On Leaving the Irreversible ISKCON

Not only do those who accept worship from others without authorization fall into hell, but those who knowingly support such pretenders also get punished. As it is stated in the Kausika Samhita:

danam grhnati yah
sudro mahatyam api capadi
yasca tasmai sampradadyat
tav ubhau narakau dhruvam

“If Sudras (low class people), even if they have become spiritualists, accept charity, even in difficult times, they surely glide down to hell, and those who donate to them accompany them there.”

Because such deceitful situations commonly occur in Kaliyuga, no one can be peaceful in this world. Those who are innocent and seeking peace will be misled by the hypocrites. Saintly people feel compassion at this situation, as did Yudhisthira Maharaja five thousand years ago. Even though Kaliyuga’s influence was not in full bloom because of the boon given by Kali to Yudhisthira, even its minimal influence caused Yudhisthira Maharaja to feel saddened. Srila Suta Goswami spoke to the sages of Naimisaranya forest thus:

yudhisthiras tat pari-sarpanam budhah
pure ca rastre ca grhe tathatmani
vibhavya lobhanrta-jihma-himsnady
adharma-cakram gamanaya paryadhat
(Srimad Bhagavatam 1.15.37)

“Yudhisthira Maharaja saw that the influence of Kaliyuga had pervaded his entire kingdom, infiltrating its cities, homes, and individual people. He noticed everyone leaning towards greed, lies, diplomacy, violence, envy, and irreligious principles. Therefore, he prepared himself to resign from royal life and departed from his kingdom to adopt the renounced order of life, dressed accordingly.”

In the Canakya Niti (3.10) it is stated, atmarthe prthivim tyaje, “It is proper to renounce the whole kingdom to save one’s self.” When I saw that an irreversible amount of Kaliyuga’s influence had overtaken the mission I had joined, I followed the same principle that Yudhisthira followed 5000 years ago. I left and established Bhagavat Dharma Samaj, adopting, as Yudhisthira had, the pure life of renunciation. Yudhisthira persevered until he saw Kaliyuga’s strong influence on his kingdom. Similarly, we carried on until its effect was intolerable.

[Srimad Bhagavatam, My Mission, KBS0041]