Apr 08, 2013 — AUSTRALIA (SUN) — My previous article calling for the resignation of Ramai Swami as GBC of Australia and elsewhere is backed up by recent correspondence I have had with the secretary of the New Govardhana farm, which is meant to be under his guidance.
FYI: What is WWOOFing? WWOOFing (Willing Workers On Organic Farms ) is an organization that links individuals with organic farms. Working (4 hours a day) in exchange for food and accommodation is the basis of all WWOOFing.
Letter to Damodar Pandit from Sabhapati das:
Damodara Pandit Pabhu and the members of the New Govardhana Council.
PAMHO.AGTSP.
I am getting an increasing number of distressing reports about the low consciousness pervading New Govardhana caused entirely by the Wwoofer program. Many devotees are deeply disturbed by their presence and it is one of the reasons why 18 devotees have left the farm in the past 12 months. Why do the members of the New Gov council permit the overt breaking of the regulative principles on Srila Prabhupada's property?
When I previously complained to you about the promiscuous illicit sexual activities that were regularly occurring, I was shocked by your reply. You said "What's your problem, they are consenting adults". Why do you blatantly ignore Srila Prabhupada's instructions.
Why has there been a designated smoking area created by Ajita (temple president) so that they can smoke their cigarettes and drugs. Why are they allowed to smoke dope on Srila Prabhupada's property?
Why are these people allowed to live on the farm for months at a time and show no interest in becoming a devotee?
Let me quote Srila Prabhupada on the standards required for living in his temples.
TEMPLES AND MONASTRIES SHOULD BE CONSTRUCTED FOR THE PREACHING OF SPIRITUAL OR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS, NOT TO PROVIDE FREE HOTELS FOR PERSONS WHO ARE USEFUL FOR NEITHER MATERIAL OR SPIRITUAL PURPOSES. TEMPLES AND MONASTRIES SHOULD BE STRICTLY OFF LIMITS TO WORTHLESS CLUBS OR CRAZY MEN. IN THE KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS MOVEMENT WE WELCOME EVERYONE WHO AGREES AT LEAST TO FOLLOW THE MOVEMENTS REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES NO ILLICIT SEX, NO INTOXICATION, NO MEAT EATING AND NO GAMBLING. IN THE TEMPLES AND MONASTRIES, GATHERINGS OF UNNECESSARY, REJECTED LAZY FELLOWS SHOULD BE STRICTLY DISALLOWED. THE TEMPLES AND MONASTRIES SHOULD BE USED EXCLUSIVELY BY DEVOTEES WHO ARE SERIOUS ABOUT ADVANCEMENT IN KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS. .SB 7.13.8
If you claim to be a follower of Srila Prabhupada then you must stop this nonsense immediately.
All glories to His Divine Grace, Hare Krishna,
Ys, Sabhapati Das
Reply from Damodar Pandit das to Sabhapati:
Dear Sabhapati Prabhu,
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Thank you for letter. Nice to hear from you again.
At New Govardhana we have established an Advisory Board that generally meets monthly. On that board sits two Srila Prabhupada disciples namely Venu Gopal Prabhu and Alalanath Prabhu.
Unfortunately Mukunda Goswami has retired from the board due to frail health. There is also another seven devotees currently sitting on the board - all of them are in good standing and have been dedicated to Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON movement for over 30 years each.
The WWOOFER Program is a preaching initiative that is constantly being monitored. Recently I am aware that further conditions and restrictions were implemented in the administration of the program. I can request Karunika Mataji who is co-coordinator of the program to update you.
Also I am happy to forward your concerns to the board for further scrutiny.
My recollection of my use of the words "consenting adults" in a discussion with you was in regards to the relationship between Madreya and Sophia (a Wwoofer). At that time they had formally announced their engagement to marry and had notified Sophia's parents of such. My recollection was you were concerned about their relationship and my response was about that. They were both adults of consenting age and were officially engaged to marry.
I honestly do not believe that any devotees are endorsing or encouraging the breaking of any principles at New Govardhana. The Woofer program provides the opportunity for people interested in a Hare Krishna Farm to come and visit. They also get to do 4 hours devotional service per day and take Krishna prasadam. Wwoofers may only stay for a limited duration and upon arrival are given orientation and sign a form promising to observe our principles. The Wwoofer program has been successful to some degree as many new people are engaging in farm seva, they are eating Krishna prasadam, associating with devotees (Mukunda Goswami gives weekly classes) and a few ex Wwoofers have now even taken to full-time practising the process of Bhakti Yoga.
I would also remind you that in ISKCON if you seek clarification or have concerns you may submit to the local Governing Body representatives, to the ISKCON Australia Zonal Council, to ISKCON Resolve (via Braj Bihari Prabhu), the ISKCON Australian Ombudsman (Gokularani dd) or directly to the GBC executive (via the GBC correspondence secretary).
Your servant,
Damodara Pandit das
(New Govardhana, Secretary)
Reply from Sabhapati to Damodar Pandit:
Damodara Pandita Prabhu.
PAMHO...AGTSP.
Thank you for your prompt and courteous reply. But I do think you are missing the real point. I would have no objection to a wwoofer program if it was properly managed and the wwoofers were educated in Krishna conscious. But for the 5 years I stayed near the wwoofers' quarters this was never the case.
The New Govardhana council, which simply rubber stamps Ajita' s style of management, simply does not follow Srila Prabhupada's instructions. He says in that purport that our temples are only for serious men. I never saw any serious wwoofers. I do agree that some who came were initially interested in learning about Krishna Consciousness, but there was never any program in 5 years put in place to recruit anyone. Very poor management indeed. Srila Prabhupada's standard was that if they did not shave up and join up after 3 days then they should move on. Once, Ramasvara complained about the scraggy, unkempt appearance of some of the guests staying in the temple. Srila Prabhupada instructed that if they did clean not themselves up they should leave.
No matter what you say, your committee is flagrantly disobeying Srila Prabhupada's standards. I will ask you again. Why does the New Govardhana management allow these wwoofers to stay there while they do not follow the regulative principles? Has the entire NG board agreed to allow a designated smoking area? Why are they allowed to eat meat on the property? Why are the women allowed to walk around in unchaste clothing? I even saw them sunbaking in bikinis. If you allowed all this to go on then you should be ashamed of yourselves. Srila Prabhupada would never approve of their behaviour.
Are you so blind to the fact that the majority of devotees are appalled by this wwoofer progam? The fact that 18 devotees have left the property in the last 12 months indicates that there is real dissatisfaction amongst the devotees.
The solution is simple, stop concocting all this nonsense and just follow Srila Prabhupada's instructions.
HareKrishna,
Sabhapati das
Edited slightly
