PRABHUPADA NEWS

Myth: “GBC minutes of May 28, 1977 conversation proofs that Srila Prabhupada appointed diksa gurus”

2. August 2025 By Prabhupada News 5 Comments

Anti Ritvik Myths debunked (#7)

Myth: GBC minutes of May 28, 1977 conversation proves that Srila Prabhupada appointed diksa gurus.

Truth: All Srila Prabhupada’s answers in the minutes book were misstated by the secretary, so it has wrong information which contradicts both actual evidence- audio recording of May 28 conversation and what happened later- the only appointment was in July 1977 and it was appointment of first ritviks. The minutes wasn’t shown to Srila Prabhupada and approved by him, and circumstances around it prove that Srila Prabhupada’s instructions on initiations were mishandled/concealed.

In some anti-ritvik papers and videos, one document is incorrectly interpreted and overly emphasized- the minutes book of May 28, 1977 GBC meeting. For example, the pages of the protocol were published in ISKCON Journal in 1990, in ITV film “Disciple of My Disciple” (1999), it was quoted in articles by Hari Sauri das, in official GBC paper “Prabhupada’s Order” (August 1998), it was circulated by Rupanuga das in 2024, etc.

1. How were the minutes made on May 28, 1977?

In 1999, the GBC funded video “Disciple of My Disciple” was released and distributed in maya-ISKCON temples. In particular, Tamal Krishna was shown in this film to give importance to this document, but in the previous episode, another maya-ISKCON “guru” Giriraja explained how it happened that GBC members signed the minutes of the extraordinary meeting held at the end of May 1977 in Vrindavan that was called upon Srila Prabhupada’s announcement that his health seriously deteriorated and it’s necessary to discuss some issues in case Srila Prabhupada passes away. [Read More…]

Myth: “On May 28 1977 Srila Prabhupada ordered regular guru successors after his departure”

26. July 2025 By Prabhupada News 6 Comments

Anti Ritvik Myths debunked (#6)

Myth: July 9th directive is explained in May 28, 1977 conversation where Srila Prabhupada ordered regular guru successors after his departure and said that future devotees in ISKCON would be their disciples, “disciple of my disciple”, Prabhupada’s “granddisciple”.

Truth: May 28, 1977 conversation confirms that Srila Prabhupada envisioned the ritvik system after his departure, when he is “no longer with us”, he agreed that future disciples would be his disciples, and any “disciple of my disciple” would be possible only “when I order, “You become guru”, but such an order wasn’t given by Srila Prabhupada to anyone. So the conversation confirms July 9th directive message of the ritvik system to be followed henceforward.

Anti-ritviks have repeatedly tried to give various contradictory interpretations of Srila Prabhupada’s conversation with the GBC delegation held on May 28, 1977. It was a discussion of issues pertaining to the period after Srila Prabhupada’s physical departure. The key part of the conversation was dedicated to future initiations. Anti-ritviks simply obscure the obvious facts: in this conversation, Srila Prabhupada said that for the future, particularly when he is “no longer with us,” he would appoint ritviks; he confirmed that future disciples should be his disciples; and what about how ritviks/officiators themselves could turn into real diksa gurus with their own disciples- only when (and if) Srila Prabhupada orders them to become gurus (initiators), then new disciples will become disciples of his disciples, his granddisciples.

However, neither in this conversation nor anywhere else did Srila Prabhupada give the actual order to any of his disciples to become the next diksa guru of the sampradaya. Fulfilling his promise made on May 28, 1977, Srila Prabhupada appointed the first official ritviks in July 1977 and instructed to “distribute” the directive in this regard. This directive dated July 9, 1977, approved by Srila Prabhupada’s signature, contains instructions about the introduction of a system of ritvik/representative of the acarya initiations in ISKCON for the future, and doesn’t say a word about any new diksa gurus. However, anti-ritviks turn the situation upside down by various incorrect interpretations: [Read More…]