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A difference of opinion had sprung up amongst some of the Australian devotees about reading books written by the predecessor spiritual masters. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, Srila Prabhupada's spiritual master was the author of many books, and his father, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, wrote prolifically in English.

A good number of the devotees who were living separately from the temple had developed a habit of reading such books, and some of the devotees living in the temple accused them of being "in maya". The cloudy issue had become a topic of debate: Should devotees read other books besides those of Srila Prabhupada, and if so, when, and under what conditions?

References were found in Prabhupada's books that seemed to suggest that it wasn't necessary for them to read other books. In Nectar of Devotion, for instance, in the chapter entitled "Evidence Regarding Devotional Principles", Prabhupada pointed out: "If one carefully reads Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Teachings of Lord Caitanya and The Nectar of Devotion, one need not take the trouble of reading other books."

Just what constituted "other books" was not clear. In order to clarify the issue, Amogha brought up the topic towards the end of the walk at City Beach.

Amogha: Srila Prabhupada, I remember once I heard a tape where you told us that we should not try to read the books of previous acaryas.

Prabhupada: Hmm?

Amogha: That we should not try to read Bhaktivinoda's books or earlier books of other acaryas.

Prabhupada: I never said that.

Amogha: You didn't say that? I thought you said that we should not read the previous acaryas' books.

Prabhupada: No, you should read.

Amogha: We should?

Prabhupada: It is misunderstanding.

Paramahamsa: I think maybe he was thinking that there was some things about some of the Gaudiya Matha books.

Prabhupada: Maybe.

Paramahamsa: And sometimes you said that better not to read .. Better to read your books.

Amogha: When the devotees went to India this year, they said that Acyutananda Swami chastised them, "If I catch any of you buying Bhaktisiddhanta's books from the Gaudiya Matha, then I will take them away," something like this.

Paramahamsa: Yeah, the reason was because he didn't want the devotees going to the Gaudiya Matha. But there's nothing wrong with the idea of studying the previous acaryas' books.

Prabhupada: No. Who said? That is wrong. We are following previous acaryas. I never said that.

Paramahamsa: All of your commentaries are coming from the previous acaryas.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Jayadharma: But that wouldn't mean that we should keep all the previous acaryas' books and only read them.

Prabhupada: That is already there. You first of all assimilate what you have got. You simply pile up books and do not read -- what is the use?

Jayadharma: First of all we must read all your books.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Paramahamsa: Practically speaking, Srila Prabhupada, you are giving us the essence of all the previous acaryas' writings in your books.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Prabhupada's phrase "that is already there" appeared especially telling. It was clear that the teachings of the previous spiritual masters were already there in Srila Prabhupada's books. He had carefully, expertly distilled the essence of all the great predecessor gurus' instructions into his Bhaktivedanta purports. Srila Prabhupada had given and continued to give his disciples so many books -- more than enough to understand clearly the philosophy of Krsna consciousness. And Srila Prabhupada wanted his disciples to carefully study all of them.

Yet he had just said that his disciples should read the previous spiritual masters' books. The conclusion seemed clear: after a thorough study of Srila Prabhupada's books, then, if required, his disciples could study the great works of the previous acaryas.


- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu