19800709 Iṣṭagoṣṭhī on GBC Committe

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The following is an Istagosthi on the GBC Committee given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on July 9, 1980 – in Seattle, Washington. DC.

Say this. I said, you say that the GBC is Prabhupda when you’re acting Kṛṣṇa consciously. But does that mean you’re not always acting Kṛṣṇa consciously? He said yes. I said well then that means you’re not always Prabhupda. And he said yes, that’s true. I said then why should I listen to you? And he said because Prabhupda told you to. And I said well, Prabhupda also told me to use my intelligence.

And.

And he didn’t say anything to that.

When you talk about GBC you’re talking about the individual member.

I am talking. I meant the whole GBC acting as Prabhupāda.

I understand it. Can I say it before again? I think I understand what you’re saying. She asked you a Rameshwar as a whole gbc. The statement has been made clearly to everybody that as the GBC as a whole is Prabhupda or as good as. And Śrīla Ramaswara said to her, he said when we are acting Kṛṣṇa consciously the whole GBC is Prabhupda. And she said that implies that when you’re not Kṛṣṇa conscious that you’re not Prabhupda.

The whole.

He said yes. She said then why should I have faith or trust you? And he said because Prabhupāda told you to. And she said prabhupāda also told me to use my intelligence. So this is just making clear something.

He said once in reference to Yudamanyu Also Yudamanyu told me in many other stories Śrīla Rameshwar in confidence did tell him one time that because R. Hansadhun wears this hood since a bald man isn’t sexually attractive that it means that Rhsuddhutur has sexual desires.

Who did he tell this to?

He told this to Udamanya.

Why doesn’t Udamanu say why have to hand?

And his belief was that he was a demon or was possessed by a demoniac mentality. Because of that.

A bald man with.

A quirt and adulty he’s not sexually attracted but a bald man with a quartz and adult he’s sexually attracted.

It’s absurd to get sometimes. Anyone else? Regarding Berkeley.

I talked to Trip Bharari and asked him. He was telling me that if the guru acts like a guru then he is a guru but if he does something that.

Is not in accordance with.

The way a guru should act then he’s not a guru. And I said that also means that if the GBC acts in such a way that’s not Kṛṣṇa conscious, then I can judge them and reject them. And he said no. But he didn’t give any specific reasons why.

Well, I will give a specific reason if you want one. Because I know when the whole thing with Bali Mardan was going on in New York, that the devotees, he was really off. And the devotees just continued and did their service. And later some question was brought to Prabhupāda and he said, the person who was questioning Prabhupāda said, well, Prabhupāda, how can I have faith in these devotees in New York? Because when Bali Maharaj Mardon was completely off and was going berserk and doing so many offenses, they just went along and they didn’t say anything. And Prabhua said, that is their qualification. They never stopped their service.

Then why the dual standard?

Why are we asked to judge our.

Spiritual master but not the gbc?

Well, no one is asking you to judge your spiritual master. The GBC is not asking you. Maybe individual members are saying, are standing in judgment on your spiritual master. But that’s why we’re here. That’s not the position of the GBC as a whole. The GBC is responsible. Well, we’re all individuals. You know, you can say the GBC is responsible, but just like anybody can leave the service of Kṛṣṇa, whether it’s a GBC man or a spiritual master or a Brahmachari or a lady or anyone, you know, we all have that individuality that we can misuse any position.

What’s the position of person left Kali Mardhan, though?

What’s the position of a person who left Bali Mardan and continued his service somewhere else? He would also be right.

Well, I am not talking about that. I am just talking about Prabhupāda’s statement that he indicated that those persons who continue with their service, they weren’t. He said that was their great qualification.

Let me understand that example. What has to do with GBC Biden?

Well, she’s saying, well, you have to use your intelligence. And if the GBC does something that’s apparently off, how can you have faith in them? And Prabhupāda said to have faith in them. So you can have faith in this. Can we also have faith and continue with the Serbia? Well, the two points aren’t contradictory.

What about when five different GBC members tell us something that’s completely opposite to shastras?

Well, they don’t individually represent the entire GBC board.

Yeah, but five out of 20 is pretty nice. And besides, it is one of the.

Offenses to blaspheme a devotee who has dedicated his life to spreading the glories of the Holy Name. So that any person, GBC or not.

Gbc, the moment he does that, he.

Is not acting, he’s not correctly situated.

That’s all right. But that doesn’t represent the whole GBC.

Board, GBC members, apart from the two that were the GBCs of that locality. The other people said if somebody is. If someone goes off, then you shouldn’t follow. And then maybe they, you know, the point was at that whole point didn’t need to be brought up because there was no reason to bring it up. Because Maharaj was cooperating and he was sincere. There was no reason to say that. But the philosophical point is a fact. But it wasn’t necessary to bring it up. That was their mistake. But the philosophical point is there. It’s just that their application may not have been appropriate. There’s one more John Dongan. She had her.

There’s only a few more Berkeley.

So my name is Dasanudas. For approximately over a year now. Before that time, I was here in Seattle in the temple. I am a disciple of Śrī Lansa Duda Swami. And I’d like to speak in connection with a class or two classes actually that Harida Ananda gave. And one of them was in connection with of course, Bali Maharaj. He was making, you know, he was bringing up how the disciple at that time was having to reject his spiritual master in favor of serving Kṛṣṇa rather than serving Māyā. And then around that time, it was either preceding that lecture or after that lecture, he gave a lecture wherein he stated that to use Māyā in the service of Kṛṣṇa would mean that you would have to. That Māyā herself would come before you and make her claim on you.

And in other words, in fact, he went further to specifically mentioned Kṛṣṇa. He brought it up, said that this record, Kṛṣṇa record distribution, he stated that this itself was Māyā and that therefore Māyā was coming and she was claiming us. And the implication was very direct, actually, that Shiloh Hansa Duraswamy had been engaging us in the service of Māyā. Therefore, according to his other lecture, that’s.

A valid point because every day would practically change one day records of Umaya, next day they wouldn’t. And meanwhile, Śrīla Rameshwar was doing thousands of records a week in la. So the devotees were still wondering whether going out and selling records and distributing books at the same time or getting money, giving it to the temple. Is Māyā or Kṛṣṇa’s servant? They’re still switching.

More important than that, if it’s Māyā.

Then how come they kept sending the devotees out to be in Māyā? The devotees could be totally forbidden.

They would preach in the morning that it was Māyā and they’d go out in the afternoon and celebrate.

More important than this is the point that our spiritual master apparently is not capable of. Or perhaps there’s some question of whether he could engage us in Kṛṣṇa service actually, but rather he couldn’t judge for himself that he could, you know, in other words, was he able to engage us in Kṛṣṇa service or was he only engaging us in Māyā? And what is the use of such a spiritual master? These questions, you know, naturally the disciples were having to contemplate. No, but these are the implications directly that you know, it’s very logical.

You don’t feel it’s. It’s a correct position to say that when you’re distributing albums like with half naked men and women on the COVID that this may be Māyā.

We have an understanding from Sheeta Hansa Dumasami and also from Sheeta Prabhupāda.

I ordered all the albums to convert.

Me to have a moon.

The complaint is that they preach that.

It’S Māyā and yet they still do it.

Never had albums, what with naked women. I saw one. I was up there. Up where?

In Portland.

The point is that, I mean, Hirdananda Maharaj Charlie, Dave doesn’t like record distribution. It’s not isolated to anyone. It’s his personal opinion. A lot of people don’t like it. It’s like a business, of course, and we did it for whatever reason in this society. But I think we should try to keep it to direct kind of things which are just because of the. Because I can’t last otherwise. Stand here one more.

I stayed up until we came for this meeting. And although I some devotees like myself to Teksivakuru and been out of devotee who is there. We did our best to avoid blasphemous statements and even to some extent avoided the extensive talks with devotees like Rahugana and other devotees who would come back and try to enliven us about serving Śrī Lanza Dutta. We just pretty much tried to keep a service mentality. And we would go out and we followed all the programs. You know, we would go out to the wharf, San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf in Chinatown and different. We would just engage in Sankirtans. According to. Yeah, I love San Francisco buttons and books. And actually I Just took up the mood of just praying to Kṛṣṇa to somehow or other stay engaged.

And I tried to just work on sutter and Abhakti because that’s what I just felt. This was where the shelter was. Read Pambhat Prakash books and follow the authorities. And I felt that Śrīla Hansadutta also wanted this because my move was to represent Śrīla Hansadutta as an intelligent, discriminating disciple. But the result of all the changes was that we’d been promised that when books records were gone and books were.

Here.

Then everything would come. When we started back on books, everything would come. Everything means Lakshmi, everything, facility. All the devotees would come, Lakshmi would come, everything would come. Rath Yātrā would come if we just got into books. But more and more, as I began to see, devotees were leaving gradually, not in mass or anything like that, one by one, because they were also trying to do the same thing as I was, try to beef up Sudhana Bhakti. But still it was just the ingredient of the association. Although we tried very much to associate with the instructions of our spiritual master, Śrīla Hansadutta, who had told me everything that I know, he told every he gave us everything we know about Kṛṣṇa. Although we heard it from all the devotees, we heard it first from Śrīla Hansadutta. This wasn’t there.

And I heard some of the blasphemous things that were said here too. And I tried to adopt the idea that it’s inconceivable to me what goes on between the gurus. I try not to interpret that, but I didn’t listen to any blasphemous words from my godbrothers or any other godbrother. But the result of everything was that devotees left just one by one, although they tried. They left to go to a place where they felt that they could become enlivened, to serve unconditionally their spiritual master. Some put to me that this was their qualification. Where any devotee if you can’t be in a spot where you’re encouraged to serve unconditionally your spiritual master, then find a place where you can. So this is what happened. And the situation hasn’t gotten better, it’s only gotten worse.

Janmastami were trying to carry out these things with the skeleton crew. And it’s been months and months. And although we have tried our best, many of us devotees, to just surrender to gbc, still we can see that unless I just came to this realization when I heard Śrī Lahontsadutta was going to be here. Although I’d heard so many things, I felt it. And I went directly to Kanapree, who’s our Sankirtan leader. And I explained to him, I said, śrīla Hansadutta is going to be in Seattle. And I am going to be there because I have heard from Śrīla Charadeva, who I surrender to also and who I have an attachment to. Śrīla Charadev, of course. But after hearing from all sources and having my spiritual master on the other side of the continent.

And I’d written them every week, five letters I wrote him when he was in Maypur. I wrote him in Vndvan four times. And you know, I worked on this. I meditated on my spiritual master. But I just. Now that he’s here, you know, I have been hearing from Śrīla Ansaduta how it is. And he’s been telling me about Kṛṣṇa and how to serve. How to serve Kṛṣṇa. And so this is the missing ingredient. It seems like an artificial situation that I can’t hear from my spiritual master like this. And I judge for myself. I have used discrimination. I have read from all the 11 vaishnavicharyas about Kṛṣṇa consciousness and about service to the spiritual master. But the ingredient of the spiritual master seemed to have been removed.

Did somebody specifically tell you couldn’t hear from your spiritual master or that he was.

Two of my godbrothers told me that, and they had heard directly. So I heard from them. Two of my older godbrothers who are disciples of Śrī Lanhamsa Judah told me this.

What about authorities in Berkeley? Someone told you that?

Nobody told me that I couldn’t hear from my spirit. I heard secondhand that were encouraged not to write. But having no other, I wrote anyway until I heard directly.

But I mean, the principle that you could hear from your spiritual master, that wasn’t contradicted. And you could have heard from your spiritual master without someone getting on your case, so to speak.

I was told that you personally came to Berkeley and said not to read the contracts.

I never said so. I was in Berkeley for one day. And at the time in the morning program when they were going to read the program, I was told that the contracts shouldn’t be read and we should go on with the morning program. So I said, don’t read the contracts. And that was all. But it wasn’t like a value judgment on the contracts or anything like that. This told it that they weren’t going to be read.

So it was Sheila Charity that said that. Who had told you that?

Well, I was told that by Śrīla Charity. But that was in terms of the morning program that one day. And he didn’t make any kind of a judgment to me like these contracts are not valid or anything like that. At the time there were some comments about some of the content of the contracts not getting out to the general people that there were damaging remarks that could be used legally against Śrīla Hansadutta. And I mean, it wasn’t like a value judgment. And I myself, I had no reason to form any value judgment about the contracts because I was in Berkeley for one day.

I think that just like everyone wants things to be solved and wants that proper Vaishnava behavior, everything be established, tendency will be there to try to take up things and there’s enough already solid things without trying to pick up little things and then make it up. One question. What happened to the contract sales books that were broken?

They were burned.

No, no, I haven’t.

No, I haven’t.

I was instructed to burn them at one time, but I just simply hid them. Who told you to turn?

Who told you to burn them? Is there anything?

No, no. Hi. High had them and he gave. Told me so he was giving it. He. He had them and he. He had a headache on his hands and he asked me if I wouldn’t do it. So I said, oh, of course I will.

What temple are you in?

Both Berkeley and Portland.

He used to be in Berkeley.

I was in berkeley.

Loan size 12.

Anything blasphemous or discriminatory against shalom to do that.

Could I have your sheet of paper?

But I would like to make a statement primarily about my spiritual master. I hope he gained some light as to his credibility. Actually, if I had heard anything that was blasphemous, I don’t think I would be very happy anyway. But all the time that I have spent with Shalom Sedutta in the past three years that I have been with this movement, I don’t think there has ever been any time that I have ever heard him tell me or any of his disciples or anyone something about Kṛṣṇa or chanting or following four regulated principles or trying to be happy in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In spite of everything else I have seen, most people actually come to try to worship him as a direct representative of Śrīla Prabhupda, if I can remember, actually within a shastra, some term that I heard a long time ago.

Shakshyatya vena Samoa, Shastaya uttatta Yathupada Satya. What is that? The spiritual master’s worship as honorable as Kṛṣṇa. Is that right? If that is the case then. And if I believe that Shichetayamapprabhu is also the direct manifestation of God. If Śrīla Prabhupda from his own Sampradāya from the disciplic succession has also granted Śrīla Hamza Dutta the same authority as he’s also granted all of the other tene initiating spiritual masters, is it possible that maybe Śrīla Prabhupāda has made a mistake? And if he has made a mistake then is it possible that also from this entire body of the Sampradāya Kṛṣṇa that we have all just made one big mistake? That’s the only question that I actually had personally that I wanted to ask the governing body.

You said that you always heard Śrī Lanka simply preaching about Kṛṣṇa and chanting.

Before every day. He never said anything beyond that. Book distribution. He said this is book distribution. This Kṛṣṇa. You give everybody a book.

So then what were your questions?

My question is it possible that from what I have heard one thing. It’s just one thing and it was by word of mouth. I haven’t heard this directly from anybody but the devotees constantly, young and old disciples. Your spiritual master Shri Namsiduta, you know, Śrīla Prabhupda made a mistake and initiated it. This is what the GBC somewhat come down with. I can’t say that it’s bad for him, but just that one term made a mistake. He initiated 11 people to be spiritual masters for all of these other millions of people around the world. Now if Śrīla Prabhupāda was so less foresighted for that and he initiated 11 people and now only somewhat eight of them are within position to say anything.

I have never in my life heard anyway make that statement. No, that Prabhupāda made a mistake.

So that’s what he was asking.

Do you think that’s the case?

If that is the case, what I am asking are we also a mistake here? Are you also a mistake or what? No, no. That’s what I am saying. I want to get it cleared up.

The thing is that what Śrīla Prabhupāda did say was that he wanted to have one united movement throughout the whole world and he wanted to have one central administration. And he’s written that in the third volume of the Ādi Līlā Chetanya.

In.

His will he’s given unlimited lessons. And of course the spiritual master is the basic principle of our spiritual life. At the same time, Prabhupāda emphasized a lot more about the fact of cooperating after he leaves together through the governing body commission. And at least for the people who are on the governing body commission and the whole society, that ultimate management authority has been given in that body. And therefore even the spiritual master has to serve the order of his spiritual master. So that Prabhupāda definitely had a program that although he was appointing spiritual masters, that he wanted a spiritual master to continue following their spiritual master and therefore wanted to cooperate together.

And the system he gave for that which he established in 1970 or 71 in his presence and of course personally chairmaning the meetings since 1975 when he started meetings of the GBC was discovered by the commission. And that’s the difference is that of course in the line of Dysliptic succession, we find that this type of world organization wasn’t there. It was more or less informal. But actually Bhaktivedinotakur, he also had a governing body commission. He called it the Nithyananda Panchaya. And he said that whatever he’s a 10 man committee, said whatever these 10 Vaishnavas, when they together and what they, you know, in a private meeting and they come out with, that is to be accepted. That is not different from the order of Lord Nityānanda. Similarly, Bhakti Siddhānta ordered his disciples to form a governing body commission.

But each disciple, I mean there was a number of disciples who wanted to be. He told his disciples they could be gurus. He didn’t really give, as far as I know, he didn’t give any limitation on them for that. I am not so clear on it. But basically he told them he wanted them to cooperate with that as a governing body commission, the leaders. But they didn’t do that. Instead there were so many little fragmental groups that just dozens, maybe at least over a dozen broken chunks of that mission existing today. So Bhakti Siddhantasi, the Prabhupāda, he rammed down our heads. I mean especially myself being alive for the. He told me so many times, you have to cooperate together. Bhakti Siddhan said. Bhakti Vinod said, I am saying you have to work together governing body commission. He personally established it in his presence.

So obviously that’s one of the very strong things that each of the leaders of our society have to work together.

That’s the only point I. I am trying to make. Awesome. All right, exactly. Why isn’t it working? I mean, it seemed like such a simple thing.

It’s generally working pretty well.

Not from this standpoint. Not from my stand. Not from all of these devotees here. You think they’re happy about what they see?

No. The point is, well, GBC’s right here. It’s not working otherwise, who are you going to talk to when a difficulty comes up? You know, maybe this is on a very high level, you know, so it’s just, you know. But the point is that this is the whole idea to maintain a unified Kṛṣṇa conscious movement. Then you know, if you want to have warring states, you know, 23 different zones, all separate, you know, that’s a whole different thing. Here we’re working together. Someone may have a different conception about preaching or maybe you may say something so there’s someone to approach. And they all group together. When they get together, it’s a lot sweeter than when you’re just talking alone. The mood between yourselves and Śrīlhansa Tura. And when we get together will be a little different, you know, and that’s all transcendental relationships.

So we have to work together to try to make this system work. And that requires everyone’s cooperation. The dev.

As far as you were.

Saying before about this really can’t get.

Out to other disciples, Shiva Redananda’s disciples. But situations, because they will be hurt by the situations then that we have been have just oceans, waves of criticism against our spiritual master. And we have been severely hurt by it. And there’s a pinprick at large in Ishkan and it’s got to be rectified. So this is what this whole meeting is about. And that it’s going to have to get out to all of Ishkan what’s going on. Otherwise what is the is It will just keep going in the wrong direction.

That’s one punch of the chart. The other point is that, I mean, we can go on about our bad experiences, but. But the fact is that we have had bad experiences. We have had more than one of them. And we’re tired of having bad experiences. We want our spiritual master, but bad.

Can’t you help us?

I went to Nirvana Daven and I went there.

We don’t want anybody else anymore. Why should we have anybody else? If he is a beginner, is he a guru or isn’t he a guru? He is a guru. Why can’t he be our guru?

He’s saying he can’t be a guru.

Why can’t he be in some. Why can’t we worship? Why can’t we make devotees for why can’t he initiate with that? Why can’t we go to other temples? Why do we feel intimidated by other leaders in, you know, practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness and the way were trained up by him, which is actually quite bona fine. There’s nothing wrong with it. Nobody says there’s anything wrong with it. But yet constantly we keep getting the same stuff. We just want him back.

One point is, you’re right, you shouldn’t be intimidated. You shouldn’t have to hear offenses towards your spiritual master. As far as relating with your spiritual master, worship your spiritual master. I know from Maison Śrīla Charadevi’s initiating spiritual master of my zone. I take Mexico, which is my biggest temple. He hasn’t been there in one year time. It’s not that the devotees have lost faith in their spiritual masses. My Sankirtan, were number one in the world this last week according to.

A little bit different area.

The trouble is different because the trouble is with the GBC level, not on the guru level. The GBC level has not been as a trans.

Everyone there, everyone there is submissive, criticizing. All of them actually started in turn all over iskcon there’s so many movements. Slag and slag, Solano, Guru Solano. We want our crew close to us right now because we feel this is a very terrible time within our movement where the positions of the appointed representatives of Parampad and the Guru Paramparā which our movement is based on are being questioned and a lot’s throwing around. So unless we feel we have to have our spiritual master there to enlighten us and keep our devotional life intact through this crisis. And there is definitely crisis going through all our movements. And if it’s just a managerial thing, instead of removing him out, why not send him help? It’s just that he can’t manage. Why not send him help instead of, you know, cutting it out was practically doing no manner.

Hi High was managing Berkeley was managing Seattle. We were never in debt. Everything was going on fine. Then all this happened. So Shiloh Hamzaru doesn’t necessarily want to manage because he wants to travel and preach. So why can’t he elect. He manages someone who can encourage us in his instructions, like Yudamanyu for instance, to act as his zonal secretary so that he’s not managing. Wouldn’t it, you know, be it. But he could also preach and initiate here everything all through his own. And the difference, that’s what we want. The difference in South America is that Rlacharydev elects who takes care of the temples there and that’s why things are going on nicely.

No, he doesn’t.

Well, he has some say over what’s going on.

He has no say.

But the blasphemous situation did not occur.

I am their tbc.

I think the important thing Rahuguna just said is that there’s cooperation.

I mean, we’re just the first. Not that this isn’t going to happen. Other places, you may say they had to have disciples other places, but those disciples are now going to start being anxiety because they’re hearing about all the gurus being questioned and they’re probably going to feel the same way we do. And also how Shiloh Ramshuar, our disciples feel that they want to hear from their spiritual master, you know, about these things and be close to him under his instructions. Because right now it’s so shaky. How can we trust anybody else? We have had so many bad experiences. We’re going to go on for another day.

 will you say you trust Yuda Monya?

Because somebody told us to trust him.

Well, I mean, then you can trust somebody else.

We see that he’s absorbed.

I just can’t.

And one point is that every time the disciples of Śrīla Hasadutta say, why can’t we have our guru? They are told that our relationship with him because we are his God brothers, is greater than yours and higher than yours. But actually when a disciple chooses a spiritual master, that relationship is different. It’s intimate and it’s eternal. You may be his Godbrother in this lifetime, but his disciples are his disciples always.

We no longer want to feel separated from him. We don’t know how long he’s going to be with us.

And the GBC can’t replace him?

No, no.

Neither the whole body nor any individual GBC member can replace the function of the spiritual master.

So strong as Janmanjaya was saying, you can’t eliminate the ingredient of the spiritual master. And even if it is attempted, it cannot be done. So it’s kind of evidence that it is working that you’re all so strong and may you always remain like that. And we know what the demand is now. When we first came together here, it was kind of rough. Today there was some. Now, I hope this meeting has been a kind of catharsis. You have spoken, We have heard. Now tomorrow we have to work out how you will be Satisfied? There’s no question. But you have to have your spiritual master.

All right. Tell you the truth, Kṛṣṇa Gopad, you haven’t even heard the worst of it yet. The worst things went on at the farm and in port. There’s only two people.

Oh, there’s one other point I wanted to make. Was it about. Is that assignment that these GBC men had was very difficult. And if they not if by we have the evidence, if they said these things these days are wrong. But in the end you will also have to. If there is an evidence of rectification, then you will have to also forgive and forget. And in addition to your loyalty, you will have to also become. They say that you know the tree by the fruit. You have to become very nice to see disciples to lead this movement for.

No, we have always done that. Actually Shaduda is always forgetting, forget. And we have always followed that. But it’s come to a full.

I know it’s not just some words you need now, but I am just saying let us see if we can.

It’s gotta be.

In other words, if we get Shuduk back. What I mean by animosity towards any other masters or GBCs. We want to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness under the direction of Śrī Lansdu and that’s all. We don’t want to criticize at fault.

The point is that has to be decided by the GBC body. I mean, this is your sincere feeling. I want my Subiroshua master back right now. And I am not going to do any more service unless Kṛṣṇa gives him back. You know, but you know, it’s beyond that thing. You know, we all have that sentiment, but we have to, you know, work with that sentiment. Yes, it’s sentiment. Sentiment’s real. Devotional service. That’s not sentiment. Doesn’t mean it’s false. Prabhupāda said our devotional service is comprised of also sentiment and philosophical understanding. So that both things have to be combined. I am not saying, you know, in a bad sense.

He’s saying we should have faith that the GBC.

(Side B of the Cassette)

The whole Vaiava community is held together by the principle of love and trust, which is explained in the Upadashamita by Rūpa Goswami, the Dati Pratigrinathi. To reveal the six symptoms of love or loving relationship, to reveal one’s mind. I reveal my mind to you reveal your mind to me. This is the very foundation of spiritual life. And just the opposite. Material life is to be secretive, duplicious, diplomatic, and so on. Everyone is an isolated entity. But in spiritual life we are all one. Not that we are impersonal, but we are in harmony with the desire, inasmuch as we are all attempting to fulfill the desire of the supreme individual, the supreme personality of God and Kṛṣṇa.

So this principle of love and trust is constantly, or we are constantly obliged to reaffirm our foundation and reinforce our foundation by various circumstances which have been forced upon us in this material world. And these recent months perhaps is one of those circumstances. And as usual, somehow or other, by the mercy of Śrīla Prabhupāda, Kṛṣṇa and all the advanced devotees of the Lord, then again, the problem which always at first appears insoluble, insurmountable, has been dissolved.

By.

Acting on that platform of love and trust, revealing one’s mind and exchanging gifts and exchanging food stuff, taking prasadam. So it sounds very simple. I remember when I first read Upada Shamita Prabhupāda explains that these are the six symptoms or characteristics which constitute a loving relationship. That’s pretty simple. So many books are written about the phenomena of love, which of course in the material world is mundane. And here Śrīla Prabhupāda is giving in one sentence the whole secret to the mystery of the loving relationship which is the sum and substance of our existence. Without love there cannot be anything. Everything depends on that reciprocal exchange which is based on love and trust. So I am very happy that everything has come out very satisfactorily. At least I don’t want to make big speeches.

Śrīra Satru, Maharajury, Dayananda, Nagaswami, Jaipataka Maharaj, they all have something to say to clarify or explain the conclusions. And like that I am very satisfied with everything. And I think devotees, my disciples, of course, naturally, if I am satisfied with, you will be satisfied. But I am not just saying it diplomatically. In fact I am satisfied. And I think that members of the committee are satisfied and I am convinced that you will also be satisfied and that we will be able to go forward with full Enthusiasm, which is really what we want. We don’t want be encumbered with these problems, although in one sense they’re necessary in order to temper us, to forge us and to make us strong. Kṛṣṇa conscious devotees, thank you.

So I wanted to take this opportunity to apologize to all those people who unnecessarily had to suffer due to my offensive behavior towards Śrīla Hansadutta. Actually, within this material world, the tendency is always there for one to become falsely proud. So Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad Gītā Jasyaha Manudra Nami Hori Sheta Dhanang Sanai. In order to show my special mercy to my devotee, I sometimes put him in a difficult situation in which he is forced to give up his false prestige. So in that way, although due to my false pride, I thought I was coming to Berkeley to correct something, actually I was sent there to be corrected.

So all of you who are faithful disciples and followers of Śrī Lahanta Dutta, actually your love for him is very encouraging for all of us because as Sila Hanta Dutta said, it is this feeling which is a whole basis of spiritual life, not only here, but also in the spiritual world. Actually, in the spiritual world there are no policemen, there are no armies, there are no lawyers. Everyone is simply agreeing to serve Kṛṣṇa. So in that way, this love for Kṛṣṇa, the love for Kṛṣṇa’s representative and the desire to serve Kṛṣṇa and to serve Kṛṣṇa’s representative, that is actually the original nature of the living being. So if someone can arouse this desire, then he’s accepted to be on the same level as Kṛṣṇa himself, Sakshad Hari Twaina.

In other words, if one can enthuse many other people to serve Kṛṣṇa, then that power is coming from Kṛṣṇa himself. So anyway, so I would like to apologize first of all, of course, to see the Hansadutta for my activities and also to all those who were put into great distress by my activities. I hope they will forgive me for these activities. And both Sila Hansuda and myself are very confident that unlike other attempts or unlike other historical movements which failed to come to this platform of love and trust, just like Śrīla Prabhupāda was trying to work with his God brothers. And naturally, because we’re in the material world there are misunderstandings and suffering, but these things became a permanent reality. And so the mission failed, except of course, in Prabhupāda’s case.

So we are all very pleased that in iskcon these temporary intrusions of illusion Prabhupāda said that when the devotees fight among themselves it is Māyā’s special trick. So although we are trying to serve Kṛṣṇa, sometimes we become affected by his illusory potency. So I myself feel very relieved that in this particular case somehow by Prabhupāda’s mercy were not defeated by illusion but that we can again return to the normal platform which is cooperation in the service of Kṛṣṇa and Prabhupāda. So Jai All Gura Īśa Duda All Gloria is your Prabhupāda.

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Hare Hari. So all of these experiences of very moving spiritual associations with Vaishnavas, I didn’t really know why I was being asked to come here. I came just to hear and try to do whatever I could to help in the situation. But of course we learned many things in associating with our Godbrothers, says some other. They asked me to more or less I chair the meeting on behalf of the GBC officers. So I was requested by all of you in previous meetings to try to, on behalf of our committee to try to do something to rectify the situation. So of course the real rectification is in consciousness and that’s already taking big steps.

But there’s some practical things which the GBC officer subcommittee has resolved that they would like done that they’re going to do to help all of you and the society. And first thing is that in these temples where Śrīla Hansa Dutta Maharaj has his disciples, Seattle, Portland and other places in the Northwest zone that his Vyasasan should be reinstalled and you should perform to him, you know, your daily pūjā as everyone performs to their spiritual master all over the society. And the second and the other thing is that we requested and informing all the GBCs that Śrī Lahant Siddhu that he should associate with his disciples and he should visit the zone, he should exchange letters. Actually he was never formally restricted from these things on any permanent basis.

It was just some other thing was actually expressed and he should, you know, in all ways maintain his relationship with all of you in a very, you know, in the personal way that’s needed between spiritual master and disciple. Of course he travels all over the world and does preaching. So it’s not that everyone will always be with him at every moment, but he can be with our spiritual master by following his instructions. So he will be coming here as he is able. And another thing is we’re going to send out a letter to the society basically explaining the dangers and the Unkṛṣṇa consciousness of criticizing the spiritual master to the disciples, especially giving the example of this particular case to warn people and to try to correct this tendency which devotees fall into which is against devotional principles and the intention.

The other thing is that we’re like that as far as possible that all over the movement, especially here because there has been breaches that steps will be taken so that disciples won’t have to hear any criticism of their spiritual master. This is improper, inappropriate and for that understanding the GBC has in a very full meeting. Of course I know that I don’t want to get into a whole system of management how ISKCON works, but just without getting into a whole thing. Basically we all cooperate together under the governing body commission. And Prabhupāda’s system was that whatever is decided by a full meeting that has to that can’t just be completely change until another full meeting. And so we have a few limitations that we have to work under.

So within those limitations Śrīla Hassa Duda Maharaj has wanted that he should, you know, be able to have this intimate relationship with disciples. And so as you have heard that arrangement has been arrived at. But the management structure would be that the temples of Seattle and Portland for the official GBC member would be Silasadsarupa Goswami and the official status as well as the and initiating guru. Of course your initiating guru is all Śrīlhansa Duta Swami. And so they’re working out a whole arrangement so that Śrīlhatsa Rūpa has appointed Yuddamanu to be the regional secretary for these two temples. And then together they’re going to work cooperatively that everyone’s devotional service is very much expanded in a very Kṛṣṇa conscious manner. Everyone in a conducive mood for worshiping the spiritual master and for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which is what this whole movement is all about.

Similarly for Berkeley and the Berkeley farm, Hirananda Swami is the official GBC and Nishanguru there until Māyāpur when everything has to be everything is going to be reconsidered. Not reconsidered, but actually this is all a provisional arrangement. At that time Śrīla Hansa Dudda’s and everyone’s in the whole world every year we have our situation but this is just a completely provisional thing to Māyā for. But this is the GBC limitations we’re working under. But so for there Yudamanu was going and Barta like co regional secretaries for the farm. And everyone feels that now with the new understanding that there will be a more transparent and a favorable mood so that everyone can work together and not feel any kind of inconvenience.

And basically, when Prabhupāda originally formed the gbc, he expressed that the GBC has been established by His Divine grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, to represent him in carrying out the responsibility of managing the international society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness of which he is the founder, crya and supreme authority. The GBC accepts as its life and soul his divine instructions and recognize that it is completely dependent on his mercy in all respects. The GBC has no purpose or function other than to execute the instructions so kindly given by His Divine Grace and to preserve and spread his teachings to the world in their pure and original form. The members of the GBC do not have any inherent authority, but rather derive their authority from the governing body commission itself and ultimately from his divine grace.

Their authority may be over a particular geographic area or over a particular function. Whichever area of responsibility is given to the various members, their primary responsibility is to the society as a whole. Then of course, Śrīla Prabhupāda said that the GBC in his will be the ultimate managing authority of the entire international society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. So the idea is that of course it’s like a simultaneously one and different situation. Because every GBC member is of course responding not only for his own, but ultimately to the whole society. But of course a spiritual master, he’s directly responsible for his disciples making advancement. So you have two things. One is management and one is all management of one’s disciple’s spiritual life. But somehow in the spiritual world all these different things are able to be accommodated by transcendental mercy of the Lord.

And so we’re able to simultaneously see to our disciples advancement, see to our zonal progress and see that the whole society of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness progresses forward as a unified body. Actually how important this is that we work together. Of course, we all, when we sit together, the senior Godbrothers, we think, you know, the house of the Prabhupāda advised us that the proof of how you love me will be how you cooperate after I leave. And from just a very kind of little humorous example I’d like to give that there was a time when in Māyāpur, some anti social elements, Mohammedans and others, they attacked us. And we had to use, you know, self defense to drive them off. And it hit the newspapers.

At that time the American government came over the Consulate General and he said, you know, that you people are very powerful people. I mean, you are very powerful in this world. And, you know, were kind of being humble and said, well, I mean, you know, we’re not so many. You have. You have, you know, this world organization. You have branches all over the world. I mean, you have a tremendous influence. And, you know, we’re trying to still be humble. So we know where. How many people are we? Just a few people, you know, how many, you know, how many thousand devotees there are, you know. And he got very indignant and he said, I don’t care. You guys is damn powerful. So then, you know, of course our power lies that, you know, we have Kṛṣṇa behind us.

I remember I heard that Rudyar Nanda, someone asked someone how many devotees there are. He said, 20 million or 2 million in America or something, you know, people. So it’s not, you know, the numbers. It’s our consciousness and our Kṛṣṇa consciousness and the presence of, you know, Kṛṣṇa in our midst and this whole paramparā empowering us that actually. And the fact that through the whole world we’re acting is that although we each have our spiritual masters and we work together, I recently, you know, in my researches, I don’t want to speak too long, but in my researches of Bengal, I just want to bring out that this is nothing new. This actually has been lost for hundreds of years.

And we are reinstating this because during the time of Lord Caitanya, for instance, the three or four, there’s so many great preachers, like, for instance, Śrīnivasacharya Narottam Das Thakur and Shyamananda Panda, just to name a few. And there’s many others that went with them. And if you just study their history, Narottam Das Thakur, he was the disciple of Gopal Bhattadas Goswami. Narottam was the disciple of Lokanath Goswami. And in addition to that, I said one other shaman, pandit, he was a disciple of Hidaya Chaitanya, Hidaya Nanda Das, who was a disciple of the Subal Avatar and Caitanya Leela. That’s Gauri Das, Pandit. So here you have three people that used to always, you know, sometimes preach together. Sometimes Narutam would go with Cham Ananda and Śrīnivas to Orissa. Sometimes he would. He went over, sent his disciples to Manipur.

Sometimes they would all be together in different places. And so we see that during the time of, you know, Lord Caitanya’s chief preachers, there were different disciples, but there was like one family. And it was practically one movement. And they were working unitedly, preaching in their own way, but together in an informal way. There wasn’t a big organization, so to speak, but naturally and spontaneously they did that. So now, of course, we have an organization. But we’re doing the same thing to some extent, trying to follow in the footsteps of our previous acharyas, to work together, the different disciples of different spiritual masters and different vaishnavas. We all work together. And that is so pleasing to Lord Caitanya and to our previous cryas. And that is our real strength.

And all the little difficulties that come up, these can all be solved by collective intelligence and by inspiration from our previous cryas. And we shouldn’t. We should. You know, just like you have a disease, you naturally going to be alert and insistent until it gets cured. But nothing can stop the progress of this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement as long as we maintain that Mercy rain coming down from our previous acharyas and work together cooperatively. Thank you very much.

Śrī Lahamsaduta Swami Maharaj requested or suggested before we began our meeting that we not held the meeting very long. So I have the happy duty of closing the meeting. Of course, it’s a very important meeting. Therefore, the moment is so auspicious and it’s momentous that it speaks for itself. Therefore, as he said, let us not say many mushy things or talk at great length, because it’s neither, shall we say. We did a great job and we solved the problem. So that is why he requested that it be short, mainly so that now you are well aware that we have made the solution that you desired. You have Śrī Lahansa Duda Maharaj back, not that he was ever gone, but in the way that you truly spoke up, that he was taken away. In that way, he’s back. And that means that now you’re free.

To.

Follow his instructions without any feeling this pain in the heart. And those instructions are to carry out the preaching activities. I remember when Prabhupāda used to come especially to the first New York temple. We would gather around and sit with him. And sometimes he would say, when I come, you do not do any work when I am here. And we would feel simultaneously wanting to stay seated actually with him, but realizing that we have to do work on his behalf. So he’s requested that the meeting be short so that this painful interlude can be ended and you can go out and take on the preaching. Take up the preaching. And just for myself, I have this provisional assignment to assist here at Seattle and Portland. So I understand my duty is just.

To.

Basically help you in serving your spiritual master. And we’re all very grateful to the working surrender of devotee like Yudamanyu who is going to help also in this cooperative effort in this temple specifically to serve the order of Rlhansa Duda Maharaj. And that order is to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness especially to the people of this area and especially through the book distribution and the contracts that and all the standard programs having people come to see rādhākṛṣṇa making devotees etc. As is described in Rla Prabhupda’s books. And you have heard from Śrīla Hansa Durham Maharaj and at any time if he is traveling in a distant part of the world. Aside from my work which is mostly with Yuda Manyu, if I can help any of you individually, simply if I. I am nearby for some conference or council to help you approach Śrīla Hans, do the Maharaj.

If there’s anything I can do, I will also help you by Prabhupāda’s grace. So if that’s all, we can all glory to Śrīla Hansa Duda Maharaj. All glories to Rla Prabhupda.

All glories.

All glories to the assembled devotees.