By Nashvin Gangaram
Srila Prabhupada is the soul of ISKCON and ISKCON is his body. Because ISKCON is a spiritual organization, both body and soul are non-different. Srila Prabhupada continues to act effectively in this world so long as ISKCON remains the instrument of his will. He holds a unique position in ISKCON as its Founder-Acharya: “Just like if I am taken as the origin of this Krishna consciousness movement, that means I know everything directly and indirectly of all this movement. If I do not know directly or indirectly everything of this movement, then I cannot be called the Founder-Acharya.” (Srimad Bhagavatam Lecture, Caracas, 21 February 1975)
Is a spiritual organization really necessary, though? The organization allows Krishna consciousness to reach to humanity over large spans of space and time. Lord Chaitanya, the most recent incarnation of Krishna, descended to earth over 500 years ago. At that time, His illustrious devotee, Srila Jiva Gosvami, declared the creation of a worldwide society of devotees, the visva-vaisnava-raja-sabha. The institution was later envisioned by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and solidified when his son, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami, created the Gaudiya Math, which disseminated Lord Chaitanya’s teachings throughout India. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami desired that the ultimate authority would not be an individual but a board of directors, who would cooperatively coordinate the mission’s activities.
Why then did Srila Prabhupada create his own organization? Being a sincere disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami, his only desire was to fulfil his spiritual master’s instructions and preach in English in the Western countries. Unfortunately, his god-brothers were not able to cooperate and follow their guru’s request. Srila Prabhupada repeatedly wrote to his god-brothers about the potential for spreading their guru’s movement in America but this was in vain. He was compelled to create ISKCON. Srila Prabhupada was indeed a visionary because when he legally incorporated ISKCON on 13th July 1966, the “international” society consisted of a seventy-year-old man, a rundown storefront and a handful of youngsters who were dissatisfied with life and looking for their next high.
Why did Srila Prabhupada choose the name “ISKCON”? Even before its legal establishment, he had been talking about his “International Society for Krishna Consciousness”. A friend suggested that “International Society for God Consciousness” may be more appropriate for Westerners. But Prabhupada insisted on “Krishna Consciousness” because people have a vague understanding of “God” and he wanted to establish who God is. “God Consciousness” is less personal and spiritually weaker. Additionally, “Krishna Consciousness”, the phrase that Srila Prabhupada coined, is an English translation of the Sanskrit krishna-bhavanamrita. He writes: “Our Krishna consciousness movement is therefore called krishna-bhavanamritasangha, the association of persons who are simply satisfied in thoughts of Krishna” (Srimad Bhagavatam 9.9.45, purport). This association is inherently international, as he further elaborates: “One who is absorbed in krishna-bhavanamrita has no material benefits to ask from Krishna. Instead, such a person prays to the Lord for the benediction of being able to spread His glories all over the worlds.”
Srila Prabhupada has thus reinvigorated Lord Chaitanya’s movement, spreading it to an unprecedented number of people over the past fifty years, while at the same time ensuring its fidelity to its ancient heritage. We have been given a unique opportunity to internalize his spirit and be his embodiment in the world.
Hare Krishna News – Published by ISKCON Durban. Used with permission
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