Dear Prahladananda Maharaja, dear honored Vaisnavas. Please accept my dandavat pranams. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Srila Prabhupada is the Founder/Acarya and we are obviously in the line of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and thus to see what standard is given is the duty of all devotees, regardless of positions. That is our first duty. To identify oneself even with the designations of Guru, GBC, Temple President or even being a senior devotee is not all that important. What is important is how well we as individuals follow Srila Prabhupada's teachings.

The GBC, the Gurus, the Temple Presidents and all the devotees are simply meant for the same objective. To be so eager for the designation of being something in this world is the disease, even the desire to be a Guru and GBC, or even a Temple President, what is the use of accepting such positions if they are not meant 100% for serving Srila Prabhupada and the Vaisnavas purely? This is the first test.

Just like in a lecture Srila Prabhupada explains we have to see to what degree we have become free from lust, anger and greed, no need for anything but a bit of honesty, similarly also the internal test is there, are we free from the desires for position, name fame and glory? Only when those desires are not there can one actually serve properly in the positions given.

Yes, it is fine to define who is an uttama adhikari, but who is that uttama adhikari? Is ISKCON full of uttama adhikaris? I may be blind, but from my small madhyama perspective, I see not too many persons that fit fully the descriptions of uttama adhikaris. To be honest, with the exception for Gaura Govinda Maharaja, I see no second uttama adhikari. There are many exalted souls that are here and that are wonderful Vaisnavas, and anyday we feel we could give up our life for them (if we had to). I will just mention Lokanath Maharaja and Bhakti Vikas Maharaja, yourself (Prahladananda Maharaja), Prabhavisnu Maharaja and Sivarama Maharaja. There are certainly many exalted souls in ISKCON. But to be concerned who is an uttama adhikari is not really our objective right now. Our concern is service to Srila Prabhupada. The GBC is there to make sure everyone follows Srila Prabhupada's instructions, whether Guru, Temple President or regular devotee, this is the standard Srila Prabhupada set.

Gaura Govinda Maharaja, who I (and I am not alone in this) see as an uttama adhikari, was having a hard time with certain GBC's like Harikesa, but time showed who was more advanced.

The main problem we have in ISKCON is sectarian attitude based on selfish ambitions. We can't even, in many cases, welcome our fellow devotees from Gaudiya Matha that are not envious of Srila Prabhupada. We can't even accept the standard set by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada, and concoct something else.

Srila Prabhupada ordered devotees to wear tilaka and kunti mala, chant at least 16 rounds and follow the 4 regs, and study his books. These simple things are ignored by many. This is the ABC's.

Some temples serve grain prasadam on Janmastami nights, some leaders preach book distribution is not important and everyone selling Srila Prabhupada's books should go get a job. Even getting up early for many devotees living outside the temples has become something for "those fanatics that live in the temple". Yes Maharaja, you are right, there needs to be accountability for funds, and you are right there must be compliance with the GBC. No one is independent.

The GBC, however, has to take a more active role, as Temple Presidents often neglect proper standards simply to make a buck. I was once told by one GBC member, "don't come to my zone". My crime was that I did not think demigod worship was a good way to make money from the congregation. I wrote him back, dear Prabhu, this is Srila Prabhupada's zone. Try to stop me from preaching. You deviated by allowing this and now you think in terms of me and mine. Shame on you, Prabhu.

However, the GBC body agreed and passed laws on these matters in 1996. So no, we do not want independent acaryas or even independent GBC. If someone is an uttama adhikari he also has to follow the GBC, otherwise we end up having many groups with their own vision for ISKCON. GBC is the desire of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada and our Srila Prabhupada followed this instruction. GBC is the ultimate authority, and the idea that individual GBC's and Temple Presidents are independent is very dangerous. We need no more fascistic leaders that make politics for maintaining their position.

Temple President does not mean total power. The real problem in modern ISKCON is finding selfless Temple Presidents not looking for power and a huge salary. 6,000 British pounds a month is slapping Srila Prabhupada right in the face.

Your servant,

Payonidhi das

Now you can listen to the ancient sanskrit chants of Bhagavad Gita, sung in classical melodies by noted devotional singer Sri Vidyabhushana. Listen to all 700 verses of the Gita with a beautiful accompaniment of flute, veena, sitar, mridanga, tabla and tala. (Scroll down to listen to it online.)

Set includes 10 audio CDs (7 CDs of sanskrit chants, 2 CDs containing english translations for the entire Bhagavad Gita, and 1 CD providing an introductory lecture on the Bhagavad Gita by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada).