“Srila Prabhupada’s Iskcon is still in its early Phases”
Tamoharadasa (ACBSP), Aug 30 2009: A point-by-point comparison of the early ministries of Jesus and Bhaktivedanta Swami.
Both of our prophecy-filling devotional heroes were born to devotees of the Lord in occupied homelands. Both grew to widely spread the message of love of Godhead. One cannot say that the purity varied, that one is necessarily better than the other, but externally, there were differences that can be objectively compared and conclusions drawn. I suppose there is some sectarian interest in my presentation, but that is also motivated in part by educated fairnesss and love, not so much by seperatist mentality as might appear. I see the two as supporting the exact same teachings, but one with an advanced presentation, and the other mostly preliminary. Those favoring minimizing the glories of our founder-acarya for the sake of maintaining their own sectarian place as equal to or better than that of the Vaisnavas, cannot stand under the weight of fair comparisons.
For fairness of comparison, we will be looking only at events within the lifetimes of our teachers. Christianity has has 2000 years to grow, since, while Srila Prabhupada’s Iskcon is still in its early phases.
Education; - Jesus was well educated in Hebrew scriptures, having spent much time in early years with the priests at the temples, where he astonished them with his insights. He was otherwise trained as a carpenter by his father, as was common practice in those days in both the mid-east and in SP’s time also, in India.
- Srila Prabhupada was also exposed to brahmana and priests and devotees regularly in his early years, and additionally displayed a penchant for Rathayatras and preaching, even in his tender years. In addition we have him spending some years at University and finishing his degree program as chemist. He acquired expertise in Sanskrit, music, and all the devotional arts, as well as an astonishing scholarly ability in writing and comprehending the world’s scriptures.
Followers; - Jesus had hundreds of followers in his time, and 12-ish apostles.
Srila Prabhupada had millions of followers, and over 5000 direct disciples.
Temples; - Jesus constructed no lasting edifices of his preaching works in his time.
Srila Pabhupada constructed 108 temples, complete with management and devotional service arrangements, worldwide.
Literature; - Jesus left us no books or verses, other than the beauty of his sermons.
Prabhupada wrote and translated, with scholarly purports including an analysis of the purports of the disciplic succession going back hundreds and thousands of years, some 108 books, also magazines, pamphlets, newspapers, record, tapes, dioramas, and placed those books in the world’s major universities. etc.
Fluency; - Jesus spoke one, or perhaps as many as three languages, while with us.
Srila Prabhupada spoke several languages and preached in them, as well as had his books translated into every major language on earth,and had his disciples preach similarly to hundreds of millions all over the globe.
Area – Lord Jesus preached locally only in his time.
- Srila Prabhupada circled the globe 13 times and preached in every major country on earth. His disciples chanted the holy names of Krishna vigorously in every country on earth repeatedly and with enthusiasm.
Disciples – Jesus’s disciples were all of the mid-east region, in his time.
SP made disciples from every race on earth.
Religious “conversions”- Jeus had success with gentiles and Jews in his time.
SP has disciples from every religion on earth.
Quality of disciples; - Jesus’s disciples were predominantly workers, merchants, fisherfolk.
SP’s disciples include PH.D scientists, engineers, doctors, politicians, university educated persons from all over the world, as well as hippies, yogis, revolutionaries, environmentalists, streets people, farmers and workers, seekers of all faiths and backgrounds on earth. SP also organized conferences to reconcile religion and science. He formed the Bhativedanta Institute to do so, and funded it.
Farms and Communities; - Jesus was not involved that we know of in these matters.
SP built several farming communities, and shelters for animals such as cows.
Sermonizing; - Jesus gave many lectures, some recored by his apostles.
SP gave a class or spoke before crowds every day for about 12 years, most recorded.
Monetary; - Jesus had little in the way of money or shelter to offer others.
SP handled millions in religious book sales and donations, and used some of the monies to feed and house thousands of devotees worldwide.
Books distributed; - Jesus is not known for books distribution. Many in his lands could not even read.
Srila Prabhupada distributed millions of devotional pure books of all descriptions, and set up an ongoing process to ensure that this continues. This includes tapes, hardbacks, small books, magazines, newspapers, and pamphlets.
Scholasticism; - Jesus was not well known for his scholarly works.
SP translated Sanskrit, plus consulted his disciplic succession’s writings to bring us the essence. He is praised by Sanskritists, university professors, devotees, and yogis worldwide, for his scholarly writings and teachings.
Information about God; - Jesus did not describe God except as Father, and to say he is great, merciful, wrathful, etc. He did simplify the older scripture, and brought a fresh revolutionary devotional mood. He fulfilled most aspects of early prophecy of his appearance.
SP describes many the faces of Krishna in elaborate detail, provided God’s name and the Names of His associates, pastimes, names, etc in poetic detail, ads well as providing musical directions to sing these Names, and instructions of personally chanting the Holy Names of Godhead as a means to salvation. He also fulfilled prophecies of his appearance and activities.
Mystic Information; - Jesus did not describe mystic aspects of self realization or devotional service in detail.
SP describes in exact sequential detail all the steps and results of the devotional path, as well as the varieties of rasas, or devotional moods, ecstasies, etc. He provides a spritual science of exacting and complete descriptions of gross, astral and spiritual existences. He also describe the paths of pious works, study, logic, yoga, and pure devotional service.
Miracles; Both performed miracles.
I could go on, including comparisons of cultural richness, ceremony, and the varieties of descriptions which Srila Prabhupada provided us of Lord Visnus sweet and delicious pastimes, but by this point it seems redundant. There is no comparing Lord Jesus’s early activities with those of Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada did so much more in so short a time, that he is clearly the more effective and exalted in any fair comparison.
Both of our prophecy-filling devotional heroes were born to devotees of the Lord in occupied homelands. Both grew to widely spread the message of love of Godhead. One cannot say that the purity varied, that one is necessarily better than the other, but externally, there were differences that can be objectively compared and conclusions drawn. I suppose there is some sectarian interest in my presentation, but that is also motivated in part by educated fairnesss and love, not so much by seperatist mentality as might appear. I see the two as supporting the exact same teachings, but one with an advanced presentation, and the other mostly preliminary. Those favoring minimizing the glories of our founder-acarya for the sake of maintaining their own sectarian place as equal to or better than that of the Vaisnavas, cannot stand under the weight of fair comparisons.
For fairness of comparison, we will be looking only at events within the lifetimes of our teachers. Christianity has has 2000 years to grow, since, while Srila Prabhupada’s Iskcon is still in its early phases.
Education; - Jesus was well educated in Hebrew scriptures, having spent much time in early years with the priests at the temples, where he astonished them with his insights. He was otherwise trained as a carpenter by his father, as was common practice in those days in both the mid-east and in SP’s time also, in India.
- Srila Prabhupada was also exposed to brahmana and priests and devotees regularly in his early years, and additionally displayed a penchant for Rathayatras and preaching, even in his tender years. In addition we have him spending some years at University and finishing his degree program as chemist. He acquired expertise in Sanskrit, music, and all the devotional arts, as well as an astonishing scholarly ability in writing and comprehending the world’s scriptures.
Followers; - Jesus had hundreds of followers in his time, and 12-ish apostles.
Srila Prabhupada had millions of followers, and over 5000 direct disciples.
Temples; - Jesus constructed no lasting edifices of his preaching works in his time.
Srila Pabhupada constructed 108 temples, complete with management and devotional service arrangements, worldwide.
Literature; - Jesus left us no books or verses, other than the beauty of his sermons.
Prabhupada wrote and translated, with scholarly purports including an analysis of the purports of the disciplic succession going back hundreds and thousands of years, some 108 books, also magazines, pamphlets, newspapers, record, tapes, dioramas, and placed those books in the world’s major universities. etc.
Fluency; - Jesus spoke one, or perhaps as many as three languages, while with us.
Srila Prabhupada spoke several languages and preached in them, as well as had his books translated into every major language on earth,and had his disciples preach similarly to hundreds of millions all over the globe.
Area – Lord Jesus preached locally only in his time.
- Srila Prabhupada circled the globe 13 times and preached in every major country on earth. His disciples chanted the holy names of Krishna vigorously in every country on earth repeatedly and with enthusiasm.
Disciples – Jesus’s disciples were all of the mid-east region, in his time.
SP made disciples from every race on earth.
Religious “conversions”- Jeus had success with gentiles and Jews in his time.
SP has disciples from every religion on earth.
Quality of disciples; - Jesus’s disciples were predominantly workers, merchants, fisherfolk.
SP’s disciples include PH.D scientists, engineers, doctors, politicians, university educated persons from all over the world, as well as hippies, yogis, revolutionaries, environmentalists, streets people, farmers and workers, seekers of all faiths and backgrounds on earth. SP also organized conferences to reconcile religion and science. He formed the Bhativedanta Institute to do so, and funded it.
Farms and Communities; - Jesus was not involved that we know of in these matters.
SP built several farming communities, and shelters for animals such as cows.
Sermonizing; - Jesus gave many lectures, some recored by his apostles.
SP gave a class or spoke before crowds every day for about 12 years, most recorded.
Monetary; - Jesus had little in the way of money or shelter to offer others.
SP handled millions in religious book sales and donations, and used some of the monies to feed and house thousands of devotees worldwide.
Books distributed; - Jesus is not known for books distribution. Many in his lands could not even read.
Srila Prabhupada distributed millions of devotional pure books of all descriptions, and set up an ongoing process to ensure that this continues. This includes tapes, hardbacks, small books, magazines, newspapers, and pamphlets.
Scholasticism; - Jesus was not well known for his scholarly works.
SP translated Sanskrit, plus consulted his disciplic succession’s writings to bring us the essence. He is praised by Sanskritists, university professors, devotees, and yogis worldwide, for his scholarly writings and teachings.
Information about God; - Jesus did not describe God except as Father, and to say he is great, merciful, wrathful, etc. He did simplify the older scripture, and brought a fresh revolutionary devotional mood. He fulfilled most aspects of early prophecy of his appearance.
SP describes many the faces of Krishna in elaborate detail, provided God’s name and the Names of His associates, pastimes, names, etc in poetic detail, ads well as providing musical directions to sing these Names, and instructions of personally chanting the Holy Names of Godhead as a means to salvation. He also fulfilled prophecies of his appearance and activities.
Mystic Information; - Jesus did not describe mystic aspects of self realization or devotional service in detail.
SP describes in exact sequential detail all the steps and results of the devotional path, as well as the varieties of rasas, or devotional moods, ecstasies, etc. He provides a spritual science of exacting and complete descriptions of gross, astral and spiritual existences. He also describe the paths of pious works, study, logic, yoga, and pure devotional service.
Miracles; Both performed miracles.
I could go on, including comparisons of cultural richness, ceremony, and the varieties of descriptions which Srila Prabhupada provided us of Lord Visnus sweet and delicious pastimes, but by this point it seems redundant. There is no comparing Lord Jesus’s early activities with those of Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada did so much more in so short a time, that he is clearly the more effective and exalted in any fair comparison.
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