08/13/98-2010

Letter to Harikesa Dasa from GBC

Germany (VNN) - Executive Committee of the Governing Body Commission International Society for Krishna Consciousness, August 12, 1998

Dear Harikesa Maharaja,

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

We have a deep and abiding affection for you as our Godbrother and great admiration and appreciation for all the wonderful service you have done for Srila Prabhupada and his movement. We deeply empathize with you, our friend and fellow devotee, in the struggle that you are presently undertaking.

Somehow the events of the last couple of months have brought us all here to Abentheuer and left us with some difficult decisions to make. Over the last week we have deliberated with as much consideration and introspection at our command about your current situation, the subsequent effects within our Society and the way to proceed ahead.

With all the many factors involved regarding both your personal and the Society's needs we have arrived at certain conclusions which, due to the great confusion and potentially serious problems that have arisen, we feel must now be presented to the general body of devotees. Devotees and your disciples around the world are demanding clear direction from the GBC and we feel we can no longer delay giving this.

Consequently we have, according to the guidelines of ISKCON law under which we are constrained, decided that for the time being your official managerial functions as a GBC, Property Trustee and SMPDC Chairman should be suspended. In your meeting with Sesa Prabhu last week you declined to offer your resignation or accept a leave of absence. We appreciate that a resignation was perhaps too drastic for you to contemplate, and at the same time, from our side, removal from your designated duties is too drastic a step for us to contemplate. Suspension therefore seems the best option since this gives you time to adjust without pressure to perform according to the demands of duty and simultaneously it keeps open the hope and possibility that you will take up your services once your balance is established and your health and strength restored.

As far as your position as an ISKCON guru is concerned, again, out of the many options for us to consider we felt that a probationary period is best suited to your current situation. Clearly with your changing expressions and ideas, it is too confusing and disturbing for your disciples to follow your instructions at this time. However, again we feel that given some time, you may once again be able to resume this service and this decision allows for this.

We are enclosing herewith the documents pertaining to the EC's decision.

We have done our best to be as sensitive as we can to your personal need for time and space to yourself to bring some order to your life after the great emotional upheavals of the last two months. This has been a painful and confusing time for all of us and we recognize that this period of major adjustment is not yet over for you. We want to sincerely express our heartfelt feelings that you come out of this a better and more caring, sensitive and stronger person than you went in, with renewed determination to serve Srila Prabhupada and his ISKCON movement. We feel you have great service still to perform for Srila Prabhupada and the devotees in general and we pray to Sri Sri Radha Madhava that we can continue to work happily and unitedly together for our common goals.

We remain your humble servants in the service of Srila Prabhupada,

For the Executive Committee of the GBC
Ravindra Svarupa Dasa, Badrinarayana Dasa, Sesa Dasa and Akhandadhi
Dasa.