This book puts forward 3 basic propositions:
- That Everyone of us should aspire to become a Siksa Guru
- That Srila Prabhupada is everyone’s pre-dominant Siksa Guru
- That Siksa is the most important thing – Diksha is not so important
Now propositions 1 & 2 are fine. It is proposition 3) which reveals the real political purpose of the book – which is to divert everyone’s attention away from Srila Prabhupada’s actual position as the SOLE Diksha Guru for ISKCON. Instead we are diverted away from the REAL issue by discussing Siksa – and how all of us including Srila Prabhupada fit into this scheme of things. Thus Srila Prabhupada’s ‘position’ is secure because ‘we’ have ‘given’ him a very ‘prominent’ position as everyone ‘predominant Siksa Guru’, and all the other devotees who are not ‘making it’ by being allowed into the ‘diksa guru circle’ are also appeased since they are given some post as a type of Guru. So those who want Srila Prabhupada to have a higher profile are appeased, and those who want a higher profile themselves are appeased, whilst the current Diksha Gurus get to keep their positions, and their disciples. In this way everyone is happy. This is what is known as ‘honour amongst thieves’ – let us share out the pie so that everyone is pacified and the status quo remains. This is the real purpose of the book. Please note the following:
- It is not for US to decide what Srila Prabhupada’s ‘position’ is. Thus we are not in a position to ‘give’ Srila Prabhupada any role. Srila Prabhupada HIMSELF has established what his position is – the sole Diksa Guru for everyone – and ALL of us, as well as all devotees to come in the future, are all connected with Srila Prabhupada in the same way, in the spirit of REAL brotherhood.
- The book is also based on making the same mistake I highlighted in my first paper to you whereby Diksha is defined as a ceremony, and only Siksa is defined as the transmission of transcendental knowledge.
- If ‘Diksha’ is not as important as Siksa then why are the Diksha Gurus fighting tooth and nail to hold onto to their Diksha Guru positions? Just this attachment alone makes us suspicious that there is another agenda at play here. If Siksa is the main thing then why don’t THEY give up their Diksha roles, and simply take up this really important Siksa role? And let Srila Prabhupada continue in this ‘non-important’ Diksha role, just as he desired in the July 9th directive. When the GBC try and object to your proposal that Srila Prabhupada be re-instituted as the sole Diksha Guru for ISKCON just as he desired in the July 9th directive, then please ask them why the big resistance when on the other hand they are all pushing the idea that Diksha is not so important anyway?
- So this emphasis on ‘siksa’ guru is just another bluff to make sure we NEVER actually discuss the REAL topic – WHY have they REPLACED Srila Prabhupada in his capacity as Diksha Guru. Sivarama Maharaja’s books is simply the latest in a long line of ingenious manoeuvres designed with only ONE aim in mind – to maintain the status quo. Srila Prabhupada taught us that “phalena paraciyate” – Judge by the result. Please note the NET effect of all the following schemes has been that the Gurus continue in their role as Diksha Gurus, and get to keep their disciples etc., and Srila Prabhupada remains dethroned:
a)
| In 1978 May 28th Tape is forwarded as evidence that 11 ‘successor Diksha Gurus’ were appointed. |
b)
| Later on May 28th Tape is actually heard widely for the first time and the hoax is exposed. Now the SAME tape is forwarded to justify that EVERYONE is Guru. |
c)
| Guru falldowns occur and an attempt is made to defuse the situation by gradually reducing the worship of the Gurus. |
d)
| July 9th directive becomes widely circulated throughout the society and now an attempt is made to defuse the situation by stating that Diksha is not so important anyway. |
e)
| To diffuse the situation even more, Srila Prabhupada is promoted as the ‘main siksa Guru’. |
f)
| Now it is also suggested that major ‘GBC reform’ should also be undertaken. |
Diksha Guru Expansion
Diksha Guru Reform
Diksha Guru De-emphasis
Siksa Guru Promotion
GBC Reform
See the pattern. What I am stating is NOT my opinion, since we can ALL ‘phalena pariciyate’. Please note for yourself that the ONLY REAL RESULT of these schemes is that the DIKSA GURU STATUS QUO REMAINS – somehow or another they always get to keep their disciples, and Srila Prabhupada remains frozen out of his true role of Diksha Guru from his OWN society. So I hope this has helped in understanding the true purpose of this book.
As stated yesterday, during your meeting please always stay fixed on “Koriho mane asa. – the July 9th directive. And do not become distracted by – “Do not try to research anything. That is final. Ar na koriho mane asa.” All GBC proposals are simply ‘research’ attempts to hide the truth – and Sivarama’s book is simply the latest in a long line of such truth-destroying ‘research’ tools. Please remember that the May 28th tape and private letter to Tusta Krishna, even though originating from Srila Prabhupada, are also used as tools to divert us from the truth. I explained yesterday how they fallaciously use the letter to Tusta Krishna in this manner, and I will just remind you here of the fallacy in attempting to try and use the May 28th tape in the same way:
The tape has at least 5 different interpretations and transcripts given by the GBC themselves in their different papers over the years.
Srila Prabhupada did not direct the movement by asking us to analyse and speculate on his conversations with disciples, but rather always put the matter in writing - that way there can never be any confusion. We do not need to speculate or second-guess what the questioner meant, what Srila Prabhupada heard, which part of the question he was answering etc. etc.
The letter came AFTER the tape, was in writing and sent to the whole movement. The conversation meanwhile was only with 3 or 4 disciples, and not distributed to anyone. The directive is in ANY CASE the written output of the conversation. Right at the outset of the July 9th directive it states:
"Recently when all of the GBC members were with His Divine Grace in Vrndavana, Srila Prabhupada indicated that soon He would appoint some of His senior disciples to act as "ritvik-representative of the acarya, for the purpose of performing initiations, both first initiation and second."This refers to the May 28th conversations that took place in Vrindavan.
Just like you have a business meeting where there is much to and fro discussion and then the conclusions are MINUTED in writing, APPROVED and then DISTRIBUTED. This is exactly what happened here. Whatever was discussed was written down, approved by Srila Prabhupada, and distributed to the whole movement. Thus the idea that the July 9th directive can be understood or modified by referring to the tape is ludicrous. Rather the tape must be understood and modified by referring to the written output. Just as a bystander who attended your company board meeting may not be able to make sense of exactly what everyone is meaning and saying, but as soon as the minutes are released it becomes clear. That is the system:
"They misunderstand me. Unless it is there from me in writing, there are so many things that "Prabhupada said." |
So I think you are now well-armed to deal with all the truth-destroying tools they may throw at you to divert you from your real mission, whether it be the issue of GBC reform, Sivarama’s book, May 28th tape, letter to Tusta Krishna etc.etc. So please stay fixed in the truth on behalf of Srila Prabhupada. You may feel daunted and alone going up against all the ‘big men’ of the GBC, but please remember, YOU will have truth on your side and therefore:
“In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.”
(Bhagavad Gita, 2:40)
