Names Sent to All GBC Members

6.4.1.3.1 Letter of Nomination to GBC Corresponding Secretary

The Chairman of the area council shall send a letter of nomination for the guru candidate endorsed by the council to the GBC Corresponding Secretary. The letter of endorsement must include the following items:

1. A thorough description of the qualifications of the candidate, showing point by point how he conforms to the GBC standards and guidelines for guru.

2. A complete history of the devotional service of the candidate, including the dates and places of his engagements.

3. A list of the names of the members of the nominating council, giving for each member the service, the seniority, his vote, and an explanation for his vote.

6.4.1.3.2 Corresponding Secretary Verifies and Distributes

 

(Amendment 2004)

After verifying that the candidate has been properly endorsed, the GBC Corresponding Secretary shall send the candidate's name with the full letter of endorsement and the compilation of responses by the local nominating committee to all members of the GBC.

 

Three GBC Objections Veto Candidate

Any member of the GBC who has a misgiving concerning the suitability of a candidate, or who would prefer the matter to be discussed and decided by the GBC body, has six months from his date of notification to file a written statement of non-approval with the GBC Corresponding Secretary. If the Corresponding Secretary receives at least three letters of non-approval, the candidate shall not take up the role of guru, and his candidacy shall be considered by the GBC body at its next annual general meeting.

Completion of Authorizing Procedure

6.4.1.5.1 Absence of Three Letters of Non-approval

If the GBC Corresponding Secretary has not received at least three letters of non-approval by the end of the six-month period, the GBC Corresponding Secretary shall so inform the Chairman of the recommending council, upon which the candidate, after taking the prescribed vows, shall be authorized to be a guru in ISKCON and perform the duties thereof.

6.4.1.5.2 Presence of Three Letters of Non-approval

If there are three letters of non-approval within the six-month period, but subsequently sufficient GBC members withdrew their objections to lower the number of objectors to fewer than three, the Corresponding Secretary shall so inform the Chairman of the recommending council, upon which the candidate, after taking the prescribed vows, shall be authorized to be a guru in ISKCON and perform the duties thereof.

6.4.1.5.3 Corresponding Secretary Monitors and Informs

The Corresponding Secretary shall monitor this procedure and keep all the concerned parties informed as needed.

 

Vows of Guru

A devotee authorized to act as a guru in ISKCON must publicly take the following vows in a ceremony before Srila Prabhupada's vyasasana. A signed copy of the vows must be filed with the GBC Corresponding Secretary:

1. My personal mission as guru in ISKCON shall be the same as the mission of Srila Prabhupada: to flood the world with transcendental literature like Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam and, as Srila Prabhupada said, to "do as I am doing" in establishing ISKCON all over the world.

2. I recognize the GBC as the ultimate managing authority in ISKCON. I support the GBC system and will follow the GBC as Srila Prabhupada desired.

3. I recognize that a bona fide guru is first of all a bona fide disciple, and that in all my actions I shall remain surrendered to Srila Prabhupada's orders and the orders of his authorized representatives.

4. As Srila Prabhupada ordered his followers to serve within ISKCON under the GBC, I acknowledge that for me to represent Srila Prabhupada in my service as a guru in parampara "under his order," I can do so only as a member of ISKCON. If I leave ISKCON I shall no longer act as guru.

5. As a spiritual master, I shall always set a Krsna conscious standard for all devotees by my behavior, which shall be strictly regulated and exemplary at all times. As a public representative of ISKCON, I must always conform with ISKCON policies and never act in any way to weaken or jeopardize ISKCON's world-wide mission. I shall not act in a way to diminish any person's faith in Krsna consciousness.

6. I shall scrupulously study and review all aspiring disciples, and grant initiation only to qualified devotees so as to preserve the seriousness and sanctity of initiation. I shall only accept as disciples candidates who are qualified according to the standards and procedures established by ISKCON law.

7. I shall give my disciples directions and examples in strict conformity with those of Srila Prabhupada. I shall teach all my disciples that they are part of ISKCON.