'Iskcon Owes Us Nothing'
Well I have mixed feelings about this. When we join we hear this line a few times..
"living in the temple is not our right it's our privilege" or another:
"SP built a house the whole world can live in"
In Absolute terms this may work but even our temple presidents, if not all, are not pure devotees so they also fail to see that Krsna does reciprocate with His devotees to the level of their surrender and they too are sailing on the exact same ship as us. They are also not exempt from being treated harshly or lovingly by His embrace.
Are they perhaps missing the point? That being in the same house, Krsna will also reciprocate with them to their level of surrender. No need for making business in the temple or being tight fisted with the funds. It creates a blockage If you want Laxmi to flow, being kanjoos, miserly doesn't advance the preaching. After all its not their money, it's Krsnas, but then still -- while we openly surrender all, the TP is secretly stealing from the Hoondi and financing his own posh house with money those grhastas worked hard for.
When we use this line -- ISKCON owes us nothing, its a cop out for having to take special care of Krsnas devotees. If Krsna is the reservoir of wealth, why be a miser, why put so many nice rank and file devotees who are in the house SP built into such tough situations, that eventually they leave only to find out that Krsna actually is taking better care of them on the outside, then when they were in His so-called house?
Mahamsa das (ACBSP), supposedly the SP first Indian disciple, built the first ISKCON temple in Hyderabad... I've been seeing him recently.. and he told me a relevant past time. SP had made Mahamsa das his treasurer.. trying to be pakka, or maybe over pakka, he was tight fisted with every piasa, trying to impress SP.
The new Western white dancing elephants had just arrived in India. After some time a few devotees approached Mahamsa for a few rupees to buy some soda. Being tight with the purse, Mahamsa prabhu refused, he refused several times thinking "what is this, these Sanyasis wanting to enjoy?"
Eventually the Americans went to SP to complain. SP called Mahamsa prabhu in and chastised him for being miserly. SP said, "you have been in Canada, you have seen how Americans live, they have everything they desire, but now they have given it all up to follow me, if we deny them a little something then they will simply leave and then Maya will catch them."
So Mahamsa returned and spent Krsnas money on the devotees.
(but between you and me, Mahamsa prabhu is still a miser to this day and he too is getting his treatment from Krsna)
Surely it's not our right, but a privilege, that Krsna takes care of His devotees. So let's not think like Mahamsa prabhu and think we can control His opulences and force nice surrendered devotees out of this House SP built, so they can afford a 20 ml tube of Colgate to simply clean their teeth.
This is my experience, that those in management have read the books but realised nothing.
Well I have mixed feelings about this. When we join we hear this line a few times..
"living in the temple is not our right it's our privilege" or another:
"SP built a house the whole world can live in"
In Absolute terms this may work but even our temple presidents, if not all, are not pure devotees so they also fail to see that Krsna does reciprocate with His devotees to the level of their surrender and they too are sailing on the exact same ship as us. They are also not exempt from being treated harshly or lovingly by His embrace.
But all too often I found an "us and them" attitude prevailing. Where they were holding the purse strings and we (them) had to under get some heavy austerity.
(I was serving a senior SP disciple who lived outside, we both were heavily engaged, I went to fetch us prasadam. When I took 2 chapatis, one was snatched away and the remaining one cut in half for us to share).
(I was serving a senior SP disciple who lived outside, we both were heavily engaged, I went to fetch us prasadam. When I took 2 chapatis, one was snatched away and the remaining one cut in half for us to share).
Meanwhile the TP was having some special separate meal. Us and them?
I have personally seen that Krsna always had my back. He does reciprocate. He has given me laptops, money from outside to increase and expand my service to others... while at the same time some TPs were having to make some complicated business arrangements to make ends meet.
I have personally seen that Krsna always had my back. He does reciprocate. He has given me laptops, money from outside to increase and expand my service to others... while at the same time some TPs were having to make some complicated business arrangements to make ends meet.
Are they perhaps missing the point? That being in the same house, Krsna will also reciprocate with them to their level of surrender. No need for making business in the temple or being tight fisted with the funds. It creates a blockage If you want Laxmi to flow, being kanjoos, miserly doesn't advance the preaching. After all its not their money, it's Krsnas, but then still -- while we openly surrender all, the TP is secretly stealing from the Hoondi and financing his own posh house with money those grhastas worked hard for.
When we use this line -- ISKCON owes us nothing, its a cop out for having to take special care of Krsnas devotees. If Krsna is the reservoir of wealth, why be a miser, why put so many nice rank and file devotees who are in the house SP built into such tough situations, that eventually they leave only to find out that Krsna actually is taking better care of them on the outside, then when they were in His so-called house?
Mahamsa das (ACBSP), supposedly the SP first Indian disciple, built the first ISKCON temple in Hyderabad... I've been seeing him recently.. and he told me a relevant past time. SP had made Mahamsa das his treasurer.. trying to be pakka, or maybe over pakka, he was tight fisted with every piasa, trying to impress SP.
The new Western white dancing elephants had just arrived in India. After some time a few devotees approached Mahamsa for a few rupees to buy some soda. Being tight with the purse, Mahamsa prabhu refused, he refused several times thinking "what is this, these Sanyasis wanting to enjoy?"
Eventually the Americans went to SP to complain. SP called Mahamsa prabhu in and chastised him for being miserly. SP said, "you have been in Canada, you have seen how Americans live, they have everything they desire, but now they have given it all up to follow me, if we deny them a little something then they will simply leave and then Maya will catch them."
So Mahamsa returned and spent Krsnas money on the devotees.
(but between you and me, Mahamsa prabhu is still a miser to this day and he too is getting his treatment from Krsna)
Surely it's not our right, but a privilege, that Krsna takes care of His devotees. So let's not think like Mahamsa prabhu and think we can control His opulences and force nice surrendered devotees out of this House SP built, so they can afford a 20 ml tube of Colgate to simply clean their teeth.
This is my experience, that those in management have read the books but realised nothing.
[PADA: Yep, very nice. The leaders and managers have not realized the siddhanta. Of course, while there is sometimes no money for a tube of toothpaste, there is always millions of dollars on hand to sue the Vaishnavas. So this is correct, the GBC's priorities are messed up. They need to take better care of the overall devotees and not make an elite five star penthouse club for a few "managers." ys pd]
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