"The Inner Life of Srila Prabhupada"

Posted On: Mon, 2009-03-23 05:44 by sitapatiShare

Nitai writes me:

I have been trying to find devotees' comments on the recent book published online, "O My Friend", by Babhru Dasa and Tripurari Swami. not many devotees seem to have said anything about this yet but it is huge statement I think. It is all about Srila Prabhupada's svarupa, saying that he clearly showed himself to be a sakha. I have seen you quote Tripurari Maharaja before and I like your blog so I thought I might ask if you would write what you think of this booklet? The website for the book is http://www.cowdust.us

My reply:

The booklet that you mention is by Babhru das, and has a Forward by Swami BV Tripurari Swami. Babhru does quote Swami Tripurari throughout and his influence is evident in it.

The booklet is very nicely laid out. I heard about it before and had looked at it cursorily, but hadn't read it through. After receiving your email I read it through in order to say something about it with an informed opinion.

I'm familiar with the arguments presented in this booklet, and have considered them in the past (which is why I had only glanced at it before you wrote me). From a rational point of view it makes sense. I have no qualification to comment on Srila Prabhupada's svarupa, but if I were to say something about the opinion that it is in sakhya-rasa, I'd say that it's entirely possible. Whether or not it is actually the fact can only really be known by "going there".

For myself, I am a long way from bhava. I have full faith that Krishna within my heart and externally will make all arrangements for me, as He has done up to this point, so I am not worried about anything.

Over the past year I've found myself more and more giving up the idea of becoming something, or striving to be something, and becoming more comfortable with the ideal of simply "being myself". That's the meaning of self-realization. Who you are is revealed from within. You don't have to worry about becoming something, or reaching for some higher rasa or state of spiritual being. It's just about being yourself, and it starts and ends with service to the Supreme Lord.

What calls our progress in self realization is watering the root of our spiritual practice.

I hope something of this is of some value to you.

in service,
Sita-pati das

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Finding devotees' comments

Babhru (not verified) | Mon, 2009-03-23 15:36

Sitapati prabhu, I appreciate your comments. I especially like your confidence that Krishna will make whatever arrangements are appropriate for you, both externally and internally, as He has so far. That is of course one of the points I make along the way in my essay.

Anyone interested in seeing what comments devotees have made, or to leave comments themselves, can go to the Web site, http://cowdust.us, and click on Comments at the bottom of the online version. A good number of other devotees, many prominent in ISKCON as well as outside ISKCON, have written Tripurari Maharaja and me privately to express their appreciation.

Thanks for the quick reply

Nitai_ (not verified) | Tue, 2009-03-24 12:21

Thanks for the quick reply Sita-Pati Prabhu. Yes I agree it is certainly best explored by "going there", and I think Babhru Prabhu did it tastefully. All in all I very much relished it. Prabhupada katha is common, but it is rarely done with such sastric logic. Thank you Babhru!

I also appreciated the

Caitanya dasa (not verified) | Tue, 2009-03-24 04:42

I also appreciated the book.

I would like to comment on one statement made by Sitapati:

>Over the past year I've found myself more and more giving up the idea of becoming >something, or striving to be something, and becoming more comfortable with the ideal >of simply "being myself". That's the meaning of self-realization. Who you are is revealed >from within. You don't have to worry about becoming something, or reaching for some >higher rasa or state of spiritual being.

This idea of "just be yourself" is flawed. What if we are uncultured mlecchas who are addicted to all kinds of sinful activities? In that case, "just being yourself" means "just being an uncultured sinful mleccha".

You say "You don't have to worry about reaching a higher rasa". If this is true, why is Srila Prabhupada in his books always pushing us to make advancement? To come up to a higher platform?

It sounds as if you have become self-complacent in maya.

das,
Caitanya dasa

Who am I??

Jambavati dasi (not verified) | Sun, 2009-04-05 00:16

Dear Chaitanya das.. I presume theres an H in your name?? H is for HUMILITY!!
I would like to comment on your attack of Sitapati Prabhu.
I think it was inappropriate to speak in such a way to such a sincere and humble Vaisnava.
If you carefully read what Sitapati prabhu was saying i think you will see that he is not advising us to be COMPLACENT he is acknowledging the FACT that by nature we are all eternal servants of the Lord and if we put aside our false ego and the mode of passion long enough that is exactly what we will discover.
He also recommends surrendering completely to the process of Bhakti yoga our spiritual practice under the direction or more advanced Vaisnavas.. surely this will bring about the desired result more quickly and effectively than our ownoften deluded perceptions of ourselves.
One should Chant the Holy Name of The Lord in a HUMBLE state of mind thinking oneself lower than the straw on the street . One shoul be more tolerant than a tree and ready to offer all respect to OTHERS in such a state of mind one can Chant the Holy Name of The Lord Constantly...
The more carefully we chant and treat the more lovingly we treat others the sooner OUR REAL SELF will be revealed BY DIVINE GRACE
Gaurapremanandi..