By Naara Narayan Dasa Vishwakarma
Feb 26 2012, Los Angeles
Puri prabhu,
What exactly would you like to understand and which specific questions answered?
To me, the situation is quite simple….Strategically, we “OCCUPY ISKCON”.
Tactically, we encourage devotees to form group alliances with one another, based on the premise that Srila Prabhupada is the Acharya for this Age of Kali, and that there are many groups of interested parties already.
1. Older devotees who were encouraged to leave “because they were not wanted anymore”.
2. Newer devotees who are afraid to join present day Iskcon, and wonder how a movement founded by HDG Srila Prabhupada could have possibly become over run with scandals and criminal and immoral acts.
3. Householders who have NEVER been allowed to form support groups for the individual temples. (The Sannyasis and GBC have always been afraid that if the householders became strong and prosperous, that it would be the “householders” who hold the checkbook and write the checks.
The Sannyasis did and do not want anyone but them to control the checkbooks. Householder financial power would fulfill many aspects of obedience to the DOM.
I was present when the Sannyasis crushed the Householder “coalition movement” in New Dwarka. Rameshwar did not want to share power.
4. Indian members (initiated or not) are meant by Lord Krishna to take up leading roles in Iskcon (The “blind man” and the “lame man”).
Superior education, superior personal discipline, superior business practices and alliances could create unlimitedly powerful Iskcon temples by simply OBEYING the DOM.
The ELECTED GBC would be sure that the temples maintained the EXACT standard set by Srila Prabhupada, without the “wedding hall” “demigod haven” syndrome that the UNELECTED GBC have succumbed to in exchange for HINDU CASH.
So, the standard achieved by OBEYING the DOM will be much higher than the standard set by the present non-elected GBC’s gross DISOBEDIENCE of the DOM. (They ACCEPT the DOM, but REFUSE to OBEY any parts of it except the part that establishes them in the first place).
5. Other “expat” groups such as Latin Americans, Chinese, Russian and East Europeans, Philippines etc.
THESE GROUPS CAN REPRESENT THEIR OWN CULTURE OR MIX WITH ALL THE OTHER DEVOTEES ALSO, BUT IN ANY EVENT, VERY STRONG LEADERSHIP AND BUSINESS ACTIVITIES WILL “SURROUND” THE DOM-OBEDIENT TEMPLES, WHICH WILL ALLOW THE ACTUAL “INMATES” OF THE TEMPLES TO LIMIT THEMSELVES TO BEING INITIATED BRAHMINS WHO WILL BE SUPPORTED AND FINANCED BY THE WEALTH OF THE HOUSEHOLDER COMMUNITY.
NO ISKCON TEMPLE OFFICER OR MEMBER WILL BE PAID A SALARY OR STIPEND TO SERVE KRISHNA. EVERY MEMBER WILL HAVE POCKET MONEY, MEDICAL AND DENTAL CARE, CLOTHES ETC AS NEEDED.
THIS IS PRABHUPADA’S VERY CLEAR VISION FOR ISKCON, AND THE “FAT CAT” NON-ELECTED DOM-DISOBEDIENT GBC WILL NEVER VOLUNTARILY RELINQUISH THE ASSETS STOLEN FROM SRILA PRABHUPADA.
Hare Krsna ,
Although i dont disagree with Prabhu’s assertions on following the DOM i think that this is only 50% of the problem within the official Iskcon organisation.
Living outside of the official iskcon organisation for practically all my devotional service duration and looking into the official iskcon there is another side that needs to be addressed.
the other major Iskcon problem is the actual followers who perpetuate the status quo who are to blame as much as the leaders(Gbc/gurus and TP’s).Its hard to seperate out the two interrelated camps.
The problem for the governance of Iskcon is not just down to following the DOM and Srila Prabhupada’s instructions by both leaders and followers in iskcon but crucially by introducing the correct governing format of inclusive community dynamics.
Its no good just following the DOM on its own without understanding the proper way to manage people, and i believe the system to govern ourselves is through community , which is self -government.We have to throw away the capitalistic systems of economic development, business, technology, and life styles to replace them with the higher system of self reliance and self -sufficient within Cow protection,Land based, community economics. In other words become dependant on land and Cows and ourselves as a way of governing through community and also following the DOM and Srila Prabhupada’s instructions. Then Iskcon can flourish on all levels of existence, Temple situations, Community situations, Preaching situations, and other levels that also exist outside of Iskcon influence today.
iskcon can exist just in some front room in the middle of nowhere for those devotees who choose to live in that way as long as they are following Srila Prabhupada’s instructions. There does not have to be formality per se to be included in iskcon , mostly Iskcon exists outside of the Institutional, formal walls of Iskcon anyway and spiritually this is bona fide.
The process that Srila Prabhupada brought and created for all of us to follow is a spiritual process that is not dependant on four walls and Institutionalism, but just on the basis of chanting Hare Krsna in an inclusive Vrindavana mood of love.This is the sum and substance of the Hare Krsna movement. Chanting Hare Krsna, protecting Cows and prasadam distribution, reading and distributing Srila Prabhupada’s Books and in the Temples to also follow the important DOM so as to fulfill Srila Prabhupada’s Iskcon.But most devotees dont live in the Temples any more and in the future the same thing will happen. iskcon is big outside the Temples and the Gbc/Gurus hardly have any influence anyway.The Temple scenarios affect just a small proportion of what is now Iskcon and the Temple part of Iskcon is diminished.
Most of what i see of Iskcon is already Srila Prabhupada centred because most devotees live outside of the iskcon Temple influence anyway and this outside Iskcon is growing much faster than the Temple Iskcon. Within a generation or two the Iskcon movement will be moving outwards and the Temple situations will become lessened naturally.
We cant survive on Temples, we cant eat bricks and mortar. We have to move onto land with Cows and produce our own food, our own water, our own buildings,our own clothes and energy, and chant liberally Hare Krsna with our Cows and wild life and included devotees who choose this simple way of life, this is the future of Iskcon.This is becoming the scenario that as devotees we will have to adopt and adapt to, of that there is no doubt. Dont stay in the cities and towns Prabhus, get out now whilst you can, buy some land together and some Cows and build some beautiful buildings, then just chant Hare Krsna and go back to Godhead.We are just complicating what is an oh so simple process that Srila Prabhupada gave to us.Its a spiritual process that is only dependant on chanting Hare Krsna and surrendering to Krsna.Read Srila Prabhupada’s Books and go back to Godhead.Srila Prabhupada-Jagat Guru ki jay!!!
For a devotee, being situated in the heavenly planets and being in the hellish planets are equal, for a devotee lives neither in heaven nor in hell but with Kṛṣṇa in the spiritual world. The secret of success for the devotee is not understood by the karmīs and jñānīs. Karmīs therefore try to be happy by material adjustment, and jñānīs want to be happy by becoming one with the Supreme. The devotee has no such interest. He is not interested in so-called meditation in the Himalayas or the forest. Rather, his interest is in the busiest part of the world, where he teaches people Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Purport 7.9.44
Srimad-Bhagavatam : Canto 7: “The Science of God”
This is just more of the same “wheel-spinning” that has been going on for thirty something years. ISKCON is not going to change, especially from the “outside.” Time could be better spent just distributing Srila Prabhupada’s original books wholeheartedly. That is the only true way to counteract all this nonsense. enough is enough.
Srila Prabhupada says in the 7th canto devotees are needed in the cities to preach, not out in the hills where there is nobody.