Challenging the Zonal Acarya System, Part 14

BY: SUN EDITORS - 25.5 2023

Page twenty-six

We should stop and soberly consider, before allowing this issue to degenerate to lower levels of disagreement. These days, epitaphs like "envious snake" are being flung around with abandon. This is not at all good. We are presenting this whole topic of discussion, a most important topic of discussion for all of us, in a very gentlemanly manner. Christ spoke the truth when he said, "One who lives by the sword must die by the sword." Death, in this example, also indicates defeat. [-->]

It is a fact, we are challenging that something rather serious has gone array in the application of this new guru procedure. The only thing which we are trying to defeat is ignorance; we are hating the sin and not those who have become victimized by these inebrieties. Let us not bring danda into it. After all, we shouldn't forget that the ISKCON movement is not without it's skeletons in the closet, and many of the older Godbrothers know about these unpalatable and inauspicious things in detail. Not all of these skeletons are sleeping in the distant past, and the mass media would just love to get ahold of these things. A disgruntled Godbrother may be a time bomb. Our force must be the force of sastra, logic, intelligence, and purity. Not this danda. Everything will turn to ashes in our mouths if we hurl vindictive insults at one another. We can never suppress the truth for very long. We cannot advance our cause in these ways. The means justify the end, unless the end turns out to be mean.

TO QUESTION IS VALID

Currently there is an atmosphere being promoted that the Godbrothers should not question the system of new guru worship.

"Your letter, introduced in mid-year, in an opposing spirit, has been heavy-hearted reading for me. It appears to be something which might tend to sow seeds of disunity. I am not happy to see the same questions brought up again… You have questioned the entire institution of initiating gurus and addressed yourself to a GBC composed of initiators and non-initiators. Do you not think that you would create an unnecessarily volatile situation? Please be very cautious about sending so many copies of letters all over the world which tend to incite controversy."

Satsvarupa Maharaj to Giriraj Swami

"So until one comes to that platform (the best devotee) he should not criticize. Keep quiet. Don't write these papers. A person who is not sitting on the vyasasana should not criticize a person who is sitting on the vyasasana. He is making so many accusations. Is he above accusation?"

Hansadutta Maharaj to Giriraj Swami

Page twenty-seven

We have heard that Srila Prabhupada was dealt with similarly by his Gaudiya Math Godbrothers. Indeed, two of his Godbrothers still alive today have informed us that Srila Prabhupada's name was erased from the list of Gaudiya Math members by the manager of the movement at that time, a powerful, manipulative sannyasi who had received much personal association with Srila Bhaktisiddhanta. We are following in Srila Prabhupada's footsteps by speaking up against inebrieties which must be rectified. We may not be encouraged in this by some of our Godbrothers, but we nevertheless do not consider the comparison to our following in our spiritual master's footsteps to be all that unpalatable or untrue. Of course, our society is actively preaching in the form of massive book distribution at the present time. But that many literatures are being distributed does not entitle us the sovereign position of being beyond criticism. Purity is the long-term force. [-->]

We may be accused of fault finding, but it is not a fact. That is the bad side of the coin of analysis. The other side is constructive criticism, which is wanted. We may note that totalitarian societies in this world make great effort to squelch all internal criticism. Why is there a desire on the part of some to suppress constructive criticism? We are presenting this paper in the proper way by first presenting it to the GBC for review and hopefully, action. Constructive criticism will help to insure our long-range health, we are convinced of this.

siddhanta baliya citte na kara also
iha ha-ite krsna lage sudrdha manasa

"A sincere student should not neglect to discuss the conclusions of the sastras, considering them controversial, for such discussions strengthen the mind. Thus one's mind becomes attached to Krsna."

Caitanya Caritamrta Adi 2.117