Yoga Market

Submitted by radha.name on Thu, 03/08/2023 - 09:19

Controversy

By Danavir Goswami - 3.8 2023

We don’t know each other much however I am aware of your yoga programs from the internet, etc. I have some concerns which I will present before you for consideration. Afterward, I’ll offer some suggestions. All these thoughts are my own and do not represent any official policy of ISKCON.

I am of the opinion that the recent upsurge in gymnastic and meditational yoga-related courses being offered within ISKCON, for the most part, compromise the mission of the organization. Here are some reasons:

Gymnastic and meditational types of yoga cannot be properly practiced in the age of Kali, thus, such courses are unauthorized.
Such courses misrepresent their teachings as yoga when in fact they are not so.*
Such courses ignore Arjuna’s rejection of gymnastic and meditational yoga in Bhagavad-gita.
Such courses do not even teach the standard process of the eight-fold path of yoga (astanga) described in the Bhagavad-gita.
Such courses take undo advantage of the public’s misconceptions about yoga.*
Such courses deceptively present their teachings as authentic aids to spiritual attainment.
Such courses and their teachers’ credentials stem from impersonalist lineage.
Such courses facilitate inappropriate intermingling of males and females.
Such courses emphasize the gross bodily conception by promising sense gratification and mundane success to practitioners.*
Such courses beguile people away from the path of pure bhakti, even if unintentionally.
Such courses misuse the popularity and resources of ISKCON.
Such courses cannot be counted in the seven purposes of ISKCON.*
Such courses tarnish ISKCON’s and its founder’s good name through cheap caricatures of spiritual life.*
Srila Prabhupada purposefully never instituted such courses in ISKCON.*
Srila Prabhupada forbade such courses in ISKCON*

*1 Note: ISKCON members and temples must be careful not to join the drowning stone boat parties by condoning unauthorized methods of so-called yoga.

Even if one does not accept Lord Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, His instructions are so exalted and beneficial for humanity that if one follows His instructions one will be saved. Otherwise one will be cheated by unauthorized meditation and gymnastic methods of yoga. Thus one will board a boat of stone which will sink and drown all its passengers. Unfortunately. although the American people are extremely eager to get out of materialistic chaos, they are sometimes found to patronize the makers of stone boats. That will not help them. (Srimad Bhagavatam 6.7.14 Purport)

*2 Note: These gymnastics are not yoga and should not be called as such. They are merely gymnastics and nothing more. By failing to point this out, devotees also fall prey to the enticement of dhanam, janam and sundarim (the desire for wealth, followers and women).

*3 Note: Real eight-fold yoga cannot be taught in cities, yoga studios and to those engaged in a life of sense gratification.

One cannot practice yoga in a congested city, living a life of extravagancy, including unrestricted sex indulgence and adultery of the tongue. Yoga practice necessitates controlling the senses, and the beginning of sense control is to control the tongue. One who can control the tongue can also have control over the other senses. One cannot allow the tongue to take all kinds of forbidden food and drink and at the same time advance in the practice of yoga. It is a very regrettable fact that many unauthorized so-called yogis come to the Western countries and exploit people's inclination towards yoga practice. Such unauthorized yogis even dare to say publicly that one can indulge in the habit of drinking and at the same time practice meditation. (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.15.45 Purport)

*5 Note: Today one can find some awfully bizarre activities going on in the name of yoga classes. A concerned observer pointed out that if such so-called yoga courses continue to proliferate, the society as it was established by Srila Prabhupada will be unrecognizable in a few years from now. The question may be asked, “Is this not exactly the cheating which Srila Prabhupada always wanted us to expose?”

“When we have a superexcellent process already present in Vedic scriptures, there is no need to concoct a new system, to mislead the innocent public. At present it has become a fashion to reject the standard system and present something bogus in the name of a newly invented process of yoga.” (Teachings of Lord Kapiladeva, Purport to verse 14)

*6 Note: My experience with Srila Prabhupada was that he wanted only the teachings of our Vaisnava books taught to newcomers. He wrote to me, “It is good to hold more classes with the bhaktas, but they should all be on the basis of our books. You should not go beyond the jurisdiction of our teaching.” (Letter from Srila Prabhupada January 26, 1977) Someone may object saying that these new yoga students are not bhaktas but only guests so it doesn’t matter that we teach them something outside the Vaisnava books. However, if material attachments remain uncorrected then they abide permanently and affect others.

The problem here is that Srila Prabhupada clearly did not approve of these asanas et al being used and taught by devotees of the Krishna consciousness movement.

So if we infect the Mayavadi quality, karmi quality, jïani quality, yogi quality... I see some of the students, still they practice some yoga asana. That quality is not yet... He's not yet free. But this is nonsense. This is nonsense. We should, by promise, we should not associate with any of their qualities.

asat-saìga-tyaga-ei vaisnava-acara

stri-saìgi-eka asadhu krsnabhakta ara

Asat means bad element, bad association. So asat-saìga. We have to give up asat… Attached to women. He's asat. And krsna-abhakta—and who is not a devotee of Krsna. So these Mayavadis, karmi, jïani, yogi, they are not krsna-bhaktas. They'll say, "Krsna is not God. I am God. I am also God. Krsna is not God. I am God. But Krsna is not God." This is their version. Therefore they're rascals. "I am God." They'll declare, "I am God. You are God." But Krsna is not God. Except Krsna, everyone is God." This is their version. So how much rascal they are we must know. So therefore we should give up their company. (Lecture by Srila Prabhupada, June 26, 1073 on Srimad Bhagavatam 1.10.13 in Mayapur)

*7 Note: Yoga teachers learn from impersonal yoga books and teachers and then pass on such contaminated association to others.

*9 Note: The Krishna consciousness movement should be training those who are very serious about learning the science of love of Godhead. Householders who are in need of money or who are unable to present Krsna consciousness directly may conduct yoga business and try to shepherd their flock toward ISKCON and devotional practices. That is acceptable to my mind.

So yoga, yoga, this bodily practice, that if I am not body, then what shall I get by bodily exercise? Bodily exercises can help me little, but that is not spiritual platform. The (indistinct), kunòalini, these are to the bodily concept of life. Actually, to tell the truth, those who are too much bodily absorbed, that "I am this body," for them this yoga practice is recommended. Not for the intelligent man. Because one who identifies himself with this body, he is not very intelligent. But because such persons are not very intelligent, for them this bodily exercise of yoga, astaìga-yoga, is recommended. Not for the intelligent person. Intelligent person, they take immediately to the devotional service, immediate.(March 7, 1972 Lecture by Srila Prabhupada)

*10 Note: Hatha yoga and derivatives are unhealthy for one on the path of bhakti yoga.

In addition, the creeper has to be protected from the desires of sense enjoyment, monistic liberation and perfection of the hatha-yoga system. They are all detrimental on the path of devotional service. (Srimad Bhagavatam Introduction)

*12 Note: All activities conducted within the campus of ISKCON should conform to the principles laid out by the founder-acarya in the seven purposes of ISKCON:

1. To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large and to educate all peoples in the techniques of spiritual life in order to check the imbalance of values in life and to achieve real unity and peace.

2. To propagate a consciousness of Krishna as revealed in the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam.

3. To bring the members of the Society together with each other and nearer to Krishna, the prime entity, and thus to develop the idea, within the members and humanity at large, that each soul is part and parcel of the quality of Godhead (Krishna).

4. To teach and encourage the sankirtan movement, congregational chanting of the holy name of God as revealed in the teachings of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

5. To erect for the members and for society at large a holy place of transcendental pastimes dedicated to the Personality of Krishna.

6. To bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a simpler and more natural way of life.

7. With a view towards achieving the aforementioned purposes, to publish and distribute periodicals, magazines, books, and other writings.

*13 Note: The modern market wants mundane sense gratification and yoga at the same time which is like trying to ignite wood while pouring water upon it. Only the system of bhakti-yoga allows one to make progress even without giving up unwanted habits (yena tena prakarena manah krsne nivesayet). That is why it is unique.

*14 Note: On one occasion His Divine Grace considered a suggestion to offer yoga courses for tourists in Vrndavana and Bombay during the busy months of December through February. The aim was to attract paying customers to stay in the newly constructed guesthouses. Srila Prabhupada’s formula for such classes began with dearskin and kusa grass sitting mats. This shocked the disciples present who had thought that such details mentioned in Bhagavad-gita were expendable. His Divine Grace next explained that the students would be taught how to sit down in yoga asana with back straight and eyes fixed on the tip of the nose. Then there should be a japa chanting session by the students. Then the teacher would explain in two hours seven verses of Bhagavad-gita to the students stressing that only bhakti-yoga is feasible for this age and that other processes are cheating. The conclusion of the class was to be harinama kirtana. The dancing and chanting of the kirtana was to furnish the breathing and exercise portion of the classes. Srila Prabhupada stipulated that during the entire extent of the proposed yoga classes (in this case seven days) the students were not to indulge in any sexual activities. In this way, only then would they “get some benefit.”

Initially women were not to be admitted into the classes. His Divine Grace explained that only in the bhakti-yoga system could women take part. Finally, however it was agreed that women could also participate—provided they dressed conservatively. Srila Prabhupada brilliantly demonstrated in this incident that he had no interest in compromising to please (or cheat) the materialistic tourists.

The proposed yoga courses never took place.

*15 Note: In the spring of 1973, I was staying in ISKCON Los Angeles (New Dvaraka). Srila Prabhupada’s servant, Nanda Kumara dasa, invited me to go up with him for a visit to Srila Prabhupada's quarters. I was delighted for the rare opportunity. Once inside His Divine Grace’s room, both Nanda Kumara and I paid obeisances and took seats on the floor. Our entrance went practically unnoticed since the atmosphere was super intense. Karandhara and another senior devotee (most likely Jayatirtha) were reporting the latest activities from Hawaii to His Divine Grace. They described how Siddhaswarupa dasa (formerly Sai) was carrying on a program called “psychic sleep” as a means to interest people in Krishna consciousness. Guests of the temple were guided to lie down on their backs with their heads mostly toward the speaker or coach and the lights were turned down low. The leader/teacher tried to put them into a trancelike state by suggesting that they mentally massage different parts of their bodies beginning from the feet up. Attempting to sooth their consciousness he would say, “You are relaxing more and more.” At a certain point soft bhajan or just tape-recorded mystical music was added to provide background sound. The goal was to induce the guests to reach a stage of “psychic sleep,” which was expected to make them more susceptible to the gentle message about Krishna which the devotee guide would then impart. Gradually the group was led into understanding that they are not the bodies but eternal spirit souls etc.

When Srila Prabhupada heard about psychic sleep in Hawaii he became very upset. "But they were not doing that when I was there," he said. The devotees in the room could only reply that despite not employing psychic sleep in his presence, the temple was definitely engaged in it now. His Divine Grace declared, "This is an adulteration, a contamination, it will ruin everything. Just as milk is homogenized then pasteurized and then so many things are skimmed out, the pure milk is adulterated. There is nothing left of any value in the milk, it simply looks white like milk. Similarly, your Krsna consciousness will start off pure but the first adulteration will be you think this psychic sleep is necessary to bring Krsna consciousness. Then more adulterations, until finally you'll think that without LSD you will not be able to chant Hare Krishna nicely.” His Divine Grace adamantly ordered that psychic sleep be stopped at once.

I suspect that today’s introduction of different types of so-called yoga techniques within ISKCON temples would also fall into the same category as psychic sleep. In Srila Prabhupada’s milk analogy above, the pure substance of bhakti (devotional service to Lord Krsna) was adulterated by an invented form of yoga and meditation. The very act of introducing something unauthorized as a means of attracting people to Krishna seemed repugnant to His Divine Grace. Surely Prabhupada knew that the motivation behind psychic sleep was to bring more persons into Krishna consciousness. Likewise he understood that the devotees in Hawaii had proven themselves to be competent in doing that. In fact, a few years before, when Siddhaswarupa joined ISKCON with fifty of his followers, it had marked the largest influx in the movement’s history. Yet Siddhaswarupa’s attractiveness had been his willingness to embrace the principles of pure devotional service given by Srila Prabhupada and the Vaisnava acaryas. By adopting those practices and simultaneously renouncing his former self-styled yoga teaching, he and his students tasted transcendental bliss and knowledge unknown to them before.

Seated on a cushion behind his low desk above a white vinyl tile floor on the second story southeastern corner of his world headquarters, Srila Prabhupada, speaking to his small ensemble of disciples, pronounced psychic sleep to be a serious deviation from pure Krishna consciousness. On that sunny day in May, His Divine Grace discovered once again that Americans are prone to make unnecessary changes and that his own disciples maintained strong attachment for other types of mystical or yoga approaches. And as the founder-acarya of his fledgling organization, it was his duty to point out the defective judgement of his well-meaning students.

SUGGESTIONS

We find a growing conception among uneducated devotees that ISKCON’s success depends on not rejecting any type of so-called spiritual ideas. This monstrous misunderstanding must be rectified. Srila Prabhupada wanted multitudes to enter the open doors of Lord Caitanya’s loving sankirtana movement, yet all unauthorized misconceptions and bogus practices carried by the members were to remain outside.

Once while visiting Houston, I was invited to chant and speak to a yoga group at a yoga studio near the center of the city. The yoga teacher who invited me was an ISKCON grhastha in good standing, chanting his rounds, giving donations and following the regulative principles. We had a wonderful program and everyone enjoyed the session. Sometimes the devotee-yoga teacher brought some of his students to the temple for programs and he encouraged them to visit on their own. However, the distinction between the hatha yoga he was teaching and the bhakti yoga that ISKCON was teaching was clear and unmistakable. That is how it should be—clear, honest and straightforward. We should not allow ISKCON to become a hodgepodge like so many other groups. In my opinion no such courses be taught, advertised, promoted, nor practiced on ISKCON properties.

Regarding your good self—I can see that you have a unique ability to present transcendental philosophy and practices in an attractive way. If you were to use this gift from God to purely present Krishna consciousness, it could cause a revolution in consciousness. Of course, in order to do so, you yourself would have to understand exactly what Srila Prabhupada actually wanted to accomplish and live the life yourself. With expert guidance, you could bring and train thousands of souls to real Krishna consciousness.

For example, if you were to design, teach and promote a Bhakti Yoga system presenting the principles of Krishna consciousness, it would be wonderful. In conclusion, I do not want to discourage you and your great talents; rather I wish to encourage you to use them in the best possible manner. I would be happy to work with you on such a project.

If however, you find this proposal unpalatable, then I humbly suggest that all hatha yoga type courses, promotion, discussion, etc. be conducted outside the ISKCON arena. Then you can encourage and bring sincere interested seekers from among the hatha yoga students to ISKCON for the association and the next stage. By merging hatha yoga and Krishna consciousness or by skipping over the differences, we belittle ISKCON’s position and that of bhakti yoga, in my opinion.

There is some precedent for conducting a friendly introductory preaching project separated from ISKCON in the form of Peter Burwash’s business. He had an international professional tennis training business and he introduced some aspects of Krsna consciousness to his students. He would encourage them to chant, take prasadam, come to ISKCON centers, etc. Several of them became serious about Krsna consciousness and became full-time initiated devotees. Yet Peter’s efforts did not detract from ISKCON’s work because it was always clearly a separate enterprise. In your case it is quite different because courses are promoted at ISKCON locales, taught at ISKCON venues, and devotees are being canvassed to promote the courses, take the courses, become teachers, etc.

There is another concern I have and that is the reported connection between yourself and the satvatove organization. The inventor of this organization widely propounds ritvikism and its courses are another version of hodgepodge mixed with some elements of Krsnaism.

Danavir Goswami

DEFINING YOGA

The Sanskrit word yoga means to link up our consciousness with the supreme spirit or God. There are many systems of yoga which can be broadly grouped into four as follows: A] karma yoga (linking through performing pious actions), B] jnana yoga (linking through scriptural study or mental speculation on the Absolute Truth), C] astanga yoga (linking through practice of the eight-fold mystic, meditational path), and D] bhakti-yoga (linking through devotional service). The system of astanga yoga itself is comprised of eight items of practice: 1) yama—controlling the senses; niyama—following the rules and regulations; asana—practicing the sitting postures; pranayama—breathing exercises; pratyahara—restraining the senses from sense enjoyment; dhyana—thinking of the form of Krsna or Visnu; dharana—meditation; and samadhi—entering a trance of absorbtion in God consciousness.

Bluntly speaking, the astanga-yoga system especially attracts the “less intelligent” persons bound up in the bodily concept of life. Such persons thinking themselves to be the physical body thus like the body-oriented process of astanga yoga. system accommodates them in a as distinguished from

Be honest enough to see if you are slipping back into sense gratification and holding on to material attachements. Or if you are coming in on yoga, please understand it is just a trick to bring you to the real yoga for this age of Krsna bhakti yoga. No other yoga is bonafide or will work.

Is it Really Yoga?

Yoga for health

Yoga for Boys and Girls Together

Yoga for money

Yoga for preaching

On two occasions, of which this writer is aware, Srila Prabhupada seemed inclined to the use of exercise yoga within his ISKCON organization.

praised one of his sannyasi disciples for attempting to introduce Krishna consciousness to a royal family in a Middle Eastern country on the plea of teaching using hatha yoga.

If it was actually hatha yoga!

So-called yogis who perform various bodily feats are also in the same category as such ignorant people because the hatha-yoga system is especially recommended for persons who are grossly implicated in the bodily conception.

Practicing the yoga system of exercise and breath control is very difficult for a person in this age, and therefore Lord Caitanya recommended, kirtaniyaù sada hariù:

The hatha-yoga system, or breathing system, is especially recommended for those who are very absorbed in the concept of bodily existence, but one who can perform the simple process of chanting Hare Krsna can fix the mind more easily.

The yogic practices in general and hatha-yoga in particular are not ends in themselves; they are means to the end of attaining steadiness. First one must be able to sit properly, and then the mind and attention will become steady enough for practicing yoga.

and there are others who cultivate the hatha-yoga system and who try to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead by childish activities.

Therefore those who are very much addicted to the bodily necessities of life, for them this hatha-yoga system... Hatha-yoga system means yama, niyama, astaìga-yoga. It is called astaìga-yoga. Yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, dhyana, dharana, pratyahara, samadhi. These things are in the astaìga-yoga. The first thing is yama-niyama. One must have regulated life. That is called yama-niyama. Then practice asana. There is mechanical process of sitting which will help you; concentration of the mind, asana. Then pranayama, concentration of the mind. Then meditation. So meditation is not so easy thing. Unless you practice the preliminary necessities of meditation, you cannot concentrate. Even if you sit down closing your eyes, either you will sleep or you will think of other things which are more important, you think, more important in your life. So the yoga system is practically not very helpful. Helpful means we cannot execute this system very nicely. Therefore those who are very much addicted to the bodily necessities of life, for them this hatha-yoga system... Hatha-yoga system means yama, niyama, astaìga-yoga. It is called astaìga-yoga. Yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, dhyana, dharana, pratyahara, samadhi. These things are in the astaìga-yoga. The first thing is yama-niyama. One must have regulated life. That is called yama-niyama. Then practice asana. There is mechanical process of sitting which will help you; concentration of the mind, asana. Then pranayama, concentration of the mind. Then meditation.

Therefore, Prahlada Maharaja says, yoga is also not helpful for approaching the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Cultivation of speculative knowledge or practice of yogic gymnastics will not be helpful.

For an ordinary man in the bodily concept of life, the practice of yoga may be helpful, but one who immediately takes to devotional service can immediately become a perfect yogi without difficulty.

If you practice yoga, meditate, it may be beneficial for you, but this is beneficial for many others. Suppose something very good, you are enjoying yourself, some sweetballs—that is one stage. But if you distribute sweetballs, that is another stage. So by chanting on the road, on the street, you are distributing sweetballs. (laughter) You are not miser, that you are eating yourself. You are so liberal that you are distributing to others.

Chanting is so nice. And this is the practical yoga in this age. You cannot meditate. Your mind is so disturbed, you cannot concentrate your mind.

Krsna explains to Uddhava that the mechanical process of speculative knowledge and yoga is not necessary for advancing in devotional service. Devotional service is completely spiritual; it has nothing to do with material things.

The path of speculative knowledge and mystic yoga may be a little beneficial in the beginning, but it cannot be considered part of devotional service.

The so-called yoga practice by the professional protagonists may be physiologically beneficial, but such small successes cannot help one in the attainment of spiritual emancipation as mentioned herein.

Impersonalists do not take to devotional service, but take to other practices, such as the analytical study of the material elements, the discrimination between matter and spirit, and the mystic yoga system. These are beneficial only insofar as they are complementary to devotional service.

Even if one does not accept Lord Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, His instructions are so exalted and beneficial for humanity that if one follows His instructions one will be saved. Otherwise one will be cheated by unauthorized meditation and gymnastic methods of yoga. Thus one will board a boat of stone. which will sink and drown all its passengers. Unfortunately. although the American people are extremely eager to get out of materialistic chaos, they are sometimes found to patronize the makers of stone boats. That will not help them. They must take the proper boat offered by Krsna in the form of the Krsna consciousness movement. Then they will be easily saved. asma-plavaù—boats made of stone

Allow me to relate to you two little stories. The first took place in the summer of 1972 at the Portland, Oregon ISKCON temple. A thirtyish, unmarried, Indian gentleman finishing up his engineering Ph.D., came with the devotees from Seattle and asked for a meeting with Srila Prabhupada. Because I was the temple president, I organized the meeting up in Srila Prabhupada’s room. Seated on the floor facing His Divine Grace, the man explained that he had seen some of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples dozing off during their chanting of japa in the morning. “I can teach them some pranayama yoga practice which will help them stay awake,” he offered. Srila Prabhupada politely declined the offer maintaining that it was unnecessary. The man insisted, "Oh no, they really need to learn the breathing exercises and the sitting postures. This will help them to stay awake when they're chanting.” Once again Srila Prabhupada rejected the proposal. Then for the third time, the man volleyed his idea, more emphatic now. This time Srila Prabhupada strongly concluded the discussion by saying, "No, even though they are deficient, they [his disciples who are practicing bhakti-yoga] are still better than anyone else! There is no need for any additional yoga practice.”

Boys and girls Together

wearing leotards and practicing this together?
Holding hands together
How about soul-mate yoga?
How about prana-exchange yoga?
Is this favorable for devotees?

Difficult to Give Up

If someone begins his ISKCON experience with this yoga, will he ever be able to renounce it? Bhagavad gita explains that one who begins with the impersonal conception has much difficulty giving it up later. (klesa dhikataras tesam)

Can we still preach that yoga is not possible to practice in Kali yuga? What do we do about all those references to the futility and absurdity of yoga in cities, etc.?
Sugested Restrictions

Not on temple property,
not advertised in temples or on ISKCON websites,

Srila Prabhupada’s statements on it include Portland man yoga,
deviation of purpose, causes devotees to become compromisers,
cheaters:
it is simply not yoga why practice yoga when SP said it could not be practiced in this age?
They say For health
If asked why call it yoga then which means to link with the supreme.
Then they say it also helps the mind become peaceful
Why practice in cities and Then they say it is good to make money Then cheating, because where do we find real yogis making money. Business man not yogi. If you are so magnanimous that you want to help people get good health, mental equilibrium, etc.---why do you charge? Give it for free like a real yogi.
Linked to mundane sex attraction!
Lowers the standard of our movement
Concocting new so-called yoga systems atmananda yoga, certification scams
Soul-mate yoga
Then they make claims of kundalini, chakras, etc.
Then they say it is to bring people to KC gradually, through prasadam, chanting introduced
if one joins from such class he/she will think it is necessarily part of devotional service and they will present that to newcomers and to other devotees. This is untrue.
yoga exercises are completely unnecessary
This yoga teaching is not devotional service
Why use temple facilities for this nonsence.
Epidemic!!
Why not introduce badminton, tennis, aerobics, for health at our centers?
nonsense sweat lodges, sports, psychological seminars with rock music therapy male-female embracing therapy, prana exchange therapy
watering down entire disciplic succession. N
Yoga in GBC this sets the standard for the whole movement.
Reiki, tai chi and scientology are also pseudo methods for health and equilibrium of mind,
we have no right to introduce outside methods of teaching within iskcon.
if a householder wishes to practice, conduct outside that is fine. Then those persons can be directed or brought to temples, etc.
preachers will need to compromise teachings to accommodate yoga in iskcon.
if a guest or new person comes to a temple and sees advertisements for yoga classes he thinks that this is part of iskcon’s regimen. This is so misleading.

One photo of yoga class in a temple room. All filled with devotees wearing riskee clothing. Now one might ask, where are the non-devotees that we are supposed to be attracting. Then one could answer, well the devotees had to get the program started so that they could begin to attract guests so.

Prabhupada: It is authorized, and it is taught by Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Others are unauthorized.

Therefore as soon as some swamis or yogi goes there, they come. But they cheat. These rascals, I shall say that, they do not know anything, and they go there for teaching yoga. Bogus.

Guest: Bogus, bogus. So many bogus people are going.

Prabhupada: They do not know what is yoga.

Guest: They do not know what is what. What that is truth. They don't know.

Prabhupada: And they get cheap money and women and that's all. That is their business. (Bengali)

The yoga practice is meant for controlling the sense. Yoga-indriya-sahyami. That is the real yoga practice, not that I indulge in sense gratification as I like, and I become a yogi. This is all bogus. This is not yoga. Yoga means how to control the senses. Then I can concentrate my mind towards God realization and self-realization. If my senses are always disturbing, it is not possible to apply my mind for self-realization. That is not possible. Therefore the yoga practice, preliminary practice, is yama-niyama, controlling, niyama, under regulative principles. They are all described in the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita and other Vedic literature also.

But you people want to be cheated by this yoga, meditation. Therefore he has been able to get some facility.

So actual yogi means he'll be attracted by bhakti-yoga. And these gymnasticians, what they'll understand about yoga? That is a process to control the mind. Those who are too much bodily concept of life, for them that exercise is required. But that is also not properly done. They must find out a very sacred place and practice yoga alone, not with group. Group is possible in bhakti-yoga, not this hatha-yoga. That is not possible. The first attempt is condemned. Therefore all the yogis in India, actually those who are practicing yoga, they'll live outside human society. They never live in the city and get students to get them practice. And take thirty-five dollar fee. These are all bogus.

Let anyone come, any so-called society, yoga society, this society, this, that.

"Of all the yogis, one who has learned to see Me within himself, he is first class." Others are bogus.

What is this meditation? What is the profit? Simply some bogus propaganda. It has no value. Real progress of life is to know what is God and what is my relationship with Him and how to act in that relationship. That is real life. But they do not know it. Na te viduù svartha-gatih hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. They do not know it. They think, "By this yoga practice, I shall be perfect, my material condition will be improved," and so on, so on. They have got their own theories and... But that is not progress of life. There are many rich men, many karmis. Without practicing yoga, they are having material comforts. So spiritual life does not mean that one is improved in material, conditioned life. Spiritual life means spiritual advancement.

Even one is interested about spiritual consciousness, they accept some bogus theory. So many yogis, swamis, all bluffer, they will take care.

So this astaìga-yoga is not possible in this age—samo damaù, controlling the mind, controlling the senses. Because nobody can properly practice the astaìga-yoga system. Impossible. It is not only impossible now—even five thousand years ago, when Krsna was advising about this astaìga-yoga to Arjuna. Arjuna was not ordinary man.

If there is no control of mind and no control of senses, the so-called yoga practice is bogus. It has no meaning. Yoga indriya sahyama. Yoga means to control the senses. That is the real meaning of yoga. So if one is unable to control the senses... I have seen in some yoga practice institution in New York. They are practicing some, this asana, and just after finishing, immediately smoking. You see. This much control they learned. So these, these are all bogus. This is not yoga system. Yoga system is not so easy, especially in this age. Yoga system means to control the senses, control the mind; and control the mind means you have to control so many things—your eating, your sleeping, your behaving. These are prescribed in the Bhagavad-gita, how to practice the astaìga-yoga. You have to find out a suitable place, a sacred place, a solitary place.

So by perfect yogic practice, with this air the yogi can transfer himself to any planet. That is yoga, not that showing some gymnastic without any rules and regulation, without following any principles. These are all bogus.

That is not yoga practice, smoking gaïja, bidi, intoxication, tea, and he has become a yogi. These are useless, all bogus. Yoga means he has controlled his senses. Yoga indriya-samyamaù. The yoga practice means controlling the senses and engaging the mind on the lotus feet of Krsna. That is yoga system.

The yoga systems which have been introduced into the West by so-called yogis are not bona fide. Yoga is difficult: the first thing is to control the senses. That is the position of the yogi: he is not allowed to indulge in sex life. If you indulge in intoxication, if you indulge in meat-eating, and if you indulge in gambling and sporting—all nonsense—you cannot at the same time become a yogi. I was astonished when a yogi came here, having advertised in India that you can be a yogi even though you may be addicted to drinking. This is not the yoga system. This is not standard. You can call it yoga, but it is not the standard yoga system.

Material enjoyment, as encouraged by bogus yogis, has nothing to do with the transcendental realization of spiritual happiness.

We do not know how people can be captivated by the bogus yoga system in which it is stated that simply by meditating fifteen minutes daily one can attain the perfection of becoming one with God. This age (Kali-yuga) is the age of bluffing and quarrel. Actually there is no possibility of attaining yoga perfection by such paltry proposals.

Concerning the eightfold yoga system, attempts in the beginning to enter into meditation through regulative principles of life and practice of different sitting postures (which are more or less bodily exercises) are considered fruitive material activities. REF. Bg 6.3

Srila Prabhupada: So people should think of Him. Mad-yaji mah namaskuru: "You become My devotee, and worship Me, and offer respect to Me." That's all. So we are teaching our students, "Here is God: Krsna. You chant Hare Krsna; always think of Him. Just offer your respect and worship Him. In this way become a devotee . We do not teach any thing else. That's all. And they are doing that, and they are getting the result. We do not say, "Sit down, press your nose, and meditate on this, or . . ." No. It's a simple thing. We say, "Chant Hare Krsna. Here is God, so please think of Him." As soon as you chant "Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna..." everyone has got the beat. (1975 w/ Yogi Bhajana Hawaii)

Devotee: Can hatha-yoga hinder or help Krsna consciousness, or is it...?

Prabhupada: Hinder. Yes. Because it is useless, simply wasting time. You cannot perform hatha-yoga in this age. You do not follow the rules and regulations. You are simply bluffed. Do you know what is the rules and regulations of hatha-yoga factually?

Devotee: Not actually.

Prabhupada: Yes. You have to select a secluded place. Hatha-yoga is not practiced in assembly of so many men. Just you go to a hatha-yoga class. There are hundreds of members practicing, and he is collecting money, five dollars per seat. And you are thinking, "I am practicing." That is useless waste of time and money. Hatha-yoga is not practiced in that way. You have to practice in a secluded place, alone. Do you do that?

Devotee: Yes. Not... No. I guess I don't.

Prabhupada: It is very difficult in this age. Then you have to restrain yourself in so many things. Complete free from sex life. You have to eat under certain direction, you have to... So many things there are. These rules are not followed. Simply they have got some bodily gymnastic sitting posture. They are thinking, "I am practicing." No. That is one of the items. So all the items cannot be observed in this age. Therefore it is wasting. [Break] "...yogis, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all." This is the goal of yoga practice. So that is possible very easily by this movement, Krsna consciousness, not by any other process. And the ultimate goal is here. One should be always abiding with God, worshiping Him, transcendental loving service, and intimately united with Him, intimately. This intimate unity means that five kinds of relationship. That is the perfection of yoga. When Krsna has advised yoga practice, saìkhya-yoga... You have Bhagavad-gita? There is saìkhya-yoga. You'll find in the forty-seventh verse. This is the version.

Devotee: There's no value in keeping the body fit through exercise?

Prabhupada: Yes, you can become very healthy. But does it mean that health is the perfection of life? Do you mean to say healthy life will not die, will not change his body? So health is required, but health is not the ultimate goal of life. Ultimate goal of life is here.

(may10, 69 Colombus)

Prabhupada: Without having a loving connection with Krsna, it is not possible to see Him. You may practice this hatha-yoga or gymnastics yoga for many, many births, but you cannot see Krsna. Krsna can be seen when you smear love ointment in your eyes. Premaïjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena. And that is possible through bhakti. Therefore, why not practice bhakti-yoga from the beginning if you want to see Krsna? In our bhakti-yoga we can teach this art of seeing Krsna within the core of the heart in one minute. It is so simple.

You are seeing Krsna here [in the form of the Deity]. Let this make an impression and try to keep that impression within your heart always. Then you become a first-class yogi. Why so much gymnastics and pressing the nose? No. Take directly. If you are engaged twenty-four hours in the service of the Deity, you cannot see anything except the Deity. This bhakti-yoga practice is so simple. (MGM 18-11Mayapur 1976)

“One can approach the Supreme Person only by devotional service—not by challenge, not by philosophical speculation, and not by exercising in this yoga or that yoga. No. It is clearly stated that one can approach Krsna only by surrender and devotional service. It is not stated that one can reach Him by philosophical speculation or mental concoction or some physical exercise. One can reach Krsna only by practicing devotion, without deviating to fruitive activities, philosophical speculation, or physical exercise. Only by unalloyed devotional service, without any admixture, can we reach the spiritual world.”

At present it has become a fashion to reject the standard system and present something bogus in the name of a newly invented process of yoga.

In the beginning, we simply invite men to come and join us in the transcendental vibration by chanting Hare Krishna. We do not say that you pay me something and I give you this chanting. But this chanting is open without any secret, and we do not ask anyone to pay for it. But the chanting is transcendental, and therefore, simply by vibration, one gradually becomes spiritually advanced, and thus he offers himself to become my disciple. In that discipleship also, I do not charge anything. Neither do I offer anything new. I offer the same Hare Krishna beads, but it becomes spiritually powerful on account of being delivered in disciplic succession. And practically we see that the students who are initiated in this way, they are advancing slowly and surely, and any one of my students can challenge any student of so-called yogis, and that is practical evidence.

And if we go on chanting for a short time, the meditation is always there. And with the dancing, the breathing is also there, but it is a shortcut policy. That policy, the yogic meditation or breathing exercise, samadhi, it is already there in our process. But we don't take in that prescribed way of meditation because that is not possible in this age. It is very difficult. So meditation and breathing exercise is not a part of our program, but it is automatically performed by this process of chanting Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama...(Interview March 9, 1968)

Comments: Liberalism Will Not Make More Devotees

This is significant. Integrity produces trust and faith. It makes a spiritual movemant durable. Integrity enables us to act as transparent media for transmitting the Lord's mercy. In those parts of the world where iskcon introduced compromises or the adding of things like new age in order to make KC "more attractive" the result has never been more permanent success but often a definite increase in chaos.

Krishna as He is, is already the most attractive. Sankirtan provides the nectar for which we are always hankering. We don't want to be average. KC is "reality distinguished from illusion, for the welfare of all". Success comes whenever devotees rely on purity and the attractive force of Krishna, as He is presented through kirtan, deity worship, prasadam and Srila Prabhupada's books.

According to recent surveys, the younger generation is looking, more than ever, for a purpose in life and true, solid values. Problems are not reduced by making compromises, adding things from outside of KC or watering down the process. Iskcon temples are meant for presenting Srila Prabhupada's mission, not for so many other things.

To abuse iskcon temples for presenting invented yoga systems, as it being done now in many places, is commiting sacrilege. One may sacrifice part of one's spiritual dharma by adding deviating concepts but there is no guarantee that one's hunger will be satisfied by it. By sacrificing integrity, there is already a big loss. There is no guarantee that one will obtain any advantage by such compromising. Then why do it at all. (SidhaNTA: Posted by satyaki at April 30, 2005 08:28 PM )

The yoga system, the so-called yoga, not the real yoga system... The so-called yoga system, they are preaching, misleading people that “You meditate and you’ll understand that you are God.” By meditation, one becomes God.

Feb. 13, 1975

But people think that “What is this Hare Krsna chanting?” You see? If you give them some bluff, [Srila Prabhupada speaks gibberish---DG]-yoga and all these humbugs, they’ll be very much pleased. You see? So they want to be cheated. And some cheaters come, “Yes, you take this mantra, give me thirty-five dollars, and within six months you’ll become God, you’ll have four hands.” (laughter) ============ REF. Bhagavad-gita 7.1 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968

quote from :

Srila Prabhupada letter 13th July 1968 Montreal

By Satyaki; Siddhanta Blog (june 1, 2005)

quote from :

Srila Prabhupada letter 13th July 1968 Montreal

By Satyaki; Siddhanta Blog (june 1, 2005)

Here is the complete quote:

"O most pious mother, I shall now explain unto you the ancient yoga system, which I explained formerly to the great sages. It is serviceable and practical in every way."

PURPORT

The Lord does not manufacture a new system of yoga. Sometimes it is claimed that someone has become an incarnation of God and is expounding a new theological aspect of the Absolute Truth. But here we find that although Kapila Muni is the Lord Himself and is capable of manufacturing a new doctrine for His mother, He nevertheless says, "I shall just explain the ancient system which I once explained to the great sages because they were also anxious to hear about it." When we have a superexcellent process already present in Vedic scriptures, there is no need to concoct a new system, to mislead the innocent public. At present it has become a fashion to reject the standard system and present something bogus in the name of a newly invented process of yoga.

(Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.14 Chapter: Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti)

( Srila Prabhupada, Journey of Self Discovery, Chapter 2 )

Devotee: Can hatha-yoga hinder or help Krsna consciousness, or is it...?

Devotee: Not actually.

Devotee: Yes. Not... No. I guess I don't.

Devotee: There's no value in keeping the body fit through exercise?

(may10, 69 Colombus)

Someone may say, “The implication of using hatha yoga to attract newcomers to Krishna consciousness is that presenting the philosophy and practices of pure Krishna consciousness is incapable of attracting people.” “No,” hatha yoga advocates argue, which is detrimental to spiritual advancement for both teacher and student.
Such courses, when secretly aimed at Such courses employ teachers, whose qualifications are bhakti-yoga but not qualified to teach Krishna consciousnss disciplic succession (Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya)
Such courses oppose the important Krishna conscious premise that only bhakti yoga is effective in the age of Kali.

Such courses give misrepresent Krishna consciousness by teaching other things on ISKCON property.

Such courses oppose the explicit instructions of the founder-acarya of ISKCON.

I just think there are many worse things than playing golf which are happening these days, like for example that nonsensical ATMA YOGA which has been introduced and is spreading like a disease in iskcon. With that system being accepted by the temples, iskcon will not be recognisable any more in a few years from now. And is even presented by some false sannyasis now who present themselves as certfified "atma yoga teacher" Atma yoga according to the devotee who is teaching it, includes things like bangra yoga ( some nonsense), power yoga, ( fitness) kundalini,( made popular by rajneesh, has led to many cases of people ending up in mental treatment, believing they are God, one of them Harikesh ) "polarity" sessions for couples - man and women becoming sensitive of each other by touching various parts of each other's body in the presence of other devotees and meditating on their sublte connection, a group of twenty or thirty others, and a few more of such things.

Add to this some fake hatha yoga and some chanting ( mantra yoga). The atma yoga trainee receives a teacher's certificate after an intsensive ( and expensive) three week seminar, of which about one seventh part - about three days - is on hatha yoga. I doubt that anyone can become a genuine teacher of even hatha yoga in a three week seminar , even less in three days. Exactly the cheating which Srila PRabhupada always wanted us to expose. Now it is being taught by false leaders in iskcon. (Satyaki)

Let’s look at the first reason. “Krishna consciousness is attractive but since so many people are interested in hatha yoga, it makes sense for us to be there and redirect them toward Krishna.” Just as we might set up a little rug for chanting kirtan and a book table at the park and a few people might meander over to see us, but if there is a big outdoor concert in town, it would behoove us to go there and thousands of people could hear the chanting.

This paper is directed toward those who have had interactions or will have interactions with ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) in the matter of yoga. When we speak of yoga here, we aim distinguish it from the standard process of yoga practiced in ISKCON which is generally known as bhakti yoga or devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. The yoga referred to in this paper is gymnastic or meditational types of yoga sometimes called hatha yoga, yoga asana, pranayama yoga, dhyana yoga, raja yoga, astanga yoga, etc.

The author of the paper is a senior disciple of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder-acarya of ISKCON. The author has seriously practiced Krishna consciousness and studied the Vedic scriptures (sastras) for the past thirty-six years. He has been primarily engaged as ISKCON’s international director for training and educating new students of Krishna consciousness. The views expressed herein are his own and do not constitute the official position of ISKCON.

*11 Note: Arjuna rejected the gymnastic and meditational yoga system in Dvapara yuga, and thus it is clearly unsuitable for Kali yuga.

Such courses present their brand of yoga as conducive for attaining Krishna consciousness.*

Suppose a newcomer takes hatha yoga course(s) at ISKCON and through association of devotees, gradually becomes interested in bhakti-yoga as well. That new devotee will have a very hard time giving up hatha yoga practice because he was taught that it is authorized, beneficial for spiritual advancement, good for health, conducive to greater achievement and compatible with Krishna consciousness.

But just imagine a bhakta leader or Bhagavad-gita class giver trying to teach one of the guests-turned-new bhakta that so-called yoga practice is nonsense….the newcomer will have a hard time accepting it.

If the newcomer goes unconfronted about his gymnastic yoga practices, his material attachment remains and he passes it on to others.

In February of 1975 a Sanskrit professor in Mexico suggested that Srila Prabhupada should offer a hatha yoga system through his movement. Srila Prabhupada explained that real yoga means bhakti-yoga substantiated by the Srimad Bhagavatam verse 1.7.4 bhakti-yogena manasi samyak pranihite 'male.

yoginam api sarvesah

mad-gatenantaratmana

sraddhavan bhajate yo mah

sa me yuktatamo mataù

[Bg. 6.47]

Dhyana, meditation, means thinking of the Supreme. And that is real yoga, not this gymnastic. That is physical.

Of all the yogis... There are different kinds of yogis. We receive this authorized version, that yoginam api sarvesah. Of all the yogis, the first-class yogi is he who is thinking of Krsna always within the heart. Mad-gata antaratmana, antaratmana sraddhavan bhajate. That is our process. We are chanting Hare Krsna, so we’re thinking of Krsna. This is the first-class yoga system. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yah yoginaù [SB 12.13.1]. In the Vedic... Yes.

Dhyana, meditation, means thinking of the Supreme. And that is real yoga, not this gymnastic. (Room Conversation with Woman Sanskrit Professor -- February 13, 1975, Mexico)

"So who is asat, Sir?" Caitanya Mahaprabhu's speaking: asat-saìga-tyaga ei vaisnava-acara. Vaisnava's behavior, Vaisnava's character should be simply to give up the company of the asat. Now there are so many nice people, gentlemen. So if we give up, if we say everyone is asat... So we must know. The Caitanya Mahaprabhu next line gives: "Yes, asat eka stri-saìgi." Eka stri-saìgi. One asat is stri-saìgi. Stri-saìgi means too much attached to women. Or attached to women. Or attached to women. Too much or little—it doesn't matter.

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