761125 - Letter to Giriraja written from Vrndavana

Letters by Date, 1976

Krishna Balaram Mandir

November 25 76

My dear Giriraj,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 23/11/76.

You can reply to Govindalalji Maharaj as follows:
What we have discussed is printed in Caitanya Caritamrta. How can we rectify? We can't rectify what is written in Caitanya Caritamrta. We have no bad feeling or disrespect for Vallabhacarya. We consider ourselves the most obedient servants of Vallabhacarya. The exchange between Lord Caitanya and Vallabhacarya was on friendly terms. This was raised in connection with supporting the position of the acaryas. The real point is that Sridhar Swami is still being criticized by you in the following words, ". . . and has shown specifically the nature of the error committed by the previous Commentators including Sridhar Swami . . . Sridhar Swami . . . was never regarded as a Master . . ." So, this criticism of Sridhar Swami was as much intolerable for Caitanya Mahaprabhu as His criticism upon Vallabhacarya is intolerable for you. Such kind of friendly criticism you'll always find among learned scholars, but that does not mean any ill feeling with one another. So, as you can criticize Sridhara Swami in the above words, what is the wrong if in the same spirit the supporters of Sridhar Swami criticize you. There is an English proverb spoken by Lord Jesus Christ, "Judge not others lest ye be judged." So, the conclusion is, as we learn from Caitanya Caritamrta, that in the beginning Sri Vallabhacarya criticized Sridhar Swami and then Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu criticized Vallabhacarya. So what can we do now after 500 years? Recently some criticism has appeared in the Illustrated Weekly also. So, such things will go on in this world, but that does not mean we have got any disrespect for any Vaisnav acarya.

Hoping this meets you in good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Sriman Giriraj Das Brahmacari
Hare Krishna Land
Juhu, Bombay