For Those So-called Devotees Who Disparage the Teachings of HDG Srila Prabhupada and His Disciples and Grand-disciples, A Fair Warning Is In Order

All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Please accept my humble obeisances. Hare krsna.

Recently, there have been articles of dubious merit but of singular purpose (to poison, contaminate and discourage the minds of serious-minded, enthusiastic and dedicated--what the so-called devotees, like Lalita Madhava and Bhakta Eric of the greivously offensive website thehing.com, would insidiously label "ultra-conservative", "fanatical", "kool-aid drinkers" and, appalling as it may sound, even "brainwashed"--followes of Srila Prabhupada) posted to websites, like Chakra.org and Sampradaya Sun, of equally dubious merit and credentials, created and edited , for the most part, by envious, disgruntled, former ISKCON devotees--both Srila Prabhupada disciples and his grand-disciples or , worse even, former Prabhupada disciples (imagine the aparadha involved there) who have taken re-initation by Prabhupada's godbrothers and disciples of godbrothers (Prabhupada warned his followers time and again of the consequences of even reading the books of these individuals what to speak of associating with them in such intimate and unauthorized ways)--who have long since lost the sincere sadhaka's taste for strictly following the regulative principles of krsna conscious, rising early at 4 AM everyday for mangala aratrika, carefully and offenselessly chanting 16 rounds of the hare krsna maha-mantra, executing devotional service, associating with and humbly serving like-minded devotees and performing harinama sankirtana and brhad mrdangam. Due to the offenses--mad elephant and others of a lesser degree but nonetheless detrimental to a devotee's delicate devotional creeper--commited by these unfortunate former devotees, they are now claiming to find, and in many instances even manufacturing, faults and errors (which are in actuality and reality non-existent and imagined by these so-called devotees, and offered up to unsuspecting and innocent readers just to introduce hidden agenda-laden ulterior motives such as feminism, New Age atheism and other such mental speculation and sense gratification) with Srila Prabhupada and his books and teachings, which in and of itself is a terribly egregious form of vaisnava aparadha.
Let Srila Prabhupada--from Chapter 6 of Sri Upadesamrta--have the first and last word on this matter of utmost importance and urgency:

If we consider the bodily defects of a Vaisnava, we should understand that we are committing an offense at the lotus feet of the Vaisnava. An offense at the lotus feet of a Vaisnava is very serious. Indeed, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has described this offense as hātī-mātā, the mad elephant offense. A mad elephant can create a disaster, especially when it enters into a nicely trimmed garden. One should therefore be very careful not to commit any offense against a Vaisnava. Every devotee should be ready to take instructions from a superior Vaisnava, and a superior Vaisnava must be ready to help an inferior Vaisnava in all respects. One is superior or inferior according to his spiritual development in Krsna consciousness. One is forbidden to observe the activities of a pure Vaisnava from a material point of view. For the neophyte especially, considering a pure devotee from a material point of view is very injurious. One should therefore avoid observing a pure devotee externally, but should try to see the internal features and understand how he is engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. In this way one can avoid seeing the pure devotee from a material point of view, and thus one can gradually become a purified devotee himself.
Those who think that Krsna consciousness is limited to a certain section of people, a certain section of devotees or a certain tract of land are generally prone to see the external features of the devotee. Such neophytes, unable to appreciate the exalted service of the advanced devotee, try to bring the mahā-bhāgavata to their platform. We experience such difficulty in propagating this Krsna consciousness all over the world. Unfortunately we are surrounded by neophyte Godbrothers who do not appreciate the extraordinary activities of spreading Krsna consciousness all over the world. They simply try to bring us to their platform, and they try to criticize us in every respect. We very much regret their naive activities and poor fund of knowledge. An empowered person who is actually engaged in the confidential service of the Lord should not be treated as an ordinary human being, for it is stated that unless one is empowered by Krsna, one cannot spread the Krsna consciousness movement all over the world.
When one thus criticizes a pure devotee, he commits an offense (vaisnava-aparādha) that is very obstructive and dangerous for those who desire to advance in Krsna consciousness. A person cannot derive any spiritual benefit when he offends the lotus feet of a Vaisnava. Everyone should therefore be very careful not to be jealous of an empowered Vaisnava, or a śuddha-vaisnava. It is also an offense to consider an empowered Vaisnava an object of disciplinary action. It is offensive to try to give him advice or to correct him. One can distinguish between a neophyte Vaisnava and an advanced Vaisnava by their activities. The advanced Vaisnava is always situated as the spiritual master, and the neophyte is always considered his disciple. The spiritual master must not be subjected to the advice of a disciple, nor should a spiritual master be obliged to take instructions from those who are not his disciples. This is the sum and substance of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī's advice in the sixth verse.


The offenses against the chanting of the holy name are as follows: (1) To blaspheme the devotees who have dedicated their lives for propagating the holy name of the Lord. (2) To consider the names of demigods like Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā to be equal to, or independent of, the name of Lord Visnu. (Sometimes the atheistic class of men take it that any demigod is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu. But one who is a devotee knows that no demigod, however great he may be, is independently as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, if someone thinks that he can chant "Kālī, Kālī!" or "Durgā, Durgā!"and it is the same as Hare Krsna, that is the greatest offense.) (3) To disobey the orders of the spiritual master. (4) To blaspheme the Vedic literature or literature in pursuance of the Vedic version. (5) To consider the glories of chanting Hare Krsna to be imagination. (6) To give some interpretation on the holy name of the Lord. (7) To commit sinful activities on the strength of the holy name of the Lord. (It should not be taken that because by chanting the holy name of the Lord one can be freed from all kinds of sinful reaction, one may continue to act sinfully and after that chant Hare Krsna to neutralize his sins. Such a dangerous mentality is very offensive and should be avoided.) (8) To consider the chanting of Hare Krsna one of the auspicious ritualistic activities offered in the Vedas as fruitive activities (karma-kānda). (9) To instruct a faithless person about the glories of the holy name. (Anyone can take part in chanting the holy name of the Lord, but in the beginning one should not be instructed about the transcendental potency of the Lord. Those who are too sinful cannot appreciate the transcendental glories of the Lord, and therefore it is better not to instruct them in this matter.) (10) To not have complete faith in the chanting of the holy names and to maintain material attachments, even after understanding so many instructions on this matter.
Every devotee who claims to be a Vaisnava must guard against these offenses in order to quickly achieve the desired success