My ISKCON Diksha-initiation Status

BY: SADHUDASA ANUDASA DASA

Sep 08, 2013 — SRIDHAM MAYAPUR, WEST BENGAL (SUN) — [Editor's Note: The following article was submitted to the Sun several weeks ago by Sadhudasa Anudasa prabhu, who recently suffered a violent attack in Mayapur Dham.]

Dear Braja Bihari Prabhu, Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

In your category as a representative of the ISKCON Resolve Dept., I'm sending you the following enquiry, which is of fundamental importance to me --and the whole ISKCON-Mumbay or the ISKCON GBC-West Bengal Society-- as you would appreciate after reading this letter. Please redirect it to the ISKCON authorities it may be needed. I thus wait for a formal reply.

A little more than a year ago I was formally informed that I'm not officially recognised as a duly initiated disciple of ISKCON Founder-acharya A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. The reason being is that my ritualistic Diksha-initiation ceremony took place hours after the physical departure of Srila Prabhupada from the planet. Please find below the official document stating the initiation date of 13th of November 1977 as Srila Prabhupada Diksha-disciple, corroborated by the same ISKCON authorities in the enclosed letter of October of 1989. Below these documents you'll find a series of correspondence discussing the issue with some ISKCON authorities involved.

After yeas of discussions (literally), when Srimati Mahamaya d.d. (the Compiler of ISKCON SP's Disciples Database) informed me that my Diksha-initiation was not recognised didn't affect me, since I thought it to be a minor managerial disagreement. However, with the passing of time it affected me that many of my older Godbrothers began broadly spreading that I'm not a duly initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada. Obviously, experiencing these events gradually turned into a permanent social and emotional disturbance. Particularly after hearing devotees of the new generations in administrative positions -- here at Sri Mayapura Dhama were I live -- declaring me as someone who has claimed something that is false.

I've never professed, neither supported, the wrongly denominated "ritvik" (post-mortem "representative" initiation) philosophy. However, I always sympathised with its followers, since they are solely inspired by Srila Prabhupada as ISKCON ADI-Shiksha-guru, or ISKCON primordial instructing-guru exclusively (which is SP's natural position --even after his physical departure-- as ISKCON Founder-acharya, anyway!). Nonetheless my present situation may prove that such philosophical and spiritual status only as Prabhupada's direct Shiksha-disciple, could acquire broad awareness to validate from now on the predominance of SHIKSHA over DIKSHA even within ISKCON (which has been the process in our Guru SHIKSHA-Parampara always).

By having embraced Srila Prabhupada as my most important instructing guru in Gaudiya Vaishnavism --although having accepted some of his most intimate Godbrothers as my shiksha-gurus also-- and until recently being declared as NOT been qualified as a "duly" Diksha-initiated disciple of SP in the DIKSHA-Parampara, opens-up a new paradigm among the various ISKCON "sects" in India: ISKCON-Mumbay vs. ISKCON-Bangalore, or ISKCON-WB GBC Society vs. ISKCON-Bangalore GBC Trust.

It should be noticed, however, that I heard the Gayatri-mantra recorded by Srila Prabhupada on the old cassette-tape system. Somehow I do still have a copy of his Gayatri-mantra on the tape--now defunct--magnetic system. During the historical dark ISKCON period, which manifested right after SP's physical departure, I took shelter under Srila Prabhupada's intimate friend and Godbrother, Srila B.R. Sridhara Maharaja from Sri Navadwip. I acted as Srila Sridhara Maharaja's Ritvik-guru until his departure in August 1988. I heard also his Gayatri-mantra recorded on magnetic tape. However, my allegiance to Srila Prabhupada as my Diksha and main Shiksha-guru has been always predominating. Besides, I do NOT hold any kind of official initiation with Srila Sridhara Maharaja. He made me one of his few Ritvik-gurus out of his infinite compassion.

The fact is that for the last 35 years I have been OFFICIALLY linked to Srila Prabhupada as my initiator/instructing spiritual master; also ACTING as an ISKCON dedicated member who CONTRIBUTED with many valuable services to SP's ISKCON society; having directed various architectural projects in Brazil and USA, and actively served at the ISKCON Portuguese and Spanish BBT Publishing divisions in Brazil and USA. However only a year ago I was informed that I'm not accepted as a duly initiated Diksha-disciple of Srila Prabhupada, although originally confirmed by the ISKCON-Brazil authorities--were I joined.

Somehow, only recently the whole situation began to incommode my mind due to my new (outcasted) social status. Consequently, I humbly request an official declaration about my status in the ISKCON society from the ISKCON authorities in India (the official ISKCON GENERAL BODY COMMISSION SOCIETY - Reg No.:S/74662 under the West Bengal Societies Registration Act). Please state through an official document the GBC's conclusion about my Diksha-initiated position. Please explain according to such conclusion, what is my factual position as an ISKCON member? Finally, what would be my official ISKCON position before the whole community of thousands of ISKCON's new generation of devotees worldwide?

Please find below copies of my original ISKCON-Brazil Diksha Initiation Diploma, and a letter written in 1989 by the same ISKCON-Brazil authorities declaring I am a duly Diksha-initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada. Please notice that the same ISKCON-Brazil authority signing such official letter (Sripad Loka Saksi Dasa, a.k.a. Lucio Varela) is still holding administrative positions since then -- and until today recognises me as Srila Prabhupada's Diksha-disciple.

After the documents below, you'll find various email exchanges between Srimati Mahamaya d.d. and other devotees implicated on this issue. For your clarification, my civil name is Ricardo A. Palleres, my Diksha-initation name was Ravanari Dasa Brahmachari, and after exchanging my previous sannyasa vows --by revoking the "swami" title and brahminical sacred thread-- I'm presently known as Sadhudasa Anudasa Dasa.

Kindly observe that I'll only wait until the next Gaura-Purnima festival at Sri Mayapura (or March 214) for a conclusive answer from the ISKCON ultimate managerial authority (ISKCON-W.B. General Body Commission Society) regarding my status as being one of Srila Prabhupada duly Diksha-initiated disciples or not.

Presently, my status as Srila Prabhupada's Shiksha-disciple since 1976, offers plentiful validity (philosophically and practically) to the spiritual outlook claimed by the wrongly denominated "ritviks," which is exclusively practised by ISKCON-Bangalore and their many branches throughout India. NOT having discussed all of this with Sripad Madhu Pandit Dasa yet, I sincerely wonder what the Indian civil legal system would have to conclude about this situation?

CONCLUSION 1: I'm OFFICIALLY declared a direct Diksha-disciple of Srila Prabhupada by the authorities of ISKCON-Brazil, and my senior Godbrothers there -- even though my CONVENTIONAL Diksha-initiation took place hours AFTER Prabhupada's physical departure from the planet.

CONCLUSION 2: I'm declared a NOT initiated Diksha-disciple of Srila Prabhupada by the official Compiler of ISKCON SP's Disciples Database of ISKCON-W.B. GBC-Society, and many of my senior Godbrothers in India and abroad -- once my CONVENTIONAL DIKSHA-initiation took place hours AFTER Prabhupada's physical departure from the planet.

CONCLUSION 3: Excerpted from Srila Kaviraja Goswami's Cc., and Srila Prabhupada's eternal Bhaktivedanta Purports:

(OBS.: Capitals and in between parenthesis added, to stress meanings)

Cc. Adi-lila, 1.47
shiksha-guruke ta'jani krishnera svarupa / antaryami, bhakta-shrestha,—ei dui rupa

"One should know the instructing spiritual master TO BE the Personality of Krishna. Lord Krishna manifests Himself as the Supersoul and as the greatest devotee of the Lord."

Bhaktivedanta Purport: "Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Gosvami states that the instructing (SHIKSHA) spiritual master is a bona fide representative of Sri Krishna. Sri Krishna HIMSELF teaches us as the instructing spiritual master from WITHIN and WITHOUT. From WITHIN He teaches as Paramatma, our constant companion, and from WITHOUT He teaches from Bhagavad-gita as the instructing spiritual master. There are two kinds of instructing spiritual masters. One is the liberated person fully absorbed in meditation in devotional service (BHAJANANANDI), and the other is he who invokes the disciple's spiritual consciousness by means of relevant instructions (GOSTHYANANDI). Thus the instructions in the science of devotion are differentiated in terms of the OBJECTIVE and SUBJECTIVE ways of understanding. The acharya in the true sense of the term, who is AUTHORISED to deliver Krishna, enriches the disciple with FULL spiritual knowledge and thus awakens him to the activities of devotional service.

When by learning from the SELF-REALISED spiritual master one actually engages himself in the service of Lord Vishnu, functional devotional service begins. The procedures of this devotional service are known as abhidheya, or action one is duty-bound to perform. Our ONLY shelter is the Supreme Lord, and one who teaches how to approach Krishna is the FUNCTIONING form of the Personality of Godhead. There is NO DIFFERENCE between the shelter-giving Supreme Lord and the initiating and instructing spiritual masters. If one foolishly discriminates between them, he commits an offence in the discharge of devotional service."

OBS.: An actual difference between the ONLY Diksha-guru one may accept as a Vaishnava scriptural CONVENTION (TATTVA), and the main Shiksha-guru amongst innumerable Shiksha-gurus (instructing authorities) one has unavoidably embraced throughout one's material or devotional life, is based on RASA (INNERMOST PERSONAL FEELINGS EXCLUSIVELY AROUSED BY INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE). This is the formula that accomplishes simultaneous diversity and unity within the achintya-bhedabheda-tattva tenets of Sri Chaitanya regarding guruship. Thus, no sane person would try to equate oneself to Srila Prabhupada --being ISKCON Founder-acharya and fundamental Shiksha-guru for the entire society, as in our particular case.

Please notice that declaring my status as a duly Diksha-initiated student within Gaudiya Vaishnavism AFTER Prabhupada's physical departure, becomes a precedent to consider the position of ISKCON-Bangalore also. If my case was an exceptional case, or an "emergency situation," it is still valid for those who may wish to OFFICIALLY adhere to ISKCON as direct Shiksha-disciples of SP through some particular ISKCON Diksha-agents, who would officiate as "Conventional Diksha-gurus" -- as ISKCON-Bangalore has implemented it. The only thing that becomes adjusted by the disciple as an ISKCON Member is the dynamics of the Diksha conventional acceptance, and the predominating Shiksha-guru position of SP. Thus, the relationship guru-disciple is the exclusive matter of every individual disciple and guru (either chaita, shiksha, diksha)--and it should remain strictly confidential anyway.

On the other hand, please notice that declaring my status as a NON officially Diksha-initiated student of Srila prabhupada, puts me in the awkward position of NEVER being initiated in Gaudiya Vaishnavism. This means that during the last 35 years I was mislead about my Diksha-initiation —causing perjury by ISKCON institutional mismanagement. Obviously one argument would be that was due to the "emergency situation" required to spread Srila Prabhupada's mission through his "different" ISKCON corporations or societies worldwide at the time. Just like now, we have ISKCON-New York, ISKCON-Mumbay, ISKCON GBC-WB Society, ISKCON-Brazil, ISKCON-Bangalore, etc.

Furthermore, this "emergency situation" prompted Srila Prabhupada himself to protect everyone of us --who have surrendered to him at his ISKCON society worldwide-- while he was physically present. This is a REAL FACT, since he instructed us to follow the sacred observance of Ekadashi on the SAME day that it was observed at Sri Vrindavana -- even though we were thousands of miles away, and in totally different time-zones. This factually means that without his blessings and protection, we would have broken the observance of the Scriptural injunction on Ekadashi days -- therefore reducing our status to NON initiated individuals. The question stands: Those who joined Prabhupada's ISKCON society while he was physically present, and never denied him as their spiritual master until now, and followed his precepts, are NOT his Diksha or DIRECT disciples -- besides their Shiksha-disciples status?

Please consider carefully and attentively all the above requested, and inform me about the ISKCON-W.B. GBC Society conclusions via an official document, NOT later than March 2014. Kindly, be notified that legal civil procedures within India are under study and consideration, which may take place accordingly.

Thank you,
Sincerely,

Sadhudasa Anudasa dasa

PS: Kindly notice that in the messages below Sripad Ishvara Dasa (a.k.a. Eneas Guerriero) —HAVING ACCEPTED HIS BRAHMINICAL INITIATION WITH MYSELF ON THE SAME DAY— is one of the two signatories of my Diksha Initiation Diploma, once he was the Director-General Secretary of the ISKCON society in Brazil.

Begin forwarded message:

From: "hr@ivs.edu"
Subject: Re: Regarding Ravanari´s initiation
Date: 12 September 2011 8:15:45 PM IST
To: Isvara Prabhu
Cc: "R.A. Sadhudasa Anudasa" , Mahamaya DD , "ricardopalleres@me.com" , Lilananda dasa

Dear Mahamaya Prabhu and Isvara Prabhu,
Jaya Srila Prabhupada. Thank you for your letter. I stated earlier to the concerned devotees that if Prabhupada had approved Ravanari's initiation, then even if the ceremony was performed after Prabhupada's departure, I felt that would still be valid.
Since at that time, we were using the 'rtvik' system, one could argue that my accepting Ravanari for Prabhupada-diksa, in my capacity as Prabhupada's authorized representative, was the functional equivalant of Prabhupada accepting him for diksa.
Clearly this is a somewhat gray area, but I wanted to share those thoughts.
With best wishes,
Your servant,
Hridayananda das Goswami

From: "R.A. Sadhudasa Anudasa"
Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:00:21 +0530
To: Loka Saksi , Lilananda dasa , Cc: "hr@ivs.edu"
Subject: Fwd: Regarding Ravanari´s initiation

Begin forwarded message:

From: Eneas Guerriero
Subject: Regarding Ravanari´s initiation
Date: 12 September 2011 2:22:38 PM GMT+05:30
To: mahamayadasi@yahoo.com
Cc: ricardopalleres@me.com

Dear Mahamaya Mataji,

Please accept my obeisances. All glorie sto Prabhupada.

I just happended to see this letter below, about the controversy about Ravanari´s initiation. Let me say first that I am writing this letter on my own desire, and not to the knowledge of Ravanari or anybody else.

I was there personally, and I remember exactly the situation. Ravananri and a couple of other devotees were already supposed to receive the initiation, it was just a question of days to arrange the cerimony. And then we got the news of Prabhupada´s disappearence. Hridayananda Maharaja left the same night to India and gave the instructions to Alanatha das (the now Paramadvaiti Maharaja) to perform the initiation. And he was clear enough to say these devotees were already supposed to be initiatiated and should be now.

So, now I question the value of the long distance initiations (first Prabhupada did it through letters and at that time through some sannyasis around the world). I understand that by the time Prabhupada wrote the letter or the sannyasi agreed on giving the initiation, the protocol was already there, no matter how long the letter would take to arrive to its destination (and I think it also applies for the sannyasi giving himself the the diksha in name of Prabhuada´s). Is that not so?

If it isn´t, than I am really confused.

So, I can testify that in the case of Ravanari and a few other devotees at that time, in their minds and in the minds of everyone present at Sao Paulo at that day, they were disciples of Prabhupada. Should now they reprogram themselves?

I beg to remain
your servant

Iswara das

Dear Ravanari Prabhu,

PAMHO. AGTSP! I wrote to you on May 29, 2011 to ask for clarification about your initiation:

Question: Was this your first or second initiation? If this was the second initiation, when and where was the first?

In your answer of May 29th, you wrote:

I got the chance to discuss the matter of my initiation with Hridayananada Mj. and knowing that Prabhupada was very sick I humbly requested to receive both initiations, to which he agreed. Nonetheless, after Prabhupada's departure we had the ceremony initiation, and I was there for both initiations.

You are stating here that your initiation was after the departure of Srila Prabhupada:

"Nonetheless, after Prabhupada's departure we had the ceremony initiation, and I was there for both initiations." [emphasis added]

This is also confirmed by Paramahamsa in the email below.

---------- Forwarded Message ----------

Letter PAMHO:21683494 (76 lines) [W1]
From: Internet: "paulo santos"
Date: 29-May-11 07:53 -0400 (04:53 -0700)
To: Lilananda (das) ACBSP (Alachua, FL - US)
Subject: Res: Pergunta sobre a iniciação de Ravanari Prabhu

------------------------------

Hari bol Lilananda!!! Reverências.
Todas as glórias a Srila Prabhupada!

Karana não chegou a receber 2ª iniciação. Junto com Rananari Dasa tambem recebeu 1ª iniciação Mandaracala Dasa. Nesta cerimônia Sriman Ravanari Dasa recebeu as duas iniciações, o mesmo foi proposto para Sriman Mandaracala Dasa que recusou a segunda, ficando só com a primeira. Isto aconteceu as pressas, logo após Srila Prabhupada partir deste mundo.

Paramahamsa Dasa.

_____________________________________________

In this email Paramahamsa corroborates your statement by writing:

"Isto aconteceu as pressas, logo após Srila Prabhupada partir deste mundo."

In conclusion on this point: There is no question (or controversy) about when your initiation took place. Clearly, it was after Srila Prabhupada's physical departure. The question is this: What is the status of devotees such as yourself who were initiated after Srila Prabhupada's departure? In our service as the compiler of the Srila Prabhupada Disciple Database, we have always considered that anyone initiated after Srila Prabhupada left the planet is not his direct diksa disciple. We wrote a letter to Hridayananda dasa Goswami specifically regarding your situation and below is his reply: whatever I or anyone else said at the time, it seems to me that a person initiated one day, or one thousand years, after Prabhupada departed, is not a Prabhupada disciple, according to our understanding.

With the information presented above by you and verified by Paramahamsa, and the current conclusion of the local GBC at that time, we regret to inform you that we are unable toinclude you in the Srila Prabhupada Disciple Database as a duly-initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada.

Hope this find you well.

Your servant,
Mahamaya-devi dasi
Compiler, Srila Prabhupada Disciple Database

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