07/19/98 - 1922 (see also VNN story# 1918)

Soul Searching Meetings

USA (VNN) - by Narasimha das

Let’s Have Meetings!

I appreciated the recent post on VNN regarding Sridhara Maharaja’s advice for sincere, soul searching meetings. It should be noted, however, that Sridhara Swami was never properly informed of Srila Prabhupada’s specific instructions to ISKCON leaders regarding initiations in ISKCON. In this regard, I would like to remind readers of some historical circumstances.

When the GBC first went to Sridhara Maharaja to find support and justification for their concocted guru appointments, he asked them, "What did Swami Maharaja (Srila Prabhupada) say to do?" Unfortunately, the GBC hid Srila Prabhupada's instruction to continue the system of initiations in ISKCON unchanged.

In subsequent meetings with Sridhara Swami Maharaja in years following, Srila Prabhupada's system for initiations and his exact instruction found in the July 9th directive sent to all leaders in ISKCON was never mentioned. Nonetheless, Sridhara Maharaja alludes to "hints" that Srila Prabhupada must have given regarding the issue of initiations.

"If (clear) direction is not given by Swami Maharaja, there might be some signs, some hints. But if it is not found there, then we shall have to evolve some rules and regulations for a proper adjustment so that the mission may not suffer.”

Sridhara Maharaja suggested we carefully consider all matters introspectively and review all of Srila Prabhupada's instructions in this matter. He suggested we preach vigorously everywhere, as Srila Prabhupada's representatives. Actually, he was speaking to his own Godbrothers as well as to ISKCON leaders. He knew well that Srila Prabhupada never approved of the Gaudiya Math system of guru appointments.

It is interesting that the GBC went first to Sridhara Maharaja for “advice”, since they also knew well of the apparent differences of opinion Srila Prabhupada and his intimate Godbrother had held on the issue of gurus and initiations. Sridhara Maharaja himself was certainly well aware of Srila Prabhupada's unwavering opinion that the Vaisnava acarya must be situated on the topmost platform and specifically empowered for the service of guru, without reference to institutional needs and arrangements. Therefore, when one GBC man answered Sridhara Maharaja's initial query, saying, "Srila Prabhupada appointed us as gurus", Sridhara Maharaja's immediate reply was, "I don't think so."

Therefore it is safe to conclude that Sridhara Maharaja felt that Srila Prabhupada, like his own spiritual master, had apparently not handed out easy solutions on a silver platter but rather expected his disciples to search their souls to work cooperatively for the common good of the mission of their Guru Maharaja. He may not have expected that some instruction had been deliberately shelved. Under the circumstances, he recommended that we meet and discuss and try to satisfy the doubts of all devotees. In any case, this is the bottom line, ultimately -- the sacrifice of personal ambition for the sake of the greater mission. Without such sincere surrender, even the most clear and emphatic instruction will be misunderstood, ignored, modified, or hidden.

Similarly, without appreciating the simplicity and beauty of Srila Prabhupada’s July 9th order and Srila Prabhupada’s unique position in the Gaudiya Sampradaya, no amount of meetings and resolutions will help us. If we meet for the purpose of preserving Srila Prabhupada’s mission, following the clear directive Srila Prabhupada gave, then only will the advice of Sridhara Maharaja be effective.

“So, let us evolve. Not just a formal meeting for two, three days. But it must be a meeting to satisfy the real necessity of the day. That is a living committee, that we want. Living committee we want. Not a formal meeting.”

It is high time that all ISKCON devotees and well wishers of Srila Prabhupada’s mission insist that the GBC follows this specific valuable advice, so eloquently stated by Sridhara Swami Maharaja. Let us meet and agree to revive and perfect the devotional practices and management systems Srila Prabhupada wanted.