** MORE COM LEAKS
1) THE LAST SUPPER UPDATE
2) REGARDING SUHOTRA SWAMI
Dear folks, PAMHO. AGTSP.
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MORE COM LEAKS:
Secret discussion regarding Suhotra swami (SuS). Here are some of the enlightened words of the GBC and Gaudiya Matha rubber stamped guru (see article below),
* ..."He heard SuS murmuring, "...fuck, fuck, kill I kill..." And this guru is also supposed to be in the family of Alister Croweley, the famous advocates of Satanism?
* ...From the his past, early '80s in the Germany, some people accuse SuS of child abuse.
* ...I have been trying to contact a close relative of the youngster whom I have heard to claim that in addition to beating the young boy, SuS did nasty things with his genitalia.
[PADA NOTE: When I was in Los Angeles an eye-witness said she walked into a room where Suhotra was being massaged by a woman. When I began to relate this story to others, she changed her testimony and became very silent. Perhaps that is because her husband is a temple authority there, and he told her to keep up the illusions and delusions.]
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1) THE LAST SUPPER UPDATE
The story behind painting of the Last supper is extremely interesting and instructive. Two incidents connected with this painting afford a most convincing lesson on the effects of thought in the life of a person. This is a true story.
The Last Supper was painted by Leonardo Da Vinci, a noted Italian artist. The time engaged for its completion was seven years. The figures representing the twelve apostles and Christ himself were painted from living persons. The live model for the painting of the figure of Jesus was chosen first. When it was decided that Da Vinci would paint this great picture, hundreds of young men were carefully viewed in an endeavor to find a face and personality unaffected by sin. Finally, after weeks of laborious searching a young man, nineteen years of age was selected as the model for the portrayal of Christ. For six months Da Vinci worked on the production of this leading character of the famous painting.
During the next six years Da Vinci continued his labors on his sublime work of art. One by one, fitting persons were chosen to represent each of the eleven apostles, space being left for the painting of the figure representing Judas Iscariot as the final task of this masterpiece. For weeks Da Vinci searched for a man with a hard callous face, with a countenance marked by scars of avarice, deceit, who would betray his best friend. After many discouraging experiences in searching for the type of person required to represent Judas, word came to Da Vinci that a man whose appearance fully met the requirements had been found. He was in a dungeon in Rome, sentenced to die for a life of crime and murder.
Da Vinci made the trip to Rome at once, and this man was brought out from the imprisonment in the dungeon and led out into the light of the sun. There Da Vinci saw before him a dark, swarthy man, his long shaggy and unkempt hair sprawled over his face, a face which portrayed a character of viciousness and complete ruin. At last the painter had found the person he wanted to represent the character of Judas in his painting. By special permission from the king, this prisoner was carried to Milan where the fresco was being painted.
For six months the prisoner sat before Da Vinci, at appointed hours each day. As the gifted artist diligently continued his task of transmitting to his painting the base qualities of this character in the picture representing the traitor and betrayer of Christ. As he finished his last stroke, he turned to the guards and said, "I have finished, you may take the prisoner away", he suddenly broke loose from their control and rushed up to Da Vinci, crying as he did so: "Oh, Da Vinci, look at me! Do you not know who I am?
Da Vinci, with the trained eyes of a great character student, carefully scrutinized the man upon whose face he had constantly gazed for six months and replied: "No, I have never seen you in my life until you were brought before me out of the dungeon in Rome." Then lifting his eyes toward heaven, the prisoner said, "O God, have I fallen so low: Then turning his face to the painter he cried, "Leonardo Da Vinci look at me again, for I am the same man you painted just seven years ago as the figure of Christ!"
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2) REGARDING SUHOTRA SWAMI (SuS)
To: angel108b@yahoo.com
>To: Bhakti Caitanya Swami [10781] (received: 24-Apr-00 05:47)
>To: Bir Krishna das Goswami [21799] (received: 24-Apr-00 03:30)
>To: Prahladananda Swami [13982] (received: 24-Apr-00 03:52)
>To: Anuttama (das) ACBSP (IC N.America) [12388] (received:
>To: Ravindra Svarupa (das) ACBSP (Philad. - USA) [10233]
>To: Virabahu (das) ACBSP (GBC) [8116] (received: 24-Apr-00 01:57)
>To: Visakha (dd) ACBSP (Los Angeles, CA - USA) [2054]
>Comment: Text COM:3196432 by Prahladananda Swami
>Subject: Regarding Suhotra Swami. (SuS)
------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Members of the Guru Services Committee, please accept my humble obeisances, all glory to Srila Prabhupada. Several of you may have heard of the events from the past year around Suhotra Swami. I am the person who brought the issue to public. I am a former disciple of Suhotra Swami who traveled with him as his personal servant during the months of October and November, 1999. Our guru-disciple relationship ended in a spirit of consensus in the late February of the year 2000 in Sridham Mayapur, as I discussed with Suhotra Swami and Bir Krishna das Goswami, the GBC chairman 1999, the events that had taken place during the past year between me and Suhotra Swami (later SuS).
First of all, let me state that I am certainly full of faults, and that whoever may point out a defect in me beholds but a drop in the vast ocean of my faults. However, this does not change the facts I am presenting herein for you, provided that I have a normal sense of sight, a normal sense of hearing and that I am in a sound mental state. I am willing to undergo a medical examination to prove this if required.
In the end of my letter I have included the facts that are most relevant in considering the case. This is a most up-to-date presentation for now, with news from the past few days. Anything I have written herein I can personally confirm unless otherwise stated, and moreover, I am willing to discuss and defend my presentation in public if there be anyone who is willing to try to discredit any part of my presentation. I am always open for a rational discussion based on the facts herein presented, or any other evidence that can be shown to be factual. However, I am not interested in any form of bullying, intimidation or ad hominem attacks from the side of persons who are reluctant to face the reality.
[PADA: This "report" describes perfectly the mood that is generated by all forms of bogus, vicious cults, or for that matter, mad dictatorships, street gangs, violent criminal organizations, drug cartels and so on. "Fear tactics" are supposed to be part of an "enlightened spiritual atmosphere"? No. As is well known to every person on the street: "generating fear" is an activity of demons and is a condition of hell. These are not the activities of devotees and conditions of Vaikuntha. And "generating fear in the name of religion" is the behavior of the worst demons mentioned in shastra, the pseudo-religionists, who are described in shastra as "the most dangerous elements in human society."
There is a silk glove on the iron fist here. Notice that these types of reports are submitted to folks like Vishaka, Bir Krisna and so on, so they can bury these items under the carpet along with so many other items, and they can put up a "good front" of make pretend caring and concern, while in reality they are covering-up for the jack boots. This report thus implicates people like Vishaka, Bir Krishna and others. They are evidently well aware that (1) their "gurus" are abomiminable imitators of Srila Prabhupada, and (2) that their abominable imitation program of worship is upheld by using intentional fear generating moods, moods which now pervade ISKCON. And they not only do not speak up against it, they de facto defend the GBC infrastructure that creates these evil moods and abuses. That is why the child molestation went on by the way, the same techniques, tricks and devices are used to halt all forms of investigation. Even in 1986, Sulochana had some parents of the abused children speaking to him, but they were terrified of being made public due to the threat of violent reprisals from the GBC. Gangsters.
Thus it is well known that people who "speak up" are often given intimidation, ad hominem attacks and "bully boy treatment." Thugs. No open assessment is allowed. Forget "discussing shastra," bring your bodyguard, club, knife, gun and be prepared to defend yourself from violence. We would say that this also describes the mood of the violent goons at many temples as well, they are more like paid up bone crushers than devotees, paid to defend the temple's "showing the deity business" for the "managers."
This is also what occured in the Gaudiya Matha when they made false gurus, the whole mood turned to vicious cult violence. We are shocked that the Gaudiya Matha folks advised the GBC, and people in the West in general, to repeat this cult modus since we have got a lot more potential for murders over here than the murders they generated in India. It is simply Krishna's mercy that more violence has not occured.]
SR: I have edited the correspondance to make it more precise and comprehensible. My later elaboration as notes to what I have discussed in my exchange of letters are found inside brackets. It is obvious that SuS is not up to the proper standard of a spiritual master. We may read Jiva Gosvami define the qualities of a spiritual master, we may read it from Bhaktivinoda Thakura, we may read it from Srila Prabhupada, we may read it from the ISKCON Laws, the mandatory qualifications of the spiritual master. He will match none of them in toto. I have seen. He is a guru by vote, but he is not a guru by qualification.
[PADA: Everyone will eventually come to realize this, even the Church mice will know that the GBC's guru appointment, guru by 2/3 show of hands vote, and their Gaudiya Matha advised "guru electing and voting system" in general, is a fraud. Moreover, the Gaudiya Matha guru voting system was never approved of by Srila Prabhupada. Moreover, the pure devotee does not even want the ecclessiastical rubber stamp of corrupt bureaucrats.]
SR: In addition, he is regularly breaking several of the seven vows taken at the time of becoming an initiating spiritual master in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (as per ISKCON Laws 16.1.5.1.), in particular as listed below:
#5 "As a spiritual master, I shall always set a Krishna conscious standard for all devotees by my behavior, which shall be strictly regulated and exemplary at all times ...I shall not act in a way to diminish any person's faith in Krsna consciousness."
[PADA: And the first step is to get "voted in as guru" at the recoronation of a known homosexual pedophile guru, as occured. This is a real faith builder!]
#6 "I shall scrupulously study and review all aspiring disciples, and grant initiation only to qualified devotees so as to preserve the seriousness and sanctity of initiation." #7 "I shall give my disciples directions and examples in strict conformity with those of Srila Prabhupada."
The basic choices we are faced with is that either we are going to water down the qualifications required from a spiritual master, or then we are going to address the issue and rectify things in a clear-cut way for the ultimate benefit of everyone concerned, in making a more functional society both regarding the guru-disciple relationship, and in toto, in building our society into one of love and trust by exhibiting good integrity and genuine loving concern from the side of our leaders.
[PADA: Bully boy tactics, plotting and scheming on secret "com" forums, these are all ways to build love and trust? To start with, why are all of these "com" forums kept secret, and when pada exposes some of them, there is a panic in the GBC camp? Why are you hiding everything? Could it be that you have a lot to hide?]
SR: Please keep me posted. As I report something, I expect to get regular feedback as a sign of a genuine concern over the issue and as a means for mutually constructive communication, as well as a sign of the fact that something is being practically done in addition to discussing the subject matter in elaborate ways. I sincerely wish Suhotra Swami all the best for his journey back to Godhead. The path of purification may not be an easy one. Hoping this meets you in good health,
Your servant, Ekatma das
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17-Oct-99 - the original Suhotra report sent to three GBC representatives,
Prahladananda Swami, Trivikrama Swami and Bir Krishna das Goswami.
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The purpose of this letter is to bring to your attention the present situation of Suhotra Swami.
The letter is divided into four sections,
(1) "primary evidence", consisting of things I have personally whitnessed,
(2) "secondary evidence", consisting of things I have heard from those who have whitnessed and whom I have considered reliable,
(3) "to be researched", containing things I cannot personally verify, and
(4) "subjective", containing my brief conclusions.
1. PRIMARY EVIDENCE
1.1 Sadhana and attending programs I have personally observed over a period of time the fact that Suhotra Swami does not regularly attend the morning programs. Often (I'd say at least half of the time) he skips all the programs altogether, and at times, when he is expected to give class, he comes for the class only, after the kirtan is over.
[PADA: Well at least he appears once every month or two, Stasvarupa cannot be found unless you hire a private investigator.]
SR: In this context it is to be noted that in the presence of his senior godbrothers, or others who dare to not accept everything as proper, his enthusiasm for attending the programs is remarkably increased for the time of their presence.
[note: I have personally whitnessed this. Once we visited a temple wherein a sannyasi godbrother of his is the president, and he happens to be strict in attending the morning programs. During the time of his presence, SuS was very much attending the programs, and displaying enthusiasm in the kirtana. However, when this godbrother of his left for a visit to the USA, not more than an hour after his departure my walkie-talkie says, bz-bz-z-EKATMA! - -z-z-COME-HERE!-z-bzt. He wanted us to bring in his video equipment and his box of videos. Well, ever since we rarely saw him attend the programs, but something I did see. I did see the light flashing in his room very often, both day and night, reflecting from his TV to the white walls of the room and to the window.]
It is to be observed that his attendance of programs goes hand in hand with the place where he happens to be in. It is known that he prefers to stay in places where "it is peaceful", that is, where he can have his schedules as he likes.
[note: since the letter of warning sent to SuS by Bir Krishna Goswami, he has made an effort to improve his attendance of the morning programs. The stability is yet to be seen.]
As far as my knowledge, he chants his 16 rounds, sometimes doing other things at the same time, such as reading, though. Besides this, no external sadhana is done to make up for the programs not attended.
[note: as far as his chanting, now I heard that he is chanting 64 rounds. This is nice to hear. I also heard him using it as an excuse for some nonsense. "Why are you using that much medicine, I have never seen any spiritual master use so much medicine, it is not good." "Well, not that many spiritual masters chant 64 rounds either." Gee, what an answer. Dazzlingly logical. This is not so nice. But for the average bhakta Joe someone's chanting 64 rounds means one is very much transcendental.]
1.2 Mundane videos Around the May of 1999, Suhotra Swami expressed a desire to bring a video set to "Mayapur Film Academy", along with various videos. The funds, this far approximately 1400 USD, was to be collected from the disciples. Exactly for what purpose the video set would be, was not known. However, as the time passed by, he chose to keep them with himself. It became obvious that the "Mayapur Film Academy" was not for real.
[note: most likely this "Mayapur Film Academy" meant SuS's and Bhakti-Vidyapurna Swami's video kutir somewhere in the Mayapur Gurukula.]
Already since March 1999, since his coming from India, he has exhibited an increasing desire to watch mundane movies. As I have seen the contents of some of the videos (which he likes to keep in a box well sealed) it is hard for me to believe they have anything whatsoever to do with Krishna consciousness. Classics from years ago, crime stories, horror. Still, weekly he spends quite some time in watching them.
Once again, he's ordering more. Wherefrom the money comes? From donations given by his disciples.
[note: the movies were mainly classics from the "noir"-genre from the 1940's. I would not consider the contents of the movies appropriate for a renounciate. "After Dark, My Darling", in the cover a naked man and a naked woman embracing. Not a pornographic one, though. His taste was more into depression. He used to watch ghastly horror movies, too.]
[note: he used to spend whole nights, until the early hours of the morning, watching these videos. In the evening he would go to a video rental store with his car-driver, come out with four-five videos, go into his room, lock the door, one could see the TV flashing light to the windows whole night, and the videos would be returned by the afternoon.]
[note: he has left the watching of videos after the letter of warning from BKG. The film noir videos are in a lager in Heidelberg. However, the video equipment is still in his van, traveling with him.]
1.3 Mundane literature It is well known that Suhotra Swami spends quite some time with mundane literature, apparently in studying for his projects. But as I have seen the books he is reading, nowadays they are mainly paperbacks, best-sellers, fictive stories. Nothing to really study. Previously his interest used to be more into philosophy and esotera, but nowadays... If the people who finance all of his purchases would know how the money given is spent, I doubt he would get them sponsored. He is using a considerable amount of his time with these books.
[note: if we estimate that he has purchased ca. 1000 books, each ca. 20 USD, this adds up to ca. 20.000 USD spent for mundane literature. He has explained to me his reading of books from the "noir"-genre, as well as watching movies of the kind, to be related to a project of his, which was to make a fictive Krishna conscious novel in the scene of 1940's. However, this project never took place, as he himself admitted. However, a good amount of time and money was wasted. "Film noir" is closely related with the strand of philosophy called existentialism, which he used to read in studying for his previous books. "One thing led to another", he told me, after my speaking out my opinion of his activities.]
[note: SuS personally promised me that he will give up the reading of irrelevant mundane literature, and will stop purchasing more. He told that he is leaving the majority of his books from the van into the Oslo lager, and keep only the most useful reference-sort of books, and moreover he will not add to the stock. However, as he left Oslo, I received news of his having two full trunks of books again in his van, and he also asked a disciple of his to go and check around the prices for some books. Also, during his visit to India, he ordered books to his stock, including a book about a Russian spy in the USA. Now, how is this relevant to anything, unless he will be preaching to Russian spies in the USA? Perhaps he will. If so, my obeisances unto him. In the meantime, I remain overwhelmed by his lack of truthfulness and integrity.]
1.4 Lies Regarding 1.1 and 1.2, he is regularly making excuses (that are at times obvious bluff) as to how things are. At times having a variety of sudden sickness, disabling him from morning programs, still allowing him to take prasadam as always, allowing him to spend his time in his room as always, might rise questions in a thoughtful mind. At times smuggling the video set into his room, and always packing it into boxes or covering with a chadar when not in use makes one think, whether everything is as it is supposed to be? Why cover up something, if it is for the service's sake?
In this subdivision also big contradictions between acara and pracara are to be noted. Speaking water, drinking wine, as the old proverb goes. [note: From the asana: "Association with the material sound vibration is like taking a knife and cutting the throat of our spiritual good fortune." Behind the scenes: watching mundane movies, hearing a gloomy jazz-soundtrack to a noir-movie. From the asana: "...and devotees of Krishna, when they see the karmi junk food, yuck, they throw it out the window!" Behind the scenes: purchasing cheese-tortillas and devouring them with great enthusiasm without caring whether it's offered or not.]
1.5 Medication Suhotra Swami carries with him a rather big bag of medication, including several painkillers, some containing caffeine, some containing lots of alcohol. He is using them regularly. With this, if not harming others (how we are to consider the caffeine in regards to "no intoxication"), he is at least harming himself.
[note: he has told me that he is getting rid of most of his medication. However, he is using a very expensive dietary medicine, and has lately purchased more. During his visit to Helsinki, after the whole issue came up, he commented on the medication, "I have tried to solve a material problem with a material solution. Now I am taking the holy name as my medicine." I wonder if this is very much of a responsible attitude. It is a rare soul who will cure the flu with the holy name. No doubt, it is possible.]
1.6 Vyasa-Puja You may be curious to note that whereas his godbrothers like to keep a lower profile with guru-worship, this year he has encouraged the arranging of a big Vyasa-Puja festival, near Prague, on the 20th of November. In addition, he has authorized the publication of a Vyasa-Puja book for his appearance day. It is not "inside ISKCON", so to say, as it will not mention ISKCON, thus not being against the GBC resolution.
[note: the publication of the VP-book was canceled just in time.] [note: during the initiation lecture at his VP, in direct opposition to the GBC resolution of emphasizing Srila Prabhupada as the pre-eminent siksa-guru for all generations to come, he over-emphasized the present diksa-guru as the way to the previous acaryas, and deriving from the "jive saksat nahe tate guru caitya rupa..." verse (CC Adi 1.58) a concocted meaning, explained how the disciple can approach Srila Prabhupada and the acaryas only through >the present guru. The verse in CC happens to speak about "siksa-guru mahanta svarupa", a siksa-guru, which is obviously Srila Prabhupada, and a mahanta svarupa, the form of a great mahanta devotee, which I doubt this present diksa-guru is, although he may try to act as if he was one by speaking such concoctions. According to Srila Prabhupada, the one who adulterates that which is in the sastra is a moha-andha instead of a mahanta.]
[note: on the initiation lecture given on his Vyasa-puja day, he did not speak one word about the disciple's relationship with Srila Prabhupada.]
[note: during the very same lecture, as we always explain the ten offences, he did summarize this by explaining in depth the "sadhu-ninda" and the "guror avajna", how such a terrible offence it is to offend the spiritual master. He also explained how "Bhaktivinoda Thakura said that the vaishnava is all-powerful, he can do anything, and if something is left undone, it is only his mercy for us." He further explained that if it appears that there is a defect in a vaishnava, it is actually only his mercy upon us so that we can serve him. I do not know what was going on in his mind as he spoke this, but I do know that the new devotees sitting in front of this vaishnava-guru on the asana considered him to be the all-powerful devotee described by Bhaktivinoda Thakura, and they understood that the apparent defects in SuS are only his mercy, and that they should be very careful to dare to assess or criticize him.]
1.7 Preaching Preaching, in addition to occasional lectures given, is practically not there. At exceptions. What Maharaja does in his room all these days and nights, is probably as foggy to me as it is to the person who receives reports from the GBC's and sannyasis.
[note: this is my experience from the one and half months I spent with him, and is obviously subjective. I do not claim that it is the complete picture. I have heard of his university preaching tours, too.]
2. SECONDARY EVIDENCE
2.1 Lady disciples Contrary to most of the ISKCON sannyasis, he allows lady disciples to come alone for a darsan, spending quite some time discussing with them. In addition, his relationship with some of them, young, cute and angelic, is something I think would not be approved by the Sannyasa Minister of ISKCON. Giving a friendly pat on her head or on her hand, dropping a laddhu into her mouth, sitting together the rooftop, watching the stars.
[note: it is strictly against the sannyasa dharma just to be alone with a woman in a room, what to speak of giving such "emotional support", as SuS called this excessive association, to non-married lady disciples. Some of his lady disciples have the experience of a tremendous change in the guru-disciple relationship after their change of ashram. One of them told me that she felt as if she didn't exist to SuS any longer, even though she used to be "daddy's little girl" before marrying.]
2.2 Collecting donations Collecting donations, including Guru-daksina, include a considerable sum of money. What it is used for, you need a rare soul to reply that one. It has also been noticed that he considerably favours those who like to donate considerable sums for his projects, unknown for the common men.
[note: recently one of his disciples gave him a daksina equaling ca. 2000 USD, which SuS put in his pocket without saying a thanks. The disciple was left very bewildered of such behavior.]
[note: I was told of SuS's speaking about his preaching in India, how it's nice, for the pious Indian people like to give nice donations. Now, what is this for an attitude of a preacher, in particular a sannyasi preacher?]
[note: as we speak of the attitudes of a parivrajaka sannyasi preacher, his dependency on the mercy of the Lord is definitely not shown in the fact that he collects excess amounts of things with him. Whenever he happens to be delighted by a particular kind of soft drink, cheese, or any such foodstuff, the car is equipped with 25 bottles of this soft drink and several kilos of this cheese. It makes it no easier to digest as a behavior of a sannyasi that he used to carry 10.000 USD cash with him when I traveled with him. This was before the Vyasa Puja. God only knows how much was in his pockets after that.]
2.3 Sama-darsinah Among disciples, some are openly favoured, more often ladies than not, whereas some are openly ridiculed. Those blindly obedient are protected, even though they may be wrong, whereas those who dare to question his behavior are pushed down for obedience with statements such as "You should not see the spiritual master, but to hear him", and in general this attitude of blind obedience is implanted in disciples by misapplying verses such as "yasya deve para haktir...", explaining that when the spiritual master is speaking, it is Krishna directly speaking. Thus anyone questioning or daring to disobey has just finished off his spiritual life. This one could call a kind of psychological suppression.
[note: this is sometimes done by "giving the sauce", as we like to put it in ISKCON slang, but more often by preaching in a particular way, as examplified in my notes to 1.6. I have personally whitnessed SuS calling a disciple of his crazy, insane and obsessed, as he was for weeks listening over and over again to a tape recording of SuS's japa. This disciple had the feeling that SuS is not pronouncing the whole mantra properly, but instead pronounces Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Mamamamamamamae, and he wanted to sincerely understand how this could be so. SuS told him that he is crazy and obsessed. He asked if he could take this tape to SuS's godbrother and ask him for advise. SuS told, "This is the test for you: can you control your mind? Stop listening to that tape! I have never advised my disciples to listen to my japa." He took this bullying as the mercy of his spiritual master. This person happens to be a sincere soul as far as my experience, and I could see how he was suffering with this. Interestingly enough, SuS does pronounce the end of the mantra as Hare Mamamamamamamae.]
[note: when a pure soul is speaking that which is learned from the sastras and from the guru, then definitely it is Krishna Himself speaking. However, it is not necessarily Krishna Himself speaking when it comes down to practical affairs within our subjective experience. But this is never explained to the neophyte disciple who is looking at every gesture of the guru as a sign from the spiritual world. More than turning off the brain, the spiritual master should be turning on the brain of the disciple, and teach him to become an independently thoughtful and competent individual, instead of becoming a dysfunctional authoritarian bureaucrate.]
[note: also I have heard many of his disciples complain how they feel like they have no relationship with SuS at all, when he answers their long letter with "Thank you. Hare Krishna!", and pays not all that much attention, what to speak of personal guidance in the spiritual life. Rather they feel neglected. Some feel like only their money and assets are cared for. Having seen some of the things I am relating in my presentation to you, rather than speaking up, some of them have taken their distance to him, as well as to the movement altogether, since he is a part of the movement and supported by the movement. Jiva Goswami actually recommends to worship such a guru from a good distance, so their choice is not all that bad.]
2.4 Abusing the GBC position Putting his godbrothers in positions, disregarding the opinion of local devotees. People who caused havoc at their positions. Examples to be given are Aja das and Viththalesvara das. Why such canvassing is going on, ought to be checked out. Actually, this one could be in section three as well, things worth investigating.
[note: actually, now that I take a good look around me, pretty much everyone in any position is doing the same thing to some extent, inasmuch as they have impurities left in the heart. Perhaps this was not worth reporting.]
2.5 Sadhu-sanga It is to be noted that he is not too fond of the association of his godbrothers. He rather is somewhere else, where he can act as he likes. Even we have seen him actively avoid some of them.
3. TO BE RESEARCHED
3.1 In 1980, Germany, something happened with a young boy. Whether it was abuse or something else, is under the investigation of the Child Protection Office. This one should be publicly clarified, to make it clear. Germany is the source of these discussions.
[note: the ISKCON CPO, Child Protection Office, has a fairly large case file on the issue, still open. This was first brought up in 1995, but was very quickly dealt by Harikesa and left under the carpet, besides an apology offered to the boy. More information regarding this will come later in the presentation. The CPO will address the issue in the course of time, inasmuch as they have evidence to address.]
3.2 Later, in Germany, something was going on between Suhotra Swami and a lady devotee, his assistant, after which Suhotra Swami was removed from Germany. He still keeps contact with this lady, and has visited her, as far as I have heard. As to what their present relationship is, I don't know.
[note: I asked SuS about this, and he admitted that he and this lady had a relationship not proper for a sannyasi to maintain, however nothing illicit ever took place. As far as removing from Germany, he told of having left of his own will, being exhausted with the post of a regional secretary. However, a majority of devotees in Germany know of his lofty behavior from those times, and do not glance upon him with a good eye.]
3.3 Why the topics this far discussed are being covered? If one searching for a spiritual master would be aware of the reality of these things, he might well re-consider his choice. As they come up after years, it places one in a rather discomfortable position.
[note: this is actually a major concern. I know a good number of Harikesa's disciples who felt utterly cheated by the institution, since a good number of leaders knew of his problems, but never informed the large public of devotees, who followed him in good faith right until the last days' crash. Many of the innocent young devotees considered him an uttama-adhikari, whereas several of his godbrothers knew that he was definitely not such. Not speaking out in such a situation we may call "fostering the illusion." As a matter of fact, the Caitanya Caritamrta, Mad. 5.90 states, "A person who knows things as they are and still does not bear witness becomes involved in sinful activities." Speaking only a palatable truth is not the mission of a preacher in a preaching movement. The mission of the preacher is to distinguish reality from illusion for the welfare of all, not to foster illusions in the name of protecting someone's faith.]
3.4 Also, many of the other topics apply in general. For example, Bhaktivaibhava Swami has his own antenna for watching all the 36 channels. Bhakti Vidyapurna Swami likes these movies too, as they watch them together with Suhotra Swami in Mayapur. Many authorities, who are considered as examples for the common man, have similar hobbies. Srila Prabhupada was very clear in this matter. Just switch on the Vedabase.
[note: now, I do not know how many channels Bhaktivaibhava Swami can see with his super antenna he got from his disciple, but I do know that watching TV late until the wee hours of the night is not the activity for a sannyasi, unless specifically within his range of service. I doubt this is the case here, yet I may be wrong. Bhaktividya-purna Swami and SuS have their "Film Noir Library" in the holy dham of Sridham Mayapur, where they watched these videos too. SuS has quite a stock of videos in Mayapur as well as in Europe, unless they were flushed away from their "Kutir Noir" by the floods. I pray this is what happened.]
4. SUBJECTIVE
It has become clear to me that the taste of Suhotra Swami is gradually shifting from spirit to matter. Before, long bhajans used to be his trademark. Now, long movies take that place from his schedule. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh is decreasing, whereas sravanam kirtanam for God knows what is increasing.
In the light of the contents of this letter, I can no longer believe that he is a person who responsibly instructs his disciples in their spiritual lives.
[note: lately I have not been able to observe him, but the reports I have received are concerning, as they indicate the presence of the same old habits in a mildly recycled fashion.]
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Quotes from my correspondance with the beforementioned three GBCs
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When SuS got a letter of warning from BKG, he did stop watching the videos, but at the same time kept reading his noir paperpacks and the stuff. He renounced the videos, yet not the interest. Also, recently as SuS got the three remaining videos from his order, he expressed his desire to see them. His car-drived gently informed him of his utter disgust upon hearing such a request. 'I just wanted to see them once', SuS commented.
He is all the time reading his mundane paperbacks and buying more. Takes no genious to figure out they have little or nothing to do with active devotional service.
Already for years, here and there, it happens that SuS tells the driver to stop the car in the city downtown, like Copenhagen, Hamburg or Hannover. Take an example, Hamburg, Altrona (this area is known of brodels, blue vision etc. sub-culture). The driver happened to park his car in the front of an Erotic Art Museum (which he noted later on). SuS went to a book-shop for almost three hours, between 20.30 to 23.30, returning without a single pamphlet. One might wonder, why he always jumps out of the car quickly, in karmi clothing, and wants to go alone.
[note: SuS has given me a detailed explanation of this particular adventure. He wanted to go to a highly recommended The English Bookstore, but they missed the address, and SuS then asked his driver to park the car near a subway station he saw. Then SuS took the subway to near this bookstore, but it was no longer open. Then he thought of Heinrich Heine bookstore, and discovered it was closed too. Then he returned to the car, obviously without books.]
[note: it is interesting to note that this is not the only report of his being seen in a questionable area of a city in karmi clothing.]
Last time, in Hannover, the book-shop adventure was 14.00-19.00. And he came back with zero books. As to how a vaisnava-sadhu spent his time in the city downtown, we cannot really say. The schedule also was spontaneous, as he didn't bother to tell the driver at all when he'll return.
[note: these events were related to me by his car-driver who was personally present.]
He used to stay in Greece at one householder couple's place at times for a month, even longer. He sometimes went out in karmi clothes to Athens downtown late at night, and came back only the next morning.
[note: obviously the only people who can confirm this to be true or false are this couple. Whether they are willing to speak about it, I can't say. Until then, this will remain a hearsay. It is interesting to note, however, that similar reports and hearsays are coming in often. "That is your duty as sannyasa, to keep yourself always above suspicion", said Srila Prabhupada.]
[note: a friend of mine visited the Greece temple, which basically meant a few housholder couples, and told that during her stay there SuS came from India and spent two weeks there without giving a single class. She expressed me her disappointment over the fact.]
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Just a few days back he got four ? litre bottles of a herbal medicine, containing 80% alcohol. I was told he drank about half of the bottle on their way from Heidelberg to Radhadesh. Ups. Even to drink 10cl of such liquid equals drinking one 75cl bottle of wine. In addition, he has a big bag full of medicine, some of which contain considerable quantities of caffeine. Sure the variety of pain-killers he is taking fits together with the new 80% medicine. For the stomach, he says.
[note: after taking the medicine, the driver described the car as smelling like a bar. SuS was visibly "tired." This was related to me by his driver and also whitnessed by his personal servant, who got very upset at the things he saw his spiritual master doing, and left his service after a month in a somewhat confused state of mind.]
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Bank accounts; to my knowledge, SuS has at least two bank accounts, the official one, containing the funds for his travel etc., kept by Bhagavat Dharma SS, and the private one, in Oslo, Norway. A friend of mine has a letter from the Den Norske Bank, dated 31.12.1999, stating the balance of over 260.000 NOK (ca. 50.000 USD) for the account of Roger Terrence Crowley, alias SuS. Who is monitoring the use of this account?
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A short cronological summary of my experiences with SuS during 1999
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* Summer '99, SuS visiting Helsinki. * SuS is half-out of his room on the 4th floor, and amuses himself by pouring pots of water to the necks of the people walking down on the street below. Many complaints are made by the neighbours, who are shocked by the behaviour of this elderly gentleman, supposedly a religious leader.
[note: I whitnessed this - he poured literally liters of water down from the window to the street.]
Many nights SuS is walking back and forth in his room, making strange hobgoblin sounds to himself.
[note: one night later his driver was sitting outside SuS's room late at night, reading peacefully. He heard SuS murmuring, "...fuck, fuck, kill I kill..." in a very strange voice which he described as being like from another world. He told me that such behavior had been going on for years, walking back and forth in the night, speaking to himself in a strange way. Once I happened to be in a room sharing a wall with SuS, which he didn't know. He thought he was all alone. All of a sudden I heard a tremendous slam, and SuS shouted, "Why do I have to tolerate this shit!" in a very agitated and angry voice. All of this I do not consider this to be a behavior of a person equipped with a normal psychology.]
Many mornings SuS does not attend the programs, and when he comes, he drops in to give the class only, and after the class shoots out from the asana like a missile into the car, and away to the flat.
[note: several devotees were amazed and disturbed by such eccentric, proud behavior he exhibited.]
* October '99, SuS traveling around Poland and Czech. * SuS spends his nights watching "film noir" movies, often 'til the early hours of morning. He spends lots of money for buying and renting such movies. Money given as donations for his "projects".
[note: his car-driver even became a member of "American Video Club" in Prague, on the order of his spiritual master, to facilitate this hobby of SuS's. SuS used to go downtown checking out the videos in a jogging suit and dark sunglasses.]
SuS attends the morning programs on a random basis, not regularly. He chants his rounds here and there through the day, sometimes reading while chanting. SuS spends, and has spent, huge chunks of money for purchasing nonsensical karmi literature, often just paperback novels, which he reads through his days. SuS exhibits very duplicious behavior, making up excuses for the things he does. Naturally, big contradictions are found between acara and pracara, as he presents the philosophy from the asana and behaves very opposite.
[note: as far as the duplicious behavior, lately I have caught him twisting other people's words, including BKG's, to facilitate his own agenda, to try and convince some devotees that he has no problems. I also caught him calling me a deceitful snake, and telling one of his disciples that whatever I may say should not be taken seriously. A friend of mine saw a letter SuS wrote about me. This is very kind of SuS, since he used to tell me how I was actually one of his best disciples, since I truly cared about the welfare of my spiritual master, and how I was answering a prayer of his by speaking out these things a good while back.
Now I learn that he is discrediting me behind my back. Lately there was some buzz of my name I received from SuS, a few of his disciples were of the opinion that I should change back to my pre-initiated name. Well, now I learn that this is most likely because SuS is referring to me with this karmi name, without informing me of his policy. God bless his worst disciples, if this is the kindness he shows towards a person who used to be "one of my best disciples". Nothing in my approach to the issue has changed ever since these statements of SuS. It only shows how he has a good set of faces to put on in playing his chess with people, calculating which face will serve his agenda.*]
[*footnote: the letter herein mentioned may be a product of a disciple of SuS which is presented in SuS's name. This is not clear up to date. SuS did not admit having written such things.]
SuS directly violates the GBC resolutions by de-emphasizing Srila Prabhupada and our relationship with His Divine Grace in his initiation lectures, wherein he over-emphasizes the present diksa-guru, indirectly comparing himself to nitya-siddha devotees such as Srila Prabhupada and Bhaktivinoda Thakura.
[note: this we discussed already. If the guru speaks from the asana about the great gurus, the non-discriminating audience will see the guru sitting on the asana in a similar way. This is the import of the words "indirectly comparing". I do not say whether he does it consciously or not, since I am not able to read his mind. What I do say is that he should better consider his words to avoid misunderstandings.]
SuS carries with himself a big bag of medicine, painkillers and herbal medicines, many of them including big chunks of caffeine. Once he swallows about half of the contents of a ?litre bottle of a herbal extract containing 80% alcohol, and is visibly 'tired'.
* Sometime in the past. * During his visits to India, SuS has been sitting on a rooftop with a young lady disciple, gazing at the stars in the middle of the night, explaining the constillations. In addition, he often gives private darsans to his lady disciples, in opposition of the sannyasa dharma.
[note: this is something I learned as I was his personal servant. I used to send and receive his mail. My conscience forced me to check what is going on, as I begun to notice his strange behavior, and as I noticed the strange headlines of some of the letters he received. The passage above on sitting on the rooftops, explaining the constillations, is based on what SuS has personally written. Now, I do know that someone will be very upset for my doing this. However, what is done is done. My deep apologies for anyone who may feel hurt by this. I did it for your sake, for your ultimate good. I had no personal interest to read his mail. Please try and understand.
Obviously SuS felt discomfortable about these letters, since he wanted me to erase these very same letters from his COM-account immediately after receiving BKG's letter of warning. I did know how to pick up the text numbers from the log-file and to unerase them, being amazed of the sudden urgent need to erase old texts, or to "destroy the evidence".]
From the his past, early '80s in the Germany, some people accuse SuS of child abuse. The CPO, ISKCON Child Protection Office, has a fairly large case file on the issue, yet to be issued. SuS himself says he has in a friendly manner been scaring a youngster. The testimonies I've heard and gathered give a different angle of view. The youngster, or now a man in his thirties, has become a born-again Christian, having gone through a mental asylum at his later years. I have been trying to contact a close relative of the youngster whom I have heard to claim that in addition to beating the young boy, SuS did nasty things with his genitalia.
[note: as I have not been there personally, I can't give an absolute statement on what has happened, or whether anything has happened. The case was brought up again after the departure of Harikesa, who was the one to quickly handle the issue and set it aside, ordering those making the complaint, his disciples, to be silent. It is worth considering that SuS has changed his statement of what took place since his 1995 apology. Back then he confessed having hit the boy, but now he tells that he said it because he was confused and deeply shocked by the allegiation, and thought that perhaps he had done such a thing, his memories are vague. Now he says that he only scared the boy with a skeleton mask in a friendly way.
The boy, or now a man, is not willing to come out with the case. He says, "Whatever happened 20 years ago...for me it's cleared up...I think we talked it out and now all is good." I have heard from a friend of his, however, that he used to speak different several years back. It is obvious that he does't want to stir up the old case any longer, since he is not involved with ISKCON any longer, and obviously doesn't have an agenda of helping our movement deal with its dirty history. He just wants to forget it all, whatever it was, having gone through a mental institute in his later years, having become a good Christian. He just wants to have his peace.
I am personally not convinced of SuS's innocence merely on the basis of his statement, for I have seen how much he lacks integrity and good character. So often I discovered him lying with bright eyes.]
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Let us close the presentation with a quote from the Jaiva Dharma of Bhaktivinoda Thakura, describing the gist of the qualities of a bona fide spiritual master, leaving some food for thought for the reader.
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"The qualifications of a bona fide spiritual master and a bona fide disciple are elaborately described in Sri Hari-bhakti-vilasa. The gist of that description is this: A person who has faith and a pure character is qualified to be a disciple. A person who is engaged in pure devotional service, who knows the science of devotional service, whose character is saintly, who is honest, straightforward, and sincere, who is not greedy, who is not an impersonalist, and who is expert in performing his spiritual duties is qualified to be a bona fide spiritual master."
Text: COM:3179482)
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