Category Archives: Hansadutta das

Posted on by under A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Guru & Disciple, Hansadutta das

This is a nice thoughtful letter from Hansadutta Prabhu to Kirtananda Maharja back in 1993 based of his realizations.

Hansadutta letter to Kirtanananda 1993

Singapore, 2. October 1993

Dear Kirtanananda Maharaj

Please accept my humble obeisances.

I thought now is the time to remind you of what you said to me upon meeting you at New Vrindaban after my fall from Guru and Sannyas. Seeing my condition, and anticipating the ensuing chaos and confusion amongst the new disciples, you said, “This is why I suggested so strongly that ISKCON should adopt the RITTVIK process of initiation for the new Gurus!!” It has been a long time since then, but after all is said and done, I have personally realized the truth of this statement. Rittvik representatives is all that PRABHUPADA ever sanctioned us to be -not ACHARYAS or GURUS.

After years of anguish and confusion over this issue, I have by the mercy of Prabhupada, come to take shelter in his instruction: “Act as Rittvik of the Acharya.” I think it is time for me to repay the debt I owe you for giving me shelter when I was so broken and lost in my spiritual life.

I humbly suggest you consider the fact that Prabhupada never authorized us to be Gurus, but restrained our ambition by designating some men to act as his deputies, or Rittvik representatives. Better late than never. Give up the false posture of Guru Acharya and consider acting as the humble servant of the Acharya, as a Rittvik representative. That is the solution for you and all the ISKCON Gurus.

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Letters by Srila Prabhupada

Posted on by under A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Devotees, Hansadutta das, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Philosophy of Krishna Consciousness

I have been reading through some of the many letters written by Srila Prabhupada to his disciples. It is interesting to me how he deals with every disciple in such a personal and intimate way. How he gently instructs on behavior, while at the same time presenting the philosophy of Krishna consciousness,in such a clear, and matter of fact way.

Letter to Hamsaduta

February 09, 1969

My Dear Hamsaduta,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of January 30, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am pleased to note that you are seeing into obtaining a dictaphone for helping me in preparing so many Krishna Consciousness literatures. The maker of my present dictaphone is Grundig, and it is an Embassy de Jur, Sterorette. This model was purchased by Hayagriva in New York for $190 by cash payment, but it can be had by installment payment at a higher price. So you may do the needful in this matter.

Regarding the Panca-tattva picture, it is simply a pose of Lord Caitanya and some of His associates receiving service from Their devotees and chanting Hare Krishna. Panca-tattva is described as Krishna in five expansions, namely Krishna Himself in the role of a devotee; His Incarnation in the role of a devotee; His energy in the role of a devotee; His expansion in the role of a devotee; and His two energies (internal and marginal) in the role of devotees. So the external energy is not there. Therefore the whole manifestation is transcendental. There are three energies, namely internal, external, and marginal. Although all of the energies are connected with Krishna, the external energy is differentiated. Just like darkness is another part of light, and therefore darkness can not stand before the light, but it stands somewhere by the side of the light. Without light, there is no existence of darkness, but darkness cannot be found in the light. Similarly, there is no darkness or activities of the external energy in the Pastimes of Lord Caitanya.

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Nam Hatta: The Onus is On You

Posted on by under A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Caitanya-caritamrta, Hansadutta das, Krishna Consciousness, Uncategorized

Nam Hatta: The Onus is On You

by Hansadutta dasa

In Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya-lila, Chapter Seven, Lord Chaitanya’s method of preaching and Prabhupada’s comments regarding the process of preaching Lord Chaitanya practiced while traveling throughout South India (a period of about two years) are very necessary for all devotees to study and understand clearly.

Because of the circumstances under which most of Prabhupada’s early disciples joined the movement, a widespread misunderstanding has become a great obstacle for people in general to accept and practice Krishna consciousness in a realistic and progressive way under all circumstances. That misunderstanding is that a serious candidate for accepting and advancing in Krishna consciousness must abandon his worldly environment and responsibilities to join a temple ashram and live a communal or communistic life style under the rigid authority of an ISKCON GBC or guru. Nothing could be further from the truth, as we can plainly understand from the following descriptions of Lord Chaitanya’s preaching method and Prabhupada’s purports, which clearly support and obviously encourage the process introduced by Lord Chaitanya in His dealing with the Kurma brahmana and everyone He encountered throughout His two years of traveling and preaching in South India.

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In memory of Hansadutta das (1941-2020)

Posted on by under Devotees, Guru & Disciple, Hansadutta das, Prabhupadanugas, The Bhaktivedantas

It has come to our attention that our dear God-brother and friend, Hansadutta Prabhu, has left his body yesterday. This news came to us this morning by email from Yasodanandan das

Hare Krishna
Dear Yasodanandan prabhu, obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I’m sad to inform you that Hansadutta has passed. He left his body earlier today. He had been to hospital a few times with pancreatitis, but then in March doctors discovered a mass in his pancreas and diagnosed cancer. He was unable to eat, so for over three weeks had nothing at all to eat, and refused all medication, but remarkably didn’t feel pain. His family brought him to their home and gave him hospice care, and there he spent his last days murmuring the holy names and listening to Srila Prabhupada’s lectures and bhajans. A eulogy has been published at bhaktivedantas.com and namhatta.com.

I hope you are well. — Your servant, Das Dasanudas devi dasi

Eulogy follows

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