Back To Prabhupada, Issue 45, Autumn 2014, Editorial
Welcome to Issue 45 of Back To Prabhupada (BTP).
In regards to the IRM's mission to expose and rectify the deviations in ISKCON, some have objected that instead of engaging in such an adversarial endeavour, we should simply "leave it to Krsna" to fix such matters. After all, it is argued, Lord Krsna does instruct in the Bhagavad-gita that:
"In all activities just depend upon Me and work always under My protection. In such devotional service, be fully conscious of Me."
(Bg., 18.57)
And hence, why are we afraid to depend on Krsna? Where is our faith? ISKCON is a transcendental society and therefore Lord Krsna will directly intervene to ensure it remains on track. Why are we thinking that "we are the doer"?
However, though it is a fact that we should "depend on Krsna", this is what it actually means (all emphases added):
"So, so this is our process, to depend on Krsna. Depend does not mean I shall remain idle. Depend means to work according to the direction of the sastra. [...] Depend does not mean, "Now let me sleep, and Krsna will do everything. Depend on Krsna." No, not like that. Krsna never advised Arjuna that "You sleep on this chariot. [Laughter] I'll..." Hare Krsna. He never said that. He said, "You must have to fight." Yudhyasva mam anusmara [Bg. 8.7]. "Fighting you have to do. But you always think of Me." This is the success. Not that depend on Krsna means, "I have not to, nothing to do.""
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, 14/7/74)
"Regarding the outlaws, why police protection is not there? Does it mean that in the United States if somebody is threatened, he will have no state protection and must submit to the atrocities of the outlaws? Our point should be that we shall take all necessary steps for self-protection, depending the result on Krishna. We should not idly sit down simply depending on Krishna. Arjuna had to fight in the battlefield, but at the same time he heard Bhagavad-gita. Our motto shall be like that. Neither we shall fight alone, without Krishna Consciousness, nor we shall give up all possible facilities in Krishna Consciousness."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, 9/2/69)
Therefore: yes, we must depend on Krsna in all circumstances. But this does not mean that we must remain idle. It means that we should take all necessary steps and fight wherever required. It means that we should depend on Krsna for the result, and always think of Him in our activities.
Hence, the activities of the IRM are correctly situated. We are taking the necessary steps required for "self-protection" for ourselves and other devotees from the "atrocities of the outlaws", which currently in ISKCON mean the cheaters, hoaxers, deviants and misleaders, who claim to be acting on Srila Prabhupada's behalf. And we are fighting for the truth. But, most importantly, we are always endeavouring to depend on Krsna for the results and think of Him in all activities.
Indeed, using "leaving it up to Krsna" as an excuse to get the IRM to stop their activities is massively hypocritical. For such an objection seems to be used only in relation to the activities of the IRM. If those who believe that "leaving it up to Krsna" means to do nothing when there are problems in ISKCON, then why do they not apply this belief in relation to the IRM itself, which they believe is causing a problem within ISKCON? Why ban the IRM? Why take any sort of action against the IRM, such as going to the extent of trying to collect BTP magazines off devotees who have already accepted them at ISKCON festivals? Why not just depend on Krsna to collect them back!? Why not just let us do whatever we want without limit and just leave it up to Krsna to stop us!?
Thus, in conclusion, we do leave everything up to Krsna. Only, this means working actively for Krsna and depending on Him, rather than doing nothing as quoted above. So we ask everyone to fight for Krsna and for Srila Prabhupada by reviving and saving his movement.
Thank you and Hare Krsna.
In Srila Prabhupada's service,
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