Bhakti Vikas Swami, April 3, 2010: “It is sometimes seen that members of the Krsna Consciousness movement, including some of its prominent leaders are also exposed for acts unbecoming of sadhus. However, a devotee of Krsna, particularly one who is seriously striving to fully surrender to Krsna, is always in a better position than anyone else including those sadhus who are not exclusively focused on Krsna yet rigidly adhere to moral principles.
This may seem like a hypocritical statement, but it is not because it is the statement of Sri Krsna himself in Bhagavad-Gita: Api cet su-duracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak sadhur eva sa mantavyah sam yag vyavasito hi sah. “Even if engaged in most abominable activities, one who is desirous of fully surrendering to Me, who has no other object in life, is certainly to be considered a sadhu.”
How is it possible that one who is fully focused on Krsna as the goal of his life could possibly indulge in most abominable activities? It is possible because of previous bad habits, that a devotee, even a serious devotee may circumstantially slip into. This does not exonerate habitually bad activities in the name of bhakti nor give a license for using the banner of bhakti to cheat others, even within the realm of devotion to Krsna. Cheaters should be distinguished from genuine saints. Unfortunately, even in the field of supposed Krsna bhakti, there is much profiteering, personal indulgence and so on.
As Karl Marx rightly pointed out, “Religion is the opiate of the people.” It should not be, and it need not be, but unfortunately it is, very easy to exploit people’s pious inclinations. Therefore the Krsna Consciousness movement advocates, as Sri Krsna Himself does in Bhagavad-Gita, a scientific rather than a sentimental, fanatical, blind, or in others ways foolish approach to religion. Everything should be approached philosophically. These comments on bogus sadhus are not meant as a sectarian diatribe, but should be understood in light of the teachings of Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, which unfortunately for people of the world, and particularly so for Hindus, who should know it, is very little studied and even less followed. The Krsna Consciousness movement recognizes that there are many sincere and pious sadhus who are not deliberately cheating people or making a personality cult around themselves. The derogatory comments in this article are not specifically directed against them. However even such sadhus would become real sadhus, or sadhus in the full sense of the term, if they could simply accept the verdict of sastra that Krsna is the param satya, and the only really auspicious path, sanmarg, for the jiva is to recognize this and fully surrender in loving devotion to Him.
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