"The acarya, the spiritual master who teaches all the Vedic knowledge and gives initiation by offering the sacred thread, is the personification of all the Vedas.  One should know the acarya as Myself and never disrespect him in any way. One should not envy him, thinking him an ordinary man, for he is the representative of all the demigods." SB 11.17.27

Guru Ashraya
A Report to the GBC on Guru Issues
by Gaura Keshava Dasa

INTRODUCTION

In 1978 at the Mayapura festival the GBC distributed an official paper, after consulting with the late B.R.  Sridhara Maharaja and others.  This paper was called “The Process for Carrying Out Srila Prabhupada’s Desires for Future Initiations.  (A paper prepared by the GBC in consultation with higher authorities...  Mayapura, March, 1978.)”.  This paper is the only official paper on this subject authorized by the GBC since the disappearance of Srila Prabhupada.  There have been many GBC resolutions concerning this topic since that time, none of them were accompanied by an officially authorized paper explaining the philosophy behind those resolutions.  Although many in our movement profess to understand these subjects well, there has not been a paper since 1978 authorized by the GBC, that the ordinary member of ISKCON can read and explain to others the GBC position on the guru and initiation in ISKCON.  There have been many papers by different Pandits, but none of them have been authorized by the GBC.  As a result there is large amount of inconclusive literature on these topics.  Variously accepted by some members of ISKCON and rejected by others.  The GBC should be heavily criticized for this.  Their duty is not to legislate and re-legislate every year without explanation.  If the GBC do not take up the task of explaining philosophically their resolutions to the rest of the society then they have failed.

Although disagreement within ISKCON on minor topics is almost unavoidable, there should be an official view (doctrine) held by the GBC body on all major philosophical issues.  For example, not all Catholics agree with the Vatican on all issues, however in the eyes of the Vatican, there are certain ideals which are Catholic doctrine and others that are not.  There is a doctrinal committee in the Catholic church to evaluate the merits and demerits of any and all papers, books, views and opinions that are put forward by people in general and the clergy in particular.  Every religious organization must explain its doctrine and ISKCON is no exception.

Preamble
Before discussing the questions that have been put before the members of the guru research sub-committee, (see GBC resolutions 1988) some points must be reviewed which are of the utmost importance to the discussion that follows.

It is necessary to adopt some type of methodology in dealing with these questions.  If common sense, logic and sastra are used in applying the instructions of Srila Prabhupada then there will be no confusion.  For example, everyone accepts that Srila Prabhupada wrote in his books general laws meant to stand for all times, places, and circumstances.  However this is not necessarily true of his letters or other instructions.  They may only be applicable in particular times, places, and circumstances.  Therefore his books are greater proof when they seem to conflict with his letters.  Similarly, a later instruction in the books or letters often supercedes a earlier one.  Instructions of 1977 may supplant those of 1966 or 1976.

Another method of philosophical proof in ISKCON is the famous “Prabhupada said...” or “Prabhupada did like this...”  We should be very careful when using these statements to be sure they fit exactly the circumstances upon which we superimpose them.  His examples and instructions have to be followed, but he is not to be imitated.

Co-operation plays a important role in decision making in ISKCON.  Co-operation begins at home.  Every sincere devotee is ready to put aside his misconceptions, in light of the truth in the sastra.  What if our interpretation of Srila Prabhupada’s instructions conflicts with the philosophy presented by the previous Acaryas of our sampradaya? The philosophy of parampara which Srila Prabhupada himself taught, explains that the bona-fide spiritual master always preaches the same message as his spiritual master, in an unbroken line of knowledge and instruction, coming all the way from Krsna.

If Srila Prabhupada’s instructions seem to be different from that of the sastra, then it is either because of his application according to time, place and circumstance, or a misinterpretation of his instructions.  When one sees with true perspective, all the instructions of the Acaryas and sastras agree.  Therefore it is essential to know the sastra.  When time, place or circumstance change we can adjust without watering down Krsna conciousness.  Without study of the sastra, Srila Prabhupada’s instructions may be misinterpreted or appear unclear.

sruti-smrti-puranadi-
pancaratra-vidhim vina
aikantiki harer bhaktir
utpatayaiva kalpate

“Devotional service of the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic literatures like the Upanishads, Puranas and Narada Pancaratra is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society.” (Bhakti-rasamrta- sindhu 1.2.101).  If we see disturbances in our society it can only be because we are disregarding these authorized sastras.

The Hari-bhakti-vilasa as the Authority on Etiquette for Gaudiya Vaisnavas

 This paper relies heavily on quotes from Hari-bhakti-vilasa.  Hari- bhakti-vilasa is the guide book for Gaudiya Vaisnavas.  In matters of etiquette, etc.  and especially on the subjects of guru and initiation, it stands supreme amongst other literatures.  This is the opinion of all Gaudiya Vaisnavas.  Hari-bhakti-vilasa is the last word as far as Gaudiya Vaisnava activities (anustana) is concerned.  It was commissioned to be written by Lord Caitanya, Himself.  It was written by Sanatana and Gopala Bhatta Gosvamis, and it quotes from almost four hundred of the cream of Vedic literatures in support of its conclusions.  Many persons have tried to put forward evidence from other obscure sastras, without first turning to Hari-bhakti-vilasa.  However Srila Prabhupada clearly never mentioned these other books.  He did however have a lot to say about Hari-bhakti-vilasa.  In order to see its importance more clearly, I have compiled the following quotes from Srila Prabhupada’s books concerning the Hari-bhakti-vilasa.

SB4.8.54 purport

Even in India, this point has been enunciated by Srila Sanatana Gosvami in his book Hari-bhakti-vilasa, which is smriti and is the authorized Vedic guide for Vaisnavas in their daily behavior.  Sanatana Gosvami says that as bell metal can turn to gold when mixed with mercury in a chemical process, so, by the bona-fide diksa, or initiation method, anyone can become a Vaisnava.

 SB8.20.14 purport
Vaisnavas are never concerned with ritualistic smarta-brahmanas.  Srila Sanatana Gosvami has therefore compiled Hari- bhakti-vilasa to guide the Vaisnavas, who never follow the smarta-viddhi.

CCMadya1.35 purport
It is Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami’s opinion, however, that to follow the Hari-bhakti-vilasa strictly is to actually follow the Vaisnava rituals in perfect order.

NOD-05
Thus a Vaisnava automatically becomes a brahmana.  This idea is also supported by Sanatana Gosvami in his book Hari-bhakti- vilasa, which is the Vaisnava guide.

NOD-06
Srila Rupa Gosvami states that his elder brother (Sanatana Gosvami) has compiled Hari-bhakti-vilasa for the guidance of the Vaisnavas and therein has mentioned many rules and regulations to be followed by the Vaisnavas.

TLC-02
This and other rituals are mentioned in the Hari-bhakti-vilasa, the authoritative book of directions.

CC Madhya.23.104
TEXT 104 “Establish devotional service to Lord Krsna and Radharani in Vrindavana.  You should also compile bhakti scripture and preach the bhakti cult from Vrindavana.”  PURPORT Sanatana Gosvami was enjoined (1) to broadcast the revealed scriptures on devotional service and establish the conclusions of devotional service, (2) to re-establish lost places of pilgrimage like Vrindavana and Radha-kunda, (3) to establish the Vrindavana method of temple worship and install Deities in temples (Sri Sanatana Gosvami established Madana-mohana temple, and Rupa Gosvami established Govindaji temple.), and (4) to enunciate the behavior of a Vaisnava (as Srila Sanatana Gosvami did in Hari- bhakti-vilasa).

CC Madhya.25.81
TEXT 81 “Mathura-Vrindavana is My own very dear abode.  I want to do many things there to preach Krsna consciousness.”  PURPORT  Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to accomplish many purposes through the exegetical endeavors of Srila Sanatana Gosvami.  First Sanatana Gosvami compiled the book called Brihad-bhagavatamrita to teach people how to become devotees, execute devotional service and attain love of Krsna.  Second, he compiled the Hari-bhakti- vilasa, wherein he collected authoritative statements from scriptural injunctions regarding how a Vaisnava should behave.  Only by the endeavors of Sri Sanatana Gosvami were all the lost places of pilgrimage in the Vrindavana area excavated.  He established Madana-mohana, the first Deity in the Vrindavana area, and by his personal behavior he taught how one should act in the renounced order, completely devoted to the service of the Lord.  By his personal example, he taught people how to stay in Vrindavana to execute devotional service.  The principal mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was to preach Krsna consciousness.  Mathura and Vrindavana are the abodes of Lord Krsna.  Therefore these two places are very dear to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and He wanted to develop their glories through Sanatana Gosvami.

CC Antya4.221
TEXT 221 “He also compiled the Hari-bhakti-vilasa, from which we can understand the standard behavior of a devotee and the full extent of a Vaisnava’s duty.”

PURPORT Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes: “The Hari-bhakti- vilasa was originally compiled by Srila Sanatana Gosvami.  Later, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami produced a shortened version of it and added the Dig-darshini-tika.  In the Hari-bhakti-vilasa there are so many quotations from the satvata scriptures that sometimes it is inquired how the atheistic smartas can refuse to accept them and instead imagine some other opinions.  What is recorded in the Hari-bhakti-vilasa strictly follows the Vedic scriptures and is certainly pure, but the attitude of the karmis is always one of giving up the conclusion of pure Vaisnava understanding.  Because the karmis are very much attached to the world and material activities, they always try to establish atheistic principles that oppose the understanding of the Vaisnavas.

CC Madhya.24.332
TEXT 330 “In your book (Hari-bhakti-vilasa) there should be the characteristics of the bona fide guru and the bona fide disciple.  Then, before accepting a spiritual master, one can be assured of the spiritual master’s position.  Similarly, the spiritual master can also be assured of the disciple’s position.  The Supreme PersonaIity of Godhead, Krsna, should be described as the worshipable object, and you should consider the bija-mantra for the worship of Krsna, Rama or any other expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

The Questions

Question 1:
If one’s initiating guru falls down, must one necessarily take re-initiation? Please present scriptural evidence to support your points.

Question 2:
If one develops a siksa relationship with a senior devotee in ISKCON, can the relationship be strong enough to obviate the need for formal diksa? (Please answer this with reference both to uninitiated devotees and to devotees whose diksa guru has fallen.)

Question 3:
Upon whom should the disciple of a fallen guru meditate when chanting the Gayatri mantra directed to the guru?

Question 4:
Can the disciple of a fallen guru serve as a qualified brahmana to make offerings to Krsna?

Question 5:
Can the disciple of a fallen guru give diksa? If so, what will be his link to the disciplic succession?

Comment
Some considerations about these questions.  They seem to be phrased with the idea that re-initiation is bona fide.  Let us examine this claim linguistically.  The word re-initiation does not occur in sanskrit or even in bengali.  Where this term comes from should be stated before using it to describe any philosophical idea.  The concept of a word for re-initiation is illogical, for obviously if one is properly initiated then there is no question of re-initiation, and if one is not properly initiated then he is not initiated at all.  So where is the question of re-initiation? No, there is only the question of proper and improper initiation.  Just as Prabhupada has said that there is no such thing as ‘bogus’ guru, the word guru implies bona fide, similarly the word initiation implies bona fide.  Since the word is being used freely in the GBC and ISKCON in general I will use it.  However before using it I would like to define it.  Our understanding of this term (re-initiation) necessarily depends upon our definition of initiation or diksha.  Let us now examine the meaning of that term (initiation or diksha) in order to come to grips with the meaning of our new term ‘re-initiation’.

The Definition of Initiation and Re-initiationDefining Initiation:

Diksha: From Srila Prabhupada’s books this term is described as follows: “Srila Jiva Gosvami quotes Hari-bhakti-vilasa to explain diksha in his Bhakti-sandarbha (283)”:

divyam jnanam yato dadyat
kuryat papasya sankshayam
tasmat diksheti sa prokta
desikais tattva-kovidaih

“Diksha is the process by which one can awaken his transcendental knowledge and vanquish all reactions caused by sinful activity.  A person expert in the study of the revealed scriptures knows this process as diksha.” Cc.  Madhya 15.108

“Diksha actually means initiating a disciple with transcendental knowledge by which he becomes freed from all material contamination.” Cc.Madhya 4.111

The word diksha is a compound word in sanskrit and is derived from the two words ‘diyate’ the verb ‘to give’ and ‘kshiyate’ the verb ‘to destroy’.  The following sloka describes the meanings of these two words in the context of diksha.

diyate muktiranaya
kshiyate carsya patakam
diyate kshiyate tasmat
sa dikshetya vidhiyate

“Diyate (to give) indicates the giving of liberation, kshiyate (to destroy) indicates the destruction of sins thus these two words come together in the word diksha to mean that process by which sins are destroyed and liberation is given”: Pancaratra Aniruddha Samhita 4.4

From the above quotation of Jiva Gosvami’s Bhakti sandarbha, which he is quoting from Hari-bhakti-vilasa 2.9, we understand that initiation is the process of giving transcendental knowledge to a person, by the understanding of which, he becomes purified from his previous bad habits and becomes a Vaisnava.  The example is also given by Srila Prabhupada of pulling the plug of an electric fan, which causes the fan to slow down and finally stop.

This explanation of diksha is very general and Baladeva Vidyabhusana in his Prameya Ratnavali has made a further detailed explanation of the nature of the knowledge given, as well as the other ceremonies to be performed in the giving of diksha.

avapta panca samskaro
labdha dvi vidha bhaktikah
sakshat krtya harim tasya
dhamni nityam premodate

tapah pundram tatha nama
mantro yagas ca pancamah
amihi panca samskarah
paramaikanti hetavah

tapo'tra tapta cakradi
mudra dharanam ucyate
tenaiva harinamadi
mudra capyupalakshyate

harinamaksharair gatram
ankayec candanadina
sa lokapavano bhutva
tasya lokam avapnuyat

pundram syad urddhva pundram tac
chastre bahuvidham smrtam
hari mandira tat pada
krtyadi subhavaham

namatra gaditam sadbhir
hari bhrtyatva bodhakam
mantro'shtadasa varnadih
sveshta deva vapurmatah

salagramadi puja tu
yaga sabdena kathyate
pramananyeshu drsyani
puranadishu sadhubhih

“He, who is purified with the five sacraments of initiation and who endeavors on the two paths of bhakti (vaidhi and raganuga), realizes the supreme Lord Hari and rejoices forever in His abode.”

“The five sacraments of initiation are as follows: 1.  Branding the body with the symbols of Lord Vishnu (Conch and Disc) 2.  Putting on of Vaishnava tilaka 3.  Accepting a name as a servant of the Lord (eg.  Krishna dasa) 4.  Receiving the mantra of the sampradaya (in this case the Gopal mantra with Kama bija) 5.  Surrender and worship of the supreme Lord through a bonafide disciplic succession.  These five sacraments of initiation are indeed conducive to one-pointed devotion to the supreme Lord.”

(A further explanation is given by Baladeva individually of these five.)

“The word ‘tapa’ or ‘branding’ means the putting on the body (shoulders) of the marks of the disc, etc, with heated metal brands (also called mudras).  Besides branding, it includes also the writing of the name of Hari on one’s body (with tilaka or sandalpaste).”

(N.B.  This practice is found in Hari-bhakti-vilasa, and has been mentioned by Srila Prabhupada in Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya Lila 1.35 Purport, while referring to the subject matter of Hari- bhakti-vilasa, quote “There are also descriptions of branding the body with the symbols of Vishnu” It should also be noted that this system of branding although still common today amongst the vaishnavas of the Madhva and Ramanuja sampradayas, has fallen into disuse among Gaudiya vaishnavas who prefer to stamp or draw the symbols on their bodies with tilaka or sandalpaste.)

“Let him mark on his body with sandalwood paste the syllables of the name of Lord Hari.  Such a person purifies this world (while alive) and (after death) obtains the spiritual world.”

“The Tilaka mark which is made of straight perpendicular lines on the forehead is called Urddhva Pundra.  The scriptures describe several kinds.  It may represent the temple of Lord Hari (as a reminder that the body is the temple of the Supersoul).  According to others it should be like a footprint of Lord Hari on the forehead of the devotee (showing that one is a servant of God).  This tilaka is a most auspicious mark.”

“The word ‘nama’ indicates that the guru gives a name which translated should indicate that the devotee is a “servant of God” ( eg.  Hari dasa, etc).”

“The mantra must be the vaishnava mantra of eighteen syllables (Klim Krishnaya Govindaya Gopijanavallabhaya Svaha).  It is considered to be the body of one’s ishta devata (Lord Krishna).”

(By this process of giving the mantra the guru is giving the disciple, the essence of all knowledge by which he can come to know everything in spiritual life.  The mantra is considered non-different from Lord Krishna.  The guru thus gives Krishna to the disciple.)

“The word ‘yaga’ means the worship of the supreme Lord in the form of the deity, such as salagrama sila, etc.”

“The Sadhus (Vaishnava Holy Men) should find the details of these operations in the scriptures (Puranas, Pancaratras, etc.) that are the authorities on these five sacraments.” Quoted from Prameya Ratnavali 8.  5-6 by Baladeva Vidyabhusana who himself is quoting from Padma Purana.

In the Hari-bhakti-vilasa, second vilasa, Sanatana and Gopala Bhatta Gosvamis give a very detailed explanation of the process of diksha.  In this description the whole process is summarized by saying that the only necessary and indeed essential act in initiation, is the speaking or giving of the mantra, (not the Hare Krishna mantra which is referred to correctly as Hari nam and not mantra) Klim Krishnaya Govindaya Gopijanavallabhaya Svaha, by the guru into the disciple’s ear (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 2.243-6).

athopadesas tattva sare
atrapyasaktah kascicced
avjambhyarccya sakshatam
tad ambhasabhishicyashta

varan mulena ke karam
nidhayasum japet karne
upadese tvayam vidhih
candra suryya grahe tirthe

siddha kshetre sivalaye
mantra matra prakathanam
upadesah sa ucyete
tatra tatraiva viseshah sri narada pancaratre

vitta lobhadvi muktasya
svalpa vittasya dehinah
samsara bhaya bhitasya
vishnu bhaktasya tattvatah

agna vajyan vite vijaih
salileh kevalais ca va
dravya hinasya kurvita
vacasanugraham guruh

yah samah sarva bhuteshu
virago vita matsarah
jitendriyah sucir dakshah
sarvangavayavanvitah

karmana manasa vaca
bhite cabhayadah sada
sama buddhi padam praptas
atrapi bhagavan mayah

panca kala paras caiva
pancaratrartha vit tatha
vishnu tattvam parijnaya
ekam caneka bhedagam

dikshayen medinim sarvam
kim punas copasan natam

“In the Tantra Sagara it is stated that if one is unable to execute the above mentioned rituals, then he can establish a conchshell full of water by chanting the mantra over it.  He should then sprinkle the prospective disciple with that water eight times.  Placing his right hand on the head of the disciple, he should then utter the mantra into his right ear.”

“At the time of solar or lunar eclipses, or in a holy place, or a spiritual place, or in a temple, nothing is required except the giving of the mantra.”

In the Narada Pancaratra equal importance is given to the long and short methods of initiation.  “The mantra may be imparted to the disciple after sprinkling him with water from a pot which has been placed in a Sarvatobhadra Mandala, or with water from a consecrated lotus, or after performing fire sacrifice with grains or even with words alone.”

Taking the above quotes into consideration, it is seen that initiation or diksha although comprised of five main stages, is essentially the aural transmission of the mantra of the sampradaya (again not to be confused with the Hare Krishna mantra which is technically called Hari nam) to the disciple by the guru.

Defining Re-Initiation

The definition of re-initiation, must naturally involve the taking of any or all of the above steps of initiation (as outlined in the sastras), especially the taking of the same mantra again after having taken it before from another guru.

I am assuming that this is the meaning of re-initiation.  Because the term is not used in the sastra I am explaining it, so the readers will understand what it means.  Now with these terms defined we can proceed to the questions that have been posed.

Answering The Questions

Question 1.  If one’s initiating guru falls down, must one necessarily take re-initiation? Please present scriptural evidence to support your points.

Answer 1 
Firstly, let me answer this question with reference to the books of Srila Prabhupada, and then from Hari-bhakti-vilasa.

“A devotee must have only one initiating spiritual master because in the scriptures acceptance of more than one is always forbidden.” There is no limit, however, to the number of instructing spiritual masters one may accept.  CC.Adi 1.35 Purport

This statement of Srila Prabhupada’s in the Caitanya Caritamrta should not be ignored.  It comes specifically in the section relating to the understanding of guru tattva.  Srila Prabhupada has used the word “always” here to be very emphatic about this point.  Therefore on the basis of Srila Prabhupada’s books one cannot get re- initiated, because in the scriptures it is always forbidden to have more than one initiating guru.  One can reject the instructions of his fallen diksa guru but must not reject the diksa and accept another diksa guru which is always forbidden.  There is no limit to the number of siksa gurus that anyone may accept, whether his diksa guru is fallen or not.

There are many places in other Gaudiya scriptures that explain the situation when the initiating guru goes through some spiritual difficulty.  However in all these scriptures only once is the idea of taking initiation into the same mantra again from another guru, mentioned.  No one can show apart from this one quote, where the words diksa or vidhi or mantra grahana (initiation, ceremony, or taking the mantra) are mentioned in this connection.  They are not.  The one quote applicable to re-initiation is given in the fourth chapter of Hari-bhakti-vilasa, (where it is given in a section called Extreme Exceptions) and is also quoted by Jiva Goswami.  It is as follows from Narada-Pancaratra:

avaishnavopadishtena
mantrena nirayam vrajet
punas ca vidhina samyag
grahayed vaishnavad guroh

Hari-bhakti-vilasa 4.144 (Also quoted SB.  11.3.48 Purport)

“One who is initiated into a mantra by a non-Vaisnava must go to hell.  Therefore he should again be initiated properly, according to the prescribed method, by a Vaisnava guru.” Quoted from Hari-bhakti-vilasa 4.144, Bhakti Sandarbha and SB.  11.3.48 Purport.

In the purport to this verse Srila Sanatana Gosvami quotes another verse, to be sure that we understand that a Vaisnava guru who somehow deviates, is not considered within this non-Vaisnava category.

“marga stho vapy amarga sthah”
“Whether he is situated on the path or off the path (of devotional service) the (Vaisnava) guru cannot be given up”.

Quoted from Sanatana Goswami’s purport to Hari-bhakti-vilasa 4.144

This statement seems to be radically opposed to views currently held in ISKCON.

This does not entirely solve the problem because ISKCON has to decide for itself who is a Vaisnava guru and who is a non-Vaisnava guru.  To understand this quote in context we should read what else is said in Hari-bhakti-vilasa.  The definition of non-Vaisnava is given in the very first vilasa as follows:

From Hayasirsha Pancaratra
jaiminih sugatasca nastiko nagna eva ca kapilascakshapadasca shadete hetuvadinah Quoted from Hari-bhakti-vilasa 1.48

“Followers of Jaimini, Sugata, Atheists, Nagas, followers of the Atheist Kapila and Buddhists are six types of non-Vaisnavas.”

At the time of giving initiation all of the suspended gurus of ISKCON were accepted and presented as bona fide Vaisnavas gurus; just as many others are accepted and presented as bona fide Vaisnava gurus today.  Perhaps they were not very advanced Vaisnavas but they were still Vaisnavas.  Therefore it follows (from what we read in Hari- bhakti-vilasa) that the initiation is proper and the following takes place.

 CC Antya 4-192, P92 diksa kale bhakta kare atma-samarpana sei-kale krsna tare kore atma-sama

“At the time of initiation, when a devotee fully surrenders unto the service of the Lord, Krsna accepts him to be as good as Himself.”

From this statement of the Caitanya Caritamrta it is seen that the devotee becomes transcendentally situated at the time of initiation.  Once under the divine nature how will his initiating guru’s falldown affect his spiritual status? Many people say that if the initiating guru falls down then the link with Krsna is broken.  They of course neglect the very real role that the siksha guru(s) plays in linking us to the guru parampara.

From practical experience we see many of the disciples of fallen gurus continuing to chant and advance in devotional service.  Why should we conclude that their link has been broken? Obviously, some of them became bewildered, when their diksa guru fell down.  They need not be bewildered if they are preached to with the proper understanding.  They can at once become fixed by taking shelter of an appropriate siksa guru.  Why should they be blamed for the spiritual difficulties of their guru? Many disciples may have left ISKCON.  Many of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples left too.  The fact is that no one leaves the service of the Lord unless he himself decides to.  Krsna never disqualifies anyone due to the sins of another.  Each individual always has the minute independence to serve Krsna or not.  Therefore, as pointed out by many Vaisnavas, including Bhaktivinode Thakura and Nara Hari Sarkara (in their books Jaiva Dharma, Hari Nam Cintamani and Sri Krishna Bhajanamrta) the disciple needs only to find a suitable siksha guru to again guide him on the path of spiritual life.  The word diksha is never used by these authors, thus indicating there is no re-initiation.

We have the testimony of many living authorities on the subject who also give the same statements.  For example: “Narayana Maharaja said that those devotees whose gurus have fallen should be encouraged to take shelter in Prabhupada.  And he said those disciples whose spiritual masters have not fallen should have respect for their spiritual masters and approach the disciplic succession through them.  It is not that everyone should think, “Well, now I don’t trust my spiritual master.” Quoted from guru Reform Notebook P56.  When Narayana Maharaja was asked “If the initiating guru falls down, is there any need for re-initiation?” he explained “ There is no need of re-initiation...  The safest path is for Srila Prabhupada to be accepted by those disciples.  No one should disturb them, but such persons must recognize the GBC and the principles of Krsna consciousness.”

There is no doubt that the fallen guru’s instructions should not be followed.  In this aspect he is no longer guru.  But the question remains, should everything that he has given be regarded as bogus? Should his previous good instructions be rejected along with the bad? Should the holy name as well as other bona-fide mantras be rejected? Should the advancement that the disciple has made under him be rejected? Should both guru and disciple and their service to Krsna be totally rejected? Nowhere in the scripture is it stated that the diksa, Hari nam, mantra, service or advancement of an individual should be disregarded in this way.  Even if someone is fallen we should respect the service that he performed.

If anyone, guru or not has deviated from the path of guru (siksa and diksa), sadhu and sastra he is understood to be a fallen Vaisnava and can at once become rightly situated again on the path of devotional service if he re-engages himself whole-heartedly in the service of the Lord.

api cet su-duracaro
bhajate mam ananya-bhak
sadhur eva sa mantavyah
samyag vyavasito hi sah

“Even if one commits the most abominable action, if he is engaged in devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated in his determination.” Purport:” The words sadhur eva, “he is saintly,” are very emphatic.  They are a warning to the non-devotees that because of an accidental falldown a devotee should not be derided; he should still be considered saintly even if he has accidentally fallen down.  And the word mantavyah is still more emphatic.  If one does not follow this rule, and derides a devotee for his accidental fall down, then one is disobeying the order of the Supreme Lord....No one should take advantage of this verse and commit nonsense and think that he is still a devotee (this should be the attitude of the fallen person towards himself).  If he does not improve his character by devotional service, then it is to be understood (that is by others) that he is not a high devotee.”

Words in brackets supplied by me.

Notice here that Prabhupada does not call him a non-devotee or a non-Vaisnava but says he is not a high devotee.  In other words he is still a devotee, not a high one, but a lower or fallen one.

 Some people may not agree with the above statements from sastra, but examine the alternatives to the above philosophy.

Alternative 1

Some people believe that the fallen gurus of ISKCON were not Vaisnavas.  These people are divided into two groups.  One group believes that the guru in question was never a Vaisnava and the other group believes that he was a Vaisnava but is no longer a Vaisnava.  The latter group place stress on whether or not they think he was a Vaisnava at the time of the particular initiation in question.  If we say that these people were never Vaisnavas then we come up with several problems.  1.  How did they ever become gurus? 2.  If they were appointed by Prabhupada then did Prabhupada make a mistake? (a dangerous idea) 3.  If they appeared to be Vaisnavas and actually were not then how can we tell in the future who is a Vaisnava and who is not?  By taking this first line of reasoning we are completely destroying the credibility of the initiating guru in ISKCON.  We may even begin to doubt the vision of Srila Prabhupada if we accept that he appointed such persons to that position.  (Needless to say this is not a very good philosophy.)

The second line of reasoning would have us believe that a person can become a Vaisnava and then he can become a non-Vaisnava.  Assuming that at the time he performed the initiation he was a Vaisnava most people say the disciple is properly initiated.  There are several problems in these ideas:

1.  How can we tell when a person is a Vaisnava or not?

2.  Shouldn’t the GBC issue a date after which the above mentioned guru is to be considered bogus?

3.  If that date is not issued then the only other indication from the GBC would be the date of his suspension from guruship, in which case all those initiated before that time, have been initiated by a bona fide (GBC approved) guru.  Since after suspension he no longer is able to initiate in ISKCON, there would be no problem of re- initiation.

4.  Without clear explanation from the GBC, the disciples are left to speculate as to when their guru became bogus and if in fact they are initiated or not.

5.  When asking for opinions on this matter these disciples receive conflicting reports from other devotees while the GBC have no philosophical advice to give.

These lines of reasoning degrade not only the position of the initiating guru but also that of the GBC.

 Consider the idea of continuity of devotional service which is set forth in the Nectar of Devotion by Srila Prabhupada and also by Rupa Goswami.  Once someone has been initiated by a bonafide spiritual master (i.e.  Srila Prabhupada) and has performed devotional service, that service is never lost.  These fallen gurus are in fact Vaisnavas, but fallen Vaisnavas.  They will have to suffer for their offenses but ultimately none of their advancement in devotional service is lost.  Why should we think that their status as Vaisnavas is lost?

We should be very careful before we say that these gurus are not Vaisnavas because Vaisnava aparadha is a very dangerous thing.  People who live in glass houses should avoid throwing stones.  Prabhupada always discouraged his disciples from criticizing fallen devotees.  Their status is factually fallen but due to their previous activities they must be understood to be devotees.  Would Prabhupada encourage non-Vaisnavas to become gurus in ISKCON? 

Alternative 2

Some believe that the parampara is like a chain and that the initiating gurus are the only links in that chain.  The conclusion here is that when the chain is broken by one of the links then the connection is also broken.  At first glance this seems to be a reasonable idea, however it completely ignores the position of the siksa guru in the parampara system.  Can the holders of such views give the diksa parampara of ISKCON? It is quite openly understood by all members of the Gaudiya Math and historically aware members of ISKCON, that the guru parampara mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita As It Is, is not a diksa parampara.  It derives its power not from a pure diksa succession, but from the continuity of its spiritual instructions (siksa).

“Another point is that disciplic succession does not mean one has to be directly a disciple of a particular person.” Letter to Kirtananda, Jan 69

“Disciplic succession does not always mean that one has to be initiated officially.  Disciplic succession means to accept the disciplic conclusion...  We are not directly from Vyasadeva, but our Gurudeva is a representative of Vyasadeva.” Letter to Dinesh, Oct 69

It is stated in Bhagavad Gita itself, that when the teachings or siksa is lost then the parampara becomes broken.  “The Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvan, and Vivasvan instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ilshvaku.” Notice that the word ‘instructed’ is used three times but not once is the word initiated used.  If initiation were so important wouldn’t it be mentioned? In the next verse it is said that the chain was broken and the knowledge needed to be spoken again.  Later in the chapter Krishna advises to approach a spiritual master who can impart knowledge to you.  The method is described as ‘inquiring submissively’ and ‘rendering service’, however initiation is not specifically mentioned.

Some who accept the above philosophy, counter by saying that all the gurus in the parampara had initiating spiritual masters.  Although they may not be direct disciples, one can fill in the names and dates to find a diksa parampara.  There are some major problems with this idea.

1.  Fill in the names and dates and see if you can make a diksa parampara.  You will find that you cannot.

2.  If it is so important in spiritual life to be connected only through the diksa guru then the parampara given to us by Srila Prabhupada, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana, and Kavi Karnapura is of little or no use in authenticating our spiritual heritage.  This is tantamount to saying that the above mentioned Acaryas have mistakenly presented the guru parampara to us.  (another dangerous philosophical conclusion) If a pure diksa parampara is so important then why didn’t Srila Prabhupada give us one?

3.  The followers of this philosophy must conclude that the guru parampara is bogus and therefore ISKCON, the Gaudiya Math and in fact the whole Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya is bogus.  Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana presented this very parampara to defeat the holders of such views.

4.  Ananta Vasudeva (the Acarya of the Gaudiya math after Srila Bhaktisiddhanta) came to this conclusion to justify his falldown from the position of Acarya, and thus took initiation into a pure diksa parampara.

5.  This view of the guru parampara caused many members to leave the Gaudiya Math (and a few to leave ISKCON, Nitai for example, who Srila Prabhupada cursed to never advance because he criticized Srila Bhaktisiddhanta for not coming in a bona fide diksa parampara).  All those who left accepted other diksa gurus who were in pure diksa guru paramparas.  Something which Srila Prabhupada heavily criticized.

From a scriptural point of view, in both Srila Prabhupada’s books and the Hari-bhakti-vilasa, the only course left open to the members of ISKCON is outlined in the beginning of this paper.  It is summarized here, for further clarification.

Summary

1.  All members of ISKCON are Vaisnavas, not Buddhists, Jains, Mayavadis, Hetuvadins, Sankhyites, etc.  Therefore initiation by them is Vaisnava initiation which links one, once and for all, with Krsna.  The link is never broken by Krsna, just as a contract made with a company remains fixed although representatives of that company may come and go.  The only way the connection can be broken is on the side of the disciple, by his inability to follow the siksa or instructions coming to him from Krsna through the mediums of gurus (siksa and diksa), sadhus, and sastra.

2.  If the initiating guru is a non-Vaisnava (ie.  not an ISKCON guru or a guru from any other bona fide Vaisnava organization), then one must take initiation from a Vaisnava guru.  To take re-initiation is a guru aparadha, a Vaisnava aparadha, an offense against the diksa mantras, and the holy name that one has received.  The person who does so goes to hell by the verdict of the sastra.

bodhah kalushitas tena
dauratmyam prakati krtam
gurur yena parityaktas
tena tyaktah pura harih

Brahmavaivarta Purana (Also quoted SB.11.3.48 Purport)

“One pollutes his own intelligence and exhibits severe weakness of character when he rejects his own spiritual master.  Indeed, such a person has already rejected the Supreme Lord, Hari.”

3.  The GBC resolutions expressing that a person may or may not take re-initiation are not definitive.  Considering the above criterion no one in ISKCON should take re-initiation.

Question 2.  If one develops a siksa relationship with a senior devotee in ISKCON, can the relationship be strong enough to obviate the need for formal diksa? (Please answer this with reference both to uninitiated devotees and to devotees whose diksa guru has fallen.)

Answer 2
“Generally a spiritual master who constantly instructs a disciple in spiritual science becomes his initiating spiritual master later on.” CC.Adi1.35 Purport.

This is the natural progression of spiritual life.

“One should always remember that a person who is reluctant to accept a spiritual master and be initiated is sure to be baffled in his endeavor to go back to Godhead.  One who is not properly initiated may present himself as a great devotee, but in fact he is sure to encounter many stumbling blocks on his path of progress toward spiritual realization, with the result that he must continue his term of material existence without relief.  Such a helpless person is compared to a ship without a rudder, for such a ship can never reach its destination.” CC Adi 1.35 Purport

Concerning a devotee whose diksa guru has fallen, as explained above he is initiated therefore there is no question of getting re- initiated.

“A devotee must have only one initiating spiritual master because in the scriptures acceptance of more than one is always forbidden.” CC.Adi 1.35 Purport

In another lengthy purport Srila Prabhupada again explains that diksa is necessary and he quotes from several sources to prove it.

CCMadhya15.TEXT 108
“One does not have to undergo initiation or execute the activities required before initiation.  One simply has to vibrate the holy name with his lips.  Thus even a man in the lowest class [candala] can be delivered.”

PURPORT
Srila Jiva Gosvami explains diksa in his Bhakti-sandarbha (283):

divyam jnanam yato dadyat
kuryat papasya sanksayam
tasmat dikseti sa prokta
desikais tattva-kovidaih

“Diksa is the process by which one can awaken his transcendental knowledge and vanquish all reactions caused by sinful activity.  A person expert in the study of the revealed scriptures knows this process as diksa.”

The regulative principles of diksa are explained in the Hari-bhakti-vilasa (Vilasa 2.3,4) and in Bhakti-sandarbha (283).  As stated:

dvijanam anupetanam
svakarmadhyayanadisu
yathadhikaro nastiha
syac copanayanad anu

tathatradikshitanam tu
mantra-devarcanadisu
nadhikaro'sty atah kuryad
atmanam siva-samstutam

“Even though born in a brahmana family, one cannot engage in Vedic rituals without being initiated and having a sacred thread.  Although born in a brahmana family, one becomes a brahmana after initiation and the sacred thread ceremony.  Unless one is initiated as a brahmana, he cannot worship the holy name properly.”

According to the Vaisnava regulative principles, one must be initiated as a brahmana.  The Hari-bhakti-vilasa (2.6) quotes the following injunction from the Visnu-yamala:

adiksitasya vamoru
krtam sarvam nirarthakam
pasu-yonim avapnoti
diksa-virahito janah

“Unless one is initiated by a bona fide spiritual master, all his devotional activities are useless.  A person who is not properly initiated can descend again into the animal species.”

Hari-bhakti-vilasa (2.10) further quotes:

ato gurum pranamyaivam
sarva-svam vinivedya ca
grhniyad Vaisnavam mantram
diksa-purvam vidhanatah

“It is the duty of every human being to surrender to a bona fide spiritual master.  Giving him everything--body, mind and intelligence--one must take a Vaisnava initiation from him.”

The Bhakti-sandarbha (298) gives the following quotation from the Tattvasagara:

yatha kancanatam yati
kasyam rasa-vidhanatah
tatha diksa-vidhanena
dvijatvam jayate nrnam

“By chemical manipulation, bell metal is turned into gold when touched by mercury; similarly, when a person is properly initiated, he can acquire the qualities of a brahmana.”

The Hari-bhakti-vilasa (17.11,12) in discussing the purascarya process, quotes the following verses from Agastya-samhita:

puja traikaliki nityam
japas tarpanam eva ca
homo brahmana-bhuktis ca
purascaranam ucyate

guror labdhasya mantrasya
prasadena yatha-vidhi
pancangopasana-siddhyai
puras caitad vidhiyate

“In the morning, afternoon and evening, one should worship the Deity, chant the Hare Krsna mantra, offer oblations, perform a fire sacrifice, and feed the brahmanas.”

These five activities constitute purascarya.  To attain full success when taking initiation from the spiritual master, one should first perform these purascarya processes.  The word purah means “before” and carya means “activities.” Due to the necessity of these activities, we do not immediately initiate disciples in the International Society for Krsna Consciousness.  For six months, a candidate for initiation must first attend arati and classes in the sastras, practice the regulative principles and associate with other devotees.  When one is actually advanced in the purascarya-vidhi, he is recommended by the local temple president for initiation.  It is not that anyone can be suddenly initiated without meeting the requirements.  When one is further advanced by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra sixteen rounds daily, following the regulative principles and attending classes, he receives the sacred thread (brahminical recognition) after the second six months.  In the Hari- bhakti-vilasa (17.4,5,7) it is stated:

vina yena na siddhah syan
mantro varsha-shatair api
krtena yena labhate
 sadhako vanchitam phalam

purashcara na-sampanno
mantro hi phala-dhayakah
atah purashkriyam kuryat
mantravit siddhi-kanksaya

puraskriya hi mantranam
pradhanam viryam ucyate
virya-hino yatha dehi
sarva-karmasu na ksamah

purascarana-hino hi
tatha mantrah prakirtitah

“Without performing the purascarya activities, one cannot become perfect even by chanting this mantra for hundreds of years.  However, one who has undergone the purascarya-vidhi process can attain success very easily.  If one wishes to perfect his initiation, he must first undergo the purascarya activities.  The purascarya process is the life-force by which one is successful in chanting the mantra.  Without the life-force, one cannot do anything; similarly, without the life force of purascarya-vidhi, no mantra can be perfected.”

In his Bhakti-sandarbha (283), Srila Jiva Gosvami states:

yadyapi shri-bhagavata-mate pancaratradi-vat arcana-margasya
avasyakatvam nasti, tad vinapi saranapattyadinam ekatarenapi
purushartha-siddher abhihitatvat, tathapi shri-naradadi-
vartmanusaradbhih sri-bhagavata saha sambandha-vishesham
diksha-vidhanena sri-guru-carana-sampaditam cikirshadbhih
kritayam diksayam arcanam avam kriyetaiva.

Of similar importance Bhakti-sandarbha (284):

yadyapi svarupato nasti, tathapi prayah svabhavato dehadi-
sambandhena kardaya-shilanam vikshipta-cittanam jananam tat-
tat-sankoci-karanaya shrimad-rishi-prabhritibhir atrarcana-marge
kvacit kvacit kacit kacin maryada stapitasti.

Similarly in the Ramarcana-candrika it is stated:

vinaiva diksam viprendra
 purascaryam vinaiva hi
vinaiva nyasa-vidhina
 japa-matrena siddhida

In other words, the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is so powerful that it does not depend on official initiation, but if one is initiated and engages in pancaratra-vidhi (Deity worship), his Krsna consciousness will awaken very soon, and his identification with the material world will be vanquished.  The more one is freed from material identification, the more one can realize that the spirit soul is qualitatively as good as the Supreme Soul.  At such a time, when one is situated on the absolute platform, he can understand that the holy name of the Lord and the Lord Himself are identical.  At that stage of realization, the holy name of the Lord, the Hare Krsna mantra, cannot be identified with any material sound.  If one accepts the Hare Krsna maha-mantra as a material vibration, he falls down.  One should worship and chant the holy name of the Lord by accepting it as the Lord Himself.  One should therefore be initiated properly according to revealed scriptures under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master.  Although chanting the holy name is good for both the conditioned and liberated soul, it is especially beneficial to the conditioned soul because by chanting it one is liberated.  When a person who chants the holy name is liberated, he attains the ultimate perfection by returning home, back to Godhead.  In the words of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 7.73):

krsna-mantra haite habe samsara-mocana
krsna-nama haite pabe krsnera carana

“Simply by chanting the holy name of Krsna one can obtain freedom from material existence.  Indeed, simply by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra one will be able to see the lotus feet of the Lord.”

The offenseless chanting of the holy name does not depend on the initiation process.  Although initiation may depend on purascarya or purascarana, the actual chanting of the holy name does not depend on purascarya-vidhi, or the regulative principles.  If one chants the holy name once without committing an offense, he attains all success.  During the chanting of the holy name, the tongue must work.  Simply by chanting the holy name, one is immediately delivered.  The tongue is sevonmukha-jihva--it is controlled by service.  One whose tongue is engaged in tasting material things and also talking about them cannot use the tongue for absolute realization.

atah sri-krsna-namadi
na bhaved grahyam indriyaih
sevonmukhe hi jihvadau
svayam eva sphuraty adah

According to Caitanya-caritamrita (Madhya 17.134):

ataeva krishnera ‘nama’, ‘deha’, ‘vilasa’
prakritendriya-grahya nahe, haya sva-prakasha

“With these material senses, one cannot understand the transcendental holy name of the Lord or His form, activities and pastimes.  However, when one actually engages in devotional service, utilizing the tongue, the Lord is revealed.” CCMadhya15.TEXT 108

Thus Srila Prabhupada clearly establishes in this purport, that without a doubt, formal initiation is necessary and essential for the members of ISKCON.  There may also be various siksa gurus to guide the devotee, but there must be one, (and only one) diksa guru.

Question 3.  Upon whom should the disciple of a fallen guru meditate when chanting the Gayatri mantra directed to the guru?

Answer 3
The guru gayatri mantra addresses the guru who is full of the bliss of Krsna consciousness.  The disciple should therefore meditate on any one of his gurus (siksa or diksa) who is full of the bliss of Krsna consciousness.  Naturally the guru who inspires the devotee most, will be meditated on at this time to gain enthusiasm for devotional service.  Why should we think this mantra is only directed to the diksa guru? This is not stated anywhere in sastra.  It is directed to the guru who “enthuses our meditation by being full of the bliss of Krsna consciousness”.  This may or may not be the diksa guru.  Bilvamangala Thakur offers obeisances to Cintamani the prostitute because she is one of his siksa gurus.  She inspired him in Krsna consciousness.  He did not avoid offering obeisances to her because she appeared to be a fallen person.

This question seems to indicate that the guru of the second and third lines of gayatri as only the diksa guru.  Why should it be? Why do people insist on proposing that the diksa guru is the only guru or more important than the siksa guru? Krsna clearly explains that both of them are non-different from Him.

“There is no difference between the shelter-giving Supreme Lord and the initiating and instructing spiritual masters.  If one foolishly discriminates between them, he commits an offense in the discharge of devotional service.” CC Adi 1.47 Purport.

“The first manifestation described is the spiritual master, who appears in two plenary parts called the initiating spiritual master and the instructing spiritual master.  They are identical because both of them are phenomenal manifestations of the Supreme Truth.” CC Adi 1 chapter summary

“The initiating and instructing spiritual masters are equal and identical manifestations of Krishna...” CC Adi 1.34 purport

Question 4.  Can the disciple of a fallen guru serve as a qualified brahmana to make offerings to Krsna?

Answer 4 
The devotee in question should be evaluated on his own merits not the merits of his guru.  Srila Prabhupada says in Sri Caitanya Caritamrta .

“Whether a Vaisnava is properly initiated or not, is not a subject for consideration.(CC Madhya 15.11 purport)

Let me ask a question.  “Is the GBC body going to forbid devotees, who are following the rules and regulations of Krsna consciousness, (who have taken initiation into the gayatri mantras) from worshipping the deity every time their diksa guru falls down?” Some devotees took initiation first from one guru and then from another, and then were told that they must again take initiation in order to perform deity worship.  If any devotee, whether he be a Prabhupada disciple or a disciple of a fallen diksa guru, wants to perform deity worship or any other duties in ISKCON temples, he must be judged by the relevant local authorities to be fit spiritually for such service.  He should be judged on his own merits and not on whether he belongs to some elite class such as Prabhupada or non-Prabhupada disciple.  Otherwise taking initiation and re-initiation becomes a fashion to be indulged in simply to keep up with the local status quo.  There are already many examples of devotees around the world, who have felt peer pressure to take re-initiation, because they are made to feel spiritually inferior to others, whose diksa gurus have not fallen.  Many people in ISKCON are at the present time getting re-initiated on the rebound, by the first guru who happens to come along, just to escape the status of untouchability.

Once having received Hari nam or diksa mantra it cannot be taken away.  The disciple has the necessary mantras for deity worship.  If his behaviour is Krsna conscious then how can he be denied the right to worship the deity?

Question 5.  Can the disciple of a fallen guru give diksa? If so, what will be his link to the disciplic succession?

Answer 5
Why should he not be allowed to give diksa? As explained above he is linked to the guru parampara, and Krsna through diksa and siksa.  He has initiation into the diksa mantra, and continues to follow the siksa of the sampradaya.  He is a Vaisnava and thus qualified to give the diksa mantra to others.

It might be said that such a disciple did not actually receive the diksa mantra, as it was spoken to him by a guru who was not pure and is now fallen.  Who is there who will judge who is chanting the mantra or Hari nam purely? If one approaches a pure devotee will he say that he is chanting purely? Pure devotees usually take the humble position of saying that they are only aspiring to be pure.  On the other hand people who claim to be pure are usually not.  Practically it will be impossible for the aspiring neophyte to find who is chanting purely and who is not.  Although a Vaisnava may be chanting the mantra or Hari nam impurely, still the mantra or Hari nam has potency.  In Srimad Bhagavatam Srila Prabhupada explains that the mantra has potency in itself and if possible one should try to hear it from a pure Vaisnava.

“Although the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is powerful in itself, a disciple upon initiation receives the mantra from his spiritual master, for when the mantra is chanted by the spiritual master, it becomes more powerful.” SB 4.24.32 purport

In Caitanya Caritamrta (CC Madhya 9.61 purport) Lord Caitanya gives Hari nam to some Buddhists.  The Buddhists then initiate their former guru by chanting to him.  They became his guru by initiating him with Hari nam.

 “Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura comments that all the Buddhists disciples were actually initiated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to chant the holy name of Krsna and when they chanted, they actually became different persons.  At that time they were not Buddhists or Atheists but Vaisnavas.”CC Madhya 9.61 purport.

Therefore from this statement we can see that anyone who is initiated immediately becomes a different person, a Vaisnava.

We are told by Srila Prabhupada in the Caitanya Caritamrta Antya lila 1.101.

Text: “One has to learn about the beauty and transcendental position of the holy name of the Lord by hearing the revealed scriptures from the mouths of devotees.  Nowhere else can we hear of the sweetness of the Lord’s holy name.”

Purport: It is said in the Padma Purana, atah sri krsna namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih.  Chanting and hearing of the transcendental holy name of the Lord cannot be performed by the ordinary senses.  The transcendental vibration of the Lord’s holy name is completely spiritual.  Thus it must be received from spiritual sources and must be chanted after having been heard from a spiritual master.  One who hears the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra must receive it from the spiritual master by aural reception.  Srila Sanatana Goswami has forbidden us to hear the holy name of Krsna chanted by non-Vaisnavas, such as professional actors and singers, for it will have no effect.  It is like milk touched by the lips of a serpent, as stated in the Padma Purana;

avaisnava-mukhodgirnam putam hari-kathamrtam sravanam naiva kartavyan sarpocchistam yatha payah

As far as possible, therefore the devotees in the Krsna conciousness movement gather to chant the holy name of Krsna in public so that both the chanters and the listeners may benefit.”

Nowhere does Srila Prabhupada say that chanting from the lips of initiated Vaisnava devotees should be avoided.  He advises us to hear from the most qualified pure devotee but does not restrict hearing the mantra or Hari nam from other Vaisnavas.  Thus Srila Prabhupada’s disciples are bona fide Vaisnavas, due to being initiated by him, the diksa given by them is therefore bonafide.

We should accept that if a person has diksa mantra he has an inherent right to give it also.  Other conditions may be placed on him before he gives diksa but no-one should deny that he has received the mantra or the holy name.

Even if this scriptural conclusion is not accepted, and the diksa connection of these disciples is denied, Srila Prabhupada explains that the principle of guru parampara does not always include direct diksa connection.

“Another point is that disciplic succession does not mean one has to be directly a disciple of a particular person.” Letter to Kirtananda, Jan 69

“Disciplic succession does not always mean that one has to be initiated officially.  Disciplic succession means to accept the disciplic conclusion...  We are not directly from Vyasadeva, but our Gurudeva is a representative of Vyasadeva.” Letter to Dinesh, Oct 69

Conclusion

When Srila Prabhupada was with us he was able to set us right even by, at times, suspending the whole GBC body.  He was everyone’s siksa and diksa guru and therefore he could amend certain aspects of Krsna consciousness according to time, place and circumstance.  It is a foregone conclusion that such adjusting must still go on for our movement to grow with the changing times and circumstances around us.  If we do not we are doomed to become stagnant, like the Gaudiya Math before us.  At the same time the essence of Krsna consciousness must be preserved, it is not that we can change anything and everything just for the sake of change.  The GBC must set policies, and lead us in the philosophical understanding of Srila Prabhupada’s vision.  They must give the amending formulas so that we can structure our movement in the most effective way to carry out all of Srila Prabhupada’s instructions.  They must explain to all of ISKCON their philosophical understandings before introducing new laws and practices.  They should have the foresight to be able to avert trouble instead of trying to patch things up after the damage is done.  One of the greatest criticisms of the GBC is that they have been exceedingly slow to act, if indeed they act at all, to initiate needed reforms.  If we look back to 1977, we will see that there are many things which have changed in our movement, some for the better and some for the worse.  We cannot stop change but that change should involve increasing co-operation of the members of ISKCON, preservation and expansion of the movement, and fulfilling the unfulfilled desires of our spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada.

It is encouraging that the GBC are appointing advisory committees whose duty is to research information for them.  However their whole endeavor will be spoiled if they fail to act upon the advice of such research committees.  Will they decide to legislate the truth to the rest of us without due regard for guru, sadhu and sastra? Utmost care should be taken by them to weigh the evidence that is presented to them by such committees.  It should be assessed without personal prejudice or preconceived bias.

There is a need for a strong philosophical agreement on all issues concerning the relationship of the guru and disciple in ISKCON.  It is useful to compare ISKCON’s history with that of our sampradaya before its coming to the west.  All the decisions that were made by the GBC since the passing of Srila Prabhupada, should be carefully examined.  The philosophical doctrine of ISKCON should be printed and disseminated for every devotee to read and understand.  Thus faith in the GBC will be restored, and ISKCON will once again have a unified preaching platform.  Our problems are not new, therefore let us take shelter of the sastra and the examples set by all the previous Acarya’s of our line, while always keeping Srila Prabhupada in the forefront.

Related Articles
The Bona Fide Guru
The Humble Guru


These Shastric Conclusions on Guru Are Adopted by the Daiva Sangam

As explained in Gaura Kesava's paper, the GBC asked the newly created "Guru Research Sub-committee" several questions about Guru Tattva, in order to clarify the subject. Given the trials in ISKCON after Srila Prabhupada's passing, many of which were caused by the highest leadership of the society—those who were supposed to be uttama-adhikary, pure devotees—the GBC felt the need of an impartial non-guru group of respected and scholarly devotees to bring some clarity to the subject. They posed several questions to the sub-committee. Gaura Keshava Prabhu was one of the members of that sub-committee and this paper is his reply to the questions posed.

We note that although the GBC asked for shastric advice regarding this issue, and further that the response given is completely based on shastra, the GBC have failed to accept the recommendations of their own sub-committee, and instead have concocted their own apa-siddhantic process of creating gurus by vote, essentially approving of or rubber-stamping the guru by a third party.

We find the GBC in this regard has overstepped their legitimate authority by creating doctrine that is not supported by guru, shastra and sadhu.

Gaura Keshava Prabhu himself has repeatedly commented on various forums of the failure of the GBC in this regard.

It is our position however that the conclusions arrived at by Gaura Keshavaji are correct, are in strict keeping with the siddhanta as explained by Srila Prabhupada, and are consistent with the siddhanta of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas.

Therefore the Daiva Sangam adopts these conclusions (the sampradaya conclusions) as its official policy.

Vedic culture places authority in qualified individual person, not in the seat of an institution of other persons of questionable qualification. There is no third party that can interfere with the guru-disciple relationship; there is no third party to determine who is fit or unfit for either guru or disciple; there is no need of an those appointed to institutional positions to oversee this transcendental process.

What there is need of is for all parties to assume FULL responsibility for this relationship, just as we must do in every other relationship. The guru does NOT represent any establishment or organization. He is an individual who represents the Godhead first and foremost, and himself secondly.

If an unqualified person assumes the mantle of guru and cheats others, both 'guru' and disciple only will bear the consequences.

The responsibility lies with the prospective disciple to understand the qualities of a bona fide guru and to search out such a bona fide personality for spiritual instruction and initiation.

---

Definition of Diksha

Everywhere in Srila Prabhupada's writing or lectures where he defines diksha, the defiinition is: "the process of transference of transcendental knowledge."

This process and the relationship behind it is typically formally marked by a ceremony - agnihotra-yajna. The ceremony is not the initiation, but merely formalizes the relationship with further commitments as an aid to help the disciple make further progress in spiritual life.

Start the Hare Krishna Movement Again!