Reflection on Islam and Christianity

“Christianity has its necessity, Islam also has its necessity. There is room for such creeds in the universe. They are not unnecessary, but they hold a relative position.”

"Above this there is vikasita-cetana, in which there is some conception of God. And this is where varnasrama-dharma begins." --Sridhar Maharaj

"In Mohammedanism (Islam) and Christianity there is theism. They accept one eternal God and Master, but that acceptance is according to their nature as a group. Just as there is brahmana nature, ksatriya nature, vaisya nature and so on. According to their general natures, different nations have been given such installments of theism." --Srila B.R. Sridhar Maharaj (You can read the full text at the end.)

I am tripping up on the meaning of this sentence: "this acceptance is made according to their group nature."

"Their nature as a group." 🤔

The first point to consider, however, is that a Vaishnava recognizes that Muslims and Christians believe in God, the Supreme Being. Therefore, respect is required. Their ideological enemies, the atheists, are also those of the Vaishnava: they are reactionary progressives who want to do away with ancient religions, even if it means configuring new ones or altering them to better exploit them; Freemasonry, for example, did not always hide its hand.

An objection arises, nevertheless: "They kill cows; therefore, they are not the equals of Vaishnavas." The latter consider themselves morally superior because of their non-violence toward animals. They refuse to sit at their table, as blood is impure according to their values —at least, that is the viewpoint I share and the conduct I adopt in such situations.

​Yet, the kshatriyas ate meat, and enjoy it! We read in the Puranas and the Mahabharata that they practiced hunting as both a sport and a duty. Far from being condemned for their conduct, kshatriyas like the Pandavas are, on the contrary, worshipped by Vaishnavas. Let it be said: truth needs no finery to be sacred! Let us not disguise history to suit our preferences; the naked truth is already great enough.

The issue of Vaishnava Kshatriyas eating meat remains a mystery within the Krishna movement, and my mind. Like other topics, it was not addressed exhaustively by Srila Prabhupada. Scattered throughout his teachings, one finds fragments of answers, but no philosophy or elaboration that allows his disciples to master the subject. As a result, there is confusion —a sort of Achilles' heel for the Gaudiya philosophy.

"According to their general natures, different nations have received such contributions of theism." — S.M.

As an adept of Srila Prabhupada and have carefully studied his teachings, you certainly know what a central place he gave to “science” in his presentation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, against the backdrop of Vedic culture. However, I must admit that, just as with the question of meat-eating, which sometimes leaves me perplexed (as we have just seen), the exact meaning he gives to the word “science” occasionally escapes me. It is precisely because he insisted so much on this term that I have delved deeper into the philosophy and history of science in order to refine my understanding of his teaching. I have come to the conclusion that, for a statement to be truly scientific, it must be able to be subjected to doubt and to withstand contradiction. It cannot be its own proof.

Consequently, this statement by Sridhar Maharaj deserves an objective examination, especially since the "nature" of Islam is already, as we have seen, a stumbling block.

Thinking for oneself requires an intellectual independence that the group—family, friends, society—rarely tolerates. Yet, it accepts it without difficulty on one condition: that this thought goes in the right direction—the group's direction. The thinker is then esteemed, even admired. Otherwise, they are marginalized or rejected. This mechanism does not spare so-called democratic countries.

Here is another equally telling and practical example. A disciple of Prabhupada, the ex-sannyasi Guru Kripa Dasa, recounts this anecdote which illustrates in a veiled way the difficulty for a Krishna devotee to reach the perfection of bhakti-yoga in this life:

"Srila Prabhupada did not establish a cult of personality; he taught the science of seeing God. As we better understand the science of bhakti, we will see God, just as Srila Prabhupada saw Him. It is not as if he were to see Krishna and we would not. Sometimes, people would ask Prabhupada: 'Do you see Krishna?' And Srila Prabhupada would answer: 'If I do, how does that help you? Do you see Him? If I eat and you do not, what good does it do you to watch me eat?' So we must eat in our turn, and that is precisely what he offers us. If we miss it, we are the big losers. We lack faith."

"Just as there is brahmana nature, ksatriya nature, vaisya nature and so on." --SM

​I am struggling, as I said at the beginning of this essay, because we learned from the mouth of Srila Prabhupada that these distinctions are no longer applicable in the age of Kali. The Muslim religion, it should be remembered, was born late in our era, in the 7th century: 3,500 years after the start of the Kali-yuga. Don't we learn that in Kali-yuga these distinctions are no longer applicable? ​The Muslim religion was born late in our era, in the 7th century.

"In Srimad Bhagavatam we find that installments are distributed according to the receiver's collective capacity as a group. Otherwise, if the whole is given at once, it will be too difficult, too complex for them to understand or to follow." --SM.

Furthermore, regarding the idea that Hindus might be more suited than others to receive higher teachings, it must be noted that when Srila Prabhupada decided to go to America to introduce Radha and Krishna, he met with immense success. Conversely, in India, his preaching had very little impact on his contemporaries at that time. ​This observation leads me to assert that it is inappropriate to define the "nature" of a people or a civilization within the Kali-yuga. Moral and intellectual potential is, in reality, universal and equal for all, as is its expression.

"So for the beginners, some theistic conception has been given only approximately, and not in detail. After attaining further birth and rebirth, when they come to a higher position, then higher education about theism will be imparted, arrangement has been made for everyone by the Lord through the various scriptures and saints." --Sridhar Maharaj 

As I mentioned, our philosophy is currently targeted toward beginners. Even if we possess the highest knowledge, its potential remains untapped, and we find ourselves stuck with introductory teachings of Krishna Consciousness: a kind of perpetual Sunday feast. Krishna Dharma, the author of a Mahabharata translation and a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, perfectly illustrates this idiosyncratic behavior. When I questioned his silence regarding the war in the Middle East —noting a common trend among Hare Krishna devotees— he directed me to his latest article, which I was aware of already. After reading it again, I told him it lacked both creativity and factual depth, which he immediately acknowledged.

Consequently, Sridhar Maharaj’s explanation does not quite align with the reality on the ground, which is shaped by history and the passage of time. Based on the preceding analysis, Krishna devotees seem no more inclined to delve into deep existential, metaphysical, or speculative questions than Muslims or Christians; if anything, the opposite is true. This observation holds regardless of whether they are American, European, or born in India. They remain eternal beginners, contenting themselves with the recitation of the Vaishnava catechism. They make no secret of this practice, which they regard as the very essence of Srila Prabhupada’s teachings. The emphasis is placed on protecting one's faith—a posture to be preserved at all costs, like a garden plant shielded from weeds. However, everything regarding present life and the knowledge required to improve the conditions of devotees' families, or the varnashrama-dharma as a societal project, is effectively postponed indefinitely. 

"Above this there is vikasita-cetana, in which there is some conception of God. And this is where varnashrama-dharma begins." — Sridhar Maharaj

​However, devotees have effectively thrown in the towel on the question of varnashrama-dharma. They no longer want to hear about it, leaving Prabhupada’s explicit desire to establish it as a growing enigma. The current consensus among devotees seems to be that it is unnecessary. Yet, Prabhupada insisted that Krishna Consciousness cannot be spread effectively without varnashrama-dharma. Sridhar Maharaj himself identifies this as the very starting point of civilization. To speak of civilization is to speak of politics, families, education, science, and the pluralism of democracy (or isthaghosti). It involves people with diverse views and various rasas. Some seek a neutral relationship with Vishnu, others a friendly rasa, a parental one, or the highest rasa with Krishna in Vrindavan —a realm that transcends mundane morality and social rules. Only pure devotees like Sridhar Maharaj or Prabhupada can guide us within that transcendental sphere, although they are not of this world anymore. The claim is that when devotees connect their souls to theirs, everything is revealed.

​This simply does not work. It is untenable. ■

The full text

Srila B.R. Sridhar Maharaj: In Mohammedanism (Islam) and Christianity there is theism. They accept one eternal God and Master, but that acceptance is according to their nature as a group. Just as there is brahmana nature, ksatriya nature, vaisya nature and so on. According to their general natures, different nations have been given such installments of theism.

In Srimad Bhagavatam we find that installments are distributed according to the receiver's collective capacity as a group. Otherwise, if the whole is given at once, it will be too difficult, too complex for them to understand or to follow. 

So for the beginners, some theistic conception has been given only approximately, and not in detail. After attaining further birth and rebirth, when they come to a higher position, then higher education about theism will be imparted, arrangement has been made for everyone by the Lord through the various scriptures and saints.

This is why we find Vedic knowledge—truth existing beyond our present senses—presented throughout the scriptures in an indirect, veiled manner in order to instruct those who are undisciplined or foolish. People are to be dealt with according to their stage. 

A boy should be given an examination for a boy, not for an adult. The questions on a boy's examination will be of a different standard than those on the adult’s. Gradually, one will be taken to the higher standard. Just as a child is guided with some modified policy, that sort of process has been similarly adopted in the scriptures:

parokṣa-vādo vedo ’yaṁ / bālānām anuśāsanam

karma-mokṣāya karmāṇi / vidhatte hy agadaṁ yathā  [S.Bhag. 11:3:44]

“Childish and foolish people are attached to materialistic, fruitive activities, although the actual goal of life is to become free from such activities and attain Krishna consciousness, the service of Krishna. Therefore, the Vedic injunctions indirectly lead one to the path of ultimate liberation by first prescribing fruitive religious activities, just as a father promises his child some sweets so that the child will take his medicine.”

Everywhere in the revealed scriptures this has been accepted. The degree of education should be imparted according to the audience’s capacity. Otherwise, they won’t be able to understand anything. There is a gradual process in the training—this is so everywhere. It is also true in our common experience. Progress does not come abruptly but is a process of continuous development. 

Student: From where does theism begin? From its lower stages up to the higher, what is the gradation? What are the different conceptions?

Srila B.R. Sridhar Maharaj: The whole gradation has been described in the following way by Bhaktivinode Thakur in Caitanya-Siksastakam.

First there is acchadita-cetana, fully covered consciousness, like in the trees and stones; they are acchadita, covered, thickly covered. Consciousness is there, but it is thickly covered.

Next, there is sankucita-cetana, as we find in the animal kingdom a very narrowed consciousness.

Then, mukulita-cetana, just awakening consciousness...Here we find animism, worship of the various nature gods.

Above this there is vikasita-cetana, in which there is some conception of God. And this is where varnasrama-dharma begins.

Then lastly there is purna-vikasita-cetana, fully opened consciousness, and its corresponding conception of God; that is Vaishnavism.

Student: Are Christianity and Islam at this stage, vikasita-cetana?

Srila B.R. Sridhar Maharaj: Yes. Then lastly there is purna-vikasita-cetana, fully opened consciousness and its corresponding conception of God; that is Vaishnavism. 

—

Book: Excerpt 1, The Search for Sri Krishna. Excerpt 2, Divine Aspiration