Recently a senior ISKCON leader tried to refute some basic claims of Krishna West. I feel it is my duty to respond to these points.
After all, the Caitanya Caritamrita says, “A sincere student should not neglect the discussion of [Krishna conscious] conclusions, considering them controversial, for such discussions strengthen the mind. Thus one’s mind becomes attached to Sri Krishna” (CC Adi 2.117).
I indicate this leader with the letters SL, for Senior Leader. Most of us are tired of endless debates on these subjects, and we all, hopefully, want to preach in a positive spirit. I am sure SL feels this way as I do. Still, I thought it necessary, for the good of Prabhupada’s mission, that we try to come to a reasonable conclusion about how we can best spread Lord Caitanya’s wonderful mission.
Basically I will argue that in SL’s presentation, we find the following problems:
- Major historical errors
- Invention of new spiritual principles.
- Partial and erroneous depiction of Prabhupada.
- Confusion about Prabhupada’s ultimate mission.
