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Editorial ReviewsBook Description

In India, where vegetarianism is a way of life, food and its preparation assume the aspect of a spiritual discipline. "The Hare Krishna Book of Vegetarian Cooking" demonstrates that meals without meat can be both tasty and exciting. The delightful variety of gourmet dishes in this collection should inspire anyone interested in adopting a vegetarian lifestyle. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Beautiful cookbook with every recipe that I have tried coming out delicious.
This is one of my favorite cookbooks. The recipes are delicious and the small size and beauty of the book make it enjoyable to use.

Absolutely the best cookbook, EVER.
If I had to get rid of all of my other cookbooks and keep just one, this would be it.

Regardless of the path you follow
For those who like food with flavor that is also nutritious and attractive, regardless of one's religious leanings, this is an excellent cook book.
One may disregard the ritual aspects of making the food an offering and simply eat delicious food that is relatively simply to prepare.
I am sending a copy of this book to my sister, who is not a Hindu nor an adherent to Krishna consciousness, but who is a wonderful cook in that the hopes that should I be able to visit her in the future she might cook a Vedic meal.
I highly recommend this cookbook to anyone even if you are not a vegetarian.
namaste

This is THE book for authentic, vegetarian Bengali cooking
I've been doing vegetarian cooking (and especially, Bengali cooking) since 1973. I have, literally, dozens of cookbooks. But when I need an authentic, delicious recipe, this is the book I turn to. All of these recipes are authentic recipes from the state of Bengal in northeast India.

The Hare Krishna Book ofVEGETARIAN COOKING

As a lifetime vegetarianand fussy eater , I can attest to the factthat I have loved every Hare Krishna

vegetarian meal that I ever had.Travelingthrough the U.S.and manyEuropean countries ,their

resterauntsare everywhere and top notch !

The bookcontains excellent and authentic Hare Krishnarecipes. One of the highest quality

cookbooks that I have ever seen .Hardcover, thick glossy pages ,clear legible printand at a

great price ! ! ! ... Read more

Product Description

Most widely known for its adherents chanting "Hare Krishna" and distributing religious literature on the streets of American cities, the Hare Krishna movement was founded in New York City in 1965 by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Formally known as the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, or ISKCON, it is based on the Hindu Vedic scriptures and is a Western outgrowth of a popular yoga tradition which began in the 16th century.

In its first generation ISKCON actively deterred marriage and the nuclear family, denigrated women, and viewed the raising of children as a distraction from devotees' spiritual responsibilities. Yet since the death of its founder in 1977, there has been a growing women's rights movement and also a highly publicized child abuse scandal. Most strikingly, this movement has transformed into one that now embraces the nuclear family and is more accepting of both women and children, steps taken out of necessity to sustain itself as a religious movement into the next generation. At the same time, it is now struggling to contend with the consequences of its recent outreach into the India-born American Hindu community.

Based on three decades of in-depth research and participant observation, Hare Krishna Transformed explores dramatic changes in this new religious movement over the course of two generations from its founding.

Customer Reviews (3)

Triumphs and tragedies in the history of Hare Krishna movement
ISKCON's history in West has been an ongoing conflict over the nature of its culture, most significantly the growth of the family life and its challenge to the movement's traditional way of closed communal life. The abuse of children and women in 1970s coupled with dwindling revenue from its literature distribution program made the organization more vulnerable, and gradually became a congregationally based movement with nuclear families in 1980s. Women challenged the traditional male domination in the temple, children went to court to seek justice, the law enforcement went after criminal elements, and the Indian Hindu immigrants became new members of the growing congregation. The ISKCON movement has reshaped and reformed into a new religious movement in the pluralistic landscape.

There are nine chapters in this book, the first five deals with children's education and women's issues, and the last four deals with reshaping of ISKCON. I found the first chapter most interesting as it sums up the life experiences of a young gurukuli growing up in Vrindavan, India, and New Vrindaban, WV. The story is very touching as he goes through the personal tragedies of losing his mother and then abuse he faced as a gurukuli and constant struggle to make a life outside (after leaving the organization) but still interested in the spiritual side of Hare Krishna movement. It is an excellent chronicle of how second generation ISKCON community members struggled to survive in a system that was increasingly becoming difficult. The ISKCON leadership was surprisingly anti-family since they were committed to expanding the movement through preaching and book distribution. They denigrated the family life in an effort to protect these goals. Tragically this resulted in neglect and abuse of children and women. Until early 1980s the leadership exercised considerable control over the lives of its members, especially women.

It is horrific to read the child abuse that occurred in the gurukula system and the profound effects it had on children and parents. When you read about the immense sacrifices of founder Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and latter disciples such as Aindra Prabhu, Mother Hladini, Bhaktimarga Swami, and many others, you feel a sense of triumph and victory. Many of these devotees offered some of the proudest moments in the bhakti movement of Krishna Consciousness. But the criminal behavior of few leaders swamps the lake of purity and tranquility; it clouded the joy of kirtan chanting, the spirit of ISKCON movement. The past abuse of children and depriving women of basic human rights is unforgivable, but the readers must note that much of reported abuse occurred mainly in North America, and the pedophiles who came from hippie background found refuge in a system that was too trusting.

The author presents an interesting discussion in Chapter 8 on "Hindus and Hinduization" as how a radical and controversial new religion has evolved into a new denomination in order to survive in the face of severe financial crisis. The author's interviews with a number of early ISKCON members of North American origin seem to suggest that their mission is directed towards racial segregation. Some temple presidents silently support that by doing very little to promote a dialogue with Indians. A researcher of ISKCON Philadelphia found that 40% temple residents have no communication with Indians. A significant leadership is critical of Indians. Fewer and fewer Westerners are choosing to attend Sunday feast because of Indians at the service. At a 2005 community meeting of long time Western devotees acknowledged that they stopped going to the temple because of large Indian gathering. In the Dallas ISKCON community, the temple holds separate feasts and worship services at different times on Sunday for Indians and Westerners. The Atlanta temple is also considering separate Sunday programs. This temple is also considering separate space devoted exclusively to Western preaching.

Many Christian churches including very fundamentalist churches, than ever before, have become multicultural and promote dialogue with other races. Even Islamic mosques have found significant converts into its faith. In major cities it is not uncommon to see a woman of North American origin to be covered with hijab or burqa or niqab. Many of these converts pray in mosque with African, Asian and Middle Eastern races. If people of North American origin can accept Islam as their faith, a religion that expresses a great deal of intolerance to other faiths, other cultures, and denial basic rights to women, then how is it that some ISKCON members express discomfort to pray with Indians in a temple? This group may comprise of small fringe elements. Let us hope the segregation enthusiasts are not a major group within ISKCON, but if this is the desire of the majority of Western devotees, then they have everything to lose as an organization. Ever since man set foot on this planet, racism came into existence and it will continue to exist as long as man is living on this planet; this is the natural order of things. But "civilized people" could do without that at least in one place, the place of worship.

Although this is well researched work about the history of Krishna consciousness, I came across several typographical and grammatical errors; the editors could have done a better job.

Is an religious institution the same as a religion?
In answer to Linda M. Steven's review of Burke Rochford's Hare Krishna Transformed, I have to wonder if she understands that there is a difference between a religion, or a religious social movement, and its institutional expression.Almost no religious institution lives up to the ideas of the founder/founders and ISKCON is no exception.

I believe the reasons for this are the high ideals of religious scriptures and exemplars, and the actual consciousness of those who claim allegiance to them.To fulfill the original charter of an organization called the International Society for Krishna Consciousness is a tall order.I believe Rochford has shown the heroic efforts of those who tried to fulfill the order, even if they failed.In my experience, most of the devotees of the Hare Krishna religion are very sincere, and they have found the founder's teachings to be more than adequate.

The institution--that's another story.

Extraordinary insight
In interesting and perceptive look at the political wrangling that has gone on within the movement's leadership over the years.Burke-Rochford speculates with regard to the future direction of ISKCON as a religious institution, and documents the experiences of second generation Hare Krishnas throughout their early school years.This could be a book that outsiders see as evidence of ISKCON's inadequacy as a spiritual movement.My own thoughtswere that the evidence presented was exactly as I expected, and that such an open examination can only serve to facilitate a stronger move forward in the right direction. ... Read more

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Combining behind-the-scenes coverage of an often besieged religious group with a personal account of one woman's struggle to find meaning in it, Betrayal of the Spirit takes readers to the center of life in the Hare Krishna movement.

Nori J. Muster joined the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)--the Hare Krishnas--in 1978, shortly after the death of the movement's spiritual master, and worked for ten years as a public relations secretary and editor of the organization's newspaper, the ISKCON World Review. In this candid and critical account, Muster follows the inner workings of the movement and the Hare Krishnas' progressive decline.

Combining personal reminiscences, published articles, and internal documents, Betrayal of the Spirit details the scandals that beset the Krishnas--drug dealing, weapons stockpiling, deceptive fundraising, child abuse, and murder within ISKCON–as well as the dynamics of schisms that forced some 95 percent of the group's original members to leave. In the midst of this institutional disarray, Muster continued her personal search for truth and religious meaning as an ISKCON member until, disillusioned at last with the movement's internal divisions, she quit her job and left the organization.

In a new preface to the paperback edition, Muster discusses the personal circumstances that led her to ISKCON and kept her there as the movement's image worsened. She also talks about "the darkest secret"–child abuse in the ISKCON parochial schools--that was covered up by the public relations office where she worked. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

everything is a tradeoff
u need to chant Hare Krishna. Just ignore iskcon teachings. you are architect of your destiny

After ten years, realisation ? hmmm
after ten years in the movement, the penny dropped. 'This is a cult, I must leave'

This is an excellent and well written book, riveting. However things are not black and white in life. Surely there is some good in the movement, and when a book is written in a one sided manner, it makes my critical mind itch.

you may wonder why one would not leave after a week, one month, one year, five years, but after a decade, and yet come out with an imbalanced view of the movement.she left after the second decade in the movement. Given that there were a lot of relevant events that happened. But ten years, My mind needs more justification.

I will also add that often, those following a regulated spiritual discipline appear very strange tothe outside world, and often it is in these very people that the world takes solace. Systems are corrupt, as are goverments, some argue even the present governments. Critics abound, we still live for we cannot escape being under some kind of authority. Some may argue that we are under the ultimate authority of God. Now looking from this context, ascribing a magnamous amount of ills to one movement may seem naive. Is it then the movement or the people that this individual has encountered.

Her website is of excellent quality, showing that Art therapy can help break the shackles of a cult. After reading we may wonder does Krishna conciousness fit the bill of a 'cult'. would it be possible that those who are not brought up in a eastern culture may find things within that culture abusive. I am not however discrediting her experience of abuse. I respect her life journey. certainly food for thought, not sure if we can go beyond thought though.

A GOOD VIEW TO ONE SIDE OF THE TRUTH.
I am not a hare krishna but am interested in the belief system.
knowing that there is/can be scam and politics of all sorts in any organized religion/belief system, i wanted to make sure i dident just focus on the one sided view you get from the devotees on the street.
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this book is well written and easy to read. i read it non-stop until i finished it.she def set the image in your head as you were readnig.
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some of the responses below from prior/current devotees/followers seem to show they are one sided with their view and dident get her point.
nori's view was more on the organized portion of the system, not so much the belief portion, even though she did touch base with why women are so low on the bottom... in the end she is still a follower which shows she did get the point. her heart is still open to krishna himself.
she did touch briefly on the child abuse, but this is common all over now. no different if it is a priest or a monk molesting a child. just because they performed the act doesent mean the "religion" itself is warped, just the individuals who performed the act.
the "religion" doesent teach to beat/molest children and women, these are the actions of those who obviously dident get the point..with somethings, she pointed out how some of the higher level people would twist the "Religions" rules, to fit there own needs, again this is the action of the individual, not the "Religion"

i dont see it as she was knocking the whole system because of the individuals and their acts, but when you are a "leading part" of the system and you see that what you are being told to do is just masking the problems, its hard to want to stay a part of running things, especially if your heart is pure and open to your beliefs.
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I don't see this book knocking the religion or keeping people from wanting to take interest in visiting a temple or learning more about
People just needs to remember that just because the belief's of a "religion" are pure, it doesent mean the organization running/promoting it is also pure. we also need to remember that the people running the system are still people and are subjected to the same errors as the rest of us. Sometimes errors are made and things can be fixed over time..i think this is what she was getting at. It was a shame to see her leave, but I guess she was weak in that area, but it has to be hard after dealing with the same thing for 20 years..
Her story is starting from back in the 70s. Hopefully there have been many changes since.
I don't think her writing this book was an act of violence at all. By pointing out errors and things that need to be changed will only help in the end. She was not putting things down, just pointing them out.what do you think if Prabhupada would have done if he was still around and saw the mistakes..he would work to fix them..not hide them.
Kudos..

Loving the Good or Hating the Bad are NOT the same
I went to a Kumbha mela in India in 1965 at 18 years old and experienced many of the sincere Holy sadhus of India. In the same year Srila Prabhupada went to America with a message of How to get Back to God. Drugs and sex were not the way.

I joined iskcon in 1978 as well and left iskcon in 1984 for pretty much the same reasons as Nori. However, I have never left the love of Srila Prabhupada.

The danger Nori has here is by focusing on hating the bad our consciousness becomes very stained. I decided to simply Love the Good in all that passed through my life, including iskcon.

The study of human nature is fascinating. I went to the big Mayapur festival in 1980 and there were 11 "holy thrones" for the 11 American holy young men who staged a coup after their leader left his body. To them their spiritual Dad had died and it wascase of getting into a position of power in iskcon. They just did what came natural to ambitious americans. Take control of the iskcon world.

I looked at this with some amusement and immediately said to a devotee next to me, "Eleven green bottles sitting on a wall, and if one green bottle should accidently fall there'd be ten green bottles left hanging on the wall."

It was just so obvious to anyone that these young American boys were no sadhus. But they were connected to one.

Over the past 26 years nearly all the green bottles have indeed fallen, but they were never supposed to be on the holy thrones anyway.

My young son who attended the school in vrindavan had a dream where Srila Prabhupada was trying to get onto his throne but was unable as there were too many american kids sitting on it. He turned to my son and just said, "What have I done"?

Radha and Krishna are a sweet loving and divine couple. Loving consciousness is their message. By focusing on the good we become sweet. By focusing on the bad we become sour. I say, focus on the sweet and good. It will all work out fine ...in the end. Haribol!

There Are No Victims, Only Volunteers
As a 31 year member of the Hare Krishna Movement, I apologize on behalf of the angst and disappointment Nori has experienced, as expressed in Betrayal of the Spirit. I empathize with her, as I have experienced similar, but I am also eternally greatful for all the devotees within the movement that invested their time in me, to help me shape my character, and give up a materialistic life for genuine spiritual life. This is something that is lacking in her book.

As Nori knows, the founder, Srila Prabhupada, described that there are two types of mentalities, that of the fly, and that of the bee. The fly looks for the toxins and the bee for the nectar. Is this book a meditation on toxins or on nectar ? I have had my share of disappointments with various leaders, and have been a leader myself in the Krishna movement. I am sure I let many people down as well, but with my limitations , I tried to overcome my lower nature. I don't think that the well-wishing founder of the Hare Krishna Movement would approve of this book, as it gives a very distorted view of what the Hare Krishna Movement was not intended to be, and actually is not.

Srila Prabhupada, who she still claims to be a follower of,would say that there may be spots on the moon, but it does not effect the illumination. I remember meeting Nori and her husband in their offices one time, to thank and commend them on the movements newspaper that they were editing, and how they called it the Whitewash Review. It was then that I realized they were writing things that were "politically correct" because there probably was some pressure to do so.

I am not currently very active within the mainstream Hare Krishna movement, but I don't see the value in scaring people away from visiting a Hare Krishna temple. I think is is actually a disservice, and an act of violence in itself. The greatest decision I ever made in this lifetime was to visit a Hare Krishna temple, and the incredible effect the lifestyle has had on my development as a human being. Even Lord Krishna showed us the example of sucking the poison out of the witch Putana, but delivering her back to the spiritual world because of acting like a nurse to Him. I could also try to cash in on a percentage of $13.00 by writing about all the faults I experienced in the Hare Krishna Movement, but better I write volumes about my own short-comings and improve them, but who would want to read it ? We become what we meditate upon.

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is the purest and most profound author of spiritual literature that anyone could read. His books are available online, or at any Hare Krishna temple. He said that he too was a member of ISKCON, and "ISKCON with all thy faults, I love thee". Does this mean that Nori's standrards are higher than his ? I hope Nori and her husband will bury their hatchet and continue to participate in a way superior to cashing checks from hanging out the dirty laundry known as Betrayal of the Spirit. I think she has betrayed her own spirit by publishing it. I am also trying to learn to take responsibility for my own decisions and to give up the "victim" role, otherwise how will I ever grow ? The saints within ISKCON far exceed the deceivers.gaura_acbsp@yahoo.com ... Read more

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The unusual history of an extraordinary religious movement is recounted from the vantage point of an insider. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Intriguing and Insightful, An Honest Picture
This book allows one to peek inside the Hare Krishna's heads for a little while and find out just what kind of people they really are. I found it fascinating, and I have to say that the picture one gets from reading about the maturing of this deeply religious movement is far different than most people's preconceived notions. Too often we tend to judge people without knowing much about them, and this book gives us information that will help us make an informed evaluation.I have long felt that the bad press about such organizations is highly unfair, and one-sided at best. Now I'm sure of it. I was really impressed with all the good qualities and values promoted by this Movement, and I have to agree with the fellow who wrote the book's foreword: This movement is NOT a group of mind-numbed cultists, but rather an amazing and diversified aggregation of intelligent and sincere souls. Please read this book and be inspired. At the very least, prepare to be impressed! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent, reminder of times past
In many ways this is a very dated movie, but like many films from the late sixties and early seventies, it is also a testament to a time that has passed and gone.Dev Annand has scripted and directed a well-conceived if somewhat predictable and traditional (in its morals) look at the "hippie" scene in Kathmandu circa 1970.Zeenat plays his sister, split by divorce when they were younger, and they have grown up separately (one in Montreal, other in India).He tracks her down in the glory days of Freak Street in Kathmandu, though Zeenat and her crew hang out more around the monkey temple at Swayambuth, a little bit outside the city, though there are great shots of Kathmandu 35 years ago - looks a lot simpler, less congested and less pollution.For those who know the city, its a real treat to see it so long ago.

The performances are all very good, the plot a little contrived.But its the 60s styles in the film, the soundtrack, all make this film much more watchable and memorable than many of its counterparts, Indian or otherise of the era.Its not Antonioni, but that isn't all bad either.... ... Read more

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Dancing and chanting with their shaven heads and saffron robes, Hare Krishnas presented the most visible face of any of the eastern religions transplanted to the West during the sixties and seventies. Yet few people know much about them.
This comprehensive study includes more than twenty contributions from members, ex-members, and academics who have followed the Hare Krishna movement for years. Since the death of its founder, the movement, also known as the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), has experienced debates over the roles of authority, heresy, and dissent, which have led to the development of several splinter movements. There is a growing women's rights movement and a highly publicized child abuse scandal. Providing a privileged look at the people and issues shaping ISKCON, this volume also offers insight into the complex factors surrounding the emergence of religious traditions, including early Christianity, as well as a glimpse of the original seeds and the germinating stages of a religious tradition putting down roots in foreign soil. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The awakening of Krishna Consciousness: Is ISKCON really a cult?
This work is a compilation of essays written by several authors. The book is described in three sections; an introduction to the historical development of Krishna Consciousness, the doctrinal controversies, and social issues & reformation of bhakti movement.

Hare Krishna movement grew rapidly in sixties during anti-war movement. The popular hippie counter-culture that was into drugs, alcohol and carefree-sex entered the Krishna movement. Some of them were seeking for directions in life but very few were looking for long term solace. The strict adherence to the rigid practices of Hindu tradition of no meat, no alcohol, no drug, no sex outside marriage, no gambling, and daily religious practices that starts from 4 AM; and public chanting and selling literature at airports was too much for many followers.Many entered this life without giving much thought, but soon got disillusioned, and the old habits of doing drugs kept creeping back in the minds of some followers which may have contributed to some of the problems encountered by the author Nori Muster. Most non-traditional religious groups have undergone persecution because of their beliefs and practices; perhaps they were controversial to conventionally oriented population. There were three major reasons for the conflict of ISKCON with American way of life. Fundamentally the religious beliefs were too different. For one, the traditional Christian belief is that Jesus is the son of God who died for our sins and we must accept him as our savior so that we can spend the rest of existence in eternity in heaven. Those who don't accept Jesus as their savior will remain in hell. ISKCON followers contrasted this thought by worshipping God Krishna. Secondly, the basic notion in Christian life is that a person has only one life to live in this world. The Hindu (and ISKCON) belief is that an individual is born and reborn in a cycle of birth and death according to his karma, and through bhakti and pure devotion to Lord Krishna an individual releases himself from this cycle and reaches salvation. Finally the belief in following a guru or a spiritual master who has attained near perfection in life will lead others in achieving the salvation. These were the main source of irritation and intolerance towards Hare Krishna movement. The appearance in orange robe, shaven head, chanting of Krishna's mantras, women in saris, etc., did not help good community relations either.

It is also not uncommon to for a disillusioned follower such as Nori Muster to do an "expose" that sounds like the ranting of a confused follower who doesn't know what she is looking for in life. Why did it take 10 years for her get out of ashram life in ISKCON if she experienced widespread abuse of power and authority against women? Her comments that Hindu scriptures were anti-woman are ludicrous. The "facts" she has provided about of illegal activities by ISKCON followers is hearsay evidence. Examples include; "her male Sankirtana leader would drop the women off at bars, where they would wait by the exit and offer to do anything a man wanted in exchange for money." "I once saw her grab money out of a traveler's wallet, stash it in her bag,..." "Another woman told me that when she was a new bhaktin they trained her shoplift for the deity department." "She and an older woman would go on shopping sprees where they stole beaded saris, jewelry, and other expensive items to decorate the altars." "The culture of wife beating was widespread in ISKCON,.." No other devotees have come forward to corroborate these stories. How do we know the authenticities of stories she heard from other women in ISKCON is a fact and not fiction? It is understandable that some men and women having come from hippie culture went back to that life, and certainly the ISKCON movement has nothing to do with that. It is unfortunate that some pedophiles also made their way into this movement which brought considerable shame to the ISKCON organization. The spousal abuse and denigration of women have occurred among hippies. I attend temple services at Watseka Avenue (New Dwaraka) when I am in Los Angeles, and I also worship at New Vrindaban, I have not heard from any long term residents of any widespread abuse against women.

There are many other essays which are far more interesting. Steven Rose's "Who is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu" is a short but beautifully written article about the life of Lord Chaitanya. William Deadwyler's article entitled; "Cleaning house and cleaning hearts: reform and renewal in ISKCON," is a very well written article that describes the shortcomings of a fast growing religious movement when no devotee is ready to take over leadership responsibilities at a temple. "Fifteen years later: A critique of gurukula by Gabriel Deadwyler (Yudhisthira Das) is one of the best articles. You get to see through the eyes of a child growing up in the gurukula system and the immense amount of harm it brought to many young ISKCON children. "But somehow demons got involved and abused some of the children, and that is why we gurukula alumni are not full time devotees, and why some of us have even become antagonistic toward ISKCON." This reflects on the state of affairs in some of the schools operated by ISKCON. It was also harmful for young adolescents, some as old as 15 years old not have any communication with opposite sex virtually separating the kids from their peers. These children's were not prepared to interact with the rest of the world. A strict code of authoritarianism compounded with physical and sexual abuse was tragic. The two "revaluation" stories under the title "On leaving ISKCON: personal story" by Steven Gelberg, and "On staying in ISKCON: personal story" by Mukunda Goswami and Anuttama Das Adhikari is a little more scholarly and illuminating.

Anyone who attends the temple services regularly at a Krishna temple comes to a conclusion that ISKCON is not a cult but a devotional (bhakti) movement from Hindu tradition, brought into Western culture immersed in materialism, by a devout Krishna follower.

1. ISKCON in the 70s
2. Iskcon in the 1970s: Diaries
3. Belief Transformations: Some Aspects of the Relation between Science and Religion in Transcendental Meditation (TM) and the International Society for Krishna ... (ISKCON) (RENNER Studies on New Religions)
4. ISKCON: International Society and Krishna Consciousness
5. Betrayal of the Spirit: My Life behind the Headlines of the Hare Krishna Movement
6. Hare Krishna in America

A Serious Study
This is a truly impressive, academic study of ISKCON, a religious group that remains, after so many years, one of the most fascinating NRM's (New Religious Movements) of the 20th century.The book has an excellent range and variety of material--everything from first-hand accounts of ex- and current members to serious academic studies of various aspects of the movement.This book stands as the definitive study of ISKCON. ... Read more

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The founder of the Hare Krishna movement (or International Society for Krishna Consciousness / ISKCON) was the Indian guru, Swami Bhaktivedanta, who during the last years of his life brought a Hindu denomination to the West. He represented the Bengali (Gaudiya) school of Vaisnavism devotion to Vishnu and Krishna which he molded somewhat to the times when he arrived in New York in the 1960s. Since then, ISKCON has evolved along more conventional by Western standards denominational lines with a largely middle-class, lay membership.When Bhaktivedanta arrived in America, it was a bold step because historically a guru who ventured outside of India was stripped of his Brahman status. However, the effort bore fruit not the least of which was the type of intercultural understanding promoted by the current authors through their study of ISKCON's place within the religion and culture of India. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

good
This is the work of a scholar who joined the Hare Krishna movement in order to gather information.Some of the book is a first-person account, some of it is accounts from group members, some of it is statistical data, and some of it is history of the group.

Chapter 2 deals with the author's relations with bona fide members.It was painful for me to read that chapter because it reminded me of my own experiences with religious zealots.

Chapter 3 presents statistics on the age, socioeconomic status, and educational level of most members at the time of joining the group.I did not know how these statistics compared with those of the population as a whole, so I wondered which of these statistics were significant.

If you remember the Seventies, you may remember the group's notorious fund-raising activity at the nation's airports.In Chapter 7, the author tells us that the resultant notoriety forced the leaders to search for other ways of raising money.The author recounted a few of the psychological ploys used by the members, but he failed to mention the most nefarious ploy of all: the member would hand the airport patron a brilliantly colored, hard-bound book under pretenses of offering it as a gift, and afterward ask for a payment.The airport patron, embarrassed for having believed that such an expensive item could be a gift, is thus manipulated into purchasing a book which he did not want.

I also recommend a couple of very interesting first-person accounts (0252065662, 0595312640).

The pages of this book are bound with a very weak glue.If you are ordering this book for a library, be sure to allocate some money for the bindery.

let's talk about this book!
this is one of the best books i have ever read.it is so insightful, knowing and intelligently fabulous.but i don't have to continue this praise, you know you've read it too. so email me at ronen00@hotmail.com, sowe can talk about it more. ... Read more

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A collection of eighteen award-winning essays written by Tamal Krishna Goswami as a student at Southern Methodist University from 1995-1997. ... Read more

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Hinduism scholar Steven Rosen explores the world of the Hare Krishna movement, which has been instrumental in raising awareness of vegetarianism and the plight of animals in the United States. Holy Cow begins by introducing the Hare Krishna movement and of its colorful singing and dancing, its book distribution program, and especially its restaurants, sacred food distribution, and delicious vegetarian cuisine.

Rosen returns to the early days of Indian culture, to a time when daily life was based on Vedic principles and scriptural wisdom, and shows how vegetarianism and animal rights were endorsed by the Vedic texts. Rosen reveals how a tension was created by a concomitant endorsement of animal sacrifices in ancient Indian culture, a tension that led in part to the beginnings of Jainism and Buddhism.

Rosen then examines the rise of Vaishnavism—the worship of the god Vishnu, or Krishna—and how Vaishnavites were sympathetic to vegetarianism and animal rights, showing the link between the contemporary Hare Krishna movement (ISKCON), founded in the 1960s, and the ancient Vaishnavaites and all that they have accomplished in between. Rosen looks at the "Food for Life" program, the restaurants and cookbooks, and the various forms of writing about vegetarianism and animal rights. The book also includes recipes for those who wish to taste Krishna.

In conclusion, Rosen illustrates how deeply Hare Krishna devotees have influenced the contemporary vegetarian movement and its call for ahimsa, or nonviolence, toward all living beings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great perspective
If you really want to learn more about the Vaishnava tradition of vegetarianism, this book is for you. It offered a great perspective on the history of vegetarianism in India as well and also compares and contrasts different religions and their thoughts on eating meat. If you're not so much into religion, then this book would also appeal to you as it speaks from the heart on animal kindness and reverence. A great read. ... Read more

Product Description
Servant of the Lotus Feet: A Hare Krishna Odyssey is the true story of an adolescent's quest for spiritual meaning. Enchanted by the wisdom of the Orient, Sidd drops out of his freshman year of college in the early 1980's to join the Hare Krishnas while visiting Boston. During the course of four years in New England and New York City, Sidd struggles as a fund-raiser for the cult. As an initiated Brahman priest, he gains privilege and responsibility.

Customer Reviews (4)

Servant of the Lotus Feet
This book was interesting, I learned about what Hare Krishna devotees do.The author is trying to make this organization appear in a bad light. But it sounds to me that he never really was "into" this to begin with.He was having flashbacks about things he wanted to do and had done.All he had to do was walk away.No one was holding him there.I did learn quite a lot about the lives of these peaceful people.

Unanswered questions for Gabriel Brandis
Gabriel Brandis's book is paradoxical - he gives in many ways a very intimate look into the life of a Hare Krishna temple resident in the 80's - the rituals, chanting, temple worship etc. He also portrays accurately the focus of that era on fundraising, and the questionable morality employed by some devotees. He accurately portrays his spiritual master. He fails to tell us enough about his inner struggle with his sexuality, with his comprehension of bhakti-yoga and instead resorts to discredited anti-cult stereotype responses.In addition, referring to a devotee as " Asti Spumanti das " or "Rasta Farian das " is insulting to Hare Krishnas - as is his failure to note that in the 20 years since he left the movement, that the guru excesses have been eliminated, that his spiritual master Bhavananda Goswami is no longer a guru.The Hare Krishna movement is mainly composed of congregational members (like me) who have often never ben in a temple ashram to live.We aren't brainwashed zombies.The saddest indictement of this book is the acquiescence to the abusive and illegal kidnapping that he suffered at the hands of deprogrammers whose triumph in ripping off his neckbeads and getting him to eat chicken is appalling. Hare Krishna's do not need to answer forever for the sins of the few who abused the responsibility that His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada gave them before he died.We are a legitimate spiritual tradition, recognised by Hindus across the globe, committed to inter-faith dialogue, committed to respecting the rights of all people.Gabriel's deprogramming was an act of violence - physical, spiritual and psychological abuse, far worse than he experienced trying to deny his sexuality as a Hare Krishna monk. Gabriel struggled with his own inner demons and felt compelled to leave the ashram - his departure was inevitable, even if the deprogrammers hastened it.Nowadays our movement has thousands of householders, and for those lacking a vocation as a monk, spiritual life and material life can and do co-exist.It is a pity Gabriel didn't research that, because his book is caught in a counter-culture time-warp.

Good insights into the lives of Krishna devotees
Apart from a few editorial glitches, this is a well-written book that takes the reader right inside the experience of being a Hare Krishna devotee.The strange manner of their dress and unfamiliar customs to Westerners may make them seem much more alien than they actually are.In fact, I recognized much of what Brandis went through, because I was once myself a member of a high-demand group, and even though the doctrines were very different between the two groups, the lifestyles were strikingly similar.I was a member of the Unification Church (the 'Moonies'), so it was amusing to read at one point what Brandis, who was then hawking wares for the Krishnas, thought of a Moonie whom he encountered who turned out to be engaged in a similar activity.He recognized him at once as "spaced out" and brainwashed, but failed to notice the strong parallels with his own situation.Eventually, Brandis burned out on the devotee lifestyle, as many cult members eventually do, and with the help of his mother, who engaged deprogrammers to speed his exit, he was able to make his escape.

Dream-like reflections on a counterculture
Like any book dealing with experiences in a counterculture, Gabriel Brandis' book Servant of the Lotus Feet is worth reading to gain insight into a way of life so out of the ordinary and otherwise concealed to the general public. However, to my personal perception as an ex-Hare Krishna sympathizer, for a book examining the community from an ex-members' point of view, the book comes along oddly uncritical and un-distanced, without suggesting any process of detachment, which, for a four years membership within the movement, certainly must have been long, painful and complicated. On the last pages, Servant suddenly comes up with some rationalist analysis on mind-control, probably a result of some hastily-undergone process of de-programming, which contrasts drastically with the book's overall sentimental style. Great parts of the book are written in a narrative style which either shows that the author might not have really dealt with his cult experience or reflects it in some dream-like, hallucinatory way. The book's greatest plus is its strikingly detail-rich description of Hare Krishna rules, behaviours and prayers, thus catching well what being a Hare Krishna feels like. ... Read more

Product Description
This entertaining and sensitive book deepens our knowledge by tracing the paths of those Western Hare Krishnas who eventually travelled to or lived in India. Have the Western Hare Krishnas really become part of Indian culture? Can it be that Indians accept these foreigners as essentially Hindu and even Brahman? Brooks answers in a way that radically challenges our accepted images of Indian social dynamics. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a sociological study of the sensate personality, often drawn to the Hare Krishna religion. ... Read more