The hell called - Gurukula -- J'accuse Srila Prabhupada

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna,

 

Dear Raghunatha Stocker,

 

I read your comments about "The hell called gurukula" several times. I

hear you saying how angry and hurt you and other former gurukula students

are due to the abusive actions of adults whom you should have been able to

trust. I hear you saying how that trust was completely betrayed. For what

it's worth, you have my sincere sympathy and I apologize for anything I have

done (or not done) in the past which has contributed to your suffering and

frustration.

 

Many current ISKCON leaders have expressed their shock and regret -- and

their desire to help out in what ways they can. I agree and applaud their

actions. But I have doubts about the direction things are taking now and I

wish to express my misgivings.

 

I've heard a bit about the child abuse lawsuit, and personally, I am

troubled to hear that any Krishna-bhakta could think a lawsuit against

ISKCON could serve a useful purpose besides lining the pockets of

opportunistic lawyers. I don't know who instigated this or who is

participating, but they must be truly naive to not see how they are being

manipulated and sucked in, all in the name of reforming ISKCON.

 

No matter how reprehensible abusers of our children have been, these

diatribes are unfair to gurukula teachers and other devotees who sincerely

did their best. I know most of the parents, teachers, ISCKON leaders and GBC

during these times and most were sincere -- if sometimes misguided --

persons. There is a difference between intentionally malevolent activities

and doing your best in a difficult situation. I'm not trying to throw a

blanket of protection over the guilty -- most people know I worked very hard

to uproot child abusers and send them on their way to their just

punishments -- but I don't believe in getting hot-headed when the cause of a

problem is not clear.

 

I know that even many of the accused GBC agonized over this issue when it

came to light in the late 1980s. Perhaps the current GBC members don't

remember what happened because many older GBC left and have been replaced by

a new generation.

 

One of the reasons this is still a burning issue is because few have

taken the trouble to understand the root causes which should be dealt with

before we try to move on. Over-simplifying issues can cause reactions that

are also extremely undesirable. Let's take a look at a few historical facts.

(Please keep in mind that what I'm about to say doesn't apply to the

Vrindavan gurukula. That's a whole other story that needs to be addressed at

another time.)

 

I believe the single-most negative factor was a belief that participation

in gurukula was mandatory. The rank and file were told they must put their

kids in gurukula or they were in maya. Conversely, gurukula management was

told they must accept all the students they were sent. These double-edged

requirements virtually guaranteed failure -- though no one involved at the

time could see the problem. Krishna consciousness is always a voluntary

process. Whenever force or coercion is applied, everything becomes

perverted -- with disastrous results.

 

When studying Srila Prabhupada's instructions on child-raising, you will

note how qualified both the teachers and the students need to be. If my

understanding is correct, there is no Sanskrit word for teacher other than

*guru.* As far as the children go, there were many who just didn't belong in

gurukula under any circumstances. Some were ill-suited by nature, many

needed to be with their families on a daily basis, some were chronic

discipline problems -- and some were mentally disturbed. What is going to

happen when they come under the care of marginally-qualified, substantially

over-worked teachers? Not exactly a recipe for success.

 

Am I saying this is an excuse for child abuse? Not at all. But you can

easily understand how circumstances provided a big window of opportunity for

sexual predators and individuals who needed children to boost up their sense

of self-importance. Without a doubt, some schools were so desperate for

teachers almost anyone was accepted.

 

If there had been some evaluation of whether or not gurukula was suitable

for individual children, there could have been a lot more discrimination in

the selections of gurukula staff. If gurukulas had been able to say no when

they had no room for more students, a lot of problems could have been

avoided. The same holds true for the parents. If someone had told them it

was alright to raise their children at home, a lot of families could have

been saved.

 

So who was responsible? This is not an easy question to answer. In my

opinion, there's enough blame to go around for everybody involved. You

mention your sister was born in 1976. By 1976, the primary gurukula in

Dallas had been closed for 2 1/2 years. She would have been 8 years old in

1984. By that time, gurukulas were strictly local affairs. In fact, around

that time, Dallas had not one--but two--day schools. Where in God's name

were your parents? Did nobody have the common sense or the spine to bring

this to the attention of the Dallas authorities? Srila Prabhupada was

opposed to physical punishment, and this was very well known by the parents,

teachers and leaders in 1984.

 

I keep hearing that the GBC knew about these problems but ignored them or

covered them up. This might have been the case for some individuals, but it

is not true as far as the whole body was concerned. When the child abuse

came to light in the late 80s, the GBC body was concerned and cooperative.

One example: In order to help the Board of Education get a handle on the

situation, the GBC resolved that any resolution of the Board of Education

had the same binding force on all ISKCON as if it had been passed by the

full GBC body.

 

I have even heard of current GBC members acknowledging that the GBC did

nothing. Perhaps there should be some serious reading of the GBC and Board

of Education minutes from the late 80's and early 90's. However, it is also

true that the ISKCON leadership did not do much in the way of funding.

Often, what money we did get was given begrudgingly. It also appears that

the ISKCON leadership dropped the ball somewhat after that time. Others

would be better able to judge that than I.

 

Another big factor in our failure was money. Basically, ISKCON was, and

still is, a fundamentally poverty-stricken society. Education costs a lot of

money. Public schools consume enormous amounts of money. In 1990 the average

expenditure per student (USA, K-12) was $6,009 a year. In 1984, the average

gurukula tuition payment was $150 per student, per month ($1800 per year).

That was to pay for housing, food, medical care, transportation, repairs --

and the full cost of maintaining the teachers and other staff.

 

We often had to beg parents and temple presidents to pay that small sum.

Who do you think volunteers to take on an extremely difficult service in

under near-impossible conditions, while having to struggle every day even to

take minimal care of themselves and their families? They are either the most

compassionate and dedicated people, or they aren't qualified to do much

else, or they are those with ulterior motives.

 

But sometimes, when your in the middle of a situation, you don't see

things clearly until the damage is already done. The role of money should

never be underestimated. There will never be quality education in ISKCON

until those responsible are ready to make the needed sacrifices. Srila

Prabhupada said, "Poverty brings out a person's worst qualities."

 

I want to say in the strongest possible manner, that I do not buy the

logic that:

 

1) Everything was just great when Srila Prabhupada was personally

present.

 

2) All we had to do was follow Srila Prabhupada's instructions and we

would be immediately successful, and

 

2) the gurukula system was not successful, and therefore,

 

3) we must have not followed Srila Prabhupada's instructions.

 

This is a neat, but highly over-simplified train of thought:

 

"So something went very wrong. And that would mean the responsibility for

these actions lies with whom? After all, Srila Prabhupada's teachings on

raising children are all recorded, coupled with how Srila Prabhupada dealt

with children in general. So the instructions were there. So why were they

ignored? Is this not deviating from the orders of the SM?"

 

What do you think was going on? Do you believe that thousands of parents,

teachers, and ISKCON leaders all conspired to ignore Srila Prabhupada

instructions? On the contrary, most were trying hard to follow Prabhupada's

teachings, as they understood them.

 

In 1982, the Ministry of Education published "Srila Prabhupada on

Guru-kula." It contained every instruction by Srila Prabhupada on gurukula

that was known at that time. It was the standard for ISKCON education. Now

lets read a few quotes and see how to reconcile them with events of the time

and with our hind-sight of experience. Things start to get complicated very

quickly. Where did the idea come from that children should be sent away to

gurukula and the parents will be free to do more service:

 

"If you take charge of the children of our devotees and give them a nice

education, strictly on Krishna conscious principles, it will be a great help

to the preaching work. Our six students, husbands and wives, are preaching

in London. Two of them have a child. As soon as she is . . . old [enough],

she may be sent under your care." -- letter to Satyabhauma d.d., 12/27/68.

 

If you want a good shock, find the above quote in the Vedabase and see

what's represented by those three ellipses (...). More:

 

"For our Krishna consciousness movement, gurukula is a great relief to

our men. The children can come to this school and the parents will be free

to work for Krishna." -- statement by Prabhupada during his visit to Dallas

in May 1973.

 

What about the concept that the schools should not be local, but rather

centralized in one location:

 

"Actually, I don't want our energy spent to develop a school at New

Vrindaban. Rather, all of our children should go to Dallas... In Dallas they

have full facility approved by me. I have personally seen that they are

doing very nicely there." -- letter to Satyabhauma d.d., 3/23/73.

 

That we should not have day schools but only residential gurukulas?

 

Jagadish: "If the parents want their young sons to live at home and

attend gurukula during the day, and then go home at night, is that a good

policy?"

Srila Prabhupada: "Gurukula means they must be residing." -- Dallas,

7/75.

 

Prabhupada said grhasthas could do book distribution and keep 10-15% of

the profit. But during the big push for book distribution in 1976, he also

said:

 

"The parents must take responsibility for their children, or they should

not have children. It is the duty of the individual parents. I am not in

favor of taxing the temples. The parents must pay for the maintenance of

their children. . . The profits from the businesses should first go to

support gurukula and the balance may be given for the local temple's

maintenance. . . If grhasthas want to do book distribution, they should be

given a commission. . . of which part must go to the gurukula." -- letter to

Jayatirtha 1/22/76.

 

For a grhastha book distributor to have followed this formula, he would

have had to sell about $300 worth of books every day and be able to live on

$450 per month, of which $150 could be paid to gurukula.

 

As far as diverting funds from Mayapura, that money comes from the BBT

and is the profit of book distribution done by temples. Prabhupada clearly

said that shouldn't happen.

 

Where did the idea come from "of renouncing material attachments and

affections" if not from Srila Prabhupada? Is he the source of this "general

callousness?"

 

So things aren't so neatly black and white. If you want to shout

invective all over the place -- if you want a pure black and white world --

then take it to it's logical conclusion: Stand up like a man and say:

 

*I accuse Srila Prabhupada! These impossible ideas came from him! He put

these people in charge! He told us we should obey the temple presidents! He

wanted every available devotee out distributing his books! He wanted the

money for Mayapur! He made the GBC the ultimate managerial authority! He

appointed homosexuals and drug-takers to the GBC! Now let's teach Prabhupada

a lesson by taking his money and using it to advance our own agendas!*

 

I agree that your anger is justified. But that anger is good or bad

depending on whether or not it is used in Krishna's service. Are you ready

to step up to the podium and say, "I know this is the best way to serve

Srila Prabhupada's mission! I know just how to heal ISKCON! These foolish

pig-headed GBC don't even know the difference between right and wrong

because they are simply power-hungry, money-mad materialists"?

 

In the material world, every endeavor is covered by fault. It's dangerous

to think you can see into the heart of others and judge their motives. What

is the purpose of your "present stance still is that this court case is the

only thing that is going to get anything moving"? Get moving toward what?

Another kind of hell where all devotees go to court every time they feel

something is wrong? Can someone point out to me where Prabhupada suggested

this was a desirable method to rectify ISKCON?

 

The instigators of law suits are the ones being hoodwinked by "downright

demoniac mentality." Why throw away all the good will and sympathy of those

who are ready to help? Who will support devotees who have so obviously been

carried away by bad association -- and by revealing their minds in

confidence to materialists who only plan to exploit those who have already

been exploited enough?

 

I'm sure there are going to be strong objections to these strong words.

Perhaps some will think I'm not sympathetic to the plight of former gurukula

students. But I can be sympathetic and still reject this highly pejorative

approach. Prabhupada defined *auspicious activity* as action that

simultaneously benefits all living entities. Why burn up all this energy in

activities which benefit no one except lawyers running after fame and

fortune?

 

 

Your servant,

Sri Rama das

 

[srirama (AT) bbt (DOT) se], or

[srirama (AT) reachme (DOT) net]

 

[http://www.web-construct.net/creditcard.html]

[http://www.web-construct.net]

 

 

 

>

> Harsi.HKS (AT) bbt (DOT) se [Harsi.HKS (AT) bbt (DOT) se]

> The hell called - "Gurukula"

>

> Thank you for the kind words

> By Raghunatha Stocker

>

> First, I would like to express my gratitude to the many letters

> of support

> and empathy that I have received in response to the first posting. It is

> good to know that one is not completely falling on deaf ears. But, due to

> some feedback, there are some points that I feel still need clarification.

>

> First, HH Bhakti-Tirtha Swami asks at the end of his response, if I plan

> to use my experiences to help save the vehicle which Srila

> Prabhupada built,

> or use my experiences to destroy it, thereby ruining the lives of so many

> innocent Vaisnavas. I have absolutely no desire to ruin anyone's life

> whatsoever, but I do think that the "vehicle" Srila Prabhupada

> built, is in

> serious need of a major overhaul.

>

> As I mentioned in the original text, I see that what happened to the

> women, children, and innocent devotees of ISKCON not as the sole

> responsibility of the direct offenders, but has a more deep-seated cause

> than most people are apparently aware. I feel that the root of the problem

> lies more in the fact that in the name of renouncing material attachments

> and affections, a deep-seated mentality of general callousness toward

> Krsna's parts and parcels has been allowed to develop. I can give

> just small

> example of what I mean, just so that there are no misunderstandings.

>

> I have a sister who was born August 19th 1976, in Vrindavana,

> India. This

> date just happens to coincide with Srila Prabhupada's Vyasa-Puja.

> Three weeks later, Srila Prabhupada himself came to Vrindavan. My newborn

> sister was taken to Srila Prabhupada, where her head was rubbed into

> Srila Prabhupada's lotus feet, and then she was placed on his lap, and

> received her name directly from him. Taking into consideration the

> uncommon events of her birth, and that she was conceived with all proper

> Samskaras, according to KC philosophy, she has by all means taken a very

> special birth, and should actually be handled with great respect and care.

> Well, my sister also went to the Dallas Gurukula.

>

> They had a system there that you had to write out a new verse of the BG

> 100x, every single day. Anyone who did not complete this assignment by the

> next day, had to stand in front of the class, in a bent-over position

> grabbing the ankles with the hands. The Teacher of course decided how long

> you had to stand that way. And if you bent you're knees at all, he would

> come over and smack on the back of the legs with a ruler. My sister, aged

> eight at the time, had to once stand in this position for SIX

> HOURS just so

> she would remember to write down Krsna's sweet words in the BG. Now in the

> words of Srila Prabhupada "Do you think this is a very good situation?"

>

> My sister is manifesting the results of her special birth in

> ways I cannot

> begin to describe, but as far as ISKCON is concerned, she wants nothing to

> do with it. Now how many children do you think there are out

> there who have

> been robbed of their birthright because of this callousness?

>

> That, my dear friends of the GBC, I consider to be Vaisnava

> Aparadha of the

> highest degree. And I hold the GBC highly responsible for these crimes.

> After all, it was the GBC who were assuring devotee parents that the only

> option in ISKCON if you were not in MAYA, was to send you're children to

> Gurukulas. Fair enough, but then it rests upon the GBC tomake

> sure that the

> children are very well taken care of. After all, the GBC does claim to

> represent the wishes and desires of Srila Prabhupada, so parents were

> sending their children to Gurukulas in good faith, that they would be

> properly taken care of.

>

> So something went very wrong. And that would mean the responsibility for

> these actions lies with whom? After all, Srila Prabhupada's teachings on

> raising children are all recorded, coupled with how Srila Prabhupada dealt

> with children in general. So the instructions were there. So why were they

> ignored? Is this not deviating from the orders of the SM?

>

> Speaking of which. My original letter was addressed to the leaders of

> ISKCON, and although I received several replies of support and sympathy,

> no GBC member has offered some concrete explanations, as to what

> can be done

> to rectify the situation. Or does this all have to wait till the next

> GBC meeting? Because I was just thinking how drastically and quickly Srila

> Prabhupada would have responded, could I have sent my inquiries

> directly to him personally? I can only imagine lightning-bolt heavy, Srila

> Prabhupada would have been to weed this mentality out at the root.

>

> But sadly, the present scenario is such, that pedophiles are still

> presently receiving a paid salary from ISKCON, and even

> representing ISKCON

> in court; and GBC members take it upon themselves to flat out LIE to the

> open press about the history of past abuse. So therefore, my

> present stance

> still is that this court case is the only thing that is going

> to get anything moving.

>

> Of course, I am always open to constructive dialogue. I would still love

> to see this movement manifest it's full glory in this world, but

> that cannot

> be done, until ISKCON is purged of this ignorant, callous, and even

> downright demoniac mentality.

>

> Yours in the service of the Lord, and his pure messangers,

> Raghunatha Stocker

>

> © CHAKRA 10-Oct-1999