Correspondence on Hridayananda
BY: PAYONIDHI DAS
Oct 23, MARYLAND, USA (SUN) — Following is a series of correspondence exchanged with Hridayananda das and other devotees on the subject of recent articles about Hridayananda's activities and keeping with sannyasa standards.
October 20, 2009:
Dear Hrdayananda das,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I have just read an article on Sampradaya Sun about your shameless behavior. You have fallen from sannyasa standards obviously, that is obvious. Where is Prahladananda Swami, Trivikrama Swami, Devamrta Swami, Jayadvaita Swami, Bhanu Swami, Bhakti Caru Swami, Bhakti Vaibhava Swami, Radhanatha Swami, and other sannyasis, why are they not trying to rectifie you? This is an outrage. I have always only had love and admiration for you. But not only did you preach the philosophy Gay marriage, but you are showing poor conduct and example of a sannyasi. I can no longer consider you a sannyasi as I also refuse to see Satsvarupa das as such.
You have both made a mockery of sannyasa and make it look like an asrama for material sense gratification. Kindly consider the impact you have on Srila Prabhupada's movement by acting in this way. You are lowering the standards of ISKCON, and offending Srila Prabhupada. I have been told Srila Prabhupada severely chastised you for associating with a woman once. This might have been innocent at the time, but now when I see a picture of you putting your arms around a woman, this is simply maya. WHERE IS YOUR DISCRIMINATION AND FINE INTELLIGENCE NOW?
My dear Sir you are a refined gentleman, and at heart you are a devotee, but why are you embarrassing yourself and ISKCON in this way? If you no longer want to be a sannyasi why not admit it? Like Satsvarupa, you both live off the donations and generosity of your so-called disciples. You are both misleading them. You are both not fit to bring anyone back to Godhead. I have just written, "If one thinks "I am vaisnava, one may think...." You are surely not acting like a sannyasi or Guru. I humbly suggest you rectify this kind of behavior, or step down from any position as GBC, Sannyasa, etc. and stop living like Dhrtarastra at the expense of your hard working disciples.
I talked to you in New Vrindavan in 2001 about Narayana Maharaja. At the time I was taking shelter of him, for the want of qualified leaders in ISKCON. But Narayana Maharaja chants 64 rounds every day even in his old age, by you do not even chant 16, you are sending devotees into the arms of the Gaudiya math. And you find faults that some disciples have left you. You are no better than Harikesa and Rohini Kumara. The worst part is that none of your Godbrothers are trying to help you. Basu Ghosh Prabhu wrote a very respectful and sweet letter to you, to ask you to desist from preaching about Gay Marriage. I am asking you with all humility to give up this degraded form of life you are living.
Sulocana Prabhu sacrificed his life for exposing Kirtanananda's "Guru Business". You my dear sir are into the Guru Business, it is sad I have to write you this, but it is the truth. If the GBC will not act to this concern of your Godbrother Harinamananda Prabhu, there is no spiritual strength left in the GBC. Therefore Srila Prabhupada sometimes angrily called them ABC. ( I mean no disrespect to the GBC, it is a frustration due to their failure to act when needed.)
ISKCON is no cult or sect. By your behavior completely unbefitting a sannyasi you are day by day degrading ISKCON and acting as a disgrace to Srila Prabhupada.
Srila Prabhupada chastised Jayadvaita Swami when chicken was being cooked in the temple, and objected that he had not protested. Sir "I am no chicken"… so I am speaking up; Lord Brahma's sons laughed at him. I will certainly not laugh, it is no laughing matter, it is sad when our spiritual leaders like yourself have failed to comprehend Srila Prabhupada's teachings and live by them.
I defended you over issues in Arizona, but I now see why Krsna is taking away your GBC responsibilities. I have only love for you and I know many of your disciples who are my dear friends, I beg you to please put on sannyasa dress and act as such and I humbly suggest to chant 64 rounds daily. You should be a leader in ISKCON, not set such a poor example of sannyasa. You are cheating yourself and wasting your human form of life. 'Guru na sa syat sva-jano na sa syat' (SB 5.5.18). You are acting as a cheating Guru, a Kali yuga Guru, and as a kali chela by embracing a woman. Have you forgotten Lord Caitanya's rejecting Chota Haridas? You have distanced yourself from Lord Caitanya's lotus feet and become most fallen. Please do not end up like Jagadisa.
I am praying for you now every day that you will again become an aspiring devotee. You are a perfect example of why I have preached that all sannyasis should chant 64 rounds; according to all witnesses you do not chant even 16 rounds, that there are other sannyasis like you who do not chant their rounds is another story, Krsna will also deal with them. I pray your attention may turn towards Krishna. Lord Nityananda Prabhu is watching you, why have you forgotten His lotus feet? Kindly remember Vidura's instructions to Dhrtarastra.
With all best wishes.
your friend and servant,
Payonidhi das
P.S. If I may humbly suggest you to spend time with HH Bhakti Vikas Maharaja, I believe you will be greatly benefited. He is by far superior to you in renunciation. Some time with Radhanath Swami and other sannyasa godbrothers will greatly benefit you.
October 20, 2009:
Dear Hrdayananda das (Goswami?),
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I read your response posted on Sampradaya Sun. Why have you put your arms around a lady, that is a violation of sannyasa? And you seem to stroll along with several ladies, seeming very content in their association (from those pictures posted). Those pictures posted are very revealing. I am glad you reveal you chant 16 rounds, I saw a picture where you were talking to a mataji, but your bead bag was on the table. So I was suspecting you was still chanting your 16 rounds. I am glad you confirmed it. Of course, you are accountable to Krsna and Srila Prabhupada, as we all are.
Also my question is, why do you not wear devotional clothing as you are a senior spiritual leader? Please understand I can not address you as a Swami, when you embrace a woman. Lord Caitanya rejected Chota Hari das for less behavior...what is your mindset? Kindly explain. Also, when Lord Caitanya heard the devotional singing of a lady he ran to embrace her, and Govinda stopped Him, and we all know the conversation that took place. Lord Caitanya teaching the whole world in this way. But willingly you are embracing a woman? How come you are doing what no real sannyasi in the line of any bona fide sampradaya is doing or has done, embracing a woman? How do you think this will not disturb the mind of the neophytes?
I was once falsely accused of touching a woman (by shaking her hand) on sankirtana, and that was for service as she stretched it out. I did not even care to fight their accusations (as a brahmacari), but I have seen an ISKCON sannyasi had his feet massaged once by a another lady devotee. I kindly and humbly advise you to set a better example. I know I am a junior devotee to you. Even the emperor was exposed for not wearing cloth in HC Andersen's fairytale, by a child. Luckily you were clothed ....sorry for that remark in jest. I know you are a very intelligent devotee, and you are my goduncle, I hate to see you hurt yourself in any way.
With great love and concern,
your godnephew and friend and servant,
I hope this meets you in your usual blissful KC,
Payonidhi das
October 21, 2009:
Dear Payonidhi Prabhu,
Here is a letter from the grandmother of the girl:
"I was very shocked by the misrepresentations of an innocent and spontaneous
attitude between my guru and my granddaughter in a photo published in a Sun
Sampradaya article. It makes me realize how much envy there is in the heart
of these so-called vaishnavas. My guru, Srila Acharyadeva, whom I have
followed since 1982, has been for my family a genuine spiritual master and
faithful follower of the mission of Srila Prabhupada.
My granddaughter Vraja Bhumi, now 17 years old, has, since birth, had
gurudeva as her grandfather figure and guru. She always calls him 'Vô',
which means 'Granpa'. She's had a very difficult life because she grew up without
a father and her attachment to him as a guru and a grandfather figure has made
an enormous difference in her life. When this picture was taken she spontaneously
put her arm around him like a granddaughter and he briefly patted her on the back, as can be seen in the picture. I personally took this picture and it was taken from blog, www.srisplendore.blogspot.com, from my Vyasa Puja offering to him for 2008.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Sri Rupa Manjari dd
With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
October 21, 2009:
Dear Hrdayananda Maharaja, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I wrote without knowing the circumstances in one of my emails to you, that it is properly like a fatherly gesture. However, still for a sannyasi to put his arms around a girl will easy be misinterpreted. And I gave the example of Umapati Maharaja's avoiding such a situation though it may have seemed drastic. Sometimes we have seen a picture with a sannyasi only surrounded with 10 -20 mothers, the general devotees will certainly misinterpret and easily misunderstand.
My dear friend Sadhusangananda Prabhu who was TP in Vienna and later in Boston once put his hand on the head of a small girl in an affectionate fatherly way. This was also misinterpreted by many and he had to resign (he was a brahmacari). I can fully sympathize with you. Sannyasis, however, are not supposed to touch any women under any circumstances even for social exchanges, and it is a lack in the training of your disciples as well as in your educating them in proper Vaisnava sadacara.
I have not written anything in envy, only out of concern. Everywhere I go, I hear Hrdayananda Maharaja is never attending programs, he is always only in non-devotional dress, yes surely many neophyte devotees are envious and project their own lacks on leaders.
There is much fall down in the grhastha asrama in ISKCON because many are too attached to their wives, and do not live in separate sleeping quarters. That is another issue all together. But your godbrother there in Mexico properly needs some association and encouragement, and maybe he will see you in a different light. I am glad you have explained everything and things are more clear for all. I apologize for any rash statements or offences I might have committed. I think you can however benefit from my humble suggestion, and that if explained in a better way by a senior sannyasi will make more sense to you.
Again I am very sorry if I have offended you.
your humble servant
Payonidhi das
October 21, 2009:
Dear Hridayananda Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Maharaja with all respect to your disciple Rupa Manjari mataji, she writes: "It makes me realize how much envy there is in the heart of these so-called Vaishnavas".
Real Vaisnavas are not envious. There are many persons posing themselves as Vaisnavas that are envious.
[long related article deleted – "If I Think I'm a Vaisnava…"]
Maharaja I like to add if I think I am a Vaisnava in the sannyasa asrama, I may think it is ok to put my arm around a woman and associate closely with women. Maharaja I like to add, if I think I am a Vaisnava serving as a Guru, I may think that if others kindly point out my mistakes, they are all envious of me as I am infallible, and do not have to strictly follow the rules of varna asrama.
The fact is not because one is a Guru is one everyone's Guru. This is being preached often in ISKCON. I respect any persons serving Srila Prabhupada as a Guru also, but the pratsitha and seeking comfort and respect and not wholeheartedly pushing on the sankirtan mission I can not accept, and the lack of divya jnana.
I consider you like an older godbrother, because many and most use their being senior as a loaded gun for pratishta and wealth without taking interest in preaching to the man on the street, and also showing advanced KC. Because most leaders in ISKCON do not take interest in the sankirtana movement and go out and set the example, by going on Harinama, book distribution,college preaching, etc, the rest of the devotees also thinks it is about staying in the temples and kicking back. This model is what Srila Prabhupada protested against his godbrothers. Real Vaisnavas preach. Maharaja you may be a very nice devotee, but you are not acting as an acarya or setting a very good example. If you think I am envious, you can pray to Lord Narasimha and ask Him how envious I am, ask Lord Nityananda Prabhu. It is great self envy for any sannyasi to put an arm around a woman. If you do not understand this much, you do not understand KC very well. I am very sorry.
I have prayed to Srila Prabhupada, that every word I have written here is what he wants me to say. I am just a tiny jiva with a great desire to serve Srila Prabhupada, and his mission, without any material motivations.
May Sri Gaura Nitai bless us all with remembrance of their lotus feet. May we all remember Lord Caitanya's dealings with Chota Haridas and become sober.
your humble servant,
Payonidhi das
October 23, 2009:
My Goodness what a Rascal You Have Become
Dear Hrdayananda, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I was reading and listening to this Google video. You are stating Srila Prabhupada went beyond his authority to write in the way he did. In other words, you claim yourself more intelligent than Srila Prabhupada.
Not only do you preach Gay marriage is ok, you preach and show intimate association for a sannyasi is ok for you, and then you claim you know better than Srila Prabhupada. Your scholarship has gone to your head... you are so in the clouds. Lord Caitanya chastised Vallabhacarya for trying to become greater than Sridhara Swami. You are trying to show you are a higher authority than even Srila Prabhupada and you talk about others being envious... you have become a poisonous snake, by preaching such offensive nonsense.
I noticed in your purports to the Bhagavatam 10.11.12 canto there are several mistakes different from the acaryas… and yet here you are such a rascal to dare describe yourself as more empowered and intelligent than Srila Prabhupada. You are the one that is envious of Srila Prabhupada. It is now showing in many ways. So when you have stated that Srila Prabhupada went beyond his authority, you have angered me so much. Lord Caitanya Himself can not save you now. You have really fallen down in all ways.
The GBC NEEDS TO REMOVE YOU AT ONCE from positions in ISKCON AS YOU HAVE FALLEN DOWN IN ALL WAYS.
You are envious of Srila Prabhupada , it is 100% clear. To accuse anyone to be envious of your fallen position is offensive. I used to think you were not a proper sannyasi and a bit liberal (since you advocated gay marriage), you are power hungry, corrupt and fallen. You are not even a kanistha adhikari ...your mentality is asuric.. an agent of Kali, sent to destroy ISKCON from within. Lord Narasimhadeva is protecting the sankirtana movement by exposing you for what you really are. May Lord Narasimhadeva protect ISKCON against you. May He also save your misled so-called disciples.
In service to Srila Prabhupada, the Vaisnavas, and Lord Narasimhadeva, and Pancatattva and Radha Madhava and the Astasakhis. dear Radha Madangopala please somehow purify Hrdayananda das, and make the GBC know they need to act. Kindly place Your
beautiful lotus feet in my heart.
Srila Prabhupada showed concern that the GBC would not react to deviations after he departed, what will make them react? I pray Lord Narasimhadeva will appear in the heart of us all and rip our anarthas and misconceptions, may I never have the mentality of Hrdayananda in millions of births. Dear Lord Narasimha protect me eternally from the pride and Kali's influence shown by Hrdayananda.
with all humility,
Payonidhi das
[Editor's Note: The above threads slightly edited for readability. Also, in a related email exchange, a GBC member informed Payonidhi das that a statement made by Rocana das in his recent article was incorrect. It was apparently not this year's Mayapur festival when Hridayananda das was seen in the Holy Dhama, in karmi clothes, and in the close association of a woman. The GBC member informs Payonidhi that Maharaja was teaching in Gainesville at the time. Apologies for the error in timeline. We will make an effort to locate the original report sent to us on this event, and will correct the date. It was reported fairly recently, however.]
