Some Concerns About ISKCON
BY: HH BHAKTI VIKASA SWAMI
May 17, 2012 — INDIA (SUN) — Following are the introductory comments from a lecture given in August 2011. The complete transcript in PDF format can be downloaded here: Part 1 & 2 and Part 3. Audio files for the lecture can be found here.
PART 1 - INTRODUCTION
"So the topic is some of my concerns about matters in ISKCON today. What I am going to speak about specifically in response to the query that I got that it has a much broader application then simply answering the question which has been asked by … actually two devotees wrote me about this.
The background is sometime ago, few months ago, some devotees approached me in Bombay and they had heard one lecture that I had given on ksatriya spirit and they were inspired to take up ksatriya type services. I don't know if it is just from the lecture or if that lecture further inspired them. And they asked what did I think about the idea of starting a ksatriya initiative with in ISKCON. So I said, "Ya that's a good idea" And I referred them to Bhakti Raghava Swami who is heading up Varnasrama initiative with in our movement.
Then few days ago I got a letter from another devotee, he is an aspiring devotee of mine, who proposed to join that project. And he gave some of the works that they are doing or that they proposed to do. And one of them was promoting the mid day meals project with in ISKCON. And I didn't reply very extensively but I said that, "No I don't think that's a very good idea. You have joined them and it seems that their ksatriya project is off course" I am just paraphrasing. I can't remember what I exactly said. Then that devotee wrote back. …
So he wrote back and said that well he thought that welfare activities … he couldn't understand that why ISKCON shouldn't do that or might not be expected to do that but as this is a ksatriya body which is operating with in Varnasrama and that's a pious activity, welfare activities and that's ksatriya's … one of the things they do is welfare activities for human society. He thought it would be acceptable with in that context. And I also got an email from one of the devotees who had approached me several months before starting this project and told me how it is being very well accepted by ISKCON leaders … That mid day meal is not … it's just one of the things … they have many things that they wish to do and he wishes to meet me to discuss and understand why I have seem to changed. So I am going to speak somewhat extensively. Whatever I say I could say more about this. Another thing I am going to say now about all of these things that I have not said before and I have discussed some of these things with several of you and some of them I have said in recorded lectures which are out there on the internet. So it's not that I am saying anything new in this regard.
But I am bringing together in one lecture many different points. I plan to write a book
covering these topics in more detail which is a better way to do things overall to cover each
point thoroughly with quotes and systematic reasoning but it takes a lot of time and I have
many other writing projects. I should finish the ones which are already started. There are
many important books which I have to write. That's one of them – some analysis of various
problems or deviations with in ISKCON and perennial problems or problems that are liable
to perennially afflict our organization. I wanted to write a book but now you could say that I
am on the spot … that's an English saying. Someone asked me specifically about this and I
should give them a satisfying reply which can't be done in just brushing it off … I mean you
could just say, "Well that is all nonsense" or something like that but these are serious
devotees who … they want to do something seriously in the service of Srila Prabhupada. I
have a serious disagreement with what they are doing.
So this lecture, if you hear, it might be discouraging. The aim is not to discourage but the subject matter is such that it may do but on the other hand it should be spoken. Just like the doctor tells the patient, "You have cancer." It's not likely to make him feel better, I mean to make him feel… if he tells him, "Well actually there is no problem. Just take some … that pain you have. Just take some aspirin for the head ache." He has got a brain tumor and tell him take an aspirin and … smile that makes you feel good. We have to tell him, "You have got brain cancer." So sometimes it's necessary to say things which are unpleasant otherwise they can't be … there is no question
of rectifying them.
What I am about to say will … already is often considered to be in the language of others, extreme right wing, conservative, orthodox, fanatical. But actually my attitudes in Krishna Consciousness they were the standard in ISKCON when Srila Prabhupada was present. It was like universal that … why is that? Because Prabhupada inculcated in us the mood and the attitudes that I am going to talk about. So although it may be called by various names it is actually what Prabhupada taught us. Of course others may dispute that. I could say that I am not writing a book, I am giving a lecture. So I am not going to go into very-very-very long analysis of all the points and counter points. A few years ago, may be ten years ago, one of my godbrothers made the observation that now a days in ISKCON if you just say and do and act in the same way that we did when Srila Prabhupada was present then you are called dinosaur, fanatic or something like that which I thought was an astute observation.
