Common Questions

Some of the more common questions we come across are covered on this page. If your question hasn't been covered yet, please contact us and we'll look into it.

• Traditional Gaudiya Vaishnavism
What does the term "Traditional Gaudiya Vaishnavism" mean?
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• Religious authority and followers
Are you a religious authority, do you seek followers?
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• Affiliation and representing
Whom do you follow, whom do you represent, who are you affiliated with?
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• ISKCON and Gaudiya Math
Is Gaudiya Kutir related to ISKCON or Gaudiya Math?
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What does the term "Traditional Gaudiya Vaishnavism" mean?

We define the term as referring to those forms of Gaudiya Vaishnavism that are connected with the companions of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and their immediate followers via an unbroken disciplic succession of diksha-gurus, and who embrace the teachings passed down through these empowered lineages.

The word "traditional" does not necessarily refer to embracing traditional social values and so forth. It is used in the sense of adherence to doctrines and practices the heritage has preserved over the centuries. A more elaborate answer is available at the Gaudiya Kutir Wiki.

Are you a religious authority, do you seek followers?

The Kutir is not the holy place, the Kutir is not the holy man. It is the train carrying people in and out, to the holy and from the holy. Our existence is justified in acting as a medium through which people will have the facility to explore the landscape of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, making informed spiritual commitments to lineages of their choice.

We lay no claims for being an independent or unified authority. If and when topics of confusion or controversy arise, we may research and write position papers representing what in our best assessment is the proper conclusion. At times, we may even disagree among ourselves – over the centuries, the tradition has learned to accommodate a plurality of views.

Whom do you follow, whom do you represent, who are you affiliated with?

While we are not officially affiliated with any one individual, organization or lineage, we are deeply affected by the holy men and teachers of the form of Gaudiya Vaishnavism present in Vraja, modeled in the style of Siddha Krishna Das Babaji of Govardhan. Many of us are disciples or sympathizers of Sri Ananta Das Babaji Maharaja of Radha-kunda, others hail from the other authentic lineages of Vraja and Bengal.

We do not claim to represent anyone in particular. Unless specifically otherwise stated, we only represent ourselves to the best of our ability in our endeavors to fulfill the heart's wish of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and those who followed him.

Is Gaudiya Kutir related to ISKCON or Gaudiya Math?

While many of us have been members of one or the other at one point in time, we are not currently affiliated with either of the two in any official capacity. Many of us have cordial private relationships with the two movements' members. Respectfully, we do not consider ourselves to be followers of their particular variety of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

We feel that the historical rift between the movement of Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati and the rest of the tradition is too grand to begin patching in an organizational scale with our limited resources in the current political scenario of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. "Good fences make good neighbors" is a policy we feel is worth respecting.