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Reply to Cambridge

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Thank you for your kind words of respect for ISKCON. And I'm glad to know that you have chosen Krishna as the deity you most prefer. Sanatana-dharma is indeed all-encompassing, for it offers every human being an opportunity to make further progress and at last attain perfection. Yet among the followers of Sanatana-dharma there are two schools, with contrasting views. The contrast is not between the inflexibly rigid and the universally tolerant, but rather between the impersonalists and the personalists. Both schools accept that the Supreme has both a personal and an impersonal aspect. … [Read more...] about Reply to Cambridge

From the Federation of Hindu Associations

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Resolution The Federation of Hindu Associations, Inc. (FHA) takes strong exception to the article and subsequent rejoinders in the Back to Godhead magazine, May/June 1995, which in effect state that Shiva, Ganesha, Brahma, Rama and other deities can at best be considered as "demi-gods" and "a little higher" than human beings. Statements of this type are extremely offensive and confusing to the devout Hindus and are destructive to the Hindu interests. Branding the worshipers of such deities as "offenders" is not fair to the compassionate and diversified philosophy of Hinduism. With … [Read more...] about From the Federation of Hindu Associations

Reply to the Federation

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Dear Mr. Singh, Thank you for sending us a copy of your resolution. I am grateful to you for expressing to us your concern. You have appealed to us to continue the good work initiated by Srila Prabhupada. Thank you for that request. We consider it your blessing. You have also appealed to us to make a clear statement, and so we shall. Here it is: We reaffirm that Krishna alone is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. He appears in unlimited Vishnu forms such as Narayana and Rama. All other gods and living beings are His servants. Now, let me respond in some detail to the … [Read more...] about Reply to the Federation

Hinduism: God and gods

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While I was editor of Back to Godhead, we published a series of articles called "The Glories of the Demigods." The articles praised the demigods as great servants of Lord Krishna. Not everyone was pleased. The Federation of Hindu Associations objected. So did the President of the Cambridge University Hindu Society. Here's what they wrote, along with my replies. Quick Links From the Federation of Hindu Associations My reply to the Federation From the Cambridge University Hindu Society My reply to the Cambridge Hindu Society From the Federation of Hindu Associations The … [Read more...] about Hinduism: God and gods

Radical visions and discarded lies

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September 11 will mark the fifth anniversary of the attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. Nine days after the attacks, President George W. Bush, speaking to a joint session of Congress, said this about the attackers: We are not deceived by their pretenses to piety. We have seen their kind before. They are the heirs of all the murderous ideologies of the 20th century. By sacrificing human life to serve their radical visions--by abandoning every value except the will to power--they follow in the path of fascism, and Nazism, and totalitarianism. And they will follow that path all … [Read more...] about Radical visions and discarded lies

Sins or offenses?

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If you've read An accidental falldown is one thing, but. . ., an exchange of views that might interest you is Sin or Aparadha? Sin might be washed away, writes Pandu Dasa, but are we looking at sins or offenses (aparadhas)? I follow his letter with my comments. Since the exchange appears on a part of this site where you might not otherwise see it, I bring it to your attention here. … [Read more...] about Sins or offenses?

Have a Blast, O Tiger Among Men!

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From Back to Godhead, September–October 1998   One of our BTG staff members suggested I comment here on the nuclear blasts detonated, amidst considerable publicity, by India and her arch-rival Pakistan. I'm not much inclined to do it. For me it's boring. I'm getting tired of the material world. Okay -- India and Pakistan are now better equipped to blow each other up, and maybe they will. That means death, and lots of it. But what do you expect? That's the material world: everyone has to die. Taking a materialistic point of view: Life is nothing but chemicals racing around. So … [Read more...] about Have a Blast, O Tiger Among Men!

Predictions of the Next World War

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From Back to Godhead, July–August 1997   Astrologers, we've heard, are predicting a forthcoming war. If we believe accounts passed on from a well-reputed star-reader in Jaipur, the next world war is on its way. Expect conflicts to start mounting within the next year or so, he says. And by the year 2000 expect 35% of the world's people to be dead. Several other astrologers paint similar pictures of doom. Do we believe them? Maybe. Astrologers can be wrong (a leading pundit predicted Mr. Clinton would lose the ’96 elections), and they can also be terribly right. So what to … [Read more...] about Predictions of the Next World War

An accidental falldown is one thing, but. . .

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Must there not be some limit on how much we can forgive and excuse? (A letter and reply)   Dear Jayadvaita Swami, Re: Can one who has sinned be a saint? Throughout our books and their purports the word "accidentally" is often used to describe the event for the "falldown" or "sin" of the devotee. But what is written in purports about "intentionally" or the event where one says "I'm going to get out of this chair and go over there and .."? And they get out of that chair intentionally over and over again to do their deeds. There must be some measured limit on the quality … [Read more...] about An accidental falldown is one thing, but. . .

Can one who has sinned be a saint? (part 7)

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Sometimes people think that once a person has performed sinful acts, especially acts that are grievously sinful, he must be regarded as a sinner forever. This notion runs contrary to Vaishnava philosophy. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (6.2.8–10) about the sinful Ajamila: etenaiva hy aghono ’sya    krtam syad agha-niskrtam yada narayanayeti    jagada catur-aksaram stenah sura-po mitra-dhrug    brahma-ha guru-talpa-gah stri-raja-pitr-go-hanta    ye ca patakino ’pare sarvesam apy … [Read more...] about Can one who has sinned be a saint? (part 7)