Back To Prabhupada, Issue 77, 2023
We have previously detailed the admissions of ISKCON's leaders regarding the quality of their GBC gurus in the "GBC guru-parampara" (disciplic succession) which they have constructed. They have stated that the GBC "parampara" guru can be:
1) An "idiot" (BTP 68, "Becoming Guru in ISKCON").
2) Not even "Krsna conscious" (BTP 71, "Dumbing Down GBC Gurus").
3) A "jackass" (BTP 72, ""Jackass" Guru-Tattva").
4) Corrupt or envious (BTP 72, ""Jackass" Guru-Tattva").
5) A "clown" (BTP 75, "The Jackass and Clown Show").
6) Not "real gurus" (BTP 75, "GBC Guru Admits They Are Not Real Gurus").
7) Not "sastric" – as documented in this issue on page 5.
Below we see a further admission regarding the "GBC guru parampara", and explain what this means in terms of the bona fide disciplic succession. The quotes in the shaded boxes are from a talk given on 29/1/23 by GBC voted-in guru HH Bhakti Vikasa Swami ("BVKS"). (All emphases added.)
"one's anarthas tend to be seen more seriously, especially as the guru's anarthas, if he has them, will tend to be mimicked by the disciples which makes a, serious problems in the whole system of parampara. Will the situation improve soon? We hope so, but it doesn't look like it's likely to radically change overnight."
1) BVKS flags up the "serious problems in the whole system of parampara", which result from the anarthas (unwanted material desires) of the GBC gurus.
2) BVKS accepts that these "serious problems in the whole system of parampara" will not improve "overnight".
Thus, BVKS admits to there being "serious problems" with the "GBC guru-parampara".
"There's no watertight solution. Guru issues will continue [...] we're still in the material world, so even in the best of times there are gurus who have given the wrong advice."
Having just acknowledged the serious problems with the "GBC guru-parampara", wherein BVKS also admitted that there will not be any solution soon, he then states as above:
1) That even if some "solution" is found, it will not in any case be "watertight";
2) But rather that these GBC guru-parampara "issues will continue".
However, he attempts to justify there being such parampara problems by claiming that there have always been gurus who have "given the wrong advice". But, by stating this, BVKS is just further confirming that his "GBC guru-parampara" is not a real parampara. Because, by definition, parampara means the guru never gives the wrong advice:
"If you want to know positively, niscayam, without any mistake, then we have to approach a person like Sukadeva Gosvami or the parampara system, who is coming in disciplic succession of parampara system. [...] That is called parampara system. [...] You cannot change a single alphabet. They are all unmistakable."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, 24/6/72)
"We are not manufacturing anything. That is the guru-parampara system. And if we follow strictly the line of mahajana, then there is no question of mistake. [...] And there are thousands who are coming, manufacturing their own way and spoiling the whole thing."
(Srila Prabhupada, Evening Darsana, 12/8/76)
Rather, those who "give the wrong advice", instead of just repeating the pure message handed down by the parampara without error, are guilty of "spoiling the whole thing".
1) Thus, BVKS has confirmed that the "GBC guru-parampara" is not the bona fide spiritual disciplic succession that is mentioned by Srila Prabhupada and sastra.
2) Further confirming this, we saw in the previous article that the GBC gurus are not authorised to be in the parampara, as such GBC gurus were not ordered by Srila Prabhupada.
3) In addition, it was also confirmed by the GBC itself in the article on page 5 that the GBC gurus are "not sastric".
4) We also saw in the previous article that bona fide gurus need to be on the level of seeing Krsna "face to face". No one is even claiming this about the GBC gurus. On the contrary, at the outset of this article, we gave a whole list of admissions by ISKCON leaders for how they are "not real gurus", may not even be "Krsna conscious", etc.
5) However, as also documented in the previous article, Srila Prabhupada is the bona fide guru in the parampara, who can connect everyone in ISKCON to the parampara. And sastra does not teach that Srila Prabhupada must suddenly be removed from being the current link in the parampara just because he physically departs.
"The rtvik vadis promote that [...] we'll just have Prabhupada initiate everyone on into the future, and then we won't have any gurus falling down. We can effectively stop the parampara."
BVKS claims that the position of the IRM (whom BVKS calls "rtvik vadis") of allowing Srila Prabhupada to continue connecting persons to the parampara as ISKCON's diksa guru, will "stop the parampara". However, Srila Prabhupada states, when speaking about the chain of disciplic succession, that it is broken as soon as you have false spiritual masters, otherwise it is not broken:
"Chain is broken when there are false spiritual masters. Otherwise it is not broken."
(Srila Prabhupada, Morning Walk, 2/9/76)
1) Since Srila Prabhupada is not a "false spiritual master", then the chain will not be broken with him remaining as the link to the parampara.
2) However, the chain is broken if Srila Prabhupada is removed as the link to the parampara and instead replaced with the GBC gurus who we have proven in many ways in the previous section are false spiritual masters.
Thus, the reality is the exact opposite to that claimed by BVKS.
1) The parampara continues with Srila Prabhupada.
2) The GBC gurus stop the parampara by breaking the chain due to being non-sastric, unauthorised, false spiritual masters.
Subscribe for FREE to Back To Prabhupada Magazine - Click Here
Return to Bhakti Vikasa Swami Index
Return to "Guru-Tattva" Index
Return to "Order to Be Guru" Index
Return to "Physical Presence" Index
Return to "Qualification of Guru" Index
Return to "Sastra" Index
Return to "Succession" Index
Return to "Srila Prabhupada's System" Index
Return to IRM Homepage
