The chronology of events just prior to the disappearance of Srila Prabhupāda, and the ongoing struggle by the devotees of ISKCON Bangalore — led by Sri Madhu Pandit Dasa — to establish his transcendental will. What they stood for, what it cost them, and how it was vindicated.
Srila Prabhupāda clearly outlined the system of initiation, or dīkṣā, in an institutional directive dated July 9th, 1977. He sent a definitive written order to all the ISKCON temple presidents and senior leaders of the movement for performing the initiation and giving dīkṣā in ISKCON after his disappearance. He had listed eleven senior disciples to act as ritviks — representatives of the Ācārya — for the purpose of initiating new devotees. But after his disappearance, they disregarded his instructions and declared themselves as successor ācāryas and gurus.
This disobedient act was opposed by many sincere ISKCON devotees worldwide, but they were suppressed, threatened and forced to leave ISKCON temples by these self-proclaimed ācāryas and gurus. Over the years, many of these ‘gurus in ISKCON’ — not appointed by Srila Prabhupāda — have deviated from the spiritual path, fallen from their position and become victims of the lowest of human weaknesses. This left their innocent disciples confused, helpless, disillusioned and angry.
In 1999, the devotees of ISKCON Bangalore, led by Madhu Pandit Dasa, questioned this faulty guru system in ISKCON. They have been going through intensely tormenting and testing times since then — the leadership of ISKCON Mumbai made several unsuccessful attempts to undermine the services, reputation and spirit of the ISKCON Bangalore devotees. What the courts ultimately made of those attempts — allegation by allegation — is set out on the main page.
In connection with the dispute between ISKCON Bangalore and ISKCON Mumbai, the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India expressed its hope that the issue could be amicably settled through talks. During the mediation, the devotees of ISKCON Bangalore agreed to every demand of ISKCON Mumbai and, in return, requested only that the devotees of the ISKCON Bangalore group be allowed to practice the system of initiation outlined by the institutional directive issued by Srila Prabhupāda on July 9, 1977. This simple request was rejected by the Bureau (Governing Body) of ISKCON Mumbai and the International GBC. The offers of peace, round by round, are here.
On May 16, 2025, after more than two decades of litigation, the Supreme Court of India upheld the position of ISKCON Bangalore. The struggle for truth is now on the record — and the record is published, verbatim, on this site.
For a quarter of a century, holding to the founder’s written directive carried a price. This is what it looked like — drawn from the published compilations and the court record.
For arguing before the GBC that Srila Prabhupada’s directive of July 9, 1977 must be followed, Madhu Pandit Dasa and his associates were declared “unfit to be members of ISKCON India” by Resolution 302 of 1999 — cast out of the movement they had given their lives to.
GBC resolutions 301–302 of 1999
Several hundred followers of the opposing camp made an attempt to physically storm the Bangalore temple, throw out the devotees and take possession of the property. In defence, ISKCON Bangalore was obliged to file the suit for injunction that became O.S. No. 7934/2001 — the case that would run for twenty-five years.
The Struggle for Truth · Part One · complete text
“Our new legal advisors have given us some new ideas that the civil route is very slow, but the criminal route is quicker. Madhu Pandit Dasa has a good reputation, but it does not take long to lose it if we do criminal cases against him,” wrote one of the movement’s seniormost leaders in a 2001 message, as quoted in the compilation. The criminal cases came — and in 2025 the Supreme Court quashed the FIR, observing the dispute “ought not to have been brought to the Court” at all.
¶71 · verify · the compilation
Forgery of land records. Fabrication of the 1984 general body meeting. Manipulation of documents and accounts. The allegations were argued in court for two decades — and every one failed. The Supreme Court found the record “crystal clear”, the High Court’s findings against individuals “not warranted at all”, and no evidence behind the fabrication claims.
¶¶50, 57, 58, 68–70 · allegation by allegation
The compilations record the harassment of ISKCON Bangalore’s life patrons and donors, and campaigns to discredit the temple’s leadership among devotees and the public — through the very years the same leadership was building the world’s largest school meal programme.
The Struggle for Truth · Part One · complete text
Trial court, High Court, Supreme Court; suits, appeals, contempt petitions, an FIR, mediation, and a review petition that continues today. Through all of it, the position never changed: everything material was offered — the one thing not surrendered was the founder’s directive. On May 16, 2025, the Supreme Court upheld their case in full.
They were expelled, sued, stormed, charged and vilified — and answered with service, patience, and the courts. The record of their vindication is on this site.
The chronology of the struggle, set out in three volumes compiled by the devotees of ISKCON Bangalore. Read them here, in full.