ISKCON's Pada Parade
BY: PRALAMBAHA DAS
Lokanath Swami's Lotus Feet
Oct 14, 2011 — PORT KAMSAR, REPUBLIC OF GUINEA, WEST AFRICA (SUN) —
"I have seen a number of websites, and a number of photos, where some of the ISKCON men have tried to present themselves as the next Acharya in the Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya. When I see these, they appear extremely childish and disturbing. The world of ISKCON is the world of Srila Prabhupada as the Founder-Acharya, whom we come before to learn from and serve. We may be helped along by living bhaktas, but we must know whose property we are dealing with. In my opinion, it is important that this remains the standard for the near and distant future for ISKCON. ISKCON could be broken up by disturbed individuals desirous to usurp the property of ISKCON because of their temporary following. Hey, GBC, do you hear what I am saying?!? Are you going to allow ISKCON to be exploited by anyone with a little charisma?"
(Pusta Krishna Das, "General Principles of Etiquette in Vaisnavism Today")
Thus spake Pusta Krishna das in his recent article in the Sun… And these words are worth repeating. Having given up his positions as an ISKCON GBC and sannyasi to return to academia, Pusta Krishna das can now speak with such honesty. But is there any truth in his observation? Are there still personalities so vain that they are willing to play the game of Guru Roulette, even after so much water under the ISKCON bridge has drowned so many ex-gurus? Do any still present themselves as the next Acharya? Haven't the ambitious newcomers learned anything from those who have crash-landed while attempting to fly this route? Like they say on the television, don't try this at home, kids. And don't try it in your ISKCON temple, either, Prabhus. You are dealing with Krishna.
A quick Google search uncovers many of these saffron refugees of Vanity Fair, who have literally thousands of photographs of themselves posted for idle minds to ogle. I was pleased with some of Srila Prabhupada's representatives, like His Holiness Danavir Maharaja, who only posts enough photos so you know what he looks like. Leading devotees like Danavir Swami and some others appear to be genuine preachers, and staunch representatives of the Sampradaya. It is due to devotees like him who make little of their own accomplishments that ISKCON continues to push onward.
What is so irksome about guru websites are the ones that feel a need to boast about their material qualifications. Like, is it really necessary for us to know that: "After graduating from the Delhi University, His Holiness [Gopal Krishna] studied Business Management at the University of Paris in Sorbonne and later obtained his Master's degree in Business Administration from the McGill University of Montreal." On his site there are rounded pictures of him "in the sky" with clouds moving behind. As the pictures change and rotate, his image flashes like the Sun. The message is, yes, Gopal Krishna has arisen like the Sun in the darkness of ignorance. No wonder he once insisted that people call him Shrila Bhagavatapada. Have a look for yourself.
Click on Gallery and there are literally thousands of photos. No captions. No particular lay-out. Apparently having disciples who enjoy on-line albums more than studying the books of Shrila Prabhupada is a license to just keep piling up the Internet with thumbnails.
For example, Gopal Krishna's photos in Atlanta depict the usual "Guru at the Airport" pictures. The adoring crowds, the little children, the waiting car, the arrival at the temple. But wait, isn't something missing? As I recall, Atlanta is in America's deep south. Wha' happen' ta all ‘em good ol' boys and gals? The only people in the any of the crowd scenes are Indians. If Gopal Krishna is such a representative of Shrila Prabhupada, where are all the local yokels? Prabhupada preached to the locals wherever he was, and never looked for a cheap following of sentimentalists.
ISKCON Atlanta listening to Gopal Krishna's arrival talk
If they can stop looking in the mirror for a moment, here's a not-so-subtle message some of ISKCON's photo-happy gurus should read about a thousand times:
My Dear Gurudasa,
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 9/23/68, and thank you very much for it. Now, because you are on the field work, you have to meet so many opposite elements. And you have to satisfy them or fight with them with conclusive statements from Bhagavad-gita, and Srimad-Bhagavatam, and as such, it is needed that you should be thoroughly conversant with the truth.
Regarding the Hindu community: Don't expect anything very wonderful from them, as we have got experience in Montreal—they have come in the foreign countries to earn money. As such, you cannot expect any cultural contribution. So you will tactfully deal with them, and whenever possible, vehemently protest against their foolish ideas. But you should try to support your statements on the strength of Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. Best thing will be to avoid them as far as possible. I am concerned to preach this gospel amongst the Europeans and Americans, and I am not at all interested to preach amongst the Indians, because they have now become hodge-podge, due to so many years of subjugation by foreigners, and having lost their own culture.
Hope you are well with your good wife, and please offer Yamuna devi my blessings.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Gopal Krishna's website is one of the few places on the Internet where the site owner has photos of his own lotus feet. It's unbelievable, but true. If there are other people who publish pictures of their own feet (or allow them on their personal sites), they are probably ISKCON gurus. To be fair, some of the photos of this or that guru's lotus feet are probably put there by one of their neophyte disciples. But after my Internet search, I came up with a factoid that would make a good question on a TV game show: "Which organization has the most pictures of its members' feet on the Internet?"
Just in case you haven't figured it out, here's a hint:
His Divine Grace Gopal Krishna Swami Shrila Bhagavatapada
H.H. Bhakti Chaitanya Swami's 'Strawberries & Cream' Pada Abhisheka
Giriraj Swami's Vypasapujga
Getting the dust from Nrsinga Maharaja's lotus feet as he is carried in kirtana
Indradyumna Swami's lotus feet, Vyasa Puja in Lithuania
Bathing Jayapataka Swami's Lotus Feet
Radhanath Swami's Lotus Feet are bathed directly by Mother Ganga
