A question

[Guest guest]

Thank you for asking. It is better to ask in such circumstances than to

speculate.

 

As far as Vipramukhya Maharaj's comments, I appreciate that he understood

that I was not in favor of the establishment of whatever you want to call

the former 'system' that was instituted by the other gurus in ISKCON during

the years from 1978-1987, but I was in favor of the disciples worshiping

their spiritual master, having faith in him, serving him, and developing

real love for him. Therefore I was always in favor of such things as guru

puja (without me personally being there) and all the general things a

disciple does in relation with his spiritual master.

 

I am not aware that the GBC made an exception in my zone. I never heard

this before. Neither can I understand what this might refer to since we

follow the rules and regulations in most places that the GBC set in 1987

although I was not in favor of some of them at that time. Seeing that

there was no damage to the faith of the disciples I am now comfortable with

all the resolutions passed then and since then. All I was concerned with

was that the faith of the mass of devotees who are the ones supporting this

movement not be upset.

 

Some GBC man tried to stop all disciples from addressing their guru as

'Visnupada', 'Acaryapada', 'Acaryadeva' and so on, but this was voted down

in a correspondence vote when I, and others, quoted many places from

Prabhupada's books that a bona-fide guru is addressed like that.

 

The GBC resolution from 1987 says that we should not print or publically

utilize the name such as 'Visnupada' (this is called an honorific in

English) and it is a fact that we generally follow this policy since then.

I say 'generally' because sometimes devotees who are not experienced make

mistakes in a stray publication here or there, but it is corrected when

discovered. However, my disciples may certainly call me as 'Visnupada' or

even just 'Guru Maharaj' as this is proper. There is a quote in the Hari

Bhakti Vilas and it is confirmed in the Gaura Ganodesa Dipika that a

disciple should not speak the name of his guru. Therefore disciples

usually address their spiritual master as Srila Gurudeva or Guru Maharaj,

or with an honorific. The resolution in 1987 says that disciples can use

such a name amongst themselves.

 

It is technically wrong that devotees who are not my disciples or prospec-

tive disciples use honorifics to relate to me. It is better that they say

just my name or if they are really respectful they can say 'Srila' in

front. Many of my disciples address other gurus with a 'Srila' in front

and that is nice and respectful. I know that many of my disciples also use

the honorifics with other gurus and I have not objected to that although it

should not go on according to the resolutions.

 

So for you it would be best to address me as 'Harikesa Maharaj' or, if you

really want to, add a Srila in the front. And it is best that this message

is spread to others, especially here in Korsnas Gard so that the proper

standard is established.