“Can Srila Prabhupada be a direct connecting link and inspiration for all devotees in ISKCON for the next ten thousand years?” This is a major question, most often debated. It also raises the question of the need for new Diksha gurus in ISKCON to continue parampara. When I pondered on this question, these were the few realizations that dawned upon me. If I were in any of the ISKCON temples managed by the current GBC, I would have been perhaps a third generation devotee; being initiated probably by any of the self appointed Diksha gurus who claim to be personally authorized by Srila Prabhupada to be the next Guru.
It was in October 2001, during the Karthika, that I first came in touch with ISKCON in Bangalore. This first visit became a turning point in my life. I was spell-bound at the architecture, the method of gorgeous worship and was also completely taken in by the logical and scientific presentation of Krishna Conscious philosophy which cleared my long-standing doubts about life.
I purchased a book, ‘Hare Krishna Challenge’ in the Gita Counter (book stall in temple), since I liked to take challenges in life. When I first read that book, on every single page I felt as if I was being slapped on the face, smashing my every idea and conception about civilization. I quickly turned back to the cover page to know who the author was, and with great reverence, I read out, ‘His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya, International Society for Krishna Consciousness’ and was sold out to him. Actually I was intensely searching for a Guru from the past couple of years, and when I read Srila Prabhupada’s book, I knew I had found my Master. I started visiting the ISKCON Bangalore temple only occasionally due to opposition from family, stemming from fears that I would join full-time (which I eventually did).
However, during these years, I finished reading most of the books authored by Srila Prabhupada. I remember how after every book I read; I would go through the book list and pick out the new one that I had not yet read. Thus, my main connection with Krishna Consciousness was Srila Prabhupada’s books. I had very few opportunities to associate with any practicing full- time devotees during this time, but I began chanting 16rounds of Hare Krishna mantra and following four regulative principles as recommended by Srila Prabhupada in his books. I felt a
strong connection of being guided by Srila Prabhupada in my journey of self discovery.
Whenever I visited ISKCON Bangalore temple and met any devotee there, I always noticed one common factor in them. They always spoke of ‘Srila Prabhupada’. How he had saved them, how they had surrendered their life only for serving him, and how they accepted him as their eternal spiritual master. These occasional encounters with the inmates of the temple started solidifying my own conviction leading up to the decision to dedicate my life as a full-time devotee in ISKCON. I made up my mind that as soon as I finish my graduation, I would join as a full-time missionary in ISKCON Bangalore.
After having taken a serious decision about the course of my future life, I approached the Temple Vice-President His Grace Chanchalapathi Dasa. It was only then, I became aware of the uniqueness of ISKCON Bangalore temple in contrast with the rest of ISKCON Society around the world headed by the International GBC. It was quite a shock to know that Srila Prabhupada was not the Acharya and Diksha guru in majority of ISKCON temples around the world. I then came to know that there were a few self claimed successors of Srila Prabhupada, who were now initiating and recruiting new devotees into the movement as their own disciples. It was only the devotees of ISKCON Bangalore and a few others, who had rejected this system and accepted Srila Prabhupada as the sole Acharya and Diksha Guru of ISKCON. They were practicing and preaching the system of initiation called ‘Ritvik system of initiation’ given by Srila Prabhupada, through an institutional directive on July 9th 1977, four months before his physical departure. When His Grace Chanchalapathi Dasa showed me a copy of the July 9th 1977 letter, the system of initiation designed by Srila Prabhupada became quite clear to me. I was really surprised at how such a simple and straight-forward instruction was being misinterpreted and disobeyed in the entire ISKCON Society comprised of many stalwart devotees.
After a few years, I joined the temple full-time and received the glorious opportunity to get connected with the Gaudiya Vaisnava Parampara by receiving Diksha as per July 9th 1977 directive of Srila Prabhupada. I became ‘Mahotsaha Chaitanya Dasa’, an initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada on Aug 5th 2010.
Since my first contact with ISKCON in 2001, until now, after being initiated, I never felt any less connected with the parampara. I received some wonderful association from various senior devotees of ISKCON Bangalore. I visited various holy places and received inspiration in Krishna Consciousness. But without a doubt the primary inspiration to dedicate my life was Srila Prabhupada, through the instructions in his books. Every devotee of ISKCON Bangalore, whom I associated with, always directed me towards Srila Prabhupada and urged me to read his books and surrender to him to become his sincere disciple.
As a practicing devotee who has been chanting 16 rounds and following regulative principles from past dozen years, there has never been a moment when I felt a need for a physically present Diksha guru to make spiritual advancement. When I read Srila Prabhupada’s biography, I never felt that there was much difference in the mercy received by Srila Prabhupada’s pre-1977 disciples, and the mercy I was receiving from him through the system
he set up through the July 9th 1977 directive.
The July 9th 1977 directive set up recommended by Srila Prabhupada has the following components: 1. A candidate is tested for qualification to receive initiation and then a recommendation is given to the Ritvik-representative of Srila Prabhupada, (whoever is nearest to their temple), by the Temple President. 2. Ritvik considers the recommendation and accepts the candidate as an initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada by giving a spiritual name after chanting on the beads of initiate (in case of 1st initiation), or chanting on Gayatri thread (in case of 2nd initiation), just as Srila Prabhupada has done. 3. Once the letter with beads/ gayatri thread is received, the Temple President conducts a fire Yajna in the temple and performs the initiation ceremony. 4. The name of every new initiate will be entered into Srila Prabhupada’s ‘Initiated Disciples’ book as it was always done.
Any sane person can observe that all the above mentioned steps can be performed without the physical presence of Srila Prabhupada on the planet and he would still remain the Diksha Guru and Acharya for every new candidate who comes to Krishna Consciousness movement.
There are many devotees just like me, who have been introduced to Krishna Consciousness movement decades after Srila Prabhupada’s physical departure. We have been practicing Krishna Consciousness peacefully, and we never felt a need for an alternative system of initiation to advance in Krishna Consciousness, other than the system practiced here in ISKCON Bangalore. The misinterpretation of July 9th directive, has resulted in so many problems in the lives of many devotees and ISKCON society at large.
If only the entire ISKCON world adopts the simple and straight forward July 9th 1977 directive of Srila Prabhupada, and connects every person to him; majority of problems in ISKCON would be automatically solved.
In the series of articles that follow, I will try to address a few common fears, apprehensions and objections that can arise in one’s mind in following the July 9th 1977 directive of Srila Prabhupada.
Readers are encouraged and welcomed to give in their comments and help in a healthy discussion/debate on this major theological issue in ISKCON.
Your servant Mahotsaha Chaitanya Dasa ISKCON Bangalore
(Graduated as an Ayurvedic Doctor and currently serving as a Guide in the FOLK (Friends Of Lord Krishna) Department- which is the Youth Empowerment wing of ISKCON Bangalore)