A Critical Review of the
Çréla Prabhupäda “Lélämåta”
By Bhakta Çré Hari Vijayaräghavan
Edited by Kailäsa Candra däsa
“The words or songs of a person not fixed in Vaiñëava behavior, not strictly following the rules and regulations and chanting the Hare Kåñëa mantra, should not be accepted by pure devotees.”
– Çrémad-Bhägavatam, 6.16.33, purport
The “Lélämåta”, a multi-volume book written by an initiated disciple of the name and title Satsvarüpa däsa Gosvämé (henceforward, SSd), supposedly glorifies his guru, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedänta Swämé Çréla Prabhupäda, in the form of a biography. While the focus of this article is a critical analysis of this Çréla Prabhupäda “Lélämåta” (henceforward, referred to as simply “Lélämåta”), we must first establish a solid foundation for the review in terms of prerequisite devotional topics. In light of paramparä teachings, it is required to consider just who are bhägavata bhaktas, and then we can better understand their pastimes. There is an etiquette here, and it is demonstrated by Vaiñëava composers of Vedäntic literatures. Under their guidance can this analysis be undertaken and appropriate, accurate conclusions thus drawn.
The Supreme Lord and His pastimes
In the famous verse, Bhagavad-gétä, 4.9, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Çré Kåñëa, instructed His dear devotee, Çré Arjuna, that, when His pastimes (which are all transcendental) are understood in truth, a conditioned soul gets liberation from the material entanglement. Conversely, He condemned those who misunderstand His activities as material to be ignorant fools and rascals (avajänanti mäm müdhä). Naturally, the first-named class of living entities are known as devotees (viñëu-bhaktaù småto daiva), while the latter are demons (äsuras tad-viparyayaù).
In my previous comment on Sand in the Sweet Rice (along with virile drops of poison), I may have given the impression I was unadulterated by reading the lilamrita. The truth is that I was poisoned. The poison was exactly what the author wanted to infect me with. The poison that Srila Prabhupada was a conditioned soul who later on became a pure devotee. This was not an overt contamination but a very subtle and dangerous toxin. I never realized I was infected with this very offensive subconscious belief. To my tremendous good fortune I came in contact with the Vaishnava Foundation. Kailasa Candra dasa has saved me by teaching how to find and root out these corrupt and ugly offenses that we have imbibed through association with the “ISKCON” confederation. We need to hear the truth and understand the truth in order to root out these contaminations. As a disciple of Srila Prabhupada I am completely indebted to Kailasa Candra dasa for purifying me and leading me back to the Lotus feet of his Divine Grace. We tend to believe our own senses as reality. When will we stop believing our imperfect eyes and ears and just accept as truth what we hear and see from our Spiritual Master. I am so ashamed of myself for having fallen and so thankful to be given another chance by the real devotees of the Vaishnava Foundation.
“Every great man has his disciples, and it is always Judas who writes the biography.” Oscar Wilde
I remember reading lilamrita when it first came out. I had already left the movement, but was still under the influence of the vitiated GBC & their pretender mahabagavatas. Fortunately for me I was unable to read more than a couple of volumes. Reading them was making me very uncomfortable & depressed. At the time I thought it was because I had blooped and was feeling guilty for leaving & was envious or just very screwed up in general. Now I know that it was because I had just drank poison.