The Acharya Board of Srila Gurudeva

August 2, 2011 by goswami. Average Reading Time: about 8 minutes.

Understanding that he would leave the world within days, on March 7, 2010, Srila Govinda Maharaja established the Acharya Board of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. Srila Gurudeva named five Acharya members:

Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaja Bhakti Kusum Ashram Maharaja Bhakti Pavan Janardan Maharaja Bhakti Sudhir Goswami Maharaja Bhakti Bimal Avadhut Maharaja The document was approved; signed, Swami B.S. Govinda. Srila Govinda Maharaja did not name any non-acharya to his Acharya Board. Srila Govinda Maharaja formed the Acharya Board for the specific purpose of giving guidance and direction after his disappearance. The idea that it would be cancelled upon his disappearance is absurd. The idea that the reference in his will is to another Acharya Board, which somehow cancels Srila Govinda Maharajas Acharya Board, is equally absurd and

against common sense.

An Acharya Board (Acharya Sabha) shall be formed, composed of initiating acharyas, to consult with one another regarding all spiritual matters and to give guidance to all Trust Boards. Who formed the Acharya Board in question? Srila Govinda Maharaja. After having the Acharya Board concept added to his will, Srila Govinda Maharaja personally named the members. That Srila Govinda Maharaja named Goswami Maharaja a member of the Acharya Board proves ipso facto that His Divine Grace considered him an Acharya. Additionally, he previously stated:

He is already directly empowered by Srila Guru Maharaja to initiate. But if he will act as my ritvik, I will be very happy. Before his disappearance in March, in January, Srila Govinda Maharaja, authorized Bhakti Sudhir Goswami to be an Acharya of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math:

If Goswami Maharaja will act as a Guru of Chaitanya Saraswat Math that will be very good. Guru Maharaja was attached with Goswami Maharaja. [January 9, 2010] The Acharya Board mentioned in the will is the same Acharya Board nominated personally by Srila Govinda Maharaja. There are not two. The criterion initiating acharyas allows for the addition of members. Members may also be eliminated as per Srila Guru Maharajas directives previously concerning an Acharya Board.
The Censure of Sripad BK Giri Maharaja

We will have to behave in such way that the newcomers sraddha is not disturbed I have my own conception; that should be kept in the mental world and not outside. Because the newcomers will be disturbed, their sraddha will be disturbed. The newcomers should be encouraged. [Srila Sridhar Maharaja] We understand from Srila Guru Maharaja that a Godbrother or Godsister can have an impartial view of a Godbrother Guru that is not necessarily offensive.

When you are alone, the acharya brother and nonacharya brother, you can mix freely; you can give a slap to his cheek but when publicly amongst his disciples, you must show respect to the chair The conception of my Godbrother, I may have, I may foster that within the heart but we wont disturb the disciple. [Srila Sridhar Maharaja] One may have a difference of opinion, another point of view, another conception. What is objectionable is to publicly attack the Acharya of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math; to publish extreme criticism. Giri Maharaja concedes he has made some mild criticism of Sripad Acharya Maharaja via internet spam. An example? Srila Acharya Maharaja and his fellow acharyas are a group of clowns that he is embarrassed to be associated with.

I am reminded of a group of clowns When a few Acharyas with big mouths and slow brains make foolish public declarations supposed to represent ALL OF US, I cannot and will not tolerate it. I do not want to be thought to be a part of such foolishness. In spite of all Ive said and done to this point they continue to behave like clowns making all of us appear to be part of the clown act. I did

not come to Srila Guru Maharaja to be a clown. Is it acceptable to lampoon the Acharya of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math by publicly calling him a clown? Does that come under the heading of mild criticism ? For some perspective, would it have been acceptable to lampoon Srila Govinda Maharaja as a clown? No. It would not have been acceptable; it is not acceptable now. Another example:

Is Acharya Maharaja following the direction of his guru? If he is deviating why should he be respected? that he is deviating is clear. Is it acceptable to publicly vilify the Acharya of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math as disobeying the order of his guru and dismiss him as unworthy of respect? Would that have been an acceptable criticism in the time of Srila Govinda Maharaja? There were those who were of that opinion. Should they be invited back to the Math for a respectful hearing? No. It was not acceptable then; it is not acceptable now. Giri Maharaja attempts to demote the website of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math by calling it, Acharya Maharajas website.

He says the Math in Nabadwip is no longer the central Math; he has downgraded it to, Acharya Maharajas Math.

Can you now begin to understand why I stopped referring to the Nabadwip Math as the main Math, central Math, etc.? It is Acharya Maharajas Math. Giri Maharaja says now that the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math in Nabadwip is no longer the central Math, he will establish his Math as the main Math of the mission.

My determination is now to make my Math the central Math. Whether it is in New Jersey, New York or Nabadwip is entirely irrelevant. While recognizing that Srila Govinda Maharaja has given Srila Acharya Maharaja and the Acharya Board the charge to guide his Mission Giri Maharaja says he will now take charge of the mission.

Srila Acharya Maharaja and the Acharya Board are, either incapable or unwilling to follow the direction and charge given them by Srila Gurudeva to guide his Mission after

his disappearance. I am, therefore, taking the charge myself Going Global | 6 Missions? | 6 Sampradayas? Giri Maharaja concludes,

We no longer have one mission; we have 6 gurus, 6 missions, 6 sampradayas. Srila Acharya Maharaja and the Acharya Board maintain there is one mission with a plurality of gurus. Srila Govinda Maharaja did not express at any time his wish that Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math divide into six missions and six sampradayas. Rather, in his Last Will and Testament, wherein he names multiple Acharyas for the Western world, he says clearly:

There will be one single Acharya, Sevaite and President of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. That will be Sri Bhakti Nirmal Acharya This is consistent with Srila Govinda Maharajas public

declaration of Srila Acharya Maharaja as the next Acharya of this Math Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. It is also consistent with Srila Govinda Maharajas view that his successor must be a threefold initiated disciple ( Harinam; Mantra Diksha; Sannyasa). That Giri Maharaja was named Acharya and successor of the Math established by him is not in question. That he is by default promoting himself as the global (worldwide) successor, dismissing Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math in Nabadwip as the central Math of the Mission, and declaring his own Math its replacement, is as outrageous as it is unacceptable. And one more thing One fact Giri Maharaja wants everyone to forget one cloud that keeps raining on his parade is that he was respectfully invited to and attended the Acharya Board meetings. Repeat, he was invited to and attended the Acharya Board meetings. After turning them into chaos and being begged to leave; he acquiesced. In a rare moment of clarity and candor, he wrote the following email: Subject: Clouds Cleared | From: Swami B.K. Giri | April 11, 2010

Let me say unequivocally that I recognize, accept and respect the authority of the Acharya Board created by Srila Gurudevas directive of March 7, 2010. Furthermore you have my complete backing and support for any actions you may choose to take. These meetings took place a few days after the disappearance of Srila Govinda Maharaja. Overwhelmed by grief and separation, the last thing anyone was thinking about was becoming a Guru; an Acharya. In a state of devastation, most wondered how they would go on with their lives. Giri Maharaja condemns the other Acharyas for deferring to Srila Acharya Maharaja at that time of Srila Gurudevas disappearance. What is the meaning of defer? defer |di!f!r| verb ( defers , deferring , deferred ) [ with obj. ] put off (an action or event) to a later time; postpone: they deferred establishing themselves as Acharyas until another time. Defer does not mean to resign or become derelict in ones

duty. What was obvious to most was the immediate necessity to show unity; to establish and support the Acharya of the central Math, Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, Nabadwip; the only Math established directly by Srila Guru Maharaja. The other Acharyas, deferred selflessly, in favor of establishing and supporting Acharya Maharaja, and put off establishing themselves to another time. This is not something to be condemned. Rather, if much is to be made of deferring , it should be praised. Conclusion | The Authorized Acharya Board

It is not that I shall indulge all my sentiments to be the Godly and others are all bogus I dont talk like that. [Srila Sridhar Maharaja] Is it really, as Giri Maharaja says, that Acharya Maharaja and the other Acharyas have ignored Srila Gurudevas order to form an Acharya Board? Is it reasonable to think that, knowing he would leave the world within days, Srila Govinda Maharaja established an Acharya Board that he intended to be cancelled upon his disappearance a few days later?

Or is it that Giri Maharaja is in a state of denial, dismissing the fact that, just days before departing the world, Srila Govinda Maharaja personally formed the Acharya Board, named the members (all Acharyas, according to him) and signed the document authorizing its legitimacy.

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