An ISKCON guru is a person who is permitted to initiate disciples into the International Society for Krishna Consciousness system. The guru system has undergone several changes and reform since its beginnings in the 1960s. Upanayana as a traditional "sacred thread ceremony" of the Gayatri Mantra, commonly known Hindu Samskara, is complemented by Pancharatra mantras of the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya and follows the principal initial nama initiation ceremony, referred to respectively as brahmana diksa and Hari nama diksa.First is synonymous to what in other Vaisnava traditions is called Saranagati Diksa or Pancha Samskara.

Etymology ISKCON Gaudiya Vaishnavas often refer to the Amarakośa, a Sanskrit thesaurus, for meanings of words, and according to the writings of the Gaudiya acharyas, the word guru is very often defined as one who represents the Supreme Lord, does not invent new teachings, but teaches in accordance with the scriptures (sastra) and the previous ācāryas. This definition of a wider concept of guru in Hinduism links the question of the relative authority of the guru's words and those of the sastra in a crucial relationship. Baladeva Vidyabhushana, 18th century principal Gaudiya theologian used and defined guru in his commentaries on Vedanta-sutra. Specifically, in the comments to the sutras 3.3.44-45 Baladeva Vidyabhushana argues that the concept of guru's grace plays the central role in the system of teacher-student succession."

Philosophy

Scriptural evidence towards the issue of a guru lies mainly in a large volume of Sanskrit work named which received commentary by Sanatana Gosvami. It is the foundation of traditional Vaishnava philosophy and has 9,275 verses, divided in twenty chapters (called ). The first chapter is dedicated to gurus, with second dedicated to ritual process of initiation by the guru. The worship of gurus is described towards the end of the third .

The place of a guru and his grace () plays a vital role in the Vaisnava traditions in general and in ISKCON Gaudiya Vaishnavism in particular. The generic view on a guru as a representative of God is a central feature to the tradition and philosophy:

In contrast with the established traditional view of ISKCON, some rare sahajia groups in Bengal treat their own preceptor (guru) as the living God.Pratibharanjan Maitra (ed.), Mursidabad carca. Khagra/Baharampur/Mursidabad: Mursidabad Carca Kendra, 1395 (Beng. Era), pp. 93-122. This view is different or contrasted to the concept of a guru being "as good as God".

Unlike being a god in a human form,Kartabhajas on the contrast maintain: guru thaken sahasrare, sat-cakra upare "The guru resides in the Sahasrara [within the human body], on top of the six cakras". See Adbaita Candra Das: Sri satima candrika. Calcutta 1986, p. 87. the process of being appointed as a guru within ISKCON is currently done by a process which could be described as consensual or democratic and involves voting.Hrdayananda Dasa Goswami: The Role of the Guru in a Multi-Guru Society, ISKCON Communications Journal 8,1 (June 2000): 45-53. It is suggested that being as good as god is not a theological but a practical consideration, just as a wife serves her husband in Hindu traditions "as good as god".Måns Broo: As Good as God. The Guru in Gaudiya Vaisnavism. , [](Åbo: Åbo Akademis Förlag 2003). p.79.

While the claim "submission of the disciple is neither irrational or blind" is arguable, the question of qualification and humility remained opened for generations prior to creation of ISKCON in the West. In his speech Assuming Responsibility of Being Guru Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, who founded the popular branch of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition that resulted in creation of ISKCON, underlined the contrast of humility and responsibility of the performance of the duties of being a guru:

It has been seen that much of the debate over authority and continuity over the years has focused on one issue: namely, whether current GBC members and gurus are spiritually qualified.T.K. Goswami, 'The Perils of Succession Heresies of Authority and Continuity In the Hare Krishna Movement ', Cults and Society, Vol. 1, 1, 2001.See also:Leader Misconduct, Religious Authority, and the Development of the Hare Krishna Movement, in Anson Shupe, ed, Wolves Among the Fold. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1997 Guru in a post-charismatic phase of ISKCON is a subject of number studies and debates.

According to the Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati ceremony of diksha in Gaudiya Vaisnavism, also called initiation, is that "by which the spiritual preceptor admits one to the status of a neophyte on the path of spiritual endeavor."Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, Initiation Into The Spiritual Life, December 1928, Vol 26. 7 Sri Sajjana-toshani

Parallel lines of authority

ISKCON is seen as an extension of the Gaudiya-Vaishnava tradition and thus participates in the disciplic succession from Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In most Indic traditions spiritual authority rests in one person, or acharya, head of a monastery or a whole sampradaya. ISKCON is sometimes described as the "first global Vaisnava movement" and is different. ISKCON is a multi-guru organization that places the ultimate managerial authority in its Governing Body, a group rather than a single person. Current ISKCON Guru System is developed by the group of leaders, Governing Body Commission, (GBC), the managerial authority of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. ISKCON Guru system was originally initiated and put in place by ISKCON's founder, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada who organized and sometimes himself conducted initiations since early 1970s. Currently the GBC is entrusted with both spiritual and secular leadership of the ISKCON communities, as well as the power to appoint new gurus. According to a GBC confidence survey "those holding critical views of the GBC were far less committed to ISKCON" and it was also noted that householder members of ISKCON provides less support for ISKCON's gurus and the guru institution than the residents of ISKCON asramas controlled by GBC.Rochford, E. Burke (2007) [ Hare Krishna Transformed], p. 245,70. "GBC Confidence Survey" In recent years GBC started to develop a regional seminar "Spiritual Leadership: Being a Guru in ISKCON" and made it mandatory for all future gurus to attend. The course is based on the work of a group of seniors representing cross section of international devotees and is developed in coordination with Vaisnava Training and Education, the Guru Services Committee of GBC. It was launched in Ujjain just prior to the 2008 annual GBC meetings.Dasa, A.T. GBC Meetings 2008 - Day 2: ISKCON Guru Seminar, Scientific Preaching and Mayapur Academy Graduation . News. ISKCON.com Sastric Advisory Council to GBC has reported that there is a desire for control of who is ISKCON guru, the present system does not provide effective safeguards and at the same time contradicts the truly humble attitude of the Vaishnavas and is in danger of gradual corruption.From SAC statement: The GBC desires to exercise some control over who represents ISKCON as initiating gurus. The SAC proposes, however, that the present system does not provide effective safeguards, and at the same time it stifles initiative. In other words, applying for the guru post and approaching devotees for recommendations does not sit well with truly humble Vaisnavas. And it's the truly humble who are most worthy to become our Society's gurus. We should also be aware from the history of other sampradayas and religions of the real danger of gradual corruption. Even if apparent purity were maintained for some time by a bureaucratic regulating system of authorization, the eternal temptations of misusing the status of guru for self-aggrandizement could ruin the system and the institution. In future generations we, like other sampradayas, could become burdened with gurus who collect disciples mainly for money and power. Such corruption could occur even while maintaining the external appearance of bureaucratic purity. Therefore SAC suggests that the GBC shift their oversight to mainly after-the-fact. Exactly how this is to be implemented should be decided by the GBC. Bureaucratic processes about the suitability of a person to function as guru before the person has actually functioned as a guru have not proved successful as an effective guarantee. The actual behavior of the person as guru has, in practice, turned out to be the only effective basis for determining merit. One might argue that such a system does not guarantee that a guru will remain fixed on the spiritual platform, but that is true of any system.

Background In 1977 eleven prominent leaders were left to become an initiating gurus in ISKCON. Since founder's death the number of ISKCON devotees accepting disciples has increased. Recently, some of grand-disciples (disciples of disciples) have begun to accept disciples in the next generation. Prabhupada is officially considered a Founder/Acharya, and is assumed to be "pre-eminent" guru of all devotees in his society.

According to the theological epistemology of the tradition, scriptural or Vedic knowledge is the only way to achieve the knowledge of the out-worldly or transcendental realm. However the notable exception to this rule is what is called vaidushya-pratyaksa, or the faultless and pure perception of a pure realised soul, which forms the foundation of scripture itself.Sarva-samvadini commentary to Tattva sandarbhuas, 12, by Jiva Goswami cited in Måns Broo: As Good as God. The Guru in Gaudiya Vaisnavism. p. 9.

There are few female gurus in Gaudiya Vaishnavism. In 2009, ISKCON began procedures to recognise female gurus.

In a typical initiation ceremony as a guru of International Society for Krishna Consciousness he would begin with purification using achamana (holy water) and concludes with a sermon on the importance of chanting of the holy names in the life of new initiate.

History

Direct initiations

The history of initiations in ISKCON is started with the foundation of the society in 1966 and develops through a number of periods from the initial date to present times. During the first initiations in September 1966 disciples were given names, asked to remain strictly vegetarian and asked to chant 25 rounds of japa. Soon additional requirements followed, but the number of prescribed rounds of Hare Krishna japa was reduced to the minimum 16. Some devotees shaved their heads after the first initiation. First second initiation was in Boston, 9 May 1968 where only male devotees were initiated. However next day saw a number of women initiated too.According to Prabhupada: "Yes, there is definitely a vast difference between initiated and non-initiated. One who is initiated is authorized, and one who is not initiated is not authorized." Letter to Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, 14 November 1968.

From the period of the first initiation in 1966 until early 1970 Srila Prabhupada would organize all initiations personally. At this stage Hare Krishna movement was rather small in numbers and most of the devotees were located in United States.

Early deviations

At a festival at New Vrindaban, West Virginia, on Janmastami day 1970, four recently initiated sannyasis, Brahmananda, Gargamuni, Subala and Visnujana, were preaching that "Prabhupada is God."Vaiyasaki dasa, Radha-Damodar Vilasa, "New Vrindaban Shakedown" pp. 299–318 All four were temporarily banned from preaching within ISKCON'.The Perils of Succession Heresies of Authority and Continuity In the Hare Krishna Movement ', Cults and Society, Vol. 1, 1, 2001.

Proxy initiations