[Advaita-l] In praise of ISKCON?!

[Bhaskar YR]

praNAms Sri Rama prabhuji
Hare Krishna

Good observation.  Whenever I hear about ISKCON and its activities, I feel bit nostalgic :-) those bhAgavata / geeta  classes on Sundays, question and answer sessions, Hare krishna chanting, Pooja to rAdhA krishna, very affectionate dAsa-s and prabhuji-s, sumptuous kichadi, Pongal, pAyasaM what not?? :-) 

Yes, as you have rightly observed, in the general talks on bhakti, vedAnta, krishna dhyAna etc. there will hardly be any mention / bashing of Advaita / shankara, because. they know the common pulse of listeners  and want to be more specific on spirituality than philosophy.  Of course they know the source of revenue for their charitable work and maintenance of huge organization is common public not only bigoted ISKCON followers :-)  But for the inmates and close circle disciples,  the style of teaching of achintya philosophy will be entirely different and will be taught in suca a way that  holding the Advaita /mAyAvAda / shankara as mahA pUrva paxa :-) And to condemn the mAyAvAda they read / understand the mAyAvAda / Advaita philosophy through the works of their founder guru  Srila prabhupAda.  Unfortunately most of the upanyAsaka-s (at least prabhuji-s / dAsa-s who I came across during my  days with ISKCON) do not even know that there is a place for bhakti, archana, saguNa brahmOpAsana in the traditional practice of Advaita vedAnta.  Having said this, I must say,  the ISKCON inmates are undoubtedly tireless enthusiasts in executing the duties assigned to them.  They really did some commendable work in spreading the krishna consciousness across the globe.  

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!
bhaskar