Radhanath Swami and "Killing for Krishna."

BM: I just had an interesting email exchange with a fellow about Radhanath Swami's alleged involvement in the 1985-86 conspiracy to murder Sulochan dasa, which is thoroughly discussed in "Killing For Krishna." Some of my friends might be interested in this exchange, which follows:

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Radhe Syam

U claimed to say the Radhanath was included in Sulochan murder and he ordered Janmastami to do the murder etc. If some one comes with a point that u are making up the story how to answer it then? Is there any proof to this bcz radhanath will not accept it -- that he is involved in the murder etc. Can u share some valid suspects or anything else which prove it.

I read "kill guru become guru" and "monkey one a stick" too.

please reply

radhe radhe

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My reply:

Hare Krishna, Prabhu. Thank you for your inquiry.

I think you will find the answers to your questions in my book, Killing For Krishna: The Danger of Deranged Devotion: https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Krishna.../dp/154460727X/

In the meantime, I will say that I was bewildered myself some years ago, because of conflicting testimonies of those people, including Radhanath Swami, who were involved in the murder plot. Many conspiracy members claim that Radhanath Swami was a key member of the plot to murder Sulochan Prabhu.

Janmastami, as you know, claims Radhanath recruited him into the conspiracy. I have met Janmastami many times, he is my godbrother. We talk on the phone every couple months. I believe his is telling the truth.

Kuladri, although he keeps his mouth shut, told an investigative reporter in 1989 I think that Radhanath Swami was involved in the plot, and Kuladri thinks Radhanath even told Bhaktipada about the plot. Kuladri, who himself was a leader in the conspiracy, escaped from prison due to a sweet plea bargain with the prosecutors.

Jyotirdhama, who was in charge of New Vrindaban's telephone system, helped coordinate the murder and conspirators by routing special calls in the switchboard room at New Vrindaban. He says that Radhanath ORDERED the execution of Sulochan. I am friends with Jyotirdhama. We speak on the phone periodically. He wrote a 15 page summary of his involvement in the murder plot, which appears in Killing For Krishna.

One of my friends, Harivenu, who was a teenager at the New Vrindaban gurukula in the mid-1980s, says he was present when Radhanath Swami ordered Janmastami to "Destroy the Demon." I keep in touch with him today. He lives in California.

It is a fact that Radhanath approved of the murder. Another friend of mine, a traveling sankirtan partner, Ramachandra, told me on the day of the murder he asked Radhanath Swami in the New Vrindaban temple, "Do you know who killed Sulochan?" Ramachandra says Radhanath replied, "No. But whoever it was, he was doing devotional service to Krishna." I believe Ramachandra. He lives in Wheeling and we talk on the phone periodically.

Even Tirtha in prison, who exchanged 200 letters with me by snail mail from 2002 to 2017, told me that "Radhanath delivered a big bag of money to me, after the murder." This was so Tirtha and his family could purchase air tickets and fly to India and hide from U. S. law enforcement.

Dharmatma, the New Vrindaban sankirtan leader, says he gave a bag of $6,000 in small bills to Radhanath and Bhaktipada when they came to his house shortly after the murder. Dharmatma asked, "This is so Tirtha can fly to India?" Both Bhaktipada and Radhanath nodded "Yes."

Jagad Guru Swami, a Prabhupada disciple, who founded an ashram in India, told me personally, that a few weeks after the murder, Radhanath confessed to him his involvement in the murder plot while the two godbrothers were sitting on a beach in San Diego, USA. Jagad Guru Swami says he spoke to the FBI about it.

This is all in "Killing For Krishna."

So it comes down to: Who do we believe? Radhanath, or all these other people? The choice is ours. Proof may not exist, as sometimes people lie. But in this case, I believe Radhanath is the liar.

I knew Radhanath personally, and we always had a cordial relationship. But after I started talking about my research about the history of New Vrindaban, and the conspiracy to murder Sulochan, he avoids me like the plague, even when I approach him and try to have a friendly conversation.

I hope this helps answers your questions.

Sincerely,

Henry (Hrishikesh dasa)

PADA: These guys were after me as well. Sulochana said "we are being hunted like dogs," and -- we were. The best advice I got from any GBC guru -- was from Jayatirtha. When he booted me out -- he said to me privately on the phone, "you'd better watch your back." 

Yep, he knew full well what was coming down the pipeline for me. Watch your back, front, sides, top, bottom, hee hee, we are coming to get you. I wrote to Tirtha in jail and was very disappointed that he made pretend he knew nothing about anything. He might fool some people, but it is hard to fool a direct participant like me. Well someday he will be held accountable in the higher court of Yamaraja, they won't be fooled there.

ys pd angel108b@yahoo.com