Sunday, 2 July 2017

Was Srila Prabhupada Poisoned? (The Evidence)








READ HERE: Kill Guru Become Guru (Book One) pdf

 You try to trace out the history of the world, you’ll find always persons who are for Krsna or God, they have been persecuted. Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, Haridasa Thakura was caned in twenty-two market places, Prahlada Maharaja was tortured by his father. So there may be such things. Of course, Krsna will protect us. So don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid if somebody tortures us, somebody teases us. We must go on with Krsna consciousness without any hesitation, and Krsna will give us protect. (Srimad Bhagavatam 7.9.8 Lecture Seattle 21/10/68) 

titiksavah karunikah
suhrdah sarva-bhutanam
ajata-satravah santah
sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah

   This is the qualification of sadhu. Sadhu is titiksava, tolerates all kinds of miserable conditions. He is sadhu. Because this is a place of miserable condition. A sadhu learns how to tolerate. Sadhu is never disturbed. Yasmin sthito gurunapi duhkhena na vicalyate. A sadhu, who has got the shelter of Krsna, if he is placed in the severest type of dangerous condition, he is never disturbed.
   Just like Prahlada Maharaja, his father was putting him in so many dangerous conditions, even he was supplying with poison. He knew that “My father has given me poison to drink. All right, let me drink. If Krsna likes, He will save me. I am now put into such dangerous position. I have to drink. Father is giving poison. Who can check?” And such a big powerful Hiranyakasipu. The mother cried, requested... He forced the mother, Prahlada’s mother, “Give your son this poison.” So she begged so much, but he was a rascal demon. “No, you must give.” So the mother knew, the son knew that the rascal father is giving this poison. What can he do, a small child? “All right, let me drink.” Gurunapi duhkhena na vicalyate. He is not agitating. “All right, if Krsna likes, I will live.” This is the position of sadhu. He is not disturbed. Titiksavah. In all circumstances, he is tolerant. That is sadhu. Sadhu does not become disturbed. Titiksavah. At the same time, karunikah. He is himself disturbed, but he is merciful to others.
  
Just like Jesus Christ. He is being crucified, and still he is merciful: “God, these people do not know what they are doing. Please excuse them.” This is sadhu. He is personally being disturbed by the demons, but still, he is merciful to the general people. They are suffering for want of Krsna consciousness. So even up to the point of death, he is trying to preach Krsna consciousness. “Let the people be benefited. Eh, what is this material body? Even if I am killed, I am not killed. This body is killed, that’s all.” This is sadhu. Titiksavah karunikah. In one side he is tolerant, and other side, merciful. (Bhagavad-gita 1.21-22 Lecture London 18/7/73)

    When something is arranged by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one should not be disturbed by it, even if it appears to be a reverse according to one’s calculations. For example, sometimes we see that a powerful preacher is killed, or sometimes he is put into difficulty, just as Haridasa Thakura was. He was a great devotee who came into this material world to execute the will of the Lord by preaching the Lord’s glories. But Haridasa was punished at the hands of the Kazi by being beaten in twenty-two marketplaces. Similarly, Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, and Prahlada Maharaja was put through so many tribulations.
    The Pandavas, who were direct friends of Krsna, lost their kingdom, their wife was insulted, and they had to undergo many severe tribulations. Seeing all these reverses affect devotees, one should not be disturbed; one should simply understand that in these matters there must be some plan of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Bhagavatam’s conclusion is that a devotee is never disturbed by such reverses. He accepts even reverse conditions as the grace of the Lord. One who continues to serve the Lord even in reverse conditions is assured that he will go back to Godhead, back to the Vaikuntha planets. (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.16.37 purport)

     This is our position. Gradually they will show Hare Krsna movement. In India also, although India’s... They will want to crush down this movement. So this will be up to Him. Krsna or Krsna’s movement, the same thing. And Krsna was attempted to be killed by Kamsa class of men and his company, the demons. SO IT WILL BE THERE; IT IS ALREADY THERE. Don’t be disappointed, because that is the meaning that it is successful. Krsna’s favor is there, because Krsna and Krsna’s movement is not different, identical. So as Krsna was attempted to be killed, many, many years before He appeared... At eighth child, if the mother produces child yearly, still ten years, eight years before His birth, the mother was to be attempted to be killed. SO THERE MAY BE ATTEMPT LIKE THAT. And Lord Jesus Christ was killed. SO THEY MAY KILL ME ALSO. (Conversation Honolulu 3/5/76)

    So there are these snake-like persons. They are envious about our movement, and they are opposing. That is the nature. Prahlada Maharaja also was opposed by his father, what to speak of others THESE THINGS WILL HAPPEN... HE WAS ALSO SERVED WITH POISON. (Srimad Bhagavatam Lecture Mayapur 28/02/77)

THAT IS MY ONLY REQUEST, THAT AT THE LAST STAGE DON’T TORTURE ME AND PUT ME TO DEATH.
(Room Conversation Vrindavan 3/11/77)

Thursday, 25 February 2016

'The Order of the Spiritual Master'


C
aitanya-Caritamrta Adi 12.9
'Some of the disciples strictly accepted the orders of the acarya, and others deviated, independently concocting their own opinions under the spell of daivi-maya.'

Purport
"This verse describes the beginning of a schism. 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. There is no scope for adjusting spiritual advancement to material ideas."



"The order of the spiritual master is the active principle in spiritual life. Anyone who disobeys the order of the spiritual master immediately becomes useless."
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 12.8-10)


"
The instructions received from the spiritual master must be followed immediately. One should not deviate from or surpass the instructions of the spiritual master."
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.14, purport)


"Brahma praises Kardama because he carried out the orders of the spiritual master in toto and without cheating [....] To honor the spiritual master means to carry out his instructions word for word." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.24.12, purport)

"Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti also advises that if we want to be successful in our attempt to go back to Godhead, we must very seriously act according to the instruction of the spiritual master. That is the way of perfection. There need be no anxiety over attaining perfection because if one follows the instruction given by the spiritual master he is sure to attain perfection. Our only concern should be how to execute the order of the spiritual master." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.8.71, purport)

"We have to render service to a guru and surrender ourselves. It is not that one should accept just any person as a guru. The guru must be the representative of Krsna; then one can surrender oneself. Surrender means that one will accept whatever the guru says. It is not that one thinks, "I do not care for my guru's order. Still I am a disciple." That is not actually accepting a guru. Of course, it has become a fashion to accept a guru in this way, but this will not help anyone." (Teachings of Lord Kapila)

"There should be no instance in which the disciple or the son says, "This is not correct. I cannot carry it out." When he says that, he is fallen […] the order of the spiritual master is the life and soul of the disciples." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.24.13, purport)

"This acceptance of the words of the spiritual master is called srauta-vakya, which indicates that the disciple must carry out the spiritual master's instructions without deviation. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura remarks in this connection that a disciple must accept the words of his spiritual master as his life and soul." (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 7.72, 77, purport)

"The disciple must stick to whatever the spiritual master orders. Simply by following on that line, one sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead […] Instead of being eager to see the Lord in some bush in Vrndavana while at the same time engaging in sense gratification, if one instead sticks to the principle of following the words of the spiritual master, he will see the Supreme Lord without difficulty." (Bhagavatam 4.28.51, purport)

"As soon as the disciple thinks independently, not caring for the instructions of the spiritual master, he is a failure ." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.17.1, purport)

Sunday, 21 February 2016

ISKCON Bangalore's "New Form of Sankirtan"



"Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, 500 years back, introduced the sankirtan movement. Sankirtan means large number of people come together and chant the holy names of the Lord together. Srila Prabhupada, when he went to the West, he introduced this nama-sankirtan in the streets of New York, in the streets of Western cities. It was a common sight and everyone knew that Hare Krishna people chanting the holy names of God.


With the rising of so many malls all over the country we were thinking of some innovative way by which the people in the mall could actually witness such sankirtana and that is how we got the idea to fuse the flash mob concept with the sankirtan.


We feel that it's really divinely inspired modern way. It's really historic that a new form of sankirtan has emerged, wherein people very happy to actually watch and participate in chanting the holy names of the Lord. And this is going to set the trend for future sankirtan movement"


(Madhu Pandit Dasa - 'The Making of Hare Krishna Flash Mob' YouTube video - published 12/11/2015)




"I never thought about the audience. I was prepared to chant even if there were no men present to hear me. The principle of chanting is to glorify the Lord and not to attract a crowd. If Krishna hears nicely then he will ask some sincere devotees to gather in such place."
(Prabhupada Letter 67-11-12)

"As soon as the disciple thinks independently, not caring for the instructions of the spiritual master, he is a  failure." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.17.1, purport)


Please see:
Srila Prabhupada - Kirtan Standards

 

Thursday, 11 February 2016

Akshaya Patra's Padma Sri Award




How can Madhu Pandit dedicate the recognition for this mundane karmi award to Srila Prabhupada? Feeding the hungry and "leading the cause of education among the government school children" is not Prabhupada's (or Lord Chaitanya's) mission. Prabhupada and Bhaktisiddhanta spoke strongly against Vaisnava devotees getting involved with these social "welfare" programs and Prabhupada described government schools as "slaughterhouses". And why is Madhu Pandit presenting Prabhupada as "a true visionary who wanted to see a hunger free world"? This is totally mis-representing Prabhupada to the public as a mundane social-worker. This is bogus and offensive. Prabhupada actually says that a hunger free world is not possible.:

“Fifty years ago, when I first came to Bombay, at that time I was grhastha. I saw there were persons lying down care of footpath, and fifty years after, we are seeing the same thing is going on. No change. There is a class of men who must lie down care of footpath. There are so many institutions, daridra-narayana-seva. But why there are daridras still? That means you cannot change. It is not possible. It is not possible. Just like a man who has done something criminal and he is in prison. Can you take him out? It will be another criminal action. If you try to take him away from the prison house by some means, then you’ll be punished and he’ll be punished, both. This is the law state. Similarly, how you can surpass the stringent laws of nature and the laws of God? That is not possible.” (Bhagavad Gita 13.21 lecture)


"In the Bhagavad-gītā we don't find anywhere a single line that "You raise funds for," I mean to say, "giving relief to the poor" or "to the suffering." Is there any instruction in Bhagavad-gītā? You have read. Can you find out? But these people, they have become more learned than Kṛṣṇa." (SB 2.9.4 lecture. 22 April 1972)


Akshaya Patra do not distrubute prasadam. Secular goverment regulations do not allow them to. Neither are they allowed to have kirtan or preach at their (GMO?) bhoga distribution programs. They are simply assisting the government to get village children to abandon their vedic culture and attend "slaughterhouse schools". Some may get menial jobs such as working in call centres, the others will be at the mercy of the government, used like slaves just so they can eat. They cannot go back to village vedic life because the government schools do not teach cow-protection or self-sufficient farming. Why do Akshaya Patra facilitate these anti-varnashram activities and serve the cause of Kali in the name of Srila Prabhupada?

“Akshay Patra trustees want the organization to be secular. It cannot associate publicly with religious mission." (Madhu Pandit Das)

Akshaya Patra - Vision and Mission
Akshaya Patra's Philanthropy


Servants of Kali such as Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, President Obama and Monsanto (who have a partnership with Akshaya Patra) approve of their activities, but does Srila Prabhupada approve? Whose cause are they serving?

Wednesday, 23 December 2015

Prabhupada - Hitler


UPDATE 15/11/17

Mukunda Das: "I Love Hitler. Closest person we had to a Vedic King...
We should always respect and honour Adolf Hitler. We should give all glories to Adolf Hitler... We should recognise who Adolf Hitler is and offer him all respect and all worship to Adolf Hitler."


 Since the below article was posted Mukunda Das has made dozens of YouTube videos with titles such as "Hitler Predicted The Coming Of Prabhupada", "Hitler & The Waffen SS Protected Caitanya's Sankirtana Movement In It's Embryotic Form" and "Prabhupada Calls For Hitler's Warrior Spirit To Save The World" which only serve to POISON Prabhupada's reputation by repeatedly associating him with Hitler, one of the most hated men in recent history. Why would he do this?

First, Prabhupada's BODY was poisoned, then his BOOKS were poisoned (book-changes), and now Mukunda Das is desperately trying to poison his REPUTATION, so no one will even want to hear him or read his un-changed books. Is this service to Prabhupada? or service to the ADL and other servants of Kali who want to disrupt Prabhupada's mission?

At the time of writing, Mukunda's YouTube channel has 4,966 subscribers, so every time he posts a new Prabhupada+Hitler video all of them will at least see the Hitler/Prabhupada title and thumbnail even if they don't watch the video. And there are all the Prabhupada-Hitler videos in the side-bar. People searching for Hitler videos will see Prabhupada and vice-versa. Many thousands are seeing these and It has cumulative subliminal effect which will make people link Prabhupada to Hitler which will also give ADL an excuse to demonise and censor Srila Prabhupada on the grounds of "anti-semitism" and "holocaust-denial" which is illegal in Germany and other countries. Guilt by association.

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ISKCON Bangalore's spokesman & attack-dog Tim (Puranjana/PADA/krishna1008) Lee's latest absurd LIE is that I am also a promoter, supporter and “jackboot-licker” of Adolf Hitler on FaceBook - even though I have spent the last 3 years speaking against devotees on FB who selectively quote Srila Prabhupada to make him look like a Hitler-loving, jew-hating, heartless bigot, just to add weight to their own materialistic, political views. These ‘devotees’ then attack me (and/or block me) for posting like this:

Prahlad Das>> “Prabhupada said that maybe Hitler did not kill as many Jews as the allies said he did. He did not say he did not kill any Jews (or other groups). He said Hitler was not so bad man (as the allies said he was) ONLY because he did not use nuclear weapons whereas the allies did (in Japan). NOWHERE DOES PRABHUPADA SAY THAT HIS INITIATED DISCIPLES SHOULD SPEND THEIR TIME PRAISING MATERIALISTIC RASCALS LIKE HITLER IN PUBLIC!


Srila Prabhupada: “Regarding Hitler, so Hitler may be good man or bad man, so what does he help to our Krishna Consciousness movement? But it is a fact that much propaganda was made against him, that much I know, and the Britishers are first-class propagandists. And I have heard that his officers did everything without informing him, just like in our ISKCON there are so many false things: “Prabhupada said this, Prabhupada said that.” But we have nothing to do with Hitler in our Krishna Consciousness. Do not be deviated by such ideas.” (Letter to Krsnadasa. Vrindaban. 72-11-07)

Why can’t these Hitler-promoting “devotees” accept this clear instruction from their own Guru? Instead they only make Prabhupada and his followers look like Hitler-loving, fanatical ‘Neo-Nazi’ clowns (all in public). It appears that their love of Hitler is stronger than their love of Srila Prabhupada. Such a shame.

Maybe they should start another Hare Krishna apa-sampradaya?
ISHCON -- The International Society for Hitler Consciousness (aka ‘The Hitleranugas’) ?


And this is the inevitable result of their “preaching”. (Taken from one of Mukunda Dasa’s 100’s of pro-Hitler FB posts):

Jose Rocha>> “I don’t believe S Prabhupada once told Hitler was a good man and also that he did not believe in the concentration camps! These camps were real and the evil on earth! If this is true, I shall leave S Prabhupada right away! HK!”

Just see the nice seva these so-called Vaisnavas are doing for Srila Prabhupada and Lord Chaitanya’s Sankirtan mission!

Here are some examples of what Mukunda Dasa and others are spamming Prabhupada and Hare Krishna FB groups with:




======================================================

Prabhupada quotes regarding Hitler


To the atheists who are guided by the animal qualities of passion and ignorance, physically powerful men like... Ravana, Meghnad, Jarasandha, Hitler, Mussolini, etc. are considered as Mahajans. (Srila Prabhupada)


The whole history of the world, you just study, is a history of sense gratification. Just take, for example, some twenty years ago one Mr. Adolf Hitler came in the scene, and there was great upheaval as war in Europe and America. From 1933 to 1947 or something like that, the whole world was in trouble. But he is gone, finished. And what did he do? Sense gratification, that's all. (Bhagavad-gita Lecture 3.6-10. Los Angeles. 68-12-23)



There is no human being. A big... I gave that a big animal, lion, is fearful to the small animal. But because he is lion, very strong, does it mean that he's a human being? That is going on. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). If one is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he's nothing but animal. So if other small animals praise him, "Oh, you are..." This Gandhi or Indira Gandhi or, and the Hitler and... What is the value? He's a big animal, that's all. (Morning Walk- January 22-23, 1976, Mayapura)
No, the greater power is Krsna. If you take shelter of Krsna, they cannot do anything. Just like Prahlada Maharaja, he was a five years old boy. He took shelter of Krsna and his father was a great demon, very powerful. He wanted to chastise his boy. He could not. This is the proof. So you take shelter. Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja, aham tvam sarva-pape... [Bg. 18.66]. "I give you protection." So people have no faith although He's God. He thinks God is less powerful than Hitler. That is his nonsense. If he takes actually shelter of Krsna, what this rascal, Hitler, can do? But he has no faith in God. He thinks Prabhu Hitler is greater than Lord. Prabhu Hitler. That is the difference between the crows and the swans. The crows think that we have got food in the garbage. And the swans think that we have got food in nice garden, in the clear water. And that is difference even in the birds kingdom."
(Room Conversation with Dr. Christian Hauser, Psychiatrist. Stockholm. 73-09-10)


J
ust like in your Western countries there was Napoleon, there was Hitler, there was Mussolini, here also, big, big leaders, but what they are? Big, big servants of the senses, that's all. Big, big servants of the senses. Therefore Bhāgavata has said, sva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). Puruṣaḥ paśuḥ: "These big, big leaders are big, big animals, that's all." Saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. So there are many instructive verses in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Therefore Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam should be your life and soul to remain constantly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, yes, the unique gift of Śrī Vyāsadeva.
(Lecture SB 07.09.40 MAYAPUR - March 18, 1976)



The crowlike birds or crowlike men or karmīs, they're envious. You'll find. And even, without any offense... Just like dog: You pass on. Without any offense, he'll bark, "Ow, ow, ow, ow." (laughter) You have no offense. You have no offense, but it will try to pick up some quarrel with you. Sometime it will come to bite you unless you have got sufficient stick to show. (laughter) So, similar... There are dogs and cats and hogs. There are similar men also. They will simply pick up quarrel unnecessarily. Sometimes political leaders... Just like in Europe, Hitler unnecessarily picked up some war, and there was devastation all over the world. You see. There was no gain. The Germany become defeated and bifurcated. So this leader could not do anything good to the nation, but unnecessarily picked up some quarrel. So that is the cause of world trouble, the crowlike men, the doglike men, the hoglike men. So we have to create paramahaṁsas, good men. Then you can expect peace and prosperity. If you create cats and dogs, then how can you expect that there will be peace, there will be no war, there will be no disturbance? (Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Los Angeles, January 15, 1970)


So asura, to kill the asuras, however powerful they may be... We have seen. There were so many asuras in this world. There were Lenin, there were Stalin, there were Hitler, there were Hiraṇyakaśipu. So many. But they could not survive. It is not possible. They'll be finished. So asuras, to kill him... Paritrāṇāya sādhūn..., vināśāya...(BG 4.8) To kill the duṣkṛtām, these asuras, Kṛṣṇa does not require to come. He comes only to give protection and pleasure to the devotees. That is his aim."
(Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- Mayapura, September 30, 1974)


    An example can help us to understand the inconceivable potency of the Supreme Lord. In the recent history of warfare the Supreme Personality of Godhead created a Hitler and, before that, a Napoleon Bonaparte, and they each killed many living entities in war. But in the end Bonaparte and Hitler were also killed. People are still very much interested in writing and reading books about Hitler and Bonaparte and how they killed so many people in war. Year after year many books are published for public reading regarding Hitler's killing thousands of Jews in confinement. But no one is researching who killed Hitler and who created such a gigantic killer of human beings. The devotees of the Lord are not much interested in the study of the flickering history of the world. They are interested only in Him who is the original creator, maintainer and annihilator. That is the purpose of the Krsna consciousness movement.
    (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.11.9 Purport)

    ..defect of the modern politicians. Here at the present moment, their philosophy is that one must be very cunning diplomat, then he's successful politician. This is their philosophy. The most crooked man, like Cāṇakya. But our philosophy is that the political head should be like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Lord Rāmacandra. That is difference. Here Churchill or Hitler or similar man, crooked man... Without being crooked one cannot become politician. Lloyd George, the British Prime Minister, he said that "Consistency in politics is the qualification of an ass." Consistency. You must change. ()

    Disciple: Nietzsche believed that everyone has a “will to power,” but that the weak seek power vainly. For instance, in his will to power, Hitler sought to subjugate as much of the world as possible, but he was ultimately unsuccessful, and he brought disaster upon himself and Germany. Instead of trying to conquer himself, he attempted to conquer others, and this is the will to power misdirected or misinterpreted.

    Srila Prabhupada: Men like Hitler are not able to control the force of anger. A king or national leader has to use anger properly. Narottama Dasa Thakura says that we should control our powers and apply them in the proper cases. We may become angry, but our anger must be controlled.
    (Beyond Illusion and Doubt. 12. Nietzsche)

    Prabhupada: Well, foolish men cannot accept any logic. Their logic is stick. "If you don't accept, I shall kick on your face. Accept it." That is the... That is wanted.

    Karandhara: Like the example when Hitler killed the Jews. They will say, "Well, what should we do, just let Hitler go on killing the Jews because the Jews were sinful? Or should we try and stop Hitler?"
    Prabhupada: Well, Hitler was imperfect and everything was imperfect. That you cannot compare Hitler's action with God's action. God is all-perfect. That is first proposition. God is all-perfect.
    (Morning Walk. Los Angeles 73-12-16)

    Just like in the history of the world there were so many big, big men - Hitler, Napoleon, this Churchill, Gandhi, Nehru. But all their powers, position, in one minute it becomes vanquished. There is no question... They are so proud, they do not believe in God, but when the death comes, they cannot argue anything. The death orders, "Immediately vacate"—finished. You have to vacate. At that time their power, opulence, position—nothing can help. So Kṛṣṇa says, therefore... The atheist class of men who do not believe in God, decry the authority of God, for them... Of course, everyone dies, but for them, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34): Kṛṣṇa comes as death and takes away everything in their possession. But foolish persons, they do not see, still. God says, Kṛṣṇa says, that "This death I am." Still they'll not. And it is a fact. When Kṛṣṇa comes as death, as Hiraṇyakaśipu... He was atheist, did not believe in God, but when God, Nṛsiṁha-deva came, then he was vanquished, everything, within a second. Nirastaḥ. Sa tu te nirastaḥ.
    (Lecture SB 07.09.23 Mayapur- March 01, 1976)


    Prabhupada: Is that rational, that another living entity like me should be killed for my benefit, for satisfying my tongue?

    Syämasundara: Their idea is that the animal is not in the same category as myself because it has no...
    Prabhupäda: So that's alright; then might is right? Hitler is right? When Hitler, Hitler kills the Jews, he's right? He thinks that they are not in my category.
    Syämasundara: The animal cannot understand philosophy.
    Prabhupäda: What does he understand of philosophy? He is mad; he is less than an animal. He does not understand philosophy. He does not know that the animal has also a soul, the animal has also life. Then he should be killed first.
    (Dialectical Spirtualism - Hegel)

    This nationalism, this nationalism also the same mistake, but they are fighting so much. Great, great, big, big men. In this country, Napoleon fought. In Germany, Hitler fought. And so many others, in our country Gandhi fought. But he is in ignorance. All these big big leaders, they are ignorance, andha, blind. Blind. They do not know that he is not this body and neither this land belongs to him. But they fight. The whole history of the world means this mistaken idea. "I" and "mine." Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, yat taj jñānam. Kṣetra-kṣetrajñayor yat taj-jñānaṁ mataṁ mama. Kṛṣṇa is giving, that one should know what he is and one should know what is his body, then he is in knowledge. The matter cannot understand this. The dogs, cats, cannot understand this. But a human being can understand this. Bhagavad-gītā is meant for the human being, not for the cats and dogs. Therefore, the human society should take care of this knowledge. Then his life will be successful.(Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Paris, August 11, 1973)

    But now, in modern times, Ravana's dynasty has multiplied into millions. This has given rise to many different opinions, which have made the demons inimical toward one another. Thus they are all competing tooth and nail, trying to kidnap the goddess of fortune, Sita-devi. Each one is thinking, "I am the most cunning, and so I will enjoy Sita-devi all by myself." But like Ravana, all these demons, along with their entire families, are being destroyed. So many powerful leaders like Hitler have come, but enamoured by the illusion of enjoying and exploiting the Supreme Lord's energy and consort—Sita-devi, the goddess of fortune—all of them have been thwarted and crushed in the past, are being thwarted and crushed in the present, and will be thwarted and crushed in the future. The root cause of the aforementioned lament—"In the dispensation of providence, mankind cannot have any rest"—is this demoniac mentality of exploiting and enjoying the Lord's divine energy.
    (RTW 1.2 The Cause of Suffering)

    Now we have got our great personalities, leaders. They are praised, eulogized, our, these political leaders. "Our Hitler," "Our Gandhi," "Our Churchill," "Our Nixon." But sastra says these leaders, those who are not spiritual leaders, those who cannot give our life, they are worshiped by these classes of animals, animals. These so-called leaders, politicians, they are eulogized very much by whom? By these class of men: dogs, camels, asses and.. (Srila Prabhupada)
    Such questions as yours: why there is so-called discrepancy between the views of Bhagavat and modern scientists regarding the moon and other planets, and whether Hitler is good or bad man, these are most insignificant matters, and for anyone who is sincerely convinced that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for him these questions do not arise.. [..] Regarding Hitler, so Hitler may be good man or bad man, so what does he help to our Krishna Consciousness movement? But it is a fact that much propaganda was made against him, that much I know, and the Britishers are first-class propagandists. And I have heard that his officers did everything without informing him, just like in our ISKCON there are so many false things: "Prabhupada said this, Prabhupada said that.'' But WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH HITLER IN OUR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS. DO NOT BE DEVIATED BY SUCH IDEAS. Jnanam jneyam jnana-gamyam,'' (ibid), Krishna is knowledge, He is the object of knowledge, He is the goal of knowledge.
    (Letter to Krsnadasa. Vrindaban. 72-11-07)

    =================================================================

    Tuesday, 17 June 2014

    "We Are Not Hindus" - Srila Prabhupada


    You may call the Vedas Hindu, but "Hindu" is a foreign name. WE ARE NOT HINDUS. (Sri Isopanisad Introduction)

    Simply we are teaching that “Become God conscious.” God is neither Hindu nor Muslim nor Christian. He’s God. And WE ARE ALSO NOT HINDU or Muslim or Christian. This is our bodily designation. We are all pure, part and parcel of the Supreme. (BG Lecture NY 23/11/66)

    Prabhupada: (chuckles) And that mataji, she has taken land. I don't like that idea. Some Hindus are supporting. I don't want a Hindu temple. Our constitution is different. We want everyone. Krsna consciousness is for everyone. IT IS NOT A HINDU PROPOGANDA. People may not misunderstand. And actually, till now IN OUR SOCIETY THERE IS NOT A SINGLE OTHER HINDU THAN ME. (laughter) Is that not? (Meeting 9/6/69) New Vrindavana)

    Lord Caitanya, He said that “I am not a brahmana. I am not a Christian. I AM NOT A HINDU. I am not a sannyasi. I am nothing of this sort.” Then what You are? “I am the servant’s servant’s servant of Krsna. That is My identification.” And when you identify yourself in that way, you are liberated. That is Krsna consciousness, perfection of Krsna consciousness. (CC Lecture New York 21/12/66)

    Prabhupada: No, no. Everyone will help us. Maybe... In that way sometimes Hindus are also against. It is not the Mohammedans. Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s time, even THE HINDUS WERE AGAINST HIS MOVEMENT, the brahmanas. They complained to the Kazi that “THIS IS NOT HINDU MOVEMENT.” You see? The sankirtana movement. Therefore Kazi had to take steps to stop the sankirtana movement. So Kazi took step on the ground of complaint by the Hindus.
    Nitai: That’s similar to what happened in Bombay.
    Prabhupada: Eh?
    Nitai: That’s similar to what happened...
    Prabhupada: Yes.
    Nitai: ...in Bombay.
    Prabhupada: THE HINDUS THEY WANTED TO BREAK OUR TEMPLE, and they broke part of it. You do not know?
    (Morning Walk 6/3/74) 


    Actually, “Hindu,” THERE IS NO SUCH WORD AS “HINDU” RELIGION. We don’t find in the Vedic scripture. Hindu religion... Hindu religion is a modern term given by the foreigners. Actually the Indians, bharatiya, they, their religion is varnasrama-dharma, religion of four castes and four spiritual orders, four spiritual orders and four social orders. The persons who follow these four orders of social status and four orders of spiritual advancement, they are called varnasrama. SO HINDU RELIGION IS A MISCALCULATION. (CC Lecture - NY 11/1/67)

    But India, they have given up the real religious system, sanatana-dharma, or varnasrama-dharma. FICTITIOUSLY, THEY HAVE ACCEPTED A HODGEPODGE THING WHICH IS CALLED HINDUISM. THEREFORE THERE IS TROUBLE. Everywhere, but India especially, they are... Vedic religion... Vedic religion means varnasrama-dharma. That is... Krsna says, God says, catur-varnyam maya srstam [Bg. 4.13]. So that is, what is called, obligatory. Just like law is obligatory. You cannot say that “I don’t take this law.” No. You have to take it if you want to have a happy. You cannot become outlaw. Then you’ll not be happy. You’ll be punished. So God says maya srstam. “It is given by Me.” So how we can deny it? And that is religion. (Conv. - Vrindavan 28/6/76)

    Other religious sects, they say this is Hindu belief. When Krsna says dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara: just like the child is becoming boy, boy is becoming young man. This is science. AND WHY DO YOU SAY IT IS HINDU BELIEF? Does it mean that a Muslim or Christian child does not become a boy? What do you mean by Hindu belief? But they say it like that, Hindu belief. Is that correct if somebody says it is Hindu belief? NO, IT IS FACT, IT IS SCIENCE. What do you think? Is that Hindu belief?" (Tehran 8/8/76)

    So where is the difficulty to understand? Plain thing. Plain thing. But we are stubborn. We do not wish to understand. This is not a sectarian; this is a science. If a child becomes a boy, is that sectarian? The Hindu child becomes a boy, Hindu boy, and the Christian child becomes a Christian. That is outward, Hindu, Muslim, Christian. But within this body... I am Hindu or Christian because I have got this body from the Christian father-mother, Hindu father-mother. But that is body. I am not this body. Therefore we have to understand first that “I am not this body. Therefore I am not Hindu, not Muslim, not Christian, not black, not white. I am pure spirit soul.” Aham brahmasmi. THIS IS THE FIRST BASIC KNOWLEDGE. THIS IS NOT SECTARIAN. This is a basic knowledge, you believe or not believe. (BG Lect. – 22/4/76 Melbourne)

    In Durban we went to that university. You remember? That Arya-samaji? He was speaking that “This is Hindu conception. Hindu conception.” And what do you mean by Hindu conception? A child grows to become a boy. Is that Hindu conception? It is science. When Krsna said, dehino ’smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara [Bg.2.13], that’s a fact. It is applicable to the Hindus, to the Muslim, to the Christian, everyone. Why do you say it is Hindu conception? SO, YOU HAVE TO PRESENT IN THAT WAY, THAT THEY MAY NOT THINK THAT IT IS HINDU CONCEPTION. Because they are all rascals, unless you explain it, that this is meant for everyone, they will misunderstand that Bhagavata is for the Hindus or for the Indians. It is for everyone. But one must realize. There is no question of Hindu conception or Muslim conception. (MW - Mayapur 20/1/76)

    THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS HINDU DHARMA. NO. There is no such word in the whole Vedic literature. You won’t find in the Bhagavad-gita or Bhagavata as Hindu dharma. There is one word as bhagavata-dharma, but there is no such word as Hindu dharma. This Hindu dharma or Hindu... This is creation by our neighbour, Indian neighbour, the Middle-east Muhammadans. They gave the name, Indian people, as “Hindu.” “Hindu” means... There is one river, Sindhu. The Muhammadans, they pronounce sa as ha. So those who were on the other side of the Sindhu River, Hindu River, they were called Hindus. But actually Vedic religion is neither for Hindus nor for Christian nor for... It is meant for the human being. Vedic literature... This Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, they are VEDIC literature. (SB Lecture - NY 5/3/75)

    Bhakti, devotional service is not dependent on any material condition. Because one man is very rich, he can get Krsna? No. Because one man is very poor, he cannot get Krsna? No. That’s not right. Because one is Hindu or Indian, he can get Krsna, not others? No. That is also not. Krsna is unconditionally for everyone. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita: sarva yonisu kaunteya [Bg. 14.4]. Otherwise, how He can be God? If He is a Hindu God, just like they describe in the dictionary that Krsna, a Hindu God—that is nonsense. Krsna is for everyone. Krsna does not say that “I am a Hindu God.’’ But these rascals say Krsna is Hindu God. This is going on. You see in the Bhagavad-gita, Krsna says, sarva yonisu kaunteya [Bg.14.4]. “In all species of life.’’ Sambhavanti murtayah. There are as many different forms of life. Tasam mahad yoni, brahma: “Their mother is this material nature, and I am their seed-giving father.’’ Krsna says that. So how can Krsna be Indian or Hindu or this or that? No. Krsna is for everyone. And the proof is that five years ago in the Western countries nobody knew what is Krsna. How they’re taking Krsna in so loving attitude? This is the proof that Krsna is for everyone, and everyone is for Krsna. Try to understand this philosophy. Don’t be mislead. IT IS NOT A SECTARIAN RELIGION. IT IS THE FACT. (Arrival Lecture - Gainsville 29/7/71)

    So that activity and karmis’ activity, there is difference. The karmi’s activity is on upadhi. “I am American,” “I am Indian,” “I am Hindu,” “I am Muslim,” “I am Christian.” With this upadhi, we are acting. But bhakti means without upadhi. Sarvopadhi-virnirmuktam. Activity without upadhi. Working not as American. Working not as Indian. Working not as Hindu. Working not as Muslim. That is sarvopadhi-vinirmuktah tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. If we think that “I am Christian,” “I am Hindu,” “I am American,” that is with upädhi. When we purely think that “We are...,” or “I am servant of Krsna. My only business is to satisfy Krsna,” that activity is called bhakti. If I become interested in some party, that is not... Sometimes people criticize these American and European devotees, that they think that “They are American devotee; we are Hindu devotee. There is difference.” This is not bhakti-marga. This is upadhi. Why you should think yourself as Hindu? Why you should think of others who have come from America as American? That is less intelligent. Krsna-bhakta...
    Vaisnave jati-buddhih. If one thinks of Vaisnava as belonging to this class, this nation, he has no vision. Naraki. That is called naraki-buddhih. Vaisnave jati-buddhih arcye siladhir gurusu nara-matir vaisnave jati-buddhih. If we think the Deity as made of stone and made of wood, arcye sila-dhir; guruhu, nara-matih, if we accept spiritual master as ordinary human being; vaisnave jati-buddhih, and if we take a Vaisnava as belonging to America or Europe or India... No. They are transcendental. Neither the Deity in the temple is stone, NEITHER THE SPIRITUAL MASTER IS ORDINARY HUMAN BEING, NOR THE VAISNAVA BELONGS TO ANY CASTE. This vision is perfect vision. When you come to this vision, that is bhakti. Tat-paratvena nirmalam. A bhakta has to become purified. Tat-paratvena, being dovetailed with the service of tat, om tat sat. Tat-param. This is the process of devotional service. One should not be designated “I am this,” “I am that,” “I am that.” No. The world should unite. This Krsna consciousness movement is so nice that one should forget that he’s Indian or Hindu or Christian or American. Everything should unite as servant of Krsna. That is bhakti-marga. (NOD Class - Vrindavan 1/11/72)

    Gopala Krsna: They are saying, they are saying we are not Hindus.
    Prabhupada: Hm?
    Gopala Krsna: They are saying this is not Hinduism.
    Prabhupada: Hindus?, we are Krsnian. It they, if...
    Hansaduta: Krsnans.
    Prabhupada: Krsna, in the dictionary it is said, that Hindu God but we are claiming, that Krsnian, Krsna. Krsna conscious. Krsna conscious means “Godder than the Hindus.” When you say we are not Hindu that we are not restricted with the Hindi community. That is the meaning. Because Krsna says, “I am for everyone.” So why should we be restricted to the Hindi community. Krsna says sarva yonisu, “In all forms of life, I am the seed giving father.” Why he should be simply Hindu? This point should be stressed. Sarva yoni means eighty four million..., eighty, eighty, eight million four hundred thousands, all forms. Krsna is for all of them. We therefore, why Krsna should be restricted to the Hindu community? Hindus are included but Krsna is not restricted to Hindus. Krsna’s picture, that Bal Gopal. He’s embracing the calves. Krsna does not embrace only the gopis, He’s embracing the calves also. That is Krsna. He’s equal to everyone. Mah hi partha vyapasritya ye ’pi syuh papa-yonayah. Papa-yonayah, so many low-grade forms of life, they’re also His.... Devotees are part and parcel. Mamaivamso ji... Quote this: Krsna is not restricted to the Hindu. We say, “We are not Hindu,” means we are not.... We embrace everyone. We are not restricted to the Hindus. The so-called Christians, so-called Mohammedans, they.... We embrace everyone, and actually we are doing that. Why should we simply be compact within the limitation of Hindus. That is not our purpose. Then we would not have come to western countries. We actually spreading universal brotherhood. Krsna is the father and everyone our brother. We are claiming, all our fallen brothers to become Krsna conscious. This is our movement. Caitanya Mahaprabhu (said) prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama, this is our movement. Why you should be restricted, to the India, and amongst the Hindus. (Room Conv. - Vrindavana 2/11/76)

    So sad-dharma required. The, in this material world the so-called dharmas, this Hindu dharma, Muslim dharma and Christian dharma and Buddhist dharma and so many... They are not sad-dharma. They are asad-dharma. “Because I am born in the family of a Christian, I am Christian.” “Because I am born in the family of Hindu, I am Hindu.” And next time I may (be) born in the family of a dog. There is no dharma. So these are not sad-dharma. These are all asad-dharma, for the time being. Asad means “that will not stay.” You are Hindu. How long you are Hindu? Say, fifty years. Or you are Indian. How long you are Indian? Say, fifty, sixty, hundred years. But again you have to become something else. That we do not know. We are working very hard, “I am Hindu,” “I am Muslim,” “I am Indian,” “I am American.” These upadhi. But the upadhi may be changed next moment. At any moment. So what is your real dharma? This is temporary dharma for the body. What is your real dharma? Real dharma is sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That is sad-dharma. That is sad-dharma. That will continue eternally. (SB Lect - Bombay 11/11/74)

    This is the position. We are many, and God is one. So if we accept one God, then where is the chance of different religious system? God is one. God is neither Christian nor Hindu or Muslim or... No. God is God. Just like gold. Gold is gold. Either in the Hindu community, or Muslim community, gold is gold. Because gold is there in some Hindu community, nobody says “Hindu gold.” Does anybody say, “It is Hindu gold” or “It is Christian gold”? No. Gold is gold. Similarly, God is one. There is no “Hindu God” or “Muslim God” or “Christian God.” This is mistake. “We believe God in this way...,” that is nonsense. No. God is one, and you have to see what is the characteristic of God. Just like when it is gold, everyone wants to see whether it is actually gold or imitation gold. That we have to see. There cannot be Hindu gold, Muslim gold, Christian gold. No. Simply you have to see whether it is actually gold, acceptable. That should be the subject matter of theology, to know actually what is God and to understand what is our relationship with God. (SB Lecture - LA 26/6/75)

    Prabhupada: Everyone should understand God and the relationship with God and act accordingly. Then it is perfect religion. And if there is no conception of God, no carrying out order of the God, that is not religion. That is cheating. But generally they do not accept God—still, he is stamping himself that “I am Hindu,” “I am Muslim,” “I am Christian.” He has no idea what is God, how to abide by His order, and they are fighting that “I am Christian and you are Hindu. Therefore we must fight.” This is going on. Nobody understands what is God. Pseudo religion. Practically there is no religion. If there is no government—you make your law; I make my law—then how there will be peace? That is the position. They do not understand what is God, and “I am Christian” or “Hindu” or “Mohammedan, so let us fight.” That’s all.
    Dr. Kneupper: Do you think that there is a special way that Hinduism looks upon man’s place in the universe?
    Prabhupada: The Hindu religion is a vague term. It is a vague term. It is not clear. It is not clear. Real term is, it is called, Vedic principle. Vedic principle. And in the Bhagavad-gita it is said: Vedic knowledge means to understand God. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyam [Bg. 15.15]. So anyone who tries to understand God, he is in the Vedic line. Veda means knowledge, so as you get the stock of knowledge, that is called Vedas. But as soon as we say Vedas, they think it is Hindu. Mathematics is a science. So any scientific man will accept mathematics. Where is the question of Hindu mathematics? Gold is gold. If it is in the hand of Hindu, it is Hindu gold? Hindu, Muslim gold? Gold is gold. When we give the Vedic knowledge, they think it is Hindu idea. (Room Conv. –Vrindavana 6/11/76)

    So at the present moment, being entrapped by the material nature, we have accepted different types of dharmas. That is artificial. That is artificial. “I am Hindu,” “I am Muslim,” “I am Christian,” “I am Buddhist,” “I am this,” “I am that.” These are all in relationship with this body. Accidentally if I am born in a Hindu family, or Muslim family, or Christian family, I identify myself, “I am Hindu,” “I am Muslim,” “I am Christian.” But real identification is, as I have already explained to you, aham brahmasmi, I am Brahman. I am the spirit soul. (SB Lect. – Hyderebad 26/11/72)

    Mahamsa: THEY WILL SAY THAT THIS KRSNA CULTURE IS HINDUISM.
    Prabhupada: THEN HE’S A RASCAL. PROVE IT IN THE COURT. KRSNA IS NOT HINDUISM. NEVER.... Is there anything in the Bhagavad-gita that Krsna says, “I am for the Hindus or for the Indians”?
    Acyutananda: The Hindu law is so elastic, anyone who calls himself a Hindu or who practices any branch...
    Mahamsa: Or puts on tilaka.
    Acyutananda: Puts on tilaka, he may have the lowest character or the highest standard, anyone, he will be all considered a Hindu.
    Prabhupada: So this should be taken to court, on the Supreme Court.
    Harikesa: But if there is no definition of Hindu, how can you prove...
    Prabhupada: THERE IS NO HINDU. It is not.... THEREFORE WE ARE NOT HINDU.
    Acyutananda: Well, they’ll say, “This is our definition. This is what we say a Hindu is.”
    Prabhupada: Huh?
    Acyutananda: The court says, “This is what we say a Hindu is. SO YOU’RE HINDUS.”
    Prabhupada: NO, NO. And court can say anything, but then why not put it into the judgment of many judges?
    Harikesa: Then we have to establish what is Hinduism...
    Prabhupada: Yes.
    Harikesa: ...and what is Krsna consciousness.
    Acyutananda: It is already established.
    Prabhupada: You can define anything. That does not mean that your definition is perfect. Actually we have to.... Who...? Suppose Hindu. So who is not accepting Bhagavad-gita? But where is...? In the Bhagavad-gita where is the mention of “Hindu”? Hm? Krsna says that “I am the father of all living entities.” So WHY DO THEY SAY THAT THIS IS HINDUISM?
    Acyutananda: “Well, all religions say that they are the best. Jesus Christ says, ‘Everyone who comes to me, they will get the grace of God.’ So the same thing. But still they are Christians and you are Hindus.”
    Prabhupada: So this cannot stay in the court. Krsna’s instruction is not for the Hindus. Nowhere it is mentioned.
    Tamala Krsna: The word “Hindu” doesn’t appear in the Vedas anywhere.
    Acyutananda: Then why do you use in the Krsna consciousness the Hindu caste marks, Hindus caste marks and tilakas? This is all Hinduism.
    Prabhupada: NO, THIS IS NOT HINDUISM. Appears like Hindu. Just like you appear like an Indian sannyasi, but you are not Indian.
    Acyutananda: The judge is wearing a white wig and a British suit. He’s not British either.
    Prabhupada: No, we are clearly stating Krsna consciousness.
    Harikesa: Yes, but Krsna is a Hindu god.
    Prabhupada: That is your definition. Krsna doesn’t say.
    Harikesa: But my definition counts ’cause I’m in charge.
    Prabhupada: You can do any nonsense. That is....
    Therefore you have to be taken to the court, that “How you can...”
    Tamala Krsna: But they are the court.
    Prabhupada: “...talk like nonsense and do like nonsense? Then anyone can do any nonsense thing? Then who will control you?”
    Harikesa: That’s the point.
    Mahamsa: The chief justice himself was saying like that in Madras. Their opinion will come in their favor.
    Prabhupada: No, they can give opinion, but there is supreme court. There is international court. We shall go...
    Mahamsa: International court?
    Gopala Krsna: That’s only for disputes between countries, international court.
    Prabhupada: Yes, it is country—”We are American. They are forcing us to become a Hindu.” This is between country. You have to tackle with intelligence.
    Mahamsa: It’s become a world issue.
    Acyutananda: In most books about Hinduism they describe that Hinduism is a cult where they worship many gods and ultimately God is formless.
    Prabhupada: No.
    Acyutananda: So we are against that. Then we are not Hindus even philosophically according to that.
    Prabhupada: Yes. We are against all so-called cheating religion. THE HINDUISM IS ALSO A CHEATING RELIGION. We are preaching Bhagavata, and Bhagavata beginning that “We have kicked out all cheating religion.” What is cheating religion? That one has to understand. And Bhagavata says, dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam:
    [SB 6.3.19] “Religion means the order given by God.”
    If you do not know who is God, “imperson,” then where is your religion? We have to tackle things.
    Gopala Krsna: They will consult all the standard dictionaries about Krsna’s definition and all the...
    Prabhupada: Dictionary is not the standard. The standard is the book itself. That is our preaching.
    You may bring some dictionary made by some fools. No.
    We have to take reference. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gita As It Is.
    Acyutananda: Well, even Jesus Christ just said, “I am for all,” but there is Christianity.
    Prabhupada: Yes, that is a fact. Either God or God’s representative, He is for everyone. Suhrdah sarva-bhutanam. That is the definition of sadhu.
    Titikaavah karunikah suhrdah sarva-bhutanam. A saintly person..., as God is for everyone, a saintly person is for everyone. Why he should be for Hindu or Muslim or Christian? That is the definition of saintly person.
    Suhrdah. Suhrdah means well-wisher. So either Christ or any Vaisnava, he is well-wisher for everyone.
    [break] ...suhrdah sarva-bhutanam. We are preaching all over the world and they are appreciating.
    Harikesa: So many others have preached Hinduism but have no result.
    Prabhupada: No result. Why they should become Hindu?
    Acyutananda: That sign is there, “Swami Vivekananda, the Hindu monk.”
    Prabhupada: But who cares for Ramakrishna Mission?
    Hindu monk, but who cares for the Ramakrishna Mission?
    For the last eighty-five years they are working. How many Hindus they have made? Simply bogus propaganda.
    They advertise that “We have made all Americans...”
    But where the Americans? They picked up two American ladies, that’s all. Where is the Hindu sadhus eating meat? [break]…
    Prabhupada: Foreign devotees, they are joining this movement not because it is a Hindu culture. They take it as a real spiritual culture. Otherwise why, for the last hundred, two hundred years, the Hindu sannyasis, yogis, were going there? Who did accept it? Did anybody? (Morning Walk - 08/01/76)

    This led to a long discussion whether our ISKCON temples could also be taken over. If they could, it would be on the basis of their being "Hindu" temples. So Srila Prabhupada, in order to avoid any government interference, suggested that we register the temples as American property. Apart from that, he said WE ARE NOT HINDU. The word Hindu isn't in the Bhagavad-gita, and the teachings of Bhagavad-gita are for everyone, not just Hindus. SRILA PRABHUPADA STRONGLY EMPHASIZED THIS POINT AND EVEN SAID THAT WE COULD GO TO COURT TO PROVE WE ARE NOT HINDUS. (Conversation 6/1/76 Anbdhra Pradesh - Hari Sauri Dasa –ATD)

    Mahesh: The other Swamiji, Swami Kaivalya does not know English. You have heard of Swami Kaivalya?
    Prabhupada: No, what is his philosophy? He is Vaisnava?
    Mahesh: Hmmm, I think he is not Vaisnava. But actually, in our Hindu religion, all paths are same and all is one.
    Prabhupada: All is one? So we can just take your building?
    Mahesh: Ummm. Actually, Swamiji, there are many Hindu families here in Kobe. They are all interested in seeing you. All have heard of the famous Hare Krsna Swamiji. And everyone will be coming tonight. If the program is successful, they can support one Hindu temple for your devotees to run in Kobe.
    Prabhupada: WHAT IS THIS HINDU? HINDU MEANS HODGE-PODGE. All is one. This is nonsense. Where is the word “Hindu” mentioned in Sastra? In Bhagavad-gita? In Vedas? Anywhere? Where is this “Hindu” mentioned even one time? Anyplace? One place?
    Mahesh: Ummm.
    Prabhupada: [To Mr. Santanam.]: You are born in a brahmana family. Any one place? No, this Hindu is a name given by Mohammedans. They cannot pronounce Indus River, so they are calling those on the other side Hindus in their own pronunciation. You know this? [Pause.] You don’t know. But you can learn. To learn, one must approach a bona fide spiritual master and hear from him. This is the process. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya. We must serve him and inquire from him. Then he will train us to see the truth. By training we can develop.
    M. Santanam: Swamiji, who is real guru?
    Prabhupäda: A guru knows Krsna.
    Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena. His eyes are decorated with love of Krsna. He can see Krsna everywhere. Become trained by such a spiritual master, and then you will understand everything. WE ARE NOT HINDUS, AND WE ARE NOT TRAINING THESE BOYS TO BECOME HINDUS. We are training them to love Krsna, God. (SP Conversation Japan 1972 - Bhurijana Dasa MGM)

    So this is the warm invitation of Krishna Consciousness. It has nothing to do with black or white, young or old, or believe me, Christian or Jew or Hindu or anything like that. We consider these to be as much a part of false ego—Christian, Hindu, Jew—as we do black, white, young, old, man or woman. Because they were delegated to this body—I'm born in a Christian family, I call myself a Christian; I'm born in a Hindu family, I call myself a Hindu—so because of this body I'm a Hindu, because of this body I'm a Jew, and if I was born a million years ago would I be a Hindu, Christian or Jew? No. But I'd still be a servant, I'd still have my consciousness. See? Suppose you're born a hundred thousand years from now? Are you going to be a Christian or a Hindu or a Jew? No. But you'll still have your consciousness, you'll still have to serve, and you'll still want to be happy.
    (VISNUJANA SWAMI - Festival Address Oregon 1/6/75)