Dear Srila Prabhupada,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
This year is a memorable one in the history of ISKCON that Srila Prabhupada’s mission crossed a major hurdle for its very existence as an institution in its original form as desired by him.
In 1977 between May & July, Srila Prabhupada gave directions on how this institution has to move forward, particularly in his physical absence. But then in Mar 1978, 11 senior disciples of Srila Prabhupada, whom he trusted and empowered as officiating Acharyas - ritviks, self-declared themselves as Acharyas replacing Srila Prabhupada from his position and treating him as Purva Acharya. We don't have any issue with them becoming Acharyas if they do so in their own institutions, but not in Srila Prabhupada’s institution.
A train has to move on tracks for a safe journey. Likewise, disciples have to follow the guru’s directions, otherwise, accident is imminent, not only to those who disobey but also to the institution that they supposed to guide and take it forward. Srila Prabhupada had warned his disciples about the Gaudiya Math episode and cautioned them not to repeat such mistakes in his institution. But unfortunately, same thing repeated in ISKCON within a few months after Srila Prabhupada’s maha samadhi. After that, ISKCON as an institution has gone through tremendous turmoil, many devotees lost their spiritual shelter, the institution lost many properties, and so much chaos was created.
There was a division. Many individual devotees started questioning these self-proclaimed gurus in the very beginning, from 1978, as these gurus had gone against Srila Prabhupada’s directive & will, but then what happened to those individuals? Sadly, they were removed from the institution. Many are still fighting, in their individual capacity, but not much can be achieved. Due to gross mistakes and fall downs of those so-called acharyas, some guru reforms came like changing the titles from acharyas to gurus, etc., but the genetic problem persisted of self-proclaiming as next parampara gurus despite not possessing the required qualifications, order from Srila Prabhupada. These reforms were like moving the weight from one shoulder to another.
Then comes ISKCON Bangalore in the foray. The new temple was inaugurated in 1997. In 1998, His Grace Madhu Pandit Prabhu, temple president, through his friends in ISKCON, who were Srila Prabhupada’s direct disciples, got access to many letters & papers, which were otherwise banned or not published. Seeing those he was convinced about the Ritvik initiation and profoundly agreed that Srila Prabhupada is the sole rightful Acharya within ISKCON and then he convinced most of the devotees in ISKCON Bangalore. That is the time he took up this matter of correcting the wrongs in the institution. Now he is not fighting alone being outside like many other individuals but being within ISKCON, taking the whole temple community together. This became a big threat to these Guruvadis. After feeling the thrust, ISKCON bureau removed the office bearers of ISKCON BLR, His Grace Madhu Pandit Prabhu, His Grace Chanchalapathi Prabhu, and others just because they strongly took the Ritvik cause. They were thinking that ISKCON Bangalore is a branch of ISKCON Mumbai, hence they acted like this. ISKCON bureau members of Mumbai were unaware of the twist that ISKCON Bangalore was a separately registered society in Bangalore in May 1978 under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act as per the directive of then GBC HH Hansadutta Swami. Due to this ignorance, ISKCON bureau members of Mumbai levelled allegations against Madhu Pandit Prabhu of amassing ISKCON property through fraudulent means, whereas the fact was that he became a member and president of ISKCON Bangalore in 1983, 5 years later to its incorporation.
When the ISKCON Bureau removed office bearers of ISKCON Bangalore, that’s when the legal fight started, from the trial court to the High Court to the Supreme Court. A 25-year-long legal battle ended with a Supreme Court judgement favouring ISKCON Bangalore. Now suddenly as a sour looser, we started hearing from the ISKCON Mumbai group that it is a property case and the ISKCON Bangalore temple won the property, nothing to do with philosophy & Ritvik system.
As an individual, I may practice Krishna Consciousness, but the institution is required to take forward the mission of Guru & Gauranga. That’s why Srila Prabhupada established an institution. Institution means people, property, principles, everything to engage for a mission, that is to spread Krishna Bhakti all across. But for that, being a spiritual organisation, core principles set by a bonafide acharya are very very important and should be at the center stage. One can’t concoct standards that suit oneself. 16 rounds of Hare Krishna japa, philosophy, books, deity worship, etc - who set these standards? Acharya, Srila Prabhupada. A hypocrite stand was taken where I will follow all those principles & standards, but I will invent a new Acharya, what does it mean? It means I am stealing the acharya’s position. With this Supreme Court verdict, ISKCON Bangalore and all its associated temples & centers have become true ISKCON in spirit; Srila Prabhupada as the sole diksa guru in his rightful position. This is ISKCON as it is.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Srila Prabhupada’s sincere disciples who worked relentlessly to reinstate him in his rightful position in his institution. Thank you, Madhu Pandit Prabhu, Chanchalapathi Prabhu, and all the senior Vaishnavas. I have personally seen from very close quarters
the kind of sacrifices all these devotees made in this great battle and eventually became instruments in Srila Prabhupada’s victory. And all along we could see the divine presence of Srila Prabhupada in expanding the mission even with so much of external hurdles. I am feeling very fortunate & blessed to be an insignificant member of this family.
Your humble servant,
Jaganmohan Krishna Dasa,
Deputy GBC & President, Hare Krishna Movement – Ahmedabad