What We, Devotees, Refuse to See

"If Krsna Himself came to speak with Duryodhana and his blind father to find a resolution, both parties should have set their holy asses down and not gotten up until there was unanimity. —Unanimity amongst pure Vaishnavas is a Deity." —Bhagavan Das. ACBSP

These two propositions by this former guru form the conclusion of his attempt to keep Krishna consciousness free from the influence of bureaucracy and politics: a demonstration of our idealistic philosophy. But when even God Himself could not bring the two parties to a resolution before the war, then what is the meaning of such a "Deity" if unanimity is merely an artificial projection of the mind, detached from the realities of bureaucracy and politics? (See his article at the end of this publication.)

I keep explaining that unity is an artificial and unreliable concept, except as an ideal, just as Srila Prabhupada often pointed out (see his letter at the end of this article). To maintain the cohesion of our society, we need to take the bull by the horns—that is, to face things as they truly are: division and difference are integral to human psychology, which is what we generally refer to as duality.

​Politics then becomes a necessary discipline, not to reach any ideal, but simply to manage the consequences of this condition. But that sounds too rational, too austere. It requires long-term effort, less idealism —and above all, less hypocrisy and more tolerance. What might still have been conceivable in Vedic times is no longer possible today. The same applies to what a guru could once expect from his disciples in the time of Bhaktivinod Thakur or his son, Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja.

Times change —that is the essential point— and this change is not progress, but a progressive shrinking, an irreversible reduction of human capacities and qualities. It’s a negative phenomenon that we, as devotees of Krishna, should understand better than others. Yet, we do not. The blindness toward this erosion of time is no less present among Krishna devotees —in fact, it is sometimes even more surprising.

But what can be done? The Vaishnava community seems determined to discourage anyone who doesn’t think as they are expected to —that is, according to a strict hierarchy supposedly tracing back to the pure devotee, a figure both difficult for most to accept and said to be exceedingly rare.

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This morning, I read in the News that the United States decided to severely attack India because it is buying oil from Russia. Modi responded negatively to this order and reaffirmed his ties with Russia. Since the beginning of this conflict, the Americans have, paradoxically, pushed the Russians, Chinese, and Indians to consolidate their relations instead of dividing them. 'Unity is strength,' as the proverb says. In this case, we can clearly see that this pragmatic unity is not a vanity. (August 6, 2025)

Why unity is impossible, by Srila Prabhupada. 

"Unity is possible on the spiritual platform, not on the material platform. Material platform means "I am envious of you; you are envious of me." Mātsaratā. Mātsaratā means mātsaratā para utkarṣaḥ asahanam... When I cannot tolerate other increasing in opulence, I become envious. This is material life. The spiritual life is different. Spiritual life means if somebody has advanced in spiritual life, and somebody, one, he is still in the neophyte stage, he will eulogize, "Oh, how fortunate he is. He has advanced. He is serving Kṛṣṇa in such a nice way. When I can get that position." There is no enviousness. That is glorifying. That is the distinction between material life and spiritual life. Material life means enviousness: "How to kill you, how to stop you." But spiritual life means to see you advancing, one becomes happy, "Oh, how fortunate he is." This is spiritual life. Therefore spiritual life is meant for a person who is completely not envious. That is spiritual life. Paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ vāstavaṁ vastu vedyam atra. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). This Bhāgavata-dharma is meant for the person, paramo nirmatsara, paramahaṁsa. He is not envious of anyone. Suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām (friendly to all living entities).

(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Bombay, December 25, 1974)

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Bhagavan Das on unanimity and division.*

Regarding the recent Indian superme court decision between ISKCON and the Bangalore temple:

All spiritual movements begin with mysticism and end with bureaucracy and politics

Probably over $30M of Prabhupada's money was spent on this court case over 27 years by each side. Krsna - who reconciles all opposites was absent. That money could have been used for so many good things but was put instead in the pockets of lawyers. Millions upon millions spent when older devotees in their 70’s and 80’s don’t even have a proper place to spend their final days. 

Srila Prabhupada would have resolved this in minutes. After 27 years Jayapataka Swami and Madhu Pandit Maharaja did not evolve their sadhana and Krsna Consciousness enough to resolve this dissension face to face.

Prabhupada gave a process called Istagosti where vaisnavas sit together to resolve issues. The sages of Naimesaranya were willing to sit for thousands of years till they found a solution of how humanity could find relief from the coming influence of Kali Yuga. Because of their sincerity of purpose Krsna sent Sukadev.

This victory in court is nothing but a victory of Kali that devotees could not resolve their issues face to face. Regardless of the external success it was a failure in adikara. Those involved gave away their Shakti to lawyers and judges-probably cow killers. What kind of victory is that?

What I don’t understand is why the king of the ritviks, Madhu Pundit and the king of mass initiations, Jaya Pataka Swami, didnt defend their guru maharaj Srila Prabhupada when Bhodhayan Swami and his disciple tried to scorch Prabhupadas legacy saying Prabhupada was the greatest offender to the Chaitanya Charitamrita for criticising his godbrothers in his purports, saying these purports should be edited out and overall that purports to the CC were unnecessary, that he became pure when he apologized in his death bed to his godbrothers, that Prabhupada was just one amongst many of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta’s disciples including the “jackal” Ananta Vasudev. We asked you to do something but you were both too occupied being right to stand TOGETHER on this battlefield and protect him with your love and cooperation. Even Yudhisthira ordered his brothers to save the Kauravas when they were being killed by the Ghandarva. 

So where were you both? Fighting in court? 

This was a complete defeat of high minded, egoless communication and Siddhanta. It was an opportunity to sit with advanced vaisnavas and resolve both the property and guru succession issues. No one should have gotten up until resolution and unification were the victors. Instead both parties took the easy path of pulling out the check books of Prabhupada’s account to club each other. Did either party ever look at how Prabhupada kept his ledger where he kept exact account of every rupee that was spent? He hated waste. 

The ritvik party won and the head ritvik now goes to Prabhupada and announces “Srila Prabhupada, we won, you won!! It only cost your Divine Grace $30,000,000. Now you will be the only ISKCON guru forever!”

Whoever won made Prabhupada the loser. Whoever lost did the same. Does anyone actually think that Srila Prabhupada is happy with this prolonged tortuous display of vikarmic action? 

If Krsna Himself came to speak with Dhuryodhana and his blind father to find resolution, both parties should have set their holy asses down and not gotten up until there was unanimity.

Unanimity amongst pure vaishnavas is a Deity."

* Published on his Facebook account, May 16, 2025