What is the historical line of succession (Guru Parampara) in ISKCON and Gaudiya Vaishnavism?इस्कॉन और गौड़ीय वैष्णववाद में उत्तराधिकार की ऐतिहासिक रेखा (गुरु परंपरा) क्या है?

The Guru Parampara, or disciplic succession, is the foundational spine of authority, authenticity, and purity in Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Spiritual knowledge is not discovered through independent mental speculation or historical research; rather, it is received through a chain of self-realized spiritual masters tracing back to the Supreme Lord Himself. This ensures that the message of the scriptures remains unadulterated over thousands of years.

The specific line followed by ISKCON is the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya. The chain originates with Lord Krishna, who imparted transcendental knowledge to Lord Brahma (the creator of the universe). Brahma passed it to the great sage Narada Muni, who in turn initiated Vyasadeva, the compiler of the Vedas. Centuries later, the great acharya Madhvacharya consolidated this line into a formal school of Dvaita (dualistic) philosophy.

The line flows through prestigious spiritual teachers until it reaches Isvara Puri, who initiated Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Following Mahaprabhu, the succession was carried forward by the Six Goswamis of Vrindavan, Srinivasa Acharya, Narottama Dasa Thakura, and Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakura. In the modern era, the line was revitalized by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and his son, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura (founder of the Gaudiya Math). Srila Bhaktisiddhanta initiated A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who founded ISKCON in 1966. Every authentic guru within ISKCON functions as a transparent medium, presenting the teachings exactly as received from this uncompromised spiritual lineage.