THREAD

Misconceptions about Iskcon

One God yes. One book - No. They recommend and base their research on Srimad Bhagvatam‌, Bhagvad Gita, Vishnu Purana, Brahma Samhita, Padma Purana, Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Isopanisad.

Mangala Arati starts with hymn from Brahma Samhita which https://twitter.com/__Vyshak__/status/1186675481510174720

is "Govindam Adi Purusam".

Other commentaries include those by the 6 Gosvamis, Chaitanya Charitamrta, Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu.

You have a problem with "One God" well all of Vedanta and Purana says that. Tulsidas in Rāmcharitmānasa says that Shri Rām is the Supreme Personality

of Godhead. If you read Gudartha Dipika by Madhusudan Sarasvati that also says the same thing. Adi Shankaracharya also says "Bhaja Govindam". Throughout it is accepted that Vishnu is supreme.

Shiva and Vishnu relationship is beautiful and complex and is clearly explained in

Bhagvatam. Also the idea of "one Supreme God" in Hinduism is NOT Abrahamic for 3 reasons -

1) Saguna Brahman - Godhead has a transcendental form
2) Everything is a manifestation of divinity thus everything is divine
3) Vishishtadvaita - God & souls are qualitatively same but

quantitatively different. Thus the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ocean and our individual souls are droplets. And like the sun and its rays our relationship to God is eternal and inseparable.

Thirdly this thing about one messenger is total bunkum. ALL Iskcon books talk

about multiple Vaishnava saints. Srila Prabhupada respectfully talks about the philosophy of Tulsidasji, Ramanujacharya, Jiva Goswami, Rupa Goswami and so many more. They respect ALL Vaishnava saints. The only thing they say is that true knowledge about God can ONLY be gained

through a bonafide Guru. This is like saying if I want to learn how to do a heart surgery I HAVE to go to a surgeon who knows how to do it. I can't expect to learn how to do surgery from a lawyer. The same way spiritual knowledge can only be gained through a bonafide Guru and

Shastra cannot be understood by going to Devdutt Fattnaiks of the world.

Their whole philosophy is rooted in Gaudiya Vaishnavism.

As per Padma Purana there are 4 main Sampradayas based on how the Supreme Personality of Godhead gave knowledge to 4 people. As per the Padma Purana

in Kaliyuga, mantras given to disciples who are NOT disciples of these four main Sampradayas will be FRUITLESS. Hence one has to be part of disciplic succession to be able to give Shastric knowledge. So Sri Hari gives knowledge to 4 disciples as below and then the whole chain of

disciplic succession starts.

1) Sri Devi Sampradaya - Knowledge given to Laxmiji directly by God
Acharya - Ramanujacharya

2) Madhava Sampradaya - Knowledge first given to Brahma directly by God
Acharya - Madhavacharya

3) Rudra - Knowledge given to Shivji directly by God

Acharya - Vishnusvami/Vallabhacharya

4) Kumara Sampradaya - Knowledge given to Sanat Kumar directly by God
Acharya - Nimbarka

Srila Prabhupada who founded Iskcon is born in the Brahma - Madhava - Gaudiya disciplic line.

Srila Prabhupada is a Guru in the following unbroken chain of authentic Gurus. He's 32nd in line.

THE DISCIPLIC SUCCESSION

1. Krishna
2. Brahma
3. Narada
4. Vyasa
5. Madhva
6. Padmanabha
7. Narahari
8. Madhava
9. Akshobhya
10. Jaya Tirtha
11. Jnanasindhu
12. Dayanidhi

13. Vidyanidhi
14. Rajendra
15. Jayadharma
16. Purusottama
17. Brahmanya Tirtha
18. Vyasa Tirtha
19. Lakshmipati
20. Madhavendra Puri
21. Ishvara Puri, (Nityananda, Advaita)
22. Lord Chaitanya
23. Rupa Goswami, (Svarupa, Sanatana Goswami)
24. Raghunatha, Jiva Goswami

25. Krishnadasa
26. Narottama
27. Vishvanatha
28. Srila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja,(Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana)
29. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
30. Srila Gaurakishora Dasa Babaji Maharaja
31. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura
32. AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

If you don't like Iskcon fine. I've been brought up listening to the great 15th century saint Narsi Mehta. And Tulsidasji's Rāmcharitmānasa is my soul.

Whether it is Narsi Mehta, Tulsidas, Mirabai or Srila Prabhupada they're ALL saying the exact same thing. Worship Krsna/Rama.

This is very different from Abrahamic texts. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is not some petty, cruel, jealous rule making God.

If you want to understand the ESSENCE of Gita, Bhagvatam & Vedas in 5 mins then just listen to this song by Narsi Mehta.