Blessed are the Poor
BY: KURMA DASA (NOT THE CHEF)
Mar 24, AUSTRALIA (SUN) — Although the Six Goswamis renounced all of the material wealth in their possession, they were still able to inspire rich people to build Temples for the pleasure of the Lord. Srila Prabhupada has said that "none of the Gosvamis inherited their titles but were all bonafide spiritual masters situated on the highest platform of devotional service."
We find that since this time, the title Goswami has been and is being used in a hereditary manner. Even within ISKCON we can all remember well how, after 1977, the back pages of the Back To Godhead magazines were filled with ISKCON's hereditary Goswamis, and even today we have the hereditary voted-in goswami. However only one who is a bonafide spiritual master expanding the cult of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Krishna Consciousness Movement, and who is in full control of his senses can be addressed as a goswami.
Expropriating Srila Prabhupada's rightful worship within ISKCON for yourself, and earning a living from ISKCON is contrary to everything that Srila Prabhupada and the Six Goswamis ever taught regarding renunciation. It may not come as a surprise to many devotees that a large proportion of ISKCON's swamis are very wealthy. In some cases they have very large amounts of money at their disposal, which they are certainly able to utilize to improve their status within the society. Have you heard of such and such a Swami he is so cool?
Under the banner of preaching, many of ISKCON's swamis are hoarding money! They are living lives that are unimaginable for the average rank and file devotee with their hoarded money. The very idea of a swami hoarding money and having bank accounts, fast cars, and being able to constantly update to the latest technology is hilarious and dishonest, however, it seems that you can do anything these days and simply call upon that wonderful old word to justify it.... "Preaching"!
