Ukraine / Truth Commission 02 18 25

Chapter 4: Transcendental Knowledge

TEXT 36

api ced asi papebhyah
sarvebhyah papa-krt-tamah
sarvam jnana-plavenaiva
vrjinam santarisyasi

SYNONYMS

api—even; cet—if; asi—you are; papebhyah—of sinners; sarvebhyah—of all; papa-krttamah—the greatest sinner; sarvam—all such sinful actions; jnana-plavena—by the boat of transcendental knowledge; eva—certainly; vrjinam—the ocean of miseries; santarisyasi—you will cross completely.

TRANSLATION

Even if you are considered to be the most sinful of all sinners, when you are situated in the boat of transcendental knowledge, you will be able to cross over the ocean of miseries.

PURPORT

Proper understanding of one's constitutional position in relationship to Krsna is so nice that it can at once lift one from the struggle for existence which goes on in the ocean of nescience. This material world is sometimes regarded as an ocean of nescience and sometimes as a blazing forest. In the ocean, however expert a swimmer one may be, the struggle for existence is very severe. If someone comes forward and lifts the struggling swimmer from the ocean, he is the greatest savior. Perfect knowledge, received from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the path of liberation. The boat of Krsna consciousness is very simple, but at the same time the most sublime.

===

PADA: There seems to be a rift going on between the ISKCON members of Russia and Ukraine, with each side trying to justify their country's situation. Someone sent me an article about a Russian ISKCON kirtan guy making care packages of cookies and sweets to send to their Russian soldiers. OK, he is on the side of Russia. And the Ukraine devotees are very upset with this guy.

Meanwhile, whatever else anyone has to say, Russia has lost maybe 1% of its male population, maybe more, with many fleeing the county, many others being taken out in the war. I would not call that winning by any account. 

A devotee told me Russia is winning just like ISKCON is winning. 

There is a big amount of empty temples, complete with banned, beaten, molested, sued and killed devotees, and all sorts of assorted suffering, damage, carnage -- and still -- they are immortal gurus who are winning. Winning what? 

One Russian widow is on Tik Tok crying that "Russia is turning into a country of crying mothers, widows and children who will never see their father again." Yep, that is not winning. But the material energy is not known for making pleasant things happen all the time. And that is why we are advised to get free of the clutches of the material world. Anyway, here are a few updates on these events:

ys pd angel108b@yahoo.com    

UKRAINE UPDATE

Correspondence of Bhakti Rasayana Sagar Swami with Devarisi (Lviv).
Statements of Bhakti Rasayana Sagar Swami:

1. Ukraine itself is to blame for the war with Russia.

"You see, you don't even believe in Krishna anymore, because you are so fixated on politics... The corpses [of Ukrainians] are the sad result of the decision of Ukrainian politicians and their henchmen not to resolve issues through negotiations, that is, PEACEFULLY, but to fight. They can give you weapons, but who will return the dead to you?"

2. Russia is not guilty of aggression against Ukraine, just as the police are not guilty of attacking a criminal.

"If the one who attacks with a weapon (the aggressor) is always to blame, then it turns out that, for example, the police have no right to attack bandits? And what does it do when it sees them? According to the bandits, the POLICE are also idiots who meddle in other people's business."

3. Putin is a great president.

"About Putin: he has professional military and political training. Also, he has vast experience in the post of political leadership. Is this true or false?
He also has considerable experience in conducting special operations wars: South Ossetia, Chechnya, which took 20 years, but he still achieved his goal."

4. Swami is beyond duality and beyond the parties to the "conflict".

"It is clear that any war brings a lot of problems for everyone. And everyone presents only the version that is beneficial to themselves. Studying conflictology, we learned that any conflict has at least three versions of explaining the causes and consequences: on the one hand, the opposite, and also on the NEUTRAL. And it is far from a fact that at least one of them is completely OBJECTIVE.

War is also a conflict, only a very large-scale one, so all the same principles apply to it. Everyone thinks that only he is right, and all the fault lies exclusively with the other side. To live happily, the main thing is to find those who are to blame for my problems."

5. Swami believes that both sides are under the influence of propaganda, but the Russians are kind, and the Ukrainians are aggressive.

"As for fanaticism, the desire for superiority, etc. on the list - I agree that now egoism and hatred under the influence of political propaganda are capturing more and more people. And it is absolutely certain that we see devotees who have also fallen under this influence. And unfortunately, this is happening not only in Russia in relation to Ukraine, but in the opposite direction as well. Moreover, I see that in the Russian Federation, basically - I am not talking about some terrible examples, you can always find them, but here they are still more divided - Ukrainians are good people, but those who fell under aggressive anti-Russian propaganda - unfortunately, are incurable and we have to fight with them. 

However, on the opposite side, there is not even a hint of such a division, everyone who lives or even treats Russia well - these are enemies who deserve merciless destruction."

6. Swami fought demonic communists, but now Russia has changed for the better.

"Yes, I fought the communist ideology only because it fundamentally rejected God. Therefore, I believed that they were demons and enemies. But now in the Russian Federation, since the early 90s, there is no communist system, religion is valued, although of course, we, as devotees, are still considered a sect, but that is another matter. Gradually, everything is changing for the better, I think in relation to us too."

7. Swami - the herald of the commandment to love your enemy.

"I have been recalling the words of Jesus more and more lately: Love your enemy. If people at least followed this, there would never be a war."

AMERICA GUARANTEED UKRAINE'S SECURITY

PADA: The USA coaxed, coerced and pressured Ukraine to give up their nukes and promised that the USA would defend them if they were invaded. Well that did not happen. If they still had their nukes -- no one would have invaded. Now America is waffling on defending Ukraine. 

Anyway, I am personally not necessarily a fan of Ukraine per se, and I know there is a lot of karma churning around here, but I do believe the USA made a big mistake encouraging them to give up their nukes, leaving them vulnerable to an attack, as happened. 

And that is therefore now -- the karma -- good or bad -- of the USA. The USA coerced them to give up their nukes. The USA promised to defend them once they disarmed, they did disarm, and if people are suffering the result of the USA brokering a bad deal, then the USA gets some, or even a lot of the karma of that result. 

If we in the USA took away their defenses, and promised to defend them, and we are not, then we are implicated in collective karma as a nation. Of course, the USA has promised to defend the Kurds and others, and then not followed up. Then again Trump is correct to say, Obama and Biden never made any forceful counter to all this, and that is why it has dragged on forever. But that does not mean the USA is free of its obligations. 

If someone gives up their weapons on the agreement that I will defend them, and when they are attacked -- I sit around eating popcorn while watching them be attacked or even killed without helping, then I am implicated in the karma of the troubles they are receiving. And yeah, that will not be pleasant karma. 

The devotees who keep telling me "this is all karma" are partially correct, except they seem to forget that allowing the persons whom we agreed to protect get attacked, and killed, is also karma. But yeah, all of the above is bad karma unfolding and we should expect such in the Kali Yuga. As shastra says, the material world is an interknitting knot of karmic reactions, and for us to try to untangle these knots -- won't be an easy task.

Where this all goes now is anyone's guess, Europe might step up supplying Ukraine. They might start to target Russian oil tanker ships to cripple the Russian economy. They might go back to get on board with Trump's plan. They might just go it alone with whatever help they can get from wherever. 

In any case, it will be a mess whatever the outcome. I feel bad for all those people, but especially the devotees in the middle of all this on either side. Their lives have become very complicated until all this is settled. 

ys pd  angel108b@yahoo.com

Yet another history lesson, even though Kissinger, at his time, had said it loud and clear: “Being an enemy of the USA can be dangerous, but being friends with it is fatal.”

In the early 1990s, Ukraine found itself with the world's third-largest nuclear arsenal after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Under pressure from the international community, particularly the US, Ukraine's President Leonid Kravchuk agreed to denuclearize.

In return for giving up its nuclear arsenal, Ukraine received security assurances from the US, Russia, and the UK. These assurances, formalized in the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances, included recognition of Ukraine's independence, respect for its existing borders, and a commitment to refrain from the threat or use of force against Ukraine.

However, when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, Ukraine's government and Western observers argued that Russia had violated the Budapest Memorandum. The US and other Western countries imposed sanctions on Russia in response. Ukraine continues to seek stronger security guarantees from the international community, particularly in the face of ongoing Russian aggression.

Trump's administration has made statements that have raised concerns about the US commitment to Ukraine's security. Trump's Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, has said that Ukraine's aspirations for NATO membership are unrealistic and that a return to Ukraine's pre-war borders is unlikely. This has led some to worry that the US is abandoning Ukraine to Putin, which would be a betrayal of the promises made in the Budapest Memorandum.

The situation is further complicated by Trump's recent phone call with Putin, in which the two leaders discussed the situation in Ukraine. While Trump has said that he wants to see peace in Ukraine, his administration's actions have raised concerns about the US commitment to Ukraine's security.

If Ukraine had maintained its nuclear arsenal, despite US pressure to denuclearize, it's likely that Russia wouldn't have dared to annex Crimea in 2014 or continue its ongoing aggression. Ukraine's decision to give up its nuclear weapons was made in exchange for security assurances from the US, Russia, and the UK, formalized in the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances. These assurances included recognition of Ukraine's independence, respect for its existing borders, and a commitment to refrain from the threat or use of force against Ukraine.

However, Russia's actions in 2014 and beyond have clearly violated these assurances, leaving Ukraine vulnerable and seeking stronger security guarantees. The US, in particular, has a responsibility to fulfill its promises and protect Ukraine's security, given that it was a key player in encouraging Ukraine to denuclearize.

It's essential to recognize that Ukraine's decision to denuclearize was made in good faith, based on assurances from the international community. Now, it's up to the US and other guarantor nations to uphold their commitments and ensure Ukraine's security and sovereignty. If we hand Ukraine over to Putin, then we have committed an egregious act of betrayal to a country to whom we owe a debt of goodwill.

======

TRUTH UNDER ASSAULT IN KALI YUGA

A recent social media comment by someone parroting the lies and distortions of facts about Srila Prabhupada’s Sept. 8, 1977 visit to Watford Memorial Hospital epitomized the assault on truth that is rampant in this Kali Yuga. Just about everything was wrong, contrary to the facts. It was a regurgitation from the GBC’s cover-up book of fraud called Not That I Am Poisoned, and from the GBC apologist Mayeswara das. Here we are in the year 2025, and long-time devotees are still blindly believing what the ISKCON GBC says? 

And so sure about it too? Are these the non-critical thinking and naïve people that also blindly accept that man walked on the Moon, 9-11 was done by Al Qaeda, and Oswald was a lone gunman? That do not even acknowledge that maybe, just maybe, the mainstream (or official GBC) narrative is a cover-up of the truth?

If a devotee can appreciate that chanting the Holy Names is heart cleansing, that life comes from life instead of chemical interactions, that Maha Vishnu lies on the bed of Sesa Ananta, what is so hard to understand the lies of the ISKCON GBC? 

Yes, the same GBC with a history of cover-ups, lies, corruption, word gaming, changing the Founder-Acharya’s books (and outright deviation from his teachings), unaccountability, silver-tongue disease, abuse of children (and all devotees), and so on. Krishna’s subtle, overwhelming deluding energies also act upon devotees whose intelligence and heart are not aligned with the principles of truth and may be tainted with personal ambition. 

Or they are just gullible, innocent sleepwalkers. In Kali Yuga, the last leg of religiosity, truthfulness, is under full-scale attack, wobbling and weakening. This is especially seen in the spiritual Hare Krishna Movement, where we face corrupt “authorities” propagating falsehoods and misinformation by their institutional stamp of approval that deludes the trusting, naive devotees.

The key to reforming / restoring ISKCON and transforming its leadership lies in educating the devotee community with truth. Speaking truth fosters understanding truth, therefore we disseminate the forensic and legal proof of Srila Prabhupada’s assassination and the GBC’s systemic failure to protect children from abuse. 

By distributing transparent truth through all available channels, the necessary awareness to drive real change and long-overdue spiritual reform will arise. ISKCON’s leadership cannot forever resist the growing widespread scrutiny that will doom their gurocratic regime. Only through consistent exposure and legal, forensic scrutiny will the transformation come that is desperately needed. The pen is far mightier than the sword.

Our comments are inserted below to correct many GBC falsehoods about the forensically proven, criminal, homicidal heavy metal poisoning of Srila Prabhupada in 1976-77.

1. [Before Srila Prabhupada left England for Vrndavana, he was diagnosed with terminal kidney failure caused by diabetes.]

Srila Prabhupada was in and out of the hospital for a circumcision within a couple hours. No one knows if any (or which) tests were done, and there likely were no tests at all. The hospital records were destroyed long ago. Dr. McIrvine said he does not remember either. There was no “medical diagnosis” on Sept. 8, 1977-- only Dr. McIrvine’s retroactive opinions, faint memories, and conjecture. Whatever anyone says about the diagnosis, however, what is very certain is that there was a lethal cadmium poisoning as confirmed by multiple forensic tests, and nothing that happened at Watford Memorial Hospital will change this fact. Diabetes, kidney disease, and many other conditions can be simultaneous to poisoning, so the attempt to fool us that Srila Prabhupada had this or that, and therefore he was not poisoned as well, are illogical and infantile.

2. [The poison-vadis do not acknowledge that "outside contamination cannot be ruled out" and that the hair sample was too small to be conclusively tested. A method of testing was used that was never used before. The test results should have been noted over 10 seconds, not 5 minutes.]

Balderdash. The samples were more than sufficient for accurate NAA tests. Missouri Univ. Research Reactor (MURR) knows how to do NAA tests and has consistently done accurate tests for decades, and it was not a new method. Mayeswara is not qualified to criticize MURR’s methods and timing. External contamination becomes implausible with multiple, similar results from different hair tests. No contamination was found under high powered microscopic examination.

3. [The hair clippers used to cut the hair were claimed to have been tested for cadmium (a protective metal coating) and that there was no cadmium. But no documentation was shown.]

Attached is the chemical test on the clipper head. No cadmium was on the clipper head.

4. [Cadmium was not widely known as a poison until the 1990's so it is unlikely it would be chosen it as a poison in the 1970's.]

Absolutely false. Cadmium was well known as very poisonous by the 1950-60’s, when the itai-itai scandal hit in Japan. Unlikely? The hair tests prove it was definitely used in 1977.

5. [Those poisoned by cadmium show distinctive symptoms not seen in Srila Prabhupada.]

Absolutely false. An extensive analysis of symptoms was made in the book Srila Prabhupada: Mysterious Health Decline, and further, he actually had ALL the classic signs of heavy metals poisoning. This medical evidence confirms the forensic hair tests.

6. [The Truth Committee gave some of Srila Prabhupada’s statements but only out of context.]

Actually, the full 1977 translated conversations were published in our books (see below), and it is the GBC who quotes only five words out of context to claim that Srila Prabhupada denied he was poisoned. But Srila Prabhupada raised the matter of being poisoned many times, and then only to deny it? Lengthy caretaker discussions acknowledged poisoning. The GBC and Mayeswara are utterly deceptive. Tamal asked Srila Prabhupada later, “So who is it that has poisoned?”

SP: That same thing – that someone has poisoned me.

BCS: Oh, okay, he thinks that someone gave him....

Kaviraja (speaking Hindi same time)

BCS: Someone gave him poison here.

7. [The 'whisper' which supposedly says" the poison is going down" was said just after Srila Prabhupada was laid on his back; you do not drink while lying on your back. Srila Prabhupada drank some hot milk seven minutes later.]

It was 2 minutes later when he is clearly heard swallowing some drink. He was always lying down in the last weeks, and he drank when someone raised up his head. “Going down” is slang for “it is happening now.” This argument is completely bogus and weird.

8. [Tamal objected to Srila Prabhupada going by bullock cart to Govardhan, quoting the kaviraja who said it would kill him. Why object if he was poisoning Srila Prabhupada?]

This is an interesting question which does not invalidate the hair and audio forensic tests.

9. [Nityananda fled the US when he received a court summons regarding his poisoning claims.]

Nityananda resided in the USA until 2006, long after the supposed 2002 summons. There never was any summons or court charges by Bhakticharu Swami. It is a fabrication.

10. [There is insufficient evidence for a court of law to find Srila Prabhupada was poisoned.]

Well, don’t you think that would be for a court to decide, and not you? And how can you make an evaluation of the evidence when you have it all wrong? Read our free books first and stop drinking the GBC Kool-Aid of false denials.

11. [Surely those accused would not whisper about poison while they were being recorded.]

Well, seems pretty dumb, for sure, but numerous top-notch audio forensic labs have confirmed that is exactly what they were whispering about, and they ALL agree on the poison word.

12. [Srila Prabhupada was already diagnosed as having terminal renal failure. Why would anyone who knew that need to take further action to 'kill' Srila Prabhupada.]

There is no such report that Srila Prabhupada was diagnosed with "terminal kidney failure." Actually, Srila Prabhupada’s health was very good up to 1976, and the poisoning was meant to eliminate him more quickly so that they could grab his throne. It was the poisoning that made his kidneys and health fail. This argument is like shooting someone and then arguing, “Why would I shoot him? He is dead already!”

13. [My understanding is that the Truth Committee's findings have never stood the test of expert cross examination.]

Well, is that what they told you? Have you cross-examined these findings? The evidence and findings are clearly presented in our FREE books (see below). Truth remains truth, no matter if blind followers choose to continue listening to those who fill their ears with lies and fraud. And we note that the GBC has blocked-opposed any honest, independent investigation.

See the forensic reports and more: www.justiceforsrilaprabhupadafoundation.org
Free PDF copies of 10 books are available for download at our informative website: www.prabhupadatruthcommission.org

If you would like to support our work and donate any amount, please send to our PayPal ID: srigovinda@gmail.com (or email us).
Thank you very much! We really need your help to fight the falsehoods of the powerful ISKCON GBC.

Making Women ISKCON's Messiah's Advisors / Garuda On Books

Making Women ISKCON's Messiah's Advisors

Women nurse volunteers needed for

Lokaram's guru fix it mental hospital.

PADA: OK well here is a guy who says there are -- not too many abominations -- going on in the eternally pure guru parampara from God. There are only a few dog stools in the sweet rice, so what is the problem? 

Now he is suggesting that the mostly male GBC gurus get some women into their group council, to do -- what? -- balance out the top heavy misogyny and pro-predator messiah's program? Why would gurus, who are getting direct dictation from God, need a bunch of conditioned soul women to become their shiksha guru co-manager advisors? 

Yep, these male body messiahs from heaven men, who are being given direct advice from God, are making a mess. Maybe the input of some women will help. Maybe some women could dictate better than God? Hee hee, and maybe not.

First of all Lokaram seems to think that the men bodied souls who are already suffering from taking sins -- will not also happen when women bodied souls claim they are messiahs who can absorb sins. Why would women be exempt from getting sick, falling down, suffering, making scandals and / or dying prematurely from taking sins? He gives no explanation how they would be exempt. 

Lokaram's sin vacuum cleaner.

I think his vacuum bag is too full of sins.

PADA: Anyway, Lokaram made his proposal to have women included in the GBC's illicit sex with men, women and children messiah's club to -- a GBC guru -- and that guru rejected his proposal, so he is taking it elsewhere. That means Lokaram does not believe these gurus are to be "equated with the Supreme God" rather they are conditioned souls whose advice may be defective, and so he is rejecting their advice.     

Srila Prabhupada: As Lord Krsna's appearance and disappearance are all spiritual, transcendental, they are not ordinary things, similarly, Lord Krsna's devotee, His representative, who is sent to this material world for preaching the glories of Lord Krsna, their appearance and disappearance is also like Krsna's. Therefore, according to Vaisnava principles, the appearance and disappearance of Vaisnava is considered all-auspicious.>>> 

Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.27–34 -- December 16, 1970, Surat

PADA: OK so these GBC gurus are not descending from the spiritual world, they are mundane defective beings whose advice can be accepted or rejected. And now we should add mundane defective women to the guru pile and that will make even more mundane and defective advice. 

Of course maybe some of these women could give good sound advice to the GBC men, like for example, take better care of children. But if these GBC guru men already do not know that, they are not only defective, but criminally negligent. They need to be removed from posts of authority if some women are better managers than them.

Refining the Narrative on Women in ISKCON Leadership

By Lokarama Dasa | Feb 23, 2025

Srila Prabhupada on a japa walk with Yamuna Devi Dasi, Malati Devi Dasi, and others.

The history of ISKCON has shown that Kali, the personification of the current Age of Quarrel, is adept at introducing controversies that act like storm clouds obscuring the effulgent sun of Mahaprabhu’s samkirtana movement. The propensity for debate, argument, and verbal conquest can be likened to turbulent winds; harsh speech to torrential rain; and fleeting victories in establishing one’s position to flashes of lightning—offering only momentary illumination before plunging everything back into darkness.

Kali wields his two chief whips — hypocrisy and quarrel — to sow discord and undermine unity. As aspiring servants of Lord Chaitanya, we must all be vigilant not to become Kali’s instruments by ourselves coming under the sway of these two influences. All who remain oblivious to or otherwise unmindful of these dangers may meet with spiritual stagnation, or in severe cases, spiritual ruin.

In this spirit, I offer a historical reflection on the topic of women’s roles in ISKCON leadership. I approach this subject not as a participant in the ongoing debate, which I feel is an unproductive mode of discourse among Vaiṣṇavas, but as one providing historical evidence to clarify misconceptions. Those inclined to debate would do better to direct their energy toward engaging with the billions of atheists and opponents of Vaisnavism across the planet.

Approximately a year ago, I submitted a document titled Q&A on FDG to a senior, respected Vaiṣṇava guru for his review. He responded that his primary reason for opposing the idea of women serving as initiating gurus in ISKCON was that “Srila Prabhupada never appointed women to the role of temple president or GBC.”

PADA: OK so Lokaram submits his women manager's position paper to a senior GBC guru, and his paper is discarded and rejected by that guru. And Lokaram does not accept the version of the ISKCON guru, rather he thinks this guru is wrong, defective, and has not understood the issues. That means Lokaram thinks "gurus" are mundane defective beings who are conditioned souls. We can reject their authority because, they are not authorized. 

This shows how "guru" has become a relativized mundane person in ISKCON. When the guru speaks -- it might be the Supreme absolute truth, it might be speculation, it might be totally bogus, it might be apa-siddhanta, and it might be evil and not good whatever. Any new bhakta can either accept or reject what the guru is saying, because there is now no standard for statements from a guru. 

Thus we find that many times the followers of ISKCON gurus reject or even scoff at the statements of their own gurus, because "guru" has become a mundane conditioned being. So the first thing Lokaram is teaching us is -- gurus are conditioned, defective souls whose directives can be ignored, rejected, scoffed at and even -- countered and replaced with directives from the new bhaktas. 

Yeah this guy is such a bogus misguided person, and that is why -- he is our senior man guru. What? Yep. This means "guru" has become a relativised conditioned being and not a self realized one. Of course, being a senior Vaishnava guru in ISKCON today pretty much means -- he is a member of the GBC's illicit sex with men, women and children guru's parampara. So they really have no basic mundane moral codes for guru, never mind higher consideration. No wonder their own followers are questioning their judgement, when they are judging conditioned souls if not illicit sex deviants to be ISKCON gurus.

However, this is not a complete account.

When Srila Prabhupada formed the GBC in 1970, he intended to give two women, Govinda Devi and Yamuna Devi, one shared vote as GBC members. Govinda Dasi recounts: “[Srila Prabhupada] explained that he wanted two ladies on the GBC, “to deal with matters relating to women and children.” Because, he explained, “children are shy and young women are also shy,” so they may only talk to a woman if there are problems” (1, see all footnotes below). (2).

PADA: Women's voices should have been included more, and should become more included now, and I think that would have possibly helped the situation with the mistreatment of children. Eventually, women's position being minmized created a backlash of women not being happy with the managers (like Yamuna was). At the same time, Tamal and his sannyasa clique were not happy having women -- or even some males like Siddaswarupa, or people like me -- challenging their decisions. 

Eventually, Srila Prabhupada himself wanted to send Tamal to China because he was not happy with Prabhupada's decisions either. There was an overall problem of these managers not wanting to consult with women, or with us, or people like Siddhaswarupa, or even Srila Prabhupada. 

And the women were another group that was shut out -- to the peril of the society. Of course yep, we were also shut out. But here this fellow is basically saying, we need the input of women because these male gurus are committing too many errors. 

Therefore, the opinion of various women is superior to the opinion of a lot of these male gurus. And he may be right. However, if these women are also conditioned souls, they will not have a superior opinion to a realized guru. They will only be superior when their conditioned soul female opinion is better than another defective being who is male. Of course this begs the question, why would self realized gurus need to have their position corrected by a conditioned soul -- male or female? 

From this, it is clear that Yamuna’s decision to decline the service of GBC was driven by the reluctance of certain male leaders to accept women in leadership roles, rather than any inherent inadequacy in women. After all, it was Srila Prabhupada himself who had proposed the idea.

Pranada Devi recounts: “In September [1996] at North America’s first Vaishnava-Christian Dialogue, I sat at a table with Tamal Krishna Maharaja and Ravindra Svarupa dasa in East Freeport, MA, eating lunch prasadam between sessions. Unexpectedly, Tamal Krishna Goswami thanked me for my work of educating devotees about Vaishnavis. He point blank told me that he supported all my efforts to initiate change for women in all spheres of ISKCON participation including as gurus— a belief which he had already demonstrated in welcoming Sudharma to the GBC.

PADA: OK but Pranada began to have an affair with Satsvarupa dasa goswami, thinking that he was in need of some special amorous pastime therapy. Srila Prabhupada says when a guru has an affair with his disciple, it is just like a father having sex with his own daughter. 

OK it is de facto pedophile. Yet Prananda has gone on promoting these guys as gurus. A pedophile ilk guru lineage is not authorized. She recently got some high praise from Jayapataka, founder father of the anal reconstructive surgery epidemic messiahs program in Mayapur.

Lokaram is evidently in Mayapur.

Jayapataka is in Mayapur.

And Snidely Whiplash Dhanurdar is there too.

The gang is all here!

Why, then, did Srila Prabhupada never again bring up the idea of having women serve on the GBC or in other leadership roles? It has been suggested by some ISKCON leaders that this indicates that Srila Prabhupada didn’t really want women to have a voice in leadership. But is it possible, instead, that being fully aware of the disrespectful attitudes some of his prominent leaders held toward women, he simply wished to avoid creating unnecessary disturbances within ISKCON’s fledgling administrative structure?

PADA: Right, these GBC guys could not handle managing women properly, and to say they are gurus is a mistake. It simply made things worse for women. 

In conclusion, as the above narrative illustrates, it is incomplete history to claim that Srila Prabhupada never appointed women to the role of GBC. By proposing to give women GBC members a half-vote each, he expertly preserved gender distinctions and granted women a voice in the leadership of his ISKCON society, while acknowledging the competence and dedication of his female disciples.

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare

Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

PADA: OK the conclusion is that most of the male leaders of ISKCON -- aka the voted in messiahs from Vaikuntha -- are defective. They should be consulting with others, in particular, women -- who can advise them on protecting women and children from abuse. I would sign up except, I do not believe gurus would mistreat others in the first place, never mind need to consult with conditioned soul women to realize they are mistaken by orchestrating mistreating others.

About the Author

A disciple of His Grace Vaisesika Dasa Adhikari, Lokarama Dasa lives in Mayapur with his wife, Madhavi Dasi, and their three children. He serves as English editor for the BBT’s Sanskrit and Bengali translations division. He is also researching and writing a book about ISKCON history post-1977 from a Krishna conscious perspective. He is a GBC college graduate (class of 2023). You can visit his latest initiative, the ISKCON History Archive website here. Lokarama also spoke alongside Krishna Kshetra Swami at the 2025 ILS on the topic “Writing Our History to Prepare ISKCON’s Future.” Readers can watch that presentation here.

Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of ISKCON or ISKCON News.

PADA: Yeah Ravindra swarupa said he wanted to make an ISKCON history page, otherwise ISKCON history will be written by outsiders, maybe Henry Doktorski or worse, deviants like PADA. The GBC never made that happen, because I think even they knew, there are too many problems in that history and it makes the GBC look foolish to have made that history happen. ys pd 

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Preserving the Sanctity of Śrīa Prabhupāda's Books:

Solving the Book Changing Controversy

Presentation by and lively conversation with Garuda Das, PhD

Hosted by Rukmini and Badarayana at their home in Gainesville

Wednesday, March 5th @ 7 pm

538 NE 7th Ave

(3 blocks from the B.I.)

Many devotees feel that the BBT editing of Prabhupāda's books has been necessary even after he departed from this world, and many devotees feel that what Prabhupāda himself published in his books can only be changed with his authority and permission. Garuda Das solves this controversy with a solution grounded in both theological and scholarly approaches. Garuda Das is Prabhupāda's first disciple to enter into the academic world (having earned two master’s degrees and a doctorate from Harvard University) for establishing Vaishnava studies as a respected field of knowledge and to publish his own books with some of the most prestigious academic presses in the world. 

As a highly trained textual scholar who was blessed by Prabhupāda to pursue his scholarly work resolves this contentious issue. Garuda Das presently holds two university positions, one in which he teaches undergraduate student in Virginia and the other in which he mentors and guides doctoral students in Berkeley, California. (For more information on Garuda Das, see www.garudadas.com.)

Lokaram Dasa vs PADA 02 26 25

JD: A disciple of Vaisesika. Of course ... guru is one. He might be pure ... he might be a pedo. Not black and white. It is all one! 

And anyone who does not think guru is pure and also sometimes a pedo is ... beaten up and pushed out the door with prejudice. It is all one prabhu! Except when you are not one with us ... you are out the door. It is all one except when it isn't.

How could anyone say that guru might be pure, and he might be a pedo, and think that Krishna will be pleased placing pedos into His guru parampara?

PADA: Oh oh pilgrims, the GBC has evidently run out of seasoned warrior defenders like Mukunda swami, Ravindra swarupa, Satsvarupa swami and others. So they are sending in their pitch hitter / novice warrior, Lokaram dasa. This guy gets and "E" for effort, but it is not a passing grade. 

He agrees that various GBC gurus have acted in abominable and horrendous behaviors, but that does not mean all of them are bad. Right, except that the actual Vedic principle of the Vaishnava guru parampara is -- "guru is one." So it really does not matter "how many" are rotten, degraded, fallen or horrendous, even one rotten guru taints their whole system.

People used that argument on Sulochana, and he had a rather gross but effective come back. Sulochana would say "Oh, you mean there are 'not too many' dog manures in your sweet rice? Who wants to eat your sweet rice that has even one dog manure in it"? 

Of course that would stump people right away. 

So, the people who got 2/3 show of hands voted into the GBC's homosexual and pedophile guru lineage are not all bad. OK but why did they accept a certificate from that lineage? And why did they empower and enable that system, which bans, beats, molests, sues and kills Vaishnavas. 

And he also says -- it is not my position to tell Jayapataka that Srila Prabhupada warns us not to take sins, because we will suffer. Well sorry, we told him not to take sins, but he did anyway. He and the other 10 suffered in all sorts of ways as a result. 

Then he says guru tattva is not all black and white. Well sorry, if it is white i.e. full in purity -- it is as pure as Krishna -- and if it is black i.e. contaminated or impure -- it is not as pure as Krishna. Parampara guru is as pure as Krishna, or he is not a parampara guru. Anyway, poor guy's head is full of all sorts of deluded ideas. Lets hope he can be saved from all this.

ys pd angel108b@yahoo.com

LOKARAM DASA: Even in a court of law, at least in America, there is explicit acknowledgement of the limitations of empirical evidence (pratyaksha) and rational argument (anumana) in the notion that the prosecution must show "beyond a reasonable doubt" that the defendant committed the crime of which they are accused.

Here's an AI-generated explanation of the phrase "beyond a reasonable doubt" --

"Beyond a reasonable doubt" means there's such strong evidence for someone's guilt that no reasonable person would have significant doubts about it. It's the highest standard of proof used in criminal trials.

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The phrase originated in English common law during the late 18th century. While its exact origins are debated, it became prominent through cases like the 1770 Boston Massacre trials, where lawyer John Adams emphasized that jurors must be convinced "beyond reasonable doubt." The standard was formally established in legal writings and judicial opinions throughout the late 1700s and became a cornerstone of Anglo-American criminal law.

To understand the phrase literally:

"Beyond" means exceeding or surpassing

"Reasonable" refers to what a logical, rational person would think

"Doubt" is uncertainty or hesitation about accepting something as true

Put together, it means the evidence must be so convincing that any lingering uncertainty would be considered unreasonable by rational standards. It doesn't require absolute certainty (which is nearly impossible), but rather certainty to the point where any remaining doubts would be considered far-fetched or implausible by reasonable people.

This standard exists to protect innocent people from wrongful conviction while still allowing for justice when evidence is sufficiently strong.

__

So, I am personally convinced that the available evidence shows that Srila Prabhupada was not poisoned. This is not an absolute claim, but my reasonably formed opinion. Anyone who cannot distinguish between his own opinions and ontological facts is in a state of bewilderment caused by a preponderance of the lower modes of nature, and a corresponding deficiency of sattva-guna. 

So your point J Prabhu is well taken. ISKCON would be a much more civil society if its members were more willing to acknowledge when they are stating an opinion rather than an ontological fact. Too much rajo-guna and tamo-guna.

At any rate, the burden of proof lies with the accuser, not the accused. I think Mayesvara Prabhu does a good job countering the various arguments put forward by the prosecution, despite whatever other faults his presentation may have.

PADA: I was the person who got the 1977 tapes from a person who was present in Vrndavana in 1977, he said he and others knew that Srila Prabhupada was being p*isoned at the time. And despite he and others knew, they were afraid to be the ones to disclose it for fear of their own lives. When I went to a Bengali writer to make the first transcript, he said "this is a homicide." 

And I played the tape to a Brijabasi and he immediately started crying, because he knew Prabhupada personally, and knew Brijabasi talk and how he would speak, and thus he knew what he was saying here. So I was already convinced, and so were others, way before we had the hair sample, whisper audio and so on, because of the statements of Srila Prabhupada. 

If someone says, please do not torture me and put me to death, there must be a good reason he has to say that. Anyway, a lot of people are accepting the evidence and ISKCON and the people around ISKCON are going to have to deal with it. Of course this was the same thing with the child mistreatment, everyone said this is all me making up a bunch of lies and etc. Then we had to help have them sued for $400,000,000. 

And Mayesvara was helping the GBC's legal case, saying these children are greedy fools who want to destroy ISKCON. He has always said everything is lies, but maybe it isn't. Anyway, there are people listening to the evidence and they are accepting it, just like they also eventually accepted the child mistreatment evidence, and that is not going to change no matter what counter arguments are presented. ys pd

Lokarāma Dāsa: Mr. PADA, what kind of disciple stands by and lets his Guru be poisoned out of fear of losing his own life? It is all a bunch of Kali Yuga trash gossip. I feel very sad for neophyte devotees who dedicate so much time for criticizing their godbrothers, wasting literally hundreds and thousands of precious hours, instead of making real spiritual advancement themselves. 

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura has said: "To bring a person from the clutches of maya is very, very hard. If lust or any other attachment is present in that person's heart, it will go away very soon if he is chanting and remembering and listening to Hari-katha. 

Be very careful. Don't criticize devotees or non-devotees. First look at your own condition and try to purify yourself. Is there any lust in you? Is there any duplicity in you, or not? Be worried about that. Don't worry for others. Sri Guru and Lord Sri Krsna are responsible for others. You cannot do anything to help them, so you have no right to criticize."

PADA: Lokarāma Dāsa -- As soon as I said there is a mass child mistreatment problem, I was banned, exiled, removed and told to chant my rounds, study my own heart etc. One of my main associates was then taken out, and I would have been taken out, except the FEDS were tapping their phones. Then the three enforcers the GBC folks sent to get me here in Berkeley were arrested when they were coming after me, because there was undercover surveillance. 

Otherwise, I would not be here now. So I am not allowed to criticize, but they are allowed to take us out. That is not a very fair assessment. As it turned out, I was correct, there was evidently several thousand child victims, so not only I was not a liar, calling me a liar has been enabling all this to go on. My own condition is, that I had to seek help from law enforcement, the FEDS, the media, the courts and so on -- just to survive all this. 

Not criticizing mass child mistreatment enables mass child mistreatment. And if they would take my friends and me out, and mass mistreat children, why would they not mistreat anyone else? Like Prabhupada? Yeah you guys told me not to criticize, so we had to have you sued for $400,000,000. That means, if you had listened to me, you guys would have saved the children and the expense. 

The Jayapataka people complained to me -- my helping the Bangalore lawsuit, child mistreatment lawsuit, BBTI lawsuit, 1986 Dallas lawsuit and other lawsuits, SWAT raids etc. has cost them $100,000,000. OK that is what happens when you don't listen to people like me. I also told Jayapataka that we cannot take sins or we have to suffer in 1979, and he just laughed at me, but look at the state of him now. He is like a sin vacuum cleaner over loaded. I gave him good advice, he would not listen. So listening to Hari Katha is good, but if we don't also listen to people who are giving good practical advice, then ISKCON has to suffer and it has. ys pd

DA: Lokarāma Dāsa it’s a fantasy to think that “devotees should not be criticise” for as long as a “devotee” is in a human body, that person is under the spell of maya, ego and karma, totally FALIBLE! and will be helplessly making mistakes no matter how hard they try. And If someone is calling out on their mistake, erroneous action and behaviour, perhaps a little bit of humbleness will allow you to see the part of the truth or total truth that one can not see in themselves.

Lokarama Dasa have you ever been surrounded by murderers and cooperators of it? I bet not, because if you did, you would understand that at any moment you tried to defy them, you are the next to be killed. And some people are way more afraid than others and if some people did not act on stopping it for whatever reason, I bet they are dying inside for not doing it.

But the truth does not require braves or weals to come out, it will come out eventually with force or slowly. Sri Krishna will not allow His son Srila Prabhupada to be unfairly treated like that, He is justice.

It is evident to everyone, it’s like a glaring fire in from your face that the so called “gurus” are bunch of fallible human beings or perhaps beings in human body committing horrendous atrocities towards the helpless children, and the same people are running the GBC or are in positions of authorities somewhere in ISCKON. Let’s not be naive! PADA, sorry to hear that you went through that, it must have been utterly painful for you.

PADA: Yeah thanks! Not only thousands of other kids were harmed, and badly, my own kids grew up in constant fear and anxiety that the GBC heads would orchestrate taking their own dad (me) away and put me into an early grave -- at any moment. No child should have to grow up thinking the heads of their church want to eliminate their parents and put them into an early grave. 

These leaders wanted to destroy the childhood of not only their victims, but destroy the childhoods of anyone advocating for the victims, like mine. And Lokarama says, what is the problem, just chant. Well ok, but he should be telling the people who are hunting me like a dog to chant, so us dogs can live in peace. 

The FEDS told me, your friend is gone and -- you are next, and if US FEDS had not stepped in and tapped the West Virginia campus phones, you would not be here now, you were only just a few hours from being taken out. Hunting Vaishnavas like dogs and then expecting them to sit peacefully and chant -- while simultaneously being hunted -- just sounds very cruel, callous and unfeeling, just ask my kids. Even the karmi media people tell me, your opponents just have no feelings for other beings, that is self evident. Thanks for your support, it means a lot. ys pd

Lokarāma Dāsa: PADA, I am giving you good advice, and if you don't listen, you have to suffer, and you are.

PADA: Lokarāma Dāsa When I said children are suffering, your advice for me to stop protesting is how thousands of kids ended up suffering, that enabled the problem. That caused thousands of kids to suffer, and caused me to have to help them sue the society for $400,000,000. 

Sorry, when children are suffering it is our duty to protest, or we are implicated. And the children and the court agreed these leaders are implicated. Advising whistle blowers on crimes against children to not protest, enabled these crimes. Mayesvara was helping the GBC legal team working against the child victims, and he said the victims are just greedy money grabbers. 

And that is why he is so solidly disliked by many of these victims, he was suppressing them, just like he suppresses everything else. For the record, the GBC and Mayesvara guys pleaded "no contest" on the $400,000,000 lawsuit. They knew it was over, and I was correct. And for the record, when it comes to leaders orchestrating hunting Vaishnavas like dogs to eliminate them, you need to advise the hunter party and not the hunted dog. ys pd

Lokarāma Dāsa: DA, Bhakti is not black and white. There are many shades of bhakti and of guru-tattva. As a baseline, we should respect all souls, offer extra respect to anyone who chants Hare Krishna, offer sincere obeisances to those who are committed to the path of bhakti, and enthusiastically serve those who have fully dedicate themselves to the Lord and who are spreading His message all over the world (NOI 5).

It's irrational to think that because some ISKCON gurus have fallen and have done horrendous things, then all of them must be fallible.

Advanced Vaisnavas give up malicious criticism because they recognize it to be an anartha. Yes, they still call a spade a spade, but they never, ever, ever call a Vaisnava a non-Vaisnava or indulge in Vaisnava aparadha.

PADA has an entire website devoted to Vaisnava aparadha. Just look at how brazenly he insults His Holiness Jayapataka Swami, claiming to be in a position to "instruct" him! Jayapataka Swami is one of the most elevated Vaisnavas on the planet!

PADA: Lokarāma Dāsa: Jayapataka's Mayapur realm is where much of the worst cases of child mistreatment happened, according to numbers of victims. And when JPS was being sued for $400M by us here, he came to Los Angeles -- and he just ran at me across the Watseka street screaming at me "rarrrrhhhhh." That was all he could say on all this. He had not even one intelligent word to say. I thought he was going to pounce on me. Very aggressive. 

But all of them were on the Watseka sidewalk glaring at me, Mayesvara, Giriraj, JPS, Jayadvaita, Badri, their lawyers etc. None of them spoke to me, despite they knew I was gathering testimony for the $400M lawsuit. That means they did not care what the victims said. I told JPS in 1979 we were ALL ordered not to take karma, and we were ordered DO NOT DO THIS repeatedly, and Srila Prabhupada said if we take karma we will suffer, get sick, fall down, or both. 

And all of the 11 either got sick, fell down, or both, and some of them departed early. And collectively they made huge public scandals and lawsuits etc. Sorry, saying that children are being mistreated is not malicious criticism, it is pointing to an issue that needs to be rectified. Jayapataka is the main ring leader of the Mayapura child mistreatment rings, webs and nests, sorry -- that makes him implicated as a lead orchestrator. 

Yep, as soon as we said there is a mass child mistreatment out cropping, we were "insulting great Vaishnavas." Nope, a great Vaishnava does not orchestrate a mass crimes against children process, and assassinations of those who protest all this child mistreatment. ys pd

Maha Siva Ratri 02 26 25

Maha Shiva Ratri

Shrila Prabhupada comments of Shiva Ratri and its observance:

Demon Sankhacuda Killed – taken from Krishna Book

Once upon a time, the cowherd men of Vrindavana, headed by Nanda Maharaja, desired to go to Ambikavana to observe the Siva-ratri ceremony. The rasa-lila was performed during the autumn, and after that the next big ceremony is Holi, or the Dolayatra ceremony. Between the Dolayatra ceremony and the rasa-lila ceremony there is one important ceremony called Siva-ratri, which is especially observed by the Saivites, or devotees of Lord Siva. Sometimes the Vaishnavas also observe this ceremony because they accept Lord Siva as the foremost Vaishnava. But the function of Siva-ratri is not observed very regularly by the bhaktas, or devotees of Krishna. 

Under the circumstances, it is stated in Shrimad-Bhagavatam that Nanda Maharaja and the other cowherd men “once upon a time desired.” This means that they were not regularly observing the Siva-ratri function but that once upon a time they wanted to go to Ambikavana out of curiosity. 

Ambikavana is somewhere in the Gujarat province, and it is said to be situated on the river Sarasvati. Yet we do not find any Sarasvati River in the Gujarat province, although there is a river named Savarmati. In India, all the big places of pilgrimage are situated on nice rivers like the Ganges, Yamuna, Sarasvati, Narmada, Godavari and Kaveri. Ambikavana was situated on the bank of Sarasvati, and Nanda Maharaja and all the other cowherd men went there.

They very devotedly began to worship the deity of Lord Siva and Ambika. It is the general practice that wherever there is a temple of Lord Siva, there must be another temple, of Ambika (or Durga), because Ambika is the wife of Lord Siva and is the most exalted of chaste women. She doesn’t live outside the association of her husband. After reaching Ambikavana, the cowherd men of Vrindavana first bathed themselves in the river Sarasvati. If one goes to any place of pilgrimage, his first duty is to take a bath and sometimes to shave his head. That is the first business. After taking a bath, they worshiped the deities and then distributed charity in the holy places.

(SP – Krishna Book. Ch 34.)

Shrila Prabhupada: …observing Siva-ratri, Nanda Maharaja and all the cowherds men, they increased their attachment for Krishna. That is wanted.
(A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. 1st May 1974, Morning Walk excerpt, Bombay, India.)

“In this verse Lord Siva is described as midhushtama, the best of the benedictors. He is also known as Asutosha, which indicates that he is very quickly satisfied and very quickly angered. It is said in Bhagavad-gita that less intelligent persons go to the demigods for material benedictions. In this connection, people generally go to Lord Siva, and because he is always quickly satisfied and gives benedictions to his devotees without consideration, he is called midhushtama, or the best of the benedictors. Materialistic persons are always anxious to get material profit, but they are not serious about spiritual profit.

Sometimes, of course, it so happens that Lord Siva becomes the best benedictor in spiritual life. It is said that once a poor brahmana worshiped Lord Siva for a benediction, and Lord Siva advised the devotee to go to see Sanatana Gosvami. The devotee went to Sanatana Gosvami and informed him that Lord Siva had advised him to seek out the best benediction from him (Sanatana). 

Sanatana had a touchstone with him, which he kept with the garbage. On the request of the poor brahmana, Sanatana Gosvami gave him the touchstone, and the brahmana was very happy to have it. He now could get as much gold as he desired simply by touching the touchstone to iron. But after he left Sanatana, he thought, “If a touchstone is the best benediction, why has Sanatana Gosvami kept it with the garbage?” He therefore returned and asked Sanatana Gosvami, “Sir, if this is the best benediction, why did you keep it with the garbage?” 

Sanatana Gosvami then informed him, “Actually, this is not the best benediction. But are you prepared to take the best benediction from me?” The brahmana said, “Yes, sir. Lord Siva has sent me to you for the best benediction.” Then Sanatana Gosvami asked him to throw the touchstone in the water nearby and then come back. The poor brahmana did so, and when he returned, Sanatana Gosvami initiated him with the Hare Krishna mantra. 

Thus by the benediction of Lord Siva the brahmana got the association of the best devotee of Lord Krishna and was thus initiated in the maha-mantra, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

(Sria A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Shrimad Bhagavatm 4:7:7. purport.)

Vaishnavanams yatha Shambu – Lord Shiva is the greatest devotee of Lord Vishnu.

Lord Krishna (Vishnu) is in this analogy considered to be likened to Milk. Milk is the origin of so many dairy products – Krishna tu bhagavan swayam, and so Krishna or Vishnu is the origin of everything. When Krishna wants activity overseen of the modes of Tamo guna He expands Himself transforming His supreme powers to act in that way, as no-one else could, and in that state He is Shambu – Shiva. 

So it may be seen that milk that is transformed becomes yogurt, but that yoghurt can never again become milk, this is presented in Brahma samhita 5:45.

Brahma Samhita chapter 5 TEXT 45

ksiram yatha dadhi vikara-visesa-yogat
sanjayate na hi tatah prthag asti hetoh
yah sambhutam api tatha samupaiti karyad
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

SYNONYMS

ksiram–milk; yatha–as; dadhi–yogurt; vikara-visesa–of a special transformation; yogat–by the application; sanjayate–is transformed into; na–not; hi–indeed; tatah–from the milk; prthak–separated; asti–is; hetoh–which is the cause; yah–who; sambhutam–the nature of Lord Siva; api–also; tatha–thus; samupaiti–accepts; karyat–for the matter of some particular business; govindam–Govinda; adi-purusam–the original person; tam–Him; aham–I; bhajami–worship.

TRANSLATION

Just as milk is transformed into curd by the action of acids, but yet the effect curd is neither same as, nor different from, its cause, viz., milk, so I adore the primeval Lord Govinda of whom the state of Sambhu is a transformation for the performance of the work of destruction.

PURPORT

(The real nature of Sambhu, the presiding deity of Mahesa-dhama, is described.) Sambhu is not a second Godhead other than Krishna. Those, who entertain such discriminating sentiment, commit a great offense against the Supreme Lord. The supremacy of Sambhu is subservient to that of Govinda; hence they are not really different from each other. 

The nondistinction is established by the fact that just as milk treated with acid turns into curd so Godhead becomes a subservient when He Himself attains a distinct personality by the addition of a particular element of adulteration. This personality has no independent initiative. The said adulterating principle is constituted of a combination of the stupefying quality of the deluding energy, the quality of nonplenitude of the marginal potency and a slight degree of the ecstatic-cum-cognitive principle of the plenary spiritual potency. 

This specifically adulterated reflection of the principle of the subjective portion of the Divinity is Sadasiva, in the form of the effulgent masculine-symbol-god Sambhu from whom Rudradeva is manifested. In the work of mundane creation as the material cause, in the work of preservation by the destruction of sundry asuras and in the work of destruction to conduct the whole operation, Govinda manifests Himself as guna-avatara in the form of Sambhu who is the separated portion of Govinda imbued with the principle of His subjective plenary portion. 

The personality of the destructive principle in the form of time has been identified with that of Sambhu by scriptural evidences that have been adduced in the commentary. The purport of the Bhagavata slokas, viz., vaisnavanam yatha sambhuh, etc., is that Sambhu, in pursuance of the will of Govinda, works in union with his consort Durgadevi by his own time energy. He teaches pious duties (dharma) as stepping-stones to the attainment of spiritual service in the various tantra-sastras, etc., suitable for jivas in different grades of the conditional existence. 

In obedience to the will of Govinda, Sambhu maintains and fosters the religion of pure devotion by preaching the cult of illusionism (Mayavada) and the speculative agama-sastras. The fifty attributes of individual souls are manifest in a far vaster measure in Sambhu and five additional attributes not attainable by jivas are also partly found in him. So Sambhu cannot be called a jiva. He is the lord of jiva but yet partakes of the nature of a separated portion of Govinda.

(Shri Brahma Samhita, translation by Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupad.)

vrndavanavani-pate! Jaya soma soma maule
sanaka-sanandana-sanatana-naradedya
gopisvara! Vraja-vilasi-yugangri-padme
prema prayaccha nirupadhi namo namaste

“O gatekeeper of Vrndavana! O Soma, all glories to you! O you whose forehead is decorated with the moon, and who is worshipable by the sages headed by Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Narada! O Gopisvara (Shiva), desiring that you bestow upon me that prema for the lotus feet of Shri Shri Radha-Madhava who perform joyous pastimes in Vraja-dhama, I offer obeisances unto you time and again.”

Shiva (Lord Shiva) and ratri (night), so Shivaratri means the night of Lord Shiva. Every lunar month on the 13th or 14th day of the dark half of the moon phase there is a Shivaratri but in the Vedic month of Phalgun (February-March) there is a Maha Shivaratri. This year it falls on the 16th or 17th February depending where you are on the planet. The ceremony takes place mainly at night. This festival observed in the honour of Lord Shiva, who was married to Parvati (Mother 

Durga/Mother Gauri) on this day.

Some dvevotees observe a strict fast on this day. Some really strict devotees perform a nirjal fast i.e. they do not even have a sip of water. They keep virgil the entire night. The Shiva lingam is worshipped throughout the night by washing it every three hours with milk, yogurt, ghee, honey and so forth, whilst chanting of the mantra “Om namah shivaya”, continues. Offering of bael leaves are made to the Lingam. 

Bael leaves are very sacred (as Tulsi to Lord Vishnu and dhar to Mother Durga are very pleasing to Them) and Lord Shiva becomes pleased with that offering. Many different hymns glorifying Lord Shiva are sung with intense fervour and devotion. Aspirants perform japa of the Panchakshara mantra “ Om namah Shivaya” (At the end of this article there is a very detail explanation of each syllable of this mantra.)

He who utters the names of Lord Shiva during Shivaratri with perfect devotion and concentration is freed from all sins that he/she have committed. He/she reaches the abode of Lord Shiva and resides very happily there.

NOTE: the Vaishnava/ aspiring Vaishnava however, worships Lord Shiva on this day in order to receive His blessings to become a better devotee of Lord Krishna (Vishnu) and not to attain residence in the abode of Shiva.

Quotes from Vaishnava smriti compilation Hari Bhakti Vilas of Shrila Gopal Bhattar Goswami, and the Dikdarshini Tika of Shrila Sanatan Goswami Prabhupada.

SIVA RATRI VRTAM KRSNA CATUR-DASYANTU PHALGUNE
VAISNAVER API TAT KARYAM SRI KRSNA PRITAYE SADA

(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 14/187 from GAUTAMIYA TANTRA)

On the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Phalguna (February-March), for the pleasure of Lord Shri Krishna, a Vaisnava should always take a vow to fast. (It is called Shiva Ratri, or the night of Lord Siva.)

PARAT PARATARAM YANTI NARAYANA PARAYANAH
NATE TATRA GAMISYANTI YE DVISANTI MAHESVARAM

(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 14/189 from KURMA PURANA the Supreme Lord speaks to Bhrgu Muni)

(One who avoids fasting on Shiva Ratri or the “night of Lord Siva”, he becomes very offensive. Whatever offenses one accumulates by not fasting on Shiva Ratri day is explained here.) The destination of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Narayana, is certainly in the spiritual world. But if one is envious of Lord Shri Siva, he does not attain the spiritual world.

YANI KANY ATRA LINGANI STHAVARANI CARANI CA
TESU SANKRAMATE DEVAS TASYAM RATRAU YATO HARAH
SIVARATRIS TATAH PROKTA TENA SA HARI VALLABHAH

(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 14/200 from SKANDA PURANA, NAGARA KHANDA)

Whatever genital deities of Lord Siva that can be found on this earthly planet, on the night of this fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Phalguna, Lord Siva, who is a leading demigod, enters into them. For this reason, this day is called Shiva Ratri. For this reason, this day is very dear to Lord Shri Hari.

SRI KRSNE VAISNAVANANTU PREMA BHAKTI VIVARDHATE
KRSNA BHAKTI RASA SARA VARSI RUDRA ANUKAMPAYA

(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 14/221 from SKANDA PURANA)

Being a Vaisnava, if somebody fasts on Lord Siva’s night (Shiva Ratri day), by the mercy of him (Lord Siva) who is diving in the ocean of the mellow of devotion to Krishna, one’s devotion to Krishna increases rapidly.

The Story of King Chitrabhanu

In the Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata, Bhishma, whilst resting on a bed of arrows and discoursing on Dharma, refers to the observance of Maha Shivaratri by King Chitrabhanu. The story goes as follows.

Once, King Chitrabhanu was observing a fast with his wife, and it was the day of Maha Shivaratri. The sage Ashtavakra came on a visit to the king’s court. The sage asked, “ O king why are you observing a fast today?” King Chitrabhanu explained the reason, as he had the gift of remembering the incidents of his previous birth. The king said to the sage, “in my past birth I was a hunter in Varanasi (Kashi). 

My name was Suswara. My livelihood was to kill and sell birds and animals. One day, I was overtaken by the darkness of night. Unable to return home, I climbed a tree for shelter. It happened to be a bael tree. I had shot a deer that day, but I did not have time to take it home. I bundled it up and tied it to a branch on the tree. As I was tormented by hunger and thirst, I kept awake throughout the night. I shed profuse tears when I thought of my poor wife and children who were starving and anxiously awaiting my return. 

To pass away time that night I engaged myself in plucking bael leaves and dropping them down onto the ground. “The day dawned and I returned home and sold the deer. I bought some food for myself and for my family. I was about to break my fast when a stranger came to me, begging for food. I served him first and then took my food.”

“At the time of death, I saw two messengers of Lord Shiva, they were sent down to take me to his abode. I then learnt for the first time of the great merit I had earned but the unconscious worship of Lord Shiva during the night of Shivaratri. They told me that there was a lingam under that tree and that I had dropped the leaves on that Lingam. 

My tears, which I had shed out of pure sorrow for my family, fell onto the Lingam and washed it. And I had fasted all day and all night. Thus, I unconsciously worshipped Lord Shiva on that most auspicious day.” “I lived in the abode of the Lord and enjoyed divine bliss for long ages. And now I am reborn as Chitrabhanu.”

Lord Shiva’s assurance

When creation was completed Lord Shiva and Parvati Mata went to live on the top of Mount Kailash. Parvati asked, “O adorable lord, which of the many rituals observed in your honour pleases you the most.” The Lord replied, “the fourteenth night of the new moon in the dark fortnight during the month of Phalgun, is my favorite day. It is called Maha Shivaratri. My devotees give me great joy and happiness by mere fasting than by ceremonial baths and offerings of flower, sweets and incense.”

“The devotee observes strict spiritual discipline in the day and worships me in four different forms during each of the four successive three hour periods of the night. The offering of a few bael leaves is more precious to me than precious jewels and flowers. My devotee should bath me in milk in the first period, in yogurt in the second period, in ghee in the third, and in honey in the fourth and the last. In the morning he should feed Brahmins (that is if this is possible), and after doing that he/she breaks his/her fast. No ritual can compare with this simple routine in sanctity.”

Parvati was deeply impressed by the words of her husband. She repeated this to her friends, who in turn passed it on to everyone else. Thus the sanctity of Maha Shivaratri was broadcast all over the world. The Shivaratri fast is aimed at controlling a persons two great vices (rajas – the quality of passionate activity) and (tamas – that of inertia).

The entire day is spent on worshipping Lord Shiva. Continuous worship of the Lord necessitates the devotee’s constant presence in the place of worship. Ones motion is controlled and evils like lust, anger and jealousy, born of Rajas, are ignored and subdued. The devotee observes virgil throughout the night and thus conquers tamas also. Constant control is exercised over the mind. Every three hours a round of worship of the Shiva lingam is conducted and thus Shivaratri is the perfect vrat.

At many ashrams around the world Shivaratri is celebrated in the following manner.

Aspirants fast the whole day, many of them without taking a single drop of water. Some ashrams perform a grand havan (fire yajnas) to Lord Shiva for peace and welfare of all. The whole day is spent in chantinge of the mantra “Om namah Shivaya” and in meditation upon the Lord. At night all assemble in the temple and chant this mantra and during the four quarters of the night the Shiva lingam is worshipped with intense devotion.