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WORLD December 20, 1998 VNN2715 See Related VNN Stories When Srila Prabhupada Is At The Center BY THE GBC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE USA, Dec 20 (VNN) — Message From the ISKCON GBC Executive Committee WHEN SRILA PRABHUPADA IS AT THE CENTER THERE IS NO ROOM FOR MAYA IN ISKCON: A Statement of the GBC Executive Committee concerning the effects of bodily identification in ISKCON. No doubt everyone associated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) loves Srila Prabhupada and wants to see him at the center of their lives and ISKCON. But keeping Srila Prabhupada in the center of ISKCON must be more than a sentimental expression. Practical action is required. Srila Prabhupada taught us that love for the Supreme Lord Krishna is shown by our obeidence and service to Him. Similarly, Srila Prabhupada told us that our love for him, as our Founder-acarya will be shown by how we cooperate to keep his institution together. If we truly want Srila Prabhupada to remain the center of ISKCON, we are going to have to work hard to keep his mood prevalent in ISKCON. Perhaps the biggest challenge in this regard is the endeavor to remain faithful to Srila Prabhupada's teachings and preaching mood. How many times did we hear Srila Prabhupada say, "you are not the body?" This basic point of the philosophy of Krishna consciousness is also emphasized over and over in his books. However over the past several years we have witnessed an increasing tendency within Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON to allow bodily identification divide us. Talks and actions based on the dualities of western versus eastern gurus, my guru versus your guru, black versus white versus Indian, man versus woman, friends versus enemies are symptoms that maya, illusion, has entered our camp and is ready to consume us. Given our fallen nature, resisting these tendencies is hard work, but such hard work is a measure of our love for Srila Prabhupada, and our protection from the ignorance of maya. Our resistance to prejudice, sexism, racism and other forms of bigotry in ISKCON will be found in the example and words Srila Prabhupada gave us. During a Bombay morning walk in February 1994 Srila Prabhupada used himself as an example of how a devotee approaches material differences: "Just see the example. I am not becoming proud, but because I have got little taste for it, therefore I am preaching all over the world. I don't say I am perfect. I have got little taste of Krishna-bhakti. So I have no distinction that "This is Indian. This is American. This is African." Everyone, I am giving this harinama. This is sarva-bhuta-hite ratah, no distinction. We are trying to give protection to the cows, to animals, to the trees. This is sarva-bhuta-hite ratah. Unless one is...Harav abhaktasya kuto mahad... If one is not devoted to Krishna, he cannot become sarva-bhuta-hite ratah." In his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 7.5.12 Srila Prabhupada discusses the difference between how the devotee and non devotee approach material differences: "Demons think of everyone as a friend or enemy, but Vaisnavas say that since everyone is a servant of the Lord, everyone is on the same platform. Therefore a Vaisnava treats other living entities neither as friends nor as enemies, but instead tries to spread Krishna consciousness, teaching everyone that we are all one as servants of the Supreme Lord but are uselessly wasting our valuable lives by creating nations, communities and other groups of friends and enemies. Everyone should come to the platform of Krishna consciousness and thus feel oneness as a servant of the Lord." All of us must renew our efforts to keep Srila Prabhupada in the center of both ISKCON and our individual lives. Sesa Dasa On Behalf of the GBC Executive Committee. The Executive Committee supports the recent statement made by the North American Executive Officers, and incorporates it into this statement: STATEMENT BY THE NORTH AMERICAN EXECUTIVE OFFICERS. The North American GBC/Temple President Executive Officers wish to voice our strong disapproval of, and our protest against, the demeaning and ill intended statements made by some members of the GHQ com conference that were recently brought to public attention. It is our firm position that Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-acarya of ISKCON, intended his Hare Krishna Movement to be free from all prejudice, sexism, racism and other forms of bigotry. We affirm that the first and foremost principle of our society is that all people (indeed all sentient beings) are eternal, sacred parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna, and as such should be respected and affirmed in their individual relationship with the Lord, as well as their service to guru and Krishna. Multiple statements made by members of this Internet conference ridicule, berate and vilify women, other minorities, and individual Vaishnava devotees. They document an organized attempt to prevent women from their God-given rights of self expression and service to Srila Prabhupada. We denounce such views. They are opposed to the core values and principles of Vaishnava culture which uphold the devotional offerings of all souls as sacred and worthy of our respect and protection. While we endorse open debate and dialogue within our Krishna Consciousness movement, we must speak out against any discussion that crosses the line of decency, morality, and Vaishnava etiquette and supports an agenda to exploit or minimize a section of our society. Bir Krishna Goswami, Chairperson Anuttama Dasa Sudharma Dasi Vraja Lila Dasi See Related VNN Stories | Comment on this Story This story URL: http://vaishnava-news-network.org/world/WD9812/WD20-2715.html
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