Krishna's Janmashtami (Birth) Celebrated 08 04 26

VASUDEVA RECEIVES THE BIRTH OF HIS SON:

(Krsna Book 1.3 Excerpt)

Vasudeva saw that wonderful child born as a baby with four hands, holding conchshell, club, disc, and lotus flower, decorated with the mark of Śrīvatsa, wearing the jeweled necklace of kaustubha stone, dressed in yellow silk, appearing dazzling like a bright blackish cloud, wearing a helmet bedecked with the vaidūrya stone, valuable bracelets, earrings and similar other ornaments all over His body and an abundance of hair on His head. Due to the extraordinary features of the child, Vasudeva was struck with wonder. How could a newly born child be so decorated? He could therefore understand that Lord Kṛṣṇa had now appeared, and he became overpowered by the occasion. Vasudeva very humbly wondered that although he was an ordinary living entity conditioned by material nature and was externally imprisoned by Kaṁsa, the all-pervading Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa, was appearing as a child in his home, exactly in His original position. No earthly child is born with four hands decorated with ornaments and nice clothing, fully equipped with all the signs of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Over and over again, Vasudeva glanced at his child, and he considered how to celebrate this auspicious moment: "Generally, when a male child is born," he thought, "people observe the occasion with jubilant celebrations, and in my home, although I am imprisoned, the Supreme Personality of Godhead has taken birth. How many millions of millions of times should I be prepared to observe this auspicious ceremony!"

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London, August 21, 1973 Prabhupāda: (chants maṅgalācaraṇa prayers) His Excellency, the High Commissioner; ladies and gentlemen, I thank you very much for your coming here and participating in this ceremony, Janmāṣṭamī, advent of Krishna. The subject matter I’ve been ordered to speak on is advent of Krishna. Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gītā,

janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya

This fact, that we can achieve such a stage of life when we can stop our birth and death… Sa ’mṛtatvāya kalpate. This morning, I was explaining this verse:

yaṁ hi na vyathayanty ete puruṣaṁ puruṣarsabha sama-duḥkha-sukhaṁ dhīraṁ so ’mṛtatvāya kalpate

Amrtatva means immortality. So the modern civilization, they have no idea, either the great philosopher, great politician or great scientist, that it is possible to attain the stage of immortality. Amṛtatva. We are all amṛta. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, na jāyate na mrīyate vā kadācin. We living entities, we never die, never take birth. Nityaḥ śāśvato yaṁ, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre Every one of us, we are eternal, nityaḥ śāśvato; Purāṇa, the oldest. And after annihilation of this body, we do not die. Na hanyate. The body is finished, but I have to accept another body. Tathā dehāntara prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati. Dehino ’smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā.

This simple thing, at the present moment, they are lacking knowledge, that we, all living entities, part and parcel of Krishna, we are eternal, we are blissful, and we are cognizant. Krishna is described in the Vedic śāstras:

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ Krishnaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. God, Krishna, when I speak Krishna, that means God. If there is any important name… God, it is sometimes said God has no name. That’s a fact. But God’s name is given by His activities. Just like Krishna accepted the sonhood of Mahārāja Nanda, or Yaśodāmāyī, or Devakī, or Vasudeva. Vasudeva and Devakī were Krishna’s real father and mother. Nobody is real father and mother of Krishna, because Krishna is the original father of everyone. But when Krishna comes here, advents, He accepts some devotees as His father, as His mother. Krishna is the original, ādi-puruṣaṁ. Ādyaṁ Purāṇa- puruṣam nava-yauvanaṁ ca He is the original person. Then must be very old? No. Adyam purāṇa puruṣam nava-yauvanam ca. Always fresh youth. That is Krishna. When Krishna was on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra, you have seen the picture, He’s just like a boy of twenty years or, at most, twenty-four years old. But at that time, He had great-grandchildren. Therefore, Krishna is always youth. Navayauvanam ca. These are the statements of Vedic literatures.

advaitam acyutam anādiṁ ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca vedeṣu durlābhaṁ adurlābhaṁ ātmā-bhaktau

So, to understand Krishna, simply if we read as a formality the Vedic literature, it will be very difficult to understand what is Krishna. Vedesu durlābhaṁ. Although all the Vedas are meant for understanding Krishna. In the Bhagavad-gītā, it is said, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo. Aham eva vedyo. What is the use of studying Vedas if you do not understand Krishna? Because the ultimate goal of education means to understand the Supreme Lord, the supreme father, the supreme cause. As it is said in the Vedānta- sūtra, janmādy asya yataḥ. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Brahma-jijnasa, to discuss about the Supreme Absolute Truth, Brahman. What is that Brahman? Janmādy asya yatah. That Brahman means wherefrom everything emanates. So science, philosophy, means to find out the ultimate cause of everything. That we are getting from the śāstras, Vedic literature, that Krishna is the cause of all causes. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam . Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam.

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ Krishnaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

Cause of all causes. Just like try to understand. I am caused by my father. My father is caused by his father. He is caused by his father, his father… Go on searching, then you’ll ultimately come to somebody who is the cause. But He has no cause. Anādir ādir govindaḥ I may be cause of my son, but I am also result of the cause, my father. But the śāstra says that anādir ādir, He is the original person, but He has no cause. That is Krishna. Therefore, Krishna says that janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ . The advent of Krishna, it is very important thing. We should try to understand Krishna, why He advents, why He comes on this material world, what is His business, what are His activities. If we simply try to understand Krishna, then what is the result? The result is tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya . You get that immortality. The aim of life is to achieve immortality. Amṛtatvāya kalpate.

So in the advent of Krishna, we shall try to understand the philosophy of Krishna. His Excellency was speaking of peace. The peace formula is there, spoken by Krishna. What is that?

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati

If the politicians, diplomats, they are trying to establish peace in the world… The United Nation is there, and there are many other organizations. They are trying to have real peace and tranquillity, no misunderstanding between man to man, nation to nation. But that is not happening. That is not happening. The defect is that in the root is wrong. Everyone’s thinking “It is my country. It is my family. It is my society. It is my property.” This “mine” is illusion. In the śāstra it is said, janasya moho ’yam ahaṁ mameti This “I and my” philosophy is illusion.

So this illusion means māyā. māyā… If you want to get out of this illusion, māyā, then you have to accept the Krishna’s formula. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā for guidance if we accept the philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Everything is there. Peace is there, prosperity is there. So that is a fact. Unfortunately, we do not accept it. That is our misfortune. Or we misinterpret it. Krishna says in the Bhagavad- gītā, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru. Krishna says that “You always think of Me,” man-manā bhava mad-bhakto. “Become My devotee.” Mad-yājī, “You worship Me.” Māṁ namaskuru, “And offer obeisances unto Me.” Is it very difficult task? Here is Krishna’s Deity. If you think of this Deity, Rādhā-Krishna, is it very difficult? Man-manā. You come into the temple and, just as a devotee, offer your respect to the Deity, man-manā bhava mad- bhakto. As far as possible try to worship the Deity, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. Krishna does not want your whole property. Krishna is open to the poorest man for being worshiped. What He is asking? He says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati: “With devotion, if a person offers Me a little leaf, a little fruit, a little water, I accept it.” Krishna is not hungry, but Krishna wants to make you devotee. That is the main point. Yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. That is the main principle. If you offer Krishna little things… Krishna is not hungry; Krishna is providing food for everyone. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. But Krishna wants your love, your devotion. Therefore He is begging little patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto. There is no difficulty in understanding Krishna and to accept Krishna consciousness. But we’ll not do that; that is our disease. Otherwise, it is not difficult at all. And as soon as we become devotee of Krishna, we understand the whole situation. Our philosophy, Bhāgavata philosophy, is also communism because we consider Krishna the supreme father, and all living entities, they are all sons of Krishna.

So Krishna says that He is the proprietor of all planets, sarva-loka- maheśvaram. Therefore whatever there is, either in the sky or in the water or in the land, they’re all Krishna’s property. And because we are all sons of Krishna, therefore every one of us has the right to use (the) father’s property. But we should not encroach upon others. This is the formula of peace. Mā gṛdha kasya svidhanam, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam. Everything belongs to God. You are sons of God. You have got the right to use father’s property, but do not take more than you need. That is punishable. These things are stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Stena eva sa ucyate, in the Bhagavad-gītā, “he’s a thief.” If anyone takes more than he needs, then he’s a thief. Yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ. If for the satisfaction of Krishna… Yajña means Krishna’s another name is Yajñeśvara. So you act for Krishna, you take prasāda Krishna. That what we are teaching here. In this temple, we are residing Americans, Indians, Englishmen, Canadians, Africans, different parts of the world. You know that. Not only in this temple, all over the world. [break]

…when we forget this philosophy, that Krishna is the supreme father, Krishna is the supreme proprietor, Krishna is the supreme enjoyer and Krishna is the supreme friend of everyone. When you forget this, then we come into this material world and struggle for existence, fight with one another. This is material life. So you cannot get… The politicians, diplomats, philosophers, they have tried so much, but actually nothing has become fruitful. Just like the United Nations. It was organized after the second great war, and they wanted that peacefully we shall settle everything. But there is no such thing. The fighting is going on between Pakistan and India, between Vietnam and America, and this and that. It is not the process. The process is Krishna consciousness. Everyone has to understand this fact, that we are not proprietor. Proprietor is Krishna. That’s a fact. Just like America. Say two hundred years ago the Americans, the European migrators, they were not proprietor—somebody was proprietor. Before them, somebody was proprietor or it was vacant land. The actual proprietor is Krishna. But artificially you are claiming that “It is my property.” Janasya moho ’yam ahaṁ mameti. This is called māyā.

So Krishna advents for give us lesson. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata. Krishna says, “My dear Arjuna, I come when there is discrepancies in the process of religious life.” Dharmasya glānir bhavati. And what is dharma? The simple definition of dharma is dharmāṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat- praṇītam. This is dharma. Dharmāṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam. Just like what do you mean by law? Law means the word given by the state. You cannot make law at home. That is not possible. Whatever the government gives you, that “You should act like this,” that is law. Similarly, dharma means the direction given by God. That is dharma. Simple definition. You create dharma. I have created this dharma, another man creates another dharma; these are not dharma. Therefore, where the Bhagavad-gītā ends, that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ , this is dharma—to surrender to Krishna. Any other dharma, they are not dharma. Otherwise, why Krishna asks sarva-dharmān parityajya: “Give up”? He said that dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge: “I advent to establish the principles of religion.” And at last He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya. That means the so-called dharmas that we have manufactured, man-made dharmas, they are not dharmas. Dharma means what is given by God. But we have no understanding what is God and what is His word. That is the modern civilization defect. But the order is there, God is there—we won’t accept. Where is the possibility of peace? The order is there. Krishna says, the Supreme, bhagavān uvāca. Vyāsadeva writes bhagavān uvāca. One should know what is bhagavān. Vyāsadeva could have written Krishna uvāca. No. He says… If one may misunderstand Krishna, therefore he writes in every stanza, every verse, śrī bhagavān uvāca. So Bhagavān is there. Bhagavān is speaking. Bhagavān is accepted by all the ācāryas. Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇusvāmī. Latest, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu also, even Śaṅkarācārya, he also accepts Krishna—sa bhagavān svayaṁ Krishna. So the verdict of the modern ācāryas, and in the past also, Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita, everyone accepted Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Arjuna, who heard from Krishna, after understanding Bhagavad-gītā, he said, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān puruṣam ādyaṁ śāśvatam.

So everything is there. Especially in India, we have got so much asset for understanding God. Simple thing. Everything is there ready made. But we won’t accept. So what is the remedy for such disease? We are searching after peace, but we won’t accept anything which is actually giving us peace. This is our disease. So this Krishna consciousness movement is trying to awaken the dormant Krishna consciousness in everyone’s heart. Otherwise, how these Europeans and Americans and other countrymen, they never heard of Krishna four or five years ago, how they are taking Krishna consciousness so seriously? Krishna consciousness is there in everyone’s heart. It has to be awakened only. That is described in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta

nitya-siddha Krishna-bhakti ‘sādhya’ kabhu naya śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya

It is awakened. Love for Krishna, devotion for Krishna, is there within everyone’s heart, but he has forgotten. So this Krishna consciousness movement is simply meant for awakening that Krishna consciousness. This is the process. Just like when you are sleeping, your, I have to call you loudly—“Mr. such and such, such and such, get up. You have got this business.” No other senses will act when you are sleeping. But the ear will act. Therefore, in this age, when people are so fallen they will not hear anything, if we chant this Hare Krishna mahā-mantra, he’ll be awakened to Krishna consciousness. This is practical.

So actually if we are anxious for peace and tranquillity in society, then we must be very serious to understand Krishna. That is our request. Don’t take it neglectfully, the Krishna consciousness movement. This movement can solve all the problems of life, all the problems in the world. Social, political, philosophical, religious, economical—everything can be solved by Krishna consciousness. Therefore, we request those who are leaders—just like His Excellency is present here—you should try to understand this Krishna consciousness movement. It is very scientific, authorized. It is not a mental concoction or sentimental movement. It is most scientific movement. So we are inviting all leaders from all countries: try to understand. If you are sober, if you are actually reasonable, you’ll understand that this Krishna consciousness movement is the sublime movement for the welfare of the whole human society. That’s a fact. Anyone may come. We are prepared to discuss this subject matter. Krishna bhūliyā jīva bhoga vāñchā kare. We should not…

Our human life, the ultimate goal of human life is to achieve immortality. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti , This is our…, we have forgotten this. We are simply leading the life of cats and dogs, without any knowledge that we can achieve that perfection of life when there will be no more birth, no more death. We do not understand even that there is possibility of amṛtatvam. But everything is possible. Amṛtatvam. Nobody wants to die. That’s a fact. Nobody wants to become old man, nobody wants to become diseased. This is our natural inclination. Why? Because originally, in our spiritual form, there is no birth, no death, no old age, no disease. So after evolutionary process down from the aquatics, birds, beasts, plants, trees, when you come to this form of human form of body after… Aśītiṁ caturaś caiva lakṣāṁs tād jīva-jātiṣu. This is evolutionary process. We come to the human form of body. Then we should know what is the goal of life. The goal of life is amṛtatvam, to become immortal. That you can become immortal simply by becoming Krishna conscious. Krishna says. It is a fact. We have to simply understand. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. If you try to understand Krishna in truth, tattvataḥ, then, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti, after giving up this body, you don’t accept any more material body. And as soon as you don’t accept any material body means you become immortal. Because by nature we are immortal.

So Krishna advents, Krishna advents to teach us this lesson, that “You are immortal by nature. As spirit soul you are part and parcel of Me. I am as immortal. So you are also immortal. Unnecessarily, you are trying to be happy in this material world.”

mamaivāṁso jīva bhūto jīva-loke sanātanaḥ manaḥ saṣṭanindriyāni prakṛti-sthāni karṣati

Simply struggle for…, unnecessarily. The best thing is that you have enjoyed sense life in so many varieties of life, as cats, as dogs, as demigods, as tree, as plants, as insect. Now, in this human form of life, don’t be captivated by sensuous life. Just try to understand Krishna. That is the verdict of the śāstras. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye . To work very hard like dogs and hog for sense gratification is not the ambition of human life. Human life is meant for little austerity. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam. We have to purify our existence. That is the mission of human life. Why I shall purify my sattva existence? Brahma-saukhyam tv anantam. Then you get unlimited pleasure, unlimited happiness. That is real pleasure. Ramante yogino ’nante satyānanda-cid-ātmani iti rāma-padenāsau paraṁ brahmābhidhīyate.

So, at least in India, all the great personalities, saintly persons, sages and ācāryas, they have cultivated this spiritual knowledge so nicely and fully, and we are not taking advantage of it. It is not that those śāstras and directions are meant for the Indians or for the Hindus or for brāhmaṇas. No. It is meant for everyone. Because Krishna claims

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ yaḥ tāsāṁ mahad brahma yonir ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

Krishna claims that “I am everyone’s father.” Therefore, He is very much anxious to make us peaceful, happy. Just like the father wants to see his son is well situated and happy; similarly, Krishna also wants to see every one of us happy and well-situated. Therefore He comes sometimes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati This is the purpose of Krishna’s advent. So those who are servants of Krishna, devotees of Krishna, they should take the mission of Krishna. They should take up the mission of Krishna. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s version.

āmāra ajñāya guru hañā tāra ei deśa yare dekha, tare kaha, ‘Krishna’-upadeśa

Krishna-upadeśa. Just try to preach what Krishna has said in the Bhagavad-gītā. That is the duty of every Indian. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says.

bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya janma haila yāra janma sārthaka kari para-upakāra.

So Indians, Indians are meant for para-upakāra. Indians are not meant for exploiting others. That is not Indians’ business. Indian history is all along for para-upakāra. And formerly, from all parts of the world, used to come to India to learn what is spiritual life. Even Jesus Christ went there. And from China and from other countries. That is history. And we are forgetting our own asset. How much we are callous. Such a great movement, Krishna consciousness, is going on all over the world, but our Indians are callous, our government is callous. They do not take. That is our misfortune. But it is the Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mission. He says any Indian, bhārata bhūmite manuṣya janma, if he’s human being, he must make his life perfect by taking advantage of this Vedic literature and distribute the knowledge all over the world. That is para-upakāra. So India can do. They are actually appreciating. These Europeans, American young men, they are appreciating that how great… I get daily dozens of letter, how they are benefited by this movement. Actually, that is the fact. It is giving the life for the dead man. So I shall specially request the Indians, especially His Excellency, kindly cooperate with this movement, and try to make successful your life and others’ life. That is the mission of Krishna, advent of Krishna.

Thank you very much. (end)

Bhakti Vikasa Swami: Pedophiles Welcome! : Prabhupadanugas? UNWELCOME! 09 02 26

https://www.krishnaconsciousnesssociety.com/?

angel108b@yahoo.com

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Yeah, heard that hundreds of times:

ISKCON children victims are "getting their karma."

BHAKTI VIKSA SWAMI

PEDOPHILES WELCOME : PRABHUPADANUAGAS UNWELCOME

PADA: Rather odd conversation here with Bhakti Vikas swami. He seems to be saying, we should allow pedophiles back into ISKCON to "do important service" even if they have criminally abused children, and / or were caught or known. OK that means the GBC ISKCON leaders are not going to legally charge these pedo guys with these crimes. 

Which answers the BIG question we get all the time "why weren't the pedophiles put in jail by the ISKCON leaders"? Right, we need to be merciful to the pedophiles and give them mercy, forgiveness, and allowance to continue hanging around the society. And not have them legally charged criminally with crimes. 

Who is legally sued then? I forgot, it is the people who worship Srila Prabhupada, like the Bangalore devotees. The GBC spends $20,00,000 trying to put the directors of Akshaya Patra (a free food program in India) in jail. So if you are a pedophile, we should not charge you legally with crimes, we should allow you back to do important service -- whatever that means. 

But if you decide to worship Srila Prabhupada as your guru, you will be banned, beaten, sued, and maybe -- killed. Then people wonder why there has been a pedophile out cropping in ISKCON? BVKS then says he does not care who does not like what he says, he might be rejected. He already has been rejected, the temples are ghost towns. And that is why we need to be forgiving to the pedophiles, they are needed to do important service, because everyone else already abandoned ship. 

ys pd angel108b!yahoo.com   

BHAKTI VIKAS SWAMI

(0:00) The title of this talk will be Perspectives on Child Abuse, starting now. (0:11) I'm now going to speak on a very unpleasant subject. (0:18) What I'm going to say will definitely not be accepted or acceptable to some.

(0:28) I might lose some friends and disciples who strongly disagree with me. (0:36) I have been asked to clarify why I support child abuses. (0:42) This is not the first time that I've been called upon to do this, (0:47) but I've not done so because my experience in trying to address such questions is that (0:56) those who disagree, to put it mildly, tend to take things out of context and presume (1:07) that any perspective other than their own means that I am a supporter of the evil of child abuse.

PADA: BVKS supports Jayapataka swami, who has made what some victims call "Auschwitz for kids." There are numerous victims according to various testimony including that a number of other schools such as Vrndavana and other GBC locations also harbored child abusers and for many years. BVKS may not be abusing children himself, but the system he promotes and supports does abuse children.    

(1:20) The implication is that I support child abuse, I support child abusers, therefore I support (1:30) child abuse. I didn't take this up previously. I didn't respond to this because of the (1:43) nastiness of those who just presume that I must be evil because I don't take the same position (2:00) that they do.

PADA: Why is it nasty to address that BVKS's GBC system has had rampant child abuse and harbors notorious child abusers -- and BVKS is a leader in that system? And BVKS has been a defender / apologist / hand maiden / enabler of that system, and his sannyasa guru Jayapataka is the head of that system in Mayapur where we have had Dhanurdar, Bhakti Vidya Purna, Bhavananda, Satadhanya, Nitai Chand and others of that ilk roaming about over there?  

So I have to say, I do not support child abusers. (2:09) And you say, yes you do, but I want to draw a distinction between child abusers (2:16) and ex-child abusers. It seems to be presumed that anyone who has abused children must be (2:27) innately evil and cannot possibly be a devotee of any kind.

PADA: That is not really the issue at hand. The issue is that while all the abuse has been going on there was a severe effort to curb whistle blowers by BVKS's GBC society as a whole. And in fact GBC enforcers were sent to California to HUNT US DOWN LIKE DOGS and take out me and Sulochana, so violence -- including murders of Vaishnavas -- has been being used by BVKS's guru process to suppress complaints about child abuse. 

And when ex-child abusers are loitering about in ISKCON, they seem to get a free pass, but our Prabhupadanugas are banned, beaten, sued and maybe killed. Did I forget to mention that a child committed suicide after he saw how Dhanurdar was given a glorious welcome at Los Angeles temple? You guys are harming the victims over and over again. BVKS may think it is a good idea to allow in former perps, but it looks like the victims are not being consulted or taken into account. 

Surely a devotee cannot do such (2:35) horrible things. However, that's not what Krishna states in Bhagavad Gita. Although (2:45) citing the Apichet Suddharachara verse in this context invokes horror in some, (2:54) as if it doesn't apply.

There are some situations where some have decided that Krishna's words in (3:02) this regard, they're not applicable. They say that anyone who is chanting Hare Krishna but (3:14) who's done child abuse cannot be sincere in any way whatsoever. They're wolves in sheep's clothing.

(3:25) A little aside here, we live in a bad world. The whole society around us is abusive of children. (3:36) If we see how many children grow up taking drugs from a young age, having sex at a young age, (3:48) are suicidal and criminal, there are rampant kinds of child abuse which are just considered normal (4:03) in so-called civilized society.

No one makes a fuss. Contraception, abortion, (4:14) divorce, especially in the presence of young children, fighting between parents in the (4:23) presence of young children. It may be that those who are so much against, (4:34) well, we should be against child abuse, but those who are so much vocal about it don't see that (4:42) there are much broader parameters of child abuse.

PADA: What does any of that have to do with the GBC's mass child abuse of Krishna kids? The regular society is bad, our society is bad -- what is the problem? The problem is that "someone else is a crook" does not allow you to also be one, or support others who are. The ISKCON society has to be responsible for what happens in its society, and hold the perps and their enablers accountable. 

So yeah, be vocal about it, try to stop it, but (4:57) could try to keep a somewhat balanced perspective on it also. Getting back to (5:05) child abuse in ISKCON, there's a strange psychology, dichotomy, the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (5:14) syndrome. If you don't know what that is, look it up.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The one person who was (5:24) basically good but had a very bad side to him and eventually became very bad. (5:36) So it may be that the devotee has some demoniac tendencies, they take to Krishna consciousness (5:45) seriously, and after doing so they succumb to some really very, very bad (5:54) anarthas.

Yet they're still trying to be devotees. There but for the grace of God go I. (6:05) That's the saying. I can't say I'm categorically better than a child abuser.

PADA: Right, we GBC are the enablers of the industrial scale child abuse process, so I cannot say I'm better than a child abuser. Correct. The enablers of the abuse process are co-equal parts of the whole process, neither is much better than the other. "I did not hit you, my stick did."

How many sins have I (6:17) done, maybe not in this life, cow killing, murder, rape, contraception, abortion, genocide. (6:26) I'm in this material world because I'm sinful. Should have Prabhupada kindly (6:32) pick me up or try to pick me up.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur sings, (6:45) What kind of horrible things have I not done thousands and thousands of times. (6:57) The response to child abuse that seems to be mainstream in devotee society at present (7:06) is that offenders should be shamed as far as possible and driven out of Vaishnav society (7:14) and no one should have any sympathy for them whatsoever. 

PADA: Yes, there is a problem when the sincere Prabhupadanugas are driven out, and the molesters and their enablers get to stay. That is what has happens in ISKCON, most of the sincere householders are driven out and the false renunciates and their entourage of predators remain.   

Any sign, any trace of any sympathy (7:26) for a devotee who has succumbed to some terrible tendency proves that the person who has sympathy (7:35) is as bad, as evil as the wrongdoer.

What would Srila Prabhupada say? It seems to me unlikely (7:49) that he would totally reject and abandon a misbehaved devotee. (7:57) After who knows how many births we take to Krishna consciousness, (8:05) Srila Prabhupada, he did reject some disciples, (8:14) but not for misbehavior, even bad misbehavior, and especially there's at least one case we know of, (8:22) of a devotee who had performed very valuable service, had the potential to do much more. (8:30) It came to light that alongside doing his valuable service, (8:36) he was having multiple fall downs.

He was a Sanyasi GBC member. I'll say the name (8:43) because it is mentioned anyway in Hari Shari Prabhu's Transcendental Diary. The name is Madhu (8:51) Dwisha.

He was a GBC member and a Sanyasi. Srila Prabhupada liked him very much. He had done (8:57) tremendous service in picking up the Australian ISKCON.
So anyway, I'm going to read from (9:08) Hari Shari Prabhu's Transcendental Diary. Pusha Krishna Maharaj spent a long time on the phone (9:16) in the evening informing all the temples in Madhu Dwisha's zone on the east coast that he, (9:24) Madhu Dwisha, has fallen and is no longer the GBC. 

However, when he came to report (9:34) his actions to Srila Prabhupada, Prabhupada was angry. Prabhupada was made aware of the (9:40) initial suspicions in Australia, but his idea had been to keep the affair quiet until he reached New (9:48) York because Srila Prabhupada had reassigned Madhu Dwisha, taken him out of the Australia zone. (9:57) He'd heard about his multiple fall downs and reassigned him to a GBC zone in New York. He (10:04) didn't remove him from GBC service.

So Prabhupada wanted to keep the affair quiet until he reached (10:10) New York where he could see Madhu Dwisha personally and attempt to clear everything up (10:17) without a scandal. He wanted to save him and he was upset that news of Madhu Dwisha's fall down (10:23) was now widespread. He rebuked Pusha Krishna.

Now you have made it impossible for him to return. (10:33) Srila Prabhupada wanted Madhu Dwisha to return. Later on in the Transcendental Diary, we find (10:49) Harisharai Prabhu recalling that Pusha Krishna Swami himself (10:55) fell down. Harisharai Prabhu writes, Pusha Krishna's fall was not unexpected. (11:05) Srila Prabhupada pinpointed the cause. He said it was because he had made Madhu Dwisha's difficulties (11:11) a public issue.

Prabhupada had wanted to keep it quiet and deal with Madhu Dwisha on his own (11:19) for despite his entanglement in illicit activity, Madhu Dwisha was still doing service. (11:26) Prabhupada said that he had wanted to rectify him and keep him in devotional service. (11:32) But without consultation, Pusha Krishna had advertised the situation and this was counter (11:38) to his desire, to Srila Prabhupada's desire.

So Srila Prabhupada was looking to rectify him. (11:50) Nowadays with the internet, it's impossible to hide anything. Is that good or is it bad? Well, (11:58) whether it's good or whether it's bad, it's just a fact of life in the present age.
(12:05) But we can see that Srila Prabhupada's, what Srila Prabhupada's approaches. Now (12:15) falling down with women, it's serious misbehavior for anyone, for a sannyasi especially. (12:27) 

PADA: What does Madhuvisa having affairs with grown up females have to do with the molesting of small kids? Madhuvisa for the record was against my efforts to curb the child abuse and he said I was "making offenses."

Child abuse is in a different category, we can say, but it's falling down with a woman, (12:37) you can say, well, that's abuse of the woman or anyway, it's child abuse is particularly (12:46) horrible. One point is that falling down with women is so common (12:55) within ISKCON and illicit sex is so much accepted in mainstream society (13:03) that we tend to treat it quite lightly. 

PADA: Child abuse is not merely illicit sex among consenting adults, it is a crime against children.

Certainly those who, men who fall down with women, (13:10) they don't get roasted in the same way that child abusers do. For a brahmin to fall down, (13:20) for someone who's supposed to be a brahmin who engages in illicit sex, meat-eating, (13:27) taking of intoxication, gambling, it's in traditional Vedic culture, these are all considered (13:37) very sinful.

Nowadays, we don't consider them so, but mainstream society still considers child (13:47) abuse to be very, very bad. That might change, you never know. I'm not saying it's good if it (13:56) changes, but it's better if it changes that mainstream society recognizes that any form of (14:03) illicit sex is sinful, is bad, and there are gradations also.

Child abuse is definitely very, (14:13) very bad, but still we can consider Srila Prabhupada's outlook that he doesn't want to (14:22) completely reject a devotee who wants to be a devotee, (14:31) who's done very valuable service, he wants somehow to accommodate them. (14:36) This can become a very tricky question. By accommodating fallen sannyasis, (14:44) do we not undermine the whole institution of sannyas and cheapen it? By giving some room for (14:52) ex-child abusers to continue in Krishna consciousness, do we not lessen the crime (15:00) of child abuse and normalize it? 

It's a dilemma, at least it's not for everyone a dilemma, for many (15:09) it's no dilemma, just drive them out, throw them out. But I'm just wondering if that is the (15:17) fully correct attitude and by being so rejecting of devotees who are trying to be devotees, (15:30) we may commit offenses to them also. This will be hated by those who hate what I'm saying, but (15:42) there are cases we see in the pastimes of Bhaktivinoda Thakur, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, (15:52) of them saying that people had become ghosts for their offenses in criticizing devotees.

(16:04) And again they will say, well you can't be a devotee if you do such horrible things, but again (16:11) that's not the verdict of Bhagavad Gita.

PADA: OK so the Bhagavad Gita says we need to ban, beat, sue and kill anyone who worships Srila Prabhupada, but we should be merciful to child abusers. WTF? 

So yeah, it is a dilemma on the one hand, we want to keep (16:17) out, drive out child abuse altogether from Vaishnav society. I wonder if it's even possible (16:26) when it's so rampant in Kami society, despite all endeavors to stop it, curb it, it goes on rampantly. (16:39) It doesn't mean that we shouldn't make endeavors to keep it out, (16:46) but it's probably going to be with us.
The whole society is very bad. (16:53) Iskcon is not an island. We're in the middle of this horrible Kali Yuga.

PADA: But the karmi police, media and courts had to help me combat the mass child abuse in the Krishna religion. To say that the karmis are doing the same thing as ISKCON is not correct, they will vehemently attack child abusers programs. 

(16:59) So we want to drive out child abuse altogether. So it might seem that by (17:04) completely rejecting in all respects anyone who has any record of child abuse, (17:14) then we can drive it out completely, finished. But is it really proper to drive out devotees (17:28) who have made and who have the potential to continue making valuable contributions? (17:36) There are devotees who have done child abuse and have come out of that and have gone on for decades (17:50) inspiring devotees, helping them.

Are they really all wolves in sheep's clothing? (18:02) Or are they trying to be Krishna conscious? As we're all trying, we're all struggling. (18:10) It could be said, well, devotees, they can continue practicing Krishna consciousness, (18:16) but not in Iskcon. They can do it at home or they can go off to the Gauri Amart or Shree (18:24) Sampra or whatever, whoever will accept them.

PADA: No, all of us are not struggling with being potential child abusers, we instinctively want to protect children.

But then again, we have devotees who did things wrong (18:31) a long time ago but have not engaged in child abuse literally for decades. Maybe some allowance (18:38) could be made for them considering that association with devotees is essential in Krishna consciousness. (18:45) krishna bhakti janma mool hoye sadhu sanga krishna prema janme tehon punah (18:52) mokya anga.

The very root of krishna bhakti, the root of its arising is association with devotees. (19:04) And even when one comes to the level where krishna prema is awakening in one's heart, still (19:14) it is a major limb of devotional service. That is what Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says.

PADA: But by association with child abusers, and worshiping child abusers like Lokanath etc. we are associating with child abuse and not pure bhakti. 

So, (19:23) could ex-child abusers who are prepared to (19:34) at least clean toilets in Iskcon temples or (19:39) if they go into any Iskcon temple, everyone will know, yes, they did this, they did that. (19:45) If they regularly go to some temple, give them some service, give them some association, allow (19:52) them to join in kirtan. We also have to consider the recognized phenomenon in secular society (20:03) of people making accusations of rape and child abuse, (20:09) even against their parents, which later turn out to be false.

(20:17) It's a syndrome. It's not just one or two cases. There are (20:22) enough cases that it's a very worrying syndrome.

In the meantime, (20:29) after the accused parties have been imprisoned, their reputations destroyed, their lives destroyed, (20:41) and we see, at least in some cases of child abuse that have been adjudicated (20:51) within Iskcon, that the accused parties will admit that they've done some wrong, but they (20:57) state that there are exaggerations and misrepresentations also. 

But typically, (21:04) those who are accused are so much scorned that they're not considered worthy even of a proper (21:12) hearing. In other words, whatever the accusations are, are taken as a fact, and (21:22) the persons who are accused shouldn't even be listened to.

There can't be anything that they (21:32) could possibly say to re-present or to give a different perspective. Often, trial is by public (21:44) contempt on the internet. So, child abuse is terrible, horrible, dangerous, but it's also (21:56) dangerous that within Iskcon there are no proper judicial procedures followed, not only in cases (22:02) of child abuse.

What are called judicial procedures in cases of child abuse often seem to be driven (22:14) by vindictiveness, with the guilty verdict already settled before inquiry, and then deliberately dig (22:23) up all kinds of dirt, wrong things that the person may have done, or they're accused of doing, (22:34) which have got nothing to do with child abuse. The investigators try to get people to say bad (22:44) things. They're looking for material to incriminate, sometimes not involving the accused (22:51) whatsoever.

And not to speak of the accused, even someone who has anything good to say about them (22:59) is considered a pervert. If it is attempted to explain that there are many devotees who (23:05) have taken guidance from and been benefited by and who have no complaint against the accused, (23:14) or if it is attempted to state that some of the accusations are possibly not completely accurate (23:24) or exaggerated, one is immediately labeled a facilitator of child abuse. (23:33) So, it's natural that devotees become, or anyone, becomes livid and wants to (23:42) scream and maybe perform physical violence against child abusers.

But if we are to operate (23:51) as a functional society, there have to be proper judicial procedures. Otherwise, it's very dangerous. (24:05) And anyone can say anything and it's just taken as being true.

PADA: The judicial system of ISKCON is to ban, beat, sue and kill whistle blowers on child abuse. 

Anyway, (24:14) I don't want to discuss this further. I'm giving this little talk. It's going out in public.

It (24:20) will be cut into pieces, no doubt. But I don't want to discuss this further with those who are (24:32) so livid against any kind of child abuse that they seem to have lost their discrimination (24:48) and just presume that everyone must be very bad if they have anything to do with (24:59) or any sympathy for anyone who ever performed child abuse. That's my experience.

It's a certain (25:07) kind of persons it's impossible to discuss with in a reasonable manner. So, in such an atmosphere, (25:16) I won't attempt to discuss further. You can send me all kinds of nasty emails. That's it. (25:27) I may lose friends or disciples, but that is my position." 

BHAKTI VIKAS SWAMI

PADA: Yeah we won't allow this to be discussed further, suck it up, or we will ban, beat, sue and kill you. ys pd

The 14 Lokas - The Cosmic Map of Existence pic.twitter.com/Rw6hK9yRwI

— Radhika (@Madhavi_Gopan) September 2, 2026

Iran / Govinda Dasi / GBC meeting / 11 Naked Emporers 09 01 26

IRAN WAR

PADA: OK prabhu well thanks for that. My opinion is that the MAGA heads said we won this war maybe 45 times already, to appease the public, markets and media. They recently said Iran is dead, and they have no military left etc. 

Well ships still keep getting blown up in the Gulf, and so do our bases. A dead person would no longer be a threat -- and ships would be moving freely there, and that has not happened, because they are not dead. My feeling is that Iran is draining down our interceptor inventories, after that, we will have no defense. And they know that. 

A Pentagon leaker said, we all know a long term war with Iran is not sustainable, we do not have the defense munitions and we are already low. And it will take years to replenish what we already lost. Meanwhile Iran is making more missiles every day, we are way behind their capacity. 

So I think there is no clear path how we could win this, it does not seem to exist or we would have done that already. At this stage I think we are just keeping this going as long as possible because we simply cannot admit, we made a huge mistake. ys pd  

=======

PADA to Govinda Dasi:

PADA: Unfortunately, in the early 1980s I was complaining about the book editing, the mass mistreating of children, the intoxicated womanizer acharyas, and all the associated crimes that were going on left and right -- all being published all over the Western news medias on a regular basis. And not hardly any devotees were supporting my efforts, or making similar known efforts. 

So by 1986, the CBS TV news people (Jane Wallace etc.) asked me, who else is public protesting that we can interview, we want to include them. And I could not name anyone that I knew of at the time. So I understand why a lot of people think the current protest is "a day late and dollar short." So many ex-Krishna children, maybe over 100 or more around here, tell me the same thing, the people protesting the child mistreatment now are -- "a day late and dollar short." 

Of course, better late than never is also true. In any case -- I get that question to my blog all the time, well prabhu, why did everyone wait so long? It is the same question I get from the media people over and over. So when people ask that question, it is not new, I was getting the same question in 1986. ys pd

PADA: Yep, to my great fortune the FEDS, the Berkeley PD, the karmi courts etc. helped me survive the whole thing. So we all have a job, and they had their job, and they did it well or I would not be here. When Jane Wallace was interviewing me in 1986, she said that Kirtanananda sitting on a big gold seat being covered with the hands of many boys is "pedo heaven," and she was astonished hundreds of people were chanting "Jaya Bhaktipada." 

She said anyone who ACTUALLY understood Bhagavad Gita is a "fight for justice" would have pulled that sinful man off his seat on the spot, so obviously, none of your people have any idea what the Gita is even talking about. I agreed with her. 

The point is, unless people understand what Srila Prabhupada, the Bhagavad Gita, and Krishna are saying, then no progress can be made at any time. Of course original books are important so that people can eventually understand, and that is a good idea for you all all of us to support them. But the real problem the whole time, and still going on now is, people never understood who Srila Prabhupada and Krishna are, or none of this would have happened in the first place. 

Hopefully people will eventually understand, I agree we should strive for that. I appreciate your efforts on the original books, but the entire house needs cleaning, and the books are one aspect of that house cleaning. We also have to re-establish the worship of the bona fide acharya, or nothing will be solved correctly. ys pd

H Dasi: Purity is the force. Books the basis. Preaching the essence. Utility the principle.... Purity... is the force...

GC: Govinda Dasi is using her adhikar to speak the truth. Better late -- the time is NOW -- the one advantage is the rascals have had so much time … we are late in the game.

JG: Yes, most important. Without it there can be no real Sadhu Sanga. So the present state of ISKCON speaks for itself.

PADA: I think a lot of devotees thought they were powerless to do anything. Maybe so and maybe not. In ISKCON I helped a lawsuit where children victims told me that there were over 2,000 victims. Almost zero of those cases were ever reported to the authority, and that is how the problems got worse, and worse, and worse. 

I helped one woman with a case in Texas in 1986 and she was treated badly -- by many senior devotees in Texas. The seniors should have helped her, and not the GBC. And the 300 seniors families supporting Kirtanananda were many ISKCON seniors, and they went against me and Sulochana. I think the point is, most of the ISKCON seniors did not help us protest these things, for example I was protesting the book changes in the early 1980s, and no one helped and a lot of people told me to shut up. 

When I helped the victim children in 1997, all sorts of seniors attacked -- me -- and not the GBC. The point is, the seniors as a group failed, and a lot of people cannot see how that process happened. Therefore for some folks, it looks like too little too late, and I can also see how that thinking would emerge. Govinda dasi is doing a good job now, that is good, but there was a time when she had me blocked from the ISKCON history forum, saying I was wrong to complain the way I was. Sorry, these complaints should have been front and center. ys pd

=====

ISKCON Governing Body Commission (GBC)

Update on the Third Meeting of the

Global Vaishnavi Diksha Guru Committee

Hare Krishna Devotees,

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

The Global Vaishnavi Diksha Guru (GVDG) Committee convened its third meeting on 4 August 2026, under the chairmanship of Govardhana Dasa, First Vice-Chairman of the GBC Executive Committee, with representatives from the Regional Governing Bodies and the invited speaker, Hridayananda Dasa Goswami, participating.

Representatives from the following Regional Governing Bodies (RGBs) and zones were present: African RGB, Euro RGB, Fiji, India Bureau, Latin America RGB, North America RGB, and Singapore.

The meeting began with prayers and a reading from the Srimad Bhagavatam.
The meeting formed part of the Committee's ongoing process of hearing a broad range of perspectives regarding the GBC Resolution on Vaishnavi Diksha Gurus. During this meeting, presentations were given by Hridayananda Dasa Goswami and a representative of the European Regional Governing Body (Euro RGB). Bhakti Vikas Swami had also been invited to present but was unable to attend the meeting.

A representative of the Euro RGB presented two papers, Introduction: Defining the Role of All Preachers, Men or Women, in ISKCON and Way Forward: Rethinking ISKCON's Culture. The presentations outlined the Euro RGB's reflections and recommendations for the Committee's consideration regarding the GBC Resolution on Vaishnavi Diksha Gurus, - with particular emphasis on strengthening ISKCON's preaching mission, enhancing cooperation and accountability within ISKCON, and supporting the guru-disciple system.

Hridayananda Dasa Goswami's presentation explored principles of scriptural interpretation, including the relationship between guru, sadhu, and shastra, and the application of spiritual principles according to time, place, and circumstance in ISKCON's preaching mission.

Following the presentations, Committee members engaged in discussion and sought clarification on various points raised. The Committee remains committed to conducting its work in a respectful spirit, considering the diverse perspectives received while seeking to preserve ISKCON's unity and serve the mission of Srila Prabhupada.

- Issued by GBC Communications

PADA: The temples are empty ghost towns. If the homosexual and pedophile messiah's club starts to make female bodied guru members, it won't bring people to ISKCON, it will remain a ghost town. It is trying to fix stage 4 cancer with a band aid. ys pd

=========

11 Naked Emperors

August 29, 1978: On or around this date in history 48 years ago, the eleven zonal acharyas pose for a formal portrait with a large photograph of their spiritual master on the lawn at the holy place of Mayapur, India, where the Governing Body Commission holds their annual meetings. Back to Godhead, the official magazine for the Hare Krishna movement, reported the “appointment” of the eleven “successor gurus.”

Recently the International Society for Krishna Consciousness entered a new phase in its history, as eleven successor gurus appointed by ISKCON’s founding spiritual master began initiating new disciples around the world. His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada selected the eleven successor gurus in June 1977, five months before he passed away. According to the Vedic system, a spiritual student has to take initiation from a guru still physically present on earth. 

So Srila Prabhupada, who represents an unbroken chain of spiritual masters coming down through time from Lord Krishna himself, chose some of his most 

advanced disciples to carry on the chain and initiate new devotees.

However, in the same Back To Godhead issue, Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is quoted as saying (two weeks before his death), “All of my disciples will take the legacy. . . . I—one—may soon pass away, but they [my disciples] are hundreds, and this movement will increase. It’s not that I’ll give an order, ‘Here is the next leader.’ Anyone who follows the previous leadership is a leader. . . . All my disciples are leaders, as much as they follow purely.”

Are not these two statements contradictory? How could Prabhupada have selected the eleven successor gurus in June 1977, five months before he passed away, and also said that “It’s not that I’ll give an order, ‘Here is the next leader.’ Anyone who follows the previous leadership is a leader. . . . All my disciples are leaders, as much as they follow purely.”

(Not to mention that Prabhupada DID NOT appoint successors in June 1977—it was July 1977—and if you take the time to read the July 9, 1977 letter, he had appointed rittvik priests, not successors.)

Apparently Prabhupada came to realize as his death approached that his senior-most disciples were not following purely. And the proof is the fact that Prabhupada never appointed successors, and yet the eleven regarded themselves as successor acharyas and fooled nearly everyone for close to a decade.

In this connection Prabhupada says, “There is a Bengali saying that a jackal is king in a small forest. The story is that a jackal became king in the forest by fooling the other animals for some time, but he remained always a jackal and his ruse was at last exposed.” (Rupanuga, 11/13/70)
For more, see Eleven Naked Emperors.

http://henrydoktorski.com/11NakedEmperors.html

India Cults / Mayapur Schools / Initiations / SP Vyasa Puja 08 30 26

India's pedophile guru cults is not just ISKCON's problem. 

====

MAYAPUR SCHOOLS

Hare Krishna

Something with the Children (and Women too) is not happening good in Mayapur. Just in the last few weeks, there are 7-8 cases came to public related to CHILD & women too just in ISKCON Mayapur campus itself. Besides, Another complaint has been posted anonymously by an Ex-Primary SMIS teacher in the Mayapur Community Forum WA group highlighting the concerns towards how the School Management focus is not towards the CHILD CARE & PROTECTION at all. The original message is below for your read.

-------------------------------------------------------
Hare Krishna, Dear Devotees.

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I would like to share my experience of working at SMIS. I am sharing this with the sincere hope that it will contribute positively to the school and the community.
My first year at SMIS was a wonderful experience. However, after I became a primary form teacher, I witnessed what felt to me like a very different reality in the way the primary section was being managed.

Unfortunately, in my experience, some practices in the primary section have contributed to what I felt was a difficult and unhealthy work environment.

* Weak students are not adequately supported: Instead of providing extra guidance, patience, and encouragement to children who struggle academically, I sometimes felt that there was an inclination to remove weaker students from the school rather than support them in improving. Every child deserves patience, support, and an opportunity to grow.

* Discrimination and exclusion: I observed students being treated differently based on their race and nationality. I also witnessed children being excluded from English classes when they were academically behind. Although the coordinator is a capable and knowledgeable teacher, I found some of her interactions with students and colleagues deeply discouraging. I also witnessed instances that I felt were mocking or belittling towards others.

* Teachers need greater support and appreciation: In my experience, some teachers have felt that their dedication was not sufficiently valued. Many experienced primary teachers living in Mayapur have left after experiencing significant mental pressure. As a result, much of the primary section now consists of relatively new and inexperienced teachers. I sincerely feel that retaining experienced and dedicated teachers would greatly benefit the students and the school.

* Experienced teachers should be encouraged to remain: I feel that experienced and capable teachers bring valuable knowledge and stability to a school. I hope that SMIS can create an environment where experienced teachers feel encouraged, respected, and secure enough to remain and contribute for many years.

* Concerns about communication and behaviour: In my experience, some leaders behaved differently in public compared with private interactions. At times, I felt that teachers and others were spoken about negatively behind their backs. I believe that open, respectful, and transparent communication would create a much healthier environment. 

* A culture where people hesitate to speak: I have observed that some parents, teachers, and even students seem hesitant to raise concerns or ask questions because they worry about possible consequences. Some teachers have already tried to raise concerns through appropriate channels, but unfortunately, from what I have observed, meaningful changes have not followed. I feel that providing a safe and confidential way for teachers and parents to share their experiences could help the school understand these concerns more fully.

Regarding the Principal and Management: I want to make it very clear that I have great respect for the school management and especially for Mother Rachitambara. I have always found her to be a very kind, caring, and compassionate person, particularly towards the students. I believe that she genuinely wants the best for the children and for SMIS. I also appreciate the years of service and dedication that the coordinators have given to the students school. Because they have been serving for many years, it is completely understandable that the management would have developed trust and confidence in them.

At the same time, I feel that some of the experiences taking place at the ground level may not always reach the management. I sincerely believe that Mother Rachitambara and the management may not be aware of everything that has happened behind the scenes. Some teachers have already tried to express their concerns. If the management could confidentially speak with both current and former teachers who have worked closely with the primary coordinators, I believe it could provide a broader and more balanced understanding of the situation.

I am not sharing this to criticise the Principal or the management. On the contrary, I am sharing it because I respect the school and sincerely hope that the management will have an opportunity to hear perspectives that may not always reach them. Our children deserve a safe, nurturing, and compassionate environment where every child is encouraged to learn, regardless of their academic ability. Teachers also deserve to be treated with dignity, respect, and fairness. 

I sincerely hope these concerns will be received with an open heart and that meaningful steps can be taken to make the primary section an even healthier, more supportive, and compassionate environment for students and teachers.
I am grateful for the opportunity I had to work at SMIS, and I sincerely wish the school, its management, teachers, students, and the entire community continued growth and success.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. 

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Śrīla Prabhupāda’s System for Initiations in ISKCON

by Narasiṁha Dāsa

Śrīla Prabhupāda never hesitated to offer spiritual initiation to anyone who agreed to follow his instructions. He initiated persons not born in brāhmaṇa families or families that followed Vedic culture. Śrīla Prabhupāda accepted both men and women from all backgrounds as his initiated disciples and promised he would take them back to Godhead if they followed his instructions. What is especially unusual about the system of initiations Śrīla Prabhupāda arranged is that it requires no physical contact between Śrīla Prabhupāda and his new student. 

In fact, many devotees were initiated by Śrīla Prabhupāda without ever meeting His Divine Grace. Such initiations would have been impractical had Śrīla Prabhupāda not authorized senior disciples to accept and train new students on his behalf.

To expand Lord Caitanya’s transcendental mission, Śrīla Prabhupāda made many arrangements to help sincere souls approach him, inquire from him, and accept him as sad-guru. By making himself available in the form of his books, mūrtis, movement, and representatives, he greatly expanded opportunities for devotees to get the fully potent association of a paramahaṁsa Vaiṣṇava. As the movement expanded, the facilities for innocent persons to take shelter of Śrīla Prabhupāda also expanded.

Near the time of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s departure, the Movement was growing more quickly than ever. Therefore, on July 9th, 1977, he formally established an initiation system that had already been in practice in ISKCON. By his final order, Śrīla Prabhupāda authorized deputies to accept disciples on his behalf, yet without writing to him for confirmation, as they had done before. By this order, Śrīla Prabhupāda authorized representatives to decide who would be accepted for initiation in ISKCON. Śrīla Prabhupāda had already clearly established the standards for being accepted as his initiated disciple; therefore, he trusted the discretion of senior disciples to manage this system on his behalf. (For exact descriptions of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s standards for initiation, see Cc. Ādi 17.265 and Cc. Madhya 24.330, purports.)

Śrīla Prabhupāda never authorized anyone to initiate their own disciples in his movement, and he never gave the GBC authority to select or approve dīkṣā-gurus. What Śrīla Prabhupāda did do was set up a system to continue initiations in ISKCON according to the standards he had already established. His final order on initiations simply confirms the system Śrīla Prabhupāda had already set up in ISKCON. The only adjustment Śrīla Prabhupāda made by his final directive was to eliminate the need for representatives (such as temple presidents) to write to him for approval. Rather, they were instructed to write to the local ṛtvik, the representative of the ācārya. In this way, Śrīla Prabhupāda authorized ṛtviks to accept disciples on his behalf.

The GBC has no authority to discontinue devotional practices or management systems His Divine Grace Śrīla Prabhupāda personally arranged. The GBC has no authority to sanction dīkṣā-gurus. In fact, the entire arrangement of gurus and initiations in ISKCON today is a concoction. Śrīla Prabhupāda never ordained dīkṣā-gurus, nor did he set up any system to empower the GBC to do so. Yet the GBC insists on defending its concocted guru system, which has caused division and chaos in ISKCON for more than 20 years.

Question: Are you saying that the GBC has no authority to regulate who initiates in ISKCON?

Answer: Śrīla Prabhupāda initiates in ISKCON. His words and example inspire us all to join Lord Caitanya’s movement. The GBC has authority to preserve what Śrīla Prabhupāda established, not to create something new. Śrīla Prabhupāda never approved the idea of self-appointed gurus or gurus appointed or approved by an ecclesiastical board. He criticized his Godbrothers several times for trying artificially to create posts of dīkṣā-guru, or ācārya, in the Gauḍīya Maṭha.

Question: Must Śrīla Prabhupāda always remain the initiating guru in ISKCON?
Answer: We must follow the order we have. The entire Hare Kṛṣṇa movement follows Śrīla Prabhupāda. He’s the spiritual master of the universe. What’s wrong with that idea?

Question: How do we know that Śrīla Prabhupāda won’t order someone to become dīkṣā-guru, the initiating spiritual master? Maybe he already has.

Answer: Śrīla Prabhupāda’s arrangement for initiations in ISKCON is clear. We can’t change this arrangement, which is based on Śrīla Prabhupāda and his authority, just because someone claims that Śrīla Prabhupāda told him he could initiate his own disciples. Who is making such claims?

Question: What if a new devotee wants to accept one of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s disciples as the spiritual master rather than trying to develop a direct relationship with Śrīla Prabhupāda? Could he do that?

Answer: Not in ISKCON. Śrīla Prabhupāda made himself fully available in the form of his extensive vāṇī and also as his divine mūrti. Daily attendance at his guru-pūjā and maṅgala-ārati prayers, and careful study of his books, are essential for all ISKCON devotees. Yet devotees may naturally follow senior advanced disciples who inspire them in their devotion to Śrī Guru and Śrī Gaurāṅga. Śrīla Prabhupāda encouraged such practical training and teacher-student relationships. Yet he never authorized any disciple to set himself up as the initiating spiritual master in ISKCON. He never authorized any of his disciples to act as the sad-guru, who must be worshipped like the Supreme Lord.

Question: But sannyāsīs receive worship from others.

Answer: Genuine Vaiṣṇavas are certainly worthy of worship. To be a faithful disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda is an exalted status. Nonetheless, no regular worship or formal status as dīkṣā-guru was ever authorized by Śrīla Prabhupāda for any of his disciples in ISKCON. Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted faithful disciples, not self-appointed pretenders. If a new devotee hasn’t developed faith in Śrīla Prabhupāda as his guru, he should not accept initiation in ISKCON. Similarly, if a disciple wants to appoint himself as guru, he has no right to use ISKCON for his enterprise.

Question: But doesn’t the law of disciplic succession prohibit jumping over the current guru in favor of the previous ācārya?

Answer: Śrīla Prabhupāda is still the current ācārya. Who can deny this? Do we need a candle to see the full moon? Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said, “He reasons ill who tells that Vaiṣṇavas die, when thou art living still in sound.” Who is that guru we jump over by accepting Śrīla Prabhupāda? If someone says new devotees need to surrender heart and soul to unauthorized or mixed devotees, such ignorant persons should be jumped over or ignored.

Question: Doesn’t the sincere disciple automatically become the guru and then serve his own disciples by helping them become Kṛṣṇa conscious?
Answer: The disciple follows the order of the ācārya and serves in that way. Śrīla Prabhupāda created many posts for his disciples (such as sannyāsa, GBC, and temple president), but he never created posts of dīkṣā-guru. Nor did he tell the GBC to do so. Śrīla Prabhupāda is both the śikṣā-guru and dīkṣā-guru in ISKCON. Advanced devotees should train new disciples to associate with Śrīla Prabhupāda constantly by hearing from him repeatedly with rapt attention. In this way, everyone gets the same benefit and guarantee in their cultivation of pure devotional service.

Question: But don’t Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books talk often of his disciples becoming dīkṣā-gurus and accepting their own disciples?
Answer: No. Śrīla Prabhupāda asks everyone to become guru by preaching and training others in the philosophy and practices of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He never asked anyone to begin initiating their own disciples in ISKCON. We find no such instruction. Not all pure devotees initiate disciples and accept worship from other Vaiṣṇavas. It’s not automatic that pure devotees will initiate. A pure devotee accepts the post of spiritual master when the Supreme Lord or His empowered representative orders him. (See Ś.B. 4.8.54, purport.)

Question: Don’t Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books say that everyone should become guru and help others? Isn’t this Lord Caitanya’s mission?

Answer: Lord Caitanya’s mission is to give pure chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa and pure devotional service. Śrīla Prabhupāda warns that no one should be accepted as a pure devotee if he is not properly authorized. Please consider this passage from Caitanya-caritāmṛta: “Vallabha Bhaṭṭa wanted to be initiated by Gadādhara Paṇḍita, but Gadādhara Paṇḍita refused, saying, ‘The work of acting as a spiritual master is not possible for me. I am completely dependent. My Lord is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. I cannot do anything independently, without His order.’” (Cc. Antya-līlā 7.150–151.) Pure devotees never think they are independent. All work in ISKCON is created by Śrīla Prabhupāda. The post of “ISKCON guru” is a GBC concoction. Unfortunately, due to this concoction, many preachers have been polluted by false ambition.

Question: But Lord Caitanya gave a blanket order for everyone to become guru. Why do you say such gurus can’t initiate their own disciples?
Answer: They may initiate when they get an order to initiate. Śrī Gadādhara Paṇḍita himself said he needed a direct order to initiate! Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted everyone to become Kṛṣṇa conscious and preach. He never said all devotees must initiate their own disciples. In fact, Śrīla Prabhupāda specifically warns, “It is better not to accept any disciples.” Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “A guru can become guru when he’s ordered by his guru. That’s all. Otherwise nobody can become guru.” (Ś.P. Bg. lecture, 1975.)

Question: By preaching and practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, isn’t one automatically qualified to become an initiating guru?

Answer: Not necessarily. But qualification is a separate issue. We may have qualifications, but an order is still required. For instance, I may be qualified for the order of sannyāsa, but in ISKCON I will need authorization to be accepted as a sannyāsī. The position of a Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava guru, or ācārya, is equal to that of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (Cc. Ādi 1.46.) Śrī Gadādhara Paṇḍita said he was unable to initiate without the direct order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Why speak of others?

Question: How is it possible that Śrīla Prabhupāda can accept disciples after his departure? And how do we know he wants to?

Answer: You think there’s something that’s impossible for Śrīla Prabhupāda? He set up a ṛtvik system for this. He established ISKCON to train devotees to be his steady disciples and preach. It used to be common knowledge among devotees that His Divine Grace was willing to accept the whole world as his disciples. He accepted disciples in Australia while in Europe. He accepted disciples in America while in India. He accepted disciples he had never met. Śrīla Prabhupāda can do this. He is still doing this. It is in our hands to get the credit for helping him do this by agreeing to remain his faithful representatives.

Question: Then we should ask new devotees to surrender heart and soul to someone they can never meet personally or write a letter to.

Answer: Do you think Śrīla Prabhupāda is dead? The issue here is the authority of the Jagat-guru. He never said his physical presence was essential. Many of his so-called “direct” disciples, devotees initiated prior to 1977, never saw him or wrote to him. Śrīla Prabhupāda said following his order is essential. He never stressed his physical presence. His order is directly the will of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Why should we tax our brains to justify defying Śrīla Prabhupāda’s order? The problem is that devotees have not carefully heard from Śrīla Prabhupāda or his genuine representatives. They’ve been misled by the GBC to think Śrīla Prabhupāda is gone and can no longer personally guide or initiate devotees.
Question: According to Vedic tradition, when the guru departs, his disciple becomes the initiating guru and accepts his own disciples. This is the paramparā system. We can’t stop this eternal system.

Answer: There is no such tradition of de facto guru, or guru by automatic inheritance. Yet all Vedic traditions are satisfied if we follow Śrīla Prabhupāda’s formula for expanding the worldwide mission of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One day there may be millions of devotees qualified to offer dīkṣā. Yet in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission, they will follow Śrīla Prabhupāda’s system and train disciples to offer their full devotion and surrender to Śrīla Prabhupāda and his mission rather than to themselves. Such self-realized souls may have many devoted followers. Pure devotees teach by their example how to serve Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission as humble representatives of the Śaktyāveśa-avatāra, the Jagat-guru. If representatives of Śrīla Prabhupāda train everyone to accept Śrīla Prabhupāda as ācārya, the paramparā system will flourish gloriously. Advanced devotees will happily agree to remain humble representatives of His Divine Grace, the Jagat-guru, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Question: But don’t all genuine spiritual masters accept disciples on behalf of the previous ācāryas? Don’t ISKCON gurus engage their followers in unalloyed service to Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Answer: Yes, to the first question. No, to the second. They are misleading their so-called disciples. These ambitious men could have been loved and honored as the representatives of Śrīla Prabhupāda, but instead, due to false ambition, they created intrigue and suffering for everyone, including themselves. What’s at stake here? Why all the fuss to reject Śrīla Prabhupāda’s final order on initiations? Think about it!

Question: Isn’t dīkṣā just a formality? Isn’t it the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra that actually initiates everyone?

Answer: Dīkṣā is the process by which one can awaken his divya-jñāna and vanquish sinful reactions (Cc. Madhya 15.108). The initiation ceremony is a formality, but that also has been recommended and established by our Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, beginning with Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. By definition, then, the dīkṣā-guru must be a fully self-realized soul. No one else is qualified to offer true dīkṣā.

Question: If everyone takes śikṣā from Śrīla Prabhupāda, isn’t that enough? Why should we worry about who initiates?

Answer: The śikṣā-guru and dīkṣā-guru must be seen equally. Generally, they are the same person. They are both absolute. Why deny new devotees the assurance of being directly connected with Śrīla Prabhupāda through both dīkṣā and śikṣā? Who will they accept as Śrīla Prabhupāda’s equal? The real point is following the formula Śrīla Prabhupāda personally arranged. Why does the GBC refuse to accept Śrīla Prabhupāda’s arrangement?

Question: The GBC believes that ordaining gurus is the most effective way to recruit and train devotees and thus continue the paramparā.

Answer: The paramparā is continued by disciples who follow the order of the ācārya. ISKCON devotees must follow Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instruction to preach on his behalf. Śrīla Prabhupāda is the Jagad-ācārya. His position is the same as Lord Nityānanda’s or Lord Balarāma’s. No order of His Divine Grace can be changed or ignored. By training everyone to be disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda, the paramparā will continue gloriously.

Question: I think most ISKCON gurus are representing Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission.

Answer: Preachers who represent Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission teach that Śrīla Prabhupāda is the absolute shelter for all ISKCON devotees. They teach devotees to hear from Śrīla Prabhupāda and worship him with full surrender. They don’t encourage devotees to worship mixed devotees or offenders as the initiating spiritual master. Nor do they teach that mixed devotees are in the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava sampradāya. Rather, they train devotees to accept Śrīla Prabhupāda and surrender to his mission directly. Unless the GBC accepts Śrīla Prabhupāda’s order, they’ll continue to mislead innocent devotees and create chaos.

Question: Are all ISKCON gurus offenders?

Answer: According to Śrīla Prabhupāda, those who attempt to exploit or misdirect the mission of the ācārya due to personal ambition are “severe offenders.” No one can capture the post of Vaiṣṇava ācārya by artificial arrangements. “A Vaiṣṇava ācārya is self-effulgent, and there is no need for any court judgment.” (Cc. Madhya 1.220, purport.) Śrīla Prabhupāda and Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī both warn that one who covets the post of Vaiṣṇava ācārya or tries to assume the post without authority causes havoc by his imitation. Even Śrī Gadādhara Paṇḍita, the incarnation of devotional energy, says he needs a direct order to initiate. He was not willing to assume the post of Supreme Personality of Servitor Godhead without a direct order from Lord Caitanya. Yet if we ask an ISKCON guru, “When did Śrīla Prabhupāda order you to become the initiating spiritual master?” what will he say?

Question: He might say, “I am a guru because the GBC confirmed my nomination. I don’t claim to be absolute. Only my disciples see me that way because the śāstras say the guru must be worshipped like God. I accept the authority of the GBC as absolute. In that way, I am absolute.”

Answer: This is no reply. They’ll agree to be ṛtviks of a deviated GBC but not of Śrīla Prabhupāda! They misrepresent the most exalted post of Vaiṣṇava guru. By their deviation, they’ve opened the floodgates for sahajiyā cheating and anarchy. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura warned, “One who thinks he is guru is ‘garu.’” ‘Garu’ means cow. A cow is an animal. We may worship a cow sometimes, but it remains an animal nonetheless.

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SRILA PRABHUPADA Vyasa Puja offering of five prayers glorifying special characteristics of Srila 108 Bhaktisiddanta Saraswati Goswami Thakura. Presented on the commemoration of his appearance, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, at the Radha-Damodara temple, Vrindavana, India, in 1961.

First Vasistya

1. On this day, O my master, I made a cry of grief; I was not able to tolerate the absence of my guru.
2. On this auspicious day I have come with this offering just to worship you, remembering your lotus feet.
3. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's judgement is that renunciation is most important. Not only that, but such knowledge must be delivered to every conditioned being.
4. The beginner in devotional service has no ability to solve this dilemma, but you are a maha-bhagavata, you have given us direction.
5. One bewildered by ignorance, what kind of renunciate can he be? He will only be a "phalgu-vairagi"; renouncing externally.
6. Renunciation is actually the result of real spiritual emotion. Without such feeling it is simply known as show-bottle.
7. But there is another "show-bottle" for the purpose of preaching. That is the Lord's sannyasa by which the Mayavadis are defeated.
8. Lord Caitanya's Philosophy is beyond varnasrama; it is Bhagavata dharma, for putting an end to all cheating processes of religion.
9. Performing dry renunciation there can be no real preaching. Therefore "Yukta vairagya" is given the highest essential understanding.
10. "That sannyasa which I have given you" is for preaching in devotion. The faithless sense enjoyers are unable to understand this.

Second Vasistya

11. Generally the sannyasis renounce everything and go and stay in the mountain caves, but you, O master, keep your sannyasis in mansions of marble.
12. To see a sense enjoyer is just like drinking poison, but you, O my master, go far and near, even abroad, to give them your darsana.
13. Mlecchas and Yavanas are forbidden to enter the Hindu temples, but you my Lord, make them chairmen and sit them in the assembly of devotees.
14. Hindus are not allowed to cross the ocean, but you send your devotees overseas to preach.
15. In the cities of Kali-yuga, the instructions of the bona fide spiritual preceptors are forbidden. Still you remain here in any way possible.
16. The devotees want to hide in a secluded place to perform their bhajan. You, however, do not accept this in your judgement.
17. Whenever there is an increase in population, there in that place preaching is to be found.
18. In London you want a student hostel. You explain that it must be first-class.
19. In the land of barbarians a student hostel for preaching Hari-Katha! Who can understand the significance of these things?
20. To resolve all the apparent contradictory statements is not the play of some incompetent fool.
21. If everyone simply sat down together and considered these things, what nice preaching there could be.
22. What is your order also, that everyone, coming together, should merge in your message and preach it to the world.
23. If everyone just initiates then there will only be a contradictory result. As long as it goes on there will be only failure.
24. Now even, my godbrothers, you return here to the order of our master, and together we engage in his puja.
25. But simply a festival of flowers and fruits does not constitute worship. The one who serves the message of the guru really worships him.
26. The service of the message is the real meaning of the Vedas. Don't be proud, brothers, come back to this.
27. Kalidas Nag (a learned man who was defeated by Srila Saraswati Thakura and later became his disciple), that master said in public forum one day.
28. That Kali's mission was to kill the entire world while the essential meaning of Lord Caitanya's message was kept locked up in a cage.
29. O shame! My dear brothers, aren't you embarrassed? In the manner of businessmen you increase your disciples.
30. Our master said to preach. Let the neophytes stay in the temples and ring the bells.

Third Vasistya

31. All these things are not our spiritual master's preaching methods. These are all the things done by the caste Gosvamis.
32. But just take a look at the terrible situation that has arisen. Everyone has become a sense enjoyer and has given up preaching.
33. In the temples they have also begun to lock the doors. Preach this bhagavata dharma, don't hesitate.
34. Within this world is another world, Whose sound is the unequaled penetrating force.
35. The preaching that "mullah (Muslim priest) only goes as far as the mosque and no further" should be put to an end today.
36. From the seas, across the earth, penetrate the universal shell, come together and preach this Krishna consciousness.
37. Then our master's service will be in proper order. Make your promise today. Give up all your politics and diplomacy.
38. Everyone come together on this day and make your valued comment. The five of you get together and decide what should be done.
39. You have become renouncers, brothers, so renounce everything. But if you also renounce the order of the spiritual master, then what kind of renunciation is that?
40. The one who renounces the guru's order (guru tyagi) and the one who tries to enjoy the assets of his spiritual master (guru-bhogi) are two kinds of useless persons. First become a servant of your spiritual master (guru-sevi) and then you will understand things clearly.

Forth Vasistya

41. If there is only one Supreme Lord, then a true sadhu, if his faith increases, he gives up the desire for profit, distinction and adoration in the material world.
42. Your gold, brother, is the father of sense gratification. This meaningful statement was spoken by Srila Prabhupada himself.
43. Give up your wealth for preaching. Sit down together and make some special judgement.
44. The Supreme Lord says that everything is Mine. Don't protest. Just unite and preach.
45. Srila Prabhupada gave this final message himself. Take care to follow that completely in all respects.
46. Otherwise, your sannyasa will be wasted and useless. O saintly ones, be careful; afterwards you will regret.
47. So, what is the difficulty for all of us to come together in this way and why do all these things even have to be said to you?
48. Give up your stubbornness, there is no time. Come all my brothers on this auspicious holy occasion.

Fifth Vasistya

49. When will that day come when there will be a temple established in every house in every corner of the world?
50. When the big court judge will be a Gaudiya Vaisnava with tilak beautifully decorating his forehead.
51. A Vaisnava winning votes will be elected president of the land and preaching will spread everywhere.
52. The demons simply plunder the Lord's wealth. The hapless populace cry, "Hai Hai" in distress.
53. The demons want so many plans just to cheat the people. They sell wheat flour at 32 rupees a mound.
54. Will opening a factory fill a hungry man's belly? Being oppressed by starvation they will eat grass and mango pits.
55. Wearing a two pisa string a man is called a brahmin. Wearing a saffron cloth he has become a sannyasi.
56. The householders beg from sannyasis, and why not? The sannyasis have tens of millions of rupees in the bank.
57. As the days pass, the influence of Kali-yuga increases and the poor are crying in distress.
58. Ten thousand cows are killed daily and the nations expert leaders are all eating untouchable foodstuffs.
59. People of muddy intelligence increase day by day. A man and his wife separate on mere word.
60. Everyone has become a witch by the influence of this age. Everyone is unhappy due to the absence of the mercy of the Vaisnavas.
61. The Vaisnavas are famous as "para dukha dukhi." This fame will increase as the preaching increases.
62. If eternally pure devotional service to Krsna is awakened in everyone, then Kali will flee, screaming of his own accord.
63. "Praninan upakaraya" do work for the benefit of all living beings. This is Mahaprabhu's teachings. This is the storehouse of happiness in this life and the next.
64. So much work has fallen into your hands, so gather together and do it.
65. Vasudeva Datta said to the Lord, paying his obeisances, save all the living beings in the material world.
66. Give all their sins and suffering to me, who am the lowest of all. In this way all the suffering and miseries of the fallen will end.
67. He was the best of the Vaisnavas, para dukha dukhi. He knows that there is not real happiness in gratifying the senses.
68. And what kind of mercy can the non-Vaisnavas give? They simply make offenses by their Daridra Narayana philosophy.
69. The mercy of the Vaisnavas is scientific and authorized, without their mercy this world is simply insurmountable maya.
70. If there is a kingdom of Visnu and Vaisnavas on the surface of the earth, then the world will be happy--so say the great sages and rishis.
71. Why is everyone crying for Rama-rajya? The only way it can be had is if there is a Visnu centered kingdom.
72. Lord Krsna enthroned King Yudhisthira; then the whole world was rich and fortunate due to the qualities of a Vaisnava.
73. The streams, rivers, trees and fields and mountains, were all full of fruits and flowers. The milk laden cows were floating in abundant milk.
74. The birds, beasts and lower creatures were all non-envious. Material life in the Vaisnava kingdom was regulated and perfect.
75. All immersed in bliss, singing the glories of the Hari. The hearts of Vaisnavas dance in ecstasy to see this.
76. The entire world is filled with the use of material objects, without a trace of devotion to the Lord.
77. Still they are searching after peace. Preach Krsna consciousness; fulfill their desires.
78. Today my brothers, get to this task. Save the battered souls by your preaching.
79. Srila Prabhupada, please be merciful today. This time have compassion. You are not a conditioned soul of this material world.
80. Whatever independence we have, let it be cast to the waters. The lowly Abhay offers this presentation today.

Vrndavana, Radha Damodara.
December 1958

Translated from Bengali into English by Daśaratha-suta dasa