Krsnacandra Dasa – Vrndavan: History is a record or narrative description of past events which should be a factual representation of events that transpired over time. However, history is prone to be rewritten or deconstructed to depict a version that is more appropriate to the needs of the power elite rather than an unbiased account of the past.

This has been the case with ISKCON where the history of the movement, with regards to the hostile takeover of ISKCON by the eleven rtvik Representatives appointed by Srila Prabhupada (named below), who mere months after Srila Prabhupada entered into Samadhi and without any authority or previous order by Srila Prabhupada converted their rtvik status into the status of acharya / diksa-guru and successfully took over the control of the movement.

The Lies And False Doctrine Of The FISKCON GBC

This history is well known amongst the older devotees of the movement but the younger devotees and the disciples of the present ISKCON gurus are not aware of the actual history of how the present guru system came into being. They are instead fed the propaganda that the institution wants them to hear and believe which of course it is a pack of preposterous lies.

“ISKCON is a multi-guru organization that places the ultimate managerial authority in its Governing Body, a group rather than a single person. Current ISKCON Guru System is developed by the group of leaders, Governing Body Commission, (GBC), the managerial authority of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. ISKCON Guru system was originally initiated and put in place by ISKCON’s founder, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada who organized and sometimes himself conducted initiations since early 1970s. Currently the GBC is entrusted with both spiritual and secular leadership of the ISKCON communities, as well as the power to appoint new gurus.” (taken from Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISKCON_Guru_System)

This is a prime example of the false propaganda and rewriting of history that the GBC employs in order to convince unsuspecting neophyte devotees into believing that Srila Prabhupada established the guru system (diksa-guru by vote and rubberstamp) that is being utilised in ISKCON since Srila Prabhupada entered into Samadhi.

The Heretical Conversion Of Rtvik-Gurus To Diksa-Gurus

Srila Prabhupada was not always present during the initiation process and in the later years most initiations were conducted by the rtvik representative process. Letters were sent to Srila Prabhupada by the recommending Temple Presidents and he would give their name and occasionally chant on their beads but the fire yajna would be done by one of his disciples in the local Temple.

The difference was that the GBC at the time headed by Tamal Krsna were very eager to have the rtvik representative system formalized so they approached Srila Prabhupada en masse on May 28th 1977. Satsvarupa Goswami / Tamal Krsna Goswami / Gopal Krsna Goswami / Ramesvara / Bhakti Caru Swami / Giriraja Swami / Jayatitha Swami / Jayapataka Swami Etc were present at the meeting in Vrndavan when the issue of rtvik representative initiation was presented to Srila Prabhupada.

One must understand that Srila Prabhupada was already having his disciples initiate on his behalf but it was not formally called rtvik representative initiation. What was discussed in that meeting was later ratified by Srila Prabhupada in the now famous July 9th 1977 letter and the rtvik representative system was made official.

Whether or not this was an attempt to con Srila Prabhupada by Tamal Krsna Goswami it was, however, used by these individuals to qualify their claims as bona-fide gurus.

There is no record of Srila Prabhupada instructing that the rtvik representatives that he appointed and had operating as such, were to be converted over to acharya / diska-gurus on his passing. Nor did he once mention or is it stated in any Vedic sastra that a neophyte devotee could fill the role of an acharya / diksa-guru. Yet the GBC would have us believe that their guru system is not only bona-fide but was initiated and put in place by the pure devotee His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada himself!

Srila Prabhupada did, however, install the rtvik representative system, which if it was comprised of his sincere disciples, it would be the perfect system for ISKCON to utilize in this Kali-yuga.

However, as depicted in our true history, this system lends itself to utter corruption and the ambitious rascals who Srila Prabhupada had entrusted his movement’s future to, took the ‘worst case scenario’ advantage of this sacred role for their own aggrandizement and benefit.

The ISKCON Rtvik Representative Apostates Forcefully Remove ISKCON From The Gaudiya Vaisnava Parampara

However, this move by the original rtvik representatives to change the understanding that a diksa-guru is meant to be a pure devotee of Krsna; morphing it into – a person who has been appointed to act / IMITATE a diksa guru, is perhaps the most destructive schism that present day ISKCON faces. This was a fundamental change in the system established by Srila Prabhupada which effectively removed ISKCON from the parampara which left us, as an institution; spiritually bankrupt.

The Gaudiya Vaisnava parampara is represented by His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, a pure devotee / suddha bhakta of the Lord and it cannot be represented by someone who is a baddha-jiva or in other words someone who is imitating the pure devotee.

The very moment that these eleven appointed themselves as suddha-bhakta’s / diksa-gurus / acharyas of ISKCON was the very moment that ISKCON became FISKCON (Fraudulent-ISKCON) and lost its connection – as an authentic spiritual institution – to Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON and the parampara.

It is worth considering;

* That the 11 used the bona-fides of the July 9th letter as it was a signed document by Srila Prabhupada which limited the number of rtvik-gurus to those on the list. Otherwise the guru franchise system that they were hoping to establish would have been thrown open to all and sundry.

Ultimately due to fall down and the ambition of other guru wannabes this system has now been thrown open to all and sundry as the number of diksa-gurus grows exponentially.

* Having a document signed by Srila Prabhupada that also stated their legitimacy to act as rtvik Representatives would make it much easier for them to ‘miraculously’ convert their titles and role of an rtvik representative to that of an Acahrya / diksa-guru.

They knew that their God brothers and sisters would be more likely to accept their ‘nothing less than miraculous’ conversion to diksa-guru / acharya status if they had a document signed by Srila Prabhupada appointing them into a position within the initiating process. They knew that there would be less opposition to their fraud as most devotees at the time were (and still are) confused about the whole rtvik representative / diksa guru situation and would not be able to resist their hostile takeover.

This in hindsight was a very cunning move on their part and displays just how intricate and visionary their plans were to seize power and control of ISKCON.

Vedic Vaisnava Understanding Of Diksa-Guru As Instructed By Srila Prabhupada 

Srila Prabhupada is very clear that you cannot ‘create’ a suddha bhakta or a mahatma, as this platform of spiritual realization cannot be awarded to someone who is not qualified.

You cannot create mahatma by rubber stamp or by votes. Mahatma’s symptom is that he is fully surrendered unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead and always engaged in glorifying His activities. Satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-varatah. He’s always very much careful about executing devotional service. Namasyantas ca mam. He’s always offering obeisances, Tusyanti ca ramanti ca. I this way they enjoy. Tusyanti, and they’re satisfied. These are the signs of mahatma. (Srila Prabhupada General lectures 1969)

Srila Prabhupada clearly states here that a diksa-guru cannot be made by “rubber stamp or by votes”, the diksa-guru must be a mahatma or a pure devotee who is in Krsna prema and has no material contamination whatsoever.

The mahatma or suddha bhakta is the physical manifestation of caitya-guru or paramatma whose presence is here to teach the sincere soul to become Krsna conscious.

The misunderstanding that all disciples of these rubber stamped gurus have is that they have not understood and refuse to accept Srila Prabhupada when he describes the qualities of a diksa-guru.

Srila Prabhupada clearly states that:

‘if you want to be Krsna conscious, then you have to find out persons who are Krsna conscious’

This means the person is able to give, divya-jnanam, transcendental knowledge.

“The Sanskrit term is called diksa. Diksa means… Di, divya-jnanan, transcendental knowledge, and ksa, iksa. Iksa means darsana, to see, or ksapayati, explain. That is called diksa.”

This means that a diksa-guru is a pure devotee who is completely free of all material contamination and has ‘seen’ Krsna via direct revelation, and so is a pure Vaisnava, suddha bhakta, or one who is in pure Krsna consciousness. Therefore one cannot give what one does not have.

This does not happen overnight and it most definitely does not happen by self appointment into the role of an acharya / diksa guru as was the case with the eleven rtvik representative appointed by Srila Prabhupada to initiate on his behalf while he was physically present.

For the baddha-jiva, or conditioned soul, to be a diksa-guru / acharya / suddha-bhakta means that one has not only achieved the brahma bhuta platform, where bhakti-yoga actually begins, it is at this point that one can fully realise that progress is only possible;

“if one adheres to the regulative principles under the order of the spiritual master”

This process cannot be fabricated or imitated by the neophyte devotee as is the case in India where diksa-gurus are available everywhere in the market place of pseudo spirituality. In India the role and title of diksa-guru has been watered down to a ‘sliding scale’ of riffraff imitator gurus that range from outright cheater/businessmen to fools who believe that they are pure bhaktas or incarnations which is exactly the same thing as the GBC and the renegade rtvik representative  have done. The vast majority of Indian gurus do not hail from a bona-fide parampara and claim themselves to be either pure devotees or incarnations of Gods or God Himself.

Apostate Baddha-jivas Cannot Be Diksa-gurus

The desire to be the controllers and to lord it over others is present in the baddha-jiva who is not yet purified by engaging in pure devotional service under the strict guidance of a Vaisnava pure devotee of the Lord. There is no other way in which one can actually become a suddha-bhakta of the Lord.

In order to achieve this one must be free of the four main anarthas, anartha-nvirtti (meat eating / gambling / intoxication / illicit sex) and have obtained nistha or firm faith in guru and Krsna then and then only can ones taste, ruci, increase to the point of ashakti where one has seen the object of his faith – Krsna, and in seeing this ultimate goal or prayojana of life, he has developed ecstatic feelings or bhava for Him which further matures into Krsna-prema. ­

Therefore on must strictly follows the orders / teachings of the diksa-guru (in our case the order of His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada) until one has gone back to Godhead.

Only the suddha-bhakta or pure devotee performs the role of diksa-guru and all others become siksa-guru under his direction.

Srila Prabhupada did not name or appoint, what to speak of allude to, that any one of his disciples were qualified enough to become initiating spiritual masters in their own right.

Unless Srila Prabhupada ordered one to become an initiating spiritual master or diksa-guru one cannot become one simply by being rubberstamped or by vote of members.

To know if Srila Prabhupada has given his blessings or ‘order’ for you to become a diksa-guru means that you have followed his instructions perfectly and have attained the exalted position of a suddha-bhakta.

Srila Prabhupada teachings were that anyone from all castes could take to Krsna consciousness and become pure devotees as what mattered is the persons willingness to surrender to the absolute truth as prescribed in the Bhagavad Gita. Lord Caitanya Dev’s disciple, Haridasa Thakur was a Muslim and He named him as namaacharya, others were ex Government Officials who worked for the Muslim Government.

Lord Caitanya Dev appointed them as spiritual masters because they were spiritually qualified not because He wanted to expand His preaching so He perfunctorily appointed some senior disciples into the position of diksa-guru for expediency. One must also remember that these individuals were not baddha-jivas but they were suddha-bhaktas / nitya-siddha devotees of the Lord.

Srila Prabhupada’s Rtvik System

Similarly, Srila Prabhupada also instructs that he wanted his disciples to become spiritual masters, however, the difference being that he did not appoint any as he knew that his disciples were baddha-jivas who had yet to perfect their spiritual lives. If Srila Prabhupada had considered any of his foremost disciples as qualified he would have appointed a successor or a group of his senior disciples to become diksa-gurus but he didn’t.

Srila Prabhupada did in fact have rtvik representatives to officiate in fire yajna initiations on his behalf while he was present. Following is a list of the original 11 rtvik representatives appointed in the July 9th letter, who were the originators / perpetrators of the imitating spiritual master’s schism, who defied the authority of Srila Prabhupada by converting their role as rtvik representatives into diksa-gurus mere months after he entered into his Samadhi lila.

Kirtanananda Swami (Vantisi – fallen – dead)

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami (Vantasi – fallen)

Bhavananda Swami (Vantasi – fallen)

Hamsaduta Swami (Vantasi – fallen)

Ramesvara Swami (Vantasi – fallen)

Harikesa Swami (Vantasi – fallen)

Bhagavan dasa Goswami (Vantasi – fallen)

Jayatirtha Swami (Vantasi – fallen / dead)

Tamala Krsna Goswami (Vantasi – fallen, envious demoniac personality – dead)

Jayapataka Swami (Vantasi – fallen)

Hridayananda Goswami (Vantasi – fallen)

 

Ground Zero – Sri Vrndavan Dham

After many months of secret meetings before and after Srila Prabhupada entered into Samadhi they worked out their devious plan to take over ISKCON in one foul sweep they  made their takeover official by making their announcement in Srila Prabhupada’s home, the Krsna Balaram Mandir in Sri Vrdnavan Dham.

At that time many of the devotees that were residing or visiting Sri Vrndavan Dham began to protest against this move, and several petitions were set in motion.

These individuals were very ambitious and enviously coveted Srila Prabhupada’s title as Acharya and role as diksa-guru. The title ‘Acharya’ refers to the head of the Math or Institution and refers to a person who leads by example, it also refers to a person who has been nominated by the previous Acharya to take his place due to their qualification as a diksa-guru to continue initiating disciples.

None of these devotees fit these qualifications as it is only meant for Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada clearly declares that he is the ‘Founder / Acharya of ISKCON’ and so no one can take his place as Acharya / diksa-guru and head of the ISKCON institution.

ISKCON Incorporation Jan 12 1976

“Third: It is declared that His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is the Founder / Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness of the Bay Area. He shall be the supreme power with respect to all matters of the Society and that status shall not be occupied by or shared with any other individual either during his lifetime, or after his death.”

The qualifications of a diksa-guru are explained above and so there should be no doubt that these so called disciples of Srila Prabhupada were and are clearly not qualified spiritually to occupy any role or function as an Acharya what to speak of an Acharya of ISKCON.

You may ask why? Well for one very important fact – every last one of them have FALLEN.

ISKCON Rtvik-guru / Diksa-guru Converts Fall From Grace – Sannyasi To Vantasi

A Vantasi is a Sannyasi who has fallen into materialistic consciousness. Every one of these original 11 rtvik representatives / diksa-gurus / acharyas have fallen in one way or another. This in itself should remove any doubt that a neophyte devotee could have regarding anyone who dares to imitate the pure devotee of Krsna.

In order to further paint the picture of the ‘Great Deception’ that occurred in ISKCON shortly after Srila Prabhupada entered into Samadhi one must go back to where it began and to see how this all went down and who were the main players.

Bhaktisiddhanta Dasa (ACBSP) Speaks On His Memories Of Vrndavan 

The following has been dictated by Bhaktisiddhanta Dasa ACBSP – who has resided in Sri Vrndavan Dham for the last 34 years, and witnessed the whole fiasco taking place.

Krsnacandra Dasa: Prabhu what can you tell us from your memory of the events that took place around the departure of Srila Prabhupada in 1977.

Bhaktisiddhanta dasa: Yes. I was living in Vrndavan at the time when Srila Prabhupada was leaving and spent my time mainly in his room. What I remember about the ‘big guys’ was that they were running around having very intense private meetings.

It was generally understood that they were making plans for what would happen after Srila Prabhupada passed.

I was in the room when Srila Prabhupada passed and I remember clearly the power that was present everywhere around us. It was as if the Demigods were present at such a great event. The mood built up to an incredible crescendo until the very moment our beloved Srila Prabhupada passed. As soon as the moment passed it all came crashing down. I distinctly remember feeling lost and destitute. The vibrant spiritual energy that was constantly blasting from Srila Prabhupada was gone and only emptiness remained.

Krsnacandra Dasa: Prabhu how soon after this amazingly glorious event did you begin to understand that the eleven who had been appointed as rtvik representatives began to take control of the movement.

Bhaktisiddhanta dasa: We all knew it was coming, well we knew something was coming and it would be like a hurricane. You have to remember that these guys were heavy guys and they desperately wanted to be in charge and in control.

As soon as the devotees got wind of the rtvik representatives plans to appoint themselves as Zonal Acharya’s who had divided the world into zones where they each acted as Acharyas there were two petitions; one by Yasodanandana Dasa and one by Ayodyapati Dasa (now BB Govinda Swami) were set in motion. Ayodyapati Dasa unfortunately went on to accept a position as an ISKCON guru and be part of the bogus system.

These eleven rtvik representatives who were now Acharyas of ISKCON were mad as anything when hearing about the petitions by Yasodanandana Dasa and Ayodyapati Dasa and all made their way back to Vrndavan with whatever disciples they had to officially announce that they had taken over ISKCON and to smash their dissenting god-brothers.

They held an Isthaghosti in the Krsna Balaram Mandir Temple room in Vrndavan and it was at this Isthaghosti that they began to smash all the devotees who had signed the petitions against their self appointment as Acharyas. These eleven were seething angry at the audacity of their God-brothers who objected to their self appointment as Acharyas.

They dealt with Yasodanandana dasa first (Bhaktisiddhanta Dasa was standing beside him in the Temple room while this happened) and demanded that he give his reasons for organizing the petition against them.

Yasodanandana dasa stated that he has loved and served Srila Prabhupada and that he loved him very much, which melted the hearts of all except for the eleven ambitious rascals. Then he threw it back at them by saying that he has one question for them – Whether they believed that they had become pure devotees over night?

Satsvarupa Goswami responded that that was not a fair question to ask. After him Ramesvar blasted him and then Hrydayananda Goswami read the riot act on how they were now in control of managing the movement.

They then proceeded to smash all the devotees who had signed the petitions and all of those who signed the petitioned were terrified and feared for their lives.

Krsnacandra Dasa: What happened after this meeting? Did they leave or did they stay and assert themselves as the Acharya’s of ISKCON.

Bhaktisiddhanta dasa: They stayed for a little while. After a few days they brought out 11 wooden Vyasasanas and had them jammed into that small area around Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasasana. You can imagine the chaos during Srila Prabhupada’s guru-puja. Most of them were seated on their Vyasasanas and some who seemed embarrassed stood (and had their disciple do guru-puja to a picture of them) while their disciples began to offer each of them guru-puja at the very same time as guru-puja was being held for Srila Prabhupada. In order to fit everything and everyone in the Temple, the eleven had organized miniature arati trays and paraphernalia.

It was a macabre scene to behold! We all knew that Srila Prabhupada’s time ‘for the moment’ was over and that these guys had forcefully taken control of our movement.

This event I believe set the standard of worship for themselves in the movement. They were to be treated as Acharya’s and Spiritual Masters and so to be worshiped as good as God and Srila Prabhupada.

**This ends the interview with Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhu.**

Diksa-guru Envy – A Symptom Of The Baddha-jiva

This experience happened 33 years ago and even though nearly all of those original rtvik representatives no longer occupy their positions as acharya’s / diksa gurus of ISKCON the GBC has not only gone on to support this very serious deviation but have created a system of appointing more and more gurus / imitating spiritual masters into the fold.

This new system goes against all of Srila Prabhupada teachings and lowered the spiritual standard of ISKCON to a mundane level. The majority of the first eleven who disobeyed the teachings / order of Srila Prabhupada descended further into materialism and debauchery and attained the qualification of vantasi which is a sannyasi who has fallen into material consciousness.

The desire to become a diksa guru has been there from the very early days of ISKCON. In a letter to Acyutananda and Jaya Govinda Srila Prabhupada warns them about the desire to initiate on their own…

“ The first thing, I warn Acytananda, do not try to initiate. You are not in proper position now to initiate anyone… Don’t be allured by such maya. I am training you all to become future Spiritual Masters, but do not be in a hurry…”

Even in those very early days the desire to take their own disciples was present in some devotees. Of course Srila Prabhupada wanted his disciples at the time and for generations to come to be spiritual masters but the prerequisite is that they are trained first. That they become pure Vaisnava’s first…

However, to disobey or ignore this would be committing an offense to the Spiritual Master…

Prabhupada: Then so siksa and diksa-guru… A siksa-guru who instructs against the instruction of a spiritual… he is not a siksa guru. He is a demon. Siksa guru, diksa-guru means… Sometimes a diksa-guru is not present always. Therefore one can take learning, instruction, from an advanced devotee. That is called the siksa guru. Siksa guru does not mean he is speaking something against the teachings of the diksa-guru. He is not a siksa-guru. He is a rascal.

Woman Devotee 1: People are instructing with these sessions?

Prabhupada: <Ignoring question> Because that is offense. Guru avjna. First offense is guror avajna, defying the authority of guru. This is the first offense. So one who is offensive, how can he make advance in chanting? He cannot make. Then everything is finished in the beginning…  (Srila Prabhupada Bhagavad Gita lecture 1974)

 

Lest We Forget – The Day That Srila Prabhupada Was Betrayed

“Lest we forget” the day that the rtvik representatives hijacked ISKCON and corrupted the role and title of acharya / diksa-guru by appointing themselves into the sublime role of acharya / diksa-guru when they themselves knew that they were not qualified to occupy such a role.

 More importantly they knew that they were acting in direct disobedience to their so called spiritual master His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada and were in full knowledge of the ramifications that this act will have on the spiritual potency of Srila Prabhupada’ ISKCON.

ISKCON today is nothing like the ISKCON that Srila Prabhupada had established, ISKCON now has the idea that anyone can become a guru and all they have to do is to make an application to the GBC and if they met the basic standard set by Srila Prabhupada for the neophyte devotee (chanting 16 rounds / following the 4 regs / attending the morning program) they could be accepted as a diksa-guru by majority vote.

Modern ISKCON Guru’s Are Nothing But A Business Franchise

The modern day ISKCON guru appointment system is nothing more than a business franchise system that once one is rubberstamped as a travelling recruiter of FISKCON they are entitled to all the lurks and perks / prestige / fame / admiration / privilege / donor base / wealth / tax haven and so on that goes with the job.

Apostate Attitude Of The Modern Day ISKCON Guru

The mentality of the GBC and the Rubberstamped gurus of ISKCON is that they are the new acharyas / diska-gurus of ISKCON, ISKCON is theirs to do with it as they so desire. Srila Prabhupada is dead and now occupies a position in history as a ‘past acharya’ only and is therefore not relevant today.

Following is a very interesting video that depicts the mentality of the modern day gurus of ISKCON.

Kirtananda and Jayapataka Swami from Prabhupada Vision on Vimeo.

It is very important to note that Kirtananda who, apart from Radhanath Swami, was the most heinous individual to come out of New Vrndavan and displays the point of view that most modern day GBC and gurus of ISKCON forcefully promote. The sound quality is bad and one can hardly understand the mumblings of Jayapataka Swami but it is very clear that they firmly believe that Srila Prabhupada’s time is over that they are now bona-fide spiritual masters / diksa-gurus… and as bona-fide spiritual masters they must be worshipped as good as God.

They pose the question that since Srila Prabhupada did not establish guru-puja to his spiritual master Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Maharaja then why is it not permissible to allow them to receive guru-puja from their very own disciples in ISKCON Temples as they are sudhha-bhaktas and bona-fide spiritual masters as well?

How long will it be before Srila Prabhupada guru-puja will take second place or even be forgotten if this mentality is allowed to fester in their disciple’s ignorant minds?

The Rise Of The Srila Prabhupada Loyalist

The ISKCON that Srila Prabhupada established died when Srila Prabhupada entered into Samadhi. The true ISKCON only remains in the hearts of Srila Prabhupada’s LOYALIST followers, who refuse to partake in the sham that is now FISKCON. These devotees steadfastly dedicate their lives to the original and only diksa-guru / acharya of ISKCON – His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

Unless and until this bogus and offensive system is purged from ISKCON along with the reprobates that have so blatantly and offensively assumed the position of diksa-guru and GBC, we as a Vaisnava society will never please Srila Prabhupada.

Yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada

Krsnacandra Dasa