1999

Feb 8 - 1999 - BY IRG INDIA
Over a month ago, the ISKCON GBC authorized another payment of 1 million US dollars to Harikesh Das for his grhastha life. HH Gopal Krishna Goswami made a statement at the ICC meeting held in Vrindavan that the GBC was threatened by the Russian Mafia and that if they did not pay the money, some of the ISKCON leaders would be exterminated.

When questioned that the Russian Mafia may continue to extort in the future more money from ISKCON by making further threats, Maharaj replied quite confidently that the Russian Mafias were quite honorable and they didn't break their agreements.

Maharaj continued that there was a silver lining in this that some of the guru's lives were saved and the Russian Mafia returned the BBT books previously taken from the temple in Russia.

Feb 9 -1999 - BY SOMAKA DAS

An open letter to the GBC - Please stop the madness

Dear GBC please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Maybe this letter comes late, because the Harikesa case its already old, but better late than never.

Reading through the Harikesa case, made me to remember the Mayapur festival 1987 and more specifically the 50 man committee that in that year was supposed to review the remaining GBC after the big fall-downs of 1986. I was part of that committee and I remember that we started in a very good mode analyzing the GBC men. The first GBC we reviewed was H.H. Hridayananda Goswami and after he left the room we voted, and for big majority vote, he received a vote of no-confidence.

The next was the former Harikesa Maharaja, I remember that it was extremely distasteful just to hear him or ask questions to him. He was extremely proud and arrogant. Some weird story about his flying-saucer experiment came out during the interview, and he replied in a very arrogant mood just as during the entire time of the interview. When he left the room all committee members were flabbergasted by his performance and completely convinced that he was on a trip and dangerous.

But instead of giving the no-confidence vote, it came to a discussion that he had many disciples and control over a lot of money and many suggested that if we gave a no-confidence vote he may split away from the movement, take disciples with him and take a lot of money. Instead of giving to him a no-confidence vote it was decided, (please note that personally I did not agreed with that decision) to give him a confidence vote.

As a result of this practically no more GBC where reviewed because we concluded that if we gave a confidence vote to him, then in no way we could give no-confidence votes to others.

To not make Hridayananda feel offended we had to give a confidence vote to him too, and (ridiculous!) beg for forgiveness for giving a no-confidence vote in the first place.

After that the all meeting became a joke, just voting on new candidate to the body. I remember a man extremely ambitious complaining to me for not having voted for him as a candidate (he poked his nose on my voting). I am recalling this occurrence, to bring on a very important point - diplomacy. The pride and arrogance of Harikes Prabhu was evident, he being on a grandeur trip was evident, maybe at that point he could be rectified, but with the diplomacy used, with the fear of loosing men and money, he went on with is pride for many more years. He burned out many good God-brothers, he accumulated more money, more men, and now just see the result, all of Europe is in turmoil, thousands of his disciples are suffering and going trough terrible confusion.

Who actually knows for certain how much money between stock-lost and what he pretend to be his, Srila Prabhupada's movement has lost? And now he is criticizing and faultfinding Srila Prabhupada. Inviting devotees to leave ISKCON and so on.

This incident is a very important lesson for our leaders. It appear that compromising the truth and the purity in the name of saving men and money does not work, purity is the force not diplomacy. Diplomacy can only bring more politics, more problems, more division more fall-downs.

Now after 22 years since the time Srila Prabhupada entered samadhi I can't believe that the entire GBC body is convinced of the multiple acarya system, the living guru system, or what else you want to call this concoction. I can't believe that the entire GBC body does not understand that if Srila Prabhupada's desire was to have acaryas he would have spoken for days and days about it, giving all details how to do it. Is somebody actually believeing that Srila Prabhupada would have left such important point (ISKCON is divided and fighting over this argument for the last 21 years since Mayapur festival 1978) unclear and let Virabahu Prabhu, or Ravindra Svarupa Prabhu, smoke their brains over the folio to understand what Srila Prabhupada's desire about initiation was?

Srila Prabhupada's desire it is clearly defined on the July 9th letter:

July 9th, 1977

To All G.B.C., and Temple Presidents

Dear Maharajas and Prabhus,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your feet. Recently when all of the GBC members were with His Divine Grace in Vrndavana, Srila Prabhupada indicated that soon He would appoint some of His senior disciples to act as "ritvik--representative of the acarya, for the purpose of performing initiations, both first initiation and second initiation. His Divine Grace has so far given a list of eleven disciples who will act in that capacity:

His Holiness Kirtanananda Swami
His Holiness Satsvarupa dasa Gosvami
His Holiness Jayapataka Swami
His Holiness Tamala Krsna Gosvami
His Holiness Hrdayananda Gosvami
His Holiness Bhavananda Gosvami
His Holiness Hamsaduta Swami
His Holiness Ramesvara Swami
His Holiness Harikesa Swami
His Grace Bhagavan dasa Adhikari
His Grace Jayatirtha dasa Adhikari

In the past Temple Presidents have written to Srila Prabhupada recommending a particular devotee's initiation. Now that Srila Prabhupada has named these representatives, Temple Presidents may henceforward send recommendation for first and second initiation to whichever of these eleven representatives are nearest their temple. After considering the recommendation, these representatives may accept the devotee as an initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada by giving a spiritual name, or in the case of second initiation, by chanting on the Gayatri thread, just as Srila Prabhupada has done. The newly initiated devotees are disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, the above eleven senior devotees acting as His representative. After the Temple President receives a letter from these representatives giving the spiritual name or the thread, he can perform the fire yajna in the temple as was being done before. The name of a newly initiated disciple should be sent by the representative who has accepted him or her to Srila Prabhupada, to be included in His Divine Grace's "Initiated Disciples" book.

Hoping this finds you all well.

Your servant,

Tamala Krsna Gosvami
Secretary to Srila Prabhupada

Approved: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

[Srila Prabhupada's signature appears on the original]

I do not like to repeat what so many other exalted vaisnavas already stated. There are so many good article as "who is representing Srila Prabhupada now?" by H.G. Madhudvisa Prabhu, "the final order" by H.G. Krishna Kant Prabhu, "simple for the simple" by H.G. Pragosh Prabhu, and so many others, that clearly demonstrate that Srila Prabhupada's desire was that He will continue to be the diksa guru and his disciplic continue to be the siksa guru.

2. Each temple will be an ISKCON property and will be managed by three executive directors. The system of management will continue as it is now and there is no need of any change. (Srila Prabhupada's will)

It is so simple to understand that there was no reasons to change the system of initiations. The system of initiations trough "ritvik priest" it was already functioning prior to the July 9th letter, personally I remember initiations in France to be performed by Bhagavan Prabhu as early as 1972, so if that system was to function only until Srila Prabhupada entering samadhi what was the need of the July 9th letter if the system was already functioning.

It is clear that the letter is as, the letter itself mentions, to function henceforward. Of course somebody may argue that the July 9th letter was just for changing the system of to whom to send the recommendation: In the past Temple Presidents have written to Srila Prabhupada recommending a particular devotee's initiation. Now that Srila Prabhupada has named these representatives, Temple Presidents may henceforward send recommendation for first and second initiation to whoever of these eleven representatives are nearest their temple.

Again I am asking if anybody actually think that Srila Prabhupada would have left such extremely important subjects as initiation, guru, what to do when a guru falls etc. to some of his disciple to brake their brains over the folio to figure out what to do? Repeating what Sriman Pragosh Prabhu said, simple for the simple, please note the following:

3. Properties in India will be managed by the following executive directors: a) Properties at Sri Mayapur Dhama, Panihati, Haridaspur and Calcutta: Gurukrpa Swami, Jayapataka Swami, Bhavananda Gosvami and Gopal Krsna das Adhikari. b) Properties at Vrndavana: Gurukrpa Swami, Akahoyananda Swami, and Gopal Krsna das Adhikari. c) Properties at Bombay: Tamala Krsna Gosvami, Giriraj das Brahmahary, and Gopal Krsna das Adhikari. d) Properties at Bhubaneswar: Gour Govinda Swami, Jayapataka Swami, and Bhagawat das Brahmachary. e) Properties at Hyderbad: Mahamsa Swami, Sridhar Swami, Gopal Krsna das Adhikari and Bali Mardan das Adhikari.

The executive directors who have herein been designated are appointed for life. In the event of death or failure to act for any reason of any of the said directors, a successor director or directors may be appointed by the remaining directors, provided the new director is my initiated disciple following strictly all the rules and regulations of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness as detailed in my books, and provided that there are never less than three (3) or more than five (5) executive directors acting at one time. (Srila Prabhupada's will) In the event of death or failure to act for any reason of any of the said directors, a successor director or directors may be appointed by the remaining directors, provided the new director is my initiated disciple following strictly all the rules and regulations of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness as detailed in my books. How this part of Srila Prabhupada's will could be followed if the "concocted living guru system" continue? I wish my God-brothers 100 more year of life still in 100 years this will of Srila Prabhupada will not be possible to be followed. Srila Prabhupada emphatically affirmed many time that this movement will go on for the next 10.000 years, so his will also have to be followed for the next 10.000 years.

Srila Prabhupada many times boldly said that He will never die, but the GBC hare saying that Srila Prabhupada is dead and you need a living guru. This is insanity. And where this insanity is coming from? From the desire for name, fame, distinction, adoration. If everyone gives up this attachment and become a humble servant of the servant it will be very easy to understand. Simple for the simple.

"When one has attained the topmost position of maha-bhagavata, he is to be accepted as a guru and worshipped exactly like Hari, the Personality of Godhead. Only such a person is eligible to occupy the post of a guru." (C.c. Madhya, 24.330, purport) To rush to the post of guru before having attained the maha-bhagavata stage it is insanity, there is need of more fall-down to confirm this simple fact?

So now at this point of history the leader of ISKCON have to decide:

To accept Srila Prabhupada's final order given in the July 9th 1977 letter and restore love and trust among the devotees. Restore in the movement the original strength and enthusiasm to change the world, or to make a new diplomatic arrangement to prevent some mega gurus to go of with men and money (there is only a few left), and again compromise truth, for diplomacy and continue the present situation that is causing so many good devotees to become discouraged or ostracized from ISKCON.

'Myself and the other GBC have done the greatest disservice to this movement the last three years because we interpreted the appointment of ritviks as the appointment of gurus. What actually happened I'll explain. I explained it but the interpretation is wrong'. (Topanga Canyon Confessions, 3/12/80)
Actually this disservice it is going on for the last 22 years it is time to stop.

Please give up the attachment to name, fame, glory, worship and big daksin, and let this madness stop and sanity to prosper.

Please forgive me for any offense and please allow me to remain your humble servant.

Dasanudas
Somaka Das

February 23, 1999 - BY ARJUNA SAKHI DASA

To Sri Visnupada (with hope these few words will reach him)
Not claiming for return of anything
not being regretful for giving you anything
just want you
to listen for a while
a thousand heart's pitiful sob
coming from the garbage-can
in your back yard
and one thing more
if you become a father of a boy
please give him the name
NARAYANA
so that calling of his name
can save you
and us (your disciples)
your humble servant,
still sticking to our
eternal loving agreement,
D. H. das

REPLY BY HARIKESH DAS:

"This is not a very good poem. Further, I did not throw my disciples in the garbage can in my back yard. Because I resigned as a guru in ISKCON does not mean that I have resigned as a person who has spiritual knowledge and can give it to others. I did not resign from relationships based on love. If there is no relationship, or it was artificial, then certainly it is not worth keeping.

If you think that I need to name a son Narayan so I can chant the holy name, then you are doubly foolish as I am chanting all the time in my mind and many hours out loud. I think you do not know what you are writing, which is not unusual nowadays. One should understand things properly by deep consideration, and not take things on the surface as they appear to those who wish to take things cheaply.

"Perhaps I am making you think? Anyway, good luck to you and all the others as well. I cannot give up my love for you, but I can give up the impossible manner in which I had to relate to thousands of people. Let us see in the future, no? No agreement with anyone in the material world is eternal. That which did not exist before cannot be called eternal if it has a creation.

Think about it."

COMMENT BY ARJUNA SAKHI:

I don't care if you, or anyone for that matter, will read this text. I am writing it and sending it for myself.

"This is not a very good poem. Further, I did not throw my disciples in the garbage can in my back yard. Because I resigned as a guru in ISKCON does not mean that I have resigned as a person who has spiritual knowledge and can give it to others."

You are so boring. I think you have been writing this in every single letter so far. It is just like in the good old days, isn't it? You have a collection of drawers which you can take an answer from when you think that it could fit approximately. Just that you exchanged the answers a bit. Not the attitude though. Think about it!

"does not mean that I have resigned as a person who has spiritual knowledge and can give it to others."

Humility seems to be a foreign word to you. But that it always has. Nothing new.

"I did not resign from relationships based on love. If there is no relationship, or it was artificial, then certainly it is not worth keeping."

Relationships based on love... Let's all close our eyes, fix the mind on a little candle and be quiet for a minute. Let's think about the deeper meaning of this.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, oops, over, thank you!

Why do I only feel cheated by you? And not only by the fact that you have been posing as the paramahamsa who will save the whole world, AND letting people worship you in that way. But also the whole thing that you are making out of it now. I mean do you actually write these letters when you are completely awake? Look at them! They are such a joke, it is difficult to be sarcastic about them.

You have a serious screw loose, my dear. And before you get this fastened I think you should just be quiet.

Take this advice from an old well-wisher, before you run out of all your credits.

"If you think that I need to name a son Narayan so I can chant the holy name, then you are doubly foolish as I am chanting all the time in my mind and many hours out loud."

I really don't want to be unfair. But you don't seem to have the qualities of a person who can chant the holy name constantly?! What was that again? Yeah, more humble than a blade of grass?

"You fool! Can't you see that I am chanting the holy name constantly?!"

This could be a joke from an old Indian movie (Tulsi das?). Perhaps the pandit who thinks that he is better then the simple devotee...

"I think you do not know what you are writing, which is not unusual nowadays."

Here I have to agree with you. But you probably didn't include yourself in that statement.

"One should understand things properly by deep consideration, and not take things on the surface as they appear to those who wish to take things cheaply."

When will you finally realize that the guru-thing is over? You keep teaching and instructing and healing all the time. If you don't want to be a guru than you have to stop going around and telling people what to do and how to think. You don't want to be known as a guru, because it has many limitations for you, on the sense enjoyment part. But you do want to go around and have all the privileges of a guru after all, it seems to me.

"Perhaps I am making you think? Anyway, good luck to you and all the others as well. I cannot give up my love for you, but I can give up the impossible manner in which I had to relate to thousands of people. Let us see in the future, no?"

Okay, let's see in the future maybe even I will come back to you for spiritual guidance and some biology courses.

And I am very sorry for all this years where you HAD TO except all our worship and respect and surrender. I am sure it was hellish for you.

You say you want to heal people, but you don't even listen to them. I met you. And you where just speaking and speaking the whole time. You never listen. You never have.

And so many silly and insincere excuses. "I am a company man". That was your excuse for the whole thing! Man, you are getting better than Danurdara.

Did you learn this in the ISKCON guru-school? How to talk yourself out of it, in the case of emergency. Maybe I should take some classes in that.

"No agreement with anyone in the material world is eternal. That which did not exist before cannot be called eternal if it has a creation.

Think about it."

Yes sir! I will think about it. What would I do if you wouldn't make me think sometimes? I think my brain would be rotting. You can not deny that I am eternally indebted to you for that. So maybe it is eternal after all? Please enlighten me, great master!

Did you hear about the gurukuli who beat up Danurdar with a stick in Mayapur? He said that he feels free now from the abuse he suffered by DN. That actually inspired me to write this letter. I hope it will do the trick. And I will be finally free from you. Somehow you are still clogging up some parts of my mind, like white flour clogs up the intestines.

Nice comparison, he? It took me all night to think of that one. I think it fits.

You want to fight the abusers. That in it self is a honorable course. But you have to realize that there are different kinds of abuse. And cheating honest people, who are searching for the truth and spiritual life, is definitely one of them.

In my opinion you are guilty, directly or indirectly, for the following things:

- child abuse (was it not your preaching that made parents send their children with five to Vrindavan? Was it not the Mayapur where you where in charge where little Indian boys, not older than 12, where working hard carrying stones the whole day? Wasn't it you who made constant fun of marriage and attachment to children? Saying that it is not service to take care of them.)

- women abuse (no comment, since it is to obvious)
- bhakta abuse
- grihasta abuse
- new devotee abuse
- east European devotee abuse ( was it not your temples where Russians were shipped in for three month to do all the slave work?)
- simple minded devotee abuse
- sankirtan devotee abuse
- last but not least, spiritual abuse

I know that I am not so smart, but nor are you. I always thought that you were very intelligent. But actually I find you quite limited lately.

I don't say that you haven't also done good things. You have! But the sad thing is that you are sorry for them now. That you twist them around now. And make people believe that they were wrong.

All the best!

Your well wisher,
Arjuna sakhi

P.S. I hope you can understand one day that I actually do wish you well.

April 17, 1999 - BY RAMMOHAN DAS

Krishna Consciousness in Austria after 20 years of Harikesa's rule. I am a disciple of Srila Prabhupada since 1972 and serving Prabhupada's mission in Austria since 1982. The reason why here in one of the most beautiful countries of Europe there is no real temple, no farm and no association among the large number of devotees which joined and left since the departure of Srila Prabhupada is, that here the devotees where told over and over again for the last 20 years by Harikesa and his secretaries that there is no way to act legally. You have to disobey the laws of state in order to spread Krishna-consciousness.

This bogus and devotee-killing strategy which everybody believed was not "wait, we are working on a solution", but an immoral strain without end. Devotees left burnt out due to constant pressure of selling books and make money like criminals. New devotees joined and where "taught" the same rubbish: "You are a pioneer-saint, you don't need any permission which we anyway don't get from this stupid government." Usually after 2 or three years they lost complete faith in such kind of leadership and left without ever being heart of. A never-ending fear of being exposed by police and media extinguished the fire of spreading Srila Prabhupada's mission in an expanding manner like Italy, Switzerland, Yugoslavia, Spain, France, Poland, Hungary, Belgium, etc. Prabhupada's philosophy is to always find a Krishna- conscious solution and that there is no problem which can't be solved. But why the GBC seemed to remain stuck? The answer is very simple.

All the illegal collected Laxmi from Austria was secretly transferred to Switzerland and "legalized" in the Zurich Temple and than sent back as "legal donation" from the Krishna Foundation Switzerland. Since the hard working Austrian devotees where collecting millions of dollars you might gradually understand that quite a big amount of Laxmi remained in Zurich temple. In contrast the Swiss leaders liked to do this kind of service of "helping" the Austrians to "wash" their money. "Why do you need all of your money back, you have no legal status there anyway and can't spent it for bigger projects".

Additionally the BBT-price was constantly pushed up. During one visit in Vienna Harikesa took 70.000.-US Dollars with him, claiming that would be BBT debt. Today you will find in Switzerland big expensive temple buildings, a big farm, other properties and a huge community of happy devotees.

(They even laugh about their guru's fall in maya and call him bhakta Robert).

Right now when I reflect on the situation here in Austria after so much work of so many devotees after so many years we find ourselves like in the year 1975 right at the very beginning. A 60 sqm rented place in the worst part of Vienna, 3 devotees, 3 bhaktas. And as final topping: All the surrounding temples send lots of their Sankirtan devotees just for making quick money, because the people of Austria are known of giving bigger donations.

My humble request to the present GBC and other leading devotees who feel themselves concerned is to find a solution of justice for this spiritually mistreated beautiful country in the heart of Europe and start together to work out a solution for building a representative temple and farm for Srila Prabhupada, Gaura-Nitai and a big number of hiding devotees who lost complete faith in proper spiritual leadership.

May 1, 1999 - BY RAM MOHAN DAS

A Report from Harikes's Zone

Srila Prabhupada would sometimes compare this material existence to a big and vast unconquerable ocean. Devotional service, however, causing that same ocean becoming as small as the water in the hoofprint of a calf. You simply step over it without almost recognizing that tiny little amount of water. During one morning walk Srila Prabhupada made everybody laugh by saying if you want to cross the atlantic ocean by taking hold of a dogs tail that wont be a good idea. He compares an unqualified so called guru with a dog's tail and the person using this tail as not really sincere or ignorant. Srila Prabhupada also used the example if you want to buy gold you have to know the process to examine if the pure gold is pure or maybe something else.

If you want to buy a diamond you again have to know the science of what a real stone is and what's a useless copie. If you buy a house you cannot go afterwards to court and claim the house is no good. You have to check it out before. Better, if You are totaly blind don't blame anyone but yourself. On the other hand, if someone knocks at your door and says 'I have a golden watch for you to buy' and later on, after you bought from this man you find yourself cheated, you can't even tell to police what happened. They may fine you and call you a criminal yourself for buying from an unauthorized person.

Here in northern Europe all the followers of Harikesa seem to be traumatized by what happened with their big leader. After 20 years of initating 4283 disciples and presenting himself as a guru of our parampara he was considered to be at least a madhyama - adhikary.

But does anyone of his followers have the right to say Harikesa cheated us, we are victims of a bhogus guru and he spoiled our spiritual life?

The answer is very simple: No! In all the sastra it is exclusively mentioned if you are searching for a bonafide spiritual master you should find an uttama-adhikary (above suspicion of falling down) and receive initation only from him. Who is worse, the cheater or the cheated? Would Srila Prabhupada comment 'one blind man follows another blind man and both are falling in the ditch.' Instead of starting a campaign to humbly beg for forgiveness to more than 100 Prabhupada disciples, that were kicked out in Harikesas zone, all his regional secretaries, temple presidents and sannyasa disciples now propagade the position that his followers are actually the mistreated victims.

This mentality should be exposed. There is no difference whatsoever between Harikesa (he insists on being called 'Robert') and his followers unless they step down, admit their fault and use whatever amount of power there might be left to stop destroying Srila Prabhupadas movement in Europe.

The Harikesh Saga