Back To Prabhupada, Issue 31, Spring 2011
We explained in the BTP 29 article “How the guru hoax works”, how the guru hoax is based on the simple technique of label-switching, which even a child could see through. Below we present a practical example of this technique at work, carried out by GBC-elected guru hoaxer, HG Sankarshan Das (“SAD”). All quotations in the tinted panels are taken from answers he gives as part of his “Ultimate Self Realization Course”. This is a web-based course run by SAD to attract unsuspecting spiritual seekers on the internet, who are then funnelled via his label-switching scam to become his initiated disciples and worship him “as good as God” (see “Rolls-Royce guru” article in BTP 20).
QUESTION: “Since I joined the self realization course, does it mean that I have been initiated? If not, what is the procedure for receiving initiation? Kindly advise.”
SAD: “As soon as you accept the spiritual master’s orders as your very life and soul, you are prac
tically speaking already initiated. And then when you prove to the spiritual master that you are seriously committed to following his instructions for your entire life, he performs the initiation ceremony handing you your chanting beads and giving you your spiritual name. This is called formal initiation. The basic instructions of the spiritual master are that you must chant at least 16 rounds daily of the Hare Krishna mantra on japa beads and that you must strictly avoid illicit sex, meat eating, intoxication, and gambling. When you have demonstrated to your local ISKCON authority your seriousness for making a lifetime commitment to following these instructions,
he will recommend you to the spiritual master as being qualified for initiation and the spiritual master will then initiate you as his disciple.”
(11/12/2010)
The procedure SAD describes here also occurred when Srila Prabhupada was on the planet, but then it meant that one became Srila Prabhupada’s initiated disciple. Those who assisted the process, by performing the initiation were, after July 1977, called “ritviks”. Now, however, simply due to the “ritviks” calling themselves “diksa gurus” via the label-switching hoax, the same process is used by SAD and other guru hoaxers to grab the disciples for themselves.
“Regarding where one can find a spiritual master, just as the foolish owl who with closed eyes asked the sun where he could find the sun, one should open his eyes and see that person who is already instructing him in the science of Krishna consciousness according to the Bhagavad-gita as it is. From such a bona fide spiritual master we should accept shelter, initiation, and instructions.”
(17/12/2010)
It is SAD who needs to open his eyes and see that instruction “according to the Bhagavad-gita as it is” is obviously coming from Srila Prabhupada, the person named as the author of this book. When Srila Prabhupada was on the planet, many persons who joined the movement never met him, and were assisted in reading Bhagavad-gita As It Is and all his other books by his disciples. This process meant that Srila Prabhupada was the bona fide spiritual master, with those helping considered at best to be assisting siksa (instructing or preaching) gurus. This was the case because, as even SAD agrees above, since Srila Prabhupada was already instructing everyone through his books, he was the bona fide spiritual master from whom one should accept shelter, initiation and instructions. Today, exactly the same process is going on, only now SAD and the other guru hoaxers claim that being instructed in Krishna consciousness according to Bhagavad-gita As It Is by Srila Prabhupada actually means they must surrender to SAD or anyone else who may assist one in understanding these instructions.
QUESTION: “How to Receive Guru’s Training? There are millions of devotees of Krishna who do not know the process of transcendental meditation. This process is to be learned from a bona fide spiritual master on a one-on-one basis. Where are so many spiritual masters? Is there any alternative to a bona fide spiritual master? Could the process be explained through daily inspirational thoughts?”
SAD: “Especially Through His Vibrational Presence. The spiritual master is not only
present in his written word. He is also present in the form of his instructions. This is known as his vibrational presence. This is more important than physical meeting. So if even if you are not able to have a face to face meeting with the spiritual master, you can still take his guidance through personally corresponding with him and through his written and recorded instructions and be sufficiently guided how to achieve the supreme perfection.”
(17/12/2010)
Just to complete this ludicrous label-switching hoax, SAD explains that it does not even matter if one is unable to personally meet the spiritual master, as one can take advantage of his written and recorded instructions. Indeed, this was the process when Srila Prabhupada was on the planet, with many of his disciples having neither ever met him, nor engaged in a correspondence exchange with him, but Srila Prabhupada was their diksa guru. Those who assisted others in taking this guidance from Srila Prabhupada were considered at best assistant siksa gurus. Today exactly the same process happens, with the bulk of teaching for members of ISKCON still coming from Srila Prabhupada’s books and his other recorded and written instructions, but SAD and the other hoaxers simply call themselves diksa gurus, and take the disciples for themselves.
The above graphically demonstrates the absurdly simple label-switching technique used by the guru hoaxers. The guru hoaxers have simply claimed that doing the same activities, as they were done when Srila Prabhupada was on the planet, entitles them to magically call themselves diksa gurus, and relegate Srila Prabhupada to being at most a siksa guru. The reasons for this scam of course are obvious. Diksa gurus get disciples who worship them “as good as God”, along with donations, personal service, etc. The very fact that Srila Prabhupada’s position has been usurped in his own movement is of course outrageous. But the absurdly hypocritical and blatant cheating techniques used to do this, make the hijack ludicrous as well as disgraceful.