PRABHUPADA NEWS

Myth: “Pro-ritviks undermine natural faith of devotees in the current gurus and destroy ISKCON”

8. August 2026 By Prabhupada News 2 Comments

Anti Ritvik Myths debunked (#57)

Myth: “Ritvik issue destroys natural faith of devotees in the current gurus and weakens Krishna consciousness movement, therefore it’s necessary to protect ISKCON from such criticism and controversial topics.”

Truth: Srila Prabhupada’s ritvik order bolsters faith in the current guru who is Prabhupada himself and provides foundation for strengthening real Krishna consciousness movement. Therefore, it shouldn’t be concealed. Artificial faith in bogus gurus is dangerous for ISKCON and is not to be protected. This faith naturally diminishes by their own deviations and crimes, ultimately drying off in the hearts of sincere devotees to give more space for real bhakti creeper.

Some anti-ritvik adherents are fond of putting forward argument that refuting and exposing their deviations from Srila Prabhupada’s orders is supposedly offensive criticism, envious, averse to principles of bhakti, undermining the very core of devotional service, it’s spiritual crime, it’s something fabricated, it breaks faith of disciples in their gurus, and it’s ultimately aimed at destroying ISKCON, etc. etc. In “Arguments Refuting the Posthumous Ritvik Theory” section of maya-ISKCON Disciple Course it says:

“Ritvik theory functions by undermining the natural development of faith in living Vaisnavas, which is an essential aspect of bhakti.” (ISKCON Disciple Course, fifth edition, 2017, pg. 16)

This accusation is quite popular, so let’s review it.

1. Two-fold method of attaining Absolute Truth

First of all, there is certainly nothing wrong in refuting/exposing arguments/actions of someone who disobey an acarya’s orders, deviate and create disturbances. Sastras and acaryas teach that there are two ways of learning and preaching Absolute Truth: positive- direct method of worshipping, chanting, etc. and negative- non-direct method of rejecting unfavorable things, objecting against and exposing falsehoods and deviations- which are hindrances on the path of devotional service- up to criticizing/confronting those who commit those offences. It’s all parts of saranagati (surrender) process described in ‘Hari-bhakti-vilasa’, 11.676:

Prabhupāda: Ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlyaṁ vivarjanam. This devotional service means to accept favorable and reject unfavorable. This is called śaraṇāgati. Surrender means to accept favorable things, how I can make progress towards Kṛṣṇa, and prātikūlya, pratikūla means rejecting unfavorable things which are not very congenial for my progress to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (Bhagavad-gītā 18.67 class — Ahmedabad, December 10, 1972)

Srimad Bhagavatam advices us not to remain silent: [Read More…]

Myth: “Some conservative sincere diksa gurus in ISKCON like Bhakti Vikasa Swami are OK.”

1. August 2026 By Prabhupada News 1 Comment

Anti Ritvik Myths debunked (#56)

Myth: “Maybe some gurus deviated but there are still conservative sincere diksa gurus in ISKCON like Bhakti Vikasa Swami. Such gurus are OK. ”

Truth: BVKS was “authorized” by deviant gurus in 1991. He supports bogus gurus, including child abusers, and he is part and parcel of this system. He has made many false, misleading statements and is essentially as bogus as other non-liberated unauthorized gurus of maya-ISKCON all of whom share responsibility for their criminal deviated system and thus there cannot be innocent bona fide gurus in maya-ISKCON.

As more and more people realize that serious deviations, crimes and influence of demoniac forces have become ingrained and widespread in maya-ISKCON, they become disillusioned with their “gurus”. Some of them leave the hijacked ISKCON branch, while others move on to other “ISKCON gurus” whom they consider more sincere. Bhakti Vikasa Swami (BVKS) has been advertised as an example of an “orthodox”, “conservative” “guru”. Some even make their own shortened “purified” lists of maya-ISKCON “gurus”, which include BVKS and several others, claiming that there are still bona fide diksa gurus in maya-ISKCON who resist deviations and teach what Srila Prabhupada taught. Taking shelter of these gurus is supposedly the true path, despite the problems of other maya-ISKCON “gurus”, and Srila Prabhupada should not be accepted as the current guru of parampara. Let’s review this argument with Bhakti Vikasa Swami as an example of such a guru. [Read More…]