Google
Web         Gaudiya Discussions
Gaudiya Discussions Archive » COMMUNITY, MODERATION AND FEEDBACK
Growth of the online community, standards of moderation, feedback on both the content and the technicalities of the site, related announcements.

Madhava and the Traditonalists - Representing an admirable ideal



Kshamabuddhi - Fri, 29 Jul 2005 09:34:53 +0530
This is "feedback".
I would just like to say that I think that Madhava and the "traditonalist" devotees are quite admirable for their efforts to reduce Krishna consciousness back down to the true basics and foundation of the Gaudiya Vaishnava culture.
As I browse through the devotee news websites like chakra.org and vnn.org, I am more or less disgusted with what the Krishna consciousness movement has turned into.
All the "news", issues and other peripheral subjects that have somehow been associated with the "movement", just seem like so much trivial pursuit.
As well, the politics of the GBC and some other IGM institutions is really a major turn-off. I would like to say though that I think the Chaitanya Saraswata Math of Sridhar Maharaja and his successor Govinda Maharaja has done a remarkable job of staying away from these petty politics and trivial issues.

Personally, I am very impressed with Madhava, Jagat, Adiyen and some of the other "traditionalist" devotees. Now, Jagat, I think would do better if he refrained from so much commentary on issues like rtvik, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami etc. etc. However being from the older league of devotess with origins in ISKCON during the "Prabhupada era", he is probably more likely to get entangled in such topics.
I think that the traditonalist devotees would do well just to steer clear of all commentaries and opinions about the Saraswata school. It does not mix well with the traditionalist ideas. Jagat still has a connection with Srila Saraswati Goswami, being a disciple of Lalita Prasada, so I guess his entanglement with the Saraswata school is somewhat impossible to avoid.

There is certainly much to be admired in the traditionalist devotees and I think that the ISKCON types could learn a good lesson from them about sticking to the basics and getting out of politics and society.

Bhakti-yoga is not about society, politics and institutions. It's about devotional service to Sri Hari.

I just wanted to say that Madhava and the other traditionalists are quite justiified to flee an institution than puts more focus on politics, society and personal position than they do on hari-katha and Krishna-bhakti.

They fled the fiasco and sought shelter in something they found more in tune to the original conception of Sri Chaitanya. They cannot be faulted for that and they should not be ridiculed for that.