Hare Krishna Society

Hare Krsna-Below is a very nice morning walk conversation wtih Srila Prabhupada where he kindly explains the position of human beings in this present degraded age. They are so brain dead it is not possible for them to appreciate actual religion, or what to speak take it up as responsible human beings.

And even among those who do take up Dharma, we find so many who also do not properly understand Srila Prabhupada Siddhanta.

https://harekrishnasociety.org/SPS/SPS.html

damaghosa das

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Aug 12 1975 Paris

Brahmānanda: They will say that suffering is a part of life, that suffering is a necessary part of life.

Prabhupāda: Then why you are trying to get out of suffering? Suffer, rascal. Why you are trying to get out of suffering. Why?

Brahmānanda: Because they don’t like it. But they say you have to accept it.

Prabhupāda: Then, if you say… If it is a part of life, why don’t you like it? Suffer. Go on suffering. You are accepting as part of life because you cannot get out of it. “The grapes are sour.” That’s all. After jumping, jumping, jumping, when it is not available, “Oh, the grapes are sour. It is no… There is no necessity.” Jackal’s philosophy.

Bhagavān: They will surrender to the misery, but they will not surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: That is their disease.

Yogeśvara: Śrīla Prabhupāda? When you speak of taking care of your responsibilities for Kṛṣṇa, doesn’t that also have a material aspect to it? Just like a parent must bring up the child, must take care of the child, train it to read, and to write, and so on…

Prabhupāda: Yes. That means we are taking care of the children—why? Just to make them Kṛṣṇa conscious, not to become cats and dogs. This is our responsibility. That is Kṛṣṇa conscious, that “Here is a child. He may be saved to make him Kṛṣṇa conscious.” Therefore we are taking so much care in the Dallas. We are not irresponsible. But our responsibility is there, that “Make him Kṛṣṇa conscious.”

Yogeśvara: So when we say that we have finished all responsibility by surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, that doesn’t mean that we’ve abandoned execution of duty, does it?

Prabhupāda: No, no. Who says that?

Yogeśvara: Well, some people say that “You’ve taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and now you have given up all of your…”

Prabhupāda: It is not duty? This is the main duty. This is the main duty. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām [Bg. 18.66]. We have taken responsibility for Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are doing. Why we are traveling all over the world thrice in a year? We have taken the responsibility. Otherwise, who is, an old man, he’ll take such responsibility? That is a greater responsibility. When you become a big officer of the government, it means you overburdened with responsibility, not this flickering resp… Here the material respons… means it has no use. You are simply wasting time. And here is real responsibility and real life. That I explained to that lady, that “Even if you take respons… what can you do? You cannot do anything.” The example I gave, that “You have taken responsibility for your son’s disease. He is suffering. You have brought good physician, you have brought good medicine, everything, but what can you do? In spite of your all responsibility, your son dies. Then where is the value of your responsibility?” Do you think simply by bringing a nice physician and nice medicine you can save your son? Then where is your responsibility? Actually you cannot do anything, so what is the use of saying that “I am responsible”? You cannot do anything. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ [SB 7.5.31]. If one blind man says, “I’ll take responsibility. You all blind men follow me,” so what is the use of this responsibility? He will die and others will die. So what is the meaning of this responsibility? Even if you take as very responsible man, you cannot do anything. That is not possible. You cannot save. Who wants that “My son dies, my father dies, and I’ll take them and…”? But one little disease will finish your responsibi… Every nation is taken, all the leaders, and as soon as there is war, thousands and thousands will be killed. What responsibility? As soon as one atom bomb is dropped, then is many thousand will be finished. Then what is your responsibility? You cannot give. You can make a statue: “These soldiers died. These soldiers died.” That’s all. But you could not save them from death.

Mādhavānanda: Then they would say that we also must die. Everyone must die.

Prabhupāda: Yes, we die—to live forever. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. We die for that. This is the last death.

Mādhavānanda: Then they will say, “How do we know?”

Prabhupāda: That… You are rascal. How you will know? You come to my feet; then you will know. (laughter)

Brahmānanda: To your feet or to your boot.

Prabhupāda: Yes, provided there is boot. Yes. Therefore there is a Vedic injunction, tad-vij�ānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] “Because you are fool, rascal, you must approach a guru.” That is the way. Sa gurum eva, eva, “certainly,” abhigacchet, “must go.” Otherwise there is no possibility. You remain as foolish forever and suffer.

Yogeśvara: There is one German historian named Frederick Engels.

Prabhupāda: Yes, he is another foolish. (laughter) I can…

Yogeśvara: He wrote against Vedic culture by saying that even the brāhmaṇas of Vedic culture were not responsible because the culture failed. It ended at a certain period in history. It was simply exploitation of the workers under the guise of religion. That was his argument.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Brahmānanda: That was not the fault of the

Prabhupāda: The argument of foolish man—who is caring? Vedic culture when finished?

Yogeśvara: [break] …five thousand years ago.

Prabhupāda: Five thousand years ago. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu, five hundred years, how He accepted if it is finished? He is more than Caitanya Mahāprabhu, this rascal?

Yogeśvara: Haribol.

Bhagavān: They are willing to take so many material risks, but they are not willing to try spiritual life.

Prabhupāda: That is their fault. That is their foolishness. Mūḍho nābhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam. Therefore they are called mūḍhas.

Yogeśvara: How would we define the word responsibility in Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Prabhupāda: Responsibility is that you have got this human form of life. Realize God. This is your responsibility. Otherwise you are finished. Three words: “You have got this human form of life. Your only responsibility is to understand God. This is your responsibility.” That is Vedic culture. For understanding God, many, many kings, many, many saints, they left everything and went to the forest to realize God. That is Vedic culture. Bhārata Mahārāja, under whose name India is called Bhāratavarṣa, he was the emperor of this planet, and at the age of twenty-four years he left everything to realize God. This is Vedic culture. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, His position was very, very nice, as a gṛhastha—a nice beautiful wife, affectionate mother, good influence, brāhmaṇa family, learned scholar, everything first class. He left everything just to show us. He was God Himself, but to set the example, tyaktvā sudustyaja-surepsita-rajya-lakṣmīm [SB 11.5.34]. He gave up a kingdom of fortune which is aspired by the demigods. Such a nice life, such a nice family, but He gave up. Tyaktvā sudustyaja-surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīm dharmistha arya… [SB 11.5.34]. Just to teach us the process of realizing God. This is Vedic system. [break] Somebody may not push. [break] …water? No. Very deep?

Dhana�jaya: Not so much here. [break]

Prabhupāda: When you ask me… What is that, definition of respons…? So you understand what is the responsibility?

Yogeśvara: We have this human life. We must realize God.

Prabhupāda: This, three words. Make the rascals understand it. We speak the whole responsibility in three words. Is it complete or not?

Brahmānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Or you have got any protest? This is the only…

Bhagavān: Let Śrīla Prabhupāda go through.

Brahmānanda: They have not taken God realization as a responsibility.

Prabhupāda: That is their misfortune.

Brahmānanda: Simply as a pastime.

Prabhupāda: That is their ignorance. They do not know what is respons…

Mādhavānanda: They would say that so many may have taken God realization as responsibility, following some Christ… church or something like that, but they are also frustrated.

Prabhupāda: We are not frustrated. Eh? We are not frustrated. Are we frustrated? Then? How the rascal says, “frustrated”? If you take false thing, then you will be frustrated. If you take real path of God realization, there is no question of frustration. It is ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam, increasing pleasure, no frustration.

Mādhavānanda: Then they say that no one has real information of God.

Prabhupāda: You have no, rascal, because you are rascal. I have got. You just wash my feet, and I will inform you.

Devotees: Jaya. Haribol. [break]

Prabhupāda: …not know how to swim; that does not mean I do not. Is it a very honest statement? Oh, nobody can swim because he does not know. But if anyone knows how to swim, then why do you say that no one has done? You do not know. You accept that.

Mādhavānanda: Everyone thinks in terms of their own relative position.

Prabhupāda: Yes. [break] Even an insignificant bird, because he knows swimming, he knows swimming, so he can challenge, and because you do not know swimming, you cannot say like that. Even insignificant bird, just see how nicely he is swimming. He knows the art. [break] ...one, cent percent of the modern people, they do not believe in God, and they do not know what is religion. That is the position. They think, “Religion is sentiment. Anyone can manufacture his own sentiment. There is no God.” This is the position. So we are in fault. “It is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss.” The whole world is under this conception. Therefore we are at fault. We are preaching God consciousness.

Brahmānanda: Generally they make it difficult for us to preach.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

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July 3 1975 Denver

Ambarīṣa: When we get to the spiritual sky, we’ll always be able to remember how horrible it is down here? We’ll always be able to remember how terrible it is in the material world?

Prabhupāda: It is terrible.

Ambarīṣa: Yes, we will be able to remember that.

Prabhupāda: That is intelligence. When one remembers that this world is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam [Bg. 8.15], is a place of misery, then we can go. As long as we shall think, “Oh, it is very nice place,” we have to remain. Kṛṣṇa is so kind, “All right, remain in this very nice place.”

Brahmānanda: You gave the example yesterday of Lord Indra. When he took birth here as a hog, then he didn’t want to leave. He thought it was nice.

Prabhupāda: Yes, he also thought it is a very nice place.

Kāśīrāma: Queen Kuntī was always praying that the calamities would happen again and again so that she would remember Kṛṣṇa. If the calamities are always happening in the material world, we will realize it is a terrible place to stay.

Prabhupāda: This is jnana, knowledge. When one comes to this conclusion, “This is worthless,” that is jnana, knowledge. And so long one will think, “No, it is not always bad, sometimes very good,” that is ignorance. (laughs)

Kuruśreṣṭha: They say that without the bad, then the good wouldn’t be as good.

Prabhupāda: So you remain with bad and good. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. That possibility is here. Sometimes you are going to the higher heavenly planets, a long duration of life, better standard of enjoyment—again coming back. [break] Good and bad is exemplified: just like I catch you and put down the water, and when you are suffocated, I raise you little, and you say, “Oh. (laughter) It is very nice.” But you do not know, again you are going to be… You see? “This good, bad” is here like that. He is put into the water and suffocated, and when he is taken out little, he says, “Oh, it is very good. It is very good.” The rascal does not know, the next moment he is going to be again drowned in that. That is going on. Daṇḍya-jane rāja-jana… That was the chief punishment formerly. If one has to be punished, instead of putting into the jail and feed him, the officers will take him to a river and put him in the water. In this way, one day doing, he will say “I will never do these things. Please excuse me.” Daṇḍya-jane rāja-jane nadite cubaya. [break] ...unless one remembers this, that “To be in the material world, how suffocating it is,” he will not fit for going to back to Godhead. He must be completely detestful. If he keeps little attachment, “No, it is very good sometimes,” then you have to remain here. [break] “This is not permanent. I shall be put next moment in the bad condition.” That he must know. That is knowledge. And if he makes compromise, then he has to be again… [break]

Devotee (4): …consciousness part of this life, up to the time of death, in our next life we will be put in a situation immediately where we can take up Kṛṣṇa consciousness again or will we have to suffer karma before we came into Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Prabhupāda: You will get Kṛṣṇa conscious again. Yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ sa�jāya… Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ sa�jāyate [Bg. 6.41]. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person will be given all comforts of material life so that he may regain without any botheration.

Yadubara: Sometimes it is stated that Kṛṣṇa will take everything away from the devotee.

Prabhupāda: That is special favor, (laughter) that “This rascal is again attached. Take all his…” That is special favor. That is not ordinary favor, so that when everything is taken away, he will completely surrender to Kṛṣṇa, “Kṛṣṇa, I have nothing except You.” tumi binā ke āche āmara

“I have nothing.” That is very good.

….Prabhupāda: Yes. When He sees, “That fool wants Me, at the same time, material world. So take his material possession, everything, so that he will want only Me, that’s all.” Actually, it was done to me. (laughs) I have got practical experience. I did not want to take sannyāsa. I thought that I shall do business. And Kṛṣṇa forced me to take sannyāsa and all, everything, dismantled.

March 2 1970 letter Bhagavan

The pradhana is the ingredient part of material energy. Yes, the Maya is covering all the material energies. Therefore one who is materially advanced, covered with riches, covered with learning, covered with fame or covered with any material opulences, is understood to be covered with Maya. Srila Bhaktivinode says, jada vidya saba mayar baibhava “the material opulences are expansions of Maya’s influence.” As such, according to Vedic process, one voluntarily renounces the material opulences.

The Goswamis left their government service, and there are many other instances. Bharata Maharaja left his kingdom and Lord Buddha left his kingdom—these are all different attempts to get out of Maya’s influence. But our philosophy is that things employed in Krsna’s service have no more influence of Maya. Therefore it is called cinmaya or spiritual; spiritual means complete knowledge. One who can follow the instructions of Isopanisad can understand that nothing belongs to Maya, but everything belongs to Krsna. This knowledge is Krsna Consciousness.

Regarding the end of devotees of Lord Jesus Christ, they can go to heaven, that is all. That is a planet in the material world. A devotee of Lord Jesus Christ is one who is strictly following the ten commandments. Now just like in the commandment “Thou shalt not kill” this is a moral instruction for the sinful man. Similarly Lord Buddha also emphasized ahimsa paramadharma “the highest religion is nonviolence.” So these instructions are for the sinful men. When one is pious, instead of being sinful, he is promoted to the higher planetary systems like Janaloka, Mahaloka, or Tapaloka and they are above the planet Svargaloka. So persons who are cleansed of sinful life become eligible for spiritual life. From the instructions of Lord Jesus Christ we find that the stress is given to make men free from sinful life—such as “Thou shalt not kill” “Thou shalt not covet”—like that. Therefore the conclusion is that the devotees of Lord Jesus Christ are promoted to the heavenly planets which are within this material world.

Nov 1 1970 letter Satyabhama

Regarding Brahmananda, he is actually surrendered soul, but Maya is so strong that on account of association he has even fallen down. So these two things are always side by side—Maya and Krsna—Krsna is service and Maya is sense gratification, so every moment we are prone to be subjugated by either of them. Our duty is therefore to be very, very careful. The poison is personal ambition. So everyone has the chance, therefore one should not be complacent. Doubts may come about, but one should be firmly fixed up that there cannot be any doubt on the Spiritual Master or Krsna.

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July 2 1975 Denver

Devotee (1): Śrīla Prabhupāda, is it true that our advancement in devotional services… Is it influenced a lot by our past karma, how many sinful activities we have committed?

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. Bhakti is not under karma. Bhakti is under your good will. If you accept to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, you can do that without being checked by anything else. Simply you have to will, “Yes, Kṛṣṇa. You are asking me. So long I did not do. From this day I do.” That will depend upon you.

Devotee (2): Not that if I was more sinful, I would make less advancement than somebody who is more pious.

Prabhupāda: Whatever you may be, simply surrender and everything is finished. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣ… [Bg. 18.66]. Even if you are sinful, Kṛṣṇa will give you release, “All right. You have surrendered. That’s all right.” That is wanted. If you reserve something and cheat Kṛṣṇa, “Now I am surrendering,” Kṛṣṇa is very intelligent. “You have still reservation. No.” [break]

Devotee (1): …it’s easier to surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes, in sattva-guṇa one can see, one can understand his position. [break]

Devotee (2): Does he experience the miseries of the gross body when he’s in sattva-guṇa, in the mode of goodness? Does he experience hunger and thirst, those things like that?

Prabhupāda: Gross body means no hunger?

Devotee (2): When a person’s in sattva-guṇa, he’s not so much feeling the pain…

Prabhupāda: He is not disturbed by the rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. That is sattva-guṇa. Naṣṭa-prayeṣv abhadreṣu [SB 1.2.18]. He can be disturbed by rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, but when he is in sattva-guṇa, he is not so much disturbed. And if he increase and go to the pure sattva-guṇa, suddha-sattva, then he is no more disturbed. At that time he can understand what is God. [break] …you are strongly situated in sattva-guṇa, the other base qualities cannot disturb you. Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye [SB 1.2.19]. Other guṇa means lusty desires and greediness. This thing will be finished when you are strongly situated in sattva-guṇa. Then you go advance more and more. [break] …hear about Kṛṣṇa, to chant about Kṛṣṇa, means cleansing, cleansing the dirty things of rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. [break] …world is going on on rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. Very minute quantity of population are by sattva-guṇa.

Brahmānanda: Perhaps only in India will you find people in…

Prabhupāda: Yes, some. That is also deteriorating. [break] The sattva-guṇa… the Māyāvādī, they are also supposed to be in sattva-guṇa, but mixed with rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Therefore not pure.

Devotee (2): You were saying that when one is in the mode of goodness, that he is on the mental platform?

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Devotee (2): Does that mean that he’s not… He’s experiencing the subtle body inside of the gross body, or what does that mean exactly?

Prabhupāda: Mental platform is mixed sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, not pure. But if you keep always Kṛṣṇa in your mind, then you are purified. The mind has no other opportunity to keep anything else. Kṛṣṇa is sitting there, then guarantee. [break] …they keep always seeing Viṣṇu form within the heart. Therefore they keep in sattva-guṇa. Similarly, if you keep Kṛṣṇa, then you are in sattva-guṇa. And when that concentration on Kṛṣṇa is not disturbed, then it is śuddha-sattva. That is spiritual platform. [break] .

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Hare Krsna-

“he is undoubtedly a good soul, but lately he has been attacked by maya.”..SP writing about Kirtanananda

The following letters to various devotees describes the effect Maya had upon Kirtnananda in the earliest days. We are not trying to pick a quarrel with one devotee, but simply using his unique history to point out what should and should not be done if one wants to advance spiritually.

If we do not learn from history then we will repeat the same mistakes, as has done Iskcon for the past 40 years.

damaghosa das

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Oct 16 1967 letter to Brahmananda

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter (dated Oct. 10) & I’ve also received Kirtanananda’s letter. From different centers of our society the news of the activities of Kirtanananda is giving me too much pain. From Rayarama’s letter it is clear that Kirtanananda has not rightly understood Krishna Consciousness philosophy & it appears that he does not know the difference between impersonal & personal features of Krishna. The best thing will be to prohibit him to speak in any of our functions or meetings. It is clear that he has become crazy & he should once more be sent to Bellevue. He was in Bellevue before & with great difficulty & with the help of Mr. Ginsberg we got him out. But it appears that he has developed his madness again, therefore if he is not sent to Bellevue then at least he should be stopped from speaking such nonsense. It is clear from his activities that he has been attacked by maya; he is a victim. We shall pray to Krishna for his recovery but we cannot allow him to speak on my behalf. I am trying to return as soon as possible & when I return everything will be all right. Hope you are well.

Oct 17 1967 letter Pradyumna

Regarding Kirtanananda, he is undoubtedly a good soul, but lately he has been attacked by maya; he thinks too much of himself—even at the risk of disobeying his spiritual master & talking nonsense about Krishna. As a man haunted by a ghost talks so much nonsense, so also when a man is overpowered by the illusory energy—maya, also talks all sorts of nonsense. The last attack of maya upon the conditioned souls is impersonalism. There are 4 stages of attack of maya; viz.: 1) stage is that a man wants to be a protagonist of religion, 2) is that man neglects religiosity and tries to improve his economic development, 3) is to be protagonist of sense enjoyment & when a man is frustrated in all the above mentioned stages he comes to, 4) which is impersonalism, and thinks himself one with the Supreme. This last attack is very serious and fatal. Kirtanananda has very recently developed the 4th stage malady on account of his negligence & disobedience to his spiritual master. Sometimes a foolish patient when he is out of feverish attack by the grace of the physician, thinks that he is cured and does not take precaution against relapse. Kirtanananda’s position is like that. Because he helped the society in starting the Montreal center I thought he is now able to start other branches & when he asked me to give him sannyasa I agreed taking the opportunity of his presence in Vrndavana. Simply by his Sannyas dress he thought himself as cured of all material diseases & all mistakes but under the influence of maya, he thought himself a liberated patient, just as the foolish patient thinks himself cured from the disease. Under the spell of maya, he deliberately disobeyed me by not going to London & consequently his disease has relapsed. Now in N.Y. he has began to dictate nonsense in my name—such as giving up robes, flags etc. Instead of opening new centers he has began to deliver his nonsense sermons amongst his God-brothers which are all against our principles. For the present he should simply chant Hare Krishna & cease to deliver lectures because he has not understood the whole philosophy very nicely.

Regarding the hippy religion; we must distinguish ourselves from the hippies. The hippies generally maintain long hair & beard & in order to distinguish ourselves from them we should be clean shaved. When our devotees go outside I have no objection if he dresses as nice American or Canadian gentleman. Up to date gentlemen are all clean shaved so if we do not keep long hair & dress ourselves nicely with tilaka, flag & beads on the neck, apart from our devotional service, then certainly we shall be distinct from the Hippies. I think we should follow this principle rigidly & there is no question of giving up robes in the temple.

Oct 19 1967 letter Brahmananda

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter of Oct. 11. It was a great pleasure to note the contents, now you have nicely expressed your real mind, In your previous Letter in which I saw a little tendency of being turned by foolish Kirtanananda. but I was confident that Kirtanananda was not so strong as he would be able to defeat you. I was completely confident of your sincerity of service & my choice of your being president of the society is right. I may disclose herewith that I never took Kirtanananda into complete confidence but I was trying to improve his position because he has also rendered much personal service to me. I am very much obliged to him for the service as I am to my other disciples & I am very sorry that Maya has taken advantage of his disobedience & he has fallen to Maya’s illusion—but he should not continue for a very long time as I will always pray to Krishna for his recovery. For the time being he should simply chant Hare Krishna without any attempt at lecturing. The impersonalist cannot render any service to Krishna because he is a great offender. Under the circumstances, Krishna will not accept food prepared by Kirtanananda in his present diseased condition. If he at all wants to render service to Krishna he may be engaged at washing dishes & this will improve his condition.

Oct 26 1967 letter Jadurani

Regarding Kirtanananda, there is nothing to be said about but one should be very careful not to fall sick like him. In the material world there is constant fight between maya & the living entity. Maya is very strong & we can fall a victim at her hand at any moment. The only means of protecting us from the attack of maya is to be fully Krishna Conscious. The proportion in which we fall back in Krishna Consciousness is filled up by the influence of maya. It is exactly like the proportion of negligence of our health is subsequently resulted in our falling ill. The person who is very careful about his health does not generally fall ill. Similarly a person who is always fixed up in Krishna Consciousness cannot be defeated by maya. Sometimes in spite of our full Krishna Consciousness we fall a victim to maya but that is temporary just as seasonal changes such calamities do come & pass away & we have to endure them. If Kirtanananda has ever sincerely served Krishna, & his spiritual master, he will not fall down. The temporary systems will fall down without delay. We should all pray to Krishna for his steady recovery. My grief for Kirtanananda isn’t anything personal but I am sorry that he has become like a mayavadi in spite of my best efforts to help him. Hope you are well.

Oct 27 1967 letter Rayarama

Our circulation manager, Sriman Gargamuni, is surely taking great interest in seeling the copies. Regarding Kirtanananda’s article, I do not know what he has written but I can guess that it must be polluted with impersonal poison, so for the time being you can keep this article aside

Dec 30 1967 letter Madhusudana

It is better service to Krishna and Spiritual Master in a feeling of separation; sometimes there is risk in the matter of direct service. For example, Kirtanananda was giving me direct service by massaging, cooking for me, and so many other things; but later on by dictation of Maya, he became puffed up, so much so that he thought his Spiritual Master a common man, and was existing only on account of his service. This mentality at once pushed him down. Of course, those who are sincere devotee, they take direct service as an opportunity, but the illusory energy is so strong that it acts on this doctrine of familiarity breeds contempt. Kirtanananda was thinking I was existing on his service, instead of realizing I was giving him opportunity to do me some service.

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The symptom of love, by Haripada dasa
Years ago, a devotee named Devarsi prabhu translated some things from the books of conversations into Spanish and gave me those translations. I remember reading an interview there between Sria Prabupada and one of his disciples. Srila Prabhupada said that I will play the Christian and you will play Hare Krishna, Srila Prabhupada told him that we have millions and millions of followers, temples, etc., and you are very few, the devotee said, but we have love for God or Krishna and that is the important thing, Srila Prabhupada told him He said that we also have love for God and we go to church and pray to him, the devotee told him that if you had love for God you would obey his orders, Jesus ordered you not to kill and you have the best slaughterhouses, and Srila Prabhupada told him that there It is where I wanted to take you. The symptom that you love God is that you obey his orders. A person who does not know or love God cannot obey God’s orders. Today there are many groups of Christians, and also of Hare Krishnas, so that you are not deceived, you must see if these people are obeying the orders of Jesus and Srila Prabhupada.
One of the points of the philosophy of Krishna consciousness is that we are not interested in the opinions of an ordinary person, ordinary people have four kinds of faults, the first fault is that they tend to make mistakes, another fault is that they are in illusion , the third defect is the propensity to deceive and finally our senses are imperfect. Any opinion other than revealed truth is worthless. Revealed truth means truth, or scripture that comes from a reliable source, the chain of disciplic succession formed by bona fide spiritual masters is the reliable source; since these people are self-realized and pure souls, and they are free from the four defects mentioned above. You can cheat yourself and others, but no one can cheat God or Krishna and His pure devotees.
In Srimad Bhagavatam, 5, 26, 15 Srila Prabhupada says that whether we are Hindus, Muslims or Christians, we all must follow the religious principles that correspond to us. However, whoever invents his own religious path, or does not follow any religious principles, will be punished in hell.

Srila Prabhupada Speaks out: Guru must be completely realized
compiled by Isana dasa
Srila Prabhupada…”Yes. A spiritual master must have seen Kṛṣṇa. Without seeing, he cannot be spiritual master. But how Kṛṣṇa can be seen? Kṛṣṇa can be seen by love. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena [Bs. 5.38]. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti. Just like if you are in love with somebody, you can see him constantly—he is always on your eyes, anyone you love—so similarly, Kṛṣṇa also can be seen by development of love. Otherwise how we can see Kṛṣṇa? He is so great, unlimited. Your eyes, your senses, are all limited. You cannot see the unlimited by your limited sense perception. But you can see… Not you can see, but svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. When you are developed in the sense of love of Godhead, then He reveals unto you. Therefore, you can see. “Srila Prabhupada’s Lecture : Bhagavad-gita 4.34-39 — Los Angeles, January 12, 1969…………………………..Srila Prabhupada…”One should therefore approach an authorized person to understand Kṛṣṇa. The spiritual master has actually seen Kṛṣṇa; therefore, he can explain Him properly. ” SB 5.12.11 : Srila Prabhupada’s PURPORT……………………………Srila Prabhupada….”So this adhokṣajam, Kṛṣṇa, we have to worship. Adhokṣaja. So we cannot see if it is beyond our sense perception. How we can worship Him? Therefore, you have to take shelter of the spiritual master who has seen Him. “Srila Prabhupada’s Lecture : Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.25 — Los Angeles, August 28, 1972……………………………”The best process of understanding You is to submissively give up the speculative process and try to hear about You, either from Yourself as You have given statements in the Bhagavad-gītā and many similar Vedic literatures, or from a realized devotee who has taken shelter at Your lotus feet. One has to hear from a devotee without speculation. One does not even need to change his worldly position; he simply has to hear Your message. Although You are not understandable by the material senses, simply by hearing about You, one can gradually conquer the nescience of misunderstanding. By Your own grace only, You become revealed to a devotee. You are unconquerable by any other means. (Krishna Book Ch 14)………………………………………….Sept 5 1971 :LondonSo long we shall be on the mental platform there will be no fixity of conclusion. That is not possible. We have to accept something for the time being, then again reject it. Therefore, all mental speculators differ. Nāsau munir yasya mataṁ na… A philosopher is not philosopher until he differs from other philosophers. Nāsau munir yasya mataṁ na… Unless you place a different thesis he will not be accepted as a good philosopher…. Therefore, through the philosopher you cannot come to the right conclusion. Tarkeṇa aprāptaś ca. If you simply go on arguing that will also not help you. If you simply read scriptures that will also not help you. Because there are different scriptures. Bible is different from Vedas and Vedas is different from Koran. So tarka… by argument you cannot come to the conclusion, by simply reading scriptures you cannot come to the conclusion. By following the philosophers, you cannot come to the conclusion. Therefore, the truth is very confidential. Dharmasyārtha… guhyam. It is kept very confidential. Then how to have it? Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. You have to follow the great personalities who have actually realized God. That is the conclusion.…………………………..In this verse Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī advises the devotee to be intelligent enough to distinguish between the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī and uttama-adhikārī. The devotee should also know his own position and should not try to imitate a devotee situated on a higher platform. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has given some practical hints to the effect that an uttama-adhikārī Vaiṣṇava can be recognized by his ability to convert many fallen souls to Vaiṣṇavism. One should not become a spiritual master unless he has attained the platform of uttama-adhikārī. A neophyte Vaiṣṇava or a Vaiṣṇava situated on the intermediate platform can also accept disciples, but such disciples must be on the same platform, and it should be understood that they cannot advance very well toward the ultimate goal of life under his insufficient guidance. Therefore, a disciple should be careful to accept an uttama-adhikārī as a spiritual master.[NOI 5, Purport]……………………………………….When one has attained the topmost position of mahā-bhāgavata, he is to be accepted as a guru and worshiped exactly like Hari, the Personality of Godhead. Only such a person is eligible to occupy the post of a guru. [Sri Caitanya Caritamrita -1975 edition. Madhya lila 24.330]…………………….Srila Prabhupada….”Yes. A spiritual master must have seen Kṛṣṇa. Without seeing, he cannot be spiritual master. But how Kṛṣṇa can be seen? Kṛṣṇa can be seen by love. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena [Bs. 5.38]. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti. Just like if you are in love with somebody, you can see him constantly—he is always on your eyes, anyone you love—so similarly, Kṛṣṇa also can be seen by development of love. Otherwise how we can see Kṛṣṇa? He is so great, unlimited. Your eyes, your senses, are all limited. You cannot see the unlimited by your limited sense perception. But you can see… Not you can see, but svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. When you are developed in the sense of love of Godhead, then He reveals unto you. Therefore, you can see. “Srila prabhupada’s Lecture : Bhagavad-gita 4.34-39 — Los Angeles, January 12, 1969 Srila Prabhupada…”So this adhokṣajam, Kṛṣṇa, we have to worship. Adhokṣaja. So, we cannot see if it is beyond our sense perception. How we can worship Him? Therefore, you have to take shelter of the spiritual master who has seen Him.“Srila Prabhupada’s Lecture : Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.25 — Los Angeles, August 28, 1972 Srila Prabhupada…”When the devotee sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead by his meditation, or when he sees the Lord personally, face to face, he becomes aware of everything within this universe. Indeed, nothing is unknown to him. Everything within this material world is fully manifested to a devotee who has seen the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Demigods and Demons Declare a Truce : SB 8.6.9 : Srila Prabhupada’s PURPORT ………………… ……..hearing from devotees, the sound vibration coming from the realized person. Reading the book is the same thing . . . tattva-darsana—hearing from one who has seen the truth. Reading or hearing from the realized person there is no difference, but hearing the sound vibration from the realized soul is still more effective, better.[Letter to Punjabi Premanand — Bombay 16 April, 1976]

Two different approaches to living in the material world

both real but each contradictory to the other.

TQK Ch 26….

The letter pa is for pariśrama, which means “labor.” In this material world, one must work very hard to maintain oneself. In Bhagavad-gītā (3.8) it is said, śarīra-yātrāpi ca te na prasiddhyed akarmaṇaḥ: “one cannot even maintain one’s own body without work.” Kṛṣṇa never advised Arjuna, “I am your friend, and I shall do everything. You just sit down and smoke ganja Kṛṣṇa was doing everything, but still He told Arjuna, “You must fight.” Nor did Arjuna say to Kṛṣṇa, “You are my great friend. Better for You to fight and let me sit down and smoke ganja. No, that is not Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A God conscious person does not say, “God, You please do everything for me and let me smoke ganja” Rather, a God conscious person must work for God. But even if one does not work for the sake of God, one must work, for without work one cannot even maintain one’s body. This material world, therefore, is meant for pariśrama, hard labor.

Even a lion, although king of the beasts, must still look for its own prey in the jungle. It is said, na hi suptasya siṁhasya praviśanti mukhe mṛgāḥ. A lion cannot think, “Since I am king of the forest, let me sleep, and all the animals will come into my mouth.” That is not possible. “No, sir. Although you are a lion, you must go search for your food.” Thus even the lion, although so powerful, must endeavor with great difficulty to find another animal to eat, and similarly everyone in this material world must work with great difficulty to continue his life.

SB 7.15.15

Even if a man is poor, he should not endeavor to improve his economic condition just to maintain his body and soul together or to become a famous religionist. Just as a great python, although lying in one place, not endeavoring for its livelihood, gets the food it needs to maintain body and soul, one who is desireless also obtains his livelihood without endeavor.

PURPORT-Human life is simply meant for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One need not even try to earn a livelihood to maintain body and soul together. This is illustrated here by the example of the great python, which lies in one place, never going here and there to earn a livelihood to maintain itself, and yet is maintained by the grace of the Lord. As advised by Nārada Muni (Bhāg. 1.5.18), tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ: one should simply endeavor to increase his Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One should not desire to do anything else, even to earn his livelihood. There are many, many examples of this attitude. Mādhavendra Purī, for instance, would never go to anyone to ask for food. Śukadeva Gosvāmī has also said, kasmād bhajanti kavayo dhana-durmadāndhān. Why should one approach a person who is blind with wealth? Rather, one should depend on Kṛṣṇa, and He will give everything. All the members of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, whether they be gṛhasthas or sannyāsīs, should try to spread the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement with determination, and Kṛṣṇa will supply all necessities. The process of ājagara-vṛtti, the means of livelihood of a python, is very much appreciated in this regard. Even though one may be very poor, he should simply try to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and not endeavor to earn his livelihood.

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July 2 1975 Denver

Devotee (1): Śrīla Prabhupāda, is it true that our advancement in devotional services… Is it influenced a lot by our past karma, how many sinful activities we have committed?

Devotee (2): Not that if I was more sinful, I would make less advancement than somebody who is more pious.

Devotee (1): …it’s easier to surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes, in sattva-guṇa one can see, one can understand his position. [break]

Devotee (2): Does he experience the miseries of the gross body when he’s in sattva-guṇa, in the mode of goodness? Does he experience hunger and thirst, those things like that?

Prabhupāda: Gross body means no hunger?

Devotee (2): When a person’s in sattva-guṇa, he’s not so much feeling the pain…

Brahmānanda: Perhaps only in India will you find people in…

Prabhupāda: Yes, some. That is also deteriorating. [break]

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Here is yet another story of 8 bricks short of a full load in iskcon-and they have no idea where these “bricks” can be found anymore

September 21, 2021 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa

Dear Anuttama dasa(Iskcon communications minister)

Pranams

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Recently I received news that iskcon is now holding and giving guru seminar classes for its “gurus”. Just when I thought it could not get any worse, and now this new bit of more bad news and concocted philosophy from the GBC of Iskcon.

Anybody who has read Srila Prabhupadas books even at a cursory level, will understand that he tells us and shows us from the sastra (scriptures) that a bona fide spiritual master is no less than a liberated soul and has been deputed by the Supreme Lord to take disciples.

What does it take to be a liberated soul? That is explained in the scriptures as one who is free from the four defects-imperfect senses, illusions, making mistakes and the propensity to cheat.

So unless one possesses these basic four items, he cannot be a liberated soul, which means he cannot give perfect knowledge, nor can he even save himself, what to speak of others. And then to give diksa-initiation as a spiritual master, one must also be a pure devotee of the Lord on top of that, which Krsna tells us in His Bhagavad Gita is very very rare to find such a mahatma.

BG 7.14 purport....Another meaning of guṇa is rope; it is to be understood that the conditioned soul is tightly tied by the ropes of illusion. A man bound by the hands and feet cannot free himself-he must be helped by a person who is unbound. Because the bound cannot help the bound, the rescuer must be liberated. Therefore, only Lord Kṛṣṇa, or His bona fide representative the spiritual master, can release the conditioned soul. Without such superior help, one cannot be freed from the bondage of material nature.

And yet in iskcon it has now become their common practice to even arrogantly admit it is not they who are releasing/liberating their so called disciples from birth and death but it is Srila Prabhupada himself.

So any reasonably intelligent person would then ask, what do we need these people for if they admit they are not liberated and furthermore and worse still, cannot free their so called disciples from the cycle of birth and death?

Reasonable question, right? Not for these people in iskcon who have lost all their intelligence that Prabhupada originally gave to them. Here is how that happened...

SB 4.22 Translation-–When one deviates from his original consciousness, he loses the capacity to remember his previous position or recognize his present one. When remembrance is lost, all knowledge acquired is based on a false foundation. When this occurs, learned scholars consider that the soul is lost.

This verse from Srimad Bhagavatam clearly gives us the answer why people concoct the original philosophy of Krsna Consciousness as given by Srila Prabhupada in his original books. It is because they have deviated in so many ways from the original consciousness and siddhanta as given by Prabhupada. Before Prabhupada came, very very few in the world had a clue as to what was religion, what was liberation, and more importantly who was a bona fide guru. Then Prabhupadas books came out, and we could then understand who was Krsna and what was all the rest—better know as illusion or Maya.

So now getting to the good part- here is what Anuttama das the director of Communications in Iskcon says about his guru seminars.

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Hare Krishna Society

Everyone, cent percent godless, neither they have got intelligence to understand what is God. This is the position.

when no attachments-then back to Godhead–SP

Maya and Krsna-side by side–SP

Srila Prabhupada explains the mode of goodness

The shocking history of early iskcon with Kirtanananda-in SP letters

The symptom of love

Srila Prabhupada Speaks out: Guru must be completely realized

The Python and the Lions way to live in this world-SP

Mode of Goodness-what is it? SP explains more

And yet another iskcon story of 8 bricks short of a full load