WANTED by GBC: Prabhupada disciples in good standing to take up the role of guru!!!

[krsna]

Spiritual Master Role

 

 

<!-- the main section of the post goes here -->From the GBC resolutions of 2006

401. Srila Prabhupada’s Disciples Encouraged to take up Spiritual Master Role

 

[Action Order]

Whereas Srila Prabhupada wrote that the world needs thousands of spiritual masters, and he desired his disciples to take up this role,

Whereas many of Srila Prabhupada’s disciples possess the qualification to function as spiritual masters,

Whereas there exists a somewhat restrictive approach to empowering spiritual masters in ISKCON,

Whereas the already small number of ISKCON spiritual masters are steadily decreasing each year due to disease and unforeseen accidents,

Whereas within ten years time we could conceivably lose up to half of our remaining Srila Prabhupada disciples who are actively preaching,

Whereas some qualified Srila Prabhupada disciples find the present system awkward and are too humble to solicit sponsorship for the role of spiritual master,

Therefore it is resolved that the GBC wishes to encourage all of Srila Prabhupada‘s initiated disciples in good standing to seriously consider taking up the role of spiritual master. Each GBC member should look for and identify disciples of Srila Prabhupada in good standing and urge them to take up the role of spiritual master, even if only in their local areas.

A disciple of Srila Prabhupada in good standing who is willing to become a spiritual master shall go through the standard authorization procedure, and all local ten-person committees should be aware the GBC has already encouraged him to embrace this service.

[Guest guest]

I know a couple of SP disciples who would serve admirably, but are much too humble to even consider such a role.

[Guest guest]

Does any one have, or know where to find, a full copy of the 2006 resolutions? Thanks in advance.

[theist]

If everyone follows the advice Lord Caitanya gave to the Kurma brahmana there would be no need of audition calls to replace the passed or fallen.

 

By following this simple formula seriously some may be chosen and empowered directly by the Lord to take on larger preaching missions. It all happens under the Lord's careful direction. Be real guru to your family first then your neighbors and those you meet. We have that order from Mahaprabhu NOW and it has nothing to do with filling out an apllication form and submitting it to the GBC. Just do it right now from where you are right now.

 

 

TEXT 128

yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krishna’-upadesa

amara ajnaya guru hana tara’ ei desa

 

SYNONYMS

yare—whomever; dekha—you meet; tare—him; kaha—tell; krishna-upadesa—the instruction of the Bhagavad-gita as it is spoken by the Lord or of Srimad-Bhagavatam, which advises one to worship Sri Krishna; amara ajnaya—under My order; guru hana—becoming a spiritual master; tara’—deliver; ei desa—this country.

 

TRANSLATION

“Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Sri Krishna as they are given in the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land.”

 

PURPORT

This is the sublime mission of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Many people come and inquire whether they have to give up family life to join the Society, but that is not our mission. One can remain comfortably in his residence. We simply request everyone to chant the maha-mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. If one is a little literate and can read Bhagavad-gita As It Is and Srimad-Bhagavatam, that is so much the better. These works are now available in an English translation and are done very authoritatively to appeal to all classes of men. Instead of living engrossed in material activities, people throughout the world should take advantage of this movement and chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra at home with their families. One should also refrain from sinful activities—illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. Out of these four items, illicit sex is very sinful. Every person must get married. Every woman especially must get married. If the women outnumber the men, some men can accept more than one wife. In that way there will be no prostitution in society. If men can marry more than one wife, illicit sex life will be stopped. One can also produce many nice preparations to offer Krishna—grain, fruit, flowers and milk. Why should one indulge in unnecessary meat-eating and maintain horrible slaughterhouses? What is the use of smoking and drinking tea and coffee? People are already intoxicated by material enjoyment, and if they indulge in further intoxication, what chance is there for self-realization? Similarly, one should not partake in gambling and unnecessarily agitate the mind. The real purpose of human life is to attain the spiritual platform and return to Godhead. That is the summum bonum of spiritual realization. The Krishna consciousness movement is trying to elevate human society to the perfection of life by pursuing the method described by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in His advice to the brahmana Kurma. That is, one should stay at home, chant the Hare Krishna mantra and preach the instructions of Krishna as they are given in the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam.

[theist]

 

Whereas there exists a somewhat restrictive approach to empowering spiritual masters in ISKCON,

 

As if the GBC has some special power to empower gurus or something. LOL What do they do, form a circle and lay hands on the guy and then **POOF** he turns into an "Empowered Guru" fit to go out and save the land.

 

Sounds more like something Tolkien would come up with or some other fairy tale. What hubris.

[Dwayne]

The GBC don't make empowered gurus. The point the GBC is involved is to make sure that the devotees who want to become Guru are qualified, and are not going to mislead disciples. This is important for keeping stability in the Krishna Consciousness movement and Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON.

[theist]

 

The GBC don't make empowered gurus. The point the GBC is involved is to make sure that the devotees who want to become Guru are qualified, and are not going to mislead disciples. This is important for keeping stability in the Krishna Consciousness movement and Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON.

 

Well Dwayne it was the GBC that used the word "empower" in their statement. Please reread it.

 

If someone is deemed qualified to be "guru" by GBC approval then it stands to reason that that person was qualified before the GBC gave him/her the stamp of approval. Right? So what value is their stamp. It is something like you have a big bar of gold before you but you don't recognize it as gold until someone puts a paper label on it that says "gold". This has nothing to do with revealing who is guru to a sincere seeker. It is show only.

 

I am really solid on one point and will never move from it. It is the Lord in heart, Krsna, who reveals guru to the aspirant and not any religious committee of some kind or even the guy next door. Trust only Krsna's voice. And until you receive Krsna's confirmation better not to make an eternal committment based on someone else's opinion. Krsna knows whom He empowers to represent Him.

 

Both the GBC and the guy next door can point you in the direction of who they think is guru. The one who points the way is also a type of guru. The type we all can be if we are careful to stick to the level of our realization and simply try to help others find the path. We all should be doing that. No need for a special audition call. But the final revelation comes only from Krsna.

 

IMO the GBC has done much harm with all their various forms of annointing guru. Much confusion has resulted. The fact is they have no business in that realm at all. Krsna in the heart is the eternal match-maker. He brings guru and disciple together. That is Krsna's special pleasure. The GBC want to cut out Krsna from the process it seems and steal His pleasure. "You can't hear Krsna in your heart therefore you must hear from us." Oh really? are we sure the GBC is hearing Krsna in their hearts?

 

It is my belief that the initial training for even new students should be on how to hear Krsna from the heart. Instead of telling people, "You cannot hear Krsna," tell them, "You can and must learn how to hear Krsna." And then practice to that end.

 

Afterall we do believe that Krsna is there in the hearts of every living being don't we?

 

We do believe that Krsna is directing the wanderings of all condition souls as He says in the Gita don't we?

 

Are we then to assume that the only persons He won't direct are those that are looking for guidance in how to reach Him? Therefore we need the GBC to tell us because He won't. Does that make sense?

 

This is faithlessness.

 

Certainly the GBC can and should officiate on who is qualified to perform Deity worship and if there is a certain initiation procedure to qualify one for that service then they should be the ones in charge of overseeing the various aspects of that intiation within ISKCON. That is their duty to Srila Prabhupada.

 

But they overstep their bounds when proclaiming who is fit to be an eternal preceptor for someone else. How many of the gurus they set up are still standing over the last thirty years? This is one area they have no business in and they should drop it entirely and trust in Krsna.

 

Hare Krsna

[JLdd]

Hare Krsna prabhus,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

At the risk of sounding like a women's lib type (and I am not), did the GBC clarify who "all" is? It would be so refreshing if they were to recognize that those in female bodies have some spiritual potency too. Did they specify?

 

YS

JLdd

[bija]

Institutionalism makes things complex. Was there institutions just after Lord Caitanya? I don't know. I know there was some gatherings and councils.

But saying this, both Bhaktisiddhanta and Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada started institutions. And there is that verse(I don't have it at hand) where Bhaktisiddhanta points out the flaws in institution. They well knew.

I guess they could see the practical need for institution to get the ball rolling! To get the message out there!

Institution is not an eternal principle. They come and go. So at some point maybe the practical need these two great Acarya's saw, may not be that necessary in the future. Some may argue this though, and say the institution is necessary to keep the standard of truth.

The ground is fertile, and very ready for Guru's from no institution, to instruct disciples to become Guru, and keep the thing spreading out that way. With no institutional boundaries. I feel anyway. Maybe there is room for both approaches.

The nature of the institution is that growth and change can be a slow process. Full empowerment to Iskcon. Still a movement in it's early stages(40 odd years). May it grow and flourish.