The Vaisnava Council Cyber-Istagosthi
We have formed a cyber-istagosthi and the exchange of realizations taking place there is quite inspiring. I thought you might want to post some of the letters devotees are submitting on your own website or even direct your readers to go there to hear various topic being debated. The address is:
Haribol, Madhudvisa Prabhu
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
We have formed a cyber-istagosthi and the exchange of realizations taking place there is quite inspiring. I thought you might want to post some of the letters devotees are submitting on your own website or even direct your readers to go there to hear various topics being debated. The address is:
http://www.egroups.com/group/Vaisnavacouncil
Anyone can read any of the messages already posted. To be able to join the discussion, you would click on “Register” on the Home Page and go from there.
I heard you are doing travelling sankirtana in the Boston area.
If you come to New York, be sure to join our Saturday evening Harinam party in Times Square. Looking forward to seeing you again and hoping this finds you well, I am.
Your servant, Locanananda dasa
About the Author
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Srila Prabhupada’s specific instructions for carrying out initiations in Iskcon after his physical disappearance when asked directly of him by his Governing Board Commissioners on May 28, 1977 was that he would soon recommend some of his disciples to act as officiating acaryas or ritviks representatives. In the following week on June 4, 1977 he wrote in his will that Iskcon directors would have to be his duly initiated disciples. This also confirms his no change “henceforward” order sent to all GBCs and temple presidents the following month (July 9, 1977) proclaiming his 11 chosen ritvik representatives that would initiate future disciples on his behalf even after his physical disappearance. These three instructions are the result Srila Prabhupada’s reply to the direct question from his GBC disciples in charge of ISKCON management on how they should carry on future initiations. Over the next 4 months until his physical disappearance, Srila Prabhupada never changed his answer to the initiation question either written or spoken but actually reaffirmed them in subsequent letters to his 11 ritvik representatives.
The ritvik initiating system was replaced by a zonal acarya system soon after Srila Prabhupada’s physical departure, in which the world was divided into 11 geographic zones for each of the 11 ritviks who appointed themselves diksa gurus to accept their own disciples in ISKCON. This unauthorized system is not supported by sastra, sadhu, nor guru and it immediately created a contaminated guru tattva, because none of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples were an uttama adhikari. Thus the society got divided by disobeying their founder acarya and over the years at least 90% of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples moved out of the ISKSON temples or were told to leave if they did not accept the unauthorized and unqualified gurus.
Little did the new gurus and the Governing Board Commission of ISKCON know that the unauthorized zonal acharya system and the present voted in acharya system they introduced is based on the worship of the physically present diksa guru exclusively, which is not supported by the Vedic conclusion of sastra. sadhu, and guru. Under such a bogus system, everytime a guru leaves his body his disciples will be forced to worship another physically present ISKCON guru or leave the shelter of the ISKCON temples, which is against ISKCON’s stated purpose and articles of incorporation. This deviation is the main reason for ISKCON’s demise from its rapid growth in its glory days of pre 1977.
Bhaktivinode Thakura predicted that there would soon be the appearance of an advanced Vaisnava who would soon spread Krishna consciousness throughout the world. Also Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu predicted that His sankirtan movement will be spread to every town and village. Thus there is no doubt that Srila Prabhupada is that empowered Vaisnava.
“So far as cooperating with my Godbrothers is concerned, that is not very urgent business. So far until now my Godbrothers have regularly not cooperated with me and by the grace of my Spiritual Master, things are still going ahead. So cooperation or non-cooperation, it is the desire of Bhaktivinode Thakura to preach the Caitanya cult all over the world and in 1875 he predicted that someone would come very soon who would individually preach this cult all over the world. So if his benediction is there and my Guru Maharaja’s blessings are there, we can go ahead without any impediment but all of us must be very sincere and serious.” Letter to: Jayapataka – Gorakhpur 23 February, 1971