This is a response to a comment from raghavendu on the Breaking news: Hare Krishna guru too average looking post. He was responding to an article on Hare Krishna News where I commented on how writers at the Sampradaya Sun were acting like cult fanatics in their uproar over Hridayananda Swami not wearing “devotional clothes” 100% of the time. Raghavendu wrote:
Sure the slant of that article makes sense. But Hridayananda is in ISKCON and he is an ISKCON sannyasi-guru. So he’s obligated to act according to Prabhupada’s and ISKCON’s standards. If he wants to be a self-styled “devotee” then he should be honest and be clear about his differences with both his guru and the institution. But Hrdayananda will also defend ISKCON theology in disputes over interpretation with other Gaudiya Institutions who have Bengali and Indian acaryas. So on one hand he will say things and act in a way separate from ISKCON orthodoxy, yet at other times like in defense of the GBC position on the origin of the soul, he will wrap himself in flag of ISKCON loyalty. You can’t have it both ways and this is really why he has brought down so much trouble on himself.
You’re being presumptuous about the reason for Hridayananda’s support of fall-vada, for all you know he actually believes in it.
I disagree with the conception you put forth about his needing to be “obligated to act according to Prabhupada’s and ISKCON’s standards.” That sounds like something a ritvik-vada would say. Why is he obligated to act like what is considered to be de rigueur by ISKCON or Prabhupada?
Should he come out in support of crude racism along with advocating slavery for black people? Should he claim the moon landings were hoaxes? Should he teach that God advocates a harsh sexist homophobic patriarchal society as the perfect social construct? How about teaching that too much heterosexual sex is the cause of homosexuality? How about teaching that “there have been no women scientists, mathematicians, or philosophers in all of human history?” How about teaching “how can there be no life on the moon when moon rays give life to vegetation?” How about teaching that if the moon was just dust and rocks that they would get very hot in the direct sunlight and therefore moon rays wouldn’t be pleasing – so why are moon rays pleasing, rascal scientists? How about teaching that the Sun is closer to us than the moon? Prabhupada taught all of that. How about the classic antisemitism Prabhupada espoused, should Hridayananda be made to pass that along as representing Krishna’s truth or be kicked out of his position?
Look, the fact is that most people who became devotees from Prabhupada, besides becoming Vaishnavas, which was a good thing, were also turned into nutjobs to varying degrees because they took the teachings of a sometimes nutjob as God’s holy writ. Eventually many or most of them realize how crazy they were to think like they thought, but many many are still lunatics to one degree or another (read the Sampradaya Sun or Dandavats to see proof of that — if you don’t see the lunacy that’s because you’re crazy as well). Why should a person be forced to accept the dictates of crazy people?
Prabhupada and ISKCON and Prabhupada followers put forth a fanatic fundamentalist crazy totalitarian cult-like mentality as representative of Krishna. If someone rebels against their insanity in their group, good for them, fight the crazy power! I’m not saying that Hridayananda Swami deserves to be a guru and sannyasi in ISKCON, what I am saying is that the reason to disown him from that position should be something other than:
“He aint like us pa, what with his fancy lernin and city ways. Tarnation if ise goin to let a fancy pants know-it-all get away with thinking he’s better than us or knows better than the almighty god of gods and savior of the universe Jesus H. Prabhupada!”
Devotees in 1970s acted crazily. Many times I could not imagine their non-devotional actions. Still, most devotees will think of that time as golden era etc.
I attended one ishta-gosthi with Hrydayanand Swami. He was honest and remorseful. I was ready to accept that he himself was stupid in early days. He regretted his immature actions.
Hanumatpresak Swami left his family and became devotee. I consider leaving his son as wrong. During my conversations with him, he accepted that he acted immaturely. He accepted that if he was more advanced, then he should have stayed with his family and taken care of it.
Anyways, I respect those people who are honest. Those people who don’t want to pose as great and who are humble. I have found Hrydayanand Swami to be honest and he did not seem like a pretender.
I personally respect him as one of the better gurus of Iskcon.
“You can’t have it both ways “…
Who says?
“Why is he obligated to act like what is considered to be de rigueur by ISKCON or Prabhupada?”
He [Hridayananda Swami] is not obligated as a U.S. Citizen with full civil rights under the Federal Constitution. But he is obligated by Prabhupada’s instructions and the management of the institution. If he wants to be different, then he should be honest and not pretend to be in ISKCON. Why does he need ISKCON anyway? He should summon up the courage, to be his own kind of free thinking Krsna devotee and teacher and go out on his own.
Swami Hridayananda
raghavendu,
Wouldn’t it be difficult for Hridayananda to leave ISKCON at this point in his career? Not all gurus or bhaktas have the same moods in Gaudiya Vaishnavism, and that tradition is very important from my point of view. Hridayananda might sincerely feel the best way he could servie his disciples is by staying in ISKCON.
As I posted already in a different post on this blog, it is good to see a site honest enough to admit what a creep Prabhupada was. Most who protest ISKCON do so on the premise that Prabhupada was not like any of the gurus/swamis those disgruntled with ISKCON have grievances against. So they hold ISKCON to the scrutiny of the supposed Prabhupada ideal.
Prabhupada was a Wizard of Oz (like in the 1939 movie). Like Dorothy said, “(Prabhupada)You’re a very bad man!”
Prabhupada was EVERYTHING BAD the same as all the rest of the ISKCON scoundrels. So, it’s pointless and defeats any purpose to demonstrate against ISKCON leaders extolling Prabhupada since he was NO DIFFERENT!!
Prabhupada and all the rest: birds of a feather.
[...] is a reply to William Schuler’s comment on the Got to keep the loonies on the path [...]
“Hridayananda might sincerely feel the best way he could servie his disciples is by staying in ISKCON.”
I just don’t believe that he is “really” in Iskcon. He may be in Iskcon from an external viewpoint, due to attachment, institutional politics etc. But he is certainly not in the Iskcon of his guru maharaja and maybe not even in the Iskcon of the present GBC. So it’s just time for him to stop the charade and really be himself, for better or worse.