Hare Krsna, The documents and audio files linked below explain the proper understanding and etiquette between guru and disciple, the position of guru in ISKCON, the duties of a disciple, accepting a Shiksha guru, the central position of Srila Prabhupada in ISKCON, how to know when you are ready for Diksha, how to find a […]
What About Illicit Sex? We take a vow to not engage in illicit sex. What does that mean? The GBC has quoted Prabhupāda as saying no illicit sex specifically means sex only for procreation, done once per month after chanting 50 rounds and done at a time likely for the woman to become pregnant. But […]
By Mahatma Das A devotee’s faith is an advanced devotee is the most important proof of the qualification of his prospective guru. Faith allows him to know, understand, and measure the standard of a person’s qualification. This explains why those who lack the faith that Prabhupada wanted his disciples to be gurus cannot understand that […]
Preface This paper has been voted on by the GBC and is now an official GBC policy paper. The following offers more about the paper’s purpose and scope. The topic of “Lines of Authority” is a heritage or legacy issue. By “heritage” or “legacy” issues we mean those topics that are of core importance to […]
If you would like to accept me as your diksa guru – and have been in ISKCON for six months – you can now begin reciting my pranam mantra. My pranam mantra is a generic mantra, the same as is offered to all gurus: namah om visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhu-tale srimate mahatma prabhu iti […]
Where We Stand By Mahatma Das Recently I read the report about the discussion on female diksa gurus that took place in October (2014) during the mid-term GBC meeting in Tirupati. You can read the article here: https://mahatmadas.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/About-Female-Diksa-Gurus.pdf I would like to share a few thoughts on female diksa gurus from the perspective of guru […]
The Hari-bhakti-vilasa lists the following qualifications for a bona fide disciple, who may be trained and engaged in Deity worship: He should be devoted to the lotus feet of the spiritual master He should be fully capable of upholding the vows made to the spiritual master He should be engaged day and night in the […]
About Initiation Why accept someone as a guru? You accept someone as a guru because you want to be guided by him in your Krsna consciousness. Additionally, you experience that Krsna comes to you most strongly through this person, you have absolute faith in him, and you want to give your life to Krsna through […]
Illuminations 70 What is Guru? – Part 1 (can be read here) What is Guru? – Part 2 (can be read here) In this newsletter, I conclude our discourse on guru-tattva and cover the subject from the guru’s point of view. I humbly hope that in doing so I am speaking on behalf of other […]
Illuminations 69 What is Guru? – Part 1 (can be read here) What is Guru? – Part 3 (can be read here) Srila Prabhupada – oh guru I would like to start by looking at the qualifications of siksa and diksa gurus in ISKCON. There may be a tendency to exaggerate the qualities of one’s […]
Illuminations 68 What is a Guru? – Part 2 (can be read here) What is a Guru? – Part 3 (can be read here) The sastra clearly states that taking shelter of a spiritual master is a fundamental step in the practice of Krishna consciousness. But who is a guru, and what does it mean […]