Disgrace at the Manor...

[Guest guest]

> > Does anyone know the truth about this embarrassing incident? It appears

> > that after almost 30 years of devotional service, many so-called

> > devotees simply behave like chandalas. I'm sure that both HH Narayana

> > Maharaja and Srila Prabhupada are disgusted with the immature,

> > Un-Vaishnava behavior that was displayed on both sides.

> >

> > Krishna states in Bhagavad-gita that, "My devotee is dear to everyone,

> > and everyone is dear to him."

> >

> > The only conclusion that seems to apply to those involved in this

> > disgrace is that they are NOT devotees, at least according to Lord

> > Krishna's viewpoint!

> >

> > yours in service, vaiyasaki dasa...

 

Dear Vaiyasaki and others,

 

Please accept my humble obesiances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

Well, I suppose I should know the truth of the incident, since I'm the

temple president of Bhaktivedanta Manor. Perhaps I should have been asked

directly. I only found out about this discussion when Ajamila Prabhu

forwarded me this message, since I withdrew from the Prabhupada Disciples

conference a couple of years ago. There is far too much prajalpa in these

conferences to interest me.

 

About 10 Narayan Maharaja followers were making an unfortunate but peaceful

demonstration with placards and leaflets outside the Manor gates and

property. They were agressively stopping cars to give them their leaflets,

but they were not violent with anyone. I was called to survey the situation,

so I went out with Dilip, one of our two festival organizers, and surveyed

the situation. Atmanivedana Swami was already there.

 

I determined that they were outside of our property, and that there was

nothing we could do about it. Atmanivedana Swami consulted with the police,

who said that if they interfered with the flow of traffic then they should

be informed, so we decided that was really all we could or should do about

it. Like summer wasps, we thought it was a petty problem, not worth much of

our attention, since their pamplets wouldn't interest the vast majority of

visitors to the Manor on Janmastami.

 

Then I returned to the grounds.

 

Sometime later I was contacted on a festival walkie talkie by Atmanivedana

Swami who said that a group of Indian boys had shown up unannounced and

without our knowledge and permission, and were "talking" to the Narayan

Maharaja followers. Atmanivedana Swami told me he feared the situation was

tense, and suggested I should come out and try to diffuse it.

 

Because of the heavy traffic on the access road, there would be little

chance of me getting to my car to drive out there (it's about a kilometer),

so I asked Maharaja to come and get me on his motorcycle. When we found each

other, I jumped on the back and the two of us went out to the gate.

 

When I got there, I found that the group had already dispersed. There were

stories about the Indian boys taking away their placards. I was disappointed

and felt angry that anyone took this kind of action. But I decided not to

talk to the Narayan Maharaja followers at that time. Rather, I returned to

the Manor with Maharaja, and then typed up an apology letter. Then I

returned to the gate for a third time and personally spoke to the leader of

the group, Asta Sakhi. I told her that I heard what had happened, and

apologized. I said it was done without our knowledge or support, and I was

shocked. I then gave her the letter, along with three copies. The letter

also reaffirmed that we wanted to keep the Narayan Maharaja followers off of

the Manor property because of their actions, which included the present

protest, but I made it clear that I was very sorry that someone had done any

action against them.

 

I don't know the names of the persons that participated in this escapade,

but I did later speak to one of them who told me that there was no violence

whatsoever, and he accused Asta Sakhi and the others of sensationalizing

whatever happened. He claimed that they had asked for the placards, and they

voluntarily gave them to them, and they then destroyed them. He addmitted

that they might have felt intimidated, but that there was no physical

violence at all.

 

In any case, this action was done foolishly, without our knowledge or

permission, and on behalf of the Manor, we feel very sorry. Whatever took

place out there, whether violent or not, was inappropriate in my view. This

vigilanti group, taking the matter into their own hands, has not helped the

situation in the least.

 

That's my statement.

 

Now, Vaiyasaki Prabhu, I would like to say that I have seen you before make

off the cuff statements without talking to the persons involved. I would

appreciate it in the future if you could check with me. I am absolutely

opposed to any violence toward women and children as my past behaviour and

stance on various topics (including the Vrindavan incident) prove. Anyone

who doesn't know that about me by now is confused, because some people say

I'm too soft.

 

Your servant,

Vipramukhya Swami