Abstract In Kṛṣṇa’s Vedic civilization, upanayana — the investiture with the sacred thread and brahma-gāyatrī — is exclusively conferred upon qualified men, with women and śūdras being excluded. In the early days, Śrīla Prabhupāda, to pacify a few irate female disciples who had revolted because of not getting second initiation,Continue Reading
Brief Introduction of Basu Ghosh Das, He is the Vice Chairman of the ISKCON India Governing Council (Bureau), and has been serving in ISKCON India since 1974. He is also Regional Secretary for ISKCON in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, and Temple President of ISKCON Baroda in Gujarat. Dear Readers, Maharajas, Prabhus, andContinue Reading
The first try was a bit sharp at the edges for general audience, so I’m trying to smooth it out, and some new arguments are added, too. Late last year GBC put the resolution authorizing women devotees to become diksa gurus on hold, reasoning that further discussions with its opponents isContinue Reading
This is a recent discussion between HH Bhakti Vikas Swami and HG Basu Ghosh Das on the Female Diksa Guru issue. Recorded on 13.Jan.2023.Continue Reading
Dear Readers, A couple of days back, I received a letter from a concerned devotee in Canada. He expressesd concerned about the “tilt towards female diksha gurus” [“FDGs”] amongst a section of ISKCON leaders in the West. He forwarded me the following message that he saw on social media, underContinue Reading
How can FDG proponents say that Srila Prabhupada wanted female gurus all along when he clearly writes in the quoted letters – do not start big programs to attract the masses? But when he gave sannyasa to men the idea was that they should use this position for even more massive and more vigorous preaching. Just look through his instructions to Yamuna again:Continue Reading
At its November 2, 2022 meeting, the Governing Body Commission (GBC) of ISKCON resolved to again put a moratorium on women devotees accepting disciples in ISKCON. (The resolution can be found at the end of this article.) The topic has been debated and discussed in various forums in ISKCON forContinue Reading
There once was a stree who gave diksha But wouldn’t give men any shiksha. With shyness she said To the third man she wed, “I’d burn in an agni pariksha.”Continue Reading
From: Krishna Kirti Das <> Date: Sun, Aug 7, 2022 at 9:01 PM Subject: A formal challenge to the SAC for a sastrartha To: Urmila devi dasi/Dr. Edith Best <> Dear Urmila Mata Ji, please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. The ISKCON India Scholars Board formally challenges theContinue Reading
Dear members of the GBC, Dear members of the GBC, Please accept our humble obeisance’s. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. We have come to know that you intend to go ahead with implementing women diksha gurus, despite repeated objections to your doing so by ISKCON India. This is to inform you that,Continue Reading