Direction Of Management For An Elected GBC
BY: URDHVAGA DAS (ACBSP)

USA September 18, 2000  VNN6260  — PETITION

To all Iskcon devotees world wide temple-presidents, Sannyasis!
Dear maharajas, prabhus, matas and didis. Please accept my respectful obeisances. All Glories To Srila Prabhupada.

As an initiated disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and as a member of the International Society for Krishna consciousness, I herewith call upon all devotees world wide to reject Iskcons bogus GBC/Guru leadership and elect a new Governing Body Commission as outlined by Srila Prabhupada in his DIRECTION OF MANAGEMENT FOR AN ELECTED GB.

He created the DIRECTION OF MANAGEMENT, which was signed, witnessed and notarized. This document created the GBC, and gave the EXACT DIRECTION AS TO HOW THE GBC SHOULD ACT ...Importanly, the GBC was to be ELECTED FROM THE BODY OF TEMPLE PRESIDENTS. The Temple presidents were instructed to hold elections every three years, and either re-elect existing GBC members, or elect new ones from a ballot of candidates chosen from the body of Temple Presidents.

Srila Prabhupada also wrote several letters stating that the temple presidents were to be elected by vote by the congregations of the individual temples, and that the GBC would have practically no AUTHORITY over the individual temples.

The devotees who live in ISKCON temples should be educated so that they understand the full extent of their constitutional powers. By the constitution of the ISKCON temple corporations, the members have the legal right to elect a new leadership. This is a little-known fact, but it is a law.

They also have the right to vote to impeach that leadership if they lose their qualification as leaders. Legally, they have voted to accept the appointed leaders by failing to vote them out. That is, unless the members assert their right to vote it is assumed they wish to follow the appointed system.

Because the GBC assumed dictatorial powers NOT PROVIDED in the DIRECTION OF MANAGEMENT, they were in a position to "cover up" crimes committed by each other, and to terrorize the temple presidents by threatening to "kick them out" for insubordination. Since they were not authorized to do either of the above, we can see that their pattern of abuse followed the typical pattern of abuse in "rogue states" and other dictatorships and oligarchies that ARE NOT ANSWERABLE TO THE PUBLIC. It would have been almost impossible for the molestations of the children in the Gurukulas to have taken place if Srila Prabhupada's DIRECTION OF MANAGEMENT had been followed.

The only thing that can be said in our (congregational member's) favour is that the GBC VERY CAREFULLY HID THE TEXT OF THE DIRECTION OF MANAGEMENT UNTIL THE 1990'S. (Over twenty years!) So that NO CONGREGATIONAL MEMBER OF ISKCON REALIZED TO WHAT DEGREE THEY WERE (AND SITLL ARE) BEING RIPPED OFF!

The devotees should assert their rights under the law, at least in the United States, and immediately hold elections to force the GBC to resign as managers and trustees of all ISKCON properties. This is the only chance to save Srila Prabhupada's legacy from total destruction. If after the prosecution and defense presentations in the court, where all the details of the GBCs' intransigence will become public knowledge, the jury finds the defendants culpable, and if they did not resign when the case first began, this arrogant attitude will influence the judge and jury to increase the penalty.

A similar thing happened in the case the Turley firm recently won against the Catholic Church. None of the church leaders who covered up the abuse resigned, and partly because of this insolence the damages were in the tens of millions of dollars for only two victims. The ISKCON case may ultimately have over 1,000 victims. The GBC resignations will save ISKCON millions of dollars and win support from the court and all right-thinking people.

Srila Prabhupada: "Yes. This was the system, that one must retire. Just like at the present moment, although people are asking the president that 'You retire, you resign,' he is not resigning, obstinate. Because he knows, 'This is the first and last chance. I am not going to be elected again. So stick to the post and take as much money as possible.' That's all." [Lecture, 12/17/73 LA]

The GBC will not resign, they will stick to their posts and take money from Srila Prabhupada as long as they possibly can. Now the consequences of their actions threaten to destroy the entire ISKCON society.

Therefore the only chance to protect Srila Prabhupada's reputation is a general rebellion by vote of the members of ISKCON against the bogus GBC. They have frustrated Srila Prabhupada's orders by mismanagement, by changing his books, by preaching bogus philosophy, and in countless other ways. They have driven away thousands of Srila Prabhupada's disciples and they have failed to maintain his institution. Now they deserve to be impeached.

As explained by Dasanudas, the member ship of any nonprofit religious corporation has the legal right to remove its leaders because nonprofit corporations are institutions meant to serve the needs of the community.

Therefore, a constituent assembly consisting of the current members of ISKCON (past and present Srila Prabhupada's disciples) should now come forward and do the needful, even another lawsuit if necessary, for electing a new GBC body.

There should be an organized petition presented to the GBC stating our demands for attaining the goal of an elected GBC as Srila Prabhupada outlined in his Direction of Management for the GBC.

Please contact Harinam das at: [email no longer valid] He will send you the PETITION FOR CARRYING OUT SRILA PRABHUPADA'S DIRECTION OF MANAGEMENT FOR AN ELECTED GBC (GOVERNING BOARD COMMISSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS)

Urdhvaga das,
in the service of Srila Prabhupada

For the Petition and SRILA PRABHUPADA'S DIRECTION OF MANAGEMENT please write to: [email no longer valid]

WHEREAS, on July 28, 1970, the founder-acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada put into a signed managerial directive for ISKCON called the Direction of Management for the GBC (see attachment) ordering the creation of an ad hoc committee from among 12 of his disciples to write the constitution of an elected GBC;

WHEREAS, since then this committee has not yet fulfilled this important institutional directive, which allowed the GBC managers to assume a dictatorial control over ISKCON members and ISKCON property from immediately after the physical disappearance of Srila Prabhupada in November 1977;

WHEREAS, this negligence of the founder-acharya/spiritual master by his GBC disciples fostered severe deviations from the founding principles of ISKCON and the teachings of its founder-acharya; which caused the alienation and suffering of many of its original members and their dependents;

WHEREAS, the direct order of Srila Prabhupada in his Direction of Management for the GBC is a fundamental institutional directive necessary for the future wellbeing of ISKCON and all of its past, present, and future members;

BE IT RESOLVED, that the undersigned petitioners, who are disciples of ISKCON's founder-acarya Srila Prabhupada or his grand-disciples, or bhaktas hereby petition the ad-hoc committee and the GBC for the immediate implementation of Srila Prabhupada's July 28, 1970 Direction of Management for the GBC and writing the constitution for a regularly elected GBC ordered therein;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the constitution of the GBC will not be subject to any change from what Srila Prabhupada ordered in his July 28, 1970 Direction of Management for the GBC nor subject to any approval by the GBC and it will be put into effect immediately in all ISKCON temples by the GBC with regular elections to be held no more than 1 year thereafter.

INITIATED NAME   
NAME BEFORE INITIATION
TEMPLE LOCATION OF INITIATION   
DATE OF INITIATION   
NAME OF GURU   
(If not formally initiated, write "bhakta" in initiated name and state present temple location.)
SIGNATURE
TODAY'S DATE   
CONTACT INFO
(All info is strictly confidential.)
      

Note: Those wanting to sign this petition must first printout it out,
fill in the bio data, then sign and send it to: - Address not valid anymore -

If no printer available email us at: (email not valid anymore) stating your snail-mail or fax address and we will send you the petition for signing and returning to us. (Note: Mailboxes Etc. and PostNet has these facilities.) This procedure is for maximum credibility as all petitioners will be verified for duplications and authenticity.

Print out the DOM and the petition and gather as many disciple/bhakta signatures as you can in your area, as they are the actual members of ISKCON for which it was founded. We have about a year to do this important task. Book mark this page for progress reports and pertinent info. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Srila Prabhupada's "Direction of Management"
From: Nara Narayan Vishwakarma das [Nathan Zakheim]
Date: Sunday, August 14, 2005 

Aug 10, USA (SUN) -- Presented at Gathering for Apologies to Gurukulies, New Dwarka, August 5, 2005.

My dear Gurukul alumni, fellow parents, and GBC representatives.

I feel deep appreciation for the opportunity to address a subject of such great importance to the healthy continuation of our Krishna Conscious Society. The subject at hand is the "Direction of Management", introduced by Srila Prabhupada in 1970, with the first GBC meeting held in the spring of 1971 at New Vrindaban. This vital document, virtually unknown to the Temple Presidents and Congregations of our Iskcon society, was meant by Srila Prabhupada to be the Constitution of Iskcon for the next ten thousand years. Its absence has created a great chasm in this movement; and its introduction, after a lapse of thirty five years, will help to heal the wounds suffered by one and all during that exact same span of time.

Today, the GBC is appearing before us to deliver a formal Court ordered apology to you, the abused victims of a Gurukula created by Srila Prabhupada to bring you to the highest order of Brahminical training. And what was this Brahminical training supposed to do?

You were meant to not only take up the management of the world wide Iskcon Movement, but to lead the Humanity at large Back to Home Back to Godhead in His name.

This Brahminical training was effectively crushed by those who wished to remain in perpetual power in non-elected positions that guaranteed two things:

No accountability to your mothers and fathers for how you were being treated in the Gurukula.

A virtual guarantee that the unelected GBC's would cover up (to protect Iskcon!) any crimes committed against you.

Did Srila Prabhupada provide a protective "safe place" for you, your parents and your families?

YES HE DID!

What was this called?

It was called "THE DIRECTION OF MANAGEMENT" (DOM), and although well known by the GBC and the leaders of Iskcon, your parents and temple leaders were never shown a copy of it or told you and your families that the Direction of Management GUARANTEED YOU CERTAIN PROTECTIONS AND "GOD GIVEN RIGHTS" that were kept secret over the last thirty five years.

It may surprise some of you to learn that after a 1970 attempt by four sanyassis to overthrow Srila Prabhupada and declare themselves to be Acharya, Srila Prabhupada, together with the remaining loyal Iskcon leaders created a document which He named "THE DIRECTION OF MANAGEMENT" by which He created the GBC…the same GBC that covered up your molestations and abuse two or three years after this sacred document was created by Srila Prabhupada.

So, What is the "Direction of Management" and why should we be interested in this neglected Order of the Spiritual Master thirty-five years later?

The Direction of Management does two things:

The Direction of Management creates a democratically elected GBC to represent the Iskcon Temples, just as the US Senate represents the 50 states of the United States. The GBC is to be elected every three years from a slate of candidates nominated by the Temple Presidents. Far from having "Absolute Powers" the GBC is meant to be the SERVANT of the interests of the Iskcon Temples and their Congregations.

The Direction of management PROTECTS the individual temples and congregations from potential abuses by the GBC. If the GBC were not subject to "checks and balances" from the Temple Presidents and Congregations, abuses would inevitably occur. The very significance of the meeting in which we find ourselves today rests on the fact that THESE ABUSESDID INDEED OCCUR!

I attended a 1971 meeting in New Vrindaban where the Direction of Management was introduced to the GBC and the first GBC meeting took place there with Rupanuga prabhu as the chair of the meeting. He showed me the DOM and proudly stated that it was the "new constitution for Iskcon". I read it, and remembered many important passages. I particularly read the part about the GBC being an elected body.

So what happened to the Direction of Management (DOM) ?

After 1971 I tried to find a copy, but there were none nor were the GBC of 1975 willing to let me see a copy.

Even to this day, I do not know of anyone who had ever seen the Constitution of Iskcon (DOM) at that time. (Surely, each and every Iskcon member would be given a copy of it before taking initiation…no?)

1n 1972, a secret GBC meeting (referred by Srila Prabhupada as a "conspiracy") effectively replaced the DOM with a centralized corporate structure. Srila Prabhupada was neither informed of the meeting nor invited to it. When Srila Prabhupada learned of the meeting, He disbanded the GBC and ordered all temples to ignore any directives generated by the GBC until further notice.

In 1974, He issued a paper marked "TOPMOST URGENCY" that ordered that the DOM be added to all Iskcon temple non-profit corporation charters. In other words, in the Iskcon world, the DOM was once again to be introduced as the ‘LAW OF THE LAND" under Srila Prabhupada's order.

THAT ORDER WAS ALSO NOT OBEYED.

It was only after deep contemplation that it occurred to me that had the Direction of Management been in place, FEW IF ANY OF THE ILLS OF ISKCON WOULD HAVE OCCURRED! (Or at least such things would have been minimal). The molestation and abuse of the Children of Iskcon on the part of such "absolute" leaders as Bhavananda, Kirtanananda, Jagadish, etc. clearly led to PREVENTING THE NEW CROP OF BRAHMINS FROM TAKING LEADERSHIP POSITIONS WITHIN ISKCON, WHICH WOULD HAVE TAKEN AWAY THE FIRST GENERATION'S POSITIONS OF POWER, DUE TO THE HIGHER QUALIFICATIONS THAT SRILA PRABHUPADA CLEARLY STATED THAT THE PURE BRAHMIN GURUKULA GRADUATES WOULD HAVE!

As a result, very few Gurukulies have taken over any positions of power within the movement, even though they themselves are approaching middle age; ages double those of us who started the Iskcon temples in the first place!

Simply put, if we clarify the history of Iskcon into "pre-DOM" and "post DOM" we can see that there is no way that the GBC could have legally or ethically take on the ‘absolute" powers that enabled them to "pull the wool" over your parent's eyes.

I made my "breakthrough" in the matter of understanding what an ISKCON obedient to the Direction of Management would have been like, by using my imagination to create a "proto-movement" that had joyfully and obediently accepted the DOM starting with summer 1970 and continuing until 1978.

(Of course, if we had accepted the DOM in 1970, we would have probably been observing Srila Prabhupada's disappearance day in 1988!)

I saw good GBC's elected, I saw little, if any, child abuse and molestation, I saw no drug dealing, murders, cults illegal money rackets etc. I saw millions and millions of books printed, and saw many thousands of temples opened. I saw second generation Brahmins training the public in thousands of temples to accept the principles of Krishna Consciousness. I saw 'Nagar Sankirtan" conducted by thousands of men and women daily in all the major cities of the world! Most importantly, I saw the movement run by second and third generation Gurukula graduates who had learned the art of the "Rajarshi" !.. I saw the Gurukula graduates advising current heads of state or become elected as heads of state themselves.

I saw the "Acharya in the center" in hundreds of thousands of Iskcon temples all over the world, and I saw India rising up as a Krishna Conscious nation. I saw whole islands such as Madagascar becoming Krishna Conscious states, I saw the High Court Judges wearing Tilak, and I saw a reduction in war, abortion, animal slaughter, atmospheric pollution... and many other wonderful things.

.....And then I opened my eyes, and saw what greed, sexual perversion and plain stupidity had done to mis-represent what Srila Prabhupada offered to us in the first place....In 1970, he wrote, "I have given you Vaikuntha, and you have turned it into Hell"

He introduced the DOM in 1970 to counteract that "Hell" but the document was never released to the Temple Presidents and Congregations... to the immense loss to ourselves and the entire humanity at large.

This paper has been presented to you for your consideration. I hope that the GBC will make part of their apology an apology for having deprived you of your basic Rights guaranteed by Srila Prabhupada himself at a time that would have made your Gurukula sufferings very unlikely to occur.

Both we, your parents, or those of your parent's generation as well as the GBC must apologize to you for this!

So I beg all of you; GBC, parents, and graduates of the Gurukula to read this Direction of Management carefully, and to let yourselves dream and imagine a Krishna Conscious world such as Srila Prabhupada envisioned for us when He wrote the Direction of Management; free from the type of abuses for which you are receiving an apology today.

Your humble and eternal servant,
Nara Narayan Vishwakarma das

Read the "Direction of Management" by Srila Prabhuapda