Exaggerated Preponderance: Part Two
BY: KRISHNA DAS
Nov 21, USA (SUN) — On the 10th of November last, I stated the following:
"I would submit that the subjective importance that the editors of the Sun and its various contributors assign to HDG and his purported "influence", beneficial or not, is at best, an exaggerated preponderance, and at worst, an egregious reversal of the Sun's stated purpose".
Today I would like to add to this by saying the following:
This entire effort at the least to my self appears to be sorely misdirected energy, impotent in the extreme, impudent beyond belief, and thus essentially futile.
IMPOTENT:
"Hearsay" taken as absolute fact remains just that: hearsay. Interpretation of exactly what such hearsay actually establishes remains always just that: subjective interpretation. One man's simple adjustment to time and place in his own application of fixed principles may be interpreted by some to be deviation but such interpretations" are themselves likewise always subject to the discrimination of others and such are never assigned absolute consideration save but by them who share a particular bias.
Consequently the Sun's editors and contributors can and as I insisted previously will for at least some time longer continuously attack HDG and in his so-called "hapless" friends, disciples and/or distant supporters, for a list of subtle and not too offenses but as they are not beholding to any of you in any way whatsoever all this noise will have absolutely no effect whatsoever upon their moving forward with whatever they do in fact do to both increase their own Krsna Consciousness and share that wonderful science with any who might find their association inspiring in this regard. They will and should simply ignore all of this and all of you and you will be left with no real end to this affair. As you claim that you are independently reporting all of this - they will all show you the actual reality of their "independence" and simply ignore all of this and go on with their business.
For this reason I insist that for all intents and purposes all this commentary upon the supposed deleterious effects this single sannyasi disciple of Srila Prabhupada is an exaggerated preponderance and those now fomenting this will remain completely impotent to other than chat incessantly about it.
IMPUDENT:
The word impudent, a descriptive adjective, is derived from the Latin root impudens - which literally means shameless.
I employ this word because this entire HDG issue being injected into the public domain by Rocana prabhu - appears at the least to myself to be conducted with a shameless lack of regard for a simple fact. That fact is that at least in two ways Rocana prabhu the individual who is amassing and publishing all this business shares at least two of the very defects that he is calling attention to in the conduct and character of HDG.
Rocana prabhu has years and years ago separated himself from any allegiance to the oversight of a local temple president or a local representative of the Governing Body Commission for ISKCON. He affirms that since 1986 like HDG he is "independently" publishing whatever HE decides to publish and that his efforts are according to him the efforts of an "independent brahmana". YET Rocana das calls for the "GBC" the body that he himself would never allow to dictate to him whether or not he should continue with his activities on the Sun site to monitor and/or censure or indeed strip HDG from any position within ISKCON based upon all the hearsay thus published and Rocana's interpretation of that! What is good for the goose is indeed good for the gander and in this particular case Rocana prabhu appears to desire for HDG what he himself would never accept; the scrutiny of the GBC and submission to their dictation as to what he should or should not do in the matter of deciding what constitutes legitimate representation of Srila Prabhupada.
Secondly HDG is accused by Rocana prabhu inter alia of 4 basic areas of questionable misrepresentation of Srila Prabhupada's teachings and directives. I list them below with my comments.
1.interpolating his less than realized conclusions into Srila Prabhupada's teachings,
This could be resolved more than likely with healthy philosophical exchange
2. failure to consistently wear "devotional attire" and a brahmans thread
Our clothes are functional and form follows that. Where they are a boon to our KC and or preaching we accept them. Where they are not- Srila Prabhupada gave them no importance.
3. failure to chant his rounds on beads,
That is his business and them who voluntarily accept his inspiration. Not yours or mine
and finally but not the least
4.maintaining an occasional inappropriate relationship with a disciple or godsister; at the least on a subtle level.
Surprise! He is human. He took sannyasa at a very very early age. An age when even Mahaprabhu's taking of sannyas was challenged by Saravabhuma for its dangerous prematurity. He has learned how to handle such affairs over time. We should all hope to have such friends who rather than condemn and publicly vilify us for being human help us to transcend our personal "Achilles heels" and consistently move towards our perfection of seva. There are many wonderful women who have taken to KC and they are charming and helpful. Why is it so surprising that someone sannyasi or otherwise might find themselves grown fond of and in some way dependent upon their company, input, encouragement and even example? Is this permitted a sannyasi? No. But it arrives sometimes and we can all "fall under the spell of Cupid" rather instantly. It is in the dealing with this that our metal is tempered. This is again really HIS business an those who voluntarily seek his inspiration, guidance and example.
Rocana prabhu, you finished your answer to my last comments on this issue with this statement:
"I'm sure Hridayananda finds it difficult to understand that we're not simply attacking him personally -- we're attacking an institution that allows a person like him to continue on as he has for so many years. We're motivated by the desire to protect Srila Prabhupada's good name, and we're embarrassed by the fact that Hridayananda is presenting himself as a bona fide representative of Srila Prabhupada while acting in the manner that he is. This has gone on for 30 years, and frankly, we're fed up with it. Granted, there are other members of ISKCON who deserve the same kind of focus and treatment, but it just happens to be Hridayananda's turn, as arranged by Krsna."
This implies that you have exhausted all efforts to reach out to HDG as a personal friend and brother in every imaginable way to assist him in finally becoming the devotee that in your estimation, HDG can one day become with a little help from Lord Krsna as it flows to HDG from you. However you have never actually offered any evidence of such a painstaking effort, making your comments a cliche only.
I submit that the above statement is the very height of impudence prabhu.
First of all in order for you to take this position you must be able to show that you have in fact done just that; labored arduously to help your godbrother to mend the ways you are so sure need mending. And MOST importantly your own personal history must necessarily be completely devoid of any of the offenses you so boldly and I dare say shamelessly confront your brother with with this (all protests above aside) very personal attack. You yourself can have no record of inappropriate relationships with women: neither subtle and certainly not gross fall down. You yourself have established yourself as judge, jury and public executioner for a host of individuals and groups over the years. But this latest simply begs for this kind of disclosure on your part. I am not a betting man and I do not really know you very well and/or your history in and out of ISKCON but I have a pretty good hunch that all is not as "appropriate" in that history as you might wish it to be.. I do not say this to actually delve into that history at all. I am not calling for you to reveal any of that. I am simply saying that you have made this whole affair very personal in my estimation. You have publicly peddled a whole heck of a lot of hearsay by others. Hearsay I might add that says as much about them who offer it as all the principles involved. You have called upon HDG to come forward and answer to YOU and your readers for his "transgressions" BUT unless your own history is completely devoid of subtle much less gross fall down - you are beyond impudent to demand this of anyone; much less an individual who is viewed by many as their much loved link to Srila Prabhupada and our Parampara. If your record in this area - is not just clean BUT spotlessly clean - then this demand of yours is essentially impudence en extremis.
Your entire site affirms your being an EX ISKCON man. This was abundantly clear when you attempted to minimize the value of the devotee named Candrabanu Das up front in your piece on him by positioning him as an "ISKCON Man" and an apologist for the status quo; presumptuously calling into question his ability to be scientific and truly unbiased in his coming presentation. This in and of itself clearly establishes you as completely outside of ISKCON and all protest aside a commited and very much biased critic of ISKCON and its leadership.
So all calls from you to the GBC body to "do something" about HDG border on the silly. You write as an "ex patriot", firm in your separation from that organization now for years yet when it suits you you pretend to respect their authority or purpose and call for them to take action in this very important matter! . This my friend is in my estimation impudence en extremis.
FUTILE:
You are calling HDG out so to speak, demanding that he answer your challenges to his conduct. You have called for him to "debate" you in a public forum that is completely controlled by yourself without in fact establishing what it is that merits or even could be debated! This is futile.
You solicit ever mounting sums of salacious history and commentary from various individuals who imagine themselves to be actually and personally affected by this one devotee, from far flung corners of the globe. (Even men in that bastion of "more pressing matters" Kabul Afghanistan have taken time off from their war making and surviving to offer their comments on HDG and his brahmanas thread!) This is futile
Misdirected Energy:
Srila Prabhupada provided all of us the model conduct to be embraced in our preaching Krsna Consciousness while "less than stellar" examples of "guru" abound in all quarters of the world. When a reporter said that their seemed to be a great deal of "fake gurus" Srila Prabhupada said "Practically all". Then the reporter asked "Shouldn't you do something about them? Make some effort to expose them?" Srila Prabhupada said "That is not our program. I am simply providing the real thing. That's all" (paraphrased)
So at least to me it appears futile to misdirect our energy to what anyone, anywhere is or is not doing UNLESS it actually prevents me or mine from doing the positive things Srila Prabhupada asked of us.
Since HDG like you Rocana prabhu has since 1986 been followed by only them that do so voluntarily he can never really be yours or mine or anyone's problem in anyway save but them who actually invite his influence into their lives. I can assure you that the men and women who insist they derive great benefit from HDG's association are all generally healthy wholesome adults and quite capable of conducting their own affairs, thinking and acting in their own best interest and in no way see themselves as requiring your protection. Nor do they view their eager enthusiasm to serve Srila Prabhupada under the inspiration and/or guidance of HDG being something that will inevitably bring ill repute to Srila Prabhupada's good name as you so casually claim.
Many - if not all of Maharaja's disciples - are deeply grateful to him for all the help he has consistently provided them over these last decades. They have had far more experience working day in and day out with him than you do. Again I am not a betting man - but I would wager any sum that you have never actually worked with HDG for any length of time and have probably not engaged in any kind of friendly or otherwise dealings with him in many many years. So really, how could you actualy say you know him? Or that you are frankly fed up with trying to help him in any way. This is again just hyperbole in the service of the impudence I call your attention to.
We should be truly concerned with what is truly important.
Lord Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Merely by chanting His Name we can enjoy all the benefits of His personal association.
He and His name come to us via His pure Devotees.
Only an 11th of a second's association with a pure devotee is sufficient to yield a perfect attachment to the above chanting/personal association with the Lord.
To some - only 1/11th of this or that devotee's association is sufficient to completely inspire them to take full advantage of Lord Krsna's Personal Association.
There are many who find HH Hrdayananda Maharaja to be just that kind of association and no amount of effort on yours or anyone's part will convince them that this should be rejected for any of what you insist is just cause to do so.
Likewise there are and always will be those who view HDG very differently and will elect to have nothing to do with him.
This reality is what you said you wanted and worked for in 1986.
This is what you have.
Therefore to reiterate:
"This entire effort at the least to myself appears to be sorely misdirected energy, impotent in the extreme, impudent beyond belief, and thus essentially futile.
Sincerely,
Krishna das
Exaggerated Preponderance Part I
