Whatever is to be learned of the teachings of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura can be learned from our books. There is no need whatsoever for any outside instruction.

(S.P.Letter to Gurukrpa and Yasodanandana, 25/12/73)

 Whatever is to be learned of the teachings of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura or Sri Sanatana Gosvami Prabhu can be learned from Srila Prabhupada's books.  Any "follower" of Srila Prabhupada who is recieving and giving instruction of the teachings of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur or the other previous Acaryas outside of Srila Prabhupada's books is disobeying Srila Prabhupada's order. Such offensive personalities cannot make any advancement in chanting Hare Krishna, everything is finished for them in the beginning. Such rascals cannot be siksa-guru or anything else.

 First offense is guror avajna, defying the authority of guru. This is the first offense. So one who is offensive, how he can make advance in chanting? He cannot make. Then everything is finished in the beginning. Guror avajna. Everything is there. If one is disobeying the spiritual master, he cannot remain in the pure status of life. He cannot be siksa-guru or anything else.

(Bhagavad-gita, lecture 17.1-3 Honolulu, July 4, 1974)

 

"There is no need by any of my disciples to read any books besides my books--in fact, such reading may be detrimental to their advancement in Krishna Consciousness."

There is no need by any of my disciples to read any books besides my books--in fact, such reading may be detrimental to their advancement in Krishna Consciousness. All reading of outside books, except in certain authorized cases such as for example to read some philosopher like Plato to make an essay comparing his philosophy with Krishna's philosophy--but otherwise all such outside reading should be stopped immediately. It is simply another botheration. If my students cannot even read my own books thoroughly, why they should read others? I have given you TLC, what need is there to read Caitanya Caritamrta translated by someone else. You are right to stop such reading.

(S.P.Letter to Sri Govinda, 20 January, 1972)

 

"You say that you would read only one book if that was all that I had written, so you teach others to do like that "                    

Regarding the Gaudiya Math books being circulated there, who is distributing? Who is sending these books? The Gaudiya Math does not sell our books, why we should sell their books. Who has introduced these books? Let me know. These books should not at all be circulated in our Society. Bhakti Vilas Tirtha is very much antagonistic to our society and he has no clear conception of devotional service. He is contaminated. Anyway, who has introduced these books? You say that you would read only one book if that was all that I had written, so you teach others to do like that. You have very good determination.

 (S.P.Letter to Sukadeva, 14 November, 1973)                  

 

"You have to approach through your spiritual master to the Gosvamis"

You cannot jump over Krsna consciousness without going through the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And to go through Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu means to go through the six Gosvamis. This is parampara system. Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura says,

                  ei chay gosai jar--tar mui das
               ta-sabara pada-renu mora panca-gras

This is parampara system. You cannot jump over. You must go through the parampara system. You have to approach through your spiritual master to the Gosvamis, and through the Gosvamis you will have to approach Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and through Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu you have to approach Krsna. This is the way. Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura said, ei chay gosai jar--tar mui das. We are servant of servant. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's instruction, gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasanudasah. The more you become servant of the servant, the more you are perfect. And if you all of a sudden want to become master, then you go to hell. That's all. Don't do that. This is the teaching of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. If you go through the servant, servant, servant, then you are advanced. And if you think that you have now become master, then you are going to hell. This is the process. Dasa-dasanudasah. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said. So servant, servant, servant, a hundred times servant now, that means he is advanced. He is advanced. And one who is becoming directly master, then he is in the hell.
   So anarpita-carim cirat. So we should always remember the instruction of Srila Rupa Gosvami. Therefore we pray, sri-caitanya-mano-'bhistam sthapitam yena bhu-tale. Our mission is to establish the desire of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. That is our business. Sri-caitanya-mano-'bhistam sthapitam yena bhu-tale. Srila Rupa Gosvami did it. He has given us so many books, especially Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, which we have translated into English as Nectar of Devotion, to understand the science of devotional service. This is the greatest contribution of Srila Rupa Gosvami, how to become a devotee. How to become a devotee. It is not sentiment; it is science. This Krsna consciousness movement is a great science. ^ Yad vijnana-samanvitam. Jnanam me paramam guhyam yad vijnana-samanvitam. It is not sentiment. If you take it as sentiment, then you will create disturbance. That is the instruction of Rupa Gosvami. He said,

                      sruti-smrti-puranadi-
                     pancaratriki-vidhim vina
                     aikantiki harer bhaktir
                       utpatayaiva kalpate

(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Lecture, Adi-lila 1.4 Mayapur, March 28, 1975)

Your servant Mukunda dasa.

 

> Mukunda dasa. PSS Oldham wrote:
> >
> >
> > 731208SB.LA
> > So if you want to understand Bhagavad-gita, then we must understand in
> > the same way as the person who directly heard from. This is called
> > parampara system. Suppose I have heard something from my spiritual master,
> > so I speak to you the same thing. So this is parampara system. You cannot
> > imagine what my spiritual master said. OR EVEN IF YOU READ SOME BOOKS, YOU
> > CANNOT UNDERSTAND UNLESS YOU UNDERSTAND IT FROM ME.
> > Letter to: Pradyumna
>                                   --
>                                Calcutta
>                            17 October, 1967
>
> My Dear Pradyumna,
>    Please accept my blessings. I've received your letters of Oct. 6&7.
> Acyutananda is learning Hindi & when he is well versed in the language
> probably he will be able to translate all the Puranas available in Hindi
> into English. Brahma Samhita is the gist of the Srimad-Bhagavatam. In
> the Bhagavad gita as well as in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Krishna is
> accepted as Supreme Lord & everything about him is nicely described
> there, similarly in the Brahma-Samhita everything about Krishna is
> perfectly described. In the very beginning of the book, Krishna is
> accepted as the Supreme Lord existing eternally in his transcendental
> form and is the cause of all causes. One who reads Brahma Samhita very
> carefully & scrutinizingly can understand everything of Krishna without
> any fault. I recommend, therefore that all my students read Brahma
> Samhita very carefully--especially because it was translated personally
> by my spiritual master Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami
> Maharaja. . ."
> HDGACBSP
>
> The rest of the letter deals with Kirtanananda, and disobedience to the
> order of the spiritual master. A full copy can be sent upon request.
> Someone with a functional folio can find the other quotes from HDG
> wherein he clearly advocated reading the books of other Vaisnava acaryas
> for all his disciples. One can also look in Cc. Adi 5.203 and read that
> one must read Brhad Bhagavatamrta.
>
>
>    "Sri Sanatana Gosvami Prabhu, the teacher of the science of
> devotional service, wrote several books, of which the
> Brhad-bhagavatamrta is very famous; anyone who wants to know about the
> subject matter of devotees, devotional service and Krsna must read this
> book."
>
> Cc. Adi 5.203
>
> Religion without philosophy is either fanatacism or sentiment.
> YS
> PDA
> YS
> PDA