Constitution for ISKCON As It Is - Article 8, Part 3

BY: ROCANA DASA

Apr 14, 2023 — CANADA (SUN) —

ARTICLE 8 - GURU-TATTVA (Continued)

8.6.3 Qualifications of Diksa Guru

8.6.3.1 The bona fide spiritual master (diksa, siksa, or vartma-pradarsaka) is one who delivers the pure siddhanta in disciplic succession. (§ 8.1)

8.6.3.2 "…any person who seriously desires real happiness must seek a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of the bona fide guru is that he has realized the conclusions of the scriptures by deliberation and is able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, should be understood to be bona fide spiritual masters." [59]

8.6.3.3 "There are three different kinds of devotees, namely kanistha-adhikari, madhyama-adhikari and uttama-adhikari: the neophyte, the preacher and the maha-bhagavata, or the highly advanced devotee. The highly advanced devotee is one who knows the conclusion of the Vedas in full knowledge; thus he becomes a devotee. Indeed, not only is he convinced himself, but he can convince others on the strength of Vedic evidence. The advanced devotee can also see all other living entities as part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, without discrimination. The madhyama-adhikari (preacher) is also well versed in the sastras and can convince others also, but he discriminates between the favorable and the unfavorable. In other words, the madhyama-adhikari does not care for the demoniac living entities, and the neophyte kanistha-adhikari does not know much about sastra but has full faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead." [60]

8.6.3.4 The bona fide spiritual master must be maha-bhagavata:

"The guru [sarva-yajnesu diksitah] must be situated on the topmost platform of devotional service. There are three classes of devotees, and the guru must be accepted from the topmost class... When one has attained the topmost position of maha-bhagavata, he is to be accepted as guru and worshiped exactly like Hari, the Personality of Godhead. Only such a person is eligible to occupy the post of a guru." [53]

8.6.3.5 Some, but not all madhyama-adhikaris are actually maha-bhagavata. The uttama-adhikari maha-bhagavata sometimes comes down to madhyama platform to preach:

"Although preaching is not meant for a maha-bhagavata, a maha-bhagavata can descend to the platform of madhyama-bhagavata just to convert others to Vaisnavism. Actually a maha-bhagavata is fit to spread Krsna consciousness, but he does not distinguish where Krsna consciousness should be spread from where it should not. He thinks that everyone is competent to accept Krsna consciousness if the chance is provided. A neophyte and an intermediate devotee should always be eager to hear the maha-bhagavata and serve him in every respect." [61]

8.6.3.6 Madhyama-adhikaris accepting disciples:

"The second-class devotee [madhyama] accepts disciples from the section of third-class devotees [kanistha] or nondevotees. Sometimes the first-class devotee [uttama] also comes down to the category of the second-class devotee for preaching work." [62]

"One should not become a Spiritual Master unless he has attained the platform of uttama-adhikari. ...A neophyte Vaisnava or a Vaisnava situated on the intermediate platform can also accept disciples, but such disciples must be on the same platform, and it should be understood that they cannot advance very well toward the ultimate goal of life under his insufficient guidance. Therefore a disciple should be careful to accept an uttama-adhikari as a Spiritual Master." [63]

"The gurus from nature's study are accepted as such on the principle that an elevated person in Krishna Consciousness does not accept anyone as disciple, but he accepts everyone as expansion of his guru. That is very high position, called Maha-bhagavata. Just like Radharani, sometimes thinks a subordinate of hers as her teacher, to understand devotion of Krishna. A person who is liberated acharya and guru cannot commit any mistake, but there are persons who are less qualified or not liberated, but still can act as guru and acharya by strictly following the disciplic succession." [64]

8.6.3.6.1 A madhyama-adhikari sometimes accepts disciples. Such madhyama-adhikari may be either an uttama-adhikari who has come down to the madhyama platform to preach, or he may be a non-liberated madhyama. If the madhyama-bhagavat is delivering the pure siddhanta, then just as a non-liberated siksa- guru who is delivering pure siddhanta may be considered a bona fide spiritual master (§ 8.5.3), so may the madhyama-diksa be considered a bona fide spiritual master. There is no difference between the diksa-guru and siksa-guru. Nonetheless, sastra exhorts the seeker to only accept an uttama-diksa guru.

8.6.3.6.1.1 Because the uttama-adhikari comes down to the madhyama platform to preach and initiate, the candidate for diksa initiation is always faced with the prospect of selecting a madhyama-adhikari (or one who is seemingly madhyama) as diksa-guru.

8.6.3.6.1.2 Only the madhyama-adhikari and uttama-adhikari are advanced enough to be able to accurately identify the spiritual position (adhikara) of another person, [65] therefore, the kanistha or non-devotee lacks the innate ability to recognize who is uttama-adhikari and who is not. Such candidate for diksa initiation is thus reliant upon caitya-guru, book bhagavat, siksa guidance, and the vani of His Divine Grace, the most recent manifestation of the pure sampradaya, in the matter of selecting a bona fide spiritual master as diksa-guru.

8.6.3.6.2 Sri Krsna has bestowed the jivatma with freewill, thus the individual may not be restricted with respect to the guru with whom he chooses to repose his loving affections and trust in the matter of diksa initiation. While sastra instructs the ideal circumstance, due to material conditioning, jivas will always manifest qualitative gradations of decision-making, from ideal to imperfect. The role of the Society in this regard is for the Members to associate with, preach to, educate and influence the candidate for initiation to select a bona fide spiritual master, but not to impose artificial restrictions upon their freewill choice of guru.

8.6.3.6.3 Members of the Society who understand themselves to be non- liberated madhyama-adhikaris, but nonetheless take upon themselves the service of diksa-guru, shall make clear in their preaching to prospective initiates that they are not liberated souls. They should make clear to potential disciples what their level of realization is, and the fact that they are not in direct association with Sri Krsna, as an uttama-adhikari is. Potential disciples must be made aware of the distinction between a liberated guru on the highest platform of adhikara and a madhyama-guru who is not on that platform.

8.6.4 Diksa Guru Must Be Authorized

8.6.4.1 "One should take initiation from a bona fide spiritual master coming in the disciplic succession, who is authorised by his predecessor spiritual master. This is called diksa vidhana." [66]

8.6.4.2 The matter of receiving authorization from, or the order of the spiritual master to become a spiritual master oneself is a private matter, unless one or both parties chose to make it a public matter. Such authorization applies to all forms of bona fide spiritual master: vartma-pradarsaka, siksa-guru, and diksa-guru. In the case of diksa-guru, Vaisnava etiquette demands that one not take up the service of diksa-guru until such time as his own diksa-guru has departed, unless the guru specifically orders his disciple to the contrary, authorizing him to take disciples even while he is still manifestly present.

8.6.4.3 While a direct order may come publicly, or in writing, it may also come by spiritual benediction or other means, such as the individual's progressive development of qualification and realization, through caitya-guru, through book bhagavat, or through other internal means.

8.6.4.4 While Members of the Society are free to scrutinize and query those who claim to have gotten the order to serve as spiritual master, the guru is under no obligation to prove that a manifest order exists, although he should be amply prepared to respond philosophically to such inquiries.

8.6.4.5 Wrong assumptions or false bona fides may be taken up by those who become spiritual master by their own initiative, claiming to be authorized, but not actually being situated in parampara: "Guru cannot be self made. No. There is no such single instance throughout the whole Vedic literature. And nowadays, so many rascals, they are becoming Guru without any authority. That is not Guru. You must be authorised. Evam parampara praptam imam ra... As soon as parampara is... kalena yogo nasta parantapa, immediately finished. The spiritual potency finished. You can dress like a Guru, you can talk big, big words, but it will never be effective." [67]

8.6.4.6 Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu issued a broad order for all followers to become spiritual masters, regardless of any qualification, simply repeating the instructions of Lord Krsna. [68] One must apply this order according to His Divine Grace's own direct orders with respect to becoming a bona fide spiritual master, various types of guru, and various levels of adhikara, [50] including the exhortation that it is best not to accept any disciples. [69]

8.6.4.7 While not a sastric obligation, Vaisnava etiquette prescribes that prior to taking on the service of diksa-guru, one seek the blessings of godbrothers and senior Vaisnavas. Under strict varnasrama, Sri Krsna Himself sought permission, e.g. asking King Yudhisthira for permission to return to Dvaraka. Outside the structure of a functional daivi-varnasrama system, however, no requirement to seek permission or authorization shall be imposed upon the Members, and seeking blessings shall remain a matter of etiquette and personal choice.

(To be continued...)

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