Addressing Allegations and Guru Standards in ISKCON

August 11, 2025Posted inCommunications, Essays, ISKCONNo Comments
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), founded by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, has faced various questions regarding its practices, leadership, and adherence to tradition. This essay addresses two significant inquiries: the allegations of Srila Prabhupada’s poisoning by his disciples and the mechanisms for ensuring the quality and integrity of ISKCON’s initiating gurus. Drawing on official statements, historical context, shastra (the sacred scriptures of Sanatana-dharma) and institutional policies, this discussion aims to provide clarity on these matters while situating ISKCON’s practices within the broader Vedic tradition.

Presentations from the ISKCON India Scholars Board to Maharaja Dibyasingh Deb and Scholars of the Jagannatha Shreemandira on the question of allowable dates for celebrating the Jagannatha Ratha-yatra

March 29, 2025Posted inEssays, TranslationsNo Comments
These presentations were made by members of the ISKCON India Scholars Board (IISB) before Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingh Deb, Dr. Aravind Padhee, Chief Administrator of the Shri Jagannatha Temple Administration (SJTA), and scholars representing the SJTA on 20th March 2025 in Bhubaneswar, India, on the occasion of a discussion between IISB and SJTA scholars. The presentations are made available both in English and Oriya.

Research on Authorized Dates for Observing the Jagannatha Rathayatra around the world

March 29, 2025Posted inEssaysNo Comments
These essays were presented by members of the ISKCON India Scholars Board (IISB) to Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingh Deb, Dr. Aravind Padhee, Chief Administrator of the Shri Jagannatha Temple Administration (SJTA), and scholars representing the SJTA on 20th March 2025 in Bhubaneswar, India, on the occasion of a discussion between IISB and SJTA scholars. These long-form essays address the topic of whether the Shri Jagannatha Rathayatra may be performed on dates other than the Ashadha-shukla-dvitiya, the 2nd day of the bright fortnight of the month of Ashadha (June-July), or dates near enough to it. This is the day for the Rathayatra stipulated in the Skanda Purana.
Srila Prabhupada with Books

Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Authority in his Books and Other Contexts

July 31, 2023Posted inEssays, ISKCON, Research8 Comments
The intuition that Śrīla Prabhupāda’s words are perfect, without defect, even when not explicitly backed by śāstra is definitely the correct understanding. When a devotee is perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, like Śrīla Prabhupāda, he not only perfectly sees Kṛṣṇa, but also perfectly sees Kṛṣṇa’s material energies as well. A pure devotee has none of the four defects of conditioned souls. Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī says: bhrama, pramāda, vipralipsā, karaṇāpāṭava, ārṣa-vijña-vākye nāhi doṣa ei saba, “Mistakes, illusions, cheating and defective perception do not occur in the sayings of the authoritative sages.”
Srila Prabhupada dictating.

Did Śrīla Prabhupāda commit mistakes?

July 30, 2023Posted inEssays, ISKCON11 Comments
On page 46 of his book, Kaunteya Prabhu states that we should accept Śrīla Prabhupāda’s words as perfect whenever he is stating from the “original text” (śāstra), and not necessarily perfect (potentially mistaken) if the source of information is not based on the “original text.” And on page 408, Kaunteya also says that we will “never know to what extent the false information Srila Prabhupada received affected his views on women,” but Kaunteya appears to be certain that the extent is not “never.” Indeed, to even consider the possibility that Śrīla Prabhupāda’s views could be influenced by false information, one must necessarily presume that Śrīla Prabhupāda himself is a conditioned soul. This idea is at the heart of Kaunteya’s book.

No trace of racism, sexism or “homophobia” in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s teachings

June 23, 2023Posted inEssays, ISKCON3 Comments
I appreciate the well-intended concerns of the author, Kaunteya Prabhu, expressed throughout his book. However, after reading it, I find a few observations that need to be addressed in order to truly comprehend Śrīla Prabhupāda’s teachings. I request the author and other respected devotees to kindly consider the following remarks by my humble self.

Review of Chapter 3: Homophobia

June 22, 2023Posted inEssays2 Comments
In the book Tough Questions, Difficult Answers by Kaunteya (JPS) Prabhu, at the beginning of the third chapter, titled “Homophobia,” the author defines the word “homophobia” and its different meanings. Then, when it comes to scriptural analysis, he mentions it as sin, often compares it with heterosexism, and says that it is also natural like heterosexism. Since heterosexual marriages are accepted in ISKCON, homosexual marriage should also be endorsed and encouraged in ISKCON. So, in this way, he recommends that ISKCON should institutionalise gay and lesbian marriages.
Assessing the Five-Man Panel Report in Light of Mīmāṁsā

Assessing the Five-Man Panel Report in Light of Mīmāṁsā

April 8, 2022Posted inEssaysNo Comments
The only meaningful aspect of the report that merits scrutiny are the different approaches, or theories, of textual interpretation that the Minority and Majority use to reach their opposite conclusions. The Minority explicitly names a theoretical approach that they use for interpreting applicable law, and interpretations produced by this approach form the basis of their dissent. . . . It is unnecessary to examine the final decisions each side has made, since they proceed from their different ways of interpreting GBC laws. Hence, in order assess which side has more merit, it is necessary only to consider the different approaches to textual interpretation used by each side.