Below we demonstrate
with a case study example, how the threat posed by the ISKCON Revival
Movement (IRM, publishers of BTP) to those who are desirous to be unauthorized ISKCON diksa gurus, leads to self-delusion.
Srila Prabhupada's teachings
A GBC-elected guru offered the following
recollection of Srila Prabhupada teaching about the insignificance of
physical association with the guru:
"Those who think that association
with the spiritual master is physical, they are no better than a
mosquito sitting on the lap of a king. And what is the business of a
mosquito? Simply to suck blood. So many of my godbrothers, they were
big, big sannyasis, and they thought like that, and they simply sucked
blood."
(HH Giriraja Swami, "Srila Prabhupada -- Vani and Vapuh", 20/8/14)
(HH Giriraja Swami, "Srila Prabhupada -- Vani and Vapuh", 20/8/14)
The IRM also accepts Srila Prabhupada's
teaching that physical association with the guru (vapuh) is not
important compared to vani (association via instructions):
"There are some of my Godbrothers
here in India who had constant personal association with Guru Maharaja,
but who are neglecting his orders. This is just like the bug who is
sitting on the lap of the king. He may be very puffed-up by his
position, but all he can succeed in doing is biting the king. Personal
association is not so important as association through service."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, 20/2/72)
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, 20/2/72)
Yet, whilst GBC-elected guru HG Kripamoya
Dasa ("KMD") does not object to this teaching when given by his GBC guru
colleague above, he has attacked it (in an exaggerated fashion) when
the IRM stated it:
"[...] the 'Back to Prabhupada'
people [...] introduce vaguely impersonalist elements into Vaishnava
theology [...] when we stress vani over vapu to the point where we
deligitimise vapu almost entirely".
(KMD, The Vaishnava Voice, 30/6/09)
Thus, KMD will delude himself that Srila Prabhupada's teachings can become right or wrong depending on whether or not the IRM states them!
(KMD, The Vaishnava Voice, 30/6/09)
Thus, KMD will delude himself that Srila Prabhupada's teachings can become right or wrong depending on whether or not the IRM states them!
The need for association
In a similar vein, KMD claims that the IRM'S
lack of physical association with Srila Prabhupada leads to less
charitable behaviour:
"The IRM people [...] Most of them
did not meet His Divine Grace personally, because if they had they would
be infinitely more charitable with his disciples, just as he was."
(KMD Article, 2/8/12)
(KMD Article, 2/8/12)
KMD also admits that he never met His Divine
Grace Srila Prabhupada personally either, beyond allegedly receiving a
one-syllable acknowledgement:
"[...] you (Srila Prabhupada) replied
"Jaya" [...] That was the only word you said to me directly [...] One
word spoken thirty years previously".
(KMD, Vyasa-puja offering to Srila Prabhupada, 2007)
(KMD, Vyasa-puja offering to Srila Prabhupada, 2007)
But KMD does not state that his lack of
physical association with Srila Prabhupada also makes him less
charitable to his Godbrothers.
So again, KMD can delude himself that the same principle can become right or wrong if the IRM is involved!
ISKCON reality
In regards to those, such as the IRM, who may
point to ISKCON's lack of preaching success in certain areas, KMD
claims that such a point is not true:
"From time to time I hear accusations
that ISKCON is not growing; or worse still, that it may be shrinking;
and that proof of this is that some temples are closing, empty during
the week, or only attracting Indian families. Personally I don't believe
that this is the case. I consider these accusations to be largely the
propaganda strategies of embittered former members."
(KMD Lecture, 4/3/11)
(KMD Lecture, 4/3/11)
Yet, when he himself states the same points, they magically become true!:
"In some parts it (ISKCON) has dried
up. In some parts it is constipated. In some parts it is dust. In some
places it has vanished. [...] 50% of our congregation go to
congregational groups. And of that, only 50% turn up regularly [...]
Guaranteed that many, many people who come to this temple on a Sunday
don't know Caitanya Mahaprabhu after coming here for 20 or 30 years."
(KMD Lecture, 11/10/14)
(KMD Lecture, 11/10/14)
Thus, again we see that KMD can delude himself that the same facts can become true or false if the IRM is involved!
Allegiance to Srila Prabhupada
KMD recently gave his effusive bless-ings for a temple's opening:
"This is a historic moment [...] an
auspicious moment in history [...] from this place the fame of
Caitanya Mahaprabhu will travel all over the world [...] now there is
this wonderful place. [...] You have an even greater opportunity to give
Krishna consciousness to the people, not only of London, but all of the
South of England. [...] For this mandir, [...] let there be all
success, all endurance, all health, all wisdom, all service, all joy and
all victory."
(KMD Speech, 16/8/14)
(KMD Speech, 16/8/14)
But these blessings were not given for a
temple where Srila Prabhupada is worshipped as the exclusive Acarya,
which even the GBC accepts should be the case in ISKCON. Rather, the
blessings were given for a Gaudiya Matha temple that actually has
multiple acaryas, none of whom is Srila Prabhupada:
"Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math's current President-Acharya, Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj. [...] invited the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Acharya-vrinda to attend [...] three of whom are appointed Acharyas."
(Official temple opening report)
"Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math's current President-Acharya, Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj. [...] invited the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Acharya-vrinda to attend [...] three of whom are appointed Acharyas."
(Official temple opening report)
Yet, the one movement that is promoting only
Srila Prabhupada as the Acarya -- namely the IRM -- KMD states is
"extremist", "parasitic" and "has created a Prabhupada of their own
imagination" (KMD article, 2/8/12).
Thus, KMD deludes himself that it is better
to glorify a group that does not accept Srila Prabhupada as Acarya,
rather than one that does, due to the threat posed by the IRM to his
position.
Conclusion