Feb 07, 2015 — INDIA (SUN) — This article was submitted to Dandavats on 31st January 2015 for publishing, but it was not published.
Often the nature of schism is such that while there is a conflict, both sides do not know that they are in the midst of an impending schism until it is too late. Both sides feel that they are right and keep pushing and causing a bigger and bigger rift. The planned implementation of Female Diksha Gurus (FDG) in ISKCON is such an issue which is threatening to tear apart the social fabric of the ISKCON community.
On the one hand we have the GBC which is pushing more and more for liberalization and secularization of ISKCON by implementing changes or planning to implement changes such as:
Introduction of women leaders (GBCs, temple presidents etc.)
Formation of Vaishnavi women's ministry
Allowing female bodied devotees to give class in situations where there are qualified men to give class
Introducing the concept of FDGs in ISKCON
And on the other hand there are those who want that any policy or activity of ISKCON should be according to a "traditionalist" understanding of the teachings of Srila Prabhupada. There have been disagreements between these two sides on various issues such as whether or not insert footnotes in the books of Srila Prabhupada, should kirtan standards be regulated, should mundane welfare work be a one of the activities we engage in, should philosophical purity be strictly maintained in the movement by pointing any instances of deviations out to concerned preachers or speaker etc.
This latest issue of FDGs has been the most contentious. One of the elements of the opposing sides is the ISKCON India Advisory Council (IIAC). This is a council of ISKCON temple leaders of India. As Srila Prabhupada had said and as written in the 5th Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, India is a land of piety. Although Varnasaram Dharma is waning and immorality is rearing its ugly head, India is still the most pious place on the whole globe. Therefore adherence to the teachings of sastra is generally strong here and although there may be small or subtle deviations here and there, generally gross deviations and anything going against general Vedic culture is not much appreciated in India.
Devotees in ISKCON India in particular therefore, have been resenting the liberalization or compromising of standards such as allowing women to give class, inducting women leaders and most recently the proposal to introduce FDGs in ISKCON, all of which is generally against sastra. To this effect IIAC, has forthrightly rejected the resolution on FDG which means that whatever the outcome of the final debate about FDG, it will not be implemented in India at all. This is quite a far reaching statement as for many years India has been the best performing part of ISKCON where new temples are being opened every year and devotees are joining ISKCON en masse. India is also one of the most financially stable sections of ISKCON. Comparing this to North America and Europe where there is hardly any local congregation in the temples, finances are not so good and there is markedly less growth in ISKCON in general, and we can see why India is such an important place for ISKCON.
Thus far the opposition among the Indian members of ISKCON has been merely vocal and passive. Over the years the introduction of various changes as listed in the beginning of the article above, have been protested but largely tolerated by Indian ISKCON members. However this latest issue of FDG has caused an unprecedented stir and the reaction to any implementation of FDG even if only outside of India is expected to be quite strong. Also it is an accepted fact that the devotees opposing these changes are not all concentrated only in India. There are devotees all over the world who oppose these changes.
The worst case scenario would be schism of ISKCON along the lines of whether to fully base everything on Srila Prabhupada's directions concerning the secondary social role of women (this topic is discussed extensively in a new book just released by H.H. Bhakti Vikasa Swami, Women: Masters or Mothers?) or to go along with the modern materialistic civilization and adjust ISKCON to be acceptable to them. Thus it is hoped that all further liberalization changes are halted or even reversed and both sides enter into dialogue and finally agree on how to take the ISKCON movement forward as a force of change as Srila Prabhupada intended:
"I wish that it will be noted down in history that this Krishna Consciousness Movement is responsible for saving the world. Practically, our Movement is the only hope for saving the world from complete disaster. So you have got all good opportunity now, do everything very nicely."
(Letter to Sucandra -- Bombay, 1 January, 1972)
As mentioned earlier the fact about schism is that often those involved do not realize they are in the midst of schism until after the fact. Therefore let us tread cautiously and not do anything that will make generations of devotees criticize our actions. Hare Krishna.
