Challenging the Zonal Acarya System, Part 13

BY: SUN EDITORS - 24.5 2023

Page twenty-five A

"The business of Giriraj, being a disciple of Srila Prabhupada's, is to follow the order of his spiritual master and give all assistance to Srila Prabhupada's appointed representatives, and thereby please his spiritual master. The absolute consideration is Prabhupada, Prabhupada's instructions, and Prabhupada's representatives – the initiating gurus. Therefore, real worship of the guru is to worship his instruction. And the instruction by Guru Prabhupada to all of us was manifested by creating eleven initiating gurus, and we should all work cooperatively and support them. So isn't it Srila Prabhupada's instruction to cooperate amongst ourselves? And doesn't that mean that those who have been appointed as initiating gurus and GBCs should be supported under all circumstances? (Srila Prabhupada's accomplishments were listed by Giriraj). He also created the initiating gurus. Why do you forget that? He created the men in the form of the GBC and initiating gurus to maintain his movement, distribute his books, and expand by initiating new disciples. Why do you forget this? [-->]

Srila Prabhupada's disciples should worship Srila Prabhupada by helping Srila Prabhupada's appointed initiating gurus carry out Srila Prabhupada's instructions. In this way, they are worshipping Srila Prabhupada by assisting Srila Prabhupada's gurus, who are (exclusively implied) worshipping Srila Prabhupada by carrying out Srila Prabhupada's instructions. A great personality is one who creates great personalities… And Srila Prabhupada has succeeded in doing that by creating eleven initiating gurus. The pre-eminence of Srila Prabhupada is measured by what he has achieved. His greatest achievement is that he has been able to make mlecchas and yavanas into pure devotees of the Lord, particularly in the matter of appointing eleven gurus. That is the basis of Srila Prabhupada's preeminence. Why do you want to kick that away? Then where is Srila Prabhupada's pre-eminence? Isn't this the most glorious achievement of Srila Prabhupada?"

Hansadutta Swami to Giriraj Swami

Page twenty-five B

In this letter by Hansadutta Swami to Giriraj Swami, which consisted of 33 typewritten, 14-inch, fully-filled pages, there is only one order of Srila Prabhupada found to be mentioned. And it is to be found on virtually every page. We feel that this may be a little bit of an overemphasis of this order. We also feel that the sense of this order has become perverted. Perhaps this way of thinking is also rather prevalent throughout ISKCON. Surrender to Krsna cannot be limited to cooperation with Godbrothers as the all-in-all. It is important, no doubt. But we are not all unwilling to cooperate. This paper is indeed presented with the sincere motive of increasing everyone's opportunity to ACTUALLY cooperate! Where is the question of cooperation amidst philosophical discrepancies? So we want to cooperate like the followers of mundane national allegiances? Such cooperating was never recommended by Srila Prabhupada. [-->]

There are four means or ways of convincing a person to ally with one's philosophy or cause: 1) sama (logic), 2) dana (bribery), 3) bheda (duplicity), and 4) danda (fear pressure and punishment). Godbrothers should restrict themselves to the sama platform. If the new gurus fall victim to the misconception that all of their Godbrothers who are not cent-per-cent surrendered to them are in maya and have no link with Srila Prabhupada, then what means will they resort to in an effort to either "bring them over" or prevent their philosophical conclusions from influencing other Godbrothers? There is a famous aphorism which reads to the effect. "If you want to destroy someone completely, just do three things: Villify! Villify! Villify!"

"You feel? What is the use of your feeling? You are trying to overshadow Srila Prabhupada and his appointed gurus by issuing a very offensive paper throughout the movement at an inopportune time. Because you, Giriraj, have fallen under the influence of the non-devotee class of men, you have become the branch of the tree of ISKCON joined with the ax-head of the envious nondevotees attempting to chop down the tree of ISKCON… trying to destroy the entire arrangement that Srila Prabhupada left. So why should we accept the opinion of Giriraj, who is just rabble-rousing in the sastras to minimize the position which has been created by Srila Prabhupada… an upstart searching the sastras to destroy Srila Prabhupada's appointed gurus… this rascal Giriraj Swami. And you, Giriraj, also talk, talking nonsense. You are trying to drag them into the mud. He has committed the greatest offense by disrupting the peace and harmony of ISKCON. If anyone is trying to usurp Srila Prabhupada's position, it is Giriraj Swami and not anyone else. This man has spit on the arrangement and denied. The whole of India appears to be embroiled in a pot of poison."

Hansadutta Swami to Giriraj Swami

Page twenty-five C

We maintain that this kind of mudslinging is not beneficial and not the means which our spiritual master wants us to use during disagreements. And, if the issue is considered to be one of surrender (which, in the higher sense, it certainly is) this villification pressure is also not the means by which surrender is procurred.

"Surrender does not mean that you don't question, that you simply have to take everything blindly. The spiritual master – whether he is a representative of Krsna or Krsna Himself – does not force. Force has no effect. Even a child, if forced, won't act."