What Kind of Guru are You? (Gauridas Pandit das)

What Kind of Guru Are You?

Many of the devotees are claiming to be guru's but what kind of guru are they? What did Srila Prabhupada say about it?

Some say only Srila Prabhupada is the guru and that's it. There are various opinions about the guru in and out of ISKCON. Many have left ISKCON because of the guru issue. It remains a controversial subject matter. This subject needs to be considered again by the GBC members. Otherwise, the arguments remain with the mass of devotees where it shouldn't be. Due to a lack of knowledge and improper preaching from the movements leaders offenses are being committed against sincere devotees and Srila Prabhupada himself! This needs to stop and the GBC needs to do their jobs for all our good.

My understanding is that Srila Prabhupada instructed us all to be Siksa guru's while he is both our Siksa and Diksa delivering guru. We should be training all the devotees how to be good disciples of Srila Prabhupada by following him through his books, talks and disciples. We will all leave our bodies in a few more years but Srila Prabhupada will remain the main guru of ISKCON at least throughout this Golden Age of Lord Chaitanya.

I am qualified to speak on this subject because I was serving Srila Prabhupada when he decided to leave his body and made his final arrangements for how his movement would run after his physical departure. When Srila Prabhupada first announced that he went to Vrindavan to leave his body, devotees started to wonder if he would appoint a successor so Tamal Krsna Maharaja asked Srila Prabhupada that question.

Srila Prabhupada answered that he would appoint Ritvik Representatives who would initiate disciples on his behalf. Hearing that TKG knew what Srila Prabhupada instructed. At the GBC meeting on May 28th 1977 Satvarupa Maharaja asked Srila Prabhupada how initiations would go on after his departure to which Srila Prabhupada said he would appoint Officiating Acharya's. TKG asked if that was the same as a Ritvik to which Srila Prabhupada replied, "Ritvik, yes."

Later on July 5th 1977 I was fanning Srila Prabhupada in his garden in Vrindavan as the secretary Tamal Krsna Maharaja was reading letters from devotees to Srila Prabhupada to him. They were asking for permission to initiate devotees. Srila Prabhupada had put a hold on initiations due to his ill health. He said he would soon appoint Ritvik Acharya's who would initiate disciples on his behalf. 

Two days later on July 7th he dictated a letter that was typed up by the secretary and heard and signed by Srila Prabhupada on July 9th 1977. That letter was addressed to all temple presidents and GBC's. That is a major policy document and Srila Prabhupada's final instructions on initiations for his ISKCON Movement henceforward as he said. He never appointed any guru's. That was confirmed by his secretary Tamal KG, in 1980 in his famous Pyramid House talks on this subject.

It's really a simple subject but has been misunderstood and misinterpreted for 39 years now!

Dear GBC Members,

Let's do something substantial for Srila Prabhupada and his most precious movement on this 50th Year Anniversary Celebration. Let's meet and discuss the facts like gentlemen and women should. Let's come out of the dark ages and into the light of this Golden Age of Lord Chaitanya. I am ready to meet with you at your convenience and help resolve this matter once and for all.

Your servant,

Gauridasa Pandita Dasa

'On My Behalf'

http://www.harekrsna.de/reform/e_pr_omb.htm