Is it good for humanity that Prabhupada's society is transforming into a religion???

[krsna]

 

 

<font color="red"> </font color> Is it good for humanity that Srila Prabhupada's society is transforming into a religion? <font color="red"> </font color>

 

Should this question even be asked???

 

 

/images/graemlins/confused.gif /images/graemlins/confused.gif /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[Guest guest]

I saw this poll on Sun but couldn't answer because of the way it was worded. I can see it both ways.

 

No it is not good for humanity that Prabhupada's society is transforming into a religion. Yes much good for humanity is there also.

 

The thing I see about Prabhupada's society IMO only is that is it so broad it can emcompass and engage everyone at some level. As such pure bhakti is not immediately expected. And for engaging the world en masse it seems a religion is necessary as pure bhakti is not yet even conceptualized by them let alone desired. Religion is then meant to be a bridge to this gap.

 

Unfortunately what has happen is Iskcon proper has descended and itself become that religious body. In doing so it has forsaken the highest ideal of Prabhupada's envisioned society of pure bhakti in favor of that religion itself. This is a great pity. It certainly is a vast organization offering a high level of piety to it's members and sukriti to the world in general and in that it is deserving of much praise from one angle yet by forsaking Prabhupada's goal of pure bhakti it is also deserving of some critical and honest criticism.

 

So a simple yes or no answer is not possible for me.

 

[Guest guest]

Is it inevitable that after the great Acarya disappears, their preaching movement transforms into a religion?

[JSdas]

it seems to be the case unfortunately but only partially, there are still preachers on behalf of prabhupada that carry somewhat his mood of surrender, although maybe not as potent but it is not all lost completely.

 

we must not forget who is really in charge of his sankirtan movement, lord chaitanya mahaprabhu, so externally it may appear that way but internally for those who are surrendered it is pure and unadulterated.

 

just my opinion and not really worth much but none the less.

[Kulapavana]

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura envisioned his movement to be revolutionary in both the religious and social sense. That is no longer true, especially in case of Iskcon. I personally find it very sad. But things may change in the future.

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna!

 

Any religion that propogates pure love of God is true religion. These are the words of Srila Prabhupada. He also said ISKCON is a BHAKTI CULT.

 

So, SP has used words such as religion, and cult. The ultimate point is about bhakti to Krishna. Now, some people may see this as religious, some spiritual and some different. it is how devotees view themselves in relation to Krishna in Bhakti.

 

To me, it is just a name, religion, cult, society...whatever...why are we trying to fit into the global definition of reliion, cult and society........and compliacte ourselves in the process.

 

If we are looking to find an identity of sorts...then we can surely say we are trying to cultivate bhakti for Krishna. That is the beginning and end.

 

Why should we concerned with semantics of words...the ultimate point is TO CULTIVATE BHAKTI.

 

In that bhakti cultivation...people fall in different areas of the Bhakti spectrum based on their sincerity and surrender. So, why dont we do our best to progress in that spectrum of bhakti to achieve pure bhakti SP and other acharyas talk about.

 

Haribol!

 

anand

[Guest guest]

Things will change in the future. Prabhupada said that there will be an ISKCON in the spiritual sky. So if we're on the spiritual platform (unlike me), then we can always relish the spiritual association of Prabhupada's presence and movement. There is nothing to be lamented ultimately. Prabhupada said," I am already successful." Elsewhere it is guarnteed that a pure devotee's mission will never be thwarted. It's a question of time and vision only. So please don't despair and keep the faith. Great miracles are yet to manifest and you'll all be part of them, if you so desire.

[Guest guest]

ISKCON is a consciousness, not buildings or non-buildings. Prabhupada said that even one sincere devotee can maintain a center. Or we can sit under a tree and chant or even chant to the four walls. There is nothing lacking, no material impediment -- apparent impediments are illusions working to discourage our faith. The real ISKCON, the eternal ISKCON is glorious and beautiful -- and like Sri Krsna Himself is all-attractive and pure. Just my very humble opinion. But please take heart and remember, if possible, to relish the nectar -- that's really where it's at anyway, and always has been. Again, imho. All glories to you sincere souls. Thanks for trying so hard despite the onloughts on material nature and maya. It ain't easy, but it's all worth it in the end. Prabhupada GUARANTEED IT PERSONALLY on many occasions. So I think I'll go along with him. ;-)

[Kulapavana]

I continue the original revolution not waiting for others to catch up. There are other devotees like that too. Lord Caitanya's movement is more dynamic than most devotees think.

 

 

 

"Prabhupada said that there will be an ISKCON in the spiritual sky"

 

yes, perhaps in some isolated grove of Goloka Vrindavana /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[krsna]

 

 

One of the things that struck me the most about Srila Prabhupada when he visited the Mexico City temple for the first time, and the first time I saw him personally and got initiated by him, in June 1972, was during the engagement at the University (UNAM) of Mexico City. You can imagine the setting; at this time there is a lot of convulsion and desire for change in the entire Status Quo from the youth in Mexico.

 

Recently, back in 1968, the government had repressed the students sending the army and killing many students. So, many were skeptics, communists or leftists, rebellious, and of course, many seekers, so before this audience Srila Prabhupada spoke. At the end of the lecture there were questions and answers; one student asked:

 

"Do you see God?",

 

then, there was an absolute silence, everybody was expectant of the answer. You may know many philosophers and great personalities in history, but you cannot imagine of asking someone can you see God?

 

Do you imagine asking Plato, Socrates, Lenin, Marx or anyone whether they can see God? I don't know of anyone been asked this question with absolute seriousness. So everybody present, students, professors and devotees alike were concentrated in only one thing, Srila Prabhupada's answer.

 

Then, with paused voice and that security and certainity of his, Srila Prabhupada answered: "If I say yes, would you believe it?". The student answered, "Yes." Then Srila Prabhupada said, "Yes, I can see God." He paused -- who else could say "Yes, I can see God"? -- then he added, "And you can see Him too," he quoted,

 

"Premanjana churita bhakti vilocanena..."

 

from Brahma-samhita, and explained on basis of this verse that for one who develops love of Godhead by practicing devotional service, his eyes anointed with the salve of love can see the Supreme Lord. Everybody was very happy with the answer. In the presence of Srila Prabhupada you knew that was truth, there was no doubt, and that was the impact to all the audience. There were even applauses.

 

 

 

Just to be in the presence of the pure devotee all sins fly away, that is the statement of Srila Bhaktivinode, and we all practically lived it.

 

 

 

Nandanandana das

 

(Editor, Bhaktivedanta 108)

[Guest guest]

Someone gave me an example that rang true for me. The Catholic Church is a religion and not the representative of the pure teachings of Christ. But they keep the general knowledge available and spark interest. From that and occasional St. Francis arises.

 

The choice is really up to us. Will we be satisfied with the highly pious religious lifestyle or push on to transcendence and Krishna bhakti?

 

These choices are always offered to the jiva.

 

Wealth or Krishna bhakti?

Fame or Krishna bhakti?

Religiousity or Krishna bhakti?

Mystic powers or Krishna bhakti?

My will or Thy will be done?

 

Nothing new under the sun.

 

The choice is ours.

Liberation or Krishna bhakti?

[Guest guest]

That's my problem

 

 

I keep choosing:

 

wealth

don't care for fame

don't care for religiousity

don't care for mystic powers anymore although I used to pray to God to be able to play golf as good as Jack Nicklaus

Still hoping for my will to be done, although it is exercise in futility.

[Kulapavana]

"in the presence of the pure devotee all sins fly away"

--------------------

 

nice poetry, but the prose of life is unrelenting. there were plenty of problems in our movement even when SP was present.

 

does that mean that there are no more pure devotees in our movement? go easy on poetry and try to be realistic.

 

 

[Guest guest]

Bhagavad-gita As It Is 18.66

 

TRANSLATION

 

Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.

 

PURPORT

 

The Lord has described various kinds of knowledge and processes of religion -- knowledge of the Supreme Brahman, knowledge of the Supersoul, knowledge of the different types of orders and statuses of social life, knowledge of the renounced order of life, knowledge of nonattachment, sense and mind control, meditation, etc. He has described in so many ways different types of religion. Now, in summarizing Bhagavad-gita, the Lord says that Arjuna should give up all the processes that have been explained to him; he should simply surrender to Krishna. That surrender will save him from all kinds of sinful reactions, for the Lord personally promises to protect him.

 

In the Seventh Chapter it was said that only one who has become free from all sinful reactions can take to the worship of Lord Krishna. Thus one may think that unless he is free from all sinful reactions he cannot take to the surrendering process. To such doubts it is here said that even if one is not free from all sinful reactions, simply by the process of surrendering to Sri Krishna he is automatically freed. There is no need of strenuous effort to free oneself from sinful reactions. One should unhesitatingly accept Krishna as the supreme savior of all living entities. With faith and love, one should surrender unto Him.

 

The process of surrender to Krishna is described in the Hari-bhakti-vilasa (11.676):

 

anukulyasya sankalpah

 

pratikulyasya varjanam

 

rakshishyatiti visvaso

 

goptritve varanam tatha

 

atma-nikshepa-karpanye

 

shad-vidha saranagatih

 

According to the devotional process, one should simply accept such religious principles that will lead ultimately to the devotional service of the Lord. One may perform a particular occupational duty according to his position in the social order, but if by executing his duty one does not come to the point of Krishna consciousness, all his activities are in vain. Anything that does not lead to the perfectional stage of Krishna consciousness should be avoided. One should be confident that in all circumstances Krishna will protect him from all difficulties. There is no need of thinking how one should keep the body and soul together. Krishna will see to that. One should always think himself helpless and should consider Krishna the only basis for his progress in life. As soon as one seriously engages himself in devotional service to the Lord in full Krishna consciousness, at once he becomes freed from all contamination of material nature. There are different processes of religion and purificatory processes by cultivation of knowledge, meditation in the mystic yoga system, etc., but one who surrenders unto Krishna does not have to execute so many methods. That simple surrender unto Krishna will save him from unnecessarily wasting time. One can thus make all progress at once and be freed from all sinful reactions.

 

One should be attracted by the beautiful vision of Krishna. His name is Krishna because He is all-attractive. One who becomes attracted by the beautiful, all-powerful, omnipotent vision of Krishna is fortunate. There are different kinds of transcendentalists -- some of them are attached to the impersonal Brahman vision, some of them are attracted by the Supersoul feature, etc., but one who is attracted to the personal feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and, above all, one who is attracted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Krishna Himself, is the most perfect transcendentalist. In other words, devotional service to Krishna, in full consciousness, is the most confidential part of knowledge, and this is the essence of the whole Bhagavad-gita. Karma-yogis, empiric philosophers, mystics and devotees are all called transcendentalists, but one who is a pure devotee is the best of all. The particular words used here, ma sucah, "Don't fear, don't hesitate, don't worry," are very significant. One may be perplexed as to how one can give up all kinds of religious forms and simply surrender unto Krishna, but such worry is useless.

 

 

[Guest guest]

But remember the bright faces - the happies turned into hippies. The empowerment to do things we could sometimes hardly dream of doing today. An old friend from the early days lamented just before he passed away: "We lost our shakti after Prabhupada physically departed. We lost our shakti." So inmho it wasn't just poetic metaphor. Sins did fly away. Maybe the fans were still turning, but they seem to have revved up again for many of us. So many devotees tell me that there were problems back in the old days too. Maybe so, but those problems were nothing - not a fig - in Prabhupada's majestic presence, imho only. Luckily, Prabhupada is still here. Now if only I can realize it!

[krsna]

 

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[krsna]

A PURE DEVOTEES PRAYER

 

O Lord! it is my humble request,

unto Your Lotus Feet.

I don’t want bodily comfort, Knowledge,

glory, wealth and followers.

 

I don’t want a place in the heaven,

nor spiritual liberation.

I don’t pray to you for,

personal benefit or social position.

 

Due to merits and demerits of my acts,

I may take any birth.

Birth after birth tirelessly,

I should sing Your glories.

 

My request unto Your Lotus Feet is that,

causless devotion rise in my heart.

The attachment that I have for the material world,

similar attachment I have for You.

 

Comfort or discomfort I should remain same,

and improve by the mercy of Your Holy Name.

May I be beast or bird in heaven or hell,

Your devotion may prosper in Bhaktivinode’s heart.

 

Shrila Bhaktivinode Thakur

 

 

[som]

Krsna Prabhu,

 

This indeed is a very beautiful prayer from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur. What language is the original prayer written in? Do you have that as well?

 

Thanks & Hare Krishna,

Som

[krsna]

When spirituality transforms into a religion, is it inevitable the siddhanta is altered?

 

_____________

 

Another point on the same theme that when the acharya leaves, kali's men take over....

 

[krsna]

Establishing an exclusive diksa lineage is a sign of religiosity:

 

True or False or Not sure?

[krsna]

 

Clifford Orwin, in a timely piece in The Public Interest, writes about the disestablishment of religion in America and why it happened. Some of the trends Orwin mentions seem to be prominent among ISKCON's members, including the infatuation with psychotherapy:

 

". . .within the pastoral realm, the discourse of psychotherapy and personal fulfillment appears to have established itself as thoroughly in the mainline churches as in the lay world. Those who are looking for something different in church than is on offer outside it are increasingly less likely to find it there. Each of these denominations has by now alienated its more traditionalist members, especially during these recent decades of increasing cultural polarization, and many have voted with their feet." (Orwin, Clifford. "The Unravelling of Christianity in America." Spring 2004. The Public Interest. 18 Dec 2005

 

<http://thepublicinterest.com/archives/2004spring/article2.html>)

 

Orwin's perspective is well thought out and worth reading, as it is a perspective on religion in America many of us devotees are probably unaware of. More importantly, the trends he discussus also affect us.

 

[Guest guest]

what is your explanaition for the difference between iskcon as a religion and trancendental iskcon?

 

J.S das

 

[krsna]

 

by His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja Prabhupada

 

Sri Krsna manifests His eternal birth, the pure cognitive essence of the serving soul, who is located above all mundane limitations. King Kamsa is the typical aggressive empiricist, ever on the lookout for the appearance of the Truth for the purpose of suppressing Him before He has time to develop. This is no exaggeration of the real connotation of the consistent empiric position. The materialist has a natural repugnance for the transcendent. He is disposed to link that faith in the incomprehensible in the parent of dogmatism and hypocrisy in the guise of religion. He is also equally under the delusion that there is no real dividing line between the material and the spiritual. He is strengthened in his delusion by the interpretation of scriptures by persons who are like-minded with himself. This includes all the lexicographic interpreters.

 

The lexicographical interpretation is upheld by Kamsa as the real scientific explanation of the scriptures, and is perfectly in keeping with his dread of--and aversion for--the transcendental. These lexicographical interpreters are employed by Kamsa in putting down the first suspected appearance of any genuine faith in the transcendental. King Kamsa knows very well that if the faith in the transcendental is once allowed to grow it is sure to upset all his empiric prospects.

 

There is historical ground for such misgivings. Accordingly, if the empiric domination is to be preserved in tact, it would be necessary not to lose a moment to put down the transcendental heresy the instant it threatens to make its appearance in earnest. King Kamsa, acting on this traditional fear, is never slow to take the scientific precaution of deputing empiric teachers of the scriptures--backed by the resources of dictionary and grammar and all empiric subtleties--to put down, by the show of specious arguments based on hypothetical principles, the true interpretation of the eternal religion revealed by the scriptures.

 

Kamsa is strongly persuaded that faith in the transcendental can be effectively put down by empiricism if prompt and decisive measures are adopted at the very outset. He attributes the failure of atheism in the past to the neglect of the adoption of such measures before the theistic fallacy has had time to spread among the fanatical masses.

 

But Kamsa is found to count without his host. When Krsna is born He is found to be able to upset all sinister designs against those who are apprised by Himself of His advent. The apparently causeless faith displayed by persons--irrespective of age, sex, and condition--may confound all rabid empiricists who are, on principle, adverse to the Absolute Truth, Whose appearance is utterly incompatible with the domination of empiricism.

 

But no adverse efforts of the empiricists--whose rule seems, till then, to be perfectly well-established over the minds of the deluded souls of this world--can dissuade any person from exclusively in following the Truth when He actually manifests His birth in the pure cognitive essence of the soul.

 

Putana is the slayer of all infants. The baby, when he or she comes out of the mother's womb, falls at once into the hands of the pseudo-teachers of religion. These teachers are successful in forestalling the attempts of the Good Preceptor, whose help is never sought by the atheists of this world at the baptisms of their babies. This is ensured by the arrangements of all established churches of the world. They have been successful only in supplying watchful Putanas for effecting the spiritual destruction of persons, from the moment of their birth, with the cooperation of their worldly parents. No human contrivance can prevent these Putanas from obtaining possession of the pulpits. This is due to the general prevalence of atheistic disposition in the people of this world.

 

The church that has the best chance of survival in this damned world is that of atheism under the convenient guise of theism. The churches have always proved the staunchest upholders of the grossest form of worldliness, from which even the worst of non-ecclesiastical criminals are found to recoil.

 

It is not from any deliberate opposition to the ordained clergy that these observations are made. The original purpose of the established churches of the world may not always be objectionable, but no stable religious arrangement for instructing the masses has yet been successful. The Supreme Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in pursuance of the teachings of the scriptures, enjoins all absence of conventionalism for the teachers of the eternal religion. It does not follow that the mechanical adoption of the unconventional life by any person will make him a fit teacher of religion. Regulation is necessary for controlling the inherent worldliness of conditional souls.

 

But no mechanical regulation has any value, even for such a purpose. The bona fide teacher of religion is neither any product of, nor the favorer of, any mechanical system. In his hands, no system has likewise, the chance of degenerating into a lifeless arrangement. The mere pursuit of fixed doctrines and fixed liturgies cannot hold a person to the true spirit of doctrine or liturgy.

 

The idea of an organized church, in an intelligible form, indeed marks the close of the living spiritual movement. The great ecclesiastical establishments are the dikes and the dams to retain the current that cannot be held by any such contrivances. They, indeed, indicate a desire on the part of the masses to exploit a spiritual movement for their own purpose. They also unmistakably indicate the end of the absolute and unconventional guidance of the bona fide spiritual teacher. The people of this world understand preventive systems; they have no idea at all of the unprevented positive eternal life. Neither can there be any earthy contrivance for the permanent preservation of the life eternal on this mundane plane on the popular scale.

 

Those are, therefore, greatly mistaken who are disposed to look forward to the amelioration of the worldly state--in any worldly sense--from the worldly success of any really spiritual movement. It is these worldly expectants who become the patrons of the mischievous race of the pseudo-teachers of religion, the Putanas, whose congenial function is to stifle the theistic disposition at the very moment of its suspected appearance. But the real theistic disposition can never be stifled by the efforts of those Putanas. The Putanas have power only over the atheist. It is a thankless, but salutary, task which they perform for the benefit of their unwilling victims.

 

But as soon as theistic disposition proper makes its appearance in the pure cognitive essence of the awakened soul, the Putanas are decisively silenced at the very earliest stage of their encounter with new-born Krsna. The would-be slayer is herself slain. This is the reward of the negative services that the Putanas unwittingly render to the cause of theism by strangling all hypocritical demonstrations against their own hypocrisy.

 

But Putana does not at all like to receive her reward in only form which involves the total destruction of her wrong personality. King Kamsa also does not like to lose the services of the most trusted of his agents. The effective silencing of the whole race of pseudo-teachers of religion is the first clear indication of the appearance of the Absolute on the mundane plane. The bona fide teacher of the Absolute heralds the Advent of Krsna by his uncompromising campaign against the pseudo-teachers of religion.

 

 

[Guest guest]

hare krishna

jaya srila prabhupada!

 

after changing his books which could not heppend EVeR AND NEVER after ignoring His order to become preasts and not gurus after raping the innocent childrens after bhavanandas comeback to Mayapur known as homo and probable abuser after so much fake 'gurus and blups and torture of innocente devotees

 

this is not Srila Prabhupada isckon anymore

 

or?

mirza

[krsna]

 

by His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja Prabhupada

 

Sri Krsna manifests His eternal birth, the pure cognitive essence of the serving soul, who is located above all mundane limitations. King Kamsa is the typical aggressive empiricist, ever on the lookout for the appearance of the Truth for the purpose of suppressing Him before He has time to develop. This is no exaggeration of the real connotation of the consistent empiric position. The materialist has a natural repugnance for the transcendent. He is disposed to link that faith in the incomprehensible in the parent of dogmatism and hypocrisy in the guise of religion. He is also equally under the delusion that there is no real dividing line between the material and the spiritual. He is strengthened in his delusion by the interpretation of scriptures by persons who are like-minded with himself. This includes all the lexicographic interpreters.

 

The lexicographical interpretation is upheld by Kamsa as the real scientific explanation of the scriptures, and is perfectly in keeping with his dread of--and aversion for--the transcendental. These lexicographical interpreters are employed by Kamsa in putting down the first suspected appearance of any genuine faith in the transcendental. King Kamsa knows very well that if the faith in the transcendental is once allowed to grow it is sure to upset all his empiric prospects.

 

There is historical ground for such misgivings. Accordingly, if the empiric domination is to be preserved in tact, it would be necessary not to lose a moment to put down the transcendental heresy the instant it threatens to make its appearance in earnest. King Kamsa, acting on this traditional fear, is never slow to take the scientific precaution of deputing empiric teachers of the scriptures--backed by the resources of dictionary and grammar and all empiric subtleties--to put down, by the show of specious arguments based on hypothetical principles, the true interpretation of the eternal religion revealed by the scriptures.

 

Kamsa is strongly persuaded that faith in the transcendental can be effectively put down by empiricism if prompt and decisive measures are adopted at the very outset. He attributes the failure of atheism in the past to the neglect of the adoption of such measures before the theistic fallacy has had time to spread among the fanatical masses.

 

But Kamsa is found to count without his host. When Krsna is born He is found to be able to upset all sinister designs against those who are apprised by Himself of His advent. The apparently causeless faith displayed by persons--irrespective of age, sex, and condition--may confound all rabid empiricists who are, on principle, adverse to the Absolute Truth, Whose appearance is utterly incompatible with the domination of empiricism.

 

But no adverse efforts of the empiricists--whose rule seems, till then, to be perfectly well-established over the minds of the deluded souls of this world--can dissuade any person from exclusively in following the Truth when He actually manifests His birth in the pure cognitive essence of the soul.

 

Putana is the slayer of all infants. The baby, when he or she comes out of the mother's womb, falls at once into the hands of the pseudo-teachers of religion. These teachers are successful in forestalling the attempts of the Good Preceptor, whose help is never sought by the atheists of this world at the baptisms of their babies. This is ensured by the arrangements of all established churches of the world. They have been successful only in supplying watchful Putanas for effecting the spiritual destruction of persons, from the moment of their birth, with the cooperation of their worldly parents. No human contrivance can prevent these Putanas from obtaining possession of the pulpits. This is due to the general prevalence of atheistic disposition in the people of this world.

 

The church that has the best chance of survival in this damned world is that of atheism under the convenient guise of theism. The churches have always proved the staunchest upholders of the grossest form of worldliness, from which even the worst of non-ecclesiastical criminals are found to recoil.

 

It is not from any deliberate opposition to the ordained clergy that these observations are made. The original purpose of the established churches of the world may not always be objectionable, but no stable religious arrangement for instructing the masses has yet been successful. The Supreme Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in pursuance of the teachings of the scriptures, enjoins all absence of conventionalism for the teachers of the eternal religion. It does not follow that the mechanical adoption of the unconventional life by any person will make him a fit teacher of religion. Regulation is necessary for controlling the inherent worldliness of conditional souls.

 

But no mechanical regulation has any value, even for such a purpose. The bona fide teacher of religion is neither any product of, nor the favorer of, any mechanical system. In his hands, no system has likewise, the chance of degenerating into a lifeless arrangement. The mere pursuit of fixed doctrines and fixed liturgies cannot hold a person to the true spirit of doctrine or liturgy.

 

The idea of an organized church, in an intelligible form, indeed marks the close of the living spiritual movement. The great ecclesiastical establishments are the dikes and the dams to retain the current that cannot be held by any such contrivances. They, indeed, indicate a desire on the part of the masses to exploit a spiritual movement for their own purpose. They also unmistakably indicate the end of the absolute and unconventional guidance of the bona fide spiritual teacher. The people of this world understand preventive systems; they have no idea at all of the unprevented positive eternal life. Neither can there be any earthy contrivance for the permanent preservation of the life eternal on this mundane plane on the popular scale.

 

Those are, therefore, greatly mistaken who are disposed to look forward to the amelioration of the worldly state--in any worldly sense--from the worldly success of any really spiritual movement. It is these worldly expectants who become the patrons of the mischievous race of the pseudo-teachers of religion, the Putanas, whose congenial function is to stifle the theistic disposition at the very moment of its suspected appearance. But the real theistic disposition can never be stifled by the efforts of those Putanas. The Putanas have power only over the atheist. It is a thankless, but salutary, task which they perform for the benefit of their unwilling victims.

 

But as soon as theistic disposition proper makes its appearance in the pure cognitive essence of the awakened soul, the Putanas are decisively silenced at the very earliest stage of their encounter with new-born Krsna. The would-be slayer is herself slain. This is the reward of the negative services that the Putanas unwittingly render to the cause of theism by strangling all hypocritical demonstrations against their own hypocrisy.

 

But Putana does not at all like to receive her reward in only form which involves the total destruction of her wrong personality. King Kamsa also does not like to lose the services of the most trusted of his agents. The effective silencing of the whole race of pseudo-teachers of religion is the first clear indication of the appearance of the Absolute on the mundane plane. The bona fide teacher of the Absolute heralds the Advent of Krsna by his uncompromising campaign against the pseudo-teachers of religion.

 

The idea of an organized church, in an intelligible form, indeed marks the close of the living spiritual movement. The great ecclesiastical establishments are the dikes and the dams to retain the current that cannot be held by any such contrivances. They, indeed, indicate a desire on the part of the masses to exploit a spiritual movement for their own purpose. They also unmistakably indicate the end of the absolute and unconventional guidance of the bona fide spiritual teacher.

 

The people of this world understand preventive systems; they have no idea at all of the unprevented positive eternal life. Neither can there be any earthy contrivance for the permanent preservation of the life eternal on this mundane plane on the popular scale.

 

------

 

It's never going to be a popular thing- to love KRSNA in a Kali-yuga setting.

 

We should never expect the masses to take up raganuga bhakti. Should we?