I understand that you have discussed the so called "Ritvik issue" for the past 25 years and are not interested in it. You have made your mind up according to Gurukrpa...

Evidence outweighs Speculation

In response to my email to him (published under the title Why should your opinion be different from Srila Prabhupada's?), Bhakta das has emailed me:

From: Bhakta dasa <bhakta@saintly.com>
Subject: Re: Bhakta Das (William G Benedict) replied to a thread on Facebook...
To: "Gadadhara das" <ccr2k@yahoo.com>
Date: Wednesday, September 9, 2009, 6:46 AM

Dear Prabhu,

PAMHO. AGTSP!

I have discussed this issue for 25 years. I am not interested in it anymore.

Gurukrpa was with Srila Prabhupada for hundreds of hours alone during his last months; he was present during all the discussions and when the letters were written, etc. He is 100% sure Srila Prabhupada DID NOT want any ritvik system to continue AFTER his departure to Nitya Leela.

Yasoda, Nara Narayan and Pratyatosha and all others are my eternal brothers, and we will all be again with SP one day soon.

I wish all well and pray you will bless me always.

Your servant,
Bhakta das

Dear Bhakta Das Prabhu,

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada. Please accept my humble obeisances.

Thanks for the reply.

I have been living in Berkeley for the past 20 years and your name comes up once and a while. Everyone appreciates all the service you have done with the temple here. They are still amazed at the things you accomplished. Thank you very much for all your service.

I understand that you have discussed the so called "Ritvik issue" for the past 25 years and are not interested in it. You have made your mind up according to Gurukrpa who was there in the final days of Srila Prabhupada and claims to have understood what was going on.

But still Srila Prabhupada is your Spiritual Master and His orders are very important to you. Therefore you should be delighted to discuss and come to the right conclusion in these matters.

I have also read Gurukrpa's account, which you published on the Sampradaya Sun a while back. The details he brings forth shed a little more light on it. But his conclusion does not add up.

Gurukrpa dismisses the "July 9th letter" as if Srila Prabhupada did not personally authorize it, want it, or order it. The fact is Tamal Krishna drew it up on the order of Srila Prabhupada, who was of extremely poor heath, but of very sound mind.

Three years later Tamal Krsna admitted the Guru Appointment Fiasco was WRONG:

"Actually, Prabhupada never appointed any gurus. He didn't appoint eleven gurus. He appointed eleven ritviks. He never appointed them gurus. Myself and the other GBC's have done the greatest disservice to this movement the last three years because we interpreted the appointment of ritviks as the appointment of gurus." (Tamal Krsna, Topanga Canyon conversations, 1980)

Gurukrpa claims to have understood what was going on in these final days, but we have two eye witnesses: Gauridas Pandit, who was there also during this time and personally heard Srila Prabhpada say that he wanted "Ritvik initiations to continue" after his departure; and Tamal Krsna, who also admits that "He never appointed them gurus."

Their account is different and is backed up by:

1. Yasoda Nandana's diary
2. the July 9th letter (an official signed document addressed "TO ALL TEMPLE PRESIDENTS AND GBC")
3. Tamal Krishna's 1980 admission at Topanga Canyon
4. Three recorded conversations directly addressing this issue, and
5. Letters that were written DURING this time frame to Hansadutta Prabhu and Kirtanananda Prabhu

Simply one man saying "I was there in the final days and Prabhupada wanted us to initiate our own disciples after he left" is not sufficient. He must provide proof of his claims, or we can safely say that his claims are just "theories".

As Srila Prabhupada's disciples, we are not interested in "theories", but only in the direct orders of the Acharya.

Since you have been presented with all this evidence, but still insist that Tamal Krsna, Gauridas Pandit, and Yasoda Nanadana (who were all there in the final days) are all wrong and have fabricated the whole thing, can you please answer these three questions which Yasoda Nandana has provided you?

1. How, where, and when did Srila Prabhupada appoint, elect or or choose these 11 as diksha-gurus or Acharyas?
2. And how was that choice of representatives supposed to work within the context of independent temples with the Direction Of Management document?
3. What specific arrangements and directives did Srila Prabhupada make in 1977 for initiations for his followers and students for the aftermath of his eventual physical departure?

Thank you for your time.

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Your humble servant,
Gadadhara das