If you are a follower of Srila Prabhupada, it is essential to be vigilant while visiting an ISKCON temple. The deviation from Srila Prabhupada's original teachings in ISKCON temples has caused major concerns for devotees around the world.
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“The Final Order by Krishnakant Desai has been perhaps the most influential post-1977 publication in the Vaisnava world.”
– HH Bhakti Vikasa Swami, ISKCON guru
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Whether you are already familiar with the movement or a new follower, it is crucial to recognize the deviations from Srila Prabhupada's teachings in ISKCON temples. Please read further as we uncover the truth behind ISKCON temples and help us restore Srila Prabhupada as the diksa guru for ISKCON.
The Foundation of ISKCON Temples
ISKCON temples were founded by his Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. His teachings focus on the importance of devotional service and the worship of Lord Krishna. The first ISKCON temple was established in New York City in 1966. Through his teachings, Srila Prabhupada gained a substantial following and many more ISKCON temples were built around the world.
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) began as a great ray of spiritual hope for a civilisation more and more discontented with its materialistic way of life. In a short space of time, “Hare Krishna” became a household word, having inspired everyone from George Harrison of The Beatles to University professors. It moved Dr. Harvey Cox, a professor of Divinity at Harvard University, to refer to Srila Prabhupada as “one in a hundred million”, and his work as a “stunning accomplishment”. It was indeed a monumental achievement.
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Unfortunately, as monumental, but largely hidden from visitors and supporters of ISKCON temples, was the Great Guru Hoax which was perpetrated in Srila Prabhupada’s name soon after his departure. This hoax removed Srila Prabhupada as ISKCON’s sole diksa (initiating) guru, against his orders, and replaced him with numerous unauthorized fraudster gurus who usurped his position. This hoax was so damaging in scope that it reduced a once great spiritual movement, offering a spiritual panacea and peaceful way of life to increasing millions, to a rapidly fracturing cult embroiled in a continuing litany of scandals, with disgruntled members leaving the organisation in large numbers. The HarperCollins Dictionary of Religion summarised the situation as follows:
“Abhay Charan De (1896-1977) arrived in New York in 1965 to teach devotion to Krishna and founded ISKCON, popularly known as the Hare Krishna Movement. He attracted young Americans to Krishna devotion, established urban temples, vegetarian restaurants, and several rural communes. […] After his death, a group of gurus from among his American followers assumed leadership, each with responsibility for a geographical area. Division, litigation, expulsions, and scandal have reduced the core membership to below two thousand and stifled new initiations.”
This degeneration was also acknowledged by ISKCON itself, with the then chairman of ISKCON’s governing body, known as the Governing Body Commission (GBC), asking:
“How will we deal with our polarized and disintegrating society?”
(GBC memo, May 2000)
It is critical to understand how these developments have impacted the original foundation of ISKCON temples and to be aware of the deviations spawned from the Great Guru Hoax to avoid being cheated.
Deviation from Srila Prabhupada's Teachings
The desire to usurp Srila Prabhupada's position as ISKCON's guru lies at the heart of ISKCON temples’ deviations. The ISKCON Revival Movement (IRM) is a body composed of ISKCON devotees from all over the world who want to see the Society put back on track, in line with the directives of its Founder, Srila Prabhupada. The IRM exposes the deviations within ISKCON temples and the ISKCON gurus who are not following Srila Prabhupada's teachings. The IRM also documents how the GBC itself has contributed to these deviations.
The ISKCON gurus continue their hoax, thanks to all the facilities provided to them by the ISKCON temples. The IRM, through its website and free Back To Prabhupada magazine, emphasizes this fact and highlights the need to restore the purity of Srila Prabhupada's movement.
The IRM publishes the free magazine Back To Prabhupada (BTP) to address the serious crisis facing ISKCON and its temples. Since its launch, this quarterly journal has taken the ISKCON world by storm. Issue upon issue has exposed how the Great Guru Hoax and other problems ailing ISKCON temples are all a result of the movement having deviated from the orders of its Founder and Guru, Srila Prabhupada. And BTP has offered the solutions to these problems by presenting these orders from Srila Prabhupada that need to be followed.
BTP distils the key truths about Srila Prabhupada and the great ISKCON movement he founded. In this free magazine, you will learn the true extent of the guru hoax which exists in current-day ISKCON, the incontrovertible proof for what Srila Prabhupada actually ordered for ISKCON and its temples, what the IRM is doing to revive ISKCON temples, and how you can help.
Next step
It is essential to recognize the hoax that is currently being promoted in ISKCON temples to avoid being cheated. This begins by understanding what Srila Prabhupada actually ordered for his movement, starting with his instruction that he remain ISKCON’s sole diksa guru.
It is not possible to perform devotional service without even knowing for sure the identity of the current, authorised representative of Krishna through whom you are offering that very service. How can we approach Krishna, or assist others to do so (the whole purpose of all preaching and ISKCON temples), if we do not even know who the bona fide guru is?
Therefore, before visiting any ISKCON temple, educate yourself about Srila Prabhupada’s position and avoid being cheated: Subscribe to BTP magazine for FREE here.
Read more about ISKCON temples here.
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