From the ISKCON GBC – Minutes Of The Annual General Meeting – February 2017
313: Global Duties & Responsibilities of the Governing Body Commission
[ISKCON Law]
Whereas the GBC wishes to formalize the understanding of its global services to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness;
Whereas it is important that duties and responsibilities be clarified at all levels of the Society;
Whereas the GBC wishes to produce a legacy document for the instruction and training of future GBC members:
RESOLVED:
That the document “Global Duties & Responsibilities of the Governing Body Commission (GBC)” is accepted as an official statement and shall be part of ISKCON Law.
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(The following is an excerpt from the above mentioned document)
Maintaining Srila Prabhupada’s Standards Worldwide
Srila Prabhupada wrote to a GBC member: “Now I have invested the GBC for maintaining the standard of our Krsna Consciousness Society, so keep the GBC very vigilant. I have already given you full directions in my books.” (Letter to Satsvarupa, 5 September 13, 1970) Later, Srila Prabhupada wrote to another member of the GBC: “I have formed this GBC for that purpose, to keep the devotional standards at the highest level and at the same time to manage a world-wide organization.” (Letter to Rupanuga, November 4, 1970)
Srila Prabhupada often stressed that the GBC was meant to ensure that purity was maintained throughout the Society. In a letter to Sudama Maharaja dated February 16, 1973, he wrote: “In your travelling from centre to centre, you must be very careful to see that the leaders are observing the principles of chanting 16 rounds, rising early for Mangala Arati, participating in the morning and evening classes, observing the four regulative principles etc., and if there is any deviation from this standard then it is the responsibility of you and the local GBC representative to rectify it immediately. Within these Vaisnava standards which I have put forward lies the spiritual strength of our movement.”
Srila Prabhupada wanted devotees to thoroughly overhaul their personal habits and the GBC to supervise their improvement: “Our spiritual way should strictly observe the following points especially: (1). Neatness and cleanliness of all personal bodies. (I still see those who are initiated as Brahmins, they do not wash their hand after eating even; of course, there may be so many defects due to your births in non-Brahmin families, but how long it shall go on? It is very easy thing.); (2). Chanting 16 rounds daily. (I don’t think everyone is following these principles.); (3) Temple worship, which should be performed rigidly between four and ten a.m.) I find that the devotees are still sleeping up to six, seven o’clock. So in the GBC Agenda I do not find any such programs for reforming our past bad habits.” (Letter to Hamsaduta, April 11, 1972) Although local officers and other leaders will implement programs aimed at improving personal and collective standards, it is the duty of the GBC to oversee the process.
Providing Spiritual Leadership & Guidance
Srila Prabhupada wrote to a GBC member: “It is the duty of the GBC to maintain the devotees, keep them in the highest standard of Krishna Consciousness, and give them all good instruction, and let them go out and preach for making more devotees.” (Letter to Satsvarupa, June 16, 1972)
Srila Prabhupada wrote to another GBC member: “The GBC should all be the instructor gurus. I am in the initiator guru, and you should be the instructor guru by teaching what I am teaching and doing what I am doing.” (Letter to Madhudvisa, August 4, 1975) Earlier, on June 16, 1972, Srila Prabhupada had written to 6 Madhudvisa: “So you GBC men are my selected few for insuring that what I am doing will be carried on very nicely for the pleasure of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.”
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