By Kesava Krsna Dasa
Sometimes spiritual practitioners feel that after doing years of solid selfless service for Iskcon, they are entitled to some privileges, or what could be deemed a payback. Is it correct to expect such things? Would the services rendered be truly selfless with this expectancy? Does Iskcon owe us anything?
Such charity may come in the form of a trip to the holy dhama, some financial help, accommodation or whatever. After all, how uncommon it is in kali-yuga to sacrifice ones precious time, possessions, body, mind and soul in the fire of surrender; do we not deserve something at least? Or is Iskcon exempt from such things?
Many older devotees will remember how after first joining Iskcon with some raw and budding enthusiasm, they were encouraged to ‘savor the moment’ as it were. The intense but ecstatic engagement of frequent Hari-namas, book distribution and blissfully destitute way of life, made renunciation seem like a dainty stroll in King Indra’s palace gardens.
Then some reality set in. Not everybody is a happy renunciate. After some time, one will assume a little responsibility and be exposed to the likes and dislikes of those under care. Such paternal instincts will give a level-headed sobriety, or a rampant authoritarian keenness which will likely test the willingness to serve selflessly or not. A test of character beckons for one to see how ‘do it for Me’ as Lord Krishna says, does not become ‘do it for me.’
If the conscience is not very clear, the rightful attitude of ‘ask not what Iskcon can do for you, but what you can do for Iskcon’ approach will blur the fine distinction between being the doer with ownership permits, and utilizing everything in Krishna’s service, which can extend to other areas of life.
With a promise of lifelong commitment, one may consider for example, “If I remain in Iskcon until I am old and invalid, will I be looked after nicely?” Or, “Should I get married and fend for myself. At least I can lessen such worries.” Such vacillating moods make renunciation seem like a poisonous weighty burden. The exceptional reasons for joining Iskcon now fade into choices between enduring dedication and measured leisurely spurts.
Further on, if puzzlement still clouds the thinking, one will reach seniority level and expect reverence for imparting sagely wisdom, and for being a father or mother, uncle or auntie. Such cozy warmth from the juniors can lead one to wonder when the next flower garland will come. Such a dangerous thought! Why wait for flowers to come? We should be planting our own garden.
Any slight trace of ‘what’s in it for me,’ immediately cuts us off from the flow of mercy which oozes with abundance, but is not always captured. With little mercy and a hint of selfishness the creeper of Bhakti tends towards unwanted foliage, making one wonder why there is no spiritual advancement. Iskcon can be a bewildering place for the selfish.
Nature has it that we come into this world with nothing (except our karma0 and leave this world with nothing (except additional karma). Many of us come to Iskcon with something, and some want to leave with something too. “I have given my life, everything to this movement. I now have no job experience or prospects, no money, nothing. Can Iskcon not spare me something?” Is Iskcon obliged to help?
Iskcon can be variously described as being non-different from Krishna, as Srila Prabhupada’s body, or as a house in which the whole world can live. In either case surrender to guru and Krishna entails no returns, except to seek mercy and blessings to advance in Krishna consciousness. These are the blissful returns which can only be appreciated on the platform of renunciation – sannyasa.
The mood of sannyasa refers not to a status or asrama, but a universal disposition adopted by all sincere servants of Srila Prabhupada’s Iskcon. Srila Prabhupada writes, “There are many members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness who work very hard in the office or in the factory or some other place, and whatever they earn they give to the society. Such highly elevated souls are actually sannyasis and are situated in the renounced order of life.” (BG 18.11 purport)
Being in sannyasa mode can make one callous, even sometimes as a form of protection against Maya. This is usually visible in younger devotees. The mellow caring stance developed through maturity and purity will ensure genuine friendship and love for all, which is why it is essential to have senior devotees actively involved, and who can balance the callous with affectionate care.
It may seem that if Iskcon owes us nothing, then we are serving in an unforgiving environment. The catch is, while being renounced, we endear all members with a fond sense of belonging by treating our fellow brothers and sisters, grandfathers, fathers and mothers, uncles and aunties, nieces and nephews with respect and love, so the house of Iskcon truly becomes a family affair, in sickness and health.
Whatever image is portrayed of Iskcon in the public eye – positive or negative – can only be made by individuals within. People generally want to be part of a winning team, an illustrious heritage, and a renowned institutional brand. If we serve the purposes of Iskcon in true sannyasa mode, renouncing all sense of wanting from Iskcon, Iskcon can shine as a symbol of hope for all.
This renunciation is actually the sustainer of our lives and the good image of Iskcon. Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja dasa Goswami states, “Renunciation is the basic principle sustaining the lives of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s devotees. Seeing this renunciation, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is extremely pleased.” (CC Antya 6.220)
Srila Prabhupada mentions the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in his purport to a verse speaking of using everything in Krishna’s service. “Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform – do that, O son of Kunti, as an offering to Me.” (BG 9.27) In other words, Iskcon is the facilitator which accepts all our self-sacrificing and noble deeds through serving the vaisnavas. “Acts of sacrifice, charity and penances are not to be given up; they must be performed. Indeed, sacrifice, charity and penances purify even the great souls.” (BG 18.5)
If Iskcon is our ‘sarangati,’ our place of surrender, it would defy all reasoning to expect something in return from it. If we are so extremely vulnerable as to depend on the very air to breathe, yet think in terms of ownership, ruler ship and other separatist ideas, we will lack the necessary humility to surrender everything in the fire of sarangati, and our understanding warps accordingly.
We can beg for resources to do our given services efficiently. We can beg for the association of the vaisnava and serve them. But whatever may be binding to us in any way within Iskcon, whether legally, in trust, in property and so on is given by the grace of Srila Prabhupada and his followers. These privileges are given for free, and free service though of great spiritual value is only meaningful when we expect nothing in return – Iskcon owes us nothing.
Ys, Kesava Krsna dasa – GRS.
This is a very interesting discussion. I do not however agree that iskcon owes its members nothing.
Let us think first how a person feels when they give 100% of their time to the society and doesnt get all their basic necessities met and sees others getting thousands of dollars and a comfortable life for considerably much less time because their value is somehow higher due to social reasons?
Iskcon is a society that is coming to terms with the social/economic/health and other multifarious needs of its members. In some temples devotees who are engaged in at least 40 hours a week service get some wage and yet some devotees disagree with this. However, if that person were to “get a job” would that actually be a better thing? After all, they are then paying taxes to a corrupt government and somehow supporting even indirectly sense gratification and other things that devotees should not be involved in.
That is not to say that having a job is wrong, in many cases it is quite alright especially if a devotee is self employed.
But if someone is given the option to work in Iskcon then that is a far worthier cause and it will help not only keep the devotee engaged but also keeps the money within Iskcon as well as the labor.
Many devotees have left after not having even their basic healthcare needs met. Sometimes we see very surrendered devotees getting next to nothing and sometimes managers will visit india 3 times a year, have nice cars and so on. So many people are getting very nice lifestyles from being in Iskcon while many are getting nil.
Srila Prabhupada built a house in which the whole world can live in, its buildings, projects and even more important its members all need maintaining.
If someone is giving all of their time then Iskcon owes them their care, to say Iskcon owes its members nothing is a very cultish statement and I hope no non devotees see it for they will think we are abusive.
Times are changing, for many , they will make some agreement before joining a temple of living in a community of vaisnavas as to how their needs will be met in exchange for many hours of surrender. This is a practical arrangement and quite bonafide.
I think the question is- How much should we get in return? Some actually get much more than what they need while others get next to nothing and in some cases nothing.
The conclusion is to find the balance between the material and spiritual just as Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura said in Caitanya Siksamrita.
Devotees are growing up and becoming more realistic.
It is healthy to help devotees be steady in their basic needs even if it means financially also. As long as it is not a burden to the temple. Many temples have lots of money, one temple advertised a salary of $60 000 a year for a temple presidents position…
Please let us discuss how to create an interdependancy between iskcon and its members not a mindset of give and expect (and sometimes get) nothing.
AGTSP,
PAMHO,
This article is highly appreciated, it describes the very important nerve centre of sincere counscience & dedication. One must get the above principle of dedication firmly drilled in the head otherwise bhakti will remain superficial.
The mellows of pure bhakti is far, far, far higher & no material misery infliction can be made to be realised to a bhakta, it just cannot. The devote is always thirsty for lord’s unalloyed bhakti, even the thought of soliciting any facility in return is an volunteered contamination to one’s bhakti.
as Srila Prabhupada writes in is Vrindavana Bhajana….
….
Everyone has abandoned me, seing me peniless,
wife, brother, family everyone, this is misery,
But it gives me laugh, I sit alone and laugh….
…..
So, a sincere bhakta is automatically always immersed in mellows of devotion & is seldom bothered with minuscule bodily discomforts. Everyone must keep attempting for being in the state of conscience that is mentioned in the above article.
Kesava Krsna dasa has wonderfully put to words the mind frame a dedicated devotee has to keep in mind always….
Hari Naam ki jay.
Love and Trust!
Can we expect that?
Love and trust is reciprocal. We get that from Srila Prabhupada and we get that from Lord Krishna and Lord Caitanya. Do we get it in our ISKCON experience?
Srila Prabhupada points out that we are in the material world after all and we cannot expect utopia even within the society of devotees. So we should not be too thin skinned about our expectations, but we are personalists after all and that means if we love one another we care about one another and care to work things out to mutual satisfaction.
Devotional service is to be unmotivated and uninterrupted. Therefore we need to check our motivation and attention. Similarly, ISKCON as an organization as a “culture” needs to check its motivation and attention. Does the typical ISKCON experience support you to be unmotivated and uninterrupted, or are you left to take care of yourself and often distracted away from your service?
I s the average devotee inspired and learning, rightfully engaged? or cleaning up the mess and bailing out the sinking ship while those who created the mess have moved on?
You can ask for love and trust and point to Srila Prabhupada’s request that we build our society on that. It is a two way exchange–you have to be loving and trustworthy to extract love and trust.
So yes we can expect something from ISKCON–the purity which Srila Prabhupada demonstrated and instructed us to aspire for. Purity will yield more purity. False personas will yield the ugly truth once the mask falls.
So somethimes our ISKCON experience is quite wonderful, and somethimes it is wonderful inspite of the difficulties; but sometimes it is quite mundane and discouraging because it is so far from genuine devotional service.
We should have extremely high expectations from our guru, and our spiritual path. A child expects compassion from their parents not an instruction to get tough, to grin and bear it. A little tough love is one thing, neglect and indifference is another.
Hari bol!
The Pirate’s Code is: “take all you can get and give nothing back.” That can’t possibly be the code of the Vaishnava or of Vedic Culture.
AGTSP
The soceity is made of a very very big cluster of devotees, as we can make out that the degree of devotion varies between a person to person, the more purified, the more humble. So if you meet some very humble elevated devotee of the soceity, you cannot expect the same level of maturity & understanding from each of the members, there will always be variations.
Srila Prabhupada has erected this institution so that there is cultivation & elevation of bhakti among its members. Practising Krsna Counsciencousness is a countious process. All the senior members are therefore correctly fixed in doing the real thing that is preaching & training the students & giving service to this soceity is part of process of spirtitual elevation for members of krsna cousciencousness.
Secondly for expecting care from society, the senior leaders, devotees & Gurus are always there to help us in acheving the goal of life i.e. pure Krsna Bhakti. We must take example from the life of previous great devotees & acharyas how they lead their life. We must understand the very cause & meaning of renunciation, it must be like Srila Prabhupada states ” Renunciation through Wisdom”. It is not like you run away from the world & take shelter of the society, just because all the facility is available with the society & it is cash-rich to take care of all the followers.
As we study shastras, A renunciate leads his life by Madhukari (begging for alms) & the lord’s pure devotees will hapily do this without a second thought for the rest of his life & here we have got so many facilities made available by Krsna’s mercy through Srila Prabhupada for leading a auster life & enjoying the association. Asking for other things may be like being in maya. Comparing & competion has to be there for devotion, not for who is getting how much cash or facilities, that is not the business of bhakta. HIs every desires automatically ceases when he starts getting the transcendental sweet mellows of bhakti, rest all is immaterial for him.
Relating the society for bodily concept of life is not appropriete, If you strieve to be first class bhakta, others will be inspired & this inspiration will gather & form the pure devotees- that is the aim of this society. & there is no question of deasease, death or hunger. It is all understood when one takes up renunciation. All the sincere devotees have, will & continue to definitely feel a great fortune to have material death while being in Krsna Conscienousness & among the sat-sanga of devotees. The death in an ICU of hospital or on the street or under a tree or in one’s place of stay is the same, the glory is not in death or diesease its in the mind counscienousness at the time one left his body.
Grumbling for not receiving “care”, “attention” is not the business of renunciate, its of least concern for him. Krsna Prema is so potential, that these type questions & discussions is not felt required.
If we encourage people to move into ashram communities in which everyone shares resources and is given a simple material arrangement for food, shelter, etc., it does make sense to talk about how these necessities of life are provided and distributed within the ashram community.
The principle is “Isavasyam idam sarvam”. Everything belongs to Krishna and each person is entitled to his or her own quota, but may not encroach upon the quota of others.
Some more wealthy, well-established religious communities have provisions for those who enter convents and monasteries so that they will get medical care and the simple necessities of life in their old age. (I am thinking of Christian denominations but it must be so in other monastic communities)
If we take someone’s selfless service while they are young and healthy we should feel ashamed to abandon them to their miserable fate if they become infirm or unable to serve. (Not that anyone is doing that, but we can be clear that we would not condone that miserly mentality). Srila Prabhupada certainly would not do that.
Of course the position of great pure devotees is they expect no return for their service. Not that we can demand that everyone be on that very elevated platform, but that is the amazing quality we see in ideal devotees. They do not want anything in exchange for their service, and sometimes if you offer them something they are disappointed that you are cheapening their offering of love into some business transaction (like Prahlad Maharaja’s not wanting to take anything from Lord Nrsimhadeva)
Another characteristic of devotees is that they are grateful and generous and kindhearted, and they reciprocate with those who help. Srila Prabhupada was very concerned about the health and well-being of disciples who were making sacrifices to help push on the movement. Devotees are not at all like the “pirates” Suresh referred to.
We can encourage everyone to move into ashrams for a short time to get an understanding of being completely immersed in spiritual life, but the ashrams can be selective about who is qualified to be a fully-privileged member (entitled to retirement, health care and other benefits, if a specific ISKCON ashram is capable of providing such things).
People who do not pull their weight or do their share of work but want to take advantage of an “easy life” in an ashram cannot stay. But those who are completely dedicated and then, somehow, have become unable to economically contribute due to old age or infirmity should be cared for according to the economic resources available to the given ashram. Society should take care of children, the elderly, the brahmanas. . .
I do not think ISKCON needs to make “one size fits all” rules that apply to every temple and community. In different cities or countries, communities will develop differently. Some communities will discover they have independent grhasthas who are happy to support a brahminical class of serious, committed renunciates who have accepted a relatively simple, austere life in an ashram in order to perform full-time, committed service to the preaching movement.
Dear prabhus,
I’m sorry if the message of the article appears overpowering in deep saffron colours – renunciation. Perhaps I did not explain the softer side of renunciation, or selflessness, which is to care more about the other family (Iskcon) members than oneself. With this attitude certainly everybody is well looked after – in sickness and health, not to mention old age too.
This is what ought to be gained out of selflessness – everyone benefits, including those who require material needs for whatever reasons. A good natured selfless devotee would not want rewards of any kind, though the onus is for others to award such selfless services. See how this pleasant circle goes round?
Ys, Kesava Krsna dasa.
It is wishful thinking to believe that people will work hard for free, not expecting any form of support now or in the future. Many supporters might be happy to offer a few hours, or days of work as a gift of charity. But to expect people to lay down their lives in service of a mission, for months or years, and not expect any form of support for the rest of their lives in return, is an impossible utopian dream.
Sureshvara prabhu,
You make a valid point. So long as the three modes of material nature affect us, our expectations will be less than transcendental, and it would be wishful thinking to expect 100% surrender from everybody. However, Srila Prabhupada was conversant with many human attempts for utopian plans that usually had an ‘ísm’ attached. I don’t think he intended Iskcon to be a utopian impossibility, but a workable societal spiritual plan.
Since he linked the success of Iskcon with being selfless, in sannyasa mode or whatever, it clearly defined his intentions, which were very high. If these highly noble intentions are not highlighted and taken seriously in practice, Iskcon could very well end up just being social club with a spiritual bias. Since one thing generally leads onto another, we can well imagine how these same expectations will be even 50 years from now, let alone 10,000.
So while it is realistic to say not everyone will work for nothing, perhaps a reappraisal of vaues be taught. The truth is, though one is seemingly working for nothing, he or she is gaining immensely in spiritual benefit. To work for something is being counter-productive and comprimising the gains. This something should not be confused with the neccessary laksmi, resources or utilities being used in Krishna’s service.
Ys, Kesava Krsna dasa.
Devotees deserve to be taken care of by ISCKON temples after a life of service. Plain and simple.
If the temple, their family or friends are not able or willing to do this, then they should fly them to India to be taken care of until the end.
This is the least that we can do for them. Anything less is not worthy of human dignity.
Namaste