Jan 26, 2014 — MOSCOW, RUSSIA (SUN) — Once again, shooting the messengers on ISKCON's Mission Drift -- My reply regarding USA Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard.
I'm glad I finally got somebody's attention on this touchy issue. ISKCON has become so wishy-washy and so off the original course set by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, it's shocking. I am directly responding here to Isvara das prabhu's cheap attack on my article, which is denouncing Tulsi Gabbard's true support of abortions (and he conveniently left out the gay marriage issue).
Let me be perfectly clear. I am MORE shocked at ISKCON News going off the rails than at any politician who speaks from BOTH sides of their mouth and lies for support. It's so typical in Kali Yuga. But soft-peddling Krishna Consciousness helps no one.
Tulsi Gabbard does the Obama thing… say one thing, but in reality practice another thing in her office as Congresswoman. That's Kali Yuga Politics. This, Isvara prabhu, is plainly NOT what I respect as a Prabhupada disciple.
Instead of supporting our Srila Prabhupada, Isvara dasa supports a Hindu, outside devotee (from some other math) who speaks not on Srila Prabhupada's behalf at all. Of course her promoting Srila Prabhupada's Bhagavad-gita is good news, but as she does not practice what she preaches as a leader and politician, it's all for nothing. Tulsi Gabbard is the typical modern day politician: she says one thing to devotees and sings another song to voters. It's two-faced, not Vedic.
The information on Tulsi Gabbard's solid support for abortion is public and evident on the Internet. She won't take a stand against it or gay marriage. Isvara dasa speculates on what Srila Prabhupada would say on her. I say, IF he knew her stand on these issues, would he allow ISKCON News to promote her? It's very questionable.
Isvara dasa shows us a letter Tulsi Gabbard wrote to a devotee (Paramananda das) saying she would not have an abortion. But as we plainly see, she would let the people she represents have abortions. It's up to them and their church, and she/the government should not interfere. Wait a minute… that's NOT Vedic and not following Srila Prabhupada's instructions or Srimad Bhagavatam. Rather, it's pure Kali Yuga.
So that's the way politicians talk… I'm sure Tulsi Gabbard is sincere praising the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, but it's spoiled by her politics and policies. I'm sure she is some type of Krishna devotee. I'm also sure by the Laws of Karma that she is libel for the sins of her constituents… it's a karmic law that leaders will suffer for the sins of the people they rule... it's not negotiable. Isvara dasa, is that what you want for Tulsi Gabbard… re-births again and again for allowing sins in her domain of rule? Where is your KC head at, prabhu?
Personally, I do not trust politicians and neither did HDG Srila Prabhupada encourage us to promote any of them in his strict instructions to us. But hey, who cares what Srila Prabhupada said on any given issue in today's ISKCON anymore.
Then Isvara has the nerve to attack HH Bhakti Vikasa Swami, one of the few honest senior godbrothers who speaks out on the behalf of Srila Prabhupada. Maharaja gets consistently attacked for merely preaching exactly what Srila Prabhupada has told us, his disciples, as the Vedic truth. HH Bhakti Vikasa Swami is genuinely losing sleep over the massive deviations in ISKCON. I know he is dedicated to saving a compromised ISKCON. Are you, Isvara prabhu? Have you ever lost sleep at night worrying about the future of ISKCON and the present compromised mess it's in, in the West? Do you have any compassion for the lost devotees in ISKCON?
Have you witnessed godbrothers committing suicide as a result of being neglected? Or watched your godbrothers push Srila Prabhupada to the back burner? Have you ever talked to crying godsisters and unhappy broken godbrothers who are neglected and abandoned by the GBC and devotees? I have, and it's a real concern of mine (and others). Do you have a conscience at all about the suffering of so many devotees who have been ignored and abandoned in ISKCON? Answer this, Isvara prabhu. You mock my articles, OK... but the fact remains that Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON is compromised all over the world and people are suffering because if it.
Answer me this also: why have USA Indians (Hindus) seen this contradiction of Tulsi Gabbard's and publicly disassociated themselves from her claim to be a Vaisnava? Yet, ISKCON News uses her to promote ISKCON.
I have nothing personal against Tulsi Gabbard. She is a politician, probably a nice person. But as a politician she can say any damned thing. But I am shocked and frustrated at seeing yet another compromise in ISKCON, and just how low ISKCON News will sink for PR. As long as devotees support this watering down of ISKCON it will only get worse and worse. So, Isvara prabhu, is this "ranting"? Then so be it -- I'm ranting for Srila Prabhupada and his standards. Who are you ranting for, prabhu? Tulsi Gabbard, or the next ISKCON News hyped hero personality ?
Lets read and hear exactly what HDG Srila Prabhupada says on abortions (one of many statements in his books, lectures, conversations), then tell me all is OK with politicians who practice Krsna Consciousness and support abortions.
For Congresswoman Gabbard, I wish her all the best, and that Lord Krsna will bless her with the Transcendental Wisdom to preach on behalf of Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acarya of ISKCON and writer of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and Lord Sri Krsna, without compromise. Please also see the Srimad Bhagavatam quote below on politicians.
From Srimad Bhagavatam 6.16.14 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada on abortions (by women):
TEXT 14
bāla-ghnyo vrīḍitās tatra
bāla-hatyā-hata-prabhāḥ
bāla-hatyā-vrataṁ cerur
brāhmaṇair yan nirūpitam
yamunāyāṁ mahārāja
smarantyo dvija-bhāṣitam
SYNONYMS
bāla-ghnyaḥ—the killers of the child; vrīḍitāḥ—being very much ashamed; tatra—there;bāla-hatyā—because of killing the child; hata—having lost; prabhāḥ—all bodily luster;bāla-hatyā-vratam—the atonement fur killing the child; ceruḥ—executed; brāhmaṇaiḥ—by the priests; yat—which; nirūpitam—described; yamunāyām—at the River Yamunā; mahā-rāja—O King Parīkṣit; smarantyaḥ—remembering; dvija-bhāṣitam—the statement given by thebrāhmaṇa.
TRANSLATION
Queen Kṛtyadyuti's co-wives, who had poisoned the child, were very much ashamed, and they lost all their bodily luster. While lamenting, O King, they remembered the instructions of Aṅgirā and gave up their ambition to bear children. Following the directions of the brāhmaṇas, they went to the bank of the Yamunā, where they bathed and atoned for their sinful activities.
PURPORT
"In this verse the word bāla-hatyā-hata-prabhāḥ is to be particularly noted. The practice of killing children has existed in human society for a long time—since time immemorial—but in the days of yore it was very rarely performed. At the present moment, however, in this age of Kali, abortion—killing of the child within the womb—has become very common, and sometimes a child is even killed after birth. If a woman performs such an abominable act, she gradually loses all her bodily luster (bāla-hatyā-hata-prabhāḥ). It is also to be noted that the ladies who had committed the sinful act of administering poison to the child were very much ashamed, and according to the directions of the brāhmaṇas, they had to undergo atonement for killing the child. Any woman who has ever performed such an infamously sinful act must atone for it, but no one now is doing that. Under the circumstances, the women responsible must suffer in this life and the next. Those who are sincere souls, after hearing this incident, should refrain from such child-killing and should atone for their sinful activities by taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness very seriously. If one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra without offenses, all of one's sinful actions are surely atoned for immediately, but one should not commit such deeds again, for that is an offense."
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
And hear this lecture by Srila Prabhupada from May 26, 1972 in Los Angeles (edited for length):
Prabhupāda: "Where are the books? The small books. Where is the problem? Have you got (?) Come on.
Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya (etc., leads chanting of verse:)
rājya-kāmo manūn devān
nirṛtiṁ tv abhicaran yajet
kāma-kāmo yajet somam
akāmaḥ puruṣaṁ param
[SB 2.3.9]
Translation: "One who desires domination over a kingdom or an empire should worship the Manus. One who desires victory over an enemy should worship the demons, and one who desires sense gratification should worship the moon. But one who desires nothing of material enjoyment should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
Prabhupāda: This is significant. Those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious, they have no material desires. Finished. Brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. Upaśama, upaśama means completely finished, don't want. They can worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Otherwise, without being akāma... Akāma means no material desires. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam [Brs. 1.1.11], completely. If we have got least desire for material enjoyment, Kṛṣṇa will give us chance again to accept a body which will satisfy the senses. Deha-yogena dehinām. For our sense gratification, a particular type of body is offered. By the order of Kṛṣṇa, through the agency of material nature. Just like father gives the seed, and the mother gives the body, similarly, Kṛṣṇa, the supreme father, He is the giver of the seed, living entity, and according to the living entity's desire, the material nature gives the body. Therefore material nature is mother, and Kṛṣṇa is the supreme father.
...........................................................................
That will save you from this business of rotating from one sort of body to another sort of body. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva [Cc.Madhya 19.151]. To come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not very easy thing. It is by the grace ofguru. Guru-kṛṣṇa. And grace of Kṛṣṇa. Combined together. One who sincerely wants to stop this business of repeated birth and death... But they do not understand that this is a suffering. They say, "Ah, let it happen." When they forget what is the suffering of birth. Birth, as I have many times explained... Nowadays, it is so much suffering that a child is born within the womb, and there is abortion, killed. "Kill him." But they do not understand the suffering, that one chance given that it will get a body and come out and maybe able to come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that opportunity... he's being killed within the womb. But these rascals, they do not know what is the suffering. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi [Bg. 13.9].
Kṛṣṇa says the sufferings of birth... They do not understand, such fools, that what is the suffering of birth. Even if you are not killed, you have to remain compact in a vat, airtight. And the worms, they are biting. So many things. Suffocated. That is one thing. But if he can live at least for ten months, the mother does not kill, abortion, then it has got a chance to come out. Otherwise, there is no chance to come out ever. He dies within the womb, again transferred to another womb, and again it is killed. So those who are too much sinful, those who are causing these abortions, they will get this sort of life. They will never see light. One womb, killed; another womb, killed; another womb, killed; another womb, killed. This is so sinful, this abortion. And the modern civilization and the priestly order, they are passing: "If the mother selects... otherwise, there is no objection, abortion." Such foolish world is going on. You see? There are so many subtle laws of nature.
They do not know anything. And they are claiming to be educated scientist and Vedantists philosopher. All nonsense. All nonsense. Therefore it is said, akāmaḥ puruṣaṁ param. Give up your kāma, lusty desires, or any material desires, and surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Then that is life successful. Otherwise, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate [Bg. 8.19]. Take once birth... These are all desires. And the so big list. "If you want this, then you can worship this." Why it is recommended that you worship these demigods? Because if one goes for fulfilling the desire to a demigod, there is connection of Viṣṇu. Because any yajña you perform, demigod, there must be Viṣṇu first. Themantra says that "With the sanction of Viṣṇu's order, you get this facility." So by worshiping the demigod, if he's sensible man, one day he will come to know that "Above the demigods there isViṣṇu. So why I am worshiping this demigods? Why not Viṣṇu?" Suppose if I get some facility from somebody, and if I see that this man is taking sanction from another superior man.
So my intelligence should be, "Why not go direct to the superior man? Why I am flattering this man?" That is sense. So therefore demigod worship is recommended in Vedas, that one day he may come to his intelligence that "Why demigod? Why not God, personally, directly?" Therefore, it is not that it is encouragement, it is encouragement(?). Just like, you know amongst the Hindus, the flesh-eaters, they're recommended that "If you want to eat meat, then you sacrifice one goat before the goddess Kālī." And Goddess Kālī is worshiped once in a month, on the dark moon day, at night. And there are mantras. The mantras say that... Within the ear of the animal it is said that, "You are sacrificing your life before the deity; so next life, immediately, you get a human form of life. And when you get a human form of life, you'll have the right to kill this man also." This is the mantra. Now, if you are a sane man, understand that "I am killing this goat at the risk of my life in next birth.
So why I am going to take such responsibility? Better stop it." So, it is for discouraging. If I say directly, "Don't eat meat, " he'll protest, "Why shall I not? It is our food. I must eat." Therefore, instead of directly prohibiting, the śāstra says, "Yes, yes, you can eat. But by sacrificing it before Goddess Kālī." That means condition, restriction.
Similarly, marriage. Marriage—what is the meaning of marriage? Everyone can have sex without marriage. So what it means, marriage? Marriage means restriction. That's all. That you have sex, but a particular selected woman, man. That's... No more. That's all. That is marriage. So all the Vedic rules are there... Śāstra says: loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā hi jantor nahi tatra codanā. Why this demigod worship, marriage, these are prescribed? They are prescribed to stop it, not to encourage it. But the foolish persons, they say, "Well, it is in theśāstra. Why shall I not do?" Therefore Lord Buddha, when he appeared, he wanted to stop this animal killing, but because these rascals will show the evidence that "Here is sanctioned by theVedas to kill an animal before Goddess Kālī. Why you stop?" Therefore he said, "I don't care for your Vedas." Because his only idea was to stop this animal killing. Ahiṁsā.
So we should know, whenever there is sanction in the śāstra for meat-eating, for sex intercourse, or for drinking, it is not for encouraging; it is for prohibiting, restricting. So the next question should (be), "Why it is restricted?" Restricted means so long you'll be addicted to this habit, you'll have to accept a body. So one who cannot stop it immediately, he's restricted. "All right, you want to do it. All right. Go to this demigod." That is the list. If you want this, all right, go to this demigod." Means somehow or other, this lusty person is being brought before a demigod to understand that this is not good. This is implicating. Therefore it is said akāma. If you become completely free from all material desires, or if you want that position, then come toKṛṣṇa. No other demigod. If you actually want freedom from this material bondage, then Kṛṣṇa...
Kṛṣṇa also assures, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. These are all pāpa, sinful. Either you take the body of a Brahmā or an ant or cat or dog. All sinful. Only the person who has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously, he's pious. Akāma. The next verse will be akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā [SB 2.3.10]. Thank you very
much. (devotees offer obeisances.) Kīrtana." (end)
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
And this, from Srimad Bhagavatam 2.4.18 - 'The Process of Creation' (regarding the real duty of politicians):
"Even those who are constantly engaged in sinful acts are all corrigible to the standard of perfect human beings if they take shelter of the devotees of the Lord. Jesus Christ and Muhammad, two powerful devotees of the Lord, have done tremendous service on behalf of the Lord on the surface of the globe. And from the version of Srīla Sukadeva Gosvāmī it appears that instead of running a godless civilization in the present context of the world situation, if the leadership of world affairs is entrusted to the devotees of the Lord, for which a worldwide organization under the name and style of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness has already been started, then by the grace of the Almighty Lord there can be a thorough change of heart in human beings all over the world because the devotees of the Lord are able authorities to effect such a change by purifying the dust-worn minds of the people in general. The politicians of the world may remain in their respective positions because the pure devotees of the Lord are not interested in political leadership or diplomatic implications. The devotees are interested only in seeing that the people in general are not misguided by political propaganda and in seeing that the valuable life of a human being is not spoiled in following a type of civilization which is ultimately doomed. If thepoliticians, therefore, would be guided by the good counsel of the devotees, then certainly there would be a great change in the world situation by the purifying propaganda of the devotees, as shown by Lord Caitanya. As Sukadeva Gosvāmī began his prayer by discussing the wordyat-kīrtanam, so also Lord Caitanya recommended that simply by glorifying the Lord's holy name, a tremendous change of heart can take place by which the complete misunderstanding between the human nations created by politicians can at once be extinguished. And after the extinction of the fire of misunderstanding, other profits will follow. The destination is to go back home, back to Godhead..."
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
