Choice: Guru or GBC?

[Guest guest]

This is a very sensible proposal. Varnashrama should not be forced, but

its principles must nevertheless be instituted. Giving a choice, "You can be

a guru or sannyasi, or you can be a GBC and a manager," allows leaders to

decide for themselves where they wish to fit in. Prabhupada was everything

to everybody, but it is obvious we should not try to imitate him. Dividing

responsibilities along varnashrama lines will be a huge step forward for the

Krishna consciousness movement.

 

It won't be necessary to discuss for years brahmana vs. ksatriya

definitions. Anyone can appreciate the simplicity and straightforwardness of

the idea. It is a tangible proposal that will enjoy broad support; and it

has the virtue of posing very little risk to the Society.

 

Your servant,

Sri Rama das

 

[srirama (AT) pamho (DOT) net], or

[srirama (AT) jps (DOT) net]

 

 

Devakinandan.JUHU (AT) pamho (DOT) net [Devakinandan.JUHU (AT) pamho (DOT) net]

 

> Dear Prabhu's and Maharaja's too! Jaya Prabhupada.

>

> Pancharatna Prabhu has brought forward a very sticky question. and

> Mahatma's and kala dasa's proposals leave a lot to think about.

>

> Things must be done so carefully, sensitively, and constructively to try

> to be both effective and try to stimulate a re-building of faith in the

> GBC body again.

>

> Yes, the rest of all the ideas of a joint GBC restructuring certainly need

> some thought. Pancharatna is right, there is a lot of work to do, not all

> the Sannyasi's and gurus on the body are bad, but I think that sannyasi's

> and guru's for their own purity *should not* be on that managerial body,

> problem is that people are *so fried* that it's hard to find people to

> replace them in their present areas.

>

> I have openly discussed this topic with moderate GBC's whom I respect (and

> serve) highly. I know some GBC's Sannyasi gurus who have personally told

> me, "hey I'd be in ecstacy to resign, but I've asked so and so, and more

> but I can't find anyone willing to be the GBC in my area."

>

> So (1) find the candidate willing (good luck!) then (2) like Mahatma says,

> training them up, with new guidelines. then hopefully with all the guru's

> and sannyasi's off the body (eventually because they are better off

> concentrating their full energy to looking to their purity and the purity

> of their followers and disciples), then the GBC body could possibly start

> to actually function managerially to bring order to the burnt remnants of

> Iskcon.

>

> Management is best left to Ksatriya Housholders, with emeritius

> sannyasi's, guru's & Deputies other "friends of the body" as powerless

> voteless advisors.

>

> The old GBC's would have to be assistants to train and help the new

> canditates whenever called upon to give advice.

>

> but the new Gbc's must have clean, free hands to restructure things

> without undo pressures from the old club who might become 'emeritius'.

> They would be advisers only, without powers to interfere.

>

> any comments here?

>

> I suppose it'll take another Iskcon wide referendum and proposals from the

> Deputies, who'd be the likely candidates from the various areas as the New

> GBc's.

>

> I was thinking about Pancaratna's statement, that his proposal was set

> aside in the deputies area. It might be formally re-written and submitted

> again, but perhaps the deputies are unwilling to accept their seniors

> jobs- although the pressures are certainly building for restructuring the

> GBC. Do the deputies agree?

>

> Or do they think the whole "resignation" idea to be a bit too radical or

> too Premature right now, when at any rate war is already proceeding

> declared on 2 fronts?

>

> Can new generals be called in to adopt a peaceable negotiated truce with

> the warring parties, or are they ready to continue trying to muster

> support to wage the fight anew if the parties refused to back down?

>

> No easy answers indeed. A lot more discussion (and research) and possibly

> a referendum *might* have to be organized.

>

> ys MMDASBR

 

I like the proposal of Pancharatna prabhu as well as Nayanranjan and

Mahamantra prabhu. I also agree with Mahatma prabhu and others that it

should be changed very very carefully. Chanakya pandit says - if you let go

certainty and run after uncertainties, you will lose both. We do have many

qualified people in our society to run the society if they are guided

properly. I have certain ideas (proposal) for which you may give your

valuable comment.

1. Prabhupada's instructions on GBC and its functions should be brought in

front. Otherhand I feel that GBC are not following the instructions of Sri

Prabhupada as it is.

2. The post of Guru and GBC should be separate. One person having two posts

brings the conflict of interest, in the service. So I propose to give the

chance to present GBC Gurus to decide whether they want to remain GBC or

Guru. If they want to remain as GBC than they should resign from Guru post

and stop initiating. They should take care of their GBC duties and their

disciples whom they have already initiated. Others who want to resign as GBC

and want to remain ONLY Gurus than they should be advisor to GBC Body.

According to vedic culture and Varnashram system a King always had an

advisor. Like Vashistha was advisor to King Dasharath, Chanakya was advisor

to Chandragupta Maurya and so on. Same way GBC is administrative body and we

should have a Brahmanical Counsel to advise them. I feel if we create a new

GBC, the fresh blood with Advisor than the functioning of society will be

very smooth. As it is GBC today has become a laughing stock. What to say of

seniors, even junior devotees are having doubt and losing faith in GBC. If

the present GBC voluntarily resigns they will gain respect and confidence of

the devotees that they are not attached to the post. For them society is

priority and not the post. But in the present situation, it appears that

they are too attached to the post and even after so much undercurrent demand

which they know very well, still they want to hold on to their positions.

Hey, it sounds like politicians.

 

Anyway they are the senior members of the society. They must take moral

responsibility of whatever happends in the society as well as they should

take the responsibility of what will happen to the society in future. I

feel we should air out our feelings and leave it to them. They are

Vaishnavas. Prabhupada and Krishna will guide them.

One more funny thing is that none of the GBCs are giving any comment on the

above.

Your servant.

Devakinandan Das.