1. Do you feel that the GBC are presenting Srila Prabhupada in the way that you and I (apparently) both agree is the truth: that Srila Prabhupada is a nitya-siddha, maha-bhagavata Sampradaya Acarya, and the current link to our sampradaya?
There is of course the "presentation" as you have coined it and then there is the actual practical demonstration of realization of these fact. In the first - all devotees worldwide - from the most senior to the newest devotee, state without equivocation that Srila Prabhupada is the Current Link in the Brahma-Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya and most specifically - the Founder Acharya for the International Society for Krsna Consciousness.
Where everything goes off the rails is in the actual application of this fact as it pertains to Srila Prabhupada's Official Directives concerning everything from the duties and limitations placed upon each Officer in ISKCON, to the management of his BBT, the acceptance of and actual taking of his mandated Oath of Allegiance, his official mandates concerning becoming a formally initiated member of his Society, the acceptance and implementation of the Direction of Management, the strict adherence to the directives in his Final Will etc.
Wherever the above mentioned "Official Directives" are in fact the "LAW" and fully embraced and implemented - then the factual acceptance of Srila Prabhupada as The Founder and Eternal Acharya of ISKCON and in his very own words "THE sole responsible person and Supreme Authority" is REAL and GENUINE.
Conversely - wherever the above is not the "LAW" then one's understanding of and acceptance of Srila Prabhupada as the actual Founder and Eternal Acharya for his mission - The International Society for Krsna Consciousness - is deficient, more fancy than fact, and will not produce any tangible and permanent effect. Using terms like Sampradaya Acharya refer to his place in the Parampara but such usage - without adherence to the ACTUAL authority of Srila Prabhupada remain words only. Where his authority is accepted then his "position" in the Parampara is genuine. Where it is not - no amount of verbal glorification can hide the gulf between lip service and full acceptance of his true position as Founder and Eternal Acharya and "Supreme Authority for the Krsna Consciousness Movement".
2. Do you feel that the Lilamrta properly describes Srila Prabhupada as such? And if not, do you think that ISKCON should officially state that it does not approve of Satsvarupa's version of who Srila Prabhupada is?
I will honestly say that it has been over 20 years since I have even so much as touched the Lilamrta so I am not a good person to ask. However - if anyone's presentation of the Eternally Liberated soul - is even in the slightest - contaminated by the mundane vision of a conditioned soul - then such presentation should be avoided. In his haste to offer what he could as "glorification" of Srila Prabhupada he should have confined himself to simple facts only - as the simple facts of what His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada called "his former life" speak for themselves in the essentials. All his attempts to "reveal" Srila Prabhupada's heart, mind and motives are contaminated with his own desire to be viewed as a good writer. Srila Prabhupada did not advocate for this "history" to be too elaborately entered into and the dangers inherent in conditioned souls assessing the "former life" of the Spiritual Master are far too great to be given even the slightest opportunity to wreak the havoc they harbor. Srila Prabhupada said that the relationship between the Spiritual Master and his disciple remains permanently fixed in the mood of AWE and REVERENCE. Recall the letter HDG wrote to TKG wherein he said "It is not correct to inquire into the previous life of the spiritual master - but since you have asked , it was once said(I believe by some astrologer) that in my last life I was a doctor and that I was sinless". Now the important words here are "it was once said". Srila Prabhupada was just offering TKG something said by someone else - not a definitive answer; just something to pacify his materially nosey disciple. When Srila Prabhupada arrived in La Guardia Airport in 1975 he was asked directly by one reporter "Swamiji - when did you first realize God"? Srila Prabhupada smiled at him kindly and then without any hesitation said "Well...that would be difficult to explain to you ...but for your understanding ..... perhaps 4 or 5 years old". Needless to say the devotees screamed "Hari Bol! Jaya Srila Prabhupada!" at the top of their lungs when he said this smiling kindly towards this reporter.
Srila Prabhupada looked up at everyone very happy with their enthusiastic and simple acceptance of his statement so casually given!! I will never forget that moment. Everyone in that airport lobby was convinced that Lord Sri Krsna was right there amongst us - smiling upon His pure devotee's simple pride in his most worshipable Lord - knowing that Srila Prabhupada was fully aware of His presence and the love for Krsna that saturated Srila Prabhupada's heart - was being directly shared with all those there who heard and accepted his words.
The writings of Satsvarup Das are artificially too "familiar" in their approach to Srila Prabhupada. They are an attempt to put on display his imagined intimate understanding of Srila Prabhupada. The easiest way to assess them - or anyone's writings - is - could one even imagine Srila Prabhupada writing anything similar - about Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupada? If not - then they should be viewed as ultimately opposed to the satisfaction of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krsna and thus incapable of helping us in our Krsna Consciousness.
3. What are you doing about the fact that ISKCON is not recognizing Srila Prabhupada as the current link, or as a nitya-siddha Sampradaya Acarya?
I am simply trying my best to help all my Godbrothers and Godsisters to understand that Srila Prabhupada is the Founder and Eternal Acharya for HIS International Society for Krsna Consciousness. Your use of the word Sampradaya Acharya is a philosophical description of Srila Prabhupada's place in the Parampara that leads directly back to Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. However as the Current Link in that Parampara - he set in stone - exactly what it meant - spiritually and legally - to be a member of ISKCON and more importantly - AN OFFICER in the INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS. The fact that Srila Prabhupada is the "Sampradaya Acharya" and a nitya siddha - is not disputed by anyone . What is disputed is WHAT EXACTLY is established - by Srila Prabhupada - that determines what is and what is not - ISKCON and WHO is and WHO IS NOT correctly representing those simple facts. I am doing my best to both understand and explain that whenever and wherever possible.
It is my understanding that in fact - we need only allow Srila Prabhupada's words; his teachings and his Directives speak for themselves. These are the scientific means by which one comes to understand Srila Prabhupada's Eternally Awesome position in relation to Lord Krsna and His Eternal position as Founder and Current Acharya for the International Society for Krsna Consciousness for the next 10,000 years.
On June 2nd 1977 Srila Prabhupada instructed Tamal Krsna Goswami - "That Oath of Allegiance. That should be maintained. See that it is typed up and copies are sent to every Temple President and GBC." Tamal Krsna Goswami responded "I am doing that Srila Prabhupada".
The reality was of course something else. To this day - this Oath of Allegiance has remained largely unknown. It speaks volumes to each of us and its implementation will effectively alter much that is now unwanted in Srila Prabhupada's mission. I again offer it for the pleasure of all the devotees.
I ...enter legal name and then initiated name - date of birth at present residing at, particular nationality (i.e. American, German etc) do hear by solemnly affirm, declare and state as under as follows: I state I have been elected or nominated a member of the Governing Body Commission/or Temple President - under the recommendation of my Guru Maharaja His Divine Grace AC BSP , Founder, Acharya and Supreme Authority of the Krsna Consciousness Movement, under the banner of the ISKCON. I state I have imposed all my faith, integrity and honesty in my aforesaid Guru Maharaja, with the result he is the sole responsible person and Supreme Authority of my present position and status which I have gained and I am holding in the organization of the ISKCON. I, the said - enter legal and initiated name - do hear by swear in the name of Krsna that I will bear truth and alliance to the Constitution, by laws, rules and regulations and directives which have been given, including the 4 regulative principles (listed) chanting of 16 rounds very seriously or directions given me directly by my aforesaid Guru Maharaja, His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, or through his authorized person or persons, and I shall obey faithfully all instructions and directions, which shall be binding on me and that I will uphold the sovereignty and integrity of my Guru Maharaja His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada and the managing body commission and or any other body appointed by His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, working under the said International Society for Krsna Consciousness and I shall faithfully discharge the duty upon which I am about to enter or have already been appointed to that effect. I further pledge that His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada is the only source of authority, represented by his instructions and books and I shall follow his instructions and I shall follow the instructions only - of these books."
