Contributed by Janardhana Dasa After the physical departure of Srila Prabhupada, some of his so-called disciples posed as the successor acharyas of the Hare Krishna Movement. This was done without the authorization of Srila Prabhupada. Thus, in effect, they were self-made unauthorized gurus and acharyas. Due to this, the Hare Krishna movement suffered a setback. These bogus gurus and acharyas threw out many sincere disciples of Srila Prabhupada and committed many atrocities against their Godbrothers.
The following letter of Pradyumna Prabhu, one of the disciples of Srila Prabhupada, bears testimony to the atrocities of these self-made gurus and acharyas. Pradyumna Prabhu was serving Srila Prabhupada as his personal secretary and his Sanskrit translator for a very long time. This letter is a striking example of how many senior disciples were ill-treated and driven out of the movement by these so-called gurus. ************************************************************************************************************* ****************************** 7 August, 1978 Dear Satsvarupa Maharaj, Please accept my most humble obeisances.
Maharaj, I am writing you this letter with GREAT anxiety in my heart and after days and days and long nights of thought and careful consideration.
I have been staying in Vrndavan for some time and have not visited any other center recently except Delhi. Therefore, my information I have about what is happening at our other centers comes only from devotees visiting here, occasional letters, newsletters and our society’s magazine and other publications. But the news I hear from these sources is very alarming and therefore I am writing you in some anxiety.
The matter concerns the Godbrothers who were selected by Srila Prabhupada to accept disciples. At the time of Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance, it was most clearly understood by all of us present that Srila Prabhupada MADE NO SUCCESSOR. Everyone admitted that fact and understood it clearly. Instead, the GBC was to jointly manage ALL affairs of ISKCON just had been the case previously. This was the same solution as desired by Om Visnupada Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, who also had not made any successor, although his wishes were NOT followed. In addition to the GBC management, Srila Prabhupada also selected 11 somewhat advanced disciples to grant initiation to newcomers. However, it was never mentioned at any time by His Divine Grace that these 11 were to be known as ACARYAS.
He simply instructed that they may now accept disciples. Otherwise, as it was understood and practiced at that time, there was NO SPECIAL POSITION given to these 11, either in the society as a whole, or in relation to their Godbrothers. Management would depend on the joint GBC, and among godbrothers and sisters, all are on the same level, with the exception of some special regard and respect shown to older (senior) disciples by these Godbrothers & Godsisters who are junior.
Now, at present, I understand that the 11 GURUS are all 1)adopting the title of ACARYA, 2)sitting on high Vyasasanas in front of Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasasana and their own Godbrothers, 3)accepting worship and great respect normally reserved for a GURU from the rest of their Godbrothers and 4)that the previous GBC zones have all been given by mutual agreement or by invitation among the different acaryas.
First of all, the word ACARYA may be taken in 3 senses. Etymologically the word means “one who practices” or “one who practices what he preaches”. This is the general meaning and may be used in relation to any pure devotee – period.
Secondly, the word means “one who grants initiation to a disciple”. This is specifically indicating one who is a GURU. Anyone who grants initiation, or is a guru, may be called as “acarya deva”, etc. by his disciples only! Whoever has accepted him as guru must give all respects to him in every way, but this does not apply to those who are not his disciples.
Thirdly, the word acarya indicates “the spiritual head of an institution or pitha”. This meaning is very specific. It does not mean just anyone. It means only one who has been specifically declared by the previous acarya to be his successor above all others to the seat of the spiritual institution which he heads. He alone, among all of his godbrothers, is given a raised seat and special honor. No other godbrother may receive such respect and he is the authority in all spiritual and material matters. This is the strict tradition in all of the Gaudiya Sampradayas.
Now Srila Prabhupada, it is clear, did not appoint any such successor, because no one of his disciples at present, is advanced to the level of Krishna cConsciousness necessary to assume such a position. Nor did Srila Prabhupada make 11 such ACARYAS. This was never mentioned by Him. They were only given permission to make disciples and the GBC was to jointly manage, materially and SPIRITUALLY. There was never any distinctions made by Srila Prabhupada between material management and spiritual management. Both are the concern of the GBC.
The ll gurus may be known as acaryas only in the second sense of the word-to their disciples as mantra-giving gurus, not in the third sense, as “the” spiritual successors of Srila Prabhupada.
That was never meant to be, by His Divine Grace.
Secondly, among godbrothers it is not correct for any one of them to sit above the others,
especially in the presence of Gurudeva. If Gurudeva is not present, sometimes the sannyasi godbrothers may be given an asana, but that asana does not mean a huge gigantic seat. It simply means a square piece of cloth or wool not more than 1/8″ or 1/4″ thick. This is asana. If any one godbrother or many godbrothers sit above the others it is not at all proper.
Sometimes in an assembly there may be raised platform or table on which the sannyasi speakers sit, but ALL SANNYASI Godbrothers must be invited to sit in an equal place on the speaker’s platform. Sometimes a grhastha or brahmacari godbrothers may also be invited to sit there if they are deserving by their advancement. If there is an appointed acarya as mentioned before (third sense of the word) then he alone may sit higher than the other godbrothers. Indeed in the different Gaudiya Mathas, even if one godbrother is in the position of acarya, he usually, out of humility, takes only a thin cloth asana, not anything higher. It is the symptom of a Vaisnava to be extremely humble. He MUST always be extremely careful of putting himself in a position where he may become conceited.
A guru may take a higher seat than his disciple—that is bonafide. But he cannot illegally take a higher seat than his godbrothers. The relation between the guru and his godbrothers and a guru and his disciples is entirely different. He should not sit higher than Godbrothers other than if he is a sannyasi, then a thin cloth as already mentioned if offered by his godbrothers, or accept respect from them without offering respect in return. This is the general niti or etiquette. Besides this, there are, among Godbrothers, some further [?] to be observed between those who are senior and those who are junior. Seniority is calculated according to the time of receiving 1st (Harinam) initiation or by his ability to perform bhajana. If one godbrother has disciples, the guru-puja and Vyasa-puja of that godbrother should be conducted in a separate place or his private room—not in front of all his other Godbrothers.
In an assembly of Vaisnavas, all sit on the same level together, godbrothers along with their sisters. No one is permitted to accept separate respect from disciples in any gathering of other godbrothers. In Gaudiya Math, the Vyasa-puja of one godbrother who has disciples is usually performed in the following manner. The guru takes his raised seat in his private place and invites all his godbrothers to come to the function also. If his godbrothers come to offer him some flowers, that godbrother guru immediately first worships his other godbrothers and offers them garland, candana, etc., and in some cases presents like cloth, umbrella, etc. They honor each other and are seated properly, then that guru’s disciples may come forward and offer their worship. This is the system being observed.
Incidentally, the words of Om Visnupada Srila Bhakktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura found in the English book Sri Caitanya’s Teachings regarding the sitting above everyone else are from a speech delivered in response to the offerings of his disciples on the occasion of his Vyasa-puja.
Those words are in relation to his disciples—not to his godbrothers, of which there weren’t any.
The niti in regard to godbrothers is completely different from that to disciple.
Pradyumna das All Glories to Srila Prabhupada