Vaiyasaki Das: ISKCON's Guror Avajna

 Vaiyasaki Das

September 28, 2021

A few comments on how Prabhupada's ISKCON is developing.

1. Is ISKCON meant to present a philosophy only, or are we meant to present an alternative way of life as well?

Prabhupada directed us to show the example of a spiritual lifestyle based on the teachings and philosophy of Lord Caitanya. [namaste sarasvati deve gaura vani pracarine...]

This Gaura Vani is meant to be spread and replace the present worldwide nirvisesa sunyavadi lifestyle, in order to deliver Western people pascatya desa tarine from a hellish destination.

Prabhupada taught that Example is much more convincing than Precept. So when we only present precepts -- then we only give a theoretical presentation instead of a practical example.

When Prabhupada said that about varnasrama, 50% of his work was unfinished, he intended that we must finish it. Otherwise, ISKCON remains a theoretical movement lacking examples to establish it as a practical and viable alternative way of life. 

He instructed us to implement daivi varnasrama - rural communities for ISKCON members, based on krishi go-raksha principles. 

He wanted us to implement this catur varnyam maya srstam type of lifestyle for the benefit of the general public, as well as for the members of ISKCON. He gave us so many instructions on this matter.

By not implementing these instructions, we became guilty of guror avajna, and ISKCON will continue to suffer negative results until we finally implement his directives.

2. Is our goal to find a way to fit comfortably into the current flow of the modern world? Or are we meant to change the world’s cultural, social, and economical structures?

Consider the following point: If ISKCON leadership would have glorified and preached a grhastha lifestyle and encouraged couples to have many children, instead of glorifying and instituting a brahmacarya/sannyasa model, ISKCON would now have 4 or 5 times as many devotees! Moreover, many women and gurukulis would not have left ISKCON for other sangas.

If we had implemented Prabhupada's daivi varnasrama system in the ‘70s, we would today be in the vanguard showing the example of self-sufficiency, organic gardening, healthy living, and cow protection throughout the world.

We should be offering organic cruelty-free milk, fruit, and veggies to our Deities, instead of being fully dependent on ugra-karma factories supplying these things because we have not developed the resources to offer our Deities the best for Their eating pleasure.

By not following the instructions of the Founder Acharya, ISKCON loses instead of benefits. 

Every problem in spiritual life is a direct result of not following the instructions of guru - guror avajna.

3. Are we so eager to gain a seat at the table of established institutions that we are no longer willing to take a challenging position that is contrary to the established narrative?

When we joined ISKCON it was the movement to go back to Godhead in this life. It was not the movement to become an established religion alongside other faiths. It was not the movement to become an established institution in the material world. 

Rather, it was the movement to show the world that material life is NOT the answer to the world’s problems. Yes, it was the movement to rock the boat and explain that without a spiritual dimension, without devotional service, there is no solution to the problems of life.

We challenged - anyone can experience God consciousness by establishing a relationship with God via chanting His holy names. We challenged - come live with us and your life will become sublime. If we had stayed on track we would now have hundreds of successful krishi go-raksha communities worldwide.

But when Prabhupada left, we sold most of our rural land, or lost it via repossession, because we fell asleep at the wheel. ISKCON lost land that today is 100 times more costly to acquire. 

It was a great failure on our part, and the longer we delay in implementing this other 50% of Prabhupada’s mission, the more irrelevant ISKCON will become because other groups are now doing what we should have been doing decades ago!

So the example is always more convincing than the precept. A simple search for 'eco villages' on YouTube will reveal how many people, in so many countries, are going off grid and living self-sufficient lifestyles today. 

ISKCON should have been leaders in this field. Instead we are laggards. Others are implementing what Prabhupada wanted us to implement but they are doing so without devotional service to Radha and Krishna.