Dear Devotees,

Jaya Prabhupada! I have heard from many devotees that someone recently posted a recording of me speaking about the GBC. I will clarify the context.

1. This was a private conversation in which I was “venting” or letting off steam, after having been greatly frustrated in my dealings with some GBC members. Obviously, I would never reject Prabhupada’s GBC system.

2. I told the devotee with me, repeatedly, not to record these private moments, and that devotee insisted on recording anyway with the guarantee that “no one would ever hear it.” Now we see the result.

3. In any case, various GBC members have also made many public, insulting comments about me and accused me of absurdities, such as rejecting Krishna, rejecting the spiritual world, being dishonest, mentally impaired, etc.

Conclusion: For the sake of Prabhupada, ISKCON, and the world, we should stop this fighting. Today and tomorrow I will be meeting with a small GBC committee, including the GBC chairman, and I sincerely hope we can come to an agreement to resolve this conflict. I will do my best toward this goal.

With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
January 4, 2016