ISKCON’s GBC members release a statement on their meeting with ritvik leader Madhu Pandit Das

Dear Maharajas and Prabhus,

Dandavat pranams. Jaya Srila Prabhupada.

Please find below a report on yesterday’s meeting that was held in ISKCON, East of Kailash, New Delhi with Madhu Pandit Prabhu and his team .

Your servant,
Yudhistir Govinda Das

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Bhakti Vaibhava Maharaja (GBC Chairman), Gopal Krishna Maharaja, Bhakti Charu Maharaja, Anuttama dasa and Muralishyam dasa met with Madhu Pandit dasa, Stoka Krishna Maharaja, Chanchalapati dasa and Jai Chaitanya dasa yesterday at the ISKCON Temple in East of Kailash, New Delhi.

The meeting was a result of a cordial meeting that Jayapataka Maharaja and Madhu Pandit dasa had in Bangalore in October of this year. After the meeting, Jayapataka Swami reported the cordial nature of his interactions to the GBC body, and suggested that the GBC re-open the dialogue process with Madhu Pandit dasa and his team.

A committee, headed by the GBC Chairman Bhakti Vaibhava Swami, was formed during the Mid-year GBC meeting to discuss the possibilities of such a meeting. Maharaja reached out to the devotees in Bangalore and a meeting was set for December 6th.

In the meeting there was a discussion on the difference between principles and details. Reference was made to Srila Prabhupada’s discussion on this topic at the beginning of Chapter 6 of the Nectar of Devotion. There was also an extensive discussion on where the two parties agree philosophically and/or in practice, as well as where the differences are clear.

The mood in the meeting was conducive to dialogue. The discussions were frank. All agreed that it is a very good idea to keep the communications line open and so a follow up meeting was scheduled.

While there were unfounded speculation about the purpose and outcome of this meeting, this report should serve as a factual and authentic source of what transpired in yesterday’s meeting.

*Sd/-

Participants of the meeting
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