Is It Still Permitted?
BY: SURESH DASA
Dec 15, USA (SUN) — Is it still permitted for householders to offer obeisances and respect to Murali Krsna Swami, as a sannyasi, even though he will no longer be permitted to lecture at or to visit in ISKCON temples, because he is not considered to be an ISKCON authorized and approved sannyasi?
Has this sannyasi transgressed any particular laws or codes? Is this the reason ISKCON authorities are sounding the warning across the Internet, so that Murali Krsna Swami, a disciple of His Holiness Gour Govinda Maharaj, should no longer be offered proper respect as a sannyasi, other than his not first getting authorization for being a sannyasi from the GBC Sannyasi Approval committee?
I know of several Gaudiya Math sannyasis, in the past, even some really sweet and elevated devotees (one appears on the Srila Prabhupada Memories Series), who were favorably disposed to ISKCON, and who admired and praised Srila Prabhupada, but who nonetheless were not permitted on ISKCON temple grounds, or even allowed to take darshan of the Deities.
It seems to send a really confusing message to devotees. Are householders supposed to offer respect to all sannyasis, or only to ISKCON authorized and approved sannyasis?
