Why are ISKCON so obsessed with money?

[Yogkriya]

I got to know the Vedas through ISKCON. Began studying them through ISKCON.

Dear Pietro,

Namaste!

How you "got to know the Vedas" through Iskcon, when Iskcon doesn't have Vedic studies? Its a different thing that they name everything they do as "VEDIC" for it to sound more convincing.
The main scriptures that Iskcon teachings revolve around are Bhagvad Gita, Shrimad Bhagvatam, Chaitanya Charitamrta one Brahma Samhita and a few others.. But all must be sanctioned Iskcon BBT VERSIONS. Not just any other BG is accepted. But the one translated by Shri Prabhupad with commentaries limited to Iskcon thought line only. Same is the case with SB. In fact I've heard that the GBC has added some more verses later on. All scriptures are translated to match Gaudiya line of philosophy discrediting any other "VEDIC" thought. No other Vedic mantras, rituals, Vedic methods of worship, yoga meditation etc is allowed. Everything else is a no no.
One can learn something ABOUT the Vedas in Isckon which is appreciable, but not the Vedas.
And yes I agree what Srila Prabhupad did for propagating his own sampradaya around the world is appreciable and good. Not many people can do that. For which the glory goes to him.
Jai Shri Krishna!

YogKriya

[Yogkriya]

Pietro,

Thank you for giving us a Brazilian perspective on ISKCON.

With all his faults, Prabhupad brought the Vedic knowledge to the West. Whether the Westerners continue to embrace it or discard it as the time goes by, depends on the strength of character of the leaders who inherited the movement. Many a times, the message is lost because of the flaws of the messenger, or certain restriction enforced on the adherents. If that happens, it will be your loss, as the Sanatan Dharma will continue to thrive in its place of birth. In the West, ISKCON does not have a wide support even among the Indian community because,

1. It tried to distance itself from Hinduism, for whatever reason, and some negative things were written/said about the leaders of other sampradayes.
2. As Gaudiya Vaishavanism sampradaye grew out of the Bengal area, all the bhajans/aartis composed by their revered gurus are in Bengali language. That limits their popularity with a large majority of the Indians for whom Hindi is the common link language.
3. With decline in their fund-raising capability, they sometimes do indulge in questionable practices.
4. Some more deficiencies (???) unpalatable to an average Hindu.

At the end of the day, we must overlook all the meaningless/petty flaws in every Sanatan Dharma sampradaye and pull together for the greater good of our faith and of the mankind. But many of us cannot avoid the temptation to throw barbs at other sampradayes; not realizing that collectively, we are only hurting ourselves. Weakening any sampradaye only weakens a support pillar of the great Vedic Dharma.

As they say, that is Kala Yuga for you!

Dear Believer,

Namaskar!

You said:
"At the end of the day, we must overlook all the meaningless/petty flaws in every Sanatan Dharma sampradaye and pull together for the greater good of our faith and of the mankind."

Yes I agree with this of course hundred percent. Its an appreciable thought. Sanatana Dharma includes different thoughts and sampradayas. Then what is the difference between it and Hindu Dharma?
It IS the HINDU SANATANA DHARMA indeed. But all other thoughts were not acceptable to Shri Prabhupad.
"1. It tried to distance itself from Hinduism, for whatever reason"
- This was the reason. Shri Prabhupad did not subscribe to the VEDIC thought as a whole. But just one narrow stream in it. And insisted on calling it the wholesome VEDIC culture. HINDU SANATANA DHARMA includes all Vedic thoughts together. So its "hodge-podge" for him. So he called Vedas as Hodge-Podge, but insisted that one narrow line of thought is all Vedic culture.

"2. As Gaudiya Vaishavanism sampradaye grew out of the Bengal area, all the bhajans/aartis composed by their revered gurus are in Bengali language. That limits their popularity with a large majority of the Indians for whom Hindi is the common link language."

I would differ from that really. Bhajans, Artis etc. from other areas worshipping the same God Krishna are deliberately canceled out of Iskcon. Mostly Gaudiya Bengali acharyas are exclusively preached. No Mira bai is allowed. This explanation that since they were Bengalis everything is in Bengali and Hindi speaking are limited is not true. The Hindi speaking people readily accept and read Shri Ram Krishn Paramhansa, Shri Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore, Paramahansa Yogananda, Shri Yukteswar Giri, Shri Lahiri Mahasaya, Bamakshepa, Shri Anandmoi ma, and so on. The land of Bengal has not been very prosperous in material sense, but it has produced great spiritual stalwarts over the centuries. And the general India public accepted and were drawn towards them. Moreover, works of Prabhupad have been well translated in every Indian language and language of the world!! So we can cancel this reason out altogether.

Fact is that the Gaudiya sub-sampradaya and sects there of limit their own selves from the rest of the Sanatanis and Vedic thoughts insisting that theirs is the only way, all other ways are not acceptable and less intelligent.

"RamaKrishna is fool and Rascal is he worships Kaali. He cannot worship Krishna?"
"What this Tagore is writing? All rubbish! What's the use if he's not writing about Krishna?! Fool!"
- Shri Prabhupad.
So we see how it is limited in its own self. The Hindu Sanatana Vedic thought is broad minded and accepts different schools of thoughts. It is not "hodge-podge". It is simply more. Just as God cannot be narrowed down to playing flute and sporting with Gopis ONLY. God has other dimensions, possibilities, with and without forms or multiple forms. God cannot be limited. God can appear limited to us due to the attachment of our ego to his one form or quality. There is nothing wrong with it either. And God himself does appear limited for us. That's his compassion. He may appear to us in a limited form.
For RasKhan, Krishna had to appear as BalMukunda as a child. Not as Yogeswara Shri Krishn as for Arjuna. Raskhan's level of thinking was different than of Arjuna.

I'm sure if Krishna appears in a designer modern suit, we will cancel him out. Krishna in coat and pants? Impossible!!! This can't be Krishna!!!
And this is our limitation. Our material eyes and vision.

If Shri Prabhupad's vision was attached more to one way of worship, then there is nothing wrong. His attachment and love to Lord Krishna was very strong. But them there are other saints with a little different Vedic thought and their attachment to krishna may be in a different way and form than Iskcon and Shri Prabhupad. That's all fine. We are all one etc.
I love my God this way and you love him that way. But my attachment doesn't make your attachment wrong simply because I like my way better.
Lord Krishna in BG saya in whatever form you worship me, I give you the results and come to you in that form.
So other worshippers of Krishna Rama, Shiva were not fools but as respectable and adorable as Shri Prabhupad.

An organization needs money to run. Sometimes Iskcon needs more, maybe because it wants lots of celebrations, advertisements and other things. Also things for example the sarees, spices, statues etc sold in an Iskcon temple abroad are sometimes twice more than the price of a commercial Indian outlet there. Yet I would want Iskcon to be there. Because its still better than a lot of others. It promotes the regulatory principles. No bad habbits etc. It promotes satvik Vaishnav way of life that is appreciable always.

OM SHAM!
Jai Gurudev! Jai Shri Krsna!

YogKriya

[Adhvagat]

Dear Pietro,

Namaste!

How you "got to know the Vedas" through Iskcon, when Iskcon doesn't have Vedic studies? Its a different thing that they name everything they do as "VEDIC" for it to sound more convincing.
The main scriptures that Iskcon teachings revolve around are Bhagvad Gita, Shrimad Bhagvatam, Chaitanya Charitamrta one Brahma Samhita and a few others.. But all must be sanctioned Iskcon BBT VERSIONS. Not just any other BG is accepted. But the one translated by Shri Prabhupad with commentaries limited to Iskcon thought line only. Same is the case with SB. In fact I've heard that the GBC has added some more verses later on. All scriptures are translated to match Gaudiya line of philosophy discrediting any other "VEDIC" thought. No other Vedic mantras, rituals, Vedic methods of worship, yoga meditation etc is allowed. Everything else is a no no.
One can learn something ABOUT the Vedas in Isckon which is appreciable, but not the Vedas.
And yes I agree what Srila Prabhupad did for propagating his own sampradaya around the world is appreciable and good. Not many people can do that. For which the glory goes to him.
Jai Shri Krishna!

YogKriya

ISKCON allowed me to reach where I am now, searching more knowledge about the Vedas.

And here I am now reading all this topics from this community, pondering about different views on Shiva (which I already worked in my head for some time), reading the knowledge of all these people that have a very different reality than my own.

ISKCON may not have Vedic studies now (if you don't classify Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam as Vedic), but if it depends on me and a dear friend of mine which I believe someday may have choose the sannyasi ashram, it will.

I'll try to make ISKCON a better representative of Sanatana Dharma inside my own capabilities.

I'll read your responses to Believer calmly later.

Thanks.

Om Tat Sat.

[shian]

Acctually i have read ISCKON book who said beliefe about impersonal God and union with impersonal God is more evil than devil. Or i was make misunderstanding when i read this ???

[Believer]

Pietro,

As you might have noticed, many of the posts in this forum fit the following format:
________________________________________________________
My obeisances,

You are an A$$hole.

Best wishes.
Jai Shri Krishna or Hare Krishna or Om Namah Shivaye, or whatever.
________________________________________________________

Lot of people here are very vitriolic about ISKCON. I can see that you have benefited immensely from it, as it has opened the doors for you to grow spiritually. Don't listen to, or argue with your detractors. Many of my fellow Hindus have no desire to grow spiritually. Their only aim is to debate issues and try to show that they are superior to you. Ignore the frivolous posts and use the time to do your chanting. I am sure it is painful for you to read many of the things in this forum. Just stay focused and learn as much as possible about the Vedic philosophy and Vedic traditions. You have found the right path and I wish you all the best on your journey on this path.

[Adhvagat]

Well, if our material manifestation is nothing but the spiritual origin going through several bodily layers, I'm sure there's something pure in what may be seen as an offense.

I'll try to take something good out of it and move on.

Prabhupada also emphasized in the ISKCON books that a devotee is someone who can extract gold from the trash. A good quality to develop in Kali-yuga indeed.

Please notice that I never read anything that resembled a gratuitous offense in this forum, every opinion was highly constructive and made me think a lot. I am by no means classifying any posts here as offensive.

[Yogkriya]

Well, if our material manifestation is nothing but the spiritual origin going through several bodily layers, I'm sure there's something pure in what may be seen as an offense.

I'll try to take something good out of it and move on.

Prabhupada also emphasized in the ISKCON books that a devotee is someone who can extract gold from the trash. A good quality to develop in Kali-yuga indeed.

Please notice that I never read anything that resembled a gratuitous offense in this forum, every opinion was highly constructive and made me think a lot. I am by no means classifying any posts here as offensive.

Very appreciable post Pietro!
May God bless you.
my regards,
Yogkriya

[Yogkriya]

Pietro,

As you might have noticed, many of the posts in this forum fit the following format:
________________________________________________________
My obeisances,

You are an A$$hole.

Best wishes.
Jai Shri Krishna or Hare Krishna or Om Namah Shivaye, or whatever.
________________________________________________________

Lot of people here are very vitriolic about ISKCON. I can see that you have benefited immensely from it, as it has opened the doors for you to grow spiritually. Don't listen to, or argue with your detractors. Many of my fellow Hindus have no desire to grow spiritually. Their only aim is to debate issues and try to show that they are superior to you. Ignore the frivolous posts and use the time to do your chanting. I am sure it is painful for you to read many of the things in this forum. Just stay focused and learn as much as possible about the Vedic philosophy and Vedic traditions. You have found the right path and I wish you all the best on your journey on this path.

Dear Iskcon/spiritual Believer,
Namaste!
Most Hindus have no desire to grow spiritually? So why are they interested in Spiritual topics here? The ones who are not interested in spirituality go to night clubs and not bother about Iskcon or Hindu dharma

Maybe someone got that impression from Iskcon although. Criticism reflects back criticism. Maybe someone got the critical attitude towards other sampradayas from Isckon temple or books. So he reflects that back as a question or doubt.

Nectar of Devotion: Prabhupad claims yogis to be materialistic beings and that they meditate on their body parts (Material objects). Further translation goes like this - various chakras like svadhishthan (intestines).... and so on.. the chakras in the subtle body are compared to intestines etc. Neat!

I was reading the importance of forgiveness the other day. Criticism justified or not should be forgiven as a spiritual virtue. But the problem with religions leaders being not careful with their criticism is that the following generations feel obliged to keep on repeating them. And hence generating a counter reflection of their criticism from the society.

People who are interested in religion and spirituality only start pondering about it. Because they are interested in it. I agree with you that chanting mantra would give more benefit though than argumentation. But sometimes that also is necessary to have a better insight into things.
Regards,
Namaskar.
YogKriya