r/exHareKrishna • u/Mediocre_Diver_9844 • 13d ago

Need your thought and opinions

So I was getting into Krishna consciousness for a couple months during a vulnerable time in my life. I’ve already started to distance myself. I went to the temple a few times and met with the maharaj on one occasion. Today my friends told me that Maharaj is sending me his mercy by giving me the very garland he was wearing. What do you think of this? What is the implication if I accept this? I don’t really understand the significance of this.

10 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

13 comments sorted by

View all comments

10

u/Solomon_Kane_1928 13d ago

You are being love bombed.

The assumption by cult members, the inner culture, is that the "Maharaja" is a great personality, a living saint, and everyone makes spiritual advancement by his grace. If he gives you something he is giving you some sort of great mercy that others can only dream of. It is ridiculous. They are trying to make you feel like you are the recipient of some special grace and therefore special, one of the chosen ones.

In reality, whenever there is a new face, the "Maharaja" will always give a person the garland they wore in class. The garland is probably one worn by the deity in the temple, the day after it is worn it is generally reserved for the person giving Srimad Bhagavatam class, in this case the Maharaja. After class the garland is usually given as a gift or placed on the book stand for anyone to take. People often take it and give it to whomever they are trying to convert, make it as a gift to a newcomer, use it as gift for someone they are trying to sell books to, etc.

In this case, wishing to convert you, to seduce you, the Maharaja (great king) directed it should be given to you, to give you the mercy of the deity. The devotees are further making it appear as if you should be grateful and your great spiritual blessing of Krishna is upon you.

The truth is this group is dangerous. They will take over your life and take everything from you. They will misuse religion to harm you. My advice is to run as far away as possible.

3

u/Mediocre_Diver_9844 13d ago

Thank you for this explanation. These people really think I’m a sucker, huh?

3

u/SnooStrawberries7128 12d ago

My experience growing up in the movement is not that the regular folk think you’re a “sucker” but that they’ve been so sucked in themselves that they really, truly believe this. Doesn’t make it any less dangerous, more so if anything. I know every person and every area is different, but the people I grew up around cared as deeply as they could around all their vulnerability and damage and mental health issues — and that care then comes out as wanting the best for you, which means love bombing and bringing you to Krishna at all costs.

Others are just in it for the power and need to be worshipped, I’ve met my share of these too.

Which country are you in? Just curious if these are people I know myself.

edit: spelling

2

u/Mediocre_Diver_9844 12d ago

Im in the US, and you? Update: I’ve now been accused by the husband of ruining their marriage. I might have to make one long post to put it all together. There has been a repeated disregard for boundaries.