Back To Prabhupada, Issue 39, Spring 2013, Editorial
Welcome to Issue 39 of Back To Prabhupada (BTP).
While speaking with a supporter of ISKCON's guru hoax, I made the following statement:
"It is now evident that some of our top men are very much ambitious and there has been so many fall-downs."
Of course, he immediately responded with the usual knee-jerk condemnations, calling me an aparadhi (offender), demon, etc., for what he saw was an attack on ISKCON's leadership. After he stopped sputtering and spewing forth his venom, I calmly informed him that what I stated was not a statement from myself. Rather, it was simply a verbatim quote from Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada had made the statement above in a letter to Bhagavan Dasa, dated 27th January, 1975! Similarly, Srila Prabhupada also stated:
"I am training some of my experienced disciples how to manage after my departure. So if instead of taking the training, if in my lifetime you people say I am the Lord of all I survey, that is dangerous conspiracy."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, 8/10/1974)
Yet, instead of simply taking training in how to "manage" as GBC commissioners, these men decided to become successors and thought they were the "Lord of all I survey", and this indeed did become a "dangerous conspiracy" to hijack the Society.
From these examples we are taught a very important lesson. Srila Prabhupada's unprecedented success in spreading Krsna consciousness all over the world occurred in a very short span of time – just over 10 years. Yet, it is absolutely amazing how, in such a short space of time, Srila Prabhupada encountered and dealt with all the different situations and deviations which we seem to be experiencing now, over 40 years on. It was as if Krsna deliberately arranged everything in this way so as to enable Srila Prabhupada's teachings and instructions to act as a guide for ISKCON, not just for when he was physically present, but for the entire lifetime of ISKCON.
Another prophetic example of this is highlighted on page 7 of this issue. There, we give an example of ISKCON's leadership utilising different musical talents in the form of a pop band, orchestra and choir in the name of "spreading Krsna consciousness". Srila Prabhupada had faced devotees proposing the same schemes in the name of "preaching", even when he was physically present. And he answered as follows:
"My opinion is that it is not necessary for us to utilize these different musical talents for spreading Krsna consciousness. I would rather see people follow strictly the path of Lord Caitanya and His Sankirtana devotees. We are using mrdanga1, karatala2, that is enough. We are not musicians. We are Krsna bhaktas. Therefore we do not stress so much importance on these different musical talents. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is God Himself. Had He thought it would have been better to spread Krsna consciousness by another way He would have done so. [...] There is no need for us to try and add anything to this simple method. It will only be a distraction."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, 28/12/1974)
1 Drums. 2 Cymbals.
Srila Prabhupada makes it clear that if God Himself, Lord Caitanya, thought there was a better way to spread Krsna consciousness than the way He gave, then He would have used such a method. Yet, we still have those who think they know better than Lord Caitanya and Srila Prabhupada!
Thus, Srila Prabhupada truly can provide answers to questions which may arise. Therefore, we strongly urge all devotees to dive into the treasure-house of Srila Prabhupada's transcendental nectarean instructions (though please make sure they have not been changed – please see page 4 of this issue for more information regarding this). Thus, there is no need to heed those who say we must seek out "successors" to Srila Prabhupada by claiming that Srila Prabhupada can no longer provide guidance and instruction.
Please feel free to write to me at the following email address: irm@iskconirm.com.
Thank you and Hare Krsna.
In Srila Prabhupada's service,
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