It's not surprising to find the names Gupta das (Joe Fedorowsky) and Amarendra das (David Liberman) in the forefront of any legal action. As a 501(c)3 NGO, there is a legal obligation to produce the records to support their financial expenditures, including the salaries of these prabhus for "services rendered", and we can scarcely be surprised if such requests go unheeded.
As Life Members and exiled members of the same society as the current, self-declared "pure devotees", we demand our right to access such information. Surely an explanation of these upcoming, reincorporation legal changes (and charges), and how it will affect day to day temple life, are an obligation these "preachers" will willingly undertake, for the good of the devotee community, as well as to "earn their paycheck", as it were.
Regarding Hrsikesh das' recent article, "Radhanath Swami's Alleged Involvement in Sulochan's Murder", we thank him for refreshing our recollection of just how far innocents can be led astray by neophyte devotees, no matter how well intentioned or well positioned organizationally they may turn out to be.
As one of those innocents, misled by these same individuals mentioned here, to see them offering the same 'siksa guru' advice (and in some cases 'diksa guru' advice) to bhaktas is seriously disheartening to any sincere lover of this KRSNA Consciousness movement. He has accurately pointed out how the troikia of Radhanatha, Kuladri and Tapahpunjah were the defacto spiritual leaders of the community in light of Kirtanananda's crippling injury, and it was their guidance on such matters that "sealed the deal" for those who seriously considered themselves inferior devotees. All others were submissive to the will of those "senior devotees", with their much more thorough understanding and knowledge of the scriptures and their meanings.
In Rasaprema das's article, "A Pastime or a Pastcrime?", we find two taboo questions that none in ISKCON are allowed to ask. The first question is whether such murder would be "justifiable" under scriptural understanding? Such questions have been forbidden topics in ISKCON for 25 years now, lest one make some assessment that they come to regret a few years down the road. Enough of what's left of ISKCON's power players have ridden that train before.
The second question that he asks, "Was ignorance possible?" is another question that must not be asked, lest ISKCON's "in good standing" guru system and it's "database" be held up for all to see. These are the topics of those "behind closed doors" meetings, the ones where they eliminate the competition rather than face them.
That he "avoided being caught" was the only restriction put on Radhanath by ISKCON. That, of course, and the return of New Vrindaban Community leadership and the collecting of as much of the Kirtanananda era empire remnants from India and Africa as was possible. All that being agreed to (not by the Desai family, apparently), the fact that lies would be needed to maintain this personality as anything other than a bhajananandi was lost on the leadership's "visionaries" in the glare from the disciples' wealth that Kirtanananda left in the wake of his expulsion.
Still, the discussion of such subject matter, for ISKCON 's rank and file devotees, is 'discouraged', if not prohibited outright. The conclusion Rasaprema prabhu has come to is as alarming as it is accurate: "being a member of the innermost circle of New Vrndavana, it is almost impossible to believe that Radhanath would be ignorant of the real nature of the pretender, Kirtanananda." And it is the telling reason why so many of the second generation have rejected him, on knowing him fully as "a bona fide guru". True, some have accepted him ("who else is there?"), but that cannot be our only consideration.
Those who know Radhanatha personally cannot bring themselves to accept his "honest account" of these events because many of them know that the facts are different than what Radhanatha presents. Seeing him lie to defend his own personal interests, something we did not have to watch Kirtanananda do until he was beyond saving, with his "justifiable self-defense" theories, has to be as damaging to their faith as to tell them that their 'pure devotee Guru' isn't.
Now as we see Kuladri being groomed for the executive directorship of ISKCON, with all it's "service", power, and the like, it's not surprising to find that old Sulocana murder co-conspirator Tapahpunja has claimed that long coveted New Vrindaban Temple President's paycheck. Not only a paycheck, but the real estate that has been leased to himself and his consorts progeny. Illegally leased -- $990 for 99 years of using the New Vrndaban temple compound area as your own little toll collection booth -- with complete contempt for any members of the devotee community that got in their way, to those co-conspirators with Radhanatha in the Sulocana murder and the cover-up.
Such perks have come to be open and commonplace. "What's wrong with having a paycheck and owning a little land?" We may all come to find out the answer to that question, sooner than we expect.
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