61 - Indian President Launches 25 Million Plates of Prasadam

[Guest guest]

Newsletter of the Iskcon Revival Movement (IRM) Issue 61

 

1. Indian President Launches 25 Million Plates of Prasadam

2. BBC Highlights GBC Tyranny

3. Sivarama Swami Pushes His Sahajiya Fiction

4. Sankirtan Stories

5. Bhakti Caru Swami Promotes Recipe For Disaster

6. Tripurari Speculates About Ritvik

7. Srila Prabhupada Vyasa Puja Offerings 2003

8. Feedback Welcomed

 

 

 

1. Indian President Launches 25 Million Plates Of Prasadam

 

His Excellency Sri Abdul Kalam, the President of India, recently visited the IRM

headquarters at ISKCON Bangalore. During his 1 hour visit he took darshan of the

Deities, Sri Sri Radha Krishnachandra, as well as touring the temple complex.

He also personally served and took prasadam in the temple hall with the

devotees, 400 children and other VIP dignitaries. Also present at the visit

were the Chief Minister and Governor of Karnataka, Sri S.M. Krishna and Sri

T.N. Chaturvedi. To ensure the security of the President, 600 policemen had

taken over the temple and adjoining roads for the day. Particularly pleasing

was the sight of the President taking darshan of the Deities, as well as

waiting for the Pujari to give him blessings from the altar - pleasing since

the President is a Muslim. Upon seeing the Deities, the President commented

that:

 

"By seeing Them, one’s sins and sorrows are washed away and vanish.”

 

It was also especially wonderful that His Excellency went on to the stage and

personally garlanded a life-size murti of Srila Prabhupada, the Guru of ISKCON.

 

Whilst at the temple, the President unveiled a plaque announcing the upscaling

of the famous Food for Life prasadam distribution program of ISKCON Bangalore,

known locally as ‘Akshaya Patra’. Currently, this program feeds 50,000

schoolchildren everyday. The government, impressed by the scale, efficiency and

effectiveness of the program, has agreed now to assist ISKCON Bangalore to

double the program to reach 100,000 children a day. This will mean that once

the scaling up of the program hits its target, ISKCON Bangalore will be

responsible for distributing a total of almost *** 25 million plates of

prasadam a year ***.

 

The President personally praised the work of the temple in his speech. The

following are some excerpts:

 

"When I entered the temple, the beautiful temple, the divine temple [...], I

turned to swami Madhu Pandit Das, and his power to spread the message of

spiritualism is very important, is spreading, and particularly giving food,

Akshaya Patra really is a very important mission, and I congratulate the

Akshaya Patra foundation for the excellent work they have done. [...] And the

Akshaya Patra, spread by Swami Madhu Pandit [...], should become Vidya Akshaya

Patra (spreading of knowledge)." (His Excellency Sri Abdul Kalam, President of

India)

 

The visit of the President was covered widely by all the major national TV

stations and newspapers. The following are some clippings from the media (we

hope to upload these clippings – plus others from the Deccan Herald and Sunday

Express - to our website shortly).

 

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

 

THE TIMES OF INDIA

New Delhi, Monday June 9, 2003

Dream, work for reality: Kalam

Bangalore: Interaction with President Kalam was a mixture of science lessons and

encouragement for over 200 government and corpo­ration school students at the

ISKCON temple. Kalam launched a new scheme to upscale the Akshaya Patra mid-day

meal scheme to cover one lakh (100,000) students, through the ‘Kids for Kids'

programme, where rich children sponsor the meal for poor ones. [...] When a

student appealed saying: "We have a dream that one day every child in India

will be well-fed, well-educated and well looked af­ter" Kalam put the ball in

the children's court. "You take food under Akshaya Patra now. When you start

earning, you should say, I will give food."

 

The Hindu - Business Line

Karnataka: Kalam launches meal scheme for poor children BANGALORE, June 8:

TEN-year-old Jayalakshmi from Mahalakshmipuram Government School will never

forget Saturday, June 7, 2003. For, it was on this day that she had the

privilege of being served rice and sambar by none other than the President of

India, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. He was inaugurating the `Kids for Kids'

programme, an extension of `Akshaya Patra', a mid-day meal scheme that now

covers about 43,000 poor children in and around Bangalore. In a rare gesture,

the President joined the underprivileged children at the ISKCON temple in

Bangalore to have a meal. The Akshaya Patra Foundation, initiated by ISKCON,

Bangalore, now has several patrons, like the State Government, the Department

of Public Instruction, a few corporate houses and many individuals who have

contributed to its success. The `Kids for Kids' programme is a new exercise

where the urban and more affluent children will make a donation of Rs 100 per

month to Akshaya Patra to support the mid-day meal scheme for the poorer

children. Lauding the efforts of ISKCON, Dr Kalam said that this was not just

`Anna (rice) Akshaya Patra' that ISKCON is giving to society, but also `Vidya

(knowledge) Akshaya Patra, because, "When you get good food and nutrition, it

leads to good education and knowledge and the process of development of society

is speeded up." The Akshaya Patra programme was started in July 2000 by serving

1,500 children. It then scaled 12,500 children by April 2002 and now has 43,000

children benefiting from the meal programme. "The programme should reach about

100,000 children by this year-end," said Swami Madhu Pandit Das, Chairman,

Akshaya Patra Foundation and President, ISKCON, Bangalore. The scheme plans to

cover about 250,000 hungry children by 2005. There are also plans to replicate

the programme in North India to reach out to at least 25,000 children,

according to Swami Chanchalapathy Das of ISKCON, Bangalore.

SUNDAY VIJAY TIMES

8 June 2003

 

KALAM WANTS MIDDAY MEALS TO REACH ALL

Bangalore: Speaking after launching a new dimension of the Akshaya Patra midday

meal programme implemented by the International Society for Krishna

Consciousness (ISKCON), he said. "Good food makes the children not only

concentrate on studies, it also improves their health. Educated and healthy

chil­dren will lead to a healthy and knowledgeable society". He lauded the

endeavour of the Akshaya Patra Found­ation and the State Govern­ment in

successfully imple­menting the programme across the state.

The President, who struck an instant rapport with the children the moment he

entered the ISKCON auditori­um, asked them to recite the mantra of creativity

along with him. [...] Later, he shared lunch with the children. The Akshaya

Patra Foundation provides nutri­tious food for 43,000 children belonging to 219

schools in and around Bangalore. It has a fleet of 11 custom-built vehicles to

transport food to these schools. The Foundation envisages reaching 2.5 lakh

(250,000) children by 2005, said Swamy Chanchalapathy Das who made a

presenta­tion as part of the pro­gramme. The programme was being implemented

only in Gover­nment schools so as to ensure that it was totally secular. The

success of the scheme has drawn wide appreciation from various quarters. The

Foundation has decid­ed to spread its activity to some northern states.

Initially, 25,000 students would be covered under the pro­posed programme,

added Das.

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

 

2. BBC Highlights GBC Tyranny

This year is the 30th Anniversary of the establishment of ISKCON’s headquarters

in the UK, namely Bhaktivedanta Manor, the large country estate donated by the

late Beatle George Harrison in 1973. To mark this historic occasion in the life

of the Hindu community in Great Britain, the world’s largest and most famous

media organisation - the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) – ran a

mini-feature on its weekly religious programme “Sunday”. The BBC is

world-renowned for its impartiality in its news coverage, and true-to-form,

they interviewed an ISKCON representative, Bhaktivedanta Manor Temple President

Gauri Das, as well as devotees within the ISKCON Revival Movement (IRM). In

this way, the programme’s British audience of millions were able to find out

more about what is REALLY going on within ISKCON. The complete broadcast can

be heard by clicking on the link below:

http://farsight.members.beeb.net/BBCSunday22June03.ram

(Please note you will need REALPLAYER installed on your computer to hear the

broadcast. Windows Mediaplayer will not work.)

The programme is also permanently archived on the BBC’s website at:

www.bbc.co.uk/sunday

The presenter of this particular “Sunday” programme, Edward Stourton, is famous

all over the UK as one of the country’s leading broadcasters – he is often to

be heard in the mornings on the BBC’s “Today” current affairs programme,

interviewing world leaders and politicians, and he also presents religious

documentaries.

We reproduce the unedited transcript of the feature below. The IRM was

represented by Krishnakant, the author of “The Final Order”; and Bhajahari Das,

the first Temple President at Bhaktivedanta Manor.

BBC “Sunday”

22 June 2003

Edward Stourton:

(Introduction to the show: “In today’s programme, Britain’s Hare Krishna

movement celebrates 30 years of settled life, but some of its members say it’s

stamping on dissent.”)

 

Once upon a time, shaven-headed and orange-robed, they were a kind of touchstone

for what it was to be alternative. Today the Hare Krishna movement, otherwise

known as ISKCON – the International Society for Krishna Consciousness – is

almost part of the establishment. Its British headquarters, Bhaktivedanta

Manor in North London, was a present from the Beatle George Harrison, and this

week marks its 30th Anniversary. However, not everyone in the movement will be

celebrating, as Shazia Khan reports.

Shazia Khan: Today a wedding is taking place at Bhaktivedanta Manor, and women

are singing blessings for the new couple. The rituals are very similar to

those at traditional Hindu weddings, as the Hare Krishnas trace their roots

back to Hinduism and share many of the same beliefs. The celebrations this

week will be enjoyed by Western devotees and South Asian Hindus alike. Gauri

Das is the President at the Manor.

Gauri Das: It really marks, I think, successes within a very new institution.

And of course with the Hare Krishnas, how we celebrate – well, we dance and we

chant the names of God, and we take sumptuous prasadam, which is vegetarian

foodstuffs offered to Lord Krishna.

Shazia Khan: But all is not well within the Hare Krishna movement.

Devotee’s voice: I was thrown into a bush and had my neck beads, my holy neck

neck beads, ripped off my throat, and threatened. I was intimidated, strongly

intimidated.

Shazia Khan: Some devotees are claiming they suffered reprisals for criticising

the way the movement is run. They believe the late Founder, Bhaktivedanta Swami

Prabhupada, left specific instructions stating that he was to be the only Guru

of the movement, and that after his death it should be managed by lower-ranking

priests. But those in charge now in some parts of the world, though not at

Bhaktivedanta Manor, are referred to and treated as ‘Gurus’. Krishnakant

Desai, a graduate from Cambridge University, is the brain behind the dissident

movement and says this is all wrong.

Krishnakant: When you go to a church, the priest, or the bishop, or whoever,

simply helps you be connected as a direct follower and disciple of Jesus. They

don’t make you a disciple or follower of THEM. So very simply, we are supposed

to be disciples, directly, of the Founder. Those were his instructions which

are in black-and-white. But unfortunately, these self-elected or

self-appointed Gurus are saying “No. You have to be disciples of us. You must

give all your reverence, worship, money etc. etc. to us".

Shazia Khan: Krishnakant was expelled from Bhaktivedanta Manor and all other

Hare Krishna centres in the UK in 1993 for expressing such views. Since then,

others have also been banned.

Kirtan plays in the background.

Every month a group of dissident devotees who share Krishnakant Desai’s views

meet in secret outside the Manor.

Devotee: My name is Bhajahari, Bhajahari Das, and I previously used to live at

the Manor from 1973 – Bhaktivedanta Manor.

Shazia Khan: Bhajahari used to be the President of the Manor, but he too was

expelled 6 years ago for speaking out in favour of the dissidents.

Bhajahari Das: One time I went to the Manor and I was beaten up for voicing my opinion.

Shazia Khan: Others say they are forced to keep silent against their

convictions, for fear of also being expelled from the Manor and losing the

focus of their devotion, such as this devotee whose voice we’ve had to

disguise.

Devotee: It’s painful for me personally, because it means that I can’t express

my opinion. It means that I feel restricted when I go to the temple to

worship.

Shazia Khan: The Gurus say the dissidents are misguided in their views, and

that it is a long and established tradition of India for Gurus to succeed each

other, and that their Founder fully intended for the movement to be run by

Gurus to guide devotees. They see the dissidents as disruptive. The President

of Bhaktivedanta Manor told me why their views could warrant expulsion.

Gauri Das: I think it’s very appropriate. I think if you were to join the

Catholic Church, and then start preaching atheism – I don’t think it would be

appropriate to use that form for doing that. Sure, do it, but don’t be

pretentious and accept the disciplines and tradition and philosophy of an

institution, and then use that platform to preach your own understandings or

speculations.

Shazia Khan: Professor Mallory Nye, an expert on Hindus in Britain, is

sceptical about the claim that the Hare Krishna leaders have been too harsh in

their treatment of the dissident Reform Movement.

Malory Nye: I don’t think ISKCON do wish to take a heavy hand. I know that

there are cases of ISKCON Reform leaders, preachers, having been discouraged,

and in some cases banned, from preaching within ISKCON temples across the

world; but I take with a little bit of a pinch of salt stories of people being

in fear for their safety perhaps, or any such allegations. ISKCON are a very

peaceable organisation, and I think perhaps this is just a case of perhaps

personalities.

Shazia Khan: But Reform leader Krishnakant Desai thinks what he sees as the

suppression of the dissidents has tarnished the movement as a whole.

Krishnakant: Even though the teachings of the Founder are pure, and the movement

had the potential to be a very great movement; because it was hijacked by these

power-crazed leaders, unfortunately today it is behaving in classic cult

fashion.

Shazia Khan: Temple President Gauri Das, on the other hand, is adamant that the

row is a mere storm in a teacup, and that it certainly won’t spoil the

celebrations this week.

Gauri Das: It’s a few people with a strong opinion and a belief. They’re fully

entitled to that, but it’s not anything for our institution to worry about or

feel threatened by. They say when the elephant walks through the village, so

many dogs will bark and continue to bark, but does the elephant stop to attend

to the barking of dogs? Not at all.

Edward Stourton: Gauri Das ending that report from Shazia Khan.

 

ANALYSIS:

1) Firstly, the BBC reporter succinctly states WHY the IRM believes that Srila

Prabhupada should remain the only Diksa Guru for ISKCON, and that the movement

should only be managed by priests, not self-appointed Gurus:

“They believe the late Founder, Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, left specific

instructions stating that he was to be the only Guru of the movement, and that

after his death it should be managed by lower-ranking priests. But those in

charge now in some parts of the world, though not at Bhaktivedanta Manor, are

referred to and treated as ‘Gurus’.”

The reporter correctly noted that our belief is based on SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS

left by Srila Prabhupada. This is highly significant as nowhere during this

broadcast, nor indeed at any other time in the history of the Hare Krishna

movement, has ISKCON’s GBC presented ANY specific instruction from Srila

Prabhupada which authorises his disciples to be Initiating Gurus.

2) The reporter then goes on to report why ISKCON’s Gurus see the IRM as “misguided”:

“The Gurus say the dissidents are misguided in their views, and that it is a

long and established tradition of India for Gurus to succeed each other, and

that their Founder fully intended for the movement to be run by Gurus to guide

devotees.”

The ISKCON Gurus’ assertion that Srila Prabhupada “fully intended for the

movement to be run by Gurus to guide devotees” (where Gurus refer to Diksa, or

Initiating, Gurus) is also interesting because it once again exposes the fact

that the GBC has never presented a SPECIFIC ORDER from Prabhupada which

AUTHORISES them to be Guru successors. And we know from Srimad-Bhagavatam that

AUTHORISATION is required before one can be a Diksa Guru:

"One should take initiation from a bona fide spiritual master coming in the

disciplic succession, who is authorised by his predecessor spiritual master.

This is called diksa-vidhana." (S.B. 4.8.54, purport)

ISKCON’s Gurus have NEVER produced this specific authorization. Instead the

best they can come up with is that Srila Prabhupada “fully intended” for them

to be Diksa Gurus – a nebulous statement to rank alongside ex-GBC Chairman

Ravindra Svarupa Das’ classic fudge:

“In response to the question of initiation after his departure, Srila Prabhupada

gave a list of "officiating gurus," designating them in an indirect or oblique

manner. He expected them to become "regular gurus" in the future, but there

was no "hand-picking of successors," no laying on of hands or anointing with

oil, no transfer of power to some special and exclusive group” (Ravindra

Svarupa das, ‘Cleaning House, Cleaning Hearts’, ISKCON Communications Journal,

Vol. 2, No. 1)

No true follower of Srila Prabhupada would ever believe that the Founder-Acarya

of ISKCON would issue important instructions in an “indirect or oblique

manner”, particularly in respect of how disciples were to be initiated after

his physical departure.

3) Also, the ISKCON GBC representative reveals to the whole world just exactly

what they think of those who worship Srila Prabhupada exclusively. He compares

accepting Srila Prabhupada as the Guru of ISKCON as the same as preaching

ATHEISM, and those who follow such an idea as barking dogs:

“and I think if you were to join the Catholic Church, and then start preaching

atheism – I don’t think it would be appropriate to use that form for doing

that.[...] They say when the elephant walks through the village, so many dogs

will bark and continue to bark, but does the elephant stop to attend to the

barking of dogs? Not at all." (Gauri Das, Temple President, Bhaktivedanta

Manor)

But at least Gauri Das is partially correct. To become a dog of Srila

Prabhupada is indeed the perfection of our lives and is what we aspire to.

What this programme illustrates once again is that wherever and whenever truth

is under threat, it will always find an outlet to shine forth, no matter what

dark forces try to suppress it. SATYAM VIJAYATE – Truth will always be

victorious!

 

3. Sivarama Swami Pushes His Sahajiya Fiction

In an astonishing message to members of the ISKCON Pandava Sena youth group in

the UK, GBC Guru HH Sivarama Swami has decided that the energy, resources and

finances of these impressionable young minds would be better served in

distributing one of HIS books of FICTION, rather than the transcendental books

of ISKCON Founder-Acarya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

At a time when the distribution of Srila Prabhupada’s books throughout the

world is in serious decline, the LAST thing one would expect is for an ISKCON

leader to embark on a self-promotion campaign – for a book that is actually a

work of fiction! But, as we see from the message below, Sivarama Swami is

desperate to sell ALL copies of his book Na paraye 'ham and “is checking

vigilantly on the progress” which so far, thankfully, "is pretty depressing.”

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

Fri, 30 May 2003 18:20:36 +0100

na paraye 'ham Book Distribution Help Req!

 

The following is an e-mail from HH Sivarama Swami's servant asking

Pandava Sena to help with the distribution of 'na paraye 'ham'.

 

If anyone can help please mail me or give me a call

 

your servant

Nilamani dd

 

"dear nilamani

pamho

agtgm

gurumaharaja has suggested that i seek your help in mobilising some pandavas to

help with selling the last remaining copies of na paraye 'ham. I think all

together there are 1000 copies. gurumaharajas idea was that 10 volunteers come

forward to find another 10 persons each, who will promise to sell something in

the region of 5->10 books each. so far there was only one devotee, adi guru,

that has come forward. the idea is that books be bought for cash, regardless of

whether you have customers lined up, because then you would have the rest of

your life to sell them. the pressure would not necessarily be on someone to buy

10 books. the choice is also there to find 10 people who can afford the 10 books

(10 is just a rough guide to what would be a useful figure)

please write soon to say what you think. don't forget, gurumaharaja is the one

behind this, and he is checking vigilantly on the progress, which so far is

pretty depressing!

ys madhu"

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

 

There are a number of important facts to note here:

 

1) Sivarama Swami’s 400-page book is actually a work of fiction, which the

author openly admits in the book:

 

"To keep the attention of the reader I searched for a suitable story line and

literary device that, in tandem with illustrative pastimes, would lighten the

mood of the book. In the end I settled on the story of Syamalata, the narrator

gopi, who speaks to the reader and to Nava-sakhi, a newly arrived recruit to

Krsna's bhauma-lila. The first poetic license, therefore, was to induce the

fictional characters Syamalata and Nava-sakhi. As a consequence of this

decision, these literary characters interact with real historical persons such

us Radha and Krsna."

(Sivarama Swami, Na paraye 'ham, p.19)

 

“Disclaimer: 'One final note. I must reiterate that Syamalata, her story, and

her interaction with Sri Radha and other residents of Vraja, is a literary

device." (Sivarama Swami, Na paraye 'ham, p.29)

 

In the second half of the book, we even find Srimati Radharani writing a letter

to this fictitious character Syamalata!

 

We know that Srila Prabhupada has repeatedly condemned the idea of imposing

one’s imagination on the sacred, pure and transcendental pastimes of the

Supreme Lord Krishna and His eternal confidential associates:

 

"One who follows his imaginations about the Supreme Personality of Godhead is

condemned."(Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.3.32, purport)

 

"One cannot imagine something about God or His form. Such imagination is not

accepted by those who are serious about enlightenment.” (Sri

Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila, 3.111, purport)

 

"So as we have seen that Lord Caitanya, when He instructs, He gives at once

evidence from authoritative scripture, that is the way of presenting. Always

you should remember that we cannot imagine about God: "I think God is like

this." This is nonsense. . . This is all nonsense. " (Srila Prabhupada Lecture

on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madyha-lila 20.152-154, New York, December 5, 1966)

 

"The wonderful characteristics of the gopis are beyond imagination." (Sri

Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 4.187 purport)

2) Sivarama Swami also states that his work of fiction is more readable than

Srila Prabhupada’s books!

 

"The story line is meant to generate a more readable literature. Devotees,

especially in modern times, are less inclined to read straight philosophy than

an attractive story that illustrates points of philosophy. If by reading the

latter they become versed in the principles of Krsna-tattva, surely our purpose

in spreading Krsna consciousness is served." (Sivarama Swami, Na paraye 'ham,

p.20)

 

But what does Srila Prabhupada’s magnum opus the multi-volume Srimad-Bhagavatam

contain, if not the most highly attractive stories about Krishna, His

incarnations and His confidential associates – all of which are historical

narrations, not fiction, and all of which are replete with philosophy as well?

Why did Srila Prabhupada specifically publish his wonderful book, “Krishna: The

Supreme Personality of Godhead”, if not to wean the common man AWAY from

fiction, and to attract him to the all-blissful pastimes of Lord Krishna?:

 

“This book Krsna is another presentation to help the Krsna consciousness

movement in the Western world. This transcendental literature is published in

two parts with profuse illustrations. People love to read various kinds of

fiction to spend their time and energy. Now this tendency can be directed to

Krsna. The result will be the imperishable satisfaction of the soul, both

individually and collectively.”

(‘Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead’, Preface, His Divine Grace A.C.

Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)

 

“We therefore request everyone to take advantage of this great transcendental

literature. One will find that by reading one page after another, an immense

treasure of knowledge in art, science, literature, philosophy and religion will

be revealed, and ultimately, by reading this one book, Krsna, love of Godhead

will fructify.”

(‘Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead’, Preface, His Divine Grace A.C.

Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)

 

Sivarama Swami has already been ‘suspended from initiating’ and setting foot in

Vrindavan once before by the GBC for his errant wanderings into Krishna’s

confidential pastimes as one of the founders of the bogus “Gopi-Bhava Club”

which was following Narayana Maharaja. We wonder if they will once again have

the strength of their convictions and reprimand Sivarama Swami for a second

time, in accordance with their 1995 GBC Resolution No. 73?

 

"The recent proliferation in ISKCON of literature focusing on "rasika-bhakti,"

intimate Radha-Krsna lila, and other subject matters suitable only for highly

advanced souls, represents a departure from Srila Prabhupada's orders and

obstructs the smooth spiritual progress of ISKCON devotees. ISKCON members

should therefore avoid collecting, reading, discussing, or distributing such

literature."(Resolution 73, GBC Resolutions 1995)

 

In conclusion, we already have the translations and ecstatic Bhaktivedanta

purports of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. We do not

require the fictitious outpourings of an unauthorised Guru.

 

Read, follow and distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books, and go back to Godhead!

 

 

4. Sankirtan Stories

 

Madhusudana Dasa, who has been training up devotees in the art of book

distribution at our New York IRM center, has now come to London to do the same

with the IRM devotees there. The following is a very interesting encounter he

had distributing Srila Prabhupada's books on London's famous Oxford Street:

 

"As I was distributing books on Oxford Street today, a man was walking past in

the crowd who seemed to be in a super massive hurry, but I picked up on

something which made me want to stop him. Immediately on stopping him he asked

if I had the ‘Bhagavad-Gita’. So I showed him the book which he respected, then

he made much of the picture of Srila Prabhupada on the back. Then he revealed

that he was from a Muslim family, but that he considered himself a Buddhist.

 

Then it got really interesting because he then told me that his teacher

introduced him to Srila Prabhupada's teachings. This puzzled me, so he said

that his teacher was Desmond O'Grady the Irish poet who met with Srila

Prabhupada in Rome in 1975, and whose famous conversation with Srila Prabhupada

is featured in Srila Prabhupada's 'Science of Self-Realisation'. (According to

the conversation he taught English literature.) He then said that Desmond

O'Grady used to give his students transcripts of his conversation with Srila

Prabhupada. It seems that Desmond O'Grady really was proud of the fact that he

met Srila Prabhupada, and this is what is really so amazing - he was

introducing his student to Srila Prabhupada’s teachings in Cairo, Egypt!

 

This guy told me that Desmond O'Grady used to still laugh at Srila Prabhupada

referring to the "fighting Irish". (It seems Desmond O'Grady used to get his

tuition fees and take his students out for a drink and spend all his money on

them. Then, whenever he required anything like clothing, the students would buy

for him because he was always penniless.) After this encounter I was left to

wonder just how many young Muslim students in Cairo, the cream of their

country, were introduced to Srila Prabhupada by this Irish poet. Certainly

hundreds, and possibly thousands. Because according to this guy he showed all

his students this conversation with Srila Prabhupada and went over it with

them. Also, Srila Prabhupada travelled all over the world planting the seed of

bhakti and I could see the result of this one seed.What about all the others?

Who would imagine that this was going on in Cairo? For anyone to go to Cairo

specifically to do such preaching would be almost impossible, and certainly

dangerous. Yet here we have an instance of an Irish poet doing it and acting in

a sense as some kind of siksha (instructing) guru. It is a very good example of

the power and influence which Srila Prabhupada had on people. For example, he

met one boy (Ananta Shakti) briefly in Russia in 1971, and from that a whole

Krishna Conscious revolution spread. He met George Harrison who was inspired to

bring thousands to the chanting of Hare Krishna through his records. And here

we see that as a result of meeting one Irish poet, he may have reached out to

thousands of the premier intellectuals of the Muslim world! The power of Srila

Prabhupada never ceases to amaze me.

 

We have all been told about the "Golden Age" in this Kali-yuga and it may seem a

distant reality to most of us who are under the spell of maya (illusion).

Occasionally, this influence of maya is lifted like today and we are blessed to

see that some really positive things are taking place without anyone's

knowledge, and that they are all like another piece of the jigsaw which will

all fall into place someday as the Golden Age in Kali-yuga progresses."

 

(Madhusudana Das - who has been distributing Srila Prabhupada's books now for 15

years without a break)

 

As a postscript to this sankirtan nectar story, just in the last 2 months

Madhusudana Prabhu alone has distributed:

 

1,000 ‘Perfection of Yoga’s

132 Hardback ‘Teachings of Queen Kunti’

25 sets of ‘Krishna Book’ (the original 2-volume edition)

18 ‘Bhagavad Gita’s (the original Macmillan edition)

 

Srila Prabhupada's transcendental book distribution ki jai!

 

 

5. Bhakti Caru Swami Promotes Recipe For Disaster

 

In an astounding statement that directly contradicts the entire canon of

Vaisnava philosophy, Bhakti Caru Swami (BCS) has declared that the

qualification of the Guru is immaterial to one’s spiritual life. In the letter

below, BCS clearly states: “Even if the gurus in ISKCON are not qualified, it

doesn't matter.” He goes on to say that if one simply remains within the

structure called “ISKCON”, he will be “spiritually sound”:

--

Text PAMHO6643979 (43 lines)Thu, 27 Mar 2003 22:03 -0500Candrasekhar

Acarya (das) BCS (Los Angeles, CA - USA) One day, in Mayapur, a disciple of Guru

Maharaja (whose name is withheld) gave me a letter from him to read to Guru

Maharaja. I came with the letter into Guru Maharaja's room. He was having a

massage at that time. I told him about the letter, and Guru Maharaja asked me

to read it out loud. The letter said that this devotee wanted to take

re-initiation from someone outside of ISKCON. [..] I answered Guru Maharaja

that I told this devotee that what he said about the ISKCON gurus not being

qualified was bogus and that if Srila Prabhupada was such a great devotee, how

then was he not even able to create any qualified disciples? Guru Maharaja

answered, "Even if the gurus in ISKCON are not qualified, it doesn't matter.

The structure that Srila Prabhupada gave is so perfect that if one is simply

situated in it, he will be spiritually sound."

--

We would like to point out that the qualification of the Guru is of paramount

importance to one’s spiritual life. Firstly, the GENUINE Guru must be a pure

devotee, as Srila Prabhupada clearly explains:

"When one has attained the topmost position of maha-bhagavata, he is to be

accepted as a guru and worshipped exactly like Hari, the Personality of

Godhead. Only such a person is eligible to occupy the post of a guru."

(Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 24.330, purport)

"One should not become a spiritual master unless he has attained the platform of

uttama-adhikari." (The Nectar of Instruction, text 5, purport)

Furthermore, to state that “it doesn’t matter” whether the Guru is qualified or

not is, according to the Srimad-Bhagavatam, an insult to the disicplic

succession and the Supreme Lord:

"Although Prthu Maharaja was factually an incarnation of the Supreme Personality

of Godhead, he rejected those praises because the qualities of the Supreme

Person were not yet manifest in him. He wanted to stress that one who does not

actually possess these qualities should not try to engage his followers and

devotees in offering him glory for them, even though these qualities might be

manifest in the future. If a man who does not factually possess the attributes

of a great personality engages his followers in praising him with the

expectation that such attributes will develop in the future, that sort of

praise is actually an insult." (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 4.15.23, purport)

Indeed it has actually been due to the lack of both qualification and

authorisation of ISKCON’s Gurus that havoc has been wreaked in the Society and

in individuals’ spiritual lives; a fact admitted by ISKCON’s leaders:

“FACT: ISKCON gurus have opposed, oppressed and driven out many sincere Godbrothers and Godsisters.

FACT: ISKCON gurus have usurped and misused money, and diverted other ISKCON

resources for their own personal prestige and sense gratification.

FACT: ISKCON gurus have had illicit sexual intercourse with both women and men,

and possibly children as well.”

....etc, etc...

(quoted from “Where the Ritvik People are Right”, Jayadvaita Swami, 1996)

“Therefore the question remains: What, then, will we do? How will we deal with

our polarized and disintegrating Society?” (Ravindra Svarupa das, GBC memo, May

2000)

Even BCS himself, in a rare moment of candour, admitted the crisis state the Movement is in:

"ISKCON today is in such a critical condition. [...] Now we are about to lose

everything else that His Divine Grace gave us to maintain. [...] I say that we

are losing everything."

(Bhakti Caru Swami, Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day Lecture, October 2000)

So less than 3 years ago BCS was sounding the death knell for ISKCON; and now he

is stating that it doesn’t matter if ISKCON is full of charlatan Gurus?! We

suggest that BCS revert to his earlier momentary flash of sanity, admit that he

has been cheating his followers, and really start to restore ISKCON back to its

original glory and purity by putting Srila Prabhupada back in the centre as the

only Diksa Guru. It’s not too late.

 

6. Tripurari Speculates About Ritvik

 

The following is taken from"Sanga", Tuesday, February 11, 2003, Q & A with Swami

B. V. Tripurari.

 

"Satsvarupa: Our next question concerns initiations in the future, particularly

at that time when you're no longer with us. We want to know how first and

second initiation would be conducted.

Prabhupada: Yes. I shall recommend some of you. After this is settled up, I

shall recommend some of you to act as officiating acaryas.

Tamala Krsna: Is that called rtvik-acarya?

Prabhupada: Rtvik, yes.

(May 28th, 1977 Room Conversation)

Tripurari Swami: "In spite of what the excerpt [above] from Srila Prabhupada's

conversation seems to say, he did not desire or authorize a rtvik system of

initiations with himself being the guru of those initiated after his departure

from the world. Careful study of all the conversations he had with his leading

disciples in the months preceding his departure in conjunction with all that he

wrote as well as the entirety of the Gaudiya philosophy makes it clear that he

expected his disciples to succeed him by qualifying themselves to serve in the

capacity of guru."

Here Tripurari Swami states that “IN SPITE” of what Srila Prabhupada “seems” to

say, Srila Prabhupada did not authorise a ritvik system of initiations. Thus it

“seems” that Tripurari Swami is saying that what Srila Prabhupada authorised can

be known not from what Srila Prabhupada is actually saying, but from what

Tripurari thinks Srila Prabhupada really means!

He further adds that we can understand that Srila Prabhupada did not want a

permanent ritvik system based on a “careful study of all the conversations he

had with his leading disciples in the months preceding his departure in

conjunction with all that he wrote”. Well, let's see what was written in the

months preceding Srila Prabhupada’s departure:

July 9th, 1977 - "Now that Srila Prabhupada has named these representatives,

Temple Presidents may henceforward send recommendation for first and second

initiation to whichever of these eleven representatives are nearest their

temple. After considering the recommendation, these representatives may accept

the devotee as an initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada by giving a spiritual

name, or in the case of second initiation, by chanting on the Gayatri thread,

just as Srila Prabhupada has done. The newly initiated devotees are disciples

of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, the above eleven senior

devotees acting as His representative."

(Srila Prabhupada’s final signed Directive describing the initiation system to

be followed in ISKCON, sent to all GBC's and Temple Presidents)

 

July 11th, 1977 - "A letter has been sent to all the Temple Presidents and GBC

which you should be receiving soon describing the process for initiation to be

followed in the future. Srila Prabhupada has appointed thus far eleven

representatives who will initiate new devotees on His behalf."

(Letter from Tamala Krishna Goswami to Kirtananda describing the above system)

 

July 19th, 1977 - "Make your own field and continue to be ritvik and act on my charge."

(Room Conversation, above dictated by Srila Prabhupada to his secretary Tamala Krishna Goswami)

 

July 31st, 1977 - "Make your own field and continue to become ritvik and act on my behalf."

(Above dictation sent out to Hamsaduta Swami by Tamala Krishna Goswami in a letter)

 

Nov 1977 - "The system of management will continue as it is now and there is no need of any change."

(Srila Prabhupada's Last Will and Testament, which now comes into force for the lifetime of ISKCON)

 

Nov 1977 - "In the event of death or failure to act for any reason of any of the

said directors, a successor director or directors may be appointed by the

remaining directors, provided the new director is my initiated disciple ..."

(Srila Prabhupada's Last Will and Testament, which now comes into force for the

lifetime of ISKCON. The above system of selecting directors can only work if

Srila Prabhupada's initiated disciples exist throughout ISKCON's lifetime.)

 

We suppose that Tripurari Swami will now say that “IN SPITE” of what Srila

Prabhupada “SEEMS” to say above, he didn't really mean it! Only, what Srila

Prabhupada says above, was supposed to be Tripurari Swami's excuse for why

Srila Prabhupada didn't really mean what he said on May 28th, 1977 when he said

he was appointing ritviks for after his departure!

 

With all due respect, we suggest Tripurari Swami stick to offering his insights

on the writings of Sridhara Maharaja, and whoever else he follows. It is clear

he does not have the faintest idea about what Srila Prabhupada's teachings are.

 

7. Srila Prabhupada Vyasa Puja Offerings 2003

 

Following the success of last year's Vyasa Puja book with over 200 offerings

from all over the world, we aim to make this year's book even bigger and

better. Could we please request therefore that devotees send in their Vyasa

Puja offerings for this year as soon as possible. Offerings can be sent in

directly to:vyasapuja2003 (AT) iskconbangalore (DOT) orgThe LAST DATE for submission is:

15th July, 2003We are all Srila Prabhupada's disciples, and owe our whole lives

to him, so please try and submit something. Even a few lines will suffice. Thank

you,Your servants,2003 Vyasa-Puja Book Committee.

 

 

8. Feedback Welcomed

 

A final note to remind readers of the request we publish at the end of every newsletter:

 

"Your comments, questions and feedback are appreciated. Please write to us at irm (AT) ntlworld (DOT) com"

 

The newsletter editor, Krishnakant, will be happy to receive your feedback.

 

Thank You.

 

 

Legalese:

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter, and please keep your

letters, and e-mail addresses of other devotees who should be added to our

list, flowing in. A hard copy of our main position paper 'The Final Order' is

available on request. All other IRM papers can be accessed through the

EDITORIAL SECTION of the IRM website at http://farsight.members.beeb.netIf you

would like to receive any of the back issues of the Newsletter please let us

know.

No 1. Invitation to Srila Prabhupada's Vyasa Puja No 2. GBC Lose First Round of

Court Case No 3. The Story VNN Refused to Publish No 4. Poison Theorists Accuse

Adri of Complicity No 5. Iskcon Continues to Promote Child Abusers No 6.

Invitation to Malaysia No 7. United World Body Formed No 8. Does Srila

Prabhupada Support Poisoning Theory? No 9. PADA Attacks IRM Position No 10.

PADA Continues to Present False Evidence No 11. GBC Funded Video says Ritvik

Spiritual No 12. Child Rapist Selected by Gurus to Defend their Legitimacy No

13. GBC Facing Perjury Charge in Calcutta High Court No 14. Sahajiyism Makes a

Comeback in Iskcon. No 15. Govt. Minister Inaugurates Bangalore Rathayatra No

16. Iskcon Calcutta Triumphs Following Arson Attack No 17. Fighting Lies with

Truth Not More Lies No 18. GBC Resolutions Continue to Provide Laughter No 19.

Indian Leaders Endorse IRM Position that GBC Confused No 20. Convicted Child

Abuser Officially 'Returns' to Parampara No 21. GBC Special Issue - GBC

Chairman Admits ISKCON 'Disintegrating' No 22. Krsna Confirms Iskcon Rebirth -

New York Special Issue No 23. Hare Krsna Explosion Begins in New York as IRM

Temple Opens No 24 IRM Launches Media Campaign to Defend Srila Prabhupada No 25

GBC Teaches That 'Living Gurus' NOT Required No 26 BBT Admits Books Changed to

Fit GBC Philosophy No 27 Big Breakthrough for Krishna in Singapore No 28

Bangalore Tops World Book Distribution No 29 City of New York to Honour Srila

Prabhupada No 30 Gurukula Lawsuit Special - The Facts No 31 BBC Glorifies Srila

Prabhupada to the World No 32 Harinam Revived in World famous Times Square No 33

ISKCON Guru on Run From Police - Suicide Case Special

No 34 GBC Declare All Out War No 35 GBC Fail Again in Second Expulsion Attempt

No 36 Indian Press Glorifies New York IRM No 37 Iskcon Temple in Bangladesh

Joins IRM No 38 All Ports Alert for Jayapataka To Be Issued No 39 The GBC's

Best Trick Yet No 40 Biggest Prasadam Distribution Program Ever Begins No 41

Double Edition - IRM Granted Prime Kumbha Mela Site No 42 Danavir Invents A New

Philosophy No 43 IRM Makes World Headlines - Kumbha Mela Special No 44 GBC

Meetings End in Fiasco No 45 GBC Paralysis Documented in Resolutions No 46

Mayapur Attempt to Storm Calcutta Temple Ends in Fiasco

No 47 Mayapur Attack Cover-up Exposed No 48 Massive GBC Fraud Uncovered No 49

BBC Broadcasts World IRM Special No 50 Mayapur Bomb Blast Reveals GBC Terrorist

Campaign No 51 Mayor of New York Dedicates Srila Prabhupada Memorial No 52 Chief

Minister Honours ISKCON Bangalore Temple President No 53 High Court Grants

Iskcon Bangalore Injunction Against Jayapataka Swami No 54 More Laughter From

GBC Resolutions No 55 High Court Declares ISKCON Bangalore Legally Independent

No 56 First Temple President's Meeting held in MalaysiaNo 57 Supreme Court

Throws Out GBC Appeal

No 58 GBC Publicly Dishonours Srila Prabhupada

No 59 IRM Begins Massive Expansion Into Vrndavan

No 60 IRM Expands Into Russia

 

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