Govinda Dasi Writes / ISKCON Gurus Competing 05 27 24

 

GOVINDA DASI

Some of the more unfortunate aspects of Iskcon history. Yet, by grace of Srila Prabhupada, much is being corrected and more will be corrected as the younger generations progress.

The only hope is to focus on Srila Prabhupada, his original writings, his lectures and most of all his kirtans. Placing him in the center, as Founder Acharya, will save everything and everyone.

IMHO

“ISKCON GURUS COMPETE WITH EACH OTHER LIKE RIVALS

- ISKCON scholar Thomas J. Hopkins described: “Prabhupada had been 81 at the time of his departure, while few of his senior disciples were as old as 40. The gap between Prabhupada’s age and that of his disciples had been a significant factor in the authority he exercised over them and the willingness on their part to accept his authority. When he departed, the leadership role suddenly fell on a group of disciples who were all not only two generations younger but also all more or less the same age. 

Instead of accepting authority from an experienced devotee who was old enough to be their grandfather, the situation was now more like having one’s brothers in charge—with all of the possibilities for sibling rivalry that that opened up.”

Zonal Acharyas (p.112-3) spoke of their immaturity: “Who could mediate conflicts between the eleven? Just a few years earlier, they had been completely dependent on Prabhupada to resolve disagreements between them. When Prabhupada passed in 1977, Ramesvara was 26, Jayapataka 28, Harikesh, Hrdayananda and Jayatirtha 29, Bhagavan 30, Tamal 31, Hansadutta 36, Satsvarupa and Bhavananda 37. Kirtanananda was 40. 

There was no senior Vaishnava within ISKCON who could advise them. Ramesvara’s calling Hansadutta a ‘schmuck’ was only one example of the immaturity of the eleven ISKCON zonal acharyas, as conflicts and fighting between them occurred frequently. Ramesvara and Hansadutta were well known as bitter enemies, but others also fought. 

[...] When New Vrindaban secretly sent ‘pickers’ to Ramesvara’s zone, his devotees slashed New Vrindaban vans’ tires. When Hansadutta sent collectors into Kirtanananda’s zone, New Vrindaban dispatched a dozen men who broke into their rented Cincinatti warehouse, confiscated their collecting paraphernalia, and sent a message to Hansadutta: ‘This is our zone, stay out!’ 

In addition to collecting money outside their zones, the ISKCON gurus also competed for disciples. [...] Yasodanandana das, the Vrindaban gurukula headmaster, recalled, ‘They fought each other to amass disciples, wealth, and power. I remember in 1978 the gurus fighting over the boys in the ashrams; one claim was countered by another zonal guru, “No, this boy is my disciple!” These boys were mostly 7 to 9 years old. They would say, “This boy is my disciple; he comes from my zone.” It was petty quarrelling. Once they began claiming proprietorship over their zones and disciples, the once-united and unified ISKCON had split and dissolved.’”

DEVOTEES BECOME SUICIDAL OUT OF SPIRITUAL DESPAIR 

-Govinda dasi wrote about several suicidal devotees that she knew, who had suffered serious abuse in ISKCON, and were only saved by turning to Srila Prabhupada. The history of the abuse of devotees in ISKCON was severe in too many cases, and reflects the extremes of the untouchable and unaccountable new gurus who practically did as they liked without responsibility or conscience. We know of two suicides attributable to the extreme excesses by the new gurus, one in the Phillipines, the other in St. Louis, both under the auspices of Tamal. 

“I noticed the same with Gopijanavallaba Swami. I was doing books with him just days before his suicide. Some devotees also blame Tamal for his depresssion.” (Narasimha das, 2015) Surely there were many more. We have heard about gurukulis who resorted to suicide due to of being sexually or otherwise abused.” (Srila Prabhupada’s Hidden Glories, 1.555)

[NOTE: PARTS of this are from the writings of Henry Doktorski].