"NONE OF THE ABOVE FIVE ELEMENTS CAN BE ACHIEVED WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF THE DIRECTION OF MANAGEMENT!"

 

I would say it is better to say they can be achieve without the DOM on a small scale, this we have had practical realization of here in Oldham as have many others world wide.

 

Also we can note from the following:

As we have increased our volume of activities, now I think a Governing Body Commission (hereinafter referred to as the GBC) should be established. I am getting old, 75 years old, therefore at any time I may be out of the scene, therefore I think it is necessary to give instruction to my disciples how they shall manage the whole institution. They are already managing individual centers represented by one president, one secretary and one treasurer, and in my opinion they are doing nice. But we want still more improvement in the standard of Temple management, propaganda for Krishna Consciousness, distribution of books and literatures, opening of new centers and educating devotees to the right standard. Therefore, I have decided to adopt the following principles and I hope my beloveddisciples will kindly accept them. (D.O.M.)

So because the volume of activities of the movement had developed Srila Prabhupada established the GBC to oversees all operations and management of ISKCON. Although he says individual centers are already being managed and they are doing nice.

 

So from the above it is clear anyone can establish a small preaching center at their own home to facilitate all the above five items taking place but they will never have the inspiration to do this unless they first hear from Srila Prabhupada, that is the main point.

(S.B. Lecture 3.254. Bombay, Nov 4th, 1974)

 

After receiving the spiritual master's mercy, one must repeat his instructions, and this is called sravana-kirtana--hearing and chanting. One who has not properly heard from the spiritual master or who does not follow the regulative principles is not fit for chanting (kirtana). This is explained in Bhagavad Gita (2.41): vyavasayatmika buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana. One who has not listened carefully to the instructions of the spiritual master is unfit to chant or preach the cult of devotional service.

(C.C. Mad. 19.152)

 

This is the way of the parampara system. Although Sanat-kumara, the well-known great saintly Kumara, was in the perfect stage of life, still he heard the message of Srimad-Bhagavatam from Lord Sankarsana. Similarly, when he was questioned by Sankhyayana Rsi, he spoke to him the same message he had heard from Lord Sankarsana. In other words, unless one hears from the proper authority one cannot become a preacher. In devotional service, therefore, two items out of the nine, namely hearing and chanting, are most important. Without hearing nicely, one cannot preach the message of Vedic knowledge.

(S.B. 3.8.8)

 

TRANSLATION. In spite of my inability, whatever I have been able to hear [from the spiritual master] and whatever I could assimilate I am now describing in glorification of the Lord by pure speech, for otherwise my power of speaking would remain unchaste.

PURPORT....Maitreya's statement is that in order to avoid unchaste conscious activities, he was trying to describe the unlimited glories of the Lord, although he did not have the ability to describe them perfectly. This glorification of the Lord is not a product of research, but the result of hearing submissively from the authority of the spiritual master. It is also not possible to repeat all that one has heard from his spiritual master, bu one can narrate as far as possible by one's honest endeavour. It does not matter whether the Lord's glories are fully explained or not.

(S.B. 3.6.36)

Prabhupada: Yes. That is real preacher. That is explained in the Vedic literature, sravanam kirtanam. First of all he becomes perfect by hearing. This is called sravanam. And when he is perfectly situated in spiritual life by hearing perfectly from the perfectly authorized person, then his next stage begins, kirtanam. That is preaching. That sravanam kirtanam, everyone is hearing in this material world. Everyone is hearing. Even this material educationist, he also hears from the material person, professor. That hearing is there. Then he acts when he is grown-up, passed his examination, sometimes acts as professor. The same process: if one hears from the perfect spiritualized person, he becomes perfect, then he becomes actual preacher.

(Philosophical discussions- Origen)

 

He does not have to be a very learned scholar, but he must have heard from the proper authority. God gives us the ears to hear, and simply by hearing we may become great preachers. We don't need Ph.D.'s or academic examinations.

(T.L.K)

 

So therefore sravanam, hearing, is so important. So in the devotional service the first step is hearing, hearing submissively from the authoritative source and just to assimilate it and grasp it with our body, mind and intelligence. In this way you shall be able to conquer the unconquerable. And when you are able to do such, then you can make kirtana, kirtana.

(B.G. Leech., 9.15 1st December, 1966)

 

One who has perfectly heard from the perfect source becomes convinced about the all-pervading Personality of Godhead and thus becomes enthusiastic in glorifying the Lord.

(S.B.2.2.36)

 

This yoga practice begins simply by hearing. You have got these ears. You simply just lend your ears and you become yogi. And as soon as you become experienced in hearing, you become a preacher--kirtanam. Immediately. One who has heard nicely, he will try to become a kirtaniya, or preacher. That is natural. That is natural.

(B.G. Lecture, Los Angeles, 21st March, 1970)

 

To hear and explain them is more important than reading them. One can assimilate the knowledge of the revealed scriptures only by hearing and explaining. Hearing is called sravana, and explaining is called kirtana. The two processes of sravana and kirtana are of primary importance to progressive spiritual life. Only one who has properly grasped the transcendental knowledge from the right source by submissive hearing can properly explain the subject.

(S.B. 1.1.6)

 

Kirtanam means chanting. Kirtanam actually means describing. You can describe with music. You can describe with words. You can describe in speeches. Any sort of describing, that is called kirtana. And sravanam. Unless you hear, you cannot describe. What you shall describe? If you do not know anything about the Supreme Lord, then how can you describe? Therefore hearing is the first item, sravanam.

(B.G. Lec. 9.15 1st December, 1966)

 

So this Krishna consciousness movement is to give chance to everyone to hear about Krishna. This is the first process, sravanam. And when one has heard very nicely about Krishna, they can.., then he can speak about Krishna. And he must speak. You cannot remain without speaking. That is the result of sravanam. Sravanam kirtanam. One who has heard nicely, he must speak or preach.

(B.G. Lecture 4.12, 1st April, 1974)

So he marked it that "This boy is interested to hear me." So hearing is very important. Hearing. Just like Arjuna heard from Krishna. Come on. (People entering) (Break) ...because I was serious for hearing, and therefore now I am serious about kirtanam, means speaking, or preaching. Do you follow what I say? Yes. So one who is serious about hearing, he can become a future nice preacher. Sravanam kirtanam. Next stage is developed. That is development. If one has actually heard nicely, then he will speak nicely.

(S.P.C. Columbus 10th May, 1969)

So my meditation for the last seven years has been like this: If devotees hear from Srila Prabhupada they will naturally start to preach that will be the next stage, one who has heard nicely he MUST preach that will be the result. 

Then when many devotees are engaged all over the world in this bona-fide hearing and preaching then they will be a need for some organization to see that this preaching can expand, as Srila Prabhupada says:  

But we want still more improvement in the standard of Temple management, propaganda for Krishna Consciousness, distribution of books and literatures, opening of new centers and educating devotees to the right standard. Therefore, I have decided to adopt the following principles and I hope my beloved disciples will kindly accept them (D.O.M.)

So the real question to be raised is this: ARE WE AT A STAGE WHERE REAL PREACHING IS TAKING PLACE ON A SCALE THAT REQUIRES D.O.M. MANAGEMENT ?

I myself don't think so, that's why i think we should first stress the importance of hearing from Srila Prabhupada and as a natural progression the Direction of Management will follow. In otherwords first something needs to be established to managed is it not ?

Now if one holds the opinion that the apa-sampradaya manifesting as ISKCON can be reformed i would totally disagree on this point. There is not an example in history of such a thing. An apa-sampradaya is by definition a pseudo-spiritual society and a transcendental movement is always transcendental, although it may not always be manifest.

So rather than trying to reform apa-sampradaya communities we should rather avoid them and try to play our small instrumental role in helping to again manifest the real transcendental movement namely Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON.

In the parampara system, the instructions taken from the bona fide spiritual master must also be based on revealed Vedic scriptures. One who is in the line of disciplic succession cannot manufacture his own way of behavior. There are many so-called followers of the Vaisnava cult in the line of Caitanya Mahaprabhu who do not scrupulously follow the conclusions of the sastras, and therefore they are considered to be apa-sampradaya, which means "outside of the sampradaya." Some of these groups are known as aula, baula, kartabhaja, neda, daravesa, sani sahajiya, sakhibheki, smarta, jata-gosani, ativadi, cudadhari and gauranga-nagari. In order to follow strictly the disciplic succession of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, one should not associate with these apasampradaya communities.

( C.C. Adi 7.48)

Srila Prabhupada's mood was always to stress the printing and distribution of his original books

 

(S.P.Letter to: Hamsaduta:New Delhi 8 November, 1973)

 

I hope you will over look that mood if  it has been exhibited by such a proud soul as myself.

Your servant Mukunda dasa.