| In Their
Own Words PART A: Srila Prabhupada is ISKCON�s Diksa Guru |
Spring 2008
Hare
Krishna and welcome to the second Back To Prabhupada (BTP)
Special Issue!
The first BTP Special Issue was a summary edition in which we proved using Srila Prabhupada�s statements that he alone is the diksa Guru (initiating spiritual master) for ISKCON. In this second special issue, entitled "In their own words", we now prove, through the use of over 100 quotes exclusively from ISKCON�s leadership, that even ISKCON�s leadership itself has been forced to agree with virtually every one of the conclusions of the ISKCON Revival Movement (IRM).
"In their own words" is a compilation of teachings from ISKCON�s leaders as given in the panel below:
| GBC (Governing Body Commission)*
HH Tamala Krishna Goswami, (late) ISKCON
guru and GBC |
As can be seen, those who have been quoted constitute a veritable
listing of ISKCON�s current leadership, including the full GBC body
itself.
On the following pages, you will read a key IRM conclusion regarding
Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON (which we have already established using
Srila Prabhupada� statements in the first
BTP Special Issue,
other BTP issues and
our position papers such as
The Final Order), followed by copious quotes from ISKCON�s
leadership agreeing to the same. So without further ado let us hear
directly from ISKCON�s leaders themselves, and read for ourselves just
what they are saying now, "In their own words".
Please feel free to
write to me at the following address if you have any questions,
criticisms or comments:
irm@iskconirm.com.
Thank you and Hare Krishna. Yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada,
Krishnakant
| 1. Srila Prabhupada only ordered ritviks (priests), not gurus |
IRM says:
Srila Prabhupada only appointed ritviks to act on his behalf, who were never ordered to cease acting as ritviks, and therefore should have remained as ritviks (modification "A" from The Final Order).
ISKCON�s leadership says:
"Actually Prabhupada never appointed any gurus. He appointed eleven
ritviks.
He never appointed them gurus. Myself and the other GBC have done the
greatest disservice to this movement the last three years because we
interpreted the appointment of ritviks as the appointment of gurus."
(HH
Tamala Krishna Goswami, Topanga Canyon, December 3rd, 1980)
> "After Srila Prabhupada named some disciples to initiate. . . "
(this is a quote from the now withdrawn GBC paper "On
My Order Understood").
"This is a finesse. To initiate *whom*? In context (events in July
1977), the only straightforward answer is "To initiate people who would
then become Srila Prabhupada�s disciples."
(HH
Jayadvaita Swami, analysis of the �May 28th, 1977 Conversation�, 13th
December, 2003, accepted by GBC)
"The conversation with Tamal was referring to the assumption that the
11 rtviks chosen to initiate on
Prabhupada�s behalf during his presences did not automatically become
the next acaryas
or initiating
spiritual masters. Mostly everyone agrees with this."
(HH
Janananda Goswami, personal letter, 2005)
Bhakti Charu Swami:
Actually, one of the questions is that whether Prabhupada really
appointed them as guru. Because so far we didn�t find the... enough
proof to confirm that...
Sridhara Maharaja:
What is the basis of
the acaryas?
Bhakti
Charu Swami: That is
Prabhupada said that they can be ritviks.
Sridhara
Maharaja: They can be?
Bhakti
Charu Swami: ritvik.
Sridhara
Maharaja: ritvik.
Bhakti
Charu Swami: Yes, on
behalf of Prabhupada they can initiate.
Sridhara Maharaja:
During his lifetime.
During his lifetime these eleven were appointed as his assistant. They
could also initiate during his lifetime?
Bhakti Charu Swami:
No, not during his
lifetime. During his lifetime . . . they can initiate on behalf of
Prabhupada. But after Prabhupada left, who will initiate Prabhupada did
not clearly mention. This doubt is coming up now. [�] "Who is
initiating�he is grand-disciple." Here it sounds that Prabhupada is
saying that actually they are Prabhupada�s disciples. Who is initiating?
Who is actually initiating? Prabhupada is initiating�
(HH
Bhakti Charu Swami Conversation with Sridhara Maharaja, Navadvipa,
Mayapur, August 18th, 1980)
| 2. The ritviks unauthorisedly became diksa gurus |
IRM says:
The ritviks were never
ordered to turn into diksa gurus, and
their doing so usurped Srila Prabhupada�s position as ISKCON�s diksa Guru
(modification "B" from The Final Order).
ISKCON�s leadership says:
"Srila
Prabhupada never said �here are the next eleven acaryas,
and they are authorised gurus for the movement�. He did not do that."
(HG Ravindra Svarupa Das, San Diego Debate Video, 1990)
"Srila Prabhupada did not appoint anyone to be guru for the future."
(HH Jayadvaita Swami, San Diego Debate Video, 1990)
"But
the problem started when some individuals became gurus after Srila
Prabhupada�s disappearance. They were inexperienced and so naturally
prone to make mistakes. One of the biggest mistakes they made was to
behave like Srila Prabhupada when they became gurus. Literally this
meant, what Srila Prabhupada was to his disciples, the gurus became to
their disciples."
(HH Bhakti Caru Swami, Disciple�s meeting, Text PAMHO6829041, May
19th, 2003)
[Note: For a
guru to become to his disciples the same as Srila Prabhupada was to his
disciples, is to be his successor diksa guru. This is "one of the
biggest mistakes".]
"I strongly believe that if the gurus had acted as Srila Prabhupada�s
obedient followers and represented him properly, then they would not
have fallen down. The cause of their fall down was actually their
offenses to Srila Prabhupada in trying to usurp his position."
(HH Bhakti Caru Swami, Text PAMHO7428765, November 3rd, 2003)
| 3. ISKCON disciples should be initiated by Srila Prabhupada |
IRM says:
All members of
ISKCON should belong to Srila Prabhupada as his initiated disciples.
ISKCON�s leadership says:
"Like some
individuals are very open, like Bhakti Marg Maharaja, he is kind of,
even, he was telling me yesterday when he gives initiation he tells his
disciples that you are actually Prabhupada�s disciple and I am taking
care of you, trying to help you to become engaged in Srila Prabhupada�s
mission. Now that�s actually the crux of the whole thing, that if
everybody understands and make that point clear to their disciples then
I think that a lot of our problems will be solved."
(HH
Bhakti Caru Swami, Toronto meeting, July 20th, 2003)
"Like one of the main things is that we have to understand is that in
ISKCON everything belongs to Srila Prabhupada, not only the assets and
properties belong to Srila Prabhupada, but even the individuals also
belong to Srila Prabhupada. That point has to be very, very clearly
established in the sense that everybody knows that all temple and all
the assets belong to Srila Prabhupada. But what about the devotees
who join ISKCON � who do they belong to? The way it is becoming
nowadays, why the Society is becoming fragmented is because the new
devotees, when they become initiated somehow it is felt that they become
the assets of the gurus and as a result of that our society is becoming
fragmented. But on the other hand, if we consider, if we have the
understanding very clear that actually everybody belongs to Srila
Prabhupada and the structure Srila Prabhupada created is going to take
care of those devotees. The structure of ISKCON is meant to take care of
those devotees who join for thousands of years to come."
(HH Bhakti Caru Swami, Toronto meeting, July 20th, 2003)
"I make it very clear to them that disciples in ISKCON do not belong
to their gurus; they belong to Srila Prabhupada."
(HH
Bhakti Caru Swami Istagosthi,
April 22nd, 2006)
| 4. ISKCON meant only for Srila Prabhupada�s disciples |
IRM says:
ISKCON is an institution meant to train all who come to it to be Srila
Prabhupada�s disciples.
ISKCON�s leadership says:
"Usually the guru has an ashram and his disciples come to the ashram and get trained by the guru. [�] ISKCON is Srila Prabhupada�s ashram. [�] Generally the guru has an ashram and he hands over the authority of the ashram to one disciple. He appoints a successor. But Srila Prabhupada didn�t do that in ISKCON. [...] Rather Prabhupada wanted us to manage the society collectively through the Governing Body."
(HH Bhakti Caru Swami Disciples Meeting, August 1st, 2007)
[
Note: The example of the diksa guru who would train disciples in his ashram is used to illustrate how the Vedic tradition regarding diksa would normally function. Bhakti Charu Swami admits that now we simply have a bigger ashram, ISKCON, whose Guru Srila Prabhupada was never replaced by a successor.]
| 5. Srila Prabhupada gives diksa by transmitting divya-jnana |
IRM says:
The
diksa
Guru transmits
divya-jnana
(transcendental
knowledge which destroys sinful reactions), and this is transmitted by
Srila Prabhupada.
ISKCON�s leadership says:
"Such uplifting knowledge is called divya jnana, and its transmission is called siksa. This divya jnana is the principle active ingredient of diksa."
(No. 404, GBC Resolutions 1999)
[
Note: But all the "pre-eminent", "essential" and "empowering" siksa, i.e. "uplifting knowledge", transmitted in ISKCON is received from Srila Prabhupada alone]:"ISKCON�s founder-
acarya, Srila Prabhupada, is the pre-eminent and compulsory siksa-guru for all vaisnavas (gurus and disciples) in the Society, who may directly receive empowerment from him through allegiance to his teachings."(No. 409, GBC Resolutions 1999)
"Srila Prabhupada�s instructions are the essential
teachings for every ISKCON devotee."
(GBC Resolution 35, Founder-acarya
Statement,
1994)
"The diksa guru
obviously gives siksa.
The diksa is based on
siksa. [...] Not only
that, but since we are not putting the importance on
siksa, Srila
Prabhupada�s position as the pre-eminent
siksa guru of this
movement for all the devotees for all time has been minimized."
(HH Bhakti Caru Swami giving
Srimad-Bhagavatam
Class on October
5th, 2000 in Vrindavana, India)
[
Note: "According to sastric injunctions, there is no difference between siksa-guru and diksa-guru, and generally the siksa-guru later on becomes the diksa-guru."(Srimad-Bhagavatam, 4:12:32 purport)
"Generally a spiritual master who constantly instructs a disciple in
spiritual science becomes his initiating spiritual master later on."
(Sri
Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila,
1:35, purport)]
| 6. Surrender must be to the diksa Guru - Srila Prabhupada |
IRM says:
We
can surrender to Krishna only by first surrendering to the via medium of
the diksa
Guru. In ISKCON, this
diksa
Guru is Srila
Prabhupada.
ISKCON�s leadership says:
"Diksa
is the process
through which one actually surrenders to Krsna through the agency and
via medium of the representative of Krsna, the spiritual master."
(HH
Bhakti Caru Swami Disciples Meeting, August 1st, 2007)
"Why do we hesitate to tell a newcomer who is searching for a guru that Srila Prabhupada, the best guru the world has ever seen, is still here, and one can surrender unto him and go back to Godhead very easily?"
(HH Bhakti Caru Swami Offering to Srila Prabhupada, October 31st, 2000)
Q: "In Bhagavad-gita Krsna tells us to surrender to the spiritual master. Although in the temple we receive guidance from many senior devotees still somehow the relation between the guru and disciple is very unique. We have the relation with the temple president and other temple authorities to guide and correct us as spiritual masters but sometimes we can�t connect with them in the same way."
A: " [�] Now let us
come to your point. Yes devotees need qualified a spiritual master and I
will say in ISKCON we have the most qualified spiritual master who is
Srila Prabhupada. And everyone in ISKCON is meant to represent Srila
Prabhupada. In ISKCON who is the ultimate spiritual master? You need a
spiritual master but who is that spiritual master? It is Srila
Prabhupada."
(HH Bhakti Caru Swami Disciples Meeting, August 1st, 2007)
| 7. Srila Prabhupada as diksa Guru delivers ISKCON members |
IRM says:
As
the diksa
Guru of ISKCON, Srila
Prabhupada alone delivers an ISKCON member to Krishna.
ISKCON�s leadership says:
"Generally, a guru establishes a link between Krsna and his disciple. [�] Srila Prabhupada, as the pre-eminent acarya, takes you to Krsna and engages you in His service."
(HH Bhakti Caru Swami Istagosthi, June 10th, 2007)
" � Srila Prabhupada will take you to Krsna."
(HH Bhakti Caru Swami, Durban disciples meeting, April 7th, 2006)
[
Note: This is the definition of the bona fide spiritual master as stated in Srila Prabhupada�s books:"And if you get a bona fide spiritual master, he will take you to Krsna." (Laws of Material Nature, Chapter 1).]
"And certainly we are all depending on Srila Prabhupada to intercede
with Krishna so that we can attain His shelter. [�] He is surely our
guarantee of salvation if we follow his instructions and personal
example in our daily life."
| 8. Srila Prabhupada is a living diksa Guru |
IRM says:
Srila Prabhupada fulfils all the functions of a living diksa Guru, by teaching, inspiring, guiding, chastising, talking with, rewarding, meeting with, giving direct access and bestowing full mercy to every member of ISKCON.
ISKCON�s
leadership says:
"A duly initiated disciple in ISKCON can accept Srila Prabhupada, the founder-
acarya of ISKCON, as his principle siksa-guru. During his devotional life, he may experience that he derives more spiritual inspiration from Srila Prabhupada�s books and vani than from his own diksa-guru."(ISKCON Law 601, GBC Meetings, 2000)
"Let us recognize that Srila Prabhupada has not gone away. Rather, he
has simply disappeared from our vision. Although we are not able to see
him any more with our mundane vision, he is very much there, watching us
from the spiritual sky. He will always be there to guide us, provided we
remain fixed up at his lotus feet. He will reward us when we please him
and he will chastise us if we make mistake."
"As such he (Srila Prabhupada) is the Foundational
siksa guru for all ISKCON devotees. [�] Whether as disciple, grand-disciple, and siksa disciple everyone has a direct access to Srila Prabhupada and His Divine Grace�s full mercy."(HH Jayapataka Swami, Ritvik Theory - Out of The Question, 1998)
"How many millions of such souls are there who have yet to write, who
are directly experiencing your mercy daily, who read your books with
implicit faith, whom you talk to in dreams and pictures, whose lives you
change abruptly and reward with tears when chanting the holy names? [�]
I think these people are meeting you every day."
(HH Sivarama Swami, Srila Prabhupada�s
Vyasa Puja
offering, 1994)
"But in order to improve our attendance and attitudes
at the daily guru-puja,
we have to realize that Srila Prabhupada is present. We must pray for
that realization. We should know that he is present on the
vyasasana; and we
should know that he is pleased by our enthusiastic participation. It is
not a dull routine, but an opportunity to daily meet and glorify Srila
Prabhupada in the most appropriate way."
(Srila
Prabhupada's Pastimes,
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami, Gita-nagari Press)
PART A - CONCLUSION
ISKCON leaders agree with the IRM that:
Srila Prabhupada alone is the
diksa Guru of ISKCON, for ISKCON�s lifetime.