Similarly, the GBC member means they will see that in every temple these books are very thoroughly being read and discussed and understood and applied in practical life. That is wanted, not to see the vouchers only, "How many books you have sold, and how many books are in the stock?" That is secondary. You may keep vouchers... If one is engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, there is no need of vouchers. That is... Everyone is doing his best. That's all. So we have to see that things are going on very nicely. So in that way the GBC members should divide some zones and see very nicely that things are going on, that they are chanting sixteen rounds, and temple management is doing according to the routine work, and the books are being thoroughly discussed, being read, understood practically. These things are required. Now, suppose you go to sell some book and if somebody says, "You have read this book? Can you explain this verse?" then what you will say? You will say, "No. It is for you. It is not for me. I have to take money from you. That's all." Is that very nice answer?
GBC and temples
Expressions researched:
"G.B.C."
|"Governing board"
|"gbc"
|"gbc's"
|"gbcs"
|"governing body"
|"temple"
|"temples"
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Conversations and Morning Walks
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: But by argument, by words, by our methods, by our preaching, we have to convince. So selected fifteen men, not twelve (indistinct). It may increase more. Now we have got very many centers, but the duty is very responsible. So as, so far the center is concerned, the local president is (indistinct) man. The GBC can supervise that things are going on. The first management is that each and every member in the temple is chanting sixteen rounds regularly and following the regulations, that's all. Otherwise we have no... That is our spiritual strength. That must be executed.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yes, there must be. In our organization... Just like in each temple we elect a president. Then we get GBC. Then above all, I am. So that is needed. It is not conventional. It is needed. Therefore above everything, there must be God. So if these people, they say, "There is no need of God, there is no use for Him," that means they are all rascals.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Spinning, yes. Everyone should be engaged. That is management. So all GBC members must see that in every temple, everyone is engaged.
Brahmānanda: That is the meaning of leadership.
Prabhupāda: That is the meaning of leadership.
Hṛdayānanda: And that all the devotees are protected.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Hṛdayānanda: And all the devotees are protected.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Everyone should be engaged. And if everyone is engaged, he'll never fall sick. Yes. (break) ...the farmers, their son, they're giving up the farming business.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
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: Either they owe BBT money or they owe bank money.
Prabhupāda: That is not good. Debts should be... No debts. If any temple wants to make debt, it must be sanctioned by the GBC committee.
Jayatīrtha: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Make it clear.
Jayatīrtha: That's nice.
Prabhupāda: Not that he whimsically, the president, and put the Society into debts, unless it is sanctioned.
Jayatīrtha: Six months after first initiation. All right. So the next role for the GBC man is to act as the designated representative of Śrīla Prabhupāda to settle all philosophic, procedural disputes which may arise and are not settled at the temple level. In other words, any philosophic question a temple president can't ans...
Prabhupāda: No, you... Eh?
Jayatīrtha: If there's some philosophic question and the temple president can't answer it, then the GBC...
Prabhupāda: Then GBC should be consulted. And if the GBC cannot answer, then I'll answer.
Jayatīrtha: Right. Or, if there's some quarrel—one man doesn't like another man, and the temple president can't solve it-then...
Prabhupāda: What is quarrel?
Jayatīrtha: ...the GBC man can solve it.
Prabhupāda: There is no question of quarrel. Quarrel is material.
Jayatīrtha: Yes. But it is the Age of Quarrel.
Prabhupāda: Quarrel is not good.
Jayatīrtha: The next point is to obtain reports from the temple presidents, financial reports, like this, to see that things are being looked up.
Prabhupāda: The general report should be submitted at least monthly.
Jayatīrtha: Yes. So "to obtain all reports on a timely basis..."
Prabhupāda: To the board of the GBC or to the individual, zonal GBC. Yes.
Jayatīrtha: We have kind of a system outlined in here, how reports can be done. It's a technical thing, but...
Prabhupāda: But they have that everyone is chanting sixteen rounds, everyone is following the principles, "so much money received, so much money deposited in the bank."
Jayatīrtha: Right.
Prabhupāda: "And this is the balance." And these are general (?) report. That's all.
Jayatīrtha: Right. Yeah, we have...
Prabhupāda: The financial means what they have collected, what they have spent.
Jayatīrtha: Right.
Prabhupāda: And general reporting: "Yes, everyone is chanting," or "He is not chanting in spite of warning," like that.
Jayatīrtha: Yes.
Prabhupāda: This is very good.
Jayatīrtha: So we have some guidelines in here about that. So, so should I go on with this?
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Haṁsadūta: Under, under his direction. Any monies or properties under his direction.
Atreya Ṛṣi: That would be a separate oath. That would be a separate thing, Prabhupāda.
Haṁsadūta: Maybe that should just be left out because if we're going to have some legal document like an umbrella, then that will take care of all those things.
Atreya Ṛṣi: Well, that should be in the pledge, in the agenda.
Prabhupāda: No, no, GBC... Does GBC members deal with money?
Haṁsadūta: No, he does not personally. He doesn't have anything personal.
Prabhupāda: No, no. I mean...
Brahmānanda: But he puts his signature.
Atreya Ṛṣi: No, no. As GBC, we do not deal with money. In other words, if you're dealing with money, it's the temple president.
Prabhupāda: The GB...
Atreya Ṛṣi: Not as...
Prabhupāda: The GBC should see that it is being done properly. Why he should...?
Haṁsadūta: But sometimes it...
Prabhupāda: ...involve himself in the...
Rūpānuga: Well, for example, in New York...
Prabhupāda: ...internal management?
Rūpānuga: Well, in New York, for example, I just recently signed with Gopī-jana-vallabha Prabhu the papers on the farm. I signed conjointly with him on the farm because the officers had to sign, and we just recently had a thing in New York, ISKCON, Los Angeles, New York.
Prabhupāda: No, no, "sign" another thing. That I have signed, many.
Rūpānuga: So that's all right.
Prabhupāda: The one thing is that GBC is wandering. If the checks are to be signed, then where is the GBC?
Rūpānuga: There's no account, no GBC account.
Prabhupāda: The... The money matters should be dealt with the president, secretary and the treasurer, three men. Out of three, two should sign. And GBC's business is to see that things are going on, money matters. That's all. GBC is not supposed to deal directly. He has to inspect. That's all.
Atreya Ṛṣi: So I can cross this...
Prabhupāda: Just like... But the thing is, if the GBC and the president is the same man, that is not good. That is not good. The president should be separate. So the president, treasurer and secretary, they will deal directly, and GBC should inspect book, account, that it is done very nicely. That's all. You can question, "Why you have done this?" That's nice. Otherwise, in the..., it will be difficult to manage.
Rūpānuga: Yes. We don't want to become entangled in that money.
Prabhupāda: Ah!
Rūpānuga: We don't want to become entangled in that money.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Madhudviṣa: What controls? What controls in the matter of money then?
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Madhudviṣa: Who has control of the money?
Prabhupāda: Control means if there is vigilant, I mean to say, examination, inspection, then there is control of money.
Madhudviṣa: Well, let's say someone gives the temple president some money, and he puts in an account with his name and the treasurer's name, and they both conspire and take the money. Then there's no...
Prabhupāda: Yes. That you can do also.
Atreya Ṛṣi: Anyway...
Madhudviṣa: Yes, but...
Prabhupāda: GBC can do also.
Madhudviṣa: But isn't the GBC supposed to be more trusted than the temple president?
Prabhupāda: Then everyone can do, who has got the...
Bhagavān: The BBT trustees did it.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Bhagavān: The BBT trustees also did it. They took unsanctioned loan from the BBT.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda, what about in a case like myself. I'm a sannyāsī, and I have a traveling saṅkīrtana party. So can I handle that money?
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'm a sannyāsī with a travelling preaching party. So I have no... Because I am personally seeing to the money, tbere's no debt on that party. Is that all right?
Prabhupāda: That you decide amongst the GBC. (laughter) Best thing is that don't keep money.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, I have no money in my name.
Prabhupāda: Anyway, you don't... You spend the necessary expenditure, and balance money, you give whatever you like.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, yeah. We're doing... I meant to say...
Atreya Ṛṣi: Śrīla Prabhupāda is...
Prabhupāda: Sannyāsī is collecting and spending.
Atreya Ṛṣi: There you have a function of, more or less of a president, as well as the GBC, in that party.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Mr. Punjasai? He wrote a letter recently. He mentioned the business about the books, that Guru-kṛpā said he was supposed to some give books from Australia, and he wasn't getting them.
Prabhupāda: So you can write him—note down—that "We are managing our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement by GBC. We have got about twenty GBC's for looking after the whole world affair, and above the GBC, I am there, and under the GBC's there are presidents, treasurers, secretaries in each and every center. So the president is responsible to the GBC. GBC is responsible to me. In this way we are managing. But why you are proposing a separate trustee for Fiji? We have no separate trustee till now, but if for security, if it is required, you can adopt it. So this is our management going on. Now, if you have got some new idea, so please explain to me how you want to manage. But I think Fiji temple cannot be managed in a separate idea. But still, I shall entertain if you have got some idea to manage. The deed should be given to the founder-ācārya, in the name of founder-ācārya like 'A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Founder-Ācārya International Society.' "
Mr. Boyd: Your Grace, in regards to the organization of the movement, as such, I somehow am led to believe that there's no coordination between, should I say, your office, in regards to the karmī world, and the different temples. Are each..., does each temple operate by itself, or each division operate by itself?
Prabhupāda: No, (indistinct). There is separate arrangement for management, but the idea and philosophy is the same. Ultimately, I am managing. I have my twenty secretaries, they are called GBC, they are assisting me to manage. Every GBC has got a certain number of temples to supervise, and ultimately, I supervise everything. Therefore I come occasionally, stay for few days to see how things are going on. I have got hundred temples, big, big temples, very nice. They have organized palatial buildings, but I cannot stay anywhere. (laughter)
Mr. Boyd: That's the trouble with being boss. If you don't do it, nobody else will.
Prabhupāda: As soon as I say, "Ah, it is very nice place," the time is over, they say "You please get out." (laughter and groans from devotees)
Haṁsadūta: No, not gṛhasthas. I'm not taking any gṛhasthas.
Prabhupāda: So if a brahmacārī, gṛhastha, yes, if he wants to travel, so there is no objection.
Haṁsadūta: But what is happening is that for instance, someone will join me, then Gopāla will catch up with him and send the man to Delhi or to Hyderabad. The man will run away and come back again, and again he will be forced to go away. This is what I object to.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No, this is wrong. I'll tell you what the facts are. In every temple there are certain key positions for some devotee. In no temple we are trying to keep more than necessary. Sometimes they come and he preaches to them and he gives them money. If he is the temple president... Like in Bombay Haṁsadūta came, he had a fight with Girirāja. Girirāja was ready to write such a strong letter to you. He gave money to few devotees...
Prabhupāda: The temple establishment, that has to be maintained.
Haṁsadūta: That I understand. Prabhupāda, I understand that.
Prabhupāda: So why, why the...? Besides that, if you want to take someone or if anyone is willing to go with you, the president of the local temple, he should be requested. Or the man who wants to go, that "I want to go with him." So if the president thinks that he can be spared, then he can go. But if he thinks that his presence is necessary, why he should go?
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This is one of the GBC resolutions. No devotee can go without the temple president's permission.
Haṁsadūta: I understand...
Prabhupāda: I cannot hear two. Let him... When I ask him...
Haṁsadūta: In this particular instance, and practically always, I do that. But Girirāja was so unreasonable about the matter that the boy actually ran away.
Prabhupāda: No, no, that, that, there are so many people... If you do not satisfy his senses, everyone is free to run away. That you cannot check. You cannot say, accuse somebody or somebody. Because here everyone is giving voluntary service. Nobody is servant. So if he doesn't like something, at any moment he can go away. At any moment. Just like yesterday the Śāstrī came. So he went away. And somebody, they are coming, going. You cannot check them. Because they are not our paid servants. If they are very kind that they have come here, cooperating with us. But still there is some decency, if one is engaged in some work, all of a sudden he should go away, all of a sudden... That is not very good. That is not very good. Decently, that I used to go, and now in preaching work, so there will be no difficulty, this is the arrangement. Something must be done. All of a sudden, if somebody goes, that isn't very good. Tamāla also, if he did so, that is not good. Because I want some men, I cannot kidnap from any place. That is not good. We must see that the management is going on. The management may not suffer. But the president should allow to go if there is extra men.
Haṁsadūta: Yes, another point in this connection, Prabhupāda, the men who come with me, they don't stay with me forever. They will stay a few months some of them, and then they go. In this way...
Prabhupāda: Then that is the habit...
Haṁsadūta: For instance, in this temple, there are so many men which are on our party who are...
Prabhupāda: So many men. We don't want so many men. Now we are going to minimize. We don't want so many men. That if, now we have to estimate how many men absolutely required. So many men we shall keep. Others, they must go for the preaching. They must go to the preaching.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They can all go on the buses, the extra men.
Prabhupāda: No, they should be distributed. They may go to other centers.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Brahmānanda: This is wording for the Certificate of Awards. The Certificate of Awards.
Prabhupāda: Ha ha. Ha ha.
Brahmānanda: So it would be printed as follows: "International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. Founder-ācārya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. To certify that ... has attained the highest outstanding excellence in executing devotional service in the field of ... during the year 491 Caitanya Era (1976-77), this Certificate is hereby personally awarded from the hand of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, founder-ācārya of the Society, and in witness thereof, the founder-ācārya gives his seal and signature at Śrī Māyāpura Candrodaya Mandir, West Bengal, India, on this auspicious 491st birthday anniversary of the appearance of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. March 5th, 1977. Signed A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, GBC and Temple President."
Prabhupāda: So I think the wording is little more. It can be reduced.
Brahmānanda: Reduced.
Prabhupāda: Hm. That you can... Otherwise it is all right. Try to reduce the wording little more. Then it will be all right.
Satsvarūpa: So this is the election of the officers: Kīrtanānanda Swami, chairman; Jayatīrtha, vice chairman; Satsvarūpa, secretary.
Prabhupāda: Kīrtanānanda, president, er, chairman. Eh?
Satsvarūpa: Chairman. Jayatīrtha, vice chairman. Satsvarūpa, secretary. And then, in that regard, we passed a resolution that the position of chairman can only be held one year consecutively, every year changed, whereas vice president, secretary, may be held three years consecutively.
Prabhupāda: Why? That should be also one year.
Satsvarūpa: Also one year.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We felt that this would give everybody an opportunity to experience that position.
Prabhupāda: Hm. That is the way. Amongst the same persons, one may get chance by selection, by majority vote. That is the way.
Hari-śauri: Democratic.
Prabhupāda: Yes. The persons are the same, twenty men. Now, by this selection of the majority persons, one becomes chairman for one year. Then everyone has the chance. That is the way. So that is... So secretaries and vice chairman also should be for one year.
Satsvarūpa: Then, in regard to these meetings, we passed this resolution, that... (break) ...that we pass will be brought before Your Divine Grace for approval. Then they can be posted on a bulletin board so devotees can see what they were. Then after all the days' meetings of the GBC are finished, then we'll have a meeting of the temple presidents. If, at their meeting, by a two-thirds majority vote, they suggest any amendments to the resolutions or make new resolutions, these will be sent back to the GBC, who will meet again and who will again vote...
Prabhupāda: "Send back" means not now? Not now?
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. During these days.
Satsvarūpa: Yes.
Haṁsadūta: Immediately.
Prabhupāda: "Send back" means where?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, that means that today, tomorrow and the next day, the GBC will meet. Then the following morning, the morning of the fourth, the presidents will meet and they will give any changes to the GBC, and on the afternoon of the fourth the GBC will consider all changes.
Prabhupāda: Decide. Decide.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And that will be the end of the meeting.
Prabhupāda: That's all right. Then, if the GBC does not decide by the decision of the presidents' meeting, then I shall decide?
Satsvarūpa: Yes.
Prabhupāda: All right. Then?
Satsvarūpa: The GBC will encourage serious devotees in their zone to go to India and will allow those to go who actually want to go. Resolved: Gṛhasthas not be discouraged to work at jobs or develop their own business with their own means.
Prabhupāda: That's nice.
Satsvarūpa: All temples will be encouraged by the GBC to undertake vigorous life membership programs with the Indians. In America this program should be standardized in all respects, using the present forms developed in New York and New Vrindaban. The program in USA will be overlooked by Ādi-keśava Mahārāja.
Prabhupāda: That's nice.
Satsvarūpa: More resolutions about book distribution. The temple presidents, in order to control the techniques of book distribution, whether they are going against our resolution not to use illegal techniques, the presidents should go out on a monthly basis and observe their own book distributors, how they distribute books in the field. And also the GBC man should go out in each of his temples in his zone at least once during the year to see how the men are distributing books. And if a temple continues some illegal technique for book distribution, the BBT trustees are responsible to do the needful to rectify it.
Prabhupāda: What is that?
Satsvarūpa: We have made one resolution that certain techniques should not be done. They are too dangerous for arrest. So if a temple persists in doing those illegal techniques, then the BBT will...
Prabhupāda: Rectify.
Satsvarūpa: Yes. Also for book distribution techniques, the use of the Santa Claus uniform and other theatrical costumes is banned, not to be done.
Prabhupāda: Is there any legal objection?
Satsvarūpa: No.
Prabhupāda: Then why?
Kīrtanānanda: They're legal.
Hṛdayānanda: There was a great deal of negative publicity.
Kīrtanānanda: They are legal...
Prabhupāda: So if it is legal, why shall they be...?
Rāmeśvara: The reason it was decided is that even though it is legal in America, in foreign countries there is bad reaction. The Americans do not mind as much as the foreign countries. So we are concerned for the international image of our movement.
Jayatīrtha: It was published in practically every newspaper in the world, a picture of Santa Claus being arrested by a policeman in America. We got a lot of questions. Also the President of the United States questioned one boy in a Santa Claus outfit.
Rāmeśvara: We felt that it would not seriously decrease the book distribution if we stopped this.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Then it is all right.
Rāmeśvara: That's the real thing. That's the key factor.
Prabhupāda: All right.
Satsvarūpa: Resolution about restaurants, that they may be named either Hare Kṛṣṇa restaurant or Govinda's restaurant. Then we passed a resolution about attendance at the temple functions. All GBC members and temple presidents are responsible to see that all devotees in their zone attend the morning and evening program except when there is alternate bona fide preaching in the evening, like if there's some book distribution in the evening. Otherwise everyone must go to the morning and evening.
Prabhupāda: Very good.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, we were wondering that one time when you were ill in Vṛndāvana you requested that the devotees in our temples around the world could chant kīrtana all the time, twenty-four hours, till you recovered your health. So the GBC was wondering whether we could request again for that.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Bhavauṣadhāc chrotra-mano-'bhirāmāt. This is the real remedy for any disease. Very good idea. So, finished?
Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Jaya.
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.
Correspondence
1970 Correspondence
It is a great encouragement to me also that the GBC is carefully revising the program of our temples in view of the recent attacks upon our Society. I am very much counting upon you all to keep the standard of Krsna Consciousness as I have already instructed you both orally and in my literatures.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated Sept. 13, 1970, and I have noted the contents carefully and with pleasure. I am especially pleased to note your fresh enthusiasm after your recent visit to the States, and also your statement that there is renewed determination and fresh enthusiasm in all of the temples you have visited. That is very encouraging to me, and if the GBC continues to work in this way there will be no difficulty in the future.
I know these paperbound books are very popular with the college set in your country, so we should encourage them to take our books in that way also. I do not know why there should be such a lack of money for ISKCON Press. Every Temple reports very good books sales, but where is the money going? Anyway, your rectification program by the GBC in the matter of right payment of bills for literatures is good. So now please bring things under the right order.
1971 Correspondence
I am in due receipt of your letter dated 4th January, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. I am so glad to hear how things are going on so nicely in all the temples under your supervision as GBC member. I am also pleased to note that Bahulasva has taken charge of our Chicago center. He is certainly qualified and should be encouraged in every way.
I am so glad to hear how nicely the Canadian temples under your expert guidance as GBC member are expanding so nicely. From Montreal I've received French BTG no. 9 from Gopala Krishna. The quality of the magazine has greatly improved. From Hamilton I've received one letter from Dharmaraj. The progress he is making there is most encouraging with four new devotees already. Also his good wife Gunamayi has sent some very expertly done portraits of My Guru Maharaja and Myself. She is very talented girl and should continue her painting work very seriously. That Vancouver has last reported 13 new devotees there is most encouraging. Mahatma das is very sincere boy; how else Krishna has sent him 13 new devotees there?
What GBC man from India has written that GBC member should be "disentangled from local management"? I have no information who it is. I never advised GBC men to write like that. Why should the presidents give up their posts? GBC work should go on but the temples must be looked after simultaneously. Of course for better management you can go to N.Y.; yours is special case. But this was not my advice. This instruction should be given to all that I never advised that they give up the post of presidency.
I asked Tamala if he had written any such direction, but he denied. I do not know which GBC member has advised like that. Jagadisa was also divorcing himself from temple management but found the devotees enthusiasm slackened and so he has returned to the temple schedule. The temples must be maintained.
You write to say how enthusiasm dropped because you were divorcing yourself from temple activities for GBC work. I never said like that. The presidents should not give up their posts, but GBC work must go on and temple activities be maintained simultaneously. So now you have experienced practically that your responsibility for temple upkeep must not be set aside for GBC business. The devotees enthusiasm must be maintained. As I reply everyone's letter and encourage them, so you should encourage the devotees more and more also. Maintain that spirit and give them direction so that this standard may not be deteriorated.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated 12th May, 1971 and have noted the contents. So far as your relocating your temple from Tucson to Phoenix, that is a GBC matter and so it should be discussed with the GBC members and especially with Karandhara Prabhu. I cannot suggest anything very well from such a distant place.
Out of the nine responses you got from GBC members for your proposal to reduce the price of BTG to the temples to 10 cents, there are seven in favor. Therefore I say yes. By this system of taking a majority vote on any given proposal and then submitting the final decision to me for approval there is no necessity for holding a GBC meeting. So much money will be spent unnecessarily for travel and big big plans will be made only. So what is the use? Simply go on as you have done in this case and that will be best.
I have recently informed the GBC to allow each temple to keep 25% of the money they collect from direct book and magazine sales for temple maintenance, 75% to be sent to Book Fund. Supposing you can sell 800 dollars a week worth of literature (retail price). Will not 200 dollars weekly be sufficient for food and rent? If not, increase book sales, or, until things are adjusted in this way, supplement in other ways, but try to avoid too much business as this distracts us from our real mission. If Krishna sees that we are very active to spread information about Him, He is Master of the Goddess of Fortune, He will give everything!
We should always be thinking of how to spread this Sankirtana Movement by applying our basic principles according to time and place, and I especially want that my students enter into the schools and colleges and present our Krishna philosophy and sell our books. So you may do this in consultation with Brhaspati das and other temple officers, and whenever such questions arise in future, do not hesitate to refer all matters of temple management to your GBC Zonal Secretary, Bhagavan das, for his help. I have appointed this GBC body to relieve me from the burden of administration, so I may concentrate on my writing and translation of books.
Regarding deity worship, the standard of deity worship must be kept very high in all our ISKCON centers. There should be no question of decrease, only how to increase in the quality and opulence of our arcana offerings. To supervise this essential Krishna Conscious activity requires a very fastidious person, one who can remember everything and be very conscientious to prepare everything nicely, be timely, like that. If you are very much attracted to pujari work then you should be given opportunity in some one of our ISKCON Temples to practice it very nicely. For that you consult with the officers and GBC.
We should always be enthusiastic to try for shooting the rhinoceros. That way, if we fail, everybody will say Never mind, nobody can shoot a rhinoceros anyway, and if we succeed, then everyone will say, Just see, what a wonderful thing they have done. So if you are determined in this way to expand the Atlanta Temple, then you can try for it by begging for the protection of Krishna. Consult Satsvarupa your GBC man in this regard.
1972 Correspondence
It is better if the grhasthas have a separate asrama, just like in Los Angeles the married disciples rent rooms together in one apartment house near the temple and live there separately, and in this way no one is disturbed, neither the brahmacaris are disturbed by householder life, nor the grhasthas are disturbed by brahmacaris. This is the best system, and if you and your good husband require to live together to advance nicely in Krishna Consciousness, that is very good proposal, but you should try to model the arrangement after the Los Angeles temple, and you should live separately, men and women, if you live in the temple itself.
It is a very important question, and I am glad that you have asked me, but I think from now on the GBC men may be consulted in all such matters of temple management and affairs. I have given them everything, so they shall be able to answer all questions, and if they cannot answer from their experience, then I have given answer in my books—and still if they cannot answer, they may ask me.
The householders may sell my books and incense and make some small salary to pay rent, take prasada at the temple, and live very happily. So far the GBC is concerned, they are my chosen experts and they are supposed to know everything, so there is rule of separate living, that should be followed. If GBC man requests in this way, you should try to oblige, what is the difficulty?
I want that the GBC men should leave the management of the individual centers to the local presidents and concentrate themselves upon preaching work. They should be constantly traveling from one center to another center to see how the students are learning and to give whatever advice is necessary for improving the temple standards. In addition, the GBC men will open new centers, distribute literature, and they should always be traveling with a sankirtana party to accompany them.
I received your letter dated June 15, 1972, and have noted the contents carefully regarding your sannyasi travels. If you require more men and women to teach there at Gurukula, you can send from your jurisdiction as GBC man Central USA zone. You will not be too much involved with local temple management, but for management which will require the larger interests, that will be your responsibility as GBC. So you find out some teachers from your zone and send there.
Yes, that is a good program that you are doing in New York by going from place to place and holding classes, having kirtana in the street, and generally recruiting devotees for sending to the Brooklyn Temple. If you do like that, going from one part of New York to another, New York is the biggest city in the world and there are innumerable places where you can hold chanting and classes, so if you go on like you are doing, I have no objection. But at all times, give your kind cooperation to Bali Mardan for working together on your program. He is GBC and President of Brooklyn Temple and he can give you all advice and facilities for your work. So kindly cooperate with him as much as possible, and that will please me very much.
This attitude of changing this, changing that, if there is some small thing to make it something very great, changing the leaders three every week—these things are going on, I know. This is not at all good attitude, that if by adjustment, this and that, changing everything, I may create the perfect combination and everything will be all right. I am more impressed if someone has opened one centre and that he has stayed there tightly and developed nicely, not going away whimsically. So you have been leader at New Orleans temple for long time, you are the pioneer there, so why you should be whimsically discharged? Only the GBC man shall be able to make these changes, not any so-called secret meeting of devotees. Why they have misunderstood these things?
As soon as there is little impurity, the whole thing will deteriorate and go to hell. So we shall not like to take the credit in that case, therefore I am praying simply that all of you, my advanced disciples, GBC men, sannyasis, temple officers, like that, that all of you will become sober-minded and feeling always very much responsible how the things will go on as I have given them.
1973 Correspondence
Now you are asking if Lord Jagannatha carries flute? Why this nonsense question? You are asking me so many concoctions and manufactured nonsense. Don't bother my head in this way any more. From now on unless I order you do something change or in addition, go on with the usual standard way. You manufacture ideas and then I have to waste my time. I have given you everything already, there is no need for you to add anything or change anything. Why you are asking these things? Who has given you such freedom? Pujari should operate entirely under the supervision of temple president and GBC, not independently. The greatest danger to our movement will come when we manufacture and create our own process for worshiping the deities. So don't ask any more new questions, whatever is going on, follow it just to the exact standard as I have given you, that's all.
As far as your questions on management, you may please consult with Karandhara, who is my GBC man for the Western Zone, and work out some practical program for seeing that temple management and outside preaching work both go on nicely, not that I shall leave the temple and let all nonsense go on, nor shall we sit down all day in the temple and stop our preaching.
The GBC man in your zone is Karandhara. So you may please consult with him, and whatever he decides, that is all right. I am now desiring to utilize my time only for translating these books like Srimad-Bhagavatam so that I can give them to you, my disciples. So if the management is taken over by the GBC, in cooperation with the temple presidents and the other devotees, then I will be free for this purpose, and I shall be very much indebted to you all. So the general policy is that for brahminical initiation the candidate is recommended first by the temple president or GBC man, then it is considered. So please continue your book distributing very enthusiastically. This shall please me very much.
Krsna Consciousness means always increasing, so I am glad to see that you are remaining enthusiastic to push on this Krsna Consciousness movement more and more. Your request for initiation is approved by me, and I have sent a letter in this regard. You are president of Buffalo temple, so in consultation with your GBC man you may discuss how to push on the spreading of this Krsna Consciousness movement through street sankirtana, book distribution, etc., whatever is practical for you to follow.
In regard to preaching the glories of the Lord there are no hard and fast rules, we must simply always remain ourself fixed in Krsna Consciousness and then Krsna will give us the good guidance how to push things on. So since Rupanuga Maharaja is coming there you may discuss with him. I am desiring now to turn over the management of the society to my disciples, the temple presidents and GBC men especially, so cooperatively you may work out the management details.
On the recommendation of Satsvarupa I am herein accepting you as my initiated disciple. Henceforth your name will be GHANASYAMA DASA. Now you must agree to very rigidly follow the rules and regulations, i.e. chanting sixteen rounds of beads daily, rising early and attending Mangala Arati, observing the four principles, attending the classes, eating only bhagavata prasadam as well as working under the instruction of my representatives, such as your GBC representative and Temple President, and if you follow this procedure very strictly then your life will be glorious and you will go back to Home, back to Godhead, this I can guarantee.
Your project for a Temple sounds all right to me, and even if you don't get that particular building, Radha-Krsna Deities are approved for the present Temple. Of course, I want that you can work out all these kinds of details with Karandhara, your GBC secretary.
Gaura Nitai Deities may be approved and ordered by the local Temple presidents with consultation of the GBC. There should be at least three or four brahmanas available. So there is no need to delay any shipments if these qualifications are met.
I hope you are able to understand all these points. As you know, I am translating so many books into English from the Sanskrit, therefore, I am very busy. Now, I have representatives, the GBC and the temple presidents who are qualifies to answer your questions. Of course if you ask me I am obligated to reply because I am your spiritual master. So please direct your question to my representatives.
1974 Correspondence
Therefore if you can chant and follow the four regulative principles and read our books only I am sure you will find a relief from all difficulties. Regarding marriage matters and second initiations, these things should be taken up with GBC representative for that zone. More and more I wish to not be involved in management affairs and want to devote me time to translating books so please have some trust in those representatives I have placed as Temple presidents and GBC members. They know the standard procedures in these matters and they can advise you.
Enclosed is a copy of a letter I have recently received from Bahudak, president of our Vancouver temple within your jurisdiction as GBC of Canada.
In his last GBC report, Rupanuga Maharaja wrote that you are delinquent in sending him regular reports. The system of temple presidents sending twice monthly reports to the GBC was devised by me to facilitate my receiving news of all the centers through the GBC. You are free to write me directly when the occasion arises, but do not neglect to send regular reports to Rupanuga Maharaja.
In his latest GBC report, Rupanuga Maharaja wrote that you are delinquent in sending him regular reports. The system of temple presidents sending twice monthly reports to the GBC was devised by me to facilitate my receiving news of all the centers through the GBC. You are free to write me directly when the occasion arises, but do not neglect to send regular reports to Rupanuga Maharaja.
You may chant on their beads and hold a fire yajna in the temple. As GBC you must see that they and all the devotees in the temples are first of all chanting at least 16 rounds on beads. Be sure they are aware of the ten offenses to chanting, and that they remain enthusiastic about improving their devotional service in that way.
As you know, since the March GBC meeting in Mayapur you have been asked to manage affairs of the west coast U.S. zone until a permanent GBC man for that zone could be selected. From my careful observation of your activities especially in Los Angeles and the other temples, I can understand that you are doing very well as GBC representative for the west coast. Therefore I am appointing you as the regular GBC representative with full standing, for heading affairs in the western region of the U.S.A.
I have already instructed the president of the Seattle temple in a recent letter, to sent new initiates beads to you for chanting. I know you will discharge the duties of GBC with full responsibility, especially seeing that the spiritual life in the temples is not neglected. I am having my secretary send a newsletter to all GBC informing them of your regular GBC status.
All of you are coming from backgrounds of bad habits, so to make progress in Krishna Consciousness we must overlook the faults of others. You must be patient with your husband. Chanting offenselessly is the remedy for all of these diseases. Therefore I have established that the duty of the president of each temple and also the GBC is to see that each devotee is following the rules and regulations, chanting 16 rounds so that they may be spiritually fit. So if you are having difficulty then it would be better for you not to live apart but to associate with other devotees.
He has suggested that the GBC take steps to correct the Spiritual Sky mismanagement, and that local GBC men request the temples under their jurisdiction of those listed in your letter to pay instead of Srila Prabhupada writing himself. He said that this is not the business of the Founder-Acarya of ISKCON.
I am glad to know that you are in good health and practicing Krishna consciousness nicely. So far the question of marriage, this is generally not the concern of a sannyasi. Therefore I have asked the temple presidents to take care of this matter in a mature and responsible way. I therefore request you to approach the temple president there and the GBC and ask for their advise.
No GBC man can whimsically do anything without consulting Srila Prabhupada, especially in the matter of opening a new temple and closing an old one. Such activities must be absolutely regulated and cannot be done without consultation of Srila Prabhupada and other GBC. In the annual meeting in Mayapur the activities of the whole year should be resolved, and the GBC cannot do more or less than that.
Regarding the temples being mismanaged, these things will be discussed at the GBC meeting here. Yearly once or twice there should be a GBC meeting held to discuss all these intricate questions. This meeting can be held once in India and once in Europe or America in my presence.
So I request you all to follow strictly the regulative principles, especially the chanting on the beads. GBC means to be a practical example to all residents of temples and devotees. If all of us follow this principle of purity, our spiritual position will remain sound, and maya will not touch us. mayam etam tarantite. A fully surrendered soul always remains untouched by the hand of maya. Otherwise it is not possible.
Yes, under the circumstances we cannot trust George; therefore the temple construction must be considered in the next GBC meeting. Is this at Syamasundara.'s instigation; but you haven't mentioned anything like that. Or is it at the instigation of the neighbors of Letchmore Heath?
N.B. Regarding replacing Abhirama and Damodara I refer to the "Direction of Management" as follows: "Removal of a Temple President by GBC requires support by the local Temple members." Therefore you should take a vote of the Temple members and do the needful. A.C. B.S.
Regarding Chicago that you paid off Dollars 35,000.00 is wonderful. You are a good manager. As GBC please see that the temples are maintaining the standards, and I will be very much thankful.
Your desire for leading a sankirtana party, preaching and travelling is a very good one and I suggest that you talk to your temple president or GBC and try to arrange such a program if it is possible. If we sincerely try to serve Krsna then He will give you the ability and the facilities. So please continue your service with great enthusiasm and follow strictly all of our principles and regulations. This is the way to spread our Krsna Consciousness movement, the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
This isolation that has been imposed on the New York temple that you speak of is not good and it should be dissolved. Your program of travelling to the nearest temples is a good program. You should continue that. Our GBC members should always visit the different temples to see that everything goes on well, and to see that the management is being done very nicely.
Concerning your marriage ceremony that is to be sanctioned by the temple president or GBC.
1975 Correspondence
I am in due receipt of your letter dated Dec. 13rd, 1974 and have noted the contents. I simply request you to chant 16 rounds daily without fail and follow all the regulative principles. Rise early, attend temple functions and study my books carefully. Work closely and take advice from your elder godbrothers like the temple president and the GBC.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated Dec. 12, 1974 and have noted the contents. You can work on the hair sets while the Deities are taking rest. Regarding your other questions, they can be answered by your temple president or GBC man.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated Dec. 24th, 1974 and have noted the contents. Your idea is very nice but regarding the practicality of it, you should discuss with either the temple president or the GBC man. You should work it out together with the leaders there.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 4th, 1975 and have noted the contents. Because I am stressing one thing (book distribution) especially, does that mean that everything else is not important? No. Everything must go on. Please consult with your temple president or your GBC for direction as to what is your best engagement there in San Diego.
Regarding the two boys you mentioned, they can receive initiation in Mayapur as long as they are recommended by the temple president or GBC.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated 3-7-75 and have noted the contents. It is very nice that you are learning to weave. That is a great asset to have. I have no objection to your coming to India as long as your temple president and GBC do not object. So, consult with them and do the needful.
The local management has to be done by temple president, GBC should see whether management is going on nicely, and if there are any discrepancies that will be discussed at the GBC meeting in Mayapur. That is the process. Sannyasis are meant for preaching only. That is the principle. But, contrary to the principle if things are being embezzled then how can I save them. How one man can manage the whole world affairs? This is my concern.
I have instructed Pusta Krishna Swami to issue one newsletter to the temple presidents, GBC, and sannyasis concerning the nefarious activities of Swami Bon. Kindly copy this and send out to all the temples accordingly that they should have no dealings with Swami Bon or others who are envious. You will find this letter enclosed.
1976 Correspondence
P.S. Please inform all Temples and GBC that Prabhupada's mail should be sent to Calcutta not Mayapur, as mail to Mayapur takes an extra week.
Madhudvisa Swami has come here from Australia and as he is free I am sending him to New York. I have discussed with him how I want my rooms to be. As things have generally not been so well managed there I have asked him to be ad-hoc President of New York Temple until the coming GBC meeting.
Regarding Phoenix Temple, this should be discussed at the forthcoming GBC meeting. I want that in every village and town there may be Temple. But how far this is possible now, that has to be discussed.
Temple President and GBC for Hawaii
My dear disciples,
Please accept my blessings. I have consented that when and if a new set of Pancatattva Deities are installed in the Hawaii Temple, the old set of Pancatattva Deities may be given to Govinda dasi. Please comply this at the said time, as Govinda dasi would like to worship these Deities if new Deities are installed in the Temple.
I have spoken with Sukadeva das Adhikari, the Honolulu Temple President. It appears that because you had made some derogatory racial remarks against him in the presence of other devotees here in the temple, it has become difficult to manage and win the respect of this devotees. If the GBC undermines the efforts of the temple presidents how will things go on smoothly. This situation could have been avoided by sober dealings in a Krsna Conscious manner.
I do not want that Sukadeva be removed from his position as I can see that he is sincerely following the principles at present. The GBC can not whimsically change the temple president, there is a resolution to this effect. Why have you threatened to remove him and unnecessarily created this situation? Please be very sober in your dealings with these temple presidents, they are undoubtedly rendering a valuable service and are worthy of respect and encouragement.
So I request you to relieve me of management responsibilities more and more so that I can complete the Srimad-Bhagavatam translation. If I am always having to manage, then I cannot do my work on the books. It is document, I have to choose each word very soberly and if I have to think of management then I cannot do this. I cannot be like these rascals who present something mental concoction to cheat the public. So this task will not be finished without the cooperation of my appointed assistants, the GBC, temple presidents, and sannyasis. I have chosen my best men to be GBC and I do not want that the GBC should be disrespectful to the temple presidents. You can naturally consult me, but if the basic principle is weak, how will things go on? So please assist me in the management so that I can be free to finish the Srimad-Bhagavatam which will be our lasting contribution to the world.
In connection with our ISKCON project in Fiji, I beg to inform you that we are managing our Krishna Consciousness Movement by the Governing Body Commission, GBC. We have got about 20 GBC's looking after the whole world affair, and above the GBC I am there. Below the GBC there are the temple president, secretary, treasurer in every centre. So the temple president is responsible to the GBC and the GBC is responsible to me. In this way we are managing. But why are you proposing a separate trustee for Fiji. We have up to now no separate trustee. If this is for security purposes, that we can discuss.
His Divine Grace is very very unhappy about this. He said that under no circumstances can any GBC or Temple President accept any money from these devotees. This business has to be stopped at once immediately. His Divine Grace wants all of you to refer to the instruction of 3rd verse of Upadesamrta. First and foremost our profession must be very hones—above all suspicion. His Divine Grace said "I am trying to retire from management to translate but if these things come then how can I translate. I have set up the framework and everything should be done within the framework. Kindly see that this business is stopped at once."
Your servants
Gargamuni Swami GBC
Gopala Krsna Das
Harikesa Swami
Approved: ACBS
The newly initiated brahmana may hear the mantra from the tape in the right ear at the time of the fire sacrifice which you may perform and the thread is enclosed within. The names of the first initiates may also be given at that time. Their beads may be chanted upon by Ramesvara Maharaja the GBC for your temple.
1977 Correspondence
| Page Title: | GBC and temples |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Partha-sarathi, Alakananda |
| Created: | 26 of Nov, 2008 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=18, Let=70 |
| No. of Quotes: | 89 |