I have often indicated that as a community we have experienced three great influences in our lives. As Srila Govinda Maharaja noted, all the devotees in the western countries have a relationship with Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. It is only because of his mercy that we know of Krsna consciousness, and because of his sacrifice and his preaching, our future is bright.

Literally, he is the eternal spiritual master of us all. And we feel very fortunate to have come in contact with Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Dev Goswami Maharaja. In the Sri Chaitanya-Caritamrita, we find that there is a special presentation of the conclusions of the Sastra, particularly those of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, that provide us with the understanding and siddhanta of the line of the followers of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Rupa Goswami. There Srila Krsnadas Kaviraj Goswami reveals the heart and the teachings of Mahaprabhu as no one else has done. For that reason, the Chaitanya-Caritamrita stands supreme among all Vaishnava literature.

Srila Sridhar Maharaja has a special unique position that was recognized by Srila Bhakti Vedanta Swami, by his spiritual master, Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur, and by his many advanced godbrothers.

Srila Guru Maharaja has the ability to present those wonderful conclusions so necessary for an understanding of the devotional line, to amplify them according to his deep comprehension, to illustrate them with original and lucid examples, and to present them in a poetic manner. Someday Srila Guru Maharaja's contributions will be sung and glorified by the Vaishnava community for posterity. Srila Kaviraj Goswami has described Mahaprabhu as a golden mountain rolling in the dust. It was Srila Guru Maharaja who described Mahaprabhu as a golden volcano, spewing forth golden lava, divine love, in the form of the Siksastaka. Just as Srila Kaviraj Goswami's conclusions are the only means of knowing the real purport and deep mysteries of the line of Mahaprabhu, only Srila Guru Maharaja's perceptions and guidance will provide us with the necessary understandings to continue our progressive march towards Divinity.

Then there is the person of Srila Govinda Maharaja himself, who is the heir apparent to Srila Guru Maharaja. But he is more than that, if such a thing is possible. He has Srila Guru Maharaja eternally in his heart, and Srila Guru Maharaja transparently speaks through Srila Govinda Maharaja, especially since their two personalities are so intimately interwoven. And also Srila Govinda Maharaja is his own man, in the sense that he has his own personality and something to add. In particular, his desire to give to others, his magnanimity and his personal sacrifice, are singular and remind everyone of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

Sometimes people think that we are minimizing the position of Srila Prabhupada because we talk so much of Srila Sridhar Maharaja and of Srila Govinda Maharaja. In this respect I would like to make one observation. Having been a disciple of Srila Prabhupada for so many years, it is natural that my whole training and whatever I may know, I have received from him. As a small child is trained by his father, and learns how to walk in this world by him, and who always has before his tender eyes the affectionate example of his father, so I have learned everything from my Srila Prabhupada. If in the course of speaking, especially before the public, if I do not always acknowledge that everything I am saying I have received from Srila Prabhupada, it is only because it is implicitly understood. Nor do I find in the lectures of Srila Prabhupada that he continually repeated, "My Gurudeva said this. And my Gurudeva did that." But still we know that what he presented, he learned from Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur. But why then do we so often refer to Srila Guru Maharaja by name? We do so because there are certain unique contributions of Srila Guru Maharaja that have been given to us so that we may advance. Aptly called hidden treasures by some, they are like so many shining jewels. Just as in Mahaprabhu's verse, trnad api sunicena, we find shining jewels that dissipate the darkness with their splendor, Srila Guru Maharaja has given conclusions that illuminate our entire existence. They are so singular and unique; to not credit their author would be worse than plagiarism.

It would be, using Guru Maharaja's own example, to use him as an inquiry or information counter, to pocket those answers, and do some dishonest business with them. Before I came to the line of Srila Guru Maharaja I had read his literature and gave a lecture based on his conclusions. I found that so many devotees were very enthusiastic, having heard those examples, and were enlivened. But I myself felt that it was unfortunate to feel so constrained that I could not mention Srila Guru Maharaja by name in that assembly because of some misunderstandings.

And there were many devotees who did feel inspired by Srila Guru Maharaja and who wanted to continue their service in the mission of Srila Prabhupada with that inspiration, but were not allowed to remain within the institution and continue peacefully with their service. Then the argument as to why those persons are not serving the mission of Srila Prabhupada is ludicrous. What are they to do now, abandon their service to Srila Guru Maharaja? And in our own heart, we are still serving the mission of Srila Prabhupada.

Sometimes people want to hear specifically about Srila Prabhupada, his pastimes, knowing that I have spent some time in his association. I know there are many persons who are adept in repeating those pastimes, who can go on for hours reminiscing and telling anecdotes. But I personally have a problem with that. First of all, I remember Srila Prabhupada’s own words, where he says that a Vaishnava is not a storyteller. Also I feel that Srila Prabhupada should not become an object of our enjoyment, thereby depersonalizing him and rendering him something akin to a caricature. I am not saying that occurs when we sincerely glorify him. But too often, the endless stories and nectar incidents do not give much illumination of Srila Prabhupada, but do show their authors' need to be in the spotlight.

Since I have mentioned this point before, please forgive me if I state it here a little stronger.

In this day and age, when there are many devotees called Prabhupadananda Das, Prabhupada Prananath Das, and so many variations on the theme, we should see what it really means to follow Srila Prabhupada. In this community, we have many disciples of Srila Prabhupada. They have been following him for years. I see them as dedicated to the service of his lotus feet. When I hear others say that this community minimizes the importance of Srila Prabhupada, it infuriates me and also makes me very unhappy. It infuriates me because I see such remarks as offenses committed at the lotus feet of so many wonderful Vaishnavas who are direct disciples of Srila Prabhupada and who are sincerely following the inner inspiration of their hearts. And it saddens me that such incomprehension exists that somebody is so foolish as to think that he glorifies Srila Prabhupada and holds him in a higher position by denigrating his own disciples.

Which brings me to the title of this article, are we elitists? We have been especially asked by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaja to represent the line of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. That is a big responsibility. That responsibility has not been given to everyone who has had contact with Srila Sridhar Maharaja and Srila Govinda Maharaja. There are those who have been inspired by them, but who do not represent their line. Many sannyasis are preaching and presenting their own mission, or their own inspiration. But they are not representing the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat line.

In the Sri Prapannajivanamrtam, Srila Guru Maharaja notes that our relationship with a person will be seen by what relationship that person has with the Center, and what relationship the Center has with that person. Of what importance is the Center for that person? And of what importance is that person for the Center? Many of the persons who have felt inspiration from the teachings of Srila Guru Maharaja and Srila Govinda Maharaja are appreciated and seen as friends. But not all do service for the Math. Not all have shown that dedication.

Naturally, when we try to represent the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, we try to be as accommodating as possible. But that does not mean we can accommodate everything so as to present ourselves as ecumenical.

There are many things which were not done in Srila Prabhupada's time, which he would not have permitted, which are done today by persons who think of themselves as innovative. We try to shun those innovations, even at the risk of being criticized by some. And sometimes there are individuals who try to combine ideas of Srila Prabhupada, Srila Guru Maharaja, or Srila Govinda Maharaja, and their own, and what they produce is a hodgepodge, or as Srila Govinda Maharaja describes it: khicuri.

Since we are trying to represent the integrity of the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat line, we feel reluctant to say "jai!" to anything. Srila Prabhupada gave the example that many persons would come to him and say, "Swami, you are all right." Srila Prabhupada replied that they expected to hear from him in return, "Yes, you are all right too." But he said that he could not say that and had to often reply, "Yes, I'm all right. But you are not all right; you are not all right at all."

But I don't believe that makes us elitists. Srila Guru Maharaja has given us the warning that elementary education should not go in rebellion of the secondary education. By that remark, nobody is relegated to the level of primary education. Still it is an axiomatic truth that there are higher realities. And one should not try to judge those higher realities by his own limited experience or his scant knowledge. One should always respect higher education. Otherwise one will fall prey to the old pitfall that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.