The Governing Body Commission (GBC) is the managerial authority of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). ISKCON's founder, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, created the GBC in 1970 and since that time it has met on an annual basis, usually in Mayapur, India.[1]
The GBC is organised largely through a "zonal" system, with regional representatives attending to local matters, and the entire GBC ruling on issues that affect ISKCON as a whole.[2] At the GBC's first annual meeting in Mayapur Prabhupada guided the proceedings, "showing how the GBC should strictly follow parliamentary procedure". Zones of the world are assigned to one or more secretaries, whether or not there is currently an ISKCON community in the zone.[2][3]
The GBC is entrusted with both spiritual and secular leadership of the ISKCON communities, as well as the power to appoint new gurus. According to a GBC confidence survey "those holding critical views of the GBC were far less committed to ISKCON."[4] As of February 2009, His Holiness Romapada Swami is elected GBC Chairman.[5] He succeeded Ramai Swami as the chairman of the Governing Body Commission.[6]
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According to the letter of 28 July 1970 A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada appointed the following members to the commission, all of them non-sannyasis (non-renunciates). After the death of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1977 only five of the original Comissioners would be eventually approved to become diksa gurus:
1. Śrīmān Rupanuga Das Adhikari
2. Śrīmān Bhagavandas Adhikari
3. Śrīmān Syamsundar Das Adhikari
4. Śrīmān Satsvarupa Das Adhikari
5. Śrīmān Karandhar Das Adhikari
6. Śrīmān Hansadutta Das Adhikari
7. Śrīmān Tamala Kṛṣṇa Das Adhikari
8. Śrīmān Sudama Das Adhikari
9. Śrīmān Bali Mardan Das Brahmachari
10. Śrīmān Jagadisa Das Adhikari
11. Śrīmān Hayagriva Das Adhikari
12. Śrīmān Kṛṣṇadas Adhikari[7]
This letter outlines the following purposes of the commission:
Shortly after establishing the GBC Prabhupada asked his newly appointed leaders to renounce the everyday world and become sannyasis (renunciate monks). Indicating that those who set policy would not be involved with financial dealings. However, after Prabhupada's death many GBC members adopted lavish lifestyles. A number of schisms tested the notion of the supreme authority of the GBC. Some of these scandals involved GBC members Hans Kary (Hamsaduta) and James Immel (Jayatirtha), as well as one of the leaders of the New Vrindaban community, Keith Ham (Kirtanananda), who surrounded himself with opulence and declared himself the only true successor to Prabhupada.[9]
In 1982 the GBC began the slow process of adding new gurus to original eleven. In 1983 it was announced that the GBC is the highest ecclesiastical authority of ISKCON.[10] In 1985 the decision was made to lower the standard of living for ISKCON leadership. After much heated discussion, the GBC decided to "relieve" a number of leaders and new leaders were selected. The young leaders of the GBC sought the advice of one of Prabhupada's Gaudiya Math godbrothers, and endeavored to become more integrated in the broader Hindu community.[10]
After years of discussion and reforms, a general consensus emerged to accept women as leaders and initiators in ISKCON, overriding the former GBC supposition that "unprotected, 'women leaders become subject to various forms of mistreatment and abuse'". Since 1996 Malati Devi Dasi became the first woman appointed to the GBC.[11] The second woman leader Dina Sharana was selected in 2009. However similar proposal was discussed quite a few years previously.[12]
Current GBC members, gurus and ISKCON sannyasis include: Bhakti Caitanya Swami, Bhakti Caru Swami, Bhakti Narasimha Swami, Bhakti Tirtha Swami, Bhaktisvarupa Damodar Swami, Giriraja Swami, Tamala Krishna Goswami, Gopala Krishna Goswami, Mukunda Goswami, Hanumatpreshaka Swami, Hridaya Caitanya Dasa, Hridayananda Dasa Goswami, Indradyumna Swami, Jayadvaita Swami, Jayapataka Swami, Kadamba Kanana Swami, Radhanath Swami, Ravindra Svarupa Dasa, Sacinandana Swami, Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, Sivarama Swami, Romapada Swami, Smita Krishna Swami, Krishna Ksetra Dasa, Yadunandana Swami, and others listed below:
Was initiated by Srila Prabhupada in 1976 and since 1993 he has served as Director of Communications for ISKCON in North America.[13] He is also a member of the faculty at Bhaktivedanta College.[14]
Is a Nigerian swami, was initiated by Bhakti Tirtha Swami in 1983 and is a leader among the disciples of Bhakti Tirtha Swami.[15][16][17] His mission within ISKCON covers West Africa, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Mauritius and Nigeria.[18][19]
Was born on October 16, 1950 in New York City. At the age of seventeen, he received a scholarship to Yale University and graduated in 1972. Upon graduation Devamrita Swami began to study the literary works of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder-acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. In 1974, Devamrita Swami became an initiated student of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He accepted the renounced order of sanyasa in 1982.[citation needed]
Was born in San Francisco and became an initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada in 1967. Her daughter, Sarasvati, was the first child born to an ISKCON member. For several years, Malati was the only female member of Governing Body Commission.[20]
Is a member of the Governing Body Commission. He was the commission's chairman in 2005.[21] Praghosh presently serves as the editor in chief of the Dandavats Vaishnava news agency.[22]
Is a Vaishnava swami and a religious leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).[23] He is an initiating spiritual master (diksha guru) and a member of the Governing Body Commission.[23][24][25]
Prahladananda Swami was born as Philip Burbank[26] in 1949, in Buffalo, New York.[23] In January 1969, while studying at the University of Buffalo, he joined ISKCON and the same year was initiated by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, receiving the name Prahladananda Dasa.[23] In 1975 he joined the Radha-Damodara preaching bus tour, organized by Tamala Krishna Goswami and Vishnujana Swami.[23] In 1982 he took sannyasa and in 1986 he became one of the initiating gurus in ISKCON.[23] In 1989 he became a member the Vaisnava Institute for Higher Education, in Vrndavana.[23] In 1990 he was appointed to head the Governing Body Commission's committee of Health and Welfare.[23] In 1991, the GBC also made him the head of sannyasa ministry.[23]
Is a Vaishnava swami and a religious leader for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. In 2008 he was a chairman of the Governing Body Commission.[citation needed]
Is originally from Gujarat, is an International Society for Krishna Consciousness sanyassi and guru. He is a disciple of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.[27][28]
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This biography of a living person does not cite any references or sources. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (March 2009) Find sources: (Bhakti Vikasa Swami – news, books, scholar) |
His Holiness Bhakti Vikasa Swami born on April 3, 1957 in England. He joined the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in London in 1975 and was initiated in that year with the name Ilapati dasa by ISKCON’s founder-acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
From 1977 to 1979 Bhakti Vikasa Swami (then Ilapati Das) was based in India, mostly traveling in West Bengal preaching Krishna consciousness and distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books. He then spent the following ten years helping to pioneer ISKCON’s preaching in Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, and Malaysia.
In 1989 he was granted the order of sannyasa, receiving the name Bhakti Vikasa Swami, and again made his base in India.
He has since travelled widely throughout the subcontinent, lecturing in English, Hindi, and Bengali. His also travels to and preaches Krishna consciousness in other parts of the world.
He continues to write books and articles in magazine (mainly ISKCON's publication Back to Godhead). His books have been translated into more than fifteen languages.
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