This page lists the foundational essays written by IISB members and interviews in response to Kaunteya Prabhu’s book Tough Questions, Difficult Answers on Srila Prabhupada’s Contentious Remarks (TQDA). The videos and essays are listed below.

Essays

  • Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Authority in his Books and Other Contexts (Author: ISKCON India Scholars Board)
    This is the official response of the ISKCON India Scholars Board.In response to TQDA’s central thesis that Śrīla Prabhupāda’s own views were susceptible to being influenced by false information, this paper examines three questions: 1) What is the authority of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s words in his own books; 2) What is the authority of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s words generally, and 3) are we allowed to modify them, remove them, or publicly distance ourselves from them? (PDF version available.)
  • Did Śrīla Prabhupāda Commit Mistakes? (Author: Śrīdhara Śrīnivāsa dāsa)
    On the basis of śāstra-sādhu-guru-vākyas, this essay concludes that a liberated soul’s words and actions can never be classified as defective. Because of being self-realized or having attained the perfection of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, there can be none of the defects of conditioned souls in liberated souls like Śrīla Prabhupāda. The essay proceeds further to critique TQDA In light of these findings. (PDF version available.)
  • No trace of racism, sexism or “homophobia” in Śrīla Prabhupāda’s teachings (Author: Jaya Nityānanda dāsa)
    This essay defends Śrīla Prabhupāda from accusations of racism, sexism and “homophobia” from criticisms made by ISKCON insiders and secular outsiders. This essay presents many statements from śāstra that show that Śrīla Prabhupāda’s statements, where criticized in TQDA as not being supported by śāstra, are actually supported by śāstra.
  • Review of Chapter 3: Homophobia (Author: Vaṁśidhārī dāsa)
    In critiquing TQDA’s advocacy for legitimizing marriage between homosexuals (so-called “gay marriage”), this essay highlights the necessity of grounding logical arguments in the authority of śāstra. Vedic rites for marriage are shown to be established in conformance with sanction found in śāstra whereas sanction for marriage between homosexuals is not. Moreover, since the innovation of homosexual marriage would transgress śāstric injunctions that declare homosexual gratification as sinful, such an innovation would also be against śāstra. Although TQDA tries to side-step or diminish Śrīla Prabhupāda’s own instructions on the matter of homosexual sex, in his Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam commentary and elsewhere, Vaṁśidhāri’s essay explains how such minimization of the founder leads to both erroneous conclusions and an inauspicious future for ISKCON.

Interview – 18 August 2023

Interview by HG Sitapati Dāsa and Danna Devi Mātā of Krishna-kirti Dāsa, Convenor of the ISKCON India Scholars Board, on 18 Aug. 2023. The full interview can be accessed on Youtube and Facebook.

Full Interview

Video clips (Youtube)