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Bhaktisiddhanta was not a sentimental food distributor |
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"Bhaktisiddhanta was not a sentimental
food distributor!"
Vaisnava Dharma Vs. Theosophical Humanism/Impersonalism.. |
What follows is an example how Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati used the money collected by a Gaudiya
Math devotee in the name of flood relief for his "Theistic Doll
Exhibition". This proves that he did not care so much for these
flood relief activities even though it was clear that the
devotees would have distributed prasadam during flood relief
from the funds collected. He took this step even though Gaudiya
Math got such bad publicity for this apparent misappropriation
of funds that both Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose and Annie
Bessant came to Calcutta and protested in front of the Baghbazar
Gaudiya Math for three days and nights. And this is why he got
the name "Simha Guru."
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In the year 1931 there was a huge flood in the Mednapur district
of West Bengal, destroying many villages and many people's
livelihoods. At the same time Sarasvati Thakura was
contemplating his "Theistic Doll Exhibition" and collecting
donations for it. One devotee was collecting in the name of
flood relief, making a lot of money, but Sarasvati Thakura took
it and engaged it for the exhibition. Netaji Subhas Bose took a
party outside the Baghbazar Gaudiya Math in Calcutta in protest
against this action. They had a protest party standing at the
gate of the Gaudiya Math, staying outside for several days and
nights, sleeping on the gate, with banners, signs of protest,
and regular chanting of "Jai Hind!" and slogans in protest
against the doll exhibition utilizing the funds that were
collected for flood relief. In this strike, Gandhi also came to
Calcutta to join Netaji Subhas Bose. This went on for three
days. Sarasvati Thakura said that, "The oil for the Deities'
lamp should not be used for your chakha" (Gandhi's spinning
wheel). After sitting in the temple for three days, Sarasvati
Thakura came out and spoke to them.
He also said that, "We must start a daily newspaper, to present
our points of view", and from that time on he started Nadia
Prakash, the daily spiritual newspaper. One of the main purposes
of Nadia Prakash was to answer such challenges as these, which
were put to his mission. Sarasvati Thakura said, "There are
floods in Mednapur, but you are already in a much worse flood -
bhava sagar, or the ocean of material existence. Your soul is
drowned in this bhava sagar. So my mission is to stop the flood
of the bhava sagar, to stop that flood, a much bigger flood
thathese small floods which you consider devastating in Mednapur.
These incidents were, of course, reported in all the newspapers,
especially in Calcutta. At that time Mahatma Gandhi put twelve
questions to Sarasvati Thakura.
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose came one time with a party of
supporters to the Gaudiya Math, at the time when Sarasvati
Thakura was holding his first "Theistic Exhibition" in Mednapur.
Now, at that time there had been a great flood in Mednapur, a
district west of Calcutta. Because of the flood the people were
in great difficulty - poverty stricken. This was in 1933. They
were suffering from shortages of rice, cloth, and all
essentials, so Netaji came and told Sarasvati Thakura, "You stop
this exhibition! Why are you spending so much money for this
when the people need practical help? You're spending so much
money for lights, electricity. You have elephants and so many
other things." Sarasvati Thakura then told him, "No, you do not
know. This is the only way to root out miseries from the world.
You are working only for the good of the body. You are treating
the symptoms, not the original disease. Don't blow on boils -
operate."
Annie Bessant, Mahatma Gandhi's friend from London, who was
famous for co-founding the "Theosophical Society" also came and
said the same thing and Sarasvati Thakura gave the same answer.
Mahatma Gandhi also came and told Sarasvati Thakura, "Don't
waste money on this. Spend money on the daridra Narayana, the
poor Narayana." Sarasvati Thakura then told him, "Your idea is
wrong. You cannot serve daridra Narayana. Just as you cannot mix
gold and stone. This is cit-jada-vada or attempting to mix the
material with the spiritual. Tasmin tuste jagat tustam - if
Krsna is satisfied then the whole world is satisfied. You don't
disturb us. In the Jagannatha temple they are using ghee for the
ghee-wick. You don't say to use it for oiling the wheel, your
spinning wheel. All the oils should be used for Krsna."
Citaranjan Das, a very prominent, famous and wealthy advocate
and a leader of the Independence Movement in India at that time,
said that Sarasvati Thakura was a simha guru, a lion guru.
Sishir Kumar Ghosh, Editor of Amrita Bazaar Patrika, a famous
paper in Calcutta, also called him like that.
(from Bhakti Vikasa Swami's notes on Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati) |
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