The ISK'CON concoction of allegiance to "conditioned soul gurus" who will fall down after some time.
By: Prabhupada-Anugas
Authorized Oath of Allegiance to Srila Prabhupada...
vs. bogus Oath of Allegiance to the unelected illegal GBC
WHAT IS THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE ?
Srila Prabhupada dictated to the GBC the following Oath of Allegiance on March 27th 1975 (conversation available in Vedabase). He ordered it to be sent to all Officers throughout his ISKCON to be signed as a yearly affidavit.
On June 2nd 1977 Srila Prabhupada instructed Tamal Krsna Goswami: "That Oath of Allegiance. That should be maintained. See that it is typed up and copies are sent to every Temple President and GBC." Tamal Krsna Goswami responded: "I am doing that Srila Prabhupada".
The reality was of course something else. To this day - Srila Prabhupada's Oath of Allegiance has remained largely unknown. It speaks volumes to each of us and its implementation will effectively alter much that is now unwanted in Srila Prabhupada's mission. We herewith again offer it for the pleasure of all the devotees.
WHY SRILA PRABHUPADA ISSUED THE "OATH OF ALLEGIANCE" IN 1975
Srila Prabhupada required from the year 1975 onward that an OATH OF ALLEGIANCE (to pledge loyalty to Srila Prabhupada) be signed by every Temple President and GBC in ISKCON, and RENEWED annually. If the GBC had been elected as they were ordered to be by Srila Prabhupada in 1970, there would have been no reason for Him to have ordered this OATH OF ALLEGIANCE, due to the fact that they would be operating in full obedience to Srila Prabhupada, and recognizing Him as the SOLE SOURCE AUTHORITY of ISKCON.
In the light of the GBC's COMPLETE DISOBEDIENCE to the Direction Of Management (DOM order), Srila Prabhupada issued this Oath of Allegiance as a "last-ditch effort" at preventing the members of the first GBC/11 ritvik gurus named on the July 9th Letter, from "deposing and replacing" Him as the "New Authority" of ISKCON.
SRILA PRABHUPADA'S AUTHORIZED OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
-------------OATH OF ALLEGIANCE (AS IT IS) --- Dictated by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada to the GBC on March 27th 1975 and ordered by him to be sent to all Officers throughout his ISKCON.
I _______ enter legal name and then initiated name - date of birth at present residing at, particular nationality (i.e. American, German etc) do hear by solemnly affirm, declare and state as under as follows:
I state I have been elected or nominated a member of the Governing Body Commission/or Temple President - under the recommendation of my Guru Maharaja His Divine Grace AC BSP, Founder, Acharya and Supreme Authority of the Krsna Consciousness Movement, under the banner of the ISKCON.
I state I have imposed all my faith, integrity and honesty in my aforesaid Guru Maharaja, with the result he is the sole responsible person and Supreme Authority of my present position and status which I have gained and I am holding in the organization of the ISKCON.
I, the said _________ enter legal and initiated name - do hear by swear in the name of Krsna that I will bear truth and alliance to the Constitution, by laws, rules and regulations and directives which have been given, including the 4 regulative principles (listed) chanting of 16 rounds very seriously or directions given me directly by my aforesaid Guru Maharaja, His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, or through his authorized person or persons, and I shall obey faithfully all instructions and directions, which shall be binding on me and that I will uphold the sovereignty and integrity of my Guru Maharaja His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada and the managing body commission and or any other body appointed by His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, working under the said International Society for Krsna Consciousness and I shall faithfully discharge the duty upon which I am about to enter or have already been appointed to that effect.
I further pledge that His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada is the only source of authority, represented by his instructions and books and I shall follow his instructions and I shall follow the instructions only - of these books."
Srila Prabhupada's Oath of Allegiance makes it abundantly clear that all TPs and GBCs should :
1. pledge loyalty to Srila Prabhupada as the only source of authority.
2. accept Srila Prabhupada as their Guru Maharaj.
3. accept the constitution of ISKCON and its Bylaws
4. accept Srila Prabhupada as the only source of authority, represented by his instructions and books and I shall follow his instructions only - of these books."
Of course, after 1977 for obvious reasons this Oath of Allegiance was also changed. Maybe someone else can post the later versions. I think there are at least 3 different versions. If the TPs and so-called GBCs of ISKCON had accepted this Oath of Allegiance AS IT IS, then no:
1. No Guru Issue as they have to sign an affidavit in front of a notary that their Guru Maharaj is Srila Prabhupada.
2. No DOM implementation problem as the constitution, bylaws etc. should have been amended to include the clauses about implementing Direction of Management given in the July 22, 1974 Topmost Urgency letter by Srila Prabhupada. This Oath of Allegiance affidavit makes it legally binding on the TPs and GBCs to obey the Direction of Management (DOM).
3. The Oath of Allegiance is ONLY to Srila Prabhupada and NOT to any deviant Iskcon GBC: "Srila Prabhupada is the only source of authority, represented by his instructions and books and I shall follow his instructions only - of these books."
The Oath of Allegiance was meant to Srila Prabhupada only, NOT to ISK'CON or its "conditioned soul gurus" who fall down after some time.
Our vow is NOT to support various ISKCON GURU POSITIONS, BUT TO SUPPORT TRUTH AND PURITY. There is a big DIFFERENCE. The oath of allegiance to ISK'CON and its bogus gurus has been manufactured and is a total concoction. Who are we trying to follow? TRUTH AND PURITY stand on their own merit, and command respect, and allegiance. They do not demand or legislate it. Then it becomes POLITICS. Srila Prabhupada stated that religion and politics don't mix. But this is exactly what ISKCON is doing. ISK'CON GBC's concocting new laws, demanding a vow of allegiance to "conditioned soul gurus" stealing the devotees allegiance to Srila Prabhupada.
Pledging allegiance to the deviated Iskcon institution instead to Srila Prabhupada is the work of a demoniac mind. No where in any of Srila Prabhupada's books does he demand allegiance to Iskcon. We are voluntarily giving up our allegiance to the Absolute Truth. Which resides in the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, Chaitanya Caritamrita and in the words of our Spiritual Masters. Where does it say that an oath of allegiance must be made to an institution? Can anyone show!!! This is the work of devious ISK'CON GBC Gurus looking to control the hearts and minds of others. Nothing more. If the demoniac leadership of Iskcon must resort to this low class tactics and can not instill purely to command the dedication and allegiance of it's followers then it is not fit to lead.
This is the death knell of a spititual organization. As soon as the leadership sees the necessity of forcing allegiance to it's so-called organization then it is on it's way down to the deepest darkest regions of hell. For once this process becomes a part of the institutions hierarchy then the misuse and abuse of its members becomes more and more cruel and inhuman. This desire of the leadership of Iskcon is a sign of their desperation. They are losing control and instead of leading by example they are leading by coercion.
We all have heard and seen the bad examples of this so called leadership. When compared to the life and activities of the great and stalwart saints both present and past, they are an embarrassment and disgrace to the society of vaishnavas.
Anyone who out of sentiment and blind following chants the glories of or pledges allegiance to Iskcon is subject to extreme scrutiny and compromises Srila Prabhupada. Their very existence is a hindrance to the pure path of bhakti yoga. No amount of legislation or coercion will bring about the transformation of the heart. One must delve deep within ones own heart and carefully and slowly remove the material desires which prevent the heart from being a suitable resting place for the Supreme Lord.
If someone asks your to pledge your allegiance to Iskcon, run as fast as you can from such a person or defeat him or her with the logic of the revealed scriptures, or quote Srila Prabhupada's original Oath of Allegiance.
The GBC vow to their bogus gurus is not sanctioned by the Founder-Acarya Srila Prabhupada and is therefore unauthorized and useless. It is just another GBC concoction which Srila Prabhupada labelled "the American disease to change everything."
It is unfathomable that any properly informed disciple or follower of the Sampradaya Acarya, i.e., a devotee who accepts the books and instructions of Srila Prabhupada without any mayavadi changes and adulterations, could accept direction from a GBC who recites a vow to themselves with these words:
"To accept the Governing Body Commission of ISKCON as the ultimate managing authority of ISKCON as directed in Srila Prabhupada's last will and testament."
ISKCON was founded on the basis of the bona fide sampradaya that leads all the way to the adi-acarya Lord Brahma, and from there unto the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because ISKCON has a rich resource of philosophy, the society does not need to be run like a Communist re-education camp with strict allegiance to some despotic politburo that seeks unflagging loyalty in the absence of genuine realization on the part of the leaders. And this is what is slowly being introduced with vows to a body that, rather than consistently following the predecessor, deviates by its own whim and fancy. Our intent herewith is to present abundant evidence to this effect.
Only actual enlightenment in Krishna consciousness will free genuine devotees from the many ignorant and impersonal activities that the GBC members, both as a body and as individuals, are actively engaged in. A proper vow taken in strict allegiance to a sampradaya siddhanta must offer loyalty to the previous acarya in order to be genuine. If the GBC can authorize pledging a vow to themselves, then every faction of ISKCON from the pot washers to the Life Members to the Brahmacharini Liberation Front will eventually follow suit. Which pretty much reflects the chaotic hodge podge that ISKCON has morphed into nowadays.
As evidenced here, ISKCON's GBC members regularly deviate from the sampradaya by engaging in acts which render their taking a solemn oath unto themselves even more ludicrous. We have observed that no GBC direction is available when it comes to individual members of the GBC taking the low road of easy compromise into mayavada. They are a chosen few with, like James Bond, a license to kill. But their license is to kill Krishna consciousness whenever it is convenient, as they have done to the Bhaktivedanta Institute.
Therefore the GBC's vow to "conditioned soul gurus" appears just as inauthentic as so many other concoctions in today's mayavada-saturated ISKCON. The entire problem rests upon the fact that the original Mayavadi deviation of designating eleven unqualified men as instant pure devotees has never been properly rectified. A skyscraper built on sand will not stand for long. It needs to be dismantled before it can be rebuilt on a more solid foundation. Therefore the smug GBC themselves are the ones who require re-education. The GBC has to get re-educated by "approaching the spiritual master (Srila Prabhupada) and inquiring submissively from him" giving up their false egos. The unfortunate individual GBC members themselves require some re-education in genuine Krishna consciousness. Let them begin that rectification and re-orientation by taking a proper vow to Srila Prabhupada, and then by sincerely living up to those sacred words. Rather than running a political re-education camp, it is the GBC that needs to renew their oath and allegiance to Srila Prabhupada before they send this movement to hell.
When Srila Prabhupada was present, we swore an oath to follow Him and all of the four rules given by Him and chant 16 rounds as His disciples.
This was (at that time) an oath to ISKCON also, since ISKCON at that time was non-different from Srila Prabhupada.
But ISKCON has changed dramatically with its multi guru concoction. By creating the "multiple guru deviation" the foolish GBC have now created a loyalty disaster!
If the loyalty naturally generated from the initiation process has become splayed into hundreds of barely maintainable loyalty camps, then they come to the soggy, chilly realization that there is no loyalty left for the ISK'CON corporation.
ISKCON was once considered to be Srila Prabhupada's body!
Having deviated ALL loyalty away from Srila Prabhupadas (except as a "siksa" figurehead talisman status) they now find to their surprise that there is no loyalty left for Srila Prabhupada's so called body, meaning THEMSELVES.
Hence the GBC concocted the "loyalty oath" to ISK'CON. It is simply a device to weed out anyone with an ounce of loyalty or respect for Srila Prabhupada. The bogus "Iskcon Oath" ushered in an era of what were very accurately described as "witch hunts", to hunt down and convert any sincere followers of Srila Prabhupada to loyalists of ISK'CONS bogus guru system.
"I hereby solemnly make the following vows: I accept Srila Jayapataka Swami to be my initiating (diksa) and instructing (siksa) spiritual master (Guru) forever, even life after life".
This is the vow taken by all Jayapataka disciples: "I hereby solemnly make the following vows: I accept Srila Jayapataka Swami to be my initiating (diksa) and instructing (siksa) spiritual master (Guru) forever, even life after life". ('Initiation Acceptance Oath", HH Jayapataka Swami).
Comment: WOW -- this is really good news. In our NEXT lives we will not see these folks again, because they all will follow Jayapatka into Hell. Great news indeed.
If you make a pact with the devil, he will ask to give your life to him. Jayapataka is worse than the devil, because he demands that life after life, which not even the devil is asking. Is this black magic or what? To steal away the oath of allegiance to Srila Prabhupada and divert it to bogus ISK'CON gurus is the greatest offence ISK'CON GBC's have committed. Do not allow yourselves to be seduced by this lure of satanistic trickery.
Based on where Jayapataka is 'going', after Yamaraja sends him on his way, does any of his disciples really think to get a glimpse of this most fanatic cheerleader, after a short view of him in hell? What are the odds that any deceived disciple will ever run into him again, throughout eternity?
Srila Prabhupada: "Generally a fashionable materialist engages a so-called spiritual master without any profit. The pseudo- spiritual master flatters the so-called disciple, and thereby both the master and his ward go to hell without a doubt. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.19.37, purport)
"As for your next question, can only a few pure devotees deliver others, anyone, if he is a pure devotee he can deliver others, he can become spiritual master. But unless he is on that platform he should not attempt it. Then both of them will to go to hell, like blind men leading the blind." (Srila Prabhupada Letter, December 14th, 1972)
We are well aware of present ISKCON's process to capitalize on a policy of letting people who are hard up and want to join to take shelter at Krishna's Lotusfeet - let them sign sign a bogus contract. It is immoral in that sense, that it contravenes the human rights making contracts with the distressed - this is not Prabhupada's program how to make people join Lord Caitanya's Sankirtan Movement and become real Vaishnavas. Poor people who are whipsawed by kali-yuga governments to let them sign a contract when joining Prabhupada's movement, it is even against public policy.
When getting initiated by an ISKCON guru, again, let them sign a contract.
So, what happens, only people sign such a contract who consider that they can somehow materially exploit the situation. Those who are actually devotees will not consider this as a genuine spiritual movement. Remember when Prabhupada made people to chant Hare Krishna, now, what would have happened when saying, I have written a contract, in case you consider to join, could you please sign this contract?
Many devotees are disappointed with the idea of forced allegiance to bogus ISK'CON gurus, because it could implicate devotees into supporting crime and deviation, as history has already clearly showed us, considering the very bad experience most devotees have had with surrendering to megalomaniacs posing as self-proclaimed authorities.
Comment from Krsna Prema dd:
From what I understand from reading the conversations with Srila Prabupada, an Oath of Allegiance was to be taken by the GBC and included an outlining of their duties to check that spiritual progress was being made in the temples under their management, making sure devotees were chanting their rounds and following the four regs. Also they should see to it that debts are not incurred and assist the temple presidents. It is/was a suggested outline of their duties. It was not only considered a spiritual document but a legal one as well. Prabhus, please check out the conversation with Srila Prabhupada entitled Conversation with the GBC March 27, 1975, Mayapur. Srila Prabupada mentions also in a letter that he has the oath of allegiance of one of his disciples who has misappropriated funds and that the oath can be used in prosecution of said disciple. "Regarding Manasvi, you should immediately prosecute. The charge should be Breach of Trust and Misappropriation of Funds. I have received today the Oath of Allegiance duly signed by him and notarized. When required it will be supplied to you. Therefore I wanted this declaration. Immediately prosecute." (Srila Prabhupada Letter to: Paramahamsa: Vrindaban 4 September, 1975)
I would like to hear if any one knows if these oaths of allegiance have been used to recapture the large sums of monies taken by those who have left Srila Prabhupada's movement and if not, why not? Also, have they been used to curtail debt and misappropriation of funds? Again if not why not?
Why not use these oaths of allegiance now to hold those responsible for the selling of the many properties that belonged to Srila Prabupada (ie NYC's Sri Sri Radha Govinda's 55th St temple).
Too often I have seen legal threats made against honest devotees who want to spread Srila Prabuhpada's mission but where lies the legal responsibility for those who have made disastrous decisions with Srila Prabupada's assets?
Did the GBC's in 1977 take an oath of allegiance (or a vow to Srila Prabhupada as it were)? Are they taking the same one approved by Srila Prabhupada now and following it?
The kind of twisting of Srila Prabhupada's instructions [that is going on today] just burns me up.
ys, Krsna Prema dd
Please also see:
Direction Of Management
What is the Direction of Management [DOM] ?
Direction Of Management For An Elected GBC