Ritvik-vada

I was listening to Srila Prabhupada’s lecture and some part of the lecture, he talked about guru tattva. I normally do not dwell in Ritvik V non-Ritivik debate simply because I am not so qualified to talk philosophy and also I do not intend to unnecessarily waste my time on Ritivik vada. I know after Srila Prabhupada’s departure there has been so much confusion on guruship within ISKCON and is existing till today. Many sincere devotees left ISKCON for various reasons, some of which perhaps touch the issue of guruship and ritivkvada.

Anyways, I transcribed a small portion of Srila Prabhupada’s lecture word to word and as a reader, one can make his or her conclusions. As for me, it is very clear the desire of our Founder Acharya. A self-realized soul is perfect because he is completely fixed in Brahman (brahmanishtam). Therefore, his knowledge on the self, supersoul, and material nature per the teachings of previous acharyas is faultless. This also includes the concept of guru tattva. Srila Prabhupada gave this lecture in 1975 and to think he could give a completely opposite instruction two years later seems improbable. In my opinion, I think the instruction is very clear that one should accept a guru in order to understand the higher truth and that Srila Prabhupada wanted everyone to take the role of guru and preach the message of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Please read the small portion of the lecture I transcribed word to word. The lecture was given on December 21 1975 on Bhagavad Gita Chapter seven Text one.

“If we follow the instruction of Bhagavad Gita and Krishna, then all problems will be solved. It is not a sectarian religious sentimental fanaticism, it is not that, it is a science, social science, political science, cultural science, everything is there. So our request is that every one of you become a guru. That is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s order. He wants that everyone must become a guru. How…that He says “amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa yare dekha, tare kaha, krsna upadesa”. This is guru, suppose your family members, so many living entities, your sons, your daughters, daughter in law, children, you can become their guru. Exactly like this you can sit down in the evening and talk about Bhagavad Gita yare dekha, tare kaha, krsna upadesa. You haven’t got to manufacture something. The instruction is there you simply repeat and let them hear, you become guru. It is not difficult at all, that is our preaching. We do not want to become alone guru but we want to preach in such a way that every chief man or any man, he can become guru and his surrounding, anyone can do that, even a kooli, he can also, he has got family, he has got friends so even though he is illiterate he can hear the instruction of Krishna and he can preach the same. This we want and we will invite all respectable gentleman, leaders to learn this. It is very simple….so our only request is the leaders of the society should take up the teachings of Bhagavad Gita very seriously, learn himself, and teach to others. That is Krishna Consciousness movement”
Hare Krishna