Delegation of the Responsibility to Personally Test

 

Personal testing should always be considered the standard because it is declared by guru, sädhu and çästra. But this standard has been modified in ISKCON in the following ways: (1) A disciple sometimes delegates his responsibility of testing the guru to others such as leaders or committees in the institution. (2) A guru sometimes delegates his responsibility to test his prospective disciples to others such as temple presidents. These modifications do not relieve the guru or disciple of their ultimate responsibilities in this matter. The prospective disciple is ultimately responsible for the choice of guru, and the guru is ultimately responsible for accepting a disciple.

 

The choice of a guru should always be considered primarily the personal responsibility of a prospective disciple. Therefore, delegation of that responsibility to others should not be encouraged, and what to speak of mandated. Rather, official policy should always encourage personal and direct testing. Similarly, it is the responsibility of the guru to test prospective disciples. Therefore, delegation of that responsibility to others should not be mandated. Rather, official policy should always encourage personal and direct testing of disciples. It is better to risk having disciples and gurus make their own mistakes and thereby acknowledge their own responsibility, not least of all because doing so is the çästric injunction.

 

It is presently ISKCON law that a guru cannot accept a disciple unless there is a recommendation from a temple president or a similarly situated person. In this way,

some of the responsibility for mutual testing has been delegated to a third person who could possibly interfere with the process. Although Çréla Prabhupäda himself established the precedent of delegation, even he experienced problems with it, as when he said that devotees were being recommended too easily for second initiation and called for a “boiling of the milk”. SAC, in their discussions, have not tried to resolve this issue, but feel that it should be considered in the future.

 

According to çästra there is a great responsibility for the aspiring disciple to personally test the guru. But in ISKCON this is not always possible, especially when gurus have large numbers of disciples. Disciples’ delegating their responsibility to the institution for testing gurus has become quite common in ISKCON, so much so that many take it to be the standard. This is especially true for devotees aspiring for initiation from gurus who already have many hundreds of disciples and who may not often visit the aspirant’s geographical location.

 

The aspiring disciple is confronted with some important decisions: “Shall I choose a guru whom I can test in a personal way through direct association? Or shall I choose a guru I am not able to test through direct association?” These considerations are individual, and individuals have the freedom to decide for themselves. We hope, however, that the aspirant will consider the choice of guru very carefully in reference to çästra, in consultation with trusted senior devotees, andon the recommended method of direct personal association. But no matter which of these methods the aspirant applies, he assumes the ultimate responsibility for testing the guru’s qualifications.

 

Conclusion

 

We conclude that çästra, tradition and Çréla Prabhupäda place the ultimate responsibility to test whether or not a guru is bona fide on the prospective disciple. Therefore, if we wish that new aspirants understand their need to examine a guru, we should move our guru -authorizing system as close as possible to the traditional form and terminology.

 

Policy Recommendations

 

As SAC members explored the concept of disciples testing their guru, they began to understand that ISKCON’s process of guru -authorization is an integral factor in this topic. Therefore the SAC team was led to research and write about the process of guru -authorization in this paper.

 

As a modern international organization, ISKCON must express Gauòéya Vaiñëava tradition and practice in ways appropriate for the modern world. This has meant giving the institution a role in the guru -selection process in ways that depart from the Gauòéya Vaiñëava tradition. If there are going to be such departures from the tradition in the name of institutional integrity, they should be minimal.

 

Such departures should be minimalin regards to (1) the way a devotee assumes the role of guru in ISKCON, (2) the way a guru is tested by disciples, and (3) the way a guru tests his disciples. In whatever ways these functions differ from tradition, they should be grounded in other, similar aspects of tradition to ensure protection from deviation.

 

In the next section of this paper, the SAC team has tried to draw examples from Gauòéya Vaiñëava history and tradition to offer credence to the present guru- authorization system in ISKCON. However, we had no choice but to do so from examples not specifically related to the topic of guru and disciple. In other words, ISKCON is using a system that can only be scripturally justified by referencing unrelated principles and examples and then extrapolating them to match the presentsystem. This suggests that our present guru- authorizing system is not close enough to tradition.

 

The remaining portion of this paper focuses on the topic of guru- authorization which is integral to an aspirant’s testing and choosing a spiritual master.

Blessing-Seeking

 

Presently, members of ISKCON generally use the term “authorization”, “nomination” or “no-objection” when discussing the procedure for devotees accepting the service dékñä-guru. Although we do not find çästric evidence for bureaucratic entities granting authorization to gurus, we do find evidence that devotees who are ordered to begin an important service first take the blessings or permission of senior Vaiñëavas. For example, when Çréla Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé was ordered to write the Caitanya-caritämåta, he took the permission of the senior Vaiñëavas, his gurus and the Deity as well. Kaviräja Gosvämé did this because it was considered standard Vaiñëava etiquette. And at that time and place, this etiquette was well-established within Gauòéya Vaiñëava society. But today, in our Society, these etiquettes are not so well-established. Therefore ISKCON has institutionalized the process of blessing-seeking.

 

It is a principle of Vaiñëava etiquette that one receives blessings or permission from senior Vaiñëavas before performing an important service. This is, however, specifically for the benefit of the prospective guru himself, not for the organization. Blessings provide spiritual protection and security to keep one free from Mäyä’s influence. Therefore it should be highly recommended that all prospective spiritual masters take advantage of Vaiñëava blessings and approach those senior Vaiñëavas with whom they have a relationship. In this way, the blessings become meaningful and potent.

 

Çréla Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé, on his own volition, took blessings or permission from the leading Vaiñëavas in Våndävana before taking up the service of writing the Caitanya-caritämåta:

 

a) “I took permission from Çréla Våndävana däsa Öhäkura by praying at his lotus feet, and upon receiving his order I have attempted to write this auspicious literature.”

 

PURPORT: “Çréla Kåñëadäsa Kaviräja Gosvämé took permission not only from the Vaiñëavas

and Madana-mohana but also from Våndävana däsa Öhäkura, who is understood to

be the Vyäsa of the pastimes of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu.” (Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 8.81)

 

Mahäräja Pratäparudra, on his own volition, took the permission of the devotees before massaging the legs of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu:

 

b) “Following Särvabhauma Bhaööäcärya’s instructions, the King had given up his royal dress. He now entered the garden in the dress of a Vaiñëava. Mahäräja Pratäparudra was so humble that with folded hands he first took permission from all the devotees. Then, with great courage, he fell down and touched the lotus feet of the Lord. As Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu lay on the raised platform with His eyes closed in ecstatic love and emotion, the King very expertly began to massage His legs. The King began to recite verses about the räsa-lélä from Çrémad-Bhägavatam. ” (Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya - lélä 14.6)

 

To refer to the process of seeking blessings as an act of Vaiñëava etiquette does not trivialize it. Rather, it exalts it:

 

“My dear Sanätana, although you are the deliverer of the entire universe and although even the demigods and great saints are purified by touching you, it is the characteristic of a devotee to observe and protect the Vaiñëava etiquette. Maintenance of the Vaiñëava etiquette is the ornament of a devotee. By observing the etiquette, you have satisfied My mind.” (Caitanya-caritämåta Antya-lélä 4.129-130, 132)

 

It is consistent with our tradition that a prospective guru asks for the blessings or permission of senior devotees before starting to take disciples. Our present system has institutionalized a process of senior devotees voting or offering no-objection to prospective gurus. But we do not find that this institutionalized blessing-seeking process is mentioned by guru, sädhu or çästra as the way that one is authorized to become a guru.

 

This system has been created to enable some institutional oversight. The institutional oversight of prospective gurus is needed, but it can be performed in a different way as we shall suggest later. The very first point to understand is how a devotee is actually authorized or empowered to assume the service and role of a spiritual master in Gauòéya Vaiñëavism and in our ISKCON movement.

 

Empowerment

 

The actual order or empowerment to initiate disciples comes from the order of one’s spiritual master:

 

Svarüpa Dämodara: (The professor asked me) how do you know that guru is qualified, spiritual master is qualified? Then I said (answered) everything is written in the sastras, so we have to follow according to the injunctions written in the sastras. So all the qualifications of a pure devotee, of a bona fide guru, is written there. Just like you are a professor of physics in the university. Before you came, you had some qualification, degree of doctors. And then there is a committee to decide you whether you are qualified for the post. So it is selected by a committee of members and then they interview and then they find out your qualifications. If they find that you are qualified for the post, so you are selected as a professor. It's like that in the spiritual field also. There are revealed scriptures and there everything is written what will be the qualification of a guru and then how to choose a bona fide one. So everything is written, you should follow the injunctions of the revealed scriptures accordingly.

 

Prabhupäda: Committee is his spiritual master, he orders that you do this.

(Morning Walk, 1-3 October 1972 LA)

 

Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya guru haya tara sarva-desa, tara ei desa. He's asking everyone to become a spiritual master. So how everyone can become a spiritual master? A spiritual master must have sufficient knowledge, so many other qualifications. No. Even without any qualifications, one can become a spiritual master. How? Now the process is, Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya: 'On My order.' That is the crucial point. One does not become spiritual master by his own whims. That is not spiritual master. He must be ordered by superior authority. Then he's spiritual master. Amara ajnaya. Just like in our case. Our superior authority, our spiritual master, he ordered me that 'You just try to preach this gospel, whatever you have learned from me, in English.' So we have tried it. That's all. It is not that I am very much qualified. The only qualification is that I have tried to execute the order of superior authority.

(Bg. 2.2 Lecture, 3 August 1973 London)

 

Brahmananda: He's asking when did you become the spiritual leader of Krsna

consciousness?

Prabhupada: When my Guru Maharaja ordered me. This is the guru-parampara.

Indian: Did it...

Prabhupada: Try to understand. Don't go very speedily. A guru can become guru

when he's ordered by his guru. That's all. Otherwise nobody can become guru.

Indian woman 2: (Hindi)

Prabhupada: (Hindi) Sadhi mam prapannam. "I am surrendered to You. Whatever You

say, I shall carry out." That's all.

Indian man: When did he tell you to...?

Prabhupada: What is the business, when did he tell me? And why shall I disclose

to you? It is so very insignificant thing that I have to explain to you?

Indian man: No, I am just curious when...

Prabhupada: You should be curious within your limit. You should know that one

can become guru when he is ordered by his guru, this much.

(Lecture, Bhagavad-gita 7.2, Nairobi, 28 October 1975)

 

In the case of Çréla Prabhupäda’s dékñä disciples, a general order to become spiritual master has been given many times by His Divine Grace both orally and in writing. Therefore, all dékñä disciples of Çréla Prabhupäda who are properly following his instructions are in fact already authorized and empowered to initiate disciples. To work within ISKCON, however, a preacher must agree to cooperate with the organization and thus seeks the blessings of senior Vaiñëavas within the Society. But this seeking of blessings would be best performed if it were not officially mandated. Rather, it could be done at the discretion of the devotee who plans to accept disciples.

 

The references in the next section demonstrate that Çréla Prabhupäda intended and ordered all of his disciples to become spiritual masters.

 

Çréla Prabhupäda’s Intentions

 

Çréla Prabhupäda made his intentions clear about all of his disciples becoming spiritual masters:

 

Ätreya Åñi: How many qualifications does a spiritual master have in terms of being a spiritual master?

Prabhupäda: One qualification: he is a devotee of God. That's all.

Ätreya Åñi: Does he have to be designated by the former spiritual master? He has to be devotee...

Prabhupäda: Oh, yes, oh yes.

Ätreya Åñi:...surrendered and designated. That is..., identifies disciplic succession: both surrender and designation.

Prabhupäda: And by the result.

Ätreya Åñi: And the result of activity.

Prabhupäda: So far designation is concerned, the spiritual master authorizes every one of his disciples. But it is up to the disciple to carry out the order, able to carry out or not. It is not that spiritual master is partial, he designates one and rejects other. He may do that. If the other is not qualified, he can do that. But actually his intention is not like that. He wants that each and every one of his disciple become as powerful as he is or more than that. That is his desire. Just like father wants every son to be as qualified or more qualified than the father. But it is up to the student or the son to raise himself to that standard.

Ätreya Åñi: Yes, I understand.

Prabhupäda: If you are incapable of raising yourself to the standard of becoming spiritual master, that is not your spiritual master's fault; that is your fault. He wants, just like Caitanya Mahäprabhu said, ämära äjïäya guru haïä (Cc. Madhya 7.128), By My order, every one of you become a guru. If one cannot carry out the order of Caitanya Mahäprabhu, then how he can become a guru? The first qualification is that he must be able to carry out the order of Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Then he becomes guru. So that carrying out the order of Caitanya Mahäprabhu depends on one's personal capacity. Ämära äjïäya guru haïä. (Room Conversation, 29 June 1972, San Diego)

 

Every student is expected to become Acarya. Acarya means one who knows the scriptural injunctions and follows them practically in life, and teaches them to his disciples. …Keep trained up very rigidly and then you are bona fide Guru, and you can accept disciples on the same principle. But as a matter of etiquette it is the custom that during the lifetime of your Spiritual Master you bring the prospective disciples to him, and in his absence or disappearance you can accept disciples without any limitation. This is the law of disciplic succession. I want to see my disciples become bona fide Spiritual Master and spread Krishna consciousness very widely, that will make me and Krishna very happy. (Letter to Tusta Krsna, 2 Dec. 1975)

 

I want that all of my spiritual sons and daughters will inherit this title of Bhaktivedanta, so that the family transcendental diploma will continue through the generations. Those possessing the title of Bhaktivedanta will be allowed to initiate disciples. Maybe by 1975, all of my disciples will be allowed to initiate and increase the numbers of the generations. That is my program. (Letter to Hamsaduta 3 Jan. 1969)

 

Now is the time for the members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness to distribute krsna-bhakti all over the world and thus follow the orders of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The Lord has ordered everyone to become a guru (Cc. Madhya 7.128): amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa. (Cc. Madhya 15.41 purport)

 

So there is no bar against anyone; anyone can become a spiritual master provided he knows the science of Krsna. This is the only qualification, and this science in essence is contained in Bhagavad-gitä. At the present moment, thousands of spiritual masters are needed to spread this great science throughout the world. (Raja Vidya ch.7)

 

He must not take on unlimited disciples. This means that a candidate who has successfully followed the first twelve items can also become a spiritual master himself, just as a student becomes a monitor in class with a limited number of disciples. (Easy Journey ch.1)

 

Ordered by Çré Guru and Gauräìga

 

The following are just a few of the numerous instances wherein Çréla Prabhupäda ordered his disciples to take up the duty of becoming spiritual masters:

 

So our request is that every one of you become a guru. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's order. He wants that everyone must become a guru. How? That He says: yare dekha tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa. (Bg. 7.1 Lecture, 20 Dec. 1975 Bombay)

 

Who is actually guru in the parampara system? Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh (Bg. 4.2). So we have to take the authority of become guru from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the same thing. Within five hundred years His order is that amara ajnaya guru hana: (Cc. Madhya 7.128) "You cannot become guru all of a sudden. You must take order from Me." He is jagad-guru. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu says you, all of you, to become guru and deliver. Because there are so many innumerable fallen souls in this age-mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagya hy upadrutah (SB 1.1.10) -- we require hundreds and thousands of gurus. But not cheaters. This is the time when requires hundreds and thousands of gurus. But who will become guru? That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's injunction, amara ajnaya: "By My order you become guru. Don't be all-of-a-sudden guru. Become guru on My order." (Speech to Devotees, April 7, 1976 Vrndavana)

 

“I give you order. You, every one of you become a spiritual master.” “Oh, I have no qualification. How can I become spiritual master? It requires high knowledge, Sanskrit understanding.” “No, you don’t require anything. Simply you speak krsna-upadesa.” What is krsna-upadesa? Krsna says, sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm ekam saranam vraja (Bg. 18.66). You simply go door to door and say, “Please surrender to Krsna.” Then you are spiritual master. I have done this. What I have done? I have gone to your country to say this thing, that “Here is Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You surrender; you become perfect.” That is being done. So it is not very difficult to become spiritual master. Simply you have to become very serious and sincere to the service of Krsna. (Bhag. Lecture, 4 Nov 1973 Delhi)

 

“Take My order and you become a spiritual master.” How? “Simply speak Krsna consciousness, that’s all. Simply speak on Krsna’s message, krsna-kathä.” There are two kinds of krsna-kathäs. One is the Bhagavad-gitä, and the other is Srimad-Bhägavatam. So this is the propagation of Krsna consciousness. (Lecture 11 Dec 1968 Los Angeles)

 

Lord Caitanya says that “Every one of you become the spiritual master, every one of you. Why one, two? Every one of you.” “Oh, spiritual master is very difficult job.” No. No difficult job. Caitanya Mahä... Ämära äjïäya: “Just try to carry out My order. That’s all. Then you become spiritual master.” And if you interpolate, if you put something nonsense, rubbish, to show your so-called rascal’s education, then it is spoiled. Immediately spoiled. And if you present as it is, then it is pure. (Lecture 9 May 1969 Columbus)

 

So our request is that every one of you become a guru. That is Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s order. He wants that everyone must become a guru. How? That He says: yäre dekha täre kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa ämära äjnäya guru hanä tära’ ei desa. This is guru. Suppose you are family member. So many living entities, you sons, your daughters, your daughter-in-law, or children, you can become their guru. Exactly like this you can sit down in the evening and talk about the Bhagavad-gitä, yäre dekha täre kaha krsna-upadesa. You haven’t got to manufacture something. The instruction is there; you simply repeat and let them hear—you become guru. It is not difficult at all. So that is our preaching. We do not want to become alone guru, but we want to preach in such a way that every, the chief man, or any man, he can become guru in his surroundings. Anyone can do that. Even a coolie, he can also, he has got family, he has got friends, so even though he is illiterate, he can hear the instruction of Krsna, and he can preach the same. This we want. (Lecture, 20 Dec 1975 Bombay)

 

Since the order to become spiritual master has been amply given by Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu and Çréla Prabhupäda, strict disciples of Çréla Prabhupäda are already authorized to accept disciples. Preachers have agreed to cooperate and obtain the blessings of senior devotees within our Vaiñëava community. But it would be better if this seeking of blessings was not officially mandated because it would then be closer to tradition. It could be done at the discretion of the devotee who plans to accept disciples. Such a devotee should be encouraged to seek blessings from whomever he sees fit.

 

Once this more traditional system is established, gradually it will become clearer to new aspirants that they are not limited in their choice of spiritual master only to gurus who are already accepting disciples. ISKCON leaders should explain to devotees that they can choose any devotee in good-standing who has the proper qualifications as guru as given in the scriptures.

 

In light of this understanding, the GBC may wish to consider other changes in the current procedures.