From Sesa Prabhu: final ruling re: Airavata Prabhu

[Guest guest]

Final Ruling Conclusions: The Saraswati Charitable Trust donation to

Airavata das

 

by Sesa dasa

ISKCON Minister of Justice

 

 

CONCLUSIONS:

 

Throughout the course of the investigation Airavata das has failed to

present any proof, either the name of the printer, an invoice for the

printing, or pictures of the cartons of books to prove that he used the

$5000 donation from Satyanarayana to print Beyond Birth and Death in Turkey.

 

Based on the information provided to me and the analysis above (see the full

analysis in the conference called Documents), the ministry cannot conclude

that Airavata das used the $5000 donation of Satyanarayana das (Trustee of

the Trust) for printing Srila Prabhupada's Beyond Birth and Death in Turkey.

 

Accordingly, the following ISKCON laws dealing with ISKCON Spiritual

Leadership have been compromised and/or violated:

 

5.6.2.5.6.6 Following Local Laws

 

The temple president should ensure that all local, state and national laws

are abided by all temple and community members. He should also ensure that

the devotees are following ISKCON diligently.

 

5.6.2.6.1.1 Receiving Restricted Donations

 

That as far as possible, donations to ISKCON should be accepted without any

conditions. However, donations ("Restricted Donations") may also be accepted

with limited conditions. ISKCON leaders must use donations with conditions

in accordance with the argreed terms.

 

Therefore, the ministry recommends the following:

 

1. Airavata das should not be allowed to represent the BBT in Turkey or any

other country. See Note 1 (in the complete ruling text).

 

2. Airavata das, other devotees working with him, and those whom Airavata

das has contacted or solicited money from through advertisement of his

preaching activities in Turkey, should be informed that Airavata das is not

a regional secretary or delegated leader in Turkey with independent powers.

He must work under the guidance of the GBC Zonal Secretary, particularly

with regard to receiving funds for the preaching there.

 

3. Airavata das must understand that ISKCON cannot condone any illegal

activity and that he must desist immediately from distributing books that

are not legally printed in Turkey.

 

4. It is the opinion of the Ministry of Justice that the following ISKCON

Law quoted below (in the complete ruling text), passed at the 2000 Annual

GBC Meeting, applies to Airavata das as a project leader for Muslim

preaching. The GBC for Turkey, Harivilas das, is requested to insure that

Airavata das complies with the reporting requirements of this law so that

the issue of restitution of the funds donated by Satyanarayana may be

practically addressed.

 

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The complete text of this final ruling can be found in the PAMHO conference

(ISKCON related) Documents or at www.chakra.org.