Vasu Murti's blog

by Vasu Murti
photos: courtesy of iskconmedia.com

In an ISKCON newsletter, back in 1989, when the Robin George case was taking place, ISKCON San Diego, CA temple president Badri Narayan dasa endorsed Krishnafest. Krishnafest was a preaching program led by Danavir dasa and Gunagrahi Maharaja. Badri endorsed it saying that Krishnafest makes devotees, and (referring to the George case), offense is usually the best defense.

It was under these circumstances that my friend and godbrother in the San Diego FOLK program, R.F., and I wrote a paper on temple congregations, and we were hoping to make my roommate Greg a FOLK member. "Anti-cult" accusations can hardly apply if the majority of worshippers in a religious institution serve in its laity and are no different from secular people.

We wrote on what was already a growing trend within ISKCON. Back in 1986, Sri Rupa dasi (Amy Smith), a Ramesvara disciple and head of the San Diego FOLK program, told a newcomer to Krishna Consciousness (who was interested in the philosophy but didn't think he could follow all four regs and chant 16 rounds), "We have a congregation..." Her godsister, Vidyapati dasi (Victoria MacNeil) was pleased that people who were unprepared to lead a life of full-time religious service were being directed to the FOLK program.

We were also making an effort to reach out to "blooped" and "fringed" devotees; to bring them back into the movement. Bhuta Brit dasa (Raul Pedraza), a Prabhupada disciple, was one of the first to join FOLK. Another Prabhupada disciple, Lakshmi devi dasi (Elaine Anthony) used to tell Sri Rupa and temple devotees, "We (FOLK members) are devotees, too! We may not be following all the regs, or chanting 16 rounds every day, but we're devotees, too!" In 1987, I invited Maha Manjari dasi, a Prabhupada disciple, to come to our FOLK programs.

At the end of 1987, my brother and I hosted a FOLK potluck and preaching program where nearly 50 people came! I told one Prabhupada disciple, Jai Gaurasundara dasa (Joe Guarino), that I wanted to see FOLK expanded into an actual ashram within ISKCON (like the bhakta program or the grihasta ashram) for all newcomers to Krishna Consciousness and fallen initiates. He said this would take years to implement, but was supportive of the plan. Sri Rupa's ex-husband, Govardhan dasa (Mike Smith), who was also at that event, commented, "That's how every religion in America does it," (i.e., turns to their congregation or laity for service and financial support).

In early 1988, when a Prabhupada disciple fell from his vows, he said he was being ostracized by his godbrothers. He complained, "In other religions, if a priest breaks his vows, he just becomes part of the congregation, and no one says anything." It occurred to me then that we didn't really have a congregation. I encouraged him to come to our FOLK programs. Bhakta Doug Baker was kicked out of the San Diego temple for having illicit sex with a bhaktin. He soon became an important part of our FOLK program.

In 1987, a then twelve year old Jahnava-Nitai dasa said that most of the second generation devotees weren't interested in becoming full-time devotees or preachers. In 1989, Lalita dasi (Laura Linzig), a Ramesvara disciple, told me that in Hawaii there were already teen pregnancies. My own past is somewhat checkered, so I can say without raising an eyebrow that I'm not in a position to swing by and pin scarlet letters on young girls. Let's just say I already knew these things were taking place, and R.F. and I were writing a paper on temple congregations with the understanding that we were just acknowledging what was an already growing trend in ISKCON. In July 1988, for example, the ISKCON World Review ran an editorial entitled "Flexibility in a Changing ISKCON", which said the future growth of ISKCON would be in its laity rather than its clergy.

R.F. (a former Missionary Baptist minister) was convinced Krishna Consciousness could easily become as widespread and influential as a Christian denomination of several million people, if there were a formal laity.  R.F. observed that temple authorities can't really turn to their "congregations" (the regular Sunday Feast and festival crowds) for service and support, because these people have no formal ties to or standing in our movement. The clergy (initiates) are the only ones who really belong to the movement. R.F. cited the Robin George case, and the potential loss of several temples, as an example of this problem: only a handful of devotees (the initiates) would be affected.

It was Umapati Swami who opposed what we were trying to do. He quoted Srila Prabhupada as having said that anyone who can't follow the four regs is a "dog," and "should not accept initiation." He told us FOLK members not to look at the disciples who have fallen, but to accept initiation "right now" and go back to Godhead in this lifetime. I responded that ISKCON is very clique-ish; initiates behave as if they've joined a club; even when they're not following all the principles, not attending the morning program, or not chanting all their rounds every day, they're still considered devotees.

It was at that point, May 1990, that I made my challenge to Umapati Swami: two ashrams within ISKCON...a clergy and a laity. As recently as February 2006, here in the San Francisco Bay Area, bhaktin Kim Grant agreed with my assertion that ISKCON should allow for things like birth control and divorce among the laity, saying this is just "being realistic."

Similarly, my friend and godbrother from the San Diego FOLK program, Glen Smith (Gangeya dasa, now a disciple of Hridayananda dasa Goswami), commented that many of the second generation devotees resemble FOLK members: they know the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness, but they still have material desires. I told him they should become FOLK members. FOLK has never been treated like a genuine ashram within ISKCON. Book distributors look like hypocrites, preaching standards (four regs, 16 rounds) to the "conditioned souls" neither they nor their children are able to follow.

Similarly, in a section entitled “Other Principles of Bhakti-yoga,” appearing in the 2006 edition of The Higher Taste, says, “The regulations of bhakti-yoga do, however, allow sex within marriage to bring children into the world,” when it really should stress three of the four regs, and stipulate that the principle of “no illicit sex” is meant for those being initiated (ordained) into the clergy (as priests, or brahmanas).

In October 1989, Nalini-kanta dasa told me, "There are over 300 devotee families in L.A. Why doesn't the temple reach out to them? They don't know how to treat their godbrothers."

Before I ever met Nalini, my friend and godsister in FOLK, Margaret Dvorak, described him as “one of those ‘fringe-type’ devotees. A few rounds. A few regs. You know how it is.” Around 1992 or 1993, I wrote to Nalini on the subject of congregations, saying, "You, of all people, should appreciate what we're trying to do." Instead of sulking, and saying, "I tried," he should be grateful that we've established a place within ISKCON for him and other fallen initiates. In the mid-'90s, my friend and godbrother from the San Diego FOLK program, Nityananda dasa (Bill Hiler), didn't think Nalini would take offense at being asked to join FOLK.

So that's my invitation to all of you Vaishnavas (initiated or otherwise) who aren't on the platform of four regs and 16 rounds: would you consider becoming a FOLK member? I realize there may or may not be a FOLK program (or any other kind of congregational preaching) at the temple nearest to you. That's where we have to begin effecting change within ISKCON: establishing a formal laity. This is varnashrama-dharma, which is what Srila Prabhupada wanted to establish after having successfully established a class of brahmanas to guide society.