Krishnite without a guru or sampradaya?

[silverwings_88]

Namaste, and Hare Krishna!

 

 

Well, to begin, I discovered ISKCON in 2005; being quite young and Christianly-influenced, I did not know much about the movement in itself, except that I was a Christian and was strongly curious about the Hare Krishna movement and its guru, Srila Prabhupada.

 

I eventually bought the Bhagavad Gita As It Is, and ignoring the purports, I read the raw verses of the Gita. Soon enough, I came to the ISKCON temple for a visit, not knowing that about a year and a half from then, I would be back at that same temple...

 

I still remember being instantly comfortable in the atmosphere of the temple, although I have been there for the first time. Since then, I had never lost my love and respect for Lord Krishna; it was only hidden from my own heart until at this moment in time.

 

After that visit, I ignored the Gita, ISKCON, and all other associated things for the longest time, because I was intent on becoming a Christian clergyman. I was trying to read as much as I could on Christian spirituality and even began contacting my priest on serving in the clergy. Yet in September 2006, I reached a point of where I no longer could call myself a Christian because I had doubted and deviated from Christian doctrine (thanks to an atheist friend who harboured much negativity for the Christian religion).

 

During one week, I was going to choose in becoming a "Hare Krishna" and loving Him, or, spying the Baha'i Faith, join that Faith instead. I read up on the latter, and became a part of the Baha'i Faith for a single year...

 

Yet as I travelled through the Faith, my love for Krishna suddenly rekindled on the night of my birthday (October 22nd)... Since then, I have been wanting to devote my life to Krishna above all things, and my love for Krishna at this point surpasses my love and appreciation for Jesus, Baha'u'llah, Buddha, etc. Now, all I wish to do is develop my love for Lord Krishna and develop a relationship with Him through devotional service!

 

 

Knowing my weakness and that I wish to have a non-sexual, yet romantic relationship with someone of the same-sex (I am asexual), I do not think that I will be able to join any Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya. I also greatly respect the other forms of God such as Ganesha, Shiva, Lakshmi, Kali, Durga, Saraswati, Hanuman, etc and associate with mayavadis and atheists and worshippers of all kinds as well as devotees of Krishna, something of which Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu would not have liked...

 

There are also many points in which I depart from traditional Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy... although I believe that the Mahamantra is the way in this Age of Kali, I do not believe that bhakti yoga is the best way and only way to Lord Krishna (I believe that all four main yogas eventually lead to him, with bhakti as being the easiest to primarily practice), and I am not even sure of the necessity of a guru, as much as I respect all of them as channels to the nectar of Lord Krishna and devotion to Him!

 

I just realise that I am so very weak (and from my rejection of certain things practiced by Gaudiya Vaishnavites, egotistical and arrogant); I need company, and eventually would like to adopt a child and raise em in the love that Krishna offers! Simultaneously, I can not help but feel out of place and liberal... I feel in between Vaishnavism and Smartism and adhere to Visishtadvaita philosophy.

 

I am most definitely a Hindu, or a follower of Sanatana Dharma... but whether I am a Smartist or Vaishnavite, my Ishtadeva is Lord Krishna. I am a Krishnite and follow Krishnaism. I do try to come to the temple regularly for sankirtan (as well as at least one other non-ISKCON temple), and I dearly love chanting His Names, hearing stories of Him, receiving darshana from Him, partaking in His prasadam, do puja and aarti at home, etc. I even wish to receive a more Krishna-related name than merely "Kevyn"!

 

I just pray that I am not doing anything particularly wrong in my stance... As much as the Hare Krishna movement and its many groups is universal, I can not help but feel the hostility between the differing Gaudiya mathas. And the only way to avoid it is through not being part of any sampradaya and simply practicing devotional service with devotees of Krishna, regardless of background or guru.

[AncientMariner]

 

Namaste, and Hare Krishna!

 

 

Well, to begin, I discovered ISKCON in 2005; being quite young and Christianly-influenced, I did not know much about the movement in itself, except that I was a Christian and was strongly curious about the Hare Krishna movement and its guru, Srila Prabhupada.

 

I eventually bought the Bhagavad Gita As It Is, and ignoring the purports, I read the raw verses of the Gita. Soon enough, I came to the ISKCON temple for a visit, not knowing that about a year and a half from then, I would be back at that same temple...

 

I still remember being instantly comfortable in the atmosphere of the temple, although I have been there for the first time. Since then, I had never lost my love and respect for Lord Krishna; it was only hidden from my own heart until at this moment in time.

 

After that visit, I ignored the Gita, ISKCON, and all other associated things for the longest time, because I was intent on becoming a Christian clergyman. I was trying to read as much as I could on Christian spirituality and even began contacting my priest on serving in the clergy. Yet in September 2006, I reached a point of where I no longer could call myself a Christian because I had doubted and deviated from Christian doctrine (thanks to an atheist friend who harboured much negativity for the Christian religion).

 

During one week, I was going to choose in becoming a "Hare Krishna" and loving Him, or, spying the Baha'i Faith, join that Faith instead. I read up on the latter, and became a part of the Baha'i Faith for a single year...

 

Yet as I travelled through the Faith, my love for Krishna suddenly rekindled on the night of my birthday (October 22nd)... Since then, I have been wanting to devote my life to Krishna above all things, and my love for Krishna at this point surpasses my love and appreciation for Jesus, Baha'u'llah, Buddha, etc. Now, all I wish to do is develop my love for Lord Krishna and develop a relationship with Him through devotional service!

 

 

Knowing my weakness and that I wish to have a non-sexual, yet romantic relationship with someone of the same-sex (I am asexual), I do not think that I will be able to join any Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya. I also greatly respect the other forms of God such as Ganesha, Shiva, Lakshmi, Kali, Durga, Saraswati, Hanuman, etc and associate with mayavadis and atheists and worshippers of all kinds as well as devotees of Krishna, something of which Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu would not have liked...

 

There are also many points in which I depart from traditional Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy... although I believe that the Mahamantra is the way in this Age of Kali, I do not believe that bhakti yoga is the best way and only way to Lord Krishna (I believe that all four main yogas eventually lead to him, with bhakti as being the easiest to primarily practice), and I am not even sure of the necessity of a guru, as much as I respect all of them as channels to the nectar of Lord Krishna and devotion to Him!

 

I just realise that I am so very weak (and from my rejection of certain things practiced by Gaudiya Vaishnavites, egotistical and arrogant); I need company, and eventually would like to adopt a child and raise em in the love that Krishna offers! Simultaneously, I can not help but feel out of place and liberal... I feel in between Vaishnavism and Smartism and adhere to Visishtadvaita philosophy.

 

I am most definitely a Hindu, or a follower of Sanatana Dharma... but whether I am a Smartist or Vaishnavite, my Ishtadeva is Lord Krishna. I am a Krishnite and follow Krishnaism. I do try to come to the temple regularly for sankirtan (as well as at least one other non-ISKCON temple), and I dearly love chanting His Names, hearing stories of Him, receiving darshana from Him, partaking in His prasadam, do puja and aarti at home, etc. I even wish to receive a more Krishna-related name than merely "Kevyn"!

 

I just pray that I am not doing anything particularly wrong in my stance... As much as the Hare Krishna movement and its many groups is universal, I can not help but feel the hostility between the differing Gaudiya mathas. And the only way to avoid it is through not being part of any sampradaya and simply practicing devotional service with devotees of Krishna, regardless of background or guru.

 

 

Sounds to me like you are doing just fine to me. The way I look at it is if you are sincere Krishna will lead you to the right people, books, association etc. that you need to further advance in your spiritual life. I agree with your idea of not getting involved in the hostilities between the different Krishna Consciousness sects. I have been reading this board for something like 6 or 7 years and I have seen all the same issues debated over and over and I am not sure there has been any conclusion to any of them. I like to stick to the Nectar of the 5th Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam and I am particularly fond of Lord Rsabadheva, Maharaja Bharata, and Jada Bharata.