Article Two, Section Two: “ISKCON” Existentialists Break the Paramparä
Fourth of a Six-Part Series
by Kailäsa Candra däsa
“Therefore, the breaking of the sanätana-dharma tradition by irresponsible leaders of society brings about chaos in that society, and consequently people forget the aim of life: Viñëu. Such leaders are called blind, and persons who follow such leaders are sure to be led into chaos.” Bhagavad-gétä, 1.42, purport
“When disciples do not stick to the principle of accepting the order of their spiritual master, immediately there are two opinions. Any opinion different from the opinion of the spiritual master is useless. One cannot infiltrate materially concocted ideas into spiritual advancement. That is deviation.” Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi Lélä, 12.9, purport
“ .. . all possibility of finding values in a heaven of ideas disappears along with him. . . If God (doesn’t) exist, everything would be possible–that is the very starting point of existentialism. Indeed, everything is permissible if God does not exist. . . ” Sartre, Existentialism is a Humanism
Just as Lord Kåñëa spoke the Bhagavad-gétä to his disciple Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kurukñetra and thus established a line of disciplic succession, similarly, His Divine Grace Çréla Prabhupäda spoke to his Western disciples in the Sixties and Seventies. By so doing, he established a branch of the disciplic succession known as the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudéya Vaiñëava sampradäya. The continued viability of His Hare Kåñëa branch of Kåñëa consciousness was dependent upon his disciples—particularly, his leading secretaries—following his directions and teachings perfectly.
Return to Article One, Section One