What is Madhu-sevita Prabhu’s Janmashtami Message About?
The ISKCON India Scholars Board responds to GBC Chairman Madhu-sevita Das’s 2026 Janmashtami warning about internal divisions, arguing the real issue behind them is the female diksha-guru debate and the authority of Manu-samhita in Srila Prabhupada’s teachings.
In his 2026 Janmashtami message, GBC Chairman Madhu-sevita Das warned that internal divisions could destroy ISKCON. This presentation from the ISKCON India Scholars Board argues that the real fault line behind those divisions is the debate over female diksha-gurus — and that the disagreement is not merely about whether women may initiate disciples, but about the authority of the Manu-samhita and Srila Prabhupada’s repeated, consistent citations of it throughout his books and his practical leadership. The presenters contend that only the position upholding Prabhupada’s emphasis on Manu can integrate all the evidence without selective reading or contradiction, and that this is what preserves complete faith in both Prabhupada and sastra.
