Change Has to Come from the Very Top | Sadhusanga Das

httpv://youtu.be/MaBztp4q6eI
video: Prabhupada Sings Manasa Deha Geha

BY: SADHUSANGA DAS

Aug 20, 2013 — ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI (ROCANA’S SUN) — I just read this article. It’s all true. St. Louis, MO is my home town and I’ve been associated with the temple here since 1974, when I first met the devotees. Now… some 40 years later, it’s a totally different temple. The Govinda’s restaurant is closed (has been now for several years), and book distribution is only alive with two devotees who faithfully continue to go out to the airport every day. At least 80% to 90% of the temple is made up of Indian devotees (including their families). The temple president (Indian) lives outside the temple and works a full time job. Pujaris and cooks must be enticed with an attractive salary to get them to come for service. And when they do come, they are usually foreigners with a limited green card stay.

Even though I live in St. Louis now, I never go to the temple anymore. (Once a year at most). I simply feel too uncomfortable and alienated there. I would rather just absorb myself in Krsna Consciousness at home. I have my Deities, and all of Srila Prabhupada’s books… so this is all I need. I get up early before work and chant my rounds. In the evening I study from Prabhupada’s books (un-edited editions!), cook for my Deities, and then take rest. This is my program.

I don’t want to say anything bad about the Indian Vaisnavas here, because many of them are sincere devotees. It’s just that Srila Prabhupada’s original mission and method of spreading Krsna Consciousness has been lost. In the ‘old days’, there was dancing, feasting, harinam and massive book distribution. The temple was ‘loaded’ with fired up devotees. The restaurant was making several devotees a year, who were initiated and then moved into the temple. That’s not even happening now … as the restaurant isn’t even open anymore.

I see the degradation and problems with ISKCON, but I simply don’t have any answers. Change has to come from the very top (GBC), but I doubt if that will ever happen either.