The Myths and Deviations of the GBC Body, Leaders and Some Gurus
BY: JAYA MADHAVA DAS (ACBSP)
May 16, 2014 — MOSCOW, RUSSIA (SUN) — Simple Truths and Outright Lies - Part Four.
ISKCON Temples, Projects, GBCs, Sanyassis and Gurus who think they know better, and no longer follow properly Srila Prabhupada's strict programs and instructions for preaching and management of ISKCON.
INTRODUCTION
From Bhaktivinoda Thakur's writing entitled, Vaisnava Ninda we learn that there are three types of proper motive for speaking out about mistakes of a Vaisnava:
1) if the intention in analyzing someone's sins is to ensure that he attains his ultimate welfare, then such reflection is auspicious;
2) if the motive behind reflecting on someone's sins is to benefit the whole world, then this is to be counted as an auspicious act;
3) if such reflection is undertaken for one's own spiritual welfare, then it too, is auspicious. There is no fault in such reflection.
Once again for the reasons stated above by HDG Bhaktivinoda Thakur, I shall address certain practices and issues which, if not corrected, will end ISKCON (spiritually) as it was intended by His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
*** Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON is in deep (trouble) Spiritual Mission Drift ***
This article is a continuation of a series examining the Myths, Outright Lies and Misconceptions in ISKCON today. (See Part One, Part Two and Part Three) Today's article will address Temples, Gurus and Projects in ISKCON that no longer strictly following Srila Prabhupada's proper ISKCON, and the following troubling compromises in ISKCON:
ISKCON slides off the cliff into Mission Drift as the GBC allow the undermining of Srila Prabhupada by Hridayananda Goswami and other leaders in ISKCON
The planting of the seeds of doubt about Srila Prabhupada 's infallible position of authority in ISKCON
Hospitals and other mundane sentimental charity work in ISKCON
The ongoing disintegration of Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON established programs
"Soon they will be saying that Prabhupada is wrong..."
You can't compromise ISKCON's/Prabhupada's principles to tell people to follow Prabhupada's principles -- it's an absurd premise to operate under.
Excerpt from a recent letter sent to me from two of my senior godbrothers (names withheld) discussing the increasing unauthorized compromises and changes being allowed and in ISKCON by GBCs and Gurus, that were never sanctioned by Srila Prabhupada:
"I remember years ago you said to me: "Soon they will be saying that Prabhupada is wrong." I looked at you incredulously and you simply looked back at me and said: "You'll see." Sure enough I got back to America and that was the first time I started hearing such nonsense. So I know it is only a matter of time before such deviancy as the "Bhaktivedanta Family Planning Institute" appears in some small village in Karnataka. I mean who would have ever thought that one of our sannyasis would be officiating over a gay wedding?
You are absolutely right that their love manifests "very strangely." I attribute this to the fact that most ISKCON members have a purely utilitarian viewpoint in which they argue that "the ends justifies the means." These devotees don't seem to realize that you can't compromise your principles to tell people that they should stick to their principles. It is an absurd premise to operate under. I see some new Americans joining here but they are all pretty much garbage. The average American who now joins ISKCON is a 40 year old divorcee vegan woman who has one kid from a previous marriage, practices yoga, and is a staunch Democrat. There is nothing you can say at all to them except "chant Hare Krishna."
ISKCON slides off the cliff as the GBC body continues to allow Gurus/leaders to further undermine Srila Prabhupada 's authority in ISKCON.
"[Hridayananda] Maharaja has significant differences with Srila Prabhupada, and they are wide enough to count as a deviation. Over the past ten years, Maharaja has consistently questioned the authority of Srila Prabhupada's statements in his own books and purports and in other instances where Srila Prabhupada is unquestionably speaking as a spiritual authority. The differences are indeed non-trivial, as they have serious implications for our own understanding of Srila Prabhupada's own authority and how we approach shastra. Indeed, what Hridayananda Maharaja has been teaching his followers is an alternative way of interpreting Srila Prabhupada that allows them to disregard almost anything he says."
Note his valid observation - the differences are NOT TRIVIAL! This excerpt says it all... yet devotees continue to ignore the warning signs in Hridayananda Maharaja's mission drift attitude, compromised lifestyle and compromised Krishna West's casual, offensive disregard for Guru, Sadhu and Shasta.
Krishna Kirti das hits the nail squarely on the head in this article. Moreover, it's a dangerous situation now in which over the years, Srila Prabhupada's authority is being ignored, questioned and minimized by certain Gurus and leaders in ISKCON.
Read on, as a respected senior godbrother Sannyasi Guru has expressed to me recently his realization on the unprecedented unauthorized and ongoing compromises, deviations and changes in ISKCON:
"Indeed it is amazing how even experienced and learned devotees cannot recognize when one of their godbrothers is in serious maya. It happened with form a Bhagavan, Bhavananda, and so many others. The little devotees could see the problems but the big ones couldn't, or they didn't like to talk about it or anyone else to talk about it."
I know I'm going to be accused of being offensive or an envious fault-finder who is making trouble or just name calling and making aparadhs to senior godbrothers, yet noting could be so far from the truth. I'm as concerned as they are at seeing our Srila Prabhupada's original ISKCON go down the tubes.
Today, as the world plunges into deadly turmoil on all fronts, we badly need strong preaching, i.e., Srila Prabhupada's unadulterated, unfiltered, uncompromised preaching in a West plagued by economic crisis, the coming WWIII, police states, Fascism, illegal wars, loss of freedoms, government corruption, sinful activities promoted as normal everywhere, like pro-homosexual unions in Gaudia Vaisnavism (ISKCON). It's the theatre of the absurd, preaching committed homosexual relationships in ISKCON, and sanctioning them either in ISKCON or in the broader outside community.
This Hridayananda is in fact promoting, along with women gurus being promoted illegally in ISKCON. Frankly , we want to be fair and give them the benefit of the doubt to the extent they want to peach to locals again and make western devotees, however I don't agree with their attitudes, versions and views. I am deeply sorry to say this, but as his god brother, I see Hridayananda as off the mark, and as being off for a long time now. But inside the institution of ISKCON it's just business as usual..out of sight, out of mind of the GBC leaders. There is not strong enough leadership protecting Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON.
Maharaja should know by his actions/speech that promoting deviant misconceptions within ISKCON encourages and emboldens elements in and outside of ISKCON, disgracing Srila Prabhupada's good name. By siding with devotees on the bodily platform and who are in Maya and encouraging the women in ISKCON who wanna be gurus, who are showing their disregard for Srila Prabhupada's words and act like women's libbers. Women's libbers Promote gay rights advocates (many of whom are hand in hand) in the demonic agenda of supporting abortion rights and gay rights groups. Furthermore promoting a lifestyle of sinful life entangles Maharaja karmically. Srila Prabhupada was against any Illicit connection between a man and a woman, a man and a man or vice versa. This gross misrepresentation of HDG Srila Prabhupada's words and instructions is the path to hell. The ruination of ISKCON. It's very dangerous, sinful, and it's a deep dark place to go... straight to hell in a hand basket.
Hridayananda Maharaj has invariably promoted this agenda, and ISKCON gets humiliated by garbage websites such as ISKCON.us, which promotes him and his Krishna West. As the ISKCON.us website preaches "Homosexuaity is Spiritual", damage is being done to ISKCON, while the Maharaj sits comfortably in his opulent home, in karmi clothes, shielded by his disciples. He lives in a bubble as the world is going to hell. Like many other ISKCON leaders he avoids strong preaching on the real issues and avoids supporting Srila Prabhupada's stances on it.
Granted, for him, going back college to specialized preaching is his thing… there is room for alternate preaching. But the line must be drawn and it must be in line with Srila Prabhupada's exact instructions, not deviated into something different. Maharaj is an intellectual who was once respected as a strong preacher. Then he became a Guru, becoming too smart for his own good. He got proud and began competing with Srila Prabhupada… pretending to be a pure devotee. He even demanded the same worship and respect as Srila Prabhupada -- the disease of PDF: Profit. Adoration and Distinction -- the disease of the original self-appointed ISKCON gurus, the 11 infamous Zonal Acaryas from 1978. This is true historical fact. They began this slippery slope of compromise in ISKCON, which exits to this day. It remains unfixed,and now it's coming back to ISKCON in another way… change and deviations are normal now in ISKCON.
During the Zonal Acarya period in ISKCON, GBC/Gurus whimsically changed the mood, direction and preaching mission of Srila Prabhupada which is the Core Mission of the Society. They changed it from a preaching movement (selling Prabhupada's books, which used to support ISKCON's temples, switching instead to selling things for money. This eventually burned out devotees and contributed to the massive exit of temple devotees and the shift to dependence on Indians for financial support in the West. Thus today we have a changed, Hinduized ISKCON, and we have lost the Brahmachari/Brahmacharini Ashrams.
Hridayananda Goswami was not the only one, or even the first one to go 'off'. There was Kirtanananda Swami, Jaya Tirtha, Hansadutta, Bhagavan, etc., etc. Senior men like Tamal Krishna Goswami set the new standard for deviations in ISKCON by deliberately changing the Mission of Prabhupada's Temples in his zones, which became Hinduized. Then he sent his disciples to college, and practically closed down the Brahmachari Ashram. Other GBCs soon followed his bad example, deviatiing in all sorts of ways. Thus America's ISKCON ship was sunk. It hit Icebergs called 'Compromise' and 'Change'.
I want to see Hridayananda Goswami fight to save an ISKCON in deep trouble, sunk in Mission Drift. I want to see him step up to the plate and be a good example of following Srila Prabhupada perfectly, without seeding doubts. Sadly, however, that's not the case. Now instead of supporting Srila Prabhupada's original programs in ISKCON such as Book Distribution, the revival of Hari nams, the Bhakta Program, supporting temples by book distribution, revival of the Brahmachari/Brahmacharini Ashrams, Vedic customs and Vaisnava dress, Hridayananda promotes his Krishna West's "westernized direction". It's so unfortunate!
So this is Hridayananda Goswami's sad slide into his private illusions, and he is taking many devotees with him. As a godbrother of his I'm disappointed and disgusted with him. His support of gay relationships in ISKCON will help to destroy ISKCON. Where is his unquestionable faith and allegiance to Srila Prabhupada's statements on these issues? Hridayananada Goswami should be honorable to his title, 'Goswami' -- controller of the senses. Especially in regards to his comments insinuating Srila Prabhupada 'made mistakes' in ISKCON and the philosophy, from small to big details. If he dares to question a pure devotee like Srila Prabhupada, then it stands to reason that "What's good for the goose is good for the gander" -- we have the right to question him, a conditioned soul 'regular guru'. Anyone who questions Guru,Sadhu and Shastra should themselves be strongly questioned.
To the utter dismay of many devotees, Krishna West and Hridayananda Goswami have shown themselves to be self-indulgently forming another separate cult within ISKCON. They listen to no one -- not even Srila Prabhupada's exact detailed instructions on so many issues. Instead, they use Prabhupada's own words to twist the facts. They argue that present day ISKCON is out of touch with Western reality, comfort zones and accepted norms of Westerners. This very concept is a grave undermining of Srila Prabhupada's instructions and the philosophy. This is the dreaded Mad Elephant Offense… "I know better than Srila Prabhupada" about how to preach, how to attract Westerners, etc. This attitude is nothing less than criticizing Srila Prabhupada himself, suggesting that he made mistakes in the way he established ISKCON temples in America, implying that he didn't know how to preach to Westerners...then or now. Sadly and bluntly put, it amounts to nothing less than stabbing His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada in the back. This is being done by some of His senior disciples.
ISKCON in America, as Srila Prabhupada intended it to be, is now headed towards extinction. This is the scary truth that the GBC body refuse to acknowledge, let alone talk seriously about. Bir Krishna Goswami said:
"So if we look at the last 15 years, the temples in at least America, New Zealand and Australia have largely become influenced or catering to the Indian population, and we're not making many local people any more. And what that means long-term, we're not going to have a world-wide movement any more. It's just going to be one particular culture in the movement, whereas Prabhupada wanted United Nations of the spiritual world."
Absolutely correct… but the solutions put forward by Bir Krishna, Hridayananda and Krishna West fall short, because they compromise Vedic standards… standards that Srila Prabhupada worked so hard to establish in his ISKCON. Srila Prabhupada started the first temples and his disciples copied how he wanted ISKCON to be established. All details were given, from bathroom to kitchen, to prasadam. Srila Prabhupada said these things again and again… it's all on the record. In His last days on earth Srila Prabhupada told us, his disciples, this straightforward request again: Do not change anything in ISKCON. Do we need to be a PhD or a college professor to understand this order?
Yes, Bir Krishna Goswami got part of the problem right, but his solution is completely out of line with Srila Prabhupada's proper, exact instructions about ISKCON standards. ISKCON is NOT Liberal or Conservative… it was meant to be Vedic Culture. ISKCON was meant to be above karmi misconceptions, not trapped by the bodily platform and attachments. Still, Srila Prabhupada's order stands as he told us: not to compromise to the American/Western lifestyle. Bir Krishna says that Prabhupada allowed changes in ISKCON -- yes, but only for book distribution, when absolutely needed. His using examples of karmi clothes for the Sankirtan parties is not the same as compromising ISKCON's established standards, practices, regulations and Vedic goals for Society.
There is a myth being propagated by Bir Krishna, Hridayananda and the Krishna West supporters -- that the programs Srila Prabhupada gave us were just for the 1960's and 70's, the Hippe Era, but they're not working anymore so we must change Prabhupada's programs for making devotees in the West. I fully dispute this nonsense, with this comment:
Then WHY are we making devotees in Russia and former Soviet Block countries? Why are they following Prabhupada's standards? It works, and I see it working, as I have been here in Russia, Ukraine, etc. for a long time now. I see it differently than Krishna West… "Austerity is the wealth of the Brahmans", and it attracts quality people who become serious devotees.
What a nonsensical notion it is, that we should abandon the Bhakta Programs and toss out Srila Prabhupada's exact instructions, just because ISKCON is defunct in the West! The GBC let it go off the tracks, into a Hinduized/New Aged shadow of its former self. You don't need to change Prabhupada's instructions to fix this! You need to kick out the illegal changes and compromises in ISKCON. It won't be easy, but it's the right thing to do… the only right thing.
Srila Prabhupada's programs work! Delete making Temple Devotees!? Drop devotee clothes, tilak, food, etc., just to make karmis comfortable? It makes no sense to me.
HDG Grace Srila Prabhupada said many things about adjusting for the preaching, but the line must be drawn in the sand by the GBC body. Once and for all, and not just in reaction to the Krishna West concoction. Many such deviant programs are growing inside ISKCON now. Their forms vary, but the similarity is that they are not following Prabhupada's program, but their own program. We can see it in the programs being run by Radhanath Swami, Caru das, Hari Vilas das, and other. Temple's like Bhaktivedanta Manor have slide down into Indian preaching. New Age/Hinduized ISKCON has become the norm, despite Srila Prabhupada's firm request to his disciples not to change what he gave us.
So many temples today are either catering to the Indians or compromising for the westerners. We see this phenomenon growing in America, Canada, the UK, etc. Instead of real preaching we see entertainment style programs designed to please the audiences, not to impart the straight philosophy. Meanwhile book distribution is down, Hari Nams almost gone and Bhakta Programs are dead in the West.
Srila Prabhupada wanted the Vedic standards to be practiced by his disciples at all times, but Hridayananda and Bir Krishna are now saying otherwise. Krishna West trivializes and comes close to mocking everything Indian and Vedic in ISKCON as being "outdated". That is an undeniable contradiction of the programs, standards and practices that Srila Prabhupada established in ISKCON. They ignore the fact that Srila Prabhupada said do not change ISKCON. But it has been changed, and Krishna West can't fix one deviation with another deviation.
The fact is, neither Bir Krishna nor Hridayananda have ever seriously attempted to REVIVE Srila Prabhupada's original ISKCON. Instead they question devotee dress, even Indian Prasadam and customs of hygiene, preaching, etc. Srila Prabhupada proudly spoke of his American disciples who wore tilak and dhotis, which Bir Krishna now calls bedsheets that look like 'diapers'. Apparently he has now concluded that Srila Prabhupada made mistakes.
Moreover, the way Bir Krishna Goswami and Hridayananda Goswami dismiss anyone who finds mistakes within Krishna West harkens back totally to the Zonal Acarya mood, which very nearly killed ISKCON. We don't see these two or other New Age/Hinduized GBC/Gurus attempting the heroic thing -- to be faithful to Srila Prabhupada's original ISKCON programs and standards. They fail to see their grave mistake in not coming forward as senior men should to do the needful: to re-boot programs Srila Prabhupada established that are proven to work, and to support Srila Prabhupada's Original Formula for preaching in the West. Neither of these swamis have stood up to the GBC body that has allowed compromised New Aged, Hinduized salaried devotees in ISKCON. Instead they give us Krishna West.... Unfortunate is not the word… it's a disaster, and a loss of faith in Srila Prabhupada. And because of it, we shall see many more deviations coming into ISKCON in the years ahead.
ISKCON is in trouble in the West due to a lack of faith in Srila Prabhupada, and compromises made to his original programs. As recently said by a godbrother, when the Spiritual Master says a rope is a snake, it's a snake.
ISKCON now needs strong preaching, strong leaders -- not more compromise. Look what His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada said in India! "The Blind leading the blind"…
Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 3, 1973:
"Just like nowadays people are being taught drink wine, eat meat, and do whatever you like. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthāḥ [Bg. 14.18]. So they will go down, animal life. So they have no knowledge. And the leaders, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ [SB 7.5.31]. The leaders are blind and they are leading other blind men. So it is a very dangerous civilization. In spite of being born in India, in spite of having the privilege of studyingBhagavad-gītā, they are not taking advantage of it, and they are being misled like cats and dogs. Very regrettable condition."
You don't change, then you become guru.
The following is an excerpt from Srila Prabhupada's lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam 3.25.13, November 13, 1974, Bombay:
"There is a paramparā system, as it is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, Fourth Chapter: evaṁparamparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ [Bg. 4.2]. So our business, Kṛṣṇa conscious people, our business is very easy. Because we don't manufacture ideas. We take the idea and the words delivered by the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa, or His incarnation, or His representative. His representative does not say anything which the master does not say. Representative is very easy. You can become representative of Kṛṣṇa if you do not interpret Kṛṣṇa's words in your whimsical way. Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: [Bg. 7.7] "There is no more superior authority than Me." And if you take it as it is, and if you speak to the people that "There is no more superior authority than Kṛṣṇa," then you become guru. You become guru. You don'tchange. Then you become guru. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has instructed this. Āmāra ājñāya guruhañā tāra' ei deśa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. His, He was preaching. So He was preaching everyone, from country to country. Of course, He did not go outside India. Within India. And He was instructing that "You learn from Me and teach your people within this village, within this country." Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Ei deśa means "this country, or this place where you are living." Then? Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā. You become guru. So one may think that "I am illiterate. I have no education. I am not born in very high family. How I can become guru?" So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "It is not very difficult." Yāre dekha tārekaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Bas. You become guru. You simply speak whateverKṛṣṇa speaks. Then you become guru.
So anyone who does not speak what Kṛṣṇa has spoken, he's not guru. He's a rascal. He cannot be guru. He is guru who speaks only what Kṛṣṇa has spoken. This is the shastric injunction.
ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro
mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ
avaiṣṇavo gurur na syād
vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-paco guruḥ
This is the definition of guru, that one brāhmaṇa, born in brāhmaṇa family and very educated,mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ, very expert in reciting Vedic mantras... That is the duty of brāhmaṇa,veda-mantra. So mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ. But avaiṣṇava, if he's not Vaiṣṇava, or if he's notfollower of the instruction of Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa, avaiṣṇavo gurur na syāt, he cannot become guru. And vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-pacaḥ. Śva-pacaḥ means the dog-eater. That is considered the lowest of the mankind, dog-eaters, means caṇḍāla, bhaṅgis. He becomes gu..., he can become guru. How? If he's Vaiṣṇava, he is devotee of Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa. So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu... That is His mission.
yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa
āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa
[Cc. Madhya 7.128]
So if we simply take the words of Bhagavān and preach, then it is very easy for us to become, each and every one, to become guru. Not to exploit. No. But to give knowledge. And what is that knowledge? What Kṛṣṇa has spoken.
That's all. "So even one is not very learned scholar, Sanskrit scholar, everyone has got this ear. He can hear from Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's representative and assimilate what is spoken by Kṛṣṇa, and he can repeat the same. Then he becomes guru."------- That is the mission of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. ---------He said,
To become guru means para-upakāra. People are in the darkness, so they have to be enlightened. That is the Vedic injunction. Uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata. Now, people, from animal kingdom we are getting this human body. So up to animal body we are sleeping, kotanidrā jāo māyā-piśācīra kole, in the lap of this material nature. Now this human form of body is meant for getting out. So the mission is to awaken people to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. To awaken people to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Jīv jāgo jīv jāgo…"
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
Radhanath Swami's Journey "Home Alone" (the sequel)
Hospitals and charity work in ISKCON... writing books about (who else) himself… Is this what Srila Prabhupada wanted in ISKCON? Is there a doctor in the house? Should there be? The blind are leading the blind!
Here Radhanath Swami is again, on YouTube, pushing all the buttons of sentimentalism for popular support. (But where does he justify his actions publicly in accordance with Srila Prabhupada's instructions?)
Seeing God and Helping the Blind - by Radhanath Swami
"Radhanath Swami offers heartfelt observations about the "eye camps" he organizes in the holy land of Varsana, India, where the impoverished are treated for various eye diseases. Doctors from all over the world who provide this service free of charge, amazingly, consider their acts as their own humble efforts to "see" God."
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada speaks out on hospitals, schools and mundane charity:
"We are doing this, opening hospital and school, and philanthropism, nationalism." Is there any such thing in the Bhagavad-gītā? Is there any advice that "you open hospital, school and do this Philanthropic work (in Gita)? No." (Srila Prabhupada Lecture on BG 2.2 -- London, August 3, 1973)
Lecture on Bhagavad-Gita 2.2 -- London August 3,1973:
"Therefore the so-called good men of this world, who are engaged in so many welfare activities, humanitarian activities, by mental concoction, they may be all foolish activities in the estimation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are very much puffed up, that "We are doing this, opening hospital and school, and philanthropism, nationalism." Is there any such thing in theBhagavad-gītā? Is there any advice that "You open hospital, school and do this philanthropic work"? No. If you have got anything to give in charity, you are charitably disposed, Kṛṣṇa says, "Give it to Me. If you are so rich and if you have got this good intention to give in charity, give it to Me."Yat karoṣi yaj juhosi yad aśnāsi yat tapasyasi dadāsi yat [Bg. 9.27]. Dadāsi yat means "whatever you give in charity." Kuruṣva tad mad-arpanam: "Give it to Me. Yes, I am expanding My hand. Come on." But they have forgotten Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's advice, and they remain puffed up, that "I am engaged in this activity, that activity, this activity." Thousands of millions of such activities may be very good in the estimations of the fools and rascals, but it may not be accepted by Kṛṣṇa. That is the crucial point. But our point is that unless accepted by Kṛṣṇa, it is simply śrama eva hi kevalam [SB1.2.8], simply waste of time. Our philosophy says. We have to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. We haven't got to satisfy ourself that "I am doing very nice work in this way." So all these people, they are manufacturing concocted ideas. Mano-rathena asato dhavato bahiḥ. By mental concoction. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā mano-rathena āsato dhāvato bahiḥ [SB 5.18.12]. One who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, not devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he has no good qualification. "No, he's a very big man. He has opened such big, big hospitals, big, big schools, big, big, big..." Yes, that may be good from the material estimation, but because he's not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, these are not good qualifications.Harāv a... This one word: Harāv abhaktasya, harāv abhaktasya. If one has no devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he cannot have any good qualities. These are not good qualities. Actually that is so. Suppose if you, the... According to karma-kāṇḍa vicāra, if you open a school, so in the next time, you will have good education. It is pious activities from material point of view. So the benefit will be that you will have good education in your next life. Accepting that it is very nice, next life I shall be very learned scholar, but to become that learned scholar I'll have to take my birth. But he does not know that how much difficulties are there to take birth. Kṛṣṇa says, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānu-darśanam [Bg. 13.9]. One should see to the duḥkha, unhappiness, on account of birth and death. So suppose you will get next life in the heavenly planet, or you shall become very rich man, or you shall become very learned man, but you have to go through these distresses, janma. They do not consider this. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānu-dar...Those who are actually learned, they, they should know that "Why shall I go again in the process of birth and death?" We have forgotten how much difficulty it is, how much troublesome it is, how much distress it is to remain in the womb of the mother for taking birth again. That we have forgotten. Therefore this kind of conclusion is not very intelligent conclusion. The intelligent conclusion is: tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. That is intelligent. After giving up this body, no more coming to material world. That is intelligence…"
Lecture on Bhagavad-gita -- London, August 3,1973:
"We are doing this, opening hospital and school, and philanthropism, nationalism." Is there any such thing in the Bhagavad-gītā? Is there any advice that "You open hospital, school and do this philanthropic work" ? ..... No..."
Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam 7.9.19 -- Mayapur, February 26, 1976:
"You have opened hospitals ,you are very much proud" [ ]
"They are simply proud of increasing hospital"....but why don't you stop disease ? You take shelter of KRSNA…" [ ]
"So they do not see to this, that in spite of our so much advancement of civilization, hospitals and other relief measures, why still people are suffering? You are increasing hospital or beds of hospital. You are very much proud that "We have opened hospitals." That... What does it mean? That means people have become diseased. You have opened hospitals, you are very much proud, but what is the other side? Other side: that people have increased their diseased condition. That they do not see. They are simply proud of increasing hospital. Why there should be hospital? Why not stop disease? That is scientific advancement. Stop disease, and there will be no need of opening hospital. Kṛṣṇa therefore presents in the Bhagavad-gītā that "You rascal, you see. Real problem is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi [Bg. 13.9]." You can invent very nice, up-to-date, modernized medicine, but why don'tyou stop disease? That you cannot do. That is not possible. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. You are taking so many measures to stop untimely death. Just like in your country there are beaches and so many warning, "Don't come here." And there is guard seeing if anyone is dying, so... But you cannot stop death. That is not possible. You may take measure, so many. You cannot stop death. Children, somebody says, the parents do not take care, but even the parents take care, is it guaranteed that the children will not die? There are many rich men, they are taking care of their children. Rich men, they are taking care of the diseased person, good physician, good medicine. Why the diseased person is dying? Why the children suffering? So, these are to be observed. Why these things happen? That means the ultimate control is in the hand of Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa sanctions, then everything will be possible. So why not take shelter of Kṛṣṇa? This is the idea. You take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, and if Kṛṣṇa likes, He will give you all protection. And He promises that "I'll give protection."
Another warning from Srila Prabhupada about opening hospitals:
Srimad Bhagavatam 6.3.45:
TEXT 46
nātaḥ paraṁ karma-nibandha-kṛntanaṁ
mumukṣatāṁ tīrtha-padānukīrtanāt
na yat punaḥ karmasu sajjate mano
rajas-tamobhyāṁ kalilaṁ tato 'nyathā
SYNONYMS
na—not; ataḥ—therefore; param—better means; karma-nibandha—the obligation to suffer or undergo tribulations as a result of fruitive activities; kṛntanam—that which can completely cut off; mumukṣatām—of persons desiring to get out of the clutches of material bondage; tīrtha-pada—about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, at whose feet all the holy places stand; anukīrtanāt—than constantly chanting under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master; na—not; yat—because;punaḥ—again; karmasu—in fruitive activities; sajjate—becomes attached; manaḥ—the mind; rajaḥ-tamobhyām—by the modes of passion and ignorance; kalilam—contaminated; tataḥ—thereafter; anyathā—by any other means.
TRANSLATION
Therefore one who desires freedom from material bondage should adopt the process of chanting and glorifying the name, fame, form and pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, at whose feet all the holy places stand. One cannot derive the proper benefit from other methods, such as pious atonement, speculative knowledge and meditation in mystic yoga, because even after following such methods one takes to fruitive activities again, unable to control his mind, which is contaminated by the base qualities of nature, namely passion and ignorance.
PURPORT
It has actually been seen that even after achieving so-called perfection, many karmīs, jñānīs and yogīs become attached to material activities again. Many so-called svāmīs and yogīs give up material activities as false (jagan mithyā), but after some time they nevertheless resume material activities by opening hospitals and schools or performing other activities for the benefit of the public. Sometimes they participate in politics, although still falsely declaring themselves sannyāsīs,members of the renounced order. The perfect conclusion, however, is that if one actually desires to get out of the material world, he must take to devotional service, which begins with śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ: [SB 7.5.23] chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has actually proved this. In the Western countries, many young boys who were addicted to drugs and who had many other bad habits, which they could not give up, abandoned all those propensities and very seriously engaged in chanting the glories of the Lord as soon as they joined the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. In other words, this process is the perfect method of atonement for actions performed in rajaḥ and tamaḥ (passion and ignorance). As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.19):
tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ
kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye
ceta etair anāviddhaṁ
sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati
As a result of rajaḥ and tamaḥ, one becomes increasingly lusty and greedy, but when one takes to the process of chanting and hearing, one comes to the platform of goodness and becomes happy. As he advances in devotional service, all his doubts are completely eradicated (bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ). Thus the knot of his desire for fruitive activities is cut to pieces."
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
So this compromising in ISKCON is going on by Radhanath Swami and others, unabated in ISKCON now. What this means for the future of ISKCON is not very promising, indeed it's alarming. Just as our Srila Prabhupada's Gaudiya Math and his godbrothers deviated from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta's instructions after he left the planet, similarly ISKCON GBC, leaders and Gurus have let this compromised preaching into ISKCON. the end result will not be auspicious for the world.
This downward trend going on in ISKCON must be reversed and put to an end, for the sake of us all.
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust