06/21/98 - 1881 (see also VNN story# 1860)

Mistake After Failure

USA (VNN) - Reply to the chairman of the GBC

by Atulananda das

In regards to the letter of the chairman of the GBC, we can see that they are (finally) admitting many failures; many of them, of course, because new needs appear while we grow. Nonetheless, I can see - very sadly - that ISKCON leaders cannot recognize their major failure, which is their lousy treatment of their godbrothers whom they left in the background of the movement. We are not talking about their 'little children' who they didn't care about, although their godbrothers were their "nurses" before they took over. We refer to their godbrothers with equal (or more) rights than them, about whom they never cared to listen, nor helped in making them real spiritual guides in their own places or countries, as it was Srila Prabhupada's desire: To create local leaders, brahminical heads for a society deprived of them. In fact, this is just like the foolish mistake by the owner of the goose with the golden eggs, who out of greed cuts the head of the goose, desiring only the golden eggs, not the headache of nurtruring the goose (Aesop's fables). Because after all, their godbrothers were usually the source of the ones that later became "their" disciples.

Although this is bad enough, worse yet is the absolute forgetfulness of their offenses against pure devotees as Srila Sridhar Maharaj whom Srila Prabhupada selected to be our pure and most wise advisor after his departure. They not only condemned and criticized the mahabhagavata, but they also expelled those godbrothers who were listening to his kind advice with the purpose of further serving Srila Prabhupada's mission.

Now he left, but there are still other great vaisnavas in the planet (it happens to be that the ISKCON leaders are not the only devotees in the world) as Bhaktipromode Puri Maharaj. He is currently the president of the WVA (World Vaisnava Association) which has been accepted by the Gaudiya Math Acaryas to be the same as the old original Visva Vaisnava Raj Sabha founded by Srila Jiva Goswami, later pursued by His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur. On the contrary, ISKCON, not willing to cooperate with this effort supported by our pure spiritual uncle, avoids to attend any meeting though all leaders and GBCs are always invited. Moreover, it has created its own "international" vaisnava asociation, where even themself do not participate, although representatives of the Gaudiya Math acharyas have attended, demonstrating their open-minded character and goodwill, despite being subject to cynical and regular criticism by members of ISKCON.

Prabhupada wanted a joint vaisnava effort and he asked some of his disciples to cooperate towards it, but that was never done. Moreover, now, when a superior Vaisnava is doing it, ISKCON ignores it and tries to do it by itself, belittleling the seniors, following its sadly traditional spirit of monopolizing everything.

ISKCON leaders not only offended their spiritual uncles and left behind some competent spiritual brothers, but they are prosecuting those brothers who want to preach Prabhupada's glories, prohibiting them to utilize the scriptural work that the jagat-guru left for the sake of humanity at large. Under these circumstances, how do they dare to speak about founding an international vaisnava society?

And yes, too much dedicated to insure their self-appointed lifted positions, they forgot to give real room and confidence to other devotees equal or even more qualified than them. Now, trying to show a "healthy" self-critical attitude they mention so many failures.

Nevertheless, the 'hati-mata- aparadha' failure, my dear godbrothers; you are forgetting to list at the top. This is the real cause of suffering and misgivings. Except by asking with very sincere feelings forgiveness for so many and horrible aparadhas, you have no hope of a clear spiritual intelligence to solve your multiple problems.

If you have no love for such great well-wisher vaisnavas, for whom can you have any heart? How can you develop a loving society, as Srila Prabhupad wished for all the world, (not only for the self-selected members of ISKCON, as the jagatguru cannot be confined to benefit only one institution.)? My friends, how can we love without love?

Krsna is the God of love and without real and deep love for other vaisnavas we risk to remain on the kanistha platform of the 'love for show', only God knows for how long!

Aspiring to serve all of you in a mood of love for all vaisnavas.

Atulananda das A.