By Prahladananda Swami – Guru Services Committee Chair
November 18, 2012
Dear Maharajas and prabhus,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I am writing to invite senior devotees such as sannyasis, initiating gurus and Srila Prabhupada’s direct disciples, to participate in ISKCON’s “Spiritual Leadership: Being a Guru in ISKCON” this upcoming February 17-20, 2013 in Mayapura. Others who would like to participate can do so if they send a letter of recommendation from a senior devotee.
The 4-day seminar covers many pertinent topics, including:
Role and Identity of the Guru in ISKCON Principles of Spiritual/Guru Leadership Relationship with the ISKCON Institution Guru-Management Dynamics Guru-Disciple Relationship Care of Disciples Pastoral Skills Spiritual Health Peer Association
The Guru Seminar is highly interactive and provides opportunities to share realizations with fellow senior Vaishnavas. It was organized by the GBC Guru Services Committee with the direct input of senior leaders including Bhakti Charu Swami, Jayapataka Swami, Radhanatha Swami, Ravindra Svarupa prabhu and other senior devotees and educators.
Per ISKCON Law this Seminar is mandatory for devotees who take up the service of diksha guru. The GBC also highly recommends it for siksa gurus, senior managers and other ISKCON leaders.
The Guru Seminar will be offered once in 2013, at Mayapura from February 17-20. Timings will be 10 am to 1 pm, and 3 pm to 6 pm daily.
The Seminar is open to ISKCON gurus (diksa and siksa), sanyasis, regional directors, temple presidents and other senior leaders who have at least ten years of active service in ISKCON. (References may be required.)
Space is limited, so please let us know as soon as possible if you would like to attend. To register please email Padmanayana prabhu the administrator of the Mayapura Institute at padmanayana@gmail.com and copy myself Prahladananda Swami at Prahladananda.Swami@pamho.net.
Thank you very much. I look forward to hearing from you.
Your servant,
Prahladananda Swami
Guru Services Committee Chair
Dear Maharaja, You may know my parents, Mohanananda dasa (fell away in 1974) and Sasthi Devi dasi.
My grandfather was Usika dasa & I was born in the movement and attended the several Gurukulas, since my father opened the one in Dallas & I also attended the Vrndavan & Mayapur schools. During my entire life I have studied all of Srila Prabhupadas books and his philosophy.
My father, unknown to almost everyone, was specifically trained by Srila Prabhupada in 1968-1970, to become “THE AUTHORITY” in ISKCON for householder affairs. This is what Srila Prabhupada wanted him to become expert in, in order to relieve Srila Prabhupada of that burden.
Because my father left the movement, that knowledge was never passed on, except to my mother, in the 3 years before his fall. Over the course of my life my mother has told me quite a few stories from those days, (1968-1973) about what Srila Prabhupada thought about different kinds of women, children,
I know that as a sannyassi, you may not care for these matters either, but if you see this as another aspect that makes Srila Prabhupada the shaktyavesh-avatar that we all know he is, it is actually astounding.
If you know of someone who is sober, grave & serious, I could relay these stories to him if you like.
My problem is that 99% of the devotees I have ever encountered are stuck in misunderstanding Srila Prabhupada.
You may remember the time when ISKCON householders wore yellow. On a morning walk, Srila Prabhupada said to my dad, ” as for wearing yellow, Krsna personally sets this example, eternally… He will always be famous for wearing yellow below the waist.. and do you know why? Because what a man wears below the waist… that mode he will quickly attain.” My dad said, “But Bhaktivinode wore white…” Srila Prabhupada, “He was not fallen… Bhaktivinode Thakura was above the mode of goodness… and belonged to the Vaisnava community that adhered to the teaching of not identifying as a brahmacari, householder, vanaprasta, or sannyassi… as those relate to the body. None of my disciples can imitate.”
My dad said, “Is it bad to wear white then?” Srila Prabhupada said, “White is very good for widows… but it cannot help my disciples. In India, so many men wear white, but they remain contaminated by mayavadi thinking… so you all are like that. If my householders wear yellow they will advance ten times faster.”
Yours, Bhadra