Fall, No-Fall, Doubts, etc.

[Guest guest]

On 23 Mar 1999, Payonidhi Dasa wrote:

> Well I do not know what kind of GBC resolution you have,

 

I have copies of the official GBC resolutions for every year

from 1995-1998. Note that one can get copies for every year

all the way back to 1976 without much difficulty; they're available

on the COM FTP site.

 

> however I have read

> that the GBC was very heavey on this issue and Gaura Govinda Maharaja and

his

> disciples where goingto get severe chastisement from the GBC about preaching

> differently on this issue

 

Well, you may have "read" it somewhere else; there's nothing in this

regard in the 1996 GBC resolutions. There's no reference to the

jiva falling or not falling, and there's only the following references

to Gour Govinda Maharaj. Note that it says that "his _life_ and

disappearance pastimes shall remain a great inspiration to all

members of ISKCON." So, if you criticize his life, you are deviating

from the GBC.

 

13. Resolved that we the undersigned members and servants of the Governing

Body Commission of the International Society for Krishna

Consciousness, today, the 11th of February, 1996, in Sridhama Mayapura

at the ISKCON Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir, express our profound

bereavement on the passing of our dear Godbrother and fellow Governing

Body Commissioner His Divine Grace Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Gaura

Govinda Goswami Maharaja, the beloved disciple of ISKCON

Founder/Acarya His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

Sri Srimad Gaura Govinda Goswami Maharaja dedicated his life to

fulfilling Srila Prabhupada's order to spread Krishna consciousness

throughout the world and specifically among the people of Orissa. He

translated Srila Prabhupada's transcendental literature and fulfilled

Srila Prabhupada's desire for a Krishna-Balaram Temple in

Bhubanesvara. He was not only a topmost devotee but he was also a

great and learned scholar. In this time of their great grief, we

pledge ourselves to the service of his disciples and followers who are

determined to carry on his great service to the mission of Srila

Prabhupada. With feelings of separation we note that Sri Srimad Gaura

Govinda Goswami Maharaja departed this world February 9, 1996, on the

auspicious Appearance day of Om Visnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacarya

Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada, while reciting

the pastimes of Lord Sri Krishna, in the holy dhama of Sri Mayapura,

at the ISKCON Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir, the spiritual world

headquarters of ISKCON, at the conclusion of a full day of unalloyed

devotional service to his spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada. His

departure shows all auspicious symptoms and his success fills our

hearts with admiration. His life and disappearance pastimes shall

remain a great inspiration to all members of ISKCON.

 

 

704. WHEREAS HH Gour Govinda Maharaja was a great devotee of Lord Caitanya

Mahaprabhu and Srila Prabhupada

 

WHEREAS HH Gour Govinda Maharaja was an ISKCON Guru in good standing;

 

WHEREAS HH Gour Govinda Maharaja was a member of the GBC.

 

WHEREAS HH Gour Govinda Maharaja passed from this world in Sri

Mayapura Dham on the Holy appearance day of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta

Saraswati Thakura, on the occasion of the Centennial Celebration of

the appearance of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Prabhupada and

 

WHEREAS HH Gour Govinda Maharaja passed from this world while

preaching the intimate glories of Lord Jagannath, Radha & Krsna.

 

THEREFORE it is resolved that the disappearance day of HH Gour

Govinda Maharaja be observed on the ISKCON GBC and BBT Calendar every

year.

 

91) THAT the GBC Zonal Assignments for 1995-96 are as follows:

...

Jayapataka Swami:

...

co-GBC with Gour Govinda Swami for Orissa

...

 

 

[this is clearly a mistake, but it must have been made before

Gour Govinda Maharaj's passing.]

 

Yours,

 

Vijay S. Pai