Collect Money and Give It to the Leaders?
BY: PAYONIDHI DASA
Sep 8, MARYLAND (SUN) — This is the number one doubt a karmi has when he sees a devotee, selling books. Over many years of good faith and trusting devotees, I many times wonder about the same. During Srila Prabhupada's time was it common for a Temple President, GBC or sannyasi to have bank accounts? I think not.
How about a sannyasi having his own bank accounts and money, lending money to disciples, or investing in the stock exchange? How far away have we come from Srila Prabhupada's standard? There ought to be open records on how much each leader receives in ISKCON, how much salary they get, how much gift shop money they can keep, or whatever.
How about renting part of ISKCON property out for bingo halls, etc.? How much allowance or payment does each BBT trustee receive, how do they spend it, this ought to be public record for regular devotees to see. How about Guru daksinas, they are private property? Why are salary systems allowed in some temples? There are so many questions like that to be answered.
Why again are there devotees that have never been to Sri Vrindavan dham or Mayapura, though they have served in ISKCON for many years. If we simply took the leaders' accounts and closed them, that would pay for every single devotee in 3rd world countries also to see Sri Vrindavan. Well yes, keep dreaming.... However, this greed for money within ISKCON has to be stopped. Like Harikesa, who left with a million dollars. WHY?
Srila Prabhupada wrote: a famous Vyasa puja offering in 1961 entitled Vaisistyastakam. One of the ways he addressed his godbrothers was:
28. That Kali-yuga's mission was killing the whole world
And Lord Caitanya's message is locked in a cage.
29. Oh shame! Brother, aren't you at all embarrassed
Behaving like businessmen to increase your followers?
30. Our master has said to preach;
Let the neophytes go in the temples to do nothing but ring bells.
Fourth Vaisistya
31. All these are not our master's preaching methods;
These are the things done by the caste goswamis.
32. But just take a look at the miserable condition that's arisen:
Everyone has become a sense enjoyer and has abandoned preaching.
33. Now the temple doors also are starting to be locked.
Go and preach this Bhagavata-dharma; don't delay any longer
39. You have become renouncers, my brothers, so renounce everything. But if you renounce the instruction of the spiritual master, what kind of renunciation is that?
51. That a Vaisnava winning votes will be the president of the land,
And everywhere this preaching will be extended?
52. The demons loot and plunder the Lord's wealth,
While the hapless populace cries, "Alas, alas!"
53. The demons make their plans to cheat the common people,
Selling whole-wheat flower at 32 rupees a mound.
54. Opening so many factories, will they fill the people's bellies?
Out of hunger, the people will be forced to eat grass and mango pits.
55. A two-paisa thread tied around his neck and a man says he is a brahmana.
Just wearing saffron cloth, and a man calls himself a sannyasi.
56. The householders beg from the sannyasis, and the sannyasis
Have crores of rupees in the bank.
57. Every day the influence of Kali-yuga increases,
And the poor souls, being oppressed by the age of Kali, cry in agony.
58. Every day ten thousand cows are slaughtered,
And the expert leaders eat untouchable foodstuffs.
59. Men of mudlike intelligence increase day by day,
And a husband and wife can dissolve their relationship simply by a word.
60. Everyone has become a witch by the influence of the age.
Everyone is unhappy due to the absence of the devotees' mercy.
Srila Prabhupada's order is clear -- go and preach, do Harinama, book distribution and prasadam distribution, the 3 weapons against maya
29. Oh shame! Brother, aren't you at all embarrassed
Behaving like businessmen to increase your followers?
30. Our master has said to preach;
Let the neophytes go in the temples to do nothing but ring bells.
Fourth Vaisistya
31. All these are not our master's preaching methods;
These are the things done by the caste goswamis.
32. But just take a look at the miserable condition that's arisen:
Everyone has become a sense enjoyer and has abandoned preaching.
33. Now the temple doors also are starting to be locked.
Go and preach this Bhagavata-dharma; don't delay any longer.
One of the symptoms of Kali Yuga is the wealthy sanyasis, as Srila Prabhupada describes in verse 56. Why gold watches? Because Kali got blessed to stay where there is gold. How can a sannyasi thus carry a gold watch unless he is an agent of Kali?
Some devotees have this whole idea about varnashrama. Srila Prabhupada writes:
8. Lord Caitanya's teachings are beyond varnasrama-dharma.
They are Bhagavata-dharma and destroy all cheating processes of religion.
61. The Vaisnavas are famous for being sympathetic towards others' suffering,
And that fame will be increased by mature preaching.
62. If eternally pure devotional service to Krishna is awakened in every one,
Kali will flee of his own accord, crying "Ha! Ha!"
63. Mahaprabhu's message is praninam upakaraya
Act for the welfare of others. This is the storehouse of happiness both now and after death.
64. So much work has fallen into your hands:
Everyone should join together and do something about it.
65. Vasudeva-vipra paid his obeisances to the Lord and said,
"Please deliver all the living beings."
66. "Give all their sins to me, who am most fallen,
And relinquish all the suffering of the unhappy souls."
67. He was the best Vaisnava, para-duhkha-dukhi,
He found no happiness in gratifying his senses.
68. What kind of compassion can the non-devotee show?
He simply commits offences with his daridra-narayana philosophy.
69. The Vaisnava's mercy is scientific. Without the mercy of the Vaisnava,
The world is simply insurmountable Maya.
70. If there were a kingdom of Visnu and Vaisnavas on earth,
Then everyone would be happy, say the saintly persons and sages.
This was Srila Prabhupada's vision and here some are trying to grasp temporary positions for wealth and sense gratification. Let's follow in the brave lotus footsteps of Vritasura, who gave up everything to surrender to Lord Visnu.
Let's follow the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada, and give up all cheating religion
Your servant
Payonidhi das
