September  1998

Harikesa Swami Resigns
 

 

$500,000 already handed over to HK and rest to be ‘negotiated’

> From: COM: Hari Sauri (das) ACBSP <Hari.Sauri.ACBSP@com.bbt.se>
> Subject: Fw: Harikesha das
> Date: Tuesday, September 01, 1998 1:30 PM
>
> [Text 1652205 from COM]

Just a brief message to inquire from you, as you appear to be in the forefront of the problem’s with Harikesha, did the GBC recently agree to release a very large amount of Lakshmi to him ? There are rumours flying about all over the place.

Dear prabhu,
Please accept my humble respects. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

There was a dispute over several million dollars in the Visva Toshani fund. HK claimed it was his, part of some private business he was running and made threats to Brahmamuhurta that if he didn’t send the entire amount to him he would expose some wrong doings in ISKCON and the BBT and send BMd to jail for 5 years. BMd pointed out that HK himself would go to jail too if that happened.

The Russians had also made threats to Locan and Dharmaraj that the money was actually theirs (it originally came from Prema Invest in Russia) and if it was not given back to them they would make life hell for them and their families.

In preliminary negotiations between HK and Locan and co. it turned out $1.4m was actually Moscow BBT money and HK agreed it should be given back to them. He also agreed that a further $600,000 be used to pay off  VT’s existing liabilities. And he wrote off some $2.5m in outstanding loans given to ISKCON temples. Still there was $1.5m that he was claiming. He had already been given $500,000 in the form of a couple of vehicles and some cash.

Some say that you were recently attacked, under orders from Harikesha. Is this true ? Surely we are not going to allow him to blackmail Srila Prabhupada’s movement. I know you must be busy, but could you kindly let me know what is the truth in all this.

To save these men from further threats and to protect the money, Naresvara stepped in as a negotiator. They were all taken off the VT accounts and it was put under someone else’s control (can’t say who). Naresvara and myself went to see HK last Thurs. evening, meeting at a hotel where the main Russian dissidents were staying. When he realized he wasn’t
going to get the money by the deadline he had demanded (Aug. 26) he became furious and stormed off. He jumped in his car and yelled to Brahmananda Puri (the main Russian mafioso who runs Prema Invest) “They are cheating me!
They are not giving me my money. Stop them!”


Me and Nares had already gotten into Nares. car and tried to drive out but B.Puri stood in front of us and blocked us while he called his friends down from the hotel room. Meanwhile HK parked his car sideways across the driveway to stop us getting out. He looked angrily on while about 5 Russians gathered around Nares.’s window. We locked the doors and
Nares. opened his window about an inch and half and we talked. B. Puri told us the money was his, and if it was not given to HK he would kill us all. He said he would get the Mafia and all of us would be killed.

Sannyas was a bit more reasonable and tried to get us to come up to  their room to talk. We refused and told him we wouldn’t talk while B. Puri was present. After 10 minutes HK saw that nothing was going to happen and  suddenly drove out and went off on his own. I don’t think that he was within hearshot when B. Puri made the death threats.

After another 5 minutes we told Sannyas we would talk to him in the morning and they let us go. Naresvara spent the night in a hotel and I stayed at the Abenteurer temple.

Sannyas did come to see me the next morning and we talked for about half an hour. He is actually a nice person but caught up with his loyalties to HK. He tried to say that the money was given to HK personally and was not ISKCON’s. Our argument was that HK made threats against ISKCON and the BBT and there had to be an agreement reached before he could be given anything.
I got Sannyas to ring Naresvara who was already in his car on the way to the airport. They talked along the same lines and the conclusion was that HK  should wait till after his 2 week holiday and then they would negotiate but this was not a good time right now.

After that I heard over the weekend that HK has now told his Russian followers that he will not pursue the money (he apparently realized that his threats would make more trouble for himself than for the society) and instead the Russians are going to finance his new helaing and education center he wants to start with Monika as the chief therapist. Whether this means the Russians will now desist in their claims for the VT funds or not remains to be seen. But for now it seems the heat is off.

We shall see what transpires. I don’t know the exact status of the  VT right now, I am not in the loop on that one.

Your humble servant,
Hari-sauri dasa


 

HK given $250,000 as ‘pension’.

2-9-98 - New revelations detail an earlier cash payment of $250,000

The following extract from an e-mail from Locan Das, one of the trustees of the Visva Tosani fund, proves that HK had earlier been given $250,000 cash:

Letter COM:1653462 (16 lines)
From: Locan (das) HKS (Lund - S) Date: 02-Sep-98 09:43

“Our Foundation has 12 Trustees and we decided to give him $250,000 to buy a house at a time when he was very sick and still not so far gone philosophically. We thought this would be a kind of pension for his retirement. We thought this was fair for someone who gave so much to ISKCON for 30 years.
After that he changed very much and it become more evident that he wanted to leave ISKCON so we did not give him anything besides that. The rest of the money is with ISKCON and the BBT.”


Now we saw in our earlier story (Please see ‘HS states that HK already given $500,000’) Hari Sauri prabhu admitting that HK had already been given the following:

“He had already been given $500,000 in the form of a couple of vehicles and  some cash.”

We do not know if this $250,000 is included in the $500,000 mentioned by Hari Sauri. If not the total given to HK is now confirmed to be at least $750,000.


 

Badri Criticises JPS

More revelations regarding discontent with current Gurus

1) Badrinarayan Das, the GBC EC member said this recently about H.H. Jayapataka Maharaja:

"It is a long struggle. Thanks go to Naresvara and Abhiram. However now the Mafia killers are aiming at the EC officers. What a year this has been! As for Jayapataka Maharaj...frankly his mood reminds me of his propping up Bhavananda until the last day. He is swimming completely against the current of the EC and the GBCs in Russia."

Please Note:

  1. We see here further confirmation of the 'mafia' links that were earlier denied by ISKCON.
  2. We also have a frank admission that JPS 'propped up' Bhavananda during the zonal acarya days. This of course is something that many people have suspected, but it is nice to have it confirmed by our GBC Executive Committee.
  3. Also Badri admits that JPS has an agenda that is completely opposed to the current GBC.

We wonder what maharaja will make of all this criticism!

2) Next we His Grace Prithu Das attacking some of the CURRENT REMAINING 'zonal acaryas':

Text COM:1659684 (21 lines)
From: Prithu (das) ACBSP
Date: 04-Sep-98 11:51
Cc: Prabhupada Disciples [2588]
Reference: Text COM:1659202 by Mahadyuti (das) ACBSP (TP Soho St. London -
GB)
Subject: Guru, Guru, off the wall...
-------------------------------------------------------------
Hari Sauri Prabhu,

Some devotees here have asked how it happened that a sannyasi (HKS) had a female therapist and masseuse. Do you have the answer?

Thats why it's better to be married. No wife would tolerate it.

The other point of course is that some of out big leaders have been out of control since the Zonal Acarya days and have been doing whatever they see fit. Never mind how much we have been screaming (this very issue in fact came up in last year's assessment by the Deputies, therapist) its going on in one way or another since SP left.
Till Krishna finally pulls the plug out and another such and such pada or deva comes down in a blaze.It comes down to culture. Cultured people's humility increases the bigger they get.
yspda
(Text COM:1659684) -----------------------------------------

ext COM:1658322 (101 lines)
From: Prithu (das) ACBSP
Date: 04-Sep-98 00:12
To: Prabhupada Disciples [2576]
Cc: ***********************************!
(sent:04-Sep-98 00:18)
Reference: Text COM:1657973 by Janesvara (das) ACBSP (Syracuse - USA)
Comment: Text COM:1658460 by Basu Ghosh (das) ACBSP (Baroda - IN)
Comment: Text COM:1659200 by Mahadyuti (das) ACBSP (TP Soho St. London -
GB)
Subject: RV: *******************************!
-------------------------------------------------------------
[...]
I know things are not at all good and many of us have protested against the preposterous Zonal Acarya profile since the day of  yore, which is one of the items of discontent after all. In fact most of the GBC are very upset that this profile has been pepetrated all these years by some and still is - covert or overt - by less than you have fingers on one hand.

But what do you do if those people don't listen to their godbrothers. Krishna cuts them down, one by one.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please Note:

a) Prithu Prabhu is clearly attacking current gurus besides HK still in 'good standing', but is not brave enough to name them unlike Badri prabhu. He states:

"Till Krishna finally pulls the plug out and ANOTHER such and such pada or deva comes down in a blaze."

"In fact most of the GBC are very upset that this profile has been perpetrated all these years by some and STILL IS - covert or overt - by less than you have fingers on one hand."


Now we wonder who are these current 'zonal acarya' 'padas' who are STILL perpretating this profile, and who in number are very few, that Prithu wants to see 'cut down' and 'come down in a blaze'!

For our readers who are struggling, we will provide some clues:

  1. There were originally only 11 'zonal acaryas' and there are very few left who have any 'profile', and use terms such as 'pada'.
  2. See previous item!


3) Finally we have His Grace Hari Sauri revealing how HK fell:

Text COM:1660898 (18 lines)
From: Hari Sauri (das) ACBSP
Date: 04-Sep-98 21:12
Cc: Prabhupada Disciples [2593]
Reference: Text COM:1659202 by Mahadyuti (das) ACBSP (TP Soho St. London - GB)
Subject: Monica
-------------------------------------------------------------
Hari Sauri Prabhu,

Some devotees here have asked how it happened that a sannyasi (HKS) had a female therapist and masseuse. Do you have the answer?

Monika was introduced to HK while he was in the hospital following his collapse in early June. She had some contact with devotees for about a year previously and after the regular doctors failed to diagnose what was wrong (Hk also objected to any tests) these devotees suggested she be brought in to try out her prana therapy. The rest is history.

I think that because there was always a tendency by HK to go for tantric and other esoteric "cures" it was not considered unreasonable for a New Age woman healer to be brought in. Perhaps they thought he was transcendental to womanly association--obviously he wasn't.

Your humble servant,
Hari-sauri dasa
(Text COM:1660898) -----------------------------------------


 

"Lord Sri Krishna Has To Do The Needful"

05/09/1998 - From a letter by Jayapataka Swami to Harikesh disciple:

Camp: ISKCON Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir, Radhastami Festival, Mayapur Dham, India.

My Dear Spiritual Nephew (name removed),

Please accept my best wishes. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! Thankyou for your letter cited below with my comments. I have noted the contents carefully.

Thank you Jayapataka Maharaja for your empathy and concern.

It is the least I can give. I wouldn't hesitate to give my blood for the devotees.

Many disciples and devotees feel heavily cheated by Harikesa Maharaja's current turn and choices. It is a difficult time, and this is not as innocent as it looked in the beginning.

In my discussions with HKM there was always a thin layer of seperation between reality and illusion. I may not have been able to distinguish which side he was on initially. He is being heavily influenced, but he feels himself very much in control. Isn't that how illusion works. Kartaham iti manyate...

He didn't reveal everything he is thinking to me. But I got some hints. I am sure that before things settle down we will get more surprises as well. The EC's advise to not take what he is saying seriously is good advice considering the things being said and done. It is for you especially and for all of us a very difficult time.

One thing is a period of temporary confusion, an other a firm stand  against Srila Prabhupada's movement and other basic fundamental principles  in our philosophy.

Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati thakur states in his preaching examples that if a disciple wants to prove his guru wrong the only thing that sets him straight is getting smashed. This is called "Guru upare Guru-giri". I hoped that HKM would avoid confronting Srila Prabhupada as that means going to an extreme which is very self-destructive for a disciple. The only hope is that with all the prayers of the disciples and well-wishers he will come to his senses or when/if the crash happens he will be able to pick himself up with our help and humbly submit to Srila Prabhupada.

Let's stay together and pray, hope against hope.

Yes. We need to stay together. To pray, to serve, to support. Hope against hope. We should do what we can to see that no one leaves Krishna consciousness. Maya will give many ideas to entice the devotees. Now is the most difficult of times. I haven't given up hoping, but in the face of confrontation other emotions sometimes prevail. My heart is bleeding.

Today is Vamana Dvadasi. Bali Maharaja had to make the choice follow Guru (sukracarya) against Lord Sri Krishna or stick with Krishna consciousness and devotional service. Bali made the historic choice and has been elevated to the position of Mahajana due to rejecting his deviant guru and surrendering to Lord Sri Krishna. Interesting lesson for us all.

Later Sukracarya realized his error and begged for forgiveness. Then he was accepted back.

History repeats itself.

Srila Prabhupada and Lord Sri krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu love all of you very much. Don't forget that. If a guru is somehow off the track then Lord Sri Krishna has to do the needful to protect the disciples from being also derailed---he has to reveal the actual situation to keep the devotees on target to get Back to Godhead. The Guru will get chances to return to the correct position and situation. Disciples and devotees can make a difference. Let's stay together under the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada in the association of ISKCON devotees.

I hope that this finds you in good health.
Your well wisher and spiritual uncle,
Jayapataka Swami


 

"Do You Know Your Brother Talks to Statues?"

07/09/1998 - "They said to my sister, 'Do you know that your brother talks to statues?'"

Excerpts from a darsan of Harikesa to Bhramika das in Abenteuer, transcribed from an audio tape, recorded on August 30, 1998.

Sri Visnupad: You shouldn't call it varnasrama, you should call it social development and don't say brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas, sudras. Say guides, leaders, economic developers and tradesmen, okay? Use those kind of designations. And it's just basically what it boils down to, that we need somebody to have a good idea and to train people, educate people and to give them some kind of healing or therapy. Because most people in the world are damaged. Most people in the world were abused as children or had many difficulties. And had not proper love. Because everybody in the world wants to be loved. They want to love and be loved. That is the basic principal in the world. To love and be loved.

So everybody wants to love and be loved. But they don't know how to love. And therefore they can't accept love, you know. People they don't know how to love others 'cause they don't feel love within themselves, because they are so damaged. So they get married and they expect to be loved, to love and be loved. For short period of time they feel love and loved. But them when they find out what their partners actually are like really, then they get disappointed. They have false expectation, they feel very hurt. Because they didn't really loved the person as a person for what they were. They loved them for what they thought they were. Right? What they wanted them to be. Just like every woman puts the man, "He's gonna protect me, he's gonna take care of me." And every man puts the woman, "She's gonna love me and be this and that and other thing." But you know, they have needs. One wants it hot, one wants it cold, one wants it this.. You have to learn to adjust and cooperate and respect each other and accept each other for what you are. And take care of children and love children and help children. Not that like in ISKCON we send them all over the place and don't care of them and call them all Maya and this and that and other thing.

There has to be actually loving relationship, and we have to help each other as people. And when we are solidly situated properly, then very easily we will be able to chant Hare Krsna and be Krsna conscious. Just like you are saying you are not chanting. Why? because materially you are not situated properly, and because you are so disturbed in your mind and heart you can't chant. Because you don't want to. Right? But if you're feeling very together, and peaceful, and happy, and balanced then chanting is a wonderful thing. Singing the names of Krsna and singing like that is wonderful thing. The Deities are wonderful. But people are so unbalanced materially and so improperly situated. And there is no social structure within which they can properly develop and learn and love each other and help each other. Therefore everything is in chaos. So the point is that first of all people live terribly. They have to get freed from their very severe material problems. Because just chanting Hare Krsna does not cure your material problems, and never it was meant for that. When insane person chants Hare Krsna, they don't become sane, you know. If a damaged person chants Hare Krsna, they don't become less damaged. You still have to go through some therapy. And so many our girls have had been sexually abused when they were children. And they don't know why they are disturbed all the time. Then they have to go to psychiatrist and they find out really what's wrong with them. Or hypnotist or whatever they do. And then they find out what's wrong with them. And then they realize why they were always (?) all this time.

So chanting Hare Krsna brings you to the highest spiritual platform. But you can't get there unless you are in the mode of goodness. You have to go first from… free yourself from ignorance, free yourself from passion. Get to the mode of goodness. Or at least predominately a goodness because you can never free yourself from passion and ignorance completely. There'll always be some mixture in the material world. But when you are predominately in the mode of goodness, at least you have a lot of goodness, then you are very peaceful and happy and well situated. And then from that platform you can come to suddha-sattva. That is said in the Bhagavatam in first canto second chapter. You have to come gradually through the different modes. But we are not doing that in ISKCON. We still maintain all this terrible qualities, even amongst the leaders. We cheat each other, we lie, we steal, we harm each other, we don't take care of each other, we don't give medical treatment which people needed. We have crazy situations in our movement where everything goes wrong through different individuals. It is really improper. Because we are not properly situated, we can't help others. And that the real problem. First of all we have to be properly situated. Save yourself first is a Vedic aphorism. First save yourself, then you can help others. If you are situated properly, you can help others.

So first it has to be some therapy for everybody. But I don't care if they do it or they don't do it. But if somebody's smart and has some feeling that they need help, then I want to help them make a center for healing. Some therapy center. And with the therapy center there will also be education center. Different therapy and education. Education has to be. Mothers have to be proper, fathers have to be proper, wives have to be proper. Parents have to take care of children really protecting them nicely, loving them nicely. With respect, acceptance and real love. These things after all you'll require. Without grhastha asrama there could be no society. Because only grhasthas make society. And if you have this rule that no illicit sex, then no one wants to be grhastha. Right? Because they can't do anything. So they figure what's the use. Why maintain a cow if you have milk in the market place? Maybe that's a wrong example. Or rather we should say, why maintain a wife if you can't do anything anyway? Except (indistinct), you lose your freedom in so many things.

So therefore that rule is not there. In marriage life they can't have no relationship. I don't mean insane sense gratification and all this crazy stuff. I mean the properly situated loving relationships. Like everybody in India does. Even Gaudiya Vaisnavas. Nobody has such a rule except us. Then people can actually start to develop themselves properly, as grhasthas. Then every brahmacari will become a grhastha, because it's normal. So we won't have all this young people or whoever they are taking sannyasa and being very imbalanced and improperly situated. Everyone should go through the grhastha asrama fully. And that's the Vedic way, that's the proper way. Dharma, artha, kama, moksa [stresses the word 'kama']. Right? That's normal, normal. That's normal stuff.

Okay, so we have to give therapy to people so that they can become cleansed and healthy. Then we have to give training and the education to all people. I'm not just talking about devotees. What's the use of a small group of devotees being in a society? Which just have some buildings which have no life in them. Empty buildings, empty shells, you know. With rules and regulations that no one can even remember or care about. And following people… you don't know what they are doing really. Materially speaking, cannot help anybody. This is not proper. You should all be well situated. Everyone should have a job. Everyone should have income. Everyone should have a house. Everyone should have a little land so that they can have garden. Everyone should take care of themselves, everyone should have medical treatment. Everyone should have family, have the cloth for the children. Proper everything for their children. Everyone should be well situated themselves. Best thing is on the land, you know, in villages. Village communities, where everyone has a piece of land and everyone has a house. And everyone can grow their own food and live nicely and help each other. Next you a neighbor needs help, or person down on the street needs help, everyone goes and helps them. If somebody's sick everyone goes and helps him. If somebody has a problem everyone goes and helps him. This is proper life, not all this crazy institutionalized communism which destroys everything. Communism is useless, everyone knows that. Everyone except ISKCON knows that. And of China.

So the point is that we have to make some changes which we can't do within this movement 'cause everybody is too close-minded. They don't have the vision to understand what's wrong. Therefore it has to be done outside of ISKCON. Therefore I'm no longer in ISKCON. But I really want to help you. I'm not interested in an institution which is crazy, which is a big pile of garbage. I want to deal with people, not institutions, not laws, and rules, and regulations. There's enough rules and regulations in the karmi society. We don't need that. So therefore I want to do something different which will actually help people. And I don't care if they are devotees or nondevotees. There're beautiful people everywhere in the world, very nice people in the world. Just like here in (?), wherever I go I'm just having so much fun dealing with people. It is just so wonderful to deal with people personally. You know, they're so nice, some people. You deal with them nicely, and they are immediately nice. I mean they immediately respond. It's incredible! You're just a little bit nice with somebody, and he immediately responds. Because everybody starving for it. Even in our movement. People are starving for love, they are starving for appreciation, they are starving for respect. They want these things. But we don't do it! So we have to start doing it ourselves, and then immediately everybody will respond. When you are loving, kind, happily situated person, everybody will respond you, and will want to be with you all the time.

So, anyway, we'll make a healing center first for anybody who needs it. That means devotees, nondevotees, anybody. And education center for everybody who needs it. Not just, you know, some narrow-minded ISKCON thing. It should be for anybody. Because the suggested way of life is the same for everybody, really. Basically it all boils down, everybody can be happy in the same exact way. And then… after that people will gradually make their own communities. So first what I want to do, near (?). We cooked this idea out together. It's not fully developed', but its pretty well. The scheme is pretty well developed. Which is that we'll have a place somewhere, working with trained psychiatrists, trained doctors, trained therapists, everybody with degrees. Completely legal. We'll accept it whatever it is. And then we'll train up maybe two or three experts for Russia. Russians will come.

We have to pick the most qualified people in Russia. And we'll train them how to do what we are doing here. And I will go there and then do the same thing there. Make a center there. I will not do it personally I will just set it up. Right? And then those trained people, they will do the same thing in Russia. Right? And then you can build community around clean people. Because if you just go now and start buying lend and building houses, you're gonna fill it with insane people. Right? That's not good, you should wait. You should just get yourselves economically together. Right? You can buy land, and you can maybe buy things to maintain.

But the first thing we should do is what here in Germany. Because we have ú qualification here to do it. And then to train some Russians, and then they will do it there. It may take two years to train them properly, because it is not a simple thing. They have to learn enormous things. It's not so simple to heal people, it's not so simple. You know. We take it cheaply, it's not a cheap thing, it is a very difficult thing. We have to develop this education. And I'd like to work with qualified people. That means I have to pay them. It's not a cheap thing, you know, we have to pay salaries, big salaries because these are very highly qualified people. So we need a lot of money here to do that. And then we'll train up Russians. And in the meantime if you have extra money you can buy real estate, community places, farm, land where you can build, and also you just find land. And maybe you can accumulate materials for building and everything. Right? Or you can maybe get houses or whatever. If you have extra money. And then in this way we can then prepare community there. And then we can create people to go into that community. That's essential, because you just can't put anybody in there like in ISKCON they've just put any unqualified person in the temple. And they all have to live together, and they all are totally different kind of people. In the community there should be a compatible kind of people. People who have the same kind of ideas in the heart and the same desires in their heart, you know. Which basically everybody has. But they should be open-minded people, they should be spiritually minded people, not total materialists. Although total materialists are sometimes better then the spiritualists because at least they have a heart. They're not cold and impersonal people. So basically... you don't have to worry about such. But I think I finished that, basically, it is... Is that okay?

Bhramika: We have ideas about… to finance devotees who would like to be like vaisyas, like traders.

Sri Visnupad: Yes, but you should only do that with contracts.

Bhramika: Yes, right.

Sri Visnupad: Absolutely legal contracts. Because they will cheat you. Devotees learned how to cheat very well. And you nave to be very careful. And they are lazy also. They don't work. They'll think, "Oh, I have to go to chant". Or, "It's too much for me", or, "It's Maya", or this, or that. That's nonsense. Everybody has to work properly (indistinct). "You can do whatever you want and whenever you want". I used to work twelve hours a day.

But I saw other people, you know, they are just spaced around, do this, do that. Slow working. What I can do in five minutes takes them five hours. Because they are not committed. Therefore you have to pay them and demand them. In other words, "You'll get this and this and this, but you work like this and this and this." You have to employ, just be very strict with that. And with others, you give them loan or you give them investment and you demand return. It must be like that.

Bhramika: Yes. We would like to find people who can run the company, you see, like ksatriyas, who can run.

Sri Visnupad: Ksatriyas, they don't run companies, they run states. Companies are ran by vaisyas. Vaisya doesn't mean just businessman, it also means managers. Or organizational manager of a company to make business. That you have to find.

Bhramika: And when we found such people and then give them money with agreement.

Sri Visnupad: That they must accomplish certain thing. Bhramika: Yes. And give them percentage from the profit, like 50 percent or.

Sri Visnupad: Yes, something reasonable. Not tons.

Bhramika: Something reasonable, yes, maybe 25 is okay.

Sri Visnupad: They're all puffed up. They think themselves very great, but they are not so great. You have to really work hard and earn your money. No one should just demand anything. If somebody comes in and says, "I'm a big time manager, you give me a lot of money." So you say "Ok. We'll guarantee you at the end a bonus. Right? If you accomplish. If you accomplish, you'll get a bonus. You don't accomplish, no bonus. We make rules what you gonna get." Not that you just give somebody money, and he says, "Okay I'll do something." And two weeks later or month later or year later he's gone, he did nothing and you loose. So you give it on a bonus basis or something like that.

Nobody should be dependent, "Give me money, give me money." Everyone should be self-sufficient. Only brahmanas who are doing research and writing and education, they should be given the money to do that. Support. Whatever they need. Or even more. Give them a salary. Why should anybody be just dependent? Give them a good salary. Let them write, let them research, let then do good things.

Bhramika: Sri Visnupada, is it right that ksatriyas can't run company, because this is.

Sri Visnupad: Ksatriya… And who is a ksatriya? If somebody wants to manage a company, he is not a ksatriya, he is a vaisya. Like Nanda Maharaja was a vaisya, but he was a king of the vaisyas. So you can have vaisyas who are like kings, who are not ksatriyas but they have a quality of protecting vaisyas, helping them organizing them and everything. But that is not a ksatriya, that's a vaisya. It's just different way in which vaisya... Everybody manages, you see. Being a manager does not mean you are a ksatriya. Everybody manages. Brahmanas manage their writing and their papers and their puja and their families. Ksatriyas manage states and armies, and vaisyas manage businesses and cow protection and farming. It is a big management. Sudras manage all kind of things. Everybody manages everything. Every person manages.

Bhramika: What can we do with our chanting because we had no time, we have inspired very much.

Ajata Yauvana: We slept only four hours during...

Sri Visnupad: That's what I've being doing, too. Sometimes I go to bed at 11:30 and get up at 2:00. And because I'm just so busy I have no time, you know. It takes hours to do all this kind of stuff. But now I'm more peaceful, I'm much more peaceful because everything finished because of them. They are so wonderful, they did everything for me. They are so great, I can't believe it. They gonna get so much mercy you can't imagine. Because they did such wonderful things for me. And I was helpless. And I was running all over the place. Even with their help I'm still running all over the place. I know exactly what you're going through. But for me it's gonna be last, but for you it's difficult. So you chant when you can, it doesn't matter when you do it. Like now I still haven't chanted one round and I'm gonna go immediately after this conversation to the forest and chant. So, when you can you chant. If you can't chant 16, okay, chant what you can. The point is to be Krsna conscious, you know. Not that you have to do this and have to do that. I knew people have been chanting 16 rounds for years and they are not Krsna conscious. I know people haven't been chanting and they're Krsna conscious. Prabhupada chanted maximum four rounds a day. Maximum. I know, because I've used to be with him in the middle of the night. I know what he was doing. Maximum four rounds. Not more than 20 minutes. Maybe sometimes 30 minutes of chant.

Bhramika: But when we chant we have difference (indistinct).

Sri Visnupad: When you chant, you just it the best you can. Because the quality counts more than the quantity. You have to really have quality. You have to feel something for Krsna, you know. Like people go in front of the Deity, what do they see? They see a statue. Why? Because they are statues. When you are statue, the Deities are statue, because He reciprocates. And if you are person, the Deity will be a person, because They reciprocate. Radha and Krsna reciprocate. The more you are person, the more you have love for Them, the more They are persons, the more They have love for you. And you can actually speak with Them. And they will speak to you. You know these EC members they are so foolish, they were talking with my sister. They tried to trick her in different ways like to get her to sign away my freedom so that I to go to the mental institution. Can you imagine that? I've talked about that with a head police commissioner here he said that totally illegal in Germany. They could go to jail for years for that. Anyway, they were so stupid they don't even know what they were doing, but anyway. They also did something funny with my sister, they said, "Do you know that your brother talks to statues?" And then my sister said, "Wait a minute here. If you consider that these statues are God then why can't he talk with them? Of course, God can talk. Right?" My sister. She is just a plain karmi. And these are big-big-big leaders. And she understands.

Ajata Yauvana: I'm so (indistinct) for your mercy.

Sri Visnupad: No, mercy you get from Krsna. Radha and Krsna, you get from, not from me. But maybe I can help you. I'll just give you some suggestions. I'm not gonna order you to do anything, I'm not gonna make you do anything, you do what you like. I'll just make some suggestion, that's all. Please, you don't accept anything I say as an order. Absolutely not. If you like what I say and you agree with what I say and you think it makes sense and you can accept it with your own intelligence, you challenge it in different ways… Don't just accept what I say. You should really think about it clearly. And if you like this project and you it makes sense and it can help people, then let's work together. Okay?

Ajata Yauvana: What can you suggest us right now?

Sri Visnupad: I did.

Sri Visnupad: Okay? Can I go?

Ajata Yauvana: Thank you very much. Thank you


 

Situation Of The Vaisnavas In Europe

08/09/1998 - by Giridhari das

Regarding the situation of the Vaisnavas in Europe

It has come to our attention that Harikesh das, aka Harikesh Swami or aka Sri Visnupada, who has been the leader of the International Society for Krishna Conciousness-Iskcon in northern Europe and many other places in the world, has been removed from Iskcon leadership for several severe deviations from the proper conduct of a spiritual master. We want to make the following statement in order to protect our interests as living and preaching followers of the Vaisnava faith in Europe.

Harikesh, the management of Iskcon worldwide and in particular in northern Europe, has been rejected by us since 1984. Because of the mismanagement and mistreatment of many members by Harikesh das and other Iskcon leaders, many Vaisnavas have left Iskcon and incorporated several new religious nonprofit trusts in Europe. We want to protect the good name of our founding father, Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and also our sacred tradition. Iskcon leadership including Harikesh das has been outstandingly known not to follow their own rules of transparency. Also they do not recognize other branches of the same Vaisnava family. They are sectarian and offensive to other Vaisnavas outside of their institution. They have behaved very offensively against the most prominent members and authorities of Gaudiya Vaisnava tradition. They disobeyed the founder of Iskcon to let local men manage and centralize the whole world management in the hands of a few individuals. Iskcon is manipulated by a very small group of mainly North Americans. They expelled whoever opposed their non-transparent misuse of the movement. Harikesh's misbehavior and fall down as well as the same sad occurrence of Jayatirtha, Hansadutta, Bhagavan, Drishthadyumna, Jagadish, Sundara Rupa etc. (just referring here to those from Iskcon Europe) are not surprising. These are the natural karmic reactions of misuse of a spiritual function.

Iskcon has no forum for constructive critique and filled many of the leading posts with opportunists, seeking to go the same path of the previous leaders. There is nobody in Iskcon now with the authority to fix the situation. That is why, long ago, many Vaisnavas who previously belonged to Iskcon and other Vaisnavas from the same roots in India established separate Vaisnava missions in the world. Today there are hundreds of temples of different Vaisnava missions in the world with no connection to Iskcon.

We carefully pray to the press and the civil authorities to discriminate between the sad history of Iskcon management and other sincere Vaisnava groups all over. We also appealed to Iskcon leaders for the last 14 years to remove their corrupt and abusive leaders on numerous occasions. We requested them to work conjointly with all the disciples of the founder Acharya Srila Prabhupada in order to save the heritage and good name of Iskcon. But so far, Iskcon has done a lot to ruin the reputation of their founder and of the Vaisnavas. Iskcon authorities refused to accept the invitation of the World Vaisnava Association (http:/owplaza.com/wva) to accept a common ground with other Vaisnava missions belonging to the same tradition and following the same scriptures. We are very sad and embarrassed that we have to make this public statement in order to protect ourselves.

Those who signed under this statement:
Isev, Spain
Vrinda worldwide
Vrinda Institute Miami Florida
Hungarian Vaisnava Hindu Association (Magyar Vaisnava Hindu Egyesület) Hungary
Hindu Kultura Háza (The Houses of Hindu Culture)
Gaurangas Kulturtreff - Germany
Bhaktivedanta Parivad - Switzerland
Oesterreichisches Institut fuer Selbstverwirklichung - Austria

Giridhari das


 

Statement of the Russian GBC

10/09/1998 - Statement of the Russian GBC to the devotees of the CIS

  1. By propagating a doctrine contrary to the fundamental teachings of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, the existing authorities of St. Petersburg Temple, Moscow BBT, Radio Krishna Loka are undermining the faith of many sincere vaisnavas and vaisnavis.

  2. Sannyas dasa, Kamala Mala dasa, Brahmananda Puri dasa, and Bhramika dasa and their followers have been systematically propagating misinformation of the events surrounding the collapse of Harikesh Prabhu.

  3. They have rejected the authority of the GBC and have chosen not to participate in discussion with them.

  4. They are propagating the following erroneous philosophical doctrines that are contrary to the teachings of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada:
    a. That in marriage the restriction of no illicit sex, as defined by Srila Prabhupada, should not be followed.
    b. That sexual expression is the basis of love between husband and wife.
    c. That it is not necessary to chant 16 daily rounds of japa.
    d. That the chanting of the gayatri mantra may or may not be accepted by second initiated devotees.
    e. That only those of Brahminical inclination can follow 4 regulative principles and chant 16 rounds.

Therefore the Russian GBC is recommending that:

  1. For the sake of their spiritual well-being the devotees of the CIS show extreme caution when having to deal with devotees representing the above mentioned devotees.

  2. Due to the fact that the above mentioned devotees are not strictly adhering to the philosophical conclusions of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the disciples of different spiritual masters are advised not to visit or accept service in the St. Petersburg temple or accept service under their guidance until this situation is resolved.

  3. The GBC recognizes the congregation of at least 300 devotees in St. Petersburg that do not endorse the activities of Kamala Mala dasa, the leader of the local temple, or the other above mentioned devotees.

  4. The status of membership in ISKCON of the St. Petersburg temple will be reviewed in the near future.

  5. No ISKCON Sanyasis or visiting preachers will visit the St. Petersburg Temple until the current situation changes.

The GBC invites any devotees that have any doubts about the spiritual practices accepted in ISKCON for open discussion of these points in the form of personal talks and discussions or debate.

The GBC cordially welcomes any devotees from the St. Petersburg Temple, BBT, and Radio Krishna Loka that wish to return to the safe shelter of the lotus feet of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.


 

Russian Radio Krsnaloka Blasts ISKCON

13/09/1998 - [Text 1678676 from COM]

> It seems that the congregation in different parts of the world recognises
> and stays away from deviationists of all types - whether ritviks or the
> other extreme - the blind followers. And probably outnumbers the
> deviationists heavily.

That's a fact. But the problem is that the fanatics took over Radio Krsnaloka, and they spread they criticism of Iskcon all over the country. Anticult and governement already know about the split, and they are very happy, having good reasons to ban Hare Krsna in Russia forever. I am adding a letter from (removed). Those who don't know Russian mentality, will find it unbelievable. Unfortunately, it's reality.

*****************************************

>From (removed) comment on Sannyasa's letter

>Sri Visnupad recently heard the strangest idea that some devotees are
>thinking that Monika's son in Prabhupada. He doesn't want that devotees
>think like that and spread around such fantasies and speculations.

On a famous meeting in BBT Kamalamala was trying to convince us that Monika's son is SP. He said (typing from the tape) that although many fools didn't believe their spiritual master he believed him at once and together with Sannyasa and Brahmananda Puri went to see him. At first Sannyasa didn't believe he was SP, but when he saw him his doubts were dispelled. They offered him obeisances (applause and happy laughter of devotees at the meeting) and Kamalamala took some dust from his lotus feet (again applause and happy laughter)

The only thing which is still unclear for me : Sannyasa prabhu, did you took the sacred dust from Leon's lotus feet?

They say you never believed it. If so why you were supporting all this nonsense? Why are you still supporting it?

Please forgive me, my purpose is not to embarrase you publicly.The only reason I'm writing you this letter is to appeal to your common sense with the hope that you stop this madness.For many years I had a great respect for you considering you a great devotee of Sri Vishnupad. In fact I thought there were no souls more devoted to our spiritual master than you and Kamalamala. For his sake you were publishing books underground, risking your life, suffering in jails. I sincerely bow down to you for everything you did for our spiritual master.

However,the situation you created now is so unbearable that I can't be silent any longer. I didn't want to write this letter hesitating for a long time, but recent incidents were a last drop for my patience. We had a phone conversation recently and I was begging you to at least not allow your people use radio in your campaign.

I warned you that all these activities will destroy ISKCON in Russia, but you ignored this warning,instead you started screaming that ISCkON MUST BE DESTROYED!!! That without SV there cannot be ISKCON. That ISKCON should be destroyed and a new spiritual organization created. That confrontation is inevitable and it will surely cause a destruction of ISKCON. Well, we can say it already started: Few days ago your friends Bhramika and Ajatayouvana made a two hours talk show on a radio presenting to the audience of hundreds of thousands people their understanding of a situation.

They severely critisized ISKCON, calling it dangerous sect, which turns people into zombi, spoil and deform children. They told people not to come to our temples, blasphemed GBC, saying that leaders of ISKCON are after money and power only. That's why they want to destroy the only pure devotee SV who insists on reforms which they don't like being attached to their positions.

Ajatayauvana said that this confrontation may cause a BLOODSHED (do you see a rapture and thrill of our dear friends from KGB and anticult movements who were recording this beautiful revelation? Do you hear their delightful laughter?) Mr Dvorkin famous anticult leader whom you know very well already called Vaidyanath and Sucaru informing them that he is writing an article about a SPLIT IN A DANGEROUS SECT ISKCON, SUICIDE THREAT AND POSSIBILITY OF BLOODSHED.

You know our friend Dvorkin he is a great writer and he will make sure that such a delishous dish will be published in a biggest central newspapers since they love scandals.He called them asking for a details.He already wrote one article in MK (most popular newspaper) where he blasphemed SV severely. We should be thankful for that to those who made this talk shows, and their supporters: Kamalamala and your good self. At the end they read a fax from SV to confirm their preaching with sastric evidences. That talk show took two hours and created a big uproar. Besides of spoiling our reputation and turning thousands of people off any vaishnava organisation (including the one you want to organize after destroying ISKCON) it heavily injured a tender shraddha of thousands of our congregational members whom we cultivated for so many years.

What is their fault?Do you accept responsibility for killing their spiritual lives?Another result of this wise action was that they agitated the minds of so many devotees,disciples of other gurus who were offended publicly.Do you know how many people are cursing you all over the CIS, including many of our godbrothers?

You may say what is my fault? It was not me who spoke these harsh words. But everyone knows who organized this campaign. You and Kamalamala. You can't imagine how many people are now writing their letters to GBC and BBT international blaming you. Do you know that devotees blame Kamalamala saying that he is guilty in the tragedy of two devotees who, being upset with the heavy situation in the St.Petersburg temple were forced to leave in the night completely agitated and met their death in a horrible accident?

You turn innocent devotees into blasphemers. During this few weeks I've heard more vaishnava aparadhas than in my whole life. They offend pure devotees, GBC, advanced vaishnavas. This campaign is a slaughterhouse for their spiritual life. Why should Vaidyanath receive letters from brainwashed people threatening him calling him Judas etc. Why should he be surrounded with the bodyguards? Of course you are not doing it personally, but you are supporting it, you are not trying to stop it. Are you not ashamed?

Remember in1993 in a similar circumstances when you were running another campaign against GBC I was trying to convince you that we should not offend senior vaishnavas. You told me: let us commit aparadhas, what is the problem? Yes we may go to hell, let it be! But Sri VISHNUPAD will become GBC in Moscow. If you are so determined going to hell you can go.I can appreciate your determination.But why do you so enthusiastically dragging with you so many innocent young devotees?

Do you know that in the shastras it is said that guru suffers severely,because of vaishnava aparadhas committed by his disciples.Instead of telling devotees to pray for SV in such a crucial period of his life you induce them to blaspheme vaishnavas thus throwing on a head of our spiritual master tonns and tonns of severe reactions.So who is betraying SV?Your activities will eventually destroy him.

Last news-goverment is already aware about the split.We have serious information that they are under the pressure of orthodox church making arrangements to shut down the whole movement.You know they loved us so much all this years that they were simply waiting for a good excuse to stop us. By your causeless mercy they have more than enough:suicide threats,radio talk shows,armed guards in front of St.Petersburg temple etc,etc.

At any moment one of the especially devoted souls may hit or shoot somebody who is a traitor of SV.Then the organizers will be put in jail and the movement will be SHUT DOWN PERMANENTLY.Thus you will destroy everything we achieved during these years,all of the austerities SV accepted to organize this movement.Hundreds of thousands innocent people will loose their chance to become Krishna conscious.We will be banned for decades and decades.It is the greatest disservice for SV and SP. And you with your friends will be responsible for this.

Do not think that only ISCKON will be closed; everything which even slightly smells like HARE KRISNA will be persecuted. Even the medical centre you want to organize under the expert guidance of H.H. Monika Krantz. I've wrote you this letter so that you would explain your activites to all of our godbrothers and godsisters who love SV not less than you.

I can just ask you,no,I implore you,please,run your campaign in a civilized way. Discipline your people, at least for the sake of survival. If you want SV to organize anything in this country don't spoil ISCKON, by doing so you create great obstacles for SV. Dvorkin already made him infamous all over the Russia. If you continue in this way he will be a persona non grata and never be allowed to visit this country. In this way because of your activities we might never see again our spiritual master in this country. When I write you I mean you and Kamalamala.Although he is a main actor in this play you seem to be a producer acting behind the curtain.That is your style.In any case it is obvious for everybody that you are playing important role and you want to change situation you can.

I still love you and hope that you will stop this self destructive compaign.

y.s.


 

BBT Trustees Change Moscow Leadership

15/09/1998 - by Bhagavat Dharma das

BBT Media Release. 14th Sept. 1998.  BBT Trustees Change Moscow Leadership

The BBT Trustees, after an on-the-spot investigation by Jayadvaita Swami, Naresvara Dasa and Brahma Muhurta Dasa, have decided to remove Sannyas Dasa from being director of the Moscow BBT. Sannyas is a leading member of the Harikesa splinter group, and in the judgment of the Trustees his recent actions have not been in the best interests of Srila Prabhupada's BBT. Sannyas is expected to vacate his offices in the Moscow Begovaya temple within the next week. It is believed he will move to St. Petersburg, where the splinter group has taken over the ISKCON temple.

The Trustees regret the need to take this action. Over a period of time, they have tried to reach agreement with Sannyas, and have offered many opportunities for his continued involvement. Unfortunately, Sannyas felt unable to cooperate. Nevertheless, in a letter to Sannyas, the Trustees offer an olive branch: "Should you ever be willing to serve again in full cooperation with the BBT trustees, we will also be grateful for the opportunity to welcome you back."

In a similar letter to a group who have decided to follow Sannyas to St. Petersburg, the Trustees thank the devotees for their past service and state, "Disturbances are temporary, and Krsna consciousness is eternal. So we want you to know that whenever you may have a change of heart and wish to return to your ISKCON/BBT family and serve under the guidance and shelter of Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON and the BBT, we will be grateful for the opportunity to have you with us so that we may serve together once again."

Brahma Muhurta Dasa, the Northern Europe Trustee, will take charge of rebuilding the Russian BBT. New managers have already been chosen. The distribution of Srila Prabhupada's books will go on, and new books - several titles are ready - will be printed.

The handling of BBT affairs for the Ukranian language will shift from Moscow to Kiev, in Ukraine itself, a positive step regardless of the recent disturbances.

For further information, please contact

Bhagavat Dharma Dasa or Anjana Dasi at the BBT Communications Office


 

HK group takes $800,000 in books

Update on official BBT statement

Following the official BBT media release regarding the change in BBT leadership, we received the following information from our BBT sources:

"Sanyasa Das took control of the BBT warehouse in Moscow along with book stocks worth 800 thousand US Dollars. His Holiness Jaya Advaita Swami went to Moscow to save the situation, but the horses had already left the barn."

We then put the above to the BBT communications office for their reply. They gave us the following response:


Dear IRG.

Thank you for the opportunity to clarify our earlier statement. I was able to contact HH Jayadvaita Maharaj in Moscow and put your questions to him.

The more accurate figure is probably a little less than your informant suggests, in terms of the value of the books at the time they were printed. How much the books are worth now, in today's Russian economy, is unclear.

While still in charge and in good standing, Sannyasa himself had been responsible for needless overprinting. And so the Russian BBT had a huge book stock.

Sannyasa has now seized control of about 40% of that stock. The other 60% lies with ISKCON. That 60% probably amounts to enough books to last 5 years or more.

The building in Moscow is not really a building; it's the BBT offices on the ISKCON premises in Moscow. As of last week, Sannyasa and his devotees were busy vacating those offices. It is likely that whichever of those people haven't yet shifted to St Petersburg will have gone by the end of this week.

I hope that answers the questions you had. Please contact us at the BBT Communications Office for any further information.

Your servants in the service of Srila Prabhupada.
Bhagavat Dharma das and Anjana Dasi


 

To Bhakti Tirtha Swami About Harikesha Swami

15/09/1998 - by Nityarupa dd

To Bhakti Tirtha Swami.

My name is Nityarupa dd and I live in Vienna. I am a disciple of Harikesha Swami since seven years. Without his compassion I would have never make this way.

I am shocked after having read your message from the 1st of August 1998 on Internet. You are writing that Srila Prabhupada has given you the order for this mission. I would be very much interested how you are getting the message form Srila Prabhupada? You are seeing this mission yourself as a big service which you are doing for all devotees. But I have the opinion that you are doing extreme harm to the whole Hare Krsna movement as well as to all devotees.

The report concerning the disease of Harikesha Swami does absolutely not belong into the Internet. Also Harikesha Swami has the right for medical secrecy and respect for his privacy. Where is your humbleness and love for a spiritual master? I was not aware of anything of it in your letters. How can you write things like that about somebody like Harikesha Swami who was only spreading love and the glory of God for the well-being of human kind. But here you made him ridiculous in public by your reports. When I read a letter like this as his disciple I do become very much confused and sad. And I am asking myself how can a Swami behave like that?

I do not have a doubt about Harikesha Swami for a single moment. I wholeheartedly wish that Radha Krsna may pour out wisdom on you.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Nityarupa dd., Vienna, Austria.


 

Statement by JPS on Russian Situation

16/09/1998 - by Jayapataka Swami

Camp: Sri Mayapur Dhama Date: Originally Drafted September 3, 1998.

My Dear ISKCON devotees in Russia,

Please accept my humble obeisances and best wishes. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

This letter is to explain my position and to offer some advice for ISKCON devotees in CIS and everywhere to the followers of Harikesa Maharaja.

1. MY ACTUAL POSITION IN RELATION TO HARIKESA MAHARAJA'S RECENT PRONOUNCEMENTS AND OTHER EVENTS.

It has been brought to my attention that some followers of Harikesa Maharaja in Russia are claiming that I am supporting their revolution against ISKCON. This claim is not true, and it is creating confusion amongst Harikesa Maharaja's disciples and amongst other devotees who have some faith in me. I am a well wisher, friend and God-brother of Harikesa Maharaja and want to see that he has a peaceful Krishna conscious life. I would like to see a peaceful positive resolution to the present difficulties and misunderstandings. That led me to see Harikesa Maharaja and report the highlights of my visits.

This respect and love that I feel for Harikesa Maharaja shouldn't be misrepresented as a support for rebellion or aggression against Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON or ISKCON's devotees. I would not have written this letter, but I am compelled to do so due to this misrepresentation of my position.

How is it possible for me to support a revolution for leaving the shelter of Srila Prabhupada? Srila Prabhupada has always said to remain in ISKCON and work towards improving his movement. Srila Prabhupada said ISKCON was "his body". So there is no way that I can support such a stand.

According to reports I am receiving, there is an extreme polarisation being promoted in Russia by Kamalamala das, Sannyas das, and Brahmananda Puri das. This action is completely contrary to what they assured me they wanted when we met in Germany. They told me they wanted to be in ISKCON, and that we would work together to bring Harikesa Maharaja back to ISKCON. I did support their staying humbly in ISKCON and working co-operatively to spread Krishna consciousness. That was something I appreciated.

However, now things have changed. I certainly don't agree to an aggressive promotion of Harikesa Maharaja's new ideas nor to an appeal for Harikesa Maharaja's disciples to leave Srila Prabhupada's house and our spiritual family of ISKCON.

Furthermore, I do not support Harikesa Maharaja's present attitude and dealings toward Srila Prabhupada. I feel it is outside the bounds of etiquette to criticise or mention demeaning things about any properly situated spiritual master, what to speak of a faultless spiritual master like Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada is due all of our respect and love.

Adjustments of preaching strategies can be easily proposed within ISKCON without denigrating the position of our Founder Acharya. I am shocked and very hurt by the public criticisms and minimisation being directly or indirectly aimed at Srila Prabhupada. I never expected this to happen from Harikesa Maharaja or any of his followers. These things should be carefully avoided.

Harikesa Maharaja's present portrayal of ISKCON as a dangerous sect and his declaration of leaving ISKCON cause me great pain. ISKCON is Srila Prabhupada's body and is sheltering millions of devotees both in the temples and in the broader congregation. Harikesa Maharaja has sacrificed so much personal energy and service for the betterment of ISKCON. Now it is almost inconceivable that he is denouncing the society, which has also provided so much spiritual development for him and his disciples.

I emphatically do not support this negative portrayal of ISKCON. I am an ISKCON member and am giving all of my energy to seeing to the development and improvement of ISKCON. It is painful if someone near and dear doesn't want to remain any longer in ISKCON, but what can we do? ISKCON is a free society, and people can stay or leave as they like. However, openly and un-constructively criticising ISKCON or its members should be totally avoided. I certainly, and I am sure all ISKCON members including Harikesa Maharaja's disciples, would like to see our dear Harikesa Maharaja's outlook of ISKCON and Srila Prabhupada return to the standard of his 1998 Vyasa Puja offering to Srila Prabhupada.

As far as the treatment of Harikesa Maharaja has received during and after his recent collapse by the Executive Committee (EC) of the ISKCON Governing Body Commission (GBC) is concerned I think that they took extreme care to do the right thing. I consider that all the EC members are and were well intentioned in all they did.

At first I felt, along with other GBC's of Russia, that some of the technical aspects of the notification could have been improved and more sensitive. I appreciated the EC's apology letter which explained the difficult situation they were under. This graciousness of the EC was appreciated by everyone at the temples I discussed it.

I tried to explain to Harikesa Maharaja in our first meeting that it really was a very minor restriction that the EC placed, and if he could demonstrate he was healthy enough to do his duties then he could soon be reinstated. However, by then he had already decided he didn't want to be part of ISKCON. It definitely seemed like he was over-reacting to the EC decisions. Even then, I was trying to smooth things out. The apology letter from the EC demonstrates that they didn't want to upset Harikesa Maharaja or his disciples and assured of future enhanced sensitivity.

2. HOW I WAS CHEATED AND MY GOOD INTENTIONS EXPLOITED

During our meeting, Harikesa Maharaja stated clearly to me that he didn't want to be the leader of a spiritual organisation. Specifically, he said he didn't want to be a "sect leader". Later, when the Russian leaders were present (Kamalamala das, Sannyasa das and Brahmananda Puri das), Harikesa Maharaja asked them to discuss with me and work out something peaceful.

My point to them was that if they wanted to be inside, then I would work for that. If they wanted to be outside, then it could be a clean break, avoiding confrontation. The three met me twice for almost two hours each time. They were very clear that they wanted to be part of ISKCON, and they wanted Harikesa Maharaja to also be a part of ISKCON in the future.

We understood that presently, by his own desire, Harikesa Maharaja has declared himself out of ISKCON. We agreed that if things got normalised and some steps were taken to consider Harikesa Maharaja's proposals then the climate might be made right for him to return to ISKCON. I confess that I felt more optimistic after Harikesa Maharaja told me three times during my final visit that he might come back if things improved in ISKCON.

The three Russians gave details on how they would allow ISKCON sannyasis, GBCs and Gurus to again enter and preach in St. Petersburg. They would submit to the ISKCON discipline. They said they didn't want to destroy the relationship between the congregation in St. Petersburg and the temple so they requested not to have any announcement that they left ISKCON since for sure they wanted to be back.

They only wanted some assurance that blasphemy against Harikesa Maharaja would be avoided. They assured me they wouldn't politicise the Radio since public confrontation would attract Government attention and in CIS that could be disastrous. Already laws were in place allowing Government to come down heavy on most religious groups without much protection of law. I have been enthusiastically telling my GBC colleagues to hold off and GIVE PEACE A CHANCE.

Unfortunately, the report I got is that when Sannyas das, Kamalamala das and Brahmananda Puri das returned to Russia they brought a new Harikesa Maharaja video as well as an audio interview for the radio. By now you have all probably read the transcripts of both of these productions. Just the fact that they broadcast such things on the radio and are planning to distribute Harikesa Maharaja's video endorsing his new ideas and leaving ISKCON is very confrontational.

More serious is that the radio broadcast contains statements that are directly derogatory and offensive towards Srila Prabhupada.

Now receiving these reports I feel cheated that my good intentions have been politically exploited and misused in order to bewilder devotees and encourage people to leave ISKCON. Srila Prabhupada has always preached to remain within the ISKCON family. How can I endorse that people should leave? This is very political and I couldn't imagine that these devotees would stoop so low as to misuse my desire to help them in such a way. Many leaders had been quite emphatic that we shouldn't trust them, but I was preaching for restraint and to give them a chance.

Look what they have done! I would like it to go down in everyone's memory and for the permanent record that full opportunity was extended to these Russian devotees to be accepted back in ISKCON. If they now are doing politics to encourage devotees to leave ISKCON it is their own free will. I worked to give them the opportunity to remain in ISKCON, but they have misused my attempts. I was trying to create an environment where all Harikesa Maharaja disciples could serve nicely in ISKCON and in which Harikesa Maharaja could more easily return.

Now I am told there is simply chaos and confrontation caused by them. I hope they will come to their senses and avoid confrontation and creating chaos. After all they are all Srila Prabhupada's grandchildren who have sacrificed much for the Krishna conscious cause. It is senseless and destructive to fight amongst ourselves. Our energy should be used to uplift fallen souls and not to promote enmity or division amongst the Vaishnavas thus playing into the hands of materialistic enemies who wish our mutual termination.

3. HARIKESA MAHARAJA'S CURRENT RELATIONSHIP WITH SRILA PRABHUPADA

In the first meeting with Harikesa Maharaja I explained that he told me he didn't agree with some things Srila Prabhupada did. He wanted to change these. He mentioned how when he was in his emotional volcano he was even angry at Srila Prabhupada, but then he cooled down. In the second meeting Harikesa Maharaja said his relationship was now all right. I was feeling optimistic.

However, when I read the transcript of the recent Radio broadcast of an interview between Harikesa Maharaja and Brahmika das (a Russian disciple), I saw that Harikesa Maharaja stated disrespectful things about Srila Prabhupada. It is offensive to Srila Prabhupada to say such things.

(Hari Sauri Prabhu has responded that while he was Srila Prabhupada personal secretary he always saw Srila Prabhupada acting exemplary and such statements are completely unfounded in fact.)

Now when I compare what Harikesa Maharaja told me during the first visit, with this last statement in the radio interview, it is clear that Harikesa Maharaja really doesn't accept Srila Prabhupada like he used to. Because I had been very anxious for a solution during the second visit with Harikesa Maharaja, when he said his relationship with Srila Prabhupada was okay, I can now see I got overly optimistic and took him at his word. It is not okay from the Krishna conscious standpoint.

Instead of following Srila Prabhupada as his absolute authority, Harikesa Maharaja is now apparently following new intuitions and other guides. Hopefully in the future he will again realise that Srila Prabhupada is the dependable and proper person to take shelter of.

4. THE PRESENT VOLATILE SITUATION IN CIS

Harikesa Maharaja told me a week ago that he wanted his disciples to go on with their devotional service, but now he is doing something else by supporting the revolutionaries in Russia. It seems we cannot depend today on what Harikesa Maharaja says. It is changing quite rapidly. Therefore what is the use of reporting it?

Although Harikesa Maharaja claims to be reasonable, what is being proposed or endorsed doesn't seem reasonable for Krishna conscious devotees. Of course, we don't know to what extent those advocating rebellion in Russia are misrepresenting him. Certainly it contradicts his standing instructions for so many years and his present instruction to not do any violence to anyone.

Allowing or encouraging his fanatic disciples in Russia to issue his mass video release, knowing it could cause mass chaos in Russia, is completely against what he told me he wanted. So now I don't know how much value to place on what he tells me or anyone. It is changing without warning.

My appeal is that all Harikesa Maharaja disciples should stay within the shelter of ISKCON. Continue on with sadhana bhakti and devotional service. There is absolutely nothing to be gained to leave the association and shelter of the wonderful devotees of ISKCON. How can ISKCON devotees be called cult or sect members? They are the most wonderful people I have ever met. I cannot imagine a better association to be in. Let us all work co-operatively to bring up ISKCON to a higher level---to show that are happy in Krishna consciousness and from that position invite Harikesa Maharaja to come back and be with us.

We don't need psychotherapy centres to teach us how to love. We can learn that practically in Krishna consciousness by careful Vaishnava dealings. We are grateful for all that Harikesa Maharaja has done and we want him to return to ISKCON to continue serving Srila Prabhupada as is his duty as a disciple. My heart is heavy that my beloved Godbrother has decided to separate himself from his family members. I am still hoping upon hope and praying that eventually Harikesa Maharaja will see the light and come back to ISKCON knowing that he is always welcome to return to his home. I implore Harikesa Maharaja and anyone who considers himself as his follower, not to do anything that will disturb the peaceful environment of the devotees in ISKCON or anyone for that matter.

Provocative videos and political radio broadcasts in Moscow are disturbing the minds of devotees unnecessarily. All these political manoeuvres and provocative actions should be immediately stopped. Brahmananda Puri das had previously given me a written request to avoid doing something provocative. I am amazed that now so many provocative things are going on.

If there are devotees who are determined not to serve in ISKCON let them peacefully go their way, but they should not try to compel other devotees to also leave their devotional service. That is not proper. So please everyone should act as gentlemen and ladies and avoid all kinds of Vaishnava aparadha (offences to Vaishnavas). I am sorry I have to say all these things, but since my name is being broadcast that I am endorsing everything being done in the name of Harikesa Maharaja I have no choice but to make my position clear.

Please, in the future, before taking seriously any claim about what my stand is or what I am supposed to be saying please contact me directly. When I reported on the two meetings with Harikesa Maharaja, I clearly mentioned that I was just stating what Harikesa Maharaja told me I could say. I specifically stated that they were not my own endorsements with these words:

"As far as what my realisations about this visit were, apart for one paragraph, I haven't gone into that here. So please don't take my repetition of his [Harikesa Maharaja's] statements as any kind of personal endorsement from me."

Still somehow this reporting has been misunderstood as an endorsement from me. So please don't think like that. My reporting wasn't any kind of personal endorsement. Actually now I may have to report less about any meetings since they are being used as propaganda against ISKCON which is deplorable and political. I hope I will be able to maintain a positive link with Harikesa Maharaja and that relations with ISKCON will remain cordial leading to an eventual reunion. Thank you for your patience.

Your well wisher,

Jayapataka swami


 

Sex Question Splits Hare Krishnas

24/09/1998 - from The Moscow Times

Copyright 1998 Independent Press The Moscow Times September 23, 1998

SECTION: No. 1545
LENGTH: 823 words
HEADLINE: Sex Question Splits Hare Krishnas
BYLINE: By Julia Solovyova Staff Writer

While the world follows the twists and turns of the Bill and Monica story, the international Hare Krishna community is playing out its own, slightly more theological version of a sex scandal. The movement's spiritual leader, Harikesa Swami Sri Vishnupad, created the scandal by proposing that sex be allowed between married couples other than for procreation, and announcing plans to marry his own Monica.

Vishnupad's proposal appears to have hit the loudest chord in Russia, where a group of his followers has broken away from the mainstream.

The proposal would change one of the fundamental principles of the Hare Krishna religion, which condones sex within marriage only in order to produce children. The movement as a whole considered the proposal a sacrilege.

Vishnupad, 49, an American living in Germany whose secular name is Robert Compagnola, was stripped of his post as chairman of the GBC - the body governing the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, or ISKCON.

In response, Vishnupad quit ISKCON, denouncing it as a corrupt "communist" organization only interested in "money, power, buildings and fruitless institutionalization." While the rest of the international Hare Krishna community has taken the developments in stride, Vishnupad's Russian devotees have been deeply divided. He is one of about a dozen Hare Krishna gurus who have disciples in Russia, but is by far the most influential.

At least 200 of his devotees have broken away, concentrating around a temple in St. Petersburg.

"We are disappointed in ISKCON. They are a bunch of scribes and pharisees," said Karen Saakyan, president of the St. Petersburg temple and leader of the splinter group. "(The movement) doesn't have any future. Vishnupad used to be its heart. Without him it is doomed." The guru's change of heart came after he fell into a coma in early June. When he recovered, with help from Monica, a healer, he told his disciples that he realized the social status of a sannyasi, or celibate monk, was not right for him anymore.

His former fellow clerics blame the medication he was taking for chronic fatigue, saying it made him emotionally and mentally unstable.

"I wish to change this rule of no illicit sex, which means no sex except for having children," Vishnupad said in a video address to Russian devotees last month. "It should be changed to no sex outside of marriage so that married couples can have normal and loving relationships." Vishnupad went on to say that people who join the Hare Krishna movement have to "constantly repress their various desires," which causes "unlimited problems to their minds." He acknowledged that the movement was not ready for the change, "although everybody knows that something's wrong," and said he no longer wanted to be part of it.

"I consider it a sect," Vishnupad said. "Do not be dependent on some communist society. ISKCON is a communist society. Everyone knows that communism does not work." Echoing his guru, Saakyan called ISKCON "a kind of a young pioneer camp" whose leaders have discredited themselves by "being jealous of their more advanced peer." Saakyan also criticized the movement for Internet postings describing Vishnupad as ill, when the Russian disciple said the guru was actually in a "transcendental state." "I'm sure within a couple years 90 percent of ISKCON members will join us," Saakyan added.

Sergei Zuyev, president of the Russian Krishna community, played down the importance of the split.

"There is no schism going on. We've got 120 temples (around Russia) and only one of them has stepped aside," he said, adding that the total number of Krishna devotees in Russia is about 100,000. "It's a healthy development process." Zuyev expressed a willingness to consider Vishnupad's proposal. He said it may be brought up for discussion at a GBC meeting next year, if Vishnupad fully recovers from his "emotional instability." "It's not a problem that needs an immediate solution," Zuyev said. "It probably wouldn't make sense for devotees who have taken their vows, but it may be acceptable for the newcomers." Saakyan said the proposed reform is vital.

"The Hare Krishna society is based on abstinence, but it's not the crucial factor of spiritual growth," he said. "People should be able to create families but if they are allowed to have sex only once in their lives, why live together? Why torture each other? It turns into some sort of perversion." The rebellious guru has been one of the highest spiritual authorities in the Hare Krishna movement. Rumors have circulated among his disciples who chose to stick with ISKCON that Vishnupad's soul was replaced by someone else's while he was in the coma.

"I believe it's a temporary aberration," said Andrei Kharitonov, a Moscow disciple who stayed within the mainstream. "I trust in my guru and pray to God to help him overcome this temptation."

The Harikesh Saga

 

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