A Devotee’s Testimony:
Why I Stand with ISKCON Bangalore
Faithfully Serving the Mission of Srila Prabhupada
My name is not important. What is important is the truth
I have come to understand, the spiritual conviction I hold dear,
and the journey we have taken under the divine shelter of
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada,
the Founder-Ācārya of ISKCON.
This is not just a story about organizational conflict.
This is about fidelity to the truth. About protecting the legacy
of the pure devotee who gave his life to uplift a dying world.
The Beginning: A Pure Soul’s Mission
Srila Prabhupada, a humble sādhaka, sailed alone to the United States
in 1965, carrying barely ₹40, a crate of Bhāgavatams,
and a burning desire to fulfill his spiritual master’s order
to preach Krishna consciousness in the West.
He suffered two heart attacks during the journey,
landed in Boston with no friends, no support—only Kṛṣṇa.
He started preaching amidst hippies on the streets of New York.
Within a short span of 11 years, he transformed drug addicts into
brahmacharis, created 108 temples worldwide,
and initiated thousands of disciples,
all by the force of his devotion and authenticity.
The Turning Point: Srila Prabhupada’s Departure
On November 14, 1977, Srila Prabhupada physically departed from this
world. But before doing so, he set in place a clear system for the
continuation of ISKCON.
On July 9, 1977, Srila Prabhupada issued a formal directive:
From now on, initiations in ISKCON would continue through ritvik
representatives—officiating ācāryas who would initiate new disciples
on behalf of Srila Prabhupada.
This wasn’t a vague instruction. It was typed, signed, and circulated
institution-wide. It was meant to continue even after his
disappearance. In his letters and final conversations, it was clear—no
new diksha gurus were to be appointed.
The Deviation
Sadly, after his departure, the GBC
(Governing Body Commission) took a different path.
Despite the absence of any specific authorization from
Srila Prabhupada, they appointed 11 zonal ācāryas—
each claiming exclusive guru status over entire regions.
Many of these self-declared gurus fell down, engaging
in behavior that violated the very principles they preached:
illicit sex, drugs, power abuse.
Thousands of devotees left the movement.
Faith was shattered. Trust was broken.
And we asked: Was this what Srila Prabhupada wanted?
The answer, from his books, letters, and instructions,
was a resounding No.
The Stand Taken by ISKCON Bangalore
Around 1998, under the leadership of Madhu Pandit Dasa,
a sincere disciple and IIT graduate who had built the iconic ISKCON
temple in Bangalore, we humbly approached the GBC:
“Let us simply follow Srila Prabhupada’s instructions.
Let us retain him as our initiating guru, and
continue the ritvik system he instituted.”
Instead of dialogue, we were met with suspension,
threats, and accusations.
But our duty was to Srila Prabhupada.
We took a legal stand to protect the temple, the devotees,
and the spiritual integrity of the institution.
The GBC, under ISKCON Mumbai, litigated with us
claiming that our temple and society were unauthorized.
25-Year Legal Battle and Supreme Court Verdict
After two and half decades of court hearings, in 2025, the Supreme
Court of India delivered a landmark verdict:
• ISKCON Bangalore is a legally independent society.
• It is not subordinate to ISKCON Mumbai.
• The temple property remains under the ISKCON Bangalore trust.
Importantly, the court did not intervene in the spiritual question of
guru succession. It rightly left that to be resolved within the faith.
This was not just a legal victory. It was Srila Prabhupada’s mercy.
Our Philosophical Stand:
Prabhupada is the Guru
We don’t claim to be pure devotees. We don’t pose as self-realized
gurus. We simply believe that Srila Prabhupada is the rightful initiating
spiritual master of ISKCON—now and forever.
• We conduct initiations through ritvik representatives, as per July 9,
1977.
• We follow Prabhupada’s books, not reinterpretations.
• We see Srila Prabhupada not as a figure of the past, but as the living
ācārya whose instructions guide our lives today.
This is not a rebellion. It is obedience.
What We Have Built Under Srila Prabhupada’s Shelter
Under the ISKCON Bangalore umbrella, numerous spiritual and social
service initiatives have grown:
• Akshaya Patra Foundation – Feeding over 2.3 million school
children daily.
• Temples in Vrindavan, Gurgoan, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad,
Bhilai, Mysore, Chennai, Mangalore,Guwahati, Sunnyvale(USA),
Boston(USA), Penang(Malaysia) and in more than 50 locations.
• Great India Talent Foundation – Free schools for the
underprivileged.
• Grand festivals: Janmashtami, Gaura Purnima, Rath Yatra, Gita
Jayanthi and many more and attended by lakhs.
• Basil Woods- International school
And in each center, the one name we all chant, follow, and surrender
to is: Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Why This Matters
To the outside world, this may look like a split.
But to us, it is preservation.
The GBC group teaches that Srila Prabhupada is now only a
“predecessor ācārya” and that new devotees must take initiation from
living gurus appointed by the GBC. But what if those gurus fall? What
if they err? More than all this.
No one is “Authorized”
We choose to anchor ourselves to the shore,
not jump onto a boat drifting at sea.
Srila Prabhupada is qualified, authorized, and transcendentally
empowered. He gave us everything. Why should we replace him?
My Humble Appeal
To my dear fellow seekers of truth,
If you are confused by the politics, I understand.
If you’ve been hurt by institutional failings, I feel your pain.
But know this — Srila Prabhupada never failed us.
And those who have chosen to uphold his original instructions, even
at great cost, have done so only out of love and loyalty.
We are not against anyone.
We are simply for Srila Prabhupada.
And that, I believe, is the safest, purest, and most spiritually honest
place to be.
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Will (June 4, 1977)
“The system of management will continue as it is now and
there is no need of any change.”
Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.9.7, Purport
“The spiritual master may physically be present or may be
absent, but the vani (the instruction) is more important
than the vapu (the physical presence).”
Letter to Rupanuga, April 28, 1974
“One should take initiation from a bona fide spiritual
master coming in disciplic succession, and not be a
disciple of a non-liberated person. A guru can become
guru when he is ordered by his guru.”
