Re: Question about a Book

Dear Damodara Svarupa dasa, Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Jaya Shri Guru Parampara! Pranams!   Thank you for your question. The author of the book in question is unfortunately the toughest monist and Mayavadi. They do not believe in Bhakti Yoga and are extremely offensive to Bhakti, Naama, Deity Worship and worshiping any form of God because they believe that every soul is God. It is painful for me to even think about the hardcore monistic philosophy professed by them. All the points which you have mentioned in your post above can be learnt and understood in their pure form from Bhagavad Gita As It Is and our Acharyas' Commentaries and from other practical books in the NITAAI Veda.

For our material career, one can and has to read books from any and all authors necessary for acquiring material knowledge. But for spiritual knowledge, I would personally advise to read books only written by Vaishnavas and those who accept that they are not God themselves even if their flowery language is very attractive to us otherwise their subtle mentality of monism will slowly creep into our hearts and will form a very difficult obstacle to attain Pure Bhakti. And the highest reading matter are the holy books composed by the Gaudiya Acharyas. For the safety and security of our spiritual quest, before reading any book, I would suggest that one tries to first find out if the author is a bonafide Vaishnava and then one can surely read the literature composed by him or her. The words of monists and mental speculators may sound very rosy, practical, useful and relevant to us but one will have to subtly accept their full package even if unknowingly or unwillingly.

If one reads their books, then certainly one may become subtly influenced by their actual monistic and offensive thoughts about the personal form of the Lord (which they try to hide it very carefully behind the curtain of their "attractive" words), since their offensive consciousness would be very subtly presented in their writings. We will not even know that we are taking in such ideas while reading their practical views about life but in the end we will stand to become subtly affected by these writings by non-devotee monists. Their words may even help us in some way practically but at what cost. We don't want to displease Lord Gaura Krishna at any cost or in any way otherwise our ultimate goal of Prema Bhakti goes further away from us.

Bhagavad Gita Ch 2 Verse 42

ya idam pushpitam vacam / pravadanty avipacita
veda-vada-ratah partha / nanyad ast ati vadina

This verse proves that one may easily use even the Vedas and their verses and present some basic truths in a flowery language in order to captivate the minds of the people, slowly but surely ultimately towards their own materialistic, atheistic or monistic philosophy. And when one starts to respect such an author's practical words, then when we read his or her anti-bhakti words, one will not be able to reject those and one will end up being subtle affected by them. I have seen many such cases myself where devotees who practiced Bhakti for many years and considered themselves advanced and immune to this, have permanently given up Bhakti and in some cases even gone against Bhakti by becoming gradually influenced by such kind of authors.

First we may think that we are reading to get some useful tips but later we may gradually begin to get influenced by other "views" of such authors which are presented subtly. This is the reason why Lord Gaura refused to see Mahabhagavata Shrila Mukunda for going to hear from monists etc. and Shrila Svarupa Damodara Goswami strictly chastised even the Mahabhagavata devotee Shrila Bhagavana Acharya for trying to request that Lord Gaura hear the compositions of a monist poet. His composition was so "attractive" that even many of the other Associates of Lord Gaura fell for it and applauded it. But when Shrila Svarupa Damodara Goswami pointed out the offensive and Mayavadic anamolies in the composition, then everyone's eyes opened to the fact. So one may think that one is taking only the gold from dirt and one may think that one is expert in doing it, but one will not even know when the dirt will take control of us and diminish the Bhakti in our hearts. This is more risky that what we can ever imagine. Shrila Prabhupada writes in the purport that even a Mahabhagavata's  mind may change by hearing (or reading) such explanations. Then, how much careful we should in comparison.

So the deciding factor is not only what is written in such books but it is very important to check first the ultimate goal and consciousness of the author of the book which will and does subtly percolate and permeate throughout all the sentences in that book.

I have addressed your question philosophically to assist in all further inquiries on this matter by others in the future and is not directed towards any specific individual.

I hope this helps. Please let me know if have any further questions.

Daaso'smi, Swami Gaurangapada.

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