The Hare Krishna Movement: The Postcharismatic Fate of a Religious Transplant (II): Journal of Vaishnava Studies

Abstract

Although I am not part of the academic community as such, my interest in commenting on Bryant and Ekstrand’s book arises from
three related concerns: First, I have been part of the Hare Krishna Movement for thirty-two years and I am also a disciple of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. (This is his more formal name. He is also referred to as Srila Prabhupada, especially by his disciples. To avoid confusion, I will here refer to him as Bhaktivedanta or sometimes Bhaktivedanta Swami, since this is how he is addressed in the current volume.) Secondly, I am always attentive when a distinguished group of intellectuals, practitioner or otherwise, offers insights into my own religious tradition, for they often carry perspectives that we who are close to the tradition might easily miss.
Also—and this is the third point—since both scholars and adherents are represented in the volume under discussion, it seems evident that there should be both academic and insider responses to the book as well. I understand that the editor of this journal has commissioned an academic response. My contribution will be from the perspective of the practitioner.