Braj Bihari - The Bigger Picture
BY: JAGADEESH DASA
May 22, VRINDAVAN, INDIA (SUN) — Since Srila Prabhupad went into Samadhi we have seen his Krishna Consciousness Movement slowly and steadily change. Change is a fact of life. It is not change itself that
is a cause of concern, it is what something changes into that may be a cause of concern.
We can see from the issues centering on Braj Bihari that ISKCON has in fact changed. It is no longer the same organization that Srila Prabhupad wanted.
Srila Prabhupad was clear; how he wanted his movement structured, how he wanted his devotees managed, how he wanted his devotees educated and how he wanted his devotees cared for.
Srila Prabhupada did not want his movement to be structured like a corporation, his devotees managed as if they were resources, he did not want his devotees educated with secular schooling and business management training procedures and he did not want his devotees to feel not listened to and not loved.
Yet, it is clear that ISKCON has now changed to become exactly what Srila Prabhupada did not want and furthermore that Braj Bihari is one of the major driving forces behind this change.
Braj Bihari is not alone, he has people both below him and above him. It is the people above him that he gains his power from. From the people below, he gains his ability to act in order to produce that change.
When one looks at the decision making process in ISKCON we can see how fundamentally corrupt this process is.
Firstly when we look at who makes the decisions in ISKCON, we see that it is made by members of ISKCON. But, who are these members who make these decisions? It is certainly not the general devotee, for even though we feel and believe that we are members of ISKCON, we are in fact, not. The only (in the eyes of the law) members are really a small group of devotees, who mainly come from the GBC and their friends.
The general devotees, most of you who are reading this, have no say whatsoever. They basically don’t listen to us because they don’t have to.
Topically, we are seeing this in action when we have a GBC ignoring the devotional community of Boston, and pushing ahead to sell a multi-million dollar property.
Properties are not financial assets to be bought and sold. In the early days we would see him collecting money in order to do what he wants and not resort to selling a devotional property out from under the devotional community. In this way we will see the Boston community grow and not simply change.
Further, under what criteria are these decisions made? Srila Prabhupada has given us his instructions and the wealth of Shastra to make decisions. He has given us exactly what to do, and exactly why to do it. All that is left for us to do is to choose the best person to do it. There is no question of compromise or uncertainty. There may be some changes due to time, place and circumstance, but, these are only minor modifications.
Now we are seeing decisions made that are totally at loggerheads with Srila Prabhupada.
Srila Prabhupada did not want his movement to turn into a corporation, yet this is exactly what these devotees are turning it into.
The upper echelon is organizing itself as a business corporation and this is evident by the push in the GBC wanting the management (ownership) of the temples and projects removed from the Temple Presidents and given over to the GBC body.
Once this occurs what would be the difference between ISKCON and a karmi corporation?
We will have; the GBC (owners) making all the decisions (making all the profits), the Temple Presidents (Branch Managers) coordinating the devotees and life members (resources).
The "resources" will be trained up in business management techniques and multi-level marketing strategies. Our children will be trained in Government accredited schools and sent off to the karmi workforce with the vain hope that they will give some money to the movement.
Anyone who complains too effectively will be banned (sacked); anyone who complains less effectively will be bewildered by the bureaucratic process.
With the devotees seen as resources to raise money and to staff (mostly for free) the various branches and departments, and the properties seen as financial assets, there will be absolutely no difference between us and a karmi business corporation.
It is quite possible that the future dream of these individuals will be to trade ISKCON on the Stock Market. Investors Ki Jay!
Even though this may sound laughable (I actually had a chuckle while writing that) it is not that farfetched.
Srila Prabhupada is steadily becoming an anachronism and Krishna will soon be an advertising logo, ‘simple living and high thinking’, an advertising slogan and the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra an advertising jingle.
What to do? As Vrindavan prabhu is suggesting, an independent investigation, possibly a private company, is needed.
But this is not the full answer. Any investigation will only be effective if the findings are dealt with by an appropriately qualified body.
From the wealth of information coming in it is evident that the GBC and its various plenary bodies are not capable of being unbiased and effective in dealing with findings, should they conclude that Braj Biahri and his people are, in fact, corrupt.
Further, it would be good if legal charges were brought against any individual that has broken the law in this matter.
The abuse of our children and the cover up by management and the GBC is ultimately unresolved since it is highly unlikely that anyone was charged and convicted by a criminal justice system for their crimes. To all extent and purposes, most of the individuals involved with the abuse are ‘carrying on as usual’ and have only been made to suffer minor repercussions for their crimes, by internal institutional procedures.
If Braj Biahri and his people are found to be corrupt, then very decisive and hard measures must be applied. If this means legal action, then so be it.
Your servant
Jagadeesha das
