Bhakti Vidya Purna, Jayadvaita and Kadamba Kanana swamis
(Peas in a PADA)
Open letter to Kadamba Kanana Swami
Dear Kadamba Kanana Maharaj,
Please accept my respectful obeisances. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I hope this letter finds you blissfully engaged in the service of Sri Guru and the Vaishnavas.
I listened to your class where you discussed the recent developments on the BVP case and shared your views on it, and I was happy to see you in good spirits! https://youtu.be/8wN12dtcPKY
I appreciated the point you made where you explained that 'no sin is so great that it cannot be remedied' (paraphrasing), and that a failure, no matter how great, is not the end of our Krsna Consciousness!
You also stated that the victims of BVP were not minors. I would like to emphasize that the ISKCON CPO established that over the last 40 years, BVP personally perpetrated the severe, sexual, physical and emotional abuse of dozens of underage children placed under his care. To be even more specific, the most recent CPO case file clearly states that BVP sexually abused a 14 year old child over the course of several years.
If you read his numerous case files, you will see how it is apparent that the word 'abuse' in the context of the crimes committed by BVP is a euphemism. Brutal torture is a much more accurate description of the abuse he inflicted on his child victims!
[PADA: That the victims are now adults does not justify their abuse as children. "Well they are adults now," yah and their adult lives are more difficult due to the trauma you guys created for them.]
I also appreciated the perspective on B.G. 9.30 offered by Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakur that you brought up. It was the first time I came across his commentary on this verse.
You mentioned that Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakur doesn't talk about about an 'accidental fall', but rather, he says that because the devotee knows deep in his heart that he has made a mistake, he knows that he deserves the punishment. Therefore he is still saintly, despite severe mistakes. (I'm paraphrasing your words).
However, the lack of any private and public acknowledgment and repentance from BVP for his abuse is a clear indication that he is still a very long way from having realized the severity of his crimes!
In your recent class, you acknowledged that in the purport, Srila Prabhupada states that this verse only applies to an accidental 'fall down'. This would clearly imply that this verse is not applicable to BVP.
I was actually horrified and saddened to see how you used Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakur's alternative commentary to sideline and dismiss Srila Prabhupada's purport! As it is, it looked a lot like you selectively quoted from shastra to recklessly push a very dangerous and detrimental agenda.
It would have been far more respectful and honest to present the two different, and perhaps competing perspectives, brought forth by these two exalted Acharyas, and have the humility to admit that you are not qualified to use the conclusion of Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakur and dismiss that of Srila Prabhupada, but rather that both stand on their own merit and both are valid, even if we may struggle to reconcile them.
You expressed your deep sadness for the difficulties your old friend (Bhaktividya Purna) is facing, but you didn't express the same for the atrocious abuse suffered by his many victims!
Quoting your own words, “I am not so fond of all these restrictions that are sometimes placed on people, that sometimes they are inevitable...”
The mood of your class conveyed that you feel more 'compassion' for the perpetrator than you do for his victims. You made it sound like you would like to see him continue business as usual!
Srila Prabhupada, explained the factual shastric view on Vaishnava children in no uncertain terms:
"These children are given to us by Krishna, they are Vaisnavas and we must be very careful to protect them. These are not ordinary children, they are Vaikuntha children, and we are very fortunate we can give them chance to advance further in Krishna Consciousness. That is very great responsibility, do not neglect it or be confused. Your duty is very clear."
(Letter, July 30, 1972)
What I found most alarming in your class is that just like many other ISKCON leaders, you minimized the physical and sexual abuse of dozens of Vaishnava children with as a mere 'fall-down' (even if that is a fall down of a most abominable nature)!
There is an ocean of differencethat separates the sexual, physical and emotional abuse of so many Vaishnava children from a mere 'fall-down'. The first constitutes multiple criminal actsand Vaishnava aparada of the highest order, that have far reaching repercussions in the (spiritual) lives of all those affected. The second, is an infinitely less severe transgression!
The consequences are very different and the process prescribed to remedy them is also vastly different. Child abuse quite simply destroys a person's life and leaves a trail of pain, trauma and devastation behind which often haunts the victims for the rest of their lives! This trauma is then passed on throughout the generations, and it is very difficult to heal and overcome. Not to mention that often it quite simply destroys an individuals' faith at its very core!
Few things can destroy the budding creeper of Bhakti like the abuse of Vaishnava children by those who were meant to protect them. Repeatedly acting in such a was so as to destroy the faith of others cannot be honestly described as an accidental fall down!
Lord Narayana Himself told Dhurvasa Muni in no uncertain terms that there was nothing He could do to help him, his only hope was to humble himself at the lotus feet of Ambarish Maharaj and beg for this forgiveness! I'll point out here that the offense committed by Dhurvasa Muni was verbal, whereas the offenses perpetrated by BVP are far more extreme in nature.
In the Shastras, the child abusers are all demons! Hiranyakashipu, Kamsa, Putana etc... It is mind boggling and preposterous that you are misusing Shastra to try and portray them as saintly people!
Your attempt to conflate the two is misguided, but more importantly, it constitutes a very dangerous philosophical deviation!
This is certainly true for the children, but for society at large as well. It is precisely the misuse of this verse by so many ISKCON leaders -like yourself- over the years, that has enabled BVP to continue abusing children, in spite the fact that everyone was aware of his history of severe of child abuse.
Again, a 'fall-down' would be a scenario where a Sannyasi breaks his vow of celibacy with a consenting adult, let's say a prostitute. That would be aclear case of a 'fall-down' and if the circumstances are more colorful than you might have a most abominable fall down...
In the Srimad Bhagavatam Srila Prabhupada states 4.26.24:
Again, a 'fall-down' would be a scenario where a Sannyasi breaks his vow of celibacy with a consenting adult, let's say a prostitute. That would be aclear case of a 'fall-down' and if the circumstances are more colorful than you might have a most abominable fall down...
In the Srimad Bhagavatam Srila Prabhupada states 4.26.24:
“The conclusion is that if Krsna consciousness is covered by material sins, one can eliminate the sins simply by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, but if one pollutes his Krsna consciousness by offending a brahmana or Vaishnava, one cannot revive it until one properly atones for the sin by pleasing the offended Vaishnava or brahmana.”
The final sentence of this purport is crystal clear:
“A Vaishnava-aparadha cannot be atoned by any means other than by begging the pardon of the offended Vaishnava.”
This was confirmed by the following GBC resolution from 2007:
"THAT the GBC Body hereby declares that the International Society for Krishna Consciousness does not condone abuse of any kind, especially that which is directed towards dependents such as women, children, aged and cows. Battery, verbal and emotional abuse are destructive to the devotional creeper and thus considered serious Vaisnava aparadhas. Any attempt to justify this type of abusive mentality on the basis of sastra is misconstrued and is firmly rejected by all practicing Vaisnavas." https://gbc.iskcon.org/1997
This begs the question, how many times have you spoken out on the need to be compassionate towards these Vaishnava children, the way you have done here for their aggressors?
It is both heartbreaking and bewildering to see the historical and current failure of ISKCON's highest spiritual authorities to prioritize the protection of Vaishnava children.
This was confirmed by the following GBC resolution from 2007:
"THAT the GBC Body hereby declares that the International Society for Krishna Consciousness does not condone abuse of any kind, especially that which is directed towards dependents such as women, children, aged and cows. Battery, verbal and emotional abuse are destructive to the devotional creeper and thus considered serious Vaisnava aparadhas. Any attempt to justify this type of abusive mentality on the basis of sastra is misconstrued and is firmly rejected by all practicing Vaisnavas." https://gbc.iskcon.org/1997
This begs the question, how many times have you spoken out on the need to be compassionate towards these Vaishnava children, the way you have done here for their aggressors?
It is both heartbreaking and bewildering to see the historical and current failure of ISKCON's highest spiritual authorities to prioritize the protection of Vaishnava children.
What is even more puzzling is to witness the unbelievable resistance that so many leaders put up against the efforts of those sincere devotees who have and are attempting to raise the standards for the protection of these devotee children!
I cannot think of a more widespread abuse of the philosophy than what I have seen applied to minimize, justify, excuse or 'forgive' the abuse of Vaishnava children.
I pray that before you leave us, you will set the record straight and offer a public apology for your ill-informed comments to the dozens of vaishnava children that were tortured and prayed upon by BVP. This could indeed be your greatest contribution to Srila Prabhupada's children.
I cannot think of a more widespread abuse of the philosophy than what I have seen applied to minimize, justify, excuse or 'forgive' the abuse of Vaishnava children.
I pray that before you leave us, you will set the record straight and offer a public apology for your ill-informed comments to the dozens of vaishnava children that were tortured and prayed upon by BVP. This could indeed be your greatest contribution to Srila Prabhupada's children.
[PADA: Yup! Ditto for me. ys pd]
Kadamba thinks he is another Jesus who can absorb sins.
What illusion!
He is just taking those sins to his next life.
Srila Waffling Pada speaks.
Video available here: (1) Facebook
VIDEO REMOVED -- WONDER WHY?
SD Dasi: Really? There is "factory" child abuse going on for decades and this is "an accident"? Accidental means, it happens rarely. And there is immediate repenting.
ReplyDeleteI accidently spilled the milk. I am sorry ... it won't happen again. Some bad thing that happens day after day ... year after year ... decade after decade ... is not accidental. This is very much twisting the philosophy.
But if we "congregational people" accidently say ... your guru is a molester ... we get punished badly and there is no forgiveness. The forgiving is one way only, we have to forgive them, they never have to forgive us.
It is common for acharyas to have all these accidental fall downs. He is training people to believe ... there is no actual standard. You fall, I fall, the guru falls, everyone falls, because there is no perfection. That is horrible to think of.
There is no point in doing Krishna seva ... because even when you perfect the seva ... you will be liable to fail. Why bother? It is discouraging people. Don't bother trying to reach for Krishna ... you cannot get Him ... just go smoke a weed joint and watch a movie. Which happens a lot around here.
Then he says these GBC acharyas are influenced by KALI YUGA. That means ... Kali Yuga is in charge of the parampara. Where is he going with all this. What can I say? His explanation is not an explanation.
Even if there is trauma they will continue serving. Really? Where is everyone. Their temples are ghost towns. The first generation is gone, the second generation is gone, their own disciples are almost all gone. How can it be said they will continue after trauma ... when that almost never happens.
Many people knew there has been factory abuse in their camp ... then many ... really most ... victims left the society ... and they are not coming back. Ever.
They are not going to continue to serve ... because you destroyed their devotional life. And if they were molested and beaten then ... you people destroyed their child hood, and their devotional enthusiasm, which cannot be purchased back for a billion dollars.
In other words, very disappointed with his talk. It is just more word salad that only accomplishes what they always try to do ... create a big fog ... justification for criminal behavior. The abusers are criminals and all those who covered for them are also criminals.
They all need to give up their orange robes and put on orange prison jump suits. That is what I believe needs to be done. This is serial and repeated criminal child abuse ... and there is no excuse for it. None. I am not buying their excuses.
DW: Having watched the video, the only philosophical thing I would query here is the pitting of the “mad elephant offence” against the “accrual of spiritual credit” (nehabikramo naso’sti). Mad elephant offence means the bhakti creeper is devastated, even possibly uprooted. You’d have to start again from zero. But at least you could start again, if you received mercy. And certainly time will allow for that…but it could be a bloody long time. Maharaja just seems to be unapprised of the full nature of BVPs’ / Anirdesya Vapu’s transgressions. He mentions entanglement in attachment to ladies, and fall-down with a 19 year old, but he doesn’t mention the specific and sustained abuse of trust of at least one younger student, nor the historic physical punishments inflicted in the old school. He doesn’t mention the deceit or hypocrisy evinced during such offences or since. He does refer to Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura’s commentary, which highlights the determined devotee’s attendant self-condemnation for sins he is unable to give up. (Does this apply here?) …Maharaja also stresses that a grievous offence is going to bring about severe restrictions: one will not be trusted again with responsibilities that one has severely failed to meet. He says that purification may take substantial time, and that there is no such thing as eternal damnation or absolute and utter writing off of an individual. …These are all good points that he makes. The difficulty is the focus on the tough subject matter of failure/ fall-down of an old friend, and a disproportionate expression/ awareness of—or alarm at—the betrayal of kids in the care of their teacher. It’s as if Maharaja is in denial.
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