Demigods/ISKCON

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Re : Demigods ISKCON

 

Namaskar:

 

Robert Koch wrote:

" Believe me when I say this: had he (i.e. Prabhupada) not

come with his tireless effort to implant Sanatana

dharma and Vedic knowledge within the minds of

all those outside of India, then it is doubtful

that anyone outside of India would even have

heard of the Vedas, what to speak of Jyotish " .

 

Well, well.

Dear Robert Koch,

some 300 hundred + years ago sanskrit was taught (at a high level)

at some Hungarian Universities.(Europe) In the 18th century(!) some

London bookstores had copies of the Bhagavad Gita (in english

translation) and about 120 years ago in England there were a group

of VERY dedicated people (numbered around 300++) who actively and

VERY diligently studied and practiced Indian Astrology (as they

called it those days) as well as Svara Shastra and related sciences.

Not only that .They were even required to take examinations in these

subjects. They had teachers from India, and some of the members were

early Theosophysts.(N.B. Rama Prasad was one of their teachers. His

book,i.e. Nature's Finer Forces, published more than a 100 years ago

is still the best on the subject)

The Bhagavad Gita was by that time widely read as well. There were

quite a few translations available.

I just happen to have thousands of pages of documents of this

society which clearly shows all these. The Society's name is

the " Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn " .

Within a very short time ( by the 1890s) there were branches all

over England.Not only the Upanishads, Vedas, Puranas and the Gita

was translated and studied but even some highly esoteric tantric

scriptures, such as the Shiva Svarodaya was actively studied by

these members.By the early 1900 this society also was active in the

US!!! And the same rigorous examinations were administered in these

subjects.

(I wish that today's ISKCON members -east or west-would take

sanskrit studies as seriously as many of these " early birds " of

Vedic knowledge.)

 

I write this to you in order to clear up some prevalent

misconceptions.

Yes, Prabhupada did come to New York in the late sixties and did

spread Sanatana Dharma.(I know! I was there!-remember the first

hall in Greenich village?)

But allow me to observe: Prabhupada was a distinct late comer in

these matters.Certainly in the Western World. This is not to lessen

his contribution in any way. But let us not allow ourselves to be

carried away by biased cultural/religious conditioning which may

not stand up to the facts.

( I wish to apologise to the many dedicated sadhaks in the Europe,

whose name I have omitted-due to lack of space, who have translated

the Gita in Italy, Germany,Hungary,Spain,France and other countries-

in some cases even before Prabhupada was born. To mention some

interesting facts: Dr. Rudolf Steiner lectured on the Gita in

Germany extensively. The date: 1902! Thousands of people came from

all walks of life to listen to his lectures)

But then, we would't expect the hippies of lower Manhattan in the

1960s to know all this.

For them, the Bhagavad Gita WAS NEW.

To me it is new as well. Every day. New.Fresh.Divine.

Thanks you

with best regards:

 

Arpad Joo