AVOIDING REPEATING THE GAUDIYA MATHA BREAKDOWN

AVOIDING REPEATING THE GAUDIYA MATHA MISTAKE
by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

" I do not wish to discuss about activities of my Godbrothers but it is a fact they have no life for preaching work. All are satisfied with a place for residence in the name of a temple, they engage disciples to get foodstuff by transcendental devices and eat and sleep. (Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Rupanuga 4/28/74)

"They have no idea or brain how to broacast the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. My Guru Maharaja used to lament many times for this reason and he thought if one man at least had understood the principle of preaching then his mission would achieve success.

"In the latter days of my Guru Maharaja he was very disgusted. Actually, he left this world earlier, otherwise he would have continued to live for more years. Still he requested his disciples to form a strong Governing body for preaching the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

"He never recommended anyone to be acarya of the Gaudiya Math. But Sridhara Maharaja is responsible for disobeying this order of Guru Maharaja, and he and others who are already dead unnecessarily thought that there must be one acarya. If Guru Maharaja could have seen someone who was qualified at that time to be acarya he would have mentioned. Because on the night before he passed away he talked of so many things, but never mentioned an acarya.

"His idea was acarya was not to be nominated amongst the governing body. He said openly you make a GBC and conduct the mission. So his idea was amongst the members of GBC who would come out successful and self effulgent acarya would be automatically selected.

"So Sridhara Maharaja and his two associate gentlemen unauthorizedly selected one acarya and later it proved a failure. The result is now everyone is claiming to be acarya even though they may be kanistha adhikari with no ability to preach. In some of the camps the acarya is being changed three times a year.

"Therefore we may not commit the same mistake in our ISKCON camp. Actually amongst my Godbrothers no one is qualified to become acarya. So it is better not to mix with my Godbrothers very intimately because instead of inspiring our students and disciples they may sometimes pollute them. This attempt was made previously by them, especially Madhava Maharaja and Tirtha Maharaja and Bon Maharaja but somehow or other I saved the situation. This is going on. We shall be very careful about them and not mix with them. This is my instruction to you all. They cannot help us in our movement, but they are very competent to harm our natural progress. So we must be very careful about them.

The spiritual master's order to continue the mission through a governing body

730921r2.bom Conversations
Prabhupada: Our Kunja Babu also planned like that. He thought, "By cheating all the God-brothers, I have got now Caitanya Matha. And people will come to see Caitanya Mahaprabhu's birthplace, and I will get good income. And it will be distributed amongst my brothers and sons and myself. That's all." That is his scheme.
Tamala Krsna: Perfect material plan.
Prabhupada: Yes. It is another way of earning money. And he was always after Guru Maharaja only for this purpose. Guru Maharaja took that "Oh, this man is helping me." But he had no such plan, to help Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. He had the plan, "Keep Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati in front, earn money, and put it in my pocket." That was his very beginning. He was taking money like anything. But he was a good manager. Other God-brothers complained, sannyasis. Guru Maharaja used to say that "Why you are complaining? You cannot reform him, your God-brother? And if I would have to keep expert manager like him, I would have to pay something. Suppose he is taking something, why do you grudge?" (Prabhupada laughing) He would say like that. So nobody could say anything. But after the demise, everything burst out. "Kunja Babu must be driven out." That was the whole plan of Gaudiya Matha breakdown. The grudge was against Kunja Babu.
Tamala Krsna: Who is Kunja Babu?
Prabhupada: That Tirtha Maharaja. His name is Kunja Vihari Sar. So that was boiling in everyone's heart. So as soon as Guru Maharaja passed away, so that burst out. And the whole plan was how to get out this Kunja Babu.
Tamala Krsna: Not how to preach.
Prabhupada: No. This was the cause of breakdown. This was suppressed by Guru Maharaja under his influence, but the rebellious was there during his lifetime. And it burst into... Therefore he advised that "You make a governing body and Kunja Babu should be allowed to remain manager." This was directly spoken. He never asked anybody to become acarya. He asked that "You form a governing body of twelve men and go on preaching, and Kunja Babu may be allowed to remain manager during his lifetime." He never said that Kunja Babu should be acarya. None, none of them were advised by Guru Maharaja to become acarya. His idea was "Let them manage; then whoever will be actual qualified for becoming acarya, they will elect. Why I should enforce upon them?" That was his plan. "Let them manage by strong governing body, as it is going on. Then acarya will come by his qualifications." But they wanted that... Because at heart, they were, "After demise of Guru, I shall become acarya." "I shall become acarya." So all the acaryas began fight.

One side, that Vasudeva Acarya and Sar Kunja Babu Acarya. And Paramananda, he thought that "Whoever will be powerful, I shall join them." (laughing) He only thought. But Guru Maharaja never asked that these three men should be trustees. He wanted governing body.

So the rebellion broke out immediately after his passing away. And then fight in the High Court. And Kunja Babu, he is very intelligent man. So from the very beginning he knew that "There will be fight after the demise of Guru Maharaja. So fight will be in the High Court. So at the expense of Guru Maharaja, let my brother and sons become attorneys and barrister so I will have not to pay all these things." It was a planned thing. And that is being done. He was a clerk, it was not in his power to make his brother and sons attorneys and barristers. They were all made at the cost of Gaudiya Matha to fight with (indistinct) in favor of Tirtha Maharaja. These were the planned things. But I was a rotten grhastha. I did not join any one of them. (Prabhupada laughs) I was rotting in my household life. That's all. But I was planning how to make, how to make this. That was my desire from the very beginning, since I heard it. But I was never with them, either this party or that party. And Guru Maharaja also recommended, apnader tasturi tublia thaki bhavan. Takhona (?). "When there will be need, he will do himself. There is no need of living with you. It is better to live apart from you." When I was recommended by Goswami Maharaja to live in the Matha, that "He is so nice." Sometimes he recommended. In Bombay, here in this Bombay. That house. Yes. He (Guru Maharaja) said "Yes, he is very expert. He can do. So it is better to live apart from you. And he will do everything when there is need." He said. I could not understand. Although I was apart from them, a grhastha. In this Bombay I was doing business. (people talking outside) (S.P.Room Conversation with Banker September 21, 1973, Bombay)

Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Narayana Maharaja 9/30/69:
"Regarding the 92 section case against the Gaudiya Math, I don't think there is any possibility of compromise. Both the Bhagbazar Party [Sridhar Maharaja's group] and Mayapur party [Tirtha Maharaja's group] have unlawfully usurped the missionary institution of Srila Prabhupada, and whenever they will talk of a compromise, it means another complication."

"Despite the spiritual master's order to form a governing body and execute the missionary activities of the Gaudiya Matha, the two unauthorized factions began litigation that is still going on after forty years with no decision. Therefore, we do not belong to any faction. But because the two parties, busy dividing the material assets of the Gaudiya Matha institution, stopped the preaching work, we took up the mission of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and Bhaktivinoda Thakura to preach the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu all over the world, under the protection of all the predecessor acaryas, and we find that our humble attempt has been successful". (C.C Adi 12.8)

770422r3.bom Conversations
Prabhupada: He cannot make any comment. These are facts. Two parties there were. One party, to use guru as their instrument for self-aggrandizement, and another party left guru. So both of them are offenders. This Kunja Babu, this Tirtha Maharaja's party, he wanted to enjoy senses through guru. And the Bagh Bazaar party, they left.

Prabhupada: SRIDHARA MAHARAJA BELONGED TO THE BAGH BAZAAR PARTY. And I was living aloof. My Guru Maharaja approved. He said, "It is better that he is aloof from them."

72-08-26. Letter: Gaurasundara
All along I HAVE BEEN DISCOURAGED IN EVERY WAY BY MY GODBROTHERS, but still I have stuck to my duty, keeping my Spiritual Master always in front.

72-09-09. Letter: Krsna dasa
MY GODBROTHERS ALWAYS DISCOURAGED ME BUT I DID NOT GIVE UP, I am doing my duty and always keeping my spiritual master in front. Even there is some difficulty or hardship, or even my godbrothers may not cooperate or there may be fighting, still, I must perform my duty to my spiritual master and not become discouraged and go away, that is my weakness.

760618rc.tor Conversations
Prabhupada: Daily night. And he was shocked. ONE OF MY GAUDIYA MATHA GODBROTHERS, BIG, HE BECAME THE HEAD OF THIS BHAG BAZAAR GAUDIYA MATHA. So his wife was debauched, and she was bringing new paramour, and the child protested.

Prabhupada: Paramour. And the boy, he was ten years or twelve years old, he could understand: "Who is this man?" So he protested and said, "I shall tell all these things to my father." And he was killed.

Prabhupada: Yes. Killed means given poison. And the father, that is, my Godbrother, seeing this, he also took poison. This is the end of Gaudiya Matha scandal. He was also one of the trustees. This Tirtha Maharaja was a trustee, and another Godbrother and this man. In the beginning, they were made trustees. In the beginning, Prabhupada was to undergo surgical operation. So he was a little nervous, that "I may die." So he made a scrap paper, that "In case I die, these three disciples will be trustees of the Gaudiya Matha Institute." That's all. So this Kunja Babu kept this. There are many long histories. SO ONE OF THE SO-CALLED TRUSTEES WAS THIS VASUDEVA. So he died, his end was like this.

Prabhupada: His wife was a regular prostitute, and she killed her child, and on this shock, he took poison and died.

Prabhupada: Naturally, he became shocked, that "This is my family life--the wife is prostitute and son is killed. What is the value of my life?" This was his spiritual realization. Just see. (laughs) AND HE WAS MADE THE CHIEF, AND ONE OF THE SUPPORTER WAS SRIDHARA MAHARAJA.

Prabhupada: No, no. He was made chief. Guru Maharaja did not make him chief. But after his passing away, some of our Godbrothers voted him chief.

Pusta Krsna: Am I mis...? You had told me once, I'm not certain. Maybe I made a mistake. YOU SAID THAT VASUDEVA, IT WAS KNOWN FACT THAT HE WAS HOMOSEX?

2) Your so-called disciple, the jackal named Ananta Vasudeva, disobeyed your final instructions to keep the mission united, and thereby created a scandalous fiasco. The result of this philosophical deviation is evident to this day as imitative sahajiyas are being worshiped as gurus in your temples.
3) Is there a single temple to be found where your instructions are still being followed? As it is said: "punar musiko bhava"- Everyone has "again become a mouse."
4) The lion's food has been stolen away by the deceptive tricks of the jackal Now caught in Maya's mighty clutches everyone is reduced to wailing and weeping.

Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Subala 10/15/74:
"My other godbrothers they are concerned with litigations, politics, and diplomacy, so what is the pracara? As far as I am concerned I have the blessings of my guru maharaj. I do not need anything else. That is how I went to your country, just to try to carry out his order. By his blessings it has come out successful."

"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 1976, so after 40 years the litigation is still going on. Do not come to this." (S.P Letter to Gurukrpa swami, 30/9/75)

"You are right that politics should be avoided. In my personal life I did not participate in the political diplomacy of my Godbrothers. I was simply thinking how to fulfil the order of my Guru Maharaja." (S.P Letter to Gangamayi devi dasi, 18/10/74)

"A person who cannot keep his faith in the words of his spiritual master but acts independently never receives the authority to chant the holy name of the Lord. It is said in the Vedas" (Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.23):

yasya deve para bhaktir - yatha deve tatha gurau
tasyaite kathita hy arthah - prakasante mahatmanah

"Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed." This Vedic injunction is very important, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu supported it by His personal behavior. Believing in the words of His spiritual master, He introduced the sankirtana movement, just as the present Krishna consciousness movement was started with belief in the words of our spiritual master. He wanted to preach, we believed in his words and tried somehow or other to fulfill them, and now this movement has become successful all over the world. Therefore faith in the words of the spiritual master and in the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the secret of success.
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu never disobeyed the orders of His spiritual master and stopped propagating the sankirtana movement.

Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami, at the time of his passing away, ordered all his disciples to work conjointly to preach the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu all over the world. Later, however, some self-interested, foolish disciples disobeyed his orders. Each one of them wanted to become head of the mission, and they fought in the courts, neglecting the order of the spiritual master, and the entire mission was defeated. We are not proud of this; however, the truth must be explained. We believed in the words of our spiritual master and started in a humble way --in a helpless way-- but due to the spiritual force of the order of the supreme authority, this movement has become successful." (C.C Adi Lila 7.95-96)

EVOL.SYA The Evolutionists: Philosophy
Prabhupada: UNLESS YOU SURRENDER, WHERE IS THE COOPERATION? Where is the cooperation? Just like all my disciples, because they have surrendered, so there is cooperation. Therefore this movement is increasing.

71-02-23.Jay Letter: Jayapataka
SO FAR AS COOPERATING WITH MY GODBROTHERS IS CONCERNED, THAT IS NOT VERY URGENT BUSINESS. SO FAR UNTIL NOW MY GODBROTHERS HAVE REGULARLY NOT COOPERATED WITH ME AND BY THE GRACE OF MY SPIRITUAL MASTER, THINGS ARE STILL GOING AHEAD. SO COOPERATION OR NON-COOPERATION, IT IS THE DESIRE OF BHAKTIVINODE THAKURA TO PREACH THE CAITANYA CULT ALL OVER THE WORLD AND IN 1875 HE PREDICTED THAT SOMEONE WOULD COME VERY SOON WHO WOULD INDIVIDUALLY PREACH THIS CULT ALL OVER THE WORLD. SO IF HIS BENEDICTION IS THERE AND MY GURU MAHARAJA'S BLESSINGS ARE THERE, WE CAN GO AHEAD WITHOUT ANY IMPEDIMENT BUT ALL OF US MUST BE VERY SINCERE AND SERIOUS. We have been a little inflicted by public criticism that we Godbrothers do not work together. My Guru Maharaja wanted also us to work together but some how or other it hasn't happened up until now. So your program of cooperating with Madhava Maharaja is not so important. Best thing is that all we Godbrothers work together. Then the criticism will stop, otherwise even we join together, criticism will go on. So this has been going on for the last 24 years, but everyone of us is doing his best keeping Lord Caitanya in the center. We should be satisfied so much.

65-11-08.Tir Letter: Tirtha Maharaja
Kindly accept respectful obeisances at your lotus feet. Since I have come to the United States of America I had several correspondence with Sripada Govinda Maharaja. While I was in Calcutta at that time as well as in our different exchange of letters there was some hint from Sripada Govinda Maharaja, I should work in cooperation with your holiness and in my last letter I have already expressed my readiness to cooperate with your holiness and I had to ask from Govinda Maharaja as to the basic principle of that cooperation. BEFORE I TOOK SANNYASA PERHAPS YOU WILL REMEMBER IT THAT I PROPOSED TO JOIN YOU IF MY PUBLICATIONS WERE TAKEN UP. BUT SOME HOW OR OTHER IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE AND WE MISSED THE CHANCE.

74-06-08.Acy Letter: Acyutananda
You should not write anything to Madhava Maharaja's camp. You may have talked many things with Mangala Niloy but why write him in black and white. The letter must not be sent. THEIR POLICY HAS BEEN ALL ALONG TO SUPPRESS ME AND TAKE CREDIT FOR HIMSELF. THEIR PROPOSAL FOR COOPERATION IS A MYTH. THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING WHICH IS COOPERATIVE. YOU KNOW IN A RECENT ARTICLE THEY MANAGED TO WRITE IN SUCH A WAY THAT MADHAVA IS DOING THE WORLD MOVEMENT AND WE ARE HIS SUBORDINATE. FROM THE BEGINNING THAT HAS BEEN THEIR MENTALITY. SO THERE IS NO POSSIBILITY OF COOPERATION WITH THEM. RATHER YOU SHOULD AVOID STRICTLY MEETING WITH THEM. THEY ARE NOT AFTER PREACHING BUT MATERIAL GAIN AND REPUTATION AND ADORATION. OTHERWISE WHY THEY ARE NON COOPERATING WITH ME? SO NO COOPERATION IS POSSIBLE. Do not think or indulge in loose talks. Be careful always. Let us do the duty of propagation sincerely and seriously on our own principles. Krsna and Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura are our only hope and they and helping us. If anything thing has to be done it is to be talked on the higher level between Madhava Maharaja and myself, but I know his mentality is different and there is no possibility of cooperation.

72-08-29.Gur Letter: Gurudasa
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 23, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. Do not be depressed. ALL ALONG MY GODBROTHERS GAVE ME ONLY DEPRESSION, REPRESSION, COMPRESSION--BUT I CONTINUED STRONG IN MY DUTY.

73-11-14. Letter: Sukadeva
Regarding the Gaudiya Math books being circulated there, who is distributing? Who is sending these books? The Gaudiya Math does not sell our books, why we should sell their books. Who has introduced these books? Let me know. THESE BOOKS SHOULD NOT AT ALL BE CIRCULATED IN OUR SOCIETY. BHAKTI VILAS TIRTHA IS VERY MUCH ANTAGONISTIC TO OUR SOCIETY AND HE HAS NO CLEAR CONCEPTION OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE. HE IS CONTAMINATED. ANYWAY, WHO HAS INTRODUCED THESE BOOKS? YOU SAY THAT YOU WOULD READ ONLY ONE BOOK IF THAT WAS ALL THAT I HAD WRITTEN, SO YOU TEACH OTHERS TO DO LIKE THAT. You have very good determination.

68-02-17. Letter: Pradyumna
REGARDING THE BOOK LIST: "LORD GAURANGA" BY S.K. GHOSE AND VEDER PANCHAYA BY BON MAHARAJA ARE USELESS AND YOU MAY NOT GET THEM. The other books and the Gaudiya paper are acceptable. If you have free use of Xerox machine you may make copies, of some of the smaller works.

Srila Prabhupada's Room Conversation in Bombay 1/8/77:
"There are similarly men also. Unnecessarily they are envious, offensive, unnecessary. They cannot tolerate others' opulence. Just like our Godbrothers. They are envious. What I have done to them? I am doing my business, trying to serve my Guru Maharaja. But they are envious because I am so opulent. I have got so much fame, so many influence, so much influence all over the world. Everyone is praising me about... That is ignorance. And this is regrettable because they are posing themselves as Vaisnava. Ordinary man can do that, but they are dressing like Vaisnava, and they are so envious. That Tirtha Maharaja, unnecessarily he was envious, whole life fighting, fighting, fighting in the court and died. Simply planning."

Srila Prabhupada's Room Conversation with a Reporter in Johannesburg 10/16/75:
So these rascals, Godbrothers, they are envious that... What he has written? Bon Maharaja. Just see what kind of men they are. They are not even ordinary human being. They are envious of me, and what to speak of make a judgment by estimation? They're envious. Enviousness is immediately disqualification of Vaisnava, immediate. He is not a human being. Paramo nirmatsaranam satam. This Bhagavatam is meant for the person who is completely not envious. That is the beginning. Why a Vaisnava should be envious for anyone? Everyone is working according to his karma. He is trying to rectify him, that 'Be out of these clutches of karma. You come to bhakti.' Why he should be envious? Vancha-kalpatarubhyas ca krpa-sindhubhya eva ca. A Vaisnava should be like ocean of mercy to reclaim the fallen souls. That is Vaisnava's qualification. So Vaisnava should be envious? Just see.

So these persons, they are not even human being, what to speak of Vaisnava. Vaisnava cannot be envious. Vaisnava should be: 'Oh, my Lord's name is being broadcast. He is getting, giving so much service to make Krsna known.' That man has appreciated, that 'All these spiritual leaders, they are deriding. You are the only man... You are... It enthuses us, give us more encouragement, that you are keeping intact, love of Krsna.' This is an appreciation. Why he should be envious? He should be, rather, very much enthused that 'This single man is keeping Krsna all over the world.' And everyone is deriding. Even Gandhi is killing Krsna. Dr. Radhakrishnan is killing. Their only business is to kill Krsna. He is also doing that, our, this Bon Maharaja. He never speaks of Krsna. His rascal, that Institute of Indian Philosophy, nobody goes to [pass] urine there. We see practically. And our temple is always filled up, five hundred men. And he is trying for the last forty years. He is simply planning: 'This will be playground. This will be this ground. This will be this ground.' And it is becoming jungle. Still, he is so envious, black snake. So one circular letter should be issued to all our center, that 'Any Bon Maharaja or anyone, his representative, should not be received.' They are envious. Yes. Quoting that. We have got several complaints like that. Satsvarupa also complained. Sometimes our order was cancelled by Bon Maharaja's propaganda."

Srila Prabhupada's Room Conversation in Vrindaban 5/24/77:
"If somebody thinks, 'Oh, here is a snake with jewel. Let me embrace him, no, no, no, it is very ferocious. Even it is jewel there, it is ferocious. Similarly, these people are envious. Although they have become so-called Vaisnava, they are ferocious. They have not acquired the qualification of Vaisnava. Simply vesopidin(?), by dress."

Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Niranjana 5/21/73:
"Our big, big godbrothers in India, they could not preach Lord Gauranga's name all over India. They are simply inclined to criticize me, that my students call me Prabhupada. They could not do anything practical and tangible. They are satisfied with a temple and a few disciples begging alms for the maintenance of the temple.
"So, we can understand that they have all become sudras. How can they have interest in Bhagavad-gita. Although some of them have been born in brahmana families, but by quality are all sudras."

Srila Prabhupada's Letter to Yamuna 11/18/70:
"Regarding the Gaudiya Math, our position has nothing to do with them. They cannot do anything and if somebody does something, they will be envious. That is the nature of third class men."

760203mw.may Conversations
Prabhupada: At least historically it be proved. (break) ...cause of envy of my Godbrothers. I was known. Although they knew that Prabhupada liked me very much, because I am grhastha, I was known as paca-grhastha. PACA-GRHASTHA MEANS A ROTTEN GRHASTHA. And now they say, "This grhastha has come out more than us? What is this?" (break) Sridhara Maharaja's chief disciple...?
Bhavananda: Gaura.
Prabhupada: HE ALWAYS USED TO SAY TO SRIDHARA MAHARAJA THAT "YOU ARE SEEING ABHAY BABU AS GRHASTHA, BUT HE IS MORE THAN MANY YOGIS." HE WAS TELLING.

760119rc.may Conversations
Bhavananda: (Gaudia Matha) People are attracted by the Westerners coming to the matha. So if we're up at that matha, any of us, and then they say, "Just see." They say in Bengali, "Just see. They are coming. To see our guru maharaja, they are coming."
Prabhupada: THAT WAS THE POLICY OF MADHAVA MAHARAJA AND SRIDHARA MAHARAJA, THAT "ALTHOUGH BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI IS PROPAGATING THROUGHOUT, HE IS SUBORDINATE TO US, UNDER OUR INSTRUCTION." SO ALL THESE THREE.

Note: even today, these envious godbrothers take every opportunity to cause trouble within ISKCON, both directly and on a more subtle level. Whenever they get an opportunity to preach to Prabhupada's disciples they tried to crack the basic foundation of ISKCON - the devotees absolute faith in Srila Prabhupada as a bonafide representative of Krishna, as well as the Founder - Acharya of Iskcon.

Narayana Maharaja: "So Swamiji (Srila Prabhupada) has at first cleared the atmosphere... Prepared the ground... by that doing. It was only basement... Foundation. To dig for basement of this big temple is not everything. So I want to say that your Prabhupada has given these things...only these things...and not beyond these things. Then he was only the servant of Mahavisnu, not of Krishna." (NM Lecture Sept. 19th, 1994)

Note: In Sri Krsna-Sanhita Bhaktivinode Thakur gives a listing of the types of devotees who are asslike. Among those devotees are the servants of Vishnu, so Narayana Maharaja is indicating that Srila Prabhupada is an asslike devotee. The fact of the matter is that NM is a liar when he says that he considers Srila Prabhupada to be his siska guru, he is just envious of Srila Prabhupada and his position.

Narayana Maharaja: you should not minimize all other (Gaudiya Math) acaryas who have not come here (to the west), but more qualified they were (than Srila Prabhupada). Like parama pujyapada Sridhara Maharaja, Gosvami Maharaja, my Guru Maharaja, to whom this Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja (Prabhupada) used to make, used to honor like siksa-guru.
Also you should know that Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the founder of ISKCON. Swamiji, AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja is one of the prominent acaryas in this line only. He is not founder... (NM 28th April 1999, morning, Caracas)

Narayana Maharaja: They are establishing that he was the founder of ISKCON, but I know that he was not founder, he was one of the members of this in guru parampara. It was founded by Krishna, and first acarya was Brahma, then Narada, then Vyasa. Only he has changed the name and he has preached these things in Western countries." (NM Mathura, October 24, 1999)

Narayana Maharaja: "Your Prabhupada, Srila Swami Maharaja, only changed the name into English. He is not the founder-acarya of that eternal ISKCON... I am ISKCON. I'm not different from ISKCON. I am 'Bhaktivedanta' [Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja]. Like father, like son. I am the real successor of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja, and there is no other. You should know this very openly. I am Bhaktivedanta and he is Bhaktivedanta, but he received this name after I did. I'm senior to him in this regard... I'm Bhaktivedanta, and I'm also ISKCON. Don't think that I'm out of ISKCON." (NM Murwillumbah, Australia: Feb. 18, 2002, eve)

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Letter to: Dr. Bigelow: -- Allahabad 20 January, 1971:
"I am the founder - acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness."

Srila Prabhupada: So it is better not to mix with my Godbrothers very intimately because instead of inspiring our students and disciples they may sometimes pollute them. This attempt was made previously by them, especially Madhava Maharaja and Tirtha Maharaja and Bon Maharaja but somehow or other I saved the situation. This is going on. We shall be very careful about them and not mix with them. This is my instruction to you all. They cannot help us in our movement, but they are very competent to harm our natural progress. So we must be very careful about them.

"Regarding Bon and Tirtha Maharaja, they are my godbrothers and should be shown respect. But you should not have any intimate connection with them, as they have gone against the orders of my Guru Maharaja." (to Pradumnya Feb 17, 1968)

"...I am greatly surprised for Bon Maharaja's initiating you in spite of his knowing that you are already initiated to me. So it is a deliberate transgression of Vaisnava etiquette, and otherwise a deliberate insult to me. I do not know why he has done this, but no Vaisnava will approve of this offensive action..."(to Mukunda Mar 26,1968)

"...now, one thing is I understand that in the past you were visiting Lalita Prasad and that you may also be planning to continue visiting him when you return to India. This is not approved of by me and I request you not to go and see him any more. He holds a grudge against my Guru Maharaja and even if it is transcendental it will gradually appear mundane in our eyes. Whatever is to be learned of the teachings of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura can be learned from our books. There is no need whatsoever for any outside instruction. So I hope that you have understood these matters and I pray to Krishna always for your protection and advancement in Krishna consciousness." (to Gurukripa and Yashodananda Swamis, Dec 25, 1975)

68-02-17. Letter: Pradyumna
REGARDING BHAKTI PURI, TIRTHA MAHARAJA, THEY ARE MY GOD-BROTHERS AND SHOULD BE SHOWN RESPECT. BUT YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY INTIMATE CONNECTION WITH THEM AS THEY HAVE GONE AGAINST THE ORDERS OF MY GURU MAHARAJA.

So it is better not to mix with my Godbrothers very intimately because instead of inspiring our students and disciples they may sometimes pollute them. This attempt was made previously by them, especially Madhava Maharaja and Tirtha Maharaja and Bon Maharaja but somehow or other I saved the situation. This is going on. We shall be very careful about them and not mix with them. This is my instruction to you all. They cannot help us in our movement, but they are very competent to harm our natural progress. So we must be very careful about them. (Letter to Rupanuga 4/28/74)

75-11-09. Letter: Visvakarma
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 3, 1975 with the enclosed statement about Van Maharaja. So I have now issued orders that all my disciples should avoid all of my godbrothers. THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY DEALINGS WITH THEM NOR EVEN CORRESPONDENCE, NOR SHOULD THEY GIVE THEM ANY OF MY BOOKS OR SHOULD THEY PURCHASE ANY OF THEIR BOOKS, NEITHER SHOULD YOU VISIT ANY OF THEIR TEMPLES. PLEASE AVOID THEM.

73-11-14. Letter: Sukadeva
BHAKTI VILAS TIRTHA IS VERY MUCH ANTAGONISTIC TO OUR SOCIETY AND HE HAS NO CLEAR CONCEPTION OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE. HE IS CONTAMINATED.

Letter to Karuna Sindhu Nov 9, 1975
"I can understand this cunning Puri dasa has taken advantage of your simplicity. So any of my godbrothers cannot help me in this way of book writing because they are unfortunate in the matter of preaching work. They are simply trying to infiltrate our society to do something harmful by this attempt. So please do not have any correspondence with this Puri or any of my godbrothers, so- called...

72-11-21. Letter: Niranjana
If you are serious to be an important assistant in our Society you should fully engage yourself in translation work, AND DO NOT MIX YOURSELF WITH MY SO-CALLED GOD-BROTHERS. AS THERE ARE IN VRINDABAN SOME RESIDENTS LIKE MONKEYS AND HOGS, SIMILARLY THERE ARE MANY RASCALS IN THE NAME OF VAISNAVAS, be careful of them. And do not dare to question imprudently before your Spiritual Master. Further talks we may discuss when we meet.

Note: The real difficulty for the Gaudiya Math began when they disobeyed the orders of Srila Bhaktsiddhanta. He instructed them that after he left his body they should make a Governing Body and conjointly manage the preaching mission in that way. He didn't want an acarya appointed in his place as he could not see anyone qualified. But after Srila Bhaktisiddhanta's disappearance his disciples decided to reject his instructions and elect an 'successor' acarya. It was a disaster and the result was the disintegration of the Gaudiya Math and the end of the preaching. Srila Prabhupada saw all this going on and criticized his godbrothers for going against Srila Bhaktsiddhanta's instructions but he kept aloof from it. He preached independently and went about working and planning how to execute the order of his spiritual master. Srila Prabhupada was the only disciple of Srila Bhaktsiddhanta who sincerely took his instructions in regard to preaching in the Western countries to heart and was determined to follow them. He received the blessings and mercy of Srila Bhaktsiddhanta, Lord Caitanya and Krishna and was empowered by them to spread Krishna consciousness all over the world. But his godbrothers were far from happy.

....not only in disobeying Srila Prabhupadas order to continue the mission through a strong governing body, but also in creating a homosexual heaven for paedophile devotees, sannyasis and gurus, raping Iskcon children and having homosex in Vrindavan and Mayapur.

Prabhupada use to criticize the Gaudiya Math for using a voting system to vote in or a guru, and warned us never to do this. He let us know that if there ever is to be another acarya, that person will be self effulgent. Yet, the GBC votes in new gurus. To this day.

Srila Prabhupada: "He, [Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, founder of the Gaudiya Matha] before passing away, he gave them all direction - and heNEVER said that this man should be the next [guru] acharya. But these people,just after he passed away, they began to fight, 'Who shall be the nextacharya? That is the failure. They never thought, 'guru maharaja gave usinstruction on so many things, why did he not say, "This man should be thenext acharya?"' They wanted to create somebody ARTIFICIALLY as acharya andEVERYTHING FAILED. They did not even consider COMMON SENSE - that if gurumaharaja had wanted to APPOINT somebody as acharya, why he did not say? Hesaid so many things and this point he missed? The main point? And theyinsisted on it. They declared, 'COME ON UNFIT PERSONS to become acharya,' thenanother man comes, THEN ANOTHER, then another. So better to remain a foolishperson perpetually to be directed by guru maharaja. So that is perfection. Andas soon as it was announced that, 'Guru maharaja is dead, now I am so advanced that I can kill my guru and become [guru]'." (CONV 8/15/76) (Does this hitthe nail on the head?)

Srila Prabhupada had followed his spiritual master Srila Bhaktsiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura by not naming an acarya to take over his position, knowing well, that his disciples where not qualified yet. Instead, he had formed a governing body, the GBC, which was to cooperatively manage the preaching.

He already had a ritvik-system in place enabling a number of his disciples to initiate new devotees on his behalf, they would still be Srila Prabhupada's disciples, not disciples of the devotee who was performing the initiation ceremony. There are many indications that Srila Prabhupada intended this system to continue after he disappeared from our material vision and there are absolutely no indications that he approved of these devotees taking over ISKCON as his successors.

Before Srila Prabhupada left his body he named some disciples who could give ritvik initiation (accepting Srila Prabhupada's disciples on his behalf). These devotees could chant on the beads and initiate new devotees, but these new devotees would be disciples of Srila Prabhupada, not their disciples. Tamal Krishna, Prabhupada's secretary at that time, outlined the whole procedure in a letter sent to all temple presidents six months before Srila Prabhupada left his body.

However, when Srila Prabhupada left his body the GBC man where in confusion as to how the future initiations would go on, although it seemed clear that Prabhupada understood the system he established would continue after his disappearance, otherwise why would he go to the trouble of having Tamal Krishna document it and notify all temples? Srila Prabhupada was staying in Vrndavana at that time and he knew quite well he was leaving his body very soon. If he had wanted his disciples to be acaryas in their own right surely he would have said so.

At this time the GBC went to the Gaudia Math and took advice from one of Srila Prabhupada's godbrothers on the future initiations within ISKCON. It is strange that the GBC went to Prabhupada's godbrothers for advice on such an important matter when Srila Prabhupada had warned so often that his godbrothers were envious of his success and couldn't help in the preaching work..."They are simply trying to infiltrate our society to do something harmful..."

Unfortunately the Gaudiya Math advice was the men named by Srila Prabhupada as ritvics should be treated as non-different from Srila Prabhupada. They were acaryas in their own right, entitled to sit on highly elevated vayassanas (seats), entitled to the title paramahamsa (the topmost devotee) and names like Visnupada and Bhaktipada, almost on the level of Prabhupada. Overnight these devotees became "rubber stamped" as pure unalloyed devotees and were to be worshiped on the same level as Srila Prabhupada.

This system made ISKCON a laughing stock for the Gaudiya Math and also for many Indians who were well aware of the actual qualifications of a spiritual master. Although the new ISKCON "acaryas" were confident they were pure devotees on the same level as Srila Prabhupada, anyone looking on from outside the movement who knew the qualifications of a pure devotee could see how ridiculous this was. Prabhupada's godbrothers and his so-called "leading disciples" had succeeded in destroying the credibility of ISKCON which Srila Prabhupada had fought so hard to establish. And still no one in ISKCON seemed to know what was happening.

Many of Srila Prabhupada's disciples had the desire to become gurus, but they were not qualified gurus. Guru is not a cheep thing. Many devotees were attracted by the fame, adoration, profit and distinction which accompanied the position of acarya, rather than the sincere desire to please Krishna and Srila Prabhupada and save the fallen conditioned souls from rotting in this material world by giving them Krishna con- sciousness. Ultimately the devotees named by Srila Prabhupada as authorized to give rtvik initiation on his behalf cheated the general devotee community that Srila Prabhupada had intended them to be his successors.

Srila Prabhupada's so called "successors" then carved up the world into a number of zones. In each zone one of the successors was to be the "zonal acarya" and he would be the only "spiritual master" in that zone and all new devotees would have to take initiation from him. Why not? After all he was a paramahamasa, a pure devotee on the topmost platform of devotional service, he was non-different from Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself!

The new zonal "acaryas" didn't exhibit the qualities of a real spiritual master, yet the ISKCON philosophy was they were paramahamasas, topmost devotees, on a level equal with Srila Prabhupada. The difficulty was they didn't exhibit the qualities one would expect to find in pure devotees. Srila Prabhupada had shown real compassion for his disciples and for all living entities, he also had real love for Krishna and really enjoyed chanting Hare Krishna, speaking about Krishna, writing books about Krishna, preaching enthusiastically about Krishna consciousness, seeing his disciples advance in Krishna consciousness an seeing the Hare Krishna movement spread all over the world. In Srila Prabhupada, all these qualities were real, he was really dedicated completely to serving his spiritual master and Krishna by fulfilling their desire that Krishna consciousness be spread all over the world.

The new "Iskcon-Acaryas" didn't follow in Srila Prabhupada's footsteps, they tried to imitate him. They didn't have the deep love for Krishna Srila Prabhupada had, nor even firm faith in the process of Krishna consciousness. Srila Prabhupada always followed the disciplic succession, he never concocted anything new. He simply presented the timeless philosophy of Krishna consciousness as he had received it from his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, who had received it from his spiritual master, Srila Gaurakisora dasa Babaji Maharaja, who received it from Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura and so on right back to Lord Brahma, the supreme and first created living entity in this universe. Lord Brahma received this knowledge directly from Krishna by revelation from within the heart.

The new zonal 'acaryas' didn't have the pure devotion which was the attractive principle behind Srila Prabhupada's success... but still they insisted on advertising themselves as great devotees.

This, apart from being a quite ridiculous proposal, had the effect of creating factions within ISKCON. Of course factions existed when Srila Prabhupada was physically present, but they were not as serious as the ones which developed as a result of the "zonal acarya" system.

There was no question of Srila Prabhupada's other disciples ever reaching the status of "zonal acarya"; in fact, Srila Prabhupada's disciples were expected to worship these "zonal acaryas" as if they were their disciples, if they refused there was no future for them in ISKCON.

Disciples of one "guru" were convinced that their "guru" was the only "pure devotee", he was right and everyone else was wrong. Much stress was given to the necessicity of pleasing the guru to get the mercy of Krishna and any devotee who did not accept this system was in trouble. He was a demon, he was blaspheming a pure devotee, simply an envious rascal and such enemies of the Hare Krishna movement were thrown out, often violently. All to keep these false "acaryas" in their positions.

All emphasis was placed on pleasing the "zonal acaryas" and Srila Prabhupada was put well into the background. It was considered offensive for a devotee to directly worship or approach Srila Prabhupada. He could only please Srila Prabhupada by pleasing the "zonal acarya." Even disciples of Srila Prabhupada were expected to follow this procedure.

Any new devotee coming to ISKCON had no choice but to take initiation from the "zonal acarya" in his area. There was no room for questioning. If anyone did question the "pure devotee zonal acarya," it was considered blasphemy and he didn't have much chance of staying in ISKCON.

From the beginning an intelligent person who had studied Srila Prabhupada's books could see the flaws in the "zonal acarya" system. Because speaking out against the "zonal acarya" was considered blasphemy a devotee who could see problems had to either keep his mouth closed and take initiation from the "zonal acarya" or leave.

The organization built by the "zonal acaryas" was not Krishna consciousness. It was guru consciousness. Everything was centred around pleasing the guru and blind submission and surrender to the guru. Of course submission and surrender to a bona fide guru is good... even if it is blind faith. But the real spiritual master does not encourage blind sentimental following. He establishes Kr- ishna consciousness scientifically and authoritively from the authorized scriptures and trains his disciples in Krishna consciousness to enable them to thoroughly understand the philos- ophy. However, if a disciple doesn't take advantage of his spiritual masters training, if he has faith in Krishna and his spiritual master and follows strictly the regulative principles of devotional life and chants at least 16 rounds daily, the end is the same. He is Krishna conscious. The difficulty is devotees who don't have a solid philosophical understanding are usually not very fixed in their devotional service. Such philosophically naive devotees are also prone to exploitation. Because they don't know the philosophy of Krishna consciousness they have no way of determining if the directions of the other devotees are correct. They are also unable to select a bona fide guru - they can't tell maya (illusion) from Krishna. Basically they are religious fanatics. Srila Prabhupada so often referred to religion without philosophy as sentimental or fanatical.

The "zonal acaryas" themselves had no ability to preach and no real understanding of the philosophy of Krishna consciousness so they couldn't attract intelligent disciples. They couldn't properly present the philosophy of Krishna consciousness. Only the envious and the sentimental were attracted. Of course many intelligent people read Srila Prabhupada's books and were attracted by Krishna and Prabhupada, but usually their intelligence enabled them to see the devotees in the temples were not following the instructions clearly given by Srila Prabhupada in his books. So most intelligent persons didn't join the movement and the ones that did usually got such a hard time from the devotees within ISKCON, who saw their intelligence as a threat, didn't stay long. If somehow an intelligent person did stay within ISKCON he also became contaminated by the Mayavada philosophy and became just as bad as the others. The power of association is very strong.

"The pseudo religionists have neither knowledge of nor detachment from material affairs, for most of them want to live in the golden shackles of material bondage under the shadow of altruistic and philanthropic activities and in the guise of religious principles. By a false display of religious sentiments, they present a show of devotional service while indulging in all sorts of immoral activities. In this way they pass as spiritual masters and devotees of God. Such violators of religious principles have no respect for the authoritative acaryas, the holy teachers in the strict disciplic succession. To mislead the people in general, they themselves become so-called acaryas, but they do not even follow the principles of the acaryas."

The "zonal acaryas" were accepting worship on the level of paramahamsas (the topmost liberated souls), but they were far from that level. One by one the "zonal acaryas" fell down from their lofty heights, leaving their disciples bewildered and heartbroken. For one who has surrendered to and been cheated by someone in the past it is very difficult to surrender again. A few of these brokenhearted devotees were able to take shelter of Srila Prabhupada and continue their devotional service, but most of them lost their taste for Krishna consciousness, having been cheated and exploited by ISKCON, and went back to material life.

Currently the GBC is recommending devotees who have taken initiation from a "fallen" guru to take reinitiation from another "ISKCON GBC approved" spiritual master "in good standing." Many devotees have gone through the motions of taking reinitiation from a new spiritual master but generally they don't surrender to their new guru - once bitten twice shy.

"Don't be allured by cheep disciples. Go on steadfastly rendering service first. If you immediately become guru then service activities will be stopped. As there are many cheep gurus and cheep disciples without any substantial knowledge manufacturing new sampradayas with service activities stopped, and all spiritual progress choked up." (to Acyutananda 21 Aug, 1968)

It is obvious Srila Prabhupada wanted his students to take Krishna consciousness very seriously and advance to the stage where they would be capable of becoming spiritual masters in their own right and initiating their own disciples. However, guru, means literally 'heavy.' So to become guru is no small matter.

Unfortunately, after Srila Prabhupada left his body ISKCON institutionalized the concept of guru and rubber-stamped some unqualified men as guru. This appeared to work for some time, but such unqualified men have no ability to actually spread Krishna consciousness. They succeeded in attracting some sentimental dis- ciples and some envious ones as well who wanted to take their position. However, sincere devotees found it very difficult to stay in the new ISKCON built around the false idea that the new "acaryas" were on the same level as His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

If there is no one qualified to take the position of guru or acarya you can't rubber-stamp unqualified men and expect success. Srila Prabhupada, of course, knew where his disciples were situated spiritually, so he established a system which would allow his disciples to go on initiating new devotees, however the new devotees would be disciples of Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada did not say that the eleven he named were acaryas or that they could take disciples on their own behalf. This idea came from the Gaudiya Math after Srila Prabhupada left his body.

Although this issue has been the subject of rather heated debate over the past years between groups who have their own vested interests to protect within ISKCON, any impartial observer can see that there is no point of justifying the "zonal acarya" system when most of the so-called acaryas have fallen down from spiritual life.

The current system is not different from the "zonal acarya" system. The only real difference is there are more "acaryas." The new gurus still want worship on the level of Krishna from their disciples...everything is the same...nothing has changed. So if the "zonal acarya" system is not bonafide, the current guru system is equally un-bonafide. It is sure to collapse in the same way the "zonal acarya" system collapsed.

An acarya is not a cheep thing. Simply by GBC approval one doesn't become an acarya. This is similar to the Mayavadi concept of taking sannyasa. The Mayavadis think that by taking sannyasa they become equal to Narayana or Krishna. Similarly, it seems, that ISKCON devotees think that they become equal to Srila Prabhupada by GBC approval. However it is not GBC approval that makes a devotee a qualified acarya. It is his sincere desire to please Srila Prabhupada and Krishna, and such an acarya does not have to be approved by anyone, he is self-effulgent. The whole world will accept him as a spiritual authority, as they did with Srila Prabhupada. He certainly won't need GBC approval, any more than Srila Prabhupada needed the approval of the Gaudiya Math. In fact the Gaudiya Math never approved of Srila Prabhupada's preaching and they still refuse to accept that Prabhupada is even entitled to be called Prabhupada (they call Srila Prabhupada "Swami Maharaja" - even now!) So as the Gaudiya Math was left behind by Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON may be left behind by the next self-effulgent acarya.

Currently ISKCON is not presenting Krishna consciousness in a pure way, and it is certainly not representing Srila Prabhupada's dynamic preaching mood and great compassion for the fallen conditioned souls. The movement has been contaminated with the poison of Mayavadi philosophy introduced in 1970 to such an extent that most ISKCON devotees today have either never tasted the transcendental ecstasy of serving Krishna or they have forgotten what it is like. ISKCON has become an organization of the cheaters and the cheated who are trying to exploit each other for sense gratification, both gross and subtle. Still, a few sincere young people join the movement after reading Srila Prabhupada's books, but they are soon contaminated by the poisonous atmosphere and generally either leave or become materialists within ISKCON hankering after position, fame, power, profit, etc.

ISKCON is misrepresenting Srila Prabhupada and Krishna and it is doing great damage. ISKCON has become a mundane organization exploiting the public and the devotees by collecting funds and utilizing them for eating and sleeping under the plea of serving Srila Prabhupada and Krishna. This is a great pity as everybody is suffering and rotting in this world simply due to a lack of Krishna consciousness. Because ISKCON is currently unable to deliver Krishna consciousness there is little hope for the suffering world at the moment.

ISKCON quickly became an organization that took innocent people and under the guise of educating them in Krishna consciousness proceeded to do just the opposite. Everything looked and felt almost like the same Krishna consciousness Srila Prabhupada had established. Actually the movement seemed to be booming... going forward with great leaps and bounds. There were more temples, more devotees, more of almost everything. So things appeared to be successful. However it was all maya (illusion).

The reason for the apparent boom in Krishna consciousness was the new "acaryas" relaxed ISKCON's views on the regulative principles. Srila Prabhupada was very emphatic that everyone in the temples must strictly follow the four regulative principles (no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat eating and no gambling) and that everyone attend the morning temple program at 4:30am and that all devotees be fully engaged at all times. Although Prabhupada had great difficulty enforcing these rules it was at least clear that all these principles must be followed and one not following had no claim to be a member of ISKCON. The new "acaryas" didn't have the same attitude to the regulative principles. Many of them were not following themselves so they could hardly inspire their disciples to follow. Their measure of spiritual advancement was different. It often had much more to do with how much money a disciple could collect than anything else. The change was not entirely obvious as devotees were still preaching that "you should follow...", "you should chant 16 rounds...", the classes sounded much the same as Prabhupada's, but these devotees were not following themselves, nor did they have any intention of ever following. Many people picked up this subtle change and realized that now they could live in an ISKCON temple without following the regulations or chanting 16 rounds, and they could get some big post of power (temple president, etc) and exploit the devotees. No one was going to challenge them or check if they were following the principles or chanting their rounds... the field was wide open...

The purpose of our lives, our whole existence, is to render service to Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Actually we have no other business. If we try to gratify our own senses it will end in frustration and suffering, no matter how attractive the sense gratification appears in the beginning. However, if we work for the satisfaction of Krishna's senses, our natural constitutional position, we will enjoy transcendental bliss, ever increasing ecstasy on the spiritual platform, even though it may appear like poison in the beginning.

It is a prerequisite for a devotee to at least accept the principle that material activities aimed at sense gratification are a cause of suffering and repeated birth and death while service to Krishna liberates one from all the suffering of the material world and puts one on the transcendental platform. When Srila Prabhupada was physically present he had many problems with so-called devotees who didn't even accept this basic principle. They were feigning Krishna consciousness to get some position, power, fame, wealth, reputation, followers and so on. For them Krishna consciousness was a totally mundane affair about exploiting other devotees and Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON for their own personal benefit. In Prabhupada's presence he somehow adjusted things so the preaching went on. It is one of Srila Prabhupada's glories that he could take anyone, even an all-out demon, and engage him in Krishna consciousness. Even though these demons didn't accept Krishna consciousness, Srila Prabhupada was able to extract so much service from them. After Srila Prabhupada's disappearance, however, these materialists in the guise of devotees had an open field for their nefarious activities.

For a devotee it is difficult to understand that someone, especially another so-called devotee, could not believe in Krishna or accept Srila Prabhupada as a pure devotee and worship him as being Krishna in the form of the spiritual master. These things are crystal clear to even the most neophyte devotee. However the grossly materialistic demons and the more subtle Mayavadis and impersonalists will never accept Krishna or His pure devotee. That is their nature. The demons can't stand the pure chanting of Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare, nor can they bear to see devotees advancing in Krishna consciousness and the Krishna consciousness movement spreading all over the world. As a devotee is prepared to surrender his life, his energy, everything to preach Krishna consciousness, the demons are similarly prepared to sacrifice everything and dedicate their whole life and energy to stopping the advancement of the Krishna consciousness movement. Personally it amazes me how dedicated these demons are. They won't stop their nefarious activities even though they are suffering greatly and it is as plain as day that Krishna is God, Srila Prabhupada is a pure devotee and they are demons. Still they want to be gurus and take as many disciples as possible with them to the darkest reigns of hell to suffer perpetually in the most unbelievable agony.

So ISKCON became an organization run by these demons and the sincere fools and envious rascals who took initiation from the demons were dragged down to their level of consciousness. As a disciple of a pure devotee develops all the qualities of the demigods by serving a bona fide pure devotee spiritual master, similarly, a servant of a demon in the guise of a devotee develops all the qualities of the demons. This really changed the mood in the ISKCON temples. Even the devotees who were initially serious about serving Krishna and had some faith in Krishna consciousness were quickly contaminated by this very effective process of association with and service to demons.

ISKCON had been transferred from a society that was turning demons into devotees to a society turning devotees into demons! Anything is possible in this dark age of Kali-yuga it seems. This reversal of the process caused great confusion and distress for devotees who were sincerely trying to become Krishna conscious but were getting the opposite result. Devotees would rise early in the morning, attend the temple program, hear the classes of the "pure devotee" preachers and go out all day selling Hong Kong oil paintings, or whatever was the most effective way to make money for the temple and their "guru," but instead of decreasing their material desires, their material desires increased more and more. Many, many thousands of devotees went through this process and left the Hare Krishna movement in a worse state than when they joined. ISKCON was now bring out the worst in people, instead of reviving their long forgotten love for Krishna.

Devotees subjected to this treatment suffered greatly. Some committed suicide, many went crazy and most lost faith in Krishna consciousness and went back to suffer in the material world.

Money Business instead of preaching

Srila Prabhupada, unlike the new so called successor "acaryas" didn't rely on material formulas. He was fully confident of support and maintenance from Krishna. He accepted Srila Bhaktsiddhanta's instruction that there was no need to worry about money, "simply do something nice for Krishna, and Krishna will supply the required money and men." Srila Prabhupada went to the United States with just seven dollars and some volumes of Srimad Bhagavatam which he had translated and printed in India. He spoke on the Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad- gita and chanted Hare Krishna, and Krishna sent everything abundantly.
So many men, so much money, so many books published, so many temples opened. Srila Prabhupada changed the whole world. There can hardly be anyone on this planet now, particularly in the developed countries, who hasn't heard or chanted Hare Krishna. This is no small achievement. Srila Prabhupada repeated this instruction, "just preach and Krishna will send everything," but his disciples couldn't hear it. After his departure this instruction was very quickly forgotten.

With Srila Prabhupada no longer physically present to encourage the devotees to print and distribute his books and to stamp out the deviations and corruption within ISKCON the "acaryas" had a wide scope of activities. In Srila Prabhupada's presence there was an incense business, Spiritual Sky, and some selling of devotional records, and, although Srila Prabhupada initially approved of the incense business, subsequently he rejected all business enterprises as a distraction from book distribution. Srila Prabhupada wrote hundreds of letters pleading the devotees to concentrate on selling his books, not on business activities. But Srila Prabhupada wasn't physically present any more, and Srila Prabhupada's letters were safely locked away where no-one could read them, so the "leaders" of ISKCON were free to concoct anything that they liked and exploit the sincere devotees who trusted them and expected them to give them Krishna consciousness.

The mood within ISKCON had dramatically changed. Instead of the emphasis on endeavouring to please Srila Prabhupada and Krishna by preaching and distributing books, the emphasis was on making lots and lots of money.

Srila Prabhupada had instructed that devotees in ISKCON should simply endeavour to preach and distribute books and Krishna would automatically provide all of the men and money required. Unfortunately the "zonal acaryas" had not understood Srila Prabhupada's instructions, nor did they have faith that Krishna would send everything if they simply followed Srila Prabhupada's instructions by distributing his books and taking the preaching mission seriously. In fact, in many cases, they didn't even want to preach and distribute books. ISKCON's new policy was that preaching requires lots and lots of money. With this policy the devotees were convinced that book distribution and direct preaching were less important... the main thing was to make lots of money.

The "zonal acaryas" were able, with much word juggling and redefination, to convince the general devotee community that Srila Prabhupada was taking about business and making money when he talked about "sankirtana" (the congregational chanting of the holy names of God). Of course there were devotees who didn't fall for this, but they were branded as demons and envious rascals and generally they were kicked out of ISKCON.

Somehow the "zonal acaryas" convinced the devotees that business was sankirtana and that the devotees going out and selling Hong Kong oil paintings, tee-shirts, records, Persian rugs, etc., were the topmost preachers and were Srila Prabhupada's and Lord Caitanya's best devotees! Personally I have never understood how anyone could have fallen for this, but, the power of association is very strong. At that time the ISKCON temples were full of "gung ho" salesman, totally convinced that being a salesman was the most pleasing thing to Srila Prabhupada and Krishna. The one who makes the most money wins! So less intelligent new devotees coming into this atmosphere were quickly convinced that Srila Prabhupada wanted them to make lots of money, the more money the better. Anyone who had the intelligence to question the system had a very, very difficult time in ISKCON and as a result many sincere devotees were forced out of ISKCON, being branded as demons and envious rascals for questioning the words of the pure devotee "acaryas" who had ascertained that, according to the time and place it was no longer appropriate to sell Srila Prabhupada's books to the poor fallen conditioned souls who are rotting in this material world simply due to a lack of Krishna consciousness, the very essence of Srila Prabhupada's books. It was now more appropriate to sell them nice oil paintings of landscapes, trees, still-life and so many mundane subjects along with baseball caps, bumper stickers and a host of assorted "paraphernalia." The "acaryas" had determined that by selling all this mundane rubbish to the fallen conditioned souls they would become Krishna conscious and the Krishna consciousness movement would expand. Unfortunately they were mistaken. Nothing auspicious can ever result from the blatant rejection of the orders of the spiritual master.

With their new money making philosophy devotees took to business with great enthusiasm and they were successful in making enormous amounts of money. Unfortunately most of the money was misappropriated, embezzled and wasted on luxurious arrangements for devotees eating and sleeping facilities and to maintain their families. Srila Prabhupada's intense desire to save the fallen conditioned souls and please Krishna and his spiritual master by preaching Krishna consciousness and distributing books was lost. Every zone took to this business activity to a different degree, depending on the mood of the "zonal acarya."

The emphasis on business struck at the very heart of ISKCON and Srila Prabhupada, book distribution. As the devotees were busy doing business there was no longer any time to distribute books and preach. The chanting parties disappeared off the streets, the book distributors were no longer to be seen in the car-parks and airports, The Hare Krishna's had vanished!

As business became more and more a way of life in ISKCON most of the devotees became just like materialists. The temple presidents and the sannyasis were preaching that it was necessary to work hard day and night in these mundane business activities to raise enough money to maintain the temple. This was a very depressing job... just what many devotees left behind them when they joined the Hare Krishna movement.

Many devotees could not come to accept this business activity so they were left with no option other than to leave ISKCON. In the meantime the "zonal acaryas," temple presidents and other "advanced devotees" in ISKCON were able to live a very comfortable life at the expense of younger, naive devotees.

ISKCON's emphasis on making money meant devotees no longer needed to understand the philosophy of Krishna consciousness to perform their service. This is very different from book-selling where a devotee must convince people to purchase the books by glorifying the book and Krishna. A sincere book-distributor must, therefore, carefully study the books to enable him to convince people of their worth. A painting distributor, selling Hong Kong oil paintings, doesn't have any need to preach or study, he just needs to become an expert cheater.

When a new devotee came to a Hare Krishna temple enthusiastic to preach he would quickly be convinced that to preach the temple needed money and to get that money the temple had to do business. If he wanted to pull his weight and help Srila Prabhupada spread Krishna consciousness he'd better give up those idealistic thoughts of going out and chanting on the streets and distributing books, rather he should grow some hair, put on ordinary clothes and get out there and sell whatever the temple was currently in to. The main thing was to make as much money as possible.

New devotees would also be encouraged to get out of the "offensive" idea of trying to please Srila Prabhupada. By doing that he was "jumping over" the current acaryas and thus making a great offence which could finish his spiritual life. The only way he could please Srila Prabhupada, they said, was by taking shelter of and surrendering to the "zonal acarya" who was a pure devotee and therefore non-different from Krishna. He should be worshiped as if he was Krishna. As soon as the new devotee surrendered to the "zonal acarya" he had to obey his orders unquestionably. The "zonal acaryas" (with one or two rare exceptions) were great supporters of this new "sankirtana".

A whole new system of measuring spiritual advancement and service to the guru was born. The mighty dollar. The more dollars the devotee collected the more spiritually advanced he was.

To explain this business activity within the framework Srila Prabhupada had given for Krishna consciousness some word jugglery was required. It was clear that Srila Prabhupada wanted book distribution and that he didn't like the idea of devotees being distracted by business. Book distribution and street chanting were termed sankirtana (the congregational chanting of the Holy Names of the Lord), and Srila Prabhupada definitely wanted his devotees to perform sankirtana unlimitedly. So the leaders in ISKCON redefined the word sankirtana to mean business in the minds of the devotees. They called candle selling, tee-shirt selling, record selling, painting selling and all types of "charity" collections sankirtana. This enabled ISKCON leaders to say "Prabhupada wants you to go on sankirtana," which was true, of course, but Srila Prabhupada's idea of sankirtana and ISKCON's new conception of sankirtana were vastly different.

The justification of this program was that the businesses were preaching and therefore part of the sankirtana movement. One might well ask (and many did) "How can selling a Hong Kong painting be preaching?" Of course there was a well thought out answer for this one. The devotees were not actually doing business, they were "engaging" people in Krishna consciousness by "liberating Laxmi" (the Goddess of Fortune). The liberated "Laxmi," which was money, was meant to be used for printing Prabhupada's books and spreading Krishna consciousness. Because the "Laxmi" was to be used in spreading Krishna consciousness the devotee collecting the money and the person giving the money would benefit spiritually. Unfortunately, more often than not, the money was either embezzled or used for providing nice facilities for the devotees and their families, particularly the leading devotees, rather than being used to increase the preaching and book distribution. The result of this was instead of making spiritual advancement, everyone involved in these business transactions was implicated in unlimited sinful activities. The materialists didn't benefit spiritually and the devotees didn't make advancement towards the ultimate goal of life, Krishna consciousness.

There was a prevailing mood that anything was justified in "sankirtana." The end justified the means. This idea was preached and reinforced by many leaders in the society and devotees were engaging in all sorts of illegal and underhanded schemes to "liberate Laxmi."

The mood of business and money making in ISKCON was encouraged by most of the "zonal acaryas," who instructed their disciples, "If you want to please me then make lots of money." In many zones the "spiritual advancement" of a devotee was measured by the amount of money he could collect. It didn't matter so much that he didn't seem to be following the regulative principles very strictly or chanting 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra... if he was a big collector he was a pure devotee, he had Krishna's and the guru's mercy and he was on his way back to Godhead! Even recommendations for second initiation were often made on the basis of "sankirtana" performance.

Often it was assumed that if a devotee was not a big collector he was in maya (illusion), or in other words he wasn't a serious devotee. Srila Prabhupada had a different idea on this matter. He said the spiritual master is not pleased by a disciple who collects a lot of money, however, he is very pleased by a disciple who takes the preaching mission to heart and tries to please his spiritual master and help the conditioned souls by giving them Krishna consciousness. Srila Prabhupada particularly liked the devotees who took his book distribution as their life and soul and he made it very, very clear that the book distributors were the real preachers and that his disciples should either be book distributors themselves or they should dedicate their lives to serving the book distributors.

As ISKCON was now stressing activities which were not godly. (ie: mundane business) and devotees generally had no option except doing this mundane business or leaving ISKCON, the situation was very, very difficult for sincere devotees. On one hand they could do this mundane business, but that would mean growing hair and dressing and acting like a materialist and associating with materialistically inclined people on their level. This is totally unbearable for a real devotee. When Lord Caitanya was asked what the symptoms of a devotee were, He said, "asadhu sanga...," a sadhu (devotee) is one who avoids the association of the asadhu, the non-devotee. Srila Prabhupada said he established ISKCON so he wouldn't have to associate with the non-devotees. Now ISKCON was forcing the devotees to associate with the materialistic people in the name of sankirtana.

The position the devotees were put in was extremely difficult. On one hand, if they stayed within ISKCON, they would be forced to associate with materialists on their level in these business activities, and on the other hand they could leave ISKCON and try to be Krishna conscious separately, however only a very advanced soul can remain Krishna conscious without the association of other devotees. In any case, devotees don't want to leave the as- sociation of other devotees. There is great pleasure in the association of devotees, which cannot be understood by non- devotees.

The result was many devotees were convinced to surrender to mundane business activities and to give up preaching and distributing Srila Prabhupada's books. Association is extremely powerful. Generally devotees only associate with other devotees. In this way we can remain firmly fixed in Krishna consciousness. What about the preachers? What about the book distributors? You might well ask. Are they not associating with non-devotees? Why are they not contaminated by preaching to the materialists? The secret is that the preachers are merciful to the fallen conditioned souls. They can see that everyone is suffering simply because of a lack of Krishna consciousness. They want to help the suffering conditioned souls by giving them Krishna consciousness. However, they never as- sociate with the materialists. The preacher gives his association to everyone, but he only takes the association of other devotees. He never takes the association of materialistic people. In any case those who are preaching by distributing Srila Prabhupada's books are given special protection by Krishna.

The devotees engaged in mundane business activities had nothing to remind them of Krishna in their service and no chance of talking about Krishna either, whereas the book distributors were distributing Krishna in the form of Srila Prabhupada's books, they were constantly talking about Krishna to the conditioned souls to convince them to buy the books and they were rapidly making advancement in Krishna consciousness. The business devotees, however, were associating with mundane people and talking about the Hong-Kong paintings, or whatever mundane paraphernalia they were selling so, naturally their consciousness became totally mundane.

This change of ISKCON's activities - from distributing Srila Prabhupada's books to distributing mundane goods - changed everything. The devotees were no longer preaching and Srila Prabhupada's books were not being printed or distributed. The devotees lost their taste for Krishna consciousness. At this point many devotees left the movement, however there were also many who stayed. There was a group of devotees who saw ISKCON as their "career path" and they were interested in capturing important management posts and ultimately becoming spiritual masters and enjoying the associated fame, profit, adoration and distinction. These devotees were plotting to advance within ISKCON in exactly the same way the junior clerk in some large organization plots to become the managing director. These devotees never know what spiritual ecstasy was because they were never able to taste it. They simply feigned chanting Hare Krishna when other devotees were watching and they slept and engaged in sinful activities when no one was watching. (Of course Krishna is always watching!!) These devotees studied Srila Prabhupada's books and became quite expert at preaching. They could give very convincing lectures and most devotees were convinced that these men were advanced devotees. They were in many cases very intelligent, but their intelligence was used in the wrong way. They were simply scheming to become temple president, then GBC, then guru, then Krishna!

There is a narration in the Srimad Bhagavatam about a demon of the name Hiranyakasipu. He was a very determined fellow. He wanted to be the lord of the entire universe and he wanted to be immortal. He knew that Lord Brahma was the supreme person in the universe and that if he was pleased he could offer great benedictions. The demigods, such as Lord Brahma, are generally pleased by their devotees if they perform austerities, the voluntary acceptance of suffering for a greater cause. So Hiranyakasipu was determined to perform very great austerity to please Lord Brahma and receive benedictions from him. Hiranyakasipu went to Mandara Hill and performed great austerity by standing on his toes with his hands in the air. He kept this pose for thousands of years, so strong was his determination. He was so powerful that even though ants built their ant-hill around his body and ate all his flesh, he kept the life-force within his bones. After some time he became so powerful that an enormous, unbearable heat began to emanate from the ant-hill which covered him. This heat was so intense that it even disturbed the demigods in the heavenly planets. The demigods decided to go to Lord Brahma to petition him for a solution to their discomfort.

On the request of the demigods, Lord Brahma went to the place where Hiranyakasipu was performing his austerities. At first Lord Brahma could not see where Hiranyakasipu was, but then he saw the ant-hill which was radiating so much heat and light. He could then understand, "Here is Hiranyakasipu." Lord Brahma sprinkled Hiranyakasipu with a few drops of water from his kamandalu (water pot) and immediately Hiranyakasipu was transformed into a very beautiful golden complexioned man. Hiranyakasipu then immediately fell flat at Lord Brahma's feet and offered him prayers. Lord Brahma was pleased by the prayers and austerities performed by Hiranyakasipu and he offered to give him benedictions. As a result of these benedictions Hiranyakasipu became very, very powerful. So powerful that he conquered almost all of the planets in this universe and had most of the demigods, who usually serve Krishna, serving him. He turned the whole universe upside down. Only a few demigods were able to escape his influence.

The point of this narration is the entire incident, including Hiranyakasipu's great austerities and his achievement of almost unlimited power is completely material. There is not even the slightest tinge of transcendental activity, although mundane men may consider it very spiritual.

Similarly some "devotees" in ISKCON have performed great austerities and have become learned in the scriptures and very powerful, but the purpose is not spiritual, the purpose is totally material. They simply want fame, profit, adoration, ppower, etc. Their end will be similar to the end of Hiranyakasipu. You can read the seventh canto of Srimad Bhagavatam to see what happened to Hiranyakasapu.

Many young people were attracted as a result of the devotees preaching and from reading Srila Prabhupada's books. They came to ISKCON and accepted these "zonal acaryas" on face value. All the devotees in the temples were praising them as pure devotees (anyone who didn't was thrown out) and they seemed to be advanced devotees. Many of these young people took initiation from the authorized "guru" in their area. That was their only option - there was no other way according to the ISKCON devotees. These new devotees were not aware of the poisonous effects of Mayavada philosophy which by now were spread throughout the entire society. They didn't even know what Mayavada philosophy was! Once they joined the movement they received little training in Krishna consciousness, they were not encouraged to read Srila Prabhupada's books. The main program was to make money for the temple. The result was most of these devotees never really understood what Krishna consciousness was and therefore didn't experience any spiritual pleasure. This was because they were not following the process given by Srila Prabhupada. It was not their fault... The ISKCON devotees were not actually presenting Krishna consciousness any more. Everything had changed. Instead of always thinking of Krishna and distributing Srila Prabhupada's books the devotees were now always thinking of money and selling anything and everything they could lay their hands on, simply to make money. Many new devotees left after a short time because there was no pleasure or satisfaction at all in ISKCON anymore. The preaching was contaminated with Mayavada poison so just by listening to the classes devotees would loose any attachment they may have had for personal devotional service to Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

These devotees either left, became contaminated themselves and joined the "Mayavadi" club, or became unhappy and frustrated within ISKCON.

As the Hare Krishna movement grew Srila Prabhupada handed over much of the management to a body of devotees he had formed called the Governing Body Commission (GBC). He wanted the GBC to take over management responsibilities to enable him to spend more time on his most important project, writing his translations and purports on the Srimad Bhagavatam and other literatures.

Unfortunately there were differences of opinion among GBC members leading to arguments and fights. But more importantly, the GBC often made decisions which were not in line with Srila Prabhupada's guidelines and teachings.

Srila Prabhupada concluded that the society was contaminated by a "poisonous effect."

"Regarding the poisonous effect in our society, it is a fact and I know from where this poison tree has sprung up and how it has affected practically the whole society in a very dangerous form. But it does not matter. Prahlada Maharaja was administered poison and it did not act. I think that in the same parampara system that the poison administered to our society will not act if some of our students are as good as Prahlada Maharaja."(to Hansadutta Sep 2, 1970)

The problems became so bad that at a festival at New Vrndavana in West Virginia in 1970 a number of Srila Prabhupada's sannyasis began preaching Mayavada philosophy to the devotees assembled at the festival.

"Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave protection to devotees and killed many demons in the course of His preaching work. He specifically mentioned that the Mayavadi philosophers are the greatest demons. Therefore he warned all others not to hear the Mayavada philosophy. mayavadibhasya sunile haya sarva-nasa: simply by hearing the Mayavada interpretation of the sastras, one is doomed." (CC Adi 17.53)

The sannyasis at New Vrndavana claimed Srila Prabhupada was actually Krishna, that he was displeased with them and had left the movement. It was now up to these sannyasis to lead the movement...

"I do not know what was resolved at New Vrndavana. But I have heard that Brahmananda is preaching about me, that I am Krishna, that I am Supersoul, that I have withdrawn my mercy from the disciples, that I have left the society, and so on. I do not know how far they are correct, but I have written him a letter that he may not do something which may harm the interest of the society. 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 a sinister movement is within our society. I have not heard anything from Krishna dasa and Syamasundara, so all of you may try to save the society from this dangerous position." (to Hansadutta 2 Sep, 1970)

The Hare Krishna movement had become a large organization and things were not always going on according to the standards and regulations established by Srila Prabhupada. The GBC's failing to follow Srila Prabhupada's instructions was an indication of very serious problems at all levels of the society. Devotees in ISKCON had lost their enthusiasm to preach and things were becoming very degraded.

"I am a little observing now, especially in your country, that our men are loosing their enthusiasm for spreading our program of Krishna consciousness movement. Otherwise why so many letters of problems are coming, dissatisfied? That is not a very good sign. The whole problem is they're not following the regulative principles, that I can detect. Without this enthusiasm will be lacking. Even mechanically following, and if he gets gradually understanding from the class, he will come to the point of spontaneous enthusiasm. This spontaneous loving devotional service is not so easy matter, but if one simply sticks to the rules and regulations, like rising early, chanting 16 rounds, chanting gayatri, keeping always clean - this enthusiasm will grow more and more, and if there's also patience and determination, one day he will come to the platform of spontaneous devotion, then his life will be perfect. All this I have told you in "Nectar of Devotion". So I do not think that the leaders are themselves following, nor they are seeing the others are following strictly. This must be rectified at once. Each centre remain independent, that's all right, but the president and other officers must themselves follow and see the others are following the regulative principles carefully, and give them good instruction so they may understand nicely why this tapasya is necessary. And GBC and sannyasis will travel and see the officers are doing this, and if they observe any lowering of the standard, then they must reform and advise, or if there is some discrepancy I shall remove it." (to Karandhar 22 Dec 1972)

Even the basic requirements such as following the four regulative principles (no illicit sex life, no intoxication, no gambling and no meat eating) and the chanting of at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily were being neglected by many devotees. And this was not only the case for new devotees. Many of the leaders, Srila Prabhupada's "right hand men", the GBC and temple presidents were not following.

"Our spiritual way should strictly observe the following points especially:

Neatness and cleanliness of all personal body. (I still see those who are initiated as Brahmins, they do not wash their hands after eating even; of course, there may be so many defects due to your birth in non-Brahmin families, but how long shall it go on? It is a very easy thing.)
Chanting 16 rounds daily. (I don't thing everybody's following these principles.)
Temple worship, which should be performed rigidly between 4 and 10 a.m.) I find that devotees are still sleeping up to 6 or 7 o'clock.

A new type of devotee had surfaced within ISKCON. The pseudo-devote. These pseudo-devotees feigned attraction to Krishna and Srila Prabhupada and pretended to be following the process of devotional service, however, they were not working for Srila Prabhupada and Krishna. They had their own personal goals for fame, wealth, followers and sex life.

"There are many pretenders who refuse to work in Krishna consciousness but make a show of meditation, while actually dwelling within the mind upon sense enjoyment. Such pretenders may also speak on dry philosophy in order to bluff sophisticated followers, but according to this verse these are the greatest cheaters. For sense enjoyment one can act in any capacity of the social order, but if one follows the rules and regulations of his particular status, he can make gradual progress in purifying his existence. But he who makes a show of being a yogi, while actually searching for the objects of sense gratification, must be called the greatest cheater, even though he sometimes speaks of philosophy. His knowledge has no value because the effects of such a sinful man's knowledge are taken away by the illusory energy of the Lord. Such a pretenders mind is always impure, and therefore his show of yogic meditation has no value whatsoever." (Bhagavad- gita As It Is 3.6 purport)

Because the pretenders did not seriously take to the process of Krishna consciousness, they were not purified of mundane desires and could therefore never taste the ecstasy and spiritual bliss experienced by sincere devotees. Instead they became envious of the sincere devotees, envious of Srila Prabhupada and envious of Krishna. These so-called devotees actually worked against Srila Prabhupada and his attempts to spread Krishna consciousness from within the movement. This was one of the symptoms of the Mayavada contamination which had been administered to ISKCON.

Srila Prabhupada always stressed that success in spiritual life depends on pleasing Krishna, and Krishna is pleased if His representative, the spiritual master is pleased. Unfortunately these pseudo-devotees had other ideas...

"One should have unflinching faith in Krishna and similarly in the spiritual master. That is the way of understanding the secret of Krishna consciousness. Unfortunately, an attempt has been made lately to shake this formulae. This mischievous attempt has done great harm, but if you, the members of the GBC can rectify this mischievous attempt, then there is still hope of making our progress uninterruptedly. I hope Krishna will help us...The GBC's duty is therefore to see that every member is following the rules and regulations and chanting 16 rounds regularly on their beads. I hope that the GBC in cooperation with the sannyasis in their touring program will be able to keep vigilance systematically in order to keep the society as pure as possible." (to Bali Mardan Aug 25, 1970)

The Mayavadis and impersonalists have a different view of the spiritual master. They see acceptance of the spiritual master as a step in the process of ultimately becoming one with God, or actually becoming God. Their philosophy is that everyone is God, however, in the material world we are covered by maya (illusion), and have therefore forgotten our natural godly position. They use the spiritual master as a stepping-stone. They take some instruction and then think they can kick the spiritual master out of the way and take his place.

"The Mayavadi philosophers are engaged in their missionary work of spoiling the Vedic culture by preaching that everyone is God... Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu never accepted such foolish and unauthorized ideas. He strictly warned mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva-nasa: 'Anyone who follows the principles of Mayavada philosophy is certainly domed.' Such a fool needs to be reformed by punishment." (CC Adi 12.35)

When the Mayavadi makes a little advancement by serving his spiritual master, he becomes puffed-up and wants to take the place of his spiritual master. Instead of remaining an eternal servant, he wants to be the master.

These Mayavadi ideas had surfaced in ISKCON and many "big" leaders were contaminated by this philosophy. The Mayavada philosophy is very subtle and extremely difficult for neophyte devotees to detect. This is because the Mayavadis, don't directly reject the Vedic scriptures. Lord Caitanya said the Mayavadis are even more dangerous than the Buddhists, because the Buddhists reject the Vedic scriptures and it is clear to everyone they are definitely not devotees of Krishna. The Mayavadis, however claim to be devotees of Krishna, they read and speak on the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam, they chant the Hare Krishna mantra, and they claim to be great Vaisnavas.

Although externally the Mayavadis may appear to be great Vaisnavas (devotees of Krishna), actually, in their heart they don't believe that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, nor do they accept Krishna's pure devotees as being non-different from Krishna. For them there is no concept of God being personal. Ultimately they think everything is Brahman (spirit) and that they are also Brahman. So they conclude they are at least equal to God. (Everything is Brahman, I am Brahman, God is Brahman, so I am God!) This attitude often leads to a devotee who may be following the regulative principles of devotional service, chanting Hare Krishna, reading profusely, and even performing quite severe austerities in devotional service. Because of these activities he may be regarded as an advanced devotee by other devotees. But, the underlying philosophy motivating his activities is wrong. He is not working for his spiritual master and Krishna, He doesn't necessarily even believe in Krishna or have any faith in his spiritual master. His motivation is completely selfish. He is thinking that if I study all these books, if I get up early in the morning, if I chant and dance enthusiastically in the association of the other devotees, they will think I'm a very advanced devotee. Then I can become the temple president and I will be in control of all the devotees in the temple. I'll be able to get them to do anything I want....because the temple president is the representative of Krishna...he's non-different from Krishna....he should be worshiped like Krishna...... then why stop at temple president? I can become the GBC, then all of the devotees in the country will worship me. Why stop there? I can be Jagat Guru (Guru of the whole universe), then everybody will worship me!

So in this way the Mayavadi increases and increases his desires for fame, adoration, profit and distinction to the maximum possible degree. Ultimately he desires to become the supreme controller, Krishna. Eventually he believes he has become Krishna and perhaps he can attract a band of like-minded "disciples" who worship him as god. To a sane man this sounds ridiculous. How could people be so foolish to worship an ordinary mundane man, full of ordinary mundane faults as God? But people are amazingly stupid. At the time of writing this the newspapers are full of stories about some crazy man in Texas who claimed to be Jesus Christ. He locked himself up with 100 or so "disciples" and set fire to the place. His "disciples" voluntarily burned to death in the fire. Srila Prabhupada repeatedly emphasized that this world is a place of the cheaters and the cheated. This "Jesus Christ" was a cheater and his "disciples" were cheated. This same scenario is repeated over and over again here in the material world. It is not so long ago that Bhagavan Sri Rajniesh was attracting hundreds and thousands of "disciples" to his bogus free-sex religion. The problem is that people want to be cheated. They want to be told they can retain all their sinful activities and material desires and at the same time justify it by some bogus "spiritual" path. The Christians have been doing it for a long time now, "No one is perfect, you can't be perfect, Jesus died for your sins, Jesus forgives, just keep on partying and come to church on Sundays! Jesus forgives!" A very nice philosophy?

It would be unrealistic to think that the Hare Krishna movement has been free from this type of contamination. There were many pseudo-devotees who were not at all interested in Krishna consciousness or Srila Prabhupada. They were simply interested in exploiting the Hare Krishna movement and the devotees for their own ends. So they developed a new philosophy by utilizing the Mayavada technique of word juggelery and redefination and they managed to turn Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON into a mundane business organization. An organization of the cheaters and the cheated. Although they were outwardly preaching Krishna consciousness, and some were even great scholars with the ability to speak on Krishna consciousness very convincingly, much of it was false. Many were after followers, fame, profit, distinction, etc. So although, in many cases, even though their preaching was completely in accordance with Srila Prabhupada's teachings and books, because their desires were material, not spiritual, the effect of their preaching and Srila Prabhupada's preaching was totally different.

When Srila Prabhupada preached all spiritual results were there. Even though English was a foreign language and his accent was difficult to understand for many Westerners, because his desire was pure his preaching was magnificently successful. Srila Prabhupada's achievements are inconceivable from the material point of view. His was so successful because Krishna was helping him all along.

The pseudo-devotes, however, didn't get any help from Krishna. they were able, for a short time, to make a false show of Krishna consciousness, but they could only attract sentimentalists and other envious persons like themselves. So gradually the Hare Krishna Movement degenerated into a mundane organization. It became like hell for serious devotees. As a result many devotees were forced to leave as they could no longer practice Krishna consciousness peacefully in ISKCON.

Gradually the mood within ISKCON changed from a group of dedicated servants of Krishna and Srila Prabhupada enthusiastically and actively trying to please Srila Prabhupada by distributing his books and preaching strongly to a group of envious materialists engaged in mundane business and money making trying to exploit each other and the public for their own personal sense gratification. They had totally neglected the preaching work. The transition was subtle and even imperceptible to devotees within the movement. As time went on they just forgot what Krishna consciousness used to be like. They forgot the ecstasy, the joy, the enthusiasm, the challenge... it was all a blur in the past. Somehow they thought that this thing they were doing now was Krishna consciousness. They really couldn't perceive any change. Isn't maya wonderful!

What was left was a band of envious men all trying to take some position of power and control and a bunch of sentimental devotees, who mostly believed in Krishna and had faith in Srila Prabhupada, but were not very philosophically inclined nor very intelligent. These sentimental devotees were easily diverted from the real path of Krishna consciousness by the envious pseudo-devotees. They didn't have the ability to tell the difference between Krishna and maya.

"Raksasa means almost man-eater. For their self satisfaction they can eat even their own sons. They're called raksasas. No sense. My sense gratification should be satisfied, never mind, you go to hell. This is the age. We create a machine that everyone comes and becomes smashed in that machine and my sense satisfaction is there. Although I'll never be happy by such sense satisfaction. This is going on. You can know that this world is now managed by the raksasas. They don't mind what is happening. They're prepared to sacrifice everything for fulfilling their whimsical nonsense. They're called raksasas. They are very much enamoured by this material civilization. They cannot understand and they will never try to understand because they are raksasas." (SPL66-036)

As more and more pseudo-devotees captured positions of power in ISKCON things rapidly deteriorated. It came to the point that temples would even directly reject Srila Prabhupada's orders in his presence. This was particularly the case with engaging the devotees in business activities instead of book distribution and preaching. Srila Prabhupada didn't want it, and he said so many, many times. But the pseudo-devotees wanted it and didn't care in the slightest what Srila Prabhupada wanted.

Apparently the "leaders" in ISKCON preferred to engage the devotees in mundane business activities instead of the preaching work because there was more money to be made in business than preaching, and the society needed money to preach. But there was another reason. Envy. The difficulty was that the "leaders" were becoming rapidly separated from Krishna consciousness. Their consciousness was absorbed in other things, however, the book distributors and new devotees joining the movement were in ecstasy in Krishna consciousness. They were in spiritual ecstasy because they were following Srila Prabhupada's instructions, following the regulative principles, chanting at least 16 rounds daily and distributing Srila Prabhupada's books. They were so happy, their faces were so bright and their feet hardly touched the ground. This was unbearable to the morbid, materialistic and contaminated pseudo-devotees who were after fame, profit, followers,... They couldn't bear it. So this new business program was developed. Take these ecstatic book distributors off book distribution. Get them to grow hair and wear ordinary Western clothes and send them out selling mundane paraphernalia instead of Srila Prabhupada's books. It was a very successful program and it quickly transformed ecstatic book distributors into morbid materialists. The materialists like to see others suffering... the last thing they want to see is ecstatic book distributors.

"Suppose you are selling Back To Godhead. Does it not remind you of Krishna? Does it not remind you about Krishna? What are you selling Back To Godhead for? You could sell another popular magazine which would sell very nicely, quickly, thousands of copies. Why are you taking this Back To Godhead? For Krishna. You are not for business. You are not an ordinary newspaper seller. Why are you taking Back To Godhead? Your motive is that people may know about Krishna. That is your motive. If magazine selling is your business then you can take any other sense gratifying magazine. There are so many and you can sell, you can make some profit. So we have to mould our life in such a way that we shall always remember Krishna. Therefore remembering Krishna is my primary business and we have to act in such a way that we may not forget Krishna. That should be the principle. That is the secret."

Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says, chadiya vaisnava seva nistara payeche keba: Unless one serves a Vaisnava he cannot be delivered. The spiritual master initiates the disciple to deliver him, and if the disciple executes the order of the spiritual master and does not offend other Vaisnavas, his path is clear. Consequently Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu requested all the Vaisnavas present to show mercy toward the two brothers, Rupa and Sanatana, who had just been initiated by the Lord. When a Vaisnava sees that another Vaisnava is a recipient of the Lords mercy, he becomes very happy. Vaisnavas are not envious. If a Vaisnava, by the mercy of the Lord, is empowered by Him to distribute the Lords Holy Name all over the world, other Vaisnavas become very joyful - that is, if they are truly Vaisnavas. Why should a Vaisnava be envious of another Vaisnava who is successful in spreading the Holy Name of the Lord? An actual Vaisnava is very pleased to accept another Vaisnava who is bestowing the Lord's mercy. A mundane person in the dress of a Vaisnava should not be respected, but rejected. This is enjoined in the sastras (upeksa). the word upkesa means neglect. One should neglect an envious person. A preachers duty is to love the Supreme Personality of Godhead, make friendships with Vaisnavas, show mercy to the innocent and reject or neglect those who are envious or jealous. There are many jealous people in the dress of Vaisnavas in this Krishna Consciousness movement, and they should be completely neglected. There is no need to serve an envious person in the dress of a Vaisnava. When Narottama dasa Thakura says chadiya vaisnava seva nistara payeche keba, he is indicating an actual Vaisnava, not an envious or jealous person in the dress of a Vaisnava.

A jealous person in the dress of a Vaisnava is not at all happy to see the success of another Vaisnava in receiving the Lords mercy. Unfortunately in this age of Kali there are many mundane persons in the dress of Vaisnavas and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has described them a disciples of Kali. He says, Kali-cela, he indicates that there is another Vaisnava, a pseudo-Vaisnava with tilaka on his nose and kunti beads around his neck. Such a pseudo-Vaisnava associates with money and women and is jealous of successful Vaisnavas. Although passing for a Vaisnava, his only business is earning money in the dress of a Vaisnava. Bhaktivinoda Thakura therefore says that such a pseudo-Vaisnava is not a Vaisnava at all, but a disciple of Kali-yuga. A disciple of Kali cannot become an acarya by the decision of some high court. Mundane votes (2/3 hand vote) have no jurisdiction to elect a Vaisnava acarya. A Vaisnava acarya is self-effulgent, and there is no need for any court judgement. A false acarya my try to override a Vaisnava by a high-court decision, but Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that he is nothing but a disciple of Kali-yuga. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, Ch 1, 218-220)