| Home | “After the present GBC/“gurus” lose their majority status, will all hell then break loose?” |
Are a majority of the ISKCON “gurus” sincere, or are they guilty of a “good ol’ boys club” mentality? If they are sincere, then wouldn’t they allow anyone to initiate who is at least as qualified as the least among them? Instead, they seem to be restricting the field. The prospective guru candidates seem to be restricted as follows:
1. Must not be a “grand disciple” of Śrīla Prabhupāda.
2. Must not be a “ritvik disciple” of Śrīla Prabhupāda.
3. Must not publicly promote Śrīla Prabhupāda’s ritvik initiation system.
4. Must not publicly criticize the current GBC/“gurus.”
5. Must not be influenced by the Gauḍīya Maṭha.
6. Must not be in a woman’s body.
The problem is that the number of devotees who do not fit into any of the above six categories is getting smaller and smaller and will eventually be reduced to zero. Since no one who has left their body, including Śrīla Prabhupāda, are allowed to be diksha “gurus” within ISKCON, and since no one, except those whom Śrīla Prabhupāda accepted as disciples when he was personally present (pre-1978), are allowed to be diksha “gurus” within ISKCON, then who is going to carry on GBC’s weird, concocted system of “disciplic succession” within ISKCON in the future, when all of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s disciples initiated prior to 1978 have left their bodies?
If, in the future, the field of prospective ISKCON “guru” candidates is expanded, then in what way will it be expanded? Will it include:
1. “Grand disciples” whose “guru” has died?
2. “Grand disciples” whose “guru” has died, but whose “guru” was very critical of the GBC/“gurus” when he was living?
3. “Grand disciples” whose “guru” has fallen down?
4. “Grand disciples” whose “guru” has fallen down and then died?
5. “Grand disciples” whose “guru” has fallen down to the extent of eating meat and/or taking intoxication?
6. “Grand disciples” who have been initiated multiple times, and whose latest guru falls into one of the above five categories?
7. Women?
If any of the above seven categories are excluded, then would that be fair? Suppose that a prospective “guru” in an excluded category was the most qualified? Would his/her exclusion be fair?
As far as I know, no devotee who falls into any of the above seven categories has been allowed to initiate. Why not? If, in the future, some of them are going to be allowed to initiate, then why not now? And, if none of them are ever going to be allowed to initiate, then how will the GBC’s bogus system of disciplic succession go on? It seems to me that the whole thing is a very complicated and volatile “can of worms!”
Could it be, that the majority of the present ISKCON “gurus” are in the “good ol’ boys club” mentality, and are not actually sincere disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda?
On another subject, do all of the ISKCON properties have three property trustees who are members of ISKCON in good standing, and who are, as stated in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s will (a legal document which would stand up in a court of law): “my initiated disciples?” If so, then who are they? Even if this very important instruction of Śrīla Prabhupāda is still being followed, how will it be followed in the future, when all of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s pre-1978 initiated disciples have left their bodies? If the GBC appoints a new property trustee who is not one of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s direct disciples (a “grand disciple,” for example), then what is there to prevent a lawsuit from being filed and successfully prosecuted?
The only reason that the present ISKCON “gurus” are able to maintain the status quo is because they represent a majority of the GBC, and Śrīla Prabhupāda made it very clear that the GBC is “ISKCON’s ultimate managing authority.” However, it’s inevitable that in the not to distant future, Śrīla Prabhupāda’s pre-1978 initiated “guru” disciples will no longer be the GBC majority. What will happen then? Do the present GBC/“gurus” think that they will be able to find “grand disciples” who are more loyal to their concocted initiation system than to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s ingenious ritvik initiation system? I think not! Do they think that these “grand disciples” would prefer to be disciples of “gurus” of questionable qualification rather than direct ritvik disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda? I think not! After the present GBC/“gurus” lose their majority status, will all hell break loose?
How can these problems be solved unless Śrīla Prabhupāda’s original ritvik system of initiations is reinstated? I can’t imagine any other practical solution. Can you?
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