1. Response to Sanaka Rsi Dasa

    Your case largely rests on the assumption that the CPO is highly trustworthy, makes no mistakes, and has no bias or political agenda. A different picture of the CPO appears in at least two articles (posted on this website, Sampradaya Sun), which I urge readers of this letter to peruse.
  2. Regarding Child Abuse

    There are many horrible things going on the world. One of them which is widespread in the modern world and has also severely impacted ISKCON is child abuse. Although within our society now there are all kinds of systems that are meant to prevent that, it seems that it is impossible to totally prevent.
  3. Vyasa-puja Offering to Srila Prabhupada, 2016

    On your order, Śrīla Prabhupāda, I write “philosophical and educational books,” and am presently working on an overview of your stated plans for your great ISKCON mission. Assembling this book involves researching and classifying quotes from the huge corpus of your published instructions. It is a task that requires diligence rather than creativity, insightfulness, or writing virtuosity. This will probably be the most important literary undertaking of my life, and for years I have been looking forward to getting...
  4. Vyasa-puja Offering to Srila Prabhupada, 2015

    Śrīla Prabhupāda, it is my great pleasure to repeatedly recite your praṇāma-mantra, and I pray for the opportunity to do so forever, in whatever situation you may care to send me to. Janme janme prabhu sei: my relationship with you is eternal and it defines my very existence. Anything that I might do, say, or think that is not wholly and solely meant for your service is simply māyā. The most miserable thing possible for me would be if...
  5. Vyasa-puja Offering to Srila Prabhupada, 2014

    Śrīla Prabhupāda, you are the glorious, incomparable paramahaṁsa whose preaching in the Western world was the only thing of any real importance that ever happened there. Of course, Vyāsa-pūjā offerings are meant for glorifying the guru as the representative and worshiper of Vyāsa. Yet we have learned from you that in the physical absence of the guru, he may be best worshiped by the continuation of his mission.
  6. Husband As Guru – How About Srila Prabhupada As Guru?

    The article “Husband as Guru” presents much of what could be considered common-sense advice for husbands struggling to come to the human platform. However, some grave faults mar what otherwise might in some contexts have been valuable suggestions. By predicting “that some men will not agree with me (although I doubt any woman will disagree)” the author anticipatingly dismisses any opposition from males as being mere chauvinism. I am currently imprisoned in a male body, but it is not on...
  7. Pilgrimage to Nathdwara — A Gateway to the Lord

    In Kali-yuga, the present age of quarrel and hypocrisy, so many bad qualities prevail, but when we reached Nathdwara we found the quality of devotion to Kṛṣṇa still strong. Nathdwara is in the Indian state of Rajasthan, but most of the pilgrims who come here are from the state of Gujarat, whose border lies less than a hundred kilometers away. So the mood in Nathdwara is very much influenced by the Gujaratis.
  8. Varnasrama and Bhakti

    In ascertaining the relationship between varnasrama and bhakti, devotees often quote Lord Caitanya’s rejecting varnasrama as external to bhakti: “Lord Caitanya indicated that the varnasrama-dharma was simply external (eho bahya). Lord Caitanya wanted to impress upon Ramananda Raya that simply by executing the duties of varnasrama-dharma one is not guaranteed liberation.” (SB 4.24.53 purport)
  9. Scandalous Sadhus

    From time to time, the Indian press exposes some respected godman or sādhu for serious misbehaviour, such as sexual impropriety. For a renunciant sādhu, any sexual activity is an impropriety. In some cases, there are accusations of murder and sometimes in-fighting within the organizations of such sādhus...