Reforms for Temple
Presidents and Managers

from Pandava Sakha (das)

To protect all temple presidents spiritual well being & save them from maya's attack & bring down our names, there is a need to:

1. There is a need to strip the Temple Presidents of their potential absolute authority so that they don't remain / become mini-zonal acaryas for their temples.

2. The Temple Presidents need to work with temple community (temple-residents & congregation) as their humble servant as taught by Srila Prabhupada. They should command respect not demand respect as their boss. They need to demonstrate humility to the temple community.

3. The Temple Presidents need to value their subordinates as individuals & not simply means to their (temple presidents) ends.

4. The Temple Presidents should not be barriers for communication between Gurus & disciples. They need to have a working arrangement so that Gurus & disciples can have a happy relationship.

5. The Temple Presidents should not impose an absolute shiksha relation with the temple-residents & congregation.

6. The Temple Presidents should accept any constructive criticism from temple community members & not stigmatise or mentally abuse such persons within the community who provides such criticisms.

7. Temple Presidents should honour prasadam with the temple devotees unless he has health problems.

8. Temple Presidents should not have special asanas or facilities which indicate special respect.

9. Non-sannyasis temple presidents should not accept dandavats from devotees. If devotees do offer dandavats to the temple presidents then temple presidents should visibly offer dandavats back the same way ie. sastanga for sastanga & not simply folding hands for satanga.

10. He should not have a monoply on deciding who will give Bhagavatam class or Gita class. He should visibly encourage, train & then factually make the temple community members give Bhagavatam/Gita class.

11. Temple Presidents should not offer special facilities/respects to devotees who collect more money.

12. There is a need to establish minimum standards of spiritual behaviour,knowledge,attitude & managerial competence for temple presidents.

13. Temple Presidents should make the temple Prabhupada centered & not temple presidents centered. The temple residents should not be cult of fanatics supporting whatever the temple presidents does.

14. Temple Presidents should not make the Temple community members uncared for.

15. He should not make congregation feel that they are second grade.

16. From time to time, the temple presidents should ask for critical/constructive feedback from initited temple community members & demonstrate his attempts to improve based on the feedback.

17. In general the temple presidents should adopt the same economic mode of travel as he provides for the temple residents.

18. Temple Presidents cannot use temple assets such as temple car & other vehicles,equipments for any purpose other than for temple use. (Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Thakur made the rule that conveyances belonging to a matha cannot be used by the matha-incharge for any purpose other than matha. ) It cannot be used for their personal non-temple use. They should demonstrate that temple assets cannot be used according to their own autocratic whims.

19. Temple Presidents should not tap all the phones in the temple.

20. Temple Presidents should not stigmatise or mentally abuse a temple community member who has a differing philosophical view (boundary =Srila Prabhupada, Guru,Sadhu & shastra)

21. If a temple president has a philosophical view which is different from the GBC position on that issue, he cannot propagate it within the temple community.

22. Temple President should provide adequate health care & healthy acceptable prasadam.

23. Temple Presidents should pay special attention to women & children & ensure that their requirements are met with.

24. Temple Presidents should demonstrate respect to qualified brahmanas & their brahmanical input. He should demonstrate that he is willing to follow brahmanas.

25. Temple Presidents should not make the temple residents into his "YES MAN" by claiming that he is the full representative of their Gurus.

26. Temple Presidents should visibly accept the same austerity as the temple residents & not possess posh offices & extra luxuries.

27. There should be a brahmana-samaj or brahmanical council (qualified brahmanas) in each temple that can have views different from the temple presidents. The Temple Presidents should take advice from them & act visibly based on their advice.

28. Temple Presidents should not wear glamorous luxurious clothes.

29. They should not discourage the congregation in their devotional service & instead encourage them visibly.

30. Temple Presidents should not force devotees to take diksha/siksha from certain Gurus.

31. Temple Presidents should visibly respect GBC members, Gurus, sannyasis & demonstrate it.

32. He should allow visiting devotees from other temples 3 days free stay & prasadam.

33. Temple Presidents should not physically abuse.

34. Temple Presidents spouse/family members should visibly avoid given any special status or managerial positions. They also cannot control the temple management by being in the managerial board.

35. Temple Presidents should show expenditure & donations received accounts to temple community members.

36. Temple Presidents status of temple presidentship should be reviewed every 6 months.

37. During sunday feasts temple presidents should humbly serve prasadam to all temple community members & visitors & take prasadam with other servers.

38. Temple Presidents should visibly refuse any public glorification because the temple is Prabhupada's temple.

39. Temple Presidents should visibly demonstrate faith in Prabhuapda.

40. Temple Presidents (whichever ashrama) should demonstrate renounced plain living. He should not accept personal luxurious gifts from visitors or congregation.

41. Non-sannyasi & non Prabhupada disciple temple president accept a special asana for Bhagavatam class.

42. Temple Presidents should personally participate in regular temple maha-cleaning every week.

© CHAKRA 10-Nov-98