This post is in respect to Bhakta Derek. I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to know and converse with Bhakta Derek over the past 11 years since 2014/2015. I had resigned my post at the United Nations and embarked on a spiritual journey of a sort. Meeting the Hare Krsna devotees, and attempting to train as a neophyte monk at a Vedic temple was part of this journey.
Of the God-conscious devotees I have met over the years I have to say Bhakta Derek (having been a devotee of Vedic Vaishnavism for over 30 years) is very insightful and enlightened in many ways. I am very grateful that he allowed me the time to ask him so many questions about Krsna consciousness and about the teachings as detailed in the Bhagavad Gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam. Our conversations about the slokas have been very enlightening to me and I am most grateful for the insights Bhakta Derek has shared.; and for the extremely kind help he and his wife have given me in so many instances, especially when I was going through difficult circumstances. I am eternally grateful to Bhakta Derek.
I noted early on that Bhakta Derek had not been interested to become initiated by a modern day guru of the modern-day ISCKON organisation (corporation). Bhakta Derek does not focus on this, but I will say that in my analysis and opinion this was a wise decision on his part, perhaps he was being guided by Krishna and Srila Prabhupada. That is not to disrespect those genuine devotees that are members of the ISCKON organisation and temples. Yet, my analysis indicates that the modern-day ISCKON organisation/leadership has deviated from the original instructions as laid out by its saintly founder His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, for example, in relation to the guru-parampara system.
I have met various ISCKON gurus and have listened to their youtube videos. One I met was very kind and helpful to me, and some appear genuine. Yet, for the most part I can say that in my opinion these gurus were not genuine gurus.
Spiritual learnings
A shiksha guru imparts scholarly knowledge or academic learning. A diksha guru communicates mystic power that brings about intuitive and all encompassing wisdom. I can say that:
reading the Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, and Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta directly,
listening to Prabhupada’s lectures,
and conversing with Bhakta Derek (who is enlightened in many ways) has helped spark spiritual learning in my life; and my own realisations. Thank you to Bhakta Derek
Everything is by the grace of God. These have been the initial thoughts that came to mind and I may add to this post at a later date.
Hare Krsna
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada
Reasons I did’nt go down the path of ISCKON initiation
First of all they had little to no knowledge of the many asuric deceptions in the world today; and in some instances were actively engaged in promulgating these deceptions. Some of the deceptions are detailed in my published books. How can he be a guru if he does not even recognise the lies of the demons? Many of these ISCKON gurus actively encouraged devotees to take the Covid jab – how ridiculous – it was a fake pandemic. Others in the ISCKON organisation actively receive UN and government funds to promote the demonic UN lie that CO2 and methane from causes climate change. The UN aims to kill cows / reduce the cow population, but the Vedic injunction is to protect cows, so how hypocritical is that?
Secondly I recognised traits of narcissism, puffed up ego, and false prestige in some of these so-called gurus, and temple presidents. They are not gurus in my analysis. Srimad Bhagavatam also states that there are no sannyasis in Kali-yuga. With respect to those gurus that are honest and sincerely doing their best, in my experience and analysis to date it is best to listen directly to Srila Prabhupada himself via his books and lectures.
