The Guru & Disciple Book is a new book that examines the spiritual preceptor, the student, and the community they create, together with the dynamics and occasional struggles that surround them.
The book is by Srila Prabhupada disciple and ISKCON member of 42 years, Kripamoya Das, who explains why he wrote it: “The book is a 440-page compendium of helpful advice for those seeking initiation, or those who offer spiritual guidance to others. It’s also a good read for those who have become apprehensive, perplexed, or even cynical from interminable discussions on ‘guru issues’ and related subjects.”
“I wrote this book after many years of answering all kinds of questions on initiation,” Kripamoya explains. “Devotees would ask me questions on shastra and Vaishnava history, on Srila Prabhupada’s statements, and they would often share their concerns about ISKCON’s historical scandals and ongoing reputation. So I took to writing short pieces and sharing them, and readers found them helpful.” He claims that the average spiritual seeker now requires more of ISKCON: “In general, interested people these days have already done their research online. They are fascinated by Krishna, they like the idea of a spiritual teacher, but they have a natural caution and need satisfying answers.”
So with a variety of readers in mind, The Guru & Disciple Book has six systematically themed sections:
Part One deals with shastric statements about the need for a guru, the identity and qualifications of such a teacher, and various ‘post-modern’ objections that seekers commonly have to the idea of spiritual authority.
Part Two examines the various methods of teaching that gurus employ, and how spiritual transmission takes place. “It also focuses on how the meanings of traditional Sanskrit words such as siksha, diksha,sampradaya and parampara have become slightly morphed in contemporary ISKCON, and how more accurate definitions would help in our discussions,” Kripamoya Das adds.
Part Three discusses why people often love the guru, but dislike his organisation – especially a large and successful institution such as the Hare Krishna movement has now become. Nevertheless, ‘organization and intelligence – and strong leadership and governance’ are as important for the future of ISKCON as they have ever been. Creating a sense of belonging and delivering personalised spiritual guidance seems to be one of the challenges.
Part Four traces the history of the sannyasa order, a social identity that has now become synonymous with the very concept of ‘guru.’ The section includes a chapter on the phenomenon of what some refer to as ‘clergy burn-out,’ and in another remarkable chapter, former ISKCON sannyasis and gurus share their private thoughts.
Over the past fifty years, ISKCON has come under attack from the forces of dissent and separatism within, and competitive theologies without. Dozens of charismatic individuals have all tried to help themselves to Srila Prabhupada’s legacy. Part Five examines a few of these, and analyses whether we are prepared for the next time it happens. This part also subjects the guru-disciple relationship to some healthy psychological analysis, highlighting the mutual confusions that can occur.
Part Six is entitled Becoming a Disciple Today and, despite everything that has been said before, is unapologetically enthusiastic about a spiritual candidate becoming initiated in ISKCON today. The big difference we face as a movement in 2015, Kripamoya insists, is that more than 90% of our members have never lived in a temple and probably never will. Yet to make a lifetime spiritual commitment, each devotee requires a certain level of pre-initiation introspection, a time for actually ‘testing the guru’ as shastra recommends, and sufficient encouragement, support and ongoing guidance to make being a disciple a realistic long-term proposition. For ISKCON to remain relevant to the bulk of its members these spiritual essentials must be delivered.
For those considering initiation in ISKCON, The Guru & Disciple Book offers an encouraging, step-by-step guide on how to prepare for a committed life. For those acting as spiritual guides, the book offers helpful reflections on pastoral care – the gentle art of creating and sustaining faith in a contemporary Vaishnava community. For the perplexed or cynical, the book will be a refreshing read that will give them new hope.
The book is already being translated into Russian and comes with an endorsement from ISKCON guru, His Holiness Bhakti Vijnana Swami of Moscow:
“This is a very helpful book which deals with a very important, and to a certain extent controversial subject matter. Kripamoya Das is a very careful and introspective observer and discusses the subject very openly, but in a balanced and mature way, strengthening in the reader the conviction of the need for personal spiritual guidance. I wholeheartedly recommend it to any spiritual seeker, to anyone who offers spiritual guidance as a service to others, and especially to those spiritual seekers and guides who are treading the path of Krishna consciousness.”
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