Dear Devotees,
Vaishnavebhyo namonamah. Jaya Srila Prabhupada!
If you would be so kind, I would like to bring to your attention a resolution of the ISKCON India Governing Council (aka ”Bureau”) regarding the ISKCON GBC’s recent resolution passed at Tirupati during October 2019, authorizing female diksa-gurus (FDGs) on a geographic region-by-region basis.
The ISKCON India Governing Bureau is overwhelmingly opposed to this resolution, as are ISKCON India’s divisional leaders (the “IIAC” = ISKCON India Advisory Committee) and local temple authorities (the “ICC” = Indian Continental Committee).
We oppose the GBC’s resolution because it is opposed in heart and spirit to Srila Prabhupada’s teachings.
The Bureau therefore passed its own resolution calling for the GBC to reconsider its resolution regarding instituting FDGs. The Bureau voted 14 in favor, 1 abstention and 1 against for the resolution copied below.
Thank you for your kind attention and consideration of this important issue,
Sincerely, dasanudas,
Basu Ghosh Das
Vice-chairman
ISKCON India Governing Bureau
P.S. For those reading this who may not be aware, Srila Prabhupada registered ISKCON in India at Bombay during 1971, under both the Bombay Public Trust Act, and the Society’s act of 1860 (laws enacted during British Imperial Rule in India, that are still on the books today).
The Bureau’s Resolution regarding FDGs
On the last day of the meeting of the ISKCON India Governing Council (Bureau) at Ahmedabad, November 25, 2019, the following resolution was adopted by the Bureau: a response to ISKCON’s GBC having passed a resolution at Tirupati last month, sanctioning female diksha gurus.
Whereas, the GBC has passed a resolution at their mid-term meeting at Tirupati 2019, authorizing female diksha gurus. However, the Bureau had passed a resolution during its February 2019 meeting at Pune, calling on the GBC not to pass any resolution on female diksha gurus, before entering into a dialogue with the Bureau, but regretfully the GBC did not do so, and the Bureau feels distressed and disheartened by the disregard shown by the GBC towards the Bureau,
Whereas, we all know that “books are the basis”, and in our foundational book, Srimad Bhagavatam, 4.12.32, Prabhupada clearly stated that “being a woman” Suniti could not be Dhruva’s diksha guru”. The Bureau finds that the said resolution instituting female diksha gurus is in our understanding a contravention of this specific instruction of Srila Prabhupada,
Whereas, the resolution passed by the GBC on female diksha gurus is having a divisive effect on the worldwide community of devotees,
Whereas, the members of the Bureau find the said resolution instituting female diksha gurus to contradict established vaishnava practices, traditions, and the culture of the Saraswat line of Gaudiyas, as set down in various vedic scriptures,
Whereas, the effort to institute female diksa-gurus in ISKCON contravenes Srila Prabhupada’s instruction to institute varnashrama-dharma as the social system for ISKCON,
Whereas, Srila Prabhupada did not confer the sacred thread to women, therefore we understand that they are thus unauthorized to confer it to others,
Whereas, Srila Prabhupada had so many sincere and senior female disicples, but still he never appointed a single woman as a TP, GBC, or ritvik (guru – as per the July 9 letter), thus establishing his intent that as per teaching of the shastra that woman should always be protected and not have authority over men,
Whereas, the Bureau is afraid that since the GBC has the tendency to appoint women as TPs and GBCs, and now female diksha gurus, it will open the doors to more Western liberal egalitarian ideas that men and women are absolutely equal, a view that Prabhupada condemned time and again,
Whereas, this resolution and consequent implementation will cause the leaders of the four Vaishnava sampradayas and bona fide followers of Sanatana Dharma to call into question the authenticity of ISKCON,
Whereas, the members of the Bureau feel that the GBC resolution authorizing female diksha gurus even on a regional basis will adversely affect ISKCON India. As devotees around the world treat ISKCON as one united institution and not compartmentally, with each area having it’s own systems of initiation. So anyone who is intiaiated by a female guru outside of India cannot be denied as a bona fide initiated devotee within India. We wish to point out that ISKCON India has the most temples, the largest group of both fully dedicated and congregational devotees, and the most book distribution in the world. Moreover, we wish to point out that the vast majority of ISKCON’s congregation in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, as well as to some extent in Western Europe, are Indians, and they naturally have a relationship with ISKCON in India,
Whereas, the Bureau takes cognizance of the vote in the ICC – Indian temple presidents and managers meeting – (vote was seventy six in favor, three opposed, with four abstentions), and in the IIAC – divisional council representatives and Bureau members’ joint meeting – (twenty one in favor, three opposed, and six absentions) wherein both bodies voted overwhelmingly to reject this resolution of the GBC, and called upon us to convey their desire to the GBC for this resolution to be rescinded,
Whereas, this resolution that may have far reaching effects was passed by the GBC with only a simple majority, whereas to be confirmed as a GBC member a 4/5 majority is required,
Therefore, in view of the above, it is hereby resolved, that,
The Bureau hereby expresses its strong opposition to the GBC resolution on female diksha gurus, passed during their 2019 meeting, at Tirupati,
The Bureau calls on the GBC body to rescind the resolution on female diksha gurus during its 2020 AGM, and, as requested by the Bureau in February 2019, to enter into a dialogue on the issue with us, to come to a mutually agreeable solution on the basis of guru, sadhu, and shastra,
Further, the Bureau calls on the GBC body to reconstitute the Shastric Advisory Council (SAC), in consultation with the Bureau, as it appears that the conclusions of the SAC papers of 2005 and 2013 on the topic of female diksha gurus, which informed the GBC’s resolution, are incorrect.
Prepared for Akincana Gocara site. Free to share/publish unaltered as anyone sees fit.
Female Diksa Guru: A nuanced approach
By Mayesa dasa ACBSP
It is the case that a thorough examination of the wisdom or ignorance of ISKCON’s GBC’s decision regarding Female Diksa Guru is so vast few tackle the subject.
In brief I shall do so.
We can properly divide the subject into Sastric statements and Maya’s effect.
1) Sastra nowhere sanctions females giving Diksa initiation. In fact, sastra prohibits females from receiving or giving second initiation.
The Puranas state that an initiate must be bare chested to receive the sacred thread from guru. Women can not appear bare chested before anyone but their husband.
That is a physical injunction.
Women are by nature souls trapped in a lower level of consciousness than males and thus do not require, nor can they obtain the required qualification for second initiation . This is a subtle sastric consideration.
If we foolishly state that Sastra is not presently in effect we nullify all sastra and thereby parampara itself which of course nullifies initiation, spiritual life and God.
2) What is not being properly addressed in regard to this issue is Maya’s effect.
We have entered the age of Kali. We often say this without any consideration of its real meaning at all. By referring to this reality in vague terms we render our statements meaningless. ( technically Mayavada philosophy )
Let us look deeper to understand how Maya has influenced the GBC’s present decision.
In Kali age monarchy disappeared and men were granted the vote. It is only our foolishness which allows us to accept this development as natural and beneficial. ( in fact His Divine Grace prayed for reconstitution of varnasrama worldwide. The Puranas proclaim this is a possibility even in Kali age )
Then, the society degrading further ( no brahmacari training, no early marriage, poverty ) women were granted the vote.
Already men had been falsely elevated and now women were similarly falsely elevated. Women being by nature less advanced than men and more in number, naturally degradation of society followed.
Let us investigate further.
The degradation of human society proceeds at every moment in Kali yuga.
At this moment the cultural Marxist movement *1 has permeated western education, media and government and so we find the downward spiral of human morality and decency.
What practical changes in society do we observe?
The promotion of transgenderism, child molestation, human trafficking, murder of the unborn are concrete examples–and all supported by modern governments and of course embraced by the less intelligent as progress. ( In fact the name Progressivism has been adopted *1 )
Female Diksa Guru is as much an example of the degradation of human society as any of these and has the same cause.
We can argue all day over sastra but sastra cannot explain why the ISKCON GBC has invited this error of introducing female initiating gurus. Such a bogus situation is not by any means the result of Sastric interpretation.
Rather another cause can be seen if we pry our eyes open. So-called ” devotees ” infected with these Leftist ( Progressive ) ideologies have insinuated themselves into ISKCON.
These ” devotees ” may be themselves simply infected with Maya.
It is also not out of the realm of possibility that these ” devotees ” may even be paid by/directed by outside governmental entities–we are after all caught up in the evil days of Kali yuga.
Conclusion:
When we judge things from the Sastric viewpoint we properly see that we have erred when we have proposed a nonsastric answer to the question of Female Diksa Guru AKA *3 Feminism. *4
And this is simply because we are failing to factor in the practical present evils of Kali which have been deliberately introduced by demonic organizations and movements into the world’s culture.
Wherever there is is a vacuum of Krsna consciousness it will be filled by communist, atheist, false religionist and totalitarianist ideologies.
We must learn to see that we are at war with the spreading darkness of Kali and not fall prey to its siren’s song. *5
………….. ………………… …………..
*1 Progressive is a term adopted by Leftists early in the 20th century.
*2 Cultural Marxism was a deliberately created movement meant to destroy the human culture of morality. It was introduced into American educational system decades ago.
Cultural Marxism, Moral Relativism, atheistic science ( and many other identifiable movements ) have also served to accelerate the gradual erosion of morality in Kali yuga.
3* AKA means ” also known as ”
*4 Feminism is another modern concept created to accelerate the destruction of the family and thus society at large.
*5 Siren’s song. In the Greek myth of Ulysses sailors would cast themselves into the sea after hearing the beautiful maiden’s songs wafting from the Isle of Lesbos. Ulysses ordered his soldiers to fill their ears with wax so that they would not fall prey to the siren’s songs.
Sorry Swami but you are very very wrong on your backward explanation of women.It is due to this extremely backward thinking of women in India that so many are being raped and murdered by men .women are born equal to men and it’s time India rose up to the MODERN TIMES and stop treating women like dogs.
Rape cases in India are there because of modern times. Btw India is nowhere near developed nations like UK and USA. India has only 66 rape cases per day but UK has 200 and USA more than 280 per day!
Please read: “Is India the Rape Capital of the World?” https://akincana.net/2016/02/12/is-india-the-rape-capital-of-the-world/
That is foolish.
India IS NOT following Vedic culture presently at all. Therefore it is logically IMPOSSIBLE that women are being mistreated due to Vedic culture.
Rather we are trying to get the atheistic leaders of society to once again embrace Vedic culture.