Back To Prabhupada, Issue 65, Vol 1, 2020
1) The standard system of initiation that took place during Srila Prabhupada's physical presence, especially in the later years, was as follows:
a) Through studying Srila Prabhupada's teachings, one would become convinced to join an ISKCON temple.
b) Then, having been observed for at least 6 months by the temple authorities to have followed the rules and regulations, one would be recommended by the Temple President for initiation.
c) This recommendation was sent to either Srila Prabhupada, or after July 9th, 1977, to the rtvik representative, who would then accept the candidate so that he or she would become a duly initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada.
The many initiation letters, as well as the July 9th, 1977 directive, in the Bhaktivedanta Vedabase will attest to the fact that this was the initiation system for ISKCON authorised by Srila Prabhupada. In many cases, the candidate for initiation had no contact with Srila Prabhupada, either before or after the initiation.
2) The office of ISKCON guru HH Jayapataka Swami ("JPS") sent out a report titled "He is Unstoppable!", in which it is stated that JPS had accepted disciples as follows:
"Today total 919 devotees took Harinam initiation at Sri Sri Radha Gopinatha Temple, Thakurgaon, Bangladesh".
(JPS Office, 28/1/20)
However, here is what happened:
i) These 919 devotees did not all sit with and personally learn about Krsna consciousness from JPS prior to the initiation. Rather, they learned about Krsna consciousness mainly from Srila Prabhupada's books.
ii) JPS did not individually assess each of the 919 candidates in the previous 6 months, whereby he and the prospective initiate engaged in a system of mutual examination. Rather, they would have been examined by the local temple authorities, and recommended for initiation.
iii) JPS merely "accepted" them as disciples at the initiation ceremony.
Thus, the system was similar to what occurred during Srila Prabhupada's physical presence, as detailed above. And, at that time, since JPS had been named as a rtvik representative by Srila Prabhupada in the July 9th, 1977, directive, JPS would have also "accepted" the initiates as disciples.
3) It appears therefore on the surface that JPS is nicely acting as a rtvik representative, just as he had been directed to do by Srila Prabhupada in the July 9th, 1977 directive. Oh wait! There is one difference at the end, even though everything else is the same. A very big difference, in fact. JPS now accepts these initiates as his own disciples, rather than accepting the disciples on behalf of Srila Prabhupada. All that has changed is that JPS has acted on a desire to be worshipped 'as good as God' and usurp the position of Srila Prabhupada by stealing the disciples for himself.
4) The same release from JPS's office also states:
"Yes, Guru Maharaja has reached milestone of 50,000 disciples. Starting from March 1978, Guru Maharaja has kept his mission on to take the responsibility of making disciples to guide them through in the path of Krishna consciousness".
a) Yes, JPS has definitely "accepted" 50,000 disciples for himself. However, he has not been "making" them – that has been done through largely the same system that was in place during Srila Prabhupada's physical presence, which was through studying Srila Prabhupada's teachings and contact with local devotees.
b) Nor, is JPS individually able to "guide" all 50,000 people on the path of Krsna consciousness. Again, as before, as was done during Srila Prabhupada's physical presence, this will mainly be done by studying Srila Prabhupada's teachings. Of course, JPS may preach to these devotees, just as he did when he was a sannyasi during Srila Prabhupada's physical presence. However, that only made JPS an instructing guru acting on behalf of his diksa guru, Srila Prabhupada, who was also the diksa guru of those whom JPS preached to.
So, JPS's role and function has essentially stayed the same as when Srila Prabhupada was physically present, with the preaching being done mainly by Srila Prabhupada's books. But, 'magically', JPS has now transformed into an 'as good as God' diksa guru. We invoke 'magic', because, as proven above, there is no earthly reason why such a transformation should have occurred.
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