Krishna Consciousness is Genuine: A Logical Proof

May 8, 2015 in Articles, Narasimha Dasa by Nityananda Rama dasa

By Narasimha das

The following narrative is an example of how logic can be used to preach Krishna consciousness. Logic is accepted as evidence in the process of sankhyayoga, which is a spiritual science originally taught by Lord Kapila Deva and Sri Matsya Avatar.

Recently I met a man who challenged me, saying, “I read on the internet that there are now 32 concocted variations of the Hare Krishna movement.  This makes me think that it’s just another crazy cult. Before, I had some interest in the Krishna movement, but now I don’t trust it.”

I told this man that the internet is full of gossip and misinformation and he could better judge the authenticity of the movement by reading Srila Prabhupada’s original books.

He then mentioned he had also read on the internet that the books had been changed.

I told him the originals versions were still available if he was serious to learn the truth about the process and mission of Krishna consciousness.

He wasn’t convinced. “How could something genuine and potent create such a plethora of bogus cults?” he asked.

“First of all,” I explained, “you may consider that just because there are several unauthorized versions of the Hare Krishna mission, this doesn’t mean they are all bogus. It may be that most are bogus but not all. To understand which ones are genuine, you need the good fortune to get the association of sincere practitioners. To understand who is genuine you need to study Srila Prabhupada’s many books.”

This man was still suspicious. He said, “Life is too busy and short for such lengthy research. I just wanted a simple formula and mantra to go with.”

“Well,” I said, “the Hare Krishna Mantra is the simple mantra you need. But for the quickest results you need to chant it according the simple formula Srila Prabhupada and Lord Chaitanya instructed.”

“Otherwise… what?” he challenged. “It’s not authorized? It’s useless?”

“Not useless,” I said, “but less quickly effective than when chanted according the instructions of a self-realized soul.”

“I’ve met many Hare Krishna chanters and attended their meetings and most of them warn of other groups they consider ‘unauthorized’. This is why I have rejected the whole thing—so many are claiming they are the true followers, and they reject everyone else who chants Hare Krishna.”

“Real Hare Krishna devotees respect anyone who chants the names of God, especially Hare Krishna. But not all are on the same level. That’s another issue. Anyway, just because many false missions are claiming to be genuine, does this mean that all are bogus? Maybe some really are genuine.”

This idea gave him pause, so I continued, “If we find many counterfeits of a thing, this in itself indicates there is a genuine thing somewhere that looks similar. Consider, for instance, gold. During the California gold rush days, many cheaters were selling fake gold. Why? Because everyone knew there was a lot of real gold around and they wanted in on the action—whether buying or selling. But not everyone was smart enough or lucky enough to find the real thing. Or they were not educated enough to know how to test a metal to see if it was really pure gold. Another example is USD currency. Most counterfeiters want to create false USD currency. Why? Why not counterfeit Indian rupees or Mexican pesos? Because these currencies are not of great value; they are in fact useless outside their respective countries.”

I explained: “Because gold and USD currency are considered genuine and highly valuable all over the world, fake US currency and fake gold have always been in abundance. Just imagine how much more so if there were no regulations and no stiff penalties for such cheating? If suddenly there were no more penalties or laws, the market would be flooded with counterfeit bills and fake gold coins. But even if that happened, it would not eliminate the value of real currency and real gold. It would, however, encourage responsible people to become more educated and cautious.”

The abundance of bogus Hare Krishna styled cults is in itself another proof that genuine Krishna consciousness is real and highly valuable. Otherwise, why are so many ambitious people trying to fake it and profit from it? Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Srila Prabhupada himself cited this as a proof when noting that in various places, people were imitating the activities and dress of devotees.

Final note: Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura employs sankhya logic in one of his poems, wherein he says, “This world is an index of the spiritual phase.” In other words, as the Thakura explains in his poem, “the temporary and false forms and situations of this world are not meant to mislead us; rather they are indications of genuine forms and eternal reality in the Kingdom of God.” As Srila Prabhupada said, “Because it is here it is there.” Sankhya-yoga is a spiritual science that distinguishes temporary matter from eternal spirit—even when the two appear the same.