This communication is aimed at bringing into focus the core issue behind the current dispute between Iskcon Bangalore and Iskcon Mumbai
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRLog (Press Release) – Jul 04, 2011 – This communication is aimed at bringing into focus the core issue behind the current dispute between Iskcon Bangalore and Iskcon Mumbai. As a customer, donor, supplier, banker, faculty, consultant, employee or any other stakeholder in ISKCON Bangalore society, we believe you should be informed about the factual position of both disputing parties and be reassured about the safe guard of your interest in your relationship with ISKCON Bangalore.
From the time, His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, reverentially addressed as Srila Prabhupada, founded ISKCON in New York in 1966, ISKCON grew into a large, transnational organization spanning many countries, having 108 centers and more than 10,000 members, in a matter of 10 years. This was due to the immense spiritual stature and vision of our Founder Acharya, Srila Prabhupada.
While the growth of the organization was impressive, in 1977, just prior to Srila Prabhupada’s leaving this world, it was a young organization and most of the members and devotees, mainly westerners, had not developed the required spiritual stature, knowledge, realization, immense purity and gravity that is required to occupy the post of his spiritual successor, as an “Acharya”.
Keeping this in mind, Srila Prabhupada appointed 11 disciples to act as Representative of Acharyas (and not as Acharyas ) or Ritviks. He issued an institutional directive that these Ritviks would also officiate during the initiation ceremony of devotees who would join the movement. It was amply clear that these would be his representatives only, and would not replace him as the Spiritual Master or Acharya of ISKCON. In other words, Srila Prabhupada was to remain, forever, the Founder and only Acharya or Diksha Guru of ISKCON.
These 11 appointees, (all of them westerners) did not heed the instructions of Srila Prabhupada, they conspired and usurped his position and started enjoying the rights, power, adulation and privileges that are offered to an Acharya, using a massive and well organized misinformation campaign, within the devotee community. Any devotee who did not submit to the new system that they introduced was marginalized, stripped of services, humiliated and even expelled. Historical records state that 95% of Srila Prabhupada’s original disciples left the institution in the next few years. As the corruption set in, these 11 appointed Ritviks, now self-proclaimed as Acharyas had multiplied in numbers, to a total of 70 by 1986. Some of these self-proclaimed Acharyas could not maintain the spiritual vows and fell from grace deplorably. Nine out of the eleven have visibly fallen. As many kept falling from grace, more kept getting added. The story is sordid.
Read more – http://www.iskconbangalore.org/communication-for-all
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