HOW THE PERSONAL AMBITION OF THE "TOP MEN" HAS RUINED EVERYTHING
"This Bon Maharaja, perhaps you do not know, has been rejected by Guru Maharaja. So I cannot recommend him as siksa-guru. I think that he has no actual spiritual asset. For spiritual advancement of life, we must go to one who is actually practicing spiritual life; not to some head of a mundane institution, not to one who has offended his spiritual master in so many ways. I do not wish to go into all details here, but I must inform you that this Bon Maharaja may be considered as a black snake, and at the time of His Disappearance, my Guru Maharaja did not even wish to have him in His presence due to the character of this Bon Maharaja..." (Hrisikesha, 1/9/69)
Note: Here Prabhupada is condemning Bon Maharaja for having offended his own Guru Maharaja some 40 years previously. A serious offense to one's own guru has no time factor. This is a very important point. ISKCON's new "gurus" actually think that their rubber-stamp from Sridhar Maharaja (who they also rejected later) makes them bona fide and therefore beyond criticism. But here we see that a serious offense to one's spiritual master can lead such an unfortunate person to become utterly rejected by the spiritual master. Bon Maharaja wrote in a preface to his own translation and commentary on Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu that he was very, very dear to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami. The actual truth is stated above by Srila Prabhupada. After reading this book, any sincere disciple of Srila Prabhupada should clearly recognize that the leading secretaries of ISKCON have perpetrated an offense of great magnitude against Srila Prabhupada and his self evident instructions. We should keep in mind this quote concerning Bon Maharaja. He continued to preach, he continued to make disciples, he continued to associate with other Gaudiya Vaishnavas, he continued to translate sastra, and he continued to think that he was very, very dear and special to his guru. But even as late as 1969 Srila Prabhupada is saying that Bon Maharaja must be considered a black snake for having made very serious offense to his guru.
"We have sacrificed our life for Krsna's service, where is there scope for sleeping and gossiping? You can see in my example, not a single moment is wasted. This idleness is the business of the karmis. They can be seen sitting in the park gossiping, "My son-in-law said this," "This man has cheated me" but it has no place in devotional service, so your suggestion is well made."
"The installing of telex communications for our main temples is not required. Then they will gossip more through the telex." (Gurudasa, 2/5/77)
Note: When Prabhupada says "they" he is referring to the "leaders," most of whom are still considered the "leaders" or even "gurus".
"Before coming to your country I took sannyasa in l959, I was publishing Back to Godhead since l944. After taking sannyasa I was more engaged in writing my books without any attempt to construct temples or to make disciples like my other God-brothers in India.
"I was not very much interested in these matters because my Guru Maharaja liked very much publication of books than constructing big, big temples and creating some neophyte disciples. As soon as he saw that His neophyte disciples were increasing in number, He immediately decided to leave this world. To accept disciples means to take up the responsibility of absorbing the sinful reaction of life of the disciple.
"At the present moment in our ISKCON campus, politics and diplomacy has entered. Some of my beloved students on whom I counted very, very much have been involved in this activity which I consider as disrespectful. So I have decided to retire and divert attention to book writing and nothing more.
"Please therefore let me know how far you can all help me in this connection and what are the manuscripts ready for printing. I think I shall now stop all other activities except publishing of my books." (Satsvarupa, 7/27/70)
Note: This is one of the heaviest letters Prabhupada ever wrote. We would like to briefly discuss four points made here.
1) It is clear from scrutinizing Prabhupada's letters that, from this point onwards, Prabhupada's primary concern was writing his books. He indicates, more or less, that the neophyte disciples were increasing. Thus his enthusiasm to take part in the practical aspects of ISKCON slackened. The leaders were manifesting neophyte ambition. There is a spirit of futility in this letter. He could see that they were going to do it their way. So he was requesting that, at least, he should be given full facility for his translation work;
2) In this letter, Srila Prabhupada directly states that the message he is conveying is far more important than making so many temples and so many disciples who are not able to come up to the mark. In other words, the purity of the Krsna conscious doctrine was more important to Srila Prabhupada than all the outward results. This is not at all what has been emphasized in ISKCON over the past years.
3) Srila Prabhupada uses the terms "politics and diplomacy." This is in direct reference to the leading secretaries of the movement. It will not be the only letter which explicitly reveals the existence of this dreadful disease. We shall soon see that Srila Prabhupada even disbanded the GBC for some time due to this contamination. But, what is not so well known, is the fact that Srila Prabhupada once, in utter disgust concerning the politics and personal ambition, directly told his GBC members that they could take the whole movement, and he would simply go his own way. They begged him not to do this, yet were still not sincere enough to stop the personal ambition, diplomacy, and politics.
4) Srila Prabhupada was counting upon his leading secretaries to properly manage his society. But they betrayed him. Therefore, this letter indicates that Srila Prabhupada had lost almost all hope that the "leaders" would ever become sincere enough to renounce the original sin, the tendency to betray the trust extended by the Supreme Lord through his dearmost servitor. Despite many heavy letters such as this one, Prabhupada was never actually relieved from management responsibilities. He had to tolerate innumerable offenses by his "leaders" just to keep the thing going long enough to finish his books. But now, some of these same leaders claimtobesoadvancedthattheydon'tneedtoreadPrabhupada'sbooksanymore. At one point Tamala Krsna demanded that Prabhupada's purports not be read during his classes-that his commentary alone was sufficient.
"Regarding the poisonous effect in our Society, it is a fact and I know where from this poison tree has sprung up and how it affected practically the whole Society in a very dangerous form. But it does not matter. Prahlad Maharaja was administered poison, but it did not act. Similarly Lord Krsna and the Pandavas were administered poison and it did not act. I think, in the same parampara system, that the poison administered to our Society will not act if some of our students are as good as Prahlad Maharaja. I have therefore given the administrative power to the GBC.
"You are also one of the members of the GBC, so you can think over very deeply how to save the situation. It is a fact however that the great sinister movement is within our Society. I have not heard anything from Krsnadasa or Shyamasundar, so all of you may try to save the Society from this dangerous position." (Hamsadutta, 9/2/70)
Note: Prabhupada is easily as good as Prahlada Maharaja, but, since he had given the movement to the GBC, he is saying here that they will have to become as good as Prahlada if they want to save the movement from certain destruction. He was prepared to wash his hands of the whole thing. This exact same sinister movement is still there, but it is no longer within the Society, it has become the Society and everyone else has fled for their lives. Naturally, everyone will point a finger at everyone else as to who these demons referred to here are, but with a little common sense endeavor, anyone can easily see who the agents of this "great sinister movement" really are.
"Of course, by Krishna's grace, the higher learned section is appreciating our books. That is the only hope for pushing on. But, I am very much depressed by the recent incidences in Germany. It is now evident that some of our top men are very much ambitious and there have been so many fall downs." (Bhagavan, 1/27/75)
Note: Notice in this letter that it is the top men that are the very ambitious ones. And also notice that the only hope rests on the higher teamed section, and not the so-caned top men.
"You have written: 'The BBT is capable of keeping up with Prabhupada's pace at this time and we humbly request all devotees to respect Prabhupada's desire to fulfill his dream of publishing and distributing thousands and millions of volumes of Srimad Bhagavatam in Twelve Cantos all over the world by not disturbing him at this time with problems and decisions that can be made by his direct representatives, the GBC secretaries.' Yes, this is wanted. I want to increase my work. Brahmananda Swami and Gopal Krishna were suggesting that I go to some other place in India, but if Tamala Krishna flies 10,000 miles to lodge some complaint against Jayatirtha what can I do? If you all leaders cannot work together, then how can you expect the others to cooperate with you? Differences may be there, but still you have to cooperate together, otherwise where is the question of my being relieved of so many problems and decisions?" (Ramesvara, 9/15/75)
Note: Here Ramesvara is referring to himself as a "direct representative" of Prabhupada whereas Prabhupada is indicating that such a "direct representative" is part and parcel of a group of so many other "direct representatives" who simply engage themselves in bickering and fighting. The side effect of this of course being that Srila Prabhupada was seldom left alone to concentrate on translating. In Mad 7, p.340 and Mad 1, p.131, Prabhupada warns his disciples not to be depressed by these "direct representatives," but to take directly to his books. In another place, Prabhupada says, "one must read all my books, including the Caitanya-caritamrta, or else one wig simply eat and sleep and eventually fall down." Only then will a devotee not be bewildered when he sees so much hypocrisy going on in ISKCON. We have personal experience of this fact. We were badly treated on numerous occasions by some "leaders," but we never held it against Prabhupada because we had read the entire Caitanya-caritamrta thoroughly. We therefore always understood that the "leaders" were simply being engaged according to their material propensities in a way that would satisfy their egos and keep them out of trouble. As Prabhupada once stated, "I have created these big positions for big egos."
"Now this displeasing of Godbrothers has already begun and gives me too much agitation in my mind. Our Gaudiya Math people fought with one another after the demise of Guru Maharaja but my disciples have already begun fighting even in my presence. So I am greatly concerned about it. 'Trnad api sunicena...'
"Please try to maintain the philosophy of unity in diversity. That will make our movement successful. One section of men have already gone out, therefore we must be very careful to maintain unity in diversity, and remember the story in Aesop's Fables of the father of many children with the bundle of sticks. When the father asked his children to break the bundle of sticks wrapped in a bag, none of them could do it. But, when they removed the sticks from the bag, and tried one by one, the sticks were easily broken. So this is the strength of unity. If we are bunched up, we can never be broken, but when divided, then we can become broken very easily." (Kirtanananda, 10/18/73)
Note: An important point in this letter is that spreading this movement all over the world requires "unity in diversity." Many disciples are under the impression that they can go out alone and start a whole new and pure movement just as Prabhupada did. As of yet, however, absolutely nothing substantial has been accomplished by any group, including "ISKCON." This is because we don't have the potency of Srila Prabhupada, and we need to accomplish this objective working cooperatively with Prabhupada's books to guide us. This does not mean we have to bunch up together in limited numbers of temples. It means we have to keep the nucleus of the Society pure and the many branches must support each other with various preaching tools such as books, typesetters, printers, videos, slide shows, puppet shows, drama groups, etc. Every disciple or group of disciples can have his own specialty, but there should be a pure and centralized nucleus to help make all the various preaching facilities and knowledges available to all, free from exploitation. At present, the GBC, which is supposed to represent the head or brains of the body, are the worst exploiters of all. Therefore the whole body is in chaos.
Since this letter was written to Kirtanananda Swami we will use New Vrindavana as a practical example to illustrate this uncooperative spirit. They have thousands of molds for making beautiful temple structures, but no one else can use them. Instead they sit rotting. One of the reasons for this is the belligerency of the leaders at New Vrindaban. If, somehow or other, other temples do manage to buy something from New Vrindaban, they get ripped off. We have personal experience of this fact since we worked in that mold shop for almost a year. An item that could be cast for a total cost of $150, New Vrindaban would sell it to another temple for $1000. Book publishing is another example of this lack of cooperation. The leaders vie with each other, so each zone has to set up his own book publishing house. This means each zone has to spend huge amounts of money on the exact same equipment because they cannot accept the principle of unity in diversity.
"In case you do not like this arrangement then you may keep the temple as your private property and as my disciple I will give you guidance, but you may not use the ISKCON name to collect funds or to take loans. In this connection, until this matter is resolved, no loan may be taken from the bank or elsewhere and all collections in the name of ISKCON must stop. If you desire to keep the temple as private property then Upendra dasa may return to Hawaii and ISKCON Fiji may be dissolved. If you want to consider this project as an ISKCON project then you must abide by the orders and direction of the GBC, which you do not like to do. Now whatever you like let me know." (Vasudeva, 7/29/76)
Note: Srila Prabhupada was never in illusion about the character of his GBC men. For many years they had been causing more trouble than relief for him. The reasons why Srila Prabhupada didn't disband them permanently is not so difficult to understand. For one thing he couldn't possibly deal with each temple individually. He was only one man. So he had to create some kind of governing body. The fact that most of them were neophytes and personally motivated ones at that, didn't stop him from encouraging them to advance. At the same time, he didn't expect his other disciples to have to suffer under such neophytes and so he wrote many letters like the one above. The activities of a pure devotee are impossible to fully understand but to a degree we can see these thing. Therefore he is saying that Vasudeva has his blessings to keep the temple privately and he will still be a bona fide disciple. In this way he is not demeaning the GBC, who he wanted to encourage, and at the same time he is telling Vasudeva that he does not have to abide by the GBC to be a bona fide disciple. This is a very important letter for all disciples who have been brainwashed into thinking Prabhupada is accessible only to devotees who surrender to the GBC.
Also important in this letter is the fact that ISKCON projects are not the property of individuals unless they develop the project independently the way Prabhupada is recommending Vasudeva do here. That means they don't use Prabhupada's name to collect funds, and they don't use Prabhupada's disciples either. If someone develops a community in this way then they can consider it their own independent temple and not have to abide by the order of the GBC. Certain persons, like Kirtanananda for example, think they don't have to abide by the order of the GBC, but this letter does not substantiate his claim. Kirtanananda was simply another worker who helped build New Vrindavana. Prabhupada's disciples and Prabhupada's name were both used to build the place so New Vrindaban is fully under the direction of the GBC. In this same way no one can think that any ISKCON project belongs to a personality. If a temple becomes someone's personal project, it does not represent ISKCON. Srila Prabhupada is the founder acarya of ISKCON only his personality should be worshipped in any ISKCON temple. If someone wants to be worshipped in a temple, he will have to build his own temple as Vasudeva is being encouraged to do in this letter.
There are a class of fools in almost all these ISKCON projects today who think that the projects belong to such and such "gurus." But for those fools who think that the inspiration behind any ISKCON project is from one of these personalities, other than Srila Prabhupada, then it is high time they wake up. It is only Prabhupada's purity that inspired anyone to do anything, even though some people have tried their best to capitalize on Prabhupada's legacy and properties. All of ISKCON's leaders were simply instruments to accomplish the will of Krsna through Srila Prabhupada. If one or several tools become rotten in the process, then they simply must be either cleaned up or discarded.
"...and my reply is that this sankirtana or street chanting must go on, it is our most important program. Lord Caitanya's movement means the sankirtana movement.
"Now you are my elder disciples and both of you are sannyasis and also advanced in Krsna consciousness, so these questions should not arise amongst you again and again. That means everyone is not conscientious. These things are not new to you-why do you continually ask these question? The GBC authority must be accepted under all circumstances, not that there will be fighting amongst you. This fighting spirit will destroy everything, but what can I do, you American and European boys are trained up in this fighting attitude. Now put it aside and simply work cooperatively for spreading this movement all over the world. The standards I have already given you, now try to maintain them at all times under standard procedure. Do not try to innovate or create anything or manufacture anything, that will ruin everything. Simply do as I am doing and be always serious and sincere to serve Krsna, and He will give you intelligence how to do everything." (Bali Mardan & Pusta Krsna, 9/18/72)
Note: Notice in this letter that Srila Prabhupada definitely states that ISKCON, and everything connected with ISKCON, can be ruined.
In Prabhupada's use of the English language, this is a very heavy letter, but for us, it apparently was not heavy enough since nobody seems to have followed it very nicely. The mood of this letter applies to practically all the leaders. They often quote the part about accepting the authority of the GBC, but they never quote the part about strictly maintaining the high standard Prabhupada set.
Prabhupada is also saying here not to concoct anything. In other words we are not qualified to adjust the devotional items for time and circumstance, at least not until we can stop fighting with each other. ISKCON's new "gurus" are not changing the method of guru worship. That standard they like very much and are maintaining to the letter. The problem is however, they have none of Prabhupada's qualifications. In other words, they take the part they like, the profit, adoration, and distinction, and reject the part they don't like, the lifetime of austerity and purification. In this connection Prabhupada gives this analogy:
"A farmer may consider: 'The front part of the hen is very expensive because I have to feed it. Better to cut it off.' But if the head is missing, there will be no eggs anymore, because the body is dead. Similarly, if we reject the difficult part of the scriptures and obey the part we like, such an interpretation will not help us. We have to accept all the injunctions in scriptures as they are given, not only those that suit us." (SSR, p.129)
"Now I have come back, so let me stay in India. I will remain in Bombay, Vrindavana, and Mayapur. As you have desired, now let me do that, to sit down tightly and concentrate on the translating business. But, if you disturb me, then my mind will be disturbed. I want that what I have established may go on nicely, but I see that some of the devotees are reviving their old 'good' qualities. That is the difficulty. If the old habits come back, then everything is finished. If my mind becomes disturbed in this way, then how can I concentrate on book writing. It is not possible. Better not to inform me anything, and let me sit in Vrindavana." (Hrdayananda, 11/13/75)
Note: Prabhupada here is practically begging Hrdayananda to just leave him alone to write his books, but Hrdayananda and the GBC refused. They continued to enact their petty enviousness right up until Srila Prabhupada departed this world. And, needless to say, the old "good qualities" came back.
Prabhupada's last wish was to see "ALL" of his disciples. This would have given everyone a last chance to offer their heartfelt thanks to Prabhupada for the blessings he had bestowed upon us. Tamala informed Giriraja, and that message was conveyed to Satsvarupa and Ramesvara in LA. But these two men decided they knew better than Srila Prabhupada. So they torpedoed that instruction on the plea that it would be too expensive just before the big Thanksgiving and Christmas pick. So even though Srila Prabhupada desired to see his real disciples, they never knew to come, thanks to these "direct representatives." We have testimony by several devotees that they had the money and were ready to go, but the "authorities" convinced them that it was illusion. They were told that they would please Prabhupada more by giving the money to the temple. Their reasoning however was invalid since Tamala used the same arguments directly to Srila Prabhupada at the time of the instruction. He argued that the expense would be too great. But Prabhupada didn't care for those reasons and Tamala was forced to send the message overseas. Satsvarupa and Ramesvara are the ones who must take the full brunt of the responsibility for this offense, which has hurt deeply so many of Srila Prabhupada's disciples.
Notice that again Prabhupada is warning that everything can become finished.
"Regarding the controversy that is going on there in Stockholm, what is the reason? This must be considered at a full meeting of the GBC. You may suggest a way to mitigate this difficulty and if it is not accepted, then both of them should resign. I know that Hamsadutta is very expert in selling books but books are not only for selling but also for reading. Now has the GBC become more than Guru Maharaja? As if simply GBC is meant for looking after pounds, shilling, pence. The GBC does not look after spiritual life. That is the defect. All of our students will have to become guru but they are not qualified. This is the difficulty." (Alanath, 11/10/75)
Note: Here Prabhupada clearly indicates the tendency of the GBC to try to become more than him. In the "Lilamrta," Prabhupada is said to have said that, "Even I must follow the GBC." Even if Prabhupada did say this, we should not accept it literally. They have clearly shown the tendency to think themselves more than Srila Prabhupada and also, as stated in this letter, to become absorbed in "pounds, shillings, and pence." Please just try and see what Srila Prabhupada is clearly saying! "The GBC does not look after spiritual life. That is the defect." This is staring us directly in the face. If this commission was so divine, as they now claim, why did Srila Prabhupada speak like this about it? Only two and one-half years after this letter was written they claim to have become so advanced as to accept the same kind of worship as Srila Prabhupada, in the same temples of Srila Prabhupada, by the same disciples of Srila Prabhupada. They went to Sridhar Maharaja, told him the big he, and eked out his rubber-stamp for appointing acaryas. Srila Prabhupada describes what they did as follows: "They declared: 'Come on, unfit persons, to become acarya.' Then another man comes, then another, and another. 'Now I am so advanced that I can kill my guru and then become guru.' (Bombay, 8/ 15 / 76) So when the GBC now makes their big claim that they must be blindly followed, we should remember this letter and understand that they have nothing whatsoever to do with Srila Prabhupada anymore.
"My only grievance is that I appointed GBC to give me relief from the management but, on the contrary, complaints and counter-complaints are coming to me. Then how my brain can be peaceful. Naturally, I want to see that all of my centers are going nicely, so it is not possible to mitigate the differences of opinion and work smoothly, conjointly. So best thing is that we wait for the Mayapur meeting and decide there combinedly what to do.
"The local management has to be done by temple president. GBC should see whether management is going on nicely, and if there are any discrepancies that will be discussed at the GBC meeting in Mayapur. That is the process. Sannyasis are meant for preaching only. That is the principle. But, contrary to the principle, if things are being embezzled then how can I save them. How one man can manage the whole world affairs? This is my concern. So far I know you are approved manager, so why complaints are there, I do not know." (Jayatirtha, 10/16/75)
Note: Prabhupada clearly says here that the GBC has not relieved him from having to deal with so many problems even though that was the reason why the GBC was created in the first place. Prabhupada is admitting here that he can't ignore the problems since he wants to see all his centers going on nicely and at the same time he says he cannot possibly manage the whole world. So he simply got more and more fed up with these "leaders" until he decided to leave the planet.
"I am in due receipt of your letter addressed to Rupanuga dasa dated September 16, 1975 and have noted the contents. Why is there this politics? This is not good. If politics come, then the preaching will be stopped. That is the difficulty. As soon as politics come, everything is spoiled. In the Gaudiya Math the politics is still going on. My Guru Maharaja left in 1936, and now it is 1967, so after 40 years the litigation is still going on. Do not come to this." (Gurukripa, 9/30/75)
Note: Did anyone notice any marked difference in these "leaders" between Sept. 1975 and Nov. 1977? Therefore we can easily understand why "everything is spoiled."
"Regarding your dealings with Bhagavan dasa, when two GBCs are concerned, the whole GBC must consider, what can I do? I have appointed the GBC not to fight amongst yourselves but to manage. If there is fighting, then how will you manage? So the whole GBC committee must decide if there is fighting." (Hamsadutta, 9/29/75)
Note: Here Srila Prabhupada indicates the futility of the situation. He has established this as his fundamental mood about the GBC ever since the 1970 LA lockup incident, where he was kept captive in a room in the LA temple for a number of days by his "dear disciples." Exact details of this incident are still unknown to us but the indications are clear that some disciples, specifically Brahmananda, wanted to control the movement better than, they thought, Srila Prabhupada was able to.
"Regarding the new New York house, yes, let me know when I shall have to go there to see. I have more houses than anyone else in the world, but I am not allowed to stay. The richest man in the world does not have such facilities. They have one or two, but in each place it is fit for prince, and they do not have as many as I have. And, the wife of Bali Mardan how was she giving such a bluff.?" (Rupanuga, 9/29/75)
Note: Prabhupada wanted to stay in one place to concentrate on translating books, but he couldn't. Why? Because he had to travel constantly to encourage the devotees; his so-called advanced leaders were not doing it."I came to liberate my disciples, they (GBC) have come to keep them in bondage." (Giriraja) Only one leader, Vishnujana Swami, was even civilized enough to deal with the general devotees at the time when Srila Prabhupada wanted to form the world sankirtana party. Prabhupada did not want all this traveling. Chanakya Pandit says: "Horses grow old by being bound; clothes grow old when left in the sun; women grow old when unmarried; and men grow old by traveling."
"Regarding your questions you say that amongst the elder disciples there are still symptoms of greed, anger, strife, bickering, etc., but you are one of them. You are one of the old students, so you fall in that group. So the fighting is among that group, but not amongst the real workers." (Krsna dasa, 9/9/72)
Note: Here Prabhupada is directly saying that "the real workers", the true disciples, are those who humbly serve and don't bicker and fight. The real workers are those devotees going out and distributing books day after day, or cleaning the temple, or worshipping the Deity. The real workers are not the big leaders always acting on the impetus of personal ambition.
"I have received your report on the telephone to Harikesh. This is very funny thinking in our society that you want t6 spend for this boat, and that Tulsi dasa wants to take sannyasa because he is feeling sex agitation. First of all there is no sanction to purchase this boat from the BBT. We are not interested.
"Tulsi dasa is affected by sex, and he wants to take sannyasa? This is nonsense. Is sannyasa so cheap? He will be a victim. He is not fit for sannyasa. His mind is not fixed up. Everyone wants to fulfill their whimsical desires; this is going on...
"Another thing, why are you always calling on the telephone? Are you such important men that you have to call all over the world? We are poor men sons, what can I do? But, why are you always calling on the telephone?" (Ramesvara, 11/7/75)
Note: There is an interesting story of Ramesvara's in this connection. One day Ramesvara was on the phone to Tamala when a devotee came in to inform him of the death of one of his "disciples," Sridhama dasa. He'd been in the morgue, unidentified, for several days, for several days. Ramesvara put the phone down just long enough to "meditate on the soul of my departed disciple and direct him to his destination." Many devotees were present in the room for this one. Here is how the tragedy is functioning. People are coming to ISKCON, brought by the message in Srila Prabhupada's books. Then they are victimized by becoming entangled with "gurus" who they are made to think are the pure representatives of that message. But these sense gratifiers do not even know when their disciple dies. They have to be informed. This man, Sridhama, must have performed a significant amount of selfless service for the cause there in LA and so Ramesvara gave him a minute by interrupting his umpteenth long-distance phone can for the day.
"One thing is, I have heard that Jayapataka is requesting Giriraja that Bombay should send maintenance allowance to Mayapur monthly. But I instructed in the beginning that Calcutta should maintain Mayapur. Also, you are not sending your collections regularly to Bombay, so how they can support you? If Bombay is maintaining, what are others doing, eating and sleeping? Why does Jayapataka want allowance? Anyone who cannot collect money, they should go to Mayapur and live there and simply eat and sleep, like women and widows. I shall arrange for their eating and sleeping. But in cities, those should live who can collect and earn. The widows are not earning in Hindu society, they eat and sleep at others' expense. So if you are not able to earn in Calcutta, better all go to Mayapur and eat and sleep and I shall accommodate all widows, women and others at Mayapur and Vrindaban. Otherwise why should we maintain such large establishment in Calcutta simply for eating and sleeping and spending. These two places will be reserved for those who cannot collect. For them I am making provision. Only the active members who can collect, they shall live in the city. Eating, sleeping members, they shall live in Mayapur, that's all.
"One thing, on the invitation card you have written All Glories to Our Guru Maharaja. This is impersonalism. As soon as we offer obeisances to Guru, the name should be there. We are strictly personalists. The sahajiyas write Glories to Guru. Why you are learning this impersonalism, who has taught you? Daily I am offering obeisances to my Guru by vibrating his real name, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, otherwise it is impersonal.
"Whether you can deal with so many problems? I am receiving so many letters daily from Calcutta. The temple officers are appointed to minimize my time, not increase it with so many letters. Best to stop expanding, or if you cannot raise funds there, close up the Calcutta center. It is not that the officers should be expert in one field only, they should be expert in everything." (Bhavananda, 7/14/72)
Note: There were very few letters to Bhavananda. You may consult Krta Kanna dasa, who is hiding in San Francisco under threat from Bhavananda, for more information. Bhavananda's defects have not been limited to impersonalism.
"I have got very good respect for Japanese people. So far I have met the Japanese boys and girls in our temple there, they are so well behaved that I was astonished that they were more respectful than my direct disciples." (Taittiriya, 9/15/74)
Note: Many of Srila Prabhupada's direct disciples, particularly the ones with big egos and big positions, did not have good behavior and manners. There are so many examples: we give a few specific instances, all verifiable if necessary. InVmdavana,whenHarikeshwasPrabhupada'ssecretary,hewasknowntohavesaid on several occasions such things to Prabhupada as, "It's your mess, clean it up yourself' or "This isn't dirt Prabhupada, it's Vrndavana dust." Srila Prabhupada once dispatched a letter to Guru Krpa Swami via Harikesh. The letter was very provocative to Guru Krpa Swami, especially the P.S. following the signature. So much so, that Guru Krpa Swami immediately flew from Japan to India. He went to his Guru Maharaja and asked whether or not the message in the letter was totally coming from him. It wasn't. Harikesh Swami was immediately removed from his duties of personal secretary and was exiled to Eastern Europe. He was also told to walk to Delhi from Vrindavana. Another incident, concerning Tamala, was just after the 1976 infamous GBC meeting when Srila Prabhupada exiled Tamala to go to China. Tamala became angry and pointed his index finger at Prabhupada."I will not go to China. Why should I go to China? I have my own party in America. You cannot tell me this. I am not going to go." One sannyasi also in the room protested, "You cannot talk to Srila Prabhupada like this." Tamala replied sharply, "Don't tell me what I can and can't do." Srila Prabhupada once said about another "acarya": "Hamsadutta is praying every night that I will die and he win become acarya." The fist of such quotes could fill a volume. We are only touching the top of the iceberg in this book. Almost without exception, the only outstanding feature all the current ISKCON "acaryas" have in common is their disrespect for Srila Prabhupada. At any rate, we see in this letter, that an ordinary Japanese citizen has better manners than some of Prabhupada's "direct representatives."
"In that trust you must be very careful to make sure that my name is registered there as the founder acarya and that I am to be the ultimate authority. In other words, in any case of necessity of vetoing or canceling any decision made by the other trustees, I should be able to do like that. My decision should overrule all the other trustees combined." (Kurusrestha, 12/28/74)
Note: Does this letter sound Eke Prabhupada had much faith in the combined purity of the GBC? The following incident clearly shows just how corrupt the GBC was/is. And those who weren't corrupt, how foolish they were/are. But today the GBC is still saying that their combined opinion is as good as Prabhupada's. Indeed, they go so far as to say, that even Srila Prabhupada was obliged to follow the GBC.
"YOUR MATERIAL LEGAL FORMULA WILL NOT HELP US ONLY OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE CAN HELP US I HAVE NO APPROVAL FOR ANY THESE PLANS STOP HANSADUTTA MUST RETURN GERMANY IMMEDIATELY DON'T LEAVE AGAIN STOP ATREYA RISHI HAS NO AUTHORITY FROM ME TO MANAGE ANYTHING REMOVE HIM ACKNOWLEDGE CABLE URGENT RENNY STREET PADDINGTON SYDNEY BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI." (Copy of telegram sent to Hansadutta, Rupanuga, and Karandhar, 4/6/72)
"Sriman Atreya Rishi dasa may be very expert, but without my say he has been given so much power and this has upset my brain. I also understand that immediate actions are going to take place even prior to my permission, and that, also, 'without divulging to the devotees(!)
"I do not follow exactly what is the motive of the so-called GBC meeting, therefore I have sent the telegram which you will find attached herewith, and I have received the replies as well.
"Under these circumstances, I authorize you to disregard for the time being any decision from the GBC men until my further instruction.
"You manage your affairs peacefully and independently, and try to improve the spiritual atmosphere of the centers more carefully. I shall be very glad to know the names of your assistants such as Secretary, Treasurer and Accountant.
"Finally, I beg to repeat that all GBC orders are suspended herewith by me until further notice." (Letter to all temple presidents, 4/8/72)
"...that is my hope. But I have been very much disturbed recently by the meeting which you all have had in New York, wherein you have passed so many resolutions and elected Atreya Rishi to GBC secretary, and made so many other changes. I am very much puzzled by the whole business. Therefore I have not approved of it and you may by now have received my letter why I have temporarily suspended the GBC. Let us not revive this old matter, but I want to know from you what is your opinion of the matter, and how is it that Hansadutta and Atreya Rishi were able to persuade you all senior leaders of the Society to follow their foolish activities? Kindly inform.
"From now on, the temples will operate independently and try to improve their spiritual life more carefully, so there is no more need for such financial arrangement of centralization, as you have proposed...
"So far your statement, "our final success will be when you actually sit tight and translate books and let us manage successfully," yes, that is my desire, but if you can do it or not, that has again disturbed me very much. Now I have given you everything, but I do not see that even the basic principles of advancement in spiritual life are always there, and sometimes there is tendency to neglect what is our real purpose of life, namely, to become mad after Krishna, and instead we become carried away by big, big talk. So I am still thinking how things will go on." (Satsvarupa, 4/10/72)
"And I am surprised that none of the GBC members detected the defects in the procedure. It was detected only when it came to me. What will happen when I am not here, shall everything by spoiled by GBC? So for the time being, let the GBC activities be suspended until I thoroughly revise the whole procedure. In the meantime, you do your duty as president of Hamburg Temple, and try to improve spiritually, Our spiritual way should strictly observe the following points especially: 1) Neatness and cleanliness of all personal bodies. (I still see those who are initiated as brahmins, they do not even wash their hands after eating even; of course, there may be so many defects due to your births in non-brahmin families, but how long it shall go on? It is very easy thing.) 2) Chanting 16 rounds daily. (I don't think everyone is following these principles.) 3) Temple worship, which should be performed rigidly between four and ten AM.)
"I find that the devotees are still sleeping up to six, seven o'clock. So in the GBC agenda I do not find any such programs for reforming our past bad habits. So kindly as President o Hamburg center you try to observe yourself all the regulative principles and see all the members are following." (Hansadutta, 4/11/72)
"I think it is best thing if the GBC members always travel on Sankirtan Party in their zone and go from one village to another and visit the temples to see how the students are learning and do my work. In this way, they will avoid the propensity to sit down and plot and scheme how to eat and sleep. So you can advise them all to travel extensively on Sankirtan all over their zone." (Karandhar, 5/4/72)
Note: We would like to summarize, very concisely, the most important points made in these revealing letters and telegrams. 1) Legal formulas cannot replace true Krsna conscious behavior and endeavor. You cannot make a man Krsna conscious by legal formulas. Obviously, the GBC was thinking that possible; 2) Prabhupada exposes the GBC's tendency not to divulge their insidious schemes to the general devotees. We do not claim to have exposed, in this document, all their treacheries. Seeing how many we have exposed, just imagine how many there actually were! 3) The GBC had a tendency to enact legislation, plans, and money manipulations prior to Prabhupada's sanction, but the constitution of the GBC incorporated the necessity for Prabhupada's approval in all such important decisions; 4) The argument is sometimes raised, and Srila Prabhupada is said to have said, that the GBC, as a combined unit of over 20 men, cannot make a wrong decision due to the group influence. But Srila Prabhupada asks how two men, one of whom was not even a GBC, could push their concoction past the other members. It is simply not a fact that numbers alone can prevent deviation and group treachery. One powerful enticement can pollute all the remaining members; 5) Srila Prabhupada says that the GBC has a tendency to neglect the fundamental principles of Krsna consciousness and get carried away by the so-called big picture even though the fundamental principles are not even being followed by the leaders. 6) Srila Prabhupada directly doubts whether there is any possibility that the management will carry on after his departure. We can see that his doubt was not only utterly justified, but was directly a wanting to us all. 7) Srila Prabhupada specifically states that the whole movement may become victimized and spoiled by the GBC. It has come to take place; 8) Srila Prabhupada specifically states that the GBC men, who call themselves Srila Prabhupada's "direct representatives," have a propensity to simply plot and scheme. In this section, we are exposing many of those plots and schemes. We ask you also to expose these to all those who are sincere enough to hear and benefit from these truths.
"...if he received the vote, why you have opposed? You must be impartial. My recommendation is that he must be the president. He has been chosen by the vote, and I am giving the casting vote for him. He is doing things very nicely there, so he must be the president, Prabha Vishnu should go on Sankirtan, and Madhavananda should be president. Everything must go on. The women are doing nicely so why are they being changed from the pujari to the Sankirtan? These things should be done by the President. These are internal things, and you should not interfere. I do not approve of your changing the women. It should be the choice of Madhavananda who should be the pujari.
"Why did you close Edinburgh without asking me? Paramahamsa reports that you have closed the Edinburgh temple. Edinburgh was doing nicely. You can't close a temple without asking me? Is it too much to do this? Our propaganda is opening temples, and you are closing them. We are not for closing but for increasing. I do not approve of this. If possible the Edinburgh temple must be re-opened again. (Ed. note: It was re-opened.)
"If you close the temple, what is the management? Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu pushed the Sankirtan movement, but He never said to close the Jagannatha temple or the Govindaji temple. In Edinburgh we had a nice house, why you have closed it? Why you have whimsically done this? If possible the Edinburgh temple must be reopened. Don't do anything whimsically without consulting me.
"I made the GBC to give me relief, but if you do like this, then where is the relief.? It is anxiety for me. This is the difficulty, that as soon as one gets power, he becomes whimsical and spoils everything. What can I do? " (Hansadutta, 9/12/74)
Note: A very important point in this letter is that the GBC must not interfere with the internal dealings of a temple. That means they are not insiders but outsiders simply observing the activities of the temple. If they detect deviation, they may recommend replacement. That's all. Not that they have anything to do with a temple's preaching activities. The President is the leader of any temple, and the GBC has nothing to do with his plans or preaching desires, unless they go against Prabhupada's instructions. Most of the GBC don't know those instructions however, so basically every temple is on its own. If a temple president doesn't want any of these rubber-stamped "top" men to perch up on big seats in the temple, then he has the right to nip that imposition. This is now happening in ISKCON's first liberated temple, Berkeley. Hopefully many more win follow that shining example.
As stated in a previous chapter the cause of disturbance in ISKCON is ignorance. That is clear. But there is also another cause as mentioned in the following letters: personal ambition. If the current leaders are sincere, then we can easily remove this disturbance by bringing out knowledge through discussion and debate. But if ISKCON's disturbance is an intentional display of personal ambition, then it has to be removed by other means. You can only wake up a sleeping man, not a man pretending to be asleep.
Srila Prabhupada here confirms the famous quote that power corrupts, and so naturally, absolute power corrupts absolutely when the "schemers" are not in absolute knowledge.
"Our life is very short. The Krsna consciousness movement is not meant for fulfilling one's personal ambition, but it is a serious movement for the whole world." (Satsvarupa, 7/31/70)
"In my books I have tried to explain clearly this simultaneously one and different philosophy, 'acintya bheda bheda tattva', propounded by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. But sometimes it happens that this philosophy is given a self-interested interpretation. As soon as personal motivation comes in it is not possible for one to understand our Krsna consciousness philosophy." (Ishan, 9/70)
"As alleged by you I have received complaints against Bali Mardan and his wife, so seriously so much so that the girl has declared that Bali Mardan is an incarnation of bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura on my name. In India some of the important members they have collected huge amounts in the name of the Society and spent it luxuriously. I wanted you all my experienced disciples should manage the whole institution very cleverly without any personal ambition like ordinary materialistic men. The Gaudiya Math institution has become smashed, at least stopped its program of preaching work on account of personal ambitions.
"So whatever is done is done. I shall request you all not to be personally ambitious. I shall do everything in my power to fulfill your personal ambition, but that will be done in due course of time when you are fully trained up and following the regulative principles and chanting 16 rounds." (Karandhar, 10/8/74)
"We have worked very hard and established a great institution, but if we think for our personal benefit then it will become ruined. This is my only concern." (Chayavana, 11/1/74)
"Regarding Brahmananda, he is actually surrendered soul, but Maya is so strong that on account of association he has even fallen down. So these two things are always side-by-side: Maya and Krsna; Krsna is service and Maya is sense gratification, so every moment we are prone to be subjugated by either of them. Our duty is therefore to be very, very careful. The poison is personal ambition. So everyone has the chance, therefore one should not be complacent. Doubts may come about, but one should be firmly fixed up that there cannot be any doubt on the Spiritual Master or Krsna. (Satyabhama, 11/7/70)
Note: These letters indicated the razor's edge. Unfortunately, the leading secretaries have all fallen off the edge. They are now completely entangled, having been carried away by personal ambition. The facilities they took to exploit various situations have degraded them beyond hope. That is the penalty for falling under Maya's enticement in the form of the lure of personal ambition. We should not remain sentimental. Srila Prabhupada did more than just warn us; he stated clearly that these things were happening. It has not been rectified. On the contrary, it has become far, far worse. We should stop being ostriches. Srila Prabhupada now goes on to describe all these personally ambitious "disciples."
"I am hearing so many things about management. My request is that until I am able to return to the USA you all please work peacefully. At our next annual meeting at Mayapur all complaints and counter complaints will be heard in the presence of all GBC and I will also be present. In the meantime work peacefully without disturbing the situation.
"In Bengal there is a proverb that even if there are some dead metal utensils but when they are together they make so much noise, so what to speak of living utensils. So this is natural, but since we are all pledged to work for Krsna, we should follow the principle of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; trnad api... This is Vaisnavism. So my request is do not be agitated. Let us do our duty honestly. Krsna will give us the intelligence to do everything nicely.
"Europeans and Americans are very agitative, but since we have all taken pledge to the service of Krsna we have to change this habit for the peaceful service of Krsna." (Ramesvara, 9/15/74)
Note: "Noisy living utensils" do not qualify as gurus. Ramesvara is still so agitated that he now has all sorts of nervous disorders, including serious ulcers. His nickname has become Rage-esvara. It is also well known that Rage-esvara is very fond of going to movies, especially science fiction movies. He was recently seen standing in the line for the movie "Dune" and it is said he has seen "Star Wars" five times. Of course many devotees, having been forced out of their father's temples, go to movies nowadays for lack of any kind of an organized society to take shelter within. A man wishing to take the responsibility of guru, however, should not be interested in such mundane things. Prabhupada was lenient with the congregational devotees, especially householders, but the leaders he insisted be exemplary.
"The future hope of solid standing of our mission is on the proper management of our governing body. Now we are increasing in volume. The area of our activity is expanding. Under the circumstances, if our management goes on nicely to maintain our prestige and good name, that will be our success. Such status quo can be maintained only on our being freed from any kind of sense gratifying attitude, because pure devotional service means: 'anyabhilasita sunyam,' or without any other desire than to satisfy Krishna." (Bhagavandasa, 2/16/71)
Note: The GBC's duty is supposed to be to make sure the purest standards are being followed by everyone, especially themselves. That's all. The householders will naturally be on all different levels of austerity, as stated in the next letter, but the leaders have to be purely following. If the leaders themselves are agitated sannyasis with no real freedom from desires for household fife, then how can they lead a community of householders? Some of these sannyasi leaders, the homosexuals especially, haven't the faintest idea of what a healthy Krsna conscious community is. Therefore, they cannot possibly help the householders. On the contrary, they are very expert at creating disturbances amongst them. In normal circumstances, sannyasa is a graduation from householder life, not something to accept if you are too irresponsible to be a householder. This is all clearly explained in Chapter 9.
"So far Dayananda, I have no objection if the grihastas live outside and earn money, but I do not want them to leave. The strict temple procedure is only for those who live in the temple. Grihastas should live outside, and they cannot follow strictly everything, but why they should give up altogether their devotional procedures? So many big stalwart devotees are leaving, why is this? Advaita, Uddhava, Krsnadasa, and now our Dayananda and Nandarani. I have sent them each one letter, so if you find them, you may deliver them my letters. This is not at all good if our big devotees fall down so easily and go away. Try to save them." (Karandhar, 7/14/72)
Note: This is called expanding to wider and wider circles as Prabhupada wanted. It is not necessary that everyone who is interested in Krsna consciousness be expected to "follow strictly everything." ISKCON's current leaders are very casual about their own tendencies, but if the "common, insignificant devotees" break a regulative principle or two occasionally, then they are quick to castigate such devotees, even to the point of destroying their families. Such leaders who have this tendency to destroy families, and thus create varnasankara should be utterly rejected. In some circumstances, when the destruction is deliberate, execution is justified in sastra. (BG, 1.36)
"I have also received the enclosed pictures of the proposed house. I am thinking that you are a very sincere devotee. I am remembering that during my recent visit there in Australia how during the kirtan you were seeing to my personal and not letting anybody come forward and still leading the kirtan. When you begin the chanting, everybody becomes captivated, and you can go on without stopping. I feel happy that even after my departure, things will go on. I am happy that I have got so many sincere devotees who will carry on. That is my happiness." (Madhudvisa, 9/18/74)
Note: According to this letter, Madhudvisa should be appointed a guru. After all, Prabhupada is saying here that, after he leaves, Madhudvisa will carry on with the mission. The point is, devotees may receive very encouraging letters from Srila Prabhupada, but it does not insure that they will continue on the straight-and-narrow path. We do not question Madhudvisa's faith. He is a devotee. But one can lose staunch sincerity despite the best encouragement, and where it has happened the worst is with those who pose and impose themselves upon the innocent devotees.
"The Miami situation is a great discredit for us because we have made such a bad impression on the neighbors that they have had us )kicked out. This is because of nasty management. Rupanuga was the GBC, and now you are, why it cannot be made clean? Avirama has proved his poor management, so he must be replaced... One thing is though, if the management continues to be so nasty, then that place will also be ruined. Management must be done very nicely otherwise it is useless." (Satsvarupa, 6/4/75)
"Now by the grace of Krishna we have got sufficient properties all over the world, so there cannot be any diplomacy or conspiracy by any sane man. All these properties and opulences, whatever we have got, this will not go with me when I go away from this world. It will remain here. I am training some of my experienced disciples how to manage after my departure. So if instead of taking th etraining if in my life time you people say I am the Lord of all I survey, that is dangerous conspiracy." (Karandhar, 10/8/74)
Conclusion: From these letters it is clear that Prabhupada was not very pleased with the GBC. He just wanted to retire to his translating and not have to deal with them. But then "Tamala would fly 10,000 miles to lodge a complaint against Jayatirtha." So what could he do? He had given us plenty of books, lectures, and letters, and he knew that if just one sincere soul would actually read them, then everything would go on. So he decided to leave.
Sane men do not engage in diplomacy and conspiracy. The pull of opulences and properties is illusory. No one can keep the control forever. It was not that simply some small section of devotees was trained by Srila Prabhupada. The training was open to everyone and still is. In Srila Prabhupada's personal presence, those "top men" he hoped to train instead became enwrapped in personal ambition. They have been thinking, for some time now, that they are the Lord of all they survey. This GBC has become a Gang of Blasphemous Conspirators. It is a very dangerous conspiracy. The Krsna consciousness movement, as established by Srila Prabhupada, is vital for the upliftment of the entire world. Now it has become almost completely spoiled by the GBC and particularly the guru sub-section. Of course they required help and so there are many fools keeping the thing propped up. And many innocent people, because of their ignorance, are also allowing this conspiracy to stay in power. We can only pray to Lord Sri Krsna, and to the real guru parampara, that some sincere disciples of Srila Prabhupada will intently read these letters, as presented above, and, without prejudice, recognize the legitimacy of our explanations concerning them. Then the duty becomes obvious.
Comments, inquiries, or donations toward this book, of which this is a rough advance copy, may be sent to: Steve Bryant (Sulocana dasa), 2124 Kittredge #32, Berkeley, CA 94794. Thank you.