Srila Prabhupada at the Center

How can Srila Prabhupada be the center when “the shastra is the center for all”?

February 3, 2023Posted inISKCON, VideoNo Comments
Srila Prabhupada says in his purport to Sri Caitanya-caritamrita Madhya-lila 20.352 that among the sources of knowledge of dharma given by one's guru, other saintly persons, and shastra, "the shastra is the center for all." Yet it is seen in many sampradayas that the acharya is still very much central to the practice and faith of the devotees. So, if the actual center is the shastra, then what does it mean to a community to keep the acharya in the center? This video discusses and answers this question.
The Lokanath Case: Is the scientific basis of the CPO compatible with Krishna Consciousness?

The Lokanath Case: Is the scientific basis of the CPO compatible with Krishna Consciousness?

August 25, 2022Posted inBlog, ResearchNo Comments
Is the scientific basis of the ISKCON Child Protection Office compatible with Krishna Consciousness? This article explores this question from the perspective of modern science. Simpson's Paradox, Confounded Variables, and Theoretical Perspectives are discussed, and the theoretical perspective of the CPO is compared with the fundamental tenets of Gaudiya Vaishnava Siddhanta.
Assessing the Five-Man Panel Report in Light of Mīmāṁsā

Assessing the Five-Man Panel Report in Light of Mīmāṁsā

April 8, 2022Posted inEssaysNo Comments
The only meaningful aspect of the report that merits scrutiny are the different approaches, or theories, of textual interpretation that the Minority and Majority use to reach their opposite conclusions. The Minority explicitly names a theoretical approach that they use for interpreting applicable law, and interpretations produced by this approach form the basis of their dissent. . . . It is unnecessary to examine the final decisions each side has made, since they proceed from their different ways of interpreting GBC laws. Hence, in order assess which side has more merit, it is necessary only to consider the different approaches to textual interpretation used by each side.
Schism in the Śrī Vaiṣṇava Sampradāya

Schism in the Śrī Vaiṣṇava Sampradāya

January 18, 2022Posted inEssays, Research6 Comments
The Śrī Vaiṣṇava Sampradāya has two major sects, one is called Vaḍagalai and the other Teṅkalai. The two sects have existed for more than 350 years and arose on account of a bitter schism. The foundation of this schism is based on eighteen ideological differences on the topic of mokṣa-dharma propounded by post Rāmānujācārya-era ācāryas