The Time is Ripe
BY: HARINAMANANDA DAS (ACBSP)
Feb 12, COSTA RICA (SUN) — We have read either in the comfort of our homes, or through a PC connected in some corner of a temple room, the ever more frequent articles about the imperative, long-overdue necessity of reforming Srila Prabhupada's mission, of reclaiming it back from those who hijacked it to fulfill their own personal agendas and their desires for personal aggrandizement. In the Sampradaya Sun we have seen the sudden apparition of Gurukripa, the old glorious Gurukripa who single-handedly (with the help of other sincere Godbrothers, like Banabhatta) collected huge amounts of money to build the Gurukula building in Vrindavan and other projects Srila Prabhupada undertook in India for spreading of Krishna consciousness. Whenever I go to Krishna-Balaram Mandir I read the commemorative plaque Srila Prabhupada gratefully ordered to put in one of the pillars of the A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Gurukula. (By the way, some wise guy abusively changed the original: "This Building was constructed by the generous donations of Gurukripa Swami".
We have also read the series written by Yadu das called "The Legitimacy of the Hare Krishna Movement in Costa Rica", wherein he exposes the shameful, law-breaking acts perpetrated by Guru Prasad Swami and accomplices. In the blog El Tambor Rugiente "The Thunderous Drum", posted in Spanish, we have also read Aniruddha's, Radha Krishna's, and Kurma Rupa's articles defending the preservation of the Hare Krishna farm in Costa Rica.
From mild to fiery, from skeptical (towards the GBC) to astrologically-based, we have also read the discourses written by Hamsavatara, Nrisimhananda, Ananda Swarupa, Vicaru, Balavidya and Prithu Rani devi.
Immediately after Srila Prabhupada's tirobhava, there has always been a general and ever-increasing feeling of frustration, disenchantment, and even anger towards the way the GBC has managed his mission. But in my opinion, today, at this very moment, the feeling of rejection toward the GBC body is becoming stronger and all-pervading. Just as when the corrupt regimes and kings of the past blindly persisted in trampling the rights of their subjects, and they couldn't take it no more, now my perception is that everyone who consider himself or herself a true follower of Srila Prabhupada is eager to do something tangible in order to rectify the situation created after more than thirty years of offenses, one-upmanship, managerial blunders, crimes, cover-ups, and absurd politics implemented by the GBC, which last year self-proclaimed themselves to be "the ultimate ecclesiastical authority of ISKCON."
We, the ones who are reaching 60 years of age or more, are especially anxious to do whatever it takes to rectify and put back together again ISKCON, the crown-jewel, the "never registered in history" achievement of Srila Prabhupada.
I have no doubts whatsoever that in the mind of any devotee with common sense, who has not compromised his integrity, he can clearly see that ISKCON has gone astray, that the current GBC has deviated from the teachings and directions given by Srila Prabhupada. Thousands upon thousands have fallen victim and had been witnesses to the above-mentioned faults and discrepancies, which have only caused pain and frustration to all, particularly to the bulk of Srila Prabhupada's direct disciples. For many years we have experience this sordid feeling of impotency and disappointment.
Through the eyes of history, we can corroborate that the few institutions which have survived the onslaught of time and human nature are the ones which have traced back their steps, acknowledged their mistakes, and finally have implemented positive changes to keep the mission afloat. That is just common sense.
But, when did these changes took place? Who made them come into place? The ones who made the changes were more or less anonymous persons who dared to challenge the establishment, and who couldn't tolerate any more the injustice and havoc created by the successors of the "founder-acarya."
Srila Prabhupada delineated his spiritual teachings and vision in his books, letters, morning walks, etc. So far as the future of his mission is concerned, he very clearly stated his wishes and directions in the Mission Statements, the Order of Decentralization, the DOM, the "Topmost Urgency" letter, and in his Last Will.
Nevertheless, in spite of these explicit, crystal-clear instructions, the GBC has failed to implement them. It's not the object of this paper to analyze all these deviations. Our idea is not to increase the controversy, to continue the endless arguing, but to engage everybody interested in a dialogue, in articulating their ideas and contributing practically to rectify the current situation. In a nutshell, to exercise their common sense.
ISKCON does not belong to the little group who has gone astray. No. ISKCON belongs to all Srila Prabhupada's disciples, and to our future generations of his sons, grandsons, great-grandsons, etc. Nobody has the right to take away from our hands the legacy he unselfishly and mercifully gave us. Nobody and nothing can negate the reality that you are the son of your father. That your son is the grandson of your father, etc. This is an automatic, natural inheritance. All of us and all our children's children's children are part of the ISKCON family, whose founder or spiritual patriarch is Srila Prabhupada.
If for political reasons you are sent into exile, forced to live in another place, still you are a citizen of your native country. If we direct disciples of Srila Prabhupada, as well as his spiritual grandsons, are aware that the current "chosen ones" or official appointees designated by the GBC have deviated from Srila Prabhupada's teachings and directions, then we are duty-bound to promote a change, to demand the reformation of these individuals who for more than 30 years have created havoc in the house he constructed, and which supposedly would accommodate the whole world.
Only us, his direct disciples and direct grandsons, can produce such a change. Nobody else can. Only the grassroots people have been able to make the difference, to change the status-quo in relevant moments of history.
ISKCON needs very badly a change, a real reform. We have to come back to the basics. And what are those basics? The basics are unmistakably and plainly stated in Srila Prabhupada's books and the signed documents, mentioned above.
Srila Prabhupada wanted his GBC men not to make politics to perpetuate in power. He created the GBC to have a system of checks and balances, so whenever there was an impropriety in the implementation of his instructions or managerial directives, they would act as "his barking dogs" to amend the situation. Not to impose themselves as the "ultimate managerial authority", as has been the case. Never mind all the nonsense they commit.
His idea of Krishna consciousness was to train "independent thoughtful men expert in all departments of knowledge and action," and his idea for managing was to create a balance of power between the GBC and the Temple presidents. The former would act as his "guard dogs" - as his assistants for overseeing the good performance of spiritual programs, book distribution and other devotional activities he introduced in ISKCON, and the latter would act as his field commanders for the Sankirtan movement. To prevent excesses, to precisely avoid dictatorships, centralizations and oppressive "zonal systems," he gave the right to the Temple Presidents to hold elections every three years to either remove or to re-elect the incumbent GBC.
In Costa Rica, as a reaction to the abusive and authoritarian, immoral and even illegal actions perpetrated by Guru Prasad Swami, Bhakti Bhusana Swami and Virabahu, we, the true followers of Srila Prabhupada, have joined together to form a chakravyha formation against these bad representatives of Srila Prabhupada. So far, we have succeeded.
Besides, in view of their poor performance as GBCs, we have publicly asked for their resignation as GBC's. We are exercising our legitimate right (as per DOM) to choose our authority, our own GBC. We won't tolerate any more impositions. In particular, over the past 20 years, Guru Prasad Swami and Virabahu have left a trail of disaster after disaster. Contrary to what Srila Prabhupada said, they not only have not maintained whatever he left, but have diminished it almost to zero.
We humbly ask you do to the same. If your guru, GBC, Regional Secretary, Temple President is not up to the standards set-up by Srila Prabhupada and the scriptures, exercise your legitimate right to ask them to renounce their official posts. For their own well-being as well as that of Srila Prabhupada's sons and grandsons. They have no right whatsoever to perpetuate their power. I reiterate: you have a Srila Prabhupada-given right to oppose them and ask for their resignation. Stop the bluff!
If we do not take actions to stop any deviated leader, then we are responsible for all the harm and pain they are causing to others (including us.) Ultimately, we are disobeying Srila Prabhupada's instruction. We would be directly or indirectly supporting both the abuse from the so-called authorities, and the fall of the mission of our beloved gurudeva.
I want to end this address by making a call to all my Godbrothers and Godsisters, Srila Prabhupada's sons and daughters, as well as all his grandsons and granddaughters and family members in general, to wake up! Do not remain silent, do not become an accomplice of this deviation. Speak up! Always remember that death is coming soon, and we will be held accountable for all that we did or did not do for pleasing Srila Prabhupada. As a loyal follower of His Divine Grace, as his or her "perfect disciple," your duty is to rise up, dust off your dhoti or sari, and do whatever is necessary to guarantee Srila Prabhupada's mission endures for the 10,000 years he foresaw. Otherwise, believe me or not, it will end soon.
Dear brothers and sisters, if you really care for the mission of our Srila Prabhupada, let us join together again and do something practical to change the wrong course the GBC taken, which has engulfed the ISKCON boat. Do not do it for yourself, do it to pay off just a little the immense debt owed to him. I assure you that it will give a new and glorious meaning to your life.
Jaya Srila Prabhupada!
