Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 4, No. 2, 2005, Page 34
Book Reviews
Servant of the Lotus Feet: A Hare Krishna Odyssey
S. Gabriel Brandis, Universe, Inc. (New York, 2004)
In a memoir that reads like a novel, Gabriel Brandis recounts his experience in the Hare
Krishna Movement, aka International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), from
1980 to 1984. The story begins at the end of his freshman year at Bucks County
Community College in Pennsylvania. He travels to Boston College, hoping to transfer there
for his last two years. Instead of college counselors and grant administrators, he meets
Hare Krishna devotees, joins their temple on Commonwealth Avenue, and drops out of
college.
Gabriel takes some hard knocks in school that contribute to his decision to drop out. For
example, his bicycle ―disappears‖ after his roommate cleans out the garage, and then he is
fired from his job at the library. He comments, ―I soon realized that contempt for
materialism caused me to lose my job‖ (p. 11). Gabriel intended to work through these
setbacks and finish college. However, what ISKCON promised was too good to turn down: a
life of spiritual bliss, free from the ordinary frustrations of the material world.
Gabriel explains that unresolved issues with his family, especially his parents‘ divorce, made
him vulnerable to joining the temple. He describes visits with his father as ―inevitable
torment‖ (p. 9). He recalls a story from childhood when he tried to set his father up in a
fight with another kid‘s father. When his father wouldn‘t fight, Gabriel recalls thinking, ―He
wasn‘t the tough guy with the leather strap I thought he was‖ (p. 10). The reader gets the
message that Gabriel‘s ongoing conflict with his father is a major factor in his need to
belong to the cult.
He cites the failure of his religious Jewish upbringing to engage him spiritually and his
lifelong search for a meaningful spiritual way of life as the third reason he was drawn into
full commitment so easily. (I joined ISKCON under a similar set of circumstances for similar
reasons. I was coming up to the end of college, still carrying grief and buried anger over my
parents‘ divorce, and was not interested in the prospects of a ―material‖ career. Like
Gabriel, I was searching for a spiritual way of life.)
Although Gabriel Brandis doesn‘t come out and say it, the book shows that ISKCON‘s skill at
recruiting new members often outweighs the desires of young people to face life‘s battles on
their own. ISKCON appeared to offer him a loving family of spiritual friends, great food, and
answers to all spiritual questions and longings. Like so many who joined up, Gabriel had
seen ISKCON literature in libraries and had become interested in the philosophy before
meeting ISKCON recruiters.
He meets devotees in the park, visits the temple the next day, and stays overnight. Based
on this brief encounter, he decides to drop out of college and move in. It all happens very
quickly. He comments:
I had always believed that there are no accidents in life. Conversations with the
Krishna devotees over those past couple days led me to a transparent door on one
side was the mundane reality of Commonwealth Avenue, and on the other the
eternal glory of the spiritual world. Having considered the situation, I decided to
embrace the monastic life (p. 22).
There may be no accidents in life, but there definitely are traps. I know from personal
experience that ISKCON is on the lookout for spiritual seekers who appear lost. Their
recruiters are trained to single such people out and help them frame their experiences in
terms of a destiny to join up.
Book Reviews
Servant of the Lotus Feet: A Hare Krishna Odyssey
S. Gabriel Brandis, Universe, Inc. (New York, 2004)
In a memoir that reads like a novel, Gabriel Brandis recounts his experience in the Hare
Krishna Movement, aka International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), from
1980 to 1984. The story begins at the end of his freshman year at Bucks County
Community College in Pennsylvania. He travels to Boston College, hoping to transfer there
for his last two years. Instead of college counselors and grant administrators, he meets
Hare Krishna devotees, joins their temple on Commonwealth Avenue, and drops out of
college.
Gabriel takes some hard knocks in school that contribute to his decision to drop out. For
example, his bicycle ―disappears‖ after his roommate cleans out the garage, and then he is
fired from his job at the library. He comments, ―I soon realized that contempt for
materialism caused me to lose my job‖ (p. 11). Gabriel intended to work through these
setbacks and finish college. However, what ISKCON promised was too good to turn down: a
life of spiritual bliss, free from the ordinary frustrations of the material world.
Gabriel explains that unresolved issues with his family, especially his parents‘ divorce, made
him vulnerable to joining the temple. He describes visits with his father as ―inevitable
torment‖ (p. 9). He recalls a story from childhood when he tried to set his father up in a
fight with another kid‘s father. When his father wouldn‘t fight, Gabriel recalls thinking, ―He
wasn‘t the tough guy with the leather strap I thought he was‖ (p. 10). The reader gets the
message that Gabriel‘s ongoing conflict with his father is a major factor in his need to
belong to the cult.
He cites the failure of his religious Jewish upbringing to engage him spiritually and his
lifelong search for a meaningful spiritual way of life as the third reason he was drawn into
full commitment so easily. (I joined ISKCON under a similar set of circumstances for similar
reasons. I was coming up to the end of college, still carrying grief and buried anger over my
parents‘ divorce, and was not interested in the prospects of a ―material‖ career. Like
Gabriel, I was searching for a spiritual way of life.)
Although Gabriel Brandis doesn‘t come out and say it, the book shows that ISKCON‘s skill at
recruiting new members often outweighs the desires of young people to face life‘s battles on
their own. ISKCON appeared to offer him a loving family of spiritual friends, great food, and
answers to all spiritual questions and longings. Like so many who joined up, Gabriel had
seen ISKCON literature in libraries and had become interested in the philosophy before
meeting ISKCON recruiters.
He meets devotees in the park, visits the temple the next day, and stays overnight. Based
on this brief encounter, he decides to drop out of college and move in. It all happens very
quickly. He comments:
I had always believed that there are no accidents in life. Conversations with the
Krishna devotees over those past couple days led me to a transparent door on one
side was the mundane reality of Commonwealth Avenue, and on the other the
eternal glory of the spiritual world. Having considered the situation, I decided to
embrace the monastic life (p. 22).
There may be no accidents in life, but there definitely are traps. I know from personal
experience that ISKCON is on the lookout for spiritual seekers who appear lost. Their
recruiters are trained to single such people out and help them frame their experiences in
terms of a destiny to join up.
