Prabhupada: Vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam. Lord Caitanya instructed this verse. He gave us eight verses, known as Siksastaka. Siksa means “instructions”; astaka, “eight.” This Siksastaka poetry, containing eight verses, are very valuable, and they were given by Lord Caitanya for understanding of the whole human society. It was not meant for any particular country or particular society, but it was meant for the whole human race. Lord Caitanya entrusted His countrymen, who are known as Bharatiyas, to distribute this message through out the whole world, in every village and every town. There is a nice Bengali verse in Caitanya-caritamrta:
prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama
The Lord predicted that “As many towns and villages are there on the surface of the world, everywhere this message will be known.” And He also said,
bharata-bhumite manusya-janma haila yara janma sarthaka kari’ kara para-upakara [Cc. Adi 9.41]
He entrusted his countrymen—means any Indians. Not that because He appeared in Bengal it was entrusted to the Bengalis, but He said that bharata-bhumite manusya-janma haila yara: [Cc. Adi 9.41] “on the land of Bharata-varsa.” India is known as Bharata-varsa. Perhaps most of you know it. This is after the name of King Bharata. There was a great king, Bharata, who was the emperor of the world, and this planet was named Bharata-varsa after his name. Before that this planet was known as Ilavrta-varsa. And after Maharaja Bharata, this planet was named as Bharata-varsa. But gradually, there was partition. As recently also there has been partition of India— Hindustan and Pakistan—similarly, this planet, known as Bharata- varsa, was partitioned gradually, one after another. So then the other names—Europe, Africa, or America, or Germany—these names gradually developed. Actually the whole planet was known as Bharata-varsa. That we understand from the Vedic history. And there was one king. That king also belonged to Hastinapura, which is called at the present moment New Delhi, near about that.
So anyway, Lord Caitanya entrusted to spread this message to the Indians. Bharata-bhumite manusya-janma haila yara [Cc. Adi 9.41] There are many kinds of living entities. There are men, there are animals, there are birds, beasts, trees, aquatics—all of them are living entities. But He is entrusting to the manusya. Bharata-bhumite manusya-janma haila yara [Cc. Adi 9.41]. “One who has taken his birth as human being, Indian human being, to him I am entrusting this message, that this should be distributed all over the world in villages, in towns, this message.” So I am especially speaking to the Indians present here, that you have got a responsibility on behalf of Lord Caitanya. If you believe in our sastras, in our acaryas, then those who are present here as Indians, I will request them to take this responsibility of spreading this message of Lord Caitanya all over the world. And He said, bharata-bhumite manusya-janma haila yara, janma sarthaka kari [Cc. Adi 9.41]. Janma sarthaka kari means “First of all make your life successful.” You cannot distribute this transcendental message without making your life successful. Janma sarthaka kari. That means persons who are born in India, they have got the facility for making life successful. How? Because there is immense treasure- house of transcendental knowledge in India. It is known to everyone, in every part of the world. Unfortunately, we Indians, we do not know the value of our spiritual treasure-house. I have got one German Godbrother. He was formerly known as Mr. Hans Sulyea(?). He is now Sadananda Swami. He is living in Sweden. And one of his disciples, Vamana-datta… What is his German name?
Devotee: Dr. Eisen (?).
Prabhupada: Yes. He has written a very nice authorized book on Lord Caitanya in German language, and it is very big book, paperback, five hundred pages. It is approved by the Sweden University, and he has sent me. So even a German gentleman, he is taking so much interest. And this Mr. Sulyea, he told me long, about forty years before… At that time I was also householder. So he told me that “If some student come to Europe and then come to Germany, first of all we try to test him, how much he has got his original cultural knowledge.” He said that “If we find that this boy, the student, knows something of Indian original cultural life, then we welcome him. Otherwise we reject him.”
So we Indians, we should know that we cannot imitate the Western countries. They are far advanced. So far materialistic way of life is concerned, you cannot compete with them. Just like some years before there was industrial exhibition in India in which the government was very proud to show that they are manufacturing cycle and sewing machine. When Western part of the world, they are manufacturing so many complicated machineries, we are proud of manufacturing cycle and sewing machine. Similarly, in every respect… In medicine also, there are so many laboratories in India, but still, seventy-five percent of the medicines are imported from foreign countries, because they are lagging behind. So my point is that in every country, in every human society, there is a special qualification. The day before yesterday I was seeing one picture in that church, of Hardwar. Millions of people assembled there for taking bath in the Ganges. In 1958 there was a special fair in Jagannatha Puri. It was written in the almanac that on that particular day, if somebody takes bath in the sea and has an audience of Lord Jagannatha, then he will be liberated. I was also there and with other friends. You’ll be surprised to know that for a few-hour visit, about six million people assembled from all parts of India. And government had to make a special arrangement for their taking bath in the sea and visiting the temple. Similarly, there is Kumbha-mela. These assemblies are not advertised. People know it by parampara. I am speaking to you; you are speaking to your friend. In this way they know it, and on that particular day they assemble at a place, just like Prayaga, on the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna. Millions of people will assemble. So still, in spite of our present leaders’ policy to completely eradicate all religious ideas… They have made secular state. But people are so born that naturally they are inclined to take part in spiritual movement. That is the nature. Therefore Lord Caitanya said that bharata-bhumite manusya-janma haila yara [Cc. Adi 9.41] To take one’s birth in the land of India, to take one’s birth as human being, is great opportunity undoubtedly. But still more great opportunity is there who has taken his birth in India. We are… We must be proud, provided we do not forget our own Vedic culture.
full lecture:
http://causelessmercy.com/t/t/680728SP.MON.htm
Speech to Indian Audience
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Montreal, July 28, 1968
Those in the pictures are followers of Radhanath (either kirtaniyas or mayapuris but both are inspired by Radhanath). And many of their performances are a show (Sahajiya) if you see their videos. They act as if they are pure devotees with they’re “smiles” and sudden “moments of bliss” and pose like pure devotees like Radhanath. I would ask if this picture could be removed as we are not followers of the sahajiyas.
pose like pure devotees like Radhanath does (pretending to be a pure devotee)***
Thanks Alex, you are right, unfortunately there are things Prabhupada did not instruct. Question is, is it productive to go against innocent new rank&file devotees who joined ISKCON in order to become spiritually advanced? Are they allowed to listen to outside critics? No, never!
ISKCON’s ultimate managerial authority is – the GBC. GBC which, votes in, votes out, controls, monitors, censures, and even excommunicates — the “acharyas”.
In that sense, whatever happens within Prabhupada’s ISKCON movement, all responsibility rests 100% upon the GBC. Nobody else. Not even ISKCON’s diksha gurus. They too only do what is ordered by the GBC.
Prabhupada: “So those who are GBC’s, they should be very, very careful to administer the business of ISKCON. Otherwise they will be punished. As the post is very great, similarly, the punishment is also very great. That is the difficulty.” (Geneva, June 4, 1974)
Agreed, innocent rank&file devotees who joined ISKCON in order to become spiritually advanced have to be informed what Prabhupada instructed. As it is known, after 35 years, they learned their lesson that they only listen to the GBC.
On the other hand, if ISKCON’s rank&file dare to criticize the GBC they are immediately outside the movement. It is a question of contact person. Any company has this system too, in case of complain contact the customer complaint and not to create camps.
In sum, strictly spoken, ISKCON’s rank&file can’t be blamed for anything. They simply do what is told to them by the GBC.
To tell these innocent devotees to better reassure if this what the GBC is saying is actually what Prabhupada instructed – meanwhile it is clear that the GBC positioned itself as such powerful authority that rank&file cannot challenge the GBC without having consequence.
Therefore, all responsibility, all karmas so to speak, rest upon the GBC. No one else.
As soon it is established that the GBC is responsible for their wanna-be gurus and has to pay for any damage caused by fallen “gurus”etc., etc, this false guru business might be stopped.
Victims of mishandling failure have to pay – nowhere this type of inhuman treatment is tolerated.
It is a violation of human rights and has to be brought to the attention of human rights institutions, constitutional courts, consumer and Public Interest Committee, consumer Interest Council, consumer Protection Board and consumer Protection Regulations.
Since this does not happen and will never, we should be thankful that at least these devotees are chanting the holy name and gradually getting purified.