Series: Srila Prabhupada-Our Preeminent Siksha Guru – Day 02
Speaker: Praghosa Das
Occasion: Srila Prabhupada Disappearance Day Special
On Srila Prabhupada Disappearance Day festival , here are some lesser-known facts related to ISKCON Founder acharya Srila Prabhupada by Praghosa Das
GBC Strategic Planning Team (SPT) is pleased to invite you to the Day 2 of our 3 day series celebrating Srila Prabhupada Disappearance Day festival reflecting on the role of Srila Prabhupada as our preeminent Siksha Guru with Praghosh Das.
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***************About Praghosa Das********************
Praghosa Dasa, a native of Dublin, Ireland, joined the ISKCON Soho Street temple in London in 1983. A year later he relocated to Dublin and took initiation from Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami. He spent the early part of his devotional career distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books, raising funds and managing temples in Belfast, the island of Inis Rath, and a rural community in Wicklow, Ireland. Concurrently he and his wife, Goloka Devi Dasi, raised two sons, Sankarsana and Pancajanya. As things now stand, Praghosa Dasa and Goloka Devi Dasi direct three Govinda’s Restaurants and a preaching centre in Dublin and still care for their two grown sons.
An active contributor to ISKCON’s web site Dandavats.com and the driving force behind it, Praghosa Dasa is also a GBC member. He began in 1997 as a deputy GBC member, but his ability to rise to a challenge, his quick thinking, his creativity and good sense of humor were all noted by the GBC body, and he became a full GBC member in 2001. His areas of responsibility cover some of the world’s colder climates: the Channel Islands, Denmark, England, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Norway, Scotland, Sweden and Wales. Additionally, Praghosa Dasa assists as co-zonal secretary for ISKCON’s headquarters in Mayapur,
West Bengal, India.
Praghosa Dasa is currently serving as chair of the GBC team building group. He also sits on the GBC Appointments, Finance, and BBT/GBC Liaison committees. For three consecutive years, 2002, 2003, and 2004, Praghosa handled decision-making as an executive officer in the executive committee of the GBC body. For that entire period, he also chaired the annual GBC meetings. Indeed Praghosa was the first grand disciple of Srila Prabhupada to be chairman of the GBC body. His solid commitment to serving ISKCON in a significant way is further highlighted by his participation in the European Regional Governing Body (RGB) from its inception in 1997 and by his ongoing managerial responsibilities in ISKCON Dublin.
The GBC meetings, in which current issues and the future of the Hare Krishna movement are discussed, are full of gravity. However, with great determination and flair, Praghosa Dasa puts together a drama every year to celebrate the lighter side of spiritual life an amazing feat for someone already fully engaged in devotional service.
Hare Krishna.
I beg to differ from your conclusion on WHO is Srila Prabhupada.
Although by inserting the words " pre-eminent" before using the words Shiksha Guru it still does not fully and comprehensively describe and define Srila Prabhupada's extremely rare position.
If you read the Srimad Bhagavatam 10.2.31 Srila Prabhupada is describing the methodology of the Acharya-Sampradaya, the system He says that His Krishna Consciousness Movement is following and its being prescribed.. Unless we follow this Acharya-Sampradaya system He says our endeavors are futile. His choice of the word " prescribed" means it is an authoritative system and methodology. And strictly Bona Fide.
As He is No.32 in the Guru-Parampara it illustrates exactly how rare His position is, that there has only been 32 Sampradaya-Acharyas since Lord Brahma , its an inconceivable position.
The point that illustrates clearly that He is the Current Link Sampradaya Acharya is that He prescribes the following methodology;
following 4 regulative principles and chanting a minimum of 16 rounds.
This is Srila Prabhupada's updated methodology that replaces any other methodology, which is strictly Bona Fide.
"Thus it is the duty of the ācārya to publish books that will help future candidates take up the method of service and become eligible to return home, back to Godhead, by the mercy of the Lord."
This is not an instruction from a Shiksha Guru it is an Instruction from the Sampradaya Acharya, the Current Link.