Interpretation is at the heart of the ritvik controversy.

[Guest guest]

> SP could see how G-math failed by not following the system suggested by

> Srila BSST (to have a GBC body) so he made a GBC body, it seems. I am sure

> SP has said somewhere why he did it. That will end our "seems" and

> "maybes"!

 

Letter to Rupanuga Maharaja, Tirupati, 28 April, 1974

 

[...]

"In the latter days of my Guru Maharaja he was very disgusted. Actually, he

left this world earlier, otherwise he would have continued to live for more

years. Still he requested his disciples to form a strong Governing body for

preaching the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He never recommended anyone to be

acarya of the Gaudiya Math. But Sridhara Maharaja is responsible for

disobeying this order of Guru Maharaja, and he and others who are already

dead unnecessarily thought that there must be one acarya. If Guru Maharaja

could have seen someone who was qualified at that time to be acarya he would

have mentioned. Because on the night before he passed away he talked of so

many things, but never mentioned an acarya. His idea was acarya was not to

be nominated amongst the governing body. He said openly you make a GBC and

conduct the mission. So his idea was amongst the members of GBC who would

come out successful and self effulgent acarya would be automatically

selected. So Sridhara Maharaja and his two associate gentlemen

unauthorizedly selected one acarya and later it proved a failure. The result

is now everyone is claiming to be acarya even though they may be kanistha

adhikari with no ability to preach. In some of the camps the acarya is being

changed three times a year. ***THEREFORE WE MAY NOT COMMIT THE SAME MISTAKE

IN OUR ISKCON CAMP.*** Actually amongst my Godbrothers no one is qualified

to become acarya. So it is better not to mix with my Godbrothers very

intimately because instead of inspiring our students and disciples they may

sometimes pollute them. This attempt was made previously by them, especially

Madhava Maharaja and Tirtha Maharaja and Bon Maharaja but somehow or other I

saved the situation. This is going on. We shall be very careful about them

and not mix with them. This is my instruction to you all. They cannot help

us in our movement, but they are very competent to harm our natural

progress. So we must be very careful about them."

[...]