

 

                g) Smartas enjoy prasadam and carinamrta, whereas the Vais­navas respect these sacred items.

 

                h) Though the smartas accept initiation from a guru, they do it out of social custom with no regard for his qualification or the seriousness of the vows of initiation.  The smarta disciple keeps the guru as a pet, and the guru keeps the disciple as a means of maintenance.

 

                i) For the smarta, dharma is a matter of bodily identifica­tion and activity.  Vaisnavas understand it as devotional service to Krsna, the sad-dharma of the soul.

                j) Smartas value Tulasi-devi as a plant of medicinal value. They usually hide their Tulasi neckbeads, wearing them openly only on ceremonial occasions.  Sometimes they treat Tulasi with great ceremonial pomp, but only to adver­tise their own apparent piety.  As a part of this exaggerated piety, they offer Tulasi leaves at the feet of the guru, though Tulasi should only be offered to Krsna's lotus feet.  They think that by dropping Tulasi leaves on any preparation - even fish - it becomes automatically acceptable to the Lord.

 

                k) Smartas cherish all sorts of mundane ideas about the Vaisnava scriptures.  They agree with the Vaisnavas that it is a good thing to memorize Srimad-Bhagavatam, because then one can make money by bhagavat-saptaha recitations.  They understand the Bhagavad-gita to be a blend of different religious concepts like karma, jnana, mystic yoga, and bhakti, or a book on war, poli­tics, imper­sonalism and social liberation.

 

                l) Smartas partake in rites of birth, marriage and death in the ignorant bodily conception, and thus derive great pleasure or pain from them.

 

                m) They observe Caturmasya for fruitive gain and libera­tion, not as a means of dedicating themselves to the service of the Lord.

 

                n) The Smartas idea of gotra (family) is totally mundane. For them, gotras facilitate reproduction of the brahmana com­munity.  They intermarry only between select family lines, which are listed as 8, 29, and up to 3 crore (30 million).  The Vaisnavas know only one gotra - the Acyuta Gotra, which is Krsna's own tran­scenden­tal family of devotees.

 

                o) When Smartas visit the holy dhama, they follow external rules such as those prescribed in Astavimsati-Tattva  (The Twenty-eight Proposi­tions) by Raghunandana Bhattacarya.  Here it is advised that great piety will be gained by visiting Jagan­nath Puri on the Snana-yatra Day.  One's forefathers will be greatly satisfied and sinful reactions eradicated.  But there is no instruction on how to satisfy Lord Jagannatha on this day and thus advance in devotional service.  Smartas fast and shave their heads in the holy dhama because they believe these activities will relieve them from sins and bring auspiciousness.  They fear that they incur sins by accepting maha-prasadam in the holy dhama without first cleaning their mouths.  If maha-prasadam is served by a non-brahmin, they think it becomes impure.  Likewise, if maha-prasadam or Ganges water is transported away from the dhama by train, bus or car, it loses its potency.  Smartas also engage in materialis­tic calculations about the relative benefits of visiting one holy place instead of another.  For obtaining a par­ticular boon, they may visit Puri instead of Vrndavana, thinking that Vrandavana is not so effective in satisfying this specific desire.  But another kind of benediction is better sought in Dvaraka than at Puri, and so on.  They also believe that there are certain months when it becomes inauspicious to visit a particular holy place.

                By their hifalutin ways, smartas simply commit offenses at the feet of the holy name, holy dhama, the Vaisnavas, the Deity and maha-pra­sadam.

 

                Vaisnavas have no selfish desires they expect the dhama to fulfill, nor do they have sins to unload there.  They know that the places of the Lord's pastimes, the temples and Deities, devotional service, devotees and devotional parapher­nalia, and all the times and circumstances thereof, are transcendental.

 

                Maha-prasadam is honorable even if it drops on the ground from the mouth of a hog.  Lord Caitanya was very pleased with Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya when he accepted prasadam upon just rising from bed.  Sarvabhauma took the role of a smarta-brahmana in Lord Caitanya's pastimes to show this community that their only salvation is the associa­tion of a pure devotee.

 

                               

 

*Until the time of Srila Bhaktisid­dhanta Sarasvati, the wearing of the sacred thread was not considered very important by many Gaudiya Vaisnavas because their spiritual lives were centered on bhajana.  In his Purport to C.c. Madhya 8.128, Srila Prabhupada writes, "Sometimes a Vaisnava who is a bhajananandi does not take the savitra-samskara (sacred thread initiation), but this does not mean that this system should be used for preaching.  There are two kinds of Vaisnavas - bhajananandi and gosthyanandi.  A bhajananandi is not interested in preaching work, but a gos­thyanandi is interested in spreading Krsna consciousness to benefit the people and increase the number of Vaisnavas.  A Vaisnava is understood to be above the position of a brah­mana. As a preacher, he should be recog­nized as a brah­mana; otherwise there may be misunderstanding of his position as a Vaisnava."  In his revival of the preaching mission of Lord Caitanya, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura performed the savitra-samskara for his disciples; he met opposi­tion even from disciples from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura who thought he was transgressing the sampradaya.  But this does not neces­sari­ly mean he introduced something before unseen in the Gaudiya Vaisnava tradition.  His­torian Dr. Ramkan­tha Cakravarti has furnished evidence that the savitra-samskara was previously observed in some Vaisnava communities of Bengal, but not all; these com­munities even awarded the sacred thread to devotees from non-brahmana families. This tradition had long been decried by the smarta-apasampradaya, but Srila Bhaktisid­dhan­ta Sarasvati made it the standard.

 

 

 

                                                               

                                                                               

 

 

Chapter Three

 

     PRAKRTA-SAHAJIYA

 

Cheap Pseudo-Devotees

 

 

                "Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura suggests that people who are materialistically inclined and sahajiyas, or so‑called Vaisnavas who take everything very cheaply, are both visayi, materialists.  Eating food offered by them causes contamination, and as a result of such contamination, even a serious devotee becomes like a materialistic man.  There are six kinds of association - giving charity, accepting charity, accepting food, offering food, talking confidentially and inquiring confidentially.  One should very carefully avoid associating with both the sahajiyas, who are sometimes known as Vaisnavas, and the non-Vaisnavas, or avaisnavas.  Their associa­tion changes the transcendental devotional service of Lord Krsna into sense gratification, and when sense gratification enters the mind of a devotee, he is contaminated.  The materialistic person who aspires after sense gratification cannot properly think of Krsna."

 

                                                                                                                (C.c. Antya 6.278, Purport)

 

                The word sahaja ("natural", "simple", "normal") has two connotations in Vaisnava literatures.  Tracing these can help us see more clearly the crux of the sahajiya deviation.  In the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krsna uses the word sahaja in reference to material nature: 

 

saha-jam karma kaunteya

sa-dosam api na tyajet

sarvarambha hi dosena

dhumenagnir ivavrtah

 

                "Every endeavor is covered by some fault, just as fire is covered by smoke.  Therefore one should not give up the work born of his nature, O son of Kunti, even if such work is full of fault."

 

                                                                                                                                                                (B.g. 18.48)

 

                Here the word saha-jam means "born of material nature." This refers to human sense activities, which are said to be sa-dosa, faulty.  Despite this, Lord Krsna says we should not renounce activities.

 

                But this does not mean that we should engage in material sense activities.  Two verses earlier, Sri Krsna declares, "By worship of the Lord, who is the source of all beings and who is all-pervad­ing, a man can attain perfection through performing his own work."  In the Purport, Srila Prabhupada stresses the following points: "the Supreme Lord is the beginning of all living entities"; "as part and parcel of the Supreme Lord one has his duty to render service unto the Supreme"; and "Everyone should think that he is engaged in a particular type of occupa­tion by Hrsikesa, the master of the senses."

 

                So sahaja, or "natural", used in this connection, indicates the imperfect human nature.  A man's sense activities are faulty due to his birth in matter.  But he should learn that his real origin is Krsna, and he should engage his senses in the Lord's service.  Then he can tran­scend the faults of his material con­ditioning and attain perfec­tion.  "Libera­tion is never inaction, but service without human mis­takes." (Bhag. 2.2.1, Purport)

 

                The other sense of the word is found in Sri Caitanya‑caritamrta, Madhya 8.215:

 

sahaja gopira prema - nahe prakrta kama

kama-krida-samya tara kama-nama

 

                "It is to be noted that the natural characteristic of the gopis is to love the Supreme Lord.  Their lusty desire is not to be compared to material lust.  Nonetheless, because their desire sometimes appears to resemble material lust, their transcendental love for Krsna is sometimes described as lust."

 

                The context is clear: sahaja refers to the spiritual nature. Another point of interest in this verse is the word prakrta ("material"), which is used to distinguish kama or lust from the gopis' love for Krsna.  We can conclude that when prakrta is combined with sahaja, tran­scen­dental sensual affairs are not indicated.  We can also conclude that a person subject to material lust has no chance to comprehend the gopi's spiritual emotions. He must first follow Lord Krsna's prescription and rise above his imperfect condition.

 

                This is what hits at the heart of the prakrta-sahajiya contamination: they refuse to follow the reformatory process.

Thus their percep­tions of Krsna, Krsna's devotees, Krsna's service and love of Krsna are faulty creations of their lower nature.

 

                "Without serving Krsna according to vidhi-marga regulative principles of the pancaratrika-vidhi, unscrupulous persons want to jump immediately to the raga-marga principles.  Such persons are called sahajiyas." (Bhag. 4.24.45-46, Purport)  They some­times say that one enters raga-marga only by the causeless grace of Bhak­tidevi and not by a vain attempt to conquer sensual disturban­ces, but Srila Prabhupada says, "When a devotee strictly follows the rules and regulations, Bhaktidevi becomes very much satisfied with him, and at that time he is never disturbed by anything external." (Bhag. 4.24.59, Purport)  "Such an advanced devotee has nothing to do with the sahajiyas, who manufacture their own whimsical way and commit sins by indulging in illicit sex, intoxication and gambling if not meat-eating." (C.c. Madhya 22.153, Purport) 

 

                According to Dr. S.B. Das Gupta, the history of the Bengali sahajiya movement can be traced back long before Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's appearance, to the reign of the Buddhist Pala royal dynasty (ca. 700-1100 A.D.), when a secret cult of the name Sahajayana arose within the so-called Diamond Vehicle (Vajrayana) school of Buddhism.  Vajrayana, still prominent today in Nepal and Tibet, is a blend of ritualistic tantric yoga and Sunya­vada. Some scholars think that Vajrayana was created in Bengal, a stronghold of the tantric Kapalika religion when the first Buddhist missionaries arrived.  From Bengal, so this theory goes, Vajrayana spread to the Himalayan regions.  Anyway, wherever the birthplace of Vajrayana was, it is certain that the fermenta­tion of Vajrayana into Sahaja­yana (the Easy Vehicle) was accord­ing to an original Bengali recipe.

 

                Sahajayana Buddhists abandoned ritualism and study of scrip­tures as useless.  They practised a "yoga of sex" in which they visualized consciousness as being composed of the unity of the male and female principles, sometimes called upaya and prajna or karuna and sunyata.  The Sahajayana Buddhists wrote many songs known as the Caryapadas that express their philosophy in mys­terious language.

 

                Later on, under the Sena kings, Vaisnavism became ascendent in Bengal, royal patronage having been won for it by the great acarya Srila Jayadeva Gosvami.  Now the Buddhist sahajiyas absorbed and perverted aspects of Vaisnava philosophy.  They renamed their upaya and prajna principles "Krsna" and "Radha", imagining Radha-Krsna to represent the highest state of bliss attained by men and women on the sahajiya path.

 

                After the Muslim invasion, the sahajiyas were influenced by the Sufis.  The word Sufi comes from t