How can we respect senior vaisnavas?

This question includes two words: senior and vaisnava.

From Srila Prabhupada’s preaching we can understand that He resisted all artificial designations. Every word issuing from His lotus mouth and every definition had to have a precise meaning. And so the first answer to this question would be: who is a vaisnava? Certainly not the one who is merely designated to be so.

The title "vaisnava" is a very elevated one; it actually designates a devotee of the highest class. Being used frequently amongst ISKCON devotees in a superficial way is a misuse of this title which is reserved for the highest class of paramahamsas. To designate oneself to be a sama-darsina-vaisnava and not being realized on this platform makes one instantly to a mayavadi. After all , mayavadis also advocate the vision of equality, bereft of any scientific approach, entirely ignoring the gradual process of elevation from the platform of sadhana bhakta to the platform of a more advanced devotee.

Out of humility a pure devotee may address other devotees to be vaisnavas while such a paramahamsa considers himself to be the lowest of men. But this is simply an expression of his humility. Real vaisnava is exhibited by his behavior and not by his designation.

Secondly the word "senior" has according to Srila Prabhupada’s teachings a very clear meaning. It certainly doesn’t relate to the seniority of the body, but to the level of Krsna consciousness which one is expected to develop during one’s life time. The automatic respect offered to the "senior" ones, is a bodily respect, it has nothing to do with spiritual understanding. Ideally in Vedic culture seniority of the body automatically meant to be the seniority of knowledge. But as we know from our daily experience, there are plenty of old fools in this world who know nothing or very little about spiritual life. And so seniority in its original sense means the higher level of spiritual realization. As manifested by the Supreme Lord Himself, He assumed the role of a teacher regarding His own mother, Devahuti, in His incarnation as Lord Kapiladeva. And so the son became the spiritual father and the mother became the spiritual child. This is the original meaning of seniority.

It is most unfortunate to observe how often uneducated devotees try to assume some sort of artificial humility regarding the "senior" ones. Along this festival of artificiality goes the cult of "Srila Prabhupada’s disciples".

To be a disciple means to follow a discipline. Discipline means to follow the instruction of the spiritual master. Only in this light a "senior devotee" can be respected or worshiped. Otherwise we are engaged in a "personal cult", meaning worshiping somebody we don’t know and we actually don’t care to know. Somebody who may simply correspond to our dreamlike expectations, but who is in no way the person we believe him to be.

And so naturally, when the revelation regarding the true identity of our "seniority hero" arrives, there is nobody to blame for our frustration as ourselves. Such frustration often takes form of lifelong bitterness and globalised rejection of any system of authoritative understanding of Krsna consciousness. The history of ISKCON is unfortunately full of such examples.

But nobody is to be blamed as us, the sentimental followers, who are so eager to join the "league of the blind following the blind". Sentimentality doesn’t pay off. Even expressed in Vedic terms and full of moral and humanistic considerations, it was finally rejected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead who didn’t accepted Arjuna’s certainly well meant objections.

And so seniority has a true meaning such as being a disciple has its true validity. Certainly, those who met Srila Prabhupada at the right time and the right place were the most fortunate ones. But fortune doesn’t guarantee ones status. There is always the individual choice to deviate and take another course. It is a sad fact that some of my godbrothers, those with whom I shared the ecstasy of Srila Prabhupada’s book distribution, mutated into unrecognizable forms. As one of Srila Prabhupada’s grandchildren revealed to me, "the only one who ever attacked me violently on the street during my book distribution was a Srila Prabhupada "disciple".

Some may say that these are exceptions. Are they? Let’s not investigate into the statistics and the lives of all those who met Srila Prabhupada personally. Even Srila Prabhupada Himself wasn’t spared of the pain administered by a godbrother and so we have nothing to complain about.

Even more so encouraging and enlivening are examples of those who didn’t allowed bitterness to overcome them and despite all the discouragement they received on the way insisted to stay in the fire of preaching. These are the most amazing brave souls. Regardless of being Srila Prabhupada’s direct disciples or His grandchildren, they disseminate inspiration to everyone. All glories to such devoted and inspired souls. There is no monopole to be Srila Prabhupada’s disciple as much there is no monopole to be Krsna’s follower. Any sincere soul can be connected via media of an authorized spiritual master. The result will speak for itself. As demons enter the ranks of devotees the pure ones become even more radiant and distinctively visible for those who want to see.

No designation guarantees the validity of its carrier. It will be his actions which will reveal his authenticity. To claim to be distinct in name of being Srila Prabhupada’s disciple and being automatically "senior" is as much false as the claim of the cast brahmanas to be brahminical. This cast consciousness may deceive some and disgust many, but finally it’s the true connection to the mission of Srila Prabhupada which become evident as a sign of real seniority and real vaisnava nature of the individual devotee.

As one of my godbrothers analyzed in an interesting way:

“How come that sometime the guru is in good standing and the disciple falls down. And then the disciple is in good standing, following faithfully and the guru falls down. What is the criterion for the fall down of a devotee? This godbrother of mine concluded that it is the active connection to the mission of Srila Prabhupada and that means automatically to His vani, which keeps a devotee in whatever position he may be spiritually alive… interesting.“

My personal prayer is not to become a "senior", "mature" fool, a mummified replica of my past deeds, a voice from the grave, a zombie-like walking monument. Such "seniority" and "maturity" always brings to my mind the image of seniority and maturity of an old rotten cheese, covered with fungus, emanating foul smell.

I personally clinch to the association of young and "immature" devotees, marveling how Srila Prabhupada enters their hearts and uses them in His mission. Sometime I even think that the best service a "mature" old and cheesy "vaisnava" can do is… to step aside and let the young and inspired ones to do push the preaching work.

Certainly, one feels inspired when one can help a young devotee not to repeat the same mistakes one did oneself, but even imperfect, once the preaching enthusiasm of such a bhakta prevails, one can simply join in and enjoy the bliss he experiences in his service. Srila Prabhupada is nava yauvanam, reflecting the ever fresh and youthful quality of the Lord. As He pointed out, the sun cuts down by its rise and descend the lifespan of everybody. But the same sun cannot touch those who are constantly chanting Krsna’s glories.

And so those who stay ever fresh serving Srila Prabhupada’s mission are the most senior and the most youthful servants of the Supreme Lord simultaneously.

This text is written by a senior Srila Prabhupada disciple whose body just reached the age of 61. May the readers bless me so I don’t become a fungus covered cheesy "senior vaisnava".