My reason for writing this article is mainly to make sure that “The Role of Temple President” to recommend devotees for first and second initiation (a major responsibility to make such a decision/judgement) and then to perform fire sacrifice to complete the process of initiations is not minimized or diluted neither by taking away one or both roles from him by GBCs, Sannyasis, Ritviks, and Senior Devotees nor should he give up his role willingly to the other leaders – GBCs, Sannyasis, Ritviks, and Senior Devotees, knowingly or unknowingly.
Srila Prabhupada gave “Temple President and his Team” major responsibility to run Temples smoothly and efficiently, train and engage existing devotees and new bhaktas, and carry out preaching activities like Hari Nama, Book Distribution etc. Temples are major building blocks of the movement. If Temple Administrators are bubbling with enthusiasm and preaching spirit then other Temple Devotees will be also fired up and movement will prosper.
Please note that the function of the Ritvik Representative is one of check and balance – to approve or not approve President’s recommendation – and thus Ritviks are given very limited role whereas Temple President has more responsibility to make decision/judgment to recommend devotees for first and second initiation.
Also note that Only TPs and Ritviks are given role in the process of initiations and GBCs, Sannyasis, and other Senior Devotees (who are not TPs or Ritviks) are not given any role.
Following analysis is based on how ISKCON functioned during Srila Prabhupada’s presence, his statements about role of GBC, and July 9 ritvik appointment letter which is included here as well.
(1) Role of GBCs – GBCs were responsible to supervise and guide existing Temples, go out and preach, and open New Temples but not to interfere and dictate in affairs of the existing Temple on a daily basis. GBCs were to meet once a year in Mayapur and resolve serious issues and plan for the next year’s preaching.
(2) Sannyasis were to travel and preach everywhere.
(3) Role of Ritviks is defined in following ways in July 9th Letter –
(a) Temple Presidents may henceforward send recommendation for first and second initiation to whichever of these eleven representatives are nearest their temple. After considering the recommendation, these representatives may accept the devotee as an initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada by giving a spiritual name, or in the case of second initiation, by chanting on the Gayathri thread, just as Srila Prabhupada has done.
(b) The name of a newly initiated disciple should be sent by the representative who has accepted him or her to Srila Prabhupada, to be included in His Divine Grace's "Initiated Disciples" book.
(4) Temple Leaders and Temple Administration – President, Vice President(s), Secretary, Treasurer, Temple Commander etc were to manage Temple, supervise and train existing devotees and new bhaktas and engage them in different services like Sankirtan, book distribution, in cooking, cleaning etc.
(5) Temple President had two more roles – to recommend devotees to Srila Prabhupada for first and second initiation and to perform fire sacrifice to complete the process of first and second initiation once Srila Prabhupada approved his recommendations. These two roles are also in July 9th letter as under – (a) In the past Temple Presidents have written to Srila Prabhupada recommending a particular devotee's initiation. Now that Srila Prabhupada has named these representatives, Temple Presidents may henceforward send recommendation for first and second initiation to whichever of these eleven representatives are nearest their temple.
(b) After the Temple President receives a letter from these representatives giving the spiritual name or the thread, he can perform the fire yajna in the temple as was being done before.
July 9 Ritvik Appointment Letter Vrindaban 9 July, 1977 To All G.B.C., and Temple Presidents Dear Maharajas and Prabhus, Please accept my humble obeisances at your feet. Recently when all of the GBC members were with His Divine Grace in Vrindavana, Srila Prabhupada indicated that soon He would appoint some of His senior disciples to act as ritvik-representative of the acharya, for the purpose of performing initiations, both first initiation and second initiation. His Divine Grace has so far given a list of eleven disciples who will act in that capacity: His Holiness Kirtanananda Swami His Holiness Satsvarupa dasa Gosvami His Holiness Jayapataka Swami His Holiness Tamala Krsna Gosvami His Holiness Hrdayananda Gosvami His Holiness Bhavananda Gosvami His Holiness Hamsaduta Swami His Holiness Ramesvara Swami His Holiness Harikesa Swami
His Grace Bhagavan dasa Adhikari
His Grace Jayatirtha dasa Adhikari In the past Temple Presidents have written to Srila Prabhupada recommending a particular devotee's initiation. Now that Srila Prabhupada has named these representatives, Temple Presidents may henceforward send recommendation for first and second initiation to whichever of these eleven representatives are nearest their temple. After considering the recommendation, these representatives may accept the devotee as an initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada by giving a spiritual name, or in the case of second initiation, by chanting on the Gayathri thread, just as Srila Prabhupada has done.
The newly initiated devotees are disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the above eleven senior devotees acting as His representative. After the Temple President receives a letter from these representatives giving the spiritual name or the thread, he can perform the fire yajna in the temple as was being done before. The name of a newly initiated disciple should be sent by the representative who has accepted him or her to Srila Prabhupada, to be included in His Divine Grace's "Initiated Disciples" book.
July 9th letter drafted by Srila Prabhupada Dwnload original jpg.-image here Hoping this finds you all well.
Your servant, Tamala Krsna Gosvami Secretary to Srila Prabhupada
Approved: (signed) A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (Prabhupada’s signature appears on the original)