The History of the Gaudiya Sarasvata Parampara - Seminar Part III

Jul 12 2021 - Video
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In this last day of the seminar with the Śaraṇāgati community on June 25th 2001, Narasiṅgha Mahārāja takes questions from the devotees. He is asked about hearing from unauthorised sources and states that it is best to hear from the purest source we can locate. Second to that is to hear from those who have put themselves under the guidance of such souls. Narasingha Maharaja also discusses the relative and absolute nature of the guru, gradations in the chanting of the Holy Name and the dangers of listening to mundane sounds. He explains what to do if one stops chanting his dīkṣā-mantras for a long period and reveals the most common offence amongst the ten nāma-aparādhas.

Mahārāja then talks about Vaiṣṇava aparādha and institutional aparādha, and how sometimes institutional offences that were made by people who are no longer around, continue to this day.

He discusses the context of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s various instructions concerning Gauḍīya Maṭha, and the deviations that occurred after Śrīla Prābhupāda’s departure, especially concerning initiations.

Mahārāja talks about which books he allows his disciples to read, hearing from a rasikācārya and pleasing the guru, the understanding of having a śikṣā-guru, and what it is to be in Iskcon. Yamunā Devi then tells the story how Śrīla Prabhupāda explained to her what is Iskcon and what is ‘association’.

Narasingha Maharaja explains about the legacy that the disciples of Prabhupāda are leaving behind, and what to do if one’s guru falls down according to Hari-nāma Cintāmaṇi. Finally, Narasingha Maharaja speaks about śraddhā and śaraṇāgati.