Dear Rocana Prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I will respond briefly to your recent article entitled “Danavir’s World” posted on the Sampradaya Sun website. I speak on my own behalf here—not officially as a spokesman for the GBC or the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

Quoting My Statements:

You wrote in your article that I “expressed strong disapproval of ISKCON’s general direction and GBC management.” I did not make such a statement. Furthermore, it has never been my view.

Secondly, you quoted me as follows: “What I like about being in Kansas City is that I get little or no GBC interference.”
This is incorrect. What I did say was, “I like being in Kansas City because it is so favorable for Krishna consciousness.” And later in the conversation, and on a completely different topic I said, “GBC secretaries have not visited much here yet. Perhaps they have confidence that I will organize things properly.”

Initiation:

You expressed your opinion in writing, “We must beware of the temptation to imagine a quick fix program out of our material entanglement, such as joining an institution and getting “initiated.”

However, let me remind you that initiation is the third level of the process of love of God as outlined by Srila Rupa Goswami in his Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu (1.4.15). There he explains that bhajana-kriya is the acceptance of initiation by a bona fide spiritual master and executing devotional service under his direction.

From the moment of initiation by a bona fide spiritual master, the sincere disciple's life of deathlessness begins. In other words, he is no longer subjected to the cycle of birth and death. Srila Prabhupada has instructed clearly that "initiation is essential. Adau gurvasrayam." This is confirmed by Vaisnava acaryas.

Institution:

You have repeatedly belittled the importance ISKCON because of its being an institution. It should be remembered that ISKCON is no more or no less than a branch of the Caitanya tree.

visa visa sakha kari' eka eka mandala
maha-maha-sakha chaila brahmanda sakala

TRANSLATION: Thus the branches of the Caitanya tree formed a cluster or society, with great branches covering all the universe.
PURPORT: Our International Society for Krishna Consciousness is one of the branches of the Caitanya tree. (Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Adi 9.18)

An institution is not deemed material simply because of its being an institution. An institution can be either material or spiritual depending on how it is conducted. Since ISKCON is fulfilling the transcendental orders of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His representative, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada—it is, in my humble opinion, a spiritual institution.

Sampradaya Acarya Theory:

You wrote: “Sampradaya Acaryas are chosen and sent from on high to carry out super-human missions on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

Whether an acarya is a nitya-siddha, sadhana-siddha or krpa-siddha is not of major importance. The important thing is that one follows the instructions of the Lord and the spiritual master as enunciated in the Vaisnava sastras and confirmed by sadhus.

Preaching in North America:

You expressed disappointment that I did not address declines in ISKCON’s preaching in North America. I will address them.
But to be fair, we must mention that some areas of preaching in North America appear to have increased since the departure of Srila Prabhupada. From my perspective, some of those areas are:

1. Rathayatra Festivals
2. Congregational Preaching
3. Anti-Darwin’s Theory Scientific Preaching
4. Translations and Production of Vaisnava Scriptures
5. Senior NA Devotees Successful Worldwide Preaching
6. Prasadam Restaurants
7. National Legal Defence Team
8. Child Protection programs
9. Temple Book and Gift Shops
10. Expanding Vaisnava Writings by Senior devotees

Similarly, some areas in which North American preaching appears to have decreased are:

1. Distribution of Srila Prabhupada’s Books
2. Recruitment and training of New Devotees in our centers (especially brahmacaris and brahmacarinis)
3. Public Harinama parties
4. Faithfulness to Prabhupada’s movement, ISKCON
5. Careful study of Srila Prabhupada’s books.
6. Sadhana standards
7. Philosophical speculations and deviations.
8. Compromises to gain public acceptance (i.e. such as advocating veganism, psychological seminars and so-called yoga)
9. Intermingling between men and woman (i.e. such as embracing each other at temples and public Hare Krishna festivals)
10. Prajalpa and offenses propagated through internet news sites

Lord Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita:

ananyas cintayanto mam
ye janah paryupasate
tesam nityabhiyuktanam
yoga-ksemam vahamy aham

But those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form—to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have.

Where we have slipped, let us get back up again by the mercy of guru and Krishna. And where we have progressed, let us continue to expand without pride or lethargy. Let us oil our own machines by becoming exemplary devotees and thus become empowered attractors of others to pure devotional service. I call upon all sincere followers of Srila Prabhupada to rededicate themselves to the ISKCON mission and I encourage sincere newcomers to join the ranks of ISKCON’s full-time devotees by being trained at the Society’s centers. By participating fully in ISKCON, any sincere soul can obtain the highest perfection of life—full transcendental knowledge and Krishna prema.