SESSION 5

Fault Finding
SESSION PLAN

1. Perceptions
Beliefs often lead to logical conclusions, which may not be necessarily true!!

2. Pitfalls in fault finding

Are you free from faults?

3. Circle of concern/circle of influence

Notice where your energy and focus is located.

4. Offense to Vaishnava
How unnecessary fault finding in Vaishnavas can jeopardize your spiritual life.

5. Learning the process: How to/not to judge

The three bucket analysis.

6. Attitude: Honey bee and a fly

Adopting the right attitude.

Good to Great 59
Gauge your current understanding
Why do you think fault finding is detrimental to spiritual progress? How do you think one
should curb this mentality?

1. Perceptions
1.1. Story: Paradigm Shift
A man along with 5 young children got onto a train in the evening and shuffled into the
seat and seemed to be lost in a deep thought. The children were boisterous and kept on
shouting and screaming at the top of their voices and a couple of them started to jump
about here and there and created a real nuisance for the other people in the compartment.
The passengers for some time tolerated this noise and were puzzled as to why the man
did not seem to control them.
Then, one of the passengers, who had enough, went over to the man and told him that his
children were creating a lot of noise and disturbing others and that he should take care of
them. The man looked up and told the passenger, “Well, I do not know, if they will listen
to me.” The puzzled passenger was about to reprimand him, when the man continued,
“You see, we all are just coming from the hospital, where their mother passed away.” “I
guess that they are confused and do not know what to do, I don’t blame them, that’s how
I feel as well.”
The stunned passenger felt a wave of sympathy flood him as he choked and quickly sat
down and shared his condolences with the unfortunate man.
What can we learn from this incident?
Beliefs often lead to logical conclusions, which may not be necessarily TRUE!!
Can you site any incident from your life which changed the way you perceive certain
things?

2. Pitfalls in fault finding

• He was like the sifter, full of holes, and he was finding fault only in others: Oh, just see that
needle, he has got a hole. That is the common practice: full of holes, yet they are
accusing others, “Oh! He has got one hole!

60 Good to Great
 Our business is to raise ourselves to the highest status of life as preachers of Kåñëa’s
message, and one should behave himself rigidly, then he should instruct others. Two
things: Be himself exemplary, then teach others to be exemplary. If one has not come to
that high standard, he cannot judge or criticize others. There is one saying from Bible:
‘Judge not, lest ye be judged.’ So how we can preach unless we are able to make
judgements? That will not be possible. Only those who are above suspicion can judge
others. One must himself act in such a way that he is always above suspicion. Then he can
judge, then he can preach. But now you have no power to instruct. One who is not
following himself, how he can instruct others?
(Letter, Name withheld, 17th December, 1972)
• A story in the Mahäbhärata illustrates the difference in mentality between a pure soul and
a person hostile to God and thereby covered by the mode of darkness. Kåñëa, the Supreme
Lord, met with both Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira, a pure devotee of the Lord, and Duryodhana,
an extremely envious king who had acquired his position through cheating and deceit.
Kåñëa asked Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira to go out into the kingdom and return after finding
someone less qualified than himself. And He asked Duryodhana to search the kingdom for
someone better than himself.
When wicked Duryodhana returned, he told Lord Kåñëa that he couldn’t find anyone
better than himself. Most of us would describe a person like Duryodhana as narcissistic,
bombastic, conceited, and egoistic. Many of today’s leaders would fit that portrayal.
The saintly Yudhiñöhira, on the other hand, returned unable to find anyone inferior to
himself. Such humility is practically gone among today’s leaders.
From this exchange, Lord Kåñëa is teaching us something about human psychology. The
closer one comes to his original pure identity, the more he shows humility and freedom
from seeing the faults in others. And the further one falls from his pure identity, the more
he feels superior to others, seeing faults in them and not in himself.
(Back to Godhead magazine)
Write down your understanding of the above story

• This is the material world, and after all, the material world is always imperfect. In Kåñëa
consciousness, we are not making some adjustment for the material world. There is no
adjustment to make here. It is full of birth, death, pain, misery, discrepancy, faults and
abominable things. So Kåñëa advises Arjuna in the Second Chapter of Bhagavad-gétä,
verse fourteen, that heat and cold, happiness and distress, appear and again pass, just as
the sun comes up and then goes down. This you cannot stop. Therefore Kåñëa advises,
“You must simply learn to tolerate.” We have to deal with our faults, our material
conditioning, not dwell on them too much. We have to be cognizant of them and do our
best to overcome them, but we cannot make a program of fault-finding politics. So everyone
works together as much as possible, and we try to overlook faults. There are sometimes,

Good to Great 61
 little quarrels, but that is to be expected. We should not mentally hover in foolish utopia.
No. Rather, we should set our minds practically and do good work day by day, tolerating
these ups and downs and imperfections of the material world.
(Back to Godhead magazine)

3. Circle of Concern / Circle of Influence

(Excerpted from Habit 1: Be Proactive, in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R.
Covey)
• “In looking at ways to influence and change our surroundings it is helpful to notice where
we focus our time and energy. We each have a wide range of concerns— our health, our
family, problems at work, the national debt, etc., and it is these things in our lives that
make up our circle of concern.

Circle of Concern

• As we look at those things within our circle of concern, it becomes apparent that there
are some things over which we have no real control and others that we can do something
about. We could identify those concerns in the latter group by circumscribing them in a
smaller circle of Influence.

Circle of Concern

Circle of
Influence

• The problems all of us face fall in one of three areas: direct control (problems involving our
own behavior); indirect control (problems involving other people’s behavior); or no control
(problems we can do nothing about, such as our past, or situational realities). A proactive
approach is the first step to the solution of all three kinds of problems within our present
Circle of Influence. Some people interpret proactive to mean pushy, aggressive, or
insensitive, but that isn’t the case at all. Proactive people are smart, they are value driven,
they read reality, and they know what’s needed. And they focus their efforts in the Circle

62 Good to Great
 of Influence. They work on the things they can do something about. The nature of their
energy is positive, enlarging and magnifying, causing their Circle of Influence to increase.

Circle of

Þ
Þ
Circle of Influence Þ

Þ
Concern

One way to notice where our energy and focus is located is to distinguish between the
have’s and the be’s. The Circle of Concern is filled with the have’s:

• ‘I’ll be happy when I have my house paid off.’

• ‘If only I had a more patient spouse...’
• ‘If only I had better employees/co-workers...’
• ‘If only I had a boss who wasn’t so demanding...’
The Circle of Influence is filled with the be’s:

• ‘I can be more patient...’

• ‘I can be a better employee...’
• ‘I can be more wise...’
It’s a character focus. Any time we think the problem is ‘out there,’ that thought is the
problem. We empower what’s out there to control us. The change paradigm is ‘outside-
in’—what’s out there has to change before we can change.

The proactive approach is to change from the inside-out; to be different, and by being
different to effect positive change in what’s out there — I can be more resourceful, I can
be more diligent, I can be a better listener, I can be a better leader. There are things (like
the weather) that our circle of Influence will never include. But as proactive people, we
can create and carry our own physical or social weather with us. We can try to accept
those things that at the present we can’t control, while we focus our efforts on the things
that we can. Test the principle of proactivity for 30 days. Try it and see what happens. For
30 days, work only in your circle of Influence. Make small commitments and keep them.
Be a light, not a judge. Be a model, not a critic. Be part of the solution, not part of the
problem.”

Good to Great 63
 What falls within our circle of concern? Give examples from your life.

Define circle of influence? Give examples from your life.

4. Offense to Vaishnava
• Mahäräja Rahügaëa was very intelligent and conscious of the inauspicious effects arising
from insulting a Vaiñëava. He was therefore very anxious to be excused by Jaòa Bharata.
Following in the footsteps of Mahäräja Rahügaëa, everyone should be very cautious not
to commit an offense at the lotus feet of a Vaiñëava. “One who blasphemes a Vaiñëava
cannot be protected by anyone. Even if a person is as strong as Lord Çiva, if he blasphemes
a Vaiñëava, he is sure to be destroyed. This is the verdict of all çästras. If one does not care
for the verdict of the çästras and dares blaspheme a Vaiñëava, he suffers life after life
because of this.”
(Purport, Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.10.25)
• Apaiçunam means that one should not find fault with others or correct them unnecessarily.
Of course, to call a thief a thief is not fault-finding, but to call an honest person a thief is
very much offensive for one who is making advancement in spiritual life.
(Garden Discussion on Bhagavad-gétä, 16th Chapter, 26th June, 1976, New Våndävana)
“One who blasphemes a Vaiñëava cannot be protected by anyone”. Give an example
supporting this statement.

State true or false

1. Being proactive means to be aggressive and pushy. ________________
2. Apaiçunam means making spiritual advancement. ________________
3. The material world is always imperfect. ________________
4. Only those who are above suspicion can judge others. ________________

64 Good to Great
5. Learning the Process: How to judge (and not judge)
5.1. Three Bucket Analysis:
• When one receives any information, it must be put into the following buckets in sequence
before one can make up his mind.

1st Bucket: I know that the information that is received is absolutely true and has been
verified. Then it can be put in the YES bucket.

2nd Bucket: I know that the information received is not true and it has been verified.
Then it must be put into the NO bucket.

3rd Bucket: I am not sure about the information received, whether it is true or not. Then
it has to be in the NOT SURE bucket.
Before moving the information from one bucket to another, it must be thoroughly verified
and necessary actions needs to be accordingly taken to ensure integrity and authenticity
of the statements.

6. Attitude: Honey Bee and a Fly

Which is the characteristic unique to a honeybee and a fly?

• It is a qualification of a Vaiñëava that he is adoña-darçé: he never sees others faults. Of

course, every human being has both good qualities and faults. Therefore it is said, saj-janä
guëam icchanti doñam icchanti pämaräù: everyone has a combination of faults and glories.
But a Vaiñëava, a sober man, accepts only a man’s glories and not his faults, for flies seek
sores whereas honeybees seek honey.
(Purport, Çré Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 8.62)
• In this material world, all conditioned souls are under illusion. A doctor treats all patients,
and although a patient may be delirious and insult the doctor, the doctor does not refuse
to treat him. He still administers the medicine that is required. As Lord Jesus Christ said,
we should hate the sin, not the sinner. That is a very nice statement, because the sinner is
under illusion. He is mad. If we hate him, how can we deliver him? Therefore, those who
are advanced devotees, who are really servants of God, do not hate anyone. When Lord
Jesus Christ was being crucified, he said, “My God, forgive them. They know not what
they do.” This is the proper attitude of an advanced devotee. He understands that the
conditioned souls cannot be hated, because they have become mad due to their materialistic
way of thinking. In this Kåñëa consciousness movement, there is no question of hating
anyone.
(Chapter 3, Learning How to See God, Path of Perception)

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7. Finding faults / Handling personal beliefs and perceptions
“The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional
service unto the transcendent Lord”.

Vasant heard a captivating lecture in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam class and was inspired. Never before did he
experience this feeling of empowerment and he decided that he would serve the mission to the best of his
ability. Six months passed before he could even realize how time flew since he had been associated with
Kåñëa consciousness. Vasant moved to a residence closer to the temple, so that he could attend maìgala-
ärati and his most cherished Bhägavatam class as well as kértana and bhajans. He also developed close
contacts with some devotees, with whom he used to regularly meet and interact as well as share his
experiences.

In time, he could understand that devotees came from different spectrum; many of the them did not have
any experience of work, as they had joined immediately after completing education and a few others had
worked outside and then had decided to join the movement. Once, while Vasant was engaged in some
service, he came across two devotees, who were hurling abuses at each other and shouting at the top of
their voices. This came as a shock to him, because he never came across such an instance of open
disagreement. Since it was embarrassing he decided to keep this experience to himself.

Shortly afterwards, he called his close friend, Arjuna to attend one of the äratis in the temple. Vasant
personally took him on a tour of the temple around and was proudly showing off the modern architecture
as well as relating some impeccable achievements of the temple. Before leaving, Arjuna told him that he
couldn’t quite accept that “mahä-prasädam” could be openly sold in the counters, as this did not happen
in any temple. Vasant tried to counteract by saying that free prasädam was also served for all the pilgrims,
but this did not quite convince his friend.

An year had passed, since Vasant first came in touch with KC and though he was happy, there was a feeling
gnawing him from within regarding some aspects of his experience, which did not quite fit in. The next day
after darçan-ärati, as he was rushing to attend the Bhägavatam class, one of his acquaintances motioned
for him, Vasant stopped by and got devastating news about ABCD prabhu, who he knew very well, saying
that he had left the temple overnight. Vasant’s mind was reeling and he was thoroughly disturbed by the
news, this devotee was very well respected and had been serving the temple for the past 10 years. He was
so disturbed that he missed the Bhägavatam class.

Next day, Vasant missed his maìgala-ärati for the first time in 5 months. Everyday he used to get up with
a spring in his step and off-late that very enthusiasm seemed to dry up in the wake of one controversy after
another making a beeline in his mind. He felt groggy and felt as if he had been run over by a heavy duty
vehicle. Vasant decided that he would approach some devotees and clear his doubts, which was eating up
his enthusiasm. He noticed that most of the devotees that he approached regarding were seen to be
uptight and many blamed X prabhu, who was solely responsible for the misfortune.

Soon, he found that confiding to an acquaintance, who sympathized with his feelings, was giving him some
relief and he found that the more he indulged in it, the more he was getting addicted to the same. He
found an excuse every time something went wrong and to his amazement logical arguments were formed
in his mind, which seemed to be the truth and made sense to him.

To add to his already brimming cup of woe, he came across some temple regulars, who were speaking
about ABCD prabhu leaving as a matter of mere generality, they said it had to happen and this was not at
all a surprise, as it had happened to quite a few sincere and hard working devotees. All this information
was too much for Vasant to bear. The next day as Vasant dragged himself to Bhägavatam class, he heard
Prabhupäda speaking in detail about vaiñëava-aparädha, ie, blaspheming a devotee. This brought fresh
conflicts in his mind, as he was unsure as to who was to blame for all the recent events.

Vasant now started to avoid services, which he earlier used to do with a lot of enthusiasm and he also
started to resent the devotees, who he felt were favouring other new boys and ignoring him, but giving him
menial services. As a final straw, the whole security apparatus in the temple underwent a change in terms
of the personnel and the next day he was stopped from coming for maìgala-ärati. Vasant for the first time
in his life started to wonder, whether he should leave the temple services and look for other better options
and in a way it would be safer for him by moving away from the association of devotees.

66 Good to Great
 What would you have done, when faced with a situation of temple devotees openly
fighting as was experienced by Vasant?

How do you think Vasant should have handled the objection by his friend, Arjuna that
“mahä-prasädam” cannot be sold?

What do you think of Vasant’s reaction to the leaving of ABCD prabhu? What could he
have done differently?

Vasant was confused about “vaiñëava-aparädha”, as the temple devotees were finding
fault with ABCD prabhu, what is your understanding about who can find fault and who
cannot?

Good to Great 67
Avoiding fault finding in everyday life
How has your attitude towards judging people changed after this session? Summarize in the table
below. Also note down any doubts/clarifications that you may have and discuss with the facilitator.

S No My understanding/ doubt Clarification given by facilitator

Additional Notes/ Key Learnings

Reinforce your understanding

Answer the following questions in 3-4 sentences. Each question will be marked out of 5 and the final
Evaluation Points will be arrived at based on the same.
1. In brief what is the three bucket analysis all about?

2. Explain this verse saj-janä guëam icchanti doñam icchanti pämaräù

68 Good to Great
 3. Which fact about the human psyche is elicited in the story of Maharaja Yudhiñöhira and
Duryodhana?

4. What do you understand by vaiñëava-aparädha? Can it be forgiven?

5. What is the proper attitude of an advanced devotee with regards to fault finding?

6. What do you understand by proactive approach?

7. ‘Judge not, lest ye be judged.’ Explain.

8. How does one deal with the imperfections of this material world?

Good to Great 69
 9. A doctor treats all patients, and although a patient may be delirious and insult the
doctor, the doctor does not refuse to treat him. He still administers the medicine that is
required. What does this example illustrate?

10. How do proactive people function?

For evaluator’s use only:

Total points obtained : ____ /50
Evaluation Points awarded : ____/5
Authorized signatory: ____________

70 Good to Great
 CHAPTER 2
Law of Karma
SESSION AGENDA

1. What is the Law of Karma?

Introduces the lesson.

2. How does the Law of Karma Work?

This section explains how the Law of Karma binds the living entity to the material world.

3. Types of Karma
This section touches briefly upon the different kinds of activities a living entity can perform
in the material world.

4. A Note on Ugra-karma
This section describes ugra-karma and why it should be avoided.

5. Transcending the Law of Karma

This section explains how one can rise above the bondage of karma and attain real freedom.

16 | Progressing beyond Progress

1. What is the Law of Karma?

The Vedic literature explains that human activity, when devoid of service to the
Lord, is governed by a subtle law known as the Law of Karma. This is the familiar
law of action and reaction as it pertains to what we do in this world and the
enjoyment or suffering we experience as a result. At every moment, the living
entity is engaged in some kind of activity, for which a corresponding reaction
awaits him. If one causes pain to another living being, then one will be forced to
suffer similar pain. On the other hand, if one brings happiness to another, a similar
pleasure awaits him. Being thus deeply enmeshed in a complex web of material
actions and their reactions, the living entity has to suffer the duality of pain and
pleasure lifetime after lifetime.

2. How does the Law of Karma Work?

• Our activities determine the mentality we cultivate

When a breeze blows over a garden, it carries the fragrance of flowers with it;
but when it blows over a rubbish heap, the breeze is filled with stench.
Similarly, the activities a person performs during his lifetime continuously
influence his mentality, and the cumulative effect of these activities determines
his state of consciousness at the time of death.

• Our mentality at the time of death decides our next body

The consciousness a person thus cultivated at the time of death carries him to
his next body. If, for example, he has cultivated the mentality of a dog in his
present life, he will get the body of a dog. If, on the other hand, he has
cultivated the mentality of a demigod, he is given the body of a demigod. The
living entity has no freedom to choose his next body - it is decided by material
nature based on his activities.

• It is the Law of Karma that keeps this cycle going

The living entity is thus completely under the control of material nature through
the Law of Karma. Çréla Prabhupäda compares the Law of Karma to the laws
formulated by the government to maintain peace in society. Anyone who
transgresses the laws of the government has to face an appropriate
punishment. Similarly, the Law of Karma has been formulated to regulate the

Progressing beyond Progress | 17

 activities of living entities in the material world by rewarding or punishing them
according to their deeds.

There is, however, a difference between government laws and nature’s laws.
Unlike government laws, the laws of material nature apply even after the living
entity quits his present body. As explained, based on his activities in his current
life, he is carried to the next body, where he is again given a chance to act to
fulfill his desires. And based on these activities, he is again given another body.
The living entity thus continuously wanders from one body to another in the
material world. It is the Law of Karma that keeps this endless chain going for
the conditioned soul.

• The Law of Karma is unforgiving

The Law of Karma is absolute and unforgiving – it acts whether or not we are
aware of it. We have to face the reactions to our actions even when they are
performed in ignorance of the laws, and even if one were ready to comply had
he known them. This is just like a child naively putting his hand into the fire –
the fire inconsiderately burns him. Similarly, we commit an act knowingly or
unknowingly, the reactions and consequent sufferings are there.

18 | Progressing beyond Progress

 Kåñëa on Karma

With the help of your facilitator, discuss some important verses from the
Bhagavad-gétä where Lord Kåñëa talks about the Law of Karma, how it works and
the different types of activities.

Verse reference Verse Additional notes

Progressing beyond Progress | 19

3. Types of Karma

Karma

Karma refers to actions performed in terms of one's prescribed duties as

Definition mentioned in the revealed scriptures.

performing sacrifices, giving in charity, prescribed duties of the different castes,

Examples showing compassion, performing austerities and penances
According to çästra, by performing pious activity, one can take birth in a very
Result respectable, aristocratic family; one can become wealthy; one can become
very beautiful and one can become very learned.

The karma-käëòa portion of the Vedas elaborately describe pious activities one
How karma can perform to attain results in the field of religiosity, economic development
works and sense gratification. A performer is rewarded the result according to the
activity he performs.

Although one can enjoy good results by such actions, the result binds the
performer to the material world. If, say, one donates in charity a hundred
dollars to a poor man. Now, according to Law of Karma, he has to receive the
hundred dollars back with interest from the poor man in his next life. So for
that purpose, he has to accept another body. Thus his material existence
continues.

Vikarma

Vikarma refers to actions performed through the misuse of one's freedom and
Definition which direct one to lower life forms.

Examples meat eating, intoxication, illicit sex, gambling, stealing, speaking lies, etc.

By performing vikarma, one gets birth in an abominable family or in lower

Result species of life, does not have beauty, knowledge or education. One may also
be degraded to the hellish planets.

The laws of nature clearly define certain kinds of activities as pious and others
How vikarma
as sinful. When one commits sinful activities, one has to suffer an appropriate
works
reaction for the same. The laws of nature are so subtle and stringent that they
do not excuse any offense, even those committed unknowingly. For example,
one may unintentionally trample ants while walking, one may unknowingly kill
living entities in water while drinking, one many kill germs in the air while
lighting a fire to cook, etc. But one is held responsible even for such actions
and has to suffer the resultant reactions.

20 | Progressing beyond Progress

3. Steering Clear of Objections to the Ritvik System

Having understood how Çréla Prabhupäda intended the ritvik system to function, let
us now look at some common objections raised to this system by the non-
adherents. With the help of your facilitator, discuss these points and why they are
not valid objections.

Argument: Çréla Prabhupäda often asked all his disciples to become gurus, citing the
verse ‘Ämära äjïäya guru haïä’ verse from the Caitanya-caritämåta. How then are
we defying him by becoming gurus?

Argument: On quite a few instances, Çréla Prabhupäda wrote individually to his

disciples and asked them to initiate.

Argument: There are statements in Çréla Prabhupäda’s books and lectures where
the principle of disciples going on to be dékña guru is mentioned.

114 | Progressing beyond Progress

 Argument: In any case, the ritvik system is unprecedented and has no historical
basis and should therefore be rejected.

Have you come across any other objections to the ritvik system? If so, list them in
the space below and discuss with the facilitator.

Argument Clarification

Progressing beyond Progress |115

 Practice Makes it Perfect!

Notes:

References

• The Final Order

• Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 4.111
• Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 15.108
• Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 24.330
• Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.28.47
• The Nectar of Devotion
• Lecture, March 2nd, 1975
• Lecture, Bhagavad-gétä, New York, July 13th, 1966
• Letter to Brahmananda and other students, January 19th, 1967
• Morning Walk Conversation, San Francisco, July 21st, 1975
• Morning Walk Conversation, Los Angeles, May 13th, 1973
• Room Conversation, Våndävana, July 14th, 1977
• Room Conversation, Perth, May 9th, 1975

116 | Progressing beyond Progress

 Reinforce Your Understanding

Section I – Objective Questions

Choose the right answer

Answer the following. Each question carries 1 point.

1. For initiation, the prospective candidate should be recommended by

__________ .

a. priest
b. parents
c. local temple president
d. devotees

2. A ritvik is a _________ and thus must be a qualified brähmana.

a. priest
b. representative of the Lord
c. dékña guru
d. astrologer

3. In how many phases is dékña administered in ISKCON?

a. Two
b. Eleven
c. Eight
d. Depends on candidate’s spiritual progress

4. _________ was given the power of attorney to select, reprimand and

decommission ritviks.

a. One of the disciples

b. Çikñä guru
c. One of the ritviks
d. GBC

Progressing beyond Progress |117

 5. As long as the spiritual master is physically present, the disciple should serve the
physical body of the spiritual master, and when the spiritual master is no longer
physically existing, the disciple should serve the __________ of the spiritual
master.

a. disciples
b. representatives
c. instructions
d. godbrothers

State true or false

Answer the following. Each question carries 1 point.

1. During the initial days, Çréla Prabhupäda himself was personally involved at all
levels of the procedure. But as the movement began to grow and initiating
began demanding more and more of his time, Çréla Prabhupäda delegated most
aspects of the procedure to his Godbrothers and temple priests.

2. Initial eleven ritviks were selected by GBC.

3. Çréla Prabhupäda initiated and accepted thousands of disciples even without

seeing them. He set up the ritvik system also on the same lines.

4. Physical presence of spiritual master is as important as his instructions.

5. Since Çréla Prabhupäda has clearly stated that he will be the äcärya for the next
10,000 years, it is to be understood that he is the current link to the paramparä
system.

Section II – Short Answer Questions

Answer in one sentence

Answer the following. Each question carries 2 points.

1. Who is a ritvik?

__________________________________________________________________

2. What is dékña?

__________________________________________________________________

118 | Progressing beyond Progress

 3. What do you understand by ‘association of vani’?

__________________________________________________________________

4. The ritvik system of initiation was meant to enable which principle?

__________________________________________________________________

5. Define vapu and väëé.

__________________________________________________________________

Fill in the blanks

Answer the following. Each question carries 2 points.

1. Çréla Prabhupäda was fully aware that his disciples did not possess the
_____________ to be raised to the position of guru or äcärya. Under these
circumstances, for performing initiation Çréla Prabhupäda appointed some of his
senior disciples to act as ritviks or __________________.

2. Presence of the ___________ received from the spiritual master should be the
guidance of life. That will make our spiritual life___________.

3. To accept first initiation, a prospective candidate should attend ärati and classes
on the çästras, practice ____________ and associate with ________ for at least
six months.

4. The __________ were to act on Çréla Prabhupäda’s behalf for initiating, new
initiates all becoming disciples of______________.

5. The __________ was sent to all GBCs and temple presidents, and remains to
this day the only signed instruction on the future of ________ Çréla Prabhupäda
ever issued to the whole Society.

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 Section III – Long Answer Questions

Answer in two sentences

Answer the following. Each question carries 3 points.

1. What is the significance of accepting dékña?

2. What did the management directive stated in the July 9th, 1977 letter
instruct?

3. The following table lists the steps that are involved in the initiation process and
who it was delegated to at various times, fill in the blank spaces.

Steps in the initiation Who did this in Delegated to Delegated to

procedure the beginning whom in the later whom in the
years (pre-1977) July 9th
injunction
Testing of prospect Çréla Prabhupäda Temple President ___________
Fire sacrifice Çréla Prabhupäda Temple
_______________ President
Chanting on beads Çréla Prabhupäda 2 GBC members ___________
Administration of Çréla Prabhupäda Temple
initiation vows ______________ President
Selecting a new name Çréla Prabhupäda GBC member Ritvik priest
Giving a new name Çréla Prabhupäda Temple President Temple
President
Accepting as disciple Çréla Prabhupäda _______________ ___________

120 | Progressing beyond Progress

 4. What role does a ritvik play in initiation?

5. It is often argued that a guru has to be physically present and should personally
initiate and accept disciples, and hence the ritvik system set up by
Çréla Prabhupäda was not meant to be followed after his departure. How will
you refute this argument?

Answer in detail
Answer the following question. The question carries 5 points.

1. Discuss what happened with regard to implementing the ritvik system post
1977.

Total points obtained: ____/50

Evaluation score awarded: _____/ 5
Authorized signatory: ____________

Progressing beyond Progress |121

 Çréla Prabhupäda Uväca

So far personal association with the Guru is concerned,

I was only with my Guru Maharaja four or five times,
but I have never left his association, not even for a
moment. Because I am following his instructions,
I have never felt any separation. There are some
of my Godbrothers here in India who had constant
personal association with Guru Maharaja, but who are
neglecting his orders. This is just like the bug
who is sitting on the lap of the king. He may be very
puffed-up by his position, but all he can succeed in
doing is biting the king. Personal association is not so
important as association through service.

- Letter to Satadhanya, Calcutta, February 20th, 1972

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 Section II
LIVES OF GREAT VAIÑËAVAS

Progressing beyond Progress | 123

 Dhruva Mahäräja
From the Fourth Canto of the Çrémad-Bhägavatam, which is called the ripened fruit
of Vedic wisdom, comes this history of the life of Dhruva Mahäräja, the most pious
king within this universe.

The incidents in the life of Dhruva Mahäräja are very attractive for devotees. From
his pious actions, one can learn how one can detach himself from material
possessions and how one can enhance one's devotional service by severe
austerities and penances. By hearing the activities of the pious Dhruva, one can
enhance one's faith in God and can directly connect with the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, and thus one can very soon be elevated to the transcendental
platform of devotional service. The example of Dhruva Mahäräja's austerities can
immediately generate a feeling of devotional service in the hearts of the hearers.

The narration of Dhruva Mahäräja’s pastimes is sublime knowledge for the

attainment of immortality. By hearing them, one can fulfill desires for wealth,
reputation and increased duration of life. It is so auspicious that one can even go to
a heavenly planet or attain Dhruvaloka, which was achieved by Dhruva Mahäräja.
Anyone who hears this narration and who repeatedly tries with faith and devotion
to understand his pure character attains the pure devotional platform and executes
pure devotional service. By such activities one can diminish the threefold miserable
conditions of material life.

1. A Stepmother’s Cruel Words

Dhruva Mahäräja was born as the son of the great King Uttänapäda. King
Uttänapäda was the descendant of a plenary expansion of Väsudeva, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, and was very competent to rule the universe to maintain
and protect the citizens.

King Uttänapäda had two queens, named Sunéti and Suruci. Suruci was much
dearer to the King; Sunéti, who was Dhruva’s mother, was not his favorite. One
day, while Dhruva's stepbrother was playing on the lap of the king, Dhruva also
wanted to play on his father's lap. We can picture the king, seated on the throne in
a leisurely moment, in an affectionate mood, with one of the boys on his lap. His
boy Dhruva, who was five years old, climbed up on his father's knee, but his father
did not receive him with any particular attention or affection because of his
favoritism towards his queen Suruci.

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 Queen Suruci came forward and chastised him loudly for others to hear saying,
“My dear child, you are unaware that you were born not of my womb but of
another woman. Therefore you should know that your attempt is doomed to
failure. You are trying to fulfill a desire which is impossible to fulfill.”

She went on, humiliating the boy and exploiting her own position as the king's
favorite, “If you at all desire to rise to the throne of the King, then you have to
undergo severe austerities. First of all you must satisfy the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Näräyaëa, and then, when you are favored by Him because of such
worship, you shall have to take your next birth from my womb.” Suruci was so
envious of Dhruva Mahäräja that she indirectly asked him to change his body.
According to her, first of all he had to die, and then take his next body in her
womb, and only then would it be possible for Dhruva Mahäräja to ascend the
throne of his father.

Dhruva Mahäräja, having been struck by the strong words of his stepmother, began
to breathe very heavily because of great anger. When he saw that his father was
silent and did not protest, he immediately left the palace and went to his mother.
When Dhruva Mahäräja reached his mother, his lips were trembling in anger, and
he was crying very grievously. Queen Sunéti immediately lifted her son onto her lap,
while the palace residents who had heard all the harsh words of Suruci related
everything in detail. Thus Sunéti also became greatly aggrieved. What could Sunéti
do, other than cry with her little son? She was also breathing very heavily, and she
did not know the factual remedy for the painful situation. Not finding any remedy,
she said to her son: “My dear son, don't wish for anything inauspicious for others.
Anyone who inflicts pains upon others suffers himself from that pain.”

"My dear boy," said Dhruva's mother, "What can I do? Your father loves your
stepmother as his favorite, and he does not even consider me. What the queen said
was true. You must worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and then it
might be possible for you to sit on the throne." Sunéti cited the example of Lord
Brahmä, who was Dhruva Mahäräja's great-grandfather. Although Lord Brahmä is
also a living being, by his penance and austerity he acquired the exalted position of
creator of this universe by the mercy of the Supreme Lord. To become successful
in any attempt, one not only has to undergo severe penances and austerities, but
also must be dependent on the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This
indication had been given to Dhruva Mahäräja by his stepmother and was now
confirmed by his own mother, Sunéti.

She said, "You came to me crying, having been insulted by your stepmother, but I
am unable to do any good for you. But Kåñëa is so kind to His devotees that if you

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 go to Him, then the combined kindness of millions of mothers like me will be
surpassed by His affectionate and tender dealings. When everyone else fails to
mitigate one's misery, Kåñëa is able to help the devotee." Queen Sunéti also
indicated by her instruction that Dhruva Mahäräja was only a small child, five years
old, and it was not possible for him to purify himself by the way of karma-käëòa.
But by the process of bhakti-yoga, even a child less than five years old, or anyone
of any age, can be purified. That is the special significance of bhakti-yoga. Since
both his mother and stepmother had mentioned God, the Supreme Person, as the
controller of his fortune, Dhruva intelligently asked about Him: "Where is God?" His
mother replied that she only knew that saintly persons went to the forest to find
Him. Dhruva Mahäräja left his father's capital city to go to a secluded place to
search out the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Indirectly, the words of Suruci
were a benediction for Dhruva Mahäräja, for because of the influence of his
stepmother's words, he became a great devotee.

• Sunéti, the mother of Dhruva Mahäräja, agreed with her co-wife's advice. What
was the advice and why did she agree with it?

• What is the special significance of bhakti-yoga?

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2. Närada Muni’s Divine Instructions

The great sage Närada overheard this news, and understanding all the activities of
Dhruva Mahäräja, he was struck with wonder. After understanding the strong
determination of Dhruva Mahäräja, Närada came to help him. It may be explained
in this way: The Supreme Personality of Godhead is present in everyone's heart,
and as soon as He understands that a living entity is serious about entering
devotional service, He sends His representative. Because of Dhruva Mahäräja's
determination, Kåñëa, the Supersoul, immediately sent His representative Närada to
initiate him.

The great sage Närada told Dhruva: “My dear boy, you are only a little boy whose
attachment is to sports and other frivolities. Why are you so affected by words
insulting your honor? Now you have decided to undertake the mystic process of
meditation under the instruction of your mother just to achieve the mercy of the
Lord, but in my opinion such austerities are not possible for any ordinary man. It is
very difficult to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. My advice is that you
go home, and when you grow up you can try to follow this difficult process."

It is said that the heart or mind is just like an earthen pot; once broken, it cannot be
repaired by any means. Dhruva Mahäräja gave this example to Närada Muni. He
said that his heart, having been pierced by the arrows of his stepmother's harsh
words, felt so broken that nothing seemed valuable but his desire to counteract her
insult. His stepmother had said that because he was born from the womb of Sunéti,
a neglected queen of Mahäräja Uttänapäda, Dhruva Mahäräja was not fit to sit
either on the throne or on his father's lap. In other words, according to his
stepmother, he could not be declared king. Dhruva Mahäräja's determination,
therefore, was to become king of a planet exalted even beyond that possessed by
Lord Brahmä, the greatest of all the demigods.

By the transcendental standards of Närada, the boy should not have taken the
family insult seriously, but Närada reasoned, "Nevertheless, let him approach the
Supreme Person, regardless of the reason." Närada then told Dhruva how to absorb
himself in devotional service to the all-powerful Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Närada Muni therefore advised Dhruva Mahäräja to take shelter of Väsudeva, Lord
Kåñëa, and engage himself in the way that his mother had advised, for that would
help him fulfill his desire. Närada Muni especially stressed the devotional service of
the Lord as the only way. In other words, even if one is full of material desires, he
can continue his devotional service to the Lord, and all his desires will be fulfilled.
He recommended that Dhruva Mahäräja go to the bank of the Yamunä, where

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 there is a forest of the name Madhuvana, and begin his meditation and worship
there. Närada Muni instructed: “My dear boy, in the waters of the Yamunä River,
which is known as Kälindé, you should take three baths daily because the water is
very auspicious, sacred and clear. After bathing, you should perform the necessary
regulative principles for añöäìga-yoga and then sit down on your äsana [sitting
place] in a calm and quiet position.” It is understood that in añöäìga-yoga one
practices settling the mind and then concentrating it on the form of Lord Viñëu.

The mind, by nature, is always restless, for it is very fickle, but the breathing
exercise is meant to control it. This process of controlling the mind might have
been very much possible in those days millions of years ago when Dhruva Mahäräja
took to it, but at the present moment the mind has to be fixed directly on the lotus
feet of the Lord by the chanting process, by chanting the Hare Kåñëa mantra.

Närada Muni described the form of the Lord and in addition to meditation on the
eternal, blissful form of the Lord, Närada also instructed Dhruva to chant the sacred
twelve-syllable mantra Oà namo bhagavate väsudeväya, pray to the Lord, and
worship the Deity form of the Lord. Närada Muni said “My dear Dhruva, besides
worshiping the Deity and chanting the mantra three times a day, you should
meditate upon the transcendental activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
in His different incarnations, as exhibited by His supreme will and personal
potencies.” When Dhruva Mahäräja, the son of the King, was thus advised by the
great sage Närada, he circumambulated Närada, his spiritual master, and offered
him respectful obeisances. Then he started for Madhuvana, which is always
imprinted with the lotus footprints of Lord Kåñëa and which is therefore especially
auspicious.

• Why did Närada Muni recommend that Dhruva Mahäräja specifically go to

Madhuvana even though the Lord is omnipresent?

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 • Närada Muni asked Dhruva to perform the process of yoga known as the
añöäìga-yoga, which begins with the practice of sitting postures and breath
control for the purpose of subduing the mind. Why is this form of yoga not
recommended for today’s age?

• Dhruva Mahäräja is advised not only to meditate on the form of the Lord, but
to think of His transcendental pastimes in His different incarnations. Mäyävädé
philosophers take the incarnation of the Lord to be in the same category as the
ordinary living entity. What is the fallacy in their understanding?

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3. Dhruva Mahäräja Undergoes Severe Austerities

Dhruva Mahäräja undertook severe penances in order to realize God. During the
first month of his yoga practice, he ate only fruit and berries every third day and
that only to keep body and soul together. In this way his worship of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead began. In the second month Dhruva Mahäräja ate only
once every six days, and he ate only dry grass and leaves. Thus he continued his
worship. In the third month he simply drank water once every nine days, and he
remained completely in trance, worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead
who is adored by selected verses. He had no thought but God.

We must understand that in comparison with Dhruva Mahäräja we are insignificant

in terms of practicing spiritual life. We cannot do anything difficult like the saintly
Dhruva in order to reach self-realization. But, by the mercy of Lord Caitanya, in this
present age we have been given all concessions possible. The International Society
for Kåñëa Consciousness founded by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupäda is authorized to freely distribute this mercy. Çréla Prabhupäda is a pure
devotee coming directly in line from Lord Caitanya, who is in the disciplic
succession originating with Närada Muni, the very same spiritual master of Dhruva.
Although we are not to imitate the process recommended long ago for Dhruva, we
must not neglect the easy-to-execute practice of prescribed duties which is offered
especially for persons in this age. If we fail to take up this easy and joyful practice,
we will fail in the mission of life. It is the duty of all humanity to follow in the
footsteps of Dhruva Mahäräja as far as his determination to reach God is
concerned.

A great spiritual master in this line from Närada Muni, Çréla Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura,
writes, "Wake up! Wake up, human beings! How long will you remain asleep on
the lap of illusion? You have been given the rare opportunity of the human form of
life. Now use it to realize God." The entire Vedic instruction is addressed to human
beings to urge them to wake up and use the human form of life properly. One
should use human life to develop love of God to the perfectional point, for thus at
the time of death one can take a spiritual body and enter the eternal kingdom of
God. For this reason only—to develop love of God—one is advised to practice
austerity.

In the fourth month of his yoga practice, Dhruva mastered the breathing exercise,
and he would inhale air only every twelfth day. In the fifth month, still controlling
his breathing, he concentrated his mind fully on the Supreme Person and stood on
one leg like a motionless column. In the next month, Dhruva Mahäräja became

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 completely absorbed in trance upon Lord Viñëu, Kåñëa. He suspended his breathing,
closed all the holes of his body, and identified so closely with Lord Viñëu in
consciousness that when he stopped breathing, the total universal breathing
became choked up and all the big demigods of the universe felt suffocated. Thus
when Dhruva suspended his breathing, the breathing of the entire universe was
suspended. Moreover, he also assumed the total weight of the universe, and as a
result, when he pressed down his toe he pressed down the whole earth, just as an
elephant enters a boat on the water and tilts it. This is the difference between
ordinary consciousness and Kåñëa Consciousness—in ordinary consciousness a
king's son might be refused something by his father; but when the same person
becomes a fully Kåñëa conscious personality, he can even tilt the earth with the
pressure of his toe!

The demigods, the powerful administrators of the universe, turned to Lord Viñëu in
fear, reporting that all breathing in the universe had been stopped. The Supreme
Lord assured them that they need not worry. All the demigods were afraid of being
totally vanquished by suffocation, but the Personality of Godhead assured them
that Dhruva Mahäräja was a great devotee of the Lord and was not about to
annihilate everyone in the universe. A devotee is never envious of other living
entities.

• What does the example of Dhruva Mahäräja's closing the holes of his
personal body and thereby closing the breathing holes of the total universe
indicate about a devotee’s influence?

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 • For the first month Dhruva Mahäräja ate only fruits and berries on every third
day, only to keep his body and soul together, what does ‘only to keep his body
and soul together’ signify?

4. Vision in the Forest

As Dhruva engaged in his meditation, the form of the Lord in his heart in which he
was fully absorbed all of a sudden disappeared, just like electric lightning. Being
perturbed, Dhruva broke his meditation, opened his eyes, and saw before him the
Supreme Personality of Godhead—the very form on which he was meditating.
When the vision in his heart disappeared, he thought that he had lost Him; but now
he saw Lord Viñëu standing before him, and Dhruva fell flat before the Lord.

Dhruva wanted to offer prayers and profound respects, but because he was a small
boy he could not adjust himself properly, nor could he speak. The Lord, however,
being situated within everyone's heart, could understand Dhruva's emotions, and
out of His mercy He touched His conchshell to Dhruva's head, consequently
Dhruva Mahäräja began offering prayers and he expressed his transcendental
sentiments, which are cherished by all devotees.

Since he could only speak when given the intelligence directly by the touch of the
Lord's conchshell, it can be understood that what he said was dictated by the Lord
from within. This is transcendental inspiration. To glorify or offer prayers to the
Supreme, one needs the Lord's mercy. One cannot write or speak to glorify God
unless one is endowed with His causeless mercy. Such glorification of God as the
prayers of Dhruva or the Hare Kåñëa mantra does not consist of ordinary vibrations,
although the ordinary letter combinations may be used, for these sounds can
cleanse the heart of one who hears them submissively.

Dhruva prayed, "My dear Lord, You are all-powerful, and by entering within me
You have enlivened all my sleeping senses. Foolish persons such as me worship You

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 for the sense gratification of the body, which is merely a bag of skin. Although You
are a desire tree and cause liberation from birth and death, I am praying for things
which are available even in a hellish condition."

Dhruva's demands before seeing the Lord were materialistic, but upon seeing the
Lord he offered his prayers in the mood of pure devotional service. He prayed to
the Lord “Kindly bless me so that I may associate with great devotees who engage
in Your transcendental loving service constantly, as the waves of a river constantly
flow.” On hearing such sentiments from His pure devotee, the Supreme Personality
of Godhead answered, "My dear Dhruva, I know your desires and your ambitions,
and I shall fulfill them all." Actually, Dhruva was very much afraid that his material
desires would hamper him in attaining love of God, but the Lord assured him that
he would not deviate from love of God and that his desires would also be fulfilled.
"I shall award you the glowing planet known as the Pole Star," the Lord said, "which
will continue to exist even after the dissolution of the universe at the end of the
millennium. No one has ever ruled over this planet, which is surrounded by all the
solar systems, planets and stars."

The Lord assured Dhruva that he would exist beyond the partial dissolution of this
universe. Thus at the end of the complete dissolution, Dhruva Mahäräja would go
directly to Vaikuëöhaloka. The demands that Dhruva made in the beginning were
childish, yet as a father fulfills the demands of his child, the Lord offered this unique
imperishable planet to Dhruva.

• As we can see, the Personality of Godhead personally manifested Himself

before Dhruva Mahäräja. What was the secret behind Dhruva Mahäräja’s
success?

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