Over the past 10 days I've had some long conversations with my coworker Damodara (a Vrndavana gurukuli) and Vrndavana dasa about the present and future of Iskcon, how things are changing, how there are a lot of nice devotees, how inevitable it is to organize such a huge and world-wide society.
Yesterday I had a striking thought. Nothing astounding or new, but still something worth sharing.
GM told us in another thread that he is 30 years ahead of us, and it just occurred to me that he may have not been referring just to his disciples.
I can easily see a scenario in the future of GVism, where there are a lot of Audaryas, small groups, but intense, everybody is dedicated and focused on their inner life, boiling the milk, having intimate exchanges with the acarya who lives with them. That's the way it works in the hermitages of all the big munis and rsis.
Now more than ever this is possible, thanks to the internet. We can have a bunch of individual groups that are thriving and progressing, and the connective tissue in this multi-limbed body will be the internet. Brhad-mrdanga doesn't necessarily mean preaching to the outsiders and converting. Nobody is converting anybody anyway, Krsna is the only preacher.
In a small Audarya-like group, there cannot be insincerity; who is there to cheat and impress? By Audarya I mean us, not just the Audaryavasis, who would otherwise starve. Then again, they are also giving a good example of self-sustenance and dependence on God.
What's the need of going global, and showing that one group is the only way?
These last discussions about sakhya rati and madhurya rati got me thinking about variegatedness and the beauty in diversity. We don't need a universal stamp of approval, a fit-for-all acarya, or a winner.
SP sowed the seeds of love around the world 12 times, now it's time to fructify.
I read once that if all the kernels of an ear of corn were to germinate and create as many corn plants, which in turn would produce 3 or 4 ears each, and their kernels were also to germinate, the whole planet would be covered in corn in a couple of years.
Our duty is to catch root, then sprout, then be stalks that are knee-high by the 4th of July, but sooner or later we will bear fruit, everything comes naturally, and if our kernels are good, we'll cover the planet, but we should focus on growing. We should have the fruit in mind.
I know what many may say in rebuttal, but I am not addressing it just yet.
I have also been observing how the internet is a key phenomenon in many realities, and how it is shaping them.
Think of youtube or wikipedia, everybody is doing their own thing, if someone says something that's not right, a borage of comments will follow. People make their own, independent TV. Similarly, all kinds of independent gaudiya group may pursue their thing, and there won't be any risk of them going off the deep end philosophically as there will always be constant feedback from other groups. At the same time, everyone has their freedom. No more governing bodies, and corporate decisions. If someone is qualified to be an acarya, he'll do his thing with his or her flock. As long as people develop and cultivate prema.
I am thinking of new twigs of the Caitanya tree to be one on one branch, one on another, but all connected. After all, that's the way it is already. We just need the proper perspective. We will be united and separate at the same time. Srila Bhaktivinoda speaks about that regarding other traditions ("I go to a church and think 'Oh, that's how they worship my Lord here), but it can be applied to the various gaudiya groups as well.
BVT was doing the right thing for his times, so was BSS, and SP, now that the movement has expanded comfortably all over the planet, it seems to me that we are ready for the next gear.
It is like that among the Christians and the Jews already. You have monks, missionaries, preachers, and lay community.
Anyway, I just wanted to start this topic. I guess I'll organize my thoughts if and as the thread evolves.
"all kinds of independent gaudiya group may pursue their thing, and there won't be any risk of them going off the deep end philosophically as there will always be constant feedback from other groups."
Can you explain this?
"all kinds of independent gaudiya group may pursue their thing, and there won't be any risk of them going off the deep end philosophically as there will always be constant feedback from other groups."
Can you explain this?
Sounds like he's saying that the internet will give groups a means of reviewing each other's understanding of siddhanta and editing each other if they show evidence of misunderstanding.
My question for Syama is: the internet already exists, and independent Gaudiya groups already exist, so why is this not going on now and what makes you think that somehow in the future this will happen?
Thanks for replying, CH. I am actually at work.
That's very true; the more I think about it, the more I realize how it's true that I'm not saying anything new. My focus was more on the attitude and the perspective we should have.
My question for Syama is: the internet already exists, and independent Gaudiya groups already exist, so why is this not going on now and what makes you think that somehow in the future this will happen?
Since Syamasundara didn't directly answer this, please let the other Syama give his opionion:
I think this is because there is an off switch on the internet and groups can go back to whatever they want do and not having to deal with another group that is miles apart.
All right, but still, every group has their representation online, so people can read what everyone has to say.
All right, but still, every group has their representation online, so people can read what everyone has to say.
That doesn't mean they will change their opinions or misconceptions. We can go onto Dandavats and say that the fall of the jiva or what not are apasiddhantic ideas, but that won't change Iskcon's position on it.