Gaudiya Touchstone | Issue 3

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of one’s family does not make one eligible to occupy the position of an acharya. Those who have gained the position of an acharya in the Gaudiya sampradaya should try to eradicate the faults that exist within the sampradaya. I will now mention a few of those faults. Nowadays, the Vaishnavas of the Gaudiya sampradaya can be divided into four divisions, namely: 1) Respected acharyas that give initiation into the mantra (Mantra-acharyas) 2) Vaishnavas who are invited and subsist on the basis of collecting alms. 3) Those situated in Varnashrama who have gained expertise in reciting the Bhagavata 4) People identified as Vaishnavas by caste (Jati-Vaishnavas). Among these four divisions of Vaishnavas, those who behave against the principles of bhakti are the root cause of the faults existing within the sampradaya. I will not speak inimically against any particular person, so if my words are against anyone’s conduct, then I ask his kind forgiveness. With a good heart and good intention, I will try to discuss the primary faults existing in the aforementioned four divisions of devotees. Respected initiating acharyas are expected to be exemplary as per the shastras and should

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