Prabhupada's Son

[Priitaa]

I once read here on these message boards, admittedly years ago, that Prabhupada had a son who was mentally ill. The story went 'something like' his son had this disease, Prabhupada took him to all kinds of Psychiatrists and whatever else he could locate, but nothing worked and ultimately his son wandered off into the woods never to be seen again.

 

Now, has anyone else heard this? And if so, I could sure use the details, as well as the source you get it from. I am not asking for the source to doubt or challenge anyone (not at all), but because those I wish to share it with, those who need help, they would ask me for the source. Anyway, thanks for listening.

[Kripamoya]

 

I once read here on these message boards, admittedly years ago, that Prabhupada had a son who was mentally ill. The story went 'something like' his son had this disease, Prabhupada took him to all kinds of Psychiatrists and whatever else he could locate, but nothing worked and ultimately his son wandered off into the woods never to be seen again.

 

Now, has anyone else heard this? And if so, I could sure use the details, as well as the source you get it from. I am not asking for the source to doubt or challenge anyone (not at all), but because those I wish to share it with, those who need help, they would ask me for the source. Anyway, thanks for listening.

 

they were probably referring to one of his useless and fallen disciples........................ me!

[Kripamoya]

Did Narayana Maharaja tell this story to someone?

 

I guess Satsvarupa missed that part of Prabhupada's life in his biography?

 

With all the research that Satsvarupa did and he never heard that story from anyone before, it seems a little odd that in 2006 some bizarre story like this surfaces on the world wide web.

[gHari]

O Mother Priitaa, I am that very son. I had been in samadhi for months, then western doctors diagnosed me as catatonic. I ran away to the forest to escape the thorazine shots.

 

Raised by gorillas for almost fifty years, I have now returned to claim my father's kingdom. Thank you for helping him in my absence.

[Devarsirat]

 

Did Narayana Maharaja tell this story to someone?

 

I guess Satsvarupa missed that part of Prabhupada's life in his biography?

 

With all the research that Satsvarupa did and he never heard that story from anyone before, it seems a little odd that in 2006 some bizarre story like this surfaces on the world wide web.

Why the hidden negativity about Narayana Maharaja? Its like subtely suggesting things, why? This is political and devotees should not engage in things like this, especially not when it comes to a personality which is regarded by many Prabhupada disciples as a pure devotee.When will people understand? Iskcon is not a society bound by artificial borders. Everyone who is a devotee serving Radha and Krishna with love and affection is a member of Iskcon no matter if they are from The Math or from another planet. Srila Prabhupada accepted Srila Narayana Maharaja fully, so who are we to put Him down?Half the people who talk about Narayana maharaja dont even know him have seen him or spoken with him nor heard his classes, yet they speak as if knowing something detrimental.So how come that no one can really explain what excactly it is that Narayana maharaja is supposedly doing wrong? Its just these subtle suggestions from the realm of bad politics from so called diplomatic people who drive the spear deeper at every opportunity, making it impossible to achieve the so much desired vaisnava union we need so much especially in the times we are living right now.I hate it when devotees demonise Narayana Maharaja have they not got something better to do, like developing love for Radha and Krishna? We will end up like so many religions in the past completely divided and fighting with just politics in place of real love for god and its already happening and everyone who adds to this is guilty of destroying vaisnava unity which would make us so powerful to preach the holy name.As it is, the constant politics against other vaisnavas even friends of Srila Prabhupada destroy everything they destroy friendships, trust,faith in god and so on and estabish fanatism which is absolutely awefull.So why take part in it? Ask yourself ..am I doing the right thing? or should i rather just chant do devotional service and try to love Krishna by accepting and loving all of his devotees? Remember Srila Prabhupadas Peace formular?

[Kripamoya]

I always have a problem reading these long paragraphs without any break.

The words just all run together and I have to strain my eyes to read.

 

that is why I always put a lot of breaks in my post, so that the words don't run together and discourage people from reading them.

 

What makes good writing according to modern standards in books does not work very good with forums in my opinion.

 

I have heard some devotees like Raga take issue with this style of breaking up paragraphs in posts, but I think it makes them a whole lot easier to read than these paragraphs that just run on and on.

[Guest guest]

The story is told on one of Siddhanta's Memories videos by Bhargava Prabhu (the photographer). The story is as you mentioned though the exact diagnosis of the son wasn't real clear (perhaps autistism?).

[Guest guest]

 

I always have a problem reading these long paragraphs without any break.

The words just all run together and I have to strain my eyes to read.

 

that is why I always put a lot of breaks in my post, so that the words don't run together and discourage people from reading them.

 

What makes good writing according to modern standards in books does not work very good with forums in my opinion.

 

I have heard some devotees like Raga take issue with this style of breaking up paragraphs in posts, but I think it makes them a whole lot easier to read than these paragraphs that just run on and on.

devarshirat is very easy to understand and his grasp of english is near enough for me plus he once ran a sublime website agin very together.all glories ti devdas

[Pankaja_Dasa]

Kripamoya, you not doing good by talking ill of Vaishnava, did you know that Prabhupada asked Narayana Maharaja (nobody else) to lay His Samadhi?

 

How many devotees Prabhupada could have asked yet He didn't. (He could have asked one of His own disicples, or any of His Godbrothers). But no.

 

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu layed the Samadhi of Haridasa Thakura, (nobody else did this). It's not a small thing somebody asks of somebody.

[Guest guest]

 

The story is told on one of Siddhanta's Memories videos by Bhargava Prabhu (the photographer). The story is as you mentioned though the exact diagnosis of the son wasn't real clear (perhaps autistism?).

 

He tells this story in part 19 of Siddhanta's Memories of Srila Prabhupada video series.

[Guest guest]

"I remember in Bombay, Prabhupada was speaking with an Indian gentleman. Prabhupada mentioned that he had a son that was mentally unbalanced. I never had heard that before. Prabhupada said that when this boy was a teenager he wandered off one day and was never seen again. Prabhupada knew well the suffering of the material world."

 

There are some quotes in the folio also which refer to this illness of his first son. However I am unsure if he was never seen again by Srila Prabhupada. He did start a court case with ISKCON in Bombay about 1990.

[Priitaa]

Thank you to all who have answered my question. I have a use for this info.

 

Guest, you said "He did start a court case with ISKCON in Bombay about 1990." Really? I was under the impression he never returened. So which son is it? I remember some sort of legal thing, but forget now what happened. In any case, and I am not speaking spirutally now ... but did he get healed of his mental illness? In order to do such a thing he would have to have pretty good thinking capacity.

 

And you mentioned there is info in the folio, but I had no luck. Maybe wrong key words? I tried "mental illness son" or similar, but nothing on his own son. What key words did you use?

 

Thanks.

[Guest guest]

Srila Prabhupada has mentioned somewhere in his teachings that no effort should be made to understand the past life of the spiritual master.

 

all this kind of curiousity and investigation does is pollute the mind of weak devotees and lead them to see the spiritual master as an ordinary man.

 

I don't think that a sincere disciple of Srila Prabhupada would start this kind of topic.

 

I think this topic is the subject matter that has attracted the mind of someone who seeks to portray Srila Prabhupada in some kind of awkward way and taint his image.

 

Srila Prabhupada instructed that we should not attempt to understand the past life of the spiritual master.

 

so, if this person is a disciple then why are they doing this?

 

If this person is NOT a disciple, then their motives are very much in question.

[Guest guest]

I think this topic should be deleted, due to it's offensive nature as going against the instructions of Srila Prabhupada to not try and understand the past life of the spiritual master.

[Priitaa]

Good grief, there is no offense in this topic if you truly believe Prabhuapda is a pure devotee and nothing touches him. The purpose of this topic, which I explained, is to help others with children who have mental illness! Not to analyze the past of the spiruital master. AND this story was on the Prabhuapda Memory tapes, so there is no offense. After all, a fact is a fact, and no one should fear the truth about Prabhupada will change his position. That he had a son with this, so what? Getting more info would help other Vaisnavas, but I guess thats been killed off. Well, if faith is so weak, maybe it is better to not talk about it, but my goodness, how surprising... o ye of little faith.

 

"This person" me - joined the movement in 74.

[Priitaa]

It is the next day and to be honest, I am just so shocked at those last two replies and my feelings are hurt. Do you really think ITV put out something offensive about Srila Prabhupada? Something that is mundane? No, everything is transcendentally explained. Besides, with or without explanatin, it just IS transcendental. Next time before passing judgment:

 

 

If this person is NOT a disciple, then their motives are very much in question.

....you might first want to find out what the motive is, first scroll up and read all the posts where you would have learned 1) I wanted this to help other Vaisnavas. 2) It was a story told on the "Prabhupada Memory Tapes." And 3) ASK me instead of accuse me. 4) Click on my profile, my past posts, my links and find out before making such a bold accusation .... if I am NOT a disciple...., etc etc etc. And dear 'guest,' if going to be so quick to speak in such ways, have the courage to sign your name.

[Bhakta Don Muntean]

 

I always have a problem reading these long paragraphs without any break.

The words just all run together and I have to strain my eyes to read.

 

that is why I always put a lot of breaks in my post, so that the words don't run together and discourage people from reading them.

 

What makes good writing according to modern standards in books does not work very good with forums in my opinion.

 

I have heard some devotees like Raga take issue with this style of breaking up paragraphs in posts, but I think it makes them a whole lot easier to read than these paragraphs that just run on and on.

 

I agree cent percent! Lazy people can't use breaks in the sentences?

[Bhakta Don Muntean]

 

I think this topic should be deleted, due to it's offensive nature as going against the instructions of Srila Prabhupada to not try and understand the past life of the spiritual master.

Where are these instructions? You know the thing about that "Prabhupada said" stuff - we need some quotes to back up your assertion "going against the instructions of Srila Prabhupada to not try and understand the past life of the spiritual master" - that you could post the quotes to that effect would be good for this discussion.

[bija]

Do not worry or be upset dear friend about the attacking comments.

 

I appreciate your concern for your loved one very much. I was diagnosed with illness at the young age of twenty four, spent about eight years very ill, then slowly began healing.

There is some research that I heard on the radio somewhere that shared the stats that some people who develop illness when they are young, can grow through it after about a ten year period. I am a member of your healing group, so I will try and not be lazy and pray for your loved one.

 

Personally I found that as I grew older and wiser with internal development,

I began to heal in many ways. I still have the illness, but I describe it more now that I am fragile and need to look after myself. I go easy on austerities and try to focus on a lighthearted devotional life.

 

The great challenge I am finding now, is trying to rebuild parts of my life that were taken from me, but feeling well overides these emotions alot.

 

Stigma....it is diffcult from outside perception and self perception. For example writing on this forum, people unfortunately may develop pre-conceived ideas or also I may think that they might. Really we all need to get over stigma about mental illness....lets face it the whole world has some disorder.

 

Really I must stop writing now, and my insights are possibly minimal. If you would like to talk further I would be happy to share my journey and answer any questions if I can. But ofcourse this will only be on a personal level.

 

I am a member of Krsna's Distance Healers, so you can contact me there, and I would be happy to talk via private email......hopefully in the future the masses of people will be more open to talk...get rid of all the stigma...then final healing will come for all, I am sure.

 

take care.....bija.

[Guest guest]

 

Thank you to all who have answered my question. I have a use for this info.

 

Guest, you said "He did start a court case with ISKCON in Bombay about 1990." Really? I was under the impression he never returened.

 

Yes, (eldest son) he did return and claimed ISKCON as his property. He claimed his father never really took sannyasa, thus ISKCON was his.

ISKCON's star witness was Narayan Maharaja who helped perform the sannyasi ceremony for Srila Prabhupada.

As far as I remember Prabhupada's eldest son eventually accepted an out of court settlement. I was living in Bombay at the time so I have some knowledge of the events of that time. Gopal Krishna Maharaja can tell you more if you ever get the chance to ask him.

 

 

So which son is it? I remember some sort of legal thing, but forget now what happened. In any case, and I am not speaking spirutally now ... but did he get healed of his mental illness? In order to do such a thing he would have to have pretty good thinking capacity.

 

Yes, good point.

 

 

And you mentioned there is info in the folio, but I had no luck. Maybe wrong key words? I tried "mental illness son" or similar, but nothing on his own son. What key words did you use?

Thanks.

 

I have heard several times about his eldest son, one time in particular there is mention of his eldest son's sudden mental illness and how he took his son to the British doctors for treatment. I will research some more and post when i have the details.