We recently had the good fortune of meeting Radhanath Maharaja at the opening of the Tirupati temple and in Mayapur, we also talked with Candramauli Swami about New Vrindavan's past..

After talking to him I thought that all these things better be left in the past as they will do us no good to contemplate further. I recall the verse from Bhaktivinoda Thakura's the Jiva Soul:

Forget the past that sleeps and ne'er
The future dream at all,
But act in time that are with thee
And progress thee shall call.

What will all this faultfinding of Radhanath Swami do to one's spiritual advancement? Actually the Chowpatty temple is doing wonderful under Radhanath Swamis guidance.

SB 11.23.48: Failing to conquer this irrepressible enemy, the mind, whose urges are intolerable and who torments the heart, many people are completely bewildered and create useless quarrel with others. Thus they conclude that other people are either their friends, their enemies or parties indifferent to them.

SB 11.23.59: No other force besides his own mental confusion makes the soul experience happiness and distress. His perception of friends, neutral parties and enemies and the whole material life he builds around this perception are simply created out of ignorance.

Actually Radhanath Swami is giving shelter to many sincere devotees, that are all serving the mission of Srila Prabhupada. Is it proper to shake the faith of such persons?

Radhanath Swami is certainly a bonafide Guru glorified by the Srimad Bhagavatam:

SB 11.26.32: The devotees of the Lord, peacefully fixed in absolute knowledge, are the ultimate shelter for those who are repeatedly rising and falling within the fearful ocean of material life. Such devotees are just like a strong boat that comes to rescue persons who are at the point of drowning.

I also talked to Mahadyuti Prabhu the TP of Soho Street temple about some incident where Radhanath Swami had advised against a younger lady marrying an older devotee, actually Maharaja proved to be right as this marriage did not last and the male devotee turned into his old hippy ways, but Radhanath Swami apologized for getting involved when the couple asked for his advise and he advised against it AND THEY GOT UPSET, but he gave the right conclusion actually.

Radhanath Swami is an exemplary sannyasi and has all humility. We have personally seen this recently, and having offered obeisences he simply embraced us, and took no offense to the many statements we have made. I really perceive he understands our intentions was of brahminical   nature and not just faultfinding. Personally I am so happy we have wonderful sannyasis in ISKCON like Radhanath Maharaja. Having just returned from India we had two wonderful realizations, one about forgiving persons for their mistakes. secondly about the glories of Krishna's devotees, worship of the Lords devotees is worship of Him.

Our friend Madhavananda Prabhu (gopalajiu) just published a small book: Vaisnava institutions and the sweet dealing of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: the first chapter has a few quotes I like to mention, the title is: We exist on cooperation. First he quotes SB 2.7.19 purport:

The whole process is that all living entities, being constitutionally parts and parcels of the supreme living being, the Absolute Personality of Godhead, have proportionately minute independence of action also. So the preliminary qualification for entering into the devotional service of the Lord is that one become a willing cooperator, and as such one should voluntarily cooperate with persons who are already engaged in the transcendental devotional service of the Lord. By cooperating with such persons, the prospective candidate will gradually learn the techniques of devotional service, and with the progress of such learning one becomes proportionately free from the contamination of material association. Such a purificatory process will establish the prospective candidate in firm faith and gradually elevate him to the stage of transcendental taste for such devotional service. Thus he acquires a genuine attachment for the devotional service of the Lord, and his conviction carries him on to the point of ecstasy, just prior to the stage of transcendental love.

Next is a letter to Madhumangal of 16 novermber of 1972:

We should not criticize each other as vaisnavas because there is fault in everyone and we may ourselves be subject to criticism. The best thing is to be  above suspicion ourselves then if we see discrepancies and make suggestions then others will automatically respect and take action to rectify matters. That is cooperation. We must exist on such cooporation, otherwise the whole thing is doomed if we simply go on fighting over some small thing. So try to organize things and preach together in this spirit and that will please me very much.

Radhanath Swami and his disciples are doing nice service to Srila Prabhupada. Why cant we just see the good and appreciate? Anyhow we appreciate very much the many wonderful devotees worldwide in ISKCON. The mood in Mayapur at the GBC meetings was a mood of gentlemanly behavior and cooperation. I was so glad to see this and enjoyed the association of the devotees very much, and we feel very much humbled and appreciation for the worldwide community of ISKCON devotees. If devotees can meet every year in Mayapur many problems will be solved simply by dancing and chanting together and doing sadhana together.

SB 11.26.34: My devotees bestow divine eyes, whereas the sun allows only external sight, and that only when it is risen in the sky. My devotees are one's real worshipable deities and real family; they are one's own self, and ultimately they are nondifferent from Me.

All glories to Srila Prabhupadas ISKCON family

Payonidhi das