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EDITORIAL February 16, 1999 VNN3072 See Related VNN Stories GBC Mismanagement BY GAURIDASA PANDITA DASA EDITORIAL, Feb 16 (VNN) — It's 2am and I have been tossing and turning all night. I can't sleep because I read the GBC resolutions against Srila Prabhupada's Ritvik Initiation System on VNN before taking rest. I kept thinking I'll try to go back to sleep and respond to the article later, but I couldn't. The Truth is more important than sleep, and the GBC are 'sleeping at the switch'! Vipramukya Swami's article, "GBC Repudiates Ritviks" is very disheartening to say the least. The first sentence is very telling of the whole matter; "The GBC Body has passed a strong and admittedly unhappy series of resolutions concerning putting seven [Ritvik advocates] leaders of ISKCON on probation." These resolutions are 'admittedly unhappy' because they are wrong and based on biased and incomplete information. These resolutions go against Srila Prabhupada's direct orders and therefore are doomed for failure; and all those GBCs who voted for these bogus resolutions are a Guilty Bunch. I will try to keep this response as short as possible and to the point. I'm sorry to have to use such harsh words but I can find no others to describe this unfortunate situation. Sometimes the Truth hurts. How can we or Srila Prabhupada be happy when the GBC engage in such mismanagement? Chanaki Pandit says that a mismanaged assembly 'burns like fire' and by these actions the GBC are burning down more of Srila Prabhupada's House and chasing away it's rightful tenets. Instead of doing their duty of expanding the movement they are guilty of decreasing it by their mismanagement and should be removed from their positions for the good of the mission. They obviously won't consider the Truth of this matter because most of them are 'ISKCON gurus' and probably won't let go of their improper positions until their dying days. They have offended Srila Prabhupada by decrying his instructions of July 9th 1977 etc. to continue the ritvik initiation system after his departure and have offended thousands of others in so many ways by this root problem in ISKCON. I would like to respond to the following GBC statements in brackets: ["RESOLUTIONS CONCERNING THE DOCTRINE OF RITVIKISM WHEREAS: In 1990 the GBC ruled that the doctrine called the "posthumous ritvik theory" or "post-samadhi ritvik theory" (hereinafter called "ritvikism") is a "dangerous philosophical deviation" and prohibited its teaching and practices in ISKCON"] The GBC have never proved that this conclusion and can't! That's why they avoid fair and open debate or discussion. In fact what they have done all along has been a 'dangerous philosophical deviation' by putting unqualified men in the post of zonal acharyas and 'diksa gurus' in ISKCON. This has caused deterioration and hundreds and thousands of devotees to leave and countless others not to join ISKCON. Another important point here is that in the North American GBC Meeting of January 1990 in San Diego there was a debate on the guru issue. The resolution of that meeting was to have another meeting at the Mayapur Festival. Instead of allowing the meeting to occur the GBC behind closed doors made these bogus resolutions against Srila Prabhupada's initiation system and banned further discussion on it in ISKCON and any devotees engaging in such discussion. Is that fair? Is that proper? ["WHEREAS: The GBC has again carefully examined the case for ritvikism as currently presented, having had representatives meet at various times and places with its advocates to hear them make their case, and has, as a body sitting in plenary session on 9 February, 1999, carefully heard the case personally advocated by Madhu Pandit Prabhu, president of Bangalore temple, Adridharan Prabhu, president of Calcutta temple, and Sattvik Prabhu, vice- president of Calcutta temple, and WHEREAS: The GBC has given the current versions of ritvikism careful attention and all due deliberation to the best of its ability:] I and Tamal Krsna Maharaja were the ones present in the garden when Srila Prabhupada appointed the first batch of ritvik representatives of the Acharya. I am one of the only witnesses to the facts and I have not been consulted by the GBC on this matter. I have even prepared a report on the facts in chronological order for easy understanding called 'On My Behalf' which the GBC continue to ignore. Therefore the above statement is false. In fact the GBC members have avoided me and the facts in this matter 'to the best of their ability'! Badrinarayana Prabhu has told me that he doesn't have time to discuss it and if I even mentioned it I would be "thrown out of the temple so fast my head would spin." The resolutions made from these faulty findings should be throw out until we can fulfill the 1990 GBC resolution to continue the debate in an open gentlemanly Vaisnava fashion. The devotees mentioned above give a nice presentation of the facts but are somewhat new to this issue. The direct witnesses and all evidence should also be presented to the GBC members before any resolutions are made. ["6.4.7.2 "Ritvikism" AKA "Posthumous Rtvik Theory," "Post-Samadhi-Ritvik Theory," "Proxy Initiation Theory," "No Change Theory," etc. The doctrine that Srila Prabhupada desired to continue to act as diksa guru after his departure from this world and did not desire any of his disciples to give diksa in succession after him is a dangerous philosophical deviation. Ritvikism directly goes against the principle of parampara itself (of successive diksa and siksa gurus), which sustains the pure teachings and practices of Krishna consciousness."] This is another incorrect assumption by the GBC. Srila Prabhupada does remain the Siksa and Diksa guru for ISKCON through the ritvik system. I don't believe anyone says that Srila Prabhupada did not desire his disciples to give diksa. He did; but only on his behalf. The disciples are Srila Prabhupada's. If and when a disciple is completely pure and can deliver his/her disciples back to Godhead and have been ordered by Srila Prabhupada, they can act as diksa gurus in their own temples. This is what Srila Prabhupada did. This is how the Sampradaya continues. For ISKCON Srila Prabhupada will always be the guru now, in 100 years, in 1,000 years, and beyond, just as Sri Ramanuja is now in the Sri Sampradaya and Christ is now in Christianity! The rest of us will be mostly forgotten in time. ["This principle has been established by Krishna and is upheld by all Vaisnava acharyas. Indeed, it is accepted by all followers of Vedic culture. Ritvikism is thus an extreme deviation. It is utterly erroneous to espouse it, deluding and misguiding to teach it, and blasphemous to attribute it to Srila Prabhupada. No one who espouses, teaches supports in any way, or practices ritvikism can be a member in good standing of ISKCON."] We have Srila Prabhupada on tape saying he wanted Ritviks to initiate disciples for him 'after his departure'. We have the July 9th Newsletter to all temples and GBC's! For the GBC to have the audacity to call it an extreme deviation is a slap in the face of His Divine Grace. They should be ashamed of themselves! They better see the light before they die or they will be sorry in the court of Yamaraja! This is the mad elephant offense Srila Prabhupada warned us against. All in the desire for profit, distinction and adoration the GBC are holding on to a sinking ship without a captain! Let us pray for their full recovery or removal if necessary. ["2) The GBC hereby makes known its strong determination to enforce ISKCON law in the matter of ritvikism, and it enjoins upon all its members and on other official bodies, officers, and other authorities in ISKCON, such as Regional Governing Boards, regional secretaries, GBC ministers, sannyasis, initiating gurus, temple presidents, and temple officers, the responsibility to take every appropriate action, according to ISKCON law, to enforce the prohibition against ritvikism in ISKCON."] Here is a case of the blind leading the blind. All devotees who get involved in this are just as guilty as the GBC for creating this disaster of mismanagement. Let us pray for the return of Love and Trust and cooperation. Let us pray for istagosthis at all levels to resolve our problems and not fall prey to Vaisnava aparadha. ["WHEREAS: The GBC wishes to empower the Executive Committee of 1999-2000 to deal with these members appropriately, through as much dialogue and negotiation as possible, and, at the same time, it wishes to empower the committee with the ability to provide a system of rectification or to expel any of these members from ISKCON if it deems necessary because of developments during the course of the year."] Let's hope that 'as much dialogue and negotiation as possible' is really used. Let's propose have an open discussion with the GBC and sincerely try to solve this matter in a respectful way. To ban devotees will only create more problems and probably spill out into the public court system. The GBC should try by all means to avoid this. But unless the future discussions are genuine, this is inevitable. This is not what Srila Prabhupada wanted. He wanted the GBC to figure these things out. But if they won't then Krsna may do it in the karmi courts. Then the facts will be ruled on and Srila Prabhupada's supreme position in ISKCON will be established once and for all. Srila Prabhupada wanted a GBC to manage his society and it should be. But what to do when they are incompetant or incorrect? There must be a way to deal with it. It would be better if the GBC members were elected to limited terms. Then real reform could take place and they would be more responsive, accountable and respectful to all of the devotees. Srila Prabhupada wants us all to be spiritual masters and preach Krsna Consciousness all over the world. This principle we all agree on, but it's the details that need to be worked out. To do this in a dynamic way we must first cooperate with all due respect and clean our house. Then it will be an attractive place where the world will want to live again. Hoping this meets you all well and in a cooperative mood, Yours in Srila Prabhupada's service, Gauridasa Pandita Dasa Gauridas@Aol.Com Note: The report 'On My Behalf' is available upon request. It is on my Website and the IRG website at irg@zetnet.co.uk It is also available in German and is being translated into French, Russian, Spanish and other languages. Once all of the devotees are aware of the facts around the world reform will be inevitable. In spite of the above mentioned bad news from the GBC time is on our side. About the Author | Other Stories by this Author See Related VNN Stories | Comment on this Story This story URL: http://www.vnn.org/editorials/ET9902/ET16-3072.html
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