Thursday, July 14, 2011

Indradyumna's girls (Yikes pilgrims!) ys pd

Indradyumna Swami’s Girls

By Krsnacandra Dasa
14 July 2011, Vrindavan, India: Swami means controller of the senses. For a person in Krsna Consciousness or engaged in pure devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna is said to be a perfect sannyasi or to have renounced the pursuit of sense objects by accepting the Lord of the senses, Hrsikesa, as the Lord of their own senses. They do so by following the example and instructions of the pure devotee or suddha bhakta of the Lord, who instructs them in the correct behavior and etiquette of a Vaisnava. The title and role of a Sannyasi is to renounce all worldly activities and once doing so, to assist others in their struggle to obtain liberation from material bondage by the process of devotional service to Lord Sri Krsna. They can do this more easily for they are not attached to subtle and gross sex life, family, friends, nation or culture and are only attached to the devotional service of the Lord.
 
“Srimad Bhagavatam Intro: The Lord maintained that it is dangerous for a sannyasi to be in intimate touch with worldly money conscious men and with women. The Lord was an ideal sannyasi. No women could approach the Lord even to offer respects. Women’s seats were accommodated far away from the Lord. As an ideal teacher and acarya, He was very strict in the routine work of a sannyasi. Apart from being a divine incarnation, the Lord was an ideal character as a human being. His behavior with other persons was also above suspicion.”
 
 
Srila Prabhupada on the other hand allowed women to respectfully approach him as he is an Acharya and initiating spiritual master, diksa-guru, who has come in disciplic succession from Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu for the specific purpose to engage us in devotional service under his strict guidelines and instructions established by the previous acharyas.
An ISKCON Sannyasi is not an acharya or initiating spiritual master and as such should have nothing whatsoever to do with women or girls and there are no circumstancesthat will necessitate that he is ever in the close association of a woman or members of the opposite sex; if not for his own protection as a sannyasi in the daivi varnashram system, but for the protection of the innocents who look to him to provide them with spiritual guidance.
The ISKCON sannyasi ashram was established by Srila Prabhupada strictly to preach, however, due to improper management and poor spiritual leadership it is now severely dysfunctional. As shown by the photographic record herein it is more than obvious that the ISKCON sannyasi ashram has failed to produce qualified sannyasis. If ISKCON is not able to appoint, produce and supervise sannyasis it goes without saying that it cannot appoint or produce qualified diksa gurus. The sannyasi ashram in ISKCON has become a vantasi ashram and is a mockery of the daivi varnashram system that Srila Prabhupada instructed us to establish as part of our duties to serve him and at the same time to become Krsna conscious.
Historically the position of a Sannyasi in India is revered and respected and an Indian sannyasi will never be seen in close and affectionate association with members of the opposite sex. This is true even for the most debauched sannyasi who will never be seen making a public display of their sensual weakness. The fact, as evidenced in the photographic documentation presented herein, it is obvious that the modern day ISKCON sannyasi has no such reservations or etiquette. ISKCON sannyasis are seemingly proud of their equalitist / liberalist behavior and attitude. The institution on the other hand is unwilling or incapable of appropriately training, supervising or instructing these wayward and debauched fellows.
 
 
 
A classic example of a vantasi is the pictorial display of the ISKCON Sannyasi Diksa Guru, Indradyumna Swami, who apparently believes that it is entirely acceptable to photograph semi naked women and children and is more than happy to be photographed when he physically and affectionately associates with young women and very young girls. He is famous for all the beautiful young girls that are attracted to his pop star personality flare, who like pop star groupies follow his circuit tours and festival programs. On the left it is clearly depicted that the male section of this party takes up the rear with the instruments while beautiful women are being paraded around like they are Indradyumna Swami’s trophies.
Indradyumna Swami is somewhat of an enigma in our society for he has been allowed to carry on with his Vedically amoral behavior and preaching style because he is making ISKCON famous. His preaching attracts thousands and so his somewhat creepy verging on pedophile like behavior goes unchallenged and is more or less accepted by most devotees who choose not to look too deeply into his behavior or criticize him in any way unless they are labeled as being envious or fanatical. However his behavior should be above reproach for one who occupies such an exalted position within our ISKCON Society. His chastity should be impeccable and pure for a sannyasi who represents Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krsna and for his own good and protection he should try to be humble and learn exactly what is the proper etiquette and behavior for a man who has taken sannyasi initiation and intends to live the life of a renunciant.
This is a very dangerous position that he has landed himself in and he really needs to rethink his role as a sannyasi and perhaps he needs to change ashram. However, even in the grhastha ashram there is no scope for loose association with women and young girls what to speak of making a hobby out of photographing them in bikinis.
There is a distinct and real danger of such behavior as evidenced by Kirtanananda Swami of New Vrndavan infamy. Where his sexual deviance and proclivity for young boys only aided his heretical behavior and he was eventually kicked out of ISKCON. However, his arrogance and self-righteousness left him unable to accept that he was a fallen conditioned soul and so he still forcibly maintains that he is divinely inspired and eminently qualified to take disciples as a diksa guru in spite of his perverse ways.
As a siksa guru if one can assist in any way a another soul to become Krsna Conscious, is a extraordinary wonderful act. However, if we as representatives of Srila Prabhupada and Krsna destroy another’s devotional creeper by taking such degraded sexual advantage of another is verily a terribly sinful act…
It is the nature of the young and innocent to become attracted to, or form a loving bond with an authority figure, if the authority figure gives them special attention or is affectionate towards them. This tendency is a common occurrence and does not denote special qualities or spiritual sakti. This tendency in children, women and the naïve is more often than not misused by unqualified authority figures for their own personal advantage. Srila Prabhupada never used shows of physical affection to children such as being evidenced in this photographic record. Srila Prabhupada was a suddha bhakta, pure devotee of the lord, and so was beyond mundane sexual reactions to the physical touch of another, yet he along with all the multitude of previous acharya’s and saints of Vaisnavaism never allowed a female child to sit so intimately on his lap as evidenced by the display on the left.
 
 
If this is now the standard of the sannyas ashram and the diksa guru of ISKCON then ISKCON has now changed the rulebook regarding Vaisnava etiquette. However it begs the question of whether or not the innocence of the girls in this photo match the innocence of the Swami / Sannyasi / Diksa Guru.
Indradyumna Swami has a penchant for photography and as such has a multitude of photos on his Facebook account for the world to see. It is very interesting to note that his penchant for photography is people orientated and are usually people that attend his programs / rock concerts and beach scenes. The beach scenes are of particular interest for they show where his eye and therefore attention is focused. The photo above is one of his works that makes his attention to this particular subject matter noteworthy. The subject of little girls and women in bikinis is not something that an emotionally mature man, what to speak of the politically correct man, usually engages in, and is most definitely not the subject matter for a Vaisnava sannyasi. The fact that he has so many photographs of little girls in bikini’s or topless is of particular interest for there is rarely a good reason why a photographer would scout the beaches for these particular shots without being pegged as a pedophile.
The fact that he is not embarrassed to walk up and photograph young girls and women in bikinis says something for his character. If these children come from devotee families somehow or another the parents of these innocent children are so enamored by the Swami’s presence that they forget to protect their children. The photo above left was posted on his Travelling Monk website for the world to see the photographic subjects of an ISKCON Sannyasi. Subject matter that would be more appropriately found on a pedophile website than a Vaisnava sannyasi ISKCON diksa guru website. Surely the photo of a topless little girl has no place on the front page of a ISKCON sannyasi’s website. The fact that he has posted it there displays contempt for not only the little child’s modesty but the sannyasi ashram itself. How the parents of this little girl have allowed this photo to go public shows a distinct lack of discriminatory ability and parental protectiveness.
There is no justification whatsoever for a adult male what to speak of ISKCON sannyasi / diksa guru to walk the beaches with an entourage of beautiful young women taking photos of bikini clad little girls and women.
There is something very wrong in the mentality of his followers and disciples who fail to see that this is not the behavior or activities of a pure devotee of the Lord. Especially one that has been supposedly trained by His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
 
 
The photo above is rather macabre in the sense that the Swami is walking in front of these beautiful sari clad young girls with his camera in hand. What message does this give the girls in the procession and what message does it give the beach goers? What do the general public see when they observe such a bizarre event taking place? They most probably see that here is an old man with a camera dressed in funny orange robes taking pictures of girls and women in bikini’s who is followed in procession by colourful young girls who obviously adore him.
What message does it give the girls in the procession who are obviously proud of being able to show off in public their attachment and relationship with a personality that they see as His Divine Grace Indradyumna Swami / diksa guru / acharya of ISKCON, divine representative of Lord Krsna. Perhaps the title His Divine Disgrace would be more appropriate in this case…
The following collection of photos are part of Indradyumna Swami’s private collection on his Facebook account which look more like “a jocks day at the beach” rather than photo’s taken by an ISKCON Sannyasi and initiating Spiritual Master. In researching this collection I was disgusted that a direct disciple of His Divine Grace who claims to represent Lord Krsna could engage in such debauched activity, however I believe that he and other such sannyasi / diksa gurus of ISKCON must be held accountable for their activities. If Indradyumna Swami has any control of his sense left he should see this as a wake up call.
 
 
The following snapshots are off particular interest for they display the most prominent category of subject matter that the Swami is apparently very fond of… Please remember that an attraction to a particular ‘sense object’ is vital in understanding a persons actual level of consciousness. The photographer uses the camera to focus in on a particular subject that they are attracted to and in this case it is little girls - semi naked, in bikinis or clothed. It is obvious that there is no attempt to be modest in this collection which are obviously immoral and lacking in good taste and common decency.
It must be noted that the girls depicted in the following documentation are innocent of any wrong doing or improper behavior and it is the sole responsibility of the adults who have taken these photos or who have allowed these photos to be taken and posted publically.
 
 
 
There are of course many more similar photos of little girls in bikinis but this should suffice in displaying this Swami’s proclivity for little girls at the beach. There is no possible reason both mundane and spiritual why he should desire to take these photos in the first place. What possible reason would an old man of sixty want to have such a collection of photos???
He is obviously not concerned that the public, devotees or his disciples will construe these photos to be the work of a pedophile as he has been displaying his penchant for little girls (as opposed to little boys) publically for years, as is evidenced by the following collection of non beach photos. These photos are readily available on the web and hail from not only his personal websites but also from the websites of his followers who don’t seem to find them offensive. What is more incredulous is if anyone else had such a collection and had taken these photos, posed for photos with little girls on their laps, and posted them on their website or Facebook, would they be revered or would they be thought of, and labeled pedophiles?
 
There is no possible reason why a sannyasi should offer an innocent little girl a place to sit on his lap? Surely this position on the lap of a fully grown man who is not the girls father, a relative, close family friend or Father Christmas, is no place to allow someone else’s child to sit. Is this man so pure that he can do what Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya would never do? How can we continue to condone this sort of behavior and complete disregard of the sannyasi ashram and Srila Prabhupada’s teachings.
 
This a but a sample of this so called Swami’s photo collection however, it more than represents the idea that something is most definitely going on in his life that needs to be addressed. If there has been no reported incident of child sexual assault then he is most definitely in the high risk category of either committing child sex offences or at the very least is guilty of extreme subtle sexual perversion.
There is no doubt that he must now be considered as a vantasi or a fallen sannyasi. There is no way that a sane intelligent adult male would act in this manner in this day and age of child abuse awareness, unless he is in complete illusion. The GBC needs to take action in this case and this man must be made to step down from all his leadership positions and to discontinue representing ISKCON in any public manner. His disciples must also be made aware of his fallen state. There may also be grounds for an independent investigation to ascertain if in fact he does have a history of child abuse or pedophilia.
If the GBC and Sannyas Ministry is to be taken seriously they must be able to demonstrate that they have understood Srila Prabhupada’s vision and instructions on how to manage his movement. The fact that they appoint unqualified devotees as diska guru, what to speak of allowing any diksa guru into Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON, is in direct disobedience to Srila Prabhupada’s teachings, is the same principle that they appoint unqualified sannyasis into the sannyasi ashram. The indisputable fact that Indradyumna Swami can take these photos and intimately associate with little girls is merely indicative of the GBC’s inability and/or unwillingness to properly implement Srila Prabhupada’s instructions and teachings.
 
These photos are very sweet and innocent and fall into the category of family photos, where the adult is usually a relative, close family friend or Father Christmas. They are certainly not in the realm of the activities of a sannyasi.
Indradyumna Swami knows exactly what he is doing and so is not innocent. He knows very well his duty and responsibility as an ISKCON sannyasi. He knows very well that Srila Prabhupada, sastra and Vaisnava tradition instructs that a sannyasi should never act in such a unchaste manner. The only conclusion that can be drawn from this is that he is intentionally besmirching and degrading the sannyasi ashram to play his role in destroying Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON from within. No matter how much preaching he is doing does not equate with such flagrant violation of the sacred sannyas ashram moral code and blatant disobedience to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.
 
 
 
 
“O almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor do I desire beautiful women nor do I want any number of followers. I only want Your causeless devotional service, birth after birth.” (Fourth Verse – Sri Siksastakam)
 
 






1 comment:

  1. Credit goes to my good friend Krsnacandra Prabhu
    http://prabhupadavision.com/2011/07/indradyumna/

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