Virender go home

[Guest guest]

> As much as anything else, I feel sorry for Virender Dayal because he is as

> convinced as I was when I was a fanatic brahmacari in Brooklyn '73 that

> the "leaders" were holding up there end of the bargain. Even though they

> were doing things that were so obviously wrong (like offering chicken to

> the Deities) many of us struggled incredibly with trying to justify

> everything "for Krsna".

 

Chicken! How did they manange to do that? Please enlighten us!

 

> Then Srila Prabhupada blasted us as fools for

> accepting the unauthorized acts and policies of our GBC and saying we had

> to always take responsibility for ourselves and others less fortunate

> around us.

 

This is a good point, I used to think that ISKCON would save me, and that I

didn't have to do anything but chant and follow orders. It took years before

I realised I was just being exploited by the then current regime, and that

most of the leaders had no actual interest in MY advancement, but lots of

interest in getting me out on the street to collect money (for their grand

projects).

 

No one ever asked me how I felt, or if I needed anything. Those that made

the most noise were sometimes begrudgingly accomodated, and the rest either

bit the bullet, or those that asked too many questions, were demonised (like

Pradyumna Prabhu).

 

We have many very rich lessons to learn from. I wonder if we are actualy

looking at those lessons, and drawing instruction from them? I suspect that

in some places this exploitation may still be going on. The GBC only just

apologised for what they did to Pradyumna more than 20 years ago. The rule

of Harikesa Prabhu has only just come to a grinding halt. How much more

deviation, that springs from the same mindset that banished Pradyumna is yet

to be uncovered?

 

One thing I noticed in my few years in ISKCON is that we hardly ever look

back at what we did wrong, and try to avoid the same mistakes. Rather we

replace the persons in charge at the time of wrongdoing, by someone who

often repeats the same mistakes all over again, but in different

circumstances and places.

 

Our loving Srila Prabhupada took personal care of the devotees, (I remember

Yamuna Mataji describing how he even 'spoiled' the devotees with his love)

and I feel his central message was that we are each responsible for our own

spiritual lives. It is up to US to find someone who realy has the

qualification to take us home. Dont blindly accept anyone who promotes

another as a spiritual authority. Diligently study Srila Prabhupadas books,

and understand that he instructs each person to become INDEPENDANTLY

advanced in Krishna Consciousness.

 

Prabhupadas books are full of instructions telling us to accept that which

is favourable for our *personal* Krsna Consciousness and reject that which

is unfavourable. This means that each and everyone of us is responsible for

our own advancement by accepting service which we are best suited for

according to our nature, and not necesarily that which is needed by the

local authority, who may or may not have our best interests in mind.

 

Of course in emergencies we do the needful, but that should not be for the

long term or if it is to the detriment of our delicate spiritual standing.

The Lord is in control, and he can make or break a temple with or without

us. We have to do what is best for our advancement, and accept or not accept

instruction with gravity and appropriate deliberation.

 

For many years I desisted voicing my thoughts in these areas for fear of

being branded a heretic. The publishing of Pradyumna Prabhus letter by the

GBC has heartened me that we are entering a new era of transparency and open

dealings. Open debate is good, and none of us should be afraid of being

reprimanded, or pulled up in cases where we may have misunderstood the

philosophy, or offended others. This is good for our advancement, and shows

that we are a dynamic spiritual group, that is not afraid to challenge

assumptions which are sometimes misplaced

 

YS Samba das