Tirtha das - Thomas Drescher
notorious mass murderer
for his killing he is being awarded Sannyas by Umapati

"Tirtha was a Mass-murderer"
By Maha Mantra Dasa | Published 01/7/2007

Tirtha was caught primarily due to his phone calls being tapped by police when he was calling asking about where his money was so he could get out of the country (while I was in West virginia as a witness, I heard from other witnesses what was going on in the courtroom). That recording was played to the jury during at least one trial. I believe Tirtha made one statement regarding that "it was if they wanted him to get caught".

mass murderer Tirtha "Swami" in prison, being awarded Sannyas by Umapati

One thing Tirtha said in the car we were in when observing the high-desert's unique body-hiding scenery was that he felt himself a low-class devotee, and that he felt that by killing Sulocana that he would be doing his guru a valuable service.

The letter about Sulocan asking for those with a ksatriya type spirit to help him kill the "gurus" was seen by Ramesvara and his remark was "does anyone take this guy seriously". That was kind of how I thought about it when I was first showed it by Krishna Katha. It wasn't until I was told that Sulocana had been seen in the LA Temple restaurant wearing a disguise and carrying a weapon that I paid any attention to what apparently was very alarming in a way to Krishna Katha (he was the "temple guard" in LA.) So, I very vaguely remember the letter, it was two pages I beleive, and it gave some argument why any devotee with such a spirit should help kill the gurus.

I also heard stories about Sulocana (these coming from Tirtha through Krishna Katha to me) that Sulocana had been in contact with the pipe-weilding attacker of Bhaktipada, and had later remarked that that person should have used a high-powered rifle.

Whether someone was creating these things to gain support for some motive beyond protecting gurus, I don't know, but Ramesvara obviously thought that the letter was from Sulocana. And maybe it was.

I also heard a story that Sulocana had been kicked out of New Vrindavan because he was taking cocaine, and then after Sulocana's wife was re-married to another devotee, Sulocana became determined to retaliate against Bhaktipada. I don't know what may have been truth or not, back then I was pretty believing in ISKCON devotees.

Also, I'm not just now coming forward, I told everything I knew in three trials on the stand (the fourth I didn't testify because the trial was cut short by Kirtanananda's plea-bargaining), and to many devotees over the years.

I'm only writing anything here because I know the importance of truth. Without truth things can't be made better.

In the last trial, Tirtha began describing how he had killed a woman who wasn't related to ISKCON. He stated that he no longer wished to cover for Kirtananda because of Tirtha's hearing about Kirtananda's child molesting. When Tirtha said that, the judge told the jury to forget they heard that, and it wasn't long after that, that Kirtananda's lawyers stopped the trial and plea-bargained with the judge.

I was told by Krishna Katha later that it had become apparent that Tirtha was a mass-murderer. Tirtha had described his activities as being a "mole" in Vietnam, someone that would crawl down into the tunnels of the Vietcong to kill them. He had told this history on the stand before describing murders he had committed, I think three in all. The New Vrindavan phones were tapped due to a previous murder to Sulocana.

Tirtha had been chasing Sulocana for several or maybe six months, and was getting anxious to finish his mission, wheras Janmastami was certainly more cool and could wait and not do something and get caught.

As for the government being involved, that is possible. There's a book that was written by the president of the National Rifle Association, something like "guns and freedom" wherein there is a chapter on Waco Texas and the Branch Dividians, describing the BATF/FBI massacre. In it, Lapierre states that he had talked with a BATF agent who said that if Waco would have gone "well", then, the Hare Krishna Temple in West Virginnia was to be next. Waco was in 1993, and Sulocana's murder was in 1986, so maybe there is some connection, maybe not.

Gokulananda dasa, Who's the Real Hero?
By Balavidya Das | Published 03/11/2007

We hear that Radhanatha Swami is one of the "heroes" of Gokulananda dasa. Well the living entity is free to choose his role models, as he wishes. However perhaps our Gokulananda will kindly consider Sulocana Prabhu also as one of his "heroes". Perhaps he will also answer for us whom he considers the better hero, Sulocana Prabhu or Radhanatha Swami?

Let us consider the respective qualifications:

Sulocana Prabhu: He was one of the first devotees to realize the complete hoax of the GBC policy to rubber-stamp eleven unqualified personalities as the exclusive 'diksa-guru' successors to Srila Prabhupada in 1977. Let us be quite clear that this policy was an unqualified lie as to the intentions of Srila Prabhupada post-samadhi 1977. As the eleven self-declared "paramhamsa-parivakacaryas" established their zonal power centers by initiating anyone in sight and throwing out of ISKCON even the most slightly dissenting godbrothers, Sulocana researched Srila Prabhupada's statements and fearlessly wrote a book exposing this fraud in the name of disciplic succession.

From his research he also realized the trouble Kirtanananda had been causing Srila Prabhupada right from the time of his sannyasa. This was pertinent, as Sulocana had lost his wife when Kirtanananda had maniplulated her away, initiated her, and married her away to one of his money collectors at New Vrndavana. Sulocana also came to know of the sexual and otherwise corruption that was rife amongst practically all the "exclusive eleven". Moreover, Kirtanananda in New Vrndavana was living a hypocritical life as an active predatory homosexual pedophile, simultaneously taking worship as a paramahamsa. In fact, the former live-in apartment sexual partners of Kirtanananda, Hayagriva and Umapati, where still in Kirtananda's inner circle at New Vrndavana. Hayagriva was free to import homosexual partners from Mexico.

	Notorious New Vrindavan pedophile, Sri Galima Das (Gary Gardner) at his trial. After fleeing to India, he finally turned himself in and escaped punishment by arranging a $50,000 pay off. Despite having molested dozens of boys in the New Vrindavan gurukula, he remains a free man protected by Ravindra Svarupa.

Furthermore, there were confirmed stories of multiple murders at New Vrndavana. Sri Galima, another homosexual pedophile was sexually abusing boys as young as five at his 'school' in one of the backwoods of 'New Vrndavana'. The women of the traveling 'sankirtana' party were being supplied stimulant drugs and even prostituting themselves in pursuit of money for Kiranananda. They were the harem of the 'sankirtana' leader, Dharmatma dasa. The leading collectoress for the day was rewarded with a night of sex with Dharmatma.

Seeing all this, Sulocana wrote "The Guru Business" and campaigned to raise awareness of the corruption that had taken over the helm of ISKCON, and New Vrndavana in particular. This he did all alone and eventually, he paid with his life, murdered in conspiracy by the managers and associates of New Vrndavana: Radhanatha, Kuladri, Malati, Umapati, Devamrta, Param-brahma, Chandramauli, and at the cold- blooded hand of Tirtha das, a disciple of Kirtanananda.

We should be quite clear that Sulocana had never made any physical attack on Kirtanananda, but after the head-breaking attack on Kirtanananda by Triyogi dasa [Michael Schockman] , he was singled out at meetings of the aforementioned New Vrndavana management board as a murder target. Ramesvara Swami in L.A., eventually caught at secret meetings with a fourteen year-old gurukuli girl, knew what was going on and also facilitated the murder through his 'disciples'. Sulocana dasa was a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, who saw corruption and spoke up at the cost of his life.

Radhanatha Swami: While all the above, and more, was going on at New Vrndavana, Radhanatha was the number two man along with Kuladri. There is strong evidence from reliable sources that Radhanatha was, before and after the incident, intrinsically involved in the murder of his godbrother, Sulocana dasa. When the legal authorities came down on New Vrndavana, Radhanatha supported Kirtanananda.

Kirtanananda, before finally being incarcerated in prison, was put under house arrest in Moundsville. Radhanatha effectively ran New Vrndavana at this time, during which New Vrndanvana was expelled from ISKCON. Kirtanananda from Moundsville would weekly phone through to New Vrndavana. At these times Radhanatha would gather the inmates together to hear from the great leader as the phone call was broadcast in a meeting hall. All this time, Radhanatha ran New Vrndavana from his office in which he would sit underneath an oversized picture of Kirtanananda. During his time in New Vrndavana, whenever complaints about rape and child abuse came to Radhanatha, we have heard, he would tell the complainants to keep quite for the sake of New Vrndavana's public 'good name'. When Kirtanananda came back from hospital and started to be more openly homosexual than ever, Radhanatha stayed faithful. And when Kirtanananda started changing the dress, kirtans, practices and philosophy given by Srila Prabhupada, Radhanatha wrote community articles glorifying Kirtanananda for these clear deviations.

To this day, Radhanatha regularly visits Kirtanananda and attempts to visit the murderer, Tirtha dasa, the former action in defiance of GBC resolutions. However Radhanatha quickly complied with the bogus GBC guru-by-rubberstamp process and found his way back into ISKCON to enjoy celebrity status, which is now under close examination.

So, Gokulananda dasa, one devotee lost his life opposing the corruption of the GBC and Kirtanananda, and another went along and actively supported the corruption? One was murdered for opposing corruption, the other was rubber-stamped a guru for going along with the bogus show. Kindly tell us which is the better role model, which is the hero?

On a final note, we like to point out what may be the most telling aspect of the recent discussion: In all the statements of Malati, Tirtha, Ravindra Svarupa, the GBC, and Radhanatha, we do not find one expression of contrition or even regret for the murdered Sulocana. Not one word of apology or remorse do we hear on behalf of our murdered godbrother. Only evasions and threats of further "mortal danger" from Ravindra Svarupa to those who are bringing the corruption out into the open. This, Gokulananda, we feel is the most fearful aspect of the whole affair. Sulocana Prabhu lost his life is a most horrific way at the hands of monstrous so-called devotees who were the blind followers of a pervert masquerading as a paramahamsa acarya. And one of them, who helped organize his murder, you say, is your hero.

Where is the statement of the GBC condemning the murder? Where is the public enquiry to bring out the truth? Where is the memorial day for Sulocana Prabhu with a kirtana in his honor? Nothing at all. Rather our misleaders would prefer to believe, along with you, Gokulananda, that the whole sordid affair never took place.

But what can we expect from leaders that have no allegiance to the clear directions of Srila Prabhupada. Leaders that continue rubber-stamping 'gurus' in clear defiance of Srila Prabhupada's condemnation of this practice. Leaders who sanction the useless and inexpert editing of Srila Prabhupada books in defiance of his directions and indeed, the general body of Srila Prabhupada disciples. Leaders who constantly ignore sastric stipulations and concoct on the basis of their mental speculation. Leaders that are quite clearly not worthy of being followed, at least by those who have studied Srila Prabhupada, the sadhus and the Vedic sastra.

We hope this is found helpful,
your servant, Balavidya dasa

Tirtha Shoots Himself in the Foot
By Balavidya Das | Published 01/13/2007

Sometimes the things people don't say speak louder that the things they do say.

Janmastami accuses Radhanath of being the instigator and organizer of the murder of Sulocana Prabhu by enlisting Tapa Punj, Tirtha and himself. Subsequently, Tirtha, the puller of the trigger, comes to the defense of Radhanath M., denying his involvement.

The writings of Tirtha are quite wide-ranging, but in all of them there is one missing part: There is no answer by Tirtha to the obvious question: If Radhanath M. did not enlist the aforementioned trio in the murder, then who did?

If Tirtha is speaking the truth of Radhanath's innocence, then the obvious tactic to defend Radhanath M. is to reveal identity of the person who first got him, Tirtha, engaged in the murder. Of course, as the actual murderer, Tirtha must know who was the primal organizer, so why the silence? This would be his best defense of Radhanath M., so why not use it?

Instead what we find is that Tirtha simply slams Janmastami in anyway he can, as if this will take the heat off Radhanath M. However, the obvious way to take the heat off Radhanath M. is to tell us all who is the real instigator of the murder. Instead of doing this, Tirtha, in his finalizing statement after his confused account of the "unpleasant events" tells us that:

"If you truly wish to know about the incidents I have alluded to, then you should ask the only person who knows. I am the only person who knows exactly what happened, with whom, and why."

So the obvious "allusion" here by Tirtha is that everything he has said before is not "exactly what happened". But what he has said before is that Radhanath M. is innocent of organizing the murder. So is Tirtha inadvertently revealing that Radhanath M. is not innocent and that all his storytelling is just a cover story?

Now one may argue that Tirtha has pointed out Kirtanananda as the instigator. Yes, Tirtha did change his testimony at the final trial and then start to point the finger at Kirtanananda. Nevertheless, this was not his initial story to the court, and in all his recent writings, he never clearly points the finger at Kirtanananda and explains the details of how he was enlisted by Kirtanananda (or anyone else for that matter) with convincing details of the time, place and circumstance. This is the best and obvious defense of Radhanath M., but Tirtha omits this. And apparently such a course of action in defense of Radhanath M. does not even seem to occur to him. Strange indeed.

Of course, after being attacked [by Triyogi Michael Schockman] Kirtanananda was in intensive care with a fractured skull. This injury was so extensive that we hear it induced noticeable behavioral changes in Kirtanananda. As far as we know the low-ranking Tirtha never met Kirtanananda at that time or even much later when Kirtanananda was out of hospital. So who gave him, Tapa Punja and Janmastami the orders on behalf of the supposed instigator, Kirtanananda – who was actually lying half-dead, semi-conscious in hospital? There must be someone who told Tirtha what to do? Why doesn't Tirtha tell us of that person if it wasn't Radhanath?

Interestingly Malati, Chandramauli, Umapati, Ravindra, etc., and especially Radhanath, all remain very defensive of Tirtha and characterize him as the 'Saint of the Lockup'. This whole affair blew up because of the regular visits of Radhanatha and Chandramauli to the prison. Tirtha asked us to make a petition to excuse these sannyasis after they failed examination by drug-sniffing dogs at the prison.

Even more interesting is that the above New Vrndavana leaders also never detail how Kirtanananda could have organized the whole murder/surveillance of Sulocana from intensive care while his skull was returning to one piece. They also follow Tirtha in defending Radhanath by simply attacking Janmastami personally and not pointing out the real instigator. A strange silence indeed.

However, most indicative of all is that none of the so-called leaders of New Vrndavana, including now Ravindra, and especially Radhanath and Tirtha, have ever expressed any unreserved condemnation or regret for the horrific murder of a devotee – a brave devotee who was completely correct in his denunciation of the false guru Kirtanananda.

Obviously, with what he knows, Tirtha has a great hold over not only Radhanatha but also Malati, Umapati, Chandramauli, Devamrita, Kuladri, etc., and, as we have seen recently, now Ravindra Svarupa.

Are we to believe that all these New Vrndavana leaders were all innocent bystanders in the murder of Sulocana Prabhu? And that Kirtanananda organized it all from intensive care solely with Tirtha, Tapa Punja and Janmastami – whom he never met at the time? We not convinced, especially when we see that the 'sankirtana' money-man of New Vrndavana, Dharmatma, wrote to Hansadutta over a decade ago saying that "he knew for sure that Radhanatha was involved in the murder of Sulocana Prabhu".

What more is there to discuss after Dharmatma's written statement? Only that all the other New Vrndavana so-called leaders must have been more or less involved in the murder. It is quite understandable that this is the hold that Tirtha has over all these 'devotees' from his prison cell. These devotees are worried that they might end up the next-door jailmates of Tirtha by his testimony. They saw what happened to Kirtanananda when Tirtha started talking at the last trial. And certainly Kirtanananda must have known of their murderous involvement, so it's no wonder that these New Vrndavana leaders are also keeping chummy relations with Kirtanananda, also visiting him in or out of jail, giving lots of praise for his rehabilitation along with Tirtha.

Furthermore Tirtha is keeping quiet about the involvement of all the New Vrndavana leaders, because as soon as he tells the truth of their criminal involvement, he loses his hold over them. Plus, we have heard that Kirtanananda is said to have attempted the murder of Tirtha in prison by knife attack after Tirtha gave evidence against him. Tirtha knows that someone out there has already ordered the murder of Sulocana and so is quite capable of ordering his murder. Prison is the worst place to be when someone with even just a little money wants you dead, what to speak of someone with thousands of surrendered 'disciples' and millions at his disposal. Watch out, Tirtha.

And why doesn't Kirtanananda speak up and tell the truth? Well, he also needs to stay chummy with the New Vrndavana leaders who are all now big in ISKCON, GBCs and all. He doesn't have many disciples now, money must be short, and he would love to be rehabilitated back into the heart of ISKCON just like Bhavananda now giving classes in Mayapur, the world center of ISKCON. After all, if one 'former' homosexual pedophile can sit again on the big, big Mayapur vyasasana, why not another?

Maybe Kirtananda already has an understanding with his surrendered ex-subordinates from New Vrndavana that they should use all their influence to get him back into ISKCON eventually. Perhaps in a year or two, we can expect moves in this regard. Looks like Ravindra Svarupa and the GBC is onboard already by threatening "mortal danger" to the "fault-finders". Interestingly the GBC are completely silent about Radhanath transgressing their previous resolution that he shouldn't visit Kirtanananda – one of the telling events that stirred up the present controversy.

So we see that it is in the interest of all these groups of people, Radhanatha, Tirtha, Kirtanananda, Tapa-punj, Malati, Chadramuli, Kuladri, Umapati, Devamrita, Ravindra and the GBC, etc., to keep quiet about the truth of the murder and keep maneuvering behind the scenes. Unfortunately for them all, Tirtha has made it clear that their shared cover story is fallacious. How? By telling the cover story and then indicating that the story is at least inaccurate, and possibly completely untrue, by foolishly saying "I am the only person who knows exactly what happened, with whom, and why."

So we can only conclude that Tirtha has been lying previously – by his own words.

But really does Tirtha expect us to believe that only he knows what happened in the murder of Sulocana? Sensibly we must deduce direct culpability of all the New Vrndavana leaders in the murder of Sulocana. Tirtha may be the only one that smelt Sulocana's blood that awful night, but many of the closely knit cult leaders of New Vrndavana must have got onboard and worked to spill that blood. How could it have been any other way? Such a thing as a murder was going down after the shocking attack on Kirtanananda and they didn't know? Dharmatma clearly states he knew years ago of Radhanath's direct involvement in the murder. After that revelation, are we are to believe that the other New Vrndavana leaders had no involvement?

Therefore, we must further conclude that Tirtha's claim to having a monopoly of the truth of the murder is simply a brainless tactic meant to self-servingly strengthen his increasingly doubtful version of the events. In this way, Tirtha seems to be increasingly desperate to prop up his version of the truth because his odd assertions, one of which is the innocence of Radhanath, are becoming more and more unbelievable the more he speaks, especially with the key revelation of Dharmatma.

In conclusion, we have seen that Tirtha can shoot himself in the foot, even without a gun. However, the bullet of truth has ricocheted about and it looks as though all these fallen leading "inmates" of New Vrndavana, Radhanath included, are going have to bite that bullet no matter how hard they try to spit it out.

Yet, alas, the last thing these fallen souls will do is spit out the Truth even though this is the only honest action that would truly put themselves and ISKCON on the path of purification after they have brutally murdered the disciple of Srila Prabhupada, Sulocana dasa. We can assure Tirtha and everyone else involved that Sri Yamaraja certainly "knows exactly what happened, with whom, and why". And one day soon, they might become convinced of this when they meet Yamaraj in his court with Citragupta reciting the precise details of their sordid behavior from his complete record.

We hope this warning is found inspiring for at least some of those involved to tell the plain truth – the last leg of dharma left in Kali-yuga.

Your servant,
Balavidya dasa

# Comment #1 (Posted by ray)

Tirtha can claim anything he likes since his cronies aint' talking. But there are sources of information outside of his authority- The public facts of history, the documented facts of the FBI investigation and the statements by Janmastami. There's also basic logic.
He contradicts all of these external sources not to mention himself.
Not to put too fine a point on it, Tirtha is a convicted murderer, a proven liar with absolutely no credibility. Only a fool would accept him as sole authority on anything of substance, let alone vaisnava philosophy.

His plea for forgiveness. In fact his extensive preaching to us on this topic is completely disingenuous. In order to be forgiven one must show remorse - one must admit the gravity of one's crimes. This Tirtha has never done. If he cried 'I killed a devotee'. I am the worst sort of sinner'. If he refused the honor of sanyasa because of it, that would be more credible. Most importantly, if he disclosed the complete truth of 'unpleasant' events, instead of childishly taunting us with 'I know what you don't know, and I aint' tellin' then he would be a credible candidate for mercy and forgiveness.
Even Jagai and Madai prostrated themselves at the feet of Lord Caitanya, acknowledging their offense.
At this point the most merciful action for Tirtha would be the 'hot needle'

# Comment #2 (Posted by Krsnakrpa dasa)

Recently Radhanatha has stated in the GBC cover letter that he was not involved in "criminal activities". However after the murder, which Janmastami says was instigated by Radhanatha, Tirtha ran to and hid in Radhanath's centre in Kent, where he was eventually arrested. Also in the indictment the police state that the money given to Tirtha after the murder was given by Radhanatha. Also we have the statement of Dharmatma that he "knows for sure that Radhanatha was involved in the murder of Sulocana". So at the beginning, middle and end, we have testimony that Radhanatha was criminally involved. So his claim of non-involment in criminal activities is not plausible -- a lie.
Radhanatha resign from the GBC and show a little humility for your direct involvement of the brutal murder of your godbrother. A godbrother who was exposing a predatory homosexual pedophile and criminal whom for years you were covering up for.