mISKCONceptions

The purpose of this book-or rather, the information within it-was written for one simple reason: the Hare Krishna movement, founded by A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda and known as ISKCON (the International Society for Krishna Consciousness), propagates numerous apasiddhāntas (false teachings). While claiming to be Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas-followers of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and the Six Gosvāmīs-A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami made hundreds of mistakes: major and minor errors, mis-illustrations, mistranslations, and other oddities. Yet these are often presented as the siddhānta (correct doctrine) and maryādā (etiquette or cultural norms) of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava sampradāya, an authentic guru-disciple lineage. Everything presented here is not intended as a personal criticism. The sole purpose is to clarify and expose the errors within ISKCON’s teachings-found primarily in Bhaktivedānta Swami’s books, which he absurdly proclaimed to be the “lawbook for mankind for the next 10,000 years,” but also present in his lectures, letters, conversations, and morning walks. This work is, therefore, a philosophical examination of the doctrine in light of authentic Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava sources.

These sources are primarily the six Vṛndāvana Gosvāmīs-or more specifically, the four central figures: Sanātana, Rūpa, Raghunātha Dāsa, and Jīva Gosvāmī-alongside the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (SB), Caitanya-caritāmṛta (CC), and Bhagavad-gītā (BG). While many other texts are also important, these are considered the primary scriptures. Consequently, they are cited most frequently, with translations rendered as faithfully literal as possible while still maintaining clear and accurate English, rather than versions in which translators may add, omit, or alter words not present in the original Sanskrit.

The book is structured as follows:

30 Major Issues
30 Minor Issues
12 Mis-Illustrations
38 Mis-Translations
10 Oddities

This book is for anyone who wants to understand Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava siddhānta as it is, and not through the lens of a particular sect that regards only its own translations as authoritative-yet has extensively mistranslated its texts in order to justify (and cover up) its own doctrinal errors.