http://harekrsna.com/sun/editorials/08-06/editorials573.htm
Bhav Is Black
BY: ROCANA DASA
Aug 8, CANADA (SUN) — Shortly after writing my recent article, Conspiracy of Silence, I happened to listen to a lecture by Srila Prabhupada that was given in Montreal on August 22, 1968. Srila Prabhupada was commenting on Srimad Bhagavatam 7-9-14 wherein Prahlada Maharaja is pacifying Lord Nrsimhadev. Prahlada Maharaja told Lord Nrsimhadev that he was not unhappy that his father had died because his father can be compared to a black snake. Even saintly persons are happy when scorpions and snakes are killed.
Srila Prabhupada then relates a story wherein his Spiritual Master ordered a snake to be killed. Srila Prabhupada said that until he read this verse from the Bhagavatam, it was a source of botheration for him that Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur wasn't merciful to the snake, but instead ordered the devotees to kill it.
I found this story particularly interesting in light of the recent discussions on child abuse. Personally, I consider Bhavananda to be a black snake. Of course, I'm not recommending that we kill him, but I do suggest that we not hesitate to call a snake a snake. There's been a hue and cry raised that we should be very merciful to those who have abused children. In the case of Bhavananda, he claims that Srila Prabhupada would have been merciful, so why aren't the devotees merciful?
In the lecture mentioned above, Srila Prabhupada quotes Chanakya Pandit, saying that a snake can be controlled by chanting mantras and by herbs, whereas an envious man is more dangerous than a snake because he cannot be controlled. The symptom of why a snake can and should be killed is that they'll bite someone that has done them no harm, without any notice. Simply due to their nature, they'll bite. I suggest we look at Bhavananda and apply the same test. What did Bhavananda do to children and to others who came under his control and power? He bit them -- he seduced them or ordered them to gratify his sexual desires, without any consideration that these people don't deserve the suffering he was inflicting, and in fact, should be protected by him. Yet just for the sake of his own sense gratification he was willing to cause harm to other persons, regardless of whether they were children or disciples or ISKCON members who are trained to give all respect to sanyasis and senior authorities in positions such as Bhavananda was in.
How many of these people had their fragile faith in Srila Prabhupada and Krsna Consciousness shattered by their experiences with Bhavananda? We have heard time and time again from Srila Prabhupada and other exalted members of our Sampradaya that there's no greater benediction or boon than being introduced to Krsna Consciousness by a pure devotee such as Srila Prabhupada, and it takes many, many births and deaths to gain that position. To have one's faith shattered by the kinds of experiences Bhavananda was handing out is far worse than any black snake, or even the normal envious person.
Dhanurdhara, Satadhanya and others are again coming under the microscope as having been great abusers. As I mentioned in previous articles, no one seems to be connecting the dots between the abuses perpetrated by these individuals and Bhavananda, who was the common denominator. In fact, it seems that both Dhanurdhara and Satadhanya have proven that when they escaped the association of Bhavananda they were able to divest themselves of the demoniac qualities they were infected with as a result of associating with him. Once they got clear of his snake-like association, their devotional careers straightened up. Bhavananda, on the other hand, didn't do this. In the interim period when he was kicked out of ISKCON, he apparently did little with his life other than start a gay bar in a Govinda's restaurant and lay around Australia in the lap of luxury.
I am hoping that some of the honest devotees from Australia will step forward and give us an objective report as to what Bhavananda has been doing 'downunder' all these years. Of course, we are getting reports from persons who could easily be considered biased or carrying a grudge, but it would helpful to hear from those devotees perceived as being more neutral. Not surprisingly, we also haven't heard a word from anyone in ISKCON trying to explain or justify the 'Bhav is Back' movement. As usual, there is complete silence on the matter. Perhaps the editors of Dandavats.com will get involved in the dialogue, representing ISKCON's point of view.
The investigations of Dhanurdhara and Satadhanya have come under the jurisdiction of the CPO. Thorough investigations appear to have been done, and the reports are now available to be read. But where is the GBC's report on Bhavananda? What is the status of the CPO's investigation of Bhavananda? Like a true deviant personality, he's again worming his way back into his previous position where he will again have the opportunity to bring harm to the devotees. What's being done to prevent this from happening? Apparently nothing.
One of the great myths that's been created, not only in ISKCON, but in many religious institutions and feudal monarchies, is that anyone who is given a high position within a religious society has been chosen personally by God to be in that position. Of course in Bhavananda's case, the first line of defense is to say that Srila Prabhupada liked Bhavananda, or was nice to him. This may be the case, but the fact is that Srila Prabhupada is an exalted Vaisnava and is completely capable of using anyone and everyone in Krsna's service.
It's also interesting to note that during Srila Prabhupada's lila period, Bhavananda had very little power in comparison to the power and position handed to him around the time of Srila Prabhupada's departure. While Srila Prabhupada was here, Bhavananda was not a GBC and did not hold a senior position in the institution. It was Bhavananda's powerful friends who got his name included on the 'list of eleven' and later included him as one of the Zonal Acaryas. They gave him all sorts of power, knowing full well that he was a homosexual predator who had already abused whatever power he had.
Bhavananda is the black snake in the grass, and the very thought that ISKCON is now willing to reinstate him to a position of visibility is just beyond the pale. It's shocking to the rest of the devotee community because so many of us have been negatively impacted by Bhavananda, directly or indirectly. Of course, the authorities who are now making the decision to have him come back didn't suffer as a result of Bhavananda's actions: they weren't raped or seduced, they didn't have programs that they had to put their life and soul into which were callously dismantled by Bhavananda. Whether or not they were infected by his demoniac qualities, that's another story. That story will emerge as the facts become known as to who allowed him to stay in power all those years, and who is now allowing him to again make his presence known among the leaders of ISKCON.
When Bhavananda was having trouble maintaining his position in Australia, HH Jayapataka Swami went to Australia and preached strongly against all of Bhavananda's detractors. Jayapataka Swami stayed long enough to show all the members there that he was 100% behind Bhavananda. Anyone in a rebellious mood who was intent on getting rid of Bhavananda was either straightened out or thrown out. That's just one of many circumstances surrounding Bhavananda's unique ability to stay protected.
Personally, I feel about Bhavananda like Prahlada Maharaja felt about Hiranyakasipu. I was happy to see Bhavananda excluded from ISKCON. Getting rid of Bhavananda and Kirtanananda were among the good things the GBC had finally managed to accomplish. But obviously that good work is now in vain as Bhavananda returns to the vyasasana in Mayapur. It's like inviting Hiranyakasipu back out of sentiment when Prahlada Maharaja, the real devotee, was happy that he was dead.
What would happen if they once again caught Bhavananda red-handed, up to his old tricks behind their backs at the Holy Dhama? What would the GBC's position be if he was caught, and charged under the law? Bhavananda has proven that he hasn't purified himself, yet the GBC is obviously willing to take this big risk. It's like washing coal, and it is Srila Prabhupada's good name that will suffer in the end, along with those whose faith gets broken.
It will require honest public expression and pressure brought to bear on the highest levels of the society by devotees who can exert such power and pressure in order to send this black snake back to where he belongs. As Bhagavat dasa recently explained, Srila Prabhupada gave us a process for dealing with abusers. In the case of Bhavananda, some say that Srila Prabhupada knew Bhavananda was a pedophile or abuser. I don't believe that's true, but I can certainly believe that this information was kept from Srila Prabhupada by the very men who put Bhavananda in power. And that's the real story. Who is protecting him, and why?
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