ISKCON was founded to wage war on Maya
Srila Prabhupada often referred to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness as his declaration of war on maya. The focus of his mission is clearly outlined in the pranama prayers we regularly sing to glorify him:
"We offer our respects unto you, the student of Sarasvati Gosvami. You are kindly teaching the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu for the purpose of delivering the Western World from impersonalism and voidism. "
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta further clarified the extraordinary difference between even the simplest things done as a service to Krishna and the most visible grandiose forms of non-devotional welfare work:
"The thousands of karmies who have opened innumerable hospitals, old age homes, centers for the poor, and schools and the thousands of jnanis who have undergone meditation and several austerities, are insignificant compared to a single kanistaha-adhikari Vaishnava once ringing the bell before the lords deity. This is not sectarianism, but plain truth. Atheist are wholly incapable of realizing this, thus they become either direct or indirect blasphemers of devotional service, or adherents to the doctrine of harmonistic all-inclusiveness.
Being adverse to Lord Visnu, countless jivas have come to maha-maya's dungeon to envy Lord Visunu in countless ways. To deliver even one of them from mahamaya's fortress and make him a devotee of Krishna is unlimitedly better welfare work than the construction of countless hospitals and schools.”
( Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati - Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava 1.421, Sri Srila Prabhupadera Upadesamrta, c/o HH Bhakti Vaikasa Swami)
Furthermore Bhaktisiddhanta made it clear how we can identify who is actually fit to preach the absolute truth:
“We should not become subordinate (nicata) to non-devotees, but to devotees, from whom we should beg mercy and show respect. The mahajanas instructed us not to display humility before everyone. To show humility towards envious atheists like Ravana and the pretentious brahmana is not vaishnave-seva or trnad-api-suhisnuna. If we transgress this instruction we will never become qualified to chant the holy name or attain name ruci; rather, our actions will result in becoming envious of them. Rama bhakta Hanumans burning of lanka is real trnad-api-suhisnuna."
( Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati - Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava 2.222 c/o HH Bhakti Vaikasa Swami)
Mayesvara dasa
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