Day 8th

[Guest guest]

GBC Meetings

Day 8

6 March 2005

 

 

Unfinished business from yesterday: the GBC ratified Devamrta Swami as the

new Chairman and Bhakti-vaibhava Swami as the First Vice-Chairman. The GBC

also discussed other posts and individuals on various GBC levels.

 

The Indian RGB suggests that more representation on the GBC of devotees who

live in India and are younger, exceptional Indian leaders is warranted; thus

it suggested that Dayarama Prabhu become a candidate for the GBC. However,

he explained to the GBC body that he lacks time; he is now a family man and

wants to do some business in addition to his on-going services. The request

was withdrawn.

 

Electing a secretary: The nominees were Jaya Pataka Swami and Radha-Krsna

Prabhu. Radha-Krsna Prabhu was elected for one more year.

 

Pragosh read to the GBC body the draft of a letter from Suhotra Swami, which

will be publically released. The matter was discussed by the members.

 

Next, as was done last year, about forty gurukula students (ages six to

fifteen) visited the GBC. Pragosh Prabhu invited the children to sit in the

GBC's seats and take over the business of the meeting, the next item of

which a proposal that the children be served cake by the GBCs. It passed.

Pragosh Prabhu said that a future amendment is needed to increase the size

of the pieces of cake, which were already medium-sized. Someone said that a

bigger budget is needed. The children had produced many colorful drawings

that were decorating the GBC meeting room and office, and they were thanked

for these. The meeting ended with a kirtan.

 

Subcommittee presentations were next.

 

Krsnadas Kaviraj Prabhu reported on the issue of parallel lines of authority

in ISKCON: guru and GBC. The subcommittee felt that ISKCON has to more

clearly " spell out rules." Jaya Pataka Swami mentioned that we already have

laws that gurus are supposed to follow. Bir Krsna Goswami objected to the

implication that the GBC is "the absolute managing authority" of a person

from the womb to the tomb.

 

Hari Sauri Prabhu reported on the subcommittee that discussed preserving

Srila Prabhupada's legacy. The subcommittee proposed that the Ministry of

Education Development (MED) devise ways to support the well-being of

devotees involved in academia and also report to the GBC on the progress of

this. The subcommittee also proposed that the GBC establish a standing

committee to enter into dialogue with members of the VAST conference, so

that its presentations of Srila Prabhupada can be discussed and not be

misunderstood. The subcommittee also proposed a method for dealing with

blasphemy against Srila Prabhupada, and the GBC discussed the proposal and

alternative methods of dealing with the problem. Jaya Pataka Swami said that

ISKCON might study how Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura protected

Vaisnava doctrines from internal deviations and external attacks.

 

The meetings continued after lunch. Anuttama Prabhu conducted a

one-and-a-half-hour session of leadership training. He was teaching some

excerpts from the ISKCON Leadership and Management course, which has been

given thirty times around the world. The GBC read through a handout on how

to give feedback and then picked partners and practiced the techniques for

giving and receiving feedback. Next, Anuttama taught about team building.

The benefits of developing team dynamics were discussed, as were methods for

having closer working relationships among devotees. These included creating

open lines of communication, rewarding team accomplishments, building shared

visions, training devotees, and so on. The GBC members were enthusiastic

about the presentation, and several asked for literature on the topic.