ISKCON Boston
BY: CHAITANYA SIMHA DASA
Oct 28, 2010 — USA (SUN) — I am writing in regard to the situation at the Boston ISKCON temple. For some time, at least the past year, there has been an ongoing bedbug infestation. I have several friends that are closely involved in the situation and am writing this article out of great concern for the devotee community in Boston.
The infestation is extremely severe. The entire temple, including the temple room, pujari room, and Diety room are completely infested. The infestation has also spread to several people's homes. It has been an ongoing problem and different congregation members have been involved in trying to remedy the situation. This has been met with much denial and resistance from the Temple President (Dharu Brahmana dasa) and the GBC (Niranjana Swami).
Basically, the temple authorities have sought to either minimize or deny the current situation. It is interesting to note that neither the Temple President or GBC reside in the temple. In fact, Niranjana Swami refuses to stay there, specifically because of the bed bugs, and instead stays at his sister's house outside of Boston. There is nothing new about him staying there. In fact, one devotee, assuming Maharaja was traveling in Russia, saw him ride past on a bicycle in a town outside of Boston. No one knew he was in town, but was staying at his sisters house, incognito.
It is greatly disturbing to the community that the authorities have refused to address the situation. There are many people residing in the temple, including children, and they are greatly suffering because of the infestation. Money was raised for a thermal heat treatment (the only foolproof method for an infestation of this magnitude), but the authorities have done nothing as of this date, refusing to release the funds. Actually, an inspector visited the temple and said it was the worst infestation he ever saw. Bedbugs could be seen crawling on the vyasasana in the middle of the day. The temple authorities have also refused to notify the congregation at large, putting many families at risk for infestation. So the situation comes down to money, of course, putting the all mighty dollar over the well being of the Lord and His devotees.
It is appalling to see how callous and insensitive the leaders of ISKCON have become. Krishna temples all over the eastern seaboard are infested with bedbugs due to their neglect. And over and over again they refuse to acknowledge or address this issue. Niranjana Swami should really be ashamed that he himself will not stay in the temple, but he will allow his disciples and constituents to live in such filth and squalor. This lack of mercy for the devotees of the Lord has been shown over and over again by many ISKCON leaders. It proves their absolute disqualification for devotional service, what to speak of spiritual leadership. If you don't have apathy and sympathy for devotees, how can you even imagine having mercy for the fallen condition souls?
This mercy and compassion is absolutely necessary to spread Lord Chaitanya's message, so it is no surprise why the Krishna Consciousness Movement is in the terrible state it is today.
Niranjana Swami needs to explain himself to his disciples and ISKCON at large as to why he feels that he deserves to live in a better situation than everyone else. But as we all know, this entitlement and lack of servitorship has become the hallmark of the self-focused group of masters that have hijacked Srila Prabhupada's mission.
your servant,
Chaitanya Simha dasa
