Sample Of ISKCON GBC Doublespeak (Hee hee!)

The disciple will go to great lengths in order to protect their fallen guru… In actual fact they are not really fallen for they were never elevated to fall down in the first place.

Devotee: “So Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted all his disciples to become a dīkṣā guru?”
Disciple: “Yes, absolutely! He wanted all his direct disciples to become dīkṣā guru.”
Devotee: “No matter what the particular disciple’s level of Kṛṣṇa consciousness?’
Disciple: “What? Yeah! They all are pure devotees,”
Devotee: “All of them? So to please Śrīla Prabhupāda all of them have to become gurus? So then what happens when they all die? Do they also want their disciples to be dīkṣā gurus as well? Or does this only refer to the direct disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda?”
Disciple: “Of course when our gurudev goes back to Kṛṣṇa after his mission here on earth is over we are to become dīkṣā gurus too.”
Devotee: “But isn’t it common practice now that the GBC encourage all disciples of fallen or dead gurus to take shelter of some other ISKCON guru?”
Disciple: “What?” Oh yeah… Well I suppose so, when you think of it. We were all with Kṛṣṇa as gopis like our gurudev but we have forgotten that, some more than others, so we need to be properly trained before we can become pure enough to be a guru.”
Devotee: “So all devotees both trained and untrained are in actual fact gopis, so we are kind of a collection agency that is here to facilitate the return of the reformed gopis back again to be with Kṛṣṇa? So in order to be reformed we have to become gurus to go back to Kṛṣṇa? Only gurus can go back to Godhead?”
Disciple: “I don’t know for sure but that makes sense I suppose so you would have to be a guru to go back to Godhead, why not?”
Devotee: “So let me get this right. Our line is a dīkṣā line specifically designed to facilitate the return of any wayward gopi who wants to return back to Kṛṣṇa. So is this the same for any of the other relationships with Kṛṣṇa like the gopa’s etc? Or is it purely for Gopis?”
Disciple: “Well sure if your guru is a Gopa then you will naturally be attracted to them I suppose.”
Devotee: “Wow that is incredible! I have never read this before anywhere in Śrīla Prabhupāda books can you show me where these quotes are?!”
Disciple: “Well I… not right now but they are there I can assure you! I will ask one of my more senior godbrothers for they have actually read Prabhupāda’s books.”
Devotee: “So you have not made a careful study of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books?”
Disciple: “No. Why would I need to when my spiritual master teaches us all that we need to know.”
Devotee: “So you have never thought to check what you know and believe about Kṛṣṇa consciousness by making your own personal study of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Books and lectures etc.”
Disciple: “Why would I when I have not only my own gurudev’s lectures I have all his wonderful Godbrothers lectures and tapes! They teach us all we need to know to go back to Kṛṣṇa. All glories to Gurudev!”
Devotee: “Prabhu, getting back to the ‘all Śrīla Prabhupāda’s disciples are diska guru’s / gopis…’ You know there are a lot of Śrīla Prabhupāda disciples who believe that Śrīla Prabhupāda did not mean that they were to be dīkṣā gurus; that he was the only diska guru and that he wanted everyone to be śikṣā guru.”
Disciple: “Prabhu I heard that Gurudev says that these devotees are demons in disguise sent to destroy ISKCON from within! You best not associate with these types of devotees for they are demoniac.”
Devotee: “Demons? So not all of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s disciples are to be dīkṣā gurus?”
Disciple: “Only the ones that follow Śrīla Prabhupāda, the rest are demoniac”
Devotee: “So you believe that you only need to hear from your gurudev to understand what is in Śrīla Prabhupāda books and that is enough. But what about when Śrīla Prabhupāda states time and time again that you must read my books?”
Disciple: “Yes I read them whenever I get the chance. I am very busy being engaged full time in devotional service to please gurudev. I don’t have the time to read and my gurudevs lectures are as good as Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Books.”
Devotee: “So you are engaged in full time devotional service? But surely one must be on the brahmā bhuta platform… Okay so let me get this right Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted all disciples once their guru has left his body to become dīkṣā gurus and initiate disciples all over the world for they would all be automatically qualified to take their own disciples simply because they were Prabhupāda disciples. Then their own disciples don’t have to read Śrīla Prabhupāda books to understand this philosophy all that the disciples have to do is listen to their guru’s taped lectures or read their guru’s books in order to become pure devotees themselves and go on to initiate others.”
Disciple: “Yes, this process is really very simple”
Devotee: “So now you have your gurudev and his friends you don’t really need Śrīla Prabhupāda at all anymore?”
Disciple: “What? Oh yeah… of course you need Śrīla Prabhupāda for he is the… I mean to say he is the founder of ISKCON and we must pay our respects to the founder of ISKCON. If you didn’t that would be like jumping over the head of the guru… I mean past Ācāryas wouldn’t it!”
Devotee: “I kind of understand your logic but let me try and understand… Śrīla Prabhupāda is dead and so his time is over and now the GBC select who is a dīkṣā guru and who is a siksa guru… this is not seemingly such a simple process? How is it that the GBC members know who to allow and who to disallow?
Disciple: “They are dīkṣā gurus aren’t they? Of course whatever they say is correct and the absolute truth! Śrīla Prabhupāda while we respect him and love him dearly as do our gurudev he can no longer give us any real instruction for he is dead. Kṛṣṇa consciousness can only be passed on by a living guru who you can ask questions of to aid you in your spiritual life.”
Devotee: “Prabhu is that all anyone needs? Just to listen to their gurudev and they will become pure devotees? I suppose your gurudev takes his time with you to answer all of your questions personally?”
Disciple: Umm. Yes… Well not exactly. I have never asked any questions directly from him for he is way too busy but he answers all my questions in his lectures or his dearest disciples answer them for me.
Oh but I forgot a very important part! It is in the fire sacrifice by the living guru that divya jñāna is transferred…”
Devotee: “What? I mean to say that this transfer takes place through the fire yajña? In some mystical way?”
Disciple: “Yes! You understand. Once a person has accepted a bona fide spiritual master bhakti is transplanted in their hearts through the fire sacrifice!” It is like a power station that supplies power to all homes and factories. You need to be connected to the power grid to get bhakti.”
Devotee:”Oh where did you read that? Did your gurudev explain this to you?”
Disciple: “I cannot remember? I read it or heard it somewhere? Maybe in class? I don’t know but it is true.”
Devotee: “This is all very mystical”
Disciple: “Yes it is beautiful prabhu! Gurudev is so inspiring. He knows exactly what is in my heart!”
Devotee: “Please let me understand you correctly… You don’t have to read and understand Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books or his instruction because it is simply a mystical transfer of divya jñāna that is ‘conducted’ via the fire yajña, so ultimately you don’t really have to read any books or truly understand the philosophy as it is really transferred to you when you sit at the yajña… Wow Prabhu this is surely very mystical!”
Disciple: “Yes Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very mystical indeed and our gurudev is so merciful to us all Prabhu! All glories to Śrīla Gurudev!”
Devotee: “Prabhu what happens if someone’s guru dies or falls down? Do the disciples automatically become dīkṣā gurus?”
Disciple: “Umm… I suppose so… Well that is up to the GBC for as you know they control who becomes a diska guru.”
Devotee: “Do you know that there are only 90 dīkṣā gurus out of perhaps thousands of direct disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda? So the GBC do seem to be in somewhat strict control over who gets to be a guru in ISKCON after all it has been well over thirty years since Śrīla Prabhupāda left and only 90 gurus have been accepted. Surely if Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted all his disciples to be gurus then there would now be thousands of gurus?”
Disciple: “Prabhu this is not up to me. This is up to my superiors in the GBC to decide. I am a humble follower of my gurudev that is all.”
Devotee: “But still not all of Śrīla Prabhupāda direct disciples are now dīkṣā gurus even though you say that Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted all of his disciples to become dīkṣā guru?”
Disciple: “Yes they must be qualified.”
Devotee: “What is that qualification then prabhu? Did you read that Śrīla Prabhupāda has said that a bona fide spiritual master is someone who has seen the truth, someone who has seen Kṛṣṇa directly. So if the GBC are being very selective in who becomes a guru and a guru is a pure devotee who has seen Kṛṣṇa then one would expect that our existing gurus would be śuddha bhakta’s who have actually had tattva darsanah and so can never fall down? Then can you please explain why nearly every one of our gurus over these decades have eventually fallen down, many times in the most disgraceful manner?”
Disciple: “I cannot say anything about this… many stories are told by envious devotees but there is no proof and I think maybe they are all lies told by envious people. Even if they are true then how can we judge? How can we tell what is right and what is wrong when dealing with the activities of the pure devotees when we ourselves are not pure? These devotees have given up everything to give us shelter, Kṛṣṇa knows how much they have given up, how much they have renounced in His name. We cannot judge… We cannot judge…”
Devotee: “But Prabhu many have admitted their fall down or have been caught in the act or witness or victims have come forward…”
Disciple: “We cannot judge we simply cannot judge… These are all lies like I said. Lies! Every last one of them! This is the demonic mentality that sees this filth prabhu. You must be the bee looking for honey not the fly looking for stool prabhu!”
Devotee: “Prabhu so you believe that once a person is appointed by the GBC as a guru he has had actual darśana of Kṛṣṇa and so they can never fall down and can do no wrong? Further that even if their activities are considered amoral or criminal we can never judge them for it would an offence to judge a pure devotee of the lord?”
Disciple: “Well errr… There is accidental fall down. A pure devotee may accidentally fall down due to their past bad association but they very soon rectify and go on serving the Lord.”
Devotee: “So a pure devotee, śuddha bhakta, one who has seen the Lord directly can fall down accidentally so long as they pick themselves up again? I see… So then the case…”
Disciple: “You must remember that as we are in māyā and so we cannot judge the activities of a pure devotee. Perhaps he is doing this simply to teach us!”
Devotee: “Teach us what not to do?” So you think that yoga māyā places them into illusion again in order to teach us what not to do?”
Disciple: “Yes! You got it!”
Devotee: “Have you ever considered that perhaps their whole career in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is to teach others what not to do?”
Disciple: “What? I don’t understand…”
Devotee: “Yes prabhu it does seem you don’t understand…