Universal Brotherhood?
In the Vaishnava tradition, too, we believe that humans are on the
threshold of eternal life, as we are members of the only species that can
understand our relationship with God, and thus be liberated from the cycle
of repeated birth and death, and return to the spiritual world from where we
fell from grace.
When Narahari Swami, a sannyassi (monk) from Hawaii visited the San Diego
temple, and was asked if any humans were ready for the message
of Bhagavad-gita, he said practically speaking, anyone who has a human body,
the human form of life, etc. is ready (this also means we don't discriminate
on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.).
But even in the Srimad Bhagavatam (and reprinted in introductory "pop"
literature, like the paperback, Coming Back: the Science of Reincarnation),
there is an account from past ages millions of years ago, of some thieves
who encounter Jada Bharata, deliberately keeping silent and dumb, and they
mistake him for being mentally defective, and mistakenly think they can thus
offer him as a sacrificial animal to the goddess Kali.
So if there's a quality or attribute which separates humans from other
animals, it clearly isn't based on species membership.
Srila Prabhupada scoffed at the religious leaders and politicians who talk
about "universal brotherhood," yet exclude animals from moral concern. He
taught that nonviolence is the first principle of spiritual life (Letter to
Bhakta dasa, August 3, 1973) and that the saints and mystics see all living
entities with equal vision. We are all equal in God’s eyes—whether one is
incarcerated inside the body of a bird, fish, reptile, mammal, demigod,
poet, merchant, insect, etc...He taught that social ills such as racism,
sexism, caste-ism, nationalism, speciesism, etc...arise because eternal
souls falsely identify with their temporary bodies—on the spiritual
platform, we are all equal. (Compare Colossians 3:11 and Galatians 3:28)
Srila Prabhupada responded to the Declaration of Independence by saying
animals also have the right to life; animals as well as humans are protected
in an enlightened civilization. Srila Prabhupada taught that our present
civilization cannot even be considered human, because of the practice of
slaughtering animals for food and sport. He equated eating meat with
cannibalizing small children, and candidly told a Catholic priest in London
in 1973 that, "Animal-killers cannot understand God. I have seen this. It is
a fact."
Srila Prabhupada taught that spiritual life and devotion to a personal God
liberate one’s spirit from the bondage of the flesh. On the other hand,
"...one who has not heard the message of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead—even for a moment—he’s an animal. The general mass of people, unless
they are trained systematically for a higher standard of life in spiritual
values are no better than animals. They are on the level of dogs, hogs,
camels, and asses."
In an interview with India’s Bhavan’s Journal in August 1976, Srila
Prabhupada commented on the "widespread deterioration of moral values" as
follows: "...religion is on the wane...when there is no religion, it is
simply animal life...So when the human beings become uninterested in
religious things, then they are animals...In human society either you become
Christian Muhammadan, Hindu, or Buddhist, it doesn’t matter. There must be
some system of religion. Human society without religion is animal
society...because religion is declining, the human beings are becoming more
and more like animals."
The Srimad Bhagavatam says that one who considers the body to be the self is
no better than a cow or an ass. Srila Prabhupada called Hindus who become
Westernized "new crows." He said, "Crows eat stool, but new crows eat more
stool." (Compare this to the teaching found in the New Testament, where St.
Peter likens sinners to irrational brute beasts; II Peter 2:12.) When Srila
Prabhupada made candid statements like these, he spoke truthfully. During
the 1960s and 1970s, he repeatedly warned young people that if they weren’t
careful, they could be reborn as dogs.
A similar warning can be found in the Upanishads:
"Those who are of pleasant conduct here—the prospect is, indeed, that they
will enter a pleasant womb, either the womb of a Brahmin, or the womb of a
Kshatriya, or the womb of a Vaisya.
"But those who are of stinking conduct here—the prospect is, indeed, that
they will enter either the womb of a dog, or the womb of a swine, or the
womb of an outcast."
Active participation in devotional life, however, is meant for all of
humanity, and is not restricted only to those who follow vows and
religiously observe the nonsectarian principles of austerity, mercifulness,
truthfulness and cleanliness. According to Srila Prabhupada, this
opportunity for love and service is open to everyone:
"...if you want to be a family man—if you cannot dedicate twenty-four hours
daily—then earn money and use it to spread Krishna Consciousness...if you
cannot earn money, then use your intelligence. There is so much intellectual
work to do—publication, research, and so on. If you cannot do that, then
utilize your words to tell people about Krishna. So where is the scarcity of
opportunities? You can serve Krishna in any capacity, provided you want to
serve."
Elsewhere, Srila Prabhupada explains: "One who isn’t initiated may chant
Hare Krishna (and should certainly be encouraged to do so) and serve in his
own way, and gradually by doing so he may want to be initiated." (Letter to
Satsvarupa dasa 11/14/68)
According to the ISKCON public relations guide, Who Are They?,
congregational outreach is now reality. Mukunda Goswami introduces the
reader to the Hare Krishna movement in strictly congregational terms:
"You’ll probably be surprised to learn that you don’t have to wear
traditional robes or change your hairstyle or religion to be a part of the
Hare Krishna movement.
"You’ll discover that Krishna Consciousness is much more than a religion.
It’s a spiritual movement; a universal, time-tested process for achieving
inner happiness, satisfaction, and higher awareness. And you’ll meet people
from all walks of life who are applying their knowledge, skills, and
resources to bring about a better world, beginning with the all-important
realm of consciousness.
"The Krishna Consciousness movement is a transcendental outreach program
unparalleled anywhere in the world."
In the section of Who Are They? entitled "A Worldwide Congregation,"
Krishna’s congregation—legal secretaries, surgeons, biochemists, ordinary
folks—are depicted. ISKCON’s Southwestern U.S. Regional Membership Director,
Rose Forkash, writes:
"With a worldwide congregational membership well over six million, the Hare
Krishna movement has a growing responsibility. We are committed both to our
rapidly expanding membership and to nonmembers in all walks of
life...Whatever you do, whatever your age, race, sex, or religious
affiliation, the Hare Krishna movement can offer you many benefits. If you
do nothing more than chant the Hare Krishna mantra, you’re already closer to
spiritual success."
Since the 1980s, loose-knit temple congregations have begun to emerge. In an
introductory pamphlet, intended for congregational use, entitled Krishna
Consciousness at Home: A Practical Guide, Mahatma dasa
quotes Bhagavad-gita 2:40, concluding:
"The beauty of Krishna Consciousness is that you can take as much as you are
ready for. Krishna Himself promises in the Bhagavad-gita, ‘There is no loss
or diminution in this endeavor, and even a little advancement on this path
protects one from the greatest type of fear.’"
Ravindra Svarupa dasa (Dr. William Deadwyler), recognized as one of the
leaders of reform in ISKCON, reflects upon Srila Prabhupada’s words on page
31 of the November/December 1991 issue of Back to Godhead:
"In commenting on the twelfth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita, Srila Prabhupada
makes it really clear that the Hare Krishna movement is in principle made up
of three groups of people. Krishna says, ‘Surrender to Me.’ So first are
those who are spontaneously attracted to surrender to Krishna.
"Then Krishna says, ‘If you can’t do that, follow the regulative principles
of devotional service.’ And in the purport Srila Prabhupada makes it clear
what this means: rising early, taking a shower, going to the morning
program, and so on, under the supervision of the spiritual master. So those
who do this are in the second group.
"Then Krishna says, ‘If you can’t do that, then work for Me.’ And Srila
Prabhupada says that this means that at least one should be sympathetic to
the propagation of Krishna Consciousness. Every organization requires land,
capital, labor, and organization, so you can contribute one of these things.
Those who do this are in the third group.
"These three groups make up the Hare Krishna movement. So there’s absolutely
nothing wrong with the movement’s having all kinds of people who aren’t
following the strict regulative principles.
"Where we have a problem is with people who have at one time or another
taken formal vows to follow the principles of the second group and then
found themselves unable to keep them."
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