(6/7) Irreconcilable Difference

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Nrisingha Palli, Sri Gaura Purnima Day,
21 March 2019, morning class, part 6
Translated from Bengali

What does it mean to make an offence? What is the reason of making an offence? Our Math was founded in 1941, but in 1940, when Srila Sridhar Maharaj came from Vrindavan, he was first made the president of Devananda Gaudiya Math. Although they made him the president, they insulted him. [Somebody asks why.] I call tell you why. Because Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj spoke very good Hari-katha. The acharya of that temple was Srila Bhakti Prajnan Keshav Goswami Maharaj (his previous name is Vinod Bihari Brahmachari). He was born in Barishal, coming from the highest family. Srila Keshav Goswami Maharaj took sannyas from Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj, and Srila Swami Maharaj, the founder of ISKCON, later took sannyas from him. Despite this relationship, some contradiction came. There was a rule at the temple that class was given three times a day, but Srila Keshav Goswami Maharaj told the devotees, 'It is not necessary to come and listen to the class – you can just take books at the temple and read them yourself.' Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj said that it was a rule to come and sit for the class and kirtans, but he said that it was not necessary – devotees could just read books in their rooms. That was the first reason. Another reason is that Srila Sridhar Maharaj was against naming the temple Devananda Gaudiya Math. So, in the end, Srila Sridhar Maharaj said, 'You have made me sit in this chair, appointing me the president of the temple, but if you do not listen to what I say, then why should I stay here?' After that, Srila Sridhar Maharaj went to a bamboo grove (there was a bamboo grove at the place where the temple stands now) and built there a thatched hut (he made a straw roof and the floor was raw ground).

Despite all this, I wanted to harmonise with them. I would often go there to give them invitation cards, and they would come to our temple. When I asked Gurudev about it, he told me, 'All right, you can go there. But you will understand it later...' And now I can understand it. Whenever we have any festival (Lord Nrisinghadev's appearance, Gurudev's appearance day, and so on), I invite all temples. People come from all temples, but Devananda Gaudiya Math people always go to the temple over there. They do not come here. That is why I also offer obeisance to them from far. As Srila Janardan Maharaj said during the class yesterday, 'If somebody does not like Gurudev, if somebody does not like Gurudev's line, I will offer obeisances to them from ten thousand miles away.'

Srila Janardan Maharaj was a GBC member, a permanent member of ISKCON, but because Srila Swami Maharaj had said, 'You should go to Srila Sridhar Maharaj after I leave,' he, like many others, came to Srila Sridhar Maharaj. When they started coming to Srila Sridhar Maharaj, there was much opposition from ISKCON's side – they prohibited devotees to come to him. But those who followed what Srila Swami Maharaj had said still came to Srila Sridhar Maharaj, and those who listened to what the GBC said did not come. This is how Srila Janardan Maharaj, Srila Ashram Maharaj and many others came here giving up ISKCON.

Why do you think so many foreign devotees come here? Srila Sridhar Maharaj never went abroad, and foreign devotees started coming before Gurudev went abroad. Why did they come in the first place? How did Srila Bhakti Sudhir Goswami Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Pavan Janardan Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Kusum Ashram Maharaj, Srila Bhakti Ananda Sagar Maharaj (he is Svarupananda Prabhu now), Sripad Yudhamanyu Prabhu become disciples of this Math? Because Srila Swami Maharaj told them to come to Srila Sridhar Maharaj. They did not ignore their gurudev's words. They were all ISKCON disciples, but they came here – they called Srila Sridhar Maharaj 'Guru Maharaj' and our Gurudev 'Gurudev'. Even those who were giving initiations at that time (for example, Srila Janardan Maharaj) gave all their disciples to Gurudev, saying to them, 'You are all Gurudev's disciples now.' They gave up so much.

We must understand these things. Always remember this. So, now those of you who are going to take initiation, please come with me upstairs. And those who are staying here please chant 'Jaya Guru Maharaja yati-rajesvara'. I will listen to this kirtan from upstairs.

Hari bol.

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Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Eternal Faith, Eternal Patience
2) Service Is Privilege
3) Service Insight
4) Service Mishaps
5) Listen and Follow
6) Irreconcilable Difference
7) Entering the Right Current