Can a disciple of a Non-bonafide Guru take Diksha in ISKCON?
(Part of the series “Duties of a disciple to his guru)
A male devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“Hare Krishna prabhuji. If possible can you please enlighten on this topic. Prabhuji we have one family joined around 2 years ago to ISKCON satsang. They have previously taken initiation from X (Name hidden) group. Its guru doesn’t belong to any of 4 bonafide sampradaya. They wanted to know if they can take initiation now in ISKCON. They are having affection to previous group also and don’t want to leave. We never asked to leave also. ISKCON also they are becoming serious. Can commitment be for two different groups or will it hamper ones surrender. If yourself can guide it will be greatly appreciated. Hare Krishna.”
REPLY:
Yes, they can very well take initiation from an ISKCON Guru if they have necessary eligibility to take initiation.
Their previous initiation is not a barrier for taking Harinam initiation.
Only if they had taken initiation from one of the bonafide sampradhayas, they need not take initiation again.
(Is Diksha given by a Guru who is not approved by his guru valid? READ HERE!)
WHO SHOULD TAKE RE-INITIATION?
The following are the situations in which the already initiated devotees can take re-initiation from an ISKCON guru:
(i) You had already taken initiation from a non-bonafide guru who declared himself as a guru and who is not coming under the disciplic succession of a bonafide sampradhaya out of the four – Sri Sampradhaya, Kumara Sampradhaya, Rudra Sampradhaya and Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradhaya.
That means, those who got initiated by Self made gurus though they are popular in media.
(ii) Those who got initiated by a bonafide guru, but that guru fell from his status. In such cases, his disciples can take re-initiation from another bonafide guru.
(iii) You had taken shelter from a guru, but that guru left this planet. In such case, those aspirants can take initiation from another bonafide guru.
(iv) You took Harinam diksha from a bonafide guru but that guru left the planet. If you want to take Brahmana diksha, you can take from another bonafide guru.
WHO SHOULD NOT TAKE RE-INITIATION?
WHO SHOULD NOT LEAVE HIS GURU?
(i) Those who have already taken initiation from a bonafide guru.
(ii) Those whose bonafide guru is in good standing.
(iii) Those whose bonafide guru who was in good standing left the planet. However, if they had got harinam diksha but their guru left the planet before they get brahmana diksha, they can take brahmana diksha from another bonafide guru.
(Why Ritvik Initiation is against the Scriptures? A to Z Details! READ HERE!)
ISKCON GBC RECOMMENDATION ABOUT GIVING UP A NON-BONAFIDE GURU!
Let us read that brief but strong statement by the ISKCON GBC:
“Persons who have taken initiation from non-bona fide gurus before becoming members of ISKCON should follow the injunction of Srila Jiva Gosvami that such a useless guru, a family priest acting as guru, should be given up, and that the proper, bona fide guru should be accepted.”
Short and Sharp. What else to say?
Now, you would have understood what I am going to conclude for you.
Let them disconnect from their previous guru and accept a bonafide Guru within ISKCON.
A disciple of a Non-bonafide Guru has no need to maintain relationship with that non bonadfide guru after accepting a bonafide guru.
(Identifying Fake Godmen & Recovering mind brainwashed by him! READ HERE!)