SOCIETY AND INSTITUTION

"Now we have to make our organization regularly a spiritual institution so that we may be recognized, and our students may be freed from this draft board requisition." (Room Conversation -- April 27, 1969, Boston)

Society.....Institution..
How to see Srila Prabhupada's use of these concepts... words...

There is a condition described as "institutionalized" which is very different from "socialized" or "civilized"

An institution more closely resembles a corporation. It is actually ISKCON incorporated non profit. This gives the body of the institution a legal identity.

As in the above sentence quoted from a room conversation, Srila Prabhupada incorporated the society .....as a way to protect it's members from the legal action of the government draft. So the pure spiritual movement took on a political identity, a corporate identity, a business identity......

But this is not the actual society of devotees....The actual society of devotees cannot be incorporated, politicized or transact as a business. The actual society of devotees is spiritual. as per the message of Godhead embodied in the incarnation of Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

We need to understand the position and function of the institution.... ISKCON.... that has been incorporated "within the society of devotees."

All glories to the great acarya Srila Prabhupada.