The July 9th Letter
BY: BHAKTA SURIA
Mar 12, SINGAPORE (SUN) — "After I leave all of you, only I shall be giving initiation to all new devotees. Even after I leave, all of you who are now initiated will act as ritviks. Initiating new devotees on my behalf with the understanding that I am their actual diksa guru."
Don't think that the above quote was spoken by Srila Prabhupada. It was my quote. I came up with such a clear directive in few minutes. This could have solved all problems. Srila Prabhupada was an expert manager and he was very careful with his words. He couldn't have left a final directive order which could cause so much confusion.
The July 9th Letter should be read according to time, place and circumstances, and not "the all in all". One should imagine himself living at that particular time. This is the reason why most devotees who were ritvik, never knew or associated with his Divine Grace and simply interpreted his letters and conversation as the all in all, while those who were there knew what was Srila Prabhupada's mood and intention. They verily knew that this July 9th Letter was just a temporary provision.
July 9th Letter was not a final order.
Below is the original letter.
Letter to: All G.B.C., All Temple Presidents
–
Vrindaban
9 July, 1977
To All G.B.C., and Temple Presidents
Dear Maharajas and Prabhus,
Please accept my humble obeisances at your feet. Recently when all of the GBC members were with His Divine Grace in Vrndavana, Srila Prabhupada indicated that soon He would appoint some of His senior disciples to act as "ritvik" –representative of the acarya, for the purpose of performing initiations, both first initiation and second initiation. His Divine Grace has so far given a list of eleven disciples who will act in that capacity:
His Holiness Kirtanananda Swami
His Holiness Satsvarupa dasa Gosvami
His Holiness Jayapataka Swami
His Holiness Tamala Krsna Gosvami
His Holiness Hrdayananda Gosvami
His Holiness Bhavananda Gosvami
His Holiness Hamsaduta Swami
His Holiness Ramesvara Swami
His Holiness Harikesa Swami
His Grace Bhagavan dasa Adhikari
His Grace Jayatirtha dasa Adhikari
In the past Temple Presidents have written to Srila Prabhupada recommending a particular devotee's initiation. Now that Srila Prabhupada has named these representatives, Temple Presidents may henceforward send recommendation for first and second initiation to whichever of these eleven representatives are nearest their temple. After considering the recommendation, these representatives may accept the devotee as an initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada by giving a spiritual name, or in the case of second initiation, by chanting on the Gayatri thread, just as Srila Prabhupada has done. The newly initiated devotees are disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, the above eleven senior devotees acting as His representative. After the Temple President receives a letter from these representatives giving the spiritual name or the thread, he can perform the fire yajna in the temple as was being done before. The name of a newly initiated disciple should be sent by the representative who has accepted him or her to Srila Prabhupada, to be included in His Divine Grace's "Initiated Disciples" book.
Hoping this finds you all well.
Your servant,
Tamala Krsna Gosvami
One should observe this letter with intelligence. I will show you that this is a temporary provision. I used to think that this was the final order. Let's analyze:
"In the past Temple Presidents have written to Srila Prabhupada recommending a particular devotee's initiation."
The above quote means that a change is about to take place in terms of initiation. The words "in the past" indicate that they were doing something previously and now they are changing that.
"Now that Srila Prabhupada has named these representatives, Temple Presidents may henceforward send recommendation for first and second initiation to whichever of these eleven representatives"
The letter was clearly addressed to these 11 representatives, and nobody else.
"After considering the recommendation, these representatives may accept the devotee as an initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada"
Again, very clear, "these representatives" meaning those 11 devotees and nobody else.
"The newly initiated devotees are disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, the above eleven senior devotees acting as His representative. "
These are the only 11 devotees acting as Prabhupada's representative. If this letter is for the next thousands of years, what about these 11 devotees?
"The name of a newly initiated disciple should be sent by the representative who has accepted him or her to Srila Prabhupada, to be included in His Divine Grace's "Initiated Disciples" book."
The word "henceforward" means from now on. You have to interpret that in the context of the whole letter. "to Srila Prabhupada" means Prabhupada has to be physically around. If I'm an admin assistant in a office and my manager had made a new directive where these files must go to the president, it means the president must be around to receive it. This is common sense.
Furthermore "should be sent by the representative" means the newly initiated names must be sent by those 11 devotees to Srila Prabhupada, who must be physically around to supervise. Srila Prabhupada had a personal "initiated disciples book" for him to supervise who was getting initiated.
Conclusion is, the word "henceforward" is until the departure of His Divine Grace. Clearly the names are supposed to go to Srila Prabhupada and the representatives are the ones sending those names. So if Srila Prabhupada is no longer physically around, this letter is not valid. It is sheer stupidity to interpret it for the next 10,000 years, as those 11 representatives are not going to live for a thousand years and Srila Prabhupada himself will not be physically around. This is reality and we should accept it, throwing away sentiments.
With regards to the word "henceforward", Srila Prabhupada had used this word in many letters. Here are some examples:
"Please write to me occasionally and as Gopala is not accustomed to reply promptly I shall henceforward write to you. (Letter to Sally 6 November 1965)
"Henceforward write in the English Language" to Mangalaniloy Brahmacari (11 June 1966)
"Henceforward you send the checks direct to me, because most probably I am going to close the account in Montreal (Letter to Gopala Krishna 2 February 1970)
"Henceforth" all money sent to me should be sent directly to me (Letter to Labangalatika 14 March 1970)
So based on the four above quotes, were they for the next 10,000 years, or for a specific time? Judge for yourself.
"I have no objection if this (money) is collected in the way of advertisements from New York, but charges will be increased, because we are going to print 20,000 copies henceforward" (Letter 69-2-55/Feb.20,1969)
So according to hard-line Ritvik interpretation, Back to Godhead was supposed to be printed only in 20,000 increments forevermore. Even if it's 5000years or 6000 years later, only 20,000 copy increments. This is the problem when one cannot make any difference between time/place, or for the next 10,000 years. Such a person is simply stupid.
"Hoping this finds you all well."
If this was a final order or a final directive, why would HH Tamal Krishna Maharaj use the above quote? "hoping this finds you all well". This indicates that it's not a final directive order rather, it's a change in how initiation should work, due to circumstances.
Why this letter was a temporary provision:
1. There is no mention of what happens after the disappearance of Srila Prabhupada. A clear statement was not made if it's a final directive order. If that was there, all confusion would be solved. The letter could have said, "after the departure of Srila Prabhupada this system should continue". Nothing of that sort was made.
2. If it's for the next 10,000 years, why is the letter always giving direction only to those eleven representatives and no one else? They are not going to live that long.
3. There is no indication given, in the event of death or if any other circumstances were to occur to those eleven representative, what is the next step? Who is going to replace them? Was there any indication? Nothing at all.
4. The writer of the letter was HH Tamal Krishna Maharaj, on the orders of Srila Prabhupada. He knows the intention and meaning of the letter and what Srila Prabhupada actually wants. Just imagine this, if I were to draft a letter, I would surely know the intention of the letter. Some years later, some man on the street interprets my letter in a different way and influences his followers how it should be. Isn't it foolish that I'm the one who drafted the letter, surely I know the meaning of it, and yet somebody else comes in later on and interpret in a different way.
Srila Prabhupada also confirms in a conversation, "continue to become ritvik and act on my charge" (July 19, 1977), which means Srila Prabhupada has to be physically around to take charge. This gives further indication that the July 9th Letter is a temporary provision.
Why did this letter came about? Simple, Srila Prabhupada was not well. Here is the evidence:
Tamal Krsna Maharaj: "Srila Prabhupada, we are receiving a number of letters now. These are people who want to get initiated. So, up until now, since you're becoming ill, we asked them to wait" (July 7, 1977 Room Conversation)
Srila Prabhupada was sick and he could not conduct letter initiation. He has to depute his disciples to act on his charge, as it is a custom that during the lifetime of a Spiritual Master one cannot be Guru himself unless ordered, which he didn't.
"Every man, whoever is initiated, he is competent to make disciples. But as a matter of etiquette they do not do so in the presence of their spiritual master. This is the etiquette. Otherwise they are competent. They can make disciples and spread they are competent to make disciples. (Detroit ,July 18 1971)
Furthermore another confirmation that the July 9th Letter was not a final order.
October 22nd Room Conversation:
Prabhupada: So I depute him to do this at Mayapura, and you may go with him. I stop for the time being. Is that all right?
Tamal Krsna: Stopped doing what, Srila Prabhupada?
Prabhupada: This initiation. I have deputed the, my disciples.
Towards the end, his divine grace says:
Srila Prabhupada: "You have got a list of names? And if by Krsna's grace I recover from this condition then I shall begin or I may not but in this condition to initiate is not good" (October 22nd 1977)
His Divine Grace clearly said, "I stop for the time being", which means that Prabhupada would stop giving initiation himself, but only for the time being. This gives indication that the July 9th Letter is not a final directive order, rather it's a temporary provision. And towards the end of the conversation, Srila Prabhupada says that if he recovers, he will begin to initiate. This "begin" means the system that was in place previously, where Srila Prabhupada was giving 'letter' initiation, he will continue to do that.
Clearly there is no such thing as final directive order, it's simply a temporary provision.
HH Bhakti Bhavana Vishnu Maharaj sums it up nicely:
"All those who are associated directly or indirectly with formal ISKCON movement accept that Srila Prabhupada appointed ritvik priests to initiate on his behalf during his final manifest days. However, the concept that all initiations in ISKCON after the departure of Srila Prabhupada would be done by ritvik priests is inconsistent with all of his teachings, all sastra, all predecessor acaryas, all sampradyas, and all Vedic and Pancaratika tradition.
Taking into consideration all the available documents, tapes and instructions of Srila Prabhupada we see that he did not leave clear instructions regarding the managerial aspect of the process in initiation after the departure, although he did give clear understanding of it's spiritual principles. Srila Prabhupada many times mentioned his Guru Maharaj's desire in this matter and he left it up to the GBC to manage all material and spiritual affairs.
His idea was 'let them manage; then whoever will be qualified for becoming acarya, they will elect. Why should I enforce it upon them?' That was his plan. 'Let them manage by strong governing body, as it is going on. Then acarya will come by his qualifications'" (SPL 21.9.73)
Your servant,
Suria
