Submitted by: Yasoda nandana Dasa
Idolatry in Iskcon?
Madhya 8.90 Talks Between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya Following the example of the gopis, the devotees sometimes worship the goddess Katyayani, but they understand that Katyayani is an incarnation of Yogamaya. The gopis worshiped Katyayani, Yogamaya, to attain Krsna as their husband. On the other hand, it is stated in the Sapta-sati scripture that a ksatriya king named Suratha and a rich vaisya named Samadhi worshiped material nature in the form of Goddess Durga to attain material perfection. IF ONE TRIES TO MINGLE THE WORSHIP OF YOGAMAYA WITH MAHAMAYA, CONSIDERING THEM ONE AND THE SAME, HE DOES NOT REALLY SHOW VERY HIGH INTELLIGENCE.
One reason idolatry is sinful is because simple persons who are pious and naturally attracted to offer worship to the Supreme Lord sometimes become diverted from authorized devotional service to the Lord’s Deity form and bewildered instead by showy displays of idolatrous rituals based on concocted traditions. Sometimes in imitation of Deity worship, tribals, fallen dvijas, misguided sudras and others offer incense, flowers, fruits, ghee lamps and meat to murtis of goddesses associated with Ma Kali, other minor devatas, yaksas, raksasas, bogus “avatars,” bogus “gurus,” and even political leaders. All such unauthorized ritual is useless.
Srila Prabhupada’s Holy Pilgrimage to Port Said


Vancouver Krishna Balaram Temple – Janmastami Photos
Happy Janmastami!
Sri Krishna Janma Astami
Srila Prabhupada explains Lord Krishna’s birth
mumucur munayo devāḥ
sumanāṁsi mudānvitāḥ
mandaṁ mandaṁ jaladharā
jagarjur anusāgaram
niśīthe tama-udbhūte
jāyamāne janārdane
devakyāṁ deva-rūpiṇyāṁ
viṣṇuḥ sarva-guhā-śayaḥ
āvirāsīd yathā prācyāṁ
diśīndur iva puṣkalaḥ
SYNONYMS
mumucuḥ—showered; munayaḥ—all the great sages and saintly persons; devāḥ—and the demigods; sumanāṁsi—very beautiful and fragrant flowers; mudā anvitāḥ—being joyous in their attitude; mandam mandam—very mildly; jala–dharāḥ—the clouds; jagarjuḥ—vibrated; anusāgaram—following the vibrations of the sea waves; niśīthe—late at night; tamaḥ–udbhūte—when it was densely dark; jāyamāne—on the appearance of; janārdane—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu; devakyām—in the womb of Devakī; deva–rūpiṇyām—who was in the same category as the Supreme Personality of Godhead (ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ); viṣṇuḥ—Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Lord; sarva–guhā–śayaḥ—who is situated in the core of everyone’s heart; āvirāsīt—appeared; yathā—as; prācyām diśi—in the east; induḥ iva—like the full moon; puṣkalaḥ—complete in every respect.
Srila Prabhupada reveals the transcendental birth of Lord Krishna



ISKCON Devotees Forbidden To Understand Srila Prabhupada?
To Understand Srila Prabhupada?
EDITORIAL, Jan 23, 1999 (VNN) — “Here is the remedy for eliminating all inauspicious things within the heart which are considered to be obstacles in the path of self-realization.
The remedy is the association of the Bhagavatas. There are two types of Bhagavatas, namely the book Bhagavata and the devotee Bhagavata. Both the Bhagavatas are competent remedies, and both of them or either of them can be good enough to eliminate the obstacles. A devotee Bhagavata is as good as the book Bhagavata because the devotee Bhagavata leads his life in terms of the book Bhagavata and the book Bhagavata is full of information about the Personality of Godhead and His pure devotees, who are also Bhagavatas.
Bhagavata book and person are identical.” (SB 1.2.18 P)
Note: The “Ministry for the Protection of ISKCON” have presented a paper to counteract Krishna Kanta’s “Final Order” called “Prabhupada’s Order”. They have given many quotes from Srila Prabhupada to show he wants his disciples to become qualified gurus, however, in the process of doing this they also attempt to establish Srila Prabhupada is no longer available, he is not a living guru and ISKCON devotees must not try to understand Srila Prabhupada or his books directly. They must see everything through their GBC approved “living guru.”
Unfortunately ISKCON have not given us a very representative selection of quotes from Srila Prabhupada on the guru issue and in many cases they have trimmed the quotes to remove sections which don’t agree with their philosophy. It’s not a very honest presentation at all. The most shocking aspect of the paper is this statement:
“Here Srila Prabhupada specifically mentions the issue of surrendering to the current link in the chain of disciplic succession. He instructs his disciples that, ‘even if you read some books, you cannot understand unless you understand it from me. This is called parampara’. He clearly explains the principal of parampara, and even explicitly states that simply to read books is not enough (a corner stone of ritvik-theory), but rather THE DISCIPLE MUST UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING THROUGH HIS OWN SPIRITUAL MASTER, AND NOT ATTEMPT TO INDEPENDENTLY UNDERSTAND THE PREVIOUS ACHARYAS.”
Note: It’s important to note the author considers Srila Prabhupada a “previous acharya” and the “bona fide” ISKCON gurus the “current acharyas”. So it’s a very heavy statement indeed–An ISKCON devotee must not attempt to independently understand Srila Prabhupada or his books!
It’s already general ISKCON policy to preach that hearing Srila Prabhupada’s classes is not very useful, they say it’s far better to hear classes from a “living guru.” ISKCON don’t consider Srila Prabhupada is a “living guru,” however, Srila Prabhupada had no intention of dying.
Reporter (2): What will happen to the movement in the United States when you die?
Srila Prabhupada: Basic convictions of the Krishna Consciousness Movement:
Srila Prabhupada listed the following convictions of the Krishna Consciousness Movement:


Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna,
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare,
Hare Rama, Hare Rama,
Rama Rama, Hare Hare.