Sectarianism - Party Spirit and the True Śrī Gaurāṅga Samāja

Sectarianism - Party Spirit

and the true

Śrī Gaurāṅga Samāja Where all Vaiṣṇavas are accommodated

Taken from the works of OṀ VIṢṆUPĀDA PRAMAHAṀSA

Śrīla Saccidānanda Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura MahāŚaya and other past Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Sectarianism - Party Spirit

and the true

Śrī Gaurāṅga Samāja Where all Vaiṣṇavas are accommodated

SECTARIANISM - PARTY SPIRIT AND THE TRUE ÇRÉ GAURÄÌGA SAMÄJA Quotes from the books of Çréla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda are copyrighted © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

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Sectarianism - Party Spirit

and the true

Śrī Gaurāṅga Samāja Where all Vaiṣṇavas are accommodated

Taken from the works of OṀ VIṢṆUPĀDA PRAMAHAṀSA

Śrīla Saccidānanda Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura Mahāṣaya and other past Gauḍīya Ācāryas Compiled by Nimai Paëòita däsa

Śrīla Saccidānanda Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura Mahāśaya

Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda

Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami Ācārya Ṭhākura

sampradāya-virodho ‘yaṁ dāvānalo vicintyate “The eleventh obstacle of the Vaiṣṇavas is sectarianism, which takes the shape of the forest fire. Due to sectarianism a person cannot accept anyone outside of his own group as a Vaiṣṇava, and as a result he faces many obstacles in finding a guru and associating with devotees [sādhu-saṅga]. Therefore extinguishing the forest fire is most important” — Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura Śrí Kṛṣṇa-saṁhitā 8. 22

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The Soul Has its Natural Dharma

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his bhāgavata-dharma is the only dharma. There is only one dharma but it has different names: ātmā-dharma, paradharma, vaiṣṇava-dharma, sanātana-dharma, or nitya-dharma.

It has been given these names and other names like Hindu dharma, Musulman dharma, Christian dharma, or Buddha dharma. They are manufactured because everybody is a soul. You may be Christian, Mohammedan, Jain, or Buddhist, but you are a soul. The soul has its natural dharma, which is ātmā-dharma, jaiva-dharma, bhāgavatadharma or sanātana-dharma. We speak about the dharma that is universal and applicable to one and all. We never speak of any sectarian dharma. So this vaiṣṇava-dharma is non-sectarian. It is not sectarian.

— Śrīla Gour Govinda Swami Bhubaneswar, 27 November, 1989

INTRODUCTION

The Dikes & Dams of the

Living Spiritual Movement by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda

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he idea of an organised church in an intelligible form, indeed, marks the close of the living spiritual movement. The great ecclesiastical establishments are the dikes and dams to retain the current that cannot be held by any such contrivances. They, indeed, indicate a desire on the part of the masses to exploit a spiritual movement for their own purpose.

They also unmistakably indicate the end of the absolute and unconventional guidance of the bona fide spiritual teacher.

The people of this world understand preventive systems; they have no idea at all of the un-prevented positive eternal life.

Neither can there be any earthy contrivance for the permanent preservation of the life eternal on this mundane plane on the popular scale.

“Those are, therefore, greatly mistaken who are disposed to look forward to the amelioration of the worldly state in any worldly sense from the worldly success of any really spiritual movement. It is these worldly expectants who become the patrons of the mischievous race of the pseudo-teachers of i

INTRODUCTION

religion, the Pütanäs1, whose congenial function is to stifle the theistic disposition at the very moment of its suspected appearance. But the theistic disposition can never be stifled by the efforts of those Pütanäs. The Pütanäs have power only over the atheist. It is a thankless but salutary task, which they perform for the benefit of their unwilling victims.

“But as soon as theistic disposition proper makes its appearance in the pure cognitive essence of the awakened soul, the Pütanäs are decisively silenced at the very earliest stage of their encounter with the new-born Kåñëa. The would-be slayer of herself slain. This is the reward of the negative services that the Pütanäs unwittingly render to the cause of theism by strangling all hypocritical demonstrations against their own hypocrisy.

“But Pütanä does not at all like to receive her reward in the only form which involves the total destruction of her wrong personality. King Kaàsa also does not like to lose the services of the most trusted of his agents. The effective silencing of the whole race of pseudo-teachers of religion is the first clear indication of the appearance of the Absolute on the mundane plane. The bona fide teacher of the Absolute, heralds the Advent of Kåñëa by his uncompromising campaign against the pseudoteachers of religion.” (From the article: Organised Religion, Pütanä and Kaàsa, The Harmonist 29.7) 1. Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura has written in his Çré Kåñëa-saàhitä[8.14]: ädau duñöa-guru-präptiù pütanä stanya-däyiné The aspiring Vaiñëava should avoid the first obstacle; the acceptance of a bogus guru. The bogus guru is personified as Pütanä. Her arrival in Vraja in the guise of a nurse was a deception, because she was actually trying to kill Kåñëa with poison. In other words, the bogus guru will stifle, destroy or poison your devotional beginnings.

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Sectarianism – Party Spirit and the true

Śrī Gaurāṅga Samāja Where All Vaiṣṇavas Are Accommodated If we want to be part of the non-sectarian mission of Mahäprabhu and Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura then there are a few points that we need to consider. Firstly Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura himself said: “...excommunicating people is not the answer...” especially if they do not agree with us. Secondly he wrote in his Çré Caitanya-çikñämåta that the true Çré Gauräìga Samäja, the real association of the devotees of Gauräìga Mahäprabhu, is where all Vaisnavas are accommodated.

Furthermore, in the Çré Caitanya-çikñämåta he wrote: “...A society of Çré Gauräìga that does not accommodate all types of Vaiñëavas will be short lived. That said, the fact is that a society founded with viçuddha-vaiñëavas, or pure devotees on the transcendental platform, as members is to be regarded as the true Çré Gauräìga Samäja. “...Among the various Vaiñëavas in such a congregation, the viçuddha-vaiñëavas are immersed in the bliss of bhajana, and are mostly inactive in developing their worldly life. Until those who have an inclination for bhajana become

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SECTARIANISM - PARTY SPIRIT AND THE TRUE specifically immersed in the bliss of bhajana they can engage in activities to advance their worldly life. “...However, if they do not get the association of Vaiñëavas who are immersed in the bliss of bhajana, they will become completely materialistic within no time. For such people, it is nothing but self-deception to establish and promote themselves as representing the society of Çré Gauräìga, without associating with çuddha-vaiñëavas...” (Çré Caitanyaçikñämåta by Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura)

A Few Men of India In 1885, in his Çré Sajjana-toñaëé1 Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura wrote, “...Mahäprabhu did not come for a few men of India...” “...He came for one and all irrespective of caste, creed, gender, colour etc...” It is a fact that Mahäprabhu’s mercy is for one and all. There is no question of my group, my temple, my saìga. If we only see our own little group then that will cause the ass-like mentality not the swanlike mentality to appear. Legislation of religion and institutionalism has never worked, but is used to oppress an already oppressed people or race.

Kīrtana - As The Future Church of the World In 1896, Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura predicted in his book, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu - His Life and Precepts, on page 62, “...The principle of kértana, as the future church of the world, invites all classes of men without distinction of caste, creed, or clan to the highest cultivation of the spirit. This church will 1. Çréla Bhaktivinoda started Çré Sajjana-toñaëé, a unique monthly journal that continued through seventeen volumes.

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extend all over the world and take the place of all sectarian churches which exclude outsiders from the precincts of their mosque, church or temple...”

Sectarianism Then in the Çré Kåñëa-saàhitä2 Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura writes: sampradäya-virodho ‘yaà dävänalo vicintyate “The eleventh obstacle of the Vaiñëavas is sectarianism, which takes the shape of the forest fire. Due to sectarianism a person cannot accept anyone outside of his own group as a Vaiñëava, and as a result he faces many obstacles in finding a guru and associating with devotees [sädhu-saìga]. Therefore extinguishing the forest fire is most important” (SKS. 8.22)

That Great Enemy of the Truth Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura wrote on page 10 of The Bhägavata – Its Philosophy, Its Ethics, and Its Theology, “...Party spirit – that great enemy of the truth – will always baffle the attempt of the inquirer who tries to gather truth from the religious works of his nation and will make him believe that the Absolute Truth is nowhere except in his old religious book...”

2. Çré Kåñëa-saàhitä by Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura is a summary of the glories of the Çrémad-Bhägavatam.

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SECTARIANISM - PARTY SPIRIT AND THE TRUE

A Chance to Be Lower than Grass “...I have adopted this instruction of Gaurasundara [Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu]. If anyone attacks me, then I should put up with it and chant hari-näma; I should know that God has thus given me a chance to be lower than grass. Knowing this, I should be all the more encouraged to chant harinäma...” (Material Advancement Through Kértana - Part 2 by Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura Prabhupäda)

All the Branches of the Tree Çréla Kåñëadäs Kaviräja Goswami writes the following in Çré Caitanya-caritämåta: vande çré-kåñëa-caitanyapremämara-taroù priyän çäkhä-rüpän bhakta-gaëän kåñëa-prema-phala-pradän “I offer my obeisances to all the dear devotees of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, the eternal tree of love of Godhead. I offer my respects to all the branches of the tree, the devotees of the Lord who distribute the fruit of love of Kåñëa.” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 10.7)

In the purport to this verse Çréla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda has written: “... Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé therefore offers equal respect to all the preachers of the cult of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, who are compared to the branches of the tree.

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ŚRĪ GAURĀṄGA SAMĀJA ISKCON is one of these branches, and it should therefore be respected by all sincere devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu...” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 10.7 purport)

The Branches of the Caitanya Tree viça viça çäkhä kari’ eka eka maëòala mahä-mahä-çäkhä chäila brahmäëòa sakala “Thus the branches of the Caitanya tree formed a cluster or society, with great branches covering all the universe.” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 9.18) “...Our International Society for Krishna Consciousness is one of the branches of the Caitanya tree...” (Çré Caitanyacaritämåta, Ädi-lélä 9.18 purport)

The Mercy of Mahāprabhu From the above statements there seems to be a recurring line of thought that we are not sectarianists nor party spirited.

No one has the trade mark ™ or copyright © on the mercy of Mahäprabhu. After all Mahäprabhu is: namo mahä-vadänyäya kåñëa-prema-pradäya te kåñëäya kåñëa-caitanyanämne gaura-tviñe namaù “O most munificent incarnation! You are Kåñëa Himself appearing as Çré Kåñëa Caitanya Mahäprabhu. You have

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SECTARIANISM - PARTY SPIRIT AND THE TRUE assumed the golden colour of Çrématé Rädhäräëé, and You are widely distributing pure love [prema] of Kåñëa. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You.” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 19.53)

Mahäprabhu gave prema indiscriminately to one and all.

He is adbhuta-audärya, wonderfully magnanimous; adbhutakäruëya, wonderfully merciful; adbhuta-vadänya, wonderfully munificent. yo ‘jïäna-mattaà bhuvanaà dayälur ulläghayann apy akarot pramattam sva-prema-sampat-sudhayädbhutehaà çré-kåñëa-caitanyam amuà prapadye “We offer our respectful obeisances unto that merciful Supreme Personality of Godhead who has converted all three worlds, which were maddened by ignorance, and saved them from their diseased condition by making them mad with the nectar from the treasure-house of love of God. Let us take full shelter of that Personality of Godhead, Çré Kåñëa Caitanya, whose activities are wonderful.” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 19.54)

Amongst Uttama-Adhikārīs There is no Trace of Sectarianism Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura writes in his Çré Kåñëa-saàhitä: “...Sectarianism is a natural byproduct of the Absolute Truth. When äcäryas first ascertain and instruct the Truth, it is not polluted with sectarianism. But the rules and regulations

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ŚRĪ GAURĀṄGA SAMĀJA received through disciplic succession regarding the goal and the method of achieving it are changed in due course of time according to the mentality and locale of the people. A rule that is followed by one society is not necessarily accepted in another society. That is why one community is different from another. As a community gradually develops more respect for its own standards, it develops hatred towards other communities and considers their standards inferior.

These sectarian symptoms are seen in all countries since time immemorial. This is prominent amongst neophytes and found to some extent amongst madhyama-adhikärés.

Amongst uttama-adhikärés, however, there is no trace of sectarianism...” (Çré Kåñëa-saàhitä, Introduction) “...Due to these differences there is disagreement, cessation of social intercourse, and fighting, even up to the point of killing one another. When an ass-like mentality becomes prominent within the kaniñöha-adhikärés, then they certainly indulge in these things. But if they develop a swanlike mentality, then they do not take part in quarrels, rather, they endeavour to attain a higher level. Madhyamaadhikärés do not quarrel so much about external standards, but they are always attacked by philosophical disagreements.

Sometimes they condemn the standards of neophytes and establish their own standards as superior...” (Çré Kåñëa-saàhitä, Introduction) “...Contradictions actually arise only due to ass-like mentality. Swanlike persons consider the necessity for different practices according to one’s qualification, so they naturally become detached from sectarian quarrels. In this regard, it should be known that both asslike and swanlike people are found amongst the kaniñöha-adhikärés and madhyama-adhikärés...” (Çré Kåñëa-saàhitä, Introduction)

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SECTARIANISM - PARTY SPIRIT AND THE TRUE “...But swanlike Vaiñëavas are nonsectarian and, therefore, rare...” (Çré Kåñëa-saàhitä, Introduction)

Aspire for the Association of Swanlike Personalities In brief we can summorise the above quoted information by Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura as follows: 1. An ass-like mentality.

2. There is disagreement, cessation of social intercourse, and fighting, even up to the point of killing one another.

3. Party spirit.

4. Sectarianism.

5. Excommunication, due to differences or the ass-like mentality.

6. Not all Vaiñëavas can be accommodated.

If we see the above mentioned taking place we can understand that this is the ass-like mentality, not the swanlike mentality, and that it is not the true Çré Gauräìga Samäja, the association of the devotees of Mahäprabhu. It is something else – the opposite. It is not our position to excommunicate anyone from the spiritual master’s mission, or movement, or branch of the sampradäya.

If We Fight on Account of Diversity “...This is called unity in diversity. I am therefore suggesting that all our men meet in Mäyäpura every year during the birth anniversary of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu. With all GBC and senior men present we should discuss how to make unity in diversity. But, if we fight on account of diversity, then it is simply the material

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ŚRĪ GAURĀṄGA SAMĀJA platform. Please try to maintain the philosophy of unity in diversity. That will make our movement successful...” (Çréla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda letter, Bombay 18 October, 1973) “...I can understand that previously there must have been some quarrel amongst you and that sometimes happens amongst god-brothers. Whatever is done is done; the main thing is we must not carry grudges or continue to quarrel amongst one another. So I am asking you personally, ... to bury the hatchet and join together to push on this movement cooperatively...” (Çréla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda letter, Los Angeles 25 December, 1973)

Nirapekṣa Means Impartial “...There is one point here. A Vaiñëava is nirapekña, impartial. Nirapekña means impartial. That is vaiñëavata. A Vaiñëava must speak impartially, not with partiality. If we find that he is taking some side, that he is not impartial, so he is lacking Vaiñëavism. So we should not take his instruction...” (Çréla Gour Govinda Swami Mahäräja, 1985 France) “...Devotee means very liberal and kind to everyone, always gentleman under all kinds of conditions of life...” (Çréla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda letter, 10 December, 1972)

Without Being Neutral A devotee should always be neutral. As described in the Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Antya-lélä 3.23:

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‘nirapekña’ nahile ‘dharma’ nä yäya rakñaëe “Without being neutral one cannot protect religious principles.”

We should aspire for the association of swanlike personalities, and a swanlike mentality. Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura was definitely the non-sectarian äcärya.

Those Who Are Actually Devotees mahäntas te sama-cittäù praçäntä vimanyavaù suhådaù sädhavo ye “...Those who are actually devotees are broadminded, equal to everyone and very peaceful. They never become angry, and they are friendly to all living entities...” (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.5.2)

Natural Brotherhood Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura also wrote wonderfully on natural brotherhood: “...Gradually, when the offensive portions of the established religions are destroyed, there will be no more differences in the bhajana performed by the various sampradäyas nor any quarrel between them.

“Then as brothers, the people of all castes and countries will spontaneously chant the Holy Names of the Supreme Lord together.

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ŚRĪ GAURĀṄGA SAMĀJA “At that time, no one will hate anyone or consider others dog eaters; nor will anyone be overwhelmed by the pride of high birth.

“The living entities will not forget the principle of natural brotherhood...”

Religious Unity of the World Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura predicted that a time would come when we all come together. The sooner this happens, the better for us as individuals and for planet earth. Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura Prabhupäda has written in Bhaktivinoda-väëé-vaibhava (6.6): “...In a short time, there will be only one sampradäya, or devotional line. That will be the Brahma-sampradäya. All the other sampradäyas will find their conclusions in the Brahmasampradäya...”

Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura Prabhupäda wrote an article called ‘Öhäkura Bhaktivinoda’, which was about a prediction from his very great father. This article was published in the Harmonist Magazine: “...Öhäkura Bhaktivinoda has predicted the consummation of religious unity of the world by the appearance of the only universal church which bears the eternal designation of the Brahma-sampradäya. He has given mankind the blessed assurance that all Theistic churches will shortly merge in the one eternal spiritual community by the grace of the Supreme Lord Çré Kåñëa Caitanya. The spiritual community is not circumscribed by the conditions of time and space, race and

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SECTARIANISM - PARTY SPIRIT AND THE TRUE nationality. Mankind had been looking forward to this far-off Divine Event through the Long Ages. Öhäkura Bhaktivinoda has made the conception available in its practicable spiritual form to the open-minded empiricist who is prepared to undergo the process of enlightenment. The keystone of the Arch has been laid, which will afford the needed shelter to all awakened animation under its ample encircling arms. Those who would thoughtlessly allow their hollow pride of race, pseudo-knowledge or pseudo-virtue to stand in the way of this long hoped for consummation, would have to thank only themselves for not being incorporated in the spiritual society of all pure souls...”

Çréla Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé Offers Respect To Those Who Distribute the Fruit of Love of Kåñëa We are all part of the Brahma-Madhva-Gauòéya-sampradäya and let us not forget that this sampradäya has many branches. “... Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé therefore offers equal respect to all the preachers of the cult of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, who are compared to the branches of the tree...” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 10.7 purport)

vande çré-kåñëa-caitanyapremämara-taroù priyän çäkhä-rüpän bhakta-gaëän kåñëa-prema-phala-pradän “I offer my obeisance’s to all the dear devotees of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, the eternal tree of love of Godhead. I offer my respects to all the branches of the tree, the devotees of the Lord who distribute the fruit of love of Kåñëa [premaphala].” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 10.7)

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Therefore, we must offer our daëòavat-präëam to all swanlike premi-bhaktas who are the preachers of the prema-tattva – the truth of Love of God – irrespective of their caste, creed, gender, colour or group affiliation, as they are our source of inspiration.

The Swanlike Prema-Bhaktas At the end of his Çré Kåñëa-saàhitä, Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura Mahäçaya writes: “...The swanlike prema-bhaktas are worshippable examples for all devotees even though they act like a farmer amongst farmers, a businessman amongst businessmen, a servant amongst servants, a general amongst soldiers, a husband with his wife, a parent with his child, a wife with her husband, a child with its parents, a brother with his brothers, a chastiser with the criminals, a king with his subjects, a subject with his king, a thoughtful person amongst the learned, a doctor with his patient, or a patient with his doctor. By the mercy of the pure devotees, we are constantly desiring with undeviating attention the shelter of the lotus feet of the divine couple, who is their only wealth. “...O prema-bhakta mahäjanas! Please shower the rain of your mercy, in the form of your association, and moisten our hard heart, which is attached to argument and crushed by material enjoyment. Let the wonderful transcendental truth of the divine couple, who are the Absolute Truth without a second, be reflected in our purified and melted heart...” (Çré Kåñëa-saàhitä, Conclusion, )

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Aspire for a Swanlike Mentality Thus we should aspire for a swanlike mentality and give up our asslike mentality. To be able to do this we need the association of swanlike personalities, premi-bhaktas. The doors of the mission are open to one and all. We should open our hearts and minds and allow Mahäprabhu to take his seat within, thus paving the way for the prema-näma to resound in our hearts. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami said that if there is fighting and arguing in the temples then there is no kåñëa-kértana or gaurakértana, but it is actually mäyä-kértana; the kértana of maya.

Whereas the kértana of Mahäprabhu is prema-näma-saìkértana.

Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His Prema-nāma-saṅkīrtana dui hetu avatari’ laïä bhakta-gaëa äpane äsväde prema-näma-saìkértana “Thus with two intentions the Lord appeared with His devotees and tasted the nectar of prema with the congregational chanting of the holy name.” (Çré Caitanyacaritämåta, Ädi-lélä 4.39)

sei dväre äcaëòäle kértana saïcäre näma-prema-mälä gäìthi’ paräila saàsäre “Thus He spread kértana even among the untouchables.

He wove a wreath of the holy name and prema, with which He garlanded the entire material world.” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 4.40)

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punaù ati-utkaëöhä, dainya ha-ila udgama kåñëa-öhäïi mäge prema-näma-saìkértana “Natural humility and eagerness then awoke in Lord Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. He prayed to Kåñëa to be able to chant the mahä-mantra in ecstatic love [prema-näma-saìkértana].” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Antya-lélä 20.35)

The Object of Love & The Abode of Love The mood and process of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu is préti– dharma, the religion of love, or love and affection for one and all. Çréla Gour Govinda Swami has stated: “...There are many philosophers and many philosophies, but no one speaks about préti-dharma, only Mahäprabhu does. His followers, gauränuga, rüpänuga or bhaktivinodadhara, those who come in this line, know it. There is ätmadharma and mano-dharma. Mano-dharma is apréti-dharma; dharma not based on love. It is concocted, imaginative. Manodharma is speculation. Ätma-dharma is based on préti, love, and it descends by çrauta-paramparya, the hearing process.

Préti-dharma is dharma based on love. Kåñëa is the object of love, prétir-viñaya, and all the bhaktas, devotees are the abode of love, prétir-äçraya, and there is harmony between them, no disharmony. If you are established in préti-dharma then there will be no disharmony at all, only harmony. Why will there be disharmony? If you are established in pure préti-dharma there is no question of disharmony. Because there is some apréti in you, you have not established yourself in this préti-dharma process, and therefore there is disharmony, but there should not be any disharmony at all. If you really get the causeless mercy of Guru and Gauräìga then you can understand this.

Otherwise no one can understand it. Therefore, nowadays in

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SECTARIANISM - PARTY SPIRIT AND THE TRUE Kali-yuga, there is so much quarrelling, viväda, and pride, dambha. Kali means ‘hypocrisy’. Ahaà baòa hai – “I am great!” This is pride. So two parties or two groups quarrel. In Kali-yuga dambha, pride, is the measuring rod. One whose pride is very great establishes his philosophy by suppressing others so there is quarrelling, but there is no such pride in Mahäprabhu’s préti-dharma process...” (From a lecture by Çréla Gour Govinda Swami, Çrémad-Bhägavatam 8.16.24, 6 July, 1992 Bhubaneswar, India)

Thus there is a great need to understand the following three Vaiñëava philosophical points: 1. prétir-äçraya – the abode of love. Which is exemplified by all gopés headed by Çrématé Rädhäräëé.

2. prétir-viñaya – the object of love. Which is Çré Kåñëa Himself.

3. préti-dharma – Mahäprabhu’s mood and process, dharma based on divine love, prema. The goal is prema.

From Śraddhā to Prema Çréla Rüpa Goswämé in his Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu (verses 1.4.15-16) takes us from çraddhä to prema. ädau çraddhä tataù sädhusaìgo ‘tha bhajana-kriyä tato ‘nartha-nivåttiù syät tato niñöhä rucis tataù athäsaktis tato bhävas tataù premäbhyudaïcati

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ŚRĪ GAURĀṄGA SAMĀJA

sädhakänäm ayaà premëaù prädurbhäve bhavet kramaù “In the beginning one must have a preliminary desire for self-realisation. This will bring one to the stage of trying to associate with persons who are spiritually elevated. In the next stage one becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual master, and under his instruction the neophyte devotee begins the process of devotional service. By execution of devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master, one becomes free from all material attachment, attains steadiness in self-realisation, and acquires a taste for hearing about the Absolute Personality of Godhead, Çré Kåñëa. This taste leads one further forward to attachment for Kåñëa consciousness, which is matured in bhäva, or the preliminary stage of transcendental love of God. Real love for God is called prema, the highest perfectional stage of life.”

The mission of Çréla Prabhupäda and, in his wake, Çréla Gour Govinda Swami Mahäräja Mahäçaya, was to distribute this prema-tattva, the préti-dharma of Mahäprabhu all over planet earth.

Premāñjana premäïjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaù sadaiva hådayeñu vilokayanti yaà çyämasundaram acintya-guëa-svarüpaà govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi “I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is Çyämasundara, Kåñëa Himself with inconceivable

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SECTARIANISM - PARTY SPIRIT AND THE TRUE innumerable attributes, whom the pure devotees see in their heart of hearts with the eye of devotion tinged with the salve of love.” (Çré Brahma-saàhitä 5.38) “...The eye of devotion is nothing but the eye of the pure unalloyed spiritual self of the jéva. The form of Kåñëa is visible to that eye in proportion to its purification by the practice of devotion. When the devotion of the neophyte reaches the stage of bhäva-bhakti, the pure eye of that devotee is tinged with the salve of love by the grace of Kåñëa, which enables him to see Kåñëa face to face. The phrase ‘in their hearts’ means Kåñëa is visible in proportion as their hearts are purified by the practice of devotion...” (Çré Brahmasaàhitä 5.38, commentary by Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura Prabhupäda)

abhidheya-näma ‘bhakti’, ‘prema’—prayojana puruñärtha-çiromaëi prema mahä-dhana “Devotional service, or sense activity for the satisfaction of the Lord, is called abhidheya because it can develop one’s original love of Godhead [prema], which is the goal of life.

This goal is the living entity’s topmost interest and greatest wealth. Thus one attains the platform of transcendental loving service unto the Lord.” (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Madhya-lélä 20.125)

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Sectarianism - Party Spirit

and the true

Śrī Gaurāṅga Samāja

“O

prema-bhakta mahājanas! Please shower the rain of your mercy, in the form of your association, and moisten our hard heart, which is attached to argument and crushed by material enjoyment. Let the wonderful transcendental truth of the divine couple, who are the Absolute Truth without a second, be reflected in our purified and melted heart.”

— Śrīla Saccidānanda Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura

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