Kripalu in Mayapur
BY: R.A. SADHUDASA ANUDASA
Mar 11, 2011 — SRIDHAM MAYAPUR, WEST BENGAL (SUN) — I have always been an active spiritual seeker, and pray to continue been so覧through the grace of Srila Prabhupada and all spiritual well wishers. Of course, this has not always been a welcomed attitude in spiritual circles, where the leaders and managers of such "circles" feel uneasy at somebody questioning deep philosophical issues, or conflicting managerial behavior.
During the earlier 90's, while in Miami, USA, I saw an article advertising a gathering at the International Society of Divine Love, and I went there as incognito to see the "Shree Swamiji." Although I went there in civil clothes, I introduced myself as a practitioner Vaishnava in the line of ISKCON. Although the couple house-owners greeted me gently, I noticed certain uneasiness on the lady, who was already dressing in a pinkish/orange saree.
The first meeting with the "Shree Swamiji" went by with no deep impression about him or his speech. However, I saw a beautifully performed aratik ceremony performed by the host lady. Everything seemed "raganuga-bhakti" as so portrayed on the "swamiji's" speech. He also diminished the aggressive "proselyte" tendency of some, as a direct assumption to ISKCON.
Since there was no question and answers facilities on the "swamiji's" program覧not even personal darshan覧I went to the next gathering with a very polite letter introducing myself as a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, and asked him simple straight-forward questions regarding his disciplic succession, and particular philosophical line of thought within Vaishnavism. The program went on as the previous one; however "Shree Swamiji" promised that on the next one he will be talking about some intimate pastimes of Sri Krishna覧perhaps to his "inner" circle of followers. I noticed again that the stress was given to an atmosphere of "sacred mysticism," particularly to the覧have to recognize覧beautiful puja performed to a set of Sri Radha-Krishna's deities placed within a grove-like altar with dimmed lights.
I was there again the next meeting. The host lady first read from a paper the "Swamiji's" diksha connection with Kripalu Maharaja from Vrindavana, and although no parampara lineage was mentioned, the claim was that they were followers of Sri Chaitanya. By then, I realized that this was not bona fide.
There were to books available by "Swamiji" at the house, one of them was about the "art of devotion." Since I'm not too much into reading Vaishnava books, but listening about them, and most particularly "reading Vaishnava behavior" from those who speak on them, I did not buy any book. For me it was enough that "Swamiji" did not properly reply to my letter personally覧although knowing that I was present in the small audience of about 20 persons. He also never invited me for his personal "darshan." The conclusion was simple, he did not wanted me there.
At the time I did not know who Kripalu Maharaja was. When I reached Vrindavana (at
that time I was living in the guest-house of Sri Vishbhambar Goswami of Radha-ramana
Temple) I became aware of KMj's corrupted behavior, and such references sealed my
opinion about the so called "swamijis."
Once I saw "Swamiji" P. Sarasvati in one of the first small luxury cars that had been recently produced in India. A lady in orange or saffron clothes was driving it. My despair was how to tell people about the danger these people are to society. However, I had to recall being in LA a decade before, and having the same experience regarding my own ISKCON fellows about false "swamis." By then覧while serving at the Spanish BBT覧I had the immense fortune to access Srila Prabhupada's Archives in private覧a benediction that I'll ever thank my dear God brothers Ekanatha dasa Prabhu, and by default also Parama Rupa dasa.
At the time, I found out that our own ISKCON movement had perhaps more serious troubles than just prakrita-sahajiyas覧since Prabhupada had to deal with them from the very beginnings. My trouble was to find out that some of the ISKCON leaders of the time覧whom I had previously admired, as most of the society did, had made
Prabhupada literally cry.
By having full access to Srila Prabhupada's complete Folio, the windows to another ISKCON world began to opening up. At the time (1982-1984) there were not the "digital world" that we have today. Everything depended on tape recordings, microfilms of all Prabhupada's letters, and transcribed lectures. At the time, I assisted Radha Krishna Swami in the anonymous printing of ALL of Srila Prabhupada's letters. Although Prabhupada's letters to his disciples are also important for historical records, according to some they are NOT meant to be read as a WHOLE by Prabhupada's followers覧as if Prabhupada has said HALF truths. Today I infinitively appreciate the task, that particularly Ekanath dasa Prabhu is performing, in preserving Srila Prabhupada's legacy to his best capacity.
So, the concept of deviating from spiritual principles is not the sole possession of Indian aspirant "sadhus" since time immemorial, like the very Bhagavatam denounces. For instance, the real ultimate shock to the Vrindavana community came during last Kartik festival, from one of the most prominent Bhagavatam speakers Bhagwat Acharya Rajendra Sharma, who was broadly advertised as an elevated devotee of Sri Radha-Krishna all over. He came from a third generation of prominent Bhagavatam speakers of Sri Vrindavana. Most sadly, his own homemade porn videos with him and his wife performing lascivious activities right inside the Yamuna holy waters, and his young wife's sexual intercourse with their family dog, have fully shaken the "goswami's" families of the entire Sri Vrindavana. (VrindavanToday.org news story)
It seems that shakti-avesha-avataras of the caliber of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
Saraswati Prabhupada, and our own Srila Prabhupada, could envision the treat of
appointing a successor acharya in their missions, and thus promoted and established
a General Body Commission to MANAGE it. One principle behind it could be that in
Kali-yuga is very, very, very diffiCULT to fall into a sentimental religious CULT
movement as Kripalu Maharaja has managed覧with hundreds of thousands of sentiMENTAL blind followers.
Srila Prabhupada's vision of an organized society that can awake mankind to its inborn identity as God's servants, through the awareness of their natural position within the Vedic varna-ashrama interrelationship, surpasses every one of his followers sincere attempts; the most brilliant and philosophical of his intimate God brothers覧like Srila B.R. Sridhara Mj., and Srila Adi Keshava dasa (Dr. O.B.L. Kapoor), and all of his spiritual cousins good "rasika" intentions.
The constant threat of performing irreligious activities by ANY aspirant spiritual manager willing to become a LEADER is particularly CONSTANT. Even mature spiritual leaders in the stage of bhava-bhakti can succumb to Maya's tricks, since the position of the living entity within this material world is conditioned since time immemorial覧thus the term prakrita-sahajiya is most appropriate to ALL conditioned jivas覧 and so continuing to "act" in a most NATURAL way, while performing activities that are plainly and grossly material.
There is no question that still there are覧and hopefully will always be, by the Lord's grace覧saintly persons or sadhus, to assist all of us to hold to the right path. However, it requires ORGANIZED institutions like ISKCON, under COMPLETE Vedic patterns to continue doing so. Srila Prabhupada is constantly asking the managers of his ISKCON-GBC to become spiritual leaders. One cannot LEAD one's own spiritual life if one is not capable to MANAGE one's own tongue, mind and genitals... vacho began, manaso krodha vegan, udharopashta vegan... Therefore a leader is a natural SPIRITUAL
EDUCATOR who teaches by personal example (acharya)覧where "natural" stands for
"raganuga," which is also a Sanskrit synonym for "sahajiya."
ISKCON aspirant leaders would become extremely successful if they embrace with the same zeal that "protects" their own deviant members (NO need to remove them from performing devotional service within ISKCON though!) to ALL sincere ISKCON's disenfranchising members覧mostly with brahminical tendencies覧that constantly open sub-branches constantly manifesting from ISKCON. The far distant, one is disenfranchising from Srila Prabhupada and his institutional principles represented by his ISKCON society, one is risking to continue as a prakrita-sahajiya by producing one's mental philosophical or "modern" concoctions. However, even some ISKCON-GBC "loyal" members may be already opening their "exclusive" prakrita-sahajiya ISKCON sub-branches覧right in front of our eyes, as used to be during Prabhupada's physical presence amongst us decades ago.
Although far distant, during the earlier 80's, is still fresh in my memory the lascivious behavior of a prominent unquestionable ISKCON swami覧whose fame and "intellect" were broadly broadcast覧with his disciple lady secretary. Even today he is lavishly surrounded by young and intelligent ladies aspirant devotees. We do not actually know what goes into the mind of a deluded disciple that thinks that surrendering her body to her "guru" is also devotional service. However, the Scriptures and Indian laws tell us what happens to their so-called gurus. In India there are laws that prosecute even prominent local "swamis" for lascivious conduct (see links below). IMHO non-Indian "sadhus" or aspirant spiritual LEADERS' lascivious behavior will soon be checked according to Indian laws.
Check out this news about another famous lascivious Indian swami:
The conclusion of this presentation is that it is NOT easy to let go our "since-time-immemorial" identities as prakrita-sahajiyas. From Godbrothers sincerely trying to follow Srila Prabhupada覧while opening their own institutions as sub-branches of ISKCON, to the most honest and sincere ones inside the ISKCON-GBC even覧, the serious threat to unconsciously deviating from Srila Prabhupada, and Krishna's unambiguous teachings will ALWAYS be there. Some become enamored by their vatsalya status as gurus, thus naturally leave behind their Godbrother's "lower" rasa, since shakya is sub-servant to vatsalya. Others may feel inclined to even contemplate the shadow of madhurya-rasa within the vatsalya status established towards their own lady disciples覧this is the risk one has to pay by "playing" with fire... even if such "playing" is behind a mridanga, and an extremely beautiful and melodious sweet voice覧the same one that is meant to exclusively please the Divine Couple's transcendental ears.
Ultimately, to make Srila Prabhupada and Krishna the center of one's life does not
take much覧simply DO NOT let Them behind, by thinking that one's disciples are
PERSONAL possessions覧this is the only way to avoid performing constant offenses
that turn into sinful activities against them, whom eternally are Krishna's disciples覧the Unique Original Guru.
I beg to always remain your servant, in the exclusive seva to Srila Prabhupada and the pure vaishnavas,
Sadhudasa Anudasa
"Spirit is eternal, whereas the plea of modernity by most of mankind's "modern
swamis" mutates the mind's kindness... I mind their kind of madness in betraying
Vedic tradition."
To save time, here is the article:
WASHINGTON: A US court has issued an arrest warrant against an elderly Hindu religious leader, convicted of molesting two young girls, after he failed to
appear before it on the day of his sentencing.
In a statement, Hays County Sheriff's office said it was on the lookout for
Prakashanand Saraswati, known to his devotees as Shree Swamiji and is head
of the 200-acre Hindu ashram in Texas, after the arrest warrant was issued
against him.
Last week, the Texas court convicted in all of the 20 counts following
charges by two women Shyama Rose, 30, and Vesla Tonnessen Kazimer, 27,
alleging that Prakashanand tried to exploit them on numerous occasions over
the course of several years, beginning when they were as young as 12.
The two lived in the campus of the ashram along with their other family
members.
After Prakashanand failed to appear before the court for more than an hour
after the scheduled appointment yesterday, District Judge Charles Ramsay not
only issued an arrest warrant against him, but also revoked his USD 1
million bond.
Laurie Bain, the Sheriff's office spokesperson said Prakashanand was
believed to be in the company of a woman named Vishwambhari Devi and
appealed to residents to contact the office on any information about his
whereabouts.
Since the court is having his passport, it is unlikely that he left the
country.
"Prakashandand failed to appear in court at which time two felony warrants
were issued and signed by Judge Ramsay for Failure to Appear. Deputies of
Hays County are actively searching for Prakashandand in attempt to execute
the warrants," Bain said.
There was no immediate response to the several phone calls and the email
sent to Aman Agrawal, spokesman of Barsana Dham, seeking their statement on
the issue.
Spread over 200 acres of sprawling campus south of Austin, Barsana Dham,
established by Prakashanand in 1990, is one of the largest Hindu temples in
the United States.
Prakashanand also has several charity works in India. "We have not located
our client. We don't know the reason for his absence," Jeff Kearney, lead
attorney for Prakashanand, was quoted as saying by the American Statesman
newspaper.
The sentencing has been rescheduled for today. "Swamiji was very ill over
the weekend," Rich Parsons, a spokesman for Barsana Dham, was quoted as
saying.
"We're continuing to try to find him," he added.
Dear devotees,
PAMHO AGTSP
The article related on the link below is about the charges on child
molestation against Prakashananda Sarasvati, the founder of the
International Society of "Divine" Love based in Sri Vrindavana, just
besides Kripalu Maharaja's multimillion-dollar marble temple. PS is the
direct disciple of Kripalu Maharaja, who was recently was visiting Sri
Mayapur. Both have backgrounds on sexual misconduct and child molestation
since decades ago.
http://www.statesman.com/news/local/with-convicted-guru-on-the-lam-jury-se
ntenc es-1307846.html
ys,
Sadhudasa Anudasa
Begin forwarded message:
>From: "Ananda Tirtha (das) PVS (Mayapur - IN)"
> Date: 7 February 2011 1:57:00 PM GMT+05:30
>To: "ISKCON India (news & discussion)",
"Mayapur (Community) Forum"
>
>Subject: Kripalu in Mayapur
>
>Hare Krishna,
>
>Just a short piece of information that Kripalu Maharaja, one of the most
>popular gurus in India, is present in Mayapur for a week doing a sadhana
>camp. Apparently he came last year too. His group has a huge pandal
>behind the Caitanya Gaudiya Math and 3000 of his followers are here (the
>ones wearing yellow harinam-type chadars).
>
>He came in on the helicopter that flew over the ISKCON campus on
>Saturday.
>
>JFYI.
>
>Your servant,
>
>ATD
