Hearing From this One and That One Means Hearing From No One (06/28/14)Part and Parcel (07/01/14)How Many Apa-siddhāntas Does it Take to Make an Apa-Sampradāya? (06/30/14)
Dear ______,
You have inadvertently stirred the hornet’s nest.
The contamination I spoke of in Iskcon is both subtle and gross. You have learned many things that are not correct and to enter śuddha-bhakti you will have to be re-trained in many ways. You have been hearing from materialists, charlatans and aparādhīs for many years. Eating their so-called prasādam and taking their association only makes matters worse.
When I say Iskcon has become an apa-sampradāya it is by no means an exaggeration. Not to mention the ocean of Vaiṣṇava-aparādha committed by Iskcon, there is also not even one tattva in Gauḍīya-siddhānta wherein Iskcon has the complete or even correct understanding. So how many Vaiṣṇava-aparādhas and how many apa-siddhāntas does it take to make an apa-sampradāya? The answer is that Iskcon has more than required to become an apa-samprādaya.
Should we forget also all the other nonsense in that institution such as the murders, child molesting, illicit sex, homosexuality and suicides that have happened [even in Māyāpura and Vṛndāvana] and continue to happen? Not to mention the selling of Prabhupāda’s most important property [the New York building], the breaking arart of the BBT and the changing of Prabhupāda’s books [possibly the biggest nonsense of all].
Additionally, there are no actual gurus in Iskcon, only covered ṛtviks. Iskcon gurus are covered ṛtviks in the same way that Śaṅkarācārya is a covered Buddhist. Śaṅkara is not a real theist. He is a covered atheist.
Size is also no measure of pure devotion, otherwise the Pope should be considered the world ācārya. Size, wealth, big pūjās and numbers of followers are not the mark of advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In fact, they are sometimes the result of Vaiṣṇava-aparādha. That was the opinion of Śrīla Bhakti Pramoda Purī Gosvāmī.
All the things that Mahāprabhu warned against, Iskcon has in great abundance. Humility and proper conception on the other hand are completely lacking.
You have heard Prabhupāda’s saying many times in Bhāgavatam class that, “Books are the basis, Preaching is the essence, Purity is the force and Utility is the means.” Correct? Well, the fact is that Śrīla Prabhupāda never spoke that even once, nor did he authorise it in any way to be spread throughout Iskcon. It was a Chinese poem that Rameśvara Swami found somewhere and when he read it to Prabhupāda, His Divine Grace gave it no recognition whatsoever. But Rameśvara Swami popularised it anyway thru the BBT newsletter.
The most ironic thing is that the statement is not actually true even if we try to apply it to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Of course, it sounds good to call the troops to action, but what is the śāstra-pramāṇa for this statement? There is none.
I am not interested in seeing you distribute my books or the books of Śrīla Śrīdhara Mahārāja in Iskcon, because it will simply create trouble and more animosity. To quote Śrīla Govinda Mahārāja, “Let them [Iskcon] continue peacefully on their path to Hell!”
It is the duty of a sannyāsī to be abhaya, fearless, but I must admit to one fear and that is to the contamination of Iskcon entering my āśrama and polluting our devotees. So in this regard I stand a constant vigil.
If you are still inclined then you may visit me in Vṛndāvana with _____ during Kārttika, but do not think that you are coming to meet a compromising or patronising person. If you can accept that 95% of what you have learned in Iskcon is either partially wrong or completely wrong then you may finally make the first step in Kṛṣṇa consciousness – guru-padāśraya. Otherwise you are wasting your time.
Wishing you well.
Swami Narasingha
