Do You Know What it's Like, Matsya?

BY: NAIKA GUNMAR

Oct 06, USA (SUN) — I just read Matsya's text on "just moving on". I am a gurukula alumni trying to move on. This text of his made me so mad. The whole child abuse issue in ISKCON has not been solved yet. By far not!

From day one, the tactic has been to quietly get rid of the problem. I have, along with my siblings and fellow alumni, been asked to please not make a big deal of the abuse we suffered in gurukula. To think of the movement's reputation. To think of Srila Prabhupada's reputation. To not be so selfish. How dare you!

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Oct 06, CANADA (SUN) — A weekly response to Dandavats editorials. It appears that Akruranath das, a Srila Prabhupada disciple, was so inspired by the class given by HH Radhanath Swami in San Jose, California on August 22nd, 2007, that he went to the effort to have it transcribed and submitted to Dandavats. The class was so long that it was broken down into two parts (Part One and Part Two).

Today I will begin to critique Radhanath's lecture, which will take several installments in the Obeisances series because there is a great deal of content that requires commentary. The regular readers of Sampradaya Sun know that I have made many previous comments on Radhanath, although not so much on his lectures because we have seldom had access to transcriptions of them. Thanks to Akruranath prabhu's efforts, we now have an opportunity to get further insight into who Radhanath Swami is today and what his current mood and message are.

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Hate the Sin

BY: GAURA GOPALA DASA

Oct 06, USA (SUN) — Hate the sin, not the sinner. Is that the Krsna Conscious thing to do, or a cop out? If not, how can we say Lord Caitanya is Patita-pavana? Are these angry words of Matsya das just a 'witch hunt' by those who are not spiritually advanced? Or is he right?

Is the following the right way to treat fallen souls? Who really are the most fallen?

To Hell with the Child Molesters

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The Three Amigos

BY: MAHAVIDYA DAS (ACBSP)

Oct 06, UK (SUN) —

My thanks to Matsya das for his recent angry article.
A lot of back-pedaling on Matsya prabhu's own behalf.
However, one can understand his frustrations with the ISKCON institution.
Many of us have similar experiences.
Yes, I do know Braja Bihari. I have known him for many years.
I was obliged by the Euro GBC to take my concerns of financial discrepancies here at Bhaktivedanta Manor to ISKCON Resolve.
Braja Bihari was deputed by the Euro GBC to investigate.
After much going back and forth, even after presenting Braja Bihari with ample written evidence,
that report never materialised.
And why not? ...one is obliged to ask.

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Govardhana Puja and Reunion at ISKCON Murari

BY: ISKCON MURARI SEVAKA

Oct 06, MULBERRY, TENNESSEE, USA (SUN) — Come Celebrate Govardhana Puja Festival (Annakuta Mahotsava) at ISKCON-Murari Sevaka on Saturday October 25th, 2008, from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

Everyone is invited to perform abhiseka to Sri Govardhana Shila, to circumambulate a Govardhana Hill made of sweets, and to offer candles to Sri Damodara for Kartika vrata.

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Small Children Worship for Happy Conjugal Life

BY: DEBABRATA MOHAPTRA

Oct 06, JAGANNATHA PURI, ORISSA — Four-year-old Sibani Mohapatra is studying in standard one only. But at this tender age, she thinks of getting hitched to a handsome man in future. Not only Sibani, but a number of small girls between the ages of three to twelve, hailing from the priests' society of Jagannath Temple, worshipped Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati on Saturday for getting good-looking husbands.

Clad in bridal costumes and glittering jewelry, the tiny girls headed towards the sacred markanda tank for offering prayer to the deities. Going by the age-old tradition, the girls worship Shiva and Parvati for a happy conjugal life in future. Even though the girls are unaware of the actual concept of marriage, they were enjoying the practice more as entertainment. They attracted the passers-by with their exquisite bridal get-ups.

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Hare Krishna in Singapore: the Success Story

BY: TATTVA VIT DAS

Oct 05, SINGAPORE (SUN) — Review of ‘Hare Krishnas in Singapore: Agency, State And Hinduism’ Essay in the SOJOURN (Journal of Social Issues in South East Asia) Issue 23: April 1, 2008.

I appreciate the effort of the authors in their research on the evolution of the Hare Krishna movement in Singapore. Their essay (click here for the full article) was divided into two sections: Firstly, the State - Hare Krishna nexus and secondly, the Hinduism - Hare Krishna nexus. For the most part of my review here, I would comment on the former section as the latter for the most part comprises individual opinions which depend on individual perception whereas the former comprises many conclusive statements by the authors which are partially or entirely incorrect owing to their insufficient research both spiritually as well as factually.

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To Hell with the Child Molesters

BY: MATSYA DAS

Oct 05, INDIA (SUN) — One thing I will agree with you all on, I do not understand why someone like Bhavananda is still allowed in ISKCON. He not only beat kids but had sex with them, too.

OK, Braja Bihari Prabhu might have defended Gauri and Dhanurdhara - yes, certainly that was wrong. My point is no matter how much you all scream foul, no one in ISKCON will listen to you. Brajja Bihari is not going to be examined. Do you actually think the Ministry of Justice is working well in ISKCON? Certainly not. I was in ISKCON Mayapur in 1986, I heard all the stories. I talked to one Nepali Gurukula boy who was molested in Mayapur. I was so angry, I talked to several leaders at that time, and nothing was done.

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Jayadvaita Swami's
'New and Improved'

BY: KRISHNA DAS

Oct 05, USA (SUN) — In reference to Janmastami prabhu's article, "Say What", we heard from an authoritative source this evening that there was a time when Jayadvaita Swami felt that Srila Prabhupada's name should be removed from the standard ISKCON pranam prayers. In other words, namo om visnu pradaya, krsna prestaya butale, srimate Bhaktivedanta Swami, the Bhaktivedanta Swami part, the Founder/Acarya of ISKCON, His name should be removed.

This comes from the mouth of the one who also "butchered" Srila Prabhupada's 12 years of translations of various highly significant Vedic scriptures, Bhagavad-Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, Caitanya-caritamrta, to name but three, translated verse by verse with purports added, from 1:00 till 4:00 every morning for twelve years, while His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, my 1,000% Divine Spiritual Master, the actual real Acarya, descended from the spiritual world, whom no present ISKCON guru even barely stands a minute fraction against His exalted spiritual height, was with us.

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SB 1.19 - The Appearance of Sukadeva Gosvami

BY: SADHUSANGA.COM

Oct 05, USA (SUN) — Sadhusanga recently completed recording this important chapter of Srimad Bhagavatam, wherein Sukadeva Gosvami arrives on the banks of the Yamuna River to instruct Maharaja Pariksit. All the great rsis and sages in the universe also arrived to listen to the first narration of this sublime literature, and we can also participate, simply by listening:

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Golden Temple May Turn Off-Limits for Bollywood

BY: STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Oct 05, LUDHIANA, INDIA (TOI) — Angered by the soaring list of film shootings at the Golden Temple, the most revered shrine of the Sikhs, priests have said the gurdwara could soon be put out of bounds for most of Bollywood. The development comes days after Shah Rukh Khan shot for his film Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi at Harmandir Sahib.

"Everybody wants to shoot at the Golden Temple," an angry Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) president Avtar Singh Makkar complained on Wednesday. "They (the film crew) make it inconvenient for the devotees and just don’t care about maryada."

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Say What?

BY: JANMASTAMI DAS

Oct 04, WEST VIRGINIA, USA (SUN) — Having read the recent offering by Matsya das, we were compelled by multiple obligations, almost simultaneously. The immediate desire to respond to the antiquated arguments (did anyone seriously believe them the first time they went around?) that have failed so miserably in the past was only surpassed by the more immediate regurgitation reflex.

Like the ghost of past transgressions rearing it's unsightly head even one more time, the lame and invalid "it was their karma!", "they had it coming!", "the problems created...have been solved...it's time to move on!" arguments are given. These arguments are meant to abuse the plaintiffs rather than address the real issues. They have been used and defeated in open court and to try to pass them off to the rank and file of ISKCON watchers and members is to beat the dead horse of ignorance.

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Matsya, the Enlightened One

BY: ANANDA DEVI DASI

Oct 04, USA (SUN) — I simply cannot believe Matsya das's attitude! The children of ISKCON are trying to heal and he blasphemes them like this?

Do you think that all is well now that the Lawsuit is over, and that all is healed? That ISKCON pleading bankruptcy makes it alright in the eyes of Krishna? Your attitude makes me sick to my stomach. Listen to yourself. You are a disgrace, you are no different than this Braja Bihari.

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Braja Bihari MUST GO...

BY: MADHAVA DAS

Oct 04, USA (SUN) — Matsya`s Prabhu simplistic and naive outlook does not really provide the solution to the problem. The problem is that abusers like Gauri and Danurdhara were protected in ISKCON to the last end and breath by Braja Bihari dasa. And that finally led to the lawsuit against ISKCON.

Braja Bihari's protection of the abusers is a well documented fact in his own personal correspondence, which was posted by Balaram das in his recent article entitled, "Braja Bihari - the Cause of the Turley Lawsuit Against ISKCON". Braja Bihari had made that choice for himself, and now his karma is finally catching up with him.

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Ivory Towers

BY: MAHAVIDYA DAS (ACBSP)

Oct 04, UK (SUN) —

I have been following the thread between Balarama das, Jaya Keshava das and Matsya das.
Matsya prabhu needs to climb down from his ivory tower to visit the real world.
As a parent who has been involved directly with the very real and sordid subject of child abuse within ISKCON, I consider Matsya das's comments to be the product of a sick, somewhat uninformed mind.
Matsya das's mentality is, unfortunately, very common amongst current ISKCON members.
A number of adjectives come to mind: perverse, neophyte, immature, cultish... take your pick.
I wonder if Matsya das has any children or loved ones?

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Oct 04, CANADA (SUN) — The Sun's weekly cartoon page, Saturday Laffs.