{"id":4367,"date":"2017-11-01T08:28:33","date_gmt":"2017-11-01T08:28:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/?p=4367"},"modified":"2023-04-13T07:49:15","modified_gmt":"2023-04-13T02:19:15","slug":"an-open-letter-to-an-iskcon-gbc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/writings\/krishna-talk-articles\/srila-bhakti-gaurava-narasingha-maharaja\/an-open-letter-to-an-iskcon-gbc\/","title":{"rendered":"An Open Letter to an ISKCON GBC"},"content":{"rendered":"

Da\u1e47\u1e0davats ________Swami,<\/p>\n

All glories to \u015ar\u012b \u015ar\u012b Guru and Gaur\u0101\u1e45ga.<\/p>\n

Received your email and noted everything carefully. I think these topics can be discussed in more detail when we meet face to face, but here are a few comments that you might think upon in the meantime. Also attached are photos of the original R\u0101dh\u0101-Govinda in New York, the present little Gaura-R\u0101dh\u0101-Govinda in New York, Gaura-R\u0101dh\u0101-Govinda in Kolkata, Gaura R\u0101dh\u0101-M\u0101dhava in M\u0101y\u0101pura, Gaura-R\u0101dh\u0101-Giridh\u0101ri at Iskcon Pur\u012b, Gaura-R\u0101dh\u0101-R\u0101dh\u0101n\u0101tha at Iskcon Durban South Africa, Gaura-R\u0101dh\u0101-Kan\u0101iyal\u0101l at Kan\u0101i-na\u1e6da\u015b\u0101l\u0101, Iskcon Bengal, Gaura-R\u0101dh\u0101-K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a at Udampur, Iskcon Jammu & Kashmir and Gaura-R\u0101dh\u0101-Mural\u012bdh\u0101ra installed on 4th Oct 2017 at the Iskcon Bhakti Center in New York City.<\/p>\n

The original R\u0101dh\u0101-Govinda Deities in New York were a gift from G\u0101y\u0101tr\u012b Dev\u012b, the Queen of Jaipur. They were established during a pa\u1e47\u1e0dal program in Jaipur and then sent to New York with instructions by \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da to be installed on the altar. The Gaura R\u0101dh\u0101-Govinda Deities in Kolkata were established during the time, and under the direction, of \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da. The little Deities of Gaura-R\u0101dh\u0101-Govinda in New York which are presently on the altar, were established after the time of \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da, but by whom, I do not know.<\/p>\n

The worship of Gaura-R\u0101dh\u0101-K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a Deities was not stressed by \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da for Iskcon centers outside Bengal, yet we see that the Gaura-R\u0101dh\u0101-K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a Deity conception is being introduced by Iskcon at many of their centers around the world. \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da did stress this by his actions in M\u0101y\u0101pura and Kolkata \u2013 the two main seats of the Gau\u1e0d\u012bya samprad\u0101ya<\/em>, but not for elsewhere.<\/p>\n

So, how is it that the Gaura-R\u0101dh\u0101-K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a Deity conception is being introduced worldwide by Iskcon, yet it is being neglected at Iskcon M\u0101y\u0101pura where \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da established the first Gaura-R\u0101dh\u0101-M\u0101dhava Deities in Iskcon? This, in my opinion, is a very curious question.<\/p>\n

You have said, \u201cYou have to admit, other than having Gaura-R\u0101dh\u0101-M\u0101dhava as his personal deities, \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da did not stress, either in writing or example in other places\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Dear Mah\u0101r\u0101ja, this is an insufficient argument simply because there are many things that Iskcon does or says that were never \u2018stressed\u2019 in words, actions or writing by \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da, and in some cases, are complete fabrications.<\/p>\n

For example: Prabhup\u0101da never stressed that, \u201cMy books are the law books for the next ten thousand years.\u201d He only said it once and Tam\u0101la-K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a Gosv\u0101m\u012b and Rame\u015bvara were the only persons to hear him say it. Yet, this quote has been stated countless, countless times by Iskcon leaders, as if it were the greatest thing Prabhup\u0101da had ever said.<\/p>\n

The a\u1e63\u1e6da-sakh\u012bs<\/em> at Iskcon M\u0101y\u0101pura are another example. Prabhup\u0101da supposedly gave the instructions to install the a\u1e63\u1e6da-sakh\u012bs<\/em> to Bh\u0101v\u0101nanda, yet he never mentioned it to anyone else or in any other place.<\/p>\n

Then there is the issue of the famous saying, \u201cBooks are the basis, Preaching is the essence, Purity is the force and Utility is the principle.\u201d Arguably, this is one of the most famous sayings in Iskcon. Yet His Divine Grace never once uttered those words, nor authorized any devotee to turn that saying into a motto for Iskcon. It was Rame\u015bvara Sv\u0101m\u012b who found that little saying in a book of Chinese poetry. He read the little poem to Prabhup\u0101da, but Prabhup\u0101da made no comment whatsoever. Yet, you ask the average devotee in Iskcon and he\/she will say that Prabhup\u0101da had said it, as if Prabhup\u0101da himself invented the statement.<\/p>\n

Prabhup\u0101da also never gave the meaning of the gop\u012b-bh\u0101va sanny\u0101sa-mantra<\/em> to anyone. Any conception in Iskcon of the sanny\u0101sa-mantra<\/em> comes from outside Iskcon, not from Prabhup\u0101da. But in most cases, the sanny\u0101s\u012bs<\/em> just mindlessly chant their sanny\u0101sa-mantra<\/em> with no conception at all.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, the only meaning of brahma-g\u0101y\u0101tr\u012b<\/em> that Prabhup\u0101da gave was that the g\u0101y\u0101tr\u012b<\/em> worships the sun-god. That conception is the most general meaning amongst Hindus. It is certainly not the conception of brahma-g\u0101y\u0101tr\u012b<\/em> in the Gau\u1e0d\u012bya samprad\u0101ya<\/em>. Yet, that was the only meaning Prabhup\u0101da ever gave.<\/p>\n

Prabhup\u0101da also never mentioned who was the d\u012bk\u1e63\u0101-guru<\/em> of Bhaktivinoda \u1e6ch\u0101kura. So should we assume that Bhaktivinoda did not have a d\u012bk\u1e63\u0101-guru<\/em>? Prabhup\u0101da also did not mention who was the d\u012bk\u1e63\u0101-guru <\/em>of Gaura Ki\u015bora D\u0101sa B\u0101b\u0101j\u012b. Prabhup\u0101da did not explain how there are huge gaps in our samprad\u0101ya<\/em>, such as the hundred years gap between Baladeva Vidy\u0101bh\u016b\u1e63a\u1e47a and Jagann\u0101tha D\u0101sa B\u0101b\u0101j\u012b.<\/p>\n

Bhaktivinoda \u1e6ch\u0101kura stressed over and over again in his writings the preeminent importance of the da\u015ba-m\u016bla tattva<\/em>, yet Prabhup\u0101da never mentioned the da\u015ba-m\u016bla <\/em>by Bhaktivinoda. Ironically, Iskcon preachers give seminars on the da\u015ba-m\u016bla<\/em> although Prabhup\u0101da did not stress it, or even mentioned it.<\/p>\n

And, as I pointed out in my article, \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da never called the temple in M\u0101y\u0101pura the Adbh\u016bta Mandira. He called it the Planetarium. Yet even today, Iskcon leaders insist on calling their temple the Adbh\u016bta Mandira. The Adbh\u016bta Mandira is actually the temple envisioned by \u015ar\u012bla Bhaktivinoda \u1e6ch\u0101kura and built by \u015ar\u012bla Bhaktisiddh\u0101nta at Yogap\u012b\u1e6dha in 1933. Ignoring facts, history and philosophy, Iskcon leaders invent things just to further their institutional gains.<\/p>\n

Probably the most powerful statement attributed to \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da is, \u201cEverything is in my books.\u201d Yet despite this, the Iskcon leaders historically have always had to go outside Prabhup\u0101da\u2019s books, lectures, conversations, letters, etc. to resolve the many questions that continue to arise. We, on the other hand, having taken Prabhup\u0101da\u2019s direction to approach \u015ar\u012bla \u015ar\u012bdhara Mah\u0101r\u0101ja in matters of philosophical enquiry, never have to go elsewhere to answer our questions. Having rejected Prabhup\u0101da\u2019s instructions to approach \u015ar\u012bla \u015ar\u012bdhara Mah\u0101r\u0101ja, Iskcon leaders have in the past and at present continue to seek their guidance\/siksa outside Iskcon, but from various dubious and bogus sources such as the Copper Plate B\u0101b\u0101, Harid\u0101sa Sena B\u0101b\u0101, M\u0101dhava D\u0101sa B\u0101b\u0101, Ananta D\u0101sa B\u0101b\u0101, Fakir Moh\u0101n, Bhakti-cara\u1e47a D\u0101sa B\u0101b\u0101, Rame\u015ba B\u0101b\u0101 and others. The Iskcon leaders are also prone to take \u015bik\u1e63\u0101<\/em> from the leaders of other samprad\u0101yas<\/em> who do not accept the divinity of \u015ar\u012b Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu, such as the Madhvas at Udupi and the Nimb\u0101rkas in V\u1e5bnd\u0101vana \u2013 not to mention the employment of exorcists\/ghost busters to drive away the demons from Iskcon.<\/p>\n

At present, of the approximately 103 sanny\u0101s\u012bs<\/em> in Iskcon many worship, either personally or in their temples, the govardhana-\u015b\u012bla,<\/em> yet we do not find anywhere that \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da authorized such worship. However, looking at the greater picture of the Gau\u1e0d\u012bya samprad\u0101ya<\/em> we indeed see that the worship of the govardhana-\u015b\u012bla<\/em> is most authorized. The only mention of worshipping stones from Govardhana by \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da is found in the K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a Book<\/em> as follows:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe identity of K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a and Govardhana is still honored, and great devotees take rocks from Govardhana Hill, and worship them exactly as they worship the Deity of K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a in the temple.\u201d (K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a Book \u2013 Worshipping Govardhana Hill<\/em>)<\/p>\n

According to Prabhup\u0101da\u2019s personal servant at the time, Hari \u015aauri Prabhu, Prabhup\u0101da said that, \u201cOur Jagat-Guru Sv\u0101m\u012b knows our philosophy very well.\u201d But are they, the GBC, willing to accept that, or will they reject that because Prabhup\u0101da didn\u2019t stress it? The answer is obvious \u2013 they reject it. Give a dog a bad name, then shoot it!<\/p>\n

Did \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da ever say what to do in future if the guru falls down\/bloops? No, he did not, and unfortunately that disaster has befallen many devotees in Iskcon.<\/p>\n

There are many things of importance that \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da did not stress, explain or even touch upon and the list goes on and on, but no time here.<\/p>\n

Not to rattle anyone\u2019s head too hard, but I can\u2019t help but mention here two, amongst several, of the absolutely bogus activities welcomed by Iskcon in their temples that were completely abhorred by \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da. The first that comes to mind is Iskcon having invited the bogus Hindu guru, Amma \u015ar\u012b Karu\u1e47\u0101may\u012b to speak at the Iskcon temple in Washington DC. Then there was the big event of inviting India\u2019s number one sahajiy\u0101<\/em> and Bh\u0101gavata<\/em> reciter, Mur\u0101ri Bapu, to give a seven day Bh\u0101gavata<\/em> discourse at Iskcon M\u0101y\u0101pura called the Bhag\u0101vata-sapta<\/em>. Need I remind you how much \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da detested the idea of Bh\u0101gavata-saptas<\/em>? The event was for collecting money and the result was that many Iskcon sanny\u0101s\u012bs<\/em> have now adopted the method of Bh\u0101gavata-saptas<\/em> as their preaching technique.<\/p>\n

In this regard we quote here \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da in a letter to Ha\u1e41sd\u016bta Prabhu:<\/p>\n

\u201cRegarding the Sikh gentleman\u2019s request to use our temple for performing some Sikh religious ceremony: You know that we have refused even the Hindu people to hold demigod worship in our temple, and what to speak of the Sikhs, who are not to the standard of Vedic principle. As a matter of fact, we should not allow anyone to hold any function in our temple\u2026\u201d (Letter to Ha\u1e41sd\u016bta, October 10th, 1968)<\/p>\n

However, for the sake of money collecting, that instruction by His Divine Grace has been thrown to the wind \u2013 or was it simply because he had not given it enough \u2018stress\u2019 by repeating the instruction a dozen times or more?? I guess we will never know\u2026<\/p>\n

In closing, I again ask, how is it that the Gaura-R\u0101dh\u0101-K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a Deity conception is being introduced worldwide by Iskcon, yet it is being neglected at Iskcon M\u0101y\u0101pura where \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da established the first Gaura-R\u0101dh\u0101-M\u0101dhava Deities in Iskcon?<\/p>\n

I personally fail to see how you, or anyone else, can argue against the position of giving preeminent importance to the worship of \u015ar\u012b \u015ar\u012b Gaura-R\u0101dh\u0101-M\u0101dhava at Iskcon\u2019s world headquarters in M\u0101y\u0101pura. But then again, I\u2019m not institutionalized and therefore I have no commitment to follow in the line of failed decisions and misconceptions.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll talk more the next time we meet.<\/p>\n

Hoping this finds you well.<\/p>\n

Your servant,<\/p>\n

Swami Narasi\u1e45gha<\/p>\n

****<\/p>\n

ADDENDUM<\/strong><\/p>\n

The full letter sent to Swami Narasingha by the GBC member is as follows:<\/p>\n

Dear Mah\u0101r\u0101ja,<\/p>\n

Da\u1e47\u1e0davats. All glories to \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da.<\/p>\n

I read your original article, and even if I can\u2019t succeed, I am making a plea, this time stronger, to take into consideration your point on Gaura-R\u0101dh\u0101-M\u0101dhava. I\u2019ll let you know if I make any headway.<\/p>\n

Although you may not be inclined, I think a statement from you, with evidences, including any quotes from \u015ar\u012bla Bhaktisiddh\u0101nta Sarasv\u0101ti \u1e6ch\u0101kura, and\/or \u015ar\u012bla \u015ar\u012bdhara Mah\u0101r\u0101ja, about the necessity of showing the highest conception via Gaura-R\u0101dh\u0101-K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a, without the other remarks, may allow me to go farther.<\/p>\n

As per our talks years ago in Mulki, which I still have, I was trying to achieve a platform of dialogue, and in spite of some elements, many are desirous of doing so, as we did with ______ Sv\u0101m\u012b. You have to admit, other than having Gaura-R\u0101dh\u0101-M\u0101dhava as his personal deities, \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da did not stress, either in writing or example in other places, other than NYC (where there is Gaura-R\u0101dh\u0101-Govinda, but I\u2019m not sure that it was always that way, maybe you can confirm). He established R\u0101dh\u0101-K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a and Gaura-Nit\u0101i.<\/p>\n

Anyway, I agree with you, and I will also ride them again about the sign (ISCON), which you have rightly observed, is an embarrassment to Iskcon.<\/p>\n

You have a lot to contribute, but changing a big society is not so easy, but it can be done. Hope that your health is good, and to see you soon.<\/p>\n

Your servant,<\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026. Sv\u0101m\u012b<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This letter was written by Swami Narasi\u1e45gha in relation to M\u0101h\u0101raja\u2019s article, \u2018Gaura-R\u0101dh\u0101-M\u0101dhava and the Temple of Misunderstanding.’ Narasi\u1e45gha Mah\u0101r\u0101ja points out that those who are institutionalized cannot clearly see the defects of their society.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4368,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[175,169,170],"krishna_talk_article":[213],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4367"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4367"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4367\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9173,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4367\/revisions\/9173"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4368"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4367"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4367"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4367"},{"taxonomy":"krishna_talk_article","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/krishna_talk_article?post=4367"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}