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Srila Prabhupada - Founder-Acarya
of ISKCON
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Five Key Steps taken
by Srila Prabhupada inShaping his ISKCON
* The founding of the institution under the name of ISKCON
* The recognition of that founder with the title Prabhupada
* The further recognition of Prabhupada with the title Founder-
acarya
* The establishment of the Governing Body Commission
* The acquisition of land at Sridham Mayapur for the world
headquarters and construction of the ToVP
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Why the Founding
of ISKCON?Within a year or so of Srila Prabhupada arriving
in the US, he had established his ISKCON societyTo deliver pure love of God to suffering humanitythe example taken from all previous acaryas
An institution that would be able to achieve theabove with united force over large spans of spaceand time, needed a unique form
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Why it had to be
ISKCONI am one of the workers of the Gaudiya Math, I
have no ambition of becoming the proprietor of
any Math or Mandir [SPL November 8th 1965 to Kunja Bihari dasa]
Just start a branch of your Sri Caitanya Math or
designate the branch as New York Gaudiya
Math [SPL November 23rd 1965 to Kunja Bihari dasa]
I am prepared to accept any condition for your
cooperation [SPL May 23rd 1969 to Gaudiya Math secretary]
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Why it had to
be ISKCONSo far as my starting a separate organisation known as the International Societyfor Krishna Consciousness, it was inevitable because there was no cooperation. Iam still prepared to accept this cooperation in any condition [SPL to the Secretary, GaudiyaMission, May 23, 1969]
Yet
In his last two month on earth, !r"la Prabhup#da put time and energy intoestablishing the Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust, with the central aim ofuniting the S#rasvata familythe followers of Bhaktisiddh#nta Sarasvat"!h#kurain a cooperative effort to restore and develop Gaura-ma"#ala-bh$mi.
Tamal Krishna Goswami recorded how !r"la Prabhup#da laid down the aim andprovided a concrete example. Prabhup#da said, No more non-cooperation. Noweveryone cooperate to spread Lord Caitanyas movement. Just like !r"dharaMah#r#ja is having trouble finishing his Nath Mandir. So in that way,cooperate [TKG 293].
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Why
Prabhupada?As followers increased and more and moredevotees became initiated and more and more
books were published, the devotees becameenabled to better understand their master andhow unique he was
Just as the maha-mantra gradually reveals itselfto those who properly chant, so the spiritualmaster becomes revealed to his disciples whoproperly chant
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Why Prabhupada?My husband decided he wanted to call me
Govindaji so he asked Prabhupada was that okay
Srila Prabhupada said, no, actually ji is a third
class form of address
I then piped up, well if it is a 3rd class form ofaddress why are we addressing you as ji
swamji?
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Why Prabhupada?
Srila Prabhupada said, it is not very important
I said, oh no it is VERY important we do not want toaddress you in a 3rd class way, please what would be a
good way to address you?
Well Gurudev, Guru Maharaja or Prabhupada
That is three! Which one is best?
Well Prabhupada is nice, is the best
Ok from today on you will be called Srila Prabhupada!
[Govinda D!s", DVD 1: November 1965 Summer 1970. Following#r"la Prabhup!da : A Chronological Series. (ISKCON Cinema, 2006]
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Why Founder-
Acarya?This title is quite rare.
Aside from two obscure exceptions the only other referenceis to the successors of the original vaisnava sampradayas
(1) Lakshmi - Sri sampradaya (Ramanuja)
(2) Lord Brahma - Brahma sampradaya (Madhvacarya)
(3) Rudra sampradaya - (Vishnuswami)
(4) Kumara sampradaya - (Nimbarka) [SKC Pg 150]
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Why Founder-
Acarya - ExceptionsThe Gaudiya Math is also identical with its founder
Acharyya. The associates, followers and abode of His
Divine Grace are limbs of himself. None of themclaim to be anything but a fully subordinate limb of
this single individual. This unconditional, causeless,
spontaneous submission to the Head, is found to be
not only compatible with, but absolutely necessaryfor the fullest freedom of initiative of the
subordinate limbs [Harmonist October 1930]
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Why Founder-
Acarya - ExceptionsThe Gaudiya Math is the instrument andcounterpart of His Divine Grace Paramahansa
Paribrajakacharyya Sree Sreemad Bhakti SiddhantaSaraswati Goswami Maharaj. It lives and moves and has itsbeing in the Founder-Acharyya. [Harmonist December 1936]
A week following the publication of these words,
Bhaktisiddh!nta Sarasvat"!h!kura left this world. So bothgiven the term Founder-Acharya was only used twice andthe second time only a week before SBSST departed, itnever took hold as a permanent title for him.
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Founder-AcaryaSuitable and
ConsistentSBSST revived and reformed a weakened tradition
Engendered a society formed in and pervaded by, hisown spirit
Embodied the mood of the ancient and original
sampradaya acaryas
Not least to satisfy the desires of the Lord
In delivering pure love of God to suffering humanity
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Founder-
Acarya Suitableand Consistent
Countered impersonal monism
Restored the true theistic siddhanta
Spread that siddhanta vigorously
And exceptionally propagated the synthesis of
the four ancient sampradaya acaryas acintya-
bhedabheda-tattva
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Founder-Acarya
Suitable andConsistentHowever after SBSST left this mortal world hisGaudiya Math were deprived of being able to be;an extension of the centre of the bestowal of gracefor the benefit of souls in all parts of the world.
Consequently his servant, to be able to carry out
the order of his master, became the Founder-Acarya with the aim to have his movement fulfilthe aspiration his master had for his Gaudiya Math
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ISKCONs
Founder-Acarya
Will be with us for evermore
But only as long as we remain
His unwavering servants, come what may
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Srila Prabhupada -
our masterWhen the mortal body of the spiritual master expires, hisdisciples should cry
Exactly as a queen cries when her king leaves his body
However the disciple and spiritual master are never separated
Because the spiritual master always keeps the company of his
disciple
As long as the disciple follows strictly the instructions of theirspiritual master. [SB 4.28.47, purport]
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Srila Prabhupada
- our masterThe Gaudiya Math is. . . identical with its founder
Acharyya. The associates, followers and abode of His Divine
Grace are limbs of himself. None of them claim to be
anything but a fully subordinate limb of this single individual[Harmonist October 1930]
You have very nicely stated that I am your life. This means
you are my body and so neither life nor body can be
separated because on the spiritual platform there is no suchdistinction. On material platform sometimes life is separated
from body, but on the Absolute platform there is no such
distinction [SPL Jan 11th 1968]
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Srila Prabhupada - our master
SBSST exceptionally propagated the synthesis of the fourancient sampradaya acaryas - acintya-bhedabheda-tattva,
Srila Prabhupada uniquely propagated unity in diversity
Material nature means dissension and disagreement
This K$%"a consciousness movements success will
depend on agreement, even though there are varieties of
engagements.
In the material world there are varieties, but there is noagreement.
In the spiritual world there are varieties, but there is
agreement. That is the difference.
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Srila Prabhupada
- our master
The materialist without being able to adjust the varieties and the
disagreements makes everything zero
If we keep K$%"a in the center, then there will be agreement in
varieties. This is called unity in diversity.
With all GBC and senior men present we should discuss how to
make unity in diversity.
Please try to maintain the philosophy of unity in diversity. That
will make our movement successful[Therefore those who are advanced in spiritual knowledge see unity in diversity (SB 6.8.32). The principle of unity in
diversity is philosophically known as acintya-bhed#bhedasimultaneous oneness and difference (CC Madhya
10.113)]
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Srila Prabhupada
- notable years1922 first meets SBSST - preach in english
1933 receives initiation1944 begins BTG [sajjana tosani, harmonist]
1955 establishes the league of devotees
1966 forms ISKCON
1977 leaves the material world
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Srila Prabhupadas
worthinessIn a lecture on SBSSTs disappearance in LA 1968, Srila Prabhupadaspoke;
I was born in a different family; my Guru Mah#r#ja was born in a differentfamily. Who knew that I will come to his protection?
Who knew that I would come in America?
Who knew that you American boys will come
to me?
These are all K$%"as arrangement.
We cannot understand how things are taking place.
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SrilaPrabhupadasworthiness
In 1936today is ninth December, 1968 in Bombay,I was doing some business:
All of a suddenperhaps on this date, I wrote aletter: My dear master, your other disciplesbrahmac#r", sanny#s"they are rendering you direct
service. And I am a householder: I cannot live withyou, I cannot serve you nicely. So I do not know.How can I serve you?
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Srila Prabhupadas
worthinessOn the 13th of December, 1936, SBSST replied:I am very glad to receive your letter. I think you should try topush our movement in English. That will do good to you and to
the people who will help you.
Then on the 31st of December, 1936just after writing thisletterSBSST passed away.
But I took that order of my spiritual master very seriously
If we strictly try to serve the spiritual master, his order, thenK$%"a will give us all facilities
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Srila Prabhupadasworthiness - our
legacyvyavas#y#tmik#buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana.
Vi%van#tha Cakravart"!h#kura gives hiscommentary that we should take up the words fromthe spiritual master as our life and soul.
We should try to carry out the instruction, thespecific instruction of the spiritual master, veryrigidly, without caring for our personal benefit orloss
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Srila Prabhupadas
worthiness, our legacySo I tried a little bit in that spirit. So he has given me allfacilities to serve him.
Things have come to this stage, that in this old age I havecome to your country
You are also taking this movement seriously, trying to
understand it.
We have got some books now. So there is little foothold ofthis movement.
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Srila Prabhupadas
worthiness, ourlegacySo on this occasion of my spiritual masters
departure
As I am trying to execute his will
Similarly, I shall also request you to execute thesame order through my will.
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Srila
PrabhupadasWill
1. The Governing Body Commission (GBC) willbe the ultimate managing authority of the entire
International Society for Krishna
Consciousness.
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Establishing theGoverning Body
CommissionIn 1970 Srila Prabhupada was able to have hismovement fulfil another aspiration SBSST had for his
Gaudiya Math
Forming a Governing Body Commission [GBC]
This was one of SBSSTs final instructions to his
disciples
Srila Prabhupada was convinced that disobedience ofthis order led to the disintegration of the Gaudiya Math
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Establishing theGoverning Body
Commission
Just as his own spiritual master had requested a GBC tosucceed him, Srila Prabhupada implemented the same
Departing from the custom of an acarya naming his solesuccessor in his will
Instead the first article in Srila Prabhupadas will was;
The Governing Body Commission (GBC) will be theultimate managing authority of the entire InternationalSociety for Krishna Consciousness.
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Mayapur ISKCONs WorldHeadquarters and SrilaPrabhupadas Place of
Worship
After many setbacks and local opposition
Srila Prabhupada was able to purchase land in Mayapurfor ISKCON
He quickly revealed his plans for that land - we haveproposed to hold a nice festival there from Janmastami day for
two weeks. At that time the foundation stone [for the temple]will be set down. I wish that all our leading disciples come toIndia at that time. There are 50 branches, so at least one fromeach branch should attend the function[SPL May 28th 1971 - Govinda dasi]
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Our Central
ChallengeAfter establishing the GBC Srila Prabhupada
stated that he wanted there to be;
hundreds and thousands of spiritual masters
within ISKCON
He implied that the normative guru-disciplerelationship would be perpetuated within the
unified institution under the direction of a GBC.
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Our Central
ChallengeMaintaining and increasing the cooperation
between the GBC and all devotees, perhaps most
important of all, cooperation of ISKCON gurus
I offer you my longevity Srila Prabhupada -
That is not important
Only our cooperation with one another to
advance Srila Prabhupadas mission after his
departure is important
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Our Central
ChallengeCooperation is the essence of vani-seva
By which we attain and sustain association withSrila Prabhupada
Cooperating together to spread Krsna
consciousness is really the essence of sankirtana
Srila Prabhupada explains this wonderfully
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Our Inspirational Example
Even Lord Caitanya Mah#prabhuHe is God himself, K$%"a HimselfHe felt,
alone, unable to do this task
So this is the position. You are cooperating; therefore I am getting the credit.Otherwise alone what could I do?
Ek#k"#m#ra n#hi p#ya bolo. Caitanya Mah#prabhu Himself wanted our
cooperation. He is God, K$%"a
Therefore cooperation is very important thing. Nobody should think that I havegot so great ability. I can do. No. It is simply by cooperation we can do very bigthing.
United we stand; divided we fall. . . . . So be strong in pushing on K$%"aconsciousness, and K$%"a will help.
He is the strongest. Still, we must be combined together. Sa&k"rtana. Sa&k"rtanameans many men combined together chanting. That is sa&k"rtana. That is CaitanyaMah#prabhus mission, combined together.
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Our Eternal Master
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