As far as possible we shall try to present everything in its true form without any prejudice. We humbly pray to Srila Prabhupada and all Vaishnavas to give us the required intelligence in this regard. Our only hope is that the readers of this article get to know the truth and stand for the truth and for the cause of Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON.
1. On the 17th of April 2009, the City Civil Court of Bangalore finally pronounced its judgment declaring that ISKCON Bangalore is the absolute owner of the property of the Hare Krishna Hill, Rajajinagar, Bangalore.
2. This declaration of judgment is a victory for Srila Prabhupada, not for any individual or the group headed by HG Madhu Pandit das (MPD). Accordingly, the victory was celebrated in that mood by all devotees in ISKCON-Bangalore temple, and I was a personal witness to it.
The devotees of ISKCON-Bangalore differ with the GBC on the issue of initiation. Why? Because in the past, the Zonal Acaryas dominated the scene, then so many gurus fell down, and now there are nearly 70 gurus by appointment. The GBC is yet to clear the smoke in regard to so many philosophical issues in this regard. Therefore the devotees of ISKCON-Bangalore, headed by MPD, have taken shelter of a safer system that has given them the inspiration to carry on their devotional service as directed by Srila Prabhupada, and their right to worship none other than Srila Prabhupada as the Acarya, keeping him totally at the center of ISKCON Bangalore. Is there anything wrong in this? Or is this a reason why they should be dragged to the court under the pretext of property dispute?
How did the ISKCON-Karnataka come into existence in the first place? Why did no one speak of it until 1998? What was HH Jayapataka Swami (JP Swami) doing from 1978 to 1998? On the contrary, JP Swami was active in it, he directed MPD to even apply for separate tax exemption for it. The land was allotted to it - all this was known to him and as well as other leaders and Indian GBC. These are the real questions the world is entitled to know, and I am part of that original development of the ISKCON movement in South India, in general, and Karnataka in particular. Unfortunately from 1978, I have been painted as a black sheep by none other than some of the big guns of ISKCON in South India. That is another story. Right now I wish to confine my comments to the recent scenario of their mentality of not admitting their own blunders, instead blaming MPD Prabhu for the entire legal dispute. It is more or less the same method that was used against me from 1978-1999. Let us focus on the post verdict issue of the court.
3. The Honorable Justice Shri B. BalaKrishna of the Bangalore City Civil Court has pronounced this judgment on the 17th of April 2009, after diligent and meticulous scrutiny of the volumes of evidences and documents presented by both sides. The judgment is in two volumes; one of them is 312 pages and the second one 78 pages (for the two cases). The Judge has heard both parties that have been litigating for over 9 years. In the last few months, I personally went to the court to observe the day-to-day proceedings. The judge would patiently hear hours and hours of many personal witnesses presented by both sides.
Initially the court was misinformed by the ISKCON-Mumbai representatives with regard to my role. They lied to the court that I was not willing to come to the court as a witness. Why? They kept me in darkness after taking my support for fighting their claim from 2003 to 2008. Since I am the person who incorporated the ISKCON-Bangalore society under the Karnataka Society Registration Act in Bangalore city, I should have been the leading witness to speak the truth before the world and the court. But unfortunately for ISKCON Mumbai, to whom I first blindly extended my support in 2003, they completely undermined my role because, according to them, I was not their “loyal man”, since I was not going to dance to their tunes and participate in their sinister criminal plans “to eliminate MPD Prabhu once for all under some pretext or other.” This was the strategy of ISKCON-Mumbai’s representative, HG Dayaram das, who is the leader of the legal office. He personally told me his plans to get MPD arrested! He calls MPD as “the biggest thief of ISKCON” but has no evidence to support his claim, in any case.
It was the Lord’s arrangement that in one of the meetings in my house with Dayaram das around September 2008, he opened his mind confidentially to me. (At that time, I was supporting ISKCON-Mumbai’s group because they had presented to me that MPD has “stolen Srila Prabhupada’s property” and since I was not in the ISKCON institution, I did not get into the details and simply accepted their words. Varada Krishna das and Dayaram das had come to my house). I suggested that we should think of some Vaisnava way of settling this matter. I said, “MPD has chanted the Holy Name for so many years, he has done so much service to Srila Prabhupada’s mission…”, but they were unrelenting.
I sensed that there was an intense and vicious mood of personal, deep-seated vengeance against MPD in Dayaram das and Varada Krishna das. One of the statements that Dayaram das made stunned me. He said, “I want to see that MPD is handcuffed and dragged down Hare Krishna Hill in just his kaupina and then handed over to the police.” On hearing this, I could see that it was not the concern for Srila Prabhupada’s movement that was motivating him to fight the legal battles on behalf of ISKCON-Mumbai. When I sensed this, and when I heard that he was planning certain steps to get MPD arrested and sent to jail, I knew that Kali purusha (the personality of Kali yuga) had gripped his heart. It was then that I decided to end my support of ISKCON-Mumbai, and approached MPD.
I thank Dayaram das for helping me to change my stand to support MPD Prabhu, only because I did not want to allow myself to be an instrument to send a Vaishnava, a devotee, to jail for leading the ISKCON-movement to its present glory and achievements. Similarly, thanks to Dayaram das for keeping me in darkness about the case, preventing me from coming to the court, or wasting my time, but enabling me to come out at the appropriate time so as to disclose his criminal plans. It is this most foolish strategy adopted by Dayaram das that led to the crushing defeat of ISKCON Mumbai in the case.
4. Legally I should have been the prime leading evidence for this case, because Srila Prabhupada made me the Temple President of his ISKCON-Bangalore in 1976-77. In 1978, for furthering the cause of Srila Prabhupada’s mission, I registered ISKCON Karnataka under the full knowledge and approval of my then GBC, Hansadutta. It was especially needed for making an application for a grant of land by the local government. My GBC was aware of it. (Please see my other article, "Early History of ISKCON-Bangalore".)
HH JPS became my GBC only in 1979 whereas in the court, while giving his evidence, JPS lied and said that he appointed me as the Temple President! It was Srila Prabhupada who appointed me as Temple President of ISKCON Bangalore in 1976-77, and I fondly cherish that special moment in my life in the presence of His Divine Grace in ISKCON temple in Mumbai. JPS was not even in South India at that point of time, so how can he speak such lies? Further to my surprise and shock, I saw in the court records that he has spoken so many blatant lies as evidence by swearing on Bhagavad-Gita in the court of law regarding the history of ISKCON Karnataka. How can a Tridandi Sannyasi do this?
There is one more striking lie that JPS has spoken in the court that the world should know about. MPD’s advocate showed a certified copy of the letter of Srila Prabhupada dated 30th Oct 1974 (MPD had obtained a certified copy from Bhaktivedanta Archives), which authorizes Gargamuni, Bhavananda and Jayapataka Swami to incorporate a separate ISKCON society in Calcutta. The letter was shown to JPS in the court hall while he stood in the witness box. After seeing the letter, JPS denied it! He said that he has no knowledge of this letter nor can he confirm this is Srila Prabhupada’s signature! Isn’t this a classic case of open denial of guru mukha padma vakya!! He did this lest ISKCON-Mumbai’s case would have become weaker! How can a disciple dare to deny his Guru’s words?
At this moment, I do not wish to go into all other details. It is suffice to say that several statements about me and about the existence of ISKCON Karnataka made by JPS before the court were lies, and the judge could see through it. Hence the verdict!
5. Therefore the result of the judgment has now exposed ISKCON-Mumbai’s strategy based on falsity and lies to the Vaishnava community all over the world. We are not elated to say this, because we know the real victory will be when all of us stand united, admit mistakes, forgive each other, forget the past, and move on to the future to serve the mission of Srila Prabhupada. This is the mood of all of the devotees here, including Sriman Madhu Pandit Prabhu, HH Amiya Vilas Swami, HG Anantapadmanabha das Brahmachari, HG Chanchalapati prabhu, and all devotees of ISKCON Bangalore.
6. Only with this mood in our minds we undertook the peace mission, for which we received a warm response from HH Gopal Krishna Goswami, HH Bhakti Caru Swami, HH Radhanath Swami, and HG Yasomatinandan Prabhu. We thank them for the same. The meeting was cordial and it was the first step towards an open heart-to-heart talk, after a gap of nearly a decade or so. We cannot say it was a great success, but it has certainly paved the way for direct communications with the leaders who were, till now, misled and kept in darkness on so many issues involving the legal and illegal approach of the legal team in Bangalore that was fighting ISKCON-Bangalore's case in general, and MPD Prabhu in particular.
So when we met on the 16th of March 2009, it was just to show the sincerity of our end towards resolving the unnecessary legal battle; it was an attempt to show we really do not want the fight; not that we were afraid of it, but it was not the way to resolve issues. We do have differences in our understanding about the guru issues, but that does not mean we fight in the court or public with such sensitive issues. ISKCON-Mumbai, however, took the battle to the streets, and now even the court has ruled against them, and still they are bent on fighting!
7. They have gone on an appeal in the High Court of Karanataka. That is their misfortune. Why this mentality of hatred? When MPD Prabhu has wholeheartedly volunteered to bring all the assets of ISKCON Karnataka to the control of one united ISKCON GBC, formed as per the Direction of Management (DoM) of Srila Prabhupada, why not explore the avenues to study this proposal? Why not set some time frame to implement it? Why not employ the best legal professional brains to work out an agreement between both parties for an out of court final settlement and assurances of each other’s views on all issues involved?
8. In our humble opinion, the DoM of Srila Prabhupada, if accepted and effectively implemented by GBC, will pave the way for the most auspicious reform badly needed within ISKCON's worldwide movement. It will not only rectify all the ills from 1978 to date, but will bring back hundreds and thousands of Srila Prabhupada’s sons and daughters who are left in the wilderness of the outside world of ISKCON. But due to the lack of such a system of management, it has split ISKCON into so many groups, devastated the lives of thousands and thousands of devotees who are shelterless or helpless to actively participate in rendering devotional service, simply because since 1978, this mentality of divide and rule of the Zonal Acaryas is continuing, even to this day, in disguise - all in the name of carrying on the legacy of Srila Prabhupada. Therefore the only devotees who can live in ISKCON are those who follow such disguised leaders who are controlling the fate of the movement. What a shame?
9. What can be more auspicious than implementing Srila Prabhupada’s DoM? Such a suggestion should have come from the leaders/GBC long ago. It is not the duty of MPD or others to remind these great leaders to follow the DoM. Had they adopted it long back, there would have been no legal battle of this magnitude, which forced both sides to spend millions of dollars. Now what is even more shocking is that the misled leaders of ISKCON Mumbai are willing to enter into another round of prolonging a disgraceful legal fight, only to be defeated in the high court as well as the supreme court, and the costs that will be incurred will be far higher. Twice as much? Thrice as much? Who knows? All of this is due to the personal vendetta of one or two blind leaders, who are heading this case on behalf of ISKCON Mumbai.
10. Whereas we have personally spoken this morning, 21st April 2009, to HH Gopal Krishna Goswami and HG Bhima Prabhu regarding their legal head’s rushing to courts in Bangalore, we were told this person spent 72 hours of sleepless nights (from 17th -20th), and at the end of it rushed to the High Court to only file another round of legal battle! For filing the case in the high court, does he have the approval of the GBC? Or who has given him such enormous power to do everything at his whim and fancy? Who is financing all these legal expenses, as well as so many illegal operations (which we cannot for obvious reasons write here)?
This second round of legal battle can prolong the situation for more than a decade and a half or so. Who knows how many of us will be alive till then? Who knows how many millions of rupees (Laksmi) will be spent by this sadist? How many GBCs or devotees are willing to shell out such large sums of Laksmi for this exercise in personal vendetta? They are fighting in the name of protecting Srila Prabhupada’s legacy, whereas in reality, they do not care to adopt Srila Prabhupada’s DoM for the unity of ISKCON.
11. Dear Vaishnavas and Vaishnavis, it is up to you all now to come forward and decide weather you want to support this group of sadists, who have been so far repeatedly misleading the entire GBC body and promising them for several years that they will take over ISKCON Bangalore in one week, one month, next Janmastami, next Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa Puja, and so forth. We were told that even one week before the court verdict, this legal team leader assured the Indian GBCs/RGBCs that in 4 days, they will come and take over the ISKCON-Bangalore temple. How many such occasions have come and gone? Whereas ISKCON Mumbai leaders seem to be blindly hoping, like Dhritarashtra, who always dreamt of his son’s rule to prevail on earth, but had to be finally crushed by the Lord.
12. It is high time to make some deep self-introspection as to why this repeated defeat ON OUR FACE? Why did I change my stand to support MPD Prabhu? Why did the Judge pronounce such a judgment? Why did the demigods shower such an auspicious rain on the concluding day (just as the fireworks ended after the Boat Festival, for which I was a personal witness) of the all auspicious 12th annual Brahmotsava festival of ISKCON-Bangalore on 19th April 2009? Why did the Judge choose that date and pronounce the judgment on April 17th, 2009, the very day of the Twelfth Appearance Day of Sri Sri Radha Krishna-chandra, the presiding Deities on Hare Krishna Hill? What is wrong on the part of MPD to ask for the peace process by implementation of DoM in ISKCON?
13. The elite public of Bangalore have expressed their great solidarity and happiness after hearing the judgment. They are hoping that both the groups of ISKCON will at least now sit together united and expand the Krsna consciousness movement. It will be a great disappointment for the public if they realize that once again, the ISKCON Mumbai leaders are forcing MPD to enter into another legal dispute. This will not only anger the public, but in due course will alienate ISKCON Mumbai from the public all over India. Nobody likes such prolonged legal disputes over properties by religious groups. This is the history of the world, that people in general will eventually reject such groups of individuals fighting in the name of religiosity.
Conclusion: the action based on personal vendetta and the hate campaign by those leading this dispute on behalf of ISKCON-Mumbai, reminds us of the actions of Ashvathama, the son of great Dronacarya, who after the battle of Kurukshetra performed the ghastly act of beheading the five sons of the Pandavas. When he was brought before the Lord Himself, he was treated by Arjuna like any other culprit. Why? Because Arjuna understood the mood of the Lord, by using his sense of discrimination and power to judge an act by its merit. Although Srimati Drupadi out of her womanly nature, although she had lost all her sons, yet she wanted to respect the aggressor. But Arjuna did not spare Ashvathama just because he was the son of a genuine brahmana. Srila Prabhupada writes in his purports in the first canto of Srimad Bhagavatam:
"Therefore, a cultured man should always be careful in dealing with worshipful family members… The brahmana order of society, or the spiritually advanced caste or community, and the members of such highly elevated families, were always held in great esteem by the other, subordinate castes, namely the administrative kingly order, the mercantile order and the laborers."
When Arjuna was actually perplexed by the different opinions of his brothers and wife, the Lord as the dear friend of Arjuna voluntarily took up the matter, just to make a solution. By His usual smile, He reminded Arjuna of his duty and at the same time, to please his wife, brothers, and the injunctions of the scripture. It was a very perplexing situation for Arjuna, to make the judgment with so many contradictory versions of all parties, but as the devotee of the Lord he selects a compromise, understanding the equivocal orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna, and with his sword he severed both hair and the jewels from the head of Ashvathama. This was as good as cutting off his head, and yet his life was spared for all practical purposes. So we see how a twice-born person like Ashvathama commits such heinous acts due to his so-called loyalty to Dhuryodhan’s party.
All these lessons are there for us to follow, not just for preaching to others. Let us all, therefore, learn lessons from life and take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Sri Radha Krsnachandra.
