A Story of Service, Struggle, and the Need for Protection 07 26 25

JULY 2025

A Story of Service, Struggle, and the Need for Protection

For years, I served my local temple with all my heart. I sacrificed my personal time and energy to help maintain the temple: cleaning, cooking, baking, and supporting various projects. No task was too small or too big; whatever the Temple President asked, I would do—even while carrying my child in my womb.

When I moved away for a period, my service didn’t stop. I continued to donate, arranged for items needed for the children’s tents, festivals, and other events. My commitment to serving Krishna and the community never wavered.

But life took a painful turn. My husband became fanatic and abusive. The peaceful life I thought I had in Krishna consciousness shattered. He used scripture as a tool to control and spiritually manipulate our children. I was deeply hurt — not just physically and emotionally, but spiritually.

In my pain, I reached out to the Temple President, someone I considered a friend. I trusted him with my story, believing he would help protect my children and me from harm. His wife was my friend, and his children were like siblings to mine. I opened my heart fully, believing the community would stand by us.

He listened. He said he understood. He promised to protect.

But then, he allowed my husband back into the temple space, even after knowing everything. When I questioned this, I was told to “concentrate on serving the Lord.” I was spiritually manipulated and silenced. My voice was shut down.

This hurt me deeply. My health declined. I suffered from nightmares and couldn’t speak about my trauma anymore. My children were affected too. When abuse happens, especially in a spiritual community, the leaders must protect the vulnerable—the wife and children—not the abuser. Protecting the abuser undermines the entire foundation of dharma and destroys trust in the community.

As shastra teaches:

"Where women are honored, divinity blossoms there; where they are dishonored, all actions remain unfruitful."

— Manusmriti 3.56

In the Bhagavatam, the protection of women and children is emphasized as the duty of righteous leaders:

"The duty of a king is to protect the citizens, especially those who have no one else—like women, children, the elderly, and the brahmanas."

— Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.7.45

A true temple community stands on the foundation of protection, compassion, and dharma. Without that, everything crumbles.

BB: When the spiritual leaders are abusers, or exploiting, the followers will be too. Reporting things to the GBC or ISKCON leaders? Often ends up with the leaders reporting you to your abuser. You will be "ratted out" ... and the abuser will get all the more infuriated with you, the victim, and things will get worse. You won't expect help, they will often un-help. Because they are like minded as the abusers.

DK: Hare Krishna mataji. I am deeply moved with your story. I once served as Temple Chairman and left the position once many so-called senior devotees try to manipulate the society for their own benefits and I'm against it. GBC also did not help in my case. I will pray for your well being. Take care mataji. Hare Krishna. 

AD: This is how they conduct themselves over and over.

BK: Don't worry, no one will escape Lord Kalki s wrath, every single person with demonic attitude will be dealt appropriately. Om Shree Shree Shree Satya Ananth Madhav Mahaprabhu ki Jai. 

MD: Wait for Kalki? Mataji just share the suffering she underwent due to those non following the instructions and directions given by Srila Prabhupada, and you want to give her a solution that will prolong her sufferings?

KJ: Anyone in the centralised, Hindu / Focused Iskcon cult business is either a blind follower, or there for personal motive! Srila Prabhupada told us blind followers are condemned! He also told us when pseudo devotees take over his movement,to take shelter of him. Jai Srila Prabhupada who is with us 24/7

The misleaders in control want their position, title, salaryman, etc for profit, adoration, distinction. It's not the ISKCON when Srila Prabhupada was with us in the 60-70's! The infiltration of sinister elements took and still control the cult, enjoying profit, adoration, distinction.

EA: Can you share the quote were Srila Prabhupada said to take shelter of him when psuedo devotees take over his movement.

KJ: Hare Krsna prabhu CC Madhya 19.157

Text 158 NOTE: The rascal editors changed Srila Prabhupada words in the purport.
you need to find this quote in the original 75 edition CC books of Srila Prabhupada. Prabhupada said to take shelter of him, they changed the words to take shelter of the society. Here is the original text that was changed!

“If one thinks that there are many pseudo devotees or nondevotees in the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Society, one can keep direct company with the spiritual master, and if there is any doubt, one should consult the spiritual master.” (from purport to Original 1975 Edition)

Here's link for better understanding >

https://theharekrishnamovement.org/tag/c-c-madhya-19-157/

c.c. madhya 19.157 – The Hare Krishna Movement

THEHAREKRISHNAMOVEMENT.ORG

c.c. madhya 19.157 – The Hare Krishna Movement

PADA: Well yeah, when a woman reported that Kirtanananda was having s*x with everything in the cottage, including an attempt with an animal, the woman sent a letter to Jayapataka to complain. Jayapataka replied to her letter by writing Kirtanananda, telling him his servant was a snitch and he should get rid of her and sue her for slander. That is how the whole thing evidently operates, they most often protect the perps and deviated -- and not the whistle blowers. JPS also removed me from the society when I complained about the children being mistreated. It is what they do, and their underlings are trained to be the same. ys pd

BD: Attempt with an Animal is what you said .. what ?????

PADA: Yep, that is what was reported. And the GBC elites backed Kirtanananda, and they still do, because they helped have him buried in samadhi. ys pd

DD: I answer you provocatively and brutally: give up everything... you don't deserve all this... look for alternatives, find a system that allows you financial security, give up this dependence on hypocritical and collusive people, find devotees, and non-devotees, who can help you in this spiritual and physical catharsis of yours ... Fight for yourself and your children... No God can want this for His devotees!

SS Dasi: Sad ... I experienced the same incompetence from the leaders.

SF: Initially, after intro, was scared to continue read in one try, afraid what was done to victims. General basic facts in it sounding so much the same old same old familiar story of bad ISKCON leaders. 

Sadly, when it got to "and I thought he was my friend" it is really PTSD triggering. Why do they all suffer from same ethical deformity? Not to minimize, but while so typical; victim is lucky that it wasn't way more back - stubbing and worse. For both spouse - wife victim of DV as well as the kids.

Depending on abuser connections -- mom and kids could have ended up ostracized, openly shunned or even formally banned. Especially so if husband was the one who was either big - spender- donor or blessed with having such family or friends. Bullies of ISKCON often have number of powerful good - old-boys friends. The empathic and tolerant types of friends -- temple authorities (in certain countries), mainly tend to care primarily about - economic survival. 

Hence either priority is monetary contribution -- or they are suffering from chronic disease of being susceptible to charismatic charmers. The leadership tend to have condition of letting abusers and serial evil-actors talk their way out of trouble. Bullies near the top or on top have been operating in sync with such friends for decades. We are fighting an organized system.

Many leaders got so desensitized, it became their culture. Culture that habitually lets the worst of criminal behavior - slide. Fascination with spiritual seniority seems to make them resistant to compassion. Then, there are legal issues. DV in family is often hard to prove and legally persecute for easily intimidated victims. And unless victims end up are near death - it is hard to ban abuser from place of worship.

Usually it always ends the same: victims are the ones who " self-segregate " from such "Temple spaces" that are friendly to abusers and their flying monkeys.

DS: "ethical deformity" is an accurate assessment

SSH: CULT MENTALITY

VM Dasi: The sad reality in iskcon you have to watch out for yourself AND your children. No one cares in reality. You have truth on your side and Krishna will be in your side to help you through this and you will come out stronger and Krishna will above all else help you to find peace and guide you to therapy to try to help you cope as well as your spiritual practice.

GH: I so resonate with your story. Try to find emotional resources and help outside of the devotee community. This is what I did to save my sanity.