In2-MeC

New Santipur Farm, Poland
3 August 2003

Acintya-bheda-abheda-tattva: Simultaneously, inconceivably oneness and difference.

Yukta-vairagya: Renunciation of material things by engaging them in Krsna's service.

These two principles are the zenith of spiritual intelligence, and they make ISKCON possible. Therefore ISKCON is meant for the most intelligent class of man.

The philosophy of acintya-bhedabheda-tattva (simultaneously one and different) cannot be understood by one who is fully under the influence of the external energy. (C. c. Madhya 25. 119p)

Becoming detached from material things does not mean becoming inert altogether, as men with a poor fund of knowledge think. . . Similarly, detachment from material forms does not mean nullifying the positive form. The bhakti cult is meant for realization of the positive form. When the positive form is realized, the negative forms are automatically eliminated. Therefore, with the development of the bhakti cult, with the application of positive service to the positive form, one naturally becomes detached from inferior things, and he becomes attached to superior things. (Bhag. 1. 2. 7p)

In considerations of oneness/difference and attachment/renunciation, Sri Krsna is the balance. Often devotees ask, "How do we find the balance between. . . ?" The answer is that Krsna is that balance. One who is sheltered at His lotus feet attains the healthy balance between extremes.

Yesterday I wrote about extremism. There are persons who occupy themselves with what can be called "the hive mentality. " It's extreme collectivism. Communism, well-known as an extremist political doctrine, is born from just that sort of mind-set. The hive mentality anticipates a "perfect" society in which all parts work together with mechanical precision. Accordingly, the societies of bees and ants are "perfect. " The hive mentality is so obsessed with mechanical social perfection that it actually believes people can be "made" perfect by force of law and fear of punishment.

On the other side are the extremist individualists. It doesn't take much thought to understand the hopelessness of their position. No man is an island. In this body we will always be, to one degree or another, dependent upon others.

Srila Prabhupada commented on both these extremes--collective, mechanical non-independence versus complete individual independence--in a morning walk conversation on 3 June 1976 in Los Angeles.

Ramesvara: His argument is that "I should never be allowed to misuse my independence. "

Hari-sauri: There's no question of independence then.

Ramesvara: Yes.

Prabhupada: That is not independence. Independence means you can use properly or improperly.

Ramesvara: He cannot understand that.

Prabhupada: He wants to become a machine.

Ramesvara: Yes, he'd rather be a machine and be in Krsna's service.

Prabhupada: No, no, machine we are, but still there is independence. That means you are not absolutely independently, relatively. The state, you say we are American--independent. But that does not mean you can do whatever you like. As soon as you misuse, you are arrested, punished. Even the president is not independent. As soon as he misused his power, drag him, "Come out. " What to speak of you.

No matter which form it takes--absolute individualism or absolute collectivism--extremism is a poor show of intelligence. "We want social justice! We want social reform! We want a society so perfect that a bee or an ant could have full faith in it! Rah! Rah! Rah!" Not very smart. "Freedom! Freedom! We reject any control over our lives! Pharaoh, let our people go! Rah! Rah! Rah!" Not very smart.

It's amusing that some are annoyed by me calling such extreme positions into question. The logic of their annoyance is: "Don't you know that when you apply sacred tilak to the cause of. . . (check one:)

• individualism
• collectivism
• social issues
• women's rights
• political correctness

(or as Arthur Koestler said, "what you will")

. . . that it is transformed into a Vaisnava concern ?"

Well, I must say that "Vaisnava concerns" like these do not display much Vaisnava intelligence. Remember, a correct understanding of acintya- bheda-abheda tattva and yukta-vairagya is indicative of a devotee's intelligence. A devotee's intelligence is geared to compute "Krsna" as the answer to all questions.

Krsna is the balance between extremes. Krsna is the success of our endeavors. Krsna is achieved by love, not by the politics of mind-numbing committee meetings, monotonous Internet discussions, dry, interminable position papers, or bombastic proclamation-declarations.

At the Polish Woodstock hundreds of devotees from around the world came together to preach cooperatively in the Village of Peace (ISKCON's compound on the festival grounds). In the year-long development of this Polish Woodstock preaching effort, committees met, ideas were exchanged over the Internet, papers and declarations were published. But it wasn't the politics that made the preaching successful. It was the devotees' love for Sri Krsna, Srila Prabhupada, each another, and the fallen conditioned souls, that made it successful.

That's what we should go "rah rah rah" about. Or rather, "Rama Rama Rama!"

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