ISKCON Astika-instiga.

As individuals each devotee will be blessed with different capacities and skills. Therefore there is no one answer regarding who or how to preach. The answer is virtually unlimited because Krishna can manifest in the heart of anyone regardless of his or her social status or position. I would like to believe that the temple presidents and leaders in ISKCON are educated and mature and they would therefor naturally focus their preaching efforts to that social stratum. The problem is not who or how to preach, as much as motivating individuals to actively do so.

Any and all communication methods should be utilized. Again this is based on the proclivities and skills of the individuals. Some devotees are excellent on a stage or behind a podium, while others do well writing articles, singing songs or painting etc. Some are only capable of presenting KC to the downtrodden, while others have the ability to meet with presidents and kings. The possibilities are unlimited. The only constraint that Krishna gives is that we should remain true to our dharma/self and not pretend to be something we are not. Remaining true to our inner nature is the act of yoga even though it may not appear to be materially fruitful, whereas disregarding that dharma is a precarious path.

"It is far better to discharge one's prescribed duties, even though faulty, then another's duties perfectly. Destruction in the course of performing one's own duty is better then engaging in another's duties, for to follow another's duty is dangerous." -Bg 3.35

It is important to separate the goals and standards of KC from the pretense that any of as abides by them all perfectly. Nobody likes a hypocrite. That is why were attracted to Srila Prabhupada. He was neither pretentious or hypocritical. Artificial restraint is also condemned by Krishna in the Gita

"One who restrains the senses of action, but who's mind dwells on the sense objects, certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender." - Bg 3.6

This is a very sensitive subject because I am not advocating that we give up all hope of acting purely. But we must stop acting holier then thou. If we are committed to the process and act with integrity based on KC principals people will perceive that and Krishna will work his magic.

There is no limit to whom we can approach. It is really based on the insight or aspiration of the individual. If someone feels called to do a particular service then we should do all that is practical to assist that person to reach out to those they are inspired to approach. Part of being practical is it must be self sustaining and not dependent on funding from other ISKCON resources. There are endless devotees who dream up all sorts of zany preaching projects but they have not idea or ability to demonstrate how they can sustain it. What I am talking about is the "Business Plan" approach to expanding the harinama movement.

I am not personally satisfied that ISKCON has been effective in penetrating to the media or the upper end of society. However I attribute this to the fact that many of the original devotees that Srila Prabhupada attracted to work with him were uneducated social dropouts. Even today, the majority of IKSCON leaders did not come from backgrounds where they proved themselves in the commercial marketplace and I would venture to guess that less then half the GBC has completed a formal four-year college degree. It is my understanding that Srila Prabhupada greatly appreciated his disciples who had higher education and came from influential positions. He recognized that competent professionals are the ones who have the greatest influence on events in the world and as such are the most helpful in spreading Krishna Consciousess.

I live in Ojai, which has become a vortex for impersonalism predominantly because it was the home of Krishnamurti. My preaching efforts, which I elaborate on in my response to question eight, have made me realize just how insidious the Mayavadi influence has become in our society. I think this is our biggest challenge and we are asleep at the wheel in regards to exposing the thousands of new-age bogus cheaters who are building empires based on word juggling gobble-le-gook rhetorical doubletalk. There are even signs that individuals within our temples have become inappropriately influenced by new-age nonsense. Much more should be done to focus our efforts in the direction of challenging these imposters.

I have inquired about what it would take to make a training video that would help viewers specifically identify and understand how these other organizations are distorting the pure message of the bhagavtam. This was Srila Prabhupadas most dear mission as is evident in the pranam prayers we say to him regularly. The nice thing about refocusing on this mission is that it is an area all Vaishnavas would agree upon and engage in enthusiastically regardless of what denomination of KC they are currently participating in. I have a lot more material on this one subject and have outlined a long article about it for the internet but it has not been released yet do to other priorities I am currently working on. I would be glad to elaborate more about this if anyone is interested in hearing it.

One of the most important things that is not discussed much in ISKCON is the more common qualities of integrity, honesty, social maturity, common human dignity and just plain courtesy. Srila Prabhupad focused on the more esoteric and profound teaching of Krishna Consciousness with the understanding that there were many others who could teach his disciples these foundational moral standards, if they were needed. The simple fact of the matter is that they are needed badly and few, if anyone, seems to be teaching these things to those who need it the most. The consequences has been the explosion of anger most graphically obvious in the whole RtVik movement that manifested out of the reactionary imagination of devotees who have been severely mistreated. Many devotees are seriously lacking in the simple social graces. Ironically those who need these skills the most are the ones who hide behind the shallow excuse that training in this area would be maya. That is immature, nonsense, arrogant and this very issue continues to be the Achilles heel for the Gaudia Vaishnava Movement in the West.

Question 2: ISKCON Congregation -

"How should we interface with rapidly growing diverse devotee community?"

Any successful manager or business-person knows that it is: "Their people" who keep them operating. In house staff are always the most important asset of any organization because without them everything falls apart. This has been proven over and over again by behavioral scientists. Graduates in the school of business know that a good corporate mission statement addresses four major spheres of influence adequately. Those spheres are; 1) The community, 2) The patrons, 3) The stock holders and 4) The employees. The way that applies to ISKCON is as follows:

1) Our community is our neighbors. Are we good neighbors or do we alienate them? Do we do things in our community to make our neighbors like us or do we have nightmare, out of control confrontational messes like that which existed in New Vrindaban or Bhaktivedanta Manor?

2) Our patrons are the individuals who make up our congregation, buy our books and eat in our restaurants. Our product is KC in the form of books, prasadam and a whole new approach towards life. It is both our duty and challenge to make these things more attractive and affordable to everyone. Patrons not only want to feel like they are getting a good deal at the cash register, but they want to be respected and treated with dignity. There is a lot lacking in how new guests are treated when they come to our temples. I will illustrate with an example that I experienced after visiting a local church as part of my "Infiltrate, Integrate and Inseminate" strategy of preaching that I elaborate on in my answer to question seven.

On a Tuesday evening, after attending a Sunday sermon at the Ojai Valley Church of Christ, I was visited by a member of the church who's service to the church was to be a part of the new member welcome committee. They had apparently gotten my name out of the guest book from the previous Sunday. On a weekday evening a very nice lady came by my house with a small loaf of Bananna bread and gave it to me a friendly gesture. The bread was an ice-breaker to welcome me into their congregation and make me feel comfortable about returning to their church the following week. It should be obvious to all that this is why this particular church has the biggest congregation in the entire Ojai Valley!

3) ISKCON doesn't really have any stock holders in the sense of individuals who have invested funds with us strictly for the purpose of making money. But whenever we accept a large block of funds from someone who donates them to propagate KC, we should bend over backwards to thank them and the make sure we keep them informed about how their funds are being used. We have a lot to learned in this area. In fact there are classes one can attend in regards to the science of "Charitable Giving and Fund Raising." But if devotees are too arrogant to consider the value of getting this type of education then we are destined to making the same type of fund-raising mistakes that have let to unhappy patrons in the past.

There are some examples of where fund-raising has been done right. The LA Life Membership program is very good about keeping members informed, involved and appreciated. That is one reason why LA has such a strong congregation. Another good example of this is with the ISKCOP cow protection project headed by Balabadra and Chaya in NewVrindaban. They are meticulous about keeping in touch with their patrons with there very well produced, informative, and thorough newsletter.

The most dramatic example of where this was done right was the way Varutappa dasa won a 1 Million dollar grant from the Smithstonian Institute to preserve the ancient Sanskrit scriptures that we referred to as the Matsya project in 1981. The Smithstonian was so satisfied with how the devotees handled those funds it is my understanding that they gave another million to us the following year to do more! Responsible integrity breeds success and bounty because it is KC. Irresponsible myopic laziness breeds chaos, dissention, mistrust, disrespect, lawsuits, and RtViks.

4) The employees are the devotees who live in the Ashrama, ask for very little, and keep ISKCON functioning. They are often overlooked, neglected or trivialized; yet they are essential to the success of the organization. It is disgraceful that there were some women who literally collected millions of dollars for the BBT but are now neglected and live in impoverished conditions. These are the types of terrible mistakes that we must be vigilant about not allowing to continue. ISKCON is no longer a floundering revolutionary religious revival made up of one extremely powerful divine leader and a bunch of zonked out ex-hippies. We are on the map now and we can't get away with the excuse that we didn't know any better or were to young or naive to realize what was going on. If we are not willing to act properly towards each other, then why would anyone every want to become part of our congregation, and why should those who are currently keeping it running stay?

The reason why I have provided this information is because these four divisions must be studied individually. Each one of them has different areas of difficulties and needs. Successful businesses take this information very seriously and there is no legitimate excuse for devotees to not utilize all the tools that are used in business to spread KC. Srila Prabhupada taught us that "Everything" can be used in the service of Krishna. Advanced devotees adopt this principal whereas the less advanced devotees rule things out and overlook potential opportunities prematurely.

Question 3: ISKCON Management & Leadership

"What suggestions do you have that can improve ISKCON management style?"

I always try to support and encourage everyone all the time regardless of his or her shortcoming. That is how Srila Prabhupada treated us and how Krishna reciprocates with his devotee.

"I envy no one nor am I partial to anyone, I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me is a friend, and I am also a friend to him" - Bg. 9.29

"A person is considered still further advanced when he regards honest well wishers, affectionate benefactors, the neutral, mediators, the envious, friends and enemies, the pious and the sinners all with an equal mind." - Bg. 6.9

We must begin with the premises that until we arrive at the platform of pure Suta-Satva behavior, which is very rare in this world, we are going to be dealing with people who are conditioned, imperfect and in some cases not so likable people. To accept a person's shortcoming and still remain equipoised when dealing with them is what real austerity, detachment and greatness is all about.

So I personally try to encourage everyone, be it an ISKCON manager or even a wayward devotee, despite whatever apparent shortcomings they may have or even if I think they may hold a flawed understanding of what Srila Prabhupada wanted. We grow, and help others grow, through intercommunication and relationship. So anything that breaks that exchange down defeats that exchange. So we all have a duty to keep trying to understand each other even if we disagree or have been hurt by another Vaishnava. That how we can practice the principal of forgiveness and real humility.

We should be particularly vigilant about adopting"One who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor and is free from false ego, who is equal in both happiness and distress, who is tolerant, always satisfied, self-controlled, and engaged in devotional service with determination, his mind and intelligence fixed on Me--such a devotee of Mine is very dear to Me." Bg 12. 13-14

this attitude towards those who are sincerely participating in the mission of Lord Caitanya regardless of what branch of the Gaudia sampradaya tree they sprout from. I am persuaded that this is not only what Krishna instructs us to do, but also what Srila Prabhupada would want us to do. The red warning lights should go of in our head when dealing with anyone who claims to be an "Advanced Devotee." But the same warning lights should get lit when a seasoned devotee, who has participating in KC for over 20 years, attempts to cover up their own nonsense behind the veil of being a perpetual neophyte!

We all have a serious responsibility to be cautions in our dealings and not use what Srila Prabhupada said 25 years ago, to legitimize Vaishnava aparada. If the purpose of quoting scripture is to bash another devotee over the head with insults then we have completely missed the point because doing that does not lead to healthy communication but ostracizes and alienates. Even in Christianity we find this very basic principal which teaches: "Do not cast pearls before swine's. " The way we teach this is by the clause found in the ten offenses: "Do not preach about the Holy Names of the lord to the Faithless."

This does not mean we should remain oblivious to anyone's shortcoming. The single most important thing that ISKCON managers could possibly get from this questionnaire is the concept of acting with mature, courteous and responsible dignity. It seems pathetically silly that it would even be necessary to have to point this out but I have many first hand examples which illustrate just how far some have drifted from this very basic foundational cornerstone. I am sure other devotees have similar examples of the same type of thing, many far worse, then the exchange I will now share here.

During my ISKCON career, I built four large RathYatra carts in major cities all around the word. Because of the success of those projects I was approached many times to give advice on this subject. Over the years I have been requested to provide instructions on how to build a Rath Cart by sending engineering blueprints, photographs, and photocopies of supporting material to distant temples. On three separate occasions I did this after being urgently requested to do so by highly respelled members of the GBC body. I complied with the requests of my senior God-brothers at my inconvenience and cost. My effort was not excessive, but it was relevant enough that anyone with basic manners would at least acknowledge me for it in the form of a 50 cent thank-you note post card. Yet that simple deed was apparently beyond the ability of some of our most influential so called "Krishna Conscious" advanced leaders! This reminds me of an old Radha Damodara traveling Sankirtan party mantra we were emblazened to remember: "You must become conscious before you can become Krishna Consciouess!" It seems to be an obvious deductive truth that acting with manners must be a prerequisite for anyone who wants to get on the path towards purity.

There are numerous other examples that could be cited which dramatically illustrate just how pathetically out of touch some of our leaders have been in the past. The Internet is filled with tales from disgruntled devotees that have simply not been treated properly. I am quite aware of the fact that there are also some very eccentric nuts who will never be satisfied regardless of how well they are treated. But for the more sober members that make up the greater portion of the general devotee population, simple courtesy and acknowledgement would go a long way towards minimizing dissent, increasing support and healing old wounds.

The mundane politicians we are so fond of criticizing are at least competent enough to realize the importance of responding to their constituents! Even when someone writes a critical letter to their local congressman they will always get at least a letter acknowledging their thoughts and a thank you for the time they took to share them. It is a shameful disgrace that the most powerful members of the most powerful movement on the face of this planet don't realize how important this type of simple courtesy is.

As is often the case, Srila Prabhupada's set a perfect example for us and was vigilant about responding to the letters from his disciples. But have we followed that example? He went to great trouble to deal with each of us as important individuals regardless of how covered we were with bad habits, foolish ideas and immature behavior. Yet it doesn't appear that the GBC has a very good track record in being able to do something as simple as acknowledging input from constituents, what to speak of the more demanding responsibilities we have entrusted them with!

In 1997 I sent a large package of material to 12 members of the GBC in an attempt to help mediate the RtVik controversy. It that I correspondence, I explained how I had a unique relationship with Audridaran which blossomed out of the work we did together building the up the Calcutta Rathayatra festival in 1978. I pointed out how I felt that because of that relationship, I was in a good position to avert a big head on collision between ISKCON and the RtVik frenzy that was being championed by Audridaran. I spent weeks gathering material, doing research, writing letters and listening carefully to the grievances that were coming from the RtVik community to try and find some common ground. But once again, I did not receive even one e-mail acknowledging the effort I was making from any ISKCON leaders, but I did get a lot of email from lay devotees who appreciated my efforts and the mood I was trying to generate.

Saying "Thank-you" when one expresses concerns or opinions in a polite way, does not bind one to agreeing with those opinions. Every good diplomat learns this simple principal very quickly. Yet apparently this simple truth eludes some GBC members even after 25 years1

Needless to say it will require significant funds to establish offices and staff that are capable of handling the type of efforts I am suggesting here. Gathering revenue streams to establish this type of Governing Body is simply the next step in the natural growth process if ISKCON that is necessary if we have any intention of moving out of the public relations stone age. If our mission is to revive the message of Lord Caitanya internationally, we must mature from a discombobulated group of ex-hippies, revolutionaries and dropouts and embrace this objective intelligently. The sooner we start acting with that type of vision and planning, the sooner Krishna will reciprocate by rewarding us with greater acknowledgement and success. It requires vigilance and determination that is a natural by-produce of KC when it is practiced properly.

Question 4: ISKCON compared to Other Organizations

"How well does ISKCON compare to other similar organizations?"

There is much we can say about what ISKCON is doing wrong. I have certainly not had any hesitation to point out some serious problems in my response to the first three questions. I expect that you will get a lot negative input in response to this survey, but what is worse is if you get NO response because so many devotees have become fatalistic and apathetic!

But there is also a lot that ISKCON has done right! We have temples located all over the world and our movement continues to grow despite our incompetence. ISKCON sponsors the biggest festivals and prints more books then all the other Indian based institutions including DePak Chopra, Mahesha Yogi, Gurur MarharaJi, the Sai Babba followers, and the Self Realization foundation all put together!

More specifically I have often noted how the BBT and the Bhaktivedanta Archives far surpass what other organizations have been able to accomplish in regards to preserving the legacy of other prominent teachers from our century. I live in Ojai, which was the home of Krishnamurti, and although there is a library here dedicated to preserving the nonsense that he taught, fortunately it doesn't come close to what we have been able to do for Strila Prabhupada. The same is true for the Dali Lama, Mother Terrisa, Ramana Maharshi, Nim Karloi Babbha, Radha Swami, and countless other flash-in-the-pan swamis and self made guru's.

Srila Prabhupada was so powerful that he inspired us to be very committed to preserving his words. Somehow we were attentive enough to get that responsibility done right. However I am somewhat stunned that the GBC did not immediately agree to rigorously uphold and enforce any BBP owned CopyRight violations at the 2002 meetings in Mayapur! It is incomprehensible to me why any mature devotee would not want to ensure the same type of protection to Srila Prabhupada's work that Michael Eisner is willing to spend millions of dollars for protecting the rights to Micky Mouse and Daffey Duck! The lack of response leads the thoughtful to conclude that some of our ISKCON governers must be getting bribed, threatened or inappropriately influenced by those who are literally stealing from Srila Prabhupada therefore they choose to simply look the other way. Not a good idea, but an easy position to take.

Where we have dropped the ball is in our public relations and the lack of attention we have paid toward designing our In-House career path. Most of the Christian denominations have policies in place which both regulate the behavior of their ministers as well as provide for them. Those policies include how church funds are collected, accounted for, and spent. They have independent organizations set up to monitor these things. Many churches also include plans for retirement, medical expenses and adequate housing etc. for their ministers. Other organizations have their share of problems but that does not excuse the "Stab and Grab" mentality that we have seen some members of ISKCON engage in over the years. There has been a lot of improvement in these areas, but there is still a long way to go before we get to a place where those who are making the decisions are not also reaping the benefite of their own legislation..

In 1982 Drutakarma prabhu did some research on how the military recruits members and inspires them with many varieties of well spelled out career paths. For the most part ISKCON has an inadequately simple two-tier career path that consists of getting awarded a spiritual name and then aspiring for a Brahman's thread. There is much we can learn by looking towards how other large organizations inspire and grow their staff and support team.

The Mormons and Jews have been extremely effective building financial strength by becoming reliable in their business ventures and then patronizing each other for their business needs. There are also many Asian American communities that operate in similar manners and exist solely to help new immigrants get established when they first arrive in America. Very few devotees have been able to successfully build up respectable businesses that are reliable and honest. However it is also true that many devotees don't seem to feel they need to work in any business, what to speak of a Vaishnava businesses when given the opportunity to participate in them does come up.

It is disgraceful how many devotees I have met over the years who count on charity from others, and hand outs in the form of government relief programs because they simply don't want to work. If we are attempting to set an alternative example for society, what type of example is it if an abnormal percentage of our members are dependent on handouts from those who are willing to work 40-50 hour work weeks? Once again it is a total deviation from what Krishna says in the Gita.

"Perform your prescribed duty, for doing so is better then not working. One can not even maintain one's physical body without work." -Bg 3.8

"If I did not perform prescribed duties, all these worlds would be put to ruination. I would be the cause of creating unwanted population, and I would thereby destroy the peace of all living beings." - Bg 3.24

The fact that there are so many devotees who have become "learned disabled" are bleak symptoms that something is quite wrong. The temples could benefit tremendously by working cooperatively with those devotees who are inspired to open bakeries, restaurants, and a plethora of other service and professional businesses. Srila Prabhupada concentrated on establishing the Brahminical quadrant of the chatur-varna ashrams. He recognized that the candidates he had to do that with were at best, slightly above the mellecha class. It was because of his extremely generous and nurturing spirit that he accepted us on the sudra platform. But little has been done since His departure to cultivate the Ksatria and Vaisha branches of society. There has been much written, and some efforts made to address these areas unofficially by spin off devotees, but little has been forthcoming as a directive from ISKCON proper.

Question 5: Relationship Between ISKCON and Constitutes.

"How would you describe the way ISKCON responds to devotees?"

I have already partially addressed this issue in my response to question two. However there is a tremendous amount that can be said in regards to how to improve relations with all the categories of devotees you have identified. For the sake of brevity I will only comment on the more prominent areas that have been neglected in the past.

Women and children have no-doubt been grossly mistreated, ignored and abused under some very seriously perverted mis-interpretations of Srila Prabhupada's teachings. These abuses have been so serious that ISKCON has been literally forced to address them either by major confrontational internal uprisings or brut force litigation. Somehow we can't seem to find the money, time or resources to do things right the first time, but we can come up with all sorts of funds and time to ward off astronomically expensive legal cases and settlement fees.

Our challenge is to learn how to identify and respond to potential problems prior to when they become critical mass. ISKCON has been notorious for "Crisis Management" as is evident by the Gurukula litigation and the RtVik perversions to Sanatan Dharma. The inability of ISKCON managers to properly engage, AND respect women as pure spirit souls, who also have a tremendous amount to contribute to Srila Prabhupada's mission, has led to a lot of equally embarrassing blow back. Fortunately this problem appears to be getting neutralized as our movement matures. But if misogynistic men are not completely routed out from ISKCON management positions then we can expect it will not be too long before Laxmideva is held hostage to a serious "Sexual Harassment Law-Suits". (When will we learn?)

Some women in ISKCON have become so traumatized by the abuse and neglect they have encountered from so-called IKSCON leaders that their mission in life has shifted from teaching Krishna Consciousness to ruthless feminism! Some have become so consumed by this they have even advocated re-editing all of Srila Prabhupadas books to neuter any male/female specific instructions. We my snicker at the fact that there are ladies who are crass enough to even suggest such radical ideas, but the fact that they are driven to do so is really a reflection of how crass and out of tilt some ISKCON leaders have been!

Each of these questions spawn a tremendous amount of opportunity for improvement that goes way beyond any single persons ability to properly address. However those devotees who are inspired to address each of these respective issues should be encouraged to take them on. I would suggest the search for solutions start by extracting all that can be found in whatever relevant resources that are available so the conclusions can be dovetailed into Krishna's service. In this regard I think of Anutama Dasa in Florida. He has done a tremendous job trying to bring the Vaishna Youth crisis under control. His success is because of his commitment to stay properly informed and his ability to extract gold even from a filthy place. He is educated and he is going about his business in an intelligent way drawing from whatever resources he can find to correct 20 years of being inattentive about how we are educating the children of 21^st century Vaishnavas.

There is nothing sinful about getting Educated or "Trained Up" in the areas of mundane knowledge if it can be dovetailed into Krishna's service. The alternative is to speculate and experiment without taking advantage of all the mistakes that others have made and Srila Prabhupada considered that type of behavior second class intelligence.

It is my personal realization that to shun all outside educational sources as irrelevant, threatening, or nonsense is foolish, immature and archaic. Care must be exercised to avoid the influence of impersonalism that I briefly mentioned in my question to answer one. This is unfortunately prevalent in all aspects of the 20^th century lifestyle, but Krishna promises to protect His devotee if the intent is pure and not show bottle.

"In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from all types of fear." -Bg 2.40

"Wherever there is Krishna, the master of all mystics, and Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, and extraordinary power and morality. That is my opinion." -Bg 18.72

Question 6: ISKCON Corporate Culture.

"How would you describe the current mood within the ISKCON community?"

I have already addressed this issue a bit in response to question three. Sadly there is much more that needs to be said. Unfortunately there are way too many examples of ISKCON leaders who have simply not understood the simple foundational things like honesty, integrity and keeping their word. This has not only been a disgrace to everything Srila Prahupada embodied, but it has been the source for much of the dissect that has grow into full rebellions in the form of splinter groups. We can be confident that those groups will also fail if they do not correct the same problems they criticize IKSON for. But the challenge for all managers, regardless of what institution they are participating in, is to successfully apply the principals of Krishna Consciousess to their decision-making. Those who can do so the most will be the most prosperous. That is Krisna's promises.

"All of them, as they surrender unto me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows my path in all respects oh son of Kunti. " -Bg 4.11

When I was more actively involved in the ISKCON ashram, I had the opportunity to work with nearly every member of the GBC. This was particularly true when I was the supervising engineer to the Vrindaban Samadhi project in 1980. I had a lot of first hand exposure regarding how individuals who sat on the GBC made decisions. Since then it is no secret to the larger devotee community that when making decisions, more emphasis has historically been placed on how the decisions of the individual will impact one's own immediate sense gratification and not on what the proper KC thing is that needs to be done. The consequences for this has been that many of these individuals have fallen away from Krishna Consciousness.

One of the greatest challenges we all have in life is the choice between doing the Right thing and doing the Easy thing. Most people are unconsciously conditioned to do the easy thing. It is a rare person who has the fortitude of inner strength and faith to do the right thing - especially in the face of personal hardship. But that is what separates the real devotee from the picture perfect sanyasi who is more concerned about how well ironed his silks are then in fulfilling the commitments he has made to others ad the vows he made when he accepted Sanyasa. This is what integrity is all about and it is sorely lacking in Kaliyuga where the last leg of dharma, truthfulness, is wobbling weakly and about to fall. Addressing this one issue alone will resolve many other issues automatically, which is why I believe it is probably the most important thing that each individual needs to address if they want to experience any real spritual growth and maturity. Striving only to "look good" externally not only fails to attract Krishna, it also paralyzes the spiritual growth of the charlatan who engages in such show-bottle devotion. This is particularly true for anyone in a leadership position.

"Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues." -Bg. 3.21

Even to this day I personally know very prominent devotes who choose the path of "Hiding Out", or running away to avoid dealing with uncomfortable issues. They are choosing to do what is easy, or convenient instead of doing what is right. They may be very expert in whatever their personal skills are including things like public speaking, quoting verses or the ability to debate philosophically, but powerful dictators also have these skills so that is not really the sign of an advanced Vaishnava. We seem to have forgotten that KC is not measured by those symptoms but by what Krishna has declared in the Gita.

"Humility; pridelessness; nonviolence; tolerance; simplicity; approaching a bona fide spiritual master; cleanliness; steadiness; self-control; renunciation of the objects of sense gratification; absence of false ego; the perception of the evil of birth, death, old age and disease; detachment; freedom from entanglement with children, wife, home and the rest; even-mindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed devotion to Me; aspiring to live in a solitary place; detachment from the general mass of people; accepting the importance of self-realization; and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth--all these I declare to be knowledge, and besides this whatever there may be is ignorance." - Bg. 13. 8-12

Ones true character is revealed by their behavior, not what they say, how they dress, or the title they have been awarded. If they act like a pompous fool, treat people prejudicially, emote a class conscious mentality, attempt to hide their sense gratification, fail to keep their word, behave rudely, or have a reputation for not even being able to show up on time for commitments that they have made, then it is clear they have much work to do!

I understand the need for diplomacy and realize that it is unrealistic to expect anyone on the GBC to be a superhuman. But acknowledging this obvious reality is not to offer a big loop-hole for leaders to flagrantly lie, distort, or misrepresent the truth for political reasons.

Nor does it excuse gross hypocrisy, arrogance, cynicism, megalomania, nepotism, laziness, manipulation, exploitation, or narcissism just to name a few of the foibles that I have observed in leaders we have trusted to represent SriIa Prabhupada. What use are all the temples if we can't even clean up these basics rules of dignity and honor?

Krishna proclaims "Lust Anger and greed are the most sinful enemies of this world" (-Bg 16.21) The way we can know that those things are corrupting the message we are giving is if we find a lot of evidence of Hypocrisy. Those who aren't purified by Krishna's glance, will be contaminated with a certain degree of hypocrisy to some extent. But gross, flagrant hypocrisy is a symptom that one is still very much helplessly under the control of untamed senses and the modes of nature. Truth can not be compromised and remain true. If it is a toss up between speaking truthfully, even if it may appear to lead to unpleasant immediate results for oneself, then that is the way of the Vaishnava. This happens to be the principal behind Step Nine of the highly touted 12 step program taught by AA and it is also confirmed by Krishna who clearly states:

"Austerity of speech consists of speaking truthfully and beneficially and avoiding speech which offends (Bg- 17.15)

It is evident that fear based Turf Building/Protecting is still the biggest driving force in the average ISKCON managers decision-making process. Whenever that type of thinking is given greater precedence then the instructions Krishna gives in the Gita, then the individual is guilty of resorting to mundane attempts to control things that are not ours to control! We all know this and recite it from the Vyasasasana, but how many people actually live this truth?

Blind faith is ignorance and foolish. But genuine faith that is founded in the strength of Guru, Sastra, and Sadu is the only intelligent way one can expect to accomplish anything that will not be complicated by the modes of material nature. We may disagree with the conclusions reached by devotees who have been attracted to RtVik ideas, Posion Conspiriacies, Gaudia Matha gurus, litigious Gurukulis, and Vaishnava Feminists, but it is bad policy to fall back on heavy handed Draconian responds to try and legislate control of these diversions when they arise. That may be appropriate if members from these groups are standing on the steps of IKSCON temples creating big disturbances, but there are numerous examples where that has not been the case and a sledgehammer was used in an attempt to fix a broken pocket watch.

Srila Prabhupada said he would be happy if even just one of his disciples became a pure devotee because He knew just how rare and difficult it was for someone to attain that. From a mundane point of view it appears that all these things injunctions are contradictory and as such, are therefore impossible to reconcile. But the proper way to understand these conundrums requires spiritual maturity. The fact is that we are called to interface with all devotees without committing Vaishnava aparada even though we know they have a totally different understanding of Srila Prabhupada's teachings.

"All these devotees are undoubtedly magnanimous souls, but he who is situated in knowledge of Me I consider to be just like my own self. Being engaged in my transcendental service, he is sure to attain Me, the highest and most perfect goal." -Bg- 7.18

In this verse, Krishna uses the word "Sarve" which means "ALL' devotees. He then describes ALL the devotees as magnanimous not just the ones we happen to agree with. The magic lies in the very process of learning how to think, and behave like that because in that process we advance to a deeper relationship with Krishna!

Question 7: My current service.

"What service are you currently doing?"

I moved to Ojai as a married man with the intent of expanding the KC paradigm into the working world of the American public. It was obvious to me that the lifestyle of a Sanyasi is not a model that the average person in the West is inclined to follow- nor should individuals be encouraged to do so if they are married and have children! In fact the majority of most Western individuals can't begin to understand or relate to the life style of a celibate sanyasa Krishna arranged for me to get married and I was committed to use the grihasta ashram to span the gap between mainstream Americana and the transcendent message of Sanatan Dharma.

I began the American Vedic Association (AVA) as a marketing facade to teach KC to individuals who were otherwise stigmatized by the stereotyped Airport Book distributor and couldn't get past that conditioning. For about ten years this program grew nicely with great promise. But Srila Prabhupada would say: "We have our plans and Krishna has His Plans" and in my case that meant having to deal with the fact that my wife was incapable of honoring traditional marriage vows or understanding how Srila Prabhupada wanted his married disciples to behave (See Bg-3.5 for philosophical explanation in a nutshell.)

In 1998 she chose to make a dramatic departure from the KC home I built and as sad as that was, I am confident it was orchestrated by Krishna and freed me to focus more clearly on the task of reaching out to give mainstream America in Ojai a taste of Krishna Consciousness.

The way I have been doing that I think of as the three "I's": "Infiltrate", "Integrate", & "Inseminate." I seek out groups and public gatherings where it is most likely that I will meet individuals who are ready for KC and I infiltrate them. I then make friends and integrate until I gain their trust and they come to respect me as a quality, sober individual they can rely on. Eventually the time comes where I can begin to inseminate the conversation with what Srila Prabhupada taught us.

This is arduous process that requires a lot of patience and doesn't produce large immediate results because it is time consuming. But it is a service I have the ability to do and it provides a tremendous amount of opportunity for me to understand what other people are attracted to and how other organizations work. It also produces a lot of good material for writing provocative newspaper articles. (Search For: William Roberts On: OjaiValleyNews.com) I have been exploring that medium for preaching over the last several years and I am learning how to maximize the effectiveness of that approach.

I am also using the few skills and resources that Krishna has blessed me with to develop practical and quality KC paraphernalia under the company name "Jagannatha Enterprises".. My hope is to generate curiosity, and in turn inquiries into the Absolute Truth, within communities that are not likely to come in contact with Srila Prabhupada's devotional wisdom. If my entrepreneurial efforts become economically lucrative then I will strive to build that business so that as many devotees as possible can prosper from it financially.

Question 8: My Comments

"What would you like to tell us at this time?"

I am encouraged by the fact that at least this questionnaire is going out. I will be curious to watch if anything changes as a result of it. I have learned not to expect much. I would be interested in knowing how much of a response this questionnaire does received to your inquiry and what the nature of those responses are. In 1980 I wrote my own "Devoteee Personal Survey Questionair" to try and start coordinating an intelligent managerial response to the obvious difficulties that were creeping into our society. But I was discouraged from distributing it because it eluded to the fact that there was something wrong in the state of Denmark! Strangely enough around that same time Varutappa dasa dispatch a very similar questionnaire from LA. I received a copy of it and responded back to him with my answers. About a year later when I met up with him in Los Angeles he told me that after sending out over 100 inquiries to the most prominent members of ISKCON at the time, I was the ONLY one who took the time to write him a response. Adi Keseva apparently called him on the phone to discuss some of his ideas but other then that NOBODY else even acknowledged the tremendous time, effort and expense he put forth to do something we should now acknowledge was both important and visionary.

It would be easy to become fatalistic about how unlikely these quickly written responses could possibly help rectify the numerous serious problems that are part of ISKCON's growing pains. But I will refrain from doing that any further then I may already be guilty of and simply watch and see what happens.

None-the-less, I am very happy to see that at least the instigosti has begun in a more serious fashion and I am honored that someone felt I was worth sending and invitation to participate in this effort. Even if it shrivels on the vine along the way, I feel it is healthy whenever there is an opportunity for us to formulate and clarify our ideas and that is what this is all about. Hopefull, if this effort sags or quells, it will not be another 20 years before it is revived again. Eventually it will become an important part of how Srila Prabhupadas mission will become fulfilled. So "Bravo" for starting that effort. It is good to know the process is finally starting at some layer of ISKCON Management although it is really unclear if the GBC had any thing to do with initiating this Maha-Astika-instiga.

What is evident is that at least the individuals who are sharing in this effort, educated, and willing to look are no longer willing to avoid and deny the things that are obviously need to be improved in ISKCON.

Large corporations spend literally millions of dollars on improving employee moral, decreasing inefficiencies, understanding customer needs, identifying new target markets, and developing new products. All of these things require a willingness to inquire from, and listen closely to, the observations, perspectives and feelings of others. From there they formulate a plan to move forward based on that knowledge. The do not scorn criticism; they seek it out as is evident every time you fill out a customer service card or guarantee.

We are still riding on the strength of Srila Prabhupad's grace and in a very real sense we always will be dependent on His Grace. But management is a dynamic effort that requires regular attention and response. That is why Lord Visnu is given the responsibility for maintaining the universe. Daily maintenance is a far more difficult and exasperating job then construction or destruction. It took Srila Prabhupada to manifest ISKCON out of nothing, but he left the arduous task of making it grow and prosper up to us!