Financial disclosures by ISKCON leaders

[Guest guest]

Sorry for the late response to this, but I noticed Trivikrama Maharaj

mentioned that he was working a flea market to raise some funds. I'm

curious what he's selling at the flea market? Is it Srila Prabhupada's

books?

 

I sold some Indonesian sarongs at flea markets for a while, but it was hard

to be working with pretty girls all day who wanted to try them on. I

imagine it would be different if you were selling books though.

 

ys

 

Sudama das

 

 

 

> > Before we get too many more righteous letters on this subject please

> > allow me to explain why I have not submitted a financial disclosure.

> >

> > First of all I thought Iskcon was supposed to be based on "Love and

> > trust". If after 30-35 years of unsalaried service to the society why

> > can't we trust our leaders?

> >

> > Secondly everyone can understand that the GBC can't enforce this "law".

> > Another example of the GBC passing laws that they can't enforce. How are

> > they going to go and look in everyone's pocket?

> >

 

> >

> > Sorry but I am not inclined to have to take the time to give this kind

> > of report...If you don't like it then fire me!

>

> Taking a blade of grass between my teeth I must say...........

>

> that's a very disappointing response.

>

> I think we all want to be part of a society based on love and trust.

> However, I don't think it is good enough to say 'that's the way it should

> be and thus you should just trust me!' More the necessity is that we try

> to live lives that naturally engender the trust and love.

>

> If accountability and transparency is required for a leader in spiritual

> organisation and confidentiality is require why not at least consider it?

>

> The above statement "if you don't like it then fire me!" doesn't also seem

> like a statement of someone committed to a culture of love and trust. It's

> more like accept me on my conditions or stuff you. Or is the love and

> trust buisness a one way street.

>

> I think God is the only one priviledged enough to demand unconditional

> love and trust.

 

"If you don't like it then fire me" is my way of communicating to you all

that you are in a weak position in your attempt to demand finacial

disclosure from me regarding my personal money.

 

I am saying that this is a failed scheme that Srila Prabhupada did not

inaugurate. He did require that we sign an oath of allegiance but he never

forced us to make a finacial discloure of our personal money.

 

Once when Gargamuni (then Maharaja) left Calcutta temple he took some money

with him. A complaint came to Srila Prabhupada concerning that but Srila

Prabhupada did not criticize him but said that he had a need for money to

continue his preaching.

 

Srila Prabhupada was intelligent enough to understand that there was no use

in making a law that could not be enforced. If someone comes into my room

today and gives me $20,000 and says, "Maharaja I have faith in you please

spend this as you see fit.",then how can the institution know about this?

You have to trust me to use it in a proper way.

 

Here a a couple of comments that Srila Prabhupada has made regarding this:

----------

Prabhup€da: [break] ...therefore they search. And who goes to the airport?

All respectable gentlemen, who can pay lump sum for air fare. So he’s also

searched out. That means there is no gentlemen. The airport security is

searching through. Then in this world there is no gentleman, no honest men.

Haˆsad™ta: Everyone is suspected.

Prabhup€da: All rascals. This is the position.

 

You go to the airport, any high-class standard man. They search out the

pocket. So nobody is believable. So this is the result of modern education.

----------

If you want to treat your leaders as less then gentleman you can do it, but

as we are seeing that are not happy to be treated that way and therefore

they are not complying with your law. Even if they do comply there is a no

way that you can know if they are being honest with you or not. Therefore

better to scrap it.

 

Ys TS