GBC means

Expressions researched:
"GBC means" |"GBC member means"

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

GBC means now they should tour very extensive. That is the first principle, the GBC. Not sit down (in) one place and pass resolution. No, they must be active. They must act like me

Conversation with the GBC -- May 25, 1972, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Gradually this GBC, they can take assistants to help them. (indistinct) One change, Toronto, just see (indistinct) not be necessary. Take care (indistinct—more background discussion on map and countries).

Devotee: Twelve zones.

Prabhupāda: Twelve zones means?

Devotees: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Whole world? Let me see. (reading) Southeast Asia, Australia, Japan, Korea, (indistinct), India, Central Asia, Mediterranean, Germany, Africa, South America, British Isles, Eastern Europe, Central Europe, Western Europe, (indistinct). So now you have to specifically mention Mediterranean means this. Similarly, all these center(?) should be specifically mentioned this.

Devotee: I was waiting till Śyāmasundara Prabhu came back.

Prabhupāda: Now so far division made by (indistinct), we are present. I'll represent him, that's all. And who else?

Devotee: Sudāmā Maharaja.

Prabhupāda: Eh? That was I'll represent. So...

Devotee: Gaurasundara.

Prabhupāda: Gaurasundara. He has been already agreed. Girirāja also. Those who are absent, I've written them. Now, so far Hayagrīva

Prabhu is concerned, he has resigned from this. And he'll concentrate on editorial work. And Kīrtanānanda will become the president of New Vrindaban. So, that question is solved. Now, how the New Vrindaban will be managed, that we shall decide.

Devotee: We talked about that this morning, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So Hayagriva Prabhu is exit from GBC. And now others? Sudāmā is there. So one exit and one new one, Girirāja is there. And, how many of you are now existing actually?

Devotee: There is seven here.

Prabhupāda: Seven here, eight here including Śyāmasundara. So who are those four? One Sudāmā.

Devotee: He is here.

Prabhupāda: Ah. Hamsaduta?

Devotee: Madhuvisa.

Prabhupāda: Madhuvisa is new, from the old.

Devotee: Oh.

Rūpānuga: Kṛṣṇa Dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Eh? So he is out.

Devotee: Tamāla Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Tamal Kṛṣṇa is out. Kṛṣṇa Dāsa is out. Hayagrīva is out. So out of twelve, three out. So who are the nine?

Devotee: Sudāmā and...

Prabhupāda: Eight present here.

Devotee: Haṁsaduta.

Rūpānuga: Seven present including Hayagrīva. So...

Devotee: There's eight present and Hayagrīva's out so that makes seven.

Prabhupāda: You are three and three, six and seven. Oh, seven. So seven, Hayagrīva and present, eight, and three out. So who is the

next nine?

Devotee: Haṁsaduta and Sudāmā.

Prabhupāda: Oh, Sudāmā. That is alright. Then, alright. Now three out.

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: They are Hayagrīva Prabhu and Kṛṣṇa Dāsa Prabhu. Then?

Devotee: Tamāla Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Tamāla Kṛṣṇa. So out of the three we are adding Brahmānanda, Girirāja and Madhudviṣa.

Devotee: What about Gaurasundara?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Devotee: (indistinct) America.

Prabhupāda: Oh, Gaurasundara. So, Girirāja, Brahmānanda and Madhudviṣa we want to maintain. Then... (door opens and closes) Three candidates, four, new?

Rūpānuga: Because originally Bali-mardana had a zone but now he's with ISKCON Press so actually he doesn't have a zone any more.

Prabhupāda: Oh. He has... So you are also out. (laughter)

Devotee: It's really a difficult problem.

Prabhupāda: Ah, no problem. GBC means now they should tour very extensive. That is the first principle, the GBC. Not sit down (in)

one place and pass resolution. No, they must be active. They must act like me. As I am old man, I am traveling all over the world.

Now to give me relief, the GBC members... I shall expand into twelve more so that they can exactly work like me. Gradually they will be initiators. At least first initiation. You must make advance. That is my motive. So, in that way I want to divide it in twelve

zones. And we have to make more propaganda throughout the whole world. Now if you think that the world is so big, twelve members are insufficient, then you can increase more than that and make the zone similarly divided. It is world affair after all.

Devotee: Srila Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Devotee: The reason why we have thirteen here is because Bali-mardana, he is actually at the Press, he doesn't actually have a zone

at this time.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Devotee: So Madhudviña is taking my zone.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee: So only keep thirteen GBC at this point? Will Bali-mardana stay at the Press and be considered GBC?

Prabhupāda: But, he is not going to travel, Bali-mardana?

Devotee: No.

Devotee: Unless he can find a substitute to manage the Press. (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: First point is the GBC member must be extensively traveling.

Devotee: What about my position, Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Now, everyone's position will be considered. This is the first thing, extensively traveling.

Devotee: So, the positions of Bali-mardana and Karandhara, they have to remain stationary so much. We have to consider that...

Prabhupāda: No, stationary one thing is that the Bali-mardana, especially Karandhara, he has got already extensive field locally.

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: He has to manage so many things. So extensively touring means for the mission expanding, that is the point. Simply

touring is not required, but doing something substantial to increase the interest of the society. That is the point. So, Karandhara has got many department supervisors(?), so he can be given to work, and sometimes go away (indistinct). So, his position is like that. And similarly Bali-mardana's position is there. He can be also if he has got many engagements, many departments managed there. So he may not tour but our only aim is that one must take multi-responsibilities.

Śyāmasundara: Why not Bali-mardana tour sometimes to check on the foreign literatures, French, German, see how they are going on and

inspect the foreign literature field.

1971 Correspondence

GBC does not mean to control a center. GBC means to see that the activities of a center go on nicely. I do not know why Tamala is exercising his absolute authority. That is not the business of GBC

Letter to Giriraja -- London 12 August, 1971:

Too many cooks spoil the broth. I have therefore asked Tamala and Gurudasa to go to Delhi for organizing a center there. Jayapataka can take care of the accounts and you and Revatinandana Maharaja along with other assistants be engaged in collecting funds. That will be nice. Tamala wants our accounts audited but I have asked for the trial balance and balance sheet, but Tamala is silent on this point. How things will be audited unless accounts are kept systematically according to the scientific accounting system? Scientific keeping of accounts is tested by the trial balance and balance sheet.

GBC does not mean to control a center. GBC means to see that the activities of a center go on nicely. I do not know why Tamala is exercising his absolute authority. That is not the business of GBC. The president, treasurer and secretary are responsible for managing the center. GBC is to see that things are going nicely but not to exert absolute authority. That is not in the power of GBC. Tamala should not do like that. The GBC men cannot impose anything on the men of a center without consulting all of the GBC members first. A GBC member cannot go beyond the jurisdiction of his power. We are in the experimental stage but in the next meeting of the GBC members they should form a constitution how the GBC members manage the whole affair. But it is a fact that the local president is not under the control of the GBC. Yes, for improvement of situations such as this I must be informed of everything.

1972 Correspondence

You mention that you are no longer much occupied with seeing that the rent and mortgage is paid and that the incense is sold, but GBC means to be occupied with everything in the zone. It is not that now we are preachers we can neglect all other points. No, the GBC member is supposed to know everything and anything about the condition and situation of all matters within his jurisdiction

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 1 July, 1972:

We must develop our Krishna Consciousness school at Dallas to be the model for education in all the world, and let anyone see our Krishna Consciousness children and they will immediately understand the importance and necessity for such education amongst the citizens at large. Otherwise, the children of your country and other countries, they are simply growing up to be sophisticated animals, so what good will their education do? But if they will agree to try to understand our Krishna Consciousness education or way of life and allow their children to be educated by us, they will see them come out as the topmost citizens with all good qualities such as honesty, cleanliness, truthfulness, loyalty, etc. So that is a very important work and you are especially responsible to make it successful. All other GBC men should give you all assistance for building up the standard there.

You mention that you are no longer much occupied with seeing that the rent and mortgage is paid and that the incense is sold, but GBC means to be occupied with everything in the zone. It is not that now we are preachers we can neglect all other points. No, the GBC member is supposed to know everything and anything about the condition and situation of all matters within his jurisdiction. That is the meaning of secretary. So because we are engaged in many fields of activity I am especially relying upon that knowledge of my GBC assistants and secretaries to manage everything properly. But if we do not take time to understand how the financial matters are going on, then at any moment we may experience some calamity due to our inattention to these matters. Therefore, you should try to keep yourself always informed how the financial matters are improving and keep your watchful eye on every feature of our Krishna Consciousness activity. That is also part of preaching work. I am also preaching daily. But I am at the same time managing everything, seeing the statements of accounts, going to the bank, giving advice on every topic, like that. Just now I have purchased one apartment house with seven apartments just adjacent to the L.A. temple and very soon we shall invest in similar properties. So practically there is no question of my neglecting the financial matters of the society, and similarly, you shall do as I am doing. That is your real business.

1974 Correspondence

GBC means that one must be ideal Vaisnava. That means there must be strict observance in following all the rules and regulations. This is your main responsibility, and then to see that all others are following strictly

Letter to Jagadisa -- Vrindaban 6 September, 1974:

So you may remain wherever you may be peaceful. You may resume your GBC duties as secretary for the Central U.S.A. Zone. GBC means that one must be ideal Vaisnava. That means there must be strict observance in following all the rules and regulations. This is your main responsibility, and then to see that all others are following strictly. Then everything will be all right.

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

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Mayapur 5 October, 1974:

There is one vacancy in the GBC Board, so myself in consultation with Brahmananda Maharaja and Jayatirtha Prabhu, we have decided you can fill up the post. This will be confirmed in the next GBC meeting. In the meantime I wish you may accept this responsibility. My desire is that some of our experienced members who have proved their sincerity of service may form the GBC Board so that the management of the whole institution may go on smoothly, and I may be relieved of affairs of management which hampers my writing of books because my attention is diverted. At present the following members are on the GBC Board: 1. Jayatirtha, 2. Hrdayananda, 3. Rupanuga, 4. Jagadisa, 5. Satsvarupa, 6. Brahmananda, 7. Madhudvisa, 8. Hamsaduta, 9. Bhagavan, 10. Bali Mardan, 11. Tamala Krishna.

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.

Recently there has been some provocation in our Society regarding Bali Mardan and his wife. Jayatirtha has received a bunch of complaints. Similarly Brahmananda Maharaja has also received, so far so that his wife is eating chicken in the temple. This has hampered me very much, so I wish to form an investigation committee. of three members, namely Tamala Krishna Goswami, Rupanuga Prabhu, and yourself. I am informing them also in this connection with a copy of this letter. So you combine together and investigate about the charges against Bali Mardan and his wife made by the following devotees: 1. Tosana Krishna, 2. Cindy Liston, 3. Kirtiraja, 4. Omkara Dasi, 5. Navadvipa 6. Ramesvara das, 7. Sudama Swami, 8. Jaya Ram das, 9. Sunita devi, 10. Gopala Krishna, 11. Atreya Rsi, 12. Anonymous. Kindly try your best to stop this provocation in our Society and I shall be much obliged to you all. Please submit your combined report as soon as possible.