Prabhupada's Teachings No Longer Relevant?
Recently I've read some devotees claim various teachings and instructions of Srila Prabhupada are no longer relevant.
When I joined, something I utterly loved about what Prabhupada's taught, is that he was part of a very special and pure lineage going back from one pure devotee to the next, until it reached the lotus mouth of Lord Sri Krishna - God. And that since only pure devotees repeated the message, nothing was changed, nothing was contaminated. Everything was - as it is. I found this something worth putting my faith in!
"So the same thing, what was spoken five thousand years ago by Kṛṣṇa personally, we, Kṛṣṇa cons..., we, Kṛṣṇa conscious men... Because we are known in the world as Hare Krishna People. They write in the newspaper, 'The Hare Krishna People.' So our preaching is the same. We don't change. We present, therefore, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Kṛṣṇa says that everyone should surrender unto Him. We are preaching the same philosophy, that 'You surrender to Kṛṣṇa.' Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). We say the same thing. We ask everyone that 'You become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. You think of Kṛṣṇa constantly. You worship Kṛṣṇa. You offer your obeisances unto Kṛṣṇa.' So this is favorable. If we preach what Kṛṣṇa said five thousand years ago, that is favorable. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness." S. Prabhupada Lecture, Vrindavan, October 28, 1972
I've read some devotees [not all] claim the times have changed due to more acceptance of sex outside of marriage, A.I.D.S., legalization of gay marriage, and more - thinking these are reasons that Prabhupada's instructions are no longer relevant today as they were in the beginning.
Krishna has incarnated countless times, and you mean to tell me He never ran into such issues before us, therefore never left instructions to make such changes due to these issues? It's not news to God. And, God maintained as they were.
"We do not change. Why should you change? What right you have got to change? If Bhagavad-gītā is a book of authority, and if I make my own interpretation, then where is the authority? Can you change the lawbook according to your interpretation? Then what is the meaning of that lawbook? That is not lawbook. You cannot change. Similarly, if you accept Bhagavad-gītā as the book of authority, you cannot change the meaning. That is not allowed. What right? If you have got some opinion, if you have got some philosophy, you can write in your own book." - Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Hyderabad, April 27, 1974
To clarify, this is not a post of fanaticism, nor political opinions on drugs, sex, or so on. Heck, I haven't even given my opinions. Rather, this is a post about transcendental instructions. Instructions given by the pure devotee.
"Ācāryas will never say, 'I think.' 'It is in my opinion.' No. Such things are not accepted. No personal opinion. It must be supported by Vedic evidences. That is called paramparā system, genuine system of understanding. As Kṛṣṇa says, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). No change. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We do not change. We have no power to change. Then where is the authority of Bhagavad-gītā? I am a third-class man, and if I change the statements in the Bhagavad-gītā, then where is the authority of Bhagavad-gītā? That is going on." - Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Vrindavan, October 22, 1972
With that said, when I hear the one about sex, that we must change this part of the 4 Regulative Principles / Vows, because it is not as relevant as it use to be in the early days since sex outside of marriage now, is more acceptable. I almost laugh. Why?
It has less to do with sex, and more to do with historical facts.
Some act as if the generation who joined when Prabhupada initially started the Movement, those of the 60's / 70's era - a time of drugs, sex, and rock and roll - did not have significant interest in sex outside of marriage. How unrealistic.
My generation had to give up premarital sex, drugs, etc, if we wanted initiation. In order to gain a higher, more spiritual taste, one needs to let go of these. Not to misunderstand, as it's stated in ancient scripture that sex desire is the hardest to give up, because it is the highest material pleasure. Such material renunciation can not be artificially achieved and can only be done by surrendering to a pure devotee, if one wants to experience an even higher and therefore spiritual pleasure. This starts by chanting, and following his blissful Morning / Evening Program as well as daily outlined lifestyle. [Details on how to do that, elsewhere throughout this blog.]
Now those who do not want initiation, do what you please. This is not about judgement. This is about not changing the philosophy or vows so others can get initiated and feel good while going contradictory to the instructions of Srila Prabhupada.
I find those who say that not all of his teachings are relevant anymore, to be looking for a loophole. Some do not desire to follow strictly, while still wanting to view themselves as first class devotee.
It does not work that way. That is the cheating process. Let us not turn into a society of the cheaters and the cheated, as Prabhupada cautioned us.
"Don't change, don't alter. You simply try to preach what Kṛṣṇa has said. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction. If you follow this instruction... Don't make any addition and alteration of your so-called learned scholarship. That will not help you. You must present Bhagavad-gītā as it is" - SP Lecture on SB 5.5.30 -- Vrndavana, November 17, 1976
As I've said many times, I have no problem with someone who does not follow the 4 regs when honest about it. It is those who want to make changes so they do not have to change themselves, yet take initiation - to be dishonest at best.
Better are those who may not follow as firmly, repeat the teachings as they are - than those, some all ready initiated, wearing dhoti / saree, tilaka, etc - but no longer believe the "transcendental" teaching of jagat guru Srila Prabhupada are relevant.
"It is important that we preach the message of Krishna Consciousness exactly as we have heard it from our Spiritual Master. The same philosophy and spirit must be there exactly." - Srila Prabhupada Letter, January 23, 1969
I mention this because of witnessing someone throw out a large number of verses in effort to prove their personal belief that Prabhupada's instructions have become irrelevant. (This startled me!) It was followed by some telling them how advanced they are because they knew so many verses.
It needs to be recognized that memorizing verses or purports is Jnana yoga, whereas speaking the philosophy unchanged and "as it is," taught by Srila Prabhupada, is Bhakti yoga.
Therefore, everyone needs to read Srila Prabhupada's unchanged books for themselves. Not blindly follow anyone because that person knows a hundred, or thousand, quotes.
As touched on, quotes have their place and are important. Srila Prabhupada has actually instructed us to use them to support what we say, that it can be seen it is not a mere concoction, but ancient Vedic fact. However, when there is a debate, or else something just doesn't feel right, I've found it is important to google them, because sometimes it is taken out of context, or even twisted. Thus, a different meaning. Other times, not.
I invite readers to research any quotes I use here if they'd like to see their full context. I am not afraid. :) Feel free to check.
Sure, there will be moments it may be overwhelming to research each and every quote. That is where your studies of Prabhupada's books will kick in. Be ambitious, as his books are your way out of the material world. So take time to read and study them.
Does what they say jive with your gut, "after" reading his books? Does it feel wrong to entertain such thoughts that, in this case, his teachings have become irrelevant? It actually makes my gut toss and turn! But don't stop with gut feelings - investigate. What did Prabhupada actually instruct? Find out.
Some devotees claim "we can't do that anymore." Hogwash excuse. Show me one place where Prabhupada says that even in the near future, what to speak of further, that we won't be able to do it anymore. There isn't any such instruction. If anything, he said we are to maintain, and do not to change a thing.
If we could do it in the 1960's and 70's, it can be done now. Srila Prabhupada would never give us something we could not do. Simply, one must hold the desire to follow the instruction of his, and do the needful to support following through.
"What Vyāsadeva said, your guru will also say the same thing. Not that "So many hundreds of thousands of years have passed away. Therefore I will give you a new formula." No. There is no new formula.The same Vyāsa-pūjā, the same philosophy. Simply we have to accept it. Then our life will be successful. Thank you very much." - Srila Prabhupada, 761210DB.HYD
On this blog post I am referring to the initiated, or those who wish to live the lifestyle of an initiate - which makes them an initiate. Be smart and do not change a thing. To change may create very bad karmic reactions.
His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada all ready lowered the standard in the wild 60's / 70's, as only he, the pure devotee, has the right and qualification to do. Still, we can get back to Godhead if we follow him. Whereas to think we, the conditioned soul, can make changes, that is maya nonsense.
There are others who love to apply the popular quote that we can preach according to time, place, and circumstance. Yes, this instruction is there. It's sometimes used to justify making all sorts of changes. However, where to draw the line? Initially it may be hard for some to figure that out, but over time or study it will chime in. IMHO basically: Preaching is one thing - changing the teachings is another.
"You will find that one who is very experienced medical practitioner, he gives you a prescription, and you visit him again and again, he gives you the same prescription unless you are cured. His prescription is so nice that he doesn't change. But a nonexperienced physician, every time you go, he will change the prescription. But actually, those who are experienced, he knows "This is the disease, and ultimately this medicine will cure. So let him repeat that medicine." So our is that platform. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). We repeat only. We don't change: "Now hari-nāma is not curing so let me add, instead of Hare Kṛṣṇa, 'John Kṛṣṇa,' if I may." No. No "John Kṛṣṇa." - SP Lecture on SB 1.3.15 - Los Angeles, September 20, 1972
We really need to grasp that only the pure devotee can make changes - the conditioned soul can not. Otherwise all types of concoctions will arise. Some all ready have. Nip it in the bud and don't let anymore arise, at least not in your own life.
"Your study aids that you are using to help the children learn the meaning of Bhagavad-gita slokas fully seem to be alright. The thing is, you must see that the meaning of the verse is in no way altered or changed. Simplification is alright but do not change anything." - Srila Prabhupada Letter - Honolulu, February 2, 1975
Follow Srila Prabhupada's unchanged instructions to find bliss, and of course anyone can chant Hare Krishna.
"Yes I am glad that your center is doing so well and all the devotees are now appreciating the presence of their spiritual master by following his instructions, although he is no longer present. This is the right spirit." - Srila Prabhupada Letter, September 13, 1970
No one has to take shelter of the institution. Anyone can benefit from chanting Hare Krishna - simple, don't change anything. :)
"If you concoct, 'I am more intelligent than my Guru, I can make additions and alterations,' then you are finished." - Srila Prabhupada lecture, Philadelphia, 7/12/75
