In the previous 4 issues we have documented how demigod worship is rife throughout the whole of ISKCON. For example, in the last issue we highlighted one of ISKCON’s leading gurus, HH Bhakti Charu Swami leading the worship of Lord Shiva in the temple room of his project in Ujjain (please see BTP 19, “Another ISKCON guru establishes demigod worship in ISKCON”). HH Danavir Goswami, a GBC voted-in ISKCON guru, has stated that such an activity should not be undertaken:
“Those who are attracted to Lord Siva would do well to follow his own example by exclusively worshiping and glorifying Lord Krishna.”
We had also previously highlighted how HH Sivarama Swami’s project in Hungary worships Lord Shiva (please see BTP 17, “Demigod worship spreads to ISKCON Hungary”), which was justified by them claiming:
“Actually we worship Lord Siva as Gopisvara Mahadeva […] Lord Siva is the best of the vaisnavas […] That’s why we worship Them.”
(New Vraja-dhama, ISKCON Hungary, August 18th, 2007).
HH Danavir Goswami, has also stated that this is not a justification for worshiping Lord Shiva:
“There are some immature devotees of Krishna who chant prayers to the demigod Siva on the basis that worship of Krishna’s devotee is superior to worship of Krishna Himself. Although it is true that Lord Siva is the greatest Vaisnava, nevertheless, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the yuga avatara for this age, has clearly stipulated that the only process for self-realization is chanting the names of Hari.”
(both quotes published on “Dandavats”, the GBC-funded website, 15/6/2008)
As with so many issues, whether it be the secularisation, commercialisation or ”Hinduisation” of ISKCON, or the sex literature written by Satsvarupa Das (which the GBC forced him to withdraw after we highlighted it), BTP is setting the standard in how to not deviate from Srila Prabhupada’s instructions, and even some of ISKCON’s deviant leaders are waking up!
