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BY: ROCANA DASA
Aug 30, CANADA (SUN) — Studying Srila Prabhupada’s conversations with ISKCON leaders.
Today’s
editorial reflects upon the Morning Walk conversation with Srila
Prabhupada from July 12, 1975 in Philadelphia. You may wish to read the transcript or listen to the MP3 for this conversation.This
Morning Walk took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which is the
birthplace of the United States Constitution. The dialogue begins when
Srila Prabhupada reads a quote from a memorial to William Penn wherein
Penn is addressing the Indians:
“I
have great love and regard toward you and I desire to win and gain your
love and friendship by a kind, just and peaceable life. And the people
I send are of the same mind. And I shall in all things behave.” And
what about the shooting? (laughter)…”Srila
Prabhupada immediately gets to the essential point of this poetic
quote. Behind all the flowery words, the Europeans were actually
involved in annihilating the Indians, so the words didn’t really mean
anything.
Jayatirtha
then encouraged Srila Prabhupada to comment on the Declaration of
Independence, noting that it indicates the signer’s belief in God.
Srila Prabhupada ignored that comment and directly made the point that
everyone’s thinking they’re a member of a very rich nation, and they’re
very fortunate. But he asks, where are all these famous people now?
They’ve left their body, and nobody knows what kind of life they’re
leading now. You build up a nation, but the laws of nature mean that
you have to die, then you’re gone, vanished. Nobody knows where you’ve
gone, and nobody really cares.
The
big devotees who regularly attended these Morning Walks often prepared
in advance for the questions and comments they hoped to pose to Srila
Prabhupada. Kirtanananda took an opportunity to bring up the subject of
gurukula and an important aspect of separation of boys and girls.
Considering all the current controversy over the gurukula situation,
especially surrounding Kirtanananda and Bhavananda, I found this to be
an interesting interlude. At the time Srila Prabhupada didn’t show any
interest in pursuing the subject. There were obviously things he
preferred to discuss, perhaps on account of the fact that there were
two Ph.D’s in the audience, namely Ravindra Swarupa and Swarupa
Damodara prabhus. Svarupa Damodara introduced the subject of inductive
reasoning, particularly in relationship to science and scientists.
When
one begins to methodically read or listen to Srila Prabhupada’s morning
walks, you soon discover that he is particularly interested in
criticizing science. It’s a favoured topic of many such conversations.
Here he takes aim at the essence of scientific method, the inductive
reasoning process about which Svarupa Damodara raised a question.
On
the surface, it seems that scientists have made a lot of progress using
this method, and they have supposedly contributed to so many good
things in society. The devotees often took the side of the scientists
in these conversations with Srila Prabhupada, and tried to represent
arguments in favor of science, which of course we often heard while
preaching. Srila Prabhupada immediately dismisses or answers by going
to the philosophical essence, as in the case of Svarupa Damodara’s
question. He states that according to inductive reasoning everyone has
to die, but they don’t want to accept the fact they’re going to
die. So even thought the most observable reality in this material world
that you can apply inductive reasoning to is that you’re bound to die,
not even the scientists want to accept it, let alone everyone else.
From
here, Srila Prabhupada goes back and forth with Svarupa Damodara on the
idea of inductive knowledge. Srila Prabhupada says that if you have an
authority like Krsna, who is God, this is by far the easiest, simplest
way to acquire knowledge. On the subject of death, Krsna says that “I
come as death and take away everything.” Krsna says he’s the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, and you don’t have to experiment on that. In
Bhagavad-gita, Krsna explains that other authorities like Vyasadeva and
Narada have also said, so there is no doubt that it is the truth. We’re
getting the message from the most authoritative personalities. You
simply have to receive information through parampara, then no inductive
reasoning is required.The
only problem with this is our inability to accept authority, and to
accept it in the right mood, the mood of humble submission, wherein we
don’t add or speculate, we just pass it forward. Of course, this is far
easier said than done. When Srila Prabhupada gave us these instructions
we all thought, ‘oh that’s simple’. In fact, even today we often hear
devotees say ‘I’m just repeating what Srila Prabhupada said’, when in
reality they’re not accurately repeating. We tend to engage in all
sorts of speculation, and many are quoting authorities other than Srila
Prabhupada. You have to be very pure to completely surrender to the
concept of deductive reasoning, completely accepting something because
you’ve heard it from a pure, absolute authority. As I present in my
argument that Srila Prabhupada is a Sampradaya Acarya, everything he
did or said one has to consider perfect, even though sometimes he says
controversial or heavy things.One
of the standard arguments used by ISKCON leaders is that we should not
be critical. They want us to believe that criticism is a bad thing. But
in reality, we’re constantly critical. The mind is always accepting and
rejecting. Srila Prabhupada was incredibly critical, as evidenced by
this and nearly all other morning walk conversations. But following the
ISKCON trend, we don’t hear devotees today being anywhere near as
straightforward and critical towards scientists and politicians as
Srila Prabhupada was, calling them fools and rascals and blaming them
for leading the entire civilization down into the ditch.So
many devotee are attempting to repeat what Lord Krsna said by learning
slokas and quoting Sanskrit, even though they really don’t know
Sanskrit. Posting as great scholars, they are not focusing on the
importance of simply repeating what Srila Prabhupada has personally
said. This is especially true in regards to how we should be preaching
Krsna Consciousness in this day and age. We should be studying Srila
Prabhupada’s rebuttals, learning how he defeats all the various
arguments presented by the devotees during these morning walks. Srila
Prabhupada defeated their arguments in the mood of teaching the
devotees how to defeat the scientists and so-called scholars and
philosophers. His arguments are always so essential, in the sense that
they go right to the heart of the matter. He sticks there, on the main
point, whether it’s meat eating with the Christians, Darwinism, or the
concept of inevitable death.
Srila
Prabhupada makes the point that inductive reasoning is always wrong. It
is always wrong in the end because it’s speculative, and the person
that’s speculating isn’t perfect. That very fact makes it inevitably
wrong.
Ravindara
Swarupa then made the point that John Stewart Mill and Bertrand Russell
have become skeptics and said there’s no knowledge at all. Srila
Prabhupada immediately answered that there is no knowledge because they
have failed, not because there actually is no knowledge. They’ve
simply failed to be able to present true knowledge.Srila
Prabhupada raises the point that we’re in the Brahma Sampradaya, and
Lord Brahma is the most perfect person in the universe, yet he obtained
his knowledge from Krsna. He didn’t use his incredible intelligent to
speculate.Of
course Srila Prabhupada mentions one of his favorite subject,
Darwinism, stating that it’s a false theory, but that’s what people
want to hear. They want to accept these imperfect theories because
they’re cheaters, and they’re prone to be cheated. He reminded that we
should be careful not to take any knowledge from cheaters.The
conversation continues with Srila Prabhupada saying its our duty to
take all our knowledge from the spiritual master within the parampara
system. He quotes Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu: Yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa,
which speaks to the whole guru controversy still going on today. “You
become guru under My order.” “But I do not know anything nicely, how
can I become guru?” “No, you have no botheration. You simply take
Krsna’s word and say, and you become guru.”So
Krsna Consciousness is just that. The whole question of being a guru is
whether you are pure enough to not speculate, to not add anything, but
to simple accept Krsna’s word — and in our case, Srila Prabhupada’s
word — as perfect. We must repeat it, not always verbatim, but in such
a way that the meaning and message is purely given and nothing has been
changed.Nowadays
within the institution there are many stipulations about who is
qualified and who can get approval to become a diksa guru.
Interestingly enough, the GBC don’t study the lectures or preaching of
these candidates to see whether or not they are presenting Krsna
Consciousness in just the way that Srila Prabhupada wanted it
presented. There’s a huge assumption that they’re doing that, but
they’re not. Instead they look at how loyal the candidate is to the
institution, whether they ‘name names and complain’, etc.
What
we thought back in the early days was going to be the easiest thing -
just chanting Hare Krsna and repeating what Krsna and the Sampradaya
Acaryas have stated — turns out to be the very hardest thing. As Srila
Prabhupada says, we should not go through all the botheration involved
in inductive reasoning, but should just hear from authorities, and
repeat what is absolutely perfect.
Srila
Prabhupada then offers a subtle warning to the scholars and
philosophers amongst the devotees on the walk. He explains that Dr.
Radhakrishnan ended up so mentally incapacitated he couldn’t recognize
anybody. Having relied on inductive reasoning, “He became a victim of
the western people. Because the Oxford University was paying him very
nicely, he became a servant of the western thought.”
It’s
very evident that many of the senior men who attended morning walks
with Srila Prabhupada did not comprehend what he said in this regard.
Several of these devotees went on to spend a tremendous amount of time
and Srila Prabhupada’s money to become qualified as members of these
university faculties. They have been glorified amongst the members of
the society for doing so, and have been giving elevated status in
ISKCON as a result. But what Srila Prabhupada is saying in this
conversation is that you shouldn’t do that and you’re bound to be
victimized by Western thought if you’re employed by these people. We’ve
seen little of philosophical substance come from these scholars, other
than a few obscure books and papers that can best be understood by
scholars in their field. We don’t see a movement or a great spiritual
transformation as a result of these individuals getting big degrees and
joining university faculties. The fact of the matter is that if one
were to repeat exactly what the Srimad Bhagavatam and the Sampradaya
Acaryas have to say, especially as it pertains to science, they would
never choose to teach in a university because they would be ostracized
as being different, controversial and critical.
Srila
Prabhupada consistently stuck to the Vedic version of astronomy and
regardless of how often the devotees tried to get him to say something
that would be more palatable to westerners, he never budged. The type
of preaching that Srila Prabhupada encourages us to engage in, and the
way he preached himself, is forthright, tell-it-as-it-is, regardless of
whether the audience will be turned off based on inductive reasoning.Srila
Prabhupada’s preaching came directly from our Sampradaya Acaryas, and
it takes a great deal of faith and boldness to be able to preach in
that way. Frankly, I don’t see that happening much any more. Two
notable exceptions are Drutakarma dasa (Michael Cremo) and Sadaputa
dasa (Richard L. Thompson), both brilliant academics who present
science in Krsna Conscious terms. Drutakarma dasa has gotten little
financial support from the institution or the dwindling BI budget, but
his preaching against Darwinism deserves our every support. Meanwhile,
many of our scholarly Godbrothers in ISKCON are not writing papers,
publishing books, or engaging in public preaching against the
scientists and politicians, as Srila Prabhupada preached, even though
they have been given excellent rebuttal material by devotees like
Drutakarma and Sadaputa prabhus.
In
general, the society’s preaching mood has become a moderate,
neo-siddhantic version of the pure devotee’s great example. We should
all adjust our philosophical arguments to come back to the center,
where the message is absolute and the potency is second to none.
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Jagannatha’s blogging Hut
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August 28th, 2006 at 11:47 am ()
“Regarding the position of a person who does not speak even when he knows the truth: jani saksi nahi deya tara papa haya. A person who knows things as they are and still does not bear witness becomes involved in sinful activities.’”
Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, May 17, 1975, Perth, Australia
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Editorials – August 2006
Realmente el hombre es el rey de las
bestias, porque su brutalidad excede la de
ellas. Vivimos de la muerte de otros,
somos como cementerios andantes. Llegará
el momento en que el hombre verá el
asesinato de los animales como ahora ve el
asesinato de los hombres.
(Leonardo Da Vinci)
Nuestra tarea debe ser liberarnos a nosotros mismos…
ampliando nuestro círculo de compasión,
abrazando a todas las criaturas y
al total de la naturaleza y su belleza.
(Albert Einstein)
Leonardo Da Vinci & Albert Einstein – Pensamientos sobre los animales
There is too much cowardice involved in this approach, and once the “big” fall down finally occurs, there is a trail of carnage a mile wide, and THEN these same rascals try to insinuate themselves back into Iskcon knowing they will find only mediocre resistance. Krishna purifies his movement from these scandals through his agents. US!
Our direct involvement and courage to confront the truth NOW.
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
Like Pandu prabhu, I have found out that the ISKCON rank and file don’t want to talk or deal with this issue, they rather pretend it does not exist, this way they don’t have to question their loyalties. Devotees are so adverse at bursting their precious bubles that they rather kill the messenger. That is why, Pandu and I have been shut out more or less.
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
As if some one who reads Srila Prabhupada’s books would, when coming upon an old person who has fallen down a flight of stairs, pass that person by because now that they are practicing bhakti sadhana, extended selflessness is not to be included in a transcendental lifestyle.
If this guy keeps advocating this sort of trash, here is what will happen. After years of his soul wanting to genuinely help so many people with small things along the way having been repressed by this inhuman brainwashing, he will blow his top one day and really hurt somebody probably kicking them while they are down screaming “GET UP YOU INCOMPETENT HUMAN, (kick, kick) WHY ARE YOU HURT? (kick,kick) THIS PROCESS IS SIMPLE AND EASY!! kick!
I wish there was a way to stop this but he is like the Terminator Bunny, energized by the worst sort of ignorance, and I am afraid of the worst.
Someone stop him, please.
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
So, are you through with the preaching to us about the purpose and importance of Krishna consciousness and how people here are somehow not getting how simple it is? Can you provide a reasonable analysis of why you feel the Sampradaya Acarya thesis is wrong? Maybe you are new to blog or forum participation. The idea is that each thread doesn’t have to be a place where you have to try and get out the entire message of the sampradaya. There are topics raised and in each thread those topics are covered. While there can be various new ideas debated about or discussed in the thread, every post doesn’t have to be some kind of sermon or class about the purpose and mission of the sampradaya.
I don’t want you to take this criticism as being about something personal. I have no problem with you have a different point of view then mine or anyone elses and for you to express it. But it has become tiresome to wade through your poast trying to see if you have anything of relevance to say in the discussion at hand. So for the sake of brevity and for not seeming like you are here to preach Gita clasees to new bhaktas, maybe you could take this criticism as constructive. I have better things to do with my time then read posts which contribute nothing but off topic sermonizing. And I am sure you better things to do with your time then to write them.
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
Thus I find Praghosa Dasa is worthless to address any real issue or speak to anyones pointed concerns regarding real problems because you he doesn’t hear a single thing. He just waits for the person to stop talking and gives them a preaching sermon repeating portions of the Siddhanta mixed with glorifying Srila Prabhupada which has no bearing on the person’s actual concern. He takes Srila Prabhupada’s books, and beats a wounded person over the head with them.
But, do we see him going from temple to temple wringing the necks of all these false gurus who are espousing self-aggrandizing interpretations of Srila Prabhupada’s instructions. No of course not because he thinks “they have it 90% right” and its getting better all the time.
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
Pandu and I, independently have written articles about this issue.
Like Pandu prabhu, I have found out that the ISKCON rank and file don’t want to talk or deal with this issue, they rather pretend it does not exist, this way they don’t have to question their loyalties. Devotees are so adverse at bursting their precious bubles that they rather kill the messenger. That is why, Pandu and I have been shut out more or less.
After a person has been down and hurt, sarcasm is quite natural. If that is as cruel as it gets, its not so bad.
Compare that to the extreme cruelty perpetrated by those abusers who are spoken of sarcastically, and it almost seems justified.
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
peaking for my own situation at one point, I didn’t really trust anyone around me 100%. So I isolated myself and let myself be very sad or angry or whatever came up. Gradually, when I would be around people, they hadn’t changed much, still exhibiting the same imbalanced and sometimes cruel behavior towards folks, myself included, but I was able to handle it, first by defending myself in sarcastic, blunt, or clever ways, and then as time went on, I would just stand there and well, just let them be stupid, smile, and walk away.
Of course it is a little easier for me, because I can walk away. I am not co-dependent on anyone, could survive in the wilderness if I had to, and can fight like a tiger if called upon.
For people who are trapped in a situation it can be much more difficult, and they need more temporary support of those who are healed already.
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
A person who has the karma of impious thought forms tends to be unable to share and cooperate with others in general. Their core thoughts about life, and what other people mean to them, restrict them from sharing and cooperating with the pious.
This leads to the repression of their emotional energies, which will manifest in one of 2 general ways.
Either self-destruction, because they have been taught that their being a misfit is no-ones fault but their own, or destruction of others, because their thought pattern is to blame others.
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
The therapy is to provide a setting for a wounded person to believe they are safe enough to FEEL whatever they are feeling in relation to their thoughts without worrying they might lash out at anyone else or hurt themselves as they are used to. It is tricky but can be done.
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
Most Tyrants are SO repressed themselves that they cannot stand to be in the presence of any genuinely positive moving emotion, and thus they attract the weakest, most fanatically repressed groupies.
So this ties in to the tyrant who advises that a person artificially renounces their evil material tendencies. This denial of natural e
On 12/02/2005 07:54 AM he says regarding Iskcon, quote:
“In order for them to survive as the mission Srila Prabhupada left us – with a functioning GBC body to protect the mission – they will need to align the office of diksa guru 100% in line with Srila Prabhupada’s guidance”
So if there was a forum, where people were discussing how this might be accomplished.
And given that Srila Prabhupada never set up an “office” of Diksa Guru, because such a combination is oxymoronic, mutually incompatible for eternity.
And since one can easily deduce that any people who have set up an OFFICE of Diksa Guru, and who have claimed that position of power can only have done so in order to have some form of unnatural CONTROL over others.
And since one may safely deduce that such people, if in CONTROL over the properties, both intellectual and physical, of an entire institution, will not just give it up from the kindness of their hearts.
Therefore, in this forum or blogspace, people are putting forth proposals to deal with this unnatural situation, and plainly stating a wish to stay in the spirit of Iskcon, while removing themselves temporarily from the jurisdiction of the unnaturally controlled structures of the so-called Iskcon corporate body.
I would think such a perfect representative of Srila Prabhupada, and thus the Lord, would not have be condemning the discussions here as having no value. That person would have no problem offering easy to understand practical solutions to address these sincere concerns.
That person would not assert that essays which have tons of excellent points and truthful statements, though perhaps missing in a few areas, Quote:
“it essentially leads no where”
Most Tyrants are SO repressed themselves that they cannot stand to be in the presence of any genuinely positive moving emotion, and
I have noticed that when a human being has a sentimental attachment to obtaining the fruits of some Material activity, this can be a healthy emotional endeavor, or a destructive emotional endeavor.
Srila Prabhupada exhorted all those who had emotionally based material desires to dovetail them in service to the Lord through his program. The Varnashrama system, when properly applied to ones life, allows one to continue to engage in their Materially sentimental emotional endeavors from a Pious approach, regulated by rules of conduct which promote harmony with others in society and all the “lower” creatures and can be considered healthy and balanced from a material standpoint.
Thus over time, a person can have their material desires met to their full satisfaction, and simultaneously and gradually REALIZE FOR THEMSELVES that it is ultimately empty IN CONTRAST TO the transcendental experiences they have during small periods every day, which gradually grow in strength throughout ones LIFESPAN.
Unfortunately, what we find are people approaching other people repeating all of the strict assessments about material sentimental activity found in the scriptures, such as that “attraction to women is poison” and “the senses are a network of paths to death”, and “material endeavors are incompatible with the spiritual nature of the soul”.
They do this, but then do not have a single clue about how to take the sentimental attachments a person does have, and engage them at that level in piety. Instead they treat everyone the same way. By enforcing rules and regulations prohibiting any material endeavor whatsoever and calling it the path of purification and pure devotional service. Then when a that person is dried up with no emotional contact with the world and robotically forcing their self to chant a mantra, and sleep on a cold floor, and tie their testicals in a knot, and not look at women, they break down, and the so called Guru chastises them for lack of sincerety and desire to be a devotee. This is an unhealthy, imbalanced state of material emotional engagement. Duh.
When you meet someone doing that to people, please at least Puke on that perpetrator. And if you have it in your wherewithal, give the victim basic human shelter, or send them somewhere that they won’t be treated like a rat. If you don’t know of a group of people who are Gaudiya Vaisnava influenced who offer that service, there are plenty of good Christians who do.
It may have been their “karma” to get themselves in that victim situation, but your mercy can change that bad karma in an instant. And don’t forget to puke on
All glories to my self.
I am your Guru.
Though I pretend you are mine.
Varnashrama Dharma?
Who has the time?
We are all Vaisnavas
transcendental and sublime
ksyatria vaisya sudra
those labels hurt my mind!
How can I preach to you
every day and all the time?
If I need to keep a ledger book
and wipe my own behind?
your humblest meekest servant,
the Robot Guru
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
All Glories to my Guru.
I am his dearest devotee.
He often wonders out loud
What he’d do without me.
I serve my Guru Maharaj
with tender loving care
despite the fact that he treats me
as If I’m not even there.
But he says thats just my karma
and he’s a pure devotee
and if I want to eat tonight
I guess I’ll just agree.
crying.
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
efore Pragosha dasa starts yelling “Let’s all go back to simple, simple”, let me clarify that I feel the simplicity factor during that period of Srila Prabhupada’s pastimes was the required mood for his mission to be as successful as it was.. In other words, it was Krsna’s arrangement. Now I feel it is high time we old timers re-think some of our past impressions and challenge old, so-called realizations with the understanding that they are more than likely saturated with sentimentalism due to immaturity. That is both the right and duty of those entering this stage of our life.
Myself, and many of my Godbrothers/sisters were swept up into Srila Prabhupada’s lila pastimes at a very young, naive time of our lives. As such, we tended to be very sentimental especially in
One of the first philosophical points Srila Prabhupada drove home to us was that he was not God, and it was very dangerous nonsense to even insinuate that he was. Trivikrama Swami can, I’m sure, recall the early episode (’69-’70) when a few “big-timers” began widely propagating the misconception than Srila Prabhupada was, in fact, God. When Srila Prabhupada got wind of these goings-on he was unusually furious, and came close to expelling the perpetrators out of his movement. From this pastime we can conclude that any “talk” along those lines is
n my mind, putting a great deal of emphasis on something as subjective and interpretive as the dreams of the neophyte is swimming in dangerous waters. Trying to make a big “philosophical” point over a story about a simple show of hands of admittedly very novice newcomers is quite sentimental and un-scientific. Both Praghosa dasa and Trivikrama Swami trumpet the “kiss” principle (keep it simple, stupid), which may have some merit, but when it comes to realizing our siddhanta without deviation, as we are witnessing right here in this blog, it’s not that easy at all.
The purification process, individually applied, is very complex. Individualism or personalism is the bedrock that distinguishes our siddhanta from all others The purification process is not a mechanical function, rather it requires an advanced devotee understanding the unique personality of a disciple. As a specially empowered Sampradaya Acarya, Srila Prabhupada could accomplish much, although physically absent from most of his disciples. He compensated for problems partially by referring to his writings, and also by relying on his organization, ISKCON. Today’s ISKCON diksas do very little writing and for the most part are absent in the spiritual lives of their disciples. Is Trivikrama Swami suggesting that the disciples of the living gurus communicate to their “living” Gurus primaril
I recently spoke with one of Satsvarupa Goswami’s disciples, who hasn’t seen or heard from him in twenty years. Do you suggest that this disciple pray to one of Satsvarupa’s paintings or read his weirdo books for guidance and inspiration? Should the disciples pray to him rather than directly to Srila Prabhupada? And if they do, will their prayers have the same potency or desired result? How much “philosophy” compared to sentiment will be displayed
I would NEVER do battle with a DEVOTEE serving within Iskcon.
Any DEVOTEE still serving in Iskcon is under strain and stress and in a difficult position due to the highest leadership being CO-OPTED BY NON-DEVOTEES. ENVIOIUS PEOPLE IN THE GARB OF VAISNAVAS QUOTING SCRIPTURE.
(1) Possible poisoning of Srila Prabhupada to clear the way to become Zonal Acharyas.
(2) Unauthorized Creation of Zonal Acharya System and then of Guru Rubber Stamping Factory (Disbanding of Rittvik System).
(3) Abuse, molestation, and intimidation of men, women, and children and its ongoing cover up to promote bogus Zonal Achrya System and the current Guru Rubber Stamping Factory at any cost.
(4) Unauthorized changing of Srila Prabhupada’s Books.
(5) Biggest loss – 95% or more of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples were either thrown out or left ISKCON
(6) Catastrophic decline in distribution of BTG from 1,000, 000 (yes one million) per month in 1975 to almost nothing.
(7) Catastrophic decline in distribution of Srila Prabhupada’s books.
(8) Catastrophic decline in Harinam distribution.
(9) Catastrophic decline in Prasadam Distribution.
(10) Rampant mismanagement of the institution.
(11) Instead of glory of flourishing ISKCON we are facing days of gloom and doom.
Please
Hari das,
I questioned the problems that I saw with Bhakti-Tirtha Swami at Gita-nagari because I could not stand to see high honors given to an unrepentant child molester or worship given to the men who were honoring him. I gave almost ten years to serving ISKCON as much as I could, naively believing it to be a pure spiritual society. Actually today is my ten year anniversary for my acceptance of Sri Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I take no pleasure in criticizing, but I’m upset that I put such faith in spiritual leaders who do not seem to understand how criminal it is for a middle-aged man to have sexual relationships with a child.
As I see it, it is not aparadha to call a tilak-wearing person who lies “a liar,” or one who molests children “a child molester;” but for a liar and a child molester to dress like a devotee and accept high honors, or for anyone to give him exhalted honors while knowing of their crimes, that is aparadha.
Maybe you see it the other way around, but then I would expect that from someone who obviously accepts whatever the leaders tell you. That is a proven method for attaining a leadership position yourself, so maybe you’re motivated by that. Personally, I want to live up to the standard of integrity that speaks from my heart, and that forbids me from honoring those who use Srila Prabhupada’s achievements to further their personal desires for fame and lording it over innocent Hare Krishna devotees.
It may be your view that Bhakti-Tirtha Swami is only serving Srila Prabhupada and had no personal agenda, but that was not the way it looked to me; and I had every reason to be biased in his favor. I sacrificed my leadership position at Gita-nagari, my family’s participation in the community, and many friendships because I had to speak up for what I believe in. If I could somehow be convinced that he was the pure devotee who you and your godbrothers and godsisters believe he is, I would fall flat on my face and beg forgiveness until I was out of breath and drained of tears. Actually I even did that, but I woke up the next morning and again saw the illusion for what it was, I’m sorry to say. I tried my very best to believe that your guru was a pure devotee of Sri Krishna, but belief does not immediately make a thing true. I wish him and you and everyone all success in spiritual life; it’s just that from what I’ve seen, I can’t help but think you’re being duped. I wish you could convince me otherwise.
Dana said:It is understood that the large majority of people will never learn to be free of lust.
Yes, well that doesn’t mean that the large majority of people are excluded from making spiritual advancement!
Remember this, there are no hard and fast rules for chanting Hare Krishna, it springs automatically from the spiritual strata and as such ANYONE can take part, even a child or EVEN A DOG can take part.
DOGS are always having sex, but Srila Prabhupada say’s that even a dog can take part.
NO SEX is not the yuga dharma, Chanting Hare Krishna IS.
No sex may be ok for you. But it doesn’t make you any better than anyone who has sex, but who chants Hare Krishna, that advanced stage of purity takes time, NOT SURPRESSION.
If you think you are better than the rest of the world because you dont have sex. Then you fall
The fact remains (whether you like or you dont ) Anyone who chants Hare Krishna (in Kali yuga) AUTOMATICALLY makes spiritual advancement. This is also Srila Prabhupadas teaching. You might not like that INCLUSIVE aspect of Krishna Consciousness but it is there!
Of course there are those great souls (such as yourself) who are better than those who have not experienced Lord Chaitanyas mercy.
But, left up to the type of exclusivism, that permeates your us, and them mentality, I doubt very much whether they would ever experience Lord Chaitanyas Love.
But then, you are not, and in all likelyhood, never will be, as merciful as His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Like it or not prabhu’G’(In Kali Yuga) Krishna Consciousness is not an exclusive practice reserved for people who wear a dhoti or a sari, are vegetarians or who dont fall down.
As I said YOU might not like it, but in kali yuga, great spiritual advancement is available to EVERYONE, even the gurus within Iskcon who have had sex.
Dont get me wrong, I am not condoning sex! I am condemming your attitude. The type of attitude that has haunted Iskcon for years,and which is the root cause of abuse and as mentioned the Turley Lawsuit.
Chanting Hare Krishna is for EVERYONE, and I’m very sorry to inform you prabhu’G’, that this also includes people who have sex.
Hare Krishna!
The Hare Krsnas – Krsna Blog – Weblog Entry
As troubling as this distortion of Vaishnav philoshophy may be, it takes another turn for the worse, becoming some sort of morbid fascination when Bhakti Tirtha Swami begins offering his own flesh to alleviate ISKCON’s problems. He writes on April 23, 2005, “When I had my amputation I offered it up as a sacrifice. I offered that a substantial quantity of pain that some of the women, children, elders, brahmins, and cows etc in our movement had suffered, could be absorbed in my extremely deteriorated leg and that when the leg was amputated, as it was thrown away from my own body, that there would also be some elimination of this unhealthy karma from the body of our institution.”
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News
But even this is a prelude to the main show as BTS states in the same letter, “So now today in a similar spirit I want to offer in sacrifice all the rest of what remains with this body. In other words, I fully want to present myself to the Lord in the mood of Saranagati-full surrender. ‘Thy will be done, so please use me in this last way to make an ultimate sacrifice for those devotees, saints and sadhus who are having seemingly insurmountable obstacles in their own spiritual journey.’”
Holy smoke! We have clearly entered the realm of witchcraft or pagan ritualism, where a priest rubs an egg all over a person’s body-purportedly to absorb all the negative energy-and then throws it away. Or they may use a chicken or pigeon and then kill it. But offering your own diseased flesh is yet unheard of until now. Yet it is presented as a means to clear the spiritual path for other Vaishnavas.
Bhakti Tirtha Swami’s sacrifice-tinged as it is with necrophilia-is obviously not the solution to the problems that face ISKCON. I would suggest that in preference to shamanic sacrifices the leadership might contemplate institutionally supported programs to assist the vulnerable members of the Society. Unfortunately such assistance has been slow in coming, or non-existent. Perhaps it was this widespread institutional lethargy that so haunted BTS that he decided he needed to offer his own flesh. Sorry Maharaja, but not the right approach.
Allow me to turn to the nature of Bhakti-Tirtha Swami’s disease since devotees express confusion over how Krsna would take away such a distinguished “general” from the “battlefield” when ISKCON yet faces so many important challenges. In an istagosthi on August of 2004 he explained, “They took the MRI, saw the slides, x-rays. Nobody had any clue that it was cancer, in the slightest. As a matter of fact on the MRI it suggested that the tumor is able to be taken out because previously I didn’t have it taken out. Twenty years ago when I first had some little trouble because it continued to grow, I had a biopsy, and the biopsy, they said it is benign, but have it taken out … so then recently I started getting more trouble.”
So twenty years ago BTS became aware of a benign tumor in his foot that began to grow, and the physician recommended that he remove it-advice neglected by BTS. Potentially, this neglect resulted in the development of the melanoma cancer. As do many other undiagnosed or untreated illnesses, melanoma strikes 55,000 people, killing 8,000, every year in the U.S.
In a written tribute to Bhakti-Tirtha Swami, Prahladananda Swami states, “A few years ago in the Bhaktivedanta Hospital in Mumbai you showed me your foot that you had been dancing on for years, and I could understand that it was certainly empowered by Lord Caitanya, otherwise, from the material point of view, it would have been difficult even to use for walking.” Were there, then, clear indications that BTS should treat his condition and prevent further medical complications?
The point I am stressing is that, even after the melanoma appeared, BTS refused to acknowledge the untreated skin abnormality as the probable cause of his cancer but instead claimed his compassionate prayer was the cause of it. He lost an important opportunity to use his own illness as a platform to create greater health awareness throughout the Society.
Many people in the world have used their own afflictions in a highly effective way to create community awareness. While it may not be as glamorous as heralding oneself to be a Post-modern Vasudeva-datta, it would certainly be more helpful to the devotee population. Didn’t Srila Prabhupada often finish his letters with, “I hope this meets you in good health”?
This becomes more relevant considering ISKCON’s abyssmal record in taking care of its own. The cows haven’t been very lucky, nor the children, nor the women, nor the devotees who served the Society for twenty years and-for whatever reason-have to start thinking “now what?” Time flies, devotees grow old, there is no health insurance, no savings, no regular check ups, and ISKCON is not going to provide these, except-of course-to the elites. But rather than addressing these grave shortcomings with actions and tangible results, Bhakti-Tirtha Swami chose instead to present himself as an incarnation of compassion, announcing his readiness to sacrifice his own life for the welfare of others.
I was speaking with my niece the other day, and she made an interesting point to me in this regard. I take her opinion seriously as she is an educated person (M.A. in Government Administration from Harvard and currently a fellow and Ph.D. candidate in Conflict Resolution at M.I.T). She offered the insight that an organization that heaps such grandiose attributes on its leading members is still in the messianic stage. Real compassion in an organization must be the result of an official policy of total respect to its members by acknowledging their qualities and rights. In ISKCON this is not yet possible due to its paternalistic culture and static layers of management authority, neither of which reflects Srila Prabhupada’s instructions on the subject.
If ISKCON had adopted a functional structure along the lines of Srila Prabhupada’s neglected Directions of Management, today compassion would be more of an everyday reality. There wouldn’t be a need for priviliged individuals to lead causes that often improve more their own prestige than the real well-being of the community.
To give just credit, Bhakti-Tirtha Swami was not a typical, or ordinary, if you will, person. Perhaps his life is even interesting enough to warrant the biography he personally commissioned. On the other hand, many of his personal beliefs and characteristics seem oddly out of place in a person claiming to be an exalted representative of the Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya.
First, consider his books, the source of numerous questions by numerous serious-minded devotees. In response to such concerns BTS flatly declared, “This is their problem not mine.” Speaking from personal experience, I recall receiving from him a complimentary copy of his Leadership for an Age of Higher Conciousness. My honest opinion is that it does not favorably compare in quality with the better “karmi” books on leadership, health, stress management, compassion, personal-growth, or even new-age fussion ideas. Deepak Chopra, the Dalai Lama, Covey, Jack Welsh, or Dr. Phil all do a far superior job of addressing these issues. Unfortunately, in many of his other writings, such as his essay Die Before Dying, Krishna is barely mentioned or omitted all together. So much for that “saving grace.”
And, of course, there are his outfits, canes, crowns, hats and other unconventional accessories he was so fond of wearing. Defenders point to them as part of his unorthodox preaching-creative adjustments according to time and circumstances. Personally, I find the photo of Srila Prabhupada in Moscow’s Red Square much more inspiring and dramatic. He declined whimsical dress to please the Commies and stayed true to his Vaishnava heritage. Neither did Srila Prabhupada, while visiting us here in Mexico, don a Zoot Suit to blend in with the locals. A crown on a sannyasi? Regrettably, BTS looked every bit as silly in it as did the original royalist, Kirtanananda.
Unfortunately, Bhakti-Tirtha Swami sees all strange behavior as evidence of his spiritual advancement, and actually implores us to relish his frivolity. He even went so far as to establish a museum to display his collection. “When the full biography comes out and when some of you later visit the museum that’s being set up and you see all the outrageous clothes, crowns, canes, and volumes of books that I used as references, you will realize that it’s amazing how I appeared to be as sane as I did.” Uh, excuse me Maharaja, but to many you didn’t appear particularly sane. And might I suggest a suitable location for this much anticipated museum? How about Las Vegas, next door to the museum of the flamboyant Liberace? Better yet, skip the whole thing and sell off the stuff, and use the proceeds to help buy health insurance for a few ISKCON devotees.
And then, of course, let us not forget the voodoo. In a personal conversation some years back I noticed how BTS kept directing the subject towards black magic, incantations and occult powers. When I told him that it was a bunch of superstitious mumbo-jumbo, he began ranting that I better start believing in it, to which I replied that it can only affect you if you bring your mind to that level. I explained how in 1519 the Conquistadores were overunning Aztec fighters and approaching the Aztec capital. A desparate Montezuma began placing curses and magic charms to impede their progress, but the Spanish soldiers cared nothing for his magic and so nothing stopped them, and Montezuma was completely subdued.
Not wanting to leave any bogus beliefs untouched, Bhakti-Tirtha Swami also includes extra-dimensional encounters in his portfolio as well. Time and again he speaks of appearing to people in dreams and connecting with them in a different dimension. He stated last April, “Why am I at this time ready to take more disciples when I am leaving in a short time and won’t see 99 percent of you again in this lifetime other than if I appear to you via visions, dreams, or sound etc? … and some even have connected with me from a previous life.”
Some leaders joined in endorsing these nocturnal pow-wows, such as Radhanath Swami when he revealed how BTS told him that they will continue to communicate after he leaves the body. And, according to Bhakti-Charu Swami, in their last conversation BTS assured him, “Don’t worry, even after I leave, I will come to you. We will continue to communicate with each other. You know that the physical plane is not the only plane for us to relate to each other.” Is that the theme from the Twilight Zone I hear softly in the background?
As a result, some have already signed up for the inter-planetary communications. Lokanath Swami says, “You read my mind… so… you kindly came to me, you paid me a visit in a dream.” Satsvarupa says in his letter, “He promised to keep in communication with me even after he has left his body and I hope that this can be true. Why not? Everything is possible in the line of transcendental communications.” In another testimony we read, “One or two weeks before his glorious departure, Maharaja wrote to me: ‘From now on, Sacinandana Swami, we will associate in our dreams.’ And he kept his promise. One of these mornings he came and pacified us. And before leaving he imparted an instruction: ‘In our hearts there are two dogs-fighting. Who will win?’ Then he gave the answer: ‘That dog will win whom you give food.’” That is profound.
The catalogue of oddities continues and seems almost limitless: The “Love” thing, his idea of continuing to live through others, his intimacy with Lord Krsna, his thoughts a couple of years ago about leaving this world, the UFOs, the animism, or his missed departure dates.
We also have his revelation last December about his own spiritual status, “A few rare cases, where some of us, or some have come in from some realms, rather exalted and have gotten a little too entangled in some missions in the material energy. In some rare cases where that happens, mercy is there and the Lord arranges according to His desire how to reclaim such souls. We perhaps have had a few people in that category in our own society who are very highly evolved beings, but after several missions, have gotten a little too much identifying with the work, more than the identity. So some of that may be there in my own case also.”
As the philosopher Ivan Illich states, “Nothing worse than corrupting the best.” This is true, perhaps more dangerously so, when the corruption is unrecognized by the corrupted party. So when the GBC claims that Bhakti-Tirtha Swami was “strict with himself,” it is not accurate, at least not ideologically.
Nonetheless, by the time he died the voodoo and many other oddities had dissapeared. Everything was now very devotional, and selected vaisnava symbols accompanied him-the Govardhana Sila on his head, the Tulasi garland surrounding his neck, the sprinkled Radha Kundha water, the devotional pictures around him, the chanting of Hare Krsna, etc. Spiritual items befitting a Spiritual Warrior, a Vaishnava King, a Devotee Gentleman. Just like the distinguished individual with his Gucci briefcase, Hugo Boss suit, Bentley conveyance, and Rolex watch.
Although such a comparison may outrage some devotees, I offer it for an important reason. A few years ago I witnessed a godbrother of Bhakti-Tirtha Swami die in the most pitiful way in the Mexico City temple-a temple BTS regularly visited already. This godbrother was not some indigent; in fact he was a temple board member who lived in the temple building and attended all the temple functions. Yet he died alone, lying on the floor in his sleeping-bag with no arrangements for auspicious paraphernalia.
Sadly, his death from pneumonia was completely preventable, but he lacked resources to pay for any medical attention. With no help, or even apparent concern, from the temple devotees and authorities, he developed a pulmonary congestion that became fatal. His lonely death stands in stark contrast to BTS’s elaborate departure, replete with the victory palanquin, the Krsna conciouss ambiance, the devotees singing at a perfect tempo, the flower bouquets, the bonfires, the exuberant dancing, and the stately, well-organzed ceremonies. BTS even was able to pick his “own samadhi and all the stuff that comes with it.”
Ironically, BTS was personally cared for by his dear godbrother and fellow guru Radhanath Swami-a New Vrndavana fellow-alumnus of Sulochan Prabhu, who also passed away unceremoniously from a bullet to his head for speaking out about the corruption of ISKCON’s authoritarian leadership. But Radhanath did not want to see BTS pass away so ignomiously, so he assisted him week after week along with a team of caretakers in his well-being and visnu-smaranam and arranged for nurses to check his vital signs and administer the right doses of pain medication.
Present at the time of his demise was also the heavenly singer Vrakesvara Pandit Prabhu. BTS had asked him to “chant for me to go back to Godhead” and stated that “your kirtana helps me to remember Srila Prabhupada and Krsna.” It didn’t matter that Vrakesvara Pandit is a certified child molester who had been officially forbidden from leading any public function in ISKCON.
Yes, as many of you already guessed, most ISKCON members won’t get to die like a Spiritual Warrior; more likely they will be treated as used up merchandise. If this seems hyperbolic, might I suggest you read ISKCON Vrndavana’s recent statement on the terminally ill.
Nonetheless, I still am prepared to acknowledge Bhakti-Tirtha Swami’s devotional service over the years. He did please Srila Prabhupada with his colleage preaching. He did lead many of kirtans in which the Holy Name was invoked. He did lecture a lot creating interest in Srila Prabhupada’s teachings. If his mind was fully Krsna conciouss at the time of his death it is very auspiciouss. I am not in a position to judge all this. But might I remind you that such service does not equate with nitya-siddha status, nor does it excuse him from his overlooking and/or contributing to so many of ISKCON’s serious and even dangerous shortcomings. He was clearly part of the problem and his passing only makes this more evident.
So after all is said, I leave you with one question. What should we expect from ISKCON gurus in the future? I would anticipate more of the same-let those who initiate disciples do as please as long as the ISKCON boat is not rocked too hard by their actions. The current de facto lassier-faire policy on guru matters will likely continue, with some ambitious gurus on permanent campaign for the role of successor acharya, while others abide this to protect their comfort and security and to keep certain skeletons in the closet. Be prepared for more of the baroque complexity in both the lives and the deaths of those in prominence, while the ISKCON commoners experience neglect and indifference. All a bit too medieval for my taste, and, I suspect, too discriminatory and exploitative for the true good of ISKCON. Forgive me if speaking my mind honestly causes you any inconvenience. I invite you to reply and tell me what you think.
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News -
Breaking an Ekadasi Fast (parana – breaking fast time)
Pramanik logic from Ayurved & Sripad MadhwaAcharya say in conjunction with Puranik stories, that we should fast during Ekadashi because the moon is the presiding deity for “Anna” (food). As the lustre of the moon is dim due to the reasons given on the 2 days of Ekadashi the food that is eaten becomes harmful. The food that is eaten on Ekadashi remains undigested & turns toxic, giving rise to various diseases.
If you have observed a complete fast (without even water), you do not need to break it with grains. You can break it with charanamrita (Tirtha water) or fruit. Those devotees who fasted all day and took nothing other than air, it is advised to drink a mixture of 50 – 50 hot milk and water, sweatened with rock candy sugar after the sun has risen at the appropriate time. The effects of this loosen the mala (stools) in the intestine where all the toxins from the fast have been absorbed, and expell it all within about half an hour. Then take a light lunch, eating only once on the dwadasi.
If you have observed Ekadasi by eating fruit and vegetables etc., then it should be broken the following day by taking grains at the time specified in the Vaisnava Calendar.
Either way, this is also a good reason to expell the toxic waste malas (stools) collected in the intestine, this is done on the dwadasi morning with the aide of the sweet nectar mixture of hot milk and water of a ratio 50/50 and very sweet with rock candy (yellow lump – available Chinese stores) after sun-rise. If one has fasted completely there’s no point in trying to pass when one first rises, as we normally do as there will be no issue due to no intake of food or water on the previous day. However, half an hour after taking the drink the mallas will be expelled from the body
Moon’s position in the earth is the same for everyone at every given moment & we look into sunrise for determining & to follow Ekadashi vrata or Dwadashi thithi which is different from place to place. Mahadvadasi is observed like Ekadasi.
ekadasi
Editorials – October 2005
– Editorials – October 2005
– 07/11/2005: “ISKCON Outed”
down in another sense. PRIDE.
The Hare Krsnas – Krsna Blog – Weblog Entry – 07/11/2005: “ISKCON Outed”
Hare Krishna
The Hare Krsnas – Krsna Blog – Weblog Entry – 07/11/2005: “ISKCON Outed”
answer above questions in light of the present status as opposed to status of ISKCON in 1977.
The Hare Krsnas – Krsna Blog – Weblog Entry – 07/11/2005: “ISKCON Outed”
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
such prayers?
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
y through prayer, because for many that’s the only way to get through to them?
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
forbidden. History of religions indicates the tendency of sentimental neophytes to do just that – turn the messenger into God. This not only happened in Christianity, but also within our Vaisnava tradition, with the Swami Narayana sect going down that path.
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
regards to our relationship with Srila Prabhupada. Back then, we didn’t have much time or opportunity to share our realizations with one other, or to systematically study our advanced philosophy. Instead, we were fully engaged in the “Sankirtan MOVEMENT”.
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
the perpetrator, or worse.
Unless you are a pure devotee, then you will try to deliver both parties and don’t need to listen to my suggestion.
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
thus they attract the weakest, most fanatically repressed groupies.
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
If this was not enough, I am wondering if he finds that it was valuable to this discussion when HE HIMSELF said things that Srila Prabhupada never said.
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
motionally satisfying activity is not spiritual at all.
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
The therapy is to provide a setting for a wounded person to believe they are safe enough to FEEL whatever they are feeling in relation to their thoughts without worrying they might lash out at anyone else or hurt themselves as they are used to. It is tricky but can be done.
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Sun Blogs
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Ekadasi
August 28th, 2006 at 11:36 am (ISKCON)
ekadasi
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Untitled
August 27th, 2006 at 2:47 pm (ISKCON)
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Counterpoint
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kula
August 27th, 2006 at 2:43 pm (ISKCON)
Faith and the Analytical Mind
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jesus in the vedas
August 27th, 2006 at 12:35 pm (Personal)
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Feature Stories – December 2005
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Faith
August 26th, 2006 at 9:06 pm (ISKCON)
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Saturday Laffs – August 26, 2006
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A sorry saga
August 23rd, 2006 at 9:02 pm (ISKCON)
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Editorials – August 2006
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kicking out devotees
August 22nd, 2006 at 8:37 pm (ISKCON)
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Editorials – August 2006
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war for oil
August 22nd, 2006 at 8:32 pm (Personal)
The Sampradaya Sun – Independent Vaisnava News – Editorials – August 2006
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Untitled
August 22nd, 2006 at 4:06 pm (Personal)
CNN.com – What’s everybody watching? YouTube – Aug 22, 2006
Skip to main content
NEW
YORK (AP) — The fall TV season is about to begin. The push is on from
the broadcast networks to tempt you into watching what they spent the
past year pounding into shape.
At a moment when the networks
would like nothing more than to make a splash — another “Lost” or
“Desperate Housewives” would be nice — the biggest news in TV is the
escalating instances of mutiny by viewers.
Watching what the
networks set before them is fine. But more and more viewers want to
cook as well as dine, which makes the TV story of the year the story of
a Web site: YouTube.
Officially launched last December, this
video-sharing service already plays more than 100 million clips per day
with more than 65,000 video uploads added to its mammoth inventory. And
those rates are skyrocketing.
Where does it end? “As more people
capture special moments on video,” its Web site declares, “YouTube is
empowering them to become the broadcasters of tomorrow.”
YouTube
(slogan: “Broadcast Yourself”) isn’t the Internet’s only video-sharing
service. But it’s the reigning brand, the talked-about phenomenon, and
a mighty good example of the multiple roles now greeting yesterday’s
couch potato. These are get-up-and-do-something roles as artist,
journalist, pundit, self-promoter, exhibitionist, prankster, weirdo and
wag.
Now you, too, can be a TV producer and a TV programmer.
Scheduling? That’s in your hands on the receiving end, since clips are
on demand, arranged in categories or searchable by various “tags.” And
you can be a distributor: E-mail any clip to your friends.
Ratings?
Instant. Every clip appears with a running count of viewings, as well
as how many viewers deemed it “a favorite.” Not that anything is
canceled for not being a hit. Unlike a network constricted by its two
or three hours of prime time per night, the capacity of YouTube would
appear to be boundless. No need here for one thing to be dropped to
make room for another.
So what can you see? Make no mistake, a
10-second video aptly titled “Bunny the Dog Rubs Her Butt Against the
Ground” isn’t the stupidest, skeeziest or even briefest clip available.
Nor is “Cockroach-Controlled Mobile Robot” the most whimsical. Or two
pairs of fingers dancing to the tune of “Get Down Tonight” the most
charming.
You find video testimony, as well. Katrina-themed clips
from hurricane victims. Lebanese and Israelis supplying their images of
war.
Meanwhile, broadcast images are being plucked off the air
and granted an on-demand afterlife. The impromptu back rub that
President Bush gave German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the G-8 Summit
last month? It’s right here, for screening anytime. So is co-host
Elisabeth Hasselbeck having a hissy fit on ABC’s “The View.” A search
of “David Letterman” turns up more than 1,000 clips.
YouTube’s
reach on occasion has actually eclipsed that of TV. In June, “Weekends
with Maury & Connie” ended its brief run on MSNBC with a
self-mocking version of “Thanks for the Memories” by Connie Chung. More
than twice as many people saw it, post-broadcast, on YouTube.
YouTube
is an escalating archive. A colossal clearinghouse. A proving ground.
It’s a virtual commons for anyone anywhere with a camcorder in reach.
It’s a valuable resource; a glorious time waster. And, of course, a
breeding ground for buzz.
Dead shows resurrected
The
most persuasive evidence that YouTube is rewriting TV rules emerged
last month when “Nobody’s Watching,” a sitcom pilot pronounced dead
after failing to find a broadcast home, found a warm reception on
YouTube (where it logged a half-million viewings). With that sort of
cyberspace validation, it was resurrected by NBC as a prospect for the
2006-07 schedule.
At about the same time, NBC and YouTube forged
a strategic partnership that, among other things, lets NBC hype its
fall shows on YouTube. What more proof do you need of new media’s
appeal than when the mainstream media jumps on board?
NBC is
learning one of the new rules YouTube has showcased with its
free-for-all policy: Exposure, not payment, is what counts. Spreading
it around is key.
And NBC, along with the rest of mainstream
media, will have to abide by a new cultural reality as set forth by
Chris Anderson in his current best-seller, “The Long Tail”: “A
once-monolithic industry structure where professionals produced and
amateurs consumed is now a two-way marketplace, where anyone can be in
any camp at any time.”
Other video-sharing sites are staking a
claim in this two-way marketplace. In a story headlined “Beyond
YouTube,” Rolling Stone recommends 10 more, including iFilm.com,
tv.blinkx.com, video.google.com and video.yahoo.com.
But for the
moment, YouTube has the heat. It’s the name on everybody’s lips. And
maybe the name says it all, proposing a convergence of You and
Television, manifested on your PC screen as a vast community.
For
all those who resisted plunging into the Internet’s reservoir of video,
YouTube may have the goods and the cachet to persuade them to get their
feet wet. Silly, smart, raw and slick, YouTube with its gathering force
is Must-See TV.
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
