You Found Śrīla Prabhupāda—Please Don’t Lose Him
You may be someone who chants sincerely. Who wakes early. Who serves with all your heart.You may have come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness through a guru, a temple, or a devotee who guided you beautifully.
A sincere conversation with fellow devotees in ISKCON Dear devotee, You may be someone who chants sincerely. Who wakes early. Who serves with all your heart.You may have come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness through a guru, a temple, or a devotee who guided you beautifully. For that, you feel grateful—and you should. It means you have a soft heart. It means you’re serious about your spiritual journey.
But please… just for a few moments, can we talk—not to argue, not to win—but to reflect?
Because something important is being lost, and deep down, many of us feel it.
The One Who Gave Us Everything Think back.
Who gave us harinām? The standards of 16 rounds, 4 regulative principles, and maṅgala-ārati?
Who gave us the Gītā, the Bhāgavatam, prasādam distribution, deity worship, Sunday Feast, and festivals that make our hearts dance?
Who filled our homes with hope, our mouths with mantra, and our lives with purpose?
It was Śrīla Prabhupāda.
He is the reason we have temples across the world.He is the reason you and I even know who Kṛṣṇa is.And above all, he is the one who agreed to carry us back to Godhead.
So now, gently—may I ask:Is he still being given his place?Or have we slowly, subtly let him slip into history—while someone else sits in his seat?
What Is Initiation, Really?
We often hear: “You must accept a living guru. Without that, you can’t advance.”But what does śāstra say?
“Dīkṣā is the process by which one awakens transcendental knowledge and destroys sinful
reactions.”—Bhakti-sandarbha, Jīva Gosvāmī Initiation is not merely a ritual of fire or a formal change of name, but the beginning of spiritual life and an eternal bond with the dīkṣā-guru. It marks the start of an ongoing transformation — awakening knowledge and cleansing sinful reactions.
And that connection can happen—even without physical contact.
Did you know? Thousands of devotees were initiated by Prabhupāda without ever meeting him.His representatives evaluated, chanted on beads, gave names, and held fire sacrifices.
Yet their hearts changed forever.
Why?
Because the spiritual master is the principle—not the body.Like Kṛṣṇa, he can be present anywhere the disciple sincerely desires.Just as a television signal reaches countless homes, the guru’s mercy flows through faith and surrender.
“I was only with Guru Mahārāja four or five times. But I have never left his association—not even for a moment—because I am following his instructions.”—Śrīla Prabhupāda, 1972 What System Did Śrīla Prabhupāda Leave?
By 1977, Śrīla Prabhupāda formally institutionalized the same ritvik system that had already been in place for years—a method of initiation in which he remains the dīkṣā-guru, and senior devotees serve as representatives (ritviks) to officiate the ceremony.
His letter, dated July 9, 1977, is clear and approved.No hidden terms. No secret successor.He said: “The newly initiated devotees are disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda.”“Their names should be entered in His Divine Grace’s book of initiated disciples.” He never said, “After I leave, these men become gurus.”He never transferred his role.He simply set up a safe, pure, long-term system—to ensure that he alone would remain ISKCON’s initiating spiritual master.
Why? Because he knew the dangers of premature ambition. He knew what had happened to the Gauḍīya Maṭha.
And sadly… it happened again.
What Happened After Prabhupāda Left?
The 11 ritviks declared themselves as new gurus.World was divided into zones to be led by them.Devotees were told to now take shelter of them.
Those who denied were silenced, sidelined, or expelled.
Then came the heartbreak: Scandals.
Illicit behavior.
Dozens of “gurus” falling, and many never rising again.
To fix the chaos, the GBC introduced voting for appointing new gurus—a practice with no sanction in any śāstra or from Śrīla Prabhupāda.
More than 100 gurus have been appointed since.Over 50 have already fallen.The ones still active often live under scrutiny, restriction, or controversy.
Is this the paramparā?Is this the spiritual safety net Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted for us?
What About My Guru?
You may ask:“But my guru helped me. He gave me direction. He changed my life.” That may be true. And it matters.Sincere devotees can offer real encouragement, guidance, and service.
But ask yourself—who gave him Kṛṣṇa consciousness?
It was ISKCON, painstakingly built and nurtured by Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Even now, your guru may act as a śikṣā-guru—a guide and well-wisher—but not as dīkṣā-guru.
Yes, Prabhupāda sometimes encouraged devotees that one day they could become gurus—just as a loving father tells his children, “Grow up and carry this forward.”But that was encouragement—not instruction. Hope—not a handover.
Unless Śrīla Prabhupāda personally authorized someone to initiate on his behalf, assuming the position of dīkṣā-guru is not an act of service—it’s a misstep.
“A spiritual master who is one hundred percent Kṛṣṇa conscious is the bona fide spiritual master, for he can solve the problems of life.”—Bhagavad-gītā 2.8, Purport Only such a pure devotee—fully Kṛṣṇa conscious and empowered by the Lord—can truly deliver others back to Godhead. Śrīla Prabhupāda is that rare ācārya.
“The GBC should all be the instructor gurus. I am the initiator guru. You must teach what I teach and do what I do.”—Śrīla Prabhupāda, Letter to Madhudvisa, 1975 Don’t Be Afraid to Think Again You’re not being offensive for asking questions.You’re not weak for feeling confused.You’re not alone in wondering if something’s wrong.
Many sincere devotees have quietly carried this discomfort for years.
Let’s not pretend the pain isn’t there.Let’s not normalize guru-fall after guru-fall.Let’s not keep gambling our spiritual lives, hoping, “Mine won’t fall.” There is one guru who will never fall.One who never dies.One who is empowered by Kṛṣṇa Himself to take us back to Godhead.
That guru is Śrīla Prabhupāda.
The Invitation Today, ISKCON Bangalore follows the ritvik system exactly as Prabhupāda left it.For this, they were banned, rejected, sued.But they stood by Prabhupāda. And today, the Supreme Court of India has upheld a judgment that allows them to follow Śrīla Prabhupāda as it is.
They have no self-declared ācāryas.Only Śrīla Prabhupāda.Only the system he gave.Only the safety of a spiritual path untouched by ambition.
And it’s not just philosophy—it’s living practice.Vibrant deity worship, prasādam, festivals, education, and outreach continue, just as Śrīla Prabhupāda envisioned.
Would you like to return to that shelter?Would you like to reconnect—not with an institution, but with your eternal spiritual master?
He Is Waiting
You found Śrīla Prabhupāda once. Don’t lose him now.
The path is still open. The vani is still alive.And your heart already knows what’s right.
So please—pause. Reflect.
And if you feel a whisper inside you saying, “Yes, this is what I always felt,” then follow that voice.
Read his books again. Listen to his lectures with fresh eyes. Ask questions.
And don’t be afraid to choose Śrīla Prabhupāda as your eternal guide.
He is your eternal spiritual master.He is calling you home. All it takes is one sincere step toward him.
“I thank all of you very much for accepting me as your spiritual master, and I promise that I will take you back home, back to Godhead.”—Śrīla Prabhupāda, Letter to Nityānanda, 1971 Want to Learn More?
If you have questions about the Ritvik Initiation System as instructed by Śrīla Prabhupāda, or would like to connect with the ISKCON Bangalore group of temples, we are here to assist you.
Ritvik Helpline (Call or WhatsApp): +91 63525 43221 ? To become a disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda, visit:iskconbangalore.org/harinam-diksha ? Looking for a temple near you?Explore the full list of ISKCON Bangalore temples ?️ here:iskconcenters.org/list