PRABHUPADA NEWS

Myth: “Names of new disciple were to be sent to Srila Prabhupada so this contradicts the idea of permanent ritvik system”

3. October 2026 By Prabhupada News 4 Comments

Anti Ritvik Myths debunked (#3)

Myth: According to July 9th directive, names of new disciples were to be sent “to Srila Prabhupad”, so this contradicts the idea of permanent ritvik system

Truth: New names were to be sent to Srila Prabhupada’s address not to him personally, but to his secretary who was to include the names of new Srila Prabhupada’s disciples officially initiated via ritviks in the ‘Initiated Disciples’ book, which is confirmed by other evidence

There is an argument put forward by anti-ritviks regarding July 9th, 1977 directive: at the end it says that names of new disciples should be sent by ritvik-representatives “to Srila Prabhupad”:

“The newly initiated devotees are disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, the above eleven senior devotees acting as His representative. After the Temple President receives a letter from these representatives giving the spiritual name or the thread, he can perform the fire yajna in the temple as was being done before. The name of a newly initiated disciple should be sent by the representative who has accepted him or her to Srila Prabhupad, to be included in His Divine Grace’s “Initiated Disciples” book.”

So they say it means this whole initiation system was set just temporary until Srila Prabhupada’s physical departure. For example, BBTI officer Vijitatma das wrote: [Read More…]

Myth: “Ritvik initiation was introduced due to Srila Prabhupadas illness to function until his departure”

26. September 2026 By Prabhupada News 30 Comments

Anti Ritvik Myths debunked (#2)

Myth: Ritvik initiation system was introduced in ISKCON because Srila Prabhupada was ill, so July 9th, 1977 directive was meant to set the system up just temporary- only for the period of Srila Prabhupada’s physical presence

Truth: Srila Prabhupada did not state he established the ritvik system because he was ill or for the period of his physical presence only. This is nothing but speculation that contradicts real evidence that ritvik arrangement was made by Srila Prabhupada for the future, especially after his physical departure

In 1977, before his physical departure, Srila Prabhupada finalized the proxy initiation system in ISKCON to be continued in the future, especially after his passing away. This is proved by May 28, 1977 conversation with GBC members, July 9th,1977 directive, his Final Will, other documents and various testimonies of those who were with Srila Prabhupada in spring, summer and autumn of 1977. However, those who don’t have enough knowledge of this topic or are opposed to Srila Prabhupada’s orders in this regard, reject these orders of the acarya and claim, without any serious proof, that the ritvik initiation system was established by Srila Prabhupada just because he was ill and it was meant to continue only until his physical departure. E.g. in 1996, Tamala Krishna Goswami, the mastermind of ISKCON coup in the 1970s and a key architect of the zonal acarya system, wrote: [Read More…]