08/13/98 - 2004

Questions about Bangalore, Bombay Meetings

USA (VNN) - by Sri Rama das

Regarding Mandapa's report on the Bangalore/Bombay meetings, I wish to make three short points which I believe will, over time, ultimately relegate the ritvik point of view as obscure and irrelevant:

1) I chaired the 1990? San Diego debate between both parties. I believe everyone felt I did a fair job and all had time to express their points of view. Gauridas Pandit das complains no one has ever been interested in what he heard from Srila Prabhupada. He certainly had his chance. After careful listening to both sides, I heard no scriptural, historic, or "Prabhupada said" that supported the ritvik point of view.

2) How many times in a century or millenium can we expect the earthly presence of a self-effulgent acharya. Is it any surprise that ISKCON gurus can't come up the standard of Srila Prabhupada? It's just something we're going to have to deal with. And it could be dealt with by more regularizing the initiation process and emphasizing Srila Prabhupada as siksa guru. Just because the normal parampara is not working as well as when Prabhupada was physically present doesn't give ISKCON devotees the right to go against thousands or millions of years of sastra and Vaishnava sampradaya tradition.

3) You are Christianizing Lord Caitanya's parampara.

4) These are difficult times, and the only solution is personal improvement by our leadership. The Ritvik program is attractive because it provides an easy way out from our dilemma. But Krishna will send us help before every speculative group tears its teeth into and chews another piece away from Prabhupada's ISKCON-- for what appears to be good reason, but just turns out to be another castle in the air.