By: Nadiya sasadhara Das Posted on November 11, 2019
Recently the GBC passed a resolution permitting female diksha gurus (FDG’s) in ISKCON on 15th October 2019. It came as a great surprise and anguish to many. Surprise, because they did not properly discuss the issue, especially with the ISKCON India leaders who had requested for a dialogue on FDG with the GBC before any resolution on it.
India contains 80% – 90% of the total number of ISKCON devotees in the world, so by not involving Indian leaders in this decision, the GBC effectively excluded 80 – 90% of ISKCON from this process. And anguish, as Srila Prabhupada’s vision of ISKCON establishing Varnasrama, although largely ignored all these years by the GBC seemed to now have been decidedly abandoned by it with this action, thus putting us (ISKCON) in spiritual peril due to guror avajna.
In December 2013 the GBC EC released a document on Dandavats (a GBC owned website) which they termed; ‘A GBC Foundational Document’, authored by Ravindra Svarupa Dasa, a member of the GBC (but retired since 2014). The GBC said that they fully endorsed the document. In the beginning of this document is a note from the GBC EC which elaborates on the position of Srila Prabhupada as the founder acharya and in a central role in the movement and stated that keeping Srila Prabhupada in that position in our movement is the main purpose of this document.
However, we find later on that the document also contains statements to the effect that the GBC is not just the highest managerial authority in ISKCON but also the spiritual successor to Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada is the founder acarya of ISKCON and thus his teachings are (or should be) the main instruction for guiding the movement.
So the GBC saying that it is the spiritual successor to Srila Prabhupada means that it should be following Srila Prabhupada on all philosophical points and spiritual decisions. We have seen though that this is not the case. Also, consider the following points:
The GBC has shown over the years that their decisions are unfortunately very often not based on Srila Prabhupada’s books and teachings and also not based on Guru, Sadhu and Sastra (see list given below this article).
Srila Prabhupada disbanded the GBC at least once for their incompetence.
After Srila Prabhupada’s time all the GBC members were reviewed for qualifications of their roles in 1987, after some of them had difficulties in their spiritual practice.
The GBC has made serious errors and thus caused serious problems within ISKCON, many of them still plaguing our society.
Srila Prabhupada formed the GBC for managing ISKCON and overseeing spiritual standards he set and never said that their say in spiritual issues should be followed. It makes sense that for spiritual matters guidance should be taken from spiritually elevated and sastrically inclined devotees who may or may not be on the GBC.
We are not saying that we are perfect and never make mistakes. Everyone except perfectly liberated souls makes mistakes from time to time (Bg 15.16). However we have to realize our position and not try and place ourselves on a higher position than we are thus causing confusion and difficulties in the society of devotees.
We should especially not try and usurp the place of Srila Prabhupada. It is also imperative that a body with as much responsibility as the GBC with an important function in ISKCON and the global Vaisnava society, constantly observe their actions and decisions and assess whether they are indeed traveling on the course that they set out to.
Srila Prabhupada setup the GBC for governing ISKCON, but considering the first three points above, how can we accept any guidance from the current GBC anymore? It should be noted that we are not opposed to the institution of the GBC per say but rather we are opposed to its improper functioning. In 1986 after three members of the GBC fell down from spiritual practice a fifty man committee was convened in the next meeting in 1987 to assess the remaining members and their capacity for carrying out their duty as GBC members.
Therefore we see that the idea of holding the GBC accountable is not unprecedented. Even before that Srila Prabhupada disbanded the GBC at least once, no doubt due to its improper functioning.
For the attention of the devotees, and to elaborate on my points above we have included a list below which chronicles the numerous deviations, misconceptions and blunders that the GBC has been promoting, carrying out or neglecting to correct. Research into this area uncovered an alarming amount of deviations, personal agendas, neglect and incompetence that resulted in serious problems in ISKCON today, most of which are still plaguing our society.
Even the main task of the GBC which was to oversee and maintain spiritual standards has largely been abandoned with many GBC members themselves displaying gross violations of conduct such as sannyasis closely associating with women, maintaining luxurious apartments in the Vrindavan and Mayapur dhams, introducing mundane welfare work etc.
Has the time now come to disband the GBC, assess the qualification of its members and its mission as given by Srila Prabhupada?
I would think so, and judging from the increasing volume of articles published on online websites and social networks wherein devotees are now expressing their dissatisfaction en mass with the GBC as well as the growing list of their deviations, it seems like a lot of devotees in ISKCON also think the same way. I let the reader judge for himself though after studying the list below and seeing the seriousness of the situation.
We now begin a three part serial presentation on deviations, misconceptions and blunders by the GBC showing the scale of the damage done. Herein, we will publish a total of 63 entries of the above in three parts. This list of the first twenty appears below.
There is an English saying that ‘a problem realized is half the problem solved’. We appeal to concerned devotees to forward any entries that they feel are not on this list including the dates and relevant details so that we can cover everything and begin collectively seeing the next course of action towards getting back our purity by returning to an ISKCON with a leadership based strictly on Srila Prabhupada’s books (as he desired). We urge everyone to participate. This is for the future of our movement. Please send your entries to; Nadiya sasadhara Das
[magicblue27@yandex.com].
The Robin George lawsuit. (1976)
The GBC is unbalanced in that it gives too much weight to the unproductive and regressive zones like North America (GBC NA) so that their failed policies are pushed on India and rest of the world, like Russia, which is now having the same problems. (1977 to the present)
Supporting so many fallen GBCs, Gurus, Sannyasis, even with evidence in hand that should have spurred action; (Kirtanananda, Jayatirtha, Hansadutta, Bhavananda, Hridayananda, Radhanath, Sacinandana… The list is very large and across 40 years); (1977 - present).
Not giving proper importance to the gurukula system thus allowing rampant child abuse to take place and killing the soul of ISKCON children. (1977)
The ongoing deplorable child abuse situation; (1977 to date)
Mismanaging the Hyderabad farm such that by not following Srila Prabhupada’s specific instruction (he really knew trust law) we ended up losing 525 acres of land which is now prime land worth several crores/acre. (1977 to the present).
Politicking to bring B.V. Narayan in as Acarya; (ended in 1995)
The Zonal Acarya System and their reliance on the July 9th Letter to support it; (1978 -1986)
The Eleven Acarya selection or “Guru Board” constitution/creation in 1978.
Going to Sridhar Swami of the Gaudiya Math for advice; ( 1978-1982)
Not dealing strongly or in a timely manner with Hrdayananda Das Goswami which has led to a litany of problems. (1980’s to present)
The GBC resolution that Bhavananda could resume initiating if for six months if he wasn’t caught having homosex. (Mid 1980’s)
The sale of the Manhattan Temple, New York, ISKCON’s Flagship temple with 12 storeys (1983).
Totally mismanaging their zones so that in the vast majority of temples in North and South America (other places too) there are more Deities than devotees at mangala arotika when previously the temples were full, and yet wanting to tell other successful zones like ISKCON India how to manage their zones by implementing their same failed policies. (1986 to the present)
Recently the GBC passed a resolution permitting female diksha gurus (FDG’s) in ISKCON on 15th October 2019. It came as a great surprise and anguish to many. Surprise, because they did not properly discuss the issue, especially with the ISKCON India leaders who had requested for a dialogue on FDG with the GBC before any resolution on it.
India contains 80% – 90% of the total number of ISKCON devotees in the world, so by not involving Indian leaders in this decision, the GBC effectively excluded 80 – 90% of ISKCON from this process. And anguish, as Srila Prabhupada’s vision of ISKCON establishing Varnasrama, although largely ignored all these years by the GBC seemed to now have been decidedly abandoned by it with this action, thus putting us (ISKCON) in spiritual peril due to guror avajna.
In December 2013 the GBC EC released a document on Dandavats (a GBC owned website) which they termed; ‘A GBC Foundational Document’, authored by Ravindra Svarupa Dasa, a member of the GBC (but retired since 2014). The GBC said that they fully endorsed the document. In the beginning of this document is a note from the GBC EC which elaborates on the position of Srila Prabhupada as the founder acharya and in a central role in the movement and stated that keeping Srila Prabhupada in that position in our movement is the main purpose of this document.
However, we find later on that the document also contains statements to the effect that the GBC is not just the highest managerial authority in ISKCON but also the spiritual successor to Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada is the founder acarya of ISKCON and thus his teachings are (or should be) the main instruction for guiding the movement.
So the GBC saying that it is the spiritual successor to Srila Prabhupada means that it should be following Srila Prabhupada on all philosophical points and spiritual decisions. We have seen though that this is not the case. Also, consider the following points:
The GBC has shown over the years that their decisions are unfortunately very often not based on Srila Prabhupada’s books and teachings and also not based on Guru, Sadhu and Sastra (see list given below this article).
Srila Prabhupada disbanded the GBC at least once for their incompetence.
After Srila Prabhupada’s time all the GBC members were reviewed for qualifications of their roles in 1987, after some of them had difficulties in their spiritual practice.
The GBC has made serious errors and thus caused serious problems within ISKCON, many of them still plaguing our society.
Srila Prabhupada formed the GBC for managing ISKCON and overseeing spiritual standards he set and never said that their say in spiritual issues should be followed. It makes sense that for spiritual matters guidance should be taken from spiritually elevated and sastrically inclined devotees who may or may not be on the GBC.
We are not saying that we are perfect and never make mistakes. Everyone except perfectly liberated souls makes mistakes from time to time (Bg 15.16). However we have to realize our position and not try and place ourselves on a higher position than we are thus causing confusion and difficulties in the society of devotees.
We should especially not try and usurp the place of Srila Prabhupada. It is also imperative that a body with as much responsibility as the GBC with an important function in ISKCON and the global Vaisnava society, constantly observe their actions and decisions and assess whether they are indeed traveling on the course that they set out to.
Srila Prabhupada setup the GBC for governing ISKCON, but considering the first three points above, how can we accept any guidance from the current GBC anymore? It should be noted that we are not opposed to the institution of the GBC per say but rather we are opposed to its improper functioning. In 1986 after three members of the GBC fell down from spiritual practice a fifty man committee was convened in the next meeting in 1987 to assess the remaining members and their capacity for carrying out their duty as GBC members.
Therefore we see that the idea of holding the GBC accountable is not unprecedented. Even before that Srila Prabhupada disbanded the GBC at least once, no doubt due to its improper functioning.
For the attention of the devotees, and to elaborate on my points above we have included a list below which chronicles the numerous deviations, misconceptions and blunders that the GBC has been promoting, carrying out or neglecting to correct. Research into this area uncovered an alarming amount of deviations, personal agendas, neglect and incompetence that resulted in serious problems in ISKCON today, most of which are still plaguing our society.
Even the main task of the GBC which was to oversee and maintain spiritual standards has largely been abandoned with many GBC members themselves displaying gross violations of conduct such as sannyasis closely associating with women, maintaining luxurious apartments in the Vrindavan and Mayapur dhams, introducing mundane welfare work etc.
Has the time now come to disband the GBC, assess the qualification of its members and its mission as given by Srila Prabhupada?
I would think so, and judging from the increasing volume of articles published on online websites and social networks wherein devotees are now expressing their dissatisfaction en mass with the GBC as well as the growing list of their deviations, it seems like a lot of devotees in ISKCON also think the same way. I let the reader judge for himself though after studying the list below and seeing the seriousness of the situation.
We now begin a three part serial presentation on deviations, misconceptions and blunders by the GBC showing the scale of the damage done. Herein, we will publish a total of 63 entries of the above in three parts. This list of the first twenty appears below.
There is an English saying that ‘a problem realized is half the problem solved’. We appeal to concerned devotees to forward any entries that they feel are not on this list including the dates and relevant details so that we can cover everything and begin collectively seeing the next course of action towards getting back our purity by returning to an ISKCON with a leadership based strictly on Srila Prabhupada’s books (as he desired). We urge everyone to participate. This is for the future of our movement. Please send your entries to; Nadiya sasadhara Das
[magicblue27@yandex.com].
The Robin George lawsuit. (1976)
The GBC is unbalanced in that it gives too much weight to the unproductive and regressive zones like North America (GBC NA) so that their failed policies are pushed on India and rest of the world, like Russia, which is now having the same problems. (1977 to the present)
Supporting so many fallen GBCs, Gurus, Sannyasis, even with evidence in hand that should have spurred action; (Kirtanananda, Jayatirtha, Hansadutta, Bhavananda, Hridayananda, Radhanath, Sacinandana… The list is very large and across 40 years); (1977 - present).
Not giving proper importance to the gurukula system thus allowing rampant child abuse to take place and killing the soul of ISKCON children. (1977)
The ongoing deplorable child abuse situation; (1977 to date)
Mismanaging the Hyderabad farm such that by not following Srila Prabhupada’s specific instruction (he really knew trust law) we ended up losing 525 acres of land which is now prime land worth several crores/acre. (1977 to the present).
Pradyumna Prabhu, Srila Prabhupada’s Sanskrit editor, wrote a letter to the GBC warning them not to imitate Srila Prabhupada and do what turned out to be the Zonal Acarya fiasco. Not only was he ignored but the GBC sent a group of “Storm Troopers” headed by Hrdayanand das Goswami to verbally and politically attack him and succeeded in driving him out of Vrndavana and ISKCON. The predictions in his letter came out to be true to the letter and in 1998, 20 years after the fact and after all the damage was done they the sent him a letter of apology. (1977 – 78)
Politicking to bring B.V. Narayan in as Acarya; (ended in 1995)
The Zonal Acarya System and their reliance on the July 9th Letter to support it; (1978 -1986)
The Eleven Acarya selection or “Guru Board” constitution/creation in 1978.
The Acarya Committee ; constant changes in definitions, including; definitions of ‘ultimate managing authority’; (1977 to present).
Going to Sridhar Swami of the Gaudiya Math for advice; ( 1978-1982)
Not dealing strongly or in a timely manner with Hrdayananda Das Goswami which has led to a litany of problems. (1980’s to present)
The GBC resolution that Bhavananda could resume initiating if for six months if he wasn’t caught having homosex. (Mid 1980’s)
The sale of the Manhattan Temple, New York, ISKCON’s Flagship temple with 12 storeys (1983).
The Bhavananda scam and vote to retain him as Guru/GBC in (1985)
Totally mismanaging their zones so that in the vast majority of temples in North and South America (other places too) there are more Deities than devotees at mangala arotika when previously the temples were full, and yet wanting to tell other successful zones like ISKCON India how to manage their zones by implementing their same failed policies. (1986 to the present)
Compromising with secular and degenerative modernistic values. (Mid 1990’s to the present).
Creating the GBC deputies, several of whom are women, and who as gate keepers of the GBC strongly determine what the GBC votes on. (mid 1990’s)
Formally using the term “Prabhu” for women in all their work and thus creating unnecessary conflict in ISKCON. (1990’s to date)
Once again the email id to send your entries is;
Nadiya sasadhara Das
[magicblue27@yandex.com].
Formally using the term “Prabhu” for women in all their work and thus creating unnecessary conflict in ISKCON. (1990’s to date)
Once again the email id to send your entries is;
Nadiya sasadhara Das
[magicblue27@yandex.com].
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