The current link to the Disciplic Succession is Srila Prabhupada

Ananda devi dasi, UK: With reference to the commonly held misconceptions of what constitutes initiation, diksa and continuance of the disciplic succession, we need to set some definitions in place. One particular main point is the juxtaposing of English words with Sanskrit words and vica versa. Also there may be some cultural discrepancies between English and American, the spoken language.

Firstly the definition and practise of the process of diksa. The word ‘diksa’ does not equate to the English word ‘initiation’. Diksa is a Sanskrit word comprised of two root words. But more important than that is what constitutes the process of diksa. Diksa is a process; it does not happen on one day and then finish, it is a process that is going on and on going. Srila Jiva Goswami writes in his Bhakti Sandarbha 283:

“Diksa is the process by which one can awaken his transcendental knowledge and vanquish all reactions caused by sinful activity. A person expert in the study of the revealed scriptures knows this process as diksa.” (Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya 15.108)

“Diksa actually means initiating a disciple with transcendental knowledge by which he becomes freed from all material contamination.” (Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya 4.111)

Srila Prabhupada writes that the purpose of diksa or initiation means to receive the pure knowledge of spiritual consciousness. (Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya 9.61)

“…One has to associate with liberated persons not directly, physically, but by understanding, through philosophy and logic, the problems of life.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.31.48)

The process of diksa is given by the diksa-Guru. In ISKCON’s, it’s Srila Prabhupada. The process of diksa is a non-mechanistic science. Srila Prabhupada designed a process of diksa that is ISKCON-specific. The process of diksa is not affected whether Srila Prabhupada is physically present or not. There is no evidence that a spiritual process called diksa is lost or inapplicable once the initiator of that said diksa process has become aprakrata. The GBC teaching on this point is that a disciple needs a physically present diksa guru to receive and start the process of diksa. This is patently untrue as exemplified by many disciples today who follow the process of diksa set out in Srila Prabhupada’s Books and all the disciples who still follow the same process they were given by Srila Prabhupada even though He is apparently absent.

If the process were meant to change in relation to Srila Prabhupada’s physical presence and His apparent absence, then why have they not changed too? The reason that they have not changed the same process of diksa is because there is no difference. The only part of the diksa process where a physically present person is required is at the fire ceremony, a formality, where a name, beads and thread may be given on the diksa guru’s behalf. A diksa guru is not required for this aspect of formality.

The mechanistic ideology of mechanical diksa from physically present diksa gurus is nowhere upheld by guru, sadhu and sastra. Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja is an example of both a direct and non-direct disciple simultaneously.

“A direct disciple of Srila Rupa Goswami was Srila Ragunath dasa Goswami. The author of Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Srila Krsna dasa Kaviraj Goswami, stands as the direct disciple of Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Ragunath Goswami.” (Caitanya-caritamrta Adi Ch. 1)

“Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami was not actually a direct disciple of Srila Rupa Goswami, but he followed the instructions given by Srila Rupa Goswami in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindu. He therefore acted according to the directions of Srila Rupa Goswami and prayed in every chapter for his mercy.” (Caitanya-caritamrta Antya 19.102)

The Srimad Bhagavatam 2.9.8 is an excellent example of absent diksa guru initiation. Here is the example of Lord Brahma receiving transcendental knowledge from Lord Krishna. Firstly, Lord Brahma made no distinction between the Lord and the Lord’s instruction, a good lesson for us to learn. Then Srila Prabhupada instructs us that even though the Lord is not personally present, there is no difference between the Lord and the sound vibration coming from the Lord. This is an example of the nature of Absoluteness, as in the case of Srila Prabhupada. And then later in the purport, we find Srila Prabhupada explaining that the potency of transcendental sound is never minimized because the vibrator is apparently absent. Aren’t we in that same situation, that Srila Prabhupada is only apparently absent, not as the GBC have taught, that Srila Prabhupada is not only gone but also not available directly.

Here we find Srila Prabhupada’s clear, merciful purport. We must receive the sound from the right source of a bona fide spiritual master. So although Srila Prabhupada is apparently absent, we can still receive transcendental knowledge from Him, as there is no minimization of potency due to apparent absence AND Srila Prabhupada is that bona fide spiritual master. ‘Bona fide’ infers His uttama-adhikari status, and diksa guru also confirms His uttama-adhikari status, which is the secret of success, to recieve from the right source.

Why have devotees got to fight just to have Srila Prabhupada as their diksa-guru? This is their spiritual right, to receive the mercy of the Bhakti-Vedantas.

Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.24:

“The bhakti-vedantas are impartial in distributing the transcendental knowledge of devotional service…. By such endeavor, even the most forgotten soul is roused up to the sense of spiritual life, and thus being initiated by the bhakti-vedantas, the people in general gradually make progress on the path of transcendental realization”.

Crystal clear mercy and love towards the people in general from the Bhakti-Vedantas, and clearly the proper mood of our Disciplic Succession, and moreover clearly the way for initiation by the Bhakti-Vedantas of the process of diksa, therefore we find diksa, initiation from Srila Prabhupada to the general people who only have to follow the process as set down by Srila Prabhupada when He was prakrata and now in His aprakrata feature. The process of diksa initiation has not changed just because Srila Prabhupada is no longer physically present. That is what the GBC and many “Senior” devotees would have us believe, but it is NOT true.

The problem or controversy that has plagued so many hierarchical minds is the initiation ceremony, which has been mistakenly understood to be diksa initiation. This phrase of two juxtaposed words from different languages has caused some misunderstanding. Diksa initiation means to start the process of diksa. When we talk about being initiated or initiation, what are we being initiated with? We are being initiated with the process of diksa, and the other part is our following of this process, our determination. The “initiation” ceremony, fire sacrifice, is a formality. It’s not when we receive the process of diksa, this is already going on and on going. Srila Prabhupada writes:

“Initiation is a formality. If you are serious, that is real initiation. My touch is simply a formality. It is your determination. That is Initiation.” (Back to Godhead magazine)

The GBC’s explanation of the mechanistic definition of initiation means a physically present diksa guru is required. A disciple has to approach, render service and inquire, therefore a physically present diksa guru is required. This is a three-dimensional mechanistic application of a process that is non-mechanistic, and so the two are not compatible whatsoever.

In the many years of Srila Prabhupada’s examples, He was able to initiate the process of diksa to many disciples who never met Him. For those disciples, the rendering of service, inquiry, and approaching were all satisfied through Srila Prabhupada’s instructions, His Vani, and through His representatives, even though He was still physically present. That process of initiation of the process of diksa is the same today as then, there is no difference. Srila Prabhupada’s apparent absence does not minimize this potency. The Officiating Acarya process for conducting the ceremonies where names, beads, and threads were given to disciples is still the same now as then, there is no difference. If this is conducted by Srila Prabhupada’s representatives in good standing, then we find a mirror image of what was in place when Srila Prabhupada authorised and authenticated the very same. Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance makes no difference to this very same process that continues today in ISKCON.

At this juncture it is important to reiterate that the activity of attending a fire sacrifice ceremony does NOT mean the conductee of the ceremony is in any way a diksa guru or awarding diksa in any way. In the Officiating Acarya process that Srila Prabhupada established, the Officiator is NOT initiating anything, only the diksa guru can initiate the process of diksa, even if He is apparently absent. So many devotees have confused the ceremony, a formality, with the process of diksa, substantiality.

The diksa guru is and can only be an uttama-adhikari in awarding the process of diksa and continuing the Disciplic Succession. The lesser platforms of Vaisnavas are unable to award the process of diksa and continue the Disciplic Succession due to their insufficient knowledge.

Because the Disciplic Succession and diksa initiation are not a mechanistic science, they are all based on Bhakti Yoga, Devotional Service and Krishna Consciousness, then the application of mechanical philosophy, dogma and misconceptions are all totally misplaced, misrepresented and miss the point of the Bhaktivedanta’s mission in this world.

“…..The best process is to accept the instructions of the previous acaryas and follow them. By following this easy method, one is liberated. By following in the footsteps of the great acaryas, one associates with the hamsas, those who are completely freed from material contamination. Indeed, by following the instructions of the acaryas one is always freed from all material contamination, and thus ones life becomes successful, for one reaches the goal of life.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 7.9.18)

When we evidence the Mahajanas, previous Acaryas and Srila Prabhupada’s authority we clearly find cohesive, coherent and cognitive transcendental knowledge, the constitutional nature of the Disciplic Succession and the Law of Succession. We can’t just whimsically say we have to continue the Disciplic Succession with who we have in ISKCON. We aren’t up to that platform, it’s plain to see. There is very little evidence of proper disciples on the platform of uttama-adhikari, if any at all. We have just witnessed so much disappointment, year on year, and the standard has just gone downhill, who can argue?

In ISKCON our diksa guru is Srila Prabhupada. The Disciplic Succession is continued by Srila Prabhupada. The current link to the Disciplic Succession is Srila Prabhupada. No one comes close to Him and therefore at present he is not succeedable, and that’s a fact.

Over the last 31years of trying to continue the Disciplic Succession by various different processes from the GBC and “Senior” devotees, their demonstration of understanding “what Srila Prabhupada taught us for the last 10 years about the disciplic succession” is obviously up for debate because its been changed so many times, one wonders what they have actually learned. If Srila Prabhupada had taught “this is how the Disciplic Succession is continued” and “you” all learned the same axiomatic truth, then why didn’t you do it? Why has there been so many changes made at the highest executive levels of ISKCON? Why has there been so much contradiction? Why did all the “authorised” uttama-adhikaris of the Zonal Acarya party time fall down, if “you” know what Srila Prabhupada taught “YOU”?”

The contradictions, conundrums and circuses of the GBC are all valid, pertinent and relevant arguments that no one knew exactly what Srila Prabhupada had taught about the continuation of the Disciplic Succession. With over 100 tapes missing from the time Srila Prabhupada spent in Vrindavan in 1977, how does anyone know what is going on?

Devotees who profess to know exactly what Srila Prabhupada taught on the Disciplic Succession seem to have got lost for the last 31years then, because their presence has not been felt in all the resolutions passed by the GBC in all those years. Apart from that, I really don’t believe you. Has the conceptualised physically present diksa guru theory affected even the most stalwart “I know exactly what Srila Prabhupada taught us about the continuation of the Disciplic Succession” devotees? “Disciple” means discipline, so unless there is discipline there is no question of being a disciple. Obedience is the first law of discipline. So unless there is obedience, there cannot be any discipline. And unless there is discipline there is no question of disciple. Disciple means one who follows the discipline.”

This is the real basis of Disciplic Succession. The Disciplic Succession Law is based on uttama-adhikaris who are 100% pure and who consult Krsna directly as the Supersoul in the heart, not figuratively.

Srila Prabhupada: “Yes, because a devotee consults Krsna and He gives order.”
Reporter: “Its a more direct communication?”
Srila Prabhupada:
Ramesvara: “Suppose my intelligence sees that this person is qualified, that means Krsna has told me.”
Srila Prabhupada:
Interviewer: “Does that apply then to other kinds of decisions and other kinds of activities as well?”
Srila Prabhupada:

As members of ISKCON, we are faced with at least two scenarios regarding what on earth the GBC and “Senior” devotees think they are doing concerning continuing the Disciplic Succession:

1. They are NOT uttama-adhikaris who directly consult Krsna, therefore they are NOT diksa gurus and can’t continue the Disciplic Succession, and aren’t the current link to the Sampradaya.

2. They have never had any idea whatsoever on how, who and where to continue the Disciplic Succession, the initiation ceremonies that they have conducted can only be on Srila Prabhupada’s behalf, and their influence in ISKCON has been based on personal ambition, deviations and material progress.

“One who is sincere and pure gets the opportunity to consult with the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His Paramatma feature sitting within everyone’s heart. The Paramatma is always the chaita-guru, the spiritual master within, and He comes before one externally as the instructor and initiator spiritual master. Thus the spiritual master is non-different from the Supersoul sitting within the heart. An uncontaminated soul or living entity can get a chance to meet the Paramatma FACE TO FACE. Just as one gets a chance to consult with the Paramatma within his heart, he also gets a chance to see Him actually situated before him. Then one can take instructions from the Supersoul DIRECTLY…..A sincere devotee who follows the instructions of the Spiritual Master certainly gets direct instructions from his heart from the Supersoul. Thus a sincere devotee is always helped directly or indirectly by the spiritual master and the Supersoul…………” (Srimad Bhagavatam 4.28.52)

“…..A spiritually advanced person who acts with authority, as the spiritual master, speaks as the Supreme Personality of Godhead dictates from within. Thus it is not he that is speaking personally. When a pure devotee or spiritual master speaks, what he says should be accepted as having been directly spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the parampara system.” (Caitanya-caritamrta Antya 5.71)

This is the authorised standard of transmission of Transcendental Knowledge in the parampara system. Pure Uttama-Adhikari via Pure Uttama-Adhikari. What the GBC and “Senior” devotees have constantly, continuously and consistently presented and taught is a diluted, watered-down and bankrupt definition of who is diksa guru, and how the Disciplic Succession law has been applied mechanically, dogmatically, artificially, and inappropriately.

“Regarding the parampara system: there is nothing to wonder for big gaps…….these big gaps do not hamper from understanding the parampara system. We have to pick up the prominent acharya and follow from Him. There are also many branches and sub-branches from the parampara system, and it is not possible to record all the branches and sub-branches in the disciplic succession. We have to pick up from the authority of the Acharya in whatever Sampradaya we belong.” (Srila Prabhupada Letter, April 11, 1968)

Thus to continue to follow the prominent acarya, the most current link is not only bona fide but authorised and essential. Because the Disciplic Succession has NOT been continued by a Successor as in previous links, Srila Prabhupada remains the current link and any amount of gap in time makes no difference. Initiating the process of diksa also does not require a “physical” body, then Srila Prabhupada also remains the diksa guru. Big gaps in the Disciplic Succession appear regularly according to Srila Prabhupada’s instruction in this letter, but that does not hamper our understanding. Each link constitutes the current link in the Disciplic Succession and may have a large gap between links.

As Srila Prabhupada is also the Founder-Acarya, we have to pick up from His authority too. Disciplic Succession is also a non-mechanistic science and reception of spiritual knowledge is never checked by any material conditions, such as time and physical bodies. The physical presence of the Spiritual Master is not important in relation to accepting and following His brand of devotional service and His process of diksa initiation.

When we talk in terms of initiation, then the understanding is receiving Transcendental Knowledge, diksa, we receive initiation from an initiating guru, diksa guru. But conversely to receiving diksa initiation, the formality of a ceremony conducted for receiving a name, beads and thread can be conducted by an authorised representative of the diksa guru.

“One who is now the disciple is the next spiritual master. And one cannot be a Bona Fide and authorized spiritual master unless one has been strictly obedient to his spiritual master. Brahmaji as a disciple of the Supreme Lord, received the real knowledge and imparted it to his dear disciple Narada, and similarly Narada, as spiritual master, handed over this knowledge to Vyasa, and so on. Therefore the so called formal spiritual master and disciples are not facsimiles of Brahma and Narada, or Narada and Vyasa etc. The relationship between Brahma and Narada is reality, whereas the so called formality is the relation between the cheater and the cheated.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.9.43)

In ISKCON since Srila Prabhupada departed, although everyone knows “exactly what Srila Prabhupada taught about the Disciplic Succession for the last 10 years”, we are left begging the questions:

1. How come so many efforts at continuing the Disciplic Succession have failed?
2. How come all the uttama-adhikari Zonal Acaryas got blown away when the material energy blew slightly?
3. Why on earth does a diksa-guru need to go to lessons on how to be a Guru? Isn’t communication with Krsna good enough?
4. Why do all the ISKCON gurus copy-cat exactly what Srila Prabhupada did?
5. Why have so many gurus left ISKCON?
6. How come so many gurus got suspended for their deviant activities?
7. How exactly do these gurus continue the Disciplic Succession?
8. What type of diksa do they award?

“Factually, the spiritually developed person is able to have the television of the kingdom of God always reflected in His heart. That is the mystery of knowledge of the Personality of Godhead.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.9.35)

If anyone watches TV, there is audio and visual, simultaneously. How can a diksa-guru be so bewildered by the material energy, like all the ISKCON gurus, IF they were tuned into Gods TV channel?

The GBC/Gurus and their supporters have fuelled their propaganda machine with nonsense about who is diksa guru, how to continue the Disciplic Succession, and what is real initiation. They have pretended that their authorised gurus have been uttama-adhikaris and when that didn’t work, they had to modify, dilute and invent philosophy to explain their changes. They have ALL consistently contradicted themselves absolutely.

Whether or not we have placed our faith into the Officiating Acarya system/process makes no difference to the shambolic presentation that the GBC/Gurus have made over the last 31years. The fact is that Srila Prabhupada IS the Initiator of the process of diksa that He put in place for ISKCON, and any disciple can engage in that said diksa process irrespective of Srila Prabhupada’s physical presence. If YOU follow the process as laid down by Srila Prabhupada, then you are His disciple, direct and indirect, simultaneously.

The reason we follow Srila Prabhupada’s process of diksa is because we are ISKCON devotees and Srila Prabhupada is the Founder-Acarya of ISKCON. We can follow Srila Prabhupada’s process of diksa for as long as it exists! This notion of physical presence to receive the process of diksa is nonsense, childish, formal and mechanical.

The July 9th Letter does not contain any time-specific instruction on whether the process of Officiating Acarya should stop or continue after Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance. In fact, there are many instructions that Srila Prabhupada gave that are not time-specific that we still follow after Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance. The notion that there has to be some kind of direction relating to the time-specific instruction on the Officiating Acarya process is borne from a lack of argument against this process. How about following the four regulative principles and chanting sixteen rounds a day? All instructions from Srila Prabhupada, but with no time specific additions. Do we all stop following these instructions because there are no time-specific instructions too, and Srila Prabhupada is no longer physically present?

Surely the argument as to whether or not the July 9th Letter is implemented or not is not dependant on such frivolous, irrelevant points. “We are not going to follow the July 9th Letter after Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance because He didn’t say so, in the letter”. That’s a weak, childlike argument in my book, and I don’t agree with it at all. We don’t follow that line of understanding anyway, and Srila Prabhupada never taught us to do that.

The July 9th Letter has to be defeated on philosophical grounds, where there are documented evidences that prove the July 9th Letter does finish when Srila Prabhupada disappears. To date that has not happened.

Tamal Krishna Goswami, who penned the letter, may not have had a good grip on English Language to have constructed a more useful letter, BUT it has been approved by Srila Prabhupada, the most important point, that cannot be disputed. Tamal Krishna Goswami may have changed his mind on what he thought he intended by writing the letter, but that is also peripheral, meaningless and irrelevant now because the letter in its present form is the one that Srila Prabhupada approved. To try to rationalize that the letter is invalid, misinterpreted and unintended because of Tamal Krishna’s mistakes rather than the positive analysis that Srila Prabhupada, our Spiritual Master, approved and countersigned the letter, shows a considerable lack of faith in Srila Prabhupada and too much faith in one of His disciples. Do you presume to think Tamal Krishna Goswami has got more of a grip on the subject than Srila Prabhupada? The GBC/guru/sannyasis/senior devotees and supporters in the anti-July 9th Letter group need to be aware that fools rush in where angels dare not go, and you are pretty close to making a serious offence to Srila Prabhupada. Focus on Srila Prabhupada’s action, not on Tamal Krishna Goswami.

The last point about the Disciplic Succession is that no one is against the Disciplic Succession. It would be foolish to argue that point, but the Disciplic Succession can’t be continued by any old Tom, Dick or Harry. That’s not possible. We can’t introduce a diluted inappropriate definition of who continues the Disciplic Succession. In ISKCON, we only have a finitely small number of devotees to start with. With a particularly disastrous history of trying to apply different processes and gurus on continuing the Disciplic Succession, that have totally failed.

We all know the personal situations of all the present gurus/sannyasis/GBC via the posts from many global websites and personal experiences. The Disciplic Succession is only continued by uttama-adhikaris, not by devotees with personal ambition written all over their faces, so let’s get real with that one.

Presently Srila Prabhupada continues the Disciplic Succession. He is the Initiator of diksa and He is the Bona Fide Spiritual Master for us all to take shelter of. The apparent absence of Srila Prabhupada makes no difference at all to these statements. It does not contravene Disciplic Succession law, is not against the principle of guru, sadhu and sastra, and is fully supported by all authority.