World Vaisnava Association

Interviews




The Secretary of the WVA interviewed Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaj, one of the founding members of the WVA, in Costa Rica Central America:

WVA (B.A. Paramadvaiti): Since Srila Swami Maharaj (Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada) gave the world such a beautiful movement and so many godbrothers, the devotees in the western world also received the grace of Srila Sridhar Maharaj and many other Gaudiya Vaisnavas. But there was a lack of understanding about the common ground of all Gaudiya Vaisnavas. The world can believe in a very
strong personality as the Acarya, but if there is no backing towards his teachings from others who also follow the same tradition, and sectarian claims of groups arise to be the only real group, people will become very suspicious. In this way Gaudiya Vaisnavism would become weak and could not offer strong help to those who are under the influence of impersonalism or institionalism like many churches etc. We have been looking for help from senior Vaisnavas like you, Srila Param Pujyapada B.P.Puri Maharaj and all others to create a forum by which we could all look up to the great Vaisnavas in a joint way.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaj (SNM): I appreciate that mood.

WVA: People come to join some particular Vaisnava family and are very impressed. Everything starts wonderful for them. Then they find out about the disputes amongst Vaisnava missions and their faith  is affected.

SNM: I told people every where in England and California and also here, every where, that those who accept Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who follow Rupa and Raghunatha in the line of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur and Swamiji , we are all family, one family. We should not fight and not envy anything. Like godbrothers in one family, we should try to help each other. It will make us very strong.

WVA: Bhaktivedanta Sadhu Maharaj, the ex king of Mungir told me. Srila Narayana Maharaj can help to lead the World Vaisnava Association in the future. Then we will have good hope. He will meet with you when you return to India.

SNM: So we should always think like that. We are Mahaprabhus family. Anyone chanting who believes in Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and chanting the Mahamantra Hare Krishna, he is in our Gour family. We don't have any caste and creed. That he is the disciple of that person, to that person, to that person, we will embrace them.

WVA: You visited the temple of ISKCON in Costa Rica?

SNM: Yes, I told them the following. I was so fortunate that I met Swamiji (Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada) in 1947. I think most of you were not born yet at that time. And at that time there was no ISKCON. But ISKCON was there. ISKCON is an eternal thing. It does not take birth and it does not die. It is an eternal thing. ISKCON has not taken birth at any time, no death, no stopping. It was there with Krishna, also in Satya Yuga and it will be forever. Krishna Consciousness is only pure love for Radha and Krishna. The mission and purport of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was the same, and Jiva Goswami called it the Visva Vaisnava Raj Sabha. The life and the soul of the Visva Vaisnava Raj Sabha is to love and to serve the conjugal couple Radha Krishna or Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Himself. Taking the shape of Srimati Radhika in beauty, Krishna Himself came and he propagated this mission that we are part and parcel of God. If there is no love for Krishna or the supreme personality of Godhead then we are like dead persons. So the object and mission of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the object and mission of Srila Rupa Goswami. And the object and mission of Srila Rupa Goswami is the object and mission of all accepted Acaryas up to Srila Swami Prabhupada. This love and affection for the conjugal is the life and soul of ISKCON and all Vaisnavas. It is the same wine in a different bottle. Like the pranam Mantra to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says: Mahaprabhu is maha vadanyaya. Why vadanyaya? Because he sprinkled his mercy so that all could have Krishna Prema. Only by giving Krishna Prema is he maha vadanyaya. So the aim and object of this mahaprabhu Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj is also to give Krishna Prema.

WVA: Thank you very much Maharaj and we wish you a very successful tour to all the western countries.




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