Relationship guru-disciple in ISKCON
Question:
Hare Krsna, All Glories to His Divine Grace.
What is the relationship between guru and disciple in present day ISKCON?
I read once that if the guru decided to leave ISKCON then he must do so without his disciples as they are considered belonging more to the institution than the guru.
This does not sound like a genuine guru/disciple realtionship to me.
What am I missing here please?
Answer:
Thank you for your questions. What you are missing is Srila Prabhupada’s unique position, and his being empowered to establish for the first time in history a Vaisnava Institution which has an ongoing central authority. That central authority is called the GBC and Srila Prabhupada made it clear that it, not the individual guru, would be the final authority in ISKCON. Srila Bhaktisiddanta tried to establish such an authority but it failed.
As an individual guru in ISKCON I find this a very workable system. After all if I have any claim at all to be a guru it is simply because I am sincerely trying to follow the clear order of my guru. Isn’t that one of the most important qualifications for this job? Srila Prabhupada had a vision to take over the world for Krsna. How will that be possible to do if we do not have a united world wide mission? So for the pleasure of my spiritual master I am happy to adjust my relationship with my disciples. I also find this to be most natural as I don’t feel I am qualified to present myself as “Good as God”.
Srila Prabhupada has requested us to show our love for him by cooperating, so why can’t we do that, even if some may point out that this system has not been seen in Vaisnava History. Our faith is that Srila Prabhupada is such a great Acarya that could adjusted this detail for spreading the preaching mission of Lord Caitanya , under the order of his Guru Maharaja.
Yours sincerely,
Trivikrama Swami
