RE: Giriraja swami's Imbroglio (ISKCON) 05 23

RE: Giriraja swami's Imbroglio 

Shocking ignorance from “gurus” and leader of an ISKCON judiciary. These events illustrate just how entrenched problematic attitudes are. Several months ago, one victim bravely named her alleged abuser as - Kesava Bharati. This prompted several other alleged victims to come forward with their testimony - resulting in CPO and PLMO investigations being undertaken.

The initial (reporting) victim had disclosed this event prior to Giriraja Swami who indicated that he intended to take "no action" regarding reporting his friend. When he became aware that the victim had reported publicly reported ... he sought to influence her partner to have her take the account down.

When SD became aware of this interference - and lack of reporting - she raised concerns with the PLMO leader, Mahavisnupriya. She did so respectfully. It was a legitimate concern - duly evidenced.

Mahavisnupriya responded:

<<<….. As far as Giriraj Swami, I see nothing that he has done to be inappropriate or outside the bounds of our Office. He asked xxxxxxx (or her friend) to take down her FB post. This is only reasonable and appreciated by many devotees. Social media is NOT the forum for hanging out ISKCON's dirty laundry. This only leads to stoking the fires of rumor, misinformation, and rousing anger in others.

"When clear headed, sincere devotees guided by rules, regulations and laws use the tools of our offices that ISKCON has put in place, then decency exists. From decency, much can be accomplished like productivity, education, understanding, ethics, integrity, respectability, compassion, responsibility and real Leadership.

"It is when hot headed devotees try to take the law into their own hands, operating on their knee jerk reactions and alarming the masses by exposing others, sometimes unwillingly, in their creation of an "unruly mob" much like those that existed in the "lynching days" of earlier times in America; in the deep south against Black people who weren't even considered humans! 

"This is what I think of when people are unruly, angry and outspoken about what is not the truth. They lose all intelligence. This is never the right course of action.
Giriraj Swami acted respectfully as there are devotees and offices in existence to deal with these issues of child abuse, adult abuse and abuse of the vulnerable.

"I know of your desire to clean up the past, to end child abuse and to put the perpetrators away--- which is essentially all good. However doing it by exposing others publicly, on a huge public forum--social media, only destroys every good thing you are trying to accomplish.

Pls Rethink your agenda, prabhu.>>>>

DD: Here we have a senior leader [Giriraja swami] attempting to use his influence to silence a victim and protect his friend. And when it is raised to the Leadership Misconduct Office, the leader of that office berates SD ... likening her child protection campaigning to lethal hate crimes - fully endorsing the senior leader’s attempts to hush things up.

Then Giriraja Swami wrote directly to the victim:

<<<If my friend needs to be corrected, I will tell him. In the years since then, many efforts have been made to bring about some reconciliation and closure. And I believe it would be helpful here if you, xxxxxxxx, explained exactly what the abuse was, because "abuse" can mean many things.>>>

DD: Giriraja openly admits that the person whose abuse was reported is his friend. And the clear subtext is that he considered that there was no need for him to engage the PLMO. He then challenges the victim to publicly detail all the abuse - inferring that everyone would then see that it did not warrant further action. 

Giriraja Swami ends his letter to the victim with all the aforementioned downplaying and gaslighting with….

<<<<PS: I will now forward a letter from Kesava Bharati Dasa Goswami that could add some perspective to the matter.>>>>

DD: No sense that the victim might not wish to receive correspondence from her abuser. And further inferring that the abuser’s words will provide whatever “perspective” might have been lacking previously. Have these folks really got such a paucity of understanding in this day and age that this is how they deal with things.

Openly admitting that they feel such loyalty to friends that they can comfortably dismiss victims? Those running misconduct offices strongly berating those reporting misconduct - citing their own subjective disapproval of internet advocacy. Bear in mind that SD had first written privately. So, in essence, the very legitimacy of her complaint was being disregarded because “we don’t agree with your internet campaigning.”

What hope is there for the movement to ever eliminate abuse if this is how gurus behave and those running misconduct offices?

GC: As I said, it is garlands for pedos and denial for others. Materialism as it is. Cheating, abusing, exploiting. and when u notice the obvious and wanna stop that abuse than they label you -- an unruly mob -- and compare you to racist lynching crowd. Typical manipulation, fear and shame they try to install so they can keep going with that materialistic and destructive behaviour. Nothing loving or divine or enlightened in it.

KKD: By this and so many other evidence of disqualification of the leadership of Iskcon I come to the conclusion that they have already decided how to deal with the allegations of abuse and rape that has occurred or will occur. The strategy is always at first to cover up the case, then the dissemination of the information about the abuse to others, to then pressurize the victims or the whistleblowers to give up the report -- and if they can't, they remove the victims or their advocates, and move on to defame the victims or whistleblowers so that they lose credibility.

MM: I’m sickened to read all the gaslighting. Giriraj Swami knew of some pastoral misconduct of which I was myself a victim of (by one of his initiating godbrothers) because I told him to his face, and he did not suggest I report it nor report it himself. The whole gaslighting BS of not posting it in a public forum is enraging. 

That’s not the problem. The covering it up and not reporting it is the problem.
Am I terrified to share this? Yes but in solidarity with others, I can no longer responsibly stay silent.

DL: Thanks for having the courage to speak the truth.

BD: That's really courageous.

SR: When Mahavishnupriya was working as Tamohara's assistant I had a similar experience, her conduct demonstrated a far greater loyalty to defend the institutional interests than she did for the protection and welfare of the victims.

DD: I used to be of the view that it was improper to take grievances into the public domain. That Vaisnavas should humbly petition each other to address perceived issues. There’s no evidence that such tactics work.

SD made the most urbane and innocuous of requests to the PLMO. And the response was nasty. M Dasi disclosed her abuse in good faith to a Swami that she trusted to help, to guide, to take moral action, etc. But he elected to gaslight, hush things up, and protect his mate.

Enough already. Zero tolerance. This stuff needs calling out. We can’t pussy foot around these cultural problems. They help to perpetuate abuse. It needs calling out.

KV: Dandavat pranams. Dear prabhus and dear Mothers. Phalena phariciyate. And eternal Time reveals truth facts. One may ask what is solutions on the table? 

1.Report abusers to Law Ministry wherever possible, (by victims, or by witnesses, or when solid proofs are at hand) 

2.Do not leave your children unprotected and in Boarding Schools! 

3.Spiritual link to sampradaya and Sri Krishna is Srila Prabhupada as siksa guru via his vani. He is muktha jiva and he can protect his sincere siksha disciples, no doubts about that. 

4.Sadhu sanga with like minded serious and sincere sadhakas,who control sences.

MR: Thank you for the support. 

D Dasi: During the nineties, Giriraj Swami started a questionable relationship with his secretary Kunti devi. IDS encouraged him to get her married, in order to dissolve the suspicion surrounding this relationship. GS then married his really nice, wonderful brahmachari (Vd) disciple to Kd. 

Unfortunately, Vd didn't know what he was walking into. He wasn't allowed to have a real relationship with his wife. Remember, he was just window dressing. When he finally realized and objected to other senior leaders, nobody could really help him, except to get his passport back. 

In fear for his life, he left America, settled elsewhere and left Iskcon. His (ex)wife is still with GS, to this day. GS speaks about not airing dirty laundry in public and approaching the right Iskcon department for help. Yet, where was the help for his disciple Vd? Remember, when outing a guru, you have to worry about his buddies, his fanatical disciples, his supporters etc. For the victim, they stand on their own.

KJ: Wow, maybe he didn’t get married because he is gay as a fairy. One of his disciples found a picture of him dressed as a woman and probably why he is choses to have his female disciples care for him in his million dollar home.

D Dasi: I have never heard about this, so I cannot comment. The above story that I shared, I heard first hand from his disciple Vd.

DL: I also heard firsthand from Vd. He was the leading brahmacari of his day in South Africa at the time. He went from fired-up blissful sankirtana parties to being a lonely, unwelcome guest in his new wife's home. This subterfuge and the consequent gaslighting destroyed his devotional life.

SR: This culture of defending the perpetrators and attacking the victims and their advocates has minimized and normalized unacceptable abuse!!!

DD: “KB is my friend. Therefore whatever you’re telling me about him that makes me feel uncomfortable is not only untrue and unfair but needs to be shut down.”
“I don’t like your internet campaigning therefore we will also reject any reports you make about leadership misconduct.”

May be an image of text that says 'IF P IS FALSE, I WILL BE SAD. I DO NOT WISH To BE SAD. THEREFORE, P IS TRUE. 003 There. Now you can skip 99% of philosophical debates.'

DKD: They have closed themselves in a world where they are the only special choosen ones, the pure devotees and only their wellfare is important. And all others suffering is due to THEIR bad karma and they have not right to react. If they don't feel anymore comfortable, then simply pick up their bags and leave ISKCON. This is the reality.

VDG: I tell you ... expose them all publicly! A huge documentary should be made about psychological and sexual abuse in Iskcon. All these Swami's should be exposed for who they really are. It's so sad that these people can't understand what's real.

GS: What's the use of the misconduct office when it is run by a partial person? It will only create more harm and NOT enhance the reputation of ISKCON. What is the use of showing the world we are good when we are not? What is the use of constant cosmetic PR with no substance?

PD: One of these gurus told me once -- you know a lot, but only the tip of the iceberg, we know more than you ever will. I do not believe they are ignorant of the facts, they are probably getting many direct reports on a regular basis, probably more than us. 

And then Anuttama says -- the abuse testimony records all got lost when their computer was stolen. Handy huh? Mukunda swami, Satsvarupa swami and probably many others were known to toss "complaint letters" in the trash. All sorts of reports came in about Bhavananda's escapades, and he was still re-instated in 1986. They just consciously ignore things, which is not the same as being ignorant. ys pd

VK: Dont go public, we can't whitewash things that way. Better keep the dirty laundry in-house cos we've got huge carpets we can sweep it under.

S Devi Dasi: KJ, have you and others at the New Talavan CPO been vigilant to keep these abuse supporters from visiting or moving to New Talavan?

DS: Raising gaslighting to an artform, these people. Damage control much? Toss victims in the dustbin much? ALL THE MORE PROOF THAT US VIGILANTES AND WHISTLEBLOWERS MUST NOW CAMPAIGN LOUDER THAT EVER.

IS: Sadly the child abusers don't have to answer to the society for the violence, sexual abuse and lifetime suffering and trauma they inflicted upon their victims since they have been supported and protected by their friends in saffron and the controlling authorities. Adharmik activities are being accepted, condoned and covered up, but more victims are no longer being silenced because so many [most] quit institutional life where predators are accepted as senior devotees.

MD: I swear, even if you had a video of the abusive activity there would still be cover up and negation. Sometimes when you would never think to do something, it is very hard to wrap your head around the fact that someone you held in high esteem DID. It is so courageous of anyone who was abused to come forward. 

I am reminded of the young man who came forward in Alachua and blew the whistle on the devotee who was in charge of the boys school- Murlivadaka I think was his name. It took YEARS to have the congregation accept that these things went on - the entire community was devastated and divided over the disclosure. Some still do not accept the facts. Such a sad state of affairs. Hare Krishna.

KJ: Girija Swami. A gay, so-called renounced sannyasa, who loves living in his multi-million dollar mansion, his female disciples caring for him, cooking, cleaning and who knows what else? These false gurus keeping secret, private bank accounts (with more money then you can imagine). Enough said! Think out of the box you blind followers, you might wake up to this elite hypocrite club controlling your minds.

SR: The phrase comes to mind: "If such are the priests, then may God have mercy on the congregation". 

DD: It seems that the congregation is wising up - with the exception of those deeply committed to the fairytale.

MA: None is the answer!

MMG: I told long ago ... isgone is gone. Even if you make everything good from now on, the past is too bad to overcome for any sane person to join iskcon and have ANY faith in it.

PJ: I think SD has the right to protest against an ISKCON Guru who has confessed to molesting a little girl. Only extreme cults try to silence protests on social media.

SD: I want to acknowledge and thank MR for getting the ball rolling on Kesava Bharati's investigation. As a result of M publicly coming forwarding at least a half dozen people have submitted complaints against Kesava Bharati to either the PLMO or CPO. Thank you M!

I honestly don't know how Kesava Bharati was given his sannyas back, AND made a guru after what transpired in the 80s leading to his first sannyas being revoked. He was regularly paying sex workers to have sex with him, while he was a sannyasi, using temple money that the devotees earned with their blood, sweat, and tears on the streets, and who left their kids behind. 

While Kesava Bharati was visiting prostitutes, the little girls in the temple were being called prostitutes if they laughed too much or didn't cover their head. Let's make ISKCON better!

MR: SD ... grateful to have finally found the courage to speak up and help other women find their voice. May we bring healing and transformation to create a healthier culture for future devotee communities to grow in.

JW: KB Swami went on record supporting the book changes. He is guilty.

GP: This is an assault on India culture.

JC: I also suggested that he has been going to see prostitutes. Although, outrageous for a sanyasi, is not child abuse. I am not interested in policing the sanyasa ashrama. It might make him a creep but not a criminal.

SD: JC, If it was just Kesava Bharati some random dude going to sex workers I wouldn't even mention it. (Granted the sex workers are working of their own volition and not being trafficked.) However...

1. Kesava Bharati was using money that the parents had earned on the streets in the name of ISKCON, for ISKCON. Those same parents who left their kids in ashrams alone, and vulnerable to abuse. These parents were totally surrendered to a higher cause and were taken advantage of.

2. Kesava Bharati is being investigated right now for sexually abusing one of those kids, and there are reports of him grooming other children, and possibly sexually abusing another CHILD. There are also multiple reports of him sexually harassing and sexually abusing young women just over the age of 18. All of this paints a picture of who he is.

3. Kesava Bharati was removed from the sannyas ashram in 1987.

4. Had ISKCON leaders not reinstated Kesava Bharati in the sannyas ashram in 2004, and then put him in the sacred role of being a guru in 2006, he would not have been in a trusted role of authority to harm M in 2018 / 2019. It's pastoral abuse and it could have been prevented by not placing him in a role of leadership and guru. BUT... had M not been mistreated, she never would have publicly posted about Kesava Bharati's mistreatment towards her, and others would not have followed after, also filing complaints against Kesava Bharati.

You can see in my first comment above somewhere that I mentioned Kesava Bharati is being investigated by the CPO. That means he is being investigated for child abuse.

JC: OK... Fair enough. I think it is relavent as part of the back story. As in... ' well he is a Suta.' He is a sexual deviant. But at the moment, we are focusing on peaodophiles. We have plenty of them. The back story is useful. But let's not slip into dealing with perverts who can't keep together a marriage. Because it will go on for ever. I really hate these socially disfunctional egotists who preach high standards of renunciation to newcomers.

I was speaking to a young polish married couple in my local temple. She had been initiated by some american guy. Because of this she was big into renunciation. I could see that her husband was not happy about this at all. Now her 'guru' had been married three times. This was a polish couple... Ie marriage means marriage. For life. I suspect that this guy who couldn't hack married life was in the process of messing up theirs. 

GG: Oh I got it. The guy was disbarred from sannyasa, so now let us make him the sum totals of the demigods acharya. What could go wrong? This is like many cults where the leaders are taking intoxicants ... having sex with congregation members ... but they are worshiped as Gods. This is what ISKCON has become, or it has been the whole time for 45 years. At least more people are waking up. Giriraja swami he always has his know it all grin. He does know it all, but he covers it up to save "my friends." Total contaminated from head to toes.