Back To Prabhupada, Issue 20, Summer 2008
elcome to Issue 20 of Back to Prabhupada (BTP).
Many persons believe the ultimate goal of the IRM is to re-institute the ritvik system. Indeed, our mission statement printed in every issue states:
"The ISKCON Revival Movement (IRM) seeks to restore ISKCON to its former glory, purity and philosophical chastity through the re-institution of all the instructions and standards that Srila Prabhupada gave, beginning with his role as the sole authority and Diksa Guru for ISKCON."
Firstly, in relation to this mission statement one common misunderstanding needs to be cleared up. Some devotees think that the statement above means we must wait until the current GBC and the current guru hoaxers "see the light" and reform themselves, which many feel is never going to happen, and therefore the IRM's mission is doomed before it starts. But the IRM's mission is not about taking power or properties. It's about helping the very core of ISKCON: its devotees. And in this we are making steady progress, with more and more ISKCON devotees indeed coming "back to Prabhupada", as the many letters we have received attest.
Secondly, to re-orientate every devotee to once again follow Srila Prabhupada correctly is merely a means to the end, with that end being to become Krishna conscious, for only by following Srila Prabhupada strictly can we become Krishna conscious. And this, of course, is always the ultimate goal, a goal which does not depend on how many properties somebody piles up, but on correctly understanding the philosophy:
"One moon is sufficient to illuminate. There is no need of millions of stars. Similarly, we are not after many millions of disciples. I want to see that one disciple has understood Krsna's philosophy. That is success. That's all."
(Srila Prabhupada Conversation, 12/4/75).
"According to revealed scriptures, if a spiritual master can convert even one soul into a perfectly pure devotee, his mission in life is fulfilled. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura always used to say, "Even at the expense of all the properties, temples and mathas that I have, if I could convert even one person into a pure devotee, my mission would be fulfilled."
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 7.91, purport).
And we have seen that today's ISKCON has not understood the most important part of the philosophy: how to reach Krishna through serving the bona fide spiritual master, being more interested in maintaining properties and temples at any cost - be it introducing demigod worship or running the movement as a mundane business.
It is because the IRM's ultimate aim is to become Krishna conscious, that we are just as opposed to those who try and use the ritvik system to try and get similar power and position to those who have become guru hoaxers (The Great Guru Hoax Part 3, where the ritvik position is used to garner power and position similar to that of a diksa guru). The connection between the ritvik system and the ultimate aim - becoming Krishna conscious by strictly following Srila Prabhupada - is as follows:
1) One first has to know the correct philosophy - that Srila Prabhupada is the diksa Guru of ISKCON, etc.
2) Then one must act on this correct philosophy.
3) This acting means to serve Srila Prabhupada practically as the Guru of ISKCON by giving him to others - that is, to bring others "back to Prabhupada". Because there is no possibility for others to engage in Srila Prabhupada's service whilst they are being cheated.
4) Acting in this way to help others serve Srila Prabhupada correctly is, of course, the greatest service one can perform oneself for Srila Prabhupada.
5) And in this way, by always strictly serving Srila Prabhupada correctly to bring everyone back to Prabhupada - the mission of the IRM - we will make progress in becoming Krishna conscious.
There are those who either do not know the correct philosophy (the ISKCON guru hoaxers), and therefore fall at the first hurdle; or others who know it but do not act on it to bring others back to Prabhupada, but rather just use it to set up their own properties and mission (the ritvik hoaxers in The Great Guru Hoax, Part 3). Only the IRM is committed to fully knowing and acting correctly on the philosophy. Only this will give us real success, not accumulating followers, for only then will we be proper devotees, always fixed on following Srila Prabhupada's orders correctly:
"You have got, say, ten thousand followers. That does not mean success. Everyone has got some followers. [...] But what kind of followers they have? [...] My Guru Maharaja used to say like that, that "If I get at least one quality disciple, then all my labour will be a success."
(Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, 2/5/76)
Please feel free to write to me at the following address if you have any questions, criticisms or comments: irm@iskconirm.com.
Thank you and Hare Krishna.
Yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada,
Krishnakant
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