GBC’s Ritvik Philosophy
Back To Prabhupada, Issue 35, Spring 2012
The IRM's success is evidenced by BTP now regularly presenting documentation of ISKCON adopting the IRM's position. Thus, the debate is no longer about who is correct, but only over how long it will take ISKCON to start implementing in practice what they are already agreeing with verbally. Below, we detail a lecture given by GBC member Hari Vilasa Das in Mayapur at the start of the GBC meetings on 21/2/2012. All quotes in the shaded panels are from the said lecture, and from start to finish Hari Vilasa Das presents the same position as that of the IRM.
The Sri Sri Gurv-asataka prayers are meant to be sung in glorification of one's spiritual master, and all Prabhupada disciples sing them to Srila Prabhupada every morning. Hari Vilasa Das speaks of them being used by everyone in ISKCON to glorify Srila Prabhupada as the spiritual master in the same manner. One significant point, which is repeated throughout his lecture, is that Hari Vilasa Das makes no distinction between himself and anyone else in ISKCON ("we/us") whenever he refers to the bona fide "spiritual master" and Srila Prabhupada. Thus, he does not distinguish between Srila Prabhupada's relationship with himself as his spiritual master, which is as his diksa guru, and Srila Prabhupada's relationship with everyone else in ISKCON.
The scriptures tell us that we must find and have faith in the bona fide spiritual master. Hari Vilasa Das states here that this personality is Srila Prabhupada.
Hari Vilasa Das names Srila Prabhupada as the bona fide spiritual master whom one has to please in order to advance in spiritual life. Interestingly, Hari Vilasa Das also compares Srila Prabhupada's position to Jesus and Muhammed, and also he states that Srila Prabhupada is the "person bhagavata" who can be served by us - "nityam bhagavata-sevaya". This latter point is significant since it is argued by guru hoax proponents that the need to serve the person bhagavata must refer to a physically present "living" guru.
Hari Vilasa Das states that one must serve the spiritual master to be liberated, and mentions that this is Srila Prabhupada.
Hari Vilasa Das bases the whole process of devotional service only around the need to hear and serve Srila Prabhupada - not anyone else.
Although it is claimed that we require a "living" ISKCON GBC guru because the guru needs to "train" us, Hari Vilasa Das states that Srila Prabhupada fulfils this function.
Hari Vilasa Das here agrees with the POP (Prabhupada-Only Paradigm) model put forward by the IRM, which means we should accept as our authority only the directly recorded words of Srila Prabhupada.
Hari Vilasa Das clarifies that the ISKCON entity who conducts initiations is no more than a "mentor", which is the same relationship that pre-'77 Prabhupada disciples - many of whom never even met Srila Prabhupada - had with other god-brothers who helped them in Krishna consciousness.
Hari Vilasa Das, through detailing the role and function of Srila Prabhupada in the life of every ISKCON devotee, makes it clear that only accepting, glorifying, serving, pleasing, following, and hearing Srila Prabhupada as the bona fide spiritual master of ISKCON is required to practise devotional service and be liberated. No mention is made of the need for the ISKCON GBC "guru", other than at most as merely a type of teacher. Thus Hari Vilasa Das agrees with the IRM that Srila Prabhupada, and not the ISKCON GBC guru, is giving diksa.
Please chant: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Hare, Hare,
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama, Rama, Hare, Hare. And be Happy!