Hindus what is your opinion on Srila Prabhupada ?

[Stormcry]

I credit him for 'Bhagavad Gita As It Is', because it was like my introduction to Hinduism and gave me an appreciation for it. Although, I only read the verses and not the purports. From what I've heard about him is less than desirable. My opinion in a nutshell about him is this: He was not a perfected human being, but he also wasn't the worst.

Namaste , Really speaking , 'Bhagavad gita -as it is ' is a distorted version of real gita .Prabhupada called his gita 'as it is ' . But in reality , it is as per gaudiya vaishnawism . Under the name of sanatana dharma , he propagated false interpretations of geeta . He didn't ever mention ' gaudiya or bengal vaishnawa ' words in his gita .

In his gita , he has given many wrong translations and interpretations according to 'chaitanya charitamrita ' . In fact , this so called scripture has nothing to do with ' bhagavad gita ' .

Hari krishna

 

[Stormcry]

Namaste ,
' bhagavad gita as it is ' should be renamed to ' bhagavad gita as per gaudiyas '

They first learn ' chaitanya charitamrita ' and then try to interprete gita according to ' gaudiya vaishnawism ' . In fact , we should interprete the gita according to upanishadas .

Eg : The concept that there are two mayas is limited to only chaitanya charitamrita . You would not find the two mayas in any upanishada and purana . Those iskconites consider that there are two mayas .One is internal maya and other is external maya . I really don't know much about this . But I think internal is good and external is bad . Right ?

Now , In gita's original verse , there is no such concept like two maya . In original verse , shri krishna says " Though I come into human form ( saguna bramhan ) through maya , my real atmaroopa nature doesn't get tainted . It means krishna remains as formless though he come into a human form . Where is the internal / external maya ? Maya is maya .

I really don't know why people accept such stupid philosophy of so called scriptue ?

 

[Aupmanyav]

Prabhupada did.

He contradicted Krishna:

"Vidya vinaya sampanne, brahmane gavi hastini;
shuni chaiva shvapake cha, panditah sama-darshinah." BG 5.18

(The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brāhmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater (outcaste)).

One is internal maya and other is external maya .

Perhaps, by internal maya they mean their concept of Radha-Krishna, and by external maya - the 'samsara'.

 

[Ravi500]

Namaste,

i have been reading up on him and it seems that there is this stigma where some people are against him/some for him.

what is your opinion?

The issue is that he lived only for a few years after creating the institution of ISKCON after which he passed away , leaving his disciples without good leadership and guidelines. I this affected its effectiveness very much.

ISKCON essentially is a mixture of bhakti yoga and karma yoga. I don't think one has to strictly adopt a vaishnavite lifestyle in order to show one's love for Krishna, though perhaps it may be necessary during sadhana and the culturing process, till one has attained a well-established yogic state .

Krishna, if he had been living today, would be comfortable in denim as well, though he operates from a heightened state of consciousness.

The present scandals that afflict ISKCON indeed shows very poor leadership and I hope it is rectified soon.

However I am very happy for the Akshayapatra food programme that is delivering mid-day meals to many poor children throughout the country in schools. This has increased retention of students in schools who usually quit school due to poverty at home.

I had attended one such centre, and had an opportunity to study the mechanics involved in creating a large amount of food. I wish to write here I remember some of the machines were made by Japan,probably donated by them.

 

[Ravi500]

The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brāhmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater (outcaste).


I would say this teaching of Krishna from the Gita truly exemplifies practical advaita, as it should be.

 

[Aupmanyav]

The present scandals that afflict ISKCON indeed shows very poor leadership and I hope it is rectified soon.

I do not think there are many scandals afflicting Hare-Krishnas now. I have not heard them in India.