By a Group of Sad Onlookers: The various resolutions that the GBC promoted in 1987 still stand today. By careful reading of them you can see how they are simply clutching at straws in trying to work out a system to allow for substandard gurus to be placed into to our Vaiṣṇava tradition.

From: GBC Resolutions – 1987

65. That if a guru is engaged in sense gratification violating either one or more of the regulative principles but there is hope that he can be rectified, then his disciples should allow time for such rectification to take place and they should take shelter of Srila Prabhupad and senior Vaisnavas as siksha gurus.

66. That if a guru has become hopelessly entangled in sense gratification and it has been shown either by observation or from his own admissions that he has been regularly violating the regulative principles of Krishna Consciousness and that there is virtually no hope for his rectification, then the disciple should reject him and may accept re-initiation.

67. That if the Spiritual Master takes on demoniac qualities and becomes inimical to ISKCON he should be rejected and the disciple may take re- initiation.

68. That if it is ascertained either by the admission of the guru or through irrefutably reliable witness(es) that the guru was fallen at the time of giving initiation, then the disciple has a legitimate reason to reject him and take re-initiation.

69. That there should not be any public worship of a guru who is suspended.

70. That disciples of a suspended guru while performing arotik to the Deities should offer the various articles through Srila Prabhupada to the disciples succession.

71. That while offering obeisances in a public place the disciples of a suspended guru should recite Srila

Prabhupada’s pranama mantra aloud and should chant the mantras to the suspended gurus silently or not at all.

72. That a devotee may serve as a guru in ISKCON after receiving majority approval by a council consisting of all the GBC members of his zone and at least ten senior devotees in that zone. This group of devotees should apply the criteria for gurus recommended in accordance with Srila Prabhupada’s books and by the GBC body in its codes, guidelines and rules. (Amended on page 152 by resolution number 18 on April 4 1987)

GBC compulsory rules for approval of new gurus

c) Must not have had a falldown within 5 years.

c) Standards for a guru in relation with GBC zonal secretaries:

2. Must not leave temple or move without informing GBC

d) Standards for a guru in relation with the GBC body.

3. Must stop initiations if asked to do so by the GBC body.

That the following devotees are authorized by the GBC Body to initiate disciple. Bhakti Caru Swami, Kavicandra Swami, Trivikrama Swami, Prabavishnu Swami, Shivaram Swami.

84. That disciples of a suspended guru when offering bhoga to the deities in the temple or in any ISKCON establishment, (like restaurants,etc) outside the temple must offer through Srila Prabhupada to the disciplic succession.

87. The following is the GBC position on guru suspension.

a) Warning (or censure)

That when a deviation or neglect of spiritual practices is detected and the deviation or negligence is not very severe or habitual, or when guru is transgressing the approved guidelines and codes for guru behavior (such as canvassing disciples, etc) the guru should be warned (or censured) confidentially.

b) Probation

That if the warnings are not heeded or if the deviation or neglect of spiritual practices are of a more serious nature, or if the transgressions of guru codes of behaviour are repeated and serious, the guru may be put under probation with specific conditions which regulates his guru functions (including temporary withdrawal of authorization to initiate new disciples).

In addition he may be given general recommendations or specific activities to perform as guidelines for his rectification and eventual reinstatement.

c) Suspension

That if a guru repeatedly breaks one or more of the regulative principles or acts in a manner which seriously and harmfully disregards existing ISKCON or GBC policies or left his ashram of sannyasa without authorization or left the association of devotees and the ISKCON movement, or completely deviates from standard sadhana, he should be suspended.

If a guru is suspended he cannot give initiation, nor maintain an absolute siksa position in relation with his disciples, nor be introduced as initiating spiritual master, nor perform his guru functions such as Vyasa Puja or the acceptance of daksine.

d) Removal

If the guru becomes openly inimical to Srila Prabhupad or ISKCON; or otherwise acts demonically; or becomes an impersonalist (mayavadi) or who preaches the philosophy of unauthorized or asampradaya against Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s principles; or blatantly and consistently defies ISKCON and GBC policies; or when when one becomes hopelessly entangled in sense gratification and material attachments, as per shastric injunction, he shall be removed from his position as initiating guru.

e) Renunciation of guru responsibilities

That in situations where a guru becomes hopelessly entangled in sense gratification and material attachments and unable to function or continue acting as spiritual master for his disciples, he may renounce his position and request the GBC to give direction to his disciples for their further advancement in Krishna Consciousness.

f) Permission of disciples to accept re-initiation

That a disciple of a suspended guru who has severely lost his faith or who has developed an offensive mentality towards his initiating guru, and who is not able to regain his faith, even after hearing so many instructions in the matter, may take permission from the spiritual master for release from vows to accept another initiating guru, take guidance from local GBC men and apply relevant ISKCON laws in this regard; or take permission from the GBC body.