ISTAGOSTHI on the

DIRECTION of MANAGEMENT (Part 1) 
 
Dear Nara Narayana prabhuji, pamho, All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
 
While i totally agree with the points you have raised about the Direction of Management we should always understand that the background of good management comes from preaching and simply changing the management doesn't solve the problems, the whole movement needs reform and that will come from hearing from Srila Prabhupada in association. This is my understanding.
 
We cannot know anything of the transcendental region by our limited, perverted method of observation and experiment. But all of us can lend our eager ears for the aural reception of the transcendental sound transmitted from that region to this through the unadulterated medium of Sri Gurudeva or Sri Vyasadeva. Therefore, gentlemen, we should surrender ourselves today at the feet of the representative of Sri Vyasadeva for the elimination of all our differences bred by our unsubmissive attitude.
 
(Srila Prabhupada's Vyasa Puja offering, 1936) 
 
Devotee (3): Well, some things like changing of our duties, changing of our services.
Prabhupada: So why you change? Consult.
Devotee (3): Well, they're wanting change, Prabhupada. And they were not satisfied with that change, so, and they wanted to remain in that particular service.
Prabhupada: Change is no rectification. If somebody is not working he should be trained up. Changing is another... If he is a fool, another fool will come. What will be the difficulty? You see? Change, of course, sometimes required but if you constantly change, the man is not trained up. That practice is not good. If somebody is not doing satisfactorily, then he should be trained up that "You should like this." And if you immediately change another that, that is not actually solution because all our workers, they are not accustomed to certain type of duty. They are devotee, after all. So still, we have to do something, so one man requires little training. But whatever capacity he has got, he is posted, so immediate change, that is not very good management. Let him be reformed and whatever inability he has got, he should be instructed and he should be... And this, all of a sudden change, simply go on changing, nobody... "Rolling stone never gathers moss." A "rolling stone" policy is not good. So what is the difficulty? Keep the stone in a place and it will gather moss. And if you simply roll, it will never gather moss. If the man who has committed mistake, he should be reformed. He should be instructed. Sometimes I show your cleaners by myself, "Do like this." Change them, immediate change, that is not good management, and to make him competent in that way, that is management. So this policy should be followed, not that because he has done something not correctly he should be changed immediately. That will not help. Now discuss this point.
 
(S.P. Room Conversation November 24, 1976, Vrndavana)
 
NOTE: I'm not saying the likes of tamul should be reformed only by hearing from Srila Prabhupada. Some reform from Yamaraja is first required to humble him up a bit.
 
My dear Jagadisa,
   Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated April 17, and 12, 1972, and I have noted the contents. Let us forget past incidents and let us look forward to rectify our defects. So far you are concerned, I am very much convinced of your sincere service. Go on with your work, and other instructions will follow. Simply become more concerned with increasing the spiritual content of our lives, and in this way all other problems like management will be easily solved, not that they can be solved by making some legal formula and having big big meetings and talks. The politicians have been holding such meetings and talks for some time now and the world is no better place for it, and they have only made things worse. We should not follow their example. The world is in a very precarious condition simply for lack of God-consciousness, so this should be our point of stressing, that we should revive this emphasis on God-consciousness everywhere in the world and that will be our contribution. Hoping this will meet you in good health.
 
Your ever well-wisher,
A. C Bhaktivedanta Swami
 
(S.P. Letter to: Jagadisa Tokyo 2 May, 1972)
 
 
So if their is a strong emphasis placed on this hearing process many good preachers will come out and good mangement will follow.
 
So he marked it that "This boy is interested to hear me." So hearing is very important. Hearing. Just like Arjuna heard from Krishna. Come on. (People entering) (Break) ...because I was serious for hearing, and therefore now I am serious about kirtanam, means speaking, or preaching. Do you follow what I say? Yes. So one who is serious about hearing, he can become a future nice preacher. Sravanam kirtanam. Next stage is developed. That is development. If one has actually heard nicely, then he will speak nicely.

(S.P.C. Columbus 10th May, 1969)

Yes, preaching is more important than managing. Just because you are preaching nicely and distributing so much prasadam, the management will follow like a shadow and Krishna will send you no end of help.

(S.P. Letter to: Satsvarupa 21 November, 1971)

 
So it is a very good sign that people are coming and of their own accord giving everything, that is the proof of your powerful preaching work. If we simply remain pure and become very convinced of this Krishna philosophy, any sane man will agree with us when we speak. And if we are determined to please Krishna with our routine work despite all kinds of economic handicaps, He will provide all relief. Just see. If preaching is strong, management will be strong. That is the rule.
 
(S.P. Letter to: Damodara 3 December, 1971)
 
                    
And if we perform everything nicely and always seize every opportunity to preach about Krishna, that is our formula for success. Of course management must be there, but if preaching work is strong, management will automatically be strong. So in all cases, become a very good preacher, and this will please me very much.
 
(S.P. Letter to: Locanananda, India, 8 December, 1971)
 
 
Follow the regulative principles very diligently, maintain the highest level of standard in routine work such as rising early, cleansing, chanting, temple worship, street sankirtana, etc., always keep the devotees satisfied, like that. If your preaching work is strong, automatically management will be easy. And preaching work is strong if our routine work is strong. Never neglect our regular program and that will be your success.
 
(S.P. Letter to: Patita Uddharana 11 January, 1972)  
                   
So it is very important that you keep your standards very high in these activities, then your preaching will be strong. Preaching is our real business, preaching and distributing books. If your preaching work is strong, then your management of temple affairs will also become automatically very strong. Just like if the head wills it, the hand will move. Preaching is like the head of our KC Society--if the head is removed, the whole body dies. Managing is the hands, which work nicely if the head is healthy. If the hands are removed, the body will not die, but it will be crippled. So preaching is more important than management, but both must be there if the whole body is to operate nicely.
 
(S.P. Letter to: Patita Uddharana 8 December, 1971)
 
NOTE: Srila Prabhupada's books are the head of our society, changing those books and not allowing others to take shelter in a daily program of hearing from Srila Prabhupada in association is removing the head. The result THE WHOLE BODY DIES. So the real medicine is to hear from Srila Prabhupada in association and print and distribute the original books !
                      
Sulocana prabhu has said  2) There is a crying need to increase and even rekindle love for Prabhupada from his own disciples
 
Srila Prabhupada has stressed so much on the devotional process of hearing to awaken that love and when that love is awakened even to a small degree, we will see devotees cooperating to execute Srila Prabhupada mission as he instructed.

God has given you these two ears and if you kindly submissively hear from the realized soul, then your life will be successful. Actually, that is happening. All these boys and girls who have come to me in different parts of the world, simply by hearing... I have not bribed them, I have no money. So they are sacrificing their everything for me. Why? Simply by hearing me. That's all. So the hearing is so strong.

(S.P Lecture. New Vrindavan, August31st, 1972)

An example of rising to the stage of ecstatic love by executing the regulative principles of devotional service is given in the life story of Narada, which is described to Vyasadeva in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Narada tells there of his previous life and how he developed to the stage of ecstatic love. He was engaged in the service of great devotees and used to hear their talks and songs. Because he had the opportunity to hear these pastimes and songs of Krsna from the mouths of pure devotees, he became very attracted within his heart. Because he had become so eager to hear these topics, he gradually developed within himself an ecstatic love for Krsna. This ecstatic love is prior to the pure love of Krsna, because in the next verse Narada confirms that by the gradual process of hearing from the great sages he developed love of Godhead (N.O.D Chapter 17.)

 

This sravanam kirtanam, the class which we are holding, that you are hearing and I am speaking, this is the beginning of love of God. (B.G. Lecture.9.27-29, New York, Dec 19th, 1966)

So Sanat prabhu can kick on the face of all the hypocrites, you can stress the importance of the correct system of management and i will present Srila Prabhupada's statements on the importance of hearing from the self realized soul. UNITY IN DIVERSITY a strong combination ! 

My Dear Kirtanananda Maharaja:
   Please accept my blessings, and I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 16, 1973 and I have noted the contents carefully. Next time you come to India, you must come to Mayapur in March, not only you but many others. Our Bombay affairs are almost settled by 90%. The conveyance deed is prepared and it will be signed within one or two days.
   Now this displeasing of godbrothers has already begun and gives me too much agitation in my mind. Our Gaudiya Math people fought with one another after the demise of Guru Maharaja but my disciples have already begun fighting even in my presence. So I am greatly concerned about it.
   Following in the footprints of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu:

             trnad api su-nicena taror iva sahisnuna
              amanina manadena kirtaniya sada harih

   "One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly."
   We must always remember this verse and be as tolerant as the tree, as we execute the Krsna consciousness movement. Without this mentality we cannot be successful.
   Material nature means dissension and disagreement, especially in this Kali yuga. But, for this Krsna consciousness movement its success will depend on agreement, even though there are varieties of engagements. . In the material world there are varieties, but there is no agreement. In the spiritual world there are varieties, but there is agreement. That is the difference. The materialist without being able to adjust the varieties and the disagreements makes everything zero. They cannot come into agreement with varieties, but if we keep Krsna in the center, then there will be agreement in varieties. This is called unity in diversity. I am therefore suggesting that all our men meet in Mayapur every year during the birth anniversary of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. With all GBC and senior men present we should discuss how to make unity in diversity. But, if we fight on account of diversity, then it is simply the material platform. Please try to maintain the philosophy of unity in diversity. That will make our movement successful. One section of men have already gone out, therefore we must be very careful to maintain unity in diversity, and remember the story in Aesop's Fables of the father of many children with the bundle of sticks. When the father asked his children to break the bundle of sticks wrapped in a bag, none of them could do it. But, when they removed the sticks from the bag, and tried one by one, the sticks were easily broken. So this is the strength in unity. If we are bunched up, we can never be broken, but when divided, then we can become broken very easily.
   I hope this meets you in good health.

Your ever well wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

(S.P. Letter to: Kirtanananda, Bombay, 18 October, 1973)

Your servant Mukunda dasa.

 
----- Original Message -----
From: Nathan Zakheim <zakheim@earthlink.net>
To: Stephen Voith <SLVforACBSP@webtv.net>; Mukunda dasa. PSS Oldham <prabhupada@connect4free.net>
Sent: 08 November 2000 15:59
Subject: Re: "are i a rascal?!?]

 

> Dear Sanat prabhu,
>
> PAMHO, AGTSP!
>
> Puranjana has done the GREATEST disservice to Srila Prabhupada by promoting
> the "Swindle the Turkeys" law suit. If you "boil" down his position, it is
> one of distinct hatred for Iskcon, and ultimately for the Founder Acharya of
> Iskocn. Although he has in the past,(and often continues to) throw light on
> issues that historically no one  wanted to discuss at all, his base is
> flawed to the degree that he is now causing much more harm to Lord
> Chaitanya's movement that all the accumulasted benefit of his expository
> writing over the years.
>
> He also opposes the Direction of Management to the degree, that even when
> the GBC is planning to resign.....HE STILL REFUSES TO STATE THAT THIS IS
> SRILA PRABHUPADA'S INSTRUCTION FOR CONTINUING THE MANAGEMENT OF THE
> MOVEMENT! If he opposes the Direction of Management, THEN WHAT IS HE FOR?
>
> Srila Prabhupada TOOK GREAT PAINS to create that PERFECT AND SIMPLE PLAN for
> the managment of ISKCON......and Puranjana OPPOSES IT!
>
> WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS?
>
>
> To me, it proves that those who were were raised within the Catholic
> Hierarchy will CHOOSE THE HERESY OF THAT HIERARCHY OVER THE INSTRUCTIONS OF
> SRILA PRABHUPADA!.....That is the ENTIRE GIST of the present disaster within
> ISKCON.
>
> JUST AS THE IDEA THAT A HIERARCHAL AUTHORITY STRUCTURE WITH ASSIGNABLE
> "SPIRITUAL" POWERS TO ELECT "INFALLIBLE" LEADERS WHO THEN DELEGATE THEIR
> POWER "INFALLIBLY" DOWN THE "HIERARCHY" IS A GREAT HERETICAL OFFENSE TO THE
> PERSON AND TEACHING OF JESUS, THE REPLACEMENT OF SRILA PRABHUPADA'S
> DIRECTION OF MANAGEMENT WITH THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF ASSIGNED INFALLIBILITY
> WHICH PERVERTS THE TRUE POSITION THAT SRILA PRABHUPADA INTENDED FOR THE GBC
> IS ALSO PURELY OFFENSIVE TO THE PERSON AND TEACHING OF SRILA PRABHUPADA.
>
> ALL OF THE PROBLEMS OF ISKCON WOULD BE CORRECTED WITHIN A FEW YEARS IF THE
> DIRECTION OF MANAGEMENT WERE UTILIZED, AS INTENDED BY SRILA PRABHUPADA.
>
> All of the effort to "expose corruption within Isckon and the GBC" would no
> longer be necessary, nor would these problems continue after the DOM were
> introduced. IT IS THE MEDICINE TO CURE THE "BODY" and no amount of
> complaining can produce as good a result as TAKING THE PRESCRIBED MEDICINE!
>
> Puranjana REFUSES to publish my remarks on the Direction of Managment, so
> that is a clear indication of his mental condition!
>
>
> (POSTED BELOW, IS A COPY OF THAT DOCUMENT WHICH I WOULD APPRECIATE YOU
> POSTING WITH MUKUNDA ON YOUR WEBSITE)
>
>
> SRILA PRABHUPADA'S DIRECTION OF MANAGEMENT~GBC
>
> INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS, INC. FOUNDER-ACHARYA: HIS
> DIVINE
> GRACE A. C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUPADA DIRECTION OF MANAGEMENT
>
> I, the undersigned, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, disciple of Om Visnupada
> Paramhansa 108 Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja
> Prabhupada,
> came in the United States in 1965 on September 18th for the purpose of
> starting
> Krishna Consciousness Movement. For one year I had no shelter. I was
> travelling
> in many parts of this country. Then in 1966, July, I incorporated the
> Society
> under the name and style the International Society for Krishna
> Consciousness,
> briefly ISKCON. The lawyer was Mr. J. Goldsmith. Gradually the Society
> increased,
> and one after another branches were opened. Now we have got thirty-four (34)
> branches enlisted herewith:
>
> Amsterdam, Holland
> Atlanta, Georgia.........1476 Oxford Rd. N.E. 30322
> Baltimore, Maryland.........1300 N. Calvert St.
> Berkeley, California.........2710 Durant Avenue 94704
> Berlin, West Germany
> Boston, Massachusetts...... 40 N. Beacon St. 02134
> Boulder, Colorado.........623 Concord St.
> Buffalo, New York.........40 Englewood Ave. 14214
> Chicago, Illinois.........2210 N. Halstead St.
> Columbus,Ohio.........318East20thAve.43201
> Detroit, Michigan.........74 West Forest St. 48201
> Edinburgh, Scotland, U.K.
> Hamburg, West Germany......2000 Hamburg 6, Bartelstrasse 65
> Honolulu, Hawaii.........2016 McKinley St. 96822
> Laguna Beach, California......130 Woodland Drive 92651
> London, England.........7 Bury Place, Bloomsbury, W..C. 1
> Los Angeles, California......3764 Watseka Ave. 90034
> Montreal, Canada.........3720 Park Ave.
> New Vrndavana, W. Virginia...RD 3 Moundsville 26041
> New York City, New York...... 61 Second Ave. 10003
> Paris, France............c/o Serge Elbeze, BO 113 Paris 14
> Philadelphia, Pennsylvania......416 South 10th St. 19147
> Provincetown, Massachusetts...104 Bradford St.
> San Diego, California......3689 Park Blvd.
> San Francisco, California......618 Frederick St. 94117
> San Jose, California.........70 Hawthorne Way
> Santa Barbara, California ......6654 del Playa, Goleta 93017
> Seattle, Washington.........n5516 Roosevelt Way N.E. 98105
> St. Louis, Missouri.........4544 LaClede Ave. 63110
> Sydney, Australia.........298 Birrell St. Bondi, N.S.W. 2026
> Tokyo, Japan............6-16, 2 Chome Ohhashi, Meguro-Ku
> Toronto, Canada.........40 Beverly St., Ontario
> Vancouver, Canada.........260 Raymur St., No. 305, B.C.
> Washington, D.C..........2015 Q Street N.W. 20009
>
> As we have increased our volume of activities, now I think a Governing Body
> Commission (hereinafter referred to as the GBC) should be established. I am
> getting old, 75 years old, therefore at any time I may be out of the scene,
> therefore I think it is necessary to give instruction to my disciples how
> they
> shall manage the whole institution. They are already managing individual
> centers
> represented by one president, one secretary and one treasurer, and in my
> opinion
> they are doing nice. But we want still more improvement in the standard of
> Temple
> management, propaganda for Krishna Consciousness, distribution of books and
> literatures, opening of new centers and educating devotees to the right
> standard.
> Therefore, I have decided to adopt the following principles and I hope my
> beloved
> disciples will kindly accept them.
>
> There was a meeting in San Francisco during the Ratha Yatra festival 1970
> and
> many presidents of the centers were present. In that meeting it was resolved
> that
> an ad hoc committee be set up to form the constitution which is taken into
> consideration. My duty was to first appoint twelve (12) persons to my free
> choice
> amongst my disciples and I do it now and their names are as follows:
>
> 1. Sriman Rupanuga Das Adhikary
> 2. Sriman Bhagavandas Adhikary
> 3. Sriman Syamsundar Das Adhikary
> 4. Sriman Satsvarupa Das Adhikary
> 5. Sriman Karandhar Das Adhikary
> 6. Sriman Hansadutta Das Adhikary
> 7. Sriman Tamala Krsna Das Adhikary
> 8. Sriman Sudama Das Adhikary
> 9. Sriman Bali Mardan Das Brahmacary
> 10. Sriman Jagadisa Das Adhikary
> 11. Sriman Hayagriva Das Adhikary
> 12. Sriman Krsnadas Adhikary
>
> These personalities are now considered as my direct representatives. While I
> am
> living they will act as my zonal secretaries and after my demise they will
> be
> known as Executors. I have already awarded Sannyas or the renounced order of
> life
> to some of my students and they have also got very important duties to
> perform in
> this connection. The Sannyasis will travel to our different centers for
> preaching
> purpose as well as enlightening the members of the center for spiritual
> advancement. The Sannyasis will suggest for opening new centers in suitable
> places and the GBC will take action on it. As was stipulated by the ad hoc
> committee, the function of the GBC will be as follows with particulars:
>
> PARTICULARS OF THE GOVERNING BODY COMMISSION
>
> "The purpose of the Governing Body Commission is to act as the instrument
> for the
> execution of the Will of His Divine Grace. And further,
>
> 1. The GBC oversees all operations and management of ISKCON, as it receives
> direction from Srila Prabhupada and His Divine Grace has the final approval
> in
> all matters.
>
> 2. His Divine Grace will select the initial 12 members of the GBC. In the
> succeeding years the GBC will be elected by a vote of all Temple presidents
> who
> will vote for 8 from a ballot of all Temple presidents, which may also
> include
> any secretary who is in charge of a Temple. Those 8 with the greatest number
> of
> votes will be members for the next term of GBC. Srila Prabhupada will choose
> to
> retain four commissioners. In the event of Srila Prabhupada's absence, the
> retiring members will decide which four will remain.
>
> 3. The commissioners will serve for a period of 3 years, and they may be
> re-elected at the end of this period.
>
> 4. The chairman is elected by the GBC for each meeting. He has no veto
> power, but
> in even of a vote tie, his vote will decide. The same will apply for votes
> cast
> by mail between regular meetings.
>
> 5. Throughout the year, each of the commissioners will stay with His Divine
> Grace
> for one month at a time and keep the other commissioners informed of His
> Divine
> Grace's instructions.
>
> 6. The primary objective of the GBC is to organize the opening of new
> Temples and
> to maintain the established Temples.
>
> 7. Advice will be given by the GBC in cases of real property purchases,
> which
> will be in the name of ISKCON, INC. (Trucks or other vehicles will be
> purchased
> in the name of the local president).
>
> 8. Removal of a Temple president by the GBC requires support by the local
> Temple
> members.
>
> 9. The GBC has no jurisdiction in the publication of manuscripts, which will
> be
> handled by a separate committee; profits to be returned to Srila
> Prabhupada." So
> far my books are concerned, I am setting up a different body of management
> known
> as the BHAKTIVEDANTA BOOK TRUST.
>
> The trustees of this body are also members of the GBC, but their function is
> not
> dependent on the GBC. ISKCON Press was created for the exclusive publication
> of
> my books and literatures and should be continued in that way.
>
> During my absence no one shall live in my apartment.
> ACB
>
> A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
> Witnessed by:
> Date  July 28th 1970
> (Robert F. Corens)
> Rupanuga das Adhikary
> (William R. Ehrlichman)
> Bhagavan das Adhikary
> (Kelly Gifford Smith)
> Karandhar das Adhikary
> Date  July 28th, 1970
> At the World Head Quarters
> 3764, Watseka Avenue
> Los Angeles, California 90034
>  
> > [for example, Saradiya dasi, she appears in the '97 NYRY video
> > momentarily, and i offer obeisances. She was critical of my efforts and
> > now her daughter is n turdy lawsuit. Just SEE! She is most distressed
> > about this situation and she recently also wrote a letter to Gadai
> > saying that her daughter DID NOT EVEN KNOW that turdley paper blame
> > SP[!!!]
>
> NNV DAS:    Srila Prabhupada told Saradiya devi dasi that she could go Back
> to Godhead in this Lifetime! She is completely devoted to Srila Prahupada,
> and wrote the best Vyasa Puja offering in the history of such offerings to
> Srila Prabhupada!
>
> > Anyway, point is, if pud daemone had used his influence years ago to
> > promote the fact that Sulocana was alive in his vani and that we were
> > carrying that message, as it is, intact, and that we were being
> > threatened, attacked, etc., and that SP had been murdered, and etc.,
> > then things would have undoubtedly come out deifferently. But pud was
> > too busy 'taking credit' for e.t. i did, and not even caring, or trying
> > to help me get the devotees fired up to mount protests, etc. So, these
> > folks' apathy and tamalt-consciousness is what has caused them now to be
> > suffering so
>
>
> "pud" tries to take credit for the work of everyone!....In the event that
> everything he condemns becomes rectified......WHAT WOULD HE WANT TO DO
> THEN?..He seems to have no interest whatsoever in ANY OF THE PROGRAMS THAT
> SRILA PRABHUPADA PROMOTED. He lives in a wretched environment, does not cook
> nice offerings for Krishna, gives no spiritual guidance whatsoever to his
> teenage daughter, does not wear tilak, does not hold kirtan......WHO NEEDS
> TO KNOW WHAT SUCH A PERSON HAS TO SAY?
>
> Your eternal servant,
>
>
> Nara Narayan Vishwakarma das