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Russian Vaishnava News(RVN)
From Srila Jayapataka Swami
From: "Jayapataka Swami (GBC)" <[email protected]
To: "Bodhayan Maharaj" <[email protected]
CC: "Bhakti Caru Swami" <[email protected]
Subject: Fwd: [SGGM] Open letter
Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001 16:06 -0400
Home Base: Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir, Navadwip Dham, Nadia, WB, INDIA camp: Bangalore
Dear Bodhayan Maharaj,
Please accept my pranams and embraces. All glories to Srila Prabhupada A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. All glories to Srila Bhakti Pramode Puri Maharaj.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Thakur!
From your letter I have understood that one Indradyumna dasa has helped in
organizing a preaching program in a public hall in Samara, Russia. He has
gotten help from devotees from Gopinath Temple, ISKCON and members of the
public. It was a successful program which you addressed from June 1st to 4th of this year. Niranjana Swami and Bhakti Vikasa Swami have attended
some program held by Your Holiness as well at that time. Seems the program was a successful
one.
I also understood that Indradyumna dasa has gone to the Samara Temple and
without taking permission from the local Temple President he was handing out
invitations inside the temple during one of the temple programs. He has
admitted he failed to take advance permission with these words:
"My mistake was that I had not co-ordinated my actions with the temple's official leaders
before I've begun to distribute the invitations."
Indradyumna das has explained that he was subsequently asked to leave the
temple and stop distributing the invitations to the temple. Later on another day he explained how he visited the temple and simply sat as a
guest, but there was an alteration with some of the local leaders and he
was
asked to leave and told he wasn't welcome. This has caused him to write
you a letter and for you to write to me.
Generally in ISKCON each center is autonomous to a large degree and the local Temple President and Temple Board can decide who may attend and who
isn't allowed to attend. The local temple board has decided that he shouldn't attend for reasons best known to themselves. They say he
misbehaved. From thousands of miles away it is difficult to know all that
transpired and to make a settlement of this situation. What is clear is he had broken some standard etiquette rules followed in ISKCON.
It is also not the custom in ISKCON to distribute invitations or publications from another institution particularly without taking
permission of the local authorities. One should generally respect the managers and
management system of each institution. Although it would be ideal if such
mutual facilities were exchanged between different member institutions of SGVA so far it isn't an established arrangement to do so. Right now each
institution is making bi-lateral agreements with other institutions on how
to cooperate with each other in the field of preaching Krishna consciousness. If Gopinath Mandir would like to establish some mutual
agreement for preaching and cooperation with ISKCON I could try to catalyse
that mutual understanding and agreement. Until that exists it is upto each
local branch of ISKCON to be approached and permission sought as to what mutual facilities might be
desired.
As far as the problem which occurred with Indradyumna dasa if indeed harsh
words were exchanged I am sorry for that. Certainly we want all relations
between member institutions to be cordial and friendly and certainly not harsh or extreme. There seems to be a clear disagreement between the local
management and Indradyumna dasa. Your Holiness asked me as convener of
Sarasvata Gaudiya Vaisnava Association if I could do something to resolve this problem. It is something that needs to be worked out at this time on a
local level. Since Niranjana Swami and Bhakti Vikasa Swami seem to have
visited your program and have a good impression they might be ideal persons to bridge the gap. I visited Samara myself a few weeks after your program,
but your I received your letter after my visit otherwise I could have made
an inquiry. I think you must be aware of the kind of agression some
Gaudiya preachers are doing and that may have affected the attitude of local
managers for all Gaudiya preachers. They may not know how cordial and nice our relationship is with Your Holiness and how to discriminate between the
different Gaudiya institutions. From SVGA we could eventually, once we
finalize the constitution, let everyone know who is a regular member and
who is committed to following our rules and etiquette so that they could be
more open to SVGA preachers.
I am sorry you have become concerned about this situation and that the
situation has taken a sour note even after such nice preaching programs and
joint cooperation. I am grateful you kept me informed so that we can monitor these things and work for better cooperation and mutual support.
Looking forward to your association at the earliest.
Your servant,
Jayapataka Swami
your letter:
> All Glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga.
> Respected Maharaj,
> Dandavat Pranam and convey the same to all Vaisnavas in your
>association.
> I hope, you are keeping well by the Grace of Guru and Vaisnavas.
>
> The following matter make me uneasy, please give me a solution under the
> banner of "SARASWATA GAUDIYA VAISNAVAS ASSOCIATION."
>
>
> Dear Maharajas and Prabhus.
> Please, accept my humble obeisances.
> All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga!
>
> Param Vijayate!
> My name is Indradyumna das.
> I am initiated disciple in Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math. You can see my...
>> Open letter