BY: B. RADHA-GOVINDA
Apr 27, Gita Nagari, Port Royal, PA — Thank you Ravanari prabhu for your wonderfully presented article regarding ISKCON’s present hodgepodge garbage of slobble d goop mixed-bagged compromisation, “I’m OK, you’re OK” – interfaith – how that seems to be the big ISKCON “thing” today, besides the Hindu “stuff,” presenting ourselves as “Hindus,” Srila Prabhupada’s having spoken so much of how we are NOT (Hindus), Srila Prabhupada’s explaining that “Hindu” was a misnomer, and the fact that not anywhere, a word to be mentioned in any of the Vedas regarding “Hindu.”
(But of course, ITS A CON of today, the (MIS) managers are so much desireous of promoting ISKCON as being Hindu, and “God” – not “Krsna” – knows what else, since there is so much interfaith dialogue (as well as incorporation into their own lives) on the part of ISKCON devotees now. So sickening is the mixture, that seeing your article with what Srila Prabhupada was saying was so wonderful.
Unless I might have missed it, here is another place where Srila Prabhupada writes, Srila Prabhupada’s explaining the difference between Sanatana-dharma and faith in His introduction to His “Bhagavad-Gita As It Is” (Pg 16)
“Therefore, sanatana-dharma does not refer to any sectarian process of religion. It is the eternal function of the eternal living entities in relationship with the eternal Supreme Lord. Sanatana-dharma refers, as stated previously, to the eternal occupation of the living entity.
Ramanujacarya has explained the word sanatana as ‘that which has neither beginning nor end,’ so when we speak of sanatana-dharma we must take it for granted on the authority of Sri Ramanujacarya that it has neither beginning nor end.
“The English word ‘religion’ is a little different from sanatana-dharma. Religion conveys the idea of faith, and faith may change. One may have faith in a particular process, and he may change this faith and adopt another, but sanatana-dharma refers to that activity which cannot be changed.
For instance, liquidity cannot be taken from water, nor can heat be taken from fire. Similarly, the eternal function of the eternal living entity cannot be taken from the living entity. sanatana-dharma is eternally integral with the living entity. When we speak of sanatana-dharma, therefore, we must take it for granted on the authority of Sri Ramanujacarya that it has neither beginning nor end.
That which has neither end nor beginning must not be sectarian, for it cannot be limited by any boundaries. Yet those belonging to some sectarian faith will wrongly consider that sanatana-dharma is also sectarian, but if we go deeply into the matter and consider it in the light of modern science, it is possible for us to see that sanatana-dharma is the business of all the people of the world-nay, of all the living entities of the universe.
“Non-sanatana religious faith may have some beginning in the annals of human history, but there is no beginning to the history of sanatana-dharma because it remains eternally with the living entities. Insofar as the living entities are concerned, the authoritative sastras state that the living entity has neither birth nor death.
In the Gita it is stated that the living entity is never born, and he never dies. He is eternal and indestructible, and he continues to live after the destruction of his temporary material body. In reference to the concept of sanatana-dharma must try to understand the concept of religion from the Sanskrit root meaning of the word. Dharma refers to that which is constantly existing with the particular object.
We conclude that there is heat and light along with the fire; without heat and light, there is no meaning to the word fire. Similarly, we must discover the essential part of the living being, that part which is his constant companion. That constant companion is his eternal quality, and that eternal quality is his eternal religion.
“When Sanatan Gosvami asked Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu about the svarupa of every living being, the Lord replied that the svarupa or constitutional position of the living being is the rendering of service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
If we analyze this statement of Lord Caitanya, we can easily see that every living being is constantly engaged in rendering service to another living being. A living being serves other living beings in two capacities. By doing so, the living entity enjoys life. The lower animals serve human beings as servants serve their master. A serves B master, B serves C master and C serves D master and so on.
Under these circumstances, we can see that one friend serves another friend, the mother serves the son, the wife serves the husband, the husband serves the wife and so on.
If we go on searching in this spirit, it will be seen that there is no exception in the society of living beings to the activity of service. The politician presents his manifesto for the public to convince them of his capacity for service.
The voters therefore give the politician their valuable votes, thinking that he will render valuable service to society. The shopkeeper serves the customer, and the artisan serves the capitalist. The capitalist serves the family, and the family serves the state in the terms of the eternal capacity of the eternal living being.
In this way we can see that no living being is exempt from rendering service to other living beings, and therefore we can safely conclude that service is the constant companion of the living being and that the rendering of service is the eternal religion of the living being.
“Yet man professes to belong to a particular type of faith with reference to particular time and circumstance and thus claims to be a Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist or any other sect. Such designations are non-sanatana-dharma. A Hindu may change his faith to become a Muslim, or a Muslim change his faith to become a Hindu, or a Christian may change his faith and so on.
But in all circumstances the change of religious faith does not effect the eternal occupation of rendering service to others. The Hindu, Muslim or Christian in all circumstances is servant of someone. Thus, to profess a particular type of sect is not to profess one’s sanatana-dharma. The rendering of service is sanatana-dharma.
“Factually we are related to the Supreme Lord in service. The Supreme Lord is the supreme enjoyer, and we living entities are His servitors. We are created for His enjoyment, and if we participate in that eternal enjoyment with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we become happy. We cannot become happy otherwise.
It is not possible to be happy independantly, just as no one part of the body can be happy without cooperating with the stomach. It is not possible for the living entity to be happy without rendering transcendental loving service unto the Supreme Lord.”
Your servant,
B. Radha-Govinda
Hare Krsna
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