Pariprashnena — Q&A Archive

I$KCON is changing, Temple$ need maintenance and old way$ are not supported anymore.

Some hindus are quite wealthy nowadays,due to their knowledge of computer/internet technology,modernisation of their businesses[exports]ayurvedic medicines and beauty products,globalisation of businesses etc...while western devotees have been plagued with departed gurus,indifference,less book distribution,dissappearance of temple devotees,influence of Maya.
The hindus,while not ready to engage themselves fulltime,are still quite pious,but some do not wish to change their previous worship of Demigods and customs.In the long run,their influence can be quite detrimental as they tend to think that vaisnavism is for hindus only,and so prefer to have classes in hindi,even if there is the presence of guests who do not understand hindi.They do give generously to the temples,but some wish also to control everthing according to their understanding mixed with casteism,Demigod worshipping,paid pujaris etc..
Prabhupada named his society "international Society" as he wish to unite all creeds and nations under Lord Krishna,using English language as language tool and his books for the next 10,000 yrs.
So,the solution is to follow his instructions,never neglect any guest who dont understand the language spoken at classes,meaning translation should be organised whenever necessary,otherwise the frustrated guests will never return.
In case English is not understood at classes,translation into local language should be done.
Regarding Demigods,its not necessary in a vaisnava temple,as Lord Krsna is the supreme Personality of Godhead,and fullfills all desires!
The GBC is supposed to see to the spiritual standards in all temples of the world,and so, a list of dos and donts should be carried out by all temples,so that pilgrims feel comfortable at temples all over the world.

It seems to me there is a chance that our temples become an Indian based organisation in some parts of the world....for the sake of some donations for maintenance. I always thought that Srila Prabhupada had instructed temples to primarily distribute books to raise laksmi...and of course donations from guests and congregation are another source.

The domination of hindu-kichri philosophy in India is one of the driving reasons for Prabhupada leaving India to pursue his spiritual masters order.
I cant believe he left India just to replicate it in the West. If Prabhupada really wanted to create a hindu-kichri society, he would have never left India.

he instructed Jananivasa, Mayapur Pujari- dont get bengalized...

...weak leadership = hinduization of Iskcon.

Interesting to note that when Prabhupada started his preaching and building of temples in India, he said that it was his own addition, his spiritual master asked him only to preach in the West. So Indian preaching was Prabhupadas own contribution. Obiously in India it was hindu oriented... needless to add. And yes it was very sucessful and still is.

On Prabhupada in India: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vediculture/message/10874

Demigod Worship???

the " Hinduization of Iskcon " is a good thing, otherwise there would be no more Iskcon at all.

The problem with hindus is that most pray in order to get wealth,health and shanti!Many do not wish to stop eating meat,and those who join in India,wish to go to USA,and get the green card,and leave for "normal life! Iskcon shouldnt accept the perverted vision of rich hindus,who sometimes give donations,with many conditions,such as glorifying their names,Demigod worship,exclusion of other races etc....Gradually Iskcon will lose its identity![it already has in some parts of the world]
The Uk government recently gave a big donation[10 million pounds] for hindu education,in which Iskcon is present[the I-Foundation]....the website has dissappeared!...but there are many conditions for such donations,such as Iskcon should be considered as another hindu organisation,and not international:such condition turns Iskcon into a weak organisation,which will not preach to the other races...

I am not an advocate for hinduization, but here is another angle to add to the discussion:

(Gita 7.14) catur-vidhuc0u257 bhajante mu257 u109 u769 janu257 hu803 sukru803 tino rjuna: "Four kinds of pious men begin to render devotional service unto Me"

(Purport 7.18) "It is not that devotees who are less complete in knowledge are not dear to the Lord. The Lord says that all are magnanimous because anyone who comes to the Lord for any purpose is called a mahu257 tmu257 , or great soul. The devotees who want some benefit out of devotional service are accepted by the Lord because there is an exchange of affection. Out of affection they ask the Lord for some material benefit, and when they get it they become so satisfied that they also advance in devotional service."

[quote][cite] hariharibol:[/cite]the " Hinduization of Iskcon " is a good thing, otherwise there would be no more Iskcon at all.[/quote]

Thats an overstatement which has to be geographically specified - "in some places, 1. usually with large hindu communities, 2. where traditional forms of preaching were more or less abandoned...".

East Europe is definitely not fulfilling those two conditions for hinduization.

When I was a bhakta, there were literally hundreds of guests at the Sunday feast each week, and barely any "hindu born people". Finally one family decided to become ISKCON devotees.

I was glad that finally some "hindus" surrendered instead of just going to the feast. Another bhakta joined whose family always brought him to the temple. Immediately after he joined his parents paid for a deprogrammer to get him out of ISKCON. They wanted him to be a devotee of Krishna, but surrendering his life was too much.

I think it is very offensive to say that ISKCON only wants hindus to join or participate in the temples for their $MONEY$. We always were concerned with the spiritual welfare of these devotees, as much as anyone elses, and even more, because they already had the culture.

If the choice was mine, and if only Indian people joined ISKCON and no non Indians, then I would rather have every Indian born in America join than one non Indian and have the rest of the country remain in maya.

The problem isnt too many Indians joining the temples, the problem is too many non Indians arent joining as much as they used to. I havent seen a new devotee made in a long time.

Regarding new devotees and the general state of Iskcon, Europe and USA are the most affected by the tsunami of departed gurus! In Eastern Europe,and newer places,temples are flourishing,thousands of new devotees are being initiated and in some mangal aratis in these countries,there are thousands of devotees enthusiastically participating.
There are also many new devotees ,as well as ex-Iskcon devotees, in Gaudiya Math centres in USA or Europe.