Discussion and Philosophy

[Guest guest]

Bhadra Govinda prabhu:

 

Thank you for drawing our attention to this text once again!

 

> Those devotees who individually vilified and offended other Vaishnavas

> have all fallen down and have either accepted reform from Krishna or

> they have gone away. We can actually observe how Krishna and Srila

> Prabhupada are continually reforming and guiding the devotees of

> ISKCON.

 

I saw this happen for myself in the mid-80's. There were many TPs and others

who spearheaded the "campaign" to get rid of the zonal acharya system.

Unfortunately, many of these reformers became very offensive in their desire

to make changes. The result was not only that the gurus who were acting

improperly in their position as zonal acharyas fell down and left, but so

did the reformers who committed aparadha under the banner of reformation.

 

I have found in my own devotional life that it's always best to assume that

devotees, while full of faults, are acting with the best intentions to

fulfill the mission of Srila Prabhupada. As the saying goes "Good intentions

pave the road to hell", so not all of the best intentions work out well. But

as fellow Vaisnavas, it is important in order to avoid aparadha to at least

credit all other Vaisnavas with acting in good faith. To assume otherwise is

only going to be a cause for our own falldown.

 

> In the grand scheme of things I don't think ISKCON has compromised

> anything. Just like in our personal lives we can see that Krishna is

> constantly giving guidance, encouragement and punishment, the same

> must also be true for the body of ISKCON.

 

Again, I'd like to speak from my own realisation. I have found that is

generally through my trials and tribulations that I make the most

advancement. I become sober, thoughtful and must cling closely to the lotus

feet of Guru and Gauranga. Sorry, another saying: what doesn't kill us,

makes us stronger.

 

We *are* a fledgeling society, and coming from very non-vedic backgrounds

(to say the least!). I believe that Krishna makes our progress difficult in

order to make us stronger. And this goes for the society as a whole.

 

And I feel more and more strongly that as grassroots devotees, we all have

an important role to play. Alright, we have the GBC body as Srila Prabhupada

has instructed, yet if we leave all decisions and actions all up to the GBC,

we are offending in two ways: we are abdicating our own responsibility and

we expect more of this body than we should.

 

*We* each are Iskcon, and therefore, we all have responsibility for how this

Iskcon society grows. It's maya's trick when we succumb to faultfinding with

one another - and Srila Prabhupada has already pointed out that this society

can only be destroyed from within.

 

Our own individual responsibility is to understand what we can do to support

and enthuse this society. Alright, the GBC body makes mistakes (to err is

human). What is it that *we're* going to do to rectify? What *support* can

we offer? What *enthusiasm* can we offer?

 

I'll tell you a story. One of my Godbrothers, in an attempt to be paternal,

frustrated my daughter to the point of tears. He didn't attempt to

understand her point of view but criticised her by preaching to her.

The next year he enrolled in Dhira Govinda's counselling class. He openly

admitted his shortcomings and said he would like to be more like Dhira

Govinda. In other words, he was willing to humbly submit himself to learning

more, learning to listen empathically. During one of our sessions, he and

other sannyasis got into a competitive spirit, but some of us ladies

convinced them that the point was to cooperate. We were able to convince

them, and it turns out we were right. They became very happy that they

listened to us. This particular Godbrother gave SB class (and this was

Mayapur) and glorified the intelligence of women!

Later I wrote to him and asked him if he could now understand that he did

not approach my daughter in the most appropriate and empathetic fashion. He

agreed, and to this day, continues to ask if my daughter has forgiven him.

 

The point is, I did not attack him. I was sympathetic in his attempts to

speak to my daughter. However heavy-handed he was, he only wanted the best

for her. Because I did not attack him, but used his knowledge of the class

to ask him if he could reconsider his approach to her, he was willing to

hear, and to attempt changes in his life.

 

What level of maturity do each of us have? How are we going to use that to

facilitate our Godbrothers/Goduncles who have taken the burden of leadership

in this movement? What are each of us going to do to share that burden of

leadership? How are each one of us going to accept the role that Srila

Prabhupada has requested of us: every one of you become guru?

 

Your servant,

Madhumati devi dasi