Hare Krishna by Jana Maupin
HUM 130
January 23 , 2010

The Hare Krishna way of life is more of a Self-Realization than it is of a religion. Everyone worships God in a different way depending on the person’s needs at the time. They do not believe in material wealth, this can only lead to corruption of the soul. They believe that in order to get to heaven one most go through many different reincarnations depending on the karma in which they have lived during the life before. Krishna's believe God will give life to a soul in many different forms in order for that soul to get it right, so they can go to heaven. They do not believe that God will punish them to the afterlife of hell. Through their reincarnations they will learn to live the life of Krishna and then be taken to heaven to live for eternity. Yoga is a major practice for Krishna's to connect with God. They also believe that the chakras are the major pathway through the body. In order for the body to become aware of its surroundings, one most learn to control the chakra so the body has more energy and is healthy. This is done by controlling one's breath and movements, while chanting for the soul. The Krishna's that are here in Moundsville, WV are about ten miles out of city limits. They call their community New Vrindaban. They built a Place of Gold which is breathtaking. Everything in the Place of Gold has been hand made by the Krishna's. There are many tapestries, pillars, and doors that are on display here. The top of the Place of Gold can be seen long before you arrive at the site. The outside roof is of Gold, and when the sunshine hits it during the day it is one of the most beautiful works of art anyone could imagine. The Temple in which they hold worship is a quarter of a mile away from the Place of Gold. Here you are on scared grounds and can see many different statues of deities and animals which are on the right side of the road. Then on the left side one would see the lodge and restaurant, and behind that is the Temple. The Temple from the outside is not what one would expect after seeing the Place of Gold. The temple is just a plain, long building. Upon entering you are asked to remove your shoes and place them in something like a cloakroom. This area is not much to look at, it is very plain. There are French Doors leading into the area of worship that are handmade and beautifully crafted out of cherry wood. Behind the doors are beautifully displayed works of craftsmanship of art that the Krishna's have made themselves throughout the years. Along the walls are different deities which are worshiped throughout the ceremonies.
The Interview During the interview I had a couple of different leaders. Sikhi and Rita are the ones that let me interview them in great detail with my questions. Question one, What are the important holidays and traditions of your religion? Sikhi,(2010); "There are too many to mention all of them, and explain each one. Although we have a festival coming up in February called Shiva Ratri. Here we dance, chant, and pray to Hare Krishna." Question two, how has religion shaped your life? Rita (2010) replied to this question very quickly without even thinking about it. Rita (2010) stated; "I did not know the purpose of life, I was a lawyer and could not understand all the injustices of the system. Then I learned of a life which simplified everything through our lord Hare Krishna." I then asked her, "Do you still practice law, and if not what do your parents think?" Rita’s (2010) reply was, "No I do not practice law anymore, and my parents do not understand how I can be so happy living my life so close to Hare Krishna. But that is my sacrifice for my God." That almost made the third question sound like I was repeating myself. What are the challenges, if any, to practicing this particular religion? I had learned from Rita (2010) that her family did not understand how she could throw her degree away, and her relationship with them is strained. As for Sikhi (2010), his reply was "With my self-awareness and my love for Hare Krishna, I believe that there are no challenges that are no able to be handled. People just need to be taught the Hare Krishna ways so they can understand our way of life." After this question Sikhi was called away to do something else. So the interview was then more about Rita. Rita was more relaxed about giving her answers after Sikhi was gone. She went into more detail, and explained herself in a more thorough way. I think this was because she wanted Sikhi to answer the questions because he was a leader of the Krishna community. How do you think others perceive you in this community? Rita's (2010) reply to this question was, "I think other community members think I am a bit reclusive. I like to work in a quiet environment without distractions, so I tend to work by myself." Rita (2010) then goes on to state, "People also probably think I am loyal. I have an excellent supervisor, and I have a very good relationship with her. I trust her to look after me, so whenever anything comes up, I go straight to her. Therefore, I also look after her interests. For example, I manage her office, and I am very careful who I let use her office equipment and supplies." What main goal does your religion work for? Rita (2010) once again replies, "As Prabhupada says in “Science of Self-Realization,” we want people to follow their own religious traditions faithfully, and not hypocritically. In every religious tradition, including the Hare Krishnas, there are some people who are more faithful to the teachings of the founder, and there are those who are less faithful. We want Christians to truly follow the teachings of Jesus, Muslims to follow the teachings of Muhammed, and Hare Krishnas to follow the teachings of Prabhupada." This used to be a large community in itself. What decreased the population of the Palace of Gold? Rita (2010) then states, "Prabhupada traveled to the US in 1965, and was with us for twelve years afterward. He left us in 1977. While he was here, Prabhupada was the glue for the entire international society. After he left, it was a huge loss for both the individual devotees and for the international society.
Prabhupada established a board to manage the international organization after his demise. While he was here, however, Prabhupada personally oversaw all the decisions of the board and gave them close guidance.
After Prabhupada left, some of the senior leaders were not ready for the great responsibilities that were now theirs alone. Thus, some of them made bad decisions. The former leader of New Vrindaban Community made bad decisions. He has been ex-communicated, and none of his supporters are currently involved in the community.
In many places in the world, ISKCON continued to grow after Prabhupada left. For example, the Hare Krishna movement is booming in Latin America, Eastern Europe, and Russia." How does the temple receive the money it needs to survive when so many of your followers have left this area? Rita (2010) states, "Thousands of people from across North America visit New Vrindaban every year. Most of our funding comes from donations from guests who visit New Vrindaban Community." What are the main worship times? Rita (2010), " Every day, we have six worship ceremonies, similar to the one you participated in: 5:00am, 7:30am, 12:30pm, 4:30pm, 7:00pm, and 8:30pm. All services are open to the public." What are your rituals like? Rita (2010) answered this question with, "All six ceremonies are similar to the one you saw today." Who conducts the rituals? Rita (2010) explains, "All ceremonies are conducted by a Brahmin priest. This is someone who has received special training and received initiation into the practice."
Comparing and contrasting with another religion One of the examples of comparing the Krishna and the Christian religion is Christians believe in just one God. The contrasting information I found by visiting the Krishna's is that they believe that God takes on many different forms. They also believe that you can go and visit God whenever you want, to swim with him, picnic with him, or anything else you desire at the time. Another example is that they believe that Jesus is the son of God, and that they accept him as such. We as Christians believe that is also true. Although the Krishnas believe that Jesus is the son of God, they follow the teachings of Prabhupada. Christians also believe that in order to get closer to God they must pray. Krishna's believe that for them to become closer to God they must practice yoga. They believe that if you can clear your mind, then and only then can you perceive Krishna in the purest state of being. After going and visiting with the Krishnas here in Moundsville, I have learned that although they use different ways of worshiping God, they are a people just like any other, with moral codes such as the ones that are practiced by Christians.