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Properly Dealing with Doubts

Danavir Goswami replies to Niscala dasi

I thank Niscala dasi for her response. Srila Prabhupada's generalized statements about women, Negroes, and the moon are accordant with Vedic literature. Those lacking transcendental vision may contemptuously view Srila Prabhupada and the Vedas, yet that does not bring suspicion upon the Vedas or Srila Prabhupada's words. Rather, it reveals ignorance and a lack of faith by the hearer. Vedic insight which does not fit into our conditioned framework of thinking should not be rejected nor amputated. Rather, one must submissively hear and serve under the guidance of the spiritual master—this will please the Lord to clear the doubts and reveal transcendental understanding.

Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya upadeksyanti te jnanam jnaninas tattva-darsinah. Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth. (Bhagavad-gita 4.34)

It is one thing to doubt transcendental authority and humbly beg for help. It is quite another thing to doubt transcendental authority and boldly insist that such doubts are valid. We applaud the former and seek to correct the latter. The Bhagavad-gita compares doubts to demons, which must be destroyed by Krishna:

Arjuna addresses the Lord as Madhusudana because Krsna once killed a demon named Madhu. Actually these questions, which are of the nature of doubts, should not have arisen in the mind of Arjuna, because Arjuna is a Krsna conscious devotee. Therefore these doubts are like demons. Since Krsna is so expert in killing demons, Arjuna here addresses Him as Madhusudana so that Krsna might kill the demonic doubts that arise in Arjuna's mind. (Bhagavad-gita 8.2 Purport)

To conclude in the mood of saragrahi or taking the good in others— I appreciated one of Niscala dasi's statements, "Srila Prabhupada's words and activities were certainly backed up by sastra and it was on that basis that we gained faith in Krishna and in service to Him."

Hare Krishna

Danavir Goswami

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