Jayadwaj Swami

February 11, 1999   VNN3018  VNN WORLD
This story URL: http://www.vnn.org/world/WD9902/WD11-3018.html

A Message From H.H. Jayadwaj Swami To The GBC Body

BY JAYADWAJ SWAMI

MAYAPUR, INDIA, Feb 11 (VNN) — Dear GBC members! Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I pray that the GBC body makes decisions in Mayapur today in favor of keeping ISKCON ever united than before. Reform for the gurus will be very difficult to implement in the day to day lifestyle of ISKCON and will never be acceptable to fanatics and sentimentalists. We should not forget that worship, name, fame, adoration are even more powerful than sex life. Therefore just like a tree becomes nourished simply by watering its roots, similarly by making Srila Prabhupada (who deserves to be anyway) the only guru in ISKCON. I think we will be solving most of the guru problems and reforms will be just automatic.

I pray that the GBC does not become pressured by the Mayapur devotees who are taking advantage of the meetings being held in Mayapur by making three proposals on guru worship. The GBC needs to protect ISKCON which is already divided by many gurus and disciples and now further by Gaudiya Math and the Rittviks.

In my opinion, the only way the GBC can unite the whole institution is by putting Srila Prabhupada in the center of every one's life (esp. grand disciples who need Srila Prabhupada direct association more than us). The proposals of the Mayapur devotees are coming from false sentiment for their gurus which should be strongly opposed in my opinion. The present system of initiations has turned many devotees into fanatics and sentimentalist for unqualified gurus. Anyone who would take a stand against the current gurus are likely to be physically assaulted, a good reason for Adri and other Rittviks to feel fearful to visit Mayapur. It has happened to Jasomatinandana from gujarat who was physically assaulted in the past just because he said something against a guru.

This is just one of many examples of fanaticism in Iskcon. Allowing such fanaticism to creep into a world wide movement will greatly harm the interest of the institution, its mission, its members and its PR. Therefore I am praying to Srila Prabhupada to give you courage, strength, intelligence and purity to deal with this serious guru crisis, which could break or make ISKCON.

I have joined the Rittviks because they seem to have a solution, through guru, sadhu and shastra, to the current guru crisis in ISKCON.

If the GBC can come up with something better then I will accept it. I also hope that the GBC will consider very seriously the feelings of many senior Prabhupada disciples and others who have lost faith in ISKCON gurus. I can prove that there are over 10,000 devotees today inside and outside ISKCON who have no faith in ISKCON gurus but have full faith in Srila Prabhupada. As far as new devotees are concerned, they just need to be trained up properly with Srila Prabhupada as their Param guru and ISKCON will flourish. We need to have Srila Prabhupada in everyone's lives in Iskcon today like they have Sri Ramanuja as their only guru in the Ramanuja sampradaya. Its very unfortunate that many ISKCON gurus have failed to keep their vows and more can fail in future.

Therefore I strongly feel it is the prime duty of the GBC body to give stability, strength and unity to the institution which will be possible only by putting our dear guru Maharaj Srila Prabhupada directly in charge of ISKCON and all its members.

We as sannyasis can still inspire and encourage junior devotees in their spiritual lives through Srila Prabhupada, his books and his teachings.

Please forgive all of my offenses to the GBC, but I have full faith in Srila Prabhupada. I also have some faith remaining in the GBC who I hope will make mature decisions in the good interest of ISKCON and not simply try to protect the gurus status. I wish the GBC all good luck and Hari Bol ! All glories to Srila Prabhupada !

YS
Jayadwaj Swami.