Dear Devotees,

Jaya Prabhupada! I am writing to confirm that the strict policy of Krishna West is to always respect the local standards of other ISKCON projects, such as temples and preaching centers, whenever we visit them.

Thus, any devotee who gives class, leads kirtana, serves the Deity, etc. must strictly follow the standards and rules of each temple and preaching center. I personally do this whenever I visit an ISKCON temple or preaching center.

I have often stated that the purpose of Krishna West is not to change, challenge, or disturb other ISKCON projects, but rather to create new projects in cooperation with existing ISKCON centers.

The basic principle of Krishna West is to respect the society or community in which we live. So just as we respect the culture of western non-devotees, we must also respect the culture of Vaishnavas in ISKCON temples and centers whenever we visit them.

Thank you for honoring these principles.

With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
April 4, 2015