Statement by the ISKCON Governing Body Commission

July 15, 1998

PLACE: San Diego, California, USA

DATE: July 14, 1998

ISSUED BY: Badrinarayana Dasa Adhikary, ISKCON Governing Body Commission

(GBC), Acting Chair of the GBC Executive Committee.

STATEMENT by the ISKCON Governing Body Commission

The Executive Committee of the ISKCON Governing Body Commission (GBC)

regrets to inform ISKCON and its supporters that Harikesa Swami, aged 49,

has recently suffered a serious physical and mental collapse.

It is not unusual that ISKCON leaders, when vigorously preaching Krsna

consciousness even up to old age, follow the footsteps of great acaryas and

tend to become aloof from bodily concerns. Consequently, leading preachers

are sometimes afflicted suddenly with ailments that severely limit their

ability to continue at their accustomed pace. In such cases, "slowing down"

is not a sign of "giving up." Rather, it shows that a "long-term" vision

can give a spiritual leader many extra years to preach Krsna consciousness.

Harikesa Maharaja's crisis resulted from an enormous overburden of

work, the flare-up of many long-standing physical maladies and a fully

committed attitude toward preaching. This attitude caused him to accept

many more responsibilities than he could reasonably take on, especially

in his weakened condition.

We dearly love him, and devotees should all intensely pray for his

swift recovery. However, it will be some time before he can resume his

preaching work. He is regularly meeting with godbrothers and disciples

and is in excellent medical care.

Harikesa Swami is this year's GBC Chairman and a trustee of the

Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International (BBTI). He has already relin-

quished and delegated his functions related to the GBC chairmanship to

the other members of the GBC Executive Committee (Badrinarayana dasa,

Ravindra Svarupa dasa, Sesa dasa, and Akhandadhi dasa).

He has also tendered his resignation from the BBTI's board of

trustees, which was accepted on July 14th 1998. Brahma Muhurta dasa has

been appointed to fill the vacancy left on the board and has already

assumed his duties as a new trustee.

END OF STATEMENT

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