His Divine Grace Srila Dog Pada
October 19, 1993: On this date in history 30 years ago, New Vrindaban devotees host a "Heart Song" meeting in the men’s prasadam room of the RVC temple to share their thoughts about the recent alleged sexual controversy Bhaktipada has been accused of (the Winnebago Incident of September 6, 1993) and subsequent events.
After hearing criticism of Bhaktipada, Janmastami, a devoted Bhaktipada loyalist, begins heated accusations: “I heard Bhaktipada say personally that he was innocent and that settles it! Anyone who says anything else is a liar!” His wife chimes in, “According to scripture, I have a right to kill half of the people in this room!”
There are about 50 people there. After six-and-a-half hours of emotionally-charged heart talking, the meeting has no conclusion. Nityodita Swami, a Prabhupada disciple who had lost his faith in Bhaktipada as a spiritual master, expresses it nicely, “We will go on meeting like this for a hundred years and not come to any conclusions.”
(Gold, Guns and God, Vol. 9, p. 285)
PADA: Janmastami has given us a lot of inside info on the New Vrndavana plans to assassinate us dissenters, which is to his credit. Unfortunately, he is still a hard headed fanatic on other levels -- and he has a tendency to attack me for other reasons. So I had to cease communications with him. I just don't need to have more people insulting me -- when there is an army of people already engaged in that process.
He still wants to re-write history incorrectly on some issues. I was told his house was raided by the police because he was growing marijuana illegally. It never seems to end with these guys, they seem to be attracted to criminality, if not intoxication, if not other deviations.
That is not the process to attain Krishna. And they are just making life much harder for us regular devotees -- by giving Krishna's devotees a bad public rap sheet. I am not surprised he was a Kirtanananda fanatic however, when he was talking to me, he kept trying to talk over me. He does not listen very well, and that is the basic problem with fanatics. ys pd
angel108b@yahoo.com
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Mahananda dasa
Srila Prabhupada's letters revealing Kirtanananda's unfortunate situation
Whereabouts are Unknown
Hare Krsna... please accept my humble obeisances. For a long time I have wanted to create a paper to delve into the phenomenon that happened at New Vrindavan when Kirtanananda Swami created his community there.
There are several reasons for this. One important reason is to try to shine some light on the topic for the benefit of those good souls who are still confused about the whole development and subsequent collapse of the West Virginia community that flourished there for years.
In 1969 Kirtanananda visited our Temple in Detroit when my wife Hladini and I were new, enthusiastic bhaktas there. At that first fateful meeting, I couldn't see into the future how we would eventually move to New Vrindaban, how I would be disenchanted with the community and leave New Vridaban forever and never return, or how my good wife would want to stay behind and would become his faithful servant for 17 years--only to be eventually disillusioned, practically exiled to Africa, and eventually killed by a warlord during the revolution in Liberia.
PADA: We have to ask why New Vrndavana folks like Bhakti Tirtha swami ordered her to go to Liberia, when the US state department had said it is not safe due to the civil war. According to Hladini's travel mate (Radha Govinda dasi) -- they were sent there on purpose because Hladini was going to expose Bhakti Tirtha's "love letters." Something went terribly wrong here pilgrims. Someone told me the only good side of all this is, at least she was liberated from being under their control.
Since some do somehow blame some of her problems on Kirtanananda and another well known sannyasis intimately associated with Hladini before her death, but who has himself passed away, one might be convinced that I am doing this paper with some agenda. And some might cheer that, but I can honestly say that that is not the case.
PADA: Bhakti Tritha was taking karma from people, which is forbidden for neophytes, and he got cancer and died. A nurse friend of PADA says that African Americans almost never get his form of cancer, because the form of cancer he developed is usually associated with African Americans who engage in homosexual acts, in almost all cases. I don't know, but I do know he went through a lot of suffering, and yeah, he should not be taking karma and ordering helpless females to enter a deadly civil war zone.
Whatever happened is what happened and it was a very long time ago and I hold no grudge against anyone. But still I have always had this urge to dig into the truth about the Kirtanananda era of New Vrindavan. Besides this internal urge, over the years there are still occasionally persons whom I've talk to on the Internet that are interested in Krsna but are confused about New Vrindaban and they have asked me to help them understand what went on there.
So to start with, I shall dig up many letters from Srila Prabhupada, beginning at the time when Kirtanananda took sannyasa and Srila Prabhupada sent him to London to open a temple. These many letters from Prabhupada will reveal our beloved guru's feelings about the behavior of his first sannyasa, which will shape the feelings and understanding of those sincere devotees that will read these letters. I welcome the efforts and comments of others to add to this effort...
PADA: Also explains why they wanted to take out me and Sulochana, because we were publishing these letters. In fact one guru told Sulochana he would be "dead meat on a hook" if he published these letters. And he was "dead meat on a hook" shortly after that.
I guess the biggest confusion and question in the minds of many is whether or not the controversial changes he made were bona fide. It was claimed at the time by his followers that "Bhaktipada" was a pure soul, that he was being prompted by a higher power, and that anything done by such a person is acceptable.
Of course, when a person is fully surrendered to Krsna, Krsna does dictate from within, and whatever is done by such a person, irrespective of whether it is socially acceptable or in line with current morals or values, those actions ARE transcendental. But unless Kirtanananda was pleasing his spiritual master, there is no question of his pleasing Krsna. So, our idea here is to discover through these many letters whether his actions were pleasing or displeasing to Srila Prabhupada.
Because, as devotees, we are not servants of Krsna. We are servants of His servants. So to understand whether Kirtanananda's actions were "bona fide," it is important to understand whether or not what he was doing was pleasing and sanctioned by his spiritual master, who kindly introduced him to Krsna.
When we disobey the pure devotee guru we loose our link to Krsna. We become independent and loose the shelter of the internal potency, or, in other words, we again come under the strict control of the modes of nature. The scriptures enjoin that one who displeases his spiritual master, "his whereabouts are unknown."
So the first thing I shall do is look for letters to and about Kirtanananda dasa from Srila Prabhupada that will very clearly show if Kirtanananda was simply a submissive extension of disciplic succession who was following closely in the footsteps of Srila Prabhupada and thus pleasing both his guru and Krsna, or if he was an unfortunate soul who had seriously displeased and offended his blessed gurudeva and thus was working independently and was subject to the reactions to his own plans. I assume most devotees already know that answer by now, so this paper is directed to those who need to actually think about what they believe and whom they accept as perfect.
From the point that Srila Prabhupada sends him to London, I will include all of the letters where he mentions Kirtanananda, in order, and will not just pick those that support a particular idea. Our desire here is to reveal the truth and not to present a biased characterization of Kirtanananda.
We must keep in mind that Srila Prabhupada loved Kirtanananda greatly as he did all of his disciples. Our desire here is not to do any harm to Kirtanananda. Srila Prabhupada would be very pleased if anyone could in anyway help to bring his wayward children back to Krsna's Lotus Feet, as was Srila Prabhupada's only mission. So we never want to work against own guru by being envious towards our god brothers, even if they have fallen down. But still, it is important that the truth be known.
PADA: OK let us be real. Kirtanananda and his whole crew wanted me and Sulochana, and maybe others, to be assassinated. They had no real love for their God brothers, they wanted to exterminate some of them. And they would have, except the Federal Agents helped me by arresting their hit squad here in Berkeley.
Kirtanananda was envious of us, and he was envious we were exposing his pedophile tendencies -- and so he just made a whole fleet of clones -- who also hated us and were envious. And they wanted us to die, so their pedophile guru cult could continue. We are always worried about offending these brothers, while they are worried about how they can have us assassinated.
Sugata Das Acbsp
Mahananda Dasa thank you for posting this. My experience was similar to yours. I visited New Vrindavan for a 3-day weekend to see Srila Prabhupad in 1974 and could see that Kirtanananda clearly was a sociopath. All my God siblings that I was friends with never ever moved to New Vrindavan but so many of them left and shared their Tales of Horror.
I would encourage you and anyone else to read Hrishkesh/ Henry Doktorski's excellent 10 part history of New Vrindavan "Gold, Guns and God." To understand what actually transpired from an objective historical point of view. As the old adage goes, "Those that don't study history are doomed to repeat it."
http://www.henrydoktorski.com/GoldGunsGod.html
Gold, Guns and God: A Biography of Swami Bhaktipada and a History of the West Virginia Hare Krishna Community
HENRYDOKTORSKI.COM
Gold, Guns and God: A Biography of Swami Bhaktipada and a History of the West Virginia Hare Krishna Community
Gold, Guns and God: A Biography of Swami Bhaktipada and a History of the West Virginia Hare Krishna Community
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We see there are many who still follow Kirtanananda, at least in their hearts, and feel that he has been misunderstood. I am hoping that we can help here to put things in proper perspective so that all intelligent devotees can adjust their thinking and can advance in their devotional path. To be successful in this small endeavor, I pray for the blessings of our beloved gurudeva, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
To begin our search....
Srila Prabhupada had great hopes for his young disciple. In August and September of 67 he writes to a few of his disciples about Kirtanananda's entrance into the sannyas order. Srila Prabhupada's idea was that Kirtanananda was to travel and open centers as he had done in Montreal.
To Jadarani: (Aug 22, 1967) "...it has been decided by me to transform Kirtanananda into a Swami, and he may then go back to Montreal for improving the center, and for opening more centers in that country."
To Woomapati: (Sept 5) "Kirtananda is now a fully Krsna conscious person as he has accepted sannyas on the birthday of Lord Krsna with great success. He is the first sannyas in my spiritual family and I hope he will return back home to begin preaching work with great vigor and success."
By late September, Srila Prabhupada had decided to send him to London instead.
To the devotees in LA he writes: (Sept 20) "Kirtanananda is going back to London tomorrow. I have advised him to start a center in London positively and after a month Rairama will join him from Boston. Kirtanananda has experience to start a new center and therefore I have entrusted him with this great task. I hope he will be successful there as I have given him one important letter of introduction for London. Please pray to the Lord that he may be successful"
The same day Kirtanananda left for London Srila Prabhupada writes to Brahmananda to tell him of his plans: "Kirtanananda has already gone back this morning. I have given him an introductory letter to London. In this connection, much money has been spent from the building fund. If he gets a favorable response, then Rayrama may join him there, and when he goes, I shall go. I think that I am now fit to travel and Krsna will give me strength."
Prabhupada was including Kirtanananda in many of his plans for expanding the movement and now he was preparing to send Rayrama also. Srila Prabhupada himself was thinking that he too wanted to join them there. So the following day he wrote his disciple Rayrama to tell him of his plans for London.
"Yesterday morning I sent Kirtanananda to London with a letter of introduction to Miss DC Bowtell 27 Cornhurst Road London NW 2 Basurey Gaudiya Math. I hope this lady who is supposed to be a Gaudiya Vaisnava will receive him well there and there is possibility to start a center there. You were to start for London by the beginning of November, if Miss B gives us her cooperation and Kirtanananda is successful in his mission you will reach there timely and on receipt of a favorable report myself and Acyutananda may also go"
But Srila Prabhupada was soon to get a great shock and seeming setback to his plans when he learned that Kirtanananda never really planned to go to London in the first place and had tricked him. He had considered Kirtanananda a loyal disciple and he was greatly aggrieved by this foolish move by his first sannyas, as indicated by the letter he writes a few days later to Hayagriva in America.
"Kirtanananda Swami prearranged with you to reach on the 24th instant but he arranged here with me that he would stop at London and I gave him one important introduction letter. Although he had in his mind not to stop at London and yet promised before me that he would go, for which I gave him extra $20.00. I cannot understand why he played with me like this.
To begin our search....
Srila Prabhupada had great hopes for his young disciple. In August and September of 67 he writes to a few of his disciples about Kirtanananda's entrance into the sannyas order. Srila Prabhupada's idea was that Kirtanananda was to travel and open centers as he had done in Montreal.
To Jadarani: (Aug 22, 1967) "...it has been decided by me to transform Kirtanananda into a Swami, and he may then go back to Montreal for improving the center, and for opening more centers in that country."
To Woomapati: (Sept 5) "Kirtananda is now a fully Krsna conscious person as he has accepted sannyas on the birthday of Lord Krsna with great success. He is the first sannyas in my spiritual family and I hope he will return back home to begin preaching work with great vigor and success."
By late September, Srila Prabhupada had decided to send him to London instead.
To the devotees in LA he writes: (Sept 20) "Kirtanananda is going back to London tomorrow. I have advised him to start a center in London positively and after a month Rairama will join him from Boston. Kirtanananda has experience to start a new center and therefore I have entrusted him with this great task. I hope he will be successful there as I have given him one important letter of introduction for London. Please pray to the Lord that he may be successful"
The same day Kirtanananda left for London Srila Prabhupada writes to Brahmananda to tell him of his plans: "Kirtanananda has already gone back this morning. I have given him an introductory letter to London. In this connection, much money has been spent from the building fund. If he gets a favorable response, then Rayrama may join him there, and when he goes, I shall go. I think that I am now fit to travel and Krsna will give me strength."
Prabhupada was including Kirtanananda in many of his plans for expanding the movement and now he was preparing to send Rayrama also. Srila Prabhupada himself was thinking that he too wanted to join them there. So the following day he wrote his disciple Rayrama to tell him of his plans for London.
"Yesterday morning I sent Kirtanananda to London with a letter of introduction to Miss DC Bowtell 27 Cornhurst Road London NW 2 Basurey Gaudiya Math. I hope this lady who is supposed to be a Gaudiya Vaisnava will receive him well there and there is possibility to start a center there. You were to start for London by the beginning of November, if Miss B gives us her cooperation and Kirtanananda is successful in his mission you will reach there timely and on receipt of a favorable report myself and Acyutananda may also go"
But Srila Prabhupada was soon to get a great shock and seeming setback to his plans when he learned that Kirtanananda never really planned to go to London in the first place and had tricked him. He had considered Kirtanananda a loyal disciple and he was greatly aggrieved by this foolish move by his first sannyas, as indicated by the letter he writes a few days later to Hayagriva in America.
"Kirtanananda Swami prearranged with you to reach on the 24th instant but he arranged here with me that he would stop at London and I gave him one important introduction letter. Although he had in his mind not to stop at London and yet promised before me that he would go, for which I gave him extra $20.00. I cannot understand why he played with me like this.
"If he had no desire to go to London he would have plainly told me like that. It has certainly given me a great shock. He is one of my very faithful disciples and if he does like that how can I prosecute my programs. I have received one post card from him from London Airport in which he writes that he is going directly to NY. I understand also from Umapati's letter that he has already reached New York although I have not heard anything from him from New York. It is all my misfortune."
So Kirtanananda had prearranged to disobey his guru and meet with Hayagriva, his old friend and roommate, just two days after he left Delhi for London. This offense at the lotus feet of his spiritual master marked the beginning of a long decline into even move serious transgressions that caused much grief to our beloved master, Srila Prabhupada, who in later letters gives use greater insight into Kirtanananda's developing relationship with his gurudev.
For another week, Srila Prabhupada does not mention the incident with Kirtanananda in his letters, but by October 3rd he decided to send Rayarama to London to do what he had wanted Kirtanananda to do.
He writes on that day to Satsvarupa: "In my last letter to Brahmananda and Hayagriva I've already requested that Rayarama take the introductory letter from Kirtanananda and as previously settled Rayarama may go to London in Nov. In London there is one Miss D.C. Bowtell, 27 Cranhurst Rd., Crickle cod, London. NW. 2.
So Kirtanananda had prearranged to disobey his guru and meet with Hayagriva, his old friend and roommate, just two days after he left Delhi for London. This offense at the lotus feet of his spiritual master marked the beginning of a long decline into even move serious transgressions that caused much grief to our beloved master, Srila Prabhupada, who in later letters gives use greater insight into Kirtanananda's developing relationship with his gurudev.
For another week, Srila Prabhupada does not mention the incident with Kirtanananda in his letters, but by October 3rd he decided to send Rayarama to London to do what he had wanted Kirtanananda to do.
He writes on that day to Satsvarupa: "In my last letter to Brahmananda and Hayagriva I've already requested that Rayarama take the introductory letter from Kirtanananda and as previously settled Rayarama may go to London in Nov. In London there is one Miss D.C. Bowtell, 27 Cranhurst Rd., Crickle cod, London. NW. 2.
"This old lady was given Hari Nama while my Guru Maharaja was on earth. Since then she is maintaining one apartment and may be doing some preaching work. So Rayarama may open some correspondence with her before going there. This will help in the matter of opening a center in London. This function was intended for Kirtanananda. While returning to NY, he was to stop there and see her but he was so much frenzied to see and meet his old friends that he forgot the order of Krishna and indulged in a sort of sense gratification. It is certainly a shocking incident which I never expected from a disciple like Kirtanananda."
Later that day, Srila Prabhupada wrote to his disciples in LA praising them for their service there and told them about the Kirtanananda incident. What he said gives us a better insight into our connection with Krsna through our spiritual master and the importance of accepting the orders of our guru as being those of Krsna.
He writes, ''I am very glad that you are now in Los Angeles and organizing the most important temple. I had great desire to have our center in L.A. and by grace of Krishna you have fulfilled my desire. I had another great desire to open a temple in London and hoped also that Kirtanananda after accepting sannyasa would do this job. For this purpose he was given an introductory letter to a London lady along with expenses. However, out of his whim he did not go to London but went directly to New York''.
''This is a terrible example and it has shocked me. Your service attitude encourages me because Krishna can never be an order supplier. We should always remember that Krishna is the only order giver. His order is received through the agency of the spiritual master. The bona fide spiritual master is the manifested representative of Krishna. The spiritual master is described in the scriptures as good as Krishna because he is the most confidential servitor of Krishna. To please the spiritual master is to please Krishna. On this principle we must advance our Krishna Consciousness and there is no danger."
But our Srila Prabhupada is very forgiving. The next day he writes to Brahmananda about Kirtanananda's arrival in NY.... "I am glad to learn that Kirtanananda Swami is now in N.Y. and that he looks very nice in midst of his glowing God-brothers. But he would have been looking more nice if he had stayed in London for a few days as it was settled here. Anyway, I shall be very glad if Kirtanananda goes with Rayarama to London and opens a branch there cooperatively. He has got an introductory letter for a London lady. Immediate correspondence may be opened with her."
A few days later, after learning that Kirtanananda was planning a lecture at Harvard, Srila Prabhupada writes to his disciple Satsvarupa in Boston, and we begin to understand the real significance of this act of disobedience.
"Kirtanananda may be eager to address in the Harvard University but recently he has lost his link on account of disobedience. You sing every morning that by the mercy of the Spiritual master one can please the Lord and one who has not pleased the spiritual master cannot have any access in the realm of Krishna Consciousness. Very recently Kirtanananda has developed a different consciousness of Maya which is called misuse of one's minute independence offered by Krishna. "
"By misuse of one's independence one at once becomes a victim of Maya and thus he loses all importance in Krishna Consciousness. So it is my definite opinion that his lecture anywhere now will bear no spiritual sequence. He must rectify his mistake before he can play in our Society any important role. By lips he says that he is a surrendered soul but by action he is thinking differently."
Actually, it wouldn't be until some years later that Kirtanananda would have the full freedom at New Vrindaban to make all the well known changes in Srila Prabhupada's devotional process such as type of clothing, etc, but one can see from the content of Srila Prabhupada's early letters that Kirtanananda tried at his earliest opportunity to start introducing what his guru would call "nonsense."
Over the next two weeks, Srila Prabhupada got many reports from so many persons about the trouble Kirtanananda was causing. On October 11th Prabhupada wrote to Brahmananda.
"Regarding change of dress, I beg to inform you that every Krishna conscious person must be clean shaved, must have Tilaka on the forehead and other eleven places and must have the Sikha on the top of the head besides beads on the neck as usual. Rarely one can continue to keep beard but it is better not to keep it to distinguish oneself from the hippies. We must let the public know that we are not hippies''.
''Do not try to follow the unauthorized advice of Kirtanananda. Nobody cares for the dress; every sane man follows the philosophy and practical talks. Let Kirtanananda Swami do something practical. Let him do whatever he likes and let us see that thousands of American are following him. Unless he does so do not accept his principles. I think all of you except a Sannyasi may dress yourself just like a fine up to date American gentleman but one must have the Tilaka ,etc, as I have mentioned above. "
"Kirtanananda is the first man in our society who was cleanly shaved and kept the Sikha on the top of the head and now he has begun to keep beard again. This is not good. Whatever he is doing nowadays has no sanction from me. And he has deliberately disobeyed me by not going to London. Now he appears to be out of my control and therefore I advise you not to follow his principles unless he shows practically something wonderful. I gave him a chance to do this in the matter of opening a Branch in London but he has failed to do it.''
''Now let him show first of all that by seeing his newly grown beard he has been successful to have many Americans following him and our financial condition has improved, then try to follow his instruction. Otherwise reject all idle talks. A Krishna conscious person must be seen by ears and not by the eyes or in other words one should try to know the depth of realization by a Krishna conscious person and not see the beard which has become the practice of the hippies."
Then Srila Prabhupada writes to Rayarama on the 13th and strongly admonishes Kirtanananda's misbehavior. ''I am very sorry to hear that Kirtanananda is advising you to give up the robes and the flags on the head. Please stop this nescience as I never instructed Kirtanananda to act like that. I am not at all satisfied with this action of Kirtanananda. Kirtanananda has no right to instruct you in that way, without consulting me."
"People are being attracted to the chanting of Hare Krishna and not to Kirtanananda's devices. Kirtanananda suggested to me when he was here that the Americans do not like the robes and flag. I told him personally if you think that Americans in great numbers will follow you, simply for not having robes & flag, I therefore advised him to drop for a few days in London & test this theory. But he has gone directly to N.Y. and is now causing these disturbances without consulting me. "
"I have not sanctioned these methods. In my opinion, Clean shaved Bramacharis and Grhasthas in saffron robes look like angels from Vaikunta. Translation of prayers into English is good & if somebody dresses like nice American gentleman without any robes, I have no objection; but every one of my disciples must have the flag and marks of tilak on forehead. This is essential. Besides that, nobody should do anything without my sanction."
"I am very sorry to hear Kirtanananda, without doing anything practical, changes his ideas constantly. He was first man in our society to take the robes and shave cleanly, and take flag but now he is changing his position.... I say straight that Kirtanananda is wrong and you are right when you say that the movement will come to nothing if I am not satisfied with your actions."
Next, I shall reveal the letters that Srila Prabhupada sent over the next few weeks to his disciples, instructing them how to deal with his renegade sannyasa.
On Oct 13th he wrote to Jadurani: "You have written to say that I am 'as hard as the thunderbolt & softer than a rose' is quite right in the line of Krishna Consciousness. I am very sorry to inform you that Kirtanananda is playing the part of a foolish man after his return to N.Y. and it is necessary for me to play the part of a thunderbolt for his nonsense activities. He has unnecessarily instructed something to Damodara which is not sanctioned by me. Since he has developed this nonsensical attitude so much so that he is dictating something which is not sanctioned by me, all his instructions should be neglected. Please inform this to all centers."
Then he writes to Brahmananda these two letters....
"I have received a letter from Damodara (dated Oct. 9) in which he writes to say: 'Swami Kirtanananda has returned to the United States and is causing quite a stir among the devotees. Following his suggestions, we have stopped wearing robes and have cut off our flags. He said these appurtenances are too strange-looking to outsiders and only make it more difficult for them to consider chanting Hare Krishna. Swami Kirtanananda has said we must avoid appearing to be Orientalists if we are to have 108 centers in the US.'''
"This is very much disturbing to me and has caused me much pain. Please therefore stop Kirtanananda from making his mental concoctions. Do not be misled by him. I have never advised him to act like that. If he is causing such disturbances he should not be allowed to indulge in such nonsensical activities. I have already written you to inform you that somehow or other he has become crazy; otherwise he would not have disobeyed me to go directly to N.Y."
"For the time being he has cut all link with me, therefore any instruction given by him is unauthorized and should at once be rejected. He has no right to dictate as he has without my sanction. Whatever is to be done will be executed when I return. He is too much puffed-up nonsensically therefore you should copy this letter and forward to all centers that Kirtanananda has no right to dictate anything to the Society in this way. I am very sorry that he is exploiting his present position as a sannyasi. I have no objection if members of the Society dress like nice American gentlemen; but in all circumstances a devotee cannot avoid tilak, flag on head, and beads on neck. These are essential features of a Vaisnava. Hope you are well.''
And on October 16th: Dear Brahmananda"Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter (dated Oct. 10) and I've also received Kirtanananda's letter. From different centers of our society the news of the activities of Kirtanananda is giving me too much pain. From Rayarama's letter it is clear that Kirtanananda has not rightly understood Krishna Consciousness philosophy and it appears that he does not know the difference between impersonal & personal features of Krishna. The best thing will be to prohibit him to speak in any of our functions or meetings. "
"It is clear that he has become crazy and he should once more be sent to Bellevue. He was in Bellevue (mental hospital) before and with great difficulty and with the help of Mr. Ginsberg we got him out. But it appears that he has developed his madness again, therefore if he is not sent to Bellevue then at least he should be stopped from speaking such nonsense. It is clear from his activities that he has been attacked by maya; he is a victim. We shall pray to Krishna for his recovery but we cannot allow him to speak on my behalf. I am trying to return as soon as possible & when I return everything will be all right. Hope you are well…"
Then on the 16th he writes to Rayarama: "I have already requested Brahmananda to stop Kirtanananda's speaking at any of our functions till my arrival. If he wants to preach anything he can do it on his own in a different place. Krishna is certainly one and different, but his oneness is stressed by the impersonalists which is distinct from our philosophy.
Later that day, Srila Prabhupada wrote to his disciples in LA praising them for their service there and told them about the Kirtanananda incident. What he said gives us a better insight into our connection with Krsna through our spiritual master and the importance of accepting the orders of our guru as being those of Krsna.
He writes, ''I am very glad that you are now in Los Angeles and organizing the most important temple. I had great desire to have our center in L.A. and by grace of Krishna you have fulfilled my desire. I had another great desire to open a temple in London and hoped also that Kirtanananda after accepting sannyasa would do this job. For this purpose he was given an introductory letter to a London lady along with expenses. However, out of his whim he did not go to London but went directly to New York''.
''This is a terrible example and it has shocked me. Your service attitude encourages me because Krishna can never be an order supplier. We should always remember that Krishna is the only order giver. His order is received through the agency of the spiritual master. The bona fide spiritual master is the manifested representative of Krishna. The spiritual master is described in the scriptures as good as Krishna because he is the most confidential servitor of Krishna. To please the spiritual master is to please Krishna. On this principle we must advance our Krishna Consciousness and there is no danger."
But our Srila Prabhupada is very forgiving. The next day he writes to Brahmananda about Kirtanananda's arrival in NY.... "I am glad to learn that Kirtanananda Swami is now in N.Y. and that he looks very nice in midst of his glowing God-brothers. But he would have been looking more nice if he had stayed in London for a few days as it was settled here. Anyway, I shall be very glad if Kirtanananda goes with Rayarama to London and opens a branch there cooperatively. He has got an introductory letter for a London lady. Immediate correspondence may be opened with her."
A few days later, after learning that Kirtanananda was planning a lecture at Harvard, Srila Prabhupada writes to his disciple Satsvarupa in Boston, and we begin to understand the real significance of this act of disobedience.
"Kirtanananda may be eager to address in the Harvard University but recently he has lost his link on account of disobedience. You sing every morning that by the mercy of the Spiritual master one can please the Lord and one who has not pleased the spiritual master cannot have any access in the realm of Krishna Consciousness. Very recently Kirtanananda has developed a different consciousness of Maya which is called misuse of one's minute independence offered by Krishna. "
"By misuse of one's independence one at once becomes a victim of Maya and thus he loses all importance in Krishna Consciousness. So it is my definite opinion that his lecture anywhere now will bear no spiritual sequence. He must rectify his mistake before he can play in our Society any important role. By lips he says that he is a surrendered soul but by action he is thinking differently."
Actually, it wouldn't be until some years later that Kirtanananda would have the full freedom at New Vrindaban to make all the well known changes in Srila Prabhupada's devotional process such as type of clothing, etc, but one can see from the content of Srila Prabhupada's early letters that Kirtanananda tried at his earliest opportunity to start introducing what his guru would call "nonsense."
Over the next two weeks, Srila Prabhupada got many reports from so many persons about the trouble Kirtanananda was causing. On October 11th Prabhupada wrote to Brahmananda.
"Regarding change of dress, I beg to inform you that every Krishna conscious person must be clean shaved, must have Tilaka on the forehead and other eleven places and must have the Sikha on the top of the head besides beads on the neck as usual. Rarely one can continue to keep beard but it is better not to keep it to distinguish oneself from the hippies. We must let the public know that we are not hippies''.
''Do not try to follow the unauthorized advice of Kirtanananda. Nobody cares for the dress; every sane man follows the philosophy and practical talks. Let Kirtanananda Swami do something practical. Let him do whatever he likes and let us see that thousands of American are following him. Unless he does so do not accept his principles. I think all of you except a Sannyasi may dress yourself just like a fine up to date American gentleman but one must have the Tilaka ,etc, as I have mentioned above. "
"Kirtanananda is the first man in our society who was cleanly shaved and kept the Sikha on the top of the head and now he has begun to keep beard again. This is not good. Whatever he is doing nowadays has no sanction from me. And he has deliberately disobeyed me by not going to London. Now he appears to be out of my control and therefore I advise you not to follow his principles unless he shows practically something wonderful. I gave him a chance to do this in the matter of opening a Branch in London but he has failed to do it.''
''Now let him show first of all that by seeing his newly grown beard he has been successful to have many Americans following him and our financial condition has improved, then try to follow his instruction. Otherwise reject all idle talks. A Krishna conscious person must be seen by ears and not by the eyes or in other words one should try to know the depth of realization by a Krishna conscious person and not see the beard which has become the practice of the hippies."
Then Srila Prabhupada writes to Rayarama on the 13th and strongly admonishes Kirtanananda's misbehavior. ''I am very sorry to hear that Kirtanananda is advising you to give up the robes and the flags on the head. Please stop this nescience as I never instructed Kirtanananda to act like that. I am not at all satisfied with this action of Kirtanananda. Kirtanananda has no right to instruct you in that way, without consulting me."
"People are being attracted to the chanting of Hare Krishna and not to Kirtanananda's devices. Kirtanananda suggested to me when he was here that the Americans do not like the robes and flag. I told him personally if you think that Americans in great numbers will follow you, simply for not having robes & flag, I therefore advised him to drop for a few days in London & test this theory. But he has gone directly to N.Y. and is now causing these disturbances without consulting me. "
"I have not sanctioned these methods. In my opinion, Clean shaved Bramacharis and Grhasthas in saffron robes look like angels from Vaikunta. Translation of prayers into English is good & if somebody dresses like nice American gentleman without any robes, I have no objection; but every one of my disciples must have the flag and marks of tilak on forehead. This is essential. Besides that, nobody should do anything without my sanction."
"I am very sorry to hear Kirtanananda, without doing anything practical, changes his ideas constantly. He was first man in our society to take the robes and shave cleanly, and take flag but now he is changing his position.... I say straight that Kirtanananda is wrong and you are right when you say that the movement will come to nothing if I am not satisfied with your actions."
Next, I shall reveal the letters that Srila Prabhupada sent over the next few weeks to his disciples, instructing them how to deal with his renegade sannyasa.
On Oct 13th he wrote to Jadurani: "You have written to say that I am 'as hard as the thunderbolt & softer than a rose' is quite right in the line of Krishna Consciousness. I am very sorry to inform you that Kirtanananda is playing the part of a foolish man after his return to N.Y. and it is necessary for me to play the part of a thunderbolt for his nonsense activities. He has unnecessarily instructed something to Damodara which is not sanctioned by me. Since he has developed this nonsensical attitude so much so that he is dictating something which is not sanctioned by me, all his instructions should be neglected. Please inform this to all centers."
Then he writes to Brahmananda these two letters....
"I have received a letter from Damodara (dated Oct. 9) in which he writes to say: 'Swami Kirtanananda has returned to the United States and is causing quite a stir among the devotees. Following his suggestions, we have stopped wearing robes and have cut off our flags. He said these appurtenances are too strange-looking to outsiders and only make it more difficult for them to consider chanting Hare Krishna. Swami Kirtanananda has said we must avoid appearing to be Orientalists if we are to have 108 centers in the US.'''
"This is very much disturbing to me and has caused me much pain. Please therefore stop Kirtanananda from making his mental concoctions. Do not be misled by him. I have never advised him to act like that. If he is causing such disturbances he should not be allowed to indulge in such nonsensical activities. I have already written you to inform you that somehow or other he has become crazy; otherwise he would not have disobeyed me to go directly to N.Y."
"For the time being he has cut all link with me, therefore any instruction given by him is unauthorized and should at once be rejected. He has no right to dictate as he has without my sanction. Whatever is to be done will be executed when I return. He is too much puffed-up nonsensically therefore you should copy this letter and forward to all centers that Kirtanananda has no right to dictate anything to the Society in this way. I am very sorry that he is exploiting his present position as a sannyasi. I have no objection if members of the Society dress like nice American gentlemen; but in all circumstances a devotee cannot avoid tilak, flag on head, and beads on neck. These are essential features of a Vaisnava. Hope you are well.''
And on October 16th: Dear Brahmananda"Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter (dated Oct. 10) and I've also received Kirtanananda's letter. From different centers of our society the news of the activities of Kirtanananda is giving me too much pain. From Rayarama's letter it is clear that Kirtanananda has not rightly understood Krishna Consciousness philosophy and it appears that he does not know the difference between impersonal & personal features of Krishna. The best thing will be to prohibit him to speak in any of our functions or meetings. "
"It is clear that he has become crazy and he should once more be sent to Bellevue. He was in Bellevue (mental hospital) before and with great difficulty and with the help of Mr. Ginsberg we got him out. But it appears that he has developed his madness again, therefore if he is not sent to Bellevue then at least he should be stopped from speaking such nonsense. It is clear from his activities that he has been attacked by maya; he is a victim. We shall pray to Krishna for his recovery but we cannot allow him to speak on my behalf. I am trying to return as soon as possible & when I return everything will be all right. Hope you are well…"
Then on the 16th he writes to Rayarama: "I have already requested Brahmananda to stop Kirtanananda's speaking at any of our functions till my arrival. If he wants to preach anything he can do it on his own in a different place. Krishna is certainly one and different, but his oneness is stressed by the impersonalists which is distinct from our philosophy.
"Our philosophy of Krishna's oneness and difference is explained in the 9th Ch, 4th verse of B.G., in which it is clearly stated that Krishna is one by distribution of his diverse energies. When Krishna controls his diverse energies he does not become impersonal. If Kirtanananda believes in one-Self, why does he stress the vibration and not the words? Why does he find difference in vibration and words? If he believes in one there is no difference between vibration and words? And why shouldn't one be attached to the chanting? All this means that he has no clear idea and he is talking nonsense. If Kirtanananda does not understand this philosophy then better he should stop speaking nonsense. I can understand his designs but I cannot help because I am far away from the place. I am leaving here with a note to Kirtanananda which you please show him & do the needful. Hope you are well."
Finally, on the 16th of October, Srila Prabhupada writes to Kirtanananda and confronts him.
Calcutta16th October, 1967My dear Kirtanananda,
Please accept my blessings. I've received your note along with Brahmananda's for first time since you left to N.Y. You had no desire to stop in London. This is clear to me from Hayagriva's letter which indicated that you had already planned to go there even before you left India. Since you have returned to N.Y. you have falsely dictated that I do not want the robes or flags. Why are you disturbing the whole situation in my absence. I never ordered you to speak like that. They must continue to have robes and tilak and flags and they must distinguish themselves from the hippies. I never objected to any of my students dressing like nice American gentleman, clean shaved; those who are my disciples must have flag, tilak and beads on neck without fail. Anyway I never advised you to dictate on my behalf, please therefore do not misrepresent me. You have been given sannyasa to follow my principles and not to disturb me. If you do not agree with my philosophy you can work independent and not with-in the walls of ISKCON. You have not understood Krishna properly. The best thing will be to stop your talks my return and if you love me at all please do not talk in any meeting but chant in solitary place--anywhere you like. Hope you are well.
Your ever well-wisherA. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Then on October 17th Srila Prabhupada wrote to Pradumna about Kirtanananda. He writes: ''Regarding Kirtanananda, he is undoubtedly a good soul, but lately he has been attacked by maya; he thinks too much of himself--even at the risk of disobeying his spiritual master and talking nonsense about Krishna. As a man haunted by a ghost talks so much nonsense, so also when a man is overpowered by the illusory energy--maya, also talks all sorts of nonsense.
Finally, on the 16th of October, Srila Prabhupada writes to Kirtanananda and confronts him.
Calcutta16th October, 1967My dear Kirtanananda,
Please accept my blessings. I've received your note along with Brahmananda's for first time since you left to N.Y. You had no desire to stop in London. This is clear to me from Hayagriva's letter which indicated that you had already planned to go there even before you left India. Since you have returned to N.Y. you have falsely dictated that I do not want the robes or flags. Why are you disturbing the whole situation in my absence. I never ordered you to speak like that. They must continue to have robes and tilak and flags and they must distinguish themselves from the hippies. I never objected to any of my students dressing like nice American gentleman, clean shaved; those who are my disciples must have flag, tilak and beads on neck without fail. Anyway I never advised you to dictate on my behalf, please therefore do not misrepresent me. You have been given sannyasa to follow my principles and not to disturb me. If you do not agree with my philosophy you can work independent and not with-in the walls of ISKCON. You have not understood Krishna properly. The best thing will be to stop your talks my return and if you love me at all please do not talk in any meeting but chant in solitary place--anywhere you like. Hope you are well.
Your ever well-wisherA. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Then on October 17th Srila Prabhupada wrote to Pradumna about Kirtanananda. He writes: ''Regarding Kirtanananda, he is undoubtedly a good soul, but lately he has been attacked by maya; he thinks too much of himself--even at the risk of disobeying his spiritual master and talking nonsense about Krishna. As a man haunted by a ghost talks so much nonsense, so also when a man is overpowered by the illusory energy--maya, also talks all sorts of nonsense.
"The last attack of maya upon the conditioned souls is impersonalism. There are 4 stages of attack of maya; viz.: 1 stage is that a man wants to be a protagonist of religion, 2 is that man neglects religiosity and tries to improve his economic development, 3) is to be protagonist of sense enjoyment and when a man is frustrated in all the above mentioned stages he comes to 4, which is impersonalism, and thinks himself one with the Supreme.
"This last attack is very serious and fatal. Kirtanananda has very recently developed the 4th stage malady on account of his negligence and disobedience to his spiritual master. Sometimes a foolish patient when he is out of feverish attack by the grace of the physician, thinks that he is cured and does not take precaution against relapse. Kirtanananda's position is like that. Because he helped the society in starting the Montreal center I thought he is now able to start other branches and when he asked me to give him sannyasa I agreed, taking the opportunity of his presence in Vrndavana.
"Simply by his Sannyas dress he thought himself as cured of all material diseases and all mistakes, but under the influence of maya he thought himself a liberated patient, just as the foolish patient thinks himself cured from the disease. Under the spell of maya, he deliberately disobeyed me by not going to London and consequently his disease has relapsed. Now in N.Y. he has began to dictate nonsense in my name--such as giving up robes, flags etc.
"Instead of opening new centers he has began to deliver his nonsense sermons amongst his God-brothers which are all against our principles. For the present he should simply chant Hare Krishna and cease to deliver lectures because he has not understood the whole philosophy very nicely.''
''Regarding the hippy religion; we must distinguish ourselves from the hippies. The hippies generally maintain long hair and beard and in order to distinguish ourselves from them we should be clean shaved. When our devotees go outside I have no objection if he dresses as nice American or Canadian gentleman. Up to date gentlemen are all clean shaved so if we do not keep long hair and dress ourselves nicely with tilaka, flag and beads on the neck, apart from our devotional service, then certainly we shall be distinct from the hippies. I think we should follow this principle rigidly and there is no question of giving up robes in the temple.''
to be cont'd- your humble servant, Mahananda dasa
PADA: Yep, many of the seniors like Tamal, Bhagavan, Hansadutta, Satsvarupa, Brahmananda, Gargamuni, Malati, Jadurani and others knew that Kirtanananda had problems in his relationship to Srila Prabhupada. But when he became the acharya, most of them did not complain, and many of them went along with his deviations. And then when Sulochana began to publish these letters, they ganged up to stop him. ys pd
''Regarding the hippy religion; we must distinguish ourselves from the hippies. The hippies generally maintain long hair and beard and in order to distinguish ourselves from them we should be clean shaved. When our devotees go outside I have no objection if he dresses as nice American or Canadian gentleman. Up to date gentlemen are all clean shaved so if we do not keep long hair and dress ourselves nicely with tilaka, flag and beads on the neck, apart from our devotional service, then certainly we shall be distinct from the hippies. I think we should follow this principle rigidly and there is no question of giving up robes in the temple.''
to be cont'd- your humble servant, Mahananda dasa
PADA: Yep, many of the seniors like Tamal, Bhagavan, Hansadutta, Satsvarupa, Brahmananda, Gargamuni, Malati, Jadurani and others knew that Kirtanananda had problems in his relationship to Srila Prabhupada. But when he became the acharya, most of them did not complain, and many of them went along with his deviations. And then when Sulochana began to publish these letters, they ganged up to stop him. ys pd
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Sugata Das Acbsp
Mahananda Dasa thank you for posting this. My experience was similar to yours. I visited New Vrindavan for a 3-day weekend to see Srila Prabhupad in 1974 and could see that Kirtanananda clearly was a sociopath. All my God siblings that I was friends with never ever moved to New Vrindavan but so many of them left and shared their Tales of Horror.
I would encourage you and anyone else to read Hrishkesh/ Henry Doktorski's excellent 10 part history of New Vrindavan "Gold, Guns and God." To understand what actually transpired from an objective historical point of view. As the old adage goes, "Those that don't study history are doomed to repeat it."
http://www.henrydoktorski.com/GoldGunsGod.html
Gold, Guns and God: A Biography of Swami Bhaktipada and a History of the West Virginia Hare Krishna Community
HENRYDOKTORSKI.COM
Gold, Guns and God: A Biography of Swami Bhaktipada and a History of the West Virginia Hare Krishna Community
Gold, Guns and God: A Biography of Swami Bhaktipada and a History of the West Virginia Hare Krishna Community
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https://youtu.be/bmZDCsoBb20?si=Zk_mM0dEi0bdnO3-
Krishnas: Gurus. Karma. Murder. | Official Trailer | Peacock Original
YOUTUBE.COM
SJ: Some believe: "He had AND STILL HAS plenty of accomplices who are also responsible for wrecking Prabhupada's mission. They too should be unmasked and exposed." Mahananda das: Thank you. I feel that this is an important service to clear doubts and confusion.
PADA: Yep, well that is the problem, too many people supported Kirtanananda and they did not support me and Sulochana when we were exposing the corruption [and child mistreatment] there. Satsvarupa was writing against us, and Narayan Maharaja was helping Satsvarupa make propaganda against us. So there was a conspiracy to prop up Kirtanananda by many of these elders, despite people like SDG knew all about Kirtanananda, Hayagriva, Umapati and others being former Mott Street boys.
Krishnas: Gurus. Karma. Murder. | Official Trailer | Peacock Original
YOUTUBE.COM
SJ: Some believe: "He had AND STILL HAS plenty of accomplices who are also responsible for wrecking Prabhupada's mission. They too should be unmasked and exposed." Mahananda das: Thank you. I feel that this is an important service to clear doubts and confusion.
PADA: Yep, well that is the problem, too many people supported Kirtanananda and they did not support me and Sulochana when we were exposing the corruption [and child mistreatment] there. Satsvarupa was writing against us, and Narayan Maharaja was helping Satsvarupa make propaganda against us. So there was a conspiracy to prop up Kirtanananda by many of these elders, despite people like SDG knew all about Kirtanananda, Hayagriva, Umapati and others being former Mott Street boys.
There is no way a Mott Street boy would become a pure acharya in 10 years and really we all knew that, but they wanted to create an illusion, and they did. As ISKCON seniors and long time sadhus like Narayan Maharaja, they should have been freeing us from illusions, and not making worse illusion than we already had as karmis. At least when I was a karmi I knew that deviants are not, were not, and could not have been -- God's successors. After Narayan Maharaja invited me to his ashram, and left me sitting all day refusing to see me, he went to spent time hugging Kirtanananda, this was and is a conspiracy against us Prabhupada devotees. I will be speaking about this on the Hare Krishna special Peacock show on Oct. 24th. Yes, there was a conspiracy against us, and Hladini was one of the victims. I also would have been a victim except the Federal Authorities arrested the three goons they sent to get me. ys pd
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