The Hare Krishna Movement Without Krishna/ Prabhupada - Part 3
BY: JAYA MADHAVA DAS (ACBSP)
Jun 25, 2013 — MOSCOW, RUSSIA (SUN) — ISKCON "Beyond the pale"... Growing toxic elements in a movement off-course.
'There are none so blind as those who will not see... and the most deluded people are those who choose to ignore what they already know.'
Firstly, let me state that it gives me no pleasure to keep writing about all the serious changes, compromises and deviations spreading all over the world in ISKCON temples now. I wish it were otherwise. I wish the GBC body would finally admit the problems growing and festering in ISKCON. I wish they would reply to the sincere devotees' complaints and concerns, but they stubbornly remain SILENT.
Some GBC and devotees have asked me to stop writing. Some have accused me of fault-finding and being 'toxic'. This is far from the actual truth and a smokescreen by those in denial of the growing serious deviations within ISKCON. Denial is a disease too.
I'm aware that under normal circumstances, the internal matters within ISKCON should not be made public -- we should not air our dirty laundry to the public. As a matter of fact, my Spiritual Master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada requested ISKCON affairs not go Public. I understand this fully and agree. But our circumstances are an exception, as there is no effort on part of the ISKCON leaders to confront the compromises in ISKCON.
Another disturbing element in ISKCON is the wholesale disappearance of Srila Prabhupada's exact instructions on Vedic Gurukula in Vrindavan, which has become a karmi school with borderline Krsna conscious focus. And now we see the troubling compromises and some bizarre, over the top focus at Sri Mayapur Dham's Bhaktivedanta Gurukula. They have taken up Kung Fu under a non-Vaisnava Kung Fu master. The YouTube video says it all... it's so very mundane. I'm embarrassed by it.
Myself (as well as many others) have felt powerless over the decades, after seeing so many blatant awful deviations, questionable programs in our temples and obvious compromises and changes to ISKCON. Srila Prabhupada's own sacred books (Krishna spoke through him) have been changed and the BBT and ISKCON leaders refuse to hear the outcry of so many senior and junior devotees as well.
It makes me sad and sick, seeing Guru falldowns reoccurring and NO real recognition of the growing deviations in ISKCON centers or any realistic effort for ISKCON Guru reform to truly put Srila Prabhupada once again back to the front and center of ISKCON (for new disciples). It's simply not been done by many GBCs and Gurus, as the Zonal Guru disease is flourishing in just another way, and the result is the growing Cancer of Compromise and Change in ISKCON.
In my heart of hearts, frankly that's something I personally can NOT live with. As a direct Prabhupada disciple, I owe him everything and it pains me to see His hard work in establishing His Standards for ISKCON be changed radically.
I joined ISKCON in the mid 70s and met and associated with ISKCON since 1970 (USA). When Srila Prabhupada was present on earth, it was the happiest, best and most blissful years of my life in my Krsna consciousness. I'm not alone in this realization/observation. I am concerned very much about what is happening to ISKCON and what is not, and what it's been changed into, and I'm NOT the only devotee who's upset at the changes in Prabhupada's original ISKCON.
In the past I have sincerely tried to talk to individual GBC members and it was like talking to the wall to most of them (really). They are in denial, and that's serious. Nothing will be reformed/restored in ISKCON until this disease of denial is confronted by the GBC Body and leaders in ISKCON worldwide.
Here are some recent examples in ISKCON of what I'm talking about. I will not be redundant with sastric references. Srila Prabhupada's direct quotes on all these issues are in the earlier segments of this article series (Part 1, Part 2.
Botswana Africa Recent Temples Grand Opening
Let's take for example ISKCON Botswana, Africa's recent Grand Opening poster, from last September 21st. Unbelievable! An embarrassment. To the left we see two Indians in karmi clothes, and of all insane things, they are pointing guns at the viewer! This is beyond nonsense and offensive, no matter what dramatic enactment at the festival the image might have been meant to represent.
When I saw this even I was surprised. How much worse will it get in ISKCON? The poster is silly and irreverent to Srila Prabhupada and the Grand Opening of an ISKCON temple. It looks like a farce. Nowhere to be found on this poster is Srila Prabhupada's name, the Maha-mantra or a photo of Lord Sri Krishna. This is toxic. It is not the devotees who cry out in protest over this bogus nonsense in ISKCON that are toxic. It is the so-called devotees who do this crap, and the so-called leaders who let them, who are toxic!
ISKCON's New Chinese-Buddhist-Kshatriyas
Bye bye, Srila Prabhupada's Vedic Gurukula. Tong Long Kung Fu Master overshadows Srila Prabhupada and His philosophy. Kung Fu Master Henry Sue, Ki Jai! … this is going on… To make matters worse, Mother Teresa is hailed, a fitting demonstration of the mundane social work being praised in our Society these days. This is what is preached now at the Mayapur Bhaktivedanta Gurukula.
"…they should know the value of life. At other schools the students are like cats and dogs because they do not know the value of life. Therefore the whole world is in a chaotic condition. In other educational institutions, the students are educated to become polished dogs. That's all. But at our Gurukul, students are educated to become human beings. That is the difference: our business is self-realization."
(His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, on Gurukula -- Room Conversation - Back To Godhead Vol. 10, No. 11, Nov 1975)
This is yet another bizarre element introduced with pride in what's supposed to be and is advertised as Srila Prabhupada's gurukula in Mayapur West Bengal - Bhaktivedanta Gurukula in ISKCONs Mayapur complex. As a former gurukula teacher, I'm ashamed to see this mundane YouTube video praising karmi music and a mundane karmi guy. As a matter of fact, the Mayapur Bhaktivedanta Mayapur gurukula bends over backwards to put unnecessary importance on this Kung Fu non-devotee. They praise Henry Sue and Kung Fu to the point of ridiculousness.
Is Kung Fu Promoting ISKCON kshatriyas, or future kangaroo court justice? It's odd and off, and is so strange. It's pandering to the most violent tendencies of young men, who will have no use for it in their lives or in ISKCON. Who are you kidding... it can't be used in the real world or in ISKCON, except to maybe to beat up a few gurukula teachers. Is this Srila Prabhupada's real instructions for HIS Gurukula? You do the research!
Plus in the video, where is this preaching for Srila Prabhupada? Amazingly at the end of the video we see a journey into more mundane stuff, as ISKCON promotes the head master, proudly going to Mother Theresa's house in Calcutta... not Srila Prabhupada's Samadhi. Nowhere are we seeing Mr. Henry Sue getting any Krsna conscious Prabhupada books or getting preached to. Instead he is preaching his mundane philosophy to our youth. Parents BEWARE ---- this YouTube video says it all. Just watch it and see its attitude and focus. Kung Fu is Cats and Dogs Fighting. There is no mention of anything Krsna conscious, or Vedic. There is no real preaching shown to this guy. It's for sure Srila Prabhupada would not be happy that this is what's happened to "His gurukula project".
Of course, some may argue we are training these boys for Varnasrama Police/Army, but that's not for real… the GBC body abandoned Varnasrama completely and have ignored it for years, so it's a fantasy. There are some GBC's now who caution ISKCON Gurus not to even use the word "Varnasrama" in their writings. Considering ISKCON leaders have NOT developed Varnasrama at all in all the years since Srila Prabhupada left the planet, and are too busy with making more $$$, it's more image then substance in ISKCON. Head's up parents. We see that what's evolving, what ISKCON has become, is no longer Srila Prabhupada's Vedic true, simple Gurukula projects anymore.
Harsh, Hellish, Questionable Toxic Rock Music
ISKCON Hungary goes down another notch in preaching in the mode of passion and Ignorance
And what can be said about hard core Rock music and preaching in ISKCON? Srila Prabhupada was against it totally, with the exception of Mangal Ananda das (ACBSP)'s 'Change of Heart' album in 1976-77. It was preaching full on with that record. The mode of goodness was more prevalent, and preaching Krsna consciousness, therefore authorized. Now in Hungary we see this strange dovetailing… it's disturbing to see and hear.
This is preaching for Prabhupada? This awful noise in the mode of passion and ignorance which is Hungary's 'ISKCON thing' is, well, just awful. Of course it's the Maha Mantra but as Srila Prabhupada said, "Milk (Maha Mantra) touched by the lips of a serpent has a poisonous effect". Just listen to this video and watch the mood (or mode). I think it's off and scary. Hellish, real scary. You be the judge.
The Ongoing Blatant Deviations of Utah Krishnas: Yoga Rave Fest
It's apparent that Caru das is stubborn, and his version of 'Krsna conscious preaching' is going where no Prabhupada man/women in their right mind would want to go to... or has gone before. Yoga Raves? Since he built his temple, I see no reason why, with its Hindu and now Yoga Raves, that it's listed as an ISKCON center. What Caru is doing there is so very questionable, with all the non-Prabhupada programs, yet it's listed as an ISKCON center, and Caru is sharing his money-making tips with other North American temple presidents. The same goes for Seattle ISKCON. WHY is it listed as a Srila Prabhupada temple? It's $$$$. Money rules in ISKCON MORE than following Srila Prabhupada's Instructions. If they want to do their own KC thing, fine… but leave ISKCON and be honest about it.
So our question is for the GBC body: why are these and other ISKCON deviated temples still listed as Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON? Is this pleasing to Srila Prabhupada? If you're going to do your own thing, don't do it on Srila Prabhupada's property… that's theft.
Prabhus, go start your own temples… but wait! Apparently you already have, in ISKCON!!! And no one cares! When you no longer follow Srila Prabhupada's instructions strictly at all, this is hypocritical and wrong.
Anyway, Utah Krishna's weekly poster is here for your examination:
The Yoga Rave ad says it all. The Chinese ying/yang symbol is there, but again we see no mention of HDG Srila Prabhupada, no mention of the Maha Mantra (HARE KRSNA). Same with the newsletter. No trace of Sri Krsna, Srila Prabhupada or the Maha Mantra. Instead, we are told ENJOY! ... relax... do yoga dancing… exercise, get 'spiritually nourished' and meet new people! Fun and games. Entertainment and sense gratification… this is walking the Razor's Edge. In the ad there are even llamas. Forget Cow Protection. Llama Protection, anyone?
Houston (ISKCON) ----We have a problem--- !
Here we see Houston ISKCON's Ratha Yatha Poster (without Maha Mantra / no Srila Prabhupada named or respect mentioned). Many temples in ISKCON continue to place ads for their festivals without Srila Prabhupada's name, still, and NO Maha Mantra! In this case, it's Houston ISKCON's Indian run temple. Their Rathayathra Festival Poster is absent of any mention of HDG Srila Prabhupada or the Maha Mantra. Instead, as in Seattle, we see them pandering to Hinduism and catering to Hindus, with an icon for a 'Hindu Temple' featuring a Shivalingam (beside ISKCON logo).
This Houston temple, run by Indian devotees, is a classic example of an ISKCON gone wrong… little serious focus on book distribution, Bhakta Programs, Hari Namas or following Prabhupada's exact instructions anymore. Instead we get Family Hindu FUN for Indians and the public, with just a trace of Krsna consciousness. ISKCON is becoming completely Hinduized. But ISKCON is Srila Prabhupada's spiritual society… no one else's!
RED ALERT --This is what is happening to ISKCON Temples all over America now (and in the EU and Canada too.) God help ISKCON! Pray to Lord Nrsimhadeva to reform /restore Srila Prabhupada's BOOKS and PURE Original Movement.
Senior Disciples Talk at 2013 LA Prabhupada Festival - Banned
Whatever can be said about the recent discovery of the misplaced Ramesvara dasa
Interview, one thing is for certain: it's for real and did take place -- an in-depth interview was conducted and forgotten, until now. Govinda devi's talk about it at the 2013 LA Prabhupada Festival was deleted by the temple/BBT on their publicly released video. What are they covering up? It"s so sad. So tragic. The Powers That Be just won't be honest. Won't talk about it. Frankly, it looks bad, real bad for ISKCON these dark days ahead in Kali Yuga.
I pray ISKCON's leadership gets some serious realizations soon… time is running out. Pray, pray hard for the restoration of Srila Prabhupada's true intended ISKCON. Seeing all the continued changes and compromises in ISKCON, it makes one wonder: are we heading toward a future with the Hare Krishna Movement… or further and further away from Srila Prabhupada's Original ISKCON and Instructions?
