Rittik, not ritvik
BY: RADHANANDA DASA
Feb 24, 2013 — INDIA (SUN) —
In official documents and transcripts of conversations related to the succession issue, two words with different spellings have been encountered — rittik and ritvik. The stance that the GBC has taken on this matter is that the two words, though differently spelled, are actually conveying the same concept. However, H.G. Rocana Prabhu in his thesis, "Defeat of Ritvik-vada" has made a convincing case that the two words actually refer to two entirely different concepts, which he has explained in DOR.
An etymological analysis of these two words seems to support the position presented in Defeat of Ritvik-vada. Rittik and ritvik both have a common suffix –ika or –ija, which means "born from".
Rittik 
As per ITRANS standard this word should be spelled as "rItik". It comes from root word rIti 
which is defined in Monier Williams Sanskrit dictionary as:
General course or way, usage, custom, practice, method, manner
Natural propensity or disposition
So rIti 
means "custom" and –ika or –ija 
means "born from". Thus rittik literally means "one who is an outcome of a custom".
In the context of July 9th appointment letter, we know that senior leaders had stopped processing candidates for initiation due to worries about Srila Prabhupada's health and to solve this problem, Prabhupada followed the "customary practice" to appoint proxies in situations where an acarya is unable to personally initiate, though he is physically present. He appointed 11 rittik representatives to initiate disciples on his behalf; the new initiates would be disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. As per the "custom", the practice does not continue after the acarya's departure from the mortal world.
Ritvik 
Ritvik is commonly understood in reference to officiating priests performing fire sacrifice since they offer oblations in the sacrificial fire at a precise ordained time or season —ritu 
.
However, ritvik can be etymologically broken down into ritva 
and –ika or –ija 
.
Defintion of ritva 
as per Monier Williams Sanskrit dictionary:
Etymologically, ritvik refers to one who is seasoned or matured enough to conceive or bear the next generation. Thus ritvik acarya refers to one who is qualified to initiate disciples.
In the context of the May 28th Conversation, Srila Prabhupada refers to officiating acaryas or ritvik acaryas, who would initiate their own disciples after his disappearance. As clarified, the new initiates would be considered grand disciples of Srila Prabhupada. However, Srila Prabhupada never appointed any ritvik acarya(s) . Instead he appointed 11 rittik representatives to initiate on his behalf and only during his manifest presence.
Conclusion
Etymological analysis of rittik and ritvik provides further evidence to support the position already presented by Defeat of Ritvik-vada in a convincing manner.
