Kalakantha prabhu was my bhakta leader. He was getting initiated the first day I visited the temple and was the first devotee I met. Thanks to him yet again for many thought provoking perspectives on what it means to preach Krishna consciousness effectively, seems he is still teaching me. My humble pranam to him.
Hare Krishna Another amazing podcast and again very deep but in a simple way discussed. ISKCON is constipated, definitely an interesting statement. When I speak to lots of Srila Prabhupada disciples they always speak of how simple things were, how they were a community doing everything together, how men and women would mix freely but focused on Krishna. They also then look sad as they reflect on what ISKCON has lost focused on over organisation and excessive courses and regulations. As I spoke to one devotee who for a time was temple president at Bhaktivadanta Manor summed it up nicely, Srila Prabhupada took the biggest risk he gave us initiation within weeks of joining, he gave us second initiation even though we knew very little and for some sangas if they desired. He took great risks for us and we loved him so much we took great risk for Srila Prabhupada, I would never change a thing. Srila Prabhupada treated us all the same, encouraged us, used our natural talents and made us devotees. It was a powerful statement May we start to take these risks again Again thank you
Hare Krsna, pamho, AgtSP women stay in this movement because of they are highly intelligent with impeccable humility, and strong faith in Srila Prabhupada's teachings.
Hare Krishna! Heartfelt pranams to our old friend Kalakantha Prabhu! He and his wonderful family will always be some of our favorite devotees! Thank you to the podcasters and good job everyone, this was a brilliant and much needed conversation.
hare krishna and greetings from germany. i listened for the first time. very interesting. lot of criticism here as well. we should be very grateful for this channel and have in mind, that whatever we say/think will never be liked a 100%. and about prabhupada. when you think how he grew up and how different times were even 50 years ago, we shall realize how fast life, opinions and conditioning of the mind changes nowadays. krishna is free from all this, so lets just enbrace all different opinions and focus on the same spiritual goal we all have and where all material thoughts/opinions are thrown out of the window. great podcast - great work - great enthusiasm 🙏🙏🙏
After speaking with the open-minded New Age spiritualist in my area about the Hare Krishna movement. What I found was many were interested in kirtan and the Gita but the strict rules, and treatment of women they found based on their understanding of what spiritual growth looks like to be disturbing. There are so many beautiful spiritual practices that allow people to love and treat each other with respect and kindness and gradually advance at their own personal timing. So in comparison they quickly lost interest. Also many people prefer learning from plant medicine so they don’t feel like they need a guru. Especially when there’s a history of gurus being abusers. Personally, I have a deep respect for all devotees. I know everyone’s just trying to do their best, but also I definitely see where things could improve.
so you dont distinguish between those spreading culture which elevates and those spreading culture which victimises? Krsna conscious culture makes people healthy whereas other culture produces misery and sickness.
I just moved back into a gaudiya ashrama after being not in one for 4 years and recently went on a plant medicine which helped me reconcile all the homophobia, racism and misogyny. And the devotees have given me a lot of love and so I try to be a honeybee and hope I can be the change I want to see
There are 1,000,000 ways to be cheated in the material world, and only 1 Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth will take you back to the spiritual world. Picking and choosing what you like in spiritual life is an exhibition of Your false ego and a sign you are still identifying as the body. Women need to be controlled because they are very easily manipulated and because the fathers have to get their daughters married. If not then what will happen is what we have in the world...women treated like prostitutes and unwanted population which results in famine, war, etc. Don't be a wishy washy weak spiritualist. Hare Krishna ❤
Hare Krsna! I have had direct experience of women not wanting to join our movement due to questions of "gender equity" . Even for some women who join the movement, those same questions keep them on the perimeter rather than becoming fully engaged. It is definitely an obstacle to our advancement and the spreading the movement. We have to do better and serve Srila Prabhupada better 🙏🏾🌹
Just wondering if it's actually necessary to have two hosts for one guest speaker? It made for too much light hearted banter that distracts...just giving my honest opinion..I have got a lot out of some of your other podcasts. Jai.
I agree that the other prabhu was talking way too much and interrupting Kalakantha pr all the time sharing his own stuff. Please let the guests finish their thoughts before overtaking. Not very polite
@@doaromaterrapie_defelt the same. As good as the content was he dominated way too much in the show i felt. Mayby it's just me but I really appreciate when there's a fair chance for all involved to share shown..🙌
I agree as well. I love Venkata Bhatta Prabhu’s inputs and contributions in every podcast but I felt that he interrupted way too much here. Please don’t feel offended Prabhu. I’m just giving some constructive feedback. 🙇🏻♀️🙏🏼
@@doaromaterrapie_de he cuts in and talks over guests all the time. Its very distracting. Why have guests on if you are going to have a co host talk over them and answer questions for them? Hes an intelligent guy but awkward constantly and doesn't understand boundary's.
Venkatta bhatta definitely adds a critical and thoughtful vibe. It plays off Namarasa's more amicable and easy going vibe to give the show an overall good balance
Nice one prabhus. Always good to hear from Kalakantha Kavi. Balanced and thoughtful. Yes, ISKCON is way out of step with broader society when it comes to gender equity. How much we want to lockstep with them is another thing, but Srila Prabhupada did say that when it comes to preaching, men and women are equal. And certainly, the GBC exceed their remit by dictating who can or cannot be your guru. They are supposed to be managing ISKCON, not people’s life decisions. As Kalakantha prabhu knows only too well, I’ve been battling on this front for decades. My latest effort is a paper in the 2024 ICJ. (tried posting a link but the comment gets deleted ☹ )
02:05 - Intro & Background of Kalakantha prabhu 06:30 - Writing books and poems as a service 16:30 - Process of writing poems & use of AI 24:54 - What is Krishna House Project 32:09 - Liberal vs conservative approach in preaching to locals 51:07 - KH vetting process 56:56 - Srila Prabhupada's mood in west 59:00 - Vaisnavi Diksha Guru 1:03:34 - Guru's position in ISKCON 1:26:40 - Treatment of women in ISKCON 1:41:09 - How to coexist with differences
Hare Krishna “prabus” and matajis and devis!🙂🙏. I don’t know why this “prabhu” thing came up again. Those who are not Sanskrit speakers should think of it like “Mister”, comes from “Master” or “Prabhu”. This should sound really strange for a lady, called “Mister “, isn’t it? When Srila Prabhupada did it, that was a different situation, very special for preaching and beginning. Can you imagine that the Pandavas referring their mother as “Prabhu”? Or calling Draupadi “prabhu”? Ys: GGd
Prabhupada used the word Prabhu to refer to the Vaisnavis in the movement, not his sister or mother. Nowhere did he say it was just something for preaching or the beginning of the movement. This interpretation does not have a basis on what Prabhupada said.
Another, eye opener & heart warming & inspirational podcast from pioneer of HARE Krishna pod. Thankyou prabhu. Always been fan from your 1st episode. Always looking forward to seeing, hearing from you, Mr V & the guests. May you flourish in your skills, responsibilities & love for SRILA PRABHUPADA is my humble prayers to their lordship in Melbourne. HARE Krishna
Interesting that some Christian groups do not allow women to be ordained as priests, but their philosophy is very different. They believe that if one is born a man or a woman, that is their eternal form and if they go to heaven, they will continue as man or woman. The Bhagavad Gita philosophy is different, though. We were all born not only as men or women in past lives but also in different species. With this understanding, it is hard to comprehend why some people put so much emphasis on the body one is born even more than on the fact that everyone is an eternal part of Krishna as a servant and they should be able to serve according to t heir nature.
This is good therapy for me.....i was going to the Hare Krsna farm in Australia for 15 years...just presenting myself to be accepted and to get involved...but there was no ashram system...actually no real accomodation...one time i donated a matress so i could sleep,another time i bought a van so i had somewhere to stay...funny thing...its still going on for me although they have a womens ashram now,im expected to go through the yoga school and do a certain amount of hours but im already a devotee...i know all the songs,I have a good grasp of the philosophy,im doing the 4 regs...doesnt make sense...but maybe they need to instigate this programme...any attempts at communication ends up in bullying and closing down of my throat chakra by the management...i just wish i actually knew what the problem was...anyway...Hare Krsna.
Very nice points! I appreciate what he is establishing! Any organization will not flourish if you do not see it as one movement and are not open to the bigger picture and mood. I love hearing the origins of the movement.
I appreciate this discussion. Am amazed that the hosts are so surprised that gender equity would make a huge difference and that its taken so long for iskcon to realise how off-putting it's been to women. Its not a "small thing"
You gotta get Rsabdeva Prabhu on your show He can tell you the story of the early history of the west coast temples and how they were paid for and much much more!
Waiting is hard Prabhu , RUclips is vicious place if i can't get favorable Podcasts like these i would definitely get involved in Worldly yotube prajalpa , so make these conversations frequent
Forgive me if i'm wrong as I have not heard the podcast yet as it has not aired but from the title I can imagine, please forgive me if I'm wrong. But from my understanding we are not male or female but soul. In our next life or previous lives we have been men, women or ants etc etc each life is like the flash of a light switch in eternity so no need to be disturbed by the subject of man or women it's all temporary, soul just jumping from one body to another.
I guess he may say that women get discriminated against and seen as less than men and called less intelligent etc but because we women are intelligent enough to follow Srila Prabhupada he shows us how to be fully engaged in service despite any impediments
@@anjaliradheYou Are a Strong Woman Indeed, podcast dedicated to sharing Krishna's love with women around the world. Due to stringent guidelines, they may face challenges in launching this initiative initially.
Thank you! I seen the miracle he has done in Gainesville! Thank you for advocating to women Dikshas and Prabhu’s for all! And so many other points! Very inspiring! Goodluck in Mayapur! His book The God who Dances! Ki Jay! Hari Hari! Just add Krishna! Thank you!
Hare Krishna. As much as I respect Kalakantha prabhu's achievements at Krishna House in Gainesville, I have to say that there are other successful models for making and training devotees. Although there may be some controversy about HH Bhakti Vikasa swami's Atlanta project; having been there recently its very impressive how they are attracting some very nice young male and female devotees, and distributing thousands of books. Many of Krishna house devotees join there in Gainesville, but generally they already know about Krishna consciousness, whereas in Atlanta they make brand new devotees. Also having just visited London and Wales, I was very impressed by the quality of devotees joining there. From what I've seen these other centers engage their new people in sankirtan as soon as possible, which seems to add additional enthusiasm.Admittedly this is a challenge at Krishna house, because most devotees are tied up with the Krishna lunch, which in itself is a great program distributing thousands of plates of prasadam and thereby maintaining Krishna house. Although these other temples also make female devotees, there really doesn't seem to be any resentment on their part, about no female diksa gurus, in fact they don;t even seem to think about it, possibly because noone is agitating ther minds about it, Because they feel cared for and are not mistreated, it seems the question, does not arise. I personally haven't heard many, if any, Vaisnavis complaining about the present treatment of women in ISKCON, and Im certainly aware of how Vaisnavis were terribly mistreated by lusty neophyte male devotees, back in the early days. I am neither in favor nor opposed to female diksa gurus. I do see though, that even in America, where I live, and having spoken to women belonging to the Catholic and the Mormon faiths, the women don't seem to mind at all, if they don't become priests, so to speak. They seem perfectly satisfied. Of course we all want to do the "right thing", but doing the politically correct thing in the eyes of mundane society may not necessarily be the right thing, especially as Srila Prabhupada himself did not name any female diksa gurus. Is it wise to be bold enough to do something that he specifically said wasn't to be done, in his purport about Suniti being Dhruva Maharaja's guru? I'm just posing the question!, I don't see ISKCON being constipated where there is sankirtan going on!! Another important point is that, even IF, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada were following properly, there's no guarantee that he would attract any disciples, which would be somewhat embarrassing, if he{she] went through the whole 9 yards of becoming a guru. Also there has to be some recognition of some basic requirements to accept disciples, just to protect impressionable new devotees from accepting someone who ,without being vetted, could cause them problems. Sorry, it's so long, but I feel these are important points. Actually, I have worked with Kalakantha prabhu for many years and respect his success. So much so that I have sent many new people to him for training. Hare Krishna your servant, Adikarta das
@@NamarasaPodcast Thank you Namarasa prabhu. One last thing that is quite pertinent here, is that like it or not, His Holiness Sivarama swami has been designated, both by His Holiness Satsvarupa Maharaja, and His Grace, the late Gopiparanadhana as one of, if not ,the deepest thinker in ISKCON. There is written evidence of this that can be supplied. Anyway, he is not in favor of FDG's. However, unlike the person{s} that Kalakantha prabhu had mentioned, had threatened to split ISKCON, he is totally committed to staying in and supporting Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON. However, the last time I spoke to one of the prominently famous anti FDG gurus, he did'nt have the mindset of splitting ISKCON.These are all simply points of information, and do not neccesarily mean that Kalakantha prabhu doesn't have any valid points.
Ooh, one very last thing. I am actually very grateful to Kalakantha prabhu, for helping me get approved to initiate. I have very few disciples, but people need shelter and guidance, and I'm happy to do that up to the level I am qualified.
Kalakanta Prabhu did not give the complete definition of a Uttama Adikary. I will refer my esteemed senior God brother and the readers, to refer to the Nectar of Instruction and the purports therein to understand what an exalted devotional state it is it. Please don't be cheated, do your own diligent study
Haribol, Sugata Prabhu. Yes, Srila Prabhupada and Srimad Bhagavatam give many descriptions of the uttama adhikari. The following is the one I was referring to, from NOI verse 5: "When a neophyte devotee is actually initiated and engaged in devotional service by the orders of the spiritual master, he should be accepted immediately as a bona fide Vaiṣṇava, and obeisances should be offered unto him. Out of many such Vaiṣṇavas, one may be found to be very seriously engaged in the service of the Lord and strictly following all the regulative principles, chanting the prescribed number of rounds on japa beads and always thinking of how to expand the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Such a Vaiṣṇava should be accepted as an uttama-adhikārī, a highly advanced devotee, and his association should always be sought."
@@carlwoodham5672thank you very much for taking the time to respond to this comment Prabhu. And thank you for sharing your realizations so freely with us. I hope to be able to embody what you’ve spoken. 🙏🏻 Your servant, Govinda Dasa
Thank you for your podcast, which to me is enriching and heartwarming because it allows me to get a glimpse into the character of high-profile devotees in a non judgmental, relaxed environment. I particularly like the questions that Namarasaji puts forward to his guests. They are so earnest and good-hearted, creating an environment of warmth, trust, and respect. Thank you, Namarasa Prabhu, for that singular sympathy you embody, which makes the world, and certainly God Himself, love you with endearment. Regarding one of today's subjects, the Guru status in ISKCON: Rivers of ink have been used (wasted?) and oceans of saliva and waves of sound have penetrated the ether, muddling minds and hearts into neurotic stated of consciousness. Your guest says all are gurus, some proponents say none are qualified to be gurus, and the ritvik says only Srila Prabhupada is guru. Having joined in 1978 and being a multiple battered person with Stockholm syndrome 😁 I have waded blindly and alone, through the zonal acharya pandemic, grihastha versus non-grihastha status, ritvik wars, child abuse horror, multiple reform movements, Gaudiya Math schisms and factions, female versus male core qualifications, ISKCON West versus ISKCON India and of course heaps of personal upheaval and drama. I wonder if there will ever be a single hour of global peace in this movement of ours? Having duly read, pondered and prayed about the guru business a lot (too much, really), I have come to an opinion which is as good as any other and might I say has scope to be a true game changer. At least it is what I hope from the bottom of my heart. I begin my premise by stating the absolute truths of ISKCON that everyone, may it be dogmatically, eagerly agrees on: Srila Prabhupada is our founder-acharya, and his books are his instructions for us to follow ad vitam aeternam. We have the incredible privilege of a source teacher as it is with a source curriculum as it is. As disciples and being part of his disciplic succession, we are to follow him as our prime teacher and live our lives by his very vast body of instructions and teachings. Being the embodiment of compassion and deeply caring about the miserable plight of all living beings, he begs his followers to share his teachings in an appropriate manner for the true upliftment of humanity. Those who take the responsibility of presenting Srila Prabhupada’s teachings must do so in accordance with the level of understanding and particular situation of the interested party, as per Srila Prabhupada’s specific orders. Your guest seems to follow that guideline in his own endeavor in proper discipleship. When sufficient understanding and trust in Srila Prabhupada’s guidance is established, the interested party may then become a member of Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON family through that person who has established him or herself as a trustworthy loving disciple of Srila Prabhupada. That mentor consistently, with due process and without closing date, tasks him or herself ensuring to preserve and further the connection of the earnest and well informed candidate to Srila Prabhupada through his adequate compassionate personal guidance just as Srila Prabhupada carefully and delicately made it very humbly his mission to connect all of his disciples with the Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya through the guidance of his own beloved guru Srila Bhaktisidhanta Saraswati. That unadulterated pledge is the sacrificial fire of initiation. Srila Prabhupada was unbelievably delicate and so incredibly strong, providing us with the whole scope of spiritual reality. It is unmatched in the religious culture of the world but ISKCON is its own worst enemy, as Srila Prabhupada predicted it would be. Being true representatives of Srila Prabhupada’s that is the question! I suspect you might say: but that is exactly what the newly rubber-stamped gurus are meant to be. Allow me to point to the reality of 44 years of guru culture in Iskcon. Often the candidate is a representative of his own personal vision of the philosophy as in the “I did it my way” manner. Often, he or she uses either their charisma, social standing, personal ambition smoldering with the usual ego frailties, clientelism or shared interests with decision-makers, political savviness, and other means that are commonly used in human power brokerage in order to maintain status or the ultimate excuse to “expand” the movement. Masculine material nature is often result- or number-oriented privileging institutional hierarchy and so often neglect the delicate heart that Bhakti needs. This mentality often lacks genuine humility, plagued by an insatiable hunger for power and recognition fueled by primal fear. The female material energy may be fraught with overly emotional and physical dependency and deep insecurity, which affects spiritual intelligence and fosters the tendency to become despondent. Both genders are materially flawed and need vetting and monitoring. Rarely, although there are glorious exceptions, did I have the extraordinary grace to meet a true via media, a transparent Srila Prabhupada disciple eager to durably help me connect deeply with the extraordinary master Srila Prabhupada is, capable of a non-judgmental expertise brokering my true bond of belonging with Srila Prabhupada’s Iskcon family and the capacity to mentor me to become an asset to that family. Being the faithful keeper of the living presence of Srila Prabhupada in his books, this faithful disciple ensures this very much alive presence to be the fuel and glue of the community. Those who truly wish to profoundly embed this movement into society must take to heart becoming ardent, faithful, satisfied disciples of Srila Prabhupada and imbibe his foremost quality which is compassion towards others. And make no mistake we need all the help we can get to achieve that particular bond. Our men and women have a formidable responsibility as stewards of his legacy. It is a glorious task, and as your guest repeatedly recalled, Srila Prabhupada entrusted all to be his emissaries provided they never loose the true transparency of their absolute fealty and loyalty to him. So let’s all become just that : true disciples of our Founder Acharya in the deepest sense of the word. Gurus, sanyassis, grhasthas men and women alike. Brothers and sisters helping each other sincerely and adequately, in order to unburden each other of our multiple sins and thus fostering profound happiness in our collective work of compassion for all, in our fathers earthly Iskcon house. I, as a conditioned human being, need that man or woman who will help connect me with that undisputed personality of servitorship of Godhead in a compassionate and adequate manner. And I myself pledge that my only motivation in any encounter is to help my fellow brothers and sisters discover and uncover that delicious divine master Srila Prabhupada for their benefit, their happiness and upliftment. Gopi-bhartur pada-kamalayor dasa-dasa-dasanudasi Mathura Vrindavan dd Thank you for your attention.
Hare Krishna! Pamho. Liked the first few paragraphs. Also joined ISKCON in 1978 and accepted initiation in 1979. Validating others who may have different opinions and experiences is important to me in ISKCON. Having friends in many camps both within and outside of ISKCON is also important. Am taking exception with your last few paragraphs of your comments. Ritvikism without any kind of validation of those who are taking responsibility to assist others in their service to ISKCON, (aka Srila Prabhupada) is narrow minded. Also, where is the quote by Srila Prabhupada 51:12 that ISKCON would become its own worst enemy? It’s important to quote exactly your source when making such claims. Das anu das anu dasi, Kunti dd /ISKCON Dallas🙏🏽🪷🪔
@@lyndavannus7356 Dear Prabhu, I hope this message finds you well. I want to clarify my previous remarks, I’m not certain I fully understood your points, and I’m aware that my own writing may have been unclear. Since English is not my native language, I sometimes struggle to express myself as I intend. Regarding ritvikism, I do not support the idea that Srila Prabhupada should be the only Diksha Guru for ISKCON for all eternity. Srila Prabhupada himself refuted this system, and it is not aligned with the Gaudiya Vaisnava tradition. However, I strongly believe that all disciples in Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON have a duty to represent his teachings accurately and imbibe his mood deeply. There is immense benefit in this, as his formidable presence through his books and teachings is truly remarkable in transforming our limited material state into a profoundly expanded consciousness. In this expanded state, primal knowledge, peace, and happiness are just a few of the many gifts the soul encounters through its connection to the Supersoul. Unfortunately, I feel that many of us are not sufficiently engaged with his books. As Srila Prabhupada himself said plainly, "You are not reading my books." I have personally experienced, as have others, how superficial my understanding and practice of spiritual matters can be. By the grace of Chintamani Dasi and Krishna Dharma Prabhus, I have benefitted enormously from following Srila Prabhupada's instructions on how to read his books-preferably with other devotees, on a regular basis, and in a systematic way. Krishna Dharma Prabhu has written an extensive paper on how we can benefit more from our founder-acharya’s actual presence and how this presence delivers all the promises of associating with an Uttama Adhikari. Regarding your comment about the possibility of ISKCON being its own worst enemy, I have indeed taken the liberty of summarizing the numerous warnings Srila Prabhupada gave over the years while building his society into one phrase. He made statements such as: “Don’t fight. Then everything will be spoiled.” (Room conversation, March 1, 1977) “Anyway, everyone should be engaged. That’s all. No idle life. If we maintain some lazy men, then everything will be spoiled.” (Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta 2.49) “My anxiety is that in my absence, you may neglect Deity worship. Then the whole thing will be spoiled.” (Room Conversation with Richard Webster) There are countless warnings from Srila Prabhupada about how we, as his followers, might destroy this movement. Unfortunately, we have made many of these mistakes. However, this does not mean that ISKCON or its members are lost forever. It simply means that we need to recalibrate ourselves in alignment with the teachings of our founder-acharya. Regarding the importance of our own and others' opinions on spiritual life, these exchanges are indeed crucial. In the purport of text 4 of the Nectar of Instruction by Srila Rupa Goswami, Srila Prabhupada refers to these as loving exchanges. Since both you and I joined ISKCON in 1978 or 1979, we have likely experienced, as I have, the trauma of cultish behavior imposed by neophyte "would-be authorities." These individuals often branded questioning or expressing opinions as speculation and rebellion, punishing us with humiliation and alienation. This approach, which I believe gave us a distorted view of receiving honest feedback and ideas from others, is condemned by Srila Prabhupada. Love and trust are the foundations of Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON. As for your friendships with other spiritual movements or leaders, I am glad that you do not ostracize anyone based on dogma or party policy. Srila Prabhupada laid bare the science of spirituality, providing the means to analyze love and devotion for God in ourselves and others so that his followers can detect genuine Bhakti and avoid being misled by their own minds or by others. This knowledge is crucial in choosing one’s company. I am happy that you have been able to recognize the treasure of Bhakti in others. I wish you all the best and am grateful for our exchange. Your servant, Mathura Vrindavan Dasi
There are women temple presidents and so many women preaching and giving lectures. I am not sure where this is all coming from. The only thing that we don't have is women accepting disciples as diksa guru. How would you handle a situation of a women guru fall down with her disciples? We need to be prepared for handling such situations if we advocate for women gurus.
Pranam. No doubt a lot of good points made. But the main reason many devotees is in ISKCON don’t want to approve female diksha gurus at this time is for the reason of varnasrama dharma, which is also a major desire of Srila Prabhupada. That wasn’t discussed.
I wonder...is there a program to remain in touch with those 350 "graduates?" Where are they all now? I imagine only a small percentage will be fortunate enough to accept initiation. It seems that they would greatly benefit if they were to associate with a nearby ISKCON community.
I don’t know but two of them live in my community near the temple, are initiated, and involved in the temple /devotee sanga. I know of a five or six others that that were initiated, I see on facebook who seem still seem involved in kc. I probably only knew like 40 to begin with, not 350.
Hare Krishna. Dandavat. Prabhu I heard prabhupada's mayapur lecture on 7th April 1975. But there was no mention of what he was saying. Can you please share the link of that particular lecture when Prabhupada says to multiply by 10? Thank you.
Sorry for the offtopic comment Prabhu. I asked Edwin Bryant about him rejecting your invitation to the podcast and he said that he never rejects anyone and he does not recall you asking at all. Could you try once more? Maybe this time he'll agree to come to the podcast.
Please accept my humble pranaams Prapbhu please can you consider doing some podcast on the Mahabarath. I have come across Prapbupad saying it must come through the discipic succession and He himself intended to do a rendition. Thank you
So you are against gender equality? We are not this body and Srila Prabhupada said men and women can be Diksa initiating gurus, just as women became Brahman initiated.
Prabhupada also said some extremely racist things. I am appreciative of the American Bhakti movement but I can't get past that. Luckily, Krishna is beyond that and the folks who follow the movement I've found to be amazing.
Yes. Misogynist and racist. It was part of his rural Bengali culture.he also disparaged anyone who followers the non dual Advaita path. Fortunately many of his followers are spiritually maturing and don’t hold those views
Here is what our scriptures and acaryas say about "Basic quality for a Vaishnava" Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Adi-lila 8.24-26: "A pure devotee is always devoid of all material desires, and he is equal to everyone. He is very peaceful and is always in a transcendental position. He is very humble and has no desire for personal prestige. He is very compassionate to all living entities and is always engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord." This verse from the Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Adi-lila 8.24-26, summarizes the basic qualities of a Vaisnava: Devoid of all material desires Equal to everyone Peaceful and transcendental Humble and without desire for personal prestige Compassionate to all living entities Engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord So, putting tilak and dhoti doesn't really make it. It's definitely a good practice and should be put on regular basis but not required. As long as internal consciousness is connected to Krishna, why get hung up on externals?
Start with having women presidents for temples. Haven’t seen a lot of them really. Certain male presidents have been at the helm for more than 2 decades and need rest now please.
Listening to him talk about uttama adhikari you can tell that he hasn't had any uttama adhikari Vaisnava association since Srila Prabhupada left. Total speculation
@@scifikid108 can you please enlighten me on your understanding of this quote " Out of many such Vaiṣṇavas, one may be found to be very seriously engaged in the service of the Lord and strictly following all the regulative principles, chanting the prescribed number of rounds on japa beads and always thinking of how to expand the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Such a Vaiṣṇava should be accepted as an uttama-adhikārī, a highly advanced devotee, and his association should always be sought."
Thank you, loved this episode! 🫶🏻 “If we could just treat women equitably, we could spread Krishna consciousness. And it has to start at the top.” 1:28
Kalakantha prabhu was my bhakta leader. He was getting initiated the first day I visited the temple and was the first devotee I met. Thanks to him yet again for many thought provoking perspectives on what it means to preach Krishna consciousness effectively, seems he is still teaching me. My humble pranam to him.
Hare Krishna
Another amazing podcast and again very deep but in a simple way discussed.
ISKCON is constipated, definitely an interesting statement.
When I speak to lots of Srila Prabhupada disciples they always speak of how simple things were, how they were a community doing everything together, how men and women would mix freely but focused on Krishna.
They also then look sad as they reflect on what ISKCON has lost focused on over organisation and excessive courses and regulations.
As I spoke to one devotee who for a time was temple president at Bhaktivadanta Manor summed it up nicely, Srila Prabhupada took the biggest risk he gave us initiation within weeks of joining, he gave us second initiation even though we knew very little and for some sangas if they desired. He took great risks for us and we loved him so much we took great risk for Srila Prabhupada, I would never change a thing.
Srila Prabhupada treated us all the same, encouraged us, used our natural talents and made us devotees.
It was a powerful statement
May we start to take these risks again
Again thank you
Hare Krsna, pamho, AgtSP women stay in this movement because of they are highly intelligent with impeccable humility, and strong faith in Srila Prabhupada's teachings.
Tolerance and keeping the eye on the goal....let no one steal your devotional service. Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna! Heartfelt pranams to our old friend Kalakantha Prabhu! He and his wonderful family will always be some of our favorite devotees! Thank you to the podcasters and good job everyone, this was a brilliant and much needed conversation.
hare krishna and greetings from germany. i listened for the first time. very interesting. lot of criticism here as well. we should be very grateful for this channel and have in mind, that whatever we say/think will never be liked a 100%. and about prabhupada. when you think how he grew up and how different times were even 50 years ago, we shall realize how fast life, opinions and conditioning of the mind changes nowadays.
krishna is free from all this, so lets just enbrace all different opinions and focus on the same spiritual goal we all have and where all material thoughts/opinions are thrown out of the window.
great podcast - great work - great enthusiasm 🙏🙏🙏
nothing has changed, people just refuse to follow the instructions of their own founder aacharaaya, in a process known as fraud.
After speaking with the open-minded New Age spiritualist in my area about the Hare Krishna movement. What I found was many were interested in kirtan and the Gita but the strict rules, and treatment of women they found based on their understanding of what spiritual growth looks like to be disturbing. There are so many beautiful spiritual practices that allow people to love and treat each other with respect and kindness and gradually advance at their own personal timing. So in comparison they quickly lost interest. Also many people prefer learning from plant medicine so they don’t feel like they need a guru. Especially when there’s a history of gurus being abusers.
Personally, I have a deep respect for all devotees. I know everyone’s just trying to do their best, but also I definitely see where things could improve.
so you dont distinguish between those spreading culture which elevates and those spreading culture which victimises? Krsna conscious culture makes people healthy whereas other culture produces misery and sickness.
I just moved back into a gaudiya ashrama after being not in one for 4 years and recently went on a plant medicine which helped me reconcile all the homophobia, racism and misogyny. And the devotees have given me a lot of love and so I try to be a honeybee and hope I can be the change I want to see
There are 1,000,000 ways to be cheated in the material world, and only 1 Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth will take you back to the spiritual world. Picking and choosing what you like in spiritual life is an exhibition of Your false ego and a sign you are still identifying as the body.
Women need to be controlled because they are very easily manipulated and because the fathers have to get their daughters married. If not then what will happen is what we have in the world...women treated like prostitutes and unwanted population which results in famine, war, etc.
Don't be a wishy washy weak spiritualist. Hare Krishna ❤
Hare Krsna! I have had direct experience of women not wanting to join our movement due to questions of "gender equity" . Even for some women who join the movement, those same questions keep them on the perimeter rather than becoming fully engaged. It is definitely an obstacle to our advancement and the spreading the movement. We have to do better and serve Srila Prabhupada better 🙏🏾🌹
Just wondering if it's actually necessary to have two hosts for one guest speaker? It made for too much light hearted banter that distracts...just giving my honest opinion..I have got a lot out of some of your other podcasts. Jai.
I agree that the other prabhu was talking way too much and interrupting Kalakantha pr all the time sharing his own stuff. Please let the guests finish their thoughts before overtaking. Not very polite
@@doaromaterrapie_defelt the same. As good as the content was he dominated way too much in the show i felt. Mayby it's just me but I really appreciate when there's a fair chance for all involved to share shown..🙌
Agree
I agree as well. I love Venkata Bhatta Prabhu’s inputs and contributions in every podcast but I felt that he interrupted way too much here. Please don’t feel offended Prabhu. I’m just giving some constructive feedback. 🙇🏻♀️🙏🏼
@@doaromaterrapie_de he cuts in and talks over guests all the time. Its very distracting. Why have guests on if you are going to have a co host talk over them and answer questions for them? Hes an intelligent guy but awkward constantly and doesn't understand boundary's.
I particularly appreciated Venkata Bhatta Prabhu's contribution here with some of his follow-up questions, which were tactful yet not acquiescent.
Venkatta bhatta definitely adds a critical and thoughtful vibe. It plays off Namarasa's more amicable and easy going vibe to give the show an overall good balance
Thank you Kalakantha Prabhu for saying and Venkata Bhatta Prabhu for reiterating and expanding on “preaching is not for everyone”. That’s so true
Finally! I have been waiting for this podcast after you dropped short reels…I was like what is naamrasa doing by not releasing it 😂
Nice one prabhus. Always good to hear from Kalakantha Kavi. Balanced and thoughtful. Yes, ISKCON is way out of step with broader society when it comes to gender equity. How much we want to lockstep with them is another thing, but Srila Prabhupada did say that when it comes to preaching, men and women are equal. And certainly, the GBC exceed their remit by dictating who can or cannot be your guru. They are supposed to be managing ISKCON, not people’s life decisions. As Kalakantha prabhu knows only too well, I’ve been battling on this front for decades. My latest effort is a paper in the 2024 ICJ. (tried posting a link but the comment gets deleted ☹ )
I blame the idiens.
Great episode! Yes the Krishna House in Dallas is a great addition ❤
02:05 - Intro & Background of Kalakantha prabhu
06:30 - Writing books and poems as a service
16:30 - Process of writing poems & use of AI
24:54 - What is Krishna House Project
32:09 - Liberal vs conservative approach in preaching to locals
51:07 - KH vetting process
56:56 - Srila Prabhupada's mood in west
59:00 - Vaisnavi Diksha Guru
1:03:34 - Guru's position in ISKCON
1:26:40 - Treatment of women in ISKCON
1:41:09 - How to coexist with differences
thank you!
Hare Krishna “prabus” and matajis and devis!🙂🙏.
I don’t know why this “prabhu” thing came up again. Those who are not Sanskrit speakers should think of it like “Mister”, comes from “Master” or “Prabhu”. This should sound really strange for a lady, called “Mister “, isn’t it?
When Srila Prabhupada did it, that was a different situation, very special for preaching and beginning. Can you imagine that the Pandavas referring their mother as “Prabhu”? Or calling Draupadi “prabhu”?
Ys: GGd
Prabhupada used the word Prabhu to refer to the Vaisnavis in the movement, not his sister or mother. Nowhere did he say it was just something for preaching or the beginning of the movement. This interpretation does not have a basis on what Prabhupada said.
Another, eye opener & heart warming & inspirational podcast from pioneer of HARE Krishna pod.
Thankyou prabhu. Always been fan from your 1st episode. Always looking forward to seeing, hearing from you, Mr V & the guests. May you flourish in your skills, responsibilities & love for SRILA PRABHUPADA is my humble prayers to their lordship in Melbourne. HARE Krishna
Interesting that some Christian groups do not allow women to be ordained as priests, but their philosophy is very different. They believe that if one is born a man or a woman, that is their eternal form and if they go to heaven, they will continue as man or woman. The Bhagavad Gita philosophy is different, though. We were all born not only as men or women in past lives but also in different species. With this understanding, it is hard to comprehend why some people put so much emphasis on the body one is born even more than on the fact that everyone is an eternal part of Krishna as a servant and they should be able to serve according to t heir nature.
This is good therapy for me.....i was going to the Hare Krsna farm in Australia for 15 years...just presenting myself to be accepted and to get involved...but there was no ashram system...actually no real accomodation...one time i donated a matress so i could sleep,another time i bought a van so i had somewhere to stay...funny thing...its still going on for me although they have a womens ashram now,im expected to go through the yoga school and do a certain amount of hours but im already a devotee...i know all the songs,I have a good grasp of the philosophy,im doing the 4 regs...doesnt make sense...but maybe they need to instigate this programme...any attempts at communication ends up in bullying and closing down of my throat chakra by the management...i just wish i actually knew what the problem was...anyway...Hare Krsna.
www.youtube.com/@HareKrishnaSociety These devotees have the answers in my opinion
no one should have to do asana yoga classes in order to join an ISKCON ashram.
Krsna das Kaviraja personified today, thank you very much, dandavat pranams, this modern day education, what's the use?
Oh, this was so refreshing! Thank you. And yes, the new setting with the table appears better to me.
Very nice points! I appreciate what he is establishing! Any organization will not flourish if you do not see it as one movement and are not open to the bigger picture and mood. I love hearing the origins of the movement.
Thanks for the thoughts on women, I would like to hear more on this subject. Thanks
I appreciate this discussion. Am amazed that the hosts are so surprised that gender equity would make a huge difference and that its taken so long for iskcon to realise how off-putting it's been to women. Its not a "small thing"
Urmila dd could be making 1000 of chelas and GBS is still not allowing her. Is a shame and sad.She is very qualified by all means and very dedicated.
You gotta get Rsabdeva Prabhu on your show
He can tell you the story of the early history of the west coast temples and how they were paid for and much much more!
Waiting is hard Prabhu , RUclips is vicious place if i can't get favorable Podcasts like these i would definitely get involved in Worldly yotube prajalpa , so make these conversations frequent
Thank you for this podcast. Wonderful to hear the entire conversation around diksha Gurus in the movement. 🙏
Hare Krishna🙏🌺 Amazing Podcast🙏
Hare Krishna 😊
Forgive me if i'm wrong as I have not heard the podcast yet as it has not aired but from the title I can imagine, please forgive me if I'm wrong. But from my understanding we are not male or female but soul. In our next life or previous lives we have been men, women or ants etc etc each life is like the flash of a light switch in eternity so no need to be disturbed by the subject of man or women it's all temporary, soul just jumping from one body to another.
I guess he may say that women get discriminated against and seen as less than men and called less intelligent etc but because we women are intelligent enough to follow Srila Prabhupada he shows us how to be fully engaged in service despite any impediments
@@anjaliradheYou Are a Strong Woman Indeed, podcast dedicated to sharing Krishna's love with women around the world. Due to stringent guidelines, they may face challenges in launching this initiative initially.
Do u think Vyenkata bhatta prabhu start his own podcast?
Thank you! I seen the miracle he has done in Gainesville! Thank you for advocating to women Dikshas and Prabhu’s for all! And so many other points! Very inspiring! Goodluck in Mayapur! His book The God who Dances! Ki Jay!
Hari Hari! Just add Krishna! Thank you!
Hare Krishna. As much as I respect Kalakantha prabhu's achievements at Krishna House in Gainesville, I have to say that there are other successful models for making and training devotees. Although there may be some controversy about HH Bhakti Vikasa swami's Atlanta project; having been there recently its very impressive how they are attracting some very nice young male and female devotees, and distributing thousands of books. Many of Krishna house devotees join there in Gainesville, but generally they already know about Krishna consciousness, whereas in Atlanta they make brand new devotees. Also having just visited London and Wales, I was very impressed by the quality of devotees joining there. From what I've seen these other centers engage their new people in sankirtan as soon as possible, which seems to add additional enthusiasm.Admittedly this is a challenge at Krishna house, because most devotees are tied up with the Krishna lunch, which in itself is a great program distributing thousands of plates of prasadam and thereby maintaining Krishna house.
Although these other temples also make female devotees, there really doesn't seem to be any resentment on their part, about no female diksa gurus, in fact they don;t even seem to think about it, possibly because noone is agitating ther minds about it, Because they feel cared for and are not mistreated, it seems the question, does not arise.
I personally haven't heard many, if any, Vaisnavis complaining about the present treatment of women in ISKCON, and Im certainly aware of how Vaisnavis were terribly mistreated by lusty neophyte male devotees, back in the early days. I am neither in favor nor opposed to female diksa gurus.
I do see though, that even in America, where I live, and having spoken to women belonging to the Catholic and the Mormon faiths, the women don't seem to mind at all, if they don't become priests, so to speak. They seem perfectly satisfied.
Of course we all want to do the "right thing", but doing the politically correct thing in the eyes of mundane society may not necessarily be the right thing, especially as Srila Prabhupada himself did not name any female diksa gurus. Is it wise to be bold enough to do something that he specifically said wasn't to be done, in his purport about Suniti being Dhruva Maharaja's guru? I'm just posing the question!,
I don't see ISKCON being constipated where there is sankirtan going on!!
Another important point is that, even IF, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada were following properly, there's no guarantee that he would attract any disciples, which would be somewhat embarrassing, if he{she] went through the whole 9 yards of becoming a guru. Also there has to be some recognition of some basic requirements to accept disciples, just to protect impressionable new devotees from accepting someone who ,without being vetted, could cause them problems.
Sorry, it's so long, but I feel these are important points.
Actually, I have worked with Kalakantha prabhu for many years and respect his success. So much so that I have sent many new people to him for training.
Hare Krishna
your servant,
Adikarta das
@@adrianscott7148 thanks for your interesting comments Adi Karta pr. 🙏🏽
@@NamarasaPodcast Thank you Namarasa prabhu. One last thing that is quite pertinent here, is that like it or not, His Holiness Sivarama swami has been designated, both by His Holiness Satsvarupa Maharaja, and His Grace, the late Gopiparanadhana as one of, if not ,the deepest thinker in ISKCON. There is written evidence of this that can be supplied. Anyway, he is not in favor of FDG's. However, unlike the person{s} that Kalakantha prabhu had mentioned, had threatened to split ISKCON, he is totally committed to staying in and supporting Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON. However, the last time I spoke to one of the prominently famous anti FDG gurus, he did'nt have the mindset of splitting ISKCON.These are all simply points of information, and do not neccesarily mean that Kalakantha prabhu doesn't have any valid points.
Ooh, one very last thing. I am actually very grateful to Kalakantha prabhu, for helping me get approved to initiate. I have very few disciples, but people need shelter and guidance, and I'm happy to do that up to the level I am qualified.
Kalakanta Prabhu did not give the complete definition of a Uttama Adikary. I will refer my esteemed senior God brother and the readers, to refer to the Nectar of Instruction and the purports therein to understand what an exalted devotional state it is it. Please don't be cheated, do your own diligent study
Haribol, Sugata Prabhu. Yes, Srila Prabhupada and Srimad Bhagavatam give many descriptions of the uttama adhikari. The following is the one I was referring to, from NOI verse 5:
"When a neophyte devotee is actually initiated and engaged in devotional service by the orders of the spiritual master, he should be accepted immediately as a bona fide Vaiṣṇava, and obeisances should be offered unto him. Out of many such Vaiṣṇavas, one may be found to be very seriously engaged in the service of the Lord and strictly following all the regulative principles, chanting the prescribed number of rounds on japa beads and always thinking of how to expand the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Such a Vaiṣṇava should be accepted as an uttama-adhikārī, a highly advanced devotee, and his association should always be sought."
@@carlwoodham5672thank you very much for taking the time to respond to this comment Prabhu. And thank you for sharing your realizations so freely with us. I hope to be able to embody what you’ve spoken. 🙏🏻
Your servant,
Govinda Dasa
28 daysss😵💫
lol sorry 😅
Thank you for your podcast, which to me is enriching and heartwarming because it allows me to get a glimpse into the character of high-profile devotees in a
non judgmental, relaxed environment. I particularly like the questions that Namarasaji puts forward to his guests.
They are so earnest and good-hearted, creating an environment of warmth, trust, and respect. Thank you, Namarasa Prabhu, for that singular sympathy you embody, which makes the world, and certainly God Himself, love you with endearment.
Regarding one of today's subjects, the Guru status in ISKCON: Rivers of ink have been used (wasted?) and oceans of saliva and waves of sound have penetrated the ether, muddling minds and hearts into neurotic stated of consciousness.
Your guest says all are gurus, some proponents say none are qualified to be gurus, and the ritvik says only Srila Prabhupada is guru. Having joined in 1978 and being a multiple battered person with Stockholm syndrome 😁 I have waded blindly and alone, through the zonal acharya pandemic, grihastha versus non-grihastha status, ritvik wars, child abuse horror, multiple reform movements, Gaudiya Math schisms and factions, female versus male core qualifications, ISKCON West versus ISKCON India and of course heaps of personal upheaval and drama.
I wonder if there will ever be a single hour of global peace in this movement of ours?
Having duly read, pondered and prayed about the guru business a lot (too much, really), I have come to an opinion which is as good as any other and might I say has scope to be a true game changer. At least it is what I hope from the bottom of my heart.
I begin my premise by stating the absolute truths of ISKCON that everyone, may it be dogmatically, eagerly agrees on: Srila Prabhupada is our founder-acharya, and his books are his instructions for us to follow ad vitam aeternam. We have the incredible privilege of a source teacher as it is with a source curriculum as it is.
As disciples and being part of his disciplic succession, we are to follow him as our prime teacher and live our lives by his very vast body of instructions and teachings. Being the embodiment of compassion and deeply caring about the miserable plight of all living beings, he begs his followers to share his teachings in an appropriate manner for the true upliftment of humanity.
Those who take the responsibility of presenting Srila Prabhupada’s teachings must do so in accordance with the level of understanding and particular situation of the interested party, as per Srila Prabhupada’s specific orders. Your guest seems to follow that guideline in his own endeavor in proper discipleship. When sufficient understanding and trust in Srila Prabhupada’s guidance is established, the interested party may then become a member of Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON family through that person who has established him or herself as a trustworthy loving disciple of Srila Prabhupada. That mentor consistently, with due process and without closing date, tasks him or herself ensuring to preserve and further the connection of the earnest and well
informed candidate to Srila Prabhupada through his adequate compassionate personal guidance just as Srila Prabhupada carefully and delicately made it very humbly his mission to connect all of his disciples with the Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya through the guidance of his own beloved guru Srila Bhaktisidhanta Saraswati. That unadulterated pledge is the sacrificial fire of initiation.
Srila Prabhupada was unbelievably delicate and so incredibly strong, providing us with the whole scope of spiritual reality. It is unmatched in the religious culture of the world but ISKCON is its own worst enemy, as Srila Prabhupada predicted it would be.
Being true representatives of Srila Prabhupada’s that is the question!
I suspect you might say: but that is exactly what the newly rubber-stamped gurus are meant to be. Allow me to point to the reality of 44 years of guru culture in Iskcon.
Often the candidate is a representative of his own personal vision of the philosophy as in the “I did it my way” manner.
Often, he or she uses either their charisma, social standing, personal ambition smoldering with the usual ego frailties, clientelism or shared interests with decision-makers, political savviness, and other means that are commonly used in human power brokerage in order to maintain status or the ultimate excuse to “expand” the movement.
Masculine material nature is often result- or number-oriented privileging institutional hierarchy and so often neglect the delicate heart that Bhakti needs. This mentality
often lacks genuine humility, plagued by an insatiable hunger for power and recognition fueled by primal fear.
The female material energy may be fraught with overly emotional and physical dependency and deep insecurity, which affects spiritual intelligence and fosters the tendency to become despondent.
Both genders are materially flawed and need vetting and monitoring.
Rarely, although there are glorious exceptions, did I have the extraordinary grace to meet a true via media, a transparent Srila Prabhupada disciple eager to durably help me connect deeply with the extraordinary master Srila Prabhupada is, capable of a non-judgmental expertise brokering my true bond of belonging with Srila Prabhupada’s Iskcon family and the capacity to mentor me to become an asset to that family. Being the faithful keeper of the living presence of Srila Prabhupada in his books, this faithful disciple ensures this very much alive presence to be the fuel and glue of the community.
Those who truly wish to profoundly embed this movement into society must take to heart becoming ardent, faithful, satisfied disciples of Srila Prabhupada and imbibe his foremost quality which is compassion towards others.
And make no mistake we need all the help
we can get to achieve that particular bond.
Our men and women have a formidable responsibility as stewards of his legacy. It is a glorious task, and as your guest repeatedly recalled, Srila Prabhupada entrusted all to be his emissaries provided they never loose the true transparency of their absolute fealty and loyalty to him.
So let’s all become just that : true disciples of our Founder Acharya in the deepest sense of the word. Gurus, sanyassis, grhasthas men and women alike.
Brothers and sisters helping each other sincerely and adequately, in order to unburden each other of our multiple sins and thus fostering profound happiness in our collective work of compassion for all, in our fathers earthly Iskcon house.
I, as a conditioned human being, need that man or woman who will help connect me with that undisputed personality of servitorship of Godhead in a compassionate and adequate manner. And I myself pledge that my only motivation in any encounter is to help my fellow brothers and sisters discover and uncover that delicious divine master Srila Prabhupada for their benefit, their happiness and upliftment.
Gopi-bhartur pada-kamalayor dasa-dasa-dasanudasi
Mathura Vrindavan dd
Thank you for your attention.
Hare Krishna! Pamho.
Liked the first few paragraphs.
Also joined ISKCON in 1978 and accepted initiation in 1979.
Validating others who may have different opinions and experiences is important to me in ISKCON.
Having friends in many camps both within and outside of ISKCON is also important.
Am taking exception with your last few paragraphs of your comments.
Ritvikism without any kind of validation of those who are taking responsibility to assist others in their service to ISKCON, (aka Srila Prabhupada) is narrow minded.
Also, where is the quote by Srila Prabhupada 51:12 that ISKCON would become its own worst enemy? It’s important to quote exactly your source when making such claims.
Das anu das anu dasi,
Kunti dd /ISKCON Dallas🙏🏽🪷🪔
@@lyndavannus7356
Dear Prabhu,
I hope this message finds you well.
I want to clarify my previous remarks, I’m not certain I fully understood your points, and I’m aware that my own writing may have been unclear. Since English is not my native language, I sometimes struggle to express myself as I intend.
Regarding ritvikism, I do not support the idea that Srila Prabhupada should be the only Diksha Guru for ISKCON for all eternity. Srila Prabhupada himself refuted this system, and it is not aligned with the Gaudiya Vaisnava tradition. However, I strongly believe that all disciples in Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON have a duty to represent his teachings accurately and imbibe his mood deeply. There is immense benefit in this, as his formidable presence through his books and teachings is truly remarkable in transforming our limited material state into a profoundly expanded consciousness. In this expanded state, primal knowledge, peace, and happiness are just a few of the many gifts the soul encounters through its connection to the Supersoul. Unfortunately, I feel that many of us are not sufficiently engaged with his books. As Srila Prabhupada himself said plainly, "You are not reading my books."
I have personally experienced, as have others, how superficial my understanding and practice of spiritual matters can be. By the grace of Chintamani Dasi and Krishna Dharma Prabhus, I have benefitted enormously from following Srila Prabhupada's instructions on how to read his books-preferably with other devotees, on a regular basis, and in a systematic way. Krishna Dharma Prabhu has written an extensive paper on how we can benefit more from our founder-acharya’s actual presence and how this presence delivers all the promises of associating with an Uttama Adhikari.
Regarding your comment about the possibility of ISKCON being its own worst enemy, I have indeed taken the liberty of summarizing the numerous warnings Srila Prabhupada gave over the years while building his society into one phrase. He made statements such as:
“Don’t fight. Then everything will be spoiled.” (Room conversation, March 1, 1977)
“Anyway, everyone should be engaged. That’s all. No idle life. If we maintain some lazy men, then everything will be spoiled.” (Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta 2.49)
“My anxiety is that in my absence, you may neglect Deity worship. Then the whole thing will be spoiled.” (Room Conversation with Richard Webster)
There are countless warnings from Srila Prabhupada about how we, as his followers, might destroy this movement. Unfortunately, we have made many of these mistakes. However, this does not mean that ISKCON or its members are lost forever. It simply means that we need to recalibrate ourselves in alignment with the teachings of our founder-acharya.
Regarding the importance of our own and others' opinions on spiritual life, these exchanges are indeed crucial. In the purport of text 4 of the Nectar of Instruction by Srila Rupa Goswami, Srila Prabhupada refers to these as loving exchanges.
Since both you and I joined ISKCON in 1978 or 1979, we have likely experienced, as I have, the trauma of cultish behavior imposed by neophyte "would-be authorities." These individuals often branded questioning or expressing opinions as speculation and rebellion, punishing us with humiliation and alienation. This approach, which I believe gave us a distorted view of receiving honest feedback and ideas from others, is condemned by Srila Prabhupada. Love and trust are the foundations of Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON.
As for your friendships with other spiritual movements or leaders, I am glad that you do not ostracize anyone based on dogma or party policy. Srila Prabhupada laid bare the science of spirituality, providing the means to analyze love and devotion for God in ourselves and others so that his followers can detect genuine Bhakti and avoid being misled by their own minds or by others. This knowledge is crucial in choosing one’s company. I am happy that you have been able to recognize the treasure of Bhakti in others.
I wish you all the best and am grateful for our exchange.
Your servant,
Mathura Vrindavan Dasi
There are women temple presidents and so many women preaching and giving lectures. I am not sure where this is all coming from. The only thing that we don't have is women accepting disciples as diksa guru. How would you handle a situation of a women guru fall down with her disciples? We need to be prepared for handling such situations if we advocate for women gurus.
You'd handle it in the same way you did with all the men who fell. Tbh it's less likely to happen with a woman anyway.
@redlady935 ISKCON might handle it similarly but the society will perceive it differently.
Pranam. No doubt a lot of good points made. But the main reason many devotees is in ISKCON don’t want to approve female diksha gurus at this time is for the reason of varnasrama dharma, which is also a major desire of Srila Prabhupada. That wasn’t discussed.
We need to revive the movement versus propagating the cultural aspect of ISKCON in North America. Get back to the basics!
Why do we have to wait so long?? 😭
@@chromaclinics103 good things come to those who wait 😄
@namarasapodcast ❤
I wonder...is there a program to remain in touch with those 350 "graduates?" Where are they all now? I imagine only a small percentage will be fortunate enough to accept initiation. It seems that they would greatly benefit if they were to associate with a nearby ISKCON community.
I don’t know but two of them live in my community near the temple, are initiated, and involved in the temple /devotee sanga. I know of a five or six others that that were initiated, I see on facebook who seem still seem involved in kc. I probably only knew like 40 to begin with, not 350.
Hare Krishna. Dandavat. Prabhu I heard prabhupada's mayapur lecture on 7th April 1975. But there was no mention of what he was saying. Can you please share the link of that particular lecture when Prabhupada says to multiply by 10? Thank you.
Please share the link of that lecture of Srila Prabhupada.
Sorry for the offtopic comment Prabhu.
I asked Edwin Bryant about him rejecting your invitation to the podcast and he said that he never rejects anyone and he does not recall you asking at all.
Could you try once more? Maybe this time he'll agree to come to the podcast.
can you email me? i dont remmeber saying he rejected my invitiation. I could be wrong...
hmmm... we don't have this problem in mtl, us mataji practicaly run the temple, same thing for the rest of ca me guess.
Please accept my humble pranaams Prapbhu please can you consider doing some podcast on the Mahabarath. I have come across Prapbupad saying it must come through the discipic succession and He himself intended to do a rendition.
Thank you
We need to move forward with woman diksa initiation gurus in North America.
anything except gender equity certainly seems to hit the nail on the head 😞
So you are against gender equality? We are not this body and Srila Prabhupada said men and women can be Diksa initiating gurus, just as women became Brahman initiated.
Prabhupada also said some extremely racist things. I am appreciative of the American Bhakti movement but I can't get past that. Luckily, Krishna is beyond that and the folks who follow the movement I've found to be amazing.
Yes. Misogynist and racist. It was part of his rural Bengali culture.he also disparaged anyone who followers the non dual Advaita path. Fortunately many of his followers are spiritually maturing and don’t hold those views
Sorry God @@radhikaschwartz3499
He didn't spare anyone he was especially brutal when commenting on Hindus
Why don't both of the interviewers put tilak on thier forehead ?? That's the basic quality for a vaishnava
Hare Krishna,
Tilak and dhoti.
Even Kalakanta das prabhu should wear Tilak and dhoti
"Phobia"?
Here is what our scriptures and acaryas say about "Basic quality for a Vaishnava"
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Adi-lila 8.24-26:
"A pure devotee is always devoid of all material desires, and he is equal to everyone. He is very peaceful and is always in a transcendental position. He is very humble and has no desire for personal prestige. He is very compassionate to all living entities and is always engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord."
This verse from the Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Adi-lila 8.24-26, summarizes the basic qualities of a Vaisnava:
Devoid of all material desires
Equal to everyone
Peaceful and transcendental
Humble and without desire for personal prestige
Compassionate to all living entities
Engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord
So, putting tilak and dhoti doesn't really make it. It's definitely a good practice and should be put on regular basis but not required. As long as internal consciousness is connected to Krishna, why get hung up on externals?
Start with having women presidents for temples. Haven’t seen a lot of them really. Certain male presidents have been at the helm for more than 2 decades and need rest now please.
Listening to him talk about uttama adhikari you can tell that he hasn't had any uttama adhikari Vaisnava association since Srila Prabhupada left. Total speculation
"Guru" means heavy...what they want is a watered down version
He is quoting directly from Prabhupada's purport in Nectar of Instruction. Look it up
@@alexandrearaujo9201 quote what you like. Understand nothing
@@scifikid108 can you please enlighten me on your understanding of this quote " Out of many such Vaiṣṇavas, one may be found to be very seriously engaged in the service of the Lord and strictly following all the regulative principles, chanting the prescribed number of rounds on japa beads and always thinking of how to expand the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Such a Vaiṣṇava should be accepted as an uttama-adhikārī, a highly advanced devotee, and his association should always be sought."
Gri-hasta lol
Thank you, loved this episode! 🫶🏻 “If we could just treat women equitably, we could spread Krishna consciousness. And it has to start at the top.”
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