20 Characteristics of Srila Prabhupada's Movement, His Wishes, and What Happened



Abbreviations frequently used:

SP: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada
SSM: His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhar Deva Maharaj
GBC: Governing Body Commission of ISKCON
ISKCON: International Society for Krishna Consciousness




1. Unified love for our spiritual master created an ever enthusiastic atmosphere.

1. The first important introduction was the zonal gurus. They were allowed to distort the philosophy and to establish themselves over everybody, including the GBC. Frequently non-initiating GBC's had to negotiate with the zonal gurus their influence and territory. Later after that system started to break to pieces, the gurus lost importance almost all together and membership in the institution was made to be the most important aspect of spiritual life.

Solution:
Let devotees preach to their hearts' content and freely chose their places, and associates they feel inspired to work with. Stop intimidating the ISKCON members into thinking that they are "incapable to decide anything for themselves". Use the organization structure of the institution only to coordinate world projects and let the local groups of devotees figure out who shall lead them and how to maintain their purity.


2. The acceptance that Srila Prabhupada's vision can resolve any problem gave everybody peace. Srila Prabhupada even changed his own rules whenever that was necessary in order to accommodate somebody happily.

2. Stifling rules, incapable leaders and justice committees - all that red tape created the opposite effect. The bureaucrats took over and inspired preachers were discouraged. No open discussions, no free field could be found.

Solution:
Accept anybody who wants to serve SP's mission and the way he wants to serve, unless he creates havoc in SP's name (precisely the reason why this book is being produced, since the GBC was not willing to voluntarily address the topics of our concern.)


3. A clear line of our transcendental philosophy and siddhanta was always available through SP's personal presence.

3. Constantly changing conceptions, unanswered questions, contradictory GBC resolutions became the way of ISKCON from GBC meeting to GBC meeting.
Example: In one year they published three different GBC resolutions regarding SSM which read as follows.
1. It was decided that the GBC should apologize to SSM for the offenses committed against him. (A group was sent).
2. Panchadravida Swami is removed from ISKCON because he went to stay with SSM.
3. ISKCON members are advised not to associate with SSM or those devotees connected to him in order to avoid "offenses".
Relationship to vaisnavas outside of ISKCON becomes a big confusion. Nobody is allowed to go, but even zonal gurus frequently go, consult, distort, offend, or even try to play out one Gaudiya Math Guru against the other.

Solution:
Establish a true forum for the exchange of vaisnava thought, for example,
A - some publications which actually research the contributions from all sides of guru sastra and sadhu,
B - A place without party-line control,
C - A forum which will allow the light of truth to shine by its own effulgence, and without fear that the truth will confuse more then the attempt to hide it. Currently the ISKCON World Review is only making propaganda and fund driving. It confuses more then it clarifies. And the BTG is a party-line paper claiming to be open and intellectual. ISKCON Review on the other hand claims to promote discussions but is used to simply slash opponents. All confusions have to come out in the open, in order to be digested and transcended. Trusting in guru sastra and sadhu will be successful.


4. The temple presidents had a direct connection with their gurus. They acted almost like Ritvik Acharyas, including holding the initiation fire sacrifices and fully representing SP in their temple. Nobody had a right to interfere into their temples, lest they were rejected by the members of their temples. In some instances when certain sannyasis or GBC's caused disturbance to a temple president, SP dismissed that GBC and established a direct link to the presidents. On two occasions he even dismissed the entire GBC body for their speculation.

4. Temple presidents lost their importance. SP's order to take that service as a lifelong commitment was totally ignored. Temple presidents were changed on the whim of any GBC and his friends. There is no protection. The previous protector from power-hungry managers, SP, was now substituted by those very power-hungry managers, the new zonal acharya and his cooperators (regional secretaries).

Solution:
Take away the zonal control. A zone is a temple and the preaching field of someone. Don't interfere in your brother's love and trust field. That is a bonafide zone, not a geographical zone. Those hearts who are encouraged to serve Krishna by somebody's preaching, that is his real zone. Even a low born sudra realizes that he has to be responsible for the children he produces. Preachers produce spiritual children. Therefore spiritual fathers have to be responsible to provide to their children a loving environment where they can grow and also start preaching happily. ISKCON has failed to do so, because due to their geographic zones restrictions and due to their endorsement of gurus who did not actually have the capacity to give protection, the new preachers are mostly discouraged because they do not see a loving place to guide new devotees there, nor are they free to establish such places. Besides that, how could they establish a place to give shelter when their own diksa-gurus turned out to be confused and unprepared? Geographical zones destroy the real needs of every place. One city can have many many temples and many GBC's as well. Regional secretaries should no more be imposed, instead a free choice of a GBC amongst the local devotees allowed. The temple presidents can become again, what they were meant to be.


5. All services were available to all ISKCON members. All you had to do to get a certain service was to request SP to do some special service and generally he very gladly accepted.

5. It is remarkable how little trust the GBC's showed in their godbrothers. SP trusted anyone of his disciples, even sometimes after some disciple had already committed some fault. But the GBC, in the name of "protecting ISKCON" gave only support to their own members. And they often removed even senior disciples of SP from services which they had started from scratch to big success, just in order to maintain the power in their faulty system. One famous example of that was when SP's panditji Pradyumna Prabhu pointed out to the GBC the wrongs in the zonal acharya system. He was removed from his service to finish the translation of the Srimad Bhagavatam which SP personally had asked him to do under the guidance of SSM. After depriving Pradyumna from his service and protection, they appointed one of them to do that work, who did not even know Sanskrit. They announced this to all of ISKCON's members. Pradyumna has been defeated and the reaction is that nobody really wants to read the missing volumes of the Srimad Bhagavatam.
But the list of human atrocities is so long that it would fill many volumes. Krishna definitely wanted all the disciples of SP to wake up from their slumber, because all of them were affected by the new ISKCON GBC style. And also because all of the disciples of a Guru are equally responsible that his mission is carried on properly.
Generally the complaint of the godbrothers were answered by the GBC suggesting to the involved person; "Why don't you work under someone else, in another part of the world? Don't be too attached to protecting others. We, the GBC's, are the rightful protectors. Whoever tries to point out any wrong in us must be an offender of SP". In this way many disciples of SP started to make the rounds of the world, from one zonal guru to the other, only to discover, that they were all the same and that in ISKCON there was no more home for them, what to speak of a peaceful place to give protection to others and live happily in Krishna Consciousness.
Any service in ISKCON became attached with the shoe-kissing of some zonal acharya. In some zones daily flower offerings to your godbrother became an obligation and if you really still need more details you can read the book "Monkey on a Stick". It is a very disgusting subject.

Solution:
Realize that a vaisnava leader is a leader in humility and service. He serves anyone who gives him the mercy and allows that leader to serve him. Krishna wants to serve his devotees, but they won't let him do so. Therefore Krishna is very pleased if you serve his devotees. And you can be sure, if you like to serve somebody he will be very happy with you, not disgusted.


6. Nobody was expected to work under someone he considered in any way harmful to SP's mission.

6. Not only were devotees obliged to serve, many were intimidated to take initiation from zonal gurus who they either did not know, or did not feel inspired by. ISKCON proved to completely neglect the position of Siksa Gurus, which according to SP writings in C.C. is a grave offense since they are on the same level as the diksa-gurus. Frequently the situation was so bad, that new disciples were requested to reject as offenders of SP the very same devotees who happened to have convinced them to join the movement of SP.
Later that mistake was partially recognized but never really rectified.
Rather the wrong overdose of power was shifted away from the zonal Guru to the Zonal GBC.
Gurus were now restricted under GBC control with innumerable laws and restrictions. Even temple presidents can check the necessarily free relationship between a devotee and his guru. Actually the old problem remained plus a few new problems appeared.
The zonal Diksa-Guru was transformed into a Zonal GBC Siksa-Guru, or into a Zonal Temple President Siksa-Guru, or into Zonal Regional Secretary Siksa-Guru.
Not understanding that the problem lies in the zonal aspect of these services, not in the guru or preaching aspect, the GBC's confused the situation even more and clearly emphasized the institution and the managers (themselves) to be the rightful successors of SP. Thus again they undermined the personal individual characteristics of surrender in love and trust. And also because so many new diksa-gurus appeared in ISKCON, many of them captured these zonal siksa-guru posts, and established new MINI ZONAL GURU zones. There they straitened to force the disciples of other gurus to lend support to them or face the same destiny, which SP disciples had to experience under the first ZONAL GURU GOVERNMENT. (THE CUCKOO FAMILY EXPANDS.)

Solution:
Reject the zonal control all together. Let leading preachers voluntarily choose representatives to participate and be communicated with over all ISKCON news, world projects and facilities. Let leaders be loved once again, because of their excellent service performed to all, or let them be rejected at once if they are just on a big ego or enjoy trip or if the temples and Vaisnava population felt dissatisfied with their level of dedication.


7. Leaders in SP's mission who were to eager to be in the center, rather than to humbly serve SP and the other vaisnava members were easily detected and rejected, or at least repositioned and corrected, regardless of how high an office they had occupied. Thus it was always clearly understood that only someone pure in purpose could keep a leading position in ISKCON.

7. It is unbelievable how much damage a zonal guru or zonal GBC can do to SP's movement, without being checked. It is practically up to Krishna himself to kick out the worst offenders. But that problem is far from over and we pray that this book will accelerate the purification process.

Solution:
Let mercy be above justice, but also provide that intense tender love and care to all members of SP's mission, not just the leaders amongst themselves. Every member is a potential sannyasi, guru, GBC or whatever and should be fully respected with his respective feelings. Otherwise our leaders, instead of becoming Rajarsis, will be like rotten aristocrats.


8. SP's movement was highly personal in the loving dealings amongst SP's representatives and their particular groups. On a very individual basis anybody could get the mercy of SP and his attention by doing some outstanding service.

8. Very few outstanding personalities have risen on the sky of ISKCON after the GBC's ISKCON rule began. Rather former outstanding personalities fell into disgrace or keep disappearing. ISKCON POLITICS have dominated the energy and conversations of its members now for many years. Out of fear of being diminished in their "glory", the GBC has organized that very ugly campaign against SSM. They accused SSM of wanting to take over ISKCON, while they were in the middle of doing that very same thing. You see others with your own condition we have learned from SP. SSM had not left even his room for ten years before they started consulting him and his main request was: "You are coming together for your yearly meeting. Now don't let anybody go home before everybody is happily accommodated in your ISKCON movement. Leading preachers are going to the hidden quarters. Don't let that happen. That is the only real GBC duty! Not to come together, make a few resolutions and then go home and everybody does what he wants. That is my urgent request."
ISKCON GBC's have hardly trusted anyone to open new temples or zones. Generally so much red tape is attached that nobody wants to do it anymore. Even previously highly prestigious posts like the LA presidency, etc., don't find candidates, who are eager to perform that service and many GBC's have resorted to paying high salaries to their managers. And who wants to collect for such a program? Many temples cannot even pay their mortgage or they are living from the energy which was accumulated in the past. Some temples have more dieties than devotees, but still the GBC's don't want to change.

Solution:
Let everybody who feels an affinity for SP inside and outside of ISKCON know all this and invite them to join and Help to create the Real ISKCON.
Assure them that everything will be completely different. The GBC should publicly recognize in detail all the mistakes they have committed in the past, otherwise nobody will believe that there is a true change happening. The devotees will not loose their faith, but rather gain an incredible new strength to help to save ISKCON.


9. SP obviously preferred administrative disputes to be resolved by his zonal secretaries, it being impossible for SP to personally attend all reappearing complications, but NEVER to the point of disregarding one of his disciples who requested SP's perfect consent to resolve problems they had.

9. The GBC systematically ignores their critics. To reach them is close to impossible. To reach them quickly is altogether impossible. Usually they deal with a topic when it is already damaged. Their bureaucracy, centralization and ecclesiastical structure is close to useless and completely against SP's vision of administration. The result is no protection for ISKCON's members and projects. Their justice ministry is a joke and another invention like the regional secretaries, etc.

Solution:
Let problems be resolved amongst those who have them, not by committees who are out of touch, time, and realization to resolve anything. Only insiders of a problem are capable of giving the personal attention everybody in this world deserves.


10. Individual, spontaneous and creative contributions were highly appreciated by SP. Especially personal preaching capacities attracted his attention.
It was expected that a good preacher be lifelong dedicated to his project, expert in the philosophy, able to face any challenge. In other words SP wanted his disciples to be personally convinced and also speak about the siddhanta, to stand on their own feet. Regardless of who you were, it was understood that a member of SP's family had the right and duty to protect the mission. It was for example a mataji who exposed the 1970 New Vrindavana nonsense, where some sannyasis tried to distort SP's teachings.
And it were the grihasta temple presidents who saved ISKCON from the powertrip of some GBC members, who tried to kick the unmarried mothers out of the temples and to ban grihastas from being temple presidents. SP's initial comment was: "I wanted you all to become gurus, and these girls got this human form of life and they came to their guru's mission, and you (GBC's) want to kick them away."


10. ISKCON membership became conditioned to figuratively signing a paper declaring one's own incapacity to think and decide for himself, like judges declare senile persons on request of the family. We already discussed what happens to those who don't accept ISKCON's dogmatism as absolute.

Solution:
Only personal realization and true humility can change this. Don't forget that most members of ISKCON also see their material security in ISKCON and therefore don't dare to openly criticize those who control the system that provides their bread. Only if the daring critics are heard and satisfied can we believe in a change, not if a number of YES MEN shout, "The system is good, let it remain as it is."


11. SP originally established the GBC to be voted out of a group of six temple presidents for a three year period (see original GBC Bylaws). He also said that no GBC should have more then six temples in his service area. SP always wanted a check and balance system for all ISKCON officers.

11. The GBC resolved that only if 75% of their members would reject someone amongst them could they be removed from the GBC body. Similar conditions were there in order to admit new members. The problem is the following. Unfortunately more then 50% of the GBC's are materially motivated. Therefore they did not kick out the bad ones and never admit a new good one. Only the New Vrindavana meeting, where all the temple presidents requested the GBC's to simply take off or make changes brought a temporary change. Some changes were forced upon the GBC. Quickly they promoted a few critics into their group, but successfully maintained the GBC's inability to change the problems. All they did was to give more power to themselves. Not even the grossest mistakes they could rectify, like having local GBC's with backgrounds incompatible with the resentment of the local people. Often they did not speak the local language, and showed no sensitivity for the reality they were supposed to lead. Imagine an Arabian born Vaisnava as temple president in Tel Aviv.

Solution:
SP wanted a viable check and balance system to regulate the relationship between leaders and their other cooperators. That is the main point. It has to be practical and it has to make everyone happy. Do you agree?
GBC SHOULD FORGET THAT ITS SERVICE IS SO IMPORTANT.
ACTUALLY THE TEMPLE PRESIDENT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT. ANY GOOD TEMPLE PRESIDENT WILL MAKE AN EXCELLENT GBC. It is no doubt a very important Vaisnava seva, but isn't the actual way the GBC is presenting itself. They just congratulate each other for wrongly acquired privileges. Many of them, I fear would not be able by themselves to open a temple, to actually make some bhaktas, or to actually go out and collect the rent. What will it take for a dictator to recognize that his dictatorship is useless - all the intellectuals must flee the country? In the material world dictators don't change but with vaisnavas we still have a little hope.


12. SP did not like bureaucracy and centralization. He requested the yearly GBC meeting to only last a few hours, he wanted every temple to be separately incorporated and locally managed.

12. The evidence is mountain high, but obviously all these plans of SP's diminish zonal control and give power to local devotees. That is why they were hardly given any attention. It was in Colombia where all the local leading devotees complained and after deciding that ISKCON was not going the right way, they decided to change their affiliation from ISKCON's GBC into the ISKCON it was really meant to be. Obviously the GBC denounced us as thieves, etc. But actually if you analyze eight years later impartially, you will see that all these temples are still used to glorify SP. On top there are so many new temples and properties in the name of SP's ISKCON in Colombia. New vaisnava literature is published and many new devotees are chanting the holy names. We did not print many of SP's books because the GBC threatened to sue us in the courts, and we did not want to waste our energy in such a childish fight. Also we take it as Krishna's hint to publish other vaisnava nectar which the GBC has not discovered as yet. It is just painful to see how this Spanish-speaking BBT was plundered for so many years and could never produce even laser-written copies of SP's books for the devotees. But they do have time to discourage others from printing SP books who could do so. I call that power-hungry and not service conscious.

Solution:
There are so many different problems, but really only one solution which we are looking at from different viewpoints. That is love and trust, unity in diversity.


13. SP always stressed, "Let local people manage". Even though he sent his disciples all over the world, he wanted them to immediately train up local devotees to do all services.

13. Those who are fried in the US or fried the US often find another place in the ISKCON world to become a leader. Local devotees are ignored even though they would be more qualified and thus the local needs are often totally neglected. Local devotees generally cooperate out of respect for the older devotees, but the real message is, we should all qualify and become true leaders to properly serve the world.

Solution:
Krishna can give anything and also take away everything. If you do not have a program now of your own, don't count on others to give you big facilities. Just search out a vaisnava friend and try to start a new program. As far as permission from the GBC is concerned, they have no permission to act as they do to begin with. It is not easy to believe either that they will change in the near future. (Hope against hope). Don't worry about anything except SP's loving grace. He can empower you, just as he has empowered all his other sincere followers.
If you cannot find one friend who is ready to join with your effort and conviction, then try to start alone or search out people who are preaching outside of ISKCON, inspired by SP and SSM. Here you will find a friend who wants to join with you. If you are not a disciple of SP, pray to Lord Nityananda to take you to a real Sadhu whose realizations help you to go foreword. We cannot follow a guru who is only teaching and living contradictions. Otherwise how will you be able to preach, if you yourself have no real trust in anybody? Even devotees who accept disciples always search, always aspire for sadhu-sanga. (SP told SSM in 1977: "Please come to live with me in Mayapur. I will construct an elevator for you. Sometimes I have nobody to consult with.")
It is always wonderful to have the association of Vaisnavas like Govinda Maharaj or other true Vaisnava saints. They clear away our doubts quickly.
If you want to take sannyas don't expect to be maintained by some institution. Go out into the world of preaching, just like SSM sent his new sannyasis out to start their work immediately. ISKCON Sannyas has often become an institutional privilege. That is why they make it so hard to take. But really all godbrothers should be dancing if another one wants to join the sold out preacher who is going to roam the world distributing Krishna Katha.


14. SP never wanted any temple to be closed and he was furious if someone closed or even moved one temple to another city. SP wrote to Hanuman: You can open a temple anywhere in the world you like, but with one condition, it shall not be closed after.

14. ISKCON has reached a level where closing temples and falling gurus don't even make topics in the GBC meetings anymore. It is just too common, and if there is not much money involved; who cares?
The preaching spirit of SP's times has disappeared into institution consciousness.

Solution:
Let local people have free hand to reopen all the temples which have been closed. Promote lifelong dedication of temple presidents and teach all members to love, respect and serve every devotee, and friends of the devotees. Any temple is a permanent representation of the glories of SP.


15. SP wrote a letter to Hansadutta prohibiting the installation of Sri Narasinga Bhagavan in the same temple with Radha-Krishna.

15. Nevertheless SP was disobeyed and Lord Narasinga was installed in Germany dominating over the worship of Radha Madan-Mohan. Later that same speculation was introduced in Sridam Mayapur, where deity worship was already distorted. Even the diety of Srimati Radharani had been stolen from the ISKCON temple. SP had installed the dieties of Gouranga and of Radha-Madhava. That particular type of worship is generally found in temples of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati and his followers. It is representative of the revelation to Ramananda Roy and it is in the mood of Madhurya rasa. Sri Krishna Chaitanya Radha-Krishna nahe anya. It is very high to even conceive of that mercy which SP bestowed on us. Later when the GBC decided to expand that worship, they got back Radha-Madhava dieties but so happened to forget Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Lord of Mayapur. At one point they even separated the small Mahaprabhu from Radha Madhava and put him on the opposite side of the huge altar. There's no end to the speculation. Then they wanted to bring in eight huge gopis to join (four actually arrived), to create more Vrindavana atmosphere, all that right next to the Lord of Vaikuntha Sri Narasinga-Bhagavan. We all know how great offenses were committed by ISKCON leaders right in Mayapur, without proper rectification. Little surprise that they did not understand the proper way of puja, but amazingly enough the rest of the GBC did not object either.
If Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is worshiped alone, like SP had on his altar in Jhansi, that worship is in madhurya-rasa inviting Radha-Krishna to appear if they are pleased. In that worship lord Nityananda is represented as Guru and that worship is called Guru Gouranga seva. When Gour Nitai or Krishna Balaram are worshiped together, that worship is in sakya-rasa. When Sri Jagannath Subhadra and Balaram are worshiped, that is in the mood of Dvaraka. When Sri Narasinga Bhagavan is worshiped that is seva in the mood of aisvarya, the mood of Vaikuntha.

Solution:
Construct extra temples for Lord Narasinga as requested by SP. Install a big diety of Sri Gouranga next to Radha-Madhava. Explain to the devotees the real meaning of the Istadeva of our Sampradaya and of other dieties.


16. SP, out of his love, trust and necessity rewarded Sannyas initiation to some devotees as soon as, in some cases, less than two years in his mission, GBC offices with only three years in the mission, and any worldwide temple president or preacher position to anyone at any time he wished to render such a service.

16. We already discussed what is happening in the GBC's ISKCON.

Solution:
Follow the example of SP and you will be amply rewarded.


17. SP forgave very easily even grave offenses when someone wanted to return to his shelter after having failed.

17.ISKCON GBC's only forgive those who bolster their power structure. If you have enough money you may become a GBC too. One GBC I met asked me repeatedly: when are you coming back to the family of SP? I explained for quite a while how ISKCON was not given an open field for real preaching. After he kept asking the same question. Again I answered; "We will be back in the family of SP the day you GBC's realize that we never left the real family of SP."

Solution:
A real vision of Vaisnava union could undoubtedly do wonders in this world.


18. SP would have never accepted that his Puspa Samadhi in Sridham Mayapur is higher then the temple of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Lord of Mayapur.

18. BIG IS BEAUTIFUL. Let us show that we are the best disciples by making the biggest Samadhi ever for a guru, so it truly becomes a monument. SP wanted to construct in Mayapur the "Temple of Understanding" with a planetarium which was suppose to be constructed according the Brihat Bhagavatamrita under the guidance of SSM. But they constructed the Monument of Misunderstanding instead.
This is a gigantic Puspa Samadhi, ill conceived from the beginning, just to show off. They wasted money like water and got ripped off from their own always changing construction administration. They did not finish the first Samadhi, but they started the second one. At the same time they offended their godbrothers as well as SP's godbrothers and could not even understand that SP would not like to have his samadhi to be constructed higher than his Lord's temple. Srila Jiva Goswami had no lack of funds and much less of devotion when Srila Rupa Goswami's Samadhi was constructed. And look at the size of the Radha Govinda temple. Why do everything opposite? By not consulting higher Vaisnavas it becomes very noticeable that we don't really understand much of this philosophy. That is the message of the monument of misunderstanding.

Solution:
Make the Puspa Samadhi the temple of Gouranga Radha Madhava, at least until a bigger temple is constructed for the deities. This is Antardvip, the birthplace of our Supreme Lord. Every Gaudiya acharya will give him the first and outstanding glorification. It is not that that little building is too big for the glory of our SP, but we should follow in his mood of worship. In the meantime Srila Prabhupada will be very happy to have his puspa samadhi closed to his eternal Lords.


19. SP enthused his disciples to do very hard service totally voluntarily. He stressed that you cannot force the devotees, you can only inspire them. Do not demand respect, but command respect by your example.

19. Brahmacaris with private bank accounts, GBC's traveling with firstclass air tickets and Rolex competitions will not inspire new devotees to give up their own fruitive desires. Indian businessmen managing ISKCON temples may turn out to be better management than frustrated members embezzling the resources of the mission. But again, our highest ideal is the full surrender SP taught us. Without such an example, very soon everything is lost and another normal church will remain, with paid priests only for Sunday worship.

Solution:
The vow of voluntary poverty is the vow of sannyasis and Brahmacaris. That has to be stressed and shown to the public. Preachers should live very simple lifestyles. Fancy silks and big cars are good for bhogi yogis. And the television guru is only for those who want to fall into sense gratification (you remember - while contemplating the objects...) That is not the style of Gaudiya Vaisnavas. It will not be easy, but our gurus expect that sacrifice.


20. SP never stressed rituals or formalities, what to speak of tantric practices. He did not recommend devotees to go to astrologers. SP priorities were the need of the day, to spread Krishna Consciousness. SP never encouraged devotees to neglect the preaching and to procure Gopi sentiments. Like SSM he preached to serve the order of Sri Guru and thus come to realize the internal meanings of Sastras like Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu etc. SP stressed that he had written all his important messages in his books and that it was not a valid authority that somebody simply quotes a: "Srila Prabhupada said..."

20. Just like the monument of misunderstanding, there are quiet a few other symptoms which reveal that ISKCON is off the right track. The most obvious is the introduction of crazy ghost exorcisms organized inside ISKCON temples involving GBC's and gurus and ripping off stupid devotees by supposedly locking thousands of ghosts in bottles, holding midnight yajñas and confusing the entire devotee community. As if the Bhagavad-gita and the C.C. had not condemned all type of ghost consciousness, they claim to only follow what SP said. Where the hell did he write about bringing exorcisers into our life, or having initiated devotees consult astrologers to know their karmic fate!! IS IT NOT UNDERSTOOD THAT THE MERCY OF GURUDEVA INTERFERES AGAINST OUR KARMIC FATE? Even several gurus claimed that the exorcist took away their ghosts, but I fear if they don't watch it, they may be ghosts very soon themselves.
All these handreaders, tantrics, gypsies and other charlatans you can simply ask to leave us alone. Krishna's laksmi is not to be spoiled on cheaters. Astrology to preach karma and reincarnation may be a system to attract new devotees, but when even the BTG starts reporting how gurus, sannyasis and GBC's are consulting tantrics in India. This is a great irresponsibility. Why accept a guru then? The tantrics are cheaper.
But there is much more. Huge South Indian style yajñas may look very impressive to the public, but they do not create the mood of our Srila Rupa Goswami bhajan.
Now in ISKCON every new bhakta carries Rasa literature and shows his learning by quoting books SP mentioned in his books to be very confidential. The fashion of talking about those topics goes around and foolish conclusions are resound, such as SP did not teach us Raga, etc. Without Raga, none of us would have been initiated to begin with, because by the rules we all disqualify. Everybody writes books now, but when you ask them about the siddhanta, they have no answer. Temples charge money even for prasadam on Sunday feasts, etc. etc.

Solution:
The path of Bhakti is full of bliss, and preaching in a proper way will protect the preacher and will give him so much wonderful engagement that he want even have time for all that nonsense like tantrics, videos or other entertainments. He can even stay celibate if he careful serves the vaisnavas and carefully avoids all offenses. And he will not experience any scarcity. It is a wonderful life SP has given us, and SSM has elaborated further nectar to make it even more nectarian. And they both can save us from the dangers of sense enjoyment, Mayavada, Sahajaism, pride, speculation, and even from service in awe and reverence to take us back to their eternal Lordship in Goloka Vrindavana.

Gour Hari Bol.




You are interested to read more? Go to the download site of “The Search for Purity





© Distribution will increase spiritual bliss