Narayana Maharaja on they just want money in ISKCON, and my response

[Paramananda das]

dear devotees
Please accept my humble obaisences
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
There is a discussion about Narayana Maharajas statements on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oczdiWQJ6ns
Has he gone to far by stating ISKCON leaders just want money and can not give bhakti ?
Well I have stopped visiting a local temple because they have no interest in bookdistribution , they allow Satya Narayana pujas being done by the headpujari and vice president and reading of Ramacarita mansa in the temple room.Some temples have weddings of nondevotees in front of Radha Krsna .These things are certainly against Srila Prabhupadas instructions.There is allegations that some GBC men and sannyasis have millions of dollars in their bankaccounts(mostly not from legal business).In some cases we know it was true in the past.We pray to Lord Narasimha this is no longer so.
Srila Prabhupada has stated to distribute his books and make that ISKCON's main business, even that all members in ISKCON should distribute his books.However Srila Prabhupada has also stated we should stay in ISKCON.

There is no question of leaving our society(ISKCON.) One may think like that but I cannot allow you to leave. That is my inspiration. Those who have left the society I am always thinking of them." - Srila Prabhupada (Letter to: Upendra — Nairobi 9 October, 1971)

I was once organizing a festival in Virginia (2001)when I was with Narayana Maharaja we had more than 1000 devotees, but Brajanath das,Narayana Maharaja's secretary was so aggressively pushing for more and more money.A mataji had just donated 10.000 $.And because some devotees had gone to other festivals of NM they did not have laxmi for the festival fee, so I allowed them any way.One devotee asked if he should give ,some donation for the tickets of NM and his traveling group, and there was 3500$ for that and we where supposed to give 4000$ for helping NM and his group to travel .I told this devotee it is ok you just go and give Maharaja whatever donation .So he went and gave Maahraja 2500$ and still Brajanath got angry where is the last 500$.So I said I will ask once more some of those that have not paid festival fees, and that has laxmi,so I tried once more and came up with another 500$.But later I wrote NM about this attitude of Brajanath.He chastised him and said :"Do not make it look like we are paid Bhagavatam recitation." He did not like Brajanath's das greed for money.One mataji told me when she went on their Vraja mandal Parikrama.A wallet with several thousand dollars was found and she asked Brajanath to make anoucement that someone has lost their laxmi.He did not do so.... .
So there is problems with money too in Narayana Maharajas camp....I was disgusted with the corruption of Vrajanath.das.
Jesus Christ said do not throw with stones if you live in a glass house..NM has never set Vrajanath straight...so he should not throw stones at ISKCON, and he should stop giving cheap initiations...HariBhakti Vilasa tells to wait for a year it is all there..Parasurama Prabhu has spoken correctly http://www.harekrsna.com/sun/editorials/12-09/editorials5443.htm (though the barking dog video is a misunderstanding obviously Srila Prabhupada did not look down on black bodied devotees or women .so why make it a dispute ?)
your servant
Payonidhi das

Srila Prabhupada:
There is no doubt about it, to distribute books is our most important activity. The temple is a place not for eating and sleeping, but as a base from which we send out our soldiers to fight with Maya. Fight with Maya means to drop thousand and millions of books into the lap of the conditioned souls. Just like during war time the bombs are raining from the sky like anything......

Krsna says:
Being freed from attachment, fear and anger, being fully absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many, many persons in the past became purified by knowledge of Me--and thus they all attained transcendental love for Me.

All of them--as they surrender unto Me--I reward accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Prtha

"Whether one is without desire [the condition of the devotees], or is desirous of all fruitive results, or is after liberation, one should with all efforts try to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead for complete perfection, culminating in Krsna consciousness." (Bhag. 2.3.10)
this vers is no excuse to be a thief

Prahlada Maharaja has stated:
Otherwise, O my Lord, O supreme instructor of the entire world, You are so kind to Your devotee that You could not induce him to do something unbeneficial for him. On the other hand, one who desires some material benefit in exchange for devotional service cannot be Your pure devotee. Indeed, he is no better than a merchant who wants profit in exchange for service.
SB 7.9.39: My dear Lord of the Vaikuṇṭha planets, where there is no anxiety, my mind is extremely sinful and lusty, being sometimes so-called happy and sometimes so-called distressed.My mind is full of lamentation and fear, and it always seeks more and more money. Thus it has become most polluted and is never satisfied in topics concerning You. I am therefore most fallen and poor. In such a status of life, how shall I be able to discuss Your activities?
from Prabhupadas letter:
I have not heard from Tusta Krsna or Siddha-Svarupa Goswamis nor do I know anything of their plans to return to New Zealand. Try to convince them to return to our Society and work cooperatively. That they have gone away is not good thing and it is a deviation from our line of parampara.

Rather, avoiding faultfinding and anarchy, they should keep our standards and work maturely and not cause factions and splitting. I am not at all pleased at what they have done, but if they return let us forget what has happened and go forward. As Sannyasins they may preach and you may manage affairs. That will be very nice.

We have got so much vital spiritual knowledge to distribute to the public and they are in desperate need of it. The whole world is going to hell and everyone is suffering. In light of this, how can we argue amongst one another and neglect our responsibility for reclaiming these fallen souls for going Back to Home, Back to Godhead.

I hope this meets you well.

Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
(the point is if there is corruption on top levels devotees become ritviks or go to Gaudiya Math)

I understand from Sudama Goswami that Gaurasundara has handed over to you some portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Temple there. I do not know why he has sold the Temple without my permission. He had no right to do such a thing.

I request that you kindly send whatever money he has given you directly to me in Los Angeles by registered post. The old Temple BBT and Spiritual Sky debts may be cleared with it first and the rest should be sent directly to myself. We require huge sums of money for our Temple projects in Vrindaban and Mayapur so we have good use for it.

Gaurasundara and Siddha-svarupa have almost fallen down. Do not join them. Stay in the association of our Temple and work according to established programs as I have already directed.

I hope this meets you well.

Your ever well wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

13 December, 1973


Los Angeles

ALL GLORIES TO SRI GURU AND GAURANGA!

MEMO TO ALL CENTERS

Dear Prabhus,

Please accept my most humble obeisances at your lotus feet. Today we received a newsletter from Syamasundara Prabhu regarding gems and I assume every Center received the same letter. I discussed the contents with Srila Prabhupada and His Divine Grace instructed me to immediately issue the following letter.

First of all, Srila Prabhupada never sanctioned or encouraged this program of buying or selling jewels. Furthermore, Srila Prabhupada does not want us to purchase jewels and gems for decorating the Deities in our own Temples. Expensive gems and jewelry will only attract thieves and rogues.
It was because of the jewels in Indian Temples that the Mohammedans invaded India, destroying the Deities and Temples and plundering the jewels. In previous ages, when people were honest and pious kings maintained law and order, then the Deities and Temples were decorated with costly jewels but in this age it is not advised.

Srila Prabhupada said, "Bhakti does not depend on seeing the Deity with jewelry - it is a different matter. We worship the Deity by strictly observing the rules and regulations of Deity worship - not by decorating with jewelry. Jewels will not attract anyone except thieves and rogues. People will be attracted by our preaching. I don't advise the Temples to purchase jewelry. Do not expose the Deity to this danger. I am not in favor of this."

Furthermore, "Purchasing jewels means increased anxiety only. It is not the days for this practice. I do not advise buying or selling jewelry."

In addition to thieves and rogues, there is risk that even our own men may fall victim to stealing. We have the examples of Kausika and Mahadeva, both devotees who stole from Temples.

Prabhupada said, "Our men are coming from outside with so many bad habits and the stealing mentality is there. We are trying to reform, but if the opportunity is there, the mentality may come forward and they may fall down. We will loose our money, our prestige and out students. Why expose them in that way? No jewelry! It is not the time for that."

In summary, purchasing jewelry for the Deities is unnecessary, dangerous and unauthorized. Prabhupada said to "write elaborately to all Centers on this point. Try to understand the principle."

We improve on Deity worship by regulated puja, purified chanting and bold and enthusiastic preaching work. Those are the real ornaments with which to decorate the Lord.

Haribol Prabhus.

Your unworthy servant,
Karandhara das Adhikari
/kdd

(actually in Vrindavan in 1986 someone stole some small jewlery given to Srimati Radharani, imagine the reactions to that )
There is several lectures where Prabhupada mentioned do not do this jewlery business but sell my books otherwise again become a mouse, one former TP and now a GBC ran a business like that using other devotee to share the profit,,these things are not good

Another person sold Spiritual Sky. for personal profit (also a GBC member).Srila Prabhupada did not like ISKCON to be used for anyones personal business ,this is different from having some allowance...Sulocana Prabhu made some valid points in his book "Gurubusiness" the point of a Guru is to train his disciples, and they all engage in spreading KC through bookdistribution of Srila Prabhupadas books..this is Srila Prabhupadas desire...and he always wanted devotees to read his books also.In my humble opinion if we do not distribute Srila Prabhupadas books we are not really following Srila Prabhupada, we should all try to distribute his books.For those who are TP's,sannyasis , Gurus and GBC;s they should inspire others to do the same ,and if they can set the example to go out on bookdistribution also even better...then Srila Prabhupada will be pelased and KC will spread

[Paramananda das]

my dear friend BV Avdhut Maahraja wrote:
Avadhoot
Who said our Sanga is all pure devotees? It is trying to some degree to inculcate Krishna-bhakti in the hearts of others. There is preaching and there is example. If the two are not aligned then always there are problems in anybodies Sanga.