CHAPTER NINETEEN
ISKCON’s Public Image

Not that long ago I sat in a morning Bhagavatam class and listened to a presentation about the newest public relations firm that ISKCON had just hired. We were told that the PR firm that ISKCON had been working with was let go so that this new PR firm could take over. I might be wrong, but I got the impression that there had been several PR firms hired by ISKCON over the years.

During the period of service I gave to Shrila Prabhupada, I never advanced much above the temple janitor and pot washer. I was asked to do a little cooking. Even so, you might be surprised what lessons can be learned about public relations with a broom in your hand.

I could give you hundreds of examples but when you examine each of them, there is one compelling factor that ties them all together. The truth of the matter is that right actions produce right results.

This axiom is the key to public relations and I’m sorry—hiring a PR firm seem to me to be a big waste of money.

I just said that right actions produce right results. I’ve seen this principle proved to me time and time again. For instance, taking extra time cleaning the kitchen, I have seen the broad smiles on all the devotees. Or, after working hard all day preparing a delicious Sunday feast, everyone in the temple is completely satisfied. Right actions produce right results.

The corollary to this axiom is pretty self evident, but sometimes I wonder. Obviously, if you don’t like the results—or your image—then you simply need to look at your actions. In other words, if ISKCON doesn’t like its public image, instead of spending money on a PR firm to create a smoke screen, what needs to be done is an honest inventory of what actions—or lack of actions—are taking place that are creating the wrong results. In this case, a bad image. Perhaps here is a place that Krishna Disaster Relief could get some of the funds it needs—by dismissing any public relations firms now being paid by ISKCON and instead using the laxmi to produce the actions that this blueprint is suggesting.

This book is taking a look into the next century. In it I am proposing a certain set of actions that I feel that ISKCON should embrace with great enthusiasm. I feel that disaster relief is the right action to highlight in the next century. ISKCON has some of the brightest and most talented people on the face of the Earth. Let them put this plan into motion. I know that this kind of activity will produce a wonderful relationship with the world’s public.

But please don’t misunderstand me. I am not saying that Krishna Disaster Relief is the only right action. This would be ridiculous. But it is true that right actions produce right results and this is the magnifying glass that ISKCON should always use to examine itself with—especially if there is some dissatisfaction with the way we are judged by the public.

I ended the last chapter talking about the "How To Help" boxes. Presenting Lord Krishna as the greatest hero will automatically produce the most wonderful results, imaginable. But be careful. If we say that we are involved in helping out at a particular disaster, then let’s be 100% positive that we are in fact doing so. The director of Krishna Disaster Relief has to make this his/her top priority—to insure (and document) our truthfulness in this matter. If not, as soon as we slip up the press is going to point their finger at us and yell for all to hear: "I told you so." It’s a bit ironic how a religion based on truthfulness has such a bad reputation about this very thing.

Regardless of past problems or even current negatives perceived about ISKCON by the public, the thing that will bulldoze this to the side is to simply stay on course with right actions. Right results will certainly follow. Results that all the assembled devotees will cheer about—guaranteed.