Society Consciousness vs. Krsna Consciousness

Oct 16 2006 - Krishna Talk 66

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta

Question: I read a recent article on the internet by a leading ISKCON sannyasi/GBC/guru wherein he says,

"We cannot even extend this family [ISKCON] to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta. We cannot even take one step forward because the problem is if we put too much emphasis on Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, then we will miss out on our focus. We will lose the focus on ISKCON."

So my question is: Is there really a conflict between the interests [focus] of ISKCON and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta?

Answer: This is a 'yes' and 'no' answer to your question. And at a particular point one wonders who the 'our' in 'our focus' is that he is speaking of? Is it Prabhupada or is it the present leadership?

No, there is no conflict of interest or losing of focus if ISKCON gives emphasis to Bhaktisiddhanta, because in the opinion of ISKCON's founder Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, ISKCON is the movement of Bhaktisiddhanta.

On the other hand — yes, there will be a conflict of interest and a loss of focus if ISKCON gives emphasis to Bhaktisiddhanta because much of the present day ISKCON is a deviation from the original ISKCON in numerous ways. The fact that thousands of devotees have left ISKCON and joined other bona-fide branches of the Gaudiya Matha, alone should bear testimony to this.

In the formative years of ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada wrote as follows:

"On the Disappearance Day of my Guru Maharaja, you may hold a meeting to discuss his activities and offer respect to his memory. Practically, this movement is his because it is under his order that I have come to your country." (Letter to Upendra, December 2nd 1968)

"This movement was started by Bhaktivinoda Thakura, and then it was entrusted to Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. Then we are trying to serve his word, and many of my Godbrothers, they are also..." (Lecture, Los Angeles Jan 13th 1969)

"Practically there is no credit for me, if there is any credit it goes to my Spiritual Master, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada, who is helping me by sending so many good souls like you in this movement. Whatever is being done, it is due to His Divine Grace only. So my business is just to carry out His order." (Letter to Dayananda, 26th March 1969)

"So I am pet dog of my Guru Maharaja, and you have helped him so nicely to push on the message of Lord Krsna or Krsna Consciousness Movement, and I am very much pleased by your serious and sincere attitude, so you will get all the full blessings of my Guru Maharaja, that you may know for certain. (Letter to George Harrison, Jan 4th 1973)

The above quotes from Srila Prabhupada clearly demonstrate a connection and a non-difference between Srila Prabhupada's movement and the movement of Bhaktivinoda and Bhaktisiddhanta. They are in harmony, not in contrast.

The person you have quoted, however, didn't join ISKCON until a few months before Prabhupada's disappearance and therefore had no real experience of what Prabhupada's mood was in establishing ISKCON. It should also be remembered that this is the same person that made a movie about Srila Prabhupada in which a lightning flash is seen to emanate from Prabhupada's forehead, which repelled the personality of Kali-yuga. Such portrayals of Srila Prabhupada [as a Bollywood sadhu] by a senior disciple, does cause one to wonder.

In those early years [into the 1970's] it was also an established daily practice to recite or sing the pranam-mantras to Bhaktisiddhanta in all ISKCON temples. Although we were not permitted at that time to read the books of Bhaktisiddhanta, still it was quite clear in everyone's mind that Bhaktisiddhanta was our parama-guru and that what Srila Prabhupada was doing, was carrying out Bhaktisiddhanta's orders and fulfilling his desires. Thus there should be no misunderstanding in anyone's mind that the interests of Bhaktisiddhanta and those of ISKCON are different. They are synonymous.

In 1976 Srila Prabhupada instructed that the logo of the Gaudiya Matha [originally designed by Bhaktisiddhanta] be painted on either side of the gate at ISKCON's world headquarters in Mayapur. That logo remains there to this day although hardly anyone pays attention to its significance or meaning — both of which seem quite clear — ISKCON is non-different from the movement established by Bhaktisiddhanta under the name of Gaudiya Matha.

In his final days before his departure Srila Prabhupada called for his godbrothers and sent a message to all that "the war is over" and he compelled everyone to work together and in harmony to spread Krsna consciousness.

Srila Prabhupada also established the Bhaktivedanta Charitable Trust in 1977 for the purpose of working in harmony with the Gaudiya Matha institutions of his godbrothers. Sripada Bhakti Dayita Madhava Maharaja of Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Matha was made the first president of the trust and among the first duties of the trust was the work of financing the completion [construction] of Srila Sridhara Maharaja's Matha in Navadvipa.

The problem lies not in how to accommodate Bhaktisiddhanta in ISKCON but in how to keep ISKCON focused on Krsna consciousness and not on Society consciousness. These issues [Society consciousness vs Krsna consciousness], have a tendency to come into sharp contrast with one another.

Krsna Consciousness means the absolute consideration and society consciousness means the relative consideration. The society is established for the purpose of Krsna Consciousness [the absolute consideration] and not the other way around.

When the society ceases to perform its function as a representative of the Absolute and functions only for its own well being, then such a society is no longer transcendental. It simply becomes another mundane society. Bhaktisiddhanta has summed it up in this way as follows:

"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." [Excerpted from the essay 'Putana' printed in the January 1932 edition of The Harmonist]

Could the above quote apply to ISKCON? If one pays careful attention to what is happening, then one easily comes to the conclusion that many ISKCON leaders do not want to give any quarter to the words of Bhaktisiddhanta, because if they do then the hoax is exposed and the evidence suggests that the movement established by Srila Prabhupada has been hoodwinked by pseudo-spiritualists and led astray.

In the opinion of some of the editors of Krsna Talk, the title of this article, 'Society Consciousness vs. Krsna Consciousness' is antiquated because in their opinion the battle for ISKCON is already lost — it has become a society for itself and by itself i.e. an international society for society conscious [ISSCON].

The path of society consciousness vs. God consciousness that ISKCON has taken, wherein society consciousness prevails, smacks of that of the Christian church after the Council of Nicea. Therein the church developed not along the lines of spiritual wisdom but along the lines of dollars, diplomacy and despotism. One will be hard pressed to show us the difference between what the church became and what ISKCON is becoming.

Bhaktisiddhanta in car Furthermore, if one reflects on ISKCON and listens closely to Srila Prabhupada one will discover that in Prabhupada's own words the only addition that he made to the movement of Bhaktisiddhanta was that he [Prabhupada] as a sannyasi preformed the marriage ceremony for his young disciples. Otherwise, Srila Prabhupada said that all other aspects of his movement were already established by Bhaktisiddhanta. That means that the Deity worship, the formation of a GBC, the establishment of the temple president as a lifetime commitment, decentralization, preaching in foreign countries, printing and distributing books, hari-nama sankirtana, diorama exhibitions, film projects, prasadam distribution, printing and distributing journals, the establishment of daivi-varnasrama, the acceptance of sannyasa as a Vaisnava anga —literally everything ISKCON does or has, was established by Bhaktisiddhanta and given to Srila Prabhupada to form ISKCON. So how could anyone in their right mind think that the mood of Bhaktisiddhanta could be a negative influence in a progressive ISKCON?

Proof of the weakened position of present day ISKCON for having neglected the instructions and desires of Bhaktisiddhanta is evident in their inability to defend the parampara, Srila Prabhupada and even ISKCON itself from the attacks of the anti-party, caste gosvamis, sahajiyas, Madhva-ugravadis and some aggressive Gaudiya Vaishnava preachers. In all these cases ISKCON leaders have turned to devotees outside of ISKCON for help, guidance and relief. Had they included Bhaktisiddhanta as at least a member of the ISKCON family, then they might have been able to take care of themselves and not had to call others to the rescue.

In the view of the ISKCON neo-cons [new-conservatives] they can be comfortable only if all branches of the Gaudiya sampradaya [including Bhaktisiddhanta] come under their control. They see themselves as the trunk of the tree and have even relegated Bhaktisiddhanta to that of a sub-branch. Such is not a very humble view of one's self. Of course the jingoism is that ISKCON is Prabhupada's movement, he was better than anyone else and nothing has changed. In reality however everything in ISKCON has changed. Practically nothing is the same — particularly the laws of ISKCON that in Prabhupada's time were listed by him on one page as eight [see appendix]. Now the ISKCON law book consumes nearly 1,000 pages. What to speak of the laws, the Bhagavad-gita As It Is and other books of Srila Prabhupada aren't even the same and controversy in ISKCON continues over that issue.

ISKCON wants everything under their control, to silence the voices of dissent and crush any opposing views — everything under the standards of 'Prabhupada,' that they themselves create. This begins to sound like a draconian cult or worse still, Christianity. And as Bhaktivinoda Thakura has said — party spirit [society consciousness] is the enemy of truth.

"Party-spirit - that great enemy of truth - will always baffle the attempt of the inquirer who tries to gather truth from religious works of his nation, and will make him believe that absolute truth is nowhere except in his old religious book." [The Bhagavata Speech by Bhaktivinoda Thakura]

But if ISKCON is so sincere, then why is there difficulty in coming under Bhaktisiddhanta, when even Prabhupada took shelter at his lotus feet? This is not to suggest that ISKCON join Gaudiya Matha or that Gaudiya Matha join ISKCON — but that the harmony among Gaudiya Vaisnavas will be drawn from acknowledging the common factor and grandfather of all, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta.

What is actually happening is that step by step, slowly but surely, some of ISKCON's leaders are pulling ISKCON away from the Gaudiya sampradaya to becoming an apa-sampradaya – a shadow of the parampara.

APPENDIX