Sinister Influences in ISKCON
BY: JAYA MADHAVA DAS (ACBSP)
Apr 22, 2015 — MOSCOW, RUSSIA (SUN) —
"It is a fact however that the great sinister movement is within our Society."
(HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)
Following are two timely letters by Srila Prabhupada to Hamsaduta das, in 1970 and 1972, relevant to the present precarious position of ISKCON and the GBC body. These letters to a senior GBC man show Srila Prabhupada's full awareness of the shortcomings of his GBC. Not only that, it also shows positively his willingness to disband it, if necessary. Most devotees today don't know this, and should.
Sinister
an evil appearance : looking likely to cause something bad, harmful, or dangerous to happen.
Full Definition of---- SINISTER---
1
archaic : unfavorable, unlucky
2
archaic : fraudulent
3
: singularly evil or productive of evil
4
a : of, relating to, or situated to the left or on the left side of something; especially : being or relating to the side of a heraldic shield at the left of the person bearing it
b : of ill omen by reason of being on the left
5
: presaging ill fortune or trouble
6
: accompanied by or leading to disaster
Synonym Discussion of ---SINISTER---
sinister, baleful, malign mean seriously threatening evil or disaster. sinister suggests a general or vague feeling of fear or apprehension on the part of the observer (a sinister aura haunts the place). baleful imputes perniciousness or destructiveness to something whether working openly or covertly (exerting a corrupt and baleful influence). malign applies to what is inherently evil or harmful (the malign effects of racism).
Sinister influences within our Society - A warning from HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada:
Calcutta India
2 September, 1970
70-09-02
Hamburg Germany
My Dear Hamsaduta,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 23rd August as well as the German "Zuruck zur Gottheit." This masthead was submitted to me by Jaya Govinda and I approved of it, but I advised him to put the words "Back to Godhead", as it is. The idea is that the original name, "Back to Godhead", even it goes to foreign country it should continue to be the same. As you can see from other important magazines like "Life" and "Time" they are distributed in foreign countries is the same name without being translated into the local language. If you think that such change will be more convenient, I have no objection—such change means, instead of "Back to Godhead", "Zuruck zur Gottheit."
Regarding the poisonous effect in our Society, it is a fact and I know where from this poison tree has sprung up and how it affected practically the whole Society in a very dangerous form. But it does not matter. Prahlada Maharaja was administered poison, but it did not act. Similarly Lord Krsna and the Pandavas were administered poison and it did not act. I think in the same parampara system that the poison administered to our Society will not act if some of our students are as good as Prahlada Maharaja. I have therefore given the administrative power to the Governing Body Commission.
I have tried to give you all Krsna Consciousness, now it is your duty to develop it. If you remain strong on the spiritual platform then your progress will not be checked or blocked. I do not know what was resolved in New Vrindavan although Sriman Rupanuga Prabhu has informed others that he has sent a tape in this connection. I am still in darkness about the proceedings in New Vrndavana, but I have heard that Brahmananda is preaching about me that I am Krsna, that I am Supersoul, that I have withdrawn my mercy from the disciples, that I have left the Society and so on. I do not know how far they are correct, but I have written him a letter that he may not do something which may harm the interest of the Society. You are also one of the members of the GBC, so you can think over very deeply how to save the situation. "It is a fact however that the great sinister movement is within our Society." I have not heard anything from Krsna das or Syamasundara, so all of you may try to save the Society from this dangerous position.
So far my coming here, it appears that it was Krsna's desire. There was very good reception in the Airport and the public opinion is that it was the unique reception so far given to any VIP man. Here in India, especially in Bengal, the political conditions are not very good. Everyone is feeling some sort of anxiety due to the political condition, so I have given them a sort of hope that if they take to Krsna Consciousness their problems will be solved. It is not my mental concoction, but I believe in the words of Narottama Dasa Thakura that the shelter of the Lotus Feet of Lord Nityananda is as cooling effectively as the combined moonshine of millions of moons. So I am sure anyone taking shelter of Krsna Consciousness Movement will be happy. Please try to push this Movement on this process.
Offer my blessings to Himavati. Hope this will meet you in good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
ACBS:ds
Srila Prabhupada established a GBC body to protect and insure ONLY that his standards and mission were not changed or compromised. Even in the early GBC years, signs of his disciples disobeying him were coming to light… what to speak of now in 2015, when ISKCON barely resembles its 'Original Form' mission in the West and other places. Temples are empty buildings, no official Bhakta Program is thriving. Book distribution suffers as a result. Who can deny this?
The drift from Srila Prabhupada's instructions is not only rampant in ISKCON, but is denied. This is called a cheating mentality. This is the GBC's mentality.
In the following letter, Srila Prabhupada uses the IF, to say Krsna will protect ISKCON from poison as long as the GBC are strong and follow properly. This means, as well, insuring that Srila Prabhupada's programs are not changed.
So far as we see today, ISKCON temples are hollow shells in the West, attended by Indians on Sunday. This is solid proof that something went off, and the GBC has intentionally failed to admit it publicly and fix it.
Amazingly, some GBC/Gurus preach to their disciples the ISKCON GBC Propaganda, "We are the Popes of ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada trusted the GBC…" Yes he did, but only to a certain point. He also did not trust them.
The GBC are empowered ONLY if they protect and follow Srila Prabhupada properly. Oops, they forgot to mention that to their disciples. And booting out their godbrothers/sisters who did not agree with their new agenda and their new versions of ISKCON is SINISTER.
Srila Prabhupada hoped that as a complete body, the GBC would correct deviations in ISKCON, not deny them. That's a fact. But that is not what is happening. Does the GBC body have a backbone or any guts anymore?
The GBCs/Gurus preach to their disciples a false notion that loyalty to Srila Prabhupada is loyalty to them! Loyalty to the GBC is loyalty to ISKCON. Question: Show me where Srila Prabhupada said this! By doing this, basically half-truths or outright lies are told to bolster their security and positions in ISKCON. The GBC are now the unquestionable heads of ISKCON, so they can allow Mission Drift, as they please.
The latest GBC Annual Meeting in 2015 was a shameful farce. They were not addressing the real issues (as usual). Their approval of Krishna West is a shameful step in the downfall of the GBC and Prabhupada's intended ISKCON. Next it will be women gurus, then gay marriages… the sky is the limit for ISKCON's GB/New Age Hindu Priests!
Unfortunately, some new devotees are lacking the needed insight and loyalty to Srila Prabhupada, and ISKCON has been reduced to a mundane church for Hindus. It has become a cult -- the very thing we preached we were not when we were preaching in America in the mid- and late 1970s. ISKCON has now become its worst enemy, not the deprogrammers! It went Mission Drift after 1978 and it has never been corrected.
Imagine ISKCON Reform, Guru Reform in ISKCON -- a total revival of Srila Prabhupada's intentions. If the disciples were to completely hold the GBC accountable for compromising Prabhupada's ISKCON, basing it on Guru, Sadhu and Shastra, then the jig would be up for many GBC/Gurus. Game Over, exposed!
In fact, there could be a revolution in ISKCON, the leaders being exposed by their disciples if they held them accountable for allowing Mission Drift in ISKCON. This has not happened. The opposite has happened. Instead we have what deprogrammers used to call ISKCON… a personality cult. Actually, it is not Prabhupada centered any longer.
Letter Two
"What will happen when I am not here, shall everything be spoiled by GBC? So for the time being, let the GBC activities be suspended until I thoroughly revise the whole procedure."
Sydney Australia
11 April, 1972
72-04-11
Hamburg
My dear Hamsaduta,
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 7th, 1972, and I have noted the contents. The meeting of the GBC appeared to be very unconstitutional, because all the men were not informed or invited. Syamasundara. was not invited, Sudama was not invited, Krishna das was not invited, Tamala Krishna was not invited, neither I was informed. Why? You cannot hold meeting of 8 persons without inviting the others. Seven may be a quorum, that's all right, but you cannot convene without a general announcement to all the members and myself, giving a proposed agenda, like that, the topics to be discussed, why the meeting is being called, etc. Then there is correspondence for deciding these things, and if there is great necessity, then meeting may be called, but not whimsically, only after much thought is given and there is clear intimation of all the members plus myself. Anything whatever is done is done, but the whole thing appeared to be giving all power to Atreya Rsi. I cannot understand why, instead of one GBC man, a person outside the Commission was given so much power, and there was to be immediate action without divulging the matter to the devotees. And I am surprised that none of the GBC members detected the defects in the procedure.
It was detected only when it came to me. What will happen when I am not here, shall everything be spoiled by GBC? So for the time being, let the GBC activities be suspended until I thoroughly revise the whole procedure. In the meantime, you do your duty as president of Hamburg Temple, and try to improve spiritually. Our spiritual way should strictly observe the following points especially: (1). Neatness and cleanliness of all personal bodies. (I still see those who are initiated as Brahmins, they do not wash their hand after eating even; of course, there may be so many defects due to your births in non-Brahmin families, but how long it shall go on? It is very easy thing.); (2). Chanting 16 rounds daily. (I don't think everyone is following these principles.); (3) Temple worship, which should be performed rigidly between four and ten a.m.)
I find that the devotees are still sleeping up to six, seven o'clock. So in the GBC Agenda I do not find any such programs for reforming our past bad habits. So kindly as President of Hamburg center you try to observe yourself all the regulative principles and see all the members are following.
Recently I have received from one Sannyasi complaint about another Sannyasi who is not chanting regularly. So our view is that we shall be strictly following the rules and regulations. Monetary matters are secondary. On principle, we should better starve than neglect our rules and regulations. We are trying to present an ideal Society to the world, so although we are very rigidly following these principles, still, we are very liberal to everyone. For this reason we are being appreciated everywhere. So anyway, I am not at all dissatisfied with you, but it is my duty to point out the mistakes. You are in charge of the Germany organization. Please do it nicely there, not very much on the material side, more on the spiritual side. Example is better than precept. Every one of you must be the perfect examples, then everyone will follow.
Hoping this will meet you in good health, along with your good wife, Himavati devi dasi.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
ACBS/sda
This second letter says a lot. Please read it carefully. History is repeating itself in different ways in ISKCON now.
The original sin of the GBC body was to disobey HDG Srila Prabhupada's instructions, even before he left the planet. Srila Prabhupada's strict order to close all his Temples and bring ALL his disciples to his bedside at once in Vrindaban dham was covered-up… hidden from his disciples by the GBC. This is an enormous offence to Srila Prabhupada and his sincere disciples. This piece of history won't just disappear.
My godbrother Pradyumna das's warning to the GBC that they were overstepping themselves in worship and titles was ignored by the GBC, who kicked him out of ISKCON. Great offences were made for decades to so many of Prabhupada's disciples who questioned the GBC's off directions. Money-making is more important to the GBC/Gurus, thus ISKCON's Mission Drift. Devotees are not taken care of (seniors included). This is outrageous. It is impersonalism in ISKCON.
Pradyumna das had his service taken away from him. He was supposed to translate the Srimad Bhagavatam, but he was heartlessly pushed out of the picture. And thousands of Prabhupada disciples met the same fate. ISKCON has lost a lot of great souls and good men due to the desire for profit, adoration and distinction… the greed and selfishness of the GBC. No proper atonement has ever been made by the GBC body to this day!
"On principle, we should better starve than neglect our rules and regulations. We are trying to present an ideal Society to the world."
Look at what his Divine Grace says in this letter: not one GBC/Guru EVER talks like this now. Where is the integrity of the current GBC Body in allowing Mission Drift, which has been well documented in many articles on the Sampradaya Sun, continuing to this day. That's the question all devotees should be asking their GBC and Temple Presidents in ISKCON now.
