Jagannatha's blogging Hut

BY: LALASAMAYI DEVI DASI

Oct 27, USA (SUN) — The following article by Lalasamayi devi was submitted to Dandavats

in response to a recent article by Niranjana Swami. Dandavats apparently chose not to allow it to be published.

Dear Niranjana Swami:

Regarding your words “Devamrta Maharaja also addressed the assembly, speaking
about the importance of reading Srila Prabhupada’s books”, following is
an excerpt from Devamrta Swami’s Vyasa pooja offering in 2002: (more…)

BY: LALASAMAYI DEVI DASI

Nov 27, LONDON, ENGLAND (SUN) —
In any other association, corporation or religion, nobody tinged with
proven child abuse will stand the public opinion, and will resign out
of self respect. What is the cause, that Gauri Prabhu just stays and
ISKCON authorities look to the other side? That adds insult to injury
and our movement is disintegrating fast for this friend’s club cover
up.

When the can of worms has been opened, better to stay humble, honest and consequent.

I
am sure Gauri Prabhu won’t have financial difficulties, with the 2
years full salary remaining after he quits that is stipulated in his
contract (I thought that was only for soccer players).

If
there is really nobody else to cover honorably his post, bad times are
upon us. At least, we should start casting a sign of seriousness of
intent, and not this ridiculous power game and “there is nobody else,
Prabhu” syndrome.

BY: MR. KUBRICK

Sep 29, USA (SUN) — Article comment blocked from Dandavats.

I am waiting for days now for Dandavats to publish my last comment in response to their article, Coaching for ISKCON Leaders.
They also changed the original article post that generated the comments
to another number (???) plus they changed my password for the site, I
cannot login. Please publish my comment, which begins:

“The
dominant ideology of our times, holding all of our civilization in its
grip, says Saul, is “corporatism,” an ideology that puts all faith and
power in group action rather than action by disinterested individuals.
“Corporatism. . . claims rationality as its central quality. The
overall effects on the individual are passivity and conformity in those
areas which matter and non-conformism in those which don’t.”

John Ralston Saul – CBC radio chronology – 1995

I
am not expert in corporations but I think I have the sufficient info
about the matter to confirm that many ISKCON leaders have been trying
to implement that style even when Srila Prabhupada was present!
Remember trying to centralize and Srila Prabhupada stopping it?

I am not saying that ISKCON IS a corporation, in fact no matter how much some have tried still the spirit is there somehow…

But if you look at the intent it is generally going that way.

For
example, centralization, against decentralization ordered by Srila
Prabhupada. Power by the use of info, so typical of many ISKCON
leaders, creating an elite that resembles more a political quest for
power.

“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.’”

I
am glad that you are standing for the truth and I never meant personal
attack although in the debate I might become “fired-up” so to speak.
Please accept my apologies for disturbing you.

But
the only way to start fixing things is call them by its name, and
please we shouldn’t be naive; there are elements in our society that
are just after money, power and recognition. Even Srila Prabhupada
himself has said it in writing. That is not only a remote possibility
but a hard fact that we should address.

Unfortunately
the only way many sincere Srila Prabhupada disciples could approach it
is by leaving ISKCON, not because they wanted but because they were
confronted by “my way or the highway” dynamics.

I
am very interested in underscoring the things i think belong to a
corporate style, identify them to help ISKCON with your expertise in
the field.

Always open to learn from sincere devotees like your good self…

Mr. Kubrick

BY: JAGANNATHA MISHRA DAS

Sep 24, AUSTRALIA (SUN) — If
every spiritual movement founded by a powerful preacher had to exist
forever just because it was created pure, we would have Christianism,
Buddhism etc still potent and pure. Unfortunately the contrary happens
all the time through history after the demise of the empowered leader.

ISKCON
is so dear to us, having being our salvation from ignorance and the
means by which Srila Prabhupada rescued us, that many have put valuable
energy and skills trying to resuscitate it.

At this point, it is a waste of time.

For me, the ISKCON that Srila Prabhupada created is no longer. In its place you find a religion, and a bad one.

Mismanaged,
unmanaged, filled with many downright materialistic people using the
guise of religionist to obtain some personal benefit, gross or subtle.

But,
what can never whiter is anyone that follows the grassroots
instructions and devoid of “religion” preaches following the footsteps
of the master. That will always exist and will be generally separated
from any big institution.

You
would be doing better associating with the nice devotees that are left,
team with them and maybe doing little preaching effort according to
your means or just offering a regular Sunday feast (can be at your
house, hey) and talking positively to guests.

You will see how you become much more blissful as your human form is positively used to please Srila Prabhupada.

I
think it has come the time that all the devotees that are displaced
unite locally under the banner of the “internal” ISKCON and know for
sure Srila Prabhupada is there with his blessings for us.

What Srila Prabhupada taught us can be practiced and taught all over the world without any big rotten institution rubber stamp.

Please
do not give in to the cult tactics of the enshrined, telling us that
nothing outside their control is devotional service.

Hare Krishna! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

BY: JAGANNATHA MISHRA DASA

Oct 29, AUSTRALIA (SUN) — Trying to make it valid just because it rhymes?

I am not a hardliner and not opposed to implement changes, but in my
humble view this is a serious deviation conducive to sense
gratification.

Are we going to fix things by going further away from Srila Prabhupada’s
orders? Maybe we think that we are going to arrive at the departure
point by completing the circle? That is, more we deviate, more closer
you are to the original point?

“Wages for sages” sounds like an insult to the intelligence, advertisement propaganda,trying to hide the wrong concept, not supported by Srila Prabhupada.

sage = brahmana = devotee = manager = all very confusing

Brahmana power comes from independence, and wages means dependence. Even
Canakya Pandita showed us by example living in a hut, and the Emperor
had to come to his place.

If a person cannot organize a temple with the simple program and live
depending on Krishna, then he is not brahmana. If he needs wage is a
shudra, if he puts money as central, he is vaishya.

And who are the ones giving wages? We see that at the Manor and that is
what we want to institute?, the Hindu vaisyas are giving wages and
shudra “devotees” living off them. Note that THIS is one of the main
battle points of Srila Prabhupada when criticizing “devotees” worshiping
the Deity for a living as caste goswamis do.

Mode of goodness means you trust in Krishna´s shelter and do not make
plans for own maintenance. Rajo guna means not having this faith and
having to do some kind of business arrangement to maintain themselves
and status quo. Shudra means they depend on vaishyas providing wages to
live. They do not have faith, only if they get regular wages working for
another they are peaceful.

We failed because we do not understand this and in turn, you cannot
expect a vaishya or shudra understand the renunciation and lifestyle of
a brahmana, they consider them bums in our modern day present situation.

Any money that comes immediately spend on preaching, books and prasadam.
This is Srila Prabhupada’s program.

That means faith and that only can be done by a brahminical tendency
person. Managers in the mode of passion they like to do business, charge
Sunday feast, “cultivate” the wealthy to build big temple, and put money
as the main ingredient for advancing the “preaching”. If you, dear
reader are thinking like this, you are not qualified to run a Krishna
conscious temple.

Magic of Krishna consciousness happens when you act focusing on the
direct simple Srila Prabhupada’s instructions, and then, when your focus
is not the money, nice and stable development will come. Rajo guna
people just do fail to see this.

Krishna is always making this test. He would cause the temple go almost
lost when you follow what I just explained and then (it is always like
this, dear devotees) He will come at last minute to save the situation
and make it really better than before.

Rajo guna people they fail to pass the test and start to concoct
material money focused plans to “save” the project even at the cost of
negating brahminicallv principles of truthfulness (we see that many times
when poojari child abuser has been protected by authorities for the sake
of temple management efficiency.

Correct thing is to throw away offender and Krishna WILL come at the
last minute usually as explained.

Just apply this principle to any situation in the temple, and you will
come to see Krishna’s hand like this.

Process of temple management is very simple, provided you keep reminding
to yourself (president or any manager) that you are a servant and your
service is to glue and organize the services of the others, that is ALL.
And then people will respect you, no need of politics!!!

A person that has not this type of faith simply cannot run a temple, and
no amount of material coaching will transform his consciousness to the
mode of goodness.

It is a question of priorities, preaching first or money first,
individual devotees spiritual well being first or sacrifice people for
institution goals… the “town for a country” philosophy.

Dear GBCs, everything is there. just follow the simple program and do
not create more concoctions: they are the ones giving you headaches!!!!

“Wages for sages” is in my view, like and advertising campaign, to help
establishing a man made, (dharma projjita) materialistic religion.

your servant,

Jagannatha Mishra dasa