Question
If I want to stay faithful to Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON, shall I avoid the association of Srila Narayana Maharaja and his disciples?
Answer
We seek unity among all the Vaishnavas, and as devotees we should offer respect to all living beings. In this spirit, we are now engaged in mediation efforts with NM, to improve our relations. In the meantime, I suggest you seek the association of Srila Prabhupada’s followers. Many of the followers of NM, for many years, have adopted a kind of evangelical spirit, preaching to practicing ISKCON devotees that they must follow NM in order to get real Krishna consciousness. This sectarian, fanatical spirit is inappropriate. Several of NM’s leading followers have privately admitted that this fanaticism was inappropriate. Further, although we agree on most things, there are some points, according to my personal experience, in which we are not in agreement with NM’s presentation. Therefore, it is my duty to recommend that you simply follow the faithful servants of Srila Prabhupada. We mean no disrespect to NM or any other devotee, but we do prefer to follow Prabhupada and his followers, according to his explicit directions, with ISKCON.
