Ravindra Svarupa Responds on New Vrindaban
BY: GIRI-NAYAKA DAS (BVS)
Jan 3, SLOVENIA (SUN) — Here is a letter from Ravindra Svarupa Prabhu to the GBC's and myself. It is written as reply to my letter to the GBC from December 26, 2006. This article was posted yesterday on Dandavats. Following are my comments, posted in reply to Dandavats, which may or may not be published:
Pamho, Dandavats. This is a very interesting article, indeed, especially since my name is mentioned in it, in a quite critical way. Of course, it is very interesting, that Dandavats posts such article, without putting it in context.
Let me defend myself now, and turn out a complete fool. I'm sure I can do that quite expertly. :) I'm called a fault-finder and my real intention is revealed as to bring about distress, agitation, and misgivings. Well, thank you. What did I do, to deserve such blast from a leading GBC man? What do you think, readers? I must have done something really horrible, is it? Can you imagine, that such public blasphemy is directed at you from GBC? Can you imagine what you would have to do, to be blasted off in such a way?
Well, it is really simple. This article is a reply to a series of my pleas to the GBC, that they make a firm public statement regarding accusations against Radhanatha Swami. I begged GBC again and again for their public statement.
That's it? Yes.
It is quite curious to see myself now presented as fault-finder, and especially from the side of Ravindra Svarupa Prabhu, who is often used by GBC as a means by which the GBC shuts-down their perceived enemies, like Ritviks and such. He is aware of his abilities to ask most uncomfortable questions in a quite polite way. He is expert in this putting down the opponent. What chance do I have here? None. I'm flattened to the ground. What a joke.
Why is Dandavats posting only one part of the story? This is not proper, and is misleading readers. Will I be now allowed to post all my letters to GBC, where I was begging for their guidance and cooperation with ISKCON followers? Can I also post my last six letters to GBC, begging them again and again, to tell us how to understand criticisms against Radhanatha Swami? I'm sure it would be an interesting reading for Dandavats visitors. Please let me know if I can do that.
ys Giri-nayaka das BVS
---------- Forwarded Message ----------
Letter PAMHO:12823765 (142 lines)
From: Ravindra Svarupa (das) ACBSP (Philad. - USA)
Date: 02-Jan-07 16:11 (11:11 -0500)
To: AC Bhaktivaibhava Swami [29927]
To: Bhakti Caitanya Swami [61364] (received: 02-Jan-07 16:31)
To: Bhakti Charu Swami [64616]
To: Bhaktimarga Swami (Canada) [17843] (received: 02-Jan-07 18:20)
To: Bir Krishna das Goswami [49650] (received: 02-Jan-07 17:40)
To: Devamrita Swami [26872]
To: Gopal Krsna Goswami [49800] (received: 02-Jan-07 16:59)
To: Kavicandra Swami (GBC Japan) [71986]
To: Param Gati Swami (France) [57610]
To: Prabhavisnu Swami [48862]
To: Romapada Swami [131698]
To: Badrinarayan (das) ACBSP (San Diego - USA) [56320] (forwarded:
02-Jan-07 16:20)
To: Madhu Sevita (das) ACBSP (GBC) (I) [18516]
To: Malati (dd) ACBSP (GBC) (New Vrindavan/Columbus - USA) [39234]
(forwarded: 02-Jan-07 16:20)
To: Virabahu (das) ACBSP (GBC) [24422] (forwarded: 02-Jan-07 16:20)
To: Giri-nayaka (das) BVS (SLO) [9279]
To: Hrdaya Caitanya (das) SDG (TP Radhadesh - B) [45081] (received:
02-Jan-07 16:54)
To: Praghosa (das) SDG (IRL) [95957]
To: Radha Krishna (das) RNS (Chowpatty - IN) [28620] (received:
02-Jan-07 17:40)
To: Ratnavali (dd) JPS (JPS Office Mayapur - IN) [36737]
To: Sesa (das) (GBC) [77243] (received: 02-Jan-07 18:12)
Cc: Braja Bihari (das) BJD (Vrindavana - IN) [156878] (received:
02-Jan-07 16:16)
For: Jayapataka Swami (GBC)
For: Anuttama (das) ACBSP (IC N.America)
Reference: Text PAMHO:12788470 by Giri-nayaka (das) BVS (SLO)
Subject: New Vrindaban History, for the Record
------------------------------------------------------------
My dear devotees,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I wish to offer a few remarks in regard to some emails concerning H.H.
Radhanatha Swami, Tirtha Prabhu and others.
As some of you may recall, in 1987 the North American GBC decided that, for
the protection of Srila Prabhupada's movement, it should cooperate with the
government in its case against Kirtanananda Swami and others. On three
occasions, I myself testified in court as a prosecution witness. And I spent
some time in consultation with the lead federal prosecutor, Michael Stein.
On several occasions, I was able to observe at first hand the thorough and
systematic way the team of prosecution lawyers and FBI agents made their
cases not only against Kirtanananda but against many of his lieutenants and
foot-soldiers. Some of them, to protect themselves, eventually testified
against Kirtanananda. So far as I could see, the government was thorough and
relentless.
(At the same time, it became clear that the government had no antagonisms
toward Krishna consciousness, toward ISKCON, and toward the many mislead New
Vrindavan devotees. Michael Stein told me that in his view, Kirtanananda had
taken a genuine religion of sincere people and perverted it into a criminal
enterprise.)
At one point, Michael Stein talked to me about Radhanatha Swami. "Everyone
says Radhanatha is a saintly person--not like Bhaktipad," Michael said, "yet
still he supports Bhaktipad. Why is that?" It was clear that Stein suspected
that Radhanatha Swami had been compromised in some way.
I answered, "I don't know. Why don't you ask him?" I was curious myself.
Michael said, "I'm going to do just that."
He had some difficulty getting a hold of Maharaja, who of course spent much
time in India. But finally Radhanatha Swami came in, voluntarily, for a
meeting (or maybe an interrogation).
Some time later, Michael Stein told me that he had concluded--from his talk
with Maharaja and whatever else he'd gathered from the government's
investigation--that Radhanatha Swami was not implicated in any of the
criminal activities in New Vrindavan.
I accepted his judgment, and, in spit of these recent belated allegations, I
still do. I think the federal prosecution had better judgment and more
disinterested intentions than anyone now calling its decisions into
question.
The government is not going to reopen its case. I am certain that any
investigation of our own will serve only to cause distress, agitation,
doubts, and so on, without getting us one millimeter closer to a firmer
resolution. Since it takes only a little common sense to recognize this
fact, I conclude that the real intention of those calling for such an
investigation is, in fact, to bring about distress, agitation, and
misgivings.
Concerning Tirtha Prabhu: Shortly after the "Winnebago incident" in 1993 had
undeniably disclosed Kirtanananda's sexual transgressions and shattered his
facade for good, I happen to be at a former New Vrindavan center in Ohio. I
was told that Tirtha was on the phone, and he wanted to talk to me. Speaking
from jail, Tirtha told me that now he understood that Kirtanananda was not a
pure devotee, and therefore that he himself, who had killed two devotees on
Kirtanananda's order, was guilty of murder. Tirtha asked me: "Now what
should I do?" He said the government had been pressuring to talk, but he had
never opened his mouth: he didn't want to side against devotees, and he did
not want to become a snitch. Now, however, he was wondering what to do.
I said to him at once that truth is the best prayascitta. He should go on
record, answer all the government's questions truthfully, and he should ask
for nothing in exchange. Tirtha said that other devotees had told him the
exact same thing. "That's the best confirmation," I said. Tirtha also noted
that this course would be dangerous for him. New Vrindavan conducted a
ministry in that prison, and when word got out, his life would be in danger.
Kirtanananda's first conviction having been overturned on appeal, "the
Swami" underwent a second trial, in which Tirtha's testimony was crucial. I
was in the court room for Tirtha's cross-examination, and Kirtanananda's
very expensive, skillful criminal defense lawyer could not discredit him nor
undermine his testimony. After that, Kirtanananda and his lawyers were
granted a recess, during which they hammered out a deal with the government
to present the judge. For sometime the prosecution had had a plea-bargain
offer open to Kirtanananda, but he'd refused it. But now, after Tirtha's time
in the witness stand, the defense clearly wanted to avoid at all costs
sending the decision to the jury. So a guilty plea was accepted, and a
sentence handed down. (The prosecution had an interest in settling because
they were concerned with another appeal and possible reversal: Kirtanananda
had hired America best appeal lawyers.)
I saw Tirtha later. His forearms were deeply scoured with newly healed knife
wounds: he had been attached in jail by an inmate loyal to Bhaktipad.
In jail, Tirtha told me: "I belong in here."
With this statement, we see the process of Krishna consciousness. If some
little purification has begun, we will soon become clearly aware of the
depth and breadth of the ocean of our own sins and offenses. They will
become profoundly abhorrent to us, and with tears in our eyes we will beg
Krishna for forgiveness, being ready, at the same time, to accept without
protest any punishment He gives us. We think no punishment will actually be
enough. We know that of our own will we turned our face from the Supreme
Personality of God and came to this material work to embark on a crime spree
against God and His creation.
When there is full acknowledgment of sins and deep regret, Krishna accepts
his fallen servant back, for which undeserved mercy the servant feels
unlimited and unending gratitude. In this way the fallen soul goes back to
Godhead.
If, however, a devotee becomes unwilling or unable to acknowledge his sins
and offenses, his progress stops. He does not know why; he certainly did not
do anything wrong! Inwardly miserable and unhappy from lack of Krishna
consciousness, he directs his anger toward others, and he decides it is
really their fault he is not Krishna conscious. It's them! Those other
devotees! It's the gurus! The GBC! In this way, he becomes a full-time
faultfinder.
Or, he decides that actually he IS advanced in Krishna consciousness. The
evidence is that he can see with such superior lucidity the shortcomings and
failures of others. Joining the Ramacandra Puri sampradaya, he also becomes
a full-time faultfinder. Such unfortunate souls, who try to rectify others
as a substitute for rectifying themselves, only sink deeper into offenses
and sins.
If we wish to make progress in Krishna consciousness we must take up the
culture of the Holy Name. We must chant while diligently trying to give up
offenses. Otherwise, chant as we may, the potency of the Holy Name will not
act. We must follow this process.
In my experience, Tirtha Prabhu, in jail, shows much evidence of sincerely
cultivating the Holy Name. I have had much more association with H. H.
Radhanatha Swami. In my experience, he clearly exhibits the symptoms of one
advanced in sincerely cultivating the Holy Name.
I am seriously concerned, on the other hand, about Janmastami Prabhu and
Giri-Nayaka Prabhu. From the evidence of these emails, it seems that they
have wandered from the path into the quicksand swamp of fault-finding. If
so, I pray to Srila Prabhupada and Krishna to send one of their agents to
help these two devotees before they fall further and further into mortal
danger.
Your fallen servant,
Ravindra Svarupa dasa
(Text PAMHO:12823765)
------- End of Forwarded Message ------
