ISKCON's Purnacandra swami: "Advisor" To God's Messiahs

[PADA @ angel108b@yahoo.com]

http://www.dandavats.com/?p=33063

The following is an excerpt from Purnacandra Goswami’s “Unspoken Obstacles on the Path to Bhakti”

Thrown from the Horse.

Have you ever experienced an emotion rearing its head and throwing you? I was thrown off a horse at the age of twelve. I was winded and desperately gasped for air. My riding teacher told me, “Get back on and try again.” I could hardly breathe and thought, “No way!” He continued with firm conviction, “If you don’t get back on now, you’ll never ride a horse again.”

Sensing the wisdom of his statement, I gathered courage, climbed back up and rode the horse without a problem. The same principle applies to dealing with emotions—guilt, anger, envy, lamentation, fear or depression. If we are thrown for a loop, we must get up and try again. It may be difficult at the time, but it gets easier as you do it—and almost impossible if you don’t.

[PADA: Yep, here we go again. The ISKCON GBC's "gurus" are "God's living successors on earth," and they can "absorb sins" because they are equals to Jesus. Sign me up!

Srila Prabhupada says, if we neophytes take sins from others, we will get sick, fall down, or both. And in sum -- neophytes who take sins will have to suffer, and they are. 

And! The members of their messiahs group keeps falling into: illicit sex; sordid affairs; maybe watching porno; shooting live ammunition at occupied buildings (full of people); drinking beer; supporting criminal activity -- including assassinations of dissenters; and -- according to their spokesman Jayadvaita swami -- their messiahs are prone to "illicit sex with men, women and children." 

This is really good news! That means the family goat is being spared from their messiah's sexual predatory program!  

Anyway! Not a problem, after these messiahs crash and burn in major scandals, or they endorse other fools as messiahs who are making scandals, we should just get these messiahs back into their messiah's uniforms, put them back into giant golden seats in ISKCON temples, and have them once again be worshipped as God's successors. AGAIN! 

Because while they are God's living spokemens on earth, they sometimes temporarily "fall off the horse" of pure service to God. And we are going to call this process of falling messiahs and their rectification -- "the guru reform school," where we will get these wayward messiahs back into the messiah's saddle.]

Let’s consider what happens when devotees sometimes fall from grace and become guilt ridden. They may self-flagellate, thinking this a necessary ritual to get back in good graces with the Lord. They may wallow in lamentation, taking shelter of tamo-guna. Or they may become defensive and try to passionately bolster their self-worth with a brazen front, which leads to self-deception.

These guys do not seem to ever lament or regret their 

banning, beating, molesting, suing and killing program? 

That is what people ask me all the time,

"Where are their feelings of guilt"?

[PADA: People who take the post of messiah -- and fall down left, right and center -- are not wallowing in lamentation. They are arrogant fools who have no conscience. Or they would never have taken the post of guru knowing in advance, they still have lusty desires and so on and so forth. Nor would ISKCON's leaders repeatedly appoint such dubious people to the post of guru repeatedly -- after seeing their previous gurus falling down left, right and center and making ISKCON a worldwide laughingstock.] 

I have been with devotees in such states, and often their problem is insecurity. Strengthening a devotee’s feeling of self-worth is important in bringing him back to a position where he can try again. Acceptance plays a major role in this endeavor although it is the subtlest element involved. The devotee must feel accepted and not in a condescending way. Since the material energy is so strong, many sadhakas will slip on the path and need friendship, understanding and encouragement to continue.

[PADA: Yep, here we go again. The guru is a resident of Krishna loka, and he is God's eternal associate -- therefore -- he is also a rank and file basic newby congregation member, a brand new neophyte practitioner, at best a church elder -- who may fall down. Thus, there is no standard for being God's eternal associate, since the eternal associate and the newby practitioner are now equals.]

There are additional points about falling from grace and a devotee’s response to it. yadi kuryat pramadena yogi karma vigarhitam yogenaiva dahed amho nanyat tatra kadacana

“If, because of momentary inattention, a yogi accidentally commits an abominable activity, then by the very practice of yoga he should burn to ashes the sinful reaction, without at any time employing any other procedure.” (Bhag. 11.20.25)

[PADA: Yep, here we go again. God messiahs and successors are often abominable actors. They might be watching porno, drinking beer, having illicit sex with men, women and children, because God's successors are often abominable people, any questions? 

(A) He is God's successor, therefore, (B) he is often abominable. That has been their entire mantra since 1978, i.e. God's successor acharyas are often acting abominably, because acharyas are often abominable people. No, a new person might fail, and we should be forgiving of the failures of beginners, but this rule does not apply to gurus and messiahs.] 

The word yogena here refers to jnana-yoga and bhakti-yoga, since they both have the power to burn karma to ashes. The word amhas or “sin” refers to an accidental fall down against one’s desire. Premeditated misuse of the Lord’s mercy is much more serious. 

[PADA: There is no "burning up of the sin of imitating the acharyas" mentioned? The people who do that are destined for the most obnoxious regions, no "atonement process" for that odious offense is mentioned? Go straight to hell, do not pass go, and go to Krishna's prison on the hellish planets. And yes, sitting on a Vyasa seat without authority is a premeditated act. And yes, the enablers of that process like Purnacandra are implicated in these hellish activities.]

The Lord prohibits any extraneous purificatory rituals, since the yoga systems are themselves the most purifying processes, especially bhakti-yoga. If one gives up one’s regular devotional practices to perform a special ritual or penance, trying to purify a sinful reaction, one may become guilty of the additional fault of considering karma superior to bhakti. 

One should pick oneself up from an accidental fall down and go on enthusiastically with one’s devotional duties without being discouraged. Still, one should regret; otherwise, there will be no purification. If, however, one becomes overly depressed about an accidental fall down, one will not have the enthusiasm to continue on the devotional path.

Healing

We have explored some forms of misguided ethos or dysfunctional dynamics in our Society. Over many years, these dynamics have been ushered in by past leaders, although the leaders were well- intentioned and faithful to Srila Prabhupada. An ethos that hampers the free flow of devotion has crept in. 

[PADA: No, they are not saying they are minor league managerial "leaders," they are saying they are full blown God's successor messiahs and equals to Jesus who can absorb sins (diksha gurus). And when they get sick and fall down -- their followers sometimes lament -- our guru fell down or got sick from taking our sins. A managerial leader is not a person who is equal to Jesus, notice that Purnacandra mixes managers and messiahs as one and the same entity.]

We cannot blame one person nor can we consider such leaders condemned by the Lord since He accepts only a devotee’s sincerity and positive contributions. Still, the mistaken moods, ideas and dealings must be clearly understood and rooted out, at least within oneself. One could also avoid persons who espouse or exhibit such unhealthy, obstructive ideas. There is no need to go on a witch-hunt or become angry or bitter. Such strong negative emotions would needlessly damage one. What’s done is done. If we consider deeply, it is quite possible that you or I could have done the same or worse.

[PADA: Yep, how many times we heard this? Devotees are being banned, beaten, molested, sued and assassinated, but we need to "look within." Nothing to see here! Just let the victims suffer. Yes, I could have been worse than the bank robber who shot up the people in the bank. What is the point of saying these things other than -- to divert people from the real issues at hand, and suffering of devotees at hand. They are bad, but I could have been worse, then there is no ability to discriminate right and wrong action. It has paralyzed justice in ISKCON.]

Here is an interesting statement by Srila Prabhupada’s Godbrother, Sripada B.R. Sridhara Maharaja on this theme; it is philosophically deep and also healing for those who have been jostled and bruised while trying to surrender to Mahaprabhu’s mission within any organization. “On the whole, we must think that no blame is to be put on others, and it is actually true. We are responsible for our disgrace, our fallen condition. And the path to self-improvement is also similar: we must learn to critique ourselves and appreciate the environment. 

"Our appreciation should especially be for Krsna and His devotees, and then gradually everyone else. He has not given anyone the authority to harm us. If it appears that way, it is only superficial and misleading. That anyone can do harm to anyone else is misleading. It is only true on the superficial plane. Of course, this does not condone harming others or ignoring oppression, but from the absolute standpoint there is no harm. When we reach the highest stage of devotion, we shall see that everything is friendly and that our apprehension was wrong. It was a misconception.” (Loving Search for the Lost Servant pp. 21–22)

[PADA: Oh great, the person who says we should not protest his bogus gurus is being quoted here. "None should protest." And that painted a bulls-eye on our protesting group as "renegade offenders."]

Srila Prabhupada had to face many problems in the beginning while establishing ISKCON. He began with nothing and had to deal with all the immaturity, madness and fighting of thousands of neophyte devotees. His tolerance was incredible. Here is an important explanation, taken from a letter he wrote to Atreya Rsi Dasa back in February 1972:

[PADA: Great, the people who are immature, fighting, and maybe suffering from madness, should be declared as God's successors / messiahs / acharyas, and Sridhara Maharaja defended that deviation.]

“It is not so much that because there may be some faults in our godbrothers and godsisters, or because there may be some mismanagement or lack of cooperation, that this is due to being impersonalists, no. It is the nature of the living condition to always have some fault. Even in the Spiritual World there is some fault and envy—sometimes the Gopis will quarrel over Krishna’s favor, and once Krishna was so much attracted to Radharani that by mistake he tried to milk the bull instead of the cow. 

[PADA: Swell, the reason we should tolerate their illicit sex with men, women and children God's messiahs program is -- because the gopis are sometimes envious? Where do they come up with this stuff?]

And sometimes when the Gopis used to put on their dress and make-up for seeing Krishna, they would be too much hasty and smear kumkum and mascara in the wrong places and their ornaments and dresses would appear as if small children had been trying to dress themselves.

“There are so many examples. But it is not the same as material fault or material envy, it is transcendental because it is all based on Krishna. Sometimes when one Gopi would serve Krishna very nicely, the others would say, ‘Oh, she has done so nicely, now let me do better for pleasing Krishna.’ That is envy, but it is transcendental, without malice. 

"So we shall not expect that anywhere there is any Utopia. Rather, that is impersonalism. People should not expect that even in the Krishna Consciousness Society there will be Utopia. Because devotees are persons, therefore there will always be some lacking. But the difference is that their lacking, because they have given up everything to serve Krishna—money, jobs, reputation, wealth, big educations, everything—their lackings have become transcendental because, despite everything they may do, their topmost intention is to serve Krishna. ‘One who is engaged in devotional service, despite the most abominable action, is to be considered saintly because he is rightly situated.’

“The devotees of Krishna are the most exalted persons on this planet, better than kings, all of them, so we should always remember that and, like the bumblebee, always look for the nectar or the best qualities of a person. Not like the utopians, who are like the flies who always go to the open sores or find the faults in a person, and because they cannot find any utopia, or because they cannot find anyone without faults, they want to become void, merge, nothing—they think that is utopia, to become void of personality. 

"So if there is sometimes slight disagreements between devotees, it is not due to impersonalism, but it is because they are persons, and such disagreements should not be taken very seriously. The devotee is always pessimistic about the material world, but he is very optimistic about spiritual life; so in this way, you should consider that anyone engaged in Krishna’s service is always the best person.”

Srila Prabhupada once said that spiritual life is difficult, but material life is impossible. Therefore, a devotee must always be tolerant and look on the bright side. If one expects too much from any spiritual organization, seeking perfection in all dealings, one will be disappointed. If one then wants to become void, or lose oneself, that is impersonalism, the other side of what we discussed earlier in this chapter. 

In other words, impersonalism lurks in all corners—either blindly covering oneself over, avoiding the variety of personal dealings, including faults, or always seeing faults and focusing on them excessively—both indicate and spawn impersonalism. Healing comes, however, by practicing being personal, and that practice naturally brings one to the point of being personal. Thus, being personal is both the means 

and the end. 

=====================

Purnacandra Maharaja joined Srila Prabhupada’s movement when he was 17 years old. For more than 38 years he served ISKCON with great dedication. His knowledge of the Vedic scriptures was vast and profound. 

[PADA: Yep, God's messiahs and successors are prone to illicit sex with men, women and children, and maybe -- the family goat. How profound is that!]

For many years he was teaching Bhakti Sastri course and many other courses to the devotees. 

[PADA: Yep, someone has to teach people that God's messiahs are often debauchees, fools, drunks, sexual predators, orchestrators of crimes etc. It is a dirty job but someone has to do it!]

He had very deep attachment to Sri Vrindavana-dhama.

[PADA: Yep, Vrndavana is a great place to bury their homosexual pedophile messiahs, and porno swamis -- in samadhi. Let me hang out here so I can add "worship of deviants and pedophiles in samadhis" to the dham, and make it more holy! 

OK guess what, you folks are polluting the dham with your pedophile samadhi ideas. How many religions want to bury pedophiles as the saints of their religion, in their holy land? Raise your hands. OK, it is only Purnacnadra's clan raising their hands here.] 

He divided his preaching time between Russia and Balkans, but Karttik he would always spend in Vrindavan. Over the last few years he was writing a book dedicated to Lord Krishna’s pastimes in Vrindavana. He was always deeply absorbed in the holy names. The concentration and intensity with which he would chant the holy name every day was incomparable.

[PADA: Yes, but if we are chanting "all glories to our homosexual pedophile guru sampradaya," what is the value of such chanting? It is going to take everyone of the participants to hell. Srila Prabhupada said that Radha Kunda babajis are residents of naraka, imagine where the officiators of the pedophile acharyas program are going to?]

Purnacandra Goswami, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, joined ISKCON in New York city in 1976. He travelled throughout the United States distributing books on the Radha Damodar bus party. In 1981 he journeyed east, leading the first book distribution team in Hong Kong. Returning to the US he served as a bhakta-trainer, sankirtan leader and preacher. Venturing to the Orient again in 1984, but this time to the Philippines, Purnacandra Goswami managed the Manila temple and later conducted Vedic presentations in many universities. 

Later he resided in India and began preaching in universities throughout Gujarat. Arriving in England in 1987, he began lecturing in the London temple, introducing new guests to Gaudiya Vaishnava practices.

Noticing that many new devotees were leaving the ISKCON communities due to what he saw as lack of training, he began conducting tutorials of the Bhagavad-Gita in 1991 which later developed into regular Bhakti Sastri seminars at the Bhakti Vedanta Manor and the London temple. 

The years 1992 to 1997 brought about more of the same and he began teaching in other countries including Ireland, France, India, Latvia, Lithuania, the Philippines and Russia. In 1997 he moved to Russia and continued teaching and counseling devotees here and in Eastern Europe.

Purnacandra Goswami is presently the Chairman of the Sastric Advisory Council (SAC) which writes philosophy papers to assist ISKCON’s Governing Body. He has authored a book entitled “Unspoken Obstacles On The Path To Bhakti” and he has written and narrated the “Gitamrita”, a dramatic reading of the Bhagavad-Gita.

[PADA: Yep, God's messiahs need "an advisory committee." And what is the "good advice" the messiahs need to hear?, -- that God's successors and messiahs are often debauchees, sexual predators, perhaps child molesters, and orchestrators of the murders of dissenters to their pedophile pooja process. Jeepers, sign me up, looks like a free ticket to the hellish planets! ys pd]