Thoughts on ISKCON and the Ritviks – or „do not change anything”

 

For someone who looks beyond the surface, it is clear that the ISKCON movement has failed (false guru system, gurukula abuses, exploitation, etc.), but the movement fulfilled its mission during Srila Prabhupada's physical presence because complete knowledge was transmitted to the world through Srila Prabhupada's books.

However, in a changing world, there are things that need to be adapted to change and things that do not. Among these, we can highlight, for example, that the woman – man or wife - husband (guru) relationships and roles that existed in the old days have changed, but also that today, everyone in society is considered a sudra.

To what extent does the Ritvik movement take into account the changes taking place in the world and in society? Is it permissible to ask the question: if Srila Prabhupada were here today in his physical body, would he change anything? Would the correct answer be to change nothing?

Even if we don't know the perfect answer, we do know that in today's world,  we can associate with Srila Prabhupada and use our intelligence according to his teaching. Using our intelligence certainly does not mean changing nothing.

Even if we cannot give a perfect answer, perhaps it is worth thinking about what Srila Prabhupada expects of us.

• -         „do not change our principles”
• -        „But we don't change our Vedic knowledge”
• -        „Paramparā means they do not change the word of Kṛṣṇa. That is paramparā.”
• -        „and if we do not change our attitude to serve Kṛṣṇa, then we get again next      body.”
• -        „with love and devotion render all kinds of services. He should perform some sort of work for Kṛṣṇa, and that work should be with love.”
• -        „But Krishna is so great, and He is so greatly merciful, that any small service we offer to Him in devotion and sincerity He will accept.” 
• -        „Their service is voluntary. It is not that we can force anyone to do anything.”
• -        „If a devotee is intelligent enough, he will make progress on the path of self-realization. If one is sincere and devoted to the activities of devotional service, the Lord gives him a chance to make progress and ultimately attain to Him.”
• -        „Dayā, compassion, is the foremost Vaiṣṇava quality.”

The inspiration for this article is not primarily criticism, but rather the usefulness of thinking together.

 (Note: references for the quotations (Srila Prabhupada) have not been added here, but they can be found in the Blog posts.)