Why is ISKCON stuck with Lokanath swami? ETC. 08 14 24

Sri Krishna

Art by PADA

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Why ISKCON is stuck with Lokanath swami 

PADA: The problem with Lokanath is -- as some of the India leaders already told me -- they have to keep Lokanath because he has too many wealthy disciple donors, and ISKCON needs the cash income. If they ban Lokanath, and he leaves ISKCON and starts his own spin off operation, then the wealthy Lokanath disciples will leave with him, and ISKCON will suffer too much financially. 

Right now Basu Ghosh is complaining that the money for their $20,000,000 Bangalore lawsuit is starting to get behind, and so there has been a lot of focus on getting more and more funds for their legal battles, and thus they are reluctant to jettison one of their big cash cows. They will jettison one lesser important guy here or there to make it look like they are fixing things, but the bigger fish leaders are pretty much untouchable teflon Dons. 

Same reason they never call Jayapataka on the carpet for all the child mistreatment in Mayapur -- and his love and protection for the various predators that have ended up there. He is another one of their teflon Dons. In sum, Lokanath means $$$ for their whole India operation, and they don't want to harm that relationship. ys pd

L DASI: ...exactly

RND: It's not just the money, although that is undoubtedly a factor.

More than this however, LS has thousands of disciples and followers who's lives' would be thrown into complete chaos & major disarray should he be removed, plus, & this is even bigger, when one of the highest profile leaders, the biggest of the big-guns goes down, the reputational damage, especially in India, would be totally incalculable, catastrophic & possibly irrevocable.

They cannot afford to have the ISKCON brand damaged like this, especially when they're so high profile & on an expansionist roll like they are now.

This is why all attempts to unseat LS will fail, unless he himself voluntarily steps down, which he won't be allowed to do, even if he wishes to.

I've spent time in ISKCON India & have a degree of understanding of how these things work.

PADA:  Very true. Every time a guru bloops, leaves in a scandal, or is replaced for other reasons, there is always all sorts of chaos. When Jayatirtha left, his zone went bankrupted and they lost Croome Court. When Bhagavan left -- his zone went bankrupted and has floundered ever since. When Harikesh left -- his zone went bankrupted, and places like Austria still owe a big fine to the government. When Bhavananda left, his zone lost hundreds of people. When Hansadutta left, ISKCON Berkeley lost over a hundred people and had maybe 20 people left and it still has about the same number, it has also never recovered. When Ramesvara left, they lost a huge chunk of his people. 

When Tamal went off to Narayan Maharaja, he took thousands of people away with him, many of them never returned. When Prithu blooped, he left many of his people bewildered and a number of them left. Satsvarupa has very few active followers left after all his scandals. So yeah, they have learned a long time ago that losing a guru causes them a lot of problems. However, when they hold emergency meetings after their guru is gone, there is very little discussion about the trauma, chaos and problems they caused the followers, the main topic is -- how will we fill the financial and manpower hole? 

There does not seem to be a lot of concern for the trauma and chaos they are causing the followers and victims, rather they are now trying to remove hundreds of more people from Bangalore temple right now, so they can cause chaos and trauma for those folks. In other words, it seems the main concern for "the reputation of ISKCON" has more to do with the financial integrity of the GBC guru brotherhood than the problems they are causing the citizens. 

But yeah, I agree, the already know what happens when they have a guru go missing in action, and they want to avoid that. But I have seen that most of the subsequent discussions after a guru is gone -- has to do with the funding problems, how will we fund the zone, and not so much the chaos they are causing for the members. They have gone to the Hindus for funding now, so if they lose that resource, they have little to nothing options left. 

It was basically the same thing when we were handling the child mistreatment lawsuit, they held big meetings on Watseka with their lawyers, but they would not say one word to me when I rode by on my bike. In sum! They did not want to hear my numerous collated trauma victim's acounts, they were mostly worried about -- how are we going to fund all this and pay our lawyers? The chaos and problems they are causing people, including the children, is not a big priority issue self evident. ys pd

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Patita Pavana Das  

THE BLACK GRANITE DEITY OF PRABHUPADA AT BENGALURU 

Keep an open mind on this one, Prabhus. Whatever you feel about the philosophical execution of devotional service at Hare Krishna Hill, a few things must be considered. The black granite deity of Shrila Prabhupada has a far greater likelihood of being around in 500 years, 1,000 years or 10,000 years than any other likeness of our spiritual master, His Divine Grace Shrila Prabhupada (except, perhaps, some metal murtis). 

Further, whether we agree or not with the concept of initiation there, the Krishna cartoon, the food project, then we should ask ourselves if any part of the movement today is beyond fault. During these times when temples under ISKCON's ultimate management authority are introducing Mayavada, are teaching yoga, changing the books, and neglecting the Guru's order to create farms, at least the bhaktas on Hare Krishna Hill are endeavoring for a narrower path along the razor's edge. 

The official tirade of ISKCON's Shastric Advisory Committee against this black granite deity of Guru Maharaja is that it is not bonafide because Prabhupada is displaying the jnana mudra. My eyes were opened about such issues recently in a series of posts on the page of Jahnava Nitai Das, founder and director of the Bhadrak Bhaktivedanta Ashram in Odisha. Jahnava Nitai dasa has as much or more experience in the creation and installation of Deities than you'll find anywhere else in ISKCON. 

I confess that I our young Godbrother's arguments in favor of this deity are so convincing, that I have made an e-book of his Facebook essays (and comments). Previously, I was neutral on the subject, but since he has opened my eyes, I am coming to understand that Shrila Prabhupada must also be there in this deity, too. And why would such an ocean of compassion as our Diksha Guru Maharaja not be where devotees sing and pray to him sincerely? 

Anyway, you are entitled to your opinions, but if you'd like to study this 40-page e-book heavily illustrated with many examples, just message me and I'll send it along. In preparing this, I am recalling the great Ekalavya who became one of the world's greatest archers by worshiping a deity of Shri Dronacharya, unbeknownst to the great guru of Mahabharata Message me, and the book is on the way..

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The Movement or the Institution
Part 6 - Conclusion

We all now know that the leaders of the Institution are very serious criminals or blind materialistic imitators that either way cannot be reformed.

Srila Prabhupada was aware that they were poisoning him and that they wanted to become gurus for profit, adoration and fame. But he tricked them by giving them the right to be Ritvik representatives. A right some of them already had because HDG was using the Ritvik method from as early as 1970 by empowering some of his leading disciples to act as representatives.

Since they lied to the world that HDG made them diksa gurus and had made a criminal pact to stand up for each other’s lie, the body of devotees believed them and the direction of the movement was diverted from what HDG wanted, to a misrepresentation of his method of expansion. The method he implemented to guarantee the living being goes back to Godhead.

Srila Prabhupada realised their plan and sent a message to his sincere disciples via his sister confirming that he was going to let them kill him and commit the ultimate offence; so that the Institution under their deceptive management would be destroyed as he knew reform was impossible, due to their mentality of disrespect proven by what they were doing to him, his books and his mission.

There are many statements given by HDG to prove he was empowered to be the Sampradaya diksa acharya for the movement for the balance of this age and that there was no need within his plan for anyone to become the next acharya/ Diksha guru.

He had established the conditions that the GBC were to be his disciples; that Trustees of his book trust must be his disciples; that no one was qualified to take his diksa position; and that he had appointed various Ritviks from temple presidents to sanyasi disciples throughout his pastimes and that additional Ritviks could be added to the list as long as they were his disciples in good standing (maintaining their initiation vows). 

Therefore it is easy to understand why He said he would have millions of disciples. That was his plan. This demonstrates the depth of his compassion and potency earning him the topmost position as the Sampradaya acharya for the balance of the age.

The fulfilment of all of this is possible without the requirement for his physical presence.

Everyone can see that his murder, the authorisation lie and compound offences upon his disciples, forced a derailment that has caused 50 years of pain for Srila Prabhupada. This period of unauthorised gurus has proven that reform is impossible and has totally stunted the true expansion of the movement destined to take place through the empowered Ritvik representation method that HDG had established.

These facts and many other clues that fit together when one looks honestly at the instructions and statement by HDG that the Movement can thrive simply by following his instructions. The instruction most suppressed however, is his plan to continue the Ritvik representative method. This is because Ritvik is his empowered disciple’s role-to-play within the movement. We are to act as responsible disciples employing this method as his humble Ritvik representatives.
Actually it is an offense to berate and disobey the implementation of the Ritvik method because it is the authorised method established by our Sampradaya Acharya, Srila Prabhupada. All those foolish neophyte students arrogantly thinking otherwise beware.

However we are now left with a stunted Movement due to the numerous deviations that have smothered the enthusiasm of his honest disciples and blocked the recognition of his bonified method, while dismissing our empowerment to succeed that is inherent in his Ritvik method.

The unauthorised members of the Institution have propounded a total neophyte conception of our spiritual master Srila Prabhupada. Let us be very clear; Srila Prabhupada is the ONLY AUTHORISED Sampradaya Diksa Acharya. ALL others are unauthorised gurus and cannot deliver the ultimate desired result for the disciple. To think otherwise is illusion.

The true perspective is that HDG is on the Supersoul platform and has a direct relationship with each and every student and disciple perpetually.

That relationship is not dependent on the Institution. He is simultaneously inside and outside of the Institution but he is always with his sincere disciples.
Therefore every sincere devotee knows that Srila Prabhupada wants to re-adjust the focus to his established Ritvik method again and restart the progress of the movement. The solution is for all of the disciples of HDG to arise (start strictly following his instructions and maintaining their vows) and accept their inheritance of being a Ritvik representative of the acharya and bring potential disciples to HDG as he established.

In this way every disciple can reawaken their empowerment to deliver the sleeping potential students; and guide those that would not accept the unauthorised gurus; and reclaim those that accepted an unauthorised guru and have since awaken to the deception and renounced the cheaters. By the mercy of a Ritvik empowered disciple they can qualify to maintain the vows of initiation to Srila Prabhupada.

The qualification is the same for everyone; to follow the vows of initiation and the principle instructions given in his books. One can thereby become a disciple in good standing and receive the Ritvik empowerment inheritance. We must maintain our vows and read his original books faithfully following his instructions to qualify.

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Question: "after you, who will take the leadership?"
Srila Prabhupada: ‘Everyone will take, all my disciples. If you want, you can take also. But if you follow. They are prepared to sacrifice everything, so they’ll take the leadership. I may, one, go away, but there will be hundreds and they’ll preach.
If you want, you can also become a leader. We have no such thing, that ‘here is leader.’ Anyone who follows the previous leadership, he’s a leader.

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There is a very high possibility that the future of the movement will be as disassociated pockets of a few realised devotees that have established a direct one-on-one relationship with HDG and are living quite happily without false Institutional dependency. Communities of selfless Vaisnavas cooperating and encouraging each other to maintain firm faith is the presence, potency and instructions of Srila Prabhupada and no one else.

For the sincere to accept the responsibility of saving the movement, every disciple of Srila Prabhupada must take up the position of a Ritvik representative (leader). This is the responsibility portion of the inheritance of being a disciple of Srila Prabhupada. He is the empowered acharya with the capability to empower his disciples to make this salvation happen. We have seen that he is the maker of hundreds of Shakti-avesa avatars. 

Labelling HDG as simply a Shakti-avesa avatar belittles his actual position as the empowered acharya for the Sampradaya and casts doubt upon his potency to continue to direct this movement and each and every student personally.
Whether you simply instruct potential students to follow and worship HDG only or you actually perform the diksa ceremony on his behalf, everyone must restart the preaching as a Ritvik representative of the spiritual master of the Sampradaya Srila Prabhupada.

You cannot save the Institution, so stop trying. Get up, get out and accept your responsibility by following the instructions of HDG in total and ignore the past 50 years of deviation and deception. The unauthorised are being dealt with by divine intervention.

Now is the time for you to do the right thing by becoming a leader. Everyone is to become a disciple of Srila Prabhupada and make everyone else into his disciple as well. That is the solution of the movement’s sorry condition.

We must return to the spiritual mentality of being servants of HDG eternally. This servant mentality has been smothered by selfishness of unauthorised leaders and their misled, even fanatical followers.

Srila Prabhupada is the spirit energising the movement through his presence in his books, instructions and his surrendered disciples.

This service perspective will revive and revitalise the hearts and enthusiasm of his disciples and the movement simultaneously and begin a new chapter of expansion that we know is destined by divine decree.

The result will be that the deviates are lost and the Movement is back on track.
Our Prabhupada family may be widely spread out around the world but if you are sincere Srila Prabhupada will guide everyone from his books and the Supersoul platform as necessary for the continued growth of the Movement.

Let the whole world unite as disciples of the empowered Sampradaya Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada as his humble disciples.
Advaita das (ACBSP)