07/03/98 - 1895 (see also VNN story# 1886)

CHAKRA Looked?

USA (VNN) - by Deepak Vohra

CHAKRA's posting dated 30 June 1998, entitled "New Words from Srila Prabhupada on VNN", CHAKRA states the following:

"The governing body council should all be the instructor guru. I am the initiator guru..."
The above words have been attributed to Srila Prabhupada by VNN on their "http://vaishnava-news-network.org/world/9806/24-1886/index.html" page. Chakra looked. There is no quote like that anywhere in the Folio Vedabase. Where does it come from?
(end CHAKRA quote)

There is, in fact, a quote virtually identical to the one above, which can be found in a letter written by Srila Prabhupada to Madhudvisa dated 75/08/04. The quote is as follows:

"This is the function of the GBC, to see that one may not be taken away by maya. The GBC should all be the instructor gurus. I am the initiator guru, and you should be the instructor guru by teaching what I am teaching and doing what I am doing. This is not a title, but you must actually come to this platform. This I want." (SPL Madhudvisa, 75-08-04)

VNN has obviously paraphrased the above letter. I found this quote on my Folio CD. It may be that either Chakra didn't do a thorough search, or the letter has been edited or removed from later editions of the Vedabase. I believe the letter can also be found in the "Srila Prabhupada's Letters" book series. It may also be reproduced, in part or in whole, in the "Srila Prabhupada Siksamrta" book series (although I haven't checked at the time of this writing).

Editor's note: The above mentioned VNN article "Conning Krishna" was reprinted without modification from the "The Sunday Statesman" (one of India’s oldest and most respected newspapers in India) 7 JUNE 1998 (center spread) (VNN story# 1886).