Clash of Civilizations - The Battle to Establish the
Eternal Religion in Kali Yuga
Introduction It’s April 2003 in Michigan. One of the first days of spring after a long and cold winter. I went on harinam today with the Detroit devotees, and was so enlivened by seeing peoples faces light up upon hearing the holy name of the Lord. Remembrances of such spreading the holy name around, and my early days in The Movement gushed up from the recesses of my mind. Its true—these activities are eternal—for even now I was able to savor the bliss of devotional service performed up to three decades ago. It was relishable indeed. The sweet memories that retained all of their flavor, but they had not been prompted to consciousness for what seems a long time. We used to go out frequently—the Lord’s army—armed with the with transcendental sound vibration . . . Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna . . . reawakening in the souls of this dead world memories of their Lord. It’s so enlivening to see the smiles on their faces as they greet the harinam and deep down inside remember who they really are. I recalled the sense we had then, when Srila Prabhupada was still with us, of being A Spiritual Movement To Save Mankind. We had every intention of changing the entire world, and we had no doubt whatsoever that we could and would. Our goal was to bring about a revolution in the impious lives of a world’s misdirected civilization—to bring people out of their suffering and help them to become reestablished in their eternal constitutional position. As Srila Prabhupada put it and we believed it: “Our movement is an epidemic. It will devour the whole of Europe and America.”[1] Recalling those efforts on behalf of Srila Prabhupada I again recalled the sense of being in a Movement, and I pined to experience it again. Quickly though, I went from the past to the present and remembered why it had all stopped: because most of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples could no longer canvass on behalf of the those who had unqualifiedly, irresponsibly, and unconscionably, put themselves in his place at the fore of the Movement after his departure. Not just as leaders—that would have been even desirable because they were in fact the leaders—but they ascribed to themselves the ‘certifiable’ status of ‘Good as God Gurus’; oh my. Most of the followers of Srila Prabhupada were too honest to perpetrate the falsehood, beguiling the innocent by bringing them back to the temple, and then encouraging them to place their spiritual future in the hands of what would at best be called imposters. But that’s all but forgotten now. Heck, who’s around that would remember? Is it any different today? Not much. Although we went out chanting, and it was enlivening, what happens when those who are distracted from their material preoccupations come to the temple? They are then set upon by the followers of the different gurus, and a sort of transcendental competition develops to see who can inspire them to see the glory of their guru. I don’t say that in a mean-spirited way. But I have personally witnessed such behaviors. It’s just the way it is. It has become a sectarian affair where each team recruits for their leader, however innocently and well-intentioned. Why not? Their guru is the cynosure of their eyes, and they apparently have not been trained any differently. And I guess they don’t hear about Srila Prabhupada much because they don’t speak about Srila Prabhupada to guests much any more—they speak about their guru—as if Srila Prabhupada is not. While the disciples of my godbrothers can recruit for their team, Srila Prabhupada’s followers however, are out of the game, because they are not allowed to recruit for him. He is also out of the game. An acarya-emeritus perhaps, but not considered personally present anymore, except perhaps for the guru-pūjā ceremony. It’s become a sort of transcendental –ra-ra-ra– my team is the best–G-o-o-o-o Team! And while it is exciting for the current members who participate in such activities, sort of like a spiritual fraternity/sorority club, it holds little attraction to anyone who can remember what our Movement was like, unified under Srila Prabhupada. I suppose that is why we see so few of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples at his temples anymore. And maybe why there is not sense of movement in the Movement anymore. What happened? How did we get here from there? That is the subject matter of this book. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Nirvana We read from Srila Prabhupada’s books with wonder about the spiritual world and Krishna and his devotees, and this Truth is at once so amazing and so enlivening, and to finally, finally, have been found—why, it quite overwhelms most of us. And coming into the temple and seeing the gorgeously dressed Deities, the many saintly devotees and smelling the incense, tasting the delicious prasadam, well, certainly we have now arrived! This is it! Swing home sweet chariot!!! But . . . there’s a but. (Sigh) There’s always a but. This is it: But, regardless of how wonderful the experience is, it needs to be understood that we are not there, just yet. I guess its beda abeda. We are and we are not. Personally we are no-doubt protected by the transcendent power of the holy name. The setting however, is decidedly the material world, and it has its own set of circumstances to be dealt with. Pop! (goes the bubble of dreaming that we are entirely free from Maya’s influence). Reality check: We are in the age of Kali. Repeat. We are in the age of Kali. And while we have the boon that spiritual life is made easy for us fallen conditioned souls—chanting, dancing and feasting—Kali is not a trifle. It definitely has its own challenges. The influences of the age are not innocuous. Dominated by the quality of ignorance the effects are felt everywhere, and the second chapter of the twelfth canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam details its influences relating to spiritual life and spiritual understanding: In Kali-yuga a person’s spiritual position will be ascertained merely by external symbols, and that basis alone, one’s dress, will suffice for changing from one spiritual order to the next. The principles of religion will be observed only for the sake of reputation only, and the Vedas will become contaminated by speculative interpretations of atheists; the so-called priests and intellectuals will be devotees of their bellies and genitals, observing religious principles only for the purpose of reputation. A person who can impress others with high-sounding words will be thought a learned scholar, and a brazen braggart will be accepted as honest and truthful. Those with money will be thought to be pious, just as the poverty-stricken will be condemned as unholy and unworthy—neglected even by God. In the age of Kali people’s intelligence will be diverted by atheism, and they will almost never offer sacrifice to the Supreme Lord. By the time the age of Kali ends, the understanding of the Vedas will be completely forgotten in human society, while religion, existing in name only, will have become a pretense for atheism. Those who are completely ignorant of religion will sit on a high seat intimidating others, and thinking themselves thus exalted, pose as authorities on religious principles. The brahmacārīs will fail to execute their vows and generally be unclean, householders will become beggars, vānaprasthas will not leave the villages, and sannyāsīs will become greedy for materialistic possessions. Uncultured men will accept charity on behalf of the Lord and earn their livelihood by adopting a mendicant’s dress and feigning austerity. [2] How far have we progressed along this path to perdition in the 5,000 years since the advent of the age of hypocrisy? These descriptions have probably jarred the memories, of mature readers at least, with some specific applications. Just how far it has gone is the subject of our discussion here, specifically in regards to the past two millennia in the West. As the light of the Bhagavat penetrates Kali’s dark clouds of ignorance, those who maintain control of earth during this age find its Truths intolerable, subversive in fact to their sinister plans, and so they do their very best to eradicate it as soon as it manifests. Their efforts result in perplexity and consternation for the would-be liberated souls, too often thwarting the attempts of those who would become free from the slavery of material life. Hey! not so fast there, jivatma! — the present controllers of the earth are not so quick to let go of their ‘subjects’. They think that your business is to serve them. Forget about what you want, and especially forget about reallocating your service to whoever else you might consider God. This is not without sanction however. Indeed, it is their service to the Supreme to test both the devotees’ understanding and their willingness to stand on it in action. History offers some examples that highlight the challenges placed before ourselves. Confusion along the Path of Self Realization Those with some experience in the pursuit of self-realization may find that they come to a place of confusion where there was none before. The neophyte may simply find confusion everywhere, or for the time being, nowhere. There is no fixed precedent as we all progress according to our uniquely individual choices. Nonetheless, it is not unlikely that confusion as to how to proceed will manifest itself in the life of a devotee somewhere along the way. Why might this be so? Beginning from some stage of ignorance developed through identification with the body and the objects of the senses, the sadhaka’s effort is to clear the clouds of confusion about his own identity and purpose. Through the process of devotional service an understanding of one’s spiritual nature and the nature of this world is gradually revealed to the practitioner in a successive series of stages, one following another. We may draw useful parallels with our own childhood education as we proceeded from grades K through 12. Whether learning about material knowledge in our grade school or learning about spiritual knowledge, the goal of learning is that knowledge may become useful by its successful application in real life situations. Therefore there are tests. In our mundane institutions these are put before us as questions to be answered with paper and pen. In the progress of spiritual life the tests of our understanding are put before us in terms of real life dilemmas that are also multiple-choice. How do these dilemmas manifest themselves? As a bewildering agony in the heart that constantly begs for attention and relief. In such a quandary some of the choices before us however may require a personal stake in the outcome that sufficiently reflects the value of what we have learned and as well as the depth of our understanding. The more significant the lesson the greater the stake that may be required. The test of our understanding is that we demonstrate the discernment of knowing which course of action is going to bring us nearer to our goal of unmotivated and uninterrupted service to Godhead. In Lord Krishna’s lila there were tests of faith and love faced by every character — His cowherd boyfriends faced multiple challenges depending on their friend Krishna to save them from life-threatening situations, Krishna’s parents Vasudeva and Devaki faced the tests of their incarceration and death-dealing relative Kamsa, the gopis faced the challenge of disregarding iron-clad social mores to meet with the Lord for the Rasa dance. Readers of the Mahabharata, or the Bhagavad-gita, are familiar with the many challenges put before the Pandavas, which included, among other things, the extremely high stakes of actually killing their beloved kinsmen. These acts of devotion demonstrated the deep love these devotees have for the Lord. Such are the depth, universal application and timeless nature of their dilemmas that these narratives have intrigued humankind for millennia. These tests were put before these great souls—personal companions of the Supreme Lord Himself—for the purpose of offering, by their own example, how to address the trials that are put before every being in the human experience. Book learning is jnana, knowledge. Realization of knowledge through application is vijnana, where knowledge shows up as wisdom. Knowledge and understanding is fully realized as wisdom when it can be successfully applied in a very real situation. To answer the question posed above, confusion arises at the point in which the sadhaka is unwilling to match the stakes required by the test and thus move forward for the next spiritual lesson. Arjuna’s case is instructive for us. He was faced with killing his kinsmen at the battle of Kurukshetra. His confusion was manifest when, being put under the spell of Maya, his level of spiritual understanding did not provide sufficient motivation for him to kill the challengers arrayed before him. He laments: “O Govinda, of what avail to us are a kingdom, happiness or even life itself when all those for whom we may desire them are now arrayed on this battlefield? O Madhusudana, when teachers, fathers, sons, grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law and other relatives are ready to give up their lives and properties and are standing before me, why should I wish to kill them, even though they might otherwise kill me?” In his angst he wanted to abandon the effort to live in the forest as a renunciate. What would have been the case had he done so? The Lord made it clear that this would not have resolved anything. Impelled by his own nature Arjuna would have to again face the same dilemmas. As a ksatriya he would again be confronted with issues that required similar challenges and discernment as he was then facing. He would not escape having to make the proper choice, for what was at issue was the active demonstration of his own understanding to be applied to the external conditions of the pending battle. The instructions he received from the Lord raised his understanding and realization to the level of the conviction needed to meet the stakes at hand, and act unhesitatingly according to the Lord’s direction. Krishna finally asks him about this and Arjuna replied: “My dear Krishna, I have regained my memory by Your mercy and my illusion is now gone. I am now free from all doubts and I have firmly resolved to act according to Your instructions.” Similar to Arjuna, the sadhaka may attempt to retreat from dilemmas placed before him. Either by attempting to regain the peaceful condition where they were previously comfortable, or by becoming distracted by something else, or even by simply ignoring them. Distraction temporarily removes the discomfort but also offers no permanent solution. Retreating cannot offer peace because the sadhaka’s spiritual growth and development has brought him to a threshold that he must cross sooner-or-later, to move forward to his next lesson. Choosing to retreat he becomes caught in a loop that brings him back to choices that can reflect his developed understanding and ability. And until the sadhaka demonstrates his wisdom through his choice and action, the dilemma will show up again and again in different guises. Repeated shrinking away from the dilemma and ignoring the required test can ultimately lead however, to a regressed condition of ignore-ance. Therefore, even making a wrong choice could be considered some type of progress as the error will be revealed as such by the resulting circumstances and another dilemma. Again then, the demonstration of understanding will be asked for. Attempts may also be made to salve the crying of the heart by manipulating any or all of the external circumstances. This will be futile because the external matters are not where the problem actually resides, nor what is at issue, and no amount of adjustment of anything external will bring relief. We must understand that the dilemma is a request for an expression or demonstration of our understanding. The challenge of the lesson learned and the knowledge gained therefrom must be demonstrated by its application, and in all spiritual lessons the tests will also carry with them a stake suitable to demonstrate the degree of faith we have in our understanding; significant ones will require significant stakes. When finally we choose to make a successful demonstration of our wisdom, our proper dealing with the issue then frees the energies that have been pent up within us and we experience a tremendous release of energy and joy. Once again we are able to move forward along the path of realization. Application of These Tests and Challenges to Srila Prabhupada’s Followers I offer these insights by way of introducing their application to the issues as put forth the body of this work. Those issues involve the dilemmas we, the followers of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, face individually and collectively on our spiritual odyssey, and in our efforts to continue the great humanitarian effort to save mankind which we joined together under his guidance. There must be an unresolved dilemma before us because the movement, in America at least, is stuck. More precisely it is moribund; having lost any sense of movement and becoming static and without vitality. What was built up by American youth is now maintained mostly by Indian congregations and foreign-born managers on R1-visas, and in some temples the Deities outnumber the devotees. The same issues arise again and again, and are repeatedly rehashed without any clear resolution. We are hamstrung either by a lack of understanding, or by attachments we are unable to give up. There are stakes that we are not willing to match in the clear demonstration of our developed understanding, moving forward with a sense of empowerment that was previously ubiquitous. It is my humble suggestion that when we successfully apply the spiritual understanding and wisdom we had already achieved, even long ago, and thereby address the dilemmas before us, that once again we will experience a new enthusiasm and vigor not seen in decades. After Srila Prabhupada’s departure from this material plane, his mission fell into chaos. Did this chaos emerge because he left untimely, prematurely, before we were ready to carry on without his direct guidance? Did this chaos emerge because of the avariciousness and actions of certain individuals who misled the institution, either deliberately or through benign incompetence? Neither is the sole reason. Rather, I submit that the chaos emerged in large part because, while armed with knowledge sufficient to deal with the situation, many of us would not stand on that knowledge and risk the stakes represented in that choice. Instead we have retreated to our former known position of safety, getting along however best we could. Cooperation, even against our cherished principles, was how it was (and for many still is) rationalized for us. Some abandoned the effort and thereby avoided having to make the choice, leaving the Movement for the seemingly peaceful condition of the material life they formerly knew. Still others went to the shelter of other Vaishnava satsanga. Although these are not simple black-and-white issues, and there are many considerations that enter into any individuals actions, I suggest that in every one of these choices the demonstration of our spiritual development was, to some degree, abandoned. We must understand that we have not made the decision to stand in the demonstration of our knowledge because the dilemmas confront us yet, now twenty-five years hence, and in our mature years. It is analogous to Arjuna remaining in confusion, and, unable to choose a course of action delaying the pending battle for three decades. Making a Choice Relieves the Quandary What is it that allows us to make proper choices? Adults of course are able to make suitable choices that children cannot make. The difference? The ability of discernment and discrimination based upon knowledge and experience (i.e., wisdom). These allow the adult to separate the suitable from the unsuitable alternatives. It is discernment that is at issue and which is my primary focus, both in its development and application in our real world situations. The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all, and is understandable by the devotees who are fully pure in heart. Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. I urge my reader not to lose that focus in the drama of the elements presented here. The external story is engaging, as is the background drama of the Mahabharata as a container for the Bhagavad-gita, it’s heart, and it offers many subplots that I will not explore since they remove us too far from our primary focus. In the development of this theme, I suggest that discernment and its proper application in discriminatory action will solve the dilemmas that many devotees are embroiled in (either actively, or after so long now passively and resigned), and in so doing release the energies that have been pent up for so long, swirling around in a vortex of confusion, and not finding a suitable vector for their productive application. I will bring the reader back to these considerations in the final discussion. Discernment of the Atheistic Element Our immersion into the subject of discernment and discrimination will be played out in historical analysis of two social and spiritual developments of this world—the newly developing religious groups of the Jewish Christians of two millennia ago, and the Hare Krishna Movement of the late 20th century. Particularly, we will be looking to discern the pernicious atheistic influences working within them, and then juxtapose those influences and results against the original doctrines and teachings of their founders and acaryas. In this world the two ideologies of theism and atheism are manifest in many ways. The personal quality of theism is manifest as service to the Deity or Supreme. The personal manifestation of atheism is observed in the attempt of the individual to make themselves the Supreme, the would-be lords of this world. In our efforts to purify ourselves of our own materialistic identity and conditioning as false enjoyers we find ourselves somewhere along this spectrum, and at some point it becomes necessary to develop the ability to discriminate between the two based upon their inherent qualities and not how they show themselves externally. It is confusion between the two, arising due to a lack of discernment regarding their manifestation, and the resulting indiscrimination in our choices, which results in bewilderment, frustration and dejection in our spiritual journey. Again the tale of the Pandavas offers pertinent lessons. Although Asvattama heinously beheaded the sleeping sons of Draupadi, she desisted from asking for his punishment, instead respecting him as a brahmana and therefore above reproach. However, Srila Prabhupada comments that she lacked proper discrimination in the matter: “We should not give up our reason and discriminatory power just to be gentle. One must have good discriminatory power to judge a thing on its merit. We should not follow the mild nature of a woman and thereby accept that which is not genuine. Asvatthama may be respected by a good-natured woman, but that does not mean that he is as good as a genuine brahmana.”[3] Discernment and discrimination must necessarily be developed for the sadhaka’s progressive spiritual advancement. Upon coming to the platform of a second-class devotee or madhyama adhikārī, one is expected to be able to be able to discern the difference between individuals according to the symptoms of their activities and words, irregardless of the image that the external trappings may suggest. With such understanding the madhyama-adhikārī analyzes who is God, who is a devotee, who is innocent, who is a non-devotee, on the basis of their qualities, not external symbols, and behave differently with each: “Why should a Vaisnava be envious of another Vaisnava who is successful in spreading the Holy Name of the Lord? An actual Vaisnava is very pleased to accept another Vaisnava who is bestowing the Lord's mercy. [However,] A mundane person in the dress of a Vaisnava should not be respected, but rejected. This is enjoined in the sāstra (upekîā). The word upkeîā means neglect. One should neglect an envious person. A preachers duty is to love the Supreme Personality of Godhead, make friendships with Vaisnavas, show mercy to the innocent and reject or neglect those who are envious or jealous. There are many jealous people in the dress of Vaisnavas in this Krishna Consciousness movement, and they should be completely neglected. There is no need to serve an envious person in the dress of a Vaisnava. When Narottama dasa Thakura says chadiya vaisnava seva nistara payeche keba, he is indicating an actual Vaisnava, not an envious or jealous person in the dress of a Vaisnava.”[4] (emphasis added) Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Maharaja in his characteristically unambiguous demeanor likewise admonishes those whose purpose is to serve Hari that it is their “constant function to dispel all misconceptions by the preaching of the truth in the most unambiguous form without any respect of person, place or time. That form is to be adopted which is least likely to be misunderstood. It is his bounden duty to oppose clearly and frankly any person who tries to deceive and harm himself and other people by misrepresenting the Truth due to malice or bona fide misunderstanding. . . The professors of pseudo-humility have reason to be afraid of the preaching of the servants of Hari--one of whose duties is to expose the enormous possibility of mischief that is possessed by the forms of so-called spiritual conduct—when they are taken to task for serving the untruth. (Emphasis added) I argue that many otherwise knowledgeable devotees, and in particular the GBC and other leaders, have not appropriately applied such discernment. Beguiled by externals they have not detected the envious, and yes even atheistic, elements operating within the Movement.[5] Consequently they have failed to properly protect both themselves and Srila Prabhupada’s legacy from such untoward influences. These ill-motivated personalities can be understood by their actions, behavior, and words, and although, or rather, especially if, they are in the position of authorities, they must be neglected and even rejected. Moreover, it is imperative that this be done, because it is the intentional objective of these influences, to create negative emotions and consternation surrounding the religious experience, and thus thwart the efforts of the devotee to proceed straight on the path back to home, back to Godhead. I will embellish this argument as we proceed along our story. It is asked why we would want to explore insights into ISKCON and Christianity from the perspective of discerning atheistic and demonic elements within. To many this is in poor taste and smacks of fault-finding. But there are sufficient reasons to venture there, especially in light of the history. One reason is that while spiritual movements are often looked at and understood in light of their positive spiritual work, rarely are they analyzed from the perspective of the influence of atheistic elements operating within them. It practically goes without saying that any such presence would have a profound effect on expected outcomes given their diametrically opposed objectives. And there is sufficient history now that demonstrates that the outcomes have deviated far enough from their intended trajectory to warrant such suspicions. Further, it is of significance because of the current influence of the demonic element within this material world, as one of its two major and fundamental divisions, and because in this age of Kali the earth is given to the demonic for their nefarious purposes. Kamsa’s agents of darkness are here whether we are aware of the fact or not, and their presence necessarily colors the environment in which we function. Such is the significance of the demonic element that the Supreme Lord explicitly instructs Arjuna, and hence us, on its nature and characteristics. We may want to shrink away from the labels of atheistic and demonic as being too strong or reactionary, and many do, for they disturb the picture of a pleasant world in which we all would like to live. Who wants to live in a world that they know is being run by demons? The very idea is unacceptable as it wreaks havoc on our plans for enjoyment here. But they are no fools. They know as much, and so make themselves invisible to all but the few that will bother to look beneath the facade, by which they portray themselves as something they are not. That they are quite inconspicuous is what makes most people ignorant of their presence and allows them to function effectively and continue their insidious dirty work. Or even worse, can we dare think that the devotee who has shown us kindness in the past is subject to demonic influences? That idea is repugnant and borders on, if not being fully over the line of blasphemous, and only fools go where angels fear to tread. But discern we must, for not all dressed as Vaishnavas are so, as we read above. We are many times exhorted to understand these things in Srila Prabhupada’s writings, and his mention of these warrants our attention. Proper discernment is required by any who would protect their own spiritual life and that of others in service to the Absolute Truth: “Thus by proper judgment one can see who is a devatā, or demigod, and who is an asura, Yakîa or Rākîasa according to the quantities of sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. One cannot judge whether a person is a devatā, an asura or a Rāksasa by seeing him, but a sane man can understand this by the activities such a person performs. A general description is given in the Padma Purāna: viînu-bhaktau smāto daiva āsuras tad-viparyayau. A devotee of Lord Viînu is a demigod, whereas an asura or Yaksa is just the opposite. Thus one can judge who is a devatā, who is a Rāksasa and who is an asura by how they conduct their activities.” [6] Not recognizing them for what they are, and worse, maintaining them in positions of authority despite what they had shown themselves to be, has spoiled the progressive development of many devotees spiritual lives, has kept the devotees energies scattered and diffused, and brought our Movement to a standstill. Therefore it is necessary to expose this reality in the light of understanding and by thorough examination, to know it. By doing so we will begin to understand how the atheistic element has long been with us. It is my intention to demonstrate that these are not inappropriate nor overbearing labels. Indeed, it is demanded of us that we see these influences for exactly what they are in order to protect ourselves and Srila Prabhupada’s legacy. We cannot say that these lessons are insignificant; nor can we ignore them without consequence. It would be naïve to assume that the demonic or atheistic influence is nothing to be concerned with at this point in time, or that they have nothing to do with spiritual activity. If we do, we do so at our own peril and we will be the ones to suffer the consequences. Indeed, we have. History Repeats Itself It will probably come as a surprise to those who know the history of ISKCON to learn that our experiences have not been unique within the framework of world history. Our experience is in fact, repeating that of the early Jewish Christians. Modern communications have given biblical researchers access to much more material to study than scholars of earlier centuries, and with such a trove biblical historian and Professor of Religion and Philosophy at Erlanger University in Germany, Hans Joachim Schoeps, ferreted out singular revelations regarding the early Palestinian Jewish Christian community. His findings uniquely detailed the factual theology and practices of the Jewish Christians: those who were contemporaries and immediate followers of Jesus. But it was Robert Eisenman, Professor of Religious History at the University of California, Long Beach, who, having unfettered access to the untainted documents written by the early Christians themselves, the Nag Hammadi texts and the Dead Sea Scrolls, who offered substantial confirmation of many of Schoeps’ earlier conclusions, and made further significant contributions. The followers of the Gnostic traditions, reestablished with the discovery of their original texts, also confirm the same understanding. Together they solidly establish a well-founded thesis of a very different history than is commonly told of the early Christians: unlike the tenets of Christianity widely accepted as truth today, their history shows principles and practices that were very similar to the Vaishnava siddhanta that we know and follow today. This implies that the light of the Absolute Truth shone brightly in Palestine in the first century A.D. Why then do we see such a spiritually debilitated form of Christianity now promulgated in our modern world? What happened in the intervening years? The seeds of understanding will sprout when the period, activities and personalities are examined with the ability to see and discern the atheistic elements at work in that early church. By reviewing the revelations of Eisenman and others regarding the true history of the Jewish Christians and the infiltration of the atheistic elements within their movement we will learn about the loss of the true religion in the West. With that historical vantage point we will then look into ISKCON’s history to see how closely its experience parallels that of the early Jewish Christians. I predict a strong sense of déjà vu will overtake many readers. In the comparison I will juxtapose each spiritual movement against the other: the lessons from the long history of the Christian church providing insights and parallels that can be used to examine more effectively what in our own mission is sometimes too close to us to be clearly seen; and from the other side, to understand, by a comparison with our own well-understood potent spiritual process, the spiritual potency of the early Christian church, and thus the reasons why it became the target of atheistic forces. The benefit of this analysis may help our spiritual movement to succeed through many millennia, where the Truths of the original Jewish Christian church survived only several centuries. And although we do have a predicted 10,000 year reprieve of Kali, it is not something to happen without any action on our part. Even though the outcome of the battle of Kurukshetra was predetermined, Arjuna still had to fight. Neither do we randomly poke our noses into the vast collection of Christian writings. Rather, I have selectively chosen scholars whose insights are revelatory. If the reader suspects that this indicates a prejudice, I say: by all means! My prejudice is that of the theistic Vedic worldview and I am decidedly partisan. The academicians that I draw my main support from are those whose scholarship arrives at (probably even unbeknownst to themselves) what we know to be the truth based on Vaishnava siddhanta. While their discernments offer a perspective of history that is not to be found just anywhere, and is even frequently at odds with other scholars, I propose that it is the Vaishnavas who are the superior arbiters of the validity of their conclusions. Having tasted the nectar of devotion resulting from submissively and strictly following the prescribed sadhana, such practical experience of the followers of Bhaktivedanta places them in a unique position, above all others whatsoever in the world, to judge the validity of these scholarly conclusions regarding the Jewish Christians. It is the Vaishnava’s practical experiences and concomitant results of their spiritual practices, that uniquely allows them to identify similar spiritually potent practices of the Ebionites and Essenes, and by extrapolation also recognize the degree of spiritual satisfaction and enlightenment that these early Christians enjoyed. This is also the basis by which they can understand that, as it has been realized in their own lives, the Absolute Truth similarly appeared in first century Palestine. Reactions to Revelations of The Truth Some will undoubtedly say that the present efforts are nothing but an attempt to write revisionist history that supports our own perspective. Nothing new here. History is replete with its own alterations, but the version that survives is generally the one that suits the victors. The case of the Aryan “races” are an excellent case in point. The British during their occupation of India sought to turn out the light of the Vedas, and the truths of ancient India. They attempted to rewrite India’s history to determine that there was an invasion of Aryan tribes from the north that brought culture into a previously extremely primitive subcontinent. Of course this is all a myth.[7] Such a thing never happened, and the facts as they are completely destroy the supposition. Nonetheless the British were so adamant and their influence over India’s centers of learning so complete, that within 100 years Indians had themselves become embarrassed by their own history. Rather than revering their culture they sought to abandon it and imitate the West. But readers of Srila Prabhupada’s books know the factual meaning of the word Aryan,[8] and know that there is no Aryan race. They know that this idea is nothing but British poppycock. This revision of history by the atheistic controllers of the world has been so complete that when the actual truths of history are discovered, truths that contradict the dominant atheistic worldview, they immediately become suspect by ill-educated academics. The gulf between reality and illusion has become so wide that illusion is automatically accepted as reality, and reality is considered illusory. Such is the nature of Kali-yuga. But there are many researchers who are not confined by threat of academic censure, and are free to follow where the facts lead—and they lead to some surprising places (like the Truth). One such investigator offers a suggestion to those peering through the distorted looking-glass of history, and upon polishing it, see something remarkably different than what was said to be there. Lawrence Gardner in his book Bloodline of the Holy Grail offers this admonition: “In the course of our journey we shall confront a number of assertions that may at first seem startling – but this is often the case when setting historical matters to rights, for most of us have been conditioned to accept certain interpretations of history as matters of fact. To a large extent we have all learned history by way of strategic propaganda, whether Church or politically motivated. It is all part of the control process; it separates the masters from the servants, and the fit from the unfit. Political history has, of course, long been written by its masters – the few who decide the fate and fortunes of the many. Religious history is no different, for it is designed to implement control through fear of the unknown. In this way the religious masters have retained their supremacy at the expense of devotees who are genuinely seeking enlightenment and salvation.” [9] Since I will be taking you, my reader, to a place generally unknown in history I ask that you remember this note of caution and allow it to serve as a doorstop for your mind. Keep the door open to the possibilities of truth that may well look different from what you expected, or perhaps even hoped, they would be. And remember: we do live in a world of illusion—one of our own making. What would we choose? Illusion or reality? Let’s let the light of the Bhagavat be our guide: “Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially motivated, this Bhāgavata Purāna propounds the highest truth, which is understandable by those devotees who are fully pure in heart. The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all. Such truth uproots the threefold miseries.” Shrimad Bhāgavatam 1.1.2 Why Do I Approach This Topic? Initially in research for other writing I stumbled across instances in which the experiences of the Jewish Christians were revealed to be identical with that of our modern Vaishnava experience. My interest thus piqued, I felt drawn to further investigation. As I did, the material literally came to me, serendipitously through the agency of a variety of people, and it led me to revelations I couldn’t have guessed at earlier. As this continued a significant story was rising inside of me that longed to be told. However, it is not without some trepidation that I had waded into what would seem the murky waters of such nefarious activity. Mindful of Vaishnava aparādha I wavered several times. Yet without fail, each time I hesitated, support would again serendipitously show up, now from our predecessor Acaryas in the form of their instructions on this very matter. To wit, the following came to me as I pondered my course of action: From Srila Prabhupada in the Caitanya-caritamrita, Antya-lila 3.149: “For two purposes—to spread the cult of bhakti and to defeat and subdue the atheists—Lord Nityānanda, the most dedicated devotee of the Lord, moved throughout the country.” Srila Prabhupada comments that Lord Krishna appears in every millennium for two purposes, namely to deliver the devotees and to remove the non-devotees. His devotees also have two similar purposes—to preach the bhakti cult of Krishna consciousness and to defeat all kinds of agnostics and atheistic demons. At another such juncture the powerful article entitled Putana by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada which we will visit in the first chapter (and reproduced in Appendix A) regarding the efforts of the atheistic demons to curtail the appearance of the Absolute, spoke directly to me at a time when I was reading of their historical manifestation. This material was brought to my attention not once, but three times in quick succession. And during another period of doubt encouragement also arrived from Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur in his Patrikara Uddesya, Sajjana Tosani. He exhorts us there that in order for pure bhakti to become victorious and well-established that those who are engaged in illicit or anti-bhakti activities in the name of bhakti must be very clearly exposed. Although this support was there, the decision to press forward had to be mine, and I examined my heart for my motivation. For those not fully surrendered to the Lord’s devotional service each and every activity carries a personal motivation. Such motivated persons who engage themselves in the Lord’s service, while less than pure, are nonetheless on the path of bhakti and are considered third-class devotees and are candidates for further progress. In order to progress in devotional service such motivation must be abandoned and Srila Prabhupada writes and speaks on this point hundreds of times in his teachings—only unmotivated and uninterrupted service to the Supreme will satisfy the hankering of our hearts. Am I materially motivated by envy or another base quality? It never seemed to me to be the case but at times we do not even know our own heart although our Lord does. There are several instances offered in the Caitanya-caritamrta of devotees’ whose mind were seen in a certain way to their own satisfaction, but their true motivations were later revealed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by His mercy. Sarvabhauma Battacarya, and Ramanda Puri immediately come to mind, and there are also others. If I am not bewildered by ego then I take shelter of the words of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna Whom I aspire to serve: “One who is not motivated by false ego, whose intelligence is not entangled, though he kills men in this world, does not kill. Nor is he bound by his actions.”[10] If however, it is only my illusion that I am properly motivated but in fact am blinded by ego, then I can only pray for the mercy of the Lord and His devotees. What then is my motivation? There are several things that have pushed me forward with this work. One has been the example of the Dead Sea Scrolls themselves and the impact they have had on revealing the truth of their day to posterity, now two thousand years hence. Were it not for this surviving archival record a complete understanding of the contemporaries of Jesus, the Jewish Christians, is quite unlikely. That this record survived, and was made available world-wide in an age of mass communication is extremely significant to our understanding of that time, people, and their spiritual practices. It has allowed us to know both the truth of that early day in spite of the fiction that has stood in its place for the better part of two millennia, and importantly, as revealed herein, what happened to it and the lessons it offers to its posterity, namely us. The implications of this will be more thoroughly understood as we read through Chapters 2-4. Similarly, as observers of ISKCON are already aware there are subtle and some not-so-subtle changes taking place regarding the history of ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada and our understanding of him, as well his legacy—his books and tapes. This is happening within only decades of the departure of that great soul, and given these recent events it is impossible to know where the future will lead us hundreds or thousands of years hence. With the lesson of the Dead Sea Scrolls before us, this work is presented as a clarion call to the defenders of Bhakti, so that we avoid repeating the history of the Jewish Christians. Understanding that we have been remiss in discerning the antagonistic forces within our midst we hopefully can be set aright and thus become diligent fiduciaries and protectors of the truth. Further, in an uncertain future, this work is an offering to posterity. Just as the Gnostics squirreled away their precious testaments in an earthen jar to preserve their truths for future generations, I have similarly recorded this chronicle for our own posterity with their edification in mind—that they might know of the challenges that we, and the other relishers of the Truth have faced. Being apprised of this history, at least from the perspective of this one writer, they are to be warned of the insidious activities and people masquerading in the guise of Bhaktivedantas, and being thus warned would arm them with the wisdom of discernment in their efforts as the Guardians of Devotion. Another of my motives is to assuage the hearts of those who have been wounded in the battle with Maya, my fellow soldiers in Srila Prabhupada’s sankirtan army, and as well to hopefully protect the innocent bhaktas and bhaktins who discover the wonders of transcendence, so that they may not be sacrificed on the altar of cunning deceit. Finally, the it has been the instructions of the Acaryas, as quoted above, that has motivated me to see this through to completion. I had, at times, lost my composure because of the weakness of sentiment, but, upon hearing the voice of Truth and marshaled particularly by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’s unequivocal instructions, I have become convinced to bring this work to print. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta was known as a Lion amongst the sadhus for his uncompromising manner, giving no quarter whatsoever to the forces of impersonalism or atheism. It has been his keen instructions on the matter that have impressed me with the need to work against the forces of atheism, an arena of genuine concern that gets far too little attention from my peers. Aspiring to follow in Grandfather Prabhupada’s footsteps, and begging the shelter of his lotus feet, let this effort make its mark in the world, whatever that might be. Who is My Reader? This is a question that every writer must quickly address, and I feel the need to say just a few words on the subject. There are many different stakeholders to Srila Prabhupada’s legacy, some yet within, but most now outside of his Movement, who would benefit from reflecting on these words. First of all, if the GBC could give a submissive hearing to these arguments great good might be achieved, for they still control the legacy of the official institution. Unfortunately other recent contributions offered to benefit the society, such as Dhira Govinda Prabhu’s Srila Prabhupada: The Prominent Link, have not received an impartial hearing from the leadership, and their official response has been polemical. When such a sweet book of encouragement is viewed with an eye for the incompatible I don’t have much hope that this work will be received in the spirit it is meant. It is my expectation that the lessons offered here will be lost on the official institution. Many other stakeholders now outside of the institution of ISKCON have already chosen to address their quandaries by voting with their feet, and in the United States at least the Movement is but a shadow of its former glory. Nonetheless, many of them are forever sold out to Srila Prabhupada and continue to follow his instructions. They may find some benefit here as a confirmation of their intuition or actions. There are also those within ISKCON that completely ignore the politics and head down, full speed ahead, take shelter of their service, continuing on come hell or high water. So far seen they have seen both (especially in Mayapura), but they are not generally the types who can accommodate works like this. Their service will remain their shelter. Who can benefit then? I suggest that those devotees who have been severely or mortally wounded in the heart by the events that transpired in the years since Prabhupada’s departure are one of the main beneficiaries of this study. That would include both Srila Prabhupada’s disciples and those who took initiation from other ISKCON gurus only to find later, much to their dismay and heartbreak, that there was a substantial discrepancy between what they were told (sold?) and the reality to manifest later. I believe that this work would help them to understand what happened to the movement they gave so much to, and it would also assist their recovery and continuation of devotional service. Another group would be those who, though perhaps not mortally wounded, left Srila Prabhupada’s mission despondent over what it had become after his departure, and without the shelter of sadhana and satsanga have once again merged into the dominant culture. My ultimate purpose here is to offer evidence of an unseen enemy that we must recognize and, as the guardians of devotion, deal with appropriately if we are to ever create that revolution in the lives of a world’s misdirected civilization. The final and true goal of this work then is to make fit the institution that my beloved master began so that it will continue to function as a wonderful movement to save all of mankind for millennia to come. My conviction is that Srila Prabhupada’s Movement was never meant to be a flash in the pan—here today, gone tomorrow. But so far that is what we have seen in the West. Will the Hare Krishna’s ride again? Time will tell. Krishna is willing. Srila Prabhupada is willing. Are we willing? Notes About the Text Information and notes that I consider supplementary to the text has been placed as footnotes on the pages. These would include supporting scriptural verses, Prabhupada’s comments, pertinent anecdotes, etc. Others, mainly page references, or citations have been relegated to the endnotes. Two glossaries are provided prior to the chapters: one for words related to Biblical studies and history, the other is mostly Sanskrit, but with other words that are part of the working lexicon of the Hare Krishna Movement. Readers unfamiliar with either are recommended to familiarize themselves with the word meanings. In Srila Prabhupada’s service, I am, Your servant, Dhanesvara Das [1] Letter to Harikesa Bhubaneswar 1 February, 1977 [2] Srimad Bhagavatam 12th Canto, Chapter Two Symptoms of Kali-yuga [3] Srimad Bhagavatam 1.7.42 purport [4] Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Ch 1, 218-219 [5] There are lessons in this regard particularly in 1970 when several sannyasis were attempting to establish the idea that Srila Prabhupada was an incarnation of God. Srila Prabhupada rejected them from his Movement. I will comment further on this incident and others of similar note in the chapter on ISKCON. [6] Purport SB 7.1.9 [7] see Myth of the Aryan Invasion by David Frawley [8] “The word Āryan means advanced. Unless one is spiritually advanced, he cannot be called an Āryan, and this is the difference between Āryan and non-Āryan. Non-Āryans are those who are not spiritually advanced. By following the Vedic culture, by performing great sacrifices and by becoming a strict follower of the Vedic instructions, one may become a brāhmana, a sannyāsī or an Āryan. It is not possible to become a brāhmana, sannyāsī or Āryan without being properly qualified. Bhāgavata-dharma never allows one to become a cheap brāhmana, sannyāsī or Āryan.” Purport, Cc. Madhya 11.192 [9] p. 5 [10] Bg 18.17 [11] Originally published in The Harmonist, January 1932, in the article Putana. Reproduced in Appendix A. |
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