Oath of allegiance

Expressions researched:
"Oath of Allegiance" |"oaths of allegiance" |"I think this Oath of Allegiance should be signed by the presidents also"

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Prabhupāda: First of all, you finish one business. That Oath of Allegiance, so addition, alteration, you have made, complete, so that it may be typed?

Conversation with the GBC -- March 27, 1975, Mayapur:

Atreya Ṛṣi: ...has done, and what everyone likes to do.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Atreya Ṛṣi: And then we will decide.

Jayatīrtha: That's nice. That's nice. So I can go on and read these...?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayatīrtha: I hope this isn't, er... Anyway, this is discussing the responsibilities of the GBC men in their zones. So we've already said to organize opening new temples, to appoint temple presidents for new temples, to be responsible for training all temple presidents and insuring spiritual standards. In the case of major deviation or resignation...

Prabhupāda: Now, you... First of all, you finish one business. That Oath of Allegiance, so addition, alteration, you have made, complete, so that it may be typed?

Jayatīrtha: Satsvarūpa is...

Satsvarūpa: The only thing we've done is comment that Asnani's form hasn't specified on devotional principles.

Prabhupāda: So make addition, alteration, I say. You amongst yourselves.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In other words, add that one must follow four regulative prin...

Satsvarūpa: I can just add what Brahmānanda Mahārāja has.

Prabhupāda: So do it amongst yourselves.

Jayatīrtha: All right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda wants to finalize.

Prabhupāda: Discuss and do it, and make a final...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This Oath of Allegiance is a legal document also, isn't it?

Prabhupāda: Eh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's both a legal document and a spiritual document.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Atreya Ṛṣi: Everything we have is spiritual.

Prabhupāda: We cannot avoid.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But there must be legal also. That's the point.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayatīrtha: So somebody can read it?

Prabhupāda: So next make this final.

Atreya Ṛṣi: I recommend that you put Brahmānanda Swami's reco..., on the top part, just...

Prabhupāda: Hmmm? What is that?

Atreya Ṛṣi: Brahmānanda Swami's proposals, top portion, we'll just add?

Prabhupāda: Yes. So whatever you make, addition, alteration, make it copied.

Atreya Ṛṣi: And give it to be typed.

Prabhupāda: Don't keep it. Finish one business.

Satsvarūpa: So it's just a matter of typing it, then?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Satsvarūpa: We can't sign anything now. It's not any...

Prabhupāda: No, I mean to say, you are... You make some addition, alteration, to that. So make it complete. Then retype and then sign.

Satsvarūpa: Yes. Everyone has agreed on what it should be.

Atreya Ṛṣi: Has everyone agreed?

Madhudviṣa: Well, why don't you read it? Why don't you compose it and then let us all see what it says.

Satsvarūpa: If I can read it out loud... Can I have the other...?

Brahmānanda: We're... Read what the proposal at the top portion...

Madhudviṣa: I give Satsvarūpa the whole thing in that...(?)

Satsvarūpa: All right. So the whole thing, then, would read like... This is a proposal that it should read like this: "I, spiritual name, as initiated disciple, and GBC secretary of His Divine Grace..."

Madhudviṣa: Both names should be there.

Atreya Ṛṣi: No, prabhuji...

Madhudviṣa: Spiritual and, and, and legal name...

Atreya Ṛṣi: It should start with this.

Satsvarūpa: Well, it's not sure what it should start with. That's it.

Madhudviṣa: Both names should be there because a spiritual name is not legal.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's a fact.

Jayatīrtha: Both names. Good.

Satsvarūpa: "...as GBC secretary of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, the founder..."

Prabhupāda: You... You... You make one copy, your copy, and make addition, alteration, corrections, and then copy the same thing for other men. That will be easier.

Satsvarūpa: All right.

Prabhupāda: You... You just fill up one copy, as you are doing. So make addition, alteration, your name, your spiritual name, everything complete. So, following that copy, others will do. (?) Is that all right?

Atreya Ṛṣi: I recommend that we keep this one.

Prabhupāda: Or you can make... Anyone, you can take.

Atreya Ṛṣi: In this shape.

Prabhupāda: You, you can make addition, alteration, everything, and read it complete. Then take that proposal. That's all.

Jayatīrtha: So maybe, Atreya Ṛṣi, you can write out a final draft of it...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayatīrtha: ...including both things, and then you can read it to everyone.

Atreya Ṛṣi: Where's Brahmānanda Swami?

Jayatīrtha: Is that all right? Should we go on while he's writing?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayatīrtha: We can go on.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayatīrtha: The main purpose of these points is simply to try to put it down in writing what the GBC man can do himself, what things he requires—the whole group—what things he requires to consult with others on, in this way, so there won't be any question "What I can do, what I can't do." Is that all right?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Jayatīrtha: O.K. (Reading) "To insure that the highest standards, including spiritual temple worship, saṅkīrtana propaganda, recruitment of new devotees and life members, financial management and repayment of all debts are being adhered to."

Prabhupāda: Why debts? Debts should be avoided. Not payment, but one should not make debt.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This Oath of Allegiance is a legal document also, isn't it?
Prabhupāda: Eh.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's both a legal document and a spiritual document.
Prabhupāda: Yes.

Conversation with the GBC -- March 27, 1975, Mayapur:

Atreya Ṛṣi: ...has done, and what everyone likes to do.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Atreya Ṛṣi: And then we will decide.

Jayatīrtha: That's nice. That's nice. So I can go on and read these...?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayatīrtha: I hope this isn't, er... Anyway, this is discussing the responsibilities of the GBC men in their zones. So we've already said to organize opening new temples, to appoint temple presidents for new temples, to be responsible for training all temple presidents and insuring spiritual standards. In the case of major deviation or resignation...

Prabhupāda: Now, you... First of all, you finish one business. That Oath of Allegiance, so addition, alteration, you have made, complete, so that it may be typed?

Jayatīrtha: Satsvarūpa is...

Satsvarūpa: The only thing we've done is comment that Asnani's form hasn't specified on devotional principles.

Prabhupāda: So make addition, alteration, I say. You amongst yourselves.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In other words, add that one must follow four regulative prin...

Satsvarūpa: I can just add what Brahmānanda Mahārāja has.

Prabhupāda: So do it amongst yourselves.

Jayatīrtha: All right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda wants to finalize.

Prabhupāda: Discuss and do it, and make a final...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This Oath of Allegiance is a legal document also, isn't it?

Prabhupāda: Eh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's both a legal document and a spiritual document.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Atreya Ṛṣi: Everything we have is spiritual.

Prabhupāda: We cannot avoid.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But there must be legal also. That's the point.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayatīrtha: So somebody can read it?

Prabhupāda: So next make this final.

Atreya Ṛṣi: I recommend that you put Brahmānanda Swami's reco..., on the top part, just...

Prabhupāda: Hmmm? What is that?

Atreya Ṛṣi: Brahmānanda Swami's proposals, top portion, we'll just add?

Prabhupāda: Yes. So whatever you make, addition, alteration, make it copied.

Atreya Ṛṣi: And give it to be typed.

Prabhupāda: Don't keep it. Finish one business.

Satsvarūpa: So it's just a matter of typing it, then?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Satsvarūpa: We can't sign anything now. It's not any...

Prabhupāda: No, I mean to say, you are... You make some addition, alteration, to that. So make it complete. Then retype and then sign.

Satsvarūpa: Yes. Everyone has agreed on what it should be.

Atreya Ṛṣi: Has everyone agreed?

Madhudviṣa: Well, why don't you read it? Why don't you compose it and then let us all see what it says.

Satsvarūpa: If I can read it out loud... Can I have the other...?

Brahmānanda: We're... Read what the proposal at the top portion...

Madhudviṣa: I give Satsvarūpa the whole thing in that...(?)

Satsvarūpa: All right. So the whole thing, then, would read like... This is a proposal that it should read like this: "I, spiritual name, as initiated disciple, and GBC secretary of His Divine Grace..."

Madhudviṣa: Both names should be there.

Atreya Ṛṣi: No, prabhuji...

Madhudviṣa: Spiritual and, and, and legal name...

Atreya Ṛṣi: It should start with this.

Satsvarūpa: Well, it's not sure what it should start with. That's it.

Madhudviṣa: Both names should be there because a spiritual name is not legal.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's a fact.

Jayatīrtha: Both names. Good.

Satsvarūpa: "...as GBC secretary of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, the founder..."

Prabhupāda: You... You... You make one copy, your copy, and make addition, alteration, corrections, and then copy the same thing for other men. That will be easier.

Satsvarūpa: All right.

Prabhupāda: You... You just fill up one copy, as you are doing. So make addition, alteration, your name, your spiritual name, everything complete. So, following that copy, others will do. (?) Is that all right?

Atreya Ṛṣi: I recommend that we keep this one.

Prabhupāda: Or you can make... Anyone, you can take.

Atreya Ṛṣi: In this shape.

Prabhupāda: You, you can make addition, alteration, everything, and read it complete. Then take that proposal. That's all.

Jayatīrtha: So maybe, Atreya Ṛṣi, you can write out a final draft of it...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayatīrtha: ...including both things, and then you can read it to everyone.

Atreya Ṛṣi: Where's Brahmānanda Swami?

Jayatīrtha: Is that all right? Should we go on while he's writing?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayatīrtha: We can go on.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayatīrtha: The main purpose of these points is simply to try to put it down in writing what the GBC man can do himself, what things he requires—the whole group—what things he requires to consult with others on, in this way, so there won't be any question "What I can do, what I can't do." Is that all right?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Jayatīrtha: O.K. (Reading) "To insure that the highest standards, including spiritual temple worship, saṅkīrtana propaganda, recruitment of new devotees and life members, financial management and repayment of all debts are being adhered to."

Prabhupāda: Why debts? Debts should be avoided. Not payment, but one should not make debt.

Prabhupāda: I think this Oath of Allegiance should be signed by the presidents also.

Conversation with the GBC -- March 27, 1975, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Now I have elected this committee in Europe because the German trouble is going on. When the German trouble is over, there is no need of committee. It is only for this particular purpose because there we have to defend court, we have to see... So two, three heads, not one head. One head may be puzzled. Committee means for special purposes. Otherwise, the standing committee, GBC, is already there.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Just as a question...

Prabhupāda: Just like I appointed the committee to investigate...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bali Mardana.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So that committee is not standing. Yet similarly, a committee may be formed for some special circumstances, but otherwise the GBC committee is sufficient.

Jayatīrtha: The main point about that is that the GBC, we all meet together once a year...

Prabhupāda: Yes. And form all, what is to be discussed, what you are going to do, future. Just like you can discuss the German affairs, and find out how to defend ourselves. Of course, it is in the hands of the lawyer. Still, we can suggest...

Jayatīrtha: Take, for another example, there's the ISKCON Food Relief Program. Now, last year we discussed this, but no one was given any specific responsibility for it, and nothing really has been... Some money has been collected, but nothing major has been done. My idea would be that if there were a committee, say, of two, three men formed who would conjointly discuss and work on these projects, such as this ISKCON Food Relief, then more would get done.

Haṁsadūta: No, I think it's entirely an individual...

Prabhupāda: I think this Oath of Allegiance should be signed by the presidents also.

Jayatīrtha: That's nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Also.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Also.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Not only the GBC, but the president.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I just want to ask a question. We're in a... This meeting right now is concerning ISKCON and the GBC, but are we going to have some kind of meeting regarding the BBT? Because that's a very pressing matter also. Is that going to come in in these discussions, or are we going to have a separate meeting?

Prabhupāda: The BBT I am conducting personally.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But you mentioned in Miami... This is the reason I'm bringing it up. In Miami we mentioned that we would be discussing at Māyāpur. Something, you know, should be done so that...

Prabhupāda: What is that something? The first something is that everyone is complaining that they are not getting books. You just, first of all, do it, how to stop these complaints.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We got to get the books (indistinct)

Jayatīrtha: In India?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayatīrtha: This is the problem.

Prabhupāda: The India is membership, and the members, if they are dissatisfied, then? This is not good. So find out the way how this complaint can be solved.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Satsvarūpa: Next resolution: Individual GBC members are responsible for their presidents signing the oaths of allegiance to ISKCON and Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Room Conversation with GBC members -- March 2-3, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. So we shall have farm project, so we should think... (break)

Satsvarūpa: You want to hear the rest of our resolutions, Śrīla Prabhupāda? We were about to read the preaching centers that were proposed by the different GBC members to be opened during the year. The GBC permission was given to the following GBC secretaries to open the following preaching centers in the next year. In the US, Balavanta dāsa to open centers, permission for Knoxville, Tennessee; Columbia, South Carolina; Gatlinburg, Tennessee. And he has already opened a preaching center in Charlotte, North Carolina, and wants to open another one in Nashville, Tennessee. Then the zone of Tamāla Kṛṣṇa dāsa Goswami and Ādi-keśava Mahārāja for the Rādhā-Dāmodara parties, the following preaching centers were just opened and now approved under the provisions and conditions as stated in the general resolution for preaching centers in another GBC's zone: Cincinnati, Ohio; Lexington, Kentucky; Louisville, Kentucky; Indianapolis, Indiana; Lafayette, Indiana; Terhow, Indiana; Kansas City; Durham, North Carolina; Richmond, Virginia; Memphis, Tennessee; Oklahoma City; El Paso, Texas; Madison, Wisconsin; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Peoria, Illinois; and Carbondale, Illinois.

Rāmeśvara: Every town and village.

Satsvarūpa: The following centers are opened out of New York Temple: New Haven, Connecticut; Long Island, New York; New Brunswick, New Jersey...

Prabhupāda: It is open?

Satsvarūpa: Yes, these are opened already.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We opened these centers in the previous year, Śrīla Prabhupāda, putting... It's Guru-Gaurāṅga worship, not Deity Pañca-tattva worship.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Satsvarūpa: And in the Virgin Islands, two cities—St. Thomas and Aruba. And then for the coming year, permission given for opening centers in Phoenix and Albany. I was given permission for opening preaching center in San Francisco and in Colleen, Texas. Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja already has opened an approved center in Bloomington, Indiana; and Columbus, Ohio; and in the coming year can open in Morgantown, West Virginia; Dayton and Toledo, Ohio. Rāmeśvara Mahārāja has already established preaching centers in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City, Utaḥ. Permission given for opening preaching center in San Antonio, Texas; Omaha, Nebraska; Albuquerque, New Mexico...

Prabhupāda: Las Vegas is a dangerous place? Eh? Do...?

Rāmeśvara: It is now dangerous for the conditioned soul, 'cause we are passing out your books there. It has become dangerous for the demons. They will lose their demoniac nature by this book distribution.

Brahmānanda: That is the center of the gambling in America.

Hṛdayānanda: Gambling, prostitution, intoxication.

Rāmeśvara: The whole city is managed by criminals. But they have given us permission to sell books in the airport.

Prabhupāda: Oh. That's nice.

Satsvarūpa: Then... Also, Rāmeśvara permission to open in the summer to cover these national parks: Yosemite, Yellowstone and Mount Rushmore. In South America, Pañcadraviḍa Swami permission for the next year to open Monterrey, Mexico; Guatemala, and Panama; Medellin, Columbia. Hṛdayānanda dāsa Gosvāmī, permission for a few cities in Brazil, Bolivia, and Valencia, Venezuela. In Europe, Bhagavān dāsa given permission to open centers in Barcelona, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; Milan, Italy; and Harikeśa Swami has already started centers in Berlin, Zurich, Helsinki, Hamburg and... Rockshaw?

Harikeśa: Warsaw.(?)

Satsvarūpa: Permission given for Norway, Vienna and Copenhagan for the next year. Brahmānanda Mahārāja has been given permission to turn the following preaching centers into temples with Deities: Mombassa and Mauritius, and permission for a new center in Lagos.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Nigeria?

Hṛdayānanda: Preaching center in Nigeria. Richest African country.

Satsvarūpa: Bali-mardana has been given permission to move the Adelaide center to the Australian farm. Ātreya Ṛṣi permission to open centers in Karachi and Istanbul. Jayapatākā Mahārāja permission to open Panihati and Dacca. And Haṁsadūta Mahārāja in South India, Bangalore, Madras, Kodaikanal, Colombo in Ceylon, and Kathmandu, Nepal; and Goa.

Prabhupāda: Lage laghu.(?) Very good.

Satsvarūpa: In the US, all that territory where there are no temples was assigned into geographic zones so that all territory in Canada and the United States fits into the zone of one GBC or another.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? I'd just like to point out to Your Divine Grace that preaching center means no Deities. It just means Pañca-tattva worship.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And if we find that there's good...

Prabhupāda: The devotees.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And if there's good reaction from the people in the city, then later on we can propose to install Deities.

Satsvarūpa: Then we switched onto other topics. There was a resolution that there will be no marriages of girls until they are sixteen years old, not before.

Pañcadraviḍa: What about the schools?

Gargamuni: That's for America.

Rāmeśvara: In America.

Satsvarūpa: In America. The next resolution is that each GBC member is advised to take a turn as Śrīla Prabhupāda's secretary and they should approach Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja for that assignment. Then another resolution: All devotees are expected to shave their heads once a month. If there is a necessity to keep hair, it shall not be longer than it would grow in one month. Next resolution: Individual GBC members are responsible for their presidents signing the oaths of allegiance to ISKCON and Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Pañcadraviḍa: Can I say one thing? I think we should say that to Śrīla Prabhupāda that this resolution regarding the women was also to establish schools for them to protect them from local laws, to establish schools where they can learn domestic arts.

Rāmeśvara: That's true.

Pañcadraviḍa: That was passed.

Satsvarūpa: Resolved: Tuṣṭa Kṛṣṇa's group in New Zealand and Siddha-svarūpānanda Swami in Hawaii should pay the same price for BBT books as the temples in the ISKCON, not less, as they are paying now. It is well known that these groups preach actively against ISKCON. In response, although we should point out their philosophic defects, we should not directly confront them but remain aloof from...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In other words, no fighting with them.

Prabhupāda: This is to give them chance. They are chanting. Some way or other, keep them alive.

Satsvarūpa: Resolution: An international life membership committee is formed headed by Brahmānanda Swami and Jayatīrtha, Gopāla Kṛṣṇa, and Ādi-keśava Swami. Each GBC man is responsible to try to recover devotees, blooped devotees, in his zone. That means fallen devotees. Say, if Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa has left, then wherever he is living in the world, that GBC man of that area should try to contact him, or Madhudviṣa, like that. They're responsible for them, trying to recover them. Resolved: A committee to be formed to discuss the improvements in the Māyāpur festival and set programs. Advisory committee of Jayapatākā Swami, Rāmeśvara Mahārāja, Bhavānanda Swami, Gopāla Kṛṣṇa, Mahendra and Balavanta. This is an advisory committee which will plan for an action committee.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Can you repeat who they are?

Satsvarūpa: Jayapatākā Swami, Rāmeśvara Swami, Bhavānanda Swami, Gopāla Kṛṣṇa, Mahendra and Balavanta.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is this for the festival? Could I be added to them? Is that all right, Śrīla Prabhupāda? I'd like to be added to that committee to help with the festival if that's all right with the GBC.

Gurukṛpā: Sure.

Satsvarūpa: Next year at the Māyāpur festival, separate but equal facilities will be arranged for the women. It was felt that they weren't equal this year, that perhaps next year the new building could be divided in half, that they could have the same type of facility but kept separate.

Prabhupāda: That's nice. Now we have got enough place.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Oath of allegiance. That should be maintained.

Discussions -- June 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In America... Just like in New York there's a twelve-thirteen-story building. The temple only occupies the ground floor. They can't mortgage... Sometimes if they want to get other properties, they may want to use the asset of that building. If they have this clause, they won't be able to.

Rāmeśvara: Also sometimes we have got one property in America, and you have allowed us to sell it. Just like in Miami we had to sell the property in Coconut Grove and we bought that big farm.

Prabhupāda: No, with the consent of the GBC...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Consent of the GBC.

Prabhupāda: Like that.

Jayapatākā: Properties in America can't be sold unless...

Rāmeśvara: We had a GBC meeting, and we made a system so that there are three GBC men assigned to every American property, and they can't even be mortgaged without the signature of these three men.

Prabhupāda: And that declaration should be taken. That you are already taking.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, I am in the process of getting them all, oaths of allegiance.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Oath of allegiance. That should be maintained.

Rāmeśvara: So we've already fixed it up for the American temples, with three GBC men assigned to each building, but it hasn't been mentioned in the will.

Prabhupāda: No, why not?

Rāmeśvara: It should be. So we'll have to add a clause...

Prabhupāda: Add it.

Rāmeśvara: ...to deal with the other properties.

Prabhupāda: Add it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Add it right now, Prabhupāda says. "Temples outside of India..." That's how it should be worded. "Centers" or "Temples outside of..."

Rāmeśvara: "Properties outside of India."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Properties outside of India may only be..." I think we can say, "in principle should not be..."

Prabhupāda: There should be inventory of all the properties in this will.

1975 Correspondence

Regarding Manasvi, you should immediately prosecute. The charge should be Breach of Trust and Misappropriation of Funds. I have received today the Oath of Allegiance duly signed by him and notarized.

Letter to Paramahamsa -- Vrindaban 4 September, 1975:

Regarding Manasvi, you should immediately prosecute. The charge should be Breach of Trust and Misappropriation of Funds. I have received today the Oath of Allegiance duly signed by him and notarized. When required it will be supplied to you. Therefore I wanted this declaration. Immediately prosecute.