Is the SAC’s 2005 paper in line with guru, sādhu and śāstra? By Kṛṣṇa Kīrti dāsaḥ In 2005, at the request of the GBC, the Śāstric Advisory Council wrote a paper titled “Female Diksa-gurus in ISKCON.” Since then, its conclusions were the basis of several GBC resolutions. However, the SACContinue Reading
The Question of Female Dīkṣā-Gurus in ISKCON By Basu Ghoṣa dāsaḥ (ACBSP) How did the concept of FDGs creep into ISKCON after Prabhupāda’s lifetime? Pressure tactics by senior Western female disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda to establish gender equality in ISKCON. Capitulation to the gender equality concept by Western ISKCON leadersContinue Reading
Is not receiving the Brahma-gāyatrī the higher standard for women? By Bhakta ŚobhitāṃśuDecember 29, 2025Posted in The Scriptural Protocol Śāstra divides into two parts: nigama (Vedas) and āgama (Tantras or ritual manuals). Both aim at worship of the Lord, but eligibility determines which applies. In ISKCON, deity worship follows Pāñcarātra-śāstra, especiallyContinue Reading
Harmonizing Guru Eligibility: The Samanvaya of Āgama and Bhakti By Rāma Aprameya dāsaḥ The statements of Jāyākhya samhitā and Bhāradvāja Samhitā are unanimous in declaring what to do in normal and in exceptional situations. The two scriptures state the qualities of Brāhmana, Kshatriyā, Vaishyā and Śudra for acharyatvam. As aContinue Reading
Will female dīkṣā-gurus lead to female sannyāsa in ISKCON? By Kṛṣṇa-kīrti-dāsaḥ December 29, 2025 In his purport to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.24.40, Prabhupāda says that according to Manu-saṁhitā, women must always be under the protection of a father, husband, or grown sons. “So-called spiritual societies concocted in modern times give sannyāsa evenContinue Reading
What is the Female Dīkṣā-Guru Issue Really About? By Kṛṣṇa-kīrti-dāsaḥ The female dīkṣā-guru issue is not about one side in favor of it and the other side against it. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said kibā vipra kibā nyāsī śūdra kene naya, yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya—that also includes women. However, PrabhupādaContinue Reading
By Śrīdhara Śrīnivāsa dāsaḥ and Kṛṣṇa Kīrti dāsaḥ – December 30, 2025Posted in To address the challenges of preaching in the West, Śrīla Prabhupāda made adjustments within ISKCON. He made Americans and Europeans into brāhmaṇas, he gave them sannyāsa, and he established brahmacāriṇī-āśramas for women and engaged them in preaching side-by-side with men. He said the “jealous fools” whoContinue Reading
A True Indian From The West Stephen Knapp, also known by his spiritual name Sri Nandanandana Dasa (Śrī Nandanandana Dāsa), is an American author, spiritual practitioner, researcher, and lecturer on Vedic culture (Sanātana Dharma) and philosophy. He is associated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and is a disciple of A. C. BhaktivedantaContinue Reading
Excerpt: In May 2025 the Supreme Court gave Bengaluru ISKCON control of the Hare Krishna Hill temple, rejecting Mumbai ISKCON’s claims, but in October a split verdict on Mumbai’s review petitions sent the matter to a larger bench, suspending Bengaluru’s victory. Madhu Pandit Das had hailed the earlier ruling asContinue Reading
Kaunteya Das turns out to be the intrepid faultfinder. He went through a massive biography over 1500 pages of HH Bhakti Vikasa Swami Maharaja and found one anecdote he finds questionable then broadcasts it. He had challenged repeatedly: “Do you believe that Sarasvati Thakura started giving diksa to women mainlyContinue Reading