“We still need to figure out guru issue”

Spring 2006

502. Committee Researching the Need for Reinitiation (*unpublished*)

[Appointment] Whereas the present ISKCON Law book 7.2.6 does not specify whether reinitiation is required if one’s guru has fallen.
Whereas many believe this vital question has not been definitively answered and is the cause of speculation.
Whereas the perceived lack of a definitive answer in this case may be interfering with the carrying on of the disciplic succession.
Be it resolved that: the GBC appoint a committee to research the existing GBC papers and other evidence to come to a conclusion, in line with guru, sadhu and sastra, concerning the necessity of a disciple of a fallen guru accepting reinitiation.

This committee will consist of the SAC, plus Jayapataka Maharaja, Bhakti Caru Swami, Dina Sarana Dasi, Bhakta Rupa Das, Laxmimoni Dasi, Krsnadas Kaviraj Das, Prasanta Dasi.

This is yet another committee which has been set up to “research” the truth about the guru system to be used in ISKCON.

If the GBC still needs to research things, then pray what is it they have been following for the last 30 years?
Was it correct?
If yes, why are they researching now?

If not, then surely the honest thing to do would be to stop whatever they are doing, and FIRST figure out everything correctly – what is the position of the guru, what happens if he falls down and why is reinitiation valid etc. – and THEN institute the system they have determined is correct via their research. This is plain common sense and has no connection with whether or you agree with the GBC or not.

The GBC themselves are saying they do not know, that they are unsure, so surely they should be 100% sure of what they are doing before moving forward?

As Bhakti Caru Swami, a GBC-elected guru himself said:

“After Harikesa fell down in 1998, in 1999 I proposed that it’s obvious that we are going in the wrong direction. Now, when you go wrong, when you know you’re going in the wrong direction, what do you do? You stop to find the right way. So for the time-being, let’s stop giving initiation and find out what is actually the problem and what is the solution to this problem, whether we can find a solution and until then, let us stop.”
(Bhakti Caru Swami (photo right), July 20th 2003, Toronto)

So the GBC effectively admit in the above resolution that until now they have no idea what one should do if one’s guru has fallen.

Which begs the question as to how they would know if the original initiation itself was bona fide?
Which begs the question as to how they would know if any of the initiations are actually bona fide?

In sum, by the GBC’s own admission they don’t yet know what they are doing. And we couldn’t agree more.