Just as in wartime the front line soldiers remain constantly vigilant guarding against an enemy attack, which can occur at any moment, in a similar way the fixed up devotee of the Lord is always on guard against the attack of maya. He knows that he must always take shelter of Krishna at every moment and that even a slight amount of inattention can prove to be disastrous.


Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Srila Prabhupada is Always Alert
in Krishna  Consciousness

http://www.backtohome.com/images/Prabhupada/prabhupada5.jpg

Question: Can We Change the Rules of ISKCON?

Dear Spiritual Master,

You are a person with lot of spiritual knowledge and years of dedication to ISKCON, and I am simple person who is worshipping Krishna and has spiritual knowledge gained after listening to saints in and reading books. Please forgive me if I am writing anything wrong but I need your point of view on these points.  That's why I am writing this e-mail to you.

Times has changed a lot. We are now in 21st Century. But ISKCON is not changing. It is still very rigid and orthodox on its rules. Some rules seem very rigid and demanding, but at the same time these can be changed to suit present time scenario.

Rule No. 1: Not to eat onion or garlic.
These are not animal products, but are plant products and carry many nutritious benefit for human body. Why ISKCON is banning these for human consumption?

Rule No. 2: Tea and coffee is banned.
I agree that these products carry caffeine which is a stimulant for mind. But still tea and coffee are useful while doing work in office and while preparing for examination.

Rule No. 3: No illicit sex.
Krishna has not said anywhere in the Bhagavad-gita that there should not be any sex between wife and husband except when there is a desire for a Krishna conscious child. Krishna has himself said that He is sex which is not going against dharma, He has not banned sex between wife and husband because sex between wife and husband is not against dharma. Only extra-marital affairs and sex without marriage is sex against dharma.

Now one more thing. Krishna has said in the Bhagavad-gita that this knowledge, which is the king of all knowledge, should not be given to persons who are not interested in Krishna consciousness or those persons who have no interest or faith in Krishna. So then why are ISKCON devotees going to these kind of people, who are deeply rooted materialists and do not even think about God, to distribute books? Isn't this a violation of the instruction of Krishna?

Now the final thing. One round of japa mala takes 10-15 minutes.  So a total 16 round takes from 2 hrs 40 minutes to 4 Hrs. In this age where people spend more time in the office than at home, how is this possible to spent 2 hrs 40 minutes-4 Hrs on japa meditation? There should not be under any compulsion to do 16 rounds daily.

There is a requirement of fresh discussion/review of these rules by a committee of the spiritual masters of ISKCON. ISKCON has many spiritual masters, but has no central command after the demise of Founder-Acharya his Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Is there any committee of spiritual masters in ISKCON who reviews rules and regulations and suggest modifications or deletion/addition of rules and regulations?

I request you to answer my queries.

Hare Krishna,

Pankaj M.
 

Answer: Do Not Destroy Krishna Consciousness

Thank you very much for concern that ISKCON shall remain relevant in a constantly changing world.  However, kindly note that in spite of so many changes the world is basically in the same consciousness as it was when Srila Prabhupada established our movement in 1966 and introduced the regulative principles of freedom to save us from birth and death. The world population was strongly addicted to material sense gratification then, and they still are.

But in spite of that we have hundreds and thousands of people who are strictly following these principles and deriving great benefit. Why should we deny them the benefits they are receiving by abandoning the principles established by our Founder-Acharya? Your idea does not make any sense. Actually we have only one rule, and that is to always be Krishna conscious. Other rules are accepted only if they help us to be Krishna conscious.

We take only the remnants of Krishna's eatables. Since He does not take onions and garlic, we naturally avoid these stinky foods, which are only dear to those in the lower modes of nature.

Krishna bhakti is the ultimate stimulant. If one is Krishna conscious he has no need of artificial, harmful stimulants.

Sex brings us down to bodily consciousness. Therefore anyone who is serious to become self-realized will naturally want to use sex
only for procreation.

Because the devotees understand the innermost desire of the Lord to save the fallen souls, they engage themselves in the ultimate welfare activity of telling everyone about Krishna. This is confirmed by Krishna Himself, who appeared as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and ordered us to tell everyone about Krishna. The prohibition against preaching means not to try to preach to those who are hostile. It does not apply to approaching those who are innocent.

With a little practice mala can nicely be chanted in 1.5 to 2 hours day max. Anyone who says that they do not have 1.5 hours a day for japa should send me their daily schedule for analysis.

We cannot change the instructions of ISKCON's Founder-Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. If you do not like his instructions, you do not have to follow them. But we are finding great unlimited happiness in strictly following Srila Prabhupada's instructions. If you do not share our enthusiasm, you are still welcome to attend our programs, take prasadam, and be a member of our loving family; however, you will not be qualified to take initiation.

ISKCON does have a central governing body created by Srila Prabhupada to manage its affairs on the global level. That body is called the Governing Body Commission or GBC. They are fully dedicated to maintaining the standards established by Srila Prabhupada and will not change them upon your request because Srila Prabhupada's standards are not whimsical. They are all solidly based on that greatest of all wisdom which is emanating at every minute from the Vedic literatures.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari
 

Have Questions or Need Further Guidance?
Check out the resources at: http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com
or write Sankarshan Das Adhikari at: [email protected]