Date: May 4, 2023 (Sri Nrsingha Caturdasi)
Dear Sripada Jayadvaita Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances in remembrance of my Divine Masters.
On Apr 1, 2023, at 4:28 AM, Jayadvaita Swami wrote:
Regarding my citing Bhavananda: Regardless of his history, he heard first-hand instructions from Srila Prabhupada, and I regard his testimony as reliable, despite his later falldowns. My citing him has nothing to do with his status in ISKCON and so on. In the book I cite a number of other devotees who’ve had various problems or who no longer follow their vows. For the same reason: I don’t think their problems knock out the value of their historical testimony.
Suppose I am a reader of your book who knows nothing about Bhavananda and I ask you ”Who is Bhavananda?” What will your answer be?
Today we are celebrating Sri Nrsingha Caturdasi and the life of Sri Prahlada, one of the twelve mahajanas, whose historical testimony I accept as reliable. Perhaps by his grace I feel no need to read or hear the historical testimony of Bhavananda and believe it is a black spot on your book; one you would do well to eliminate.
In a recent letter to a friend I wrote this.
In my opinion Jayadvaita Maharaja’s book has been spoiled with his citations from Bhavananda and others.
I see dramatic conflict between his book’s stated purpose and the purpose it has come to serve.
The stated purpose is in the title: Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Kīrtana Standards, which invokes spiritual authority, the lifeblood of the Vaishnavas and their siddhanta. But in his explanatory notes he confesses to a different purpose, a historical narrative. To wit:
Regarding my citing Bhavananda: Regardless of his history, he heard first-hand instructions from Srila Prabhupada, and I regard his testimony as reliable, despite his later falldowns. My citing him has nothing to do with his status in ISKCON and so on. In the book I cite a number of other devotees who’ve had various problems or who no longer follow their vows. For the same reason: I don’t think their problems knock out the value of their historical testimony.
Like most historians he defaults to presenting only the history he wants to expose to the reader. Other history he dismisses as unimportant.
Regardless of his history, he heard first-hand instructions from Srila Prabhupada, and I regard his testimony as reliable, despite his later falldowns.
I find a contradiction here. On the one hand he says history is irrelevant (“Regardless of his history”). Then on the other he finds it to be so valuable it must not be excluded: “I don’t think their problems knock out the value of their historical testimony.” ”[T]heir problems” are part of their history, but he hides that from the reader who may not be aware that ”their problems” may cast doubt as to the validity of ”their historical testimony.”
In a court the credibility of a witness might rightly be challenged if his character is suspect. Jayadvaita disallows such considerations which closes the eyes of the jury (reader) to facts that should be considered in their judgement; in this case the reader’s determination of the relative value of his book when judged on its spiritual authority.
His principal argument is one we know very well: ”Character doesn’t matter.”
Really?
Character should factor prominently when it comes to determinations of spiritual authority.
CC Antya 4.102
āpane ācare keha, nā kare pracāra
pracāra karena keha, nā karena ācāra
Synonyms
āpane — personally; ācare — behaves; keha — someone; nā kare pracāra — does not do preaching work; pracāra karena— does preaching work; keha — someone; nā karena ācāra — does not behave strictly according to the principles.
Translation
“Some behave very well but do not preach the cult of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, whereas others preach but do not behave properly.
CC Antya 4.103
‘ācāra’, ‘pracāra’, — nāmera karaha ‘dui’ kārya
tumi — sarva-guru, tumi jagatera ārya
Synonyms
ācāra pracāra — behaving well and preaching; nāmera — of the holy name; karaha — you do; dui — two; kārya — works; tumi — you; sarva-guru — everyone’s spiritual master; tumi — you; jagatera ārya — the most advanced devotee within this world.
Translation
“You simultaneously perform both duties in relation to the holy name by your personal behavior and by your preaching. Therefore you are the spiritual master of the entire world, for you are the most advanced devotee in the world.”
But for his character Sri Haridasa Thakura would not have become the Nama Acharya of the Holy Name.
Sri Nrsingha Caturdasi ki jaya!
In light of the above, and other problems I find with your book, I am on the verge of asking you to stop sending me installments of it. I suppose as long as you continue to request feedback—and respond to it—I will not do that. Otherwise, I think I’ve had about enough of it.
I am your friend, and you are mine. As such I must say, frankly, I am very sorry to see you demean yourself and your book that could, but for such faults as mentioned above, provide a shinning light for devotees by truly revealing “Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Kīrtana Standards”; standards that deserve serious attention and consideration by all those desiring to engage themselves in Sri Hari Nama Sankirtana, the one hope for deliverance in this Kali Yuga.
I hope all is well with you.
Yours,
Swami B.K. Giri