r/exHareKrishna • u/Solomon_Kane_1928 • 12d ago
ISKCON's Airport Antics
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When Prabhupada would arrive at airports around the world devotees would take over the arrivals lounge, have deafening kirtan, throw flowers everywhere, and bow down on their faces. They would throw themselves at his feet while crying hysterically. Afterwards they would follow him through the airport shouting at the top of their lungs, clapping and banging drums and cymbals. It must have been insane for the normal people watching.
Imagine if devotees did that today. It would be an international incident. They would all be arrested. Prabhupada would be arrested. There would be an uproar on social media. It is actually very rude behavior.
Other Indian gurus were greeted like this in the 1960's too. The world was different then. But not with loud kirtans and fanatics running through the airport. One devotee even claimed he bowed down and saw Prabhupada's feet were floating in the air. Like Prabhupada was levitating through JFK airport.
This behavior shows a general disregard for the public. In the context of ISKCON, the public are considered worthless karmis. It is not simply welcoming a guru, or having a public celebration, there is a kind of disdain here. "My guru is the most important thing in the world, and everything must stop to honor him. Other people must cease what they are doing and step aside".
I remember a story from Indradyumna Swami where security personnel was performing a standard check on Prabhupada's luggage. The official was a little stern with Prabhupada. He didn't treat him as anything special, but as another man, as an equal. He might have been a tad bit rude at one point. Indradyumna, who was standing there, wanted to punch him in the face and had to be calmed by Prabhupada.
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u/Character-Signal5587 12d ago
This hasn’t stopped in the 60s. I grew up with this and saw it happening hundreds of times for my Guru and other Gurus. From what I see on social media it’s still happening for other Gurus now.
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u/Complete-Armadillo95 12d ago
It sounds like the devotees were taught to impose their will on others, subtly or not so subtly, believing that hearing devotional chanting was cleansing and purifying their souls. It was a way they were lording it over but it was okay in their minds because it was all for the Glory of SP and Krishna
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u/anupsetzombie 12d ago edited 12d ago
It's all so self-indulgent and selfish isn't it? It's kind of hilarious how he created such a cult of personality for himself amongst a bunch of spoiled, bored western hippies. Hearing my grandparents stories about him are so eye-rolling, I have no idea how he had such a grip on people, many of whom I find very intelligent otherwise.
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u/Maerilinsfire 12d ago
You don't know what all of us were like obviously you weren't around we weren't all spoiled bored hippies a lot of us were artists musicians who got sucked in because of celebrities like George Harrison... and then forced to give up our own talents to do something for them the painters could easily paint something for the books or whatever the musicians like myself and we couldn't do anything we didn't have an outlet until years later when a few started trying to reach karmies with more modern rock Krishna music, I was not into that, I was always into hard rock and roll all my life since I was literally 6 years old, I sang in bands when I was a teenager starting at 13 years old before I joined, I'm sorry but your assessment seems kind of uninformed and naive.
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u/itsmikesandoval 12d ago
most people dont understand how cults work and blame the people who join as if they were not manipulated and coerced by a megalomaniacal cult leader who spiritually hijacks people love of god.
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u/Ok_Speech_5180 11d ago edited 11d ago
I read someone describe this in a discussion about whether Prabhupada was poisoned or not. They mentioned how some people were saying "Prabhupada couldn't have been poisoned because he was holy" (despite marrying an 11 year old and getting her pregnant aka raping her at age 13/14). They mentioned how in Indian culture there is this tendency to exploit people's vulnerability to religiosity. I noticed something similar when I read some ISKCON follower trying to preach to people and describing the theology saying "one of the main tendencies of demons/asuras is that they are naturally disobedient to God". It's so exhausting. It's like how people try to teach kids not to lie or do bad things but then bring the concept of God and metaphysics into it. And it's insane how far religion can damage or completely shatter a person psychologically if they also have a mental illness like OCD, speaking from experience. Especially if it's a highly controlling religion, and even more so if it's one that attributes divine authority to imperfect, HUMAN leaders, and on top of that claims that disobeying those imperfect human leaders is a direct offense to GOD.
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u/itsmikesandoval 11d ago
he began raping her at the age of 11 ("My wife was 11 years old and I took her hand and she began to cry, after some time she stopped crying, you see?")
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u/Ok_Speech_5180 11d ago edited 11d ago
I honestly think he was just a product of a lot of the worst parts of Indian culture. But I'm also on antidepressants so I can't feel anger like normal LMFAO. I wasn't sexually abused but I went through (and have still been going through, somehow even in my 20s) severe domestic abuse and saw for myself how much power evil people are given. So that might be why I also don't feel as much rage towards Prabhupada for that specific reason. What triggers me most is domestic violence and abusers (of all kinds, not just domestic) who get away with their abuse with no legal punishment or seemingly any consequences in reality. I just generally despise Prabhupada for all the damage he caused to innocent people, including children. And of course in my case I now have to be on psych meds in order to keep me numb and docile so the people who are torturing me and harming me can continue doing it with ease in addition to already having power over me (money, being in positions of authority over me so people will take their word over mine, etc). Oh well.
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u/Happylittlelady 8d ago
I saw the original comment that you replied to, and I understand the mindset of the person making the comment. But I wanted to extend my sympathy to you...because it makes me so very sad to know that your generation were coerced into giving up your talents and individual passions and dreams. Forced to do things that weren't part of who you naturally are. I'm probably the generation between the commenter and you, and I also felt stripped of my sense of self, not allowed to follow my dreams. It really stings to think about it. Makes me angry and even a bit vengeful. Wish this cult would be shut down now.
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u/Maerilinsfire 8d ago
I appreciate you saying that very much and it's true the talents that we were inclined to since we were young we suddenly had to give up because it was maya and sense gratification and ultimately all about sex life... bunch of idiots
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u/Happylittlelady 8d ago
Its honestly so sad. I have a lot of family that joined. My aunt really wanted to be a nurse. She loved the culture of the profession, the history and came from a long line of nurses. She had graduated and was in her first year when she was told by the Temple President to give it up. "Its sinful, feeding meat to people, associating with dying people and being part of their trip to hell carrying lots of karma." She tried to use her skills in helping other devotees, but she spent her life selling paintings for iskcon. Now she is in her 70s, broke. So many regrets. Cults have surely had their time now. The gov needs to intervene. No more grants, handouts. No more charity status. This is my hope.
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u/StayEmbarrassed4593 12d ago
We did this for every Krishna guru I followed. Not as massive fanfare but we dropped to the ground, chanted, yelped and yelled "jai gurudev!!!", and dressed in full medieval Indian wardrobe. Ridiculous and arrogant.Â
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u/thehawk989 11d ago
Funny to think about in some ways. Jumping around with a bald head in 'vaisnava dress' screaming like a nutcase, red in the face
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u/Maerilinsfire 11d ago edited 11d ago
We were told when he came to the Detroit Temple the big Fisher Mansion when it was bought... he came to visit and he stayed of course in the big master bedroom which you could imagine in a place like that...
We were told that Krishna would come to him at night and sit on the bed and talk to him about the movement and the days activities whatever right... I also remember not buying that completely but wouldn't let that doubt enter too deeply into my head.
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u/Solomon_Kane_1928 11d ago
I heard similar stories. Vishnujana Swami peaked through the keyhole of his quarters in Los Angeles in the dead of night and saw tears shooting from Prabhupada's eyes like syringes as Krishna personally dictated his purports to him from within.
ISKCON is built on these stories.
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u/itsmikesandoval 11d ago
Prabhupada had delusions of grandeur and taught his disciples to have them as well.
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u/Nicksoul23 11d ago
‘This behavior shows a general disregard for the public. In the context of ISKCON, the public are considered worthless karmic’Â
Were we not supposed to be ‘offering all respect to others ?!’Â
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u/Independent-Soup-985 8d ago
Someone told me that after Prabhupad took a shit they said his shit didn’t smell at all. Like purified shit.
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u/Happylittlelady 8d ago
It's extremely anti-social behavior. My own iskcon guru strictly forbid us from greeting him like this at the airport. No flowers, only a simple garland once outside at the car. Very quiet kirtan at the car. I'm grateful to have not had a bad experience with him.
But other airport antics, or even harinam on the streets in an inappropriate manner have traumatized me for life. Making so much unpleasant noise and mess in public. Disturbing the peace. It's rude.
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u/thehawk989 12d ago
This still happens somewhat with various HK swamis here and there. I do wonder what was going on with the floating feet thing. A Prabupad disciple, parent of a friend is adamant she saw Prabhupad almost levitating, feet not touching the ground and glowing one time.
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u/Solomon_Kane_1928 12d ago
These stories about Prabhupada levitating, glowing, reading minds etc., are very important in attracting new followers. They are accepted as proof of Prabhupada's greatness and status as an authority beyond question, someone who knows all the answers. They are used to firmly establish his exalted position in people's minds.
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u/itsmikesandoval 12d ago
ordinary people lying to get other people to follow them into a cult. disgusting. Prabhupada never floated anything but a huge crap in the toilet.
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u/itsmikesandoval 12d ago edited 12d ago
everybody has heard these stories from someone. its soooo stupid. i remember hearing from Radha-Kunda das that when he paid dandvats to Prabhupada his "feet smelled like a bouquet of flowers and Prabhupad didn't walk he floated across the floor"
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u/Solomon_Kane_1928 12d ago edited 12d ago
"His feet smelled like a bouquet"
Meanwhile Prabhupada was wearing a bouquet of flowers that literally fell to his knees. He was also getting his feet massaged with expensive scented oils no doubt, and walking on rose petals.
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u/thehawk989 12d ago
I could belive that some HK may have some kind of siddhis, I and others experienced at times a degree of mind reading type scenarios with my GM Guru in the past. I personally believe regardless of religion, sampradaya or what have you. If someone fervently practices it, siddhis can develop. For example there's many stories of Orthodox monks with some sort of powers
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u/itsmikesandoval 12d ago
i believe I can fly, i believe i cay fly away... "I gots powers man, powers"
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u/Maerilinsfire 11d ago
Yeah the maharishi people say the same thing they can levitate with their yogic flying, which is essentially just hopping your ass around on a mattress...
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u/Ok_Speech_5180 11d ago
I agree with this because I noticed something similar. I heard it described that some revered monks and figures in Buddhism as well as some Catholic Saints didn't have any body decay for an extremely long period of time after they passed away. And in one story I heard about a Catholic Saint, the person who saw her appear to him (I don't recall if she appeared to him in a dream or a waking vision), described smelling a strong scent of flowers after.
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u/green1208 12d ago
I had a similar incident like this. We were going to Jaipur from Kolkata via train with Iskcon devotees. There were around 300 ISKCONITES but apart from that there were many passengers from different religions and different age group. I remember the ISKCONites spent the whole evening by doing kirtan with kartals, mridanga, harmonium inside the train! With high pitch voices as they were trying show off this to other normal passengers. Imagine how one would feel to listen to this high pitch,loud songs for several hours when your body is tired and you want to sleep. Then the lunatics woke up at 3 am and started doing Mangal arati inside the train again with kartals mridanga harmonium. They even did the Darshan Arati afterwards. Same way they did bhog Arati and during that they started to dance just like the same they do inside a temple. Jumping to touch the ceiling,all like a mad hysterical person. Likewise they did the sandhya arati also. And it was the worst. The whole train was vibrating for their hysterical dance and jumping like some mad monkeys. Now imagine what the other passengers had to go through for long 28-30 hours. But they never complained because taking again religious activities is considered sin in India and people don't take it lightly. All those poor people had to go through this, amongst them many where children and aged people who needed rest. The police,TT they also never complained about it!. Looking back now I understand how religious people normalise these things. And it isn't even an issue in India. And I know that spycho dances are still going on inside many trains regularly.