By: Nimai Pandit Das November 26, 2008
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada dictated the following Oath
of Allegiance to the GBC on March 27th 1975 (conversation available in Vedabase).
He ordered it to be sent to all Officers throughout his ISKCON to be signed as a yearly affidavit. This Oath of Allegiance makes it abundantly clear that all Tps and GBCs should :
1. accept Srila Prabhupada as their Guru Maharaj.
2. accept the constitution of ISKCON and its Bylaws
3. "Srila Prabhupada is the only source of authority, represented by his instructions and books and I shall follow his instructions only - of these books."
Of course, after 1977 for obvious reasons this Oath of Allegiance was also changed. Maybe someone else can post the later versions. I think there are at least 3. If the TPs and so-called GBCs of ISKCON had accepted this Oath of Allegiance AS IT IS, then no:
1. No Guru Issue as they have to sign an affidavit in front of a notary that their Guru Maharaj is Srila Prabhupada.
2. No DOM implementation problem as the constitution, bylaws etc. should have been amended to include the clauses about implementing Direction of Management given in the July 22, 1974 Topmost Urgency letter by Srila Prabhupada. This Oath of Allegiance affidavit makes it legally binding on the TPs and GBCs to obey the DOM .
I state I have been elected or nominated a member of the Governing Body Commission/or Temple President - under the recommendation of my Guru Maharaja His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder, Acharya and Supreme Authority of the Krishna Consciousness Movement, under the banner of the ISKCON.