Should we not read advanced krishna-lila because we aren’t mature or read it because we need to know our ultimate goal?

Answer Podcast

Transcript

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so on one side we are told that we shouldn’t read too much advanced krishna leela because we are not yet matured but the other idea is also that if we don’t know what we are meant to aspire for how will we ever aspire for it so how do we balance that see first thing is that it’s not that we are never meant to read Krishna Leela at one time in Back to Godhead some devotee wrote a very esoteric article about Ras Leela and Prabhupada said we cannot publish this in Back to Godhead that is for general people and then some devotee wrote a nice description of some prayers of the Gopis Gopi Geeta and then the editor said we cannot publish this Prabhupada said that then that devotee went to Prabhupada and Prabhupada said in Back to Godhead we are not meant to boycott the Gopis boycott is typically British English word we are not meant to boycott the Gopis there are worshipable examples of paradigms of devotion so definitely we can write about that but write in a proper reverential mode write with proper understanding I’ll give the example Prabhupada himself gave the Krishna book and Krishna book he did not he did not censor out some things he gave the Ras Leela also but he gave adequate philosophical padding to help us understand it properly so in that sense it’s not that the books of Krishna Leela they are not meant to be read at all we should read them definitely that’s our own tradition so for example there is Gopal Champu which beautifully expands on the 10th canto pastimes of Krishna there is Anand Vrindavan Champu which especially expands on the Krishna’s Vrindavan pastimes they are very beautiful books some sections are esoteric but others are very beautiful so by reading them we can get to know Krishna more so the important thing is not that whether we read or don’t read ultimately these are our acharyas and if we don’t read their books who is going to read their books if outside scholars read also what will they understand, they will simply do some academic analysis so it is our responsibility that we relish the legacy that our tradition has provided and then we share that legacy we perpetuate and expand that legacy so definitely we are meant to read what Bhakti Sahib, Shri Prabhupada was against was especially thinking that there can be a shortcut to spiritual advancement so if we just neglect Prabhupada’s books and see Prabhupada’s books are often quite philosophical and sometimes we feel this is not so entertaining, let me read some stories so then at that time the attitude is not so much of service the attitude is of what gives me pleasure or what doesn’t cause me so much strain, now reading all this philosophy just tires me out, the stories are so nice so if the attitude is simply our comfort and our enjoyment, then we will not benefit much but if our attitude is service Prabhupada in the first chapter of the first canto itself he tells a serious student, there are many commentaries written by Pillai Acharyas and a serious student would do well to read his commentaries and amazingly enough there Prabhupada even gives non-Gaudiya commentators he gives Vallabhacharya also he has also written a very important commentary on the Bahadur a serious student should read that so it is not that Prabhupada did not want us to read Pillai Acharya’s books or that we are not meant to read it, it’s just that we have to do it maturely and we have to do it in the mood of service so if we if we read Prabhupada’s books systematically and basically the idea is not that we have to read all the books say 5 times, 10 times, it’s not a matter of number, it’s that we understand Prabhupada’s mood we are able to see the previous Acharya’s books in the light of what Prabhupada has given us so when we are able to see it that way, then we will appreciate the previous Acharyas as exalted individuals with whom Prabhupada has connected us so if we, by studying Prabhupada’s books and hearing from Prabhupada’s followers we assimilate that mood of Prabhupada then reading the previous Acharya’s books is wonderful and that’s why we have many senior devotees in our movement now presenting the Gaudiya Vaishnava literature where Bhanu Maharaj has given life to translating many of the Acharya’s books Shivaram Maharaj is presenting those books in contemporary ways in representing Krishna and Vrindavan so basically the idea is, devotees who feel inspired to read about Krishna Veela they should be able to do it in a way that is harmonious with the presentation of Prabhupada and so if we still feel a little hesitant instead of reading those books we can hear them many devotees do give classes on especially in retreats or some other places we can hear those classes so as long as we are not taking a shortcut and just doing things which will give us some enjoyment, that we are in the mood of service, then yes it is our tradition and we are meant to relish it and we are meant to know what is our goal and aspire for it but we do it not in the mood of enjoyment or bypassing Prabhupada but rather we take his blessings, assimilate his mood and then we read gradually does that answer the question? thank you