Why are Instructions for Ritvik Initiations Misunderstood?

By, Narasimha dasa

This question often arises: Why do many devotees reject Srila Prabhupada’s clear and common-sense order for ritvik initiations? Some suggest it is due to ignorance, or misunderstandings caused by false propaganda. Others say it because they are falsely ambitious. Others say it is due to jealousy or envy, and perhaps missing or altered recordings. Any or all these things may be true, but the primary reason is best described by Srila Prabhupada himself in many places, including the following letter and quotes cited below.

“I have got this personal experience in my Guru Maharaj’s institution. Different Godbrothers took the words of Guru Maharaj in different interpretations for sense gratification and the whole mission [was] disrupted. This is still going on for the last 40 years without any proper settlement. I am always afraid of this crack, but I am sure if our aim is to serve Krishna sincerely and the Spiritual Master simultaneously, that will be our success. That means serve Krishna and the Spiritual Master simultaneously with equal faith and serious vow, and then success is sure. ” (Letter, Oct.18, 1969)

Srila Prabhupada often warned that personal motives among His disciples could ruin His mission. Due to personal motives for sense gratification people lose their intelligence by becoming lusty and greedy. There are no limits for those possessed by greed and false ambitions. They may commit any abominable action for their ambitions. They may even kill their own children, parents, brothers, or spiritual master. This verdict of shastra is confirmed throughout history.

For sincere devotees, it is easy to conclude that Srila Prabhupada is the real acharya and diksa-guru for this age.He is self-effulgentFor devotees not polluted by bad association, this conclusion will be the natural result of hearing from Him, hearing about Him, reading His books, and following His instructions without personal ambitions.Such devotees easily understand the beauty and bliss of Srila Prabhupada’s instructions for ritvik initiations.

Text 9: Lord Kṛishṇa was sent by Arjuna into the assembly as the spiritual master of the whole world, and although His words were heard by some [like Bhīṣma] as pure nectar, it was not so for the others, who were completely bereft of the last farthing of past pious works. The King [Dhṛtarāṣṭra or Duryodhana] did not take the words of Lord Krishṇa very seriously. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.1.9)

Srila Prabhupada explains: “… By past pious deeds, one may become the king of a country, but because the results of the pious acts of Duryodhana and company were dwindling, it became evident from their actions that they were sure to lose the kingdom to the Pāṇḍavas. The message of Godhead is always like nectar to the devotees, but it is just the opposite to the non-devotees. Sugar candy is always sweet to a healthy man, but it tastes very bitter to persons suffering from jaundice.” (SB. 3.1.9, Purport)

Srila Prabhupada: “Why this Gauḍīya Maṭha failed? Because they tried to become more than guru. He, before passing away, he gave all direction and never said that ‘This man should be the next ācārya.’ But these people, just after his passing away they began to fight, who shall be ācārya. That is the failure. They never thought, ‘Why Guru Mahārāja gave us instruction so many things, why he did not say that this man should be ācārya?’

“They wanted to create artificially somebody ācārya and everything failed. They did not consider even with common sense that if Guru Mahārāja wanted to appoint somebody as ācārya, why did he not say? He said so many things, and this point he missed? The real point? And they insist upon it. They declared some unfit person to become ācārya. Then another man came, then another, ācārya, another ācārya. So better remain a foolish person perpetually to be directed by Guru Mahārāja. That is perfection. And as soon as he learns the Guru Mahārāja is dead, ‘Now I am so advanced that I can kill my guru and I become guru.’ Then he’s finished.” (Conversation, August 16, 1976, Bombay)

 Further points to consider:

 A.) Throughout Srila Prabhupada’s books, he clearly teaches that only a fully self-realized pure devotee specifically appointed by Krishna or the maha-bhagavata acharya can become a bona fide spiritual master and impart diksha to new devotees. This is proven by innumerable scriptural quotes, and by the personal examples of many great devotees, such as Sri Gadadhara Pandit and Srila Gaura Kishora das Babaji, who did not agree to initiate their own disciples without a direct order from Lord Chaitanya or Lord Krishna. 

 B.) When specifically asked how initiations would be continued after his disappearance, Srila Prabhupada replied, “I shall appoint some of you to act as representatives of the Acharya… Ritvik. Yes.” (Conv. May 28th, 1977)

 C.) Srila Prabhupada gave many follow-up instructions, including an official signed document (July 9th, 1977) stating the same thing: ritvik initiations “henceforward.”

 D.) The ritvik system was already functioning in ISKCON for many years prior. He simply sanctioned the GBC to manage it without his personal oversight. [Note: “Ritvik” is not a “vada” or philosophy. It is in fact an authorized Vedic system of management and sadhana by which priests conduct rituals under the auspices of a self-realized Acharya.]

 E.) Srila Prabhupada repeatedly insisted that nothing in ISKCON management or sadhana be changed. 

 F.) Srila Prabhupada often explained that the guru-paramapara is continued by bona fide disciples of the Acharya. The bona fide spiritual master is never bound by external Vedic traditions. His mission is not dependent on ecclesiastical conventions, successor acharyas, his physical presence, or the voting and decisions of clerics.

Unfortunately, just prior to (and immediately after) Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance in November of 1977, polluted members of the GBC made illicit plans for artificially posting themselves as acharyas through duplicity and deceit. They avoided conducting “frank and open discussions” with senior Godbrothers conversant with Srila Prabhupada’s books. They acted duplicitously and avoided consulting Srila Prabhupada through His books and recordings. They decided instead to defy Srila Prabhupada’s many warnings for the sake of consulting a Gaudiya Matha sannyasi whom Srila Prabhupada explained had played a major role promoting unqualified diksa-gurus, causing severe disruptions in the Gaudiya Matha.

Iskcon’s leading gbc men defied Srila Prabhuapda’s orders and avoided consulting Prabhupada’s books and other senior disciples. Without authority, the gbc continues to promote misguided upstarts as diksa-gurus in iskcon. 

Fortunately, despite the gbc’s deceit and false propaganda, many sincere souls have understood that Srila Prabhupada is the initiator and teacher for all real ISKCON devotees in this age. For them, Srila Prabhupada’s order for the continuation of ritvik initiations is nectar and common sense. Had Srila Prabhupada’s instructions been followed by the GBC, ISKCON would not have devolved into various factions of hodge-podge, quasi-Hindu organizations but remained a powerful spiritual movement.