Krsna Conscious Management I

When the voice of the Supersoul dwelling in everybody's heart cannot be heard, management in this world is imminent. If we all live in absolute harmony and the Supersoul would be recognized as the ultimate and all-pervading manager, no other management would be needed as everybody would be in tune with the Supreme Will of God. Once we are too dull to hear such divine guidance, management in this confusing world of dualities is needed.

Management in the mode of ignorance can be hardly called management, as the one who tries to manage is for certain of destructive nature in regards to himself and to others as well.

Management in the mode of passion can take initially very impressive dimensions, however, since it is materially motivated and powered by greed and bodily ambition, it surely leads to a collapse, which is generally followed by the mode of ignorance.

Management in the mode of goodness is rare to be seen, and in these rapidly advancing Kali Yuga days practically invisible. Such management is concerned with maintenance of values and systems, which proved to be practical and useful for generations, and ignores any „innovative“ ideas of those who simply want to make money by dint of worthless inventions, or for fame to look „very innovative“.

In ISKCON we saw both, passion and ignorance, and those who for fifty years observed the creative and destructive periods of this movement can testify how impressively destructive can be a management in the mode of passion, and how rare in Srila Prabhupada´s movement is to find management in the mode of goodness.

Srila Prabhupada started His movement in America, the heartland of passionate expansive ways of management. Country, which like none other before had developed into an industrially organized nation powered by mighty corporations and industrial tycoons of the known and unknown kind.

Srila Prabhuda was aware of the „expanding and colonizing American policy“ and made the best out if it: He engaged it in the preaching, expanding the mission of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. But He also issued the first warnings in regards to His explosively growing movement by pointing out to the tendencies of His business-minded disciples to make a „quick fortune"… and lose it again.

He even said that „You Americans, you know how to make money, but you think that any problem can be covered by money. You don't solve problems, you simply paste them over with money."
This is clearly visible today, when the value of money was reduced to mere paper, abandoning the gold backed currency, resulting in a monopolized status of a very few, the owners of the ultimate money printing machine, individuals who are ready to colonize the whole world with their worthless paper currency.

Srila Prabhupada wanted devotees to have nothing to do with this. He quoted often Bhavagavad-gita where for his own maintenance a devotee is satisfied with „what comes on its own accord“, not seeing any use in increasing his personal material necessities.

This is the power of a devotee. He can survive on very simple means while the materialist is more and more dependant not only on worthless, but also harmful articles and substances, endangering herewith his life and lives of others as well.
What does it matter when landscapes are covered with ghastly appearing propellers in the name of „ecological energy“. What does it matter when we drive our cars on more „ecological fuel“. The ever increasing greed and shopping frenzy of the never satisfied consumers is only welcomed by the ruthless sellers of those products, which basically nobody needs. With our planet being covered with intense radiation, we get to hear the broadcast of news nobody needs to know, we get socially extorted by those of demoniac nature who want us to believe that if we don't act the way the neighbor does, we may be dangerous to society as such.

These intelligent demoniac leaders know how to create a global social pressures so people end up buying what they don't need and act suitable to the purpose of such ruthless deviants.

Devotees rigidly stand up against the „mainstream“ and oppose such brainwashing propaganda. They depend entirely on Krsna´s mercy. The Supreme Lord promises that those who meditate about Him and serve Him uninterruptedly, He will take care of them. My personal life is one single document to this wonderful statement of the most merciful Supreme Lord.

Demons, by nature envious, want to remove God as the primal supplier, and instal themselves in His place instead. And so Srila Prabhupada repeatedly cautioned us to be economically enthusiastic in terms of spreading Krsna Consciousness, but be simple when it comes to our own needs.

Unfortunately, in this movement originating from the USA, the mentality of „money is honey“ became more and more prominent. Some became immensely rich, some immensely poor. Such imbalance is only a sign of management in the mode of passion, which cares little about the long term results but is only concerned with the immediate profit.

Seeing grand temples coming about... and then falling apart, I could easily testify with practical evidence how the mode of passion works. After collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars as a book distributor for seventeen years, and as temple president for more than fifteen years, operating with a budget that many temples today can only dream of, I purposefully didn't take part in the consequent stealing and opportunism, which always take place when a great leader for whatever reason departs.
The periods of plain survival which followed were most instructive. Since I was beginning to lose enthusiasm to work simply for the maintenance of my body, Krsna almost forcefully sent amazing helpers to convince me otherwise.

Even today, when "high grade of faith comanding high grade contributions" are practically unknown, still the level of piety experienced specialy from the Indian and Russian congregation commands absolute transparency on the side of those who receive such contributions in Krsna's name. „If even one penny is misused for one's own sense gratification, the spiritual progress of such devotee will be stopped“ is the firm warning Srila Prabhupada issues.

Whenever somebody contributes any funds to this movement, he MUST get the exact report for what purpose these funds were used. The financial non-transparency of many ISKCON leaders who live from public support provokes suspicion and accusations, that they may derive such material benefits on the basis of faith of the innocent pious souls.

The reactions for such thieves are severe. Srila Prabhupada envisioned devotees be so pure, that they will receive contribution due to their purity. Freely, voluntarily and automatically, as confirmed in Srila Prabhupada´s lecture on March 12, 1976 in Mayapur.

And so, only management in the mode of goodness at worse, and a transcendental management at the best, can provide the growth of what Srila Prabhupada gave to us. A Krsna conscious manager doesn't indulge in some megalomaniac scenarios, grand visions without instant value and application. He rather serves modestly in a loyal mood to Srila Prabhupada's instructions and is alert for moments, manifesting when Krsna opens another opportunity to enlarge the scope of preaching.

This may appear to some that such a manager is lenient and doesn't instantly jump into action, „taking risks for Krsna“. But with Srila Prabhupada's warning on his mind „enthusiasm is good, but also some brain is required“, such manager proceeds carefully along the opportunities Krsna provides. There are allurements and traps on the way as well, like in time when some „supporter“ tries to „buy himself into Krsna Consciousness" by supplying money with hidden motivations. All these allurements will be shown to the one who serves seriously with pure motives to glorify Srila Prabhupada and the mission He entrusted to us.

Everything is based on preaching, and management follows preaching like a shadow.
Once the purity of preaching is compromised then the management is also polluted.
No wonder that many, if not most of devotees of today, living in grhasta asramas, are not so willing to contribute to some congregational project as they used to be.
Faith is like a Chinese precious vase. Once broken, one can collect the pieces and glue them together again, but it will never be the same. The only way to restore a faith is the absolute transparency and absolute loyalty to Srila Prabhupada's words on the side of the preacher and leader.