Bhaktivinoda Thakura punishes the fake ‘Vishnu’ incarnation
Bhaktivinoda Thakura was magistrate, and one person in Orissa, he declared himself that "I am Visnu," and in the village he was enticing young women and girls to dance at night.
Below we have a nice story told by Srila Prabhupada about how not to be fooled by bogus gurus, incarnations, and avatars, and how to avoid that pitfall.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura was magistrate, and one person in Orissa, he declared himself that "I am Visnu," and in the village he was enticing young women and girls to dance at night. And some of them protested, and they lodged complaint to the government that "This person is doing like that." And the government commissioner, he knew that Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Kedaranatha Datta was a very elevated, religious man, and he was magistrate. So the commissioner entrusted the inquiry to Kedaranatha Datta at that time. So Kedaranatha Datta, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, took the matter and went to inquire at that, in the village of Orissa, with some constables in plain dress. So when he went there… He had some yogic power, so immediately he could say, "Oh, your name is Kedarnatha Datta. I know you are very good man, but don't be after me. You will not be happy. And I shall elevate you to become the king of this country. Don't be after me." Now, if anyone… He was Bhaktivinoda Thakura, a strong devotee. If any other person would have been addressed like that, he would be immediately puzzled: "How this man is talking about me, that I am Kedaranatha Datta, I am magistrate and…?" So he would not do anything. But Bhaktivinoda Thakura was so strong, he said, "Yes. Thank you very much, that I shall become king. So why don't you go to Jagannatha Puri and stay there?
That is a nice pilgrimage, and you can stay there. Many holy men go there. Why you are in this village?" He wanted to drive him away from that village. "Oh, what is that Jagannatha? That is wood. I am Visnu." As soon as he said, Bhaktivinoda Thakura became fire. "Oh, this rascal is like that." He immediately ordered, "Arrest him. Arrest him." And he showed some fiery spark coming from his jata. So the constables were hesitating to arrest him, but Bhaktivinoda Thakura ordered, "Yes, immediately arrest him. Handcuff." So he took him away, arrested. And as soon as he returned home, all the members of his family were in fever, high degree fever, and Bhaktivinoda Thakura himself was in fever. He made some trick, yogic trick. So his wife began
to cry: "Oh, you have arrested one great yogi. He is Visnu, and therefore we are now going to die. We are now…" (laughter) So Bhaktivinoda Thakura: "Yes, you die. All die. Still, what I have done is all right." Then when there is date for appearance in the court, in the court the man was brought, and yogi. You see? And Bhaktivinoda Thakura asked… Bhaktivinoda Thakura was suffering still in fever. Still, he attended the court and asked the constables that "Cut his jata."
Hamsaduta: What is jata?
Prabhupada: Jata is hair. Hair. Jata. So no barber was available. (laughter) Because they knew that Bhaktivinoda Thakura, after arresting, he is suffering from fever. Whole family is lying down in fever. So nobody came forward to cut his jata. So Bhaktivinoda: "All right, bring one scissor. I shall cut." So he personally cut, and personally cut, and that man became very thin immediately after cutting his jata. He had some power in the jata. And he ordered six months' imprisonment.
And in the prison he managed to take some poison and died. So devotees are so strong. They can know what is what. You see? He was not puzzled that "He is Visnu and this…" No. So we should learn from the Bhaktivinoda Thakura's treatment that this jugglery or this so-called power is not, no good for advancement in spiritual life. You have to follow the regulative principles as enjoined in the sastra. Yah sastra vidhim utsrjya. If you do not follow the injunction of the sastra, then there is no possibility of attaining perfection. Na sa siddhim avapnoti.
So our business is to accept a bona fide spiritual master, being guided by him, to follow the rules and regulations. Then advancement is sure. There is no doubt about it. And if we become hodgepodge and mix with hodgepodge and do hodgepodge, there is no progress.
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture – Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971) Courtesy of Vedaveda – Aprakrita das