Bhaktivinoda, Kedaranath. 1983. (497 Gourabda) Essay on Nama Hatta. Sri Sri Godruma Kalpatavi. Sri Mayapur, Nadia, W. Bengal: Nama Hatta Regional Office

Bromley, David G. & Shinn, Larry D., ed. 1989. Krishna Consciousness in The West. Toronto: Bucknell University Press

Brooks, Charles R. 1989. The Hare Krishnas in India. Princeton: Princeton University Press

Daner, Francine Jeanne. 1976. The American Children of Krishna: A Study of there Krishna Movement. Dallas: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston

dasa, Badrinarayan, Swami, Giridhari & Swami, Umapati. 1997. Disciple of My Disciple: An Analysis of the Conversation of May 28, 1977. Unpublished (March)

dasa, Drutakarma. 1994. Once We Were With Krishna. Unpublished manuscript

dasa, Hari Sauri. 1992. A Transcendental Diary. 3 vols. San Diego: HS Books

dasa, Ravindra Svarupa.
1994a. 'Cleaning House and Cleaning Hearts: Reform and Renewal in ISKCON.' ISKCON Communications Journal, No.3
1994b 'The Next Step In The Expansion of ISKCON: Ending the Fratricidal War.' Unpublished manuscript (November)
1985a 'Reflections on Brahminical Management.' Unpublished manuscript(June)
1985b 'Under My Order: Reflection on the Guru in ISKCON.' Unpublished manuscript (August)
1985c 'Serving Srila Prabhupada's Will.' Unpublished manuscript (September)

dasa, Satyanarayana and Kundali. 1994. In Vaikuntha Not Even the Leaves Fall. Vrindavana: Jiva Institute of Vaisnava Studies

De, Sushil Kumar. 1961. Early History of the Vaisnava Faith and Movement in Bengal . Calcutta: Calcutta Oriental Press Private Ltd

Gelberg, S. J. ed. 1983. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna. New York: Grove Press

Goswami, Hridayananda dasa, et al. 1996. Our Original Position. Stockholm: ISKCON GBC Press

Goswami, Satsvarupa dasa. 1982-3. Srila Prabhupada-lilamrita. 6 vols. Los Angeles: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust

Goswami, Tamal Krishna.
1977. Personal diary, hand-written, (February- November)
1984. Servant of the Servant . Hong Kong: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
1996. Book Review: 'Six Myths for Our Times,' ISKCON Communications Journal 4(1)

Governing Body Commission. 1995. Gurus and Initiation in ISKCON: Laws of ISKCON. Mayapur: GBC Press

Judah, J. Stillson. 1974. Hare Krishna and the Counterculture. New York: John Wiley & Sons

Kennedy, Melville T. 1993. The Caitanya Movement: A Study of Vaishnavism in Bengal. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd

Levy, Leonard W. 1995. Blasphemy: Verbal Offense Against the Sacred, from Moses to Salman Rushdie. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press

Pagels, Elaine. 1996. The Origin of Satan. New York: Vintage Books

 Prabhupada, A. C. Bhaktivedanta.
1970. 'Direction of Management.' July 28, 1970. Unpublished
1974, 5. Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 17 Vols. Los Angeles: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
1986. Bhagavad-gita As It Is . Australia: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
1987. Letters From Srila Prabhupada, 5 Vols. Culver City: The Vaishnava Institute
1987. Srimad-Bhagavatam. 12 cantos. Singapore: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
1990. Conversations With Srila Prabhupada. Los Angeles: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust

Rochford, E. B. Jr.
1985. Hare Krishna In America. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press
1997.'Leader Misconduct, Religious Authority, and the Development of the Hare Krishna Movement,' in Anson Shupe, editor, Wolves Among the Fold. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press

Shinn, L. D. 1987. The Dark Lord: Cult Images and The Hare Krishnas In America. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press

Swami, Jayadvaita.
1996a. Where the Ritvik People Are Right. Unpublished (January)
1996b Where the Ritvik People Are Wrong. Unpublished (January)

Tyson, Joseph B. 1984. The New Testament and Early Christianity. New York: MacMillan Publishing Company

Footnotes

 

1. Bhaktivinoda Thakura described the organisation of Sri Nama-Hatta in theological as well as practical terms. (See Bhaktivinoda 1983)
   
    
2. Spoken to this writer while returning by car from a morning walk at Cheviot Hills, Los Angeles, in July 1975. 'Ten thousand years' refers to the belief that the advent of Sri Caitanya inaugurates a golden age lasting ten thousand years within the normally dark age of Kali.
   
    
3. Shinn believes succession was not the issue: 'The burning issue for ISKCON in the aftermath of Prabhupada's death was not that of succession: it was a traditional disciplic line which his own designates and gurus appointed later could fit. Rather, the problem was how his personal authority to interpret scriptures, to decide future courses of action for the society, and to solve personal and institutional problems could or would be institutionalised.' (Shinn, 1987 p.50) Ravindra Svarupa agrees with Shinn if 'succession' merely refers to initiating new disciples (though some ISKCON members found this a particularly contentious issue). The Bhagavad-gita (4:1-4) clearly mentions the principle of disciplic succession, and Prabhupada affirmed this fundamental concept throughout his teachings. But if 'successor' is understood as the spiritual head of an institution, this was precisely the issue that threatened to divide ISKCON after Prabhupada's demise.
   
    
4. From the author's personal diary (hand-written), October 31, 1977. The two supporters were Shriman Narayan, the former Governor of Gujarat and the industrialist Ram Krishna Bajaj.
   
    
5. See Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila 7.128 (Prabhupada1975).
   
    
6. The first GBC had twelve members, all initiated male disciples and all but one married. The present GBC numbers twenty-eight, still all males, but now predominantly sannyasis (renunciates).
   
    
7. The sikha is kept by the Vaishnavas when they shave their heads, which distinguishes them from Buddhists and impersonalists of the Shankara School.
   
    
8.  Same letter to Brahmananda as in preceding citation.
   
    
9.  The spitting incident took place in October 1967. Prabhupada considered his other disciples' response 'regrettable,' and ordered that they send a letter of regret and apology for their mistake. He made it clear that he had only ordered that Kirtananda not be permitted to speak; he had never banned him from the temple.
   
    
10. Kirtananda Swami's disregard of authority eventually proved his undoing, ending in his expulsion from ISKCON in 1987.
    
     
11. For a discussion of demonisation of heretics, see E. Pagels' The Origin of Satan.
    
     
12. During the period of June-August, 1969, the author was thrice handed scraps of paper by the guru's secretary, each bearing lists of disciples under the heading 'G. B.,' an abbreviation for Governing Body. At the time we naively speculated that these 'G.B.' scraps were in fact predestinarian lists of the elect, Going Back to Godhead.
    
     
13. For a detailed discussion of the meanings of the term acarya, see letter from Pradyumna dasa to Satsvarupa Maharaja dated 7th August, 1978 (dasa, R. S. 1985b).
    
     
14. It is clear from this letter that Prabhupada expected the GBC to conduct its affairs constitutionally, though at the time no rules of order were followed in any meetings. Shortly after this incident, a modified version of 'Robert's Rules of Order' was introduced and, over the years, tailored to fit ISKCON's ecclesiastic needs.
    
     
15. Transcriptions of the 'appointment tapes' of 28, May 1977 and 8, July 1977 as well as the secretary's letter to the society, may be found in the appendix to Hare Krishna in America (see Rochford 1991:283-6). Varied interpretations of these tapes became the basis for a heated debate concerning whether Prabhupada intended for those he named to become regular gurus and accept their own disciples after his demise, or whether Prabhupada would continue to accept the new disciples even after his death (See 'The Ritvik acarya Heresy').
    
     
16. (See: Rochford Table 9.1 'The Reasons for Spiritual Crises of ISKCON Members.') While many other reasons are given for their leaving, a major cause was the concerns expressed in Pradyumna's letter.
    
     
17. Some ISKCON leaders were quick to demonise Sridhara Maharaja, especially when he began to re-initiate disciples of ISKCON gurus. After many years of virtually no official contact, the GBC sent a representation to the elderly Vaishnava shortly before he passed away to apologise for any offences they had committed.
    
     
18. The 1987 meetings lasted more than three weeks owing to a suspension of normal rules while each GBC member (other than those newly elected) submitted himself for evaluation and correction by a fifty-person committee. Not all of the original gurus could commit themselves to the changes demanded. During the previous year three were victimised by sensual fall-downs and left ISKCON in disgrace, perhaps discouraged by their loss of prestige and influence, or simply weakened by the years of extravagance. A fourth, Kirtananda Swami, was excommunicated along with his followers for failing to submit to the new changes. The GBC was down to fifteen. The new additions brought it up to strength again.
    Excommunication in ISKCON generally carries with it a proviso for re-instatement when certain conditions are met. The excommunicated member is not permitted to participate in ISKCON activities. Yet the examination order does not imply that the severed member cannot make advancement spiritually by practising Krishna Consciousness on his own, though it is thought that his progress will be hindered without the association afforded through the society. After his excommunication, Kirtananda experimented with inter-faith practices, incorporating many Christian influences into Vaishnava worship procedures. As these changes took place following his and the community's disassociation form ISKCON, the GBC did not concern itself with these matters. Hence, these experiments do not fall within domain of this paper.
    
     
19. At present, the number of gurus has expanded to nearly 100. There were other changes to insure Prabhupada's central position: a permanent seat in each temple alone would honour him, and no other guru would be allowed the public use of the title acarya.
    
     
20. During the first of the 'appointment' meetings of 1977 Prabhupada told this author with regard to ISKCON leadership, ' No one of you alone but all of you together.'
    
     
21.  Letter addressed to the present writer dated 11, November 1996.
    
     
22.  The recent official GBC paper entitled 'Disciple of My Disciple' (see, dasa, B., et. al. 1997) is largely concerned with demonstrating that this theory is more correctly a proxy-initiation theory. Included in the paper is the research of GBC member and Sanskritist Hridayananda dasa Goswami: 'The significant point here is that terms such as ritvik-guru and ritvik-acarya simply do not exist. There is no such term in any Sanskrit dictionary, nor in any recognised Vedic literature, to my knowledge. There is no such term because there is no such concept. In other words, our friends are proposing something that does not exist in Vedic culture. This is the main problem with it.' To avoid the unnecessary confusion which would arise were we to refer to the same debate in two dissimilar ways, we will use 'proxy-initiation' to describe the issue.
    
     
23. GBC Resolution No. 203.2 of 1996.
    
     
24. In 1996, two more gurus renounced their disciples, expressing inability to maintain their vows. One was the highly respected retired GBC Minister of Education. Their resignation adds fresh fuel to the proxy-initiation debate.
    
     
25. Letter dated 9, July 1977, unpublished.
    
     
26. The first brahminical initiations were held in Boston in August 1968, the second in San Francisco in September of the same year.
    
     
27. Standards for awarding brahminical initiation have gradually tightened over the years, though temples which experience a shortage of priests, may be more lenient in recommending a candidate for initiation.
    
     
28. We may wish to recall that Prabhupada's original GBC included no sannyasis. His 'Direction of Management' specifies their duties: 'The sannyasi will travel to our different centres for preaching purposes as well as enlightening the members of the centre for spiritual advancement. The sannyasis will suggest for opening new centres in suitable places and the GBC will take action on it.' (Prabhupada 1970) Prabhupada initially envisioned a different role for the sannyasis, but managerial necessity dictated otherwise.
    
     
29. For a Buddhist version of this story, see 'Muddy Road,' in Paul Reps, ed. Zen Flesh, Zen Bones: A Collection of Zen and Pre-Zen Writings. (Doubleday Company, NY: N.D.) p.18.
    
     
30.  This is a translation of a text from the Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila 8.128.
    
     
31. Prabhupada wanted to be certain that he had uprooted any remnant of the grihastha-sannyasi conflict. As the leader of the principal sannyasi party, this writer was called to his room and ordered to leave the party and go to preach in the Orient. Having just been elected Chairman of the GBC, this writer thought it would be better to send a non-GBC member away. 'Why not GBC?' Prabhupada demanded. 'All your resolutions are finished. First resolution, then revolution, then dissolution - no solution! I have to manage everything myself! I give you a little power, and you create havoc! GBC is for solving situations, not for creating situations... Now I take everything from you. You can either go, or you simply sit here in Mayapur and chant!' (dasa, H. 1992: vol. I: 458). My excuses shattered, I bowed my head, conceding to my guru's desire. (Prabhupada may have resolved the immediate conflict but gender bias continues to haunt ISKCON-see 'Concluding Remarks.')
    
     
32. Rasika-bhakti refers to devotion guided by rasa, or taste. It is used here in the context of spontaneous devotion (raganuga-bhakti) as opposed to devotion generated from following rules (vaidhi-bhakti).
    
     
33. While the impact of Narayana Maharaja on devotees residing within the ISKCON temples is minimal, he has created a significant following among independent devotees not under any direct ISKCON authority. His visit to Australia attracted many persons who no longer felt inspired by the ISKCON leadership. The fact that ISKCON is bracing itself in anticipation of his next world tour indicates that ISKCON is both concerned and affected by what goes on in the wider circle of devotees residing outside its immediate temple communities.
    
     
34. GBC Resolution 79 of 1995. See, Goswami, H. d., 1996:186-7.
    
     
35. This policy has forced the GBC to select less suitable candidates for particular assignments, often with dire consequences.
    
     
36. This is not the first time the GBC has attempted to add a secondary body of assistants. The previous experiment some 10 years ago was quickly abandoned. But senior devotees are ageing, and this along with their increased responsibilities may guarantee these new deputies' continued participation. In addition, a grand-disciple of Prabhupada was selected as an 'assistant' GBC, a preliminary appointment that usually leads to full-fledged GBC status.

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