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Regarding Hinduism and Pseudo Gods

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Jai Simman s/o R. Rangasamy • August 18, 2000 


Dear Mohan Sagar Prabhu,

Hare Krishna.

Thank you once more for the Sri Ramanujar Video which you so kindly sent me
several years ago.

Just a humble point about your previous mail on the above subject matter.

I am happy to know of your commitment to Sripad Ramanujacharya.

You have mentioned your past experiences by denoting
your acquaintance with virtually every strand of "Hindu Thought".
I would humbly beg you to please never lump ISKCON with other organisations
created by self-styled gurus or mayavadis.

ISKCON is not a Sri Vaishnava organisation but a Gaudiya Vaishnava one. This
does not however mean that as a Sri Vaishnava a person should view every
other strand of Vaishnavism as a pseudo religion ! I understand that you may
be merely indicating your past experiences with no ill intention.
Nevertheless, I wish to point out this lumping in tendency. This tendency
can be carried forth by any person be he a Sri Vaishnava, Gaudiya Vaishnava,
Tattvavadi, etc.

But I do feel that some sense of distinguishing between  proper sampradayic
diversity and apasampradaya (non bona fide self-styled syncretic so-called
sampradayas) is wanted.

Would you say that Sripad Madhvacharya is not bona fide as a Vedic teacher
just because you do not belong to his sampradaya ? Certainly no objective
person would ! Philosophical differences may exist but personal credibility
is a question of lakshana as well. To consider someone like sai baba who
calls himself Krishna avatar and presents conclusions totally antithetical
to Vaishnavism as bona fide is another case however.

Therefore, please do not even in the name of recount or easy classification
seek to lump ISKCON and Srila Prabhupada with all of these other
personalities. Srila Prabhupada placed so much importance on Lord Krishna
that he did not even place any mention of his personal name upon the
nomenclature of the society that he founded and created as a new extension
of International Vaishnavism. To lump him or his organisation with
self-styled "gurus" pains me. I would certainly not remain silent when this
is being done to my spiritual master, either deliberately or as a result of
an innocent overgeneralising tendency.

Please forgive me for any offences committed.

Hare Krishna !


Harijana kinkara,
R. Jai Simman
Singapore






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