2-Harmonizing ISKCON's Lines15

7/30/2019 2-Harmonizing ISKCON's Lines15

1/11

1

HarmonizingISKCON'sLinesofAuthority

Preface

ThispaperhasbeenvotedonbytheGBCandisnowanofficialGBCpolicypaper.

Thefollowingoffersmoreaboutthepaperspurposeandscope.The topic of Lines of Authority is a heritage or legacy issue. By heritage or

legacyissueswemean thosetopics thatare ofcore importance tothe futureof

ISKCON.Thesearetheissuesthataregoingtoberelevantforgenerationstocome.

HowtoaddresstheminawaythatreflectsSrilaPrabhupadasintentandpurpose

willbeexpressedinpaperslikethisone.

This Lines of Authority paper is not the full and final statement on this topic.

Rather,itisagoodfirststep.TheGBCfullyexpectsthatthepaperwillbeupdated,mademorecomprehensive,andimprovedinthecourseoftime.

Of special importance is the section outlining conduct for gurus,managers, anddisci-ples.StartingimplementationofthesepracticesnowwillprovidetheGBCwithvaluable feedbackonwherethe paperworksandwhatneeds tobeadjustedand

improved.

HistoryoftheTopic

SeveralyearsagotheGBCembarkedupondevelopingasystematicplanforthe

futureofISKCON.Theyselectedseveralissuesofprimaryimportancetothe

movementandformedcommitteestodiscussthoseissues.OneofthecommitteeswasrequestedtostudythedivergentlinesofauthoritywithinISKCONandsuggesta

methodforsettlingdisagreementsbetweenthem.ThemembersofthiscommitteewereBhanuSwami,GuruprasadaSwami,PrahladanandaSwami,RamaiSwami,

SivaramaSwami,BadrinarayanDasa,and,later,NiranjanaSwami.

Afterathoroughdiscussion,themembersofthiscommitteeconcludedthatthemost

pressingissuetoaddresswasthetensioncreatedwhenspiritualmasterssometimesactasanindependentlineofauthoritywithinISKCON.

FocusoftheEssay

Hence,thisessaywillfocusexclusivelyondefiningprinciplesthatshouldbe

followedbyinitiatingorinstructingspiritualmasters,disciplesofinitiatingor

instructingspiritualmasters,ZonalGBCs,RegionalSecretaries,TemplePresidents,

andotherISKCON-authorizedmanagers.Theaimistopreventmisunderstandings

betweenspiritualmastersandmanagers,aswellastominimizetheinfluencethese

potentialmisunderstandingsmayhaveupondevoteesundertheircombinedcare.


2/11

2

"SpiritualMaster"MeansDiksa,Siksa,orBoth

Itshouldbenotedthat,fromhereon,unlessspecified,wheneverwereferto"the

spiritualmaster"wemeanbothinitiatingspiritualmastersandinstructingspiritualmasters(includingmanagerswhoactassuch).Additionally,wheneverwereferto

"spiritualauthorities"wemeananyone(spiritualmasterormanager)whoseinstructions(siksa)andexamplehaveformedthefoundationofadevoteesfaithin

devotionalserviceandwhocontinuestobuildonthatfoundationofthedevotee's

faith.

AuthorityWithinISKCON

ThisessayisnotadetailedordefinitiveanalysisofISKCONsmanagementsystem,

norisitadetailedanalysisofguru-tattvatherequisitequalitiesanddutiesofa

spiritualmasterandtheprocessofchoosingaspiritualmaster.

Thebasicpremiseofthisessayisasfollows:Whetheradevoteeisaninitiatingspiritualmaster,aninstructingspiritualmaster,asannyasi,aGoverningBodyCommissioner,aZonalSecretary,aRegionalSecretary,aTemplePresident,a

congregationalleader,oranyoneelseinapositionofauthoritywithinISKCON,theauthoritybestoweduponthatdevoteeiscompleteonlyifheorshefollowsSrila

PrabhupadasinstructiontoserveinISKCONundertheauthorityoftheGBCBody.

Toestablishthispremise,wefeelweneeddonomorethanemphasizethatHis

DivineGraceconsistentlyandclearlyestablishedthisprincipleinhisteachings,aswellaswithinofficialdocumentshehimselfsigned.SrilaPrabhupadathusclearly

establishedtheGBCastheultimatemanagingauthorityandalsoindicatedthatthe

GBC'sjurisdictionincludestheresponsibilitytoofferspiritualguidance(siksa)tothewholeofISKCON,includingalldevoteesservingasspiritualmasters:

Reporter:"Isthereanyonewhoisdesignatedtosucceedyouastheprimaryteacher

ofthemovement?"

SrilaPrabhupada:"Iamtrainingsome,Imeantosay,advancedstudentssothatthey

mayveryeasilytakeupthecharge.IhavemadethemGBC."1

Inotherwords,althoughtheGBCistheultimatemanagingauthorityinISKCON,the

GBC'sdutyisnotonlytomanagebuttoteach.

TwoLinesofAuthority

Sinceeverydevoteeacceptshisorherspiritualinspirationfromhigherauthorities,

twolinesofauthority,withtheirrepresentatives,existwithinISKCONoneisseen

asprimarilyspiritual,whiletheotherisseenasprimarilymanagerial.Bothlinesof

1RoomConversationwithReporter,LosAngeles,June4,1976


3/11

3

authorityservetheirownuniqueyetinterdependentpurposesinsubmissiontothe

ordersofourFounder-Acarya.BothareauthorizedbytheGBCtogivesheltertodevoteesundertheircare.Thisshelterisgiventhroughbothinstructionand

example.

Bydistinguishingthetwolinesofspiritualauthorityinthesetermsasprimarilyspiritualorprimarilymanagerialwearenotsuggestingthatmanagerialauthority

iscontrarytospiritualauthority.Norarewesuggestingthatthespirituallineof

authorityissomehowmoreprivilegedorintrinsicallymorepure.

"Managementisalsospiritualactivity....ItisKrishna'sestablishment."2

"Inourpreachingwork...wedealwithsomuchpropertyandmoneyandsomany

booksboughtandsold,butbecausethesedealingsallpertaintotheKrsna

consciousnessmovement,theyshouldneverbeconsideredmaterial.ThatoneisabsorbedinthoughtsofsuchmanagementdoesnotmeanthatheisoutsideofKrsna

consciousness.Ifonerigidlyobservestheregulativeprincipleofchantingsixteenroundsofthemaha-mantraeveryday,hisdealingswiththematerialworldforthesakeofspreadingtheKrsnaconsciousnessmovementarenotdifferentfromthe

spiritualcultivationofKrsnaconsciousness."3

Inaspiritualsocietyamanagercannotfulfillhisorherdutytomanagesimplyby

declaringandenforcingrules.Therulesthemselvesmusthaveaspiritual

foundation,andtheirimplementationandenforcementmustbeappliedin

accordancewithVaisnavaprinciples.Managerswhoservewiththisunderstandingwillgenerallycarrythefullweightofspiritualauthorityforthoseundertheir

charge.

Weshouldthereforeseetheonenessbetween"spiritual"and"managerial."But

thereisalsosomedifference,andunderstandingthissimultaneousonenessand

differencerequirestheuseofthesetwodistincttermswiththeirexplanations.

TheSpiritualLineofAuthority

ThespirituallineofauthoritybeginswithLordKrishnaandcontinuestoBrahma,

Narada,Vyasa,andtheentiredisciplicsuccessionthroughSrilaPrabhupada,ourFounder-Acarya.Thosewhoaresubmissivetooursampradayaandwhoserve

undertheauthorityoftheGBCareauthorizedtogivesiksaandshelterinthis

spiritualline,undertheauspicesofISKCON.ThisspirituallinecanincludeGoverningBodyCommissioners,GBCZonalSecretaries,spiritualmasters,sannyasis,

RegionalSecretaries,TemplePresidents,congregationalleaders,andbothtravelingandcommunitypreachers.Infact,anyonewhostrictlyfollowsabonafidespiritual

2RoomConversation,January16,1977,Calcutta3SrimadBhagavatam,5.16.3,purport


4/11

4

master,bothbyexampleandprecept,canbeauthorizedtorepresentthespiritual

lineofauthority.

Generallyspeaking,themostprominentspiritualauthorityisonesinitiatingorinstructingspiritualmaster.Thescripturesclearlysaythatdevoteesshouldobey

andbeloyaltotheirspiritualmasters.Thespiritualmastersthusexertauthorityovertheirdisciples,andinsodoingthespiritualmastersareabletotrainand

educatetheirdisciplesinthedevelopmentofbhakti.Thespiritualmasters,

therefore,assumeasignificantroleingivingtheirdisciplesthespiritualeducation

andinspirationnecessarytoadvanceinKrishnaconsciousness.

TheManagerialLineofAuthority

Inthemanageriallineofauthority,andinaccordancewithSrilaPrabhupadas

instructions,thesupervisionoftheSocietyandtheenforcementofitsrulesproceedfromtheGBC.Whenweusetheword"authority"inthecontextofthemanagerial

structure,wedonotmeananabsolute,infallibleauthoritysuchastheauthorityofscripturebutthemandatetoorganizethepreachingmovementsothatitisalignedwiththeinstructionsofSrilaPrabhupada.Tocarryoutthatmandate,his

followershaveadaptedISKCON'smanagerialsystem,givenbySrilaPrabhupada,totakeintoaccounttheproliferationoftemples,congregationaldevotees(whoarenot

templeresidents),andprojectslikefarmsandgurukulas,aswellasotherfavorable

organizationsandentities.Thus,tobetterservethisexpandingfieldandits

members,thisstructurepresentlyincludesvariousregional,national,and

continentalgoverningbodiesconsistingof,butnotlimitedto,GoverningBodyCommissioners,GBCZonalSecretaries,spiritualmasters,sannyasis,Regional

Secretaries,TemplePresidents,congregationalleaders,andbothtravelingand

communitypreachers.

DefiningthePointofDivergence

AlthoughinanidealworldeverythingwouldworkaccordingtoSrilaPrabhupadas

visionforISKCON,wehaveseentendenciesfromthoseinonelineofauthorityto

interferewiththoseintheotherlineofauthority.

Forinstance,therearespiritualauthoritieswhosometimesinterferewithcompetentandresponsiblemanagers.Theydonotconsiderthemselvespartofthe

zonalmanagerialstructurewheretheirpreachinghasinfluence(thoughtheyarein

factaccountabletoit),buttheyarestilleitherdirectlyorindirectlymanagingsomeproject(s)withinthatstructure.

Thereforeattimestheymanagedevotees,money,andevenprojectsthattheir

followersanddependents4areresponsiblefor,withoutaclearagreementwiththe


5/11

5

managerialstructurewithwhichtheyintersect.Bysodoing,theymayinadvertently

underminethemanageriallineofauthoritybyencouragingtheirdependentstodirecttheirservice,andthustheirloyalty,totheirspiritualauthority'sown

managementstructure.

Thisscenariocreatesnotonlyconfusionbutaspiritofseparatismaswell.Situationssuchasthesecanalsobecomepointsofcontentionformanagers,althoughthemore

juniormanagersoftenrefrainfromdirectlyvoicingtheirgrievancesbecausethey

feelintimidatedoutoffearofcommittingoffenses,especiallytospiritualmasters.

Ontheotherhand,therearealsomanagerialauthoritieswhosometimesprovide

inadequatespiritualcare.Thiscanfuelthespiritualmaster'sinclinationtointervene

bysuggestinganalternativeforhisdisciple'sassociationorservice.

Forinstance,managersmaysometimesplacegreaterimportanceonmanagementgoalsthanonsadhana,preachingpurely,orthedevelopmentofpurityinthe

devotionalserviceofthoseundertheircare.Managersmayevenneglectthespiritualdevelopmentofthosewithintheirjurisdictionwhodonotofferresourcestohelptheirmanagerialvision,eventhoughsaidmanagersmayhavedonelittleto

inspirehelpfromthemortoempowerotherauthoritiestodothesame.

DeferencetotheManagerialLineofAuthority

Theabove-mentionedscenarioscausetensionbetweenthespiritualandthe

manageriallinesofauthority.

Ofcourse,itisunderstoodthatcircumstancesdoarisewheretherearefinancially

independentdevoteeswhohavenomanagerialconnectionwithlocallyorganizedsanghas.Still,itshouldnotbeassumedthatnoeffortisbeingmadebylocal

managementstructurestoincludeeverydevotee,oraspiringdevotee,withintheir

locallymanagedsystemofcareforcongregationaldevotees.

Therefore,withrespecttotheserviceperformedbyISKCONmanagers,aspiritual

mastershouldalwaysseekapprovalfromthemanagersoverseeingtheareaof

jurisdictioninwhichhisdisciplesarelivingbeforesuggestinganewsanghaor

serviceforthem,orinterveninginothermanagerialdecisions.

Best,ofcourse,istotrainthedisciplestoofferrespecttotheirlocalmanagersright

fromthestartofthespiritualmaster/disciplerelationship.ManyISKCONmanagersarecarryingouttheresponsibilityofmaintainingthetemples,Deities,book

distribution,andotherstandardsgiventousbySrilaPrabhupada.

4"Dependents"arenotonlythosewhoarespirituallydependent.Thereareinstanceswheredevoteesarealsofinanciallydependentupontheirspiritual

authoritiesandarefinanciallymaintainedbythestructuresthespiritualauthoritieshavethemselvescreated.


6/11

6

"Deityinstallationmeansregularworshipwithoutfailandforgood."5

ThereforespiritualmastersshouldteachtheirdisciplestoserveSrilaPrabhupada'smissionbycooperatingwiththeirlocalleadersandmanagers.

Butthisdoesnotmeanthatamanagershouldassumethatheorshehascomplete

freedomtoignorelegitimateneedsofthoseunderhisorhercareorthatheorshe

hasthefreedomtoignoreconcernsexpressedbyspiritualmasterswhoaskthemto

seethattheirdisciplesareproperlycaredfor.Theyshouldbesensitivetothe

concernsofthespiritualmastersaswellastheirdisciples.

Ifthespiritualmasterstillstronglyfeelsthatthelevelofcareforhisdiscipleswithin

thelocalmanagementstructureisinadequate,takingintoaccountthelevelof

commitmentandresponsibilitiesbeingaskedofthem(hisdisciples),thenhemayappealontheirbehalftothehigherlevelsofmanagement,thelocalGBC,orother

ISKCONavenuesofappeal,aslistedlaterinthispaper.Moreonthispointwillbeaddressedlater.Butbeforewedothat,wewillfirstbriefly

discussthetopicoffaith.Thoseinbothlinesofauthoritywouldbewellservedtoconsidertherelevanceoffaithtothebroaderissuesbeingdiscussedhere.

AuthorityIsBuiltontheContinuousDevelopmentofFaith

ISKCONsgreatestassetisthefaithofitsmembers.Eveniftherearenotemples,noprojects,noincome,andonlyafewfollowers,ifthereisfaith,therewillbe

prosperity,inthetruesenseoftheterm.ConsiderwhatSrilaPrabhupadahas

writteninthefollowingletter:

"ThereisaproverbinSanskritliteraturethatenthusiasticpersonsachievethefavor

oftheGoddessofFortune.IntheWesternpartoftheworldthereistangible

exampleofthisslogan.Peopleinthispartoftheworldareverymuchenthusiasticin

materialadvancementandtheyhavegotit.Similarly,accordingtotheinstructions

ofSrilaRupaGoswami,ifwebecomeenthusiasticinspiritualmatters,thenwealso

getsuccessinthatway.Takeforexample,Icametoyourcountryinripeoldage,but

Ihadoneasset:enthusiasmandfaithinmySpiritualMaster.Ithinktheseassetsonlyaregivingmesomelightsofhope,whateverIhaveachievedsofarwithyour

cooperation."6

AndinhispurporttoBhagavad-gitaAsItIs9.3,SrilaPrabhupadawrites:"Faithis

themostimportantfactorforprogressinKrishnaconsciousness....ItisonlybyfaiththatonecanadvanceinKrishnaconsciousness."

5LettertoSivananda,2September19716LettertoJayaGovinda,Tittenhurst,15October1969.


7/11

7

Thoseinthespirituallineofauthorityshouldpreachandbehaveinsuchawaythat

theynourishandprotecttheirdependents'faithinpuredevotionalservice,inoursampradaya,inSrilaPrabhupada,andinISKCON,includingitsmanagement.

SpiritualmastersalsohavetheaddedresponsibilityofnourishingandprotectingISKCONsmanagers'faiththatthey(thespiritualmasters)arefitrepresentativesof

thespirituallineofauthority.Ifthespiritualmastersactinacontraryway,theywillerodethefaithofothers.

Conversely,thoseinthemanageriallineofauthorityshouldmanage,preach,and

behaveinsuchawaythattheybuildandsustainthetrustofthoseinthespiritual

lineofauthorityandtheirdisciples.Bythemanagersshowinggenuineconcernfor

thedevoteesundertheircare,thespiritualmasterswillthennaturallyencourage

theirdisciplestoassistthemanagerinhisservice.Butifmanagersactinaway

contrarytospiritualprinciples,inconflictwiththespiritualinterestsofthose

devoteesforwhomtheyareresponsible,thatwillalsoerodeothers'faith.

Therefore,tosafeguardthefaithofallofISKCON'smembers,itisnecessarythatwedelineateclearprinciplesforbothlinesofauthoritytofollow.

SpiritualMastersAreNotIndependent

Tofurtherclarifytheneedtointroducewell-definedprinciples,wewillexaminethe

positionofspiritualmasterswithinthemanagerialstructureofISKCON.

WhenSrilaPrabhupadawasphysicallypresent,hewasISKCONssoleinitiatingspiritualmaster,itspreeminentsiksaguru,andthesuprememanagerialauthority,

superiortotheGBC:

"[]wearemanagingourKrishnaConsciousnessMovementbytheGoverningBody

Commission,GBC.Wehavegotabout20GBC'slookingafterthewholeworldaffair,

andabovetheGBCIamthere.BelowtheGBCtherearethetemplepresident,

secretary,treasurerineverycentre.Sothetemplepresidentisresponsibletothe

GBCandtheGBCisresponsibletome.Inthiswaywearemanaging.."7

InSrilaPrabhupadasphysicalabsencethestructureisnowsomewhatdifferent.His

DivineGraceinstructedthattheGBCshouldbetheultimatemanagingauthorityforISKCON.AtthesametimeheindicatedthattheSocietyshouldhavemultiple

spiritualmasters:

"AnyonefollowingtheorderofLordCaitanyaundertheguidanceofHisbonafide

representativecanbecomeaspiritualmaster,andIwishthatinmyabsenceallmydisciplesbecomethebonafidespiritualmastertospreadKrishnaConsciousness

throughoutthewholeworld."8

7Letterto:Vasudeva,NewVrindaban,30June,19768LettertoMadhusudana,Navadvipa,2November1967.


8/11

8

Thisgivesrisetoachallengingsituation.Manyspiritualorganizationshaveonespiritualmasteroperatingasthesoleheadoftheinstitution,whereasISKCONhas

manyspiritualmasterswithinoneorganization,inadditiontoa"governingbody"thatoperatesasthe"ultimatemanagingauthority"fortheinstitutionasawhole.

ThoseservingasspiritualmastersinISKCONaremeanttofollowtheinstructionsofSrilaPrabhupadaandworkundertheGBCBody.

ThespiritualmastersarethusobligatedtofollowtheSociety'spoliciesandcodesof

conduct,includingthoseoutlinedinthisGBC-approvedpaper,andtoabidebythe

decisionsofitsmanagement.Includedwithinthatobligationistheresponsibilityto

inspiretheirdisciplestoassociatewithandservewithinISKCON'salready-existing

managerialanddevotee-caresangas,locatedwithintheirdisciple'sareaof

residenceratherthanonlyinspiringthemtoassociatewiththemselves(the

spiritualmasters)orwiththeirsangasandprojectsthathavenoconnectionwiththeISKCONzonalmanagementstructure.

DisciplesShouldAvoidCreatingConflictBetweenTheirAuthorities

DisciplesshouldalsounderstandthegreaterpicturewithinISKCON.CertainlyaspiritualmastermaybemorespirituallyadvancedthananygivenGBCmemberor

anyotherISKCONmanager(whiletheremayalsobecaseswherethelocalGBCor

ISKCONmanagermaybemorespirituallyadvancedthanaparticularspiritual

master).

Nevertheless,concerningthespiritualmanagementoftheSociety,aswehave

alreadyclearlyshown,SrilaPrabhupadainvestedauthorityintheGBCandits

individualmembersandinotherISKCONmanagers.

Ifadisciplehasthemistakenconvictionthathisorherspiritualmasterisabovethe

GBCandISKCONslawsandpolicies,thatshouldbecorrectedbythespiritual

masterandotherauthorities.Otherwise,thatmisconceptionmayleadtoactions

whichcreateconflictbetweenhisorherspiritualandmanagerialauthorities

Indeed,alldisciplesshouldfollowtheirISKCONauthoritiesinthesamewaythatall

initiatingandinstructingspiritualmastersshouldfollowtheirownauthoritieswithinISKCON.

Bybothexampleandprecept,therefore,allspiritualmastersshouldnotonlyeducateandtraintheirdisciplesinthedevelopmentofbhaktibutshouldalso

educateandtrainthemabouttheirrelationtothemanagerialstructureofISKCON,aswellasaboutthespiritualmasters'ownrelationtothatstructure.

PrinciplesBeingIntroduced


9/11

9

Educationofguru'sdisciples

ItistheresponsibilityofthespiritualmasterswithinISKCONtohelpeveryoneoftheirdisciplesclearlyunderstandthefollowing:

1)ThespiritualmasterdrawshisauthorityfromhisfidelitytoSrilaPrabhupada.

ThisincludesfidelitytoSrilaPrabhupada'sordertoworkwithinhismission,

ISKCON.

2)ThespiritualmasterisamemberofISKCONand,assuch,isaccountabletothe

collectivewillofitsleadership,theGBCBody.

3)Thespiritualmasterdoesnotderiveanyspecificrightorprerogativeover

ISKCONresourcessimplybydintofhisbeingaspiritualmaster.Moreover,thespiritualmastershouldnotmisusehisrightsandprerogativesoverhisdisciples.

4)ThedisciplesshouldfollowtheirISKCONauthoritiesinthesamewaythatallinitiatingandinstructingspiritualmasterssetanexamplebyfollowingtheirown

ISKCONauthorities.

5)DiscipleshavetheessentialtaskofsurrenderingtoKrishnathroughthespiritual

master,andincludedwithinthistaskisrecognizingandrespectingothersuperiors

withinISKCON'smanagementwhoarehelpingthemintheirprocessofspiritual

progress.

6)Spirituallymaturemanagersmaybethemainsiksagurusfordevoteeswhoare

nottheirinitiateddisciples,andsuchrelationshipsaretobefullyencouragedbytheinitiatingspiritualmasters.

Conductofgurus

Moreover,toshowrespecttowardthemanageriallineofauthorityandtohelp

nurtureandprotectmanagers'faithinthespirituallineofauthority,everyspiritual

mastershould:

1)WhenfirstvisitingorpreferablybeforearrivingatarecognizedISKCONtemple

orpreachingcenter,askthelocalmanagerhowhe(thespiritualmaster)mayserve

thatyatraduringhisvisit(ratherthanthespiritualmasteronlypursuinghisownagenda).

2)Beforeplanningavisittoazoneorregionwherethereisnolocaltempleor

preachingcenter,firstasktheZonalGBCifthereisavisionlocalleadershavefor

thatplaceorregionwhichhe(thespiritualmaster)couldserve.


10/11

10

3)Ifthereisadisagreementintermsofmanagerialdecisions,dohisbestto

cooperatewiththerelevantauthority.Ifnoagreementcanbereached,thenthespiritualmastershoulddefertothedecisionoftherelevantauthority,withthe

optionofappealingtohigherauthoritiesifnecessary.

DutiesofManagers

TobuildcooperationwithinISKCON,showrespectforthespirituallineofauthority,

andhelpnurtureandprotectthefaithofspiritualmastersandtheirdisciplesinthe

manageriallineofauthority,allmanagersshould:

1)Bereceptivetoadvicegivenbyinitiatingspiritualmastersandotheritinerant

preachersvisitingtheirareaofjurisdiction,especiallyonmattersconcerning

devoteecare.

2)Protectthefaiththattheirdependentshaveinpuredevotionalserviceandinthe

principleofacceptingandservinganinitiatingspiritualmasterandinstructingspiritualmasters.

3)Encourageandsupportasystemofdevoteecare(i.e.,counselorsystem,brahminicaladvisoryboard,etc.)withintheirsphereofmanagement.

4)Assurethatthemanagersintheirlineofauthorityarethemselvestrainedinthe

principlesofdevoteecare.

5)Informvisitingspiritualmastersaboutthespiritualhealthandoverallwell-being

oftheirdisciples.

6)Encourageandhelpvisitingspiritualmastersandotheritinerantpreachersto

reachouttothosediscipleswhoareinneedandwhowouldbemostresponsiveto

theirhelp.

7)Insurethatthereisanequitablesystemforinitiationrecommendationswhich

doesnotcondoneunwarrantedpressureormanipulationfromthelocal

managementformanagerialgains.

Summary

Topromotethefullflourishingofdevotees'spirituallives,SrilaPrabhupadacreatedforISKCONamanagerialstructurewithclearlinesofauthority.Everymemberof

ISKCONshouldrespectthisstructureandlearntoworkwithinit.Thegoalofthemanagerialstructureisspiritual:tofacilitatethespiritualadvancementofISKCON's

membersthroughassociationwithdevotees,opportunitiesforservice,andeffective

preachingstrategies.Simultaneously,ISKCONaffirmsthefundamentalimportance

ofacceptinginitiationfromabonafidespiritualmaster.


11/11

11

Ofparamountimportance,ofcourse,isourFounder-Acarya,SrilaPrabhupada,who

istheinitiatingspiritualmasterofmanydevoteesinISKCONandtheforemostinstructingspiritualmasterofeverydevotee,nowandinthefuture.Alsoimportant

arethemanyinitiatingandinstructingspiritualmastersnowservinginISKCON.

Allspiritualmastersandtheirdisciplesshouldlikewiseappreciatetheimportanceofthemanymanagersinoursociety,whohelpguideandtraindisciplesandoversee

thefacilitiesISKCONprovidesfortheirspiritualadvancement.Allspiritualmasters

andtheirdisciplesshouldworkcooperativelywithinISKCONsmanagerialsystem,

bothtobenefitthemselvesspirituallyandtohelptheSocietyflourish.

Thiscooperative,mutuallyrespectfulspiritisthebestwaytopreservetheSociety's

unity,pleaseSrilaPrabhupada,andexpandthesankirtanamission.

InthemoodofLordCaitanya,SrilaPrabhupadadesiredthatthesankirtanamovementbespreadallovertheworld,"toeverytownandvillage."He

demonstratedthatdesirebyhisconstanttraveling,writing,andspeaking.Herequestedhisdisciplestoopencentersfarandwide,distributehisbooks,arrangeforattractivefestivals,distributeprasada,etc.ItwasSrilaPrabhupada'sdesirethat

ISKCONcontinuetoexpand,toriseasthebenedictionmoonofLordCaitanya'smercy.

ItisforthispurposethatSrilaPrabhupadaestablishedISKCONasaspiritual

institutionwithamanagerialstructure.Thepurposeofthisstructureistomaintain

thestandardsheestablished,tooffershelterandspiritualnourishmenttothedevotees,andtosupportandincreasethesankirtanamission.TopleaseSrila

PrabhupadabydeliveringthemercyofSriSriGaura-Nitaitotheconditionedsouls,

everyonewithinISKCONspiritualmasters,disciples,andmanagersalikeshouldworkcooperativelywithinthisstructure.

[end]

Documents

2-Harmonizing ISKCON's Lines15