WVA Madonna Statement

July 8, 2003

To all the readers of these reflections of mine. Please accept my most humble obeisances. My beloved Spiritual Master A C, Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada started a wonderful family, and by his grace I have received many God Brothers and Sisters whom I love and respect deep in my heart. Through the other branches of the family tree of Srila Prabhupada, the Gaudiya Math, and other Temples around the world, I have gained so many spiritual nieces, nephews, aunts, and uncles.

It is natural for a devotee to put all his energy into the mission started by his own spiritual Master, however one should have respect for all other Vaisnavas Missions and the devotees. In thinking thoroughly about some difficulty which recently arose I decided to give the details in these reflections in order to avoid similar issues from escalating in the future.

Upon leaving Iskcon in 1984, many circumstances convinced me that neither myself nor the devotees I was working with could advance spiritually under the conditions that existed. This caused myself and others to be painfully separated from most of our Godbrothers. Some condemned me for having left the institution and some condemned me for continuing to preach, as well as accepting disciples. Still others condemned me for not accepting their non sastric ritvik philosophy. While with many others it was difficult to know how they felt.

This deplorable situation made me feel that the Mission of my Spiritual Master and many of my God Brothers was not in a very good state, even though individually many are advanced devotees doing important services for Srila Prabhupada and the Sampradaya. While traveling through the many Gaudiya Math Temples in India, I also noticed that very similar situations sometimes occur in other mission after the founding Acharya disappears.

I started to pray for a solution for all these difficulties. Simultaneously I started to make contacts with a few of my God Brothers who were also trying to establish their service independent from Iskcon. There was Tripurari Maharaja, the great enthusiast for Book Distribution of my early devotional experience. Now he was struggling to establish new Temples and writing intensely to get the modern world in touch with the jewels of Bhakti. There was Narasringa Maharaja with his faithful brother, servant and friend Vishnu Maharaja. They were preaching in India and had started the first Western Mission in Vrindavana. Narasringa Maharaja whose private speaking of Krsna Katha touched my heart. He struggled to establish temples and to harmonize with the different characters and nationalities. His fierce defense of our Sampradaya and beloved guardians is of great inspiration.

Talking with many of my friends and meditating on Srila Jiva Goswami and his Visva Vaisnava Raja Sabha I wrote a proposal on how we could start a World Vaisnava Association. Then the most wonderful thing happened, Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Maharaja the Senior most Vaisnava beloved by all, the most outstanding jewel of humility, accepted to be the president of the WVA. This effort to revive the concept of communication between Vaisnavas beyond mission concerns, allowing association of Mission Acharyas, Sanyasis and all Devotees. The WVA could be a forum to meet Godbrothers again without feeling obliged to align or worship with them.

This effort allowed me to meet with my Godbrother Tusta Krsna Das, he in the service of Srila Prabhupada and his Siksa Guru Srila Siddhaswarupananda had been preaching ever since Srila Prabhupada left us. Meeting him, Acharya Das and many other disciples of Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda was a very delightful experience. I could see that externally they did not use many of the traditional vestments of the Indian Gaudiya Vaishnavas, however their understanding of the philosophy, their attachment to the Holy Name and there gentle behavior immediately reminded me of my early days in Krsna Consciousness. These feelings were confirmed after meeting Jagad Guru Siddaswarupananda personally. I was so very enthused and appreciated how they had managed to make a World Wide Vaisnava Mission based on the faith in Srila Prabhupada and the Chanting of the Holy Names. Jagad Gurus writings, TV shows and musical presentations, are all capable to transmit the divine call to those who are sincere seekers.

I felt that the WVA was making progress, new committees were add to the agenda of the WVA in 1997 to increase the flexibility and input of all interested members. As the secretary of the WVA I had to make many decisions which I would have liked to have discussed with other Vaisnavas, aiding in the decision process. Unfortunately due to a lack of time or lack of interest, I had to do things on my own volition. Sripad Tusta Krsna Das from the Chaitanya Mission and founding member of the WVA had shown a keen interest in problems arising with Vaisnavas being in contact with the secular world. Thus I had proposed to him that he become the chairman of the committee in the WVA for secular world issues. It was only natural for him to have called me to inform me of the MTV Television show in which pop star Madonna exhibited a mix of sensualism and spiritualism while wearing Tilak and other Indian dress. Of course no Vaisnava could approve 100 % of this kind of display. Tusta Krsna Prabhus very successful press release took me by total surprise as it received world wide coverage, since I usually struggle to get a little note into the local paper. Well press loves conflicts and Madonna is a worthy subject of controversy.

Since Tripurari Maharaja and Mandala Media had supplied some materials to Madonna. Tripurari Maharaja felt that he should do something to soften the critique on Madonna and her new found attraction for Eastern Spiritualism. Unfortunately He did not contact me about his counter press release. The counter press release minimized the position of Tusta Krsna Das and the Chaitanya Mission as acting independent of the WVA and as not being able to understand a persons heart. This way of describing it opened the way for criticism toward Tusta Krsna Das and the Chaitanya Mission. I was requested to make an immediate release of clarification which I was not able to do instantly. This later led to very harsh and unjust offenses against our founding member and their Missions Acharya.

I have since sent a note to Tripurari Maharaja and Sripad Tusta Krsna in the hope that we may turn the unfortunate occurrence into something positive. I pray we can increase our responsibility to WVA issues, and also increase the communication between leaders who are concerned with spreading Krsna Consciousness in America and the World. Sadly time seemed to be against me, as it created the impression that I was condoning unfair or negative talk about the Vaisnavas. This was for Gods Sake not my intention. Sripad Tripurari Maharaja has hardly taken any practical participation in the WVA until this press release. Now it has cost offenses against empowered preachers. I had been very cautious about my words previously because I did not want any one to feel that I am telling them what they should do. At this point now I simply fold my hands and pray, Let us consider the World and Srila Prabhupadas family first. Let Madonna and our internal missionary affairs come second.

If such situations arise by the test of Krsna or the test of Maya, I beg all respected readers to pick up the telephone and call the affected brother. Let us eliminate Vaisnava Aparad immediately as it will destroy our progress. May we guard against losing our brothers again whom we have just regained after so much struggle. What to speak of all the service we lose to our Spiritual Master and to the Vaisnava community if we have no unified forum to work for our common cause. If I lose the friendship of any of you I will consider my self to be the most unfortunate. We know all to well, misunderstanding is bound to appear in this world.

Daso Smi Swami B.A. Paramadvaiti