Back To Prabhupada, Issue 54, Winter 2016/17
elcome to Issue 54 of Back To Prabhupada (BTP).
Our new BTP "ISKCON Leaders" Special Issue (available for free – just request by writing to irm@iskconirm.com) documents how ISKCON's leaders offer *16* different proofs themselves that Srila Prabhupada is ISKCON's diksa guru. Any reasonable person would accept that one cannot be any more defeated than when one defeats oneself – not once, but 16 times. Yet, ISKCON's leaders will still not accept that they have been defeated, not just by Srila Prabhupada and the IRM, but also now by themselves. Such stubborn shamelessness brings to mind the following statement from Srila Prabhupada:
"But they are shameless. In spite of being defeated, they won't admit that "I am defeated." Not gentlemen. Formerly, between two learned scholars there will be argument. If one is defeated... Just like Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. As soon as he became defeated, he became His disciple. That's all. That was the system. Not that we go on arguing for hours, and one is defeated; still he remains the same. No. If you are defeated, then you must accept the other party as your master."
(Morning Walk, 2/5/73, emphases added)
Hence, the basic issue we are facing is that ISKCON's leaders are not even gentlemen, never mind Vaisnavas or ‘good as God' self-realised diksa gurus. Rather, we are dealing with persons motivated by a desire for position and self-aggrandisement, which precludes them from being gentlemen who will admit defeat, even when they have defeated themselves! The article on this issue's back page gives a particularly egregious example of the level of blatant cheating that permeates ISKCON's leadership.
In this respect, in an attempt to be a gentleman, The Final Order was written specifically in a manner inviting defeat. It asks for and examines the evidence for "Modifications A and B" made to the July 9th, 1977 directive issued by Srila
Prabhupada. If such evidence is submitted, TFO is defeated, and such defeat will be accepted. The IRM has no properties, positions, or income streams at stake.
Given that ISKCON's leaders are not gentlemen, we have often been asked why we bother, when we are facing such a wall of resistance to the truth. Why continue when our efforts appear futile?
Our answer is two-fold:
1) Firstly, as evidenced by the response we have received to our efforts – demonstrated not just by the readers' letters we have published, but also by those who are supporting and have joined our efforts – it is clear that there are devotees in ISKCON who are willing to be gentlemen and admit that they may have been wrong. Even if their leaders will not. (Of course, by the term "gentlemen", we refer to Srila Prabhupada's words in the quote, and also mean all female devotees.)
2) The second point relates to facing a lack of interest in general. Srila Prabhupada states:
Tamala Krsna: "We shouldn't be impatient to compromise just to..."
Srila Prabhupada: "There is no question of becoming impatient. You have got diamond. No buyer of diamond – that does not mean you have to throw it away."
Tamala Krsna: "And sell something less."
Srila Prabhupada: "Yes. Diamond is diamond. It must be purchased by the suitable customer. Because there is no customer I shall throw it away? So we have got diamond. It is not possible that everyone will purchase it, but there must be diamonds. People must know that "Here is diamond. If I want it, I must pay the proper price." That I want to establish."
(Room Conversation, 22/3/77)
Similarly, the "customers" for the unvarnished truth about Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON, which does not offer opportunities for profit, adoration and distinction (PAD), will be few and far between, whether they are from within or outside of ISKCON. But we cannot compromise, be impatient or give up. Rather, we must continue with our duty, regardless of the results, which are up to Krishna.
Thank you and Hare Krishna.
In Srila Prabhupada's service,
Krishnakant
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