Mendacious Tamohara Dasa And the BBT / BBTI Issue

“Mendacious Tamohara” – The newbie GBC chairman

By Gopinath Dasa

Recently, the ambitious corporate climber, Tamohara dasa / GBC Chairman, posted on ISKCON cheer leading­­­ website a deceptive letter addressing the devotees and the temples, where they should purchase their books. He is attempting to self-righteously clamp down on distribution of the ORIGINAL Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita on the pretext that it is not authorized by Srila Prabhuapada’s created BBT.

Tamohara Dasa

The purpose of ‘his’ letter is based on their (GBC) need for continuation of intentional ‘dumbing down’ of naïve devotees that is unfortunately based on complete lie and deception that most of rank and file devotees are not aware of. GBC / BBTI wants to completely control and systematically undermine Srila Prabhupada created ISKCON, BBT and his real teachings which are based on pure devoti­­­­­onal principles.

Their lie and deception is twofold;

1) Firstly, after Srila Prabhupada’s departure they fraudulently and secretly incorporated their own private BBT called BBT INTERNATIONAL, that illegally replaced Srila Prabhupada’s BBT in their attempt to usurp total control and to put a stop to distribution of original Srila Prabhupada’s books. Replacing them with their own revised editions that was mentally contrived by Jayadvaita swami.

Within this fraudulent BBT INTERNATIONAL (as per FORM TX – For a Literary Work – United States Copyright Office Registration form) Srila Prabhupada is not even mentioned. In point 2 of the form the ‘NAME OF THE AUTHOR is given as – The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. There is no mention of Śrīla Prabhupāda as the author of the Bhagavad Gītā As It Is. Why? “

This opens up a Pandora’s Box of questions…

For example why is there any need for a “Corporation” to assist the BBT in its service?

Who authorized the establishment of the BBTi to “acts\” as an authorized agent”
Why does this ‘authorized agent’ for Śrīla Prabhupāda’s BBT now have the ‘copyrights’ for Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books?

What or who stopped the BBT from printing his Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books in their original unedited format as a natural process after Śrīla Prabhupāda entered into Samādhi?

Is there any authorization from Srila Prabhupada stipulating that his books should be edited after his entrance into Samādhi?

And if there is no authorization for editing or printing Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books, why are they doing it, especially after it is creating so much controversy amongst Śrīla Prabhupāda direct disciples?

Following is what the BBT International say is the relationship between the BBT and BBTi.

BBT? BBTI? Who’s who?

The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) is a California religious trust that owns the copyrights to the works published by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada during his lifetime.

The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International (BBTI) is a California corporation that has acted as an authorized agent of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust since 1988. The BBTI also owns the rights to some later works.

The BBT and BBTI work together to protect Srila Prabhupada’s rights and serve his will.

The important aspect of this subterfuge is that no one really knows what is going on… First they say that Śrīla Prabhupāda ‘owns’ the copyright of his book as per the BBT documentation but and it is a big but, what is this document where it shows the BBTi have the copyright of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Bhagavad Gītā As It Is???

What Bhagavad Gītā are they copyrighting? Is this their way of replacing Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Gītā with their own edited version so it can be edited ad infinitum all the while leaving Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Gītā gathering dust archived somewhere?

This also begs the question how many of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books have they done away with him as the author and placed the BBT as the author, leading the unsuspecting devotees to believe that they are reading and distributing Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books but in actual fact these are reading and distributing phony books.

I would not be surprised if in the future they openly say that these are not Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books at all, bearing in mind they ‘legally’ state that these books are ‘authored’ by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.

The general devotees are so dumbed down to accept anything that the BBTi does or say as gospel truth or should we say ‘emet’ truth.

Consequently, once Śrīla Prabhupāda’s ‘as it is’ stance based on the ‘absolute truth” is undermined by the subjective truths of individuals such as Jaya Advaita Swami, then his books become ‘open game’ for any future BBT corporation/board and corporate members to edit according to their own interpretations of the truth that are fashionable at the particular time, place and circumstances.

Due to this ‘interpretive methodology’ of ‘these rascal editors’ which is based on so called academically contrived secular critical analytical study of texts, they can effortlessly indoctrinate devotees into the acceptance of hermeneutic (interpreting) views, that majority of ISKCON leaders are already habituated with, and are already steering our once glorious institution into the realm of mundane religion (cheating religion) a.i. Mayavadism, Sahajiyism, Hinduism, PC-ism, Corporatism, sentimental Veganism etc…

Devotees such as Ravindra Swarup, Tamala Kṛṣṇa Goswami, Kṛishna Kestra and Hridayananda etc, being heavily influenced and attached to secular academics have basically turned Śrīla Prabhupāda’s ‘as it is’ principles which are based on the understanding that truth is ‘absolute’, into truth being more in the realm of relativistic truth or truth that is malleable according to one’s personal cultural/psycho-physical background/realization/desire/preference.

Here is one but small example of such theorizing;

“The hermeneutical circle or interpretative horizon of scripture for modern readers has exploded out into the entire range of presently available texts drawn from an ever-increasing spectrum of religious and secular traditions. Canonical works no longer enjoy the seeming autonomy they once had, nor are they impervious to scrutiny from outside readers. The top-down, “vertical” process of receiving spiritual truth from infallible scripture is now, more than ever before, faced with the pervasive presence of a multiplicity of voices that challenge the privileged position of any one of them (Taken from – Constructive Theologizing for Reform and Renewal Thomas Herzig (Tamal Krishna Goswami) and Kenneth Valpey (Krishna Kshetra Das)”

2) Secondly, over the years they conjured a plethora of false rhetoric’s to justify and rationalize their big deceptive lie. However any individual, who takes the time to study the issue, will soon recognize that all their feeble excuses are based on bluffing and cheating and nothing else.

a) We are re-writing Srila Prabhupada’s books to appease Academia so we will be recipients of approval by them with a pat on the back whilst telling us “good ‘little’ boys”.

b) We are re-writing the books to make it “closer” to Srila Prabhupada`s drafted version.

Unfortunately, everything that they rationalized and justified up till now is one BIG FAT, and SMELLY LIE. I urge the readers, who are not sufficiently educated with this important matter to visit the https://arsaprayoga.wordpress.com/ to see and analyze the comprehensive evidence that completely exposes them and indentifies them for what they really are.

Since the latest groundswell of the devotees questioning and clearly exposing this BIG fraud, Jayadvaita swami is out of fear resorting to a wicked non-vaisnava behavior in order to bamboozle the naïve devotees and perhaps himself, into believing his deception.

Some time back he wrote an article “Book Changes: History Backs the BBT” lying thru his teeth in the attempt to bamboozle devotees that Hayagriva prabhu never worked together with Srila Prabhupada on Bhagavat-gita. Sadly, for him it back fired on Jayadvaita Swami, when his article was completely and chronologically refuted by Madhudvisa prabhu in article titled Jayadvaita’s Smoke and Mirrors which was a response to what appears to be a planned, conscious and intentional lie on the side of Jayadvaita swami in hope to completely erase Hayagriva pr, from the pages of ISKCON ‘real’ history, and replacing it with his own deconstructed history.

Due to the BBT’s standing on perpetual editing of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books it has forced devotees who want to see Śrīla Prabhupāda’s original books to be printed and distributed (which is after all the stated purpose of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s BBT) they have resorted to printing his books themselves – for example KBI and in particular Jitarati Prabhu’s printing of the ‘Pocket sized Bhagavad Gītā ’ which by the way was a huge success selling out nearly all 100,000 books that they printed!

You have to pause and think about this for one moment… One Hundred Thousand (100,000) of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s original unedited books! Now this only goes to show that people want his unedited books!

Their success has so infuriated Jayadvaita swami that in his rage he began calling these books ‘rittvik’ books! Not only did he label them rittvik books he also began actively preaching to devotees not to purchase read or distribute these ‘rittvik’ books!

How pathetic is that? He is trying to say that Srila Prabhupada did not write the original books, but the evil RITTVIK`s DID IT!!!!!! ….HELP HELP HELP…save us from rittviks…and their evil “Original Srila Prabhupada” books. Come on Jayadyaita swami, how low can you go?

Naturally, when Jayadvaita swami was asked did Srila Prabhupada give him or anyone for that matter any instruction/consent to re-write his book “ad infinitum” after his departure, his answer is NO. Yet he disobediently continues with his offence to our glorious spiritual master.

WHICH MAKES ME WONDER WHO IS HE WORKING FOR, SINCE HIS ACTIONS CLEARLY AFFIRM THAT SRILA PRABHUPADA IS NOT HIS AUTHORITY AT ALL?

This is a very important point to consider especially when he would be loved rather than hated by many of his godbrothers if he spent his time and efforts to publish Śrīla Prabhupāda’s original books instead of putting our whole Vaiṣṇava society in such a hurtful and disheartening dilemma by spending not only countless hours scouring Śrīla Prabhupāda’s works to find what he perceives as an error or fault in the works of the uttama adhikāra devotee of Lord, editing those works and then publishing what he believes is the more superior / authoritive work.

While we are at it and going on the principle of establishing ‘shadow’ bodies to supersede the bodies that Śrīla Prabhupāda established, I would like to ask the GBC mouthpiece Tamohara dasa, why did they secretly and systematically privatize Srila Prabhupada’s created ISKCON, transferring the control into illegally created ‘shadow’, such as GBC of West Bengal, BBT International corporation etc, that have they own laws and by-laws and are diametrically opposed to the ones created by Srila Prabhupada. Huh, mister mouthpiece, please tell us???

However, I know that we will not hear from Tamohara nor any other GBC and BBTI corporate members (cronies), about this secret hijacking of Srila Prabhupada`s ISKCON, and its replacement with this Fraudulent ISKCON. CALLED FISKCON. We know that you want to keep this secret, because you know if the rank and file devotees wake up to how devious your agenda really is, they will have a revolution and unceremoniously kick you all out onto the curb.

Nevertheless, with time the devotees are waking up, just like is with the case of devious book changes of yours and are becoming more and more educated and enlightened with your secret plans, hence the time will come for you where you will not be able to bamboozle innocent no more and your ivory towers will come crumbling down like a deck of cards, with you in it.

Looking forward to seeing this day taking place.

The main question devotees must be asking is – why are the BBT trustees relentlessly and ruthlessly pursuing this course of action? If all their efforts were placed on the printing of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s original books and making sure the Temples were distributing his books we would not be involved in such terrible controversies for all these years, wasting so much time resources and money that the BBT could use to print more books.

Srimad Bhagavatam Recited (VIDEO 3rd Canto ch. 1-5)

Monkeys Violence Increasing in Vrndavana

http://news.vrindavantoday.org/2017/09/monkeys-kill-vrindavan-residents-seek-solution/

Rocana is still promoting bogus guru appointment ...

ROCANA: It is also well-known that once, when His Divine Grace was asked the question whose disciples would the future initiates be, Prabhupada's reply was that those disciples would be the disciples of the initiating gurus. They would be considered grand-disciples of Prabhupada. And their basis of spiritual life would be Srila Prabhupada's books. It was quite clear at that time that His Divine Grace gave the initiating spiritual masters facility to increase the number of followers for the purpose of spreading the Krsna consciousness movement.

[PADA: Wow! So Srila Prabhupada appointed 11 conditioned souls to the post of gurus, acharyas, parampara members -- and Jesus like messiahs -- who would then absorb sins like Jesus. And Rocana still says we need to place the photos of these "new gurus" on the altars and offer bhogha to them.  

OK, why would Srila Prabhupada "appoint" unqualified people into the post of Krishna's guru successors? Is this not what happened in the post-1936 Gaudiya Matha, they "appointed" conditioned souls as their gurus and they ruined their mission -- as it fell to pieces into a series of "guru scandals"? Why would Srila Prabhupada duplicate this fiasco and appoint conditioned souls as his acharya successors after warning us ever since 1936 -- not to do this?

That would mean, Srila Prabhupada does not know who Krishna is, because he makes conditioned souls into Krishna's guru successors? Rocana has never explained, why would a pure devotee appoint conditioned souls as Krishna's guru successors, if he had any idea who is Krishna? 

No, Srila Prabhupada said just the opposite, he said if we conditioned souls took the post of diksha gurus artificially we would absorb sins and this would make us FAIL. And that is what is happening, Rocana's false Jesus-like messiahs are FAILING left, right and center.

They were never appointed to the post of diksha gurus. We were never told to offer bhogha and disciples to these conditioned souls. This is a myth! Apart from that, it does not work in practice, it creates chaos, scandals, lawsuits, molesting, banning, beating, murders and countless bad media exposes (another of which is in the works). 

And Rocana's top disciple Torben Nielsen (Denmark) is still telling us this is the process, the acharya appoints conditioned souls as Krishna's successors. Did we forget to mention -- Rocana's happy band of messiah sabha pals are credited with -- giving heavy metal poison to the acharya? This lot are the appointed successors to God Almighty? Nope! ys pd] 

Sanjhi Art from Braj (video)

India Sadhu Group Lists "Fake Babas"

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/ram-rahim-asaram-bapu-sant-rampal-on-akhil-bharatiya-akhara-parishad-fake-babas-list/1/1044802.html


[PADA: A great comment: Hindus must identify false Babas and rout them out because they will reflect badly on the entire Hindu society worldwide. Yups! ys pd]

Do not change my words (Gauridasa Pandita dasa)

Srila Prabhupada Memories

“Do Not Change My Words”

Srila Prabhupada used to like to sit in his garden in Vrindavan especially in the mornings. He liked to hear his books read to him daily. One time Yasodanandan Prabhu was reading Sri Isopanisad when Srila Prabhupada stopped him and asked him to reread the last paragraph. After hearing it again Srila Prabhupada said, “Those are not my words! They are changing my words! Is my English not good enough?” Srila Prabhupada became very angry and continued, “This is the worst thing a disciple can do! Do not become like a leap frog and try to jump over the spiritual master thinking you know better than him. Tell them immediately [the editors] do not change my words!”

Srila Prabhupada was very upset about the changes in his books. I never saw him get so angry any other time.

Srila Prabhupada: "The nonsense, they are correcting my translations. Rascal. The rascal editors, they are doing havoc. So you bring this to Satsvarupa. They cannot change anything … So on the whole, these dangerous things are going on. How to check it? It is very serious situation. You write one letter that “Why you have made so many changes?” And whom to write? Who will care? All rascals are there. Write to Satsvarupa that “This is the position. They are doing anything and everything at their whim.” The next printing should be again to the original way." (Conversation, “Rascal Editors” – June 22, 1977, Vrndavana)

Years before Srila Prabhupada said the same thing. "Don’t make addition, alteration. Then you become rascal. Immediately you become rascal. And many times they give me very great credit that I have done wonderful. Yes, I have done wonderful. But what is the reason? Because I am not a rascal. I speak what Krsna has spoken. That’s all. Very easy. Everyone can do that. Not only I. Any of you, you can do this. Simply speak what is…, what Krsna has said. That’s all. Don’t make addition, alteration. Then you become rascal. Immediately you become rascal.(Srimad-Bhagavatam Lecture 1.5.29 Vrindavan, August 10, 1974)

Srila Prabhupada said if someone sees a mistake he is a mistake.

Radha Vallabha; Now Jagannātha had some questions on corrections in the book. In verse twenty-eight it says, "Then he worshiped Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the essence of all Vedas, with this hymn.It's verse twenty-eight, "Then he worshiped Śrī Kṛṣṇa." So Jagannātha said it should be, "Then he worshiped..."

Prabhupāda: No, no. Jagannātha cannot correct. That bad habit he must give up.

Rādhā-vallabha: So we should just leave it exactly.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. You should not be more educated.

Rādhā-vallabha: He wasn't changing any of the words. He was just...

Prabhupāda: Nothing of the... This of should be strictly forbidden.

Rādhā-vallabha: So no corrections. That makes it simple.

Prabhupāda: They can divide the synonyms. That's all.

Rādhā-vallabha: Synonyms. So even...

Prabhupāda: That is his tendency, to correct. That's very bad. He should not do that.

Rādhā-vallabha: So I'll just forget this, then.

Prabhupāda: The system is: whatever authority has done, even there is mistake, it should be accepted.

Rādhā-vallabha: Oh.

Prabhupāda: Asa-prāya(?) That is ha... He should not become more learned than the authority. That is very bad habit.

Rādhā-vallabha: He was always wondering how he should think. So I'll tell him that. He thinks, "If I think I see a mistake, what should I think?" I'll tell him what you just said.

Prabhupāda: He cannot see mistake. He is mistake. (laughter) He should... That is being done by this rascal.

Srila Prabhupada's Room Conversation -- March 1, 1977, Mayapura

When Srila Prabhupada was asked by Revatinandan Prabhu if we could read Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati’s books; Srila Prabhupada said not the ones that were edited by his disciples. Srila Prabhupada also told him that we really couldn’t understand Bhaktisidhanta’s books. He said not even his Godbrothers could understand them. Then Srila Prabhupada said, ” actually, he wrote those books for me.” (Memories of Srila Prabhupada)

Srila Prabhupada translated the spiritual law books for the next 10,000 years, day and night, until his dying day. He translated constantly despite his busy preaching schedule. He did this to live on in the books. He said before he left the planet that he had given us everything in his books. He said the books were the manifestations of his ecstasy. He said if we read his books and cooperated together, every thing would go on nicely. To edit his books without his sanction is risky business. We should try to be absorbed in the ecstasy of the spiritual master and not try to alter it, thinking we can ‘improve upon’ his ecstasy.

Some of the reasons given to justify the modern day editing are that the new edition is closer to what Srila Prabhupada said on the original tapes. Srila Prabhupada lectured on many verses many times and never said to change them. He authorized about three changes, not the 800+- we have in the new Bhagavad Gita. We need Bhagavad Gita As It Was! There is a nicer vibration to the original Srila Prabhupada approved version. I’m sure more devotees would be inspired to distribute the original.

When a new book came out Srila Prabhupada would be in total bliss. I remember when he was so sick he could hardly sit up. When he heard that the new Srimad Bhagavatam had arrived and he asked to be propped up on his bed. He asked for his glasses and more light. As he marveled over the quality of the book and the excellent artwork tears came to his eyes. This gave him life.

Another time when Srila Prabhupada asked a devotee to read in the garden the devotee asked him why he liked to hear his own books so much. Srila Prabhupada said, “I did not write these books. Krishna wrote these books!”

When Srila Prabhupada came into the room and caught me reading the Srimad Bhagavatam, he smiled nicer than ever and told his secretary, “He’s reading in his spare time; this is very good!” I was surprised to see how happy Srila Prabhupada was because I was reading. Srila Prabhupada put everything into his books and we would be better off to accept them as is/was. They made so many devotees in the past and will in the future. They are tried and true!

Another important publication is the ‘Back To Godhead’ magazine. Srila Prabhupada said the BTG and Hari Nama Sankirtan are ‘the backbone of our movement.’ We need a mass distribution BTG. So many of us became devotees by getting a BTG one way or another. It should be cost effective say 25 to 50 cents so we can distribute it for a dollar or so. The old BTG’s are great. We could update the calendar and presto, the all-attractive ‘Back To Godhead!’

Srila Prabhupada said the disease of the Americans is that we want to change everything. Let’s get rid of this disease and maintain what Srila Prabhupada has worked so hard to give us; without adulteration or change.

Hoping this meets you well and Happy in Krsna Consciousness,
Your servant,
Gauridasa Pandita Dasa
\o/ HariboL \o/
Chant and be Happy!

The Physically Present Diksha Guru theory

[PADA: Correct prabhu, Srila Prabhupada never made a system of "managing the acharyas." And managing acharyas is not possible practically in any case since, the acharyas are getting dictation from Krishna and not from a committee of conditioned souls, so the whole principle of a committee that is managing acharyas is bogus. Dr. Stilson Judah told me these rogue spiritual masters are antinomianism, lawless in the name of God. 

They just go on conducting crimes and scandals and they cannot be contained by a committee, because they are rogues and renegades posing as messiahs, why would they listen to a committee. Worse, these rogue acharyas are also the members of the same GBC committee meant to contain their deviations!

So that is why me and Sulochana said, since the GBC cannot contain themselves and their own crimes, we need to get outside law enforcement to assist us, we need to get help from the police, courts, media and FBI etc. That is eventually what happened, the police, courts, media and FBI raided them and took them down to a large extent, the false messiahs could not contain their own criminality.

Of course as soon as we actually sue the GBC, have them raided by the police etc., or take them to court over: book changes, molesting, bogus appointment (as is going on in Delhi court now), or any other issues, then immediately they start crying like babies that we are not consulting with them. And now they are saying we are bogus for opening up the poison complaint, but they failed to investigate that issue themselves.

And they even sometimes send their cry baby agents like Sanat / Mukunda / Prahlad / HKC Jaipur / Bhakta das and others to complain that we are being too heavy with their molester messiah pals by using Sulochana's external pressures process. Oh boo hoo, PADA is picking on our beloved saints!

Sorry, we are doing the right thing having them contained by external means, of course had we not done that, they would have had us assassinated a long time ago. The only reason that did not happen to us  -- is -- that we were connected to the external containment process. If they cannot contain themselves, we need to contain them externally, and we have been doing that with at least some success. ys pd]  

Ananda devi dasi: Conceptualised Physically Present Diksa Guru Theory

In 1977 Srila Prabhupada apparently departed this world. There were many devotees who witnessed this in Vrindavan. And for those of us that were not there to witness this with the physical organ of our eyes, there were videos made. The departure from this world of Srila Prabhupada has been misunderstood, misrepresented and misinformed. 

In March 1978, the GBC capitalized on the very fact that Srila Prabhupada was now no longer physically present. Primarily the GBC became unregulated, unable and incapable of regulating themselves, with no watchdog to oversee their mistakes and correct them. Because they were not uttama in their actions, words and decisions, any slight deviations were undetected, something that had happened in the past where Srila Prabhupada had to immediately rectify their mistakes. Srila Prabhupada was surprised that He had had to regularly rectify their mistakes and the GBC had missed this simple point.

So as time had passed to 1978 with no regulatory body in place, the GBC made the historical mistake of introducing the much maligned Zonal Acarya process. This conceptualised idea came about from a plethora of mistakes, misconceptions and misunderstandings, many of which still infiltrate ISKCON.

My own definition of this era is called the “conceptualised physically present diksa guru theory”, which also happens to aid and abet the Disciplic Succession traditionalists who want to apply this dogmatically, mechanistically and inappropriately. In March 1978 this was exactly what was on offer from the GBC and the “uttama-adhikaris”, some of whom still think this is the axiomatic truth.

If the Disciplic Succession is not continued through Diksa initiations by uttama-adhikaris who were physically present, then the Disciplic Succession would end and be lost. Indeed, many “senior” devotees muted these very same words, and still do, in earnestness, unbelievably. 

[PADA: Right, my old friends like Sridhara swami, Tripurari swami, Dhaneshvara and many others are among those people who think we neophytes can take the post of Jesus and absorb sins. All that, despite most of their previous false Jesus' fell down, got sick, died prematurely and created huge scandals. This would be like a company selling cars, half of which exploded and killed the occupants, and expecting that company would continue to stay in business.]   

So the scheme was dreamed up and set in place in rather a hasty meeting and introduced to the unsuspecting devotees of that time, and was bought hook, line and sinker. I can even remember how so many “senior” devotees instructed the new members here in the UK that Jayatirtha and then Bhagavan Goswami were indeed uttama-adhikaris, and this was taught in the Introductory Bhakta Programme in much the same way as Absolute Truth. What chance did the young devotees have if the senior experienced devotees were caught up in the illusion?

The original theory has had to be evolved, diluted and manipulated, essentially totally modified to keep apace the legacy of corruption, illicit behaviour and deviations, until today we have a particularly nebulous, errant and whimsical definition of “Diksa guru”. With so many contradictions going, on who knows what the GBC are talking about on this subject?

But the real idea of the concept was to control ISKCON through the process of Diksa Initiation and therefore the power, money and disciples. What should have happened was in the mid-eighties, when there was so much crashing down of the big “uttama” boys, is we should have come to our senses. It could have been a big relief and a totally different story. 

Unfortunately, due to the new boys on the block, so to speak, trying to get a piece of the action, we have been bombarded with the bluff of continued misconstrued philosophy. Even the then Chairman GBC Sannyasi/Guru made a full- hearted attempt to persuade us all that now Srila Prabhupada was gone and thereby not accessible, and the only exclusive “current link” to the Sampradaya was the bona fide physically present Diksa Gurus who by now were roaming the planet in hoards. Has there ever been so many vying for so few for so long for eternity?

The theory that had been introduced by the GBC in 1978 was based on at least two philosophical mistakes, the first being that Srila Prabhupada was gone and not available directly, and the second was “you,” needed a physical guru for the whole process of Diksa. An absent Diksa Guru can’t give Diksa if he isn’t here!!!!!! 

These two interpolations and assertions were conclusions from interpretations from Srila Jiva Goswami’s Krsna Sandharba, Anuccheda 153. You may remember a group of Sannyasis around the late ’80s presenting this philosophy together, with remarkably good success. In point of fact, they had diametrically interpreted the instruction of Srila Jiva Goswami’s writings, something that is popular in ISKCON to bolster up peculiar theses. Not that you could NOT associate with Krsna and Srila Prabhupada now that They had departed, but HOW to associate with Them in Their aprakrat feature. 

It’s really an ABC of Krsna Consciousness, although Krsna is no longer with us, He is aprakrata, we can still associate with Krsna through mantropasanamayi, worship through sound vibration. Lucky for us, otherwise there would be no point in chanting the Holy Name, even to the point of svarasiki, direct relish of rasa.

As we all know, the bona fide Spiritual Master is directly on the same platform of Absoluteness as Krsna, and the example of Srila Prabhupada is the same. To associate with Him through His Books, His Murti, His Pictures, His ISKCON, His Instructions, etc., which will eventually take us to direct relish of rasa with Srila Prabhupada. Actually, Srila Prabhupada emphasised over and over again the importance of vani over vapu. But the hallucination of the “physically present” guru was in place. And many devotees of good standing took on the burden of this weird theory, thinking it to be true.

The literal readers of the Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita think that even Krishna has a “physical” body and that the “physical” representation of the Supersoul is the embodied human being. Here we find the concept that the Spiritual Master is the “physical” representation of the Supersoul, and has been literally interpreted to mean a physical body. But when you are trying to fix a certain type of philosophy to match up with a misconception you have to clutch at straws to match them up. 

In 1978, this is exactly what we find, that to proceed with their concept of physically present diksa gurus there has to be philosophy to make it bona fide. So whenever the word “physical” is used in the Scripture, it has been interpreted to mean a “living” person that is viewable with the sense of eyesight.

Even though the Scriptures enjoin us to “see the scriptures through our ears”, shastra-chakshus, clearly we find discrepancies and perhaps deceit. The “physical” representation of the Supersoul is the Spiritual Master, whether in His vapu or vani. Even if the Spiritual Master is apparently absent He is still the “physical” representation of the Supersoul. 

All the previous Acaryas and Mahajanas are “physical” representations of the Supersoul, just as is His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. The serious subtle manipulation of our understanding that the dis-appearance of Srila Prabhupada, the previous Acaryas and Mahajanas, makes them unavailable is paramountly inappropriate in our advancement in devotional service. Exactly how do we associate with the aforementioned Sadhus, viz-a-viz Sadhu-Sanga, unless they are available directly and currently to us all?

This thesis also raises a number of questions which seem to further undermine its validity:

1. If we can’t associate with Srila Prabhupada, what is the point in distributing His Books?

2. What is the point in reading His Books?

3. What is the point in reading the books of the previous Acaryas?

4. What is our position now that Srila Prabhupada has disappeared?

5. How do we currently have more access to Srila Prabhupada than newer devotees in ISKCON?

6. To what extent can a devotee who is less realized than Srila Prabhupada be a via medium capable of awarding divya-jnana?

7. How does he necessarily afford a new man any greater facility to associate with Srila Prabhupada?

8. Exactly what does physical presence have to offer them that Srila Prabhupada’s siksa does not?

The theory of having a physically present guru interferes with the devotee from association with any Sadhu that is not corporal (with veins), so when we arrive at stage 2 of kanishta adhikari, our devotional service is arrested. Which means, if we were to accept the theory, we are all confined to kanishta. For advancement in devotional service, the theory is self-defeating. All the Sadhus are aprakata, so in Sadhu-Sanga we associate through sound, receiving their blessings, encouragement and inspiration. We are connected to the greatest personalities in the universe by the medium of sound and instructions. 

The Sadhus are the most renounced, most humble, most pure and most ecstatic personalities. They actively give us association and constitute the real, eternal, living family of the spiritual world.

The continued debate for the mechanical application of the Disciplic Succession to continue via the self-appointment and vote for “physically” present Diksa Guru is based on many flawed ideas that were banded around in 1978 and more recently. The Disciplic Succession is only continued as it has traditionally been continued and cannot be applied inappropriately and dogmatically, artificially. But when we talk about Diksa initiation, we have to have a fully qualified Diksa Guru of the topmost quality to transmit the Diksa process specific for His disciples. 

In fact, the terms “bona fide” and “diksa” infer only uttama-adhikari.
The Diksa Guru has to be from the highest category. The 2nd and 3rd class devotees may have disciples, but can’t have Diksa disciples. Because of their insufficient knowledge they cannot award the process of Diksa. They can, however, guide devotees within ISKCON to Srila Prabhupada’s process of Diksa as in the Officiating Acarya process, a common practice that we all experience when coming to ISKCON. Therefore their disciples are siksa disciples and must be given diksa initiation from the Diksa Guru, who is Srila Prabhupada within ISKCON.

There is absolutely no doubt that Srila Prabhupada IS the Diksa Guru in ISKCON. We can’t prove He is NOT the Diksa Guru. The physical presence of Srila Prabhupada has no bearing on the process of Diksa that He introduced for ISKCON devotees, even after His disappearance. The presence of the other gurus in ISKCON is not evidence or proof that Srila Prabhupada is not the Diksa Guru, either.

The conceptualised physically present diksa guru theory was introduced in 1978 after Srila Prabhupada disappeared, so a need was created by the GBC to accommodate their own invented idea to control power through the process of diksa initiation. Which obviously backfired. The resultant fallout of these misconceptions has been a willingness to adopt the very same misconceptions by many devotees and misapply the Diksa Guru concept and the Disciplic Succession law to interpreted ends.

It is not in our remit to decide how and who is to continue the Disciplic Succession, and the very fact that the theory even influenced devotees to contemplate decisions on continuing the Disciplic Succession is evidence of the danger of accommodating theories like this. Who are we to think we can apply and continue the Disciplic Succession? Isn’t this the responsibility of Srila Prabhupada and the Absolute Truth, Krishna?

The point being that any introduction, establishment and decisions made on continuing the Disciplic Succession are the exclusive domain of Vaisnavas on the level of Srila Prabhupada and the Prominent Acaryas. Our inclusion into Srila Prabhupada’s Vaisnava family by His mercy and grace are not a qualification to manipulate Disciplic Succession laws for our own sense gratification. We are way beyond our portfolio, rather like the frog in the well analogy.

Although the GBC/Gurus have had over 31years for their trial and error process of establishing the continuance of the Disciplic Succession, we still have exactly the same process of Diksa and Transcendental Knowledge that Srila Prabhupada originally put into place for ISKCON, and we all follow His brand of devotional service in ISKCON. Srila Prabhupada is still worshipped as the present Diksa Guru in the same way as when He was physically present, which makes Him the exclusive Diksa Guru. The only way to argue that He is NOT the Diksa Guru for ISKCON is to stop worshipping Him as such. If the Gurus in ISKCON today are genuine, then the worship of Srila Prabhupada has to STOP now. 

We cant worship more than one Diksa Guru because it is tantamount to having two or more Diksa Gurus, which is illegitimate. The worship of Srila Prabhupada within the ISKCON infrastructure is as a Diksa Guru, the prominent Guru in ISKCON’s case. Srila Prabhupada’s Guru Puja after greeting the Deities is directly as the Diksa Guru, which is universally accepted and practiced by all devotees.

The next argument is, the reason you are worshipping your Diksa Guru and then Guru Puja for Srila Prabhupada, His Books, His ISKCON, etc. is because He is the Founder/Acarya and He loses His Diksa Guru status.. This contradiction in terms means you are your Diksa Guru’s disciple and Godbrother simultaneously, because you are worshipping Srila Prabhupada on the same terms as the Diksa Guru, totally incompatible, a spin-off from the conceptualised physically present guru theory. If it were normal to worship in this way, then Srila Prabhupada’s disciples would join in with the Gaudiya Math in Guru Puja for Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, and so on along the Disciplic Succession. 

God knows how Lord Brahma would get on worshipping Krsna’s higher link that does not exist. The whole concept becomes a nightmare of conundrums.
What makes sense is that Srila Prabhupada is the Diksa Guru because He is the initiator of the process of Diksa for ISKCON. Srila Prabhupada IS the current link and Founder/Acarya to be connected to, Srila Prabhupada is worshipped exclusively in ISKCON by all that join ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada continues the Disciplic Succession in ISKCON, as many branches and sub-branches can expand from the Disciplic Succession as necessary, as did in the past. New members are attracted to Srila Prabhupada or other Diksa Gurus in the Disciplic Succession in the branches and sub-branches that They have set-up.

There is no contravention of Disciplic Succession law and ALL disciples can have their desires fulfilled. This conclusion is not against the idea of guru, sadhu and scripture because all eventualities are taken into consideration, Disciplic Succession Law and ISKCON with Srila Prabhupada’s process of Diksa, and added branches. Who could not be in bliss?

What is stopping any devotee from setting up their very own organisation, coming up with an original name for it, and being the Founder/Acarya and Diksa Guru, as their Spiritual Master did with ISKCON? What is stopping you?

September 2017 Calendar

Lokanath Swami is a Molester (Satya devi)

http://www.iskcontruth.com/2012/10/lokanatha-swami-molested-me-says-satya.html?

About Future Initiations (Cyavana Swami)

VERY RELEVANT TESTIMONY FROM CYAVANA SWAMI

On September 6, 2017, Nityananda das received an email reply to questions he had put to Cyavana Swami, an very early Srila Prabhupada disciple who manages a preaching and gardening facility in Williston, Florida called Camp Garuda. The reply was:

“Yes, I have stated this many times..... some understand it, but most don't and it usually causes some to become agitated. Most devotees never really understood who Srila Prabhupada is. The initiation means to begin on the path of Bhakti, each one must figure out how to take that first step. Srila Prabhupada made it perfectly clear to me that we are not his only disciples. His instruction was,"I have given you everything, don't change anything... I will have millions of disciples." These are the most important instructions Srila Prabhupada ever gave us for the future of his Movement. 

“In my discussions with Prabhupada the subject of adding to and changing the books and philosophy came up frequently, but the question of what to do regarding initiations after he was no longer with us was very difficult to ask, it was almost unthinkable at the time that he would not always be with us. Myself and Brahmananda Swami were in Srila Prabhupada's room one morning in Nairobi, Kenya in 1975, at first he seemed surprised at the question, as if he had already made it very clear. 

We were performing initiations his behalf all over the world for some years, so he said to simply continue as he had been training us, "on my behalf " was not just for then, it is for always. His answer was clear and simple. 

“I am encouraged, especially over the past few years, by the many devotees who are clearly understanding this and Srila Prabhupada's unique and exalted position in our Sampradaya. If someone wants to add to or change a book they can do so in their own name, and of course we must have "instructor gurus" and teachers to guide disciples on the path, but only Srila Prabhupada will fulfill the promise to take us all home, that is certain. I share this with you as a friend. As far as the general population devotees, let them think whatever they want, at least they have a start, many here including me are inspired by your work.”

RECAP:
(1). "I have given you everything, don't change anything... I will have millions of disciples."
(2). “We were performing initiations on his behalf all over the world for some years, so he said to simply continue as he had been training us, "on my behalf " was not just for then, it is for always.”
Satyahit das confirmed that Cyavana Swami has been consistently stating these memories for many years.

Appearance of Lord Vamanadeva

https://theharekrishnamovement.org/2017/09/02/appearance-of-lord-vamanadeva/

Bharati Maharaja departs

SRILA BHARATI MAHARAJA HAS ENTERED NITYA-LILA

[PADA: OK well maybe, but was he not a disciple of Madhava Maharaja, the person who co-founded the Ananta Vasudeva guru fiasco of 1936? Wasn't Madhvava Maharaja the person who stuck his finger in Srila Prabhupada's face and yelled at him for having the title of "Prabhupada"? The people who create bogus guru programs and insult pure devotees for using the title of Prabhupada are Narayan Maharaja's "Pooja padas"? And why is Jadurani and many other Narayan Maharaja people supporting and promoting these folks? The good news is, as more and more of these "living gurus" depart, at least some of their people come back to take shelter of Srila Prabhupada. ys pd]  

Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura Appearance Day

http://www.iskcontimes.com/srila-bhaktivinoda-thakura-avirbhava-tithi-appearance-day/

Relax Your Mind Instantly! (Video)

A few words about Bangalore and Akshaya Patra

Krishna Balarama Deities Sunnyvale

There are still some people out there criticizing the Bangalore and Akshaya Patra programs. Mainly, their first criticism is that Akshaya Patra (feeding poor school children) is "mundane welfare work." 

ALL Krishna devotees need to have an engagement in the material world doing at least something, and clearly MOST of the current (or expatriate) ex-ISKCON-ite devotees -- who did not work on some project like Akshaya Patra then ended up -- engaged in a corporate job working for a mundane company. Thus -- almost cent percent of the "ISKCON circle" of devotees are NOW living outside the society and are working some form of a -- "mundane job." That includes most of us. 

So even if we assume Akshaya Patra is a form of mundane welfare program, what better "mundane welfare program" are the mass of current or ex-ISKCON-ite's devotees doing? For example a devotee sent me a photo of an ISKCON farm, where the farm is neglected and falling apart, self apparently the people currently living there have jobs in the nearby city. And thus they bought fancy cars to get to the city -- and to their jobs. Is this type thing doing better service to Krishna? And this helps the mundane or otherwise "welfare" of others, how?

So the "mundane jobs and fancy cars / commuting to work program" is going forward nicely, the farm is -- not. OK so the mass of devotees are -- not -- doing so much devotional activity, or even mundane welfare activity. As one devotee said, why not just be honest and move to the city instead of making pretend this is a self-sufficient farm program?  

And as one ex-kuli told me, there are thousands and thousands of armchair experts -- aka self-appointed manager "devotees" giving all sorts of cheap shot advice, which amounts to -- "too many chiefs and not enough Indians" i.e. we need less critics and advisers, and less people thinking they are the big important managers, and more actual boots on the ground citizens making actual programs, like Bangalore is doing. Agreed!  

And exactly why is the program of the mass of devotees working at a mundane job at a mundane company a better program? Now of course there are a few "full time preachers" like the Montreal devotees, and some book distributors here and there, and that is great, but this not going to happen on a really wide scale basis at present for various reasons. Of course we congratulate and encourage any full time preaching, that is highly needed. Krishna says He blesses the preachers more than others, and that is why getting such Krishna blessings is so rare these days.

However! The manifold problems of the ISKCON society are simply NOT going to be solved by attacking Bangalore or Akshaya Patra, this is a much bigger issue that would require cooperation from thousands of people. Didn't anyone notice that almost all of these "outside" devotees with mundane jobs are not producing much preaching effect, if any? As one devotee said "at least they are working legal jobs, and no longer creating more criminal bad publicity." Swell!  

And we could not help but notice at the post-1977 ISKCON "Sunday Feasts," a lot of the devotees (men especially) compared notes on their various "karmi" jobs, opportunities in job training, money making ventures, getting food stamps, etc. because their jobs / income has become an important part of their post-ISKCON lives. Of course most of these people had little to no interest in our idea of re-establishing Srila Prabhupada as the acharya, and a lot of them were just going along with the GBC's bogus guru's program by omission or commission. 

Lets also not forget -- a good amount of the ISKCON / ex-ISKCON circles of devotees ventured off into criminal money making programs -- like making bogus charities that collected for the blind, selling T-shirts at the wharf, etc., or worse selling drugs, or worse even in some cases -- robbing banks. Again, is this a superior program? So the Bangalore folks also left the official corporate GBC managing structure, but they at least did something positive. Bhakta das for example became a king pin distributor of designer drugs components, and he was busted for selling millions of dollars of these products (and this was in the newspapers giving us a bad name as well). 

Then again we had a big chunk of people run off to worship the biggest cheer leaders of the bogus GBC's gurus like Sridhara Maharaja, Narayan Maharaja etc. Again, is this a better idea, to worship the people who acted as the servitor hand maidens for the GBC's gurus? Lets not worship the bank robbers, lets worship the people who drove the getaway car for the bank robbers?     

Akshaya Patra is doing really nice charitable work, and as such, it is being recognized by the biggest leaders of India like Narendra Modi etc. at the same time, this program is giving Krishna and His devotees a good name wholesale. What exactly is the harm of doing that? So it would be better that Akshaya Patra is shut down, and these Akshaya Patra devotees joined the main mass of ISKCON ilk and orbit folks and they should -- get a karmi job? 

I fail to see how this would improve things? 

So the Akshaya devotees are clearly doing something superior to the mass of many / most other devotees, they are making a nice program that is getting widely recognized as doing good for those in need. That has to be a plus these days -- after decades of bad PR news for Krishna's devotees? In any case, I still do not get it, devotees should not be working for Akshaya Patra, they should be doing the same as most other devotees have done, and start working for a mundane corporation? This is not going to help the situation? 

At the same time, the Bangalore program is making really nice temple programs, and these are some of the best deity functions going on anywhere in and around ISKCON. While many other official ISKCON GBC programs struggle with sufficient manpower, or in some cases they have little ability to collect sufficient funds to provide basic things like deity garlands and temple repairs, meanwhile the Bangalore temples and deity programs seem to have plenty of people and assets to do the temple functions, and do them nicely.

At the same time, the Bangalore program has taken the GBC's bogus gurus to task in the supreme court of India, to establish that Srila Prabhupada is the acharya. Again its baffling why so many people want to shut all this down, and let the bogus gurus go unchallenged? We should not even bother to legally challenge the bogus gurus of the GBC? OK that helps the bad guys and no one else. 

Now some of the more vocal critics of Bangalore are folks like Sanat / Mukunda / Prahlad / Dayalu Nitai's HKC Jaipur ilk etc., and of course their pals on the GBC guru side. Yep, as soon as we had the GBC sued for changing the books Mukunda wrote to tell me "lawyers are all nonsense." Why do these people not even want us to have the legal rights to any original books? We need to have Jayadvaita's changed books as the only legally authorized editions? Sorry, most of the Bangalore folks are now educated on this issue and they are with us, they prefer originals. And we also should not take the GBC to court in India? Why are these guys always rooting for -- the wrong side?

Some of these folks made a web site saying PADA should stop all our activity such as: Publishing Srila Prabhupada's letters; Getting the last will of Srila Prabhupada out of a bogus guru's safe and promoting that document; Making copes of the appointment tape to make that issue public; Publishing the poison tapes; Financing and publishing Sulochana's writings and so on, and we should "get a better job than driving a taxi." Its an apparent obsession with all these folks, they want everyone to get a better karmi job? 

Did we forget to mention, these same people told me we all need to listen to Bhakta das, the biggest cheer leader of the GBC's gurus like Radhanath? OK so the program that is clearly harmful to children, and which generates $400,000,000 lawsuits -- needs to be supported and promoted, while programs that factually help feed little children needs to be halted and stopped. OK so their basic idea is always the same, i.e. children get jackbooted in the head? 

Yep, same thing Tamal Krishna's party wanted all along? 

Worse, these guys told me that saving hundreds of children from abuse is a terrible idea, same thing the GBC's guru folks told us? Fine except! Why do children always have to end up suffering in these guys scheme of things? If there is one thing we need to stomp out in this universe, its helping children eat nicely, while many of these critics sit around munching on giant feasts for themselves -- because they made sure they would eat nicely. 

In sum, the critics seem to take great care of monitoring and supplying their own eating, but they are self-evidently envious that others are also eating, especially children. Did we forget to mention that Prahlad das (Paul Coats UK?) told me that Mukunda's Hitler and Illuminati videos program is great because "it gets lots of hits"? And this is helping us along because ---??? 

Sorry, these items do not seem like the superior path forward. A number of devotees have wrote to complain to us that these people are simply another off shoot deviation, even worse than the GBC, because at least the GBC does not tell us to join the Third Reich. Of course the GBC discredits Bangalore for many other reasons, mainly -- that they do not accept the GBC's hokey gurus. Do any of these folks have a superior program and if so, where is it? And whatever it is, its not wide scale or we would not even have to ask where it is?

Anyway, the practical way forward is -- to conduct factual programs that are actually functioning and managed sensibly, and they are making temple programs, distributing books, making devotees, educating children in Sunday schools, and so on and so forth. These are all things Srila Prabhupada wanted. And the Bangalore folks have made these programs very successful in India and gradually more are being done here in the USA, and we need more of these programs where people are able to congregate and perform group "samkirtan" or congregational chanting of the holy name. 

If anyone else has a better plan to create more of these types of things, they should manifest that now and show us how things should be done better.

It is the opinion of PADA that after 100 years from now, these critics and their ideas will be long lost and gone in the dust of history, because they will have no program to continue their process, whatever it is. The only programs that will exist at that time will be the temples and programs that people are making now, that will continue into the future because a temple is a generational process. 

Temples and programs continue for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years. Nothing else that these critics are doing will stand this test of time. And if some folks want more samkirtana, original books, more temples etc. then do it!   

My ex-gurukuli friend is correct, too many armchair advisers, to many chiefs, not enough Indians. The real workers will build something while the self-appointed advisory committee will not even exist in a few decades. Yup! Hee hee! ys pd             
  
https://www.iskconbangalore.org/daily-worship-schedule/

Jaipura devotees kirtan:

Lord Vamanadeva Celebrated

Lord Vamanadeva, the Dwarf Incarnation

Srimad Bhagavatam 8th Canto 18th Chapter Summary

This chapter describes how Lord Vamanadeva appeared and how He went to the sacrificial arena of Maharaja Bali, who received Him well and fulfilled His desire by offering Him benedictions.
Lord Vamanadeva appeared in this world from the womb of Aditi completely equipped with conchshell, disc, club and lotus. His bodily hue was blackish, and He was dressed in yellow garments. Lord Vishnu appeared at an auspicious moment on Sravana-dvadasi when the Abhijit star had arisen. At that time, in all the three worlds (including the higher planetary system, outer space and this earth), all the demigods, the cows, the brahmanas and even the seasons were happy because of God’s appearance. Therefore this auspicious day is called Vijaya. When the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has a sac-cid-ananda body, appeared as the son of Kasyapa and Aditi, both of His parents were very astonished. 

After His appearance, the Lord assumed the form of a dwarf (Vamana). All the great sages expressed their jubilation, and with Kasyapa Muni before them they performed the birthday ceremony of Lord Vamana. At the time of Lord Vamanadeva’s sacred thread ceremony, He was honored by the sun-god, Brihaspati, the goddess presiding over the planet earth, the deity of the heavenly planets, His mother, Lord Brahma, Kuvera, the seven rishis and others. Lord Vamanadeva then visited the sacrificial arena on the northern side of the Narmada River, at the field known as Bhrigukaccha, where brahmanas of the Bhrigu dynasty were performing yajnas. Wearing a belt made of munja straw, an upper garment of deerskin and a sacred thread and carrying in His hands a danda, an umbrella and a waterpot (kamandalu), Lord Vamanadeva appeared in the sacrificial arena of Maharaja Bali. 

Because of His transcendentally effulgent presence, all the priests were diminished in their prowess, and thus they all stood from their seats and offered prayers to Lord Vamanadeva. Even Lord Siva accepts on his head the Ganges water generated from the toe of Lord Vamanadeva. Therefore, after washing the Lord’s feet, Bali Maharaja immediately accepted the water from the Lord’s feet on his head and felt that he and his predecessors had certainly been glorified. Then Bali Maharaja inquired of Lord Vamanadeva’s welfare and requested the Lord to ask him for money, jewels or anything He might desire.

Lord Vamanadeva Begs Charity from Bali Maharaja
Srimad Bhagavatam 8th Canto 19th Chapter Summary

This Nineteenth Chapter describes how Lord Vamanadeva asked for three paces of land in charity, how Bali Maharaja agreed to His proposal, and how Sukracarya forbade Bali Maharaja to fulfill Lord Vamanadeva’s request.
When Bali Maharaja, thinking Vamanadeva to be the son of a brahmana, told Him to ask for anything He liked, Lord Vamanadeva praised Hiranyakasipu and Hiranyaksha for their heroic activities, and after thus praising the family in which Bali Maharaja had been born, He begged the King for three paces of land. Bali Maharaja agreed to give this land in charity, since this was very insignificant, but Sukracarya, who could understand that Vamanadeva was Vishnu, the friend of the demigods, forbade Bali Maharaja to give this land. 

Sukracarya advised Bali Maharaja to withdraw his promise. He explained that in subduing others, in joking, in responding to danger, in acting for the welfare of others, and so on, one could refuse to fulfill one’s promise, and there would be no fault. By this philosophy, Sukracarya tried to dissuade Bali Maharaja from giving land to Lord Vamanadeva.

Bali Maharaja Surrenders the Universe
Srimad Bhagavatam 8th Canto 20th Chapter Summary

The summary of this Twentieth Chapter is as follows. Despite his knowledge that Lord Vamanadeva was cheating him, Bali Maharaja gave everything to the Lord in charity, and thus the Lord extended His body and assumed a gigantic form as Lord Vishnu.

After hearing the instructive advice of Sukracarya, Bali Maharaja became contemplative. Because it is the duty of a householder to maintain the principles of religion, economic development and sense gratification, Bali Maharaja thought it improper to withdraw his promise to the brahmacari. To lie or fail to honor a promise given to a brahmacari is never proper, for lying is the most sinful activity. Everyone should be afraid of the sinful reactions to lying, for mother earth cannot even bear the weight of a sinful liar. The spreading of a kingdom or empire is temporary; if there is no benefit for the general public, such expansion has no value. 

Previously, all the great kings and emperors expanded their kingdoms with a regard for the welfare of the people in general. Indeed, while engaged in such activities for the benefit of the general public, eminent men sometimes even sacrificed their lives. It is said that one who is glorious in his activities is always living and never dies. Therefore, fame should be the aim of life, and even if one becomes poverty-stricken for the sake of a good reputation, that is not a loss. Bali Maharaja thought that even if this brahmacari, Vamanadeva, were Lord Vishnu, if the Lord accepted his charity and then again arrested him, Bali Maharaja would not envy Him. 

Considering all these points, Bali Maharaja finally gave in charity everything he possessed.

Lord Vamanadeva then immediately extended Himself into a universal body. By the mercy of Lord Vamanadeva, Bali Maharaja could see that the Lord is all-pervading and that everything rests in His body. Bali Maharaja could see Lord Vamanadeva as the supreme Vishnu, wearing a helmet, yellow garments, the mark of Srivatsa, the Kaustubha jewel, a flower garland, and ornaments decorating His entire body. The Lord gradually covered the entire surface of the world, and by extending His body He covered the entire sky. With His hands He covered all directions, and with His second footstep He covered the entire upper planetary system. Therefore there was no vacant place where He could take His third footstep.

Bali Maharaja Arrested by the Lord
Srimad Bhagavatam 8th Canto 21st Chapter Summary

This chapter describes how Lord Vishnu, desiring to advertise the glories of Bali Maharaja, arrested him for not fulfilling his promise in regard to the Lord’s third step.

With the second step the Supreme Personality of Godhead reached the topmost planet of the universe, Brahmaloka, which He diminished in beauty by the effulgence of His toenails. Thus Lord Brahma, accompanied by great sages like Marici and the predominating deities of all the higher planets, offered humble prayers and worship to the Lord. They washed the Lord’s feet and worshiped Him with all paraphernalia. Riksharaja, Jambavan, played his bugle to vibrate the glories of the Lord. When Bali Maharaja was deprived of all his possessions, the demons were very angry. 

Although Bali Maharaja warned them not to do so, they took up weapons against Lord Vishnu. All of them were defeated, however, by Lord Vishnu’s eternal associates, and, in accordance with Bali Maharaja’s order, they all entered the lower planets of the universe. Understanding Lord Vishnu’s purpose, Garuda, the carrier of Lord Vishnu, immediately arrested Bali Maharaja with the ropes of Varuna. When Bali Maharaja was thus reduced to a helpless position, Lord Vishnu asked him for the third step of land. Because Lord Vishnu appreciated Bali Maharaja’s determination and integrity, when Bali Maharaja was unable to fulfill his promise, Lord Vishnu ascertained that the place for him would be the planet Sutala, which is better than the planets of heaven.

Bali Maharaja Surrenders His Life
Srimad Bhagavatam 8th Canto 22nd Chapter Summary

The summary of this Twenty-second Chapter is as follows. The Supreme Personality of Godhead was pleased by the behavior of Bali Maharaja. Thus the Lord placed him on the planet Sutala, and there, after bestowing benedictions upon him, the Lord agreed to become his doorman.

Bali Maharaja was extremely truthful. Being unable to keep his promise, he was very much afraid, for he knew that one who has deviated from truthfulness is insignificant in the eyes of society. An exalted person can suffer the consequences of hellish life, but he is very much afraid of being defamed for deviation from the truth. 

Bali Maharaja agreed with great pleasure to accept the punishment awarded him by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Bali Maharaja’s dynasty there were many asuras who because of their enmity toward Vishnu had achieved a destination more exalted than that of many mystic yogis. Bali Maharaja specifically remembered the determination of Prahlada Maharaja in devotional service. Considering all these points, he decided to give his head in charity as the place for Vishnu’s third step. Bali Maharaja also considered how great personalities give up their family relationships and material possessions to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Indeed, they sometimes even sacrifice their lives for the satisfaction of the Lord, just to become His personal servants. Accordingly, by following in the footsteps of previous acaryas and devotees, Bali Maharaja perceived himself successful.

While Bali Maharaja, having been arrested by the ropes of Varuna, was offering prayers to the Lord, his grandfather Prahlada Maharaja appeared there and described how the Supreme Personality of Godhead had delivered Bali Maharaja by taking his possessions in a tricky way. While Prahlada Maharaja was present, Lord Brahma and Bali’s wife, Vindhyavali, described the supremacy of the Supreme Lord. Since Bali Maharaja had given everything to the Lord, they prayed for his release. 

The Lord then described how a nondevotee’s possession of wealth is a danger whereas a devotee’s opulence is a benediction from the Lord. Then, being pleased with Bali Maharaja, the Supreme Lord offered His disc to protect Bali Maharaja and promised to remain with him.

The Demigods Regain the Heavenly Planets
Srimad Bhagavatam 8th Canto 23rd Chapter Summary

This chapter describes how Bali Maharaja, along with his grandfather Prahlada Maharaja, entered the planet Sutala and how the Supreme Personality of Godhead allowed Indra to reenter the heavenly planet.
The great soul Bali Maharaja experienced that the highest gain in life is to attain devotional service under the shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet in full surrender. Being fixed in this conclusion, his heart full of ecstatic devotion and his eyes full of tears, he offered obeisances to the Personality of Godhead and then, with his associates, entered the planet known as Sutala. Thus the Supreme Personality of Godhead satisfied the desire of Aditi and reinstalled Lord Indra. 

Prahlada Maharaja, being aware of Bali’s release from arrest, then described the transcendental pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in this material world. Prahlada Maharaja praised the Supreme Lord for creating the material world, for being equal to everyone and for being extremely liberal to the devotees, just like a desire tree. Indeed, Prahlada Maharaja said that the Lord is kind not only to His devotees but also to the demons. In this way he described the unlimited causeless mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 

Then, with folded hands, he offered his respectful obeisances unto the Lord, and after circumambulating the Lord he also entered the planet Sutala in accordance with the Lord’s order. The Lord then ordered Sukracarya to describe Bali Maharaja’s faults and discrepancies in executing the sacrificial ceremony. Sukracarya became free from fruitive actions by chanting the holy name of the Lord, and he explained how chanting can diminish all the faults of the conditioned soul. He then completed Bali Maharaja’s sacrificial ceremony. 

All the great saintly persons accepted Lord Vamanadeva as the benefactor of Lord Indra because He had returned Indra to his heavenly planet. They accepted the Supreme personality of Godhead as the maintainer of all the affairs of the universe. Being very happy, Indra, along with his associates, placed Vamanadeva before him and reentered the heavenly planet in their airplane. Having seen the wonderful activities of Lord Vishnu in the sacrificial arena of Bali Maharaja, all the demigods, saintly persons, Pitas, Bhutas and Siddhas glorified the Lord again and again. 

The chapter concludes by saying that the most auspicious function of the conditioned soul is to chant and hear about the glorious activities of Lord Vishnu.

SB 8.23.1
sri-suka uvaca
ity uktavantam purusham puratanam
mahanubhavo ’khila-sadhu-sammatah
baddhanjalir bashpa-kalakulekshano
bhakty-utkalo gadgadaya girabravit

TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami said: When the supreme, ancient, eternal Personality of Godhead had thus spoken to Bali Maharaja, who is universally accepted as a pure devotee of the Lord and therefore a great soul, Bali Maharaja, his eyes filled with tears, his hands folded and his voice faltering in devotional ecstasy, responded as follows.

SB 8.23.2
sri-balir uvaca
aho pranamaya kritah samudyamah
prapanna-bhaktartha-vidhau samahitah
yal loka-palais tvad-anugraho ’marair
alabdha-purvo ’pasade ’sure ’rpitah

TRANSLATION

Bali Maharaja said: What a wonderful effect there is in even attempting to offer respectful obeisances to You! I merely endeavored to offer You obeisances, but nonetheless the attempt was as successful as those of pure devotees. The causeless mercy You have shown to me, a fallen demon, was never achieved even by the demigods or the leaders of the various planets.

PURPORT

When Vamanadeva appeared before Bali Maharaja, Bali Maharaja immediately wanted to offer Him respectful obeisances, but he was unable to do so because of the presence of Sukracarya and other demoniac associates. The Lord is so merciful, however, that although Bali Maharaja did not actually offer obeisances but only endeavored to do so within his mind, the Supreme Personality of Godhead blessed him with more mercy than even the demigods could ever expect. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (2.40), svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat: “Even a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.” The Supreme Personality of Godhead is known as bhava-grahi janardana because He takes only the essence of a devotee’s attitude. If a devotee sincerely surrenders, the Lord, as the Supersoul in everyone’s heart, immediately understands this. Thus even though, externally, a devotee may not render full service, if he is internally sincere and serious the Lord welcomes his service nonetheless. Thus the Lord is known as bhava-grahi janardana because He takes the essence of one’s devotional mentality.

SB 8.23.30

TRANSLATION

If one hears about the uncommon activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His various incarnations, he is certainly elevated to the higher planetary system or even brought back home, back to Godhead.
.
SB 8.23.31

TRANSLATION

Whenever the activities of Vamanadeva are described in the course of a ritualistic ceremony, whether the ceremony be performed to please the demigods, to please one’s forefathers in Pitriloka, or to celebrate a social event like a marriage, that ceremony should be understood to be extremely auspicious.

PURPORT

There are three kinds of ceremonies—specifically, ceremonies to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead or the demigods, those performed for social celebrations like marriages and birthdays, and those meant to please the forefathers, like the sraddha ceremony. In all these ceremonies, large amounts of money are spent for various activities, but here it is suggested that if along with this there is recitation of the wonderful activities of Vamanadeva, certainly the ceremony will be carried out successfully and will be free of all discrepancies.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Eighth Canto, Twenty-third Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled “The Demigods Regain the Heavenly planets.”

Western Lady Dragged Out of Jagganath temple

[PADA: Well its starting a conversation over there about the policy of not allowing all of Jagganatha's devotees into His temple. Srila Prabhupada told us this is bodily consciousness, and it is. ys pd]

GBC knew Brooklyn Bharati Center was also using ISKCON title

https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=1046680533208211450&hl=en&lr=lang_en&as_sdt=2006&as_vis=1&oi=scholaralrt

BROOKLYN BUREAU OF COMMUNITY SERVICES, THE BHARATI CENTER, INC., A/K/A INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS (ISKCON), A/K/A HARE KRISHNA CENTER; ISKCON OF BROOKLYN PROPERTIES, INC., A/K/A INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS (ISKCON), A/K/A HARE KRISHNA CENTER, A/K/A BHARATI CENTER, INC., ISKCON OF NEW YORK, INC., A/K/A INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS (ISKCON) A/K/A HARE KRISHNA CENTER A/K/A BHARATI CENTER, INC., and CONGREGATION MOUNT SINAI, Defendants.

[PADA: Congregation Mt. Sinai?]

India's "Cashless Society" a Total Bust

https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-09-01/demonetization-modi-s-biggest-move-is-total-bust

[PADA: Yep, everyone in India should have a virtual wallet app on their smartphone, and use "virtual cashless transactions" by paying for all their items at the shop with a wifi / cloud based payment system, which the government can then monitor. Fine. 

What about the millions of people who do not even have an old flip phone, and they have no access to ANY phone? What about the people who have a village where there is no wifi service? What about hacking into the wallet app if your phone is not well protected from spyware? What if the bank is hacked?

America is a lot more technologically advanced than India, and even here the smartphone app program has all sorts of problems, it simply does not work all the time and problems that need correcting means a log time on the phone getting technical help. Then again there are a number of India villages where there is no bank at all, so they cannot load their virtual account? 

I think this news account is correct, the India leaders were highly over ambitious and all they did was create a lot of chaos for the mass of people with little tangible good result. That is the problem all around, India is trying to become a Westernized technology society, and its just not going to happen despite all these big plans, and the more they try to artificially "enter the 21st century of technology" the more problems will ensue for the masses. ys pd