Slowly Slipping into the Trend of Impersonalism

BY: MAYESVARA DASA (ACBSP)

Aug 20, 2012 — OJAI, CALIFORNIA, USA (SUN) — The recent Sun editorial by Caritra-varnana dasa, "'Spiritual Slut" and Company: A Corrupting Influence", is an excellent article which draws our attention to the alarming way our own ISKCON is slowly slipping into the trend of impersonalism. I have often wondered why some of our senior men seem to endorse the teaching of those who are clearly envious of Krishna yet shamelessly earn their living and social adoration by playing the role of Bhakti.

It is easy to hear what Krishna Dasa "preaches" to his audiences because he has made a few CD's where he capitalizes on his musical reputation to promote his so-called spiritual instructions. They are extremely repugnant for any Vaishava to hear because they are geared towards fueling the individuals' pursuit of whatever they "feel" is pious, regardless of how heinous, selfish, or fallen into the mode if ignorance it actually is!

At first Krishna Dasa "appears" to be so devotional simply because of his musical talent and choice of venue but make no mistake about him, he is the most noisome of atheists because he has NO respect for Vedic Siddhanta, and instead promotes his own loosy-goosey form of feel good sentimental spiritual orgasm.

Neither did I realize that Ram Dasa was shameless about his pursuit of gay-porn , but that is less alarming then the fact that he still poses as a spiritual leader for those too poorly educated to realize that he is intoxicated with his own fame. Again, he too builds an empire unto himself by riding on the wave of Sri Krishna's fame, although he has had 40 years to take Krishna's instructions in the Bhagavad Gita seriously yet still hasn't been able to do so, i.e., "Just surrender unto me!"

I deal with the fallout these rascals have promoted every day in Ojai. The disciples of these so-called gurus -- especially Sri Sri Ravi Shankar -- are some of the most odious and proud individuals I have ever met. They are so enamored by their own false concepts of what spiritual life is that it is nearly impossible to communicate with them without kowtowing to their absurd impersonal conclusions. They want us to indulge in all their fantasies, yet as soon as we attempt to bring them closer to Krishna Katah they become very offensive and belligerent. This is due to the extremely devastating potency of mayavadi indoctrination. They are spiritually doomed... according to Lord Caitanya. So there is absolutely NO reason to pal it up with these serpents who are indeed at the core of everything which is wrong and horrible in Kali Yuga. Better to appeal to the innocent, not the puppeteers of deception.

I don't know Caritra-varnana dasa, but I fall at his feet with tremendous respect for his ability to put together an expose like the one linked above. I also think he is absolutely correct to raise the flag of alarm regarding the way disciples of Srila Prabhupada are freely associating with these very nonsense individuals whom He personally came to expose as spiritual frauds. Bravo Caritra-varnana dasa! Please continue with these types of editorials because it really is the most important work that lies at the core of Srila Prabhupada's mission! In fact, I hope more devotees will start contributing this type of material to the various news media outlets. This is our real work... not lowering ourselves to the charade of charlatan spirituals for photo journalistic opportunities. One of the tell-tale symptoms of a Mayavadi is they LOVE to see their own photo in the news media... because they are so anxious to attract glorification of themselves from others. The advanced Vaishnava is really only interested in publishing photos of Krishna and His associates, more than his own short-lived, temporary, materially conditioned body.

In this regard I stand in full support of Caritra-varnana dasa's suggestion made in the conclusion of his paper, and hope the GBC immediately adopts this policy at next year's meeting:

    "It is surprising that ISKCON's GBC has not implemented any regulations or guidelines that would require ISKCON leaders to seek approval from the GBC before collaborating and/or appearing in the public with leaders of other spiritual and religious movements, whether bona fide or otherwise. Even material corporations require their brand ambassadors and executive members to seek permission to collaborate with other entities or personalities (for the obvious reason that their collaborations may not be in the best interest of the organization that they represent). It is sad that the GBC has no provision for monitoring, investigating, or restricting/approving collaborations of ISKCON leaders with the leaders of other quasi- or pseudo-spiritual movements."

Even big commercial companies like Coke or Nike, etc. have been known to immediately drop celebrity endorsements as soon as they do something contrary to the corporate image they wish to portray to the public. This is also true with politicians, who must also be very careful about appearing to promote things contrary to the party they represent. How then can the disciples of Srila Prabhupada remain so indifferent about making guest appearances at impersonal venues where we know bogus "teachers" will be promoting the very "niversasa sunyavadi" that Srila Prabhupada came to deliver the Western world from? It is simply unconscionable.

It is my understanding that Srila Prabhupada would be horrified to find out that any of his disciples would even tacitly endorse any of these pseudo-spiritualists by sharing photo opportunities for publicity purposes. It is even more horrendous to realize they are sharing a stage with them at the cost of promoting their mendacious sophistry with hardly a word mentioned about the true nature of Bhakti yoga and the modes of nature, and the three aspects of Godhead etc!

It is my understanding that once in San Francisco, I believe it was at Berkeley University, the devotees attempted to get more people to come hear Srila Prabhupada speak by booking Indian musicians to attract a large audience for the "first act." When Srila Prabhupada heard about this ploy he stopped it immediately by saying he would prefer to speak to a small group of interested individuals then a large group of music aficionados. He made it clear that our mission was to teach Krishna Consciousness and not just promote cultural events related to India, what to speak of sahajiyas who are dressing like sadhus while acting like Ravanas!

Chanting Hare Krishna is to glorify Krishna, not to please our sense of music or self-aggrandizing desire for fame or public recognition. These types of self-serving egocentric seeds of mundane material desires are actually the antipathy of everything a devotee has to offer to the fallen conditioned soul.

"Spiritual Slut" and Company: A Corrupting Influence


Hoping this meets you in good health and enthusiastic service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead!

Thank you!
Yours in the service of Lord Jagannatha!

Mayesvara dasa ACBSP
AKA: William G. Roberts MBA/MIS, CCP

American Vedic Association
687 West Villanova Road
Ojai, California 93023
md @ jagannatha.com
william.roberts @ navy.mil


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