Even though the GBC had Prahladananda Swami write some paper on where the guru's stand in ISKCON, it is a flimsy and weak position simply because SP never gave One Single instruction where new gurus stand, not one instruction what authority any new guru was to have, not one instruction how they are to share authority with the GBC, yet SP very clearly delineated the exact role, duties and authority of the GBC, the TP's, etc., he gave not one single instruction where any new gurus would fit in.
(c) SANNYASIS. Simultaneously, the leaders advertise that they are aspiring to become renunciates or "sannyasis" and thus they need Prahladananda swami, who is the apparent actual leader of "the sum total of the demigods," to make sure their "guru's" hands are not down their disciple's pants with his "sannyasa ministry." Thus, sometime Prahladanandas writes, "Swami Pokester-pada will have to get three spanks from the sannyasa minstry's paddle at the next Mayapura meeting, adminstered by the sannyasa ministry's high court's magistrate, aka Spanky-pada aka Raw flounder swah blip." Yes, and additionally pokester-pada "sannyasas" have to have their x-rated videos taken away for a one year suspension! Not to worry, "the sannyasa minstry" will hold these videos in the GBC's safe, along with some confiscated strawberry scented condoms taken from their transvestite-pada, resdient of heaven, governing body person, and all round fix-it guy for the GBC's fire brigade. Yet Prabhupada said in early 1977, no more sannyasa, everyone should get married and start to emphasize householders/ varnasrama. Good reason to "put a stop" to his preaching then?
--
For
those who may still have lingering doubts, we invite you to read below some
extraordinary claims made by Prahladananda Maharaja, who is a GBC-approved
initiating-guru, and thus these revelations come from a source which the GBC
itself promotes as being authoritative.
“Unfortunately, since the departure of Srila Prabhupada, the GBC Body
has not maintained his clear authority structure. [...] In the absence of
a GBC Body that clearly represents the desires of Srila Prabhupada to preach
Krsna consciousness as a unified movement, the Society remains together more
on the basis of a loose confederation of initiating gurus and independent
local leaders, than as a unified movement of surrendered servants."
(Duties of GBC and Guru in ISKCON, Prahladananda Swami, 2006)
According to Prahladananda Swami then, the GBC has deviated continuously since
Srila Prabhupada's departure in having never maintained the authority structure
given by him, and currently does not represent Srila Prabhupada's desires
for spreading Krishna consciousness.
No uttama-adhikaris in ISKCON
Having trashed the GBC body, Prahladananda Swami now turns his guns on his
fellow ISKCON gurus. First he defines an uttama-adhikari as someone who is
completely aware of the Supersoul (the Lord residing in the heart):
"Such an uttama-adhikari Vaisnava is in perfect touch with the Supersoul and
at every moment knows the Supreme Lord's desires."
(Duties of GBC and Guru in ISKCON, Prahladananda Swami, 2006)
But Prahladananda Swami does not think that such a person exists in ISKCON
today:
"If the GBC Body sees someone as a self-efflugent acarya who is completely
aware of the Supersoul and Srila Prabhupada's desires and instructions they
can and should follow his/her instructions. No one so far
has been seen in that category."
(Prahladananda Swami, Wed, 30 Aug 200614:32 +0300, emphasis added)
"To spread Krsna consciousness in the absence of an advanced
uttama-adhikari Vaisnava, third-class and second-dass Vaisnavas must follow
the instructions of Srila Prabhupada and learn the art of cooperation:" (Duties
of GBCandGuru in ISKCON, Prahladananda Swami, 2006, emphasis added)
Gurus were neophytes
'But as with the Gaudiya Matha, just after His Divine Grace's disappearance,
leading disciples disobeyed the orders of the Founder Acarya to work cooperatively
under the GBC Body and, although the GBC Body met yearly, each initiating
guru virtually occupied the position of an Acarya in his zone. These diksa
gurus divided the world into 11 zonal Acarya regions and disunited the mission.
[...] The imitation of uttama-adhikaris by these neophyte devotees undoubtedly
led to their fall-downs and many subsequent problems in ISKCON."
(Duties of GBC and Guru in ISKCON, Prahladananda Swami 2006)
Prahladananda Swami is referring here wherein the 11 persons appointed to
act as ritviks and make disciples for Srila Prabhupada, pretended that they
were actually successor Gurus to Srila Prabhupada.
Bogus Zonal Acharya System still continuing today
“Thus in ISKCON we not only still have what amounts to zonal Acaryas
in different parts of the world, such as India, but we have independent temple
presidents or preachers accountable to no one but themselves."
(Duties of GBC and Guru in ISKCON, Prahladananda Swami, 2006)
Here Prahladananda Swami has launched a not too veiled attack an HH Jayapataka
Swami, the main guru in India, who was one of the original Zonal Acharya gurus
attacked by Maharaja in the previous section. Hence Prahladananda Swami is
effectively stating that HH Jayapataka Swami has been deviating continuously
for the last 30 years, and that he is not strictly following the orders of
Srila Prabhupada. As Prahladananda Swami further confirms:
Though Maharaja's critique of ISKCON is welcomed, by failing to state the correct solution of accepting Srila Prabhupada as the Guru, but rather continuing to offer the same unauthorised and, by his own admission, unqualified gurus, he is simply ensuring the continued exodus from ISKCON into other deviant movements, such as the one led by Narayana Maharaja, which at least claim their gurus are qualified!
For those who may still have lingering doubts about the IRM's case, we invite you to read below some extraordinary claims made by H. H. Prahladananda Maharaja (henceforward 'Maharaja'), who is a GBC-approved initiating guru, and thus these revelations come from a source which the GBC itself promotes as being authoritative.
"Unfortunately, since the departure of Srila Prabhupada, the GBC
Body has not maintained his clear authority structure. […] In the absence of a
GBC Body that clearly represents the desires of Srila Prabhupada to preach Krsna
consciousness as a unified movement, the Society remains together more on the
basis of a loose confederation of initiating gurus and independent local leaders,
than as a unified movement of surrendered servants."
(Duties of GBC and Guru in ISKCON, Prahladananda Swami, 2006)
According to Maharaja then, the GBC has deviated continuously since Srila Prabhupada's
departure in having never maintained the authority structure given by him, and
currently does not represent Srila Prabhupada's desires for spreading Krishna
consciousness.
Having trashed the GBC body, Maharaja now turns his guns on his
fellow ISKCON gurus. First he defines an uttama-adhikari as someone who
is completely aware of the Supersoul (the Lord residing in the heart):
"Such an uttama-adhikari Vaisnava is in perfect touch with the Supersoul
and at every moment knows the Supreme Lord's desires."
(Duties of GBC and Guru in ISKCON, Prahladananda Swami, 2006)
But Maharaja does not think that such a person exists in ISKCON today:
"If the GBC Body sees someone as a self-effulgent acarya who is completely
aware of the Supersoul and Srila Prabhupada's desires and instructions they can
and should follow his/her instructions. No one so far has been seen in that category."
(Prahladananda Swami, Wed, 30 Aug 2006 14:32 +0300, emphasis added)
"To spread Krsna consciousness in the absence of an advanced
uttama-adhikari Vaisnava, third-class and second-class Vaisnavas must follow
the instructions of Srila Prabhupada and learn the art of cooperation." (Duties
of GBC and Guru in ISKCON, Prahladananda Swami, 2006, emphasis added)
"But as with the Gaudiya-Matha, just after His Divine Grace's
disappearance, leading disciples disobeyed the orders of the Founder Acarya
to work cooperatively under the GBC Body and, although the GBC Body met yearly,
each initiating guru virtually occupied the position of an Acarya in his
zone. These diksa gurus divided the world into 11 zonal Acarya regions
and disunited the mission. […]
The imitation of uttama-adhikaris by these neophyte devotees undoubtedly
led to their fall-downs and many subsequent problems in ISKCON."
(Duties of GBC and Guru in ISKCON, Prahladananda Swami, 2006)
Maharaja is referring here to the Great Guru Hoax Part 1, wherein the 11 persons
appointed to act as ritviks and make disciples for Srila Prabhupada, pretended
that they were actually successor Gurus to Srila Prabhupada.
"Thus in ISKCON we not only still have what amounts to zonal Acaryas
in different parts of the world, such as India, but we have independent temple
presidents or preachers accountable to no one but themselves."
(Duties of GBC and Guru in ISKCON, Prahladananda Swami, 2006)
Here Maharaja has launched a not too veiled attack on HH Jayapataka Swami, the
main guru in India, who was one of the original Zonal Acharya gurus attacked
by Maharaja in the previous section. Hence Maharaja is effectively stating that
HH Jayapataka Swami has been deviating continuously for the last 30 years, and
that he is not strictly following the orders of Srila Prabhupada.
As he further confirms:
"The main problem is that the GBC Body is supposed to supervise ISKCON and they
are not doing this service adequately. Therefore, many leaders are not acting
strictly according to the directions of his Divine Grace."
(Prahladananda Swami, Wed, 30 Aug 2006 14:32 +0300)
"Presently the GBC Body lacks authority. Some of its leading members
are initiating gurus who do not want to surrender their high degree of autonomy
in the Society. Some leaders in ISKCON cooperate with the Society only as long
as they can retain their own autonomy. [...] If the GBC Body is to regain its
authority, its members must become a disciplined body of devotees who are clearly
selfless and enlightened in their dedication to Srila Prabhupada's mission."
(Duties of GBC and Guru in ISKCON, Prahladananda Swami, 2006)
Above, Maharaja paints a grim picture of self-serving gurus whose calculated acts
of co-operation are merely Machiavellian ploys to secure more autonomy and power
for themselves, rather than to selflessly serve Srila Prabhupada's mission.
"The gurus, initiating and instructing, have important roles in
ISKCON. [...]
Only if the leaders sincerely try to become servants of the previous Acaryas
and give up the controlling and enjoying propensities can Srila Prabhupada's
mission succeed. If the leaders take up this mood, they will find infinitely more
spiritual pleasure in acting as Krsna's simple instruments than in continuing
even a subtle controlling mentality in trying to be appreciated as apparently
empowered spiritual preachers."
(Duties of GBC and Guru in ISKCON, Prahladananda Swami, 2006)
Maharaja's use of the phrase "If the leaders take up this mood" indicates
a hope that the gurus may one day curtail their "controlling and enjoying propensities".
Maharaja opens the section from which the previous two critiques
of ISKCON's gurus and leaders are taken by noting:
"The last snare of maya is to think oneself God, or even God's pure representative,
worthy to be worshiped and served by others. [...]
It is an attachment that is difficult to give up."
(Duties of GBC and Guru in ISKCON, Prahladananda Swami, 2006)
Seeing as Maharaja then went on to invite ISKCON'S gurus and leaders to become
selfless and give up their propensity to control and enjoy (which is fed by the
receipt of worship and service by their thousands of disciples), one can only
assume Maharaja believes they have indeed fallen victim to maya's "last
snare".
Though even ISKCON will acknowledge that their preaching in the
West has declined substantially, comfort is taken from the fact that at least
in India and the Eastern Bloc countries things are faring better. However, Prahladananda
Maharaja gives a different perspective, stating that such successes are only due
to temporary circumstances rather than being based on a platform that will yield
permanent results:
"ISKCON sometimes takes pride in accomplishments that prove to be only temporary.
[…] For example, in the former Eastern Block nations, in the absence of a strong
Krsna conscious leader, a pattern is sometimes visible. After the demise of the
Communist system, many people became interested in the process of Krsna consciousness
and joined the temples. This resulted in a large force of preachers and a surge
in book distribution. However, after some time the devotees married and had children,
and then preaching and book distribution diminished […]
ISKCON's success appears to be due more to circumstances than to a viable management
system that encourages long-term preaching. Another example can be seen in India,
[…] again it is likely that success is due not to a viable management system,
but to the unique circumstances of India."
(Duties of GBC and Guru in ISKCON, Prahladananda Swami, 2006)
Having criticised both the GBC body and the Zonal Acharya gurus
as being deviant, Maharaja of course conveniently sidesteps the fact that he owes
his own position as an ISKCON guru completely to these same deviant entities;
because Maharaja is one of the beneficiaries of the Great Guru Hoax Part 2, whereby
he lined up to take his guru authorisation from this same deviant GBC body, which
also contained the remaining Zonal Acharya gurus at the time. Indeed, having attacked
everyone else, to cover his own position he fabricates out of thin air the following
instructions:
1) "Srila Prabhupada has given us the authorization process, that all his
disciples, if authorized by the GBC Body, can take disciples."
(Prahladananda Swami, Wed, 30 Aug 2006 14:32 +0300)
Srila Prabhupada has never stated that "all his disciples, if authorized by
the GBC Body, can take disciples." The unauthorised, current 'guru by majority
vote' system was invented by the GBC as a reaction to their previous unauthorised
'zonal acharya system'.
2) "Srila Prabhupada created the GBC Body to oversee that his teachings
are properly implemented within ISKCON. These teachings direct that everyone in
ISKCON, including initiating and instructing gurus, work cooperatively under Srila
Prabhupada's authority system to spread Krsna consciousness."
(Duties of GBC and Guru in ISKCON, Prahladananda Swami, 2006)
There is no teaching of Srila Prabhupada which even mentions "initiating gurus"
other than himself ever existing in ISKCON, not to speak of such entities
working "cooperatively under Srila Prabhupada's authority system to spread Krsna
consciousness." Srila Prabhupada did, however, state that only he would remain
the initiating Guru:
"The GBC should all be the instructor gurus. I am the initiator guru, and you should be the instructor guru by teaching what I am teaching and doing what I am doing." (Srila Prabhupada Letter to Madhudvisa, 4/8/75)
3) "Srila Prabhupada clearly established ISKCON's system of
management with Temple Presidents, Secretaries, and Treasurers, under the supervision
of a GBC representative and ultimately the GBC Body. He gave no managerial position
to the initiating gurus within ISKCON."
(Duties of GBC and Guru in ISKCON, Prahladananda Swami, 2006)
Yes, Srila Prabhupada could not have given a "managerial position to the
initiating gurus within ISKCON", because he never ever even spoke of a plurality
of "initiating gurus within ISKCON", period.
This is probably as much a devastating critique of ISKCON's
current leadership, its GBC and unauthorised gurus, as anything that has appeared
so far in the pages of BTP! As a fellow guru and ISKCON leader, being the Sannyasa
Minister, Maharaja's words carry weight and cannot be considered to be biased!
So if one of ISKCON's own gurus and leaders is stating about today's ISKCON that:
Who in their right mind is going to
want to join such a movement?!
Being compromised himself, Maharaja argues that the solution
to everything is simply to make the GBC much more powerful, rather than root out
the underlying cause of the problem, namely severe disobedience to Srila Prabhupada;
all stemming from the unauthorised removal of him as the diksa Guru of
ISKCON. We have noted that Maharaja obviously cannot identify the real cause of
ISKCON's malaise, since he himself is the beneficiary of its false guru system.
He therefore needs to perform a juggling act which allows him to criticise all
and sundry, but still ensure his own position remains intact. As we have seen,
to do this he has simply fabricated the authority for ISKCON's current 'guru
by GBC vote' system, to which he owes his own guru existence, out of thin
air.
Though Maharaja's critique of ISKCON is welcomed, by failing to state the correct
solution of accepting Srila Prabhupada as the Guru, but rather continuing to offer
the same unauthorised and, by his own admission, unqualified gurus, he is simply
ensuring the continued exodus from ISKCON into other deviant movements, such as
the one led by Narayana Maharaja, which at least claim their gurus are qualified!