Why ISKCON follows Siksha Guru Parampara?
A male devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“Hare Krishna Prabhu, I have been in ISKCON since childhood and preparing for harinama diksha.
While studying about the guru parampara i came to know that ISKCON follows siksha guru parampara (i mean the photo we keep in altars) and not diksha guru parampara. May I know the reason?”
REPLY:
These topics are not to be discussed deeply in the public media in which different levels of devotees are present.
However, considering the excessive curiosity of today’s youth, I give brief replies for your questions:
Yes, ISKCON’s Guru Parampara is primarily that of Siksha guru parampara.
(Why don’t you recommend to us which Diksha Guru to choose in ISKCON? READ HERE!)
Though many gurus preach at the same time, the gurus/ acharyas who were prominently preaching during different periods are considered to be the part of that particular guru parampara.
In Caitanya Caritamruta’s first chapter, text 35, Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Goswami offers his respects to “my initiating spiritual master and all my instructing spiritual masters.”
Prabhupada comments about this:
“A devotee must have only one initiating spiritual master because in the scriptures acceptance of more than one is always forbidden. There is no limit, however, to the number of instructing spiritual masters one may accept. Generally a spiritual master who constantly instructs a disciple in spiritual science becomes his initiating spiritual master later on”.
Here, Srila Prabhupada says “Generally a spiritual master who constantly instructs a disciple in spiritual science becomes his initiating spiritual master later on”
That is, a Siksha guru generally becomes one’s diksha guru later on.
This is subject to that siksha guru’s willingness to become a diksha guru.
A SIksha guru may decide to remain Siksha guru alone, not becoming a diksha guru, ie, not giving diksha to anyone.
This also means, an instructing spiritual master is not at all inferior to the Initiating spiritual master.
Both are given high status and a devotee should give sufficient respects to both their diksha and siksha gurus.
Let us take another example.
Srila Prabhupada was diksha guru for thousands of devotees when he was in this world.
After he left, now, srtila Prabhupada is the eternal siksha Guru for all the devotees in ISKCON as mentioned in the statement of the GBC of the ISKCON adopted on 09.03.2013.
That statement further states, the Divine Grace of the Original Guru Lord Krishna descends through the medium of Guru Parampara. As such a devotee is ultimately delivered by Sri Krishna acting through a combination of various manifestations of His mercy. These include, but not limited to, the Chaitya Guru, Srila Prabhupada, the Guru Parampara, One’s diksha Guru, Other Siksha Gurus, the Holy name, Sastra and Nine Processes of devotional service.
Why these details now?
Because one is delivered by Krishna who acts throu many elements as mentioned above.
So, Guru Parampara includes SIksha Guru also in some places.
Thus, a diksha guru can be the Siksha guru for many. A siksha guru can also become a diksha guru later.
In other words, a Guru Parampara does not consist diksha gurus alone, it may contain siksha gurus also.
So, you can’t fix a specific rule for that. Anyone who proves thru his purity, knowledge, devotional standing and services can become a prominent guru to be included in the Guru parampara.
I think we need not further dig this matter in this public media as it is clear now.
Hope you are clear why ISKCON follows Siksha Guru Parampara.
(DOES A DIKSHA GURU OR SIKSHA GURU ACCEPT THE KARMA OF DISCIPLES? HOW? READ HERE!)