GBC Resolutions 2004

ISKCON LAW SECTION
Procedure for Authorizing Diksa and Siksa Gurus

As modified by Resolution 413 of 2004

6.4 Regulations

A devotee may serve as diksa or sisksa-guru in ISKCON after completing the following authorization procedure:

A candidate for guru in ISKCON must first receive a three-fourths majority vote of approval in a council composed of all the GBC zonal secretaries of his current preaching area and at least ten other senior devotees residing in his area of activity. The council will be organized and convened by the GBC zonal secretary(s).

The council must include all Regional Secretaries, Temple Presidents and resident sannyasis in the candidate’s preaching area. In addition of the ten (or more) local area members, spiritual authorities and senior devotees in good standing from neighboring areas may also be included in the council.

The council shall evaluate the candidate according to the qualifications for guru given by Srila Prabhupada in his oral and written teachings and by the GBC Body in its standards and guidelines. Each member of the Area Council shall fill out the Guru Qualifications Checklist and return it to be compiled by the Area Council chairman.

Once the council has been formed to evaluate a particular candidate, it cannot be reconstituted except to replace a member who has left his position as local ISKCON Leader, or who has resigned from the council, or who has become spiritually unfit.

If the candidate has resided for less than five years in the area making the nomination, the recommending council shall obtain "no objection" letters from the GBC and Temple President(s) of the other area(s) the candidate resided in during the five years previous to his recommendation.

6.4.1.3 Names Sent to All GBC Members

6.4.1.3.1 Letters of Nomination to GBC Corresponding Secretary

The Chairman of the area council shall send a letter of nomination for the guru candidate endorsed by the council to the GBC Corresponding Secretary. The letter of endorsement must include the following items:

The Chairman of the area council shall send a letter of nomination for the guru candidate endorsed by the council to the GBC Corresponding Secretary. The letter of endorsement must include the following items:The Chairman of the area council shall send a letter of nomination for the guru candidate endorsed by the council to the GBC Corresponding Secretary. The letter of endorsement must include the following items:

1. A thorough description of the qualifications of the candidate, showing point by point how he conforms to the GBC standards and guidelines for guru.

2. A compete history of the devotional service of the candidate, including the dates and places of his engagements.

3. A list of the names of the members of the nominating council, giving for each member the service, the seniority, his vote and an explanation for his vote.

6.4.1.3.2 Corresponding Secretary Verifies and Distributes

After verifying that the candidate has been properly endorsed, the GBC Corresponding Secretary shall send the candidate's name with the full letter of endorsement and the compilation of responses by the local nominating committee to all members of the GBC.

Any member of the GBC who has a misgiving concerning the suitability of a candidate, or who would prefer the matter to be discussed and decided by the GBC body, has six months from his date of notification to file a written statement of non-approval with the GBC Corresponding Secretary. If the Corresponding Secretary receives at least three letters of non-approval, the candidate shall not take up the role of guru, and his candidacy shall be considered by the GBC body as its next annual general meeting.

If the GBC Corresponding Secretary has not received at last three letters of non-approval by the end of the six-month period, the GBC Corresponding Secretary shall so inform the Chairman of the recommending council, upon which the candidate, after taking the prescribed vows, shall be authorized to be guru in ISKCON and perform the duties thereof.

6.4.1.5.2 Presence of Three Letters of Non-approval

If there are three letters of non-approval within the six-month period, but subsequently sufficient GBC members withdrew their objections to lower the number of objectors to fewer than three, the Corresponding Secretary shall so inform the Chairman of the recommending council, upon which the candidate, after taking the prescribed vows, shall be authorized to be a guru in ISKCON and perform the duties thereof.

If there are three letters of non-approval within the six-month period, but subsequently sufficient GBC members withdrew their objections to lower the number of objectors to fewer than three, the Corresponding Secretary shall so inform the Chairman of the recommending council, upon which the candidate, after taking the prescribed vows, shall be authorized to be a guru in ISKCON and perform the duties thereof.If there are three letters of non-approval within the six-month period, but subsequently sufficient GBC members withdrew their objections to lower the number of objectors to fewer than three, the Corresponding Secretary shall so inform the Chairman of the recommending council, upon which the candidate, after taking the prescribed vows, shall be authorized to be a guru in ISKCON and perform the duties thereof.

The Corresponding Secretary shall monitor this procedure and keep all the concerned parties informed as needed.

The Corresponding Secretary shall monitor this procedure and keep all the concerned parties informed as needed.The Corresponding Secretary shall monitor this procedure and keep all the concerned parties informed as needed.