Back To Prabhupada, Issue 51, Spring 2016
n page 3 of this issue, we referred to the inappropriate use of the honorific title "His Divine Grace" by HH Hridayananda Dasa Goswami, which was even added into the first printing of the last cantos of the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Realising the inappropriateness of ISKCON's GBC gurus using this term and thus claiming to be on the same level as Srila Prabhupada, even the GBC specifically amended their rules so that this term was banned from being used in any way whatsoever by or for any of their so-called diksa gurus, whereas previously it was only banned from being used publicly:
"C. ISKCON law 6.4.8.2, "Restricted Titles," now reads:
"A guru cannot use or allow his disciples to apply to him the honorific title "His Divine Grace" or the honorific endings in "pada" in written public documents or on open public forum. However, such titles may be used in communication among disciples or from disciples to their guru." "
It shall be amended to read:
"No one in ISKCON will be addressed either publicly or privately with honorific title "His Divine Grace" or the honorifics ending in "-pada". Disciples may address their ISKCON diksa or siksa gurus as "Gurudeva" or "Guru-maharaja"."
(GBC Resolution, 406, 1999)
Yet, we quoted GBC-elected guru HH Sivarama Swami on page 4 glorifying another (now deceased) ISKCON guru, HH Tamala Krishna Goswami, as: "His Divine Grace Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaja". A repeat offender in this regard is GBC-elected guru HH Bhakti Charu Swami ("BCS"). In BTP 33, we documented BCS insisting that he be promoted as being on the same level as Srila Prabhupada by ordering that glorification of himself as "His Divine Grace" be broadcast to others. This mood of BCS allowing himself to be thought of as "His Divine Grace" and on the same level as Srila Prabhupada is rendered absurd, when we consider that BCS states:
"Remain fixed up in Krishna Consciousness within ISKCON and follow Srila Prabhupada's guidance. Read Srila Prabhupada books very very carefully and follow the instructions of Srila Prabhupada. Everything is there in Srila Prabhupada's books. There is nothing new I can say. I will simply repeat Srila Prabhupada's instructions. That is my responsibility as his representative."
(BCS Lecture, 2/10/08)
Thus, he is supposedly on the same level as Srila Prabhupada, and also worshipped as a ‘good as God' diksa guru, because he tells us to read Srila Prabhupada's books, and does not offer anything himself! In doing this, he is, therefore, no different from any congregational supporter, life member or devotee connected with ISKCON who simply directs people to read Srila Prabhupada's books. Yet, unlike these other persons who will accept that doing this does not in any way change their lowly position subordinate to Srila Prabhupada, BCS is demanding that in his case it means:
a) He has replaced Srila Prabhupada as a successor diksa guru.
b) He is on the same level as Srila Prabhupada (as "His Divine Grace").
Similarly, another GBC-elected guru, HH Kadamba Kanana Swami ("KKS") states:
"Sometimes, we may feel that our spiritual master is not really giving us a lot of instruction and he is not really telling us something special. That means, he just wants us to do the regular things like daily chanting sixteen rounds of japa and following four regulative principles – no meat, fish or eggs; no gambling; no intoxication; no illicit sex. It means that he wants us to learn the regular principles of prescribed practice for every devotee. It means that he wants us to rise early in the morning, preferably during brahma-muhurta. It means that he wants us to study especially Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam."
(KKS Lecture, 6/4/15)
So KKS gives the same instructions that his "disciples" get from Srila Prabhupada's books -- chant 16 rounds, follow the 4 regulative principles, wake up early -- and indeed they are told to read Srila Prabhupada's books. Yet, just for KKS doing this, his "disciple" must worship KKS as good as God, while rejecting Srila Prabhupada as his actual spiritual master!
Srila Prabhupada does the work, GBC guru gets worshipped as good as God -- GBC's nonsensical, so-called "guru-tattva" in a nut-shell.
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