How Can Krishna Consciousness Be Non-Sectarian

“Everything that is manifested within this cosmic world is but the energy of the Supreme Lord. As fire emanating from one place diffuses its illumination and heat all around, so the Lord, although situated in one place in the spiritual world, manifests His different energies everywhere. Indeed, the whole cosmic creation is composed of different manifestations of His energy.” (Vishnu Purana, 1.22.52)

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एक-देश-स्थितस्याग्नेर्
ज्योत्स्ना विस्तारिणी यथा
परस्य ब्रह्मणः शक्तिस्
तथेदम् अखिलṁ जगत्

eka-deśa-sthitasyāgner
jyotsnā vistāriṇī yathā
parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis
tathedam akhilaṁ jagat

“Can you stop with the ‘non-sectarian’ nonsense, please? Everyone knows that Krishna is associated with Hinduism. Okay, people might not know what that term really means. I mean even people who identify with that denomination or religion or culture do not really know what it means. But there is still this distinct aspect of religious life, a kind of faith, if you will, that Krishna is a part of.

“Therefore, when you try to tell people that Krishna consciousness does not involve sectarian designations, you are not being honest. It is some appeal to higher sensibilities, to avoid offending, to try to bring more people into the mix. You want to give them an opportunity to hear. I get it. I am not against people following Krishna consciousness.

“But why should we be afraid of what other people think? Why not give it to them straight? Why try to redefine the terms, when the lexicon is already established?”

It cannot be denied that Shri Krishna, as a personality found within documented history, appeared in a certain region of the world. His lila, His activities, occurred across a specific area of land. The people at the time knew the Sanskrit language, the Sanskrit culture, the Sanskrit rituals, and the Sanskrit objectives. While people do not speak Sanskrit in general conversation today, that specific culture is distinct from others.

In this regard, we can describe Krishna consciousness as a sect. We can take the entirety of Vedic culture as a single object for analysis, to be distinct from others. Sort of like a group that eats certain kinds of food, follows certain habits, has certain understandings about the future and the past, and seeks a certain kind of objective.

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada truthfully explains that Krishna consciousness is non-sectarian from the angle of exclusivity. It is not that a person must follow the son of Devaki or be left out of the benefits to be extracted from the life experience. As the pricking of a pin can be felt by every person, irrespective of the language they speak and the religion they follow, so the culture of understanding and connecting with the Supreme Personality of Godhead applies to everyone.

Krishna consciousness has accompanying principles. These can be described as scientific in nature. As no sane person would argue that the law of gravity is sectarian, so the truths of the transmigration of the spirit soul, the various material elements and the impact they have, the different modes of nature, the changing of the seasons, the flow from desire to wrath, and the continued existence of the imperishable spirit are not specific to any sect or system of belief. They apply to any person and every species. They are as universal as Brahman, which is like a fire distributing its heat and light across a wider area.

It is necessary to explain the lack of sectarian requirement precisely because that has come to be the expectation with religion. Follow my way or take the highway. You are either saved by accepting a certain savior or eternally condemned. You have no other choice. Better not make the mistake now, because you will have no chance to recover from it.

भूत-ग्रामः स एवायं
भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते
रात्र्य्-आगमे ऽवशः पार्थ
प्रभवत्य् अहर्-आगमे

bhūta-grāmaḥ sa evāyaṁ
bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate
rātry-āgame ‘vaśaḥ pārtha
prabhavaty ahar-āgame

“Again and again the day comes, and this host of beings is active; and again the night falls, O Partha, and they are helplessly dissolved.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.19)

The culture of Krishna consciousness explains that the living beings can remain in the manifest, temporary world, for as long as they want. Across billions of years. This is the real understanding of time, in terms of the life of the creator, Lord Brahma. This truth aligns with the eternal nature of spirit, which can never be killed.

न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन्
नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः
अजो नित्यः शाश्वतो ऽयं पुराणो
न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे

na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin
nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ
ajo nityaḥ śāśvato ‘yaṁ purāṇo
na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre

“For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.20)

Any honest person can accept this information and deliberate upon it. They are not required to renounce their religious affiliation. They can maintain their existing allegiances. Only the less intelligent would impose strict barriers upon exercising the brain, in thinking over the meaning to life. At the very least we sacrifice some time to hear the science presented to us, from an authority source, and reach our own conclusion.

This is, in fact, the way followed by the disciple described in the principal sacred text of Krishna consciousness. Arjuna hears the science of self-realization, sanatana-dharma, from Shri Krishna. Prior to that conversation, Arjuna has every justification for following blindly. He can be aligned with Krishna and not have to worry about reactions to neglecting other, narrower definitions of dharma.

इति ते ज्ञानम् आख्यातं
गुह्याद् गुह्यतरं मया
विमृश्यैतद् अशेषेण
यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु

iti te jñānam ākhyātaṁ
guhyād guhyataraṁ mayā
vimṛśyaitad aśeṣeṇa
yathecchasi tathā kuru

“Thus I have explained to you the most confidential of all knowledge. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad­-gita, 18.63)

Still, Arjuna has a choice. He can take time to consider the matter. He can process the information. This is the same for every individual. They can choose dharma or succumb to illusion, falling into adharma. As dharma is what really lights up the individual, in terms of their true meaning to life, the wise will always follow dharma and encourage others to follow it, as well.

In Closing:

A contradiction to detect,
When not considering as sect.

Krishna consciousness to explain,
But eligible all to attain.

Without renouncing religion to require,
Principles every mind to inspire.

Not necessary for Arjuna to force,
Deliberate and decide in due course.