Does one need money to join and serve in ISKCON?
A Girl devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“Dear Admin….. I’ve been a lover of this site for a long time. Everything related to Kanha makes me happy a lot. That is why I want to join ……….. (spiritual organization name is hidden). But unfortunately I’ve been hearing that I need money to be there. Since I don’t have anybody to ask anything about it. I remembered you to ask whether is it true or not. Please do not get me wrong. I just want to know what is the truth. …. thanks for running such a wonderful site……”
REPLY:
Actually, our aim is to get Krishna Consciousness. Go to the temples for getting that only. Do not bother about the other things. Actually, in temples, they give you opportunities to have the darshan of aratis, Bhajans, Lectures by experienced people, Delicious prasadam, etc.
They also offer so many facilities for the devotees. You have the access of wonderful literatures about Krishna. These books are very enlightening and they can make even non devotees as devotees. You can clarify doubts on Krishna from any senior devotee there as they are very happy to help you.
1000s of people have got reformed because of satsangha and books.
(How to regain my faith in ISKCON as I left ISKCON after Prabhupada left? READ HERE!)
For all these activities, they need money. So, all temples of all sampradhaya have to collect donations.
However, as far as I know in my long experience, no temple is compelling us to pay money. They do not say that we can come to the temple only if we donate money. They accept donations if you offer.
Now a days, maintaining the temples is very costly and the real estate cost is sky high and cost of materials are also high. So, nothing wrong if the temples collect donations.
Temples can not run big businesses. They have to live with donations only.
However, you have every right to claim official receipt for your payments. Not getting the receipts means your carelessness. If you get such original receipts from the authorities, the money will be accounted.
And, if you like to donate as kinds, that is also better. You can donate rice, wheat, nuts, ghee, milk, fruits, flowers, cooking gas, etc…
Most importantly, you can give your labour as a service to the Lord, whenever you have free time. You can help there by cooking, cleaning the temples, vessels, etc.
Thus, you can help them even without money. If all of us stop helping the temples, how can the temples do the services to the Lord? So, we must help the temples.
If you have doubts, you can directly ask the authorities, clarify and then give. You can also observe whether donations are utilized properly in that temple.
(Courses and Exams for initiations (Diksha) in ISKCON for different levels! READ HERE!)
Usually, if they say that you can not enter or take part unless you donate, you can find fault in them. They offer prasadam to you though you do not donate. The donation given by others feed you also.
So, you need not worry about it and just concentrate in saadhanas only. There are plenty of facilities for that in every temple.
Whichever temple you go, just take some service. Do not involve or bother about administrative activities. That is good for you. Nothing is going to affect the ordinary devotees and congregations. All the pujas, aratis, lectures, prasadam, etc are going to continue without break everywhere. So, ordinary – last bench devotees are always safe in all situations.
So, be a last bench devotee and encourage them to do still better and try to help them in whatever way you can. That is enough. I have not faced any problems there as I have no expectations from them except Krishna consciousness and satsangha. I am comfortable as I take only what I want. I am not bothered about other things. All the devotees have been very respectful to me till date though I give suggestions and advices to them.
Of course, there may be some issues in any organization that involves 1000’s of people. There are also gems of 100’s of vaishnavas there. So, we have to be grateful to them. There are very good and humble vaishnavas also there. We need their blessings.
One does not need money to join and serve in ISKCON. To be happy in any temple, just take Krishna Consciousness, get association of devotees and do some service. That is enough. Be happy.
(Is abandoning Sampradhaya by birth to join ISKCON sinful? READ HERE!)